Aetheris—an energy that allowed the world to bend to one’s will.
It was said to be the true source of all power, encompassing everything, even Apex Energy. It was the root of existence itself, the force that wove together reality and all its possibilities.
As Ryuk’s soul fragments reassembled within his form, he felt a slow response from his body—almost as if he had been in stasis for an eternity.
But the sluggishness was fleeting.
The moment his soul regained a semblance of wholeness, it instinctively released a powerful, shocking suction force, targeting the Aetheris Energy saturating the environment.
Then—
Boom!
A violent cyclone erupted around him, spiralling into a monstrous vortex of power.
The entire Soul Flora Sea responded as if obeying an ancient, forgotten call.
Aetheris Energy surged toward him in chaotic waves, drawn into his very being with unstoppable force.
The disturbance sent ripples through the entire region, shaking the sea, shifting its tides, and distorting the space around him.
Ryuk gasped.
His soul—once fractured, weakened—was now strengthening at an incomprehensible rate.
With each passing second, his connection to his body grew firmer, and soon, he could feel every inch of his own form with astonishing clarity. He willed it, and instantly—
His nanobody surged back to life.
But something had changed.
Ryuk expected his nanobots to reconstruct him the way they always had, forming a bony structure to serve as his skeletal foundation.
Yet, to his surprise, they did not.
Instead of solidifying into rigid support, the nanobots began scaling over each other, layer by layer, leaving tiny gaps between them, creating an intricate, flexible structure unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
It was not just a simple change—it was an evolution.
For the first time, Ryuk felt like he could control his own body’s form in ways that had once been impossible.
His previous state had required solid nanobot formations to maintain structural integrity.
He could not afford to ’unsolidify’ them without consequence.
But now—now, after his evolution—his body had become far more adaptable.
He had gained complete, effortless control over his nanobody.
He could unstack his nanobots, rearrange them, morph them into something new, something optimized for any situation.
It might have seemed like a minor detail to an outsider, but to Ryuk—it was revolutionary.
This flexibility would change everything.
Tactics, combat styles, transformations—his mind was already racing with possibilities, each more devastating than the last.
He clenched his fist and watched as the nanobots adjusted, responding to his intent instantly.
His efficiency in battle would now skyrocket beyond anything he had previously known.
Yet, his transformation was far from over.
Even as his body fully reconstructed itself—now superior in every conceivable way—his soul continued absorbing the Aetheris Energy from the Soul Flora Sea at a terrifying rate.
He felt power beyond comprehension surging through his existence, his will refining with it, shaping the energy into something uniquely his own.
An overwhelming realization dawned upon him.
"I... I feel invincible," Ryuk thought, his expression unreadable.
His body rippled as the immense energy coursing through him resonated with his soul.
He could feel reality itself responding to his presence, bending ever so slightly to his will.
It was as if he was no longer just a part of the world—he was one with it.
But then—
A voice echoed in his mind. The voice of the blue scaled Ryuk.
__
"Aetheris is an energy that gives one the illusion of invincibility due to its ability to grant a person’s will an effect in reality."
"But don’t be fooled. You’re not invincible—far from it, actually."
---
Ryuk exhaled, regaining clarity.
The feeling of omnipotence was deceptive. Yes, his will had strengthened thousands of times over, and yes, his ability to affect reality had reached an unimaginable level.
But there were still limits. He had once only been able to harden space—now, he could do much more.
But true mastery was still beyond him.
Watching from the sidelines, a woman stood frozen in shock.
Her blue hair shimmered under the glow of the Soul Flora Sea, her eyes filled with disbelief as she struggled to comprehend the impossible sight before her.
"Impossible!"
The Flora Soul Seal—a Divine-Grade Artifact—was only meant to restore Ryuk’s soul to its previous level. That was its limit. And yet, before her very eyes, something unprecedented was occurring.
Ryuk was not just recovering—he was evolving.
His soul was not just being restored—it was absorbing pure, primal Aetheris Energy at an insane rate and converting it into real power.
Her mind raced.
"He cultivates Apex Energy already—that much is certain. So how… how is he also controlling Aetheris Energy!?"
"Could he have an Aetheris Bloodline!?"
"No—even if he did, this much raw Aetheris Energy should have crushed his soul! He should have imploded by now! Why is he still standing!?"
And the suction force was still growing stronger.
Her heart pounded.
"No, I need to stop him before he drains all of the Flora Soul Energy! If he takes any more, the Divine-Grade Artifact will be permanently damaged!"
Her will surged—
She tried to lift Ryuk into the air, intending to fling him out of the sea.
But—
Bang!
Her power slammed into something invisible, unmovable.
Her breath hitched.
A barrier.
An imperceptible force surrounded Ryuk, an unseen shell of hardened space that rendered her efforts meaningless.
"What the...? I can’t penetrate it?"
She tried again.
Nothing.
Just then—
Ryuk’s eyes slowly opened.
She stiffened.
A circular, incomplete tattoo pulsated across his left eye, emanating Aetheris Energy in reverse.
Then, in an instant—
The suction force disappeared.
The raging sea stilled. The distortion vanished.
Silence.
From the now-calm waters, a figure emerged.
Step by step, Ryuk walked forward— on air.
He ascended, feet touching the hilltop where they had once stood.
He examined his hands, clenching and unclenching them.
His skin, smooth and flawless like sculpted ice, gleamed with blue lights form teh tatoos that covered his hands.
Then—
A voice.
---
[Congratulations, Host, on reaching the next level of Aetheris Energy!]
[Host has moved from Basic to…]
---
Ryuk smiled.
"Finally."
The system was back.
Excitement surged through him. His thoughts immediately shifted to someone else.
"Isha! Isha!?"
But before he could leave for the pet world—
BOOM!
A monstrous force slammed into the ground nearby, shaking the entire hill.
The impact sent waves of energy through the surroundings, even lifting the earth itself.
And then—
A colossal Frost Wyvern—seven meters tall, its icy scales glistening with power—stood before him.
Ryuk’s breath hitched.
Only one name escaped his lips.
"I... Isha."