Ryuk’s change in expression was instantly caught by both Ryuk before him.
They looked at each other, then turned back to him.
"You can’t be thinking of us getting us replaced by the abnormal bloodline, are you?" he asked with caution, but then watched as Ryuk slightly leaned forward, his chin regally placed on his fist as he looked at both of them in interest before voicing out—
"What if I am?" He confirmed, as they both looked at him in shock.
"You’re seriously considering that?" the red-scaled Ryuk asked, earning a shrug from him.
"A bloodline whose temporary appearance enabled it to hijack the consciousness of a Jade Dragon Bloodline manifestation without so much as a fight, and land a strike strong enough to scar the manifestation of the Knullic Bloodline."
"Now that I mention that, I think I only used the art for less than a minute, yet it was enough to cause all that damage."
"It makes me wonder, what will happen, if I leave it activated for about an hour..." Ryuk said, chuckling a bit, watching the two Ryuks stir in their seats.
"That’s a decision you’ll come to regret..." Draco muttered with unwavering certainty.
But Ryuk only smiled, intrigued.
"Really? Because the way I see it, having you two replaced by a stronger bloodline with more power and potential sounds like an upgrade."
"That would mean more power, more potential for me. And I wouldn’t have to deal with the headaches that come with being a Jade Dragon... or a Knull."
"Especially a Knull," Ryuk said, placing his attention on the red-scaled Ryuk, though only for a fleeting moment.
"So... what do you say I’ll regret again?" he taunted, but Draco wasn’t fazed at all.
"Firstly, with us gone, you’ll lose your Knull and Draconic skills and abilities," he said, but all he got was a shrug.
"I’ve lost my nanotech body before, and with it, all my abilities... but I came back stronger. Losing abilities doesn’t scare me anymore."
"After losing your abilities, you lose your natural identity." Draco pressed on.
"Natural identity, huh?" Ryuk mused.
"Yes. Whatever that bloodline is, it’s not what you are."
"You’re Ryuk Knull. Son of Theth’Vorgath, the Knull of Carnage. And you share a line with the daughter of Vel’Zhyraka."
"You’re a Knull and a Jade Dragon—and we’re the manifestation of that."
"If you lose us both, you lose who you are," Draco said with confidence, yet watched as Ryuk slowly repeated—
"’You’re Ryuk Knull, son of Theth’Vorgath, the Knull of Destruction, and share a line with the daughter of Vel’Zhyraka...’ "
He said in a tone that imitated Draco’s, but the mockery in his words was as clear as day.
"You expect me to be proud—or in awe—of that identity?" Ryuk asked, staring at them like they were fools.
Their mouths hung agape in disbelief.
"You guys make my identity sound so grand, but the truth is... It’s a bit overrated. "
"Actually, I take that back..."
"It’s not just a bit overrated. It’s grossly overrated."
"What has being the son of Theth’Vorgath ever done for me? Except nearly get me killed by the Knull Calamities, and have me seen as a monster by the majority of people?"
"You speak of me being a Jade Dragon and a Knull as if it’s worth something, but the brutal reality is, if I mention that name to any of my enemies who have their blade to my neck..."
"No matter how grandly I declare I’m the son of Theth’Vorgath, or whatever origin my mother has—it won’t stop that blade, not even for a second."
"So tell me, what exactly should I be proud of in being the fusion of a Knull and a Jade Dragon?"
"Or, oh, maybe because I’m some kind of rare anomaly?"
"Because two overpowering bloodlines chose to coexist within me instead of destroying each other?"
"But let’s face it."
"What has this ’anomaliness’ brought me apart from pain?"
"From the moment of birth, innocent dragons died trying to keep me alive."
"My uncle was reduced to ashes—he could’ve well defended himself, if I had never existed, and that’s an unrefutable truth I’ll ever have to live with..." He said, but Draco voced out.
"Well, look on the bright side..." he said, but got cut off by Ryuk.
"Bright side?"
"Of course, yes, I got one of my severed limbs back, but then what? Now I have to go scour the universe trying to fetch the others."
"What brightness is there in having to go around the world to retrieve stolen body parts?" Ryuk asked them, and all he got was silence.
"I killed the Knull that killed my uncle... but then what?"
"Does that stop the pain I feel in my chest when I remember that if he never passed his veins to me—if I never existed—then he would still be alive?"
"Again, what peace is there in that?"
"This is what being an anomaly has gotten me. Do you understand?"
"Pain, guilt, and one fucked up situation after another."
"So don’t lecture me about how mighty my bloodline is. I’m not proud of it."
He said those words to them, each one ringing loud and clear in their minds.
Then Ryuk inhaled deeply, calming the chaotic clouds in his head.
His humour returned, and he asked—
"So... with identity out of the way, what else have I got to lose?"
"Nothing," the Knullic Ryuk said before the blue-scaled one could speak.
But then, Ryuk watched him rise to his feet, stepping right before him and bending to look him straight in the eyes.
"You can replace Draco with whatever that new consciousness is. And yes—it may get rid of me too." He whispered silently and just enough for both of them to hear clearly.
"But you’ll never truly be rid of us."
"The second you fuse your second body part, it’ll contain your original bloodline. And both of us will return."
"Stronger than ever. And we’ll fight the new consciousness with everything we have."
"It might succeed in killing us again... but it’ll be weakened too."
"And guess who takes the biggest blow from that?" He asked, but not waiting for Ryuk to reply, he completed, stretching his hand to Ryuk’s face.
"You."
"You can defend yourself by saying you’ll just avoid fusing with your other body parts."
"But at this point. I think it’s time we all choose brutal honesty..."
"You see, Ryuk..."