Now that Ryuk knew reaching the maximum level of the system didn’t mean losing it or having it fade away from him, he felt much more relaxed.
’Even if I don’t gain EXPs and level-up cards anymore, there are still many ways to increase my strength—like studying arts and techniques, or fusing with new beasts and gaining new elements.’
’It’s far from a hopeless situation.’
With that understood, he could finally go through the quest and look at the rewards carefully, and he was impressed.
This was by far the craziest list he had ever seen.
’Truly fitting of that final-level boss reward from Iris’ game.’
Of the entire list, the one that drew his attention the most was the holograph that was said to explain to him the system’s origin.
Uncle Bob had mentioned he had found it in some ruins, broken, and had repaired it.
But obviously, before it could have been broken, it must have been whole once.
Perhaps the vision would show him that.
And the evolution cards, it was no brainer that if he evolved right now, it would obviously take time, leaving him in slumber.
He couldn’t just do that on top of a tree, and as much as he was trying to take things slower, now didn’t seem like the best time to remain completely inactive.
Right now, he needed Morgaine awake and Iris reunited with her parents before he could afford to vanish into slumber.
’Even though I don’t feel that happy moving from Level 1 to 200, I guess that’s statistical proof of my clear growth.’
’It’s nice...’
He thought, a small smile tugging at his lips as he rose from the tree and moved back to the sea.
The tumbling sea waves were all he needed to confirm the girls were still in the water, and he clapped twice.
"Okay, okay. Sunbath’s done. Time to dry up,"
A tentacle rose, dangling none other than Iris at the end of it, rainbow tears dripping off her face.
"RYUUUUK!" she cried, yelping in shock as the tentacle flung her forward, but he caught her safely.
"Zaffre beat me up, wooooo," she whimpered, and Ryuk looked at her hands, noticing how she was gripping her ruby-red buttocks, which had a couple of lash marks, albeit already fading.
"ZAFFREE!!!" Ryuk roared, glaring at the octopus as her tentacles rotated and shifted, and she transformed back to General Viltrix.
"What? She started it first," Zaffre protested, tapping her feet on the water and opening up the glass barrier before quickly disappearing down.
Ryuk rolled his eyes at the sight, consoling Iris.
"Don’t worry, I’ll get back at her later."
With that, he stepped into the glass-like barrier, Iris in her arms, and disappeared from view.
_____
In the bunker, Zaffre and Iris sat on the floor, gamepads in hand, their fingers rapidly flicking through the buttons.
Sweat poured down Zaffre’s temples, while Iris, for once, wore a serious expression.
She had never really taken Zaffre seriously when it came to gaming—since she usually sucked at it—yet right now, for some reason, she found it harder and harder to defeat the usually dumb octopus.
While they were embroiled in their battle, Ryuk sat far behind them on the sofa, in his hands a grimoire glowing with iridescent milky-white light, and on the cover were the words:
"Introductory Manual of the Lantern Mythic Elements."
Old Jack had given him these manuals, but he’d never had the time to read them until now.
While Ryuk had started out reading the book simply because he wanted to keep himself occupied, it hadn’t been a few minutes before he became fully absorbed in it.
The Lantern Element, one he had never seen or heard of before, was introduced, and he was quick to learn it was one of the most mysterious and different elements he could ever imagine.
Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours. After exactly five hours, Ryuk flicked the last page closed and exhaled deeply.
He slumped back onto the sofa, the book dropping by the side of his head.
His eyes shut closed as every word replayed in his mind at incredible speed, until he could remember it word for word.
"It’s truly a mythic element."
According to the manual, the Lantern element was unique. Unlike Fire, Frost, or Void, rooted in natural forces, the Lantern was tied to Light itself, but also touched on the unreal: Guidance and Memory.
It was an element that teetered on the edge of light, soul, and fire, often manifesting as glowing light in the shape of a spectral lantern—hence the name Lantern.
But it wasn’t just for seeing in the dark like he had thought previously.
It could reveal truths from illusion, bind spirits, and guide the lost, repelling their darkness.
There were many real-world applicable skills, which were defined as its core properties.
A total of three were given in the grimoire.
The first skill was called Lightblade, which could be formed by condensing lantern flames into a solid beam of truth-light that could cut through illusions and soul barriers.
The second was Guiding Beacon, which summoned a floating lantern that marked out safe routes through corrupted realms.
And the last was Lantern Wall, a barrier of lantern flames that repelled spectrals and even shadow-based attacks.
The majority of the uses of the Lantern touched upon the dark astral elements, which Ryuk wasn’t very knowledgeable about.
Lost souls, spectrals, those weren’t things he had seen, but he had heard of them, though he didn’t know how true that was.
Still, it didn’t prevent him from touching the small core implanted on the grimoire, his runic marks changing their color to an iridescent silvery white.
Since he had already read the manual, he might as well quickly familiarize himself with the skills.
Who knew if he might just have a use for them later in the future?
_____
A/N:
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In and Out_SnowySmoos