"Stalking or fate?" The voice resounded through the place as Ryuk moved to the area where the plates were placed in the cafeteria. He drew out a smaller tray this time.
Slowly, turning behind him, he found a beaming girl with a big smile on her face looking at him.
"Morgaine?" Ryuk asked in surprise as the girl walked forward with a sleek, mischievous grin on her face.
"Seems like I hit your memory hard enough for you to remember me even after so many days. That’s what too much beauty does..." Morgaine said, and Ryuk rolled his eyes at her before walking to the area where the food was kept.
He quickly served himself and walked to a seat by the side.
Morgaine also served her meal and came to sit at the same table.
"Stalking or fate, huh? I’ve been hearing the latter words a lot lately..." Ryuk mused under his breath, but Morgaine, sharp-eared as ever, picked it up.
"Seems like you’ve been going through a lot mentally..." she said with a chuckle as she grabbed her fork and knife, gently cutting a morsel and placing it into her mouth.
Out of familiarity, Ryuk also picked up the knife and fork and swallowed down a morsel too.
Even though he had only been taught once how to use the cutlery by Morgaine, he still hadn’t forgotten, even after it had been so long since he last used it.
"Almost everyone is..." Ryuk muttered to himself.
Right now, even though the top ten names struck fear in every genius’s heart, there were still some who kept hope alive, igniting a faint resistance against despair in the hearts of many.
"Well, I definitely am not..." Morgaine said with a sleek smile that made Ryuk turn to stare at her for a while. Morgaine seemed to pick up on that.
"What?"
"Nothing much. I was just thinking it would be nice to also be one of the top three Ultima geniuses and never have to worry about anything too..." Ryuk said with a sleek smile, and it was Morgaine’s turn to be shocked.
"How—"
"How did you know that?" she asked as Ryuk smiled knowingly without saying anything. But in his heart, he finally confirmed to himself:
’Morgaine Dominare. She really is one of the top three Ultima geniuses.’
"Well, it seems like someone has been doing quite the amount of research. Finally, a person not scared by the ’Ultima Ten’ label, huh?"
"For Fallen’s sake, I have no idea who even came up with such a ridiculous name..."
"It’s a good one..." Ryuk complimented, and Morgaine chuckled.
"Don’t tell me you’re a fanboy of them..." she said as Ryuk rolled his eyes.
’Fanboy? That word doesn’t exist in my dictionary...’
"I’m not. I do admire those with strength, though, because I’m starting to understand just how hard it is to truly be strong..." Ryuk explained as Morgaine nodded.
Silence returned to the table as both quietly enjoyed their meals before Morgaine eventually broke it.
"Tell me something, cutie barbarian..." Morgaine suddenly said, making Ryuk raise his head.
"Will you secure yourself a spot?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, will you be part of the True Ultima Ten? The geniuses who manage to earn the top ten spots in the Ascension Academy?"
"Will you be one of them, the True Ultima Ten?" Morgaine asked, and Ryuk answered.
"Yes, I will."
The answer came as swiftly as it ever could, and Morgaine sat there with a bit of shock.
It was the first time she had seen someone who wasn’t in the Ultima Ten affirm to themselves that they would be part of the ten.
She had never seen even the slightest bit of doubt in Ryuk at all. The words had come out deep from within his heart, almost instantaneously.
Such confidence surprised her but also matched with what she had heard.
"You know, right now, there’s a rumor circulating around..." Morgaine suddenly said as Ryuk perked his ears.
"Rumors of what?"
"Rumors of the human being a frightening monster and taking on a total of five Fallen family geniuses head-on without breaking a sweat."
"Oh?"
"And, of course, you’re the only human here."
"Many people find the comment funny, and most ignore it without thinking too much. But now, I think the rumors might actually be true."
"You seem like you’re ready to throw everything away just to earn that spot. Hehe," Morgaine chuckled mischievously, and Ryuk shrugged.
"Maybe I’m just ignorant. Or delusional..." He stated with a chuckle as Morgaine suddenly paused for a while before responding.
"You know, my mother used to say a quote, which I didn’t quite find inspiring..."
"Hmm. And what is that?"
"’True success only starts from the point of delusion.’"
"Now, with you sitting before me, I’m starting to believe those words."
"Imagine a human talking about defeating a Fallen?"
"That alone is already an ignorant statement as a human will never defeat a Fallen at the same stage of cultivation. It’s so rare it’s almost impossible."
"But now there’s a human who isn’t even at the Plane of Ascension yet, saying he would earn himself a spot held by Fallen geniuses with the minimum foothold being at the Core of the Plane of Ascension."
"You’re essentially trying to defeat those who are a major cultivation stage above you, with more powerful racial bloodlines and abilities than yours."
"And yet, you so confidently claim that you’ll earn a spot?"
"Could my mother be right?"
"Could it truly be that success only starts from the point of delusion?" Morgaine, seemingly speaking to herself at the end of her words, yet each word stroke at every string in Ryuk’s heart.
"True Success starts at the Point of Delusion, huh?"
"That is quite an inspiring quote..." Ryuk mused silently under his breath as they resumed eating thier food and this time, since they both started at the same time and Morgaine’s appetite is lower than Ryuk’s.
She finished her food earlier and waved him goodbye, leaving Ryuk alone sitting in the cafeteria.
’I can’t afford to lose. I really can’t..’