"..."
Seraph knelt on the ruined ground, her breath ragged, her once-pristine robes torn and dirtied. The Horror Specters loomed around her, their grotesque forms pulsing with malevolent energy, ready to strike at Ater's command.
Once filled with confidence and superiority, her golden eyes now held only fear and resignation.
But—
'I just have to play along for now… just for now…'
—The flames of defiance in her heart were far from extinguished.
There was no way the higher-ups would let things slide like this. Now that Rey had proven to be a lot more dangerous than initially calculated, there would be greater measures taken against him.
She just had to bide her time until then.
"Huu…" Rey exhaled slowly, his body now fully recovered.
He stepped slightly ahead of Ater, who remained composed, hands tucked into the pockets of his black suit. His crimson eyes gleamed with amusement as he gazed down at Seraph like she was nothing more than an amusing failure.
"Now then," Rey began, his voice calm but firm. "You're going to tell us everything."
Seraph grit her teeth but said nothing. Ater chuckled.
"Don't be stubborn now," he said, tilting his head slightly. "You're already finished. There's no backup coming to save you, and we're not feeling particularly merciful today."
Seraph hesitated, then let out a bitter laugh. "Even if I did tell you, what would it matter? Your fate is already sealed."
"Let me be the judge of that," Rey replied. "Start talking. What exactly are you and why do you want me dead?"
Seraph narrowed her eyes but sighed in defeat.
"Because you are an anomaly. A flaw that shouldn't exist. The System has determined that you must be removed."
"And why is that?" Rey crossed his arms.
"The higher-ups have deemed it so."
"That doesn't really clarify things for me, you know? As far as I know, I haven't done anything too crazy… except for trying to complete the mission I was summoned to H'Trae for." He sighed.
Things got a little out of hand, but that was by no means his fault.
So why?
Why did the System now brand him as a target?
"Is it because of my Skill?"
The moment Rey asked this, he noticed the expression on Seraph's face change instantly.
"I'm right, aren't I?" He shook his head and sighed again. "I knew the Skill was too good to be true, but it's not like I stole it or anything. You gave it to me."
"Which is why I was chosen to correct my mistake and clean up the mess you've caused."
"Mess? What mess? I only did whatever I could to save H'Trae."
Seraph scoffed.
"Do you really think the System would tolerate someone like you? You're a nobody! You weren't meant to have [Doppel] or save H'Trae… that role belongs to the Hero. You weren't meant to live to this point, yet you've managed to ruin the entire narrative of the H'Trae storyline. The higher-ups gave the order for your extermination the moment you disrupted the world's balance."
'Ahh… I see.' Rey smiled. 'So that's why The Oracle was so adamant on the future being immutable. These guys already know how the story ends… no, not just that… they want it to end that way.'
If the Oracle was meant to serve H'Trae, then these higher-ups were the ones who designed the system to begin with. The Oracle was a simple watchdog with orders, while they pulled the strings from wherever they were.
Just thinking about it infuriated Rey.
'Still… I can't show too much aggression now.' He narrowed his gaze on Seraph. 'It seems she's already started running her mouth. I better key into the mood and feed her ego a little more so she can keep speaking.'
"[Doppel]... Why is that Skill such a big deal?"
Seraph sneered. "You really don't know anything, do you?"
"Enlighten me," Rey said coolly.
She hesitated, then sighed.
"The [Doppel] Skill is more than just a powerful ability. It contains the framework of the worlds within the System. Every power, every rule, every function—it's all woven into its design. Only Administrators with the highest clearance should ever be able to wield it. For you, a nobody, to have it…" She shook her head in disgust. "It's unacceptable."
Rey sucked in a sharp breath.
That explained why his abilities had always seemed so limitless. It wasn't just some overpowered Skill—it was a fragment of something much, much greater.
'Even if it was limited to just 100 Slots, it was too overpowered compared to the others. It could even copy other SSS Class Skills…'
"So that's how it is, huh? I figured as much, but it's nice to hear it confirmed." Ater whistled softly.
Seraph shot him a glare but didn't respond.
'As I suspected, Ater knows more than he's letting on as well. Are they really from the same place?' Rey thought as he clenched his fists.
If that was the case, then he had to know more about Seraph—specifically her bosses and where exactly they were operating from.
"Tell me more about these 'higher-ups.' Who are they? You mentioned the worlds within the System, which means they exist outside all of that right? Which world do they belong to?"
At this, Seraph's expression hardened, but there was a flicker of fear in her eyes.
"I… I can't say."
"Can't or won't?" Rey pressed.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the moment she tried, her words became distorted.
"%&^@^*& w#^#*((*@ @t%^^&&&&((((!!!!***@&&@^"
No sound came out—only a garbled mess of unintelligible noise.
"What the…?" Rey frowned.
"Ah, so that's how it is." Ater smirked. "The System must have put a restriction on what she can say. There are certain words she literally can't utter.".
"Figures. So we won't be getting any direct answers about the higher-ups." Rey clicked his tongue in frustration
Before Ater could respond, an intense golden light suddenly engulfed Seraph.
~WHUUUUUSSSHHHH!!!~
Rey instinctively stepped back, but Ater remained perfectly still, watching with an amused expression.
A powerful aura surged around her, and she gasped in surprise.
At first, she looked hopeful, as if she believed salvation had come. A triumphant smirk spread across her face.
"Ha! Fools! Did you really think I was abandoned?" she taunted, her voice filled with glee. "I was merely buying time! Now, you will be eradicated!"
Ater chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Really? Are you sure about that?"
Seraph's expression faltered.
Suddenly, the golden energy around her shifted. Her victorious smirk twisted into one of confusion, then rapidly into sheer terror.
"A-Ah…?" She clutched her body as the energy began to burn her, the radiant light consuming her flesh.
"W-What is this?! N-No! This isn't… this isn't right!"
She let out a scream of agony as her body trembled violently. The divine energy that had seemed like salvation was now her executioner.
"I should—!"
"Don't bother…" Ater stopped Rey from stepping forward to do anything. "You'll just be vaporized if you try anything. I mean… look at them."
Rey followed his pointed fingers and noticed the Horror Specters—especically how they were instantly dissolving under the golden lights that spread to them.
'They must have reacted to the light beam and tried to stop Seraph, only to get caught up in it.' He reasoned, witnessing how the invincible creatures of horror slowly withered away under the intensity of the pure golden light.
Judging from what he saw, it was highly unlikely that they would survive.
'The same can be said about her…'
Rey watched in stunned silence as he looked at Seraph.
He watched her swithe in pain and scream in horror as her skin cracked, golden flames searing through her. Her wings burned away, her body convulsing as she struggled in vain against the judgment being passed upon her.
She lifted her head desperately, her golden eyes wide with panic.
"P-please! No, please! I-I can still be useful! I won't fail again! Just give me one more—"
Her pleas were ignored.
The light grew brighter, devouring her completely.
"Don't bother… they won't show any mercy." Ater shook his head with a smirk.
"UARRGHHHHHHHH!!!"
Seraph let out one final, blood-curdling scream before she was engulfed entirely. Within moments, the light faded, and where she once stood, nothing remained.
Silence hung in the air.
Rey exhaled, trying to process everything.
"Did she just—?"
"Die? Pretty much." Ater nodded. "That's how it is… The higher-ups don't tolerate failure."
"And you know that how?"
"Because she was just a pawn. And when a pawn becomes useless, they get erased."
Rey clenched his fists. If the higher-ups could eliminate one of their own so easily, then what chance did he have?
No, more importantly… why hadn't they eliminated him in similar fashion.
'I'm guessing they can't. It's most likely because of my identity as a Singularity.' He glanced at Ater, repressing his suspicious demeanor. 'Could they use Ater to do so? No, it doesn't seem like he's on their side… but he definitely knows about them.'
Rey was curious.
He had to know… he needed to know everything.
As if reading his mind, Ater turned to him, his red eyes gleaming with excitement.
"So, Master… what's next?"
Rey took a deep breath, staring squarely at his loyal servant.
"You need to tell me everything, Ater."
Everything!