Time slowly passed in the isolation chamber.
The afternoon sunlight streamed into the room through specially made glass, but after multiple filtrations, it took on an unnatural dark green hue.
Ron took out some basic alchemy materials and began conducting small-scale experiments.
Despite the limited conditions, he was still able to verify some theoretical assumptions about the traits of the magic sword.
Just as he was focused on the experiment, the magic sword suddenly emitted a gentle resonance.
It was a signal from Nari.
"My child..."
Nari’s voice echoed in the depths of consciousness, with a motherly tenderness, yet mixed with her unique otherness:
"Are you okay in that small cage? Mom feels like you’re... unhappy?"
Her concern surged like a tide, but Ron could sense the terrifying power contained within.
Even the gentlest expression of emotion from an apostle-level being carried a pressure enough to tear reality apart.
"I’m fine, Mom. Just going through some necessary procedures."
Ron responded gently, while trying hard to keep his spirit stable:
"The people here are quite... cautious about abyssal power, and need to confirm that I’m not adversely affected."
"Those foolish people!"
Nari’s emotion turned agitated instantly, the temperature in the isolation chamber noticeably rising due to her anger:
"How dare they lock up mom’s child? Mom’s power is only beneficial to you! Those marks are mom’s protection!"
Her anger swept through the Consciousness Space like a storm, but was quickly replaced by maternal care:
"Child, mom can come and take you home... those fragile barriers can’t stop mom at all..."
"No, Mom, please don’t do that."
Ron quickly stopped her, knowing what kind of disaster it would be if Nari really appeared at the observatory:
"I need to maintain some... social relationships in this world. If you appear, it will become very troublesome for me."
"Social relationships?"
Nari’s tone held confusion and a subtle hint of jealousy:
"Are those indifferent kinsmen important to you? More important than mom?"
Her voice turned a bit aggrieved, like that of a child worried about being abandoned:
"Mom only has you as a child... but you have many choices..."
This innocent jealousy made Ron feel a swirl of complex emotions.
On one hand, he was indeed touched by Nari’s sincere emotions;
On the other hand, he was clearly aware of the danger within this relationship.
"Mom is always the most important."
He could only choose the safest answer:
"But just as mom needs to maintain her status in the Abyss, I also need to maintain a certain identity in human society. Only then can our relationship be better protected."
"Hmm..."
Nari pondered for a moment, her emotions gradually calming down:
"I understand... just like mom can’t let other apostles know about your existence... you also can’t let humans know about mom’s existence..."
"Exactly."
Ron breathed a sigh of relief:
"Our relationship is special and needs careful protection."
"Alright then..."
Nari’s voice became gentle again:
"Mom will patiently wait... but child, you must remember, whenever you need help, mom will come immediately..."
The conversation lasted for nearly an hour.
Nari chattered about the daily life of the stand-in puppet:
How today it learned a new abyssal language, allowing it to communicate simply with those wise jellyfish;
How yesterday it helped mom organize the treasury and discovered some long-forgotten treasures;
How it loves hearing mom tell stories of the primordial era, especially those legends of creation and destruction...
These seemingly mundane details gave Ron a deeper understanding of the Abyss World.
It’s not only a dangerous hell but also a complex world with its own history.
After ending his exchange with Nari, Ron felt a deep exhaustion.
Not physical, but a mental drain.
After ending his exchange with Nari, Ron checked the magic sword in his hand.
Through the period of use, he had gained a deeper understanding of the traits of this unique weapon.
Although the activation level of the sword was not at full capacity, its basic shape-shifting functions were still intact.
He gently stroked the hilt, and the magic sword began to transform immediately.
The silvery metal flowed like mercury, the blade gradually widened and shortened, but it was difficult to form an effective structure.
Ron tried to change it into a shield form but made no progress after a while.
"Perhaps the activation conditions aren’t met, never mind, I’ll try again next time..."
He placed the magic sword on a special stand beside the testing chair, preparing to enter a resting state.
Even though the environment in the isolation chamber was monotonous, all facilities were well-equipped.
The temperature, humidity, and even the magic power concentration in the air were precisely controlled at levels optimum for human habitation.
Ron lay on the bed made of memory metal, feeling the material adjust automatically to his physique.
The firmness of the mattress, the height of the pillow.
Even the temperature of the bedding was changing slowly, seeking the state that best suited his personal preference.
"I’ll be able to leave here tomorrow..."
He closed his eyes, starting to sort through the entire harvest of this abyss exploration:
The successful creation of the magic sword, the deep alliance established with Nari, a new understanding of abyssal power structures, and all the forthcoming opportunities and challenges...
Each one was enough to change the trajectory of his future development.