Perspective: Third-Person Past Tense
The forge roared with life. Flames danced wildly in the hearth, their heat licking at the air as Warzheil worked tirelessly. His hammer struck steel in a steady rhythm, each strike ringing out like a heartbeat. Sparks flew with every blow, illuminating the dim workshop in bursts of orange light.
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Ronin leaned against a nearby workbench, his gaze flicking between the glowing embers and the weapons lining the walls. The air smelled of burning coal and hot metal—a sharp, acrid scent that clung to everything.
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Ronin watched the flames for a moment, then asked, “How many kinds of people have you seen in your travels, Warzheil?”203Please respect copyright.PENANAIqsxwLjs2P
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Warzheil paused mid-strike, resting his hammer on the glowing blade. His brow furrowed as he considered the question. “Well,” he began slowly, “I know of five sentient species that went extinct across the continent. Some say they fled to forbidden lands.”
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“Five extinct?” Ronin frowned. “And that’s not counting the ones still around or those we don’t even know about? This world is insane.” He shook his head, his mind racing at the possibilities. “It’s like some cosmic meeting ground for every race imaginable.”
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Warzheil chuckled softly and set his hammer aside. He moved to a rack of weapons and selected a dagger. Its blade glowed faintly with runes etched in an unfamiliar language. “Here,” he said, holding it out to Ronin. “Take this and give it a try.”
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Ronin reached out hesitantly. The moment the dagger entered his barrier, the glowing runes vanished.
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“Tch,” Warzheil muttered, pulling the dagger back. The runes reappeared instantly as it left Ronin’s field. “Your barrier suppresses them—it doesn’t erase them permanently.”
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Ronin studied the dagger with narrowed eyes. “So… runes aren’t like regular mana?”
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“Exactly,” Warzheil said, his tone shifting into that of a teacher. “Runes are coordinates—patterns that summon specific forms of mana to precise locations when activated.”
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The forge crackled as silence settled between them for a moment.
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“Well,” Warzheil said finally, breaking the quiet as he gestured toward Ronin. “Enough chit-chat. Where’s your spear? Don’t you want it fixed? I can manage that much.”
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Ronin summoned his spear with a flick of his hand. The weapon materialized before him in an instant, its surface gleaming faintly in the firelight.
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Warzheil let out a low whistle as he examined it closely. “How does that work?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
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“It started in your forest forge…” Ronin began, recounting how the strange ‘T’ symbol began appearing on anything he focused on and how it eventually led to dimension pockets linked to his left eye.
“So,” Warzheil summarized thoughtfully, stroking his beard, “you can store and summon any object marked with this peculiar ‘T’ stigma?”
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“Pretty much,” Ronin replied.
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Without warning, Warzheil handed him the dagger again. “Try looking at this.”
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Ronin did as instructed but frowned when nothing happened. “Strange—the symbol didn’t appear.”
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Warzheil grinned knowingly and snatched the dagger from Ronin’s hand with deliberate motion. He swung it lightly through the air before holding it out again. “Here—consider this dagger my gift to you. A token of our friendship.”
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Ronin raised an eyebrow but as his hand reach out to take the dagger and thought of it as his own possession, the ‘T’ symbol etched itself onto its surface without hesitation.203Please respect copyright.PENANAJDj4SRAaSu
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“There!” Warzheil said his voice echoing his genius as he takes the dagger back and examines it.
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Ronin smiles as He focused on the dagger—and in an instant, it teleported from Warzheil’s hand into his own Warzheil looks at his hands and then at the dagger in ronin’s hand.
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His eyes widened, “Impossible.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAg8WVNP7m3U
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“I know, I was very excited at first too.” Ronin says203Please respect copyright.PENANAJfXa8SrRTP
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Ronin stiffened slightly at his words but said nothing as Warzheil continued enthusiastically: “Lad, Do you understand? You just warped space without divine authority or mana! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were bending reality itself with sheer thought alone.” He paused briefly before adding in awe: “It’s almost like… your thoughts shape space.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAoJEE7nj9Yn
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“There was definitely no mana fluctuations. I think we will need to study your powers more than I thought.” Warzheil says203Please respect copyright.PENANAw8i5ZEJxD4
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“lets try it again so you can see it again.” Ronin says203Please respect copyright.PENANAha8j5sJT54
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He summons his mask. “Except the spear, and the suit, this is also a gadget from Earth”203Please respect copyright.PENANAxVudJdWhRC
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“It seem worn out.” Warzheil says203Please respect copyright.PENANAX0QeLBKkJ6
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“Because It is, there are cracks on its visor glass. Let me show you something. Hey Behemoth! Activate.” Ronin says, the internals of the mask light up before dying out.203Please respect copyright.PENANA4oEOwGvhjS
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“Oh no, the storage slot is damaged! my music list and Behemoth are gone, the battery is dead too.” Ronin says to Warzheil who understands nothing.203Please respect copyright.PENANAQYjUPPr8wb
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“Is this mask’s name behemoth?” Warzheil asks203Please respect copyright.PENANAzUSViMZwUe
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“Yeah, its an A.I.” Ronin replies203Please respect copyright.PENANAOCGG3AzGTS
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“A.I.? the hell is that?” Warzheil asks203Please respect copyright.PENANAsjbvVnGpNY
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“Yeah, it’s… a kind of spirit bound to the mask. It helps me, talks to me.” Ronin says203Please respect copyright.PENANAevNinPkPqW
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“You sure you’re not just talking to yourself, lad?” Warzheil asks203Please respect copyright.PENANA1RALV5FGU4
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“Even if I want to tell you what it is, you wouldn’t understand.” He says as he stares at the mask, his symbol appears on it too.203Please respect copyright.PENANA4AFZ12fwbP
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The pain in his head stings even more. But he Powers through it. He sees that the damaged parts gets fixed.203Please respect copyright.PENANA1ELin3h6aD
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“No way!, it fixes things?” Ronin yanks his mask away in disbelief as Warzheil gets closer to look.203Please respect copyright.PENANAkUq2mC8thp
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“Now watch this. Behemoth Activate!” Ronin says, the narrow spartan helmet shaped visor covered in glass glows red, an interface activating. But that’s it.203Please respect copyright.PENANAfTpa6OTtQW
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“That’s strange.” He says as he puts his mask on.203Please respect copyright.PENANAVf5pPqq8eJ
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“Calibrating to new conditions?” Ronin reads the interface.203Please respect copyright.PENANAKhfqlPs66F
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“The mask changed!” Warzheil says, running his hand in his beard with curiosity.203Please respect copyright.PENANAFoCE1l4dKs
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“You put it on too.” Ronin says putting the mask on Warzheil’s face, on which Warzheil snatches the Mask away from him.203Please respect copyright.PENANAuNf5KW206b
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“In all the heavens what am I even looking at!” he yells as he takes the mask off and puts it on again.203Please respect copyright.PENANA2rLPNtFSUv
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“It’s the technology of earth.” Ronin says203Please respect copyright.PENANAgUKuAdTUcW
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“How is this possible? Are you sure you are not from the World of Gods?” He retorts returning the mask to Ronin who puts it back in his dimensional storage.203Please respect copyright.PENANAdpwGJotG3c
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“Lad, I am sure of it. You are the God Drax called. What else do they have on earth?” he asks203Please respect copyright.PENANA4WGlMJMaV1
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Just as Warzheil started questioning about Earth. An absurd thought crossed his mind as he stared at Warzheil intently.
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“Why are you looking at me like that?” Warzheil asked suspiciously.203Please respect copyright.PENANAFzVwYqOQxT
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Ronin returns a grunt as a reply and before he could answer, a sharp pain shot through his head—a searing agony that felt like his skull was being fried and torn apart simultaneously. His vision blurred as blood vessels burst in his eyes. He stumbled backward into a table for support; its edge cracked under his weight.
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“R-Ronin!” Warzheil shouted in alarm. He pulled a bag of cereals out from his dimensional pocket and thrust it into Ronin’s hands. “Here—absorb this! Quickly!”
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Ronin clutched the bag weakly and absorbed its energy into his barrier. His body began to heal instantly—but the pain in his head lingered like fresh embers burning under his skin.
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“Damn it…” Ronin groaned through gritted teeth as he massaged his temple with one hand and struggled to stand upright. "My head feels like it’s been put through a meat grinder."
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Warzheil glared at him with equal parts frustration and concern. “Don’t tell me—you tried putting your symbol on me?”
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“I had to try it you know.” Ronin admitted sheepishly.
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Warzheil let out a long sigh before shaking his head. “You fool! Even I thought about testing that theory—but clearly there are limits to your powers.”
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“This isn’t new,” Ronin said quietly, still rubbing his temples. "That pull in my mind has been there ever since I got these abilities… but now there’s recoil too." His voice dropped further as he added grimly: "It started during the fight with Jortheus."
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Warzheil hummed thoughtfully before nodding toward the empty bag at Ronin’s feet. "Even after absorbing enough food to feed a family for a week… your headache hasn’t gone away." His expression darkened as he continued solemnly: "Which means if you overuse your barrier—or worse—try turning people into possessions…"
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"My brain might go boom," Ronin finished grimly.
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Warzheil leaned back in his chair with a wry smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "Well," he said after a moment's pause, "at least now we know you're not invincible."
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"What’s so funny about that?" Ronin snapped irritably.
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"When we first met," Warzheil said with a chuckle, "I thought you were immune to everything—able to absorb energy endlessly… heal instantly… unaffected by any power thrown at you." His grin widened slightly as he added teasingly: "But seeing you have limits? It’s almost reassuring."
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He sobered quickly though and looked Ronin straight in the eye. "Still… knowing what you're capable of—and what you're supposed to become—it’s hard to believe you're meant to be Drax's God."
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“It’s like your body is a walking fortress,” Warzheil said without looking up, “but your mind… it’s made of glass.”
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Ronin smirked faintly through the lingering pain in his head. “God, huh?... By the way, did you tell them?” His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it.
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Warzheil hesitated. His hand froze mid-motion before he turned slightly away. “I didn’t tell Gloria yet,” he admitted quietly. “Sil said she would handle it. And don’t worry—I didn’t mention the summoning ritual.”
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Ronin’s gaze hardened. “That’s best for now,” he said firmly. “If she found out what happened… she’d either go after Zamba and get herself killed, challenge Ava and make an enemy of the Holy Kingdom, or try to kill me—or you.”
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Warzheil exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on the spear as he turned it over in his hands. “I didn’t think that far ahead,” he muttered. “Thank the ancients I kept my mouth shut. But that kid… she’ll figure something out sooner or later.” He paused before adding hesitantly, “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle it?”
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Ronin nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “I’ll manage somehow,” he said after a moment. His voice carried a solemn weight. “For now… let’s leave it to fate. Things will be better for her if we keep her in the dark.”
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A heavy silence settled between them. Warzheil grabbed Ronin’s spear and extended it into its full form with a sharp click. He began taking measurements with quick precision, his hands shifting between tools like clockwork.
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“These are my surface gauges,” Warzheil explained as he worked. “I use them to measure curves and dimensions down to the smallest detail.” He gestured toward the spear’s midsection. “I’ll craft a fitting part for this area—just watch.”
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Ronin stepped closer and pointed to a section beneath the spiked tip of the spear. “This part runs from its center all the way down to about one-sixth of its length.”
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Warzheil frowned slightly as he examined the area Ronin indicated. “You might be right,” he said thoughtfully. His fingers traced over the surface before he added, “It feels different—like there’s some kind of mechanism generating heat at the tip.”
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“Not mechanical,” Ronin corrected him. “It’s nuclear.”
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Warzheil stopped cold, turning to face Ronin fully. “Nuclear?” he repeated slowly.
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“It’s a power source derived from the sun,” Ronin explained simply, pointing upward.
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Warzheil’s eyes widened in realization. “Ah! I always thought Earth’s craftsmen were amateurs for creating such fragile weapons—but now it makes sense.” He tapped the spear lightly with his knuckle. “It’s light enough for an assassin to carry, lethal enough to destroy anything in its path… and it doesn’t fade even inside your barrier.”
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Ronin nodded thoughtfully. “Now that you mention it—it didn’t dim in my barrier,” he said speculatively. “Maybe because it was built using valid protocols?”
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Warzheil clenched his fist suddenly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Can I open that power source? If I can study it, I might be able to create new weapons for you.”
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“No.” Ronin’s voice was sharp—almost commanding—as he stepped forward. “Not without a nuclear suit.”
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Warzheil blinked at him in confusion but said nothing.
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“Nuclear power is dangerous,” Ronin continued coldly. “It’ll make your body radioactive—and kill everyone around you, including yourself.” He leaned closer, his tone dropping lower as he added grimly, “That radiation won’t go away for thousands of years—it’ll turn everything around your corpse into barren wasteland.”
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Warzheil stared at him for a long moment before scoffing lightly and waving him off dismissively. “You’re exaggerating now.”
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“I’m not.” Ronin’s gaze darkened further as he held Warzheil’s stare without flinching. “There are ways to fix that on Earth—but here? No chance.” His voice dropped into an icy calm as he finished firmly: “Don’t even touch that nuclear source.”
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Warzheil swallowed hard—his bravado faltering under Ronin’s unyielding tone—and nodded reluctantly. “…Got it,” he muttered quietly.
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The forge fell silent again except for the crackle of flames and the faint hum of tools being adjusted.
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“Ok, enough with sad talks, best distraction is when you hammer your thoughts down.” Warzheil says
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“What are we going to do?” Ronin asks
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“First, let me teach you Rune craft……no that’s not an option, it would disappear anyway.” Warzheil linger, ”Still, just observe me, learning it won’t harm you.”
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“Hmm, how do we make your weapons better?, Uru would be too heavy for a mana less.” Warzheil scratches his head in confusion
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“Can we overwrite runes? Or like, layer them?” Ronin asks
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“Oh? How did you figure that out? yes, although rare, I have hear that at-most 2 Major elements or 4 minor can be layered on a weapon by an average smith.” Warzheil says
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“By the way, I can do 3 major elements you know.” Warzheil says with a prideful grin.
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“I see, but why only 2 or 3? Why not more?” Ronin asks
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“It ends up either messing the durability of the material on which its etched or makes the weapon heavier, which is not optimal for metals like Uru or Dark Uru which are absurdly heavy, its as if you were lifting a bunch of trees if you don’t have mana. And that’s why even I put only one minor enchantment of thunder on my hammer, since I have affinity with thunder, one of the rarest elements.”
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“that’s amazing. The mechanism is so elaborate I can hardly believe it. A metal so dense.” Ronin say, Warzheil picks up the dagger he gave him.
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“Anyway lad, try thinking that this dagger is not yours.” He says which confuses Ronin
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“Ok” ronin concentrates but nothing happens to the symbol.203Please respect copyright.PENANAsNdjDCWPlb
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“Hmm….? So the symbol doesn’t go away so simply.” Warzheil murmurs
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He grabs a whetstone and rubs it over the symbol, but nothing happens.
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"Oh! I think I figured it out. Put your symbol on this whetstone..." Warzheil says, eyes lighting up with curiosity.
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Ronin does as instructed. Warzheil rubs the whetstone over the symbol again—and this time, the mark fades, confirming their theory.
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Ronin, still examining the dagger, asks, "By the way, what is the ink made of that you use for runes?"
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Warzheil grins and gestures to a shelf cluttered with oddities. "Watch closely."
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He selects a glowing crystal filled with a swirling, strange liquid and places it into a heavy stone bowl. With a practiced hand, he cracks the crystal open, letting the liquid pool at the bottom. Warzheil then takes a small blade and pricks his finger, letting several drops of his blood fall into the bowl.
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He picks up a stone pestle and begins to grind the crystal shards, blood, and liquid together in slow, steady circles—herbalist style. The mixture thickens, the fragments dissolving into the liquid until it becomes a dense, glittering ink of light red, almost pulsing with inner light.
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"Here," Warzheil says, dipping a fine-tipped engraving tool into the bowl. "This is what binds the rune to the metal. The crystal’s magic, the contractor’s blood, and the essence inside fuse together—makes the runes last, and makes them yours."
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He carefully engraves a rune atop the dagger’s blade, right over Ronin’s shimmering symbol. As the ink seeps into the metal, the rune glows, locking into place with a faint hum.
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Ronin gripped the dagger, his brow furrowed in concentration. He tried summoning it without looking—nothing. Gaze fixed, the blade flickered into his grasp. When he summoned it by thought alone, pain spiked behind his eyes, leaving him dizzy and sick.
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Warzheil scratched his beard, summarizing their findings. “Your symbol—can’t be scrubbed off, unless you use a whetstone marked with the same sign. You can summon and store anything you claim, but not people. Now, let’s see how many runes we can stack on your mark.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAYij1jm5R2T
He held out his hand. “I’ll need your blood. Catalyst.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAI4fttAyq9N
Ronin winced, slicing his thumb and letting crimson drops fall into a vial.203Please respect copyright.PENANA8l99O7kGuv
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They worked side by side, Ronin mimicking Warzheil’s movements, picking up techniques with uncanny speed.203Please respect copyright.PENANAhZA0U9ZyvL
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Warzheil got envious of how fast Ronin learn stuff, he learned the runes he taught to him while drawing them on the spot.
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Slowly, day turned to dusk. Finally they achieved a results beyond their expectations.
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The spear now blazes with an even intense heat as ronin holds it away from his face203Please respect copyright.PENANAPyzYPkUBPK
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“Something like this was only thought to be possible in the Legends of Legendgod. I can’t believe it, I just made the first weapon of this world made of a Uru body, with otherworldly technology and 4 major and 2 minor enchantments.” Warzheil stumbles into the support of the table holding his head as his eyes flutter in disbelief, a strange curl creeps up his lips.
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“Not even the ancients could craft something like this. A technologically advanced weapon that rivals primordial weapons owned by the gods. This is world’s 1st Techmordial weapon.!” He yells out in a mix of disbelief and excitement.
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Ronin cannot meet the brightness of the tip of his own spear with his right eye so he looks at it with his left eye.
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“This feels like cheating, it’s as if I am looking at a piece of sun in my hand.” Ronin says in disbelief203Please respect copyright.PENANAEQKTrMjzYM
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“Something this absurd must never be revealed to anyone Ronin. Put it away.” Warzheil says203Please respect copyright.PENANAe16QYIxhBQ
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“But, this is the only weapon I have. what do you mean put it away?” Ronin asks203Please respect copyright.PENANARYHfuogzXF
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“I have the blade that the demon lord use to stab you.” Warzheil takes out the blade from his pocket “How about I make you another slicing spear? Just put your symbol on it”203Please respect copyright.PENANANjNQAsPvZd
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Ronin is tempted to refuse but he too realises how lethal this spear has become. It was 3000 degrees Celsius as is, but now just holding it feels like I am holding a steel rod straight out of magmas of hell. Uru truly is the metal of myths, it’s not melting under the sheer temperature of the tip.203Please respect copyright.PENANAkX6cfVN5BY
He etches his symbol on Ramoon blade as Warzheil held It up.203Please respect copyright.PENANA301lOj5SY6
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“You look tired, go rest. Tomorrow, a hunt team competition will be held, this can be a good chance to go and absorb some good things and get stronger. I felt some unwelcomed guests this morning in the market. Probably looking for you or me, if they follow you, you can get a nice excuse to take them out too.” Warzheil suggests203Please respect copyright.PENANA3iwoCDfeZY
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“Why do I feel like you are talking too smart ever since we got to this village?” Ronin asks with a heavy chuckle203Please respect copyright.PENANAREuzfRRwGr
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“What the hell do you mean? I was always smart, but meeting you messed me up.” He passes the blame on Ronin203Please respect copyright.PENANAooeZ2yGB5c
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“Sure.” Ronin says as he walks out of the forge and shuts the doors behind him.203Please respect copyright.PENANANcuL1x6Hb7
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He takes the right and walks as thoughts swirl in his mind. He heard people whispering about Drax. “That sure spread like wild fire.” Ronin thinks203Please respect copyright.PENANA14B024WcFd
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As Ronin neared the mansion with his shoulders slumped with tired demeanour, he sees Kade sitting under a tree—sad.203Please respect copyright.PENANADwZhXYkmLO
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“Where were you all day long? Where is the Old man?” He asks upon seeing Ronin approach.203Please respect copyright.PENANAUG5AxJTN1o
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“He is in his forge. Might be late.” Ronin says “Why the long face?”203Please respect copyright.PENANAlkrIo3PZJa
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“Oh…heard about Lord Drax. The news have already spread. But I am afraid Gloria is not faring well. She ran off to the cliff near her practice area.” He says203Please respect copyright.PENANA9GjFG4bt8r
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“What?! You didn’t stop her? What if something happened to her?” Ronin says as he gets a jolt of uneasiness and his calm demeanour changes.203Please respect copyright.PENANAlG3Kwo1h41
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“Grandma Sil did go behind her…..” Kade says but stops mid-sentence seeing ronin had already blitz off, leaving a trial of dust behind him.203Please respect copyright.PENANAFkRFQT2gK1
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“Shit, I can’t have the daughter of my client die. Drax just had to pay me with this ‘God’ role, what a pain!” Ronin thinks as he runs through the twists and turns of the forest, forcing turns, shaking entire trees. Finally he arrives to the practice area, and slows down to a jog seeing Sil return with a face that has seen failure.203Please respect copyright.PENANAJp1YdusSX8
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“Ronin! Just the person I needed. Kid, maybe you can soothe that child. Can you do it? She refuses to come back. Maybe someone her age can help her.” She asks with sad and expecting gaze.203Please respect copyright.PENANA5ETmPxSdxs
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“I will..try my best.” I say as I slowly jog away. I slow down, quietly approaching the edge of the cliff, as I emerge form the woods I squint my eyes.203Please respect copyright.PENANATMFdIT7Nac
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The cliffside is breathtaking. The sky is ablaze with a fiery tapestry of oranges, reds, and purples, the setting sun painting the Kobe River with liquid gold. And there, beneath a Sprawling tree with perfectly spaced branches, sits Gloria, her head bowed, her shoulders slumped, curled enough to watch the sunset.
My footsteps are silent as I near her, but she senses my presence. She quickly wipes her face, putting her mask on again, and straightens her posture, as if bracing herself for the encounter.
“This is the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen,” I say, my voice soft, more a statement than a greeting. “Do you always come here?.”
“What do you want?” she asks, her voice flat, devoid of emotion.
“May I sit with you for a moment?”
“Be my guest please” her voice dripping with fake happiness, a painful pretence.
“This is such a beautiful place. It seems like the perfect spot to share thoughts, to… talk.”
“If you are here to offer pity, I don’t need it, especially from a mortal who only live a mere 100 years, who know nothing of loss.” she snaps, replacing her sweet words just early her anger momentarily flaring.203Please respect copyright.PENANAh6MJXsUvWe
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” I knew about your father’s passing, I fought to protect his remains from being stolen too, But I hid it. Fearing it would upset you like it did.”
I lower myself to the ground, leaning back against the tree trunk. “So no, I am not here to pity you, Gloria.” I pause, choosing my next words carefully. “We all carry some sort of pain. Why do you think your pain is greater than that of any other being?”
She’s silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the setting sun. Then, she speaks, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves. “I thought you were a good and tough person.” The words are a raw, open wound, the pain seeping through her carefully constructed facade. “Turns out another ignorant human acting like he knows it all.”
“That’s not…” I start, but she cuts me off.
“You don’t understand! Non of you mortals do. You don’t know what it’s like to be alone, to crave a parent’s love, to train and fight for their approval, only to be discarded like trash. You don’t know what it feels like to be replaced by a some fake god.” Her voice cracks, the dam breaking, and tears stream down her face.
Her vulnerability shakes me, and for a moment, I’m at a loss for words.203Please respect copyright.PENANAUKbUS7qkNQ
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“Did she figure out that I am her father’s God? No, she wouldn’t call me a mortal if she did.”203Please respect copyright.PENANA0hKibxs432
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“I had always tried my best to become powerful, so that I can gain affection of my father but he never paid heed to me. All I wanted was his love. I never got t experience the love of my mother, I grew up alone. He always trained me ruthlessly, put a divine power blocker on me. But I smiled through it, so that he would be proud of me.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAT7jJ9tVuro
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I brace myself and speak, my tone steady and sincere. “I do understand, Gloria. More than you think.”
Her head snaps toward me, her tear-streaked face a mixture of disbelief and anger. “How could you, a wild mortal orphan, possibly understand?”203Please respect copyright.PENANAWxYYkrVt6j
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“It must be nice having such strong father, huh?” I say, a sense of self pitying settles on me.203Please respect copyright.PENANAQCvsR2Keug
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“Ronin, leave. I am not in mood to listen to useless wisdom.” She says curling back into her rigid form, tears dripping from under her mask with occasional sniffs.
I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “Fine, to make you feel better, I will tell you a tale of a cursed man of death.” Gloria’s ears twitch.203Please respect copyright.PENANAsd1kn0N7ii
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“He was a child, had a family, better than most people.” A nostalgic sensation takes over me. “His grandfather, father and his mother worked very hard and became very rich. He had a younger brother and a baby sister too.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAmLDvvUiP88
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Gloria is silent. The wind blows, leaves rustle. The river’s flow clash.203Please respect copyright.PENANASDhToWDlDN
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“Then, Life happened. Slowly, the kid saw his parents disappear, killed in accident, not even a hair to be found. Then his younger brother died of slow poisoning at age of 7.” Ronin said203Please respect copyright.PENANARtJCb25L1p
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“That doesn’t sound like a normal death.” Gloria whispers as her sobbing slows down.203Please respect copyright.PENANASB371zFkuk
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“The kid had to grow up, he did all he could so that fate couldn’t step on his family anymore. His grandfather taught him how to survive, how to fight. But his will took a hit when the only pillar holding him together, his grandfather disappeared too. Leaving him and his baby sister, who was only one at that time, alone.”203Please respect copyright.PENANA1mBHeJzflM
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“…..” Gloria is silent.203Please respect copyright.PENANA3nfh1kIzBv
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Ronin continue, his voice steady.
I pause, the memories clawing at me. “The man was seventeen, When his grandfather disappeared without a trace. But By then, He was juggling Academics and part-time jobs to provide for her. Finally he managed to graduate early, earning recognition as a genius in his field.” Ronin says, on which Gloria lets out a sigh of relief.203Please respect copyright.PENANATOlx3Z5iK2
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He continues “But just when he thought he was finally moving forward, everything was torn away again.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAy2K2gTieFi
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Gloria turns her head slightly towards me, I can see her doing so from edge of my eyes as I gaze at the beautiful scene of sunset in front of me.
I clench my fists, the weight of those days pressing down. “A shady group abducted his sister.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAOEu0xLbV5t
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“No…” Gloria exhales in a whisper.203Please respect copyright.PENANAy9sPn95fPj
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“He sold everything, His inheritance and his parent’s home, to find her. After six desperate days, he was approached by an organization—the Shadow Company. They promised to help him find her if he worked for them, as if they knew his skills before hand. Desperate, He agreed, becoming their tool of slaughter. For twenty-one years, He worked in the shadows, earning the name ‘Ronin, the Man of Death.’ But in all that time, He never stopped searching for Ava.” Ronin says203Please respect copyright.PENANALbGc0fbn41
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“This…is your story?” gloria says in a low voice as she realises. Looking at Ronin with pity under her mask.203Please respect copyright.PENANA1rKuzyminX
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Ronin continue. “Eventually, I learned the truth. The same organization that employed me had taken her, twisted her into someone I barely recognized. They told her lies, made her believe I was the one who sold her out.”203Please respect copyright.PENANABBVhhAyamB
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“That’s so cruel. How did you get through it then?” Gloria saws in a sobbing voice. She is such an emotional person.203Please respect copyright.PENANAaEpi6pvoaG
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“How? I destroyed the source of my suffering, I destroyed the Shadow Company, piece by piece killing even relatives involved with the downfall of my family, but it was too late. She hated me. And still, I searched for her, even after everything.”
Silence falls between us, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant murmur of the river. Gloria’s voice trembles as she whispers, “I… I am so sorry. I am so ashamed of myself, judging you without knowing… anything.”
Ronin offer her a small, reassuring smile. “It’s okay, Gloria. We’ve all made mistakes. What matters is that we learn from them.”
She nods, wiping her tears with trembling hands on her chin. For the first time, her mask seems to slip away completely, revealing the person beneath the bitterness and anger.203Please respect copyright.PENANAq2NWHzWdKb
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“Like it thought, you are very beautiful Gloria. ” He say mesmerised by her beauty, no wonder she is a goddess.203Please respect copyright.PENANASS7YOZGyWT
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She puts her hand on her face, realising her mask had slipped off. she immediately puts her mask on.203Please respect copyright.PENANAnfqlm6wa7s
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He smiled softly. “You really are beautiful, Gloria.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAT09SJyoutb
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She gasped, quickly covering her face as a blush crept down her neck and her ears glowed faintly.203Please respect copyright.PENANA0X2K62Q6hd
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“I am sure your father loved you dearly. Gloria” he say, which seems to calm her.203Please respect copyright.PENANAgxQchTwHlP
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“I am sure, he was trying to make a future where you can live peacefully.” he say203Please respect copyright.PENANAMruu9PNTBn
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“You really think he loved me?” She asks203Please respect copyright.PENANAfCZ7vCWZ2Y
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“Who knows? Maybe you will see the results of his hard work in near future.” Ronin say assuring her with a smile.203Please respect copyright.PENANA8fnSz647Qs
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Ronin’s cheeks hurt with all the smiling, so he relaxes his face turning back into the usual indifferent expression.203Please respect copyright.PENANAr7A0veyDe3
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“It almost hurts to smile, after so long. Don’t let yourself forget how.”203Please respect copyright.PENANAcKOr51svkb
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“But some things don’t match up.” Gloria asks203Please respect copyright.PENANAw3bWXo92h5
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Ronin turns around and grunts in question “hmm?”203Please respect copyright.PENANAoZwIl6HxXg
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“You said you worked for 21 years, after being 17 years old. Your age doesn’t match up” Gloria says203Please respect copyright.PENANAFOqOSfs9Fz
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Ronin puts up a poker face but his headache just got worse.203Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8VG6h049o
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He forced a laugh. “Guess I lost track of the years. My head’s a mess—got anything for a headache?”203Please respect copyright.PENANAD6oSWVXo1J
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“Oh yes I do, I am hungry again, let’s go eat something as well.” She suggests enthusiastically.203Please respect copyright.PENANAWASuj09Pjm
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They talked as the sun dipped below the horizon, sharing stories and dreams until twilight painted the world in muted colors. By the time Ronin returned to his room, he felt a fragile sense of hope stirring in his chest.203Please respect copyright.PENANA1kAEu4YKVF
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In his dream, he feel himself fleeting again. In the same black space, but this time able to see a white laminate of his barrier around himself.203Please respect copyright.PENANA7cryJmf8l0
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He tries to touch it.
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It wobbles ever so slightly becoming stable. It feels like a part of him, unlike when he uses it passively.203Please respect copyright.PENANAZQUDMPDdD4
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what’s even more uncomfortable is the fact that he can think this clearly even though he realizes that this is a dream. This only happened to him 4 times during his time on Earth.203Please respect copyright.PENANAOt3O3IRPsk
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Though of Frey’s well-being crosses his mind. Did she get caught and executed? Nah, there is no way she will go down easy. He thinks203Please respect copyright.PENANA16oSs2cbES
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he continues to float. Bored, he tries some of his theories, imagines a plane, and it appears. An imaginary green grass land with a dim atmosphere.203Please respect copyright.PENANAbHhgMt5Z7X
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It felt like he was wandering a land conjured from memory and longing, unreal yet vivid.203Please respect copyright.PENANAjI6G2tnXbq
He tries to wake up, and surely he does.203Please respect copyright.PENANA225KbxdpA9
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Looking at the moon outside the window it seems like its middle of night.203Please respect copyright.PENANA3dlrPJb4zP
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So he returns to his mind realm again.203Please respect copyright.PENANAQXVE1dQiJR
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This time he tries to control his barrier. As if sucking air from a soup bubble to reduce its size. And succeeds, it feels so easy that he wakes up again and tries it, but it doesn’t work. He tries all night and finally manages to only feel his barrier after sacrificing his sleep.203Please respect copyright.PENANANdkLg5v3Td
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His heavy mind gives up and he falls on the bed and sleeps.203Please respect copyright.PENANASUjbe8NOjs
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