Becoming The Strongest Using My Would-You-Rather System!

Chapter 255: Chapter 255 - Skeleton King

Theo’s smile slowly faded away.

He subtly turned his head towards Owen.

His best friend remained strapped to the stretcher exactly as before.

’What... do you mean?’ he asked through their connection.

For a few seconds, it remained silent.

When Feng spoke again, his voice had become far more serious.

’’Where did you find him?’’ he asked slowly. ’’A thing like that... shouldn’t exist.’’

Theo’s frown only deepened.

’What the fuck are you talking about?’

’’I’ve been observing him for a while,’’ Feng continued seriously. ’’But his body, soul, and mana... they’ve all been tainted.’’

For a moment, silence fell between them.

Many memories flashed through Theo’s mind one after another.

The almost pitch-black Earth element. The dark flames he’d only recently awakened. Even his fingers turning the same color as his mana just a few days ago.

’...Can you explain?’ he asked slowly. ’And I’d like everything, regardless of how harsh it is.’

Feng didn’t hesitate.

’’Very well,’’ he said. ’’Then I’ll begin with the basics.’’

’’There are countless realms beyond the one you humans inhabit. Some are prosperous. Others have long since fallen into ruin.’’

Theo quietly nodded.

’’One of them is known as the Undead Realm,’’ Feng continued. ’’It is a land where death no longer marks the end of life.’’

Theo’s expression stiffened.

Even though he could clearly see where this was headed, part of him just refused to believe it.

’’A long time ago, I visited that realm,’’ Feng said, his voice lowering slightly. ’’During my travels, I encountered one of its rulers.’’

He paused for a moment.

’’The Skeleton King.’’

Theo’s eyes narrowed, saving that name in the back of his mind.

’’His filthy undead mana surrounds the one you call Owen too,’’ Feng said. ’’In fact, it’s become inseparable from him.’’

Clenching his jaw, Theo felt his heart sink further and further.

’You’re saying... he’s become an undead?’

’’No, or not completely at least,’’ Feng answered without hesitation. ’’If he had, he wouldn’t have any life force left inside his body.’’

Theo remained silent for several long seconds.

Countless thoughts raced through his mind simultaneously.

’Could it simply be that the Skeleton King mutated Owen’s affinity?’ he asked at last.

’’If only it were that simple,’’ Feng replied simply. ’’It’s a bit difficult to explain with how primitive your civilization is.’’

Theo’s brows furrowed.

This wasn’t the first time he’d heard Feng mention that.

But he’d just ignored it in the past to let him get used to their civilization.

’I don’t see what makes us primitive,’ he said internally. ’Care to explain?’

A faint chuckle echoed through his mind.

’’Naturally,’’ Feng said lightly. ’’The knowledge your civilization has is subpar.’’

’’For example, what your people call affinities... the rest of existence knows as bloodlines.’’

Theo’s brows only furrowed further.

’Bloodlines?’ he repeated.

’’Yes. And unlike what you think, they aren’t randomly bestowed upon people,’’ Feng continued. ’’Instead, it’s all determined from the moment you are born.’’

’’Each bloodline originates from the first primordial beings, allowing one to connect to the corresponding Elemental Plane.’’

Theo’s heart began pounding faster and faster while his eyes grew wider.

Before he could even properly process that information, Feng already continued with the next.

"Over countless generations, bloodlines mixed together. Most beings now carry traces of numerous bloodlines within them. However, only the strongest and purest bloodlines ever awaken."

Theo fell silent, his heart pounding in his ears.

As Feng had said, this was completely different from how they saw affinities.

’’Now, as for your friend... I can clearly sense that his original bloodline contained no trace of undead mana,’’ Feng said, his voice growing lower.

’’It is more as though the undead mana began parasitising his bloodline... before the process was temporarily halted.’’

Theo sucked in a deep breath.

’Hold on for a moment,’ he thought, rubbing his temples. ’You’re dropping way too much new information on me.’

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to piece everything together.

’I think I understand the bloodlines,’ he finally thought. ’But what exactly do you mean by parasitising?’

’’Your friend must’ve somehow come into contact with the undead mana,’’ Feng replied. ’’Normally, once someone is thoroughly contaminated by it, they begin changing into a suitable vessel.’’

Theo’s expression stiffened.

’’Upon death, their soul is drawn into the Undead Realm, where the Skeleton King raises them as one of his servants.’’

Feng’s voice lowered.

’’That... should have been the fate of the one you call Owen.’’

’’Yet somehow, the process stopped before it could finish.’’

Theo’s mind went completely blank.

For several long seconds, he simply stared at Owen’s unconscious figure.

’It... must’ve been then.’

Memories of the very first Calamity Covenant member they encountered flashed through his mind.

Back then, Owen had been thrown into that strange dark liquid by them.

’’Shit,’’ he cursed, shaking his head. ’’How the hell are we supposed to fix this?’’

Just then, Iris snapped out of her sleep beside him and glanced up.

’’What did you say?’’ she asked tiredly.

Theo quickly snapped out of his thoughts and smiled.

’’Don’t worry about it,’’ he said, brushing her head lightly. ’’Just go back to sleep.’’

Iris studied him for a few more seconds.

Even in her sleepy state, she could tell something was bothering him.

’’You don’t look very convincing,’’ she mumbled before falling asleep once more.

Theo waited until Iris’ breathing became slow and steady once more before letting out a quiet sigh.

That’s when his smile gradually faded once more.

Outside, the last traces of sunlight disappeared behind the dunes, leaving only the buggy’s headlights to illuminate the faint path ahead.

Theo slowly turned back to Owen, biting down on his lip.

’Is there any way to get rid of this stuff?’ he asked through their connection.

This time, Feng didn’t answer immediately.

Only after nearly half a minute did he finally speak up.

"There may be," he said slowly. "The first possibility is to discover what interrupted the transformation in the first place."

He paused for a moment.

"The second is far more difficult, but it is a guaranteed solution."

"Convince the Skeleton King to sever the undead mana himself... or kill him to achieve the same result."