In a wide room, a bed was situated near the fireplace as a charming brown haired man stared at a seated burly man. Both stared at each other before the former broke the silence.
"So you're Faust Strider?" Rio once more asked as he blankly stared at the man.
"Do I have to repeat myself?" Faust gruffed as he looked at the brown haired man that layed on the bed.
"Huh..." Rio nodded wordlessly as he shook his head. He had just came in terms that he had died, however, like usual reality slapped his face once more and this time he succeeded, "So, did I pass the test?"
"What test are you talking about?" Faust spoke as he shook his head, "Are you asking about my inheritance?"
"Ah?" Rio nodded, confused. He spoke as he recounted the events in the cave, "You know, the thing inside the cave?"
"The thing? The one sucking out magical energy and such?" Faust asked as he put a hand in his chin.
"Is that not part of the trial...?" Rio asked as he squinted his eyes. Something was wrong.
"Don't be stupid," Faust scoffed as he narrowed his eyes, "Why would I put something in the cave? I maybe a Martial Artists but I'm not stupid to the point of making my future inheritor to die in exhaustion."
"Then, what was it?" Rio asked in confusion. He had thought it was a trial of sorts for the inheritor, but it wasn't. Somewhere in his mind, he wanted to ask why wouldnt he put anything to test his inheritors?
"It was the corpses of the demons I slew, uh, about years, and years ago," Faust answered, "I can't remember the exact time, but you get the gist of it."
'Demons? The only demons he slew were...' Rio thought of the ones mentioned in the novel. The abominations that terrorized the lands of this world...
"Infernal demons?" Rio wondered as a shudder ran through his body. If they were Infernal Demons, then their danger was off the charts. If he had came much close to them more, then he would have most likely died.
"You know of them?" Faust nodded as he looked at Rio. Few knew of those types of maddened creations, they were one of the strongest demons he had fought.
"Infernal demons are demons that have stepped in the boundaries of Rank A prowess," Rio nodded as he explained. Infernal demons were capable of destroying lands easily, and as one of the demons with a large connection to The Devourer, they are able to digest and swallow almost anything.
If they were Infernal Demons then it would all make sense. Even at death, the corrupt magical force within them was still very much alive and was devouring everything at it's area. No wonder there were no demons in the cave.
Then that begs the question, did the original future inheritor of Faust Strider encountered them? If so, why didn't he comment anything about it in his interview in one scene in the novel? Or could it be, that the demons were somehow gone at that point?
In any case, theorizing it is pointless as he only had few clues to go by. And by itself, the question wasn't really important. Rio shook his head as he stared at the burly man beside him. He spoke, "So...what's the inheritance?"
"I hate to break it to you but," Faust sighed in dissapointment as he shook his head, "You're a Sorcerer, correct?"
"Indeed," Rio affirmed as he realized where the man's thought process going to.
"You see, I'm a Martial Artists," Faust spoke as he grumbled. The two were just incompatible, they were like two opposites, "Just as I have a inheritor and it turns out to be a scrawny mage."
Rio ignored that subtle insult about sorcerers in general as he shook his head. He looked at dissapointed man and felt a bit guilty, he spoke, "It doesn't matter, I can find an inheritor for you, just give it to me."
"It might not matter for you, kid. But to me it does." Faust spoke as he turned his back, "It's my legacy, I wouldn't trust a Sorcerer with it to find a suitable genius."
The atmosphere descended into an unnerving silence as Rio sighed in dissapointment. He surely didn't account the pride of the man. However, before he could be dissapointed further, the man continued.
"Seeing as you're the first to come ever since, then I'l give you something," Faust grumbled as he stood up and waved his hand to Rio, "Follow me."
Rio nodded in suprise as a small smile formed in his face. Well, It was fine even if it was not the main inheritance. He stood up from the bed. As he rose, he saw something beside his leg that was covered by the blanket.
It was a small transparent cube, it was so white as it looked indistuingishable from the white blanket that covered it. Suddenly, an idea of realization struck Rio as he saw the cube.
How could he forget? Incompability was not even a problem as he had the cube. He quickly grabbed the cube as he stared at it. This was one of the first treasures he had acquired ever since he came to this world.
The Formless Seed.
"Hey, what's taking you so..." Faust spoke before he pausing as he looked at the item in the hands of the brown haired man, "...long."
"I have a question," Rio asked immediately as he raised the cube in his hand, "Do you know what this is and how to use it?"
"...Few people know such a treasure, and even I only managed to learn about it through some chances," Faust closed his eyes as he nodded solemnly, "Nrqvqn Cqde, or in human language, The Formless Seed."
"So you do know about it!" Rio spoke in suprise. He wasn't sure of the Nrqvqn Cqde, but the Formless Seed was definetely it's name. He asked expectantly, "So do you know how to use it?"
"I know so, but how are you planning to use it?" Faust asked as he narrowed his eyes.
"I want to make a second Miracle Core." Rio spoke, affirming his previous choice. This was his plan afterall. In the meantime, he could also get the man's inheritance. It was a win-win in any situation.
"Certainly, that's plausible, but it's also dangerous. Life threating in fact." Faust said in a solemn manner.
Now Rio was confused. It seems like item was far more dangerous than he had thought. He hadn't thought of it as dangerous, especially when the novel never mentioned anything about it.
He had thought it only needed a magical incantation or some few ancient methods to work out.
"Still," Rio insisted as he stared at Faust, "I want to continue and make a second Miracle Core."
Faust Strider stared at the brown haired young man before closing his eyes. This could go two ways, either the man dies or the man succeeds by mustering all his will power. He certainly didn't want to kill the first human that came into his place.
Faust simply sighed as he shook his head, he spoke, "Don't tell me I didn't warn ya, kid."
"Is it going to be that dangerous?" Rio asked as he saw Faust walking over to him.
"Not just dangerous," Faust spoke, dragging along the black robe he wore as he walked, "It's gonna be painful, even for myself when I was alive."
"What Rank were you in when you were alive?" Rio questioned in curiosity. He had wondered how far had Faust Strider reached when he was alive, and made a guess about it but he wanted to confirm from the man's word by himself.
"Peak Rank A," Faust said with a hint of regret in his tone, "I was close to breaking through the legendary realm of Sovereigns, Rank S."
Hearing that, a large part of Rio's mind quickly wanted to back out of the operation. If even a Peak Rank - A was going to feel extreme pain by what was going to happen, he shuddered to think about what will happen to him. A mere Rank C.
For reference, King Arthur of the Arthurian Kingdom was a Rank S powerhouse, a man in the realm of sovereigns. And a peak Rank A was already an extremely formidable Miracle Invoker, and a Martial Artists one at that had the ability to easily destroy anything it's way by it's durable and strong body.
If Faust Strider himself, when he was alive was going to feel pain at this operation then what less of him? His body might even crumble before he could anything.
"Don't worry," Faust spoke, noticing his worries, "I would handle your body, It won't break apart. You just have to stay awake."
"Alright." Rio nodded as he tried to steer away his thoughts. Imagining and visualizing about it wouldn't help. He had to calm down, and most importantly, he couldn't back out now. He musn't.
"Give me the cube, kid." Faust said as he stretched his arms forward.
Rio handed over the cube silently as he prepared himself.
"Lay down and turn your back, were gonna do this traditionally," Faust instructed as he pointed at air and flowing blood suddenly materialized, "Bloody tradiotional way. A blood ritual."
Rio layed down and turned his back as he closed his eyes.
Faust grasped the blood he conjured with magic as his hands were muddled with fresh scarlet blood. He used his other hand to break apart Rio's shirt as he drew a symbol at Rio's back.
The symbol was an ancient ritual buried by the passage of time. He had only chanced upon it on an ancient ruin when he was alive, not in this dimension particularly. An ancient ruin in a different world that he travelled on.
After a few minutes late, the symbol was finalized. It shone brightly as Faust stretch his palm ontop of Rio's back. It was beginning, before he continued, he asked, "Are you ready?"
The brown haired man subtly nodded. Faust likewise nodded. There was no turning back now. He had to respect the kid's choice regardless, and if the kid did encounter those Infernal Demons then the kid might have a chance to survive.
God forbid, those Infernal Demons were a terror on it's own. Simply surviving by their encounter was remarkable itself even if dead, but being able to retain your will as a Rank C at close proximity? It was a hell to do that.
Those monstrous abominations devoured everything. Thoughts. Memories. Concepts. Bodies. Power. Magic. You name it. He still hadn't forgotten how he died afterall.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶