Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The manifestation behind his back was proof that Skullius had been conjoined with aspects of a higher existence!

This [Wing of Embrace], it jolted up what he had thought was the current maximum of his new strength to a higher degree, so much so that Skullius felt that in this moment, he could scrap with Bek at equal footing despite what he had seen the former Capital Order Knight to be capable of.

‘Wow…’ Skullius felt the presence of the wing and marvelled.

He couldn’t see it, but it was a part of him so he understood it quite a bit, yet most of its mysteries were hidden from him.

‘I’m no longer a Discount Human, it seems,’ he thought while smiling.

Once again, as if all this wasn’t enough to swallow already, two more shocking pieces of news were reported by the guidance field, along with their effects promptly bursting through Skullius!

[‘Just Light’ has deemed the <Wing of Embrace> profound enough to latch onto, changing it to the <Wing of the Just>]

[‘Just Light’ affinity has been promoted to ‘D’ rank]

[You have acquired the skill ‘Basic Light Weaving’]

“No way!” Skullius exclaimed.

From within his body, from the Fruit of World Myths that was etched in him, a serene light crept up and imbedded itself into the [Wing of Embrace], making it grow a meter and a half longer!

It now stretched at a length of 3.2 meters!

Skullius’ body shuddered from the additional strength boost that came from this, the glittering lights over his body becoming more bountiful while gushing out an array of colour!

Yuyui looked at all this with gaping wonder as she didn’t know what the flesh was going on!

Skullius groaned.

He couldn’t even think properly from the burden of strength as well as the crippling sense of weakness that came with it!

Yet, as stated before, there was one other thing that was let loose, freed because Skullius had grown much, much stronger!

[The remnants of Fulgardt within you gush with light applause]

[You have inherited the <WILL OF UNDERSTANDING>]

[You have inherited the <WILL OF BLOODLUST>]

[You have inherited the <WILL OF CUNNING>]

[You have inherited the <WILL OF BRUTALITY>]

“Auuuughhhhhhhhhh!” Skullius screamed at the top of his lungs!

This..

This was unbearable!

Between the crushing might provided by the [Wing of the Just] and the series of <WILLS>, Skullius felt an outrageous feeling of suffocation!

There was his body which grew incredibly stiff from the storm of power and his soul which grew tense as if it was slowly being squeezed between massive pillars of pressure!

What was this?!

His advancement had unlocked too many things at once, giving birth to a circumstance where all of this could actually… kill him!

What was most terrifying about this experience was the <WILLS>!

They were not inherent boosts to his strength but more like raging voices that caused his soul to ripple with commands that he couldn’t understand!

Masculine voices that each had the strength to rattle his soul!

Each pulled Skullius here and there, flooding Skullius with their intent which he couldn’t grasp!

This was bad!

This was really, really bad!

‘Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! What do I do?! Sila are you there?! SILA!!!!’ Skullius called within, but there was no answer. ‘Great! Am I really going to lose this way?!’

Skullius cursed his chibi soul!

He clearly felt it get overpowered!

Was he just weakened from the constant damage he had been taking to his soul?!

Is that why all this was too much?!

Right when he had attained a victory against an impossible opponent…!

Right when he had finished his First Trial through the simplest, entirely self-serving contract through the Tie of Exchange with Yuyui…!

Right when he had unlocked all these powers, he was about to be crushed by all of them coming together at once…!

This was tragic!

This was…

WAIT…!

‘The Tie of Exchange! Of course…!’ Skullius screamed in his mind as he hurriedly gave Ferex a mental command.

The Apostle had rushed over to its master at the first sight of his discomfort but had not been sure what to do as it didn’t know what exactly was plaguing him!

Now, however, it received an order.

Finally!

‘Give me the ring!’

Immediately, Ferex did as he was asked.

Skullius felt his will wane and drown under the voices that uttered in an unfamiliar, powerful language as he injected mana into the ring and pulled out something he hoped would work.

Yuyui watched this with her mouth agape, wondering if this was because of the Temple or something else.

Was someone fighting her finally appeared means of escape?

“COME ON, MISTER SIR! YOU CAN DO IT!” she cheered in fury and anguish, hoping for Skullius to get over this!

Skullius collapsed under the might of power, kneeling down with a distraught expression that showed his pain while he screamed bitterly!

On his hands, weird tufts of string-like darkness started to form as well as over his ankles!

His face started to get covered with a golden white cover that could be described as anything between a mask or a second face!

Something was overtaking Skullius’ control of his own body!

His long auburn hair started to get tinged with a black hue that rushed over all of it within a breath while the Hybrid Luman’s eyes turned dark, with furious wisps of darkness bursting from them!

Over his midsection, a kilt-like object appeared, its colour dark with one piece over its centre that extended beyond the lining, words of golden white etched onto it!

Skullius’ guttural scream quickly turned into a hoarse howl of pain and then… into a roar of power!

A roar that reverberated through this entire space.

Through the entire corridor Skullius had come from.

Through the entire Temple of Unlusted Tears with a heavy sense of dreadful power that turned Bassbion and Yagrina alert.

The waters of Fuwin’s Territory rippled as well, the giant dolphin narrowing his eyes as he also grew tense!

This power.

It was…

….

“Uh…” Skullius forcefully opened his eyes.

A veil of darkness had suddenly covered his awareness, locking him out on everything happening around him.

Now…

His sight, which he didn’t expect to have, focused on his body to see that he was… in his skeletal form.

Not the impressive one from the Penetrator, but his old skeletal form from Deadmanland!

“What?! Why do I look like this? What’s going on?!”

Around him, a beautiful but damaged land filled with violets could be seen.

Every piece of this land was cracked, its integrity rather shaky even as it held a fine level of beauty.

The sky was dark green, with a menacing view that would make the weak of heart give out their last embers of hope while beyond the land was flaming red sea that also induced a certain level of pressure.

The flowers around Skullius had small orbs of light that produced images and sound, scenes taking place within them.

It was a marvel that Skullius felt so familiar with.

This landscape, the sky, the sea…

It was all too familiar.

“I didn’t think you’d call for me only when you were on the brink of perishing, aha ha,” a boisterous voice spoke, making Skullius turn with both relief and hesitation.