[ Shin Masameru's POV ]
Where am I? Why is it pitch-black in here?
I cannot move even one part of my body at my will. Am I being constrained? Oh, now I understand. Am I in hell right now? Wait, it seems that I am not there. I cannot feel anything. It is not hot here. I'm sure that in hell, they maximize your pain receptors.
But still, I cannot perform any kind of solid action or see something. See? Sight? Hold on, let me try to open my eyes.
It was kind of hard, yet I started opening my eyes slowly.
Woah... I can open them! That's nice.
So, this is a completely different place, heh. It's just so dark in here that I can't even see my whole body. I guess I am in the middle of nowhere.
Every second that passes, I feel as if I am being sucked in deeper and deeper. Maybe I am in the deep sea or an ocean?
At that moment, I realized that I now had the ability to breathe, although I still cannot talk verbally. Knowing that I could breathe, I took a breath, of course. Spheres made out of air materialized from my nose and floated upwards.
Bubbles? So, am I really in the deep sea or an ocean?
I closed my eyes in stress, but in the next second, I quickly widened my eyes when I noticed there was something wrong.
Hold on! Wait a minute! Something isn't right. If I can open my eyes, and inhale and exhale, then why can I still breathe and see while I'm surrounded by water without having any trouble at all?
I grunted in my mind, feeling disappointed.
It's no use. Why do I keep asking questions when no one can answer them? AAAAAA! I ASKED SOMETHING AGAIN! How am I so stupid?
I groaned in my mind. It had the same vibes where you can only just facepalm about it.
This is tough. I've done it again. Since I am in that part, I will go with the tide and will cleanse my mind first.
I erased everything such as thoughts and things boggling inside my mind.
There was a memory that I cannot permanently or even temporarily remove. It was the incident that had occurred on the night of my death.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I didn't mourn Grandpa Makoto's death. I didn't even get the chance to give him a proper burial. Cussed it!
Tears began forming in my eyes. Since I was already dead alongside my grandfather, I can freely cry to my heart's content.
I finally understood what is happening right now. That knowledge alone can answer all of my questions.
I shut my eyes gradually after sobbing in sadness.
This is me, flashing before I completely died. Yeah, yeah. I am here, stuck in the void of my consciousness. This thing created a replica of a deep, dark, and watery area.
I grinned genuinely while sinking deeper in the deepest ocean yet.
This consciousness sure knows how to make a scene before it becomes fully dead. I'll give it a 10 out of 10.
*Vvvirm!"
I opened my eyes once again after hearing a sound. Two trails of light with distinct colors, yellow and violet, came out and wrote something in front of my view.
< Hello, Shin Masameru. >
{ Welcome to your Soul of Sovereignty. }
'Heh...so, this is not my consciousness? I guess I am dead and just living in my soul. Wait, wait...moving lights? Are these the sparkles that encircled me when I was performing the ritual?"
As I went down in this depthless ocean or whatever, I noticed that I could do more facial activities. Speaking through the mouth was still an exception.
I contracted my eyebrows as I am curious to figure it out. The trails of light changed and jotted down something else. They cannot utter or alter their form as a human. They are just two beams of light that can only alter their shape to convey a sentence.
< You got on that fast, huh. >
{ We speculated that you are ignorant. }
'I don't think that I should take that as a compliment."
I put on a sarcastic smirk towards the message of the lights.
< Anyway, how is your first time here? >
{ Are you feeling lonely here? Hehe, sucker. }
'I don't mind being isolated here. I can reflect on the things that I did wrong. For example, I recklessly rushed towards the enemy without having a concrete plan. That occurrence led to my grandfather's death. I was so stupid."
My smile wore out.
Albeit my statement was supposed to be sad, the two colors ruthlessly replied.
< Yep, you are stupid. >
{ Just like the thing you said earlier. }
'Shut up! The two of you aren't helping. Wait, you and I can't scream."
I had a feeling that says that they are just being like that so that I can neglect the fact that I am lonely. Chatting with unknown lights is so random.
'Oh. Now that you are here, I want to ask who and what are the two of you? Why are you even here?"
I rose one of my eyebrows to interpret that they are kind of suspicious as I am an inquisitive person. I am still drowning, though.
< It is hard to distinguish us when you- >
{ -don't know our names, right? }
'Uhm...I can recognize and separate the identity of both of you. You two have different colors, idiots."
I chuckled a bit, but with no voice.
'But, it is kinda weird to call you "Yellow" and "Violet", so I think that I should know your names."
I used my serious expression whilst telling the truth.
< In the name of my yellow color, I am "Amari". >
{ My name is just "Lila". }
'Alright, alright. The first question, check. Okay, next answer for the second question?"
< I am simply a yellow light. Nothing else. >
{ I am simply a violet light. Nothing else. }
'That doesn't really answer the second question, but I'll take that. The important one is the next and last question. Answer me seriously. Why are the two of you even here?"
I closed my eyes in irritation. I think I popped some of my blood vessels. I slightly opened my eyes to peek if there was a new passage.
< That's because... We were summoned. >
{ You called us by executing the ritual. }
I deliberately opened my eyes once more to read more as it was becoming interesting.
< We act as a system for the F-Clutch. >
{ You had attained "Salutary Resurgence". }
The eyebrows on my face broadened since it was the first time I had read and learned the name of the skill that I tried to attain.
< You can be resurrected again. >
{ No matter how many times you die. }
'REALLY?"
I was so shocked that I even produced electricity inside my "Representation Body". It made my immobilized body move again at my will. I can wiggle my arms and legs, but I still can't converse with my mouth and vocal cords.
< Hmm... It is obvious. Of course, it is. >
{ You can be in that world again. }
It was the reality. I was so happy that even the grin on my face reached each ear. It was kind of creepy, to be honest.
< That's not all. There is one more. >
{ With us here, you will always get benefits. }
'Ohh? Then, what kind of benefits are the two of you talking about? Is it a buff for my battle status or maybe you will provide me battle armor when I go back there? Even if it is not, a benefit is still a benefit. I'll gladly accept it."
< Every skill that you have observed... >
{ ...will be bestowed onto you as your own. }
'Even the clutches that I have observed when I was just a child?"
The happiness on my face was carved.
I believe that this skill is overpowered. The resurrection is not the only thing that I had obtained, but I would also receive some skills that I had discerned.
< Sadly, no. There was only one skill. >
{ You perished immediately. Not our issue. }
I had gone crazy as I punched and kicked nobody in this water.
< Well, you had seen the skill "Tails of Limit". >
{ Would you like us to bestow that skill? }
'Oh, would I? I will gladly accept that as I couldn't master that clutch in my previous life."
There was so much good news after I died. I placed my hands on my head and crossed my legs as the ocean replica composed by my Soul of Sovereignty became comfortable.
< Skill Mastery Complete. >
{ "Tails of Limit" Acquired. }
*viiiirm!"
'Aaagh"
I felt an intense pain in my head. The pain then spreads all over my body. I couldn't handle it as it was so painful. I think this one has more power and pressure than the pain dealt by Abe.
I hugged myself as there was no one to hold me while I am in pain.
'Hey, Amari and Lila! Eliminate this pain!"
'AAAAGH"
< Sorry, we're putting you to sleep. >
{ You will be in Deci again once you wake up. }
I glared at the two lights sickly. When I cast my eyes on them, they shifted their structure and were saying "Goodbye".
'What? You didn't even warn m—"
I fell asleep. My consciousness in the Soul of Sovereignty lost.