When Sho once again regained some consciousness, he felt something being transferred to him.
*Who is it…?* He knew the person was saving him.
Although he couldn't speak, he felt happy feeling the pain all over him. It was sign of him being alive.
"Kid, you really pushed yourself too h-hard…" a voice very familiar to Sho entered his hearing.
Alpha…
"*Cough* You still have a long way to go. B-but y-you're the hope… *Cough*"
*Are you sick?* He wanted to ask, but he didn't even produce any sound.
"You must not *Cough* give up. B-believe in yourself."
*What's wrong? Why are you talking like y-you're dying? What happened?* He was scared. Alpha was one of the few he knew and trusted. He didn't want him to die. *Right, are we out? Use the Seed of Life!* He suddenly came to realization. He wanted to shout at the man, but he still didn't have strength. Just keeping himself awake was already worthy of praise.
*Damn! Wake up! I need to talk to Alpha!*
He felt himself getting better and better. But even when he knew he would survive, he still couldn't move or speak. He was still too weak.
*Weak! Weak! Too weak!* He detested himself for being too weak. Everything rooted in him being weak.
"Don't *cough* hate yourself." as if knowing what was going through in his mind, Alpha suddenly said that. "Y-you'll get stronger as time passes by. As long as *cough* y-you don't die. Don't g-give up."
Sho felt his body getting lifted, then a sensation of warmness in front of his body. He knew instantly that Alpha piggy-back-ride him.
*Is it fine for you to carry me? Wait? Is it fine to move me?* He has a lot of questions, mainly, wanting to distract himself from the doom he was feeling.
"*Cough cough cough* T-this is the last thing I can teach you…*cough* N-not everyone around is a friend. B-but there are those w-who c-can be… *cough* only w-when you are stronger can you g-get your *cough* answer. R-right now, e-even if you wa–*cough*--want to know, i-it would only do you *cough* harm than good.
"Know that there's a gray area. *Cough cough* N-not everything is bla–*cough*--black and white. C-countless allies a-are around you, but there's also *cough* countless enemies. Y-you need to be stronger. It w-won't be easy, *cough* b-but this is your path. You m-might not like it. *Cough cough cough* B-but you've chosen this.
"I-it's not an easy path. *Cough* You can still do it. Y-you have plot armor, you know?"
Alpha… he felt emotion bubbled inside him as he continued to listen.
"Don't deviate f-from your path. Remember why you *cough cough cough cough* you took this. You'll lose a lot, but you'll also gain from then. D-don't lose yourself. D-don't *cough* lose your goals.
"I know that *cough* I-I'm just a side char–*cough*--acter in your story. But I'll always choose to stay beside you," Sho felt an intense gaze towards him. It felt like it was aiming at his soul. "You'll always b-be the man that I *cough cough* choose. I know that w-with you, you *cough cough cough cough* can save the world. You're different from the rest. You're chosen.
"Listen to me carefully, *cough cough cough* don't force yourself for answers right n-now. Focus on your strength instead. Once *cough* y-you're strong enough, answers w-would naturally come to you. *Cough cough* To be honest, I'm scared… scared of dying. Who isn't? But I'm grateful that I'll d-die this way. I hope we can meet a-again on my n-next life."
He felt something different happened in his body. He felt he was finally submerging to something…? He wasn't sure, it was an unfamiliar feeling. But then, he realized what happened. He got his body back. They're not anymore on their Soul Avatar.
"Ah, you might be w-worried about *cough cough* others. I've l-led Miya, Duke, Kali, Ross outside already."
As if sensing his concern, Alpha immediately explained.
"Hah! Haha! *Cough cough cough* E-even the Spirits are b-blessing you. It s-seems they saw your potential. But, please, give the kid a rest. He's not y-yet ready for you."
*Spirits? It really is different from Soul Avatar?* When Alpha said it, it felt like he was talking about another species.
"Thank you." Alpha kept on coughing as they continued to move forward. Sho was growing concerned specially how he was telling him a lot of things that he knew he would need in the future. It wasn't just about Energy. It's also about distinguishing between lies and masks of people. It's about how to know who are going to be his friends and foes. Most of it was basic knowledge and Alpha said he should just learn from his experience and use those basic knowledge. He thought Sho many things as they traveled.
*I honestly don't want any of those. I want you to keep on teaching me…* He didn't know why Alpha chose him, but then, feeling the dread of death on the man who took care of him and nurtured him ever since the Super Phenomena started, he trusted the guy deeply.
Mentor.
Yes, it was the right word to call Alpha. It felt like the man was his Mentor.
Even though Sho didn't want any knowledge Alpha told him, he felt he was compiling everything the man said. He didn't know if it was imaginary, but he felt like in his Overview skill, he was scribbling everything, taking note word for word.
And soon, he heard a familiar female voice inside his head.
~Tiiing!~
~Tiiing!~
Sho was shocked with the reward, but then his mind came back to one of the rewards. *Seed of Life!* He felt hope.
As if hearing him, Alpha uttered. "Use, Seed of Life."
*Yes! Use it on you!*
But what Alpha said next drew Sho's breath away. "Sho Chad."
He felt his strength slowly coming back, but even when he was feeling a lot better physically. Emotionally and mentally he was in so much disbelief. He didn't think that Alpha would choose him instead of himself. How selfless that was?
"W-why…?" Finally, he found his voice. But he was still not back on his feet. He was still too weak. He can barely talk, much less open his eyes yet.
"I'm a-already dying. *Cough* When we encountered Asterion, I was cursed. Even if I used Seed of Life, the c-curse would s-still be there. It's d-different *cough cough cough cough* from anything Seed of Life can heal. It's a curse in L-life Force. Even w-when I… I-I'll still carry the curse. I don't w-want to waste it."
*At least let me try it on you!* But he had a hard time trying to talk once more. Only a moan escaped his mouth.
"Don't s-senselessly *cough cough* use your Seed of Life. One day, w-when the time is ripe, you will need it," He sensed something as Alpha put his body on the ground. He felt someone approaching them. He tried his hardest to open his eyes. He was surprised to see Hana not far from them. Her smile was creepy to look at.
"Remember what *cough* I taught you. Also, r-remember to be c-careful if you want to s-sign a contract. *Cough cough* I don't r-regret signing into one, but not e-everyone would be lucky. Take care, S-Sho Chad."
"A-Alpha…"
"Ah, I almost forgot. *Cough cough cough* Don't try t-to play God and then when you f-fail to achieve… what you want, you'll *cough* play as a D-devil. Just s-stick to… being human. *Cough* You can't s-save everyone. T-there… are people *cough cough* who will die and all you c-can do is a-accept it. Even if… they are close to you, you c-could still *cough* lose them. You may grieve, but don't lose your–*cough*--self. Don't l-lose your humanity.
"I'm eternally grateful… to e-entrust the *cough* future to you. Now, o-off you go."
Sho felt something enveloped in his body.
Virus?
His heart thumped. He felt that it would be the last time he and Alpha would meet. He felt he was bidding him goodbye for eternity. He wanted to say a lot of things, but he felt the weird thing that enveloping himself was doing something.
*Teleporting me?!* He was surprised by the realization as he was struck with urgency.
Finally, he was able to utter something. "T-thank y-you." he whispered with his hoarse voice.
Alpha chuckled even when he was coughing. "You're welcome, kid."
"Alpha! Give me the Seed of Life or die!"
Sho heard Hana's enraged voice before he finally vanished.