The tentacle continued to circle around Eros, spinning lazily as if inspecting him. After a few rounds, the eyeball at the tip split open, forming a grotesque mouth filled with sharp teeth.
The mouth let out an eerie laugh: "Hee hee, hee hee, hee hee!"
The horrifying sight made Eros's face turn green.
"Dear heavens! Did I just see an eyeball grow a mouth?" He shivered uncontrollably, his skin crawling with goosebumps.
The strange laughter echoed all around, filling the foggy space with its unsettling noise. Covering his ears instinctively, Eros found no relief—the sound wasn't coming from outside. It was directly invading his mind.
Unable to bear it any longer, he yelled in frustration, "Can you stop laughing? Or just kill me already!"
The laughter abruptly stopped. The tentacle closed its mouth and reverted to just being an eyeball, which once again fixated on Eros.
Eros, completely spent, collapsed on the foggy ground, utterly still. In his exhaustion, he drifted off to sleep.
When he next opened his eyes, he found himself lying in Estelle's room. Staring at the familiar surroundings, Eros blinked in confusion.
"That foggy space… the tentacle… Was it all a dream?"
Nearby, Estelle had been quietly keeping watch. Noticing he was awake, she walked over with concern in her voice.
"Are you thirsty?" she asked softly.
Looking at the loving affection in those clear, beautiful eyes, Eros felt, for the first time, how wonderful it was to be alive.
Without thinking, he stretched out his arms for a hug. Though slightly puzzled, Estelle bent down to embrace her child.
Feeling the firm grip of his small arms around her back, Estelle assumed he must have had a terrible nightmare. Gently patting his back, she softly reassured him, "Don't be afraid, Mommy's here. It's all okay now."
Hearing those comforting, motherly words, Eros couldn't help but let out a wry smile.
He suddenly remembered that before losing consciousness, he had been tormented by that looping, brainwashing voice. Just when he felt he was about to lose his mind, a streak of black light had shot into his head, shattering the oppressive whispers and bringing him relief.
"How long did I sleep?" he asked abruptly.
"You've been asleep for seven days," Estelle replied softly.
Eros was stunned. Feeling the vibrant energy coursing through his body, he thought to himself, This doesn't feel like someone who's just woken up after seven days.
As he focused on his body, he became aware of a peculiar energy coursing through him.
Is this what Father called 'Spirit'?
Father had explained that going through the baptism would awaken one's Spirit. Having Spirit marked the beginning of stepping into the mysterious side of the world.
"So… am I now a Sequence 9—Seeker?" he murmured to himself.
He was quite curious and decided to try out his newly acquired abilities. Searching through his mind, he scanned the list of skills available for use.
As for [Divine Art: Eternal Night's Judgment] and [Divine Art: Life's Verdict], those were definitely off the table—they were offensive skills, after all.
Thus, he settled on something from [Divine Art: Life's Chapter], opting for a skill called [Divine Art: Life's Prayer]. Following the instructions ingrained in his mind, he began to cast the spell.
But he had clearly overestimated his energy reserves. In an instant, he felt as though his body had been completely drained. The skill, which had sapped all his strength, merely produced a tiny, bean-sized speck of vibrant green light at his fingertip.
With a gentle flick, the glowing speck flew toward Estelle and merged into her body. The next moment, Eros slumped over and passed out once again.
Estelle felt the green speck enter her body, and almost immediately, the fatigue from days of vigil melted away. Surprised, she paused for a moment to take it in. Then, after checking over Eros, who had fainted from spiritual exhaustion, she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"Honestly, this child…" she murmured affectionately, her voice filled with both amusement and concern.
The black-haired girl furrowed her delicate, sculpted brows, clearly irked.
"How rude! How could I, of all beings, be some… touchy monster you speak of?" she huffed indignantly, crossing her arms.
Eros, still skeptical, eyed her cautiously. "Then who are you? Why do you look like this? If you're not that creepy thing, how did I end up back in this gray mist space?"
The girl rolled her eyes, clearly displeased by his incessant questioning. "I am not obligated to explain myself to an insolent little junior like you. However, since you've dared to insinuate such absurdities, I'll enlighten you," she said, her voice tinged with authority.
Straightening her back, she continued with an air of pride, "I am Nyxtra, an avatar born from the remnants of the Night Goddess's power within your bloodline. You should be bowing in respect, not accusing me of being some grotesque creature!"
Hearing this, Eros blinked, his skepticism only slightly abated. He tilted his head. "Nyxtra? An avatar of the Night Goddess? Okay, but how does that explain why I'm here? Or why I keep getting dragged into this misty place?"
Nyxtra tapped her chin thoughtfully, ignoring his tone. "You're here because your bloodline's connection to the divine is growing stronger. As a result, you're starting to resonate with the powers deeply ingrained in your very soul. My presence is merely a reflection of that growth. So no, I am not a monster, and certainly not interested in… whatever strange preferences your mind harbors."
Eros coughed awkwardly, his cheeks slightly reddening. "Alright, alright, I get it. But why didn't you appear earlier? And what exactly do you want from me now?"
Nyxtra smirked, leaning closer. "Simple. I'm here to make sure you don't squander your potential. And to ensure you don't make a complete fool of yourself with these newly awakened powers."
"Well, that's reassuring," Eros muttered, his voice tinged with sarcasm, though deep down, he felt a hint of relief. "So… you're like a mentor?"
Nyxtra shrugged nonchalantly. "You could say that. Or perhaps a… supervisor, ensuring you don't embarrass our divine lineage. Now, stop gawking and start asking the right questions. We don't have all day."
Despite her sharp tone, there was an underlying note of care, almost as if she took his progress personally.
Eros froze for a moment, processing her words. "You're saying this is my soul world?"
"Obviously," the black-haired girl retorted with a dramatic roll of her eyes. Despite her exasperation, even that expression carried a tinge of elegance that made it strangely endearing.
"Then… why am I here? I thought I woke up back in the real world!" Eros asked, cautiously rubbing his sore sides, still wincing from her earlier barrage of kicks.
The girl crossed her arms and sighed. "Honestly, I don't know how you ended up here again. This space responds to your soul's fluctuations. Maybe you tripped over your own emotions and stumbled back in. Or maybe that ridiculous stunt you pulled, using a skill with barely any 'spiritual energy,' nearly drained you dry and dragged you back here. Take your pick."
Eros chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Ah… so I messed up, huh?"
"Completely," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "But I must admit, for a clueless brat like you, managing to conjure even a speck of that skill wasn't terrible. Pathetic? Yes. But not without potential."
Eros blinked, unsure whether to feel insulted or encouraged. "So, uh… what now? Am I stuck here or something?"
The girl sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Not unless you're completely useless, which I doubt. You'll return when your soul stabilizes. In the meantime, I might as well teach you how not to embarrass yourself next time you try to use your powers."
Eros brightened slightly. "Wait, so you're going to train me? Like, properly?"
"Don't get too excited," she warned, raising a finger. "This isn't charity. If I have to babysit you, I expect you to actually listen. Got it?"
"Crystal clear," Eros replied quickly, trying to hide his grin.
The girl smirked slightly, though she quickly covered it with her usual aloof demeanor. "Good. Now, let's see what your pathetic little soul can handle. Stand up, and don't make me kick you again."
Eros scrambled to his feet, ready to prove he wasn't as useless as she thought… or at least to avoid more kicks.
Eros froze momentarily, then turned his head to the side, avoiding her gaze. "So… how did you even get in here?"
The black-haired girl straightened up, a glint of annoyance flashing across her eyes. "I was in the middle of a very peaceful slumber when the arrival of that pompous elf deity jolted me awake."
She crossed her arms, her tone becoming sharp. "After that, I noticed your body reeked of my master's aura, which intrigued me. I decided to take a closer look, and what did I find? That ridiculous book trying to slap a soul seal on you. You looked like you were about to break, so I graciously decided to intervene."
As she finished, she leaned in closer, scrutinizing him with narrowed eyes, her delicate face mere inches from his. "But I still can't figure it out—how on earth do you have my master's presence on you?"
Faced with her scrutinizing gaze and close proximity, Eros could only lean back, feeling his face heat up. "You're… the Eternal Night's Eye, aren't you?" he blurted out, dodging the question entirely.
Her eyebrow arched slightly at his guess, but her expression didn't betray much surprise.
It wasn't hard to figure out—after all, she had introduced herself earlier as the "Real Eye that sees through all illusions." Coupled with her claiming to be the closest ally to his ancestor, the identity was obvious. Among the three legendary artifacts passed down in his family, "Eternal Night's Eye" fit her description perfectly.
As for why a legendary artifact would manifest as a humanlike entity? Well, Eros had read enough stories in his previous life to know about artifact spirits. This black-haired girl was likely an embodiment or spirit tied to the artifact.
"Got it in one," she said with a shrug. "You're not as dense as you look."
Eros couldn't decide if it was a compliment or another jab, so he opted to focus on his growing list of questions instead.