{Is this what you were talking about?} Ibyu inquired.
"Mn," Seiya murmured softly.
Ever since the incident that took my sight, my body has become… indestructible, Seiya continued.
With a sigh of frustration, he added, As you can see, nothing seems to harm me.
Mr. Sanio's hand hovered over Seiya's stomach, dagger poised, his face frozen in disbelief. He raised the blade once more, thrusting it down in an attempt to confirm what his eyes refused to accept. But this time, the dagger pierced through Seiya's flesh effortlessly, drawing blood.
A stunned silence fell over the room. Just moments ago, no weapon had been able to so much as scratch him—as if his body were forged from steel. And yet now, the blade cut through him as easily as it would any ordinary human.
{Why is it working now?} Ibyu chirped in bewilderment.
Because I willed it to? Seiya responded vaguely, only deepening Ibyu's confusion.
{And why would you wish to be hurt?}
I just want to get this over with so I can retire to my room, Seiya sighed.
Doubt crept into the hearts of Seiya's father and his workers. Had they simply imagined the invulnerability from before? Was it some trick of the eye, or was there something else at play? Though uncertain, Seiya's father could not ignore what had just transpired.
Without hesitation, he plunged the dagger into Seiya again—once, twice, over and over. Each time, the blade opened a fresh cut. Wounds bloomed across Seiya's body, though his expression remained indifferent. When the situation showed no sign of repeating the bewildering theory, his father finally relented, having him treated before dismissing him.
Later, Seiya went to the dining hall and sat, indulging in a late meal at Ibyu's insistence. The small creature, tucked discreetly between his thighs, had been relentless in its demands to taste something 'real good.' As Seiya subtly passed morsels of food to Ibyu, the rhythmic thumping of a heartbeat approached.
He wasn't surprised—he had sensed the presence long before they arrived. What remained unknown, however, was their identity.
"Ta-da!~"
A cheerful voice rang out in front of him, and Seiya's brows dropped instantly in recognition.
"Pest number three," he muttered under his breath.
Across the table, his teacher grinned. "What's with that unwelcoming look?" He leaned forward. "I did say I was going to give you a haircut when we got back, didn't I?"
Seiya recalled the conversation from the dungeon—one he had barely paid attention to at the time. With a resigned sigh, he relented.
"Besides," his teacher continued, but then his gaze dropped to Seiya's lap, where Ibyu hid. He paused for only a second before straightening. "Anyway, let's go."
Without giving Seiya a chance to protest, his teacher pulled him from his seat and led him to his quarters, handing him a set of fresh clothes to change into. Then, with a firm grip on Seiya's hand, he guided him away once more.
The moment the cold air brushed against his skin, Seiya knew—they were heading outside. Yet, he said nothing as he was ushered into a car.
As the vehicle started moving, Seiya finally spoke. "Where are we going?"
His teacher's smile widened, pleased that Seiya was asking instead of maintaining his usual indifference. "My home. You'll see when we get there."
Seiya didn't question it further, though he couldn't fathom why a simple haircut required a visit to his teacher's house.
{How will you see when you get there? You're blind though?} Ibyu quipped in an unserious tone.
Seiya said nothing in response, dismissing Ibyu's comment.
The car ride was filled with the sound of pulsing hearts—each one grating against Seiya's heightened senses but he endured it in silence.
Then, his teacher leaned in slightly. "Now," he began, voice turning serious, "can I see your heart?"
Without hesitation, Seiya reached into his clothing and pulled out Ibyu, stretching the small, molded creature toward him.
The man's breath hitched. He studied Ibyu with wide eyes, his astonishment unmistakable. "I've never seen anything like this before. Not even among Awakeners. It's… unique."
"Can I hold it?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and excitement.
Seiya gave a small nod. "Mn."
But the moment he extended Ibyu more, the tiny creature lashed onto his thumb, refusing to let go.
"What's wrong?" Seiya asked, tilting his head slightly toward Ibyu's direction.
His teacher watched with fascination as Seiya conversed with his own heart.
Ibyu's tiny lips wrinkled in a pout before it finally responded. {What if he squashes me to death?}
There was a beat of silence before Seiya's teacher erupted into laughter—deep, full-bodied laughter that shook his entire frame. He clutched his stomach, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
"Oh my—hahaha! 'Squash'—hahahaha!" He could barely get the words out.
Seiya and Ibyu simply stared at him, unimpressed, until his laughter finally subsided.
Wiping his tears, he turned to Seiya, still chuckling. "It's right, Sei. You shouldn't just hand over something so precious when someone asks."
Then, grinning shamelessly, he added, "But I'm not just anyone, so feel free to hand me anything."
Before Seiya could react, he plucked Ibyu from his palm and studied it up close. "It's so tiny."
{Hmph!} Ibyu turned away, utterly unimpressed.
"Why the attitude?" The man nuzzled his cheek against Ibyu's small body. "What did I do?"
Ibyu shot him a look of disbelief like the man didn't come take them away in the middle of their awesome meal.
After a long drive, they finally arrived. Seiya's teacher guided him out of the car and through the vast compound.
The moment Seiya stepped onto the grounds, a chilling sensation swept through him, like icy fingers grazing his spine. His hair stirred as the air thickened around him. The aura of the place was strange—dense yet oddly soothing.
Then, he heard it.
A heartbeat.
Faint, barely there. So slow, so distant that even his sharpened senses had to strain to catch it. It was unlike any pulse he had ever encountered—a beat so different and stirring.
A wave of something indescribable washed over Seiya, pinning him to the spot. A strange reluctance settled in his limbs—an unspoken resistance to taking another step forward.
From his teacher's arms, Ibyu lifted its head, its small eyes scanning the surroundings as it, too, detected the eerie pulse.
Yet Seiya neither questioned nor resisted. He simply allowed himself to be led further inside by his teacher who guided him gently.
The moment they stepped into the house, an overpowering scent hit him—strong, pungent, and parching against his throat. The air was thick with it, clinging to the walls, saturating the very essence of the place.
Something about this place… was deeply unsettling.