Dream of The Beginning

The night should have descended at this period of time. 

Yet, to those Chaldea staffs, there was not much different between day and night in this incinerated world. 

The bright lighting kept the faculty awake, ready to support the last Master of humanity in correcting history and repairing the Singularities. 

Late that night, Ryan was standing quietly as he looked around the cryofreeze chamber. Inside this place were the 48 Master candidates of Chaldea who were heavily injured because of Lev Lainur’s betrayal at the beginning of Human Incineration Ritual. 

However, his main target this time was the members of A-team among those 48 Chaldea’s Master candidates; the seven Crypters. 

Kadoc Zemlupus, 

Ophelia Phamrsolone, 

Hinako Akuta, 

Scandinavia Peperoncino, 

Kirschtaria Wodime, 

Beryl Gut, 

Daybit Sem Void, 

These were the seven seeds of disaster which would occur after the Human Incineration Ritual was solved. 

Although Ryan knew that it was not like they had much choice in the matter, but if left alone, some of them would still be walking that path of destruction; to overwrite Proper Human History and lead the world regress to the Age of Gods again. 

“Are you sure with this? I will unseal their freezing coffin, alright?” Da Vinci looked at Ryan sternly. She wanted to make sure that Ryan knew what he would do. 

Da Vinci and Romani didn’t heal these frozen Master candidates and kept them here not because they didn’t want to save them. The real reason was that they lacked the resources and energy necessary to perform such act. 

Their remaining energy and resources were currently focused on the Grand Order – into correcting the Singularities. 

Since they couldn’t get reinforcement and resupply of resources from outside world, anything left in Chaldea was greatly valued. As such, they decided to keep the frozen Master candidates here until they finished the Grand Order and solved the disaster of Human Incineration Ritual. 

However, the arrival of Ryan and his Servants brought a small hope to them. 

In response to Da Vinci, a beautiful six-colored wheel of light blossomed under their feet, covering the entire cryofreeze chamber inside its domain. 

“Don’t worry, even if some of them happen to die, I will take responsibility for it.” 

Da Vinci was at a loss of words hearing Ryan’s reply. They felt whether it was a mistake to allow him to try healing these frozen Master candidates… 

At Ryan’s side, Yu Miaoyi glanced at the coffin wherein Hinako Akuta laid frozen. She felt slightly strange to see ‘herself’ inside that coffin. She turned to Da Vinci, glaring at them, “What are you dawdling for? We don’t have much time to waste.” 

“Hinako, you… well, if you insist…” 

Da Vinci felt weird seeing two Hinako Akuta in front of them, though they didn’t let it bother them too much. 

After all, one of her was from another worldline, so she ought to have different experiences than the Hinako Akuta from this worldline. 

Da Vinci lightly typed their password code into the electronic seal. 

Woosh…! 

Soon, a gust of cold air pervaded the chamber as the cryofreeze coffins were unsealed. 

A bright green light quickly filled the area as Ryan started a mass-healing magecraft to heal with the injuries on each Master candidate. 

Some of the candidates had injuries heavy enough to take their life at the next moment, while some were luckier as they only had minor burn injuries. 

However, it still didn’t take long for Ryan to heal them all. He then separated the unconscious seven Crypters and let Da Vinci handled the other candidates. 

Da Vinci looked at Ryan deeply before they left the chamber along with the staffs who helped the other Master candidates. 

Now, there were only Ryan and Yu Miaoyi inside the cryofreeze chamber with the seven Crypters. Ryan glanced at Yu Miaoyi as he advised her softly, “…you don’t have to force yourself, lady.” 

“No. This is what I must do." Yu Miaoyi shook her head gently. Her eyes were filled with resolve. 'It’s time to tell ‘him’ not to worry about me again...' 

“That's fine, then. [Heretical Seed].” 

This was the first time Ryan activated the third Seal of Samsara – Heretical Seed. Even so, the information about its ability was already known to him soon when he checked his new skills last time. 

‘This Seal, perhaps, is the real reason why Demon King Solomon was dubbed as the Domination Demon King…’ 

Soon, six small black spheres appeared floating in front of him. Ryan, at once, willed the six black spheres toward each Crypter beside Hinako Akuta. 

However, when the black spheres were about to hit them– 

A soft protective glow hindered the advance of the Heretical Seeds, though it couldn’t really stop them as the seeds drilled slowly through the barrier spell.  

At same time, the seven Crypters opened their eyes at same time. They looked at Ryan in alert. 

“Oh, you finally decided to wake up. And here I almost finished with my preparations… you really like the hard way, huh?” Ryan smiled calmly. 

The Crypters were deathly silent as they quickly went into preparing their magecraft in defense and also to counterattack. 

“Tsk. You are all so stubborn, really.” Yu Miaoyi clicked her tongue. 

She knew well that even if they went all out against Ryan, what awaited them at the end would only be a miserable defeat. 

“Hinako Akuta? No. Although you have the same appearance and magic fluctuations to her, you are not Hinako Akuta, are you? More importantly, who are you, young man?" 

Kirschtaria Wodime spoke deeply, breaking their silent face-off as he looked profoundly at Yu Miaoyi and Ryan. 

'Seeing that Da Vinci allowed him to stay, he should have been recognized by her. However, I have yet to see his face around before. Just who is he...?'  

The other six Crypters also examined both Ryan and Yu Miaoyi in silence. 

At that moment, they were feeling greatly bewildered and confused. After all, as far as they remembered, they were just going to clear the Singularity F when they suddenly lost senses of what happened outside… 

Especially Hinako Akuta. The confusion and a sense of mismatch was clearly shown through her gaze. 

From the way she looked at Yu Miaoyi, it was as if she was seeing a ghost. She stared at ‘herself’ and Ryan alternately as she felt that something was different about ‘her’ and the young man. 

Ryan smiled faintly. Without any more words, he quietly used the Sixth Magic to brush off their magecraft, shattering their prided defense and their reliance in the blink of eye. 

As the Crypters were feeling shocked when their magecraft was erased in such swift and silent manner, the young man in front of them suddenly spoke, 

“Here I ask you; will you obey me, or be destroyed by me? There is no third option.” 

His eyes were indifferent and cold, as though the act of giving them a choice itself was already a mercy from him. 

Despite the freezing cold in their surroundings, some of the Crypters felt a flame of anger was burning fiercely within them...

"Yo, yo, yo~ aren't you quite an audacious kid? How about we talk things calmly? I am sure that we can reach an understanding somehow~~"  

Scandinavia Peperoncino laughed lightly, he wanted to ease their tension even a little bit. 

"And what can I understand from you all? The reason why you want to supplant the Greater History of Man with that of Lostbelt?" Ryan smirked as he looked playfully at the Crypters. 

They appeared at a loss, confused, when Ryan suddenly mentioned about Lostbelt. 

However, there was one among them whose expression changed ever so slightly, though it quickly returned normal without anyone's notice. 

'Kirschtaria Wodime... as expected, he has been contacted by the Alien God.' 

Ryan's sharp spiritual sense allowed him to detect Wodime's minute change despite how deep he hid his feeling. 

As such, his previous decision was affirmed. 

"In other times, I would usually play along with you all before crushing you thoroughly. However, this time, I won't. 

"Either you submit to me, or die." 

The face of the Crypters immediately fell when they saw the ruthless gleam inside Ryan's eyes. 

As such, despite begrudgingly, they chose to submit to Ryan. He then planted the Heretical Seed on each Crypters, except Hinako Akuta.  

Although some of them might be plotting something in secret, Ryan didn't care. After they were planted with the Heretical Seed, they would no longer have their previous freedom. 

The reason was because the Heretical Seed would seep into their soul, gradually influencing them to be Ryan's subordinate.  

It would slowly, but surely, keep whispering softly within their mind, instilling within them a reverence and sense of loyalty toward Ryan. 

Thoroughly. Whether their mind or heart, none would be spared from the seed's demonic influence. 

Even if they were once his enemies, they would soon become his loyal henchmen after they were planted with the Seed.  

The strong-willed existence might be able to resist for a while, however they would also hit their limit after some times. Either they truly submitted, or they died in grievance as they took their own life... 

In all honesty, this mystic art was inherently a vicious and underhanded method, a technique truly befitting of a Demon King. 

Although, it was not like the Heretical Seed's ability was limited to brainwashing people. 

Since it was used to create an army, it would be a disgrace if the Demon King only had a group of weak, rag-tag army. 

As such, the Seed would also enhance the overall ability of its host in accordance to how loyal and faithful they were toward the Demon King. 

'Dragon King Arcane Art has an extreme focus on one's physique. It is like adage of using overwhelming might to break thousands techniques. 

'With a fierce and inviolable might that surpass even the Original Dragon, it allows no transgression on its will, crushing any opposition with unquestionable fist. 

'However, Demon King Solomon Arcane Art mainly refines the soul. Compared to the extremity of Dragon King Arcane Art, its true value lies in its ability to build a large influence to strengthen oneself. 

'Either by devouring, cooperation, or subjugation; all is fair to build the force belonging to oneself.' 

The origin of Arcane Arts was a mystery for Ryan. 

He was aware that they were the prized technique of predecessors. However, he only knew those characters through the old bookstore back then. 

He once thought that those characters were merely an adaption of previously existing historical characters, or just a straight up fiction. After all, he really didn't know or even hear their tale on Earth before.  

However, his experience of being transmigrated into this world by that mysterious Goddess, the mystical Arcane Arts, and his recent reunion with Aisha as well as his meeting with those participants; those events told him that the current Earth might no longer be the same as the one in his memory. 

There were a lot of veils hiding the truth of the world. And some of them were gradually unveiling as he lived his second life... 

"What do you want from me?" 

The last Crypter, Hinako Akuta, frowned. She felt wary and withdrawn toward Ryan and Yu Miaoyi. 

Yu held her left elbow slightly tight as she looked at Hinako Akuta. Despite the fact that she had prepared herself, when the moment truly arrived, she still felt more nervous than ever now. 

Her wish was about to be fulfilled. Even if the receiving end of that wish was another 'her', 

'...this is fine, too.' 

Ryan lightly held her hand softly. He could feel the turmoil inside her heart when he looked at Yu Miaoyi trembling slightly. 

'Regardless of what I say, I am also partly to blame for this. Even so, even if I was given another choice; I would still say that she's mine! Like hell I'd give her up!' 

His grip soon tightened, as if saying that she was not alone in this. 

When Yu looked that Ryan seemed like he was about to face his great enemy, Yu chuckled a little. 

Her lips curved upward slightly as she spoke with a hint of teasing to him, "It seems like you are the one more nervous than me." 

"Nonsense! Do you think I will cower in front of your late husband? I will fight him fair and square!" 

Fair and square? More like full of tricks and deceit. You aren't the kind of honest and cute man... 

Yu mused silently as she smiled a little. Her earlier tension had gone when she didn't realize it. 

At that moment, Hinako Akuta finally connected the dot. She looked at the pair with clear suspicion in her eyes, "I thought there's something strange going on between you two... Looks like I am right. You aren't me." 

She looked straight at Yu Miaoyi as she spoke. 

Yu nodded, she affirmed it lightly, "That's right. We are two people walking a different path." 

Ryan then stared at Hinako Akuta profoundly, asking her, "If you have a chance to realize your wish; do you want to resurrect him as he is before, or would you want to undergo a reincarnation with him, Yu Miaoyi? 

"You know better than anyone else about whom I spoke of..." 

Like a clap of thunder in the bright daylight, the young man's words made Hinako Akuta stunned in place. 

She was still processing what he really meant when she saw a magnificent wheel of light bloomed gorgeously behind him. 

The entire cryofreeze chamber was shone with six-colored light as the young man said his last line. 

At that moment, she didn't know how she came to that decisive conclusion, however she subconsciously thought, 

'God? Devil? It doesn't matter. As long as his words hold truth, then...' 

"I want–––" 

* * * 

At the Command Center, 

Contrary to its usual operation hours, the Command Center was currently quiet and deserted with only several people who were still staying there. 

Romani and Da Vinci who were spying on Ryan and Yu Miaoyi frowned when the feed on monitoring screen was suddenly cut off. 

"As expected, he noticed it." 

"Who told you to put hidden cams there, Da Vinci?" 

"Aren't you also interested in what he's doing?" 

"Well,..." 

Romani scratched his head. He didn't deny it. 

As far as he concerned, he didn't know why but since Ryan appeared, Romani seemed to feel a familiar aura coming from that young man. It was as though they were people of the same lineage, of the same root... 

“What a strange guy. But, to think that one could really hop between worldlines as freely as crossing streets. The Second Magic is really a novel Magic, don’t you think so, Marisbury?” 

Da Vinci spoke with an obvious interest as she looked at the other man in the room; Marisbury Animusphere. 

At her remark, Marisbury smiled faintly, “I thought that man was someone from this worldline. However, looking at your reaction and his responses to you, it appeared that it wasn’t the case.” 

“Oh, then, what do you know about that young man? What kind of a person he was in your worldline?” 

Marisbury became silent for few seconds when Da Vinci asked him. He appeared deep in thought as he was also unsure about Ryan’s existence himself, 

“He is… a maverick. His existence was basically non-existent before he appeared on the radar of the Clock Tower just because we put his younger sister in a mock-trial. At that time, if he wanted to, he would probably have subdued the Clock Tower... 

"As for his activities, there was not much information about him beside the report stating that he stays in Fuyuki City for most of the time. He appeared like a normal young man in usual times. 

"However, most importantly, he is suspected to have claimed the throne of Sixth Magic." 

Although he was certain that Ryan possessed the Sixth Magic, but he had yet to know its exact domain. He was careful in saying it as 'suspected' because he didn't want to scare Da Vinci and Romani Archaman too much. 

“Wait! The Sixth Magic? I thought it’s only a rumor at best! Are you really sure about that?” 

“Well, now you know that it exists, Da Vinci. It is only a conjecture, however most magus present at that time would agree with me...” Marisbury laughed a little seeing Da Vinci's surprised look. 

At that moment, Romani suddenly asked, "And what about you, Marisbury? What do you want to do?" 

Marisbury replied calmly as he looked straight at Romani's gaze, "I only want to go sightseeing around this place; I want to witness this moment as my wish has been realized. 

"Don't worry, I won't pull any tricks here. Or else that young man would definitely kill me."