'God?'
'This figure in front of me is god?'
Wearing nothing but oversized pants and holding a shirt, the boy looked no older than fifteen.
He had pure black hair and black eyes, rimmed with a golden ring of chaotic energy.
A grin was plastered on the boy's face as he watched Ruel and Muriel with amusement.
'Indeed, this person feels… divine… and related to me.'
A few seconds passed until Ruel reciprocated Muriel's actions.
"I greet the most benevolent God."
"You call me a God with this body?" the kid said. "Hah, scratch that and help me find a fitting cloth!"
"You are our god in whatever form you may be in." Muriel said, her eyes locked with the floor.
"Eh… Y'know, right now, Ruel is more god-like than I am."
Ruel looked up and blurted:
"Me? How did you know my name?"
"If we put aside the fact that I was the one that gave you my abilities," the kid grin widened, as he pointed behind him, "you're my father."
Ruel's eyes widened as he saw the hatched egg behind the kid.
"With all due respect, what the fuck is happening?"
The kid laughed hard.
"Honestly though, you guys get out of that position — I am no god, but a mere mortal, now treat me as one!"
Ruel and Muriel exchanged glances, then stood.
The kid sat and tapped the free part of the couch as he looked at Ruel.
After Ruel sat and Muriel turned into a ball of light upon turning on the magitech torches, the kid said:
"Do you know how neutral eggs like this work? They can birth anything, the limit is infinite."
Ruel nodded.
"Well, let's just say since you have my abilities and you were reformed with my blood, you have traces of mana.
"Injecting that mana into the egg gave me a connection to the egg which could easily act as a host for my consciousness which has lain dormant for centuries now."
Ruel muttered, "So obtaining your Talent wasn't purely an act of goodwill…"
"Well, it was for my rebirth, and my being alive is more beneficial to you! Also, there was even a chance I wouldn't have at all, I was just lucky you found such a good host so soon."
Ruel smiled as he scrutinized the kid.
"Do you even have a Talent right now? Aside from the divine aura I feel, no offense — but you're not exactly impressive."
The kid held his heart in an exaggerated manner as if he had been stabbed there.
"That hurt—"
"Eh?" Ruel blurted. "I didn't mean to–"
The kid laughed. "Your reactions are so funny, man!" he tapped Ruel's shoulder and said, "Well, I can help you with some of my knowledge — although I lost most of my memories while existing as a consciousness and during my rebirth.
"And for my strength? It's only a matter of time before I recover! And you are going to help me with that."
"How?"
"I need you to Bestow me."
"Bestow… I should use my skill?"
The kid stood up and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Ruel.
"Alright. Get on with it."
'This guy is so hyper… reminds me of Yuma.'
As a gloomy expression slowly appeared on Ruel's face, the young man brushed off his thoughts and looked at the fair skinned back of the kid.
Muriel returned to her corporeal state, her yellow hair fluttering slightly and her green eyes focused on Ruel's actions.
"You just need to put your hand on him and channel part of yourself to him."
Doing as told, Ruel's palm touched the kid's back while both of them closed their eyes.
Soon, Ruel got the hang of it and began channeling mana and power into the kid.
At the point of contact, a blue light shone and began coursing through the kid's body.
After a few seconds, every part of the kid's body glowed with blue light. Ruel watched, a mix of curiosity and fatigue on his face.
The kid's body pulsed with unstable energy, like it was on the verge of exploding.
He glanced at Muriel, expecting worry from her too, but instead she wore a slight smile, waiting for the results.
'I guess this is how it's meant to be.'
Ruel watched as the blue energy within the kid gathered into a concentrated ball at his stomach, until it slowly started breaking down, turning into particles.
Two minutes later, the kid's eyes were open.
Ruel noticed how the energy rimming the kid's eyes had deepened and how light seemed to deem around him.
[You have formed a bond.]
As the message sounded, Ruel opened his system and saw:
- - -
Name: Nil
Race: Human
Titles: False Mortal
Talent: Event Singularity [S+]
Rings: 2 Rings
Skills: Bestow, Ice Construct, Graviton Grasp
Bond: Ruel Varlleli
- - -
Ruel wanted to go through the descriptions of the kid but he felt his eyes suddenly become groggy and his senses began warping.
As darkness consumed him, he heard a kid's voice say:
"Maybe I absorbed too much."
- - -
Ruel stirred awake and sat up in bed.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the sunlight seeping through the curtains.
"Why do I keep passing out?" he groaned.
He sat upright on his bed and confirmed he wasn't weak physically.
But beyond his physical body, he knew he was strained.
"Is this what it feels like to give a part of myself to someone else?"
He was currently shirtless, only donning pants.
He took the shirt that was placed on the table near his wardrobe and walked to the main room.
There he saw the kid sprawled on the couch with Muriel floating above him.
"Ah, Ruel! Morning!"
Ruel noticed a shirt that has been cut into a vest and pants that have been cut to ankle level on the kid's body.
Remembering how the kid hadn't warned him before the bestowal, Ruel scowled.
"What kind of god are you?"
The kid shrugged. "That title belongs to the past. I've no interest in wasting another mortal life on formalities."
"Huh?"
"Anyway," he said, casually shifting the topic, "I got briefed on what's been happening."
He turned to Ruel. "You want to heal your dad and you need money, right? Instead of burning through prepared resources… why don't we go earn some?"
"Make more money…?" Ruel echoed, raising a brow.
The kid grinned and sprang to his feet.
"Yeah. I know an ancient beast that's just waiting to die."