In the spaces between what was and what could be, Leo had been watching the unravelling of Talruy. It was a magnificent, tragic mess, and behind his silver eyes lay the heavy secret of why it happened. Dwelling within the machinations of his own, he began weaving a spell targeted at the multitude of mortal souls, not just within the Talruy but stretched and seeped into various universes in search of a soul.
He found the perfect candidate: Ethan, a soul from a universe of stifling mundanity, whose mind was sharp, analytical, and desperately hungry for a problem that actually mattered. With a deft pluck, Leo pulled him from his world, the flicker of a loophole being exploited and masking his actions at the same time. This was what made him a very fearsome God in the god domain.
Ethan's transition was a nauseating lurch from his body while feeling like he was being pulled through a vacuum. One moment, his computer screen was right in front of his face, and the next, he was "floating?"
Yes, he was floating, a soul without mass and density to affect the world, which he stood, is definitely floating.
Looking around at the domain where he found himself, the staircases of light spiraled into apricot skies and upside-down pools. Everything didn't make any sense.
'Hi there! Welcome to my domain! Isn't it beautiful?' The smirking youth Leo was suddenly there, his presence as unsettling as the winking statue of a weeping angel.
Ethan's mind raced. Transmigration! This is real? he thought as he pinched himself forcefully while looking below his floating form, seeing a drawn circle filled with symbols all glowing purple.
He had to look away, feeling like his mind was being stretched to the limit of what he could handle, but that didn't stop the wild, thrilling curiosity surging within him, mixed with a little fear.
He saw a chance to leave his flatlined life behind. He carefully schooled his features, trying to keep a brave face for negotiation. He had to get the upper hand, at least that's what he thought...
Leo watched, infinitely amused. Every flicker of excitement, every calculated thought about leverage was clear to his eyes, like he was reading a couple of texts on a page.
"Look," Ethan began, forcing himself to stay calm.
"This is..... a whole lot. Why me though?.... and what's the catch?"
Leo's smirk didn't fade, but his gaze sharpened, and immediately, Ethan froze because he felt a pressure he couldn't understand locking him in place.
"Ethan,' he said, his voice dropping its melodic cheer, becoming low and direct. 'I'm here to give you an opportunity.
BE MY GLOVES!."
"It's a chance to give you the satisfaction your previous life couldn't, but well, as you know, I'll need something."
Ethan's heart hammered. This was it: "What do you need?"
Leo smiled like a businessman. "Don't worry, it's nothing much. In two years after you get to Talruy, a major event will happen. All you need to remember is this: destroy every godly essence you can get your hands on."
The phrase landed with a thud. Godly essence? It sounded monumental. And his only instruction was to destroy it.
"That's it?" Ethan asked, suspicion warring with eagerness within him.
"Yup, that's it. Do we have an agreement?" Leo confirmed while stretching out his hand for a handshake.
The thrill won within Ethan as he took Leo's hand.
The moment their hands touched, a profound change occurred; it wasn't a simple transfer of power. Leo, in that instant, did not merely grant a simple blessing; instead, he performed a delicate surgery on Ethan's soul. A huge demi-core of his own divine essence, vast and chaotic, was being sealed within Ethan, locked within different seals that only Ethan's growth and comprehension could unlock.
"This is all I can give; the rest will be up to him now."Leo thought to himself with a sad look flashing across his face for a moment."
A sensation of immense, slumbering pressure settled deep within Ethan, a dormant volcano of potential. Along with it, next came Leo's final warnings, delivered in a rushed, urgent tone.
"Ethan, listen closely. We don't have enough time. I really don't want the World's will noticing what's happening here, or I'd have to start over.
The materials for this spell can't be recreated...."
I want you to remember 4 things before you leave.
"First, my path is the path of illusion, and you'll have the same path to walk because of my essence that currently saturates your soul."
"Second, never mention my name when you get to Talruy. I'm pretty sure you'll find out why yourself. And make sure whoever learns of the existence of your godly essence is eliminated, it'll bring an end to your journey before it even starts."
"Thirdly, I'm not exactly sure how perfect your transmigration will be because I'm playing with rules here..... hehe"
"Lastly, if you ever encounter the sun God or demon king essence holder at the soul glyph stage.... make sure they don't notice your existence. That's all I can tell you. Off you go. Bye bye!"
The words came out in a frantic cascade. Before Ethan could even process the terrifying implications- secrecy, the murder, and the warning about soul glyph essence holders
A wave of overwhelming drowsiness washed over him, his vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was Leo looking at him with an unreadable expression.
"I'm sure he said those two last warnings had some lie in it; he didn't want me saying anything back," was Ethan's last thought before he felt the same pull, downwards this time through a vacuum. The energy from the spell Leo seeped into his soul to keep his soul intact through the whole spell procedure.