Chapter 38: "Conversations with My Inner Sovereign (Yes, That's a Thing Now)"
In which my soul room becomes a lion-sized therapy session.
After an entire day of being suplexed, crushed, launched, and emotionally bruised—thanks, Seijūrō—I came home feeling like an overcooked potato with delusions of martial arts grandeur.
"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad," I said as I limped inside like I had just wrestled a bear. Twice.
"Oh, you're home!" Miki beamed at me, like I hadn't just been emotionally flattened by a guy who could throw me around like a pillow. "Dinner's on the table."
"I joined a new dojo," I muttered between mouthfuls of rice. "Might come back with more broken bones tomorrow. All part of the process."
They nodded. Like that was totally normal. Apparently, Kaito had done enough stupid things growing up that they probably thought this was an improvement.
The second my head hit the pillow, I was out. No dreams. No nightmares. Just blissful unconsciousness.
Until, of course, it wasn't.
"Ren, we need to talk."
Yup. The one sentence guaranteed to ruin a good nap.
I opened my eyes and immediately knew something was off.
This wasn't the usual dream world where Kaito and I met. No, this soul space was… kind of scenic? There were mountains, a clean river, blue sky, and flowers swaying in the breeze like this was some kind of nature documentary.
"Okay. Either I'm in the world's chillest afterlife, or someone is squatting in my brain."
Then I heard it.
The roar.
It shook the earth. I turned around and saw the largest lion-like creature I had ever seen. White-gold fur, a radiant mane, a body covered in natural armor, and a presence that made the entire valley feel smaller.
It landed with a tremor and stared down at me with intelligent eyes.
Okay.
So maybe the chill scenery was a red flag.
"Who are you?" I asked, even though my instincts already told me this was probably related to Kaito. "And how do you know my name?"
"I am Vhalor, the Radiant Sovereign," the creature rumbled. "I am the soul of the Soul Armament that Kaito carries. Fivefold Ascension."
Ah.
So supernatural roommate confirmed.
"And now you want… what? A welcome hug? Some tea?" I crossed my arms. "Why are we even having this conversation?"
Vhalor folded his massive forelegs and regarded me calmly.
"You are not the fool I was bonded with. You're something else. Smarter. Stronger. Less… driven by women."
"I am a teenage boy," I said defensively, "but I also have goals, morals, and a deep understanding of personal space."
"Exactly!" Vhalor said. "You have no idea how refreshing that is. I've spent years with Kaito's romantic fantasies playing through his thoughts."
"Harsh," I muttered. "Kaito's my friend, you know."
"Yes, yes. Let's not talk about the previous wielder. Let's talk about us. I am pleased to have someone who doesn't think every power-up should somehow help him build a harem."
"…That does sound like Kaito."
Vhalor leaned closer, his glowing eyes narrowing.
"Your body is different. Not just spiritual energy—you have the potential for more. With you, my power could return to its prime. We could be unstoppable."
"Oh boy," I muttered. "I already have Ballom connected to my soul. Now I've got a giant talking lion."
"But I am a dignified sovereign," he said indignantly. "And unlike Ballom, I don't want to kill you."
"Yet."
"So," I said, squinting up at the enormous creature in my soul like I was sizing up a talking building, "are you really that strong? I mean… Ballom back home? Yeah, that guy is terrifying. You? I'm still figuring you out."
Vhalor's eyes gleamed with offense.
"Ballom is powerful, yes, but raw power isn't everything. What good is overwhelming strength if it cannot be properly controlled?"
Okay.
He had a point.
"Right now, what you possess is Fivefold Ascension," Vhalor said. "Each Ascension doubles your power."
I blinked. "Wait—like, double-double?"
"Yes."
He raised one massive claw.
"The First Ascension doubles your power."
Two times.
"The Second Ascension doubles that again."
Four times.
"The Third Ascension doubles it again."
Eight times.
"The Fourth Ascension raises it once more."
Sixteen times.
"And the Fifth Ascension doubles even that."
Thirty-two times.
I stared at him.
"So Fivefold Ascension means five consecutive doublings?"
"Correct."
I rubbed my temples. "I've had this thing for a whole month and you're only telling me this now?"
"You had not properly awakened it. I was observing."
"…Fair."
"But you're different," Vhalor continued, his tail curling around the mountain behind him. "You're not from this world. You've trained in a system beyond this one. In your memories, there were humans capable of fighting creatures most people here would consider impossible."
I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, but how does that help me right now?"
"Simple." He looked pleased. "You fight. You bleed. You grow. You keep getting into fights and pushing yourself, and Fivefold Ascension will become more useful as you become stronger."
I crossed my arms. "What if I am afraid of pain?"
"You're not. I've seen enough of your memories."
…I hated how accurate that was.
"All right," I said with a resigned sigh, "back to basics. What exactly do I have right now?"
Vhalor nodded, satisfied. "You've awakened your Soul Armament: Fivefold Ascension. It takes the form of a radiant gauntlet."
Light gathered around my arm.
A white-gold gauntlet appeared around my hand and forearm, a luminous core set into its center.
"Comfy?" I asked.
Vhalor stared at me.
"Very."
"Fair."
"With the gauntlet," he continued, "you can activate the Ascensions and increase your power. The First doubles it. The Second raises it to four times. The Third to eight. The Fourth to sixteen. The Fifth to thirty-two."
"Nice. Anything else?"
"You can channel gathered power into attacks," he added. "And as the Soul Armament develops, its form will evolve."
"Full armor?"
"Eventually."
"Sold."
"But," Vhalor's tone dropped, serious now, "there are enemies. Demons, rogue humans, and creatures from the hidden sides of this world. The moment you begin displaying enough power, people will notice."
I took a deep breath. "So I need to train. Learn magic. Master Fivefold Ascension. And keep my new friends alive."
"You forgot: eat well, sleep occasionally, and don't get caught monologuing."
I grinned. "Yeah, all right. Guess I am ready for round two."
Once the epic information dump was out of the way—Soul Armament, power boosts, danger warnings, got it, thanks—Ren and Vhalor settled onto the grassy plain of soul-land like two people relaxing after a long battle.
Except, you know, one of them was a gigantic talking celestial lion.
"So," Ren said, leaning back against a conveniently placed boulder that totally wasn't shaped like a chair, "you mentioned a rival?"
Vhalor huffed and crossed his massive forelegs. "Vaelion. The Argent Sovereign. Always so noble, so perfect, so—ugh—smug."
Ren blinked. "Wow. You really don't like him."
"He once called me emotionally unstable during a fight. Me. Do you have any idea how insulting that is?"
"…You've been through some stuff, huh?"
"Oh, you have no idea," Vhalor groaned. "I have existed through wielder after wielder. And eventually I ended up with Kaito Hoshino."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Kaito's not that bad."
"He's not evil," Vhalor admitted, "but his mind has a very specific collection of interests."
Ren coughed, trying very hard not to laugh. "Yeah… he's got a one-track mind."
"You don't say?"
Ren finally lost it and laughed until he fell off his rock.
Once they both calmed down, Ren smiled and stretched. "Well, things are different now. I might not be your original wielder, but I'm not going to treat you like a background voice or a living battery."
Vhalor blinked. "…Really?"
"Yeah. We're a team, right? If I'm going to use a Soul Armament whose soul is standing right in front of me, I figure we might as well get along."
The massive sovereign lowered his head until one eye was level with Ren's.
"That's… actually kind of touching. You're not like the others."
"I get that a lot." Ren grinned. "Also, I have a bit of experience with cranky ancient beings connected to my soul."
Vhalor seemed amused. "You know, I think we'll do well together. Especially when we defeat Vaelion."
"Hey, about him—how strong is he?"
"Strong," Vhalor admitted. "But not unbeatable."
Ren scratched the back of his head. "When you say it like that, I'm starting to look forward to meeting him."
"You should," Vhalor said. "Now let's turn your potential into power."
"Looking forward to it, partner."
And just like that, a new bond was formed.
Not between a boy and a monster, but between two warriors unexpectedly connected by a Soul Armament—both trying to make the most of an impossible situation.