[43] : Étheris (II)

A/N:

Merry Christmas to anyone reading this on 12/24/2024!

…

[***]

World of Elicia.

Spirit World: Étheris.

[***]

Aiden pulled out the two cores of the [Sacred Gears] and advanced toward Regulus-Aerum and Mesarthim-Adamas.

"Alright… I'll begin now. Don't resist. It'll feel as if I'm touching your soul, but don't fight it," Aiden calmly warned.

"Understood!" responded the Golden Lion and the Adamantine Divine Sheep in unison.

Nodding firmly, Aiden began his work.

He activated [Thought Acceleration] and [Independent Parallel Thought], maximizing his capacity to handle the intricate calculations of the spell he had crafted with his magical formula.

His mind filled with complex equations, but he organized them with precision.

He delegated the calculations to [Independent Parallel Thought] while his main mind focused on imagining the steps and commands required.

First, he generated specialized magic circles to identify souls.

This process was key to analyzing the spiritual structure of Regulus-Aerum and Mesarthim-Adamas.

Next, he used magical vectors to trace and anchor the essence of their souls without harming them.

From a distance, Mukuro and Sylphide silently watched as numerous magic circles scanned the Golden Lion and the Divine Sheep, impressed by Aiden's meticulous work.

'First step completed,' Aiden thought as his hands moved with meticulous precision, preparing for the next stage of the spell.

The next step involved converting ethereal energy to design a formula that would translate the essence of the soul into a format compatible with the [Sacred Gear] cores.

He modeled the core as a "sealed dimensional container," ensuring no energy leaks or imbalances that could cause ruptures.

'Second step completed,' he thought, observing the magic circles now enveloping both spirits.

He continued tirelessly.

He calibrated magical constants to reinforce the artifact's internal barriers, ensuring the souls wouldn't escape or destabilize the core.

Then he linked the golden chain runes to the magical circuits of the [Sacred Gears], establishing a solid and lasting connection.

'Third step ready,' he told himself as he moved on to the final stage.

He applied compatibility laws, inserting restrictions into the formulas to ensure the souls wouldn't overpower the artifact's future user.

Finally, he established a network of magical commands that would allow the user to interact with the souls safely.

'Spell complete…,' he murmured mentally.

Reaching out to the cores, his hands seemed to handle invisible threads, moving the magic circles with precision.

"[-ᚠ-ᚢ-ᚦ-ᚱ-ᚷ-ᚨ-]"

The two [Sacred Gear] cores began to float slowly, positioning themselves in front of the Golden Lion and the Adamantine Divine Sheep.

From the two cores, golden chains suddenly emerged, advancing slowly toward Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote.

Aiden, having completed the spell, knew the only thing left was for them to accept the process without resistance.

Both, fully trusting Aiden, silently closed their eyes.

The golden chains surrounded their spiritual bodies and passed through them as if they were intangible.

Reaching their essences —their souls— the chains extracted them without meeting resistance.

—Boom!

The moment Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote's souls left their spiritual bodies, the latter dissolved into pure energy before dispersing into the air.

The chains, now guided by Aiden's magic, carried the souls directly to the [Sacred Gear] cores.

From a distance, Sylphide, the small fairy observing, was utterly astonished.

She could perceive the change in the very existences of the constellation spirits, transforming them into something entirely different.

"Incredible…" she murmured, unable to hide her fascination.

—Flash!

The souls of Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote merged with the cores, unleashing a torrent of overwhelming energy.

In Leo Pemptos's core, intense lightning crackled, while Aries Prote's core emitted a light similar to an aurora, wrapping the surroundings in a dazzling display.

Aiden, sensing the connection now linking him to them, confirmed with satisfaction that the spell had been a success.

He could feel two threads connecting directly to his soul, transmitting the immense power of the [Sacred Gears] to him.

After a few seconds, the light and lightning began to concentrate back into the cores, finally dissipating to reveal the result of the fusion.

…

Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote observed each other after the process and, in a desperate cry, exclaimed in unison:

""What the hell happened to my great body, to my great existence?!""

Sylphide couldn't hold back anymore and approached, bursting into laughter.

"Ahahaha!!! This is hilarious! How did you end up like this?! Hahaha!!!" she mocked, pointing at them with tears of laughter in her eyes.

Mukuro also approached, observing them closely.

To her, they now looked adorable… like pets.

The reason for so much amusement was evident: Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote had shrunk.

A lot.

In fact, they were now the size of a forearm.

Leo Pemptos, the Golden Lion, Regulus-Aerum, who once impressed with his massive seven-meter body, powerful musculature, and a mane made of pure lightning, was now the size of a small dog, roughly the length of a forearm.

He could easily perch on Aiden's shoulder without any issue.

Although his appearance remained the same, his size made him seem more like a pet than an imposing figure.

The same had happened with Aries Prote, the Adamantine Divine Sheep, Mesarthim-Adamas.

She was also the size of a forearm, but her majestic appearance remained intact, though now she appeared more adorable than intimidating.

Truth be told, both were quite cute.

Aiden thought that if he uploaded photos of them online, they would probably become famous immediately.

"Master Aiden?! What happened?! Something must have gone wrong with the spell, right?!" Regulus-Aerum asked, desperate, trying to process his new situation.

"No, everything went perfectly."

Aiden gave a calm thumbs-up.

This was the result he had planned from the start.

Despite the change in size, Regulus-Aerum was still incredibly strong, and Aiden could feel that he was now capable of creating and controlling electromagnetic energy thanks to his power.

"Ahahaha!!" Sylphide still couldn't stop laughing.

The small fairy flew around the depressed Mesarthim-Adamas, who ignored her taunts while remaining sunk in despair.

—Flash!

"Shut up already, you damn dwarf! You're still smaller than me!" shouted Regulus-Aerum, shooting a lightning bolt at the annoying fairy.

Sylphide easily dodged it, moving out of the way without even losing her good mood, and stuck her tongue out at the Golden Lion while continuing to tease him.

—Flash! Boom!

Regulus-Aerum unleashed more lightning bolts, trying to strike Sylphide, but she evaded them all with her agility, her amusement growing by the second.

To make matters worse, Aries Prote decided to join the chaos, attacking Sylphide with diamond projectiles, tired of her mockery as well.

The air was filled with flashes and explosions as the three attacked each other like children in a chaotic game.

From a distance, Mukuro observed the scene with growing frustration.

Finally, fed up with the dispute, she stepped in.

"[Michael: Segva]."

The invocation echoed, and Mukuro instantly sealed all three of their attacks with her key, forcing them to stop.

"Enough! You're incredibly annoying." Her sharp voice silenced them immediately. "And you, Sylphide, even if it's funny, you should learn to restrain yourself."

With everyone calmed down, Mukuro dismissed her [Angel], casting them one last stern look before letting them regain their composure.

—Clap!

"Alright, alright. Leo Pemptos, Aries Prote, you shouldn't feel down, haha~. This is just your base form. Let me explain everything about the [Sacred Gear] you now belong to, its functions, and how it works," Aiden said with a smile as he looked at the two small, independent avatars.

"Now that you are my [Sacred Gears], I can use your powers. For example, Leo Pemptos' electromagnetic power or Aries Prote's diamond creation. I'll give you a little demonstration."

Aiden raised his right hand toward a floating rock in Étheris and pointed his left hand toward another.

In his right hand, yellow lightning began to gather, forming a vibrant flash.

Meanwhile, in his left hand, a diamond with the colors of an aurora took shape as a perfect projectile.

With a swift motion, Aiden launched both attacks.

—Boom! Boom!

The golden lightning intensified as it traveled, and the diamond projectile accelerated in speed.

Both impacts shattered the rocks with explosions that echoed in the void of Étheris.

"Oh~, that's incredible. You really can use their special powers. Those [Sacred Gears] from that world are rare, but Aiden-chan is even rarer for inventing them himself and taking the power of these two," Sylphide remarked, impressed, clapping as she flew around.

Regulus-Aerum and Mesarthim-Adamas exchanged glances.

Though surprised, they accepted their new reality.

Aiden continued explaining the concept of the [Balance Breaker], a form that would allow them to return to their original forms when needed.

He also explained that their current bodies were entirely constructed from their power.

Essentially, they were an extension of himself.

Despite this revelation, both accepted it calmly, grateful to continue existing and even return to their world if they wished.

After a while, they activated their [Balance Breakers] with Aiden's help.

In doing so, they regained the strength of their original forms—a power comparable to gods in Draconic Deus, like Susanoo.

Aiden even mentioned that, if he gave them more power, they could surpass those limitations.

Finally, Aiden told them about the [Sacred Gear]'s ultimate mode: [Spiritual Assimilation].

This was a state superior to the [Balance Breaker], where they became entirely part of Aiden's power, fusing with him for a limited time.

They decided not to test the [Spiritual Assimilation] for now.

Aiden had things to do, and there would be plenty of time to experiment with it later.

"Aiden-chan~, don't forget about me~. Next time, I expect you to take me with you too. I want to see your world; it seems fun. Besides, I could help you with what you're planning. And if I reach the [Balance Breaker], I could return to my humanoid form, so that bastard Salamander can't make fun of me anymore for the form I took in this reincarnation!" Sylphide said as she tugged at Aiden's cheek playfully.

"Yes, yes… I won't forget about you. I'll build a core for you too…" Aiden replied, resigned.

He couldn't deny his friend anything.

However, as he remembered the other Great Elemental Spirits, he fixed his gaze on Sylphide and asked:

"Now that you mention Salamander… I have to find him. But, out of curiosity, what happened to Leviathan, Ifrit, Undine, and Gnome?"

"Undine is dead and hasn't reincarnated yet. Gnome is in his territory, sleeping as usual. As for Leviathan…" Sylphide touched her lips with a finger, as if thinking.

"…What happened to Leviathan…?" Mukuro asked, intrigued.

"Well… Leviathan is going through an existential crisis. He's hiding, wondering if he should commit suicide to reincarnate, since the form he took this time… is far from ideal."

Sylphide glanced at Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote, who had returned to their diminutive forms after testing the [Balance Breaker].

"In fact, Leviathan is even cuter than these two here~," she added, laughing as she recalled his current appearance.

Although she herself was an adorable fairy, Leviathan was "cute" in a different way.

But for the proud oceanic being, being considered cute was a complete disaster.

Aiden, for his part, remembered the last time he saw Leviathan: a majestic sea serpent, akin to a giant dragon.

He looked at the tiny forms of Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote, and it wasn't hard to imagine why Leviathan might be considering suicide to attempt reincarnating into a more dignified form.

"By the way… how exactly did Leviathan die?" Aiden asked, curious.

Sylphide cheerfully replied:

"He got bored and went to fight Ifrit~."

"Outcome?"

"Both of them died~," Sylphide said with a carefree smile.

For the Great Spirits, dying and reincarnating was almost a game, something so routine that it barely concerned them.

"Oh, and Ifrit hasn't reincarnated yet," she added casually as they continued their conversation.

…

Suddenly, the temperature rose alarmingly.

Looking in a specific direction, Aiden and the others saw a dragon made of pure fire, resembling a giant lizard.

Aiden felt the intensity of the creature's gaze and sighed, already anticipating what was about to happen.

As he prepared to face it, he thought at least he wouldn't have to go looking for it himself.

"Ein-Sof! Fight me again! This time I'll win. I've got my perfect form now; there's no way I'll lose!" roared Salamander from afar, his mouth open and his heat intensifying with every word.

"Stupid lizard! Don't be rude! There's no way you'll win, idiot! Stupid! Stupid!" Sylphide shouted, visibly upset.

"Shut up, little butterfly! This time I'll win! Try my strongest attack!"

Salamander flapped his fiery wings and lifted his gaze toward the 'sky.'

His body began producing more fire, transforming into a titanic dragon whose presence dyed the sky a scorching red and gold.

"Oh… That's quite a dangerous attack," Aiden commented calmly, observing the dragon's movements.

"Let everything you know be consumed by the song of eternal fire!" Salamander roared as he dove like a meteor, wrapped in blazing flames.

Aiden looked at Mukuro, who was by his side, and signaled for her to take Sylphide away.

He didn't want his friend to die because of that "stupid lizard."

Mukuro opened a portal, and though Sylphide protested, she was transported 10 kilometers away.

"I am the sovereign of hell itself!" Salamander roared, accelerating his speed and consuming everything in his path.

The floating rocks disintegrated, and space itself seemed to burn in his wake.

"[Infernum Rex]!" Salamander was just 100 meters from Aiden, his impact imminent.

Unfazed, Aiden glanced at Mesarthim-Adamas and smiled.

Then he spoke:

"[Balance Breaker]."

The Divine Sheep's body grew immediately.

Mesarthim-Adamas reached 7 meters in height, with a robust and complex structure covered in gleaming diamonds.

Its black horns extended, glowing with the colors of an aurora borealis.

"[Mesarthim Ascendant]," Aries Prote said solemnly, feeling his body fill with overwhelming power.

Watching Salamander's attack consume everything in its path, Aiden activated one of their strongest defenses.

""Kneel before the indestructible will!

The sanctuary of the Divine Sheep shall never be broken!

[Adamanta Crown: Sanctum Aegis]!""

With these words, Aiden and Aries Prote invoked a massive shield made of iridescent diamonds, enveloping all their allies in an impenetrable dome.

The dome shone like a giant prism, projecting colors that illuminated the entire battlefield.

—Boom!

Salamander's physical attack struck Aiden and Aries Prote's defense.

—Fwoosh! Crack!

The explosion tore through space, burning everything around it in a storm of unleashed flames and energy.

Aiden, still unfazed, smiled as he felt the force of the impact.

He channeled more power into the defense, which began absorbing Salamander's attack as if feeding on its intensity.

—Boom!

The fire dragon was violently pushed back.

Stunned and disoriented, Salamander stared in disbelief as his most powerful attack had been completely neutralized.

Fixing his gaze on the imposing figure of the Divine Sheep, he realized that its defense was far more formidable than he had anticipated.

The diamond shield shone with a blinding light as it absorbed the remaining energy from the attack.

Then Aries Prote tilted his majestic horns toward the dragon, who remained paralyzed in shock, and returned the attack transformed into a torrent of radiant diamonds.

"[Absolute Reflection]!!"

—Flash!

—Boom!

A crystalline shockwave cut through the air, disintegrating it into terrifyingly beautiful geometric patterns.

It resembled a celestial display, but the true devastation came when it struck Salamander.

The energy pierced through his spiritual body with relentless precision, leaving him completely vulnerable and sealing his defeat once again.

—Crash!

The impact unleashed a colossal explosion, raising a mushroom-shaped cloud that ascended as a monument to the overwhelming power unleashed.

When everything calmed, Salamander's spiritual body no longer existed. 

Only his soul remained, floating weakly, seeking a way to escape and reincarnate in a few years.

"Don't even think about it, lizard. You're mine now. Why don't you go in here?" Aiden declared with a sly smile as he pulled out a core specially designed for this "stupid lizard."

With absolute calm, he began reciting the sealing spell once more, ensuring Salamander had no chance of escape.

…

[*]

"Hahahahaha!!!" Sylphide burst into laughter as she looked at Salamander's new form.

Now he was the size of a forearm and, to her surprise, quite cute.

"….." Salamander glared at her, wishing he could incinerate her right then and there.

But he knew he couldn't.

He had lost, and though he retained his free will, he was now under Aiden's control, who dictated his actions.

"Hahaha!!" Regulus-Aerum joined in the teasing.

"….." Mesarthim-Adamas remained silent, observing the scene calmly.

"You get exactly what you deserve," Mukuro declared with a sharp smile, both distant and intimidating. "Attacking Nushi-sama in front of me? Such foolishness… If he hadn't intended to bring you with him from the start, perhaps your existence would now be nothing more than a memory, insignificant lizard."

"Hahaha~ That's it! You got what you deserved, stupid lizard!" Sylphide added, visibly excited.

Salamander had always bothered her with his absurd challenges and insistence on fighting.

"Grrrr…!" Salamander only growled.

Though he felt immense frustration, he wasn't angry at Aiden.

He had lost, and that was that.

However, deep down, he wished to face him again in the future when he was stronger.

Though now, connected to his new master, he understood that possibility was more than remote.

"Well, as punishment for Salamander, I plan to gift you to someone important in another world. I hope you accept it. Ahem, don't look at me like that," Aiden said, dodging the fierce glare of the small dragon, who finally sighed.

"I lost… The winner can do whatever they want, I suppose," Salamander responded with resignation.

"Oh… Is that your mentality because you're a dragon in this reincarnation?" Aiden asked curiously.

"Something like that," Salamander replied, uninterested.

After that peculiar conversation, Aiden and Mukuro said goodbye to Sylphide, promising to come back for her soon.

Aiden carried Regulus-Aerum on one shoulder, Mesarthim-Adamas on the other, and Salamander on his head.

Though his body was made of flames, he didn't burn those he didn't want to harm.

Mukuro opened a portal, and both left the spirit world.

Their mission was complete, but Aiden had something else in mind: he wanted to see Leen.

[*]

World of Elicia

Avalon Residence

[*]

It was midday in the material world.

Aiden, accompanied by his new independent avatar [Sacred Gears] and Mukuro, appeared in the living room of his house in this world.

They looked around and noticed everything was impeccably clean.

Although some spells automatically kept the house in order, a trace of life could still be felt in the place.

'Is Leen living here? She's the only one who can enter here besides us,' Aiden thought.

"So this is your nest in this world," commented Salamander, who was comfortably seated on Aiden's head.

He flapped his tiny wings and started flying around the room.

"Calling it a nest… Reincarnating as a dragon is definitely affecting your vocabulary. But well, if this is our 'nest'…" Aiden replied with a faint smile.

Aries Prote jumped from his shoulder simultaneously with Leo Pemptos, and both began exploring the place.

The three of them discussed the residence's security. Thanks to Nia, Natsumi, and Aiden himself, it was exceptionally well-protected.

Anyone attempting to enter without authorization and with questionable intentions would likely die instantly.

As for the unfortunate ones who arrived accidentally, they would simply be teleported back to their kingdom or country of origin, with their memories of the place completely erased.

Mukuro, on the other hand, went straight to the kitchen to prepare something.

The three new spirits, now that they had physical bodies, wanted to enjoy food, something they hadn't done in a very long time.

For Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote, it had been over 10,000 years since their last invocation to the material world; in Salamander's case, it had been "only" 1,000 years.

Meanwhile, Aiden sat on the living room sofa and closed his eyes, relaxing as he listened to the voices coming from the kitchen.

Suddenly, he felt a disturbance in space right in the center of the room.

The spirits became alert, ready to attack, but Mukuro stopped them with a gesture.

She recognized the magical signature and continued cooking calmly.

Seeing this, the spirits relaxed their stances and allowed the spatial magic to manifest.

—Flash!

From the light emerged a girl with white hair and golden eyes, dressed in an elegant gothic lolita outfit.

She held a parasol in one hand and a teddy bear in the other.

Her gaze scanned the room until it landed on Aiden, then dropped silently to the floor.

Aiden got up from the sofa, scratching his head as he observed the aura surrounding her.

A thought crossed his mind:

'I should have come earlier!'

—Greet!

Paula, the teddy bear, raised its tiny hands while trying to escape Leen's embrace.

Its strength was so small that it could only 'cry' in frustration.

"Leen?" Aiden called softly to the little fairy as he stood just a few steps away from her.

Leen, who barely measured 144 centimeters, only reached Aiden's chest, who stood at 178 centimeters tall.

"Why…" Leen murmured in an almost inaudible whisper.

Aiden watched her silently. In his mind, he kept blaming himself for not coming to see her sooner.

He felt like a complete idiot and thought he deserved at least a direct kick to his "golden jewels."

"Why didn't you come to see me right away?"

Leen murmured those words as she rested her head against Aiden's chest.

Her voice was an echo of mixed emotions: anger, sadness… but, above all, immense happiness.

"…I'm sorry. I won't make excuses… I just thought it wouldn't matter since we're used to not seeing each other for long periods. But now I see I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Aiden admitted his mistake and apologized sincerely.

"How could it not matter?! I thought you weren't coming back! This time was different—you moved to another world! I thought you wouldn't return, you idiot, idiot, idiot!"

Leen's voice broke at the end, and tears started welling up in her eyes.

Unable to hold back any longer, she dropped Paula and the parasol to the ground, completely ignoring them, and wrapped her arms tightly around Aiden.

"Don't leave me again…" she murmured, her voice filled with desperation, as tears continued streaming down her cheeks, soaking his chest.

Aiden gently stroked her head, feeling like a true fool.

"I'm sorry… but I can guarantee you I won't leave you again, Leen." Aiden embraced her as well, wrapping her in a firm hug.

"Hmm." Leen nodded softly, her head resting against his chest.

"I'll take you to my world. I'll show you the wonders of the Internet," Aiden added with a small smile.

"Hmm." Leen nodded again.

"I'll take you to Japan. Though it's a little different from what I told you, most of it is the same."

"You better… And one more thing." Leen raised her head, her golden eyes glinting with an intensity that made Aiden swallow hard.

With a look that combined sweetness and a barely concealed threat, she continued in a soft but firm voice:

"Don't you dare leave me again, okay?"

Before Aiden could respond, Leen kissed him directly on the lips.

"…" Aiden, surprised, returned the kiss.

After all, he felt something for her too.

However, in the middle of the moment, he sensed Leen casting a spell.

He didn't resist, trusting that little "lolita."

But what the spell did left him speechless: it had literally connected their souls.

"Leen… what did you just do?" he asked, slightly separating their lips, trying to make sure he hadn't misunderstood anything.

Leen, her fingers gently touching her lips, still intoxicated by the sweetness of the kiss, let out a smile that seemed innocent but hid a spark of mischief.

"I just made sure you'll never abandon me~. The spell I used is called [Soul Marriage]. It binds our souls so that we're destined to be together forever: in this life, in the next… and in all the ones to come. So, from now on, take good care of me, dear husband."

Aiden remained completely silent.

He knew the spell had precisely that effect.

He could easily break it if he wanted to.

Would he?

No.

…

…

…

[***]

End of the Chapter

(•_•)

A/N:

Merry Christmas once again!

Here's a chapter with over 4,000 words as a little "gift."

Also, I'm sharing some images of Salamander and Sylphide to give you an idea of what they'd look like:

Salamander:

[Image]

Sylphide:

[Image]

(Disclaimer: These images don't belong to me. The one of Salamander is from 'Black Clover,' and Sylphide represents a character named Razelia from the web novel 'I Was Caught Up in a Hero Summoning').

By the way, I highly recommend 'I Was Caught Up in a Hero Summoning.'

If you enjoy slice-of-life stories, romance, and harems, it's a must-read.

Just so you know, I think it's my favorite harem novel, and I'm not exaggerating.

It has over 2,000 chapters if you're curious!

Thank you so much for reading my story.

Your comments are my greatest motivation to keep writing.

Peace out!

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