Abyss Draconis

The words were enough for him to drop his actions of wanting to show his superiority and unleash his aura as he descended downwards towards Ryuk, who stepped forward, coming to arrive before him the moment his foot touched the ground.

"I could feel the intense motion of space being pierced with speed, and therefore came to check, hence why I'm here..." he replied.

'He's been watching me ever since I was still on the Track Zone, and I had no idea at all. He most likely saw through the transformation.'

"What about you, Ryuk?"

"Yes, High Scholar Emeris?" Ryuk replied.

"Why are you here training at night?" High Scholar Emeris said, and Ryuk replied almost instantly.

"I do not like my inability of being able to walk on my own two feet."

"Oh?" High Scholar Emeris said before thinking.

'Pretty sure no one wants that.'

"But what's more infuriating to me is I feel like I can walk on my two feet. Just that... I haven't quite figured it out yet," he continued as High Scholar Emeris' eye flashed.

"Explain to me more... this feeling of yours..." he asked as Ryuk moved his attention to his hands.

"It's the feeling of knowing your fingers are meant for grasping something but not quite yet being able to move them into a close."

"It felt like my body is a rusty old piece of technology that isn't well-calibrated. And I thought, if I move my legs repeatedly enough, I should be capable of walking. And if I resist against a powerful force constantly pulling my body into pressure..."

"Then my joints should loosen up and I should gain some bit of control over my body," Ryuk explained, a hypothesis that High Scholar Emeris quickly recorded in his head with interest in his eyes.

But then he soon watched as Ryuk paused and turned his body, his eyes filled with confusion.

"But this... High Scholar Emeris? What is this?" he asked, his hand moving up to his head and feeling those horns.

"Have I become a monster?" he asked worriedly, but then, he felt the hand grab at his shoulder, stopping him and bringing his attention back.

"You're anything but a monster, youngling."

"Then, how does one explain this?"

"I haven't found time to tell you, but your Annunaki model has its own underlayer that contains its true body."

"Something that seemed to be locked behind being able to fully control the body, and why it happened only after you had completed the Track and Gravity Sink Zone."

"Those two strains were enough for your body to shed its previous underlayers, showing the true layer hidden beneath. It has always been there since the fusion."

"Just needing an equalizing force to show itself, which you have accomplished tonight," High Scholar Emeris said, nodding as he watched the frightened expression on the kid's face fade away a bit.

"Oh, that's calming then. What of the Silverunics though? The elders, or those who have seen me previously. They would be alarmed if they see such a massive change in the morning, won't they?"

"Especially, these frightening horns..." Ryuk said as High Scholar Emeris chuckled.

"Don't worry about that. They might be a little curious, but not to the point of messing with you. You're under my guardianship, remember?"

"They might listen well to the king, but won't want to offend me by messing with you either. So far, you don't overstep your boundary, you would be fine," he consoled.

"Now tell me, how does it feel in this new form?"

"What has changed?" High Scholar Emeris asked as Ryuk's eyes flashed, looking at his hands, before he clenched and unfurled them.

"My body."

"It's reacting as fast as I am processing it."

"Unlike before where it seemed to be burdening my mind. It's like it's very well under my control now..." Ryuk stated, taking a step forward and another step, and he soon began walking naturally around High Scholar Emeris, whose eyes flashed as he noted Ryuk's walk, watching as it turned into a jog around him and then into a run.

'Such gracefulness, and speed too. He's like he could become one with the wind at any moment...' High Scholar Emeris noted, but watched Ryuk pause, his face visibly pale as if exhausted.

But just when he wanted to call him off, he noticed Ryuk continued feverishly.

Almost like a kid who couldn't wait to show off his toy.

"But the thing that is clear the most is the strength!"

"Earlier it felt like I could barely raise up my hands, but now, my strength has improved massively!" Ryuk claimed excitedly as High Scholar Emeris asked.

"How massive?" he asked, before watching an arrogant smirk on Ryuk's face.

"Are you sure you really want to know?" Ryuk said, as his right fist slowly clenched in his grasp, and High Scholar Emeris rolled his eyes before he stretched out a palm.

"Here, show me all you got," he said to Ryuk, but then watched as Ryuk suddenly moved backward with speed, soon arriving at a distance of 100 meters away from him, before—

VROOOOOOM

The air flapped instantly as the boy tore forward with his superhuman speed.

High Scholar Emeris watched as Ryuk's body shot forward like a catapult, golden light dancing on his hand, which was clenched into a fist, and he watched Ryuk's body fully stretch to the max before his hand lurched forward seemingly with every vestige of power and then—

THUUUUUUMMPPPP

It was like dropping a stone into a well.

Even the clash couldn't be well heard at all as High Scholar Emeris smirked watching the shocked expression on Ryuk's face as he watched the boy take back his feet, visibly confused.

"Ho... how? I can clearly feel the growth in strength! How are you not moved?" he whispered to himself as High Scholar Emeris laughed out boisterously, grabbing at his shoulder.

"You have obviously grown in strength, kid. I can feel it."

"Right now, you should be as strong as a fully fledged Thoughtweaver. That's about three times the growth compared to what you could achieve barely some hours ago. That's a lot, if I say so myself," High Scholar Emeris said as Ryuk's eyes flashed, but then, his gaze suddenly changed as his feet began wobbling, his body reahing for the side only to be quickly grabbed by High Scholar Emeris.

"Huh? What's happening?" Ryuk mused out as High Scholar Emeris turned to his face, watching it turn ghostly pale, but it seems the boy himself had no idea.

"Not much. You're just a bit exhausted."

"That's enough training, Youngling. Let's get you back to your room..." he said as Ryuk found one of his arms under his neck and was helped forward toward the distance.

About five minutes later, his house door was opened, and he stepped in, waving High Scholar Emeris a goodnight before he disappeared into the room.