[Okay... cool... everything's according to plan... huff huff...]

Amidst the tension, a blue window blinked in the darkness, its ethereal glow reflecting in Rune's lifeless golden eyes.

{...There's a plan?}

Another window popped open beside Nexar.

[Y-yes! Of course! Who do you think I am? I am Nexar the Great War—]

{Yeah, but the host's dying.}

[R-right... everything's cool... we just have to wait for the dialogue... nothing to worry... yes nothing...]

Just as Elowen wondered what dialogue he was waiting for, a system prompt declared itself into existence — a third window that was different from the others. This one wasn't transparent like Nexar or Elowen. It was solid, thick blue with golden words embedded on its surface.

[[The last of the life force has abandoned the host. Please choose one of the following:]]

[[1) Return to the God's embrace and await your next host]]

[[2) Perish alongside host]]

[Elowen, listen to me... choose to perish.]

{What...?}

[Everything's according to plan. Nothing to worry about. Run your probabilities if you like... actually, I insist. Run the probability of Rune's survival along with ours.]

There was a pause as Elowen processed the request.

{It says some of the possibilities are linked to a higher entity... I can't run them.}

Nexar's window flickered with something like shock.

He knew Elowen's ability to predict favorable outcomes wouldn't work, or would be overridden, if one of the affiliates possessed a higher-tier system.

That was exactly how she'd failed to factor in Rune's involvement during her time with her previous host. That oversight had ultimately led to that host's death.

But things were different now. Elowen had lost her identity as a lower-tier system. She was now affiliated with Nexar — an S+ tier system.

In theory, there shouldn't be any possibility in the world that Elowen couldn't calculate.

But Nexar understood the logic wasn't that simple. When threads of fate were pulled he understood that divine intervention, something beyond systems existed. Forces beyond what systems could provide were always watching.

He didn't have time to ponder that now. If they didn't reply fast enough, they'd be forcibly detached, returned to the void to await their next host.

[Alright... trust me on this one and choose perish!]

{Alright...}

Elowen didn't have much choice anyway. If Nexar chose to perish and she chose otherwise, the end result would be both perishing since she was now technically Nexar's property.

[{Perish}] ×2

[[The gods have commended your choice to be faithful to your host until the end and even in eternal slumber.]]

[Okay... huff... please don't pause, just blurt out all the prompts at once...]

[[You now have 117 seconds before the host perishes and you follow him to eternal slumber.]]

{What's the plan? Enjoy the slumber?!}

Elowen's window pulsed with agitation.

[Ju-just wait, alright!]

Nexar tried his best to sound calm, but the panic was slipping through.

[[Nexar and his property Elowen are now in temporary unaffiliated condition.]]

[There you go!]

Nexar's window brightened with something like triumph, his earlier tension evaporating.

{Okay, what do we do in this unaffiliated condition? Float for 117 seconds?}

[[115]]

[{Thanks for the reminder!!}] ×2

[Okay! Now everything depends on how I do this...]

Elowen wanted to ask what he was talking about, but she understood Nexar was already on edge and doing something important. She watched in silence as he worked.

[Override the authority of host on his circuits.]

The command hung in the digital space.

Nexar had access to Rune's circuits just as much as Rune himself but only because Rune had allowed it over their century-old friendship. Without that trust, Nexar wouldn't have been able to activate Soft Touch or stand guard at Shadowfen Valley when Rune and Sera first entered.

The trust they'd developed over lifetimes had made them more than just system and host. They were one entity.

Now that Nexar was unaffiliated and Rune's circuits had no one with authority over them, Nexar could request an override.

[[Override denied. There is no host currently authorizing the circuits.]]

[[The authority of circuits is now being transferred to the previous owner.]]

[[Two owners found and only one with life force.]]

[[The authority is transferred to: Nexar, the Warlord's Carnal System.]]

[Alright! Good!]

Nexar's window pulsed with relief.

Rune's life force had already left his body the moment his heart stopped beating. The 117 seconds of "life" remaining existed only because of the forms of energy still dissipating at a constant rate from his core — mana and aura. They could act as pseudo-life force. While they couldn't provide a soul like true life force, they could sustain an already existing soul until they too dissipated in 117 seconds.

Nexar immediately connected Rune's circuits to the pseudo-circuits of Blood Raven, still buried in his heart.

[[52]]

{Wha...why did the time go down by that much?!}

Elowen's window flickered with panic.

[Don't worry... it was 112 when I connected the pseudo-circuits. Now that mana has flowed into Blood Raven, the pseudo-life force has left Rune's circuits, resetting the countdown to 52.]

As soon as Rune's mana entered the S+ tier sword's pseudo-circuits, the crimson aura already existing within it recognized its owner's energy signature.

In normal instances, the reaction between non-interchangeable forms of energy like mana and aura would cause massive disturbance potentially leading to circuit breakage. But Rune had long ago arranged harmony between his two forms of energy.

Blood Raven awakened.

But with only Intermediate-level aura output, there wasn't much the sword could do. And certainly not with its master unconscious.

[[47]]

[Okay... okay... it's fine. I can do it...]

Nexar's window flickered nervously, as if he were patting himself on the back.

[Authorize system storage and usage of AP card.]

[[The ANY PEAK card has been authorized.]]

[[Description: AP card is a temporary enhancement of its user to their prime state of one particular aspect. The card is most effective for those weakened by the flow of time and long past their prime state.]]

[[Limitations: Usage time depends on the aspect of enhancement.]]

[[Select one of the following:]] [[Aura (1hr). Mana (1hr 15min). Strength (16hrs). Defense (16hrs). Agility (9hrs). Endurance (10hrs, 18mins)]]

[Okay, select aura.]

[[The AP card has been used. The aura enhancement is temporarily halted.]]

[[The condition of the user is different from usual procedure.]]

Nexar understood the problem immediately.

The AP card normally enhanced users who'd weakened over time, whose circuits could still hold their prime-level aura but could no longer output that amount. The card simply restored their ability to bring out what their circuits could contain.

But Rune's case was different. While he possessed aura mastery at Emperor tier, his circuits were only capable of holding first-circle mana or Intermediate aura.

[[Enhancing the user's circuits temporarily to accommodate the user's peak-tier aura.]]

[[Time remaining until enhancement: 40 seconds.]]

[[Time till death: 41]]

[What...? No, no... what the fuck?!]

Panic flooded Nexar's interface. After the AP card was used, there were still procedures left to resurrect Rune. One second wasn't enough!

[Shit... shit...]

Then another system prompt appeared.

[[Time till death: 61 seconds.]]

[Wait, what? How?!]

Nexar's window pulsed with shock and relief.

{Nexar, look... Sera's frost aura has frozen the host's body.}

Indeed, Sera was hissing at the Sword King like a wounded animal, her mana pouring out in an avalanche that froze everything around her. The frost had made the fluid nature of Rune's mana semi-solid, slowing the rate of dissipation.

Of course, the avalanche couldn't even touch the Sword King.

The ancient warrior approached Rune's body and reached for Blood Raven's hilt.

[No, no... don't pull it!!!]

Nexar's window blinked frantically, but he'd forgotten that the Sword King couldn't see him.

But then Blood Raven, already awakened by its master's mana, crackled with crimson aura, denying the Sword King's touch with everything it had.

The ancient warrior paused, genuinely impressed by the blade's loyalty. He decided to let it remain with its master in death as a final respect for such devotion.

[Phew...]

Nexar exhaled with relief.

[[The enhancement of the user's circuits is finished.]]

[[The aura's output can now be accommodated up to Emperor tier.]]

[[Time till death: 22 seconds.]]

[Okay, now!]

Nexar prepared himself for the final procedure.

[Authorize usage over Blood Raven's attributes.]

[[The authorization needs permission. Seeking permission from the Ancient Raven.]]

Nexar was confident the old crow would recognize its owner's system.

[[The Raven snorted but finally agreed.]]

[Semantics!]

[[The authorized attributes: Blood Bomb. Essence Absorption. Seed of Dystrophy. Deadman's Decay.]]

[Use Deadman's Decay.]

[[Deadman's Decay is now selected.]]

[[The available souls are as follows: 2 B-rank souls, 1 B-minus rank soul, 4 C-rank souls, 32 C-minus rank souls, 183 D-rank souls.]]

[Convert the 4 C-rank, 32 C-minus rank, and 183 D-rank souls to soul essence and use Essence Absorption to absorb 80% of it. Allocate 20% to Decay Control.]

[[The Essence Absorption has absorbed 80% of the formed soul essence. User's life force and vitality are being restored.]]

[[Error. The cold and solidified circuits are resisting the life force.]]

[[Error correction takes 30 seconds.]]

[[Time till death: 18 seconds.]]

[Fuck, fuck... Sera, if only she could see me...]

Nexar's window flickered desperately as he tried to brainstorm solutions.

Then..

[[The circuits are now ready to receive life force.]]

[The fuck is wrong with you?!]

Nexar cursed at the system for the heart attack it had caused his non-existent heart.

{I think our host has plot armor...}

Elowen's observation was prompted by the sudden appearance of a tornado of flames pillaring from ground to heaven. Cassandra stood at its center, glaring at the Sword King with murderous intent.

The heat from her flames melted Sera's ice around Rune's body.

Ilya walked in at exactly the right moment, shielding the group from the barrage of flames thus saving Rune's circuits from being burnt.

[I really think he has plot armor in this life...]

Nexar admitted, recognizing the impossible coincidence: ice to preserve his state, fire to break him free, and Ilya arriving at the perfect moment to prevent damage. He silently thanked whatever divine intervention was watching over them.

[[Host's vitality has risen. The Warlord's Carnal System no longer has unaffiliated rights.]]

[[Binding the system back to the host.]]

[[The system bound back successfully. The countdown to contract termination has been halted at 4 seconds.]]

[[May the system guide his host throughout their endeavor.]]

In the darkness behind Rune's closed eyelids, something stirred.

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