3rd Pov
Inside the vampire kingdom, in Night garden...
Dawn finally woke up after 3 weeks, the previous battle had drained everything from him so now he had to properly rest.
Right now, Dawn could only listen to the voice of the world making it's announcement, with his mind half unconscious.
VOTW : (Usage of last skill : Inheritance from individual Luna, successful... transmission... successful, all characteristic are transferred to individual Dawn Arceid)
As the operation started, Dawn could feel a warm feeling fill his soul...
VOTW : (Error, soul of individual Dawn Arceid cannot withstand the overwhelming evolution, reduction...sacrifice of unique skill : Copyright, Author, Reader and Fiction...formation of new ultimate skill : Lord of Story, Author...acquisition of remaining skill...successful.)
Dawn couldn't properly comprehend what was happening but it seem his evolution was going well...a little too well.
VOTW : (Acquisition of individual Luna's hero egg...successful, integration...fail.)
Naturally, Luna had awakened at the last minute her hero egg...she had become a True hero so integrating it into his body was impossible.
An unawakened egg and one awakened couldn't become one, the balance wasn't possible...thought that normally impossible.
VOTW : (Solution found, integration successful, separation...successful, all resistance and immunity will be enhanced...acquisi-)
Bearing two hero eggs separately, Chloe of the future was the only one able to achieve it...but in theory it's also possible for others.
Gaining the characteristic of a true hero despite not having awakened your own egg.
Luna's awakening ceremony wasn't done when she interrupted it so Dawn could assimilate it all and restart the ceremony.
Yeah...the first time in history where the Voice of the world isn't performing a single individual evolution but multiple on a single person.
VOTW : (Birth of a True hero, successful...individual Dawn Arceid can now freely switch between physical and spiritual body, acquisition of unique skill : Fate...successful, Notification, unique skill : Fate resonated with unique skill : False hope...permission for sacrifice.)
The request seems to be directly waiting for Dawn to answer...it seems the skills itself wanted it so Dawn could just smile and agree to everything that is going to happen now.
The voice of the world is an ally of neutrality...he will never be unfair so trusting the system couldn't be bad.
VOTW : (Ressource insuffisante, sacrifice of unique skill : Regeneration, sacrifice of unique skill-sacrif-)
This continued for a while, the 12 skills he inherited from Luna were slowly used as sacrifice for False hope and Fate's evolution.
VOTW : (Evolution completed, formation of Ultimate skill : Lord of Fate, Origin...successful.)
The evolution soon concluded with a bit more announcement, finally everything became quiet.
In his own mind space, another flame appeared beside his own symbolizing his hero egg...while his flame was a cold blue.
This new one was raging blaze...the silhouette of a past friend could be seen.
Dawn : Really Luna...you might haunt me for the rest of life.
Even if they end up fighting...there was no hate, fear or resentment.
Dawn : Fate, huh...I guess we were truly bound by fate.
Closing his eyes to leave this mind space, Dawn gathered all his strength to reach the realm of the living again...his fight isn't finished yet.
2000 years...he still has to live all that to meet Rimuru.
Dawn Pov
Right everything is just starting now...
I'm currently walking toward Luminous's favorite place...the most beautiful garden in this world, Night garden.
I'm pretty much recovered and even stronger...thanks to Luna's help and her last will, I evolved and exceeded my goal.
I can finally take on the big fish though...the likes of Rudra or Guy are really out of range even now.
Dawn : Well...I still have some time.
Skill mastery matters more than the quality of an ultimate skill, the day I will properly be able to use my new skills..that day I'm confident enough in stopping even a true dragon.
Well that's big talk but i still have to train and gain experience before reaching that cap.
Dawn : Yeah...with this power I gained in losing everything...with this I will grow stronger.
I ignored my voice growing weaker at each new word...I know deep inside, I'm affected by their death more than anyone.
I'm just trying to run away from this truth and look forward, but my mind is stuck between the past and future.
I killed Luna with my own hand...and couldn't protect Ria, lastly Sola is nowhere to be seen...
The sole bonds I made here are gone.
Dawn : Sometimes, I wonder if it wouldn't be better to just stop all this...and live peacefully a complete life in this world.
My emotions are a real mess right now...still I know what to do at the moment, I know my course of action now...
With that in mind, I entered Night garden and joined the center where Luminous Valentine and Chloe were sitting.
Their presence was still very potent but I could bear it...even now that I was stronger, I could tell how big the gap between Chloe and the rest is.
She is really in another realm of power...compared to her, Luminous is like a small kitten.
Luminous : So you finally woke up, you took your time.
Engaging the conversation, her tone was different from when we first talked...well it's normal.
I'm an Ultimate skill user and part True hero...if we were to fight, I would definitely win...maybe not now because I'm not accustomed to my new power yet.
People seem to underestimate how important battle experience is.
Dawn : Yes...I heard all from Snowie, thank you for your help.
When I woke up, Snowie was there...I missed her presence, we talked for a while before she went to sleep.
It seems she didn't even bat an eye the whole time I was out...well Dusk wasn't up either, so I have two sleeping spirits in my soul now.
Chloe : Don't worry, I couldn't let my student get taken away my dumb hero or weird demon.
Luminous : Beside we have a contract remember, i can't let my future knight into someone else's hand.
Taking a sip of her drink, I might have misheard it but her voice tone wavered while she talked.
Was she genuinely worried for me ? Probably not, we aren't that close after all.
Luminous : Anyway, Gunthler brought that to him.
Gunthler : Hai, my lady.
Dawn : Mmh ?
I looked at Gunthler leave to bring whatever Luminous asked, I was a bit curious, I couldn't lie.
Luminous : Since you caused quite the ruckus in the western nation, I got some work...anyway it's your reward for winning that battle.
Chloe : Alala, what a tsundere...she is just saying that she took a liking to you and wants to reward you.
Luminous : Shut it Chronoa !
I sweatdropped, it's clearly not romantic affection...unfortunately, Luminous still loves women, she probably sees a good subordinate in me.
Anyway, a few minutes later Gunthler came back with multiple objects...and the first thing I noticed was a sword...
Wait...my Tenryu ! I hurriedly looked for it on my wrist but none...
Luminous : You passed out immediately so you don't know but your sword shattered at your final attack.
Dawn : Ah...
I kind of feel empty now...I just upgraded it and was planning to make her a legendary weapon...
Chloe : Don't worry though, since Guy and Rudra left, no one was there to contest the afterbattle scene, so we took your sword and that girl you killed"s sword and reforged them together.
Dawn : I-i see...
Damn, without my consent or anything...still so this is my new weapon, it was a katana neither a long sword.
It looked more like Chloe's rapier...or maybe in my memories, Gazel's sword...a pretty thin blade shining black pure silver...white silver ?
My sword turned a crystal black blade and Luna's was fully dark...so why is it silver ?
I narrowed my use of Read for the first time since its evolution...information started to appear in my mind.
It was like facing a giant wall...everything about the sword appeared, the story of each material used, the story of my Tenryu and Luna's Full moon.
This was incredible...and the material that gave this silver color was...
Luminous : Magic ore but special...to think of you and that Luna girl battle would last 3 days...after the battle we found some magic ore infused with your magicule and Ice...it turned out to be the perfect composent to forge this new sword.
I see...this sword was specifically made for me.
I watched in fascination as Gunthler handed me the sword...it was a piece of art, it seemed the blacksmith here was as good as Dwargon's.
Chloe : It seems you like it, this sword is graded unique class, it could go higher by getting accustomed to you.
Dawn : Thank you...
Chloe : By the way, it still doesn't have a name so choose wisely.
A name, huh...staring at the silver blade, I started thinking...this sword is born from Luna and my weapon.
A weapon born from contradiction...
Dawn : I guess...Dimension would fit it.
Luminous : Heh, you got some naming sense too.
Ugh, it's just you who suck at naming...as an author, naming is one of the most annoying things...I'm not good at it either.
But Luminous genuinely sucked at it...i mean they held the entire Walpurgis for naming their council...
Chloe : Dimension, huh...it's a good name, I can't wait to see how powerful this sword will turn out.
This time i twas Hinata who spoke...it seemed the knight in her showed interest in my new weapon.
Anyway, I tightly grabbed Dimension and shealted it before placing it down.
Gunthler : Dawn-sama, here is the next reward.
Dawn : Oh yeah, thanks.
I quickly snapped out of my trance and looked forward...my eyes instantly widening as I watched a heavy orb in Gunthler's hand.
Dawn : That's...
Luminous : Your fight left terrible consequences you know...i couldn't collect them all but this orb has over a million human souls.
Chloe : I was surprised too...the entire population of the Western nation dropped a lot, like 21 % were collateral victims.
A million ? And she wasn't able to get them all...how could this be? I made sure to freeze everything so the number of deaths would decrease...
My ice shouldn't have been mortal...wait, after i fainted, Frozen world should have canceled so...the answer to all these deaths.
Are the meteorites who felt after my ice disappeared and everything went back to normal ?!
Dawn : Ahh...I messed up.
Luminous : Hahaha ! You sure did, now the entire human nation placed a bounty on your head, you are literally the most wanted man alive.
Dawn : Well...this sure is troubling, I'll need to use illusion magic now...
Anyway, what should I do with those souls ? I'm on the hero side so evolving into a demon lord isn't an option...
Why am I even thinking ? In fact I already know what to do with them.
Gunthler : Lastly, Dawn-sama...this is another separate soul my lady collected.
Dawn : Separate ?
I looked forward, a silver light orb floated toward me...who was that ? It felt fami-
Dawn : Don't tell me...
Luminous : That girl you fought seems to be someone important, so her body is preserved in the Night garden. I also collected her soul for you though don't expect to resurrect her.
Dawn : It isn't possible ?
Luminous : Not after your attack, it seems to have shattered all possibility of resurrection...it's really a horrific skill you have there.
True rewrite, huh...I did it on a whim and instinct, though the process was clear as crystal in my mind...
That attack definitely reached the sky...this is probably why the likes of Rudra and Guy came.
In fact...if i could land it on Luminous or SIlvia, I could probably win...but that's under several conditions.
I'm almost there when I think about it...no, i'm actually confident in fighting them now, the experience was still lacking but i could surely gap it with raw strength.
Dawn : I see...
Chloe : This soul is pretty much useless now...Luminous just thought you might want to give her a last farewell.
Dawn : No.
Chloe : Huh ?
Dawn : A soul will never be useless...i already know what to do with it, so thank you for retrieving it Lady Luminous.
The way I talked might have come out unexpectedly for everyone present, but I made no mistake...
One of my knees bent, I bowed my head while straightening my back.
Luminous : Oi, what are you doing ?
Dawn : I know there are still centuries before the term on our contract but I decided...there is nothing left for me to do now that Ria is gone, so please allow me to serve you now.
3rd Pov
His statement shocked everyone...not even Chloe predicted this...
Luminous : Are you sure ? You could still travel and see more of the world.
Dawn : I already thought about that, I want to travel as one of your subordinates from now on.
Keeping his head low, Luminous was left in a dilemma and from the look of it, Chloe wasn't going to help.
Luminous : I see...can I ask, what do you plan to do now ?
Dawn : Honestly, I only have one thing planned that I can't tell you...but after that nothing, I plan on doing whatever task you give me.
Luminous : (Heh, i can see the gist of it...he is trying to find a new reason to live...since he lost everything, he is trying everything to not fall deeper.)
Reaching an conclusion, Luminous brought her finger to her mouth and bit it lightly...fresh blood slowly dropped on the ground.
Luminous : This is a vampire art, blood contract...after you accept it, no betrayal will be possible.
Blood contract, a pact used by the vampire race...it's a rare usage as this art was lost through the age.
Simply because not many vampires thought it necessary, after all they were the subordinates of the divine ancestor Valentine.
This pact works simply by transferring some of the master's blood into the body of the subordinate, thus that blood will continue to exist within him.
It will allow many things such as localizing, feeling his mental state and more but the main point is the trust behind this.
For a vampire, giving his blood to someone means that there is mutual trust to a certain degree.
Moreover, this technique created by Twilight Valentine was used for the first by Luminous...since Blood contract can only be used on non-vampire beings.
The other vampire naturally followed her so Luminous clearly had no use for this.
Luminous : Now, without waiting I will give you your first task.
Dawn : Hai.
Facing the ground, the divine ancestor's blood slowly flew inside his chest...the feeling was warm yet cold.
It wasn't really potent but still you could feel like a pair of eyes watching you from behind.
Luminous : Leave this castle and travel, come back once i call you back until then i don't want to see your face.
This unexpected order startled Dawn...but also Gunthler, the only one unaffected was Chloe behind who just nodded.
Luminous : That's all, you shall leave when you are fully restored.
Turning her head, just like that he was dismissed and ordered to leave the garden...Dawn stayed silent for a while before nodding.
He turned around and left with an unreadable expression.
Dawn : Before that...Gunthler-san, please give those humans souls to Lady Luminous.
Gunthler: What?
Dawn: This will serve her evolution.
Finishing with that, he silently walked away...leaving Gunthler totally speechless.
They were both far away from Luminous and Chloe now...Dawn had waited this exact moment to leave the souls behind and Gunthler could only nod watching Dawn silently leave.
Gunthler: Mmh, I'm sure we'll get along in the future.
Chloe Pov
This might appear cruel and cold from Luminous, but she did the right thing...her action actually showed her how warm and good she was.
Chloe : I guess you really took a liking to him, huh.
Luminous : He is a good pawn, I take good care of my possession.
Chloe : I see..anyway.what is his state ?
I was referring to the Blood contract, for a brief moment she should have access to his mental state...
Dawn hid it well but he was clearly not good, it felt like he could break at any moment.
Luminous : He is on the verge of dying internally, his whole persona and feelings are mixing...
Chloe : So you send you away so he can recover by himself ?
Luminous : Yes...serving me right now would have just led to his own destruction.
So she wants him to travel around the world on its own...he has lost Ria and pretty much everything.
If he came to work here now it would just make him dependent on this place and us.
He has to go alone, see the world again...refresh himself and find a new purpose so he won't become a simple doll.
Chloe : As expected, you are kind.
Luminous : Oh shut it, it's for my own benefit...I declared hostility toward Guy Crimson and the emperor, I need all the weapons I have at their best.
Hiding your feelings now, well at least i know she is dee^mu inside a good person.
Anyway, I should worry about Dawn now...he is strong enough to overcome this, he just needs time.
I should prepare myself too, in a few centuries...Leon-nii will be summoned along with my child self...I have to make sure everything is ready by then.
Gunthler : My lady...
Luminous : Oh your back already...s-what is that?
I also got curious, all the rewards for Dawn were taken beside...the human souls?
Gunther : Well...how to explain this...
After he explained the situation, I couldn't help but burst into laughter...haha, look at Luminous's face.
She looked dumbfounded.
Luminous : He wants me to use those to awaken ?
Gunthler: Hai...
Luminous : What a stupid brat.
She sounded annoyed, but I could see a small smile forming on her face...I guess even the like of Luminous like gifts.
Anyway, he still managed to surprise us here.
Dawn Pov
It's so cold...is it already winter time ? I don't really know frankly...since I evolved into a True hero through Luna's power.
I gained immunity over a lot of things...like Cold and Heat are some of them.
Yeah...i always had a high cold resistance so why am i feeling cold right now ? This was weird...
Dawn : Ahh...
I breathed hard letting steam out of my mouth, cold steam...so it's almost winter, huh.
Looking behind, the castle of Night garden...it has been 4 days since I received that order from Lady Luminous.
The sun was rising from behind living a beautiful dawn...my eyes stared at the sight blankly.
Dawn : This is the start of my long trip, huh...
It was probably the last adventure I will have on my own before meeting Rimuru.
A sword, a uniform, food and water...that was all I had with me right now...the same path I took with Ria back then.
Dawn : Restarting over...
I know why I was ordered to leave...I know it very well as a reader of novels, this scenario already happens.
But can I really get over all this and restart ? That's an answer only future me has.
Dawn : Dawn Arceid, that's my name again...yeah let's restart it all over.
Turning around one last time, I closed my eyes and walked away...
Letting time do its work...a lot of things will happen now but the first thing i should do is to see where Sola is and visit Velzard to make up my part of our deal.
Since then many things have happened...to resume quickly Luminous joined the demon lord.
I had met a lot of new people, fought some...confronted some future cast members like Kondo or Mai Furuki...
I had also met Shizue Izawa in one of my travels after Hinata abandoned her...I contributed her lot as an adventurer under an anonymous name...
This small paragraph won't be enough to resume all this...well I'm sure future me will come up with some flashbacks for everyone to enjoy...
Anyway, finally the time has come for Rimuru to come...
Dawn : Everything starts now...