People weren't supposed to desire the full ride, implied the goddess. Yugi thought that was sheer madness. There couldn't be anything bad about death if that was its associated goddess, apart from the act of dying itself. Most people couldn't see her, though. Why could he? Well, there was reason to assume something odd about his own lineage, considering his father already had some sort of magical power beyond comprehension. More importantly than any of that, however, was a single statement: all goddesses are hot. Yugi wouldn't be forgetting that.
When he woke and made light of the situation, Miko asserted that she wouldn't blow a corpse.
"Well... I wasn't a corpse yet. My soul was probably in limbo, but it was still connected. Just get to it before rigor mortis sets in for places besides my dick," he countered. No offense was taken for him calling the death goddess hot. In fact, Miko presented the idea of seducing the goddess... unless it was the married one, in which case she'd take the husband. They had a trial to get back to, but Yugi couldn't keep himself from pausing for a moment.
"She's specifically not that one. And... it's weird that you even know about that one," he said, releasing his hold on the lass after stroking her hair briefly, slowly even. With that, Yugi gathered his bearings to stand. Igris hadn't moved yet... but this fight wasn't over.
"Now... I don't remember telling a knight it was acceptable to stab me with my own sword. Time for a... huh?" Yugi paused, looking ahead to Igris, but seeing a System notification of interest.
〔SYSTEM NOTICE — BOND EVENT RESOLVED〕
Bond Route: Shared (Yugi & Miko)
Status Update Detected.
Yugi has survived critical injury through Miko's intervention.
The link between you has proven its worth.
Reward (Cooperative Survival):
- +10 permanent Endurance points (awarded to both Players)
- New Passive Effect Unlocked: "Chaos Anchor"
When one Player's HP drops below 1%, the other Player's proximity (within 30 meters) triggers an emergency sync pulse:
- Restores the dying Player to 1% HP and grants temporary immunity to lethal damage for 10 seconds
- Mana cost shared equally between both Players
- Cooldown: 1 hour (shared)
System Remark:
Chaos does not permit one vessel to fall while the other stands.
The bond endures.
The path continues.
Seeing that, Yugi smirked. This was the start of an incredible powerhouse combination.
"Oh fuck yeah," he chanted. With that, he raised his middle finger to the Blood-Red Commander.
"A-ny-way! Miss me, bitch? I owe you a second skull-fuckin' for that nonconsensual MURDER WITH MY OWN SWORD!"
Igris remained rooted where he stood, crimson eye fixed on Yugi as the Player rose from the debris. The knight's armor creaked faintly with each slow breath, the cracked breastplate still leaking dark ichor from the wound in his abdomen. The greatsword stayed embedded in the floor, webs clinging to the blade, untouched.
He tilted his helmeted head slightly as Yugi raised his middle finger and taunted him. The crimson mane shifted once, as though stirred by a breath of wind. Igris's gauntleted hand flexed at his side, fingers curling and uncurling in slow motion. Then, with deliberate calm, he reached down and gripped the hilt of his greatsword. The mana webs snapped under the force of his pull, threads dissolving into wisps of shadow. The blade came free with a low scrape against the stone, crimson light flickering along the edge as he lifted it into a high guard once more. Igris took one step forward. The bootfall echoed heavily. Another step followed, slower than before, the armor groaning with the effort. His stance widened, shoulders squared despite the cracks in the plating. The single remaining eye burned brighter, locked on Yugi with unyielding focus.
He did not charge.
He advanced.
One measured step at a time, greatsword raised, the Blood-Red Commander closed the distance again—silent, relentless, refusing to fall until the trial was truly decided.
