SSS Ranked Reincarnation: Dark Dragon Legacy

Silva looked at Aris for a few seconds, wondering if he should believe what he said about Ophelia.

*What’s Ophelia’s game? Wasn’t sending me out meant to help me and ensure I get stronger before Ragna attacks again?

Why would she throw me in a place where I can’t even get stronger to fight Ragna from? Sigh, whatever it is, it doesn’t matter now. Aris has no good reason to lie to me; after all, he never knew me.* Silva thought and then looked at Aris.

“Sigh, whatever it is, I’ve come to find out the true state of things, and now I want to leave this planet for another,” Silva said.

Aris raised his brow. “You want to leave? Where do you want to go? Where do you know?” he asked.

“Orion, the center of Lumis, to participate in the trials,” Silva stated.

“Huh? How did you know about that?” Aris asked, shocked that Silva knew about that place.

“That’s not important, is it?” Silva asked.

“It most definitely is. I doubt there is anyone here that would willingly give away information on Orion. It’s seen as the golden spot for those that know about it, and they keep the information to themselves,” Aris explained.

“I see. Well, it was a demigod, Kendall,” Silva said. Aris’s eyes widened as he heard the name.

“You met with Kendall?” Aris asked.

“Yes, seems you know him,” Silva said.

“Kendall and I have met before. A long time ago,” Aris said. His expression dimmed slightly as he spoke. “He offered me an olive branch, told me to leave. But I didn’t take it.”

“Why not?” Silva asked, genuinely curious why Aris would refuse a chance to leave his barony and find something better.

Aris looked away for a few seconds before answering.

“Everything he offered was good, attractive even. I wanted to go, but… I was scared back then. My entire life had been controlled up until the day I escaped and made it here. What he offered seemed too good to be true. It felt like I’d just be throwing myself into another cage. Another set of chains disguised as freedom.”

He sighed. “He offered to take me to his organization and train me under him.”

Silva understood exactly what Aris meant. If anyone valued freedom above all, it was Silva.

“Sometimes searching for freedom means allowing yourself to be caged for a little while,” Silva said. “But as long as you plan every step and think ahead… you can secure your path to true freedom. Like me. I have been, and always will be, on that path.”

He leaned back slightly.

“But in our current state, in this level of power, we will never be truly free. You may be free from physical chains, but fear cages your next step. Still… it’s not my place to preach. I just wanted to ask for your help.”

Aris looked up.

“Help? What kind?”

Silva extended his hand.

“Come with me. I need someone who’s been around a bit longer. If I’m going to make it to Orion, I need guidance. Space is vast; I don’t know anything about anywhere. I might walk into trouble without even realizing it,” he said with a small chuckle.

“That’s not possible,” Aris replied. “There’s no way I’m leaving here. This is where I’ll be forever.”

Silva clicked his tongue.

“You want to stay here forever? Bound by fear? Going nowhere? A demigod with the potential to become a god?”

Aris burst into laughter.

“I doubt that. Even if I gave my entire life to it, I would never become a god.”

Silva smiled faintly.

“But what if I promised you that one day I can make that possible? That I can make you stand among the beings that rule the Galaxian Universe?”

Aris frowned.

“And how would you be able to do something like that?”

“Just trust me,” Silva said. “Everything I’ve set out to do… I’ve always completed.”

He leaned in slightly.

“I’ll tell you a little secret. It’s barely been sixteen years since I began my journey, and I’ve already reached the stage of godhood. What you see here… this level… is the product of roughly sixteen years. If that doesn’t persuade you, I don’t know what will.”

Silva’s smug grin said everything; after all, reaching demigodhood at such speed was practically impossible… right?

Aris stared at Silva, almost waiting for him to say it was a joke. But when he looked at Silva’s face and realized he was completely serious, not a hint of humor anywhere, his expression shifted instantly from neutral to shocked.

“That’s not possible,” Aris said. “There’s no way you became a demigod in only sixteen years.”

Silva simply held that small, confident smile.

Aris looked down for a few seconds, thinking deeply, before raising his head again.

“Do you promise… that you’ll find a way for someone like me to actually reach godhood?” Aris asked, still very much skeptical about it

“If you’re willing to come with me, and helps me out” Silva replied, “then yes, without question. And I promise you something else: no strings attached. No chains. No binding yourself to me in any way. You’ll be your own person, making your own decisions. I’ll keep my side of the bargain as long as we remain partners.”

Aris paused, letting the words sink in.

‘I’ve been here for so long. Maybe it’s finally time to stretch out… to see where I can go. I haven’t even awakened my first circle yet as a demigod. If I keep staying here, that might never happen. Maybe… going is the right choice.’

He looked up, his gaze turning determined.

“Fine. I’ll help you for as long as I can,

and you keep your side of the deal. Agreed?”

“Agreed, I’m definitely a man of my words,” Silva said, stepping forward and extending his hand.

Aris glanced at the hand for a brief moment, then reached out and took it.

“Deal.”