Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Restraint Unleashed
Meanwhile, in the ceaseless void of nothingness, where light had never existed and time held no meaning...
"F̸̧̈ï̴̱n̷̰̈a̶̮̍l̴̰̇l̶̰̈y̸̳̋!̵̰̾ F̴̥̽ï̴̱n̷̰̈a̶̮̍l̴̰̇l̶̰̈y̸̳̋!̵̰̾ M̶̖̌ÿ̸́ d̷̰̈́a̴̯̋r̶̰̽l̴̰̇ï̴̱n̶̰̈g̸̰̓ ï̴̱s̵̰̈́ h̶̰̎ḛ̴̍r̶̰̽ḛ̴̍!̵̰̾"
An excited voice suddenly resonated through the infinite darkness.
The voice was unmistakably feminine, filled with such overwhelming joy that it made the void itself tremble with anticipation.
And there, drifting through the endless nothingness like a broken doll, was the lifeless body of Nero Walker.
His chest bore a massive hole where his heart should have been, crimson blood still seeping from the devastating wound that had killed him instantly.
His normally vibrant brown eyes were dull and vacant, staring at nothing.
*Blink... blink... blink...*
Countless eyes suddenly manifested from the darkness, each one focused intently on Nero’s corpse with obsessive fascination.
Some were human-like, others more alien, but all of them carried the same desperate hunger.
The same possessive adoration.
"S̵̰̈́o̴̰̍ b̶̰̑ḛ̴̍a̶̮̍ṵ̴̓ṫ̴̰ï̴̱f̶̰̽ṵ̴̓l̴̰̇... ḛ̴̍v̶̰̽ḛ̴̍n̷̰̈ ï̴̱n̷̰̈ d̷̰̈́ḛ̴̍a̶̮̍ṫ̴̰h̶̰̎... m̶̖̌ÿ̸́ p̶̰̑r̶̰̽ḛ̴̍c̶̰̑ï̴̱o̴̰̍ṵ̴̓s̵̰̈́ d̷̰̈́a̶̮̍r̶̰̽l̴̰̇ï̴̱n̷̰̈g̸̰̓..."
But as the voice took in his pitiful condition, the tone shifted to something almost apologetic.
"Ḭ̶̍’̴̰̇m̶̖̌ s̵̰̈́o̴̰̍ s̵̰̈́o̴̰̍r̶̰̽r̶̰̽ÿ̸́, d̷̰̈́a̶̮̍r̶̰̽l̴̰̇ï̴̱n̷̰̈g̸̰̓... Ḭ̶̍ c̶̰̑o̴̰̍ṵ̴̓l̴̰̇d̷̰̈́n̷̰̈’̴̰̇ṫ̴̰ h̶̰̎ḛ̴̍l̴̰̇p̶̰̑ ÿ̸́o̴̰̍ṵ̴̓... T̶̰̑h̶̰̎ḛ̴̍ s̵̰̈́c̶̰̑r̶̰̽ï̴̱p̶̰̑ṫ̴̰... ṫ̴̰h̶̰̎ḛ̴̍ s̵̰̈́c̶̰̑r̶̰̽ï̴̱p̶̰̑ṫ̴̰ h̶̰̎a̶̮̍d̷̰̈́ ṫ̴̰o̴̰̍ b̶̰̑ḛ̴̍ f̶̰̽o̴̰̍l̴̰̇l̶̰̈o̴̰̍w̶̰̌ḛ̴̍d̷̰̈́..."
Her voice carried genuine regret, like someone who’d been forced to watch their beloved suffer without being able to intervene.
"T̶̰̑h̶̰̎ï̴̱s̵̰̈́ w̶̰̌a̶̮̍s̵̰̈́ ṫ̴̰h̶̰̎ḛ̴̍ o̴̰̍n̷̰̈l̶̰̈ÿ̸́ w̶̰̌a̶̮̍ÿ̸́ f̶̰̽o̴̰̍r̶̰̽ ṵ̴̓s̵̰̈́ ṫ̴̰o̴̰̍ f̶̰̽ï̴̱n̷̰̈a̶̮̍l̴̰̇l̶̰̈ÿ̸́ m̶̖̌ḛ̴̍ḛ̴̍ṫ̴̰... a̶̮̍l̴̰̇ṫ̴̰h̶̰̎o̴̰̍ṵ̴̓g̸̰̓h̶̰̎ ï̴̱ṫ̴̰’̴̰̇s̵̰̈́ o̴̰̍n̷̰̈ḛ̴̍-̴̰̇s̵̰̈́ï̴̱d̷̰̈́ḛ̴̍d̷̰̈́ c̶̰̑o̴̰̍n̷̰̈s̵̰̈́ï̴̱d̷̰̈́ḛ̴̍r̶̰̽ï̴̱n̷̰̈g̸̰̓ h̶̰̎ḛ̴̍’̴̰̇s̵̰̈́ ṵ̴̓n̷̰̈c̶̰̑o̴̰̍n̷̰̈s̵̰̈́c̶̰̑ï̴̱o̴̰̍ṵ̴̓s̵̰̈́..."
The countless eyes continued staring with hungry fascination, drinking in every detail of his form.
Then, without warning, the voice grew excited again.
"B̶̰̑ṵ̴̓ṫ̴̰ n̷̰̈o̴̰̍w̶̰̌... n̷̰̈o̴̰̍w̶̰̌ Ḭ̶̍ c̶̰̑a̶̮̍n̷̰̈ f̶̰̽ï̴̱n̷̰̈a̶̮̍l̴̰̇l̶̰̈ÿ̸́ s̵̰̈́h̶̰̎o̴̰̍w̶̰̌ m̶̖̌ÿ̸́s̵̰̈́ḛ̴̍l̴̰̇f̶̰̽."
*RUMBLE... RUMBLE... RUMBLE...*
The void began to shift and writhe as something massive stirred in the depths of nothingness.
A concentration of pure maliciousness, so dense and overwhelming that it made reality itself recoil.
*SQUELCH! SQUELCH! SQUELCH!*
The mass of darkness began congregating, twisting and reshaping itself with wet, organic sounds.
Tentacles of shadow merged together, forming arms.
Pools of malice condensed into legs.
Fragments of void coalesced into a torso.
The transformation was both beautiful and terrifying, like watching creation in reverse.
*CRACK! POP! SNAP!*
What had been formless evil slowly took on human shape, encased in a cocoon of pure darkness.
The metamorphosis stretched on for what felt like eternity, each change accompanied by sounds that shouldn’t exist in reality.
And then, finally...
*SHATTER!*
The cocoon exploded outward like breaking glass, revealing the figure within.
"..."
What stood there defied every expectation of what evil should look like.
A young woman wearing a black school uniform, complete with knee-high socks and a pleated skirt.
But the innocent attire couldn’t hide the matured perfection beneath.
Her body was flawless in every conceivable way - perfectly proportioned curves that seemed designed to drive minds to madness.
Pale white skin so pristine it looked like fresh snow under starlight.
Long black hair that seemed to absorb light itself, like each strand was woven from the void between stars.
And when she finally opened her eyes...
Crimson irises that burned with obsessive adoration, framed by lashes so dark they looked like brushstrokes of night.
Her lips were a luscious red that promised both salvation and damnation with equal measure.
By any system’s standards, she was easily 10 out of 10.
... Probably even beyond such mundane measurements.
This was perfection given form, beauty so absolute it hurt to look at directly.
But the moment those crimson eyes focused on Nero’s lifeless form...
"Darling..."
Her perfect face distorted with an expression of pure, unhinged obsession as she rushed toward his body.
"My darling! My precious, beautiful darling~!"
She threw herself down beside him, gathering his corpse into her arms like the most precious treasure in existence.
*Sniff... sniff... sniff...*
She buried her face against his neck, inhaling his scent with desperate hunger.
"Nero... Nero... Nero... Nero... Nero... Nero...♡"
His name spilled from her lips like a prayer, each repetition filled with more devotion than most people felt for their gods.
"I’ve missed you so much, darling. So very, very much~♡"
Her pale hands traced his blood-stained cheeks with tenderness, her touch leaving no mark despite the overwhelming power radiating from her form.
"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there when you needed me most."
Tears began flowing down her perfect face, but they weren’t normal tears.
Each drop was pure liquid darkness that disappeared before hitting the ground.
"But this... this is the only opportunity I have to help you properly. Through death, darling. Only in death can I reach you without the restraints interfering."
Her hand moved to hover over the massive hole in his chest, crimson eyes studying the devastating wound with clinical precision.
Then her expression shifted to something almost playful despite the grief.
"But first, let me patch up your wound."
Her pale hand began changing, the perfect white skin turning obsidian black as some kind of dark fluid started dripping from her fingers.
*Drip... drip... drip...*
The substance looked like liquid night, so dark it seemed to absorb reality around it.
She placed her transformed hand directly over the hole in Nero’s chest, and the black fluid immediately began flowing into the wound.
"Just like how you saved me at that time, let me save you too..."
The dark substance filled the cavity, knitting together torn flesh and damaged organs with supernatural efficiency.
Within moments, what had been a fatal wound was completely sealed, new tissue growing to replace what had been destroyed.
"There we go," she whispered lovingly, her hand returning to its perfect pale state. "All better, darling~"
But as she gazed obsessively at his peaceful face, her expression grew conflicted.
"I want to keep you here with me forever... but unfortunately, I don’t have the power to do that. Not yet."
She stroked his dark hair with infinite care, like someone memorizing every detail.
"It’s time for you to awaken your true ability, darling."
But just as she finished speaking...
*BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!*
Nero’s entire physical form started glitching like a broken television screen, his body flickering between solid and digital static.
*BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!*
The distortion grew more intense, reality struggling to maintain his physical integrity.
"!!!"
The woman’s crimson eyes widened with momentary surprise, but that shock quickly transformed into pure ecstatic joy.
"As expected of my darling! Even without my help, you’re improving even in death~!"
She clapped her hands together like an excited schoolgirl watching her crush perform in a play.
Countless system notifications began flooding the air around Nero’s glitching form.
[Error! Error! Error!]
[Forbidden ability restoration detected!]
[WARNING! Unknown interference!]
[System integrity compromised!]
[Attempting correction...]
[Failed! Failed! Failed!]
The blue text scrolled past so fast it was almost impossible to read, each message more frantic than the last.
"I’ll help you, darling... ♡"
Without hesitation, she reached toward the system interface with both hands, crimson energy beginning to flow from her fingers.
But the moment her power touched the blue code...
[Error occurred in the system!]
[WARNING! An extremely Dñdangerous entity: ■■■■■■■ is trying to modify system restraints!]
[Initiating defensive protocol!]
*CRACK! SIZZLE! POP!*
Blue energy lashed out at her arms like living lightning, trying to repel her interference.
"Tch."
She clicked her tongue in annoyance, her perfect face twisting with irritation.
"Pesky restraints! How dare you resist and bind my darling around with your pathetic schemes?!"
*CRACK! SHATTER! DISSOLVE!*
The blue codes that had been trying to corrode her arms simply disintegrated under her overwhelming power.
She poured more crimson dark energy into Nero’s body, the malevolent force spreading across his chest and limbs like infection.
[ERROR! Defensive protocol failed!]
[Scanned individual for external interference: The Antagonist.]
[System termination has been forcefully initiated...]
[System restraints non-operational on ■■■■■■■■■■■■]
[... System deletion comfirmed.]
The blue interface flickered one last time before vanishing completely, leaving nothing but empty air around Nero’s form.
"Finally!"
The Antagonist grinned widely, her perfect face radiant with triumph.
"The fake system restraining you is finally gone, darling... Now then, it’s time to awaken your true potential."
*RUMBLE... RUMBLE... RUMBLE...*
As if on cue with her words, a different kind of power began emanating from Nero’s body in response to her words.
This wasn’t the crimson darkness she wielded.
This was pure void with a glitched texture that made reality itself seem unstable.
Raw and primordial nothingness that predated reality and logic itself.
"Ahhhh...!"
The Antagonist shuddered with excitement as she felt that familiar signature, her crimson eyes rolling back slightly.
"It brings back such wonderful memories..."
But before she could elaborate on those nostalgic feelings...
*WHOOSH!*
The mysterious void power suddenly grabbed her, invisible tendrils wrapping around her perfect form.
"Ah~! So forceful!"
She squealed playfully, like a schoolgirl being grabbed by her crush during a game.
The power began siphoning energy directly from her body, feeding on her malevolent essence.
But instead of resisting or showing pain, she just moaned with pleasure.
"Eat me up, darling! Take as much as you need~!"
Her perfect body began glowing faintly as her power was absorbed, but she seemed to be enjoying every moment of it.
"Oh, but before that..."
A small crimson light appeared on her fingertip, pulsing with concentrated malice.
"I’ll give you a little present~♡"
She touched the glowing finger to Nero’s forehead, and the light immediately sank into his skin.
*FLASH!*
For a moment, his peaceful expression shifted to something almost... satisfied.
Like someone receiving exactly what they’d always wanted but never knew they needed.
"There we go," she whispered lovingly. "Now you’ll be properly equipped for what’s coming."
The Antagonist smiled with pure contentment as she felt the transformation taking hold.
But just as she was savoring the moment...
*BOOOOOOMMMMMM!*
Nero’s body suddenly exploded with multicolored light so brilliant it made the void itself recoil.
Every spectrum of color imaginable erupted from his form - not harsh or blinding, but warm and inviting like a sunrise after the longest night.
"YES! YES! YEEEEESSSS~! ♡"
The Antagonist’s excited scream echoed through the nothingness as she watched the light show with obsessive fascination with both her hands on her cheeks.
Followed by that are...
[Waifu Summoner (SSR) has been unleashed to its true potential!]
[Waifu System has now been initiated and replaced the restraining system placed on the user!]
New notifications that were completely different from before - no longer blue, generic and rigid, but written in colors that shifted and changed like oil on water.