The man raised his left hand slowly and placed it gently on Zay's shoulder.
"It's far more complicated than I can explain with just a few words," he said quietly, his voice smooth, almost too composed. "Yes or no?"
Zay's fists tightened at his sides, his knuckles whitening under the strain. He could feel the pressure of the unknown pressing against him, but after a tense moment, he exhaled heavily, the air escaping his lungs in a slow, controlled release. He gave a single nod.
"Go ahead then… let's get I—"
Before Zay could even finish his word, the man's hand shifted in such a manner Zay could only assume it was a sort of teleportation, his hand rested against Zay's forehead. His voice dropped to a whisper, so soft it was almost swallowed by the void around them.
"Sleep."
The word slipped into Zay's mind like a knife through silk. His body crumpled instantly, his consciousness snuffed out without resistance. His eyelids fell shut, his breathing deepened, and he sank into a slumber so profound that it could only be described as a sleep beyond dreams—a sleep so absolute that no sound, no pain, and no form of force could wake him.
The man caught Zay before he hit the ground, lowering him carefully onto the cold, invisible floor of the void. Crouching beside him, he extended his hand outward and snapped his fingers with a sharp crack that seemed to ripple through the air.
A brilliant Seal, etched with swirling, ever-shifting runes, materialized beside him—the Seal of Inspection.
Without hesitation, the man reached out and grasped the floating Seal. It pulsed once in his palm, surging into his hand as if recognizing his command. He exhaled slowly, steadying himself, before placing his hand squarely on the center of Zay's chest.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, in a slow, breathtaking display, Zay's entire body became translucent, every vein, every nerve, every atom glowing faintly as if illuminated from within. The inner workings of his being were laid bare to the man's eyes, revealing a canvas of complexity and power.
"Hm?" The man's brows lifted slightly, intrigue flashing across his features. His voice lowered to a murmur, as if speaking to himself.
"This child possesses not only an Aura Core... but a Monster Core as well? Fascinating. And the rank of the Monster Core is... Primordial?"
He shook his head, a flicker of amazement passing through him. "Very interesting indeed."
Drawing in a steady breath, the man allowed his hand to sink seamlessly through Zay's flesh, without leaving a mark, reaching deeper into the sleeping boy's body. Zay remained utterly still, his senses muted beyond reach, his mind locked within an endless dream.
The man's fingers brushed against the surface of Zay's Aura Core—and in that instant, a dark, radiant Seal shimmered into view above it: the Seal of Midnight.
The Seal hovered in the air, its presence commanding, ancient, and almost incomprehensible. Strange symbols and intricate patterns adorned its surface, shifting slowly as though alive. The man's eyes narrowed slightly as he read the inscription surrounding the Seal, a language so archaic and sacred that only a handful of beings across existence could still understand it—the Language of Design.
He studied it carefully, absorbing every detail, as a low hum filled the void around them.
"Impossible..." he breathed.
His emerald eyes widened, and the polished mask of calm he wore fractured, replaced first by a flicker of surprise—and then by a growing, unmistakable awe.
A low, disbelieving laugh escaped him. He exhaled heavily through his nose, his hand pulling away from Zay's chest as the Seal of Midnight dissolved back into his body in threads of violet-black mist.
"This Seal..." he muttered, shaking his head slowly, "it's not even complete, and yet it dares to defy the very framework of the Realms. Fascinating."
The man cracked his neck with a soft pop, rolled his shoulders, and turned his attention briefly to the swirling, silent creatures of the void watching them.
"Is this why they're here?" he mused aloud, before shifting his gaze back down to Zay's unconscious form.
His fingers twitched with excitement he could barely restrain. "The Seal can indeed accomplish feats beyond what most can imagine... but an incomplete Seal, no matter how extraordinary, might still struggle to fully nullify a Special-Class Seal like the Demoness."
He paused, an amused, almost reverent smirk crossing his face.
"A Seal that grows closer to completion with each Sequence," he murmured, almost in awe. "You're a dangerous one, child. Very interesting as well. I will be watching..."
Raising his hand, he snapped his fingers sharply. A crack like shattering glass echoed through the void, and instantly, Zay's eyes snapped open. His body moved instinctively, rising to his feet as though drawn up by unseen strings.
For a heartbeat, confusion flickered across Zay's features but he crushed it down, exhaling sharply through his nose. His fists clenched, jaw tightening.
"Go ahead then... let's get it over with," Zay said, forcing the words out, burying the last traces of hesitation.
The man let out a low chuckle, his sharp suit shifting with the motion. He looked at Zay not with scorn, but with something closer to admiration.
"It's already done," he said, voice thick with satisfaction. "I've determined that your Seal—Midnight—truly is something extraordinary."
The man straightened fully, folding his arms behind his back, almost ceremonially.
"I cannot promise complete immunity to the Demoness Seal's side effect but what I can tell you..." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to hang in the air.
"...It is strong enough to grant you an on-and-off switch."
Zay's brows drew together sharply. A flicker of tension left his body, the rigid coil in his shoulders loosening just slightly.
"So... I can stop it from happening?" Zay asked slowly, his voice low, searching for confirmation before adding, "Or... control when it happens?"
The man began to float into the sky, forming a large chair and took a seat before vanishing and appearing in front of Zay. "Your Seal is strong enough to suppress the side effect. However, there's a catch." He paused briefly before continuing.
"The switch must be flipped at least once a year, for four months. The reason behind is because it's necessary to allow the Seal of Midnight to regenerate its protective structure against the side effect. If you do not switch this flip for at least four months, the side effect will overpower your Seal 'Midnight' completely, rendering the resistance completely ineffective."
For a long moment, Zay said nothing. He simply stood there, staring at the man, his amethyst eyes locked onto the older man's piercing emerald gaze. Neither spoke, the heavy silence stretching between them, thick enough to feel.
Slowly, Zay's clenched hands relaxed at his sides. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, his lashes brushing against his skin in a slow, deliberate blink. His teeth lightly caught his bottom lip in thought before he exhaled, the breath long and controlled, easing some of the tension from his chest.
'The only real drawback of this Seal... is the side effect at Sequence four, and the difficulty that comes with leveling a Special-Class Seal.'
The thought rolled through his mind, cold and clinical. Even knowing the risks, the path ahead was clearer now. As Zay's mind settled into a decision, the man finally broke the silence, his voice cutting through the void like a knife.
He leaned casually on his cane, tilting his head slightly, studying Zay carefully. "So, kid," the man said, voice sharpening. "Do you want the Seal? Or did we waste all this time talking just so you could back out, and choose something completely different?"
Zay licked his lips, the lingering dryness catching against his teeth, and closed his eyes, shutting out the endless, swirling void around him. His mind churned restlessly, weighing the Seal's pros and cons against each other once again, caught in a loop he couldn't break.
'It's a Special-Class Seal... so It won't level alongside Midnight with all of my other Seals. Actually, it might increase with Midnight. But, I'm unsure of the chances of that. But, since it is a Special-Class Seal, it does mean every Sequence grants rewards: enhancements, Resonance Echoes, and Passives unlike the base seals.'
Zay sighed to himself as the next thought slammed into him.
'But leveling it would be hell. It would also slow me down further... since I would need to be deemed worthy by both Midnight, and Demoness, and complete both tasks... unless it does merge with Midnight which would be amazing.'
He opened his eyes, letting the void come back into focus. He lifted his chin and locked eyes with the man, those emerald eyes watching him patiently, almost knowingly as if he already knew what Zay's answer would be.
Then, with a quiet breath that steadied the storm inside him, Zay gave a single nod.
"Well," he said, his voice calm, almost amused at the absurdity of it all. "Let's take a gamble."
The man chuckled, the sound low and rough, vibrating through the emptiness like distant thunder. With a lazy flick of his wrist, he snapped his fingers.
Before Zay, the Seal of the Demoness manifested, floating in the void. A heart bound by chains, and sleek silver fangs.
Zay reached out, his fingers steady despite the enormity of the moment. As his hand brushed the surface of the sigil, the chains binding the heart shattered, vanishing into dust. The heart pulsed once, then dissolved into pink aura and surged into his chest. Zay exhaled slowly, feeling the flood of new power spread through his body, threading into his Aura Core like wildfire.