บท 137: Chapter 75 - Shapeshift
"Still love him?"
"Excuse me?"
"Clearly, he's still gaining emotions. Before, he didn't have any, probably, and guided by instincts and the virus, unemotional, and trying to understand."
"That's clear to you?"
"It is," Aurum shrugged, "once I became what I am…the answer that frustrated me started to become so clear. Your relationship started physical, and it fascinated you. You loved it, and those heightened emotions turned into adoration and infatuation. Finally, there is a break. In this world. Tell me, do you still love him? Not that he's becoming a person?"
"I do," Rias tucked her crimson hair behind her ear, "You might not think so…I have seen the man he was, that one day he will be again. And the man he is now. I love him from then. I love him now. And I will love what he will be."
"Also, you should be the one thinking about the girl who loves you. She is ready to get pregnant. She wants to have a family with you and some stability and all you can think of is running away?"
"I thought you'd understand me."
"Us…? Why?"
"Because, if I am right about what he is, and what he represents…then he's either Perfect or Grandly Chaotic. Both are very attractive qualities to people like us. She's perfect…she's truly the best thing…person in the world. If I let go now, let myself drown in regret of a dream that didn't come true…I am not worried I will lose her. She will stay by my side till I die," Aurum softly smiled, "Does that mean I want to let her go through that? To have her love then would almost be like pity."
He clenched his fist, narrowing his eyes, "It's goes against my pride. My nature. I want perfect. No, that's not enough! I'll freaking beat perfection. I'll be Absolute! I AM AURUM."
"I won't be satisfied until I achieve that."
Rias sighed, "She doesn't need that…all she needs is for you to love her back."
"Never said it was what she needed. Love are of a different kind, love because you have to love, because you loved, because you still love the person who they once were. Love because you are attracted. Love because you are infatuated. Love because you are addicted."
He smirked, "It's good if she loves me for no reason. If she loves me for who I was. But it's better if she is attracted to me, infatuated with me. And addicted to me."
Rias parted her lips. She gave a helpless sigh, looking at Akeno, "I don't even know what to say to him anymore."
Akeno giggled, "there is no need to say anything. I think it's a brilliant idea. I see why she loves you. If she had a choice of loving you while you were dead beat, and depressed, and you who were in danger chasing your dream to go beyond perfection. Then I am sure she would choose the second."
"Akeno!"
"What? He's handsome, tall, and I preferred him when he was a human. He was wilder to say the least. I liked that. And now look at him, he's like a shadow of his former self."
"Hey, miss. I don't think that's what she meant when she called out your name," Aurum rolled his eyes.
"I have a lot to say," Akeno stuck out her tongue, "And Rias, you know the girl! She's so devoted, loving, beautiful. If I wasn't devoted to Master, then I would be going after her myself! Let alone all the boys who will be after her. It's better than him staying depressed."
"I wasn't going to stay depressed," Aurum interjected.
"Oh, what were you going to do if it was just this world?" Akeno gave him a judging look.
"I don't know. Cut an arm, cut a leg, bleed until I was dying, not feed until I was malnourished. Anything to make myself weaker, to where I was. For this to be fair, equal or even me being at the disadvantage. But if I beat the world, then I would curse it. If I lost, then I would feel that I could have done it without all the handicaps. It wouldn't have been a victory that would satisfy me. Or a loss that I would expect."
"You are crazy."
Aurum tilted his head, looking at them. He smiled, "Now, I found someone. Something great. Something better than the world. Or maybe an amalgamation of many."
He pressed his head against the frame, looking towards the sky with a longing look, "I can't wait for him to become whole. Become something that could be challenging enough. Till then, I need to get rid of this body."
"Rid of that body? Don't even think about it. Truthfully, you are only about Level 11. Our true levels are in 1000s," Rias suggested, "you are nowhere near strong enough."
"Haha, your inferiority of losing speaking much," Aurum put his palm towards her, and Rias felt a pinch on her arm. She looked towards him, seeing a drop of blood floating towards him. Her blood. It floated on the palm of his hand, rotating, separating until it disappeared. He kept staring at his palm until she felt something changed. His palm changed. It shapeshifted, becoming exactly like hers and a dark destructive energy appeared around his palm.
"How!" Rias climbed on her knees and looked towards the power of destruction in shock. Akeno held her, covering themselves in a blanket, "Rias!"
Rias sat back down, raising her blanket, frowning, "How."
"Vampire can shapeshift. Remember?"
"That's not how it works!"
"Then they are stupid. Why would you shapeshift on the surface when you can actually read people's DNA and convert yourself into them as deep as DNA? Even the energy inside of their cells. Copy the frequency, and it works like theirs. Frankly. I hate the idea of shapeshifting so deeply into someone else. My palm is all I can manage without puking in disgust," he shook his palm, returning to normal, "I want my normal body back. I'll figure something out…but I also want to have a child with Eve before that."
"Would you be able to love that child…? You seem to have a problem with being of a different race," Akeno sharply commented.
"Oh, I don't have a problem with that. I am disgusted by the weakness. This body is weak. I was stronger as a human," Aurum rolled his eyes, "of course I will love my baby. I don't expect him or her to be the strongest in the world. That is my job. In fact, him or her being a vampire would be better. I wouldn't have to worry so much."
Sharp nails like claws came out of his finger. He grinned, wriggling them, "See. Useful. Especially if I had a baby girl. She can claw their faces out."
Rias covered her lips, looking away, only get a look from Akeno, who pursed her lips.
"You two actually hate me for some reason, don't you?"
"Nothing like that. We don't like you," Akeno shot a look at him, "I am of a different race. Only half human. You are a vampire now. Obviously, you are stronger than a human. Why would you even think you were stronger as a human unless you have some kind of bias?"
"Why? Hm," Aurum thought, "it's not about race. It's about who am I? I am Arcus Aurelius Aurum. No, I am Aurum. If you ask who Aurum is, then Aurum is not a Vampire. Aurum is a human. That's my identity. My whole being. Moreover, this is like someone else giving me a fancy car. I would rather earn the money myself and buy it. I want to remain who I am and reach this stage of power. If there is any power out there, I like. I will earn it. Not this, ok now you have a mutation and you are a vampire. That's just…not my style."
"I am just stubborn," Aurum waved his hand, "Anyway. Whenever he comes back. Tell him to send Aunt Kiriko home and we can discuss-"
He was about to leave when a portal appeared in the room and Aransae stepped in.
"I found a world for you."
"Really so soon?" Aurum paused, "why did you say it in that tone. Is there a catch."
Aransae scratched his cheek, "Yes. These tunnels connecting to the worlds are part of me. If I want to make myself whole again, then I would have to cut the tunnel of or make these branches a part of me. If you are going to go there, then you would have to spread the Dungeon's Existence."
"You mean like the virus?"
"Yes, the virus. For that…I will be assigning you as the Co-Floor Masters for the Floors I have conquered."
"Master!" "Master!"
Rias and Akeno raised their voice in surprise when Aransae shook his head at them, "Would you do it?"
"What does it entail?"
"I don't know, I am new to this as well… I think you might be able to go back to being human."
"Hoh," Aurum leaned forward, "Sign me up."
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