"With how things are right now, I don’t think the Ascension Academy is the best place to return to, is it?" Ryuk’s voice rang out through the top of the skyscraper as a figure slowly walked out of the pool.
It was none other than MadWhite—half-naked, but with all of his bodily injuries already healed.
Ryuk reclined on a chair at the side, both hands behind his head, before he pointed to the side where a simple black shirt and trousers lay.
He had obtained them from MadWhite’s own room but had left them there, eliminating the need for him to go in and search himself.
"There’s not much of a better place to return to. Only this bath can help my injuries…" MadWhite replied as he quickly donned the clothes, then came to sit beside Ryuk.
His cup of coffee and mug were still lying on the table, which MadWhite took, pouring into both cups before taking his and drinking a long shot.
He placed the cup back with a satisfied expression, reclining in his seat with the same expression as Ryuk.
"It’s been a long time, Ryuk. A really long time…" MadWhite stated.
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Ryuk sat upright, picking up his cup and taking a sip.
"How long has it truly been?" he asked.
MadWhite slowly raised one finger.
"One year?" Ryuk guessed, but then MadWhite raised another finger.
"Yes. I thought you were a goner after a year passed and you didn’t return. Who would have guessed you just needed an extra year…" MadWhite chuckled as Ryuk inhaled deeply.
"Two years… time moves so fast."
"I’m sorry…" MadWhite suddenly said as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"For sending you into that portal and wasting two entire years of your youth." MadWhite said quietly.
Ryuk scoffed. "I should be more mad that you think I wasted them."
He took another sip of his tea before continuing, "But I owe it to you, MadWhite. For sending me to that place. Without it, the power I have now—I wouldn’t have it…"
Ryuk mused to himself as he curled and unfurled his hands.
He could sense the power in them, but he was also well aware that if he had remained on Endearth for two years, he might not necessarily have gained that power.
The trial had pushed him too many times to the edge between life and death, forcefully squeezing out his potential, enabling outgrowth for him.
It was the only way he had been able to achieve such.
"And I’ve heard you got locked up more than a couple of times. If I had been here, I’d probably still be weak as fuck and would have done something stupid."
"Either getting myself killed or crippled is how I would have ended up…" Ryuk said as MadWhite nodded his head.
"You would have died. The Ten Families issued a death command to everyone affiliated with me. You were my disciple, so you would have undoubtedly died."
"And sending you into that portal wasn’t really a choice of mine. It was from a Human Leader." MadWhite said as Ryuk’s eyebrows furrowed.
"You remember your ranking—you being in the Top Ten. The Ten Families were scared of your potential. Back then, you had two choices: to serve them or to die."
"But they knew you were human. And when you saw with your own eyes that 7,000 of your race were sent to the middle of the war, you would no doubt want to fight back. So they thought to nip you in the bud before you could grow."
"One of the Supreme Commanders asked me to send you away to prevent such a thing. The only place I could think of was that trial ground, and hence why you were sent there."
"So you truly would have died if you had stayed…" MadWhite fully explained as Ryuk’s eyes flashed from the realization.
So that was really why he had been sent.
It wasn’t really just MadWhite’s curiosity, as he had thought.
It was a way to safeguard his life.
"I guess I owe you one, then?" Ryuk said with a smile.
MadWhite chuckled. "No, you saved my sorry ass from that damn jail. I should be the one owing you one."
"It cancels out, then…" Ryuk concluded, downing his entire cup of coffee before rising to his feet and stretching his back.
"Tell me something, Ryuk…" MadWhite called.
Ryuk looked behind him, finding MadWhite sitting upright.
"The soldiers?" Ryuk asked, and he nodded.
"I caught up to them before they could be destroyed. They’re safe. Although, I don’t know where they are…"
"All of them? What about the Knulls?" MadWhite asked.
Ryuk shrugged. "The Knulls that came out were only around Grade B in power. I didn’t break a sweat before getting rid of all of them and shutting the portal."
"Seems like someone’s name is about to appear on the news…" MadWhite stated as Ryuk grinned.
"Nobody knows…" he said as MadWhite walked toward him.
"Nobody knows?" he asked, passing Ryuk another cup of coffee.
"Yeah. Nobody knows I did it. I just thought it wouldn’t be a good decision to reveal myself so soon. I was out of there before any of the Ten Family spies could arrive."
"All they know is that there is a new powerhouse that pushed back the human warriors and that the Knulls were all defeated."
"They have no idea if it was even a human or someone else. I’m guessing they’d even think it was you…" Ryuk said as MadWhite grinned.
"I wish I could see their scared faces. Well, I would be seeing them soon—it’s only a matter of time…" MadWhite shrugged.
A minute of silence reigned.
The only sound to be heard was the flapping of their shirts and the ruffling of white hair before Ryuk asked, "So what now?"
"Two years have passed, and those who started with me should be in their third years by now, graduating from the academy in just a few months."
"I don’t think the academy has a place for me anymore."