"Tch," she said, clicking her tongue before ignoring him and straightening her long blue hair.
"Also, you have to do something about that hair. It's literally dragging on the floor and grabbing attention."
Ryuk said this to her as Aster returned to her hair.
Disgust flashed across her face when she saw the dirty ground, and quickly, her hair began weaving itself as she moved her fingers in inches, forming it.
Ryuk stared at her for a while before sighing.
"She's serious trouble. How do I explain her to the academy? And I can't hide her too..." Ryuk thought before his gaze flickered.
Instantly, he placed his attention on his shop interface, and immediately, his Apex Watch appeared in his hands.
"Ah... Ah!" Ryuk called out in excitement as he wore the watch back on his arm. Instantly, the watch activated, and thousands of notifications flooded forward, but Ryuk ignored them all. Instead, he quickly navigated to the calling space, where he found MadWhite's contact list.
"I'll just call MadWhite. Better for him to see you first than those grumpy academy officials..." he muttered to himself as he dialled the number and raised the Apex Watch to his ears, his heart pounding in his chest.
It was truly good to be back.
The sound of ringing echoed through the air before the call went through, and Ryuk spoke up.
"Hello?" he said, but there was no reply.
"Hello? MadWhite?" Ryuk asked again, but silence followed—before, suddenly, a voice came through.
"Who... are... you..."
The voice was unbearably heavy, weighing down on the air. Even Aster turned her direction to Ryuk's watch, staring at it.
It was as if a demon had spoken from the depths of hell, causing Ryuk's heart to spike in alarm.
This was unlike the calm and playful voice of MadWhite.
"It's me, Ryuk! Your intern? Remember?" Ryuk asked desperately, and he heard a gasp of shock reverberate through from the other side.
The voice called out, still as heavy as ever, but this time, Ryuk sensed that connection.
The person he was speaking to was MadWhite.
"MadWhite? It's really you? Why do you sound like you're just a couple of inhales away from death induced by too much lava coffe drining?" Ryuk joked, chuckling—
"Oh my God, this is very good."
"Listen, I need you to listen very well, okay?" MadWhite said, his tone causing Ryuk to furrow his brows.
Without hesitation, he disappeared from where he was, appearing 100 meters in the air, solidifying the space around him, moving away from Aster to avoid letting her pick up on his conversation.
"Good. Firstly, where are you now?" MadWhite asked, and Ryuk replied instantly.
"100 meters above the runic transportation line."
"Oh, you just came out. Good. Good."
"See, right now, I'm in chains. Everyone I know has been disconnected from my Apex Watch but because of your disappearance into that portal. They couldn't lay hands on your Apex Watch, and disconnect, that's the only reason why I'm able to talk to you now."
"Listen. Listen." MadWhite called as Ryuk inhaled deeply.
"I'm all ears, MadWhite."
"Good. Right now, I'm at the headquarters of the Titan Family. Underground. That's where I'm locked."
"But that doesn't matter. Right now, in Grade B, a total of 7,000 human warriors are being sent to the front line against the battle with the Knulls."
"They're being sent to their deaths, Ryuk—by the Ten Families. The human leaders have been forced down with their power and turned into their chess pieces."
"I have no idea how long I have been in this place, or if humanity has already begun warring with the Knulls."
"But I need you to stop those 7,000 soldiers They have no idea what they're walking into. It's not a beast horde like they've been told, Ryuk. It's a battle with the Knulls."
"This is the first confrontation with the Knulls, and they're pushing humanity's strongest warriors to the front, using them to test their strength."
"I don't know anything about your current state, Ryuk. I hope you're well, but please, in any way you can—stop those men. And if there's already a war, save as many people as you can. They are humanity's last card for ever surviving the war."
MadWhite called out as fast as he could, and Ryuk's eyes flashed with hundreds of emotions—shock, yet he reigned down the questions as he asked:
"Where, MadWhite? Where are you now?"
"The Titan Family base, in what city grade?" Ryuk asked but he was cut short.
"I want you to move to Grade B right now, Ryuk."
"If you come to Titan City, you won't survive the guards placed here."
"And don't worry about me. I can still breathe. Go... go now! And don't let the academy know of your return."
"They aren't on humanity's side right now!"
"Hey, is that the prisoner speaking!?"
A voice suddenly resounded, followed by the heavy sounds of footsteps and shouting from the other side.
MadWhite's voice resounded before getting cut off, and Ryuk stood in the same stunned position.
He moved his hand, trying to dial MadWhite back, but he paused, his fingers hovering over the screen.
"If I dial him back, his Apex Watch will be noticed, and I'll be sensed. I'll lose contact with him..."
Ryuk analyzed, his eyes flashing as he turned his gaze toward the distance, where he could already see the protected buildings of the academy.
"Grade B. The Knull War is about to happen in Grade B!?"
Ryuk called out in urgency as he flew downward at full speed, appearing before Aster
"What's wr—" Aster called out, but all she got was—
"I'll be giving my first order to you. Do not end the life of an Endearthian!"
"By the will of the contract Grimoire!"
Ryuk ordered, and in an instant, a circular golden circle appeared on Aster's forehead—a sign that the will had been properly placed.