Nyx's mind and soul were in so much turmoil that she didn't realise that the being that she had subconsciously listed as an all-powerful, untouchable entity, seemed to be pressured by the nearby events and attempting to rush her into submitting.

Seconds passed by, the sound of conflict getting continuously closer causing the man's demeanour to become more and more unfriendly.

Having not received the instant, although reluctant, reply he expected, all mirth vanished from the man's face as he released an exasperated sigh. "Nyx do not forget who or what you are. While you can't truly die, it's not like you are invulnerable to pain and suffering."

The man's words, full of power and confidence, caused Nyx to shudder as his gaze turned colder.

"After I destroy this container, all I need to do is locate the crystal and then bind your soul to another body under my command. Do not see this small act of kindness and respect as a weakness. It is a one time offer, never to be repeated."

The imminent threat of death, alongside the man's chilling words, caused Nyx's anger to surface, somewhat suppressing the instinctual fear that had been reinforced over countless lifetimes and enabling her to think more clearly.

The master she knew, the terror of Nyx's existence, would never make an offer personally, let alone try to persuade anyone to accept. She was a violent, obsessive and tyrannical existence but never patient or compromising.

Any deal or offer, no matter what shape or form it was in, was used by the overbearing woman as an efficient means to an end, and that was only if bloodshed would cause more issues than they solved.

The fact that she hadn't been taken by force, or killed instantly and resummoned later, meant that everything was not as hopeless as Nyx had initially feared.

Brightness and clarity slowly returned to Nyx's eyes as the creeping suspicion that the location of her soul crystal was unknown, at least by her old master, grew.

-"Unlike before, I am not bound to another's will. This life, like my soul and existence, are mine and mine alone. If he takes me by force, and I shatter my core like I have done when captured in the past and he will be back to square one."

It was at this point Nyx realised that her past trait, of never allowing herself to be taken alive unless she had been explicitly ordered to do so, was working in her favour.

Not noticing the subtle change in Nyx's gaze, the man licked his lips in a somewhat feminine manner and placed a hand on his hip, a glaring contradiction to his masculine embodiment.

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This gesture, while not as powerful now Nyx had started to tear off the mental shackles that bound her thoughts and emotions, still caused her to reflexively shudder as unwelcome memories floated to the surface of her mind.

However, even after remembering things she would rather not, after taking a deep breath Nyx's shaking finally stopped, her back straightening as her chest was pushed out in an open display of defiance.

Realising that the worst her old master could do was inflict pain, something that she wasn't a stranger too, and that was only before she could shatter her core, Nyx heart started to calm down significantly.

Pulses of energy, from the unknown, beat-like source within her soul, began to ripple outwards, restoring and empowering Nyx's muscles and flesh.

Seeing Nyx's sudden change, the man revealed a mocking smile. "Ahh, so it looks like I will have to break you again after all. I wonder how much punishment you can take this time."

Against every fibre of her body, her instincts screaming out in protest, Nyx forced a crooked smile onto her face and, after a second of hesitation, took a small, tentative step forward.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones~." As her foot touched the damaged ground, Nyx's smile became more natural as a defiant, unyielding expression appeared on her face. "But mere words will never bind me."

Nyx's rhyme had more meaning that it appeared on the surface. It was a direct dig at how she had never revealed her true name to the one who enslaved her with the soul crystal, no matter the pain and torment inflicted.

Without Nyx's true name, unless the body the soul was injected into was already under the control of the summoner, she could never be bound by words of power.

However, now that her old master had lost her soul crystal, or at least didn't know of its location, Nyx knew there was nothing he could do to make her submit easily.

Now Nyx was thinking again, she could see that the man in front of her wanted to finish things as quickly as possible and that even if she was killed, it wasn't guaranteed that she would fall into his hands.

Yes, she may return to the abyss where she would be forced to wait until she was summoned as material or got lucky and found a tear, but at least there was still a chance.

With this line of thinking, as well as her seemingly harmless barb being the first attack, either spoken or physical, she had successfully landed against her master, Nyx felt her confidence growing as she stared into the eyes of the being that had tormented her for so long. Further emboldening her will as she took another, shaky step forward.

When given no other option, Nyx would confront her fears head-on, forcing herself not only to overcome them but to turn them into a strength.

The image of the undefeatable master, one she had only escaped from due to the luck and effort of others, started to crumble as a chilling, predatory feeling began to emanate from her body.

The change was too extreme for the man not to notice, a slight tingling sensation on his skin warning him of potential danger. The mocking smile that he was revealing had all but vanished from his face.

Nyx was his first summon, and the man felt that no one knew its habits and behaviour better than him. Even if the soul had seemingly done the impossible and successfully bonded with a body of the opposite gender, the more he watched Nyx, the more he realised that she was as he remembered.