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[Form]
— Allows the user to create tangible matter using Soulex energy, which can range from anything small to large or simple to complex, depending on the level of Soulex energy. ...
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“Do you mind if we join you guys?” a voice interrupted as Lin studied the details of [Form], the second element of the God System. He looked up, a slight frown appearing on his face. Ren, who stood beside him, didn’t seem to notice as he replied casually,
“Oh, I don’t mind,” turning to look at Lin, who didn’t respond but continued to study the newcomers.
The speaker was a tall man with blue hair, dressed in a hoodie and shorts. Beside him stood a dark-haired woman in office attire, looking visibly anxious.
“Why?” Lin asked, his gaze meeting Kian’s. The man let out a sigh, already seeming to regret his attempt at conversation.
“Straight to the point, huh?” Kian said, but Lin remained silent, waiting. From their previous interaction, Kian knew that if he didn’t directly answer Lin’s question, anything he said would be dismissed as pointless. After a moment, Kian turned to the woman beside him, subtly guiding her to address Lin as he explained,
“Well, we have a little problem, you see.”
As she was brought into the conversation, the woman’s eyes briefly met Lin’s before quickly darting away.
“...”
“She can’t access her status window,” Kian finally explained. Lin’s eyes flashed with momentary curiosity.
“Mmh? Really?” Ren muttered in surprise, his curiosity evident in contrast to Lin’s more reserved reaction. The woman nodded meekly, still avoiding their gazes. Ren looked down at his own screen, holding his chin thoughtfully before glancing at Lin.
“Do you think state of mind could affect Soulex?” he wondered aloud. Lin considered it, observing the woman for a few seconds before suddenly shrugging.
“Her Soulex doesn’t look any different from everyone else’s,” he said.
Ren activated his own Echo Sight, confirming Lin’s observation. She had a purple aura around her, flowing in the same manner as everyone else’s.
It doesn’t make sense, Lin thought, studying the woman for a few more seconds before speaking again.
“If she has temporary amnesia, we can assume she isn’t in a terrible state of mind but rather in an anxious or cautious state. It’s a negative emotion, but everyone here is feeling somewhat the same,” he explained, prompting a few nods of agreement from the others.
She may have suffered the most on the first floor, but if she’d lost her memories of what happened there, it meant she was simply in a state of confusion—just like everyone else who remembered what had happened but emerged unscathed.
To find the root of the problem, they’d have to look for a factor that applied solely to her and not to everyone else.
“Yeah, I guess that’s true. A lot of us here are just good at hiding our anxiety,” Ren added. Lin furrowed his brow briefly before looking away.
You’re not hiding it well.
“We’ll just have to wait for the goddess to explain,” Lin finally admitted. Kian, though visibly disappointed, nodded in return. However, as they were about to leave, Lin interrupted again.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
“In the meantime, you can leave her with us.”
Kian’s expression immediately turned serious, clearly not expecting this statement.
“What do you mean by that? If she’s staying here, then I’m also staying,” he said firmly, and the woman beside him nodded in agreement, her wariness toward Lin evident. Lin didn’t seem bothered, casually replying,
“Then you can leave.”
Kian looked momentarily confused, prompting Lin to briefly clarify.
“But don’t expect me to help you in the trials,” he added, his gaze shifting to the woman, who appeared even more uncertain. Although Kian seemed to have tried explaining the situation to her, it didn’t seem like he had gone into much detail about the trials or what they might face moving forward.
“Is that a threat?” Kian shot back, a frown forming as he glared at Lin. However, contrary to his expectations, Lin shook his head.
“If you ever get into trouble, I’ll do everything in my power to help you,” Lin said, his contrasting statements leaving Kian visibly confused. Lin then turned his attention to the woman, adding,
“You can leave if you want to. Just don’t expect any help from me,” he said, his tone cold.
The woman looked at Kian anxiously, uncertain about the group dynamics and how severing a potential relationship with Lin might affect her future. Kian’s expression wasn’t any more reassuring. Just as he was about to respond, a different voice cut in.
“You don’t really have to do that,” Ren interjected, glancing at Lin with a serious expression, almost as if disappointed. Lin turned to meet his gaze but chose to remain silent. Feeling the weight of their attention, Ren suddenly stammered,
“W-well, I’m just saying. She’s confused and all; we don’t have to be too hard on her,” he tried to explain, hoping to make Lin reconsider.
“I’m not doing anything to her… I just said she shouldn’t ask me for help. Is that wrong?” Lin asked, his gaze fixed on Ren, who now wore a worried smile. None of them were obligated to help one another, so Lin’s stance wasn’t entirely unreasonable. Still at a loss, Ren replied,
“Then I’ll help her,” he said, causing the three to look at him curiously.
“I might not be able to fight, but I can help out if she needs anything,” Ren added, clarifying his offer as a non-physical means of assistance. Kian, who had been listening quietly, glanced at Lin curiously. As if feeling his gaze, Lin spoke up.
“And what if it’s against my orders? Will you go against me to protect her?” he asked, meeting Ren’s gaze. More than anything he’d said thus far, this was the first direct threat that left his mouth.
Ren hesitated for a moment, as if recalling the events of the trials, but in the end, he let out a sigh.
“If it comes to that, then I’ll go against you and find a better way,” he replied, holding Lin’s gaze as the tension around them rose. The idea of opposing Ren, who was considered his equal in hero potential, was already something Lin had tucked away in the back of his mind.
Did I want him to say that?
Lin couldn’t help but wonder, glancing away from Ren and looking at the woman in question. From his earlier interaction with Kian, it was already clear that Kian didn’t trust him. Kian doubted Lin could protect the woman without putting her in danger, and after hearing Lin’s name and his possible connections with Jim, Kian’s trust in him had dropped even further.
Lin was well aware of this. Yet despite everything, when Kian came asking for help, Lin made a completely absurd request:
Leave the girl with us and walk away.
A request Kian would never agree to, which naturally led to an argument. For the final push, Lin decided to concede, but rather than directly threatening Kian, he indirectly targeted the woman—a decision that would alarm any normal person into thinking Lin was being unreasonable.
Beyond that, it would prompt only one type of person to speak out: someone who believed they could find a solution, even if it meant going against him.
Ren.
It wasn’t something Lin had planned in advance. He simply exploited the situation to issue a challenge and see what Ren was capable of and why he was considered so special. In one move, Lin had achieved just that. However, one question still remained.
Would he be able to keep up?
A smug smile suddenly crept onto Kian’s face as he interpreted Lin’s silence as caution toward Ren—the one with the same 1000/1000 score as Lin, or, in other words, someone who could match him.
“Fine then, just don’t come crying to me when you need something,” Lin finally said, looking away from them and focusing back on his screen.
Kian, taking this as a positive sign, glanced at Ren and muttered,
“Talk to me if you need anything.”
Ren nodded anxiously in return. Kian then walked away, the dark-haired woman following behind him with hurried steps, still trying to process what had just happened.
~the birth of a tactician, one of the five axes of evol.