New Game+

Seeker took a deep breath. Even with his power and Unlocking, the guilt and the pain of making the girl he really liked and eventually love fall into a series of painful circumstances made his heartache.

"Your cells are... acting up. Did I hurt you?" Kristine was amazed.

"Yeah. I felt hurt. The truth is, even I'm confused as to why I sent you away. When we first met, I told you that you would be mine. I'm sorry I said that and sent you away."

"Was it the other Seeker?"

"I don't think the Adult intentionally did it. He told me he never tried to make an ending for this body forcibly. But maybe his obsession got the better of me. But I'm sure now. The current me, the kid me, has always been attracted to you. You are LordChokeMeSenpai, after all. You were like my dream girl. So I don't know. I'm telling you right here and right now that my emotions are a mess. And I want to apologize for that. "

"The great Seeker who spun the world into his making is apologizing?"

"The world can burn. I've seen what wickedness it has. But you can't. Not with the light I've seen you show." Seeker smiled.

Kristine couldn't help but blush at those words.

"General... You're making me blush!" Kristine laughed and performed the trademarked embarrassed voice that made millions simp after her.

Seeker couldn't help but laugh.

"I forgot how much I liked that voice. Anyways, that's all that I wanted to clarify. Again. I'm sorry I made you go through that. Although, Arthur's pretty amazing in using it to improve your Path."

"I don't know how Arthur thinks anymore. It's like he's a different person. Anyway, I guess I have no choice but to keep following orders. And right now, that means obeying whatever you want me to do." Kristine smiled. Her persona that she hid for months, the temptress and teaser of men, LordChokeMeSenpai, was finally back.

"I'm glad to see you all happy. But you do realize that I still need to meet with Zeraphine and play my part as his boyfriend."

"I thought I was fighting an impossible battle. But now, I'm just happy I have a shot. Besides, you and Zeraphine have that fake relationship. But now, I guess we'd be spending more time together, right?"

"Yeah. Definitely. But I'll be honest. I'm not sure if it'll make things between Lynd and me easier or difficult." Seeker smiled.

"Oh. So you already know about Alean's feelings towards you?" Kristine exclaimed.

"You know?" Seeker was surprised.

"Call it intuition. I guess it's easy for girls like me who have this crush on you to sense others. Or it could be related to my Path. I can tell when the cells and emotions of others are getting riled up. And what was annoying was that after China, I felt that your emotions that I spurred vanished!"

"I don't understand it either. But I'm curious, though. You didn't think of considering Jake? I mean, he clearly likes you."

"It's difficult for me to like you. People with your level of power and Unlocking are more attractive than the rest. Besides, Arthur believes that your exposure to the Tyrant Empress back in China made you unconsciously create pheromones to chain me. It made sense since I was and still am, obsessed with you."

"Alright. So I won't have to worry about Jake. But what about Lynd?" Seeker asked.

"Honestly? If not for Alean, I was hoping he'd chase me."

"I thought so. Lynd has gotten so much stronger in this timeline. I was right. Did you know I gave him Alean because of you? I didn't want him to pursue you in this life."

"Really? That was the intention?"

"Yes. This happened back before the Adult me got stronger and started to influence me. I'm sorry for sending mixed signals."

"You don't need to apologize, General. But I'm glad you did. At least, you can openly talk to me now, and I can be more at ease knowing I really have a shot at you."

"You're as honest and open as you were in your other life. I both liked and hated that about you."

"You hated this?"

"In that other timeline, you told me that if not for Lynd, you would have chosen me. The problem was that it gave me hope. And that became an unhealthy obsession."

"Wow. I sound like a girl who would lure guys into my trap."

"You were, but it was probably due to the influence of the Tyrant Empress. Every woman wanted to be like her. They wanted to be the queen of every man's heart. So I can't really blame you. Besides, you probably were channeling LordChokeMeSenpai. That was your thing, right? I think that the adult me is somewhat happy that you experienced a little suffering in this life. I guess it's payback for playing him like a flute on that other life."

Kristine laughed.

"Well, that does sound like me. LordChokeMeSenpai really did those things. I made a career of being a tease to all guys. But things are different now, though. What you did to me was pretty traumatic... And I guess I don't want to be that girl who yearns for attention and to keep guys always chasing me. I only did that because the first man I fell in love with only saw me as a sister. And then you did this whole casting me away thing that hurt more than Arthur's feelings towards me."

"Yeah. Arthur and I are parallels in many ways. We both loved you by necessity. He needed it to help him remind himself of his sister. So he truly loved you like a family. The adult me needed to love you to save myself from falling into the dark abyss after Zeraphine's betrayal and death. Arthur could never love you any more than that, and I couldn't love you because Lynd was there. Somehow, I think Lioncourt of that timeline planned it to keep me going after a hope that wasn't there. He was pushing me to be an Overcomer and to be more than Lynd, who was a World Champion."

"You Overcomers really need to get a new hobby and not toy around with the fates of others." Kristine chuckled.

"In any case, you deserve to know all this. That way, you can decide for your own self how to respond to this. Of course, I could always send you back to Arthur and make the Covenant his team."

"No. I think I understand why Arthur sent me away. His real sister is alive. So... sadly, he probably doesn't need me as much as he did before. And he needed to push me away to become an Overcomer."

"Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already has? Eagle's explanation is so on point as usual. So you'll stay here with me? Keep in mind that my emotions are very wild because I met the Empress."

"I can calm it down. But I won't. After all, everything I've been through has only made me want to have you more." Kristine smiled.

Seeker laughed as he heard that and nodded.

"Too bad we can't afford to spend time with each other like this now."

"I don't mind. Attacking and raiding an incarnation of a Principal sound like a dreamy date for us Unlocked. I'm sure I'll have the edge over that Zeraphine after this."

Seeker chuckled and motioned for them to move.

"Then let's go."

"Yes, General!" The pair moved out, and Seeker felt a strange relief in finally being honest with his emotions.

What he or the Adult didn't know was that the mysterious and undetectable secret space inside Seeker's soul was trembling as Zeraphine raged.

"Too bad I don't have popcorn for this great show. It must be painful to watch them flirt."

Zeraphine had an ugly expression on her face, and a strange power was even leaking out. But no matter how much energy she tried to use, Seeker's emotions didn't change a bit.

"Even after all those talks, you really can't hold back and want to rip that Kristine apart, don't you? It seems that a part of you also like the Child Seeker. Were you dreaming of a harem?" Shakstress laughed.

"That... bitch!" Zeraphine raged.

"You're screwed, Zeraphine. No matter how much energy you release, it won't hit Seeker, who is in a constant state of making his emotions intangible in the dimensions beyond. Oh, wait! You're not screwed! Seeker and Kristine are about to have a battle where their hearts and lives are on the line. With the way things are going, it's Kristine who's going to get screwed! You ain't getting any, soul parasite!" Shakstress laughed.

"Screw you, Shakstress!"

"Nope. It's screw Kristine. Go get em, Seeker! I'm team Kristine now!"

BOOM!

The two began to fight in the soul realm.