!~Ding~!
[Initiating Iteration No. 10…]
After realizing his death was inevitable, the old man mercilessly killed him. The boy became consumed with fury—he had trusted the old man, revealed everything to him in hopes of survival, and yet, he was betrayed and killed like he was nothing. This time…
“Oh? Look at you, trying so desperately to kill me… Aren’t you amusing, little one?” Mortimer murmured in a chilling tone as he effortlessly caught the boy’s hand, which was clutching a sharp piece of metal. Without even a hint of hesitation, Mortimer ended the boy’s life… again!
!~Ding~!
[Initiating Iteration No. 11…]
This time, realizing his grave mistake, the boy decided to take a different approach. He resolved to grovel, adopting a boot-licking manner because, in his mind, that was the only way to survive and escape this unending madness.
But no matter what he did, the people around him treated him like filth, like a slave unworthy of anything but disdain…. The humiliation built up inside him like a storm until he could no longer suppress it.
He lashed out at Kai in a fit of rage, unable to endure the torment any longer. However, due to the Contract binding him… he met his end once again.
!~Ding~!
[Initiating Iteration No. 12…]
!~Ding~!
[Initiating Iteration No. 13…]
!~Ding~!
[Initiating Iteration No. 14…]
…..
…
Life became an endless loop for the boy, a cruel cycle where he was reborn from the beginning each time. He tried everything to break free, to leave this torment behind, pouring every ounce of his will into surviving…. And yet, no matter what he did, he could never make it to the baptism process. Each attempt ended in his death, whether it was at the hands of Jimmy and his lackeys or because Mortimer noticed his peculiar behavior and killed him without a shred of hesitation.
Aether, who had been watching the events unfold, frowned deeply. “This… this is seriously making me wonder—what happened to Kai? Shouldn’t he be suffering too if I died? And yet, Mortimer just kills me like it doesn’t even matter. Log, can you switch the view to Kai’s perspective? I need to know what’s going on with him since this is supposed to be some kind of time trav—”
!~Ding~!
[Time Slipping!!]
Aether shrugged, exhaling sharply. “Fine, whatever! Just do it, can you? I need to see the consequences of the Contract on him!” as if he had grown numb to the deaths of his past lives.
At first, the death had unnerved him, but now, thinking about it again, he reasoned that it was probably the natural outcome for a child who kept reincarnating anyway…
[That’s not possible!]
Aether sighed heavily and pressed further. “Then at the very least, tell me what happened to him! I deserve to know something, don’t I?”
[… He… just lost part of his soul… that’s it!]
Aether’s brow arched, “Just part of his soul? What do you mean by that?” he demanded.
[Just keep watching!]
Aether let out another frustrated sigh but ultimately nodded in resignation. He turned his attention back to the boy, who continued to struggle, employing every trial-and-error method he could think of. With each death, the boy seemed to learn something new, inching closer to overcoming the endless cycle that had entrapped him.
And finally…
!~Ding~!
[Initiating Iteration No. 17…]
From this iteration onward, the boy managed to survive long enough to reach the baptism process. However…
“I will do it… I will free myself from this cursed, fucked-up existence!” the white-haired boy whispered with a fierce determination as he knelt on the cold ground, surrounded by nuns and servants of the temple. His gaze briefly flicked toward a gorgeous woman with flowing purple hair as she stepped gracefully out of an ornate carriage.
The boy quickly lowered his head, bowing deeply like everyone else, while the procession continued without interruption.
“Hmm… What’s this? Does he not like her eyes or something?” Aether muttered, a hint of amusement in his tone. He recalled that in his own timeline, this was the moment he had liked her eyes and had brazenly complimented her without a second thought—like an idiot… or perhaps someone a bit too kinky for his own good!
Aether’s focus returned to the scene as the boy deviated from his own past actions. Instead of interacting with Jack like Aether had, this boy took a stealthier route, sneaking around inside the temple. The chaos erupted soon after, with Jack asserting his dominance over the situation while the Empress silently observed everything unfold.
“Log… In!” the boy shouted as he stood before the Mother Root. Everyone present froze, their eyes wide with shock at the overwhelming energy he displayed—energy that the world had never witnessed before. And yet…
“With this power, I’m going to kill every single one of you bastards who tortured me!” the boy roared, his voice trembling with unbridled rage. It was as if every ounce of hatred, every moment of agony, and every scar left by their torment burst forth in that single, defiant moment.
Seizing a nearby sword, the boy lunged at Velc with unrestrained fury. Against all odds… he managed to strike. The blade sank deep into Velc’s body and… died!
‘It was because Jack had already weakened Velc and cornered him…’ Aether mumbled to himself.
With Velc’s lifeless body at his feet, the boy’s lips curled into a triumphant grin, a twisted sense of satisfaction radiating from him. He turned to face the others, his blade still dripping with blood. “Let me go!” he demanded, his voice sharp, firm, and unyielding. “I will never—ever—belong to anyone again!”
By some twist of fate or a stroke of luck, Jack—curious and perhaps entertained— let him go!!
“Finally! Fuck! Finally, I’m free!” he screamed into the night, tears streaming down his face. They were tears of joy, of immense relief, and of disbelief that he had finally escaped the chains that had bound him for so long. He ran and ran, his heart pounding with exhilaration and desperation… For the first time, he felt the sweet, intoxicating taste of freedom.
However…
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The Slave Mark on his body began to glow… Those who caught sight of the mark immediately recognized him as a Stray Slave… decided to end him!
The boy ran for his life, weaving through streets and alleys, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Desperation fueled his every step, but his body, weakened from exhaustion, lack of food, and restless nights, eventually betrayed him. He stumbled, tripped, and collapsed… right at Jack’s feet.
“I’ve finally caught you, boy…” Jack said… He offered the boy a wicked smile, one that promised both hope and something else that boy didn’t understand!
In his state of terror and desperation, the boy clung to the faint hope Jack provided.
And that was when the real hell began.
Jack wasted no time breaking the boy’s body. Piece by piece, he inflicted unimaginable pain, testing the limits of his endurance and toying with the strange powers the boy possessed. Jack’s insatiable curiosity drove his cruelty to terrifying heights.
“P-Please… He-heh l-let me go… P-Ple…” the boy mumbled weakly, his voice barely a whisper. His words cracked with desperation and despair. His eyes were hollow, lifeless—empty sockets where his eyeballs had once been…. Even then, Jack showed no mercy, cutting out the boy’s tongue with a sadistic grin, savoring his twisted sense of victory.
Every inch of the boy’s body was subjected to Jack’s relentless torment.
‘So this is what that bastard was always talking about when he said he had something special for me?’ Aether thought with a slight frown.
Oddly, Aether felt a small sense of relief. He was genuinely glad he was watching this unfold as a detached third party, rather than experiencing it as memories where he’d have to endure the pain and suffering firsthand.
Aether sighed in relief, grateful for the emotional distance between him and the horrors he was witnessing.
The scene shifted as Jack dragged the broken boy to…. The Master.
“W-What?” the Master stammered, his voice tinged with disbelief as he beheld the boy’s mutilated and shattered body. When he touched the boy’s blood, his expression changed instantly. Something stirred deep within him, a feeling of renewal, as though the very essence of the boy’s blood ignited a transformation within him.
“You like my art, Master?” Jack asked, a twisted grin playing on his lips as if proud of his handiwork.
“B-Blood of an Ether?” the Master whispered in utter shock.
“Hah… Hahahaha! To think the gods would grant me another chance… Hahaha!” The Master’s laughter filled the garden.
“Hmm? What’s going on, Master—” Jack began, but before he could finish his sentence,
“I’m sorry, Jack. But this secret… cannot be allowed to leave this place,” the Master said, his voice heavy with remorse.
Without a moment’s hesitation, the Master swung his blade, severing Jack’s head in one swift, decisive motion.
Aether blinked, “Interesting…” he murmured, his curiosity now thoroughly piqued.