The Rise of the Winter Wolf - Book 4 - Chapter 49 - Aura (Patreon)

Here are a few new Sapphire images for you!

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                                                                                                       Wolf

It doesn’t take long for Crystal to explain most of the important things about what happened while I was unconscious, and soon enough we find ourselves sitting in my portable system store having drinks. Or at least Crystal, Norbert, Ariana, and I are. Sapphire’s just having juice, despite how much she seemed to want alcohol as well.

Surprisingly though, Sapphire actually falls asleep with her head on my lap after finishing her juice, leaving the rest of us in silence until Crystal suddenly asks, “What’s up with Sapphire calling you papa?”

I just shrug at that, careful not to disturb the little one before quietly answering, “In a way, I guess it’s kind of true.”

Crystal just raises an eyebrow at that, but surprisingly, Ariana answers for me, “A soul-bound companion takes on the characteristics – both physical and mental – of their partner and often tends to view them as their parent instead.”

I nod towards her in appreciation before adding, “Not to mention that I was the only person she was spending her time with all the way from the time she was born to now, with the exception of the few encounters with other Competitors.”

Even the System Forums said that it’s rather common for soul-bound companions to think of their partner in the bond as their parent. So this really shouldn’t be all that surprising. It just was for me because I hadn’t looked into that particular subject before.

I pat Sapphire’s head for the moment, which makes a smile bloom on her face as she snuggles in a little closer before I glance at the others and ask, “Do you have any word on what’s happened with the executives since my battle? Or are they keeping you out of the loop on that?”

None of them mentioned anything about the executives outside of them being nervous, so I’m a little curious as to how Diane is faring right now.

“Well, it’s only been four days, but from what I’ve heard, most of the executives aren’t talking to their sponsored Competitors right now,” Crystal explains while taking a sip of her beer. “Not even my sponsor. So we don’t have much news on that front.”

I open my mouth to speak again, only to close it at the sight of a Message appearing on my interface. I then raise my hand for silence and begin reading it.

The others give me a minute to read it before Crystal eventually asks, “Who was the message from?”

I close out of it and turn to her while answering, “Diane.”

This only seems to surprise them for a moment before Crystal mutters, “Oh, right. She’s your adoptive mother now, isn’t she? Of course she’d explain things to you.” She then perks up a bit and asks, “So what did she say?”

“Just to meet her after entering the 101st floor and bring Sapphire with me,” I answer, only to glance down at the little spider in question as she raises her head with a sleepy look on her face. She then glances at Crystal and replaces the look with a glare again while sitting up next to me and asking, “Can I have another juice?”

I just nod and purchase another one from the store before handing it to her.

“Thank you,” she says with a smile.

It’s interesting how Diane referred to Sapphire as her granddaughter. Makes me wonder if she just heard Sapphire calling me papa, or if it’s just that normal for a soul-bound companion to become the child of their partner after gaining a more humanoid form.

That aside though, I’m not really looking forward to digging out that temple. Even if I can do it all with my element.

And on that thought, I wonder just what will be inside of it? Considering that the Centurion Boss of it is already dead…

Also, please tell me that orb in the sky isn’t going to be telling the other Centurion Boss’s my location now that one of them is dead…

I vaguely notice out of the corner of my eye Crystal trying to reach over to pat Sapphire on the head, only for Sapphire to create a literal wall of ice in between the two before continuing to sip on her juice. But I just ignore it to instead focus on my body.

Let’s see if I can’t stop that aura Crystal mentioned… because always giving off an oppressive aura towards others isn’t very polite in a social setting.

Closing my eyes, all I manage to sense are the many changes in my inner body since becoming a reaper. One of them being a very faint blue glow shining from my heart and all of my other internal organs.

I frown at that with my eyes still closed before focusing on it and urging the glow to diminish. And it surprisingly does.

When I open my eyes again, I find the others – with the exception of Sapphire – staring at me in surprise.

“Did it get rid of that aura?” I ask them with a frown. And they all just nod their heads.

I let out a sigh before leaning back against the couch again.

That’s good.

It’s kind of annoying not having the System to explain everything to me anymore though. Or having a skill to stop or control that.

Because I’m pretty sure I probably would’ve gotten some sort of skill related to that aura if I wasn’t detached from it.

Anyways…

“Why do you keep bothering her?” I ask Crystal at the sight of her trying to go around the wall to pet Sapphire again.

She just shrugs.

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Table of Contents

For those of you who can't see the image:

System   Notification

You have received a message from   Administrator: Diane Frost

“Hey, Wolf! It’s   good to see you awake again, because Leo was starting to wonder if you’d miss   the conjunction.

I’m guessing   you’re probably more than a little curious about the current status of the executives,   but you should hold off on that for a bit. At least get to the 101st  floor before you dig into that.

And watch out   for the other Competitors, since they have started catching up a tad bit   because of your little nap.

All that aside,   you should visit me in the executive stream after you get to the 101st  floor.

And don’t   forget to bring my granddaughter with you.”