My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 763: The world of Irth (part-29)

Azzy knelt beside Leiza, his golden aura flickering as he looked down at her trembling form. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. Her body was paralyzed, not from fear but from the dark corruption that had invaded her soul. The Seed of the Fallen was spreading within her, devouring her life force, inch by inch.

Her once vibrant skin was turning an eerie shade of pale, and an ominous aura of death clung to her like an unshakable shadow. Each breath she took seemed weaker than the last, and her lips quivered as if she wanted to say something—but she couldn't. Even her voice was slipping away.

Azzy gritted his teeth. He would never forgive himself if the client he promised to protect died because of him.

"Chronos…" His voice was strained, desperate. "There has to be a way."

The ancient entity within him remained silent for a moment, as if contemplating something. And then, in that cold, emotionless tone, it finally spoke.

"Merge the Eye of Odin with her."

Azzy's breath hitched. He hadn't expected that. The Eye of Odin was an ancient artifact, a divine relic that had the power to bestow immense wisdom and insight—but it came with a price. It was never meant for a mortal body. It would rewrite her existence, reshape her soul.

"She won't remain human," the Reaper continued. "She will transcend into a divine entity, just like you."

Azzy didn't even hesitate. This was his fault.

Leiza had been nothing more than an innocent girl caught up in a war she never asked for. He had dragged her into this world of angels and demons, of celestial beings and ancient powers. If she had stayed ignorant, if she had never met him—she wouldn't be on the brink of death right now.

He clenched his fists. He had to fix this.

"Do it," Azzy said, his voice unwavering. "Save her."

A surge of energy erupted from his body as the Eye of Odin manifested before him. A golden, radiant orb floated between his hands, pulsating with divine energy. It was an artifact that could reshape destiny itself—but it was also a burden. Once merged, it would forever alter the soul of its wielder.

Azzy placed the glowing orb against Leiza's chest. Immediately, golden runes spread across her body like living veins of light, creeping along her skin, embedding themselves into her very essence.

She let out a small gasp, her body shuddering violently.

Her soul was changing.

The dark corruption that had been eating away at her was now being devoured by something far stronger. The Seed of the Fallen—the very thing that had doomed her—was being obliterated, replaced by something entirely new.

Her human limits were being erased.

Her existence was being rewritten.

Azzy watched as her body glowed brighter, her transformation accelerating. But he wasn't done. There was one more thing he had to do.

He reached into his own soul orb and summoned a creature that had long been dormant within him—The Thousand-Faced Spider.

A platinum-grade Arcana beast.

He had barely used it since acquiring it, considering it to be of little use compared to his more powerful abilities. But now… it could serve her.

Following the Reaper's guidance, Azzy channeled his energy, directing the Thousand-Faced Spider's essence into Leiza's newly forming soul orb.

A surge of power erupted from her body.

Her fingers twitched.

Her breathing steadied.

Several hours later;

Leiza stirred awake, the soft warmth of her bed comforting yet oddly unfamiliar. Her body felt light—too light, as if she were floating just above the mattress rather than resting on it.

For a brief moment, she thought everything that had happened the previous night had been nothing but a nightmare. Maybe she had simply fallen asleep at the Radiant Tower. Maybe none of it was real.

But then the memories surged back like a flood, crashing into her mind all at once. The illusionary realm. The battle. Abaddon. The terrifying moment when darkness had consumed her. The sensation of her soul being torn apart.

Her eyes snapped open, her breathing quick and shallow. Something inside her felt… different. It was like an energy she had never experienced before—something powerful, something alien.

Before she could fully process it, an overwhelming surge of power erupted from within her.

Instinctively, she thrust out a hand.

A blast of golden-white energy shot from her palm, crackling like divine lightning as it tore through the space in front of her. The very air trembled from its force.

And then—Azzy moved.

In a fraction of a second, he was there, standing before the blast, his palm raised. The energy slammed into his hand, but instead of burning through him, it dispersed instantly, vanishing as if it had never existed.

Leiza gasped, her eyes wide with horror. She stared at her hand, then back at him, panic creeping up her spine.

"Wh—what was that!?" she stammered.

Azzy lowered his hand and let out a small sigh. His expression remained calm, but his eyes studied her carefully. He had expected this.

"Leiza," he said in a soothing voice, stepping toward her. "Calm down."

Her breathing was still ragged, her pulse pounding in her ears. She had just fired something from her own hands. A blast of energy—not something mechanical, not a weapon, but her own power.

She clutched her chest. "What's happening to me?"

Azzy sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her. His gaze wasn't one of pity, but neither was it reassuring. It was simply honest.

"What do you remember about last night?" he asked.

Leiza pressed a hand to her temple, trying to think through the haze in her mind. She had been so close to death. She had felt the darkness creeping inside her, suffocating her, swallowing her whole.

Then—nothing.

Her voice quivered. "I remember… we were stranded in some illusionary realm." She took a deep breath. "Then a demon came—Abaddon." Her hands clenched into fists. "You fought him. And then… I was dying."

She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"What happened after that?"

Azzy exhaled slowly. He had known this conversation was inevitable, but that didn't make it any easier.

He stood up and took a step back. Then, without a word, he revealed his wings.

Brilliant, ethereal feathers of radiant silver and gold emerged from his back, spreading wide. A celestial glow surrounded him, making him seem almost otherworldly.

Leiza's breath caught in her throat. She felt like she was staring at something unreal—something divine.

Leiza swallowed hard. She pointed at him, her fingers trembling. "You're not human… are you?"

Azzy shook his head. "No."

Her entire world tilted.

Everything suddenly made sense—the strange way he fought, his strength, his speed, his knowledge. He had always been too powerful, too mysterious, too unnatural.

But before she could fully process that, Azzy spoke again.

"And neither are you."

Her heart stopped.

For a long moment, she simply stared at him, not comprehending what he had just said. Not believing it.

"No… that's not possible," she whispered. She clutched at the sheets beneath her as if trying to ground herself in reality. "I'm human. I was born human."

Azzy's gaze softened. "You were born a human. Not anymore."