"What is it? Did you find something?" Noticing her reaction, Aiden immediately asked with a face of growing excitement.

"I'm not entirely certain, as the images are very faint.. but one of those champions.. seems to have a familiar-looking scythe in his hand." She muttered her face contorting into a frown as she tried her very best to match and compare the weapons in her mind.

In the end, she sighed and shook her head with a wry look on her face.

"I don't know.. It looks similar to the Reaper's, but I can't be certain.. Still, if nothing else there may really be a connection there."

"Hmm.. What can you remember of the figure then?" Aiden asked after a moment of pondering. While asking he was already thinking of a method where he could share his memories with her with more depth. Unfortunately, besides offering his core to her, Aiden didn't have any other approach, making his mood sour ever-so-slightly.

Without any other options at his disposal, he had to place his chances on her, and just hope that she was given a clear sight on the figure. Either that or put more focus on visiting the second shrine in the mountains.

"Well.." Number 3 furrowed her brows as she descended into her own mind once again. As the wrinkles began to crease her pearl white beauty, she did her best to replay the scenes in her head. Seconds passed as she focused on the images in her mind, only revealing the occasional scowls, and clicks of the tongue, voicing her displeasure at yet another failed attempt.

In the end, she opened her eyes, her face showing the same displeased outlook as before. As she looked up at Aiden, she shook her head with a heavier, melancholic look.

"Sorry, Aiden.. It's strange.. No matter how hard I try, I can't recall how the figure looked. I can only remember the weapon he held in his right hand."

"What did his hand look like then? Tell me what you can see, don't force yourself, just give what you can." Changing his approach, Aiden asked again, trying to get closer to the issue from another angle.

Number 3 once again closed her eyes as she focused on the particular memory she had seen.

"Not much.. He had a slender hand, matching someone with a usual lean, svelte physique. "She explained with still closed eyes, drawing the rough outline of an arm in the air with her right index finger. "It was covered with a black leather glove.. and.. WAIT!" She exclaimed as her eyes snapped open with the shocking discovery she had just made.

She quickly raised her right hand to just below their eye level. She pointed at her ring finger, where a skull-shaped ring has slowly started to materialize and take an eerie shape. historical

"This!" She pointed at the ring once again. "Although it was only for a brief fraction of a moment, but I'm fairly certain he wore the same-looking ring! He has to be HIM! Or at least someone related to him!" She exclaimed with an amazed, almost crazed look in her eyes.

The discovery -if it turned out to be the truth-, was groundbreaking. The first of the Grandmaster's Executors, the famed and feared Grim Reaper was an existence that transcended time.. that he perhaps may have been either one of the twelve Demi God's of that ancient era, or perhaps a direct descendant.. That was not something that Number 3 could easily accept.

However, one that held an even higher shock, an even greater.. most likely earth-shattering revelation once it was uncovered.. was the identity of the Grandmaster. For someone of the Reaper's statue to be so reverent, so obedient towards him, his identity was just even more mysterious..

"That's interesting.." Aiden hummed thoughtfully, as he looked at the exotic-looking ring in Number 3's finger. "Still.. It is just a suspicion for now.. We have no way to confirm or deny our guess.. Yet it does give a bit more insight to what they could be, and also matches with what I have learned.."

He mumbled, recalling the discourse he had with the strange thin entity covered in perpetual darkness. He gave the impression of an entity way above the limits of mortals, or even those figures from the memories he was granted during his trial at the first site. From how he referred to him, it gave the impression of a being with matching strength.

Sadly, he couldn't merge the buffed servant's memories because of his injury at the time, but he was certain, that those scenes, visions would have matched the conjecture they have just made.

In the end, he could only sigh and show a warm smile. He embraced Number 3 once again, whispering his words into the wind.

"Thank you for your help.. Master. I know now what I need to do."

Though she was curious, Number 3 did not ask, did not try to pry further. She hummed, leaning close to her boy's head, and giving a gentle kiss atop his forehead.

"I'm glad. Just make sure to stay safe, and remember.. If you are even in any dilemma and need someone to talk to.. You know where to find me." She snickered at her own words, adding one more to it. "After all.. it was your creation in the first place.."

—

After talking for some more, they eventually said their farewells for now. Number 3 was to remain in Haven and take up residence in the Ziggurat that was built for her in the first place. She would continue to meditate there whilst slowly but surely explore all of the mysteries of her new form. She had this desperate, great need to have an answer to the question.. 'What am I?'.

With only just a brief, superficial knowledge she needed to spend time in exploring the depths, the limits of herself and slowly get used to it. The fact that she could take up on a draconian form and sail the skies itself, gave her even more food to ponder on.

Also, all her martial arts, the knowledge that she gained through a lifetime of efforts now needed to be revised. With the existence of a 'Monster Core', a central piece of 'engine' churning and producing more and more of this higher form of energy, reinvigorating and continuously empowering her.. most of her old techniques, her skills were either straight up useless, or just unusable in their current forms.

With only the basis of her foundation still working, the [Mystic Martial Arts] at her disposal, she was looking into a lengthy meditating, cultivating session before she would be ready to even begin her training.

Before she felt powerful enough to face the fury of existence that may very well be at the level of the very gods that the thousands were devoted to, Number 3 had a lot of work to start working towards.

—

By the time, the now-familiar gate formed from seemingly the empty air around it, and Aiden returned to his room inside the Masked Mistress' mansion, it was far into the night, past midnight even.

As he emerged from the gate and his figure appeared in the room an angered and equally as annoying familiar voice resounded in the room.

---

AN: Hey there Readers!

Just a friendly reminder, that from wherever you are reading , you can reach out to me using any of the below methods!

For you, sailors of the seventh sea (non-WN readers), be a bro/gal and throw me a cup of joe, show your appreciation!

Links:

/shaele