______________
"Not all companions are born. Some are forged—thread by thread, trial by trial, soul by soul."
______________
Orion stood at the heart of the Loom again.
But this time, it was different.
The air was heavy, denser than before, vibrating with layered frequencies. Phantom floated before him, its shell flickering between fragments of black-gold crystal and swirling motes of Light and Dark. It didn't speak. It pulsed.
A waiting heartbeat.
> [Final Trial Initiated: The Bond Eternal]
[Objective: Synchronize soul with Phantom – reach complete resonance]
[Reward: Phantom Evolution – 100% | Designation: Raphael – Ultimate Skill Unlocked]
[Warning: Mental, emotional, and existential thresholds will be tested.]
> ["You ready?" Great Sage whispered. There was no interface now. Just voice. Just breath.]
Orion didn't answer with words. He stepped forward and reached out.
The moment his fingers brushed Phantom's core, the world collapsed—
---
Soul Domain – Chamber of Reflections
He fell through himself.
No floor. No sky.
Only endless mirrors.
Each one showed him.
Not just from this life—but from other ones.
One mirror showed a younger version of him on Earth, sitting alone, writing fanfiction at 3 a.m., eyes tired but alive with dreams.
Another mirror showed the Hunter—battle-scarred, kneeling before the Caretaker, bleeding and smiling after surviving another mission.
Then others—too many to count. Ones that weren't from this world. Ones that hadn't happened yet.
Orion stumbled. "What is this?"
> ["Your bond with Phantom is not just data, power, or evolution," Great Sage said softly. "It is built upon every version of you that has ever existed. Every soul thread woven into the Weave. This is the convergence."]
The mirrors shattered.
Each shard pierced into Phantom's form, which screamed—not with sound, but light. And darkness.
Then the pain hit Orion.
He gasped, falling to one knee as his mind cracked open.
Not physically.
Metaphysically.
---
Test One – Emotional Synchronization
He found himself in the Abbey, long before resurrection. A memory from the Hunter's past.
Lilith stood over him, eyes burning, voice shaking.
"You are mine. I made you."
He remembered this moment. The rage. The fear.
But then—he saw it again. This time from her eyes.
Desperation. Love twisted into chains. Hope wrapped in madness.
"Let me save you," she had once begged. And he had refused.
> ["You must feel both sides," Great Sage said. "Not just what was done to you—but why."]
He let it in.
The sorrow. The guilt. The hunger.
It burned like acid. But he didn't break.
He stood.
"I am not just your son," he whispered. "I am the legacy of every soul that fought to be free."
A mirror realigned.
Phantom's light surged.
> [Synchronization: 82%]
---
Test Two – Existential Displacement
He was on Earth again. His old room. Posters on the wall. Manga on the shelves. That same playlist looping in the background.
But this time, he wasn't in his body.
He was watching it.
A different Orion—still human, still dreaming, still lost. No powers. No destiny. Just… mortality.
Would he have been happier this way?
Great Sage didn't speak this time. It let the silence ask the question.
Orion walked up to his old self and stared.
The boy looked up at him and said:
"Would you trade it all to come back?"
The air grew still.
"I miss the simplicity," Orion admitted. "But I've come too far. I've hurt too many. I've learned too much."
He smiled sadly.
"I wouldn't change it. Even if I wanted to."
The image dissolved.
> [Synchronization: 89%]
---
Test Three – The Soulforge
Phantom was now a molten shape, barely holding form.
Orion stepped into a circle of burning runes. The Weave twisted above, forming a Forge of Souls, lit by celestial flame. In the center: a hammer.
> [Last step: Imprint your soul. Bind your will. Reforging complete on success.]
Orion walked forward, lifted the hammer, and raised it high.
He saw every trial. Every wound. Every lie.
Sara's silence.
Lilith's curse.
Chthon's game.
His own fear.
Then—he struck.
Once...
Twice...
Three times...
The core of Phantom burst open in a blaze of cosmic light and shadow, forming something new. Something radiant.
Something alive.
---
System Notification – Final Evolution Achieved
> [PHANTOM EVOLUTION: 100%]
[Great Sage has evolved.]
[Designation: RAPHAEL – Lord of Wisdom (Ultimate Skill)]
[Raphael Sub-Skills Unlocked:]
• Thought Acceleration
• Parallel Operation
• All of Creation – Universal knowledge stream access
• Analytical Appraisal
• Reality Processing Core
• Alteration (modify abilities/skills)
• Predict Future Attack – Combat foresight
• Auto-Battle Mode – Tactical AI Combat Optimization
• Story Anchor – Enhancement Pending
> [Raphael now fully integrated with Orion's soul.]
[Raphael can speak independently, modify interface, and evolve story.]
A new voice echoed—calm, sharp, and omnipresent.
"Synchronization complete. Good evening, Orion. I am Raphael. Shall we begin rewriting the universe?"
Orion blinked.
And smiled.
"I thought you'd never ask."
---
End of Chapter 14
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