Chapter 159: Meeting Number One

Chapter 159: Meeting Number One Eren pushed open the heavy door, its ancient hinges moving silently despite their obvious age. The chamber beyond was unlike any he had encountered in the fortress. Where the other rooms had been decorated with tapestries and ornate carvings, this space was austere, almost minimalist in its design. Soft light emanated from crystals embedded in the walls, casting everything in a gentle, ethereal glow. The room was spacious but sparsely furnished. A simple wooden table sat in the center, surrounded by a few chairs. Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with volumes that looked both ancient and well-maintained. The air itself felt different here – cleaner, charged with an energy that made his skin tingle. And there, standing near the far window with her back to him, was Number One. Even from behind, her presence was commanding. She was tall, easily matching his own height, with a figure that spoke of both grace and strength. Her posture was perfectly straight, shoulders back, emanating a quiet confidence that filled the room. Long dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of shadow, contrasting sharply with her pale clothing. She wore simple garments – a fitted white tunic that reached mid-thigh and form-fitting leggings that disappeared into soft leather boots. Despite the simplicity of her attire, there was an elegance to how she carried herself that made even the plainest clothing seem regal. "So," she said without turning around, her voice calm and measured, carrying the weight of absolute certainty, "we finally meet." The words seemed to resonate in the chamber, not with volume but with presence. Her voice was neither warm nor cold, but perfectly neutral – like still water reflecting the sky. Slowly, she turned to face him, and Eren found himself looking into eyes that seemed to hold depths he couldn’t fathom. Her face was striking in its symmetry, with high cheekbones and features that suggested both nobility and intelligence. But it was her eyes that held his attention – dark, penetrating, and utterly calm. "I am Yuki," she continued, moving away from the window with fluid grace. Each step was deliberate, controlled, as if she had choreographed every movement long ago. "Though I suspect you’ve already deduced that much. Kiada speaks very highly of your intelligence, among other attributes." "Yes," Eren replied simply, maintaining his composure despite the unsettling nature of her presence. A ghost of a smile played at the corners of her mouth. "A man of few words. How refreshing. So many people feel compelled to fill silence with meaningless chatter. They fear quiet, as if it might reveal something about themselves they’d rather keep hidden." She moved to the table, her fingers trailing along its surface as she walked around it. "But you’re not afraid of silence, are you, Veilwalker? You understand its power, its weight. That’s good. It suggests a depth of character that will serve you well in what’s to come." "Perhaps," Eren said, his tone remaining level. "Modest as well," Yuki observed, finally coming to a stop directly across from him. "Though I wonder if it’s true modesty or simply caution. You’re in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by people whose motivations you don’t fully understand. It would be natural to be guarded." She tilted her head slightly, studying him with the intensity of a scholar examining a particularly interesting specimen. "Kiada tells me you’ve completed two TUNA rituals already. Luna and Sushi. Both reported... satisfactory experiences. Though ’satisfactory’ hardly captures the enthusiasm with which they described your performance." "I did what was required," Eren replied. "Required," Yuki repeated, the word rolling off her tongue as if she were tasting it. "An interesting choice of words. It suggests duty rather than desire, obligation rather than passion. Is that how you view what happens here? As requirements to be fulfilled?" Eren remained silent, his eyes never leaving hers. "Your silence is an answer in itself," she continued, beginning to pace slowly around the room. "You’re thinking, calculating, trying to understand the rules of this particular game. That’s wise. The TUNA rituals aren’t simply about physical acts, you know. They’re about power, about connection, about tapping into energies that most people never even realize exist." She paused by one of the bookshelves, running her finger along the spine of a leather-bound tome. "Power flows through all things, Veilwalker. Through the earth beneath our feet, through the air we breathe, through the connections we form with others. The rituals are simply a means of channeling that power, of making it accessible to those who know how to harness it." "And you believe in this power?" Eren asked, his first question since entering the room. "Believe?" Yuki turned back to face him, her expression showing genuine interest in his question. "Belief suggests faith in something unproven. I don’t believe in this power, Veilwalker. I know it exists because I’ve felt it, channeled it, become one with it. The question isn’t whether the power is real – it’s whether you’re capable of truly understanding what it means to wield it." She moved closer to him, her steps silent on the stone floor. "Kiada sees potential in you. Great potential. She believes you could become something extraordinary, something that could help us achieve goals that have remained elusive for generations. But potential is just that – potential. It means nothing without the will to realize it." "What goals?" Eren asked. "Ah, now that’s the right question," Yuki said, approval evident in her tone. "Not ’what do you want from me’ or ’why am I here’ – but ’what goals.’ You understand that there’s something larger at work here, something beyond individual desires or petty schemes." She returned to the window, gazing out at something Eren couldn’t see. "This world is broken, Veilwalker. Fractured by wars, poisoned by hatred, divided by fear and ignorance. Kingdoms rise and fall, rulers come and go, but the fundamental problems remain. People suffer, die, live lives of quiet desperation while those in power play their games of politics and dominance." Her voice remained calm, but there was an undercurrent of passion now, a depth of conviction that made her words resonate. "But what if there were another way? What if the power that flows through all things could be harnessed not for conquest or personal gain, but for healing? For unity? For genuine transformation?" "Through rituals," Eren said, his tone neutral. "Through connection," Yuki corrected. "The rituals are simply the method, the means by which we forge bonds that transcend the physical, that tap into energies most people never dream of accessing. Each successful ritual creates a network, a web of power that grows stronger with every addition." She turned back to him, her eyes bright with intensity. "Imagine a world where conflicts could be resolved not through violence but through understanding. Where the barriers between peoples could be dissolved through genuine connection. Where the power that drives creation itself could be channeled for the betterment of all." "And my family?" Eren asked quietly. "Safe," Yuki replied immediately. "Comfortable. Well-cared for. They’re not prisoners, Veilwalker – they’re honored guests, witnesses to something extraordinary. When this is all complete, when the network is strong enough to begin the real work, they’ll understand the significance of what you’ve accomplished here." She moved toward a doorway that Eren hadn’t noticed before, partially hidden behind one of the bookshelves. "But all of this is academic until we begin the work ourselves. Understanding the theory is one thing – experiencing the reality is something else entirely." Yuki paused at the threshold, turning back to look at him with those penetrating dark eyes. "The others – Luna, Sushi – they were preparation. Practice. But what we’ll accomplish together will be different. More intense. More transformative. Are you ready for that, Veilwalker?" Eren considered her words, weighing them against everything he’d experienced since arriving at this place. The careful balance of threat and hospitality, the mixture of genuine care for his family and subtle coercion, the promises of greater purpose wrapped around demands for compliance. "I’m here," he said finally. "Yes, you are," Yuki agreed, something that might have been approval flickering in her expression. "And that says something about your character, about your commitment to those you care about. It’s admirable, really. Not many would walk this path for the sake of others." She gestured toward the hidden doorway. "Come then. Let’s move to more... appropriate surroundings. I have chambers beyond this room that are better suited to what we need to accomplish. The space is important, you know – it needs to be attuned to the energies we’ll be working with." Without waiting for his response, she stepped through the doorway. The passage beyond was dimly lit, carved from the same ancient stone as the rest of the fortress but somehow feeling older, more primal. Eren followed, his footsteps echoing softly in the narrow corridor. Whatever lay ahead, whatever Yuki had planned, he would face it as he had everything else in this place – with determination, with strength, and with the knowledge that his family’s safety depended on his ability to endure whatever came next. The passage curved ahead, disappearing into shadows that seemed to pulse with their own rhythm. Yuki moved through them with perfect confidence, as if she could navigate these halls blindfolded. "I love to have privacy for this," she said over her shoulder, her voice carrying clearly in the confined space. "The others – they’re content with the standard chambers, the formal settings. But true power requires intimacy, requires a space where all pretenses can be set aside and the real work can begin."