Chapter 203: Seventy Days of Suffering (7).

After some time in silent contemplation, Nero finally spoke.

“You said most humans can only survive bonding with one Seal. What happens if someone tries to take more than one?”

Lyon’s smile returned, and this time it carried a hint of amusement and something darker.

“That sounds rather greedy, Nero.” He said with a chuckle.

Then Lyon paused for a bit as though considering his answer.

“They die,” he eventually said simply. “Or worse, they become something strange, like an abominable fusion of multiple corruptions that tears itself apart from within. The human soul is not meant to bear more than one Seal, you see. Attempting to do so is beyond even madness.”

He paused, then added, “Though there have been… exceptions. Rare cases where individuals with extraordinary resilience or unique circumstances have managed to bear multiple Seals without immediate destruction. But these are anomalies, aberrations that I dare not speak of casually. The walls have ears, after all.”

Nero glanced uncomfortably at the walls as he filed that information away as well, his mind already turning over the possibilities.

If the Seals were runic structures inscribed into the soul, and if he already possessed skills like Vineheart and Shadow Shift that functioned similarly, then perhaps his tolerance for corruption was higher than a normal human’s. Perhaps he could survive multiple Seals where others could not.

But that was a thought for later. For now, he needed to understand the full scope of what Lyon was offering.

“You mentioned branding sites,” Nero said. “Where are the Seals placed on the body?”

“It depends on the Seal and the Order,” Lyon replied. “The Seal of Blood is typically branded over the heart, where it can most easily interact with the bearer’s circulatory system. The Seal of Knowledge is often placed on the tongue or forehead, to facilitate communication with forbidden texts. The Seal of Craft is usually branded on the hands or spine, to channel spiritual forces through physical creation. The Seal of Nature is placed over the stomach or lungs, to connect the bearer to the land and air. The Seal of Fire is branded across the chest or back, to allow the flames to spread from the core.”

He gestured toward his own chest.

“I bear the Seal of Nature, branded here.” He tapped his sternum. “It allows me to sense corruption in living tissue, to manipulate biological processes, and to create the elixirs and potions necessary for the procedures you have undergone. But it also means that I am slowly becoming less human. One day, if I do not die before then, I will cross the threshold and become something else entirely. When that time comes, I will be put down like all the others.”

Lyon said this without emotion, as though it were a simple fact of life, no different from the rising and setting of the sun.

Nero stared at him, trying to reconcile the calm, clinical man sitting across from him with such knowledge.

“And you accept this?” Nero asked quietly.

Lyon’s smile widened slightly, though his eyes remained cold.

“I accepted it the moment I took the Seal,” he said. “We all do, Nero. And so will you. That is the price of power. Sacrifice. It is the cost of holding the darkness back, even for a little while longer.”

The silence stretched between them for a moment, heavy and oppressive, before Lyon leaned forward again, his expression shifting into something lighter,

“There are other details you should understand,” he continued, his tone returning to its original calm,

“The Seals are not simply tools to be used at will, they have limitations, risks, and potential that must be carefully managed.”

Nero nodded, indicating for him to continue.

“First, the matter of Seal Resonance,” Lyon said. “When a Templar overuses their Seal in a moment of high clarity or desperation, they can trigger what we call Seal Resonance. This allows them to overdraft the amount of Ein Sof they can draw upon at that moment, significantly heightening their combat capabilities. It is a powerful technique, but it comes at a steep cost. The body and soul are pushed beyond their natural limits, and the corruption accelerates dramatically. Many Templars who enter Seal Resonance do not survive the experience, and those who do are often left permanently damaged.”

He paused, his fingers tapping against his knee.

“Second, the branding sites themselves. The location where a Seal is placed is not arbitrary, it is chosen based on the nature of the Seal and the Order’s traditions. The branding process itself is excruciating, as I mentioned before, and the mortality rate is high. Seven in ten candidates die during the ritual, and of those who survive, many are left with permanent scars, both physical and spiritual. The Seal burns itself into the flesh and inscribes itself into the soul simultaneously, creating a connection that cannot be severed without killing the bearer…”

Nero absorbed this information, his mind turning over the implications. If the branding process was so dangerous, then whatever modifications they had already performed on him were likely meant to increase his chances of survival. All of it was perhaps, in preparation for the moment when they would brand the Seal into his body.

“You said the Seals corrupt over time,” Nero muttering. “Is there any way to slow that corruption? To delay the transformation?”

Lyon tilted his head slightly, as though considering the question.

“Yes and no,” he said eventually. “The corruption is inevitable, but the rate at which it progresses can be influenced by several factors. The first is discipline. A Templar who exercises control and restraint, will last longer than one who indulges freely. The second is mental fortitude. Those with strong wills and stable minds can resist the corruption’s influence for a time, though even the strongest will eventually succumb. The third is external intervention. The Church has developed certain rituals and elixirs that can temporarily slow the corruption, though these are expensive and resource-intensive, reserved only for the most valuable Templars.”

He leaned into his chair again, his gaze drifting toward the ground.

“But in the end, it does not matter. The dark corruption always wins. That is the nature of the contract we make when we accept this power.”

Nero said nothing, his expression unreadable.

Internally, however, he was already calculating.

The Oracle had told him that the Vineheart was fighting back against the Nordian Worm, slowly purifying the corruption within him. If that was true, then perhaps the Vineheart could also resist the corruption of a Seal, at least to some degree. It was a gamble, but everything about his situation was a gamble at this point.

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