Reincarnated Into A World Of Elves As The Only Man-Chapter 90: Number Seven chamber

A frantic pounding on the door jolted Eren from his restless sleep.

"Wakey, wakey, little bird!" Kiran’s sing-song voice pierced through the heavy door. "The day has come! The TUNA waits for no one!"

Before he could respond, the door burst open. Kiran stood in the doorway, her mismatched eyes wide with manic excitement, practically vibrating with uncontained energy.

"Two days have passed!" she squealed, clapping her hands in rapid succession. "TWO DAYS! Do you know what that means? Of course you don’t!" She laughed, the sound brittle and sharp as breaking glass. "It means it’s time for your TUNA with Number Seven!"

Eren sat up, immediately alert. "What about Viva? Is she alright?"

Kiran’s face contorted into an expression of exaggerated irritation. "Viva, Viva, VIVA!" she shrieked, throwing her hands up. "Always worried about your precious silver-haired princess! She’s FINE! Better than fine! The ritual cleansed her of that nasty little enchantment. She’s resting comfortably... for now." Her lips stretched into a disturbing grin. "Master has special plans for her later, but that’s not YOUR concern right now."

She lunged forward, grabbing his wrist with surprising strength. "Seven has been waiting ALL MORNING! She’s in one of her MOODS, and if we’re late, she might just decide to remove someone’s fingers!" Kiran waggled her fingers in front of his face. "Wouldn’t want that, would we? Not when you need all your parts for the ritual!"

She dragged him into the corridor, her grip painfully tight as she hurried him along the winding passages of the palace.

"Seven is TERRIBLY jealous, you know," Kiran whispered conspiratorially, leaning in so close her breath tickled his ear. "She’s been watching you from the shadows. She thinks Master favors you above the rest of us." She giggled madly. "As if anyone could replace those of us who wear the marks!" She traced the scarred pattern on her skin with her free hand, her touch almost reverent.

"I’ve been watching you for YEARS," she continued, her voice dropping to a hushed, intimate tone that somehow felt more threatening than her shouts. "Even before you knew we existed. I saw what you could become when you were just a tiny thing with those big, sad eyes. Master saw it too—your potential. That’s why she sent me to bind your mother." She cackled, the sound echoing off the stone walls. "Such a beautiful binding! My finest work!"

Eren tensed at the mention of his mother, but before he could respond, they arrived at an ornate door decorated with intricate carvings of thorned vines. Kiran rapped on it with what seemed like deliberate disrespect, her knuckles creating a chaotic, arrhythmic pattern.

"SEVEN! Your TUNA partner has arrived!" she shouted, bouncing on her heels. "The Veilwalker is here to exchange FLUIDS with you!"

"STOP THAT INFERNAL KNOCKING!" Seven’s voice bellowed from inside. "By the void, Kiran, I will hang you with your own intestines if you don’t CEASE that racket!"

Kiran turned to the Veilwalker, her smile never faltering. "She’s in a WONDERFUL mood today," she whispered, then shoved him toward the door. "In you go! The ritual waits for no one, not even a Veilwalker! I’ll just wait out here... listening." She winked and skipped a few paces away, humming a discordant tune.

Eren pushed open the heavy door and stepped into Seven’s chamber.

The room was shrouded in half-darkness, with heavy drapes drawn across most of the windows, leaving only thin strips of sunlight to pierce the gloom. A translucent curtain divided the space, behind which he could make out Seven’s silhouette moving with fluid grace. The gauzy fabric did little to obscure her form—tall and athletic, with defined muscles shifting beneath smooth skin as she reached for something on a high shelf.

Despite the dim lighting, he could clearly see the elegant curve of her spine, the well-defined shoulders, and the swell of her hips. Her body spoke of years of disciplined training, every movement precise and controlled. The contours of her naked form were visible through the curtain as she moved about her preparations.

"Close the door, Veilwalker," Seven commanded without turning. "Kiran’s voice carries, and I’ve had enough of her particular brand of insanity for one day."

He did as instructed, the heavy door shutting with a definitive thud.

"So," Seven said, her voice carrying clearly through the curtain. "The outsider who captured Master’s attention." She remained behind the translucent barrier, but he could see her gather something from a shelf—a small vial filled with a murky, viscous liquid that seemed to absorb the dim light around it. "I’ve been wondering when we would perform our... ritual."

"I was told little about what to expect," the Veilwalker replied, his eyes following her movements.

Seven’s laugh was cold and sharp. "Of course not. Master enjoys her little surprises." She uncorked the vial, and a strangely sweet yet putrid scent filled the chamber, reminiscent of overripe fruit and forest loam. "Do you know what element I command, Veilwalker?"

He studied the dark liquid, the unusual odor, considering his answer carefully. "Fire?" he ventured, recognizing some similarities to the murky depths.

A soft chuckle emanated from behind the curtain. "How disappointing. And here I thought you were perceptive." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "No, Veilwalker. I command decay. The inevitable dissolution of all things. The subtle power that transforms death into life’s foundation."

"Very few can master it," he acknowledged, reassessing the figure behind the curtain with newfound wariness.

"Very good," Seven said, a note of grudging approval in her voice. "Not just any decay—the deep rot, the crushing weight of entropy. The kind of power that can reduce mountains to dust given enough time."

She moved closer to the curtain, her silhouette more defined now. "You’ve been climbing our ranks rather quickly, haven’t you? First the ritual with Viva, now this... one might think you were Master’s newest favorite."

The curtain rippled as she traced a finger along its edge. "But that’s impossible, of course. Master’s favor is earned through years of service, through pain and sacrifice." Though he couldn’t see her face clearly, he could hear the bitterness in her voice. "Through giving up everything you once were."

"I’m not interested in anyone’s favor," Eren stated calmly. "I’m here for a specific purpose."

Seven’s silhouette went still. "Yes. Your mother." The words dripped with contempt. "How noble. How... predictable." She moved again, pacing behind the curtain. "Do you know what happens to those who get too close to Master without proper... commitment? Without absolute loyalty?"

"Is this where you threaten me?" he asked, meeting her shadowed form with a steady gaze.

"This isn’t a threat—it’s a promise," Seven replied, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Once this ritual is complete, if Master finds your contribution wanting in any way, your head becomes mine. Not Kiran’s, not Luna’s. Mine."

She pressed against the curtain, the fabric molding around her form. Through the translucent material, her eyes burned with intensity. "You think you understand what’s happening here, don’t you? You think this is just another TUNA ritual like those silly ceremonies in the kingdoms you’ve visited."

She laughed again, the sound devoid of humor. "You have no idea what Master has planned for you. The power she’ll help you unlock, the transformation you’ll undergo." Her hand pressed against the curtain, creating an impression of her palm against the fabric. "After tonight, you’ll either be one step closer to becoming what Master needs... or you’ll be dead."

Eren remained outwardly calm. "I’ve performed TUNA rituals before. I understand their purpose and function."

"Not like this, you haven’t," Seven replied smugly. "The transfer you’ll experience with each of us—with me tonight—is just preparation for your final ritual with Master." She moved away from the curtain, back to the shelf where various vials and containers stood in neat rows. "When that’s complete, you’ll help her seal the nexus points. The elements will no longer flow freely, and Master’s vision will finally be realized."

She selected another vial, this one containing what appeared to be decomposed matter swirling with faint specks of green luminescence. "No more wars fought with elemental powers. No more children accidentally destroying their villages when their abilities manifest." Her voice took on an almost reverent quality. "Peace through control. Isn’t that what you want, Veilwalker? A world where your mother never would have suffered?"

Eren watched her silhouette as she mixed the contents of the vials in a shallow basin. "And what happens to those with elemental abilities when the nexus points are sealed?"

Seven paused, her head tilting slightly. "They fade, of course. Gradually, over time. Within a generation, elemental manipulation will be nothing but a memory, a legend told to children."

"And you’re willing to give up your own connection to decay?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral despite his skepticism.

Seven’s silhouette stiffened. "Some sacrifices are necessary for the greater good." She returned to her mixing. "Besides, Master has promised that her chosen seven will retain our abilities. We will be her instruments in the new world—ensuring her vision remains uncorrupted."

"You’ve been getting quite close to Master," Seven continued, her voice shifting to something more dangerous. "She speaks of you constantly. Your potential. Your destiny." The disgust in her tone was palpable. "It sickens me to hear it."

She set down the basin with a sharp clack against the stone shelf. "I’ve served for decades. I’ve bled for her, killed for her. I wear her mark with pride." The curtain shifted as she gestured to what must be the scarred pattern on her skin. "And then you arrive, and suddenly you’re all she talks about."

"I didn’t ask for her attention," Eren replied evenly.

"It doesn’t matter what you asked for," Seven snapped. "What matters is that when this is all over—when Master has what she needs from you—your usefulness will end." She moved back to the curtain, pressing against it again so he could see the outline of her face—the sharp angles, the intensity of her gaze. "And when that happens, your head will be mine. I’ve already requested the privilege from Master, and she has granted it."

Eren stepped closer to the curtain, refusing to be intimidated. "You seem very confident about my future. But remember this—if anything happens to Viva, if your Master’s plans bring harm to my mother, there won’t be enough of you left for anyone to claim."

For a moment, silence filled the chamber. Then, unexpectedly, Seven laughed—a genuine sound of amusement that seemed at odds with her previous hostility.

"You have spirit, Veilwalker. I’ll grant you that." The curtain rippled as she moved away. "Perhaps I understand a fraction of what Master sees in you after all."

She returned to the basin, lifting it carefully. "But enough talk. The TUNA ritual awaits, and time grows short." She paused, then added with deliberate casualness, "Remove your clothes, Veilwalker. For the ritual to succeed, there must be nothing between your skin and the elemental essence I’ll transfer to you."

Eren hesitated, weighing his options. Behind him, he could almost feel Kiran’s presence beyond the door, waiting. Before him stood Seven, ready to perform a ritual that would draw him one step closer to Kaida’s mysterious plan. And somewhere in this labyrinthine palace, Viva waited—her safety dependent on his careful navigation of this dangerous game.

With deliberate movements, he began to undress, his silver eyes never leaving Seven’s silhouette behind the curtain. Whatever happened next, he would not show fear—not to Seven, not to Kaida, not to any of them. He was a Veilwalker, and he would find a way to turn their plans to his advantage.

As the last of his garments fell to the floor, Seven’s voice came again, softer now but no less dangerous. "Let us begin."