Archive Of Potentialities.

Identity [[SS X Tensura]]: Chapter 6.

In that dream, Rimuru saw forces of black and red. They were shapeless but all encompassing, tyrannical and merciless, they reshaped the formless realm of his dreams.

The world burned and was thrust into chaos, it accelerated towards uncertainty, and Rimuru dreamt himself in the middle of it all.

Logic had long fled, reasoning had fallen victim, but Rimuru persisted, he focused, strained, did his best to peer into that bedlam to glean something, anything.

And his efforts were far from futile, but just then, as he was on the edge of giving form to the viscous figures, the dreamscape shattered.

Rimuru Tempest woke from his sleep.

..

..

..

My eyes snapped open as I jolted to my feet. I looked around me frantically, but all I could see was the now familiar ketch. Ananke was staring into the distance, Sunny was playing with some strings of energy, while Nephis gazed at her own reflection.

They all turned to look at me, startled at my sudden movement. I ignored the questioning gazes and sat back down.

After my conversation with Ananke the previous night, I had found a way to put myself to sleep. I couldn't say why I saw the act of "sleep" as normal, given my biology didn't require it, but I remember feeling a sense of stability after succeeding.

And then, I dreamt.

A dream. It was chaotic, hard to parse, but it was something.

This was the first sign of my identity since unveiling Uriel, it was progress. Was this a sign?

I had fallen asleep on thoughts of abandoning the Ascended duo, and had received a dream showing what I assumed were images of my past.

Everything, including my better judgment, pointed at me striking out on my own. What push was I still waiting for?

I observed the others around me with what I now called Clairvoyance, though I was fairly sure the term was incorrect.

They had all returned to their respective activities, Sunny looked to be in a state of total focus, and while I could perceive the object of said concentration, I couldn't decipher what exactly he was doing with it.

I had made an observation about my analysis ability. Usually, I could fully understand something once I looked at it, but there had been a few things that stumped me on first glance. Sunny and Ananke's masks, for example.

I still didn't know the exact causes of this phenomenon, but it was ironically comforting to me.

What sort of monster was all seeing and all knowing?

Nephis had stopped observing the water and now seemed to be meditating, as serious as ever.

She opened an eye and looked in my direction, as if sensing my gaze. I didn't react, and she soon resumed her activity.

At that moment, I had come to the realization that my choice was made. I would leave.

If I were tasked to determine the inflection point of this choice, I would fail, but I had never had more clarity about anything since my awakening.

I sighed.

Leaning against the side of the vessel, I idled away the hours of my final day with this group.

..

..

..

Sunny suddenly rose in the middle of the night, his shadow alerting him of an abnormality.