Nova: The Final Reincarnation [LitRPG, Reincarnation]

The room fell silent after Nova's suggestion. The gentle current that moved through the chamber seemed to slow, carrying with it the tension that had suddenly filled the space.

Then, as if a dam had burst, everyone began speaking at once.

"That seems needlessly complicated," Prince Nereon said, carrying a clear look of skepticism. His muscular arms crossed over his chest as he studied Nova with calculating eyes.

Princess Naia spoke over her brother, moving one hand to cover her chest. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "I'm not sure I'd be willing to... to let someone cut into me like that." She shuddered, sending ripples through the water around her.

Anny remained silent on the outside, but her message came through their ring connection with crystal clarity. (Trying to trick the system seems like a bad idea. What if it doesn't accept living hearts? What if it knows the difference between truly dead and artificially preserved?)

Nova absorbed their concerns, feeling the familiar weight of leadership settling on his shoulders.

'Well, it is a bit of a gamble. But it's a solution I bet the system didn't consider, stupid as it is.'

"It's just a suggestion—for now," he said, raising his hands in a peaceful gesture. The water around his palms swirled gently, responding to his movement. "A last resort, if other options fail. First we should learn more about the king. How do we reach him?"

Prince Nereon exchanged a glance with his sister, something unspoken passing between them. When he turned back to Nova, his expression had grown more serious.

"We could take you to him right now," he said slowly, as if weighing each word. "The path to his throne room isn't particularly long. But I'm not sure how he would react to surface dwellers entering his domain. In the worst-case scenario, he would attack you on the spot without giving you a chance to explain yourselves."

"You mean he's hostile to outsiders?" Nova sighed, letting the water flow out of his lungs slowly. In a way, sighs felt more satisfying underwater—both heavier and longer.

'If I had to guess, I'd say the way to avoid a fight is to bring his children to him alive instead of their hearts. But since we haven't "brought him their hearts," it's hard to say how he will react.'

"Not exactly hostile," Princess Naia interjected, swimming closer to her brother's side. "But he's... protective. Paranoid, even. The leviathans have been testing our defenses for decades, and father has grown suspicious of any unknown presence in his realm."

"He's not like you two then? Aware of the dungeon and what's really going on here?"

"...He's… In denial. Ever since our mother died, he has been diffcult to reason with."

Nova nodded. 'I would imagine the final challenge of the floor would be more aligned with the dungeon's wishes. What these two think probably doesn't matter much, which is why they've been given the freedom they have. But I can't help but think that their wish for death is part of this floor's design…'

A nagging feeling of frustration kept grabbing at his attention. He didn't have time to care for two ghosts, or whatever they were. Millie was, by all reasonable conjectures, in grave danger.

But at the same time, he had grown to care for the princess. The tales she had told, the vulnerable thoughts she had shown them freely, and the hard work she had done to help them reach the city. It was hard to consider her anything but human in mind.

'Just get to the end… I'll figure it out then.'

"Would the two of you be able to protect us from the king?" Nova asked, already knowing the answer from their expressions.

"Not for long," Prince Nereon admitted with obvious reluctance. "Father is very strong. He has been the one to fight off the leviathan whenever it has threatened the city in the past. His power dwarfs ours by a considerable margin."

Princess Naia nodded in agreement. "When the great leviathan last attacked our borders, father fought it alone for three days and nights. The battle created whirlpools that could be felt throughout the entire kingdom."

"But these heroes defeated it, right?" Prince Nereon gestured toward Nova and Anny with something that might have been hope. "Surely that proves you possess considerable strength."

Nova felt the weight of their expectations, but also the reality of their situation. "We spent resources that will take us some time to get back," he said carefully. "And we don't have time to wait for that."

Both royal siblings seemed to deflate slightly as their earlier hope dimmed.

'I'm not going down to floor ten without that trait ready. Unless...'

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Nova's mind raced through alternatives, calculating risks and potential outcomes. The fragment of Nova Regis still pulsed within his core, offering power he hadn't yet claimed. It was a gamble, but perhaps one worth taking.

(Anny, should I absorb the fragment now?) he projected through their mental link.

(...That would make you much stronger now, but could you take out the leviathan?) Her response came tinged with uncertainty.

(I'm not sure. But it could let me gain the same trait again, which would give me an option if we're cornered.)

(What about the lie-detection, then? It could become vital in the future.) Anny's concern was palpable through their connection.

(I would likely lose one of them, yes. But it's the only option I see here.)

The silence stretched between them as Anny considered his words. Nova could sense her internal struggle, weighing the benefits against the potential losses.

(...It's up to you.)

Her final response carried a note of resignation mixed with trust. She was placing the decision entirely in his hands, accepting whatever consequences might follow.

Nova saw no reason to wait. The fragment had already proven its worth, and losing one trait to gain permanent access to the other seemed like a reasonable trade. It wasn't a great loss either way—power was power, regardless of its specific form.

[Would you like to absorb the Fragment of Nova Regis?]

'Yeah... And be kind, please.'

The fragment began to dissolve the moment he gave his consent. He felt it breaking apart within his core, its essence spreading through his body like warm honey through his veins. A sense of completion washed over him, like finding a missing puzzle piece he hadn't known was gone.

[Soul Fragment of Nova Regis resonating… Fragment absorbed.]

The power settled into his bones, his muscles, his very soul. He could feel his capabilities expanding, his understanding deepening. The fragment hadn't just given him strength—it had given him knowledge, experience, the accumulated wisdom of a life spent ruling others.

[Fragment trait "I Am King" obtained]

[Warning: Maximum number of traits reached. Would you like to replace an existing trait with the new one?]

Prince Nereon's eyes widened as he witnessed the transformation. The water around Nova seemed to shimmer, responding to the sudden surge in his presence. "Your power... it just increased dramatically."

Princess Naia swam back slightly, eyeing Nova with suspicion. She knew more about his powers than the prince, but that didn't help much in this situation. "What did you just do?"

Nova held up a hand, signaling for them to wait. The system notifications were still cascading through his vision, and he needed to process the changes carefully.

'Ah, so only the one trait… Well, good that it's this one, at least. Yes, you can swap it with the Blessed Physique.'

[Blessed Physique replaced with I Am King]

Nova could feel his strength draining slightly as he lost the Blessed Physique trait that had come from Carl's soul. But the mythic-grade trait would undoubtedly be far more useful in the future.

'I just need to be careful with it. Now I can no longer evade the weakened period after activating it…'

Another message popped up in front of his eyes, and a pleasant surprise it was.

[Fragment trait "Soul Reader" obtained]

[Warning: Maximum number of traits reached. Would you like to replace an existing trait with the new one?]

'Oh! Yes, please! Swap it with Presence of the Don.'

[Presence of the Don replaced with Soul Reader]

Nova flexed his fingers, testing how the new power felt. His Soul Power shot up to over six hundred thousand, giving him a rush of power even greater than he expected. But more than the raw increase in strength, he could feel new dimensions to his awareness opening.

The siblings still looked at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation to the sudden influx of power.

"I absorbed some stored power," he said simply, not wanting to explain the complex nature of soul fragments to beings who might not understand. "It should be enough to face your father now, if necessary."

He turned to Anny, unable to suppress a smile of satisfaction. The changes felt right, like pieces of himself he'd forgotten were missing had finally returned.

(Great success! I got them both.) His mental voice carried triumph and relief in equal measure.

(Nice! But that means I have to watch what I say…) Anny's response held a note of nervous humor. She had seen what his lie detection could do, and now it was permanent.

(...Would you prefer it if I call you out if you do lie? I could just stay silent.) Nova's offer was genuine—he didn't want this new ability to damage their relationship.

(Uhm, I think it depends on the lie. I'll let you judge it on your own. And I'll get angry if you ever choose wrong.)

(Yay…) His mental sigh carried both gratitude and the weight of responsibility. Having such insight into people's true selves wasn't always a blessing.

"Do they often do this?" Prince Nereon asked his sister, glancing nervously at the duo. The silent communication was unnerving to observe—two people sharing thoughts while their expressions shifted through emotions he couldn't understand.

Princess Naia laughed, the sound bubbling through the water around them. "Very often. They can communicate without words. It's quite fascinating to watch, though I admit it makes me curious about what they're not sharing with us."

Nova caught the hint of longing in her voice. These siblings had been isolated for so long that even the simple intimacy of private communication seemed precious to them.

"I see…" Prince Nereon's tone was carefully neutral, but Nova could sense the mixture of admiration and wariness beneath it. The prince was recalculating their chances, recognizing that his initial assessment of their strength had been far too low.

"I believe we are ready to meet the king now." Nova's statement carried the weight of royal decree rather than mere opinion. The words seemed to settle the matter without room for argument. "As for what happens next, we will just have to figure it out then."

"Then let us go," Prince Nereon said, straightening his shoulders as if preparing for battle. "Father awaits!"