Nioh's naked body descended from the skies, standing at eye level with Grimmes.
His golden eyes fixated on the face of his tormentor. Grimmes stared back, his gaze equally cold and detached. The silent confrontation stretched on, an eternity packed into mere seconds, until Nioh finally spoke.
"Why?"
A single word, yet it carried the weight of his suffering—months of torment, isolation, and agony.
Why was he separated from Ekoh?
Why was his life gambled with so carelessly?
Why did he have to endure the Nine Punishment Nail torture?
Why did he suffer, frozen in pain for so long?
Why was he forced to bear it all?
Grimmes' lips moved, and though the words were quiet, they struck like thunder.
"Because only you can."
"When I first saw you, I recognized your potential. But you shattered every limit I set for you. You are talented, yes, but reckless—impatient. Your body and biocore were on the verge of collapse, unable to bear the weight of your ambition."
