Isekai: The Eight Soul Fragments

Gayle had her gaze focused towards Draxus who was giving out the rewards to the participants of [Operation: Cleanup]. Seeing how he was currently supported by so many people while she was supported by nothing. She remembered how things were completely in a reverse order back when they were romantically involved with each other.

Back when they were a couple around five years ago, Gayle would play pranks to Draxus who was still trying his best to understand the people around him. He was a genius, but he had various difficulties in sympathy and trying to look for ways to comfort somebody. He would always give practical advice, but he's not great at talking or thinking about the things he said.

Gayle leaves a message to Draxus in their chat: "You're just trying to run away now every time you get me mad! You're not even trying at this point!" She would eventually get a response from Draxus. A chain of message of trying to apologize while begging to know what kind of mistakes he did. Gayle would refuse to answer, hoping that Draxus would figure out himself. Draxus would try to give effort constantly, and when she would meet up with Pauleen, Juniper, and her other friends, they would recognize her feeling a bit depressed. They would often ask her about it, but she wouldn't disclose it too easily.

Eventually, she would fold to their questions, and they would learn things that they couldn't really match up to Draxus' personality. Pauleen and Juniper were somewhat on her side back then. However, they couldn't really touch on the topic with Draxus as they sometimes speak with Keith, who evaluates Draxus as one of the most reliable people. They couldn't help but shake their feelings that there's something more happening between Draxus and Gayle.

However, one thing they knew already was that Gayle tends to fight a lot with Josh even before they broke up and she started loving Draxus. They would often fight and then break up, and then go back together. It was a vicious cycle that they would always find to be not the most acceptable behavior.

Draxus and Gayle would also start to have this constant cycle of arguments. Oftentimes Gayle would start something without even Draxus' knowledge. The arguments were mostly about flaws towards Draxus' behavior. It was mostly one-sided.

He would sometimes try to call her out in private on how she behaves. But it would instantly be twisted back to things Draxus lack. At that point, Draxus wanted to ask for advice from other people. He gained a few friends after getting a job instead of going to college. However, the advice he received was given with ill intent. Being naïve, Draxus would follow their advice, which led to him drinking his worries away.

Drinking once was okay, since it let to some results of Gayle enjoying Draxus who was drunk in alcohol and trying to spoil her. However, it happened again right after another argument that Gayle started. The cause of the argument was her starting to talk to Josh a lot online. She would instantly twist it into Draxus neglecting her for his job that he took so they could go around on dates more often. With nothing else to say, Gayle instantly broke off with him and started flirting with Josh who was comforting her.

Because they had broken off, Draxus was devastated. He considered suicide and even proceeded to harm himself multiple times. It was at the point of torture. He looked for a timing to go towards Juniper's home when Gayle was going for a visit. He tried to go to her, but he hesitated, thinking whether it was the right choice or not. He had fear on his body, as he was starting to crumble down. He was completely gaslighted into thinking that everything was caused by his inability to keep everything stabilized. And apparently, his decision to get to Gayle was leaked by Tiffany. Pauleen and Juniper tried to support him. Pauleen told him that Tiffany had leaked the info, because of that Gayle simply hid, even avoiding the gifts he tried to give her. Juniper witnessing all that felt heartbroken, seeing someone who tried so hard to fix everything and fail because Gayle was being too stubborn. When Pauleen arrived, Juniper brought her to her room and told her everything that she had seen between Draxus and Gayle. Draxus left, and found out later from Pauleen from leaked messages on how Josh could fight him and started flirting with Gayle again as they mocked his existence.

Draxus was starting to crumble down even further, seeing how his former beloved didn't even bother asking if he was okay. She was straight up prepared to abandon him completely. He was finally prepared to just end his own life

However, there was one person who offered him salvation.

"So you've come here to ask me to kill you?" Draxus faced Serkyrio who had found out what had happened to him after being too busy. "Yes..." Draxus was resolute, wanting to die completely after having been haunted by his failures. "I see... Then let's spar for a bit. You want me to stop holding back right?" Draxus nodded, preparing for the end of his life.

They began their spar. For Serkyrio, it's to see if Draxus could reach and force him to stop restraining himself. For Draxus, it was his entire life on the line.

The spar went somewhat smoothly, with Draxus fighting with most of his emotions being unleashed. Grief, wrath, rage, desperation, and agony were being shown completely. It was Draxus who was placed in a corner. Serkyrio smiled as he continued to easily handle Draxus' attacks. "He's certainly grown... From a genius multitalented machine to a getting this close to be a perfect human. Only thing left to prepare him for is to be tenacious and patient." Serkyrio continued evaluating Draxus who has started to gain some ground on him. But after a few solid punches to the chest that Serkyrio managed to slip through, Draxus was starting to feel sluggish. They had been fighting for over thirty minutes, constantly exhausting and conserving the energy that they used in their sparring. Each strike by Serkyrio continued to bring Draxus into losing out his breath. Eventually, Draxus collapses down to the floor as Serkyrio knelt down to get a bit close. "For breaking the rule that you kept secret from me. You will not be killed. However, for what you've been through, you need to realize that there will be people that will constantly try to take advantage of your naiveté. Take this as a lesson and start learning how you could read the hearts of others. This failure of yours will serve as a reference from now on." Draxus was starting to feel disbelief, but he listened to Serkyrio's words with intent. "Drax, we're not just going to be humans. We're going to be standing at the pinnacle in the future. Nobody will stand above us, and no one will stand against us. We judge people with our capabilities, authority, and our wisdom." Draxus finally understood, that he was simply being used as Gayle's piece of comfort until he became useless. He took Serkyrio's hand and stood up with his assistance. "You've improved a lot, and you've definitely gotten close to the human limit." Draxus then knelt down, as he pledged complete allegiance to Serkyrio and vowed to never betray his expectations ever again. "Don't worry Drax, they will not go unpunished as well..." Serkyrio's thoughts were kept to himself.

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Gayle continued to stare at Draxus at the Hall of Sentinels as he gave his the last participating member his reward. Gayle finally stepped forward as she wanted to ask about her reward as well. She was given a fair reward with her contributions, so she waited for a while until all members have left the area.

"Draxus." Gayle approached Draxus who was alone in the operations room, where all security cameras were connected to. She felt guilty with how much damage she had caused five years ago now that she sees Draxus at the pinnacle of law and her official master due to her contract. "Still guilty? Look, I don't give two shits about what happened back there now. It's all in the past and we're both toxic as hell. If you're not going to admit to it and start some trouble about my actions towards you then I could just blast you here with every bit of evidence I have collected for myself and Josh. You have no allies." "Yes..." She bowed down as if ready to accept her judgement. "Look, I'll tell you this again, forget about the past, it's about damn time you mature and stop looking into the past of a person who had already changed completely. It just goes to show that you still refuse to mature. Since you're trying to stay back in your growth, I'll force it all out of you." Draxus was not showing any emotions towards her, she could no longer read anything into his mind. Draxus then spun his chair as he continued to review every footage to make his complete report.

Just before Gayle left the room, she glanced back towards Draxus who was working diligently. She remembered a few things on the past as if she is seeing what she had left behind before leaving the room with a regretful expression.