Died for a Million Times: I can Copy Infinite SSS Talents!
Chapter 53 -53-Soul Oath Precautions

Chapter 53 -53-Soul Oath Precautions

Seeing Link approach with such a humble attitude, eager to learn, Ryze naturally didn't turn him away.

He patted Link on the shoulder and chuckled, "If it were about some other talent, I might not be able to help you much. But Soul Oath? That's a talent I've spent most of my life researching. So, while I can't guarantee I'll help you maximize every last drop of potential, getting you to eighty or ninety percent efficiency? That's no problem at all."

"And besides..." Ryze gave Link a half-smiling, half-sighing glance. "Though I don't really want to admit it, I have to say—Soul Oath, when paired with your Death Replication, is virtually without drawbacks. That's why the focus of your oath shouldn't be the content of the vow itself. What you really need to consider... is how to use your own abilities to amplify the oath to its highest potential."

"In other words, I can give you a nine. But that final one—only you can earn it."

"But before that," Ryze continued, placing both hands behind his back and pacing thoughtfully, "there are some important things you need to know about Soul Oath."

"Starting from Tier 1," he said, "as an esper, every time you break through to a new tier, you gain the ability to form one Soul Oath—anchored to your very soul. And depending on the content of the oath, the spiritual power amplification you receive can range from a multiplier of one... up to ten."

"Of course," Ryze added, "all of this is conditional. The amplification only works if you are actively fulfilling your oath. The moment you stray from your vow—or even think about betraying it—the effect will vanish instantly. Worse yet, it may even cause backlash."

"In theological terms, this is called Oathbreaking. In religious tradition, such heretics would be sentenced to burn at the stake. But for espers like you and me—who have awakened the Soul Oath talent—ordinary fire means nothing."

"What you truly need to be careful of... is the integrity of your oaths."

"If you break your vow once, the amplification is halved. Twice—and the amplification disappears entirely. But if you break your oath three times or more... then the Soul Oath will turn from a boon into a shackle. It will no longer serve you—it will bind you, restrict you, and ultimately... it may even endanger your life."

Link couldn't help but twitch. He hadn't imagined Ryze's talent carried such severe risks.

Seeing Link's nervous expression, Ryze quickly offered a reassuring smile. "Relax, relax. I already said—these consequences only happen if you break your oath. I understand you can't expect perfection in everything. I'm not perfect either."

"As my mentor once told me: 'Judge an esper by their deeds, not their intentions. If you only judge hearts, there are no saints in this world.'"

"That's why your first oath is so important."

"My mistake back then was making my first Soul Oath too ambitious. It went beyond what I was capable of. And even now, I'm still trying to make up for that decision."

"But you're different. With my experience as a cautionary tale, you can craft an oath that not only grants you high amplification—but also won't interfere with your daily life."

"You could even build a complete personal oath system—a logical loop of interlinked vows. If done properly, each future oath can stack upon the last. And by the time you reach Tier 8, Tier 9, or even Tier 10—the super-tier level—your Soul Oath amplification might increase by dozens, even hundreds of times!"

After hearing Ryze's detailed explanation, Link was deeply relieved that he had come to consult him before rushing into anything.

If he had blindly sworn an oath right after acquiring his talent... he might've ended up in a nightmare scenario with no way out.

There's an old saying among espers: A master shows the door, cultivation is up to the individual.

But without a master to lead you to the right door... all your cultivation might just be effort wasted on the wrong path.

It was clear now—choosing wisely was far more important than simply working hard.

Lib, the manifestation of the Book of Wisdom, held vast knowledge, but it was rigid—lacking personal experience. Unlike Ryze, Lib couldn't offer the kind of hard-earned insights one only gains from real-world trials.

Link was more certain than ever that bringing Ryze into his circle had been the right move.

With both Lib and this true mentor guiding him, his path to growth was bound to be smooth sailing.

With that thought in mind, Link finally settled down and began seriously thinking through the structure of his first Soul Oath.

"This first oath needs to cover a broad scope," he muttered to himself. "It must be profound—only then can I aim for the highest amplification rate."

"But... it can't be too restrictive. If the vow is too serious or too rigid, then I'll constantly run into trouble no matter what I try to do."

"I need to preserve my freedom. But within that freedom, the oath's logic must be tight and interconnected—because only then can future Soul Oaths link back to this initial one."

"If I do it right, every subsequent oath can easily build upon the first. Just like constructing a skyscraper—as long as the foundation is solid, the floors above will remain stable no matter how high you go."

"This is what I call the Self-Cycling Oath Theory," Ryze said.

"Of course, a theory is just that—a theory. It's something I developed from reading the journals of past Soul Oath espers, combined with my own experience. You can use it for reference... but don't follow it blindly. Even I haven't fully tested it myself."

Link nodded continuously. In his mind, the shape of his first Soul Oath was already beginning to take form.

But after Ryze finished speaking, Link raised a peculiar question.

"Headmaster Ryze... no, Mentor—if one day I find that the Soul Oath I made is flawed, or even contradicts a later oath, could I... commit suicide to reset the oath's state?"

Ryze was caught off guard by the question. Then he grinned and gave Link a light scolding.

"You little rascal, always coming up with crafty ideas."

"You haven't even made your first oath yet, and you're already thinking about how to revise it later?"

Link scratched his head. "Well... I just wanted to put your 'Self-Cycling Oath Theory' into practice."

Ryze ignored the banter and returned to the topic.

"If your talent really is what you claim—a death-triggered replication that rewinds time—then... yes, I think your idea could work."

"Because your talent reverses time in the physical sense. But the Soul Oath? It doesn't exist in any realm we can perceive."

"The amplifications it provides—they seem to manifest out of nothing. Some scholars even used to call this phenomenon a divine miracle."

As he finished, Ryze turned his gaze toward a painting of the goddess hanging on the wall and murmured,

"When it comes to gods and divine power... we still know far too little. But one thing's clear: your talent can't disrupt the divine currents that power the Soul Oath."

"And that means... the unwanted branches that grow from your vows—as their creator and nurturer—you have every right to prune them, or even tear them down and rebuild from

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