《Shizuka》 Chapter 1 - 1 Abaddon ¡°How odd,¡± said a woman with waist-long chalk white hair. The translucent beauty was sitting on the plain white floor cross-legged, her loose black one piece dress was stretched even further. ¡°Who are you?¡± I inquired. I was calm, considering the circumstances but I was calm because this wasn¡¯t the first occasion. The first time was only seconds ago. Just what exactly happened? The unthinkable and at the same time, the clich¨¦ scenario happened. My school had organized a trip to a resort resided in the countryside. We were going there by bus but in a twist of fate, a brilliant ray of light descended upon the bus we were on. The last memories prior to being abducted by this ray of light was my text to my boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend. The text was what made it so. It was a break-up text. None of us did anything wrong. Not exactly, at least. Unlike me who was of mix ethnicity, he was a pure Japanese through and through. His name was Yuto and he was the nicest person I had ever met. Being the girlfriend of such person has its merits and demerits. If I¡¯m to be honest here, it had more demerits than merits. He was equally nice to everyone. Being his girlfriend wasn¡¯t so different. Having our skins touched without feeling reserved was the only privilege I could think of. Besides that, I didn¡¯t feel that special to him as his girlfriend but nevertheless, he was a nice person. The longer I was in a relationship with him, the more I felt that it wasn¡¯t going to work out. And frankly, he could has the awareness of a protagonist out of a romance story that spans over hundreds of chapter just to reach a solid conclusion. It was really infuriating. However, we already crossed the line and ascended into adulthood together. We gave each other our first. It was on the spur of the moment. The mood was nice and I was longing for his attention which he had been giving out equally to most people. His antics were just raising my ire. Right before the mid-year break of my school term, I hit the limit of his density. Having enough of his cluelessness, I broke up with him. Not through a face-to-face meet nor a phone call, just a simple text that reads; ¡°I have enough of this. Let¡¯s break up,¡± and that was it. Anyways, enough with the drama of my love life. Here is where things got interesting and out of the norm. I wasn¡¯t the only one who were ¡°tractored¡± by the beam. A few of my classmates and I were transported along, and we later found ourselves in a white room. Those who were with me were Shin, a boy with a strong sense of justice, Karen, a girl who is head-over-heels for Shin, Olivia, a girl with a loud personality but can be quite shy at times, and lastly, Greg, a boy who was too big for his age and what one would call a muscle-brain. In this sparkling white room devoid of any dirt or stain, we met with a self-proclaimed God. Its figure was obscured and its voice distorted enough to camouflage its gender. Its introductions and premises were the template of most ¡°Isekai¡± story. I wasn¡¯t a fanatic but I did indulged myself in some of the related works. Enough to know of the ongoing trend. In the simplest of terms, we were summoned as Heroes by the God¡¯s followers to combat the evil threat in the other world. We were currently in the God¡¯s realm, the tutorial point, so to speak. The short and concise story was, we were summon by an Empire in the world of Evarenan. The Empire¡¯s principal faith was the God before us. In this world, the time for the Demon to rise from their slumber has arrived. Only the power of Heroes, Champions of Gods truly stands a chance against these Demons. Once victory is achieved, we would be sent back to our original world. It was truly the standard template. We were also given a short summary of the nature of the world he would be summoned to. I was a very secluded person and I barely knew the four of them. The four of them were close however. Without pitching me in, they came to a decision unanimously. They assented to the summons and the purpose they were abruptly given. That¡¯s great and all but¡­. The only off course to the God¡¯s story and explanation was me. Only four persons were supposed to be summoned. Apparently, I hitched along. The God told us the four of my classmates were summoned as heroes to another world and I was just a mistake. I was never meant to be summoned. I was the runt of the litter. I had secretly hoped to be an underdog hero but the God rejected any possibility of me having hidden powers. I didn¡¯t ask the God, of course. It read my mind instead. With that as the impetus for the conclusion of the brief, a light swallowed us once again, sending us to the ones who summoned us. --Or at least that was what the God claimed to be our next destination. Instead, I found myself in the same white room but with a different figure in front of me. Although the room looked the same, my instincts told me that it was different. Unlike the God from before, this one had a perceivable appearance, albeit mismatched with its fashion choice. So, back to my inquiry for this person, this woman¡¯s identity. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Abaddon, Empress of Night.¡± That was her introduction short and vague. Still, Abaddon¡­. Wasn¡¯t that the name of the Angel of Death? Was she a reaper? ¡°Hirano Shizuka,¡± I responded naturally despite the escalating assumption in my mind. Perhaps it was the mood that made me replied automatically. ¡°Please to meet you, Shizuka,¡± sitting on her knees, she gave me a deep bow. She was doing a ¡°seiza¡± and a kowtow. ¡°Are you a God too?¡± I asked. ¡°I am.¡± And also unlike the God from before, this one gave me her name and aspect. I guessed she is a God who governs the night? ¡°This is truly odd,¡± she repeated her question with a different phrasing, inching closer to me by inclining her body forward. ¡°When you say ¡°odd,¡± are you referring to me?¡± The Goddess named Abaddon looked over my shoulders, and then to both my sides, before returning her gaze to me, ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone else here? And I was looking at you when I said that. Who else do you think I¡¯m referring to?¡± Perhaps of my cold and unsociable vibe, my classmates rarely talked to me or even approach me. Therefore, I am not used to being spoken to in this way. Although the experience was refreshing, it was vexing. Her subtext was basically, ¡°hit me in the face for being pompous.¡± ¡°For someone who has such a spirited and tenacious Mana Vessel in addition to a solid iron will, you are not chosen as a Hero. How odd.¡± I heard some unknown words but I¡¯m guessing it was some foreign terminology. ¡°Oh,¡± she clapped her hands together as if she realized something, ¡°by Mana Vessel, I mean your soul.¡± My soul? In other words, I have a powerful soul? What does this implies then? ¡°For him to overlook a worthy candidate, that is so unprofessional of him. Perhaps he hates your guts?¡± ¡°What does it means to have a spirited and tenacious Mana Vessel?¡± I asked by recycling the same terminology. Abaddon raised an eyebrow on my question, ¡°it¡¯s kind of a short story but since you¡¯re from a world without magic, I doubt it¡¯ll be a short one.¡± ¡°Try me.¡± The raised eyebrow went even higher. ¡°We may not have magic but we do have one hell of an imagination.¡± Abaddon stared at me for quite a while before coming to a verdict, ¡°very well. I will also make it as concise as possible.¡± A table appeared before Abaddon. It was a Kotatsu table. I was gestured to seat opposite of her. Reluctantly and dubiously, I took the offer.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Oh? It¡¯s quite comfortable. I didn¡¯t realize how cold this room was until I tucked into the Kotatsu table. There was no oranges though. Wait. If it was going to be concise, why are we making ourselves at home? ¡°Reincarnated or Summoned individuals, they exist in this world. Some believe it to be true but it was still legends to some.¡± Abaddon began her narration with those words as the pretext. ¡°Reincarnation doesn¡¯t differ much to summoning. Both had their essence transported to this world due to being chosen by Gods, only difference being one had a chance to return while the other doesn¡¯t. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t need me to tell you why that is the case?¡± I nodded. She smiled at my nod, seemingly satisfied that I was following her explanations. ¡°They are always granted gifts by the Gods who chose them, I¡¯m sure you already know. He did at least briefed you on what kind world you be plunging into right?¡± I nodded but something was amiss with her story. ¡°What did you meant by gifts?¡± ¡°Power.¡± I was given a short answer. ¡°The ability to cut anything, the ability to have unrivaled speed, the ability to dissent lies and truth, the ability to have unlimited Mana, just to name a few.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember receiving a gift though?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t given one. That God didn¡¯t favor you but he did favor the other four. Depends on the Gods themselves, some offered choices, some offered what they themselves see fit. That god was the latter.¡± So that¡¯s how it is. ¡°An individual¡¯s soul integrity decides on how many gifts one can be granted. The average soul can only be granted one or two Gifts. Beyond two, it is a rare occurrence.¡± I drank the green tea that was suddenly there in front of me. I wouldn¡¯t have realize it if Abaddon didn¡¯t motion me to the green tea with her eyes. ¡°As for you, I don¡¯t think your Mana Vessel would even break after four. That is how strong your soul is.¡± A bowl of chips was next to appear out of thin air on the table but when I refused it, it disappeared as sudden as it appeared. ¡°The four heroes that you tagged along with, are they your friends?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re classmates. Other than the polite greeting gestures we exchanged when our paths crossed, I don¡¯t think we had ever spoke.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Abaddon nodded. The meaning to her words and nod was ambiguous to me. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Well, throwing you into this world without any incentives would definitely make your life a living hell unless that boy, Shin kept his word.¡± By ¡°his word,¡± Abaddon was talking about the promise Shin made to me when I was revealed to be an unintended summon. His precise words were, ¡°don¡¯t worry, Hirano. I will protect you. You have any troubles, don¡¯t hesitate to tell me.¡± It reeked off elementary justice. ¡°Only a girl head over heels for him would believe that. He may not believe that he lied but his justice is plain pathetic, in all honesty. All the matters he involved himself in, he had never seen it through till the end.¡± ¡°I know,¡± said Abaddon. ¡°Which is why I have an offer to make for you.¡± And the Kotatsu was gone and we were standing face to face when we were sitting down just now. Is this how an acid trip feels like? ¡°What kind of offer?¡± ¡°Allow me to speak honestly,¡± the Goddess who governs the night asked me, a normal human for permission to speak honestly. While I was hesitating on how I should respond, Abaddon continued on. Looks like that was just a figure of speech. ¡°I am looking for a champion too, like Aur.¡± ¡°Oar?¡± ¡°Aur. A-U-R. Aurmonzias. It¡¯s the name of the God you met before me.¡± So that was his name. Aurmonzias. What a mouthful. ¡°He is the God of Strife. He values the growth of the world more than any other God.¡± He sounded dangerously obsessive but I kept my opinion to myself. I wasn¡¯t sure if Aur could hear me if I did said it out loud. Who knows what a God can do. ¡°Hirano Shizuka, would you be interested in becoming my Champion?¡± Being addressed with your full name in a casual-like conversation somehow makes your skin crawl. Or is that just me? ¡°Let me phrase that into something more God-like,¡± she then cleared her throat. ¡°Hirano Shizuka, I want you to be my Champion. Will you, Shizuka?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a champion, why didn¡¯t you summoned one like Aur did?¡± Abaddon shook her head, ¡°it is not the Gods that performed the summoning, it is their believers. We Gods are forbidden to directly interfere or meddle with the affairs of mortals. I maybe a God but my believers, devout they maybe, they are few and aren¡¯t as strong as Aur¡¯s. They simply don¡¯t have the resources to perform a Hero Summoning Ritual.¡± ¡°Does that mean Aur is your superior or your better?¡± ¡°Neither. We are not superior nor inferior to one another. We all thrive in the aspects we are designated. Quantity of believers is only a factor in the mortal realm, it is meaningless in the God¡¯s Realm.¡± So, not even Gods are perfect. ¡°What say you?¡± ¡°Say that I¡¯m granted gifts from you, would I be on equal footing with the other four, so to speak? I¡¯m not trying to gauge my superiority. I just want to know if I will be a liability to them.¡± She shook her head, ¡°You will be even better than them.¡± Better? ¡°Instead of gifts, I¡¯m offering you my essence, my power.¡± ¡°Your power?¡± The way she phrased her words confused me. ¡°What¡¯s the different between your essence and Gifts?¡± ¡°Gifts aren¡¯t powers of Gods, although they are granted by Gods. In the end, Gifts are just abilities within the realms of mortals¡¯ limits. What I¡¯m about to grant you, would be something different and better. Mortals called it Divine Art.¡± Divine Art? ¡°Divine Art, the highest form of magic. It was also once called, Apotheosis Magic. A fitting name considering the source of an Apotheosis Magic comes from a God itself.¡± While the offer just gotten more tempting, it had also gotten more suspicious. No way would I have taken the offer without being shed some light. ¡°Why are you going so far to grant me your powers?¡± ¡°I like you, for one thing.¡± Platonically, right? ¡°Secondly,--¡± she went silent as she glanced around. Although there were no walls here but walls have ears had never suited a situation more than this. ¡°Secondly?¡± ¡°¡ªthe imminent evil threat in that world will be too much for the four Heroes of Aurmonzias. I don¡¯t have any basis for that line of thought but going by my billions of years old instinct, those mere gifts is insufficient.¡± Maybe it was just my imagination but the room has gotten colder. I wish the Kotatsu table was still here. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t think you are the type to abuse power.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Before I knew it, her hand was caressing my hair. ¡°Hunch,¡± she said. ¡°Entrusting your power to someone because you had a hunch?¡± ¡°I¡¯m old, Shizuka,¡± she told me, with a tone devoid of any implications. ¡°Older than you mortals could ever imagine. For once since the start of our conversation, she sounded like a God. ¡°We have wisdom accumulated over eternity. Our hunch is nothing one should be taking lightly.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I nodded, rigidly. ¡°However, my powers alone would not suffice. You will need to seek out the others.¡± ¡°The others?¡± ¡°Those who are alike. Bearer of God¡¯s essence.¡± She was being quite round about now. I sensed an underlying meaning but I was slightly overwhelmed with everything currently. ¡°Now that we are on the same page, let¡¯s begin.¡± ¡°Begin what?¡± Leaving my question unanswered, Abaddon began chanting some incantations with her head lowered and eyes closed. I expected some aesthetics but there was none. It was just her whispering chants. After chanting for about a minute, she opened back her eyes and raised her head. With a bowl of transparent liquid in her hands, she offered it to me. It looked like water but when the smell hit, I could tell it was liquor. I was about to received it with a single hand, Abaddon clicked her tongue at me. It took me awhile to figure it out what she was saying. This time, I used both of my hands to receive the bowl. I brought the bowl close to my face and gave it a sniff. This wasn¡¯t the first time I had drink alcohol, so I could tell how strong the liquor in the bowl was. Pausing my breath and steeling my resolve, I intended to drink it all in one gulp but before the bowl even touch my lips¡ª ¡°Wait.¡± I was told to wait. Her hand held mine. I looked up from the bowl. ¡°You¡¯re quite accepting and adaptive.¡± ¡°I had experience,¡± I told her. ¡°I know it¡¯s late to be asking you this but I don¡¯t want us to be hiding anything from each other.¡± She¡¯s billions of years old Goddess, it won¡¯t be her fault if she wasn¡¯t able to tell me each one of her secrets. ¡°Would you not like to go back to your own world? I¡¯m sure Aur already told you that you will all be returned to your own world after completing your quests in that world but wouldn¡¯t you rather to return now? I can do that.¡± Her last sentence gripped my interest but-- ¡°You don¡¯t owe that world anything, you know?¡± Strange¡­. I never thought about that. All I was thinking of, was what I should be doing to survive in the other world. Asking to be returned to my world never did crossed my mind. Was I that detach from my original world? Besides the assurance of safety and convenience, I don¡¯t have any attachment to that world. I don¡¯t have parents. I lived all by myself in a condominium apartment, receiving monthly allowance from my wealthy relatives. They weren¡¯t bad people. They were decent. They were taking care of me out of obligation and for the sake of their public image. So to say, I have no family nor friends that would mourn for me should I one day disappear from the world. Perhaps being transported into another world, was something I have been looking for all along. Maybe that was the reason I drown myself in books, televisions, and video games. To escape my mundane reality. I was actually looking forward to this. I wanted to see a world that only existed in fiction. Or I just wanted a second chance at life¡­. Perhaps I shown it on my face or Gods have mind-reading abilities, Abaddon seemed to grasp my answer. She released her grip. She gave me a smile, a warm, gentle, and motherly smile. I fought back a tear as I drank the whole thing in one fell swoop. I wanted to give back the bowl but it had already vanished from my hands. ¡°What kind of powers would I have?¡± I asked. ¡°You will know soon enough,¡± she answered plainly. ¡°Some advice, ¡°do not despair and be afraid of the unknown.¡± An acquaintance once told me, it is only feared because it¡¯s unknown.¡± Once again, she gave out a feeling that reminded me I was speaking to a Goddess. ¡°It is time,¡± she said. And the white room turned dark in an instant like the power was cut. ¡°Farewell for now, my champion, Hirano Shizuka. When the opportunity arise, do visit me at my temple. I will be looking forward to our conversation then. Have a pleasant journey, Shizuka.¡± Everything felt surreal then, but I kinda felt tears trickling down my cheek. Was I really this reluctant to part with her? ¡°And one last thing. While I don¡¯t have any say in what you do with those power of mine as long as you don¡¯t abuse it, heed my advice, don¡¯t tell anyone. The things they will do to get their hands on it.¡± To that sound advice, I nodded. As I bid my farewells too, the whole place turned completely silent. When I opened my eyes, I was in a different room. I was lying on the floor. Shin, Karen, Olivia, and Greg were here with me. Shin was helping me up from the floor while asking about my condition. When my blurred vision became clear, I realized we are surrounded by peoples in robes, resembling Mages from fictions. ¡°Welcome, Champions of Aurmonzias.¡± A man wearing a golden crown dressed in thick ceremonial clothing greeted us. ¡°I am the Great Emperor of Zerogian. From today onwards, you four shall be the Heroes of Zerogian Empire.¡± I stuck my head out from behind Greg, who was big enough to hide me from the Emperor¡¯s view. I waved at the Emperor. The Emperor looked dumbstruck. Why? ¡°F-five¡­.?¡± The Emperor blurted out in a break of character. Oh right, I was supposed to be a tag-along. Well, this is the start of my new life in another world. Chapter 1 - 2 Bluebell Town ¡°Lady Hirano, we have arrived in Bluebell Town.¡± A rough but young voice pulled me out of my dreams. I have to say, this is the first time I dreamt of a memory and it was vivid. My yet accustomed eyes squinted against the boorish sunlight but my Divine Art, Abaddon, assimilated my vision to the sudden change of brightness within seconds and it goes both ways, I could even see in the dark as a bonus. There was magic in this world, a given for fantasy settings. Ranging from moving objects with a wave of hand to creating mountain a wish of a thought. Still, having the ability to see in the dark was the most bizarre feeling I had yet. It might have something to do with the fact that it altered the science of my body. I was sleeping in the back of a horse-drawn carriage. It didn¡¯t feel nice but it wasn¡¯t anything too terrible to skip sleeping for. There was cover for the back albeit of only feasible material that wouldn¡¯t last against a storm but it did a good job against the sun. The drapes to the back of the carriage parted enough for a head to be slithered into, which explained the intruding beams of light. ¡°The others have already gone ahead. Please be quick.¡± I was never a morning person. I gave an unsightly groan for a girl my age as a vague response to my wake-up call. ¡°Shizu?¡± A young and soft voice came from my right, along with a pull on my sleeping gown. With weary feeling still hanging over my eyes, I cracked them wide-open and greeted the young wolf-kin girl beside me. ¡°Good morning, Lucy.¡± ¡°Morning~!¡± She beamed and threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around me as she wiggled into my chest. She looked to be in bliss against my B-grade chest. ¡°Lady Hirano, it¡¯s actually already noon,¡± said the knight with a rough face and voice who came to wake me up. I believed his name was Roy. An attendant assigned to me just recently. Hmm? Noon? Perhaps Roy sensed my confusion at such a late wake-up call, the knight began his explanation. ¡°You told us to only wake you up when we arrived at Bluebell Town. And we¡¯re here.¡± Oh right, I did, didn¡¯t I. ¡°And what about Lucy here?¡± I asked with a gesture at the wolf-kin. ¡°We made efforts to wake her up but she insisted to be awoken at the same time as you, milady.¡± I cast a questionable glance at Lucy but all was forgiven when she gave me those puppy eyes. Damn it. How can something be so cute? We were traveling even during the night. Night travels are ill-advised but exceptions were made in times of emergency. We were two towns over just yesterday when we received news of demon threats around this parts. To think we travelled twenty something kilometers in a span of one day. It wouldn¡¯t be an amazing feat if it was the modern days but we were talking about horses, carriages, and unpaved roads here. Even a kilometer could be tough. The Knight cleared his throat to bring my attention back. Right, I was supposed to be getting ready. At present, my party wasn¡¯t the four stooges I was summon with. There was a reason for the current arrangement. Good or bad, I was still in debate. This genius idea was brought to you by Shin. A guy who lives in his own world and his own brand and idea of justice is absolute. An obstinate person, to say the least. According to his obstinate view, as heroes, each of us needs commanding and leadership skills to a certain degree. The plan was that we will each go our own way, leading our own party. I believe his precise words were, ¡°I can¡¯t lead your hands forever. We each have to know the way to lead, others and ourselves.¡± I couldn¡¯t recall when but he put himself on the throne among us arbitrary. The only person who objected was me but¡ªmy objections were wordless, as usual. And Shin seemed to have forgotten about what he promised me back then. Not that I ever believed a single word of his anyways. Perhaps in his own delusional mind, he was helping me in a way. If that was the case, then he is truly beyond help. Even if getting rid of me was indeed his true intention, he would keep lying to himself that he had good intentions till the end of days. He just wasn¡¯t the type to believe that he himself would have any ill-will in his heart. But of course, this dumpster fire of an idea was approved by the Emperor and he even helped assigned some people to my party. His assistance was only needed due to my reputation as the weakest Hero. Volunteers were scarce. By scarce, I actually meant that there was no volunteers aside from two people. The four on the other hand, had no shortage of volunteers. Lucinda, Lucy for short was the only volunteer besides a cleric-in-training. ¡°Lady Hirano?¡± Oh? I have drifted off into my own thoughts again. Guess I¡¯m still groggy in the morning. ¡°O-of course. Just give me a sec, I¡¯ll get dress.¡± With a fist to his chest, the knight named Roy bowed and left me and Lucy to get dress. Obviously, Roy was not a volunteer. To be frank, Roy was much more of a leader than me. On the official stance, I was the leader of my party but the responsibilities and duties were executed mostly by Roy. I couldn¡¯t exactly rebuke my current companions for not treating me like a leader with that apparent truth. Not that I was unhappy with the arrangement or anything. Being a leader was tough and I was sure I was of no leader caliber. After our donning our own respective plain and colorless clothes, Lucy and I helped each other to fit our armor on. There was a skill in this world that allows one to don a set of apparels in a snap. I was looking forward to acquire such skill but my aptitude would needed to be taken into account. ¡°Done,¡± cried Lucy in a cheerful voice that was a little too loud for the still-drowsy me. Lucy sported a set of heavy steel armor but no heavier than half her weight while I went for light leather armor. Heavy armor weighs my speed down as an agile scout but the truth was, metallic armor was simply too hot and the weight wasn¡¯t actually an issue if I just used Body Strengthening. We were nearing the middle of the year and around this time, it should be summer around this time. Which kinda explained the warm weather. Maybe warm would be an understatement. This world had twelve months a year and each month has thirty days exactly. A week is six days which makes a month has five weeks. The months in this world was call, the first moon, the second moon, the third moon, and so on until the twelfth moon. And most surprising of all, there were hours, minutes, and also seconds. There were even clocks. Although, only well-off places have clocks. Recluse and rural places used bell towers and sun dials as ways to measure time. The measurement of time with these units have been around for millenniums but it was odd that this knowledge was foreign to most peasants or commoners. Maybe it was just like the medieval ages back on earth. The clergies keeping the peoples in the dark to assume easier control over them but from what I heard, the most influential and largest religion was a truly benevolent one. I believed it was call the Nines of something. Bluebell Town wasn¡¯t secluded nor detached but there was only a bell tower. The bell was blue and it was still retaining its vibrant color after long years. Guessed I now knew the origin of this town¡¯s name. However, I need not of a clock. In the top right corner of my view, at the very edge of it, there was a clock in a digital format. Another one of the tricks that came with Abaddon, the Divine Art, not the Goddess herself. It was irritating that this clock display still persist even after I closed my eyes. I would need to disable it manually if I want an uninterrupted sleep. After we were done fitting each other, I tapped my body. Sword, check. Dagger, check. Throwing knives, check. Satchel bag, check. Potions, check. Compass, Check. All right, everything of mine seemed to be here. I didn¡¯t need a compass too but I got one for appearance¡¯s sake. I had one on the top middle of my view. The compass and clock weren¡¯t too big nor opaque to be a hindrance to my view which I was really grateful for. There was just one last thing to check. At my will, a wall of text in columns bearing my status information appeared only in my vision.
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Alive: None
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 4 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 4 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1600 Attack - 350 Defense - 200 Magic - 250 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 5 Remaining Ability Points: 0
Well, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any abnormalities in my stats. All good. Lucy, who was beside me, did the same check on her stats. Only difference between us, was that she used a status card for the inspection and I could see her stats too. Those who could check their own status information without a status card was those with Appraisal or Analysis ability. Analysis was just an upgrade to Appraisal. It offers more detail information. My Divine Art triumphed over Analysis though. It took me awhile but I think I figured it out what my Divine Art could do. For the most part, it was consist of perception and cognition related abilities, which really suited my role as a scout. I already knew about those from Abaddon, the Goddess herself but the best to this ability was, I perceived all this information like a video¡¯s game user interface. It was so surreal that I spent a week of doubting reality. Till now, I still had the doubts. But perception abilities were not all Abaddon had to offer. Skills and abilities, their values and levels increase automatically while completing or performing correlated actions or tasks. That was how people level up. That was the standard. Which I was not bound to. Instead, I gained Skill Points and Ability Points. I could then allocate these points to the stats or skills of my choice. To put it simpler, I had free rein of my growth as oppose to others. To unlock or acquire a new spell or skill, a single skill point is required and also the aptitude and knowledge of it. Luck was a factor too but I wasn¡¯t the type to put so much faith in luck. To increase the level of an ability to two, it requires two skill points. And this requirement goes up by one additional point for each level. As for Ability Points, a single Ability Point or, AP, increases a stat value by ten. For example, allocating one point to my current Speed stat will increase it to 610. Having free reins of one¡¯s own growth was an exclusive privilege. No doubt this power would be sought by many. Abaddon¡¯s advice was becoming sound.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. On day one, back when I thought this kind of mechanic applies to everyone, I almost revealed this factor if it wasn¡¯t for the quick and succinct explanation from the Imperial Mage Lord of Zerogian Empire. I really a dodged a bullet there. I hopped off the carriage and received Lucy in my arms who leaped into me. I gently laid her down on the ground. She was light but her strength was not. This wolf-kin girl was only three quarters of my height and I was only a hundred seventy centimeters tall. I ruffled Lucy¡¯s hair and caressed her wolf ears out of a habit I developed due to our height difference. Lucy, who was already used to it enjoy the obligatory head rub. Damn, it is really fluffy and soft. I looked around for my companions and found only Roy. Oh right, Roy said they went on ahead, didn¡¯t he. But to where? ¡°Backwater¡­.¡± Lucy muttered, probably her impression of this town. I heard things about Bluebell Town. A once glorified and prosperous city but now, it was nothing more than a small town living under the shadows of its former self. Streets were crowded beyond its capacity but somehow, everyone was able to go on their merry ways. They were probably just used to it. Despite the prosperous air the town was fill with, the majority of the facilities of this town were rundown or in shambles. Even the road of the streets weren¡¯t pave all that well. The governor of this town must be an incompetent one. Such a shame for a town full of potential to meet its nearing end in such a disappointing way. I was merely absorbed in the mood of this dying town but Roy seemed to have misread my gestures. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for the others, they are in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, acquiring information of Demon activities in Bluebell Forest.¡± Roy inclined his head at the building in front of us. The forest was the only source of income this town had. It was abundant with monsters. These monsters are sought after by many for their raw materials. This town would have crumbled without it. That reminded me, adventurers and Adventurer¡¯s Guild exist in this world. The old staple of RPGs. If what I read could be believed, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was one of the major power factions in the world. They had branches across the Evarenan. They had their own policies and some of it takes precedence over a nation¡¯s law. That was the extent of their influence and power. The south was the only parts without its influence. Knowing that, I lost any interest in becoming an adventurer. I did not want to get tied to such a powerhouse. The way I see it, adventurers were just political chess pieces. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch Quarters¡¯ of Bluebell was a large building. Probably the largest building in this small bustling town besides the governor¡¯s house. Quite a while has passed since they entered the guild building. Fortunately for me, I didn¡¯t need to wait any longer. They came out of the building soon after. My remaining teammates were a cleric-in-training boy, a male mage, and a light-armored dual-wielding female warrior. The scouts in my team were Lucy and yours truly. ¡°Look who¡¯s finally up,¡± came the condemning tone from the male mage, Liam. Sylvia the female warrior with dark skin beside Liam sighed. Our one-sided banter was a common act. It was always Sylvia who arbitrated between us. I guess she gave up this time around? My eyes were as always, glued to the tiny horns that were barely showing themselves from her unkempt gray hair. Those horns were the racial features of her species, Majins. I believed they once mistaken as Demons themselves due to their features and appearance but turns out, the true Demons bore no resemblance to the Majins. Although Majins possessed Demon blood in their veins, comparing them to Demons was the same as comparing Beast-kin to animals, and humans to apes. The misunderstanding was resolve by a Hero but that didn¡¯t mean the discrimination dissolved along with it. Still, it was quite curious that they were call ¡°Majin.¡± If I¡¯m not wrong, Majin was a Japanese word. I was half-Japanese myself but I wasn¡¯t well-verse in the language since my parents died when I was young. Everything I knew about Japanese were all self-taught or memories from when I was just a toddler. Nevertheless, the term, ¡°Majin¡± was no doubt coined by a Japanese. Does that mean the Hero is a Japanese? ¡°Enough, Liam!¡± Roy raised his voice. ¡°Just tell me what have you got?¡± I was too engrossed in my own thoughts that I paid no attention to Liam¡¯s insult and he ended up getting reproached himself. ¡°L-last sighting of Demons was t-two days ago,¡± the one who answered with stuttering words was the Cleric Boy, Zian Hao Ren £¨¼áºÆÈÊ£© but we just called him Ren. Zian was his surname. He was a Xin but a believer of western faith. Intriguing but I won¡¯t pry. Each has their own reasons. I surmised Xin was the equivalent of Earth¡¯s Chinese going solely by their names, appearance, and culture. Maybe not an exact one to one as Xin did have some other Asian cultures mixed in. ¡°An adventurers group encountered a group of six Demons in the middle section of the forest. The adventurers group is B-rank. They set out with a number of five but came back with two,¡± continued Sylvia. In contrast to the shaking Ren, her voice was firm. ¡°The estimation of the Demons¡¯ levels?¡± ¡°Judging from their descriptions, it is mostly lesser tiers.¡± Size don¡¯t necessarily designated their tiers but on most times, they do but my current companions wouldn¡¯t know about that. Everything they knew about Demons came from texts they read off from somewhere. I was the only one in the party with actual Demon slaying experience but they treated me like a novice all the same. ¡°I see,¡± said Roy. ¡°Will that be all?¡± Sylvia nodded followed by the slow Ren. Hmm? Roy glanced over to me. ¡°What are your orders, milady?¡± To those words, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to me. Feeling pressured, I gave an arbitrary order. ¡°We are sortieing out immediately. The sun is still bright. We need all the advantage we can get.¡± I can¡¯t believe I just used the word, ¡°sortieing.¡± Is that even a word? My answer may be in the spur of the moment but it was my honest conjecture. I had powers of a God¡ª a Goddess but I was by no means a competent combatant. My trait is reconnaissance. A trait that didn¡¯t seem to be highly regarded by the other four heroes. Thus, their perception of me being weak escalated into rumors. Shin was no different than the other three but he was the only one who tried to sugar coat it. It didn¡¯t make me felt any better. My new companions however, had a slightly better opinion on my role and trade as a scout. Liam had gone out of his way to voice his thoughts on how my scouting abilities was my sole saving grace to the integrity of my ¡°Hero¡± status. I¡¯m honestly at a lost on which was more infuriating. Anyways, back to present reality. ¡°Everyone, we¡¯ll go tend to our own preparations and shall we meet up back here in half an hour?¡± I suggested but I¡¯m sure they interpreting it as some pompous order. ¡°Sounds good, milady,¡± Roy bowed. Sylvia left after a slight bow with her fist to her chest. Liam left while rolling his eyes. He did it deliberately in a way that couldn¡¯t be missed by me. What a prick. Ren was the only one left. ¡°So how about you?¡± I asked. ¡°Eh? Me? I-I¡¯m¡­. I¡¯m going to the local t-temple¡­.¡± Since it must be some religion-related stuff, I didn¡¯t press for more. ¡°Well, okay then. See you later,¡± I waved. He edged back from my wave and his face turned beet red. This reaction¡­. Don¡¯t tell me-- Just as he was about to turn toes and ran, I called out to him again. ¡°Um, Ren?¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± he turned back to face me with a raised voice. He was even fidgeting like a little girl with his fingers wrapping tightly around the magic staff in his hands. He really looked like a school girl in love. ¡°Could you help me asked around the temple if there¡¯s any Abaddon shrine in this town?¡± I requested. When Abaddon said her believers were few, I underestimated her use of the word, ¡°few.¡± On the first week we arrived in this world, we were assigned attendants. I asked these attendants and none of them seemed to even know about the existence of Abaddon. Even some of the scholars believed her to be merely a myth. ¡°O-of course!¡± bowed Ren as he took in my request without so much as a single hesitation. He turned even redder when he realized his response was too quick. He shook his head in a fit and gave a really deep bow again before scuttling away like a squirrel. What is this cute animal? His reddened face reminds me of my ex when he confessed to me. Don¡¯t tell me he fancies me? Nay. I didn¡¯t think I was that attractive to make anyone fall head over heels so easily. I would question their sanity if they did. While I was lost in my own train of thought, the feeling of my clothes being tucked pulled me back to reality. I looked at the culprit, Lucy to see what¡¯s up. ¡°Hungry,¡± she told me. The way she put her finger on her lips and her other hand on her belly was just too cute that I involuntarily patted her head. ¡°Ah, right. We haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, have we?¡± We did woke up at noon after all. And so, we left the carriage to look for something to eat after informing the coachman. The coachman was also our handler. He was responsible for handling in reports of our situation to the Empire every once in a while. Among my current companions, I was the only one in the knowing of this. It might be for the best to keep this to myself. After all, to fool an enemy, one must fool one¡¯s own allies first. Despite my reputation as the weakest Hero, I was still considered an individual that couldn¡¯t be left unwatched. As we headed further down the streets, the crowds only got busier. I held Lucy¡¯s hand in case we got separated. Following Lucy¡¯s nose, we arrived in front of a stall selling meat skewers. It wasn¡¯t flooding with customers but there were quite a few of them. Considering this was our first time here, being able to track down a particular stall just by scent among rowdy crowds was an amazing feat. Lucy was staring at the displayed skewers with sparkling eyes and a drooling mouth. A box of text popped up in my view. The pop-up told me of the meat skewer¡¯s origin. Apparently the meat was of a monster called; Steel Tusk Boar. A staple type of meat here in the west. Boar meat wasn¡¯t the only meat the stall sold. There were also chicken and beef although they appeared to be less popular than the boar meat. After buying two of each, I understood why chicken and beef were less popular. Both cost twice as much as a single boar meat skewer. Another thing I still couldn¡¯t accustom myself to was the concept of haggling. It was more common to haggle than not. Which was why the stall owner gave me a curious glance when I paid up straight away after he named his price. Since I received allowance regularly from the Empire, I wasn¡¯t tight on money. ¡°Hmm~! Yum~!¡± expressed Lucy who took on two skewers at once. This little girl sure can put it away. Is it perhaps the trait of a beast-kin? The boar meat was a new taste for me but the chicken and beef tasted just like the ones on earth. The chicken skewer tasted a little sweet which reminded me of a Southeast-Asian dish called Satay. ¡°Next stall!¡± she happily cried out. That was insanely quick. She finished the three skewer when I was only halfway through my first one. Our next stall was a sandwich stall. Slices of meat stuffed into a bread through a narrow incision. It was also Steel Tusk Boar meat. The texture of the meat felt odd. It didn¡¯t feel suitable to be eaten flatly but I kept my opinion to myself since Lucy looked happy. ¡°New around town?¡± asked the old lady who was the stall owner. ¡°Nn,¡± I nodded. ¡°Then do what you have to do in the forest and leave. Don¡¯t dally like the other adventurers.¡± It was just an advice despite the hostile tone. She might have judged that I was an adventurer due to my getup. When I asked her of the reason, she told me of a local legend. The legend went like this, approximately two thousand years ago, there was a dragon who made its nest here. Monsters from other realms came attacking. The dragon fought against this monsters and eventually sacrificed itself to defeat this monsters. The legend was passed down till this day. The forest at one point was forbidden to hunt in but compromise was made by the feudal lords when they realized how much profit they could rake in by promoting the forest as an adventurer¡¯s hotspot. Those who retained the history of the forest, expressed their warning but it only fell on death ears. The stall owner was one of these peoples. Adventurers should just do what they were meant to do and leave immediately. Dawdling in the forest was seen as being disrespectful towards the final resting place of the dragon. The locals were afraid it would bring about some ill omen. Some even believed this was the reason the town degraded to such state. It was an interesting story. Mingling with the locals and listening to local legends were more compelling than staying cooped up in the Imperial Palace. It reminded me that I was far away from home and it felt just a little bit like I was on vacation. I was so absorbed in the tale that I only took notice of Lucy¡¯s call when she head-butted my sides. She apologized and pulled me along, immediately. Despite having lower ECS than me, Lucy was physically stronger than me. Or I should just stop spacing out every now and then. After filling our stomach which took up half of the agreed upon time, we came to an alchemist¡¯s shop. Maybe it was the lack of designers or money, all the buildings bore the same color and shape with one another. The signboards were the only way to distinguish which is which. I was glad that this world¡¯s main language was English although they called it Common as in The Common Language. In fact, I couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued by the numerous terminologies and jargons this world share with Earth. It wasn¡¯t outrageous to assume Evarenan was a world partially shaped with Earth¡¯s culture by the reincarnated and summoned ones. The interior of the alchemist¡¯s shop was a shocking sight. It was tidy and clean as oppose to the exterior. Each products and items were arrange neatly on shelves and display tables. There were even small cardboard sign that indicated the price for each unit per gram. Since prices could be haggled, the designated prices serve as reference. I left Lucy at a diner across the street as she could get touchy with stuffs. Furthermore, the smell would be too much for a wolf¡¯s sensitive nose. Even from there, she complained of the herbal smell that drifted all the way to the diner. After looking around, I took two of each for health, Mana, basic antidote, and Gray Spores. The Gray Spores came in small sacks and it was a silver coin each. Quite expensive but it was understandable considering the declining economy. I didn¡¯t forget to check the expiration date. Yes, potions have expiration dates. They would lose their potency after the expiration date. It never crossed my mind potions could expire since I have been treating the world like a game. My oversight had caused me some lost. Since then, the expiration dates were the first thing I look at. All the potions I chosen were one week away from expiring, so it should be good for my intent and purpose. The total was seven silvers but I haggled it down to six. I didn¡¯t want to haggle but the questioning gaze from the storekeeper was too much. The storekeeper was a short grumpy old man with a magnificent beard. After appraising him, I found out he was a Fairy-kin, a Dwarf. He had Fire Magic, Earth Magic, Alchemy, and Spirit Magic. He was a B-rank with an ECS triple my value. Quite strong. I have seen and heard of Dwarf Smiths but this was my first for a Dwarf Alchemist. ¡°Oi!¡± The Dwarf hammered the counter. I jumped from his sudden escalation of his grumpy behavior. ¡°Did ya parents never taught ya tat appraising others without their consent is rude?¡± I was told of such thing in the Imperial Palace but I never take it to heart as I had never been caught. I quickly apologized but his scolding only continued. In his lectures, he let slip of the fact that he was able to detect my appraisal due to his Spirit Magic. I see. So Spirit Magic has such ability. But it would be useless to me since I could camouflage my information with a fake one with my Divine Art, Abaddon. I didn¡¯t make much change to my fake information status, only to the ones that would reveal my hidden powers and my status as a Goddess¡¯ Apostle. His lecture went on until another customer walked in. His gear shifted in an instance. Like completely. He wasn¡¯t grumpy towards the customer that just walked in. He shouted a welcome full of spirit. I guessed I could figure out why. The customer was a little girl with cyan braided-tail hair. Her blue dress was lavishing and her skin was smooth. She was definitely a daughter of some person with influential position. She couldn¡¯t be a noble¡¯s daughter as she didn¡¯t have any guards with her. I had not met a noble who wasn¡¯t protective of their daughters. The girl made a beeline to the counter. She gestured me to make way with an ¡°excuse me.¡± Her voice was low but vibrant. It almost sounded like she was singing in short verse. She smells nice, almost like a flower. I made way and she plopped her head on the counter. She used some sort of magic as steps to compensate her short stature. She looked only a little bit older than Lucy and was also a little taller than her. ¡°Coral Flowers?¡± As if matching her image of short, even her words were short. ¡°Ah¡­. Sorry, little missy. The new batch ain¡¯t hear¡¯ yet.¡± ¡°Cavo Berries?¡± Coral Flowers mixed with sugar were excellent reliefs for migraines, fatigues, and also morning sickness. Cavo Berries were basically painkillers. They were half the size of a person¡¯s palm and they were a standard for adventurers. I believed they were also rather cheap because of how easy they could be grown and harvested in abudance. ¡°Got a lotta¡¯ them, little missy. How many ya want?¡± ¡°Mm¡­.¡± She showed three fingers. ¡°Three hundred.¡± I almost choked at her words but I recomposed myself when I realized she meant grams. ¡°A¡¯ight, wait here, little missy.¡± The Dwarf said and disappeared into the backroom. It was just the two of us now and an awkward silence. Since I had finish my business and free from the Dwarf¡¯s lecture, I headed for the exit. Just then, the door was fling open and a girl entered. W-wait¡­. What?? It threw me off when I saw the girl¡¯s face. She looked like the little girl at the counter but a little bit older and taller, almost as tall as me. Her hair was a bobcut unlike the little girl. In addition to her azure dress, she wore leather armor on top of it. She gave out the impression of a princess who yearns to be a fighter. This girl has the same flower-scented fragrance on her. My first instinct was to appraise her but I held back. A small voice in my head advised me from it. ¡°Kirin! There you are!¡± The girl called out and brushed past me to the little girl. Our shoulders bumped but she didn¡¯t give an apology. It vexed me but I wasn¡¯t the type to blow things out of proportion. After leaving the shop, I went straight for the diner across the street. At Lucy¡¯s table, I found five empty plates and a wolf-kin girl with a bulging stomach. I only gave her ten coppers but she seemed to have make the most out of it. As a waitress past by Lucy, her hand were already reaching up. I grabbed her raised hand and pulled her out of the chair with the help of Body Strengthening. It would have been easier if it was Herculean Strength but I didn¡¯t have such skill yet. Lucy was reluctant. At this point, I have gotten used to her gluttonous side. It took some time to persuade her but after promising her that we would be having cakes after the subjugation of Demons, she relented. The meal were paid, of course. This world¡¯s food industry adopts the concept of ¡°pay upon serving.¡± As I stepped out of the diner with Lucy trailing behind me with a reluctant parting gaze, the little girl from before came out of the alchemist¡¯s shop. Her sister, which I assumed her to be, followed just behind her. They met up with a boy with tanned skin just outside. As old as me and just as tall. His face was on the rare side. In the words of my former world, he had a face of a Eurasian. A Eurasian with tanned skin. He was wearing a gray bandanna which looked mismatched with his light armor. I couldn¡¯t tell what kind of material the armor was made of, so I tried to appraise it out of habit. The results were, Unknown Leather. My gaze only moved a little but the boy became a target of appraisal in my sight. What the f¡ª I almost cursed out loud when I saw his information. He had a powerful recognition inhibition item that could even hinder my appraisal ability but not to the full extent. Still, this was the first time that my ability was prevented albeit not completely. I saw only his name, race, and age. Cormac Atlas, a Dark Oni, and sixteen years old. Oni was a very elusive race. They were even much more of a rare sight than the secluded Elves. Oni races were Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, who had cast aside their dark sides and repented. At least that was what I read about them. Unable to quell my curiosity, I appraised the other two against my better judgment. To my surprise, I was unable to appraise the little girl but I had luck with the elder one. Although it was only her name, race, and age like the Oni. Her name was Nieumilin which I had no idea how to pronounce. Her race was also an unexpected one, a Dryad and she was over two thousand years old. If I were to use her as a reference, the little girl would be a Dryad too. ¡°Shizu?¡± I snapped out of it after a nudge from Lucy. It was really unusual and curious for two rare races to be walking around town. They might have something to do with the recent Demon activities around this parts but I wasn¡¯t so brazen to jump on that conclusion. I had enough problems as it is and getting mixed up with them would only made things worse for me. As they went down the street in a certain direction, I went down the other. I knew I was destine for greatness or something of a large scale. It is why I was bestow the Divine Art, Night Empress Abaddon, after all. But in my heart, I just want to take things at my own pace. I even wished our paths would never cross again. My honest wish at that time. However¡ª --I didn¡¯t knew their master was meant to cross paths with me. Chapter 1 - 3 Bluebell Forest ¡°Another one,¡± reported Lucy, hunkering over a corpse of a Dire Wolf. Callous lacerations all over the mangled carcass of a Dire Wolf. Beasts kill each other for food or over territory, rarely for sport. This body is neither of the three. If it is killed by a predator, there would only be bones. This body isn¡¯t even half eaten. As far as I can tell, this is neutral grounds, so it cancels out territory aggression. The body is mutilated to the point of being unrecognizable. There is too much effort put in to be mere sports. It¡¯s almost if some creature lashed out all its suffering and anger onto the poor Dire Wolf. ¡°Mindless beasts¡­.¡± I overhear the small mutter from Liam. He looks pale. He has been covering his mouth ever since we encountered the first mutilated carcass of a beast. Gore seems to disagree with him. I guess gore and I share a common interest. But he nevertheless does his job. Which is harvesting the Mana Cores from the dead beasts. Mana Cores are the primary ingredient in crafting magic tools. The cores can only be harvested upon death and with an Arcane Art called Essence Extract, specially conceived for this line of work. It is the standard to at least have one member with Essence Extract in a party. The Mana essence of the monsters leaks into Liam¡¯s hand in a smoky form which then converges and crystallizes into a spherical object brimming with faint purplish blue light. Beasts and Monsters¡¯ Mana are purplish blue while most of the Sagax races are blue. Demons and Majins are red though. ¡°Alright, keep moving,¡± said Roy. He beat me by one second. The trees in this forest grew close to each other. Perceiving a few distance away is even a chore due to the compact growth formation of these trees. Roy is having a hard time moving due to him having the largest body size among us. The pungent smell of the carcasses however, are quite apparent. I can tell another disfigure carcass laid not far from where we are just from the smell alone. ¡°It seems the Demons are more savage than I heard.¡± With his helmet in the way, I couldn¡¯t tell Roy¡¯s facial expression but his status told me enough. It reads, Nauseous: Mild. I have grew accustom to the smells of dead bodies the Demons laid in their wake when I was in my old party. Sylvia, the Majin is unbothered as I expected. I have heard Majins have high tolerance against foul smell and miasma. It turns out to be true. Ren however, is doing the worst among us. His status is, Nauseous: Severe. Being a cleric, he¡¯s responsible for medical treatment and clearing any serious status ailment on us. He also has a magic for perceiving any imminent dangers, Augur. Since Augur is only level one, it is unreliable but it is still a magic worth having. ¡°Come on, we gotta keep moving.¡± I said after finish assessing the scene. Looks like I beat Roy this time. Yeah, I¡¯m petty. Roy walks first as he is the vanguard. A sword and shield in his hands. The middle is Sylvia and I. The backline will be Liam and Ren who are both spell casters. Lucy is acting as the scout in my place and she stays in the trees. This our party formation, superficially in a sense at least. Perception is my forte, thanks to Abaddon. Long distance sight is also one of my abilities and I also have an invisible three sixty field that allows me to any presence that enters into my field. The field spans a little bit over two hundred meters but outside a hundred meters, my perception will not be as effective. Still, I would notice any person or thing in the vicinity faster than Lucy. Lucy is a wolf-kin. Not some feline but she¡¯s doing well in hopping from trees to trees. This is a different world after all. I can¡¯t expect every common things to be the same. We come across many carcasses of the same sorry state as we continue on deeper into the forest. We are not wandering aimlessly nor leisurely. We are looking for the sauce. The Spawn Portal. It is where the Demons emerged from. These portals appear arbitrary in places with dense miasma. From the information we have gathered, the Demons are coming from in the inner section of Bluebell Forest. There is where we are heading to. We reach the middle layer of the forest but the pungent smell is only fading. Contrary to my expectations, the death count of beasts are also decreasing as we dwell deeper into the forest. Looking at it logically, it makes sense. The animals, creatures, beasts, or monsters, their instincts are their lifeline. Most likely their instincts are telling them to distance themselves away from the inner parts. Which is why we mostly only encountered them in the outer layer. We came under-attacked a few times by some Magic Beasts but we dispatched them no problem. --Nay. There is a slight problem. Our teamwork. Or rather, the absence of our teamwork. While it isn¡¯t a big problem now but it will be one when we face the Demons. Unlike me, my current companions have no experience with fighting Demons. Facing Demons head on without any plans nor cooperation is a foolish and lethal decision. My first excursion with my original companions taught me that. Thank god for magic. Otherwise, Greg and Shin would be limbless cripples for life. It was a horrifying experience but Shin is strong-willed and thick in the head. We picked ourselves back up eventually. We walk on while continuing fending of Magic Beasts. We weren¡¯t their aim. They were just running away and we were coincidentally in their way. Roy and Sylvia are the only one doing work. The rest of us aren¡¯t slacking. We just weren¡¯t given a chance to. I¡¯m not complaining but I doubt it will look good in the reports. Before long, I can tell we are entering into the inner layer as the lushes of greens decreased tremendously. A thin layer of midst engulfs the inner layer. Everywhere I looked, there are only decayed carcasses and dead trees. It might have been the slightly thick midst as some of the trees and stumps look blurred to my view. My heart drummed suddenly but I¡¯m not fazed by it. It has happened too many times to be surprise to it any longer. It is the impetus as the signal for imminent threats. Lucy then imitates a bird¡¯s chirping which is our signal for enemies closing in. Demons, four of them. They are closing in fast. But¡­. It¡¯s kinda different. They are coming to us head on. From my experience, Demons don¡¯t attack head on. They are more like wolves. They have always used traps and ambushes. Rarely head-on unless as a last resort. ¡°Demons! They are coming to us!¡± shouted Lucy from the trees. ¡°Luce, stay up there!¡± I shouted back. Lucy¡¯s combat experience extends only as far as E-rank Horned Rats. She¡¯s no match for Demons, not even the lesser ones. ¡°How many?!¡± asked Sylvia with a shout. ¡°A-about three?! Their movements are erratic, I can¡¯t tell exactly.¡± I¡¯m considering to tell them the real numbers but doing that will make them question my true abilities. I do not want my Divine Art to be discovered. ¡°Argh! Useless!¡± complained our attack mage, Liam. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll just burn them all down no matter how many comes our way.¡± Burn them down? Before I can find my voice to retort, Roy found his first. ¡°Liam, we are in a forest. Using fire magic is a fool¡¯s move in a forest.¡± Liam clicked his tongue from being pointed out of his idiocy. ¡°Should I be doing something?¡± Ren asked with trembling legs. ¡°Be prepare to cast a barrier or defensive magic on us, in case of emergency.¡± I told him. ¡°E-emergency? There¡¯s going to be an emergency?¡± Oh dear, what is with this two? ¡°They are here!¡± Sylvia¡¯s yell brought my attention to the front. Three Demons appear from the trees. One of them is still behind. They are too fast and they are kinda more erratic than usual. They are coming at us like wild dogs. Sylvia is a C-rank and so is Roy. Their speed value are not enough to compete with the Demons¡¯. They will need leverage. ¡°Winds of compulsion, Howling Gale.¡± I chanted and unleashed a crowd-control spell. The strong wind clashes against the approaching Demons, slowing their advances. The raised dust clouds obstruct their visions. ¡°Now!¡± At my signal, Roy and Sylvia charge at the Demons with their swords drawn. ¡°Aim for their core, it¡¯s the only way to kill them.¡± I yelled out. ¡°It is mostly around the center of their body.¡± Unlike normal Magic Beasts, a Demon¡¯s Mana Core is crystallized by default which makes Essence Extract inept against them. Without Mana Vision, it is tough to tell the location of their Mana Core but they are most common location is the center of their body. Roy empowers his long sword by using Magic Melee Arts: Spell Edge. He then uses Tri-Cleave and cuts the Demon into five pieces, revealing the reddish Mana Core of the Demon. He brings his sword around and thrusts at the Mana Core, shattering it. As for Sylvia, she also uses Spell Edge in conjecture with a double cross-cut. The Demon split it into four pieces but Sylvia is lucky to have struck the Mana Core with her attacks. Both of the Demon withered into ashes and get carried away by the winds. At least they know enough to try to aim for the Mana Core which is a standard tactic for killing any Magic Beasts. Since there are no Mana Cores to be harvested from killing Demons, it is not a profitable business. So in addition to being a tough job, it isn¡¯t even rewarding. Which is why Demon hunting is often left to Heroes. Although recently¡­. There was a group of Templar Knights called Night Hunters. They are basically Demon Hunters. I can still vividly remember my encounter with them. The leader of Night Hunters, Xatara Ae¡¯myun is by far the strongest person I have met. I haven¡¯t seen her in action but the information from appraisal is basically filled with evidence of her true strength. Terrifying she may be, she is also a person of great beauty for a fighter. While I¡¯m reminiscing, the third Demon rushes at me. ¡°Power that courses through my veins, takes the shape of an arrow, Magic Bolt.¡± After a slightly long chant, three blue arrows made of magic appear and went flying at the Demon. One missed but the remaining the two found its mark. That isn¡¯t enough however. ¡°Such tenacious foul beast,¡± cursed Liam. Bzzt, wrong. You suck, that¡¯s all. He didn¡¯t even aim for the Demon¡¯s Mana Core and that¡¯s a very long chant for just a beginner spell, Mana Control: Magic Bolt. The Demon is still rushing at my way.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Shizu!¡± yelled Lucy from the trees. I give her a secret thumbs out to signal that I¡¯ll be fine. I sneak a glance over my shoulder. Ren is frozen stiff at the situation. Normally, the support mage should be casting defensive magic to protect its companion from harm but this support mage is too busy shitting himself. No choice but to save myself. ¡°Arise as my shield against all harm, Vacuum Wall.¡± A barrier of vacuum forms between me and the lunging Demon. The brittle intermediate level defensive magic broke in a single clash but that bought enough time for Sylvia and Roy to come to my rescue. I say my thanks to the two while faking heavy breathings. My perception ability kinda slows down time for me to perceive things, so I know if something are actually dangerous such as the Demon who lunged at me. I judge that with Vacuum Wall, I will be able to buy enough time for the two to reach me. Although time slowed but that¡¯s only perception wise, my movements are still of real time. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Roy accepted my gratitude without complains. ¡°You should stay even further if that¡¯s all you¡¯re capable of,¡± but it was different for Sylvia. Although I can tell she isn¡¯t actually trying to insult me but advising me. ¡°S-sorry,¡± said Ren as he finally regains his composure. I wonder who sanctioned him for a field work. But he recomposed himself at the wrong timing. ¡°Stride on the swift wind, Gale Rush.¡± Ignoring the confused gaze of my companions, I use an intermediate movement acceleration magic towards Ren. The ground behind him cracks and bursts apart immediately after. Between the exploded ground and the charging me, is a dazed Ren. I reach him just in time as the Demon emerges from the ground. ¡°Air Burst.¡± As the name stated, the air in front of me exploded, sending Ren and I flying backwards, away from the Demon. Liam screamed at the sudden ambush of the forth Demon. In a panic, he begins to chant a fire spell. ¡°Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulfs my enemies in a flash, Fire Bolt!¡± Why in the fuck¡¯s name of Abaddon would you do that?! The fire attack magic exploded against the Demon. The nearby dead leaves and trees contracted the raging flames from the scattered sparks. ¡°Liam, you idiot!¡± screamed Sylvia who is running towards Liam. There isn¡¯t even a silver lining to his fuck-up. His MP is now only a quarter and the Demon lives, with a thirty percent of its health. In the midst of confusion, I quietly chant an advance level spell. ¡°Element of tranquility and rage, slicing fury of the winds, Wind Slash.¡± A straight line of compressed air, bisects the Demon diagonally into half. I aimed it in a way that it would cut the Mana Core along with it. The ashes of the deceased Demon swallowed up by the raging wild fire. To the others, it must have looked like the Demon died from the Liam¡¯s attack. Skill Point(s) gained +1 Ability Point(s) gained +2 These words appeared in my view. Not much is gained but it is reasonable considering I only shaved off what little remains of its health. ¡°Liam, what were you thinking?!¡± Roy yelled. ¡°Shut up, I just did what any reasonable man would do, you dimwit.¡± Wow, this guy is obstinate beyond saving. It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to call him the chaotic evil version of Shin. ¡°Ah, fuck it!¡± The profanity came from Sylvia. She took out a scroll from her belt sack. The pop-up tells me that it is a Magic Scroll. The spell it contains is, Aqua Rush. Additional information tells me that it is of advance level and it¡¯s basically a small tidal wave. Using that Magic Scroll, Sylvia managed to completely extinguish the fire before it gets out of control. ¡°You know, if the scout did a better job, we wouldn¡¯t have been ambush and I won¡¯t be force to make a hard decision.¡± Instead of repenting, he only digs his hole deeper. Even Ren has a look of disbelief of how obstinate one can be. Oh? Obstinate One and Unseeing of Truth, has been added as his titles but they are grayed out. Unsightly deeds or remarkable achievements¡¯ title are always grayed out which mean the titles are hidden from normal appraisal abilities. Stuck-up he may be, we are still on a quest and every member counts. His punishment will be postponed after our excursion. Although he¡¯s in-denial of his mistakes through his words, his status which reads, Anxious told me enough.
¡°Ruins up ahead. In a clearing.¡± I thanked Lucy for her report and signaled my companions to move slower and quieter. We have encountered two more Demons along the way but our last battle made it easier this time. Roy and Sylvia don¡¯t seem to have any problems with my command but the same cannot be said to Liam. Ren on the other hand is just too much of yellow-belly. The only he done was provide minor healing on Sylvia who received light wounds from the last two Demons. We lighten our steps and creep closer to the clearing. I made sure to tell them not to tread on any twigs as much as they can. Lucy gasped suddenly. ¡°Luce, what is it?¡± I already know why but I asked for appearance¡¯s sake. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of them,¡± she told us with a hush voice. ¡°How many?¡± asked Roy. ¡°Dozens.¡± A silent shriek escapes Liam¡¯s closed lips. He looks around to see if anyone heard that. I did but I didn¡¯t show it. ¡°W-what do we do?¡± Ren asked, nervously. He is making so much noise with the staff trembling along his with hands. I made him put it down to avoid alerting the Demons. ¡°Relax.¡± I told him. I have actually cast Serenity, an advance level Wind Magic that silence the sounds around the caster. Since my Wind Magic level is still only four, casting advance level spells drains a lot of my Mana. Serenity along with Wind Slash earlier, my current MP is cut down to thirty percent of its maximum value. Although it will not become a problem as I have remarkable MP recovery rate, which is also thanks to Abaddon. I¡¯m sure glad there isn¡¯t anyone with Appraisal or Analysis in my party. I can hide and camouflaged my titles and abilities but not my HP and MP. I don¡¯t have an absurd amount but recovering too fast will still invoke some questions. Like a game, my HP and MP bar is placed on the top left corner of my view. Slowly and steadily, we reached the clearing and sure enough, the ruins of a cathedral is crawling with Demons. Huh¡­. That¡¯s strange. I¡¯m not wrong about the feeling I had. They may be mindless monsters but they are not simpletons. Their current formation are too disordered, there is no formation, so to speak. Unless they are feeding, they don¡¯t stand in open grounds and reveal their location for all to se. They are instinctually cunning monsters that relies on stealth. This behavior is unbefitting of them. I wonder what¡¯s making them deviating from their normal behavior. ¡°What¡¯s our next move?¡± asked Roy. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± I told them. ¡°We should head back and get more people for this. They are not acting like the usual Demons.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± the dubious Sylvia turned to me. I explained to them of the Demons¡¯ normal behavior. I thought they would at least provide an argument but they are surprisingly trusting of me. Perhaps it is because of their instincts as seasoned warriors. They all agreed with my advice except for Liam, of course. ¡°Oh please, you¡¯re just saying this to make yourself look good as a hero. Just admit that you have cold feet. Don¡¯t try to hide it on stupid pretexts.¡± What the hell is wrong with this guy? ¡°Liam!¡± Roy silently reproached him but his voice is still a little too loud for comfort. His voice is a little too aggressive too for the usually calm Roy. ¡°You all are so stupid. Can¡¯t you tell what this lass is trying to do? She got kicked out of her original party but of course there is no way the Empire or she will admit to that.¡± That¡¯s his interpretation?! Shin might have a competition now. Without minding the reproachful glare he¡¯s garnering, he continues. ¡°If she can¡¯t take command, then I will.¡± A flash of light crossed my eyes. Roy has drew his sword and landed a shallow cut on Liam¡¯s cheek. ¡°Be silent¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± instead of backing off, the cut only further aggravates Liam. ¡°You simpleton mage. I have been wanting to have your head and you are starting to give me a reason to.¡± What? Sylvia, you too? Lucy drops down from the tree and draws her dagger. ¡°You insult Shizu one more time, I will show you the prided fangs of the Wolf-kin.¡± Even the usual feeble Ren is staring daggers at Liam, his hands curling into a fist. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with everyone?! ¡­.?! Realizing something, I look at my own status menu and everyone else¡¯s. Except for mine, everyone¡¯s read, Disgruntled: Moderate. As for mine, it was, Mind Magic Influence: Resisted. I see. ¡°You all, calm down.¡± I raised my voice slightly. ¡°We are all being influenced by some mind magic in the area, we are not being ourselves right now.¡± Hearing my words, the level of influence drops to mild. ¡°You¡¯re right. My head kinda feels lighter now,¡± said Sylvia. Mind Magic is a powerful magic depending on the circumstances but some loses its potency when the victim becomes aware of it, like this one. ¡°Looks like this is what made the Demons changed their behavior too.¡± I relay my thoughts on this matter. Roy and Sylvia agreed but¡ª -- Not Liam of course. ¡°Great, now you¡¯re blaming it on magic,¡± said Liam, mockingly. Something moved swiftly among us and it was followed by a light ¡°thump¡± sound. ¡°Eh?¡± muttered Ren as he realized his staff was gone from where he put it down. In front of us, Liam lies unconscious. Lucy has knocked him out cold with Ren¡¯s staff. Looks like she is only half-kidding about what she said earlier. ¡°Not the desired outcome but it¡¯s the best one we got,¡± said Roy. ¡°Should we go back now?¡± Ren suggested. ¡°No. We must at least find the Spawn Portal first before we head back.¡± Sylvia recommended. ¡°W-what?! We are?!¡± asked the now frantic Ren. ¡°Yes,¡± answered Roy. ¡°It¡¯s better and easier to gather information now with a small a party than a huge party later.¡± I agreed with what Roy said. Reconnaissance is always easier when the team is small. Just then, a wave of magic energy expanded out from the ruins of the Cathedral. From the brief moment of the wave rushing past us, I caught the information that popped up. It reads, Void Energy. Void energy? I don¡¯t think I have ever heard of such magic or element before. At most, there is the Abyss Magic I know of which is essentially, the highest tier of dark magic. ¡°Hey, Hirano.¡± The Majin called me, without the ¡°Lady¡± part. Almost everyone has been calling me Hirano or Lady Hirano for a while now. I¡¯m starting to think they presume Shizuka is my family name instead of Hirano. Western names do have their surnames on the right unlike eastern. At this point, I don¡¯t think I care that much about it. ¡°Aren¡¯t the Demons acting weirder than before?¡± Looking at the Demons who are now peeking around like meerkats, I nodded. Looks like the energy wave just now has gotten them riled-up. One by one, they begin running in odd directions. Some went into the cathedral ruins and some are heading into the forest. In other words¡ª --some of them are coming towards us. Not good. ¡°We should retreat.¡± All of them nodded at once to my suggestion. ¡°Who¡¯s carrying this idiot?¡± asked Sylvia, pointing at the fainted Liam. Before we could decide, twigs snapping and leaves rustling from behind us sent us into a state of alert. We turned to look but there was nothing. --No. There is something. Concentrating my vision on the slightly blurred trees in my view, text box of information popped-up simultaneously. Oh god, how can I miss those? The trees and dead stumps we passed by aren¡¯t exactly what they seemed. It wasn¡¯t my vision nor the midst, they look blurred because they are merely fakes. Mimic, is what¡¯s written in the pop-ups. ¡°Mimics.¡± At my word, Roy and Sylvia strengthened their swords with Spell Edge . ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything?¡± said Lucy. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to. Their mimicry extends toward the aspect scent too. Even a normal appraisal would be fooled.¡± I told Lucy who is inching closer to me. Hopefully my voice isn¡¯t loud enough to be heard by the other three. Sensing that they have been found, the Mimics undone their disguise and reveal themselves to us. Their original form is that of a ball of blackness with four sickle limbs protruding from their spherical body. Their mouth encompass their entire body. They are as large as an average child. ¡°They found us!¡± yelled Ren. I fought against my urge to roll my eyes. The Demons who are running arbitrary have also found us. Upon further inspection, there are so much more Mimics beyond those in sight. We can neither retreat nor advance. What do we do? This not my usual party. I don¡¯t know the extent of their potential. Perhaps Roy knew I froze. He takes charge and gives out an order. ¡°Head to the ruins. At least we can have some cover there. I¡¯ll carry Liam.¡± Then, a Demon and a Mimic both lunge at us from both sides. Roy move to intercept fast with Sylvia as back-up. ¡°Ren, Blinding Flash, now!¡± While holding off the lunging Demon, Roy ordered. ¡°R-right! Element that illuminates the path in darkness--¡± Lucy has intercepted the Mimic who aimed for me. Her small dagger plunged into its body but not enough to kill it. It only died after I bisected the Mimic into two with my sword. Some notification pops up in my view, probably about the ability and skill points I gained from slaying a Mimic but now isn¡¯t the time to look at it. ¡°¡ªpaint all corners with the color of hope, Blinding Flash!¡± Light engulfs the dim forest. Under the cover of this radiance, we move stealthily but quickly to the ruins. Even the Demons who aren¡¯t blinded by the light, they are attracted to the light like moths to a flame. We ran through the open field with Body Strengthening to increase our speed. The Demons aren¡¯t noticing us and continue to be attracted to the light, probably due to the Mind Magic influence. Since Ren doesn¡¯t have Body Strengthening but he uses Flash Steps instead. It has terrible cost-performance issue but he doesn¡¯t have any other choice. He is even chugging down a Mana Potion as we run which made him lacking behind us but not too far behind. Suddenly, he gives out a short shriek. His voice draws the glances of Sylvia, Roy, and Lucy. It didn¡¯t draw mine as I¡¯m looking at the reason for his shriek. Among all the Demons who are captivated by the dazzling light, one didn¡¯t. Dashing across the clearing towards the ruins like a missile, one Demon among the dozens set its sights on us. The mere sight of this particular Demon chilled my blood. This Demon is twice the size of the rest. It isn¡¯t a Mid but a Greater Demon, Rank B+ with Abyss Magic and Death Magic. Its undulating form of a tetrapod further loses its shape as it sped directly at us. Despite its massive size, it made no almost to no sound when it move at such speed. The fear of the sudden emergence of an unexpected stronger enemy froze my thoughts for a few seconds. I would have saw it coming from a mile away but I didn¡¯t. It spawned just as we are crossing the clearing. Almost as if someone waited for that timing. I saw it coming but I didn¡¯t even think of warning my party who hadn¡¯t yet took notice. It darts towards us. When I did found my voice, I am however, far too late. In front of me, Roy who is carrying Liam, is attacked by the Greater Demon. Without so much as a single second to react, the two are instantly cleaved into pieces by the strange sharp protrusion on the Demon¡¯s body as it rammed into them. Shivers are sent down spine as the status of the two change to Deceased in an instant. Sylvia¡¯s natural response is to draw her swords upon witnessing the death of her companion. A fighter till the end. Ren beside me, is screaming at the sight of it, snapping the Demons out of their attraction to the light. The Demons screech at us before beginning to charge at us. There are some Mid Demons among the group. We are now surrounded on all sights. If it¡¯s just me, I wouldn¡¯t have trouble escaping but I can¡¯t just leave them behind. What the hell do I do? Is this the end for us? That won¡¯t do. I heard a voice in my mind that is clearly not mine. And the next moment, the ground beneath of our feet gave out. The newly appeared hole swallowed, me, Ren, and Lucy. I saw Sylvia reaching for us¡ª --which was my last memory before disappearing into the darkness that devoured us.
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Alive: None
HP 500 MP 200
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 4 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 4 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1600 Attack - 350 Defense - 200 Magic - 250 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 6 Remaining Ability Points: 2
Chapter 1 - 4 Under Bluebell Forest Death is still a long way for you, so wake up. The cold and enticing voice pulled me out of my untimely slumber. It¡¯s the same voice I heard just before I fell. My opened eyes is greeted by darkness with a small faint light the size of coin in the distance. That must be the hole I fell from. I inspect my surroundings by only moving my gaze. I can¡¯t move my head or any part of my body apart from my eyes. I can barely even feel my body. My fingers manage to twitch a little if I concentrate. Is this how it¡¯s like to be numb all over? It took a while but my grasp of my current situation is slowly settling in. I survived a fall of more than five meters. Can I call it a miracle? While our situation isn¡¯t ideal, we survive the fall. I can tell it was quite a drop base on how small the hole is in my view. Looking at the clock in the top right corner of my view, not much time passed since the fall. It has been only ten minutes. The numbness is still ruling my body but it isn¡¯t permanent as I can feel my senses returning slowly. Perhaps my mind has yet to truly settle down, my perception abilities aren¡¯t taking effect. I still remember my first using Abaddon. It was simply straining but after some practices, I can activate it constantly. Although my surrounding is quiet and looks peaceful, I can¡¯t rule out the possibility of creatures which blend well into silence and shadows lurking around. My dagger fell a little bit away from me. My sword however, is thankfully within an arm¡¯s reach. My vials of potion are mostly shattered. The two vials that managed to brace against the fall are only a lesser health potion and an all-purpose antidote. I probably should avoid mentioning about the shattered glass splinters that found its way into my flesh for my own mental wellbeing. Now, I should check on my companions which I kinda forgotten. I was in shock, okay? To my right is Ren, the cleric-in-training. He is in a better shape but only overall. His right arm is bent in a way it isn¡¯t supposed to. His arm had acted as the cushion. On my left is Lucy. She looks fine. Beast-kin has naturally strong physique. None of us are in a life-threatening condition but I seem to be the only one conscious. As I begin planning our next course of action, I shuddered when I stumbled on my memories moments ago. The death of Roy and Liam is still fresh in my mind. It was one thing to be getting used to seeing dead bodies and such but it was another matter to witness the process of it. There wasn¡¯t even any sound or noise. It was clean. They died a quick, clean, and unknowing death. At least, I could try to find some comfort in that line of thought. I wondered how Sylvia was doing. She was the closest one to the ruins. Did she make it? Even if she did, would she be safe from the Demons? I had no way of knowing. My mind still isn¡¯t in any condition to use Abaddon. ¡°Aa¡­.¡± A small groan is coming from my right. Ren is regaining consciousness. It should be considered a good thing but¡­.. ¡°Aaaaa¡­.aaaAAA!¡± His voice¡¯s volume rises proportionally to his awareness of his bent out of shape arm. I reach out and cup his mouth. Ah. I can move now. His voice muffles against my hand, seemingly asking of my intent. I merely put my finger to my lips and point around us. I release his mouth when he nodded but he¡¯s still whimpering albeit at a low voice. At the same time, Lucy also wakes up. She literally springs up like a jack-in-a-box. Her eyes darting around before landing on me. Before she can scream out my name, I give her a silent gesture. She understands immediately but she nevertheless throws her entire weight at me. I braced for an impact but contrary to my expectations, she¡¯s light. Looks like she adjusted her strength. Didn¡¯t expect her to be considerate but she is capable of it. ¡°Are you alright, Luce?¡± I asked despite knowing full well of her condition from her status. She nods adorably. ¡°You, Shizu?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just need some time. Go help Ren. He has broken his arm.¡± ¡°This is more than just a broken arm, Lady Hirano.¡± I¡¯m surprise he manages to retort amidst his groans of pain. There¡¯s something admirable about seeing a person with a juvenile face enduring pain. Regaining my control to my body, I go through our inventory or what¡¯s remain of it. Lucy and Ren¡¯s gears are all in good shape. I don¡¯t need to check mine as I stored all my weapons in a subspace except for the dummies. I have a ring enchanted with Arms Inventory which is a secret to everyone else. I received this ring from a retired old adventurer from a village I saved during my time with my original companions. He is also a follower of Abaddon and so far, the only follower of Abaddon that I know of beside myself. The Gray Spores are safe in Arm Inventory. Since Arms Inventory can only store weapons, I tied the sacks of Gray Spores to the hilt of of a dummy sword. And it worked. The sacks are treated as merely an extension of the sword. Ren still has two Mana Potions of lesser tier but it¡¯s a shame the intermediate tiers didn¡¯t. It¡¯s lucky of him to not have any splinters getting into his flesh. Lucy isn¡¯t carrying any potions as she moved around too much but she does have some Cavo Berries. Ren is faring better after ingesting a health potion and some Cavo Berries. The berries are unneeded in his recovery since the health potion dampens the pain along with healing the injuries but¡ª --health potion alone don¡¯t bent bones back to shape. I signal Lucy to hold him down to minimize his flailing as I snap his arm back to its original shape. I use Wind Magic to drown out his agony cries. Afterwards, he is now cowering a few feet away from us. His eyes dare not to leave its sights of us. He is a volunteer to my party and I happily accepted that someone volunteered. He trusted me unconditionally but now¡ª that trust seemed to have been broken to some extent. ¡°Was it really that bad?¡± I asked. Still trembling, he nods. After him, it is my turn. I have to pick those glass splinters out of my skin. I have Lucy to assist me but it turns out the other way around. Without any consideration for me, she pulls out those splinters with no hesitation. Maybe it¡¯s because I swallowed some Cavo Berries beforehand, I¡¯m able to resist from screaming. After a few minutes, the splinters have all been removed. ¡°You okay now, Shizu?¡± Lucy asked with a gentle smile. Feeling mildly crept out, I respond with a wry smile. Lucy even used her clothes as bandages without any second thoughts. She looks innocent but I bet she has seen a lot, probably more than me and more than enough to last a life time. After all, she was a slave. Lucy was a slave that I saved from a smuggler on an off chance. The smuggler was using a hidden route and that time, I was exploring the unfamiliar fantasy world I was summoned into. I acted on instincts and intercepted the smuggler. I saved about six people from the smuggler and one of them was Lucinda, a little wolf-kin girl. Since then, Lucy became very attached to me and would sometimes even joined me on excursions. I never did ask about her past or during her time as a slave. I¡¯m afraid that it would trigger something. Till this day, her past still shrouds in mystery. ¡°What do we do now?¡± asked Ren. He seems to have calmed down. To his question, I point at a small tunnel that¡¯s leading upwards. ¡°We regroup with our companions.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t Roy and Liam--¡± ¡°¡±We will regroup first and then mourn later, okay?¡± It¡¯s unlike me to be stern and loud but now isn¡¯t the time to be reserved. Ren who looks a little intimidated but he nevertheless assents to my lead. His status isn¡¯t show any ailment or affliction so I didn¡¯t think much of his slightly odd behavior. The corridor we proceed into is dark, so I cast a Light Drop to light the way. Now that my mind has recovered from the disarray, I scan the area with Abaddon. I sense a few presences but they are too far to affirm their identities. One of those presences might be Sylvia. The identity of the presences that I can confirm, are two Demons. I¡¯m not in range to appraise their tier but it is best to avoid them regardless. While making our way through the seemingly endless corridor, I feel like I¡¯m being pierced by a gaze tracking each of my movements. It didn¡¯t take long for me to find the culprit. It¡¯s Ren. He¡¯s still holding grudge from the medical treatment. His lukewarm gaze had convert into a full-blown caution one. I know it was a little bit too harsh but please overlook it as it was necessary. Lucy is frolic as always around me but in a more docile sense this time. I¡¯m kinda surprise she can be tactful. Come to think of it, she was a slave. They probably wouldn¡¯t have lived long if they aren¡¯t tactful. ¡°Be careful. Up ahead. Something¡¯s coming.¡± Ren jumped at Lucy¡¯s sudden warning. Of course, I already know but I kept quiet as I know Lucy will notice it long before it comes into proximity. We take cover behind a large chunk of boulder laying by the side of the corridor. It¡¯s barely enough to hide the three of us from view. The closer it got, the clearer the picture I have of the Demon. Going by the size, it is only a lesser but with our current line-up, it¡¯s more than too much for us. What¡¯s more, the second one isn¡¯t far away. Engaging combat with this one might attract the other. This is a straight path. There aren¡¯t any other routes or splits. If I¡¯m by myself, I might be able to hide in the shadows with Abaddon, or hang on to the ceiling with Wind Magic. But with these two, I¡¯m not sure I can ferry them. The Demon growls with a rasp. I instinctively cup Ren¡¯s mouth jsut as he let out a shriek. His nerves are plain terrible. The Demon isn¡¯t moving. It sends its gaze here and there but never moving from that spot. There is no other choice. I have to confront it. Otherwise, who knows how long we would have to wait until it moves. Even if it did, moving towards us will just be a kick in the sack. ¡°You two, stay here.¡± I ordered with my unusual firm voice. Ren¡¯s protest caught on his throat but Lucy quickly grabs onto my leg. ¡°No. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± She said while shaking her head. ¡°Let me go instead, Shizu.¡± Lucy may have the ferocity and speed but she lacks any impact. Moreover, she tends to drag out a fight even with lesser enemies. Even after being with me for two weeks, she still retains the mindset of a slave. Her options in dire situations are to always offer herself up as the sacrifice. She never thinks for herself. Until I mend her mindset, I¡¯m not going to let her have a straight on fight. Since I¡¯m about to reveal some of my secrets anyway, I sternly told Lucy to stand down while applying a suppressive aura with Abaddon. It¡¯s something I discovered back in a sparring match with Greg. I¡¯m able to unleash a very intimidating and coercive aura and if I don¡¯t deactivate it, people would actually suffocate in my presence. This is the natural authoritative and dominating presence of a God, and I possess a fraction of it. My MP has recovered to eighty percent of the maximum value all the while. With this much MP, it will be enough for an advance-level spell. Unable to defy an authority of God, Lucy obediently stays put with her tail between her legs. Forgive me but I can¡¯t risk letting you get hurt. I show myself from the cover and the Demon takes notice of me almost immediately. It might have been onto us from the get-go but it just didn¡¯t know of our exact location. At least that¡¯s the impression I have. It gives an inhumane and grating screech. I remember my first time hearing a Demon¡¯s screech. It felt like a saw grinding on my ear drums. Over the course, I just somehow gotten used to it and I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good thing. It kinda terrifies me that I¡¯m getting acclimatized to gore and violence.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I felt a nudge in my mind. It appears the other Demon is currently approaching us. That screech was a call to its kin. The Demon in front of me is waiting, probably for the second one to show up before beginning to engage me. Unlike the ones from above, these two seem to have coordination and a degree of intelligence like how a Demon usually is. I wonder why these two are normal. I suspected they might be special but their status didn¡¯t show any indications as these two being some sort of variant though. Nevertheless, I need to face off two Demons. I didn¡¯t account for this but I will have to make do. The second Demon makes its appearance from a hole on the ceiling. There¡¯s a hole on the ceiling? Together, the Demons charge at me. They even both pounce at the same time. ¡°Arise as my shield against all harms, Vacuum Wall.¡± To hold the Demon¡¯s advance, I cast a single Vacuum Wall which is stronger than the one I cast back in the forest. The more Mana you pour into a magic spell upon casting, the more powerful it becomes but the cost-performance becomes less efficient that way. This allows a beginner spell caster to cast advance spells but at a cost of MP consumption efficiency. I don¡¯t believe Demons have bones but I could have sworn that I heard the bones cracking when they slammed into the wall. ¡°H-how did you m-managed to stop them with mere intermediate magic?¡± exclaimed Ren. The cat¡¯s out of the bag now but no time to retort. Now, to finish the two Demons with Wind Slash. As I begin to chant, my heightened perception picks up an incoming wave of energy. The same wave of Void Energy just like before that alerted made the Demons frantic. Just as I finished the chant, the wave swoops over us, causing a slant in the trajectory of Wind Slash. It tears through the first Demon but only rending the top feelers of the second Demon. Skill Point(s) gained +2 Ability Point(s) gained +4 At the same moment as this notification, the text, Encroachment Resisted, pops up in my view. I quickly glance back at the two behind me. Lucy¡¯s status is normal but not Ren¡¯s. Encroached: Weak, is now displayed his condition. The second Demon lunges at the absentminded me. I draw my steel sword just in time to defend against the stingers that came out from its body. The force of the clash transmits to my hands. Dang, it hurts! It protrudes more tendril-like stingers at me. They aren¡¯t fast but they aren¡¯t slow either. After a few clashes, I begin to see cracks appearing on the blade of my sword. Damn it, if only I know Spell Edge but even if I did know, steel is a terrible metal for conducting Mana. ¡°S-Shizu!¡± Lucy¡¯s voice reaches me but I can¡¯t afford to glance back now. But from what I can tell with my perception abilities, she¡¯s just calling out to me as words of caution. And there isn¡¯t any change to Ren, appearance wise. The moment my sword broke, I cast the novice-tier Wind Magic spell, Air Burst to create some distance. For novice or beginner level spells, I only need to say its name to invoke the spell. Half a chant is needed for intermediate and a full chant is needed for advance. The air between me and the Demon exploded, sending each of us away from one another¡ª --or that¡¯s what¡¯s supposed to happen. One of its feeler caught my leg. It pulls me along with him and our momentum cancels out each other¡¯s. Six stingers dart towards me in chorus. The new sword I instantly draw out from Arms Inventory block two stingers but shattered just from the two attacks. I quick cast another Air Burst and deviate two of the stingers trajectory. The remaining two however, manage to find their way into my flesh¡ª my right arm to be precise. My natural reaction is to scream, of course. ¡°Shizu!!¡± That must have been the boost she needed to break free of my coercion. I¡¯m too busy screaming at the top of my lungs to stop her. This kind of pain isn¡¯t a stranger but it isn¡¯t something I¡¯m attuned to either. The three throwing knives tossed by Lucy are of next to no effect on the Demon. It didn¡¯t even act like it felt the knives going into its flesh, if you can call those flesh. Before Lucy can reach me, I¡¯m hearing a chant coming from behind her. ¡°Element that illuminates the path in darkness, fend my enemies with brilliance, Shining Shot¡± A projectile made of light with the size of a softball came flying at my way. It is solid. It hits the Demon square in the face and is able to make it flinched. At the same time, the ball of light explodes into a short burst of blinding light that dyed my vision. Thanks to Abaddon, I adjust to the change of brightness quickly. I take out the last weapon I have in Arms Inventory, another normal steel sword albeit of military grade. I wield the sword with my left hand which isn¡¯t my dominant hand. My right is no longer in any condition to function. I use Magic Melee Arts: Tri-Cleave on the Demon which seems enamored by the light the sword produced. My blade which is shining blue left a triangular trail of cerulean light. A single Tri-Cleave isn¡¯t enough, so I use it twice more until the Mana Core is revealed. I then strike the core into pieces. Without its pseudo heart, the Demon crumbles into dust while my sword shatters while spilling blue light. Skill Point(s) gained +2 Ability Point(s) gained +4 I toss aside the naked handle of a sword which is still gushing out bluish hue essence. I might have infused too much Mana into a normal sword. ¡°Shizu!¡± Lucy hastened to my side. Her eyes are set on my right arm which is just dangling off of my shoulder. I just know my arm isn¡¯t any condition for action but I didn¡¯t realize my injuries is this bad. The feeling of disgust is triumphing over the feeling of pain. It¡¯s really grotesque to look at it. ¡°By the grace of Avalon!¡± cried Ren. Avalon must be the God or Goddess he worships. ¡°E-element that illuminates the p-paths in darkness, g-grant t-this--¡± ¡°Save it,¡± I stopped him. ¡°B-but you¡¯re hurt!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to rain on your parade but your level of skills won¡¯t be able to heal much of this.¡± His twists his face and turns sour. No retorts came from him as he knows the truth in my words. He would be wasting his Mana and efforts with his level. ¡°But I¡¯ll need that heal later.¡± ¡°Later?¡± he asked. I can¡¯t just left my arm dangling and none of us here has the ability to cast a healing spell strong enough to mend my whole arm. Thus, there is only one other option. Shizu is staring at me keenly. Evidently, she knows what the only option left is. She further tears a part of her clothes, crumples it up and hands it to me. I thanked her but I also advised her not to nonchalantly sacrifice herself or any of her possession without so much as a second thought. She nodded but somehow, I don¡¯t think she has taken it to heart. I shrug at myself and stuff the crumpled cloth into my mouth. I nod at Lucy after that. Ren is just staring at us with a dumbfounded expression. The edge of Lucy¡¯s short sword gleams a profound blue as she activate Magic Melee Arts: Primed Edge, an ability that strengthens a single strike or slash. The continuous version is the infamous Spell Edge. She did so without a chant, which is something I still can¡¯t get my head around why is such the case. Arcane Arts like Magic Melee Arts, Body Strengthening, Herculean Strength, and the likes are exempted from chants as they are not considered magic spells but magic skills or abilities. At least that¡¯s the explanation given from a book I found in the Zerogian Empire¡¯s National Archives. It is kinda ironic Spell Edge is considered a magic skill instead of a magic spell despite its name. I throw some Cavo Berries into my mouth. Without savoring the bitter sweet flavor, I swallow it. ¡°W-what¡­.¡± Before Ren¡¯s obvious question can escape his lips, Lucy splits my right arm from my shoulder. Not just my arm, my brain felt the split too. I bit down on the cloth with every ounce of muscle I have in my jaws. My muffled agony cries bounce between the narrow walls of the long corridor we are in. Looks like the berries aren¡¯t enough to quell this amount of pain. Ren casts a novice healing spell just enough to ease the pain further and fully stops the bleeding. The spell has also acted as a disinfectant. At first I thought disinfectant just simply hasn¡¯t been discovered yet but turns out, all healing spells have disinfectant properties. Lucy is about to tear her clothes some more but I let out a little bit of Abaddon¡¯s aura to serve as a reminder to what I have told her. She quickly apologizes for doing it out of habit. And turns out, Ren has bandages. The bandaging is left to Lucy although Ren has the experience. I trust Lucy¡¯s inexperience more than his trembling hands. While I¡¯m being bandaged by Lucy who is in turn instructed by Ren, I kick my fell arm into the shadows to avoid looking at it. ¡°Is this okay?¡± asked Lucy. It could be better but the bandaging should do for now. ¡°Ah!¡± I let out a groan when Ren abruptly grabs my stump. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. I was too slow to help¡­.¡± He murmured deliriously. I¡¯m a little crept out but I guess his nerves must be acting out again. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I assured him but he isn¡¯t letting go. Lucy was about to step in but I halted her. ¡°Because of me¡­. You suffered¡­.¡± ¡°Zian Hao Ren, I said I¡¯m fine. Can you please let go now?¡± When I put on my stern voice, he snaps out of it. He then apologizes while taking steps back. Not wanting to blow things out of proportion, I told him not to mind it. I said that but I¡¯m quite worried as his status is now, Encroached: Mild but outwardly, he looks fine except for his odd behavior just now. While keeping a close eye on him, we continue on through the narrow corridor. No more Demons in the proximity but I can tell the Demons are still lurking on the surface. I scan the area again with Abaddon but no Demons nor any other presence in proximity. Seems like we are still far away from Sylvia. I really hope she¡¯s okay. If we lost her too, our last front liner, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to escape this place which is crawling with Demons. To make matter worse, I lost an arm, my dominant arm. The pain has completely subsided but the empty feeling is unsettling to say the least. If we manage to brave through this ordeal, I can get healed up back in the Empire. Recovering a lost limb isn¡¯t impossible but it isn¡¯t cheap either but my position as a hero, might just bypass that price. If they truly recognize me as a hero, that is. I give occasional glances to my back just in case Ren finally snaps. I would like to think he is merely nervous but his status denies me of that wishful thinking. Even Lucy is wary of him. The corridor eventually widens into a hall. Even the ceiling is taller. The torches light up as if to welcome our presence. Lucy and Ren spring away from the torches but I remain clam. Not because the pop-ups in my view spoiled the surprise but there are similar tools in the Imperial Palace too. These torches are magic tools which light up upon detecting moving presences. The name isn¡¯t anything special. It¡¯s just Magic Torch. I told them what the torches are and they take my word without question. Lucy has always been trusting of me but Ren, as far as I¡¯m concern, we are acquaintances at best. And there is something else that has been bothering me. The miasma in this place. It¡¯s incredibly thick but the traces are faint. It practically feels suffocating to me but Lucy and Ren look unbothered. Perhaps it¡¯s something like sounds only animals can hear and I¡¯m the only one who is able to sense it due to my exceptional perception abilities. With those thought circulating in my mind, we arrive at a crossroad. Correction, a former crossroad. The straight and left path is block by fallen debris. The only way to advance is right but¡­. ¡°Shizu, something¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucy points at the right path as she told me. ¡°Yeah.¡± I affirmed her. The right path is basically spilling ominous all over. The miasma only gets thicker further down right. While I¡¯m thinking on our next course of action, strange groans are coming from Ren. Before I can ask of his reasons, my tongue stops dead in its track when my eyes feast on the dark purple lines crawling all over Ren. His status is now, Encroached: Moderate. Encroached by what or whom exactly? As I asked that question in my mind, the pop-up expanded and reveal more information. The additional information are, Source: Valuma and Source in Proximity. Who¡¯s Valuma? And this Valuma is near? ¡°Ren? You doing good, man?¡± I reverted back to my Earthling-way of speaking there but it¡¯s too late to correct myself. I stop Lucy who begins to approach the curled up Ren who is also wincing and muttering some incorrigible sounds. No, he is definitely not okay. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. Lady Hirano¡­. I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Ren raise his head to look at me. His hand reaches out as if with the sole intent to feel my skin. I edge back from the extent of his hand. ¡°Whatever is it that you did, I forgive you. So snap out of it.¡± I position myself in front of Lucy. ¡°I couldn¡¯t become the man of your dreams¡­. I am not a man worthy of you¡­. I regret this pious life¡­. I-I want you¡­.¡± His voice was unsteady. This feels like I¡¯m sinking into a plot of some psychological horror. ¡°Ren, get a hold of yourself. You are not making sense.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry¡­. She said she could make me the man you desire¡­.¡± ¡°She? Who¡¯s she?¡± He has a face like he got caught in the act. ¡°N-no one!¡± He denied. ¡°There w-was no o-one¡­.. Yes, no one. I-I wasn¡¯t t-talking to anyone¡­.¡± Because I feel a small hint of animosity projected towards me, I conjure up a sword made entirely of shadows around a knife I use for emergencies without a chant. And the latest ability I discovered in Abaddon, is an upgraded version of Spell Edge, which I dub as Shadow Blade. Instead of blue, the blade is coated with what could only be describe as shadows. With Shadow Blade, I can even increase the reach of a weapon in addition to its damage, and I can also create an ethereal weapon so long as I have something as a base. Even cutleries would do. I once created a full-length long sword with just a butter knife as the base. As far as I can tell, Shadow Blade is the only skill from Abaddon that drained something from me as fuel. I know not of what it takes as compensation but I definitely feel drained after each use and the compensation is certainly not Mana. I just hope it isn¡¯t my life span. Due to this reasoning, I refrain myself from using it too frequently. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something, aren¡¯t cha¡­. Ya more than ya let on¡­. H-Hirano-o¡­.¡± Now his accent is turning weird. For good measures, I decide to assign my skill and ability points I have on hand. I have ten each currently. I level both Wind Magic and Magic Melee Arts to level five, which is just the right amount I have on hand. Magic Melee Arts: Spell Edge - Acquired Oh good, better late than never. I didn¡¯t get any new spells for Wind Magic but I certainly feel the increase in Wind Magic¡¯s performance and efficiency. I allocate half of the ability points to attack and the other half to defense. I had planned to allocate some to speed but looking at my missing right arm, I can really use some defense right now. I further infuse Shadow Blade with the newly-learned Spell Edge. The edge of the shadowy sword glows a light blue that goes well with the black colors ¡°You are d-different¡­. S-stronger than you look¡­.¡± He gulps down the two Mana Potions he has. It¡¯s a waste potion. ¡°But no worries¡­. I won¡¯t tell anyone¡­.¡± In combat, you can predict your opponent¡¯s movements and actions from their line of sights, breathing, and the subtle gestures of their body movements. Ren¡¯s eyes are swaying, his breathing is erratic, and his body gestures aren¡¯t even the least bit subtle. With these exaggerations and his unstable mentality, it¡¯s near impossible to predict his actions. He smashes the empty vials against the floor. ¡°I will show you¡­. I am deserving¡­. of y-you¡­. She will show me¡­.¡± He said and proceeds down the path to the right. His gait is unsteady, it can¡¯t even be called walking. He¡¯s simply dragging himself towards further down right where the torches are weaker and less in amount. If my inference is right, something is controlling Ren by talking to him in his mind. I¡¯m the incentive for him in doing ¡°her¡± bidding, whoever the hell this ¡°her¡± is. I¡¯m not sure if he wants us to follow him as he isn¡¯t making sure we are behind him. He¡¯s just resolute in just dragging himself forward. ¡°Lucy, stick close to me.¡± I didn¡¯t look at her but I feel her nodding. Although Ren has already gone on ahead until he left our sight, my perception ability is keeping trace of him. He then turns left about a hundred meters ahead, into a room with shambled doors. Just as we begin to pick up our pace to catch up, the grounds are assaulted by a tremor. It¡¯s only a slight tremor but it¡¯s a huge omen. Nothing good comes out of a quake. Lucy¡¯s ears and tail droop down. I pat her head to ease her disquiet. Even though it¡¯s out of the boundaries of Abaddon¡¯s perception ability, I have a hunch the quake has something to do with the Greater Demon. A rasping screech reaches our ears. I¡¯m right. That is definitely the sound of the Greater Demon. Is it chasing after us? My skin crawls with shivers but I comfort myself with the fact that it¡¯s still far away. My concern right now should be Ren. Following after him, we reach the shambled doors. It¡¯s larger than I thought. The doors lead us into a huge cathedral hall. Rows of broken benches all lined up before the altar at the end. Windows with stained glasses that painted a picture. A lonely chandelier hanging on the ceiling with rusted chains. The Magic Torches are barely functioning, they look desperate to stay alive with their flickering lights. There are even weapons of various kinds scattered around along with corpses of humanoid or monsters. A battle happened here, on this holy ground. However-- --what exactly is this place? The grand surprise isn¡¯t the cathedral itself but what¡¯s laying upon the altar. It¡¯s a corpse, to be put in the simplest form. To elaborate, it¡¯s a skeletal remains of a dragon. It¡¯s the size of a double-story house. A sword of two meter length is plunged deeply into the frontal lobe of the dragon¡¯s skull. The sword is a saber. The design of this peculiar saber is intricate and gives out a sense of being eloquent. The saber bound by chains that are linked to four pillars that stood surrounding the dragon¡¯s skeletal remains. The chains and pillars are products of the Arcane Art, Sealing Magic. ¡°I-I have come¡­.¡± The cathedral and the dragon corpse are too impressive that it robbed me of my attention on Ren. ¡°What did you need me to do? I wish to be of worth to my beloved one.¡± And his accent is normal again unlike when he spoke to me just minutes ago. And I sure hoped he didn¡¯t mean me by ¡°beloved one.¡± ¡°Tell me¡­. I want to know¡­. Valuma¡± As he seems to be talking to either the corpse or the sword, I set my sights on all of them to appraise them for answers. Dozens of information appear in my view. The saber is something call a Mondra, a living weapon with sentience. It even has a name, it¡¯s Talia Lox. As for the unfortunate dragon, it¡¯s an Ancient Dragon. Its name was Torment, the Storm Emperor. Beyond these bunch, no more information came out from the corpse. And finally, I got to the name that had been hooking my nerves. Valuma, Berserker of the Void. Finally, here you are. It spoke to me. Its voice sends shivers down my spine, almost in a quite literally sense. And that¡¯s when my Divine Art, Night Empress Abaddon, begins to scream at every fiber of my body to retreat. Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Fatigue: Mild / Exhaustion: Light
HP 500 MP 200
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1600 Attack - 400 Defense - 250 Magic - 250 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 0 Remaining Ability Points: 0
Chapter 1 - 5 Cathedral Battle It¡¯s tough to maintain even a frail and twitching fa?ade from even crumbling further, let alone a calm and cool one. I¡¯m fighting against every urge in my single bone to not just break down on the spot and begin bawling. It¡¯s proving to be a difficult task. My Divine Art, Abaddon which is acting in place of my instinct and intuition, has been screaming at me for the pass few seconds. It wants me to get as far away as possible from the entity called Valuma. Valuma is neither the dragon nor the sword. I don¡¯t know what the hell she is. Her status read, Sealed: Permanent. I¡¯m probably not wrong in assuming that the chains, the sword, and the dragon corpse, acted as a seal to this so called Berserker of the Void. Although, there isn¡¯t any information regarding what kind of magic was use for the seal. The moniker of the prisoner herself told me enough of just how much bad news she is liable to be. ¡°Ren! Get over here, now!¡± I shouted at him. I even unconsciously point Shadow Blade at him. He lazily turns his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°Everything will be alright¡­. I just need to release her of her bonds.¡± He edges closer and closer towards Valuma. ¡°Damn it, Ren! How fucking retarded are you? She¡¯s sealed with that level of magic for a reason! Nothing will be alright if you free her!¡± I just let loose everything at him. ¡°You¡¯re scare¡­. I understand¡­. So am I¡­. but all we need is a little courage¡­. Yes¡­. Courage¡­. Just what I need¡­. right now.¡± Words aren¡¯t getting through. He¡¯s currently being manipulated into doing Valuma¡¯s bidding. No way, I can let that happened. Going against the warning resonating within me, I rush towards Ren with Lucy just right behind me. Gosh, even my stump is hurting right now. There¡¯s some distance between us and I try closing the distance faster with the help of Body Strengthening. Like a pulse, another wave diffuses from the seal. My suspicions is right, this is the source of those energy wave. I don¡¯t know what the real purpose of those waves is but it is slowing us down by discombobulating us with each pulse. I give a quick glance at Lucy. Her status still shows no signs of her being encroached, which is good but she is nevertheless affected by the force. She lost her bearing and tripped. I don¡¯t have time to check on her and so I press on after telling her to stay put. Just before Ren is about to touch the seal, I barely managed to make it in time. Grabbing tightly to the collar of his robe, I pull and throw him back away from the seal. Yes, come to me. It spoke to me again. The same voice which I heard before I fell into the crevice and the voice that woke me up. Is it me that she¡¯s after? Is she using Ren as bait? Ren recovers quickly. He¡¯s already back on his feet. His eyes aren¡¯t on me but at the seal behind me. Without a care to my presence in front of him, he presses on. I entreated and even held him off light tugging on his wrist but those actions aren¡¯t getting through. I kinda lost my patience for a second and used Air Burst point blank at him. Despite tumbling away and landed head over heels, he got up again like nothing happened. ¡°I see¡­.¡± I¡¯m sure I broken some bones with the throw amplified with Body Strengthening and the point blank Air Burst but Ren stood up without wincing nor groaning. Is he actually sturdier than he looks? No, he does have broken bones from what I can tell from the pop-ups. He might just being in a state too uncaring for anything else other than bending towards Valuma¡¯s will. ¡°You are that rejecting of me¡­.¡± Aggravation rings clear in his voice. His mind is definitely taking my actions the wrong way. ¡°Fine¡­. I will show you¡­. What I am capable of¡­. Unleash ruins upon my enemies,--¡± He just skipped the base declaration chanting part. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯s capable of chant shortening. He even needs a full chant for a novice spell and judging from the chant, it must be the intermediate spell, Mana Canon. It isn¡¯t of how much Mana one has but a matter of aptitude and strength. His Overall Power Ranking, his potential, his soul capacity, is only D-rank. It¡¯s unbelievable and impossible for him to shorten a chant for an intermediate spell. But he did. No doubt with the hell of whatever¡¯s encroaching him. His status now reads, Encroached: Deep. The dark purplish lines further intensified and multiplied along with his desperate plead for power. Dark purplish aura envelopes him. A magic circle of the same color appears at the tip of his staff which he¡¯s pointing it at me. ¡°¡ªMana Canon!¡± Crap, I hate it when I¡¯m right! An orb of dark purplish energy flies towards me. ¡°Air Burst!¡± I didn¡¯t use Air Burst at the orb but at myself. I make sure my trajectory would collide with Lucy to bring her along with my momentum. The attack misses us and turns the broken benches furhter into smaller fragments. Ouch! It hurts! Air Burst original function is a short range stun but I often used it as a means for a short boost of speed by aiming at myself with controlled strength. The drawback is that it would hurt the user and considering my current condition, it¡¯s very ill-advised. Furthermore, there¡¯s no brakes. We went sliding on the ground until all of our momentum is expended. Ren clicked his tongue, loud enough to create echoes in this vast cathedral. He began casting another Mana Canon. The spell is slow and dodging isn¡¯t a problem but it will be one if it goes on. Without needing an order, Lucy throws her last throwing knife that found its mark. Zian Hao loses his posture with the knife that pierce into his left leg, and the magic spell misfires at the rusted chains of the chandelier. The whole place trembles for a while and the chandelier comes crashing down. It didn¡¯t hit anyone however. Seizing this chance, I thrust myself at Ren with the help of Air Burst and Body Strengthening. I really need to find an alternative for a quick and short boost of speed. Ren screams at me, his voice slowly distorting into something hideous. The dark purplish lines further spread to wrap itself around his whole body. Even his eyes are turning dark purplish. His status turns into Corrupted. ¡°Mana Canon!!¡± He shouted. I have seen this coming. The pattern¡¯s obvious. Whatever corrupted him is giving him power in exchange. I slash the orb of dark purplish energy apart with the Shadow Blade in my left hand. I have to admit, it¡¯s hard to swing with my left arm. The sliced orb explodes as it spills out the accumulated magic power within before it slowly dissipates away. It¡¯s kinda of a shock to me since I wasn¡¯t expecting it to explode. Ren freaks at my deed but it isn¡¯t stopping him from casting another Mana Canon. His MP recovers the next instance it was expended. Every Mana Canon I cut down, the bidding magic power within spread out from its confinement and swallows its surrounding in the explosion. I intercept these attacks in a way to make sure Lucy won¡¯t become a collateral but the Mana Canons are only getting stronger and heavier with each consecutive shot. Shadow Blade has been bent out of shape from the explosion but since it doesn¡¯t have a concrete physical form, I can easily snap it back to shape just with my thoughts. Still, I gotta end this fast. I can feel the fatigue piling up. ¡°Unbelievaba¡¯¡­. To think ya¡¯ stronga¡¯ than Roy or Sylva¡­.¡± Maybe I am stronger than Roy but I don¡¯t think I can beat Sylvia. As usual, Sylvia is looked down upon since she¡¯s a Majin. ¡°But! I¡­. I can be¡­. Stronga!¡± He¡¯s slowly losing his ability to speak. He¡¯s slurring with every words. I can¡¯t let this go on. He¡¯s only going to get stronger from the Mana Canons he cast. No doubt, ¡°Valuma¡± is granting him more and power the longer he fell corrupt to her. I have to kill him. That thought drifts into my head. I¡¯m appalled at myself first but my sense of reasoning follows. I have no way to stop him other than taking his life. I don¡¯t have nonlethal suppression skills or abilities. I don¡¯t want to do this but I¡¯m not seeing another way. Perhaps I¡¯m just holding too much fear to go for any other less assuring method than this. Perhaps it¡¯s something else¡­. Nevertheless, I have to be resolute. It¡¯s not just my life at stakes here, Lucy¡¯s involve. If I failed here, Lucy will fall with me. I can¡¯t let that happen. Forgive me, everyone. ¡°REN!!!¡± I shouted. I don¡¯t know why but I did. Maybe it was for courage. I extend the blade of Shadow Blade. I use Breeze to raise the dust into his eyes, robbing him of his vision. While flailing around blindly, I plunge the deep dark shadow of a sword into him, the left part of his chest. Blood gushes out from the wound as Shadow Blade fades off at my will. My hand instinctively releases my tense grip as Shadow Blade becomes mere shadows once again. In front of me, Ren matches his eyes with me. There¡¯s no anger nor sorrow, not even a hint of betrayal. His eyes are always, confused and dazed at every situation. That¡¯s his last look of expression before collapsing to the ground with a dull motion. I did it. For the first time in my whole life, I kill someone. And I done so in another world. Skill Point(s) gained +5 Ability Point(s) gained +10 I see that the common assumption of ¡°taking the life of an intelligent being garners more experience¡± I have always heard isn¡¯t just some hearsay after all. Title: Resolute One - Acquired I got kind of a fitting title but not the one I¡¯m expecting. I further confirmed that he¡¯s truly dead from inspecting his status. I expected ¡°murderer¡± to be added to my titles but it didn¡¯t. Maybe it¡¯s because I killed him with a reasonable justification. I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m not about to complain or question about it. I¡¯m just glad I¡¯m not branded a criminal or murderer. ¡°S-Shizu¡­. You¡­.¡± Shizu is looking at me with horrified eyes. Not just her voice, even her body is trembling. I guessed that¡¯s only natural. For her, who had been living with nothing but violence, I was her sanctuary for a life without violence and I had just denied her that reality. I prepare myself to be hated and shunned but that¡¯s not going to stop me from getting her out of here first. My legs turn jelly and I too collapse on my knees. Only then, I notice how much I¡¯m trembling. Until this point, everything has felt so surreal like I¡¯m only dreaming a lucid dream. A part of me is yet to be convinced of how grounded everything is to reality. And¡­. Only after taking a life of a person¡­. Everything isn¡¯t a fantasy nor a lucid dream. This is real. This is truly real. There¡¯s consequences in every action I made in this world. This is reality and I have just killed a man. W-what¡­. What have I done¡­. For the first time since I came to this world¡­.. ¡­. I want to go home¡­. My old bed feels warm despite the thin covers. I miss the instant noodles, simple, cheap, filling. I miss the boredom I shroud myself in everyday. I want to go home¡­. I-I don¡¯t want to do this¡­.. Why did I ever thought that mundane was bad? Just as my tears begin their descent from my eyes, a hand clasps on my shoulder. That simple clasp turns into an embrace. It¡¯s a wordless comfort but I feel the assurance transmitted to me. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Shizu did nothing wrong. Shizu just protected me after all.¡± Our eyes met. She still has the same unknowing eyes smudge with a tinge of innocent. She has seen a lot but she¡¯s still ever so na?ve. She always has a smile no matter how small it may be. These are her facade which she taught to herself to assimilate into the life of a slave. Younger than me by a few years but seen so much more than me. Yet, here I am, cowering in despair for breaking an ethic that pretty much meant nothing in this world. Yes, I gotta be strong. I never liked my old life even though it was safe and convenient. What I¡¯m feeling now is only a fleeting emotion from taking my first life. I never took the life of the slaver who enslaved Lucy back then, I remember letting him go with some heavy injuries. It could be just my imagination but my resolution shook when I dispelled Shadow Blade. I don¡¯t want to think that using Shadow Blade might have a vile effect on my mind but I can¡¯t rule out that possibility. ¡°Thank you, Lucy. I¡¯m alright now.¡± Certainly, my heart is calmer than it was a few moments ago. I got to get used to the difference of ethics, otherwise my heart might gave out long before my physical health would. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to kill arbitrary and with nonsensical reasons. Truly impressive. Nerves of steel. A near unbreakable will.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The voice reached me again but I paid it no heed. I direct my mind to our plan of escape. The place is still a maze to me. So far, there¡¯s no dilemma in choosing the paths. It has been straight forward but that can change. The voice continues entreating. It¡¯s even emitting violent pulse of waves with shorter intervals. I shield Lucy from these waves but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m doing a good job. The waves hit her but¡­.her status remains unchanged. It¡¯s quite curious that Lucy isn¡¯t affected like Ren. From what she told me, at most, it¡¯s just white noises in her head. I decide to give a thorough check on her stats to make sure I haven¡¯t miss something of importance.
Name Lucinda Status Exhaustion: Light
HP 200 MP 80
Age 13 Class / Job Scout / Hero¡¯s Companion
Gender & Race Female / Wolf-kin Standing Hero¡¯s Attendant
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 3 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 2 Shadow Magic ¨C Lv. 1 Title & Deeds Grifter Former Slave Sagacious One Apostle¡¯s Vassal
Overall Power Ranking E+ Effective Combat Strength 700 Attack - 300 Defense - 100 Magic - 20 Resistance - 30 Speed ¨C 250
I¡¯m slightly curious about the Apostle¡¯s Vassal title. It has been there since a week ago but I never think to give it any thought. The additional info that appears in response to my curiosity answered the question I have in mind. Per the information, it¡¯s due to her close attachment to me, a possessor of a Divine Art, she received a portion of the blessing cum protection given by Abaddon. They call these peoples, Dependents. So, Lucy is my Dependent. That¡¯s reassuring to know. Basking in a sense of relief, the fling is cut short as someone entered into my perception field. I can¡¯t discern the identity of the person but I can tell it¡¯s humanoid and there are traces of Demon essence in that person. I can think of no other possible person to fit that criteria, it¡¯s Sylvia. Thank god, she¡¯s alive! No alarms or nothing of the sort resounded in my head to notify me of intruders. The notification is only a small pinch feeling that could be disregarded easily even if it isn¡¯t intended. I only noticed it because I stay wary of my vicinity for the Demons. I paid the price for my negligence with the Mimics back then. I wish I have the option to view her stats from afar but the person has to be in sight and within distance to be appraised. Shortly after, something else followed closely behind her. The presence is on another magnitude. It was a slap in the face when it entered my perception field. The only possible presence of this scale I can think of would be the Greater Demon. She is getting chased by the Greater Demon and she is heading right towards this direction. She¡¯s fast but the Greater Demon isn¡¯t far behind her. It could catch up to her at this rate. Majin on average has superior physical strength and magic abilities to a human. They are simply better in everything a human can do. I relay my findings to Lucy and like always, she believes my words without question. Sylvia finally came into our view but not vice versa. She was about to miss us but I shouted to grab her attention. Her mouth curves upwards at the sight of us. She looks worse for wear. Her partial steel armor is a wreck. The two swords she¡¯s wielding are clad in Spell Edge and Demons¡¯ blood which is of muddy black. She has been fighting her way through. Although she too was overwhelmed by the magnificence of this room as she enters, she recovers quickly. ¡°Lady Hirano. Thank the Lords, you¡¯re alive.¡± Her eyes then shift to Lucy. ¡°Of course, you too, Lucinda.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± replied Lucy. Sylvia¡¯s probably not lying about her relieve. I can¡¯t imagine how she¡¯s going to explain that the hero died on a hunt but she, a mere attendant, lived. Her delighted face then twists into horror. ¡°What happened to your arm?!¡± she exclaimed. Before I can answer, the mindless and boorish Greater Demon barges into the room. The doorway burst apart from the Demon¡¯s oversize. ¡°Where¡¯s the cleric boy?¡± she asked without taking her eyes off the three meter tall Demon creeping towards us. ¡°He was possessed by some foul entity. I had to take drastic measures.¡± I reluctantly admitted. Her eyes follow my line of sight, which is at the motionless Ren. Probably because of my state, it adds to the authenticity of my story. ¡°I see,¡± Sylvia muttered in return. I don¡¯t think she fully buys it but it¡¯s enough to not warrant any caution from me. ¡°You have a weapon?¡± She asked as she went into a pose. ¡°No,¡± I answered. I only use Shadow Blade as a brief weapon to intimidate the deranged Ren but now, I¡¯m going to need something lasting and reliable. I look around for a weapon. There are hundreds of swords scattering around but none seems doable, until I catch sight of a gleaming silver blade, stuck into the chest of a knight¡¯s remains. I can tell he was a knight from the armor he died in. The sword with the silver blade has a name, Avent. Avent is a magic weapon made of some type of metal call Moon Silver. I offer some prayer and ask for forgiveness as I draw the sword out. The sword must have acted as the pillar as the armor crumbles down along with the skeleton residing inside. I hope I didn¡¯t anger any spirits with that. I also toss a nearby short sword made of steel to Lucy. According to the information in my view, the short sword is in good condition despite the age. The Moon Silver sword, Avent feels slightly lighter than the average steel sword. The additional information from appraising tells me its toughness is on par with a high grade steel but it¡¯s a far better Mana conductor than steel or even silver. Silver is a great Mana conductor but it¡¯s too brittle for any practical purpose. Avent also has a magic function which is permanently enchanted call, Blade Mend. As the name said, it repairs the blade should it ever breaks. That¡¯s good to know. I lost count on how many practice swords I broke when I was trying to learn Spell Edge despite the fruitless efforts. Still, even if I have such a good weapon in my hand, the situation isn¡¯t any better. I lost my dominant arm for one. It¡¯s a well-known fact that I can¡¯t use Spell Edge and I¡¯m not a good swordsman but I don¡¯t have any leeway to be discreet or secretive now. Sylvia¡¯s glance draws to me when I invoke Spell Edge. It came out a different color than what¡¯s expected of a human. Sylvia¡¯s Spell Edge is red by the way. Probably because Majins are descendants of Demons the same way human are considered descendants of apes. Sylvia seems to have some questions but she¡¯s tactful to hold if off for now. Turning everything into wreckage in its path as it charges, the Greater Demon lunges its massive body at us. We all dodge to the left as the Demon¡¯s body slam shakes the cathedral. Abyss Magic: Hell Spikes, is written beside the Greater Demon which covers itself in red aura. Not good. Like a raging tide, dark red spikes charge at us. The Spell Edge on one of Sylvia¡¯s swords glow even brighter. She throws out an aura with a swing of her sword. That must be Aura Blade. It reminds me of a skill of a certain orange-haired death reaper. Since the composition of Aura Blade looks simple enough, I use the same skill with Avent. The Aura Blades from us both clash with the incoming Hell Spikes, resulting in mutual destruction. I can feel the widened eyes of Sylvia beside me but it isn¡¯t worth taking my eyes off of the Greater Demon who is preparing another attack. The undulating tendrils that comprise the Greater Demon¡¯s body straightens into stingers. The quills aimed at us before being fired out. The spikes are thin but they aren¡¯t brittle. It¡¯s tough to cut down the spikes. All three of us suffered some damage from that attack but nothing major. It screeches at us with its distorting face and lashes at us with its tendrils extending from its body. Lucy attempts to block a single strike but that¡¯s all it took to send her flying to the far side of the room. Her health drops twenty percent but her status tells me she¡¯s going to be okay. Sylvia parries the tendril attacks skillfully with her two swords despite the dry blood smeared on her face. I secretly lace the Avent with Shadow Blade for the instant moment the blade and the tendrils made contact. I feel like the blade would snap without being reinforced by Shadow Blade but since Sylvia¡¯s swords are perfectly fine after clashes, it¡¯s probably just my paranoia. The Demon screeches once again as an impetus for the next round of attack. This time it¡¯s Abyssal Javelin. The name says it all. Deep crimson pole-size javelins is fired at us. Sylvia deflects the javelins with a skill called, Infinite Trail by wildly spinning her swords like a circus performer. Her MP decreases tremendously with that skill. Cost performance wise, it isn¡¯t wholly efficient. Her MP is down to thirty percent of her maximum threshold. Next, the Demon¡¯s eyes gaze at Sylvia as it shine like twinkling stars. I shove her out of the way on an abrupt hunch, out of the sight of the Greater Demon, and my eyes meet with the Demon¡¯s blinking crimson gaze. Before I can fully read the pop-up beside its eyes-- Curse: Death¡¯s Sentence ¨C Negated due to the effect of Night Empress Abaddon This appeared in my view. Holy shit! I just took a certain death curse for my companion and lived through it. I made a mental note to bring luxurious offerings to Abaddon even if it happens to be only a small shrine that I could find. Seeing my lost of bearings due to my misconceived fear, Sylvia rushes over to me. ¡°Lady Hirano, are you alright?!¡± A nod is all I can give as a response before the Greater Demon comes interrupting. It spins its whole body, whipping its tail at us. It didn¡¯t have a tail but now it does. It grew one just for this move. ¡°Element of destruction in celerity, shield of thundering repulse, Lightning Aegis.¡± Aside Magic Melee Arts, Mana Control, Body Strengthening, and Herculean Strength the standard Arcane Arts for any fighters, I forgot Sylvia also has Lightning Magic. The flurry of attacks unleashed by the Greater Demon are repelled away by the magic shield pulsing with thunder. During this short moment of breather, Sylvia passes me a Mana Potion. The circumstance did not permit me to make any double confirmations. We both gulped the contents of the vial in one go. The Lightning Aegis eventually gives out but we are just in time to avoid the tail slam. The Demon¡¯s tail split into four smaller tails. It sends two of its tail at each of us both. I use Torrential Rip from Magic Melee Arts and finely dice and tear the two tails into bite-size bits. Sylvia executes Hexa-Cleave, the dual sword version of Tri-Cleave. Her swords leave a trail of red light that forms a shape similar to the Star of David. The Demon¡¯s screech turns into a furious roar at our performance. A deep crimson light cloaks its body after the roar. Was that another chant or something like an impetus for a magic spell? In accordance to my question, Death Magic: Essence Drain (Aura), pops up beside the Demon. The sound of the roar is unquestionably deafening but it isn¡¯t too extreme to affect one¡¯s health. Although the truth might not be so trivia since the name of the magic sounds grim. To prove my point, Sylvia plops down to the floor after that. I inspect her status and found these two status affliction, Exhausted and Health Depletion: In-progress. What about me? Why wasn¡¯t I affected too? As I wished for a way to review what I missed, this pops up. [Log] Death Magic: Essence Drain ¨C Resisted Oh? I can view log histories? This is beginning to look grim and the fact that the Greater Demon is still only at ninety percent of its health further darkens the prospects of a victorious future. ¡°Can you stand?¡± I asked. She neither nod nor shake her head. She just forces herself to her feet despite the obvious inability to. ¡°I can still fight,¡± she told me. The Demon sneers and launches its tendrils at us. Without a window for argument, I stand in front of her and take the blow that was coming for her. I unleash four consecutives Tri-Cleaves at the incoming tendrils. I can hear Sylvia¡¯s gasp of awe behind me. Tired with range attacks, the Demon closes the distance between us. A slit appears on a quarter of its body. The slit slowly spreads open, revealing rows of jaws with sharp fangs. It¡¯s my mistake to think that it isn¡¯t capable of a ruse. It¡¯s not trying to swallow us whole. It¡¯s going for a point-blank range attack. Magic is gathering at the center of its open mouth. Doom Sphere, pops up beside its mouth. I can dodge this but Sylvia is drained of her stamina. It¡¯s also impossible for me to take Sylvia along without further revealing my true potential. Now wasn¡¯t the time to hold back. Secrets be damned. I charge Avent with Shadow Blade and which is already layered with Spell Edge. I keep an eye on the amount of magic reinforcement the sword can take. When it¡¯s on the verge of vibrating from the accumulated magic, I stop the charge. The sphere of Abyssal Magic shot out like a canon from Demon¡¯s mouth. I bring the blade clad with Shadow Blade and Spell Edge to meet the cannonball. To my surprise, my sword easily cut apart the cannonball but that¡¯s my blunder. I should have known what happened when I cut a magic spell projectile. The magic energy inside the sphere ran loose, engulfing the surroundings it was release upon to.
My kind, the Majins were superior to the humans in both aspects of physical and magical. Yet, we were always being treated as their inferior. A common prejudice against us. A race with blood stained by our ancestors, the Demons. On the surface, we have a mutual relationship with other races but the unfounded fear and prejudice were only waiting for a good reason to be unleashed. We were delicate with our relationship with other races. We were careful not to provide a reason for them to act on their unfounded fears. I was overjoy when my long years of service with the Zerogian Empire bore fruit. I was chosen as an attendant of a hero. To my disappointment, the hero I was assign to was a runt. Hirano Shizuka, a hero from another world. She was a scout. I hated this. I hated that even after so long, the trusts I garner had only warranted this much in return. I even heard rumors among the officials that they were just cooking up a feasible reason to sack the Scout Hero off the party. Her skills as a scout was of a novice¡¯s at best. It was a let down that a hero was only average. But it wasn¡¯t all bad. She had a heart, at least. Not to say she treated us all with equal kindness but she treated us all equally unmannerly. Her answers and replies were short if it was allowed to be. Still, it was the first time in so long that I met someone without prejudice towards a Majin. I thought¡ª given time, we could become something more than the expectations set upon us. She wasn¡¯t arrogant. She wasn¡¯t willing to learn either but she had the guts to admit her mistakes. I came to realize, she was those type who has ample amount of room to grow and I would be by her side as she does so¡­. Regardless of what delusions I concocted in my mind, our fate was seal. Fortune had not favor us. Come to think of it, she was oddly calm in otherwise desperate situations. She might had been hiding her true strength but none of that matters anymore. Her oversight caused us our lives. It was the common sense to avoid a magic attack. Guarding against it or attacking it would break the magic formation and let loose the concentrated magic power. The damages would be uncontrolled and unfathomable. However, that was our common sense. Hirano Shizuka was from another world. Our common sense had yet to be hers. And so, we were left scathed by that oversight. The explosion threw her through the broke benches. I was sent flying to the altar, closer to the dragon¡¯s skeletal corpse. The demon itself was harm by its own magic. It took more damage than us due to its size but its high defense made it fared better than us. This was the end for us¡­. How curious. Another fitting one? A voice resounded in my mind. It was a woman¡¯s. Whose? And where did it came from? Mortal, do you want to live? Answer me. The voice directed a question at me, a question laced with transparent hidden intent but¡ª I was in no condition to quarrel or dissent. What is it that you desire? Acceptance, the answer came to my mind plainly. I had long to be acknowledged. Not just me, but my entire race. We never wished to be the superior one. We just wish to be an equal. We wished to be accepted without apprehension. And with me, they will have no choice to acknowledge you. I can give you what you desire. I knew I was being tricked into a scheme but my desperation clouded my perception. My despair took over my better judgment. My live was fill with hate, I was reminded so. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± I asked. Accept me. The sword in the skull of the dragon, take it out. I forced myself to stand. There was no strength found in my limbs but I moved. It was almost like I was just dangling on strings while a puppeteer steered me towards the altar. The Demon was still flailing in it agony, it paid no mind to me who was limping towards the altar. Be warned. The sword is cursed. It harms anyone who touches it but it is but a small price to pay for your salvation, no? I invoked Body Strengthening to its fullest potential. Even so, it wasn¡¯t able to protect me from the curse of the sword. It felt like my hand was burning, slowly charred into ashes. But the sword twitched from its impromptu pedestal with my every attempts. Against the searing pain, I successfully pulled out the sword on the twentieth attempt. My hand was now nothing but flesh and bones. It hurt but it didn¡¯t bother me. My very being felt disconnected from my body, like something got in between the connection my soul and my body. At long last¡­. It spoke as if it a cool breeze brushed by. My hands moved but I didn¡¯t will it. The pain was all gone. I felt relived. I felt¡ª --nothing. There was only my consciousness. I no longer felt my hands, legs, face¡­.. nothing¡­. I felt nothing. You might not be the Harbinger nor the Apostle but¡ª you¡¯ll do, I guess. As always, you mortals are easily tempted. Foolish. Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Fatigue: Moderate / Exhaustion:Mild / Unconscious
HP 500 MP 200
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1700 Attack - 400 Defense - 250 Magic - 250 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 5 Remaining Ability Points: 10
Chapter 1 - 6 Talia Lox What the fuck is that?! The clock in the corner of my view told me I have only passed out for five minutes tops but the situation has taken a dire change. Sylvia is no longer Sylvia. Like Ren, her dark skin is crawling with dark purplish veins. Her pointy ears and horns grew. She¡¯s also slightly taller. I can no longer read her information. Instead, her information is replaced with Valuma¡¯s. I say replaced but Valuma¡¯s status and information are just plain unreadable. It¡¯s like seeing a coding error. Her name and her title are the only thing I manage to get out of appraisal. Her title, Berserker of the Void, is a beacon of intimidation. It¡¯s practically raising all alarms in my head. ¡°Don¡¯t look so scare. I ain¡¯t gonna kill ya.¡± Her voice is cold and higher than before. I feel her words are sincere but it doesn¡¯t help. Every single words sent chills down my spine all the same. I feel like I could trip myself I¡¯m not careful, that¡¯s just how disconcerting her presence is. She raises the corner of her lips as if she saw something delightful. ¡°Tenacious. As expected of a God¡¯s apostle.¡± She knows. I don¡¯t know how but she knows. My Divine Art doesn¡¯t show up on my info screen unless I go out of my way to will it to appear. ¡°You¡¯re so young but the strength of your soul surpasses even the ones who are nearing the end of their mortality. You are fascinating. Are you an offworlder?¡± Offworlder. That¡¯s the official term for the summoned and reincarnated ones and basically anyone who isn¡¯t of this world. She knows what I am. My Divine Art should have allow me to be aware of any spells affecting me, including appraisal abilities, but I haven¡¯t caught any warning from Abaddon. Don¡¯t tell me she has some sort of hyper intuition? ¡°Well, not that it matters since you are only a hatchling in my eyes. To think you are even able to resist my enthrallment, it¡¯s just unthinkable. Tell me, are you acquainted with the Harbinger?¡± I don¡¯t know who this Harbinger is but she seems to think my reason being here is due to this Harbinger person. ¡°Hmm¡­. Doesn¡¯t seem like you know of the Harbinger¡­. Curious. Could he have lied?¡± The way she said while inclining her head makes her look vain. I was about to ask who¡¯s this ¡°he¡± she¡¯s referring to but a grating screech imprudently cut into our atmosphere. ¡°Yeesh! Quiet, would you?!¡± I just notice the Greater Demon behind her, impaled to the ground with dark purplish stakes. That¡¯s just how great of her presence is, it even made me unconsciously neglect the presence of the Greater Demon. And the fact that she is able to easily subdue a Greater Demon just proofs she¡¯s way out of my league. If her intentions are hostile, it will be the end of me. Her expression changes as she¡¯s reprimanding the Demon. Her eyes are full of a child¡¯s mischief. Her lips curl sharply. She kicks off into the air and glides gracefully to the doorway. Yes, she glided. I can¡¯t tell what skill she used. Everything she does only appears in question marks, literally. ¡°You¡¯re not quite there yet¡ªbut I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± She smiles at me with a malice glee. She even tittered. Dark purplish stakes appear around her. The stakes point themselves at the doorframe like missiles guiding themselves to their targets. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, okay? I¡¯m really looking forward to you making out of here. Even if you¡¯re not the Harbinger, you will make a great substitute. Ah~ How nice is this, to have a spare. I¡¯m just¡ªthrilled!¡± I know what she is going to do but I¡¯m frozen to my spot in fear. The stakes shot out and destroy the doorframe, the rubble clutters into a blockade. Now, I¡¯m trap inside the cathedral with a Greater Demon. ¡°Shizu!¡± The shout breaks me free of the fear that rooted me. I look to the direction of the voice and find the Demon already free of the stakes, rushing at Lucy. I throw an Aura Blade to redirect its focus. The Demon flinches as the Aura Blade barely reduces any of its health. I don¡¯t think it hurts but it definitely looks annoyed. Its eyes narrow when it turned to me. I didn¡¯t know it¡¯s capable of that but now isn¡¯t the time to be amazed by such trivial things. It worked. It¡¯s growling at me but now I¡¯m the one in trouble. That Valuma person did quite a number on the Greater Demon. Its HP is now only a little over half the maximum amount but it¡¯s recovering. Since I didn¡¯t see it as one of its abilities, it must be a physiological thing of the Demons to regenerate. This is kinda bad. It only means it doesn¡¯t need Mana to recover its HP. I recoat Avent with Spell Edge and Shadow Blade and clash strikes with the Demon¡¯s tendrils. Unlike before, I¡¯m using both the magic skills to their fullest potential. Avent¡¯s augmented blade is finely cutting the tendrils it clashes with but I¡¯m quite concern with Avent¡¯s blade integrity. It¡¯s finely vibrating due to accumulated energy. I know it has the ability to mend its broken blade but point is¡ªI don¡¯t know how. Although I¡¯m making quick work of the Demon¡¯s attacks, it doesn¡¯t seem like its assault will be ending soon. A few got through and grazed against my shoulders and thighs. It hurts but I bear it by clenching my teeth. The wounds are nasty and they¡¯re bleeding. I steel my heart and avoid gazing at these wounds. If only I still have my other arm, at least I can cast a spell while deflecting its attacks. What¡­. I notice a new tendril takes the place of another tendril I just sliced off. It¡¯s happening for every tendril I cut off. Is it growing back every tendril I cut down? While I¡¯m bewildered by its absurd regeneration, it suddenly throws its whole body at me. Before it¡¯s able to turn me to a bloody mess of a pulp, a flash of lightning descends out of nowhere. It struck the Demon and sent it flying away from me. Before I realize, thunders are violently discharging at every corner in the cathedral. The remaining standing pillars remind me of tesla coils the way the lightning bounces around. With Mana Vision, I trace the source to the altar, where the fury of the thunder is the strongest. Now that I spared a glance at the altar, I realize the skeletal corpse of the dragon has crumbled. The saber which was thrust into the skull is left lying on the floor. Are the thunder strikes the result of the disturbed spirits of the dead? I quickly rush over to Shizu whose tail is between her legs and her ears plopped down. She isn¡¯t afraid but the thunderclaps are just too much for her hyper sensitive ears. I defend her with the Moon Silver Sword from the lightning bolts that are striking indiscriminately at everything. Fortunately, only Avent¡¯s blade is electric conductive not the handle. Despite the raging of the arbitrary lightning strikes, the Demon still has its sights on me. This time, it charges at me disregarding the thunderbolts that struck him. It launches the biggest tendril yet at me. As I ready myself against the next attack, my blood shivers when it protrudes more tendrils of the same size. No, it¡¯s not just a normal tendril attack. It combines the other tendrils of similar size by coiling with one another, turning it into a drill made of its own flesh. I extend the reach of Avent with Shadow Blade and use Spiral Thrust to meet the Demon¡¯s drill attack. My attack easily tears through its drill and I made the right decision by extending the reach as it counterattacked by using a small feeler from its side. I was just right outside the feeler¡¯s reach. I keep on attacking it as it¡¯s now left defenseless with a big portion of its body tore away. I¡¯m slicing and dicing while maintaining the image of the Demon¡¯s flesh being just a piece of meat. I even used Grand Strike to tear its wound further apart. Finally, it seems to feel pain with my flurry of attacks as it shrieks with a high pitch voice. Lucy cowers as she braces against the grating noise but I¡¯m too use to a Demon¡¯s cry of pain at this point. Looks like I have finally dealt some serious damage to him as I shaved off twenty percent of its health. However¡ª --it grows back the part of his flesh I destroyed and its health recover the twenty percent I chipped off. It regenerates as fast as it loses it. That¡¯s not fair. It regains its poise almost as fast as it regenerate its lost flesh. It rams its body at me. I push away to reduce the impact but I¡¯m nevertheless sent tumbling away. With the help of a little bit of wind manipulation, I recover my stance and intercept its jabbing tendrils. My stance is impromptu and the attacks are straining the fact that I¡¯m only using one arm. I would have died then if it wasn¡¯t for the random lightning strikes. A quarter of its flesh are fried from the lightning bolt that came out of nowhere. I have an easier time evading the lightning strikes due to my smaller built. Now, the Demon¡¯s larger built is showing its disadvantage even though it moves almost as fast as me. We once again clash and every few seconds, the thunderbolts intrude on our fight. It¡¯s vexing for the Demon but it¡¯s my saving grace. The lightning strikes are giving me a room to breathe but I wasn¡¯t completely free of the downsides. I too got hit a few times by the lightning but it wasn¡¯t as bad as the Demon who¡¯s receiving the full brunt of the lightning strikes. A thunder bolt larger than the ones before descend unto the Demon. It¡¯s the first lightning strike that managed to stun it in place. During this window, I succeed cutting off its face but it still functions normally like it has only received a paper cut. In addition to my exhaustion, my frustration is also piling up with the ups and downs of the Demon¡¯s HP bar. Its regeneration and recovery is just absurd. Ten minutes of stalemate between the Demon and I passed and the random lightning strikes stop. Now, a small storm seems to be whipping up at the altar. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening but I think I should be fine if I stay away from the altar. The Demon growls at me which almost sounded like a mocking laugh. Black masses begin excreting from its body. Since nothing is showing in my view, it¡¯s not a magic skill nor spell, it must be its physiology capability. Ah¡­. I realize what it¡¯s doing when I saw its status. It reads, Duplicating. This must be how they reproduce but I never read anything about how they reproduce or if they are even capable of reproducing. The four black masses it produce spawns into lesser Demons. As soon as they finish taking their form, the lesser Demons begin their assault. ¡°Winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars.¡± The blade of the winds ripped apart one of the lesser Demons, wounded another but the other two evaded it. Skill Point(s) gained +2 Ability Point(s) gained +4 Casting aside the notification from my view, I block the attack from the wounded one and the other two rush to my flank. I quickly deflect the pressing attack from the wounded Demon and push it away with Air Burst. I barely made it in time to bisect the Demon coming at my right with Spell Edge. I didn¡¯t use Shadow Blade as I deem it would be overkill and waste of energy. When I deactivated Shadow Blade, it felt like some weight is taken off from my mind. Skill Point(s) gained +2 Ability Point(s) gained +4 The one of the left is free to act with my attention being on the right. I only left my left flank unguarded because I¡¯m not alone. Lucy tosses a random short sword she found on the ground at the Demon flanking my left. The sword sticks accurately into one of its glowing eyes and delays it enough for me to act. When I combined Primed Edge and Spell Edge together, I got a new skill out of it although it wasn¡¯t my intention for it. Primed Rupture - Acquired The Mana consumption is high but it¡¯s worth it considering the cost-performance. It turn the Demon I struck with Primed Rupture into smithereens. Skill Point(s) gained +1 Ability Point(s) gained +2 The points gained are less but that¡¯s only because Lucy helped in a major part of wounding it. Not that I¡¯m complaining, I¡¯m just glad Shizu is getting something out of this. I cast Air Burst repeatedly at the last lesser Demon and let Lucy finishes the job with Avent. Even Lucy is shocked of how light the sword is when she received it. When the Demon fell to Lucy, I receive no points. It¡¯s not uncommon for me to receive nothing. It happens a lot with my original party. Come to think of it, it might be because of my distinctive way of levelling up that I¡¯m lacking behind the other Heroes. Although in a long run, my way of levelling up would definitely be better. Now that we¡¯re done with the lesser Demons, we once again face the Greater Demon who oddly did nothing while we¡¯re engaging with its spawn. Lucy returns Avent to me but she seems reluctant to part with it. Avent is a good sword after all but it¡¯s too big for her size. Wait, where¡¯s the Greater Demon? It¡¯s no longer where we last saw it. Just as I begin to panic, I calm myself down and remember the excursions with my original party. I remember how shrewd the Demons are and how they always attack from odd spots. But off course, I already know where it went when I calmed down. I nudge my head upwards when Lucy looks at me with an asking gaze. She nods in return. On my signal, I throw an Aura Blade above me. The Greater Demon decides to strike when it realize its attempt at stealth has failed. Its tendrils impale into the empty spot of a ground where we have been. Lucy picks up two short swords just by her feet and together, we rush at the Greater Demon which has all its tendril stuck deep in the ground. It¡¯s trying to struggle free but it¡¯s stuck too deep. I execute consecutive Tri-Cleave while keeping track of my MP amount. Lucy isn¡¯t doing as much as I am but she is nevertheless helping me shaving the Demon¡¯s HP down. However, we aren¡¯t doing much damage as it seems to have hardened its flesh. It¡¯s another physical advantage of the Demon instead of something magical. I¡¯m starting to understand more on why a Demon is so feared. They have so much in their arsenal even without the use of magic. Finally, it manages to free itself of the bind it put itself in. We retreated the same time as it hopped away from us. We lock gaze but neither of us move. It¡¯s being cautious now since it knows its usual tactics won¡¯t work. It might have been my imagination but the Demon looks delighted. Suddenly, it feels like a Mexican Stand-off but without guns. ¡°Shizu! It¡¯s doing something again!¡± The space around the Demon seems to distort like it¡¯s being drained into a whirlpool. Abyssal Breath, types itself out beside the Demon¡¯s mouth. I quickly store Avent into Arms Inventory and carry Lucy into my arms. ¡°Stride on the swift wind, Gale Rush.¡± I quickly chanted and dodge the laser-like beam that drill holes on the walls behind me. I continue running away from the continuous beam from the Demon. With Gale Rush, I¡¯m able to run on walls and even jump from pillars to pillars as each of them get disintegrated behind me from the Demon¡¯s beam. The small storm on the altar deflected the beam that came its way. The storm is only growing and the saber seems to be reacting with it. I¡¯m curious of what¡¯s happening but I¡¯m not curious enough to stop moving and inspect it closely. I scoop up a few sharp pebbles as I run. I hand them over to Lucy. ¡°Luce, try hitting its mouth with these.¡± Lucy nods with a flare-up look and fists pump. The beam is still persisting and it¡¯s not looking like it will stop anytime. I¡¯m quite worry of the structures¡¯ integrity but the rundown cathedral is sturdier than it looks. I¡¯m just running around the Demon in circles. It¡¯s all I can do. If I get close, it would attack me with its tendril. With that laser beam behind me, a small pause would even cause me my demise. Lucy isn¡¯t hitting her target as I¡¯m running on uneven terrains. She even grumbled when she missed it on her seventh throw. Even after a few more throws, she isn¡¯t able to hit it. She¡¯s down to her last pebble. Eventually, the Demon¡¯s laser breath ran dry. I stop moving at that instance. ¡°Wait, Luce. Not now.¡± I stop Lucy whose eyes are on fire. When the words Abyssal Breath reappears, I give Lucy the signal. She throws the last pebble with a battle cry. Her timing is good but the slight distortion around the Demon is slowing down the pebble. The breath will fire first before the pebble can even come close. No. I would not let it end like this! ¡°Air Burst!¡± I accelerate the pebble¡¯s speed by hitting it with an Air Burst of controlled strength. Just as the breath is about to leave the Demon¡¯s open throat, the pebble reaches its mark. With the magic composition and formation disrupted, the spell breaks apart in its mouth. The explosion wrenches its mouth open and takes away thirty person of its health. That¡¯s gotta hurt. Its grating howl of pain is the testament. I take out Avent and coat it with Shadow Blade. I run up to the Demon and throw the sword at its open mouth which already begins its recovery. The sword impales through the Demon but it didn¡¯t deal much damage, not even five percent but it¡¯s flailing even further in pain as the sword messed up its regeneration process. I have read too much fiction to know doing something like this would be effective. It¡¯s now or never. I didn¡¯t know why I bought those when I knew I was going into a forest. Fire is a no-no in a forest. Did I knew this was coming? Was that why I bought those?Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. I take out a sword from Arms Inventory. The reason for me not considering this sword as a weapon in my repertoire is because this sword is a dummy, its blade isn¡¯t even real. Tied to the end of the hilt are three small sacks of Gray Spores. The Demon is still struggling in its own agony. Looks like regenerating its lost parts hurt as much as when it lost it and not to mention it¡¯s not even regenerating properly. I spread the spores at the recovering Demon and I use novice-level Wind Magic: Breeze to control the spread of the spores. The Demon seems to notice the spores as it stops its flailing. It looks at me and I return to it a grin. The Demon responds in anger. It roars and kicks off the ground, lunging at me. I use the wind to make the spores follow its movements. Behind me is the altar which a small storm is brewing. ¡°Winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars!¡± Just before its sharpened tendril can find their way into my flesh, the scarring winds slice through its body. It looks like the spell did a lot of damage but its HP barely dropped. Not that it matters much as reducing its health isn¡¯t my agenda here. I manage to rob it of its sights with that spell and it¡¯s now blindly rushing at me. I dodge to the side at the last moment and it rams into the altar. The sparks from the brewing storm ignites the spores. From there, a chain reaction of a large magnitude begins. The ignition from one tiny speck of spore hop to the next, and to the next and the next until an inferno is form. Despite my efforts to contain the explosion, the blazing explosion spreads out from its containment, engulfing almost half the cathedral with it. Whoa, aren¡¯t these spores a little bit too potent? ¡°Arise as my shield against all harms, Vacuum Wall.¡± The flames which ran wild are denied their advances as they entered a vacuum zone but the shockwave the flames carry along isn¡¯t dispel. I have made sure Lucy is by my side when I cast Vacuum Wall and I use my body to shield her from the damages that the spell can¡¯t. ¡°Shizu!¡± ¡°Be quiet and stay down!¡± I yelled back and Lucy who looks worried. The shockwaves isn¡¯t too bad, it feels like a roller coaster ride but my HP is dropping at a rate I can¡¯t joke about. As the flames grow, the ceiling begins crumbling. A large chunk breaks off from the ceiling and descends unto the burning Demon who is unfortunately just below it. Chunks and chunks continue falling, crushing the Greater Demon under, the rocks keep falling until the inferno loses its life and about a minute passed. I waited until the dust settles before I deactivate Vacuum Wall. Just as I wonder about the Demon¡¯s condition, I¡¯m given reassurance with the message that comes soon after along with the view of the charred remains of the Greater Demon. Greater Demon ¨C Slain Thank god. If it goes on, I think I will be too exhausted to fight and my HP isn¡¯t at an optimal point. Skill Point(s) gained +10 Ability Point(s) gained +20 Wow, that¡¯s a lot of points gained. Well, it better be this much otherwise I think I¡¯ll freak if it was any less than Ren. Aerial Dance Lv. 0 - Unlocked And I unlocked Aerial Dance from this battle. It¡¯s only level zero which means I have to at least put in one point before it can be used. Aerial Dance is a magic skill that allows one to traverse in the air if I recall correctly. There¡¯s also flight spells in Wind Magic but those are magic spells, so they aren¡¯t practical for fighters who can¡¯t chant. Chant isn¡¯t something as simple as just saying the words out loud. A clear mind and a clear picture of the spell is also needed in order to conjure the magic perfectly. The clearer the picture, the more effective the spell becomes. Fighters who have muscles brains are usually unable to create a clear picture of a spell and it¡¯s hard to have a clear mind while engaging in close-quarter combats. Off course, I do not have any basis for those statements. I got everything from books I read in the Zerogian National Archives. Unlike the present time on earth, there¡¯s no reference page citing works from another research even in a research paper. Plagiarisms are common in this world yet they seem to have no idea how to solve this issue other than using lie-detector magic spells. If I have the time, I should introduce the A.P.A style referencing. Now, since I have twenty skill points available, I think I can spare some for Aerial Dance. I level Aerial Dance to at least level three which cost me six skill points. I now have fourteen remaining skill points. I think hold on to it for now. Sky Step ¨C Acquired Aerial Drive ¨C Acquired I don¡¯t know exactly what these two do but I can roughly guess its purpose from the name. For now, I assign ten ability points each to my MP and HP which increase both the stats by a hundred each. I expend the rest to my speed and attack equally. I guess this power-up can be considered a silver lining to this entire ordeal. Hmm.... My HP and MP didn''t return to their maximum state even though I increased their maximum threshold. ¡°Shizu, is it over?¡± I want to tell her yes but¡ªthe ever growing storm on the altar is a little bit concerning. It didn¡¯t get crushed under the debris like the Greater Demon. Every piece of rubble is disintegrated the moment it enters the field of the storm. If that¡¯s an omen for another enemy, I think I¡¯m screwed. I can¡¯t even stand any longer. I just let myself fall to the ground. When I let go of the Moon Silver Sword, it loses its infused magic power but I at least summon enough strength to store the away Avent into Arms Inventory I¡¯m basically running on fumes. Although my MP is recovering exponentially but my fatigue is high and I¡¯m just terribly exhausted. I was fighting the Greater Demon with an adrenaline rush. Now that has come to an end, the delayed penalties are settling in. I didn¡¯t even realize that I¡¯m bleeding all over. I have three status ailment, Fatigue: High, Exhaustion: Moderate, and Bleeding: Moderate. Despite how tired I¡¯m feeling, my exhaustion is only moderate but maybe it feels more exhausting because of my high fatigue. I chew on some Cavo Berries to ease the pain but that¡¯s not stopping the bleeding. So I ask Lucy to get some burning wood from the explosion earlier. Lucy hands me the burning wood without asking what I intend to use it for. I thought she¡¯s none the wiser about my intentions but when I see her face, she understands perfectly but she¡¯s believing my decision like always. I tear off a piece of my clothing and chew on it. ¡°Here goes.¡± I never done this before we were taught about it. And I spent the next few minutes screaming at the top of my lungs from cauterizing my wounds. When everything¡¯s done, I collapse to the ground with a nearby large chunk of rock supporting me upright. My only comfort from the pain is Lucy, who¡¯s hugging tightly onto me. I want to hug back but I¡¯m afraid I would squeeze the life out of her considering how much pain I¡¯m in. You are strong, dear Apostle. Another voice spoke to me in my mind but I sense no malice nor danger from this one. Rather, it feels calm. You aren¡¯t chosen for your devotion nor your strength. You are chosen for your iron will. I suppose praise is in order for the wise and chivalrous Goddess that governs the night. Whoever is talking to me, it was watching my fight with the Greater Demon. ¡°Shizu! Someone¡¯s talking in my head!¡± It seems Lucy is also hearing it. Her flustered face is cute and all but her nails are digging into my skin. I smile at her with a cramp while reassuring her everything will be fine. ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked back. My name is Talia Lox and I am a Mondra. Talia Lox,¡ªthe saber? Correct. I have been watching but I¡¯m sure you already caught on to that. ¡°Was it you? Did you unleashed the thunders?¡± No. On the contrary, I was the one who contained it. That was the wrath of the Storm Emperor. His final resting place was disturb. So I was right. Whatever happened while I was unconscious, it disturbed the dragon¡¯s eternal rest. ¡°Do you have any intentions to do us harm?¡± I don¡¯t but I had neither the intention to help you either. Had? Forgive me for the misconception. My impression of you had been¡ªfallacious. For an Apostle, you are humble. You have no lust for power. You are distinctive from all the Apostles I came across. ¡°Oh yeah? What are they normally like?¡± Greedy. Conceited. They think they are above all mortals. They revere themselves as gods of mortals. You are different but it is what I can expect from the Champion of Abaddon. ¡°You know her?¡± We were acquainted. She loves this world but she has next to no interest for mortals, not to say she despises them. She seems to think mortals are susceptible¡ªdoomed to be corrupted by power. If she chose you, that says a lot about you, dear Apostle. Lucy is hearing the conversation between Talia the Saber and me but she understands nothing at all. Her tilting head of confusion is really adorable. My hand went and patted her head involuntarily. ¡°What do you want? If you didn¡¯t want anything from me, you wouldn¡¯t have talk to me. So tell me, what are you after?¡± I seek only to fulfil the purpose for my reason to be. ¡°And that is?¡± The Q¡¯nu who had escape her confinement, it is my responsibility to contain her. Your companion, the Majin was under the influence of the Q¡¯nu when she freed her from her prison. ¡°Q¡¯nu?¡± It means nomad in Helix. I believe among the Common language, it¡¯s called Void Demons. Helix. From what I read, Helix is believed to be the first real civilization that matters in Evarenan. The reign is said to have lasted the longest than any dynasty. The cultures, the magic, the technologies, everything is said to have derived from Helix. Currently, Helix is considered something like what Latin is on Earth, or maybe even worse. In order to accomplish my reason to be, I am in dire need of assistance. I am only but an armament. I need a wielder and I see no worthier person than you to be my wielder, Champion of Abaddon. ¡°Okay. I know your story but what about the dragon? What¡¯s his story?¡± He is a collateral, a voluntarily collateral. My last wielder fought alongside Torment to seal the Void Demon, Valuma. It took the sacrifice of Torment to succeed in sealing Valuma. Before you ask, Void Demons are indestructible as they are immortal. ¡°So, you want me to wield you?¡± Yes. ¡°And chase down that Void Demon?¡± Yes. ¡°And reseal her?¡± That is correct. ¡°Look miss, I don¡¯t know if you realize but I¡¯m missing an arm here and I have just cauterize the shit out of my bleeding wounds. Not to mention I¡¯m tired as shit, physically and mentally speaking and I think spiritually wise, I¡¯m also in the state.¡± Whoa¡ªthat was therapeutic. It¡¯s been so long since I last spoken a full sentence in my original Earthern dialect. If you are willing to assist in my purpose, I¡¯m not the only incentive. Oh? Now I¡¯m curious. ¡°What¡¯s the other incentive?¡± I asked. For some reasons, Lucy is drilling her head into my chest. I could be wrong but she might be restless from being left out of the conversation. The Mana Vessel¡ªthe soul of Torment is bound to me when I was used as the means to seal the Void Demon. It was done so as an insurance¡ªto enhance the integrity of the seal. The power of the Storm Emperor will be yours should you choose to wield me. I stifled a laugh from the clich¨¦ line and I end up hurting myself from holding back my laughter. ¡°In that case¡ª¡± I put quite an effort just so I can stand up. Lucy helped me, of course. ¡°¡ªwhat are we waiting for?¡± ¡°Shizu?¡± ¡°Help me over to the Altar, could you?¡± She alternates her glance from the altar to me, seemingly to ask if I¡¯m sure of this. It¡¯s unlike her to question me but it¡¯s a fresh change of pace for the usual trusting Lucy. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. It¡¯s just like always, okay? Trust me on this.¡± She wants to retort but she nods instead with reluctance. Just like this, I slowly limp over to the altar while having Lucy assist me. I keep forgetting Lucy is stronger than she looks since she looks like an innocent and frail child. I certainly have higher stats, even in attack but I don¡¯t think I can best her in arm wrestling. It smells of ozone, or at least I believe that¡¯s what the scent is called. The storm looks much more menacing now that I¡¯m only a feet away from the altar. Lucy seems to have gotten use to the thunders crackling but her tail still jitters once in a while. There¡¯s even heat I can feel but it¡¯s a different kind of heat. I have a feeling this kind of heat will instantly cauterize everything it touches. ¡°Now what do I do?¡± Reach your hand out to me. As it said that, the saber begins to float up while realigning itself until it¡¯s upright and a few inches away from the floor. Of course it crossed my mind to retort but given what I have witnessed and experienced, retorting will just be a question to an obvious answer. ¡°Be careful, Shizu. I¡¯m here, okay?¡± I nodded back at her with a smile. She even pumps both of her fist to cheer for me. She¡¯s really adorable. Slowly and steadily, I thrust my hand into the altar. A part of me expected my hand to be at least scathed mildly by the wildly dancing thunder within the confines of the altar but¡ªthe way it crackles, it¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s deliberately avoiding hitting me. As I plunge further into the altar, when just my hand isn¡¯t enough to reach the saber, I take a deep breath and throw my whole body into the confines. The thunders flare up but none of the bolts struck me. I feel likes Moses but I¡¯m parting thunders instead of the sea. Now that I have close view of the saber, it looks like what you will get for fusing a broadsword with a Katana but the additional details are intricate, to say the least. May I know your name, dear Apostle? ¡°Shizuka, Hirano Shizuka.¡± Since my surname is on the left, the parody I¡¯m referencing from a certain spy film somehow feels unfulfilling. ¡°What happens after we complete the objective?¡± Nothing. You go back doing what you¡¯re meant to do and I will remain forever as the seal of the Void Demon. ¡°And you¡¯re fine with that?¡± I understand your concerns but our mind differs to a mortal¡¯s. We don¡¯t age. We don¡¯t grow old. A decade is only but a day to the perspective of eternals. And we do not have what you mortals called Pride. ¡°But we¡¯re talking about forever here. Won¡¯t you feel lonely at some point?¡± I am unfamiliar with it. I have remained as the seal of the Void Demon for two thousand years. What¡¯s another thousand and another thousand to come? ¡°But--¡± Enough with your foolish concerns, Apostle. I am a weapon, nothing more nothing less. I am to be wielded, so wield me, Hirano Shizuka. It¡¯s weird that I¡¯m more concern about the other party¡¯s well-being when I¡¯m the one putting my head out there. Perhaps it isn¡¯t a genuine concern. Perhaps I¡¯m just stalling because I¡¯m not entirely trusting of the saber¡¯s words. It¡¯s kinda too late to voice my doubts now since I¡¯m completely at the mercy of the saber. Should she¡ªyeah, a she, since the voice sounds like a she¡ªwills it, all the thunders around will clam on me. ¡°Talia, was it?¡± Talia Lox, but I permit you to call me Talia. ¡°And the dragon¡ªTorment, is he still alive?¡± He is dead but his will is not. His power that fuels the manifestation of his will, persist till this day. An eternal rage. Wield me and you will wield the Storm Emperor¡¯s wrath along. I still have a lot of questions and doubts but I have come this far. It just doesn¡¯t sit well with me to back out from this responsibility now. And that¡¯s that. So,-- --let¡¯s do this. The moment I wrap my shivering and delicate but callus finger around the handle of the saber named Talia Lox, the thunderclaps stop in an instant, like someone hit the switch. The space is bending towards Talia as if everything is sucking into a vortex. After that, Talia begins to discharge lightning, not just from the blade but from her entirety. Hirano Shizuka, from now on, you are my wielder and companion in my crusade. I wish us good fortune for the future to come. ¡°Likewise, Talia.¡± I greeted back. I avoid mentioning how unexpectedly light I find her to be. Since I see her as a female, telling her this might hurt her feelings. And of course, greetings to you too, little wolf. ¡°Um¡­. good¡­. a-afternoon, T-Talia?¡± Mana Vessel of Ancient Dragon: Torment ¨C Acquired Individual Unit: Talia Lox has been contracted and bound Dragon Mystic Arts (Legacy) Lv. 2 ¨C Acquired Tempest Wings Blade (Unique) Lv. 2 ¨C Acquired Lightning Magic Lv. 1 ¨C Acquired Water Magic Lv. 1 ¨C Acquired There was no pain. There were none the flashy lights or colors I expected. I have thought the process has failed but I feel power surging into me. I can feel my fatigue being lifted off. My exhaustion is fading. My wounds are healing. Dragon Mystic Arts: Dragonic Vision ¨C Acquired Dragon Mystic Arts: Mystic Skin ¨C Acquired Dragon Mystic Arts: Supreme Might ¨C Acquired It¡¯s an onslaught of information in my view. Since it¡¯s more than the tab can display, I expand the tab which I didn¡¯t know I could do that but I did it on a hunch. Nice. Tempest Wings: Vorpal Draw ¨C Acquired Tempest Wings: Storm Talons ¨C Acquired Lightning Magic: Shock ¨C Acquired Water Magic: Water Drop ¨C Acquired I¡¯m not disappointed nor am I totally pleased. For an ancient dragon, I expected much more. Everything just seem so¡ªlacking. I¡¯m even shocked when I saw the points I acquired. Skill Point(s) gained +20 Ability Point(s) gained +20 Dragons are supposed to be legendary but looking at what I acquired, I¡¯m starting to doubt the authenticity of the legends and myths. I sense great uncertainty within you. Are you displeased, Lady Hirano? ¡°No¡­. but this is not much. I expected more from a dragon, an ancient dragon, at that.¡± Such as it is to be expected. Two thousand years have passed. It may not be what it once was but given time, it will regain its prime. Do not be daunted, Lady Hirano. The Void Demon shares the same condition, she is not as powerful as she is in her prime. This much will do. I see. So it¡¯s something like that. I see you are still uncertain of your current capabilities. You are missing an arm, so I can understand the root of your doubts. In this regard, allow me¡ª Immediately after, a spectral arm spawns from the stump of my right arm. ¡°Holy¡­.! What is this?!¡± I jumped and I flailed the spectral arm around out of panic. Calm yourself. This is the result of my unique ability, Arcane Phantasm. It lets me mold my aura into any desire shape as long as I have a clear impression and understanding of the desired shape. It may not be a real flesh and blood arm but it won¡¯t lose to one. Oh right, I still have yet to take a look at Talia¡¯s information status.
Name Talia Lox
Type Saber (Intelligent Living Magic Weapon)
Power Strength A+
Mana Conversion Rate A
Mana Threshold S
Status Bound (Wielder: Hirano Shizuka)
Innate Abilities Spell Edge Aura Blade Razing Scar Arcane Phantasm (Unique)
Those are some impressive stats. Power Strength refers to how much damage the weapon is capable of dishing out. Normally, the toughness of the metal used in the weapon¡¯s creation dictates the level of the power strength. It can be increased temporarily by using Spell Edge or the likes. Mana Conversion Rate is how efficient it is in receiving or giving out Mana. Mana Threshold is the amount of Mana a weapon is able to hold at a time. Anymore questions, my dear wielder? What¡¯s with the pompous sounding tone? ¡°Yeah, one. What¡¯s Tempest Wings? Do I get wings?¡± Kukuku~ It is a combat technique formed from your preference of combat style and weapon of choice. As you can see, it is a unique Arcane Art, it¡¯s a one-of-a-kind. ¡°Ah¡ªThat¡¯s¡­.impressive?¡± Honestly, it¡¯s quite hard to believe my niche preference gave birth to a magic skill specifically tailored to me. I¡¯m not sure whether I should be afraid or excited but right now, I¡¯m fifty-fifty on both. And what¡¯s with the laugh at the start? Now, shall we go? ¡°Yeah, lets.¡± Satisfied with my new power-ups, I ready myself to fulfill the end of my bargain but before that¡ªI have been feeling a gaze ever since a while ago. Of course, it¡¯s from Lucy. She has been staring at me ever since I start wielding Talia. ¡°Shizu?¡± Lucy asked. She looks like she¡¯s confused about something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked back. She points to her hair and said ¡°longer,¡± then she points to her chest, ¡°bigger,¡± she told me. I touch the places she pointed out and sure enough, my hair has reached my shoulders and I feel like my bust has increased. Maybe Talia senses my anxiety as she begins to explain. A common concomitant when one receives a sudden flux of power. Not something to warrant our worries. Please do not forget that we have more pressing matters, Lady Hirano. It¡¯s worrying but since Talia said it¡¯s nothing to worry about, I guess I can brush this off my mind. I don¡¯t fancy long hairs but I won¡¯t complain about the increase in my bust. Instead, I actually welcome it. Lucy looks regrettable when staring at her own chest. Since she¡¯s still just a child, she still has a lot of opportunity for growth. So do your best, Lucy. I cheered for her in my mind. Just in case, I asked Talia whether I would turn into a dragon or a Dragon-kin. She assures me I merely inherited Torment¡¯s soul not its blood. The probability of me becoming a Dragon-kin is an absolute zero. I¡¯m a bit doubtful when Talia¡¯s emphasized the chances of me mutating being nonexistent but I might just be high from the rush of power I¡¯m feeling right now. I carry Lucy with my left arm and wield Talia in my right arm. Although it¡¯s new, my spectral right arm feels natural like it¡¯s my own original arm. Magic is really amazing. Piles of rocks stand in our way but with Talia, this has become a trivial matter. I use the skill I never heard before, Razing Scar on the blockade. I slash at the rocks, leaving a deep scar on the surfaces but nothing happens¡ªfor a while. Turns out, it¡¯s an ability with a delay effect. The scars glow and the rocks rupture away, clearing the blockade away. As a little test, I slash at the empty air beside me, leaving a trail of dark blue light. After two seconds approximately, the fading trail of light from the blade¡¯s travel path glows and explodes. ¡°Awesome,¡± I gasped in awe. Lucy is lightly clapping with glittering eyes in my arms. I have the impression that my rating just went up in her book. I don¡¯t know where it¡¯s coming from but for a month since I arrived in this world, I feel good. Maybe it¡¯s because I have a clear purpose now. ¡°This much power is only to be expected, Lady Hirano.¡± ¡°Stop calling me Hirano or Lady. I have enough of that.¡± ¡°Is it not what the Majin called you? Or do you prefer Shizu?¡± I shivered just from the thought of Talia calling me Shizu with Lucy¡¯s tone. ¡°And I hate it even though I know they meant no disrespect.¡± ¡°Very well, then how should I address you, Champion of Abaddon?¡± I rolled my eyes at Talia¡¯s subtle attempt at sarcasm. Anyways, I guess plain and simple will do. I answered, ¡°Shizuka.¡± Title: Mondra¡¯s Companion ¨C Acquired Title: Dragon Blade ¨C Acquired Class: Dragon Knight ¨C Acquired Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Fatigue: Mild / Exhaustion: Light Contracted: Talia Lox ~new
HP 600 (500->600) MP 300 (200->300)
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knght ~new
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 1 ~new Water Magic - Lv. 1 ~new Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 ~new Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 2 ~new Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 2 ~new Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion ~new Dragon Blade ~new
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1900 (1700->1900) Attack - 400 (300->400) Defense - 250 Magic - 250 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600 (500->600)
Remaining Skill Points: 34 Remaining Ability Points: 20
Chapter 1 - 7 The Pursuit There¡¯s a large crevice that divides the area into half. I have no idea what could have created a fissure of this magnitude but I¡¯m not too curious to find out right now. I¡¯m in pursuit. Right at the edge of the wide gap that stretches as long as only god would know, I kick off into the air. My heart begins pounding but fear isn¡¯t the cause of it. It is excitement. The hollow feeling below my feet is replace by a sense of solid ground despite still hovering in the air. With every step I took in the air, an invisible foothold which can only be perceive with its concomitant rippling effect manifests at a very precise timing. I am basically running in the air like I would on ground. This is the magic skill, Aerial Dance: Sky Step. ¡°Curious. You are truly committed. People fear what they cannot understand but it only thrills you to find out.¡± Talia remarked in my right arm. I think she¡¯s talking about how I¡¯m not afraid to try out new things. I wish she¡¯s more direct with her words. I¡¯m having a hard time deciphering what she meant every time she opens her mouth. ¡°Shizu~! You won¡¯t let go, right?!¡± Lucy appears to be afraid of heights even though she often hops from trees to trees. Does she actually has a limit to how high of a height she can tolerate? Well, I don¡¯t think it would be fair to call it a fear of heights considering what¡¯s below us is pretty much an abyss. When I landed on the other side, I instantly use Aerial Drive to accelerate off of the ground. The kickback force is a little bit too much as the ground cracked at where I kicked off. When I feel that my momentum has begun to drop, I use Aerial Drive again to keep me in the air. Traversing without touching the ground is really faster and much less taxing on the feet. It is by no means because it¡¯s much thrilling this way, okay? ¡°What are those?¡± I asked Talia as I came across broken stone statues carved with weapons and armors. They are shaped with a humanoid figure. I saw these some similar statues too in the cathedral but I thought they were just some unfortunate diplays caught in the crossfire. It appears they were the crossfire. Since I¡¯m picking up faint sense of Mana coming off from these broken remnants, I wager they are some kind of combat living statues. Of course, I didn¡¯t stop to inspect it. ¡°Sentinels. They are the guardians of this place,¡± answered Talia. ¡°What are they guarding?¡± ¡°Me. The seal, to be exact.¡± ¡°But I got in though? And so did some Demons.¡± ¡°They here to prevent anything and anyone from leaving, not entering. Do you really think no one has stumbled into this place in the span of two thousand years?¡± That does make sense if I think about it like that. ¡°What happened to those peoples? Did they ever get out?¡± I hop over another gap in the path as I wait for an answer from the strangely silent Talia. This gap is dozen times shorter than the previous ones. ¡°No,¡± she answered after a brief silent. ¡°The Sentinels slaughtered off everyone alike. They didn¡¯t discriminate.¡± Judging from her grim tone, she must have saw everything. ¡°Sentinels are formidable opponents. Do not let your guard down against them, they may not be much individually but they can prove to be a challenge in groups. The fallen Sentinels you saw at the cathedral, most of them fell to time not to their opponents. I don¡¯t think you will have any difficulties against them but just be careful.¡± I pass by more of these Sentinels but none of them are in functioning state. They are all broken. The ¡°wounds¡± on these fallen Sentinels have faint traces of some dark purplish energy. ¡°Before you ask, yes, Valuma did all this.¡± There must have been hundreds of those Sentinels we passed by. They were in groups and yet, they are now in shambles. ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to have a hard time against these Sentinels in great numbers?¡± I stare at the sword in my right hand, ¡°where does that put Valuma then?¡± ¡°That is indeed a curious matter. I fail to understand how does she still retains so much power considering she was imprisoned for over two thousand years. Time should have rusted her strength. Although she still has yet to attain half of her original strength, her current level of strength is still quite a concern.¡± It is a concern. I thought Valuma and I will at least be on equal grounds now that I have Talia but her words are growing doubts in my mind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shizu is strong. She will definitely beat the Kino.¡± Lucy said so with a dazzling smile. She seems to be unable to properly pronounce ¡°Q¡¯nu¡± but that just made her adorable. I wonder what had I ever done to garner so much of her faith in me. All I ever did was rescue her from slavery. I do think that deserves appreciation but I don¡¯t think my strength is included. I guess she¡¯s a little bit na?ve like a child after all. ¡°Careful, Shizuka. Enemies up ahead.¡± Even before Talia told me, I already know of this from Abaddon. Even a legendary weapon is unable to best a Divine Art¡¯s ability. A God¡¯s power is truly frightening. There are five of them. They are not Demons but Sentinels. Upon reaching their position, I see them cutting down a Demon. There are some of their fallen brethren not far from where they stand. All of them possess residues of dark purplish energy. Valuma definitely passed by here but seeing how she didn¡¯t finish everyone off, she¡¯s really in a hurry. If she¡¯s in a hurry, then so are we. ¡°Lucy, hang on to me!¡± I yelled. She complies and climbs to my back where she wraps her delicate arms around my neck. Now my left arm is free. There are boulders and rocks as the result of the previous battles. I¡¯m surprised that the whole place is still standing after so much earth-shaking and shattering events. With Supreme Might that increases my physical strength by tenfold, I easily toss a boulder the size of a child at the Sentinels. To me, that boulder feels like it only weights a small portion of its size. Only after instantly crushing two of the Sentinels, the remaining three notice my presence. Skill Point(s) gained +8 Ability Point(s) gained +4 Hmm. This is the first time I gained more ability points than skill points. The Sentinel in the middle of the two is much taller and has a more intimidating overall appearance, this one must be the pseudo-leader. Their Mana surged as an indicator of them casting a spell. Since I¡¯m not hearing a chant coming from them, Sentinels must have Direct Mana Manipulation, a coined term by the researchers for those with the ability to cast spells without a chant. The two smaller ones use Earth Shard and the larger variant uses Rock Blast. Both of these spells are under Earth Magic. Recalling my memories, this seem to be only my second time witnessing Earth Magic. Earth Shard is basically a spell to haul a large stone projectile at the target. Rock Blast is a cluster shot of stone projectiles about three forth the size of an Earth Shard. I sheath Talia into a scabbard that magically appears on my waist. It isn¡¯t an ethereal scabbard but an actual solid-feeling scabbard although it¡¯s still a product of magic. The scabbard exists for the sake of when I¡¯m not using Talia and for the skill, Vorpal Draw. As the name itself states, it is a sword-drawing technique. A Battojutsu, so to speak. I have never drawn a sword in this fashion but I¡¯m somehow able to do it. I layer Storm Talons on top of Vorpal Draw. Despite its name, Storm Talons merely widen the range of my attack, not extend mind you. Basically, I¡¯m swinging a claw instead of a single blade. The combination of these two skills deflect and destroy most of the projectiles. Those that got through hit my body with zero effect since I have Mystic Skin on. Mystic Skin is an amazing ability but it feels odd to use it. It projects a thin magical membrane on top of my skin and gives a slimy feeling with it. It functions similar to elastic materials. It hardens upon physical impact and it also provides resistance against magic attacks. Dragon Mystic Arts is only level two but I have already gotten three abilities from it. The three Sentinels are fazed by their inept offences. I cast Spark on them before they can even ready their weapons when they realized spells are ineffective. The leader moves fast and avoided my lightning magic but the other two falls prey to it. I cut them down easily with Primed Edge while they are stunned in place by Spark. Skill Point(s) gained +6 Ability Point(s) gained +3 Huh? It becomes less than what I gained just a few seconds ago. I wonder why. The leader Sentinel who has leaped into the air begins its attack. It¡¯s an aerial assault. It¡¯s firing continuous shots of Earth Shard which I intercept with multiple Vorpal Draw and Storm Talons. In the middle of its firing, the Sentinel launches itself at me. As if my instincts have gotten better, I somehow figure out it was going to do that. I dodge its oversized sword by a hair¡¯s breadth. I immediately counter with a slash which the Sentinel guards it with its sword. Despite its rocky body and size, it moves well and fast. We traded blows afterwards. I intend to finish it off with a spell but it isn¡¯t giving me a chance to do so. Unlike me, the Sentinel knows no exhaustion and it¡¯s physically stronger than me. Our skills in swords are of the same. The Sentinel isn¡¯t exactly cornering me but it irks me to be losing in physical combat. I converge Mystic Skin solely onto my left arm. I swing my arm back as I use Supreme Might. I then send a punch at the Sentinel who is guarding against Talia in my other arm. The punch didn¡¯t break the sword nor the Sentinel but it did make it tumbled away. While the Sentinel struggles to regain its balance, I strike it with Wind Scars, locking its movements. From its toe to head, I cut it in half with Vorpal Draw. Skill Point(s) gained +6 Ability Point(s) gained +3 I¡¯m getting less and less experience with each kills. It might be something like the amount of experience required increases with levels or slaying the same enemies repeatedly yield less experiences. And yes, I have been using magic spells without chants. I have successfully achieve Direct Mana Manipulation when I absorbed the Storm Emperor¡¯s powers. I didn¡¯t know about this until I tried to use Gale Rush. I was so surprise back then when Gale Rush activated upon the mere thoughts about it. It¡¯s strange that Direct Mana Manipulation failed to appear in my notifications. ¡°Your instincts in battle are remarkable. Was it honed from the time you were able to stand and walk?¡± ¡°See, Shizu is strong.¡± I replied no to Talia¡¯s inquiry. I don¡¯t think it was that amazing. Most of these skills and techniques are just inspirations from fictional pieces I have indulged in back on Earth. ¡°Well, I thought as much. You have a serene fa?ade that has yet to be roughened. Perhaps you are indeed a fresh prodigy with exceptional talents. An unrefined ore.¡± No matter how many times I denied, Talia isn¡¯t having any of it. She¡¯s sticking to the fact that I¡¯m someone along the lines of an underdog protagonist in a story. To my own view, I was merely fortunate to have a Goddess¡¯ backing me up. I won¡¯t be so arrogant and conceited as to think that I¡¯m some sort of main character in a story. After the area where I slain the Sentinels, I come to a wider hallway. By wider, I mean about a quadruple times. The grandeur has faded along with time but judging from the capacious space and the worn-out carpet spread on the floor, this hallway must be some kind of reception area. First impressions are important for people of prestige after all.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Beyond the magnificent reception hall, there are a lot of detours and doors in this area. I have gone pass at least three cross junctions that it almost feels like a maze. My Divine Art is the only reason I¡¯m not getting lost. At first, I thought I was just going back to the same place but my Divine Art said otherwise. This place is just that confusing. Yet, Valuma appears to have no trouble navigating through here. From Abaddon, I can tell she¡¯s moving like she knows exactly which path to take. Either she has a similar ability to my Divine Art or she¡¯s simply too familiar with this place. I meet a few more Sentinels on the way. I don¡¯t think Valuma left them alive for any ulterior motives but she¡¯s simply couldn¡¯t care enough to kill everything in her path. She even left some of them half dead. I dispatch all those Sentinels without any issues. It¡¯s only easy because of Talia. Her Arcane Phantasm is just amazing. She can even conjure up armors on my body and extra limbs but the Mana cost is directly proportional to the number of conjuration and the size of the object of conjuration. Thank god she has her own Mana reserve. She can use mine if she wishes but it¡¯s best to use hers for own spells unless a situation dictates otherwise. I might have took down a dozen Sentinels by now but I¡¯m not getting much out of it. I have only gained six skill points and four ability points from all the Sentinels I have slain in this area. I haven¡¯t let Lucy contribute to any of the battles as I¡¯m racing against time. After the seventh cross junction which I took a right turn into, I arrive at the largest hall yet in this whole place. At the end of this hall, there¡¯s a stair with flights of steps that look incredibly exhausting to climb for even an average person. At the peak of the stairs, there is a large door with a height that almost reaches the ceiling. Valuma is standing of that door. Her feet stomping the ground while giving frustrated groans at the door. Seeing the fresh stains on the door, she must have been trying to force her way out with violence but that¡¯s obviously ineffective. Before I approach any further, I let Lucy down and told her to go hide in the room that¡¯s hidden behind a pillar. Given the inadequate space of the room with three cupboards, it must be a store room. I feel bad for leaving her here but I will definitely regret it if I bring her into the battle with Valuma. Before I leave her behind in the store room, I give her a Light Drop. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here, Shizu. J-just¡­ come back, okay?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said to her and took off flying. Using the pillars as covers, I hover in the air swiftly and quietly to Valuma. Using Sky Step to sneak up on someone ain¡¯t a bad idea since it doesn¡¯t creak with every step. With the upgraded version of Mana Vision, Dragonic Vision, my sight takes in the enrapturing view of unbelievable numbers of magic circuits embedded on the door. The intricate circuits are further enchanted with multiple layers of spell and these spells have melted into a singular magic that has essentially made the door impenetrable. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the languages of those inscription written on the circuits must be Helix. ¡°How heedless of me,¡± Talia spoke. ¡°I forgot that door exists.¡± Since it will be boorish of me to roll my eyes, I didn¡¯t. ¡°So what kind of door is that?¡± ¡°It is only a simple door despite its size but what made it special are the enchantments and spells imbued into it. Sheer brute force are futile against it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t they just dug their way around the door?¡± Talia chuckles. ¡°The spell encumbers the whole vicinity. The door is merely the core of it all.¡± ¡°How do you open it?¡± ¡°The door opens to the ones acknowledged by the crafter of the Core.¡± ¡°And who would that be?¡± I asked. ¡°Yours truly.¡± I can¡¯t even begin to imagine how a weapon without limbs was able to craft something. Since this is a fantasy world, anything is possible, I guess. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean the Q¡¯nu can be left to her own devices.¡± Talia¡¯s tone shifts on her next sentence. ¡°These Void Demons are aberrations among aberrations. It is entirely plausible for them to develop an unforeseen method to bypass the spells set in place.¡± ¡°But that would take a long time, Lox.¡± The one who replied to Talia isn¡¯t me but Valuma. She knows we¡¯re here despite the hundred meter distance between us. Her voice is loud even though she isn¡¯t shouting or yelling. It¡¯s like she has a built-in microphone in her throat. Without Abaddon, I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell that Valuma¡¯s just in front. The Magic Torches aren¡¯t enough illuminate this vast area, the insufficient light is casting a lot of shadows. It¡¯s kinda worrying. From the shrouds of darkness, Valuma emerges. She has made her way to within my range of sight in just seconds. ¡°Looks I¡¯m applying force on the wrong place,¡± said Valuma while crackling her knuckles. She bares her arms, her hands slowly turning into blades. Lightning begins to sizzle, galvanizing up her powers like a generator starting up. ¡°Any advice?¡± I asked Talia. ¡°Beware of her swordsmanship and her nature. She¡¯s called Berserker of the Void for a reason. Keep your distance if you can, she excels the most at close range. She--¡± While Talia is still giving me advices, Valuma rushes up to me, crossing her blade-arms, ready to lob my head off. I stop the pincer attack by placing Talia in between her crossed blade-arms. Her skills are as eccentric as her weapons of choice. Her blows and swings are just plain reckless but that¡¯s only the first impressions. She¡¯s good at hiding her elegance and precision under her brutality. At a glance, she seems mindless but she¡¯s in fact, really calculating. Ninety percent of her attacks are feints. Her weapons aren¡¯t limited to her blade-arms but also her legs and anything she can find within her reach. She¡¯s using the environment as a weapon. I¡¯m only holding on to this battle due to Supreme Might and Body Strengthening. My enhanced physical strength is basically the only thing stalling my defeat. Curiously enough, I¡¯m staying woundless while Valuma¡¯s being grazed lightly by my assaults but I¡¯m still the one being pushed back. I used various Magic Melee Arts skills against her but none of them are giving any desirable results. In addition to her techniques, she¡¯s really nimble and acrobatic. She has even managed to dodge a point blank Wind Slash and Aura Blade. At last, my fatigue from before catches up to me. One of my swings slips from its path and a heavy blow from Valuma opens me up for a fatal strike. I use Aerial Drive to create some distance but she¡¯s sticking to me. Her resolute slash comes. Aerial Drive has delayed my death long enough for me to launch a counter attack. Valuma¡¯s slash meets with my Primed Rupture. The space ripples violently at where our blade clashes and I come out victorious as I push her away from me. She finds her footing in the air and flings herself back at me. ¡°Look out, Shizuka!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Valuma grew an extra pair of arms, blade-arms. Her flurry of attacks becomes a tempestuous barrage. Every blow and strike is aimed at disarming me. She¡¯s no berserker, she¡¯s a duelist. I try casting Shock at her but she tears through it like paper. She has been tearing through stuffs like paper or tofu. She¡¯s not even giving me a room to breathe. This is her objective all along. To exhaust and disarm me. I know that from the start but our skills have a vast difference of level. There was nothing I could do. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill ya¡¯. I need cha¡¯ body.¡± After saying that, she knees Talia from my grip. Since I¡¯m still considered bound to Talia in my status information screen, my ethereal right arm is still persisting. I quickly take out Avent and conjure up a Shadow Blade in left and right hand respectively. Avent shatters immediately when it clashes with Valuma¡¯s blade arms. Before the splinters are carried away by the winds, I store every single broken pieces of Avent back into Arms Inventory, it works, surprisingly. Shadow Blade is also destroyed right away since I didn¡¯t use a base for it. I evade a slash that looks like it could bisect me with Air Burst and Aerial Drive. I survive Valuma¡¯s relentless assault but not without a few wounds. I have lost thirty percent of my HP with just these wounds that looks light at a glance. Strangely, it doesn¡¯t hurts like I have lost thirty percent of my health. ¡°I won¡¯t ask why did cha¡¯ think ya¡¯ can beat me. Considering ya¡¯ circumstances, ya¡¯ doin¡¯ great.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t a matter of what I think, it¡¯s a matter of duty and obligation.¡± Valuma guffaws at my words, I can understand why. It does sound silly without a context. ¡°I see. Ya¡¯ one of those peoples. I get cha¡¯. Ain¡¯t gonna judge.¡± She¡¯s even grinning. ¡°How about this? Give unto meh¡¯ and I won¡¯t make it hurt. How bout¡¯ it?¡± I point at Valuma with my left index finger. ¡°No,¡± I answered. Mana surged to tip of my finger and lightning crackles around my hand. With Direct Mana Manipulation, I can cast spells secretly and I have been preparing this spell. For high level spells, the formation of a spell is also a factor in addition to the chant. A concentrated beam of lightning shoots out at Valuma like it¡¯s fired from a rail gun. The beam only has a diameter as wide as my palm but the damage and travel speed are nothing to scorn at. This is a forbidden-level Lightning Magic spell, Thunderlord¡¯s Verdict. In a flash, Valuma has her upper body blown away, leaving the wound on her lower body cauterized. This absurd magic spell costs me seventy percent of my MP. My MP is now sitting at around ten percent. While Valuma was yapping off her taunts and offers, I have allocated fifty-four points into Lightning Magic and levelled it up all the way to level ten. I have also allocated nine ability points into the magic stat. I have heard that while Fire Magic gets all the wows and applause, Wind and Lightning Magic are the true contender in terms of destruction. I didn¡¯t choose Dragon Mystic Arts is simply because I¡¯m not familiar with this ability. I don¡¯t know what I will get out of this ability if I pumped the points randomly. I at least have second-hand knowledge regarding the magic of the five elements. As I go to pick back up Talia who¡¯s stuck into the wall, two person enters my range of detection. One feels remotely human and the other has a strange flow of Mana. It¡¯s like his whole body is encompassed of only Mana. As far as I can tell, I don¡¯t sense any animosity from the two. They are still a hundred meter away from my position so I decide to mind them for later. ¡°You are truly worthy of Abaddon. Your facade did not betray your element of surprise. You masqueraded the formation of that spell by augmenting Supreme Might and Body Strengthening.¡± It feels good to impress a legendary artifact but it just feels excessive and needless when it kept doing so. Besides,-- ¡°Can you speed up my MP recovery?¡± ¡°I can.¡± And she did. Even without a face, I know she smirked. ¡°So, you realized?¡± she asked. I nod. ¡°It¡¯s merely a logical assumption. If someone of my level is able to defeat her so easily, I doubt anyone would have made such a big deal out of it.¡± ¡°Honestly Shizuka, you don¡¯t cease to amaze me. You are really a natural born fighter.¡± Even though I don¡¯t want to believe it but the logic is already laid bare. If Valuma could be slain with such ease, they wouldn¡¯t have needed to seal her up. And the most obvious of all, I didn¡¯t gain any points when I blew away her upper body. As prove of that irrefutable logic, Valuma grows back the upper part of the body I blown off. It isn¡¯t a perfect copy though. Her skin is wrinkled and dark purplish energy are leaking from the cracks on the wrinkled skin. ¡°Oh Shizu Shizu, ya¡¯ making me so proud of ya¡¯. I jus¡¯ want ta¡¯ wear ya skin right now.¡± She now has six arms. The new pair is growing out from the back of her shoulders. Her ¡°Mana¡± fluctuates and her arms glow the color of her energy. ¡°Aura Blades! Dodged it!¡± Talia screamed out. I don¡¯t have enough MP to cast the appropriate spell to block it. My movements are still dull from the backlash of casting a forbidden-tier spell. But I¡¯m not afraid. I have come this far and I have been this fortunate. I don¡¯t want to admit it but I do have the luck of a main character in a story. I refuse to believe I will meet my end right here. Valuma swings her blade-arms as if she¡¯s dancing, unleashing six Aura Blades at me. Wait, didn¡¯t you say you need me alive? Before the Aura Blades can turn me into shreds, the six Aura Blades explode right in front of me. Some kind of projectiles had flew past me and intercepted them. When I look back, I find an odd pair. They are the two person I sensed entering my range of detection. Why does everyone I meet are so goddamn quick on their feet? ¡°Citra is really accurate with her divination, ain¡¯t she?¡± said a familiar girl. ¡°I wish we brought her along.¡± ¡°Having you been sleeping the entire time we were fighting Aedrox?¡± said the boy walking alongside her. ¡°You are already more than I can handle. It¡¯s a good thing we left her back there, this is about to get real ugly.¡± I recalled who the girl is due to the color of her hair and also when I saw her name and jumbled information on the status information screen. Nieumilin, a Dryad but¡­ she¡¯s now wearing a tunic with leather armor and a short skirt with long pants. The apparels are all of pale cyan colors. And¡ª --Are those guns she¡¯s holding in her hands? There are firearms in this world but none of them came close in resembling anything like the firearms I know of. But the ones in the Dryad¡¯s hands resemble too much of the guns back on Earth. And the one who is accompanying the dual-wielding gunslinger Dryad is a plain-looking boy. I thought he¡¯s the Dark Oni from back then but I seem to be wrong. He has whiter skin but the same face albeit looking younger and he¡¯s almost bald. Unlike the Dryad, I can¡¯t even see his name on the Status Information Screen (SIS) but that alone is enough to tell me that he¡¯s not to be taken lightly. For some reasons, my Divine Art Abaddon is reacting to him. Why? ¡°Who are ya two? Another lost--¡± The Void Demon paused. Her spontaneous reaction is all too familiar. It¡¯s the look of someone stumbling upon an epiphany. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Valuma¡¯s lips widen into a grin ¡°Been waitin¡¯ fer¡¯ ya¡¯. So, ya have finally come--¡± Valuma grows another pair of arms, also from the back of shoulders. Just how much arms is she going to grow? ¡°¡ªHarbinger!¡± Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Fatigue: High / Exhaustion: Moderate Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 600 MP 300
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knght
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 (Lv 1 -> Lv. 10) Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 2 Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1990 (1900 -> 1990) Attack - 400 Defense - 250 Magic - 340 (250 -> 340) Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 6 Remaining Ability Points: 25
Chapter 1 - 8 A Walk In The Park ¡°The name¡¯s Hyx and yes as you have already guessed it, I am the Harbinger. Although, I do prefer ¡°Shepherd¡± as it sounds less ominous.¡± said the boy named Hyx. To Valuma who¡¯s gritting her teeth and baring her proverbial fangs, the boy doesn¡¯t look daunted nor afraid. Even though Valuma¡¯s roar isn¡¯t directed to me, I felt the pressure as a collateral. Valuma is going to say something but the boy holds up a finger. ¡°Before you ask, no. I am not here to bring you salvation or here to save your brethren or any of those kind of shit. You feel me?¡± That way of speech¡­. it¡¯s all too familiar. It isn¡¯t how a native of this world would speak. This crude and brutish tone brings all kinds of memories back. Is this boy summoned from Earth like me? I have heard of the news that some Holy Nation did their own hero summoning. There are a lot of questions I¡¯m dying to ask but now just isn¡¯t simply the time. Valuma¡¯s gaze turns dull when it switches to the girl with a mouthful name, Nieumilin. ¡°And you are?¡± The Berserker of the Void asked at the frail looking girl but that was only expression wise. The revolvers in her hand dispel any doubts of her presumed fragile persona. Her hands are steady to a fault as she thumbs down the hammer of the revolvers. ¡°Me? No one, really.¡± The girl responded dryly. ¡°I¡¯m just someone who has an extreme resentment and prejudice towards your kind.¡± ¡°Ah! I see. Ya¡¯ met ma¡¯ brethren and ya know what I am?¡± Somehow, it amuses Valuma that the two have acquainted with her kind before. A grin appears on her face which is only getting wider. The boy approaches Valuma, standing in front of me as if to shield me from harm. ¡°Oh yes, I know very well what you are.¡± The boy told the Q¡¯nu and clad himself in liquid-like flames of dark purplish tone. These peculiar flames bring an uneasy and familiar sense. It couldn¡¯t be¡­ these flames¡­ ¡°Impossibuh¡¯! How did ya¡¯ hav¡¯ the powah¡¯ of ma¡¯ kind?¡± she snarled, with every words that escaped her lips, each words were slowly losing their coherence. Talia later told me this is due to her vessel breaking down. ¡°I believe his name was¡­.¡± the girl mused off as she tilts her to recall her memories. She looks awfully narcissistic the way she slants her head and raises her chin as she digs into her memories. Is she doing this on purpose? ¡°Aedrox, the exemplar of the Void.¡± The boy finishes her hanging sentence. ¡°That¡¯s right! Aedrox.¡± The girl beamed at the Q¡¯nu who looks intimidated by their carefree exchange. ¡°Aedrox, that son of a bastard who killed my beloved and defile his corpse even after death.¡± The girl¡¯s voice twisted into disgust as she spoke on. Without a prior warning, she fires three shots in a burst at Valuma. The Q¡¯nu isn¡¯t naive to let her guard down. She easily deflects the three incoming bullets without a change of expression. ¡°Girl, I suggest you go and hide with your wolf friend back there. I¡¯m saying this for your safety.¡± Seems like they found Lucy but¡­. ¡°No. I made a vow with this sword right here.¡± I know straight up telling them with no context will sew confusion but¡­. my expectations are met with disappointment. ¡°Is that a Mondra?¡± the boy asked with raised eyebrows. ¡°You know of us?¡± Talia responded with a question of her own. ¡°Know of you? Well shit, I made one of you.¡± It reeks of doubt in the boy¡¯s words and Talia¡¯s next inquiry only solidify that doubt of mine. ¡°Strange, I don¡¯t recall you being one of the smith.¡± ¡°Of course, you wont¡¯. I made one of you only about two weeks ago, maybe three. It¡¯s a shame I chose to leave him behind.¡± ¡°Lies. Only a fool will confront a Q¡¯nu without a Mondra.¡± The boy snorted, ¡°I have something better.¡± And he makes a spark of dark purplish energy dance in his palm. ¡°That energy¡­ It couldn¡¯t be¡­ Are you a Q¡¯nu too, boy?¡± Before a response came from the boy, a wave of energy cuts in between us. I let out a tiny scream that can be lost among other noises but the curious look I receive from the boy told me that he heard it. ¡°Having a nice chat now, are we?¡± Valuma asked with an aggravated tone but patched with a smile. An unsettling combination of expression. ¡°Nilin? What are you doing? Me and this pretty lady here almost die-d.¡± The boy said, emphasizing the ¡°d¡± in ¡°Died¡± for no apparent reason. Contrary to me who¡¯s slowing my breath down from the near-death experience, the boy is nonchalant with the attack that grazed our comfort. ¡°What? She¡¯s too fast.¡± The girl named Nilin, short for Nieumilin I presume, retorted. ¡°Enough of ya¡¯ mockeries!¡± Valuma snapped at us, or rather the two. With her eight arms, Valuma unleashes a no holds barred assault. It¡¯s the end of me, I¡¯m sure of that but the boy, standing in front of me, swiftly intercepted every last strikes Valuma hurled at him. In his hands, is some sort of magic stake or blade. SIS reads; Spatial Magic: Spatial Shard. Spatial Magic? I believe that¡¯s the advance-version of Space Magic. It isn¡¯t of a Unique or Legacy type but it is a very rare Arcane Art that only few have. This boy who looks younger than me has such magic in his repertoire. ¡°Aye¡¯ don¡¯t know how ya¡¯ defeat our chief but rest assured, Harbinga¡¯. Aye¡¯ won¡¯t make the same mistake!¡± She then proceeds to spin like a top and strikes relentlessly. Perhaps it¡¯s just the trick of mind but the boy seemingly moved before the next strike has even begin its wind up. It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s reading into the future. Time Magic doesn¡¯t exist as far as I know but seeing how the boy dodges all-knowingly, maybe not all Arcane Arts are documented into texts. Clad in an aura of the same color and shade as Valuma, the boy wraps his bare hand around one of her blade-arms. ¡°Nilin,¡± he uttered. ¡°Get down, lady.¡± A voice warned from the back. I comply without an argument and a bullet flies over me, leaving a trail of cyan smoky light. That wasn¡¯t all however. One bullet follows after the another. The bullets are all deflected or blocked by Valuma but she can¡¯t evade it. The boy is firmly holding her position. The boy isn¡¯t even bulging from Valuma¡¯s struggle. She can try to hit the boy in hopes of letting her arm go but the barrage of bullets aren¡¯t giving her a window to do so. I thought it¡¯s weird that the boy isn¡¯t doing anything but upon further inspection with Dragonic Vision, he¡¯s draining Valuma¡¯s energy. The revolvers are a top-break but the girl isn¡¯t hindered by the reloading process. In fact, it looks second nature to her. The way she reloads her guns are just insanely quick that I¡¯m convinced she¡¯s using some sort of magic skill but her Mana flow is normal when she reloads. It¡¯s a normal skill she train to such dexterity. Although, it¡¯s slightly worrisome that her ammunition is running low. The reserve rounds are in a chamber per set and hoist on her sling belt and waist belt. She¡¯s burning through it fast. But soon, Valuma¡¯s movements have become dull enough for the bullets to tear apart her arms. Each tore of an arm is accompanied by an agony cry that resemble no beast nor man. The girl isn¡¯t just quick but accurate. She has used precisely seven bullets to take out seven of Valuma¡¯s arms after she lost her speed. ¡°Compared to Aedrox, you¡¯re a walk in the park.¡± The boy told her with a grin that will make any one interpret his subtext as, ¡°hit me square in the face.¡± Still, this eccentric duo did made the whole thing looks like a piece of cake. The former threatening visage of Valuma all seems like a lie if one took a look at her current display. Like a wither flower with snapped off branches and fallen leaves. ¡°Harbinger, do not trivialize the threat she poses!¡± Talia¡¯s voice echoed like a roar. ¡°What? She¡¯s just a meek little kitten now, ain¡¯t she?¡± The girl remarked. Her eyes spell certainty with her victory. She¡¯s good but she¡¯s unseasoned. The boy however, takes Talia¡¯s words into deliberation. ¡°Nilin!¡± The boy shouted at the next second. His fingers motioning the girl to me. She wipes away her lofty grin and dashes towards me.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. At the same moment, my Divine Art who¡¯s acting in place of my instincts, screams right into my mind. What is this dreadful sense of danger? ¡°Shizuka, imminent danger! Mystic Skin at maximize potential!¡± Even Talia is shouting at me with words of caution. I knew something was wrong when Valuma went quiet. Panic is well-written in the boy¡¯s eyes but the facade he wears is drenched in composure. He lets go Valuma and takes off at my direction. Why is everyone coming at my way? ¡°Ya muthafuckas¡±!! Ya¡¯ pay fer¡¯ makin¡¯ a fool out of meh¡¯!!¡¯¡± Valuma lets out an ear-splitting cursing shout that even cracks the ground beneath her feet. The dark purplish aura around her turned crimson. The space around her whirls into a vortex. The vortex expands with her now crimson indigo aura. Every thing that aura slowly decays at an exponential rate. She was absorbing everything around her like a black hole. ¡°Yeah¡­ As I thought, it won¡¯t be this easy.¡± A nonchalant comment came from the boy who looks imperturbable but his sweat betrayed his exterior. One look from this precise expression tells me enough that he has some psychological issues. For this reason, I¡¯m thinking of distancing myself away from him the chance I have. While my mind is off in my own world, something grabbed my hand and the next moment, the room changed. When I come back to my senses, I¡¯m in the room where I left Lucy. And there she is, still hiding in the little storage room but her head is peeking out a little. Her ears sprouted out like a carrot from the peeking is just adorable. ¡°Shizu!¡± Lucy instantly comes pattering towards me. ¡°Holy fuck, that¡¯s cute.¡± I shoot my glance at the one who made such comment at Lucy, it¡¯s the boy. Why am I not surprise. Noticing my glance, he fakes a cough. ¡°Well now, go get your friend there. We need to get out of here now.¡± ¡°No, Harbinger. I¡¯m not going anywhere until I have resealed the Q¡¯nu.¡± Talia responded to the boy¡¯s proposal. ¡°You are a Mondra!¡± The boy shouted which kinda made Lucy jumped. ¡°You should be able to sense the fluctuation of her power just now. She¡¯s going to devour everything in the vicinity and we will be one of those ¡°everything¡± if we don¡¯t leave now. And I can¡¯t leave this place if I don¡¯t have a Mondra¡¯s permission. So drop your fucking useless pride in this dire battle and retreat now to live to fight another day. She wouldn¡¯t be going anywhere for a while even after you leave this place. This place is designed to at least contained a Q¡¯nu for a few days even after it broke free of the seal, right?¡± Silent ensues after the boys unexpected outburst. The place has begin to shake as a sign of Valuma catching up but we are all just standing around, still too stunned from the boy¡¯s volume. He didn¡¯t wait around though. He just sighs and wraps his fingers around Talia¡¯s handle. Since I¡¯m grabbing the upper half of the handle, our hand didn¡¯t touch but I won¡¯t admit that it made my heart beat when I thought it will. Just who is this boy to make me so listless? And doesn¡¯t it hurts to wield Talia without her permission? I can even see smoke sizzling from his hand. ¡°I fought and defeated one, trust me. I know the best course of action. Unless you wish for your wielder¡¯s demise, I suggest you follow as I say, clear?¡± Despite his unreliable juvenile face, the boy really gives out a feeling of dependability. I feel¡­. safe. No no no no, what am I saying? I just met him. Why would I feel safe around him? He doesn¡¯t even look sane. ¡°Very well. I will put my faith in you for now, Harbinger.¡± As soon as Talia gives her permission, the sizzling stops. It isn¡¯t just a flesh wound. I swear I can see some bones but only for a little while. Steam erupts from his wound as they slowly closes themselves up. The little of HP he lost is instantly recovered in less than five seconds. That¡¯s some serious regenerative powers. ¡°Everyone, make sure we¡¯re touching each other. I don¡¯t want anyone to get left out when I warp.¡± ¡°Warp?¡± There are a lot of things wrong with his phrasing but I blurted out the one that caught my attention the most. I sheathed Talia into a scabbard that she created with Arcane Phantasm and we hold hands to form a circle. When our skin touched, I feel a tremendous wave of power flowing through the circle we formed. By far, it is the largest amount of Mana I have felt if I don¡¯t take Valuma into account. My skin crawls. I can feel the space around me and I don¡¯t mean the winds or air. I mean literally the space. Everything suddenly feels tangible and they are all closing in on me. This must be how it feels to teleport. Since he called it warp, it must be a Space or Spatial Magic type teleportation. Whoa¡­ The whole place is folding up like a paper. Abaddon suddenly goes off like an alarm clock in the morning. Danger. Before any voice comes out from my mouth, the boy has already let go of my hand. The world has stopped folding and bending. Even the Mana flow has ceased and my collar is grabbed. Everything has transpired in only a meagre split second. My collar is tugged and I¡¯m pulled along with the force. Eight large beams disintegrated where I have once stood a second ago. The beam came out of no where. When I comprehended the damage inflicted, my mind isn¡¯t on myself but Lucy. But I don¡¯t see Lucy anywhere. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have sent Nilin and your friend out of this place first before the beams struck. The warp is faster if there are less load.¡± The boy explained after seemingly read my flustered expression. He made a wise decision. He sent Lucy away because she just wasn¡¯t strong enough to fight a battle of this level. And it was then either me or the girl. He chose the girl because if he sent me off, he wouldn¡¯t be able to warp out of this place if he¡¯s not in contact with Talia. Although, I wonder what will happen if Talia leaves this place? Will the restriction still be imposed? Probably yes if the boy¡¯s testimony can be believed. Since Talia didn¡¯t retort to his statements back then, that might be the case. The boy reignite those dark purplish flames he doused out when we warped. SIS didn¡¯t appear when he uses those flames and my Divine Arts throbs when he activates that technique. ¡°I will succeed where Aedrox didn¡¯t.¡± Announced Valuma in another language as she appears from the smokes. Immediately after she said those words of another language I can¡¯t comprehend, she reappears right in front of us. I quick draw Talia. I parried two of her arm-blades, evaded one, but the last one grazed my temple. Without the paper thin difference there, I would have lost my eye. While throwing strikes after strikes at me, she preoccupies the boy with the other side of her arms. Unlike me, the boy evades the arm-blades with ease. Although his dodges are near-flawless, his expression gives out a contrary feel. He fell for a feint and the blade almost stabs through right between his eyes. However, the arm-blade is stopped by an invisible wall. SIS reads, Plane Displacement, a Spatial Magic. Valuma screams out of frustration as she tries to plunge her arm-blade through the defensive spell. Her crimson indigo aura flares up, from the tiniest dust particles to the walls of this room, everything is being dragged into her aura. The boy throws out a purplish flame he summoned into his hand. The purple flame spreads with Valuma¡¯s aura, burning it away. The purple flame spell is apparently called, Mana Burn and it¡¯s under a Unique Arcane Art called, Mana Overseer. If anything, this magic sounds incredibly versatile. After that spell, another one takes its place, Heavy Force. The space distorted and rippled. An unseen force carries Valuma away until the end of the room. Various parts of her body are bent in all the wrong ways. If she¡¯s a normal person, she would have died a gruesome death but being a Demon of the Void, she¡¯s merely snapping her body parts back into place. ¡°Wh¡­¡± Suddenly, my world spins. My legs lost their strength and my weight pulled by the gravity, drags me to the ground but a gentle arm prevents my fall. ¡°You okay?¡± With a face of neither caring nor concern, he asked. My status now reads, Fatigue: High and Exhaustion: High and I even have a new status ailment, Hunger: Mild. Great, I¡¯m physically and mentally exhausted in addition to being hungry. Now that I think about it, I do also feel quite thirsty. Damn it, I should have ate more and stock up more but I wanted to avoid any excessive spending. Without my former teammates, I can¡¯t afford to be reserve. ¡°Shizuka!¡± Talia warned me in a loud volume. Valuma has closed our gap in an instant once again but her follow-up attacks are hindered by a black tail with a vibrant violet tip. Following the appearance of a tail that could only belong to some beast, the arm that wrapped itself around me grows in size. It becomes twice as thick. The skin turned as black as the tail and it starts to feel hard and solid. Even some tiny spikes have sprouted on it. ¡°Don¡¯t squirm.¡± It is the boy¡¯s voice albeit sounding like a deep echo now. I look over my shoulder and see an over nine feet tall monster with every shade of its skin dyed to the darkest black with violet veins tracing all over its body. It¡¯s unsettling to see its lower jaw splitting apart horizontally as it growls. This monster is the boy, that¡¯s my logical conjecture. Despite the hideous appearance, what I¡¯m feeling now could not be anything but one word, safe. I feel safe in his arms, or to be precise; claws. I don¡¯t what he did but I can feel nothing but reassured now. ¡°Talia Lox, be prepare. I¡¯m about to warp.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe the Q¡¯nu would let us unless we subdue her fist.¡± ¡°I know and trust me when I say she will be subdued.¡± Unlike before, Valuma is bouncing from one spot to another, trying to rush at us at the right timing in the midst of her feints and flanks. She¡¯s too fast for me to track even with Dragonic Vision but the boy, the monster has no such trouble. His eyes aren¡¯t following her. He¡¯s only staring at one particular spot. And that spot is where Valuma stops her discombobulation and shoots herself right at us. ¡°Like I said,--¡± His tail disappears in my view and reappears right next to Valuma who¡¯s in the middle of her charge. ¡°--you¡¯re a walk in the park compare to Aedrox.¡± The tail smacks her right out of mid-charge. The ground she¡¯s hurled into becomes a small crater. Energy begins to whirl and gather in the cavity of the boy¡¯s large monstrous mouth. Valuma isn¡¯t moving. That tail whip has once again snapped her body into a grotesque shape. ¡°Know your place, Berserker.¡± He said and fires the energy in his mouth like a beam. A beam-breath then? The beam sends Valuma into the ground, literally. And it continues to do so until the beam finally stops. At this point Valuma has gone out of my perception field. Just how far is she blasted off? Honestly, I don¡¯t think she can survive that. ¡°She¡¯ll live,¡± but the boy said something on the contrary. ¡°He¡¯s right. They are tenacious and adamant in undying.¡± Even Talia agrees with him. ¡°But can¡¯t we just seal her up now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what she could do but going by her sobriquet, I think what I did only made her angrier and stronger.¡± ¡°You are correct in that matter, Harbinger.¡± Seriously? Not even that could stop her? Just how much more firepower do we need to take her down? I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯m not cut out for this¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll think about our next move later. For now, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re right.¡± I stuttered at such simple words. My exhaustion and fatigue is really getting to me. This time, the mass warp succeeded and we are right back at the ruins where I fell from. I was expecting Demons instantly come swarming at us but what greeted me were a bunch of peculiar individuals besides the gunslinger girl and Lucy. A nine footer Knight with the most amazing armor I have ever seen and in his hands is a greatsword that is three quarters of the knight¡¯s height. A snake that¡¯s larger and longer than any anaconda-like monsters I have encountered. It has three pairs of eyes. The tanned boy in a bandanna and the girl who resembles Nieumilin that I met just outside the Alchemist¡¯s store. And finally, the most beautiful woman I have ever came across. She has raven black hair with few strands of white hair that grew until her waist. Her white dress is simply exquisite and perfectly accentuates her slim body line. Her chest is ample and filled. But what really made her stand out from the rest are the pair of ethereal wings on her back, one black and one white. I somehow understand that they are all the boy¡¯s companions. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± The boy asked. Before I knew it, he had already turned back into his human form. In this form, he looks really out of place. Just who exactly is this boy? Chapter 1 - 9 Cottage in the Forest He¡¯s more accommodating than I had initially thought ¡ª the boy, I mean. He¡¯s name is Hyx¡ªjust Hyx. If he has a surname, he isn¡¯t planning on telling me. Although he hasn¡¯t said much or told me anything, I can tell he¡¯s just like me, someone from Earth. My suspicions mostly and mainly stems from the jargon he used and the way he talks, it¡¯s crude and lax, without a trace of grace. After weeks of living in this world, I realized just how vulgar we as people from Earth sounded. Not that our words were rude but it was just simply graceless. I still haven¡¯t a bull¡¯s notion of his identity and I don¡¯t trust him despite the voices in my head telling me otherwise. Talia stays neutral on her opinion of Hyx. She doesn¡¯t trust him but she doesn¡¯t think he bears any ill-intent towards us either. In the end, I took up his offer for food and shelter. I¡¯m hungry and so is Lucy. At the very least, he respects my privacy and I in return, did the same. We didn¡¯t pry further on each of our circumstances. Now, I find myself in a lonely cottage residing in the northeast of Bluebell Forest. There are no runes nor totems for protection against the monsters or beasts that may come attacking any moment. However, I don¡¯t sense any beasts or monsters in the vicinity. It¡¯s like they knew better than to mess with the residents here. I can understand why. ¡°Original owner of this shack? Oh, we are the ones who built it.¡± is what I¡¯m told when I asked. They were on a journey in search of these Void Demons, Q¡¯nu but because of his wife¡¯s pregnancy, they were force to put their adventure on halt. It¡¯s entirely a coincidence that their stop was also in proximity of their objective. Apparently, the lady with black and white spectral feathered wings is his wife. I laughed at it but I apologized when I realized it wasn¡¯t a jest. It wasn¡¯t uncommon to have couples with large age gaps in this world but usually, the older ones tend to be the husband but the lady is obviously the older one. There must be more than five years gap or even ten. The even more surprising fact is that it hasn¡¯t even been a month of pregnancy and the bulge in her stomach is already apparent. Since one¡¯s a human-beast hybrid and the other one is a Nephilim, I shouldn¡¯t be looking at this from a normal perspective. He gave us a room. It¡¯s about twenty-five meter square in area. There¡¯s only one bed but Lucy has a small physique, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem with sharing. There¡¯s a table, chair, drawer desk, and a floor lamp¡­ Huh, a floor lamp. Did not think I will ever see a floor lamp in this world. I was excited for a moment but upon a closer look, it¡¯s only made to look like one. It¡¯s just lantern on a long stick, I don¡¯t know what I was expecting. ¡°What¡¯s our next move, Shizuka?¡± Talia asked me as I lay her gently against the wall, just beside the bed. I¡¯m at a lost too. My teammates are dead and a normal Demon-culling excursion has turned into something bigger and worse. After everything that had transpired, I can¡¯t think of a way to explain it without divulging my secret. I hate to admit it but my course of actions were largely dictated and guided by the Empire. Now that¡¯s cut off, I¡¯m seriously at a lost but one thing¡¯s for sure. That thing called Q¡¯nu, she must be stopped. If what I¡¯m told is nothing but the truth, she must be stopped at the earliest moment we can. I can¡¯t imagine just how much stronger she can be. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m too tired to think of anything now.¡± I told Talia. Lucy is already fast asleep on the bed. Her stomach is growling but she¡¯s sleeping ever so soundly. In truth, I¡¯m kinda tired too. My eyelids are even beginning to feel heavy. ¡°You trust him?¡± asked Talia. ¡°To a certain degree.¡± I answered while fighting against my heavy eyelids. ¡°I probably trust him more than the Empire. The boy looks two-faced but it is better than the Empire who bears many faces.¡± While we were told that we heroes are here to subjugate and cull Demons but it won¡¯t be strange to suspect superpower factions like the Zerogian Empire to harbor ulterior motives. I have a few ideas of their hidden intents; to intimidate their political rivals or enemies for example. After all, you don¡¯t get to this position without making a few dangerous enemies. But the pressing matters at present would be the story I would be telling the Empire once I got back. If the Empire knows of the boy and his companion, I have no doubt the Emperor would try solicit them to their cause. And I can¡¯t lie when they have truth recognition magic spells. This whole thing is just a mess. With my thoughts getting heavier and heavier, so did my eyelids, until I can no longer resist it. Even though my exhaustion has reached this stage, I still made attempts to wrap the small Lucy into my embrace as I drift into my sleep. It¡¯s still only sometime after noon. Canines in general are warm and soft to touch after all. A short but extremely loud sound of explosion snaps me awake. I spring right up from the bed where I dozed off and my hand goes for Talia in an instance. The sight outside the window cross my vision while I reach for my weapon. That sight defuse my panic and explains the noise. It was just a gunshot. The Dryad girl, Nilin, is practicing her shooting skills on dummies in the yard of the cottage. Hmm, from the looks of the sky¡¯s color, it¡¯s evening now. I let out a breath relief and as I almost slump back into the bed, I feel a wave of animosity. It wasn¡¯t directed at me but as a collateral, it still unsettles me. Maybe I¡¯m still groggy which is why I didn¡¯t notice Lucy who¡¯s up and about beside me, snarling and baring her fangs at a snake on the table. No, it¡¯s not a snake. SIS tells me it¡¯s a Wyrm but its information reads nothing like a beast¡¯s. There¡¯s just too much information for a beast. It¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s a person. I have been told that some monsters or beasts who gained intelligence are treated like a person by the system. The Wyrm¡¯s name is Citra and it¡¯s actually the large Wyrm I saw accompanying Hyx. I see. So it can change its size. It has Lightning Magic and Foresight as its magic spells. It also has a racial ability called, Arcane Serpent. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s trying to do us harm so I calm Lucy down who¡¯s showing hostility towards Citra the Wyrm. ¡°Kyu~?¡± It made a cute sound. Contrary to Lucy, Citra is docile. If it harbors anything towards us, it would be curiosity. It¡¯s probably not caution against us due to its Foresight ability. Unconsciously, I reach my hand out to touch it. Maybe it¡¯s because of Foresight, it receives my hand by caressing its head on my open palm. The scales feel hard but smooth. Soon, my fingers join the fray and Citra begins wrapping herself over my hand. Lucy is being doubtful about Citra as she tries to tug my hand away. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m just imagining things but Citra looks smug at Lucy¡¯s futile attempt. ¡°This is curious.¡± Talia spoke out. ¡°This is a friendly Wyrm. Must have had a wonderful experience with peoples if it¡¯s letting you touch it. ¡± Oh right, she¡¯s there. I forgotten all about her after my forty winks. When she came back into my mind, so did my right arm. Oh, the spectral arm is still there. Talia didn¡¯t deactivate Arcane Phantasm even though I was sleeping. Not complaining but wouldn¡¯t she run out of fuel at some point then? And also, my stump looks patched-up and so are some minor wounds all over my body. ¡°Kiralhirin came by when you were sleeping. She helped mend your wounds and even with some food too but she decided to let the two of you sleep.¡± That¡¯s reassuring to know but she could at least leave the food here. Anyways, ¡°who is she again?¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°I¡¯m still unsure of their relationship but I believe Kiralhirin is the sibling of the gunslinger girl.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± I replied dryly. I look to Lucy who¡¯s still on guard against Citra but then I cock my head back to Talia. ¡°Gunslinger¡­ You know about guns?¡± ¡°Not entirely but I do distinctively remember about a weapon my creators were trying to build. It never made it to the arrays of common arsenals. In the end, it was only experimental during my time but it seems, someone managed to conventionalized it during my dormant years.¡± With the echoes of the girl¡¯s practice shots behind me, I mutter ¡°yeah, it seems someone did.¡± And I wonder who could have done it. The door made a series of curious knocks. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Speak of the hypothetical devil. ¡°You can come in.¡± I said. ¡°Nah, lady. Just want to tell you dinner is served. You¡¯re free to join us if you want but if you hate crowds like I formerly do, you can have your meal in the room.¡± See, that¡¯s the difference of the tone between earth¡¯s and this world¡¯s. If anyone else heard this, they would think Hyx is being ill-mannered on purpose but that¡¯s just how we speak on earth. But then again, Hyx does sound more crude than your average person from earth. I look to Lucy and gouge her for an answer. She¡¯s nodding and shaking her head. It doesn¡¯t look like she knows what¡¯s best for herself. Well, guess I have to be the adult here. ¡°I¡¯ll be delighted to join you all on the dining table.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He said and his footsteps of walking away can be heard clearly. I wonder if he¡¯s making them loud for us to hear. Under normal circumstances, I would have decline but it¡¯s evening and our last meal was breakfast and we have been through some hectic situation. There¡¯s just no way I can decline a nice warm meal after all that. Well, I expected warm meal but what¡¯s laying before me on the dining table after I have joined them, are plates and plates of vegetables and fruits. They look edible but none of them look cooked. Where are the meat dishes? As if seeing through my mind, Hyx told me ¡°I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for having a vegan¡¯s menu. I am very particular about what I put into my stomach.¡± That¡¯s what he said but¡­ where have I heard those words before[1]? And no, you are not forgiven. ¡°What¡¯s so good about meat anyway?¡± said Nilin, the Gunslinger Dryad. Yes, she¡¯s indeed a bona fide Dryad. She isn¡¯t a Mage or even a Spell Caster class like one would expect of her race. She¡¯s a gunslinger. I can¡¯t read anymore of her information other than those. She¡¯s sporting some really magnificent recognition inhibition tool. In fact, everyone on this dining table does. I¡¯m sitting on the other end of the dining table with Lucy just squeezing in beside on another chair. I didn¡¯t leave Talia in the room, I brought her along but she promise to be quiet during meals. Directly across me, is a little boy that¡¯s even smaller than Lucy. My instincts tell me that the boy is not a human or even a he but an it. Why is he sitting there though? On the right of the long dining table are Hyx and his wife, Senna. Actually, he¡¯s sitting in between Kirin and Senna. Both of them look smitten by him but both of the girls only glare at one another. I can¡¯t call it rivals-in-love considering one of them already won. I¡¯m not looking forward to a Shuraba[2]. On the left, there¡¯s the Gunslinger Dryad, Nilin, Cormac, the Oni who has the same face as Hyx, and a metal Golem, Djin Sol. His race says Golem but it¡¯s basically a living, talking, and walking suit of armor. Citra is coiling herself around the Oni¡¯s neck but the Oni himself doesn¡¯t seem too bothered with it. Even though I didn¡¯t ask, I was introduce to all of them by Hyx when we were heading back to the cottage, so I know all of their names. Despite the warm welcome I receive from Hyx, I don¡¯t seem to be favored by the others much. Nilin looks to be judging me, the little boy is giving off waves of curiosity and caution, and Senna and Kirin are eyeing me like a new rival has appeared. I want to tell them I¡¯m not but I feel that would only make things worse. Hyx just looks tired from all this. ¡°Well, let¡¯s eat.¡± With those words as the impetus, everyone begin eating. Well, not everyone. The metal Golem and the little boy aren¡¯t eating. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. They don¡¯t need to eat.¡± Hyx told me so while being fed by the two girls beside him. ¡°Why vegan?¡± I just have to ask. ¡°You¡¯re against killing animals?¡± ¡°I like meat just as much as the average person but¡­ it¡¯s less on the taste or aversion but more of a health problem.¡± Health problem? He¡¯s not brawny nor scrawny but just right in between. He doesn¡¯t look like someone who can¡¯t take meat due to health problems. ¡°You allergic?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°It was just yesterday that I was reprimanded for speaking during meal time.¡± Nilin spoke up, her eyes locking on Hyx. ¡°And I wonder what happened to that etiquette I have been graciously taught?¡± ¡°We were also taught to be tactful of the circumstances, Nilin.¡± said Djin. ¡°Oho? She¡¯s getting an exception? How so? Pray tell this humble disciple of the reason.¡± Hyx sighed at the sparring while being console by Senna. Kirin wants to join in but her hands are flailed away by the Nephilim. Someone¡¯s definitely getting stab in the future in a dark back alley. ¡°You think you received an unfair treatment from Lord Creator.¡± ¡°The hell I am.¡± Still with a bland tone, the golem response ¡°you are being quite rude, Nilin.¡± ¡°Oh? Am I¡ª¡± All of a sudden, the bickering is stopped by a small but firm voice. ¡°Nilin, Djin. Enough¡± The voice of the Nephilim chilled the air, all the while with a smile. Even the Oni who¡¯s being playful with Citra the Wyrm, stops. ¡°And dear?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Even Hyx sounded intimidated. ¡°Can the discussion be postponed after dinner?¡± ¡°O-of course.¡± He nodded repeatedly. And the dinner ended with an awkward silence. The only one unfazed by Senna is Kirin, her rival. They were bickering non-verbally but no one dared to point it out. I¡¯m no fool nor idiot. I can tell she might be the strongest person in the room, even more so than Hyx. ¡°What do you plan on doing after this?¡± Under the pretense of taking a stroll after a meal, Hyx asked me so among olden trees and during the hour where the stars become the guidance of all travelers. Lucy and Talia are back in the room, so they are not with me. I didn¡¯t want to leave them behind but I decided to learn more from Hyx and leaving the two behind is a sign of my trust, to certain extent, for him. I¡¯m surprised my spectral arm is persisting even with this much distance between me and Talia. ¡°I¡¯m going to fulfill my promise.¡± I told him. Although it¡¯s the truth, I¡¯m not sure how I can go about that. I barely held my own against Valuma. Without Hyx, I don¡¯t see a future that ends with my triumph. ¡°To the Mondra?¡± ¡°Her name¡¯s Talia.¡± ¡°Having a name doesn¡¯t lessen her being as a Mondra. But anyways, does your promise have something to do with slaying the Q¡¯nu?¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty much the promise.¡± He shrugs at my retort. ¡°And how are you going to do just that?¡± I stop my feet and turn my gaze at him. I nudge at him with my chin. He raises an eyebrow. ¡°I believe you and I share the same agenda. I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t work together in this.¡± ¡°Maybe you can see why but you just don¡¯t want to accept it. How about liability?¡± He pointed at me. ¡°You.¡± ¡°You doubt my competence?¡± ¡°Generally speaking, no. Against that aberrant, yes. In fact, I¡¯m denying its existence.¡± His words sting. My hand impulsively reaches out to his collar and yank his face forward. ¡°Are you blind? Perhaps you were late that you didn¡¯t get to see me in action.¡± He snickered, it would have turned into a guffaw but he suppressed it. ¡°Phrasing.¡± I grimaced with a sigh. ¡°You are deplorable, you know that? Just how old are you?¡± After wiping away the tears that form from him restraining his bursting laughter and tearing my hand off from his collar, his eyes turned serious. ¡°I can see you are serious and committed. But before I can promise you anything or make any deal with you, I have to know, where are you from?¡± That¡¯s not the question I expected but I don¡¯t see any harm in answering. I have no evidence nor proof but at this point, the context behind his question is obvious. I don¡¯t think we could have hide the truth from one another. ¡°The United States.¡± His reaction says surprise, ¡°hmm. That¡¯s unexpected. Thought you¡¯ll be from Japan, given your looks and name.¡± ¡°My father was born in Japan.¡± ¡°Was?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an orphan. What about you? What¡¯s your story?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a reincarnated. Strangely, I retain my appearance from my previous life.¡± So, I¡¯m not completely right but I am right for most part. ¡°You look like you fit right at home and I don¡¯t mean just your looks.¡± ¡°I earned this.¡± His voice is low. For a moment, he sounded like a completely different person. ¡°Where I stand now, I worked for this. I have lost so much for it and none of them were worth it.¡± He shivered like something just crawled over his back. Looks like I triggered some bad memories. ¡°Which is why, stay away from the Q¡¯nu. Subjugating her won¡¯t be easy as you think, even with my help and it won¡¯t come without sacrifice either. Are you prepare for that?¡± ¡°I appreciate your advice but I have to do this.¡± ¡°Because of the oath you sworn?¡± ¡°Not just that. Before I was summon here and as part of this ¡°second chance¡± and a promise to her, I was told that my purpose is to combat a great threat that is imminent to this world. This Valuma, it fits that picture. I was also told that I would need allies and you just might be the person. That power you used, it¡¯s a Divine Art, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Both of his eyes fell dark. ¡°And who exactly is this ¡°person¡± who told you all this?¡± ¡°Abaddon. My Divine Art and my God.¡± [1] Hannibal TV Series reference [2] Shuraba = Scene of carnage, usually use to describe the love battlefield between women. Chapter 1 - 10 Night Stroll The revelation of my Divine Art has overdid itself as a lubricant more than I expected. The floodgates were open and Hyx began spilling the bean and recounting his tale from the time he was reincarnated till this current moment. He sounded like he has been waiting to share this to someone from the same world as him and also someone he could trust. I guess I kinda fall into the criteria? Neglecting his aloof mood of recalling his horrifying and sorrowful history, his life until now has been a shit show, to put it in layman terms. Sympathy was welling within me but that¡¯s what you get for making a deal with the devil, figuratively speaking. At the peak of his isolation and desolation, he made a deal for freedom in exchange for becoming a God¡¯s champion. I¡¯m not one to judge and I don¡¯t have the privilege of doing so considering I kinda did the same thing. Putting his background aside, something about him has been bugging me for quite some time now. I have noticed how his hands are always shaking and trembling intermittently for no apparent reason but hearing his story made me understand. His trembling hands are the reminder and residue of his past. In the end, all¡¯s well, ends well. Although he isn¡¯t exactly leading a perfect life but his life couldn¡¯t have been better now. As for his sudden deep trust for me, it stemmed from the memory of the First Beast, a primordial being which he¡¯s fused with. The name Abaddon is shrouded in the histories but a name that had once brought comfort and peace. She was once one of the leading faith until time changes everything like always but among her peers, she¡¯s known to be the most credible and obligated. An apostle of such Goddess couldn¡¯t possibly be a bad person, that was Hyx¡¯s reasoning. Seems like his depended Goddess and mine might have some sort of history. His emergence as the Harbinger and my summoning as the Abaddon¡¯s champion is too much of a simple coincidence. For all I know, Abaddon might have anticipated that my path would cross with this person. Although we came from the same world, our conversation couldn¡¯t be steer into such direction. In spite of his ability to recall a ancient memory, he had trouble remembering things from his time on Earth. Everything was a blur, he told me. He compared his archived memories to Jenga. One sloppy move could topple the whole setup. I can¡¯t speak fully for his circumstances but he seemed to have wrong priorities regarding his memories. ¡°And mind you, I¡¯m not a vegetarian by choice, kinda.¡± He has suddenly added while concluding his retelling. Although I wasn¡¯t bothered by his diet but he¡¯s very emphasizing on it. We are in the forest in the dead of the night. Summer is here but it didn¡¯t make the night any less chilly. The fact that we are walking close a running river didn¡¯t help to raise the temperature. I¡¯m in simple attire without my armor and I couldn¡¯t be bothered with the trivia stuff in this cold but my social anxiety dictates me to listen to him till the end. I hate to admit it but I¡¯m someone who always get dragged by the flow. Turns out, consuming flesh or meat grants him the attributes and features from the owner of the flesh, physically, spiritually, or even mentally. Although he does have some control over it but the higher the intelligence of the one he ate, the harder is it for him to control. He learned it the hard way when they hunted a Greenshine Monkey. They are an intelligent bunch and capable of communicating with humans much like Capuchin Monkeys and Dolphins. As a result, he developed their profound night vision and their tendency to sleep and traverse on trees. It took him a few days for those urges to subside but even then, those urges are crawling on the walls, begging to be let out. ¡°But didn¡¯t you ate humans before? You did told me you ate a woman before, no?¡± Only after I brought it up, I realized my question has sounded way too morbid. ¡°I did.¡± He answered with his head held low. Ah¡­ Did I stepped on a landmine? In response to my slip up, I shrink my head. ¡°But humans are different though. Rather than their base instincts or any special physical features, I inherit their memories instead.¡± One¡¯s character is often formed from the experiences one gained. Doesn¡¯t that mean he inherits their personality too? ¡°I know what you want to ask,¡± he said to me. ¡°I do inherit their personality and attitude. Of course, I can draw a line between what¡¯s theirs and what¡¯s mine but continuous probe into the foreign memories will only blur the line.¡± ¡°So just don¡¯t probe?¡± I gave an airy response. ¡°What an excellent idea. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Okay, you don¡¯t need to be an asshole.¡± ¡°If I tell you to don¡¯t think of elephants, what would you think of?¡± Irrelevant as his words might sounds, his point got through. ¡°I see.¡± Although he was only trying to reach an understanding with me, his tone made me want to chin him. Seriously, I wonder how did that beautiful Nephilim woman fell in love with this person. For the whole time I spent with him, nothing about him strikes me as someone who¡¯s charismatic and of leader material but yet, his companion¡¯s trust over him seems to borderline fanatical. If he truly isn¡¯t just fibbing, he claims to have been sharing a bed with the Nephilim almost on a nightly basis. I have doubts but I recall the expression of the Nephilim. Besides her unparalleled beauty, her gentle facade looks to be a mask for the insatiable desire expression that I couldn¡¯t help but notice. If she has the look of someone who only wants more, he might be boasting instead of fibbing. His words reek of a playboy¡¯s manner but he¡¯s just being terribly honest. I have been hit on several occasions and I can differentiate if someone¡¯s into me or just being friendly. Hyx only serves to muddy that perception of mine. It stinks to admit but it kinda hurts my woman pride when I¡¯m not being hit on by someone with abundant of experience. Sex is the height of ecstasy, or so I¡¯m told. In fictions, a woman can be broken from the sheer pleasure sex has to offer, even if the act wasn¡¯t consented by both parties. I don¡¯t know how much truth or how much fantasy went into these frequent delusional claims, my meagre experience with men made me skeptical. Although I did loved my now ex-boyfriend while our relationship last, sex with him was unsatisfying if I¡¯m being mild. It was my first time and it hurt. He claimed to have done some research for our first time but his research was terrible. In some fictional piece, having a large piece seems to be the crucial thing for a woman¡¯s pleasure and hitting the end of the womanhood was the key¡­ Horseshit. Not to say my ex had a big one but... It hurts. Instead of my g-spot, he went as deep as possible, with each thrust accompanying further pain. I complained but he promised me that the pain will subside. We did have foreplay but it was only five minutes I believe and I was wet but not that wet. And the sweat that accumulate from the heated session was disgusting. Going down on your partner took more courage than I expected. Is one thing to be hearing and reading about it but, I don¡¯t think I have it in me to put something vulgar like that into my mouth. In the end, I didn¡¯t and I didn¡¯t allow him to do so either. I applauded the ones who are willing to go down on their partner. To sum up the entirety, my first time had been horrible. I have no doubt sex can be pleasurable but my first partner was just no good. Not to mention, I didn¡¯t even reach my climax but he did. Although, I have heard that a woman not reaching orgasm on their first is normal. However, not only was it unsatisfying, it even hurt. First impressions are important, I can truly see that now. Due to this, I¡¯m not that looking forward to another session and as of now, I¡¯m not particularly in need of a man¡¯s comfort during night. ¡°Hya~!¡± I let out a scream when something cold envelop my face. It¡¯s only cold water but this is totally uncalled for. ¡°What was that for?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. You were so out of it that you weren¡¯t responding to my calls.¡± Hyx told me, bluntly. ¡°C-couldn¡¯t you just nudge me?¡± I stuttered at the beginning but my anger has covered it up. Although I¡¯m angry but I do realize my voice is kinda low to be of any impact. ¡°I wanted to hear you shriek. ¡± A grin formed on his reply. This little shit. What is wrong with him? Where did all his reserve went? He wasn¡¯t this brazen a few minutes ago. ¡°And you¡­¡± he looked away while scratching the back of his neck. ¡°You look strangely erotic and flustered when you¡¯re out of it. I guess that kinda tempted me to try something mischievous.¡± Once those words register in my mind, red fills my face and I turn my face away. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t n-need to know that.¡± ¡°I understand I understand. Every person has their needs. Some even feel lonely at night. Well, I¡¯ll be sure to be considerate of your privacy when we get back. I¡¯ll even ignore the weird noise coming out from your room, on an off chance you¡¯ll be comforting yourself.¡± I want to explode but being the kind of person I am, I can only grind my teeth against his harassment. It¡¯s vexing that laws against Sekuhara[1] are pretty lax in this world. It¡¯s terrible for a woman. If a woman wants justice, she will have to serve it herself. I don¡¯t think Hyx has any room for complain even if I hit him now. My hand flies at him like a viper thrusting at it prey¡­ Eh? My fingers pass through his head. There was no feeling on my skin when I passed through him. It¡¯s like he¡¯s nothing more than an illusion. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯m a Spatial Magic practitioner, remember?¡± I couldn¡¯t care less about what tricks he has, I just want slap that smirk off his face. While we are throwing our wits at each other and with occasional tries of hitting him, our feet had carry us over to a clearing with a pond that acts as the basin for a waterfall. The air is sparkling with tiny splashes made from the descent of the waterfall. Couple with the night star smeared with stars, it¡¯s simply an amazing sight to behold. The flowers on the riverbed even glow.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. It¡¯s beautiful and romantic but it only makes me question Hyx¡¯s motive off bring me out for walk in the dead of the night. On the off chance that he decides to push me down and have his way with me, I don¡¯t think I can do anything to stop him. I¡¯m well-aware of our power level gap. I shudder at the worst outcome. Noticing my suspicious glare, he sighed and pointed at the pond. ¡°Notice that ripple?¡± I follow his finger and find ripples forming on the surface of the water. They aren¡¯t from the waterfall splash and the size of the ripples are too big for a small drop. The ripples are moving like a snake slithering across land. Wait¡­ ¡°Is that why you invited me for a walk?¡± I asked. ¡°Not initially. I took notice when we¡¯re strolling and figured, hey, couldn¡¯t hurt to get some light exercise.¡± Light exercise? In the middle of a night? Right after dinner? That¡¯s¡­. whimsical. But¡­ he noticed the monster lurking underneath the water before me. How? Why couldn¡¯t I sense it until the moment I saw the ripples. Even now, the monster¡¯s presence is faint and I won¡¯t be able to sense it if I don¡¯t concentrate. Does my radar not work underwater or does the monster has some special ability to avoid my detection? I have no doubt that it will be a cinch for me to deal with the monster even without Talia but unlike the other ground-dwelling monsters, this one serves no danger to us. This pond connects to the river near the cottage but the river enroute is just too narrow for it to traverse. Simply put, there¡¯s no point in killing this monster. ¡°Please tell me we¡¯re not doing this for sports.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not. We¡¯re doing this for the dough.¡± I see. He intends to sell the corpse, or rather, parts of this monster as materials to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Judging from the size of it, it can actually fetch quite some price. ¡°You ready?¡± He asked as he took out a small knife through his Item-box ability. Doesn¡¯t seem like he was bragging when he told me his abilities are mainly Spatial Magic. For me, I draw out Avent from Arms Inventory. This sword will be more than enough for this level of monster. ¡°Oh damn, is that Moon Silver?¡± I¡¯m pretty sure he has some sort of appraisal-type ability so that question must have been rhetorical. ¡°Can we just get on with it?¡± ¡°Alright alright.¡± He waved off my rush and drew blood on his palm with the knife. His movement is swift. I was blank for a moment. What the fuck is he doing?! As I bark in my mind, the monster unveils itself, breaking through the water surface. Its nose twitched before turning to our direction. A physique of an overgrown snake with navy blue scales. Text boxes pop out with details of the monster¡¯s identity and information. An adult Water Serpent with a power ranking of B. It only has Water Magic and Mana Control but a monster with even one Arcane Art is a threat that should be taken with absolute. Monster¡¯s magic abilities often differs to the human¡¯s magic counterpart after all. Looks like Hyx drew it out with his blood. Hmm? It¡¯s faint but I see tiny sparkles of light floating around his bleeding hand. I¡¯m not certain of those are but if matches any description in my memories, it would be Spirits but one should not be able to see Spirits without the Spirit Seer magic. His wound heals in an instance while leaving traces of steam. The faint sparkling lights faded with his wound. Did his blood drew in the Spirits? ¡°What are you waiting for? Chinese New Year?¡± Hyx asked as I was dazzle by the light fluffs around his hand. I can¡¯t help but roll my eyes. What is he? Automated Insult Dispenser? The Water Serpent growls at our intrusion into its territory. I notice Hyx doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of moving. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna fight it?¡± ¡°I want to see how well you perform without the aid of that Mondra. If you intend to fight that Q¡¯nu again, show me what you can do.¡± He said and disappear from my sight. Poof, vanished into thin air, literally. It¡¯s like he has ceased to exist. I distinctively remember reading something about Spatial Magic having the best stealth capability but¡­ WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS NOW?! The corner of my vision flashes red like an emergency indicator as I stare at the empty air. It¡¯s the Water Serpent, baring its jaws wide, rushing at me. Lightning envelopes my body and the Water Serpent crunch down on solid ground, effortlessly. It looks thin but the bite force is no joke. Thank god, I chose to escape with Lightning Walk, a Lightning Magic that increase my speed tremendously. While the Water Serpent is still recovering, I use Wind Slash to end it at once¡­ or so was my intention. Wind Slash did nothing to the Water Serpent. No, it did do something but only by a little amount. It was a meagre one percent shave of its HP. Looking back at the information shown, the Water Serpent seems to be under the effect, Azure Scale, an advance level defensive Water Magic. Not something I expected from a B-rank monster. With further inspection, the defensive magic doesn¡¯t seem like it will be going out anytime soon. The Mana within the snake monster surge, the impetus for a spell cast. Seconds later, it unleashes a highly pressurize beam of water. I dodge it with Lightning Walk but the beam persists as it chase after me. Once it¡¯s over, I switch to the offensive and go for the Water Serpent. With boost from Aerial Drive and Gale Rush, I reach the Water Serpent in seconds, preparing to swing Avent. However, the Water Serpent dove back into the water and just like that, I lost track of it. I don¡¯t know why but it¡¯s capable of eluding a God-tier tracking ability. ¡°A monster¡¯s strength excels the most in their domain and serpent-type monsters tend to be cunning and unpredictable.¡± Hyx¡¯s voice came out from nowhere to tell me so. I¡¯ve been taught of this but I have forgotten about it. What a blunder. Taking the advice to heart, I appraise the waters too and holy shit, the pond itself is enchanted by different kinds Water Magic, all seems to give the Water Serpent an edge. Standing above the pond with Sky Step, I scan for the Water Serpent. I can¡¯t pinpoint its location but I know it¡¯s still in the vicinity. I reacted automatically at a ripple. Immediately after, stingers made of solidify water rise at me. They are fast but not too fast for me. I cut them down with Avent but that¡¯s when the Water Serpent strikes. Luckily, I¡¯m swung with one hand, leaving my other hand free. I send a straight at the charging Water Serpent with my spectral right arm, enchanted with Supreme Might. I hit it square in between its two nostrils. The air broke from my punch. The Water Serpent flew away as it carried its whole body along. It lost ten percent of its HP with just that punch. Damn, a Dragon¡¯s strength is no joke. I flex my right hand for any after effects from the punch but it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any. Probably because there are no bones, muscles, or tendons in a spectral arm. The Water Serpent quickly shakes off its fatigue from the punch and recovers its missing health thanks to the enchantments of the pond but I¡¯m not discourage. Even though the Water Serpent has all the advantages for being in its home field, the gap in our potential and strength is just too much for those to matter. I¡¯m slightly irk that I¡¯m left to take this monster down alone but at the same time, it gives me the opportunity to try my Lightning Magic. Looks like I do not need Avent after all. I store it back into Arms Inventory. I summon a spear made of lightning called Thunder Spear into my hand. I know of this spell because I have seen it being used before. It¡¯s only adept level thought but it¡¯s more than enough. Providing that it hit off course. As I suspected, the Water Serpent went for a long range attack. It uses the same highly pressurize water beam from before. In the basic of the five elements of elemental magic, water beats fire and lightning beats water. With the difference in power, its water jet stood no chance against my Thunder Spear. It drills through the beam and straight at the Water Serpent, carving a hole through. So much for being unpredictable. Skill Point(s) gained +2 Ability Point(s) gained +2 I expected more from a boss-like monster but per the basic rules of leveling games, it will only get more difficult to climb onto the next level with each step. Just as I begin to take a breather, rain is poured over me. Literally. Another Water Serpent¡­. No, three more of them appear from within the pond. And they are the opposite of happy. I have no doubts I will have an easy time but I¡¯m still no seasoned warrior. Things like this still cause me to hesitate. I expected the water-jet beam when the opened their mouth but only one of them breathed out the water-jet beam. The other let out a cluster shot of water bullets. The spell names appeared beside them but I¡¯m too bust to take notice. Even with Lightning Walk, I did not came out unscathed. ¡°I have told you. Q¡¯nu doesn¡¯t stop evolving and adapting. If only this much intimidates you, you will not last a minute against Valuma the next time. Stop getting surprise at the unexpected. Your brief second of astonishment will be the moment the Q¡¯nu will aim for.¡± It stings but it¡¯s true. Perhaps it stings because it¡¯s true. No matter how much odds I have in my favor over the opposing force, I can never fully harness my confidence. Inferiority complex and social anxiety comes hand in hand. Now that I¡¯m about to face a real challenge in the future, unlike everything before, I can feel that these two weakness of mine would really be the death of me. You know what¡­ I might just be able to grow out of my shell if I stay by him. He might be a bit of an ass but he understands. ¡°Understood,¡± I responded as I coat myself with Mystic Skin. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± But as I plan my next attack, four more of the Water Serpents appeared and surrounded me. A text box pops up beside them. It reads; Mana Camouflage. All of the four have their mouth wide opened, preparing to unleash god knows what at me. Unpredictable, that¡¯s what Hyx had told me just seconds ago and yet, I didn¡¯t seem to truly realize its meaning. My heart panicked and my brain froze. Am I gonna lose? Am I gonna die? What do I do? I¡¯m at a loss. ¡°Don¡¯t be, Shizuka. You are not alone.¡± Suddenly, Talia¡¯s voice reaches me. ¡°Call out to me.¡± At her words, I wish for Talia to be in my hands. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± And there she is, in all her glory, in right hand at the next instance. Without anymore exchange of words, I withdraw Talia to my waist, bending my knees, going into a drawing stance. At the same time, the spells left the Water Serpents¡¯ mouth. However, it¡¯s far too late. Vorpal Draw, Full Moon. I draw and swing Talia in a full motion of a circle, cutting down the spells and the Water Serpents. Skill Point(s) gained +8 Ability Point(s) gained +8 Cunning. Unpredictable. These two words float in my mind. I immediately cast six Lightning Aegis to surround me on all sides. And just as I have suspected, the remaining three Water Serpents are gone when I looked back at their direction. Three streams of water-jet beams came from underwater, drawing scratches on the Lightning Aegis. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± I heard Hyx¡¯s praise but my mind didn¡¯t wander off from the current situation. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m ready for you all.¡± I muttered under my breath, and my mouth which is often frowning solemnly with a tinge fear but now, I seemed to have unconsciously broke into a grin. Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Exhaustion: Mild Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 600 MP 300
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knght
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 2 Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1990 Attack - 400 Defense - 250 Magic - 340 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 16 (6 ~ 16) Remaining Ability Points: 12 (2 ~ 12)
Chapter 1 - 11 Calm Clearing It¡¯s absurd to think these Water Serpents actually avoid my detection ability. Turns out, they didn¡¯t. They simply tricked me into thinking I didn¡¯t detect them. It isn¡¯t completely accurate to compare my sensory ability to a sonar but it is close. Instead of seeking out their physical form, it more or less picks up on their presence. Therefore, I can detect things that are normally imperceptible by the naked eyes such as wind, sound, energy, temperature and many others. However, it¡¯s not without fault. This current situation is a perfect example. The Water Serpents blend well with their habitat, almost as if they are one. Therefore, my sensory ability detects the serpents and their habitat as a single entity. A presence camouflage. A neat trick to avoid detection and sensory abilities. Although, this trick only works if it has yet to be figured out. Now that I know why I can barely sense them, I apply some changes to the way I detect stuffs. My aura diffusion which acts as a pseudo sonar wave, I make it as thin as it can be before diffusing into the vicinity. Slowly but clearly, every minute details come flowing into my brain. Whoa¡­ Holy shit, there are a lot of information to process. My head hurts. It will be bad for my mental health if I continue on with such precision. Since I got what I need, I stop diffusing my aura at a minute scale. This small lake actually runs quite deep. I can¡¯t tell how deep but it¡¯s deep enough to be compared to the sea¡¯s depth. Strangely enough, there are no holes, tunnels, tubes that connect this area to other waters. And I wouldn¡¯t call it a simple resting place of these Water Serpents. This is practically a nest and there are a lot of them. More than dozens. Each waiting for their turn to strike. They are coming out in small numbers, probably to confuse their prey of their force size. I can just use some highly destructive magic to instantly bombard this whole nest but I¡¯m not completely confident in having a hundred percent success rate. And if it isn¡¯t a hundred percent, I will be left opened and vulnerable for retaliation. Plus, I¡¯m not even sure if they didn¡¯t have some sort of defense mechanism. There are just too much uncertainty for that plan to work. Before, my mind had been focusing on the abnormalities regarding the Water Serpents¡¯ detection inhibition but now that¡¯s out of my mind, I begin to wander what happened to the Water Serpents I fell. If their bodies have simply dropped back into the waters, I would have been seeing red dying the surface but there¡¯s no red. A water sphere erupts from the surface and flies toward me like a bullet. At hindsight, it¡¯s just a water projectile-type magic but with SIS, I can tell there is another spell overlapping the water sphere. It¡¯s simply called, Mist. As I sliced apart the incoming water sphere, it leaks out what could only be described as mist. So, it is that kind of an attack after all. My sight is clouded with Mist but that¡¯s all there is to it, my other five senses are still working fine. I¡¯m taking my sixth sense[1] into account too of course. As cliche as it could be, one of the Water Serpents springs at me from my six. As soon as I beheaded it, another one came attacking with a charged-up spell biding in its mouth. I take notice of the one I decapitate. Just before it falls back into the lake, it vanishes. For an instance, I think I saw something like the space itself swallowed the carcass up. The explanation that came to me naturally is Hyx being the cause. He¡¯s probably storing the ones I fell with his Spatial Magic. I¡¯ll appreciate it if he could at least help me. I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯m just being exploited under the pretext of ¡°training¡±. Ah? Crap! The water-jet beam is coming. I said water-jet beam but the name of the spell is actually, Torrent Blast. It¡¯s of intermediate level. Such ferocity of a strength but only of intermediate level. I guess it felt like an advance-type is probably due to one of the effect of the lake¡¯s spell buffs. I had always thought it to be weird for witnessing next to barely any novice spells after leaving the palace. Turns out, novice spells are mostly use for training. In the real world, it will take at least an intermediate level spell to be feasible. That makes sense, I guess? After the Torrent Blast exhausted itself, another one followed suit immediately. When that one was over, another one took its place. There were times when three came simultaneously. Are they trying to wear me out this way? While I¡¯m assaulted by Torrent Blasts one after another, a Water Serpent closed in on me with bared jaws. The fangs which caught the moonbeam give me shivers. I still have the Aegis up so its fangs stop at the thin but tough filament of Lightning Magic. With such opening, no way I¡¯m letting it go. With one swoop, I severed its head into top and bottom half. The space then swallows up the dead Water Serpent. Help me, please? The Torrent Blasts stop after that. This time, the Water Serpents lunge at me in the flesh. They came at most three at a time. ¡°Oh my god! Just give up already!¡± I shouted, not due to exhaustion but the mental fatigue piling up. It¡¯s becoming frustrating instead of tiresome. It¡¯s not hard to but it¡¯s just endless. They seem to have no fear of death as they just keep coming. Although they do seem to try to be as sneaky as possible, with Abaddon, they don¡¯t stand a chance of getting the jump on me. Due to the repeated process of the Water Serpents ramming their bared jaws at the Lightning Aegis, one of the bulwarks finally gave in. The Water Serpents pounce on that vulnerable area. AH! No no no no no! I swing at the area where I¡¯m exposed, where a Lightning Aegis is missing. I panicked. I didn¡¯t control my strength. The swing packed more power than needed. The excessive force disturbed the other Lightning Aegis and they became weaken. The opportunistic Water Serpents were shreds before they even came close. ¡°Shizuka, please remain calm. Carelessness has been the bane of many, even the mighty.¡± After being admonished by Talia, I calm down. Fortunately, the disturbance wasn¡¯t too great to leave me completely open. I replace the missing Lightning Aegis and realign them. I was getting too cocky there. I will admit I might have gotten a bit drunk on my confidence. But anyways, the Water Serpents seem to somehow figure I have the means to wipe them all out regardless of their number. So they¡¯re sending a little by little to slowly chip away my stamina. It would have worked if I don¡¯t have Talia. Talia is also functioning as something like a constantly recharging Mana battery. Although the recharge rate is anything amazing but it helps with the upkeep. Since the Water Serpents don¡¯t require much of me to dispatch them and unless they try something bigger, I can do this all day. Still, how many more of them are there? They just keep coming. And what''s more, I have stopped receiving Skill and Ability points. Looks like it does get harder to gain new Skill and Ability Points, kinda like leveling up in games. As complains pile up in my mind, they finally stopped. Not that they run out of numbers. Maybe they are trying something new? ¡°Ah, finally. The boss is here.¡± Hyx said, from somewhere. Jesus, his stealth ability is amazing. If I didn¡¯t know he¡¯s here beforehand, I would never have know he¡¯s here otherwise. A whirlpool forms in the middle of the small lake. The waters parted as the whirlpool expands outwardly. From the centre, a figure smaller by a head than the Water Serpent rises from it. It has a body of a Water Serpent with a few extra fins. It has a pair of limbs and a much more sentient expression. It basically has a the upper body of a human albeit with fins and it looks capable of reasoning, that¡¯s the impression I¡¯m having. It¡¯s a Naga wielding a trident. It¡¯s title is Chief of the Water Serpents. Oh, it really is the boss. Although it¡¯s still a B-rank but with a plus at the front. Looking at its ability and skill¡¯s composition tells me enough of its higher tier of competency than its minions. It has Water Magic and Mana Control. I¡¯m glad it didn¡¯t have any race-specific abilities. After eyeing me for quite some time, it opens its mouth. It spoke, but I do not understand the language. SIS tells me it¡¯s Monster Language. I know such language existed but I don¡¯t understand it. ¡°I am the Chief of these Waters, for what reason have you attacked us? That¡¯s what it said.¡± Hyx told me. My face snapped to my right since I heard it coming from there, ¡°you understand that?¡± I asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t been paying attention to what my tale, have you?¡± ¡°I did but I wasn¡¯t taking everything at face value.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. He was quiet then. Did I hit a nerve? It feels strange that I¡¯m not reserve when I¡¯m talking to him. If he was anyone else, my words would have been more carefully chosen. I wonder why do I feel so at ease with him. ¡°Anyways, you don¡¯t need to reply to him.¡± Hyx plainly told me. ¡°Just have at him.¡± ¡°What? Just have at him? He¡¯s trying to talk to us here.¡± ¡°Only because the scale is not tipped against him. He attacks the moment someone or anything enters his territory. He¡¯s only using words because for once, he can¡¯t win with violence. He¡¯s nothing more than just a hypocrite. He¡¯s just a beast, a monster. And they¡­ they are cunning.¡± I don¡¯t feel good with what I heard but the truth is apparent. This Naga is indeed a hypocrite. I doubt he would listen to the words of some unlucky soul who accidentally stumbles into his domain. Good riddance, I guess? In a Te Ura Gasumi stance[2], I prepare for my next attack. A quick and precise thrust. A sudden attack with the intent to catch the Naga off-guard. There¡¯s no need to play fair here. Rules don¡¯t exist in the wild. I¡¯ll attack while he thinks I¡¯m figuring out how to reply back to him. Well, this is my reply. Tempest Wings, Soaring Strike. A thrust attack skill that is capable of covering long distance in a shortest amount of time. Perhaps it was his instincts, the Naga reacted but I went on with it anyway. I launch myself at the Naga by kicking off the foothold in the air. This Soaring Strike is a new skill so I didn¡¯t know how fast or how strong it could be. Neither did the Naga but he decided to dodge instead of guarding it. Wise decision for him. My thrust attack grazed his shoulder and my blade caved in the hill behind him where the water falls. My blow destroys a good part of the waterfall. Like a broken damp, the water comes like a flash flood without the restrains. For a moment, I lost sight of the Naga. The rushing waters were too loud for me to track him through sound. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t lose track of the Naga entirely. At my right! I almost make the mistake of simply blocking it with the blade. Guarding it will be futile since the gap between the three prongs is huge. Those blades will definitely get me if my blade fell into the gap. I deflect the blow instead and riposte. The Naga swings its parried Trident back into position and counters my riposte. I evade the strike with 3D Maneuver. I go underneath his sight and bring my blade up from below. He spins away, water torrents coil along his action. When he stops, the water torrents aim for me. Torrent Barrage, that¡¯s the ability¡¯s name. That¡¯s fitting. With a swing of Talia that in the form of Vorpal Draw along with Storm Talons, I destroy all six of the water torrents. He did not miss that window. He attacks before I can recover my posture from that huge swing. The trident glows blue as it¡¯s thrust at me. It tears through the Lightning Aegis I conjured in a hurry. I cast a novice Wind Magic, Tailwind on myself to evade that strike and get a bit of distance away from him. Tailwind is a Wind Magic that increase the user¡¯s movement speed. It¡¯s not much of an increase. At most, it feels like having a near-weightless body. Since it¡¯s a novice-level magic, the activation of the magic is faster. Which is why I chose this magic in the spur of the moment. The Naga immediately sends stakes made of water at me. Some of them missed and those that don¡¯t were simply cut down by me. What¡¯s with those misses? Is he testing me? The Naga then points his trident at me. His lips curling along with that gesture. I thought it was an intimidation but when the gushing waters behind me vibrated, I realize I was wrong. He¡¯s using a spell that seems to take advantage of the ruptured waterfall. Crap! A thirty feet wall of water covers my vision. It¡¯s coming fast. I move back with Aerial Drive but the wall of water is persisting on my track. I was only safe when I moved out of the small lake where the Water Serpents dwell. Even then, the water comes splashing down on me. Although it was due to losing the magic that holds it together. I would appreciate this if it was day but now it¡¯s probably an hour after midnight. I¡¯m freezing¡­ or that¡¯s what I would have been feeling if Talia didn¡¯t help regulate my temperature. It seems she¡¯s doing so by manipulating my Mana. She¡¯s much more handy and controlling Mana flow than me but that¡¯s a given since she¡¯s much older than me. After the tidal wave attack, more water stakes came flying at me. Unlike before, this one¡¯s continuous instead of a single burst. The Naga only stop its spell when I retaliate with Wind Slash with my free hand. The already broken waterfall is further destroyed. The magnificence of the waterfall is no more. A pity but I¡¯m no romantic. I check my Mana and health. My Mana has been expended considerably but the upkeep is doing well. I barely lost any HP but I have taken a lot of hit to my mental stamina. On top of being mentally exhausted, the Naga¡¯s shrewd and cocky expression is grating my nerves. I know I can blow this place up but would the end-result from that be truly desirable? I have so much strength but I¡¯m not savvy with its utilization. Should I just blow this whole place up? ¡°No,¡± Talia responded to that thought of mine. ¡°Who knows what the environmental destruction might do the balance of the ecosystem here.¡± Fair enough. This is frustrating. Honestly, I want to stop. It¡¯s been a long day. I almost had near-death experience just hours before. At the night of the same day, I¡¯m out here battling against monsters I have never encounter. I¡¯m cold and tired. And I¡¯m wet. But¡­ Valuma will give me a harder time than this. ¡°Talia, do you think we can finish this quickly?¡± ¡°Haste make waste, Shizuka. We must¡ª¡± ¡°I know but I¡¯m tired, Talia. If I don¡¯t end it sooner, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any leeway of avoiding making mistakes.¡± ¡°I understand, Shizuka.¡± I felt Talia kinda nodded. ¡°However, as for the possibility of ending this battle as soon as possible, it will be a difficult conjecture. We¡¯re in his domain. Too many uncertain variables for a solid conclusion. We can however, take a risk. The gap between between us and him in terms of raw power and strength is more than apparent.¡± Our thoughts are aligned. We can brute force this battle with the large gap between our ability levels but this is his domain. Traps are certain to appear. Not to mention, the Naga has dozens of Water Serpents at his disposal. Another reason for ending this fight sooner is because of my fatigue. I¡¯m not one for a drag-out fight. Now that I have grasp his movement capabilities, my next strike would not miss easily. Let¡¯s end this with the next assault. But can I? No, I can¡¯t think like that. There¡¯s a possibility of failure. The cause of this thought is unfounded but it¡¯s rooted deeply in me. I know better than anyone else that it¡¯s nothing more than just my anxiety. I can¡¯t keep doubting myself. I coat Talia with Shadow Blade. I have Aerial Drive and Gale Rush at standby. I got into a Te Ura Gasumi stance again. This Soaring Strike shall not miss. 3... 2¡­ 1¡­ Now! I shot out like a rail gun, leaving a trail of faint black aura that outlines my figure. The Naga prepares to dodge but shields of lightning appear in every direction he attempts to dodge to. Yes, I have enclose him with Lightning Aegis, limiting his room for movement. Now, the only way for him to go is to dive into the waters but that¡¯s out of the question. By sealing off his other routes except one, his movements became predictable. If he was faster, there will be a tomorrow for him but beside his territorial advantage, I beat him at all other aspects. He can try to dive back into the small lake but will he make it? He might be faster but¡­ Might, he might. It¡¯s no absolute that he¡¯ll be faster nor is it possible for him to be faster. Resignation and desperation begin surfacing on him. His smug face contorted. He summons up all his power for a fruitless resistance. Even to the untrained eyes, it¡¯s easy to tell who will emerge victorious. I win. The Naga screams. Looks like he refuse to be beaten. He denies the fate of his untimely demise. The more he look like a sore loser of a boy, the more my confidence surges. This is my victory. The remaining Water Serpents left the depths and come attacking me but the gap between our aura strength cripples their movement. They are overwhelmed by the presence of a Dragon. I possess the soul of a Dragon. I was worry that they have some sort of defense against this but a Dragon¡¯s presence is too much for them. Even there is some sort of defense, it¡¯s probably not sufficient. This was risky but it paid off. I would be so dead if the gap meant nothing due to the Naga¡¯s territory advantage but that¡¯s not the case. Left with no other options, the Naga resorts to face me head on. He cast some protection spell on himself. The water becomes tiny blades that circulates around him. Not that it would help much, or help at all. I applaud his courage but it¡¯s meaningless. His trident ruptures before the thrusting blade of Talia. The tiny water blades scratch my skin but not my flesh thanks to Mystic Skin. The trident¡¯s demise is followed shortly by the Naga himself. I tore through him. It¡¯s not a clean cut but he¡¯s halved nevertheless. The blue blood of the Naga showers me as it comes gushing out uncontrollably. I have made this fight harder than it needs to be due to my inability to gauge my ability and my opponents. I have too much uncertainty and doubts constantly looping in my mind. I always fear for the worse. My optimism had always been the ignorance of pessimism. Something like this¡­ I can¡¯t allow this line of thinking in the coming battle with Valuma. I lack faith in my self¡­ I see. How can I have faith in my friends, my allies, my weapons, when I don¡¯t even have faith with myself? I wonder¡­ Did they left me because I couldn¡¯t trust them or myself? Not because I was weak? Come to think of it, I never did know the reason. I have just assumed they shunned me because I look weak. Or was it the other way around? I shunned them¡­? ¡°Well done, Shizuka.¡± Talia congratulated. They were simple words. Common to be heard everyday and almost every hour but¡­ I have never been more relieve and happier when I heard those words addressed to me. Fighting back a tear, I answer, ¡°yeah. I did well.¡± Skill Point(s) gained +5 Ability Point(s) gained +5 Title: - Acquired Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Exhaustion: High Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 600 MP 300
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knght
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 2 Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade Culling of Serpents
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1990 Attack - 400 Defense - 250 Magic - 340 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 21 (16 ~ 21) Remaining Ability Points: 17 (12 ~ 17)
Chapter 1 - 12 Married Life Confidence and conviction, although they aren¡¯t decisive factor in a fight but they lay a critical foundation to one¡¯s victory. A long term martial arts practitioner may lose to a simple street thug if the martial artist holds no confidence or conviction in his fists. Doubts lead to hesitation. Hesitation leads to internal conflict. And internal conflict causes one¡¯s defeat. Or at least that¡¯s my interpretation. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m completely confident with my skills and strength now but I do have more fate in myself more than before. Although, that¡¯s not enough against Djin Sol. It¡¯s the late morning after last night¡¯s Water Serpent culling. Breakfast was alright but dull. It was a vegan menu once again. Not that I mind but I¡¯m starting to miss the taste of meat. But I am curious on the varieties and freshness of the fruits Hyx got his hands on. I remember him telling me about one of his party member¡¯s Divine Art having something akin to controlling plants. Maybe that¡¯s where he got these fruits? Along with Nilin and Cormac, Hyx has gone to Bluebell Town to sell Water Serpents carcasses in the morning. He said he will be back by noon. I don¡¯t have any basis but I doubt his words. And so, Lucy and I are left alone with the remaining nembers that are; Senna, Kirin, Djin Sol, and Citra. Not wanting to waste the day away, I spar with Lucy until Djin Sol, the walking suit of medieval armor came up to me offer to coach me. Now, I find myself facing off an opponent that might be the strongest in terms of swordsmanship. As an antithesis of me, his swings are completely doubtless and filled with nothing but conviction. He moves not too much to be wasteful and not too less to be lacking. I can¡¯t even find an opening in his form. I have been at his mercy ever since our swordplay began. If he simply wishes, he could have broke my guard and stance and went for a victory. I guess he didn¡¯t do that simply because he was trying to teach me, not trying to beat me. Honestly speaking, I wish he would just end it. Prolonging a fight is not my forte. My skills in sword are honed to finish a fight quickly since I fear for my physical and mental fortitude. While I¡¯m exchanging blows after blows with the golem, Lucy is watching at the sidelines with fascinated eyes. She looks seriously impressed but it is less so for me since I¡¯m the subject here. Not just Lucy but even Senna and Kirin are watching. Citra is dangling on a branch of a tree. I didn¡¯t see where Citra actually is, I just sense her position that¡¯s all. I wonder what that Wyrm is doing. Kirin looks bored. She¡¯s sitting on top of piled up crates which is too high for her that her feet are left swinging. Her gaze is alternating between her swinging feet and the fight. It¡¯s funny how I¡¯m barely holding my own against Djin but I¡¯m still able to perceive my surroundings. I wish I can somehow figure out a way to direct every ounce of my focus at my opponent. ¡°Focus on your opponent, Lady Shizuka.¡± Djin chided. ¡°Your audiences are irrelevant. They are not a factor.¡± Amazing. Even though I wasn¡¯t looking away, he knows I¡¯m not completely focus. As a firm reminder, he landed a blow on the blade just above the guard. The shock carries through to my grip. If I wasn¡¯t familiar with pain, I would have dropped Talia. Grinding my teeth, I withstood the numbing pain and continue guarding against Djin¡¯s blow. Normally, swords or any other weapons would have snapped into half if they do what Djin did. But, the sword, Indara, in Djin¡¯s hands is a Mondra like Talia. Talia Lox is a Katana-Saber hybrid while Indara is a greatsword. Like Djin, Indara is also a product made by Hyx. That boy really is amazing but it¡¯s a shame that his attitude and personality offsets it. After a few more blows, I finally gave up as Talia is knocked from my grip. Senna clasped her hands together. ¡°Okay, now that¡¯s over with. Now, would you all mind giving us two some space? I would like to have a discreet chat with our guest here.¡± She¡¯s smiling but her eyes aren¡¯t. As a girl myself, I understand this is a tactic that sends even the mightiest of men to shiver. Djin bowed towards Senna, ¡°as you wish, milady.¡± He then walks off the field and carry Kirin into his arms. I could be wrong but I think I heard Djin addressing Kirin with ¡°your highness¡±. What¡¯s up with that? Lucy was reluctant at first even after assuring her I¡¯ll be fine but she relented after being given a ¡°smile¡± from Senna directly. She scuttled away immediately. For some reasons, it felt like I was betrayed. Great, now I¡¯m feeling nervous being left truly alone with this Angel cum Majin. I have a feeling our private talk will be full of misunderstanding and drama. These two sure loves to come into situations hand in hand. She sits on a stump nearby. After gracefully and gently placing herself on top of the old log, she pats the stump next to her, gesturing for me to take a sit by her. ¡°I¡¯m good. No thanks. I¡¯ll stand.¡± I refused her invitation. Her smile is still floating when she tilts her head to my refusal. ¡°Nonsense,¡± she said, gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. Come have a sit here. I won¡¯t bite.¡± I can¡¯t find any words to respond to her gentle voice. I don¡¯t want to be rude but I have a bad feeling to be sitting beside her. ¡°Refusing a seat that was graciously offered by the host is quite rude, Shizuka. Are you being rude?¡± ¡°O-of course not, ma-- milady.¡± I caught myself in time before ¡°ma¡¯am¡± could escape my lips. ¡°Just Senna will be fine,¡± she assures me. ¡°Now come, sit.¡± I have received a lots of piercing gaze before but none could compare to Senna¡¯s. Is the strength of an S class? I felt that if she stares at me any longer, I would burst up in black flames [1]. I shudder to that thought being a reality. It¡¯s not, is it? As soon as I sat myself down to her left after giving into her intimidation, she places her hand on my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re less reserve when you¡¯re conversing with Hyx.¡± It was not a question nor a confirmation, it was a statement. She leaves no room for me to deny. ¡°I¡¯m sure last night you have a wonderful glimpse of his strength and capabilities.¡± I simply nod at her smiling stare. Her eyes still aren¡¯t smiling. ¡°How¡¯s your acquaintance with his peculiar nature last night?¡± Her unsmiling eyes spell jealousy and suspicions. I knew it, she¡¯s probing to see whether I¡¯m going to steal her man away but why would I do that? His looks aren¡¯t even average. I think she¡¯s rating him too highly. ¡°It was refreshing, to say the least.¡± When I sneak a glance at her eyes again, I could have swore they narrowed. ¡°However, it takes a lot out of me to deal with him.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she said, nodding along as she slowly inches back away from me. Oh damn, I didn¡¯t even realize she had inched this close to me. I was too focus on her ensnaring stare. ¡°You know, on the first week we arrived here, we went to town together. Not all of us, just me and him. I was already with his child by then.¡± From her tone, it sounds like she¡¯s beginning a long narration of her not-so distant past. Also, I didn¡¯t miss the triumphant grin she flashed me on her last sentence.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°His facial appearance leaves much to be desired but his eccentric character, it drew a lot of unneeded and unwanted curiosity and attention from those bit- women.¡± You were going to say ¡°bitches¡±, weren¡¯t you? ¡°Of course, most of them were just lip services but I couldn¡¯t help but felt that, underneath those flatters, some of them were genuinely curious, even if they weren¡¯t showing it. It¡¯s like they longed to have a taste of something different. Those vi- shrewd women¡­¡± I¡¯m not sure who is she trying to fool here but she¡¯s really adamant with her ¡°cool¡± facade. ¡°As a woman myself, I can tell that even those who doesn¡¯t seem interested, it was only on the surface. Deep down, unconsciously or not, his character attracts them like a foolish moth to a flame.¡± She casts a glance after she finish. Rather than a glance, it¡¯s more like a glower. I managed to hold down a shudder I instinctively had. I understand her concerns. She¡¯s plainly jealous. Jealous of the fact that I came from the same world as her husband and I have more room for empathy to her husband than her. I had been in a relationship but only for a brief period. Safe to say, I¡¯m still just a novice in love matters. So I can¡¯t offer any sound advice to her. What I can offer however, is assurance. ¡°I¡¯m no interested in him, romantically. I will never steal him away from you.¡± I gave it to her straight. Under normal circumstances, those are words that I could never have the courage to say but perhaps I got caught up in the mood. ¡°And what¡¯s more, he seems to only have eyes for you.¡± ¡°It was the same for me, you know? I held no romantic interest towards him at first but just getting to know him for only a few moments, those interests appeared.¡± She is really rating him highly. This is really getting on my nerves. If it wasn¡¯t for the difference in strength, I would have shouted at this point. ¡°You know, he had actually cheated on me.¡± My eyes widened. My gaze froze on Senna who had just casually dropped a bomb. ¡°It was only the second night since we arrived here. The cottage had just being completed and I was experiencing some kinda of sickness caused by pregnancy. I was in no condition to be his partner for the night. He told me he only wanted to take a walk in the town for a change of pace. It ended up that he didn¡¯t came home until the next morning. When he did came home, he immediately fell to the ground before me, confessing his infidelity and pleading for forgiveness.¡± Oh god, why did it come to this? I do not want to be involved in this. Our partnership was just until we slayed the Q¡¯nu. Their married life was not in the arrangement. Could it be that she was looking for someone to talk to since there was no other choice of personnel? There are Nilin and Kirin but the two seemed too immature for this sort of talk even though they are way older than me. Nevertheless, I don¡¯t like this. I don¡¯t want to be a part of a Shuraba. Contrary to my expectations, Senna giggled. ¡°Still, he came clean with me right after having cheated on me. He even begged for punishment in addition to forgiveness. At that moment, I can tell, he really does love me.¡± At her last line, she flashed a grin at me. Like I have said, stop showing off! ¡°Despite his superficial appearance and presentation, he is honest and reliable. He¡¯s not completely faithful but I can rest assure that he will never stab me in the back. I think I¡¯m lucky to have a man like him.¡± Noticing my cramped smile, she smiled amusingly. Please stop that. ¡°Just so we are on the same page, I¡¯m neither accusing nor blaming the two of you. I¡¯m just saying, anything can happen. You never know when you might get swept off and have your virtue stolen by him. He is wolf in the sheets after all. Ah~ Now I¡¯m just dreading of the future where he will come to know more women.¡± I flinched at her assumption of me being inexperienced and she didn¡¯t miss that. ¡°Oh my? Could it be¡ª you are no virgin?¡± Wow, she¡¯s blunt but no matter, that was the truth. I reluctantly nodded. ¡°Ah, how unexpected. Your conduct didn¡¯t seem like someone who was well acquainted with the subject. Could it be that you¡¯re first was an unpleasant one?¡± I didn¡¯t flinch this time but I did jump a little. ¡°Wh-what makes you say t-that?¡± Granted, my shaky words didn¡¯t have much force. ¡°Woman¡¯s intuition.¡± I¡¯m a woman too, you know. ¡°How about I lend you Hyx for a night to let you experience what true procreation is like?¡± I hopped away from her. Yes, I literally retreated a few meters away from her like she was the greatest threat in the world. To my reaction, she laughed. ¡°Oh my, oh my. Do you really hate his guts this much?¡± What the fuck is wrong with this woman? At first, she¡¯s jealous but now, she¡¯s readily offering her husband up to me. Could it be that the whole party actually has screws loose in their brain? Before I can ask her the meaning behind those heavy statements of hers which might not be a joke, I felt a twitch in the atmosphere. Someone entered my field of detection. Although I can¡¯t discern one¡¯s identity just from my field of detection, I can vaguely tell if it¡¯s someone I¡¯m acquainted. I can also vaguely judge the masqueraded intent of the intruders. Because of this, I know the people who has just crossed over into the area are hostiles. ¡°We have guests?¡± the Nephilim tilted. Looks likes she also picked up their presences. Her expression had already turned grave and serious. Following her unassuming guess, Jin comes out from the cottage with Indara at the ready by his waist. ¡°Milady, I have detected intruders harboring ill-intents coming at our way.¡± For a moment, an unprecedented rage overwhelms me. Needless to say, it came from Senna but she retracted that sudden and brief outburst of hers. As if to brush it over, she plasters a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s go and greet our guests then.¡± ¡°Milady, I can¡¯t allow that.¡± Jin stops her as soon as she stands up. ¡°Lord Creator has specifically ordered me to keep you and his child out of harm¡¯s way, no matter the scale of the threat.¡± The smile turns into a frown but slowly morphs into an understanding expression. Jeez, she¡¯s really good with her expressions without exaggerating it. Even in vexation, she emanates elegance. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± I volunteered. Not because of some benevolence reason but anything was better than here, beside a jealous woman who had just offered her husband for me to gobble up. ¡°I¡¯ll be more than enough. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll agree, Jin Sol.¡± ¡°Affirmative, you are indeed more than sufficient to deal with those unwelcome guests.¡± Replied the walking suit of armor with agreement to my words. Senna sighed, ¡°well, if that¡¯s so, I guess you will do. Give them a warm welcome. I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s something that invalidates them permanently.¡± Saying so, she sat back down. I don¡¯t mind if you kill them, in other words. Although I have slaughtered a lot of monsters and magic beasts, humans are still a challenge for me. My common sense from Earth is fading but this one in particular, the guilt of taking a person¡¯s life, it is deeply ingrained. Maybe I chose to keep that sense, because it is the last connection I have to my former world. Maybe I¡¯m afraid to lose all connections and attachments to Earth. With a flick of my finger, Talia flies back into my grip. ¡°Shizuka, do you intend to kill those bandits?¡± My sword asked. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to,¡± my grip tightened. ¡°But I think I have to.¡± Putting the priority over my feelings, I head towards the back of the cottage, to the direction of where the bandits are closing in from.
There were seven of them. All unarmored except for one, which must be the boss of the group. As expected of bandits, their speech and gaze were as vulgar as it could be. They spat out the usual threats. Nothing new but what surprised me was their knowledge of us. I caught their conversation as they were heading toward my way. They knew about us to some extent. They had been watching and biding their time. They waited until the time is right. Night would be the ideal time but they purposely chose now because Hyx wasn¡¯t here. I intercepted them just right before they reach the clearing where the cottage is. The bandits froze at my appearance but their face twisted into an appalling delight when they saw only a girl in front of them. Two of them stepped forward. Rusty sword in hand. Licking their lips like they had just found a good prey. But they stopped and retreated. Their eyes soon fell upon my right arm, my ethereal right arm which is wielding a sword. This sight made them understood their situation a little but being men and unintelligent, they charged straight at me while spouting crap like; ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky, little girlie,¡± and ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us. We¡¯ll make you regret it later when we have our way with you.¡± ¡°Absolutely vulgar,¡± Talia commented. At first, they came one by one at me. I meet their blades with Talia, breaking each blade she made contact with. ¡°Wh- How?!¡± one of them shouted. When they realized the tipping odds, they attacked all at once with their reserved blunt weapons this time. In a single swift motion, I sliced their dominant arm off and kicked them to the ground after. Their agony cries startled a few birds as they soared to the skies. I didn¡¯t kill them. I forced myself to do it but my hands refused to comply. Their eyes met mine, those desperate gazes of theirs somehow invoke the little mercy in me. They seemed to be genuinely pleading for their lives with their unsightly figure. It would made one think that their conducts from before were just an illusion. ¡°Shizuka. I know you don¡¯t like it but the best course would be to finish them off. You¡¯re in a big picture now. Loose ends will bring complications in the future.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I told Talia with a raised voice but there was no essence in it. Skill Point(s) gained +4 Ability Point(s) gained +4 Suddenly, I received this notification. I looked to the source and found one of them having their status reads; Deceased. Ah? Did he died of shock? Seriously?! Does that mean that I had j-just¡­ ¡°Shizuka,¡± Talia¡¯s voice shook me. ¡°One of them is running away.¡± One of them was already back on his feet. He has somehow stopped his bleeding. It was the one with armor, the leader. Although he was hurt, his speed was not slow. He seemed capable of enduring the pain of losing an arm. However, he didn¡¯t make it far. A boy stood in his way. ¡°Out of my way!¡± The bandit leader screamed as he tried force Hyx out of the way with violence. The next moment, the bandit leader was fling to the side. His body snapped as he crashed into the trunk of a tree. Bones broken but the bandit leader lived. Having the air knocked right out of him, he gasped for mercy, ¡°Yes,¡± said Hyx as he approached the bandit laying on the ground. ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine as a measurement for my moral compass.¡± Chapter 1 - 13 Impending Carnage ¡°You didn¡¯t kill them?¡± To my question, Hyx shrugs as his gaze wanders around. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I need to,¡± he answered. We are now in the cottage having our lunch. Needless to say, it is fruits and vegetables again. Now, I¡¯m certainly surprised. I never took him for someone being reserved in taking a life. ¡°Are you sure we should be letting them live? What if they came back? Or worse, they bring their friends the next time?¡± Nilin asked. Senna cast a worried gaze at her husband, ¡°what exactly happened to the bandits, dear?¡± ¡°I tied them to a tree somewhere in the forest.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Senna covered her mouth. ¡°Wait,¡± I paused just before I put a berry into my mouth. ¡°You tied them to a tree in the middle of the forest¡ª a forest that¡¯s a hunting ground for all kinds of monsters?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± he shrugs again. I take it back. He¡¯s not reserved. He¡¯s just passing the baton. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just manslaughter?¡± He stuffs a slice of orange into his mouth, ¡°good riddance, then.¡± Unbelievable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I did interrogate them beforehand.¡± That¡¯s not what I¡¯m concern about. ¡°So dear, what were those bandits¡¯ aim? Are we being targeted?¡± asked Senna, her hand rubbing her slightly bulged stomach. I still can¡¯t believe it¡¯s only a month of pregnancy. That¡¯s way too fast. ¡°Not specifically. We just happened to be in their sight.¡± Nilin clicks her tongue, ¡°they¡¯re not that bright since they targeted us. We are seriously being underestimated here.¡± ¡°Actually, they don¡¯t normally take such risk. They don¡¯t target adventurers or people who even looked remotely capable of combat.¡± Hyx added. ¡°Then why did they target us?¡± I asked. Hyx lets out a smirk, ¡°here¡¯s where it gets interesting.¡± Feeling the atmosphere around Hyx turned serious, I decide to hold off my meal. Senna and Nilin did the same but Kirin and Cormac are nonchalant regarding the whole thing. Not that they aren¡¯t concern but they are just still a little too juvenile to fit into the conversation. Citra and Indara are just watching us since they also can¡¯t follow the conversation and they didn¡¯t need to eat. No, maybe I phrased that wrong. Citra does need to eat¡ª but she only needs to eat twice a day since she still has a small body. Djin on the other hand has been silently standing guard behind Senna. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s really doing any guarding but his stance sure reminds me of a guard. Hyx had told me of his telepathic connection with Djin, so it didn¡¯t matter if Djin was part of the conversation. He¡¯s probably here to fill the room. Of course, Lucy is by my side. Till now, she remains awfully silent. It seems she still distrusts Hyx and his companions. I can understand why. I¡¯m only open to them because Hyx was from Earth after all. But that doesn¡¯t mean she hates them. If anything, she looks more fond of Hyx and co than the empire. ¡°These bandits,¡± Hyx begins. ¡°They have a quota to be met. Their plunders and exploits, a portion of them goes to the shot caller.¡± ¡°Shot caller?¡± Senna tilts her head. ¡°It means the one overseeing the operations. They were nearing the deadline and they were desperate. So they went off their usual routine to meet that quota. Which is why they deviated from their usual victims. We just happened to be in their sight.¡± I see, so that¡¯s how it is. This cottage is located deep within the inner layer of Bluebell Forest but there¡¯s still quite a bit of distance from where the Q¡¯nu is located. For the bandits to wander in so deep, they must seriously be desperate. But, there¡¯s something odd about this. ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a vast underworld organization here that¡¯s pulling the strings of all this outlaws and criminals?¡± ¡°From what I can interpret from their subtext, this underworld organization might be on a nationwide scale or even more. They really held out against spilling the beans. They looked more afraid of what this organization would do to them than what I would do to them.¡± Well, you even looked younger than me after all. ¡°Would this organization be a problem?¡± asked Senna. ¡°For now, no. We aren¡¯t on their radar yet but I can¡¯t say the same for the anvil here. She may not be well-known to the masses but those in power, they most likely are keeping track of anything that could be potentially shift the world.¡± Son of a bitch. Did he just made a rude comment about my chest? Even Senna is trying to hold back her laughter. I look around and see only Senna is the one who got the meaning besides me. Hyx notices my sharp gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they most likely know you¡¯re in Bluebell but not your exact position. Unless they have a scout or spy that¡¯s high spec enough to hide from our detection abilities combined.¡± ¡°I know but that¡¯s not why you¡¯re getting this death glare.¡± He just smirk and shrug as he continues on. ¡°But anyways, that is not something we need to be worried about at the moment. If anything, it¡¯s the Blood Moon Festival that we should be concern about. This festival is huge and in order to provide for this festival, some hunters expand the range of their game. Which means, they might accidentally stumble here. And unlike the bandits, we can¡¯t exactly give them exactly the same treatment we give to those bandits. Best thing we could do is try not to get seen.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± said Nilin. ¡°They know the risk when they come out hunting. Even if it¡¯s not us or monsters, they would meet their end in some other end anyways. We¡¯re just one of the many options, that is all.¡± I took Nilin for an airhead Tsundere but she sure has a grim side to her. Probably because of her race or age, or both. ¡°You and I need to have a private talk after this.¡± Although Hyx firmly told Nilin, she¡¯s genuinely oblivious to the grimness of her words. But Blood Moon, huh¡­ I have heard about from pretty much everywhere. It¡¯s a really big deal but with Valuma being the focus lately, I kinda forgot about it entirely. This festival rivals the scale of the Thanksgiving back on Earth. Once a year on one night, the moon turns red. No one really knows why it does that. A lot of theories surround it but nothing concrete. Although I spent a lot of time on reading, I never did got into topics of beliefs and superstitions. So I have no idea why is there a festival celebrated out of something so grim. I thought he was finish but he then turns to me. ¡°Farmas Kingdom soldiers are here,¡± Hyx said but why is he looking at me? ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°They are looking for you.¡± Huh? But why? Perhaps interpreting my subtext, Hyx continues on. ¡°This town, on paper, is independent but they are something like a vassal state to the Farmas Kingdom. Much like what Blubell is to Farmas Kingdom, The Zerogian Empire has a vast range of influence¡ª well, calling it influence would be an understatement but you get the point. And Farmas Kingdom, are one of the factions dangling on the empire¡¯s strings. Since you kinda went AWOL on them, they are now using a proxy to look for you. Capisce?¡± I doubt that anyone understood the last word except for me. To my surprise, Djin begins explaining to the others who are lost. I keep forgetting Djin probably knows as much as Hyx does since he¡¯s mindset uses Hyx¡¯s as the foundation. I¡¯m glad he¡¯s not annoying like his creator. And yes, Djin is a ¡°he¡±. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t answer my question, why? Why is the empire searching for me? I thought they will just shove this whole thing under and called it ¡°good riddance¡±. I don¡¯t believe they think I¡¯m worth the trouble.¡± Receiving my honest perspective, Hyx smiles which kinda throws me off. ¡°You are not as hated by your former party members as much as you think. No worries, I eavesdropped on one of the higher-looking officials. Apparently, the empire is searching for you on the behest of the Hero known as Shin. Word is, he¡¯s making a big deal of your disappearance. Something about taking you for granted or something, at least that¡¯s what the soldiers are whispering among each other.¡± ¡°Shin?¡± I blurted out. ¡°That goody two-shoes idiot?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s a Kouki[1]? You know, maybe he actually likes you but he¡¯s keeping it to himself due to his environment and surroundings?¡± I don¡¯t know what he meant by ¡°Kouki¡± so I ignored that part. ¡°Why makes you think he likes me?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t he? You are kinda beautifu¡ª¡± His words stop abruptly. A menace leaks from his right, from his wife, Senna. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear? Why did you stop?¡± the Nephilim asked, sounding as innocent as possible while wearing a smile that didn¡¯t spread to her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Hyx tries to apologize but I think that only made it worse. ¡°For what?¡± She¡¯s still smiling, that devilish smile. ¡°You¡¯re angry?¡± ¡°Why would I be?¡± ¡°Because I called someone else beautiful. And it¡¯s someone I have spend more time with than my wife for these past few days?¡± Why the fuck did you say that!? Stop being so honest! See! Even Nilin is shaking her head like she¡¯s looking at the biggest idiot in the world. Even Cormac is looking away like he¡¯s not part of the whole thing. ¡°Oh my[2]? Is that so?¡± ¡°W-why are you more angry at me for lip-servicing an acquaintance than the time I cheated on you?¡± ¡­ Oh my god. You poor bastard¡­ Why would you say that? Nilin is on the verge of bursting out with laughter and Cormac is slowly sinking into his shadow. ¡°Am I?¡± her smile shrunk. Djin moves to pick up Kirin who¡¯s watching the two with great interest. Together with everyone else besides me, Hyx, and Senna, they give us the room, taking their meals with them. No, to be more precise, they were just escaping the Shuraba. Even Lucy left with a can¡¯t-be-helped regretful look. That little traitor. ¡°C-can I leave too?¡± I timidly asked. My plate has yet to be empty but I rather leave now. ¡°Stay,¡± came the firm voice of the bona-fide S-rank Nephilim. Before I could voice my objections, Hyx had move to in front of me with his hand on my shoulder. Next thing I know, I¡¯m outside the cottage, in the forest. Surprisingly, Talia is by my side, her blade planted in the soil. Looks like as long as I¡¯m ¡°equipping¡± Talia, we are treated like a set which is why she¡¯s dragged along in the teleport. ¡°Why are we outside?¡± I asked. ¡°Because what I¡¯m to say would be something just between me and my wife and dragging you in it doesn¡¯t seem¡­ right. And having you there who has a little hand in the cause of it all might just complicates the whole thing¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Oh, he actually has some sense. ¡°Plus, the discussion won¡¯t be going anywhere if I don¡¯t resolve this right now.¡± Seeing his uneasy and flustered expression, I can¡¯t help but tease. ¡°Looks like that girl is too much for you.¡± Hyx chuckles. He¡¯s surprisingly accepting of the truth. ¡°Yeah but it¡¯s a one-eighty in the bed.¡± ¡°I do not need to know that.¡± ¡°J-just stay put here. You¡¯re welcome to wonder but just¡­ try not to get seen. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not that hard for you considering your Divine Art.¡± He¡¯s unusually nervous. I have always noticed his confidence is just a facade but never have I seen it so faltering. ¡°Well anyways, just¡­ just loiter around here until I get this misunderstanding resolved. ¡± For some reasons, him calling it a misunderstanding pricked my heart. ¡°So you don¡¯t mean it when you say I¡¯m pretty?¡± ¡°I said beautiful, not pretty, no?¡± ¡°Same difference. So, did you mean it when you said it?¡± For the first time, his face turns red. Oh my god. Who is this adorable little brat? He looks like a completely different person. He looks a genuine fifteen year old who is new to the world of love and sex. ¡°I-I¡¯ll get back to you on that,¡± he said and disappeared with the space closing in on him. Ah, wait. Lucy¡¯s back in the cottage. Maybe she¡¯ll be fine, hopefully. Since I can tell whether she is in danger or not with Abaddon, I can rest easy. Hopefully. But now that I¡¯m alone in the woods and the cottage is at least half a mile away, the air feels less tense. Although, the tense air isn¡¯t like the one when I¡¯m in the palace back in the empire. This one¡¯s more of a¡­ familial sense. I didn¡¯t realize until now but I wasn¡¯t tense because I was in a foreign environment but I was tense because it felt too good to be real. These peoples¡­ they didn¡¯t preemptively judge me. They treated me accordingly. Sure, they fight but which families doesn¡¯t? It¡¯s all the more of a testament to how close they are to each other. This treatment¡­ It¡¯s something that I had never experience in the empire¡­ No, it wasn¡¯t just the empire. Back on earth, they all treated me like a pest when my parents died. So it really has been a long time since I have been in such a familial situation. ¡°Hey, Talia?¡± ¡°Yes, Shizuka?¡± ¡°Undo the Arcane Phantasm on my arm, can you?¡± If Talia has a face with brows, she''ll be knitting them. ¡°May I ask for the reason? These woods are not exactly safe. Undoing Arcane Phantasm on your right arm might put you in a huge disadvantage should a situation arise.¡± ¡°I know, Talia. Just do it.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± she complied much easier than I thought. It¡¯s a good thing she isn¡¯t stubborn. I had enough of that with Shin and the rest of them. ¡°As long as you understand the risk.¡± The magical right arm of mine, fades away with the magical dust carried away by the wind. The upkeep isn¡¯t bad but it is better to have no upkeep at all. The right side of my body suddenly feels lighter. It¡¯s a little unsettling with the empty feeling but also liberating. Kinda like being big breasted and taking off your bra after a whole day. Not that I actually know how that feels considering my p-poor¡­ chest¡­ Being released from the strains, I plump down onto the ground and lean against a tree nearby. Gosh, the air sure is tense back in the cottage. The air of an angry woman, that is. Hell hath no fury like a woman¡¯s scorn. Just what the hell was he thinking, bringing a girl close to his age into his home, and being more intimate with said-girl than his wife. I¡¯m no professional in love but this doesn¡¯t require professionalism. It only requires common sense. Maybe he¡¯s just too enthusiastic to finally meet someone from earth. Well, that ain¡¯t my problem. I¡¯ll just leave it to themselves. Now that I have some time to myself, I can finally go through my stats.
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Fatigue: Low Confusion: Low Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 600 MP 300
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knight
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 2 Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 2 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade Culling of Serpents
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 1990 Attack - 400 Defense - 250 Magic - 340 Resistance - 200 Speed - 600
Remaining Skill Points: 25 (21 ~ 25) Remaining Ability Points: 21 (17 ~ 21)
Normally I would have checked my stats at least twice a day but I was preoccupied with a lot of unforeseen circumstances. Now, what should I do? My fighting style is to finish off my opponent as quickly as possible before I exhaust myself but the end-goal here is Valuma. I doubt the fight will be short. So should I put points into Defense and Resistance? Or do I keep relying on evasion? I don¡¯t have a shield and my small stature as a woman doesn¡¯t exactly accommodate me for something heavy. I should just keep with what I¡¯m comfortable with the most, I guess. I did asked Talia for advise but she gave the same answer to my own decision. I decide to put ten points into Speed, five points into attack, and six points into Magic. Now these three are respectively, 700, 450, and 400. I¡¯m effectively becoming a glass canon. Maybe I can aim for Evasive Tank then? Now, for my¡­ Arcane Arts. God, I feel so sick saying that. Are the ones who coined these terms Chunni or something? My magic spells are mostly for utility. The only actual offensive spell I have is Lightning Magic. Wind, Water, and Spirit Magic are supportive-oriented. Although, I have been using Wind Magic for offensive more than Lightning Magic. Lightning Magic for the most part, is fierce and volatile. I¡¯m afraid of collateral should I ever lose control but is it really good against something like a Q¡¯nu? I only managed to stood my ground not because of my magic but Talia. Should I focus on Magic Skills which can be used in conjunction with Talia? For now, Aerial Dance is just fine the way it is. I leave that alone until a full-on aerial combat happens. As for Magic Melee Arts and Body Strengthening¡­ they are both decent choice but I¡¯ll be going up against an anomaly. These two seemed too¡­ normal to be useful against an anomaly. And that leaves Dragon Mystic Arts and Tempest Wings. I do not want to neglect my other skills and spells but for now, I think these two would be the best choice. Then, these two it is. I put twelve points into each and leveled them up to level five. Dragon Mystic Arts: Energy Sphere - Acquired Dragon Mystic Arts: Dragon Aegis - Acquired Dragon Mystic Arts: Ashen Flame - Acquired Tempest Wings: Storm Riposte - Acquired Oh? I gained three new spells for Dragon Mystic Arts but only one skill for Tempest Wings even though it leveled three times. Don¡¯t tell me the repertoire for Tempest Wings are few. After making sure no stranger is within distance, I decide to test out my newly acquired spells and skills. First up is Energy Sphere. It¡¯s as simple as its name states. A sphere congregated of energy which is then unleashed in a similar manner to¡­ hmm¡­ a Hadouken[3], I could say? I believe Abyss Magic has a similar spell but it seems Energy Sphere has different variance corresponding to the Arcane Art it is under. As for Dragon Aegis, it¡¯s similar to Lightning Aegis but it¡¯s twice the size of the latter. And unlike Lightning Aegis, I can freely move Dragon Aegis around like an actual shield. It¡¯s lighter than I thought but that¡¯s only logical considering it¡¯s made out of magic instead of metal. I can¡¯t account for its defensive power without a sparring opponent but I don¡¯t doubt it having a higher specs than Lightning Aegis. Now, Ashen Flame. This should be label forbidden. It looks more like a smoke from a large burning fire than actual fire but that¡¯s not what shocked me. True to its name, it turns an object into ashes within seconds. I tried on a stump nearby and not even five seconds passed, the stump was no more, only cinders and charcoal remains. I¡¯m not undermining its destruction capability but this is not something I should be using as the bread and butter. I have to really watch out for collateral with this. On the upside, since the object of target turns to ashes quickly, it doesn¡¯t spread like wildfire. That¡¯s a relieve to know. ¡°Um¡­ Shizu?¡± A voice called out to me. It¡¯s Lucy, holding a plate of half finished fruits. Oh right, that¡¯s mine. I didn¡¯t finish it, did I? She has come to check on me since I have suddenly disappeared. What surprises me more is that she threw herself into me and buries her face into my stomach. I can even feel her hug being tighter than usual. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She doesn¡¯t respond. ¡°Were they mean to you?¡± I asked, knowing full well that has the lowest chance of being the reason but you never know. Lucy shakes her head. ¡°No,¡± she finally said. ¡°They are all nice. Like Shizu.¡± Oh, she actually likes them? ¡°Yes, yes they are.¡± I responded. ¡°They¡¯re different from the people back in Zerogian.¡± That¡¯s a given. I don¡¯t have a better wording for those people but¡­ they are prideful sons of bitches after all. Lucy continues to bury her face in my tummy. It isn¡¯t rare for her to act this spoil but since we are around strangers, she hasn¡¯t done it for a while¡­ wait¡­ could it be that she felt lonely because I hadn¡¯t been paying her attention lately? Oh geez, how adorable is that? I receive the plate from Lucy. Although I wasn¡¯t fond of finishing a plate of fruits for lunch yesterday and today, I¡¯m not about to waste the good grace of the host. If someone who has a terrible personality offers me food out of goodwill and I just waste it all, then just what does that make me? At least, the taste is still there and it¡¯s still juicy. ¡°Shizu¡­?¡± To the strangely timid voice, I answered ¡°Yes?¡± while chewing. ¡°Can we not go back to the empire?¡± If I was a second slower on swallowing the fruit in my mouth, I would have choked. ¡°W-why?¡± ¡°I-I like it here. They are nice.¡± ¡°Lucy, we can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Do we really need to go back? They would just be mean to us all over again.¡± Her words hit me. Why did I think we should be going back after things here are done? She¡¯s right. Seeing as how prideful they are, even if I raked up achievements, they still won¡¯t acknowledge me. In fact, they might even despise me even more for proving them wrong. These kind of people hate being wrong more than anything else due to their over-inflated ego. It¡¯s a shame they exist even in another world. All it took to over-inflate an ego is just a little bit of power, and the empire doesn¡¯t just have a little power. If I go back, I would have to report everything. That would mean exposing Hyx and his companions. Knowing the empire, they would commit the most atrocious acts just to exploit them, me included if my current strength is reveal. I can even imagine it now, Shin will definitely say some misunderstandings that will further complicate the situation but in his delusional mind, he would just be helping me. ¡°You¡¯re right, Luce.¡± Lucy tilts her head at my words, her wolf-ears twitching along. How cute. ¡°Why do we even need to go back?¡± I mused. Unlike before, I can do so much more now. More than those four. I do not need the ¡°protection¡± of those four nor the empire anymore. Well, a good portion of my stuff is still back in the empire but there¡¯s nothing of significant value to me back there. If I get through this in one piece, I have no doubt I will emerge stronger than ever. If my fortune allows, I would like to stick with Hyx and co for a while before going independent. If I¡¯m really lucky, maybe I¡¯ll be able to become a permanent member. I wonder what the my handler cum coach driver is doing right now. He¡¯s definitely the one who reported my disappearance. Ah, what am I saying? I¡¯m just getting ahead of myself here. Nevertheless, I don¡¯t plan to go back. Even if Hyx won¡¯t take me, any place would be better than the empire. ¡°So we¡¯re not going back?¡± Luce gave me a hopeful gaze. ¡°No,¡± I rub her head. ¡°We¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± She exclaimed in glee and pushes her head into my palm. ¡°Say, would you like to spar with me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She beamed. ¡°I love sparring with Shizu.¡± She then takes some distance from me and prepare her twin short swords. Well, it¡¯s a sword to her size but it¡¯s a long dagger to me. Of course, I¡¯ll be using Avent not Talia. Otherwise, those swords would break the moment it clashes with Talia. Just then, screams can be heard from deep within the woods. Cries echo in the hollowly for help but screams of agony follow soon after. Needless to say, it¡¯s the bandits. Looks like the monsters finally done them in. I have appraised them and they all have Murderer, Rapist, Bandit, Arsonist, Brute, and the like under their Titles and Deeds. So¡ª Good Riddance, I guess? Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Fatigue: Low Confusion: Low Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 600 MP 300
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knight
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 5 (Lv. 2 ~ 5) Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 5 (Lv. 2 ~ 5) Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade Culling of Serpents
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 2200 Attack - 450 Defense - 250 Magic - 400 Resistance - 200 Speed - 700
Remaining Skill Points: 1 Remaining Ability Points: 0
Chapter 1 - 14 Troubles in Town The morning after the carnage born of a married life, I¡¯m walking in the streets of Bluebell Town. I¡¯m here for an errand. Of course by no means I¡¯m avoiding the strange mood of the two love birds. Nothing like an actual carnage went down last night between Hyx and Senna but there was a heated argument. Although, seeing how cuddly they were together this morning, made it seemed like the argument they had last night didn¡¯t ever occured. They should just go explode[1]. Perhaps Hyx wants the morning alone with Senna, he gave us a list of things to purchase in the town. They are all things needed for alchemy. Most of them can be harvest from plants which prompt me to ask why couldn¡¯t he just ask Kirin to grow those specific plants. His answer was unexpected but yet logical. Kirin with her Divine Art can grow any plants she so desire but that was only apply to plants that can be grown in that specific area. Hyx further theorize that if Kirin has more experience with her newly acquired Divine Art, she might just be able to summon any plants, any where. Looking at the list written on the small piece of poorly produced paper, I give a once over the names of the items I¡¯m being asked to buy. ¡°We should be close. The alchemist shop should be just right ahead,¡± Cormac the Dark Oni told me. I still can¡¯t get over how he looks like an elder twin of Hyx but due to him having hair and his skin is dark tanned, it¡¯s easy to distinguish them both. Cormac is also taller too. It isn¡¯t just Cormac who followed me on the errand but Lucy, Kirin, Nilin, and Citra as well. Djin and Indara are the only ones staying back at the cottage. That¡¯s because Djin and Indara are the only ones who don¡¯t mind the lovey-dovey atmosphere Hyx and Senna bubbled themselves in. ¡°I know where the shop is. We first met each other there, don¡¯t you remember?¡± I told Cormac. Cormac made a difficult face. It doesn¡¯t seem like he remembers. ¡°You know, you¡¯re making us stand out by being the only one being inconspicuous.¡± Nilin said. She¡¯s probably referring to me being the only one in the group wearing a cloak. Just as she said that, we passed by a group of Farmas Kingdom soldiers but they spared us no more than a single glance. We might be an odd group to my eyes but this is a fantasy world, it isn¡¯t rare to see such odd groups. ¡°I can¡¯t risk getting my face recognized,¡± I briefly retorted. I was actually advised to stay back at the cottage but I need to see the situation of the outside for myself. My main reason for volunteering is not to avoid Hyx and his wife, absolutely not. Nope, not at all. To lower the chance of getting myself recognize, I have donned a dark brown cloak. The hood covers only half my face but I doubt anyone could recognize just from the jawline. First of all, the only people who actually knows how I really look like, are the Imperial Soldiers of Zerogian Empire. The soldiers of Farmas Kingdom most likely only have a rough sketch or description of my face as the means to identify me. Lucy is not wearing a cloak, by the way. Knowing how pompous the empire is, they probably didn¡¯t even remember she exists and adding to the fact they are discreetly a human supremacist, they don¡¯t make an effort in distinguish other races. To them, Lucy is just another beast-kin. Never thought I¡¯ll see the day where I came to appreciate racism and ignorance. Officially, the Farmas soldiers are looking for me but from the looks of it, they are just patrolling the town like normal. The ones actually doing the search aren¡¯t dressed in soldier attires at all. I have caught sight of a few of them. They dress like the common folks but they can¡¯t bring themself to act like one or they over-act their cover role. Furthermore, their eyes are darting around, looking like a predator scouring for its prey. They aren¡¯t amateurs, of course. It¡¯s thanks to my Divine Art that I have such a sensitive perception. Especially after the fight with Valuma and the Water Serpents, I seem to have gotten more sensitive towards such matters. I really have to fight the urge to grasp my sword in response to my agitation towards these painfully obvious spies. I currently have Avent at my side instead of Talia. Talia¡¯s design is way too eccentric for her not to stand out. Even she is hidden by the cloak, one glance at her is enough to tell that she¡¯s different than your everyday swords, even the magic ones. I¡¯m glad that I did that considering how many curious gazes I have noticed in this town. Avent¡¯s only difference from a normal sword is its blade, which is whitish silver but as long as it¡¯s sheathed in a scabbard, it passes as any other sword. Since I don¡¯t have Talia out, my ethereal right arm is not manifested but that works to my favor. Plus, having a missing right arm further discredits my association with ¡°Shizuka¡±. ¡°Mm, watched?¡± Kirin muttered. ¡°Yes, we are being watched.¡± Cormac affirmed. Looks like everyone in our group notice these noses. ¡°Kyu~ Kyu~¡± Citra who¡¯s wrapped firmly around Cormac¡¯s neck is making a series of cute noise. She¡¯s pointing at a nearby food stall which is selling meat skewers with her whole body. Since Cormac is wearing a collared shirt, she is hidden from view unless one has close view. ¡°Not now, later.¡± Cormac told her while gently tapping her tiny head with his finger. I thought the glutton Lucy is too quiet but turns out, she is too entranced by the food stall that is selling array of meat skewers. Her little gesture of placing her finger lightly on her lips makes a pretty cute picture. She probably wants to eat but is being tactful about the situation. She sure has grown considering she has been abstinent from meat for at least two days. I feel like giving in to her cute gestures but I have to steel myself here. I took her hand as we keep moving down the streets. Ironically, more food stalls came into view. Not just the food stalls. The noses and eyes have increased as well. I spotted a few people who has Spy as their title. Their affiliations suddenly appear in SIS just as I think of the list of factions that could possibly be their employers. I didn¡¯t know it could do that but hey, I¡¯m not complaining. Most of them are spies working for the Farmas Kingdom. I further spotted two more spies belonging to Zerogian Empire. I take extra care of not showing my face to these two. I also mark their Mana wavelength. It¡¯s not something like putting a marker in video games but it is close to that concept. The mark will disappear if I lose concentration of it though. Besides Farmas Kingdom and Zerogian Empire spies, there are a few suspicious-looking individuals belonging to Au¡¯ruum. SIS gives me more information about it as I wished in my head for more information. Au¡¯ruum is Helix for Dark Truth. Apparently, it is a cult. A fanatical one. And their object of worship is¡ª as you guess it, Demons. I have known a few similar cults like this back in the Empire but Au¡¯ruum seems to be relatively new. This is gonna be trouble. I can see the red flags all over. There are six of these cultists but I only mark the one with Ritual Head as one of his titles. As if Demon worshipers aren¡¯t enough, I spotted a strange individual with the least suspicions but I just can¡¯t shake the feeling of him being bad news. So I appraised him. His name is Kaelus. A B-rank with a thousand ECS. His Arcane Arts are typical of a fighter-type class but he has a rare Magic Spell that I have ever only seen it twice, Gravity Magic. He also has Appraisal and Analyze. His titles are mostly related to espionage. And the ones that stand out are; Murderer, Deceiver, Defiler, and Saboteur. His affiliation is; Covenant. The explanation on Covenant is brief. It is the the largest underworld organization and one the three major superpower in the world of Evarenan. This guy is obviously another bad news, so I mark him too. As I kept my caution and subtle gaze on these suspicious individuals, we have arrived at the alchemy shop. Going in with everyone would be too much for a small shop, so only Nilin and I enter. The rest keep watch outside. I remind them to remain constant vigilance of any person that seems too nosy with their gaze. ¡°Nn, will do best.¡± Kirin answered me, which is rare. I think this is the first time we had an exchange. Cormac simply nodded and Citra copies him. Lucy pumps her fists with some excessive spirit. ¡°Of course, Shizu.¡± For some reasons, she seems too enthusiastic. As I turn back, Nilin has already gone into the shop. It wouldn¡¯t kill her to say something at the very least. I drop my hood when the door closes behind me. The same Dwarf alchemist behind the counter turned wide eye when he notices me. Looks like he remembers me too. ¡°Oh, young lady. It¡¯s you again, eh. Not appraising me this time?¡± His tone is prickly for some reasons. Oh right, I appraised him the first time I came in here and got lectured for that. ¡°By the Nines, what happened to you arm?¡± His worry is unexpected but reasonable. I have been finding a lot of things unexpected but reasonable lately, haven¡¯t I? ¡°Life happened.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± he read the mood and moved on. His eyes landed on Nilin. He looks disappointed for some reasons. ¡°And you Missy, just you this time? Where¡¯s your sister?¡± The Dwarf alchemist turns to Nilin who¡¯s looking at the displayed items. ¡°She¡¯s not my sister, I told you that.¡± Nilin replied in a tone not unbefitting of a highborn lady. Other than their height and hairstyle, they could even be mistaken as twins. The Dwarf sighs. ¡°Better mind your tone, missy. At this rate, all the boys would find you unsavory and run away from you.¡± ¡°Good. I do not need them. They are all repulsive anyways, especially human boys.¡± Despite her haughty tone, I can detect a hint of sorrow in it. Hyx did told me about Tom. Nilin was quite fond of him. Although it wasn¡¯t clear whether the love was one-sided, Nilin did truly love Tom. And it was his death that led her to practice the art of gun-slinging. She wanted to fight but her nature and physique did not allow her to fight with the usual means. With an old ragged-out blueprint Hyx found in Rising Valley, he managed to make a revolver after much trial and error. According to Hyx, Nilin has immense talent as a gunslinger. She was able to hit her mark precisely and consecutively after only a week¡¯s worth of practice.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°You two are travelling together now, eh?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Nilin replied curtly. ¡°So, do you need Coral Flowers again? Fortunately for ya, I got a few in stock now.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take two hundred grams of it.¡± Hearing that, the Dwarf prepared two hundred grams of Coral Flower, grounded to powder form, wrapped neatly in some sort of laminated paper. If this is the medieval times of Earth, lamination would be incredibly costly but this world has magic. So it may not be the case for this world. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Gray Spores, a kilo. Soft Dust, two hundred fifty grams. Penuma Sap, two kilos. And a kilo of the best catalyst you have suitable for combustible substance.¡± Nilin listed them all out without even taking a look at the list I have taken out. ¡ª¡ª What the hell did I even wrote this list for? And now that I take a good look at the list¡­ This is obviously a recipe for explosives. Gray Spores are like gunpowder but has the combustible and explosive rate turned up to 11. Soft Dust is a kind of powder that reduces the effective range of substances but increases single-area effectiveness. It is mainly used in explosive for greater damage in exchange for reducing its explosive range. Penuma Sap is a type of oil harvested from the Penuma Tree. It is flammable, of course, and often used as fuel in low-end machines. Even the Dwarf alchemist is a little hesitant in preparing these items. ¡°Whoa Missy, this is four times the amount you asked for than the last time. You sure you¡¯re not plotting anything?¡± ¡°Rest assure, Fairy-folk. If anything, it is used for the good of the world.¡± The Dwarf looks to me after listening to Nilin. I shrug, giving him the gesture of ¡°I know nothing about this¡±. ¡°Just so you know, little Missy. These things aren¡¯t cheap. The total will cost quite a pretty penny.¡± ¡°All covered,¡± Nilin said and placed a bulging pouch on the counter. The Dwarf took the pouch and threw it under counter. I don¡¯t think he missed Nilin taking the pouch literally out of nowhere but he doesn¡¯t question it. ¡°You accept?¡± I inadvertently asked. ¡°Well, ask no question, tell no lies.¡± The Dwarf answered me and disappeared to the back of the store. Once his figure is truly gone from my view, I shot a glance at Nilin. ¡°Are we really building a bomb?¡± I asked in a low voice. Obviously, I sounded quite alarmed. ¡°No but close,¡± said Nilin with a smug face. My hand curls into a fist when her expression reminds me of Hyx. He really is a bad influence. ¡°Then what are those ingredients for?¡± Still looking triumphant and smug, Nilin taps the clips subtly conceal around her belt. ¡°Bullets? For those?¡± ¡°Yeap. Although, I¡¯m still learning the process of making them. Only Hyx knows for now.¡± I didn¡¯t ask for more but Nilin got carried by the sense of self-importance she brandished to me. She went on and explained the whole thing. To summarize her long-winded explanations with occasional self-boasting, having mixing Gray Spores with Penuma Sap along with a few other chemicals, it creates a highly combustible and explosive liquid substance that Hyx dubbed Eerie Matter. It has an unusual reaction towards magic-infused metals. It burns them at an incredibly high temperature and melt them into nothing in matter of seconds. Yes, into nothing, even high grade magic steels, as long as its not normal steel. No residue, no odour, burn away like flash paper. In just matter of seconds at that. However¡ª There was an even unusual reaction in the process of the metal being burned into nothingness. During the burning, the magic metal-in-question¡¯s strength increases by three fold before instantly being burned into nothing. This so-called Eerie Matter replaces the gunpowder inside the bullets that Nilin uses. Which means, as soon as these projectiles hit their marks, they instantly burns into nothing, leaving no trace. A deadly and effective weapon that leaves no evidence of its cruelty but its mark. Kinda like committing a murder with ice. The weapon disposes of itself after awhile. This is the same concept. To think Hyx discover this substance during a trial and error done by an amateur. The peculiar reactions is called unusual because it does not burn that greatly with normal metal. In fact, it was weaker than normal flames towards normal metals. Hyx theorize that the Eerie Matter unusual reaction is due to the magic in magic-infused metals. These ¡°Eerie Flames¡± favors Mana more than your conventional flammable substances. The revolver itself is made of normal high-grade steel so it won¡¯t get burned away with the magic steel bullets. But firearm does exist in this world but not something like a revolver and it all runs on magic instead of gunpowder. Even if it runs on magic, it uses a lot of Mana and requires heaps of experience to pull it off. So it was better to just use normal attack magic. Some people in the world doesn¡¯t even knows a gun existed because it¡¯s not well-spread due to its unconventionality. Nilin looks extremely proud of herself after she done explaining. She even puffs up her chest which is slightly bigger than mine. Slightly, mind you. If a comparison is drawn, we will both be categorized under the same alphabet, okay? It¡¯s just a little bigger than mine, a little. ¡°It¡¯s best to keep those to yourself, Missy. You¡¯ll draw laughs instead of admiration with what little you have.¡± The Dwarf alchemist put Nilin on a grill with the fire turned all the way up as he emerged back from the backroom. I stifled a laugh which I failed and incurred a bloodshot gaze from Nilin. With a heave, he lays down the items before us on the countertop, all packed. With my Divine Art, I could confirm the insides without unpacking it. I nodded with affirmation of the contents at Nilin who¡¯s still giving me the bloody stares. Hey, you brought this on yourself. Nilin store everything into her ring which is enchanted with a Storage-like magic called; Vault, an advance Spatial Magic. She carries only the Coral Flowers by hand. Probably to use it as a a cover so it won¡¯t look weird leaving a shop empty-handed. I¡¯m slightly worried she did this right in plain view of the Dwarf but she assures me that it¡¯s fine. ¡°You know¡ª¡± the tone of the Dwarf changed. My hand steadily rest on the hilt of Avent. Nilin on the hand, is calm. She isn¡¯t making any move but having seen her practice in action, her state of mind is probably fully prepared to draw her gun at any moment. ¡°¡ªsome people came in and asked for you. They say you were missing in action. Know anything about that?¡± ¡°I do,¡± I answered, honestly with conviction, which surprised myself. ¡°And what did you tell them?¡± Nilin beside me has her Mana welling up. She is readying a spell. A pop-up appears with the spell¡¯s name but I didn¡¯t turn to look. My heart feels warm. I¡¯m thankful for Nilin stepping in for me but I just can¡¯t allow her to get meddled up with my problems. Just as I was about to stop Nilin from doing anything else, the Dwarf throws up his hands while uttering out loud, ¡°Nothing. I told them nothing. Honesty of the Nines.¡± I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s their version of ¡°honest to god¡±. ¡°Really?¡± Nilin pressed on. ¡°Really. Missy, I gained nothing from selling out my customers.¡± ¡°Not even with bribes?¡± Nilin isn¡¯t backing off. The Dwarf scoffs. ¡°Not with their own gold. They are Farmas soldiers. Their loyalty and honesty amounts to only their wages. If they¡¯re bribing someone, it will be out of the king¡¯s pocket.¡± His status now reads, Fear and Distress: Low. Perhaps it¡¯s because my soul strength is greater than before, Nilin¡¯s threatening aura doesn¡¯t really get to me but it¡¯s another story on a normal person. The Dwarf has ECS but it¡¯s only three digits in the lower half. Guess I should really throw him a life line. ¡°Nilin, it¡¯s alright. He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t know whether he was actually telling the truth but going by his heartbeat and body language, he is as honest as he can be. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The way Nilin asked me for confirmation betrays all the image of her as a scatterbrain from before. She¡¯s like a different person completely. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Just stand down!¡± I raised my voice. ¡°He¡¯s going to have some serious damage if you keep up with that!¡± Letting out a reluctant sigh, Nilin releases her intimidating aura. The Dwarf drops his hands. His clothes and vest are soaked with his cold sweat. ¡°Sorry about that. As you can see, we are really particular with our discretion. I hope you can keep it on the low if you really value your well-being.¡± I didn¡¯t mean it to come off as some sort of threat but I¡¯m kinda mentally exhausted to correct myself. ¡°I hear ya, I hear ya. This ain¡¯t my first time with a customer asking for secrecy with that kind of tone and look. You ain¡¯t the first and certainly won¡¯t be the last.¡± ¡°You receive a lot of warnings like this?¡± ¡°Oh, a lot more than you think.¡± Nilin scoffs. I bet she has been waiting for the right time to do that. ¡°You don¡¯t seem use to it.¡± ¡°Missy, you don¡¯t get use to stuff like these. Not as long as you value your own life. It¡¯s best you don¡¯t get use to it. People often turns dumb or to the worse once they get used to it.¡± ¡°Can we just go now?¡± I asked. Nilin, after heaving another sigh, nods. ¡°Sorry for the trouble,¡± saying so, I bowed slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind it, young lady. It¡¯s part of life. And please, do come back again.¡± ¡°For real?¡± I notice my Earth-like way of speaking is coming back but it didn¡¯t seem like a problem now. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not everyday I make such a sale from a single customer. If you make purchases like these for a few more times, you might just become my favourite customer.¡± Seeing as how we are going to be up against an anomaly from another dimension which a foreign concept of death, I say we¡¯ll be back before we knew it. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± I gave an ambiguous reply and left the store with Nilin.
¡°Here, Shizu!¡± Lucy happily ran up to me and offered me a bag of meat skewers. I can see she already has half a dozen of it in one hand. I was worried for a moment when I didn¡¯t see them upon exiting the shop. It isn¡¯t just Lucy but the others as well. I guess they lose to the fragrant smell the stalls give out. There¡¯s still about an hour and a half before lunch. I guess I can have a few. Citra had greedily swallow three meat skewers at once, minus the sticks. It ends up giving her body a weird shape contouring the meats she swallowed. It¡¯s a little uncomfortable to watch, to be honest. ¡°What¡¯s next? Come on get on with it. I want to go back as soon as possible.¡± Nilin said as she bite on a chicken skewer. And I thought I was cooped-up. ¡°Nn. Many noses, not good.¡± Said Kirin while munching away on a skewer. She eats really slowly when it comes to meat. ¡°She means there are too much prying eyes on us, she hates that.¡± Cormac explained to me the meaning of Kirin¡¯s few words. Well, no one likes being pried into. ¡°Hey, come on. What¡¯s next?¡± Urged by Nilin, I look at the next set of list. And suddenly¡­ ¡ª¡ªDanger! A malicious presence is caught in my detection range. ¡°Kyu! Kyu!¡± Following after the shriek of Citra, the people on streets also starting screaming as they begin to run from something. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening, Shizu?¡± ¡°¡°Demon.¡±¡± Cormac and I said in unison. I¡¯m impressed that Cormac caught on as fast as I did. And yeah¡­ This is another case of ¡°unexpected but reasonable¡±. Cormac role is a scout after all. But strange¡­ The Demon appeared out of nowhere. It wasn¡¯t here when I exited the Alchemist¡¯s Store. Did it teleport into the town? It¡¯s unlikely but not entirely impossible. Or someone summoned it. Yeah, someone must have summoned it. There are a few possible suspects. Namely, the cultists of Au¡¯ruum. ¡°I think we better get out of here before we got drag into this mess.¡± Cormac suggested. With so many eyes still around looking for me, this is the best course. However¡ª two more Demons appear and they are now surrounding three civilians. The life force of one of them is weakening. This person must be protecting the other two at the cost of his or her own life. As my legs take me forward to where the Demon emerged, Nilin grabs my wrist and yanks me back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I stare blankly right back at her. ¡°What does it look like? There¡¯s a Demon over there with three helpless individuals. I¡¯m going to help them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of your intentions but are you aware of it of your own? By helping them, you risk exposing yourself and even us.¡± Oh? Nilin is unexpectedly quite compose and collected in this type of situation. But even so¡­ ¡°But I can¡¯t just let that thing run amok!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to,¡± came the cold words from Cormac. Citra is nodding along. ¡°And what? Just let the ones that we could have saved die? What¡¯s wrong with you¡ª with all of you?¡± ¡°Nothing is wrong with us. We do not owe this world anything, that is what Hyx said. If anything, we are owed. And most of all, we are not heroes.¡± Nilin patronized me. ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± saying so, I yank back my hand. ¡°But I am. I¡¯m no hero of the empire but I¡¯m still a hero of the peoples.¡± Our gaze were still lock as I drew Avent out of the scabbard. ¡°Luce, you stay here with them.¡± ¡°B-but Shizu¡­¡± ¡°No buts. Just listen to what I say!¡± My raised voice frightened Lucy but I have no leeway to apologize now. ¡°You know what this will entail, right?¡± Nilin asked as I turn to leave. ¡°I know but even so, I¡¯m still a hero.¡± And I left to deal with the Demon without waiting for a response. Nilin screamed something behind me but my mind is too preoccupied with reaching the civilians as soon as possible. ¡°Kyu~?¡± A cute noise came from my left as I dash through the streets. H-huh? When did you wrapped yourself around my forearm? Never minding how she got around my arm, I take off into the air and sprint at full speed with Aerial Drive. I increase my speed with Lightning Walk and Gale Rush when I sensed of one of the three¡¯s life force vanish. Covering myself with Mystic Skin, I further increase the power of Lightning Walk and Gale Rush to the point that it would tear my skin if I didn¡¯t have Mystic Skin on. Upon reaching the spot where the Demons attack, I quickly land between the two victims and the Demons. Thank god, they are only Mid-Demons. I take down the Demon in the middle instantaneously with a precise thrust into its Mana Core with Avent coated with Spell Edge. Knowing what Citra can do, I leave my open flank¡¯s defenses to her. The remaining two Demons have their sharpened tendrils met with a gleaming iridescent barrier. I follow up with a kick to the Demon on my right that sent it crashing into the abandoned stalls while I aim for the other Demon¡¯s Mana Core with Wind Slash. Just as I¡¯m about finish off the one I kicked away, a black arrow shoots out from my shadow and hit the Demon square in its Mana Core. All three of the Demons are instantly dispatched when not even ten seconds passed. Skill Point(s) gained +9 Ability Point(s) gained +6 When I look at my shadow beneath my feet, I notice Cormac lurking inside. You too¡­!? ¡°T-thank you.¡± I turned to the voice who offers me her gratitude. ¡°It¡¯s my duty,¡± I welcomed her. The two I saved is an Elven girl and a human girl who¡¯s not even five. The Elf is a High Priestess of the Nines. Her name is Iluna. Iluna¡­ Where have I heard that name before? The little girl¡¯s name is Zoey. She is although, not a believer of the Nines. As I wonder about the odd pair¡¯s relationship, SIS provides me further information regarding the two. Iluna is from Cerulean Forest and she¡¯s older than she looks which is what I expected of an Elf. As for the child, she¡¯s¡­. ¡­. Um¡­. w-what? N-no fucking way¡­. Maybe it¡¯s because I wondered about where her family or parents are, SIS gave me the names of her parents. Her mother is someone named, Xatara Ae¡¯myun and for the father, it¡¯s¡ª ¡ªHyx Atlas. Chapter 1- 15 Arch Demon ¡°Lady Iluna!¡± A voice of urgency pulled me back to my senses. From an alley, a bunch of knights came flooding in. SIS tells me they are Templar Knights assign as guards. Just as I wondered why wasn¡¯t there any near her, I notice the corpses lying around me. They are all done in, huh. The knight who shouted out for Iluna, positions himself between me and the Elf. The other knights surrounded both the Elf and the girl, forming a phalanx around them. Maybe phalanx isn¡¯t the right term here since they are without shield. ¡°Are you unharmed, milady?¡± The knight asked without taking his eyes off me. I don¡¯t have any basis for where his eyes actually are since he has a full-face helmet on. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Captain Xeres.¡± ¡°And you!¡± shouted the captain. ¡°State your name.¡± ¡°Captain, stand down. This person here is my savior.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why the secrecy with his or her identity?¡± Their exchange went down a really odd path. They talk as if I¡¯m wearing a mask but I feel nothing in my hand as I touch my face. Come to think of it, something feels off about me. Like I¡¯m being draped over with an incredibly light silk cloth. I check my status only to see it with an unfamiliar term; Recognition Inhibited. Further information entails that I¡¯m shrouded in an intangible field that inhibits any recognition of my identity. My rough body contours and height are the only things people are able to perceive. As I read more of the details, I understand that this effect is caused by Citra. Hmm¡­ Nilin did called out to me when I ran off but I didn¡¯t catch it. Did she perhaps sent Citra to me as a deterrence for recognition? ¡°Captain, you¡¯re being rude to the one who rushed to my aid. So, stand down. That¡¯s an order.¡± The Elven Priestess named Iluna stared the captain knight down. Upon hearing the word ¡°order¡±, he immediately complies and instructs his men to do the same. ¡°Once again, thank you but I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t quite get your name.¡± Iluna bowed. Before I can offer a response, the captain knight boorishly cuts in. ¡°Milady, now¡¯s not the time for gratitude.¡± ¡°Captain Xeres, you are being terribly ru¡ª¡± ¡°Young Cleric Liliana has been taken by Au¡¯ruum agents.¡± Iluna who was going to reprimand the captain knight pauses in shock. A cleric¡¯s being kidnapped? ¡°Lily has been taken? B-by whom?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Au¡¯ruum, milady. A squad of my best men is in pursuit. For now, we need to get you to safety.¡± I search my ¡°radar¡± for any individuals that might be in distress. ¡ªFound! Well, I didn¡¯t found the cleric, exactly, but I found a small group of six pursuing three individuals. Based on their speed, they¡¯re probably on horses. They are already out of the town and heading to the borders of Bluebell Territory. I can vaguely make out an additional presence near the one taking point. Plus, that faint presence is emitting some divinity. The last time I felt a faint traces of Divinity is a Bishop I have met back in the Imperial Palace who has Holy Magic of level nine. This young cleric must be some child prodigy of Holy Magic to able to emit a degree of divinity. The captain knight and the High Priestess are still talking and I didn¡¯t want to interrupt them, so I take off on my own without a word of anything. All this while, the only one who has their eye glued to me is the apparent daughter of Hyx, Zoey. I have a lot of questions right now but a life is grave danger right now. But I made a mental note of asking Hyx once this is over. By the time the Templar Knights and Iluna notice my absence, I was already a few miles away from them. I wonder if Senna knows of this. And I wonder how far I should evacuate should the worse happen.
¡°Kyu~!¡± Citra pointed with her body at the pursue a little in front of us and below us. I figured running through the streets would be slow and a hassle, so I decided to use the sky. My identity should be masked right now by Citra¡¯s ability. Looking at her MP, it¡¯s draining little by little. If this drain amount is anything to go by, I say I have about half an hour before this inhibition field drain Citra dry. The name of this magic is; Stygian Veil, a magic spell under her racial ability, Arcane Serpent. This is my first time so high up in the sky. I have never ridden a plane before, so this is a brand new experience for me. One thing I didn¡¯t take into account is how much dust and dirt could interfere with my vision. I have to use Breeze to in front of my eyes to manipulate it in a way so that dust wouldn¡¯t get into my eyes. Looking down at the three individuals being chased by the Templar Knights, I confirm that they are indeed Au¡¯ruum Cultist. The kidnapped Cleric is in the hands of the one riding at the fore front as I thought. The Cleric is bound at the back of the ride. Since she¡¯s unmoving, I assume she¡¯s unconscious. And she¡¯s quite young at fourteen years old. She has Light Magic and Holy Magic. She has a rank of B which is quite impressive but as expected of a child prodigy. But my concerns lie on the cultists¡¯ rides. Those aren¡¯t horses though. Unlike the knights, the cultists aren¡¯t riding horses but something like a Velociraptor with bat-like wings as its fore limbs. These creatures are called Vexwings and they are rank-D magic monsters. They cannot fly but they can glide. They can even glide from as high as a mountain and land safely at the bottom. Strangely, they are carnivorous but they are not considered monsters. The Vexwings sure are fast given that they are at least a size larger than a horse. Although, Vexwings aren¡¯t ridden for its speed but its versatility. So until they reach the borders which is a rocky mountain area, they would not be able to lose their pursuers. But it appears they aren¡¯t that naive. The cultists, that is. The six knights fell into a pit that was obviously a trap set by them way beforehand. None of the are in the red of their health, so I didn¡¯t stop. Is this what organized crime looks like in another world? I guess it¡¯s up to me now. I lower my pursuing altitude until the three cultists are in range for my appraisal. I check their abilities and titles. They have normal array of abilities and magic. Their titles don¡¯t really separates them from your usual thugs and cutthroats. The two riding on the back is only D-rank with ECS in the upper half of three digits. The one in the lead is rank-C and he has about a thousand ECS. Surprisingly, he has Light Magic and two Arcane Arts that I¡¯m seeing and hearing for the first time, Domination and Demon Arts Domination is a magic that lets the caster dominates a person¡¯s will. The victim will have clear conscience but they can¡¯t defy the caster¡¯s orders, although they are able to resist if they have immense willpower but those cases are quite rare. Demon Arts are array of spells and magics related to Demons. That was the whole information. I guess the Arcane Art was too broad to have clear explanation of the magic. I store Avent into Arms Inventory and retrieve Talia back out. The moment she leaves Arms Inventory, magic forms into an arm from my right stump. I grab Talia with that arm. ¡°It¡¯s been awhile, Shizuka.¡± She greeted me. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been half a day though?¡± I¡¯m not sure if she was serious or just being sarcastic. I didn¡¯t ask since I wasn¡¯t too bothered about it. Instead, I updated her on the recent and current situations. ¡°Go for their heads. It¡¯s the surest way.¡± Talia suggested. It¡¯s kinda grim but it is the logical route. Saying my condolences and apologies to the Vexwings, I descend in a speed that makes a wind-scratching noise to my ears. I slow down once I¡¯m on their level and I cancel Gale Rush and Lightning Walk. I¡¯m running along them with only Sky Step and Aerial Drive. With Spell Edge and Shadow Blade coated on Talia, I slice the two at the back into half along with their rides with the elongated blade. I don¡¯t think they even knew who or what killed them. Skill Point(s) gained +2 Ability Point(s) gained +2 Eh? So little? Pushing that complaint to the back of my mind, I move on to the one in the lead. It seems like he notices me and utter a few curses when he realize his companions are gone. I see his lips moving but his voice is barely audible. He¡¯s chanting and SIS tells me he¡¯s using the Domination magic. Log: Domination effect has been resisted I knew this would happen considering I resisted instant death magics from a Greater Demon. I could just off the last one but I don¡¯t have the confidence to catch the Cleric if they flipped. So I accelerate my speed and land in the cultist¡¯s path. I draw a line on the ground with Wind Slash which successfully prompted the cultist to stop. I have cornered him but he doesn¡¯t look faze in the least. Something in his eyes tell me that he still has a trick up his sleeve. Our gazes locked. Unlike in fiction where the villains begin to monologue while looking smug, the cultist merely descended from the Vexwing and walk towards me with resolution on his face. He splays his arms out. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Kill me then. Or are you taking me in?¡± Well, now he¡¯s looking smug. ¡°Don¡¯t, Shizuka.¡± Talia warned me. ¡°I know,¡± I whispered back. Something is definitely wrong and he is definitely baiting him into killing him. Going through his status, I see he is under two status abnormality, Contracted: Eternity and Bound: Eternity. Okay¡­ but contracted and bounded to whom? Just as I think that, his master¡¯s name is revealed SIS. A Demon named Jagun but not just any demon, it¡¯s an Arch-Demon which is a level higher than a Greater Demon. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to act, then allow me. Lords of Darkness and Shadows, a debt is due. Come forth and claim thy servant¡¯s soul¡± Oh great. His Mana then begins to surge. I can see some dark corruption spreading in his Mana flow. It feels dreadful and eerie but nowhere near Valuma¡¯s level. His skin is even turning dark red and smoky black aura leaks from his body freshly opened wounds. Seeing as how it kinda makes no difference now whether I kill him or not, I close our distance in a blink of an eye and beheaded him. I still feel some hesitation in my actions but not so much as before. The ¡°spartan¡± training imbued into my bones by Djin must be really getting to me. And my hair all stood up. ¡°Shizuka!¡± Talia shouted. ¡°I know!¡± and I shouted back. I immediately use the double-edged spell Air Burst to propel myself away from the danger. The cultist¡¯s empty neck burst out Abyssal energy which instantly solidified and turned into spikes. ¡°Kyu~!¡± Citra cried as she set up a barrier just in time as the spikes came flying over. With her barrier still persisting and armoring myself with Mystic Skin, I lunge back at the transforming cultist. I unleash a Vorpal Draw that bisected the cultists cleanly into half. Looking at his Health bar, I grimaced. It didn¡¯t even drop a bit. With Talia still in my right grip, I punch the upper body with my free hand and kick the lower parts away from me as more darkness burst out from his body. ¡°Kyu!!!¡± Citra shrieked as she dove further under my clothes. I can feel her tiny body trembling which kinda tickles. The darkness coil around the cultist¡¯s body as if to swallow him whole. From the mass of undulating darkness, a form is slowly taking shape. I cast Ashen Flames on the transforming cultist. Eh? The gray Ashen Flames are immediately doused by some invisible force and the flames could not burn the black sticky-like substance covering on the grotesque mass which was once the Cultist¡¯s body. SIS tells me those sticky substance is an Abyss Magic, Black Hide but Abyss Magic isn¡¯t listed as one of the cultist¡¯s Arcane Arts though? And the invisible force is actually Gravity Magic: Gravity Shift. Before I can read the details, a black stake with purplish tinge flew at me like an arrow. I easily slice it into half without flinching. Now that I have a good look at his status, the cultist is already dead. The HP bar that I saw belongs to the Arch-Demon who took over his soul, Jagun. The Demon is a B-rank with an ECS only two hundreds worth of value apart from mine. Its Attack, Magic, and Resistance are at five hundred while Speed and Defense is at two hundred fifty each. So to say, my speed is the only stat better than it. For its abilities, the Arch Demon has Abyss Magic, Death Magic, Gravity Magic, and Mana Control. No way¡­ Its Gravity Magic is level ten and Abyss Magic is Eight.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Although its high level magic should be taken extreme caution of, what truly shook my spirit is the Arch-Demon¡¯s HP. It quadruples my maximum amount and its MP is six times the value of mine. This is some serious bad news. Jagun is twenty feet tall by my guess when it stood straight before me. It has a very humanoid shape, to my surprise. Jagun is the most humanoid looking Demon I have seen by far. ¡°Demons who use a host often have a form resembling its host,¡± explained Talia after somehow catching on to my unasked question. The Arch Demon¡¯s whole body is something of a knight¡¯s armor except the armor is its skin. The material looks to be the tendrils from before but hardened and clump together to form the current shape. The Demon is all black and dark purplish instead of the usual Demon-y dark reddish due to Black Hide. Our eyes met as we judged each others capabilities. Staring into its hollow flaming eyes is like staring into a furnace without end. ¡°Citra, take the girl and go.¡± I told her without daring to take my eyes even a second off the Demon. Although Citra doesn¡¯t speak Sagax¡¯s languages but I think she understands them. She titled her head and went ¡°kyu?¡± ¡°Take the girl and head back to Nilin and the others. It¡¯s too dangerous around here.¡± When I thought she doesn¡¯t understand my words, she tighten her wrap on me. ¡°Kyu, kyu!¡± She shook her head with zeal. She does understand me but she didn¡¯t want to leave me alone. ¡°Citra, I¡¯ll be fine but the girl won¡¯t be if she¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Incoming!¡± Abaddon flashes an alarm in my head just as Talia warned me. I two handed Talia and raised her to block two large black blades swinging down at me. Guh¡­ heavy. The blades are Abyss Magic: Abyssal Edges. The sizes are proportionate to the Arch Demon¡¯s physique. ¡°N-now!!!¡± I screamed with a strained voice. Even whispering was too much for me at the moment. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± came a voice from my shadows. Cormac jumps out of my shadow and nocks a few arrows or his shadow-esque bow. The arrows he then fired at Jagun are repelled before they hit. Apparently, Jagun used Gravity Magic: Gravity Shift. As the name states, it allows the user to control gravity. Jagun has set himself as the center of gravity and then reverse the effect of gravity pull. As for Black Hide, its a protective magic that covers the caster in a thin black filament which has nullification against fire and strong resistance against light magic. Those magic spells sure sounds troublesome. Just when Jagun tries to retaliate, I flip back at and aim at its jaw. I feel my feet and its jaw cracking against each other. The flip kick staggers the Arch Demon a little but its enough to get its attention back at me. My feet hurts but I didn¡¯t break any bones thanks to Mystic Skin. I¡¯m not so sure about Jagun though. Jagun was about to move but I held it back with Ashen Flames. It didn¡¯t scald the hide but it did stop it. ¡°Now, Cormac! Get the girl out of here!¡± Cormac and I exchange nods while Citra is still looking worried. Cormac pries Citra of my neck and carries her to the Vexwing where the young cleric is on. I thought it was weird for a Vexwing to be staying put but it turns, out it was scare stiff by what¡¯s going on in front of it. I can see why Vexwings aren¡¯t consider monsters. Cormac puts the young maiden onto the back of Citra¡¯s head who has turned back into her original size. A serpent thrice the size of a normal anaconda. Once Cormac too is on Citra, she slithers away at a speed that won¡¯t lose to a Vexwing. The Vexwing follows suit shortly after. It seems to be following Citra. The Arch Demon howls and my attention shifts back to it. Abyss Magic: Abyssal Hounds, appears in the pop-up beside Jagun. Black liquid leaks out from the gap of its armor-esque skin before turning into a total of six Abyssal Hounds. I unconsciously made a sneer at the feat. The Hounds speed through me and chase after Cormac and Citra. I manage to make quick word of two but the remaining four are too fast for my reach. I want to give chase but leaving the Arch Demon alone is just a plain recipe for disaster. Let¡¯s just hope Cormac can deal with them. I have more pressing concerns right in front of me. ¡°Talia, what are my chances?¡± I asked. Besides Valuma, this Arch Demon is the strongest enemy I have faced. Not counting sparring partners, of course. ¡°Victory is certain but possibly with near perpetual damages.¡± So I can win but not without suffering some wounds that would last a long time. Is that even a victory at all? The Arch Demon Jagun fires eight Abyssal Javelins at me while I¡¯m still contemplating the future. I block them all off with Infinite Trail. It immediately attacks me after I finish my swings, at the moment when I¡¯m open. I one-hand Talia and takes out Avent with the free hand to guard against the Arch Demon¡¯s attack. A crack instantly appear on Avent¡¯s blade. With Supreme Might, I fend Jagun off with a kick. I can tell if Supreme Might is used on some normal person, their bones would snap. I have to take care of remembering that. I store Avent back into Arm¡¯s Inventory and begin locking blades using Talia with Jagun. It throws strikes after strikes, intending to overwhelm me with its superior strength. Thanks to my superior Speed stat, I¡¯m able to fend off his attacks effortlessly. Every once in a while, he would unleash a heavy attack. I parried all of them but they all gave me chip damage. For a Demon, it has a very good form to its swordsmanship, in addition to its superior strength, and I¡¯m slowly being push back. Jagun does have a lot of openings but a repelling field was cast around him. My superior speed gives me a lot of chance to strike at his openings but it keeps bouncing off. As our blades clash indefinitely, my whole body suddenly feels heavy. Jagun did not miss this chance. It dispels one of its Abyssal Edges and conjures up an Energy Sphere with that free hand. Given the difference in our HP, I would probably perish first in this point blank suicidal attack before his health even hit the half way mark. I activate Aerial Drive and Gale Rush but the gravity pull is holding me down. Even Air Burst only hurt myself without moving me. My status says I¡¯m under the effect of Gravity Shift. I throw up Vacuum Wall, Lightning Aegis, and Dragon Aegis as the Energy Sphere explodes right in our face. The explosion wave breaks through Vacuum Wall and Lightning Aegis but Dragon Aegis stands firm. When the explosion settles, there isn¡¯t even a crack on Dragon Aegis. The only one end up receiving damage from this attack is Jagun itself. The Gravity Magic it cast on me had also disappear. Looks like Black Hide isn¡¯t much of a protection against other kinds of attacks other than fire and light. I think the reason for Black Hide¡¯s niche resistance is probably because Fire and Light is the bane of Demon and Abyss Magic is considered a Demon-related magic. Spending most of my time in the Imperial Library back in Zerogian Empire was starting to seem like a good idea. Using Dragon Aegis as a buckler, I batter its remaining Abyssal Edge away and aim for his head with Talia. Like before, Talia¡¯s blade also bounces off. With help of Sky Step, I regain my posture by kicking off the air to propel myself forward. Jagun leaps back and launches Abyssal Javelins at me. It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s going to use another Energy Sphere. I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a cooldown or the MP consumption is inefficient? I cut down all the Abyssal Javelins and close our distance with Lightning Walk. The Arch Demon already has Abyssal Edges back in its hands. Our swords clash again. Our blade¡¯s strength is equally match but what if I add some magic? Coating Talia with Primed Edge, I shatter Jagun¡¯s black blades with a single blow. With just a little gain in advantage, the difference in our weapon is made apparent. I should have just use this from the beginning. Now¡¯s my chance. I use Grand Strike but my attack once again bounces off. In that case¡­ This time, I use Spiral Thrust. Jagun desperately fires multiple Abyssal Javelins and two Energy Spheres at me. I summon four Dragon Aegis to shield myself against the onslaught, my Dragon Mystic Arts proof superior to these Darkness-Type Magics. Thinking of returning the favor, I fire an Energy Sphere of my own. Unlike the Arch Demon¡¯s, mine is of a calm dark blue color. And the power is way stronger than the Arch Demon¡¯s. The explosion disrupted the magic composition of the Gravity Shift field. The weakened repelling field which repelled my previous strike is now ripped into shreds with the spiraling motion of magic around Talia¡¯s blade. I would have like to use Ashen Flames here but Jagun¡¯s Black Hide will just nullify it. I feel some resistance again on Talia right before the blade touches its skin. This must be Black Hide. My thrust must have been weakened from penetrating the Gravity Shift field for it to be stopped by Black Hide. I layer Talia with Spell Edge, Shadow Blade, and Torrential Rip to destroy the Abyss Magic, Black Hide. If I layer other swords with this much magic, it would have normally being broken beyond repair at this point but Onyx Steels sure are amazing. But I¡¯m still worried on how much Talia could handle. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I feel insulted to be underestimated, Shizuka.¡± Talia responded to my worries. How does she keeps doing that? Black Hide is easily tore through and Talia¡¯s blade finally reaches Jagun¡¯s neck. With a little twist, I lob its head off its neck. Its HP drops at an exponential rate. As I waited for the after results or any congratulatory messages to appear, my skin is chilled with cold shivers. I look at Jagun¡¯s HP bar, only to realize it has stop dropping but instead, raising back up. ¡°Danger, Shizuka!¡± Jagun has cast a spell called, Death Magic: Reaver¡¯s Field. It drains a lot of the user¡¯s Mana but it heals the user by draining the life force of the living things within the zone. In an approximately twenty meter radius, the ground turns black. I feel weak all of a sudden. Looking at my HP, I see that I have lost ten percent of HP in an instant and it¡¯s only continuing to drop. In return, Jagun¡¯s HP is recovering back the amount it lost. I want to flee from this zone but the gravity is strong. As my life force is being seeped away, Jagun¡¯s head reattaches itself with its HP almost reaching back to full. While keeping the Gravity Magic and Reaver¡¯s Field on, Jagun charges at me with two new Abyssal Edges. I notice its MP dropped significantly. The reason being Death Magic: Death¡¯s Touch has been enchanted on both of these black blades. A hidden triumph card, eh. I use all available traversing-type magic I have and manages to avoid the black blades aiming for my head. In exchange, one of the Abyssal Edges claim my right arm. The phantasmal right arm of mine begins to rot away at an alarming rate. Talia deactivates Arcane Phantasm in order to prevent the Death Magic from spreading to my actual body. When I lose my grasp on Talia. I summon her back into my left hand. Before Talia can recast Arcane Phantasm on my right arm, Jagun has returned his assault. Granted, I¡¯m not left-handed nor am I ambidextrous. It¡¯s hard to parry with only my left hand. The chip damage I receive from its heavy attack increased due to my lack of skill in the parries. My drop in skill quickly allows one the Abyssal Edges to slip past my guard and graze my right shoulder. I was fast in conjuring up a small Dragon Aegis to deflect the strike and Mystic Skin protected me against the blow which has lost its strength. I didn¡¯t know I can control Dragon Aegis¡¯ size but now I do. A wild idea struck my mind, even while my HP is slowly being drained away. Now should be fine since Black Hide is destroyed and Jagun isn¡¯t putting it back up. When my phantasmal right arm is conjured back up, I deliberately left my right side open by continuing to wield Talia in my left hand. Talia seems to have caught on to my wild plan. She pulse her Mana as a positive response. I grab the black blade which Jagun thrust it at my right shoulder with fervour using my right arm. I block his other attack with Talia in my left hand. Confusion dwells in Jagun¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s bewildered by my foolish action but a grin forms on its face. It enhances Gravity Shift¡¯s effect. For someone with so much MP, Jagun¡¯s remaining MP is now at half its maximum value. Its abilities must have cost a lot. As my right arm begins to decay and my body feels heavy once again, Jagun charges up multiple Abyssal Javelins around him and an Energy Sphere in its mouth. I¡¯m using all of my might to hold on to the Abyssal Edge in my grasp with Supreme Might. This is stupid but here goes nothing. I burn up fifty percent of my MP as I cast Mystic Skin and multiple small Dragon Aegis to cover my whole body. I then unleash full power Ashen Flames from my right hand which was rotting away. The smoky flames then consumed everything, including me. It burns away the dark javelins, the ball of dark energy in the Arch Demon¡¯s mouth, the pair of black blades in its hands, and the very Demon itself. The Arch Demon tries to put back up its Black Hide and Gravity Shift field but the wildfire isn¡¯t allowing the magic formation to even form. As for me, Ashen Flames is barely scalding Dragon Aegis but nevertheless, it still feels extremely hot. Talia is fine. She¡¯s not even complaining. The Arch Demon screams while bathing in flames. Its HP is only reduced by thirty percent but its cries are that of agony. Even its status reads; Anguish(Physical: Great). It must have really hurt. Its Reaver¡¯s Field and Gravity Shift has finally given out. I seize that chance to widen our gap. As Jagun is writhing in pain, I calm myself and invoke the Spirits around me to recover my HP and MP. This is a magic spell called, Spirit Magic: Spirit Mend. Hyx has mentioned of this spell to me but this is my first time using it. It¡¯s no different than a meditation. Since it¡¯s only level two, it¡¯s not doing a lot. Jagun shouts into the sky. Abaddon tells me that the shout made a lot of animals and magic beasts alike turn tail and ran. There are even a few humans in the vicinity who have run away instead of sating their curiosity. I guess they¡¯re adventurers or locals. Jagun conjures up a sword similar to Abyssal Edge but thrice the size. The black sword is brimming with some seriously sinister energy. It¡¯s a advance-tier Abyss Magic called, Arm of the Abyss. The details told a story of a Demon Lord once fell a kingdom with a single swing of this Spell Sword. That¡¯s worrying. Which is then, I notice something going on with Jagun¡¯s Mana flow. It¡¯s undulating like a wave. After much inspection, I can see its Magic, Defense, and Resistance is lowered but its Attack and Speed has increased. Apparently, Jagun used Mana Control: Essence Shift. An advance-tier spell that allows the user to temporarily shift the values of its stats. Its anger and frustration from being ¡°immolated¡± by my Ashen Flames must have gotten to its head. Its speed is unlike before. Jagun reaches me before I can even utter a surprise. It swings the overly huge sword. Using Shadow Blade to give Talia a little bit of volume, I manage to parry the blow. After that, I parry another one. After a few successful parries on my part, Jagun lost it. It swings the sword without any form but with only brute strength. But that too, was parried away while leaving traces of lightning and a sound of a thunderclap. Unlike other times, I received no chip damage. This was due to Storm Riposte, a perfect move of parry. There¡¯s no cooldown but the Mana consumption is massive for a single move. That riposte has broken its posture completely. To that, I sheath Talia into a scabbard that she conjured up with Arcane Phantasm. ¡°Talia, between Dragon flames and Onyx Steel, which one will come out the victor?¡± I asked with a flat tone. ¡°That depends entirely on the wielder.¡± Satisfy with her answer, I resolve myself to end it on the next move before Jagun recovers its pragmatic sense. I can feel myself getting tired even my HP is still kinda in the green. I have to really train up my physical and mental stamina. I go into a battoujutsu stance. In the scabbard, I apply Shadow Blade to its fullest on Talia. This is by far the most amount of Shadow Blade I have used. I¡¯m starting to get a headache. As Jagun recovers from the stagger and confusion, I taunt the Arch Demon with a smirk. When Jagun kicks off the ground and break into a bullet dash, the ground behind him exploded. Its Arm of the Abyss raised all the way up to the sky. As it enters my range and I enter its¡­. we begin to swing our swords. Instead of drawing from my waist, I hold the scabbard up and draw Talia from the air. Before Talia¡¯s blade completely leaves the scabbard, I activate Vorpal Draw, Storm Talons, and last of all¡­ Ashen Flames. I cover myself with Mystic Skin and multiple small Dragon Aegis. This set of activation has drained my MP dry. And our blades clashed¡­ Suns and stars exploded with myriad of colors. After the intense burst of light settled, the aftermaths came¡­ With an obvious winner¡­ Talia. There is just no winning against Onyx Steel. And she continues on her path, after charring the Arm of the Abyss into cinders, she found the face of Jagun. And she continues on. From the top of its head right to its toes. Jagun has been sliced into half and even the halves continues to burn in the Ashen Flames. The flames are in the way of my vision. I can see anything beyond the flames. I can¡¯t even read Jagun¡¯s status and HP. A feral and fierce wave of smoky fire scatters around. Drowning me along in the sea of smoky flames. Burning away every last Dragon Aegis and begins to scorch Mystic Skin. Oi oi. That¡¯s not what happened last time. I was afraid for a moment there since Ashen Flames didn¡¯t manage to burn Dragon Aegis back then. I know I put more Mana into Ashen Flames this time but I didn¡¯t expect the power to be raised by this much. Is it because of Talia?[1] However, my worries are needless¡­ Log: Arch Demon - Jagun has been slain. Skill Point(s) gained +10 Ability Point(s) gained +10 Health Point(s) gained +300 Mana Point(s) gained +150 Title acquired - Demon Slayer (Arch Demon) And lastly¡­ but not least¡­ Title acquired - Maiden¡¯s Hero Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Exhaustion: Mild Fatigue: Great Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 900 (600 ~ 900) MP 450 (300 ~ 450)
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knight
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 5 Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 5 Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer (Arch Demon) (New) The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade Culling of Serpents Maiden''s Hero (New)
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 2000 Attack - 450 Defense - 250 Magic - 400 Resistance - 200 Speed - 700
Remaining Skill Points: 22 (1 ~ 22) Remaining Ability Points: 18 (0 ~ 18)
Intermission 1 Surreal I remembered this dream. To me, it was a dream of dreams. It felt so real. And I wished it was real. It was a dream that concluded differently from my last encounter with the monster which was responsible for the scars that I currently bear. A dream that I desperately wished it to be the reality despite the shortcomings. The dream had a parallel narrative to reality in the beginning. The Mimic, which brought tragedy upon me during my childhood years, had bested me in my hunt for it itself. At my defeat, it had its way with me. That was the narrative of the reality. However, in this dream, I wasn¡¯t violated and defiled by the Mimic. I was saved. Saved by the one person that I had least expected to. His dazzling visage was the first object of interest when I regain my conscience from my defeat at the hands of that despicable monster. Hyx Atlas. He was neither a stronger fighter nor a more intelligent thinker than me. I knew not on how he defeated the monster but I didn¡¯t care. He saved me. That was all I could comprehend. His look spelt relief and sorrow. An expression unbefitting of the current circumstances. Why does he looked so sad? When asked, he reluctantly gave me the truth. He had to leave. Since I could not quite grasp the true meaning of his brief words, I pressed further. Despite his previous epic visage, the way he shuddered at my rage was quite pleasing to my eyes. However, his words in response to mine, had left me devastated. He was leaving the temple. He didn¡¯t tell me everything but he said something of needing to upheld his part of a deal and that¡¯s why he need to leave. He knew this day was coming. I was confused and I was still in a daze from my defeat. His words overwhelmed me. Something took hold of me then. I forced myself on him. I didn¡¯t know why I chose that route but I did. Perhaps it was to create an anchor to chain him to me. I have experienced lost. Sorrow became an underrated word to signify my feelings. When the orphanage was destroyed, I lost almost everyone that was close enough that I could call a family. Since then, I had been afraid of forming attachments with peoples. I remain distant to many who tried to acquaint themselves to me. Out of so many peoples who approached me, Hyx was one that I couldn¡¯t quite pushed away. I gave in, eventually. Not due to his persistence, but fate¡¯s. Somehow, we always ended up meeting whenever and wherever. I wanted to make it clear of our distance and positions but I froze at that attempt when realization dawn. The realization of the fact that I enjoyed his company. Since then, I have never once again even consider pushing him away. I have set myself up as someone incredibly talented and earnest ever since I joined the Faith of the Nines. I rose through the rank faster than anyone else. I was what people would call a prodigy. I even became the star pupil of the renowned Sword Emperor. But that label came with a price. Expectations. Again and again, everyone I came across, they held expectations of me. Expectations that were no easy feat. Even those in beneath my position, they had expectations too. However, even the prodigy that I am, I wasn¡¯t perfect. The expectations were piling and I was beginning to be unable to meet them. When I met Hyx, when he heard who I was, I braced for the expectations he will have for me. I waited for the selfish standards that he would apply onto me like everyone else did. But nothing of that sort transpired. He brushed it all off. He took the stance of judgement on his personal basis. He was treating me neither as the inferior nor superior. When he spoke to me, his tone was all too different from everyone I know. He was treating me as his equal. Since then, I longed for his companionship which neither one of us were the better or worse. I had always thought that I never wanted to form any attachment again but I was wrong. I wanted to but I was too afraid. The presence of the boy called Hyx, he dispelled all my fears. Not that I didn¡¯t think separation was impossible but my joy in his company had overridden all those insecurities. Taking on his advice, I opened up to many more others. And once again, I formed another profound attachment. This time, with an Elven female named, Iluna. We were friends but I knew, she wanted more. I knew because those eyes of hers, were the same eyes I have towards Hyx. Not to say, I love one of them more than the other. I love them both but I just have a different kind of love towards each of them. In the end, neither anyone of us said anything. We were firm friends and we were afraid to destroy the current relationship for an uncertain future. However, to my shock, Hyx stepped off. He gave his blessings to Iluna in pursuing a romantic relationship with me. Having someone you love taken from you was one thing but having the one you love allowing you to be taken away was a different and an extremely complicated feeling. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint Iluna nor do I want to make her sad. I accepted her feelings and Hyx¡¯s grace. I thought if given time, I could come to love Iluna like I love Hyx. I was naive. I never could shelf away of the thought of how things would turned out if my lover had been Hyx instead of Iluna. I was well-aware this was infidelity. I had a lover and yet here I was, thinking about someone else. But no matter what Iluna did. I could never truly see Iluna in the way I would at Hyx. I truly love Iluna. My love has actually blossomed into a romantic love but nevertheless, my love for her still couldn¡¯t triumph against the feelings I held for Hyx. I love him. I never wanted him to go. I have loved him ever since I realized how much I enjoy his companionship. I can never let him go. He was my pillar to many burdens and hardships. I felt like I would break if he left. Maybe that was why, in this realistic dream, I forced myself on him. He said something to me while I was tearing both of our clothes off but his voice never did reach reached me as desperation possessed me. Perhaps he was the one who forced himself on me but this was just a dream. Nothing was solid. Everything was but a blur.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. What a sin I was committing. Fate of the Nines were tolerant with almost all kinds of relationships but polygamy was never one of them. While it was the largest and the most powerful religion across all Evarenan but it was also the most disfavored religion, especially by highborn who desired for more than one partner. Till this day, people of power who prayed to the nines could be counted by both hands. And I, an Elite Templar Knight of the Nines was fornicating with a boy who¡¯s a friend to me and my partner. Giving away my virtue to someone other than my partner. This was so unlike me. I do not think I would ever be capable of such sin in reality. Yet, everything felt so real. It felt closer to it being a memory than a dream. But it couldn¡¯t be real. No. It shall not be real. The dream always came to an end when both of us reach the peak of this immoral pleasure. And I would always woke up, drenched in sweat and heat. There were even times I found my own hands in my sensitive regions upon my wake. I had did it unconsciously while I was sleeping. I hated myself for this. To think that I would actually find it pleasurable in reality even though it was only a glimpse of fantasy. Perhaps this would have been better than a monster. Nevertheless, the past is the past. There was nothing I could do to change that. I should get over it. This was unbecoming of someone of my position. But it was easier said than done. The assault from the monster had left its mark. It was physical but not something that could be found on my body. Not anymore at least. A mark that left me at a lost. I bear no grudge for the mark but she would always forever remind me of that dark history. Perhaps someday, I could genuinely come to accept her for who she actually was. Not as a mark of my failure nor dark history¡ª ¡ªbut as my daughter. I remembered this dream. To me, it was a dream of dreams. It felt so real. And I wished it was real. It was a dream that concluded differently from my last encounter with the monster which was responsible for the scars that I currently bear. A dream that I desperately wished it to be the reality despite the shortcomings. The dream had a parallel narrative to reality in the beginning. The Mimic, which brought tragedy upon me during my childhood years, had bested me in my hunt for it itself. At my defeat, it had its way with me. That was the narrative of the reality. However, in this dream, I wasn¡¯t violated and defiled by the Mimic. I was saved. Saved by the one person that I had least expected to. His dazzling visage was the first object of interest when I regain my conscience from my defeat at the hands of that despicable monster. Hyx Atlas. He was neither a stronger fighter nor a more intelligent thinker than me. I knew not on how he defeated the monster but I didn¡¯t care. He saved me. That was all I could comprehend. His look spelt relief and sorrow. An expression unbefitting of the current circumstances. Why does he looked so sad? When asked, he reluctantly gave me the truth. He had to leave. Since I could not quite grasp the true meaning of his brief words, I pressed further. Despite his previous epic visage, the way he shuddered at my rage was quite pleasing to my eyes. However, his words in response to mine, had left me devastated. He was leaving the temple. He didn¡¯t tell me everything but he said something of needing to upheld his part of a deal and that¡¯s why he need to leave. He knew this day was coming. I was confused and I was still in a daze from my defeat. His words overwhelmed me. Something took hold of me then. I forced myself on him. I didn¡¯t know why I chose that route but I did. Perhaps it was to create an anchor to chain him to me. I have experienced lost. Sorrow became an underrated word to signify my feelings. When the orphanage was destroyed, I lost almost everyone that was close enough that I could call a family. Since then, I had been afraid of forming attachments with peoples. I remain distant to many who tried to acquaint themselves to me. Out of so many peoples who approached me, Hyx was one that I couldn¡¯t quite pushed away. I gave in, eventually. Not due to his persistence, but fate¡¯s. Somehow, we always ended up meeting whenever and wherever. I wanted to make it clear of our distance and positions but I froze at that attempt when realization dawn. The realization of the fact that I enjoyed his company. Since then, I have never once again even consider pushing him away. I have set myself up as someone incredibly talented and earnest ever since I joined the Faith of the Nines. I rose through the rank faster than anyone else. I was what people would call a prodigy. I even became the star pupil of the renowned Sword Emperor. But that label came with a price. Expectations. Again and again, everyone I came across, they held expectations of me. Expectations that were no easy feat. Even those in beneath my position, they had expectations too. However, even the prodigy that I am, I wasn¡¯t perfect. The expectations were piling and I was beginning to be unable to meet them. When I met Hyx, when he heard who I was, I braced for the expectations he will have for me. I waited for the selfish standards that he would apply onto me like everyone else did. But nothing of that sort transpired. He brushed it all off. He took the stance of judgement on his personal basis. He was treating me neither as the inferior nor superior. When he spoke to me, his tone was all too different from everyone I know. He was treating me as his equal. Since then, I longed for his companionship which neither one of us were the better or worse. I had always thought that I never wanted to form any attachment again but I was wrong. I wanted to but I was too afraid. The presence of the boy called Hyx, he dispelled all my fears. Not that I didn¡¯t think separation was impossible but my joy in his company had overridden all those insecurities. Taking on his advice, I opened up to many more others. And once again, I formed another profound attachment. This time, with an Elven female named, Iluna. We were friends but I knew, she wanted more. I knew because those eyes of hers, were the same eyes I have towards Hyx. Not to say, I love one of them more than the other. I love them both but I just have a different kind of love towards each of them. In the end, neither anyone of us said anything. We were firm friends and we were afraid to destroy the current relationship for an uncertain future. However, to my shock, Hyx stepped off. He gave his blessings to Iluna in pursuing a romantic relationship with me. Having someone you love taken from you was one thing but having the one you love allowing you to be taken away was a different and an extremely complicated feeling. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint Iluna nor do I want to make her sad. I accepted her feelings and Hyx¡¯s grace. I thought if given time, I could come to love Iluna like I love Hyx. I was naive. I never could shelf away of the thought of how things would turned out if my lover had been Hyx instead of Iluna. I was well-aware this was infidelity. I had a lover and yet here I was, thinking about someone else. But no matter what Iluna did. I could never truly see Iluna in the way I would at Hyx. I truly love Iluna. My love has actually blossomed into a romantic love but nevertheless, my love for her still couldn¡¯t triumph against the feelings I held for Hyx. I love him. I never wanted him to go. I have loved him ever since I realized how much I enjoy his companionship. I can never let him go. He was my pillar to many burdens and hardships. I felt like I would break if he left. Maybe that was why, in this realistic dream, I forced myself on him. He said something to me while I was tearing both of our clothes off but his voice never did reach reached me as desperation possessed me. Perhaps he was the one who forced himself on me but this was just a dream. Nothing was solid. Everything was but a blur. What a sin I was committing. Fate of the Nines were tolerant with almost all kinds of relationships but polygamy was never one of them. While it was the largest and the most powerful religion across all Evarenan but it was also the most disfavored religion, especially by highborn who desired for more than one partner. Till this day, people of power who prayed to the nines could be counted by both hands. And I, an Elite Templar Knight of the Nines was fornicating with a boy who¡¯s a friend to me and my partner. Giving away my virtue to someone other than my partner. This was so unlike me. I do not think I would ever be capable of such sin in reality. Yet, everything felt so real. It felt closer to it being a memory than a dream. But it couldn¡¯t be real. No. It shall not be real. The dream always came to an end when both of us reach the peak of this immoral pleasure. And I would always woke up, drenched in sweat and heat. There were even times I found my own hands in my sensitive regions upon my wake. I had did it unconsciously while I was sleeping. I hated myself for this. To think that I would actually find it pleasurable in reality even though it was only a glimpse of fantasy. Perhaps this would have been better than a monster. Nevertheless, the past is the past. There was nothing I could do to change that. I should get over it. This was unbecoming of someone of my position. But it was easier said than done. The assault from the monster had left its mark. It was physical but not something that could be found on my body. Not anymore at least. A mark that left me at a lost. I bear no grudge for the mark but she would always forever remind me of that dark history. Perhaps someday, I could genuinely come to accept her for who she actually was. Not as a mark of my failure nor dark history¡ª ¡ªbut as my daughter. Chapter 2 - 1 Lookout On The Edge The town is bustling with life as always but not in the usual lively manner. Instead, it¡¯s an uproar. The annual Blood Moon Festival is just around the corner but not only are the preparations not done, there are even obstacles. The obstacles are none other than the Demon worshiping cult, Au¡¯ruum. The town isn¡¯t exactly in lockdown but the flow of goods and various stuffs have slowed down to the point that it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to mistake it as a halt. There were three entrances into Bluebell Town but now only one is open for the masses. The blame can¡¯t exactly be put on the governing peoples. Au¡¯ruum is really a big deal after all. To turn this whole town in chaos from just a few presence of its members. They didn¡¯t know about the Arch Demon appearance though. Hyx did a good job of preventing its mighty presence from reaching the town. Looking at the town¡¯s current state, I can¡¯t imagine it would be like if they had known an Arch-Demon had appeared. I don¡¯t know if this was any comfort but Hyx and I have dispatched all of the remaining Au¡¯ruum members in Bluebell. And that whole conundrum was two days ago. And no, I¡¯m not inside the town. I¡¯m on the edge of a cliff belonging to a small hill that offers a full view of the town and a clear view of the cottage where Hyx and his companions are currently living in. The hill wasn¡¯t small per se but it could be called as such by default. Although it is shorter by a huge mile compare to the distant mountains, the peak is still a long fall. It¡¯s high enough to almost trigger my hidden acrophobia. I managed to calm myself with the fact that I¡¯m no longer your average normal human. It works, for now at least. As usual, I have Talia by my side but she was not lying on the grass. She¡¯s levitating. It seems she has also received an upgrade after defeating the Arch Demon. It isn¡¯t a new skill or spell but she has learned¡ª nay, she has recalled her ability to levitate herself. She still has a lot of gimmick under her sleeves but she merely ¡°forgot¡± it. I don¡¯t know why that¡¯s that case but for now, her and mine inference is that her memories recovery is directly proportional to my growth. And so far, my growth rate is going well. If only I can say the same about my body¡­. Anyways, Talia is silent as always. Hyx could learn a thing or two from her. In spite of the considerable distance, a small but sharp scream from the far away town manages to grasp my attention. ¡°Jesus¡­¡± I muttered as I witnessed smoke coming out from a part of the town. It¡¯s a riot. I was surprise but taking a moment to think, I concluded that the riot might have been inevitable. Although with the presence of Templar Knights, I doubt it would escalate any further. It kinda took me by surprise when the local guards are cooperative with the Templar Knights. I guess if compared to my former world, Templar Knights could be inferred as an international authority, to a certain degree. Whether it was an unspoken or official authority, I do not know. As for the young cleric that I have saved, we dropped her off at a conspicuous place where she could be easily found by the Templar Knights. By we, I meant Cormac. Only he could go from places to places in the most inconspicuous method with his shadow-type magic. From what I can sense with Abaddon, the young cleric is in good health and no issues or whatsoever. Job well done for Cormac, I guess? ¡°Hungry?¡± asked a voice that gives ambiguity to its gender. Needless to say, it could only be Hyx. I only recently took notice of this ambiguity. Although his voice could pass as a girl¡¯s but hearing it from a boy wouldn¡¯t feel out of place either. Maybe it¡¯s because the tone he uses that made his voice sounded less feminine. He is dressed in some simple clothing; tunic and pants. I¡¯m sure he can create more stylish clothing with Spirit Formation but he doesn¡¯t seem like someone who minds fashion too much. As for me, I¡¯m also dressed in tunic and pants but they are more formal-looking and combat-oriented. I also have a piece leather-esque chest armor over the tunic. I called it leather-esque is because the leather isn¡¯t actual leather made from animal¡¯s hide but create with Hyx¡¯s Spirit Formation. It feels like leather in every way but it transmit Mana much more efficient than a normal leather ever could. After my ¡°quick¡± observation of our choice of clothing, my eyes go to his hands. In his hands is some sort of food wrapped triangularly in a leaf. There¡¯s no food-wrapping paper nor plastic. So these banana-like leaves are the best choice at present. It¡¯s believe that these leaves are good keeping the food warm but I have personally yet to confirm it. My previous excursions with the Empire, the provisions were all kept by an attendant with storage-like magic. Although I wouldn¡¯t deny that using magic is definitely, more convenient, reliable, and cheaper¡ª but I can say with certain; wrapping the food in these leaves are better in preserving the flavor and fragrance. Not that such luxury was taken into account on those kind of excursions. Wordlessly receiving the pack food from him, I unwrapped packaging to find a three layer sandwich. While I¡¯m not a hearty eater but that was before. After coming to this world, I moved as much as an extreme sportsman, maybe more. My usual diet no longer cut it for me. Hyx must have thought this through which I was given this big sandwich. I¡¯m grateful he delivered food to me while I¡¯m on a lookout but I have to ask, ¡°you didn¡¯t use any meat of unsavory origins, did you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Metal Tusk Boar meat. It¡¯s pork, alright? So just eat it.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s called Steel Tusk, not Metal Tusk but I¡¯m not too bothered with it to correct him. ¡°So how¡¯s it looking? Any strange movements?¡± a serious question came out from his mouth but still looking aloof like always. ¡°Plenty but none were interesting enough to warrant our attention,¡± I replied after I swallowed my first bite. ¡°There were plenty of strange movements in and around the town but I guess those were just people trying to sneak away from this chaotic situation. Nothing too suspicious, so far.¡± ¡°And the Demons?¡± ¡°Nada. Whatever is it, no more Demons appeared beyond the one we culled. In fact, I think their numbers stopped increasing after we escaped from the¡­ you know, that place¡­¡± Of course, by ¡°that place¡±, I meant the underground place where we fought Valuma. ¡°I would like to say that¡¯s a good sign.¡± ¡°But?¡± I probed. He sighed ¡°but I can¡¯t help but think that Valuma may have a hand in the Demons¡¯ dwindling numbers.¡± ¡°You think she¡¯s raising an army?¡± His mouth and eyes arched as he shrugs ¡°Not exactly it but something that probably has the same end-result.¡± Hyx did told me that Q¡¯nu are unpredictable and they can do bizarre stuff that you think it was possible moments before. But of course, those were only what Aedrox could do. Since he¡¯s the strongest and the their King, the other Q¡¯nu might not be as threatening as him. Even so, that doesn¡¯t make them any less dangerous. Finally, his eyes left the landscape scenery and went to me. ¡°Well, out with it.¡± ¡°Out with what?¡± ¡°You seem like you have a lot of stuff to say to me. I know those kinds of looks. Since I was kind of a brat before I regain my reincarnated memories, I get these kinds of looks a lot. They all have something to say to me but they just find it difficult to due to my disposition and the consequence that follows.¡± Someone really needs to teach him about abbreviating his sentences. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll be frank.¡± ¡°Hi Fra¡ª¡± I shot him a glance in which he discontinued his imminent horrible dad joke. ¡°Carry on,¡± he said. He unwrapped his own sandwich and proceeds to take a bite.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Do you already have a daughter?¡± Whatever he had put into his mouth, all were immediately spat back out. And yes, I waited for him to take a bite before dropping it on him. I just wanted to have my petty revenge for his constant smugness. ¡°Do I have a what?¡± He managed these words after a few cough. ¡°A daughter.¡± ¡°A daughter? Why would I have a daughter? All the girls I have messed around with, they all have contraception, okay?¡± Well, while one would think contraception was rare in such times, but this is a fantasy world. They do have contraception medicines. And it¡¯s also a common unspoken-rule among female servants who works with nobility to have always have contraception medicines at the ready. Masters forcing on their own servants isn¡¯t an uncommon occurrence. Basically, the tradition of carrying contraception was form from the common recurrences. ¡°I may had been a brat and a piece of shit but I wasn¡¯t stupid. I¡¯m well aware of what I can get away with and what I cannot.¡± ¡°What about Xatara? Ring any bells?¡± ¡°No? I don¡¯t know any girl named Xatara. Why are you asking me about this in the first place?¡± ¡°Because¡­.¡± I lay down my sandwich on my lap. ¡°I saw a little girl, no more than two or one years old. Her name is Zoey and¡ª¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I stop talking. My gaze focuses on Hyx who let out a suspicious hint. ¡°Zoey¡­ Xatara¡­ That can¡¯t be a coincidence¡± and his gaze met mine. ¡°Can it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry but Abaddon does not gives me psychic abilities. You¡¯ll have to enlightened me on that.¡± ¡°Yeah. I guess you could call it karma¡ª or cause and effect. Should have known. Although, it was just a one-time-thing. How could this happened? I read it in a book that getting pregnant after only one time is rare. Was it twenty percent? Or is getting pregnant the type of situations where the less you desire it, the higher the chance of getting it? Maybe it¡¯s that? Perhaps. Or maybe I just have very strong sperms. I mean, who knows. And¡ª wait. Angie¡­ Oh no¡­ What if she knows? Then what should I¡ª¡± Realizing Hyx is going off the rails with his speech and thought, I slap him slightly on the cheek. I always wanted to do that ever since I met him. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re right. I should calm down. First thing first, I should make sure Angie does not know of this or I should break it to her in a¡ª¡± ¡°Hyx! Relax.¡± I slapped him again. ¡°Just tell me. Who is it? Who¡¯s the one you had unprotected sex with?¡± The unfiltered words are on purpose. ¡°Vira.¡± ¡°Her? Your first love and also the one who tried to kill you? She is Xatara?¡± He did say he had sex with her that one time he ¡°saved¡± her from the First Beast. Hyx nodded. I thought for a while but I just can¡¯t make any connections. So I asked ¡°how did you figure that out?¡± ¡°Well¡­ when I congratulated her on starting a relationship with Luna, Vira approached me for advise on their relationship. One thing after another, the topic shifted into adopting a child since you know¡­ they¡¯re both girls. And our conversation further drifted to the topic of adopting an infant; what name should we gave to the baby, et cetera. I recommend Zach for boy and Zoey for girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°And the name Xatara, is her favorite flower. I assume she has changed her name? Put two and two together and volia. That¡¯s how I figured it out.¡± ¡°You said her memories were altered.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°And how could you not notice she was pregnant?¡± ¡°Well¡­ come to think of it, there was a brief time that I hadn¡¯t seen her for about a few months or so. Everyone was told that she was on a mission cum exam to raise her rank. Heh¡­ Why the fuck did I not notice¡­.?¡± Hyx was always quite aloof and laid-back with whatever transpired but this moment, his face is filled with urgency is quite the treat for someone who has been putting up with his whims. I can even feel the corner of my mouth lifting. ¡°So¡­ what are you going to do?¡± I asked. ¡°I would like to confirm the truth with my own eyes but I should let Angie know about this first.¡± I can see why going to Angie would be his first move. Under the serene angelic facade, there¡¯s a storm brewing with fury. That was what I always felt from Senna when I got close to Hyx. But looking at this logically, your current partner would have wanted to know if you have any children prior. Dragging things out would often just made things worse. Or at least that¡¯s what I have seen on TV dramas. ¡°Um¡­ Good luck, I suppose?¡± Those are my honest words. I have no idea what to say other than bidding him good luck in breaking the news to his wife. Perhaps this might be the last time I¡¯ll be seeing him, alive. ¡°Yeah. I should go immediately.¡± With that said, the air around him closes in on him and he vanished at the next second. No matter how many times I saw it, it¡¯s always tripping to see Spatial Magic at work. Now left to my own device again and nothing seems to be happening at the moment, I decide to check on my stats which I have neglect for quite a while after defeating the Arch Demon. I didn¡¯t forget about my stats. I was merely out of commission after such an intense battle. My mental health was the one with the most damage. It wasn¡¯t just about physical strength and stamina in a battle; the ability to come out with optimal action moves after moves was quite hard. It was hectic to keep track of those little things and took a lot of conviction to pull it off too. Now, how should I allocate my points. I have twenty-two skill points and eighteen ability points. I also have a new title which I have no idea why I have it. It¡¯s ¡°Maiden¡¯s Hero¡±. I did save a female cleric but that wouldn¡¯t be the first time I have saved some damsel in distress. I wonder what made her different. It couldn¡¯t be merely because she¡¯s a cleric, could it? Anyways, back to distributing my points. I stare intensely at my stats, my index finger fluttering against the screen. Sometimes, I envy the normal way of leveling up. Their skills and abilities upgrade on their own in accordance to their habits. Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but think that I might be doing something wrong. Although I¡¯m not an avid gamer but I am familiar with MMO RPG games and a situation called ¡°failure build¡± exists across almost all RPG games. And unlike these games, these are actual stake. I doubt I can pay someone or some god to refund and reset my stats. Can I? Hmm? Just as my thoughts are getting side-tracked, an irregularity in my stats catches my attention. There¡¯s an unusual notice at the bottom of the window, just right above to hidden log tab. Allow assimilation of Lightning Magic: Lv. 10 into Dragon Mystic Arts: Lv. 5? - (Yes / No) Come to think of it, Hyx did told me Arcane Arts of a higher tier would absorb the lower tiers to empower itself. It not only bolster the Higher Tier¡¯s power but also retain the lower tier¡¯s abilities. Furthermore, the absorbed lower tier¡¯s abilities are also empowered due to it now being under a higher tier Arcane Art. But it was suppose to be an automated function. Maybe it¡¯s just like usual, my stats upgrades are all manual. Free reign over my own growth. Since there isn¡¯t any downsides to this, I pressed yes with my proverbial finger in my mind. With that, I can feel something squirming in the flow of my Mana. The odd sensation feels something akin to a knot being tied but letting loose after. I understand it¡¯s the Mana structure inside me reorganizing itself. After a while, the feeling subsided and I check my stats again. Despite absorbing a level ten magic spell, Dragon Mystic Arts¡¯ level increased only by one. As for my ability points, I decided to dump ten into Speed, and the remaining eight points; I split it fifty-fifty for Attack and Magic. Nothing¡¯s changed, just like what I planned before. It¡¯s a glass canon build but not actually. The trick here is to increase my Magic stat which would also strengthened my defensive spells. Which in turn and in a way, raises my defense. I guess this is what you call exploiting the loophole. Kinda feels like a game when I did this. For my skill points, I focus it on the uncommon Arcane Arts I have. Tempest Wings and Dragon Mystic Arts. I managed to raise both to level seven which cost me in total twenty points. Dragon Mystic Arts: Storm Dance - Acquired Dragon Mystic Arts: Dragon Roar - Acquired Dragon Mystic Arts: Mystic Claws - Acquired Tempest Wings: Sky Reach - Acquired Tempest Wings: Shadow Assault - Acquired Among all the new abilities I acquired, the one that stood out the most is Dragon Roar. If my guess is on point, this is the infamous dragon breath which is the staple power and feature for dragons. Seeing as how there¡¯s no one in the vicinity and I¡¯m pretty much doing nothing, I decide to give my new skills a test run. I throw the remaining sandwich into my mouth and run towards the vast opening field away from the edge of the cliff. Now which to start with? Hirano Shizuka''s Status Information
Name Hirano Shizuka Status Contracted: Talia Lox
HP 900 MP 450
Age 17 Class / Job Scout Hero Dragon Knight
Gender & Race Female / Human Standing Hero of Zerogian
Arcane Arts Magic Melee Arts ¨C Lv. 5 Body Strengthening ¨C Lv. 4 Wind Magic ¨C Lv. 5 Spirit Magic ¨C Lv. 2 Lightning Magic - Lv. 10 (Assimilated) Water Magic - Lv. 1 Aerial Dance - Lv. 3 Legacy Dragon Mystic Arts - Lv. 7 (Lv. 5 ~ 7) Unique Tempest Wings - Lv. 7 (Lv. 5 ~ 7) Title & Deeds Abaddon¡¯s Apostle Scout Hero The Elusive One Demon Slayer (Arch Demon) The Audacious One Resolute One Mondra''s Companion Dragon Blade Culling of Serpents Maiden''s Hero
Overall Power Ranking S Effective Combat Strength 2180 (2000 ~ 2180) Attack - 490 (450 ~ 490) Defense - 250 Magic - 440 (400 ~ 440) Resistance - 200 Speed - 800 (700 ~ 800)
Remaining Skill Points: 2 (22 ~ 2) Remaining Ability Points: 0 (18 ~ 0)
Chapter 2 - 2 Obnoxious Wisp ¡°For the Nines, both of you just love to overdo things, don¡¯t you?¡± chided the cyan haired girl whose sporting pigtails. Even while reprimanding me, Nilin¡¯s hand did not stop grounding some kind of seeds into powder on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t you two know the meaning of restrain?¡± Me, who¡¯s sitting across Nilin, can only avoid those reproachful gaze. Of course, by two, she means me and Hyx. ¡°Two?¡± asked Kirin who¡¯s just sitting beside Nilin, plucking out the seeds and leaves from branches after branches. ¡°Hyx and her,¡± Nilin responded without her frustration. ¡°They just don¡¯t know how absurd their abilities are. Do you remember what happened when he first gave me a gun?¡± Kirin shakes her head and still looks confused. Rather, she just doesn¡¯t understand Nilin¡¯s prejudice view of Hyx and I. And I doubt Kirin could comprehend that amount of words in a single sentence. Despite being over twenty, her mental age might be the youngest among all of us. Well, it¡¯s either her or Indara. I suspect Indara is only putting up the act of a child considering he has always managed to read the mood. Going back on track, Nilin¡¯s prejudice did not exactly came without any justifications. I had overdid the test drive of my new abilities. Although the cottage itself isn¡¯t affected, there were a few close calls with some of them going astray; namely, Dragon Roar and Sky Reach. I have underestimated Dragon Roar as it did not spew out fire but energy. And boy, it travelled far. It was like a mega death beam from a space ship you would see in a sci-fi movie. Due to my negligence on that part, we lost our backyard. Nothing of importance was lost save for some crops but having a mini-crater for a backyard sure isn¡¯t a fit to the aesthetics. Fortunately, Kirin and Nilin fixed it back with the abilities as Spirits of Nature. Secondly, Sky Reach is an attack range extender ability. Its enhanced range far exceeds Shadow Blade¡¯s. And unlike Shadow Blade, it consumes Mana instead of my mental stamina. Without those annoying restrains, I got overexcited and curious with the extend of the range I can manage. For the results¡­ Let¡¯s just say, we won¡¯t need to worry about logs for quite a while. It sounds insanely overpowered but it wasn¡¯t without a tremendous compensation. That feat alone had drained most of my Mana. I also found out five meters is the longest range I can afford. Any further would start to strain my mind and hinder my fighting prowess. With those two volatile abilities out of the way, Shadow Assault is just a dash¡ª a gap closer with the only special thing being it camouflages me during the dash. It might be invisibility put I¡¯m not that interested about the difference. Mystic Claws just gives me claws. No, it doesn¡¯t transform my hand into one but cloaking my hand with a magical one. It¡¯s like Mystic Skin but exclusive to hands and with razor-sharp nails. Its range is just a little further than my arm¡¯s reach but it cuts incredibly well. Not as well as Talia but definitely a potential runner-up. Last but not least, Storm Dance. I think this one derives from the Lightning Magic that Dragon Mystic Arts absorbed. It clad me in lightning and improves my speed and agility. It also seemed to shock anything close by. I don¡¯t know if friendly fire is on for this skill but I don¡¯t think I can find any volunteers right now. I think that¡¯s about it. Those are my new abilities. I certainly feel stronger than before but still no where near Valuma or even Hyx. Senna is definitely on another level than Hyx but somehow, Senna¡¯s position feels closer than Hyx¡¯s. ¡°So what did happened when he first gave you a gun?¡± I asked after I done my brief reminiscing. ¡°What else? He overdone it like usual. There was no control over the amount of Mana it drains and one shot of a bullet travelled further than a Tree Slinger.¡± Nilin¡¯s hands did not stop grounding the seeds as she recounts her tale. I took her for a dolt but she¡¯s surprisingly versatile, to a certain extent. ¡°What¡¯s a Tree Slinger?¡± I asked. I have certainly heard of it but I don¡¯t think I know anything beyond the fact that it¡¯s a plant-type monster. Nilin sighed. I don¡¯t know why she did so while looking so exasperated but if I have to guess, she¡¯s probably looking down on my meagre knowledge. I didn¡¯t miss the smug that lasted for a brief second on her face. ¡°It¡¯s a magical beast which has the form of a tree. Unlike a tree, it¡¯s not that tall and it has legs. It fires wood pebbles from its sling-like branches. Those pebbles has been known to travel up to a thousand meters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not seeing the exaggeration though?¡± She sighed again. ¡°See, this is what I¡¯m talking about. You don¡¯t even realize it. Gosh.¡± She even puts her index finger on her forehead while shaking her head. I¡¯m pretty sure if Hyx is here, he would have let me hit Nilin. ¡°This gun he created, hit a target at such a distance while still retaining that much force and power. And it¡¯s not even some form of advance-level Arcane Art. It¡¯s just a magic tool which can be used by anyone with Mana. Yet, it has such power. How are you not seeing the exaggeration?¡± Ah, I see. It¡¯s due to our perception. Even with magic, only those in the advance-tier has the efficiency and power of a firearm. It sounds absurd to Nilin that a bullet from a gun has the capability to travel up to a kilometer while packing that much force but as someone from Earth, it isn¡¯t that impressive of a feat. In fact, a kilometer is actually on the weak side for a gun. I wonder what¡¯s the equivalent magic of a TAC-50. ¡°There is also one time where Hyx did¡ª¡± I have thought Nilin would stop there but she is not even close to finishing her rant. Looks like she¡¯s letting loose all those pent-up feelings. She¡¯s really irked by Hyx¡¯s antics. I do not want to hear this any further. And so, I change the subject while she¡¯s taking a breather. ¡°What are you two doing, by the way?¡± I asked in the most natural way possible. This would not have worked on anyone else but she¡¯s sort of an airhead, after all. I believe. ¡°Is that our dinner?¡± Nilin then gives me a complete dumbfounded look. ¡°Of course not. Seeds for dinner? We¡¯re not avian creatures.¡± Oh. Thank god then. I don¡¯t even want to imagine what it¡¯s like to have grounded-up seeds for dinner. ¡°So what are these seeds for?¡± Her gaze alternates between me and the mortar and pestle which she uses to ground the seeds in. ¡°Making Elixirs,¡± she answered. I blink at her response. She notices my absent gaze. ¡°What?¡±Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Elixirs?¡± I parroted her. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°What? Never heard of Elixirs before?¡± She looks at me like I¡¯m an idiot. Kirin is mimicking her for some reasons. I¡¯m guessing she wants to be included in the conversation. I do know what¡¯s an Elixir which is why I¡¯m asking. They are stuffs of legends. Even for a big nation, it would cost a fortune. They are also known as All Cure or Miracle Potion. As its name states, they can literally cure all disease known to man and bring people back from the brink of death. It has even been rumored to extend a person¡¯s life. ¡°Trial and error,¡± came the simple answer from Nilin when I asked how they come by the recipe. Apparently, Hyx had nothing better to do, literally, when they were in the dungeon. He kept looking for ways to increase their chances of survival. When he realized what Kirin¡¯s Divine Art is capable of, he went to town with it. Due to his unique disposition, he could test his creation on himself. Through trial and error, he succeeded in creating an Elixir. I¡¯m starting to relate to Nilin¡¯s headache. ¡°How long does it take for him to concoct one?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t sit by his side the whole process. I have my own thing to take care of, you know?¡± ¡°Okay okay,¡± I thew up my hands along with my rolled eyes. She¡¯s quite a handful. I don¡¯t know how Hyx put up with it but he did. This group wasn¡¯t some band of like-minded individuals. It wasn¡¯t a perfect match. The truth couldn¡¯t be further from that wonderful image, but here they are. They managed. Even though Nilin has some degree of prejudice for Hyx, she listens to him, she trusts him. She claims that it¡¯s all for her revenge but I can tell, that¡¯s not the case. If anything, they actually a lot like a family. Terribly mismatched but isn¡¯t that how family is suppose to be? Not that I would know but I can tell, they will be there for each other. Now, that¡¯s family. I can see Nilin would never admit that. So I¡¯ll kept my mouth shut about that for now. ¡°He¡¯s nice. Takes care of everyone,¡± Kirin chipped in. ¡°Yes, I know that but he can go overboard with that now, you know?¡± ¡°Still nice,¡± Kirin is adamant about it. Nilin sighed, subtle enough to escape Kirin¡¯s notice but not mine.¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re old enough.¡± ¡°Mwu. Old enough.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re human or a beastkin, yes. But you¡¯re a Spirit of Nature, just like me.¡± ¡°Mwu¡­¡± Kirin grumbled further. Kirin wants to refute but we all know that¡¯s the truth. ¡°Also, you know, Hyx would most probably never be able to see you becoming an adult in his life time. Even if that¡¯s not the case, he already has Senna.¡± I strike Nilin a look as my mind processes what Nilin had just say. I thought I¡¯m bad socializing but Nilin is whole different kind of bad. Oblivious to her non-existent socializing skills, I might say. An awkward silence quickly ensues as Nilin¡¯s sentences finished. Kirin¡¯s eyes look dead. Nilin is nonchalant about her own words. She¡¯s just pummeling the seeds away. Okay¡­ Now I really want to get out of here. My lack of communication skills never really bothered me. Well, it did but never to this degree. I have never been in a situation where I can¡¯t run away from. Well, had. Currently, I am tempted to just excuse myself from this dreadful and awkward situation but I can¡¯t. That would just be rude of me. And unlike my previous acquaintances, I actually hope to connect with these ones. Who knows how long I will have to stay with them? If the whole situation with Valuma is resolved, what then for me? If I chose to stick with them, I will really need to brush up on my relationship with these peoples. I really want to say something but I just don¡¯t know what. Perhaps anything¡ª I just have to say anything. At least something. It¡¯s better than this silence. ¡°So¡­, where¡¯s everyone else?¡± I asked. It¡¯s a redundant question. When I came back, there were only Kirin and Nilin. I could not have known where they have gone if I didn¡¯t have Abaddon. Nilin doesn¡¯t know that. Or rather, she was told but I¡¯m sure her bored expression back then is enough indication that she didn¡¯t really take any of those into heart. To sum it up, I know precisely where everyone is. Well, almost everyone. Without stopping her hands and giving notice to the still deadpan Kirin, Nilin answers, ¡°Hyx and Senna are somewhere out in the woods having their lovers¡¯ quarrel. Djin and Indara must be somewhere around here. Djin would never leave Kirin alone unless Senna or me and Cormac are with her. Indara is always either with Hyx or Djin. As for Cormac and Citra, didn¡¯t you switch shifts with them for the lookout?¡± Okay¡­ I will admit I¡¯m surprised that Nilin is almost completely correct on everyone¡¯s whereabouts. To be precise, Cormac and Citra took over my reconnaissance shift. The two are barely within range of my Divine Art¡¯s detection. Djin and Indara are patrolling around the area. They are no more than thirty meters away from us. As for Hyx and Senna, they have left my detection range but last I checked, they were having some heated discussion going by their undulating Mana fluctuation. I¡¯m guessing they left the vicinity out of consideration for their Mana fluctuation. Especially with Senna. I do not want to be near her when she¡¯s angry. The rhythm of the pestle meeting the mortar brought me back to the present. Okay¡­ I ran out of things to say again. Kirin looks better now but still a little dreadful on the eyes. Nilin is as always, in her own pace. Benefit for being an airhead. When I look at it closely, I seem to be the only one bothered by this silence. I can just walk out of this room but that¡¯s just rude and it¡¯s going to leave some lasting impression. Although, I¡¯m sure Nilin doesn¡¯t mind but I can¡¯t help but think otherwise. Maybe I can just come up with a good enough excuse to leave this room. Good idea but if I can just think of one. Then, my salvation comes knocking. It¡¯s not exactly salvation but it did dispel the awkward silence. Something entered my detection range, something unfamiliar. Wild beasts and monsters often wander around these parts but I have familiarize myself with their presence. I can instantly tell what monster or beast is lurking around. This presence is different. It feels familiar but there¡¯s also something vastly different about it. As I concentrate on my Divine Art, I can make out there¡¯s only one presence, heading towards our location. ¡°There¡¯s only one,¡± Kirin uttered. Looks like she felt it too. ¡°They might be hostile,¡± Nilin said, her hands have stopped. ¡°You two can sense it too?¡± ¡°We¡¯re Spirits of Nature. We¡¯re part of nature herself. We can tell when there¡¯s something off in a forest.¡± Even in this situation, Nilin didn¡¯t miss her chance to hold her nose high and look smug as she explains. The presence is demonic, no doubt. However, it feels nothing like the Demons I have encountered. Almost as if it¡¯s a different variant. ¡°A demon?¡± Kirin asked, her eyes snapping to me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking me?¡± Nilin protested¡ª ¡ªin which I ignored and responded to Kirin. ¡°Could be but nothing like the Demons I know.¡± As I will Talia, who was levitating in the corner of the room, to me, my spectral right arm materialized at the precise timing Talia flew into my grasp. It was a secret from everyone that I find this action to be thrilling to pull off. If this gets out, I will never hear the end of it from Hyx. Talia¡¯s voice resounded in my mind. ¡°Demonic, definitely. But no ordinary demon. Traces of intelligence and curiosity.¡± ¡°A new breed?¡± I asked. ¡°Something¡¯s definitely different about these ones,¡± it was Nilin who answered. ¡°It feels stronger than any creatures that are lurking in this forest. It even scattered away the weak-willed ones.¡± No shit. I didn¡¯t blurt that one out. The more I concentrate on this particular presence, the more discomfort I feel. ¡°Strong like Hyx?¡± Kirin mused. ¡°Not quite but close.¡± Nilin instantly responded. While this level ability does feel close to Hyx¡¯s but Hyx¡¯s isn¡¯t discomforting. It¡¯s astonishing but never discomforting. This one sews unrest into every fibre of my being. Is it the Q¡¯nu? But no way it could be. It would be too obvious then but that¡¯s not entirely impossible. ¡°Passive?¡± said Kirin with her head tilted. She isn¡¯t wrong in this regard. Any Demons would have attacked by now. For some reasons, this one is only lingering around the border of my detection range. Demons are known to have intelligence but nothing too profound. They certainly don¡¯t have curiosity. This is so unlike any conventional demon. ¡°Indara,¡± I called out. Even though there¡¯s no response, I continue. ¡°Can you go check it out?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on it!¡± came an enthusiastic voice in my head. It¡¯s Indara¡¯s. It¡¯s another trick I learned. I can communicate with Indara through Talia due to them being Mondra. And Indara relays the message to Djin. Nilin and Kirin do not know about this but they accepted it on the spot that I managed to communicate with Indara. Maybe Hyx¡¯s shenanigans have desensitized them. ¡°Hey hey! Call Hyx back too.¡± Nillin is tugging on my shirt as she asks. When did she and Kirin moved to my side? ¡°I can¡¯t. They are too far away.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be okay,¡± Kirin is optimistic on this one. Yeah, right. You¡¯re grasping kinda tight on my shirt. ¡°I know we¡¯ll be okay but just not unscathed okay.¡± Nilin however, is on the slightly pessimistic side. ¡°Um¡­ Shizuka?¡± Indara¡¯s telepathic message came back. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Djin says run.¡± What?! ¡°Why? What is it?¡± ¡°A vampire.¡±