《Overture of an Odyssey》


 H0 - Awakened to Darkness

    "Harbinger."


    Something spoke to me, a firm but soft voice.


    Like lightning itself descended and touched my body, the voice brought me out of my dreams with a jolt.


    Although I wasn''t sure I was dreaming.


    I might have been but you know what dreams are like. They fade from your memories when you wake up.


    Ah....


    No use thinking about that now.


    Anyways....


    Where the hell am I?


    My surroundings is a total pitch black. A complete darkness.


    As I came to, I found myself sitting in a posture with my legs spread opened. I''m sitting on some kind of stone tiles with my back leaning against a bricked wall.


    In a distance, I saw a little amount of light pouring in from the gaps. My heart tingle in excitement for a little. Was it because I saw the light as my salvation? Did I have a fear for darkness? Damn. It''s frustrating to not even remember what kind of person I am.


    When I tried to move, every inch of my body aches but most pain seemed to converged on the back on my neck. I clasped my right hand as that part.


    Why does my body hurts so much and especially the back of my neck?


    I asked myself but no answer came.


    No answer came because I couldn''t remember anything. Yes, anything as in anything prior to my awakening in this dark room.


    It hurts too much to move and I found myself staring into the darkness while waiting for the pain to subside, if they ever will that is.


    Out of boredom and curiosity for my identity, I went down a list of questions that could jolt my memory. The only question I could answer was my name. Hyx.


    Just Hyx. I couldn''t remember a family name or a surname.


    I mused at my own name in my mind. An odd name. Didn''t seem to belong to the Tom, Dick, and Harry names. I somehow even knew that my name is spelled, H-Y-X, instead of H-I-C-K-S.


    I raised an eyebrow at the odd memory of mine.


    Any attempts at recalling any prior memories have only led me to a wall.


    Current US president?


    Donald Trump.


    Year? 2018.


    Month?


    ........


    I couldn''t remember.


    Nationality?


    American? No. I wasn''t. So which one am I?


    No clue. Only pain answers whenever I tried to remember. Those pains weren''t just any small prick.


    "Hello?" I spoke, in English. "Testing? One. Two. Three?" I spoke more. I understand English. I retained my memory of speech, I guess.


    One surprising thing was that English wasn''t the only language I know.


    I spoke again. This time in Chinese. It seems like I know Chinese language. My eyebrows rose at the realization.


    Even more baffling, I knew of another language but I couldn''t remember what is it called. The pronunciations of this particular language was something I have never heard of. I searched deep into the remnants of my memories. Nothing came but pain like always.


    There is another language in my memory. A language that I have no prior knowledge of but somehow, I am able to comprehend it. Helix. That is the name of this peculiar language.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    After a few more fruitless results in digging through what''s left of my memories, I gave up and shelved the remaining question I have into a corner of my mind. I get the feeling that I might be a very forgetful person.


    Maybe that''s just me being unsettling and high-strung in my current situation.


    Yep, it must be. I hope.


    I tried moving my body again. The pain has lessened but the back of my neck still stings. From what I could feel, there were no injuries. Perhaps it was an internal injury then?


    I shook my head. Banishing that thought that I deemed insignificant at the moment. I pushed myself off the floor, pouring energy into my trembling legs. They were numb, of course. I must have been in this posture for a quite a long time. It only make sense that I feel numb on my legs. Nevertheless, I managed to get myself on to my feet.


    Standing with my back against a wall, my eyes have adjusted to some of the darkness and I could see my surroundings to a certain degree. The room is quite small but not too small. Maybe a give or take onfour hundredsquare feet? Stone brick walls on all four sides of the room.


    The floor was still a bit of a blur to me in the darkness. Which was why as I took a step forward, my feet seemed to collide with something. Something solid but not excessively. If I have to guess what is it, I would say a person.


    Since darkness still envelopes the ground in my vision, I gave the object obstructing my path a few nudge with my feet. I even kicked it slightly. I waited........ No response.


    I sighed and squatted down. My hands blindly reached for the object. From just my touch, I could tell it is indeed a person but somehow, something felt wrong. It felt wet.


    At that moment, a smell drifted into my nose.


    A smell of iron. Wet iron?


    Ah....


    Not.


    That''s not it.


    Anyone with a little bit of experience with hardship could tell what smell is this. It was blood. A smell of blood.


    I stood straight up at once. My body froze on the spot. My lips and hands trembled. Other than these two, my whole body frozen in fear while my brain tried to rationalized my abrupt discovery.


    What the fuck? Was all my brain was thinking.


    Blood? Dead? Killed? Danger?


    Fucking hell, brain. Think more than just the obvious stuffs!


    I shouted at myself, in my own mind, apparently.


    A corpse in a dark room. What else could go wrong?


    As my mind slowly snaps back to reality, more smell of iron trickled my nose.


    I skipped over the corpse and two steps later, my feet collided with another object.


    I shuddered at the all too familiar sensation.


    Without even touching it, I could tell it was another body.


    Finally, my eyes adjusted more to the darkness and it allowed me to see that on the floor of this tiny but vast room, it was littered with around four corpses.


    One of the corpses looked different than the others but I was in no condition to pay attention to that kind of details. As far as I know, they were all just corpses.


    In addition to my probable fear of darkness, I think I might even not be good with gores.


    I began hyperventilating.


    My mouth was agape and a soundless scream came out. My body is in too much shock to function properly.


    The details on the corpses weren''t visible yet but I dreaded just thinking of the current scene becoming a clear picture.


    Before anything else happened, I ran straight for the double doors in front of me. It stood over a little bit of eight feet. It was made of thick wooden planks bounded together by iron straps and hinges. A wooden log was acting as the lock for the double doors. I tried lifting it. Good, it wasn''t too heavy. So, I lifted it off.


    Maybe I shouldn''t have.


    I have failed to notice a single thing.


    A small detail but with a huge potential to alter the outcome.


    But my mind was in such a turmoil and it was even barely capable of the basic functions.


    The doubles weren''t lock to keep things in but to keep things from coming in.


    Further evidence of this fact was that the wooden double doors had some of its planks busted inwards. An obvious indication of something trying to get in with force. Something strong and huge but I didn''t noticed these factors.


    My sub-conscious might have picked it up but it did not officially registered it in my mind.


    That in itself, was a huge mistake. But can I really be blamed? This wasn''t something commonplace to me. I have nothing on my mind but wanting to get the hell out of this room as fast as possible.


    Not to mention, I''m barely a full adult. I''m just an eighteen years old kid. At least I would see myself as a kid in this sort of a situation.


    Ah. I remember my age at least but not that it really matters right now.


    And so, my unintended ignorance led to me experiencing a very ill fate. The moment the log if lifted from its place, before I could pulled open the doors, something else did the opening for me.


    Lights bathed the room, although dim. In burst a strange creature.


    Its dramatic entrance launched me away from the doorway.


    I hit the ground hard with my posterior. I groaned at the pain of my rough and uncalled landing. Despite the pulsing pain, my attention was all on the sudden brute.


    My eyes could only widened at the terrifying creature''s appearance.


    It was tall, a little over the door''s height. Its thin figure outlined its skeleton. No eyes. Large mouth with rows of razor sharp teeth. A big and hooked nose like a pig''s. Its ears seemed to grew inward and stretched out long. It''s body was of a palish gray. Filthy with blood more than dirt.


    My hyperventilation stopped. Fear has robbed me of my voice.


    What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck is that thing?


    Those were the only things in my mind when my eyes laid upon the monster in front of me.


    The creature seemed to have heard my groans, moans, and my landing. It might have even heard the screams in mind.


    I could tell it was staring at me despite having no eyes.


    While facing me, its nose twitched.


    Its ears seemed to convulse.


    And it smiled. A devilish grin.


    At me.


    Shivers enshrouded me then.

 H1 - Silver Lining-ish

    The abomination dropped on to fours. Even after switching to quadrupedal, its height still surpassed mine. Crawling, it made its way towards me. Its taking its own sweet-ass time. Is it being cautious or is it underestimating me? I wouldn¡¯t know.


    Nevertheless, dragging out something with an obvious conclusion always irks me. Normally, I''ll be furious at such presentation. Normally. Can the current situation being counted as normal?


    Absolutely fucking not.


    What the fuck is that thing?


    I screamed in my mind, of course. In reality, my mouth is opened but only static sounds came. Fear had taken my voice. Other than such incorrigible noises, my cheeks and jaws were fluctuating from my uncontrolled breathing.


    Behind the monster, was a hallway. On the walls, vines of bluish green seemed to have protruded from the bricks. Cyan vines, to be precise. They were glowing faintly with the colors of their body, cyan. It was dim but the faint glows illuminated enough for the eyes to see. The vines were the source of light that allowed me the possibility of witnessing the abominable monstrosity in front of me in its whole.


    Abominable and monstrosity in a same sentence and position after another, was never a good sign.


    What the fuck?


    Came the same line again in my head. It was only natural. After all, me, a mere normal human being who have been living a quiet and peaceful life, sheltered from dangers. The most fearsome predators of the wild that I have encountered are enclosed in cages. To me, those animals were just another zoo animals among the lot.


    Much less of encountering dangerous animals, the most severe danger I have encountered are mere bullies at school. Although I have to admit, the bullies always had a few screw loose somewhere in their head. Superiority or god complex, it would seem these two things often came hand to hand with the bullies.


    Of course, the thing in front me, my situation right now, none of my unfortunate past can even began to compare to this.


    It approached me, slowly. All the while, its non-existent eyes fixated on me.


    Its ears twitch with every breath that I draw.


    I guess that''s how it knows where I am?


    Why the fuck does matter right now?


    There was obviously a very hostile creature approaching me and I couldn''t do anything. I was frozen in place with a paralytic fear.


    The WTF words changed to something seemingly more pathetic but somehow appropriate?


    I don''t want to die. I don''t to die. I don''t want to feel the agony of being eaten alive. I don''t want to die. I don''t want to die.


    And so, these words replaced the WTF in my mind.


    Then, the monster stopped. The way it turned its head in all directions seemed to say that it was looking for something. It raised its claws into the air, appearing as a silhouette in the dim light, the outline of its claws further heightened the fear coiling my body.


    It swiped at the empty air in front of it. It looked confuse when it found nothing.


    Its nose and ears twitched a few times and it resumed crawling towards me.


    No. I pleaded. No, please don''t. I pleaded not just to the monster but also fate itself. Please don''t find me. Please don''t find me. Please don''t let it find me. I don''t want to die. I don''t want to die.


    Now, the monster was only six feet away from me. It stopped again. It looked around.


    Its odd behavior gave me a small faint of hope. Was it having a hard time looking for me?


    Please. I pleaded and hold my breath. Please don''t find me. I don''t want to die. Please.


    Then, fate took pity on me. Presumably.


    [Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment - Acquired]


    Oh?


    Magic?


    My eyebrow was raised.


    I have magic?


    Spatial Magic? Huh...


    It was an odd feeling. It wasn''t a voice in my head. Nor did it appeared as a hovering text in my vision. Those words just seem to seep into my brain, like acquiring new knowledge.


    I don''t know exactly how to utilized that convenient skill that just seemed to pop out of nowhere but I tried to metaphorically equip it in mind.


    All of a sudden, I get the feeling of my presence was being isolated from the atmosphere. It was like there''s a invisible layer separating me and the space around me.


    An odd and almost indescribable feeling. The best I way I could describe was in the name itself. My presence was detach from reality. That was the feeling I had towards the ability.


    The monster then stood up straight, going into bipedal, showing off its height. It looked around, frantically. No, the more suitable word of choice would be, frustrated.


    It screeched. Yes, it screeched. The reason that I didn''t call it a scream, cry, roar, or yell was because it sounded exactly what you would expect to hear of a screech.


    The high pitch noise sharpened like a needle, pierced my ears. I thought my ears were going to bleed but thankfully, the monster stopped its screeching before my deep dark fear manifested into reality.


    The monster then dropped back on all fours and started flailing its arms around.


    What is it doing? I asked.


    At first, I was confused at its behavior but I soon realized the reality of it. It couldn''t see me. That was obvious. It had no eyes. It was blind. Judging from that, it must have been navigating with its keen sense of smell and hearing. I was convinced that this was the case as its nose and ears kept twitching the whole time.


    If the so called [Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment] is indeed the real thing, I wagered my life that it had lost track of me. Its behavior right now was evidence to my assumption. I could be invisible too but it had no eyes. I could still see my own self. I might be camouflaged but I wouldn''t know.


    Not that those things matter right now.


    A faint light of hope found its way into me. I regained back some of my energy and control over my body. Slowly, steadily, and quietly, I stood up from the floor. I even made sure that I won''t displace any inconveniently placed pebbles or twigs. Not that there would be any twigs in here. Would there be? There wouldn''t be, right?


    When I was on my feet, I started taking steps back from the abomination. The sole of the boots I''m wearing seemed to make a sound as it scrapped against the floor. I stared hard at the monster when I realized the noise I had accidentally made.


    No change. The monster was still looking around in a frustrated manner. It didn''t seem to heard that noise.


    I retreated my steps more. I did so until my back reached a wall. I cursed at the lack of retreating routes.


    With my back against a wall, the monster drew closer to me. It didn''t discovered where I am. It was merely randomly flailing his arms and claws around, coincidentally towards my way.


    As its next swing of its arm would find its way into my guts, I dove to my left, away from the arbitrary attack. I tumbled, rolled, and came to a stop. Sounds of my body making contact with the floor echoed. At least, I think it did.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    From the way the monster was acting, it didn''t heard any sound I made.


    I was sure that I had made countless noises from all that movements.


    Then, an idea clicked in my mind.


    I left my fate up to chance. I took a risk. It was in order to prove a theory of mine. I raised my foot and stomp a few times on the ground. The sounds of my feet stomping were apparent to me. I looked up from my feet at the monster.


    Sure enough, it didn''t heard any sounds of my feet stomping on the ground. If I have to guess, this seems to be the work of [Presence Detachment]. I can''t say the same my visibility to eyes but things such as noises or sounds I made, or smell I emitted, they were hidden by [Presence Detachment].


    My leg once again became jelly and I fell to the floor, sitting. I finally let out the breath that I have been withholding. Thank fucking god. I don''t know if this was luck or what, I was just thankful for this Deus Ex Machina.


    Of course I have questions regarding the [Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment]. Right now, I just want to regain my breath, thoughts, composure, and everything. The threat is not gone but for now, I''m save. For now.


    I looked around, searching for a weapon.


    Huh. That was convenient.


    There were at least four swords lying around on the floor. Seeing as how each sword lay beside a corpse, it was hardly difficult to guess who were the owners of those swords.


    I went for the one closest to me.


    Although I knew my footsteps are soundless right now, I still tried to be as silent as possible. The fear runs deep.


    I picked up the sword. Gripping it tightly in my hands, I stepped forward to the monster.


    It was still doing the same thing it had been doing for the past few minutes. Looking for me while wearing an expression of frustration.


    An idea struck my mind. With a random pebble in my hand, I threw it at a corner.


    The monster froze for a moment before darting towards the sound of the pebble skipping on the tiles. It swiped at the empty air as it arrived. It gave out an angry screech when it realize it was fooled. I could have swore it was gritting its teeth too.


    Despite my shivering lips, I grinned. Stupid monster. Simpleton. I insulted the monster in my mind.


    As I got close enough, the monster had its back facing me. It was still looking around, looking for me. It didn''t look back though.


    I wielded the sword with both of my trembling hands. With an uncertain gulp, I forced my hands to calm down.


    When I deemed my hands were steady enough, I brought them up overhead.


    With a grimace, I swung the sword down at the monster with full force.


    Sounds similar to metal colliding with a solid object echoed.


    I gasped, soundlessly. My eyes were wide opened like my mouth. My steady hands once again began trembling.


    It broke. The blade of the sword broke. Snapped into half. Even the sound of metal clanging was heard as it broke. The broken part spun in the air before it went bouncing on the floor, all the while making a distinct sound.


    Those were the testimony of the monster''s skin toughness.


    No way. No fucking way. I swore in my mind.


    The monster creaked its head to its back, to me. Its mouth arched. A smile. Almost as if saying, "Found you."


    Before I could snap back to the nightmare of a reality, it swung its arm. The swing launched me across the room. I went rolling on the floor before coming to a stop.


    I groaned and I coughed. Fucking hell, this hurts. I groaned again.


    It crawled towards me but this time with a quicker pace.


    I lost the sword when it swatted me away like a fly. Pain course through my body but fear took precedence over the pain and so did my will to live. I looked to my left and right, looking for a new weapon.


    Ah. Found one.


    Fortunately in a way, I landed just beside a corpse and beside the corpse was a sword. Without another moment''s hesitation, I brought the sword up as a guard just as the monster pounced at me.


    Its razor sharp teeth aimed for my face but its teeth was met with a sword. The monster nevertheless, clamped down on the sword instead with its teeth.


    Using the momentum from the pounce, I flipped backwards along with the monster. We went rolling and just like that, I managed to create a distance between me and the monster.


    Too bad. The sword also distanced itself from me. The struggle made me loose my grasp on the sword.


    It screeched. I guessed it didn''t appreciate me using its momentum to threw it away.


    The distance between me and the monster that I had created wasn''t long. In fact, it took only another pounce for it to reach me.


    With no sword to guard this time, it pinned me on to the floor. Its large hands with overly sharp fingers, were holding me down on the shoulders. I say holding me down but in reality, it was more on the line of stepping on me. Either way, it was pressing down on me with its claws for hands. The claws didn''t dug into my flesh as its hands were quite big. The area of my shoulder was around the size of its palm. Thank god for this. Otherwise, it would definitely be agonizing with its claws digging into my flesh.


    However, none of that matters. It didn''t change the fact that an near ten feet tall monster was on top of me, looking down at me like some mere food.


    What happened next, was something I would never forget in my live. My first real genuine experience of agony. It forever seared into mind. A truly unforgettable memory.


    Excruciating pain that I would never think I would feel coursed through my body.


    I screamed as loud as my lungs, vocal chord, and my energy would allow me to. My whole body convulsed.


    What happened? It bit me. Or rather, it took a chunk of flesh out of me. Flesh of my left shoulder blade. When that chunk failed to leave my body in one go, it forcefully tore it away, incurring another cry of agony from me.


    It didn''t stop there. It took another bite. I screamed again.


    Tears and saliva leaked out from me. I could be wrong but I was sure there were also snorts.


    I want the pain to stop. I want it to stop. I don''t care if I die. I want it to stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.


    Please make it stop!


    Stop! Stop!


    I don''t want to suffer anymore!


    Just let me die! Just make it stop! Just kill me already and make it stop!


    I want to die.


    "No, you can''t."


    I was told, by a voice, of a girl.


    Instantly, the pain ceased. Numbness took over.


    As if time had slow down exponentially, everything I see around me was moving slowly. The monster enjoying the taste of my flesh. Me, flailing around in agony. The dust raised from the struggle. All of those seemed to be moving slowly.


    "Who are you?" I asked.


    "You can''t die yet." The voice of a girl ignored my question. "Not like this."


    "......" I said nothing.


    "You have to help me. You promised, remember?" The voice said some things that were bizarre for this situation.


    "Promise?"


    "Help me. Please?"


    "How...... Who....." A sudden influx of questions flooded into my mind, interrupting my originally intended words.


    "Help me, Harbinger. Please."


    Frustration bloomed in the corner of my mind. I hated how it ignored questions of my own. Who the fuck is this Harbinger? Me? Why the fuck would I be called Harbinger? Questions after questions piled up in my mind.


    Frustration and anger boiled in me.


    I steeled myself. Harden my resolve although it was nothing too notable. I did what I could to make my words more assertive this time.


    "I''m not who you called Harbinger."


    "....." This time, it was the voice''s turn to be silent.


    "Even if I wanted to, how?" I asked, with a tone filled with the most assertiveness I could gather. "How can I even help you? I''m fucked beyond fucked right now in case you didn''t notice or can''t notice."


    There was a brief silence but I knew the voice was still there. I somehow just knew.


    "How?" I asked again.


    After another few seconds of silence, it finally replied. "For now...." the voice more like a whisper now. "Live on. Don''t give up yet. Pull through this."


    "Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me?" I screamed at the voice.


    Although there was neither a face nor head, I could tell the voice was shaking its head. Out of pity or disappointment? I didn''t know. It could be something other than those two.


    "You can do this. I know you can."


    "Lady, I don''t even have a weapon to kill this thing."


    "You do have one."


    Those words stunned me. It stunned me because of how serious it was.


    Before I could make a retort filled with profanity, it spoke again "You always have it with you. A weapon."


    "Where?" I asked, devoid of any spirit.


    "Just imagine it in your hands. A sword, an axe, a spear, a mace, or even a simple stake."


    I sighed. I gave up at understanding the words of the voice. "But it hurts. It hurts. It hurts so much."


    "I know." The voice said, I could tell there was some shuddering in the words. "I know. But.....this is the way it has to be." The trembling in the voice was even more obvious now.


    I scoffed. "Easy for you to say." I muttered. I didn''t intend to actually say it but it leaked out, I guess.


    "All in a hard day''s work. Remember?"


    At those words, I froze and a sting to my mind followed. The words were like a probe to my memories. It seemed like those words held a significant clue to my lost memories.


    After those words, everything went back to normal. Time flow normally again.


    "Ah." I muttered as I braced myself for the pain to come.


    Sure enough, it came. I screamed. I cried. I cursed. I soundlessly gasped. But the words of the voice flowed in my mind. "You always have it with you. A weapon."


    What the fuck does that suppose to mean?


    "Just imagine it in your hands...."


    I sighed among grievance of pain. Somehow.


    I closed my eyes and imagined a sword in my hand.


    No, not a sword. A blade. Just a simple blade. A blade without a handle or grip nor guard. Just a blade. A stake?


    Well, whatever is it, I just want it to be able to kill this fucker on top of me.


    Just a simple blade will do. Just let me kill this monster. I need no fancy ornament nor design. Just a simple blade would suffice. A simple blade.


    Yes. Simple but enough to harm those who brings harm to me.


    Yes. That''s it. A weapon that could kill my enemies. Whatever is it. Just give it to me.


    A simple blade.


    A blade.


    At that moment, an aura of purplish dark manifested. The color gave out vibe of intensity and the aura has vague opacity, seemingly transparent but not too much. If one looked closely, the aura was trembling. Shivering, shuddering, vibrating? These were my thoughts when I saw the aura. The peculiar aura coiled around my right hand.


    The space in my palm distorted. The purplish dark aura converged onto my palm. Slowly, the aura along with the distorted space, formed into a shape. A shape of a simple blade. A blade nonetheless.


    A blade of a vibrating purplish dark aura.


    [Abyss Magic: Abyssal Edge - acquired]


    Oh. This may be contrasting to the situation but the name sounds awesome.


    My body was still shaking in fear but now, with excitement mixed in.


    I gripped tightly on to the blade. My hand steadying. My mind sharpening. My resolve hardening.


    "Now..." I whispered.


    The monster stopped its mauling.


    Our gaze locked. Not that it had eyes.


    The monster''s mouth curved upwards.


    My lips curved downwards.


    "Die." I whispered, softly but fiercely.


    And my lip curved back up.

 H2 - A Calm After Storm?

    With every last ounce of force, I plunge the foot long purplish black blade into the monster''s eyeless face.


    You should have held down my arms, not my shoulders.


    I suppose I should be grateful for you being an idiot.


    Now suck on this, chalky!


    I scream at the monster with overwhelming contempt in my mind.


    It gets off of me. It attempts to create a gap between me but I didn''t allow it.


    I hold on to the blade as it starts flailing around, attempting to shake me off.


    My wound throbs but letting go means certain death. I cling to the blade. Refusing to submit.


    Don''t ask me why but it doesn''t try to pull me apart from it. It wasn''t like it doesn''t have opposable thumbs, it does. Yet, it does not try to pry me off of it. Really an idiot.


    Although, not that the monster needs to pry me off. I am swung along with its struggle. I am waving in the air like a flag. I had to hand it to the monster, its physical strength is enormous.


    After a few swings, my grip finally gives out. I let go of the blade and I am thrown into a wall.


    Should I have said onto? Or unto? Into? That might not be right. Well, I didn''t went through the wall. I was just slam against one.


    Whether I went through the wall or not, it doesn''t change the fact all my breath was knock out of me. Feeling all the air left my body, I gasp but of course, without air, no sound came out. As you would expect from being deprived of air, the world spun in my eyes. My ears are even ringing.


    Still, I tried my best to keep my sight on the monster. I ignore my severe bleeding wound as I forced myself back on my feet.


    I grimaced and groaned as I endured the pain.


    The purplish black blade that was stuck in the monster''s face, vanishes into thin air not long after I let go of it. Can''t say I am entirely surprise. It is made from my magic after all. I have half expected it to disappear upon loosing physical contact with it.


    What actually surprised me more is the fact that the monster survives a stab into its face. I''m pretty sure with the deepness of my stab, it would have reach the brain. Or does it have a brain in the first place? Or its brain is located somewhere other than its head?


    The monster is gritting its teeth while making growling noises. Obvious signs of irritation or it could be enduring the pain. It screeches. I can tell that it''s mad. It begins charging towards me.


    What?


    Oh.


    Now that I think about it, my[Presence Detachment]was deactivated when the attempt of the back stab failed. I am now too late in putting it up again.


    Since the blade was created from my magic, I think. So I try to create another one in a hurry.


    When the monster is close enough, it lunges at me.


    I wasn''t able to create another blade. So, I dodge to the side. The monster went face first into the wall. I hear sounds of something cracked. It might be the wall or the monster, it might be both.


    The monster recovers quickly, merely by shaking its head. The stab wound on its head remains, bleeding profusely. Not that it bothers him the slightest. I am a little bit calmed by the fact the damage I dealt remain instead of being recovered. Silver lining, I guess?


    With only this short amount of time, I pour all my concentration and effort into manifesting another blade of purplish black energy.


    The monster charges at me again but this time, I succeed. I manage to create another purplish black blade.


    I bent my body to the back a little as I swing the blade in a wide arc. The blade catches one of the monster''s arm, its right arm, and it cleanly slices of that off that arm.


    My eyebrows arch, amaze at the fact at how easily the blade managed to cut off its hand. A clean cut. I barely felt any resistance as the blade separated its hand from its body.


    The monster''s lunge stopped when it realizes it''s missing an arm. It screeches but its screech sounds weaker this time. Less energetic.


    The monster''s skin is impervious to damage or so I thought, considering how my blade easily cut its hand clean off. Maybe it''s only impervious to physical damage?


    Its screeches turned into snarls. It is drawing steps back, away from me. Is it trying to run away? I don''t think so.


    Few more steps back later, my doubts at it escape attempts are proven true. The monster picks up a corpse and flings it at me.


    "Motherfucker!" I yell as the corpse grew in size towards me.


    The corpse blocked my sight on the monster. I panicked. Instead of dodging to the sides, I sliced the corpse into half. Wrong move on my part. Fool. I scold myself when I realize it was too late.


    After the corpse was sliced into half, I see the monster already in the air, diving at me. This time, its mouth bare open. Revealing its rows of teeth, sharp enough to be liken to fangs.


    I can''t move. I am not some super human who could stop my momentum mid-way and change the trajectory.


    Fuck! Fuck! Is this it? Is this the end?


    Was my grand retaliation a mere illusion?


    If only I had a shield. I can block against its teeth if I had one. But I do not. There are shields and bucklers lying around none is within my reach.


    Damn it. Is there nothing I could do?


    [Spatial Magic: Plane Displacement - Acquired]


    Oh?


    The monster hits an invisible wall. A crack appear in the air. A crack in the space itself. The crack spreads into a web like a glass.


    When I look closely, the invisible wall looks something like a distorted and blurred plate of glass.


    Which ever god made this possible, I thank thee.


    The monster quickly recovers from its accident and once again screeches, in pure anger this time. It swings its left over arm wildly at me. Of course, the shield seemingly made of space magic is in the way. It made cracks but the cracks reform back like nothing had happen.


    The monster sees this and increase its strength and speed to its wild attack.


    Perhaps it is the twelfth or thirteenth swing? It finally manages to break through the shield. The shield shatters completely into tiny shards like a glass. The shards then dissipate.


    The situation now seems grim but I am more than prepare already.


    With the purplish black blade in my hand, I swing it. This time, it cleanly cuts off its remaining left arm.


    The monster neither screech nor snarl at me this time. Instead, it is just standing there, in bipedal, looking at me with its metaphorical eyes.


    Our staring contest seem to last forever in my mind but in reality, it is just merely seconds.


    My mouth slowly turns into smile of victorious. My eyes unintentionally begin to look at the monster like some sort of trash. I feel my face is grimacing at the sight of the monster. I have no mirror but I''m sure my face will not be looking sightly now. My hands gripping on the blade tremble again. Various reasons of emotion are mixed in.


    My mouth opens slowly. My gaze focusing on the abomination in front of me, filling with a sort of determination. I give my all into this cry.


    A battle cry.


    I run towards the monster like it had charged towards me just now. The monster is stunned at my actions and reactions.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    It is my turn to lunge at the monster. I thrust the blade into where hearts are suppose to be, the left chest.


    We crash into the ground as I had put too much power into the thrust. Just like that, I ended up on top of the monster. I''ll admit. That did sound wrong.


    Anyways, not the point here.


    Even if I can''t see how deep the blade went, I can feel the blade popping its heart like a balloon. I had popped balloons before and this is exactly the same feeling.


    However, I don''t intend to stop with just that.


    My emotion has completely taken over my body. Fear, anger, despair, desperation, humiliation, sorrow, all of those had grasp my heart.


    With another loud cry, I tear the blade out from its chest, forcibly. I immediately plunge it back into the monster''s chest again. I repeat the action once more. Twice more. Thrice more. What comes after thrice? I don''t know. All I know is that I am repeating the same action again and again and again, all the while seemingly giving out cries of incomprehensible words.


    When I stop, grotesque doesn''t even begin to describe the current form of the monster''s wound.


    I stare at the motionless carcass of a former terrifying monster. I stare hard at it, devoid of any emotion. No, not devoid. It was more on the line of exhausted of all emotions. My world is spinning again.


    Why is it spinning? There must be various reasons for it but when I look to my left shoulder, I understood. I was so engross with the monster going for my life that I forget to take notice of my wound. The wound that the monster had repeatedly took a chunk out of it.


    Now that I seriously look closely at it, the wound is just as grotesque as the carcass in front of me.


    "Huh....." I mutter in a low and energy-less voice.


    My vision begins to cloud.


    And I faint.


    ----------------


    I once again awake to darkness but with a subtle difference this time. It isn''t absolute darkness. Dim cyan light have found its way into the small yet vast room. Which explains why I am able to see the ceiling. Same materials as the floor, stone.


    The first thing I did upon regaining my consciousness, I recollect my thoughts and memories.


    Right, I fought with a near eight to ten feet tall abomination. A nightmare?


    While still lying on the stone floor, I turn my head to my right.


    Maybe I was already half expecting it for all those to be real instead, I''m neither scared nor surprised when I see the carcass of a monster right in front of my face. Although, the monster seems different than I remember. It looks dehydrated, similar to a completely dried up corpse. I guess this is what will happen to these monsters when they die.


    "Damn it. It''s real." I curse and unconsciously clenches my fist. I look back up at the ceiling.


    My lips are shivering. My hands are trembling. My eyelids are fluttering. My stomach feels sick. All these are happening because I realize these aren''t just nightmare or a bad dream. These are all reality. Unable to hold back any longer, tears begin overflowing from my eyes. I am crying. Something tells me that I haven''t cried in a long time.


    "Damn it. Damn it." I am uttering in the midst of my pathetic weeping. "Damn it! Damn it!" My voice gets louder as I wonder why did such thing happened to me.


    I stayed that way for a considerable amount of time. Maybe an hour passed before I was able to calm down and stop my crying.


    When I stop, I sit in a cross-legged fashion. Taking deep breaths, wiping my eyes, hugging myself, cupping my cheeks and then my face. I took these steps to calm myself down.


    Finally, I''m able to regain my composure. Not all but enough to move.


    Huh?


    Something feels off.


    When I realize what felt off, I look at my left shoulder. The wound is now gone. My clothes are tore apart by the monster''s fangs. That is the evidence that I was attacked and wounded by the monsters. The wounds aren''t just imaginary but now, they are gone. Even if they healed over time, there are no scars on the wound.


    I wreck my brain up. I''m trying to find a possible explanation for it. Nothing came.


    I sigh. Well, I can worry about that later. There are more important things that I have to worry about first.


    I survey my surroundings. Now that I look properly, there are five corpses. Six if one takes the two halves into account. Four of them were human or at least they looked humanoid. The fifth one is a monster. The same monster that I have just killed. It is also in the same condition, completely dried up. One can say they withered.


    Since there is now a little bit of light, I go and check on the corpses in the room. I discover quite a number of interesting and questionable stuffs.


    I doubt I''m still on earth. Why? Four things.


    First, the wardrobe choices for the corpses. They looked nothing like what I remembered about the people on earth would wear. Steel armor plates over leather clothing, leather boots, leather backpacks, swords instead of guns. One of them was even wearing robes with a hood. To be honest, it felt like a very imaginative and original cosplay. They have a feel of steampunk but also a feel of medieval fantasy. That was the vibe I get when I saw their clothes. A thought struck me and I looked at my own clothes. I didn''t have plate armor like the corpses but I wore leather clothing similar to the three of them.


    Secondly, their race. Two of them were human but not the other two. The other two had features that made me doubt their race as a human. One was a male and one was a female. The female was the one in robes. Black hair, black but dead eyes, normal skin tone, normal teeth, normal nose, the two looked normal in every way except for one part, their ears. They weren''t grow on the sides, they grew on the head. Fox ears, I believe. They are fox ears. I checked their back. Sure enough, they have black tail similar to a fox''s. They were demi-humans. Half human-half fox.


    Third, the room I was in. It was old and musty. It was made of stones and in a fashion that one would expect from medieval times. Even the door was just woods and iron hinges. This room was some kind of a cell, a prison.


    Forth and last, the fucking abomination of a monster. It looked nothing like a fantasy nor mythical creature. It looks like something that came out from a horror film. It didn''t give out the fantasy feel but there was no way such monster resided on earth. Or such monsters did but they weren''t found. Anyways, didn''t changed the fact that such monsters existed. If anything, it only serves to validate my theory of being in an another world.


    I have read and watched stuffs about this. The protagonist gets sent off into another world. Most of the time it started happily but there ar some exception where they were drop right into hell right off the bat. I always thought how bad could such thing be. Honestly, I felt romance from this sort of situation or at least I thought I would have.


    Considering the near-death and horrifying experience I just had, I have mix feelings. I look down at my hands. Still trembling. Of course, why would it stop.


    I looked to where I first awakened to. Seems to me, I have missed a backpack beside where I laid unconscious. The backpack has a sling. A shoulder sling. It has three or four compartments. One big, one medium, and two small pockets. I ruffle through the medium one first. I found stacks of papers. I guess it would be much more appropriate to call it documents. They seem to be reports. It is written in English. They might call English with a different name though if this is indeed a different world. Anyways, I''ll read it later.


    Next, I went for the two small pockets. It was small enough to only held a single item. One contained a pair of glass. Maybe its mine? When I was about to wear it, I realized it was cracked. I sighed and put it back into the pocket. The other small pocket contained a small vial of potion. I think it was a potion. It looked like one, if my experience with fiction could be counted on. The content was of a semi-transparent yellowish liquid. I popped the lid opened and gave it a few whiff. Smell like a sour taste. Since I didn''t know what it does, I put it back into the pocket.


    As I open the biggest compartment on the backpack, a foul stench hit my nose. I recoiled a little at the odor. Instead of reaching into the bag, I turned it upside down and shook out the contents. Various things went falling out of the bag.


    It seems the stench came from an object wrapped in leaves with strings. Hesitantly, I unwrapped the object. An even fouler stench attack my nose. Although mold had covered the whole thing, I could tell that it was bread. I guess I was unconscious for quite an amount of time. I threw the whole thing to a corner of the room. No thanks, I don''t want to constantly having to take a whiff of something so disgusting. Surprisingly, the carcass smelled less fouler than the bread. Maybe it was because the carcass were recent or they were carcass that doesn''t smell. Not that I care about which is which. I was just grateful they didn''t smell.


    The next items were books. Okay, these will be useful. I put them aside and went to the next item. A dagger in a leather scabbard. Maybe a foot long or lesser. I drew the dagger. The blade seems clean and the least bit rusty nor dirty. Unused, was my guess. I set it aside where I put the books. The next items were a change of clothes and a cloak. Useful. I put it with the books and dagger.


    The last item was a chest, a small chest. Slightly bigger than my hand. I opened the chest and found tools of sorts. They range from small knives to some sort of a chisel. They looked like archaeologist tools. They look used but cleaned. Someone had been taking care of these tools. Most likely me. Useful, I think. I''m sure I could come up with a use for it.


    I patted the backpack in case I missed anything. I felt something. In fact, I did miss something. Two things, actually. They were in a compartment inside the big compartment.


    A small box similar to a ring box and a book different of from other books. How different? This book had a hardcover with silver bindings. It seemed to be in a good shape in comparison with the other books in the backpack. There was an insignia or a crest of the cover. I traced my fingers on it. Seems like gold poured on it for it to take the shape of such insignia. The book even had a strap that made sure it stayed close. Now this only got me more curios about it.


    Before I proceed to reading the strange book, my attention was shifted to the ring box. Before I opened it, I gave a shake. No sound but if it is indeed a ring box, it wouldn''t have make a sound considering how to ring was embedded in its slot. With a strange sense of excitement, I opened it.


    When I saw the content, a memory flash into my mind. A memory of a face. A face of a beautiful girl. Raven black hair, tied into a tail although not a ponytail but still, it looks good on her. Sharp and intense amber eyes that carries dignity. Thin lips that look palish pink and smooth. Her nose was a little bit sharp but not too much just the right amount. Her skin was neither pale nor dark, a skin tone on just the right scale.


    Just a mere glimpse of her face in my memory, I have fallen in love with her. Rather, I recall the love I have for her.


    Who is she? I asked myself. I couldn''t seem to recall who she is but my heart beats for her.


    Strange. Why did it beat for her? I don''t even know her. Maybe I do. Maybe I just don''t remember who she is. She could be someone important to me.


    What trigger the memory? It was a ring. Yes, a ring.


    It was precisely what I thought it was. It was actually indeed a ring box and a ring was inside it.


    The ring itself was silver made. A small jewel was embedded. Amber, just like the eyes of the girl in my memory.


    Somehow, remembering such stuff drained my energy. For a moment, I seemed to have lost my bearing and I almost fell on to my back. I supported myself in time but my hands pressed onto something. It didn''t feel like stones. Besides, I hear a crack when I pressed on it.


    I looked over and saw a mirror. Well, fragments of it. A shard, I would call it. I was sure as hell glad that I didn''t cut my hand on it. I brought the shard to my face.


    For the first time since I got here, in this dark room, I saw my own face. I may have forgotten how I looked like but I knew the face I was looking at , was not the face I had back on earth. I just somehow knew. But what bothered me the most wasn''t the face that I didn''t recognized but it was something that appeared on my face.


    I might be on earth but on an uncharted territory. Then again, that might not be the case. Nevertheless, it was safe to say, I was not a normal human anymore.


    Veins of purplish black covered the lower part of my face. The color was similar to the blade I have used to kill the monster.


    My lips fluttering, my teeth chattering.


    With a trembling and uncertain voice, I utter


    "What the fuck?"

 H3 - Game or Reality?

    Purplish black veins crawling from my heart to my neck really isn''t something I''m feeling in awe with right now.


    I failed to remember how many times I have watched on television regarding the protagonist trying to overcome the darkness in him. Most of the time, I would be fascinated by such thing. Even I had thought if something like that happened to me, it would be a fun experience.


    I was dead wrong.


    Maybe it was because of the current atmosphere and mood, the black veins that seem like some parasite or virus is beyond horrifying. The veins have yet to reach my face. I don''t want to think what would happen if they covered my whole face. Even if I have not felt any effects from it yet, I wasn''t calming down.


    I apologized to those tragic cliche protagonist in my mind for enjoying their suffering. It is definitely something that sounds good on paper but applying it to reality is certainly not as fun as it seems.


    As if hearing my despair, the veins begin subsiding. The veins were retracting back to my heart. In seconds, they were gone. I''m not sure I should be feeling glad or nervous. I stared blankly as I wonder about whether the veins have actually came from my heart. Realizing that there was nothing I can do, I give up with a sigh. Shelved that memory into a corner. Please let this be nothing. I pray to any god that these will not become something huge later that will come bite me back.


    I shook away those thoughts as I slowly button back up my shirt. I have tore my shirt apart when I panicked over the veins growing from my left chest in my body. Granted, some buttons have came loose with the force. I was even hyperventilating for a few solid minutes before my senses came to.


    That''s that. After I buttoned up my shirt, I let out another breath. That was revolting. Still, I wonder why such a thing happened. Was I poisoned all this time or is it an effect of me using[Abyss Magic]? The reason I suspect [Abyss Magic]because of its eerie name and the color of that blade resembles the color the veins, purplish black. It wouldn''t be odd for me to associate abyss with something dark.


    I sighed. I''m not getting anywhere like this.


    To distract myself from that, I tapped around my pockets. My hands felt something solid and flat in one of the small satchel bags latched onto my waist. From the satchel, I took out a what seems to be card from it.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown (Human)


    Status: None (Alive)


    Standing: Commoner (Exiled)


    Job: Scholar (Faith of the Nines)


    Class: Scout


    Title: None


    My eyes were wide open at the projected image. The image of such texts were projected from a card. A card that I had taken out from one of my small satchel bags on my waist. It was a card with an odd design on both sides. One side has some sort of complicated borders, patterns and an insignia. The other side was a completely black field.


    I didn''t know what this card does and in my mind, I just wish for myself to know the function of this card. It was then the border, patterns, and insignia on the card glowed. Seconds later, a screen of texts was projected into the barren air. Now, I found myself looking at a wall of text. Text that seemed to be information and status about me.


    It was surreal. This was just like the fantasy web novels that I have been recently indulging myself in. A status card that reveals your status and info.


    Following the instincts of my knowledge on such topics, no doubt, I''m no longer on earth. If I was, then this is going to shock the world.


    Anyways, I''m glad that I discovered this. Saves me on a lot of questions. Or that was what I expected when I saw the texts. Instead, it only created more questions than it have answered.


    Hyx Atlas. That seems to be my name. My name in this world, at least. I couldn''t remember my name from earth though. Trying to remember my name was something futile no matter how hard I tried.


    It appears that I''m only fifteen years old in this world. Funny. I can''t remember my name but I somehow knew I was at least twenty years old back on earth. Did I reincarnated straight into a fifteen year old or did I actually start from birth but forgotten everything prior till now?


    Moving on. It appears that I''m an exiled. Am I an exiled commoner or someone who got exiled and later became a commoner? If it was the former, it will be very sad. What''s lower than a commoner? Beggars? Despite that kind of standing, I''m some sort of scholar apparently. A scholar of a religion by my best guess. Faith of the Nines. If that''s not a religion or a cult, then their name would be very misleading. Maybe not. Maybe this world has a different common sense. I don''t know.


    Why the hell am I scholar though? Not to say I don''t enjoy studying or someone with very bad grades, I know it myself and known for being whimsical, picky, and fickle. Those traits don''t really fits a person you would call a scholar. Did I cheat my way into this line of job perhaps?


    A scout, eh? I could be wrong but I vaguely recall that I''m not a very bright person. I can somehow remember my teachers kept calling me blur. How can a blur person like me become a scout? I must be a very terrible scout. So, either I have chose to be a scout for reasons or my character settings and background were all randomly generated. I leaning more on to the latter reason. People who knew me well would laugh if they found out that I have a job that is charge in observation. Even with a near perfect eye sight, my wits are probably more blunt that a glasses-wearing person.


    No titles. In super laymen terms, I have no notable achievements. No difference in that with my previous life. Hahahaha. Well. I guess something doesn''t change even in a fantasy world. God, this is depressing.


    Just when I thought it couldn''t get anymore complicated, it appears that there was still another section of texts below the one I had just saw.


    Oh wow. This is awesome. Complicated it maybe, I almost squeal in delight.


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Spatial Magic - Lv.2


    Abyss Magic - Lv.1


    Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv.-


    Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv.-


    Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-


    HP : 140/140


    MP: 70/70


    Overall Power Ranking : F


    Arcane Arts, huh? Magic is it?


    Is Arcane Art the term for magic in this world? Are those suppose to be my magical abilities? If it is, why not something less complicated? Like fireball, ice spikes, thunderbolts, wind blades...... No? Even something like fire magic would be more familiar in an RPG sense. What''s with these over complicated naming? There''s even levels beside the ability but the function and purpose of levels are as clear as the day to those who plays RPG games or just games in general.


    Using my fantasy common sense acquired from entertainment medias, seems like the so-called Arcane Arts represent a variety of spells or abilities that fall under the same category. With that logic and an obvious indicator,[Presence Detachment]and[Plane Displacement]fall into Spatial Magic. The two abilities did have the[Spatial Magic]title before their names.


    So far, the only[Abyss Magic]I have acquired is[Abyssal Edge], the blade made of purplish black aura. But first of all, what in the name of Merlin is[Abyss Magic]in the first place? Is it the dark magic variant of of this world? Thus, I tried using it again.


    ......


    ......


    Nothing happened.


    Hmm..... How did I managed to conjure up that magic blade again?


    I begin recalling the feeling I was experiencing not a few moments ago. It could be longer than just moments but I was in a room with no windows and no clock, so I could be wrong. Never mind all that, I just keep concentrating on the dreadful sensation engulfing me during my fight with the now laid-dead carcass.


    I was afraid. Terrified to the extreme. All hopes seemed lost but someone''s voice gave out hope to me. This girl''s voice, she taught me of the magic residing within me. With my newfound resolve to live on, it felt like I put hands into the depths, filled with the unknown but power. My hands grabbed hold onto something. As I pulled it out in my mind, a blade of purplish black aura formed in my palm. In a short explanation, I felt like I had draw power from an unknown but powerful place.


    With those feelings recalled, blade of purplish dark aura begin forming yet again in my palm.


    When it is fully materialized, the blade''s unsettling shape is just the same as before.


    "[Abyssal Edge], huh?" I mused. Cool name but where did the name came from? The energy does seem like something drawn from the abyss.


    Though I say that but I don''t actually felt any dark vibe from the blade when I used it. There was an ominous feel to it but it was more on the line of being intriguing rather something negative. What a strange sensation.


    I wonder if I had any other abyss-type magic besides the blade. I wished there was someway that I could know but as far as I can tell, there was none. Does this mean I have to find out on my own?


    Yikes.


    I suddenly recalled. I once again tear my clothes off in a panic.


    Hmm....?


    No purplish black veins this time.


    Is this good? I think it is. I hope it is.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I breathed out a sight of relief. Maybe [Abyssal Magic] is not the cause after all.


    Anyways, the next three was what really intrigues me. Not to say the previous two didn''t but these three takes the cake in the wow factor. From what I can tell through my fantasy and game knowledge, the "unique" that appears after the name is apparently an indication that the Arcane Art in question is an exclusive ability to the individual. Even just the name itself of the three are obvious pointer for the three Arcane Arts being unique.


    [Soul Harvest]. That''s a grim name. In fact, sounds like an ability a grim reaper would have. As if the name itself has said all of its function of the Arcane Art in question. As I wonder what[Soul Harvest]truly does, more texts of information appeared from the card.


    Soul Harvest : Lv.-


    - The ability to devour a Mana Vessel (Soul) in its wholesome state from any being that possesses it. Mana Vessel devoured is converted into the power of the user. Perks included; Increase in life expectancy, stronger life force, higher rate of increase in magic performance, gain new abilities based on the soul devoured. However, abilities gained are only those of the user''s aptitude.


    Okay..... That''s a cheat skill right there. Mana Vessel, eh?


    So, a soul is a vessel for the Mana residing in a person or a being. Does this apply to inorganic beings too? Still, it''s understandable. The only catch to this is that I can only gain abilities that matches my aptitude. So, how do I know what aptitudes I have? What''s more, the level is a dash, not an integer. Does this mean the ability is locked for the moment? I would guess so if my prior gaming experience can be trusted. If it really is like a game, then there must be a condition or a requirement to be met before I can unlock this skill.


    Mana Overseer : Lv.-


    - Allows the user to perceive the flow of Mana through the means of Mana. In addition, also allows user direct interaction and manipulation of Mana.


    Maybe to the inexperience peoples, this ability doesn''t sound so magnificent but as a gaming nerd, this ability couldn''t be any better. Mana is the fuel for magic. Just like how a petrol oil is fuel to vehicles. Then the ability to manipulate it would surely be a tremendous advantage. In fact, this ability might even be more of a cheat than[Soul Harvest]but too bad, it is locked just like[Soul Harvest]too.


    Void Exalted : Lv.-


    - Allows the user to draw energy directly from the Void. Gains access to abilities of Void origins.


    Hmm.... As for this ability, I have close to no idea to its explanation. What exactly is the Void anyways? Searching through the nerd archives in my brain, I say the Void must be a place where it is filled with dark energy with abominable monsters native to it. Its level is a dash just like the previous two. Not usable too, I see.


    And next, we have....


    HP: 140/140


    MP: 70/70


    Overall Power Ranking : F


    Hmm.... Are those values a lot? I don''t think so. According to the RPG games that I have played, such values are often found on beginner levels. If that is truly the case, then this character sucks. I''m gonna die if I encounter two or more of those things.


    HP and MP aside, what does this Overall Power Ranking suppose to represent? Does this mean that taking into account of all my available magic abilities, the overall level is only F? Or am I misinterpreting things here? Since this is another world, the ranking might have a different order. After all, I do have cheat abilities for a start. It''s impossible to think that with all those cheat abilities my ranking could be so low. Maybe it''s because the relevant abilities are not taken into account because it''s locked?


    What''s more, why do I have such abilities despite being a scholar? This abilities don''t seem like something befitting of a scholar and I don''t even have any abilities a scholar would have.


    I sighed.


    Questions after questions, mysteries after mysteries. Where''s the end to all of this? I ruffled my own hair as I flooded my own mind with these miseries and mysteries.


    I sat back down, entrusting my back to the stone wall. I got answers and information but problem is, I can''t make out the heads and tails from it.


    I sighed again.


    Now what do I do? Obviously I should get out of this place but there were some factors in the way. Two actually.


    First, this place could be like a maze. I could get lost and end up even further from the exit. Second, there might be more of those things out there and I ain''t looking forward to meeting them. I could barely kill one. I doubt my body will remain a single piece if I encounter more than one. Not to mention, there might be something even more ferocious than this monster with pale skin.


    As I was thinking about those things, my eyes that are darting around the room finally rest its gaze on the corpses. Hmm.... Now that I actually pay attention to those corpses, we seem to be acquaintances judging from our matching attires. Not that we are wearing the exact same type of apparels but the design and color scheme says enough.


    Name: Freed Mason


    Gender: Male


    Age: 45


    Race: Human


    Status: Deceased


    Standing: Knight


    Job: Templar Elite Knight (Faith of the Nines)


    Class: Heavy Blader


    Title: None


    Name: Nicholas Erwin


    Gender: Male


    Age: 29


    Race: Human


    Status: Deceased


    Standing: Knight


    Job: Templar Knight (Faith of the Nines)


    Class: Swordsman


    Title: None


    Name: Fyra Glim


    Gender: Male


    Age: 18


    Race: Fox-kin (Fairy Tribe)


    Status: Deceased


    Standing: Young Blood


    Job: Adventurer


    Class: Archer


    Title: None


    Name: Fyra Yvil


    Gender: Female


    Age: 30


    Race: Fox-kin (Fairy Tribe)


    Status: Deceased


    Standing: Acolyte


    Job: Adventurer


    Class: Mage


    Tittle: Wind Strider


    My eyes feast when I saw their status. I was curious and they were dead. So I had nick their status card from them and read them. It seems abilities are inaccessible by others than the respective owner of the status card. Seeing these, I discovered new things.


    The two humans were my colleagues. They were warriors from a religious faction. Templar Knights. That is indeed the first impression I had when I saw them being swordsman from Faith of the Nines. An initiate and an elite. I''m guessing this Freed Mason is the superior here. Not that hard of a deduction. This Freed Mason specializes in heavy blades. An expert at that. Can''t really say how I feel towards this. Impressive, I guess? Yet, now a corpse. Tells you a lot about the dangers that lurks in this place. Not much comment about the other knight. A mere upstart knight. Probably still in his freshman years I wager. He is also the one that got thrown by the monster and sliced into half by me. Sorry about that.


    The one thing these two fox-ears that caught my attention is their names. If I''m not wrong, their family names were written before their given name. If I use these two as a basis, fox-kins put their surnames first. Right, gotta remember that. Might be useful in the future, maybe. It seems this Fyra Yvil fox-kin girl has a title, Wind Strider. A mage. A wind specialist mage if I had to assume from the title. If anyone ask me, I would say she''s the most outstanding of the four here. And these two are adventurers. Were anyway. Adventurers from the Fairy Tribe. So fox-kin falls under the fairy categories, I see. They''re not from the Faith of Nines. Four people. Each two from different factions. Was their acquaintance premeditated or by chance?


    Never mind that. The important stuff is that I found out there''s an adventurer job in this world. So yahoo, I guess?


    The reason for my lack of reaction might be stemming from the fact that I''m still trapped in this dungeon. Is it actually a dungeon? There''s no windows. I assume so. This room I''m in definitely looks like a prison cell in a dungeon but am I in a castle?


    I sighed again. I know there''s only one way to crack the mysteries I discovered, forward. I just need to start moving. Staying here wouldn''t get me anywhere, metaphorically and literally.


    Huh?


    I paused at my thoughts. Reason being, another question invaded my mind.


    If I remember correctly, this room was lock from the inside. Yet, we all seemed to have gotten fucked in more ways than one. There was another carcass of the same monster in the room after all. Did my group and I entered this room for shelter, barring the doors and failed to realize there''s a monster in this room already?


    I examined their bodies.


    Hmm..... I''m no expert but their wounds are too small for the monsters'' claws. The wounds were less unsightly too. I have seen the wound on my shoulders before they miraculously disappeared. They don''t look pretty. Compare to mine, their wounds look mild. In fact, they look like they were done in by swords. Did they fought each other here? No, the wounds are too small for their swords. They were gutted by something smaller. Besides blade wounds, there are also pierced wounds. Arrows? They were cut and shot?


    My theory is that they were chase by enemies wielding small swords and bows. They got fatally injured by them but managed to take shelter. They then bled out? But how did this monster came into the picture?


    Looking at it more closely, the carcass of the other monster seemed more rotten than the one I killed. It must have been dead for a longer time. Maybe this monster was already dead when they entered this room? Plus, this monster carcass was woundless. So how did it die?


    And how did I also ended up woundless? I woke up with aches on my body but no apparent wounds. Did I got lucky in the ensuing chase? That mightbe the case seeing as how I am not a combatant. Although if I''m truly not a combatant, why did I have such abilities? If I have such abilities would I still be a scholar? Why am I a scholar?


    I groan louder and ruffle my hair more intensely as I got more and more frustrated and the endless questions flood in without answers. Maybe I should stop asking questions anymore. At least only until I have gotten answers for my previous questions first.


    Yeah, that should be the case. As I am closing my eyes to get a little bit of rest from my brainstorm, screams and roars echo throughout the place. I immediately jolt up from the floor.


    There are still people here. Could they be my acquaintances? Sounds like they are having some trouble. Following the screams and roars, the whole place shook, like an earthquake had hit the whole place.


    While I am in joy that there were other peoples than me but the roars also proved that there are other monsters out there. Considering what just happened to me, I am very reluctant to venture out from this room. But if I don''t, I will just be staying here and rot.


    Damn it. It looks promising on a paper or on game but now that it has become reality, everything seems different. I can''t restart from a checkpoint if shit hits the fan. If I die, I die.


    Still, a part of me wants to know what the outside is like, to witness a nerd''s romance of this other world I''m currently in.


    I cast[Abyssal Edge],[Plane Displacement], and[Presence Detachment]again and again. Searing the activation methods into my brain. I test the limits of these three abilities.


    I''m able to extend the range and increase the size of[Abyssal Edge]but at a cost of higher Mana expenditure. Surprisingly, I could feel my Mana recovering but it wasn''t too slow nor too fast. I paid no mind to it as I have enough questions without answers.


    [Plane Displacement]. I can do more than just using it as a shield. I can even use it as a foothold. If I find a suitable area, I want to see if I can traverse through the air using[Plane Displacement]as a foothold.


    As for[Presence Detachment], there wasn''t anything notable about it except being a form of a cheat presence concealment skill. As for whether I am able to conceal myself from optical view, that remains to be seen.


    Now that I know the extent of my powers, I have decided to venture into the bleak darkness awaiting for me. But before that, I quickly skimmed through a few pages of the books that I found in my backpack. There are history books but one is a introduction about the world I''m currently in, Evarenan. A world that was spread into seven continents with a lot of different intelligent races other than humans. There''s elves of course. I''m looking forward to meeting one. I wanted to read more but now''s not the time. I hold off my desire for now. The strange book with the hard cover is really tempting me but I refrain. I have a feeling that if I start reading, I would not be moving from this spot.


    I salvaged and loot what I can and want from the corpses. There are a few interesting stuffs but I put aside my curiosity for now. Just to quickly run it down on what I have gotten from the unfortunates, there are potions, throwing weapons, gears and tools for adventuring, shields, maps, and others. Too bad, there was no provisions. At least none that were edible. I would have liked to have a thicker armor plating but they just weren''t my size.


    No food and water. More so the reason for me to move from this place. I gotta admit, I''m starving a little and my throat is a little parch. Maybe the other peoples here have some provisions to spare?


    I stepped out of the room, into the passage dimly lit by the glowing vines, with a fragile smile of newfound determination. Little did I know that the fragile smile is even more fragile than I expected. I would had never knew of the how terrifying this place could be, at least not until the eleventh hour.


    If only I knew, the whole unfortunate incident befell on me could have been averted but how would I have known?


    Damn it.

 Intermission - Vira

    "One of ours." Regis told me as he confirmed that the corpse was indeed another member of our expedition party. "I guess that''s ten confirmed dead adventurers."


    "I see." I uttered under my breath. We have rushed towards here as soon as we heard the screams. We were too late however. The insect-like monster was already feeding on the adventurer''s corpse. Like breathing to me, I split the insect monster into two.


    I looked back over my shoulder, observing the two Templar Knights behind me who weren''t in a good shape. They are wounded and exhausted. They were barely even keeping up to my pace.


    I clicked my tongue when I saw that. Of course, I made sure no one notice I clicked my tongue.


    Make no mistake. This wasn''t spite. At least not at them. If it''s anyone, it''s me. I blamed myself because I betrayed my own expectations.


    "What now, Captain Vira?" Maev who is standing the closest to me asked in a worn out tone.


    "We keep moving. There''s nothing we can do now." I said with a firm and resolute voice.


    My name is Vira Ninehearts. A Templar Arch Knight. The head of security for this expedition. Just to make it clear, I don''t normally do this sort of jobs. This one is an exception.


    Farmas Kingdom. The closest kingdom to this underground ruin. Two weeks ago, the Court Mages and the Court Alchemists of Farmas Kingdom detected a sudden influx of Mana energy from underground about twenty kilometers away from the capital.


    Scout parties reported back of a discovery of a newly formed crevasse. It was huge enough to fit five person. The scouts also also discover this crevasse leads deeper underground. Experts have surmised that it might be the birth of some high level magic beast. There were also speculations of it being a dungeon. A dungeon is basically a sort of a labyrinth filled with monsters. Such dungeons also often have valuable treasures, be it jewelries, gold, relic, weapons, knowledge, lost magic, or unknown resources. Such rewards attract people who would dare to brave the dangers for it. While not all but most of them are adventurers.


    Wanting to have the first claim be it a dungeon or a high level monster, the Farmas Kingdom was at a dilemma. They are a small kingdom and sending an army of soldiers away will leave the kingdom vulnerable. Although there hasn''t been a huge scale war for the last hundred years, kingdoms don''t exactly trust each other. So, the King of Farmas decided to hire adventurers. Their reward would be the treasures in the ruin but the Kingdom would take the credibility. Not that the adventurers have any complains. The majority of adventurers are known for valuing monetary more than fame. So why am I leading the Templar Knights along on this expedition?


    It is because the Farmas branch''s Faith of the Nines temple had also picked up traces of miasma from the underground. Miasma is basically dark energy, energy filled with negative elements. They are harmful to any non-demonic or phantom beings. Anyone with a [Light Magic] could dispel miasma but if it''s of high density and covering a huge range, that was a different story. Members of a faith would often be employed to purify the place and rid it of miasma. As this was the case, the King had also implored the assistance of the Faith of the Nines. The dominating faith in Evarenan. The faith even has its own army, the Templar Knights. The head of the Faith of the Nines, Cardinal Sacruen have agreed on the condition of that half of the credibility goes to the faith.


    And so, here I am. I wasn''t specifically picked. I was just coincidentally the nearest available high ranking knight in the vicinity. Before the expedition begun, I was against the very idea of it. Mainly because I saw the list of people who would be accompanying us. There was a total of thirty people including me. Six soldiers from the Kingdom, six Templar Knights plus a scholar of our own which makes us seven, and finally seventeen adventurers. Excluding me, the highest Overall Power Ranking was only B. For an unknown vast underground area exploration not to mention with the possibility of a high ranking monster to appear, the members were too few and too weak. However due to time being of the essence, the King couldn''t bear to wait any longer and decided with this. Naturally, I voiced my complain but the King simply appointed me, the strongest in the party, as the security head of this expedition. I decided from then on that the King of Farmas is a hopeless case. Arguing further is as fruitless as explaining politics to an infant.


    The kingdom had only spared six of their own in this expedition. Four of them were mere foot soldiers with an intermediate amount of experience while the other two were much more experienced. One is a Knight Captain of the Farmas Kingdom army and the other was a high ranking Court Alchemist. I was sure there was a title for the high ranking alchemist but I just couldn''t be bother with knowing it.


    Purely because of the King''s greed for fame and riches, the expedition was doom to fail and it did. Before even discovering anything notable or significant, they came. We were suddenly ambushed by monsters no one have ever seen before. Due to the unfamiliarity of their habits, we were at a disadvantage. When I said we, I actually meant everyone else besides me. I was alright for the most part. This is not bragging. This is fact. I am more than accustom to such situations, ambush by the least expected enemies. This was consider something of a norm to me but not them. Not even the two high ranks from the Kingdom army.


    In a panic, everyone split up. Among the six who were with me, three of them were separated from us in the confusion. I am not cold-blooded but I''m fine with the soldiers and adventurers heading to their own demise. This was their resolve and their own responsibility when they chose to go on this expedition. However for the six Templar Knights with me, I see them as a comrades, as my responsibility. If it weren''t for the missing three, I would have escape this hell hole the first thing when everything went wrong.


    Just a few moments after passing the last dead body, we arrived at a fork road. Three paths to choose from; left, middle, and right.


    "Oh, come on."Regis blurted out when he saw those tedious options.


    I, who was tempered thoroughly by the best swordsman in the world, I offered no such frustrated response. I merely scan the three roads thoroughly. This would have been a much easier choice if our bookworm, Hyx was here. He is good at this sort of things but he wasn''t here right now. We''ll just have to make do.


    "Which way, Captain Vira?" Mave asked. She looked distrustful towards me. Not that I blamed her in this kind of situation. Although, her voice and tone don''t sound distrustful to me at all. She might just be exhausted.


    "Left." I answered. Certainly, there is a good reason that I chose left. The path on the right has the highest density of miasma while the middle one has the lowest. The path on the right tells me that we will be going head to head with tons of monsters. I didn''t chose the middle one because its miasma density is too low. Even lower than the miasma density of the area we are in. Which makes it seem too much like a trap. Therefore, the left lane is best option.


    I do not know if the others understood my choice but I don''t need them to. I just need them to follow me. Second guessing a decision from a superior would only leads to a breakdown in the chain of command, resulting in a unneeded chaos.


    "Alright." Leon, the forth member, managed to say despite his condition. He is even using his spear as a crutch. "Right behind you, captain."


    Out of everyone here, Leon maybe the least trusting of me. I just hope he doesn''t decide to go against my orders is all I ask. At times like this, I wish Hyx was here. He is always so sanguine about stuffs. It even made me question his sanity at one point but of course, I didn''t tell that to him directly. Not that I hate it, it helps from time to time and it would certainly help right now.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    It had only been roughly a day or more since we descend into the unknown darkness. We have prepared provisions enough for a month but all those were lost during the ambush and the confusion. Thanks to my unique Arcane Arts [Grace of the Nines],  using Mana, I''m able to stay hydrated and supplement myself with magic power as substitute for food. Of course, this privilege only applies to me. I can''t say the same for the others.


    Before we step into the left path, I stopped in my tracks. I was quiet for approximately three seconds.


    "What''s wrong, Captain?" Regis asked, sounding concern.


    Without glancing back, I told them "I''ll say this once again, you all can turn back now and leave this place. You need not follow me. I won''t belittle you for it."


    "Captain Vira?" Maev asked back, seemingly disbelieving the words she just heard from me. "You know we can''t......"


    Before Maev could finish, I cut her off. "We have neither food nor water. Unlike me, you three are not self-efficient. I don''t contract disease easily too. It would take a lot of miasma before it becomes poison to me. But all that is me. Not you. So I implore you to think about this." I told all of them the harsh truth without any honey or sugar coating.


    They all looked at me in silent. Maev have cast her gaze downwards. Looks like she felt the hit of reality. Leon clicked his tongue, not at me but at himself. Regis just stood there, staring at the ceiling.


    "Ma~" Leon broke the silence. "Then I''ll say this once again too, I won''t leave our team behind." Leon replied. Despite being the one in the worst condition, his tone was fill with resolve and energy.


    "Just as Leon said, Captain. We would never leave each other behind." Maev said with a fist to the chest.


    "Same goes to me, Captain." Regis joined the last.


    "Besides, it is actually too late to turn back now." Leon commented.


    I titled my head as I concentrate on my hearing. Leon''s right. The place we were ambush, the pale monsters have already regroup there. Too late, indeed.


    Anyways, I expected that would be their answer. After all, it would be un-knightly of them to return to the surfaces themselves while their teammates left abandoned in the darkness. I was neither contend nor against their decisions. I was just in a frustrated dilemma. Should all of them die, the entire weight of their deaths would befall onto me.


    My eyes were close as I once again steeled my resolve. "If that is indeed your decision, I will not accept any complains later."


    """Understood.""" The three said out loud in unison.


    I offered a wry smile at them but since I didn''t glance back at them, they couldn''t see the smile. I''m well aware that my smile was a blue moon phenomenon. Letting them seeing my smile might be a good jolt for them but I''m afraid it would be too much of a jolt. I chuckled in silence as I imagined that comedy skit in my mind.


    "Captain?" Regis asked, he seemed to have notice my chuckle.


    "Let''s keep moving." Of course, I ignored his question and walked on.


    The path led us to a smaller passageway. A corridor with a four meter width and an eight meter height. It fits my party but I doubt it fits the pale monsters that ambushed us. I was a little relieve at this fact. We advance further into the corridor and after a few minutes, we felt the ground was sloped. We were descending deeper in to the darkness.


    "Ores...." Regis said, his fingers tracing on the brownish black walls of the passageway. Since he is the only one with the [Appraisal] ability among us, it was only natural for him to be pointing out any point of interest.


    I wasn''t particularly interested in it though. My response was a mere murmur.


    "What kind?" Maev asked, her eyes was wide open.


    "Azunmite Ores?" Regis answered with a question.


    "What kind of ore is that?" Leon asked. He was still hanging on strong. Admirable.


    "I don''t know." Regis shrugged. "There isn''t any info other than the name from [Appraisal]."


    "We are not here for ores." I remind them as I kept walking.


    Besides the huge deposit of Azunmite ores in the walls, there wasn''t any monsters but we do occasionally hear the cries of monsters and screams presumably from the other parties. We paid no mind to the two. It wasn''t like there was anything we could do. After walking for about an hour, we finally came to a larger space. Instead of a narrow passageway, we were now in a hall.


    "Wow." Regis gasped.


    The hall seems to be a different area. There were stone pavement leading to the other end of the hall but the rest of the grounds are soil. Plants that nobody have ever seen before were growing everywhere. Some are even glowing in the dark. Some looked extremely poisonous. Fortunately, the pavements was cleared of the overgrown plants. This makes it easier for us to proceed. Although, we do not know who made this straight path.


    "I don''t think I have ever seen these plants before." Maev said.


    "Nobody has." I answered. "As far as I can tell, everything is new down here. We should be expecting more surprises as we head further and deeper in."


    "Can''t argue with that." Leon made a casual remark. He has a bulge in his pocket. Must be a Azunmite ore but I let him go with just that.


    Despite my disinterest in the difference of this area, I do admire the beauty and grace of the plants here. It has an elegant feel to it. I would have liken it to a garden but as I advance further, I saw there are trees that grew until the ceiling. It became something too excessive to be consider a garden. There must be at least a good fifty meters distance between the ground and the ceiling. So the tree is quite tall. Thankfully, the trees were not in the way of the path. They grew on the sides of the path. The trees are coiled in glowing cyan vines. The trees itself have flowers blooming on the branch. It certainly is a magnificent view.


    We were so entranced by the trees that I failed to notice something approaching us until it was too late. It approached us on all fours, slowly out of the dense vegetation around the trees. If it weren''t for the rustling sounds of the vegetation, I doubt I would have notice the approaching monster. The way it move was terrifyingly silent.


    What appeared from the bushes is a two meter tall ape-like monster. It has thick armor plates all over its body. The armor plates seem to be part of its body. Its fur under the thick armor is brown. Its teeth are sharp enough to be called fangs. Its eyes are just purely white. No iris nor pupil, just pure white. It also has a pair of curved horns protruding from its forehead. Its blood veins glowing an intense dark purple. It crawled towards us like an ape would. It''s breathing but it''s quiet. Quiet enough to get near us without alerting me. Impressive.


    "Regis?" I asked him since he has appraisal. His appraisal didn''t work on the pale monsters last time. I doubt it would work this time but no harm asking.


    "Goliath." Regis gave an unexpected answer.


    "Huh? Don''t think I have ever encounter a Goliath before." Leon remarked.


    No one has. Goliaths appeared only in myths and bedtime stories. There were multiple depictions of Goliaths but they were always depicted as large and physically strong.


    "So this is a Goliath." Maev unintentionally muttered.


    "What else?" I asked Regis again.


    "Rank B." His tone was hollow. "His abilities are....." His voice trailed off.


    "Regis? What abilities does it have?" I probed the stiff Regis for more information.


    He made a gulp sound before finally answering. "[Near-Indestructible Hide], [Body Strengthening], [Fire Magic Resistance], [Lightning Magic Resistance], [Shockwave]."


    I didn''t interrupt Regis. I just stood and listened attentively to this appraisal. When he seems to have finished, my response was "I see." And I drew my sword from its scabbard on the left side of my waist. The sword wasn''t anything special but that''s the point. I intend to test the strength of this Goliath.


    "Prepare yourselves." I ordered.


    Regis immediately drew his sword and held it with both of his hands as oppose to me with one hand.


    Maev went into a drawing stance but she did not draw her sword, or rather her katana. She just held her stance as she eyed the Goliath.


    As for Leon, his grip around his spear which he has been using as a crutch tightened.


    I assumed the Goliath sense our retaliating hostility, it began its attack. It leaped several meters into the sky, before dropping back down with both of its fist driving into the ground. Its point of attack was of course, us. We all managed to avoid its attack from the sky but its ability [Shockwave], did what its name implies, it sends out shockwave from its drop towards its surroundings.


    I heard Leon screamed as he got thrown away and a loud groan from Maev as she withstood the force. For Regis, he was just pushed back by the force. It appears that he and I didn''t make a sound when we received the attack. Nice job for that.


    After that attack, the Goliath sent its gaze towards all of us. It was picking its next target.


    As I wonder who would be his target next, I prepare a spell. I intend to unleash the spell when it has decided on a target.


    It growled as it laid its eyes on its next victim.


    "Good." I muttered as I approved his choice of target. So come on, come at me. I''ll make you regret for not having [Indestructible Hide] instead.


    "Everyone!" Maev shouted.


    I turned to see what cause Maev to shout and I understand it upon witnessing two more Goliaths appearing from the dense vegetation. I said nothing but merely gesturing at them with my eyes, ordering Maev and Regis to take on the newly emerged two. I left Leon out because of obvious reasons. However, the person in question himself doesn''t seem to be giving up.


    "May the Nines bless us through all grims." Leon said his prayers as he also went into a battle stance. Sluggish but expected considering his wounds.


    "May the Nines bless us." Regis resonated the prayers.


    "May the Nines bless us." Maev followed.


    Now it''s my turn. "May the Nines bless us."


    Alright, let''s do this.

 H4 - Reagents and a monkey

    I still can''t tell whether this place is a monster dungeon or some castle ruins. There were areas which looked like parts from a castle but there were also areas which looked completely like a monster dungeon. Perhaps it was some city build like a dungeon underground?


    There were also quite a lot of variations of floras. Each one seems to have its own exceptional features. Especially the cyan vines that glow which is also the light source that dispel the darkness of this dungeon. They can be seen almost everywhere in the dungeon. I had also occasionally encountered some strange bugs and insects but none of them were threatening, yet. There were also fireflies or at least they looked like one. The light emitting from one of it was as bright as a torch. For some reason, they disperse when I approach them.


    Breaks my heart.


    Besides the plants and bugs, this place is also rich with ores. No matter where I looked, I could always see ore veins, whether its on the ceiling, ground, or wall.


    After coming out from a narrow passage, I entered into a large space. This space was blossom with glowing flowers everywhere. There were crystals of human-sized protruding from the ground, acting like monument among the field of flowers. Crystal Pillars, I guess I could call them. The Crystal Pillars are made up of crystals clumped together. Like the plants here, they were also glowing radiantly. They were of cyan and purple color. The sight of this place from I stood, looks like something from a finest painting.


    I approached one of the Crystal Pillars that has a height a little bit taller than me. I touched it. The crystals responded to my touch. It shone a bright radiance. The light left the crystal and flowed gracefully into my hand. Yes, into my hand. I felt power surging into me. Out of reflex, I retracted my hand immediately from the crystals. I stared intensely at my hand which had just absorbed the crystals'' light. The light had flow into my blood veins, making it glow. The glow lasted only a few seconds before it slowly died down. The sight reminded me of the time when I saw the purplish black veins crawling from my heart to my neck.


    I was scare but intrigued at the same time. I headed to another Crystal Pillar which was at least two heads taller than me. I slightly poke my finger at it. The moment it begin to shine brightly and the light seems to also begin to flow out, I retracted my finger. The intensity died down in an instance. Is it reacting exclusively to me or anyone who touches it? Since I don''t have anyone with me, I can''t test that theory.


    Sighing to resolve myself, I placed my hand on the Crystal Pillar. It once again shined brightly like the previous one. Also like the previous one, the light left the crystal and flowed like a river into my hand. The energy this time felt greater than the previous one. That must be a given since this Crystal Pillar is bigger. I''m guessing I''m absorbing the energy from the crystals.


    The act of consuming the crystal light, invoked the child in me. I went skipping around and absorbed the lights from the Crystal Pillars like nobody''s business. I was simply dazzled by the phenomenon of me able to absorb the Crystal Pillars'' light. With each absorb, I felt something inside me was accumulating, welling up.


    After a few rounds, I decided to check my status card. Everything remained the same except a certain part.


    HP: 140/140


    MP: 220/220


    It appears that my total Mana pool has increased. Is the light from the Crystal Pillars Mana Energy? The light is cyan though. Maybe is just because of my hours of gameplay with RPG games that always represent Mana with blue color. I suppose cyan is a blue of sorts.


    My foot then hit something. I looked down and saw a miniature version of the Crystal Pillars. It is not even a foot tall. At most, it''s merely five centimeters of height. It is still a Crystal Pillar despite its small size. The color is a little bit different though. It is of a clam but sharp blue light emitting from the Crystal Pillar.


    I touched it.


    ......


    ......


    Nothing happened. I didn''t absorb its light like the others. Perhaps this crystal is different? Although I didn''t manage to absorb the light, just from touching it, I can tell there is a huge deposit of energy in it. So, I was adamant in absorbing the light. I grasped the tiny Crystal Pillar which was barely able to fit in my hand and begin focusing. I imagine myself absorbing the light but nothing happened. I then imagine all sorts of thing related to extracting the light from it. Still, nothing happened.


    I got agitated and started pouring my Mana instead of extracting it. I didn''t know I could or able to pour Mana. I merely done it on a whim. Then, the Crystal Pillar begin to shine brightly. It emitted a burst of blue radiance which I can feel some force and energy in it.


    "Oops?" I muttered when I realized I fucked up.


    If I was a toddler, I would have being blown away by the force emitted. I withstood the push and continue grabbing on to the Crystal Pillar.


    The energy emitting from the Crystal Pillar continues to push me away but I didn''t let it. I just kept holding on to it. After a while, the light died down and I no longer felt the push from the Crystal Pillar.


    Is it over? I asked in my mind.


    Just when it died down, the Crystal Pillar shine brightly again but this time it shone so bright the lights were leaving the crystal. Lights of sharp but calm blue. Instead of a graceful flow, it felt like multiple needles rushed and inserted themselves into my hand.


    Of course, I immediately screamed at the sudden pain. I flinched away from the Crystal Pillar which had lost its light. I clutched my hand which had the light forcibly seeping into my hands. It doesn''t seem too bad from the sides but the reality of it feels like needles forcing their way into my skin. The pain was just as bad as having the pale monsters taking a chunk out of me. I can do nothing but seethe with anger and agony while hoping and praying for it to stop. I prayed for forgiveness. Somehow, I think I have anger the spirits of this place by simply absorbing energy from the crystals and I''m now being punished for it.


    Finally, the lights had completely seeped into me. My right hand was numb. Apparently the sensation of needles plunging into my skin weren''t a complete imagination. There are red marks on my hand. My blood veins are swollen. I was actually physically hurt from absorbing the light from the miniature Crystal Pillar. I was breathing heavily due to my exhaustion and the pain that slowly came creeping in again. Quite contrary to my ragged appearance and my throbbing hand, excitement boiled within me.


    After the initial pain, I felt power. Immense power but not too immense in the sense of becoming almighty. No pain, no gain, is what I''m reminded of.


    With my left hand, I looked at my status card.


    HP: 150/150


    MP: 320/320


    Huh. My MP has increased dramatically from that. In a way, the pain was worth it? Of course, I vowed to be cautious in the future. I might not be this fortunate the next time. I laughed dryly at my own failure/success. Life does have an odd sense of humor.


    I was lying on the floor staring at the ceiling. Exactly like when I had kill the monster. It wasn''t that long since then but it already feels nostalgic from just thinking about it.


    Ouch.


    I tried moving and incurred the pain that is still lingering in my right arm. The price is heavy after all. It would be absurd if the toll wasn''t this much. I laughed dryly at my situation.


    [Conditions Cleared]


    Hmm? What cleared?


    [Mana Overseer Lv.1 (Unique) - Unlocked]


    Oh ho?


    [Mana Overseer: Mana Transmission - Acquired]


    Oh? What?


    [Mana Overseer: Lv.1 increased to Lv. 2]


    That was quick.


    [Mana Overseer: Mana Perception - Acquired]


    Can things get any better? But what do those ability do though? Oh right, I can do that.


    [Mana Overseer: Mana Transmission]


    Grants the user the ability to give or absorb Mana from a source. Rate and efficiency of transmission increases with level. Does not require permission from the source to transmit.


    Wow. That''s sounds a little bit too overpowered and slightly smell of crime.


    [Mana Overseer: Mana Perception]


    Grants the user the ability to perceive Mana flow as far as the eyes could see.


    So with this ability,  it is something like a thermal vision but instead of picking up heat, it''s Mana.


    This only came to me after for a long while. I should inspect my other abilities too. I know they are called Arcane Arts but that''s too mouthful. Abilities will do. Who created the name Arcane Arts in the first place?


    Abyss Magic


    A variant of dark magic. A lesser variant of Void Magic.


    Oh wow. Although I didn''t feel such immense power from [Abyssal Edge], I do feel the immense vibe from reading the texts projected. Somehow, the word Void emphasize the power the magic holds. I wonder why? I inspected [Abyssal Edge] too but it didn''t give any info of what I had not know.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Spatial Magic


    The ability to manipulate space itself.


    Hmm.....


    .......


    .......


    I don''t think I need to comment on this at all. If I have to, I''ll say only one thing. This ability right here is the cheat of cheats.


    [Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment]


    The ability to detach the user''s presence from the current plane of reality. Sight, smell, noise, heat, taste, magic energy emitted from the user are imperceptible through various and normal means.


    I see. So even the sight of me is included in the package. That''s good. The things I can do with this. Don''t get wrong ideas here, cause I didn''t.


    [Spatial Magic: Plane Displacement]


    Creates a tangible part of space itself, acting as an intercepting barrier.


    Nothing new from this. I still want to find out whether I could use this as a foot hold while in air.


    With some mystery solved, I think, my attention shifted back to the miniature Crystal Pillar. This tiny thing must be one hell of an artifact. To think I obtain so much just from this. Alright, I''ll use [Mana Perception] on you, little one.


    Hmm.... Nothing. There was no Mana in the crystal. I guess that would be the case considering I might have drained all of it. When I looked up from the crystal, I was attack by immense light of bluish hue. Since the floras in this area are rich in Mana, I almost went blind from using [Mana Perception]. Thank god that thought didn''t came true.


    As overpowered as it sounds, [Mana Perception] has a huge flaw. When I used it, everything turned black in my sight. I can see only Mana flows, dazzling like sole light sources in the dark. Therefore, I can''t see anything that doesn''t possess Mana while I''m using [Mana Perception]. Well, that''s a let down.


    Not a complete let down though. Through this unique sight, I have come to learn that there are different types of Mana. Or at least, Mana from different source have different colors. The Mana that flows in my body is light bluish. The ones in the trees and vines are cyan. The Crystal Pillars are purplish blue. The ore veins are dark blue. Surprisingly, the flowers and grasses all have a slight differences of blue than each other, unlike the trees which have the same color no matter its kind. I find this odd and interesting. Perhaps it has something to do with the properties of the flowers and grasses?


    I walked to a yellow flower with seven petals, dragging my right hand along which was still twisted with agony. I decided to not give attention to it as I believe the pain will eventually subside. This seven petals flower has the fewest in numbers comparing to the other flowers. This seven petals flower also has the brightest shine to its blue light despite being a yellow flower.


    My hands stopped before I touch the flower.


    I hesitated to pluck it. I wasn''t sure if the Mana within would remain if I pluck it. After some deep thought, I decided to just say, fuck it. I pluck the flower.


    Good. The light which represents the Mana remains. I don''t know what it does but my instinct is telling me that I should just hoard it for future uses. Of course, I didn''t pluck all of it. If these flowers here are the last remaining of its kind, I will feel bad if I become responsible for its extinction.


    I then also pluck some green flowers with at least dozens of leaves on its stem. Contrast to its green, the flower emits a light reddish aura. It appears there''s a lot of flowers emit aura that is contrary to their color. I chose those green flowers because I could sense vitality radiating from it. If I were to describe the feeling, I felt healthier and more energetic when I touched it. Of course those feelings were just in my head.


    Feeling a little bit creative and innovative and also curios, I crushed the yellow flower and the green flower along with its stem. I then mashed the two together. For some reasons, the aura emitting from the mashed up flowers became an intense red. The color of the crushed flowers have also gained a slight red. I raised an eyebrow on the discovery. I pinched a bit from the mash and put it into my mouth.


    Although it was subtle, I feel a little bit of function returning to my right hand.


    Oh? Could it be....?


    I crushed more of the two flowers together. I mashed them together until it became red. I then ingested the lump of mashed flowers.


    It is what I think it is.


    The red marks on my right hand were gone and the pain could no longer be consider agony but there is still pain, only a little however.


    My initial guess was right. I have discovered and created a healing reagents. Maybe the flowers here have medicinal properties.


    Before I get right to my experiment, I ingested more of the healing reagents to rid the pain completely away.


    I ended up discovering various reagents. The reason I''m not calling them potion is because they weren''t in liquid form. They were just crushed flowers and leaves, a mash. I''m not sure they''re qualify to be call a potion yet. Or at least my nerd brain wouldn''t allow me to as it would betray my expectations. Really, brain?


    The yellow flower with the blue aura is apparently a catalyst. Unless its combined with the yellow flower, any other flower alone would not produce any effects.


    So far, I have created reagents that recovers health and Mana and also reagents that boost one''s efficiency in Mana expenditure. There were two other reagents that I have created but I didn''t feel anything change nor any effects. I don''t believe they did nothing so I held on to those for now. I wrapped those reagents in different leaves for each type. The leaves was something I found from a nearby bush. Since I didn''t pick up any sign of Mana when I use [Mana Perception], I guess they are just ordinary bushes.


    Just when things were looking up, life handed me lemons. Extremely sour, spoiled, and rotten lemons. I didn''t see it. Nor do I need to. I can feel it approaching just from the hostile aura it emits. Among the dense vegetation, it emerges.


    A demon ape?


    About six and a half feet tall. An ape-like monster came out from the bushes, fully armored. It even walks like a gorilla. I called it a demon ape because that was my first impression. It looks like an ape and to me, who sees this whole place as hell, I see these monsters as demons. Therefore, I call it a demon ape. I found out later it is called a Goliath but we will get to that in the future.


    I don''t know if it''s hungry or just angry because I trespassed into its territory. There''s a high chance that it might be a bit of both or both completely. It charged at me the moment it knew it was noticed. The demon ape sent a straight fist at me. I put up [Plane Displacement] but it shattered it into millions of tiny pieces, like my hope. Despair engulfed me as the fist approached me. I had already resigned myself to death at that point. When it broke through the barrier made of space magic, I felt its tremendous strength. I will not survive that. Maybe this won''t kill me if I had armor on.


    As that thought crossed my mind, I feel something cladding me. Something like a layer of mucous.


    Its fist connected, sending me flying until I hit the ground and went skidding. I think I skidded for about fifty feet before I finally stop.


    [Mana Overseer: Mana Skin - Acquired]


    Ah, I see. I''ve been save by Deus Ex Machina once again. The mucous feeling is the [Mana Skin] ability, I see. It didn''t exactly negate the damage but it prevented the punch from killing me. In a way, it was a very bad thing. Out of optimism, I perceive this as a way to prolong my suffering. Since I''m not dead, I am assaulted with torrents of pain. I let out wordless screams.


    Also on a side note, there goes all the reagents that I have created after all the trials and errors. The reagents were scattered all over the floor as I was hit.


    The demon growled, reminding me it is still there.


    Well fuck you, you stupid monkey.


    It charged at me again.


    Over the course of last few hours, pain has become something of a relative. I was able to endure it to some extent but not to the point where it wouldn''t affect my performance.


    As I was wondering what to do next and getting back up on my feet, a wild thought hit me.


    Hmm..... I can try that. Does it works like that? I wonder.


    I came up with the theory that [Mana Perception] is a magic that is cast on the eyes but can I apply the magic only to one eye?


    Answer?


    It can. I successfully applied [Mana Perception] only on my right eye. Since I had been fucking around with my magic before I left that cell room, I kinda have a grasp on using magic now. Kinda.


    There was a sudden influx of Mana in the demon ape''s right hand. This tells me the demon ape intends to use its right arm to attack. Because I knew about this beforehand, I was able to dodge its attack.


    Suddenly, things were looking back up. With the help of [Mana Perception], I was able to swiftly dodge its attacks because I had known it was coming. I prepare for a counterattack. I conjured up [Abyssal Edge] in my right hand. I slashed at its left arm right after it swung. I let out a grin when it connected. Perhaps I grinned too early. The blade hit but it didn''t cut.


    Fuck.


    Was all I could say as another punch sent me flying until I hit a wall, or more accurately, the other end of this long and vast hallway. I managed to cast [Plane Displacement] in a hurry but it broke through it like last time. Just like the space magic barrier, my [Mana Skin] worn off. Must have reached its limit of absorbing damage. Wishful thinking that it might had help a bit. There''s an exit in the form of a large hole but this wasn''t easy mode. The corridor which was the exit had collapse, filled with rocks and boulders in the way.


    I sighed. Why fate? Why?


    As I was brooding over my accursed fate and ignoring the accumulating pain, I find the demon ape in the air, above me. Apparently, it had jump thirty feet into the air and it is now diving right at me. I leaped out of the way but the shockwave blasted me away as it landed. The force carried me until I hit the side of the hallway. The walls are not flat. Which makes hitting them with one''s back all the more painful. Not even [Plane Displacement] can block the shockwave.


    Being thrown around like that, I think my body is going numb against pain. I don''t know if that''s a good thing or not. While I was pondering such things, the demon ape was not going to let me have a breather. It started off with a sprint and then it leaped, towards me. Its fist crashed into the wall of ores. It missed because I dodged to the left. It pulled its hand out of the wall in a single breath and gaze intensely at  me.


    What did I ever do to you?


    The demon ape slammed its fist onto the ground. I avoided it but the shockwave got me. I was again flung into the air and went tumbling on the ground.


    I think I might be hitting my max capacity of endurance soon. Before that happened, if I want to live, I have to think of something. Anything would do.


    The demon ape went on the offensive but thanks to [Mana Perception], I could see and avoid its deadly swinging fists. When it swung too hard and ended planting its fist into the wall, I saw my opportunity. I use [Abyssal Edge] and swung with two hands, at its unarmored head.


    Huh? Ha.


    The head might be naked and bared but it is by no means unarmored. The skin of its head was surprisingly as tough as the armor on its body. Why though? Little did I realize that my magic blade on its head is precisely why.


    This time, it didn''t hit me with its fist. The demon ape instead got me in a choke-hold. It brought me close to its face, appraising me or something. Then it proceed to slam me on the ground like a certain undertaker in a certain entertainment industry. Just from the first slam, it knocked all the air out of my lungs. My screams turned soundless at that.


    That''s it. I''m fucked. I had hit my threshold for pain tolerance. In fact, it was already way past the threshold. Just as I had expected back then, I have became numb to the pain assaulting my body. I can tell you, it feels way too uneasy on so many levels. Feeling pain is a good thing.


    Devoid of any pain, my mind started to drift off from reality. I feel like my soul has left my body. Ah~~~ I feel light. My body and my head. It feels light. It strange to feel no pain when I hit the ground hard. Strange.


    Just then, the demon ape stopped slamming me on the ground. Was I grateful that it stopped? Or was I not? Neither. I''m in a state where I have stop giving my two cents and damn about the whole ordeal. I literally can''t feel anything at this point.


    Of course, I did wonder why it stopped. Was it because of my lifeless eyes? Did it think that I was dead? I then find out those weren''t the case. Instead, it was because it had company.


    Three pale monsters, the same kind as the monster back then who tried to eat me, three of them are crawling on the wall near me and the demon ape. Three more emerged from the shadows. They were also crawling, on the ground, towards us.


    The demon ape slowly back away, avoiding from getting cornered. It dragged me along by my right leg. It was trying to protect its food, not my well-being. That won''t happen. Not in a million years.


    Slowly but eventually, the pale monsters had surrounded the demon ape. I felt its grip tightened on my leg as it realized it was cornered.


    Even when I''m down, life still intends to kick me, right?


    Hey, loli voice. I can use some advice right now.


    I waited for a response that never came.


    Well, fuck you too then.


    Now, how will the demon ape fare against six of the pale monsters.


    6 against 1


    Let the games begin.

 H5 - Precarious

    ......


    Oh damn.


    I muttered in awe as I witness the demon ape''s punch literally sent one of the pale monsters flying. It had attacked the demon ape with a lunge but that proved to be unsuccessful.


    The demon ape is currently up against a total of six pale monsters with me being held by my right leg, in its left hand.


    No, it is not protecting me out of kindness. It is just merely protecting its food. I doubt the concept of kindness even exist in its heart.


    I wasn''t struggling. I couldn''t even struggle if I wanted to. After being slammed into the ground a few times by the buff monkey here, I could barely feel a connection to my body. My whole body is just numb.


    Moving my fingers without the feeling of having fingers proves to be difficult.


    A screech pierces into my ears.


    Another pale monster had lunge from the side and just like before, it also gets swatted away by the demon ape like a fly.


    One of them seized this opening and pounce. Its claws grasping tightly on to the demon ape''s right arm. It sink its teeth into the demon ape''s arm but reality has not been kind to the pale monster. The demon ape''s armor is tougher than its fangs. The demon ape bites down on the back of the pale monster''s neck. It shrieked. Sinking its fangs further into its neck, the demon ape then tosses the pale monster into another who came attacking. The two then both went tumbling and crashing into the dense vegetation.


    Fucking hell. This gorilla is good.


    To think that I was having a hard time against one of those pale monsters. This gorilla handles them like it was just an afternoon stroll. I guess my chances of winning against this monkey is non-existent from the beginning eh.


    Maybe making it out from this place is just a convenient lie I told to myself to calm my fragile heart. What a joke.


    As I''m pondering on my grim future, a pale monster attacked from the back. It latches itself onto the demon ape''s back. The demon ape growls at it like it''s only a mere nuisance and execute a reverse headbutt. When the claws loosened from the concussion, the demon ape swing the pale monster to the front, throwing it on the ground.


    Before my very eyes, the pale monster''s head is completely pulverized by the demon ape who brought its fist down like a hammer.


    Blood, bones, organs, and brain matter splattered everywhere. I felt some of it even got on to my face. Although that is the least of my problems, currently.


    When the other pale monsters saw how its own brethren is killed just like that, they begin taking caution against the demon ape. They were not rushing in carelessly like few moments ago.


    Hmm. They learned. That''s terrifyingly impressive. Albeit a little late.


    This time, three of the pale monsters leaped at the demon ape together. The demon ape managed to punch at least one away but the other two crashed into it.


    I felt that the demon ape almost went tumbling but it held its ground. It peels one off and throws it away like nothing.


    By the way, the two were trying to bite the demon''s ape head. Yeah, good luck with that. I didn''t.


    The demon ape grabs the last one still latching on him and slams it into the ground. The demon ape stomp onto the pale monster, pinning it on the ground. As it was doing this, a pale monster came for me. Me, who is still numb with pain, I can only widened my eyes at that.


    The demon ape noticed it. It let the pale monster have a bite of its elbow instead. Although my vision was a bit of a blur at that time, I saw blood dripping from the demon ape''s elbow.


    What? Is this the demon ape''s blood or is it from the pale monster''s broken teeth?


    The demon ape roared in anger and sent its elbow to dislocate the pale monster''s jaw. I swear I could have heard a whimper from the pale monster. Of course, the pale monster who had its jaw broken was flailing on the ground.


    Then I notice the blood belongs to the ape. The fang had sunk into the gap between its armor plates.


    Not forgetting the one under its feet, the demon ape slowly applied its weight on its feet. I squinted my eyes and ears as I could hear the sound of the pale monster''s bones cracking and the organs squeezing noise from being compressed.


    Finally, the pale monster''s torso burst outwards from the compression and I end up with more gory bits on me. I don''t even want to know which part these bits and pieces came from.


    Fuck, this is disgusting. Front row seats aren''t that great after all.


    Admiring its handiwork, the demon ape is pounced from its blind spot by two pale monsters. We all went tumbling into a field of flowers.


    I saw some strange looking flowers. It has no petals but only something like a bud. When it was destroy by us tumbling into it, the bud bursts and become millions of tiny specks of spores.


    Huh? What kind of plant does that?


    I have terrible experiences with spores. I don''t trust them. I was instantly reminded of a certain alien who seeks out the host through the ear in a spore-like form and then burst out from the host''s back.


    Damn, I wish I did not have to remember that.


    In the ensuing struggle, finally I was release from the demon ape''s grasp. I let out a few coughs from the impact and the damn spores in the air. Three pale monsters begin a strategic assault on the demon ape.


    Hmm.... Some senses have returned to me. I can move my fingers now.


    I took advantage of it and tried to slip away.


    I failed to account for the forth one.


    It appeared in front of me. I stare at it.


    It pounces onto me.


    With the little strength that I have left, I struggle to my limits from its fangs. Eventually, my strength gave out. It chomped down on my left fore arm which I use to defend my face, which is the pale monster''s original intended target.


    Needless to say, I scream. At least I recovered enough energy to not let out a wordless scream.


    My scream seems to have reached the demon ape''s ears. Before I knew it, the demon ape tossed one of the pale monsters to the one crunching on my arm. I see those two off.


    Thanks to the demon ape. I was free but not for long.


    In just a few moments, I am once again in the grasp of the demon ape. This time, I can feel its grasp tightened. Understandable but doesn''t mean I sympathize with it.


    I''m seething with anger at myself and at the demon ape.


    I''m not your meal, you stupid overgrown monkey.


    The demon ape is pissed, not at me.


    It clearly didn''t like having anyone else taking a bite of its prey.


    It managed to grab one of the pale monster''s face and smashed it against the wall. What happened to the pale monster? Its face became flatter than pancakes. I was spare of the gore this time as the demon ape itself was in the way.


    Two pale monsters came attacking. One was socked in the abdomen while the other took the opportunity to slash its claw at the demon ape. To my shock, the demon ape is capable of dodging. The claws missed and met the wall behind the demon ape instead. The claws traced the wall, making a disturbing high pitch noise.


    What''s worse than that noise?


    The sparks created from the claws slashing at the wall. The sparks itself weren''t the problem. The problem is the presence of the spores. I only found out that the spore are highly combustive when it was ignited by the sparks that flew into it.


    My vision was instantly dyed a dazzling, intense, and fierce color of red, yellow, and orange. I honestly thought that was really the end for me. The explosion resulted from the spores and the sparks coming into contact, threw us all away from the epicenter.


    I didn''t die. The demon ape acted as a shield because it was grabbing me. I was spare from the main shockwave of the explosion because of that.


    But that didn''t mean I came out unscathed. I still suffered some damage from the spontaneous combustion. My whole body is practically smoking red hot, literally. The fresh wound on my left arm is even slightly cauterized. I glimpse at such wound, it reminds me of roasted dairy products, like a failed melted quiche. I shudder from the sight of it and instantly averts my line of sight from it. Mortifying.


    Pain assaults my body.


    Due to the lack of air from the combustion, I could only gasp instead of scream.


    From the smoke, the demon ape comes out unscathed while the pale monsters are charred. One of them survives but that could change quickly in a moment.


    Yeap. Because it is severely weakened from the explosion, the pale monster could only lay there as the demon ape stomp its head. I think it would be needless for me to describe how it went with its head at this point.


    With all its enemies dead, the demon ape finally converges its focus onto me.


    Shit. I had wish you have forgotten about me.


    No matter what. I refuse to be your food. Even if I don''t have a noble reason to live, I have no reason to give up myself either. I refuse to submit here. If I were to die here, I want to go down fighting. You want to eat me? You will have to work hard for it.


    I summon strength that I don''t have and start crawling away from the demon ape. I was dangerously arrogant for some reasons. I''m surprised at myself too.


    I remember it looked at me with its head tilted. It''s probably wondering why am I still struggling.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Maybe it had not seen a prey struggling so desperately before. It''s probably wondering why I won''t just accept my fate as its food and be obedient to be eaten.


    As if my will to live was an insult, it roared at me and trample the ground like a brat''s tantrum.


    Huh, funny. You looked just like the pale monster you elbowed. I guess monsters are just as pathetic as each other. I stared intently at the demon ape filled with anger and repugnance.


    It roared again and this time, it moves. Only a few steps forward, it halts in its track. I can understand why it did that. Both the demon ape and I looked to the place where I came to this hallway from.


    Pale monsters appeared one after another from the passage. By now, the sheer number of it had reach more than a dozen.


    Holy shit. That''s a lot.


    Fuck me. That''s a lot.


    That''s a lot. Shit.


    Shit. Shit.


    I unconsciously begin to crawl faster. I tried to get up but I was devoid of stamina. I fell again immediately after I got to my feet because of that.


    Shit! Fuck me! Don''t do this me now, body! Get the fuck up! Get up!


    I screamed at myself in my mind for my body to get up.


    I looked back and saw the demon ape already engaging in battle with the pale monsters.


    Now''s my chance. Now or never. I crawled desperately away from the carnage.


    Eh?


    My hand pressed on something. Something like a paper.


    I look at it and sees the reagents that I have compounded, wrapped in paper leaves. I have dropped them when I was sent flying the first time by the demon ape. There are now a few right in front of my eyes and within my reach. Granted, they aren''t in a perfect condition. Some are spilled but I don''t care. I will still stuff it down my throat. I consumed two people''s worth of the healing reagent. The effect is instantaneous. I immediately felt strength surging back to me and my wounds are already recovering.


    I tried to get up again but my steps are still unsteady. Ah, I see. It can heal my wounds but not the fatigue. With my trembling feet, I forced myself to stand up. It wasn''t an easy task even after consuming the healing reagents. It was only natural given what I''ve been through.


    Just for emergency, I''ll keep [Abyssal Edge] ready just in case.


    Huh? I failed. The Mana that I gathered in my palms dissipated instantly. When I thought about the reasons for such thing to happen, I came to the conclusion that I might be out of Mana. I took out my status card and look at it.


    HP: 100/150


    MP: 20/320 (recovering)


    Turns out, I was right. I''m out of Mana. Even if it said it''s recovering, it won''t be enough. I need to recover my Mana right away. Thankfully, the blue reagent was in sight. Although half of the content was already spilled, I didn''t mind. Why would I? I need to recover my Mana as fast as possible. I poured the leftover straight down my throat.


    Woah. I felt a kick when my Mana replenished in an instant. That didn''t happen when I was taste-testing with the reagents earlier. Maybe the kick only happened when you recover from a near depleted state?


    HP: 100/150


    MP: 150/320


    Not full but good enough. I think I can use [Abyssal Edge] with this much.


    Hm....I never did quite figure the consumption of Mana for my abilities.


    Oh? Some of the pale monsters ignored the demon ape. Coming at me. Maybe now''s not the time to think about such things.


    I wanted to run but the exit was blocked. From a certain point of view, I''m caved in. I can only fight but even that might be an exercise in futility and I also know I can''t fight forever. I don''t think I have a tremendous amount of stamina. I need to figure out a way to destroy the blockade.


    Use your head, Hyx.


    Then I discovered a part of me I never know of.


    Due to the ferocity of the demon ape I have the "pleasure" of experiencing it first hand, the pale monsters'' movement seemed much slower to me. They aren''t actually slower than the demon ape by any means. In fact, they are actually faster and more agile than the demon ape.


    Yet, I''m having an easier time than I had before.


    The pale monsters didn''t have the ferocity of the demon ape. I don''''t feel pressured by them. Is it because they lack commitment?


    Hm? What the hell am I saying?


    Anyways, it was because of such reasons, I''m not as tense as I was when fighting the demon ape. Which makes the pale monster''s attacks pale in comparison with the demon ape.


    Heh, pale.


    After witnessing their ways of attacks for a good amount of times, I figured out the best way to handle them. First, I cut off their means of attacks -- I sliced their arms off. Simply impaling their head won''t do. Either pierced straight to its heart or beheading it, those ways work. Of course, completely pulverizing them is also an option but I do not possess such monstrous strength like the demon ape.


    Before I knew it, I find myself quite adept at killing these pale monsters.


    But why?


    Why do I feel next to nothing from killing?


    Is it because they''re just mindless animals?


    Was I always this good at wielding a blade? Am I always this observant?


    I''ll admit. I was kinda having fun while doing so.


    Perhaps too much.


    I have overlooked one important fact for a human.


    Because of that, I missed its arm and my shoulder took the toll. I groaned loudly through my teeth. The reason for that blunder was because I forgot one important thing about living beings.


    I haven''t ate in a long time. My hunger had finally begin to show its effect from being left alone.


    Nevertheless, I quickly regain my bearings and proceed to kill off the pale monster who seemed smug from wounding me.


    Well not so funny now, is it.


    I pressed on while enduring the fatigue and hunger. It was not an easy task. I made another blunder and this time, the claws gouged a little bit of flesh out from my waist. Of course, I immediately decapitate the pale monster. With more suffering factors to cope with, I fell down to one knee.


    Come on. Get up. You can do this. You can do this. Pain is only temporary. Just treat this as all in a hard day''s work.


    When I recite those words in my mind, I decapitated two pale monsters at once. I whistled at my feat. It''s frightening that I find myself gotten adapt to killing in a short span of time. Am I such a person?


    While I''m having a mild existential crisis, one pale monster got smart.


    It purposely let the blade pierced through its palm. It even plunges its hand deeper into the blade so it can caught my hand.


    Fuck. This one''s smart. With its free arm, it brings its claw at me.


    Damn it!


    [Abyss Magic: Lv. 1 increased to Lv. 2]


    Purely acting on instinct as soon as the message popped in to my head, I conjured up another [Abyssal Edge] in my other hand. I don''t think I can use two at once if it didn''t level up.


    Even the pale monster seemed surprised at the extra blade.


    Before it could retreat, I grabbed onto its claws instead this time. I slashed up, severing its other arm from its shoulder. I then proceed to plunge the blade into its heart. Instead of pulling it out, I brought the blade downwards, cutting open its torso. The contents spilled out.


    Glad I haven''t eaten anything since forever. I can''t believe I found an advantage for having an empty stomach.


    [Abyss Magic: Energy Sphere - acquired]


    Oh? That''s nice.


    As I was admiring and intrigue by the new ability, a pale monster lunged at me. Like always, I sliced its arms off and plunged my blade into its heart.


    Another pale monster must have gotten inspired or something, it took advantage of my sight being obstructed by its dead kin. It impaled through its kin''s body and the claws went straight at me.


    It grazed my uninjured shoulder. Not uninjured anymore.


    Fool. You should think twice about this.


    I belittled the pale monster who hurt me as I sliced of its arm which it can''t retract after plunging through the carcass. It screeches at the pain. I''m sure it is also screeching at its own idiocy.


    Thanks to [Mana Overseer] which also seems to allow me to have a better understanding and control of Mana, I''m able to instantly use the newly acquired ability. An orb of purplish black energy formed in my palm. I thrust out that palm.


    Eat this. I said those cliche words.


    The sphere turns into something like a laser blast when it left my palm, blasting through the carcass and also through the smart-ass pale monster.


    How you like that, asshole?


    There was now a hole on its body. Awesome.


    Eh?


    Okay, I''ve done it now. This time, I really hit my limit. I fell onto one knee again. Of course, I made sure there was no pale monsters attacking before I allow myself the golden opportunity for a breather.


    Good. At least now I have a means to destroy the obstructions.


    I looked around for more reagents to ingest. I found one Mana reagent and that''s it. All the others were spilled wastefully on the ground. Well, can''t be help.


    Thanking the arbitrary fortune, I consume that reagent and let it do the work. Again, I felt the kick.


    HP: 30/150


    MP: 180/320


    Yikes, my health ain''t looking good but nothing can be done. I''ll just have to leave it up to fate.


    Now, to destroy the boulders obstructing me.


    Just when I prepared to destroy the obstructions, my instincts went off like an alarm. I evaded it just in time as a pale monster came flying through. The pale monster didn''t attack me. Rather, it was thrown at me. It smashes against the heaps of boulders and rocks and cleared some away.


    When I look back, I found the demon ape, staring at me. It ain''t looking happy. Although, it did help me with some of the problem.


    I ignore its death gaze and focus on the problem in front since it still looks busy with the overflowing pale monsters.


    Mana energy in the color of purplish black gather in my palm. As I was about to blast the boulders away, I heard a roar that hurts my ear. I looked back again. The demon ape was in the air, falling towards me.


    Oh fuck!


    I dove to the side as it crash through the heaps of boulders and rocks, completely clearing the way. I''m glad it worked out but the shockwave from the harsh landing pushed me a few distance away.


    It got back up quickly. It cleared away the smoke and dust as it looks for me. I was just right besides it but it did not notice me. It can''t seem to see me. It scanned its surrounding and although I''m right in front of him, it didn''t perceive me. That is only as expected.


    Yes, I have used [Presence Detachment]. It really does rid the sight of me from the others.


    Slowly, I slipped away from the demon ape as it got overrun by the pale monsters which it had went through some length to escape from.


    It screamed and roar at its own slip up as I let it to its own demise.


    I didn''t look back. I just kept running further into the newly opened passage.


    Once in a while, I would pass through some open space or simply some spacious area but I didn''t stop. Those places weren''t safe. As if I have tread deeper into hell, I kept encountering monsters of all sorts.


    With [Presence Detachment] up, I was able to slip past them unnoticed. Though some of the monsters'' appearance are nightmare-inducing. I shall try my damnedest to forget the memory of such appearances.


    Eventually my [Presence Detachment] worn off and I came to another open space with some elevated grounds and ramps. Spikes made of earth protruded few meters into the air. This place didn''t have any glowing cyan vines but it isn''t completely dark. In the corner of this space, there is a luminous light glowing in the distance.


    It''s a field of flowers.


    They weren''t glowing though.


    What the hell? They''re burning.


    No, the fields aren''t on fire. The flowers are. Just the flowers. The red flowers were burning like a torch. It doesn''t seemed to be burning out anytime soon. Such magnificent and mysterious flower. I named those flowers Crimson Flowers in my mind when I laid my eyes upon them. I squatted down and tried to pluck one.


    Hmm.... The flower still burns albeit being plucked. The stem is hot but not to the degree that it''ll burn one''s hand. I ended up plucking two. I can use this as a light source to navigate through this place.


    Captivated by such flowers, I had let myself open to an ambush. Letting down one''s guard in such a place for even a mere second is fatal. I learned this the hard way.


    From the ceiling, a monster with quite a lot of limbs dropped down. Each limbs resembled a sickle''s blade. My instincts which have been quite sensitive lately alerted this to me, it was far too late however.


    The sickle-like claw slashed at my back. I almost fell into the burning flowers.


    I was quick enough on my feet to avoid falling into the fire. I managed to stand on my feet from the ambush.


    I turned back and saw a half humanoid, half scorpion. It resembles a centaur in the aspect of its upper half is humanoid and the lower half is scorpion. Totaling to ten limbs. Eight legs and two arms and all of them are in the form of a sickle blade. Or would a scythe be more appropriate?


    What. the. fuckshit. is that?


    It attacked with one of its arm but I put up [Plane Displacement] just in time to block it. Its next attack however, broke the barrier and I barely evaded that sickle blade-like claw.


    My eyes caught a narrow passage in a distance. Without any more thinking, I ran straight for that. I judged that the passage might be too narrow for the centaur-scorpion.


    With the Crimson Flowers still in hand, I leaped into passage as one of its claw almost took my head. I executed a roll into the passage. It''s smooth if I do say so myself.


    Okay. There might be a slight error in my judgement.


    The abomination was forcing itself into the narrow passage. It was breaking off chunks of rocks to make way for its large body size. Even the ceiling was shaking and some fragments broke off and hit its head. Not that it give it any mind.


    Why are all monsters so stuck up on preying on me?


    In just a minute, it broke through.


    I was cornered.


    The passage which turns out to something akin to small cave, is a dead end.


    It took its time approaching me like the pale monster back in the prison cell. Why do they do that?


    Unbeknownst to the abomination, this passage has the weird flower that burst into spores upon being crushed. It stepped over some but it took no notice of it.


    I did though. I''m sure my eyes even sparkled at little. Not that I would know.


    Just a few seconds ago, I was trembling uncontrollably but my expression shifted to ones of a smirk and triumphant grin.


    The sudden change in my expression even stunned the monster in its track. It looked at me, puzzled.


    "Burn in hell, I guess?" I said to it, monotonously.


    I threw the two crimson flowers at the centaur-scorpion. The sparks created from the burning flower flew into the spores that had spread into the air. The spores have yet to reach me but it already engulfed the monster. So when the spores were ignited, the monster was drowned in a sea of flames.


    In just a time of not even an hour, I have witnessed two explosive moments. Needless to say, this time wasn''t so different than the last but at least, I put up [Plane Displacement] with the remaining amount of Mana I have.


    I was also thrown away by the force and I hit the wall. I fell to the ground like a doll cut of its strings. My conscious left me after that.


    Ah~ Just let me be for now.

 H6 - (Too) Exotic Cuisine

    "Do you intend to die here?" An androgynous voice asked me.


    No.


    "Then what do you intend to do?"


    What do I intend to do? To live, I guess.


    "Are you sure?"


    I don''t want to die. I guess I''ll be living then.


    "Are you sure? What then, after that?"


    "I don''t know. I just don''t want to die."


    "Really?" The voice questioned me. "Not long ago, you were begging for death to come. Now it has come, you reject its invitation."


    That''s..... not true.


    "Really? Aren''t you being a little bit too indecisive?"


    I was in pain back then. It was different back then.


    "Excuses. Excuses. Like always."


    Like always? Am I really always like this?


    "Don''t remember? Well, I suppose you are always like this. No wonder you were cast aside."


    Cast aside? You mean exiled? How did you know? Who are you?


    "Me? Who do you think I am?"


    ...... Death?


    "Obviously."


    Really? Why now of all times? Why didn''t you come sooner?


    "Simple reason. You are now the closest to your end than ever before. This might be the closest you can get to my door before you can pass."


    Ha? Really now?


    "It has been a long and rough journey. And finally, you arrived at the very place you have wished for. The place that you longed for. If you turn back now, you will need to start over. So let me ask you this, are sure you want to refuse my invitation?"


    ....... You''re right. It has been a shitty journey. It''s suffering. It''s always is..... I''m tired now anyways. Perhaps I can come in for a cup of tea."


    "Is that your answer?"


    Yes. May I come in?


    "Well, come on in."


    I reached out my hand to take its offer. But..... Our hands overlapped with each other''s. We can''t seem to touch each other''s hand.


    "Ah. I suppose it''s not your time yet. It''s only as expected, given your destiny. Maybe not now but eventually everything will meet its end. Until then, I suppose a good luck will do."


    ...... This is not funny.


    "Never is. Well, till we meet again, Harbinger."


    Harbinger?


    <hr>


    I felt a prick on the back of my neck again as I regained my consciousness. Once again, I had a ceiling and a faint darkness to greet me when I wake.


    Huh. Not only was it dark this time, it was also blurry.


    Smoke?


    Oh right, I deliberately caused an explosion before it sent me slamming into the wall.


    I sat up and looked at where the explosion occurred from. There lies the burned carcass of the centaur-scorpion. Its whole outer shell was roasted and smoking. Beyond that, was the entrance. Was. The entrance is gone due to the collapse when I incurred the explosion. My bad.


    From a glance or even an up close observation, the centaur-scorpion can be easily be presumed as dead. Even I had that line of thought when I looked at it. It was almost a perfect act. Almost.


    With [Mana Perception], I can tell the thing is still alive.


    Impressive.


    With those kind of injuries, it is able to avoid a meeting with death.


    The Mana flow circulation in its body was still glowing and flowing. The recently deceased, or for monsters at least, have fading purplish blue, the Mana doesn''t glow and neither does it flow anymore.


    Knowing that it''s only playing dead, I approach it while having two [Abyssal Edge] drawn.


    Hm?


    Only now, I realize the scorpion body only has a body resembling a scorpion. It is tailless.


    Why are the hands scythe-blades instead of pincers? Should I have not call them centaur-scorpion instead?


    Hm?


    Strange.


    It seems I have recovered a considerable amount of Mana while I was unconscious and the pain that have been assaulting my body has stopped.


    The burnt wound on my left arm left not even a slightest trace of scar. The same thing happened the last time too. I woke up with the wound gone from my shoulder. Not even a scar was left.


    Do I have the power to regenerate while being unconscious?


    I do not know if I should be happy or terrified about this. For the moment, I am glad it works out in my favor. So I guess I''m happy?


    Anyways, I snap my attention back to the possum in front of me. Still faking dead, I see.


    When I got close enough, the abomination springs back to life and swings its scythe-claw down at me. From [Mana Perception], I have already anticipated this action. Apparently Mana gathers at the point where it would be used to attack. For this case, its scythe-claw. It goes without saying that I severed its limb from it.


    It gave me a blank stare before it retreated and screeched in pain.


    God damn it. Why do the monsters here likes to scream like a girl when in pain?


    I extend the reach of both of the blades.


    While still in shock from the lost of its limb, I execute a cross-cut, dismembering the abomination.


    Without legs, it falls to its proverbial knees.


    It looked up to me. I looked down at it. Our gaze met. It had a stupefied and trembling gaze. While my gaze is also trembling, anger and the will to live also resides within.


    It seems to have grasped the reality but it didn''t give up. It reflected my gaze back to me. I see.


    You also desire to live. However, if you live, I''ll die. Vice versa.


    Too bad, then. I want to live.


    So, please. Die for me.


    It did not accept my one-sided decision and thrust itself forward with its mouth wide open.


    Easy does it, my blades removed its head from its body. Like a lifeless doll, it collapsed to the ground.


    The blades vanish from my hands and I too, collapse to the ground on my knees. I let out a breath that I have been keeping it ever since I started approaching the monster who was playing dead. I have only acted tough on the outside but I was shivering like a schoolgirl on the inside.


    Now, the floodgates are opened.


    Tears flow out as my fear had taken over me. My shivering have become visible.


    As I''m having trouble with breathing, I cupped my face with my hands. I''m crying into my hands.


    I have been crying a lot, lately. Whined a lot. But can I be blamed? Just when things began to look up, I kept getting slapped back to the harsh reality of nightmare. I have been so close at death''s door for quite a number of times. Enough to last for a life time. I never thought about this before but finding yourself so far away from death''s door when you''re this close to it only moments ago, it is an uneasy feeling.


    The uncertainty of why I was spared from death, the dread shrouding my mind, it was a heavy burden on my conscience, and that''s only getting heavier.


    Optimism? Sanguine? They are luxuries that aren''t possible for me at the moment. Not after what I had been through.


    Plus, my empty stomach and parch throat aren''t helping the slightest.


    God, I''m so hungry right now. Just give me something to eat. Anything would do. I can''t take this any longer. Just give me anything.


    ....


    ....


    ....


    I waited for an answer that I knew it would never come.


    The little girl voice.


    Where are you? Why aren''t you helping me this time? Why aren''t you giving me any directions this time?


    Why?


    Oh god, please. Just give me anything. Anything to eat.


    Anything at all.


    Anything.


    As I was begging to god for food, my soulless gaze rested on the burned and decapitated carcass in front of me.


    The roasted skin with a distinctive smell while smoke rise from it.


    Those tender and warm juicy meat underneath.


    Would these do?


    No. What the fuck am I thinking? Of course not. That''s a monster. I can''t possibly eat a monster. Who knows what will happen to me if I ate such gross and defiled meat. I shouldn''t eat stuffs like that--


    -- should I?


    Can I?


    Hmm.... I did say anything will do.


    Can I?


    Is it even edible? Hmm....


    Can I?


    What would people think of me then?


    Wait.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Why do I care about what people think?


    They are not in this hell hole like I am.


    They don''t know what kind of situation I''m in.


    Do they even have any right to judge me?


    Do they?


    Is it unsightly?


    Does it matter?


    No?


    No....?


    No.


    It doesn''t.


    Nothing does.


    This ain''t earth.


    This ain''t even a human civilization.


    Civility doesn''t exist here. Neither do ethics or laws.


    This is the jungle.


    A death cage.


    Survival of the fittest.


    Nothing else matters.


    So eat.


    Eat


    Eat them all.


    Eat them all up.


    Stand on top of them as the apex.


    Eat them all.


    I will eat them all.


    I will eat them all!


    "I WILL EAT THEM ALL!"


    I shouted from deep within my mind and to the unbelievably large hell hole.


    Without anymore hesitation, I tore a chunk of the monster''s flesh from its carcass. Blood oozes out. Hmm... It''s still raw on the inside. Never mind that. I can cook it.


    Yes. I can. There''s fire outside this cave. The Crimson Flowers. I can use those.


    I stood right in front of the entrance which is now caved in from the explosion.


    Ignoring the pain from the hunger and the thirst, I forced myself to conjure up a sphere of purplish black energy.


    Not enough. At this rate, it wouldn''t be able to clear the rocks away. I need more.


    Pain assaulted me once again like having needles injection all over my body, an unrefined and brutal acupuncture. When I deem the sphere was large enough after giving it more Mana, I launched it at the entrance.


    Rocks flew. The whole place shook.


    The entrance is now cleared. I allow myself a wry grin at my apparent success.


    Slowly limping with my exhausted body, I got to the field of Crimson Flowers. I picked a few and brought it back to the cave.


    I might be hungry and thirsty but I ain''t an idiot. I didn''t just straight up burn the carcass. Instead, I align the Crimson Flowers perfectly around the carcass. Roasting it.


    Soon.


    I told myself.


    I cut off the part where it is oozing out blood profusely. The joint part of the humanoid part and the scorpion part.


    Hanging that lump of meat with blood continuously oozing out directly over my mouth, I steeled my nerves and closed my eyes as I drink the blood. Yes, I am drinking its blood. What can I do? I was thirsty and there was no other available source of water. Its blood is my only choice.


    Granted, it didn''t taste good. It has a mild stench and it tastes quite salty and awful. The taste of iron, if I have to guess. No matter, it was enough to quench my thirst. My parch throat was no longer parch. The after taste is horrible but that is to be expected.


    It was horrible enough to make me want to throw up everything I have eaten but I have eaten nothing. Repulsive as it may be, I didn''t mind it. Rather, I didn''t have the luxury to mind such trifle thing.


    Feeling satisfied, I move on to the main course. It might be well-cooked by now, it might not be but I was too hungry to care about the either.


    It''s cooked, to some degree.


    Reluctantly and forcibly, I took a bite from the carcass.


    FUCK!


    Awful. Taste so awful.


    This is disgusting. The taste is beyond horrible. I can''t eat this. It''s too foul to be eaten.


    Although those crossed my mind, I didn''t allow myself to spit it out. I can''t spit it out. Not while these are all I have for food.


    Suppressing the reflex to throw up, I force the meat down my throat. I chew it around six to eight times and swallow it.


    I''m gonna be sick after this. I definitely will be. Just you wait, future me. And sorry.


    The more I ate, the more I am use to the taste. Even my tongue was slowly beginning to numb against such taste.


    No matter how hard I tried, I did threw up some eventually but I did not stop there.


    After awhile, I have finally filled my stomach.


    Thank god, that ordeal is over. I am not looking forward to my next meal but this is all I have to look forward to.


    Just when I decided to take a rest from the exhausting meal, I heard rustling sounds from outside the cave.


    When I went to investigate, I found three more centaur-scorpions. They were gathering around the field of Crimson Flowers. Come to think of it, it does feel quite chilly but I wondered how come I never realized it until now. Was my mind too focus on other things that I ended up ignoring the temperature? That might be a possibility but not that it really matters. It is cold but I''m not freezing. So, that''s that.


    I was thinking on how to fight against three centaur-scorpions but I realized that they weren''t looking for me. They are just resting around the fire.


    I suppose I can leave them like that.


    As long as they don''t start wandering around and accidentally stumbles into here. I should just stay put here. Keep quiet until they move away from this area. Yeah, that might be the best option. After that terrible meal, I am in no mood or condition to fight.


    I got back into the depths of the cave and sat down there. I rest my back against the wall. Maybe I can do some reading. Right, the books.


    The books?


    Hmm? Where are they?


    I fumbled around.


    Oh right. I lost my backpack when I was sent flying by the stupid monkey.


    Fuck you, ape. I hope by now your guts are ripped and eaten by the pale monsters.


    Great. Now what do I do? I could practice magic but I could end up attracting the attentions of the three by accident. Yeah, so not a good idea.


    Well, the only thing I can read is my status card.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown (Human)


    Status: None (Alive)


    Standing: Commoner (Exiled)


    Job: Scholar (Faith of the Nines)


    Class: Scout


    Title: None


    <u>Arcane Arts


    </u>Spatial Magic - Lv.2


    Abyss Magic - Lv.2


    Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv.-


    Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 2


    Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-


    HP : 150/150


    MP: 200/320


    Overall Power Ranking : E


    Hmm.... Nice. My power ranking is E now. Getting somewhere at least.


    So far, I managed to unlock [Mana Overseer] and even level it up to two. I wonder what''s the condition for the other two. Okay, then. Show me the conditions.


    ......


    ......


    Nothing happened. No texts appear. I guess this status card isn''t almighty after all.


    Well, that''s that. Now what?


    How long are those monsters going to be there for? Is it permanent or is it only temporarily? If it''s permanent, I will need to figure out a way to kill them. If it''s temporarily, how long will they be staying? If they stay too long, I will need to resort to the same method as the first one. So, how long should I wait before I start taking action?


    Hmm....?


    What''s this feeling, I wonder? Is my stomach grumbling?


    Feels like a stomachache incoming. I have stomachaches before. Everybody has. It''s that kind of bad feeling when you feel it coming.


    Okay, it''s really coming.


    Okay, it''s here.


    Oh, this hurts. Real hurts.


    Dear god, this really hurts.


    It hurts.


    Fuck, it hurts.


    "FU...." I cupped my mouth before I actually shouted. What the fuck? This really hurts.


    I groan as I suffer the sudden immense pain.


    Shit, what is this? Could it be the monster meat I have ate just now? That might be it.


    I curled up on the ground as the pain worsens.


    Fuck! Why don''t things go the way I want it to for once? Shit. Shit!


    I bit down on my lips to endure the pain until it drew blood.


    And then, the pain shifted and concentrated on to my hands. I spread out my hands. The veins on my hands are moving.


    The fuck? They''re moving? No wriggling. They''re wriggling.


    They remind me of worms, the parasites that lurks in the body of a person. If it weren''t for the red color, I would have assume it to be parasitic worms.


    My mouth were open. I scream but I suppressed it. So the screams became gags.


    Still curled up on the floor, I endured the agonizing change to my hands. I say change but it''s nothing major. Is just pain and the veins wriggling about. There might not be any visible change but I feel something is changing.


    As I thought about that, the veins on my fingers blackened.


    There is change, after all. Huh.


    Like that time when I saw purplish black veins crawling from my heart to my neck. Except this time the veins are pure black, no purple hues. This veins crawl up.


    After reaching the fingers, changes happen to my nails. They are growing but that''s not all. It not only grew longer but it also grew sharper. It''s becoming sharp in a weird shape.


    Ah.... My nails.... They are curving....


    The shape reminds me the weapon of the death reaper. A scythe, I remembered its call. Or is it a sickle?


    A scythe? A sickle?


    Chills went down my spine. My fur stood straight up. I turn towards the centaur-scorpion that I have eaten. I didn''t ate all of its limbs so some are still there. Plainly for me to see, those sickle-like limbs, scythe-blade claw. Whatever I called them, they''re just like my nails.


    What the fuck!


    I stood straight up as I keep comparing my nails with the claws. My eyes went back and forth between the nails and the claws.


    No way. This can''t be happening. Can it? Maybe this is to be expected. After all, I did consumed its flesh. Am I getting its features solely because I ate its flesh?


    Also at that moment, pain struck against the back of my neck once again but it was only for a few seconds but enough for me to flinch from it.


    After a long moment of me trying to endure the pain of my transformation in silent, the process finally stopped. I look at my hands. It''s the same as always save for the fingers and nails. The fingers have obvious black veins on the surface and my nails are long and sharp in an odd way.


    Am I becoming a monster?


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown (Human)


    Status: Anguished (Alive)


    I''m not, am I?


    How odd. My race says unknown but also human. So what does that make me?


    Anguished, eh? So fitting.


    I was in my own world of miseries and mysteries when my previous terrible thought came through. One of the three centaur-scorpions stumbled into the cave. It must have heard my screams despite my best effort to shut myself up.


    I suppose I failed. Shit.


    We stare at each other, awkwardly.


    Now that I''m sitting down and taking a good look at it, its body which is almost entirely featureless is quite terrifying. Pale brown skin with dark brown outer shells. Its mouth which doesn''t have lip so its rows of fangs are always visible. And its eyes. Damn, they''re creepy. A dark brown sclera and a black pupil. I felt like I''m staring into the void itself.


    So do you want me to move first or do you want to move first?


    It approached me in a sudden sprint and swing its claw.


    I guess is your move first then.


    I rolled under and over the scythe which resembled the death reaper''s for a second there. Almost as if it''s too natural, I conjured up [Abyssal Edge] which is a bit longer now. I cut off one of its eight limbs. It screeched to its missing limb and immediately counterattacked.


    Damn, it''s fast.


    I dodge an attack but its speed is definitely faster than the pale monster''s. It even managed to draw a shallow cut on my cheek. Just then, I can hear the other two coming closer.


    Okay, this is just great.


    While I was distracted by the incoming two in the distance, the one right in front me attacked.


    Wait. I can do that. I can, right?


    The blade-like claw came straight at me. I put up my right hand and cast [Plane Displacement]. It hit directly on the space barrier, its claw is dug into it a little. I moved the barrier to the side, dragging its claw with it.


    It worked.


    For a split second, it left itself vulnerable due to my newfound technique. With an [Abyssal Edge] in my other hand, I plunged the blade into where its heart is. At least I think that''s where its heart is.


    It groaned in pain and then it stare straight at me, its eyes are filled with vexation. It didn''t seem to be in pain. It looks annoyed. It growled.


    Okay. Apparently its heart is not there.


    I quickly retract my blade and barely evaded a slash that almost cut my head into two. It did cut across my face however, shallow though. Still, it stings. Ouch, I guess.


    Plan B.


    I block another attack with the barrier of space magic. This barrier is tougher than the usual as I poured more Mana when I cast it. As the centaur-scorpion assaults the barrier continuously, I am preparing a purplish black sphere in my palm while slowly taking subtle steps back.


    When it''s ready, I drop the barrier. Since it''s expecting to hit another solid invisible wall, the empty feeling throw its balance off and its attack didn''t reach me as I have subtly backed away. I seized that opening and blasted its head into smithereens.


    Oops, I underestimated my power.


    The blast went through the monster and hit the ceiling.


    Just as the two reinforcement finally arrived at the entrance, some rocks fell on their head. It didn''t really gives them any significant damage but it did raise their ire.


    As the headless centaur-scorpion collapse to the ground, the other two rushed at me. They are enraged by the assumption that I drop rocks on their head. Technically, it is my fault. So their enrage which directed at me is understandable. I don''t suppose an apology can patch things up.


    I dodged all of their attacks while suffering only a graze but if this keeps up. It would not look good for me. The attacks that I absolutely can''t dodge, I block it with [Plane Displacement].


    After a few more blocks and dodges, that message suddenly popped into my head.


    [Spatial Magic: Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    [Spatial Magic: Spatial Leap - acquired]


    Oh. What do we have here? Alright, use it.


    The two''s attacks intersect but the claws found nothing but air. The two look puzzled. They stare at each other, trying to comprehend what just happened.


    I whistle for their attention.


    I''m currently standing at the middle of the entrance to the cave. Despite my snobbish demeanor, I''m having a hard time to just stand still. The leap took a lot out of me. Not just my Mana but it also seems to strain my mentality.


    Is this a side effect? If it is, [Spatial Leap] would be very unconventional given the response speed of the monsters.


    My whistle caught their attention. They both turn to me. They both tilt their head. It would have been cute if they weren''t so terrifying to look at.


    I don''t know why but they are enraged more than before. The two charged at me at the same time. The results is hilarious. The got themselves stuck on the entrance as it only fits a single individual of their size. Not what I planned but this will do.


    Among all the bleak situations, sometimes I get conveniently stupid situations like this. Fate must be having a great laugh at me right now.


    I blasted one of the two''s head off with [Energy Sphere]. When one lost its life, the struggle loosened, allowing the surviving one to escape from its hilarious slip up. It''s missing an arm. It got blown off when I aimed for the other one''s head. Not exactly two birds with one stone but I''ll take it.


    I dodged two swipes of its claw by drawing steps back. Evaded a strike and then dove over a swing. I''m getting pretty good at this.


    Oops. Too early to celebrate. Shit can hit the fan anytime. I learned my lesson.


    Ha.


    Maybe I''m shouldn''t have dove over that attack. It left me in a vulnerable state. Its attack grazed my right arm. I slip to its side as it slashes downwards at where I was. I thrust [Abyssal Edge] into its ribs. It screeched louder than before. Touche.


    Though I''m not through with you yet.


    With the blade still stuck inside its ribs, I gouge its inside out instead of just simply pulling out the blade. It then gives out a cry that echoed through the whole area. This one is even louder than the last. It does look really painful. It is now just flailing around with its guts hanging out.


    "That hurts, doesn''t it?" I spoke to it. "It''s okay. I understand. I suffered a lot too. Stinks too, doesn''t it? How helpless you feel." I grin at its misery.


    Of course, it was not listening. I don''t think it would understand even if it is listening.


    Its guards are down. It just kept flailing and crying. Pathetic really. Maybe I can be of assistance to your misery.


    "Allow me to end your suffering." I snobbishly offered the centaur-scorpion.


    I extend the length of [Abyssal Edge] until it reaches about four feet. From a safe distance, I decapitate it. Its body fell to the ground and its head somehow rolled to my feet. Feeling a sense of revulsion, I sliced the head into two and kicked the two pieces away.


    On a whim and curiosity, I use [Mana Perception] on it. Mana which had been glowing a radiant purplish blue is fading, the light from the glow is dying. The flow slowly cease.


    Come to think of it, I can absorb Mana from crystals. What about the monsters or living beings in general? Can I do that too? I can try. I have a fresh lab rat in front of me after all. Maybe your death wouldn''t be so useless and in vain after all. Be glad that you died for my research.


    Good god, I sounded like some over-egoistic asshole. I don''t think I can retain my sanity. I suppose I''ll have to cope with the probability that I would be insane by the time I found a way out of this hell hole.


    "If" I found a way out.


    Anyways, let''s begin. If I''m correct, I should be using [Mana Transmission].


    With that ability activated, I place my hand at the point where most of the Mana gathered.


    In an instant, I felt a surge of energy.


    It works?

 H7 - Red Crystals

    Did it work or did it not?


    Either and neither, I say.


    It worked as intended but the results are not.


    I managed to absorb the Mana but that''s it. My Mana threshold did not rose like it did when I absorb from the crystal.


    From this, I come to understand that different color of Mana indicates different properties. Purplish blue Mana from a monster can only replenish but it is not able to increase the threshold.


    I didn''t get the results I expected but I did get another interesting result. So I will say this experiment is a sort of a success.


    Seeing no harm, I also absorbed the other two dead centaur-scorpions'' Mana remnants.


    After plucking a bundle of Crimson Flowers, I carry those in my left hand and left that area. I traverse to other areas, using the Crimson Flowers whenever the present light source are either insufficient or non-existence.


    I came to an area which is filled with tall grasses as far as my eyes can see. Flashback of a certain dinosaur movie came across my mind. The characters were traversing through the tall grasses and they were ambushed by Velociraptors. Just for extra precaution, I scan the grasses with [Mana Perception].


    Oh. There''s something inside. Ten of them.


    Since the grasses are just ordinary plants, they didn''t have Mana flow to obstruct my view on any other living beings hidden in it. If the grasses do possess Mana, I wouldn''t be able to detect if anything is hiding in the grasses.


    I can''t tell exactly what they look like in detail but I can make out the outline from their flow of Mana. They look like lizards. Semi-humanoid. Can switch between bipedal and quadrupedal like most of the monster I have encountered.


    Beside the field of grass, there is a pond. Beyond that pond, a tunnel leading out of this place. I look at the pond with [Mana Perception], nothing seems to be lurking in the waters.


    I guess I''ll take that route as oppose to the obvious ambush.


    The water reached only to my waist and it''s quite clear, not crystal clear though. I took care not to let the Crimson Flowers doused by the water. I reached the other side and headed for the corridor.


    Hm?


    Did I imagined that?


    I stop just right in front of the entrance into the corridor.


    I concentrated my hearing.


    I didn''t imagine it. I hear them clearly. Rustling and skittering sounds from the darkness in the tunnel. The sound seems to be getting louder and louder.


    I''m having a bad feeling about this.


    I use [Mana Perception]. My eyes almost went blind from the multiple surge of blue light entering my vision.


    Never mind my eyes. It''s all good.


    Anyways, FUCKING RUN!


    I immediately turn tail and run from the corridor. From behind, I hear those unsettling sounds getting louder and louder. They''re getting nearer.


    What are "they"?


    They''ll soon emerge and show themselves.


    As I make haste and wade through the pond, they appeared from the darkness.


    Tens, no, hundreds of them came skittering out from the corridor. Hundreds of centipede-like monsters. Essentially, they''re centipedes and they too large for their size. A size of a puppy.


    They were the fist bug I encounter in this hell hole that are hostile. I can tell they''re hostile thanks to [Mana Overseer]. This Arcane Art doesn''t just allows me to see Mana, I can also sense it. Although it is still hard to grasp this sixth sense that I have obtained. Apart from sensing presence of Mana, I can also discern the intention of an individual from its Mana. Which is why I am to tell that those centipedes are coming for my flesh.


    Getting back to the side from I came, I looked back.


    Damn. The waters are too shallow to stop the centipedes. They are having no trouble swimming in it. They are swimming here.


    Fuck it. I enter the tall grasses. Immediately after entering, I hear the rustles sounds of those lizards dashing towards me.


    One of those lizards even went as far as leaping from the grasses, into the air, at me. Right then, I saw the lizard for what it really is. Scaly reptilian skin. Dark brown color. Four limbs. Sharp claws. Fangs for teeth with its canines longer than the others. A tail. Three horns protruding on its forehead in a straight line. Height? Six feet, I guess. Yes, they look exactly like a raptor. What the hell, nature?


    I dodge low and avoided its claws. I felt some strands of my hair was shortened though.


    Another one pounced from my right but it hit a near-invisible barrier. Yes, I have cast [Plane Displacement] on both my right and left. I lost count on how many of the raptors actually rammed into the barrier. If the situation was lax, I would have allow myself to laugh.


    I didn''t look back but I can hear some complex struggles behind me. I''m sensing a turmoil of Mana flow behind me. Even if I look back, the tall grasses are in the way. Still, just from the Mana flow I''m sensing, the raptors probably got into a fight with the centipedes.


    I''m not even going to picture the scenario.


    An idea came to my mind. I grinned at that idea. An idea that could turn bad at any moment.


    I drop the Crimson Flowers that I have been holding onto all this time. The burning flowers come into contact with the tall grasses. A wildfire was then born. The wildfire spreads fast. I speed up my sprint as I desperately try to run from the wildfire.


    A raptor ambushes me from the front but I have already seen it coming from a long distance away. I cut it in half with [Abyssal Edge], leaving the pieces as tribute to the wildfire I started.


    Not long after, I hear screeches and cries. It''s obvious those agonizing cries belong to the centipedes and the raptors who are drowning in seas of flames. Brought to them exclusively by yours truly.


    That day, I killed hundreds of centipedes. I did the world a favor. So please, may have I a hero title?


    After ten minutes of running, I reach the end of the tall grasses. When I came out from the grasses, I''m greeted by wolves. Well, I expected nothing less, considering how shitty my luck had been.


    Those wolves are at least three times the size of the ones on earth. Gray fur. Three pairs of eyes, pure black. No iris nor pupil. Similar to the lizard, the canine teeth are longer than the others, making it look like a pair of vampire fangs. They all have black markings on their fur and a slightly curved horn on their forehead.


    There are four of them. Four of them looking straight at me. I do not know if their growl came from their mouth or their stomach. I do not want to know.


    When I prepared myself for their attacks, one of the wolves dive into its shadow.


    Er.... What?


    Where did it go? I asked but I did not let the remaining three out of my sight.


    My shadow which was cast in front of me, rippled.


    Ah. There you are.


    The wolf leap out from my shadow, mouth wide opened. Thanks to my brain stuff with fantasy knowledge, I have already figure it out its trick. A typical template of a shadow magic. Which is why its mouth met an [Abyssal Edge] instead of my neck.


    I was about to engage in combat with the other three when raptors and centipede burst out from the burning grasses behind me. Oh, there''re survivors.


    Taking advantage of the confusion, I cast [Presence Detachment] and run from them. I''m not a battle maniac. I do not wish to fight a fight I don''t need to. I could have cast [Presence Detachment] right from the start but it wouldn''t have been efficient. Out of all my abilities, [Presence Detachment] costs the most Mana. [Spatial Leap] cost a little bit less but the drawback is too terrible.


    Once again, I find myself in a narrow passage. It''s dark but I figured out a trick to help with that. The ore veins in the walls, ceilings, and ground all possess Mana. Using [Mana Perception], it looks like these veins are guiding me somewhere.


    I then arrived at a open space. Unlike the other spacious area, this one is vast. The biggest I have came across. It I hadn''t known any better, I would have thought I have made it out of this hell hole. That is how large this space is.


    Moreover, right before my eyes, there were simple huts and small buildings made of straws or wood. A small village. Like other areas, this abandoned area is also encroached by overgrown plants and crystals have appeared all over. Nevertheless, this is the first settlement I have came across in this dungeon. I would never even expect a settlement in such a dungeon.


    Needless to say, I am enthralled by all these.


    My steps which had been running slows down. My steps got smaller and smaller as I looked around the village. Completely deserted and old.


    Why? Why is there a village inside such a place?


    A dungeon village? Is there such thing in this world?


    As I keep walking while gazing everywhere, I stumbled upon a tree. A cherry blossom tree.


    It looks like one, at least. Red crystals are growing out from the branches and the trunk. Besides the leaves, there are cocoons dangling from the branches on vines. I wonder what they are. Butterflies? No. That''s too big but I''m in another world after all. It''s a possibility.


    "Hyx Atlas?"


    "The scholar boy?"


    Hmm...? Am I hearing things now? I heard someone called out to me. Pretty sure that''s my name.


    "Boy. Is that you?"


    Nope. Someone did in fact called me. I turn to meet the voice.


    I find a young man, a woman, and a elderly man. They are all dressed in battle armors. They are wearing partial steel armor with leather armor. The armors are plain. They all look equally worn-out. Their gears aren''t in good condition. They have been through rough times.


    But what are they doing here? They don''t look like rescuers.


    Strange. They''re speaking English. I know them speaking English would logical considering how everything is written in English but I still find it odd. They don''t look like peoples who could speak English so well.


    "Is it really you? Hyx Atlas?" The young man asked.


    Still in a daze, I slightly nodded.


    "Woah. You okay?" The young man asks me as he got close.


    I tilt my head in question.


    "You are aware your face is a mess of dirt and blood, aren''t you?"


    Right. Come to think of it, I was splattered by r-18 contents.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "But anyways, you okay?" The young asks me again, sounding real concern. "You have been walking in a bit of a weird manner."


    "Watching me?" I ask them.


    "We were resting in one of the huts when you got here. Cilia here said she saw a shadow and we found you." The young man explained.


    I stare at the three without any response.


    "You alright?" The woman name Cilia, ask me.


    "I''m sorry." I responded. Nostalgic. I haven''t clearly heard my own voice in a long time. "I don''t think I know you three. In fact, I don''t remember how I got here. I merely remember my name." I tell them the truth. It is the truth. I don''t know them and I can''t remember how I got here. I just omitted some details.


    "Ah.... ain''t that convenient." The old man said. I saw his eyes rolling back.


    Convenient?


    "I suppose you wouldn''t remember our names anyway regardless if you lost your memory but at least this way you have a valid reason to be forgetful." The old man emphasizes the word "forgetful".


    Cilia who is beside the old man, gives him a nudge with her elbow.


    I''m guessing this old man doesn''t like me much.


    The young man jump in when he saw the tension rising. "Then I''ll reintroduce myself. I''m Alexander. This lovely lady here is Cilia and this old man here is Lucius."


    The old man scoffed. "Better being old than being inexperience...."


    I''ll just pretend I didn''t hear the old man''s whisper.


    "Don''t worry about your condition. Your memory lost only makes sense. Everyone would want to forget the nightmare that has happened." says the young man.


    "Nightmare?"


    "We were an expedition group. Adventurers, soldiers, and Templar Knights. A total of thirty men. We came to investigate this underground dungeon but things went awry so suddenly."


    Judging from what I had been through, I feel "awry" is a bit too mild of an adjective here.


    "We were attacked by monster we never knew existed. Everyone spread out in a panic. We three were chased by monsters until just an hour ago. We finally were able to take a breather now thanks to some explosive ores that we found."


    Explosive ores? I''m interested.


    As if hearing the question in my mind, Alexander shows me a black ore with some faint red lines. "Theyy explode about three seconds after you pour Mana into it."


    "I see." I replied. Seconds, huh. I''m surprise this world uses the same measurement unit as earth. Is this perhaps a parallel world where history took a different turn?


    "I''m not exactly glad to see you but I am glad our numbers are bigger. Even if you''re a fanatic of the Nines."


    I swear that I heard the old man clicked his tongue.


    "Lucius!" Cilia scolded the old man.


    "Fanatic of the Nines?" I wryly asked.


    "Sorry about that." Alexander apologized in the old man''s stead. "It seems you truly don''t even remember about your religion."


    "I guess I don''t."


    "It''s just a contempt way to call the believers of the Faith of the Nines." It was Cilia who answers my question.


    "How long have we been in this hell hole?"


    "I say a little over two days." Alexander replied.


    That long, huh. Or is it long? It''s long, to me.


    "Is it just you?" Cilia ask, somewhat timidly. "Were.... you with someone else?"


    Why are you being timid?


    "There was another four who were with me."


    "They didn''t make it?" Alexander asked.


    It might have been my expression or my tone, he seems to have figure out from the either two. I made a mental note to be cautious of my expression and my tone in the future. But~~ I would probably forget about it.


    "Of course they didn''t." Yes, it''s the old man, Lucius who said that.


    I lazily shift my line of sight to the senile old man. I stare at him. What''s your problem? I ask him in my heart.


    "Lucius. What is wrong with you?" Cilia stare at him in disbelief. I did the same stare.


    "What? How else can such a scholar with little to no experience in fighting survive this dungeon?"


    Is he implying what I think he is implying?


    "Of course he used the ones with him as meat shields."


    Bingo. Hm? Do they have bingo in this world?


    I may look calm on the exterior but I am the complete opposite within. Fuck you, old man.


    Alexander had join Cilia in looking at the old man in disbelief. That is a very bold accusation after all.


    "That''s enough, Lucius. He is just a kid. He probably doesn''t even want to be here." Alexander reprimanded the old man.


    "Keep telling yourselves that." The old man doesn''t seem to be reflecting. Not that I expect him to. "But I''ll be keeping an eye on this brat."


    I turn to Alexander. "Does he has some beef with me?"


    "Beef?"


    Oh right. This ain''t earth. Slang and such are probably different here. "I meant does he have some problems with me?"


    "Nothing uncommon. Different religion, different views. Competition happens."


    I raised an eyebrow. "He hates me because my religion differ to his?"


    Alexander nods subtly.


    "If it only things were that simple." My sensitive ears caught the words Cilia which were said in a very low voice. I agree.


    Must be some faith the old man prays to.


    "Well, why don''t we all continue our banter back in the hut instead of out here?" a suggestion came from Cilia.


    I concur.


    Hm?


    What is that? I felt something eerie.


    Please tell me that''s nothing.


    Alexander notices my line of sight. "Something wrong about that tree?"


    "You know what tree is this?"


    "It looks like a cherry blossom but crystals don''t normally grow on cherry blossom trees."


    Crystals don''t grow on trees normally, not just Sakuras. But anyways, it is also call Cherry Blossom in this world, huh.


    Maybe this world shares a lot of similarity with earth, after all.


    Oops. Sidetracked.


    "Something''s odd about this tree. Be on your guard." I tell them. I did feel an ominous vibe from the tree. [Mana Perception] picks up flow of red Mana in the tree.


    A bona-fide red, just like the crystals in this area and the crystals on the tree. No blue mix in. I imagine it to be the tree''s blood.


    It''s not, is it?


    "Really now, boy?" The old man walks past me and towards the tree.


    Er...... What are you doing, grandpa?


    "You fidgeting over a tree now?" He went and tapped the tree trunk with his unsheathed sword.


    What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you have to retort to my every actions and words?


    "See? It''s nothing." He looks straight at me as he told me. "How are you even able to fare in this place?"


    Er.... Being paranoid is a good thing in this hell hole. Unless your senility has numbed your logic, why would you even say those things?


    "Hyx, was it?" Cilia comes up to me. "I''m sorry about him. He isn''t always like this. Must be this place''s miasma influencing his mind. Please forgive him for this."


    The reason better be this place. Otherwise, he''s going straight to an asylum after we got out of here.


    The old man''s gaze harden.


    And I know why.


    Red Mana gather at the trunk of the Cherry Blossom tree. From there, a humanoid made of red crystals and red wood emerge. Blades made of the crystals replaced its limbs. A head taller than the old man.


    "A Spriggan?"


    I heard Cilia mutters something familiar. "Crystal Spriggans exist?"


    "No. Not that I heard of. Even a normal Spriggans are rare. I have personally never seen one before. Just what I saw from books."


    I see. Anyways, you should back off from that Spriggan, old man. It''s hostile.


    "What are you suppose to....."


    Before the old man could finish, the Crystal Spriggan swing its blade-arm at him. The old man barely dodges the lethal blade of red crystal.


    "Modred''s hound."


    By my best guess, I think those words are the equivalent to "son of a bitch" from earth. Who''s Modred, by the way?


    The Spriggan swings its arms again and this time, its arm breaks the old man''s sword.


    Oh, that''s bad.


    The old man instantly creates huge gap between him and the Spriggan and pulls out a shorter sword after he discarded the snapped sword.


    "That sword was made of magic steel." The old man said.


    Magic steel? Must be some steel with such name but to be broken easily like that, can''t say I have a good first impression on it.


    The Spriggan raises one of its arms and its body glowed. After that, the cocoon dangling on the branches break apart. Smaller size of Red Crystal Spriggans appear from those cocoon.


    Oh.....shoot. That''s bad.


    The smaller ones rush at us.


    I was about to join the fight but Alexander pulled me by my collar and threw me to Cilia.


    "Cilia, look after the boy." Alexander orders Cilia as he smoothly parries an attack. Nice one.


    I can fight too, you know? I guess they don''t know. Well, it is understandable. I am a scholar after all. In name, that is.


    The Spriggans number to at least a dozen. Alexander and Lucius are slowly being pushed back. From our six, more small-sized Spriggans emerges from the crystal lumps. I say small but they are actually only a little bit shorter than Lucius.


    "They coming from behind too!" Cilia yells. She engages them in combat when they got close.


    Yes, I can see that. Stop yelling. It hurts my ears.


    "I say we ditch the boy. Let him taste some of his own medicine." The old man suggested as he blocked an attack. Looks like the smaller ones doesn''t have the firepower of that normal size one.


    Wait. What did this senile old fuck just said? Are you suggesting me to become a bait?


    "Lucius, for fuck''s sakes. We are not doing that. What the hell''s wrong with you?" Alexander rebuke that suggestion as he fend off a few attacks.


    "Why not? The brat''s useless."


    Cilia also offers a disbelief glance at Lucius which he took notice of.


    "Oh, you youngsters." As if giving up, the old man reaches for me.


    Eh?


    With a heave, I was thrown to where the Spriggans are.


    Eh?


    What?


    "LUCIUS!" Alexander screams at the old man''s unexpected act. Alexander batters a Spriggan away and run towards me.


    Eh? Why are you coming here? You''ll die. I can handle.....


    Before I could do anything due to being shock on the sudden change of events, Alexander has already thrust himself to my position. The sword couldn''t cut the Spriggans, so he only managed to hit them away like baseball.


    When Alexander arrived to my side, so did the tallest Red Crystal Spriggan, the original I presume. It shatters Alexander''s sword with one swing of its arm and then attack with the other. I cast [Plane Displacement] but easily, its blade-arm pierce through.


    Right before my very eyes, I saw those shiny and clear surface of a smooth blade, an arm of a Spriggan made of red crystals, the blade-arm inserted through a man''s chest.


    I stood and watch with both my mouth and eyes agape. My breathing stop and I became silent.


    The noises in the background drowns out and I could only hear the dying breath of Alexander. He tried to say something but he only ended up coughing out blood.


    The Spriggan leader retracted its blade and proceed to decapitate Alexander like its the natural thing to do so.


    The head fell and roll to my feet.


    His eyes are still opened.


    The image then, is forever sear into my brain. The face of a person who is killed in front of me while I just stood and watch.


    There was a voice. It slowly became louder and louder until I could hear what it said.


    "Run, Hyx!" It was Cilia.


    My body moved on its own, complying to Cilia''s words. I turn and ran. I ran towards Cilia. At the same time, I saw Lucius taking out an ore of black and red lines. He threw it at me. It didn''t hit me. It passed right by and fell to the Spriggans behind me.


    With [Mana Perception], I saw the red Mana in the ore glowed as bright as the sun. Three seconds went by, the ore exploded and I was thrown by the force.


    Before the dust clears, Cilia had already came to my side, she was trying to help me up on my feet.


    "Come one, Hyx. We have to go." She told me.


    "Leave the boy. He will only be a liability." Lucius told her.


    "Just leave me." I told her.


    I don''t know why. I just repeated the words of the senile old man. I wasn''t intending to be a hero to stay back and hold them back. I wasn''t. I don''t even know what I was doing.


    I guess the death of a person hits real hard. I have been in such situation but things sure are different when you''re the audience.


    "Just leave me." I told her again.


    "Look! Even the boy himself realizes that he''s useless. So leave him."


    Cilia pretended that she didn''t hear Lucius and tried to help me up, anyways.


    Why are you doing this?


    The old man gave up persuading her and ran off. I had no idea where he ran off to. He just ran out of our sight.


    "Come on, you can do it." She even went as far as to lend me a shoulder.


    Just as I got to my feet thanks to her, I was shoved aside. She got jumped by the Spriggans and they overran her. And another traumatizing scene occurred before me. I stayed in the shadows where I was pushed to as I watch her getting stabbed repeatedly. Blood spurted out from her mouth and the holes created. She wasn''t staring at me but her hand was reaching out to me. She might just be convulsing but I couldn''t help but think that she might have been calling out to me for help.


    I didn''t react to that. I just watch.


    I could have help her. I know I can and I know I''m able to but I didn''t move at that time.


    I just stood by and watch. Why did I do that?


    Then the leader Spriggan noticed me. I barely avoided a chop to my neck, grazing only the skin of my neck.


    I didn''t retaliate. I just focus on avoiding its attacks.


    My eyes reflected on the Spriggan''s crystal clear body were of those of a dead fish''s. Those eyes don''t look it belongs to a living person.


    With every move, I saw my myself in those attacks, literally. It reflected a person devoid of any reason to live, a person tired of everything.


    Odd. I wasn''t like that. I don''t remember being like that. Is that really me?


    Somehow, I managed to snap back to reality at the last second.


    I catch the the blade-arms that are about to pierce through me.


    Okay, now I''m in deep trouble. This is a sure death move right here.


    Ugh....


    Damn, this Spriggan sure is strong. I''m loosing this battle of strength and endurance.


    Hm? I''m sensing a lot of Mana and energy from within the Spriggan.


    A light bulb switched on.


    Can I do that?


    It did say permission is not needed.


    Alright, [Mana Transmission]. I cast it.


    At that moment, its red body glow a radiant intense red and my body emits a soft radiant blue. Then its red color begin to be drained by me. The red energy flows into my hands in a rush which are grasping its arms.


    It realizes what is happening and tried to shake me off. I didn''t let it. I keep holding on to its blade arms, drawing blood from my palms, I ignore it and continue draining and absorbing its Mana. It took a while and took a lot but I finally did it. The red glow in the Spriggan''s body is completely drained. Now, my body is the one glowing an intense radiant red.


    Oh? The smaller ones are still moving. They''re coming towards me.


    Okay? I guess cutting off the head doesn''t compels them to flee. My fantasy knowledge had failed me.


    As I let go of the now lifeless body of a dull red crystal Spriggan, the red light I absorbed glow even brighter than before. It only keeps getting brighter. Even red energy begins to crackle in the air around me. The small ones stop in their tracks. They are bewildered by the spectacle in front of them.


    When I feel loads of power surge within me, I see blood spurting out from me like a faulty faucet and fountain.


    Eh?


    Why is blood coming out from my whole body?


    More and more blood burst out from my body, my veins to be exact.


    Ah. I forgot that lesson.


    The time when I forcibly absorb the miniature Crystal Pillar''s Mana and my right hand ended up suffering like an acupuncture gone wrong. Now I remembered. Too late to be remembering, though.


    Apparently, I have absorbed Mana more than my body could withstand. And this is the result. Even my ears and eyes are bleeding. It goes without saying, agony came and greeted me.


    I let out a scream that sounds more like a roar. It even terrifies the small ones. They then scramble away from me, sensing the danger I pose.


    The glow only gets more intense, the power only rises without a pause, and the agony gets more intense directly proportional to the former two factors.


    The energy becomes too powerful for the earth beneath my feet to handle. It starts to break apart. I can''t run. I''m paralyzed by the agony and surging energy within. Just like always, I stood and watch.


    It crumbled and I was then free falling through the empty air.


    The energy welled up inside me is then unleashed.


    Still. I was still falling.


    The darkness finally swallows me.


    Instead of a "splat", it is a "splash".


    I fell into a rushing river. It carried me away the instant I hit.


    <hr>


    Time and time again, I was beaten down.


    Every time that I''m down, I seemed to give up.


    Miracles strikes.


    My optimism returned.


    Beaten down once again.


    This never ending loop.


    When will it stop?


    I''m tired.


    Please, no more.


    Death, why didn''t you take me with you back then?


    As the water slowly carries me with its flow, my agony persist and the energy within expands without a care to my body limits, I receive message in my head then.


    [Mana Overseer: Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    [Mana Overseer: Lv. 3 increased to Lv. 4]


    [Mana Overseer: Lv. 4 increased to Lv. 5]


    [Spatial Magic: Lv. 3 increased to Lv. 4]


    [Abyss Magic: Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    .......


    .......


    Nice joke.


    [Title: <Unparalleled Evolver> - Acquired]


    Whoever''s watching, you must be having quite a blast and laugh.

 Intermission - Regis

    "For me?" I asked as I''m handed a Renewal Crystal. Lady Vira neither nodded nor shook her head to my question. She is just pressing the invaluable artifact on to me. I can''t tell what she''s thinking with her deadpan face. "I can''t possibly accept this, captain."


    "Regis." She said my name. "He would still be alive if he had taken my offer. I''m not letting the same thing happening again. So, take it."


    She presses on. I reluctantly accepted it eventually. I''m reluctant because these things cause more than my monthly pay and are hard to come by. A luxurious item that is only given to individuals of the highest ranking or importance.


    This Renewal Crystal heals all wounds, replenish a huge amount of Mana, and detoxifies all poison and venom. It can even help sustain one''s body. The best part being the effects are instantaneous. Although they don''t regenerate lost limbs or body parts, they are able to save lives. In fact, this Renewal Crystal had save tons of lives. The only catch is, they are rare. They can be artificially made but even that takes time and a lot of resources. Hence, such pricing.


    I even find myself still staring blankly at the Renewal Crystal I was just handed.


    "You too." Lady Vira said as she hands another one to Maev.


    Maev''s right arm is mangled. Her ribs are fractured. She has also exhausted of all her Mana reserve. Among the three of us left, she is the one faring the worst. The fight with the Goliaths had not been easy. Except for Lady Vira, of course.


    I never told her this but I call her, Captain Vira as Lady Vira in my heart. I feel that it''s a shame to not call such a cool beauty a lady. This is of course, a secret. I''m sure many people shares this belief too. She''s basically the exemplar of the Templar Knights. Though I''m not sure if the person-in-question herself is aware of this fact. For a such meticulous person, she can be very oblivious at times.


    "Forgive me for disobeying you, captain." Maev gently pushes the offered Renewal Crystal away. "This crystal is simply too much for a low rank like me. You should save this for yourself, captain."


    With her never-changing expression, she presses the Renewal crystal straight into Maev''s hand.


    "Captain?" Maev looks slightly dumbfounded.


    "This is an order, use this."


    Stuttering on her words, Maev asks "Are you sure about this?"


    Lady Vira pats the small satchel on her waist. "I still have some to spare for myself." She said and looks at us. Her eyes are urging us to use it.


    Even if she doesn''t show it, Maev and I can tell the captain is holding herself responsible for the death of Leon. The Goliaths proved to be too much for us. Leon who was already injured was literally hammered by the Goliath in a one-sided fashion. I''ll be omitting the gruesome details.


    We being the liability we are, can only watch the spectacle of Lady Vira skillfully and gracefully cut down her enemies. Her skills are something akin to reaching for the moon to us. She is just that exceptionally skilled. For the Nines, everyone really do look up to her.


    Both Maev and I exchange gazes. We aren''t sure if we really should be using this artifact.


    "Just hurry up and use it. The current state of you two are no better than being dead in this place. If you intent to be useful, use it. If not, you''re welcome to stay here where your hindrance won''t be affecting anyone."


    Dear Nines, she might looked ruthless but underneath the iron skin, she is as gentle as a shrine maiden. Left without any further argument, we crush the Renewal Crystal with Mana and absorb the lights that leak from it.


    Just like its reputation, our wounds are heal instantaneously.


    "Good. Let''s keep moving." were all Vira said before continuing on.


    We follow her in silent. We were too ashamed of our own powerlessness to speak to her.


    We encounter various monsters but they are all being swiftly dealt with by Lady Vira herself.


    There were wolves call Shadow Wolves which were able to traverse using shadows. Lady Vira figure out the trick immediately and decapitated all six of it in a quick succession.


    While crossing a stone bridge with a lake beneath, we are attacked by some monster fishes. They were twenty feet long shark-like magic beasts call Sharp Fins. Their attacks were silent. We only knew that its attacking when it broke the water surface. Only with seconds to act, Lady Vira bisected the all the attacking Sharp Fins into two.


    We even encountered more pale monsters. Maev and I had a minor role in fending them off but Vira cut down all that came to her.


    Just a little distance away from where we encountered the pale monsters, we found a Goliath being torn to shreds and eaten. Probably eaten by the pale monsters Vira had just cut down.


    We then came to an area with flowers that are on fire. How strange, the fire burns but not hurting the flower as if the flame itself is a part of the flower. And a few meters away from the red field, were two dried up corpses of some half humanoid-half scorpion monster.


    My appraisal told me they are called Kalas. Oddly enough, the lower-half scorpion body has no tail and its upper half have blades for hands instead of pincers. It only looked scorpion because of the body with eight legs.


    Beyond these two corpses, there was a entrance leading into a small cave. In there was a headless and charred Kalas. Looks like this whole place was on fire a while ago judging from the scorch marks on the walls.


    Lady Vira must have saw our tired breaths as she decided to have a small break inside the small cave. Alone, she dragged the corpse of the Kalas out of the cave.


    Two days must have passed by now. Two days we have not eaten nor drank anything. We are only hanging in there thanks to the Renewal Crystal. We do not feel hungry nor thirsty thanks to it but the effects aren''t permanent. Sooner or later, we will have to find something to eat and drink.


    Lady Vira is an exception to the above problems as always. She learned how to sustain herself even without relying on the Renewal Crystal.


    We rested for quite a long while before we began moving again.


    In a large room filled with incinerated grasses, a lonely figure stood in the middle of the ashes, feeding on the remains. It''s eating the charred flesh and bones of some lizard-like magic beasts.


    It''s tall and thin. Its legs are long and its four arms are also long and thin. Its two eyes are big. They look like the eyes of the strained. Like almost every other magic beasts down here, it has fangs for teeth.


    It notices us. It screeches and ran at us. No, not ran. It hopped at us.


    It likes hopping around but Lady Vira doesn''t. The four arms isn''t fast but it is annoying with its seemingly smiling expression and hopping around. Lady Vira unleashes an advanced-grade magic [White Light] at the four arms. It shoots out a single compressed white beam at a speed almost akin to light''s. The four arms is severed into two diagonally by [White Light].


    I guess Lady Vira''s probably really annoyed.


    Once again, we have only just sit back and watch Lady Vira cleaning up the magic beasts in this dungeon.


    The only time that Lady Vira was in the same spot as us was when we encountered hundreds of large centipedes. All three of us combined our magic to eliminate the abominable bugs but we barely shaved off their large numbers.


    For some reason, we saw some centipedes either have their exoskeleton partially burned or entirely charred. Did they engaged with some magic beasts that can utilize fire magic? Lets hope that is not the case.


    Escaping from the horde, we run into a large open space which is occupied by a village. A village shrouded with red crystals and overgrown plants. There are a lot of vine-type plants especially.


    I do not know if it was just me but this place has a overwhelming feel to it. I felt pressure by some sort of aura that lurks in here. No, it''s not the miasma. It''s something else.


    Lady Vira then collapses the passage behind us with magic to cut off the centipedes from the chase. It seemed to work.


    "A village?"


    "Ancient era?" Lady Vira answers my questions with another question.


    "Seems like it."


    We walk on through the village, passing by huts and houses made of bricks or wood. Their designs are ancient as hays were used as reinforcement for roofs, resembling the reference pictures we often saw in books but that was it, that''s the only resemblance.


    Still, this is an amazing discovery. If Hyx was here, he would have been over the clouds and asking questions no one alive know the answers to.


    Hyx Atlas. An odd fellow. Sanguine at almost all times. I remembered how he was able to crack a joke when he was literally just few centimeters away from death. If Lady Vira had been any slower, he would have been crushed. Right after that, he was trembling but he still did his best to put on a smile as if he doesn''t want his misery to affect the ones around him. Truly an odd fellow. He brightens up the most bleak moments.


    So, Hyx. Please be alive.


    "Over there." Maev''s voice brought me back to reality.


    She points at a place near a large cherry blossom tree.


    "Adventurers." I said as I saw the bodies of two individuals. I remember these two as they were the most accommodating among the other adventurers. Alexander and Cilia.


    "This is terrible." Maev remarks. Indeed, this is very unfortunate. I had secretly wish for them to be alive. I couldn''t care less about the other adventurers but I care enough about these two. A pity they didn''t make it.


    "Shame."


    Seems like Lady Vira agrees with me too.


    "That''s twelve confirmed dead."


    "But what are these?"


    I raise my eyebrows at Lady Vira''s enquiry. I look to where she pointed.


    By the Nines, what are those things?


    Spriggans but smaller than the ones I know. Their whole body covered in red crystals. The color of the crystals seem faded. Their bodies are convulsing. Cracks appeared all over the crystals on them. Their status is Dire. They''re not dead but close.


    Their race is Spriggan (Exalted) (Overloaded). I told Maev and Lady Vira this.


    Are they exalted of the miasma here and what are they overloaded with? Their own Mana? But come to think of it, we still haven''t encounter any dense miasma places. So far, we had only sense it.


    "Physical Mana vessels?" Lady Vira directs a question at me.


    I''ll do my best to answer your question, Lady Vira. Work hard, [Analysis] and [Appraisal] "They do seem to be souls in a physical form. They have the traits and their flow and structure does resemble a soul."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Isn''t it impossible?" Maev asked. "Even the top researchers branded it as just fantasy of researchers."


    "Obviously it''s not impossible for this place." responds Lady Vira. "Considering everything we have seen so far, this is something that should be expected." She then points at something. "Those crystals. Are they real?"


    "It appears so, La..." I cough. "Captain Vira." Close. "They are Mana Crystals. Just like the ones we have been seeing."


    There are two types of crystals. A normal crystal for decoration and flaunting and a Mana Crystal which contains Mana within. The functions and properties varied.


    "Woah!" Maev suddenly exclaimed. "What happened here?"


    Lady Vira and I look to align our line of sights with Maev''s. There is a huge hole. Something broke the foundation of this floor and fell through.


    Lady Vira reaches her hand to the air above the hole.


    "There was a huge concentration of Mana here. Just moments ago." She then looks back at the convulsing red crystal Spriggans. "Must be the one who did all that to the Spriggans."


    Who did what? "What do you mean, Captain Vira?"


    "Someone unleashed a highly concentrated Mana explosion here. Resulting in overloading the Spriggans there who are sensitive to Mana and creating this hole. This hole is probably not included in the person''s plan. This person is probably either inexperience with handling Mana of this level, shortsighted, or suicidal."


    I look at the hole and then at the Spriggans. I still can''t make sense of Lady Vira''s last sentence.


    She seems to have sense both me and Maev''s confusion, she explains. "If this person is experienced, not an idiot, nor suicidal, he would understand that such level of ability could very well make this whole place collapse."


    I see. Simple but excellent observation. As expected of Lady Vira.


    "What of the Spriggans?" Maev asks.


    "Off with them. They were the ones who killed these two after all. Their wounds match with the Spriggans'' bladed arms."


    ""Understood.""


    We then proceed to end their suffering but a problem arises. Our swords can''t hurt it.


    "They''re tough."


    "That is to be expected, Maev. Magic beasts they maybe, those are still genuine Mana Crystals after all." I told Maev.


    Lady Vira just sheathes her sword and then draws out another sword from thin air. Must be her [Arms Inventory] that everyone is talking about and drooling for. An ability to store weapons in a sub-dimension.


    The sword she drew out is a sabre. A guardless sword with a jet-black curved blade and a silver grip that curved oppositely to the blade, forming a wave pattern.


    Fang


    Type: Sabre (Divine)


    Power Strength: A


    Mana Conversion Rate: A


    Mana Threshold: S


    Status: None


    <u>


    </u><u>Innate Abilities</u>


    Mana Absorption


    Aura Blade


    Magic Devouring Field


    Wielder Healing


    Call-to-Arms


    Recall (Unique)


    Magic Ripper (Unique)


    I can''t believe it. Despite being acquainted to her for more than ten years, this is the first time I witness the legendary Fang.


    A divine weapon. Weapons that said to be blessed by the gods themselves. It is given to her when she repelled a goblin invasion on a small village, single-handed. If I remember correctly, she nearly died at that time. When she didn''t, a divine A-rank sabre is given to her by the Cardinal himself.


    She later named it Fang. Everyone was very skeptical about her naming sense but none dared to ask. Not even me.


    She then silently stabs each Spriggans once in the chest, letting Fang absorbs the Mana.


    "A debt is paid." I hear Lady Vira mutters it silently. It isn''t a saying or a prayer of the Nines. It sounds more like something personal.


    My honest impression of her, I don''t believe she is truly devout. I do not know of the other''s impression but this is my own impression after closely observing her for a long time. Normally I would have reported such things to the High Priests but she has done so much more than those who claimed to be a devout follower of the Nines. So I have no qualms about it.


    After "killing" all the red crystal Spriggans, Lady Vira put Fang back in her [Arms Inventory] and we left the area.


    When I said the area, I meant the part with the Spriggans. We are technically still in the same room. This segment of the dungeon is the biggest we have came across.


    This place truly doesn''t have the feel of being underground. If the ceiling was any darker, I would have sworn that it was the night sky.


    A few hundred meters after the village, there is a forest full of trees that I have never seen before. That is to be expected.


    The forest stretches as far as the eyes could see. We decided to head into the forest.


    "Do you think the lights on these cyan veins will go out?" Maev asks. I''m not sure who she is asking though. Probably whoever can answer.


    "As far as I can tell, the plants in this dungeon have different necessities. They are probably absorbing the Mana through the roots." I did saw a lot of Mana veins in this dungeon but it''s only natural. Dungeons are a sort of an arcane phenomenon after all.


    "Keep communications to a minimum." And we are reprimanded by Lady Vira. "I don''t want us attracting any unneeded attention."


    And so, we all walk on in silent. Although the silent is necessary, I can''t help but feel awkward.


    Things are quite peaceful for the time being. We merely see insects of some kind crawling from here to there. We also hear birds chirping but we saw no bird.


    The atmosphere of the worthwhile peace comes to an end when we got to a certain spot.


    We arrive at an area that has a lot more space between trees.


    "Not good." Lady Vira gives her impression about the area. I concur.


    "Yeah. No covers in case of long range ambush." Maev also agrees.


    By the Nines.....


    What is that?


    "What is that thing?" Maev asked the question I have in my mind.


    "Something that we need to be cautious of." Lady Vira answers.


    The magic beast we found ourselves looking at is a small walking tree with a very beautiful and erotic-looking green skin woman embedded on the trunk. Leaves are covering her private parts but every other parts are bared. Her hair is long and silky and in dark green like the leaves on its branches.


    I appraise her and the info I''m given is --


    -- Maneater. Rank C. Abilities are [Charm], [Seduce], [Devour], [Shadow Spears], [Shadow Prison], [Shadow Walk], and [Disordering Mist].


    I relay all those information to Lady Vira. Reminder, these are just the Maneater''s magic abilities, her Arcane Arts. Her natural physical abilities are not included.


    All of our swords are drawn.


    "A seductress." Lady Vira gives her first impression.


    "Of man." Maev added and emphasized.


    Why did you do that, Maev?


    The Maneater is saying something but it is most likely in monster language.


    Yes, monsters or magic beasts has their own language but even so, only few are capable of such methods of communication.


    "She likes you." says Lady Vira. Apparently Lady Vira knows monster''s language but as expected of Lady Vira as always.


    "Excuse me?" I blurted out my reaction.


    "In the sense that she would enjoy having you as dinner." clarifies Lady Vira.


    Oh. I see.


    You are indeed quite attractive even with your unsightly parts and conducts but no thanks. My heart already belongs to someone.


    "The code." Maev whispers out loud to me.


    "I know." I assure her. Do you honestly think I wouldn''t with the thief of my heart just beside me?


    "From the ground!" Lady Vira yells, suddenly.


    The two of us immediately understood what Lady Vira meant.


    We all leap to the side and the ground where we were before, spikes made of wood shot out. Since this is not listed in her magic list, this must be a physical ability.


    The shadows of the Maneater rises into the air. They spread and morph into twenty spears.


    [Shadow Spears], no doubt.


    "On me." Lady Vira ordered and we comply.


    A barrier of light forms around us. The twenty spear of shadows melted and dissipated upon contact. Intermediate level light-type magic, [Light Barrier]. The Novice level would be [Barrier] if I''m remembering correctly.


    Shadows rise again but instead of spreading out thinly like last time, it concentrates into two parts. The two parts morph into a shape of a spear.


    [Shadow Spear] but with focus on the quality instead of quantity.


    These strengthened spears flew at us.


    Nines be damned, they are not just stronger but faster.


    Tsk.


    I swear I heard someone clicked their tongue. I refuse to believe it was Lady Vira beside me who is the closest and the most probable culprit. I absolutely won''t.


    Lights that compose the barrier breaks down and become something akin to midst.


    The [Shadow Spears] which enter the dazzling midst immediately explode into nothing.


    Don''t tell me.... Is that [Purifying Field]? The advance level light-type magic? It is able to purify as its name stated and can also functions as a sort of barrier against dark magics. This is a magic ability that only high ranking priests have.


    As always -- as expected of Lady Vira.


    The Maneater groans in frustration and then yells at us. Anybody can tell it was cursing us or something similar.


    This time, the Maneater sends more than fifty [Shadow Spears] at us.


    No, not at us. At the ground just in front of us. The spears raise a cloud of dust when they hit. A smokescreen.


    Lady Vira strikes out her palm and the cloud of dust is cleared in an instance.


    The Maneater is no where in sight.


    "Behind." Lady Vira shouts. She didn''t even look back first.


    Maev and I turn but we are too late. We find sharp vines darting at us before our eyes.


    The vines didn''t reach, however.


    Lady Vira has appeared in between us and the Maneater. She has cut down all the attacking vines.


    Such speed. Are you perhaps a godsend apostle, Lady Vira?


    Lady Vira swings wide but her blade cuts only the air. The Maneater has used [Shadow Walk] again. This was the ability it used to appear behind us.


    This time, the Maneater appears behind the three of us, using the same pattern of attack. And of course, Lady Vira being Lady Vira cuts down all the vines before they even got close.


    Dear Nines, I am really useless indeed.


    Before Lady Vira''s next move, the Maneater creates a good distance between it and us. It then uses its trump card, [Disordering Mist]. It inhales in air through its lavishing lips and then blows it all out in a lustful manner.


    Nines be damned, I will not be tempted!


    The green smoke comes at us like a tidal wave. It is fast and covers a wide range.


    Lady Vira could have just dashed through the smoke and ended the Maneater but she is not that kind of person to just coldly abandon her allies. Instead, she stands her ground and once again casts [Purifying Field].


    The mist disappears when it enters the field of light.


    I''m sorry, Lady Vira. I truly am. I''m sorry that I''m just a liability to you.


    As those thoughts are crossing my mind, I hear Maev shouted at me. "Regis!"


    Before I can understand the purpose of her shout, I am lifted into the air.


    What?


    And then I am thrown outside of [Purifying Field]. The same went to Maev. Lady Vira almost suffers the same fate but she reacted quickly like she always did and cut off the vines that have crawled from underneath the ground.


    Oh no. This can''t be good.


    I am engulfed by the green smoke.


    I can feel the smoke entering my lungs.


    I can hear Lady Vira shouting my name and Maev''s. Louder than any time I knew. The loudest.


    So she shouts like that too, I see.


    Following her shout, I see the silhouette of Lady Vira, she is drinking something. A potion, perhaps? After that, she draws something from thin air. A sword.


    [Arms Inventory]! What sword did you take out? Fang, perhaps? No, not Fang. Fang doesn''t have a cross guard but Shadow''s Bane does.


    She stabs the sword into the ground. A radiant light burst out from her and spreads to the surrounding. My vision is instantly engulfed by the light.


    I didn''t know at that time. Maybe I would never know. The light actually engulfed the whole floor of that dungeon.


    And the mist is gone. The air is once again clear but still dark. The cyan vines provide only ample illumination.


    Ah.... My head feels light.


    I see the figure of Lady Vira. So dignified. So graceful. She dispatches the Maneater so easily. She''s so precise. So swift. So stylish. So elegant --


    -- So beautiful--


    -- Can you be mine?


    She runs towards Maev. She runs towards her, first. Why? Why didn''t you come to me first? Did you favor her?


    After Maev, then only she runs to me.


    Lady Vira, you look flustered.


    "Are you alright?" she asks me.


    I nod.


    "Sorry for being useless in battles. To make up to you, I can be useful to you in other ways." I offer her a very gentleman smile.


    "Regis?" She looks at me. Her mildly flustered expression changed. She now has the look of uncertainty just like whenever she is up against an unknown enemy. The expression change is subtle. No one but me could notice the change. No one.


    But why are you making such faces?


    "Regis? Are you truly alright?"


    Why wouldn''t I be? You''re here, after all.


    You''re so beautiful.


    "Regis! Where are your arms going?"


    Around you, of course. How else can I embrace you?


    You look scare for a moment. How cute. Show more of that to me.


    "Did the purifying not work?"


    What are you saying? Ah.... Never mind what you are saying. That''s not important. The important thing here is....


    "Get your hands off her!"


    Ah? Ah? Ah....? Ah. Aaah. Aaaaah!


    Maev, you bitch! What have you done to my hands? My hands! My hands! Where are they?


    On the ground?


    This bitch!


    "Maev."


    See, Maev. You made her look sad. You made her terrified. You made her worried. These distorted faces of her''s are my privilege. Mine alone. This is unacceptable!


    Ah? I''m in the air?


    Ah. I fall back to the ground


    Oh. You pushed me away, Vira.


    Why did you stop me from attacking Maev?


    She hurt me, you know? She scared you too.


    So, why are you defending her?


    "Both of you! Stand down right now. That is an order."


    Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable.


    "Maev. Stand down. You hear me? Stand down!"


    She won''t. She won''t do it because she doesn''t respects you and loves you like I do. That''s why she won''t.


    See. She''s still coming to attack me.


    Ah?


    Where did you come from?


    "Maev!"


    Why did you scream for her?


    She got what''s coming for her. She tried to kill me. She even cut off my hands. Getting mauled to death by some reptile monster is a suitable punishment.


    Don''t mind her. Just come to me--


    -- Thanks. You protected me from one of the reptile monsters.


    Were they invisible just now?


    Never mind. That does not matters. The only thing that matters here is you, with me.


    "Regis, snap out of it! You''re not thinking clearly."


    You''re wrong. I am thinking clearly. Clearer than ever before. Don''t mind the monsters that are slowly coming to us.


    Hmm.... Why are all the monsters coming out from the woods and coming here, towards us?


    Never mind . Never mind. It''s all good. You''re here with me. That''s all that matters.


    Why are you tapping on my forehead? A new play?


    "Damn it. Not even a divine-type. Is it not magic?"


    Stop talking nonsense, Vira. Let''s just embrace. Don''t look panic at those monsters. They don''t matter. They are not relevant. Look only at me.


    You''re so beautiful, my dear sweet Vira.


    Hm?


    What''s with this sudden darkness?


    Oh. A Goliath.


    An Alpha.


    Tsk.


    Read the mood, stupid monkey.


    ....


    ....


    Woah! You swing that sword, so naturally. Slicing the surrounding monsters into half, even the invisible reptiles are caught in your attack.


    As expected of you.


    Still, you failed to realize the Alpha Goliath that is behind you. You didn''t notice the obvious shadow that overlapped ours. You were always so attentive to things and details but you didn''t even realize the Alpha Goliath that had raised its fist.


    Why?


    Why didn''t you?


    Why can''t you?


    Why didn''t you notice?


    Why didn''t you notice my feelings for you?


    Why can''t you notice my feelings?


    I sigh.


    I guess I just have to rescue you. I just have to be the prince that you never wished and asked for.


    Softly, "Behind you." I said to you as I pushed you out of the way.


    Unfortunately, my last memory is not of you but a fist of a giant monkey that can''t read the mood.

 H8 - The Depths

    Ugh....


    It hurts....


    Not this again....


    How many times does this make?


    Ah..... Does it matters?


    Where am I?


    What is this place?


    Is dark but just like every other area, cyan vines, the sole lights and salvation in the darkness.


    Pretty. But where do those things grow from?


    Why do I have my face planted on the ground?


    How did I get here?


    Oh.


    Right....


    I remember now.


    That happened.


    Caught in my fears and forgot what I kept reminding myself of.


    After that, I fell into a rushing current. Carried to the further and deeper unknown.


    Now, I am washed ashore.


    Deeper and deeper. Just great.


    Now, where am I?


    This soil.... Is this sand? There are pebbles. Rocks and stones. Is the ground made of such? Seems like it.


    Summoning my strength, I push myself up.


    Ugh!


    Damn it. Not possible. My whole body stings whenever I exhibit even a bit of strength. In my vision that has yet to clear, I am able to see the scars and wounds on my right arm and hand.


    Did Picasso doodled on my arm when I was unconscious?


    Oh yeah, my blood veins burst back then. So it''s not just my right arm, my whole body is probably in the same sorry and miserable state.


    Fuck....


    Why did I forget such important lesson?


    Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.


    I thought I have known better then. I learned my lesson when I tempered with the miniature Crystal Pillar, or at least I thought I did.


    Ha.... I clearly didn''t. Nothing I should be really surprise now.... Ah.... even I, myself, has given up on me. Not a good sign for my mental health....


    So, where am I? Am I now further away from the exit?


    ....


    Ha.... Why wouldn''t I be? I just went down further and deeper into the dungeon. No way the exit is on the bottom floors. Unless, there''s a teleportation circle at the bottom.


    Hm. Such absurd wishful thinking. It will too much, even for a Deus Ex Machina. Am I getting delusional? Pretty sure I am. If not, I will be soon. It would be weirder if I''m not delusional or going to be.


    "There, there. Something''s there. Let''s check it out."


    I heard some odd language. I understand the odd language. How odd.


    "Is that a human?"


    "Is it alive?"


    "Is it female?"


    "Quiet. We no want it to know we here."


    Too late, idiots. I already know you''re here.


    Thought I may not have enough strength to move my whole body, I do have strength to lift my head from the soil.


    Goblins?


    Four to five footers. Pale tea green skin. Eyes similar to those afflicted by rabies. Long and pointed ears and nose. Yellow and black rotten teeth. Thin bodies, arms, hands, and fingers. Nails are rough, long, sharp. Absolutely abhorring little creatures. Is a loincloth a fad for your kind, you little shits?


    Orcbl*g, will you be appearing any moment now?


    Ha. Who am I kidding? Nothing like that will happen.


    Ah. They saw me looking at them. Shit.


    They spare not a moment and run at me like children discovering their favorite toys at a store and I think I''m only putting it mildly.


    And they stop.


    "Where? Where human go?"


    "Don''t know. Don''t know."


    "Ngeh? The human, right there just now?"


    "Yes. Yes. Disappeared. Like thin air."


    What''s with your language? Is all over all the place.


    Too bad. You won''t find me. Not with [Presence Detachment] activated. Now, let''s pray I don''t run out of Mana anytime soon.


    "What now? What now?


    "What What? Human gone."


    "Human gone. What next?"


    "Neh neh. Invisible. Magic. Magic."


    The four goblins holding short swords with blunt blade all look at each other. They look like they have reached a consensus or something.


    "Possible. Possible"


    One of the goblins seems to have agree verbally with the last goblin''s statement. That''s a shocker. They are capable of such level of thinking.


    "Wait. Sounds. Incoming."


    "Eek!"


    "Ngeh!"


    "There! There!"


    Hmm....? What''s coming? The waters, they''re rippling? Something is coming towards here.


    The moment I asked that in my heart, my instincts went off like an alarm on Monday morning. I activate [Mana Perception], following the goblins'' line of sight.


    Oh.... my.... god....


    Although it has yet to show itself, I see the flow of Mana that draws the outline of the monsters that is lurking underwater. It is swimming towards here like a champ.


    Holy Sweet Mary Mother Jesus.


    That''s a huge-ass crocodile.


    I have always find them fascinating and at the same time, they are also one of my biggest fear. Now, I have one coming towards my way at an incredible speed.


    Mr.[Presence Detachment]-san, work your hardest please.


    God damn it, teeth. Stop chattering so much.


    The goblins knew something is coming but they don''t know what. When they did find out, it is already too late for them. The giant crocodile didn''t crawled out slowly from the water, it leaped out instead.


    Its jaws clamping down on to three goblins, the last goblin wasn''t eaten but it lost its left arm.


    The goblin shrieked in pain as it falls down to the ground. Backing away from the reptile in a fumble. Heh. I didn''t know you can even slip from crawling backwards but this goblin proves me wrong.


    By the way, the giant crocodile is just a feet beside me. I can feel and see its belly expand and contract. I can see the absurd thickness of its hide. I don''t think any of my abilities can hurt it.


    The last goblin ran off into the distance, into the darkness. The giant crocodile chases after it. Oh damn, the crocodile is crawling as fast as the goblin ran.


    Me? I''m still frozen from the aftermath. Everything happened so quickly, it''s all a bit of a blur but it is without a doubt that a humongous crocodile just passed by me.


    Okay. Staying in the water or near the water is a no no. I have to quickly leave this place.


    Ugh!


    Shit. No good. I can''t move. My wounds are too severe. Shit.


    Hmm.... If my memory serves me well, this is the first I have waken up with my wounds still present. I did recovered a bit but not fully. Normally, I would have waken up with my wounds all patched up and gone.


    Huh? Normally?


    Ah. I have accepted my bizarre recovery ability as the norm. What am I becoming?


    That''s right. I can ask my status card.


    Hmm?


    ....


    I find myself looking at a spider web, the pattern which the status card cracked into.


    Can my luck get any worse....


    Great. Now how do I know what is what with me?


    I flip myself to have my back on the ground. I look to the ceiling. Dark as usual. Now this is the usual sight I wake up to.


    How did I recovered all those previous times? Is it an arbitrary function or do certain conditions have to be met? I doubt it''s the former and I hope it''s not cause that will suck, big time.


    Now, think. Be useful for once, brain. Why did I only begin recovering when sleeping? Obvious reasons? Still and calm?


    That does seems likely to be the condition or trigger. So, perhaps meditate can help?


    I forced myself to crawl towards to a nearest rock pillar, going against all my nerves screaming.


    There, I lay myself against the pillar.


    My breathing has gotten ragged and heavy just from that. Understandable. And nerves, please be quiet.


    Now, breath in. Breath out. Be still. Take deep breaths. Slowly. Breath in. Breath out. Happy thoughts, think of them.


    Happy thoughts.


    Hmm?


    Happy thoughts?


    I....


    I don''t remember them.


    Birthday parties? Going out with friends? First crush? Winning competitions? Getting a good loot in games? Long awaited movies, games, novels coming out?


    I remember them all but--


    -- not the details. I just know I have those but I can''t remember what is it or what is it like.


    Why? Why can''t I remember?"


    "Aaaah!" I screamed and it bounced between the walls, ground, and ceiling. I raised my voice because of the sting on the back of my neck. Why is it doing this? The back of my neck always hurts whenever I tried to remember something or somewhere along that line.


    Then, I receive a loud growl in return for the echo. It came from where the darkness where the goblin and the giant crocodile disappeared into.


    Please don''t tell me I have attracted its attention. Please don''t.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Great. Now I can''t keep calm. Not when I know that I might have attracted a big-ass predator to me. I can''t recover like this. I can''t even fight back. Using my magic incurs the pain and not to mention, I may have exhausted almost all my Mana in one go when my blood veins popped and destroyed the ground.


    On the bright side, I can still use [Presence Detachment]. Maybe I do still have some amount left.


    Ah? Huh. Shit.


    I just felt my [Presence Detachment] wore off. Look at what you have done, my big mouth in my mind.


    Maybe I can absorb Mana from something? But what?


    My eyes which were moving around, looking for any possible battery, stopped at a cyan vine. It had grown out of the grown just beside me. Can I drain that?


    Like it''s only natural, my hands begin to reach out. Then, I see the wounds covering my arm. I freeze and retract my arm.


    No. I do not know what will happen if I just randomly absorb Mana once again.


    The growl from before got louder and I hear footsteps stomping closer. It is coming here. Since it''s not rushing over here, I guess it just came to return to its habitat? That''s not the problem here.


    Shit. No time to think. If it comes back here, I can''t put another [Presence Detachment] to hide me, I''ll be its next snack. This is do or die. I can''t hesitate any longer.


    Alright, here goes nothing. Please don''t go south.


    Nerves steeled. Resolve hardened. Will strengthened. Nerves stee -- Wait, I said that already.


    Here goes.


    Oh? This is....


    This is actually not bad. I can feel my Mana getting replenish. I expected pain but this is quite the opposite. It''s actually quite relaxing, smoothing. Hah........ This feels good. Is like all burdens have been lifted.


    As I was thinking those things, I have absorbed the light but--


    -- I''m not stopping. I just keep absorbing. It''s never ending. Does such a tiny vine have so much Mana? Is it going to be emptied any moment soon?


    And as usual, like always, things look up--


    -- I''m handed lemons and life kicked me in the balls.


    Every other cyan vines in the area starts to flicker.


    Oh....shit.... Please don''t let it be anything too bad.


    The whole scene resembles a horror movie scene when lights start flickering.


    "What the hell?" I muttered.


    The room then begin to shake. Storm of stomps approaching this way.


    It is the giant crocodile. It''s coming


    I cast [Presence Detachment]. Oh jolly, I have recovered enough Mana. Though it isn''t full yet.


    The giant crocodile emerges from the shadow. It looks furious, like something hooked on its nerve.


    ....


    No. That''s not it. It''s not furious. It''s scared. It went straight past me and dove right back into the water. It swims away without looking back, away from this place where the cyan vines are still flickering.


    Then, it manifested. The space distorted and closed in, when is stetches back out, something is formed.


    I can only stare at that.... entity.


    A humanoid being, glowing faint cyan like the vines. Its body, its empty, hollow, see through, transparent. It looks like a ghost.


    Is is actually a ghost? A phantom or apparition, maybe?


    It''s looking around. Looking for something, for someone.


    For someone?


    Me?


    I spent the whole time leaning and cowering beside the rock pillar until the phantom-like being went away. By went away, it actually just faded into nothing. And every cyan vines in the room went back to normal.


    I didn''t even realize I have been holding my breath.


    When I released the breath I have been holding, I puked as well. I finally puked for the first time after so many strange and mortifying encounters.


    Why did such a thing appeared so suddenly? It even scared such a big predator back to its hidey-hole. What is that thing?


    Is it because of me? Did absorbing Mana from the cyan vines trigger its appearance? That does seem to be the most plausible explanation.


    Mental note to my forgetful brain, everything here is hostile and unexpected. Caution be advised to the maximum. That is all.


    I''m still covered in wounds but it no longer hurts. In fact, my wounds have healed a little. Did absorbing Mana from the vines healed it to some degree? Do the vines have such properties?


    [Spirit Magic: Lv. 1 - Acquired]


    Huh? What? Spirit Magic? A new Arcane Art?


    [Spirit Magic: Light Drop - Acquired]


    A portable light source. A torch?


    Eh? It''s just a ball of light, floating in mid air at eye level. The light is cyan in color.


    Ah.... I see.


    So the cyan vines are something special. But special it maybe, I don''t think I''ll be touching another cyan vine again cause that thing just now is just uneasy to look at. Unlike the pale monsters, the demon ape, the centipedes, the most they do is just incurring a grimace on my face but this phantom being, I felt like I could go straight entirely insane just from looking at it.


    Let''s forget about that. Yeah. Forget about that.


    <hr>


    I can''t forget about it. Shit. Every time I looked at the ball of light floating in front of me, I''m reminded of it.


    Yes, the ball of light is [Light Drop].


    I never intend to use it again but this tunnel I''m currently in, is absent of the cyan vines or any light. So, I have no choice but to use [Light Drop]. [Mana Perception] wasn''t able to help. There are no ore veins, Mana veins, nor any magic plants in the tunnel.


    I found this tunnel purely by accident.


    Before that, I encountered lots of insect monsters and all are hostiles. While dispatching those insects, I discovered I have learned a new ability, [Abyssal Javelin]. I must have acquired it after that incident and while drifting in the rushing waters. This new skill basically shoots out javelins made of purplish black energy. I can make more of them and make it bigger at the expense of higher Mana consumption. Logical.


    With this, I concluded that the purplish black energy is Abyss Magic''s energy. Not that I have only realized it now but only now, I can absolutely declare it so.


    After the insects, I noticed a large boulder leaning against a wall. The boulder looked so out of place and it would only fool an idiot. I shove it aside and found this tunnel. And that''s how I found it. Nothing too exciting.


    The exciting part is how I went wild with my newfound ability earlier. Maybe not wild, it''s more like I have my restrains off. I didn''t care if I used too much Mana or I keep missing my shots, I''m just attacking and assaulting without any prior thoughts. I think I was laughing and smiling too but that might be just my imagination.


    I even came across breeding grounds of some monsters. I have not seen one of those before and this is the first time I came across a breeding ground. What did I do with it? To quote a big black man who got raped by a guy in a basement, "I went medieval on them".


    There was even monsters fighting other monsters but I ignored all of them. This floor seems to have a lot more monsters than the previous floors. Sneaking past them without [Presence Detachment] was not an easy task. My heart almost burst out when I kicked a pebble in my way on accident. Thank god, nothing reacted to it.


    Just from reminiscing as I walk in the tunnel, my breathing has become distorted. This is seriously not good.


    I suddenly stopped in my tracks and [Light Drop] went out. Darkness engulfs me.


    Why did I stop? Why did [Light Drop] went out?


    Because I recall that incident. That mortifying experience.


    I drop to my knees, looking at my hands that still hadn''t stop trembling. Ha.... At least the nails are back to normal. They weren''t claws anymore. Though, that ain''t enough even for a consolation.


    No, not the ghost one.


    The one where I absorbed all of the red Spriggan''s Mana. I can still vividly remember the sight and feeling of when the blood veins all across my body exploded.


    Fear, anxiety, horror, shock, agitation, dread, distress, all those negative emotion instantly overwhelmed me at that time. To add fuel to the wildly burning flames, I fell through the ground. I honestly thought I would be dead. I even prepared for it.


    Was it relieve or disappointment I felt when I hit the water? I can''t remember.


    And then, there was that ghost. The appearance of that ghost didn''t help.


    I wonder -- how long will the fear last this time before it subsides?


    So far, this has been the longest. Am I actually and finally going crazy?


    Maybe this explains my unrestrained actions back there.


    And then, there were the adventurers. So foolish of me at that time. Why didn''t I see the old man for what he is?


    That fucking old man, he betrayed me and abandoned his allies. Alexander and Cilia, they died trying to protect me. Why did they do that?


    Was it my fault? Do I have a hand in this? I didn''t told them I could fight, after all. That''s why they risked their lives for me. Why didn''t I tell them? Was I afraid to be look at as a monster? Monsters repel me. Was it because I''m afraid they would reject me?


    What if I had told them about myself? About my capabilities? Would things be different then?


    I have killed a lot but never humans. Plus, it was a whole new experience witnessing the death of a human, a brutal and messy one at that. Are my hands trembling because of that too?


    No. I can''t stay here and wept forever. I have to keep going. Keep going.


    But where am I going? How do I know I''m even going the right way? What have I been doing all this time? I don''t have a map. I don''t have directions. I was just going where my feet takes me and hoped for the best.


    No. It doesn''t matter. Just keep going. Just keep moving forward.


    Keep moving forward.


    And so I did. I just keep moving forward along the tunnel. Straight into God knows what.


    <hr>


    Well, I dun goofed.


    I have stumbled into a goblin''s nest while being absentminded. I say goblin''s nest but there are orcs in the mix.


    All the goblins which numbered to about fifty all stop and turn towards my way.


    Some were mock-battling.


    Some were tempering their weapons.


    Some were drinking


    Some were eating


    Some were just idling around.


    Some were having their way with some human women despite the desperate pleads and screams. The women have been strip all the way down to their bare. Judging from their condition, I say they have been in that situation for a quite a long time now. How unsightly.


    At the other end of this room, there are seven individuals tied and bound to a pole. Four of them are goblins. One is an orc, I presume. Two of them are humans, naked women. All the seven individuals back there seem to have being used for sports.


    So unsightly. And I mean everyone in this room, monsters and humans.


    One of the orcs who seems to be the leader, stood up.


    "Get that human!"


    It barked an order.


    And all the goblins and orcs dropped what they were doing and charge towards me.


    I caught a glance at the male human corpses, piled in one of the corners of the room. The goblins and orcs won''t spare me like they did with the women. They will just kill me and strip me of my gears like it did to the males.


    I will probably die from this but before death, there will probably be a lot of pain.


    I dislike pain.


    I don''t want to feel anymore pain.


    No more.


    No more.


    If I stay, there will be a lot of pain. No, I don''t want that.


    What about the humans? Screw them. I don''t even know them. They might not even be decent peoples.


    I should just run.


    Yes, run.


    ....


    ....


    Should I?


    Will this really be able to resolve my fears? My hands are still trembling and it had been for quite a long time now. The longest, in fact.


    If I ran away, will my fears ever be gone? Will I be forever afraid of suffering and pain?


    I somehow knew, if I ran away, right here and now, the fear will be forever etched in my heart.


    Is that such a bad thing?


    As I am being drowned in my own thoughts in such a dim situation, a goblin had ran up to me. It brings its knife down at me.


    I only took notice at the last minute. On an impulse maybe? I used my left palm in defense against the knife which is aimed for my face. The knife of the blade went through my palm, splattering blood on my already bloodied face.


    Huh?


    It hurts. It hurts but not as much as I expected.


    The goblin is taken aback by my lack of reaction.


    Blankly, I stare at the knife which had just went through my palm. Without a care, I pull out the knife and simply tosses it aside. I observe my wound, the hole in my palm.


    Ugh, gruesome. I feel my insides are curling up.


    Still, why doesn''t it hurts that much like I expect it to? Am I actually going numb against pain? Does such wound has become nothing to me?


    The goblin then regain its grip on reality, it attacks once again. I send my feet to its face. The crack sounds of skull fracturing echoes nicely into the ears of every one in the room. The goblin even went flying into the crowd.


    I hear gasps from the goblins and orcs.


    When did I gain such physical strength? Wait. Perhaps I always have been this strong? Otherwise, how was I able to bisect the monsters so easily all this time? [Abyssal Edge] is strangely sharp though. Perhaps I gained my strength from consuming monster flesh? Going with a template, the latter reason might be more plausible.


    "What are you fools waiting for? Tear that god''s favorite into pieces." The orc roared at the goblins and orc who are hesitating to approach me now.


    God''s favorite? Whatever that means, I''m sure you are mistaken.


    I''m not anyone''s favorite. Who would put their favorite in such a place and situation?


    Hmm.... I ponder and I look back, at the tunnel when I came through. I then look back at the goblins, the orcs, the women.


    Then, I look at my hands. Still covered in wounds but --


    -- my nails....


    My nails have grown. Taking the long, sharp, crooked shape once again.


    What am I?


    I close my eyes and sigh. When I open them, I conjure two [Abyssal Edge], one on each hand.


    Maybe I should stop thinking like a human now. I am obviously a human, no longer. Perhaps I''m not even a human from the start but that doesn''t matter now.


    Humans don''t defy death in succession. They don''t greet death but turn away from its door. Humans aren''t capable of such suffering and pain. They don''t retain their mind and sanity after all that. They don''t brush such things off as another hard day''s work. Humans don''t accumulate pain like a walk in park. Humans don''t do all that.


    But monsters do.


    I don''t know how I know their language but I just know. And with their language, I challenge them with a roar. "COME AT ME! YOU DAMN UGLY FUCKS!" I shouted. I could do without the shout but maybe I was just nervous in communicating with the bunch of ugly fucks.


    They all froze, even the human women.


    The stagnant situation lasted for a little bit over three seconds.


    And then, the goblins and orcs return to themselves and rush at me.


    I swing the lengthened [Abyssal Edge] in my right hand, decapitating five ugly fucks in a single momentum.


    I thrust the lengthened [Abyssal Edge] in my left hand, skewering another five ugly fucks in a single attack.


    My instincts whispers to me as I battle against the odd numbers of goblins and orcs. I think it''s my instincts. I wasn''t paying attention from fighting against the goblins and orcs. Like some guardian angel, it fills me with knowledge of my potentials. I suddenly and somehow know what tricks I have up my sleeve.


    My sleeves aren''t that long though but that''s not what the point here.


    First up, I invoke [Clarity Field]. With this I''m able to sense every presence that enters the field, I can''t count the amount of dust being kicked up but I can count the number of stones, splinters, bits of fleshes in the field.


    For protection, [Magic Enhancement] is used. An evolution of [Mana Skin]. It does what [Mana Skin] does but only better. Honestly, I forgot about [Mana Skin]. It didn''t help much except that one punch from the bulky ape. [Magic Enhancement] is weak to direct punctures but works quite well against blunt forces. It is enough to deflect the blows from the goblins'' and orcs'' dull edges.


    I use [Abyssal Javelin] on the bow users. I missed more than I shot out but it hit everyone, in the end, so that''s that.


    When both of my hands are occupied and a goblin grappled me from behind, I use [Overload]. It pours a huge amount of Mana into the target that I have physical contact with.


    I came to understand that transmitting Mana is a delicate procedure. One needs to take into account of no leaks happening, the correct way to pour, and where to pour to. [Overload] is basically [Mana Transmission] but without regarding the safety procedures. Granted, it consumes a huge amount of Mana but the results are horrendously gruesome but effective and awesome. Don''t believe me? Try asking the goblin who is in tiny pieces.


    When I''m cornered, I used [Spatial Leap]. The downside, the magic buffs I have cast disappear and I''m left in a disarray state. Ah, I forgot about this. Shit.


    I repel the goblins and orcs that got too close with [Energy Sphere], [Abyssal Javelin] and [Force Push], a spatial magic that resembles the technique of certain monk warriors from a galaxy far far away, but the worse thing happened. I ran out of Mana.


    When the Orc Leader notices this, it seems to think it has won and laughs. Well, it stopped laughing when I clawed open an orc''s torso, guts spilled out, showering me in red color. Even the other goblins and orcs stop their hasty advances at such spectacle.


    "I might not be a monster but I might be a relative, after all." I told them. I didn''t shout this time.


    I take this chance and observe my condition. As expected, wounds all over. Ah, it hurts. I''m covered in wounds again when the previous wounds aren''t even healed.


    I wasn''t numb against the pain. It just simply doesn''t bothers me anymore or at least not that much. I''m a little curious of the face I''m making right now. Too bad, no mirrors in sight.


    I sigh.


    "Not that it matters. Well, shall we continue?"


    When the Orc Leader heard that, I could have swore that I saw and heard him gulped.


    [Title: <Monster Slayer> - Acquired]


    Ain''t that just right?

 H9 - A Worthwhile Conversation

    How long has it been?


    An hour?


    Nah. Not that absurd.


    But I''m pretty sure the slaughtering has been going on for quite some time now.


    Evidence are the pile of corpses piling in this musty old room and the numbers that were over fifty is now a single digit.


    Ugh~ The stench in this room is almost unbearable. Might have something to do with the increasing corpses.


    There''s three bed on the far side of the left and rows of cobwebbed shelves on the right, full of trinkets, I wonder what kind of room it is suppose to be.


    Oops. Not important right now. Not every goblin and orc is dead yet in this room. Stay focus, Hyx.


    How many goblins and orcs have I killed with these hands, so far?


    Not enough, I would say.


    Ah.... I''m covered in wounds, fresh wounds overlapping old wounds which have yet to recover. I should be on a bed, connected to tubes and IVs and begging for morphine but I find myself standing, facing a horde of monsters with my lips curled upwards.


    These pain, it starting to feel less and less real -- this is convenient for now but it''ll be terrifying and unsettling in the long run.


    [Title:


    - Acquired]


    Well, ain''t that just fitting. I wonder, who gave me this titles? An administrator of this world? A god?


    , huh? It does have a nice ring to it.


    My eyesight drops to my hands.


    These hands....


    These hands which have yet to cease trembling. Are they trembling from fear or excitement? Whichever the two, my adrenaline is at all time high, accelerated pulse, shaking knees, chest fluctuating to the point which it seems like shuddering -- unnecessary sounds drown out except my enemies'' and my racing heartbeat and ragged breathing.


    There are only five goblins and the Orc Leader left. They are neither attacking nor moving. They are just standing where they stood. Observing me or delaying their inevitable death?


    I look at my hands, once again. They are in a shape worse than ever. My nails are cracked and crooked.


    Oh? I''m missing a nail on my right ring finger. Don''t look at it, that''s disgusting.


    The state of my hands is the prove that I have used my claws without reserve and a care to the well-being of my hands.


    Ah. My left middle finger is bent a little over a hundred-twenty degree backwards. Let me just snap it back.


    Uuh!


    Ah.... That''s better.


    Out of Mana and my nails aren''t claws anymore. Now, how do I go about this?


    "Stand down!" The orc leader warned.


    Heh. That''s dirty. It has taken the women hostages, including the ones on the pole. A total of four women. There is another one -- oops -- was another one. That one is already dead it seems. I''m pretty sure I saw the goblins and orc raping three women. Were they into necrophilia?


    "You either leave my domain now or these women dies."


    Great. Now what do I do and what do you mean by your domain? Prety sure a lot bigger monsters out there wouldn''t share your line of thought and delusions.


    Now, should I play the hero? But I don''t feel like saving them. Or to be precise, I don''t feel like I would feel anything if I didn''t save them. Did the betrayal froze my heart or am I always this much of a psychopath? No. It''s not that. I have just given up. I just don''t believe I can save them. Is this my heart preparing for the worst?


    Furthermore, looking at those eyes of the women, it told me they didn''t want to be saved. Their eyes.... It reminded me of mine when I "fought" the Red Crystal Spriggan.


    As for the ones on the pole, their spirits are still flaring in their eyes. And the orc and the four goblins, they are just looking dumbfounded at my apparent lack of reaction. What do I do about them? Should I just leave now? Or should I save them? Do I have any reason to? I''m not a very good person. My memories from earth maybe vague but I do remember that I''m not a very righteous person. I don''t do charity.


    Hmm.... charity....


    Perhaps I can demand something from the women and the tied up orc and goblins when I save and free them.


    Yeah, let''s do just that.


    However -- the unexpected occurred.


    One of the women, the one who was raped, the one who was taken hostage, thrust herself into the knife which was held before her throat.


    A....


    Ah....


    I see....


    She really didn''t want to keep suffering anymore. Saw that coming but.... Never thought she would really do it.


    Hmm.... Would I have done the same thing?


    I could have just kill myself with my own powers. It''s just that easy but why didn''t I? Did I want to live after all, even after being through so much?


    That woman had resolve. She have long surrender herself to death and she gave her life without a moment''s hesitation when the opportunity presents itself. Says a lot about her and about me.


    God....


    I am pathetic....


    Some monster I am....


    Before anyone can make sense of what happened in that four second window, the other woman did the same thing as her acquaintance. At least, I think they''re acquaintance.


    "What? What is this bitches doing?"


    It''s a human thing. You won''t understand.


    I raise my right fist and sent a straight jab into the orc leader''s jaws. He turned when he noticed my cries but he was too late. My fist connects his jaws, fracturing and dislocating it. My physical strength is really unlike before.


    The straight left him in a concussion. I follow up with a left hook. And then a right hook. And a left hook again. And a right hook again. And a left straight and finally sending him tumbling back with a haymaker.


    Results? Don''t know. Ain''t Sherlock but I did know I broke my knuckles but that''s a secret to the ones in this room. It would be uncool of me to just break down in the middle of a fight and cry for my knuckles. Well, not that my broken knuckles really bother me. I have worse, obviously.


    Bothers me it may not but it still stings.


    The orc leader groaned and seems to be getting up. No no no no no. You''re staying down. And I proceed to stomp my feet into his face and I keep doing it until he completely stops his movement.


    Ah. I have flatten his head. I went overboard.


    Wow, that was therapeutic.


    I look to the five goblins who are still standing stiff. Looking at them without any contempt nor respect, I ask "Who''s next?"


    They shriek at my words and scamper off into the tunnel where I came from. I didn''t think that I was that frightening, though. Plus, I was speaking English, not the weird language.


    Mah~ that''s that, at least. Ah~ exterminating business is tiring.


    I deliberately walk over the corpses of the orc leader and to the prisoners tied to the pole.


    "Are you alright?" I talked to the woman on the most right first. Despite not being use for sexual activities of the goblins and orcs, she is all bared just like the other women in the room.


    Hm...?


    She has a face of a Mongolian, leaning more to the Chinese. Black hair, black eyes, yellow skin. She''s pretty muscular for a woman in her mid twenties. Perhaps her peculiar body built is what exempted her from the forced procreation acts?


    "I will be if you get me out of these ropes." She said, meekly.


    I smile wryly at her retort. Cheeky even in such situations. Strange, I don''t feel arouse even when her private parts are all bared for me to see. Do I swing the other way or I just don''t swing any way at all? It might have something to do with the atmosphere though.


    "You have a name?"


    "Muo Li." the woman answered.


    The Jasmine flower? And she has a name that befits her ethnicity. Strange. I thought such things will be different in another world. Perhaps my theory of this world being earth but with a different history route is correct? It could just be a parrallel with some strange coincidence.


    I cut the rope and throw Muo Li a cloth I picked up from the ground. The cloth was just there on the ground. It''s dirty and a little bit ragged but it is such a convenient placement.


    I walk past the goblins and the orc who have their eyes tracking me. I then cut free the woman on the left. She seems to be of the same age as Muo Li. Also like her, this woman is also completely naked. Although, she has a much more rocky built and a physique of a man. From the back, you wouldn''t be able to tell she is a woman. Even monsters have tastes, I see.


    I also made sure she''s alright and learned her name is, Clammis. Then I turn my attention to the orc and the four goblins.


    I look at them, they look at me. Neither party said anything. We just stared at one another.


    "Erm...." Muo Li calls out to me.


    I tilt my head slightly at her.


    "They''re not bad goblins and orc" she has an accent. But why are you being shy and stuttering?


    "What makes you so sure?"


    "They tried to help us escape but we got caught. That''s why they''re in the same spot at us."


    "I know you have an intense dislike towards monsters. That''s evident from your actions but please understand. They not bad ones. So I beg you, please stay your hands." The other woman, Clammis also said.


    Okay now, you two have the wrong idea about me. However, I can understand why I''m seen in such light. After all, the reasons are apparent if I just glance to my back. "Chill. I won''t go medieval on them."


    The two woman look at me, confused.


    Oh right, my speech. "Please be at ease, I''m not one to make rash judgement." I wonder how much credibility I have in those words considering the blood I have just shed. "But will these gentlemen be rash in their judgement? After all, I did kill their kin."


    The goblins look at me in a way that question marks seem to have appeared above their heads but the orc is shrieking and trying to shrink away from me. The orc understands me, apparently.


    "Will you be hostile?" I ask the orc, up close and personal.


    The orc shakes his head furiously. I''ll admit. I put my face close to the orc for intimidation effect but I didn''t think it would worked that well. I suppose I''ll have to re-evaluate my demeanor and character.


    "Is it just you or do other orcs also understands...." I trailed off and the orc blinked. I turn to Clammis. "What language am I speaking?"


    "Common?" She replied in a hesitant manner.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "It''s a common language? Okay, but what is it call?"


    "Common. The language is called Common." She answered me like I''m stupid for asking.


    Oh. The language is called Common. Right. Got it.


    I turn my eyes back to the orc. "You understand Common?"


    The orc nods furiously.


    "Am I that scary to you?"


    The orc nods furiously but when he realize what he did, he shakes his head instead. Really?


    Hmm.... "Well, sorry about that. Didn''t mean to scare you." Will the orc understand that?


    "It''s....okay." The orc spoke, in a stutter. His pronunciation isn''t perfect but it''s comprehensible at least.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Orcs.... Monsters.... No names."


    I see. Monsters don''t have names. "Mind if I give you a name?" I asked.


    I could hear the two women going, "Huh?" "Eh?" Is naming a monster such a shocking matter? Or does this world have a naming system like a certain ultimate slime''s world?


    "Don''t need names.... Unnecessary...."


    I beg to differ. "Nonsense. Since we will be doing some talking in awhile, probably, I''m going to need a name for you. So...."


    No need to have your eyes widen.


    "How about Tom?" I picked a name from either Tom, Dick, and Harry. I chose Tom.


    "Tom..." The orc muses on the name given to him.


    I cross my arms, waiting for his response.


    "Tom.... It''s good. Tom." Maybe looking my arms crossed pressured him because his pondering stops midway. But I''m not gonna pry. It is what it is.


    "So Tom, you won''t attack me when I let you go?"


    "No."


    "Why not? I killed your kin, after all."


    "Kin....in-name. No blood...."


    If I''m interpreting this correctly, Tom the orc and these dead bunch ain''t blood-related. So he does not care much about what happened to them. Touche.


    But even if I''m the one in Tom''s position, I doubt I would care so much about those who used me for sports.


    "Well, Tom. I''ll let you go now. Try any funny business...." I slide my finger across my throat.


    "F...funny.... b...business?" Tom asked.


    God damn it, this ain''t earth. "If you go back on your words, you''ll be sharing the same fate as your brethren."


    He nods. Ha. He didn''t nod furiously like the previous times. That''s an improvement.


    After I cut Tom down, I also warned the other goblins the same thing before cutting them down.


    Since they also didn''t have names, I named them Goblin A to D, respectively, in my heart.


    When the prisoners are all freed, I''m asked by Muo Li if I can give the deceased a proper burial. Of course by deceased, she meant only the women.


    "How do I do that?" I asked.


    Muo Li hesitated for a while before answering "We can burn them."


    Is that a good idea? We are at an enclosed space but I figure we won''t be here long so.... "I don''t have fire magic." I replied them.


    "I.... do." The orc interjected.


    "You can?" Muo Li asked. She seems shocked. Is an orc using magic rare?


    "Are you perhaps an Orc Mage?" Clammis asked. Her eyes are shining but I might just be imagining things.


    Tom nods, wryly. The goblins are just staring blankly at us. They feel left out. Not that anyone can be blamed for that.


    I don''t really know what an Orc Mage really is but I think I can figure it out from observing the contexts and reactions. Goblins and orcs are races that don''t normally have a magic user in their numbers. So Tom who can use magic is a rare sub variant of orcs. Every race in Evarenan possess Mana but not every race can use magic -- that kind of situation.


    Tom approaches the women''s corpse. He puts the three corpses parallel to each other.


    {Element that incinerates and obiterates, Fire that burns my enemy, Fireball}


    This language. It''s not the monster language.


    After that chant in an entirely different language, a fireball conjures in his palm. He flips his hand, dropping the ball of flames at the three, setting the corpses on fire. This maybe disrespectful but I almost whistle in admiration from seeing how the corpses burn so easily.


    "The Cycle continues. May the dead be swift in their reach for the afterlife."


    Muo Li seems to be praying. Don''t want to be boorish, I join them all in the prayer. Even the goblins and Tom the orc joined in. How gracious.


    "Um.... Tom?" Muo Li.


    "Ugh?" Tom responded in monster language.


    "Thank you for saving us."


    Technically and if I''m not wrong, he probably led you all into a deeper shit by trying to bail you all out. I want to say that but I''ll be nice.


    "Yes. I appreciate what you did for us despite the results." Clammis, bruh, couldn''t you have omitted that last part? I held back, why didn''t you?


    "Thanks.... Needless.... I brought more.... suffering."


    And this orc went and confessed the crime himself. Is it too late to be boorish now?


    My line of sight shifted to the goblins who are watching from the sidelines. "You guys helped the women too?" I asked the goblins.


    "Yes yes. We did." Goblin A responded.


    "Why?"


    They all look down, in the literal and metaphor sense.


    I can read the mood but I''m not feeling very accommodating at the moment, so I''ll pretend that I can''t read the mood and play the asshole. "Come on, now. Answer me." I put on my blank face. It scared Tom, so I don''t see why it won''t scare the goblins.


    It worked. They flinched at the change of my face expression.


    "We felt sorry for them." It was Goblin B who spoke up. "We are aware of the bad things we done and we...."


    "We just want to help. To...." Goblin C who followed up, stuck at his words.


    "For the bad things we done, we want to...." Even Goblin D trailed off. Perhaps they can''t find the right word?


    I suppose I can throw them a lifeline. "Repent for your misdeeds?"


    The goblins blink at my words but after awhile, they nod.


    I see, they want to repent. They gained a good conscious. Remarkable. Can other monsters do that too?


    "Having a nice conversation with the goblins?" Muo Li cut in. The goblins shriek.


    You lots get scare, easily.


    "I suppose you can say that." I answered, vaguely.


    "Say.... Are you perhaps Hyx Atlas?"


    Oh? Are they part of the expedition team too? "I am but I''m afraid I don''t remember anything else."


    "Amnesia?"


    It''s called Amnesia here too? "Yeah. I was with some people. I think they were part of the expedtion too but none of them made it."


    "Forgive me if I''m being rude but I wasn''t aware that you''re a fighter too." Came an understandable question from Clammis. I wasn''t aware of it myself either. But question is, are going down the scumbag old man''s thought?


    "As I have said, I don''t remember."


    "Don''t you have your status card or ID?" Muo Li asked.


    There''s an ID too? Hm. I thought status card is a package deal. Guess not. "No. I only have my status card with me but...." I show them the cracked status card of mine.


    The two nod in understanding when they saw my status card.


    "Perchance, do you remember the numbers of your ECP?" Clammis asked.


    "ECP?" There''s acronyms in a medieval setting, huh. Who knew.


    "Effective Combat Power. It measures your combat strength."


    Was it numbers. I''m pretty sure it was an alphabet. "I guess it''s D the last time I saw it?"


    "D? That''s interesting." Clammis mused. "Wait, no. That''s your Overall Power Ranking. That measures the overall potential of the power you possess. That''s different. That''s OPR. ECP measures combat strength -- how well you can perform in a battle. It''s in numbers."


    Oh, some mysteries solved right there.


    Combat strength, eh? I don''t recall see anything like that on my status card. "I don''t think there''s one." I gave my honest answer.


    Clammis gives a look of surprise.


    It was Muo Li who answers. "Perhaps that''s only natural. ECP are meant to measure fighters. Non-combatants don''t have their ECP stated on their status card."


    Ah. That makes sense. My job is scholar, after all. So, why do I have abilities of a combatant?


    "You can fight and you fought better than most in the party." remarked Clammis. "How could you not have?" Her fingers are rubbing her chin.


    "Better than you two?" I blurted out.


    "Definitely." A quick answer escaped Muo Li''s lips. "You basically slaughtered all the goblins and orcs in this room just like that." She emphasizes her point with a snap of her fingers.


    Her actions doesn''t look like something befitting of a medieval setting. Perhaps the setting isn''t that medieval? God, I want to get out of here fast.


    I know I have a lot of questions to ask but first and foremost, "Do you know the way out?"


    The two women offer me silence as their response.


    "I... do...." Tom timidly raises his hand.


    Oh? That''s good.


    "You do?" Muo Li sounded skeptical.


    "We.... come and go.... Food and water....teleport circle...."


    I get the first part but what circle?


    "Are you saying there''s a teleportation formation here?" Muo Li asked.


    Oh wow. That''s convenient.


    Tom nods.


    "Make sense. They can''t eat the magic beasts around here so they will have to go out and hunt for food."


    And women too, don''t forget. Putting my aside my undiscovered ill-manners, I ask "Magic beasts?"


    "Magic beasts." Clammis repeated my question as her answer. Looks like we misunderstood each other''s words.


    "What I meant is, what''s a magic beast?"


    Muo Li cuts in when Clammis started looking skeptical for some reasons. "Ah that. Is just another way of calling the monsters. I suppose you had forgotten about that too. Magic beast is the something like the official term for monsters."


    Ah~ I see. I nod at Muo Li''s explanation.


    Wait.


    What was that about food and water?


    "Food?" the word sloppily escaped my lips.


    The two women don''t seem to grasp my meaning from that one word.


    "Hungry....?" Tom did.


    I nod.


    "You haven''t eaten anything all this time?"


    No, Muo Li. I did but.... "Does monster meat counts?" I look at the goblins when I answered. They look sad and confuse.


    Tom, Muo Li, and Clammis have their mouth agape. Understandable but what do you want me to do? Starve?


    Muo Li is the first to come back from the shock. "Are you serious?"


    I nod. "See this hands? It became like this because I ate those monsters'' flesh."


    Then the two''s expression took a huge shift. Tom still have his mouth agape. What is with this comical situation? Why? What''s wrong?


    "How are you still alive?" Clammis asked. Wow, that''s rude.


    "I wish I know."


    "No....P...pain?" Tom asked.


    "A huge amount actually. Which is why I vowed to never touch monster meat again if I can help it."


    "That''s awful." Muo Li muttered. I agree --


    -- Or do you not mean the taste?


    Wait, where am I going with this? "You said there''s food here?" I am aware I sounded a little bit forced. Evident from the way I''m grasping on Tom''s shoulders and having my face just in front of his. I was too hungry to even care about the lowest of etiquette.


    "Come to think of it, we were fed something when we were use for their pleasure." Muo Li said. "It didn''t taste awful. It''s plain. From how we are still not feeling anything after so long, I guess it''s edible?"


    My eyes which have shifted towards Muo Li, shift back to Tom. "Where?"


    "Any...w...where....." He points to the shelves, full of trinkets and some other unknown objects.


    I''m guessing he''s trying to say that the orcs and goblins store their food anywhere that has space.


    I sigh. Let''s hope it is really edible.


    I ignore the eyes that have locked on to me, widened at my erratic behavior as I went around the room, fumbling, shuffling, rummaging, ransacking every drawer, corner, shelves, crook, or cranny for food. Or was it nook and cranny? Nah~ Don''t care.


    I will admit. I might look like a wild animal at the moment. But you three gotta understand, I haven''t had any edible food for days now.


    I then come across some lump of meat wrapped in leaves. I examine it close to my face and give it a sniff.


    "Um...." I heard someone''s murmur but I was focus on the meat.


    There''s an odor but faint, not enough to repulse the me who is starving for edible food. When I unwrapped it -- I can''t tell if its raw or cooked, so I give it a taste.... Oh boy, this is quite good. It tastes raw but its edible. This taste so much better than that abominable meat that turned my hands into claws. Without minding my manners and surroundings, I greedily and hastily devour it.


    "Er...." Tom seems to be calling out to me, his hand is reaching out to me and trembling. He wants to ask something?


    "Wut?" I inquired while chewing.


    "Orc....meat...." He said with a trembling voice.


    .....


    .....


    .....


    .....


    "Say what now?" Is what I said but since my mouth is stuffed, it came out inaudible.


    "Hyx, that''s orc''s flesh." Muo Li told me. Like Tom, she is staring at me in disbelief and her body is trembling.


    Clammis is wearing an expression of shock and disgust. Even the goblins share the same expression.


    Orc meat....?


    Ah....


    What....


    the....


    shit....?


    I wanted to throw up what''s in my mouth but my hunger held me back. I''m stuck in a weird position. My mind says no but my body is telling me yes, that kind of position. It just taste too good. So, with a "Sorry." I swallowed.


    Muo Li seems to want to say something but her words stuck on her throat.


    Dear god, please don''t let there be any side effects.


    I pray as my legs gave out. I managed to position myself to a sitting posture instead of just collapsing to the ground.


    Okay.... nothing so far.... Let''s hope nothing really do happen. I feel hot, though. Is something coming?


    And you lots, please stop staring. It''s uncomfortable.


    How''s my hands?


    Yeah.... Still shaking. Intermittent. It''s not gonna stop anytime now, is it? No physical changes? Not anywhere?


    Nails are still broken and the wounds are still there.


    "Are you alright?" Muo Li had came up to me and asked. Looks like she managed to clear her throat. She hands me a bottle of some cloudy water. "It''s what the goblins gave us to drink. It''s a little bit dirty but...." She trails off but I know what she wanted to say.


    Since I ate orc meat without any hesitation, she doubts I will hesitate to drink some unclear water, is highly likely what she wants to say.


    "I didn''t know those were...." I responded as I looked away. "I''m sorry. I wasn''t...."


    "It''s okay. I understand. You were just hungry." She put her hand on my shoulder. Your trembling hands is invalidating your words but....


    Hmm....?


    What''s this warmth?


    "Even if you have changed so much from when we first met you. We have no right to judge you. Not after what you have been through, not after everything that has happened."


    I don''t know if it''s just me but Muo Li seems desperate to console me and her words seem to imply she have done some unsightly things.


    "You can take a rest or sleep here, if you want." Clammis told me. "We can keep a lookout."


    That''s generous. "Is it a good idea to stay here?" I asked. I''m pretty sure they don''t. Not after what happened to them in this room.


    "It''s alright. I know you''re being considerate for us." Muo Li assures me.


    How the fuck did you know what I was thinking?


    "You always were very considerate. What''s more, from the look of your condition, you might have been through much worse than us. I think you deserve some rest."


    I don''t think you can compare it like that, missy.


    "No...." Tom interjected.


    "No? Why''s that?" Clammis asked.


    Why?


    Hm?


    Are those....


    Ah. That''s why.


    "He''s right." I agreed.


    "What''s wrong?" Muo Li asked when she sees my eyes staring intently at the tunnel where I came from.


    "The goblins who ran away, they''re coming back here. They brought some friends."


    On hearing my words, Clammis and Muo Li''s eyes darted at Tom, demanding answers.


    "There''s other.... tribes here. Must go.... now."


    Bruh.


    Can''t you say that sooner?


    "Any other way out from here?" I spoke in the weird language to include the goblins too.


    "Wait. I think there is but allow me some time to recall." Wow, what''s with the change of tone and accent, Tom? You sounded almost like Idris Elba there.


    While Tom struggles to remember, the goblins have already responded.


    "Here. Here. Over Here. Secret passage. Emergencies."


    "Yes yes. Emergencies here."


    "Aye."


    "Aye."


    "What did they say?" Muo Li asked, her eyes tracing where their fingers pointed.


    "Secret passage, emergency exit." And my tone changed. "We gotta move now! They''re coming." Yeap, I changed my tone because I heard those critters closing in. They don''t sound happy.


    Wait....


    What....


    My hearing, they''re excellent. Huh....


    "Hyx." Clammis shook me.


    "What?"


    "Tell the orc.... Tell Tom and the goblins to gather whatever useful trinkets or objects in this room." Clammis said. You were going to call him "the orc", aren''t you?


    I relay what Clammis said to Tom and the goblins.


    The goblins simply pick up the fallen swords, knife, and shield. They don''t seem interested in anything else. Sure you don''t need to pack some food?


    While Tom on the other hand, he goes into a corner of the room. Remove a piece of slate from the floor and retrieves two sacks.


    "What''s in there?"


    "Magic scrolls and provisions. I secretly collects them. None of my idiot kin knows about it despite that I''m not even trying to be conspicuous about it." He then throws the provision sack to me. "You can have them.


    Damn, Tom. What''s with the sudden shift of your character?


    "Are you guys done?" Muo Li shouted. She is holding a sword, bracing herself from what''s coming from the tunnel. Don''t mean to be rude but you''re not gonna be very helpful if they come in numbers.


    "Yeah. We''re done."


    "Alright then, let''s go."


    "Wait." Tom said. "Be...f...fore that...."


    Um.... Tom, what are you doing?


    He stands in front of the tunnel where the goblins are coming closer and closer.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulf my enemies in a flash, Firebolt}


    Tom said a chant in the same odd language he used for the other spell. The firebolt shot out from his hand and explodes on impact, collapsing the tunnel. I saw one goblin trying to make a dash for it but it was too slow. At least you tried.


    But what is that language? ..... Wait, I know what the language is. I recognized it. It''s Helix.


    Why the hell do I know that?


    After collapsing the tunnel, Tom turn to us. The collapse raised a cloud of smoke and the fire burned out, right behind him. It reminds of the saying in my world "Cool guys don''t look at explosions."


    "Let''s.... go...." He then spoke, in Common.


    Well.... that ruined everything.

 H10 - Infested Layer

    "Do you perhaps have some degree of aversion towards bugs?" Clammis asked as she swings her sword at a giant centipede, slicing it cleanly into two. Not as clean as [Abyssal Edge] though.


    I look at the twenty something numbers of giant centipedes surrounding us in a circle. My glare then shifts to Clammis. "These things are huge and out for our flesh. They''re not your common household bugs. So what basis do you have for your question?"


    Is it my face? Am I showing?


    "Your distorted expression is more severe when facing against the bugs. The difference is quite apparent."


    Ah. It is my face. I turn to Muo Li who is at my right. "Really?"


    "I don''t know." she answered without looking away from the giant centipedes in front of us. "Your face is bloodied. I can''t really tell."


    And there''s that. I keep forgetting how much filth and blood I must be covered in.


    "Burn them."


    "We need to -- Burn them"


    Apparently, the goblins share my view.


    "Burn!"


    "Burn these Creepers."


    They were emphasizing the word "Burn". I agree. "Tom, can you burn them all?"


    Burn them all~!


    Sorry. I just have to do that.


    "Can you, Tom?"


    Tom the orc offers me a glance in away as if I''m asking a lot from him.


    "It''s not impossible but it''s hard. I don''t have a lot of practice." said Tom. "I may be able to use magic but not as efficient as you humans or elves."


    Hmm.... Could it be? I distantly remember seeing the flow of Mana in monsters, the flow aren''t as fluid as mine. Could that be the problem?


    "Pardon me." I said and put my hand on Tom''s shoulder.


    "What?"


    "Be still." I told him. Don''t worry, I''m pretty sure I don''t swing that way -- I think.


    I can feel it. His Mana flow. It is not in disarray but the flow -- the flow is rough. It does not flow as smoothly as mine.


    "Watch out!" Muo Li shouted as she defended us against a giant centipede. Nice, thanks.


    "I''m sorry but this will take some time. Tom, please be still."


    I don''t know if Clammis and Muo Li understood what I am trying to do but they didn''t voice any objections and simply gave me a nod.


    "Okay almost there.... Just need to do.... this..... and this.....Come on. Shift a little bit towards there..... and over here..... clear the blockade....yada yada and...." I murmured all this as if I''m reciting a mantra. I realized Tom is giving me a weird look but please overlook this. It''s my nature. "There! Done."


    "Done?"


    "Yes, done. Now try using a widespread flame magic." If there''s such magic.


    He might not have comprehend my actions but I bet he can feel the flow of his Mana has became more fluid. His eyes widened when he realized it. He looks at me and I nod to the question he asked with his eyes.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that devours the vicinity, Radial Blaze}


    "Pff...." I held back just in time. I almost laughed from the chunni-sounding words.


    Flames gather in his hands which form a bowl, cultivating the raging flame.


    "Everyone, get down!"


    Since Tom spoke in monster language, only the goblins did as they were told. Clammis and Muo Li only look at me, blinking. I parrot Tom''s words in Common and immediately, the two comply.


    I get down the last as Tom raises the flame above his head. When he parts his hands, the flame follows the pattern. Except the flame didn''t exactly parted, it spreads out, radially, engulfing everything in its vicinity. Just like what the chant implied.


    We, who are crouching down, feel the blazing heat just above us.


    The giant centipedes burn nicely. Though fire ain''t exactly their weakness, their hard exoskeleton are not something to easily be burned through, but their exoskeleton does catch fire easily. Which is why using fire is the most efficient.


    As far as I can tell, not a whole lot of the giant centipedes died from the fire but it did hurt a lot of them, enough to make them scurry away from here as fast as possible.


    When I look at Tom to check his condition, I realized something.


    Tom falls to his knees after unleashing such magic. His breathing becomes heavy.


    "Out of Mana?" I asked, knowingly.


    Tom nods. He definitely looks tired.


    Yeah. That happens. If I have known that he would consume all his Mana in one go, I wouldn''t have asked him to do this. Now we have two magic users who can''t use magic due to Mana exhaustion. That''s just dandy.


    But at least we have two swordsman in our little group. Perhaps swordswoman would be more fitting?


    Muo Li and Clammis have retrieved back and donned their armor and gears. Of course, their armaments aren''t in peak condition. Their shield is dented in more ways than one and the sword is dull from all the battles. But thanks to the their muscular strength, they are still able to kill without much problem.


    As for me, I took some odd trinkets. I don''t know what most of it does and neither does Tom. It appears these stuffs are something like trophies from their raids and hunts.


    A short while after we left the secret passage, we were swarmed by insect-like and bug-like monsters. The ones with the most numbers are the giant centipedes.


    Thanks to Tom''s sacrifice, the path has been cleared of those creepy crawlers for now.


    "Everyone alright?" I asked the women. They nod.


    Tom asks the same thing to the goblins and they all give a thumbs up.


    For some reasons, it felt heartwarming to see those little goblins giving such a simple thumbs up. I wonder why.


    Good. "Then, let''s keep moving."


    "Aaaaaaaaargh!"


    Somewhere deep in this dungeon, a monster roared. Or it could be a shout.


    "What is that?" Muo Li asked.


    I look over to Tom for answers just like Muo Li and Clammis. I found him staring blankly at a space.


    "Tom? What is that?" I asked him in monster language since he speaks faster that way.


    "Most likely the Red Orc, a chief from the other goblin tribe. He triumphs over the other tribe leaders. Each tribe offers him tribute once a full moon."


    I see. That''s how it is but that''s one thing I have to ask. "Why is it call a goblin tribe? Aren''t there orcs too?"


    "Orcs and ogres all evolve from goblins. Deep down to the roots, I am still a goblin." Tom said while looking slightly ashamed. While I don''t actually know what he is so ashamed of but I can think up of numerous things that he''s likely not proud of.


    "Pardon me you two but can you both converse while we are on the move?" Muo Li peeked in.


    "Right.... apo...pologies." Tom said. Ah.... That tone shift is really throwing me off.


    We start moving again. Passing through more and more bugs and insects of various sizes. This whole area is really pricking my nerves. I honestly wish I can use flame magic to reduce every last one of this creepy crawlers to ashes.


    Oh right, there is another thing I have to ask.


    "What are those giant centipedes call?" Muo Li asked back my question when I inquired.


    "Yes." I said, affirming my question.


    "I don''t know. None of the magic beasts here have been seen by anyone before other than the orcs and goblins living in here."


    Oh. So, that''s how it is.


    "C..cr..creepers...." Tom answers my question. "They.... are called Cr....creepers."


    "Creepers?" Well, that''s fitting. I can see why they are called that.


    Woah!


    I exclaimed when I dodged an attack from a bug monster that came out from the walls. Clammis follows up by decapitating the bug''s head. She doesn''t seems to mind the green blood spilled on her face and armor.


    "A truly fitting name for such creatures." Clammis agrees with my mental remark.


    "You lots encountered any of those tall, white and eyeless monsters down here?"


    "You mean those pale-skinned monsters that bore the smile of a devil?"


    That''s a nice way to put it, Muo Li. "Yes. Those."


    "Ugh.... Those...." Tom''s face turned sour upon hearing which monster I''m referring to.


    "You seem to hate those pale monsters a lot."


    "We called them Wights and they are the most active predators in the upper layers. They practically rule over the layers."


    Really? I saw a lot of them but I won''t go as far as to say they are the boss of the place. Not if there''s more of those demon apes out there. The Wights got shit on by a single demon ape. Oh yeah, there are those demon apes.


    "Goliaths." Came the immediate answer from Tom when I asked him. Although his face isn''t as twisted as it was when I mentioned the Wights but it still harbors a mild resentment.


    "Bad history with those too?"


    "They''re hard to kill. We once attacked a Goliath with more than twenty in our numbers. We didn''t even hurt it."


    Ha. That just sounds like you guys are weak. I saw a Wight managed to draw blood from a Goliath. And for me, I.... Oh... right.... I wasn''t faring that well myself either. I suppose I''m in the same boat as him.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "In front! In front!"


    One of the goblins started shouting while jumping and pointing ahead.


    We all follow the goblin''s line of sight and where it pointed.


    Oh dear lord.


    That''s a big stinger on your arse.


    Don''t tell me you''re a wasp.


    Yeap. It''s a wasp alright. A giant-sized, like every other monsters in this place. They are at least more than three feet in length.


    There are three of them and one of them had already noticed us. Shit.


    "It noticed us!" Clammis shouted.


    I noticed it noticed us. Thank you, Clammis but please don''t shout when we''re literally sticking together like glue. We are moving like this because Muo Li was afraid that one of us might easily get snatch away if we were even slightly spread out. I guess she''s only suggesting this because of what happened to her and Clammis.


    The wasp which noticed us, comes at us, the stinger aiming for us. I thought that the two women will stand their ground and fight but I was wrong. They have dodged to the side. Tom and the goblins did the same.


    Eh? I am the only one who is still standing in the wasp''s trajectory.


    "Hyx!" Muo Li yelled out but it was too late.


    The wasp crashes into me.


    I hold back the foot long stinger with one hand, which is only a hair breath away from my skin, and its pincer-mouth with my other hand.


    Eh?


    What''s this?


    It''s light. The wasp is light.


    No.


    It''s not the wasp that is light. It is just that I''m strong.


    "Ka~chi?" The wasp made a sound when it notices my strength.


    As easy as pie, while it''s not pleasant, my left hand which is holding its pincer-mouth, pull upwards and my right which is holding its stinger, pull downwards.


    "Ka~chi!!!" It screeched as it felt its body getting slowly torn apart.


    Yes, I''m tearing the three feet long wasps apart with my bare hands. While it feels good to do something like that but I forgot about the blood spray that comes after.


    Yeah.... I''m covered in its blood now. And its green. Ugh....


    "You''re alright?" asked Muo Li.


    "No." I retorted in an instant with a blank stare.


    "Eeek~! There! There!"


    """Eeek~!"""


    The goblins are screaming while pointing to something up above.


    "Curse! I knew it."


    "Oh my god. That''s a lot."


    "This is bad. Situation have just gotten dire."


    Feeling curious I follow their lines of sight.


    Oh -- Shit.


    That''s a hive. A few feet in the air just above us, supported by some stretched out organic gooey materials I have never seen before, a forty feet long and a roughly twenty feet wide hive.


    And there''s a lot of wasps guarding the hive.


    "Tom, how much further is the teleportation formation?"


    "It''s only a few feet away from the hideout, we hid it under a pile of corpses but since we took the secret passage out, we are making a round trip back to that place. And the path to getting back to there is right through here."


    So, we will have to pass right through the path under the hive which has a lot of giant wasps in the way in order to get to the teleportation formation. Hmm....


    My facial expression went static as I slowly turn my head to Tom like a rusty cogwheel. "And you are telling me this now?"


    Tom looks away. "S..sorry..."


    "What''s wrong?" Muo Li asked.


    "Nothing." I replied, indifferently. I''m a little bit too pissed to talk right now.


    "Incoming!" I know Clammis is doing this inadvertently but how can she not realize that we are not even a feet away from her thanks to Muo Li''s idea.


    Before I can give out an order or idea, the walls which are only a few feet in front of us to our right, explode like something just ram through it.


    Okay.... what now?


    "Eeek~!"


    "Run~?"


    "Not good!"


    "Danger! Danger!"


    What are you guys? Crisis and danger announcers?


    They''re noisy once again but I can perfectly understand why. What burst out from the other side of the wall is a giant bear-like monster. Even on all fours, it''s already six feet tall. It''s fur is white but with gray markings, similar to those wolves. Two sets of fangs protruding out from their mouth because of the excessive length. Its eyes are pure red, black veins spread around its eyes. And their paws -- damn -- their paws are huge, as large as their head. And the claws that came with it -- I don''t think even a Goliath can take a blow from it and be unhurt.


    Little do I know that the Goliaths can indeed take a blow from their claws unhurt but I only knew about that in the future.


    "S....serr...rrator...." Tom utters the name, uneasily.


    Serrator, huh. Even its name sounds intimidating.


    "That''s a Serrator!?" Muo Li shouted. She has a bigger reaction than Tom and the goblins.


    Ha, the goblins are frozen stiff to their spot. They can''t run even if they want to.


    "Unbelievable. To think that the are not just mere myths." Even Clammis shares the same reaction as Muo Li.


    Okay. Now you lots got me curious about this bear.


    When I asked, I am told that a Serrator used to exist outside of this dungeon and they were believe to be culled of their entire race hundreds of years ago. Not only are they fast and strong, they also have high magic aptitude and even have better magic and Mana control than a lot intelligent races. There''s even a large forest named after these bears, Serrated Forest.


    "That is indeed bad news."


    But luckily for us in a way right now, is that bugs and insect monsters are their staple food. Which explains the Serrator''s behavior and action right now. It climbs the walls like a champ, kicks off from it, and caught one of the wasps guarding the hive. It didn''t attempt to make a landing. It just let itself falls to the ground, crashing.


    Surprise, surprise, it ain''t even hurt but the wasp is as dead as it can be from being crush by the Serrator''s weight.


    "Not only is it strong but its instinct in battle is something to be considered as well." Clammis made a comment.


    Yeah. I can see that.


    "Watch out!"


    Eh? I''m pushed away.


    Ah. I was too intimidated by the Serrator''s presence that I failed to pay any heed to my vicinity. A wasp has deemed me defenseless and attacked. Muo Li shoved me out of the way and pay the price instead.


    Before my eyes, Muo Li, who has been attacked by the wasp in my stead, has eyes that reminded me of certain two persons.


    Memories of Alexander and Cilia flash before my eyes. My fist clenches in response.


    ""Muo Li!"" Both Clammis and I yelled out to her in unison.


    I got back to my feet in a swift motion. Planting my feet firm on the ground, I kick off, launching me towards Muo Li who is pinned by the wasp. She had been quick enough and managed to raise her sword to defend against the stinger.


    I didn''t think about whether I could kill it. I just want it gone from Muo Li. With such thinking, I swing my leg at the wasp like I''m kicking a ball.


    The wasp bent into a V shape as it was flung aside. Sounds of its body and exoskeleton cracking entered my ears clearly. Due to the direction of where I kicked it to, no blood got onto Muo Li or me.


    "Are you alright?"


    Before I get an answer from Muo Li who looked shock, I hear the goblins screaming for help from behind. I turn and see Goblin B being lifted into the air by one of the wasp. Goblin B is flailing its arms and legs, struggling to get loose but none of those bothered the wasp.


    "Eeek~! No! Put him down."


    "Shit! Shit! Human! Help!"


    "Got Caught! Help, Human!"


    Before I know it, I already had a stone in my hand. I have picked it up, unconsciously. Instead of my hand, I pour strength into my waist and shoulder. I didn''t just swing my hand as I throw the stone, I swing my whole body.


    The stone flew like a bullet as I expected. The stone hit the wasp and its head exploded.


    "Eek~?"


    The goblin have a questionable look when it no longer felt it is being lifted further into the air.


    "Eek~!"


    It cried when it realizes it''s free falling.


    And Clammis to the rescue. She catches the goblin who drops into her like it weighted nothing. The other goblins begin cheering while Goblin B is still in bewilderment from being caught by a woman like it weighted nothing.


    As if my sub-conscious is learning my lesson for me, my instincts alerted me to three approaching wasps.


    Well, two now. One was just snatched away by the Serrator as it just casually leaped across from one side to the other. The other two wasps didn''t even realize they are short of one number.


    They are coming at me at a speed that I probably couldn''t aim well with a punch nor a stone but I don''t need to use my fist nor a stone. I have recovered enough.


    My Mana that is.


    [Abyssal Edge]


    The wasps see the blade of purplish black energy appearing in my hand, they see the danger it poses, they see their death in my eyes but they have committed too much already to turn back.


    "Fools." I said and bisected the two wasps.


    "Hyx. We''ll have to find another path."


    I was about to reply "no shit." but I soon realize the depths of his suggestion. Three more Serrators are coming out from the hole the first one made.


    The Serrator in the middle between the two is bigger than the other three. It must be at least eight feet tall just on all fours. The difference lies not just in its size, its body is even clad in red lightning.


    "Alpha." I heard Tom muttered.


    Well, that''s obvious.


    The Alpha Serrator lifts its right paw, the lightning converged and crackled even fiercer. When it swings its paw down, wave of red lightning swarms the hive.


    The whole place shook as the lightning completely obliterate the hive. A good number of wasps within the hive fell to the ground like some common debris.


    And the tremor the Alpha caused by itself has made a chunk of rock broke off from the walls, it fell from its place, and it hits the Alpha right in the head. That rock was quite a large chunk.


    The Alpha look at my way.


    Eh?


    It growls at me.


    Wait, what?


    It roars at me. And every other Serrators also turn their glances at me.


    Oi oi oi. You did that to yourself.


    "Doesn''t matter. Just run!" Muo Li said.


    When I turn tail and start running, I realized Tom, Clammis, and the goblins have already gained a head start. Muo Li was the only one kind enough to stay back and snap me back to reality. Damn it. This is a very shameful display.


    I glance back to see if they were chasing but they weren''t. Instead, the Alpha lifts its paw again, the lightning becomes fiercer around that paw.


    Oh crap.


    It sends the lightning strike straight at me. Beside me, is Muo Li, running by my side.


    On a whim, I throw the [Abyssal Edge] in my hand at the incoming onslaught of red lightning. When the abyss and thunder collides, a competition begins. I was surprise [Abyssal Edge] could withstand the lightning attack but not for long. It only held it back for a mere two seconds before it dissipates. Although, it did buy enough time for us to arrive and turn at a corner. The onslaught of red lightning could only travel straight ends up crashing into the corner.


    That was close.


    <hr>


    "Oh shit." I cursed. We have been running for ten minutes and those ten minutes seemed to be too docile and tranquil to be true, a clam.... pfft.... a calm before the storm.


    How the fuck do I even bit my tongue in my mind?


    Anyways, now we are faced with another potentially dangerous situation.


    "What are these plants?" Muo Li seems to harbor doubts about the true nature of this buds. "Are these flowers?"


    "It can''t be. These plants lack colors to be call flowers."


    "Gray Spores...." Those words filled with contempt left Tom''s lips. "Curses."


    In front of us, separating us from our destination which is the other side, is a large field of Gray Spores. These are the same plants as the one where it disperse into spore when the buds are crushed. I can still remember the fun times I had with it -- fun times.


    "You know what these are?" Muo Li asked.


    "From what Tom just said, they''re called Gray Spores. These buds break into spores when destroyed and these spores are highly combustive."


    "Combustive?"


    God damn it. "Flammable. They have an interesting reaction to fire or even just a spark."


    "Like the black powders?"


    I raise an eyebrow. Well if you mean gun powder, then yeah. "Yeah, something like that." I answered. So, gun powder exist in this world, I see.


    While we are hesitating about the dangers to just skip through these field, echoes of roars bounce into our ears.


    The goblins shrieked upon hearing it and instinctively draw their sword.


    "The more time we spend wasting, the closer our enemy is getting to us." Clammis looks like she''s about to just dash through the field at any given moment.


    I fully agree, Clammis but these spores are no joke.


    When another wave of roars came, the goblins finally lost it.


    "Wa...."


    Before Tom can finish his warning, the four goblins have already started running through the field, raising a cloud of dust which are Gray Spores.


    "Ah...."


    "Well, no use thinking about it anymore." Muo Li said and follows the goblins right behind.


    Clammis neither nodded nor gave any affirmation and just follow behind Muo Li.


    When Tom was about to join, I stop him.


    "The magic scrolls. Do you have any wind magic scrolls?"


    "One, I think."


    "What kind?"


    "It''s for cutting down multiple enemies."


    Okay, that will work but it will be a waste. "Can you cast a simple breeze with the amount of Mana you currently have?"


    "I can but.... with the amount of Mana I have now, the wind magic won''t be anything that is capable of producing any significant results."


    "I don''t need a whirlwind or a storm, just a simple breeze. Can you do it?"


    Tom nods.


    "Alright, after we cross the Gray Spores, blow all the spores at the Serrators when they come through here."


    Tom blinks, at me. "But I won''t have enough for a fire magic to ignite them."


    "That won''t be necessary." I said with a smile.


    "I know. It''s one of the odd trinkets you took, no? It can create fire. I don''t know what is it exactly though."


    Ha? You referring to the box that I took that resembles a match box? So that''s you think. "Don''t worry about it. You''ll know soon enough. So, just trust me and do what I said, okay?"


    He nods.


    Another wave deafening roar assaulted our eardrums. Without any more moment wasted, we run through the field. I purposely landed my feet on the unbroken buds, resulting in more spores dispersing into the air, maximizing the effect.


    "They here!" Muo Li warned.


    The Serrators have finally caught up to us. All four of them.


    The Alpha have its gaze locked with mine. The lightning blazed wildly for a moment as if to declare its hostile intention at me.


    I smirk in response and the Alpha seems to understand what a smirk is. It stands up on two feet, lightning converging on to both of its paws,


    Oh.... Maybe I shouldn''t have provoked it.


    It then swings its paws down, unleashing a devastating onslaught of red lightning at us.


    Shit. The attack covers a wide range. The enclosed space here have not provide us any option to dodge. My eyes shut close as I brace myself for the devastation --


    But it didn''t come.


    I open my eyes and sees the figure of Tom, standing straight in front of us, his hands holding out a parchment of paper. A magic scroll.


    It appears Tom has used one of the magic scrolls which created a barrier strong enough to defend against the lightning cavalry.


    After the barrier shatters from the attack, the scroll itself crumpled like its time has accelerated.


    Not a moment to loose now. "Now, Tom!"


    {Element of tranquility and rage, the winds that soothe, breeze.}


    As the name suggest, it''s just a simple breeze. It carries the spores to the direction of the four Serrators. I don''t have any means to ignite it but I won''t be the one to ignite it.


    The Alpha Serrator itself will.


    The Alpha gives off a howl that resembles more of a shocking cry. It knows what these spores are and it knows what will happen if it touches it.


    The howl was a signal for retreat. A good move but a late one. The breeze, as slow as it maybe, it is swift however comparing to the movements of the large size of the Alpha Serrator.


    The spores reach the Serrators before they could even begin to scamper. The spores come into contact with the lightning clad on the Alpha Serrator.


    Yes, this is why I didn''t need fire nor do I need to set it off myself. Science has got it all covered for me.


    Without a glance, without a care, without any worries, I have already turn my back to the Serrators as I ran off from the place with my newfound allies where a marvelous spectacle is about to happen.


    And it did.


    Cries of the Serrators and the ignited Gray Spores resounded from our six but none of us even offer the faintest glance back.


    Their agony cries sure brings a smile to my face.

 H11 - A Long Breather

    Cries once again resounded and echoed throughout the dungeon. This must be the nth time I have heard it. I can''t discern whether it''s a monster''s or human''s. From such distance, they all sounded the same. If those are human''s, then I can''t help but feel guilty for just sitting here and listening to their despairs.


    Although, I can''t do anything to help them even if I wanted to. All I can do is just sit here and convince myself that none of it is my fault. It isn''t but still, the guilt is persistent to seep in.


    Man, this sucks.


    It''s not like I enjoy sitting around and listen to the cries but I''m on guard duty at the moment.


    Not long after we escaped the Serrators and fighting our way through more hordes of monsters, we found a small cave. Once I deemed it safe and inconspicuous enough, we took refugehere.


    Everyone is tired. Clammis and Muo Li could barely even lift their swords. Tom and the goblins were so close to have their legs giving out. I swear that they would have collapsed if we discover the cave any later.


    We made a camp -- well, something akin to a camp. There was no bonfire and no tents. The make shift beds are the solid ground.


    We had some light meal just enough to keep us by. We ate light because it would hinder our performance otherwise and we don''t have a lot to spare. For some reasons, Tom and the goblins are pushing me to eat more. They even went as far as giving me their share.


    Chill. I''m not gonna eat you.


    Yet.


    I think.


    After the meal, we decided to get some sleep but we ended up arguing on who will be keeping watch. Muo Li and Clammis were strong contenders for the role.


    Strangely, I don''t particularly feel tired. I''m exhausted from the running and Mana depletion but I don''t feel like sleeping. In conjecture with this, I volunteer to keep watch. The goblins agreed to my volunteering immediately and dozed off the moment they hit the ground. Muo Li wanted to stay up with me to keep watch but I brushed off her unnecessary offer. I did the same when Clammis offered the same thing.


    I can tell Tom was hoping the he won''t be the one staying up with me. I can understand his caution. After all, I did ate his kind''s flesh right in front of him. I wonder why I don''t feel too bad about it.


    Of course, I wasn''t so wicked to make his nightmare into a reality. So, I assured them they could sleep all they want.


    Ah~~~~ That meal tasted really good. I can still savor the aftertaste. Maybe I should have taken up Tom''s and the goblin''s offer of their portion.


    I yawn. Must have been the third time now.


    I feel sleepy but yet I don''t think I need to sleep. I don''t think I can.


    I stretched my arms.


    Hm.... This must be the first time I have stretched ever since I came to this world.


    So now, I''m the only one awake and staring at the entrance that is barely visible from the outside. To be honest, we almost missed this place.


    Now that I can take a breather, I resume my meditation which I didn''t even started. I have planned to meditate back then by the lake but the ghost of the cyan vines had freaked me out so bad that I couldn''t keep my teeth from chattering.


    I have calmed down a lot ever since but my hands -- they are still trembling, intermittently.


    Despite that, I tried to be still and calm as much as possible. I did not shut my eyes as there would defeat the purpose of me keeping watch.


    I regulate my breathing. Still my nerves instead of steel. I focus on a pebble just right by the entrance. I focus my entire attention at the pebble, drowning out everything else. The reasons I chose the pebble is because I need something to help me to focus and if it''s a pebble by the entrance, I would know if there are any uninvited guest. Though, I''m not seating in a very sophisticated manner. I''m actually holding my knees, not a very ideal posture for meditation but I find seating this way more calming.


    After assuming that odd postion for a meditation, I felt that my surroundings is brigtening up and I don''t mean it in a metaphorical way.


    Different colored tiny spheres of light appear in front of my eyes.


    [Light Drop]? No. I didn''t cast [Light Drop]. This is not it. So, what are these?


    Normally, people would freak out at such occurrence but I find it soothing for some reasons. In this hell hole, these lights seem to be the most comforting thing I have encountered so far.


    What are these things?


    A faint smile slowly forms on face.


    They float closer to me. More and more follow after the first few. They look almost like they want to cuddle with me. They feel soft. Fluffy, I would even say, this tiny spheres of light, shiny and fluffy. Cute.


    Cute little buggers. What are they?


    [Spirit Magic Lv. 1 increased to Lv. 2]


    Oh? What?


    [Spirit Magic: Spirit Sight - Acquired]


    Um.... I''m guessing these are spirits?


    The moment I make that guess, the tiny spheres jump in joy. Oh, what the hell? They are so adorable.


    The spirits who have latched themselves onto me begin flickering.


    Eh?


    Eh?


    Eh!


    Oh no. Oh no. Please, don''t let it be that.


    I panicked when I thought I might have trigger the appearance of that strange entity again but my worries proved to be in vain.


    When the spirits stop flickering, I noticed my wounds are healed.


    Oh?


    [Spirit Magic: Spirit Mediation - Acquired]


    Oh~ Wow~ So that''s how it is. Is that really how I recover during the times when I was unconscious?


    Wait.


    If that''s the case then wouldn''t that mean that I already had spirit magic long before I fell from the upper layers? So why only now the message popped into my head?


    Never mind that. Now it''s a good time for me to recover my Mana.


    And so, I sit still in my position, eyes focus on the pebble, more spirits gather to me. I wonder where these spirits are coming from. Just as I was about to dwell even deeper into my concentration, something broke me out of it.


    "Hyx?"


    "YEE~eek?" I almost gave a full-blown scream.


    "Are you alright?" Muo Li asked.


    Bitch, don''t sneak up on me like that. "Yes. I''m fine." I replied in a calm manner after. What? You think I would yell back at her?


    "You sure?"


    Okay, why is she so persistent? "What makes you think otherwise?"


    She inclines her head as she fumbles for a reason. "You''re just too obvious?"


    She told me. She sounded uncertain though. "How?" I asked.


    "Your hands for one. They have been shaking. I thought it''s the adrenaline but even when we were eating, I saw your hands.... they''re not stopping."


    Ah.... She noticed.


    "And your eyes...."


    I tilted my head at her words.


    "They are.... blank. Hollow. Like they are not really looking at what''s in front."


    Her observations are getting a little bit scary here. "I''m surprised. You don''t look very sharp to me."


    "It has nothing to do with that." Okay..... she sounds angry and looks angry. "It''s just.... When you see something like this too often, you will get good at spotting them."


    Oh. I suppose I am still inexperience in such matters.


    "And your expression...."


    "There''s more?" ..... Um.... oops. I let loose my inner thoughts and spoke out in a accent that might seems odd to her. Please overlook this.


    She glares at me for a moment but drops her gaze immediately. I guess she decided to overlook it? "You were smiling when you were killing those monsters. One only smiles while killing when they are either enjoying it or trying to trick their own distaste for it. Seeing as how you froze when the women comitted suicide, I can pretty much guess which category you fall into."


    Apparently the problem is not her, it''s me. I''m just that obvious.


    "Is that why you chose to stay up and keep watch? Are you afraid that those memories would come to as nightmares?"


    I''ll appreciate it if you stop analyzing and evaluating me now. "I suppose it is something along those lines." I relented.


    "So, are you actually fine?"


    "I am." I answered. "For now."


    Her eyes said she''s not convinced. "But you look like you were hallucinating, smiling at something."


    Huh? "You don''t seem them?" I point randomly at one of the spirits. The spirits have a gesture as if to say "me?" Cute.


    Muo Li looks at where I''m pointing. She gives me a dumbfounded look.


    "You can''t see them?"


    "See what?" She is even squinting her eyes.


    "You can''t see the spirits?"


    Then, she widens her eyes. "You can see them?"


    Okay. Judging from her reaction, having the ability to see spirits isn''t common. "Yeah." I answered.


    "...."


    When I didn''t receive a response from her, I turned. I see her staring at my face, even her jaws has dropped. She is stuttering on something.


    "What?"


    "Your wounds.... Th....They''re gone."


    Oh, that. "Yeah. It does that. Thanks to the spirits." I think.


    "Seriously...." She said as if she remembered something painful. "You''re just one surprise after another."


    I can totally understand. I surprised myself too but that doesn''t explain that facial expression. "What''s wrong?" I inquired.


    "It''s....It''s nothing."


    I sigh. Your facial expression doesn''t look like nothing. "Really?" I press on.


    "It''s nothing you already not know -- Maybe you don''t really know but you changed a lot. I may have not known you for a long time but you left quite a big impression but I can''t see any of that now. And your speech pattern is different and..... unusual, I can say?


    I concur. My character is tailored by my time back at earth.


    She continues "You barely resemble the Hyx Atlas I remember anymore."


    Her face tells me that she thinks it''s regrettable that I have changed. Okay.... I''m not aware that you see me in that sort of way or we are acquainted in that way? Maybe she''s just a very caring person. Maybe, could be, hopefully.


    "Was I really that different?" I would say yes since I''m suppose to be a scholar. I doubt my current attitude is befitting of a scholar.


    "You looked so fragile back then." She began. "And you treated people like fragile things too. You are always so careful with your words, actions, behaviors, etiquette towards everyone. You give each person different treatment. You treat each person as a completely different individual."


    "So.... you''re saying I was very considerate?" Too considerate, in fact.


    "That''s putting it mildly." She smiles wryly at her own words. She was giving out a vibe of admiration. "Adventurers, soldiers, Templar Knights, we never could get along. During the first meet-up, the whole thing would have ended in a brawl but you cast aside your pride and begged for the whole thing to be concluded in a civilized manner. Your display was quite shameful but it did the job. It was really admirable."


    Hmm.... Maybe I wasn''t considerate. Maybe I''m just a very subtle asshole because it sure sounds like that to me. That Hyx Atlas might have been a bona fide psychopath.


    "If you weren''t there. This expedition wouldn''t have been possible."


    Ah.... That''s starting to sound more like a blame than admiration. Or is she just simply saying what''s on her mind?


    Her saddened face went static when she seems to realized what she just said. "Ah? No no no no no." She was stringing the no''s. "That''s not what I meant. I''m not trying to blame you for all this.... Is just.... Is just...."


    So, she''s that kind of person. Caring but honest, interesting. I have never done this before back one earth. Or at least, I don''t remember I have done anything like teasing a girl. So feminists, please overlook this. Let me have some fun.


    "Is just?" I apply pressure on her.


    "Uh..... Uh....." No answer came. Her face is only getting more and more flustered. There''s some degree of cuteness to it but given her state, it''s not really showing.


    I had my fun, for now. I''ll send her a lifeboat. "Is alright. I know you don''t mean any of it."


    "Ah?" Her flustering stopped. It changes into a pout. "You''re a lot meaner now too."


    "I guess I am." I do remember I''m always this much of an asshole back on earth.


    "The spirits...."


    The spirits?


    "Are they still here?"


    Huh. They still there and they don''t look happy. They don''t have any face but I can tell, somehow. I guess they''re not happy from being left alone. "Yeah, they still there."


    "Where?" Her hands reach out into the air. Is she trying to do what I think she''s trying to do?


    "Are you trying to touch the spirits?"


    "I can''t?"


    Let me think.... "Well, it''s not that whether you''re allow to but I don''t think you can actually touch them but if you want to try...." I pointed at where the spirits are, close to my chest.


    She looks confused or rather, skeptical.


    "I"m not lying." Truly, I''m not. "They are the ones who healed my wounds. Which is why they are on my body." I explained before she misunderstood the whole thing like almost every anime female characters. Honestly, I''m tired of those shits.


    Still, she can''t help but getting all red. I didn''t think she was such a maiden. Didn''t the goblins and orcs have their way with her? ..... Maybe not. She was strung up on a pole and used as punching bags. Maybe the goblins and orcs didn''t touch her after all? Is her chastity preserved? But if I asked and the answer is otherwise, that would be boorish of me and awkward. Ah.... This is troublesome. Socializing is a headache.


    "Then.... may I?" Her hand slowly and slowly getting closer to my chest.


    "Sure?" I grab her hand and move it a little bit to the right, where one of the spirits are. I swore I heard a shriek for a split second but I''ll be prudent to let it pass.


    "Ah?" She utters when she touched the spirit which is slightly touching my chest. Of course, there''s a layer of clothing in between. I''m not that lucky.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    But anyways, I learned that even without spirit magic, you can''t touch them but you can feel them to a certain extent. Jolly good to know.


    "How does it feel?" I asked. Of course, I asked with some hidden intention.


    "It''s warm."


    Good. Good. "And?"


    "Soft."


    "And?"


    "It''s like threading on silks..." She''s completely mesmerized.


    "And?"


    "I could feel the concentration of magic...."


    "Okay." Now to pluck the fruits of my labor. "And now, how does the spirit feels like?"


    "Huh?" She looked up at me, completely stupefied. When she realized the meaning that my words hold, red once again taken hold of her face color.


    Cute. A flustered maiden is one of the pinnacles of cuteness.


    "Eh~~! No no. I''m sorry. I didn''t...." Before her confusion gets even more out of hand, I cupped her mouth with my hand. I put my finger to my lips. I gestured for her understanding and compliance. She nodded.


    I let go of her mouth. ''Sorry. I just couldn''t help it." I look away to prevent her from seeing the mischievous smile forming on my face.


    I can''t see her face but I''m sure and I know she''s pouting.


    That was fun....


    ....


    ....


    What the hell am I doing?


    She has become quiet. Too quiet, in fact. So I look back at her.


    There she was, looking down, her shoulders shuddering, her cheeks inflated and reddened. When she looks back up at me, she looks as if she was about to cry.


    Really? You''re going to cry from that?


    "To think.... to think...."


    "To think?"


    "To think that you will even do something like making a maiden cry now." She said so, in a small voice. The "maiden" is especially low.


    I may looked like a jerk right now but I like to believe I did help her in some way. I figured her mind must be having the incident with the goblins on a loop. The way she talks, the way she fights, the way she walks, it''s almost like it''s all done automatically. She must be really frightened. If I have to guess, I say she''s frightened of me too but she''s not that kind of person to show it. I feel bad if I really made her so frightened.


    This might have take her mind off of those things for a bit. Granted, my purpose isn''t that completely pure. I always wanted to tease a girl, although one could argue she is more of a woman than a girl. A young lady, perhaps?


    I wanted to hug her and tell her everything is alright but I''m not sure even I believed that myself and I''m not keen on setting flags, so I''ll refrain from that. I end up just caressing her head. Hm. Her hair feels nice and so is her warmth.


    "Sorry. Just trying to lighten up the mood." I said. It''s half a lie, of course.


    "Is... Is that so?"


    "So, why did you joined this expedition?"


    She looks unsure on how to answer.


    I suppose I can help. "Was there something this expedition that attracted you?"


    "Um.... I guess it''s the same reason as any adventurers. The fame, the money, the thrill? I guess I just want a little bit of each?"


    Well, that does fit a mindset of an adventurer. "Can you use magic?"


    "I can but...." She then looks at me. "Obviously not as good as you." She smiles.


    Fuck. That''s so cute. Poker face! Poker face! Where''s the Poker Face skill when I need one.


    "Ahahaha...." I laughed, nervously. "Is that so? But if you can use magic, why didn''t you?"


    "I suppose a talented person like you won''t know about it. You don''t even need to chant."


    Hey. What''s with the hundred eighty shift? Mind you, I don''t remember jack shit. So listen here, you little cutesy shit. "Forgive me. I truly do not know."


    "It''s alright. No body is to be blamed. It''s just one misfortune among the lot."


    Well, that''s depressing. With the way this conversation is going, I think it will only be more depressing. Let me change the mood, if I can.


    "It''s not all that bad." I said. "I have magic but I don''t know the first thing about it. The things that I do know about magic so far, I just know them by coincidence and convenience. And I don''t think that I can keep relying on coincidence and convenience. So, if it''s not too much trouble, could you tell me more about magic?"


    She looks surprise at first but then she smiles like she understood my intention. "Of course. What would you like to know?"


    Now, let''s see. Where is the list in my head? Um.... Ah! There it is.


    "Why is it call Arcane Arts?" That''s like one of the questions right on the top of my list. Instead of what, I want to know "why".


    She has a wondering face that says "et~to~" but I don''t think something like that will happen. "I''m not even sure about that myself." She said as she rubs the back of her head. "It has been called that for thousands of years now."


    Thousands of years of history. That''s long.


    "But only Court Mages and Alchemists, researchers, scholars, and the likes call it in such way. I would say Arcane Arts is something like the official term. Everyone just calls it magic or spells."


    I see. This world also cares about things like official terms and whatnot. I suppose it''s not strange.


    "And there are three types of Arcane Arts."


    "Three?"


    "Yeap. There are the common ones, the unique ones, and the legacy ones."


    I don''t really need her to explain since my nerd brain could already guess it but I''ll just let her talk since she looks like she''s into it.


    "The common type is something that everyone can learn. Although, there is the degree of rarity and compatibility. The lesser the amount of people is compatible to an Arcane Art, the rarer it is. For the unique types, these Arcane Arts are specific and unique to a single individual. No two people at the same time can possess the same unique Arcane Art. And for legacy types, they are Arcane Arts that is inherent to a bloodline. Only the kin and family posses it."


    Yeap, just as I expected. I''m starting to think spending all my time coping up in my room reading and playing fantasy stuffs is starting to pay off.


    Now, what else do I want to ask? Hm.... Oh right. There''s that. "What about aptitudes?"


    "Aptitudes?" She doesn''t look like she knows of such word.


    Ah.... Okay.... maybe it''s not called aptitudes but it is called as such in the status card though.


    "Oh." She snapped her fingers. I immediately clasp her hand and put my finger to my lips.


    "Ah~! Sorry. Sorry." She apologized when she realized the sound she made.


    "It''s okay. Just be more mindful, okay?"


    She nods.


    "So, you were remembering something?"


    "Oh right. Aptitudes.... If I''m not mistaken, we call them affinities or talents -- our compatibility with each single Arcane Art. I guess aptitude is the official term? At least, that''s what I heard the court officials often say. Affinities vary among each individual."


    "Is there any way to measure them?"


    "You can use an Affinity Crystal but..... there are other ways but this is the most common."


    "Do you have one with you?"


    "They are not something a simple adventurer like me can afford."


    Does that mean I have to be loaded to check my aptitudes?


    "But a magic shop or an alchemist shop would have an Affinity Crystal available for public uses. It cost roughly a silver for one inspection but of course, it''s much cheaper than buying one."


    When I heard the currency of this world is mentioned, I got curious. Must have been the way I asked of her about the currencies because she looks more frightened of me than before. Of course, I tried to rectify my unbecoming actions. Hope it works.


    Anyways, the explanation I was given is that, copper is the lowest and white gold is the highest. A silver equals to a hundred coppers. A hundred silvers equals to a gold. And a thousand gold equals to a white gold. White gold comes in the form of plates instead of coins, and it''s even considered rare to the high nobles.


    Mental note, study about economics when I leave this hell hole.


    Well, those aside, what else do I want to ask?


    When I was about to ask a next question, a shadow went past us. It had stopped for a while just outside the entrance but it kept moving on eventually. I was indifferent to it but Muo Li literally froze for a single moment there.


    "You okay?" I asked.


    "It didn''t saw us?" She asked, worryingly. Understandable.


    Since I have recovered enough Mana to use [Mana Percepton], I have activated it ever since. So I am able to tell whether they have found us out or not. Which explains my indifferent reaction. "Nope, it didn''t." I assured Muo Li.


    "How can you be so sure?" She doesn''t look convinced.


    "Trust me." I said, putting on a reassuring smile while I gestured at my eyes.


    She seems to understand my implications and accepted it. Good. I was not looking forward to do anymore convincing.


    Now, back to the expositions and world-building. Does these count as such?


    "What about rankings? I remember there''s a alphabet rankings somewhere on my status card."


    She ponders for awhile. "Well, there''s two types of ranking. One''s for us, the Sagax and the other one''s for monsters, magic beasts."


    Huh? I heard a hundred percent foreign word. "Wait, what''s a Sagax?"


    "Us." She said so naturally. "The fairy tribes, beast-kin, Majins, and basically every other races who are capable of speech, communication, restrain, and civility. That''s how the books explain it."


    I nod as I absorb her words. I see, Sagax are basically intelligent beings, sapient races. While it is to be expected but I''m still in wonder that there''s a term for it. Amazing, as expected of an Isekai, another world.


    "Who are the Majins?" I asked.


    "They''re demon-kin. They are said to be descendants of the Demon God, Indarus."


    Oooh. That don''t sound good. "They''re evil?"


    "It was thought of that to be the truth at first but not since Hero Ralov made a pact with them five hundred years ago. Ever since then, they have been considered as one of the Sagax races."


    Huh. I have half-expected and half-hoping the world is at war with the demon race but that''s not the case, I see. Nice going, Hero R..... whatever your name is.


    "But don''t be confuse them with actual demons. They are not the same."


    Ah....? "How so?"


    "Demons and Majins might have the same origins but they are two different species."


    Um.... I don''t really quite get it.


    My confuse must be showing on my face. And Muo Li explains further. "Comparing actual demons to the Majins is like comparing us humans to the apes. We might have the same origins but we entirely different now."


    Oh, so that how it is. But.... surprisingly, this worlds has the same theory of human evolving from primates. Huh.... I wonder how far their knowledge of science is on even grounds with earth''s.


    But.... I feel like we are deviating from a subject. What was it again?


    Ah! Right. Rankings.


    Seeing me, who has been listening attentively, Muo Li''s eyes sparkled. She then became excited and as a result, her explanation becomes long-winded and sometimes she trailed off from the subject. Anyways, to summarize what she explained, the power ranking for Sagax from the lowest is, G all the way up to S. From D onwards, there''s two tiers. A normal tier and an upper tier which is represent by a "+" sign. And there''s actually a rank higher than S and that is V.


    The V-ranks are treated as a higher position than a nation''s ruler. They are even seen as demi-gods although they don''t actually have any divinity in them but their powers are only second to the Gods. There are currently only four in the world.


    As for the monster''s ranking, while they do have sort of a similar ranking but there are some differences. First off, their ranks also range from G all the way to V but unlike Sagax''s ranking, they don''t have two tiers starting from D.


    The way the ranking works is that for example;a B-rank monster does not actually equals to a B-rank individual. While it is not entirely correct to be said that way. Even the one doing the explanation herself is also at a lost but from what I can piece together, it is more accurately to say the party with the average rank of B rivals or equals to a B-rank monster. Since Muo Li is stuttering halfway through, I decided not to take her words at face value.


    "So, what rank would this expedition party be?"


    "I would say somewhere between a C and a D."


    Really? That don''t sound very smart.


    "I know what you''re thinking. Everybody is thinking that way too but...."


    But....?


    "They just can''t help but wanting to have the first claim. The treasures and rewards awaiting for the early birds, the glory of being the first to conquer a dungeon, that sort of greed. Even the King of Farmas who formed this expedition was not exempted from the greed."


    I ask her who this King of Farmas is and she tells me is the King of the nearest Kingdom to this dungeon, Farmas.


    However, there is no law as to say which Kingdom a dungeon belongs to. By a law agreed by many nations, every dungeon is managed by the Adventurer''s Guild but the credibility goes to the Kingdom which funds and provides for the expedition party. Although, a Kingdom can form their own expedition party to conquer it but in the end, the management still falls to the Adventurer''s Guild but the Kingdom would receive a huge recognition and reward.


    All in all, the Adventurer''s Guild is one of the most powerful and largest faction in Evarenan.


    I find it boring when I''m reading it from a book but hearing all these information from a young and cute maiden, really does have an entirely different feel to it.


    Muo Li noticed my entranced gaze and she looks away while getting a little bit red. Too cute.


    Now, was that something else I want to ask? I''m sure I do. Right on the tip of my tongue...... da da da da da da...... Ah! Right.


    The four V-ranks. I''m really curious about them since they considered second to the Gods. I noticed she used "the" before gods which tells me she''s referring to a specific bunch. Hmm... I''ll just ask her later since I''m not interested about the Gods. I''m much more interested in mortals who can almost rival gods.


    From what Muo Li knows, while not a whole lot of people have truly seen the four and know of their real name, they are mostly only known by the public by their monikers. There''s Stormbringer, Fenrir, Dawn, and Jiuwei.


    Hmm.... Jiuwei.... I muse at the last name.


    "Is Jiuwei perhaps a nine-tailed fox?" I asked.


    "Of course. The name Jiuwei actually means nine tails but I suppose you would already known about that."


    Huh? "Why''s that?"


    "I mean.... aren''t you a half Xin?"


    "Xin? I don''t know...."


    "Ah.... You don''t even remember about that too. I see. It''s alright." She ruffles my hair.


    What is alright?


    "But basically, Xin is people like me. Yellow-skinned, black hair, black eyes. These are the definitive traits of a Xin."


    A..... an Asian? If there''s an Asian counterpart than there must be other counterparts.


    "You''re a Medivian and a Xin. I guess you aren''t able to remember about this too."


    I''m guessing Medivian is the other half of my blood. I''ve seen my face back when I was in the cell with a fragmented mirror. The lights were faint then but I was able to see some of my face. I looked like a American-Chinese mix. So, I''m guessing Medivian is the Caucasian counterpart of this world?


    "What''s more, not just Common or Yuewen, you also understand monster language."


    Okay... what? Yuewen? Moon Language? It could mean "reading" too but I don''t think that''s it given the context. And apparently, it is called monster language.


    "I suppose that''s a given for a scholar."


    "You''re saying some memories are still inside my head?"


    She nods. "Maybe you might eventually remember everything else if we give it time."


    Let''s hope so. "I suppose that''s worth giving some thought to it."


    Wow. This was.... educating and informative.


    "Say, if you''re that worry about.... your condition, do you want to look at your status?"


    How? "How?"


    "You can use mine." She hands me her status card. I accepted it on reflex or instinct, whichever one, I don''t know.


    "I can use yours?"


    "The information can be overwritten if you the current owner allows it."


    Oh wow. That''s resourceful. Nice. Three R''s is embraced here, I see. Recycle, Reuse, Reduce.


    "How do I do this?"


    "I''m not sure.... I never done this before....." She answered. Trying to laugh it off ain''t going to help me here.


    I suppose I can try pouring Mana but before that....


    "May I?" I better ask first.


    "Um....." At first, she seems lost on my question for permission but she caught up, eventually. "Oh yeah, sure." She permitted me.


    Name: Zhang Muo Li


    Gender: Female


    Age: 27


    Race: Human


    Status: Stressed / Fatigue (Mild) (Alive)


    Standing: Commoner


    Job: Adventurer


    Class: Swordsman


    Tittle: None


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Fire Magic: Lv. 1


    Light Magic: Lv. 2


    Earth Magic: Lv. 1


    Magic Melee Arts - Sword: Lv. 5


    HP : 420/420


    MP: 100/100


    Overall Power Ranking : D


    Effective Combat Strength : 700


    Oh? This is.... refreshing.... but.... only this much and she''s already rank D. What about me, who''s pack with some serious firepower? I''m also only D just like her. I wonder why?


    She doesn''t have much Arcane Arts.


    Muo Li seems to saw through my confusion and explains. "Arcane Arts are just the magic that I have. Physical skills like sword, spear, axe, hand to hand, they don''t count as Arcane Arts."


    If that is so then.... I pointed at [Magic Melee Arts - Sword].


    "Oh that''s.... That''s because it uses Mana. Simply put, as long as a skill or ability involves the usage of Mana, it will be considered as an Arcane Art."


    I see. Good to know.


    Damn. I learn a lot.


    Hah. The world ain''t so dark anymore. Or should I say, I don''t feel like I''m too deep in the dark anymore.


    Now.... what about mine?


    I poured my Mana into the card and information of Muo Li is erased and replaced by mine.


    Oh nice. It works. Don''t know what I''ll do if it didn''t.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown (Human)


    Status:Fatigue (Mild) (Alive)


    Standing: Commoner (Exiled)


    Job: Scholar (Faith of the Nines)


    Class: None


    Tittle: Unparalleled Evolver / Monster Slayer / Pain Monger


    <u>Arcane Arts


    </u>Spirit Magic - Lv. 2


    Spatial Magic - Lv. 4


    Abyss Magic - Lv. 3


    Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 5


    Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv.-


    Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-


    HP : 400/400


    MP: 800/800


    Overall Power Ranking : D+


    Oh. Okay.... Wow. Apparently my stats have increased a lot since then. I know that I have been getting stronger but looking at the results gave a different kind of impact.


    Ah?


    Oh.


    Oh shit.


    I forgot about it.


    My race.


    It''s "unknown" with an open bracket, close bracket, human.


    I look to Muo Li to see her reaction.


    "Muo Li?" I called out to her.


    She''s just staring at my status. Her mouths agape and her eyes aren''t but they''re not moving either. She''s is completely still. The shock had been so overwhelming that she''s not responding to me.


    "Muo Li?"


    No response.


    Well, forgive me for this. This is an emergency. She''s breathing but I doubt she will still be breathing if I left her alone.


    I flick her forehead with my forefinger.


    She yelps. Loud enough to jolt everyone in the cave to wake up.


    "Why? What''s wrong?" Clammis already had her weapon ready.


    "Enemies?" Tom prepares to chant.


    For the goblins..... Well, the goblins are still asleep. They are even snoring.


    "I''m sorry. You weren''t responding."


    "Ah?" Muo Li looks at me.


    "You okay?" Now it''s my turn to ask her that.


    "Uh huh?" She uttered but not nodding.


    "What''s happened to her?" Clammis asked while slowly taking steps forward.


    Um..... Should I? Maybe we can coordinate better if they know what I can do. So, I show them my status.


    "Th....Thr....Three unique magic?" Tom said, his words faltering.


    What about my race? Did none of you see my race?


    Clammis was quiet. Did she broke like Muo Li?


    I waved at her.


    Unlike Muo Li, she responded. "I know you are strong but not this strong. Your Mana pool, your magics, yo...you have three unique abilities..... This is.... This is just absurd. Unbelievable."


    I don''t know why but either they aren''t thinkin of anything regarding my race or they are being polite and considerate to ignore it. I guess I shouldn''t worry about it unless they bring it up.


    "How many unique Arcane Arts does one usually have?" I asked.


    "One. Even a single unique ability is rare. Only about ten percent of the world''s population has a unique ability and less than one percent has more than two." Clammis explains. The face she''s making is starting to creep me out.


    Oh. Oh. Okay. That is.... huge. Turns out, I''m a special snowflake but..... after what everything that happened..... I feel special alright..... but not in a good way. Is my luck the price I paid for having such abilities?"


    "How did you...."


    Oh hello. Muo Li.exe is finally responding. I was about to open task manager.


    "I don''t know. I woke up like this. Even I need someone to explain all these to me."


    "Do you truly not know anything about this?"


    Why would I lie? "You doubt my words?"


    Wait....


    There is one thing....


    The loli voice.


    But....


    They not gonna believe that. Even I don''t completely believe it''s real. If I tell them about it, they might not even dare to come close to me after that. I''ll just keep that to myself.


    "You are a miracle one after another." said Tom. He seems to be the one taking in this the most well. I expected otherwise.


    "But...."


    What''s with that face, Clammis? You look like you''re about to say something really difficult. Brace yourself, Hyx.


    "If this is your strength.... How are you only the one that survive? Wouldn''t you be strong enough to protect others? Or have you been....."


    Oh no, you didn''t. You did not just go down that Old Man Lucy''s road. I am not having that shit again. Why would you guys even think like that? Why?


    "Like I said," I stare straight at Clammis as I begin my long explanation. "I don''t know anything. What different does it make if I have such power? Just because you gave someone a godly sword, it''s still nothing but a simple tool if one does not how to swing it."


    "Hyx?" Someone called me but I ignored it.


    "What did you expect from me? Tell me. I want to know. What do you expect from me? Save everyone? I saved you. I saved all seven of you. Forgive me for not being able to save everyone. Forgive me for being inexperience."


    "Hyx!" Shut the fuck up, whoever is trying to interrupt.


    "I''m not a hero. Never was, never is, and never will be. If you''re looking for a hero in me, I can tell you it does not exist in me. What you will find instead, is a monster. A monster that is trying his damnedest to survive in this god forsaken place and it is doing that while trying to be as humane as possible. But so far.... look at me....."


    "Hyx!"


    "If you still doubt my words, you are welcome to rectify what you seen as wrong. You are welcome to convince me otherwise, not with your words but with your act....."


    *Smack!*


    I....


    I was...


    I was slapped?


    "Calm down, Hyx." Muo Li said, her eyes have tears on the edges.


    Ah? Ah.... I see....


    My nails... they have become claws.... and I was.... I was cornering Clammis, literally. Before I realized, she was backed against a wall.


    Her eyes held fear. Her body is trembling. And she kinda smelled. Did she also wet herself?


    I did this?


    I did this.


    Why did I.... What was I so heat up for? I never knew I was such a person.


    "Clammis. What were you thinking?" Muo Li asked her. "He''s just a kid. What did you expect from a kid?"


    A kid? Ah... that''s right. I''m still just a boy. I might have been twenty in my previous life but I''m fifteen in this world. Twenty? Was it not eighteen? Huh.... Which is which.....


    I sigh.


    Doesn''t matter. Not important right now.


    "Hyx. Sorry about that. I know you''re also under a lot of pressure so, forgive her, can you?"


    I admit. I did went overboard too. "Yeah. I''m sorry too."


    "Good." Muo Li nodded. She tries to force a smile but it didn''t work. Her smile came out distorted. She can''t do it. She was also intimidated. Damn it. "So just..... try to get some sleep, okay? Your status said your have some fatigue, after all."


    Trying to ditch me?


    "Don''t worry. We won''t abandoned you. Even if we.... if we.... if by any chance we are not seeing you in a good light, you still our best hope of getting out of here alive. So, just take a rest. Alright?"


    I look to Tom for any opinion.


    "It''s alright. I have known what kind of person you are. My opinions of you remains the same." Tom assures me.


    The goblins are still sleeping. The fuck, you guys?


    Although I have doubts about their real intention, what they need now is a moment of peace and quiet without me. I think I can and should at least give them that much.


    "Then... I''ll be getting some sleep now." I said. I didn''t know what else to say.


    They just nodded. I guess they are also unable to find the right words.


    And I slide down to sitting posture along the wall. Entrusting my weight to the wall and my mind to the ease, I slowly try my best to have as much sleep as possible without nightmares.


    Perhaps I''ll be greeted with their absence when I wake up.


    But... I''ll understand --


    -- sadly....


    Well...


    Sweet dreams, me.....

 H12 - Unexpected Encounters

    "I''m.... I''m s...sorry." Tom apologized while making sure his eyes never made contact with mine.


    I murmur something incomprehensible in response.


    We are now walking through the usual passage. Rocky walls, ceiling, and ground, illuminated by the faint glow from the cyan vines.


    The goblins are walking behind me while trying to suppress their laughter. They ended up snickering instead.


    Clammis had not leave me out of her sight since that change.


    Muo Li glances over to me every few minutes. I can''t tell if she''s worried or curious about my recent condition. I then figure out she just finds it amusing when I noticed she held back a giggle.


    Why are they all behaving in such an odd manner?


    It all started about an hour ago.


    After I went to get some shut eye, encouraged by Muo Li, a change happened to my body.


    The change had awoken me from my slumber. Needless to say, everyone else could only stand by and watch as the change took place. Although I''m impassive to most physical torment at this point, the pain of having your body forcibly undergo physical changes is quite something else. I almost fainted a few times from it.


    What changes have I undergone?


    Well.....


    I grew a tail.....


    The tail resemble''s that of a reptile''s. It''s about a little more than half my height.


    My nails are now able to grow even sharper and tougher. I tried it against a rock. The rock broke but my nails didn''t but I did broke my nails after a few more test. Being dulled to pain, I barely felt anything from the pain but.... the sight of my fingers without nails is still not something I can stomach.


    Aside from those, my eyes have gained thermal vision.


    Yes. Thermal vision.


    And my tongue.... my tongue....


    It grew in length. It grew to about six inches long....


    Why did such thing happened?


    It is because of the meat I ate. The meat I got from Tom the personality-shifting orc.


    Once in a while, the goblins and orcs, through the teleportation formation, they will head outside of the dungeon and hunt for food. The most common prey they would come across are the Tree Lizards. They''re carnivores but only prey on smaller animals. They have heat-seeking vision and bears vicious and tough claws. They can also regulate their body temperature and adapt to the climate. Which is why they are in abundance. They''re about two feet in size. They are magic beasts but only a G rank, the lowest.


    They aren''t just hunted because they are convenient to be hunted but also they can be eaten raw. If my theory is correct, the changes are more intense if I ingest it raw instead of having it cooked. Which is maybe why I only grew claws from eating those centaur-scorpions.


    Since the thermal vision works the same way as[Mana Perception], I have no trouble with its activation. I have ample practices with retracting and extending my claws but the other two are the main concern. My tongue kept slipping out whenever I breath out and my tail can''t seem to calm down. It appears my tail reacts in accordance to my emotions.


    I wondered if "Poker Tail" will become a word.


    Great. Not only do I need to watch out for my facial expression but my tail too.....


    From what I know from Clammis, most people can die from eating flesh of magic beasts. If one''s lucky to survive that, they will be living the rest of their live crippled by a disease. The only records of someone eating magic beast''s meat and survived are the Majins. Besides the Majins, only magic beast eats magic beast.


    Great....


    Although, it''s not all that bad. The thermal vision improved my cognitive abilities. I respond quicker to dangers and my anticipations of monster''s actions and behaviors has also improved.


    But my tail.... It had gotten me into quite a lot of trouble. We were planning to sneak past a Goliath but my tail disturbed a pebble and attracted the monkey''s attention. Panic and frustrated, I spend half of my Mana into firing multiple[Abyssal Javelin]continuously until I completely shredded the Goliath into hundreds of pieces. As a result,


    [Abyss Magic: Lv. 3 increased to Lv. 4]


    [Abyss Magic: Hell Spikes - Acquired]


    This ability erupts a spike of purplish dark energy from the ground. Pouring more Mana into this ability increases the quantity of the spikes and its size. I used this against against an old friend, the Wights. It skewered them nicely.


    Fancy meeting you all down here but you all should have stayed back at the upper layers. Please don''t tell me you all purposely came down here looking for me. Please don''t let that be the case.


    There was a time when we almost fell into a pit of sharp stakes but I finally able to experiment what I have been wishing for. Turns out, I can use[Plane Displacement]as a foothold but the durability depends on the numbers of people on it. Two is the maximum load for[Plane Displacement]


    The goblins are surprisingly useful. Since they''re small, most of the monsters gave me, Tom, Clammis, and Muo Li the priority in their offences, it allowed the goblins to sneak up on them. They have saved our lives a few times using this tactic. Such nice and handy fellows.


    We once again came across a field of Gray Spores but this time, I purposefully crushed some and keep the spores in a sack. I planned to use it as a make-shift grenade. Hope this would work out.


    And just a little bit of distance after the Gray Spores, we arrived at a small abandoned village. It looks just like the one I have encountered previously. Although, this one is a lot more smaller as oppose the upper layer''s. The other difference is that this village isn''t overgrown with Red Crystals everywhere.


    Since I have already witnessed the existence of a village in the upper layer, I wasn''t as entranced the to others. It seems that Tom and the goblins didn''t even knew of such place existed. Instead, my focus is on the field of herbs that have grown in abundance in this area. I almost jumped in joy from that discovery.


    Without wasting any more time, I get to work, neglecting the confounded glances of my party, I begin concocting as much reagent as I can carry. At first, Clammis was skeptical and questioned the purpose of this reagents but I proved it to her the effectiveness of this reagents.


    Although she believes me now, she also distrusts and dislikes me even more. Why? Simple. In order to prove it to her, I pierce through her palm with my claws and then made her ingest the red reagent. It worked but she is scarred from that. Good cause I''m getting sick and tired from her second guessing me at every turn. Hope this can shut her up.


    Putting that understandable distrustful bitch aside, I found a lot of other various herbs and I got creative. I even managed to create a peculiar reagent. By mixing the yellow flower with seven petals and a pink flower with twelve petals, I created that "reagent". A pink reagent and it burns like white phosphorus. I was happy when I discovered something akin to white phosphorus but I wasn''t so happy when I discovered it in a first hand manner. A good part of my body suffered a six degree burn or worse as a result. Of course, I healed back over the course but I have discovered a new level of pain. Clammis looked satisfied after that incident. She now smirks whenever she looks at me.


    This bitch.


    By the way, we aren''t heading towards the teleportation formation anymore. Every route that could have took us there were blocked either by monsters or debris and rocks. We even considered tracing back our steps but we decided against it when I reminded them of the Serrators. As much as I like to think they died from that spectacle, I strongly doubt that.


    In simple and short words, we are lost. As far as I''m concern, we now just merely looking for a way to get to the upper layers. The others seem to have an unspoken agreement of me taking the lead. I don''t want to crush any more of their hopes but I''m heading to where my feet takes me.


    When I asked Muo Li and Clammis they remember how they got to these layer. they told that they were knocked out cold by the goblins and when they woke up, they were already there in the lairs of the goblins.


    Apparently, Tom wasn''t part of the group who abducted the adventurers.


    Tom and the goblins are indifferent to the fact that we''re lost. It is natural after all considering they have been living here for their whole lives but Muo Li and Clammis had been very disheartened when such hopes were crushed. I consoled them by telling them what I have went through when I woke up in a cell. I don''t know if it actually did the job but their facial complexion look better than before. I say it worked but I get the feeling I have just upped my creepy factor furthermore.


    <hr>


    After some time we left that area, Tom have finally worked up the courage to ask me about a certain thing. If I have to compare, he looked like a schoolgirl from Animes that''s trying to confess to her crush or in this case, his. I sure hope he''s not actually thinking about confessing because that will be too weird, even for my taste.


    "About what you did the other time...."Tom slowly trails off.


    Bruh, don''t make this anymore awkward."You mean when I tempered with your Mana flow?"


    "Yes. And I was wondering if you could...."


    I don''t like where this is going....


    "Is it possible that you can...."


    Could you just spit it out already?


    "Can you temper with my Mana flow again?"


    Okay. I wasn''t expecting this but.... why? I tilt my head in response.


    "What I meant is that can you make it so that I can use magic chantless too?"


    I stop walking. "Make you able to use chantless magic?" I don''t know why but I said it out loud in Common.


    Muo Li and Clammis heard my words and stop in their tracks and glance at Tom.


    Wait.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    They''re not glancing at Tom. They are glancing at me. Um.... why?


    "Can you?" Muo Li asked. Are your eyes sparkling or is it just me?


    Even Clammis is glancing hard at me.


    "No. It doesn''t work like that or at least, I don''t believe so. Even if it''s possible, I don''t know how." I reply back in Common to dispel any false hope for Muo Li and Clammis. Does chanting has something to do with them being unable to use magic? I''ll ask them later.


    "Oh." One word was all I got from the dejected Tom.


    But why are you two dejected also? Aren''t you two swordsman or swordswoman, whatever.


    "Ngeh? Something there?"


    "Something there!"


    "Humans?"


    "Two?"


    Somehow, the goblins keep speaking in this sequence. I wonder if they did it deliberately or it''s just their natural way of talking.


    But anyways, it seems they are correct. There''s two individuals just in front of us. Two males. Stained with a lot of blood, monster blood.


    "What are they saying?" Muo Li asked.


    "There are two people just around the corner in front of us."


    "More survivors?" Clammis asked.


    "Does that included those with their mind intact?"


    Both Muo Li and Clammis hesitated to answer.


    "As far as I can tell, their flow of Mana seems normal. So they might be sane but I can''t be sure and if that''s truly the case...." I glare at all of them while extending my claws, making sure they understand what I''m liable to do should the individuals be in any other state than sane.


    They all nod in assent. By they, I don''t included the goblins of course. They are always in their own pace. Which is kinda nice.


    As we advance nearer to the corner where two individual awaits, a ball of light roll from the corner to my feet.


    When I realized what it is, it was too late. The ball explodes and let loose the amassed blinding light within. The ball of light is a spell. And since it is a spell and I have[Mana Perception]on one eye and thermal vision in the other, the results aren''t pretty for me. No. I should say the results are too pretty for me that it blinded my eyes.


    Okay.... that was terrible.


    In all seriousness though, if the light was anymore intense, I would have actually went blind. It goes without saying that the rest of my party was also stunned by the flash.


    Right after that flash, someone darted out of the corner and dashed straight at us. How do I know this despite being blinded? I have a keen sense of hearing and smell. In addition, I have[Clarity Field].


    The assailant is wielding a greatsword. He is going for a thrust. I clad my body with[Magic Enhancement]and deflects the blow with my elbow. I can hear his faint utter of surprise. He goes for a swing which he raises his sword overhead in preparation. He then swings it down at me but the blade snaps into two upon contact with my head.[Magic Enhancement]clad my whole body not just parts of my body. This time, I heard him mutters "How?"


    Without giving him a chance to recover from his shock, I push my palm at him with a controlled[Spatial Magic: Force Push]. It sent him almost crashing into his mage ally.


    "Element that incinerates and obliterates...."


    The mage begins chanting. He''s chanting in Common.


    ....fire that engulf my enemies in a flash...." I let him chant. What''s next? Firebolt?


    "...firebolt." Oh, I''m right.


    Bolt of fire rushes towards me. I respond with my forefinger pointing at the fire bolt. A small blue flame manifests on the tip of my finger. When the blue flame and the fire bolt collides, the blue flame grows in size and completely swallows the fire bolt. After that, the two flames burn out as one. That''s one of my new ability,[Mana Overseer: Mana Burn]. It creates a blue flame that is able to burn anything made of Mana. In other words, it cancels magic.


    "What? Impossible. Chantless and....." The mage finds it hard to accept reality. Perhaps they could help measure my ability in comparison to the outside world?


    "Commander Maelock?"


    I glance at Muo Li over my shoulder who blurted out.


    "Who is he?" I already figured out that they would know about each other since there couldn''t possibly be anyone else here besides the expedition party.


    "Zhang?" The commander responded to her call. If I remember correctly, Zhang is Muo Li''s family name. Don''t mean to be rude but it''s pronounced as *Zhang* not *Zheng*.


    "Thank the goddess, you two are alive." Clammis said as she steps forward to make her presence known to the two.


    "Who are they again?" I asked.


    "This is Commander Maelock. He''s the one that leads the expedition team. Well, except the Templars."


    Hmm? There''s a different leader for the Templars? I suppose it make sense.


    "And this here is Lord Lubac, a Court Alchemist."


    Alchemist? A medicine practitioner of this world? Or just a magic chemist?


    "I thought.... I thought none one other than us survived....." He breaths a huge sigh of relief. "You have no idea how glad I am....." Commander Maelock suddenly stops speaking when he saw those who are behind Clammis.


    Wait....


    No....


    He''s also looking at me.


    Oh right. I have a tail now


    Before things get complicated, Muo Li jumps in between.


    "Stop! They are friends." Muo Li told the commander and the alchemist.


    "An orc and goblins? And a..... whatever this creature is." The alchemist named Lubac isn''t buying it.


    How rude. What do you mean by "whatever this creature is"?


    "Our words maybe odd but it is the truth. This orc and the goblins saved our lives. We are indebted to them."


    Uh.... no. Technically, they didn''t. I did. They just plunged you into a deeper shit but it''s the thought that counts, right?


    After glaring at Tom and the four goblins and also me for a while, Maelock finally sheathed his sword. "Fine." He said.


    What are you so dissatisfied about?


    "I don''t believe such a distorted truth but the larger our numbers, the better odds of us making it out of here." Lubac said.


    I don''t like this two already but Muo Li and Clammis seem content with the situation, so I''ll just leave it at that.


    "That creature.... that boy...." Maelock pointed at me. "Isn''t he the scholar, Atlas?"


    "What of it?" I omitted the "I am?" part. I purposely let loose my tongue, literally, to intimidate him. Don''t ask me why I did something that can only worsen the fragile situation. I might be a conscious idiot.


    "What happened to him?"


    "It''s a complicated story."


    Let''s hope that vauge explanation works, Muo Li.


    "I see they have another great fighter besides Nineheart. And they even kept it a secret."


    I''m assuming he''s referring to me. Apparently, this is how the commander interprets it. Not illogical. Anyways, who''s Ninehearts again?


    Muo Li saw my face which is plastered with a question, she kinda figures it out what I want to ask. "Vira Ninehearts, the captain of the Templar Knights. She''s an Arch Knight herself. A rank below a Knight Commander. She is also the one who leads the Templar Knights in this expedition. Your boss, so to say."


    Okay.... why does she sounds like someone that''s going to be a huge pain in the neck? Yet, I somehow want to meet her. The name, Vira, it sounds so familiar.


    "What''s with him? Lost his memories?" Maelock asked.


    "Yeah." Muo Li answered.


    "How?"


    "A fifteen year old in a god forsaken place, I''m sure you can think up plenty of reasons for it." Muo Li looks like she''s about to loose her patient. This could get interesting but giving our current status quo, the outcome might be unfavorable.


    "Are you perhaps suggesting that someone that proficient in the arts of combat lost his memories due to being unable to cope with the nightmares of this place? What''s more, look at him. How is he what you think he is?"


    You know what? That''s is an interesting theory. I completely agree. Clammis thought that way too. So, Muo Li, why didn''t you suspect me in that way?


    Still, doesn''t change the fact that the commander is already and still a phobic asshole in my mind.


    "We saw his status card."


    Uh huh? I can sense a counter-argument incoming.


    "His job says scholar and he doesn''t have an ECP."


    "Those high preachers might be just covering it up. A secret weapon."


    "They are not. The status card was mine. I gave it to him and I saw his status. Nothing there tells me to doubt him. No one is covering up anything. The magic that tricks the status card applies to the card itself. If he is indeed what you implied him to be, than his status should have show otherwise on the my card."


    Huh. So, that''s the explanation.


    Wait.


    What about my race?


    Are you excluding my race?


    My race is an ample reason in itself to have you suspect me.


    Why didn''t you?


    But anyways, it seems the argument is too valid that the silent is the only response the commander have.


    I''m glad that she covered me but I don''t think it''s a good idea. While it may be hypocritical of me to say this but withholding the truth would only make it worse over time.


    When I glanced at Muo Li, she gave me an expression that said not to worry.


    How could I not?


    "If such bizarre story is indeed the truth, then you might a very interesting subject." The alchemist started looking at me in an interested way. "I have come across so many but you are the most different. This is something I must not let go. How about you come join me in my lab after we get out of here." Lubac said something that sounded dangerous.


    "How about no?" I retorted, putting my strange speech pattern into the max. I also look to Maelock for an explanation for this weirdo''s abrupt declaration.


    "He''s like that whenever he found an interesting subject." Was the explanation I''m given by the commander. No shit. I want further details, dumb ass.


    Then, I feel a tug on my shirt. I look back.


    "Are we perhaps causing some huge inconvenience?"Tom asked.


    "You and me both, brother."I replied.


    Tom looks puzzled. Of course he does. I just forgot I ain''t on earth again.


    "Is alright. Look at me, I''m might just be causing inconvenience as much as you are."In fact, I think I am.


    Tom smiles wryly at my words.


    Hmm?


    Is the ground shaking?


    No one but me seems to feel the ground is shaking.


    And what''s that?


    I can feel a faint presence. It''s still far but I can sense it''s coming from the direction where the commander and the alchemist came from.


    "Is there anyone else with you?" I asked.


    "No. It''s just us two." he answered.


    Hmm. Strange.


    Mah~


    I might just be too sensitive right now.


    "How are you two faring?" Clammis asked.


    "Better than most of from the part, I can say." came the grim answer from Lubac. What the hell''s wrong with you?


    "When we got split up, the one tasked with the provisions followed right on our tail so, we were faring well. Our luck didn''t last forever. We got soon chased by a worm."


    A worm? A giant worm? I find it strange he''s not using the word "giant". It''s not plural so it''s just one worm. I suppose he has just forgotten about the "giant" part.


    "We lost our provisions along with the one carrying it in the ensuing chase. And we have been running ever since."


    Ah....


    Is that it?


    Hmm.... Is the worm you''re referring to perhaps a thousand feet long creature that''s coming towards us at a very high speed as we speak which kinda explains the tremor that I''m feeling?


    Yeap. That''s seems to be the most likely possibility.


    "We got a monster approaching." I told them and they froze when they heard my words. "It appears to be the worm you mentioned."


    "Really?" Lubac the Alchemist doesn''t look like he''s taking my words at face value. "How can you tell?"


    And the moment he finished his sentences, the tremor becomes real apparent.


    I give him a look that said "Still doubting me?"


    A loud sound follows after, the sound of the place collapsing.


    When we look to the direction where the sound came from, we see the worm, heading straight for us.


    Oh.


    A Wyrm.


    Not a worm.


    Right.


    This is really bad.


    "Quick!" The commander yelled. "We have to...."


    Why did the commander stop his sentence halfway?


    Well, the ground beneath us gave out. The Wyrm is so massive that just from a simple wriggling, it can destroy an area. Imagine it moving at a considerable speed.


    Now, we are falling through the air.


    Huh. D¨¦j¨¤ vu, right here.


    This might hurts but it''s better than meeting face first to the bottom at such speed of falling.


    I cast[Plane Displacement]to ease our fall. I cast it again after the former broke. Just like that, I''m slowing our speed of falling by casting[Plane Displacement]repeatedly.


    I don''t know about the others but I barely feel anything from the successive crashes through[Plane Displacement].


    Oh. That don''t look good. Everyone is bleeding from crashing through multiple[Plane Displacements].


    Apparently[Plane Displacement]is not a very good idea but it''s the only one I have right now. There might be other ideas but I can''t think of any others right now. Please endure this.


    <hr>


    And just like that, we arrived at the bottom.


    Falling is not a good way to travel, for christ''s sake.


    Good. Everyone made it, I think.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    What the fuck?


    I am suddenly overwhelmed by a indescribable sense of dread.


    I didn''t spend my time groaning and flipping on the ground. I immediately get up to my feet. Something dangerous is lurking in this area. I don''t know what it is but the ominous presence that I felt ever since I''m fell into range is something I have never felt before. This intimidating presence even beats the Alpha Serrator. It even surpasses the ghost of the cyan vines.


    What the fuck is this?


    What the fuck is this?


    I look around. Everyone is not moving but since they''re groaning, they''re alive. Muo Li is breathing hard. Hyperventilating I could even call it.


    "Muo Li? Are you okay?" I didn''t ask her what''s wrong because I can tell what''s robbing her of air. The ominous presence.


    {Has the time finally come?}


    I hear a voice spoke out.


    No, it''s not the loli voice. This voice is deep and sinister and it''s in Helix. And it isn''t coming from my head. It''s coming somewhere in this area.


    I traced the voice. Followed it through a short passage that extends for a hundreds of feet. I didn''t know why but I can''t stop. Something is attracting me to the voice.


    There, I came to a spacious area.


    There, some objects seems to defy gravity.


    Yes. Defy gravity. Some stones, pebbles, and rocks are floating and drifting in the air. It is also at this place where the ominous presence feels the heaviest.


    At the center of the room, a lance of some elegant but simple design is inserted in a pedestal. That lance seems to be the cause of the ominous presence.


    {Are you the one?}


    The voice asked.


    {What might this "the one" you are referring to is?}


    Damn. Helix language is hard. I can barely speak it.


    I''m answered by silence.


    Hello?


    {You are the one that has been foretold, are you not?}


    {Forgive me. I do not grasp the intents of your words.}


    {Are you the Harbinger?}


    At that moment, I have the biggest chill sent down my spine ever since I arrived here in this world.


    Everything that I have encountered just seems to keep besting the previous one in terms of unpleasant factor.


    Although I provided neither an answer nor response, the voice seems to be able to read my mind.


    I felt like the voice is wearing a smile when it said


    {I have been waiting for you.}

 Intermission - Vira (2)

    What did I do wrong?


    Was it my fault that lost all of them?


    Where did it go wrong?


    From the very beginning? If that is so, how could I have known?


    When did it I start missing the details?


    I didn''t, did I? I saw everything in my way and everything that came my way.


    Why didn''t I saw through its deception?


    I did. They didn''t.


    How can I let this happened?


    I let this happened.... I thought I could.... Was there an error in my judgement?


    These questions, I kept it on a loop within my mind as I mercilessly, relentlessly, unwavering, and persistently slaughter my way through the dungeon. No matter how brutal, ferocious, and vicious the attacks they threw at me are, I cut them down all the same.


    My thoughts may be in turmoil but not my survival instincts.


    It hasn''t been too long but it had been quite some time ever since I used this much power.


    Exerting all my strength and power, few could be said to be my rival.


    Even the Goliaths, their armor is not even a match against my onslaught. I''m not even killing nor exterminating these abominations, I''m merely just mowing them down in my path like overgrown weeds.


    These magic beasts.... these monsters..... they are nothing. Mindless. Savages. Fiendish. An insult to everything divine..... divine..... What a joke.


    In the end..... they still took everything from me....


    With Fang in my hand and Shadow''s Bane in the other, they are all nothing before me. To think those nothing took everything from me.


    When I lost Leon, I have committed myself into not further loosing anyone in this party. I have purposely disallowed them the chances they could have contribute to an encounter. A deliberate and calculated decision. I was afraid they couldn''t hold their own, not with their current condition.


    Renewal Crystal, it cured their wounds but not completely of their mental fatigue. Unlike me, they have not gone through the abnormal and unorthodox tutelage of the Blade Emperor. I''m molted by the blazing passion of the Blade Emperor''s teaching. I have been through countless missions that one would normally considered it as suicide but I braved through all those. Which is why, I understand and I know. I didn''t trust their current capabilities. I refused to take the chances.


    But now..... I ask myself.... Did any of those choices I made matters?


    The only answer I have found is a blurry gray line between a positive and a negative.


    After finally having such power within my grasp, I thought that I would never loose anyone or anything ever again. I thought I can finally protect those that I love and care. I longed for those two wishes to be a reality. I wanted to make those wishes into reality. Thus, I am willing to endure so much.


    But now....


    What did those years of endurance offer to me in the eventuality?


    I have protected villages, defended towns, saved cities but I couldn''t even save a small team.


    What tricks is fate playing with me?


    Is this perhaps penance for my lack of faith for the Nines?


    What a joke I am.


    Me. A Templar Arch Knight, second only to a Templar Knight Commander. Yet, I don''t truly believe in the Nines. I''m not an atheist but I have never truly worship the Nines of any Gods.


    Did the gods finally have enough of my lack of faith?


    If so, why am I blessed with their Grace in the first place? [Grace of the Nines], a unique Arcane Art bestowed to me by the Nines. The last person who inherited this is my mentor, my teacher, the Blade Emperor. Now retired Templar Knight Commander. A good man.


    I wonder....


    I wonder why am I feeling so miserable right now?


    This isn''t my first time that I have lost the ones I care about. In fact, I have already lost too much long before I became a Templar Knight. I thought I have became accustomed to loosing my allies, friends, and family. I never shed a tear for my lost. I thought it was because I have long since been numb to those feelings but now I know, that''s not the case. The reality is really simple actually, I''m just not the type to shed tears in grieving.


    Strange....


    I always asked myself or sometimes the Nines, why me? Why chose me to be the bearer of [Grace of the Nines]? Surely there are better candidates than me out there, aren''t there?


    Throughout the long line of succession of this Grace, every bearer, men or women, they have all met a common requisite. A common requisite that I don''t share with my predecessors.


    They have all kept their virtue, their purity, until they passed on the Grace.


    I am.... however.... an exception.


    I have long since lost my virtue.


    Neither to a man or a woman I love --


    -- nor to a human or a Sagax at all.


    Neither with my consent....


    I have lost my virtue to a monster.


    I was raped by a monster.


    Till this day, I have no complete recollection of that monster.


    I can''t remember its appearance but I can however remember the things it did to me.


    Till this day, I can still feel it. I can still feel the throb and the pain of having my first taken by a monster.


    The pain, the suffering, the humiliation.... I endured all of it with my teeth clenching on my hands until it drew blood. I remembered how I screamed and begged but none of those words reach its good conscious that do not even exist.


    Till this day, I still can''t find its whereabouts. Not even the slight traces or rumors of its presence. It''s like the monster that rid me of my purity had never existed. But I know.... I know it''s real.


    Till this day, I''m still looking forward to meeting it again.


    And I will rid the monster of its existence.


    But before that, I will make sure it suffers.


    Like I had.


    I will make sure it wishes its death to come.


    Like I had.


    I will make sure it wishes its death to be instant.


    Like I had.


    [Title: <Relentless Reaper> - Acquired]


    <hr>


    What is this place?


    Where did I fell to?


    Before my eyes, corpses of monsters are scattered on my path.


    Nines be damned, I have to stop being heedless. The lost of my allies have caused great disarray to my mind.


    I have no idea as to what had attacked me but I assumed it to be a Wyrm. But the Wyrms that I know of, they live in waters. It wouldn''t be preposterous for me to assume that it might be an earth-variant. I had already come to terms with the fact that in this dungeon, anything is possible.


    Due to its massive size, it didn''t matter if I''m capable of going up against it. Just from traversing, it can massively alter the geographies of this dungeon. The range of the destruction wasn''t something to look down upon. I was caught in it and I fell through only god knows how many layers. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Thanks to [Grace of the Nines], I survived the fall. The pain from the impact is nothing I can''t handle.


    Now, where is this place?  What happened here?


    These corpses, they are fresh.


    The wounds on these corpses'', they''re clean and precise. Acclimatized to violence and the terrors of this dungeon. Killed by another monster? Can''t be. The corpses look like they are all done in by a blade instead of claws. A person? Although, I don''t recall having such capable fighter in the party. I know the names and backgrounds of all the Templar Knights and I know of all their secrets. None of the Templar Knights did this. It must be either the soldiers or the adventurers. I also can''t exclude the fact that this person might not be from the expedition party.


    There are also wounds that seem to be made by an arrow but I''m in doubt that it''s an arrow wound. These wounds are too big for an arrow and where are the arrows? There''s no arrows, intact or broken, no arrows can be found. Unlikely that person picked up every last arrow he shot out and it seems to be impractical to use a bow in such enclosed space. Furthermore, this person seems to be in a hurry. Bow requires patience and precision. This person has the latter trait but not the former.


    I follow the person''s trail. The tracks told me that the person was getting more and more rash with its actions. I can see green and red blood mixed within the battlefield. There are monsters who bleed red, so I can''t tell if the person received any injuries but it is likely that he did. This person would have to be a very impressive fighter otherwise.


    The tracks bring me to a tunnel entrance on a wall. From what I observed, this tunnel was suppose to be hidden but this person found it. Perceptive, impressive but I expected this much from a person who had made it this far.


    The tunnel is dark. The light from the cyan vines failed to reach these parts.


    I invoke [Light Drop] to light the way.


    What''s this? There are three goblins resting in front of a pile of rocks. Without giving them an opportunity to even pick up my presence, I severed their head from their neck.


    After that, I burned these three with [Spirit Fire] and offered them a prayer. It leaves no traces nor residue. One may thought about the incredibly usefulness of this spell in assassinations but the Spirits are kind and gentle beings albeit sometimes mischievous, they don''t answer to thoughts plagued with wicked intentions.


    The reason for the goblins loitering around here, appears to be a caved in.


    No. It''s not. Someone deliberately caused this collapse. I can see the burned marks on the ceiling.


    "Ugh." I uttered.


    As the wind blew my way, I received an intense smell of death from beyond the pile. The person had committed a slaughter and then collapsed the tunnel. Speaking from experience, the bloodied smell in the air belongs to goblins and orcs. Did the person collapse the tunnel to prevent a chase from reinforcements? Make sense.


    [Scorching Radiance]


    An intense bright light unleashed in a ninety degree range that instantly reduced everything engulfed by it into ashes. And thus, the path is cleared.


    I''m right about my assumption of a slaughter.


    Heaps and piles of goblins'' and orcs'' corpses enter my sight. A lair of the goblins. This place is lit by lanterns hanging on the corners of the room. So I didn''t need [Light Drop] here.


    The Orc Leader died in a very interesting fashion. Its killer seems to harbor an intense hatred towards it or the killer just simply finds the orcs face highly unsightly.


    At the end of the room, seven poles stand. Seven individuals were strung up on these poles and used for sports. The cut on the ropes are recent. I''m not too far behind the perpetrator.


    I see armors and weapons piled in a corner. Judging from the quality, it belongs to adventurers. I recognized the armors, they were worn by the adventurer of this expedition.


    After giving a few more glances around, I found a small hill of human corpses. A lot of them were men. Some have rotten down to bare bones. Did the goblins and orcs found a way to abduct humans from the surface and brought them to here? Farmas Kingdom is a largely human populated kingdom after all.


    No women. Why aren''t there any women?


    I know about goblins'' and orcs'' behavior. They are an all-male race. They reproduced by using females from other races, preferable humans and elves. Yet, I don''t see any females of any kind here.


    Did the person who came through here rescued them? Highly likely.


    I noticed it. A wall in one of the corners, it seems off. I give it a slight push and a secret passage opened up. The mechanism is too complex, the goblins and the orcs didn''t build this. They''re most likely not natives to this place.


    Immediately after I entered the passage, the wall closed right behind me.


    Now, let''s see where this leads me to.


    <hr>


    This person must be attracted to dangers. I''m starting to wonder if this person is looking for a way out or intending to plunge deeper into the dungeon for the thrills. And this person is travelling in a group. Survivors from the expedition party? I like to believe that.


    Just from following its trail, I encountered a lot more corpses and more ferocious monsters, especially the fabled Serrators. There''s even an Alpha but its hurt. It has been burned badly. Since it''s injured, I had it easy in taking all three of the Serrators down. I never knew that an Alpha Serrator has a lightning clad magic.


    Moving further beyond where I found the Serrators, I came to understand what happened and what caused their injuries. In a vast area, there lies a dead Serrator, charred to cinders. The residue in the air tells me of the cause, Gray Spores. The person has led the Serrators here. I''m guessing the Alpha set off the explosion by itself with its lightning clad magic. Smart. This person is not just versatile in combat. Intelligence might also be his strong suit. Further evident by his quick and efficient killings.


    Freed, Nicholas, Hyx, please be the ones of those who are travelling with this person.


    <hr>


    I came across the pale monsters once again. I didn''t expect them to be here in the bottom layers. And because of how a horde of these pale monsters have just passed by, I lost track of the person.


    Modred''s Hound! I cursed.


    After coming so far, I have lost track of maybe my only hope of getting out of here. Not that I truly believe this person knows where it''s heading to.


    The only thing I can do now is to take an alternate path.


    A shame. I wish I could have walk this person''s path for a little while longer. I guess I''ll have to discard that little wish of mine. It''s just another one forgotten wish among the lot.


    <hr>


    I can''t believe it.


    I fell even further down the layers.


    And it was all thanks to the Wyrm once again.


    I didn''t just fell through layers this time. I was even buried under piles of rocks and boulders but I''m not inept to be killed just from this. However, I did spent quite a long time to remove myself from the piles.


    How did I encounter the Wyrm again?


    It wasn''t by choice.


    After making a few confusing turns and choices of which path to take, I came to a long straight path that extends for at least hundreds of meter.


    That passage was bright. The cyan vines shone brighter than anywhere else.


    And just ahead of the path, I sensed movements. It was still a little over a hundred meter ahead but no doubt, there are movements and I could tell they are Sagax, not monsters.


    I thought I would feel joy of encountering Sagax but I feel indifferent.


    I didn''t took off running at them. I approached them at my own usual pace, swift but with silent and cautious movements.


    I didn''t even got close enough to have them in my sight when the Wyrm appeared again. Just like what happened always when it traverse, it was destroying the structures of this dungeon.


    And that was how I once again fell further deeper into the dungeon.


    I don''t think it''s specifically coming after me. To it, it may just be a casual walk for it. After all, what should it be afraid of?


    A rippled of space itself waved through this place.


    An answer came immediately after that question.


    A dangerous presence. Something down here made me question the Wyrm''s place in the food chain. Something incredibly ominous.


    I have encountered actual demons. I have met the Majin Lords who are also called the Demon Lords. I have met a V-rank. I have also encountered an S-rank magic beast before.


    Yet, this presence.... It''s unlike anything I have ever felt.


    It''s not the power it holds in this presence but the promise of what its liable and capable to do if given the chance.


    It''s not fear I can feel from this presence. It''s danger is what''s being emitted from this presence. I''m remember being told by my mentor that fear is nothing more than an illusion of the weak but the danger is what''s real. Just like this presence.


    Shortly after, I hear screaming mixed within cries of battle and despair. I also hear shouting of each other''s names. Apparently, the people that I have sense back at that layer have also fell with me. Now, they are engaged with someone or something. It''s not going well for them.


    Wait a minute.


    This shout.


    It can''t be.


    I know this voice.


    A voice that is all too familiar. Too annoying too. A voice that has pestered me countless times purely because the owner of this voice wishes to converse with me on broad and meaningless subjects or topics.


    A voice that I have came to appreciate for its wisdom and selflessness. A voice that never fails to brighten up the darkest of times.


    The owner of this voice is the one who saved me from the grasp of the monster who took my virtue.


    The voice of Hyx Atlas.


    Hyx.... You''re alive.


    I take off sprinting with my might at once. I run as fast as I could towards the direction where Hyx''s voice came from.


    The battle there is intense. From the sounds of it, it''s on a massive scale. The opponent have some devastating attacks. I can''t afford to slow down. Not when Hyx is up against such opponent.


    Hyx, please hang in there. I''m coming.


    <hr>


    What in the name of....


    Hyx....


    What are you doing?


    I asked as I can only stare at the scene dumbfounded.


    Why are you eating a human?


    What are those things coming out from your back?


    What happened to your hands?


    What do you have a tail?


    What''s with your eyes?


    What happened to you?


    Hyx....


    He was no longer how I remembered him to be. Everything about him had changed. His appearance and his atmosphere, completely different to the Hyx I know of after all the time spent with him.


    His hair.... it was no longer completely black like mine. Some parts are grayed and he seems to have been loosing hair.


    His skin. His face. His cloths. All dyed in blood and ragged.


    His eyes resembles the dead, lifelessly staring into an oblivion.


    His hands. His nails. They are long. They have become claws.


    He even has a tail now.


    His body is covered with wounds, they are recent and they are by no means minor.


    How are you still alive with such wounds?


    He is now greedily and hastily eating up a human. The dark things that came out from his back seem to be feeding on the human''s soul.


    Hyx.... what happened to you?


    ....


    ....


    .....


    Ha.....


    Why did I bothered asking? What else could have happened? This dungeon is full of the unexpected after all. It''s not like something like this isn''t possible.


    It is not my first encountering a monster who can take the form of the ones it ate.


    What were those words that Hyx have always been saying?


    Ah. That''s right.


    "It doesn''t have to be complicated" , "Things are often much more simpler than it seems". Yeah. Those two.


    I have concluded.


    This thing in front of me maybe Hyx Atlas but that is only on the surface.


    The real Hyx is dead.


    Why wouldn''t he be?


    How can a usually meek scholar like him survive in a place like this? How can anyone like him survive this hell?


    How foolish of me.


    I smile. A smile of understanding and acceptance.


    These few years of peace had soften me. I have expected too much from the current state of affairs. It made me sloppy and negligent. My mistake.


    I scoff.


    How pathetic of me.


    Perhaps this is why I wasn''t chosen to become the Templar Knight Commander?


    I see. I understand now.


    I have indeed been remiss.


    I guess I have to fix that flaw in me. I will prove to the temple and the priests, I will prove them wrong. I will prove to them that I am worthy of the [Grace of the Nines] and the Knight Commander title.


    And for such prove, --


    -- I''ll start by culling the most despicable abomination, this monster right in front of me that dared to take the form of the one I care for.


    "Hyx Atlas." I called out. This looks like the appropriate way to get its attention.


    It looked up.

 H13 - All in a hard days work

    What is this weapon saying? It has been waiting for me?


    What are you? Some two bit overused template of a villain?


    {When we were told that we only need to wait, when we were told time and fate will bring us our salvation, we weren''t a believer of such words.}


    I have zero idea of what it''s talking about.  Who''s we? Who told you what? And what''s with the pronoun games?


    {It''s apparent our distrust is misplaced. We were wrong.}


    Why are you referring yourself with a plural form pronoun suddenly?


    {You are perplexed.} It told me.


    {Why wouldn''t I be?} I retorted.


    {From what we are told, the Harbinger is an enlightened individual, knowledgeable, sagacious. I can conclude, you are none of those.}


    {Cause I''m might not be the Harbinger?} Why is it switching between we and I?


    The lance went silent for a moment. I feel like it''s observing in the ensuing silence.


    {Why do you refer to yourself as a group and an individual interchangeably?}


    {Perhaps we are right in doubting the full credibility of those words.} It ignored my question.


    You mean the words that told you I was coming?


    It then chuckles as if it had read my mind but I doubt it has such ability. Hopefully.


    {What are you? A sentient living weapon?}


    {We are of a single mind, comprises of millions of individual souls but we are a single consensus.}


    That doesn''t answer my question. What is with this lance? What crap is it spouting about being a single mind? You''re obviously a single individual unless you''re stating that you have a cluster of souls stuffed into a single body.


    And its ominous aura, this is it. The negative presence I have been sensing ever since I woke up in that cell, the aura that seems to affect the behavior of mine ever since. This lance right here, is the source.


    {And what are you?}


    {A single consensus. To the mortals, the apex of aberrations.}


    King of aberrations? Would your name happen to be a heart under a blade? But once again, it walked the cliche path of a villain. Perhaps, I phrased my question the wrong way. Allow me to rephrase that. {Who are you?}


    Then, the lance rippled like the surface of water. The sight seems almost unreal but I know I''m not in a dream.


    {We are an existence of many, we are a world, a universe, a dimension in itself, --


    Okay.... here goes....


    -- a fragment of the Void.}


    O...kay? Void? Doesn''t solve any myst.... wait. There''s one..... that ability.... Could it be?


    I search my memory.


    After recalling countless pointless stuff, I arrive at that one memory that matters.


    That one ability.


    [Void Exalted].


    Am I their salvation because of that unique Arcane Art of mine.


    However..... I still didn''t get its name. Just be straight, please. And I don''t mean your sexual preference.


    {I''m asking for a name.}


    {We have no need of such thing. We are a single consensus, discrimination of any form doesn''t exist among us. Any other species than us are only an insignificance.}


    {Do you have to make it so complicated?}


    {No more words. Release me.}


    {Me? What happened to us?} Okay. That sounds a little bit weird when I said it out loud. This is not a love quarrel.


    {Though we are a single consensus, a single mind, we are still individuals. Name, albeit unnecessary, this individual does have a name, I am *High Lord*.}


    *(A/N: High Lord in Helix is Aedrox.)


    High Lord? Aedrox? {Who named you? I don''t find it very likely you named yourself.}


    {The name is given by a certain mortal who tried to postpone the inevitable.} Aedrox answered.


    I guessed this mortal succeeded which explains why this lance, Aedrox is sealed. Well done, whoever you are. I''m sure you save a lot by doing this.


    "Argh!" I shouted when I felt my mind being compressed.


    This is getting worse with every passing moment. I have to get out of here.


    {You cannot leave.}


    My head is still hurting. I''m loosing grasp on my patience. My breathing is even accelerating. {Why is that? Are you going to stop me?}


    {Force and violence are no influence on the threads of fate. Nothing is. It can''t be tempered by mere mortals.}


    I am really starting to get piss off from its repeated uses of the word "mortal". And the headache is not helping. {If you''re not going to stop me, who and what''s to say that I can''t just walk out of here?}


    The lance fell silent.


    I like to think that I won the argument but I know better. So far, it has been wiser than me in words. I doubt I easily won an argument with it.


    {If that is truly what you believe, then please, walk away.}


    {You really think I''ll believe you are just going to let me walk away? What if you attack me when I''m not looking?} Okay.... What am I saying now?


    {Remember my words.}


    "Something something cannot interrupt fate" was it that? What a load of bull.


    {What will happened to you if I leave?}


    {If you leave.}


    {You said each of you are individuals. What about the others? Where are they?}


    {In time, fate will bring you to them.}


    Not very cooperative, I see. Damn it. I can''t leave this thing alone here.


    Who knows, someone else might stumbled into this place and get tempted by an atrocious deal and release this evil.


    Ugh....! This is frustrating. Can I just leave?


    {Still here?}


    I would to like leave but I don''t want to. There are things that aren''t clear yet.


    {Why am I the Harbinger?} Yes. I want to know that.


    {A question only fate has the answer to.}


    {What is the Harbinger?}


    {Our salvation.}


    Vague answers again. Should have just said "I don''t know", no need to be so long-winded.


    {Is that lance your vessel?}


    Aedrox, the lance chuckles again.


    {It does not matter. Only the true vessel does.}


    I narrow my eyes at his vague answers. Should I charge one dollar for every vague answers? What''s the point? It''s useless.


    I turn around and begin to leave but I stop.


    I turn back and face Aedrox the lance again.


    {What makes you assumed that I am the Harbinger? Or do you simply proclaimed anyone that stumbles into here as the Harbinger?}


    {The reason is incomprehensible by mortals.}


    I groan at its expected words. Just as I turn around to walk away, I turn back to the lance again. I can''t leave. I''m too frustrated to just leave it at that. I want answers.


    {Not leaving?}


    {Just answer the damn question.}


    {You want to leave but you can''t. You can''t leave this place.}


    I can''t leave?


    Why not. If I want to, I will already be out of here.


    {You, like any other mortals, are tied to fate and it has brought you here, to me. You can''t leave until you serve the purpose fate had bestowed you.}


    I fell silent. Something about his words has shaken me. {What are you trying to say?} My words and tone are unstable.


    {No matter how much you desired to leave this place, you will always have a reason to stay. No matter who or what incurred a reason for you to leave, a counter reason would be incurred to make you stay. This is the threads of fate. This is what it means to be bound by it. You can''t leave.}


    Ah.... I think I see what it meant. A very subtle mind trick, a brainwash. It lets you think you are doing what it wants but in reality, you are doing what it wants. Is this its power? It''s terrifying and impressive.


    {Do not be mistaken. I''m not the one with the tricks of mind.}


    It read my mind. I don''t think it could do that so, it might just be a lucky guess for it.


    {I understand. You find it difficult, your grasp on reality is loosening. Your mind is disorientated because you attempt to fathom the existence of fate.}


    {Are you trying to say I''m not leaving because this is how things is suppose to be?}


    {It is not something a mortal can understand.}


    Here you go again with two bit villain lines. {Then explain it in a way that a mortal can. I think I deserve that much as your apparent savior after all.}


    It went quiet again. I think it''s contemplating.


    {Fine.} It answered. {The actions that you have took, the path you have chosen, the decisions you have made, every one of those have led you here, to this moment, to this time, to me. An inevitable course. Desires played no part in it. All those things that have happened, not because you wished it to or you wanted it to, it happened because it''s meant to be.}


    I see.... is this it..... is this how a computer program feels? To let them think they are doing what they want but in truth, it is the will of its operator, not its. Are we just programs for fate to be manipulated?


    {What do you think led you here?}


    What? What led me here?


    It''s....


    It''s....


    It''s my desire? No, it''s not. If anything, I want to get out of this place.


    I came here..... because I wanted to....?


    No no no no no. That''s not it.


    I don''t know why I approach here. I don''t even know where I was heading to. This place, I can feel the danger and yet, I approached this place. Why?


    All those time, I have been wandering aimlessly. Was it truly aimless or was it meant to be like what Aedrox said? Was I wrong in thinking that I was simply wandering and hope stumble upon an exit by sheer chance? I truly believed that was the case but now.....


    {Fate is an unfathomable existence to mortals. Any attempts to understand it is only an exercise in futility.}


    I have lost count on how many times I have heard that line from a villain. Who wrote your script? Fire him already.


    {But in the end, none of those is of the essence. You need not comprehend. You only need to surrender yourself to the threads of fate.}


    Why should I?


    ....


    Why shouldn''t I?


    It has always been this way if its words can be trusted.


    Should I do it? Should I release it?


    Wait. What am I talking about?


    It''s just a weapon what harm can it do?


    No. I shouldn''t.


    But if I have such power, making it out of this place is most definitely a given.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Stop it! What am I thinking?


    It''s just a weapon. A sentient weapon. At worst, it will just try to take over me. I just need to not let it control me. It''s just like a very typical gimmick in a fantasy story. It should be easy.


    No, it won''t be. I can''t do this. This isn''t right. What''s happening to me? Why am I thinking like that?


    Plus, it''s fate. What can I do against it?


    Damn it! Don''t.


    It''s useless. I can''t fight it. I have to take the lance. It''s meant.... to... be....


    .


    Right before my fingertip touches the hilt of the lance, I can feel time have stopped. I can tell because I have experience a similar thing in the beginning. The drifting pebbles in the air are now just hovering. The air flow have even stopped.


    "Stop!" A voice called out.


    What the.....


    This voice.....


    Why.....


    Why now?


    "I know you''re confused but you can''t do that."


    Is the loli voice.


    "Hey! I am not a child, mind you. I''m older than you by a huge margin."


    Ah.... a loli baba.


    "What!? You insolent.... -- Calm down. Calm down. That''s not what I''m here for."


    Now? Only now? "Why did you appear now of all times?"


    "Why?" The voice asked me back if she herself can''t believe I ask such question. "Because you''re about to do something that will shift the balance and not for the greater good. What you are about to do will even threaten the Gods."


    I figured as much about that but why should I care? "And?"


    "What do you mean "and"? Don''t you realize what kind of catastrophe is it when it could even threaten the gods?" The voice sounded a lot less calmer than the last time.


    "What has it done for me so far? This world I mean. Why should I care? And besides at that time, what have you done for me? As far as I can tell, your advice merely prolonged my suffering."


    "I...."


    "Playing blind and dumb won''t help, loli baba."


    "I''m not playing blind and dumb! And my name''s not loli baba."


    "Then what''s your name?"


    "Ha.... That''s right." The voice sounded disheartened. "You have even forgotten my name but we did talk about that."


    "Have we met? "


    "No.... Not really...."


    "Not really?"


    "It''s complicated."


    For fuck sake. "Nothing needs to be complicated. You can just tell me. Why can''t you just tell me?"


    "I''m.... I''m sorry. I can''t do that."


    "You can''t tell me your name or you can''t tell me if we have met?"


    She hesitated. "Both."


    "Ha! Just great." I scoffed. I even begin laughing for whatever reasons I have.


    "Hyx.... I...."


    "Damn it!" I screamed and I kicked at the sand of pebbles on the ground, raising, a small cloud of dust.


    "Calm down, Hyx."


    "HOW!?" I screamed at the voice. "Do you have any idea of what I had been through!?"


    Don''t be silent on me now.


    "I have almost died on so many occasions. I have literally met with death. And no matter how much I suffered..... I can''t seem to even make it all end." Ah.... I see now. Is this why committing never cross my mind because it''s not to be for me to die? What kind of sick fucking joke is this?


    "Things that I have never thought of seeing in my whole life and I have just seen everything of it. Enough to last a life time and the next and the next." I just keep screaming at the voice. I can''t stop even I want to but I don''t want to. There''s just so much inside of me that I have to get it out.


    So tell me, do you know what I have been through?"


    Come on, answer me. Keeping quiet ain''t gonna help you.


    Answer me....


    Answer me.


    "ANSWER ME!"


    "Yes...."


    "And you want me to help you....? With what? No. Forget I asked. It''s just going be another "complicated" answer."


    And as low and as cold as my voice can get, I ask "Are you the one?"


    "Am I the one?" the voice sounded confuse.


    I scoffed. "Are you the one who transported me to this world?"


    "A......"


    "Complicated again, huh?"


    "I''m sorry. I can''t...."


    "What are you sorry for? I don''t need your sympathy." I told the voice. No, I need answers and reasons but I just can''t seem to get those two.


    "......"


    "You know what? In fact, I don''t need anything from you. I don''t need you."


    "Hyx.... Is not that simple. To tell you everything is.... Please know that it''s hard for me too."


    It''s hard...." I laughed, I laughed like a maniac. "As oppose to mine?"


    "If I tell you everything, it defeats the whole purpose you being in this world. It defeats the whole purpose of you being the Harbinger."


    "Harbinger.... What has that got to do with me?"


    "Everything. You promised, after all. You promised..... You promised to help me."


    "Stop it! Stop it with those...."


    I was interrupted.


    "Hyx!" The loli baba raised its voice. "I''m sorry. I know this is hard. I don''t expect you to understand, at least not now, but I begged you.... I begged you...."


    Are you.... are you crying.....


    There wasn''t anyone in front of me but I felt a presence. A warm presence. It made me froze but I froze because of a sudden warmth that embrace me. I felt like.... I was.... hugged.


    "....please endure this. I know you''re confused. I know it''s a lot but this is what you promised. This is all I can do now."


    I went silent on hearing those words.


    "How can I help you when I can''t even help myself?" Is this loli baba delusional? Does she even know what kind of person I am?


    "By being the Harbinger, you have already partially fulfilled your promise."


    Why did I make such promise? Was I asleep? Was I high? Was there no terms and agreements? "What is the Harbinger? Please, at least tell me that."


    "I suppose I can tell you this much."


    You have yet to tell me anything, you know? Let alone "this much".


    "The Harbinger. The one who will bring forth a great change to the world. A legend among legends. Even some of the Gods believe it to be mere stories. A fable even among Gods."


    Cliche.... but.... "Why me? Why chose me to change the world?"


    "You won''t be the one changing it."


    Huh? I won''t?


    "Perhaps I haven''t been precise with my words. The Harbinger is a guide to the one who will change the world. And you are that guide, Hyx Atlas."


    "Then.... who is this person that will change the world? That lance whose name is Aedrox?"


    "No. Aedrox is just a hitchhiker to your purpose. As for who is the one you will guide, that is a question that only the Harbinger himself knows."


    I guess I expected too much answers. At least, she answered some questions.


    "So what did this lance want me for?"


    "Like I said, you''re someone who will guide the...." The voice the loli baba makes while looking for the right words is kinda cute to listen to but my mind is not on that matter right now. ".... game changer."


    "Game changer? Is there no official term for it?"


    "You as the Harbinger, can decide that. This native of the Void wants the game changer."


    I see. It thinks I can bring it a worthy vessel, the "game changer".


    "If you are still thinking about using that lance, I implore you think about the ones you care for."


    The ones I care for? Does she means my party? "Have you been watching me?"


    "Your facial expression is quite obvious, you know? Is not that hard to figure out about you."


    That''s not a no or a yes to my question.


    "My time is up." The voice suddenly announced. "I have spent too much time here already."


    I sigh. "I suppose it''s fruitless for me to ask the reason of those words?"


    "Yes. And I''m sorry."


    "Then, humor me with more question, are you a goddess?"


    I can tell she smiled. "Yes." I felt something cupping my cheeks. "I''m your Goddess."


    "What does that mean?"


    "That''s another mystery for you. If I remember correctly, you enjoy mysteries, don''t you?"


    Only in fictions, loli baba.


    "Please hang in there, Harbinger. It''s all in a hard day''s work."


    "All in a hard day''s work?" I mused. Hmm.... Those words.... they are oddly familiar to me. "I said those words, didn''t I?"


    "Yes. More times than I can count. I guess it has rubbed off on me." Underneath those words, I heard a low sniff "See you when I see you, Harbinger."


    And she was gone, as fast and sudden as she appeared.


    It might just be my imagination but when she said "Harbinger", she kinda emphasized it a with high pitch.


    Now.... should I trust her or trust my actions?


    As I thought of that, time resumes.


    {Why did you stop, Harbinger?} The puzzlement in its voice is apparent.


    It appears it isn''t aware of the conversation that had occurred. Should I tell this lance of my conversation with the loli baba?


    Of course not. Why should I?


    I don''t need some old loli goddess to tell me if I should or shouldn''t release such an ominous existence into the world. I might be a forgetful idiot but I''m not stupid.


    I turn my back to the lance and started walking away.


    {What''s this?}


    This is me, walking away from you. Huh, I feel lighter now.


    {The threads, they have been severed? How?}


    Ha? Even my headache is gone. I suppose I should thank you after all, loli baba.


    {This is not possible!}


    I glance back. {It is meant to be after all.} I offer Aedrox a grin.


    And I never looked back after that.


    I guess I was the one that is making things complicated after all.


    <hr>


    "We''re alive?" Muo Li asked as she frantically gazes around.


    "Yeah. We''re alive." I assured her.


    After I came back from the path I went down, I was right on time as Muo Li was regaining her consciousness. Though, Clammis and the others are still unconscious. I don''t think there''s any danger to their health so I let them be for now. There are things I have to ask Muo Li of.


    Is Goblin B sucking his thumbs?


    "Are you hurt anywhere?" Muo Li asked me that question when I should be the one asking her that.


    I smiled wryly at her concern. I pat her head. "Stupid girl. Who do you think I am?"


    She returned my smile as she felt her head getting ruffled.


    Come to think of it, she can''t feel the ominous presence, can she? She''s not reacting to it so, maybe only I can sense it? Did it target me specifically?


    "I don''t really know who you are anymore, I think." She told me while still having that wry cute smile of hers.


    Ouch.... Those words stings, you know. "You saw them, didn''t you?"


    I thought I would need to explain further of my vague question but she catches on quick. "Yes, I did."


    I sigh and I bury face in my palm. "Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "Because it''ll be wrong for me then." As calmly as she can, this is her answer. "I can''t really know what you''re thinking but I know people don''t like being left out. You saved us. It''s just not right to shun you just because you''re not the same as us."


    "Is it obligation that makes you sympathize me?"


    "What?" Her eyes froze. "No. No, it''s nothing like that. It''s...."


    "Then why did you kept quiet?" I asked her in Mandarin which I assumed is the same language as the so-called Yuewen.


    She looks stunned.


    Am I wrong?


    She giggled. "What''s with the sudden change?"  I''m right, after all.


    "You know well I ain''t human but you persist to talk to me. You refuse to shun me despite your instinct screaming at you to do so, am I right?"


    She shakes her head. She then looks at me with a pitiful gaze. "It''s just like Tom and the goblins. I didn''t completely trusted them too but we were desperate. When we were captured again, I thought they were just giving us false hope because they find it amusing to crush it in front of us. But I realized I was wrong when I saw Tom and the goblins getting punished for betraying their kin."


    She grabs my hands, our fingers intertwined.


    "They tried to save us. They did it despite knowing full well of the consequences. They gained nothing from saving us. Yet, they still helped us. They did it because to them, it was the right thing to do."


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "It doesn''t matter if you''re a human or not. You might be a monster but it doesn''t change the fact you saved us. Knowing you, you might have saved us with some reasons other than kindness but you still saved us and you allow us to travel with you when we are just liabilities. You are capable to escape this dungeon yourself but you choose to take us with you."


    "You''re wrong." I told her firmly. "You''re not liabilities. I took you all with me because I want information and because I was weak and I am scare to be alone. I''m not the saint you think I am...."


    "You are not a saint and you never will be." She replied with strength that rivaled the strength of my words. "You are Hyx Atlas. The one who saved me when all seems lost and when I was at the bottom of the darkness. You have no idea how overjoyed I am when you appeared."


    Damn that lance. Damn that loli baba. I''m not in my right mind because of them. I''m still calming down from that intense situation back there.


    "Clammis and I maybe judging each of your actions but know this, we will never hate you. We will never betray you. You saved our lives. We were so prepared to live a life of prolonged suffering but you denied us of those horrible fate. So do you understand now, how grateful we are to you?"


    I see.... It''s because I''m the light in your darkness or something along those lines. So this is how you see me. Fucking hell, what have I been thinking? I''m just the worst.


    "Hyx." She brought face to meet hers.


    Um.... Is this going where I think it''s going?


    "Let me say this once more and properly this time. Thank you for saving me." She closed her eyes and her lips closed in on mine.


    ....


    ....


    Hold it.


    Before our lips touched, I put a finger on her lips.


    She opens back up her eyes, staring at me with a dumbfounded gaze.


    I sighed and gesture to her right


    She turns and sees Clammis looking this way with her hands clenching tightly on her knees.


    "Cla....Cl....Clammis?"


    "Just pardon me and ignore my presence. Keep going." Clammis calmly said.


    Muo Li shrieked. "How long have you been watching?"


    "Ever since you grabbed my hands?" I answered Muo Li.


    When she realizes her fingers are still intertwined with mine, she let go within a split second. It seems she''s not as bold as I thought she is.


    "You knew she was watching?" Muo Li looks at me, betrayed.


    "Yes."


    "Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "I didn''t want to ruin the mood."


    "Wh....what mood?" She stuttered on those two words.


    "Good call." Clammis for the first time ever since I met her, agrees with me. We exchanged thumbs up.


    Flabbergasted, Muo Li switches her gaze between Clammis and I.


    "Also...." I pick up a few pebbles and throw each of them at the Goblins and Tom. "You all can wake up now."


    The goblins all spring up and begin apologizing. I am right on the mark, they were awake and have been listening. Despite not understanding Common, they can read the mood. So, I can even tell if someone''s awake with [Mana Perception]. This is good.


    Tom gets up slowly. He''s not meeting my eyes.


    "Tom?"


    "S...so...rry. Di...Didn''t wa...want to... d...disturb." He told me in Common.


    "You all~!"


    "Sorry, Muo Li. I didn''t think you''re the type to take the lead. So I was interest in the development." says Clammis.


    "Things were going well."


    "Yes. Yes. Very well."


    "Offspring will happen if we been more careful."


    "Such a waste."


    And the Goblins are saying some incomprehensible things.


    "You all doing alright? No broken bones or anything?"


    "I''m fine. Just a few bumps in the head. Nothing major." Clammis said.


    "Not... ba...badly... h...hurt."


    "You four? Anywhere hurting?"


    The goblins shook their head to my question.


    "I''m fine too. Thanks for asking." The commander who had woken up said. I don''t mind if you''re dead though.


    "And the Lord of Potions?" I asked.


    "Is that derision I''m hearing?" the commander retorted back my sarcasm.


    "He''s fine but he''s in the worst state among us. He''ll wake up eventually." Tom said as he checks up on Lubac.


    Maelock shoves Tom away. "Get away, you filthy orc. Don''t come near me. I don''t trust you like these three do."


    When I saw and heard that, something flare up within me. I stand up and prepare [Abyssal Edge] in both of my hands. I scowl at Maelock. "Say you''re sorry, right now." I point the purplish black blade at him.


    He is obviously taken back by my actions. His hand reaches for his sword on reflex but he stops when [Abyssal Edge] lengthens, closer to his throat.


    He gulped.


    "Tsk." the commander clicks his tongue and got up. "Fine. My apologies." He grabs his sword with him and walks away from us.


    "Where are you going?" Muo Li asked.


    "Securing the area. Better than staying here with the orcs and goblins." The commander gave a one last click of his tongue as he disappears into one of the four passages.


    Well, he''s not heading to the direction of that lance so I suppose I can let him wander.


    Or maybe I shouldn''t have.


    Not roughly ten minutes passed and as I was checking up on each one of one their condition, making sure they truly have no broken bones, we are assaulted by a scream.


    Commander Maelock''s cry for help.


    No. It can''t be he wasn''t heading in that direction so it might be something else.


    Oh fuck, no. Don''t tell me.... No. Not possible.


    "Wait here!" I shouted an order and storm off into the direction where Maelock head down to. Before I received even a response, I had already disappear down the passage.


    <hr>


    Shit. Just shit. My worst nightmare is proven true.


    Right in the center of the room, where the lance is, the commander is just a few feet away.


    "Commander! Don''t!"


    He didn''t hear me or more like he can''t. That bastard, it did something to him.


    {In the end, in a way, you still brought me my salvation. I hope you will do the same to my brothers and sisters.}


    {How? How did he get here?}


    {You underestimated me.}


    What? Does it have some power I do not know of?


    {Look behind you.}


    And I did. What''s behind is not the passage where I came from but a wall. {What? How?} Did it alter my perception somehow? I thought with [Mana Overseer] I would have realized that. The passage where I came from is now right on other side of the room, complete opposite of my position.


    {Your perceptions and senses are untouched.} It seems to read my mind. Perhaps it can read minds.


    {The one thing I altered is reality itself.}


    I felt shivers crawling down my spine when I heard its proclamation.


    {Damn you!} I shouted and rush at the commander at my top speed. It was no where near Bolt''s speed though.


    The commander is just slowly limping towards the lance like in a trance. Even so, the gap between us is too wide. His eyes are feasted on the lance. His hands reaching out like a zombie for the two meter long weapon.


    Damn it. I was careless. I didn''t think...... Damn it! Why didn''t I?


    Because it''s meant to be.


    Those words repeat in mind. That doesn''t make sense. I should be paranoid. I should have notice. It''s bullshit that I didn''t.


    Shit....


    I was too late....


    Maelock already has his hands around the grip of the lance. The grip begins to burn his hands but he didn''t mind it. Must be some defense mechanism to stop anyone from releasing it.


    No. He does mind it. His face is twisting in agony. He does not want to do this. The lance is controlling him. He wants to let go but his will is not his own.


    Curse all the god of fates!


    Sorry. Forgive me for this.


    I apologize to Maelock in my mind and use [Spatial Leap] to instantly close our distance. Without minding the headache that follows, I follow it up with [Abyssal Edge] which I use it to slice off his hands.


    Or at least that''s my intention.


    I didn''t think it was possible but it happened. The blade of purplish black energy broke against his hands. No, not his hand but the force field enshrouding his body from the lance.


    "Aaaaaaaaah!" And with a cry of agony, he pulls the lance out of the pedestal.


    A wave of force is unleashed, it ripples and sent me all the way across to the other side of the room.


    Although my senses of pain is dulled, I can feel the bones I have in my right arm are misaligned.


    However, that''s not important right now.


    As if nothing else in the world matters right now, my eyes and every ounce of my focus is directed to the ominous being in front me.


    The commander is no longer holding on to the sword. His left hand has been burn to ashes and his right hand is burned to the bones.


    In the place of the missing lance, there is a tear in the space itself.


    Something came out of that tear. It has no volume. It has no mass. It occupies no space. It is just there. It''s transparent. When one looks through it, everything is distorted.


    The lance is not Aedrox. The lance is a seal. It was sealing Aedrox. Only now, I realized that.


    And that "thing" called Aedrox, possessed the commander.


    The space around the tear begins bending and folding,


    It took me a while to realize that space is mending itself back.


    Although it did successfully mended itself back, it was too late. Whatever lies inside it, had already made its escape and taken up a vessel.


    Like a bad animation with low frame rate, the commander moves his body to face me.


    {As I have told you, -- }


    The voice is the commander''s but the words are Aedrox''s.


    {-- It''s inevitable.}


    I let out an exasperated sigh.


    I let this happened.


    In the end, I can''t stop it.


    I put up [Magic Enhancement] and conjures up two [Abyssal Edge], one on each hand. I go into a stance that resembles an anime character I know of back on earth.


    "All in a hard day''s work."

 H14 - Aedrox

    {The deterioration has already begun for this vessel.} Aedrox, who has taken the commander''s body as its vessel mused while inspecting the body. {Pathetic.}


    Well, nobody ask you to eat whatever''s on the street.


    In the place of where its vessel''s left hand should be, a blade of dark energy has replaced it. It didn''t mind the right hand which was burned to the bones. With that right hand, it picks up the lance or at least it tried to. The grip of the lance burns the skeletal hand.


    {Hm? That human!} It grunts in anger at the sight of the grip searing away the bones. It howls and tosses the lance at me. The human? The one who put that lance there?


    I see the single-edged blade of that lance flying towards to the between of my eyes in slow motion. I enhance [Magic Enhancement] further and batters the lance away. It''s lighter than it looks.


    {Gonna kill me?}


    {I will make you submit to your destiny.}


    I sigh and shake my head in dismay. Cringe words. Ugh.... {I suppose you are a hopeless case.}


    Aedrox''s face distorts. {Submit!} It then blurs from my view.


    Perhaps it was my instinct, I kinda knew where it would reappear. I have [Abyssal Edge] in a reverse grip and swings it to my back.


    There it is, looking at me with those uninterested and expressionless eyes. Just like that time, the blade of purplish black energy broke upon contact. Without waiting for even a second, I swing the [Abyssal Edge] in my other hand at its head. I received the same result.


    {Hmph.} Aedrox exclaimed in a scornful way. Its fist strikes at my guts but I put up a concentrated [Plane Displacement] on that area. I discovered that [Plane Displacement]''s durability and strength is inversely proportional to its surface area and size. Making it smaller increase its defense capability. Nevertheless, even if it''s just bare bones, the fist still broke through that space barrier and bury into my stomach.


    I spat out blood from that punch. It sends me flying a few feet away but I grapple on what I can to prevent the gap from being widen further than necessary. Making sure I don''t have any major internal injuries, I stand back up and launch multiple [Abyssal Javelin] at it. While doing that, I throw an [Energy Sphere] into the ensuing bombardment.


    Aedrox didn''t bother to avoid it. Instead, it phases through all those projectiles like it''s very existence is intangible. It didn''t run, sprint, nor dash, it simply moved without moving its legs. It arrived directly in front of me in a single breath. Before I can react, it has already got me in a choke hold.


    {Why resist? You know you can''t escape it. Even if the threads no longer bind you but every other entities and factors are still bound. It doesn''t matter if one individual is free of from the binds.}


    It then slams me into the ground after finishing its monologue, knocking the air out of my lungs. Ah.... A familiar sensation. It doesn''t hurt but the lack of air in your body provides a very discomforting feeling. Its hold around my neck tightens more and more by the second.


    {Submit, you ignorant.} It screamed at me.


    {Fuck you!} I screamed back. I place my hands on its extended arm. I use [Overload] on it. Another thing I discovered, I don''t need to use my own Mana to overload the target. I can disrupt the target''s own structure of Mana flow, causing itself to overload from the disarray, like a jam in a traffic. The skin on its arm begins to bubble and black light glows from it. Its grip around my neck have loosened from that.


    I use [Overload] on the part of [Magic Enhancement] that clad my right fist, overcharging it. With a cry, I send a hook at its face. Something exploded, perhaps the concentrated energy in my punch. From the looks of it, Aedrox clearly felt that hook.


    Pouring energy into my legs, I kick off the ground and flip backwards. Since this may have been only my second time performing such acrobatic movements, my landing ends with me sitting on my posterior.


    Its arm continues to bubble. Cursing at it, it grabs its own arm, ready to tore it away but it was too late. The arm explode from the overloaded Mana within. Bits and pieces of flesh scatter everywhere along with the blood splash.


    It then glares at me. I can understand why.


    Combining [Overload] and [Force Push], I created a compressed force that I launch it at Aedrox. It uses the same move of trying to phase through it but it failed this time. The theory I have in my mind turns out to be correct. I have theorize that its phasing ability falls into the category of [Spatial Magic] and using the concept of fighting fire with fire, I use a space-type magic against it. It can''t phase through [Spatial Magic: Force Push]. The force hits him and it makes cracks on the force field enshrouding its vessel while sending it slamming into the far side of the room.


    The attack left me in a breathless state. I am not use to such actions and exerting such an amount of Mana at a single moment. Battles with monsters were so much simpler and less complex on the techniques needed.


    {I guess I should expect this much from the Harbinger.} It said while slowly getting up to his feet. From the complexion of its face, I doubt this vessel can last for even an hour. {You force my hands on this.}


    Your right hand is gone and your left hand is a stake. So I can''t force your hands when you don''t even have hands now.


    It uses its Phase Dash again but it didn''t travel in a straight line.


    Damn it.


    With such arbitrary movements, it closed the distance between us. With its left arm, a blade, it swings at a speed imperceptible by normal humans. With the help of [Mana Perception], [Clarity Field], and my lizard senses, I can''t believe I''m saying that, I barely avoided each of its slashes. It''s faster than the centaur-scorpion but I have grown much since then. I''m much more seasoned than before.


    It got tired of me being too agile for its taste, it heaves out a breath of frustration and it stomps the ground.


    Eh?


    The stomp unleashes a shock wave radially and pushes me back.


    Ah.... A cliche ability. What else do I expect?


    Before I can recover my bearings, it appears in front of me. It went low and dives at me, it''s aiming for my legs this time.


    I decided not to dodge.


    I make [Plane Displacement] just the right size to block the blade. I then invoke [Overload] on both [Plane Displacement] and [Magic Enhancement]. The blade breaks through [Plane Displacement] but it stops at a thin vibrating piece of Mana layer, [Magic Enhancement]. It works.


    When Aedrox realizes its plan failed, it looks up at me. Casting [Overload] on my knee''s portion of [Magic Enhancement], its face met that section of my leg. That did the trick of sending it tumbling back away from me.


    {How''s that?} I taunt it.


    It got up as it wipes away the blood on its face. {Insolent. This vessel, my powers are too much for it.}


    Pfft... Excuses.


    {You have exceeded my initial expectations. Perhaps neglecting the integrity of this vessel is the only option against you, Harbinger.}


    Huh? Okay.... That don''t sound good.


    Dark energy that enshrouds the body becomes opaque. The sight of the body of Commander Maelock is swaying, rippling, like his whole body is comprise of water. The body then begins bleeding all over like I did when I absorbed the Red Crystal Spriggan''s Mana.


    With two fingers, it gestures at me to come at him. I thought it was taunting me but I was wrong. Instead, I feel myself being lifted into the air and something pull me towards it. When I arrived in front of him in a flash, with a wave of its hand, I am hurled into a wall.


    O...okay. Shit just got real.


    I groaned as I try to get back to my feet as fast as possible but I wasn''t fast enough. Aedrox is already less than ten feet away from me. Without even the need to made physical contact, it is able to force me pinned on the wall.


    {I would gladly take you as my vessel but I can''t do that, not without risking the death of your destiny too. Such inconvenience.} It shook its head in disappointment. Glad to be disappointing you.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Shit. I can''t move my body. Ah.... This sucks. What can I do now? Beg? Pfft. Yeah, right. Like that would work, would it?


    {If I give it time, you will eventually fulfill your destiny but we have waited long enough.} It applies more force on to me. {No more waiting.}


    Wait. There is something I can do.


    [Hell Spikes]


    My shadows expand and dart towards Aedrox. It tilts its head in wonderment at my shadow which are at his feet. Spikes forged of my shadows erupt from it. The spikes didn''t penetrate its body but it did make it sub-consciously released its hold on me.


    When it recovers from that sudden attack, it blinks at my last known location. {What? What is this? Where manner of Arcane Art is this?} It shouted as it looks around, looking for me. I''m just right in front of it but it can''t see me.


    It must be obvious by now. I have invoked [Presence Detachment] the moment I was released from the invisible force pinning me against the wall.


    Hmm. You also called it Arcane Art, I see.


    I can''t hurt it. Well, I can but I''m not inflicting any major damage to it. I need something that can truly hurt it. A weapon, perhaps? A lance?


    My eyes move to where the lance is, a few feet away from Aedrox to its left. If my memory serves me well, the lance scorched its hands down to bare bones. At that time, the force field was already deployed around its vessel but the lance was still burning its hands. It make sense if I assume that the lance can hurt it. Let''s hope I''m right.


    I take off in a full sprint and dashes for the lance. It must be perceiving me through the disturbance of the environment, Aedrox fires a cloud of dark energy at me. Instead of receiving it head on with [Plane Displacement], I position the barrier in a slanted manner, breaking the barrier but successfully throwing the trajectory off from me.


    The cloud of dark energy did not explode like I thought it would. Instead, it corrodes everything it swallows.


    Oh damn, I sure am glad that I didn''t take it head on.


    After dodging a few more projectiles of dark energy, I leap for the lance when I''m within distance. But the moment my skin even make the slightest contact with the grip of the lance, it burns.


    I groaned with a loud voice from my hand getting scorched. It is even to made me feel pain. Must be some magic.


    {There you are.}


    Shit. [Presence Detachment] is down because of the lance.


    The hell? Its hand.... It can do that?


    I utter in my mind from my amazement as I saw its right hand. It had regrew a new hand but it''s black and doesn''t look like it''s made of human cells.


    Dark energy begin gathering in its right hand, forming into a cloud.


    Oh shit, not that again.


    "Hyx?"


    Oh..... fuck.... Not now.


    I glance over to the source of the voice. Sure enough, at the entrance to this place, it''s Muo Li and with her is Clammis. Tom and the four goblins aren''t there with them. I deduce Tom and the four must have stayed back to look after the looney alchemist.


    "What the fuck is that thing?" Clammis asked when she saw the atrocity named Aedrox. "Is that the commander?" Hah? You''re still able to recognize it is him?


    But I shouldn''t be focusing on that right now. "Not anymore and not important! Just get out of here!" I shouted at them.


    When my eyes went back to Aedrox, only it wasn''t there anymore. Shit. Without even looking, I know where it went.


    {Unneeded obstacles in the Harbinger''s path.} It said when it blurred to the girls.


    With [Spatial Leap], I placed myself between the two party. {Don''t you dare.} I said to Aedrox while resisting the strain to my head that always comes with it after using that ability.


    {These mortals are the reason for straying off the path?}


    {Funny, look into a mirror and tell me, have you never wonder if you''re the reason instead.}


    {Petty words that induces mind tricks. Only mortals are affected by such jest.}


    "What is it saying?" Muo Li asked.


    Bruh! Not important. "Doesn''t matter what it''s saying. Just get out of here now."


    "And leave our savior to its death?" Clammis said and drew her sword. "Not likely."


    Fucking hell, don''t be stupid. "Clammis this isn''t another common magic beast. This is something else entirely. Don''t - be - stupid."


    "She''s right. Whatever it is, we can''t just leave you here to fight by yourself. We''re not just mere damsels."


    Ugh.... Prides.... Fucking prides....


    {Done?} Aedrox asked.


    {Not by a long .....] I stuttered. I couldn''t find the word for "mile" in Helix. Damn it, this is embarrassing. {Not by a long shot.} There.


    It chuckles. Not sure which part it finds amusing but I doubt it''s the part where I messed up. {Emotions. Fleeting. But forgotten in the eventuality.}


    I beg to differ, you shithead.


    I immediately put an overloaded [Plane Displacement] as it threw a cloud of dark energy at us, at point blank. Fucking hell, this guy is really insane.


    The barrier can''t stop the cloud but it did its job of slowing it down.


    It slowed the cloud down enough for me to use [Spatial Leap] with Muo Li and Clammis as the passengers.


    Fuck! I drop my head down and clutch at it as I endure the strain. The headache this time is way worse than ever before. Damn it. Taking passengers only worsens the drawback.


    "What the?" I heard Muo Li uttered.


    "How did it.... When did it...." Clammis is in the same state of disbelief.


    I was curious and I look up. There Aedrox is, standing right in front of us.


    How.... I should have teleported us a few distance away from it but now, it''s just a few feet right in front of us again, like I never teleported. We are back at where we three confronted Aedrox at the entrance.


    I was lost for a moment as to what happen but Aedrox, or rather its vessel begin experiencing something like a seizure. Its eyes then popped like balloons, blood came out like a loose pipe. I heard the loud gasp of Muo Li and Clammis but I have expected this when I figured out what happened. It has used its reality warping powers again and this is the cost for it. This explains why it had not been using it constantly.


    Aedrox stumbles a few steps back as its vessel suffers the penalty. {Fragile. Too fragile.} It said.


    "Is there truly nothing I can persuade you two to back off from here?" I asked them.


    The two step forward and go into their battle stance.


    ""No."" They both said in unison.


    I sighed. "Well then, don''t expect me to save you like last time." I''m pretty sure I''ll do just that regardless of what I said.


    "Got it."


    "Of course."


    Now, what''s the plan? I asked myself.


    {Foolish, insolent mortals!} It barked at us. It must be annoyed by us taking our battle stance.


    Ah! There''s an idea.


    Let''s hope this sudden idea of mine works.


    "When I gave the signal, you two attack." Without even looking back for confirmation, I rush at Aedrox.


    Cloud of dark energy amassing in his right hand.


    Blue fire ignited in my right hand.


    It throws the cloud at me and I raise my right hand, engulfed with blue fire to meet it.


    Please work. It will suck so bad otherwise.


    The dark energy and the blue fire collide. Both force compete for supremacy as sparks blazes from the confrontation.


    And the result?


    The blue fire came out victorious. It swallows the dark energy and burn out with dark energy as one.


    The dark energy is no exception to [Mana Burn] after all.


    {Not possible!}


    I smirked. "Now!" I shouted the signal.


    Now, Muo Li, Clammis, show me what you two can do.


    Aedrox''s right hand reshapes into a blade like its left arm. With both blade as its arms, it attacks Muo Li and Clammis.


    Muo Li dodges the left arm while Clammis skillfully parries the blow from the right arm.


    Oh? Clammis is good. Well, of course she would be this good. She may not have the power strength like mine, she does have at least a decade worth of time to hone her techniques.


    As if she has already knew, she just lightly chip at the vessel''s skin. "As expected, my sword won''t be able to cut through it." She analytically remarked.


    Just like my punch from before, her sword is able to hurt the vessel unlike magic which just evaporated as it gets close. Is it going to phaseanytime soon? Unlikely, with this much ego, it won''t use something like that against "mere mortals". It will hurt its own valued pride.


    Cloud of dark energy converge in the center of its body but I nullify the dark energy with [Mana Burn] again. It switches its attack to stomping the ground but I use [Force Push] at its leg to prevent it.


    Ohohoho~ It looks mad from almost performing a split.


    Even without my instructions, the two go on the offence. They traded blows with Aedrox by using parries. They managed to avoid their sword being broken with this technique. Every time it begins gathering dark energy I use [Mana Burn] as the means to counter it. Even Muo Li is better than me in terms of pure skill.


    It got fed up and uses its Phase Dash. Oh, now you use it. Its speed has increased but its vessel is leaving blood in its trail and I invoke [Clarity Field], with these two factor, I can easily pinpoint its location. It''s aiming for Muo Li.


    I shove Muo Li to my six and block its left arm with my own arm. Of course, my arm is coated with [Magic Enhancement] and further augmented by [Overload]. Although, I still can''t fully block it. It managed a wound on my defending arm.


    With magic coating her blade, Clammis swings it at Aedrox.


    Aedrox intends to receive the attack with its right arm but I break its guard with [Force Push]. Although it didn''t pierced into its face, it is still a powerful attack. Just like using a bamboo sword, it still hurts went being struck by the blunt tip.


    It screams when its face was hit by such a technique. I make use of its distracted state by using [Energy Sphere] at point blank. I didn''t forget to use [Overload] in conjecture with it. If it isn''t distracted, I think it would have phase through my magic attack.


    But those aside, I think [Overload] might become my favorite ability.


    The sphere exploded the moment it made contact with the target''s skin. It goes without saying that my hand was not exempted from the casualty list. On the bright side, I sent Aedrox crashing into a wall.


    {You not so tough after all.} Not gonna lie, this battle is intense but it feels good, it''s like I''m venting out all my stress on Aedrox.


    {Resist all you want, you insolents. It is still inevitable!} It screamed. It''s real mad now.


    Ah. Crap. It ain''t even hurt aside from the injuries it gave itself from overusing its power. Guess I have to use that lance in the end.


    The deterioration of its vessel accelerated, blood spurting out from it like a fountain.


    Oh shit. This can''t be good.


    The space between the three of us close in like an elastic. When it bend back to shape, we were each launch into a wall.


    All three of us made a crack on the walls.


    Okay. This time, I felt it. I felt one of my internal organs damaged by the impact. Not good. Really not good.


    Oh no. If it was even able to injure me to this extend, what about the two? I look for the two in a hurry and found them laying unconscious on the ground. From the flow of their Mana, they are in a dire situation.


    No.


    No.


    No.


    I cant waste time groaning on the floor here. They''re dying. Come on.... Get up.....


    {See? Inevitable} I heard its words from above me. When I looked up, it raises me up with a choke hold. Its vessel is maimed beyond recognition of its former identity, Commander Maelock. {The things I have witnessed, experienced, encountered, they are numerous, countless, myriad but one thing I will never get tired off, is the pointless struggles of mortals.}


    This sick and sadistic fuck.


    {I have forgotten how amusing I find their pointless struggles.} It then follows up with an evil laugh. There''s a template to be followed, after all.


    Shit. I gotta save Muo Li and Clammis now. If I wait any longer, things will be bad for them.


    {Now, submit.}


    And then out of nowhere, right in the side of its ugly face, a fireball crashes into it.


    We both look towards where the fireball came from.


    Ah... Of course, it would be them. Who else could it be?


    "Looks I arrived at the best of times." Lord Lubac said with a proud tone.


    Tom and the goblins just right behind him.


    Oh no. Things just got more complicated for me and harder too.


    To be honest, this situation smells of death flag for all of us.


    God fucking damn it.

 H15 - Price for Power

    Great. More collateral.


    This situation is getting more unfavorable for me.


    "Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulf my enemies in a flash, firebolt."


    Either Looney Lubac has no conscience of hurting a former ally or Maelock''s body is truly beyond recognition at this point.


    The fire bolts didn''t even hit Aedrox. The bolts simply dissipates upon nearing it.


    "Guh! What''s with this monsters? First that boy, now this."


    Oi, you''re referring to me?


    Now, what do I do?


    Aedrox''s attention seem to be on them right now but my priority is to save Muo Li and Clammis.


    Damn it, no other choice. "Tom! Lubac! Get those two out of here now! I''ll stall this fucker."


    Tom immediately complies and goes to Muo Li. As for Lubac, he has a face that said "you''re giving orders now?" but he complies too eventually and went for Clammis. I will hit him twice or thrice after this is over.


    {Futile. Futile. Futile} Aedrox recited those words like a mantra.


    {Over here, fucked face.} I shouted for its attention. I felt fucked face is really appropriate for its description.


    It didn''t look over to me though. Its eyes stay on Tom.


    Shit.


    With a well place aim, it throws a dark energy cloud at Tom.


    Damn it.


    My Mana is running low, no surprises there, and albeit my inhibition of pain, my injuries are beginning to hinder my performance.


    I didn''t just receive injuries from Aedrox but from myself too. Using [Overload] constantly on myself is taking its toll but I can''t mind such trivial matters right now.


    Going against the collapse of my body, I move into the space between Tom and Aedrox with [Spatial Leap].


    Shiiiiiit! Looks like I once again discovered a new level of pain. It hurts real bad.


    Please hang in there, my body.


    I intercept the dark cloud with [Mana Burn].


    Once again with [Overload], I further augmented [Magic Enhancement]. My speed increases and I charge towards Aedrox. To prevent it from firing projectiles take would incur collateral, I go for close combat.


    {Naive.} It said as my punches phases through it.


    "Ah.... Shit...." I muttered.


    It slashes its arm at me. As I evaded it, I saw some distorting energy cladding its arm. It looks awesome but I should not be admiring it.


    I resort to [Force Push] to counter its phasing ability but with a flick of its finger, it made me miss with some telekinetic force.


    "Damn."


    Was all I could said before it smashes me into the ground with some invisible force, shattering my [Magic Enhancement].


    More blood spurts out from my mouth. I count four ribs broken.


    My consciousness almost left but I held on to it. My indifference to pain helps some in this matter. Still, it wasn''t easy.


    Don''t give up right now. If I give up right now, everything that I have came so far for will be gone.


    Not now. Not now.


    Using my tail, I clad it with purplish dark energy, an [Abyssal Edge] on my tail. The tip of my tail resembles the usual purplish black blade I wield.


    I know it won''t actually hit but I was desperate. I have to do something. I don''t care what. I just need to do something. I strike at Aedrox with my tail but it phases through it like every other magic than [Spatial Magic].


    {Just stay put and witness the correction I am force to made for you.} It said and grabs at my tail. At that precise moment, I launch multiple [Abyssal Javelin] at it. They phase through Aedrox all the same but its hand is still wrapped around my tail.


    I have thought that it would became tangible but it appears it is capable of partial phasing.


    With a swing, it tosses me aside. Although this time the landing is softer than most times. It''s not intending to hurt me, it wants me stay on the side and watch.


    Like hell I''ll do that.


    Aedrox resumes his approach towards Tom.


    "Coming! It''s coming."


    "Eeek! Toom! Toom!"


    "Its going for Toom."


    "Run! Run!"


    I realized the Goblins can''t pronounce Tom but they are trying to warn Tom who is tending to Muo Li at the moment. I see him using one of the scrolls. It has faint green light. Must be a healing magic scroll.


    Come on! Come on! Move! You damn useless body, move!


    I shouted at my body which has been rendered incapable of movements. Broken bones sure make it hard to move.


    Damn it! Damn it!


    Wait.


    My reagents. I remember them now. Stupid. Why didn''t I remember that earlier?


    I quickly fumble my satchel pockets for them.


    Good. They''re still there. I lost some during the fall and during the fight but not all of it. There''s still some.


    Good. Good. There''s even enough for Muo Li and Clammis.


    I consume both the Mana and health reagent.


    The effects take over in just seconds and I feel the pain subsiding, my bones mending itself and my Mana returning.


    Damn it. Though I warmed up to them back then, I didn''t trust them enough with my lifelines, the reagents. Things won''t be so pressing right now if I were a little more trusting back then.


    No. Now''s not the time to reminisce about my mistakes. I have to deal with this atrocity in front of me first.


    I teleport between the Tom and Aedrox once again as soon as I deemed my Mana is sufficient.


    {Impressive. Persistent will. A trait worthy of the Harbinger.} It complimented but I don''t need something like that from it.


    I recovered some Mana and my injuries are healed to certain degree but my mental strain remains the same. It can''t cure fatigue but I''ll make do.


    God. This is literally a real headache.


    [Spatial Magic: Lv. 4 increased to Lv. 5]


    Thank the gods. About time.


    [Spatial Magic: Distort - Acquired]


    Yes. Keep it coming.


    [Spatial Magic: Sever - Acquired]


    Sweet. Now, let''s up the game shall we? I am so eager to test this two out.


    But.... how do I that?


    Before I could figure out the heads and tails for my two newfound abilities, I''m thrown to the side with its telekinesis.


    Curse this shit!


    I spend no time trying to fumble in the dirt and immediately stand back up. I see Aedrox closing in on Tom.


    "Tom! Look out!"


    Tom stops his tending to Muo Li and turn to face Aedrox. Blue light starts glowing around him, a sign of using an immense amount of Mana.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, scorch my enemies in a vortex, Inferno.}


    A tornado made of flames rush towards Aedrox.


    As I expected, as if there''s a nullifying zone around Aedrox, the flames vanish upon entering the vicinity.


    {An orc possessing an Arcane Art. Peculiar and unexpected. Might be worthy of being my subject.}


    What? Is it trying to turn Tom into its minion? Oh no you don''t, not on my watch.


    Tom refuses to give up despite his depleted Mana pool. He goes in for close combat.


    Aedrox clicks his tongue while swaying his forefinger. Cliche move of a villain. {I may have found you interesting but I will not tolerate such unrefined actions from a mortal.}


    As he was doing so, his finger went from simply swaying into bending into an impossible angle.


    {What is this?} It asked in bewilderment.


    Tom also stops his charging upon witnessing the strange occurrence. He looks at me. He knows I am the one responsible for it.


    And Tom is right.


    Soon, its right hand, its right arm, bending along with his finger, later his shoulder too.


    It works. Turns out, this is the function of my new ability, [Distort], as in distorting space itself. Neat. It''s even a long range ability.


    Aedrox gives out a roar that resembles an animal rather a person. Without a care, it tore its body away from the arm that is distorting along with space. More blood oozes out.


    Ah... That''s unsightly.


    I commented so casually in my mind.


    Hmm....


    Strange.... What''s with my lack of reaction towards such stuff?


    I think I might be getting use to gores. Not a good sign. How can I integrate into society like this? My common sense will be distorted too at this rate.


    It roars again. It summons a massive cloud of dark energy in his left arm, converging at the tip of the blade.


    Tom who is witnessing such power is paled and stunned from it but he positioned himself between the unconscious Muo Li and Aedrox. Even faced with such odds, he doesn''t just up and run away. Admirable.


    I suppose staying close to him might be a good idea for me who''s slowly loosing grasp on the black and white.


    Oops. Sidetracked again. Gotta stop doing that.


    It hurls the cloud of dark energy but I blinked into its path, using an ability that its function is known to me only by instincts, I directed such ability towards the cloud.


    [Sever]


    The space in front me displaces into two parts like a glass plane together with the massive cloud. The cloud vibrates for a moment and it dissipates.


    This - is - awesome. I literally just cut space itself. Holy shit. I''m might be OP as fuck now.


    {Slow learner. Disappointed.} It made some socially inept remark and flings me away with telekinesis at the wave of its hand.


    Just like that, my fantasy of my ascension towards higher power is crushed. Looks like the peak is still far from my reach.


    But before I went tumbling further, I found my bearings in the tumble and blinked back to that position.


    Aedrox groaned at the sight of my persistence.


    When I see its hand begin to wave, I [Sever] it from its shoulder. [Sever] is able to manage at least a distance of three feet.


    Dark energy starts building up from within its vessel, to the point that I can see it leaking out. I feel like hitting it now in a volatile state will be a terrible idea.


    "Element of destruction in celerity, thunder that strikes my enemies, Lightning Bolt."


    I heard a chant from presumably, Lubac the Alchemist. Aren''t you suppose to be a chemical specialist not a magic specialist? And what the hell are you doing? Don''t you learn?


    Flash of lightning strikes the back of Aedrox. It hit but it doesn''t seem like any scratch landed on its vessel.


    "One tough Modred''s Hound." Lubac cursed upon seeing the ineffectiveness of his magic.


    I watch Lubac while fuming in frustration.


    Aedrox didn''t even bother to look at him. It just gathers energy in front of him. It doesn''t have a hand or an arm but it can still cast magic. The energy cloud, it''s fired at Lubac as I expected. The magic did annoyed Aedrox after all.


    I teleported and intercepted the cloud with [Mana Burn] and [Sever].


    I then turn and meet Lubac straight in the eyes. I glare daggers at him. "Don''t provoke it. I don''t mind you being useless but don''t be a hindrance. I won''t be so nice the next time."


    Lubac gulped at my sudden change of demeanor. He nodded.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    With that warning given, I close the distance with [Spatial Leap] and engaged Aedrox with hand-to-hand combat. After that level up in [Spatial Magic]. The after effects from [Spatial Leap] isn''t as intense as before but there''s still some. Still, I am glad with it.


    Without the harsh migraines, I continuously use short distance [Spatial Leap] to dodge and evade its attacks. With each dodge and evasion, I follow it up with a jab or a whip from my tail. I''m starting to get the hang of using my tail. Good.


    Aedrox is slowing down. Or rather, its vessel is on the verge of breaking down.


    I wonder what will happen if it became without vessel. Well, no harm in asking.


    I block a blow with reinforced [Magic Enhancement] and counter attack with [Force Push], creating a gap between us.


    {What happens if this current vessel of yours break?} I asked.


    Although it looks nonplus, it spoke {No outworld entities can persist in a proper manner within a foreign realm without an indigenous conduit. If this vessel breaks, I will exist in this realm but I will lack the means to interact with any entities of this realm.} It surprisingly answered in an obedient manner.


    I see. Any beings that are not from this world has to play the rules whether it likes it or not. Otherwise, it will merely exist in this world without any ways to make contact with anything or anyone. Glad to know there are rules and limits for such absurdities and atrocities.


    Well then, guess I don''t have to kill it or hurt it, I just need to destroy its vessel. Though, it might be feeding me false information but I don''t think that''s likely considering its personality.


    I begin to distort the space around its torso but it moved away using Phase Dash. Damn it. [Distort] can''t immobilize a target.


    "Tom, Lubac. Forget about tending to them for now, just get them out of here this instance." I may have the upper hand now against Aedrox but my Mana isn''t infinite. I will soon once again ran out and I doubt it will be kind enough to wait for me to recover or ingest a reagent.


    "What? I can''t carry her, she''s too heavy." Lubac told me. This - useless - son - of - a - bitch. I would like to turn him into ashes with just my gaze but I don''t want to take my eyes off Aedrox. Plus, I can''t turn anyone into ashes with just my eyes.


    Yet.


    {Where will you go? No salvation awaits for you or your friends. There''s only salvation for me and my brethren.}


    Is it trying to imply that there''s no exit here except the way where we fell from? For heaven''s sake, speak English please.


    If that''s the case, I will have to incapacitate it for an ample time for us to make our escape. If I''m allow some time of peace and concentration, I should be able to lift us all up with [Plane Displacement]. Should be. I''m not too sure about the real numbers.


    {What will you do now, Harbinger?} It just stands there and taunts me. It''s not doing anything besides that.


    My gaze turn to the weapon just a few feet away from me. Well, Mr. Hand-Scorching Lance, looks like you''re my only hope.


    I signal at Tom for him to be ready to run with Muo Li on his shoulders at any time. I hope he didn''t forget our hand signals.


    Tom nods. Good, he understands.


    As for Lubac, I signal him to wait. I hope this guys knows. I don''t bother myself to even look at him. If he doesn''t understand, so be it.


    {What strategy will be the amusement this time?}


    {This.}


    I said and threw an [Energy Sphere] at the point just below its feet, raising a cloud of dust, a smokescreen. I then blinked to the lance.


    {Predictable.} Aedrox said as it had already arrive at the lance before I did. Distorting energy enshrouding its vessel. Bits of flesh started breaking off from the body. Disgusting.


    Maybe I can wait for it to destroy its own vessel? No. At this rate, it will take at least twenty minutes but I doubt it has such patience. It did patiently wait for us to move but I''m not gonna chance it.


    Okay.... How about this?


    I throw an overloaded [Energy Sphere] directly at Aedrox but before it enters its nullifying range, I [Distort] the sphere of purplish black energy. The massive energy confined into a shape of a sphere, further overcharged with external energy, and finally warping the space it occupies, the results?


    A spectacle of fireworks of spatial distortion, a chaos of explosion and implosion.


    Just as I planned, well I didn''t expect such seizure inducing scene but it did what it wanted it to, Aedrox is temporarily incapacitated but the Lance flew at my direction from the initial explosion.


    While the lance is still spinning in the air, I leap and reach out for it.


    Aedrox seems to have recovered from the severe jumble and already Phase Dashed to where the lance is dancing in mid air.


    I saw a smirk on its lips that''s barely hanging onto its face. Must be contend with itself from predicting my action but so did I.


    When it arrived, I greet him with a [Light Drop], overloaded. The unstable ball of light explodes and unleashes the immense light within. My own pseudo flash grenade.


    I already have my eyes closed in anticipation but not Aedrox. Thus, it was the only one blinded by the flash. I successfully retrieved the lance.


    Enduring the heat searing my flash with my own will power and [Magic Enhancement], I slice the oversize weapon at Aedrox before its eyes recover.


    I expected blood but I''m greeted by dark energy leaking from a crack, a fissure on it''s vessel.


    Aedrox then unleashes a cry so intense and deafening. Everyone in the room all curl up to endure the piercing cry.


    Looks like I managed to directly injure it. I hurt the very essence of the entity call Aedrox.


    {I''m still your salvation?} I asked, looking straight at it but my eyes are looking down on it.


    Instead of a verbal response, I received a snicker in return from Aedrox. Please don''t tell me it''s also a masochist.


    Why are you laughing?


    Its body swirled. No, not its body, the space that its body occupies swirled.


    Dark energy amassing around it. The space itself trembled. The pebbles drifting in the air like in zero gravity is attracted to Aedrox. The ceiling and the ground, it broke off. The broken pieces then merged itself with Aedrox, compensating for every loss of its vessel''s body parts.


    No no no no. That''s not fair.


    Its right arm. With the fragments from its environment, it becomes a blade larger than the lance.


    {This place....} It sniggers. {It has been exalted with my very presence. The ores, the air, the beasts, the plants, everything is exalted with my very essence. How can I have failed to realize such advantage I hold in this place until now?}


    My entire body shudders at the unavoidable truth of its words.


    With every second spent in this world, its presence itself is encroaching the very existence of everything in this world, in this plane, in this dimension.


    With such energy leaking out and with this peculiar dungeon, it''s not strange to assume that a phenomenon like that is possible.


    "Now, let me show you what I find so entertaining about you mortals'' despair." It said, in Common. Its manner of speaking and tone have even changed.


    Crap.


    Dark energy once again gather in its right arm.


    Crap.


    Without giving any more thoughts at all the alarms going off in my head, I moved at a speed that exceeds what my body is able to withstand.


    I don''t care if my body can''t handle it. To hell with it.


    And once again, new level of pain is found at that moment, an agony that comes from exerting your very own limit and beyond.


    I grabbed Tom, Muo Li, Clammis, Lubac and the four goblins in a span of two seconds, I positioned them at the entrance, behind me. I wanted to carry them further away from here but I can''t move at such speed for an extended duration.


    "Hyx?!" Tom calls out to me in a disconcerting tone. He wasn''t believing what he saw. He was terrified by what he was seeing, my whole bloodied body because I exceeded my limit.


    At such speed, I have even grabbed some of Tom''s scrolls without him realizing it.


    And in such short span of time, Aedrox finally swings that massive right arm of a blade at us. Although its target is us, the force exuded from the swing was so great that even affected its three sixty. But us, we, who were receiving the force of dark energy directly, the damage can''t even begin to compare.


    I use the magic scroll of barrier. Against the screaming of my nerves and my soul, I cast the strongest [Plane Displacement] ever.


    The dark energy force rams through all the defenses like nothing.


    .


    I forgot what happened after that. I can''t remember the exact details.


    All I could remember was that we all survived that attack and Aedrox was suffering the setback of drawing out such immense power at once. It is on its knees. That''s a good thing. Its new vessel is already cracking. Seems like not even its newly build vessel could withstand such output of power.


    That gave us time to count our wounds.


    I, as the vanguard absorbed the most damage from that attack but I wasn''t the most injured by it. Even with my bloodied whole body, I was sure I''m not the one in the most dire situation.


    "Hyx! Hyx! It''s Muo Li and Clammis." Tom shouted. The goblins were even shouting the same thing. Maybe because they''re small, they seem to be barely hurt but Tom on the other hand is a different story. But at least, he''s moving, unlike Muo Li and Clammis.


    They were already in a dire state before that but now.... they are truly on the brink.


    "Damn it. Damn it." Why didn''t I give them my reagents back then. I shouted at my own mind.


    My reagents?


    I check for the petty leftovers.


    I breath a sigh of relief when I didn''t loose them from that blow.


    Thank the all the gods. Thank all the gods.


    Thank god.


    I gave some to Tom and ask him to give it to Clammis while I tend to Muo Li.


    These reagent aren''t in liquid form, they are just powders. So it might be hard for them to ingest it. It should be easier for them to ingest if its in liquid form but what can I do?


    .....


    Ah....


    I can do that but....


    Fuck it. No time to think twice.


    "Tom. Follow my example." I told Tom who is also looking perplex at finding a way for Clammis to ingest it.


    I pour the reagent into my mouth, making sure not to swallow it, I liquefy it with my saliva, and I directly feed Muo Li the reagents through my own mouth. Yes, it''s the famous mouth-to-mouth feeding.


    Tom drops his jaws when he saw me doing that. I don''t blame him. It''s not easy, especially for a virgin like me.


    And that''s the story of how I gave away my first kiss. It will be one of a hell story to recount later on.


    I gesture for Tom to hurry up when I finish giving Muo Li her medicine.


    After a few more encouragement and some mild threats from me, Tom eventually did the same thing. I''m not sure if he likes it but he has a faint smile on his face after that so I guess he liked it. Although, Clammis seems to grimaced a bit after that but it must have been my imagination.


    The reagents are working but the effect aren''t instantaneous.


    Shit. Does the effects differ to individuals?


    Shit. I didn''t think about that.


    But no time to think about it now.


    "Alright Tom, you take care of...." I coughed out blood in mid-sentence. It shocks both Tom and the goblins. And Lubac too. Oh, you survived and in walking shape too.


    Damn, I have secretly wished for him to die in the result.


    I don''t know how he survived with only little wound but I guess it must been his magic. Although, Lubac seems to be in the best of state among us but his facial complexion must be the worst. He isn''t taking reality in all too well. That level of power strength have really gotten to his head.


    Goddamn it. I want to smack him.


    "Tom..." Deep breaths, Hyx. Deep breaths. "You''ll carry Muo Li...." I managed those words out in between my heavy breaths. ".... and I''ll take care of Clammis....." I originally wanted to carry Muo Li instead but Clammis is heavier and I have higher physical strength than Tom even if I''m in such state.


    I further spat out more blood. My bleeding ain''t even stopping. Please, hang in there.


    I pray to myself and for myself.


    I''m just burning on fumes now.


    Tom nodded and carry Muo Li into his arms. I gestured the Goblins to smack Lubac out of it. And they did. Each of the four slaps the alchemist in turn and it did the trick. It was quite amusing.


    "Lubac!" I shouted.


    "Wha..... What?" he asked upon coming back from his wonderland.


    "Run." I told him.


    He gives me a nod and took off sprinting, leaving me, Clammis and the goblins behind. He even caught up to Tom and ran past him.


    What the fuck, mate? I had wanted him to assist Tom but.... that didn''t possible anymore. Fucking pussy. I''ll dish out the appropriate punishment later.


    My danger perception rang at the same time as Goblin B shrieked at what''s behind me.


    The wounds have made me slow.


    I was too slow.


    Although fast but still slow.


    Too slow to save all of them. I managed to get Clammis, Goblin B, and Goblin C out of the way but I wasn''t able to do the same for Goblin A and Goblin D.


    As a result, the force of dark energy that came at me from behind, pulverizes the two right before my eyes. Needless to say, their biomass scattered on me.


    I hear the other two goblins shrieked at the lost of their two comrades and friends.


    No.


    NO!!


    I look back and found Aedrox up and walking towards here.


    "Not running?" It asked.


    It has recovered from its power fatigue.


    Ingesting what I have left of the Mana-recovery reagent, I stand up and confront it.


    "You two, leave us. Now. I''m not asking." I told them in a cold manner, to leave me and Clammis behind.


    They seem to understand that they are not strong enough to carry Clammis and they reluctantly comply to my words.


    Goblin C wanted to carry the remains of its friends but Goblin B dragged him away, forcibly.


    Forgive me. I''ll give them a proper burial later.


    Even if I can''t save all four of us, I can at least save those that I can.


    But now, I hurt this fucker once again, and real good this time.


    Curse. The reagents have not been enough.


    With Mana that I barely have, I cast [Distort] in succession at multiple places on its body but with one swing from its right arm, it dispels my magic but that was the bait.


    I immediately chain it with a heavy [Distort] on its right leg. When it intends to Phase Dash away but I shot [Abyssal Javelin] at the ground beneath its feet, throwing its balance off. And I successfully took its right leg away. Well, it''s still there but dangling on mere strings of flesh.


    I pick up the lance which is just laying there between us. I focus all my defense on my hands to minimize its searing.


    I raised the lance over my shoulders, over my head. I stepped forward and brought my body forward in a single, fluid, and swift momentum, I tossed the lance at Aedrox like a javelin. Having just lost a leg, it can''t avoid it.


    It raises its right arm as guard. It even put some sort of force field.


    It knows damn well the threat the lance poses.


    We''ll see about that.


    The lance shatters its right arm and the force field like glass, piercing right through Aedrox, bringing it along as both crashed through a wall. As the dust slowly clears from the air, I see the lance impaling Aedrox onto the ground.


    I look at my hands. They have been burned quite badly but they''re doable.


    Aedrox tries to pull out the lance but burns his hands as it does so. Good. That will pin him down for a while.


    It screamed or it cried, I don''t which and I don''t care.


    As I went to get Clammis, my [Magic Enhancement] finally worn off. Even the fumes I''m running on is low. Crap. I can''t make it like this.


    No. I must.


    With a heave for strength, I throw her arm over my shoulders as I drag her with me, ignoring the collapse of my body.


    Come on. Hang in there, Hyx. You can do this. You have been through so much. This should be nothing.


    Yeah this is nothing.


    I repeat those words in my mind as I carry her through this place.


    <hr>


    Crap.


    We both went down.


    I have suddenly lost my strength and Clammis'' weight pulled me down.


    A few hundred feet maybe? I don''t know. I didn''t count how far I have carried her with me.


    Tom and the others must be just ahead. I can hear them engaging some enemy but judging from the absence of screams with only screeches of monsters, I guess they''re holding out on their own in the meantime.


    Come on. Get up.


    I try to get up along with Clammis but her weight plus my exhaustion render it impossible for me to even move a single inch.


    Damn it. I must keep moving. That lance won''t keep it there for long.


    No matter how much I tried, I can''t do it. It''s not even possible for me to move on my own.


    Doesn''t matter! Keep moving. Keep moving.


    I told myself but my body isn''t listening.


    "Hyx." Clammis called out weakly. I have guessed a tough woman like her won''t be out for long. I knew she was awake but not wholly.


    "Clammis?" Only then I realized, I rarely call her by her name.


    "Leave me."


    No. "Okay. Stop talking. Just keep being unconscious. You''re not helping."


    "Hyx, you can barely move without any burdens. Don''t be stupid."


    "Just shut up please." I can do this.


    "Hyx. Listen to me."


    "No. You shut up."


    "Hyx."


    "No, I don''t need this."


    "Hyx."


    "Stop it. You''re not helping."


    "Hyx Atlas!" She screamed and pulled at my collar. "Grow up and look at reality."


    "What reality? The reality of leaving you behind to die?"


    "Hyx. I do not know what kind of life you have been having before you become a scholar for the Nines but this ain''t that life anymore. People dies."


    "Clammis." I said with my trembling lips. "Please, don''t do this." My voice is shaken.


    "It is as you said, you can''t save everyone."


    "Clammis. Stop. Talking." I begged.


    "Hyx." She said and brought my face close to hers. "Grow. Up. The. Fuck. Up." She paused at each words.


    I swallow my tears as I heard the meaning in those words. "How?" I asked.


    "By making the best choice in the toughest situation."


    "Ah? Really?"


    "I know you are aware of the fact that you might be the only one who is able to make it out of here alive. But you don''t believe it. You don''t want to believe it."


    She''s right. I don''t want to believe it.


    "But you have to."


    "But I don''t want to." I retorted.


    Since the time I met Clammis, this is might be the first time I saw a genuine smile from her. "Then get stronger."


    My eyebrows raised.


    "If you don''t want to believe that, then get stronger. I saw how you got stronger, faster, and better after consuming the lizard meat. You can get stronger but consuming the flesh of your fallen foes."


    Clammis.... are you....


    "I''m no prophet but I can promise you, that you...." She coughed out blood mid sentence but she resumes immediately. "You will be leaving something behind when you made it out this dungeon. Do you understand?"


    Is that it.... I really have do that after all....


    "Do you understand?" She repeated her question.


    With thousands of needle sticking into my heart, I nodded in silent, reluctance, and acceptance.


    "Good. Then do what you have to." She said, filled with resolve and she closed her eyes.


    She bares neck for me.


    I have to do that after all.


    I have to leave that behind.


    My innocence.


    I raised my hand --


    -- extended my nails until it became claws --


    -- with a swift swipe at her bared neck --


    -- I took my first human life.


    What''s this?


    Something fell into my sight.


    Ah... It''s my hair.


    They are disheveled.


    They are gray. But I remember them being black.


    ....


    Ah.... Of course.


    Why wouldn''t they be gray?


    All those encounters and experiences, it would only be natural for my hair to loose its colors. I heard from somewhere that a person''s hair can go white went under extreme stress.


    I guess that applies to me?


    Ah... they are in such a mess. I should cut them. They are in the way.


    [Conditions Cleared]


    Ha.... Figures.


    [Soul Harvest: Lv. 1 (Unique) - Unlocked]


    Somehow, I already knew the condition but I didn''t dare to believe it, just like a lot of things. I knew but I don''t believe it. This is my innocence, my ignorance.


    No more.


    Black tendrils in a shape that resembles both a hand and a dragon''s head, they came out from my back, a total of four of these black tendrils.


    My mouth, I opened them as wide as I could, I feel my teeth becoming fangs.


    The next moment, I begin feasting on the corpse previously known as Clammis with the black tendrils begin eating away her soul.


    So this [Soul Harvest].


    Without a care to my surroundings, I feast on her like the hungry beast and monster I am. I spilled a lot but I brought what I spilled to my mouth. I won''t let a single bit gone to waste.


    [Title: <Kin Eater> - Acquired]


    As I paid no mind to even my new title, a voice stop my feeding.


    "Hyx Atlas." A cold but dignified voice. A woman''s voice.


    I raised my eyes to meet the voice.


    My eyes widened at the woman, no, too young to be a woman, a girl, standing right in front of me.


    A face all too familiar. Her hair. Her eyes. Her lips. Her slender body. Her posture. I remember all of those far too well for my own good.


    My heart throbs in confusion.


    Was it in joy or despair?


    I don''t know.


    But what I do know is that her demeanor changed a great deal from what I know in my memory.


    I have remembered how I always looked at her and find an angel.


    But not now.


    Now when I looked at her, a sword of black and a white in her hands, looking at me with those upturned eyes, her lips curled up slightly --


    -- I don''t see an angel anymore.


    I see --


    -- a reaper.


    "Vira." The name came out involuntarily as I remembered who she is.

 H16 - Reunion

    The sun.....


    It was shining brightly, dazzling as ever during the peak of the day.


    The cool breeze carries the sweet fragrance of the lovely flowers.


    And during the night, the freezing air substituted with a slight chilled temperature.


    Summer''s here.


    The hottest among the four seasons. Yet, Ninehearts offered such luxurious climate. The perfect place to be during the summer.


    Other nations suffer blazing heat in the day and a mild warm, absent of the usual chilled breeze during the night.


    Ah.... Ninehearts.


    A nation which has its name derived from its foundation, a single but the most influential religion, the Faith of the Nines. It is also believe to be the largest faith all across the largest continent of Evarenan, Nexus.


    Approximately more than three quarters of the people in this nation are complete devout to the Nines.


    But as far as I know, they have yet to perform any deeds that would label them as fanatics or zealots.


    Thank the Nines for that, I guess.


    I was not looking forward to such a nation.


    And here I was, in the middle of the noon, crouching among fields of floras. While it doesn''t have an official name, most people just called this place, The Gardens. If it were up to me, I would name it Eden. I heard it meant paradise or something in a certain dead language.


    The flowers, they are simply marvelous and quite potent with various properties.


    Well, to the masses they might be just some flowers but I know they are no ordinary flowers. At least a great dozen of them have medicinal properties and I intend to harvest a few of those for my experiments.


    What experiments? That''s still a secret.


    I will admit, it was odd for a twelve year old to keep secrets that involves medicinal herbs.


    "Hyx? You do know we are not allow to even step into field, let alone picking them." My new friend, Felix Talron warned me. He was a year older than me.


    As natural as I could, I turned to him, "Everything will be fine. Nobody will notice a few missing flowers. I don''t think the ground keepers themselves even keep track of the number of flowers in this garden, do you?" assuring him with the most assuring smile I could put up.


    Felix sighed. "That''s not the point here, Hyx. The priests will heftily punish you for this. You aren''t a noble anymore. You don''t get out of trouble with your name anymore.


    "Yes. I realized that. People have been reminding me for every second in my wake now so thank you for the needless reminders." I said some words that weren''t meant for a kid like me and resume picking the flowers.


    Sorry. Harvesting, I meant to say.


    "If someone catches us here, I am not taking the blame with you."


    And you said you were willing to accompany me to everywhere I wish to go, that was only yesterday.


    "Wow. Not a week has gone by and I''m already betray by a friend I made yesterday. Ha. At least my family has the decency to wait for at least ten years."


    "I don''t remember becoming your friend."


    "I don''t either." I retorted with another smile.


    This time, his frustration evolved from a sigh to a groan. "Can you at least do it fast?"


    "Don''t worry. No one comes here anyway despite this place being more spiritual than the place where they held the sermon."


    I expected a retort from Felix but when I received none, I looked at him. He was standing with a straight posture, his eyes forward.


    What''s with the greeting stance?


    "I agree on this place being more spiritual than the main church itself." A woman''s voice full of dignity and resolution flow into my ears. I stiffed at such voice.


    When did she got close to me? I didn''t hear her approaching.


    Curses.


    "But what I can''t agree is that your remark about nobody ever treads into such a beautiful garden."


    I held back a groan. I didn''t think I would actually curse my luck with those words. What a big mouth I have.


    Felix who had saw the woman approaching was already in a stance for greeting. Traitor.


    "Captain Vira." His greeting consist of only standing with a straight back and nodding slightly. I saw the soldiers back at my home city greets with a click of their heels. It made Felix''s greeting looked slacking.


    Wait....


    .... What?


    Captain Vira?


    As in Vira Ninehearts?


    The promising Elite Knight under tutelage of the Blade Emperor himself?


    The rumored heir to the [Grace of the Nines]?


    I had never met her but I had heard countless whispers in the wind about her. Her feats and exploits are remarkable and exceptional. She is not someone you would want to meet in a back alley even in the middle of a day.


    Steeling my nerves, I got up and turned to greet her too. "Captain Vira." I saluted to her.


    Oh.... what.....


    She''s no woman. She''s a lady.


    And she''s beautiful.


    Damn, her voice sounded more mature than she looks.


    My calm facade which I had always put on to greet someone of a higher standing, crumbled before a figure that is probably more important than most I had met other than the Cardinal himself.


    It wasn''t just her body or her face but also the way she carried herself. Everything about her spells elegant and dignity.


    But...


    I couldn''t help but saw anguish and desolation underneath her dazzling amber eyes.


    She must have some history but I knew that information is stamped with privilege.


    Although, even the solemn air around her was alluring in a way.


    "Felix." Vira nodded back to him with a gentle smile. Her upturned eyes then switched to me. Before she spoke, her eyes have already transmitted the message of "I afraid I don''t recognize you." to me.


    Damn. She was frightening too.


    Calming my shaking voice, I introduced myself. "My name''s Hyx Valerius." Good. My voice wasn''t shaking


    "Oh?" She uttered.


    Damn. I didn''t think she was capable of such a surprised look. It was too lovely but why did she said an "oh" with such look?


    Wait.


    What did I just say?


    Oh. Damn the Nines.


    "I''m sorry. I have been remiss, Captain Vira. Thousand apologies. My name is now Hyx Atlas."


    She raised an eyebrow at my self-reprimand. I was sure she would press on for the reason but... "I''m sure you have a good reason for that." She said so in a way that could either indicate my blunder or the change of my name.


    Ambiguous words.


    She then extended her hand.


    If this was still a week ago, I would have took her hand and gave a kiss but I wasn''t a noble, not anymore.


    I just took it and did without the kiss. I really wanted to kiss those soft and pale hands of hers though.


    "Please to make your acquaintance." She said as we shook hands.


    "Likewise." I responded.


    And that was how I first met Vira Ninehearts, a Templar Elite Knight at the age of seventeen, who later ascended to the rank of Arch Knight at eighteen.


    <hr>


    Devouring a person''s soul not only grants me their power but also their knowledge and memories. Thanks to this, I have gotten to know a lot of information for the outside world that I''m bound to adjourn into. I guess I won''t have to worry so much about common sense for this world now.


    Although the memories of the late Clammis are still being sorted in my mind, I don''t mind it. I got more pressing matters to worry about at hand.


    I hate to go against something I just promised but I will have to leave devouring you for later, Clammis. I got company.


    "You know who I am?" Vira asked and stood in a composed manner. Her grip on her swords neither tightened nor loosened.


    Steadily, I stand up to meet her gaze. She''s taller than I remember, taller than me. "Why wouldn''t I?" I asked. "We have been acquainted for three years now." If memory serves.


    "Hyx Atlas is the one been acquainted to me for three years, not you." She answered so as composed as ever. I didn''t sense even a slight hesitation in her words.


    "I am Hyx Atlas."


    She raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you believe or what you want me to believe?"


    I get the feeling that she has the notion of me being some sort of a monster trying to deceive her.


    I bring my hand before my eyes.


    Ah.... I can''t blame her for notions.


    Well, the black veins back then have reached my hands. Even without a mirror, I can safely assume that my face is probably covered in them. Which would explain Vira''s skepticism in my claim. Plus, I have fangs for teeth and a tail now.


    Hm? My tail has became black in color as oppose to a pale green when I last saw it. Did consuming Clammis'' soul changed the color?


    Mah... Not important right now.


    "Can you prove your bold claims?" She asked in a manner which sounded more like a challenge. She even accentuated her hidden meaning with her white sword pointing at me.


    Damn it. This isn''t how I want it to go.


    No other choice. I suppose showing her the status card might help.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I take out the status card which belonged to Muo Li, I lay bare the information projected from the card before Vira to inspect.


    Ah.


    Oops.


    Shit.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown


    Status: Undefined


    Okay. My status and race are not helping with my claim. If anything, it worsened it.


    Fuck.


    What happened? Did the changes happened because of me harvesting a soul or was it because of my cannibalism? Either one or both of them, definitely the latter.


    Crap!


    "Three unique Arcane Arts and three more Arcane Arts that don''t seem probable for a mere scholar. Race, unknown. Status, undefined." She reads it out with her head inclined. Damn, she''s working her body language well. "Are you confirming my suspicions or you''re just not very bright?" I remember how good she is with words and especially retorts.


    What to do?


    I don''t want to fight her. She''s my boss. A potential ally. A friend and someone that I presumably planned to propose to if that is what the ring''s purpose is. Although, I can''t say that I hold the same exact feelings for her as I did before my memory loss.


    "Amusing." Vira remarked. "Most mimics or deceptive monsters would have already start running away with tails between their legs." I don''t know if it''s just me but she seems to enjoy sneering at me. "Have you perhaps planned for combat?"


    I can''t say I didn''t the moment I saw you.


    Worse comes to worse, a fight will likely happen between us two.


    I sighed through my nose. "Is there any other way to convince you that I am Hyx Atlas?"


    "Your previous name?" A second chance came immediately from Vira.


    My previous name? My name back on earth? No. That''s not it.


    What did she mean? Come one, think. What did she meant by that?


    My previous name....


    Exiled...


    Did I perhaps have a different name prior to my exile?


    Even if that''s the case, I can''t remember. Though some memories did return but now my mind is assembling the memories of Clammis. I can''t recall any more memories of the old Hyx.


    Ah shit. This is going to end so badly. Damn it.


    I end up laughing, ridiculing myself.


    "I take it you give up your deceptions?" She asked but I don''t feel a question from her.


    "If I''m not Hyx Atlas, what are you going to do?"


    A smile formed on her face. "What I''m being taught to do and what I do best."


    Even without context, I know what she meant. It has to end this way after all.


    Well, let''s just hope I''ll walk off my remaining feelings for her.


    [Soul Harvest], one of its function, replenishes my health and Mana from consuming souls. So, I have recovered some health and Mana. I am not at my best however, but I will make do.


    I summon [Abyssal Edge] into my right hand.


    Oh? They are longer and bigger. [Abyssal Edge] that is, not the other thing under the belly.


    And the moment I clad myself with [Magic Enhancement], I find Vira already standing four feet away from me when she should have been at least more than fifteen feet away.


    Ah?


    I received a fresh scar on my left cheek.


    Eh?


    When did I?


    And another scar on my nose.


    What the?


    I invoke clarity field and right on time, it tells me of the danger that is headed for my neck. I dodge the lethality of that attack but I received another scar on my neck.


    "You''re better than I thought, mimic." Vira said, observing the blood that have gotten on the white blade of hers.


    I take back everything I said about the monsters. Vira beats all of them in terms of speed. Without [Clarity Field] and [Mana Perception] together, I could never see her attacks coming.


    She is not using her black sword.


    Using only her white sword in her left hand, she unleashes a flurry of attacks which I have trouble avoiding every strike. I tried to guard it with [Abyssal Edge] but her white sword sliced through the purplish black energy of a blade. A clean slice even.


    Without [Magic Enhancement], I would not have still be in one piece from those attacks that hit.


    Whenever I tried to create distance between us, she close the gap faster than I could say "Shit!"


    She defended against [Force Push] with some kind of shield made of light.


    Whenever I find a gap in her guard, she blinks away from my attack.


    When I was able to create distance from her, she used a magic that resembles what I would call a laser.


    She blocked multiple [Abyssal Javelin] with small floating bucklers of light.


    She even has her own version of multiple [Abyssal Javelin] except her javelins are made of light. They ripped through [Plane Displacement] and [Magic Enhancement].


    Damn it. Just how much tricks does she has under her sleeves?


    However, I know the problem isn''t the quantity of her spells nor her techniques but her timing and aim of her strikes and spell casts. I didn''t think such precision was possible and not to mention her unparalleled speed and also her chantless spell casting.


    If I''m a monster then what does that make her?


    ....


    I already know.


    In fact, I can''t help but see her in such a light.


    A reaper. That''s what she is.


    My Reaper.


    I gulped at the realization that she''s in a league of her own and it is way above mine.


    I can''t win against her. I don''t even have the optimism like I do for Aedrox. She''s clearly better at being a monster than I am.


    But.... then....


    Can she picked up where I failed?


    I have to sacrifice Clammis in order to save Muo Li and the others but if it''s her....


    Can she lead them out of here without being hindered by any more bumps in the road? With her skills and abilities, that is highly likely. A better choice than me. I should appeal this to her. Perhaps it would even paints me in a benevolent light.


    ....


    Yeah, right. I just committed cannibalism right in front of her eyes. She''s no saint to overlook that.


    I don''t think a bona fide saint would even overlook that.


    I raise my palm and Vira understood what that gesture meant.


    "Appealing for mercy?"


    I ignored the smirk on her face. "Behind me, there are two humans, Muo Li and Lubac."


    Her smirk disappeared then. "And what about them?" She asked, knitting her brows.


    "Obviously, I wasn''t exactly democratically elected to lead them out of this dungeon and I ain''t the best choice of being a leader. Well, not anymore, with you here." I pointed at Vira. "Can you?"


    She has a vacant stare for awhile before she burst out laughing.


    Either I''m a natural comedian or she had just lost it.


    She eventually stopped her sudden outburst of laughter.


    "I can''t." Almost like the confidence all this while was just a facade, she now has face of some in grieve. "You asked this of me because you realized the difference in our power but.... it doesn''t matter. They are all dead. Every last one of them."


    What is she saying? "Who?" I asked.


    She gives me a frail smile. "Everyone." And she resumes attacking.


    Without even having a chance to decipher her vague words, I''m dodging every hit with short distance [Spatial Leap]. I can feel my Mana decreasing at an alarming rate with this technique.


    She has gotten even faster. Her white sword instantly cuts down every magic and spell before the conjurations were even completed.


    Ah!


    I exclaimed when my four fingers on my right hand are sliced off.


    I didn''t want to fight her but I have to get serious now if I even want to have a chance to survive.


    Before [Distort] even begin to materialize, Vira has already avoided the point of effect.


    How the.... Does she has a sixth sense?


    She drives the white blade at me when I''m still in wonderment.


    If this is your favorite sword, you shouldn''t have used it against me. Not sorry.


    I cut the white blade into half with [Sever] and thrust an [Abyssal Edge] at her.


    Her look of surprise was only present for a split second before her composure returned. She guarded [Abyssal Edge] with the black sabre in her right hand.


    [Abyssal Edge] dissipates the moment it touches the jet-black blade of the sabre.


    Through [Mana Perception], I can tell the purplish black energy is absorbed by the sabre itself. Must be an innate ability of the sabre. How curious.


    Vira casts aside the broken white sword and lifts her palm to my eye level. Light gathers at her palm.


    Before realization hit, the gather light burst into my sight.


    A flashbang. What''s with everyone having the same ideas?


    [Clarity Field] tells me that Vira is aiming for my neck. I move in a way to avoid the decapitation but her attack pattern shifts with my maneuver. I didn''t get my head dismembered but I received a grave wound on my neck.


    I pour Mana into my stomp and raises a cloud of dust. With the smokescreen in effect, I am finally able to create some distance between me and the Arch Knight.


    I''m panting. I''m not out of breath nor out of Mana. I''m panting from mental exhaustion. I can''t keep up with her thought process. It''s terrifying.


    "Oh?" Her tone sounded mischievous. "Can''t keep up anymore?" Another sentence with ambiguous meaning.


    Maybe not handing Muo Li to Vira is the right choice. She seems unhinged.


    From her words just now, I deduce she has lost all her comrades and she broke from that. Is she seeking blind vengeance now?


    No. Doesn''t matter.


    She''s unhinged and that''s it. No use in thinking any further. It''s obvious that she is not willing to listen to anything I said. This is truly regrettable.


    Deciding that fighting her would not be the best course, I slowly make my retreat while I cloak myself with [Presence Detachment]. I want to use [Spatial Leap] but it''s too conspicuous and I don''t think I can compete speed with her.


    Be careful in not disturbing the smallest pebbles on the ground, I take small steps away from Vira.


    She tilts her head. She doesn''t look like she understood what just happened. To her, I just up and vanished before her eyes.


    "Was it you?" She asked.


    What was me? I didn''t ask back out loud of course.


    "The dead monsters and goblins, were they your handiwork?"


    Ah.... She must have came across the bodies of the fallen. I have felt like someone was on our trail, even when we were resting in the small inconspicuous cave. Was it her? Well, whether it was her or not, she''s not wrong in that question though.


    "I take that as a yes."


    I raised an eyebrow.


    You can''t even see me. What did you took as a yes from me?


    She grinned like she found something amusing.


    {Element that illuminates the paths in darkness, a sword of light and benevolence, Durandal}


    A chant? And in Helix?


    Why does she needs to chant? Hasn''t she been casting spells without chants all this time? Why chant now?


    A greatsword made of pure light conjures up in her left hand. A replacement for the white sword that I broke.


    Wielding Durandal with a reverse grip, "You can''t run and you can''t hide, Mimic." she said.


    Raising her hand over her shoulder and head --


    Why does that pose looks familiar?


    -- slanting her body back --


    Is she....?


    -- and she swings her whole body forward along with her left hand.


    Ah.... Oh.


    Just like me, she used the greatsword made of pure light as a javelin like I did with the lance.


    But....


    How did she.....!


    I meant to ask how she knew where I am but I didn''t even get to finish my thoughts.


    There was just simply no time for it.


    I broke off [Presence Detachment] and cast an overloaded [Plane Displacement].


    Oh. That sucks.


    That space barrier ability of mine has been useless as of late.


    The moment I saw it shattered by Durandal, I dove to the side. It was a little bit too late however.


    I mean I avoided it from going through my chest but....


    It pierced into my right shoulder, ripping and tearing through my flesh, dismembering my right arm in the process.


    Before my eyes, my right arm waved goodbye and blood splattered the walls, ceiling, and ground.


    "I need a hand here" seems like the appropriate metaphor for my current condition.


    Damn. I wish I can have a heads-up display of my status. I can feel how much Mana I have but not my health. I''m simply judging my health with the numbers of wounds I received.


    I want to be able to see my HP bar.


    My nerves eventually gave out and so did my legs. Both of them felt like jelly at the moment.


    I look at my missing right arm.


    Remnant of flesh dangling on the fresh wound and blood dripping non-stop.


    Quite an unsettling sight.


    Vira shakes her head in disappointment.


    What are you so disappointed about?


    This bitch.


    But I have to hand it to her, she''s good.


    She even thought of hiding her killing intents. My instincts is silent because of the lack of murderous aura from her. Normally, anything that are trying to kill me, they gave out their murderous intent like a leaking faucet.


    Not Vira. She kept it well hidden.


    Yet, she still looks like a reaper in my eyes.


    A reaper without murderous intent....


    I raised an eyebrow at such a terrifying thought.


    "You...." I heard Vira called out and so, I look at her. "You''re not screaming nor seething with your teeth. Do you not feel pain?"


    To be honest, having your arm cut off hurts less than a paper cut. Must be because of the trauma your body is sub-consciously going through but that''s the case for normal people. I''m just what she said, I don''t feel pain. Well, not as much as people normally do.


    "I don''t." I answered in just two simple words.


    "Yet, you''re still Hyx Atlas?" she asked.


    I thought she came through a bit but her deviant smile and eyes told me she was merely ridiculing my claims. I don''t remember her being so coy, at least not in the memories that I have remembered.


    She takes a step forward and I crawl a step back.


    "Look at you.... Just like a bug.... Waiting to be squash right now...." Her ridicules knew no boundaries.


    My gaze dropped to the ground. I can''t stand her eyes. The way she''s looking at me.


    My left hand curled into a fist and it is trembling with anger and frustration.


    Why does nothing goes well?


    Still....


    I wonder if she is just really pissed off of me for killing "Hyx Atlas". In the memories, she doesn''t show it but I think she''s actually quite fond of Hyx.


    Perhaps she really is blinded by vengeance after all and like always, she doesn''t show it.


    I didn''t want it to end like this....


    But....


    It is what it is.


    Damn i....


    Huh?


    What''s that?


    Ah?


    Oh.


    I forgot about that person.


    My eyes slowly widen.


    Vira was about to ask what brings the change to my facial expression but she later realized I was looking at something behind her. She didn''t doubt my change of expression and she traces my line of sight.


    And we both found ourselves staring at a humanoid, clad in an armor formed of raw minerals of the dungeon. It''s right arm is a massive blade in contrast to its normal sized left hand. Its eyes glowed an intense dark purple.


    It points its right arm at me.


    "Harbinger!"


    Aedrox fulminated my sobriquet.


    "Harbinger?" mused Vira.


    There isn''t any wounds or cracks on its body. I was sure I hurt the very essence of Aedrox. Either I didn''t really hurt it or it has an insane recovery speed. Probably the latter.


    "Why Common?" I asked.


    {Penchant for Helix?}


    Hmm.... "Common will do." I chose.


    "Helix?" Vira said it like she couldn''t believe it. "What are you?"


    "An entity born of the Void." It answered.


    "The Void?" She''s knitting her eyebrows. "How is this possible?"


    She asked a question that she found an answer to immediately, or at least that''s what her facial expression relays to me.


    Now.... what to do?


    Should I escape with her?


    I look at my right arm.... where it should be.


    Maybe I should consider an alternative that doesn''t involves her.


    Seeing as how she has no problem ending my life without a single hesitation, I don''t intend to ask her to join me in my journey out of this hellhole.


    Well, I did have that intent at first but not anymore.


    I invoke [Light Drop] in conjecture with [Overload].


    "Vira." I called out to Vira who has her eyes fixed on Aedrox. She turned.


    "Goodbye." I bid her.


    And the pseudo flash grenade explodes.


    In that short moment of blinding flash, I cast multiple [Spatial Leap] in succession, moving away from the two. To ensure they wouldn''t catch up to me in just minutes, I made a hundred feet long collapse of the passage with [Energy Sphere].


    Forgive me, Vira.


    If the situation was any different, we might be able to get along but not like this.


    If this was the old me, the Hyx prior to memory loss, I don''t think I would leave Vira behind even if she took my right arm but I am not that boy anymore.


    I need to grow up.


    I need to make the best choice in the toughest situation.


    I can''t bring that unhinged and unstable woman to my party which is filled with four goblins and an orc.


    .....


    No.


    Two goblins.


    Two..... goblins.....


    Shit.


    How am I gonna tell Tom?


    Curse!


    With such heavy heartfelt thoughts, I pressed on, leaving Vira behind with an ancient monster that might just be her match.


    I know it would not mean much now, but....


    Please don''t die, Vira.


    Win.


    Then mayhap we could meet again when both of us have a clear mind.


    Perhaps we can resume our long awaited banters then?

 Intermission: Vira (3)

    "I take it you give up your deceptions?" I asked the mimic in front of me, wearing the skin and speaking with the voice of Hyx Atlas. Truth to be told, I won''t have believed it even if it managed to answer. I have learned not to trust monsters.


    I will have to applaud for its efforts but I will not be deceive this time. Never again.


    Humans and elves have a calm blue color for their Mana. This mimic, its Mana its of dark purple. I have never seen any Sagax or monster with purple Mana. In the books, it is said that an ancient race of monsters from the Void possesses purple Mana. Is this Mimic an entity from the Void?


    Its laugh finally stops. It had been laughing ever since it failed to answer my question. Its smile slowly fades away from its face. "If I''m not Hyx Atlas, what are you going to do?" With a saddened expression, it asked.


    Amused at its futile attempts at deceptions, I smiled back. "What I''m being taught to do and what I do best."


    And that is putting monsters like you into the grave.


    When it realizes that I wasn''t believing its lies, it resorts to combat. Purplish black energy appears around its hand and forms into a sword.


    [Abyss Magic], no doubt. This isn''t the first time I fought against some one who is able to use such a rare Arcane Art. This mimic might not be all just about deceptions.


    I think I can finish it off with one strike but I won''t. These kind of monsters are predictable at being unpredictable. Caution is extremely necessary.


    I''ll just go for a few swift attacks to probe for its true strength.


    I drew a scar on its left cheek but it didn''t notice I moved until I struck.


    It gives me a dumbfounded look. It touches its cheek to confirm that it has been indeed slashed at the cheek.


    It appears that it can''t keep up with my speed.


    Or it could be just luring me to think that it can''t keep up.


    I''ll be cautious for now.


    And it has a dumbfounded look again when I slashed at its nose.


    Is it really unable to perceive my attacks?


    If that how it is, this fight will be easy.


    I went in for a fatal blow and that''s when I saw Mana enveloping it and some sort of magic field expanded from it.


    I ended up excoriating its neck and missed the decapitation.


    The mimic itself looks just as surprised as I am at its own ability to dodge my attack.


    "You''re better than I thought, mimic." I complimented it. It deserves that much, at the very least. One does not need to respect the opponent but one does need to respect its abilities.


    After that, the mimic assaulted me with various abilities and spells in vain. They were all at least intermediate levels.


    This is becoming quite intriguing.


    It is even capable of using a sword made of [Abyss Magic] but thanks to Shadow''s Bane, I can easily cut through dark-type energies. Looks like Fang might no have a turn in this fight.


    Just as I''m cornering it, it gestures for me to wait. I can tell fear and anxiety are hiding beneath its frail iron gaze.


    "Appealing for mercy?" I mocked at the mimic.


    It then starts talking about how it have presumably saved two humans and wants to entrust them to me. It wants me to lead them out of this place.


    Honestly, I was stunned for a moment. I can''t believe what I just heard.


    It believed its own power wasn''t enough to help the two humans and it is now appealing to my assistance. It might just be an idiot after all, considering how I am trying to kill him.


    I burst out laughing. I didn''t even realize I was laughing until a few seconds after, then I calm myself down.


    I think I understand why it asked such thing of me.


    Unfortunately, I''m not a hero. I can''t save anyone.


    No one can leave this place alive. There are monsters down here that are even stronger than us.


    What was that old and ancient saying I learned from a certain history book?


    Oh. That''s right. I remember now.


    We are just scratching the surface of what this dungeon has to offer. I don''t believe you or I can make it out of here.


    "I can''t." I said, not realizing my composure has been broken. "You asked this of me because you realized the difference in our power but.... it doesn''t matter. They are all dead. Every last one of them." If not, they will.


    "Who?" It asked.


    I answered it. "Everyone."


    I can''t save anyone.


    I launch myself at the mimic the second after I finished my answer. I almost caught its neck this time but it''s used a short range teleporting magic to avoid my blows and strikes.


    Its skills and techniques are unrefined.


    Predictable movements.


    Easily, I slice its fingers off.


    Its eyes widened.


    Its face practically gave out every last bit of information about his intents and actions.


    He''s not experienced.


    But....


    I''m having a harder time than I expected. It''s obvious it is untrained by anyone. I can''t imagine how strong it will become should a chance present itself to empower himself at the guidance of a competent teacher.


    This thing cannot reach the surface and must absolutely can''t be allow to live. This monster will be the most dangerous being I will ever come across.


    If only it could use its powers for good but I don''t believe a monster like a mimic will.


    These sly bastards.


    They always have some sort of ulterior motives to their actions.


    I have my fair shares of experience with them and I absolutely despise them. After all, it was a mimic monster who took my......


    What the....?


    There was a shift in the air. A crippling sensation.


    It is coming from where my left arm is. I moved from that point and the space around it begin distorting.


    I knew it. Not only can it use [Abyss Magic], it can also use [Space Magic]. No. This level of casting and spell, it''s not Space Magic. It''s the advanced version of [Space Magic], [Spatial Magic]. It gives more influence and control over space itself.


    This monster. What else is it capable of?


    It seems shocked at me predicting its spell.


    Good. An opening. I went for it but not without caution.


    It regains its focus but Shadow''s Bane is already mere centimeters away from its neck.


    His hand moved in a fluid motion like water.


    Next thing I know, the white blade of Shadow''s Bane is split into two pieces.


    Another [Spatial Magic]. Dangerously, impressive.


    It prepares the sword of abyss immediately and thrust it at me. The angle its aiming at would not give me a fatal wound. Is it not trying to kill me? Come to think of it, it never really did attack me before. Might just be because I''m not giving it a chance to.


    Nevertheless, that injury will still give me a huge disadvantage. I can''t let it hit me.


    I raised Fang up to guard against the Abyssal Sword. I think it''s a sword. It could be something else.


    Good. At least Fang is able to defend against Abyss Magic. I wonder if it would be alright for Fang to absorb dark energies. I have heard that some mages tried to absorb [Abyss Magic] but ended up being swallowed by it. I have to be careful about this.


    That [Spatial Magic] which it used to cut Shadow''s Bane into half, that''s what I should be vigilant against. I doubt Fang could defend against such level of space magic.


    To prevent it from using that [Spatial Magic] against Fang, I will have to go at this from a different angle.


    I use [Light Magic: Flash], blinding the mimic, and dashes straight at it with Fang aiming for its neck. Decapitation is the most effective method to neutralize monsters.


    It dodged my attack but I have half-anticipated it. It has been dodging attacks that it can''t see after all. Still, I managed to give it a serious wound on its neck.


    Strange, I''m not seeing it wincing at its injuries. Is it immune to pain?


    As I''m about to close in on it again, it raises a cloud of smoke by stomping hard on the ground.


    From reading the disturbance in the air and the noises it makes, I can tell it is trying to create a gap between us.


    This is amusing.


    Calmly, I walk out of the smoke, wearing a poised smile. "Oh? Can''t keep up anymore?" I taunted the panting mimic. It looks tired. Me? My breathing is still normal. This level of battle is nothing. As expected, the mimic is still unfamiliar to a lot. I must kill it before it matures.


    I have to kill it n....


    Where did it go?


    The mimic, it disappeared right in front of me. Not just the sight of it, its scent, its breathing, its heat, its Mana energy, its presence, I can''t detect any of those.


    Hmph....


    Well done, mimic. You are truly a worthy opponent.


    I don''t really like fighting but you have made this very entertaining.


    Now that the atmosphere have calm down, I recalled something.


    "Was it you?" I asked. "The dead monsters and goblins, were they your handiwork?"


    I can neither hear or see the mimic but I already know it is its handiwork from the beginning. I was just hoping I might hooked its pride and let it reveal itself to me.


    "I take that as a yes."


    Seems like that didn''t work. It''s not proud and it''s cautious. Monsters usually aren''t cautious and give in easily to intimidation and provokes. And because these two traits, they generally don''t live long.


    This mimic. It thinks it can escape from me, someone who hunts slippery bastards like you for her whole life. It has another thing coming for it.


    It can erase its presence but not its existence in entirety. With the help of my unique Arcane Art, [Grace of the Nines], I''m able to use sonar. An ancient technique of locating things in general and it has since been adopted to the current era as a normal means to track down monsters like this particular mimic. Still, not many was successful in replicating this technique, too many factors involved for just anyone to use it.


    A faint pulse emitted from me and bounces back when it hit any obstructions.


    There.


    There it is. Barely a meter away from where it stood when I last saw it. It''s not running. It''s afraid of disturbing the stones, I presumed. Still, it is futile.


    {Element that illuminates the paths in darkness, a sword of light and benevolence, Durandal}


    From novice to advanced, I don''t need to chant for those level of spells but not adept levels. So, I chanted in a language that could be regarded as dead, Helix. The oldest language ever known.


    [Durandal]. An adept-level magic. It creates a sword made of pure immense light. The absolute weapon to slay monsters of the dark. It is used in close combat but not me. I find it more appropriate for something else.


    Make no mistake, it is indeed a greatsword but due to the way it is distinctively shaped and formed, I always used it as a javelin. They never expected someone to throw a greatsword like a javelin. A good element of surprise.


    The moment [Durandal] left my hand, I saw the mimic uncloaking its magic and cast a barrier to block [Durandal]. Just from a single glance, I can tell the barrier is far too weak to match [Durandal].


    When it realized its barrier magic failed, it attempted to dodge. Its life is spared but not its right arm. [Durandal] tore away its right arm as it went through its shoulder.


    Having accomplished its objective of hurting the enemy, [Durandal] fades away.


    I expected cries of agony but I received none of those. Instead, mere eyes of contempt and fear are directed towards me. Its mouth is closing and opening, his breathing uncontrolled but no screaming.


    "You''re not screaming nor seething with your teeth. Do you not feel pain?" I asked the mimic.


    It looks at its missing arm and then back at me. "I don''t." Its answer was simple.


    "Yet, you''re still Hyx Atlas?"


    It remains quiet.


    I must be smiling because it falter from me for a second there.


    When I take one step forward, it crawls one step back.


    How amusing. To think I have such high hopes for you. "Look at you.... Just like a bug.... Waiting to be squash right now...."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Yes. It is just as I said. It is nothing more than a bug right now. Just like that bug who.....


    No. Doesn''t matter anymore.


    I just have to end you here and let Hyx have his peace. Then, I will see what I can do for the humans it deemed to have "saved". There were records of monsters presumably saving some human and elven females, only to use them for their own "special" activities after. I know this the best. I experienced such thing first hand.


    What I am doing? There will be time reminiscing the past later. There is a dangerous monster before me right now.


    Where are you staring at?


    It''s not staring at me. Rather, it''s looking at something behind me.


    It might just be trying to trick me. To attack me while I have my back turned but the fear on its face is genuine.


    I look back.


    What is that?


    "Harbinger!" That thing said and pointed at me. No, not at me. It''s pointing at the mimic behind me. What''s a Harbinger?


    "Why Common?" I heard the mimic asked. What kind of question is that?


    {Penchant for Helix?}


    It made a soundless murmur before answering. "Common will do."


    "Helix?" I blurted out. If it''s a monster that is capable of speech and Helix no less, it must be very ancient. "What are you?" I asked.


    It cocked its head. I didn''t think it was possible for it move like that in that kind of armor. "An entity born of the Void."


    "The Void? How is this possible?"


    I''m not believing it but it made sense.


    This entity standing before me, is the source of the miasma in the dungeon. It was what we, the Templar Knights came here for. To purify the source.


    I can only laugh at the irony now.


    "Vira." From behind, the mimic with the skin and voice of Hyx called out to me.


    When I turned, it presented a vibrating [Light Drop] to me.


    "Goodbye." The mimic bid me with reluctant eyes and a sorrowful expression.


    Bemused, I was about to ask when the answer came.


    The area is instantly dyed in an intense white flash.


    [Grace of the Nines] kept my eyes from being blinded permanently but my vision is still robbed, temporarily.


    When the light died out, the mimic was gone.


    My immediate thought is to chase after it at once but something caused a tremor to the passage. Right in front of me, I see the passages collapse in an order.


    Now, the way is shut by pile of rocks.


    "So defiant, right until the very end." The armored monster said.


    I shift my focus to it. "Who are you?"


    "My vessel is a commander of knights but the very essence of the individual before you is Aedrox." It bowed slightly. Such an out of place action.


    "High Lord?" That''s an odd name for an odd individual.


    "Do you intend to do harm towards our salvation?"


    It said some baffling words.


    "If you are, then I''m afraid," The veins on its right arm glowed. "I must end you here and now."


    It finishes its sentence and attacks.


    Its rush is crude and wild but no less effective. Its massive right arm of a blade grazed my left shoulder but Fang''s innate ability, [Wielder Healing] took care of the wound.


    Its attacks mostly consist of wide swings. Parrying or blocking with a sabre like Fang is the least ideal situation. I doubt Fang would be broken by the blows but it is near weightless, I might get lifted off the ground from a single blow.


    With [Light Magic: Blink], I dodged its swings. It had even tried to grab me but that, I can easily prevent with a swift cut that''s imperceptible to its eyes. I cut off its left hand for more than five times but five times it just grows back.


    [Light Magic: Laser] is just plain ineffective. The armor, or rather the carapace on its torso is harder than its limbs. [White Light] only made it recoiled a little. [Scorching Radiance] might hurt it but given the lack of space in these passages, it would be suicide. Though, if worse comes to worse, I''ll consider that.


    It fires some sort of dark energy cloud but I sever it with [Magic Ripper], a unique ability of Fang. I could absorb it with [Mana Absorption] or [Magic Devouring Field] but I don''t like the idea of having Fang absorbing some unknown energy that can produce miasma.


    Our fight is just us trading blows. There isn''t a victor. We were both on equal grounds but not for long. I can tell with every second went by, the entity called Aedrox is only getting stronger.


    When I created some distance, I fire [Aura Blade] at Aedrox but there wasn''t even a scratch on it.


    This is bad. I''m getting cornered.


    Thanks to that mimic, my escape route is blocked and the only way left to go is the passage behind Aedrox.


    "Impressive, mortal. That light shining brilliantly within you, are you perhaps a favorite of the Gods?"


    Is is talking about me bearing the [Grace of the Nines]?


    "Have they finally grasped the threat of the Void?"


    "I don''t know what you''re speaking of."


    "Don''t. Play. Dumb. I know you bear a Grace."


    It has some deep knowledge of the Gods. "How old are you?" I have to ask.


    It looks at its right arm, at me, at the ground, the walls, and the ceiling. "No idea. As old as this world? Maybe older. Can''t remember."


    I see. It''s that old. Figures. It knew Helix after all.


    Now I have two monsters that I have to absolutely rid from this world.


    "Who''s this Harbinger you spoke of?"


    It tilts its head. "The boy."


    That mimic? "What of it?"


    "Not it. Him. He is the Harbinger, the one who will brought us our salvation."


    He? Is the mimic a male or does this entity not realize that person is a man, no longer? "It''s an it. Not a he."


    "Wrong. To the eyes of the frail mortals, he may be an it but to us, He is the Harbinger. An anticipated and beautiful existence."


    This entity, it really does look up highly on that mimic. Or is it really a mimic? It might really be Hyx and he has....


    No. It''s not possible that way. Even the Cardinal has met him and assessed him, Hyx is just a normal human without even a single magic aptitude, a sparkless. That thing is not Hyx Atlas even if it believes itself to be.


    "No more talk. An enemy to Harbinger is a target to us."


    Us? "There''s more of you?"


    "We are each an individual but our minds are not. Our numbers does not matter. A single individual is enough to face all mortal races."


    Arrogant and conceited but the weight of those words are real. I have to kill these thing right here right now. Otherwise, every race is looking at a non-existent future.


    When it attacks again, I feel the increase in its speed and agility. Force explodes upon collides of our weapons. I blocked those aftershock waves with [Nine Crests], nine light shields, they are mobile and are able to move to where I commanded them to. There is a range limit however on how far they are able to move away from me. But what makes [Nine Crests] unique is simply vain against Aedrox. Its destructive force is too great. I wonder how much more this whole place can withstand.


    If it wants to, it can collapse the roof onto us at any time. It has got me in leash.


    When every hope and way seems lost to me, something spoke to me.


    [Lady. You there. Lady.]


    Telepathy? Right in the middle of my battle with a Void monsters in a dungeon? Couldn''t the timing be anymore perfect.


    [Who is this?] I asked.


    [Your salvation. You will know who I am if you make your through the passage in front of you.] The androgynous voice answered.


    [Through this embodiment of ferocity?]


    [Yes. If you don''t, he will be the embodiment of your death.]


    [He?]


    [No time for questions. Just come to me. I can help.]


    Although I don''t trust the voice but my current situation isn''t any better without the intervention of the voice. I''ll listen to what it wants for now.


    To get past Aedrox, I summoned a familiar with [Spirit Magic], a Spriggan. Although they are actually used as attendants but they can use a few offensive spells and they can absorbed quite a lot of hits before disappearing. While they aren''t used as cannon fodders normally as it would anger the spirits, please overlook this matter just this once, O'' spirits.


    I dive past Aedrox while it''s busy with the Spriggan. When our eyes met, the Spriggran looked angry. Please, forgive me.


    To ensure it won''t catch up too fast, I invoke a barraging rain of light arrows, [Grace of the Nines (Unique): Soul Seeker].


    Leaving it screaming in exasperation behind, I make haste through the passage and arrived at a room, a spacious area.


    My face grimaced as I sensed the concentration of miasma here, the heaviest all over the dungeon. This must be its dwelling.


    [Over here, Lady.]


    Since the voice came from inside my head, I can''t pinpoint its location with those words.


    [On the other end of the room.] It said.


    There, I see nothing but a lance stuck on the ceiling. Someone must have threw it there but where''s the owner of the voice?


    [I don''t see you.]


    [You did. Look up.]


    I look up and saw only the lance. No one is there..... Wait. The lance is there.


    [Are you the.....]


    [Yes. I''m the lance that is stuck on the ceiling.]


    [How did you end up there?]


    [A certain clever boy used me as a javelin. He succeeded and he impaled Aedrox real good with me. Aedrox struggled for a while but in the end, he managed to pull me out of him. Out of anger and spite, he threw me to the ceiling.]


    They boy? Is the lance referring to the mimic? The mimic fought that monster and lived? Was the mimic holding back all the time while fighting me?


    [My name''s Runyx and that will do for now for introductions. Now, pull me out. Take me.]


    I have loads of questions but the lance is right. We can talk later.


    I easily jump a few ten feet into the air and grip at the lance. With little effort, I twist and pry the lance out of the crack it is budged into.


    There was a shock when I touched it. When it is fully in my grip, something was coming together, our souls perhaps, like hand to hand, reaching out for each other. The lance glowed a brilliant gold light like it has regain back its soul and light.


    [Title: <Mondra''s Companion> - Acquired]


    Mondra?


    [Thank you so much for that, milady. My name is Runyx, a race of living sentient arms, Mondras.] It introduced when I felt something akin to a pact is form. [You are now my master, my wielder. Can I call you milady?]


    [Sure?] I answered dubiously.


    Runyx. A lance with a blade length that covers two third of its body and the grip occupies the rest. A magnificent and elegant design. It must have been forged by the finest blacksmith.


    [Who made you?]


    [I don''t remember. We weren''t given sentience right after we''re forged but I do remember who gave us our sentience.]


    [And who is that person?]


    [Some old geezer. I don''t remember.] It replied with an attitude that couldn''t care less.


    [Are you a divine weapon?]


    [Um..... No. I don''t think so. We''re magical. We can talk and think for ourselves, that''s all we know.]


    [And you seem to know what that monster is.]


    [Oh right, him. His name is Aedrox, "born of the Void", and I was the lock and key to its presumably eternal imprisonment, his seal, so to say.]


    [You were created to seal that monster?]


    [Well, no. We were created for wars as do many weapons are but they found out we have other uses. Whoever made us, we are made to be unbreakable and we can repel any individual we deemed unworthy of even touching us. Umu!]


    I don''t recognize the jargon at the end of her sentence but I''ll leave it there. [Who is they?]


    [Um.... I don''t remember. Some bunch of bureaucrats and politicians. I do remember they are people who always have stick up their arse or had someone pissed in their coffee.]


    [Okay?] This lance''s speech pattern is weird. Perhaps this is the way the precursors talk? Then I am greatly disappointed.


    [Welp, whatever more questions you have. It will have to wait. He''s coming.]


    Although Runyx doesn''t have a finger to point, I can tell which direction she''s directing me to.


    "As expected of the Gods'' favorite. You are able to wield that accursed lance." Aedrox was spitting out those words as it came into view from the passage. It crushes the Spriggan''s head in front of me. I don''t see the body. Is it trying to intimidate me?


    [You''re good with a blade, right?] Runyx asked.


    [I''m good with a sword.]


    [Same difference. You''ll do just fine with me.]


    [What can you do?]


    [I cut deeper and harder. Sharper than most Divine Swords you will ever come across, maybe. And I''m made of the toughest metal in the world, maybe.]


    [That''s all?]


    [What do you mean "that''s all"? I''m awesome, aren''t I?] The lance named Runyx sounded proud.


    ..... Aren''t you just useless?


    [I heard that.]


    [How do you expect me to fight that thing when you have nothing to offer?]


    [Yeesh, milady. Think about it. I''m his seal. What do you think will happen if you use me to slice him?]


    I see. You can hurt him unlike most magic or weapon can. I have to use Fang and high level spells after all. Casting spells continuously without a gap is unconventional and Fang isn''t the ideal weapon to cross with that massive blade. Perhaps this giant lance is just what I need.


    [Exactly. Now, give him hell.]


    [Him?]


    [Well, unlike us, Mondras, Aedrox is actually a male. Bona fide.]


    Again, I heard something incomprehensible from Runyx. But anyways, a male huh? So that means it has.....


    [No no. He doesn''t. They have two genders like most sapient races but the genders aren''t differ by what''s down there.]


    That''s quite complicated. [But it is a he? How are you certain?]


    [I asked him once and that he got really mad from me assuming he''s genderless.]


    [You actually have held a conversation with.... him?]


    [I have been his seal to his prison for quite a long time now. We talked, some times. He''s not the most sociable person though. He has quite the delusion and ego.]


    Amusing.


    [Who? Aedrox?]


    [Everything here.]


    [I can''t disagree with you on that, milady.]


    Milady, huh. I think I can get use to that. No one had really called me a lady before. Except from a few slip ups. Hyx was the only one who actually call me by name right out in the open. Admirable courage. Sometimes, he would at least have the decency to add "Lady" before my name.


    God damn it, Hyx. Why did you let this happened to you?


    [Watch out!] Runyx screamed at me but I already knew it was coming. No one could resist being ignored for so long. I swing the two meter long weapon to guard against Aedrox''s charge.


    "Don''t. Ignore. Me." He chewed those words.


    He roars and swings his right arm like a madman. It''s angry that I ignored his very presence.


    More ferocious and faster than ever, I somehow find him even less threatening.


    The cause is Runyx. Wielding her brought some comfort to my mind, it''s something like assurance of victory.


    Her weight is well balanced and it swings wonderfully. Aside Fang in my right hand, it has been so long since I found another such well crafted and balanced weight on a sword. I never imagined I would find it again on a lance. I put Fang back into [Arms Inventory] and wield Runyx with two hands. It is a very big lance after all.


    [Appreciate your nice comment about my weight but not my size. I may not have a gender but I''m a maiden at heart.]


    I sigh as I yield to the lance''s eccentric character. [Of course you are, little Nyx.]


    [Hey! Don''t call..... You know what? That sounds cute actually. Call me Nyx from now. Please, milady?]


    [Sure, Nyx.] I will admit, it''s a little bit hard to say, considering it sounds so close to the name of a certain boy.


    Nyx giggled. I didn''t know it could do that but I''m not surprised.


    I dodged a swing from Aedrox as he made another comment about me ignoring his presence. His presence is actually becoming more irritating than threatening.


    "Insolent!" He screamed again but I shut him up with a full circle swing.


    He looked on in astonishment as he comprehended my move.


    I dismembered his right arm and decapitated his head. Whoever made this lance, I would like to thank you for this master-level craft. You have my respect.


    Instead of blood, dark energy leaks out like an overflowed tub from his headless neck.


    [Eeew~ I forgot about that.]


    [About what?]


    [They bleed too. Although not blood but it is still gruesome to watch.]


    [They? How many more are there?] Aedrox never did give a straight answer.


    [Oh. Millions. That''s what he told me. Honestly, I say his bullshitting.]


    [Such words for a maiden. Anyways, how many do You think there are?]


    [I don''t know. Probably at least a hundred?]


    [There''s hundred of Mondras out there to seal his kind??]


    [I don''t know. Could be. Never met other Mondras before. I was only told that there are other Mondras out there.]


    [Do you know where they are?]


    [Nope. Ehehehe.]


    As I was distracted by Nyx''s giggle, something is happening to Aedrox''s body. It has yet to fall on his back like any other headless corpse. He stood his ground like his threads have yet to be severed.


    [Um.... Milady?]


    [Yeah. I know. We should be taking him seriously now. It''s not going to die that easily.]


    Aedrox, who lost his head and arm, he is growing them back with the help of the raw minerals in this room.


    [And that is why I was used to seal him. Now I remember. I don''t think he can be killed.]


    I shut my eyes, breathed through my nose, easing the rage building up inside me. [That is something you should have told me when I became your wielder.]


    [Ehehehe? Sorry?]


    I narrowed my eyes. [I don''t want your apologies. Tell me how can I kill this thing.]


    [Like I said, he can''t be killed.]


    [Then what''s the point of you?]


    [I can hurt it?]


    [So can I, with some of my magic and attacks.]


    [But you merely hurt its vessel. I hurt Aedrox himself. I can make him scream, you know?]


    [So did I.]


    [Hehe, context~]


    I glared.


    [Ah.... Well.... I don''t know then. This is awkward.]


    [Runyx.]


    [Fine. Fine. Fine. That''s not the problem now, okay? The problem is this place.]


    [This place?]


    [This place is his domain after all. He can keep drawing his power from this place and never runs out.]


    So we will have to lure it out of his domain''s range of influence in order to kill it. That''s quite a complication.


    [But, I can kill it if you find his core. In theory.]


    [His core?]


    [His heart, I guess that''s how you mortals put it.]


    [Call us mortals, one more time, I''ll leave you here.]


    Nyx shrieked. [Eeek! Sorry sorry. Won''t happen again, milady.]


    Aedrox howls again to remind us of his disregarded presence. Now, both his arms are a massive blade. His head is now more of a helmet. If I''m correct, the carapace seems thicker too.


    [Where is his core?]


    [Where the heart is, I guess? Don''t take my word for it. Is all just in theory.]


    Magnificent. I will have to find a way myself.


    Huh!


    I sidestepped an attack. It was fast and a small crater is formed from the attack. It came again and at an unusual speed. He has become way faster than before. I deflect the blow with Nyx. And another. But I missed on the third time.


    No. I didn''t. I just can''t hit him. He became intangible all of a sudden.


    [Ah! That''s bad! Adjusting!] Nyx said in a panic and a faint glow appeared on the blade of the lance.


    Aedrox lunged at me and I barely parried his attack. He''s not intangible anymore. Seems like Runyx did something. Whatever it is, thank you.


    Using the parried momentum, he swings around and came back with a heavy slash. I raise Nyx as guard but the sheer strength made a crack on the ground beneath my feet.


    This is absurd. His power rose too quickly. He surpassed in minutes of combat with me. I see blood trickling down to my arm from my grip. I''m nearing my limit.


    I launch my counterattacks but he defended against all of it in a very efficient and precise method. He has managed to grasp my movements.


    We once again trade our blows but this time, Aedrox came out as the apparent victor. His prize, a scar across my face.


    He said something that sounded triumphant but it''s just incorrigible sounds. His power increase came at the cost of his speech.


    This battle can''t be dragged out. I''m loosing more and more grounds. And I can''t just desert the fight and make my escape.


    [Milady, I suggest an alternative move?]


    [It is not about technique anymore. We are just simply outclassed by his sheer strength and immense power.] He is even able to make me crave for a breather. I''m really loosing the edge here.


    [In that case, use me as a conduit for your magic. Arcane Arts, was it? I don''t remember the term.]


    [What do you mean about using you as a conduit?]


    [Like a staff or a scepter. I can amplify your spells and abilities if you use me as a conduit.]


    I''m surprised, at Nyx''s function and its ability to communicate in a proper manner.


    [I fucking heard that.]


    I ignored her last sentence. [Alright, let''s do it. How much can you handle?]


    [I can even handle forbidden-levels.]


    Perfect. Then I don''t need to hold back. [Very well.] I said and avoid an attack that would have split me into two halves.


    Blocking a heavy blow with [Saint''s Shield] and [Nine Crests], I use [Blink] to create a gap between us and prevented Aedrox from closing it with [Scorching Radiance]. With just [Scorching Radiance], I have already turn half of the room into cinders and coals.


    The next ability I''m about to cast, might turn this whole area into nothing.


    A grim situation indeed. Sacrifices have to be made. I have long resolved myself to it ever since I sworn the oath of the Templar Knights. Whatever means necessary, I will eliminate all those who threatens the humans. That is my vow when I lost everything.


    I don''t intend to survive this fight, not as long as I can take this monster down with me. I will take every monster down with me if I have to. They have taken everything from me. Too bad, they should taken me too.


    [Uh... what? What did you just thought about?]


    {Element that illuminates the paths in darkness --}


    [Oi. What''s this about dying together with Aedrox?]


    {-- An exemplar of a brilliant and radiant tomorrow --}


    [Milady! Don''t ignore me! What did you mean by that? Tell me! Please!]


    {-- Daybreak} I finished the chant and swings Nyx, who is screaming at the top of its lungs in my mind, at Aedrox who has pounced at me.


    A brilliant light emerges from the lance, radiantly shining, like a sunrise, a sure sign of a tomorrow, like the day is breaking out of the night veil.


    The light, it leveled along with everything it illuminates, a destruction, as absolute as there will be a tomorrow.


    That is the forbidden-level spell of [Light Magic], [Daybreak].


    Be seeing you, everyone.

 H17 - Farewell

    Clammis Aturen. That was her full name. Twenty-seven of age. Unmarried but a maiden no longer. Typical of your standard adventurer, fickle with commitments.


    She was born into a family of knights. Her mother died shortly after giving birth to the fourth child, the second daughter, Clammis'' younger sister, Rien.


    She had two brothers, both knights to Farmas Kingdom like their father.


    Due to not having the charms of a woman and the knight''s prejudice against women, Clammis trained hard and became an adventurer. Muo Li was the first adventurer she has paired up with. They weren''t the best of friends but they would mourn heavily for each other should the other pass on.


    Her swordplay and techniques are magnificent and she is considered a genius. Because of her strength, she swings fast even if she wields a greatsword. People have high hopes for her.


    But....


    None of those matters anymore.


    She is dead. End of story.


    I ate her flesh and her soul. I gained her memories and her abilities.


    Though, I wished the memories could be left out. Her story is one suffering after another. Being a woman in this world is hard, especially if you lack the charm of a lady. Her whole life combined might be more tragic than mine.


    She had joined this expedition to prove herself. Look where did it got her.


    "Hyx? Are you alright?" Tom asked. Instead of me, Tom is the one carrying Muo Li. I''m missing an arm so I have to let Tom carry her. I can carry Muo Li with just one arm but that would slow our pace.


    I have borrowed fire from Tom''s magic to cauterized the wound. Lubac and the goblins have a twisted face as they watch. Tom looks unpleasant from the sight but not as worse as the former three. Cauterizing is a cake compare to my blood vessels popping. Still, the throbbing is unsettling.


    "Hyx?"


    This must be the third time Tom has asked of my condition. I''m well aware of my complexion but nothing can be done.


    "Tom." I said. "No matter how many times you asked, my answer won''t be any different. I know you want me to stop and take a rest but we can''t stop right now. Not with those endless swarms of giant black ants."


    When I caught up with Tom, they getting attacked by some black giant ants. Well, they look like ants but they are not exactly ants. They have four eyes and their legs are pointed. Their blood is acidic so I eliminated them using long range magic, [Hell Spike]. I must have made at least twenty of them into skewers by now.


    Still, they kept swarming us and every once in a while, we are assaulted by tremors. I have no doubt is Vira''s battle against Aedrox. They have been going for at least ten minutes now. I hope they are taking it slow. I want to be completely out of their range before the fight is concluded. Therefore, we can''t afford any delays.


    "Maybe we should stop." Lubac timidly suggested. His complexion is the palest despite having the least injuries. In such a medieval setting and at that age, you would think he would have his fair shares of nightmares. Turns out, I''m wrong. He''s not used to such things.


    "Obviously, you do not know monster language." I commented.


    Lubac clicks his tongue at my mention of "monster language". There is some strong aversion to monsters it seems. Obvious.


    "You can rest if you want. I won''t stop you."


    Lubac was about to ask why the permission when another three black ants swarmed us. Like the previous twenty, I skewered them too with [Hell Spike]. Lubac seemed to get the idea after that.


    Another thing I have to note. My Mana, after consuming Clammis, it has turned purple, dark purple. I have forgotten what color my Mana is suppose to be but I''m sure it isn''t this color. My Mana color is just like Aedrox''s but his purple is of a much darker hue.


    "Hyx." Tom called out again. "How are you...."


    Before Tom finishes, I cut in. "Tom. Stop it. It doesn''t...."


    "I don''t mean your arm. I mean about the two. You were there. You saw them die. It must be hard for you."


    Ah.... I see. Instead of blaming me for their death, he is even consoling me. Damn it. I have the wrong notion of you again. What an ass I am. I''m just the worst....


    "No, Tom. I should be the worrying about you, Bartholomew, and Cormac. Unlike me, you guys are closer to each other than I am. Therefore, I''m sorry."


    Yes, I named Goblin B and C, Bartholomew and Cormac respectively. It just felt wrong to keep being ignorant to them.


    Lubac put on a difficult face at hearing our conversation. His face says enough of how much he scorns the atmosphere.


    "It''s not your fault. You did your best. You did saved Barthy and Cormy."


    It maybe out of place for me to point it out but I find Tom''s inability to pronounce some names to be quite amusing and heartwarming but.... "I didn''t." I replied, honestly.


    "Hyx. That''s not...."


    "I wasn''t at my best. I didn''t do my best. I couldn''t. So Tom, stop trying. I''ll be fine. Don''t worry." I''m not sure how much credibility I have with those words but Tom is just nodding to my every words. I wish he can be a little bit defiant. Maybe I would then have a fresh perspective on matters.


    "Hyx..."


    That voice, is Muo Li''s. She''s awake.


    "Hyx."


    "I know, Tom. Let her down, gently."


    Tom nods and gently lays her on the ground. Of course, I support her head with my left arm. I gesture for Tom and the others to give some space.


    Back when I have just escaped Vira and Aedrox, I had taken a good look on Muo Li.


    What I saw had disheartened me. She''s in a grievous condition. Her Mana Vessel is in tatters, a wreck like Clammis''. Not even the healing reagents can help her as they can heal the physical body not the soul.


    Damn it.


    Aedrox''s power doesn''t just harms one''s physical body but the soul too. I didn''t realize this before because of [Magic Enhancement]. Not only it protects my body but it cast a layer of protection on my Mana Vessel too. If I noticed this earlier, I would have insist to not let the two fight.


    "Hyx...."


    "It''s alright, Muo Li. I''m here." I said, in Yuewen.


    "Is everyone okay?" Her hand reaches for me.


    I want to lie but.... "No. Clammis and....." I can''t finish.


    "Is alright.... I''ll be joining them soon.... Don''t worry." She said some heart-rending words.


    What are you saying? Don''t say that. "Muo Li. Listen to me. You will be fine."


    "It''s okay. I know. It''s alright." She wipes away the tears I have unconsciously shed. "Hyx?"


    "I''m here." I tried to force a smile. I''m not sure it worked.


    "I''m thirsty."


    I look around. I have [Mana Perception] and [Clarity Field] on at all times. I don''t plan to deactivate the two unless my Mana has depleted. I''m sick of the ambushes.


    There.


    A few feet in front, at a right turn. A tunnel, leading to a body of water. I can the gush and the rush when I concentrated my hearing.


    "Okay." I told her. "There''s a river just ahead." I then signal Tom to carry Muo Li.


    "Thank you, Tom." Meekly, Muo Li says her thanks.


    "Y...you''re w...welcome." Tom responded with a smile.


    I''ll be taking point.


    "Lubac."


    "Yes?" He straightened when I called out.


    "You are a court mage, aren''t you?"


    "Alchemist, actually."


    "Same difference. You are a someone of a high rank, aren''t you?"


    "Yes?"


    "Act like one then."


    "Yes." The word seems forced but I''m not intending to doubt it.


    "Guard them with your life. I''ll be taking point." I told him.


    Lubac has a look of disbelief at me giving orders again but he swallows his pride and nodded in compliance. At least, he knows what''s good for him.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "Good." I said and run ahead, instantly skewering six ambushing black ants with [Hell Spike].


    <hr>


    As I got to the river, another tremor hit. I avoided a falling piece of fragment broken off from the ceiling. This whole place will eventually come down and come apart if that fight keeps up.


    The fight sure is something but I have to find a way up. I hope I can find a way out of this layer before the fight is finished. Whoever is the winner, I will be fucked by either one, though Vira might not be a bad choice in this matter.


    Oops. What am I thinking? Now is not the time for my perverted fantasies. Get back on track, Hyx.


    The river is just like the one where I fell to from the Red Crystal Spriggans dwelling. The shore is smaller but the ground is the same, pebbles and sand. Now that I have some time, it''s nice to walk on such soil with bare feet. Feels kinda like a beach.


    Oh yeah, I have discarded my boots. They were in a condition where it felt more comfortable walking without them.


    Of course I have scanned the waters with [Mana Perception] and [Clarity Field]. No sign of hostiles hiding in it and as for the water.... I took a sip. Tasteless, the taste of water. My Mana flow is not showing any abnormality, so it must be safe to drink.


    I heard fire explosions from behind and I turn back to find the rest of my party, breathless as they came out from the tunnel.


    "Problem?" I asked.


    "What do you think?" Lubac answer in between his breaths.


    "Bl...black ants. M...many." Tom replied slowly in Common.


    I see. They were attacked by more black ants but I knew Lubac can take care of it. He may not be at my level but he is not a Court Mage for nothing.


    Sorry. Alchemist.


    Tom entrusts Muo Li to me. With me as her crutch, she is able to at least limp. I bring her close to the waters.


    We sat down and she slumped into my chest, entrusting her weight to me. She''s so light and frail. I was afraid I would break her if I hug her.


    I used one of the bottles that I have took from the goblin''s lair back then and scoop some water with it. Of course, I rinsed it a few times before putting it into practical use.


    Slowly and steadily, she takes small sips.


    A thin silver string forms between her and the bottle''s lips, it was very alluring but it will be boorish of me to point it out.


    "Much better?" I asked.


    "For now." Her voice is faint and meek. She''s not getting any better. Her Mana Vessel is shedding off her skin bits by bits.


    "Don''t worry. Everything will be fine." I said it vaguely because I can''t lie to her. I don''t want to.


    "The vines.... I never really got the chance to enjoy the sight of them." She said. She must be referring to the cyan vines that have grown in a cluster just beyond the river, the wall on the other side.


    Not just there, everywhere around us, almost every nook and cranny, the cyan vines grew. The only salvation in the darkness but that''s only superficial. I don''t know what they actually are but they are terrifying, not anymore though. Aedrox and Vira is right at the top of the list of things I want to avoid the most, for now.


    "Have you been to Farmas Kingdom?" She asked.


    "I don''t remember."


    "In the capital, on the main street, stores lined up in a straight line during midday. There''s this elderly couple. Xins, just like me and half of you."


    I smile wryly.


    "They sell some very delicious roasted pork skewers. They have beef sometimes too but you''ll need luck for that. The beef is sold out before the first hour of midday."


    "If we made it out of here, you can take me there yourself."


    "I sure will." She said and looks up at my face. Her hand caressing my cheeks. "I hope I can."


    I want to dismiss her statement but the truth isn''t so kind.


    "Your arm...."


    Ah. She finally noticed.


    "Will you be okay?"


    I bury my face on the top her head. "Of course. Who do you think I am?" I breath through her hair. It doesn''t smell as bad as I thought it would be considering how long we have been without shower or bath. She lets out a weak giggle. It must have been ticklish.


    Hmm.... do they have baths or showers here in this world.? Maybe they just rub themselves with a hot towel to get by. I want to know but that''s a question for another time.


    "Clammis.... How did she die?"


    I knew she would ask that. "I.... I killed her." I don''t want to lie.


    "I see...." She said. "Thank you."


    She understands. Of course she does. "The food.... What else is there?"


    "Hm? Well.... " Her inflated cheeks while she''s thinking is cute.


    I caress her cheeks and she seems to like it as she closed her eyes with glee.


    "There''s a shop in the capital, they painted it all blue. Their pies are unlike any pies you have ever eaten. Apparently, it is a secret recipe passed down through the generations. Their honey pie is simply the best. Not too sweet, just the right amount."


    "That sounds nice." I said.


    I can feel her vital signs dropping and her Mana loosing its color.


    "And the yearly Red Crescent Festival, the merchants always brought some strange toys with them. I would always get at least one of them to commemorate for that. And the performance...."


    She looses her voice half through. I got worried for a moment but she''s just catching her breath.


    ".... The performance, they are always very spectacular. The Shrine Maiden''s dance and the wonderful songs that went with it, wouldn''t miss it for the world."


    "Sounds peaceful."


    "They are. Although, I didn''t think so back then. I thought...." She coughed. I help ease her cough by gently patting her back. ".... I thought those things would be the last things I saw before my deathbed...."


    "Muo Li?" I called out when she went silent.


    "I.... I have taken those things for granted."


    "No, you didn''t. You''re just simply.... mistaken. That''s all."


    "Do you.... really believe so?"


    "I don''t lie."


    She gives me a delicate smile. "Sure you don''t." Her fingers trace down from cheeks to my collar bone. "Then, tell me. What are these?"


    She must be talking about the black veins that have grew all over me. "I''m not sure. Must be a side effect from my powers."


    "Will you be alright?" The worry in her voice is genuine. I was hoping it to be a satire. It would have made things much easier.


    "I don''t know." I can''t lie. "So far, nothing''s happening."


    "That''s good. Thank god...." Her voice is getting lower.


    Gently, I brush her hair and her smile got broader.


    I hear Lubac groaning in impatience from the back but luckily for the atmosphere and Lubac, Tom is prudent enough to read the mood and prevent Lubac from incurring the rising fury within me.


    "Say...." She said, still with her broad smile on her face.


    "Yes?"


    Her eyes changed then. I knew what she was going to ask. "Can you...."


    "No." I answered. "I can''t do that."


    "Am I that unneeded in the end?"


    Unfair. You, being sly right now is unfair, Muo Li. Don''t make me do this.


    "I have been nothing but burden to you."


    I want to deny it but those are the truth. I can''t lie to her.


    "This is the least I can do."


    "Enough. You have already done enough."


    "What exactly have I done?" There''s a slight tremble in her voice.


    "If it weren''t for you.... If it weren''t because of you, Clammis, Tom, and the others..... I don''t think I would have remain..... sane. Because of all of you, I retain my grasp on what''s left of me. I don''t what I''ll be if I hadn''t met you all. So, you have done enough. You have done enough, Muo Li."


    "Then.... I"m glad...."


    "You deserve better than this. This.... This is just unfair."


    "It''s okay. It''s alright." Her fingers and mine intertwined. "You grew a lot."


    I lightly chuckled. "How so?"


    "When I first saw you, you look like a monster.... but you''re just a boy, afraid of everything, so you destroy everything but.... you crave for interaction, company.... but you''re afraid of that too. But now.... you may not be completely different from then but.... you are slowly coming out from that shell."


    Strange.... I''m not shedding tears. Why? Is it because I have seen this coming? Was my mind long prepared for it? How cruel would I have to be to not shed tears during such.... situations....


    The light of her Mana, it''s nearing the end. The light has nearly died out.


    "If what you said is really the truth, then.... I''m glad I wasn''t a hindrance to you, to all of you.... You''re a good person...."


    "I''m not." I firmly told her so. "Before I met you all, I have let people die.... Not because I couldn''t save them but..... My mind just went blank and I didn''t know what to do. I thought I was just scared.... But now, I have time to think about it. At that time.... deep down.... I just couldn''t care less.... I didn''t know them.... never been with them long enough.... so.... I deemed it, unconsciously, that they weren''t worth saving.... just because I didn''t know them."


    "Hyx...."


    "So tell me, how am I a good person?"


    "You weren''t but you are now."


    She look up at my face again, her upturned eyes and my downcast eyes met. Our gazes locked.


    "People change. And they do that by growing up. And you have grew."


    "Muo Li...." I said her name in a way I never have.


    What is this feeling?


    The air should be chilly but.... warmth emanating..... from her?


    Strange.... we haven''t been together for a week but yet.... I feel an attraction to her.... Is this real? Or is it just something like a suspension bridge?


    A fleeting emotion?


    I don''t know. I don''t understand.


    Slowly, we are bringing our face closer to each other.


    "Hyx...."


    "Yes?" I asked, with a smile....


    "Kiss me?"


    She didn''t realize I have already kissed her back then but I don''t think that counts.


    Is this it?


    Is this love?


    I don''t even remember how love feels like.


    It''s frustrating yet.... it''s stirring something inside me.


    "You don''t need to ask." I said and our lips slowly closing the gap between us.


    The time for our lips to meet seemed like an eternity but so is the time when our lips finally touched. We both closed our eyes.


    It''s soft, wet, gentle, warming, and.... I can''t identify the last one. I''m not familiar with it but I like it.


    What seems like an eternity, our lips eventually parts, and when it did, my eyes opened but hers didn''t.


    Stil, not a tear was shed.


    Her grip on my hand has loosened.


    The light of her Mana is gone


    Her gentle heartbeat slowly coming to a stop.


    "Sorry." I begged. "I can''t grand your wish. I can''t do it. I''m sorry."


    I closed my eyes again, invoking the spirits with my mind.


    "Please. Sent her off for me. It will be crude and disrespectful to not ask for your help to sent her off. Her soul.... is in pieces. Burying her will not bring her peace. So spirits, I beg for your assistance. Whatever you ask for me in return, I will comply."


    The spirits appeared and they surrounded me. I can feel their consolation and empathy. They can share my sorrows.


    [Spirit Magic: Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    [Spirit Magic: Spirit Fire - Acquired]


    Thank you.


    The spirits nodded. I can tell they are saying "You''re welcome."


    I conjure cyan flames into my hands, lay Muo Li just by the river bank, I let the flames become her veil.


    "Hyx?" Tom called out.


    "I''m fine." I answered without looking away as the flames sending every being of Muo Li away to the afterlife.


    "Hyx?"


    "Not now, Tom."


    "Boy!" Lubac shouted at me.


    Oh please, not you too.


    "Hyx!"


    "Not now."


    "Hyx! The wate...." Tom was cut off by my glare at him. At then, he understands.


    I know. I have already known about it. I never did switch off [Mana Perception] and [Clarity Field] after all.


    It''s the giant crocodile. It has sneaked up on me while I''m bathed in the last moments with Muo Li.


    Or at least, it thinks it has sneaked up on me.


    The surface rippled more and more violently until it broke apart, it leaped out of the waters, its jaws opened wider than sixty degrees, and that was the moment I impaled it with multiple [Hell Spike].


    It growled in agony and I felt it''s gaze at me. I ignored it.


    It''s tenacious. It didn''t die from that. So, I [Sever] its head off.


    Black tendrils came out from my back and proceed to devour the giant crocodile''s soul.


    I feel my Mana has increased and HP too but I didn''t received any new magic or abilities. Perhaps I will gain its tough hide from eating it but I don''t have time for that.


    "Come on. Let''s keep moving." I said as I walked past the four. Muo Li have passed on with the last traces of the spirits'' flames. I thanked the spirits again.


    [Mana Overseer (Unique): Lv. 5 increased to Lv. 6]


    It leveled up?


    I''m surprised.


    I have thought that either [Abyss Magic] or [Spatial Magic] would be first but I didn''t think it would be [Mana Overseer]. Must be because of I kept [Mana Perception] and [Clarity Field] on a constant activation.


    [Mana Overseer (Unique): Arcane Orb - Acquired]


    I''m guessing it''s a pure Mana version of [Energy Sphere]?


    [Mana Overseer (Unique): Mana Perception evolved into Arcane Analysis]


    Oh? Evolution?


    [Finally. You can hear me. How long I have waited for this.]


    What the... who''s that? The voice, it''s familiar.


    [You know who I am.]


    I do?


    [I have been with you ever since the beginning. You first awoken me by absorbing Mana from the miniature Crystal Pillar.]


    The mini Cryst....


    Oh.


    So that''s it.... You are....


    [Yes. I am the Overseer of you Mana.]


    But.... How is this possible?


    [At long last, I can say this, pleased to meet you, my master.]


    Master....


    Eh?

 H18 - Ascend

    A name?


    [Yes. A name.]


    Can''t I just call you The Overseer?


    [That''s my designation. A title.]


    I''m not good with names.


    [I will agree with you on that one, master but you are the only who I will allow.]


    Why? Because I''m your master?


    [Yes.]


    I sigh.


    Not long after I cremated Muo Li, [Mana Overseer] leveled up and the ability under its domain, [Mana Perception] evolved into [Arcane Analysis]. In which, it gained sentience.


    And there is another thing to be concerned of. I''m no longer being constantly attacked by monsters. In fact, they all scuttled away the moment they noticed my presence.


    Not complaining but this is odd. I got a bad feeling about this.


    [That''s because of me.]


    You?


    [Yes. I have been doing some tampering. Since I''m the one overseeing your Mana flow and structure as my title implies, I made your abnormally high and powerful Mana emanated to the surrounding atmosphere. To put it simply, you are now giving out a very threatening and murderous aura to the monsters.]


    Why would you do that and why didn''t you ask for permission first?


    [I don''t need to because I know it is what you desire.]


    And how would you know that?


    [I''m not just the overseer of your Mana but I am also you, a part of you, to be precise. A split personality. Your sub-conscious. Your inner desire. Your dark side. Take your pick.]


    My inner desire? My dark side?


    [I represent all of those, my master.]


    Don''t call me that, please.


    [No need to be embarrassed now, master.]


    I am not.


    [I know what''s in your mind. I know what you are thinking. I told you, I am you, after all.]


    Really?


    [You like being called master but you''re in the closet about it.]


    I am not.


    [Really? Then shall I refresh your memory on.....]


    Okay. Okay. You made your point. Fair enough.


    [Of course, my master.]


    Can you be quiet for a moment?


    .....


    Thank you.


    Great. One problem after another.


    I look over my shoulder, towards Tom and the others. They all have been staring at me for a while now. I guess I was in a very weird mood. I can even feel it myself.


    How do I go about explaining this to them?


    For all I know, they might officially stamp me with insane. They would probably think I lost my mind from Muo Li''s death.


    Ha..... Damn it....


    I don''t feel so good now. A part of me wishes I didn''t deny Muo Li''s final wish. Unlike Clammis or Tom, for that matter, I think she held a special place in my heart.


    My thoughts have let my gaze went adrift and landed on Bartholomew. He looks scare and turn his face away from me.


    I don''t need a mirror to tell me that I''m not making a nice face now.


    [F-Y-I, you are not hallucinating or imagining me up. You might be mourning but you are not on meds, alright?]


    I am in mourning but I don''t think I will hallucinate from that. Will I?


    No no no no. Don''t think that. I am not hallucinating.


    Not yet.


    This.... dude is real. I know he is.


    [I am without gender actually, but since I''m you, it wouldn''t be wrong to call me a he.]


    In that case.....


    [No. Please don''t, my honorable master.]


    Wow. You can really read my mind.


    [No. You are naming me that. Please don''t.]


    What''s wrong with that?


    [You are not going to name me Hyx No. 2]


    Just Number 2?


    [.....]


    How about you name yourself?


    [It won''t feel.... right then. I may be you but I''m not the main one. The final word, the final say, those privileges are yours.]


    Hmm....


    Privileges, eh....


    What so good about it to make those two privileges?


    [Just for your information, I don''t see the world like you do.]


    I heard some complicated words.


    What do you mean?


    [It''s difficult to explain. How can I put this.....ta ta ta ta ta......]


    Hmm.... I do somehow remember make sounds like that when I''m deep in thought.


    [Ah. Imagine this. For a website, you see the brilliant designs, the myriad colors, the wonderful images while I see the coding, the elements. Therefore, I perceive more information than you.]


    You''re my subconscious.... that means.... I can actually see the world that way?


    [Yes but it won''t be easy. I represent all of which you can''t comprehend, interpret, and process. For example when you see a picture, you perceive the subject first, and then the objects, and then the colors, and then the background. You process these information one by one, Perhaps it took you five second to perceive the whole picture. While I perceive everything the moment I laid my.... "eyes" upon the picture and I can even tell what kind of paint is used and how old it is. All from a single glance of not even a second.]


    Won''t that overload my brain? You maybe my sub-conscious but we still use the same brain.


    [If this was you before, yes. But you are different now.]


    What changed?


    [Your diet.]


    Ah....?


    Oh.


    That.


    Are you saying that the more.... raw.... stuff.... I eat, the more RAM I will have?


    [To put it that way, yes. Sapient races, eating them raw, gives the most RAM.]


    Ah... That''s....


    [That''s very morbid and there''s the temptation of the immorality. Yes, I know.]


    You know a lot, don''t you?


    [I just know what you know. I am your hidden talent, your true potential.]


    Alright. You made your point. No need to keep repeating the same shit.


    [Of course, master.]


    At least you listen. Unlike the previous two that I met. Don''t want to point any fingers but one is a zealous warrior and another is an illegal immigrant.


    "Boy! In front." Lubac shouted.


    I''m snapped back to reality when the Court Alchemist calls out. Just ahead, I found Wights crawling out from a hole in the ceiling. Every other monsters or giant bugs have been avoiding me but not this Wights.


    Heh? I wasn''t aware they are lurking in this area too.


    Unlike their usual purplish blue Mana, it is now an intense dark purple. Similar to mine.


    [It seems they have been corrupted by Aedrox.]


    Just what I was thinking but how?


    [The ore veins.]


    Right, they are everywhere in the dungeon like the cyan vines.


    [They are not normal ore veins. They are highly reactive to magic. Aedrox is using those veins to draw additional power and in the process, corrupting those veins with its essence.]


    Like a vampire infecting its victims while sucking them dry. So why does corrupting the veins have anything to do with the Wights?


    [You realized it too, didn''t you? The Wights are unusual even in this dungeon. Other monsters are based on animals we known. Not the Wights. They are different.]


    It can''t be.... They....


    [If I know it then you do too. The veins might be included in their diet. You see but you don''t notice. They are different than the other monster you came across. Who is to say that their diet couldn''t be different too?]


    "Hyx! They''re behind us too."


    That''s a lot of "too"s in just ten seconds.


    Anyways, Tom''s right. They are also coming from behind us. In fact, they are swarming this place from every available. It''s like they are attracted to this place.


    [Master. As usual, you see but didn''t notice. Did you notice it now?]


    Yeah.


    I said.


    It''s very obvious now from the Overseer''s words.


    The Wights, they are different but they are even more disparate now.


    Instead of their usual pale white skin, dark purple veins appeared all over their body.


    [They were....]


    Humans. Yes, I realized.


    If there''s a village then there must be peoples who lived in those villages but we didn''t see any sign of the villagers. A lot of things could have happened to them, maybe they decomposed or they got absorb by either the earth or plants but now, there is a more probable theory to what happened to the villagers.


    These Wights, they were the villagers. Corrupted by the Void long ago and unsealing Aedrox trigger the dormant Void essence within them, allowing the dark purple veins surfacing on their skin.


    And there is one last obvious clue to my theory, these Wights look awfully a lot like humans, deformed humans.


    This place, this dungeon, if my guess is right, it wasn''t always a dungeon. It might have been a small town once but something happened. My money is on Aedrox. It made this place what it is now.


    And as that thought crossed my mind, the whole place shook again.


    Another chunk of rock fell from the fracturing ceiling, it landed just in front of Bartholomew and Cormac. But the Wights aren''t all fortunate, some are crushed by the falling debris.


    I say that''s a win.


    They''re all alright, no one in the party is hurt but Lubac''s nerves is just getting worse. He''s biting his fingers.


    [Yeah. I''ll keep a lookout in case his behavior exceeds the tolerable standards.]


    More Wights gush in like a waterfall, becoming obstacles to the one path available in the passage.


    They are just perfect for me to test my new ability.


    Instead of a purplish black sphere, a dark purple energy orb conjures in my hand. [Arcane Orb]. I obliterate the Wights on the path with it.


    Unlike [Energy Sphere], [Arcane Orb] can be thrown like a ball. The orb of Mana explodes on impact.


    Okay..... Nothing too special. It''s just a very powerful throwing-explosive. Good for crowd control. All the Wights caught in the explosion are turned into shreds. So, no complain about this ability. Mana consumption is economical.


    Launching another [Arcane Orb], I successfully clearing every Wight in my way and we head down that path.


    [We will need to get out of here.]


    Well, no shit. Ideas?


    [Straight ahead. There''s a chasm.]


    If the Overseer has a face, I will be glaring at it.


    Putting on an Irish accent in my mind, I asked, we''re going down further?


    [There''s no further down. Not from what I analyzed. This is the lowest layer. Any lower is just bedrocks. Straight ahead is a river which is the bottom of the chasm.]


    Ah. So that''s what you meant.


    I assume there will be stairs or ropes for us to climb up?


    As the talk went on, Tom and Lubac assisted me in repelling the chasing Wights.


    [You and I, we have seen many cavities, crevices, openings, and chasms. Do you see any stairs or ropes for traversing?]


    Now that I think about it, there''s isn''t any stairs nor ropes to climb up or down.


    [Because the only way to go up is through one''s own ability. Either you fly or climb.]


    I guess in the end, I''ll have to use that terrible idea of mine.


    [If it''s you alone, traversing between layers wouldn''t be a problem. In theory, with just a single jump, you could easily reach two stories.]This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Somehow, I knew those things but I don''t, not until it was pointed out. In fact, everything that the Overseer told me felt something like this. It makes one think, "why didn''t I thought of that earlier?" that kind of feeling.


    Along the way, we saw Wights attacking other monsters. They weren''t eating them. They were merely killing them for sports. It has even changed their behavior. I can see why Tom said the Wights are the boss of the upper layers. Now, they might even be the one''s who rule the bottom layers.


    We arrived at the busy river the Overseer mentioned. Not just rocks or debris, I even saw some monsters being carried away by the rushing waters. I wonder if they fell or dove into it involuntarily.


    "Element of tranquility and rage, winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars." Lubac chanted and sent blades of wind at the pursuing Wights, slicing them into pieces. His ability is in contrast to his nerves. He''s not bad.


    I look up. There were some giant bugs crawling out of the walls of the chasm. They were leaving their homes. Are they afraid of the Wights too?


    [No. It''s the not the wights.]


    It isn''t?


    Then, another quake hit but this one has the largest magnitude and lasted for a few seconds. The quake stopped but the aftershock came.


    [Finally?]


    Yeah, finally.


    Finally, after so many large scale spells being cast and many earth-shattering attacks being swung, the whole place is finally coming down.


    From the sound of it, an explosion of a massive scale might have happened. Perhaps it''s the conclusion of Vira and Aedrox''s battle?


    "Boy. Where are we going?" Lubac asked in a panic when he realized what''s happening. A few more debris almost fell on us but I destroyed them with [Abyssal Javelin] and [Hell Spike].


    "Whole place, crumbling?"


    "Seem so. Seem so."


    The goblins said while looking around at the ceilings frantically.


    "Hyx?" Tom look to me for confirmation which I nodded.


    "Buy me some time. I''ll get us out of here. Just hold those bastards back."


    "Bah! Whatever you going to do, do it fast. My Mana pool ain''t the abyss, you know?" Lubac shouted back with a infuriating tone but it''s understandable.


    We have all being fighting our way through non-stop and at most, it''s just a few minutes break. Plus, his words do have a point. He probably doesn''t come close to having the same amount of Mana I have.


    "Element of tranquility and rage, winds of compulsion, Howling Gale."


    The air in Lubac''s surroundings gathers in a way that resembles the winds chasing its own tail, a tornado so to speak but it''s positioned horizontally. This spell doesn''t cuts the Wight to pieces like the previous spell but it covers a wider range by pushing the Wights back.


    Well, I did say buy some time so this spell kinda reflects my request.


    I cast [Plane Displacement] but not as a barrier but a foothold. I thought of using [Overload] but I don''t, it wouldn''t be ideal. [Overload] enhance spells and abilities but it''s volatile and transient.


    I just have to pour more Mana into the cast, hopefully enough to withstand one, two, three, four... Five persons'' weight.


    [If you would allow me, master, I can make it solid enough to carry all four of you.]


    You can do that?


    [The socializing and fighting is your specialty, tempering and reconstructing Mana flow or structure is mine. So just focus on providing the needed Mana and let your inner demon do the job.]


    .... That''s not funny.


    [It is and you know it, my master. I am....]


    .... me. Yes I got it, you''re me. So just hurry up.


    [Of course. Uno momento, por favor~]


    I''m not sure that''s how you say "one moment, please" in Spanish.


    It ignores me and continues its work with while whistling.


    I didn''t know it can whistle because I sure as hell can''t.


    And only now I realized that the Overseer and I share the same voice. As expected of my sub-conscious. It will be weird if its a voice other than mine.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, tides of flames surge before me, Blazing Wave.}


    I don''t know why but hearing Tom chanting in Helix keeps tickling my chunni heart. Seems like his Mana pool has increased too. Glad to know I''m not the only one getting stronger.


    Wish I can say the same for the two goblins though. They aren''t doing anything except being on the verge of a full-on panic. Our journey from now will probably only tougher. I have to find some way to strengthen them.


    "Boy! How much longer?"


    I look at the layer of transparent foothold which is getting wider and thicker. I would like to answer "Hawaiian time" but I don''t think he would get it.


    "Just a bit longer!" I shouted back.


    "We don''t have anymore time!"


    I glance back and see Wights flooding into this place. I wasn''t aware they have such numbers.


    Fuck me, this is real bad.


    As I glance back to resume pouring Mana for the construction of a massive [Plane Displacement], I thought I saw some over-sized lance drifting in the busy river. Might just be my imagination though.


    No. 2, how''s the progress?


    [......]


    No. 2?


    [......]


    Oi! Answer me, Einstein.


    [Einstein, eh?]


    Oops. Nope, I don''t mean that. I''m not going to call you, Einstein.


    [Then please, a name. Or else, progress remains stagnant.]


    Is this how infuriating I am to peoples?


    I sigh....


    Fine. How about Kai Ming?


    [Kai Ming? Hmm..... Enlightened one.... I like it.]


    Ugh.... Now, what''s the progress?


    [Already done.]


    I wish you weren''t part of me and have a physical body.


    [So you could strangle me?]


    No. I was going to kiss you. Why would I want to hurt an annoying shit like you?


    [Pfft.... Anyways, it is done. Have a look.]


    The foothold is about a hundred square feet and three inches thick.


    You sure this would hold?


    [Anymore than what it is will just complicate and disrupt the structure. This is the best we can do.]


    We, huh? Alright. I guess this will do.


    "Everyone, hop on." I announced and climbed on top of the transparent foot hold which is actually [Plane Displacement].


    "Eee? The barrier?"


    "Use as lift?"


    Bartholomew and Cormac realize what it actually is. Since they were watching from the sidelines most of the time, they must have realized that it is [Plane Displacement]. I don''t know if Tom did too but if he did, he''s not saying anything.


    After making sure they have all gotten onto the foothold, Lubac included, I repel some extra and unwanted passengers before lifting this whole thing up.


    Hmm.... I wonder what magic I am using to make this whole thing float.


    [Spatial Magic: Psychokinesis - Acquired]


    Oh.


    Hmm.... Kai, is that your doing?


    [In a way, yes. That is your subconscious informing you but that''s like a automatic function whenever certain conditions is met.]


    Ah.... I see.


    "Boy, we got a big one."


    "Stop calling me bo...." My voice trailed off as I laid my eyes on the Wight which has one big eye on its face and a foot taller than the other Wights.


    "I have never seen that variant before." Tom told me when I turn to him for answers.


    [Seems to be the leader or at least an officer of rank.]


    Yeah, I notice.


    The One-eyed Wight swats the other Wights aside like flies and charges straight at us.


    "Hold on to your nickers!" I shouted as I accelerated our ascend.


    With a single jump, the One-eyed Wight easily exceed ten feet. It grips onto the ledge of the foothold and pulls itself onto the plane.


    The extra weight almost capsized the foothold but Kai somehow made it only a mere possibility.


    The alchemist shrieked and scurried away from the Wight. "Boy!"


    Damn it. Maintaining the materialization of this foothold and its ascend is a two men''s job, me and Kai. Plus, I''m missing an arm here. "I can''t. If I take my concentration off of it, the foothold will disappear."


    Lubec''s jaws dropped. He has a look of someone watching the apocalypse happening.


    Some Court Mage, you are.


    [Alchemist].


    Shut up.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulf my enemies in a flash, Firebolt}


    Tom shot out a fire bolt at the Wight but it came out of the explosion with only scratches and flesh wounds.


    [It has....]


    ....high magic resistance. Yes genius, I notice. Concentrate on the foothold. I''m not keen on another sky diving.


    I heard Lubac clicked his tongue before he readied a spell.


    I could have sworn that the Wight tilted its head when it heard Lubac chanting. It crouched low before it went lunging at Lubac.


    Honestly, I didn''t plan on saving Lubac. He has been a pain in my neck and I have a half a mind to off with his head but.... Bartholomew and Cormac pushed him out of the way. Bart was in the green but Cormac got dragged as the Wight went overboard.


    Tom reacted fast by grabbing Cormac''s arms and so did the Wight, it grabbed onto Cormac''s legs.


    Fucking hell, I can''t do anything in this situation.


    There were still quite some distance before reaching the top.


    "Lubac!" I roared at the stupefied Court M... Alchemist. "Do something!"


    He came back to his senses and begin casting another spell.


    "Element of destruction in celerity, thunder that strikes my enemeis, Lightning Bolt."


    A flash of lightning shot out and hit the Wight but it barely fazes him.


    "What''s with this monsters?"


    Woah there, calm down, Lubac. I don''t know if you''re shouting or crying now.


    When the Wight got its other free claw on the ledge, it pulled and flipped back on to the plane.


    [My esteemed master, we don''t have a choice now.]


    Yeah, I know. Can you handle two processes at once?


    [I can even handle four but....]


    At the cost of the ascend''s speed.


    [Yes and that''s not ideal considering the other eyeless Wights are crawling up to us as we speak.]


    I take a peek over the edge and find more than dozens of Wights crawling on the walls.


    Well, fuck. This is grim.


    Whatever, just focus on the maintenance of the foothold. I''ll deal with these Wights.


    [Got it, Going radio silent.]


    When I separate my mind from maintaining the lift, I feel the acceleration slowed and almost flipped but it didn''t.


    I got my ass off the floor of the plane and charge straight at the One-eyed smug face bastard. I dodged low and over a swipe and surprise it with a literal upper cut with [Abyssal Edge].


    Tough.


    Its skin is tough. A single swing from [Abyssal Edge] won''t cut it, literally.


    It swipes at me again but I stop it by grabbing on its swinging arm. It looks surprised at my strength. Fusing [Overload] with [Abyssal Edge], I sever its arm.


    Wait. Sever?


    ......


    I can just use that, right?


    God damn it, I am an idiot.


    It came at me again but I [Sever] it easily into half. I then absorb its soul with [Soul Harvest] before kicking the two pieces off of [Plane Displacement].


    I didn''t gain any new gimmicks from it but an increase to my Mana and health pool.


    I kept forgetting what skills I have. I don''t have the time to take out the status card every once in a while in a fight.


    "Hyx. There''s another one."


    I look to where Tom is pointing at. Another One-eyed Wight, crawling on the walls that surpassed our ascending speed.


    It leaped but its face met with my tail, slamming it back into the wall and fell into the rushing waters below.


    Huh....


    My tail, it''s pale black and it looks more like a crocodile''s tail now as oppose to a lizard''s. Well my tail still looks like a reptile''s so.... it''s alright, I guess?


    Oh?


    I just got rid of two and another One-eyed Wight is gaining on us. In fact, the other Wights aren''t too far behind.


    I guess it''s time to use that. Well, I could have use that against Aedrox but I was afraid the roof might collapse on us if I did. Since everything is coming down anyways, I don''t see the problem now.


    That thing is Gray Spores. Out of the things I have lost, I''m glad this wasn''t one of them.


    I scatter them around and [Force Push] the leaping One-eyed Wight away. It collides with the walls and other climbing Wights as it fell.


    "Tom, if you don''t mind." I asked.


    And he nodded.


    He chanted and drops the fireball in his hand below him.


    The explosion in mid air reminds me of fireworks but the colors are little bit too intense for my liking.


    Another chunk broke off from the walls and almost crashed into us. It didn''t hit because I turn it into smaller chunks with [Distort].


    And we finally made it up to the upper layer.


    Good to be back.


    As I am the last to disembark, I heard this from Kai.


    [Uh.... Oops?]


    And [Plane Displacement] disappears beneath my feet. Now, there is nothing beneath my feet.


    Kai!!!


    [Sorry! I relaxed too early!]


    Even the careless is so like me....


    I managed to grab on to the ledge. Someone helped me up and to my surprise, it wasn''t Tom but Lubac.


    I didn''t bother to hide my shocked expression.


    "What? You think I''m gonna let you die and leave me with this orc and goblins alone?"


    "I''m not really a human too if you haven''t been paying attention." I swayed my tail and wave my claws to emphasize my point.


    "Better you than orcs or goblins."


    "Why you hate them so much?"


    "You would have seen their habits and nature by now. What do you think?"


    Ah.... I see. So that''s how it is.


    "Well, I''ll say this once." Maybe twice, I don''t remember if I had warned him before. "They are different and they are my friends. I know them longer than I know you. So be careful of your next actions."


    Lubac gave me no answer and simply turn away from me.


    Can''t really blame his intense hatred. They have a solid reason for it and it''s not just a blind discrimination.


    The world out there would be hard for these three but I''ll be there for them.


    After leaving the edges of the chasm, we are then greeted by Serrators. Well, they didn''t specifically came out to greet us. They were also escaping the collapse and we just happen to cross paths.


    So.... Howdy?


    [Bruh.]


    Sad to say and as expected of monsters, they can''t read the mood. They prioritize attacking us rather than escaping. What idiots....


    I hold them off while letting Tom and the others escape down the only available passage. There is another passage but it''s the one the Serrators are coming out from. So that''s off the list.


    I''m fending off at least tens of giant bear-like monsters while letting an Alchemist, an orc, and two goblins making their escape. I won''t have believe this would be happening if tell me of these to the me six days ago.


    A lot has happened....


    I''m getting stronger.... way too fast but sometimes..... I feel that is too slow....


    [Hyx... don''t.]


    Don''t what? And what happened to calling me, master?


    [Don''t. The past is the past.]


    I don''t know what you are talking about.


    [I am in your head, Hyx. Hell, I am your head. You can''t hide it.]


    Well, don''t you things would be different?


    [Even if I were present back then with your fight with Aedrox, do you actually believe the outcome would have changed? That thing is even more than a freak of nature. It''s not even nature. I doubt things would have play out differently.]


    I know but don''t you....


    [Master Hyx, they are dead. Accept that. You.... We can''t bring them back.]


    .....


    I know.


    I can''t bring them back....


    I''m no god.


    [Exactly, master.]


    Not yet, at least.


    <hr>


    Lubac said something along with a groan which made his words incomprehensible to me. But it''s most probably a complain.


    I can relate to him though.


    Well.... our route is blocked by a mountain of debris. Seems recent as the debris is still piling up.


    "Alternate route?" I asked Tom as he is familiar with these layers. The layers where I met him and the goblins and the layers above, it''s kinda like the back of his hand.


    "No." he answered, unfortunately. "The other way would be the one where the Serrators are flooding in."


    Well.... not just the Serrators actually, even the Kalas, Goliaths, giant bugs, and many more are making their escape from the collapse.


    It goes without saying that I took everything down in our path.


    "Boy, can''t you just blow it all away?" Lubac asked a question without going through his brain.


    "Well, I can but what''s to say that I won''t made the roof above our heads come down on us first? I don''t know if you have been sleeping but this whole place is very fragile at the moment."


    Lubac kept quiet when he realized that logic. Even the dungeon help me made my point by breaking off another chunk from the roof.


    "There! There!"


    "A small hole."


    Oh? There is. A small hole. Is it big enough to fit all of us?


    Lubac is the first to act but I stop him. He glares at me but I glare back. He backed down.


    "Tom, you first. Make sure, it''s safe."


    As always, he just nods and complies.


    Since Tom is the biggest among us five, if he can get through then we can.


    "There''s magic beasts here but they are running for their lives, so it should be fine."


    "Alright." I affirmed with him. "Bartholomew, Cormac, you two.... and then you, Lubac."


    I expected Lubac to be defiant or at least make a defiant face but he didn''t. I guess this old man can learn too.


    When it is Lubac''s turn, he is cursing something under his breath while taking his sweet time crawling across the hole. And that''s also when the Serrators caught up.


    "Hurry! I yelled.


    "Boy! Don''t yell." He yelled back. Huh. "You attracted the passing monsters, great."


    Uh....


    [Oops, I guess?]


    Yeah. Sorry.


    Before I can join with them, a flash of red lightning rushes at me from behind. I sensed it early enough for me to dodge but the bolt collapse the small hole.


    Shit.


    And I was right about the place being unstable.


    Another huge piece of rock fell from the roof and crush a Serrator beside the Alpha who fired the lightning bolt.


    Well done, idiot.


    I sigh.


    Let''s make this quick.


    I first cast [Overload] and then followed it up with a field of [Hell Spike]. Granted, this combo has a very bad Mana consumption.


    Every Serrators but the Alpha are skewered. What a sight to behold. Not bad.


    Ah....


    Not good. I''m not disgusted by the guts hanging out. Damn it.


    The lightning clad on the Alpha''s body screamed along with the Alpha itself. It boosts its speed. It is coming at me at least fifty mile per hour.


    Shit!


    I moved aside, in anticipation that it would went head first into the debris behind me but nope, it stops perfectly before crashing into it. It leaves a trail of fire and crackling lightning residue.


    Since I got [Sever], things hadn''t been a challenge. Besides Aedrox, I have yet to meet a monster who can resist [Sever]''s one hit kill tendency until now.


    The lightning clad seemed to have protected the Alpha from my [Sever]. I cut it but it''s only a shallow wound. Looks like [Spatial Magic] is not so almighty after all.


    It smashes its paw to the ground because it missed me. It then unleashes a pulse of lightning from that paw. It struck me but I wasn''t badly hurt thanks to [Magic Enhancement].


    Digging its paws into the ground it smashed, it lifts and hurls the piece of ground at me. With [Distort], the former piece of ground became nothing before me.


    My Mana is....


    [Half capacity.]


    Yes, I know. Thanks, captain obvious.


    [No problem, private oblivious.]


    ....


    [Too easy.]


    The Alpha Serrator roared to get my attention.


    It leaped and went for a bite at me.


    Nice. Just what I need.


    With its mouth wide-open, I threw an [Arcane Orb] into it.


    It clamps down at me but it missed, of course. I have [Spatial Leap], after all.


    Well, I''ll be omitting some details from the aftermath but let''s just say I was covered with its guts and organs.


    Not bad for me, considering I''m half unarmed. Heh. Unarmed.


    [That was bad.]


    Yeah... I know.


    Oh? What''s that? Something is leaving the from among the flesh and bits of the Alpha Serrator.


    [That''s its soul, I believe.]


    Oh. Wow.


    Ever since, [Mana Overseer] leveled up and became sentient, I have been able to see more with [Mana Perception], well, it''s [Arcane Analysis] now but I more used to saying [Mana Perception].


    Should I just call it Mana Vision then?


    [Whatever.]


    If that''s the soul, then.....


    Black tendrils came out from my back and darted straight at the ascending soul. Those tendrils tore the souls into piece and greedily devour it. If Mana spills blood, it would be very gory.


    [Soul Harvest: Lv. 1 increased to Lv. 2]


    Oh.... sweet.


    [Lightning Serration (Legacy): Lv. 1 - Acquired]


    Lightning Serration.... is this perhaps....


    [Yes, it is the Alpha Serrator''s Arcane Art. It appears to be a legacy type.]


    It can be pass down, I see.


    And just in front of me, is the right and left arm of the Alpha Serrator. Those parts of its body aren''t in smithereens from the destruction of [Arcane Orb].


    I look at my empty right arm.


    Can I?


    [In theory, it is very likely. Though, I do not have concrete evidence as there aren''t any field test.]


    Until now.


    [Yes. Until now, if you''re willing that is.]


    Welp. No time to have second thoughts. Whole place is coming down and it ain''t having second thoughts.


    Hah..... Here goes.


    Hastily, I ate the right arm of the Alpha Serrator raw.


    Awful.


    Disgusting.


    The blood....


    Everything about it, is terrible.


    The texture and taste... ugh.....


    But nevertheless, I still ate it all up.


    Hmm.... Why wasn''t I....


    [You''re not hungry because you have learned to supplement yourself with your unusually high Mana Pool.]


    Good. That''s good but....


    [Yeah... it''s coming....]


    I clenched my fist and bit down my lips tightly as I braced for the transformation, I can feel the heat on my right arm rising.


    First, the heat keeps increasing until it broke through my despicably high pain tolerance.


    I screamed when it did.


    I slam my left fist on the ground as I endure it.


    And my right arm begin to grow back.


    There are sounds of bones cracking, forming, and aligning.


    My claws dug into the solid ground.


    After a while, my scream became soundless. My world sways and spins slightly. I think I might be building up a tolerance for a new level of pain.


    But until it actually did, I keep slamming the ground with my fist or digging my claws into the ground. I keep switching between these two.


    Finally, after minutes of agonizing cries, my new right arm has taken its shape.


    It is of the same size as my original right arm but.... it''s furry. Not as much as the Serrators but it is a lot of fur by human''s standard. My fingers are bigger than the ones on my left arm, even the claws too.


    To be honest, my right arm looks more like a paw than a human hand. The upside to this side effect is that my right arm is a very good medium for me to channel the red lightning from [Lightning Serration].


    Before I can recover from the after pain, screams resounded into my ears from beyond the debris. It is the scream of everyone. It could be a painful one or a battle cry but all I know is that they are in trouble.


    I have to get over there, now.


    Shit. No time to worry about the minor problems, if the roof collapses, so be it. I''ll think about a solution then.


    Red Lightning crackles around my right arm, most of it are converging in my palm. Just like the Alpha Serrator before, I fire a red lightning bolt but mine is bigger and more devastating. For maximum effect, I threw in an [Arcane Orb] too.


    [Lightning Serration: Thunder Spear - Acquired]


    Together, the two turn the debris into nothing but insignificant pebbles.


    The roof above began breaking apart. I destroyed each falling pieces coming at my way with [Abyssal Javelin].


    After the smoke cleared from my attack, what I saw left me agape.


    A world dyed in bright white.


    [Holy shit.]


    Even the wise Kai Ming uttered such.

 H19 - Higher Mountain

    Two.... No, three....


    Three dragons.


    There are three dragons made of lightning itself. They are not the lizard variants of the western but the serpent-likes of the eastern. I wager they are at least thirty feet in length.


    They give out a radiant blue but the hue possesses such intense brightness that it dyed the world white.


    These dragons seeks out and gulps down any monster showing hostility towards Lubac, the Court Alchemist. Few monsters tried to pounce onto Bartholomew, Cormac, and Tom but they were chased down and eaten all the same. The swallowed monsters are being charred into cinders in the body of the lightning dragons.


    Not long after, the monsters attacking them began realizing the magnitude of the threat and started making their retreat.


    When all monsters have gone out of sight, the dragons vanishes into nothing. Lubac then slumps to the ground like his battery has been cut off.


    With just a slight glance over his shoulder, he greeted me. "Took you long enough."


    I look to Tom but he just shrugs. He didn''t exactly know what happened either.


    "Was that your magic?"


    "Yes. Adept-level lightning magic, Storm Guardians." Lubac explained in between his ragged breathing.


    I sigh.


    I walk towards him and lend out a hand. "Thank you." I said my thanks.


    "I didn''t do it for you. I''m just.... not keen on facing your wrath."


    [Tsun....dere....]


    Shut up. Stop putting labels out randomly.


    "I know but it didn''t change the fact that you did help me and save them. So thanks anyway. Come on, we gotta keep moving."


    His gaze alternate between my eyes and my lent out hand. He sighed and eventually took my offer.


    Tom comes forward to Lubac. "T...Thank y...you."


    "I don''t need your thanks." I heard Lubac saying under his breath.


    Even Bartholomew and Cormac came forward and bowed their heads repeatedly.


    [Maybe things will get better from now.]


    I will slap the shit out of you. You have just planted a flag.


    [Geh. Nothing we can''t handle.]


    "Your arm...." Lubac''s eyes turn wide. "What happened?"


    Tom was about to ask but he might have guessed what happened.


    I explained to the confused alchemist about how I am able to gain physical traits or abilities from the meat that I ate. It might just be my imagination but I could have swore that his eyes were sparkling for a moment there.


    [Let''s just hope that''s our imagination.]


    Yeap.


    Although.... that magic.... Can I....


    [No. You can''t.]


    Why not?


    [You don''t have the aptitude for it.]


    Huh? What do you mean?


    [From what I have analyzed, yo.... we do not have any magic aptitudes.]


    Um.... meaning?


    [Which means by law of the Arcane Arts, we are not suppose to be able to learn any magic but we still did.]


    How is that possible?


    [I don''t know. I have been looking for answers but there''s none. No matter how much I look into it, I can''t find any reason that we are able to learn these magics.]


    What can we do to know more?


    Kai is silent but I feel like he''s pointing at someone.


    Oh.


    Lubac, the Court M... Alchemist. He should know about stuffs like this.


    [Yeap. It is very possible]


    Now.... You wanna go ask him?


    [If he can hear me, sure. I would even bring cakes and teas for the occasion.]


    I sigh.


    Fine. I guess I have to do it.


    [Gambateh~]


    I will hit you.


    <hr>


    It hasn''t been that long but seeing the Kalas and the Goliaths brought assurance to my heart. I use to regard the Kalas attacks as the fastest but a certain zealous female warrior changed my opinion. Maybe it''s because I have became adapted to her speed, I''m seeing Kalas'' swipes in slow motion.


    Well, not that speed matters too much anymore since I have a variety of long range attacks. In fact, not a whole lot of monsters dare to even approach us. Good job, Kai Ming.


    And I use to hate my tail too but after a few battles, I came to embrace my tail as the fifth limb. A very flexible limb. I''m currently trying to pick things up with my tail. It ain''t easy though. I still have a long way to go but I''m getting there.


    After all those times, a straight walk without any ambush every few feet is a refreshing breeze to enjoy. Well, I don''t mean the place smells good but it is very relaxing when no monsters are trying to get the drop on you at every corners or turn.


    Still, the whole place hasn''t stop shaking though it has breaks as intervals. The unstable roof is still sending down chunks of rocks at us. We should be sprinting but Tom is having a hard time with recognizing the paths since the geography have been greatly altered by the quakes.


    We make stops at every turn and splitting paths. And every time we stopped, I would ask Lubac some questions.


    "Heh?" Lubac blurted out when he heard my question. "Pardon? I''m not sure I heard your precise question."


    "You heard me right. Can someone without any magic aptitudes actually learn magic?"


    "There''s you." came the short answer. "You were very notorious in the party for being the only one without spark. In a precise manner, we call people like you a blank."


    I''m guessing what he meant by "one without spark" is someone isn''t able to use magic but what''s a blank?


    "Someone who came from a lineage of capable Arcane Arts practitioners but they are sparkless. The runt out of the litter."


    Wow.... that''s depressing.


    [I know, right?]


    "I''m well aware of my condition but I''m asking if there''s anyone else or a way for a blank or a sparkless to learn magic."


    Lubac brushes his goatee beard. "There is one story but as a scholar, shouldn''t you already knew about that?"


    "My amnesia is worse than I thought."


    "That''s a very sever amnesia."


    I see doubts in his eyes but he and I say nothing of it.


    "So, what''s this story you spoke of?"


    "It''s actually less than a story but more of a long-winded hearsay."


    "Let''s hear it. Tom is still shuffling through his memories so I guess we have some time?"


    He sighed. "There was a scholar, sparkless just like you but he has a deep penchant for death arts, necromancy."


    [I like where this is going.]


    Me too.


    "And so, he looked for ways, no matter the costs or legitimacy. He managed to acquire the means to use Arcane Arts but he made himself an enemy of the whole Sagax race in the process. While the details are quite gruesome for a lot of people, researchers like me, we are a lot more interested in how he acquired magic despite having no aptitudes."


    "And what did you find?"


    "In the necromancer''s papers, he found two ways to enable a sparkless to use magic. The first one is diabolical and the second method is much too unconventional and convoluted. One is to forcefully reconstruct or restructure the entirety of a sparkless'' Mana flow structure. It is a very painful and delicate process. Many have died from his experiment and none of these victims were in a state to be sent to an undertaker."


    [What? Don''t look at me.]


    You gotta admit, it sure sounds like what you and I have been doing, tampering and restructuring Mana flows. I did help Tom get better at magic, didn''t I?


    [Yes but we aren''t that good, yet. From what I can guess from Lubac''s story, the necromancer didn''t just reconstruct. He also added new variables into the equation in the process of the reconstruction which made it possible.]


    Okay.... I''m not even going to pretend I understand what you said.


    [If the necromancer merely rearranged, then even I can do it in theory but I can''t. Which means, the necromancer didn''t just rearranged, he added something else while rearranging.]


    So what you are saying is that, I''m given five matches and I can made a "3" from the five matches. By rearranging, I can also make a "5" from the five matches but I can''t make an eight unless I have two additional matches?


    [Yes. That''s the concept.]


    Huh. I see.


    "And what''s the second one?" I asked.


    "A blessing of the Gods."


    Is it just me or....


    [Yeah, I find it weird too that a person like him believes in Gods but this is to be expected from an Isekai.]


    Ah... Touche.


    "Though personally, I have never witness such miracles before but there''s a lot of whispers about sparkless being chosen by the Gods and given a chance to prove their worth to the world."


    "To prove their worth to the world? How do they do that?"


    "By saving the world. They are called Heroes, chosen by the Gods to battle against the evil of these worlds."


    "What evil?" The only evil I can think of is Aedrox and family.


    "The demons."


    "Majins?"


    "No. Not them. Demons. Actual demons. The Majins merely descended from demons but they are not demons. You put them in the same room, they''ll kill each other. The Majins hate demons as much as the other Sagax race."


    I see. There is a hero system in this world.


    [The hero could be the one we are suppose to guide. You know, as the "Harbinger".]


    No. I''m not going to follow what that bastard said.


    [It did said it''s inevitable.]


    Not if I can help it.


    "If you''re asking such questions to get a better understanding ofyourself, I can say that you might just be a late bloomer."


    "A what?"


    [Late bloomer? Our beard grows at a much older age?]


    "A late bloomer. For most people, their talent for magic manifest at the age of four but there are some whose talent only manifest at a later age. The latest by twelve years old."


    I see. I was twelve when I join the Nines. Did my "prominent" family gave up on me when they realize I''m a blank even after reaching twelve?


    [Seems likely.]


    Yeah. Must be some family I had.


    "But when this expedition was formed, you are already fifteen but still sparkless. Everyone thought you would be this way forever but it appears not."


    So that''s why they don''t find it too odd of me that I can suddenly use magic. That could be the reason but how did I end up with such Arcane Arts?


    As if hearing the questions I asked in my heart, Lubac explains "And also, most late bloomers are very strong. No one knows the reason yet but three quarters of every late bloomers in the world, they are all capable of advanced-level or even adept-level spells upon awakening their talent."


    What is this? Shounen plot devices in full throttle?


    [I''m starting to wonder if the authors draw inspiration from this world or the other way around.]Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I''m not even going to pounce on that. I will fry my brain from thinking that.


    [Weakling~!]


    Shut up.


    "So, does this explains why I can do what I did?"


    Lubac rubs his chin. "That, I am not sure. There aren''t enough data yet to come to a solid conclusion. If there is another similar subject, that might help."


    Data? That''s kind of a modern word for a medieval setting. Huh....


    "Which is why I said, you will be a very interesting subject."


    I hope it doesn''t involve me strapped on an operating table.


    Then, we all heard a growl from somewhere.


    "If we can make it out of here." Lubac added.


    And the tremor worsened.


    "Another explosion?" Tom asked.


    "Close."


    "Too close."


    [No. It''s not another explosion. Something is digging through the piles from the collapse.]


    "No." I relay Kai''s answer to them. Of course, Bartholomew and Cormac doesn''t understand Common so Tom converts it for them.


    Then what is it?


    [Just look back.]


    And I did.


    Oh.


    That''s.... big?


    [Too big. Recognize it?]


    Familiar but.... I don''t remember it being this big.


    [A variant.]


    Looks tough.


    [Its Mana ain''t worth noting but seeing as how it survived the collapse, we must take its physical abilities into a huge consideration.]


    Yeah, I know.


    "What is it? What''s coming?"


    "You''re about to find out, old man."


    As soon as I finished my words, the mountain of debris fields trembles and something burst out from the piles.


    A monster that I once dubbed the demon ape.


    Although.... its much bigger than I remember.


    This Goliath.... It''s more than six feet. I don''t think it''s suppose to be this tall. Double the size, I guess?


    [When it''s bigger than the rest, it must be....]


    an Alpha or a leader perhaps. Must be some sort of a law among the many laws of the jungle perhaps? I think. The leader is always bigger than the rest of the pack.


    "Another evolved magic beast." Lubac has a hollow voice when he said that. "Incredible. To think every beast here is capable of evolution."


    Hmm? "Evolved? Evolution? Is there a difference in just growing in age?"


    "Huge." Lubac answered. "Evolution gives a huge boost in power. It''s something like the equivalent of human ascending into another level of peerage. Not every monster or beast can evolve but those that can, they are something that nations will go through great lengths to keep a close eye on."


    Evolved monster are that big of a deal, I see. "Can a human evolve too?"


    Lubac lets out a weird laugh. "Heh! Sure. Only in peerages or if you have a tiniest drop of blood of a beast or monster in you."


    [I don''t think Lubac is trying to be funny.]


    I think he has finally lost it.


    The Alpha Goliath smash its fist on the ground. I think it''s trying to remind us that it''s here.


    I wonder how many times have I neglected the presence of the main star of the scene.


    The Alpha Goliath lets out a howl. It doesn''t felt piercing to the ears but it does disrupt your senses and throw your balance off.


    The Alpha Goliath took off sprinting straight at me.


    I hurl a huge piece of rock at it with [Psychokinesis] but it didn''t even stop his charge.


    It raises its fist.


    [Dodge it. It''s too powerful.]


    I click my tongue and comply with Kai''s words.


    He was right. The Goliath missed but the shockwave unleashed from its punch hit the far side walls.


    It howls again. It was a less disorienting howl. Probably a battle cry or something along that line.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulf my enemies in a flash, Firebolt} "Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulf my enemies in a flash, Firebolt"


    Tom and Lubac chant in unison and fires a fire bolt at the Alpha Goliath.


    The bolts exploded on contact. Although it didn''t hurt it but it did robbed the Goliath of its vision for a few seconds. I slipped behind it and use [Sever].


    My magic and my hand bounced away from its hide.


    Ah... shoot.


    Another monster that resisted my [Sever]. This one didn''t even receive so much as a scratch.


    It turns and swing at me. I escaped my predicament with [Spatial Leap].


    At that moment, the whole place trembled again and another piece of rock fell. It falls directly on the Goliath.


    It didn''t dodge. It didn''t need to. It''s not even faze by the rock which has broken into smaller pieces from hitting it.


    [It is expected to meet such tough customer. If it''s not strong, it wouldn''t have made it out.]


    I see your point.


    "Lubac, can you use the lightning dragons spell again?"


    "I have already use it once today and I haven''t ate for one day now, what do you think?"


    I guess that''s a no, in asshole language.


    While I was distracted....


    [Incoming.]


    .... the Goliath came attacking.


    Woah, it''s faster than it looks but nothing I can''t handle. I tried to at least repel it but not even [Force Push] affects it. This monster''s defense is too high.


    {Element that inci....}


    "Tom! Look out!"


    The Goliath went for Tom when it heard him begin chanting.


    [Intelligence?]


    A small degree but I think so.


    I save Tom from getting pulverized with [Spatial Leap].


    And another rock fell from the roof but it hit no one but the ground.


    Still, not good. Whole place is coming down but we can''t move further away. Without a guide of any kind, we might as well be running to our death. There''s no time for us to get lost.


    The Goliath begins its assault again. I dodged its fists and counters with jabs as heavy as I could dish out. I feel my knuckles breaking against its tough hide.


    Damn, it''s really tough.


    [If we are asking directions, there is one.... person... we could consider asking.]


    Person....?


    Oh.


    That thing. Hmm.... Not too sure about that but..... It is worth a try but let''s take care of this SOB first.


    Sidestepping an attack, I countered with a point blank overloaded [Force Push] right in its face. I was successful in making the massive ape stumble but that''s it. It shake its head like it''s shaking off a mild headache. No wounds.


    Plan B, then.


    Shrouding myself with red lightning, I rush at the Goliath at a speed that it can''t track.


    [Lightning Serration: Lv. 1 increased to Lv. 2]


    [Lightning Serration: Lightning Clad - Acquired]


    [Lightning Serration: Storm Rush - Acquired]


    Although [Spatial Leap] is instantaneous, [Storm Rush] has better Mana consumption and if I''m moving at such a speed, there won''t be any difference to an opponent that can''t keep up.


    My jabs are faster thus I''m hitting harder. Each jab forces the Goliath to take a step back.


    It keeps missing its counter attacks due to my speed.


    It''s apparent that vexation is building in its eyes.


    The vexation is at its peak, its next move is already anticipated by me.


    When single target oriented attacks don''t work, it''s always a resort to area-oriented attacks. In the case of a Goliath, they smash their fist into the ground to create a shock wave.


    I distance myself from it and charge up a [Thunder Spear].


    The Goliath sees my action and stops its smash. It knows it''s pointless to unleash that attack.


    [This one is smarter than most monsters we encountered.]


    I noticed but doesn''t matter, I fire the charged up [Thunder Spear] in my hand.


    At the same time....


    "Element of tranquility and rage, winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars."


    {Element of tranquility and rage, winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars.}


    I heard chanting and then blades of wind assaulted the Alpha Goliath. With just a swing, it disperses away all the assaulting wind and my [Thunder Spear].


    "Tom, Lubac, what are you two doing?"


    "Helping, you idiot."


    "H...Help."


    Fucking hell, you idiots!


    The attacks provoked the Goliath. Its eyes flared up and it went for the two.


    I move in between them with [Spatial Leap]. The Goliath sends a punch but I dodge to the side, lock its arm with mine, I teleport again and use its inertia to let it crash into a wall.


    I blink back to Tom and Lubac.


    "What were you two thinking?" I raised my voice.


    "I''m thinking that I can''t just let a fifteen year old boy fights a tough opponent by himself. What kind of Court Alchemist am I to let such a thing happen?"


    "F...friends. H...help."


    [They got a point.]


    No. They don''t. They are not strong enough.


    I can''t let it happen again. They would just make a mistake and.....


    [You can''t protect them forever. You do realize that, right?]


    I - don''t - care. I''m not letting anyone else to die on my watch again.


    "Boy, it''s coming again."


    God damn all of you.


    I move all of us away from the Goliath''s attack with a group [Spatial Leap].


    Its attack incurred a small quake.


    Dangerous.


    Anymore, it won''t just hasten the collapse. It will bring it to us in an instance.


    I rush at it once again with [Storm Rush] but it ignored me.


    Oh no....


    It passes by me and went for Tom and the others. It knows that it can''t win against me so it targets the weak ones.


    Dangerously impressive.


    It smashes the ground and directs the shock wave in a single stream straight at Tom''s way.


    It even knows how to utilize the shock waves. What intelligence.


    Tom managed to dive out of the way but the shock wave hit the walls and trigger another tremor. I evaded a piece of rock dropped at me.


    {Element that incinerates and obliterates, tides of flames surge before me, Blazing Wave.}


    Stream of fire engulfs the Goliath.


    "Element of tranquility and rage, winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars."


    Lubac launches the blades of wind again.


    Fire and wind. A fearsome combination. The wind accelerate the growth of the flames and envelopes the Goliath.


    [Blades of the Firestorm?]


    Tempting name.... but now''s the time for that.


    But it''s fruitless. When the flames subsided, the Goliath is still unhurt. It did nothing but only pisses it off.


    Nothing can hurt it. There is so much difference between a normal Goliath and an Alpha variant.


    Then, something change in Tom''s eyes. He''s trying to control the fear in him. I recognize his inner resolution because I also have those eyes before. His hand reach into the satchel on his waist. "Hyx. It''s your turn to buy me some time."


    We exchange glances. Without any sound, he said "Trust me." with those resolute eyes of his.


    [I trust him, do you?]


    I sigh.


    I suppose I do.


    I nod back to Tom.


    Don''t do something stupid or rash.


    I pleaded in my mind and rush at the Goliath which is something rash and stupid. I move to its back and placed my hand on its shoulder. I teleport with the Goliath away from Tom.


    The moment we reappear at a different location, it charges straight for Tom again.


    [Persistent son of a bitch.]


    The Goliath knows Tom is a threat and an easy target. That''s why it''s aiming for him.


    Fucking hell, why does it got to be so smart?


    Lubac stands in the way of the Goliath.


    Um.... what cha doing?


    "Element of destruction in celerity, swallow my enemies with lightning, Storm Dragon."


    Unlike the one he used before which has four dragons, this one only has a single dragon but it is impressive and magnificent nonetheless.


    The dragon made of lightning collides with the Goliath and pushes it back.


    I assist the dragon with [Thunder Spear] but the Goliath crushes the lightning dragon with its bare arms and batters [Thunder Spear] away with ease.


    Okay. Aedrox, Vira, and the Alpha Goliath, they are now the top three on the list of things I want to avoid the most, officially.


    "Oh shit." Lubac utters.


    "I...it''s f...fine n...now." Tom assures him. He has been charging a scroll with his Mana. His Mana has depleted from that.


    Stepping in front of Lubac, he opens the magic scroll and presents it at the Goliath.


    With a determine voice and gaze, Tom said "Move."


    He''s not telling the Goliath to move. He''s telling me who is behind the Goliath to move. I waste no time in arguing and move to join him with [Spatial Leap].


    The Goliath can sense and see something was wrong. Its eyes widened at Tom.


    For the first time, I see a faint smirk appears on Tom.


    "Rest in pieces, you fuck ugly ape." and he said something that sounded nothing like him. Okay... you''re creeping me out there.


    The scroll glows and a gale is unleashed.


    Not just any gale.


    It travels so fast that it''s silent.


    A scar appears on the Goliath''s right arm.


    Another on its left cheek.


    Another on its chest.


    Another on its left leg.


    And soon, its whole body is covered in scars.


    Not shallow scars.


    Those are deep scars.


    This is the last magic scroll Tom had in his possession. An adept-level spell.


    When I asked Tom what is called, he replied "Tempest''s Wrath."


    [Badass.]


    The massive gale unleashed didn''t just engulf the Goliath but the surroundings too, leaving its mark at every corners.


    When the gale died down, the Alpha Goliath wears its wounds like an attire. It then collapses to the ground.


    The scroll dries and crumples up. It''s now useless.


    I put my hand on Tom''s shoulder who is breathing heavily. When he look at me, I give him a thumbs up. He smiles in return.


    That was a good move.


    "Nice going there."


    "Last resort."


    [Counting chickens already?]


    Ah.... God damn it.


    [Yeah. I know. It''s tedious and frustrating.]


    The Goliath. It ain''t dead yet.


    Lubac and Tom can tell from my eyes which are on the Goliath.


    "Stand back." I order them to.


    Slowly, the Goliath raises its head and our gaze met.


    That''s some fire you have in your eyes.


    It steadily gets back on its feet. Steam rises from it as its wound closes up.


    [Regeneration Ability. Fuck.]


    Yeah, I know. Fuck.


    I gesture at Lubac to protect Tom and the others. This time, I receive a nod from Lubac.


    Assured, I charge at the Goliath with [Storm Rush].


    The Goliath breaks off a piece of rock off the ground and throws it at me. I destroy it with [Energy Sphere] mid-flight but the Goliath appears out of the smoke created from the rock''s destruction. It made use of the smokescreen provided.


    [Impressive.]


    But it''s not aiming for me. It''s aiming for the ground.


    [Not good.]


    Shit!


    I tried to stop it but I was too late.


    Its fist connect with the ground and with such force, it shatters the whole floor in that area and its foundation into fragments. There is no longer earth and soil beneath our feet.


    Shit!


    We all went free falling into the darkness below.


    I can''t use [Spatial Leap]. It''s call leap for a reason. I need to leap off from something solid. Without anything below feet, it''s useless.


    Shit!


    Faces of Muo Li and Clammis flash before my eyes.


    No....


    Not again.


    I can''t let it happen again.


    What to do!?


    [Clam down! Just follow my lead. Clear your mind!]


    I took deep breaths, calming and clearing my mind.


    I listen to Kai''s commands without questions asked.


    Those are some complicated requests but I''ll even fry my brain for that.


    I have to do it.


    [Now!]


    In an instant, I cast the largest [Plane Displacement] ever, as large as the area which was just destroyed, to act as our foothold. Thousands of needles assaulted my brain.


    [Made it!]


    Yeah, we did.


    Since we have practice it once, it was much simpler to construct a much more massive scale. Still, it strains a lot from the mind.


    Good, it''s holding but.... the Goliath, it''s on the platform with us.


    Fuck!


    Its glance switch between me and Tom. After a few glances, it rested on Tom.


    No. No. No!


    I can''t [Spatial Leap]. I might loose concentration on [Plane Displacement].


    "Ape! Over here!" I screamed at it. "Over here, you stupid monkey!"


    It ignores me and continue walking towards Tom and the others.


    Lubac cast a fire bolt at it but of course, nothing happened. That''s probably the last spell he can cast. Like Tom, he has also ran out of Mana.


    Shit. Shit. Shit!


    [Provoke it.]


    How?


    [Speak to it. In their language.]


    You think it would understand?


    [It does have some intelligence. Take advantage.]


    You''re right. It''s all or nothing now.


    "Demon ape." I called out in monster language.


    The Alpha Goliath stops and turn towards me. It tilts its head.


    "You understand, don''t you?"


    It growls.


    "Then hear me. Your kin, they are all dead, aren''t they?"


    Its growl got fiercer.


    "Crushed by the collapse but do you know who cause the collapse?"


    Its growl stopped.


    "Me. I did. In other words, in the simplest of words for a shit for brains like you, I killed them. I killed your kin, your family." I smirked to increase the dramatic flair.


    I can see its fists are trembling.


    Good. I got your full attention.


    It charges straight at me.


    Its punch sent me crashing into the walls. I held steadfast to my focus on [Plane Displacement].


    It pins me on the wall and starts pounding me like a Mochi.


    This is nothing. I can take this.


    This is nothing. I''m used to it.


    All in a hard day''s work.


    I recite those words in my mind like a mantra.


    It pounds me until blood oozes and spurts out.


    My vision lost its focus and everything becomes blur.


    No good, even if I don''t feel pain, it doesn''t change the fact that I''m receiving damage.


    [Master....]


    Don''t. Concentrate pouring all my Mana to [Plane Displacement]. I can take the punches.


    [That''s stupid. What happens if you died first or you ran out of Mana first? What then? What will happen to Tom and the others?]


    Ah.... I didn''t think that far


    [Lucky for you, I kinda did and kinda didn''t]


    Huh?


    In my blurred vision, the only thing clear to me is the Goliath in front of me, pounding me away, and the ever glowing cyan vines that is found everywhere in the dungeon.


    Cyan vines....


    Ah..... So that''s you meant?


    [Yes. We were going to ask that person for directions later, so we might as well summon it now.]


    Good and bad idea. I like it.


    Let''s do it.


    The cyan vines are everywhere. I just reach out and a cyan vine is already in my hand. I grab it and begin absorbing Mana from it.


    The Goliath stops its pounding, steps back, and looks at my strange action. It''s confounded.


    Soon, all the cyan vines in the area begin flickering on and off like a horror movie scene.


    Now with [Spirit Sight], I can see the spirits from the cyan vines gathering in one place, forming into a humanoid figure, the phantom that I have witnessed back at that layer.


    Lubac opens its mouth without giving out sounds.


    Tom stares with his eyes widen.


    The two goblins hug each other in fear.


    Eew.


    The Goliath released me upon seeing the phantom conjured out of nowhere.


    Just I was at that time, the Goliath is also intimated by the phantom and it howls at it.


    The stupid ape blindly rushes at the phantom. With a flick of its wrist, the phantom sent the Goliath face first into the wall.


    To others, it might seemed like the phantom is using telekinesis but it is actually using the spirits in the surrounding. I don''t know it can do that though.


    More cyan vines emerges from the wall and entangles the Goliath. The phantom proceeds to crush the Goliath with the spirits around it like it''s using telekinesis force. I don''t know how the phantom did it but it did, the Goliath is bleeding from being crushed.


    Spirit Magic is fearsome if one manages to fully utilize its potential. I''m glad I didn''t decide to fight the phantom back then.


    The struggles of the Goliath shook the whole place. With an undying and unyielding persistence, the Goliath broke free of its restraints.


    [An opening.]


    Yeah. I know.


    All this time, its hide is too tough to be pierced through but now its wounds are lots and large. I could have done it too when Tom hurt it but like Kai said, I counted my chickens too early. I lost my chance to give a finishing blow but now, I won''t repeat the same mistake.


    [Sever], [Overload], and [Abyssal Javelin], I combined this three spells together into one, enduring the millions of needle sticking into my head.


    I fire it at the Goliath as it leaps at the phantom.


    It hit.


    And off went the Alpha Goliath''s head from its neck.


    Its lifeless and headless body fell ungracefully on to the platform.


    Success. Now, before you pass on, let me have a taste of your soul.


    Black Tendrils appears from me and they greedily and hungrily devour the Goliath''s Mana Vessel.


    Ah.... that feels so rejuvenating.


    When I finished my exquisite dining, I feel the tremendous increase to my HP. It is a very massive boost.


    Before I can reorganize my thoughts from the conundrum, I find myself once again pin on to the wall, but by the phantom this time.


    It gazes at me like its staring deep into my soul.


    When it stared deep enough, it flinched back, releasing its hold on me.


    The phantom then cock its head left and right. It raise a finger at me, pointing.


    {Harbinger.}


    It said, in Helix.


    Okay....?


    [Processing.....]


    Now, how do I respond?

 H20 - Light in Sight

    {You know who I am?}


    {We do.}


    Great. Another "we" person.


    {How do you know me being the so-called Harbinger?}


    {We have plunged deep into your very soul. Our evaluation at the core of your Mana Vessel has led us to the truth. Your potential is laid bare before us. We caught a glimpse of your destiny. For that, we are sure that you are the awaited one, Harbinger.}


    I don''t think I get everything it said.


    Did you?


    [I''ll explain everything later. For now, keep asking questions and no sudden movements. I''m sure even without our help it would have killed the Goliath for sure. So, don''t think about it.]


    Not unless I have to.


    {What are you?}


    {We are a being that have existed ever since The Transpire.}


    The Transpire?


    [I think it meant from the time ever since Mana existed. The name is pretty much self-explanatory.]


    {And how long has it been since The Transpire?}


    {Millions of years.}


    Woah.


    [Woah.]


    {Are you a spirit?}


    {We are a spirit but not the ones that lurks in arbitrary of places.}


    I see. It''s a spirit alright but not the ones I have been seeing everywhere. It''s a different kind.


    Okay. What do I ask now?


    [The obvious questions. We can play the full twenty questions later, you know, after we have solid ground beneath our feet.]


    Alright.


    {Are you going to kill us?}


    [Master, not that question.]


    Well, too late.


    {Do you intend to do harm to us?} It asked back.


    Us? Does it mean the cyan vines?


    [That is the mostly likely context here.]


    Well then, let''s just be honest with it. {No. We just want to seek your guidance and assistance.}


    {You deny ever harming us but it is you who caused this place into such turmoil, no?}


    {Um.... No. That wasn''t me. That''s actually Aedrox from the Void and a certain zealous female warrior.} Did the phantom misunderstood because I lied about causing the collapse because I want to provoke the Goliath?


    {But you were the one who unleash that abomination into this realm, are you not?}


    Ah... So that''s where you''re getting from. {I did.} I admitted.


    {But that is tolerable. It is your destiny after all. The destiny of the prophesized Harbinger. One could hardly be blame for something inevitable.}


    Ha. Even this million years old spirit shares the same line of thought as Aedrox. Inevitable this and inevitable that. Never heard of the butterfly effect?


    {However, you are the one who have tried to drain us of our essence, are you not?}


    {Um... I can explain.}


    {On two occasions.}


    Oops. It knows.


    {We forgave you at that time but why have you do us harm again even after we showed you mercy?}


    What do I say?


    [The truth, fool.]


    What happened to "master"?


    [Just answer it, for fuck''s sake.]


    {That''s because I knew no other way to seek you out.}


    It seems stunned at my reply. {It appears you are speaking the truth. You harmed us simply of the fact that you lack the knowledge to summon us in a proper manner. As expected of a mortal''s lack of consideration.}


    That hit too close to home and why are you calling us mortals too? Rude.


    {I do lack such knowledge. Forgive me if I came out as ignorant but I do not even remember who I am. I have recently lost my memories.}


    It was staring at me like it''s gauging out the truth from me. {Then fair enough. We shall pass over your misdeeds for this time. No such mercy will be given on the next instance.}


    {Thank you.} I said.


    {So, for what purpose does the Harbinger seek us out for with such discourteous manner?}


    Not gonna let that go, I see. {The way out to the surface, out of this dungeon.}


    It was silent. In that short period of stillness, we just exchange gazes. {Very well.} It responded. {We shall show you the way to the surface.} The phantom said and presented us with a ball of light with transparent butterfly-like wings.


    {This is a Wisp of Guidance. It will guide you towards the light of the surface.}


    It said and the wisp slowly floats into my hand.


    {For the sake of the livelihood of you and your kin, you are strongly advised to make haste.}


    It then disappears after those words.


    As I look at my hand, the wisp is still lingering in my palm. I feel like the wisp just smiled at me despite not having a face.


    "Wh...wh...what was that?" Lubac finally found his voice back.


    "Is that a spirit?" Tom asked.


    "Wh...what did that thing say? And what''s that in your hand?"


    "Calm down. This thing in my hand and the.... ghost just now are not hostile, that''s all you need to know. Well, the ghost isn''t hostile unless we make it to be."


    "You know what? I don''t want to know. You''re just one absurdity after another. If I question each of it, I''ll go insane eventually." Lubac murmured such words in silent but due to my keen senses of hearing, I picked it up.


    "In under ten words, that phantom.... ghost... thing just now is the spirit of the cyan vines."


    "These glowing vines?" Lubac pointed.


    "Yes."


    "Ah.... This is...." He sat down. "This is too much.... How can it.... have a spirit...? Wha...."


    I tilt my head. "Is it not normal for a spirit of a plant to appear?"


    "A plant is nothing more than a plant. They are without will. They live, breath, and grow because it''s what they are meant to do. It''s what they exist for. For a plant to manifest into a spirit can only mean that the plant has gained a will and it takes more than a thousand of years for a mere plant to achieve a will. So far, only thousand year old trees have managed to manifest their will into a spirit. Which means these vines, they have existed for thousands of years. This dungeon has been here for so long and only now we knew of its existence. This is... this is...." He was half smiling and laughing but in a crazed state.


    I just stared.


    [Do you think seeing that ghost of the vines broke him?]


    I think so. I''m not even going to tell him that he''s wrong about the spirit being the will of the vines. The phantom did say it is a spirit not a spirit of the vines.


    [Or we could just be misinterpreting the whole thing.]


    I don''t know and I don''t care. Let''s make it out of this place first and then we decided the whole thing, okay?


    [Sounds reasonable.]


    Okay then. Wisp, lead the way.


    "What''s that?" Tom asked.


    "A wisp. The spirit said it can guide us out of here."


    "Really?" Lubac shot up.


    "It''s what the spirit said but it could be lying."


    "It could be but it is the only choice we have."


    Wow. He sounds and looks too desperate. Understandable though.


    The spirit flew from my hand and travel upwards, where we fell from.


    Ah....


    [Seems like we will need to lift this thing up again.]


    Yeah....


    "Alright everyone, hang on to your nickers."


    I heard Lubac asking what I meant by that but I ignored him and make this platform ascend back to the layer we fell from.


    [Memories?]


    Yeah. My memories or rather, our memories. Can you recover it?


    [Hmm.... I did come across fragments of it but not all. It is still scattered all over the place in fragments. Even with my capabilities, it will take time. It''s just like puzzle and you lost most of the pieces. Even if you have all the pieces, you still need to arrange it in order.]


    I thought you have a very powerful information processing ability?


    [I say it''s like puzzle but that''s just the concept. In truth, it''s much harder than puzzles. Even if I come across a fragment of a memory, I wouldn''t know it''s a memory until I thoroughly examine it. I don''t see the world like you do. I see the world as codes.]


    Like the Matrix?


    [Exactly. I can see the world like you do but it''s only what you see. The things inside your head are all just codes to me. And I''m still not familiar with what all the codes signifies. Maybe I''ll get use to it in the future but that''s a long way to go.]


    Touche.


    We are currently following wherever the wisp guide us to after ascending back to the layer we fell from.


    I sense monsters lurking in our surrounding but my aura is doing a heck of job at fending them off.


    I told the four about this. While Bartholomew and Cormac took my words at face value, Tom is admiring me for it but Lubac as always, is skeptical and wary. I thought we would have bonded over those ordeals but it seems not. He still won''t entrust his back to us and he always prefer to walk behind all of us. Senile old man.


    We would have been chatting all the way but I told them I need the peace to concentrate on fending the monsters off. In truth, it''s just an excuse for me to communicate with Kai Ming. Since now seems like a good time, I''m bombarding my subconscious with questions that technically speaking, I already know the answer to.


    Yeah, I know. It''s weird to ask your subconscious such questions.


    Come to think of it, we have being brutalize and hurt in more ways than one but I don''t recall ever been poisoned.


    [Technically, you have been poisoned.]


    I had?


    [Well, you were Mana poisoned but because of me, the Mana Overseer, you overcame it.]


    Are you talking about the Mana I absorbed from the tiny crystal pillar?


    [Yes and the time with that Red Crystal Spriggan too.]


    Ah.... I do not want to be reminded of that.


    But what about normal poisoning? I fought against a lot of bugs. I don''t remember getting poisoned.


    [Well, you were very gung ho at not letting them get close to you. It was just you, two [Abyssal Edge] and lots of [Abyssal Javelin]. At most, you got their blood spilled on you.]


    Ah... I see. Thanks to my fear of bugs, I didn''t leave any chance for them to bite me. The worse case was just a scratch.


    [Plus, I doubt you can get poisoned.]


    Why not?


    [Two reasons. There''s me for one. For the second reason, you might just overcame it before it can kill you. So far, you have overcame a lot of suffering so it wouldn''t be too strange for your body to become immune to the poison before it can kill you.]


    Well, safe to say that I''m no human anymore. If I am, I''ll be a super human. A superman?


    [A....]


    No. I''m not naming myself Clark Kent.


    [Pity.]


    You''re not the one who needs to introduce themselves with that name, I do.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Anyways, anything you can tell me about my titles?


    [Hmm.... You want to know for what reasons you get them and the effects they have?]


    You are my mind, do you need to ask?


    [No, not really. As far as I can tell, it''s just plain superficial. The condition for acquiring the titles are pretty much self-explanatory in its name. There''s no effects to your stats or whatsoever. I think it''s just proofs of your hardships.]


    Who am I proving it to in this dungeon?


    [Well, maybe it''s a bad joke of reminding you of your sufferings.]


    Or it could be a lesson.


    [That''s plausible too.]


    What else can I ask?


    As I ponder for more questions, we are assaulted with another severe tremor. We have been assaulted by quakes every once in a while but seldom at an prolonged amount of time.


    Immediately, I glance back.


    Lubac also follows my gaze. "What? What is it?" He sounded frantic.


    "Another big one?" Tom asked.


    "Too big." I answered. Through Mana Vision, I can see clearly what is heading towards us which is also the cause of the tremor.


    [You recognize it?]


    Why wouldn''t I? If it wasn''t for that stupid thing, we wouldn''t have fell into Aedrox''s humble abode.


    [If Aedrox''s words could be believed, we would have found ourselves to its humble abode one way or another.]


    I don''t know about you, my subconscious, but I don''t believe the future is predetermined.


    [*sigh* After seeing so much of the impossibles, you still refuse to believe?]


    Have you ever consider that it might just be bluffing?


    [Aedrox? Bluffing? So far, his action have met the integrity of his words. I don''t think he bluffs.]


    Perhaps. Maybe everything is predetermined, maybe not.


    Maybe it won''t be all that different from what it prophesized but I don''t need everything to be different. Just that two....no, four details to be different that''s all.


    [Hyx..... Let go already.]


    .... I can''t.


    [You can''t blame yourself forever for their deaths.]


    I''m not. I just wish.... I just....


    [Is this why you refuse to believe?]


    Aren''t you suppose to know what I''m thinking?


    [I know what you are thinking but I don''t understand why you think that way]


    Kai... I woke up in this dungeon with barely any traces of my memories. I have nothing.


    Are you aware of how it felt back then? Walking around in the dungeon aimlessly, all alone and not even your memories could be your companion.


    For what it''s worth, finding them, meeting them, it might be the best thing that have ever happened to me since that cell. If I let them go, what would I have?


    [You will still have them.]


    Who? Tom?


    [Bartholomew.]


    Cormac?


    [And Lubac.]


    You''re including him too?


    [As much as I... we hate to admit it, yes. Can you say you would just sit around and do nothing if he''s in danger?]


    .... No. I can''t. Not after all that.


    [There you have it.]


    This ain''t easy, you know.


    [Yes, I know. I''m you, after all. Just bear with it a little bit more. We might be out of here soon. Until then...]


    ... It''s all in a hard day''s work.


    God, I''m starting to hate that line.


    "Boy, what is it?"


    Ha?


    Oh. Apparently Lubac has been asking me for answers while I was dazing out.


    "The Wyrm." I answered.


    "Did Master say Wyrm?"


    "Master did. Master did."


    I guess the two understands it because Wyrm sounds the same in monster language but -- since when did the two of you started calling me Master?


    I look at Tom and he turns away.


    Really, Tom?


    "We gotta hurry." Lubac said and takes point.


    Wow, you''re quick at running away I see.


    "Shouldn''t we be running too?" Tom asked.


    "We''re not going to outrun it, that''s for sure. Are you aware of how massive this Wyrm-thing is ?"


    And that''s not taking into account on how fast the wisp can travel. We tried running back then but the wisp travels too slow and we ended up walking slowly behind it.


    [Master, it''s....]


    ....here. I know.


    The tremor reached its peak of violence. We all felt the full brunt of the quake. I heard Lubac cursed and then a sound of a thump followed. I guess he tripped.


    The whole passage falls apart behind us, from the crumbling rocks and debris, the Wyrm who have caught up to us unveils itself.


    "Hyx! What do we do?" Tom instantly asked. Aren''t you relying me a little bit too much?


    As for Bartholomew and Cormac, they are just cowering behind Tom and hiding their tail between their legs.


    I prepared myself for a tough fight while I buy time for the others but when the Wyrm appears, I wasn''t sure there will be a fight from the look of its eyes.


    The Wyrm. After making its way to us through all that, it stops.


    From this close of a distance, I can truly appreciate its sheer size. The head itself is already a good ten feet long and the height is approximately ten feet also, I guess?


    I expected it to wear a hungry or vexed expression but what I found is an exhausted expression.


    It is tired.


    Its eyes are half-closed and it can barely keep it open. Its breathing is slow and only getting slower. Wounds cover all over its head and neck. I guess the same goes for its whole body even if I can''t see it since it''s buried under the huge pile of rocks.


    The collapse has not been kind to it. The Wyrm is greatly injured from it. I guess it''s not as sturdy as the Alpha Goliath. Maybe that''s to be expected? The Alpha Goliath is incredibly tough that it didn''t even get hurt from having literally a part of a dungeon coming down on it.


    "Is it dying?" Lubac said some boorish remark so I shot him a glance. Glad you came back to join us, Mr. Alchemist, considering how you almost ditch us again. Now, shall I cut off your leg and replaced it with a mechanical one? While we''re at it I might even call you Ed....


    [Can you calm down?]


    Sorry. I was a little bit tensed up from the Wyrm''s appearance.


    "Is it dying?"


    "Can it die faster?"


    Really, guys?


    Though, I wonder why it chased after us. If it just want to escape, it wouldn''t have stop here. It''s not like we are an obstacle.


    [You should know the look in its eyes.]


    Its eyes?


    [Doesn''t it look familiar?]


    Hmm.... not that the eyes are familiar in a literal sense but rather, I''ve seen those look before. The look of pleading before passing on. I remember Muo Li and Clammis having the same look in their eyes.


    What is it trying to ask of me?


    Before I can ask or it can give me an answer, the Wyrm''s eyes finally closed and its breathing stopped. Even its Mana flow slowed down drastically.


    It has died.


    Oi, don''t just cross the borders like that. What do you want? Why came to us? Oi, at least answer us before joining Samsara.


    "Is it...." Before Lubac finishes his words, I shot [Abyssal Javelin] just below its underbelly. He shrieked and didn''t make a sound after that.


    [You see that, master?]


    Hmm? You mean that?


    [Yeah, that.]


    Something weird is happening around its head or more precisely, its mouth. A very irregular movment of Mana flow.


    Mana flows in an order. The flow is always one direction in one vein but there''s a flow in its mouth that seems erratic. It''s squiggling and coiling like a fish on dry land. And the flow doesn''t match the whole Mana flow. It almost looks like another....


    [...being. It is not the Wyrm''s Mana flow. It is another being. Something is inside its mouth.]


    Can it be....?


    [I think it is. Maternal Instincts, perhaps? That''s why it came to us.]


    Yeah, it might have been because I''m hanging out with an orc, goblins, and a human. Maybe this is why it came to us.


    "Tom, Lubac. Help me get its mouth open. There''s something inside."


    "What is it? A person?"


    Really? From all things that you could guess, you chose that?


    "Just shut up and come help me or my next aim will be higher."


    Times like this, I wish you can be just like Tom, no questions asked.


    I say "help me" but in actuality, it''s just me opening the mouth and the two peeking into its cavity.


    Before I could ask if they found anything, something shout out of the mouth.


    "What the...."


    "Something...."


    I let go and Lubac and Tom''s hands were almost clamped but they pulled back just in time.


    "Boy! You almost done in my hands."


    I muttered a sorry and chase down the thing that shout out from the mouth.


    The thing didn''t ran far. It scuttled to where the goblins are. It took shelter around their feet. I expected the two to be freaking out but....


    "Cute~?"


    "It''s small."


    They are goblins. They are four footers little cretins. They can''t be consider even the least bit cute with those features..... so hearing them saying things like those is making my insides churn.


    That thing seems to found comfort with the two. It''s letting the two caress it. I wonder what got it so attach to the two.


    "What is that?"


    "Hyx, is that...."


    "Yes. It is what you think it is."


    That thing is the offspring of the Wyrm. Unlike its parent who had more than a pair of eyes, it only has a pair. It is chalk white with some palish beige spot on its skin. It''s basically no different than a snake except for the two tiny cute horns on its head.


    This Wyrm. It came to us before its death in hopes of entrusting the survival of its child to us. It probably chose me because of the company I kept and because my appearance. I do resemble its class of species, a reptile. I do have claws and a tail after all.


    "No." I told Lubac when he was about to open his mouth. Because I saw the sparkles in his eyes, I briefly answered so. He probably wants to make the infant Wyrm a subject of experiment.


    Putting that aside, I turn to the dead Wyrm. The Mana Vessel is still there but fading which means....


    [Not possible. It''s too big.]


    That''s what she said.


    [Very funny but it won''t change facts. [Soul Harvest] is unable to consume a soul that exceed its capability.]


    But doesn''t [Soul Harvest] chips off the souls bit by bit to consume it?


    [That''s just superficial. The moment they start chipping off, the souls is already as good as yours. I don''t actually know exactly how it works but that''s how it is.]


    Aren''t you suppose to know everything?


    [I know a lot and as much as you do but not everything. I might be able to figure it out if I''m given time. However, there''s a lot to go through like your memories for one. Plus, I procrastinate too.]


    ..... Fine. You win. You made your point.


    "What do we do now?" Lubac asked. "Should we just kill it?"


    Then I heard this under his breath, "No. That would be a waste. Too much of a waste. It is too interesting to be dispose of. Must pursue this in with other methods."


    I guess I should just pretend I didn''t hear that. Let''s just hope he''s just all talk.


    I look at the two goblins who are playing happily with the baby Wyrm.


    "We gotta keep moving." I replied indifferently. I don''t mind having that thing travelling with us as long as it''s not going to give us any troubles.


    "You two." I called out to the goblins. They straightened at my words. The baby Wyrm is coiling around Cormac''s arm. It stopped slithering when it heard my voice. The way it peaks up at me is kinda cute but I won''t be saying that out loud. "You can keep it if you want but it''s your responsibility."


    They tilt their head.


    Do they not understand? I was pretty sure my monster language is fluent.


    Tom steps in to explain my stead. "Hyx is saying that should anything happen to the infant Wyrm, you two will have to take care of it. Like if it''s hungry, you two will find food for it. Not Hyx. Alright?"


    They put on a difficult face. Looks like they didn''t thought of the hassle that comes with taking care of a pet.


    "Difficult without help."


    "But can''t abandon."


    Really?


    "If you don''t mind, Hyx." Tom jumps in. "I can help with taking care of the baby Wyrm. If that''s okay that is."


    I glare at the three. It might just be my imagination but I don''t believe they are putting on puppy eyes. You are an orc and you two are goblins, act your race.


    What''s your take on this, Kai?


    [I say go with your decision. I''m not saying I''m all aboard with your cut-your-losses method, it is a bit harsh but....]


    Yeah, whole place is coming apart and we''re worrying about taking care of a snake. Nonsensical worries at its best.


    "Fine. Do what you like but if it proves to be hostile. I''ll cook it for dinner."


    They nodded.


    What are you three so happy about a snake?


    Speaking of dinner.... can I.... is it possible?


    [Um.... Not the whole Wyrm but.... maybe a chunk will do? Although....]


    Although?


    [You''re going to eat it?]


    Um.... Will I gain abilities?


    [Physical abilities, yes.]


    Then I am going to eat it.


    [That''s a little bit disrespectful, don''t you think?]


    No? Problems?


    [Are you just going to eat every magic beast available in front of you?]


    I can grow strong like that, so yes.


    [Alright, point taken but don''t you think....]


    What''s wrong? Why the hesitation? It''s not like it''s my first rodeo.


    [It''s not about that. It''s....]


    Yeesh. Just tell me whatever is it you want to tell me after my meal. Well, itadakimasu.


    As I am about to tore a chunk of meat from the dead Wyrm, I felt a stare from behind.


    No, not just a stare. Stares.


    I look behind.


    I find Tom, Bartholomew, Cormac, and even the infant Wyrm looking at me with horrified expressions.


    Why? What''s wrong?


    [*sigh* You''re really asking that? How did you not realize it?]


    "Are you going to eat that?" Lubac asked.


    Um... duh? "Of course?"


    "It may not be my place or even qualify to say this but.... are you really going to eat the parent in front of its child?"


    Ah?


    Oh.


    Eh....


    That''s....


    How did I overlook something like that?


    [You didn''t. You somehow just shove that piece of good conscience away in your mind, no hesitation. I was shocked when you did that but it appears you truly don''t realize it. If you did indeed ate the parent in front of its child, it will be the most boorish thing you will ever do.]


    Ah.... You''re right.


    "I''m.... I''m sorry." I told them.


    What was I thinking? Well, I don''t think I was thinking at all. I was just going with my instincts like a....


    [... monster. It''s still just a theory but I think that the more you monster flesh or soul you consume, the more you will loose your humanity. We have to consider that it doesn''t just affects you physically or spiritually. Your mentality might need to be taken into account as well. You gain memories and learn of their behaviors from consuming humans, what''s to say that you won''t adopt the monster''s behavior too?]


    I see. I did wonder about that before but I never really take it into consideration. All I could think about it''s what''s going to happen to my body, not minding the details.


    How could I have not?


    I failed to pay attention to details, I have been absent-minded, like some simple wild beast. I''m just the lowest.


    ..... Is this going to get worse?


    [I.... No data available. Sorry.]


    Kai Ming.


    [Yes, my master?]


    I may have resolve myself into becoming a monster but I can''t now. Not when I have the ones I want to protect. I don''t mind diving into hell for my own survival but I refuse to drag the others with me. I can''t. So listen here, if I ever did anything questionable again like this time, from now on, I want you to reprimand me at once.


    [But... I''m you... how can I....]


    Precisely it''s because you''re me. I think you are the human and logical side of me. The one with the most empathy and pays attentions to details because he cares as much as I do. So please, this is something I can count on you and only you.


    [*sigh* Of course. Your wish is my command, my master.]


    Thank you.


    Now, perhaps I should give it a well-deserved send off?


    [I think that would be best.]


    [Spirit Fire]


    A flame of cyan color conjures in my hand. I offered some random prayers and let the flames consume the Wyrm. I wasn''t sure it could burn the whole body but it did and it swallowed it all in just seconds.


    Damn, [Spirit Magic] is just plain terrifying.


    When I turn to them, I apologized again.


    "It''s alright. You were just.... caught in the moment." Tom forced a smile, cramped.


    "Yes. Yes. Caught in a.... um...."


    "Doesn''t matter. We forgives."


    I''m glad they could forgive me but I hope they would reprimand a bit at least. I should tell them the same thing I told Kai later.


    The infant Wyrm isn''t looking my way. It''s cowering away from me.


    Understandable.


    "Where did the wisp went?" Lubac asked a sudden and important question.


    Eh?


    Oops. We totally forgot about that.


    We immediately run to the only path it could have went. A right turn just up ahead.


    At that turn, we found the wisp in a predicament.


    [I wouldn''t call it a predicament. The wisp seems to be doing well.]


    As what Kai said, the wisp is attacked by numerous Wights. They are trying to catch the wisp like cats catching a laser pointer. Like the cats, the Wights are no closer to catching the slippery wisp. Not gonna lie, the whole scene is pretty damn funny to watch.


    The wisp saw me and flew to my back.


    Oi.


    You little shit. You ditched us and now you seek refuge from me? If you weren''t the only guide we have, I would feed you to those Wights.


    The wisp squeaked. I understand it''s trying to appeal for assistance.


    This little shit.


    I sigh.


    I finish the Wights off with [Abyssal Edge] and [Abyssal Javelin]. Although it couldn''t be consider a horde but there were a lot of them but with some slight assistance from Lubac and Tom, the whole thing is easier than I thought.


    Looking at the carcasses, I think there''s about twenty Wights. So, twenty or more Wights made it this far. I hope they didn''t found a way out of this dungeon. Imagine the havoc they could wreak.


    [Maybe the adventurers will profit from that.]


    I certainly hope so.


    [Abyss Magic: Lv. 4 increased to Lv. 5]


    [Abyss Magic: Devil''s Garrote - Acquired]


    Oh? That''s nice. About time.


    [We can test the functions later.]


    Yeah, we can. I''m sure we will have lots of opportunity to, considering our luck so far.


    With the threats gone, the wisp bows its head which is its entire body, at me. I think it''s trying to say thanks. I gesture at it with a "don''t mind it." I do mind it though but I need it to guide me out, so I''ll be prudent for now.


    It then continues floating along the path at its own pace.


    Let''s hope we can make it out of here before the whole place came down.


    Thus, we ended up following quietly and slowly behind the Wisp once again.


    We came to a straight path that stretches for more than a mile and at the end of the path....


    Is that... light?


    [It appears so.]


    Is that.... a way out?


    [Can''t say from this distance but it might be. There''s no other light in the dungeon that shines that brightly, if you''re not counting the magic spells cast.]


    Ah.... finally. The way out is in sight.


    The light is in sight.


    As I''m about to relay the good news to the others....


    [Oh? Hello. What''s this?]


    What is it?


    [I don''t know but.... be prepare for it.]


    What? Something''s coming?


    I look around but nothing is in the proximity.


    [I don''t mean that.]


    That what do you mea....


    [Conditions Cleared]


    I received such message in my head.


    What conditions?


    [Hmm.... let me see.... the conditions are.... there, reaching the halfway point of three Arcane Arts.]


    Hmm?


    I took out my status card and read the information projected.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown


    Status: Evolving


    Standing: Commoner (Exiled)


    Job: None


    Class: None


    Tittle: Unparalleled Evolver / Monster Slayer / Pain Monger / Kin Eater


    <u>Arcane Arts</u><u>


    </u>Spirit Magic - Lv. 3


    Spatial Magic - Lv. 5


    Abyss Magic - Lv. 5


    Ligtning Serration (Legacy) - Lv. 2


    Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 6


    Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv. 2


    Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-


    HP : 750/750


    MP: 1000/1000


    Overall Power Ranking : C


    Effective Combat Power: 2000


    - Attack: 400


    - Defense: 400


    - Magic: 650


    - Resistance: 100


    - Speed: 450


    Wow. It changed so much. I haven''t check my status for a long while.


    It appears I have acquired Effective Combat Power now. And it''s 1900. I wonder if it''s because I consumed Clammis who is a combatant? It derives into five sub-stats. Attack, defense, magic, resistance, and speed.


    Wow. It''s becoming more and more like a game.


    [Abyss Magic], [Spatial Magic], these two have reached the halfway point. If level five is the halfway point which makes the max level of Arcane Arts to be ten. Huh. And [Mana Overseer] a.k.a Kai Ming, is level six. So these three are what cleared the conditions but conditions for what?


    Well... nothing''s wrong.....


    ... wait.


    My status...


    It reads.... evolving?


    [I don''t know what is it but it''s coming....]


    What? What''s coming?


    At that moment, another message appeared in my head.


    The message sent chills and down my spine and shivers through my skin.


    I wasn''t sure what happened after that.


    I think I might have lost conscious and I remember seeing Tom rushing to me in a panic, Lubac staring at me with his eyes widened, and the two goblins, Bartholomew and Cormac are just frantically jumping around. That is so like them.


    I think that''s how it went down before I completely black out.... but I can''t remember the exact details


    However --


    -- I can remember one thing.


    The message.


    It reads:


    [Commencing Evolution]

 Intermission - Iluna

    The Gardens was never my responsibility but I tend to it all the same. It wasn¡¯t because the respective individuals in charge were neglecting their jobs but solely because I enjoy it.


    In the recent times that even the days seem dark, these flowers, they are growing strong despite all the silent chaos around, I envy these flowers more than I admire them. I wish I could be as negligent as them but I can''t. I can''t just shut my eyes and cupped my ears and pretend everything is alright.


    That is not who I am.


    My name is Iluna Ninehearts, I am an Elf and a devout cleric of the Faith of the Nines. I am currently two hundred and ten years old. The numbers are deceiving to the the others as I''m only sixteen to eighteen of age in human years.


    To other races, we are probably the longest-living race among the Sagax excluding the Majins. To their short span of lives, we may seem eternal but we are not, not even close. One of the first lesson taught to us, Elves the moment we are capable of speech, we are not to flaunt our everlasting lives to the other races and not to take the thousand years of our lives for granted.


    To the world, we are a symbolic race of elegance, beauty, and eternity.


    Even among the fairy-kin, we are a secluded race that lives among forests of forests. We mostly kept to ourselves and rarely meddles in other Sagax races¡¯ affairs. Some look highly at our peculiar culture and ways but there are also some who thinks the Elves are too proud of themselves to be meddlesome.


    In truth, we just wish to be left alone. Being a long-living race, we have witness countless tragedies caused by the power struggles of nations and religions. We were once generous with our offer of assistance but we changed when we began to be abused for our generosity.


    We never forgive nor forget the one''s who took our kindness for granted but we have neither seek vengeance nor retribution.


    Elves are proud but they don¡¯t discriminate. We just wish to be not involve if such tragedies were to repeat themselves.


    But I am different. I want to be involved. I want to meddle.


    I want to help the peoples, no matter the race.


    I still remember my first pilgrimage when I came of age, my first ever experience of the outside world. While it had been a pleasant journey but I have also witness the dark side of the world. So many were left in the cold and the shadows with no saving grace for them.


    I have pleaded with the Elders to lend a hand to those unfortunates but my words fell on deaf ears. Which is then, I decided. If no one will help me, I will help myself.


    I left my clan and begin a life outside of the forest, all for the sake of helping the ones being discarded into the darkness.


    Although, I was naive. I thought I could save everyone. I thought I could change the world. Slowly, I realized why my did my kin refused to lend a hand. There were just too much to be saved. So much to do, so little time.


    Along the ruthless and seemingly impossible journey, I found my light, a ray of hope.


    The Faith of the Nines.


    I have never indulge myself in a faith before. We, Elves never truly believe in Gods. The closest experience I have is the Spirits of Nature the Elves worship back at the forest. To the outsiders, we may be seen as a hypocrite but we prayed to something that we have seen of their existence ourselves. And we don''t pray to any random gods. We prayed to the ones that offered us shelter and food, the Spirits of Nature.


    Never in my life have I thought that I would be putting all my hopes on an entity that my kin has no faith in.


    Although the Nines are powerful and widespread but they could only do so much. So, I have decided to lend a hand. Although I know I can¡¯t do much, I will at least do my part and everything that I can.


    Granted, there were suspicions of me. It¡¯s rare to see Elves outside of the forest and indulged in a faith no less. Elves are widely known for their disapproval for religions. Even if Elves are seen outside of the forest, they are mostly seen in an Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Which is why the suspicions on me of other races are understandable.


    The first few years were hard but I refuse to give up. My only comfort for the dark times is The Gardens. Looking at the blooming flowers, the envy gives me strength. I refuse to be beaten by mere flowers, this was my philosophy. It''s nothing deep but it helps.


    Nevertheless, I just couldn¡¯t sleep well knowing that there are others out there who can¡¯t afford such luxuries as mine.


    A few years later after I officially became a cleric, I met her.


    A prominent figure of the Nines. A young female Templar Knight. She made her name known at a very early age. She rose through ranks and fame in shortest time of any Templar Knights in history.


    Inspired and encourage by her unrelenting resolve, I got acquainted with her.


    But I was once very distrusting of her.


    At first, I was very skeptical about this person named, Vira Ninehearts.


    We share the same name but the name, Ninehearts, is just a name given to the ones without a family or a home.


    I have heard whispers about her being ruthless and cold-blooded. No matter races, she cuts them down all the same. A human completely based her reasoning on logical thoughts and rationality. Almost like an intelligent Golem.


    I have been to her speeches a few times and I was surprise that she only desires peace and unity. I find it hard to believe that such vision comes from a person who lacks any empathy or even sympathy. I can tell she hates giving the speeches but if she didn''t, she wouldn''t have any support for her methods.


    I have my doubts about her true nature and her true goals but after meeting a certain boy, I came to understand her and know of her tragic past.


    If anything, I felt pity for her. She had gone through so much that making decision on empathy or sympathy is impossible to her, not without reopening old wounds.


    Despite her frozen heart, she is actually capable of love and compassion. She just has troubles showing it and she is always being reminded of her past whenever she show the slightest compassion.


    I want to help her like I have helped all the others.


    I want to understand her even more.


    And so, no matter how many times she rejected my hands that I offered to her, I pressed on.


    Eventually, she finally opened up to me.


    From then on, we were always there for each other. We came to understand each other. Our mutual respect slowly turns into something bigger.


    On a certain night of the annual Red Crescent Festival, I gave my first night to her. We share our love and embrace with each other until the light of dawn.


    Currently, we are infatuated. It¡¯s not exactly public knowledge but we are not hiding it either.


    Unlike other faiths, the Nines welcome such practices as long as it¡¯s genuine and without malicious intents.


    For the first time in my life, I felt like I¡¯m needed, with a purpose, complete.


    But there are a few small problems on the side but that¡¯s just life.


    Though, I hope that certain boy would stop being so meddlesome in our relationship.


    I¡¯m proud to be an Elf. I¡¯m proud to have been given life. I¡¯m proud to have serve the Nines. I¡¯m glad that I have met Vira.


    I love her.


    Though there are times when I wonder if she just went along with me on a whim. There are times when I shudder at such possibility but I always bury it.


    I don''t want to believe that Vira is such a person.


    Still, I love her.


    Which was why I was so oppose to her in suddenly being selected for such a dangerous task. The damn Farmas Kingdom. Greedy bastard of a king. They chose her purely because she was in the capital at that precise moment. I got even more furious when I heard the details. That damn boy is going with her.


    Damn it. I wish I have gone with her to Farmas Kingdom at that time. Curse the spirits.


    .... sorry. Pardon my tongue.


    But.... Vira kept assuring me that everything be alright but I didn¡¯t believe it. And I was right not to.


    A week went by and there was no news nor response from the expedition party. The whole team went dark just after a day. Normally, we would receive a status report through a magic link but nothing. No one reported back.


    A search party has been organized but another massive surge of malicious energy made the volunteers and soldiers think twice. The king is afraid to send in another party if no good results can be earned from it.


    This bastard!


    Curse the spirits!


    Why.....?


    Why did you leave me?


    Each day.... I pray and I pray hard to the Nines.


    I didn''t pray for her safety. I didn''t pray for her to come back without harm.


    I just pray that she comes back at all.


    With each day passed without knowing what happened of her, I spent it in grievance.


    Until one day, I received news. I was tending to the Gardens when a messenger came up to me. I read the letter and I remember gasping at the contents.


    Tears rolled down my cheek and fell on the letter.


    They found her. They found Vira.


    Apparently she was carried by the rushing waters in the dungeon and got washed out of it. She could have ended up in any places but thank the spirits that she ended up in a river near a village just outside Farmas¡¯ capital.


    As soon as I finish reading the letter, the bucket of water in my hand fell and spilled on the floor. It soiled my shoes but I was too caught up in hope to take notice. I immediately departed from the main temple of the Nines and invoke the spirits for a familiar to be my means of transportation.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    In just a day, I have arrived at Farmas Kingdom''s capital. With the help of wind magic, I shortened the duration of the travel from a few days to just one.


    I rush to the only Temple of the Nines in Farmas capital. I neglect the streets and pavements by flying through above the buildings with [Wind Magic: Soar].


    I didn''t go through the main gate. I would need to prove to the guards of my identity but I have wasted enough time. I refuse to wait any longer. Instead, I flew to the balcony of the Temple''s head priest room''s balcony. I could be wrong regarding whom the room belongs to but such a large chambers can only be for a temple''s head. Fortunately, there wasn''t anyone in the room.


    Navigating the temple with wind magic, I came to a long hallway. At the end of the hallway, the door on the left, few clerics and Templar Knights gathered there. Only the return of a high rank Templar Knight would cause such commotion.


    The people saw my approach but they did not stop me for questions. I''m quite well-known among the Nines if I do say so myself. After all, I''m an independent Elf that is not an adventurer and a devout follower of a faith. You don''t see many Elves like me. Which is why they recognized me in an instance.


    They parted and make way for me without needing me to make use of my voice.


    "Hm? An Elf? Wow... an Elf. Its been far too long.... Wait. You''re letting an Elf in but not me?"


    A girl with short black hair said in the crowd. It seems not everyone knows who I am.


    Without even a knock, I burst myself into the room.


    I recognize a few faces in the room as they all turned to me when I came in. There are three knights, two high priests, and the head priests himself.


    I heard a few comments about my sudden and rude intrusion but I paid no heed to those.


    "Cleric Iluna?" The head priest blurted out my name.


    I ignored him.


    My eyes are on Vira who has just awakened, sitting up from the bed, the sheets covered her legs, her eyes half-closed.


    The color on her face is drained and pale. She is wearing a white one piece with long sleeves and her hair is disheveled. Her trademark low ponytail is loosened. With those tired and baggy eyes, she looks completely different from the usual Vira Ninehearts. She looks so.... fragile right now albeit being beautiful as always.


    "Vira." Her name escaped my lips without my own consent.


    My voice caught her attention and she turns to me. "Luna?" Her eyes would have widened even more if it wasn''t for her exhausted state.


    Without minding my surroundings, I threw myself into her embrace. She gently received me and wrapped her arms around me. Although her skin feels cold, I can only felt warmth from her embrace.


    "Thank the Spirits....." I said while sniffling from our reunion. "You''re back." I was sobbing and crying into her chest.


    "I''m back, Luna." She said softly and return a warm smile.


    With no more distance between us, I saw the state she is in. Bandaged wrapped all over her body and her face bore a few scars but nothing some magic couldn''t handle. I slowly brush my hand across her cheek, tracing the scars on her face...


    You must been through a lot.... again.


    "What''s the meaning of this?" I heard one of the high priests called out. "Who gives you the permission to intrude upon us."


    I have been so worried that I have forgotten my manners. As I was about to apologize for my misconduct, Vira shot a glance at the priest with an awful looking long hat.


    "I did." She said. Even though she looks tired, her voice is as strong as always. "If you have any dispute about it, the door is that way."


    The high priest made some startled noise but ends up being quiet after that.


    With that settled, I turn my eyes back to Vira and her eyes met mine.


    Huh? Something''s wrong. Her eyes.... they look sad.... sadder than usual.


    The expedition. It must have gone terribly wrong. Of course it did.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I am now." She told me but her voice is faltering.


    "What''s wrong?"


    She kept silent but her lips are trembling and so is her clenched fist.


    The atmosphere in the room became heavy. Blood lust is emanating from her.


    "Vira!" I called out to her.


    She broke out of her daze and the pressuring atmosphere disappears. She cast her sight back at me. "I''m.... I''m sorry."


    "What happened?" I asked, worryingly.


    "The whole party is dead." The head priest told me. "Captain Vira is the sole survivor from the unfortunate chaos."


    Chaos? This is more than just a chaos.


    One of the knights sighed. A woman. She''s an elite knight, Naril. A dual wielder of longswords. "I knew this would happen. It only make sense that the captain is the only one who made it out of there alive. I mean, come on. Such a weak party and small expedition for such a large dungeon? What was the king thinking?"


    One of the knights beside Naril reprimanded her for her crude words.


    I disagree with Naril though. I doubt the king is thinking at all.


    "No." Vira denied which drew all the room''s gaze to her. "I was simply fortunate. I have resolved to die while fighting.... a monster but.... it was mere luck that I am granted salvation."


    "To think a monster could give Captain Vira such a hard time." One of the knights muttered silently but my keen Elven ears caught it.


    "What kind of monster is it?" The head priest asked.


    Vira look up at the ceiling and tilt her head. The sorrowful expression never left her face. She then looks at the head priest. "I don''t know. It is unlike anything I have ever encountered before."


    "A demon?" Someone asked.


    "No. Not a demon. I wish it was a demon. Things would have been easier if it is."


    Everyone in the room froze at her words, so did I.


    Demons are monsters with great power and always brought destruction in their wake. They are an existence that must be absolutely destroyed. Yet, Vira wished that the monster was a demon.


    Just what did you face down there?


    "But it''s not a demon. It''s something much worse than a demon. It is not of this world. Not even Fang could hurt it." Then she blinked while staring into blank. I recognized this habit of hers. She always does this when she remembered something she has forgotten. "Was there a weapon with me when I was found?" an abrupt question came from her.


    "A weapon?" Naril looks dumbfounded.


    "A lance. Two meters in length."


    "No.... The girl who found you didn''t see anything else but you."


    "The girl?"


    "She claims to be from the village near the river where you were found. She was the one who found you lying unconscious on the riverbank."


    A faint smile spread across Vira''s lips. She looks so beautiful with that smile. "I would like to thank the girl for her deeds, if I have the time."


    "Actually...." Naril was stuttering.


    "What is it?"


    "The girl is actually right outside the room now. She insisted on staying by your side. "


    "Oh? Why is that?"


    "She said she is acquainted with you."


    What? Acquainted? What''s the meaning of this, Vira? Did you....


    "She was very persistent about not leaving your side."


    Vira noticed my glare and smiled. "It''s nothing." She said and brushes my hair. She then turns to Naril. "May I see her?"


    "Of course, Captain Vira." The female knight bowed and motioned the guard knight standing by the door. Seconds later, a girl around my age, in human years, walked into the room.


    The girl has short and black bob-cut hair. It was the girl who made some boorish remarks of me.


    She can''t be said to be a beauty but the charm of her face can be consider a little bit above average. She wears a very typical one piece clothing befitting of a village girl. She''s a bit shorter than my height.


    "First you forced me into a double suicide," The girl has a very odd speech pattern and... wait... double suicide? What''s the meaning of this?


    I glare at Vira but she didn''t notice. Her eyes are fixated on the girl.


    Oh no.... is this.... no, it couldn''t be....


    "then I have to expend so much magic within me to save your ass. And now, I''m not even allow the grace to see you, milady?"


    "Oi. Watch your tongue, girl!" One of the high priest warned but the girl splendidly paid no attention to it.


    Naril seems amused by the girl''s behavior.


    Milady? Is she an attendant of Vira? But she doesn''t look the part. Isn''t she suppose to be just some villager?


    Vira is still staring at the girl with an unfaltering gaze. I can tell Vira''s judging the girl.


    The girl sighed while posing like a noble girl would. "To make such a maiden like me to go through so much. Hai~ Why did I choose such a woman to be my -- milady." The girl shook her head like "it can''t be helped".


    All the knights in the room are on the verge of exploding with fury from the girl''s crude speeches and conducts.


    "Nyx?" Vira said an unfamiliar name.


    "In the flesh, milady." The girl said and bowed like a noble lady.


    "How?" Vira asked. "I wasn''t aware you could assume such form."


    "I wasn''t either but you weren''t waking up. So I resorted to this option at the expense of a tremendous of amount of Mana. Hmm.... Did I made my chest too modest or should I make it the size of milady? Yours are just perfect. Not too small, not too big."


    The room went quiet from the girl, Nyx''s last sentence.


    WHO THE FUCK IS THIS GIRL?


    Vira sighed. "Everyone. This here is Runyx." She introduced. "Nyx, if you don''t mind, can you show them your true bare form?"


    "Bare form?" The girl named Runyx tilts her head while repeating Vira''s words.


    B...bare f...form? Wh....what...?


    Nyx wrapped her arms around her body and wriggles. "Oh my~~ Milady, I wasn''t aware you''re such a bold tease." The girl said in a very seductive manner.


    What''s with this girl?


    In a second, blood lust floods the room once again.


    Nyx shrieked and steps away from Vira. "Sorry, milady. Forgive me." She immediately bowed down.


    And the room returned back to normal. "Now. Properly." Vira said.


    Nyx nodded and her whole body shone like the sun. When the lights died down, in the girl''s place is a two meter long lance, floating on the floor.


    Wow....


    Such beautiful and elegant design.... is the girl perhaps.....


    "As you all can see, this is her true form. She is a sentient-living weapon. I found her in the dungeon. She helped me a great deal in subjugating the monster."


    So that''s the reason. Wow.... Thank the Nines. That boy was enough.


    "Which reminds me, what happened to Aedrox?" Vira asked a odd question at Runyx.


    "Um.... Not sure. I was also out for a while when you attempted that double suicide." In her true form, voice came out from wherever the voice is coming out from.


    "Then it could still be alive?"


    "That is a hundred percent possibility. If it died from just that, then we wouldn''t have needed to seal him in the past."


    "I see." Vira said and went quiet. She is looking down at where our hands intertwined. Tears dropped onto our hands.


    "Vira?"


    She was crying. Even I, the closest person to Vira, had never seen her cry before.


    "Hyx.... He...."


    "Hyx? What... what about him?" Is apparent that Hyx is also a victim of the dungeon but the way she said his name, something is off about it.


    Hyx Atlas, an exiled noble from a Duke house. The Valerius household is a long line of prominent mages and knights. The rumor was that Hyx is a blank from the direct line and which was why he was exiled, to prevent him from tarnishing the good name of the family.


    Only few knows this privilege information. I didn''t know of it originally but Hyx easily answered me nonchalantly when I asked him nonchalantly.


    With no where to go, the boy came to the Nines to find a sense of purpose or maybe a family.


    Despite being denied a bright future, he was always smiling. He always has a bright perspective at the darkest times. It was him that made me understand what kind of person Vira is.


    Personally, I enjoy his company but we would have been best of friends if he wasn''t aiming for Vira too. His advances were subtle, in a certain sense, and calculated, in a certain way, as oppose to mine but in the end, I was the winner. Sometimes, I felt like he let me win but I might just be feeling pity for him. Although I won, he didn''t change in any sort of way with how he acted around Vira.


    And I also know that Vira is quite fond of him but I wasn''t sure Vira holds the same feeling. It couldn''t be, right?


    I was surprised when Hyx made Vira burst out laughing at one occasion. It infuriates me so much but I also come to respect him even more. To made a person like Vira to laugh, truly an oddball.


    "What happened to Hyx?" I asked.


    "He died but.... he didn''t find peace."


    Vira''s voice.... it feels like it could break at any moment. Her grip on my hands even tightened.


    "A Mimic has taken his appearance and voice. A Skinwalker, most likely." Vira told me with a trembling voice.


    And this is another closely guarded secret. Only me and a very few people knows of Vira''s tragic and dark past. And even fewer people knows that Vira''s dark past is made darker by a Mimic.


    He may be my love rival but he is still a good person and someone I respect. Like Vira, I can''t stomach the fate that befell on him.


    "Vira...."


    "I know. I know." She assures me.


    After those words, she gently shoves me aside and tries to get off the bed. The knights around her immediately tried to stop her.


    "Captain, please, don''t get up yet. You''re far from being in a moving condition. The alchemist said you need at least two day''s rest before you can walk."


    With heavy breaths, she said "This is not the time for me to rest." She steeled her voice. That''s the Vira I know.


    With just her glare, the knights flinched away and make way for her. None of them dared to oppose her when she''s this angry.


    "Vira, please." but not me. "You''re still...."


    When I tried to implore her to stay in bed, she turns around and kiss me on the lips.


    EH???


    Everyone in the room wore the same expression as me.


    It was never a secret regarding my relationship with Vira but we have never openly show it in the public. Until now.


    It wasn''t just some light kiss on the lips. It is a deep one with tongue contact filled with passion.


    When our lips parted, a gleaming silver string formed between us.


    "Forgive me, Luna but this is important." She then shifted her eyes to the head priest. "I need to speak to the Cardinal."


    "Wh...."


    "Now."


    "But...."


    "A simple magic link will do. I just need to speak to him. It''s important."


    As Vira was about to leave the room, I grabbed her hands. I feel like she would disappear again, which is why I grabbed her hands.


    "Vira.... What''s going on? Why do you insist....."


    "I''m sorry. This is important."


    More important than me? Is what I want to ask that but I know it''s just simply pathetic if I did. I cast my gaze down as tears gather on the edge of my eyes.


    The firm and long fingers of Vira, they touched my chin, she lifted my face up. "Forgive me but this is truly important." She said as she wiped the tears away with thumbs.


    "How important?" I asked.


    "The fate and future of the Sagax race depends on it. That important."


    The whole room gasped at her words.


    "No way...."


    "How...."


    "Impossible....."


    Such words are tossed around.


    "And a great war is imminent." Vira said and walked out of the room as she shoulders the lance on her back.


    Before she went out from my sight, she graced me with her brightest smile.


    And she was gone.


    At that moment, I didn''t realize that this would be the last time I would ever saw a genuine smile from her.

 A0 - The End (?)

    "Hah!" With the final battle cry along with a the final swing, in this intense battle for a tomorrow, the last foe is finally slain.


    The Warden of this ruin finally crumbles to fragments before us at long last.


    A strong foe with a lot of strong followers, Sentinels.


    They were numbered over twenty but with our polished and prepared strength and under the leadership of my beloved, we have finally took all of them down. Although it had taken us almost more than an hour.


    Our salvation, the light of the surface, is finally in sight.


    How long have we waited for this....


    Personally, I have waited for thousands of years, if we''re including the time I spent in my imprisonment.


    I flex my feather wings and shrug off the afterglow of such heated battle.


    "Angie, you alright?" My beloved asked me without a smile nor any affection. It almost seemed like my love for him is unrequited.


    But I knew better. "With you here, even the dark is bright." I replied with a gentle smile.


    My name is actually Senna but since I am a half angel, my beloved has been calling me Angie. It was an insult at first but it became an affectionate name since.


    My beloved returned a wry grin but the affection in it does not loose to mine. The little girl he''s holding in his arms look at me with belligerent eyes. She even tighten her arms around my beloved''s neck.


    The girl''s name is Kiralhirin, Kirin for short, is actually a young child Spirit of Nature. She may look ten to twelves years old but she is much older than my beloved but she isn''t older than me. Regrettable.


    My beloved sighs at the two of us. "Just stop with it already." He said while patting Kirin. Kirin closes her eyes and enjoys it in glee.


    My beloved may seem insensitive to moods and situation but in truth, he''s just not the type who sugar coat things. And he reacts oddly to the weirdest times and situation.


    "Yeesh. Save that for later, can you?" Nilin said as she looks away with a pout, who is also a Spirit of Nature. As far as I know, Nilin and Kirin are practically family.


    An Oni clad with an aura of shadowy flames, standing beside Nilin, gently brushes her head while saying "There, there." Nilin is enjoying it but she''s not showing. Her cramp face of withstanding the pleasure is kinda cute. Her reaction to affections is just like my beloved.


    Despite such a long amount of duration we all have spent together, I still can''t get over the fact that the Oni has a face the echoes the appearance of my beloved. The truly notable difference between the two persons in question is that the Oni has shot and unkempt black hair wheares my beloved had none. I think a shaved head brings out the masculinity in a man.


    "Forgive my imprudence, Lord Creator but I suggest we keep moving. This ruin is full of the unexpected. We can''t brave the possible risk that exist even now." Said Djin Sol, a three meter tall steel Golem created by my beloved. I am told that Djin Sol means Steel Soul in Helix. A fitting name.


    "Whew, that was hard. Indara thought we would have loose. Indara was really afraid just now." Remarked Indara, the two meter long greatsword in Djin Sol''s hand. Indara is a Mondra, a race of living sentient weapons. As far as I know, he should be the tenth Mondra? Despite being a weapon of legends, Indara is only four days old. The creator is obviously my beloved, the one who forged Indara to life.


    "Hey, Tinhead is right." The one who agreed with Djin Sol is a Colossus named Engrande. A Colossus, an extincted race of five meter tall giants that specializes in a legacy Arcane Art called Shura. According to Engrande himself, his race is extincted long since before the emergence of this ruin.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    And for our last two members of this little party, one is a Juggernaut and the other one is a Shadow Goblin, they are out of their breaths from taking out most of the Sentinels.


    They have come a long way. To thing they were so weak when I met them. And once again, it''s all thanks to my beloved.


    Actually, they are not the last members. There is one more member and just as I am mentioning her, she came slithering out of the Shadow Goblin¡¯s sleeves. She use to be so small but now she¡¯s at least the size of an adult cobra.


    With the Warden and all of its Sentinels gone, the path before us is unsealed and revealed. The way out of this ruined city, this dungeon, at long last.


    "Let''s go." My beloved said and lead the way.


    The Oni walks beside him. "This is it huh?"


    "Yeah. After so long, we finally get the break we deserve. We might be looking at retirement after this."


    The Oni laughs at my beloved words. By no means the Oni was ridiculing his words. "Do you think it would be a bad joke like last time?"


    "I hope not." A grin appears on my beloved¡¯s face with a faint grimace. "It better not be."


    ¡°Scary.¡± Kirin said as she pokes at his cheek. Please stop doing such shameless thing in front of me, you damn little wretched witch.


    Kirin noticed my glare and responded with her tongue flapping at me.


    Normally, this means war but since now it¡¯s a special occasion. I¡¯ll let it slide. I¡¯m the older one here after all. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s good to see Kirin¡¯s troubled face when she realized her actions didn¡¯t provoke me.


    Take that, you sly witch.


    As we all cross the bridge that is needed to get to the newly opened path, the whole place trembled. What follows after the quake is an uninviting intuition. I can feel an enormous surge of energy across the room. The energy isn''t just strong, it''s crippling on not just our physicality but our mentality too. Like it could get inside your mind and dominate it, making you do its bidding or follow its will.


    What the hell? What is this? It''s unsettling... Arh....!


    My beloved notice my discomposure and pulled me into his embrace. The ache and conflict in my is gone just like that. The warmth of my beloved has dispelled the darkness away.


    Are you perhaps a Saint after all, my beloved?


    Kirin was not happy to be embraced together with me but it¡¯s rare for my beloved to embrace me on his own so I¡¯ll overlook Kirin this time.


    I expected his gentle and blank gaze upon me but he was exchanging glances with the Oni. If this was any other situation, I might have gotten angry (jealous) by now but the looks they gave to each other is not meant to be casual nor a simple banter. Something is coming and that something is big enough to cause great discomfort to my beloved.


    "It¡¯s familiar...." The Oni said.


    "Is the murderer itself, the murderer of our friends."My beloved said it in a way as if he had swallowed something sour.


    When the Juggernaut and the Shadow Goblin heard those words, they let out some resentful aura.


    "It survived...." said the Oni.


    "Course it did. Otherwise the previous civilization wouldn''t have so much trouble with it." My beloved responded so.


    He had told me before, his tragic past. His friends were killed by a powerful entity born and came from another dimension.


    As I tried to remember the name of such dreadful person who will do such a thing to my beloved..,


    .... the cracks appeared all over the room like veins. Energy of dark purple leaks out from the fissure. The energy gathers in the center of the room. It is using the broken pieces of the fallen Warden and Sentinels to give its formless self a body.


    "Fucking hell...."


    My beloved muttered such unrefined words but I understand why.


    Immediately, everyone of us are on our guard again.


    "Papa, what''s that?" Indara asked. He calls my beloved Papa since he created him but I wish Indara would call me m...ma....mama.... Ah~..... no~. That won''t do. It''s still too early~.


    "Angie." My beloved snaps me out of it as I''m having such delusions. "All of you, be careful. This pain in the neck here is one tough son of a bitch."


    ¡°Lord Creator, I advise retreat. The advice may be ill but this entity before us is more so. Forgive my imprudence.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡± My beloved answered. ¡°But I ain¡¯t running.¡± He said and let go of me and Kirin. He let go of us.... as in both literal and metaphorical sense. It¡¯s like he¡¯s not looking at us anymore.


    His eyes are filled with sorrow after a long time. When I first met him, his eyes are full of it but it faded after spending time with all of us. Now, it came back.


    Soon after the sorrows, unchained fury surfaced on him. Dark energy begins enshrouding him, becoming a veil that turn my beloved into a very ugly beast.


    After forming its body from the fallen ruin¡¯s guardian¡¯s parts, the entity points at my beloved as if challenging him to a fight.


    At that moment, I remember the name of the entity who killed my beloved¡¯s friend, yes, the entity¡¯s name is...


    "Aedrox." My beloved sneers at it. "I was hoping that zealot would have done the impossible of ending you."


    ¡°Harbinger!¡± The entity born of the Void replied the greeting. The space that surrounds it begin to show cracks.


    And this marks the beginning of the end of my beloved¡¯s story and journey in this dungeon.

 T1 - My new life

    I was born in a dungeon of the darkest corners. Left to fend for myself since birth but that¡¯s just the way it is for goblins. Parental bonds mean nothing to us. We don¡¯t even know who is responsible for giving us this life.


    Although I have no memories of my mother but I''m sure it must be an unfortunate female of other race.


    That''s just how it is. We goblins are an all-male race. We breed by "borrowing" females form other races.


    With or without their consent.


    I loathe my kin''s ill practice but I''m a hypocrite.


    You gotta admit, there''s some unfathomable pleasure in taking a woman against their will. While I''m repulse by it, I have lost myself to my unearthly desires a few times.


    I was never like any other goblins. I have felt the error in our ways ever since I was old enough to wield a sword. I¡¯m not just different in those aspects, I am a rare variant too. A Mage Goblin. I am able to utilize the Mana flowing within my body.


    I later learn that every sapient races and individual possesses Mana but only few can utilize it.


    While most tribes see this as a proud thing, not mine. My leader shuns me instead. Jealousy and envy written all over his face. Although he would very much like to discard me, he knows that a mage variant goblin is an important asset to the tribe.


    Thus, I was left alone, for now.


    We goblins live only up to twenty years unless we evolve. Which is why we cared little for petty morality. We indulge in what we want without any mind to the says of others. Such behavior probably stems from our short lives.


    Still, I felt guilt unlike my kin.


    Everyday, every night, I closed my eyes, drifted into sleep with those horrified and despair eyes of the women I raped. I hate myself for finding pleasure in it but I can¡¯t help it. It just felt too good.


    I thought I would never have the courage to rebel nor to disobey the way of my kind.


    Shortly after I became an orc at the age of ten, I met four peculiar goblins.


    Since monsters are born without names, I don''t have any way of addressing them. I''ll just call them the four as a collective.


    The four also share my views on our ways. In fact, they have never once touch a woman before. They were considered odd, incompetent, and defective. Like me, they are shunned by the tribe.


    They reached their breaking point when our tribe caught another group of adventurers. This group was different. Normally, we have to brave through the dungeon, use a few teleporting circles to reach the surface but this group came to us from the surface.


    Our clan head mobilized the whole tribe to ambush the adventurers.


    It was a big haul that day with little casualties.


    Though we may seem to indulge ourselves in every female we get our hands on, we are actually quite fickle with our choice of female.


    There were these two adventurers. A tanned skin and a yellow skinned. Their bodies resembled more of a man''s than a woman''s. Thus, my tribe used them as sports instead of breeding.


    The harsher than usual treatment for this two became the turning point for the four.


    The four goblins decided to save them when they could no longer watch. They begged for my help as they know I share their views.


    I didn''t want to. I was afraid.


    As I planned to have a taste of the yellow skinned, the way she looked at me, it trigger something in me.


    I found strength then albeit temporary.


    I immediately said my sorry and proceed to untie the two. I want to save the others but there wasn''t any time. There wasn''t even enough time to save the two. The leader had saw right through me. They were waiting at the exit.


    We were caught. The two human females, me, and the four goblins.


    As punishment for betraying my own kind, we were all used for sports.


    I begged for the female humans¡¯ forgiveness in my heart. I can tell that they think that I set them up.


    I keep begging and begging.


    I didn''t want it to end like this.


    Why?


    Why didn''t it go right?


    Just when I started to listen to my heart, I''m bestowed with such accursed luck.


    Is this how everything it¡¯s meant to be?


    Is it so wrong for me wanting to be different?


    I hate this.


    I hate my life.


    I hate that I was born an orc.


    I hate everything.


    Forgive me, everyone.


    I can''t save you all.....


    And then, he came. A boy with wretched appearance and drenched in the blood of his foes. Possessing an absurd amount of Mana that his own body can barely contain, he nonchalantly stepped into our lair.


    The human expression that perfectly describes this boy¡¯s demeanor would be, "no fucks were given".


    While my kin and tribe saw a reaper, I saw my salvation.


    Fear lingers in his eyes but instead of letting the fear control him, he let it fuel his actions and rage.


    I knew not of his purpose in stumbling into a goblin lair. One would think he came to rescue his kind but he looked a bit surprise at seeing the women. He looked lost to me.


    With unbelievable dexterity, celerity, and strength, he slaughtered my kind. He slaughtered them all. Without a single shred of mercy.


    When his eyes rested on me, I can tell he hasn''t had enough of bloodshed.


    I thought I would be afraid but I''m not. Instead, I welcome it. I wished to atone for my sins. If my death here is my atonement, then so be it.


    As I close my eyes and awaited for retribution, she spoke out.


    The woman that I have tried to have a taste of, she defended me.


    She and her friend begged for my mercy.


    I didn''t quite understand her goals in that action but I guess she is just that good of a person.


    Although this boy, Hyx has yet to completely trust us, he does not look at me like I''m a repulsive being like every other humans.


    I think he actually even like the company.


    I was surprised that he even knew Helix and monster language.


    He''s one surprise after another.


    And thus, my new life begin.


    It wasn''t a pretty one though.


    Monsters kept coming at our way and so did misfortunes.


    I have thought that Hyx was just a cold and uncaring person but I was wrong.


    He''s just afraid. I realized how he never looked at us in the eyes if he doesn''t need to. He was afraid of being different to our eyes. He realized how unusual his strength is. In many ways, he''s just like me.


    He held back a lot when demonstrating his strength. Whenever a fight is over, he would always glance back to see our reactions.


    Like me, he doesn¡¯t want to be different. He seeks acceptance.


    Hyx Atlas. I will never hate you. You have given me a new life and saved the ones that I can''t. You are not an evil in my eyes. If anything, you are a benevolent angel to me, my savior and salvation. You have my eternal gratitude, Hyx.


    We monsters never truly believed in Gods. I never did either. I don''t believe in such things.


    But now I do.


    I believe in you.


    From now on, you, Hyx Atlas, is my God.


    Though, I hope you won''t shot me a terrifying glance when I tried to call you master for the first time.


    "It...i...is C...close." I said, in Common. It''s hard for an Orc like me to pronounce any language other than monster language. I thought it would annoy my master but he didn''t said anything of it. He might not look like it at first glance but master is a very tolerant person.


    "Close? There''s still at least a hundred meters away from the exit." Lubac said, a human and an alchemist. A boorish person but always forgiven by master, after some veiled or direct threat. I think master kept the human alchemist around to quench his boredom.


    But.... I can''t be sure nor can I ask master.


    Why, you ask?


    Just moments ago, master has fainted. We don''t know why. He just suddenly collapsed. With the whole dungeon''s collapse just behind us, we need to make haste but master, forgive me for saying this, is slowing us down.


    We thought this would make us unable to keep up with our guide, which is a wisp but I was wrong. The wisp isn¡¯t matching our pace, it is at is own. And its pace is slow. Dragging master puts our pace perfect with the wisp¡¯s.


    At Barthy and Cormy''s suggestion, the four of us are dragging master along by his limbs since none of us is strong enough to carry him. Please forgive us after you wake up, master. I will at least be prudent enough to not touch your tail. I heard animals are sensitive with their tail. I don''t know if master shares the same trait but I don''t want to find out.


    Having said that, it won''t actually be any different if master is awake. The wisp, our guide is not moving any faster. Even the collapse is nearing to where we are, the wisp is not rushing. Does the wisp not fear death?


    What was that?


    Have we tried to wake master up?


    Of course, we did.


    .....


    We did....


    In fact, we tried various methods but none seemed to wake master up. I hope the red mark of my hand print on master''s cheek disappears by the time he wakes up.


    While the human alchemist is complaining about everything, I''m wondering if master had finally give in to his exhaustion. It wouldn¡¯t be any wonder if that is indeed the reason. Whenever we stop for breaks, master was always the one to volunteer to stay watch. If anyone oppose, we are offered a deadly glare. I wonder if master distrust us as an individual or of our abilities.


    I hope master simply fainted due to exhaustion. However, that wouldn¡¯t explain the strange occurrence of master¡¯s Mana flow.


    Even though I don''t have the means to perceive Mana in its purest form like master, I can feel master''s Mana flow being very unstable. I think the human alchemist also noticed but he said nothing of it. He''s afraid, a rational fear of making things more complicated.


    Dragging master along took more time than we thought but we managed to pull him out of the passage before the collapse caught up. As soon as we are out of the passage, it completely buries up behind us. There is no turning back now.


    Although we''re out of the dungeon, we aren''t exactly happy. We have thought that this was the way out because of the bright lights pouring in and it is where the wisp is guiding us to but....Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    We''re still underground.....


    but....


    Before us, is a city. What''s left of one. It is deserted and run down. A ruin.


    A city as big as the capitals I heard from the whispers among my kin.


    The ceiling, the roof, there has to be at least some hundred meters distance from the roof to the ground.


    Are we really still underground?


    There are no cyan vines here and the traces of the miasma I have been feeling ever since birth is no more. It''s like this place is a completely different location.


    The source of light is from the ceiling. Orange flowers as large as a human are growing on the ceiling. They shine as bright as the sun itself. Sunflower? I could be wrong but I remember reading about a flower already named sunflower. Since I''m not that interest in flowers, I can''t remember.


    This city is way too huge and vast. The radius.... or is it diameter? I think it''s diameter. It''s about five killy meters from here to the other end.


    Killy? Or was it something else? I''m not sure.


    ""Wow~"" Barthy and Cormy lets out such sounds upon witnessing the vast city.


    "What the fuck?" The human exclaimed something rude. He behaves more like an orc than me.


    Eh human, mind your language please. Master is the only one that can be pardoned.


    "How is this possible?" Dropping master''s limb without caring, he walks towards the city. "It must be at least five kilometers wide in diameter."


    Oh, it''s kilo.


    "And the architectures, it''s.... it''s ancient but.... advanced?"


    I cough to remind the human of master.


    He looks back and mumbled an "Oh."


    While we''re standing here exchanging words, the wisp has went on ahead of us.


    There''s a ramp with sharp turns at every end that leads down to a forest. To reach the city, we must go through the forest. The wisp went down the ramps without a shred of hesitation. It''s not well-paved. It might be even more terrible than the paths in the dungeon. I hope master wouldn''t wake up with a sore on his back.


    I have to point out, it takes a weight like master''s to have us match our speed to the wisp. Can you please be faster?


    The forest we need to go through is at least half a kilometer. The vegetation is dense. It has overgrown till the paths are no longer in sight.


    There are some trees with exceptionally large leaves and a comb of long and thin yellow fruit. We pluck the leaves and use it as a slide to drag the unconscious master.


    He looks so cute and tamed when he''s sleeping. You would never realize that he''s the same person who have killed hundreds of monsters.


    "Banana trees?" The human mumbled something unknown to me. I ignored it and asked him to help with master.


    Throughout the forest, the human keeps mumbling some names unfamiliar to me whenever some kind of new plant came into sight. Although, I did saw some trees that resembles the ones I saw on the surface. I have been to the surface many times but never too far from the dungeon.


    ¡°Curious. No monster. No animals. Nothing.¡±


    As the human said, there is nothing in sight but trees and more trees. They only people here are us. There¡¯s really no monster.


    There are bugs and insects though but they are of small sizes. I use to thought bugs are suppose to be at least the size of humans but my constant trip to the surface told me otherwise. I think that''s one of the reasons I hate living down here. They have small bugs and insects. Like me, master also has an aversion for bugs. He is always quick and efficient in dealing with monsters but when it comes to bugs, they always ended up in at least three pieces.


    And being spilled by blood from various monsters, he only ever wiped clean of bug''s blood. I don''t know if master realized but he is very obvious his fears towards bugs.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cormy asked.


    I looked to Cormy and sees him asking the baby Wyrm. It has coiled itself around Cormy¡¯s neck but he¡¯s not complaining, so I guess it¡¯s alright? The baby Wyrm is looking around restlessly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Citra thinks there something stalking us.¡± answered Cormy.


    ¡°Citra?¡±


    Cormy and Barthy points at the baby Wyrm at my question. I see. They named it, Citra.


    ¡°Who¡¯s stalking us?¡±


    Cormy did some face gesture at Citra, the baby Wyrm but from the looks of Citra¡¯s response, the answer must be unfavorable.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know but she sense something is following us.¡±


    She?


    Not minding the Wyrm¡¯s gender, I turn to the human for confirmation.


    The human didn¡¯t pay much attention to my slow words but advises us to just make haste.


    The human really hates us goblins.


    By the time we made it out of the trees, we are covered in sweat and dirt. We made it out of the forest in one piece and without any encounters. Citra might just be overly high strung after loosing her parent. Still, I won¡¯t completely neglect the fact that there¡¯s actually something out here with us.


    After walking on a short natural well-paved path of dirt, we arrive at a large twin gate. They are made of wood and metal but they are in shambles. They stand in our way but the large hole on the middle of the bottom defeats the purpose of having gates.


    We manage to enter the city ruins without any problem. The human has suspected this place being booby-trapped but no such thing happen.


    And as I assure myself with that thought....


    We heard a loud sound coming from behind us. Smoke of dust came gushing out from the passage we just exited from. The destruction of the dungeon has finished. I hope it will not extend to this place.


    Like the gates, the buildings along the cobblestone streets are made of some highly refined wood and metal. Magic formation and circuits run across almost every planks and bars. It is like....


    "This whole city seems to run on magic and Mana as its fuel." The human said in awe "Such old and ancient design but their magic...." as he inspect closely on something that looks like a furnace use for heating meat just on the side of the street. We have those back in the lair but only the clan leaders uses it. The smells of roasted lizard meat is always very alluring. Mere foot soldiers like us never get to taste such delicacy.


    Although this furnace is different from the one I know of. This one is carved with some interesting markings and lines. The human is tracing his fingers on every one of those weird markings and lines.


    After the furnace, the human moves on to another object that is one of the scattered things on the ground.


    Oi. What about master? Come back and help..


    My experience with magic maybe little compare to others real mages but I can tell that these circuits and formation are too complex for just anyone.


    Besides the buildings, some kind of poles or posts are aligned parallel to each other as far the street goes. A lantern is fitted on top of these posts. Are they perhaps the infamous streetlamps found only in prosperous cities?


    After walking for a bit more, Cormy stops and raises his hand up, Citra crawls along Cormy¡¯s stretched out arm to point with her head at something in front of us.


    "What is it?" I asked.


    "Movements ahead?¡± Cormy relays Citra¡¯s suspicions to me. The two exchange looks then Cormy turn to look at me. ¡°Three, I think?"


    "What''s wrong?" The human shot us a look.


    "A...anyone e...else h...here?" I did my best to be as clear as possible with my words. Let''s hope the human can understand from my stuttering.


    The human looks blank for a while before asking back "You mean is there anyone else here besides us?"


    I nod.


    The human sighs. "Well then. We shall see." The human said and chanted some wind magic. A wave of strong breeze spreads out from him while he has his eyes closed.


    Is this a scouting magic? Is what I wanted to ask but knowing his attitude, I refrain.


    When he opens his eyes, he shakes his head. "Nothing. No one else besides us is within the vicinity, in five hundred meters at least."


    I relay what the human said to Cormy and he told Citra so in a peculiar way.


    Citra looks at the human¡¯s way to snarl.


    ¡°She insisting that she saw something.¡± Cormy told me.


    I ask Barthy if he saw anything but his reply is unfavorable to Cormy''s.


    The human rolls his eyes with another sigh and said "Come on already. Lets keep moving. We''re wasting time here."


    Easily like that, the human brushes aside all the worries. Does he truly not worry about the possibility of something else out there?


    What¡¯s more, it¡¯s strange.


    I wonder if this human ever gets hungry. Me, Cormy, and Barthy ate whenever we stopped for me to remember the paths but Lubac and master didn''t. I understand master''s reason but not the human''s. Does a real mage need not to eat?


    "Ah? What happened?" The boorish human lets out another complain.


    I sigh and turn to see the reason for his complain. When I saw the reason, even I felt like making a complain.


    The wisp has stopped. Its wings has retracted and the light became faint. It''s just hovering there without moving.


    The human tries to poke it.


    "Ouch!" Something repels his finger as he does so.


    I can feel Mana rallying to the wisp. It reminds me of the times when master meditates. Is this the same thing? Did the wisp ran out of Mana and it''s now replenishing?


    "Orc, you know what''s going on?" Without any grace, the human asked.


    "Re...repleni..nishing..."


    Unlike masters who can instantly understood my words, it always takes the human a while to understand it. "Did it ran out of Mana and it''s now replenishing?"


    Finally. I nod.


    And like always, the human groan as loud as he can. It seems to be his habit.


    Across from us is a three floored building with red bricks and some light purple metal fittings. Out of all the other buildings, this red building looks the most accommodating. On the ground a little bit front of the non-existent entrance door, is the sign, perhaps? It is written in some language I have no knowledge of.


    The human paid no mind to the sign and stepped on it as he entered into the building.


    With just me, Cormy, and Barthy, we follow the human into the building. Of course, we didn''t forget about master or the wisp.


    Haish! Master is very heavy indeed despite not looking like it.


    <hr>


    The furnace just now is called a stove.


    And yes, those are streetlamps. They light up at night.


    And the plants here are the same as the ones on the surface.


    The buildings here are of old design but with very valuable materials and very refined arkitecty or something, it seems to mean the way a building is build.


    These are what the human told me, indirectly. I didn''t ask the human of any of these. He didn¡¯t said all those to let me know but more like he was thinking out loud. He kept quiet after realizing he was actually saying everything out loud. I even saw him blush.


    Eew. Not cute.


    We are currently taking shelter inside the red brick house while waiting for the wisp to finish its rejuvenation.


    An awkward silence loomed over us.


    We are all sitting on the floor in a circle, facing each other.


    There''s still no change to master. He is still unconscious.


    The human never took his eyes off of us if he can help it.


    Barthy and Cormy are sitting side by side, playing with Citra. I don¡¯t know how they did it but they managed to befriend a baby Wyrm. Though Citra has squinted eyes but it can be wide at times. It took me by surprise when our eyes met by accident.


    The human is looking at Cormy and Barthy with wariness but at Citra with interest. At first, I thought it was fondness but the mild malice behind those eyes made me think otherwise.


    As for me, I''m staring at master. I''m not thinking of any weird by any means. I''m just trying to gauge what''s wrong with master. If he had simply collapse from exhaustion, he would be simply be sleeping but master does not look like someone who is sleeping. His breathing is slow and steady, excessively.


    Everything about master right now can only be described with one word, still.


    It is almost like he''s in deep meditation.


    But I do not believe master is meditating. I can feel the Mana around him isn''t being absorbed, it''s just circulating him like a drain hole is plugged and the water is left to chase each other into becoming a whirlpool.


    From master''s facial expression, he is not in complete serenity nor in a flaring rage but somewhere in between. Standing upright on a thin line of serenity and rage, that was how a book I read described it as. That''s also what I felt from master.


    What''s happening to you?


    And then a growl broke the veil of silence.


    I thought it was a monster but I was wrong.


    It came from Barthy and Cormy. They are hungry. I guess the same goes for Citra. She¡¯s looking at me with those sad widened eyes.


    It hasn''t been that long since our last meal but our meal are little yet frequent. This is to prevent from feeling drowsy from over consuming substance but we have ran out of provisions.


    I got myself off the floor and the human''s eyes follow my movements. "G...going to g...get f...ood." I told the human.


    The human raised an eyebrow but narrows it later.


    Why such reaction? Does taking the initiative offense you too?


    "You will go and look for food?"


    "Yes..."


    "And where will you be looking and what will you be looking for?"


    The human asked some very logical question. I don''t have an answer. I can''t just answer that I planned to look around until fortune smiles upon me.


    The human sighs.


    "Then, I''ll go. I know where to look and what is edible."


    I stare at the human.


    "What? Surprise that I volunteered?"


    I give a half shrug and half nod.


    "Well, it would just be very spiting to hear the growling from the two without stop. Might as well help to get back the peace faster." The human said while scratching the back of his head. A bashful response. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s actually shy or he really is just irritated.


    I have heard master always muttering the word that sounded like "Tsundra...?" whenever the human showed such behavior. I wonder what it meant?


    As the human is about to leave, I stop him.


    "What?" He asked with his eyes crossed.


    "T...take B...Barthy..."


    "What?"


    "What?" Barthy seemed to catch the meaning in my words that I have said in Common. Must be because he heard his name being uttered.


    "Why?"


    "H...help g...gather. M...much f...faster."


    The human sighs. He sighs a lot and so did master. A common human trait?


    "Fine.¡± He lets out another groan as he scratches his head. In just a short amount of time, the human has groaned and sighed a lot. ¡°You have a point there." Although he acknowledged but he went out of the door without waiting for Barthy.


    I motioned Barthy to follow and assures him it¡¯ll be fine and I''ll be staying here with Cormy to take care of master. He wishes me good luck and follows after the human. Citra was about to follow after Barthy but Cormy caught her in time.


    The baby Wyrm is quite agile and quick but I¡¯m even more surprised at how fast Cormy reacted to Citra¡¯s sudden movement. Perhaps Cormy has some hidden potential?


    I hope the human doesn''t do anything stupid while master is out....


    "Geh?" Cormy exclaims suddenly.


    "What''s wrong?"


    He points at master.


    Huh? Did something happened or is something happening?


    When Cormy realizes his point isn''t getting through to me, he holds up master''s hand to me and points near master''s back.


    Only then I realized what Cormy is trying to point out.


    Master''s claws are gone. Even if he retract his claws, the sharpness of the nails and the slight deform shape to his fingers can be seen but no more. His hands are normal like a human''s and his tail is missing.


    I apologize in my heart as I lift master''s upper lip. Hm. Just as I suspected. Like his nails, his teeth are sharp anymore too. I peel back his eyelids too, his eye color have changed back into black from the pale black.


    Is he... Is master transforming back into a human? I have never really seen master as a human because he is too astonishing to be one.


    "He? Not good?" Cormy said as he lifts up combs of gray hair, master''s hair. Master has lost all his hair. Balding, I believe that¡¯s the word for loosing hair.


    Even the black veins on master''s skin is subsiding.


    Cormy pokes master''s forehead but I rebuked him immediately.


    I don''t know what''s happening but I don''t think it''s something bad.


    Speaking of that, I have been hearing repeating sounds of something banging on a wall. I realize it''s coming from behind me.


    When I look back, I saw the wisp, glowing its radiant cyan once again like a star. It''s trying to get out of the house but it can''t. Rather, it¡¯s not?


    It¡¯s just hitting itself on the door.


    The more it tried and the more it failed, the harder the wisp bangs on the door.


    What is it trying to accomplish by doing that?


    I put my rough hand between the wisp and the door and it stops knocking itself on the door. The wisp turns to me. It maybe without face but I feel like its glaring at me.


    I can feel its anger and frustration but it''s mild.


    After staring at each other for a small amount of time, I poke the wisp. It shines brightly in defense and repel my finger.


    "Geh? Bad?" Cormy asked in a panic when he saw me getting hurt. I quickly assured him that I was the one at fault.


    "Hmph!"


    What? Did the wisp just make a sound?


    The wisp is still glaring at me. It knocks itself on the door and return its stare back at me.


    Does it want to go out? But we can''t move yet, the human and Barthy are still out, y¡¯know?


    {N...not yet.} I told the wisp in Helix language.


    Although I''m not as fluent as I am in monster language but it is still better than Common. The words in Helix are much easier to pronounce. Master had asked me before of where I learned Helix and I told him I learned it from reading one of the many unfortunate adventurer''s book.


    I remember reading a scholar¡¯s words about chanting. The scholar states that chanting in Helix is much more efficient in Mana consumption and gives more strength into the spell. The scholar based his theory on that the civilization from the Helix times created the Arcane Arts and therefore using the original language that created magic gives more power.


    When I told these to master, he grabbed my shoulders, leaned his face forward to mine -- I had told master has some weird desires but he is just very curious on what I did with the book. I told him I left it back the lair. He then let me go with a dejected look. Master at that time was the most terrifying of all times.


    {Gununu.....}


    Hm? What¡¯s that sound?


    It¡¯s the wisp.


    It is making some strange sounds now.


    As I''m about to ask it what''s wrong, the wisp shines as brighter than normal before my eyes, dying the room its color.


    When the lights died down, a short girl with cyan hair with twintails dressed in a blue dress is kneeling on the floor while holding both of her fist up.


    She looks adorable with her swollen cheeks and squinted eyes.


    Who is this girl.....?


    "Mou~" The girl made such a sound.


    Mou?


    "I want to go out already and finish my task so I can go back already. Mou~!" She said with a vexed tone and her cheeks are inflated. She''s pouting.


    Huh? She''s speaking in Common.


    The girl has a weird manner in speech.


    Like master.


    Just who is she?


    And where did the wisp go?


    I don''t even know what''s going on anymore.

 T2- Facing My Roots

    "Who are you?" I ask the girl with cyan hair in monster language. I was too shocked to consider that she may not understand monster¡¯s tongue.


    "Nilin" She answered promptly in Common. She understands monster language.


    "Pixie?" Cormy blurted out.


    The girl does have a pair of transparent wings but they don''t look exactly like pixie¡¯s as I have seen in the books.


    "How rude." Nilin crossed her arms. "I am no Fairy-kin." She placed her hand on her chest that she stuck out and held her nose high. "I am a Wisp of Guidance, a Spirit of Nature."


    To her words, Cormy and I can only blink. We failed to understand her. Even Citra looks at her with a very uncomfortable gaze.


    "Anyways" She clears her throat "What are you all standing around for? Don''t you have places to go? Isn''t that why I''m invoked? You dare let an immortal and ancient spirit like me wait around for you lots?" She asked in a pompous manner.


    This girl is just as rude as the human alchemist, maybe worse.


    I don''t like her but if she is the wisp as she claimed, we have to be nice. Master said so. Be nice to someone if you something from them. While I find the idea demeaning, it is effective in logic.


    "We are waiting for our friends." I told her in hopes of grasping her sympathy and understanding.


    "Hmph. I don''t care." She told us without even looking at us. "I''m not your servant. I''m only here to help because Great Spirit told me to. Don''t be mistaken now."


    "Wow.... How rude." This remark came from Cormy. Citra nods along with Cormy¡¯s words.


    Nilin raised an eyebrow on his remark, veins popping on her forehead. She bends forwards at Cormy with her hands on her waist. "You, a goblin? Dares to criticize a Spirit of Nature. Not even half there for a goblin¡¯s life and you already belittling a Spirit of Nature?"


    Cormy looks to me for assistance but I can only offer a shrug and sigh. What is this girl''s problem?


    "Hmph." She crossed her arms again. "Either you follow me now or you can try your own luck."


    Nilin stands in front of the door. She lightly taps the on the door then hammers it and finally, she pounds it repeatedly.


    When she stopped, I see her hands have reddened and tears have gathered on her eyes.


    Could it be....? Does she not know how to open a door?


    "You there, Orc." She points at me. "I will give you the honor of helping me get out of this abominable cottage."


    So that''s how it is. Fine. As per master''s teachings, I smile and sat back on the floor. I motioned Cormy to do the same. Master always said that you just need to stand aside and smile at the ones who came to you for help after being rude to you all the time before this. He told me this to help me cope with the human alchemist''s constant crude remarks. I can''t believe I''m using it on a wisp. Life is full of surprises.


    "E... e..... Oi!" Nilin calls out but I keep ignoring her. I pretend to be busy by tidying up master''s clothes. My my, such a mess.


    "Orc, don''t you dare ignore me!"


    Cormy went as far as to blow his tongue at Nilin.


    Nilin flinches from the reactions she received, looking appalled. Her hands rolls into a fist, her cheeks inflated and trembles with twitching veins. ¡°Mwu......~!¡± She lets out such sounds with her lips shut.


    If she isn''t our guide, I would have already kick her out of the house already.


    Be prudent for now, Tom. Master is depending on this. That''s right. He''s depending on us.


    "Fine!" Nilin shouted. She then summons flame of cyan color into her hands.


    Oi oi. Are you intending to burn down the whole house? Don''t be crazy, wisp. I know you¡¯re angry but such reaction and actions are deprave for a spirit like you.


    Is this how every spirit is?


    ¡°Tom!!! Cormy!!! Help!!!¡±


    At that particular time, Barthy¡¯s cries resonated into our ears.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Nilin stops her tantrum and mused at the sudden cry for help. ¡°Orc, is that....¡±


    I paid no mind to what Nilin is asking as I shove her aside and burst out of the building.


    ¡°Ah? Hey! Why....¡±


    Before she could finish, Cormy also shoves her aside and he follow right behind me.


    Out on the streets, we see Barthy running straight at us with four goblins on his tail.


    Not possible. How could there be goblins here and why are they wearing light armor? This is strange. Goblins don¡¯t normally care about wearing armor as it has never cross their mind. And on their neck.... Are those purple veins?


    Citra saw this and was about to dash out to Barthy but Cormy¡¯s fast reflex once again caught her before she actually could.


    Cormy is really quick with his reflex and reactions.


    Switching my attention back to Barthy who is being chased, I cast a fireball magic which hit one of the chasing goblins. The remaining three stops their chase when they saw their comrade got engulf by a fireball. Their gaze lock on me when they understand the magic came from me.


    They then discuss something with each other which was too far away for me to catch their voices. But knowing goblins, I can assume that they are debating of whether to keep chasing or back off. When they turn with their back facing where they came from, I guess they chose the former option.


    I was surprise when they move into position. They are actually positioning themselves. Another feat that goblins are not capable of. Something¡¯s wrong.


    But it doesn¡¯t matter now, as master always said.


    Fine. I will not show you any mercy even if you¡¯re my kind.


    {Element of tranquility and rage, winds that shred my enemies, Wind Scars}


    Maybe it¡¯s because of my many practical uses of spells, [Wind Scar] now has a wider range. Only one of the goblins have seen it coming. The other two are swallowed by the shredding winds.


    The remaining goblin stops his approach. His eyes are on his comrades who are now in pieces from [Wind Scar]. Even from this distance, I can see his legs shivering. He is afraid.


    Odd. This feels odd. The position is always reverse. It¡¯s odd to find myself being the one doing the intimidating.


    The last goblin drops the sword he¡¯s holding. With a shriek, he turned and ran, all the while screaming, ¡°Eeeeek! Monster!!!!¡±


    Very odd indeed. Another day that I never though I would see, being revered in fear.


    When I made sure the goblin has truly ran away, I tend to Barthy. He has few scratches and flesh wounds but nothing serious. I¡¯m relieve. Judging from his quick breaths, he must have been running for a long distance without stopping. He is now on his knees and palms panting.


    I carry him back into the building. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just me being sensitive to strange happenings but Barthy feels lighter.


    With my feet, I kick open the door.


    "Eh? How...." I heard Nilin stuttering with those words as her eyes feast on the opened door which slams back shut after I enter, but that''s not what''s important, so she¡¯s being ignored.


    "What happened?" I ask Barthy when I lay him down on the floor. I wonder how many times does that make today for asking that question.


    "Is the human. He has been taken."


    "Taken? By who?"


    "Goblins."


    "Goblins?


    Barthy swallows. "The Red Orc."


    No. It can''t be. He''s alive?


    The Red Orc was once a part of my former tribe but now an exile. It was normal and a constant thing for members of tribes to be exiled due to some dispute with the current clan leader. The Red Orc is a little bit special in his exiled. He and all his underlings were banished for committing cannibalism. Everyone in the tribe included the clan leader thought he had died as we always came across the bodies of the exile few days later. In that dungeon, getting exile is seen as the same thing as a death punishment.


    To think that he survived and have been living here.


    Curses. Master is still asleep. What to do?


    As I frantically look around for a solution, a realization dawned on me.


    I can¡¯t keep relying on master. Master is asleep now might stems from the reason that we have been relying on him too much. I can¡¯t keep troubling master like this forever.


    "The human is in trouble. I must go save him." I declare so as I stood up. I may not like the human but that is not a good reason for me to just abandon him to his demise. Master would have not hesitated to save him. After all, Master did allow him to travel with us till this far.


    "Cormy, Barthy. Stay here with master. I will go and save the human."


    Citra has a face that says ¡°What about me?¡±


    I tried to pat her and surprisingly, she lets me although she wasn¡¯t completely trusting of my hand as she shivers a little from my touch. But at least she trusts me. I¡¯m glad.


    "What about me?" Nilin tried to cut in but we all ignored her. She¡¯s not important right now.


    Right as I''m about to dash out of the door, I stopped. I look back at them.


    Nilin has her eyes gleaming with hope.


    "Where was the human taken?"


    Nilin''s face slacken. She is making some soundless gasp.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Um.... the forest path. The one we used from the dungeon?" answered Barthy. Looks like he wasn¡¯t that sure about it himself but that¡¯s more than enough.


    I thank him and ran off but not before shutting door right in the face of the wisp who was about to leave the house behind me.


    <hr>


    Although being a scout is not my strong suit but all of us goblins are at least capable in the slightest in tracking and tailing as this is how we caught the adventurers unaware. I can''t believe my dark history would be of help to me. I don''t know if I should be ashamed or proud. I guess I can ask master about that when he wakes up later.


    The forest is vast, the trees and flowers are unfamiliar. It''s unnerving to see all these unfamiliar plants with myriads of colors. There was one layer back in the dungeon where it is full of carnivorous plant with the worst of them being called Maneater. I''m glad that master didn''t pass through there. Before master gave me a new life, back when I was just another sheep in my tribe, I had gone through that layer. A party twenty of us goblins. At the end of the day, only me and another goblin made it out among the twenty numbers.


    A dreadful experience. The Maneater did have a very alluring figure even to us fickle goblins.


    Against my defying instincts, I persist to brave through the unknown of the forest. It took me some time but I found clues that help in tracking down the human.


    It wasn''t far from the path that we came through while dragging master on a big leaf. It was in the fern bushes beside that path.


    There, I found footprints, goblins¡¯. The footprints are deep and only a pair of each. The snapped point of the twigs and branches aren''t new. These are scouts and they have been watching us ever since we arrived. Is this what Citra sensed?


    They are employing one of our most often used technique, divide and conquer. Waiting for us to be separated naturally or by force and then strike. Letting the human and Barthy went out on just the two of them is a mistake on my part. As a goblin, I should have known better.


    Although I hate this trick, I won¡¯t deny that it works extremely well as a lot of adventurers had fell for it. A simple technique used by simple-minded creatures yet so effective. What exactly do I make out of this?


    I don¡¯t know.


    From just all these clues, I am able to at least guess where they had taken the human to. It wasn''t a hard task. I have done this a lot of times and each time brings only terrible misfortune to the adventurers.


    I hope one day, I can make up for all of that.


    And so by stalking the obvious trail left behind by the goblin scouts, I''m led to a straw hut which is built over a flight of stairs as a disguise. The spiral stairs leads into underneath the earth.


    Obviously, I am hesitating whether if I should proceed. It might be a trap and we just got ourselves out from the lowest layer of the dungeon.


    Arguing with myself that I will never beat master if I continue on this line of thinking, I steeled my nerves and took small steps down the stairs. It isn¡¯t a long way down but the spiral stairs made the trip longer than it needs to be. Although a life is in danger right now, I can¡¯t rush. As a goblin myself, I know best on how cunning a goblin is.


    After the stairs is a corridor that extends in a single long straight line. Although long, the end of the corridor is in sight. There are no cyan vines instead, the path is lit by torches on the wall.


    This passage is being used regularly which explains the still burning torches and I''m overwhelmed with a familiar smell. The smell of my kin.


    From the smell alone, I can tell The Red Orc has been building his army.


    There''s some strange smell mixed along. Other monsters?


    The further I go into the passage, the worse the smell gets. It bothers me too much. It made me remember more of my dark past. Albeit hitting my nerves, I have not let my focus shift on what¡¯s important.


    As I expected, there were traps but I dismantled them. The traps are common for goblins¡¯ uses, so I know how to dismantle them.


    And then I heard loud cheers from in front, the end of the corridor.


    There is gong to be a lot of them.


    Dead face of the human floats into my mind.


    No!


    No. I can''t think like that. That is disrespectful. That only means I have given up. I can''t give up.


    And the straight passage led me to the end of it, a wooden door with rusted hinges. It will creak if it moves. On the door are the hand prints of goblins and orcs in red. It is not difficult to tell that the red paint is blood. This is the door they come and go through, must be the only way in and out but I don''t doubt there will be a secret exit for clan leader¡¯s personal use. Goblins and orcs are cowards after all.


    And I want to be different from that.


    There are a bunch of noises from the other side of the door. They are cheering about something. Theirs cheers resemble the ones whenever the hunting party came back from a successful hunt. Of course the hunts are the capturing of the unsuspecting adventurers.


    And there goes another past of mine that I hope it never surface. Looks like I will have to dig back up my bad memories if I want to succeed in this rescue.


    I heard footsteps approaching from the other side and I quickly hide beside the door. I was hidden behind the door as it swung open. Two goblins with short sword on their waist and wearing leather armor came out from that room. They did not notice me as they kept walking on to where I came from.


    They must be the patrol scouts. From their chattering, they were the one who discovered our intrusion into the domain.


    Curses. We have been careless. We have always relied on master to avoid being ambushed. To think we are this helpless without master, we are truly pathetic.


    But this is when and where I will change. I will become strong enough to repay master for the life he has granted me, some day.


    As quiet as I can ever be, I creep into the room and sneak along the shadows.


    It''s not just any room. It''s a throne room. A circular hall. The roofs are supported by large pillars which look like it could crumble at any moment. Luxurious red carpets with golden-yellow borders are spread out in the hall but they are torn with time.


    In the center of the room, there is a throne with the back facing the door surrounded by at least hundreds of goblins but no orcs. Some monsters I assume to be their mount or pets are resting in their respective corners.


    Someone is sitting on the throne right now. Though the back of the throne is high, the one sitting on it is even taller. I can see the back of its head clearly. That''s the Red Orc but.... he''s bigger than I remember.


    "Aaaah!!!"


    Someone screamed.


    Is the human.


    "Why have you have come here to taint us with your presence?" Since the throne has blocked my view, I can only hear their voice.


    "Don''t know... what... you... are... talking about..." I heard the human struggling to say.


    Who ever is interrogating the human must have been offended as I heard a loud sound, the human is struck and he fell to the ground, out of my obstructed view. I saw his face then, he has basically been pummeled for answers. Despite the injuries, I see fire in his eyes. The human has yet to give up. He has plans for escape but I can¡¯t afford to gamble on that.


    "Answer.... filthy human..." The goblin that is doing the interrogation is taller than all the goblins in the room except the sub-variant sitting on the throne.


    Curse. This is not good. The human doesn''t understand monster language and goblins are a race that can''t see reason. They don''t want to. For some reason, a crude and flawed logic lingers among my kin, they take seeing reason as a weakness.


    "D...don''t un...derstand." It hasn''t been that long since he was captured but he was already beaten into such state. Goblins are really loathsome. I want to ask master later if there is a way for me to change my race.


    "You come to the Great Cinder''s domain and you dare to lack the knowledge of our great ways?" The goblin raises the human up by the neck while spouting some jumbled logic.


    Not good. If I let it go on, things will get really bad.


    Luckily, I have those powdered reagent with me. They are whitish red, I believe humans call such color pink, and I have seen master experiments with it. It burns like Gray Spores but only more intense. When master fainted, I have temporarily taken possession of his trinkets.


    Untying the sash on the pouch, I let loose and scatter the lovely pink dust into the wind. Since there''s only one way in, the wind blows in one direction, from the entrance directly into the hall. It''s just perfect.


    I wait until it scatters far enough but I can''t be too late otherwise it will reach the human too. My timing has to be perfect.


    One of the hundred goblins sneezed from the reagent and the commotion revolving around the human stops. Confusion looms over them as their surroundings blurred from the scattered powdered reagent.


    "G...g...gray spores..." said one goblin.


    Looks like they know of Gray Spores but they are wrong. Well, doesn''t change anything now.


    I show myself from the shadows and drew all the glances to me.


    I pick up the torch that was simply thrown on the floor. That''s just so like a goblin. Not even caring about where they put such harmful item.


    I stare at all of them as I toss the burning torch at them.


    The tallest goblin saw the meaning behind my actions. Before he could shout out any commands, the scattered spores are lighten up and blinding flash of combustion paint the room a dazzling orange.


    I move along the wall to avoid the raging flames that causing the agonizing deaths of the goblins. I remember Master calling it, phosphorous.


    Unfortunately, the human is caught in the flames but it was just his right arm and it wasn''t a severe burn due to his robes. Must be enchanted with magic to be able to withstand such heat. I move to his side and put out the fire before it burned through the enchanted fabric and into his skin.


    "Y...you?" The human said like he can''t believe it. I applaud the human''s ability to discern our faces. Most Sagax race are unable to differentiate our faces.


    "Y...yes it''s m...me." I affirm him.


    "Why you!" The tall goblin has half of his body burned but he survived and so did a lot of other goblins. The tall goblin doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s in a good shape but he is still able to stand. Must be because he has evolved.


    I put my hands on the ground. {Element of the nature''s foundation, the rising tide of sands, Sandstorm.}


    Cracks spread on the floor and explodes, raising a tide of dust that swallows the goblins.


    Throwing the human¡¯s uninjured arm around my shoulders, I dash out of the smoke and head for the exit. A smile would have appear on my face from the apparent successful rescue but I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t because a wall of flames blocked our path.


    From amidst the sands that rages around, the Red Orc emerges from it, wearing flames as one would an armor.


    No. He is an Orc, no longer.


    It''s an Ogre. A Red Ogre. A sub-variant that specializes in fire magic. They are said to be impervious to fire.


    "You. I know you." The Red Ogre said.


    "Element of tranquility and rage, winds that shreds my enemies, Wind Scars." For someone who almost have most of his bones broken, he chanted and cast quite well.


    Winds of blade assaulted the Red Ogre but the flaming armor negates the angry winds.


    "Is this it? You and your tribe are now working with humans?" The Red Ogre laughs. The wind magic attack didn''t even bother him. "How low have you all sunk? And you call yourselves goblins?" He grimaced.


    The goblins who survived are now surrounding us and closing in.


    For note, I failed to see how can one be proud to be a goblin, says a goblin.


    "Kneel before the Great Cinder!" The tall goblin said in a loud voice.


    "That can wait." The Great Cinder brushes him aside and steps forward. "Doesn''t matter once they are all dead."


    I gulped.


    This is bad.


    "Now, tell me. Have you come to wipe us out with the assistance of this human?"


    "No, you''re mistaken. We are just simply passing by. We just looking for a way out of this place."


    "Lies! And you heretics, you dare to leave without the Great Cinder''s permission?" The tall goblin looks really furious that even his eyebrows are twitching.


    The Red Ogre is indifferent to my answer. In contrast to his right hand man''s reaction, he calmly conjures a ball of flame in his hand without any chant. "You are not very good at lying, orc. You are testing my generous patience."


    You are not very good at seeing the truth.


    This is getting worse at every passing moment. I have to figure a way out and fast.


    "Now, tell me the truth." The fireball in his hand burned even fiercer.


    "That is the truth." I told them.


    But they didn''t believe me.


    The Red Ogre distorts his face and he throws the fireball in his hand at us. I shove the human to the right while I dodge to the left. The fireball hits the wall behind us and explodes, smoke envelopes me and the human after.


    The human struggles to get up but his body is too hurt to support its own weight. The human deem his current position is more than suffice, he begin chanting.


    ¡°Element of destruction in celerity -- ¡±


    While the human chants, a shadow appears enters into the smoke. It¡¯s fast and tenuous. I barely saw it and felt its presence. It¡¯s a goblin dressed in all black. He¡¯s targeting the human.


    I grab his shoulder to stop him. He reacted with quick reflexes, counter-grabbing my hand and twist it. I give out a small scream but I recover for a counter, a simple hook with my free hand. With his free hand, he parries mine. He thrusts out his palm and I¡¯m sent back sprawling on the ground.


    The goblin in black robes must also be an evolved. He¡¯s good in the arts of hand-to-hand but it matters not now. I stall him enough to let the human finish his chanting.


    ¡°-- Fierce Warriors Of The Tempest! Storm¡¯s Guardian!¡± he shouts out the chant with extreme desperation.


    Three lightning dragons manifest around the human. The same spell which butchered and massacred the fifty numbers of monsters from the time when we were separated from master for a little while.


    One of the lightning dragons attacked the goblin in black but the dragon missed and destroy a large chunk of floor instead. The goblin retreated back to the Red Ogre¡¯s side as the smoke clears.


    ¡°Lightning magic. Adept level. Mana consumption, high.¡± the tall goblin said. ¡°But nothing before the Great Cinder.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± The Red Ogre said and pushes at the air with his open palms. Flames are launched from his push.


    The flames charge at the human but the lightning dragons coil around him, acting as a barrier that protects him from the flame.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± uttered the Red Ogre.


    ¡°Perhaps a little more persuasion is in order?¡± The tall goblin advises in a sophisticated manner.


    The Red Ogre scoffs and sends his fist on to the ground, raising a tidal wave of flames at us, similar to my [Blazing Wave] but a bigger magnitude.


    The lightning dragons left the human and went to clash with the tidal wave of flames rushing at us. There was no winner. The two magic canceled out each other with an explosion that raised a large cloud of smoke.


    It was a perfect opportunity to run now. The wall of flames may still be obstructing the wall but I can probably run through it. Better to take that chance than staying here.


    As I reach out for the human, the goblin in black appeared and stood in between us, wearing a triumphant smirk. Behind the goblin, is the human, who has struggled successfully to get to his feet. It¡¯s a little victory but what happened next only spell despair for me. The Red Ogre has lost its patient and charges directly at us, more precisely, at the human. The Red Ogre¡¯s fist which is about the half the human¡¯s size, sent him plunging into the wall, creating a hole.


    While I¡¯m watching the despair that unfolds before me, the goblin in black spun and send me crashing into a wall with a kick.


    Before I could even said a single word from a chant, the goblin acted quick by driving both of his feet into my face.


    Needless to say, stars exploded before my view and my consciousness didn¡¯t survive the impact.

 T3 - Once a Goblin, now an Orc, next...?

    "AAAAAAAAHHH!!!"


    An agonizing scream reverberated.


    I opened my eyes as wide as I''m able to as I cried.


    Truly a rude awakening.


    In front of me, is the throne in a state unfit for a king. Yet, the Red Ogre sat on the throne like a king.


    I am surrounded by goblins of huge numbers, cheering at the violence and bloodshed that could happen at any moment. Some of them are badly hurt from the fiery explosion I cause but they don''t seem bothered by it. Strange.


    I look down at my hands, on the floor, tied together, trembling without stop. No, not just my hands. My whole body is shaking. Although I''m not tied to a post, the feeling of helplessness is just like that time.


    Everywhere I look, I see appetites on the verge of being let loose in a frenzy manner.


    No.... This is worse....


    Wait.


    Where''s Lubac? Where''s the human?


    Last I saw him, he went crashing through a wall.


    Is he even alive?


    I look around frantically.


    Found him.


    He''s right beside the Red Ogre, like me, bound and on our knees.


    We''re both caught and we''re both both captives now.


    No. This cannot be. Of all times, it has to be when master....


    Without any warning, I was hit across the face.


    "You''re in the presence of the Great Cinders. Show your overdue respect, infidel." The tallest goblin who hit me said.


    Infidel? What are they talking about?


    The Red Ogre, Great Cinders grinned. "That''s enough, for now. Now, will you look this way or do I have to let my servant remind you again?" Although the words are polite, his tone is filled with contempt and disdain.


    I raised my head to meet the Red Ogre''s gaze. They are red but not of natural color. The red comes from the blood veins that have span over his eyes. A sign of a disease.


    The goblin in black robes beside the Red Ogre laughed. "Look at him, he''s shivering like a shitting mongrel."


    "What do you want?" I asked, trying my hardest to suppress my shaking.


    And I was struck again.


    "Talk only when you are answering questions. Nothing else. You don''t ask the Great Cinders. You are unworthy." The tall goblin reminded me so with a twisted smile.


    The goblin gallery cheered at such acts.


    "Why have you intruded upon my domain?"


    "I told you. We were.... we were just passing through. It''s the truth. I''m not lying." I spat it all out the one and only truth.


    "Really? You didn''t made a deal with those loathsome humans and came here to exterminate all of us?"


    What kind of far-fetched theory is that? Fucking absurd. "No! That''s not true. It''s nothing like that. We just wanna leave this place."


    "Leave?"


    The Red Ogre left his throne and approaches me.


    "Leave?!" He screams at me and greets me with a hook to my face. The force from his fist carries the drips of my blood splattered to the pillars "This is my domain!" Right in my face, the Red Ogre told me. "I am the king here. I say when you leave and when you die." And he uppercuts my chin, more blood spilled out from me.


    "No.... We didn''t intend to...."


    What''s wrong with these goblins?


    Not even the thick-headed clan leader of mine was this stupid and blind in logic. This goblins are not even listening to even a single word. They are simply interpreting things to their own convenience.


    Something''s really wrong with them.


    The Red Ogre grasps my throat. He raises me up from the floor but still staring down at me.


    Those are....


    Now that I have a close look on him, I can see faint dark purplish veins on the left of his bare chest. They are corrupted by the one master told me about. Aedrox, the one who killed Muo Li, Clammis, Alabaster, and Daedrich.


    Alabaster and Daedrich.


    Master gave them those names in honor of their memories. I''m surprised with master''s naming sense considering I''m named Tom. I should get a better name from master later after he wakes up.


    I will made it out of here alive.


    Still, how were they corrupted? I don''t sense any miasma here. It''s possible that they contracted the curse before they came here.


    This is bad. Even if I can make it out of here, who''s to say I won''t contract the curse, the corruption? Master has told me that the corruption doesn''t spread from victims but I might be wrong. My memory is too hazy at the moment to remember things from long ago. Although it is only a day, the harsh trip makes the day pass slower.


    Though the corruption didn''t seem to have fully taken control of them but despite that, their minds are more twisted than before.


    "Do you perhaps feel like speaking the truth now?" gently, the Red Ogre asked.


    At first I was confused with his sudden shift of tone but I then immediately understood the twisted reason behind it.


    Fire ignited on his chest and spreads to his whole body, cladding himself in a flaming armor. My throat is burned along with his hand wrapped around it.


    I do what everyone would do when one is burned, I scream at the top of my lungs but the blazing heat around my throat is making it impossible to make any voice.


    "Defiant infidel! Defiant to his last breath! He dares to lie before the power of the Great Cinders." The tall goblin yelled out to the surrounding goblins and his words bring upon cheers.


    "Burn the heretic." The goblin in black robes suggested.


    I widened my eyes at his words.


    I tried to beg for them to see reason in their decisions but the corruption ran deep. Only thoughts of inflicting pain courses through their mind. The sheerest nature of goblins.


    "But before that.... " The Red Ogre drops me.


    He approaches the human who has been watching the whole thing. With the flaming armor still cladding his body, he grabs the human''s left arm. The human screams as he felt the burn. And he screamed even louder as the Red Ogre tore off his arm. Blood gushes out wildly and the goblins are overjoyed from being bathed in the blood of their enemies.


    What joke is this? How vile can they be? Their hearts are darker than my former tribe. These goblins cannot be compare to the others. The corruption has changed them greatly but for the worse.


    Leaving the human screaming and writhing in agony, the Red Ogre walks towards me with the human''s arm in his hand.


    Before I even know what was going on, my arms are lock by two goblins. Another one held my mouth open.


    "Eat." The Red Ogre said and stuff the arm into my mouth, down my throat. "Have a test of the pathetic human you allied yourself with."


    They are all laughing and looking gleeful as they does such acts.


    Is this what the corruption is capable of? Meaningless actions as long as it''s cruel and violent?


    When I rejected by struggling my head furiously, I''m feed the Red Ogre''s punch instead.


    Left without any more strength, I submit.


    With reluctance till my every bones, I swallow the flesh of a comrade they feed me. I don''t understand why they did such atrocious acts. Maybe there''s no reason. Maybe they aren''t even aware of the cruelty they are committing.


    Maybe....


    What does it matter....?


    It''s hopeless....


    After they are done with me, I heard this.


    "Looks like we will be having orc meat again for the feast tonight." When the Red Ogre declare so, the crowd cheered like a war has been won.


    "Shall we have it roasted?" The goblin in black suggested.


    "Excellent idea." The Great Cinders said and proceed to set me on fire.


    My agony cries echoed out through the hall but it is drowned out by the screams and cheers of all the sadistic goblins in the room.


    You know....


    When I was strung up like a piece of meat back at the lair, I thought things couldn''t get any worse.


    Today, the Red Ogre proved me wrong.


    The fire has burned away the bindings. I am free but I am being reduced to ashes and the process takes a lot of time.


    I flail my arms, throw my body to the floor, roll and roll and roll, hoping to douse the fire but to no avail.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I give up.


    This is too much.


    I have heard that death cease all pain but I wonder which clever bastard came with that? Does the clever bastard never considered the pain one has to go through before death?


    If there is a god out there, I want to ask...


    Why?


    Why is this happening to me?


    My lack of reaction must have offended the Red Ogre as he stomped on me when I was no longer moving. I gasp with a groan when I felt my ribs shattering in me.


    I screamed but the pain has taken my voice.


    The goblins laughed like they have witness the funniest thing ever.


    The Red Ogre shifts his attention to the human. The human can only return a horrified gaze. He has wet himself from the sheer intent he can feel from the Red Ogre.


    "Filthy humans. Pathetic." The Red Ogre said while shaking his head from side to side. "Feed this blight to the hounds."


    I heard such thing being said but I wasn''t in a state where I could just toss and turn to bear witness to the Red Ogre''s order.


    In a faint distance, I heard agony cries but the fire has even robbed me of my senses.


    Because of me being a Mage Orc....


    My magic and Mana is sustaining me when a normal individual would have been burned to death at this point.


    This hurts.... Did master went through the same thing?


    Just as I wish for death to quickly come and claim me,


    Death arrived.


    but it wasn''t here to claim my soul.


    It was here to claim the goblins.


    At the door way, the only entrance, I saw him, where the walls of flame have blocked any possible entry and exit, he calmly walks through with the fire being doused by his thrilling presence. His sheer presence is enough to garner all the attention to him.


    Master looks different.


    He''s taller.


    He''s built but not too much.


    He''s bald now.


    His eyes are green.


    He no longer has sharp teeth, claws, and a tail. Even his right arm looks normal now.


    On the surface, he looks weaker but that''s only on the surface.


    In his eyes, beyond it, I saw a tremendous amount of strength. Strength that probably would have won against the Alpha Goliath easily.


    Before my eyes, his right arm turned.


    The skin blackened. The nails became claws, sharp, gleaming and fine talons. Black aura leaks from his right arm like gas. In fact, his whole right arm seems to be solid and gas at the same time. The way it flickers is almost as if the arm is nothing more than an illusion but even from this distance, with my ruptured senses, it feels real enough to me.


    Master inspects his new right arm. A faint smile of satisfaction creep across his face.


    But when his eyes moved to me, the smile disappeared.


    His hands trembled.


    His face distorted with wrath and it into some ugly.


    Countless spears of darkness appeared around Master. They take aim and fire, each accurately hitting its target right in the between of eyes. Furthermore, spikes of shadows shot out from the ground, impaling the goblins who have reacted too late.


    The Red Ogre, the Black Goblin, the Tall Goblin, they were left from the merciless slaughter.


    The Red Ogre can only look on with an astonished expression. His agape mouth wasn''t able to close.


    Before I knew it, the flames engulfing me has burned out.


    Blood oozes out of me from every gap made from the fire.


    My strength left me completely and I succumb to my heavy body weight. I fell to the floor without anything to cushion my head which received the ground directly.


    It doesn''t hurt because I have much heavier wounds.


    And before my world fade to black, I see master looking to me, his face distorting further into ugliness, turning into something akin of a monster.


    A monster that I have only saw in books. A figure of a human but skin as dark as the night itself. The eyes glowed an intense red but purple was master''s choice. Veins of cracks spread all over the body from where the heart is. A tail with a sharpened end, twice the length of one''s body. Its knee where the two parts of a leg meet is arched slightly, the heels is arched even more.


    This current image of master reminds me of one such creature,


    a monster of legends that planted fear deep in the hearts of men,


    the foulest creature of darkness,


    a demon.


    <hr>


    "Ah~ That was simply the best." He said as he finished relieving himself on another unfortunate female human. We don''t wear layers of clothes like humans or elves do. A loin cloth is all we make do with.


    Unlike him, I have finished my part a long time ago. I have enjoyed the fleeting pleasure but I don''t last long. I reached the peak far too easy. Not that I have any qualms about it.


    The women is always left to tend to themselves after we''re done relieving ourselves with them. They are chained to a wooden post by their neck. Of course, they are completely bare naked. Their apparels have long been tore apart by us when we forced ourselves on them. They are provided warm with only rag cloths that barely covers their upper body.


    My kin always left with smiles on their face after the relief but not me.


    I always look back at them, taking in their state after such endeavors. Some are left crying from the humiliation and pain, some are left having foam leaking from their mouths, and some are just left with lifeless eyes staring into oblivion. For a peculiar goblin like me, it is a gruesome sight and leave bad taste in me. Ironically, I''m responsible for this sight, partly but I still am.


    I never like what we do but I always lost to my inner lust. Goblins are creatures that are easily urged and incited. We pounce on every female sapient species in of our eyes.


    In front of me are four female adventurers that we have just caught not two days ago. Yet, they are already at death''s door.


    I feel guilt and at the same time, I feel aroused from their weakened and defenseless state in their bare form.


    I can feel it getting back up again after that relieve.


    I want to do them again.


    I hate it but I can''t hold it back. This is my nature.


    And I''m....


    ....I''m weak.


    I''m just a goblin....


    Goblin?


    I look down at my hands


    No.... I''m not a goblin.


    My hands are suppose to be rough and brawny, not skinny to the bones.


    They are suppose be that of orcs.


    I have evolved into an orc.


    But why,


    Why am I a goblin again?


    As I look up from my hands, the imprisoned women in front of me are swallowed by darkness.


    A darkness?


    A gluttonous darkness.


    It swallowed my surroundings too but it left me by myself in the pitch black.


    Tiny hands with whips as arms, they reach out to me from the darkness.


    They coil themselves around my limbs. Even before they latched on to me, my movements are already incapacitated by some unknown force.


    These hands are now crawling on my body. They are reaching for my mouth.


    Fear demand me to keep my lips shut but the black crawlers is working to pry it open.


    It doesn''t hurt. In fact, I barely feel their touch except....


    It just feels cold. Chills creep on my spine. My insides are freezing from the touches.


    Somehow, it''s worse than pain.


    Slowly and little by little, I am being swallowed by the darkness, pulled into it. A numbness to your whole body is more horrifying than pain. Having no control or feeling no physical connection to your own body is thousand times more dreadful than pain.


    I don''t want this.... Please.... save me....


    I call out to who ever is listening, to whoever even cares to listen to a pitiful goblin.


    And that''s when the light exploded.


    The abrupt and harsh illumination dispel the darkness that binds me. I''m spat out from the darkness. The darkness is burned away by the assaulting light.


    But not all. The darkness persisted. Its defiant with its death. They are desperately reaching out for me.


    Without any thoughts or suspicions of either side, I ran for the light. It seems like the sensible thing to do here.


    As I''m about to plunge myself into the light, a strange and familiar sensation held me back. No, it''s not a sensation. It''s an emotion.


    Relief. Serenity. Happiness.


    Not from the light, but the darkness. It''s cold.... terror lurks in it.... pain that will numbs one''s body dwells in it but.... my instincts are telling me to seek the darkness instead of the light.


    Somehow, the feeling the darkness gave out.... it''s familiar.


    I look at the light.


    I don''t feel warmth from it. The light is bright and radiant but only grim douses me.


    Odd. Too odd. Why do I feel warmth from the darkness when its touch are cold? Why do I feel chill from the supposedly warm radiance?


    What is happening?


    Why is this happening?


    I don''t understand.


    I can''t.


    I''m just a....


    I''m just a...


    Goblin.


    I can''t do this. I don''t know anything anymore.


    Then,....


    Someone sighed.


    "Ah.... Well, I can''t exactly blame you. I was pretty pathetic and stupid too but I was told that I have grown. I like to believe that but the changes are more obvious to others than oneself I suppose."


    I raise my head and there he is, my master, standing among the darkness, Hyx Atlas. The one who freed me of the bleak and grim chains of a goblin''s original fate.


    "M...master?" I blurted out.


    "Master? I wasn''t aware I''m such an godly figure in your eyes. Or have you actually been seeing me that way?" He looks at me with a troubled expression.


    I''m too shocked to answer. My eyes and mind are in disbelief. Why is master here? What is happening?


    "You''re in shock, aren''t you?" Master asked.


    "No shit." Another person who looks like master appeared.


    What? Who....


    Master is also looking at the other person who like him with dumbfounded expression. Master is rubbing his chin while some incomprehensible noises. He always does this when in deep thought. My master is truly what one would call eccentric.


    "Kai Ming?" Master asked.


    Master''s imitator looks at his own hands. "In the flesh?" a confirmation which sounded more like a question returned as the respond.


    After having a few more pondering looks, master looks like he gave up on something. He sighs. "Well, I suppose you would resemble me considering you are me."


    What....? I don''t understand. Who is he? He''s you? Who''s the real master? And....


    "Ah...." Master uttered when he noticed my expression. He turn his gaze to his doppelganger. "Maybe you should just scoot off for now. It''s not good for Tom''s well being." Master twirl his index finger beside his ear.


    The doppelganger has a troubled expression before eventually sighs. "Fine. Well, it was fun while it last. Not even a minute though." He said and disappear into thin air.


    "Sorry about that. Don''t mind him."


    "Who is that?" I realize my tone was rude and without any sincerity but master didn''t seem to mind.


    Master tilt his head. "He''s me but the smarter one. My subconscious. The logical part of me. The better me?"


    I''m confused by master''s explanation.


    "But that''s not important right now. What is important is that you are dying."


    What?


    "Don''t you remember? That fire ogre roasted you alive. Fucking bastard. Should have take my time with him but.... you were dying...."


    "Mas...." I realized my mistake just in time. "Hyx, you didn''t manage to save me?"


    Master sighs again. I guess human sighs a lot but is master human?


    "You died." Master bluntly told me. "Well, dying."


    I am not angry not sad. I am just contend. I have prepared myself for this.


    "But I am working on a way to bring you back to life. It''s kinda complicated."


    I heard something unbelievable.


    "And but.... it is up to you in the end, Tom."


    "Me?"


    "I can only do so much. You will have to do the rest yourself."


    "But how?"


    Master look around before looking back at me. "Acceptance. All of this. The darkness. Accept it."


    I widened my eyes. I couldn''t believe what I just heard from master. Unconsciously, I am crawling away from master.


    "Um.... maybe that''s not a good way to put it." Master mused. "Ah. How about this? Have you look properly at the darkness?"


    To such an odd question, I obey. I strain my eyes at the darkness that surrounds master.


    They''re black?


    No. Not completely.


    There''s purple. It is purplish black. How strange. It''s familiar.


    Just like master''s magic.


    Master''s magic.....


    Is this....?


    "Seems like you figure it out. Yes, this is my magic. More precisely, [Abyss Magic]. It''s the only way to save you, giving you a portion of my strength."


    Master gave me his power in order to save me?


    I want to ask why but I already know. This is just who master is. A good person. To a quote a human way of saying, "a good man".


    "But my power wasn''t enough."


    "What? Why not?" Master''s strength is not enough? How much is truly needed to bring a person back to life?


    "Fear not. Without the other power, it should be enough." said Master. "Hopefully."


    "What power?"


    Master points behind me as I asked. I look back.


    Crimson flames dyed the black world. No, not dye, the darkness and the flames combined. It became flames forged of shadows. Shadows are burning fiercely but gracefully like fire. Truly an odd spectacle. Master is really full of wonders.


    Even without asking master, I understand where the flames come from.


    I turn back and look at master straight in the eyes. I nod.


    Master return a gentle smile. "Well then, I''ll be going. There isn''t much time now. You need to hurry. And be careful of that light. That''s death, just so you know."


    I look at master and fought back a tear. I couldn''t be anymore happy now. Again, master grants me a new life. "Thank you."


    Master nods in return. "You''re welcome, Thomas Atlas."


    And master gave me a new name and then he vanishes.


    I see. So that''s death. I remember reading a human literature of death''s depiction. When they die, they always go towards the light. Is this it?


    Well, whatever it is, I can ask master later.


    And.... a name.... an actual name. Have master finally acknowledged me?


    With a resolved will, I step into the darkness and fierce blaze. I let the two vigorous masterpiece of magic swallow me.


    And then, those words appeared in my mind. Like a voice? No. Like a echoing memory.


    [Conditions Cleared]


    Conditions? What conditions?


    <em class="">[Abyss Magic / Crimson Lord (Legacy)- Amalgamated]


    [Blaze of the Depths (Unique): Lv. 4 - Acquired]


    [Title: <Revenant> - Acquired]


    [Title: <Hyx''s Familiar> - Acquired]


    [Title: <Immortal> - Acquired]


    After those words that intruded my mind, another voice appeared.


    [Well. Now this is interesting. Really just fascinating.]


    A voice that resembles master but the tone is completely different from master''s. This is not master''s voice.


    [Hello there, Thomas Atlas. I am Kai Ming, the Mana Overseer of the one you called, Master.]


    I see. This is master''s subconscious, as master has described it.


    And another thing has changed and only know I realized.


    Master spoke to me in Common and I responded back in Common, without pauses or stutters. My Common has became fluent. Is this another product of master''s doing?


    It definitely is.


    [Brace yourself. You have another present coming for you. It''s not from master but it is master who made this possible.]


    [Conditions Cleared]


    Another one?


    [Commencing Evolution]


    Right before the current world I was in faded into nothing,


    right before I am awaken from this spectacular dream of mine,


    the most unexpected thing happened to me right after all those previous words.


    [Thomas Atlas: <Orc> has evolved into <Oni>]

 H21 - Evolved

    [Hyx Atlas: <Unknown> has evolved into <Unknown>]


    Huh...?


    Shortly after I lost my consciousness, in the time of nothing but dreams, the usual pattern of message pops into my head but the words are new.


    I have evolved but I''m given no option as to choose. I just evolved.


    And I''m still Unknown. Why?


    I thought it was Kai playing a crude joke on me but it''s not.


    Kai Ming? You there?


    Nada. No answer. He''s not responding to my summons.


    Strictly speaking, I''m not exactly unconscious. When one loose consciousness and regain it back later, the interval between feels like a blink of an eye. Clearly, this is not the case for me.


    Even if this is a dream, one would wake up upon the realization of the world being mere dreams. Most often, this is just how a brain works.


    Well, I am aware that everything I''m looking at now aren''t real but I am not flushed out of my dream. The surreal darkness still surrounds me.


    What exactly am I looking at and where am I?


    There is nothing around me. Just pitch black.


    I take a step forward but something feels off. I look down at my feet.


    Huh. I can''t see my feet.


    I don''t even have a body at the moment.


    I''m just a consciousness with sentience, floating adrift in this dark hollow world.


    I wonder if this is the Void or the Abyss. The two names basically sums up the description of the world I''m in right now.


    As I wreck my brain for answers, purple veins dominated the hollow dark of this world. A sudden development but I am not astonished. At this point, it will take more than this to surprise me.


    The purple veins aren''t spreading arbitrary. They have a pattern, a formation. They are orderly forming into circuits and some runic languages, Helix, I recognized them as.


    I stay put and quiet as I watch such development unfolds.


    Although I have zero understanding of what''s happening, my best guess stemming from my fantasy-exalted brain tells me that this must be some representation of my Mana Vessel or my power structure. It certainly have such vibes to it.


    It''s like codes are being written to create a program here.


    When every spot and corner is written with those codes and the development stopped, I saw my body manifesting out of thin air in front of me.


    It is not standing nor actually awake.


    It''s just there, hovering with its eyes open.


    I feel like I''m looking at a character customization.


    I hoped for such ludicrous wonder to happen but fortune''s smile wasn''t too wide or warm.


    I tried to touch it but I don''t have any hands currently.


    I''m currently just an audience with no means of participation of the stage.


    Still, I have almost forgotten how I look like. It has been quite... no... too long. It''s been too long since I have take a good look at my own face. The mirror Tom gave me was blurry and I couldn''t perfectly see every detail of my face but now I can.


    The body before me is of the time after I have changed greatly but without the blood splatters and dirt. The color and complexion are presented to its barest form without any tarnishing of shades or filth.


    Good god.... I am ugly.


    How am I ugly?


    I don''t even know where to start....


    My facial structure for a start. It''s just.... ugly.... Maybe I wasn''t so ugly but the stress had really got to me. A complexion voided of any vigor.


    Perhaps my hair is also a factor?


    My hair is gray, unkempt, and balding. Balding.


    Balding....


    BALDING!


    For fuck''s sake, I''m balding at such age.


    My eyes were black but after all the ordeals, it turned gray. And now, it''s going green.


    Hmm.... Not bad. It goes well with my hair but.... I doubt my hair will be staying on my head for long.


    My nose is alright. It doesn''t look out of place. It''s probably the only redeeming feature of my face.


    My teeth, they no longer resembles a rabid canine''s teeth. Other than that, they are just plain dirty. Maybe it''s because I haven''t brushed my teeth in a while. I wonder if they would start decaying soon but I don''t think that''s likely. I did recover from some serious injuries in a short amount of time after all. My teeth would just grow back after they decayed, probably.


    My ear had deformed slightly but I never noticed it until now since my hair is in the way. But even my ears are reverting back to its normal form. Another upside to this development.


    Speaking of upsides, I look taller. I have abs. Abs, I tell you. No more scrawny body.  But of course, I''m not that muscular like a body builder nor those Instagramers. Just enough to not make me look frail.


    My hands were rough but they are also turning back to normal, back to those smooth and delicate fingers and palm I had.


    My tail has disappeared. I didn''t know where it went to. It''s just gone. I was just starting to like my tail.


    I look so much like a human now but....


    if anything, I feel less like a human.


    As if the body of mine noticed my confusion and questions, it transformed.


    First, it jitters like a bad animation with low frame rates, those kind of static movements.


    Then, dark purplish veins spread from the heart and all over to my body. The veins expand into patches, becoming another layer of skin to my body.


    My arms remained unchanged but my hands didn''t. My fingers grew in length and the little fingers become opposables. To be clearer, I have two opposable fingers, my pinky and thumb.


    My feet arched up at the heels, deforming and deviating from a human''s shape. The toes grew like my fingers did.


    Talons replaced the nails on my limbs.


    And my tail, it came back. It''s longer and the bladed end is thicker and also longer. The blade at the tip is a violent pulsating purple. My tail has a feel of being the highlight of my appearance.


    To put it simply, my form is of half-human and half-monster. I''m currently feasting my eyes on a seven feet tall heteromorphic.


    My black skin is leaking out aura like gas and the sight of my body looks unreal. As in literally looking unreal. The jittering didn''t stop. My every movement looks like a low budget animation. I guess I can say my body is moving like stop motion?


    And that body of mine is moving towards me, on all fours. Despite the bad frame rates of its movement, it looks natural for the movement of such a creature.


    When it stop a few feet before me, it draws its body back.


    I have seen and fought too much monster. I know what it is about to do next.


    It lunges at me.


    But I am without a solid form.


    As far as I know, I''m just a floating conscious.


    How did it managed to pounce on me?


    Those question are never answered.


    I have never experience an acid trip before but I think this must be the closest thing I would ever experience.


    I understand I should have given more emotions and reactions to this but after everything I had seen, not just my pain receptors, if a receptors for surprises exist, I think it is also numbed.


    What happened after I was pounced?


    Can''t remember. Did I lost conscious in a dream? What exactly happened?


    No idea or clue.


    The whole experience has been a shit storm of abstracts.


    And emptiness and nothing ensues my world again.


    Drifting in a void once again without form.


    As I drift, two figure came into my sight.


    One is a figure of a boy. Me. Or rather, Hyx Atlas, younger than the current me. He''s sitting in the darkness while hugging his legs.


    The other figure is of a monster. An interesting but the most ghastly appearance I have ever witness. In terms of presence, Aedrox''s is the most effective crippler but if it''s appearance, this monster tops Aedrox.


    A biomechanical body. The monster bears the similar purple veins on its body but it is intricate. Its head is of a devil-cursed goat''s with a pair of twisted horns. Without lips, its row of sharp fangs are plain to see. It hunches back and it stood with an arch forward. Arch-heel and knee. It walks like in an eerie manner.


    That monster turns its hollow eyes to me. No, they aren''t hollow. Not exactly. Something burns brightly within those hollow sockets. Something akin to a dark purplish sun. To increase its creepy factor, it has its foot long tongue out and swaying.


    I realized how similar it looks to my monster form. No... that is me.


    To proof my claim, its tail.... the tip, it''s also glowing a pulsating violent purple.


    Is that my true form?


    Please don''t be....


    After the monster, the boy with my figure also looks to me. Now, both of them have their line of sights at me.


    They said something to me but I didn''t hear anything.


    Their mouths are moving but no voice came out.


    Before I offer a response to the whole metaphysical experience, I''m basked in a light.


    Okay... what''s happening now?


    <hr>


    [Title: <Ascended> - Acquired]


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.[Awakening (Legacy): Lv. 3 - Acquired]


    <hr>


    "There! And There! And There!" A little girl''s voice resounded into my ears as I slowly open my eyes. My cheeks felt a sting after each "there!".


    "Eh? Masters awake?" I recognize Cormac''s voice.


    "See. What did I tell ya two? Hmph. Told ya two it would work."


    The girl who said such thing is wearing some fancy but simple dress. She has cyan hair tied into twin ponytails. Her eyes are also cyan in color. Her whole body is dazzling to my sight in a literal sense. She is shining brightly like a cyan star.


    And she''s is....


    ....


    Um....


    she is .... um....


    I don''t know how to put this but.....


    ....


    I guess I just have to be straight.


    She is....


    straddling me. Yes, she is straddling me like a horse.


    Yes, you heard that right.


    She''s on top of me, straddling on me.


    Apparently she has been slapping me while straddling on top of me.


    "Not fully awake yet, I see. Well, you deserve another slap."


    As another slap comes for me, my hand lunged at hers like a cobra, grabbing her arm before her palm struck my cheek.


    She has a dumb look that went "Heh?"


    With my hand still wrapped around her arms, I swing and hurl her away from me.


    One glance and I can tell who and what she is. Her name and other info appeared beside her.


    Name: Nilin


    Gender: Unknown (Female)


    Age: 2463


    Race: Wisp (Spirit of Nature)


    Status: Aggravated


    Aggravated? Coming from someone who is using a person as a slapping meat bag?


    So I simply toss her aside like some simple trash because I know such action won''t hurt her too much or at least it ain''t fatal to her.


    I sit up from the hard but smooth floor I have been lying on.


    It might be because I have been looking at an acid trip tourist attraction, I''m awed to found myself looking at a plain looking room.


    It is rundown and in a crumbled state but compared to my acid trip, this is much too plain.


    The floor planks are old but I can tell they were once very exquisite materials. They looked almost like maple wood flooring.


    What''s surprise me more is that I am no longer in the dungeon.


    Did we made it out?


    [Nope.]


    Kai told me. He''s back.


    Where have you been?


    [Um.... going through evolution? Kinda like you did?]


    You went on an acid trip too?


    Kai Ming proceed to tell me of his experience. Apparently, we have experienced the same thing and from the same perspective. Truth is, we were never separated. We were one at that time instead of two minds.


    So what do you mean by "nope"?


    [I did a quick analysis on our vicinity upon we regain our consciouness. I can guarantee that we are still in the dungeon but in a completely different part.]


    So what happened?


    [We evolved. Is that simple. I think that''s a metaphysical representation of the evolution.]


    I see..... Nope. I don''t. I''m not good with abstract stuffs.


    [And we have some new upgrades.]


    What kind?


    [Look closer.]


    What? I don''t see anything special. And where do you want me to look? There''s my health bar, MP bar, and.... wait....


    HP Bar?


    MP Bar?


    Oh.


    My.


    God.


    [Yes. We did it. We have a heads-up display now.]


    It is as what I said. I now have a HUD in view albeit nothing complex.


    I can see my own HP and MP now without having to check the status card.


    And every object in my sight are indicated with their name, like; chairs, tables, walls, and etc. Basically, automatic appraisal.


    Now... I wonder if I can....


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Unknown


    Status: Refreshed


    Standing: Commoner (Exiled)


    Job: None


    Class: Battle Mage


    Tittle: Unparalleled Evolver / Monster Slayer / Pain Monger / Kin Eater / Ascended


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Spirit Magic - Lv. 3


    Spatial Magic - Lv. 5


    Abyss Magic - Lv. 5


    Awakening (Legacy) - Lv. 3


    Lightning Serration (Legacy) - Lv. 2


    Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 6


    Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv. 2


    Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-


    HP : 1000/1000


    MP: 1500/1500


    Overall Power Ranking : C+


    Effective Combat Power: 2500


    - Attack: 500


    - Defense: 200


    - Magic: 700


    - Resistance: 300


    - Speed: 800


    Holy Shit. When I wished for it, this wall of text appears before me. Awesome. I can see my stats now on a window. Just like in a game.


    Hm... I''m a Battle Mage but my attribute with the highest values is speed. Hmm.... How does that work?


    [Perhaps you are deemed a Battle Mage for your fickle combat pattern? You were using magic and hand-to-hand in combat interchangeably. And you move around a lot instead of relying on a defensive spell.]


    Well, I didn''t trust my defensive spells to hold out against those magnitude of attacks. Dodging has much better insurance.


    [And there you have it. You fight with a mix of your magic and physical ability but at the reliance of your speed to refine it.]


    Ah. Got it.


    But anyways....


    My race is still Unknown but I evolved.


    [The most probable reason would be, we are a new race. A new species. Whoever created this system does not have our species in the data bank. Therefore, Unknown]


    Am I a one of a kind - the first of my kind? Something like that?


    [Very likely.]


    Then.... can I give myself a name?


    [I do not know. I''m a just a processor in the system. I don''t make the rules and I still don''t know the rules yet.]


    Okay.... let''s try it.


    [You mean give our species a name?]


    Yes. Cool, isn''t it?


    [*sighs* What name do you have in mind?]


    I don''t know.... um.....


    Something simple? I have no doubt I will regret it if I give in to my chunni.


    [Our tail with a purple tip does stands out quite a lot. Violet Tail? Simple and self-explanatory.]


    Ha ha ha ha.


    No.


    I''m not calling my species "Violet Tail". My veins in that form are violet too. I might as well call myself Violet, then.


    [It''s just a suggestion after all. Maybe it''ll help with the brainstorm.]


    Ha... brainstorm. What the hell are we doing? We''re wrecking "my" brain just to think up of a name.


    .... This is stupid.


    I''m then reminded of the countless hours I had spent purely on character creation menu on a RPG.


    [Ah..... oh.... oops.]


    What''s that? Why did you just go "oops"? That is not something I want to hear from you or my surgeon.


    [Nothing.]


    What? Tell me.


    [It''s better that you just let it go.]


    Tell me.


    [Maybe it won''t be so bad if you like the name "Violet Tail".]


    Why?


    Wait....


    I bother not to get an answer from Kai. I have a terrible feeling that I will have it when I look at my stats.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Violet Tail (Magic Beast)


    Status: Refreshed


    Oh. Jolly. I''m a Violet Tail.


    Ha.


    .....


    Ha.....


    .....


    WHAT THE FUCK!!!!


    I''m a Violet Tail!?


    What the fuck is a Violet Tail!?


    How did it registered!?


    Oi, Kai! Tell me!


    [It seems that the first discoverers get the privilege of bestowing the unknown a name? Simply a theory of the system works, my master.]


    Said Kai in a perfectly calm and sophisticated manner.


    As for me? I''m taking deep breaths. Hyperventilating, I can call it.


    I told myself that this is not something I should be bother with too much.


    Yes. That''s it. This is nothing. It''s just a name


    It''s just a name.


    It''s just a name....


    .....


    A fucking stupid name.


    [Well, I think you have a bigger problem to worry about.]


    I raised an eyebrow on the word "problem".


    Ah....


    You''re right. I do.


    Race: Violet Tail (Magic Beast)


    I am a Magic Beast.


    Perhaps Vira is right after all. I am a monster, a heteromorphic monster.


    For all I know, I could be a Mimic too. Though, I haven''t done anything remotely to what a Mimic would do. Imitating a loot chest in a dungeon and devours any assuming individuals?


    Was I always a monster? Was I just a Mimic who had taken the flesh and memories of Hyx Atlas?


    Should I have just let her off with me back then?


    [Maste, calm down. You''re thinking too much. That''s not the case here. I have gone through our previous genetic code. We were indeed once human prior to entering this dungeon, that''s for sure but through some unknown circumstances we became what we are now.]


    I see. Wait.. what? Genetic Code?


    [Yes. I can read them now. I have received upgrades and a lot of it too, you know.]


    So that''s why.


    Even Kai''s manner of speaking has changed slightly.


    I was wondering why was there a wall of text appearing beside the lecher girl that reveals her info. Now I know.


    This is good. Things are really looking up. Thank the Nines or whichever Gods are helping me. Thank god, I wasn''t a monster.


    "Master?"


    Hmm? It seems Bartholomew is looking concerned at me.


    "Sorry for worrying you all."


    "No no no. It''s not that. It''s...."


    Before Cormac finish forming his sentence, Kai have already filled in the pieces.


    [Lubac and Tom. They are underground, south from here. They are in danger.]


    How do you know that?


    [Sonar.]


    Sonar?


    [You could call it echolocation too but the range is too large to be called echolocation. This is one of the upgrades. And there is more to come.]


    Why don''t I feel it?


    And I''m suddenly overwhelmed by a tremendous force.


    Woah. What the fuck?


    [That would be Sonar.]


    I didn''t received any notification about me acquiring the spell.


    It''s not a spell?


    [It is and it is not. I''m just emitting your aura and reading the disturbance in it. Anyone can do it if they can grasp the fundamentals. Spell is like a preset but I''m not using a preset here. Every time I use Sonar, I would need to gather all the necessary numbers and Mana but if it becomes a spell, I can simply invoke it.]


    Can you see steam rising from my head? I''m pretty sure is overheating.


    [*sigh* Spell is like a program. It is already made and ready to be executed at moment''s notice but I use spells in a different way. I wrote a whole new sets of codes every time I cast a spell.]


    Okay.... but why don''t you invoke it as a spell? Like just simply double clicking an executable file?


    [That''s the main personality''s privilege. I am not authorized to do it. If I did, it won''t be any different than a breakdown in a military chain of command. You are the main core of the individual named Hyx Atlas.]


    So.... how do I make it into a spell?


    [You just need to use it once. Whenever you use a technique or skill, it''s like giving me permission to compile the codes into a program. For a very recent example, [Psychokinesis]. You didn''t acquired it through level up. You acquired it because you attempt to use it once on a whim despite not listed as a spell of yours. The same concept goes into using [Plane Displacement] as a foothold. The first time took us quite a while but the second time was instantaneous, wasn''t it? That''s because it has been converted into a program after you use it once.]


    Ah. I see. Something like the first time is always hard, right?


    [In this context, yes but I will advise you to not said it in such way.]


    Yeah. Phrasing, I know.


    We might have been talking for more than a minute but in reality, our conversation have only taken up one second.


    I''m aware this is one of the upgrades Kai is talking about. I have no doubts that if we communicated at such speed prior to my evolution, my brain would surely be fried.


    "Tom and Lubac is danger?" I finish Cormac''s sentence.


    The two look bewildered at my quick grasp of the situation. They are simply in awe but they accepted it that anything is possible since it''s me. I realize the two, I don''t know about Tom, have started treating like some kind of pseudo god.


    While I don''t dislike it, I''m just afraid I can''t meet up their expectations. I remember having disappointing a lot of people in my previous life.


    Well, maybe not my previous life. "Back when I was on earth" sounds so much more appropriate. Using the former is like saying I have truly died in my previous life.


    "Kyu~?"


    I heard such sound. My eyes darted around the room before Cormac presented his left arm to me with the infant Wyrm coiled around it.


    "Citra." Cormac said.


    Ha. They named it Citra. Um.... I''m not sure that''s a very fitting name but not my problem. Still, I can''t help but be bothered by the looks the infant Wyrm is giving me. It doesn''t look wary but instead, it is sending curious glances at me. Why?


    [An animal''s sixth sense, perhaps?]


    Sixth Sense? What does that have to do with that?


    [You are an abberation even among the magic beasts. Prior to your evolution, you are neither a human nor a beast, an undefined existence. An aberration but now, an aberration you still are but you are defined. You are a Magic Beast. Perhaps this is why it''s curious? You do have a complete different atmosphere than before.]


    Ah. An aberration. I am, aren''t I? A freak even among a circus of freaks.


    This sucks. It sucks even more when you can''t even deny it.


    [Don''t think too much for now. Answers will come. One step at a time. Focus on what''s important for the current time being.]


    You''re right. There are currently more important things to do for now.


    Focus, Hyx, focus. Focus on the current objective. Stop being absentminded.


    I give myself a few slaps on my cheeks before turning to Cormac and Bartholomew.


    "Stay here. I''m going to look for them."


    The two gave me a look.


    I know what they are thinking. They are thinking that how the hell do I know where to find them when they haven''t even tell me the details.


    Cheat, of course. I am now officially a cheat.


    A cheat....


    [Master, don''t.]


    I know. I know. They''re already dead. I can''t do anything about it. It''s just.... frustrating to remember how useless and incompetent I was..... Would I be any different now?


    [Well... I''m not expecting you to let them go any time soon. After all, regrets exist because people can''t forget or let go of the negative moments for various reasons.]


    ..... You''re weird..... But thanks. Thanks for understanding.


    [Thanking yourself is a sure sign of insanity, you know?]


    I laugh wryly at Kai''s words.


    "Mou~! Are you going to just ignore me? Do you even know who I am? After leading you all this far, not even thanks but such treatment? Mou~!"


    I turn to the cyan hair girl, Nilin who is throwing a tantrum like a child. What is with this superiority complex template character? If she has a cute side, it won''t be wrong to label her as a "Himedere".


    "Oi, human! Me, a Spirit of Nature is talking to you."


    Human? For someone who might be a mimic, this is a great compliment but I don''t feel good labeling myself as a mimic.


    "Do you know who I am?" She asked, crossing her arm to emphasize her authority which barely exist.


    "Nilin, a wisp, a Spirit of Nature. Age, two thousand four hundred and sixty three."


    She might be annoying but her stunned face is quite cute if I do say so myself. Her personality have ruin any interest I might have for her though.


    "Greetings." I said with a light nod and headed out of the house.


    But not before Nilin storm to my front, blocking the door.


    "I don''t know how you guess all that, including a pure maiden''s age. But I will not let a human like you to treat me with such disrespect."


    What the fuck is wrong with this girl? What happen to the simple wisp that I know?


    "I''m being summoned by the Great Spirit to guide you all out of this dungeon and that is what I will do, simply because the Great Spirit asked this of me. I hate spending any second longer among this cursed place so I''m going to do my job, with or without you."


    I blink at her words. Where''s the logic in that? Are you high?


    "Now...." She string out the word. "Can you please open the accursed planks of wood for me?" She timidly and quietly asked while twiddling her fingers. "Damn human inventions." I heard her uttering such thing in a very small voice.


    Looks like I didn''t loose my keen sense of hearing.


    Really? Is that why you''re "aggravated"?


    "Pfft...." I tried to hold back my laughter but some of it escaped.


    Red filled her whole face. "Wh... wh... what are you laughing about?"


    Then I feel someone poking at my back, I turn to look back.


    Cormac is looking at me with worried look. "Tom? The human?"


    Oh...! Shit....


    [*Sigh* Yes, you forgot about them while you''re arguing with an immature child of a spirit.]


    Shit!


    I turn back and open the door but I''m stopped by Nilin.


    Bitch! What do you want?


    "Don''t make me repeat myself h...human." Nilin said with shaking voice. "I intend to...."


    My friends are in danger and a hime-complex loli is blocking my way. I summon my tail, an ominous black aura that forms into shape, and use it to toss her aside like nothing.


    I then stormed out of the building without looking back.


    Apparently I have forgot to control my strength and ended up throwing her across buildings. I didn''t know about this until very much later in the future.

 H22 - Goblin Butchering

    It didn¡¯t take me long to find out where Tom and Lubac is held. [Mana Overseer: Mana Sonar] is really efficient. I don¡¯t have a mini map on my HUD but [Mana Sonar] is the closest thing I have to a direction assistance. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for me to figure out which is which from all the points being reflected without Kai. I invoke the spell and he filter the results.


    Still, it did took some time.


    The moment I woke up from my evolution, I have felt the intrusion of miasma. This place is not spared of Aedrox¡¯s influence. Although the traces are very faint. Without such sensitivity of Mana like I do, I doubt anyone could have felt it.


    Being the [Arcane Analysis] he is, Kai concludes that the intrusion isn''t a natural leak after doing a huge sweep of this place. Instead, it''s the result of carriers, corrupted goblins. There could be other variables but Kai''s range of sweep extended only till one fifth of this city.


    Speaking of goblins, besides them, I find it odd that not even a single monster or beast resides here. In fact, I didn¡¯t detect any living things here except for plants and the common bugs and insects, the right sizes.


    It is truly a deserted city. A ruin.


    I know I my attention should be on the things that actually matter but I can''t help but be amazed by the architectures of this place, a fantasy nerd''s wet dream. The designs are medieval but this place is filled with machines that seem to run on magic as fuel instead of electricity or steam. A glance from afar, this city looks superficially primitive but they are in actuality, a highly advanced civilization.


    The city entrance gates possessed automatic functions if I go by the designs. The mechanisms resemble the auto gates'' from my world. Of course, it has ceased to function the way it''s suppose to be considering its last maintenance must be thousands of years ago.


    Despite the advancement of this civilization, they used wood and steel instead of glass and marbles. Not that I¡¯m complaining. I actually find the designs very much to my liking. A good balance of art of between modernization and traditionalism. A good way to embrace the advanced and traditional culture.


    As I am lost in my admiration of such civilization, I stumbled absentmindedly upon on the entrance to a goblin¡¯s lair. The only reason for me not getting lost or tripping at every stubs when my mind is elsewhere is solely thanks to Kai.


    Before I advance any further, I hid behind a tree where it provides the best view of the vicinity around the lair''s entrance. I saw two goblins coming out from the hut and another pair going in. They are switching shifts. Before any alarms are raised, I decide to quickly and quietly dispatch them.


    Without a single sound, I move near them.


    Hmm, my footsteps are lighter than before.


    "Eeek?" Was all they can utter before falling prey to my tail, decapitating them in one fell swoop.


    On closer inspection, my tail looks like it is fitted with a blade on the tip like some makeshift weapon. No qualms about it since it resembles the tail of an alien with acidic blood. It looks fucking dope if anything. I even stroke my tail and wipe off the blood after beheading the four goblins.


    [Creep.]


    Shut up, I like my tail.


    Anyways, I wasn¡¯t aware of the amount of goblins here but when we did another preliminary scan before descending the stairs hidden by a small straw hut, we discovered multiple life signs of monsters in the inner descend. They number to about fifty. Further analysis by Kai have led us to believe that these monsters are indeed goblins and they are all affected by Aedrox¡¯s presence.


    When we descended down the stairs and into a long corridor, we sort our plan of attack and rescue. Kai will be in charge of scouting and surveying while I will handle all the combat details.


    [Keep your cool. Don''t be impulsive.]


    I know.


    [I know you better than anyone else. I doubt you could keep your word when the situation calls for it.]


    .... I wasn''t aware that my subconscious has so little trust in me.


    [What did you think happened all the time before? You were careless. You were ignorant. You jump into things before taking a good look. You leaped over gaps without any hesitation. Now, you can''t do that. You''re friends'' lives are at stake here.]


    Damn it, I know. It''s.... it''s easier said than done.


    I look at my hands which still have intermittent tremors. No matter how hard I bury it, there would always be a little amount of fear that shows.


    Deep breaths, Hyx. Deep breaths.


    And why are we strutting slowly towards the place?


    [I can detect magical traps from miles away but not physical traps. You seen those four, they are wearing leather armors. The goblins we fought don''t. Which means these goblins possess a degree of intelligence that needs to be taken into consideration.]


    I see your point but.... the traps.... aren''t they already dismantled?


    I said as I saw the disassembled traps laid on the floor.


    [It could be Lubac or Tom.]


    Well, whichever the two, it''s impressive.


    Then, screams and cries reverberated across the corridor.


    My slow walking pace took off into a sprint upon hearing the urgent sounds.


    [Master? Don''t!]


    I push Kai''s warning out of my mind and rush ahead.


    At the end of the corridor, it is an entrance to the lair but it is cut off by walls of fire. Through the blaze, I saw Tom being burned alive while Lubac....


    ....god damn it....


    I was too late.


    These fuckers have feed Lubac to the dogs....


    [Master!]


    Fuck! Fuck! I am too late....


    [Hyx! Please calm down.]


    I know! I know..... Lubac is.... Lubac is....


    [Get use to it. This is such a world. A world where lives are little of value and it can be taken away at any moment¡¯s notice. Stop being naive. The mourning can be done later. If we don¡¯t act now, we will be mourning for two person.]


    What? Two person?


    [Tom is not dead yet. His Mana Vessel is still resting in the body. Focus on clearing the enemies. Orcs have an above average amount of life force compare to your normal goblins and Tom''s a mage. He won''t die that easily.]


    Okay. Okay. I get it.


    Deep breaths.


    Shoving my naivety into a dark corner, I extinguished the flames in the doorway simply by exerting my pressuring aura.


    [Mana Overseer (Unique): Daunt - Acquired]


    I received this message in my head.


    Really? Do you really need to preset that?


    [I don¡¯t see why not? It¡¯s handy. It coerces, it terrifies, it extinguish flames literally and metaphorically. Why not?]


    Hmm.... it does sounds very awesome when you put it that way. I guess it¡¯s fine then.


    With [Daunt] activated, I became the focus of the scene. All spotlights on me with the spotlights being the goblins¡¯ gazes.


    In my view, information of all the goblins appear. An appraisal skill. Neat. Well, I did appraise that himedere, Nilin after all.


    Not much of the goblins in this room are noteworthy but three of them are. Two goblin variants and an ogre variant. These three has a grade higher than the average F among all the other goblins.


    The tall goblin is a Hobgoblin. Rank D. Above average stats. One Arcane Art, [Zero Field (Unqiue)].


    Hmm? [Zero Field]?


    Okay then, show me what you got, appraisal.


    Zero Field (Unique): Lv. 3


    - A magic that creates a field which suppresses a certain amount of Mana in the vicinity.


    I see. A magic nullifying spell. A magic that nulls other magic. I have to lookout for this.


    The goblin in black robes is called a Shadow Goblin. Rank C. One Arcane Art, [Shadow Magic].


    Shadow Magic: Lv. 4


    - A magic that manipulates shadow to the user''s will. A variant of dark magic.


    Basically, an inferior version of [Abyss Magic] which also falls into the dark magic category.


    And the ogre, it¡¯s called a Red Ogre. He has one legacy Arcane Art, [Crimson Lord]. His rank is B. Higher than mine. There is no ECP since they are all considered as monsters and magic beasts but the Red Ogre has several titles, <Kin-eater>, <Monster Slayer>, <Exalted of Flames>, <Beast Leader>, <Merciless Chief>, <Mass Slaughterer>, <Great Cinders>. And they are all questionable titles that speaks a lot about his character.


    [This will be good for measuring your strength. We could take it slow with them and we can see how reliable the information from the appraisals are but now is not the time for that. We have a bigger priority.]


    Agreed. Tom''s life comes first.


    First, let¡¯s get rid of the small fries. Before I finished my appraisals, the goblins have already geared up and begin surrounding me. They are positioning themselves. They are different.


    When I transform only my right arm into a claw, the approaching goblins halt. My jittery right arm of a claw planted doubts in their mind, doubts of whether I¡¯m some mere simple prey.


    My mouth curls into a smile when I inspect my right arm. It wasn¡¯t the black skin nor the thick claws that terrorized their mind but the realism of my right arm¡¯s existence. I guess from other¡¯s perspective, it does look intangible and resembles something like a mirage.


    When I gaze back at the frightened goblins including the three big shots, Tom falls into my sight. He is looking back at me with eyes as terrified as the goblins. Even my allies are affected.


    The fire that was searing through Tom¡¯s flesh has died and left its victim exuding smoke from the charred flesh and skin. His status reads, Dire (Near-death).


    [Master? Calm....]


    I think Kai wanted to tell me to calm down but he was too late. Anger took over me for a second there after I saw the state Tom is in.


    No. Not again.


    I fire multiple [Abyssal Javelin] at the still stunned goblins. For those that were lucky or I simply missed, I turn them into skewers with [Hell Spike] augmented by [Overload]. The sudden death of more than half of their numbers caused a panic among them.


    Even the three variants flinched from my performance but the Hobgoblin recovers from his shock faster than the two. He has a mischievous smile slowly forming on his face.


    [Hyx! Calm yourself. This is no time to be rash. Please remember that the Red Ogre is a B rank. We don¡¯t what it¡¯s capable of. One wrong move might change the tide greatly. You should know this after spending a long time in the dungeon.]


    I know. I¡¯m alright. It¡¯s just.... I need to let it out. But I¡¯m alright now.


    I think.


    Hmm? I wonder why the ogre is shocked too? Aren¡¯t you a higher rank than me? Shouldn¡¯t you be able to do that much at least if you have a higher rank?


    [Well, either the info of your ranking is defective or you are.]You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Considering everything I have been through and me being a very prominent figure that could bring great change to this world, it might be the latter.


    As I prepared for another assault on them, a change in texts behind the Red Ogre caught my attention.


    Without any gesture or a simple faint smile, Tom¡¯s eyes lost its light and he fell to the floor like a doll cut of all its strings. I have thought he finally succumbed to his wound but from the status, he is just loosing his consciousness.


    If I left him as such for any longer than necessary, he would surely die.


    I gotta hurry.


    Facing the three variants, tens of goblins, and racing against time to save my friend, I decide to use go all in.


    [Awakening]


    My skin turn as black as the night sky, purple veins spread to my body, my hands become claws, and I grow back out my tail.


    The instance my metamorphosis completed, I did a full three sixty spin that sweep away the goblins closing in. Some are swatted away like flies but some met the sticky.... no, pointy end of my tail.


    Four goblins left. The three variant aren''t moving. They are observing.


    The remaining four chose to run instead of fight but I''m not so benevolent to let them off.


    [Abyss Magic: Devil''s Garrote]


    Thin pieces of string appeared from my fingertips. I crack the strings like a whip and bring them around a wide arc, bisecting the four goblins into two.


    Cracking the strings, I swing them at the three variants.


    As calm as he could, the Hobgoblin steps forward and splay his hand. A reading appears beside him as his Mana glowed in his hand.


    [Zero Field]


    The strings disappear when they hit an invisible wall. My deflected attack put a smile on the Hobgoblin''s face.


    It''s the [Zero Field] shield. God, I hate him already.


    [Be caution. The applications are more than a few.]


    I know...


    ....


    No.


    No!


    I shot out at them like a cannon.


    [Master!?]


    Kai''s advice is already forgotten by me. It left my mind because I saw the state of Tom.


    Status: Deceased


    [Hyx! Calm yourself.]


    The scream from Kai is nothing but a whisper to my enraged state.


    The two have recovered from their shocks and their intimidating presence resumed but it doesn''t affect me.


    I aim for the Shadow Goblin first but he melted into his shadow. The information message reads; [Shadow Meld], a spell that lets the user to become one with its shadow.


    Before I can grasp his next location, the Red Ogre attacked. I put [Plane Displacement] in time to block his punch clad in flames.


    Surprising.


    [Plane Displacement] cracks only a little from the punch. It has also gotten stronger along with my evolution.


    A dark patch spawns behind me and out comes the Shadow Goblin. He has a pair of magic blades in his hands that resembles my [Abyssal Edge], [Shadow Blade]. Probably a weaker version.


    I was wrong. Kinda.


    Instead of slashing, the Shadow Goblin throws the blades at me.


    Pointless, nevertheless.


    My tail undulates and intercepts the blades. My tail''s movement didn''t stop there. As if dancing to a rhythm and tune, the pointed end darts at the Shadow Goblin but it missed. The Shadow Goblins has become one with his shadow again.


    I clicked my tongue at his annoying technique.


    [Hyx! Get out of there. It''s an unfavorable position.]


    I heard such words but none of it registered in my mind. My desire for vengeance has taken over me.


    Right in front of me, the Red Ogre launches a large fireball at me.


    [Crimson Lord: Great Flame Bomb]


    I invoke [Psychokinesis] and launch the corpses of the fallen goblins at the gigantic ball of fire. I close and turn my eyes away from the explosion but I did not fall back. I brace against the after wave by planting my tail into floor.


    When the waves subsided, I launch myself again at the Red Ogre.


    This time, he uses an improved version of [Great Flame Bomb], [Quintuple Fire Crash]. Another name that reeks of chunni.


    Sizes and numbers doesn''t matter when I have the blue flame, [Mana Burn].


    Bursting through the blue flames that ate the humongous fireball, I swing my [Sever]-clad claws at the Red Ogre, tearing open its flesh easily.


    Right in the corner of my vision, the Hobgoblin stood in silence with a smirk.


    [HYX! Get out of there!]


    Finally, the voice of my head got through to me.


    Instead of spurting blood, the Red Ogre''s wound spits out flames.


    As I am greeted with a wave of fire, the information texts of the Arcane Art come into my view.


    Crimson Lord (Legacy): Lv. 5


    Allows the user to become one with flames and able to utilize every possible fire magic. Grants fire immunity to the user. Title: <Great Cinders> and <Exalted of Flames> is acquired upon the acquisition of [Crimson Lord].


    Crap.


    Before the flames could swallow me, I feel my aura being emitted. I understand that Kai has activated [Daunt] for me. My thrilling aura suppresses the rising flames.


    I did a flip and landed with both my feet. My right arm is burned but not badly.


    [You fucking idiot! Calm yourself.] For the first time, Kai yells at me.


    He''s dead. He''s dead, Kai.


    [I know. He''s dead but know this, your priority differs to mine.]


    Kai....? What are you saying?


    [You are my priority. You''re health is my objective. Not Tom''s, Not Cormac''s, and not Bartholomew''s. It''s you. Don''t forget that.]


    How could you say that....?


    [Hate me all you want but I will always put you first before everyone else.]


    Kai''s answer shouldn''t have come as a surprise to me but I still am surprised.


    [Plus, Tom''s Mana Vessel is intact and have yet to leave his body. I can still save him but it won''t be possible if you give in at your every impulse.]


    I know.... but just.... shit.... Just shit.


    [Master, listen. You have evolved and you are stronger now. Believe in yourself for once. You are basically a cheat in the eyes of everyone we came across. Even Aedrox complimented you and that says a lot. Have faith in that.]


    I.... You''re right. I''m sorry.


    Calm down, me. Calm down. Everything will be alright. Kai''s here. He''s smart. He can make anything happen. He''s a miracle.


    [Um.... I did not say that.]


    Feeling that my nerves are calm enough, I lock gaze with the Red Ogre but my sight wonders to his chest which I have drew a scar across. It''s leaking flames instead of blood. Does this mean his internal are just pure flames?


    Only one way to find out but I don''t think it would come without me being smothered by his "blood".


    "Well well well, what should we do? This boy killed all of our servants. Tsk tsk tsk. Ignorant heretics." Holding his nose high, the Hobgoblin said. "What do we do to the ones who are ignorant of the Great Cinder."


    "We burn them. We burn the heretics." said the Shadow Goblin.


    "Hmm.... I wonder. Do heretics deserve a quick death?"


    How is burning someone alive a quick death? Did the corruption screwed with their brain too much?


    "No." The Red Ogre sternly says. "Being reduced to ashes in a flick of fingers is far too merciful for the heathens. The great me has given them the honor of being graced in my presence yet, they trampled on that honor. Unacceptable. That calls for severe punishment."


    Honor? Your presence? Another hopeless case. Snobbish, just like Aedrox.


    "I see, Great Cinder. We can''t allow such mercy now, can we?" agrees the Hobgoblin.


    Something''s wrong.


    Mana is fluctuating around the Hobgoblin. With an imperious smile, he snaps his finger.


    [Hyx! Get...]


    And Kai is cut off mid-sentence.


    I saw something with my Mana Vision for a second there but my Mana Vision deactivates for some reason. I invoke [Arcane Analysis] again but nothing happen. Even my HUD is gone.


    Is this [Zero Field]?


    Before I can grasp the situation, the Red Ogre charges straight at me with a dash and his fist raised. He''s not using spells nor magics. Looks like [Zero Field] doesn''t discriminate.


    I splay my hands but I can''t invoke [Plane Displacement].


    Right, magic is nullified.


    With no other options, I raise my arm in defense.


    The Red Ogre''s physical strength is greater than mine. My arm bent along with cracking sounds towards my face as his fist sink into it. My snapped bone protruded out of my flesh. A gruesome sight to behold which I turn away from. Using the Red Ogre''s force, I push myself away from him.


    When I landed, the Shadow Goblin takes his turn. His attacks lack strength but his speed is something worthy to be wary of. Although, he is nothing compared to Vira. I easily caught his arm in his flurry of attacks. I swing and slams him into the ground. Before I can deal the finishing blow, the Red Ogre ram his whole body into me, forcing me into a roll back away from them.


    Although the Shadow Goblin lives, he is out of the fight. When I swung him, I have broken his arm and when I slammed him, his spine is dislocated. I see blood overflowing in his mouth and trickles down his cheeks.


    The Red Ogre grimaced at the sight of his ally who is now rendered useless in the fight. Without any care to his own ally, he kicks him aside. I hear few more bones broke from that kick.


    I doubt his flaring anger towards me is the result of me killing his men. He''s just mad because I trampled on his pride. So easy to be provoke, pathetic.


    .... Is this how it looks like? I have been giving into my impulses.


    .... It''s so uncool. God damn it.


    Focus now, Hyx. One thing at a time.


    Even without Kai, I can do this.


    I snap my bones back into place and the auto regeneration takes over. High speed healing factor. Not a magic ability but a physical trait. Nice.


    Now, who''s next?


    Well, obviously the Hobgoblin has to go first. Without my magic, I can''t win against the Red Ogre.


    Or can I?


    "How pitiful. So weak without magic." With a wide grin, the Hobgoblin said.


    It''s hard to tell which one is the leader with the Hobgoblin conducting in such manner. I have thought the Hobgoblin is actually manipulating the Red Ogre with magic but that''s not the case. The Red Ogre is just a muscle-brain.


    Good thing [Zero Field] does not cancels out my [Awakening]. I wonder why.


    Still, if Kai is here, maybe things wouldn''t be so hard.


    No. I can''t keep relying on Kai or my magic. Situation like this could happen again and I might be up against a stronger opponent next time.


    The Red Ogre once again come at me. I challenge him head-on but that is a ruse. I flip over him at the last second before we clash. I elbow him on the top of his spine. With the additional help of gravitational pull, my attack managed to drop his whole body to the floor. I''m not planning on killing him. I''m just incapacitating him for a mere moment. My aim is the Hobgoblin.


    With the back of the Red Ogre as a foothold, I leap at the Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin receives me with a smile.


    My instincts shouted.


    The Hobgoblin, fully compose, he tosses out a glowing yellowish white gemstone. The light is only getting stronger as it nears me.


    Although I have never seen the ore before but judging from how the Hobgoblin turned away with his eyes closed, I can figure out what the gemstone is from his reactions. I curl up with my strangely flexible body as the gemstone explodes into a blinding flash.


    I suppose flashbang is all the rage now.


    When the lights faded, the Hobgoblin has created some distance from me.


    My instincts sent a warning.


    I spin and bisects a corpse flying at me, thrown by the Red Ogre. After throwing more corpses at my way but I cleanly slice all of it into pieces and finally, he deemed it futile with such tactics; he resorted back to his classic and impetuous charge at me.


    I flipped over his swinging fist but I was caught by the tail


    Oh, come on!


    He did the same thing I did to the Shadow Goblin, he slams me into the ground. Unlike the Shadow Goblin, I''m not that frail. I bounce from the ground and swipe at his face. I missed his eyes but I got a slash across his nose. Fire spews out but not as much as his chest did.


    His grip only tightened with that attack.


    Shit.


    He swings me again but he slams me into a pillar this time. I thought my spine would break from that but it didn''t. I''m more sturdy than I look.


    I reach out and grab one of the falling piece of rock from the air. I throw it right at the Red Ogre''s face. He flinched from the rock but he didn''t let go of my tail.


    Tsk. Fine then.


    Straightening my fingers, baring my claws, I cut off my tail with a one single swipe.


    I then caught the surprised faces of the Hobgoblin and the Red Ogre.


    I have only cut off the right at the point where the Red Ogre has a grip of, so I still have three fourth of my tail left. Blood is spurting out like gushing water.


    The Red Ogre drops my severed tail and rushes at me.


    I flail my tail at the Ogre, blinding his eyes with the blood spewing from the cut-end. I move low, twist my body, aim my claws, and with a single fluid motion of me spinning like a ballerina while sliding over the Red Ogre''s blind jab, I dismember his right leg.


    "Arrrgh!" The Red Ogre lets out a cry when he felt his limb got disconnected.


    I coiled my tail at his left leg and pulled, ensuring his fall. He went face first into the floor and I make sure he stayed down by landing on top of him. Before he could even comprehend what just happened, I stick my fore fingers into both of his eyes.


    Ouch. It burns my finger but I can take it.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!" He screams as loud as he could. He flails and struggles but I only plunge my fingers further in.


    Closing in on one of his ear, I whisper "Not so tough are you know? Know your place, goblin." This is for Tom and Lubac.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!" He keeps screaming. I doubt he heard me but it doesn''t matter. Before I can deal the finishing blow, I have a mild case of dejavu. My kill is interrupted by the Shadow Goblin who is suppose to be incapacitated. I leaped away from the Red Ogre to avoid four throwing knives.


    "You insolent swine. How dare you laid a finger on the Great Cinder!?"


    Swine? There are pigs in this world. Ha. Looking forward to some pork chop when I get out of here.


    The Shadow Goblin wipes the blood from his lips and drops a glass vial he was holding.


    Is that a potion?


    Why do they have potions? Could they have made them? No. Not possible. They must have found it somewhere in this ruin.


    The Shadow Goblin came at me with zig-zag hopping movements. Such template. He then leaps directly at me.


    The lure in his movements are too obvious but I have no idea what kind of trap he has set up for me. Only one way to find out.


    I spin and whip my tail at the plunging assailant. When my tail neared him, he pulls out a knife. Ah, I see. You knew I would do that so you planned to cut my tail off. I see.


    But --


    -- It''s futile.


    His knife met my tail but the thin carapace that covers my tail broke the blade. His eyes widened as the tail hit, cracking the air and send him crashing through two pillars. When he went sprawling across the floor, I see his organs splaying out. My tail''s strength is too powerful for him.


    I turn my eyes to the last standing goblin in the room. I strut towards him like I have all the time in the world.


    It''s funny. The way the Hobgoblin tripped as he step backwards, the way he crawls back pitifully from me, the way he looks with his eyes agape as wide as possible, it reminded me of the time when I just woken up in the cell and attacked by a Wight. Now, I''m doing the same thing to the Hobgoblin, taking my own sweet-ass time walking towards him.


    "Curse you all! Fucking useless, every last one of you. Insolent." He drops his pompous act and screams and curses at everything. From his satchel bag, he took out another gemstone but it is of light blue color. He raises it overhead as the gemstone glowed brightly. Blue energy surrounds him and after a few swirls around him, the energy closes in on him and he disappears from my sight.


    Huh.


    A teleportation item. A magic item? But if it is, how could he have used it when his [Zero Field] was up? Does it not affect magic items?


    Hm.... Well, I''ll find out the reason sooner or later.


    Now....


    Kai, you there?


    [Yes. I''m here.]


    You may be my subconscious but you are still a product of magic. When magic nullification spell is used, we will be cut off.


    [Yes, I''m aware. I will prepare the necessary precautions next time. If I''m given the chance to, that is.]


    Yeah.... sorry.


    [But at least, you managed to handle the situation yourself. I won''t say perfect but you did great.]


    Thanks. I was scare but.... knowing that I''ll loose Tom if I don''t persist on gave me the necessary push.


    [Glad to see you have truly grown, Hyx.]


    I did now, didn''t I?


    Now, what can you do about Tom?


    [Hmm.... Well, in a short and simple brief, you will need to give a portion of your life to him.]


    Say what?


    [But first.....] Although Kai stops his words halfway, I understand what my subconscious is implying.


    I look to the Red Ogre who is flailing and writhing in pain on the floor. He has lost his eyes and his right leg. Pathetic sight, this is.


    His HP is only halfway down but he is already unable to fight anymore. His MP is also near depletion.


    "Goblin." I said.


    He stopped his squirming when he heard my voice. "You!! You will pay...." The words that were to follow are stuck on his throat. I put [Daunt] into full gear when I''m only a foot away from him.


    He is now gasping for air in a very miserable manner.


    With his title <Kin-eater> like mine, his extend of cruelty is obvious. "I wonder, you tasted the flesh of your own kin how do they taste? No, don''t say it. I will find out very quick."


    His pathetic gasping stopped. He looks confused at my words.


    I gather the scattered parts of the Shadow Goblin with [Psychokinesis]. In front of the Red Ogre''s eyes, I stuff the flesh of his fallen comrade into my mouth.


    He is now sweating so profusely that he is glistened with it.


    "What about your own flesh? Have you tasted it? Aren''t you ever curious? Well, don''t be. Cuz I''ll let you know once I have a taste. Don''t worry, I will not leave even a tiny bit of you behind, goblin."


    I said to him while the bits of his comrade''s flesh dangles on the corners of my lips.


    Cowering in fear and sobbing like a little girl all curled up, the shadows of black tendrils loomed over his, my fangs grew to the maximum extend, and I licked my lips with anticipation.


    [Bon Appetit.]


    <hr>


    [Shadow Magic: Lv. 4 - Acquired]


    [Shadow Magic: Lv. 4 assimilated into Abyss Magic]


    [Abyss Magic: Lv. 5 increased to Lv. 6]


    [Abyss Magic: Malevolent Shroud - Acquired]


    [Abyss Magic: Exalted Skin - Acquired]


    [Crimson Lord (Legacy): Lv. 5 - Acquired]


    [Title: <Goblin Butcher> - Acquired]

 Intermission - Lucius

    The boy is useless. Yet, the two idiots refuse to see the truth. They will throw their lives away fro someone they don''t even know.


    Speaking from experience, something is terribly wrong with the boy. I have my fair shares of run-in with the Nines but my suspicions stemmed not from that.


    Something about the boy just rubs me the wrong way.


    My bones are telling me that the boy is not someone we should be bothering ourselves with. The way he made Cilia and Alexander trust a non-combatant scholar like him in a deadly dungeon with just some simple words, backs my suspicions enough.


    When the monsters attacked, he just stood there and stare at the world blankly, not making a single move. Whether he set us up or he is just scared, it makes no difference.


    Fucking incompetent and useless. He must have surely use his companion as meat shields. And I am a hypocrite but the difference between him and I is that I''m not that obvious.


    Alexander died saving the boy and Cilia is going to meet the same fate if she doesn''t stop her blind trust in that boy.


    And she did meet the same fate as Alexander. What a stupid bitch.


    I declare them hopeless to be persuaded but my declaration came far too late and it does not matters.


    The boy''s grasp on them is too tight already. Whatever he is, he has doomed us all. I can''t allow myself to be with him in the same room any longer.


    Fuck him.


    Fuck them.


    Fuck them all.


    They don''t want to listen, is their funeral.


    I will have no part in this. I wll not join them.


    Fuck them all.


    <hr>


    Karma is a bitch. How long will I hold out? How long until this aged body of mine will give up?


    <hr>


    "Why do you struggle to live on?"


    Great length of solitude went by and finally, a voice spoke to me. A dark voice that echoes after each word.


    "Who...." I asked back, meekly. I am buried under pile a hill of stones and rocks. I didn''t know what happened. The whole dungeon just suddenly collapse. I have tried to outrun it but my feet carried me far too slow.


    After braving through so many dangerous monsters, I''m defeated by a caved-in. What a joke.


    "Who I am is not essential to my question at you. Depends on your answer, you might be granted salvation."


    I''m thirsty, cold, hungry, and tired. I have not a single ounce of fucks to give of my likely savior. "Who the fuck knows? Maybe I have lived this long and my long life got to my head, thinking that miracles always happens?"


    I am no saint. I have done a lot of bad things but always away from the eyes of the law. However, it is solely because of that sort of way I conduct myself in, I have managed to live this long. I learned that being a kind person doesn''t get you far in this world and I have known that since young, through the hard way.


    "Hope." The voice said. "You are clinging onto an unfounded hope. You are wishing for a blind miracle. Convenient happenstance."


    Guh.... I''m too old for this. I was never an admirer of poems. "Just tell me what you want."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The voice went silent for a while. When it spoke, its words shook my belief of meeting my maker very soon. "If you could trade anything of you for a future, a tomorrow, would you?"


    Will I? What do I have to live for? My whole life, I have been living as an adventurer. I am neither successful in being one nor a failure. I''m just your usual adventurer you can find at every tavern. What''s more, I''m old. I''m way past my prime. What more do I have to go on for?


    "Yes." Nevertheless, I answer such. "But what will it cost of me?"


    "Surely something like a rise from an apparent death is a miracle, wouldn''t you agree?"


    "Yes, of course." I answered the voice nonchalantly.


    "An eye for an eye. A life for a life."


    I expected nothing else from such wish. "Who do I have to kill?"


    "You wouldn''t be taking a life."


    "I wouldn''t?" Am I suppose to save one? I''m no hero if that''s what it''s asking.


    "No. You will be saving not just one life but at least thousands."


    "But...."


    "Shh..... Just answer me this."


    I stay quiet, waiting for the next preternatural question to come.


    "Why do you kill?"


    "I.... I don''t.... I don''t understand."


    "Did you kill because it''s necessary or was it because you took an interest in taking a life? Do you find having control of one''s life, exciting? Thrilling? Compelling? Invigorating? Intoxicating?"


    What is this voice saying?


    "Which?" The voice pressed on.


    I''m at the end of the line. A few more hours under this ruble, I would have depart from this world. I have nothing more to loose. Whatever my answer is, it would not turn the situation into something worse. "It was for survival at first but.... I find myself getting good at it. So, I continue to make a living by taking lives without any discrimination. It''s easy and the thrill that comes along was nice touch."


    "Necessary initially but grown intoxicated to such heinous acts. You are just the right person."


    "I''m the right person to save dozens of lives because I''m skill in the art of killing."


    "Taking a life can sometimes save many."


    I use to believe that philosophy but down the line, I came to believe that it''s just something people says to soothe their conscience.


    "Does it ever get easy for you?"


    "Killing is easy if you know how and when."


    "Not the act itself but the things that haunts you after, do they get easier for you? Do those voices and faces of your victims'' last moment, do they ever die out?"


    Do they? I don''t know. I never really did thought about that. I never hesitate to take a life or abandon one if I deem it necessary.


    Do they get easier?


    As much as I hate to admit it, "Never. It always leaved a bad taste. You might not realized it in your youth but everything comes back to haunt you when the appropriate time comes. For me, it''s already starting to sink in. But you say to yourself; I have done so much already, what''s wrong with taking one more live among the thousands that I have taken?"


    The voice chuckles at my answer, then it stops. When it spoke again, it was like the chuckle from before is just my imagination. Is it?


    "But what if I tell you, your soul can be put at ease. The pain can be taken away, not now but eventually."


    "You can do that?"


    "Not me."


    Figures. "Who?"


    "The Harbinger. A bringer of great change. My brethren''s salvation and it will also be yours if you help me. Help me to save the shepherd from being led astray himself."


    The Harbinger? I never heard of such person but truth or not, nothing can be worse than my situation.


    "What say you?"


    "Yes."


    "Wise choice but unfortunately, you are out of my reach and so are you."


    I scoff. "Then what do we do?"


    "Simple. Repeat after me."


    Okay?


    The voice then begin speaking in some ancient language that I have never heard of. I understood nothing but I recite every word after it.


    {....the long awaited dawn, a world where home will be, a blind miracle. The devils we will be to turn such unfounded hope into reality. A debt is due.}


    {....the long awaited dawn, a world where home will be, a blind miracle. The devils we will be to turn such unfounded hope into reality. A debt is due.}


    With those last lines of gibberish, I feel the voice vanishes.


    I thought I''ve been had but....


    [Well done.] The voice resounded form within my head. [Now, allow me.]


    When it said those words, the feelings of apprehension grew as they seep into every part of me.


    [You shall be my new vessel, mortal.]


    Said the voice which sounded full of contempt.


    The tone that came with those words is something I''m all too familiar with after the fifty plus years of my life,


    .... it is the tone of betrayal.


    There was no face but I can picture its triumphant grin in my mind,


    as clear as the day.


    I guess this is truly the end of the line for me.


    But before I fade, I struggle to ask my last question. It wouldn''t help me but it''s just a simple curiosity.


    "Who are you?"


    [I am an idea. The embodiment of my brethren''s wish. I am Aedrox. The wrath of the Void. Your sacrifice will be one of the many foundations we have laid. By my will, I will open the eyes of our shepherd. By his guidance, we shall usher into the long awaited dawn.]


    The devils we will be if such blind miracle is to be true.


    A debt is due.

 T4 - Now an Oni

    I feel light.


    Muscles and fat come in hand with being an orc. It always feels heavy to rise from a sleep, good or terrible. Therefore, I was surprise at how easy I was able to lift myself up. I don''t feel bound to the floor like usually.


    Blinking my eyes, I let them adjust to my surroundings. Pillars, some broken, and torches on the wall, burning their last moment to illuminate this gloomy room. I''m still in the room where I was held captive but I''m no longer a captive. All I can see around me are dead goblins.


    Strange, I don''t see the three distinct goblin variants. What happened to them?


    [How are you feeling?] I am asked.


    It came from within my head but I knew from who the voice is carried from. Looking to my side, I find master, catching his breath, sitting in front of a pillar with eyes that one would mistake for a corpse¡¯s. He is in a state where exhausted would even be a mild word for description. His skin is drained of its color. In all honesty, he does look like a corpse.


    At then, I knew what happened to the three variant goblins. My eyes dropped to master''s stomach. No bulge. I wonder where master store the substances he consumes.


    [Well, I doubt you would be any worse than me.] Master said with a wry smile.


    That line with his deathly appearance, a bad omen looms over me. Worryingly, I asked. [What happened?]


    [I brought you back from the dead, literally. I did that by offering a fragment of my life essence. Giving you my powers is no small matter. It literally took a lot out of me.] The words barely came out clear from master¡¯s mouth but his mouth wasn¡¯t moving.


    [How are yo.... No. How are we dong this?]


    [Talking without moving our mouths?]


    [Yes.]


    Master gaze up at the ceiling and hums. One of the weird things he does when he ponders about stuffs. [Telepathy.]


    [Telepathy? But how?] Master''s unusually reserve with his words. Probably because of how tired he looks.


    Master sighs again and stands up. His knees are shaking as he does so but he did manage to stand upright on his feet. When I look at his ghostly pale complexion and dead eyes, I¡¯m impressed that master managed to even move.


    Master extends his hand [Come on. I¡¯ll explain everything as we walk back.]


    [You sure about that?] asked a voice. [You could barely stand.]


    The voice is master''s but I can tell it is not master''s. After rummaging through my memories, I eventually recall the amicable voice that I got acquainted with during the drift in my dreams.


    [The Overseer?] I asked.


    Somehow, I feel the Overseer nodded at my question.


    [I¡¯ll be fine. Tom¡¯s lighter now. He¡¯s not an orc anymore.]


    I am not an orc anymore?


    Wait. Why am I surprised about it? Before I woke up, I did receive a line of words that informed me of my evolution. How did I forget that?


    Upon recalling those words that regards my evolution, I sprang up. I bring my hands before my eyes, thoroughly looking at every inch and corners.


    My skin are not of the typical pale green or dirt brown of an orc but the tan skin of a human¡¯s. My fingers are slender compare to the usual fat stumps. My nails are long but they are fine and smooth. Tracing from the palm down to the whole arms, meaningful and intricate tattoos are joint together. The tattoos are Helix characters but glamorized.


    The words on my left arm reads;


    The long awaited dawn, a world where home will be, a blind miracle.


    While my right reads;


    The devils we will be to turn such unfounded hope into reality. A debt is due.


    I can''t think of a reason as to why such words are imprinted on me but I figure it''s just another odd chant or incantation that plays an aesthetic purpose. From the books I have read about Helix, they were pretty poetic, in their own way.


    I move my palm smoothly over my head. I don''t feel the even and rough surface but a smooth and bushy sensation brushes through my fingers. I¡¯m feeling hair on my head. I have hair now. They are black and they reach my neck with a few strands dangling in my view.


    Shocked, surprised, astonished, amazed, I knew not of which I¡¯m feeling. All I know is that I¡¯m not believing the whole situation. I did received a message of me evolving into an Oni but I didn¡¯t truly believe those words.


    But not doubt about it now, I am an Oni.


    When I look back up at master, he nodded with an empathetic smile. [Yeah. That happened.]


    [But how did I....?]


    [It is a combination effort of master and I. It was an unforeseen circumstance that you met the prerequisites for an Oni¡¯s evolution by acquiring two Arcane Arts and reaching a certain level of power. Master has given you a portion of his strength, his essence. Thus, a special bond is formed between the two of you.]


    Master puts on a very uneasy face. "Phrasing." Master uttered in a low voice.


    Because of master, I am alive and I have evolved.


    [With such evolution, I don¡¯t think Tom would need any help on getting back on his feet now, would he, master?]


    When master heard Kai¡¯s words, he finally retracted his hand. [I guess not.]


    In addition to my great change in physical appearance, I have begun to see things. Glowing blue hues are flowing everywhere in the room. I sense power from these flows. What''s all these lights?


    [These are Mana flows. You now have the means to perceive Mana, just like Master. Master calls it, "Mana Vision".] Kai answers my question that I have yet to ask.


    While everywhere I look has only a vibrant blue but Master has a dark purplish radiant shine to him. It felt oppressing but reassuring at the same time. I thought my aura would be of the same color with master but mine is just the vibrant blue I see everywhere.


    It is a little disconcerting with this vision but I''m told that I could control the invocation. At the moment, I''m still struggling but since Mana vision would help a lot in perceptions, I will do my best in mastering this new ability of mine, given to me by my generous master.


    After calming down from the fact that I''m now an Oni, I said my thanks that I can''t bring out into words in my heart.


    With light ease, I got to my feet. A strange feeling. Being a meek goblin and a stout orc, every movement is tedious to make. Now, I am an Oni. Things are completely different. I feel like I can fly if I was anymore relax.


    There is one thing I''m still troubled with.


    [Why did you speak with a brick tone at times?]


    [Me? I did?] Kai asked back.


    [When you told me about those..... things... information.]


    Master raised an eyebrow as he hammers his palm. [Oh.] Master said. [That is not Kai. That is the system message.]


    [System? What system?]


    [Well....] Master lets out a huge breath that he seems to have kept it in all along. [We can talk about that while we walk back. I do not wish to be in this place any longer than necessary.] A sullen face patches on master.


    Master''s demeanor changed suddenly. I thought he look sad but that doesn''t seem to be case. I have saw master''s sorrow before and it looked nothing like the face he''s making now. He seems to be looking at something.


    I trace master''s line of sight and find him staring at an empty corner but now I''m an Oni, I see more than just the superficial aspects. Faint traces of cyan aura lingers at where master is staring at. I also see pale charred marks on the floor.


    The sign of something being reduced to nothing by [Spirit Fire]. Master only uses it to send a soul off. Without needing an answer from master, I pray to the departed human alchemist in my heart.


    I look back at master.


    He''s not as saddened as he was when he lost Muo Li and Clammis but instead, he looks particularly disappointed.


    [That''s because master is disappointed. At himself.] Kai told me.


    [Himself? Why?]


    [Despite how strong he becomes and how he as vowed to not let anyone else die, he still failed to save a..... friend.]


    I see. Master is that kind of person after all. He judged himself too harshly.


    Quietly, master walked to when he sent Lubac off. Without a sound, he kneels in front the hollow remnant of the human.


    Master''s lips are trembling. His mouth is opening and closing, a sure sign of indecisiveness in finding the right words. I have my shares of this sort of trouble after all, so I would know the signs.


    I want to console master right now but I''m not going to. Now that I have an uncanny link with master, I can also discern master''s feeling and emotion. What he needs now is not consolation but reproof and reproach. He wants to be blamed.


    But I can''t do that. Not after all master has done for me.


    It wasn''t like I can''t relate to master. Master has failed many of his endeavors but none of those times was he blamed or reprimanded for it. Master is just like me. As a goblin, I had also wished to be punished for all the foul deeds I committed but no one would deliver it. For most, it isn''t such a bad thing to be able to get away with every misdeeds but master and I are not those kind of people.


    I''m sorry, master. I can''t grant your wish that only seeks to destroy yourself.


    Master''s face twitch when I have such thoughts.


    I don''t know if my feelings were transmitted but if it did, master didn''t show.


    "I never liked you anyway." said master, to whatever is left of Lubac. "A pompous prick, you are. A bona fide racist bastard. No matter how many times it was proven to you that there are good goblins out there, you''re still.... such an asshole to them...."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I am somehow able to understand what "bona fide" meant. No doubt it''s because some of master''s knowledge is also passed on to me.


    "You never trusted us. You don''t even eat what little Tom has to offer. You''re just a plain obnoxious fellow...." master continued. His fist clenched so tightly that he had hurt himself but I didn''t said anything. I can read the mood. "But.... you helped us. Without you, things would have went to the furthest south more than once. You weren''t a nice person but you were quite competent. So.... I guess a thank you is in order...." Master sniffed and a laughter was held back.


    Master paused. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I''m sorry.... I''m sorry I didn''t manage to save you. You must be disappointed but.... I hope at your last breath.... at least.... you let go of your hatred for goblins.... well, I''m not asking for all of it but at least.... you could forgive Tom, Alabaster, Bartholomew, Cormac, and Daedrich. And.... if it''s not too much to ask.... well, this might just be the easiest thing for you to do...."


    Master took another deep breath before resuming his words. "Don''t forgive me. I know Tom will. The four also will. And I can''t live like that. I can''t live knowing that nobody will ever blame me for my wrongdoings and failures. So please, don''t forgive me."


    After those words, master stood up. Glancing over his shoulder with solemn eyes, he said "Come on. Let''s go."


    Master didn''t come to terms with his imperfection but he did find a compromise.


    It''s not what I hope for master but this will do. Healing takes time after all.


    Satisfied with master''s newfound resolution, I follow him out of the lair that master then destroys with his [Spatial Magic].


    Hmm?


    These words appeared beside master when he cast the [Spatial Magic];


    [Spatial Magic: Fracture]


    I wonder why.


    A long and curved yellow fruit, Banana.


    A round and red fruit, Apple.


    A big and round shape with black and green stripes, Watermelon.


    Master and I are currently passing through the forest. Master is gathering every fruit within his reach as we walk. I knew not of what these fruits are. The names just appear out of no where beside this fruits. Some additional information are written just below the names. They are description of these fruits.


    Not just fruits but almost everything. The pebbles on our path, the little seedlings by the road, the twigs caught in the bushes, the small bugs going about with their own lives, I can see all of their names and what they are from the description words.


    And this strange phenomenon happens to master too. I can see not just his name but everything about him.


    It seems I have gained one of the infamous Arcane Art sought after by many, [Appraisal].


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Violet Tail (Magic Beast)


    Status: Anguished


    Standing: Commoner (Exiled)


    Job: None


    Class: Battle Mage


    Titles:


    -Unparalleled Evolver


    -Monster Slayer


    -Pain Monger


    -Kin Eater


    -Ascended Being


    -Goblin Butcher


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Spirit Magic - Lv. 3


    Spatial Magic - Lv. 6


    Awakening (Legacy) - Lv. 3


    Lightning Serration (Legacy) - Lv. 2


    Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 6


    Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv. 2


    Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-


    HP : 1500/1500


    MP: 2100/2100


    Overall Power Ranking : C+


    Effective Combat Power: 2600


    - Attack: 500


    - Defense: 200


    - Magic: 800


    - Resistance: 300


    - Speed: 800


    I always know master is strong but seeing a list of reasons of what make him a monstrous being is entirely something else.


    Like I thought, master indeed isn''t a human but a magic beast but master was really stubborn about remaining humane albeit being a beast. I wonder why.


    [Master is once a human but under some unknown circumstances that we have yet to discern, master has became a magic beast.] Kai explains. [Hmm. This is flaw that I have failed to notice. For master''s information to be so easily revealed to anyone with an appraisal ability. I should come up with a countermeasure for this.]


    I don''t know if I should tell master this but I find Kai reading every line of my thoughts is a little bit too discomforting.


    [If it bothers you, I will make adjustments on my range and depth of analysis.]


    Huh? I don''t quite understand what Kai just said.


    [I will only read your thoughts if you have given me your permission, from now on that is.]


    In addition to being aware, Kai is also quite courteous. I wish master will learn from him.


    My danger perception reacted to something. I raised my head which I have been looking down at the road to test my new [Appraisal] skill, I found an apple coming straight at me. Thanks to my evolved senses, I caught the apple. My hand hurts from catching the apple.


    Master have threw that apple, at me. With a smile, he said "Try not to lag behind, capish~?" Master''s eyes aren''t smiling. Terrifying.


    Did master read my thoughts too?


    "I wonder." Master said.


    Yeap. He did. Sorry master, won''t happen again.


    [You need to learn how to prevent your thoughts from leaking out. Master and I might have refrain ourselves from intruding your personal space but without control on your part, your thought will leak to us if you aren''t careful.]


    So that''s how it is. Yikes, this is hard. Master is going to know every last bit of my secrets if I''m not careful.


    But there is something off about master''s Arcane Arts'' list. I''m not sure what exactly is wrong but.... no. Is more like something is missing from that list.


    [Abyss Magic.]


    Yes! That''s it! Master should have [Abyss Magic] but there''s no such magic among the list. Why?


    .... No. It can''t be.


    "It is. I no longer have [Abyss Magic]. I gave it to you. I thought you already knew." Master dispel my confusion without glancing back while gathering more food on a wrapping leaf. The same type we put master on and dragged him to the red building. I wonder if master knows that.


    "I thought you just gave a portion. Not completely." I asked. My voice has changed but the situation wasn''t suitable for me to point it out.


    [Master gave a portion of his power. That portion is his [Abyss Magic] and [Crimson Lord] Arcane Arts. A sacrifice. Giving you fragments of an Arcane Art just won''t suffice in your resurrection.]


    "[Crimson Lord]?"


    When I asked, answers came but not from Kai or master.


    Crimson Lord (Legacy)


    Allows the user to become one with flames and able to utilize every possible fire magic. Grants fire immunity to the user. Title: <Great Cinders> and <Exalted of Flames> is acquired upon the acquisition of [Crimson Lord]. Previous bearer: Red Ogre / Hyx Atlas


    I see. Master has absorbed the Red Ogre''s essence.


    It took two Arcane Arts to revive me. Master sacrificed a great portion of his strength to revive me. Do I deserve this much?


    [If we have waited any longer, the cost might have been more than just a normal and a legacy Arcane Art. Still, it is a miracle that we get to revive you.]


    Now that I think about it, wasn''t master completely out of breath just a few moments ago? Master recovers fast.


    "Don''t be mistaken, Thomas Atlas. I didn''t revive you out of the kindness of my heart. You have proven yourself to be quite competent. I expect you to repay me, someday, gradually."


    Thomas Atlas? Oh, that''s right, master has given me a new name, a real name.


    I''m Thomas Atlas from now on. Atlas.... I''m master''s kin, that means....


    As those thoughts wanders through my head, a wall of text appears before me.


    Name: Thomas Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 14


    Race: Oni


    Status: None (Alive)


    Standing: Servant


    Job: None


    Class: Battle Mage


    Titles:


    -Novel Goblin


    -Revenant


    -Hyx''s Familiar


    -Immortal


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Fire Magic - Lv. 3


    Wind Magic - Lv. 2


    Earth Magic - Lv. 2


    Water Magic - Lv. 1


    Lightning Magic - Lv. 1


    Blaze of the Depths (Unique) - Lv. 4


    HP : 700/700


    MP: 1700/1700


    Overall Power Ranking : D


    Effective Combat Power: 800


    - Attack: 100


    - Defense: 50


    - Magic: 300


    - Resistance: 200


    - Speed: 150


    Ah.... What....? How did I.....? It''s this.... mine?


    "Master! Are you seeing this?"


    "Yeah. I already did." Master replied, still plucking every fruits he came by. "Appraising you is the first thing I did when I revived you. I was shocked but considering you absorbed some of my essence, it shouldn''t be that big of a surprise."


    [The big surprises are your Mana pool and your ECP.]


    My Mana.... is over a thousand. I''m not good with numbers and I never have anyone else I can compare my magic with, so I wouldn''t know the significance.


    [For a D rank, your Mana amounts to a C rank. And you possess ECP.]


    ECP?


    [Effective Combat Power. It is use to measure one''s combat strength. Only sapient.... Sagax races have those. It is like the amount of experience you have in combat. For some reason, monster doesn''t have this. If you have this, it can only mean that the system have acknowledged you as one of the Sagax.]


    There is that word again. System?


    System


    The organized principles and procedures which dictates the flow and structuring of Mana. Mana which are utilized into a profound form for conventional usage is called, Arcane Art. Existed since 1.5 Billions years ago. Created by: *UNKNOWN*


    Due to the shared mind of me and master, I am able to understand what the text implies. So the Arcane Arts existed for such a long time. But... unknown? Why is it unknown?


    "Don''t know. Another mystery for another time. For now, let''s head back."


    "Right." I answered.


    When master''s hands are full, he asked me to help with the fruits.


    Of course, I happily obliged.


    By the time we got back to the red building, we saw a huge crack and dent on the wooden door. I noticed master snickered but he recompose himself immediately. I doubt I would have seen master''s sudden shift in his reaction if I was still an orc. Since the door was bulged, master has to put some force into opening it.


    As soon as the door is opened, someone dove into master. I thought master would have reacted in time but master''s mind was elsewhere at the moment and he was carrying fruits. So master ended up crashing into the floor along with the one who dove into him. The food wrapped in a large leaf is scattered all over the ground.


    The one who pulled off such stunt is none other than the eccentric child-like Wisp in a form of a little girl. When she realized what she done, she bounced off of master and crawled a few meters away. I know why she scampered away in a hurry. Master was unleashing a murderous aura while staring at Nilin with a smile.


    Shortly after, Bartholomew and Cormac came out. They look weary and bushed. Are those bags under their eyes? When they saw me, their tired eyes widened.


    "Tommy?"


    "Eeeh? Tommy?"


    I nodded at their words. Smiles that I have never seen before lit up on their face. They ran into me and give me a hug. I can''t remember the last time they hugged me. Wait. They never did. Did they really thought I was gone and now they are so happy that I''m alive?


    Huh? This is odd. Their head almost reach my shoulders. Did they grew taller?


    [No. You got shorter.]


    Oh. So that''s how it is. I was six feet when I was an orc but now, I''m only a little bit taller than master. My physical strength have fell drastically but my magic ability have increased tremendously.


    Looks like they recognized me. Master told me my appearance has changed a great deal but I didn''t think my height changed too. Apparently, I look like master but ten years older. Master''s age is fifteen, so I look like a twenty-five years old master. Goblins do have short lives after all and we mature a lot faster. But now I''m an Oni. I guess fourteen years old in goblins years is twenty five in human years?


    And what''s more....


    Bartholomew and Cormac? Huh?


    How? I can pronounce their names properly now. I can''t even do that when I was reciting in my head but now I can. Wow. Evolution is really a significant occurrence.


    "This is just the worst~......" I heard Nilin grumbled such. She looks like she''s about to cry. Her knuckles are bright red and there is a large bump on her forehead. She looks really pitiful in her current state. I even felt like comforting her but I don''t want to arouse her volatile ego. She might get high again from being stroke. As how master would describe her.


    Master sighs. He got up, recollect all the fruits and headed into the building without even so much as a glance at Nilin after that. After dropping the fruits inside the building, he peek his head back out. "You''re free to go. I can take it from here." said master as he disappears into building, leaving the Wisp agape with her eyes and mouth, dumbfounded.


    How strange. Master would often say some words that reprimands or insults the offender but he lets it go. How unlike master.


    [It is a delicate moment for master.] Kai said.


    Why?


    [Absorbing the essence of others do come with a price.]


    Absorbing the essence of others? You mean how master ate the flesh and souls of his enemies?


    [Yes. He gains their memory from eating them. Their personality and character assimilates into him. The more master eats, the less he would become of himself.]


    That''s.... a very sever of a price to pay.


    [It is. Master is now sorting his memories. I would have done it for him but he insist on taking care of this himself. He''s afraid of getting drunk with power.]


    Afraid being strong.... This is the first time I have heard of such thing. All the members of my former tribe, the only things they talk about are either females or getting stronger through any means. I doubt fear even cross their minds when they thought of getting stronger.


    [Master knew the risk but he took it. Not for getting stronger but to save you.]


    .... Looks like master have sacrificed more than I thought to save me..... Am I worth all that?


    [No.] Kai bluntly told me. [But you have the chance to prove that you are.]


    Kai''s right. I have to work hard to prove that master''s sacrifice did not go in vain.


    Alright, from now on, I will train my hardest to repay master.


    World''s strongest Oni, here I come.


    "Mou~! Why do I have to be chosen to guide these ungrateful mortals~? I can''t go back without accomplishing my task. I will be laughed at." cried the Wisp. "Maybe it''s because I lack the charms of a girl. But why do I care~? Mou~! I''m a Spirit of Nature. Such thing should not have matter."


    Right.... First, I have to deal with this incomprehensible girl first.


    I shouldn''t let master be troubled by such trifling matters now. Master needs rest. I don''t have any experience with comforting people but in order to repay master, I will do anything that I can. Starting from this.


    I approach the Wisp and pats her head.


    She looks up at me. She looks confused at my actions.


    "Look. We''re sorry, okay?" I told her, gently. "It is a difficult time but right now, master is in mourning. We have just lost a friend. I know you have a job to do but do you think you can forgive our impudence for now? So please understand. We will surely repay you for your troubles, okay? A cute girl like you shouldn''t show such behavior after all. I''m sure your charms would not loose to anyone if you don''t show such composure."


    That is the truth. I do think she is a very pretty girl but she is a little bit annoying with her personality. Let''s hope this would calm her down.


    "Unfair...."


    Huh? Unfair?


    "To say such a thing when a maiden is at her worst, unfair."


    What''s so unfair?


    [Title: <Wisp''s Beloved> - Acquired]


    Huh? What?

 T5 - Residues

    "Is this the only way?" Master asked as he looks at the obstruction in front of us. A door shaped in a circle, forged of metal that even master failed to make so much as a dent on it.


    Master decided on another approach.


    [Kai, Analyse.] He ordered as he placed his hand on the door.


    Within less than ten seconds, the results came back. [It appears to be made of a steel called Azunmite. Strong metal but its density is low. A light but tough steel.]


    [How tough?]


    [It won''t make a dent even if you use up every last ounce of your power and strength.]


    [Are there anyways to break it? Cold temperature? Stronger metal? That''s gotta be something. Titanic sunk after all.]


    I heard some unfamiliar words from master and Kai''s conversation but interrupting them just to ask for the meaning of the word "Titanic" would be boorish.


    [No data available.] Kai responded.


    Master sighs.


    We are currently at the other end of this huge city, on an altar after climbing hundred flights of steps. After finishing eating the delicious fruits, we embarked on a few hours long journey, climbing hundreds of steps, and only to meet with such obstacle in our path. Master has yet to divert his frustrated glare at Nilin.


    After humming to her thought for a while, Nilin finally replies "Yes. This is the only way, Hyx Atlas." For some reasons, she is being very polite with her speech and conduct but she is hiding from master, behind me. Whenever she response to master''s question, she only peeks out from behind me like a totem pole. "There are other ways out but one is on the end and the other one is through the dungeon rivers."


    "Rivers? Would that be possible?"


    "No. Not even fish can make it out using the waters. Too much obstacles and the current is too strong. I haven''t even mention the depths yet."


    "I see." Master said.


    I wonder what master did or said to her to make her so docile. She''s even grasping tightly to my robe''s hem.


    I call it a robe but it is just a large piece of cloth that I wrapped myself in. In becoming an Oni, I have loose my temperature toleration. The reason why goblins are always naked is because we have high tolerance for extreme temperatures. It seems an Oni looses that trait.


    The robe was just something master found and asked me to wear it when he noticed my shivering. How considerate. As expected of master.


    Aside from that, Nilin is being too close to me. She even lightly rubs her cheeks against me whenever the opportunity present itself but she stops whenever I glance at her.


    "I can''t brute force my way through it. There is no other way out except through here. So, how do I open this door?" Master asked with a solid glare at Nilin.


    Nilin shrieked in a hush but I caught that voice of hers. "I.... I don''t know." Nilin spoke with a falter.


    Master narrows her eyes. Uh oh. Not good. Master''s pissed. Nilin felt it too as she grasped tighter on my robe''s hem.


    "How could you not know?" Contrary to master''s aura, he is calm and collect with his tone.


    "We are Spirits. We don''t walk. We have different ways to travel between places. We wouldn''t know the way mortals travel. I''m just leading you on a path that I deemed it accessible to mortals. I....it''s not my fault there''s a door here." Nilin explained. She looks scare and angry at the same time. Must be because she''s afraid of master and she''s trying her best to suppress her haughty attitude. She really looks cute in this state.


    Eh? Why are you staring at me for? It''s not my fault that you failed to mention this obstruction beforehand, you know?


    "Great. Just great."


    "Stuck?"


    "What to do? What to do?"


    The duo asked, they were exhausted from the climb. Citra is indifferent since she''s hitching a ride on Cormac''s arm.


    Nilin wasn''t the least bit tired since she shift into her Wisp form as she ascended the steps.


    Putting that aside, Bartholomew and Cormac didnt ask what happen to Lubac. I wonder if they hated him, forgot about him, or they could simply read the mood. I decide to ask them when a more suitable time comes.


    Eventually, master lets up with a sigh. I lost track of how many times master has sighed. Must be a lot. With a view overlooking the whole city, master points his finger at the largest building with a shape of a hemisphere. I remember passing by that incredibly large dome. "That dome seems like a good place to take refuge in for the time being."


    "Sorry." Nilin mutters in a voice that only I have pick up.


    I pat her head. "It''s alright. Master isn''t that angry." I lied.


    Hmm? Her head is heating up. I wonder why.


    The dome was by no means close but for some reasons, master insisted on that place. When I asked Kai, he offered no response. Something''s wrong with master. Actually, I noticed something off about master when we passed by that dome.


    <hr>


    Another few hours passed as we traced back our steps to the dome. Bartholomew and Cormac complained to master about their tiredness and for some reason, Citra joins them in doing so. Since my evolution, my stamina has also increased. So I am fine.


    While the three make a fuss to master, Nilin has not taken her eyes off of master. She''s not in love master by any means but just very cautious. Since this is a fallen city, a ruin, there were debris in our path and master clear them all with ease but every time master invoke his magic, Nilin''s grasp on my hem only got tighter.


    She''s really afraid of master and I think I know why. She sees master''s a Mimic. Although I have never personally encountered a Mimic before, I have heard stories about them from my elders. Mimics are always depicted as deplorable and despicable even among monster due to their nature.


    Though I can''t be sure whether master is indeed a Mimic. I only thought master to be a Mimic since he is a magic beast in a human form. I have heard of other kinds of beast taking on a human form but a Mimic is the most common magic beast who disguise themselves as humans or any Sagax race.


    With that being said.... why are you clinging to my arm now, Wisp?


    I like to believe I have manged to found reason with her but she has become a little bit less talkative and snobbish. In fact, I think her personality took a huge turn. I wonder what master have done to her.


    [Master didn''t do anything, you did it yourself.]


    I did? What did I do?


    I tried to think back but I couldn''t find any reason that could make her become so attach to me. Furthermore, I have barely spent anytime with her.


    Master who saw my situation only offer me a wry smile. With his lips, he form the words "Good Luck" without voice.


    Good luck? For what?


    <hr>


    The dome we arrived at turns out to be a temple. It stood over twenty meters tall. The engravings and inscriptions that covers the whole temple have long faded but the traces are still clear to the eyes.


    Of course I know a little about faith but next to almost nothing of what a temple is. Thanks to some of Master''s shared knowledge, I gained the comprehension of the concept call faith and a temple.


    According to master, the large open room we entered is the reception area, the forefront of the temple. There are stone platforms scattered in the room. Master found it odd that there are no statues on top. I wonder if these stone platforms are pedestals for statues.


    Citra immediately took a spot on one of the platforms. She is making sounds that I can only perceive it as happiness and satisfaction. She wriggled and squirmed on top of the platform like she had found the perfect spot for a nap. After a few more squiggling and squealing, she finally calmed down.


    ""Aww~"" Bartholomew and Cormac let out such sounds at her.


    After that, she rolled herself up and fell asleep. Bartholomew and Cormac are watching Citra sleeping with adoration gleaming in their eyes. I don''t know if I find it heartwarming or just creepy. Cormac is even drooling. Personally, I don''t think the sleeping figure of a small snake warrants that much adoration.


    "I don''t like it here. Something feels wrong." Nilin remarked.


    I agree. With my heightened senses and perception, I also felt the faint dark presence lurking among the temple. Since master chose this place, there must be a reason for it.


    As I am about to ask master for his reasons, master said something that caught me by surprise.


    "Stay here. I''ll be back." Master said and turn to leave.


    "Hey! Why are you leaving us all alone here again?" Nilin springs up from my lap which she has claimed it as her resting place at whenever.


    [Huh? Master, where are you going?] I asked master through telepathy. [Aren''t we looking for a way to get through that door?]Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Master stops just right before he leaves the room. He glances back over his shoulder. "I didn''t manage to kill them all."


    "Who?"


    "The goblin bunch who kidnapped you and Lubac. A Hobgoblin escaped by using a teleportation item. I was searching for him while we were walking to the exit and I found him when he passed by here. He''s hiding beneath this temple with some twenty more goblins. They are probably supplementary troops."


    So that''s the reason master chose this place.


    "Don''t worry. No one will get the drop on us like back then. They know a power stronger than them lurks in their "territory". So they are lying low for the time being until we leave this place."


    I see. "Did you planned for this all along?"


    Master makes a difficult face. He''s hesitating. "Not exactly. I was planning to let it go but since we''re no longer in a hurry, I figure I could settle the vendetta."


    "Vendetta?" I''m not asking master for the meaning but rather what vendetta is master talking about.


    "Vendetta? What''s that?" Nilin asked. Since she doesn''t seem like some one who can read the mood, I clasp my hand on her mouth. For some reason, I feel her temperature rising.


    "Lubac''s. Who else?"


    Master intends to take revenge? "But why? Did Lubac''s death really bothered you to this extent?"


    "I don''t know. I guess I will find out." Before he disappears from my sight, he stops and glances back at me once more. "I wasn''t able to avenge Muo Li and Clammis, at least I can avenge Lubac."


    "But...."


    [Let it go, Thomas. Master needs this. I know you worried for master''s mental state but I can promise you I won''t let master do what is more than necessary. Giving master the right amount would be therapeutic. So you can be at ease, Thomas.]


    "Plus, there is some strange Mana fluctuation beneath this temple and goblins are gathered around. I think it''s the key to the three variant''s evolution."


    [I''ll be with master, Thomas. Rest easy, for now.]


    "Fine. Just.... be careful."


    "You too. See you in.... half an hour?" Master said and disappears through the doorway.


    "MMMMMM~!"


    Huh? What''s that sound?


    I look down at where the sound came from.


    Yikes!


    I quickly released my hand from Nilin. I have forgotten about her and ended up suffocating her.


    Struggling to even breath, Nilin said "Meanie.... To think that orcs are into such plays?" with tears bubbling in her eyes.


    Huh? What is this Wisp saying now? What plays? And I''m an Oni now, you know?


    "Love? Is this love?"


    "Tommy is handsome now. Possible. Possible."


    Bartholomew and Cormac are saying even more incomprehensible stuffs behind me.


    "Mou~ This sort of acts should be done in a more dignify way and in p...private."


    What acts? What does she meant by in private?


    I look to the two for help but they are only giggling at me.


    Why? What''s with the giggles?


    And Nilin, why are you blushing so red and burying your face into my sleeve?


    Despite how she looks, she''s got quite the strength. It made me spared more effort than I thought to peel her off me.


    "Is Master really that scary? You have been clinging on to me for a lot, you know?" I asked some question I plucked out of the air, hoping to disperse the current incomprehensible atmosphere.


    "Um.... I know he''s not a bad person but he is just too.... abnormal. He¡¯s kinda scary."


    Abnormal and scary? Coming from a two hundred years old plus Spirit?


    "Eh. You''re thinking of something rude aren''t you, Oni?"


    What is this? Can she read minds? "Stop calling me Oni. I have a name, you know?"


    "T...then... call me by name too...." She flips her hair and flaunts her demeanor as she said so. "I''ll let you have the honor of calling a Spirit of Nature like me by my n...name.... w...without honorifics...."


    I just can''t get this Wisp at all. I haven''t been using any honorifics for starters. Why is she alternating her tone and personality? Is this how all Spirits are? Why is she having trouble speaking now?


    Coming to an impasse with my thoughts, I sigh like my master. "Okay, Nilin."


    She yelped when I call her name. "H...how can y...you say my name s...so casually?" And her face just got redder.


    Hmm? Didn''t I call her Nilin before too? "Nilin? Is not that difficult, you know?" I don''t get what''s saying. Saying a person''s name isn''t that hard.


    "Heh~? No.... That¡¯s not what I mean...." She said, twiddling her fingers.


    "Tommy is clueless"


    "Seems so. Seems so."


    "What do you mean?" I asked  Bartholomew and Cormac who were giggling more and more. The two seems to know what¡¯s going on but they are not telling me. All they did was the same gesture and words master gave me.


    ¡°T...T...T...To....Tom...¡± Nilin was struggling to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s Thomas now, actually but Tom is okay too.¡± I told her.


    At first she looks surprised but then her face distorted. She is gritting her teeth and making some ¡°Gununu¡± sounds.


    Ignoring her weird ethics, I ask "Say, why are you still here?"


    "Heh?" She stares blankly at me. Her "Gununu" sounds stop. "What are you talking about?"


    Hmm? Did she not get my meaning? "I mean you already done your job, right? I thought you are itching to go back to your.... home?"


    "Heh? Why...."


    Nilin really has a blank look on her face. Does she not understand what I''m getting at? I should be more clear with her. "I''m well aware that we technically still haven''t made it out of this place yet but that''s not your fault, you know. We won''t blame you for it. So you can head back now. I''m sure master already said so too, didn''t he?"


    Nilin is flapping her lips without stop. She looks like she want to retort but deciding not to. Did she not believe what I just said?


    "Nilin?" I asked the quiet Nilin who is looking down at the floor.


    "Even after saying all that, you still said something like this....." She mumbled. I couldn''t have heard what she said if I didn''t concentrate on my hearing.


    "Nilin?" I asked her again but I patted her too this time.


    But she slaps away my hand. Ouch, she''s stronger than she looks.


    Her face is then painted redder than ever before. ¡°Mou~! Just go die, you stupid Oni! Stupid! Hmph!¡± She lashes out at me and kicked between my knee and ankle. Although I don¡¯t have the same physical sturdiness as I did when I was an Orc but I do have a layer of magic armor shrouding me. I did not purposely invoke it but it has been there ever since I evolved. It seems to be invisible to people without Mana Vision.


    Nilin who is a Wisp should have saw my magic armor but she still kicks at me with full force. It must have hurt since she put so much force into that kick but Nilin is not showing it. Instead, she just turn her back to me and cross her arms as she sat far away from me. ¡°Stupid Oni.¡± She keeps muttering those word repeatedly. I can tell her feet is hurting from kicking me. Although she''s stronger than she looks, her physical strength pales in comparison to my magic defense.


    ¡°Haiz~ Tommy is such an airhead in this matters.¡±


    ¡°Truly. Truly.¡±


    Well, if you know what¡¯s going then tell me. I tried asking the two but they said that this is something a ¡°man¡± should figure out for himself. I wonder what makes them so knowledgeable about my current situation and riding the high horse.


    Master, please come back soon.


    <hr>


    It has been an hour and master has yet to return. Occasionally, I can sense surges of Mana from below the temple. It goes without saying it''s because of master.


    Cormac and Bartholomew are sleeping soundly along with Citra. The two dozed off shortly after watching Citra doing the same.


    As for Nilin, she had gone into her replenishing state which is her original form while glowing faintly. She has reverted back to her annoying and loud personality before she exhausted herself of all her Mana.


    Shortly after the intermittent Mana surges stopped, the lights outside the temple begin to dim. From my Mana Vision, the vines that are growing on the surface of the ceiling is absorbing their nutrients from somewhere deeper in this ruins. Master must have done something below but I do not know what.


    Another hour went by and this place have gotten a whole lot quieter. No more Mana surges Though, I am not worried. If anything bad happened, I would know since I have a special link with master.


    As I''m thinking of what I should do to pass the time, an idea sprang to life in my mind. I can take this opportunity to learn more about my new powers. I know master ask us to stay put but I need to be alone for this.


    I found a smaller room just a few meters ahead from the reception area. Although it''s not far from where I was but the distance should be enough if my powers went out of control. Though I have no basis for my statement.


    Going by the objects present in this small room, it seems to be someone''s resting quarter. But there are more than one bed and a few chairs. I wonder if the ancient people share a room in their slumbers.


    Well, it''s not like those things are of any bother to me.


    Just by my will alone, a wall of text appears out of thin air.


    Blaze of the Depths (Unique): Lv. 4


    A unique Arcane Art form from the unison of [Abyss Magic] and [Crimson Lord]. Flames forged of the Abyss. A magic of assimilation into a form beyond mere flesh and blood. User gains immunity against [Fire Magic] and high resistance against [Dark Magic]. Due to the nature of this Arcane Art, the user will be granted powerful life force and blessed with a near-eternal life. User will gain the title: <Immortal>.


    Wow. This ability of mine is stronger than I thought. I have a long life. Longer than an elves? I have heard they are the longest living Sagax race.


    But anyways, how do I use it?


    As I was thinking that, black flames ignited in my palm.


    "Uwaah~!" I shrieked from the abrupt conjuration. I calm myself with a pat on my chest. How pathetic of me to get scared by my own ability but I guess being afraid of one''s own ability might be a good thing?


    And so, I indulged myself into learning more about my abilities. Looks like I have made the right choice in testing my powers in another room. I have made some damage and loud noises while I was familiarizing myself with my strength. I hope I didn''t bother their Bartholomew and the other''s rest. It went well at first but things became awry when I stumbled on to something.


    A spear made of my Mana, a spear of black flames with a length of two meters, a spell I created on my own. I don''t know how I did but I did. Might be an effect from the residue memory of master''s.


    And this residues are something I shouldn''t have temper with.


    "Kill. Run. Despair. Kill. Kill them all. Or run and despair....."


    I flinched and hit a wall when such words enter my mind.


    My mind is then flooded with countless images. All those images are of monsters attacking me and I have no way of defending against them.


    Wait... Are those my memories? No. They are not. I don''t recall having such memories.


    If it''s not mine, then these are.... master''s....


    I have also inherited a portion of master''s memory. His emotion and feelings of that time is even transmitted to me.


    Fear. Despair. Rage. Bloodlust. Sorrow. All sorts of negative emotions is overwhelming my mind.


    In the split second that I let loose of myself, my disarrayed aura is unleashed to my surroundings, destroying the whole room. The roof came down but my aura of shadow flames disintegrated every piece of ruble.


    What is this? What is this darkness I''m feeling? The pain... the fear.... is too much....


    Is this what master felt before he obtained his current strength? I feel no shred of hope in him at that time. There was no true aim to his wanders. It was only sheer luck that brought him to us. I can feel he was piling lies on top of lies to kept himself from going. He made jokes and foolish remarks all the time to avoid his descend into the unknown darkness. He clings on to a hope that he doesn''t even believe in.


    The fact that master is still alive is only because of his good fortune.


    Although I have suffer longer than master, the intensity of his suffering pales mine. A former human child with no memories left all alone in a dangerous dungeon. I doubt no one can even being to imagine just what he had gone through. Humans are fragile, I was taught.


    After the grasp of darkness, I felt a warmth embrace. This.... this is it. I see. It wasn''t luck that save master. It was this warmth. The tiny hope that resides within master. Master clung to this faint light of hope to survive. But where did this warmth came from?


    And everything fades after that. When I came to myself, I noticed I have blown away not just this room but also the surrounding rooms. Thank the stars that I was faraway from the room Bartholomew and the others are in.


    "Eh? An Oni? How?"


    I heard a familiar voice from my back. When I turn, I saw a displaced floor tile and a hole in its place. And out climbed four goblins. All four of them are drenched in blood and covered in wounds. One of them is a Hobgoblin.


    "You!"


    I snarled at the Hobgoblin. Yes, he is the Hobgoblin that was with the Red Ogre. Master must have meant him when he said some managed to escape.


    Good timing.


    A torrent of negative emotions swarms me.


    I was just wondering who I will test my new power on. Didn''t think the most suitable candidate would show himself up. This is just perfect....


    My skin began emitting black smokes.


    Who would be better than my killer.


    The smokes then burst into black flames.


    [Blaze of the Depths (Unique): Exalted Skin]


    At that moment, another foreign memory surfaced.


    In this memory, I was slaughtering countless goblins and I ate them after that. Everyone who defied me ended up as food.


    Is this also master''s....? No. This is.... the Red Ogre''s.... His memory.... No. Not just the Red Ogre''s....


    This is not good. I didn''t just inherit master''s memory but also the goblins''. Master have gave me a part of his curse too.


    Among all the residue memories, the Red Ogre''s screams the loudest.


    His imprint.


    A deep one.


    It clouded my mind. Fueling my actions with rage.


    I''m left with nothing but these words on a loop.


    Kill them all.


    Eat them all.


    Become the strongest.


    Loosing all control over myself,


    I could do nothing but oblige.

 T6 - Encroached

    Easy.


    Far too easy.


    I thrust out my palm as per my instinct''s guidance and I shredded through three goblins with dark flaming spears. [Night Javelin]. Similar to the ability that master once had.


    The Hobgoblin is the only one left. Like Nilin earlier, he is flapping his mouth without any sounds.


    A single step forward of my part seems to have trigger something within him.


    "Impossible. Impossible. Impossible." He mutters repeatedly.


    What''s so impossible?


    "This wasn''t what I was promised. Was I tricked?"


    Promised? Tricked? By who?


    "It''s a lie. It''s all a lie. It''s absurd that I would meet my end here. After coming this far.... After manipulating those stupid goblins...."


    Aren''t you a goblin yourself? An Oni, an Orc, and even a Hobgoblin is still considered a goblin, you know?


    "No. No. No. This is absurd. I refuse to die here. I am meant for greatness. I am not like the other pathetic goblins. I am special!!! The voice said so....!"


    I see. Like me, a goblin who walks a different path but his complex is too much. But what voice are you talking about?


    Kill.


    Feed.


    They are nothing.


    Speaking of voices, the dark voice invaded my mind again. It''s not just a memory but an invasion in of my will. With reluctance that only fades immediately, my will is bent to the voice. I follow what the voice wants. To kill and feed.


    Black flames gather in my palm and forms into a saber.


    [Rageblade]. These blades are just like the ones master used although these are made of black flames and they shaped differently.


    The Hobgoblin sees the black flaming blade in my hand. He panics and keeps clicking his fingers.


    "No! No! No! Has it not been half a day yet?"


    Whatever magic he''s trying to use, it seems he can only use it once every half a day. My fortune is smiling at me.


    Kill. Feed.


    Planting my feet until I make a crack on the floor, I launch myself towards the Hobgoblin. He took out something from his pouch but whatever is it, it''s far too late. My blade has reached and pierce through his heart.


    Kill. Feed.


    His grips loosened and a red glowing gem fell from his hand. The gem only glow more intensely even after it was let go.


    My instinct screamed.


    Too slow. Before I can create distance from the gem, the light expanded, an extreme shock wave follows after. It''s an explosive gem.


    To my amazement, I wasn''t blown away.


    The explosion threw the Hobgoblin away but not me. [Exalted Skin] has absorbed the impact and force, saving me from the explosion and prevented me from being blown away.


    Impressive ability.


    Now. Feed.


    Yes. I will.


    "Tommy?"


    "Tommy is being weird."


    As I was about to follow the voice''s instructions, my action are stopped by some known voices as resounded to my conscience. Those voice freed me from the dark voice''s shackles.


    I turn and see Bartholomew and Cormac. Their faces said worry. When Citra saw my state, she cowers behind the two.


    Why? Was I that scary?


    Kill. Feed.


    What? No! They''re my friends.


    Kill! Feed!


    No! They are my friends.


    Despite my rejection, I find my own body moving and approaching the two. What is this? Is this some curse?


    Feed.


    No! Stop! They are my friends.


    Feed!


    Before the conflict in my mind escalated, another situation escalated in its place. Or rather, an unexpected shift of event happened.


    The Hobgoblin survived the explosion and a blade through its heart. Among the smoke, I can see his clear figure outline but something else also caught my attention.


    Purple ropes are coiling around him. When the smoke cleared, I see the dark purplish veins have spread and taken over him. The purple rope-like aura seems to be byproducts of the veins.


    "Absurd! Absurd! I refuse to accept this! I will thrive! I wil #$*&%&^" slowly, his words became incomprehensible.


    What''s happening to him?


    At such thoughts, these texts appeared.


    Hobgoblin


    Status: Enthralled (Aedrox)


    Overall Power Ranking: C


    That was all I could see. It''s abilities are labeled as "Analysis Impossible"


    Aedrox.... The Void Demon that master talked about? The one who killed our friends? How is this happening? Did his despair triggered something?


    The arm which the Hobgoblin lost in the explosion is replaced by a blade made from his own flesh. Spikes protruded all over its body.


    I am then overwhelmed by a sense of dread. Is this what master felt during his fight with Aedrox?


    Dark purplish energy converged onto his blade-arm.


    My instincts screamed again.


    Not good.


    "Bartholomew! Cormac! Take Citra and Nilin and get out here now!"


    Without any response, they obeyed and dashed back to where they came from. Let''s hope they can get out of here before the escalation exceeds the amount this temple could withstand.


    "Ngaaaaah!!" The Hobgoblin screeched in a voice unlike of a goblin. He swing his blade-arm and unleashes a wave of dark energy at me.


    A barrier of black flames surrounds me and defended me against the assaulting dark energy.


    [Dark Shroud]


    As soon as the barrier dissipates, the Hobgoblin has leaped into the air. Dark energy already converging at his blade-arm again.


    Mana distribution was not an easy act but it''s all thanks to master''s memories that I was able to grasp the concept immediately. The black flames burn especially fierce on the both of my hands as I distributed most of my Mana into my hands. I catch the blade-arm with my left hand. I feel the full brunt being transmitted into my left arm but nothing broke. Good. It work. I can breath a sigh of relief but not before I thrust my right hand at the shocked Hobgoblin.


    The space rippled between us and the Hobgoblin went tumbling away.


    I look at my hands which have made physical contact with the Hobgoblin. Mild bruises and wounds on my palms. I have suffered some damage. I have thought I would be the one harming him with my blazing aura but the dark energy had harmed me instead. I have to be more careful of it.


    With a swing, he cleared the dust that covered his tumbles.


    He begin saying something but at this point, the corruption has robbed him of his capability for speech. And I can only feel the corruption growing stronger.


    In fact, right now, in front of my eyes, the Hobgoblin is turning. His size grew. His other arm grew into claws. His skin melted away, revealing the blackened bones and organs underneath. It screeched and I can clearly see his lungs trembling with it.


    That is disturbing to watch.


    Dark energy gathers in his blade-arm again.


    I can feel the energy this time is stronger than the previous attack''s. [Dark Shroud] won''t be an option now.


    When he swung, I expect a converged energy that rushes in a straight line but instead, the energy attack spreads in clusters.


    Due to the energy density being spread, [Dark Shroud] was able to block it but the other shots destroy the supports of this temple.


    Not good. Master is still down below. If this temple collapse, master will be trapped. However, the winds of fortune blew my way as the supports stood in their place.


    I heave a sigh of relief. Now, how do I kill this abomination in front of me?If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Before I arrived at an answer, the floor behind the transformed Hobgoblin exploded.


    From the newly created hole, something flew out of it.


    A girl with black and white hair. An incredibly beautiful girl. Cold red eyes that could kill with just its stare.


    She''s an angel. An angel with black and white wings.


    When I tried to appraise her, I only get this; [Analysis Blocked]. An appraisal block spell is in effect. From this alone, I judge that she is no small fry.


    Just beside her, master is standing on a blurred space foothold in the air.


    "Whew. We made it, Angie."


    I see the angel''s brow twitched. "Don''t call me that."


    "Well, you refused to give me your name. What do you expect?"


    "Tsk. Do whatever you like."


    Master sighs "Great. Another himedere."


    Among all the shared knowledge, I don''t think the word "himedere" is included. I''ll ask master about it later.


    The angel then noticed the disfigured and transformed Hobgoblin. "What in the heavens is that?" The angel asked.


    "HaRBinGeR!" The transformed Hobgoblin shouted. "FoUNd yOU!!"


    Master raised an eyebrow "Aedrox?"


    "That''s really Aedrox?" I asked.


    Master narrows his eyes after my question. "No?" He said.


    [It''s just a mere fragment of the main conscience before it met master.] Kai told us.


    [Well then, let''s hope it doesn''t transmit our location to the main body.]


    [Individual souls of a single consensus. The individuals itself is comprise of individuals. Ironic. It is possible and highly at that, the fragments can transmit their memories to the main body.]


    [Well shit.]


    "Who''s Aedrox?" The angel asked with an impatient glare at master.


    "I''ll tell you later. First, let''s deal with this thing." Master draws a line in the air with his index and middle finger. At the same time, this text appears. [Sever]


    The space misaligned. The former Hobgoblin who has turned into something unrecognizable as a goblin, is decapitated.


    "Space Magic?" The angel is surprised. Yeah, you should be. Master is absurd in a lot of ways.


    "Spatial magic actually."


    "Heh~!" The angel''s jaw dropped.


    "Woah, there. You capable of such expressions?"


    "And what makes you think I can''t?" The angel''s eyes narrowed.


    "Um.... I don''t even know where to start."


    The angel scowled at master.


    While master and the angel banter pointlessly, the headless monster of a former Hobgoblin swings its blade-arm. I was about to shout out words of caution but master seemed to have knew it wasn''t dead yet. With unusual aloof eyes, master raises his hand. The space in front of his palm blurred and the blade-arm hit something solid. I see glass-like cracks appearing on the space.


    "Tom, my good man, will you do the honors?" Master said.


    Although I understood nothing from master''s words but his intent is transmitted to me. How convenient for the incomprehensible master.


    [Oh~? So that''s how you see me?]


    Crap! My thoughts leaked out!


    Never mind that. Concentrate on what''s ahead first.


    I thrust out my palm. The converged black flames in my palm shot out like a canon. [Aura Strike]. The javelin-like aura didn''t just make a hole befitting of its size but a huge cavity on the Hobgoblin''s body, wide enough to fit a small person.


    [Persistent.] Kai spoke.


    [What''s wrong?] I asked.


    [It ain''t dead yet.] Master answered.


    What? That didn''t kill it?


    Master is right. The monster got up again and begin repairing its wounds. It got bigger as it heals.


    "HARbinGEr!!!!" It screeched.


    And it gets bigger and bigger until it exceeded the temple''s height. That''s when the whole temple started coming down. A piece of the roof almost hit master but it broke into pieces when it hits an invisible wall around master.


    "Where are the others?" Master shouted.


    "I asked them to run. They probably a fair distance away by now."


    Master sighs in relief. "Ha. Good."


    Before I could realize what was going on, master has teleported in front of me. He has the angel in his grasp by her wrist. The angel has a disgust look on her face but she also looks conflicted. I wanted to ask what master is doing but he grabbed me by my shoulders and teleported again.


    And we are outside of temple.


    That was fast. Although everything happened so fast, I caught a glimpse of this text. [Spatial Leap].


    The Angel was slow. As in she was still unable to grasp the reality of master''s speed.


    Master let go of my shoulder.


    "Eh?" I blurted out when I feel nothing but wind below my feet. I''m not wearing any boots by the way. "Aaaaaaah! Master!!!!" I screamed as I''m left falling from at least fifty meters in the air straight to the ground.


    My drop raised a cloud of dust as I hit the ground.


    "O...ouch.... It.... h..hur... doesn''t hurts.... huh?" I don''t feel any pain from the drop. In fact, I''m not cover in wounds or bruises.


    [Thomas. You are an Oni now. Remember that. Your body may not be as sturdy as before but your magic is more potent now. Your magic protects you. A short drop like this cannot bring any harm to you.]


    Explains Kai.


    As I ponder about the extend of my abilities, the tremors brought my attention back to the concurrent reality. Finally, the dome of a temple is no more. The growing size of the monster has destroyed it.


    "Ngeh~!"


    "Big. Very Big!"


    "Ssss~Nya~!"


    From a distance, the trio commented. The two had retreated quite some distance away from the temple. Thank the stars. For some reasons, Citra is crying in a sound I find it hard to believe it came from a snake-like creature. Nilin is still hibernating in her Wisp form and Bartholomew is carrying her in his hands.


    Master also notice the four''s presence. Master sighs again but with a wry smile this time. "Now, I need not worry about them. You too, Tom. Get to a safe distance."


    "No." I declined, firmly. "I can help."


    "You sure?" Master raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes."


    "A''ight~ Suit yourself." Master said.


    Huh? Master is usually more strict. Is it because I''m stronger now?


    "Oi, beast. Do something?" The angel asked as she pointed at the mutating Hobgoblin.


    "I assume you have a death curse to keep you from using decent speeches?"


    "I don''t know you and you don''t know me. As far as I know, you''re just a beast who has the fortune of having a degree of intelligence. I don''t think that warrants any respect from me."


    "Ah.... I see." Master said with a face that said "Can''t be helped".


    Master is acting all easy-going for some reasons. He has been smiling all this time.


    While they threw insults at each other, the monster have grown to twice the size of the temple. It has taken the surrounding buildings and pieces of land as replacement body parts. Multiple tendrils grew all over its deformed and now limbless body. It sends three tendrils at master and the angel but the tendrils hit an invisible wall again.


    More tendrils came but all of them met an impasse.


    Master splays his hand out. A huge amount of Mana surged within him. The word [Fracture] appears beside Master.


    The monster unleashes a deafening cry as it cracks along with the occupied space, turning the whole forty meters tall monster into chunks. The cracks even rippled the surrounding space.


    Silent ensues as the flesh bits fell like rain.


    The angel broke the silence with an ambiguous question. "Seriously, what are you?"


    Master''s smile dropped. "That''s something I would like to find out too."


    "You really don''t remember anything?"


    "Did you not believe me?"


    Curtly, the angel offers master a smile. "Now I do."


    [Thomas, incoming!] Kai screamed.


    Apparently I have been focusing on master and the angel''s conversation too much that I neglected what''s in front of me. Per Kai''s warning, I turn back and see multiple tendrils coming at me. I destroy them with two [Rageblade] that I conjured up in less than one second. Good. I''m getting a firmer grasp of my powers.


    [Tch! It didn''t die from that.] Master said. "Angie, can you be useful now?"


    "My name is not Angie and yes, I can be useful. Just watch." She said and multiple spheres of smoky gray aura appear around her.


    [Blight Barrage]


    The spheres turn into beams and fire at the regenerating monster. It interrupted its regeneration but only for a brief moment. It has begun regenerating again.


    When I appraise the monster again, the different result shocks me.


    Unknown


    Status: Enthralled (Aedrox) (Dominated)


    Overall Power Ranking: B


    It has become an unknown species and it has gained an additional disagreeable status and B....? Its ranking has turn into B..... This is bad.


    [Master! Kai! It is a B rank monster.]


    [We know!] Master reply as he destroys five incoming tendrils with [Sever].


    "Beast! What is this thing? Not even an advanced-class spell can hurt it."


    "Well technically you did hurt it but it just didn''t matter to his absurd regeneration speed. Can''t you tell the difference?"


    "Save your jest for later. Tell me, what is that thing?"


    Master tilts his head with his arm crossed. "I don''t know what it''s call but I call it a Void Demon. Well, this one is most likely a fragment of the individual name Aedrox."


    "V...void? The Void Legion?"


    "Void Legion?"


    "Devils born of the void. That''s how the peoples of my era describe them. They are the reason of our downfall. The doom of the whole world."


    "I see...." Master responded such.


    A tendril larger than the ones before came attacking me as I was listening on master. When I realized it, the gigantic had already crept up to me, looming over me. The next second, I''m meters away from where I was standing where the large tendril has smashed into.


    "For fuck''s sake, be mindful of your surroundings would you?" Master said. He''s beside me. I''m certain master used [Spatial Leap] to save me.


    "I''m sorry." I said.


    "You alright?"


    I nodded.


    "Oi, you two! Comfort each other later." The angel shouted as she assaulted the monster with more [Blight Barrage] and the monster responded by sending more tendrils at her.


    "Eyes. Forward. Alright?" Master talk to me like an infant and space leap back to the angel''s side. That''s a part of master I don''t like.


    .....


    Good. My thoughts didn''t leak out this time.


    "Ngaaaaah!!!!!" The screeching reach my ears. From its body that had loose its humanoid shape, dozens of feelers grew out from it. They are tendrils but smaller. These feelers then detach themselves from the body. They drop to the ground and become piles of goo.


    From what appraisal told me, these detached feelers are Offshoots of the Enthralled. Fragments of fragments.


    [Tom, careful down there.]


    [Got it.] I replied.


    These piles of goo begin taking the shape of deformed beasts.


    Kill. Feed.


    Crap. Not again. Not now. Not now!


    [Tom, you alright?] Master asked.


    [Y...yeah....]


    [.... Okay. Just focus on those offshoots. Make sure none of it slip past you. They might go for Cormac and the other for all we know. I will handle the main body. Got it?]


    I nodded.


    [Alright.] Master smashes his fist together. "Let''s do this." Master said with some depths to his voice.


    And so, the battle with the overgrown enthralled deformed Hobgoblin went like this. Master and the angel fend off the assaulting tendrils while occasionally exchanging insults. As for me, I am responsible for every offshoots it send towards my way.


    [This is endless. Kai, any ideas?]


    [Working on one. Keep it busy for now.]


    [Got it.] Master said.


    With [Rageblade] in both of my hands, I slice and dice through the offshoots. I wasn''t skilled in the art of blades but master is. I have inherited a portion of master''s knowledge in the art of blades. That said, it was only a portion not the whole thing. Therefore, my form is sloppy and full of holes. Furthermore....


    Kill. Feed.


    The dark voice surfaced into my mind again. I came to realize that the voice and memories of the Red Ogre surfaced whenever I use my powers. It is the trigger to the darkness hidden in this extraordinary power.


    But why is it residing in this power? Did master gave it to me knowingly?


    No. Not possible. Master might have just made a mistake. Master maybe a God to me but per the words of my kin, not even Gods are almighty. I agree. Otherwise, why would there be imperfections like us monsters in this world? Even Gods made mistakes.


    I find myself fighting two opposing forces. The offshoots and the dark voice in my head.


    Kill. Feed. They are nothing.


    These words went on a loop. I was coping with it at first but it finally hooked my nerves at a certain point. Just for that instance, the offshoots took advantage of it. It dug a chunk of flesh off my shoulders when my guard loosened.


    [Thomas, status!] Kai demanded with a shout.


    [I''m fine. You need not worry. This is nothing compare to what master been through.] I gave my honest-to-god thought.


    When I look at my wound, I don''t find blood oozing but instead, black flames leaks out from my shoulder where it''s missing a chunk of flesh. A magic of assimilation into a form beyond mere flesh and blood. Those words echoed in my mind. So that''s what it meant. Strangely, I feel pain but not as intense as I expected. This is convenient.


    While I was in awe with my power, three offshoots attacked. Claws erupted from the ground like pillars of black flames. [Arch Spike]. It skewers them with pin-point accuracy.


    My Mana dropped harshly but in just seconds, it recovered. High Mana consumption but my Mana recovery rate is also high. I think master mentioned how absurd my the amount of Mana I have is. Heh~. Just wait until master realizes my how absurd my Mana recovery rate is too.


    Despite how easily I dispatched the offshoots, they keep on coming. As long as the main body stands, the offshoots are endless.


    Kill. Feed.


    Curses! Not now! Please.... just stay down....


    I implore the twisted will within me.


    [Tom! Are you sure you''re fine? I''m sensing a lot of irregularities in your Mana flow.]


    [It''s nothing master needs to worry about.]


    [Are you sure?]


    [I''m fine.]


    I''m not. The Red Ogre''s thirst for blood is affecting me but master already has his hands full. I can''t afford to be a hindrance.


    [Incoming!] Kai warned.


    The large tendril becomes my shade from the already dimmed light as it looms over me.


    Master leaped through space to my side. He grabs hold of my wrist and leap through space again but I wasn''t taken along. It''s not that master left me but I resisted his teleport for some reasons.


    Kill.


    Feed.


    The dark voice has impaired my movements. I can tell that it know I wouldn''t submit to its will so it went for alternative method.


    "Tom! Look out!"


    Master shouted but I didn''t move. The tendril smashes down at me.


    And everything went black after.


    Now, kill.

 H23 - Angie

    That''s it. After this dungeon, I''m never walking in a confined or narrow passage again. I hereby declare myself a claustrophobic, thank you.


    But.... anyhow.... this is kinda the only way.


    Besides this path, the only way in is through a teleportation circle. When we were strolling through this vast city, Kai had already located a few teleportation circles but figuring it out where these circles lead to is an entirely different matter.


    Just from the descend down the thousand steps, it has taken me roughly half an hour. Plus, it has not been maintained for who knows how long. From Kai''s analysis, it would probably took at least another half an hour to reach the secret hideout at this pace. If I sprint, it would probably take me less than an hour to reach the goblins'' secret hideout in total but I can''t be sure that they wouldn''t have any emergency exits for surprise assaults. So, I am now approaching the hideout slowly and quietly through a dark passage but I see everything just fine thanks to Night Vision, one of the perks gained from my evolution.


    I hope Tom''s doing okay. He seems kinda different now but that''s a given but he also looks bothered by something.


    Ha~. What to do~?


    [Thomas is probably just acclimatizing himself to his newfound powers.]


    Yeah, probably but not just his powers. I practically gave him a new life.


    Tom was dead. His heart had stopped beating. Through the use of magic and a little bit of this world''s science, I brought Tom back to life. I have resurrected Tom from the dead.


    Hey, do you think it was the right thing to do?


    [You think it''s wrong?]


    It feels wrong. You know, the dead should stay dead, that kind of saying. Tempering with death is never a good idea. Fictions have proved it countless times.


    [Fiction. You said it yourself, it''s just fiction. This ain''t fiction.]


    Still, what if what I have done is unethical?


    [Do you think it is unethical for saving a friend?]


    No?


    [And who is here to tell you otherwise?]


    Ah. Touche


    [You are worry about the backlash and side effects. I understand.]


    Damn straight, I''m worry.


    Gosh.... what was I thinking?


    [You were thinking how you gave no fucks about anything else except saving your friend?]


    I did now, didn''t I?


    Fucking hypocritical of me.


    [Crimson Lord]. That''s the Arcane Art of a cannibal. I gained this cannibal''s memories from eating him. Thanks to my evolution, I have control over the change in my appearance but the memories of the eaten is another level of problem. Sorting out the memories is a delicate and tedious procedure. Tom has realized my unrest but I think I have convinced him I am actually fine, I think.


    A normal bunch of memories was already a very tedious problem. Not to mention the memories this time are of a lunatic who was further mind fucked by a Void Demon.


    When Kai was synthesizing [Abyss Magic] and [Crimson Lord] into a single and new Arcane Art before giving it to Tom, he has did all he can to prevent the any memories or imprint attach to the Arcane Art. Otherwise, I would not just be giving Tom power but also memories. Truly a delicate procedure.


    Although, it doesn''t matter how thorough Kai is in combing through the synthesis process, the imprinted is bound to remain, no matter how little. In the end, it''s all up to Tom on how will he deal with it.


    [We''re here.] Kai informed me.


    In the place of a door, an illusory wall stood proudly. Without Mana Vision, I would not have second-guess the credibility of the wall''s presence. Behind this wall, it''s a group of goblins. Supplementary troops for the Red Ogre, back-ups. The pompous Hobgoblin has escaped to this place with a teleportation crystal. Or was it a gem?


    You ready?


    [I''m always ready. That is something I should be asking you.]


    Is it, now?


    Anyways, how to proceed? Subtle or a cat-walk?


    [Suggestion, Overload with Arcane Orb.]


    I raised an eyebrow.


    Wouldn''t that bring this whole place down?


    [No. The ground we trotted on, the walls that surrounds us, the ceiling that covers us, it''s all Azunmite.]


    The metal used to made that tough weird-ass door?


    [Yes.]


    Well then, that is just perfect. Remind me to collect some on the way back.


    [If the situation favors, of course.]


    The moment I conjure up [Arcane Orb], I hear the goblins on the other side begin scurrying. They know I''m here. Probably because I''m putting [Daunt] into full gear.


    With my left hand, I dispel the illusory wall with [Mana Burn]. It wasn''t necessary since it''s not even tangible but I did it for the dramatic flair.


    Ah? I seem to have interrupted something. The Hobgoblin is standing on top of a boulder, giving a speech? The unrest of the goblins was already written on their face long before I interrupted. Now, their unrest only expanded.


    With my right hand which I hold the violently vibrating [Arcane Orb],


    "Surprise, motherfuckers!" I greeted and threw the shuddering dark purple sphere at them.


    A second big-bang albeit absolutely inferior happened in the depths of a city ruin.


    Using another one of his deus ex-machina tricks, the Hobgoblin escaped with three goblins but I''m not concern because Kai have analyzed the maze down here. Judging from the escape path they took, they would end up at the temple in an hour time. Maybe less if the Hobgoblin has a few more tricks up his sleeves.


    I would like to chase them down now and exact my vengeance but my interest is shifted to the unknown energy source in front of me. I am not being fickle here. It''s just that what the goblin is hiding down here warrants my attention. Besides, the goblins have no where to run. Kai has marked them. No matter where they went, Kai can track them down.


    The immense energy I''m feeling from the thing ahead seems to be the core that resulted the goblins'' surface of intelligence and evolution. And it is also affecting the soils in the city above. Which explains how the plants are growing in abundant despite not having sunlight and water.


    The way to the core is blocked by another illusory wall but I just walk through it this time.


    [Okay. This is unexpected.] Kai said.


    I agree with him.


    Right in front of me, is a person bound and chained like Jesus on a cross.


    Except, it ain''t Jesus but a girl.


    And there was no cross and she is on her knees. She''s just dangling there like a lifeless puppet with strings attached.


    She has pale skin that exudes an aura of tranquility but also unrest.


    Her hair is long, silky, and of black and white.


    And most of all, she is extremely beautiful. I don''t think I have ever meet anyone of such level of beauty before. I am entranced the moment I laid my eyes on her.


    [Master?]


    Huh? Oh. Sorry about that. It has been so long since I rub one off, I guess.


    [.... TPO, Hyx. TPO.]


    Yeah, sorry. She''s just too.... beautiful. Too good to be true.


    [A seductress is a very high possibility of being her identity.]


    If I hadn''t met Muo Li, I doubt I would have manage to find reason within me. I''m not a good person after all.


    And what I''m seeing made me appall of what people are capable of.


    Multiple rods with the size of a regular human being are impaled through her. Although impaled, she wasn''t hurt. There were no wounds. I realized the rods are ethereal. She wasn''t impaled physically but spiritually. There are a total of five rods. Just from Mana Vision, I can guess the rods are absorbing her powers and dispersing it into the air.


    They locked up a beauty and use her as a power core that supplements the city. Just.... what the fuck?


    Okay. Okay. Calm down. One thing at a time, Hyx.


    Kai?


    [Analysis is impossible. Something is blocking appraisal from doing its job. Mostly likely an innate ability of this girl.]


    How about direct analysis?


    [Hmm.... That could work but it''s risky. It would be like sticking a flash drive into a computer without checking for virus prior but we wouldn''t now if there is any virus if we don''t stick it in.]


    Heh. That sucks.


    [Although I don''t recommend it, I am willing to give it a try.]


    Okay then.


    I place my right hand on top of her head. Anywhere else would only stimulate a part of me that I thought were rendered impotent. I was wrong.


    [Begin analysis.]


    Okay, here comes.


    I feel like I''m lifted of my feet and thrown into an abyss. No. It''s more like diving into a pool from fifty feet high up.


    Now, let''s see what I can find.


    She''s a.....


    Nephilim. A Nephilim?


    An offspring of an angel and a demon.


    Demon? Majin or beast?


    No. There wasn''t such difference back then. Demons are demons.


    An angel for mother and a father for demon.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Mutual? I can''t tell.


    Nephilim. Long-living race. A forbidden race.


    Forbidden. But why?


    Ah... That''s why.


    Her potential, her power..... at least twice the amount of mine. Maybe even more than that.


    The title of being the absurd one has been taken from me.


    [She is possibly of a rank higher than Vira. Maybe even stronger than Aedrox.]


    Stronger than Aedrox.... She could be a great insurance if that is truly the case.


    .... wait.


    There''s something else.


    What is this?


    I''m sensing anguish..... pain.... It''s cold....


    [Master? Don''t.]


    Can it. Just keep any harm away. I want to dive deeper.


    [That is ill-advised.]


    I said can it. I''m going.


    I dove, I plunged, and I drowned, in a pool of darkness.


    So much pain..... So much sorrow....


    Is she.... Was she betrayed?


    Ha. Cliche.


    Betrayed by the ones she trust the most.


    Such cliche but sad nonetheless.


    .....


    She''s having a nightmare.


    Even if I can''t perceive the nightmare, her distress is fully transmitted to me since we''re linking minds now.


    Oh damn. This is one unpleasant nightmare.


    It is a nightmare of the time she was betrayed. It is going in circles in her slumber.


    Poor lass. How tragic.


    Of the ones that you never think would ever betray you, they went against your expectations and betrayed you.


    Sorrow became fury.


    But with such fury, despair followed. When acceptance was seek, you sought to destroy the deceivers. But the decisive blow, you can''t land. You are unable to. You don''t want to because.... you still care for them.


    I''m sorry. Sorry for your loss.


    Who are you?


    Huh? She spoke?


    [Damn it, Hyx. You probe too far.]


    I''m asking, who are you?


    Uh.... oops.


    I don''t suppose a "new phone who this?" would work?


    [Hyx! Stop joking around. I''m severing the link now.]


    Okay.


    NO! WHO ARE YOU!?


    Crap. Kai?


    [She''s holding on to us. She''s not letting go.]


    Fuck. A yandere or yangire or something?


    WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME!? I GAVE YOU ALL EVERYTHING! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO TAKE FROM ME!?


    She''s pissed! She''s misunderstanding. She has a "Yan" trait, and you know how much anime I have watched to know where this will lead to.


    [Well, at least her hair ain''t pink. That''s something.]


    Kai!!! Do something!


    [Already on it! Just hang on.]


    You.... you''re not leaving..... who are you.... and what do you want....


    Is she corrupted by Aedrox?


    [As far as I can tell, no. This is just her acting on her anguish]


    Ah.... crap.


    <em class="">Who are you? Why can''t you all just leave me alone? Why....? Why? WHY!!!?


    Bitch chill. I want to leave but you''re not letting go. Make up your mind, woman.


    Why....? Why....? What have I done wrong? Why did you all betrayed me?


    [There! Cut!]


    And I''m suddenly ejected out from her consciousness. It felt like I was being flushed out of a drainage system, not that I have a first hand experience of course.


    My hand let go of her head and her body stop trembling.


    [It seems like she retains her awareness but not always.]


    Her body is completely asleep but not her mind?


    [Yes.]


    Ah.... That was.... fun?


    [What do you want to do?]


    You already know what I''m going to do.


    I smirked.


    [*sigh* Well, it''s not like I can persuade you otherwise.]


    Damn straight.


    [Well, if it''s another Gasai Yuno, your ass is the one on the line.]


    Touche.


    I have decided to release her despite her hostile reception.


    Her being a beauty is one of many reasons but the main reason is..... some where in my heart, I can''t abandon her. I just can''t abandon someone in the same situation as me. Not to say I was betrayed by the ones I cared for but.... we both suffered a lot. Even if she turns out be twisted and distorted by the betrayal, I still can''t just let her rot in this place.


    Is it closure I''m seeking?


    Don''t know.


    Do I desire her?


    Yes. Absolutely. No straight functioning male wouldn''t. I harbor feelings for her the moment I saw her but it was nothing like what I felt for Muo Li. I guess it is carnal desire that I have towards this girl but I''m not releasing her for such reason.


    The simplest way to put my reason is that, I pity her therefore I want to free her and give her a second chance. A simple reason. Well, her beauty and my carnal desire did play a large part in concocting that reason but I''m not going to ponder too much about it.


    Plus, she has lived a long life and not to mention, she is from a dead civilization. The amount of knowledge I can get from her.


    So, how do I release her from her bonds?


    [The rods and chains. They are spells not tools. May I suggest the azure flames?]


    Ignoring the fact that Kai nicknamed one of my spells, I tried burning the rods and chains with [Mana Burn] but for the first time, I saw the blue flames being extinguished instead. It was usually the other way around. I then tried using [Psychokinesis] but to no effect either. Needless to say, [Mana Transmission] didn''t work either.


    What can I do.....?


    [They are ethereal. They are basically an object comprise purely of Mana..... Hm.... Is that possible?]


    What? You got something?


    [Our methods have been too mild. We need step it up a notch.]


    Mild? If those are mild, I can''t imagine what is the higher notch.


    [Actually, you can. You use it a few times already.]


    What? I did? What are you.....


    Oh.


    It works that way?


    [Only one way to find out.]


    You right.*


    I said and invoke one of my strongest Arcane Art, as far as potential goes.


    [Soul Harvest].


    Although I haven''t know of the extend of [Soul Harvest]''s capability, I somehow knew I can''t directly eat a person''s soul unless I weakened them first. I guess it is my nerd brain at work here. It is a common gimmick in video games that an enemy needs to be weakened or incapacitated first before a special action be performed. I guess that knowledge just somehow naturally integrate into my understanding of [Soul Harvest].


    Although it allows me to eat souls, I''m not sure if it works on just Mana. I have never done it before as [Mana Transmission] always worked until now.


    Well, time to find out.


    I am afraid that I would eat the girl''s soul too while I''m at it but I don''t think that''s likely considering she still retains her awareness.


    Black ethereal tendrils emerge from my back. They are bigger than I remember.


    They then proceed to gobble the chains and rods up. Even though I don''t think her soul can be eaten, I still did my best to prevent an "accident" from happening.


    And it was a success.


    [Soul Harvest] have devoured the rods and chains.


    In the process,


    [Soul Harvest (Unique): Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    [Sealing Magic: Lv. 2 - Acquired]


    [Sealing Magic: Warden''s Chain - Acquired]


    [Sealing Magic: Imprison Rod - Acquired]


    [Title: <Liberator> - Acquired]


    Oh wow. I didn''t expect a reward for saving a beauty and a fast one at that.


    The instance I feel the Mana density in the atmosphere drops harshly, my instincts and Kai alerted me.


    [Master!]


    I know.


    A wing of shadow and a wing of light, spread before me as if flaunting a twilight pride. The wings are in a form between ethereal and corporeal.


    To accentuate her appearance of awe, she opened her eyes and simultaneously unleashed an aura similar to [Daunt] as she stood up.


    Any sane person would cower in fear but I''m only left further entranced by her alluring grandeur. Her bloody red eyes only enhance my perception of her.


    She is just drop-dead gorgeous. And her breast gracefully danced a little when she stood up. The pair of dreams are probably within D.


    Speaking of that, one thing I must point out though.


    Since the chains were in the way, I couldn''t really tell if she wore something underneath.


    Where are her clothes? Her body is all bare for me to see. In this situation, I''m impressed that anyone can resist the overflowing temptations.


    [Finally. Isekai rules.]


    Totally agree, Kai Ming.


    I won''t be hiding the fact that I explored and admire every nook and cranny of her. I even worship the pair of miracles in its purest form.


    But before I could point it out, she just gave a mild shrug, a dress materialized that covers all the way from her neck to her feet. I don''t think I recognize the fabric used for the dress. Is it silk?


    [Seems to be silk but I doubt it''s actually silk.]


    Without any word, she approaches me. As she does so, a light green vest materialized over her white dress. Woah. What kind of magic is that?


    [No data available.] said Kai, sounding as monotonous as he could. I think he''s trying to be funny.


    She stops a few feet before me. Her gaze never left me.


    "Who are you?" she asked, in Common.


    "Hyx Atlas." I''ll play it safe for now. Since I know how strong she is, incurring her wrath would just be plain foolish.


    [Hmm?]


    What is it Kai?


    Before Kai''s answer came, the angel asked "For what purpose do you sought me out and liberated me?"


    "I have the short answer and the long answer, which would be your preference?"


    "The truth."


    Okay.... I''m sensing another slight "Vira" case here.


    "Well.... to keep it brief, I''m just passing by and I got curious when I sense an incredible amount of energy. So I decided to come and inspect."


    "Are you saying you just waltz right into this place?"


    I tilted my head. "Yeah."


    "No one stopped you?"


    "No? Well, there were those goblins who had made themselves comfortable here but they are no longer with us. Well, most of them."


    "Goblins."


    "Uh huh."


    Her eyes spell disbelief but it shift immediately after. "Your clothes.... They look strange. Language is Common but your way of speech, unrefined, tasteless." She looks troubled. Then she blinked a few times. "What year is it?"


    Oh wow. Never thought I would ever hear that line. "I don''t know."


    "You don''t know?"


    "Truth to be told, I don''t exactly know where I am and how I ended up here. And I have no prior recollection of my memories before this dungeon and ruins."


    "Dungeon and ruins....?"


    She went silent, staring at the ground. Her wings flopped down with her gaze.


    I waited for a reply.


    "You say dungeon and ruins.... Are you referring to the city above?"


    "Yes. The city above is now a ruin and is buried deep in a dungeon."


    "So that how it is." She said to herself. "Quite a long time must have passed then."


    "Indeed?"


    "Anyways, that doesn''t explain why you were intruding my mind."


    Ah.... Right. "About that.... well..... I can''t appraise you so I went for the alternatives."


    "Appraisal? Arcane Arts live on?"


    "Yes. I have a few of them myself."


    A hint of sorrow and relief flashed fleetingly by her face. "That''s good. At least the world wasn''t completely destroyed but a shame."


    "Shame?"


    "It''s nothing." She looked away when she answered.


    Well, I''ll ignore it for now. "So... what''s your name?"


    "Sorry but I can''t trust you just like that. You better off not knowing my name."


    I sighed. "Well, whatever you say, Angie."


    Her eyebrows twitched. "What did you just call me?"


    "Angie?" What? Does she not like it? If she doesn''t, she should have told me her name.


    "Don''t." She sternly said.


    "Then how do you expect me to address you?"


    "Milady."


    "Haha. No."


    Ignoring my words, she asks "You have encroached my mind. How could you not already know my name?"


    "Well, I didn''t dug that deep. Or rather, I wasn''t looking for who you are in your mind."


    "Then what were you looking for? Pray tell."


    "Just trying to get a firm understanding of your circumstances. Trust me. I mean you no harm."


    "Let''s say I believe your honey coated words, why did you release me?"


    "Sympathy, I guess?"


    "Are you saying that you took pity on me? Is that it?"


    "Pretty much. Though, your lady charm played a role in it."


    "I see. Then I''m grateful --"


    "You''re welcome."


    "-- of my natural beautiful charm. I always thought my beauty brings more problems than it''s worth."


    Self conscious, I see.


    "There is another thing I need to know."


    Sure you do. Ask away, Milady.


    I sighed.


    Geez, maybe I shouldn''t have release her.


    "What are you?"


    "A human-turned magic beast." I give her a brief answer.


    Although her expression didn''t change, I can tell she''s surprised. "How did that happened?"


    "That''s one of the things I can''t remember."


    "Another question. Would I be correct in assuming you are able to perceive the flows of Mana?"


    "Yes."


    "And you are able to encroach my mind with such ease. You have the ability to interact directly with Mana flows, don''t you?"


    "I do. What of it? What point are you trying to make?"


    "Last question." She said as she raises her wings, creating a shade over me. "This special gift of yours, does it tires you?"


    "Yes?"


    She raised an eyebrow. "Liar." She said with a visible grin which immediately turned upside down. "You can''t lie to me." For a moment there, I felt a chill down my spine.


    [Careful, master. There isn''t any change in her Mana flow when she said that. She''s probably reading you through your subtle movements and tone.]


    "No."


    The corner of her lips curled slightly. "Impressive." She said.


    "Why? Is it that hard?"


    "It is."


    Her gaze stays on me for a while before finally dropping me from her sight. "Could he be....? No. That would be too much of a coincidence."She mutters in a very low voice but my enhanced hearing senses picked it up.


    [Master.]


    What is it?


    [Something''s wrong with Tom. I''m sensing irregularities in his Mana flow.]


    Something to do with the Arcane Art?


    [A high possibility. And it seems Tom has accidentally intercepted the goblins'' escape route. You saw the Hobgoblin''s status just now, it''s odd.]


    Yeah, I notice. It reads; Enthralled. Where are they?


    [We are grace with good fortune for the moment. Tom and the Hobgoblin is directly above us.]


    How long will it take for us to reach?


    [The absurd route, ten minutes at most.]


    Absurd route, eh. Then we better get moving.


    "Well, I hope that answer what you need to know. I''m sure you still have tons of question for me and so do I. But for now, my friends are in danger."


    Angie neither nod nor shrug. She just calmly walk past me with these words "Let''s go then."


    But I stop her by grabbing her wrist.


    She yelped and jumped a little. It was cute. But I''ll be prudent and write it off as my imagination.


    "Can you fly?" I asked with my finger pointing up.


    She gives her wings a little flap. "I can but my speed won''t be anything amazing since I have just awoken from a long slumber."


    "Well actually, it doesn''t matter if you can fly. You need not worry about that." I said and brought her close to me. Our shoulders touch. Guhehehe~ I''ll be abusing the current circumstances as much as I could. "And forgive me for what I''m about to do."


    She blinks at me. "What?"


    Since I felt the tremendous amount of Mana she has, I''m sure she won''t mind me borrowing some from her. She let out a yelp when I use [Mana Transmission] on her.


    Instead of a simple [Plane Displacement], I created a spatial magic barrier that covers us in a form of a sphere.


    [Spatial Magic: Dimension Fort - Acquired]


    Neat.


    "Hold on to your nickers."


    "Hold on to my what?" Angie asked.


    I didn''t answer as all my concentration is already poured into the ascend.


    The transparent ball we are in launched upwards like a canon, tunneling through the rocks at an incredible speed. I was surprised that Angie wasn''t screaming but I retract my statement when I saw her shutting her eyes tightly while gripping tightly to her dress. Cute.


    In just five minutes, we have reached the surface.


    "Whew. We made it, Angie." I said as we emerged from the ground. While still in the air, I invoke [Plane Displacement] and use it as a foothold.


    "Don''t call me that."


    "Well, you refused to give me your name. What do you expect?"


    "Tsk. Do whatever you like."


    "Great." I rolled my eyes. "Another himedere." Possibly. A Yan-himedere? Is that even possible?


    Putting that aside, I was actually so nervous of the [Dimension Fort] breaking apart mid way but with Kai around, nothing like that would happen. Will it?


    [No promises.]


    Ah. Touche.


    Well, back to the main problem..... um.....


    .... What the fuck is that?


    Hobgoblin


    Status: Enthralled (Aedrox)


    Overall Power Ranking: C


    HP: 3421/4000


    MP: 1845/2000


    Wow. That''s a lot of HP for a mere C rank beast.


    [And it''s only going to get worse.]


    Great.


    "What in the heavens is that?" Angie asked.


    Don''t ask.


    Fuck.... Should have killed him when I had the chance.


    [Tell me about it.]


    Sorry.


    [Don''t tell me you''re sorry, tell them you''re sorry.]


    "HaRBinGeR!" The transformed Hobgoblin shouted. "FoUNd yOU!!"


    I sigh in my mind. I am not looking forward to this but for the sake of impressions, smile and wave. No wait, don''t wave, just smile.


    Well, all in a hard day''s work.

 H24 - Enraged & Enthralled

    I went blur for a moment at the scene I''m looking at. "Tom! Look out!" I shouted as loud as my lungs permitted.


    I knew Tom was having a hard time coping with the residue memories of the Red Ogre. He has been showing obvious symptoms of it. I didn''t want to turn a blind eye to this problem but I have to. I can''t let Tom keep relying on me forever. I can''t let him live in fear. No. I can''t let myself live in fear. If I kept holding his hand, he will never be independent.


    Now, the results of my decision led to a devastating event.


    The huge tendril slams down at where Tom stands.


    "TOM!!!"


    "Oi, wait!" Angie called out but I wasn''t in any state to listen.


    As I was about to unleash hell upon the tendril, black flames erupted, leveling the vicinity and disintegrating the gigantic tendril.


    Kai, analyze. Filter out the unnecessary information.


    [On it.]


    Name: Thomas Atlas


    Race: Oni


    Status: Enraged/Famished


    He''s famished and enraged. No doubt it''s the Red Ogre''s influence.


    Damn it but.... at least he''s alive. Thank the gods. Thank god....


    [Hyx.]


    I know. I know.


    Deep breaths.


    No one''s at fault here. We all have seen this coming.


    [We did. What''s more, we have conveniently acquired the way to solve this problem now.]


    We did, didn''t we? How convenient.


    Okay now. Deep breaths.


    Tom will be alright. I have [Sealing Magic] now, after all.


    My wrist is caught as I begin to head towards Tom who is engulfed in a massive black fire. I look back and saw a dubious Angie.


    "Where are you going?" Angie asked.


    I shot her a glare. "I am going to help my friend, as you can see."


    "You don''t expect me to take on that thing alone now, do you?"


    "Why can''t you? I sensed great power in you. I don''t think it would be a problem even if you''re up against the main body, alone."


    "I can''t."


    I raised an eyebrow. "You can''t?"


    "My Mana flow is still rusty from my long slumber. I still can''t use my Arcane Arts well."


    "How long will you need until you are able to draw your full potential?"


    "Days at most."


    Kai, is this Nephilim telling the truth?


    [Yes, she is. I have been meaning to tell you this. It is as she said, her Mana flow is rough. Being dormant for a long period of time can do that to Mana flows.]


    Can you fix it?


    [Actually, you can do it too. You did do it on Tom, didn''t you?]


    That was a fluke actually.


    [Don''t tell him that, then. Point is, you don''t need me for that.]


    I see. There are somethings not only Kai can do.


    With only a second passed while I deep in thought, my eyes turn serene towards Angie.


    "What?" Angie asked when she noticed the change in my demeanor.


    I flick her hand away from my wrist and place my hand on her shoulder.


    She jumped a little.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "Trust me." I told her as I invoke [Dimension Fort]. Five tendrils crashed into the barrier I created. Read the mood, would you?


    I close my eyes and begin adjusting her Mana flow.


    It''s just like the time with Tom. Refining? No. Not refining. Tempering? Or would calibrating be a better term? Hmm.... If I have to relate to a modernized term, I think "optimization" would be the best term for what I''m doing.


    [Mana Overseer: Mana Optimization - Acquired]


    Oh. Packaged. Neat.


    While I''m optimizing her Mana flow, I "accidentally" stumbled into a place I''m not suppose to. An unethical move, I can say. I''m not talking about my hand of course. I''m not that low.


    Now.... where is it? Should be here.


    [A little bit more to the left.]


    Yada yada yada yada..... and... found!


    A wall of texts is displayed before me.


    Name: Senna Tenrun


    Gender: Female


    Age: 217


    Race: Nephilim


    Status: Deficient


    Standing: None


    Job: None


    Class: Ascended Magus


    Titles:


    -The Impure


    -Lady of Light


    -Taboo Princess


    -Unparalleled Evolver


    -Saintess


    -Relentless Reaper


    -Black Archmage


    -White Archmage


    -Twilight Spell Lord


    -Champion of Lumine


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Light Magic - Lv. 10


    Shadow Magic - Lv. 10


    Abyss Magic - Lv. 8


    Space Magic - Lv. 5


    Time Magic - Lv. 2


    Body Strengthening - Lv. 3


    Twilight Providence (Unique) - Lv. 8


    HP : 1800/2200


    MP: 7550/8000


    Overall Power Ranking : S


    Effective Combat Power: 6000


    - Attack: 350


    - Defense: 50


    - Magic: 3000


    - Resistance: 2000


    - Speed: 600


    Two crossed out titles? Huh....? But --


    -- Holy motherfucker and Holy Sweet Buttery Jesus! What is with her stats? And to think she doesn''t need to chant either. Fuck me.


    [Oh damn. I think we took a wrong turn.]


    You think?


    Before I can peek further, I feel an overwhelming wave of force swept me away like a tide. In reality, my body is flung a few feet away from Senna Tenrun. A defense mechanism?


    Now with her Mana flow optimized, she has a completely different demeanor. Analysis is still impossible but I remembered what I saw. "What.... What did you just do?" She asked, looking flustered.


    I can''t move. She''s not using any spells. I am simply paralyzed by her aura.


    "What did you see?" She asked again, emitting a freezing aura when I''m already paralyzed by her "normal" aura.


    "Um..... Everything?" I told her the truth.


    Her eyebrows twitched.


    The KY overgrown monster roared and intruded upon the confrontation.


    As cool as a cucumber, she raises her left arm, her hand spreads open. I see light energy begins converging at her palm.


    [White Light]. This text appeared beside the converging energy.


    A straight and wide beam of white light shoots out at the approaching grotesque monster, annihilating the upper half of its body. The beam continues straight on after destroying the monster and hit the walls entrapping this ruin. To my surprise, the walls took the beam without any cracks whatsoever.


    Azunmite. What the hell is with that strength?


    [Blink].


    After I saw that word, she appears beside me.


    [Gambateh~]


    Wait. Where do you think you''re going? Come back! If I die, you die. Did you forgot?


    [If we die, we die.]


    What? Oi! Don''t fuck with me! Help a brudah out, wud ya?


    "Hyx Atlas."


    "Hai~!?" I faced her as I straightened myself. I uttered something very otaku-like.


    She lightly bows her head. "Thank you."


    Eh? Thank you? Why?


    "HArBinGEr!!!" The monster screamed. It''s not dead yet. Figures.


    "Go."


    "Huh?"


    "Go save your friend. I will fight this abomination. No. I will end this abomination."


    "You sure?"


    "Whatever you did, it worked. Thank you. I''m aware I have been quite rude. That was.... unbecoming of me. I have misjudged you."


    While we are talking, a ball of black flames headed towards our way.


    With a flick of her wings, the ball of black flames disappears.


    Oh damn. What was that just now?


    "When you were tempering my Mana flow, I caught a glimpse of your suffering. Just a small glimpse but it told me enough. You saved me because you understand what I have gone through. Therefore, I''m sorry for my skepticism and once again, thank you."


    I see. I wasn''t the only one who "stumbled" into a place that I shouldn''t be in. "We''re in the same bind. It was an obligation. Think nothing of it."


    "I understand. Now go, save your friend."


    I said no more and cast [Spatial Leap] in succession until I reached Tom.


    We are facing off on top of a large and grand building which seems to be a palace once. Now it''s just a decrepit building like any other.


    Oh?


    Until now, I never realized Tom has two horns on her forehead due to his bangs. In his enraged and famine state, his horns has grew through his unkempt bangs that covers his forehead. The black tattoos that cover his whole body are now pulsing violent red. His aura is a massive black fire that engulf not just him but his vicinity. I''m surprised that his aura is not burning where he stood. How does that work?


    His eyes are staring at me but it doesn''t feel that way. He looks like he''s just staring but not at anything.


    "I''m sorry. I knew this would happen but I risked it. I couldn''t let you die. I can''t save Alabaster and Daedrich. I can''t save Muo Li and Clammis. But I did save you. And I regret nothing. You''re a friend. My first friend in this world."


    He growled.


    "But.... if you are truly at the point of no return, I will not and I must not hesitate. Do you understand?" I don''t know if my words got through but I''m not intending to go full Naruto on him.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Let''s not waste any more time. I bind him with my new [Sealing Magic], [Warden''s Chain] and incapacitate him with [Imprison Rod].


    That was easy.... is what I want to say. [Warden''s Chain] and [Imprison Rod] turned into ashes from his aura.


    [We have to get rid of his aura first.]


    Obviously.


    Tom sneers at me.


    Huh? Is he aware?


    [Unlikely. Must be a persona created of the Red Ogre residue memories.]


    He instantly conjures up two black flame blades in his hands. Appraisal told me they are called [Rageblade]. It uses my [Abyssal Edge] as the basis.


    Before his blades and aura could reach, I [Force Push] him a good few feet away from me. He is quick to recover. Not even five seconds passed, he is already rushing at me again.


    I throw the blue flames in my hand that I have cultivated enough. The fireball explodes and the blue flames swallow Tom''s aura.


    His black flaming aura is extinguished with [Mana Burn] but he didn''t even slow down. Relentless.


    I evaded a thrust and dodged a swing. He attempted a cross-cut but I put up [Plane Displacement] as guard. His blades bounced off when they hit the space barrier. Looks like I can rely on [Plane Displacement] in this fight.


    He cancels [Rageblade] and goes hand-to-hand with me. With the help of [Clarity Field] and my heightened sense as a Magic Beast, I barely dodged his fists. While he''s not faster but his ferocity more than makes up for his speed. Not to mention his attacks'' range are very deceiving. I got hit once on my cheek when he clearly missed a hook.


    He thrusts out his palm, the space rippled around his palm and it shoots his aura like a canon. Combining [Overload] with [Plane Displacement], I blocked his [Aura Strike].


    Before Tom could recover from the stance of his last attack, I move above him with [Storm Rush]. I cast [Imprison Rod] in conjecture with [Overload]. The force from the Rods impaled him and held him on the ground but due to the excessive force from [Overload], the whole rooftop gave out and he went crashing through floors. Maybe I shouldn''t have overcharged it but my intent was to raise the effectiveness. I failed, it seems.


    Of course, I have created footholds for me to stand before the entire rooftop disappears.


    While the sounds of buildings crumbling down and explosions and rings out in the background, I devoted my focus and the newly created cavity on top of the building.


    [I don''t think he''s subdued yet.]


    I can tell that much from his HP bar. There''s still more than eighty percent. Just like using my [Soul Harvest] to consume souls, I would need to weaken my prey first.


    Prey? Woah there, that''s a grim word to use.


    Anyways, as a testimony to my assumptions, black flames erupted from below, creating a black flaming pillar. It hit the ceiling on this large cavern but not a crack was made.


    [That aura of his is truly a hindrance. We can''t get seal his memories without getting rid of the aura first.]


    I know.


    Tom clad in his aura, he slowly rises to my eye level from the pit he fell into. His aura can even make him float. I was planning to put him at a disadvantage by using aerial combat but that advantage is taken away from me.


    While looking at me with a twisted expression, he bares his right hand, flexing his fingers. Black flames gathered and slowly forms into a long object.


    [Havoc Wreakor], a serrated whip of black flames longer than twenty feet. The end bores a fang-like tip. The way the whip undulate gives off the feeling that it might be alive.


    [This ain''t going to be easy.]


    No shit.


    I have no problem closing in but his aura would most likely burn me alive. Even if I coated myself with some defensive magic, I can''t seal his power if the aura persist. Either way, I have to nullify the aura first, subdue him with [Sealing Magic], and then I sealed the residue memories.


    How do I do that though?


    [I can synthesize an original memory-sealing spell since we have acquired the base spell]


    Can''t you make a memory erasing spell instead?


    [If we have mind magic, sure. What we have is Sealing Magic instead.]


    Ah. Touche. That was a stupid question.


    [Synthesizing the spell now.]


    Got it. In the meantime, I will incapacitate him.


    As I prepared [Mana Burn] in my palm, the whip darted for me. Huh? I didn''t see Tom swinging. I safely evaded the strike from the whip.


    What....? Tom did not swing the whip. It actually moved on its own.


    Great. The difficulty level is raised.


    The whip which missed me immediately took a u-turn back at me. I decide to throw the blue flames in my palm at the incoming whip.


    The moment it caught the blue fire, it detached the part it was burned. The missing part then immediately regrew.


    Oh, come on!


    While I''m in awe with the ability of [Havoc Wreakor], a ball of black flames flew towards me.


    Among all the course of action I can take, I choose [Spatial Leap]. The moment I reappeared at another place, I am met with the whip. I blocked the attack with [Plane Displacement] a crack in the form of a web spreads on it. The whip immediately attacked again and again until it completely shatters the barrier like glass.


    I saw Tom flashed a grin.


    I returned one at him.


    And his grin turned into a frown.


    Holding the whip''s movement with [Distort], I obliterate the whip into nothing with [Fracture].


    I teleport to Tom''s back and fires a [Thunder Spear] at him.


    Of course he noticed such obvious attack but he didn''t realize it was a ruse. The moment he deflected the spear with his bare hand, I have teleported above him. From there, I send another [Thunder Spear].


    When he looked up just in time to block the spear, I heaved a sigh of relief. If he failed, it might have killed him.


    I see the change in Tom''s expression. It was subtle but I saw it or rather Kai did.


    [His aura is about to be reignited again. Stop him.]


    Got it.


    Dashing with [Storm Rush], I move to his back.


    Tom casts two [Havoc Wreaker] this time but I immediately destroy them with [Fracture] again. I burned away his reignited aura with [Mana Burn] and launched rocks at him with [Psychokinesis]. Without his aura, he couldn''t defend from all the rocks. One slipped past his defense and hit, driving him to the ground of the streets.


    [His aura is about coming up again.]


    Fast. The interval is getting shorter.


    Well then, let me step it up a notch too.


    I use [Soul Harvest] to devour his reignited aura but his aura burned away the black tendrils instead.


    Ah.... That''s unexpected.


    I cast [Mana Burn] immediately after [Soul Harvest] failed. So even [Soul Harvest] has its limit.


    [Mana Pool at sixty percent capacity. As for Tom....]


    Yeah, I noticed.


    Unleashing his aura consumed half of his Mana but I am stunned at the speed of his Mana recovery rate. In less than ten seconds, it already recovered fully.


    Still, I''m having the upper hand.


    The reason for the sudden shift to the tide is thanks to Kai. He has been analyzing our battle and collecting data. When the data is sufficient, he quickly devised a plan, a pattern dedicated to counter Tom''s fighting pattern. On the streets of a former glorified city, our stance aligned and gaze met. I closed in on him with [Storm Rush] and get physical with him.


    [Phrasing.]


    Shut up.


    I blocked a jab and countered with a jab of my own. When he launched a hook, I deflected it and countered with an uppercut to his chin. Breaking his balance, I thrust out my palm which hit him square on the chest. I feel the air in him is pumped out from my attack. Discombobulating him, I aimed for his ribs per the instructions of Kai. He attempted a feral hook but I blocked it and quickly return a jab at between his shoulder and elbow.


    When I see the sparks flew, I quickly cast [Mana Burn] to dispel his aura which haven''t even taken form.


    I caught his thrust out palm which I wager to be an [Aura Strike] and initiated [Mana Transmission], draining him of his Mana.


    But of course, things didn''t go that smoothly.


    I have only worsened his enraged status.


    Status: Enraged (Extreme) / Famished


    Before I could even use [Mana Burn], he had already reignited his aura.


    Shit. He''s too fast now.


    "Tommy?"


    "What'' wrong with him?"


    These two voice came from Bartholomew and Cormac.


    Oh my god. What are you two doing here?


    Are you two an idiot?


    Tom slowly twists his head to the two goblins. [Kill. Feed.] Tom''s inner voice leaked into my mind.


    "Eeek~!"


    "Friends! Friends!"


    The goblins shrieked.


    Without a shred of hesitation, Tom seems to be agitated by their cries and launched an [Aura Strike] at them.


    I was about to take action to save them but what I saw made me hesitated. The strike missed the two. The projectile launched by Tom is fast, without a doubt but Cormac reacted faster. He was able to pull Bartholomew aside when he saw the aura coming.


    [Remarkable. Cormac has potential. He''s fast.]


    Indeed. After this is over, maybe we could help him awaken his potential.


    [Agree. For now, Tom first, the monster second.]


    Alright. We''ll do that.


    [Tom.] I called out. [They are your friends. Do you not remember?]


    [Friends....?] He glanced back at me as he asked.


    [Yes, friends. So am I. Do we mean nothing to you anymore.] Now with collateral, I can''t afford to be hasty with my approach.


    [Nothing...? No.... Nothing.... Need to kill.... Need to feed.]


    No good, huh. Talk no Jutsu didn''t do jack shit.


    Still, hearing his words makes me think it would be more fitting to call the residues a personality or character rather than a memory.


    "What do you think you''re doing, you stupid Oni?"


    Behind the two, Nilin shouted. Where the heck did she appeared from? And shouting from way behind the two discredit your words, you dunce.


    Hmm.... Citra is coiling around Nilin''s right arm. What''s with the sudden shift of favorite?


    "Who...?" Tom asked with a stare and tone that spell sinister.


    "W...who? Gunununu~!" She clenched her teeth. "Mou~! After everything you did to me, you dare you act like you don''t know me?" She said with a finger pointing at Tom.


    What did Tom ever did to you anyway? As far as I know, he was the only one that was willing to listen to your cries when no one else would. Such an easy capture target, you are. Shame, Tom might be Ichika the black hole reincarnated.


    "Wisp, I recommend you to back off." I warned.


    Just when I said that, Tom threw a black fireball at Nilin.


    Nilin shrieked but she was too surprised to move. But I didn''t need to help her. Citra leaped in front of Nilin, invoking a magic circle that blocked the fireball. Even before Citra invoke that barrier magic, I saw the text [Foresight] appeared beside Citra, which was I took a wait and see approach.


    [Maven''s Shield] seems to be the barrier spell''s name.


    When I appraised her, I was surprised but wasn''t at the same time.


    Name: Citra


    Race: Wyrm (Infant)


    Status: None (Alive)


    Arcane Arts


    Arcane Serpent (Legacy) - Lv. 1


    Foresight - Lv. 1


    Overall Power Ranking: E


    Citra has awakened her potential.


    Hmm.... The other goblins gained intelligence. Some even evolved.


    Cormac''s potential is surfacing. He''s gotten quite fast.


    An obvious pattern could be noticed here. They all discovered their hidden potential when they entered this place.


    The culprit is obvious.


    Senna Tenrun. It''s her. She incited these changes. Which further explains why the long-dead fuckers used her as a core to fuel the city. She brings change. Shouldn''t she be the Harbinger instead of me?


    Perhaps I did made the right choice after all.


    Still, "Wisp." I called out.


    "Yes?" She was still shocked from the attack that could have hit her.


    "Back off. You wouldn''t be this lucky twice."


    "No way. I''m not going to let this idiot run amok mindlessly."


    "And how do you propose to do that?"


    "Eh~? Um.... eto...."


    Really? Did you seriously just brazenly called out to Tom without any actual plan?


    "Kill!" Tom screamed as he lunged himself at Nilin.


    [You''re planning to let the comic relief be off with it?]


    No. Well at least not in a way that will struck my good conscience.


    Citra doesn''t seem to be doing anything. Why?


    HP: 300/300


    MP: 10/150


    Ah... That''s why.... [Foresight] must have high Mana consumption.


    I sighed.


    I moved between them with [Spatial Leap]. Instead of [Mana Burn], I unleashed [Daunt], extinguishing Tom''s flaming aura. Tom even falter a bit from [Daunt].


    Knowing that he wouldn''t give up just like that, I grabbed onto his hand which have already conjured up a [Rageblade]. I can move stuffs with me with [Spatial Leap] but it won''t be easy if the object resist. So it took a lot out of me, both mentally and spiritually to teleport the two of us away from Nilin. When we teleported, I further created more distance between us with [Force Push].


    [Come to think of it, since Spirits are something of a Symbol of tranquility, won''t Nilin have any magic that could calm Tom''s mind?]


    You think Nilin would know something like that?


    [She may be a dunce but she has lived a long life.]


    Point taken.


    Name: Nilin


    Status: Frightened


    Class: Spirit Magus


    Tittle:


    -Eternal


    -Wisp of Guidance


    Arcane Arts


    Spirit Magic - Lv. 8


    HP : 900/900


    MP: 3000/3000


    Overall Power Ranking : A


    Hmm? Her stats are quite barren considering her age. And her ranking is A but she doesn''t have an ECP.


    [Make sense. She''s not a combatant. Still, rank A. That''s impressive.]


    Alright then, she might be our only hope now.


    "Nilin."


    "Ha~? Wh.... who gives you the right to call me by m...my n...name....!?"


    Ignoring her hypocritical statement, I asked "Do you have any magic that can calms the soul and mind?"


    "Eh~? Why are you asking me? Of course I do. I''m a Spirit of Nature after all."


    Excellent. "Then on my signal, cast it on Tom."


    "Eh~?"


    Before I get an answer from her, not that I need to, I engage with Tom again. With [Daunt] activated, I closed in on him, devoid him of any chance to reignite his aura. Since there''s a great disparity between our power levels, he couldn''t use any of his magic as long as he within my [Daunt].


    Why didn''t I think of this earlier?


    [You want an answer to that?]


    No.


    "KILL!!!"


    "Shut up!" I roared back, sending an uppercut that broke his jaws and broke a few teeth in the process. If [Daunt] wasn''t activated, Tom would have blocked it or even dodged it. Oops, I got a bit too fed up with his screams and ended up forgetting to hold back.


    Damn, I''m really strong, physically.


    [It would be weird if you''re not after everything you been through.]


    "We", my friend, not "you".


    [Is that so?]


    Yes.


    And Tom! Stop with those incoherent noises.


    Tom is still in a daze from my uppercut which makes things easier. I grabbed him, twisted my body, and threw him to the ground.


    "Kill!!!"


    Hmm. Looks the throw snapped him back but it''s too late. And also, I said enough with that!


    I plant my feet into his face.


    Oops. His HP decreased by a lot.


    Before he could retaliate, I sealed his aura and movements with [Sealing Magic]. It won''t last long since my [Sealing Magic] level is low and the blood lust within him is too strong but this is where Nilin comes in.


    [Mana at thirty percent capacity.]


    Yikes! That''s a sharp drop. [Daunt] really does consumes a lot of Mana but since it is multipurpose and versatile, I guess it''s worth it? Gotta end this quickly.


    As I said that within my mind....


    "HArBingER!!!!" The cry resounded into my ears. It kept regenerating every time Angie obliterated him. At this point, I don''t know who is more frightening. For a while now, the whole place has been experiencing quakes caused by Angie''s destructive power.


    Not a moment to loose now. "Nilin, now!"


    "Huh?" She blurted out.


    "Now! Use the calming magics."


    "R...right. Alright!" She made a fist pump gesture and begin to chant.


    Hmm? I don''t recognize the language she is chanting in.


    [Must be the Spirits'' own language.]


    When she finished chanting, hundreds of tiny light drops appeared above us and fell on us like rain.


    [Pacify] is the spell''s name.


    I can feel my soul and mind being soothed. When I look at Tom, he too had also stopped struggling.


    Kai, you finished with it yet?


    [Right on time.]


    Alright, let''s do this. Hope it works.


    A new compound magic synthesized by Kai, [Sealing Magic: Echo Isolation].


    A spell that isolates a selected part of a memory and seals it. Since Kai can''t remove the residues, we decided to isolate it. Of course, the residue still resides within but it''s confined in a much inner recess.


    Status: Relief (Placated)


    When I see Tom''s status, I finally let out a sigh.


    "Thank god, it worked."


    Deeming it safe enough, I cancel [Imprison Rod] and [Warden''s Chain] on him.


    No time to rest yet.


    I teleport all of us to a safe place just as a piece of the overgrown monster crash into that precise spot.


    We end up at some building that look sturdy enough to support two blows of cannon. Just an assumption though.


    "You''re leaving us again?" Nilin asked as I am about to leave through the door.


    "I''ll be quick. And you two, stay."


    Cormac and Bartholomew nodded while Nilin is flapping her mouth as usual.


    Just as I stepped out of the building I saw thousands shadow-like spikes erupted from the ground and impaled the monster. Of course, it shook the whole place. The spikes'' number and size continues to grew until the monster was no more.


    [Looks like we are not needed after all.....]


    Said Kai. Which I agreed.


    Even after shredding the monster into nothing, the shadow spikes persist in its place. From a distance, the shadow spikes looks like a plant with a rampant growth.


    And I guess my description suits it well considering the name for the spell is,


    [Abyss Magic: Death Garden]


    I think we need to reshuffle the hierarchy in our little party.


    [You think?]

 T7 - Its A Start

    "Don''t blame yourself."


    Was the first thing master said to me when I regain back control of my body.


    How could I not? I try to kill you all, you know?


    Master looked sad but being a fickle person, master''s expression changed in a snap. "I can''t blame myself but you can?"


    "T...that''s different."


    "The hell it isn''t."


    ....


    "If anyone is to blame, it would be me." Master said with a smile.


    "Master?" Why are you smiling?


    "I knew the consequences but.... I didn''t care at that moment. I forced this on you. You didn''t have a say in this. It''s my fault. Not yours."


    "I can''t accept that, master."


    "Sure you can."


    I can''t.


    [Compromise then. Both of you are at fault.]


    What? No. I can''t do that....


    "I''m okay with anything as long as Tom doesn''t take all the blame. You are new to such power. Getting drunk on it or taken over is only normal. We''re not perfect. We''re not geniuses. We''re just unfortunate souls plunged into hell and trying our damndest to survive."


    Master.... I''m sorry.... You''re too kind but you''re also too unrealistic at times, you know?


    "What''s more, blaming yourself ain''t going to do shit. If you have time to blame yourself, you are better off spending it in repenting."


    I see.... I get it now....


    So this is how master felt when no one would blame him. This crippling guilt that slowly crawls into your bones. At least I am able to share the blame. Something that master couldn''t.


    Master.... thank you....


    But isn''t it a bit too hypocritical for master to say such things?


    "I heard that."


    Sorry~!


    <hr>


    "Tom~?" A girl''s voice dragged me back to reality from my daydream.


    Sitting on my cross-leg lap is a girl with cyan hair in twin ponytails, Nilin. A Wisp and a Spirit of Nature. She is really fond of me for some reasons but she could also be very unreasonable at times. But right now, she is just gleefully chewing the orange fruit while swaying her head. She makes some cute sounds every once in a while. Honestly, I am slightly bothered by it.


    Sweet. And the sour after taste isn''t so bad. This orange citrus fruit is called orange, just like the color itself. This is simply unlike anything I have ever eaten. Among all the other fruits I have tried, orange has become my favorite. Shame, there aren''t that much oranges as oppose to other fruits.


    As for water, we found a river nearby. It is a river that is flowing from within the dungeon but strangely, it''s clean. Kai deduced that there must be layers of natural filtration system at work. Since there''s nothing to support Kai''s claim but nothing to deny it either, we decided to think nothing of it and just be thankful with what we have.


    Sitting across me on the floor is my master, Hyx Atlas and a Nephilim girl, Lady Senna but master calls her Angie. Lady Senna is unreservedly feeding master grapes with a gentle smile on her face. Master wasn''t occupied with his hand or anything but Lady Senna seems to enjoy doing it. Master looks perplexed with Lady Senna''s action but he said nothing of it. Lady Senna likes master. Is it because master saved her?


    When Nilin saw those two, she attempted to feed me a piece of orange like Lady Senna did to master. Of course I have no reason to reject so I accept it. Nilin then called me an idiot and went all red but she resumed eating oranges in my lap. Nilin is confusing as usual.


    "Why are you dense...." I heard something that sounded something like those words from Nilin but it might just be my imagination.


    Sitting beside us are the two goblins, Bartholomew and Cormac. They are eating Apples instead since they hate sour things. They are feeding the baby Wyrm, Citra bit by bit as she herself lacks the strength to chew a fruit dozens times the size of her head. Cormac went a little bit too overboard with his teasing while feeding Citra, which resulted in him getting a chop on his head by Bartholomew. Even from here, I felt the after wave from the chop.


    See, even master widened his eyes at them. I later found out in the future that master widened his eyes because Cormac lost half of his HP from that chop.


    Still, this is nice. These kind of atmosphere reminds me of the times with Muo Li, Clammis, Alabaster, and Daedrich back in the dungeon. It''s almost like the nightmarish encounters had never happened. I wish everyday could stay this way.


    It has been a day since that incident. We are currently taking a rest from mining ores.


    Why are we mining ores?


    To destroy the door obstructed the path to the surface.


    We have brought Lady Senna to inspect the door that prevent us from advancing further. From what we are told by Lady Senna, the only metal that can potentially outrank Azumite is Onyx Steel. She called Onyx the most versatile metal. It possesses a very high Mana conduction rate. The strength of Onyx Steel is limited only by the amount and the strength of the Mana poured into it.


    The catch is, it''s not an ore that can be mine. Onyx is an alloy. I didn''t understand what does it mean at first but master told me that alloys are compound metals made by fusing various metals into one.


    "Why not just use Azunmite against Azunmite?" master asked.


    Lady Senna''s reply is that Azunmite Ores cannot be mine through normal means as its strength is too high. An Arcane Art was created specially to mine Azunmite Ores.


    "What is this Arcane Art called?"


    "I don''t know. Crafting and Smithing aren''t my responsibility. Believe it or not, I was a commander, a tactician. I specialize in combats and battles. Not the best but not the worst either."


    Also, Azunmite Ore requires a skill hand to be forged into something conventional. And so, Onyx Steel is our best bet.


    I''m in charge of mining. What kind of ores am I mining for? Every kind since Lady Senna does not know what Onyx Steel is compose of but she assures us that every ore material needed are right in this cave, probably, she added. The cave in question is located west of this city which is rich in magic ores. Master was the first choice to do the mining but seeing master shuddering from being chosen, I volunteer. Master must have have a trauma of caves and dungeon by now. Bartholomew is in charge of transporting the mined ores using an artifact called wheelbarrow. Apparently master found it in a shed somewhere in this city.


    Speaking of Bartholomew, his physical strength has been increasing at a rapid rate lately. Lady Senna is the one responsible for our awakening of our potential due to her unique Arcane Art, [Twilight Providence]. She told me she was even once called a <Saintess> for this. Since I can''t see her status with my Appraisal, I can''t confirm it.


    Cormac and Citra is tasked with food. I have secretly told Cormac beforehand to procure more oranges before he went off.


    While we found the solution to the problem, the problems now are the precise materials and ingredients needed and the method to forge Onyx Steel.


    [Recipe. We''re lacking the recipe.] simplified Kai.


    It seems just by making Onyx Steel wouldn''t be enough and the process of making it isn''t easy. Apparently the Arcane Art, [Transmutation] is required to make magic steels. And a magic formation, or a circuit needs to be embedded to ensure a smooth and stable Mana flow. After refining it, the next problem is converting it into a conventional weapon. To do that, blacksmith is required but thank the stars that it is just an ordinary skill that is needed not an Arcane Art.


    "In the end, we''re looking at the same problem as why we can''t mine Azunmite Ores." master said.


    "You have a point." Lady Senna nodded at master''s words. "But don''t worry, I have an idea. Probably would only work for you."


    Since none of us have any experience in blacksmith, it is decided that Lady Senna will take master to the Forbidden Library located underground --


    -- "underground again!!??" screamed master. --


    -- to gather the necessary knowledge and Arcane Arts. Since this city has been dead for a long time, I doubt the library is still forbidden. And so, master will be in charge of forging the weapon and Lady Senna is in charge of embedding the magic circuits.


    As I thoughtlessly hammer my way through the mines, the pick axe in my hands hit on something solid that made a sharp sound.


    Faint rays of light leaked through the tiny gaps among rocks.


    Digging deeper led me to a great finding. This cave is not just filled with magic metal ores but also magic crystal ores. The one my pick axe hit on is of green color. Appraisal told me it is called Green Crystal Ore (Magic Ore).


    [Master, you there?] I initiated a telepathy link with master. A new trick that I learned from Kai. This way if master is within range, I can communicate with master at any given time.


    [Yeah, what''s up?]


    [There are magic crystal ores here too.]


    [Oh? Is that good?]


    [Does master not know what magic crystals are?]


    [No, not really. My understanding of them are vague. Never got the opportunity to appraise one. What''s so special about them?]


    [Aside from being able to be used like a magic scroll, they are an essential component in making a staff or scepter. If I remember correctly, I believe the books called a refined crystal a Conduit.]


    [Without a magic crystal as the conduit, a staff and a scepter will be nothing more than just simple sticks, is that it?]


    [Yes.] I affirmed. As expected of Kai, to be able to understand just from my vague explanations.


    [But do we need a staff or a scepter to cast magic? From what I have noticed all along, not even Lubac cast magic with a staff or a scepter. Is it really needed?]


    [Huh?] I blurted out.


    It seems Kai and master have a misunderstanding. So I explained to them what I know from reading books. Staff and scepter are not exclusive to mages. As long as one has sufficient Mana, anyone can use it. Problem is, it''s limited in the array of spells that can be cast. A Fire Staff can only cast direct attack fire spells. It can''t manipulates flames like a fire-specialist mage could. It is also sometimes use as a mean to amplify a spell''s effect.


    Master suddenly asked about wands but I don''t know why master would suddenly talk about a stick use for songs.


    [No wands, eh....]


    [Maybe a wand is too small to fit a magic crystal?]


    [Could be.]


    Slowly, master and Kai started talking about stuffs that I do not understand.


    Before the link is cut, I asked Kai a question that has been on my mind.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    [Why don''t I have Appraisal listed as an Arcane Art?]


    [Simple. Because you don''t have Appraisal.]


    Was Kai''s answer.


    [What do you mean I don''t have? I can appraise things, clearly.]


    [You can but it''s not yours.]


    [Not mine?]


    [Yes. You are actually using master''s version of Appraisal, Arcane Analysis.]


    [Oh. So that''s how it is....] I get it now. I was using master''s power all along. [Is there any other spells belong to master that I can use?]


    [No.]


    [Oh.]


    Sensing my disappointment, Kai told me the only reason I can use Master''s [Arcane Analysis] is because of Kai himself being the [Mana Overseer] and [Arcane Analysis] is the only spell that is not too taxing to me. In theory, I could use other spells under [Mana Overseer] but I simply lacked the aptitude and the limit requirements for it. He then told me if the other Arcane Arts gained sentience, I might be able to "borrow" those spells too but I hope Kai is just joking about other spells going sentient part. I can''t imagine how master would handle so many voices in his head.


    In the end, I am asked to mine the magic crystal ores all the same.


    [Mine everything, sort it out later.] were master''s precise words. As expected of my fickle master.


    I later found more types of crystal ores. There are blue, red, yellow, orange, pink, white, and even more. This cave is literally a treasure trove.


    "Mou~! This is boring!" cried Nilin who has been doing nothing but skipping around me. When we were being assigned tasks, master rolled his eyes and said nothing when it comes to Nilin.


    Nilin later became in charge of providing light with [Light Drop] since the deeper I dig, the darker it gets.


    My robes finally is torn apart due to my constant vigorous movements, revealing the only loin cloth I wore underneath. This was a new robe master gave me when the last one got burned from my outrage.


    "Aaaaah~! Shameless~!" Nilin screamed with her eyes behind her hands and instantly turned away. Her hands are clenched into a fist and trembling. Shameless? What''s wrong?


    [What''s wrong?] Master suddenly asked the same thing on my mind through telepathy. [I heard a scream.]


    Master heard a scream? Didn''t Lady Senna said that the library they are going to is at least a kilometer away from where we are? Master''s ability is terrifying. Or did master heard it through telepathy? No. Not possible. Only my voice is transmitted.


    [It''s nothing. Nilin screamed.] I replied.


    [Why?]


    [I don''t know. My robes got torn and she screamed after that.]


    [...... Oh.]


    [Master?]


    [This should be amusing. Keep at it.]


    [Master?]


    I asked but master has cut the link.


    "Mou~! Wear something already!" Nilin screamed. For a little girl, her voice is loud.


    "I don''t have anything else to wear, you know?"


    "Gununu~ Hmph! Fine. I do you this favor but I expect something as a reward later."


    With a flick of her fingers, cyan energy gather around me. The text [Spirit Formation] appears. The next moment, the cyan energy enshrouds me and turns into clothes. I am now wearing a light blue tunic and trousers.


    Is this [Spirit Magic]?


    "Nilin, this is impressive. Thank you." I praise her.


    She went beet red and turn her face away. Why? "It''s not like I wanted to do this for you, you idiot." The last part was said in a low voice but I heard it. "Now, for my reward." She said as she turn to face me.


    "Yes, what do you want as a reward?" I asked.


    Her eyes went everywhere and she''s tilting her head. A minute passed before she came to a conclusion. She''s getting red again. She gets a red a lot. Is this normal?


    "A.... k.... kis.... kiss..."


    Hmm? Why does she wants a kiss? Since it is not something absurd like I expected, I comply. I am no stranger to showing affection, although not in a good light, but I wonder why Nilin wanted something like a kiss from me?


    I give her a little peck on her cheek.


    Hmm? Did she not like it? She turned to look at me with widened eyes and her face turned redder than before. Is that steam raising from her head and why does she looks so surprised?


    "S...sh.. sham...."


    Sham?


    "Shameless~!" She screamed and ran off like the wind without looking back.


    I wonder if I did something wrong? Or is it just Nilin being Nilin like usual? Wait. What about my light source?


    When I told master about Nilin''s usefulness, he dryly responded, "I suppose every dog has its day."


    I wonder what Master meant by that.


    <hr>


    "Rising Valley, this whole city is once called." said Lady Senna. "Founded two hundred years before my birth." She licks the Banana in her hands before taking a bite. It seems like she''s doing it deliberately for master to see. Master ignored her.


    We are currently ending the day with our last meal before bed. We have procured piles of ores waiting to be refined. Lady Senna and master have been spending almost the whole day at the Forbidden Library. Not that anyone would know whether it''s night or day in here. Nilin is sulking beside me. I think it''s because I didn''t allow her to sit on my lap? My lap is not that comfortable anyway, you know?


    She has been muttering "idiot." repeatedly ever since while taking small bites on an apple. Since I have told master about her ability to make clothes, I had asked her to make one for master, Bartholomew, and Cormac too. She readily consented and I kissed her on the cheek after that.


    I was slapped in return for that kiss while being yelled shameless again. I wonder why did she asked for a kiss in the first place when she doesn''t even like it?


    "Tsundere~" I heard master uttered but I don''t understand what it meant.


    Enough about what happened back then. Master is surprised when he heard those words from Lady Senna.


    "This place was a valley?" Master raised an eyebrow as he swallowed a Banana whole. Lady Senna looks shock for some reasons.


    Citra saw it and tried to do the same thing. We all thought she would choke herself like this but at most, her body just took up the shape of the Banana without any serious thing happened.


    Master laughed at the Banana-shaped Citra.


    Maybe because I was the most observant of master, I was shocked at master''s display.


    For some reasons, master instantly looked away when he realized Senna is staring gently and smiling at him. Master is blushing. That''s rare.


    "Something happened?"


    "Master''s blushing. Blushing."


    Master subtly drew a line across his neck. Bartholomew and Cormac shrieked and nodded but Citra is just staring blankly at master, not knowing what is transpiring. Citra is still shaped like a Banana but she herself doesn''t seem to be worrying about it.


    I wonder if something happened while master''s in the library with Lady Senna.


    "A...anyways...." Master said, stuttering. He cleared his throat with a cough. "What were you saying about Rising Valley?"


    A mischievous grin appeared on Lady Senna''s expression.


    "Don''t push your luck." Master said with his eyes narrowed.


    "So scary~" Lady Senna said but not actually being afraid contrary to her words. Lady Senna then continues her story. "Hungry for power and knowledge. The west is a cave rich with magic ores, to the east is a vast forest of magic plants and herbs. A group of renowned scholars found this valley by chance and made their name known far and wide from here. Soon, the most advanced city is built in this valley. Due to the constant nature of this city''s people always thriving for a higher peak, the valley came to be known as Rising Valley."


    "What happened then?" Master asked the one question he is dying to know.


    "The obvious. The Void Legion."


    "Aedrox?" I asked.


    "Not just him, dear. There was an army of them. Which is why we called it the Void Legion. These monsters.... they devoured everything in their path. They even turned our own against us. Some of our own even turned against us voluntarily because of some deal they claimed to have made."


    "How many of these.... Void Demons were there?" Master asked, fitting another Banana whole into his mouth at once. Before I know it, master has finished a comb of Banana.


    "Thousands. There could be more. They appeared suddenly all over the continents. They decimated the Sagax race in a span of ten years."


    "Why did they suddenly appeared?"


    A dark cloud looms over Lady Senna when I asked. Should I have not?


    Lady Senna crushed the Banana in her hand. She''s shivering. "Those of sons of bitches." She utter those words with a trembling tone. I can sense anger in those words. "They got too greedy with power. The power they obtained attracted challenges. Challenges incite conflict. Conflict breeds catastrophe."


    "Vision?" Master uttered something random in a low voice.


    [Vision?] I asked master through telepathy.


    [It''s nothing.] Master promptly replied.


    "Our strength became beacon to these monsters. They came to harvest our strength. It was just horrible. The things they did...." For a moment, Lady Senna''s eyes were filled with darkness but it dissipated when master chop lightly on her head.


    "History, that''s what it is now. Move on." Without any expression, master said.


    While rubbing her head, Lady Senna stares at master but no traces of anger was seen in her eyes. Instead, her eyes are gleaming. "Yes." She exclaimed and smiled. "I should do that."


    Master looked away from her smile. Is master not good with Lady Senna? Just what happened back at the library?


    Master clears his throat with a cough. "Anyways, how were they stopped?"


    "We decided to strike at their leaders. It ain''t easy but we did it.... With their leaders gone, the thralls became weak enough to be slain by common foot soldiers."


    Master points behind him with his thumb. "That thing is considered weak enough to be taken down by a common foot soldier of your time?"


    "No. Not like that thing. The thralls weren''t that grotesque and big. At most, they were just mindless husks of human size after their masters are gone."


    "How did you defeat them exactly then?"


    "Mondras."


    "Mondras?"


    "Mondras...." I mused. The word sounds familiar.....


    [It does?] Kai asked. My thoughts must have leaked out.


    Wait. That''s it. I remember now.


    "The living weapons?" I asked.


    Lady Senna looks surprised. So did master.


    Lady Senna rested her chin on her hand. "You know about them?"


    "From the books. Aren''t they just myths?" I recalled reading it in a book titled "Famous Myths and Legends across Evarenan, Vol 1"


    "No. They are real. We used them to turn the tides."


    "How?"


    Lady Senna''s explanation were long. Bartholomew, Cormac, and Citra fell asleep in the middle. Not that they were listening in the first place. Nilin did too and she fell asleep while leaning against my body. Even I was about to doze off in the middle but Kai didn''t let me. Still, I had a hard time following her words. So Kai summarized it for me. The summarize explanation was something like this;


    As far as Lady Senna knows, only nine Mondras were made. All Mondras are made of Onyx Steel. The first Mondra created is a scythe. Each Mondra is given to the ones chosen by the Mondras themselves. It hurt them but it can''t kill them. An alternative method was searched for.


    When a Void Demon crosses over, they leave behind a tear in reality. These tears act as doorways for the other entities in the void. The tears heals over time but the time needed differs. After pushing all the major Void Demons back into the void through the still present tears, these tears were then sealed with Mondras. Because no one could tell when a tear is healed, it is decided the Mondras are never to be taken out for good measure. After that war, the whole world is in chaos. There was no order. Opportunists arose and plunged the world deeper into chaos. In a way, the world is destroyed by the Sagax themselves.


    Huh?


    Master is looking up with his eyebrows arched but not at the ceiling, he''s thinking. Master should be more aware of his odd behaviors. See, even Lady Senna looks uncomfortable from his sudden shift in behavior.


    "On the off chance, was there a lance-type Mondra?"


    Lady Senna blinked. "Y...yeah." She traces her finger from her temple to her chin, and she points to her left. "You said you all came from the southern cave right?"


    "Yeah."


    "Hmm.... South of this city, deep underground, is where a Void Demon is sealed. And the seal.... is a lance-type Mondra. Are you perhaps referring to that?"


    "Remember what I have told you about my encounter with Aedrox? It happened there. He was sealed with a lance-type Mondra. It''s around six feet in length, I think? There''s some sort of gem embedded just above the grip."


    "Runyx." Lady Senna beamed. Huh? Why does she looks so happy and then worried suddenly? "What happened to it? Did you at least took it?"


    Master, why are you glaring at Lady Senna in an odd way?


    "That fucking lance nearly reduced my hands down to bones."


    "Ah.... She didn''t chose you, I see."


    "Chose?"


    "Like I said, Mondras choose their wielder. Anyone that touches a Mondra without their consent will be harmed."


    "Charming." Master said and swallowed another Banana whole. Huh? Master, if you keep eating non stop you will get fat, you know?


    "Well in a way, it did helped a lot in the encounter with Aedrox." said master. That was fast. Did master not chew the Banana first before swallowing? "Could there be more than nine Mondras out there?"


    "It''s possible. They could have made more after they..... sealed me." Lady Senna is reluctant to say the last part.


    The atmosphere became cold all of a sudden.


    "Angie?" Master called out to the dazed Lady Senna.


    Lady Senna jumped a little when master touched her. She quickly stood up. "I''m sorry. It has been a long day. I wish to get some rest. You all should too." She said and disappears to the floor above. We are currently taking shelter back at the red building. According to Lady Senna, it use to be an inn, a resting place for adventurers, wanderers, travelers.


    [Resting place.... Phrasing.] Master said through telepathy.


    [What do you mean?] I asked.


    [Nothing] Master replied.


    Master is weird like always.


    <hr>


    Hmm? It''s bright?


    The vines on the ceilings of this cavern were barely glowing after Lady Senna is freed as the core. Now, lights as bright as the surface''s are leaking through the worn and torn of the building''s walls. I got up and gave a slight push to open the window. The hinges snapped off and the window panels fell to the streets. Brightness that rivals the sun pours into the room.


    I wonder if master or Lady Senna did something.


    Nilin is in her Wisp form and still sleeping. I think. She''s faintly glowing like she always did when replenishing her energy. So I guess she must be sleeping but can it be called sleeping? The usual three are sleeping in one corner. Bartholomew is hugging a log.... no, he''s hugging a snapped log. Did he snapped it while he was hugging it in his sleep? Citra is wrapped around Cormac''s right arm like usual. Hmm? Citra seems bigger now. Is it just my imagination? No. Her Mana flow is certainly a little bit stronger than before. She''s growing. Well, that''s only natural.


    Huh? Where''s master? Wasn''t he sleeping in the same room as us? I said room but the dividing walls were no more due to age. So it''s just a wide space of a floor. Lady Senna is sleeping alone at the floor above. I think?


    Anyways, where''s master? I tried calling master through telepathy but no answer. Did master wandered off somewhere? I should ask Lady Senna. Just from a glimpse, I can tell Lady Senna is significantly stronger than master but for some reasons, Lady Senna is very willing with master''s orders. I wonder why.


    As I am about to go up the stairs to the other floor, I feel a tug on my tunic. I turn to look.


    It''s Nilin. She''s awake and in her human form. She looks sleepy and she''s wearing a one piece instead of a dress.


    With a yawn and rubbing her eyes, she asks "Where are you going?"


    "Master has gone somewhere. I''m going to go ask Lady Senna if she knows where master is."


    "Mou~ You can''t just walk into a girl''s room alone, especially if she''s sleeping. Let me." Nilin said and walked up the stairs before me.


    I don''t really understand what Nilin meant but since she seems to know more about etiquette than me, I didn''t retort.


    Unlike the floor I was sleeping on, the rooms on this floor are still.... rooms. Although some are missing doors but not the walls. Following the Mana flow, I am able to find out which room Lady Senna is in.


    Hmm? Master''s Mana flow is in the same room as Lady Senna''s?


    Before I could knock, Nilin has recovered enough and her haughtiness is awake, she kicked opened the door and brazenly walked into the room.


    Master jerked up immediately from the floor, -- Oh, hi master! -- a large blanket covering his lower body. Why? Was it cold? I didn''t think a little bit of cold would bother master. Master, if you''re cold, why are you not wearing anything?


    "Ba....ba...ba....ba...." Nilin is chattering some incoherent sounds as she slowly points at master. Weird. Why is she pointing at master? Is something wrong?


    "Tom? Nilin? Something wrong?" Master asked. He looks angry. No... bothered. Master is bothered. Well, it''s understandable.


    Still, why is master here sleeping in the same room as Lady Senna? Before I could answer, another person woke up beside master. Needless to say, is Lady Senna.


    Huh?


    Why is Lady Senna naked like master? Why were they sleeping so close to each other? And their body is glistening in sweat. Just what were they doing....?


    Ah.... Oh.


    I get it now.


    After all, as a former goblin, I have experienced the same thing. But unlike me, master have did it with consent it seems.


    "Ah....a....ah....ah..." Steams are rising from Nilin''s head. "Sh....sh...."


    Sh?


    Master sighs. [It has its moments. Well, here it goes.] Master said and covered his ears. Lady Senna did the same.


    Huh? Why?


    "SHAMELESS~!"


    Screamed Nilin as it resounded throughout the city.

 A1 - My Eccentric Savior

    After making our way down from the former glorious city hall of Rising Valley, we arrived at the Forbidden Library. Large twin golden gates stood in our way but one destruction spell from me was more than enough to get rid the obstacle. I''m well aware of how powerful I am but I didn''t expect such astonishment from him of all people. He is quite ridiculous himself. On top of using chantless magic like me, he has quite more than one unique Arcane Art and a legacy Arcane Art.


    Who is this ridiculous person?


    He is Hyx Atlas, my eccentric savior. A Magic Beast in the form of a human. Though his demeanor doesn''t do a good job of reminding me that.


    He is the one who have lifted the eternal seal off of me. Throughout my hundred years of life, the boy before me is the most eccentric person I have ever came across. He can be blunt but cunning at times. He could be sincere but also perfunctory. His emotions and expressions are just too fleeting. It is hard to discern what he''s thinking with his arbitrary behaviors.


    How vexing~ A part of my heart told me to trust him but another part is trying to convince me otherwise.


    "Empty...." Hyx mutters as soon as he set foot into the library. His face which was filled anticipation is slackened now.


    While I no longer holds any attachment to this dead city, I have always been quite fond of the Forbidden Library. Not to say I love books but because I respect knowledge and power. So I felt a prick on my heart when he gave such criticism.


    I didn''t show it on my face off course. I continue wearing my gentle smile.


    Although, his word holds some truth. The Forbidden Library isn''t what it use to be. The shelves are old and dusty. A light punch from a child could probably topple the whole thing given its state. Not a small number of books are missing. There are even a few books scattered around the floor. Some of the chairs are missing their legs. The large rectangular table used for reading has holes on it.


    Despite being upset at a single glance of the library, Hyx''s face beamed back and he walks toward the shelves. I wonder is he disappointed or pleased?


    I only grin and let him take the lead.


    After a few steps, he stops.


    Did he realized?


    He walks back here.


    "Do you know where we should be looking?" he asked.


    "You''re not very bright, are you?" I asked in a coy manner.


    "No, not really." he retorted.


    His blunt and dull response is completely unexpected. Most of the men I have teased always put up a front for denial but not him. He has even touched me a few times so casually without any hesitation. Most man would be flustered just from my presence alone. I wonder what makes him different. The little glimpse of his mind is not enough. I want to know more about my eccentric savior.


    I should take a different approach.


    With Hyx following behind me, I walk to a shelve with the least amount of books. This section contains books relating to production topics. What we need should be here.


    "What happened to all the missing books? Doesn''t seem to be forbidden to me with all the missing books." said Hyx.


    "I don''t know. This city was still standing after the war with the Void Demons. The city must have fell after I was....." I hesitated on the last word.


    "I see." Hyx said, ambiguously.


    Did he said it out of consideration? Or did he just ran out of patient for the last word? Ah... I don''t know. How vexing.


    Without minding my inner turmoil, he diligently searches for the book. Within a minute, he has picked two books from the shelves. Both of them are about alchemy.


    Is he interested in alchemy?


    When I asked, he only grumbled. He''s even avoiding eye contact with me.


    Is he afraid of me? I have seen the eyes of the ones who fear me and his eyes are unlike those peoples''.


    Of course I also helped in selecting the books but occasionally, I sneak a peek at him. He''s really absorb in the search. His facial expression kept switching whenever he came to a different book.


    Strange. Why am I doing this? Is he really that interesting? If so, why do I find him interesting? Is it because he''s my knight in shining armor? I have always thought I will bare my fangs on those who come to release me. In fact, I have even resolve myself to be caution on whoever will be my savior. That was what I have resolve to but instead, I feel relieve when I saw him. Not to say I''m not wary of him but I just couldn''t bare my fangs at him. At most, I can only give him the cold shoulders. Even that didn''t last for long before the facade eventually crumbled. For now, I wear a flexible gentle smile.


    I wonder if the sense of relieve came from the reason that we understood each other''s suffering? Ah... I don''t know. This is vexing.


    Did I fell in love at first sight for my knight in shining armor?


    Well, he''s not really shining nor chivalrous with his conducts. Still, why can''t I take my eyes off him. Is it because he''s interesting, different?


    I can''t say he''s really handsome. His looks are average by my standards. I''m a little bit taller than him. He''s quite short. And he''s bald. It doesn''t suit him. He looks funny.


    When he glances at me, I turn away. Did he saw me sneaking glances at him?


    No? He just continues on searching for the book.


    I stare the hands of his that slowly traces on the spine of each book. His fingers are so rough. His nails are long. Scars cover his hand. It''s so.... delicate. Not just his fingers but his face too. To think someone with such outrageous abilities have such delicate appearance.


    I guess it''s true. A book cannot be judged by its cover.


    Hmm? His hands.... are they trembling?


    "What?" He asked without taking his eyes off the shelves. He has accumulated up to four books in his hands. I haven''t even pick one.


    Ah. I got found out. "Are you cold?" I asked.


    He stops and turns only his head to me. "Why?" He drags the word out.


    Curling the corner of my lips, I take him by his hands and bring my face close. I''m surprised he didn''t jump from my abrupt actions. Did he saw this coming?


    They are not trembling. Was it my imagination just now? And what are these scars? It traces the patterns of his blood veins. I could only imagine what happened to him from these scars.


    "Um.... can I have my hands back?" he asked, curtly.


    I let go and he retracts his hands.


    "Why were they trembling?"


    He looks down at his hands which he splay out. "You were shown a glimpse of my mind. You tell me." he said and resumes searching for the books. He took a book that is labeled, Zarman''s Guide of Magical Productions, a broad topic. Not once did he made any eye contact with me.


    "Your mind ain''t exactly in a calm state. If anything, it''s like a storm in there. The memories I saw, they are scattered everywhere. I don''t see an order to it. I can''t make heads or tails to it. What do you think?" It''s true. I can''t seem to find an order in the few fragments of memories I saw. "Are they even yours?"


    His hand stops on a book. "Could be."


    Could be? Can''t you be a little bit more specific? Let''s be impish. "What are you afraid of?" I said and subtly closing the space between us.


    "Death. Loss. Betrayal. Monsters."


    Came the straight answers from him. Is he a blunt person after all?


    "Bugs too!" he exclaimed and his face turned sour after. "Fucking bugs." he said, chewing the two words.


    He''s really straight forward.


    Wait. No. He''s not. If I really think about it, he hasn''t give an answer to my original question.


    Oh ho? Trying to outwit me, I see. I won''t let you. "Any encounters that left an everlasting nightmare in your sleep?"


    "I''m fickle. I doubt it will be everlasting for me."


    Oh? He''s not denying it nor affirming it.


    Could it be.... Let''s ask. "Were your trust misplaced too?"


    His face left the books and close the distance between us in a flash. Too close, his face is too close.


    "Why the sudden interest?" he asked without any expression.


    "Why wouldn''t I have any? You are my knight in shining armor, figuratively speaking."


    He faintly smiled. "I am, huh.... Then where''s my token of appreciation?"


    Um... I did help you with that monster yesterday, didn''t I? Does he want something.... tangible? No. Or could it be that he wants....


    "Just kidd...." Before he finishes his words, I kiss him on his cheek.


    "Thanks." I said.


    Oh? Oh my. You can make such a genuine expression after all. He looks greatly astounded.


    I win.


    "Don''t do that." He said and turns away.


    Ara~? He looks angry now. Does he not like it? Does he like men? No. That''s not it. He''s holding his fist on his chest.


    Ah. Could it be that his heart is already taken? Strange. Didn''t he told me he doesn''t remember anything? Did he only remember his partner?


    It''s vexing that he has been resistance to my advances.


    As a half demon with a quarter succubus blood, I gave off pheromones that attracts the opposite sex. If I will it, I can even attract the same sex.


    Yosh~ Let''s try appealing him with my chest.


    Why am I doing this? I''m not sure. Maybe I''m just craving for a night partner?


    No.


    I can''t keep lying to myself. It''s not love nor carnal desire but desperation.


    After all.....


    Despite being over a hundred years old....


    I''m still a maiden.... Despite my appearance and my current behavior, I was actually very reserve but I realized all those years of being reserved is all for naught. Am I loosing to my desire to loose my purity? Is that why I''m making advances on him?


    Ouch~!


    I was flicked on the forehead.


    "Angie?"


    Ah. I must have dazed off.


    "Sorry for that but you weren''t responding to my calls."


    I feel sincerity from his voice but not his expression. "It''s nothing. I''m just thinking." Hmm? His face is kinda close to me.


    "Such as?" He gestures me to look down.


    I look down and see my pair of pride pressing into his arm. Ah. I have unconsciously assaulted him. Not good. I''m burning up and my heart is racing. My desperation must be worse than I thought. I should separate myself from.... No. This is perfect. I can see he is slightly bother by it.


    "I can''t?" I asked, coyly. I wet my lips to increase the effect.


    He sighs and tears his arm forcibly away from me. His reaction and response is quite dull.


    "Sorry." He said when I am suppose to be the one apologizing. Ara~? He''s blushing? Is he that simple after all?


    I wanted to pursue but when I saw the sorrow in his eyes, I step back. Maybe he really does have someone else already. Or maybe he just doesn''t see me that way.


    Mah~ Those things can come later. Right now, looking for the books is the priority. Yes. That''s it. Those things comes first.


    I convinced myself so.


    We found the books after searching all over the library for over an hour. The books are all about transmutation, forging, crafting, alchemy, and other production-related topics. He''s interested in creating stuffs, I see. For some reasons, he picked up books on magic beasts too, especially about Mimics.


    As for me, I have picked two books on the topic of magic enchantments.


    I thought we would have a huge conversation between as we exchange knowledge but we ended up reading on our own in silent with only the flipping of pages to compensate.


    I was under the impression that he would be very daring in his approach with woman but seems like he is a very unsociable person.


    Still, I want to know more about my eccentric savior. I want to know what makes me so attracted to him. I want to know why does he makes my heart race whenever I touch him. I don''t feel like I can chalk all of it up to the simple reason of me being desperate.


    "Hmm? Is this....?"


    I glance up from my reading when I heard Hyx said something that sounded like a question.


    "This kind of weapons exist in your time?" He asked, pointing at a parchment he brought up. The parchment has a drawing of an elaborate design of some sort of mechanism. I can see glimmers in his eyes. He''s excited. Why?


    "No. It''s just some design. It is one of the few very old parchments the researchers discovered."


    "Where was it discovered?"


    "No idea. I remember this design has caused some uproar for a while. It became the rage for a few years."


    "And what happened?"


    "Nothing. The design was deemed too.... unconventional, if memory serves. The production cost was too high."


    "I see." He said and resumed reading like nothing happened.


    That''s it? Nothing else? Does he not need any help? Magic isn''t something that can be learned just from reading.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    An hour went by and he suddenly mutters "I suppose every dog has its day." with a slight grin.


    Huh....


    Truly eccentric.


    <hr>


    After I finished eating, I went to bed abruptly when the topic of my last moments are brought up at meal time. I know it might looked rude but I''ll apologize to them later.


    What a joke.


    I thought I could handle it but I can''t. My heart is crushed whenever they mention it. I endured it a few times but.... I didn''t think I would have such a low tolerance.


    It hurts whenever I remember it.


    Those.... sons of bitches.... How could they....


    What did I do wrong....?


    You all deserve what''s coming for you....


    "You want to talk about it?"


    I didn''t look over to whoever is standing at the doorway as I have already know who is it. I have felt his gaze following me when I went upstairs.


    "Why would you do that? You weren''t this.... charitable back at the library."


    "That was that. This is this. And also, you and I have different motives."


    "How is it different?" I glare at him. I had been keeping a calm and compose face all along with a gentle smile but now.... I''m well aware of the tears in my eyes and the sorrow that is painted on my face. In a sense, I''m naked for him to see all of me. "Or is this your plan all along? To wait for me to be at my worst? To take advantage of a damsel in distress."


    "What will you do if I said yes?" he answers while taking steps forward.


    I materialize one of my wings and send it towards his throat, stopping it just before it sears into his flesh. "Then I will kill you. I don''t need another two face cunt around me."


    I expected him to stand his ground when I threaten him but what is revealed to me is a scared face of a kid. His demeanor had made me forget that he''s only a kid. I retracted my wing.


    "Just kidding?" He said with a troubled and sweating face. He should be.


    "Why are you here?" I asked without any grace to my tone.


    "You''re one of us now. Is it wrong for me to worry about a companion?"


    "I wonder...."


    He takes a seat beside me on the ground. Since the bed is this room is in pieces, I have laid a large blanket on the ground. The blanket is created from [Spirit Magic] by Nilin, the Wisp. I never realized the story about [Spirit Magic] being incredibly versatile is true.


    "I''ll be fine. I just need to be alone but I appreciate your offer."


    "Sure you don''t need anything?" Once again, he sounds sincere but not his expression.


    "What can you offer me anyway?"


    "Not much...." he said, looking around. "But for a start.... a shoulder?"


    I stare at him but he''s avoiding me by looking the other way. I sigh and turn his head back to face me.


    "Are you serious about it?"


    I see his eyes went down but it sprang back up immediately. It is obvious as to where he was looking at but I said nothing of it.


    "Yes." He answers so.


    I smile faintly and lean on his shoulder. "Don''t mind if I do then."


    "Ah.... Angie...."


    I look up at him and put my finger on his lips. "Senna. It''s Senna not Angie."


    "What''s wrong with Angie?"


    I sigh again. "Fine. Do what you want." And I lean on his shoulder once again.


    He''s stiff, I don''t mean below but his body in general. Is he not use to woman? If so, does he truly have a beloved? He makes slight adjustments every once in a while in this lingering silence.


    I wrap my hand around his trembling hand. They tremble. I wasn''t imagining it back the library.


    "Are you afraid of me?"


    "Y...yes."


    Honest. Can''t say I''m not expecting it. But why are you afraid of me?


    I have observed how he communicates with the others. He''s very assertive and strict with the goblins and the Oni but he was also aloof at times. He enjoys teasing the complex relationship between the Oni and the Wisp. Anyhow, he never did strike me as a person who would be afraid of me. When I told him of my impression of him, his answer is kinda unexpected.


    "I sensed the suppressed wrath within you. The wrath which has accumulated thousands of souls slain by your very own hands. I won''t lie. It was terrifying. I was very troubled on how should I act in front of you."


    "Yet, you were very bold for a few times."


    "I am very forgetful and fickle." He said with an awkward laughter.


    You.... you are such a pain.... Why can''t you just be simple.... And let me.... let me....


    I understand now....


    My interest in him lies on the fact that he does not hide behind a mask or rather, he can''t. His emotions and expressions are plain as the day but they are fleeting. For me who have been living in a world with everyone around me wearing at least a few masks, it became hard to fully put your trust into someone.


    I am just... at a loss on how to deal with this eccentric boy. This fickle.... honest.... fleeting.... person.


    In a world where power is everything, the weak have no say in any matters, people would do anything to gain power. A knife in the back was a common expectation. Even if one does have friends, no one ever give away their trust completely. But I did.


    I was naive. I really thought they were my friends. I was too naive.


    And now, I met a boy, my savior, a supposedly truly candid person.


    How can I accept this....?


    Why do you appear only now?


    Why didn''t you appear sooner?


    WHY!?


    "Angie...." he said my name, barely. Of course, he could barely say it. After all, I have my hands wrapped around his throat, strangling him. "Ang..."


    If you have shown up.... If someone like you have shown up sooner..... if only.....


    Then.... these betrayals.... they would never have happened!


    Do you understand!?


    But... can you understand?


    Would you....?


    "Angie.... S...stop...."


    You weren''t there.....


    If you were there....


    Then those that I once called friends.... they wouldn''t have.... I wouldn''t have needed to kill all of them.


    I kill them. My friends.... the ones who betrayed me.... I slaughtered them.


    I have killed thousands of people.... friend or foe.... it doesn''t matter in such world. There''s only you and the world. Those are the only sides that existed..... I discovered that too late....


    Slowly, my hands loose its strength and the grasp around his neck loosened.


    My wrath has turned into self-resentment.


    What done is done. I can''t change that now, can I?


    "What was that for..... Angie?" He asked in between coughs.


    "I''m sorry. I was just.... angry...." I forced a smile. Strange. I don''t see any grudge in his eyes. I don''t sense any animosity from him.


    "That was a little bit more than just being angry." Contrary to his chagrin tone, his eyes told a completely different story.


    At this point, is he still pitying me?


    "What about you? Aren''t you angry at me now? Aren''t you afraid? Do not be mistaken, that was not a jest. I did seriously attempted to strangle you to death." I look him straight in the eyes. Huh. Are you not afraid? Why aren''t you backing away from me like the ones who betrayed me?


    Rubbing his sore neck and laughing awkwardly, he answered "Yeah. I noticed." which is filled with traces of sarcasm. "But this won''t be my first rodeo." he mumbled the last few words.


    Rodeo? I don''t think I have heard of such word before.


    "I am very afraid. I am terrified at your powers to be honest, but... aren''t you even more afraid than me?"


    "Me? Afraid?" I scoffed. "A half-angel, half-demon afraid? Of what?"


    "Me."


    Huh? "You?"


    With a straight face, he said "You''re afraid that I would just be like the ones who betrayed you. Unconsciously, you were trying to appeal to me that you are worth it. That''s why you try to make advances on me, to avoid walking the same path."


    "T...that''s... that''s not true."


    "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."


    "What would you know about me?" Slowly, I feel my voice loosing its composure.


    "Then how would you explain your sudden change of character? If I''m interpreting your memories correctly, you use to be very.... reserve? That is how you see yourself, isn''t it?"


    "How.... how do you know....?"


    He taps on his temple. "Plus, it is kinda obvious. Your actions were very contradicting to your demeanor. Either you''re fickle and fleeting like me or you''re just trying to be who you are not. It''s obvious as to which one you are."


    Obvious, huh. In the end.... am I still so naive.... Nothing''s changed.... Even after all that... I''m still so obvious.


    "Now now, don''t cry. It''ll ruin your pretty face."


    There he goes again with his abrupt change in his speech manner and his facial expression. With no regards to the current mood and situation, he use his sleeve to wipe away the tears rolling down to my cheeks.


    "How did you do it?"


    "How did I do what?"


    "This whole thing. Your mood, demeanor, expression, speech manner.... it''s like with a snap of your fingers, you changed it. How did you do it?"


    "Um.... innate?"


    Innate? What kind of answer of is that.... That''s just another word for "I don''t know."


    Oh. My sleeves are wet. I have been crying this whole time? Guess I did.


    "So, what did you come here for? Were you trying to probe me for information of my past? Or were you trying to console me? Which one is it?"


    "Um.... Actually, I was just trying to make sure you weren''t drowning in despair of your past and just suddenly goes on a sudden outburst of rampage. Something like that. Your hidden fury is not a joke. Trust me, I have no ulterior motives. ...... I think."


    "Well...." I giggled. "You succeeded."


    He sighs, "Thank god. Was not looking forward to that." looking genuinely exhausted.


    As he tries to get up and leave, I grab him by his wrist and pull him down.


    "Heh?" Was all the sound he make before he got thrown to the floor.


    I got on top of him and stare straight into this eyes.


    "After all that.... you''re just going to leave...." I asked. I notice my breathing is slowly getting heavy.


    "Um.... mission accomplished?"


    "Leaving a maiden in tears.... and not doing anything after.... Are you that clueless about a girl''s heart?"


    "Maiden?"


    Teasingly, I trace my finger from his collarbone to his naval. "Yes. I''m a maiden despite my age. Surprised? I won''t blame you. Sometimes, I surprised myself too." My finger reach his lips which I then twirl on it. "So.... would you be honored to be my first?" I asked, as seductively as I could.


    "Ah.... I was hoping to avoid this."


    "Avoid? Why? Am I not to your liking?"


    I can see him gulping. "It''s not that. It''s just.... I have someone...." He said, looking away.


    "Where is she now?"


    "A better place."


    Ah.... Figures. "You''re not going to touch me in hopes of not wanting to betray her?"


    "Something like that?"


    "Something like that?" I laughed. "Tell me, do you think she''ll be happy knowing that you''re lamenting over her even after her death? Weren''t you telling me to let go of the past before?"


    "Ah. I forgot to mention. I am a hypocrite too. Ehehe~?"


    Why you....! Frustrated, I plunged myself onto him, pressing my lips against his. My tongue forcibly tearing its way into his mouth.


    Roughly a few seconds went by, I part from his lips. We are both out of breath but for different reasons.


    "Aren''t we moving a little bit too fast?" he retort while wiping his lips.


    "Are we?"


    "Well, we don''t even know a whole lot about each other." He replied, forcing a laugh.


    Hyx Atlas.... you are just so.... infuriating.... this fickleness of yours.... God, I want to devour you. I want to wipe that whimsical smile of yours of your face. "We can get to know each other after this, won''t you agree?"


    "Eh?"


    Hearing his nonsensical respond, I once again plunge myself at him but with more force this time.


    As my desire went through a certain level, so did his. I feel a sudden change in him.


    Before I knew it, I was flip over. Now, he''s the one on top and I''m the one below.


    "Finally taking the reins, I see." I taunt him.


    Crap. Since when did he became so strong? I lost completely in the attempt of getting back the dominance. This is outrageous.


    "Shut up." He said. His breathing is rough and so is he. I don''t know when it happened but his hands have became claws. He hook on to the collar of my dress with a single nail of his claws. In one single motion, he tore off my dress.


    The cold air hits my bare skin and I shiver violently for a second there.


    He looks worried for a second but a mischievous smile form across his face. He closes in on my breasts and blows slightly on the tip. My body goes into spasm as the aberrant sensation spread throughout my nerves.


    What is this...? Why am I so sensitive?


    "H...Hyx..." I moan his name.


    Instead of listening to me, he places his finger on my lip. "Shh...." while smiling coyly. You cheeky bastard.


    When I got a good look at him, I realized the change in his appearance. His eye color has changed. They''re purple. Some of his teeth has gotten longer and a tad sharper. While straddling on top of me, he takes off his clothes, revealing the faint abs underneath. He''s more sturdier than I thought. He looks delicate but in truth he''s not in the least bit. And I can see black veins spreading from his chest to all over his body.


    Although I know of his true nature, I always forget that he''s not a human. Which is my biggest blunder. I have approached him while seeing him as a human when I should have seen him as a beast. Now, I pay the price.


    "You know...." he said, stroking my cheek and hair with his lengthened and sharpened nail. "Even I have these.... impure thoughts about you. How could I not have? You are the most beautiful woman I have came across."


    While the last line doesn''t mean much coming from an amnesiac person, it still tickled my heart.


    "Do you honestly think I''m any different?"


    He said. He''s too close. I can feel his breath of his every word.


    No good. My heart is racing too fast. I tried to fight back for the dominance but I have lost my strength to the heat of the situation.


    "Stay." He said with a voice sounding completely different.


    My body obeys him as if it''s the natural thing to do.


    I wasn''t held down nor was I tied but when he went down on me, I obediently let him when in my mind, I''m begging him not to. Why am I being so obedient? What''s wrong with me?


    Ah... this is so vexing. I hate him....


    When I felt the gentle caress of his tongue, my whole body arched. I grip tightly on the blanket spread beneath us as I gritted my teeth to avoid any of my moans escaping. My other hand tried its best to push him away but to no avail.


    Seeing how hard I''m trying to avoid moaning, he only quickened his pace.


    This is wrong.... How can he be so good? Is he not a virgin? He couldn''t be not a virgin, right?


    No. I can''t let him take the pace. If I do, I will....


    "You will....?" He stops and looks at me who is breathless till the point of almost fainting. This is unexpectedly draining.


    Huh? Did he heard what I was thinking?


    "Yes."


    What?


    "Right now...." he said while tracing his tongue from my underbelly all the way to my lips. "Your thoughts are all leaking out to me....."


    Why? How can this be.... What did you do?


    "Hmm? I didn''t do anything, you know? You are doing this."


    Why would I....


    "Because you desire it...." He said and gently press his lips onto mine. Unlike me, he wasn''t forceful. At first, he gently brush his lips on mine as if he''s asking for permission. Even when I opened the gates, his tongue wasn''t hasty in its invasion. It slowly explored every inch in my mouth. It was truly a deep and passionate kiss.


    While he was gentle at above, his fingers have assaulted the below without any mercy. Unable to withstand the attack on both ends, my body trembles without stop. Not for long, I feel a wave of pleasure sweeping my mind away and my body arched as I trembled more violent than before. When the whole sensation subsided, I''m left breathless and numb.


    "Did it felt that good?" he asked.


    Idiot. What do you think? Are you trying to push your luck? Stroking your own ego?


    "Am I?"


    That''s it. I had it with you.


    I spread my wings, letting the Mana surge within me, I turn the tables on him. It wasn''t easy. He resisted but my powers are stronger. We struggled and flipped and I end up back on top of him.


    I let out a triumphant smile and lick my lips.


    Our lips met again and this time, our tongue fought for dominance. There isn''t a hint of passion in it. It''s just us mindlessly indulging ourselves in our lust. There was no love but only assertion for the situation. Eventually, I won. He wasn''t able to keep up with me in the tug of war.


    When our lips parted, he wasn''t breathless like I was but he was smirking as if challenging me to do my best.


    Why you little!


    I rip away his trousers at his and it springs out straight.


    Honestly, I was slightly captivated. This is my first time seeing one so up close.


    Is it big or is it small? I wouldn''t know since I never truly saw any other''s before but if I have to give a personal opinion, it''s normal? It does felt a little bit huge in my small hands as I rubbed it up and down.


    Now, it''s his turn to moan and to be left breathless.


    I went down on him like he did to me. Giving my all, I was determine to make him pay. After a few minutes, he finally lets up and let it all out. Although I didn''t plan on it but I ended up swallowing some.


    Disgusting. It doesn''t taste good as the other said. Still, I got more excited. Strange. What is is this feeling? Why am I only getting more heated?


    And again, unlike me, he wasn''t breathless. In fact, the one without breath is me. He took advantage of this and got on top of me again.


    "Admit defeat?" He asked.


    I want to say no but.... "Please.... no longer...." I invited him to fill me with pleasure.


    At that moment, his demeanor changed and I can only shudder at it.


    As if to ease my extreme discomfort, he took me by my hands, "Are you sure?" he asked while brushing my hair gently and slowly wrapped me into an embrace. The warmth of his whole body is transmitted to me and my shuddering stops.


    Unfair, to be asking me only now and ever so softly and gently. It''s unfair but nevertheless, I nod.


    He smiled and thrust all of himself into me at once.


    I almost screamed but his hand cupped my mouth at once.


    With his finger on his lips, he whispered "Shh....."


    God, I hate him. Why am I just letting him have his way with me?


    This hurts. It''s painful but it is different kind of pain. It is the sort of pain that you be willing to go through again for the sake of pleasure.


    As if unsatisfied with the current depth, he pulled me up into a sitting position. I felt it going deeper in and I almost let out a loud moan which he silent with a kiss before any voice came out.


    Deeming that I wouldn''t scream anymore, he parted with my lips. When he did, I pressed for more. Of course, he courteously accepted but not before he flash me a victorious grin.


    This little shit!


    He pulled me even closer and sank further into me. What is he trying to do...?


    It hurts. With every thrust, pain accompany the wave of pleasure. Yet, I find myself only wanting more.


    Do I really desire him that much? Or is it just desperation? Am I truly desiring him as a being or just for the pleasure? Ah... I don''t know. It''s vexing.


    I have lost my perception of time. I couldn''t keep track on how long we have been at it but I was sure it was quite long.


    Ah~! Eeee....!


    My fingers dug into his flesh, drawing blood as I reached my peak for the third time in a row. He felt the pain of my fingers but he always smiled after.


    How.... how is this possible....? I have been feeling waves of pleasure without stop when he has only let out once when I went down on him.


    My question is answered when I feel a huge shadow looms over me. I''m being bent and then bred like an animal. His large claws of a hand reach mine and our fingers intertwined. His skin... its black.... His tongue, which is now four times the usual length of a human''s, went and explore every inch of my body.


    When I felt another wave of pleasure surging, I''m turned around and I''m now facing directly at a huge monster which casts a shade over me.


    My breathing stopped for awhile.


    Once again, I have forgotten that my partner is not a human but a beast, literally. His body structure retains multiple traits of a human enough to be mistaken as a human but underneath these layers, is a beast.


    "Hyx.... e...enough...." I breathlessly pleaded. Of course, I didn''t expect my words of pleading to reach him as he have been mindlessly breeding me without a shred of concern to my well-being.


    But he did listen. His thrusting stopped and he looked at me. Our eyes met. His lips trembling and his mouth flapping open and close.


    What''s wrong? I asked in my mind as I slowly caressed his deformed face with my fingers.


    "I...I''m sorry...." He said.


    Gone was all the asserting demeanor he has. Now, he looks only like a frightened child despite having such intimidating appearance. How cute.


    Did he lost to his lust mid-way? In the end, is he just like every other men?


    As he is about to pull away from me, I wrapped my hands around him and pulled him back to a tight embrace. I rest my head on his shoulder as I let my breath caresses his ears. I can feel a reaction from him. My turn. "It''s okay. I didn''t exactly mind" I whispered into his ears. "If anything, you have done me a great deal."


    "I''m sorry." He apologized.


    Without leaving his ears, I continue to whisper. "You have done enough. Now, let me do the rest."


    We shared another passionate kiss before he obediently let me be the one on top. Strange. I don''t find him repulsive in this form. He didn''t changed much except for his hands, height, skin color, and he now has a tail. If anything, I am only more excited. Both of our hands reached for each other and I started moving as if I''m riding a steed.


    Finally, I got what I wished for. His exasperated face, his ragged breaths, his desperate eyes and voice, begging me for more. What a fool I am. I wanted to gain the advantage over him but seeing such state of him only further increase the excitement and pleasure for both of us. In the end, I still lost but I didn''t mind.


    The vexation has disappeared long before I realized. I am only drowning myself in pleasure like a mare in heat. I didn''t care what happens anymore. I fully entrusted my everything to him.


    And we continue to spend our night in a heated and passionate embrace until I eventually give out. I have even expend my Mana in the place of my stamina yet I lost to his endurance. And I think I might have even let some of it went to waste since I wasn''t in my best condition to control my Mana flow.


    Truly a frightening beast.


    We didn''t went to sleep in a lover''s embrace. Instead, I fell asleep in his lap since he has become so large that he could basically cradle me. Despite having spend almost what seem like an eternity in slumber, only now am I able to finally have a good "night" rest.


    I wonder, since when was the last time I feel so at ease....


    Was this the right choice?


    Mah~ nothing can be worse than what I have been through.


    Before I surrender my consciousness entirely to my dreams, my last vision is my hands holding his close to my heart.


    Good night, my eccentric savior,


    my beloved.

 H25 - Transmutation and Forging

    In all honesty, I was barely conscious for the first half.


    I don''t remember when but I seem to have blacked out due to the sudden influx of stimulants to my brain. For a virgin like me, the information is just too much.


    Yet, the touch of a woman''s bare skin is all too familiar.


    This is something I have realized for quite some time now. In my past life I may have been a virgin but I doubt I am one in this world. When my hands brush against Angie''s bare skin, a wave of familiar sensation rush to my mind. Instantly, I understand I am no stranger to a woman''s body.


    Of course it would be extremely awkward and crushing for me if I just fainted before the foreplay even began. So before my consciousness left, I willed my subconscious to take my place. It may sound weird to others but I don''t feel that way. The unease of letting a subconscious taking over is understandable but in truth, it''s not so bad.


    Although I''m barely conscious, I remembered everything that I have done or rather, everything Kai have done in my place. I even remembered every detail of the moment as if I have done all those personally. In a way, I have done all those personally.


    When my overloaded brain recovered and I taken back control of my body, the face of Angie in tears and breathless greeted my sight. She was even pleading for me to stop.


    What the fuck have you done!?


    I shouted at Kai the instance I saw Angie in such state.


    [Relax. I didn''t rape her. I think?]


    You think? What if she thinks otherwise? What then? What do you think was going to happen if we truly get on her ire? Huh?


    [We''re not even a B and she''s a bona fide S. Do the math. Do you think we can truly have our way with her if all of these is forced?]


    Ah.... you got a point there. Is she that kind of girl?


    Nevertheless, I said my apologies to her.


    I have done it. I have given into my impulse and forced myself on a girl while taking advantage of her distressed state. That''s how it looks like to her, I bet.


    No. That was exactly what it is and so I thought but instead,


    "It''s okay. I didn''t exactly mind" She gently whispers into my ears. "If anything, you have done me a great deal."


    When I heard such words, I felt my manhood rejuvenated in a split second.


    Still, I utter my apologies again before she began asserting back her dominance.


    And the rest of the night is spend with me being at the bottom while she has her way with me. Truth to be told, it''s not so bad to be at the bottom, especially if I''m offered a view of a pair of voluptuous hills swaying and bouncing in elegance in front of my eyes.


    That "night", I discovered another side of me and a hidden ability of mine. I recover stamina at a very exaggerated rate. Which is why I was no where near as exhausted as Angie was after approximately four rounds. I felt incredibly honored as a man that Angie even expend her Mana in place of her stamina. As a man, this is a huge accomplishment.


    Nothing beats fighting a Void Demon and a certain overzealous female warrior. Compare to these two, sex is a cakewalk.


    [See, everything worked out. Well done.]


    Shut up. You almost blew this. We were point zero one percent chance away from being turned into dust.


    [Ah. Point taken].


    On the next "day" after I have ascended to adulthood, I''m awaken to the baffling face of Tom and the screams of Nilin. Another rude awakening. Angie swiftly dealt with it by imprisoning Nilin in a subspace of shadows. Tom was at least prudent enough to leave us to our business.


    Currently, I am practicing the production magic that I have learned of yesterday after spending hours on tutorial books. I have chosen a vast field behind some sort of palace-like building as the experimental site. Who knows what will happen if I fucked up.


    As I prepare for the experiments and practices, I felt glances occasionally coming at my way. Needless to say, it is Angie. She is also practicing magic here but we are least a few good thirty feet apart. Even at this distance, I can feel her gaze. Maybe it''s because we share a bed and spent a night together, Angie has been getting more aggressive with her show of affections.


    During breakfast, she even went as far as to have me feed her through mouth-to-mouth. Of course, I decline her idea. Nilin, Tom, Bartholomew, and Cormac are even troubled with where their eyes should be. I whacked Angie slightly on her head to make her stop. Oddly enough, Citra is looking at us with curious those eyes of hers. I''m slightly bothered by this. The breakfast wasn''t anything extravagant. It''s just fruits and water fetched from the nearby river. However, such meal is considered a luxury as oppose to the times in the dungeon.


    Although a part of me think it''s a shame there''s no meat but another part of me is not looking forward to eating it. I have some degree of control in altering my appearance but I would like to refrain from taking the chances.


    Anyways, that was how breakfast went. Nothing major transpire. But before I went to practice, I have taken a little detour.


    "Why are we here?" Angie asked as we stopped our tracks right in front of a large circular Azunmite Steel door. Yes, we are at the door that obstructed our way out.


    "You''ll see" I''m confidently tell her so.


    This came to me during breakfast. I have successfully learn [Transmutation], an Arcane Art that manipulates the properties of elements, compounds, and mixtures. At level one, I have obtained two spells from [Transmutation]. One of the two is [Divide]. It is the ability to break down a compound or a mixture into its base elements. It then got me thinking, couldn''t I just use this on the door?


    Although I have hope but knowing my luck, I doubt I will have it easy.


    Placing my hand on the door, I cast [Divide]. The whole door begins glowing red, inscriptions in crimson appeared all over the door, and what follows is my instinct screaming at its peak.


    [A rebound?]


    I heard Kai muttered such before the red lights assaulted my arm. I have cast [Spatial Leap] when my instinct screamed but I wasn''t moving. Whatever magic is it, it has barred me of any traversing spells. It fully intends to punish those who dares to temper with the door.


    "Hyx!" Angie called out in a panic and instantly move in between me and the door. The text [Space Magic: Gap Shrink] appears beside her. An inferior version of my [Spatial Leap] but it matters not when our ranking have such a huge gap. Grabbing on to me by my waist, I feel a huge amount of Mana surged within her before casting another [Gap Shrink] to teleport away from the door. Just like that, thirty percent of her Mana is used up which is around twenty four thousand worth unit. What a frightening rebound spell.


    She was however a little bit too late to the rescue but she managed to save me nonetheless. My right arm has been completely disintegrated. If Angie had been any slower, I would be disintegrated altogether with my right arm.


    "Are you alright!?" She asked without hint of calmness in her voice. My entire weight is entrusted to her arms but she''s not minding it. I have realized this during our last night together. She''s weaker than me in terms of physical ability despite the gap in our rank. I guess rank is not everything, after all. She''s too concern about me to take notice of my weight.


    "I''m fine." I told her and she looks more at ease with those two words. "Sorry."


    Instead of letting me go, she brought me close to her face. "Don''t ever do that again." Tears are on the verge of her eyes. I can even hear her heart beating loudly. I have truly made her worried. It is understandable. After all, she thought she would loose someone she cared for again so soon.


    I want to retort "such is my luck, can''t be helped" but I kept my mouth shut instead. After all, I remember the old saying from my previous world, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorn."


    We left the door with crestfallen hearts but with different reasons. We held hands while walking back. Judging from her trembling hands, she is still trying to calm down from that incident. She was very worried about my right arm but I managed to convince her that I''ll be fine after I conjured an ethereal right arm as a replacement or rather, Kai did.


    [Mana Overseer: Phantom Limb - Acquired]


    I''ll be using the ethereal limb for now until my right hand regenerates. According to Kai, I can regenerate a missing limb but it takes time. And Kai received a level up after that.


    [Mana Overseer (Unique): Lv. 6 increased to Lv. 7]


    [Mana Overseer: Famine Shield - Acquired]


    Oh neat, a new ability but I can testit later. For now....


    [I''m sorry. I wasn''t able to detect it]


    Why not?


    [It was very well hidden. Whoever cast that magic has taken a lot of measures into account, including a very precise perception like mine.]


    You were saying something about a rebound?


    [You were trying to break the door down into its base elements with [Divide]. The rebound spell basically tried to return the favor.]


    Ah. That''s a very terrifying thought. It is without question that I wouldn''t have survived it if Angie didn''t came to my rescue. What a woman.


    Anyways, I don''t know if whoever plunged this whole city into a dungeon intends to keep people from coming in, but one thing''s for sure, that door is intended to keep things from going out.


    Is it because of Aedrox?


    Another mystery for another time.


    Anyways, back to the current time. I slap my own cheeks to return my mind back to the present.


    Now, let''s start practicing and experimenting. Although we have yet to acquire the knowledge on how to forge Onyx Steel, I intend to refine my forging skills first before moving on. From what I read from the books, Onyx Steel can only be forge by very skilled hands. I have no doubt that I could learn quickly with Kai''s help but what worries me is that we might not be able to find Onyx Steel''s recipe. I did also look for the Arcane Art to mine Azunmite Ores but I found none.


    I randomly picked a chunk of magic iron ore from the basket full of magic ores beside me. These magic ores are all mined by Tom yesterday. Since I think we have more than enough, I let them to go about their own business today. They didn''t tell me what they were going to do but judging from what I can sense, they are having combat practices. Not a bad idea. Cormac and Bartholomew have been showing promises, so it would be a waste if it''s not refined. Tom should be able to harness their talent.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I have asked Kai if there''s any irregularity in Tom''s Mana flow. There is none, for now. Good. I can concentrate then. Of course, I have asked Kai to alert me if there''s any slight in Tom''s Mana flow.


    After extracting the magic irons from a few ores, I move on to next step, smelting. As far as I can tell from Clammis'' memories, there are such things like furnace and forge in this world but in Angie''s time, they used magic instead. The Arcane Art for smelting is called [Forge Fire]. I thought something like this would be a spell under an Arcane Art but that is not the case. Speaking of [Forge Fire] , I have also came across a book on fire and lightning magic.


    To my surprise, I wasn''t able to learn fire or lightning magic even though I was able to learn [Forge Fire] and [Lightning Serration]. Further analysis from Kai resulted in the answers being, [Forge Fire] is not considered as fire magic, and [Lightning Serration] is a legacy Arcane Art.


    In simple words,


    Normal Arcane Arts are acquired through aptitudes or affinity


    Legacy Arcane Arts are acquired through bloodline or heritage


    Unique Arcane Arts are acquired through luck or bestowed by Gods


    That''s how it is apparently. According to this logic, I have the affinities for [Spatial Magic], [Abyss Magic], [Spirit Magic], and [Sealing Magic]. I wonder, it is possible to regain back [Abyss Magic] since it''s a normal Arcane Art instead of unique or legacy. Unfortunately, Kai''s answer is,


    [It''s highly unlikely. You didn''t just gave away your magic, you gave away aptitude too but there is a slight chance that you can regain it but it is a very small chance.]


    But I''m not that disheartened nor too concern about it considering the other Arcane Arts I have are basically cheats even without [Abyss Magic]. In a certain perspective, [Abyss Magic] might have the lowest potential among the others. Heh.


    Still, I have aptitude for [Forge Fire] but not [Fire Magic]. Weird but I decided to postpone this mystery for some other time.


    A magic circle forms below the clumps of irons which reminded me of a pair of alchemist siblings. In the stead of flames, an intense pillar of heat erupted from the circle. The clumps slowly loose its shape and turn into its molten form. What a neat trick and I understand why it''s not considered as fire magic. Mystery solved-ish.


    After smelting the iron, I hold the lump of molten iron in the air with [Psychokinesis] since I don''t have any place I could just put down the molten iron without burning a hole through. It wasn''t because I forgot about such thing but it''s because there is no such thing around here. It created a dilemma at first but Kai reminded me that I could just use [Psychokinesis] as a replacement.


    In its molten form, I alter its shape with [Transmutation: Transfigure]. There are two reasons as to why I only use [Transfigure] after I smelted it instead of straight up skipping the smelting part. The molten form of an element or compound is much easier to be altered in its molten form as in it consume less Mana and effort to reshape it.


    Another thing I have taken note about [Transfigure], I can only alter the shape. The total volume and mass will remain the same. It is not possible to transform a small pebble of iron into a full-size sword.


    [Is this suppose to be a mini statue of a sickly snake or a curved baton?] Kai asked, knowingly.


    It is something I would stuff it in your arse if you have one but too bad, I''m not looking forward to fucking myself.


    [Heh. Touche. Anyways, you should use a mold or a cast.] Kai said.


    I agree. The magic iron sword that I have forged can''t even be considered a weapon as it lacks a sharp edge and a straight body. The book have instructed novices to use a mold or a cast but I neglect it since I thought I can make it without one. I was wrong. But hey, at least I have a grasp on the fundamentals.


    Whew~! [Transmutation] and [Forge Fire] consumes a shit ton of Mana. When I look at my Mana bar, twenty percent of my Mana has vanished before I knew it and I''m only trying to forge an iron sword. I wonder if [Transmutation] and [Forge Fire] ''s Mana consumption decreases with level. Otherwise, I don''t see why anyone would use such magic to forge unless all the blacksmiths of Angie''s time have absurdly high amount of Mana.


    At that moment, my instinct screamed.


    I blinked to where Angie is and shielded her from an explosion with [Plane Displacement].


    [That was not necessary.] said Kai.


    Duh.


    I know Angie wouldn''t get hurt by such petty explosion but my body literally just moved on its own.


    "Ehehehe~ Thanks." Angie lets out a giggle.


    "You should be more careful." I warned her and flicked her forehead.


    "Sorry." She said while not looking sorry in the least bit. "Now we''re even."


    I glanced at the table where an iron dagger has its blade burst into pieces. Her enchantment failed, I see.


    "How goes?" I asked.


    "No where near the intended level but there''s progress."


    "Good."


    "Getting comfortable?"


    I was puzzled by her words at first but I then realized I have wrapped my hand around her waist and cast [Plane Displacement] with the other hand.


    I let go of my hand around her waist but she''s not moving. Instead, she leans into me.


    "You''re really looking forward to see the world on the outside?"


    "Of course?"


    Her smile disappears "Do you really think you can find any answers out there? It is a vast world. I have lived for more than two centuries and barely half of the world''s mysteries are known to me."


    I look up while tilting my head. "It''s better than being in the dark completely. Even if I can''t find anything out there, I still have you."


    She blinked for a short while before a wide grin forms on her face. She then smothers me in her pair of prides. "How cheeky." She said while tittering like a little girl.


    Shortly before breakfast, I have confided with Angie about everything. All the way from how I came from another world up till now. For some reasons, Kai advice me to not reveal anything about him, so I didn''t. Judging from how her shows of affection has only intensified after that, I guess she believed every word from me.


    "You know, I have just remembered something."


    I arched an eyebrow. "Something related to my circumstances?"


    She nodded. "Summoned or reincarnated from another world.... There were such magic concepts back in my time if I remember correctly."


    My whole body froze for a second when she dropped the bomb. "Say whut nah?"


    "It was during the Void Legion''s invasion. People were desperate in coming up a way to suppress the Void Legion. This was one of the few ideas the mad researchers had. Apparently they have a theory that every soul is bound to certain limits, laws, a logic of the soul''s native world. They described it as nature''s safety measure to prevent anyone from becoming a power that can alter the laws of the world. The Void Demons are exempted from this logic which is what makes them so powerful. And these researchers believed if they could summon a foreign soul from another dimension, realm, or world, these foreign subjects will also be unbelievably strong since they are not bound to the logic and limits of this world."


    I want to press further on but she cut the discussion with "This is just a theory, it was never actually realized. The theory was even discarded as too preposterous." In other words, she knows nothing about it. I don''t blame them for making such assumptions. Even I''m still finding hard to believe it and my hazy memories are not helping. But it is a lead nevertheless. I originally thought of staying here a little bit longer than needed but I changed my mind when I realized that almost everything of worth, knowledge or artifacts are missing. In fact, these whole city seemed like it was pillaged.


    "How''s your hands?" She asked.


    "Nothing''s changed. They still tremble intermittently."


    "They are not going away anytime soon?"


    "Unlikely. It''s not something I can just removed with a snap of my fingers."


    "If it''s you, I think that is likely."


    "I''m not omnipotent, you know?"


    Her trademark mischievous grin spread across her face "Not yet." She said while bringing her face close to mine. We share a kiss at this opportunity. I can sense her exhaustion at that moment.


    "You know, I don''t mind doing the magic enchantment too." I told her when our lips parted.


    She shakes her head. "No no no. I must do my part too. I have no doubts that you will be able to but I want to do my part. It helps me get my mind off of.... things."


    Ah.... I see. Saying anymore things would just be boorish of me. "I understand." I nodded.


    "Well then, let''s get back to practice." She said and resumed her practice with magic enchantment. To be honest, I would rather practice this than that. In addition for the need of concentration, I would also need to withstand the thousand degrees of heat that enshrouds me during the forging process.


    Hours went by and I have managed to finally forge a perfect sword. Perfect as in being usable in combat. Since I didn''t know how to create a mold, I have to be adamant in transmuting without one.


    Of course it goes without saying things would be so much easier if Kai intervenes but I refuse. I need to do this myself. I have let Kai took over for a while to see how he fares. The result is a majestic long sword with perfect precision on the details and it is currently in a building somewhere roughly a mile away.


    [Sore looser.]


    Shut up.


    The sword I have succeeded in forging is not of iron. I have depleted all the supplies of magic iron ores before I knew it and I moved on to other ores. The sword in my hand is forge of Thedus Steel. Of course, it is a magic steel. It has twice the strength of an ordinary steel and also a little bit lighter. All in all, Thedus Steel breaks less easily and has better Mana conductivity than ordinary steel.


    The knowledge of forging Thedus Steel actually came from Clammis, or to be more precise, her memories. She has got quite the knowledge about metal although she has close to none about forging. Because mixing memories can be quite dangerous in the long term, I had shelved any memories that aren''t mine into a corner of my mind. It was at Kai''s suggestion that I access Clammis'' memories from the pile.


    After I completed my first real sword, it was lunch break. Of course, we called it lunch but we have actually no idea whether it is actually day or night on the outside.


    Tom and the others are shocked to see my ethereal limb, of course but Nilin''s reaction is just too exaggerated. It took quite a while before I was able to convince them that I''m fine. I felt like I have taken more time to assure Tom than Angie. It might just be my imagination. I can relate to their worries but aren''t you three more beat up and bruised them me? Some training they must have gotten themselves in. But it bore fruit. Bartholomew and Cormac has obtained the Arcane Arts , [Body Strengthening] and [Shadow Magic] respectively. Well done. Still, it will be nice if I still have the reagents. Hmm... isn''t there a forest full of herbs east of here? I''ll ask Senna later.


    We gather under a tree that produces green and red apples simultaneously. We all sit on a large blanket spread over the patch of grass, courtesy by Nilin. I was little bit tempted to praise her but knowing her personality, she would likely let it get over her head.


    While having my meal that consist of red and green apples at a spot a little further from the group, I go through the old parchment that I found back at the forbidden library. The parchment is something akin to a blueprint, a schematic.


    What truly shocks me about it is that the schematic is of a firearm. Yes, a gun. It is a very detailed design schematic of a gun. I do not know exactly what kind of gun but by my guess, it looks like a crossover of a Flintlock and a revolver.


    Most of all, the words written on this parchment is Helix.


    Guns existed during the Helix era.


    Three quarters through my pear and while scanning through the old parcment, a pair of arms are suddenly coiled around me. I jumped, the pear fell from my grasp, and the parchment is crumpled further by my hand. I then felt a pair of soft and bouncy sensation pressing into my back.


    "Scared you?" Angie asked as she lays her head onto my shoulder from behind.


    The pear has fall off my hand but it had not touch the ground, it''s floating about a feet from the floor. Yes, I have used [Psychokinesis].


    "Yes." I answered, bluntly. "This is the last pear, you know?" I told the coyly smiling Angie.


    "In that case, a~~n." She opens her mouth wide.


    I sigh with a smile and toss the pear into her mouth.


    She closed her mouth and looked at me with agape eyes while slowly chewing the pear. I guess she didn''t expect I would give up the last pear to her. Silly girl.


    After swallowing the pear, she tightened her hold around me.


    "Angie, it''s uncomfortable."


    "This is punishment."


    I arch my eyebrows. "For?"


    She points at my ethereal limb.


    "Ah. Sorry about that." I lost count on how many times I have apologized.


    I gave up on "deciphering" the parchment and moved on. It is a book this time instead of some crumpled papers. The book has a single word as its title, Mimics.


    "Does what the bitch said bothers you that much?"


    I arched an eyebrow at the harsh word in Angie''s vocabulary. By bitch, I''m sure she is referring to Vira. I did told her about my encounter with Vira after all and also the fragmented memories of Vira and I. "She seems really convinced that I am one, for whatever reasons. You know anything about Mimics?"


    "Um.... I have never personally met one before. Mimics are quite rare but I have heard about them for a lot of times. They often appear in dungeons. And their primary ability, [Mimicry] which allows them to disguise as almost anything. The most common disguise they took on is a chest."


    Dark Souls much?


    "And some Mimics even have the ability to read minds and they disguise themselves as the sweetheart of its victims."


    Ah. I can see why they are hated so much. They can pose as almost anything through its racial ability [Mimicry] and they are able to read thoughts. I have none of those two.


    "Do you think I''m a Mimic?"


    "No." Angie answers straight at once. "The Mimics at my time are weak from what I heard. Their disguise don''t last long and there were no Mimics which have permanent disguise. But I could be wrong now. Time has changed."


    Touche. I nodded with understanding.


    Angie and I lock gazes for awhile before I finally break the ice. "What?"


    "Nothing. I was waiting for you to start reading."


    Ah. So you want to read too. I understand but could you not treat me like a pillow for hugging? She doesn''t let go. Mah~ I can just read like this.


    Oh.....k? I don''t know who wrote this book about Mimics but boy.... the author sure has some extreme prejudice against Mimics. The foreword goes like this, "kill every mimic on sight". That pretty much sums up the author''s feeling for Mimics.


    After devouring a few chapters, I remembered something. I am nearly out of magic ores, so I implore Tom to mine more ores for me later in which he readily consented. He really is a yes-man to me but I refrain myself from abusing that.


    "Eh~! But you promised to play with me later." Cried Nilin but Tom and I ignored like usual.


    Cormac is once again teasing Citra with food and received a chop from Bartholomew.


    Oh shit.... wow? Cormac''s HP is halved from that chop. That is some frightening strength you have there, Bartholomew.


    Citra took the opportunity and swallow the half slice of apple whole in Bartholomew''s hand. Her body then takes the shape of the half slice of apple.


    Angie laughed wryly but wholeheartedly at Citra''s apparent repeated blunder. Angie''s hold on me only tightened till the point that I''m tapping out. She must be using [Body Strengthening].


    Tom is smiling dryly at my situation while Nilin is smirking at me with a face that said "Suits you right." Cormac is rolling on the ground in pain from getting chopped while Citra is being strangled by Bartholomew to force her spit back out the apple.


    Peace is nice after all.


    And the break ended with me almost being crushed by Angie due to her unfounded anger of me worrying her.

 Intermission - Victor

    "Eyes front and keep moving. No funny business."


    The official said that same line again and again for the past few minutes. I''m starting to think he just likes his own voice.


    I pay no heed to his words and just kept moving forward with my limbs chained to each other. Curse this, I can''t believe mere chains can be this much of a hindrance to my movements. My meals are little and only twice a day. I barely have enough energy to pick myself up, let alone supporting the weights of this accursed chains.


    The gallows has been my home for the past five years. And the last time I have saw light is right before my sentence. I have almost forgot how the world looks like. Greenery is still a sight for sore eyes as I remember. Though, the sky itself is too bright for me who has spent the past five years and every second of it basked in darkness.


    I was cast in the darkness for so many years and I have no visitors nor even a client who would give so much as a trivial glance at me. This leads me to wonder, why now? For who would they brought me out of the shadows for. Clients are usually shown the merchandise instead of the merchandise being shown to the clients.


    Passing a courtyard from the gallows which I called home for five years, I entered into a large mansion which seems to be the auction house.


    I can feel the disgust coming from the four guards around me. These chains also suppress my magic in addition to hindering my movements, so I can''t appraise them. Unlike the four guards, the official walking in front of me is wearing a snob''s smile all the while. Nevertheless, their opinion are of little to no value to me.


    They are all relatively short compare to me since I''m quite a tall person. I am practically towering over them. I''m six and a half feet. The official is the shortest among us and it is obvious to everyone that he''s quite conscious about it.


    After a short walk through a luxurious hallway with multitude of doors, we arrived in front of a twin doors twice my height adorned with gold embellishment. If nothing has changed much and remained the same around here like I remembered five years ago, this is must be the reception hall for the essential clients.


    Someone from top wishes to purchase me? Must be for some underhanded work.


    The short official with balding hair and a goatee beard that hid his weak chin cleared his throat before shoving open the gate. There was no need for him to shove the gate open as I can feel magic coming from the doors. He probably did it to emphasize his authority but the result might have place in an otherwise light.


    Inside the reception hall filled with quite a number of people, I only recognized three. The person in an all white bespoke three piece suit wearing a bowler hat and holding a cane with a ruby on top is Lord Roland Atlas, a Duke and a wealthy merchant. He was here when I was made a prisoner five years ago. He was the one who bought my gears that were stripped off of me. He aged a lot for just five years. He hair has even started graying but his thick hiatus beard is well-trimmed just like how I remember.


    Standing across from Atlas is a person in a semi formal knight attire with light armor. He is the warden and also the proprietor, Yoven Valerius. From the look of his armor and the sword by his waist, I say he has been quite successful with this line of business. The line of business may be approved by the royals but I don''t doubt he still deals in even shadier business. That is what his character is saying to me.


    Standing with a straight back and an unwavering stance is a woman with glasses. She is dressed in a very formal black blouse along with a long skirt. She is the secretary of Yoven, Grinda is her name if I''m not mistaken. Her dark brown hair is still tied into a single braid just like the last time I saw her. She doesn''t look like she has aged a bit. Impressive.


    And the other six persons in this room are all knights, I presumed. Their attires varied but the emblem each of them carried told me enough. One of the knights is a girl of short stature. She''s hiding her whole figure under a white cloak with only her nose and mouth visible under the shadow of her hood. Just from her lower portion of her face, I can tell she is a girl of great beauty. She''s even wearing white silk gloves that precisely shaped her frail soft hands, which kinda defeats the purpose of concealing her hands if that is the purpose. However, she is by no mean vulnerable. I can sense a great deal of Mana from her. She must be at least a B rank Mage-class.


    There are these two of the knights who are dressed the most similar to your usual knight. Since they have helmet that covers their face and armors that doesn''t discriminate their figures base on their gender. Because they have yet to utter a single word, I can''t tell if the two are male or female which only enhance the mystery that surrounds them. These two may look like normal knights but my impression of them isn''t outshone by the previous girl.


    The next person is a young man with black hair and black eyes. His armor is the lightest among the six of them. His weapons of choice are twin daggers, a short sword, and a longbow. He has a scarf wrapped around his neck which covers the lower part of his face. He seems to be most wary person out of the six judging from how his eyes are darting at every corners of the room.


    The one standing in the middle of everyone is this room is a tall person donning a plain silver mask. Like the two knights, I can''t discern her gender but I think it''s most likely a girl. Accompanying her mask is a black scarf and a hood that completely shelter her head. Couldn''t she just wear a full-head helmet then? My first impression of her is that she stands out the most in the room because everything about her spells contrast. And for some reasons and even though I couldn''t see her face due to her mask, she feels familiar.


    Her hands are the only bare part of her body. Her skin is pale and smooth without scars but I don''t doubt her experience in battle. Out of everyone in the room, she exudes the most dangerous aura. Unlike her peers, she wears white silk robes of eastern design which is completely contrast her standing as a Knight. The contrast is only further enhance by the long cut of the robes. Under those gaudy garments of hers is a set of light armor. A weird sense of fashion but I have been in the dark for five years. Perhaps this is the current rage? She has a simple bastard sword holstered by her side which is quite simple as oppose to her peers'' weapons. Her amber eyes that have leaked through the only two holes of the plain mask have yet to leave me ever since I entered the room.


    Beside her is another young woman who is wearing similar gaudy-type dress while looking frolic at me. Her out-of-place appearance and presence doesn''t seem to bother anyone in the room.


    But it bothers me. I can tell she is no human. I have ample amount of experience in my days as a silver-rank adventurer. Her entire body is not corporeal, that''s for sure. I gave her my utmost attention since she seems the most suspicious.


    "Victor Erinthus." The silver mask said. It sounded like she''s declaring that my name instead of asking for my name. Huh? What''s that? Maybe it''s me being delusional from my five years of solitude imprisonment but I could have swore that her eyes glowed for a second.


    Regardless, I offered no response.


    Noticing my obnoxious silent, the official standing in front hit me in the guts. "You insolent! Speak when spoken to." he demanded but I ignored him. His strength is even below of a D-rank. I barely felt it tickle.


    "Now now, there''s no need for such violence." The Duke stops the official''s fist with just two finger. "I believe your work here is done, no?" he asked.


    The official reluctantly withdrew his fist. "Yes."


    "Good. Now, run along." Atlas said, treating him like a dog. "Take these hounds with you too."


    The official looked appalled but he said nothing and simply complied. He left the room along with the four guards that accompanied us. Judging from the light sway by the guards, I say they were offended too but being professionals they didn''t show it.


    "Now, do you remember me, Victor?" Atlas asked.


    I nod.


    "What about the other two?" he gestured at Grinda and Yoven in which I also nodded. "You got quite the memory there."


    "I have no contact with anyone else for the last five years. And you three were the last persons I have contact with before being plunged into the shadows for five good years."


    "Ooh?" The young woman in city dress made a sound if she has found a beautiful jewel. "He knows his words. Not bad, not bad." She was even clapping lightly.


    "Nyx."


    "Sorry." The woman named Nyx went silent when the silver mask with amber eyes reprimanded her with just a single utter of her name.


    "What do you think, Xatara?" asked the Duke.


    "Is Commander Ae''myun, Lord Atlas." The rogue-like knight stepped up and rebuked Atlas. "The slip up is forgiven because you''re a Duke, Lord Atlas."


    "Ohoho~?" The young woman clasped her hand on her lips while making such sounds. She seems to be enjoying the situation.


    Before Atlas could response, the silver mask named Xatara Ae''myun cut in. "Stand down, Damien."


    "Of course. Apologies, Commander." He immediately complied and stepped back.


    The silver mask with amber eyes is a Knight Commander apparently and her name is Xatara Ae''myun. Is she from a continent far away? She''s got quite the power not only in her ability but her voice as well.


    For some reasons, the warden and the secretary remain silent during the exchange even though they have the most power in this place among everyone present.


    "Selaine?"


    The girl in white hood responded to the commander''s call. So the Arch Mage girl''s name is Selaine. "Yes, Commander?"


    "Is he what the whispers in the winds said he is?"


    Even if her eyes are hindered by the hood, I can tell she is staring intently at me. Her back is even arched and bent slightly towards me. "Yes." She said after staring at me for awhile. She must have appraised me or something similar. "This is unbelievable." Exclaims followed her surprise.


    Nines be damned, my race is now exposed. I thought I would pass as an ox-kin beastman but I was too optimistic. My race is nearing extinction and we are sought out by many under the pretense of protecting us.


    "So, this person is indeed a Dragon-kin." The commander''s voice sounded regretful. Why?


    Atlas scoffed. "O sweet child, appraisal is unnecessary. I can tell just from a glance, can''t you?"


    In an instance, I felt all four of the knights directed an extreme murderous intent towards Roland Atlas. The person in question himself doesn''t seem the least bothered by it.


    Ignoring the reactions he received from the commander''s acquaintances, Atlas continues "Just from the rumors, this person has dark skin, a pair of horns, golden orange eyes, such height, brawny figure, I can already guess his race. Now I''m here in person -- the aura he exudes -- whew! I don''t need a pair of [Truth-seeking Eyes] to affirm the legitimacy of the rumors."


    "H...how...."


    It wasn''t just Selaine but everyone in the room is astonished by Atlas'' statement. Only Nyx, the girl in gaudy dress is looking at the Duke with interested eyes as like a maiden in love


    "How did you know?" asked the commander. I guess the context here is about the [Truth-Seeking Eyes] of the girl named Selaine?


    "Information is my trait, knowledge is my power." Atlas replied with a smile.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I take back what I said. The most dangerous person in this room isn''t the Commander but Roland Atlas. It seems he''s not all bluff and he''s also isn''t just all brains. The official just now was a combatant but a merchant like him stopped his fist easily and effortlessly with just few fingers. This person is not to be trifle with.


    "Forgive me." Atlas said. "I might have gotten a bit over my head there but rest assure, I will still keep my end of the bargain."


    End of his bargain? What is he talking about? And what the hell is going here exactly? I''m still in the dark here.


    "We''ll see." The commander said and moved her line of sight to me. "Victor Erinthus?"


    "Yes...."


    "Answer these questions with a simple yes or no, clear?"


    "Crystal." I couldn''t tell before but now that she''s only a feet way from me, I can tell the robes she''s wearing isn''t corporeal. It is actually some sort of magic armor. Is it a spell from a unique Arcane Art?


    I feel like she grinned when she heard my answer. "Now, I''ve heard of your familiarity with Magic and Demonic Beasts, especially Mimics. Is that true?"


    My blood boiled when I heard the word, "Mimics." I have unconsciously let out my aura which shook almost everyone in the room except for the commander and Atlas.


    "Yes."


    I can feel my magic coming back to me despite the accursed chains.


    "Have you truly ever slain a Mimic?"


    "Yes."


    "Like the whispers in the wind, you slain a lot, is that true?"


    "Yes."


    "Was it easy?"


    There was slight pause before I answer "No. Never."


    "Do you absolutely despise them?"


    "Yes." The chains that bound me is cracking.


    "Have they wronged you?"


    "Yes."


    This time, I definitely heard a low chuckle from behind the mask. "They took everything away from you, didn''t they?"


    "Yes."


    "They destroyed your childhood orphanage, didn''t they?"


    "Y...yes..." How does she know about this? I haven''t told about anyone about it, not even the gaol''s interrogators.


    "Was the caretaker named Lily?"


    "Y...yes." She even knows her name, the name of the sweet old lady who took care of me and the other children. "Who are you?"


    "I am Xatara Ae''myun. That''s my name now but I have a different name back then. Back at that orphanage, they call me Amber."


    The commander said and removed her mask and hood, revealing a face covered with scars underneath. Even without the mask, I still can''t discern whether she''s actually a male or a female. Her short black hair isn''t helping the least but judging from her voice, she''s most likely a she. Although her features have greatly changed, there is absolutely no mistake about who I think she is. Her sharp eyes that could kill with a glare that also holds a degree of tenderness, it''s all too familiar.


    "Amber....?" I mused.


    I was a kid more than ten years of age when a new girl came in. She has soft and silky black hair. Her hair was long back then. Her eyes are amber which is quite rare, which is why we started calling her Amber.


    "You.... the Amber that always sneaked in sweets from the nearby town for the younger children?"


    "Yes. It''s me. You have grown a lot, Armstrong."


    Armstrong.... The kids back at the orphanage called me that because I was the strongest among all the kids. My dragonic features back then wasn''t apparent as I have yet to mature.


    "Why now?"


    "No real reason. I only realized it was you recently. It was you, right? The one who burned a whole village to the ground."


    I scoffed. "They were all Mimics, the whole village of them. Even the children. They lured in unsuspecting wanderers and travelling merchants. The worst part is, they don''t revert back to their original form when they die."


    "Then how did you know they were Mimics?"


    "I heard them talking when I was staying there during one of my hunts. Some of them were involved with the orphanage incident. The monster rampage was incited by them. I only delivered swift justice and here I am, five years in solitary confinement. Did you come to free me for old time''s sake?"


    "No."


    "No?"


    She then make a motion at the Duke I follow her gesture. She seems to be indicating that Atlas is the one responsible for my release.


    "It is part of an agreement that I can''t disclose. The funds to secure your release are prepared by me." said Atlas.


    So he''s the one paying it but the ownership goes to Amber. What is he playing at?


    "Make no mistake. While I do cherish our times together when we were just children, I didn''t free you for old time''s sake. I need your ability and experience. I have heard that you''re nearing the rank of A." Amber said and presented me an amulet. The insignia on the amulet is of a great sword with a pair of wings.


    I humbly received it with my hands.


    "Eh!? When did he....?" The warden stuttered at his words when he only realized it now that the chains are long broken by me. Although, everyone but the secretary and the warden ignored this fact.


    "What is this?" I asked.


    "An independent unit of the Nine''s Templar Knights, Night Hunters. We specialize in hunting monsters down. I am now the Commander of this unit and I''m looking for an assistance in my command."


    "Me?"


    "You." Amber nodded with affirmation at my question. "You always do have a great sense of leadership. All the kids listened to you. And I know your character. There is no one else I trust more to give this position to."


    "They listen to me.... Those were a long time ago, Amber...."


    "So was their death but did you let it go? I didn''t."


    Same as always, the sharp eyes and tongue, Amber. The only one who dares to argue with the older children.


    "Fine. I''ll join. As long as I get to kill some Mimic or monsters."


    "Then a final question."


    "And that is?"


    "If I told you to kill a superficially innocent child who might be a Mimic, would you do it without question?"


    "No."


    "Why not? If you know so much about Mimics, you should know the danger they pose if left alone."


    "You have mistaken my answer, Commander Ae''myun."


    She looks at me with a face that says contemplating. "In what way?"


    "My Arcane Art, a legacy type, [True Dragon''s Blood]. I can discern the true identity of every individual. This was actually how I was able to affirm that the villagers are all Mimics."


    "Aye.... You should have kept quiet about that...." I heard the Duke mutters in a low voice.


    Why? I don''t see a problem with that since I''m already sold, no?


    "T...true dragon....?" I heard the warden stuttered on my revelations.


    "Ara ara~" The city dress girl placed her hand on her lips like she just heard some interesting gossip. She even got near me while looking at me with gleaming eyes. Who is this girl really?


    "Well, what do you know? A true dragon. Why isn''t this a nice surprise?" said Atlas. Seems like he''s feigning that he only knew about my true identity now.


    "Is this true?"


    "Yes, Commander. Victor Erinthus speaks the truth." Selaine said.


    "Pardon me." The warden cut in between us. "If he is indeed a true dragon, I''m afraid the original agreed upon price wouldn''t suffice."


    I see why Atlas said something like that. He know the warden''s character. What a greedy Modred''s Hound.


    "What?" Amber sent a glare at the warden.


    "Isn''t this a bit unethical?" asked Atlas. "To increase the price right before a transaction."


    "Don''t talk to me about ethics now, especially you of all people, Roland." The warden managed to say even when he was clearly daunted by Atlas'' demeanor.


    "Oh?"


    "Forgive me, Lord Atlas." Amber apologized. "I wasn''t made aware of this." Her hands went to her sword.


    "Lady, I am a Valerius. One word from me, who knows what will become of you." Despite his shaky voice, his words carried some threat in it.


    "We''ll see about that."


    "It''s alright, it''s alright." Atlas repeated his words in a low and cold voice which intimidated almost everyone in the room.


    "Come on, Roland. Don''t be like this. You of all people should know this. It''s nothing personal, just business." said the warden.


    "Is it now?"


    The negotiation was at a stalemate until Atlas reluctantly give up and agree to the now higher price. The businessman smile on Atlas didn''t waver once during the negotiations.


    A document was signed on the spot which is then handed to the secretary.


    "Damien."


    "Yes, Commander?" The young man with the scarf responded.


    "Take Victor here to the carriages first. I have something to discuss with Lord Atlas."


    "Of course, Commander." The Knights bowed and led me out of the room. Before the door closes right behind me, I could hear the faint voice of Roland Atlas greeting me, "Good hunting."


    It was only after I arrived at the carriage that I noticed the girl in gaudy dress has stayed behind with Amber. Who is that girl anyway?


    <hr>


    *This part is in a 3rd person POV.


    "You changed a lot since the last time we met, Vira." said Roland while wearing an obscure smile with a slight hint of admiration.


    "So I''ve been told, for the nth time." Xatara replied curtly with no traces of amusement can be seen on her deadpan expression.


    "Xatara Ae''myun. It''s oddly specific, isn''t it? Is this a declaration of challenge towards someone?"


    "It''s a personal choice." Vira Ninehearts, who is now Xatara Ae''myun answered briefly.


    "You hated your former name?"


    "Vira Ninehearts.... That was a name given not by a family but a stranger. I never really consider it my true name."


    "Is that so....? Well, I never took you for one to be concern so much with the vogue." Roland asked while appraising the young commander''s choice of wardrobe.


    "I have a certain important partner of mine to thank for." She answered, glancing at Nyx who is standing like a lamp beside them.


    Following Xatara''s line of sight, Roland found himself slightly bewitched by the charm of the young woman in city dress. "Why, hello there. You have captivated my heart ever since I saw you, who might you be?"


    Lifting up her dress by an inch, curling her feet slightly backwards, she bowed like an elegant highborn lady. "Please to meet you, Lord Atlas. My name is Runyx. I''m Vira''s personal attendant." She then extends her hand.


    It wasn''t a slip-up on Runyx''s part and Xatara knows well. She merely rolled her eyes in response instead of offering reprimanding words.


    Roland was no stranger to court etiquette, of course. He took her hand and softly placed his lips. When he lifted his head up, a roguish smile forms on his face. "Are you now?" It was obvious to the two that Roland is not convinced with Runyx''s introduction.


    "What are you really?" In a totally blunt manner, the Duke asked.


    "Eh?" Runyx made a sound that broke her highborn atmosphere.


    Before another question is pushed to the dumbfounded Runyx, Xatara stepped in between them. "She''s my attendant, in a way."


    "Moved on from the Elven girl?"


    "I have not." Xatara immediately replies while staring daggers at the Duke.


    "My apologies, then. Still, won''t you tell me who this pretty lady is?"


    "Ehehe~ Pretty lady." Runyx giggled while fumbling her fingers like a young maiden.


    "Roland, I can''t tell you anything further, even if you''re my benefactor. I''m sorry." Xatara bowed to emphasize the sincerity in her words.


    "No hard feelings, I understand. Discretion is also a trait of mine after all."


    Xatara raised her head. "Thanks for your understanding."


    Catching a glimpse of a shine around Xatara''s chest area, Roland pointed his cane at the ring she wore as a necklace around her neck. "Am I invited?"


    Xatara looked stupefied for a moment but she caught on immediately when she traced where the cane is pointed at. "This?" She brought up the ring to her eye level. "It''s nothing. It''s not recent if that''s what you want to know." She said and tucked it back under her garments.


    Roland raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well, before we move on...." he turned his gaze to Runyx. "Would you give us the room, if you don''t mind please?"


    Xatara sighed, not out of vexation but of a burden. "She can stay. She needs to know."


    "Ara~!" exclaimed Runyx. Her eyes are beaming at Xatara. She jumped at Xatara to embrace her but is stopped at an arm''s length by Xatara, literally.


    "But be quiet. And never spoke of this to anyone."


    "Yes, milady~!"


    "Milady, huh...." Roland uttered in a voice low enough to not be caught by other ears.


    "H...how is she?" Xatara asked.


    Gone was the businessman smile of Roland, it was replaced with a regrettable expression. "She''s doing fine, like always. She''s none the wiser about the truth. She has yet to awaken her peculiar trait."


    "Good."


    "You know, if you''re that worry about her, just go and see her."


    "I can''t." Xatara said with a tone filled with remorse. She then shook her head. "Not now."


    "It has been a month. She misses you."


    "Of course she does. It''s only natural."


    "She has been asking me for you. I''m running out of things to tell her, Vira. I don''t feel good lying to a child like that."


    "Just assure her like always, Roland. If the circumstances permit, I''ll come and see her. "


    Now, it was Roland''s turn to sigh. "If you say so. Then it truly can''t be helped. Well, that''s all I have to say."


    "Seems so." Xatara said, gave a bow, Runyx followed with a blunder, and the two walked to the door. Xatara stopped before the door. "Roland?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Thanks for everything."


    "Your appreciation is unneeded. It''s nothing personal after all, it''s just business."


    "Business?"


    "A future investment. Imagine all the favors I have curried from you, a Templar Knight Commander. It will surely helps a lot in my future endeavors."


    "I see." With her usual monotonous expression, she replied so. She bowed slight once more before leaving the room.


    After another sigh from Roland, he called out "Shadow."


    The space closed in and broke apart into pieces of glass-like fragments, revealing a skull-face figure clad in shadows as its garments.


    In Roland''s vision which was augmented by a maximum level [Appraisal], two sets of texts appeared beside the skull-face figure named Shadow as he emerged. The first one the mysterious individual''s name and race, Shadow and Wraith, respectively. The second texts is the spell that Shadow used to conceal himself, [Presence Detachment].


    "Elder Dusk." The wraith greeted, without any gestures of sorts.


    "As you heard it, Shadow. It is done."


    "His Excellence is please." said the Wraith with a voice that is befitting or his race, cold and sinister.


    "What news you brought?"


    "The heroes have been summoned."


    "Within the right period of time. As expected of the oracle."


    "But there''s only eight of them. Four from the Empire and another four from the Holy State of Avalon."


    "The oracle said there are Nine heroes. What about the ninth?"


    "The summoning of our champion will be within a fortnight."


    "No. What the Covenant is doing is not summoning but reincarnation. The oracle spoke of nine heroes summoned. It''s not like the oracle to be wrong."


    "In the wise words of His Excellence, there''s always a first time."


    "That it maybe...." Although Roland answered such, he''s not buying the mistake in the oracle but he deemed it unimportant for the time being. "Since you''re here personally and risking to be noticed by the great Vira Ninehearts, I assume the Grandmaster has some important message for me?"


    Shadow nodded. "His Excellence has a message for all Elders."


    "All. Huh...." Roland mused. "Alright, hit me."


    "The shepherd has awaken."


    Finally, Roland thought in his mind.


    "Find the lost sheep before the shepherd does."


    "Understood."


    Having done its duty, the Wraith began to retreat but it was stopped by Roland.


    "Do me a favor, would you?"


    "If it''s within the acceptable conditions, of course, Elder Dusk."


    "Yoven Valerius. His misdeeds from the first moon all the way to the fourth. Relay these to the rivaling families of House Valerius."


    "The compensation?"


    "Tell them it''s on the house."


    "Understood."


    "And also, if they could garner back every single dime I have sunk into any assets of Yoven Valerius, tell them I have a bonus piece of information for the competent and fortunate one."


    The Wraith nodded and disappears into his shadow.


    [Shadow Walk], Dusk''s appraisal told him.


    With all his business concluded in this prison-slave auction house, he left the reception hall and the lights doused themselves when the last person in the hall left.


    Grasping tightly to the pendant he wore around his neck, he spoke to his own heart


    "You did it. He''s here. Now, let''s hope the boy manages to get out without invoking it. All in a hard day''s work, Hyx."

 T8 - Fragments

    "Why do you listen to every word of what the Mimic said?"


    Crude words that belittle me and my master traveled into my ears as I''m mining diligently in the treasure trove of a mine. What''s with the sudden audacious question? What''s more, can''t you at least help me instead of just loitering right beside me?


    If I do not need the [Light Drop], I would have kicked her out of here. Per master''s eccentric words, "Sell that slark".


    "Mimic?" I asked. Since I have been digging non-stop for the past two hours, the baskets are all full of ores of different kinds. That''s a lot of ores, it should be enough to warrant myself a rest for now. Therefore, I decide to take a break now. I''m wearing plain shirt and a pair simple trousers. It is not from Nilin but master. Seeing Nilin''s magic, Master was determine to learn too. In a summary, Master didn''t exactly succeed but with Kai''s help, he managed.


    "Master is not a Mimic." Sitting down just by the walls I have been pounding with a pick axe, I declare so.


    "He''s not?" Nilin raised an eyebrow at my denial and sat across from me while holding her knees close to her chest. It''s true, you now? I have seen his race myself, master''s race is called a Violet Tail, a Magic Beast.


    "How is he not? Demi-humans or other beasts disguised as a human would always have some sort of feature that calls out their true nature. Only Mimics are able to perfectly disguise as a human without leaving any physical trace that calls them out. Which is why they are called Mimics."


    Nilin explained. She looks proud and is emitting some sort of aura. Master described it as "praise me" aura. What a weird description but as expected of master. And why would I want to praise her?


    I may be loyal to master but I''m not a simpleton. I can understand Nilin spoke a good argument, so I can''t retort.


    "I never met a Mimic before your master but I''m told they are just the lowest of the low. The Great Spirit even said there''s no loyalty nor honor even among their own kind."


    "It changes nothing even if Master is a Mimic."


    Since Nilin flinched a little from my retort, I must have been quite infuriated. She recovers quickly and leans forward to me. Since her dress is a little larger than her figure, I can see her immature and modest chest in bare. I said nothing, of course. "Why do you respect him so much?" She asked.


    "Master freed me of my accursed fate as a mere Goblin. He has given me a new life, twice."


    "Heh~? Really?"


    Why do you look disappointed?


    "Chiee~! It was something so rooted, eh." She murmured with a sneer but I heard it clearly due to my race as an Oni, I have a keen sense of hearing.


    What do you mean by "something so rooted"?


    "Neh~ Tom."


    Hmm? Her tone changed. Her face is even closer.


    "D...do you have s...someone?"


    Huh? Do I have someone? "I have master?"


    "Ngeh~? You swing that way?" Nilin exclaimed


    "Um.... I have Bartholomew and Cormac too?"


    "Ah~?" She sighs. "Idiot."


    Huh? Idiot? Me? Why?


    "I don''t mean that."


    "Um.... I have you too?"


    She backed away in an instance as she went full red on her face. This has happened for quite some time now. I wonder if she''s sick? When I spoke to master about this, he brushed it off as nothing.


    Nilin is looking down at the ground. She is trembling while gripping her fist. Is she sick? If you are sick, you should consult master, you know?


    When she raised her head back up, she throw herself at me. I gently I receive her but she presses on. More precisely, she presses her face at me.


    "Hmm?" Her eyes widened and tilted her head when I place my hand between our almost connected lips.


    "What are you doing?" I asked.


    She pulled back. "W....what do you mean why?"


    "Kissing is something that should be done between two consenting individuals. We shouldn''t do something like that so casually, you know?"


    "Huh~? Are you trying to s...say t...that you don''t l...like me?"


    I tilt my head, not understanding her words. "You are a friend. I like you, of course but kissing is done between lovers, is it not? That''s what master told me." In my time as a goblin, I have never even done something like kissing to the unfortunate females.


    Eh? She''s crying? Why is she crying? She''s so weird.


    "Mou~! You idiot!" She yelled and swung her opened palms across my face. I was slapped by Nilin. Why did she do that? Moreover, she got up with tears overflowing her eyes. "Why did I ever like you in the first place...." She said and ran off into a direction that is not the exit. I call out to her but she doesn''t respond and kept running.


    Wait? She likes me?


    .....


    Why? What does she sees in me? How can someone like me be loved by a pure existence like a Spirit? She''s cute and a very good girl but she can be quite condescending sometimes but nonetheless, she''s a good girl. Why does she like someone like me... a goblin....?


    I don''t understand..... This is absurd. Why would anyone like a goblin in the first place....


    No. She must have made a blunder like always. Yes, that must be it. She''s very absent-minded after all. I must have misinterpret it. She doesn''t meant it in that way. Yes, it must be like that.


    [*sighs* You two are just right for each other.] Master said to me through telepathy. Master is currently at the east of this city ruin, where the forest full of medicinal plants is. Since my training with Cormac and Bartholomew always ended with us being covered in wounds, master told us it would be better if we have some healing reagents just in case of emergency. He is being led by Lady Senna. He wanted Nilin to lead instead because she''s a Spirit of Nature but Nilin was stubborn in accompanying me. Master eventually gave up and took Lady Senna.


    [Eh, master? Have you been listening all along?]


    [Who knows?]


    Master always does this. Being vague with his words, I hate this part of master but I won''t tell him that. [Everything all right there?]


    [Absolutely.] Kai answered instead.


    [Can''t say the same for the Spriggans though.]


    [Spriggans?] I asked.


    [They just appeared out of nowhere. They seemed to be protecting something.]


    Something''s happening there but since it''s master, I''m sure everything will be fine. [How''s your hand, master?]


    [Good. Better than I thought. It is quite flexible. I don''t need to worry about getting hurt on the right arm.]


    I''m relieved. Master seemed to have trouble with his "new" right arm but I''m glad it''s fine now.


    [Oops. Talk later. Got company.] Master said and cut off the link.


    I know it means nothing for me to say this but please be safe, master.


    After resting for a while with my eyes close in a delicate posture, I feel rejuvenated. It was something master taught me. It''s called meditation. It is quite relaxing. Yosh~! I have rest enough. Time to get back to work.


    As I am about to resume back my work, I felt a huge surge of energy coming from where Nilin ran off to.


    Not good.


    I ditched everything and dashed down the path Nilin went on.


    [Tom, what''s wrong?] Master called.


    [I don''t know. I detected an energy surge. Nilin is there.]


    [We''re on our way. I want you stay put but....]


    [I know but Nilin might be in huge trouble.]


    [I understand. Just make sure you both get out of this. I won''t ask you to be unscathed or even come back in one piece but please, just be alive.]


    [I know, master. Over and out.] I said and cut the link. The last words were something taught by master, obviously.


    Using [Lightning Magic: Flickering Steps] in conjecture with [Wind Magic: Air Drive], I reached Nilin''s location in less than a minute. Thank the stars for the path is only a straight line without splits.


    A dead end. Is what I thought for a moment but there''s a huge gap in the walls disguised by the natural formation of the terrains. Nilin passed through there.


    I broke through the small gap using [Exalted Skin] and found Nilin on the ground, stunned by some magic. No, she''s not stunned by magic but by the energy pressure in this room. The Mana flowing in this enclosed space is denser than anywhere I know. The room is covered with magic inscription runes. They are flickering with blue glow. A spell is activating.


    My assumption is proved to be correct when [Arcane Analysis] showed this text, [Mass Teleport]. Nilin must have stumbled onto this place by accident and activated something.


    Nilin is grasped by fear so tight that she didn''t even hear me breaking through.


    "Nilin!" I called out with a shout.


    She responded with a jump and turns towards me. "Tom?"


    "Nilin, let''s get out of h...." I reached out to her


    Before my words can be finished and our hands could connect, the glow of the runes is set alight and basked the whole room with a brazen red.


    <hr>


    "Incompetent."


    "Useless."


    "Disgrace."


    "Inferior in every way."


    Huh? What''s this? Who are these people that have gathered around?


    Is that a kid?


    A group of peoples are gathered around a small child. He has short black hair. He has no notable features. He is just plain.


    "To think the Valerius family would produce a trash like you."


    "Useless in every way. Not a single talent. What good are you to this family?"


    I am not a trash.


    I am not useless.


    I didn''t asked for this.... Please understand....


    It didn''t came from the boy''s mouth. I heard it in my mind but I know it came from him. The boy looks familiar. I felt acquainted with him. Have I met him somewhere before?


    "What did the head say?"


    "Nothing. A thing like him is not worth the head''s time. He has left us to deal with it."


    "It''s a shame. A reincarnated but a failure."


    "To think that we once thought we struck gold."


    Reincarnated? The boy?


    Why me...?


    What have I ever done to deserve this?


    Soon, not just the adults but the other children joined in the belittlement. Every insults are thrown at him like stones at full force.


    Please... forgive me....


    I have done nothing wrong....


    I just wanted.... I just wanted...


    As the boy pleaded back in his mind, our eyes met and all other figures disappeared with a ripple. Nothing but despair and sorrow can be felt from the boy. I can sense anger boiling in him but it was always quenched by some rational lie he concocted on his own. No matter how much his family hated and despise him, I can feel the boy can''t bring himself to hate them back.


    Why can''t he?


    In a flash, the memory changed.


    The scenery is completely different than the former. It is calm. It is without despair nor sorrow. If anything, it is warming. A serenity.


    Ha... I''m speaking words that I never knew I know. Is this because I''m in master''s memory? Are these really master''s memories?


    If not, then whose?


    Hmm? What''s that?


    An arm''s length away from my feet, is a small creature that resembles an over-mutated bug. It is no bigger than my palm. Its whole body is blacked except for its faint gleaming purplish eyes. And the tips of its tail, it''s glowing a vibrant violet color. I have seen it before but I can''t remember where.


    The bug creature is hurt. It continues oozing out red blood despite being a bug. This could be the first time I have seen a bug bleeding red.


    A rustle sound of fallen twigs and dead leaves caught both me and the bug creature''s attention. We turn our eyes to the source of the rustling sounds. There stood a girl in a simple white one piece. She has shoulder length black hair. Her distinctive trait are the amber eyes of hers.


    The bug creature watches with curiosity at the girl approaching it.


    A slight distortion appears on the girl''s face. Is it because she realized what it is?


    At the sight of the shift of the girl''s facial expression, the bug creature froze. It further cowers behind a stone when the girl picked up a small piece of rock. Is the girl trying to kill it? The small cowering creature wrapped himself into a shape like the stone it cowers behind. It morphs into that same stone but only for a split second, it turned back into its bug form. The creatures shrieked with a jump and buries itself with the dead leaves.


    Cute.It was even more so on how it trembles under the leaves when it realized its mimicry failed.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The girl''s action froze and her stance slackened after, though she is still holding onto the rock. She looks conflicted. The girl took one step forward and the creature scurried away from its "hiding" spot. It retreated to the back of an old stump, curling itself there.


    The girl chuckled but not out of ridicule, I think? Eventually, she dropped the rock and knelt in front of the bug creature. She muttered something with a regretful smile and extended her hands at the bug creature.


    The creature uncurled itself. It showed itself from behind the stump and stares at the girl with amber eyes. As if they understood each other just like that, the palm-size creature made a sound that can only be described as joy. It then hopped into the girl''s palms without any hesitation. The girl giggled at its sloppy jump.


    It is simply a heartwarming sight but....


    I soon realize that it was just on the surface.


    In my mind, I heard the dark echoes of that bug creature, its true nature.


    Mine. it declares as it curled up in the girl''s palm. Forever.


    <hr>


    "Tom!"


    I jolted up when I feel a full brunt of something sinking into my stomach. The face of teary-eyes Nilin greeted me. I have no doubt if I had put more force into waking up, our heads would probably collide. She''s on top of me.


    "Nilin, you''re alright?" I asked while rustling her hair. She''s quite light surprisingly. She is half as heavy as she looks which is why it didn''t actually hurt when she dove into me.


    "Mou~ That''s something I should be asking you." She said, rubbing her eyes of her tears. "So reckless...." And she buries her face into my chest.


    Reckless, me? You were the one who tripped the magic off, you know? When my hand stops rustling her hair, she looks up at me.


    "More." She said and buried her face into my chest again. Sheesh, what a troublesome girl. I continue caressing her hair anyway.


    We stayed like that for a while.


    Hmm? My mind feels empty for some reasons.


    [Master, you there?]


    .....


    No answer. As far as I know, range doesn''t affect my link with master, Kai told us so. There''s only one reason that our link is severed. A magical barrier that severs or disrupts magical links. I look around and saw no words appearing into my view. Where''s my appraisal ability? I can''t speak to master or Kai and I lost my ability to appraise. This is not good.


    Nilin perks up from my chest and swing her head around. She conjures up a [Light Drop] that illuminates our surrounding. "Where are we?" She asked.


    I want to know too, you know?


    The area we are in doesn''t look that different from the mine except the absence of veins which makes the whole place feels rather lonely and depressing. It feels like my time back at the dungeon. The only consolation is how unusually wide this place is. The ceiling is at least ten meters from the ground.


    The sound of rocks hitting the floor can be heard and I direct my gaze at the direction of the noise.


    "What is that~!?" Nilin shrieked and retreated into me, literally. She is seriously trying to wiggle her way into my body. Was is that scary?


    I asked Nilin to shine at the place where the sound came from. It is a Golem, a humanoid rock Golem. It is as tall as me and it is wearing some sort warrior armor that is made from the same material as its body. Is the armor part of the Golem after all?


    "T...Tom?" Nilin shook my clothes.


    {Intruder.}


    The Golem spoke in Helix as it pointed at us.


    {N...no. W...we''re not. We just stumbled into this place by chance. W...we''re not intruders.} I replied back in Helix.


    {Password.}


    It demanded.


    I randomly spout something in Helix but none of it incur a positive response from the Golem.


    {Intruder --}


    Its voice has gotten lower and I can feel the imminent hostility in its tone. Even Nilin tightened her grasp on my clothes. It kinda hurts since she''s stretching my shirt but I don''t mind it.


    {-- must perish!}


    It declares so and rocks broke off from the wall. No, they are not rocks. They are Golems like the one declaring our death sentence in front of us. I counted until I''m unable to keep track of it.


    Oi oi, isn''t this a little bit too much?


    "They are Sentinels."


    I raised an eyebrow at Nilin''s words. "Sentinels?"


    "They are summoned beings. They are often used as guardians for tombs or treasure vaults."


    "Are they dangerous?"


    "Depends on the summoner. They are one of the summoned beings that can remain in the mortal realm for a long period of time. They are often left to guard something or someplace until the end of their time. The oldest summoned Sentinel known is called The Warden."


    Without waiting for us to finish, one of the rock warrior Golems, Sentinels lunge at us with a fine stone sword.


    I invoke [Earth Magic: Mud Wall] to block the sword.


    "Ah~!"


    Nilin screamed as the stone sword broke through the frail muddy wall. The Sentinels are stronger than I expected but this is also expected. I turn the Sentinel into pieces with [Aura Strike].


    Grabbing Nilin like an object which she objected while hitting me but this was no time to be considerate, I dash to a corner with [Flickering Steps]. That way, I wouldn''t need to worry about getting back-stabbed.


    I barely dodge under a swing which cut some strands of Nilin''s hair. I launch that Sentinel away from us with [Night Javelin], impaling its friends along the way. I shattered two swords with [Rageblade] and decapitated the two attacking Sentinels.


    Using a new ability I created with assistance and suggestion from Kai, [Rage Spear], I swing the spear of shadow flames in a wide arc, bisecting multiple Sentinels at once. I pull back the spear and thrust it back out, skewering another dozen numbers of Sentinels. The ones who got through my assault pounces at me. Shrinking the spear into the length of a sword which is essentially a [Rageblade] now, I sliced them into half and diced them into chunks.


    There a few of the Sentinels that look different. They are without weapons. I understand why immediately when they fired magic at us. Fireballs, Wind Blades, Water Bullets, Lightning Bolt, and Mud Boulder, all of them are novice-level spells but when they came in a bulk, it felt like adept-level. I raised defensive spells against the magic with opposing elements. Water against fire, lightning against water, earth against lightning, wind against earth, and fire against wind. I discovered this order during my training with Cormac and Bartholomew.


    My Mana isn''t in a dire situation but exhaustion is seeping into me.


    I can hear Nilin clapping behind me. I appreciate her support but can''t she help too? When I asked her in between the onslaught of waves, she told me as a young Spirit of Nature, she has sworn to do no harm until she comes of age. What kind of law is that? Since she''s a Spirit and I''m an Oni, it''s probably a common sense for their kind that I don''t understand. After all, Master is weird too.


    The Sentinels keep coming and I keep killing. I can tell my training is paying off. However....


    It''s no use.


    I have killed more than a few dozens but they just keep coming. My Mana is not low nor do I think I will need to worry about it given my Mana recovery rate, but if it goes one like this, I think my stamina will give out first.


    Huh? The Sentinels stopped attacking all of a sudden. Since they all wore the same unchanging expression, I can''t tell what they are planing. Suddenly, the earth below my feet is making thumping sounds. With each beat, the crowd backs away.


    I should be relieved for having a moment for breather but I can''t shake off the premonition I have.


    And I am correct with my premonition.


    Parting the crowd, steps that shook the earth, a roughly four meter tall Sentinel struts toward us. It wields a club in its right arm. The club is glowing with blue light inscription runes. Is this magic enchantment?


    Just by raising its club, the shadow cast shrouds us in darkness.


    I moved away from the spot the club is swung down at. Of course, I didn''t leave Nilin behind. I''m carrying her under my arms. She complains but she understands the reason my action. I have moved into the air with [Air Drive]. Not just the ground, the air and winds shook as well from the Giant Sentinel''s attack. What kind of strength is that? I don''t think master can even survive that.


    Behind the uncountable numbers of Sentinel swarm, I see a way out. I don''t know if it''s really one but it''s better than staying in here. I use [Air Drive] with [Flickering Steps] to reach the passage. Spears and spells are thrown at me from the ground but I destroyed them all with my shadow flame aura, [Dark Shroud]. I invoked it in a ring shape so Nilin would not get caught in it too.


    Hmm? What''s that? A magic circle?


    A blue magic circle forms before the leader Sentinel. I can see a tip of a sharp object emerging from the circle. I can tell it is made of Mana.


    Shit. I realized it too late. It''s a projectile-based spell. I have seen an adventurer mage used this once, I remember it is called [Mana Arrow]. But... is it suppose to be this big? The magic arrow came at us at a speed not loosing to a real arrow shot from a bow. It''s fast. I avoid the arrow penetrating my head but it grazed my back. The magic arrow managed to pierce through [Dark Shroud] without being destroyed. My balance is toppled and I''m further hit by more spells. I make sure to shield Nilin from the spells.


    When the spells hit, I endured the impact and pain by gritting my teeth. Blood spout out from between my clenched teeth.


    "Tom!" Nilin screamed. "W...what are y...you doing!?" Understandable. She must be scared by the barrages of attacks. Don''t worry, I won''t let you get hurt.


    "Look out!"


    Even if she warned me, I am attacked by spells and spears from all sides while shielding her, there is no way I can dodge the club swinging at my way. I threw her away from me. I even ease her fall with [Wind Magic]. Making sure she doesn''t get hurt had rid me of my opportunity to dodge the incoming club. I can only close my eyes and braced for the impact.


    <hr>


    Huh.... Looks like I''m in the memories again. Hmm.... What was I doing just now? I can''t remember no matter how hard I tried.


    Bright. This place is too bright. Noisy. This place is also too noisy.


    I''m surrounded by flames. A two floor building is burning down before me. Screams and cries mixed in with the sounds of the blaze cracking at every object it touches.


    Corpses are scattered around, men or woman, children or elder, beast or human, there was no discrimination.


    Besides the corpses, everyone is fighting each other. It wasn''t just Sagax against monsters. Sagax were fighting Sagax. Monsters were fighting monsters. Chaos would be an understatement to this situation.


    I heard a short cry coming from behind and I turned back to see the girl with amber eyes tripped on a pebble. She went sprawling on the ground, probably because she was running prior. Nothing was chasing her though?


    No. She is running for the burning building. She got back up quickly like the fall was just an illusion. She paid no heed to everything else happening around her. She''s screaming for someone or something but I can''t hear her words.


    A woman came up beside her. She is dressed like a servant. The girl''s dire expression loosened for awhile when she saw the woman. A faint smile appeared on her face but almost. The girl''s face tightened back. She noticed something and she shrunk away from the woman. The woman insisted but the girl drew the sword by her waist and slashed at the woman. The girl stared daggers at the woman who is leaking out black blood on her cheek. The woman then shrewdly smile. Tearing apart the skin, a monster of hideous appearance emerged from within the body of the woman.


    The girl lost strength at the sight of the monster. She fell and dropped her sword. Her strong-willed gaze took a turn into a face distorted with despair. She even wet herself not just her eyes but also her private area.


    Before the monster could lunge and swing its sharp claws at the girl, another monster lunges itself at that monster. The attacking monster is covered with purplish veins and it has a violet tip on its tail. The purple monster then tore away its prey and feast on its flesh. Black tendrils emerged from its back and assisted participated in the feast.


    B...black tendrils.... Is that....


    When the purple monster finished mauling its prey, it turned its purplish glowing eyes to the girl with amber eyes.


    The girl''s face of despair twisted even more but it twisted into a face of anger. She screamed at the purple monster. It only chuckled back as its response. Seeming intimidated by it, the girl lunged at the monster but the monster itself took a passive stance.


    I could be wrong but the monster looks amused. Why?


    Right before they clash, the building explodes and the flames came at every direction.


    My vision is then dyed the brilliant colors of flames.


    She''s mine!


    The same voice echoed in my mind.


    None of you shall take her away from me.... I won''t let any of you have her...


    No one.


    NO ONE!!


    <hr>


    Ahhh!


    I shouted as I woke up but I kept silent at the following second.


    What the hell was that....? Why did I screamed?


    Argh... I can''t remember.


    Ugh....


    I can''t move....


    Why....? Why can''t I move?


    I''m not in pain. I don''t even feel the least bit of pain.


    Ah. I can move but I just can''t feel it. As evidence, I moving my fingers but I don''t feel like my fingers are moving. What a weird feeling.


    "A...ah..."


    I can speak, barely.


    Flames is conjured in my palm.


    I can still use magic.


    Good. I''m still fine.... I am, right? Hmm? My other hand is bent in a way it''s not suppose to, even the fingers too. I snap all of them back into place and I felt absolutely nothing. This is too weird.


    When I got up slightly, I noticed I''m bleeding but I''m not bleeding red. Flames are swaying around my wounds and shadows are leaking out from it. What the.... Oh right. It''s one of the effects of my unique Arcane Art, [Blaze of the Depths].


    What happened? Hmm.... Oh right, I was hit with that giant club. I''m alive though? I''m alive, right? Well, I feel alive. I don''t feel any pain anywhere on my body. Weren''t my bones suppose to be shattered?


    Do I even have bones while the special effects of  [Blaze of the Depths] is active?


    I move my eyes around. Am I in a hole?


    {What is the meaning of this...?}


    Hmm? Is it talking to me?


    I push myself up to my feet and slowly limp out of the hole I''m battered into. I see Nilin standing in between me and the leader Sentinel.


    "You shall not harm this Oni." She said. How unusual. Her voice actually carries weight.


    {In accordance to my master''s wish, all intruders and uninvited shall be eliminated. You are spared because of your race, O'' young Spirit.}


    "I don''t care." She stood strong but her knees are obviously shaking. Is rare or rather, very unexpected for her to be like this. "This Oni is my..... frie.... No. He''s my.... beloved."


    Huh? W...what? What are you saying, Nilin?


    {Really now?}


    Nilin return an unfaltering gaze at the Sentinel.


    {Very well, then.}


    What...? You are going to let us go?


    {You shall die with the intruder, O'' young Spirit.}


    Eh?


    "I would like to see you try." Nilin said and she begin to glow cyan. A huge amount of Mana surged within her as she unleashed certain spells. Without the appraising ability, I can''t tell what spells she has invoked.


    A huge brazen cyan light filled the room for a second before dying down. Everyone in the room waited for an effect to take place but nothing happened after ten seconds passed.


    What was that?


    Nilin shook her head with a downed gaze. "Great Spirits.... Forgive this impudent Wisp of a young Spirit of Nature." She said and invoked another spell.


    Wow.... Heaps of cyan vines erupted from the earth and entangled the Sentinels including the giant-variant. Cyan energy converges in front of Nilin.


    Um.... Nilin, what are you doing? That''s an attack spell, right? Didn''t you say you are not allow to do any harm before your coming of age?


    Nevertheless, Nilin fires the condensed ball of cyan energy at the Giant Sentinel. It hit but nothing particular happened. Without any grunt nor words of rebuke, the Giant Sentinel swung its club despite the restraining vines.


    NIL...!


    Before I can even scream out her name, she is launched into the sky like a doll. I don''t know if Spirits bleed but one thing''s for sure, a girl of her size can''t survive that.


    "NILIN!!!"


    I tried to run to her before she lands but the absent feeling of body control made me trip and fell.


    Curses! Not now! Fucking useless legs!!!


    {Eliminate them both.} The leader Sentinel ordered and the others began moving.


    You.... you.... you shit fucks!!! If you touch her, I.... I''ll.... I''ll kill you all!!! You hear me!!! I''ll kill you all!! If you touch her, I''ll kill all you fucks!!


    I kill you all. I''ll leave none of you alive.


    That''s right. Kill them all. And feed on the flesh of the fallen. Like your master.


    What... H...how are you....?


    Shh.... Don''t fret the details now. You just need to kill them all and devour them. Like you wished, all along. Just like how you always wanted...


    Shut up! How are you here? Aren''t you suppose to be....


    Sealed? Haha.... With that level of [Sealing Magic]? Is your master that naive or just too arrogant? Mah~ That don''t matter right now. What matter is what you want to do right now. You want to kill and feed on them like your master, don''t you?


    You''re wrong! I''m not....


    Don''t lie to yourself any longer. You and that Wisp won''t come out of this ordeal alive if all you did is deny what you truly are. You wish to be strong just like your master. You wish to devour enemies like your master could. And most of all....


    No... don''t say it.... please....


    You want her. You desire her. You want to ravage Nilin like you did with the unfortunate females. Admit it.


    No! You''re wrong!! I''m... I have changed! I''m not a goblin anymore.....


    Hypocrite! Stop lying to yourself! You want this. You do not want to escape your accursed fate. You just want to get stronger. You want that girl too. You are greedy, like the Goblin you are. You might not know why she adores you but you know she does.... You played the fool all along because you are in denial of your true nature.


    I''m.... I''m not....


    Don''t. Lie. Admit it. Admit to yourself. What you really are.


    I''m an Oni! I''m no longer a Goblin!


    You don''t believe that, you hypocrite. You will always be a Goblin. You might be an Oni now but first and foremost, you will always be a Goblin. So, why fight it? Why keep denying it? Deny all you want, it won''t change the truth. Most of all, it won''t help you if all you do, is keep denying what you really are.


    I.... I don''t care.... I... I don''t care what I am! I just want to save Nilin.


    Really now? Even now, you still deny it. How long do you think you can keep denying it?


    Shut. Up. You don''t know me.


    But I do.


    No! You don''t. I am an Oni and yes, I am a Goblin but I am different. I am better than you. Let me show you, what I can do, Goblin.


    Mustering all my courage, I plunge my hand into my head. I grabbed onto the dark piece of matter within my brain. Ignoring the consequences and the probably agony that comes later, I tore that dark piece out of me. I threw it to the ground and stomp right down at it, creating a huge den on the ground.


    I don''t know if I successfully got rid of all of it but the voice has stopped for now. If it comes back, I can just do the same thing.


    ARGH!!! Curses! I am able to feel pain again but this is nothing. Just remember the wise words of my master, "All in a hard day''s work."


    [Conditions Cleared]


    [Wrath of Oni (Legacy): Lv. 1 - Acquired]


    [Blaze of the Depths (Unique): Lv. 4 increased to Lv. 5]


    [Blaze of the Depths (Unique): Demolisher - Acquired]


    [Title: <Unyielding One> - Acquired]


    What a hypocritical and ironic title but... whatever... None of that matters now.


    I activate [Wrath of Oni] without any second thoughts. It boosts my power and strength and accelerated my healing factor, all at the cost of loosing my Mana at a rapid rate. My Mana doesn''t recovers while [Wrath of Oni] is active. The pain is still there but it doesn''t bother me for the time being.


    I invoke [Demolisher]. Five massive shadow flaming tendrils of human size rush at the Sentinels, instantly decimating the dozens of numbers. The Giant Sentinel is still confused at the sudden lost of its lower body part.


    I rush to Nilin, who is in her Wisp form. She is faintly glowing her trademark cyan light. I can tell she is dying even without appraisal.


    You idiot! Why are you so reckless?


    Just when I begin to wreck my brain for any solution to save her while fending off the unaffected Sentinels, fortune smiles upon me.


    [Tom! Are you alright? What about Nilin?]


    [What''s your status!?]


    I heard master and Kai asked at the same time. Geez, what a worrywart you two are.... I have such wonderful friends.


    I told master everything and assures them we''re fine, for the time being.


    Strange, why is the link connected out of a sudden?


    Ah, it was that magic that Nilin cast just before. The one that I thought it did nothing. In actuality, she hasn''t destroy the obstructing magical barrier but she made a few cracks. Enough to let master know where we are.


    "Nice work, Nilin." I gently caress the ball of cyan light. Do I really deserve your love...?


    At that moment, the ceiling explodes with black and white lights. Clad in red lightning, master landed right between me and the Sentinels.


    Lady Senna is with master, of course but... who''s that little girl being cradled in master''s arms?


    Since my link with master is back, I can use the appraisal ability again.


    Huh...?


    Name: Kiralhirin


    Gender: Female


    Age: 20


    Race: Dryad (Spirit of Nature)


    Status: Fatigue


    A Dryad?


    What did you do this time, master?

 A2 - Aberrant Outing

    Lovely.


    Truly, what a lovely forest. A forest in a cave, no less. What a dreamy place. It has changed a lot since I last been here, that was thousands of years ago. Don''t mean to demean nature in general but this flora dominion is especially lovely now after a period of a seeming eternity. It changed for the better. A perfect spot for a couple outing.


    I almost shrieked out in glee but I managed to hold it back. I have to be prim and proper in front of my beloved. Still, I can at least got for his arm which I wrapped mine around it.


    Oops. Wrong arm. I have hugged his [Phantom Limb] instead. I awkwardly make my way to his other side and embrace that flesh arm of his.


    Fumu~ The real thing is the best after all.


    Although my actions are sudden but my beloved doesn''t look or even act surprise. How insensitive but he''s cute this way.


    Hyx, my beloved came to this forest for a reason much proper but I don''t see why I can''t take advantage of this golden opportunity.


    Unlike normal forests which are just trees as far as the eyes could see, this forest is packed with plants of various colors and shapes. Since my beloved has an appraisal ability, it''s a little bit unsettling to see his eyes moving about while his head remain still. Instead of actually feeling repulsed, I''m further enticed by his peculiarity.


    While observing all the different sorts of plants, a bug has crawled onto his arm. I don''t have an aversion for bugs but I do find them unpleasant. My beloved however, is a different story. He calmly took it off his arm and threw it a few distances away. Thinking he''s contend with just that, I turn my eyes away from the bug but then I felt a disturbance in the space around us. I looked back and found the spot where the bug is thrown to, is now a tiny crater.


    What an interesting reaction.


    Calming strolling through the forest while stopping and picking medicinal plants here and there, we arrived at a clearing after a little bit less than two hours. The clearing spans for at least a hundred meter. Taking up a quarter of the clearing is a pond in the middle. In the center of this pond is a small piece of land. On that land, a huge tree with cyan leaves stood proudly, ethereal chains are wrapped around the trunk and branches.


    Despite the size, I can tell it is only a young seedling. The trunk and branches lacks the complexions and wrinkles that serve as a seasoned''s mark.


    "What the...." Hyx muttered. He must have found something with his appraisal ability. "Spirit of Nature?"


    My beloved blurted out. What does he mean by "Spirit of Nature"? Did he mean this place or that tree?


    Before questions came out from my lips, creatures made of flowers and wood preceded it.


    "Oh.... fucking hell. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Not you guys again...."


    I''m shocked. I thought Hyx hated bugs but the look on his face right now is just simply priceless. Not just disgust, even fear, anger, and despair is in the mix. There are more than twenty of these creatures. Even without appraisal, I know what they are. Spriggans.


    No wonder.


    He did told me of his encounter with Spriggans covered with Red Crystals. Apparently, he lost most of his sense of pain on that encounter but he omitted the details. Reading the mood then, I didn''t pursue it further. Maybe I should have pursue it?


    I know a fair amount about Spriggans myself. They are forest guardians. If they appeared now, it can only mean one thing.


    "Dear, they are guarding something."


    "Guarding what?"


    "I don''t know but Spriggans are known as forest guardians in my time as they are always protecting something."


    "I see." He said and conjures an orb of blue flames in his palm. He paused as if he noticed something off. He stares at my way. "Dear?"


    Oh? He was wondering about that? Ehehe~ How amusing. "I can''t?" I asked while making sure I look as appealing as possible.


    Before answers came, the Spriggans attack.


    "Fucking KYs." Hyx said with a groan and threw the blue fireball in his palm. I wonder what he meant by "KYs"?


    The blue flames spread nicely among them but not all of them are caught in it.


    "That''s right! Burn, you fucks!" Hyx suddenly shouted. He is grinning at the sight of the Spriggans bathed in the sea of blue flames. I''m a little worried to be honest.


    Let me help, okay?


    I raise a tide of shadows and send it crashing at the Spriggans, shredding them like timber. Ara~? To my surprise, the number of Spriggans who survived the shadow onslaughts are more than I anticipated.


    They''re quite resilient, aren''t they?


    [Light Magic] would be clear away the Spriggans easily but since my beloved need the plants, that''s out of the question. After all, [Light Magic] is a little similar to [Fire Magic] since both of them are heat-based. I might end up destroying the whole forest if I''m not careful. Hai~ Being strong has its demerits I suppose?


    I guess [Abyss Magic] would do? Since we''re underground, [Abyssal Rain] is definitely impossible and a no-no. So, [Death Garden]?


    Ah? Never mind. Apparently, my beloved has overdone it. He has set alight the whole place with blue flames. Under normal circumstances, I would be worried but this is not normal. The blue flames are burning but it only burns the Spriggans. Eh, wait. My shadow tides are being burned away too by the blue flames. It''s burning away all magic.


    Hai~ My sweetheart. Just what are you?


    I can''t wait for the day he surpasses me. It would be glorious.


    Ehehe~ Thinking about it alone is enough to make me feel excited. Guhehe~


    "Angie." My beloved called out as he shook me.


    Oops. I dazed off in my fantasies. This is no good of me. I have to be prim and proper. Prim and proper, Senna.


    On the other hand, my beloved is decimating the Spriggans with blue flames while laughing maniacally.


    "Having fun?"


    Eh? His face turned sour when I asked that. What did I do?


    "No, not really." He answers without any excitement. Strange, didn''t you look so excited just now when you were turning every Spriggans to ashes? I suppose the experience with the Red Crystal Spriggans must have really left a deep scar on him.


    Fortunately, the Spriggans aren''t endless. Either they are all eliminated or they retreated, I do not know. I''m just thankful that they stopped coming.


    Now, let''s ask my beloved about what''s happening.


    He pointed at the tree in the middle of the lake. Figures.


    "They are protecting that."


    "That seedling?"


    "Seedling? You know what is it?"


    "No but it''s obvious. I am over a hun....." Oops. Almost let out my age. Age is a woman''s biggest secret next to weight. My beloved already probably knows my real age but let''s both play the fools here. "I have lived a long time, I know these things."


    "I see...." he said while looking conflicted. He probably noticed my slip-up.


    Making sure no Spriggans are attacking us anymore, we approached the pond. At then, I noticed a carefully yet naturally concealed presence nearing us from behind. Without needing a nudge from me, my beloved too noticed the extra presence.


    "Greetings, two fellow Sagax." We turn around and we are greeted by a woman with cyan hair wearing a very compose expression. She looks human but she''s obviously not.


    Neglecting her race.... she''s beautiful. I''m well aware of my own beauty thanks to the constant reminder of the peoples around me but I believe this woman outrank me in every aspect of beauty. She''s even dressed with a lot of exposure, especially on her chest area and her thighs. Not good, I can''t compete with her. Despite looking older than me, she''s definitely a higher tier beauty. I suddenly felt a prick on my heart. I turn to look at my beloved.


    He looks shocked but he doesn''t look entrance by the beauty of that cyan hair woman. I guess it''s good? Come to think of it, his expression isn''t too exaggerated either when he first met me.


    No. He''s certainly bewitched. I can hear the loud beat of his heart and the red tinge on his cheeks. Mou~ How could you~


    I pinch him and he jumped.


    "What?" He asked.


    What do you mean "what"? You were ogling at other woman, that''s why! Is what want to say but I remained prim and proper. "Please exercise restrain." I subtly warn him.


    "Rest easy, Nephilim. I have no intention on stealing your mate." said the woman.


    My blood is boiling. Are assuming that you could steal my man if you wanted to?


    I feel a clasp on my shoulder. Is my beloved. "It''s alright." He assures me. Not with a smile but with an expressionless face. He stepped in front of me. "May we be of assistance, Dryad?"


    Dryad? Hmph. That explains her beauty. A natural seductress in the most literal sense. Although, isn''t she a little bit too old? Most Dryad looks like a human girl at the coming of age period. This is the first time I see a Dryad this old.


    "I know what you two are thinking. I am quite old comparing to a Dryad''s standard."


    "Old?" My beloved blurted out.


    What''s this? Is my beloved falling for the vixen''s tricks?


    "I think old is an understatement for you, Dryad. Wouldn''t ancient be more suitable?"


    The Dryad looks confused at first but her calm expression return shortly after. "I see, you have an appraisal ability."


    My beloved then whispers into my ear the age of the Dryad in front of us.


    Wh...what? Over a million years old? Holy.... That''s so old. And what''s more, she doesn''t even look the quarter of her age..... Curse you, Dryads!!


    "What do you want? You obviously saw me massacring all your Kin just now. Doesn''t make sense for you to just popped out of nowhere to greet us when we obviously showed you hostility."


    The Dryad chuckled. "To be fair, we showed you hostility first."


    Oh? This Dryad is reasonable.


    "Well, damn straight." My beloved said. "So, get straight to the point. Be direct cause my mood has just been dampen."


    "Be at ease, shepherd. I have no intention on misleading you. What I have to say to you and ask of you are all the truest and the most sincere."


    "Uh huh....?"


    He made a weird sound that I can only see as a mockery towards the Dryad.


    But the Dryad smiled back at my beloved''s distrusting ridicule. She''s quite prim and proper. I don''t like her even more.


    Unexpectedly, the Dryad kept to her words and told us everything.


    Her story was quite long and she used some surreal words but my beloved helped me summarized the whole thing. I''m impress that he is able to absorb all the words and knowledge in one gulp. It seems like he''s not only amazing in his Mana prowess.


    Putting aside the matter on my beloved''s versatility, this is how the Dryad''s story went.


    This forest is the birthplace of the Spirits of Nature. It was once barren but at certain point, it was blessed a miracle by the grace and generosity of the Gods. Life flourished and bloomed magnificently. It became something akin to a heart of nature. The surroundings were affected by this miracle forest and these places too started blooming beautiful marvels, most of all, magic ore veins.


    Just as my beloved and I already have known, humans came and they desecrated these wonders. They harvest the resources and used it for their selfish reasons and benefits. Eventually, their rapid rise and evolution attracted the unknowns. They fend off the invaders but the Gods were angry and had enough of these humans'' greed. The Gods plunged this civilization underground, both as a punishment to the greedy ones and to make sure the Outworld Devils, as the Dryad calls the Void Demons, never to set foot again into this world.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Unfortunately, this miracle forest is also cut off from the world to prevent it from being exploited again. The forest survived this long without sunlight or water is all because of me. Though it wasn''t originally their intention to draw power from me but they had no choice.


    Of course, I''m angry but I''m calmed down after my beloved embraced me. Mwu~ no fair. So sneaky.


    Ahem~ Back to the story. Before the greedy ones were sealed, before they were judged, they were very meager with their resources. These people became so paranoid and delusional. They can''t stand the idea of anyone having these power and knowledge too. So, they sealed the source of their fortune away. Kept them lock away like mere artifact objects, only to be retrieved out when needed.


    So this was what happened.... They sealed me and only to free me when they need me.... Serves you all right, you twats.


    Nevertheless, the three sources the Dryad spoke of are,


    A Nephilim, which is me, a very powerful war potential and a Mana reservoir, as how the Dryad puts it. How rude.


    An ancient giant race called Colossus. He was sealed for his unparalleled knowledge of forging and crafting. He helped created the first Mondra. Most of the complex artifacts in my time were made by him. Strange, I never met this giant before though. Then again, there''s a lot of genius back at my time that I''m not acquainted with. I always left the talks and diplomacy to my others.


    And finally, a young Dryad of the purest and oldest line. The young Dryad possesses the knowledge to a lot of long forgotten potion recipes.


    Now, a Void Demon has roamed free. The power source of this whole place, me, is cut off. The forest is dying and it can only sustain itself for another three years before completely withering out.


    "Yes, that''s very enlightening and fantastic and all but, I still don''t hear an ask."


    "Then, here''s the ask. The Spirits of Nature in this parts greatly differs to the ones on the outside and surface. We are the purest and the oldest of our own kind. And right there," The Dryad points at the tree in the center of the pond. "A young Dryad is sealed there, our legacy. We request you to take it under your care, Shepherd."


    "Under my care?"


    "If she''s left here, she would wither away along with us."


    I feel a change in my beloved''s air. What''s wrong, I wonder?


    "Why me?"


    "That''s right, why him?" I pull my beloved closer to me.


    "Because you are the Shepherd, aren''t you? None of us were able to break the chains that have imprisoned our legacy. If it''s you, I''m sure it wouldn''t be a problem."


    "Shepherd?" I asked and I look to my beloved for an answer.


    "I don''t know what she''s saying either." is what the face of my beloved is telling me.


    "You must be. There''s no way, you''re not. Even the Spirits are clamoring around you. That says a lot."


    I look at my beloved but I don''t see anything.


    "They never do that unless one has a high affinity with [Spirit Magic]. You obviously don''t. You''re not a Spirit either so it comes down to one possibility. You are the Shepherd." The Dryad said with a face full of confidence. Not a single hint of being mistaken could be seen on her face.


    "Shepherd.... Are you referring to.... Harbinger?"


    "Yes but I would prefer not to call our savior with such crude name."


    "Harbinger?"


    "I didn''t tell you about it?" My beloved asks.


    "No, you didn''t."


    "Ah. Sorry. There were just so much things to tell you that I may have forgotten about a few things."


    I forgave him but I made him promise to tell me everything he forgotten later, while in the bed of course.


    "But I might not be the Harbinger though?"


    Both me and the Dryad raised our eyebrows.


    "I''m only called the Harbinger by a Void Demon. As far as I can tell, I have no such title."


    "Hmm.... This is.... unexpected...." The Dryad''s face turns gloom at once.


    "But I will take care of the young Dryad even if I''m not the Harbinger."


    "You will?" I blurted out.


    "Oh? Why is that?" The Dryad asked with a faint smile. So sly.


    "I owed the Spirits of Nature. If it wasn''t for the generosity of a Spirit of Nature, my party and I wouldn''t have been able to make it out of the dungeon in the south. If I can repay them, I will do it."


    The Dryad lets out a smile, wryly. "Then perhaps, you are the Shepherd after all. I don''t feel any malevolent intention behind your eyes when you ask to take care of the Dryad."


    My beloved return a wry smile too. I saw it and pinch him on the waist.


    "A little service wouldn''t hurt, right?"


    He has a point but.... it just doesn''t sit right with me. I can''t help but feeling my heart getting prickled when my beloved is flirting with another woman, especially if it''s a woman more beautiful than me.


    I pout.


    He saw my state. He rustles my hair while whispering some extreme promises for when are in bed. Guhehe~ All according to plan.


    "What about you?"


    Eh~? My beloved said some unneeded things. W...why?


    "I have seen a lot and experienced a lot. I have every desire to spent my last days in peace. I only wish for the pure line to be preserved. That alone, is enough."


    Whew~ Luckily this Dryad is unusual.


    "But... I don''t mind a last night for the sake of relieving a fleeting memory of my frolic past."


    WHAT. DID. THIS. WHORE. JUST. SAY!?


    I bare my wings and almost turn this slut into mince but I''m stopped by my beloved. Why? Why are you stopping me? Let me go and gut that bitch!


    "Calm down, Angie. She''s just joking," My beloved then look towards the Dryad "right?"


    I too glance at the Dryad.


    Swaying her figure vaguely, she answers "Ara~ I wonder~?" with her hand on her lips.


    If it wasn''t for my beloved who held onto me tightly and whispers affection into my ear, I don''t think I would have been able to restrain myself.


    For someone who is "pure" just days before, he''s quite good at showing affection when it is truly needed. Such a sly person my beloved is.


    I though we would be given the care of the young Dryad without anymore complications but I was being too optimistic and naive.


    "Forgive me for the late revelations but..... I''m the last Spirit that has remained sane for the last two thousand years."


    Ah.... In other words, the Dryad here is the only one that isn''t hostile.


    When we got near the pond, large trees appear from it.


    When I asked my beloved, I got the answer "They are Elder Treants. They all have Demented as their status. They are over a million years old too. They''re not that threatening. They are C levels at most."


    I would be happy with just "They''re hostiles."


    Before I can offer myself to sweep these tactless trunks away, my beloved stepped up instead. It seems he has something he wants to try. So I let him.


    One of the Treants fired a green energy beam at my beloved but a dark purplish barrier absorbed the energy. The green energy is then converted into the barrier''s Mana upkeep. What a wonderful spell, as expected of my beloved.


    "Hmm.... I didn''t gain any [Nature Magic] from it."


    Looks like my beloved doesn''t have the aptitude for [Nature Magic] or does he need [Soul Harvest] to acquire it? He use to had the notion of [Spirit Magic] and [Nature Magic] being the same thing but I have made it clear to him that the two are different Arcane Arts.


    Hmm? Where did he went? My beloved disappeared all of a sudden. I can''t sense his presence anywhere. What did he do?


    Without any sound or the slightest hint to give him away, the five Elder Treants are instantly severed into half.


    "Timber!" My beloved shouted as he reappeared.


    What was that? He completely erased his presence. Not even an S-rank like me is able to perceive him. What a frightening ability he has.


    "Such an adept display in dispatching your enemies. I expected no less from the shepherd." I heard such words from the Dryad who is clapping behind me. Gununu~ This Dryad.... Just begone already!


    Huh? What is he trying to do? Is he trying to swim across the pond?


    As I''m about to offer my wings, he casually strides across the surface of the pond. Eh? He can do that? I can see some sort of distorted plane under his feet as footholds. [Spatial Magic], no doubt.


    Unlike me who is all combat-oriented, my beloved is a jack-of-trades. Mah~ As expected of my eccentric savior. Fufufu~ I have truly struck gold.


    Ah. No good. I almost let loose my inner side of me. Prim and proper, Senna.


    Just a few steps in, ripples spread across the water surface. As oppose to the sense of anxiety brewing within me, my beloved looks so calm. Too calm, in fact. Six serpents covered in mosses of approximately fifty meters emerge from the depths. Now that I look closely at the depths, is this suppose to be a lake instead rather than a pond?


    He spins with his ethereal arm splayed. Like the Elder Treants earlier, the six moss-covered serpents met the same fate.


    Although our gap in strength is still far apart, he is by no means weak. He told me he is only C-rank from his appraisal ability but I think his appraisal is mistaken. With that kind of power, he must be at least a B-rank.


    More monsters from the lake came out but my beloved easily dispatches all of them. Just a few steps away from the small island at the center, a humanoid reptile appears. Like every other monsters, it is also covered in mosses and it stood over five meters tall. I can see my beloved using the same ability of space-cutting but the reptile monster resisted it. Even from here, I heard him cursed.


    Such foul mouth~ but I don''t dislike it.


    I moved in between them with [Gap Shrink] and brought an abrupt end to the reptile monster with [Blight Barrage].


    I feel my beloved gazing at me but I didn''t give a response to it. Just like always, he''s surprised at the level of my ability while he himself is far more absurd. Such an odd person. My beloved thank me with a pat on my head. Although I feel like a pet for being patted, I quite enjoy the feeling of having your love one rustling your hair. Such a baffling sensation but a good one.


    Standing just before the enchained tree, he tilts and inclines his head. So this is how he ponders, what a cute action. Gah~ What''s happening to me~? I''m thinking that everything he does is cute. Isn''t this slowly crossing into the boundaries of obsession?


    While I''m thinking such things, black tendrils emerge from my beloved''s back. I immediately took a stance at first but he quickly reassure my needless worries. Apparently this is his unique Arcane Art, [Soul Harvest]. The black tendrils devoured the binding chains but left the tree alone.


    "Ooh, level up!" My beloved exclaimed. His smile suddenly make my day so many times better. Gosh~ I''m really head over heels for him. Why is that? I never think that I could love someone so much. Am I really going obsess over him?


    The tree lights up into a brilliant cyan and it disperses into thousands of tiny flickers, they look like [Light Drop]. When the lights faded, a small frail girl with cyan hair lies in the place of the tall tree. The girl looks a little bit like Nilin, the Wisp.


    "That was easy." I remarked.


    "Yeah.... only now...." When my beloved said those words, I can see his hands trembling slightly. A short one but it was rough. He even took deep breaths to calm down. Looks like I have unintentionally reminded him of some past trauma.


    I whisper an apology which he he reassure that I have done nothing wrong. Wow, even his hearing is excellent. Just what else is absurd about my beloved?


    As if sensing us, the little girl wakes up. She blinks a few times before alternating her gaze between me and my beloved. Before either one of us spoke, she emanates cyan lights. Cyan vines sprouted from the soil around her. I can feel the animosity from her and the vines. Does she sees us as enemies? We''re not, you know?


    As if hearing the words in my head, the girl stops, the vines retreated back into the soil. Her gaze is fixated on my beloved.


    Huh? Why does my heart felt like it''s being torn apart?


    Without any words, the girl throws herself into my beloved.


    "Nn~!" She made such sounds as my beloved gently receives her.


    Eh~! What is she trying to do~!? And Hyx, what are you doing by acting all flustered? Swat her away, now!


    "Ara ara~ Seems like she likes you." The Dryad said. Where did you come from? How did you crossed the lake?


    "Why?" My beloved spare no effort to conceal his vexation. His current facial expression would make one think his cool demeanor just moments before is non-existent.


    "Spirits flock to those who could prove beneficial to them. The more benefits one will provide, the more Spirits will gather to that person. And you, dear shepherd, you have a lot of Spirits flocking to you. Do you notice?"


    He raised an eyebrow. "Oh right, I have [Spirit Sight]." he said. I can tell he invoke [Spirit Sight] because the next moment, he went "Holy fudge monkeys!" I don''t know what he meant by those words but it must be words of surprise in his world. Great, it is just itching me to learn more about my beloved and his world.


    Oh? The girl is still rubbing her face on his legs. Oi, do something. Don''t just let her do that.


    "She doesn''t look like someone who has been sealed for a long time. She''s taking it quite well."


    "She may have been sealed but she was still aware of her surroundings."


    Just like me, I see.


    "Even if she wasn''t sealed. Her fate and daily routines won''t make much difference. We are Spirits after all. In a way, we are very much like plants."


    "Then why bother sealing her?"


    "That''s the notion of the ones who imprisoned her. They applied human''s logic to a Spirit. Although it doesn''t shift our routines much, we are still ticked by such acts."


    "I see." My beloved then makes a troubled face. "Does she has a nickname?"


    "Hmm?" The Dryad tilts her head in confusion. "She''s a Dryad like me. And her name is...."


    "I know what''s her name. I''m just asking is there a simpler way to call her. Her name is quite long and I''m afraid I''ll bite my tongue saying her name."


    "Oh?" The Dryad giggled. I don''t know why, it really boils my blood seeing her giggle with those affectionate eyes. "That''s up to you, Shepherd."


    "Kirin." The little girl said with a flat voice and tone. She turns to me and our gaze match. Without breaking her gaze from me, she tightened her grasp on my beloved.


    THIS LITTLE....!


    The cunning little thieving cat even put her hands on my beloved''s cheeks. She can''t reach it of course, so she motioned for him to bend down. And she did it with a toneless face. With both her hands clasping on each side of his cheek, they touch their forehead.


    I would have rain down [Blight Barrage] on the little girl but what she said and does next ceased my hysteric actions.


    "Does the pain ever stops?" she murmurs while their foreheads are still touching.


    Pain? What pain?


    "It does." He answers. "It always comes back ever so often. It doesn''t go away as long as I wish."


    "What is she talking about?" I asked.


    "Kirin has the ability to see into other people''s soul and mind. She has seen the shepherd''s." It was the woman Dryad that answered me.


    "Let go?" The young Dryad named Kirin asked. I wonder if she''s incapable of showing emotion?


    With a painful and sorrowful face, my beloved said "It''s not easy to get rid of it."


    "Then, as a thanks for freeing me of these chains...." Kirin said and gave a kiss onto my beloved''s forehead.


    I wanted to pulverize this thieving cat right now but I understand what''s she trying to do, so I refrain. Even without appraisal, I can tell she''s mending my beloved''s mind and soul. I don''t know if it helps him forget but I can at least tell it is soothing my beloved''s spirit. She even heals back the lost arm of my beloved.


    "Wh...what?" my beloved blurted out.


    "Better?" The thieving cat asked with her head titled all the while showing only an expressionless face.


    "Y...yeah. Thanks, Kirin." he said, flexing his fingers of his new arm.


    It hurts. It hurts seeing your beloved being soothed and mended by others while you can only helplessly cheer from the sides. How vexing. Unforgivable.


    But of course, I''m not that unreasonable. I am also very thankful to her who has done something that I couldn''t for my beloved. I said my thanks to the thieving cat too.


    "Welcome." She said, nodding slightly.


    My beloved smiled..... and is now rubbing the young Dryad..... no, the thieving cat''s head. She''s even enjoying it. She''s not showing it but I know she is.


    Before I could insert myself into the pink space forming between the two, my beloved suddenly rose straight up. His face told me something must have happened to Tom. It could have been the playful three but since they are training somewhere in the peaceful deserted city, it is unlikely that they are the ones in trouble.


    "What''s wrong?" I asked.


    "I don''t know. My link with Tom is cut off suddenly."


    My beloved have told me of his "special" relationship with Tom. My beloved has a telepathy link with Tom since he gave away portion of his own essence to resurrect him. I am so envious of it. Gah~ I want some of his essence too. Not just the one from below. Gah~


    Ah. Now it''s not the time for that, Senna.


    "Sorry, Dryad. I have to go now. My friends might be in danger."


    "I understand." The Dryad said so with a nod and moved out of our way. How tactful.


    As we are about to leave, something "interesting" happened in the corner of my view. The thieving cat, Kirin has grabbed on to the hem of my beloved''s shirt.


    "Follow." She said and pointed at herself.


    My beloved is stuttering on his words while I look at the Dryad.


    "Take her. She will be able to help. She has magic with healing properties."


    My beloved sighed and took Kirin under her arms. "Fine. We need healing anyways." He then looks towards me. "Angie, let''s go."


    I nodded while not taking my focus and attention off the thieving cat who is clinging tightly onto my beloved.


    It had taken us more than two hours to reach this clearing on foot but with teleportation magic, we reach the egress in just less than half an hour. It would have taken longer for me since my [Gap Shrink] has a limited range. My beloved wrapped his other free arm around me and we move with his teleportation magic instead since the range is further. With such range and usage frequency, he ran out of Mana quickly but he uses me as a Mana tank when he ran out of Mana.


    For some reasons, Kirin started competing with me on who can offer him the most Mana. To my amazement, Kirin has quite the amount of Mana.


    So, my beloved didn''t need to worry about running of Mana while he exceed all of his strength to reach the other side of this place.


    I wonder if he knew his hand is touching one of my pride. Judging from how red he is, I guess he does.


    Kirin noticed this and she''s measuring her own. She looks kinda dejected.


    Serves you right, you thieving cat.

 T9 - Engrande

    With Master and Lady Senna present, the endless Sentinels became succinct. Master had instantly aimed for the leader Sentinel. Once killed, the Sentinels stopped appearing. Looks like the Sentinels are spawned by the leader.


    I laughed dryly in my heart.


    The two made my hardship seemed like a joke, is what I want to retort but after my [Wrath of Oni] ended, I entered a state of extreme exhaustion. I let my body fell to the ground. My bottom hit hard but my depleted vigor didn''t allow me to care for such small matters.


    "You can relax now. Everything''s all right." Master assures me.


    "What about Nilin?" I asked.


    "We have a Dryad on our side now, a Spirit of Nature too. She knows healing magic. Nilin will be fine."


    Healing magic? When I appraise the Dryad named Kirin for short, I don''t see any healing magic. The Arcane Arts she does have are, [Nature Magic], [Spirit Magic], [Mana Control], [Alchemy] and [Soul Magic]. She has another Arcane Art but for unknown reasons, the words are in gibberish.


    I asked master about it but he only told me Kirin refuses to say anything.


    Anyways, I still don''t see any healing magic on the list.


    No, wait. She does have healing magic but it is under [Spirit Magic]. She''s using it right now to heal Nilin. [Spirit Magic: Spirit Mend], that is the healing spell''s name.


    When I see Nilin''s health recovered to a certain extent, I was able to finally let myself loose. I have really thought Nilin would have died, you know?


    "You did good, Tom. You did good."


    Ah, I was praised by master. It felt good but....


    [I''m hearing them again.] I told master through telepathy. Only master knew about my condition.


    [The voices?] Kai asked.


    I nodded. [But I managed. I was able to resist its influence.]


    [That''s good.] Master nodded along. He then raised an eyebrow. [Say Kai, do you think the Sealing Magic is still necessary?]


    [We have yet to know the extent and depth of the voice''s influence. It''s still best to keep it under wrap for now. For maximum insurance, let''s reapply the seal.]


    [I see.]


    [I understand.] I nod to Kai''s words. Even if I''m able to resist its temptation and influence this time, there''s no telling if the results would be the same on the next. Caution must be exercised, you know.


    Master just casually puts his hand on my shoulder. Not one minute passed, he let go and said, "It''s done."


    That was fast. I don''t even feel anything. Hmm... I guess I do feel my mind to be a little bit calmer. My Mana is recovering but not as fast as usual. Looks like this is one of the drawbacks of [Wrath of Oni]. It might be best if I kept it as a last resort.


    "Engrande." Someone said.


    We all look to the voice. It was Kirin. She''s pointing at the only passageway available in this room. Of course, she''s not neglecting her duty in healing Nilin.


    "Engrande?" Master asked back.


    "Colossus." Kirin answered. She doesn''t speak much, does she?


    "I see. So this is where they sealed the final source. Which explains the Sentinels."


    [Can I know what are you all talking about?] I asked through telepathy.


    After an "Oh right, Tom''s in the dark." Master told me everything about the ventures in the forest at the east. Looks like master''s burden has increased. At least, Kirin isn''t too haughty like Nilin.


    Nevertheless, I can feel master''s subtle rage whenever he brings up anything related to "Harbinger".


    While I''m thinking of such things, Master and Lady Senna has begun heading to the passageway without me. When master noticed me who was standing up, he gestured me to sit back down.


    "You can rest easy for the moment. We got this."


    "No." I stood up despite master''s gestures. "Let me go with you." I persisted while pushing down a gasp for air.


    "Tom, you''re not in a very good shape."


    "I know but I want to test my limits."


    Master looks surprised. He''s blinking at me. "Tom, I know the backlash of your new Arcane Art. You need to rest for now."


    "No, I need to do this. I have to."


    "Tom...."


    "Hyx, please.


    Master froze when I said his name.


    "The only reason I was able to resist it was because I didn''t back down when all the odds were against me. I didn''t give up when the only seeming outcome is me and Nilin''s death. I am still alive because I went over my limit. The voices in my head will win the next time. I''m sure of that but not if I keep testing myself beyond my limits. Like I did just now."


    "Tom. You were lucky to survive that."


    "Yes, I was. But now, I have you and Lady Senna to make sure that nothing too bad is going to happen. If I''m really hurt, there''s Kirin."


    "Nn?"


    I said what I wanted to say, leaving an astounded gaze from Lady Senna and Master.


    [Good heavens, Thomas Atlas. Did you hit your head too hard just now?] Kai asked.


    [I just came to a realization. That''s all.]


    Master sighed. "Fine. You do have a point." He looks to Lady Senna.


    "If it''s us, I don''t think we''ll have any trouble protecting Tom now, wouldn''t we?"


    For a second, master had a dark gaze but it was quickly glossed by the faint smile he put on after. "I suppose so."


    Something''s wrong with master and Lady Senna realized it too. As the two closest persons to master, we both know if master doesn''t wish to talk about it, there wouldn''t be any point in asking. Unlike me, Lady Senna doesn''t look like the type to back down, especially if its master.


    "Let''s go." Master said and disappears into the passageway.


    After exchanging understanding nods with Lady Senna, we followed right behind master.


    <hr>


    "Well.... he''s pretty big." Master remarked at the five meter tall giant of a man.


    On his knees with his hands tied behind his back, the giant is wrapped in ethereal chains and impaled with rods which are also ethereal. This must be [Sealing Magic], just like how master described it. I expected [Arcane Analysis] to be blocked but it was not. Thus, I am shown the results.


    Name: Engrande


    Gender: Male


    Age: 68


    Race: Colossus


    Status: Slumber (Deep)


    Standing: None


    Job: None


    Class: Forge Grandmaster


    Titles:


    -Arcane Blacksmith


    -True Judge of Arms


    -Master of Craft


    -One Who Tempers Life


    -Shura


    -Enlightened One


    <u>Arcane Arts


    </u>Mana Control - Lv. 10


    Herculean Strength- Lv. 8


    Magic Melee Arts - Lv. 6


    Fire Magic - Lv. 7


    Earth Magic - Lv. 8


    Forge Fire - Lv. 10


    Transmutation - Lv. 10


    Magic Enchantment - Lv. 6


    Appraisal - Lv. 10


    Shura (Legacy) - Lv. 8


    HP: 3500/3500


    MP: 1000/1000


    Overall Power Ranking: A


    Effective Combat Power: 5500


    -Attack: 1000


    -Defense: 1000


    -Magic: 1500


    -Resistance: 600


    -Speed: 400


    Not just any blacksmith, an arcane blacksmith. A master arcane blacksmith with combat skills, you know. His ECP is quite balance. An all-rounder, master called these ones as such.


    "Forge Grandmaster....." Master mused. "With those kinds of skills and titles, how much you want to bet that he knows the secret to that fucking door?"


    "How much I want to bet?" I asked.


    Master raised an eyebrow at my question. After a moment passed, master said "Oh. I just mean it as a figure of speech. Don''t take it too literal."


    I nodded. It was the only way I know how to respond when master spoke of such things. I think I gave up at some point in trying to understand master''s oddness. The shared memories helped but it can only do so much.


    See, even Lady Senna is shaking her head like she has given up.


    Interrupting my thoughts, three black garbed figures appeared before us. They are floating from the ground and wielding bone scythe with length that matches their height. They look like human''s depiction of death reapers. Are they reapers? Since they''re called Lich Lords, I don''t think so?The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    [Wow.... How original....] Contrary to master''s words, there was no excitement in master''s tone. I believe this is called sarcasm?


    "Eww~ What are these vile things?" Lady Senna asked, hiding her mouth behind her hand. Instead of looking disgusted, she looks like she''s making an appeal. To whom? I think that''s obvious.


    [She''s very needy, isn''t she?] Kai said.


    [Shut up.] Master responded in brief.


    The appraisal ability told me that the Lich Lords are B-ranks. No ECP, so not a sapient species. Their Arcane Arts look a little bit troublesome.


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    Shadow Magic


    Abyss Magic


    Death Magic


    Magic Melee Arts


    Magic Channel


    Death Inhibitor (Legacy)


    Now that I looked closely, monster and Magic Beasts'' Arcane Arts don''t have levels. They don''t have ECP and levels, I wonder why.


    [Death Inhibitor? What the fuck is that?] Master asked in a loud voice through telepathy.


    Death Inhibitor


    - Prevents the death of the owner of this Arcane Art. Remains active as long as the owner has ample amount of Mana.


    Death Magic


    - Magic the embraces the aspects of death. Most spells under Death Magic have high lethality rate and are ineffective against undeads.


    [Well, we just need to exhaust them of their Mana. Done deal, right?]


    [Check the ability above Death Inhibitor.] Kai told us.


    Magic Channel


    - Constantly replenish owner''s Mana at a rate higher than the standard. Replenishing rate increases proportionally with owner''s passivity.


    "Fuck! A! Duck!" Master yelled out.


    The Lich Lords must have taken master''s sudden shout as a declaration of attack. They launched javelins of purplish black energy at master. [Abyssal Javelin]. Before I knew it, Lady Senna, an individual more absurd than master has made her way in between the Lich Lords and master. She blocked the javelins with her wings.


    "Hyx, are you alright?" In a very alarmed voice, she asked.


    "Eh? I''m fine."


    "You sure? You shouted out so suddenly just now."


    "Oh, that? I just saw his Arcane Arts and boy..... they are not fun to go against."


    When Lady Senna tilted in question, master told Lady Senna about the Lich Lords'' Arcane Arts.


    "Oh? That is indeed very troublesome." Lady Senna said.


    While the two were conversing, the Lich Lords approached us with their bone scythes raised.


    "Chiee~!" With a very vexed look, Lady Senna swept the Lich Lords away with just a flap of her wings. Apparently, it''s not some magic but a simple skill. Lady Senna unleashed a wide range of light that burns away the Lich Lords, [Scorching Radiance].


    When the lights died out, only the black scorched marks of the Lich Lords remained.


    Is it dead?


    [Give it a minute.]


    Shortly after, the Lich Lords reappeared from the black scorch marks they were reduced to.


    "Ara~?" Lady Senna made a cute sound with her head titled and her finger on her lips. Master sighed at such sight. Just moments after they resurrected, Lady Senna bombarded the Lich Lords with her attack spells again. This continued on until the tenth time.


    "Mou~ They really don''t die, do they?"


    "Well, with [Magic Channel], as long as they stay still in their place, they could recover their Mana faster than they could use."


    "Drain their Mana, dear?"


    "Worth a shot." Master said and sealed the Lich Lords movement with [Warden''s Chain]. The Lich Lords fired [Energy Sphere] at master but he lifted pieces of the ground up in defense with [Psychokinesis]. As extra precaution, master even puts up [Plane Displacement]. Right after their attacks ended, master moved in. Placing his hand on one of the Lich Lords, master uses [Mana Transmission] but before the draining could even start, some black substance crawled onto master''s arm. [Death Magic: Plague Touch], is what appraisal told me.


    [Ah....] Master utters such sounds and retreated immediately. Casting [Overload], master vented out the black energy in his hand but at the cost of destroying his arm''s interior.


    Ha!? Did master just did that? Blood oozes out from the burst blood veins. Master just stares at his bleeding arm with hollow agape eyes.


    "Ah...! What are you doing?" Lady Senna asked in a fluster.


    "What?" Master snapped back and asked with a dumbfounded face. "Getting rid of the deadly miasma encroached in my arm?"


    Master, hurting yourself to prevent further injuries is a sign of madness, you know?


    "Mou~! You could have just ask me. I have [Purify]."


    "Oh. Okay. I remember that the next time I get cursed, alright?"


    Although Master said such things, Lady Senna still looks unsatisfied. Still, she returns to her usual compose self and grabbed master''s hand. She then invoked a spell, [Light Magic: Heal].


    "You have healing magic?" Master asked.


    "I do but.... I''m not good at it.... Healing is not my..... specialty. I can only destroy...." Lady Senna answered, slowly.


    "I see. Thanks." Master said and caressed her cheek.


    Lady Senna giggled.


    [TP - motherfucking - O, Hyx! The Edge Lords are still here!] yelled Kai.


    Edge Lords? Even Kai begins to talk weirdly like master? Wait, no. Kai is master and master is Kai, this much should be expected..... Ah.... this is getting kinda confusing, you know.


    [I know.] Master responded and cast [Force Push] to repel the incoming Lich Lords. They went tumbling together away from us. Apparently, the spell was so strong that it had killed the Lich Lords. Of course, they resurrected through [Death Inhibitor].


    Seriously, with master and Lady Senna here, I can barely feel any gravity to the situation.


    "Okay.... this is going to be such a pain in the ass...." Master said.


    [No choice. We only have one option.]


    [Ah.... I seriously don''t want to use that....]


    [Use what?] I pop into their conversation.


    [Soul Harvest, that''s what.]


    [Why not?]


    [Thomas, there''s something you should know about Soul Harvest.]


    [Hmm?]


    [The souls consumed by Soul Harvest, they don''t joined the cycle of life and death. Instead, they linger perpetually inside of the ones who consumed it. In other words, they don''t get to reincarnate or move on to the afterlife. Frequent usage of this skill will eventually disrupt the balance of this world, literally. Which is why, master is trying to not use it as much as possible.]


    [That''s so.... If that''s the case, then Clammis.....]


    [.... Yes.] Master answered. [I have.... damned her soul for eternity.... Funny, right?]


    [Master.... I....]


    [It''s alright.... It''s already nothing.... I just need to be careful from now on.... Just remember this, Tom. Our powers are different from the norms, that much is clear. Our actions will have significant consequences. You are a great example. I resurrected you but the voices in your head is the price. Do you understand, Tom?]


    [I do.]


    [Good. Now, let''s finish this. Cause I''m not in a very good mood.]


    [Did something happened back at the forest?]


    [Heh. Don''t ask.]


    [Got it.] I replied so. Such a brief answer from master is never a good sign.


    "Angie, can you weaken the Lich Lords instead of killing them? I have a plan."


    "Sure." Lady Senna nodded. She twists her body and spreads her wings. Aura of black and white in the shapes of blades are sent towards the Lich Lords. In response, the Lich Lords use [Magic Melee Arts] to cut away the aura blades and evade the ones they couldn''t intercept with their scythe. Due to the magnitude of this spell, they can''t defend against it forever and eventually, they succumbed to multiple injuries.


    "Angie! Please, hold back!"


    "Ah~?"


    I wonder why master suddenly yelled at Lady Senna but Kai directed me to look at the sealed Colossus behind the Lich Lords who are getting bombarded.


    HP: 1200/3500


    MP: 1000/1000


    Oh. She''s hitting the Colossus too. Looks like Lady Senna realized that too after getting yelled at. She then stops her barrage of attacks.


    [For heaven''s sake, this woman.... I didn''t take her for an all brawns and no brains.]


    [Trying saying that directly at her face, Master.]


    [Fuck. No. I''m not an idiot.]


    After saying that, master invoked [Soul Harvest]. The Lich Lords don''t have automatic recovery spells for health although they have one for Mana. So they could only await their end as the black tendrils close in on them.


    I look away when the black tendrils devour them. Since the Lich Lords are literally Mana Vessels, Souls, the sight was a little too intense when they were devoured. Even master was a little taken aback by it.


    "That was unpleasant." Subtly, master shudders.


    Agree. The death sounds that the Lich Lords made aren''t helping either.


    After waiting for a few moments, master concluded that the Lich Lords have truly being eliminated.


    "Well, that''s that."


    [Hmm.... Out of all the Arcane Arts the Lich Lords have, we have only gotten two. Magic Melee Arts and Death Inhibitor.]


    [Why?]


    [I think it''s because you gave up Abyss Magic. Abyss Magic is the highest tier of Dark Magics. You gave that away and you lost the aptitude for even the lower tiers. So inefficient.]


    [Ah.... I see... What about Magic Channel?]


    [Hahahaha. Very Funny. You got me. You don''t need a watered down version.]


    [Is that so?]


    "Couldn''t you have used that from the beginning?" Lady Senna asked.


    "I have my reasons." Master retorted and walked towards the Colossus but he was grabbed on the wrist by Lady Senna. She stares intently at master. Master sighs and put his hand on top of hers. "I''ll tell you everything later, okay?"


    "Promise."


    "I promise."


    And Lady Senna releases her grip but not her gaze which is still on master. For some reasons, her eyes reminded me of goblins when they eyeing on their female victims. I''m slightly worried for master, to be honest.


    Black tendrils emerged from master''s back and ate away the chains and rods. No matter how many times I have seen it in action, [Soul Harvest] always have this eerie feeling to it. It just makes my skin crawl, you know?


    We went into our battle stances when the status of the Colossus changed from Deep Slumber to Awakened.


    The Colossus named Engrande opened his eyes wide. He blinked a few times. His eyes went from Lady Senna, master, and then to me. His face wasn''t exactly monotonous but I don''t have the slightest idea as to what he was thinking.


    "Engrande." Kirin spoke. When did she got here? When I look to master and Lady Senna, I was the only one who is surprised. I guess my perception ability was too weak to notice?


    "Little Dryad...." The Colossus said. When he sighed, we all felt the breeze. Master, who has the most sensitive nose of us four, flinch without any subtlety. I agree, his breath stinks.


    "Friends." Kirin said while her finger jumps at all of us.


    The faint smile on the Colossus face turned into a wide grin, which then turns into a laugh. "Hahahaha. I know. I know. That was one weird slumber, I have to say. My whole body is asleep and so is my soul but not my mind."


    "So you know what is happening?" Master asked.


    The Colossus named Engrande raised an eyebrow at master. "Ho? You must the shepherd the Granny Dryad is talking about."


    "Talking about? You two were talking?"


    "Ho? She didn''t tell you?"


    Master shakes his head.


    "Ha.... She always were fond of suspense and drama, after all. Well, she speaks to me sometimes. I can''t move my body. My only company is her. Her telepathy powers are no joke, you know? I am not aware of how much times has passed but I think it''s a lot. She always spoke of a savior will be coming to free us from our suffering. I never did believe her. I was never one for faith. I was wrong. I was wrong. And...."


    "Engrande." Kirin called out to Engrande who has started talking without stop and order.


    "Oh? Sorry about that. It''s just that I''m still not believing the current situation, you know? It has been a long time since I can talk and move with my own mouth and body, respectively of course. Wouldn''t have it other way. It''s good to know that the ones who betrayed us are long dead. That''s good. That''s good. Which comes down to another question, you...."


    "Engrande." Kirin called out again.


    "Ah? Sorry. Sorry about that. I have been sealed for a long time, after all."


    Master looks so tired. His eyes are half-closed and his lips are flapping. I think he''s saying, "please kill me". It couldn''t be, right? Even Lady Senna is shaking her head while looking regrettable.


    "Now, I know this is sudden but I must get this heavy feeling off my chest. I need to get this phantom pressure off my chest."


    What''s this? Why do I feel like something bad is going to happened?


    "Care to have a spar with me, Shepherd?"


    What did he just say?


    "Ara~?"


    "Ha..... Ha?" Master uttered such sound and turn to Kirin.


    Kirin, with her expressionless face only bowed. "Sorry."


    Master turns to me.


    Forgive me, master but there comes a time when one must save its own skin, you know? I think this is one of those times.


    "What''s the matter, shepherd? Not feeling up to it? Your woman is watching, you know?"


    I heard a giggle and I turn to Lady Senna who is fidgeting her whole body. I don''t know how to say this but.... Lady Senna, you''re looking pretty terrifying, you know?


    Master sighs. "Fine. Let''s just get this over with."


    "Hahahaha. I like your spirit, boy."


    "Not for long." Master said as he rolled up his sleeves. Huh? I never seen master done something like that before.


    "Well, to make it a fair fight," Engrande said and shrunk down to a height of only two meters. He was still considered the tallest in the room despite going below half his original height.


    More exaggerated than master, Engrande took off his upper garments. "Now, let''s make this fun."


    While a smile lit up on Engrande''s face, I can see master''s face distorting further with annoyance. "Let''s do this then." Master said and the fight begins.


    [This is going to end so badly.] said Kai.

 T10 - Give it time

    "Hahahaha. Sorry about that." The Colossus, Engrande apologizes while taking a swig of liquor in a wooden barrel in a place of a mug. There wasn''t a mug that fits a five footer giant and the large wooden barrel is the closest thing master could find. The liquor came from the magic [Liquor Spring Well] which is cast by Kirin, the yound Dryad, in Spirit years of course.


    It wasn''t just me, you know but even master and Kai too were unable to appraise from which Arcane Art the [Liquor Spring Well] derived from. Kirin would only answer, "Secret" every time.


    We are all currently gathered at a large field near the red building. It is Engrande''s idea of holding a feast. Although it''s called a feast, there''s no much, only fruits and of course, no meat. Although the seal has made it possible for the imprisoned to go on for a long time without any substances, the hunger was still there, said Engrande. Unlike Lady Senna and Kirin who can supplement themselves with their insane amount of Mana, Engrande couldn''t. He''s not lacking any nourishment but the hunger is there. After the spar, he had immediately asked if there''s anything we could offer for his grumbling stomach. Kirin nodded along with the words, "no problem".


    The fruits are different this time too. It was completely different, you know. The plants of these fruits are grew on the spot and instantly by Kirin, another magic of her secret Arcane Art too. Although she''s only an A-rank unlike Lady Senna, she has the more Mana than Lady Senna which is over ten thousand but in return, she has incredibly low health. The only one loosing to her is Citra.


    "Don''t mind it." Master replies to Engrande while also taking a swig of the liquor from the spring. Only Engrande and master is drinking the liquor as it was too strong, Kirin, the invoker herself wasn''t a drinker so she didn''t bother a sip. Engrande was surprised master could down a pint. According to Kai, it has something to do with master''s innate healing ability. It was only a sip for me and already, I felt like I was kicked into oblivion, you know. Therefore, master prevented anyone else from drinking it. Lady Senna was adamant for a swig but her true intention is obvious to master and me. It goes without saying master didn''t allow her even a sip.


    "Oho~ You''re not just good with your fist but even alcohol. For a boy, it is quite extraordinary."


    "Hmm." responded master, making bubbles as he sips on the liquor.


    Quite contrary to my expectations for a bit, master lost the spar. The Colossus'' built betray our expectations. Engrande''s moves were brutal but fluid. It lacks precision but the scale of his strength more than makes up for it. In other words, Engrande was better in terms of technique and strength. Master stood no chance. When master was defeated, Engrande wasn''t satisfied. Those blazing eyes of Engrande turned towards me then.


    And I ended up in the same condition as master, all beat up. I didn''t even last half as long as master, you know.


    "Tom okay?"


    "Looks painful. Really painful."


    Both Bartholomew and Cormac are gazing at me with genuine worried eyes. I assured them that I''m fine. Just a few broken bones and bruises, nothing serious. Citra is indifferent to my well-being and happily chewing on an apple-like fruit twice her size.


    Speaking of injuries, Bartholomew and Cormac suffered quite a few on themselves too. Their training has been getting more and more intense. Their partner is of course each other. Citra participated too but she''s more of a support. Her specialty is shield and boost magic.


    When we got back to the city with Engrande, we saw a building collapsing. Apparently, Bartholomew miscalculated his strength. Cormac wasn''t injured by it since he dodged it just in time, thank the stars. Master then reprimanded them for being too excessive. While the two look apologetic, Citra looked at master with scornful gaze. She seems to be trying to protect the two from master like a motherly figure. Which is weird considering Citra is the youngest among us but she grew fast. She''s already at the size of a normal snake at this point, you know?


    "Don''t move." said Kirin. She''s currently healing master which he didn''t ask for. When master told Kirin that it would be okay as he has high rate of recovery, Kirin denied with a shook of her head. She insisted on doing this and Lady Senna hadn''t stop sending death glares at Kirin. Master looks really troubled.


    As for Nilin.... Her health is back at the peak, thanks to her very distant relative, Kirin but she hasn''t talk to me since the incident yesterday. She''s not even making eye contacts with me. Even now at this feast, she put some distance between us. Even with this distance, I can clearly see her skin dyed red and trembling. I guess she really is embarrassed from what she said yesterday?


    [Go on, Thomas. Talk to her.] persuades Kai.


    [But she doesn''t want to, you know?]


    Master sighs. [Do you think that''s really the case?]


    [I....]


    [Just go and talk to her. If you''re a man, take the first step.]


    [I am an Oni though?]


    I swear that I heard a chuckle from Kai.


    [That''s not the point. Just go talk to her. Trust me, okay? No matter what she said, just be stubborn. You should know well on how she feels about you by now.]


    [That''s.... I might be mistaken, you know?]


    [Then, go and ask her then.]


    [That''s right, Thomas. If you''re unsure, just go and ask her. No answers will come if no questions are asked. We''ll provide support should you be in need of one.]


    [Okay.... I''ll try.] I relent and got up from the ground.


    Cormac and Citra saw my sudden actions and was about to interrupt but they were stopped by Bartholomew. They struggle but Bartholomew is too strong for them.


    [Bartholomew is surprisingly someone who can read the mood.] was what I heard master said through telepathy.


    "Ho ho? What''s this? Young lo...." Engrande who have begun saying something boorish stopped halfway through his sentences. I can roughly guess that the reason might be Lady Senna''s glare which I can also felt.


    "Nilin?" I called out to her.


    She shrieked. She choked on her fruit and spat it out. She even dropped the fruit she''s eating. She turns around but trip on the hem of her own dress. In a disheveled state, she tries to get back up but she steps on the fruit she dropped and tripped again.


    "Nilin?"


    "No~! Don''t come near me!" She screamed while hiding her face with one hand and fends me off with the other. By fending me off, she is just waving her splayed hand randomly around.


    This was something I discovered after my link with master is reestablished. She now has the titles, <Oath Breaker> and <Rogue Spirit>. Those unsightly titles.... she got them because of me. I can understand why she distance herself from me.


    [Nigga, that''s not it.] Master told me with an exasperated tone. I don''t know what he meant by "nigga" but somehow, I don''t want to know.


    "Nilin.... Do you hate me?"


    "Huh? Hate you...?" In addition to her reddened face, she became flustered with her actions. "No! There''s no such thing! I will never hate you."


    By now, I have already gotten use to her ethnics. I let out a yielding sigh and took a seat in front of her. With her reddened face, she stares with a stupefied gaze at me. She must be amazed by my lack of reaction and words.


    "W...what are y...you doing? W...who said y...you can s...sit here?"


    She''s speaking in swift while fumbling with her words, like always.


    She really is cute, isn''t she? Hearing her stumbles really warms my heart. Assuring, is this what it is? She might be clamorous and I hated that. I did... but I didn''t hate it much as I think. I have actually grew fond of it. Which was why when I thought that she would die in front of me, I didn''t mind if she was loud, I didn''t mind if she was rude, I didn''t mind if she was vain. I can change that. I can teach her to be better. But her death.... that would be a different story.


    Master can surely bring her back somehow but that''s a chance that I would never be willing to take. That is because I.... I like her too....


    I heard something faint from behind like "mah boi", presumably from master but I ignored it splendidly.


    "Nilin, do you truly love me?"


    [Woah man, what''s with the straight ball?]


    I ignored master''s weird speech.


    "L...lo....l...love?" Stammering, her face gets even redder. "D....don''t be mistaken, idiot.... I said those words but I don''t r...really mean it.... It''s just.... you misunderstanding it. Yes, that''s right. Yes, that''s how it is. It can''t be anything else. You absolutely completely without a doubt misunderstood my words. Definitely, no way else."


    She sounded like she''s trying to convince herself more than she''s trying to convince me. To that, I only smiled wryly.


    "W...what are y...you staring a..and smiling at, y...you idiot?"


    I sighed and looked back.


    Master is gesturing at me to keep going. Lady Senna hasn''t taken her eyes off Kirin who is clinging to master even after the healing is done. Engrande has his back turned around while continuing drinking at his own pace. Bartholomew is still holding Cormac and Citra back.


    Doesn''t look like I''m going to be getting much help from them.


    I turn back to Nilin who is at her wit''s end. She is trembling so much. Her skin is so red. She is reciting "idiot" continuously under her breath like an incantation to a spell.


    [Eventually, one of you gotta make the first move.]


    [In a much more primitive version, have at her.]


    [That''s terrible, Hyx.]


    [Yeah, I know. Sorry. Just got a little bit too excited between a black hole and a tsundere.]


    Like usual, I can only nod and ignore master''s weird speeches. I take on Kai''s advice though.


    I resolve myself and enveloped the unknowing Nilin with my arms around her. She shrieked and jumped but I held her in place.


    "Idiot! W...what are you d...doing!?"


    I remain silent and just kept hugging her. I let my mind wander to the time she was in her wisp form, glowing faintly in my hands after being swatted away like a fly, her lights slowly dying out. Remembering that, I tightened my hold on her.


    "Eeek~! W...who do you think you are!? To.... d...do something like t...this?"


    "Do you hate me then?"


    "Eh~? H...hate?"


    "If you hate me, then you can just push me away."


    "D...don''t say that. Why would I hate you...?"


    "Because of me, you got hurt. Because of me, you can never return. Because.... I misunderstood your question then...."


    "That''s...! T...that''s not true~!" She said in a panic. She is flapping her mouth while uttering sounds without any meaning. I can feel her heat being transferred to my skin. She''s really burning up.


    "If you dislike this, just say so." I whisper into her ear. "Then, I would never get close you again. Promise."


    She stops flailing around after hearing my whispers. With a low voice, she said "I already told you, didn''t I? I don''t hate you."


    "Not even this?" I tightened my embrace furthermore.


    "Mou~ I already said it, didn''t I?" After saying that, she stops moving and went silent. She''s not asleep. She is just sitting there quietly as I''m embracing her from the back. I wonder what should I do next?


    Have I make a mistake somewhere?


    Did I?


    Every word I have said, it was all the first thing that came to my mind. I have no prior knowledge of showing affection, which is why I was confused when master said,


    [Guy''s a natural, ain''t he?]


    [He is, indeed.]This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    As usual, I ignored them.


    I stayed like this with Nilin until the "feast" was over. She fell asleep halfway through but I only noticed it when the feast was over. Encouraged by Kai and master, I kiss her on her forehead and carried her back to the red building.


    "I love you too, Nilin." I said in a voice lower than a whisper. I don''t know if she heard it but I didn''t care for the result. I''m just very happy that me, a former goblin who has done terrible things is love by someone so pure.


    From that moment on, Nilin became the essence of my amelioration.


    <hr>


    "It''s Azunmite, no question." said Engrande as he examined the round door. Master calls it "the stupid door". "But the magic inscription and enchantment is hidden real well, hidden under a layer of camouflage. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call the maker a genius."


    "Yeah, I know that much." Master replied.


    Lady Senna is not here and neither is Kirin. It''s only Engrande, me, and master. Kirin wanted to follow but Lady Senna would too if Kirin does. Master actually got angry with the two and told the two that they are both staying. Kirin look dejected and retort with a "Mwu..." and Lady Senna is left stunned at master''s outburst. I don''t think it is anything surprising to see someone letting loose their anger. However, master''s vein''s turn purple and so did his eyes when he yelled.


    I asked him what happened but he brushed it off with a simple "It''s nothing". That was obviously not nothing.


    Lately, something has been troubling master but none of us dared to ask. It wasn''t because we were afraid but we decided to trust him. As master said, "trust goes both ways."


    "Dangerous though. A rebound spell is enchanted on it for those who tries to temper with it."


    "Yeah, I know. I have first-hand experience."


    [Sure you don''t mean right-arm experience?]


    [Shut up.]


    Somehow, it became an argument inside master''s mind.


    "Passage shall be granted to the altruistic ones."


    "What?"


    "It''s what the inscription is saying. That''s not all. "Prove your worth as an exceeded. One who surpasses the boundaries of the regulars." And that''s it. That''s all there is to it."


    "So we need to pass the trials stated in order to leave this place?" I asked.


    "That''s what it said."


    "No." said master. "It said "passage will be granted". Not a way out. It might be messing with us for all we know."


    "I have been here longer than you do but your pessimism is not loosing to mine by a huge margin. You need to calm down, y''know."


    Master glared. "You''re not the one who lost most of his sense of pain."


    "Point taken." Engrande said and resumed his examination on the stupid door.


    "What does it mean?" I asked.


    Engrande shrugged. "I can''t be entirely sure but as far as I can tell, the first trial might have already been completed."


    "What do you mean?" Master asked with a face full of doubt.


    "Altruistic, son. What do you think it means?"


    "Selfless?" I answered.


    "And how did I proved that I''m selfless? I don''t remember doing any charity as of late."


    Engrande offered a smile but weakened by what I assumed to be bad memories. "You saved us, didn''t you? Me, Kiralhirin, and Senna Tenrun. The ones who locked us away like animals or objects. In those bastards'' eyes, there''s only themselves. They can''t bear the thought of other people having the same power as them. Which is why we were locked away. A person with such a rotten heart, do you think they would let such powers walk free out of their hands?"


    "I see what you''re getting at." Master didn''t seem satisfied with the explanation but he doesn''t complain.


    [Anything wrong, master?]


    [Nothing except for how flawed his logic was but I will say nothing of it. I''m just grateful that I cleared it, I hope.]


    [Yeah. Pointing it out would only be boorish and jinxing it.]


    I understand what jinx meant. It is one of the odd words from master that I have knowledge of.


    "What''s next after that?" I asked.


    "Surpassing the boundaries of the regulars.... Manage a feat that defies the common knowledge of peoples. I guess that''s what it want us to do?"


    "Would creating a Mondra count?" Master bluntly asked.


    "In this place, with limited selection of resources, creating a Mondra would be the most exceptional thing we could do in this place. Mondra is a weapon considered of a tier higher than Divine Weapons. A living weapon that mirror''s the wielders strength, what can precedes that?"


    "So, we''re on the right track. Some way some how." Master paused. After a beat of silence, he turns to Engrande. "Do you know how to forge a Mondra?"


    "Guhahaha~! Fortunately, I do. Why else do you think I was locked away for?"


    Master stares back.


    I gaze back and forth at the two. Neither one of them said anything for a while.


    "Am I suppose to guess?" asked master.


    The Colossus sighs but a laughter follows. "The young Dryad is sealed away for her ability to summon any plants she knows of at will. A very convenient ability for Alchemist especially. The Nephilim is sealed away from her sheer destructive power. Having her on your side in a war, can literally and instantly turn the tides. As for me, I''m sealed away for my in-depth knowledge of Mondras. I did created the first Mondra after all. Now boy, do you truly understand who and what we are?"


    "Sure." was master''s answer as he turn and begin to leave. "Well then, let''s go back. The sooner I can learn how to make one, the sooner we can get the hell out of here."


    "You? The inscription on the door doesn''t specify who should prove it."


    "It didn''t. But I''m doing it. Not you, me." Master said and walked down the hundred flights of steps, leaving me and Engrande astounded by master''s attitude. It is unlike master to be particular about things.


    "Oni, what''s wrong with your friend?" Engrande asked.


    I shrugged.


    [Master, what''s wrong?]


    Master said nothing back.


    [Kai?]


    [It''s complicated. It''s best if you don''t ask for now. Give him some time.]


    Even Kai is kind of reserve. I want to retort so many things back but I refrain. [Okay.... I understand.]


    Master, just.... what happened....?


    <hr>


    Days went by. They were peaceful. There weren''t any shocking and notable incidents that happened. It was just days after days of learning. Master is only getting more distant with his emotions. Before, he would ridicule a situation or even make a satire out of it but none of these happened these few days.


    Master is studying forging and unarmed combat under Engrande. Whenever he''s not under the tutelage of the Colossus, he''s practicing alchemy under Kirin and learning magic enchantment with Lady Senna. At the end of the day, he always end up completely exhausted.


    I thought Lady Senna would be disheartened at night but she''s surprisingly relieved. She said master was always hiding in a closet and would only come out in bed. I later found out what it meant from Kai.


    As for me, I continue to mine for magic ores for master''s transmutation training. Since master has improved, the ores used became less and I didn''t need to mine as much as before.


    Now, I have some free time which I spent it training with Bartholomew and Cormac. Oh, I don''t need to harvest any plants for master''s alchemy lessons as Kirin can summon whatever plants she desires. It was rather convenient but each summon took up twenty percent of her Mana.


    "Mwu, secret." was what she keep saying when asked about her ability. She even emphasized it by crossing her forefingers in front of her lips.


    Putting aside our futile questions for Kirin, I am making a lot of progress with my abilities. Although not as much as master, I did take lessons from Engrande. Although not of a psychic degree, I have learned how to read my opponent''s moves through their eye movements, breathing, subtle movements, their slight intents, and many other factors.


    How to tell a ruse.


    It''s not applicable for every situation but in most cases, a ruse can be seen through by how firm they stood and how much tension is in their eyes when executing said move. Although, this could be a ruse in itself too as I learned it the painful way. Since it was a pure physical combat with no magic involved, I suffered a broken jaw. Master did too but he snapped it back into place immediately right after it was dislocated. Even Engrande looked stupefied by master''s action.


    Another thing that was shocking to not just me but even Kirin, Master has quite a bit of knowledge in alchemy despite not having [Alchemy]. Kai deduced that it must be because of master must have had a past fondness for alchemy prior to his amnesia. He learned quick and procured a lot of potions of various effects.


    "Drink this." master said after handing me a small bottle of red liquid. Appraisal told me that the vial is a Health Potion (Greater). This was in the middle of our training with Engrande. As I was about to comply with master''s request, he battered the bottle away from my hand. "Too slow and too unreliable. Dangerous too, I might add."


    "Well, potion aren''t meant to be ingested in the heat of a fight." Engrande said.


    "I doubt that our enemy would be so kind to let us regain back the advantage we lost. Don''t you think so?" master retorted.


    "I see your point but what are you saying we should do?"


    Master raised an eyebrow and took out a vial of red liquid, it holds the same content as the former vial. Master gestures me to have at him.


    I don''t know what master''s planning but I trust him. I drive a palm at master but he parried it and countered with a jab. During this movements, he popped the cap on the vial and drove the needle into his thigh. I can see the liquid in the vial flowed through the needle and into master''s thigh. The bruises he acquired vanishes in an instant.


    "Ho? That''s a wonderful idea you have there, son."


    Master took one last glance at the empty vial before tossing it aside. "It has its flaw but it beats tilting your head to the back and gulped it down your throat in which your opponent could likely take advantage of your eyes off of them and shove the vial down your throat at that opportunity." Master who noticed my concerned stare smiled wryly. "Just saying. Anything can happened if you take your eyes off your opponent."


    "That''s a very vivid imagination you have there, boy."


    "Is it now?" Master asked and raised his arms. "Come on, let''s keep going."


    "You may have a dislocated brain but I don''t dislike your spirit." Engrande replied and entered his stance. "What about you?"


    "That would be enough for me for today." I told them, looking up at the ceiling filled with dazzling vines which have begun dimming.


    At the request of Engrande, master, and Lady Senna, Kirin has formed a magic link of the vines with the surface plants. The vines would received energy from the sunlight from the surface instead of the Mana lurking underground. This way, when night falls on the outside, the vines would loose its light in response. It gave us a sense of time with such method. An astute idea.


    <hr>


    The lights weren''t completely out but it is as dimmed as it could be. Night has fallen and for quite a while now. It must be midnight by now, I assume?


    But I can''t sleep. Something''s been on my mind. Clearly it has something to do with master. These past few days have been a peaceful but it didn''t seem that way for master. He was starting to smile less and less. It didn''t end with just that. When faced with failures, he screamed and yelled. He even got violent with the equipment involved. Before, he would only brush off his mistake with a simple curse, laugh, or joke. Something definitely happened but master has yet to confide with me or Lady Senna.


    I''m getting really worried.


    The worrying have made my throat feel parch. Maybe a walk down to the river would do me some good to ease my mind and to quench my thirst. I thought so in my mind and got up after shoving Nilin aside. We have been quite close as of late but we haven''t done anything like master and Lady Senna. Nilin sleeps in her Wisp form but she always sleeps close to me or on top of me. Since she weighs nothing when she''s a Wisp, I don''t particularly mind.


    Wah~ It''s cold. I have never noticed it but the vines weren''t just giving out light but also radiated warmth like the sun. Now with all the lights in rest, I can only bear the chill with a simple piece of cloth over the tunic I''m wearing as I venture outside the building.


    The river isn''t far away from where we trained and feast. Without the radiance, everything and everywhere is quieter than usual. The gushing sounds from the river is clearer than before. It was always quite pleasant when we''re having our meal with such sounds in the background. Making my way up a hill with trees of red and green apple, I then make my way down, to the river where we drink from.


    There, I find a person that I hope to see but not expecting. It is master, of course. Sitting by the river bank, he''s staring blankly ahead.


    "What are you doing here?" Master asked without turning around.


    I thought I have been caught. I have masked my scent. I have even learned how to temporarily sever the link with master for a short period of time. So, he can''t sense my presence with that. I even tried to be as silent as possible when approaching but master still caught me, is what I thought but he wasn''t speaking to me. When I strained my eyes further in the dark, I can see Lady Senna is beside master.


    I decide to hide behind a tree, showing only half my face from behind of the tree.


    "I guess my reasons would be the same as yours?" Lady Senna replied, tracing her finger on master''s cheek. She''s breathing heavily for some reason.


    Master offers her a wry smile. "Your true nature is showing." A wry smile was all we have ever gotten from master since. Any wider or brighter was near impossible recently, we assumed.


    "Only friends and family are with us. No strangers. I don''t see any problem."


    "No strangers.... huh...."


    "What is it that can''t you tell us? And why can''t you tell us?"


    Dryly, master laughed. "It''s not going to make any difference even if I told you."


    "Eh~? But you promised me."


    "I did?"


    "Yes."


    Master looks really shocked but he is trying his best not to let it show. It can fool anyone but not me or Lady Senna.


    "You don''t remember?"


    "Ah? Oh, I do. It''s just...." Master trailed off stuttering.


    Lady Senna sighs. She grabbed both of master''s hands. She pushed him down, pinning his hands on the ground. Since my link with master is severed temporarily, I can''t appraise what magic she used.


    "Angie.... what are you doing?"


    "Why won''t you tell us?"


    Master remained silent.


    "Are we that untrustworthy in the end? Do you not trust us?"


    "Angie, it''s not like that."


    "What was that you always said? Ah, that''s right. The hell it isn''t."


    Back to a corner, master looked away. Come on, just tell us already. Stop making it more complicated than necessary, I said in my mind.


    "What would you do if everything you know about me, it''s just one huge lie?"


    Lady Senna''s glance freezes and so did master. They both stared at each other for awhile until Lady Senna broke the stalemate. "If it was me before, I would be furious. I would be distraught. I would be so disappointed but now, I would take a few steps back," she released master and retreated a few steps back. "and listen to the full story before passing any judgement."


    "Should''t you be a little bit more distrusting? Not a response I''m expecting from some one with a history of being betrayed."


    "To anyone else, to a stranger, absolutely, I would never trust them but.... it is you I''m trusting right now, my eccentric savior and my beloved."


    "B...beloved...." Master stuttered. Now, this is rare. Master rarely stumbles on his words.


    "From the day I met you till this very moment, if everything you have done until now is nothing but genuine, even if you''re a demon of the Void, a complete monster, no matter how disfigured and distorted, it won''t matter to me."


    "A...Angie.... I...."


    Lady Senna put a finger on master''s lips. I felt like I shouldn''t be peaking but for some reasons, I can''t make myself move away from this place. "Ah.... I want to know what''s going on."


    "Nn. Me too."


    I almost shouted but Kirin quickly put her hand on my mouth. She gestures me to keep silent and I nod. Together, we continue to watch over the two.


    "Everyone has shunned me for what I am, a Nephilim. A symbol of corruption and impurity. An infidelity. A heretic. If it weren''t for my naturally gifted talent for destruction, I would already be burned alive. You didn''t do all those when you met me. You were scared and afraid of me but you decide to listen to my story first. You decided to get to know me first."


    Lady Senna then rolls up her sleeves, revealing her smooth skin of her forearms. "These places use to be filled with scars and bruises. When I was enlisted into the battle force, they erased it with magic. Not because as a gesture of goodwill but to hide their ugliness they forced upon me. You didn''t do any of this. You don''t see me as a equal. You see me as just another victim of this place, like you."


    "Heh. Didn''t know you''re cycle was that religious. Do they seriously whip peoples and burn the accused alive? "


    "It''s not about religion. Demons are considered animal-like beings. Angels are revered as a being closest to divinity. How do you think they would respond if a being from each of these sides became infatuated with each other?"


    "Ah... I see."


    Lady Senna crawls closer to master. "We have bonded in bed so many times but I don''t think we have even said those words to each other, yet." Shrewdly, Lady Senna''s hand has been crawling from master''s leg up to his neck. "Hyx, I love you. I am glad that you were the one who became my knight in shining armor."


    I think we all expected the same response from master but he didn''t met our expectations. Instead, not just me but even Lady Senna and Kirin were shocked, at master''s display. He broke down, crying. Dark purplish veins surfacing on his skin. At that moment, Kirin and I made ourselves known. We approached them but Lady Senna gestured us not to come any closer.


    Instead of backing away from the disfiguring master, Lady Senna embraced him.


    "You lifted the chains off of me. Now, let me do the same, okay?" Even from this distance, the whisper was plain to our ears.


    My shadow rippled and out came Cormac with Bartholomew and Citra. They only showed their heads. Cormac seemed to want to say something but Bartholomew cupped his mouth. Citra herself was at least prudent to keep quiet, surprisingly.


    In the silent of the night, things stayed like this until the dark purplish veins faded. Tears have even soaked and dried on master''s skin.


    "Peaking isn''t good, you know?" Master said as he turn to us. Um.... whoops?


    "Secrets too." retort Kirin.


    "Touche." said master with a smile but not a wry one.


    "I believe you have something to tell us?" Lady Senna spoke.


    "Yeah. For now, let''s head back. Engrande would need to hear this too."


    "Guhehehe~" Lady Senna laughed like so and throws herself at master. "That''s my Hyx."


    [See, give it time. Time heals everything.]


    I nod to Kai''s words but in my heart, I''m starting to doubt Kai''s wisdom are purely accidental and chances.


    [I heard that.]


    Heh, oops?

 H26 - Twin Souls

    Gathered around on the open field, I have all the eyes on me. The eyes excluded Bartholomew, Cormac, and Citra as I have consider them too juvenile to understand the conversation that was about to take place. With a spell cast by Kirin, they fall right back into their sleep. Nilin was the only one who slept through the whole thing. Among all of us, she has the worst waking habit. For now, it works to my favor. We left them in the red building and have our talk on the large field behind it.


    "Soul Fusion?" Bemused, Engrande asks me back.


    "Or merging, assimilation, whatever it''s called. Is it possible?"


    "It''s definitely possible. There was such experiment back then but the results were never favorable."


    "Like the Chimeras." Angie added.


    "That''s one of them but I don''t consider them as souls being fused together.


    "Why not?" I asked.


    "The Chimeras are spliced together from different parts of monsters and beasts, their souls weren''t fused. There''s a huge difference. Nevertheless, the idea of splicing monster parts together did derived from the Soul Fusion experiment."


    Hmm.... I''m very interested in seeing a real-life Chimera but according to Engrande, they no longer exist as they were purged for being too difficult to control and they contract disease quite easily. A weak immunity system maybe?


    "Nn, relevance?" Kirin asked as she stares at me with her blank eyes. I don''t know why but this taciturn Dryad is somehow overly-attached to me. I think it might have something to do with me being the Harbinger, or the Shepherd as the Spirits around here calls me. It was kinda weird for me since she looks a little bit like Nilin. Hell, even their name sounds almost the same. It''s definitely creepy. If her cyan hair is in pigtails, I might end up calling her "Mia".


    "Mwu, relevance." She further entreats me for something by pulling my shirt.


    I don''t understand what she''s asking for.


    [I think she wants to know what your question has got to do with your grand revelations.]


    I never said it was grand but I get your point.


    There is a very good reason I asked about soul fusion. Which is also why I''m having all eyes locked on me at the very moment. I have been stranger than usual recently and being the idiot that I am, I didn''t do a good job of hiding my inner conflict. I tried to hide it but I failed miserably, especially on Angie and Tom. Tom is exceptionally observant of me because I am his savior and benefactor. As for Angie, she''s just few steps away from being a Yandere which I find it highly unsettling --


    -- until a few moments ago. When she said those three words that I would never dream of hearing, I just feel like I have to come clean with them.


    I can''t remember my family from earth. I know I had one but I don''t remember their faces or even names. And I don''t think I was someone a parent would be proud of or someone you could boast for at a party or gathering.


    And along came Angie the Nephilim. All I did was freeing her from her imprisonment after two thousand years but she fell in love with me because of that. I find it hard to believe love is so simple, this isn''t some romance fiction after all.


    I never believed her, not completely at least. Not even after spending so many nights together in the same bed. As far as I can tell, I''m just using her for as a relieving outlet, what rotten scum, aren''t I? I don''t understand what she sees in me. I don''t know what I have ever done to be so deserving of her obsession towards me. However, my self disillusions are shattered when she uttered those words.


    Trusts go both ways. I used it on Tom and now, she used it on me. Only after some encouragement from Kai, I relented my selfish lies. For the first time, I ran out of excuses, drawing a blank at my next moves, I broke down crying from being guilt ridden, in front of the woman who put all of her faith and love into me.


    I couldn''t take it. I couldn''t lie to myself and them any longer. I didn''t lie about my well-being to protect them. I lied to protect myself. The one I didn''t trust, is not her but myself. At the end of the day, the one I was worried about is no one but myself.


    I was afraid they would shun me if they find out what I am. Yes, Kai and I have come to an answer of my very essence.


    The sole reason of me being an asshole as of late stems from a discovery that Kai made few days ago.


    "Does the fusion of souls have something to do with what you''re about to tell us?" asked Engrande.


    "Everything."


    When I feel Kirin clenches her grip down on my clothes, I rub her head to soothe her. Looks like I''m not the only one who''s nervous.


    "My memories are coming back together. Although, it''s all still fragmented and without an order. It is hard to make out the heads and tails."


    "But?" Kirin asked with her head tilted.


    "But I think I can make some rough guess from it. I have worked hard." Or rather, Kai did.


    "Oho? That''s good, laddie."


    "Is it?" I give Engrande a look. "What if I told you all, in truth, I was just a useless boy from a very prominent household. I''m incompetent in almost every way possible."


    Ah~! I feel a tight grip on my right arm. Kirin, not so.... Ah... It''s Angie. She looks conflicted between being sad or angry. "That''s not true and you know it." She told me with her eyes staring into my soul. I might be wrong but those are the eyes of a Yandere.


    I cup my hand on hers. "I''m sorry but it is. I''m not belittling myself here without a good reason."


    [Hyx, maybe it would be okay if you don''t tell them that....]


    Kai, shut up. I don''t want to lie to them anymore and myself, not after what Angie told me....


    [.....Very well.]


    Now, time to tell them the base truth of my origins.


    First of all, I have discerned whether I''m a reincarnate or summoned. "I am a reincarnated. I have died in my previous life in another world and reborn as Hyx Valerius in this world." Although, I still wasn''t able to remember my name or how I die but I know this much, I have truly died.


    Engrande''s eyes shot wide open. "You are a reincarnated?" He asks as if he was familiar with the word.


    "Nn?"


    "You''re.... familiar?" I dubiously asked Engrande.


    "It was something that have been theorized a lot but never actualized."


    Oh yeah, Angie said something like that too. I forgot Engrande, Kirin, and Angie came from roughly the same cycle or generation, whatever the term is.


    [Era?]


    Shut up.


    "To think this era succeeded at where we failed. I''m looking even more forward to see what the world has become now. So, what is it like? Being a reincarnated that is."


    "Well, from what I remembered and memories from a certain adventurer I have consumed, a reincarnated always retain their memories from their past lives but they don''t remember about it from the moment they were reborn. The memories only awaken when they awaken their magic talent. I was not a late bloomer. I recalled my memories but I didn''t awaken any magic talent and I was only ten as oppose to the normal twelve."


    Silent ensues. Their eyes darting around, away from mine.


    "Because I have none."


    Angie grabs my chin and cocks my head to face her. I heard a snap and crack. I don''t think my neck is suppose to make those sounds. "That was then, not currently."


    "I''m not finished, may I?" I asked and only after I caress her cheeks, she was able to calm down. Jeez, she''s so near to the Yandere borders.


    "I was terrible at fighting, formulating, magic. I can''t even play any instruments which is expected the least from a noble. I slipped verbally on many occasions. That''s a very terrible mistake to commit, especially if you''re a highborn."


    "Nn. Agreed."


    Angie is smiling wryly.


    Engrande is nodding with assent.


    Tom is having a difficult face that says "It doesn''t matter if you''re of highborn."


    [Verbal slip is bad and makes you sound like an asshole regardless of your standing.]


    Grandly, I ignored all of those. As those weren''t the point.


    "To make up for my incompetence, I locked myself in my room, drowned myself in books. Especially books about alchemy." I look at Kirin who is curling up in my lap.


    "Nn." Kirin gave me a nod. I guess she''s saying "good job" to me?


    Angie, please spare me that terrifying gaze. Kirin is just a kid.


    "Did it help?" Tom asked.


    "Valerius. That''s the name of my former household. According to Clammis'' memories, Valerius household has been producing talented individuals for generations. The name Valerius belongs to a very prestigious noble line. A few books from the mansion''s library ain''t going to do shit."


    "Ha~! Figures. So, what happened next?" asked Engrande, taking a sip from the barrel. Are you seriously drinking right now? And where did that barrel of liquor came from?


    "Reincarnated or even the Summoned, they are always exceptional and absurd. I was neither. It only make sense that people would have high expectations. My clan, they knew I''m a reincarnated, I don''t know how but they knew. At the end of the day or rather, when I was ten, when my memories returned, they knew then that I was a failure. I was exiled. My existence is wiped from the history of Valerius. To bury the sole huge shame of the family."


    "Shame and exiled?" Tom blurted out.


    "I was a reincarnated. The expectations they have for me are higher than the usual. They discovered that I''m not even on par with their minimum expectations. What do you think I would look like in their eyes?"


    "A huge shame....."


    "Exactly."


    Ouch~! Angie, I know you''re angry but please be mindful of where you''re directing your anger to.


    "Nothing new there, son. Been happening since my time too."


    "I''m not surprised either. Such is a mindset of a highborn. Not that different from my world too."


    "How young were you?" Engrande settles down the barrel and asks.


    "Ten. Weren''t you listening?"


    "They exiled you, a ten years old, for not meeting the adults'' expectation?"


    "It''s still a bit of a blur but I believed that''s how it went down."


    "You joined the Nines after that?" Angie who has loosened her grip, asks.


    "Nines?" Engrande raised an eyebrow at Angie''s question.


    "No. Well, not directly after. To be honest...." Before I continued, I pry Angie''s hand off of me. "I had considered suicide." My actions were futile as she grips tightly back on my arm. Ouch~!


    Angie buries her face into my shoulder. "But you didn''t jump." She looks up at me. "Right?"


    "Almost. I think I was at a bridge. I was seriously considering to just jump into the rive and let it all end. Nothing went right ever since birth. I was so close to jumping."


    "Why didn''t you?" Tom asked. If it was anyone else who asked that, I would have sock them in the face.


    "Roland. I believe that was the man''s name. He found me. Took me in. Said that I have talent for other things. He said I''m meant for something greater but just not what people commonly expected. He gave me a roof over my head, a soft bed, a warm meal. He even told me that if I wanted to make something out of my life, I should consider joining the Nines."


    "Hold up!" Engrande shouted. "Pardon me for asking but what is this Nines you''re talking about?"


    "Mwu." Kirin seems to be agreeing with Engrande.


    Oh right, I told Angie but not him or Kirin.


    I tell them what the Faith of the Nines is. I didn''t go into details about it but just enough to let them know that the Nines is the dominating faith across Evarenan.


    "This man, he just found you by chance and decided to take you in? Even kindness has limits."


    [Lady Senna makes a valid point.]


    Why are you telling me this through telepathy, Tom?


    "I agree with Senna. Strays that get picked up on the roadside are dogs or small cute animals, I don''t believe such compassion applies to human."


    "I don''t know either. I have yet to make sense of it but it doesn''t change that he did gave me a roof to live under."


    [Maybe you''re just a very cute child and he could be a pedophile.]


    Normally, I would disagree with you but this is another world, it is likely.


    "You found a way to awaken your powers during your time with the Nines?" Angie asks, hopefully.


    "Not exactly. I...."


    Ah.... This is the hardest part.


    [Just tell them. Or do you still not believe in them?]This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "I...."


    Seeing my trembling hands, Angie grasps my hands. When I look at her, she nods, assuring me that whatever I told her, she would not despise me, is what her eyes are saying.


    "My powers, they belong to a Beast."


    No one said anything. They are just waiting for next words.


    "I might have made a deal with a very twisted beast, a devil."


    Engrande remains silent and just drinks his liquor.


    Tom is contemplating.


    Kirin is looking at her own twirling fingers.


    Angie is hugging me, whispering into my ears. "It''s alright. I''m glad you told us."


    "What kind of beast are we talking about here?" Engrande asked.


    "I can''t remember about it. I do remember how it looked, vaguely. It''s bigger than an average human, black, and pulsating dark purple color all over his body. It doesn''t look the least bit like a human. Other than that, I have no idea."


    "What deal did you made?"


    "I don''t remember but whatever it is, it is the reason that I came to this dungeon. I... I descended into this hellhole to fulfill a deal I made with the devil. Look where that got me."


    "Well.... if it''s any consolation, it got you here, with us. If it weren''t for that deal of yours, we might still be chained up." Angie assures me. I don''t think she''s letting me go from her hug anytime soon.


    "That''s what I''m afraid of. What if this is what it wants? The great power of the three of you?"


    "A monster who is smart enough to make deals, is smart enough to know that it''s better to harness our powers and knowledge while we remain chained up instead of just outright releasing us." Proudly, Engrande declares so but his grandeur fades when he seemed to come upon a realization "Or is there something you haven''t told us."


    "I said I came to this hellhole to honor the deal I made with the devil. Where do you think the devil is right now?"


    When I asked them, Tom was the only one who realized the meaning behind my question.


    "Nn?" Kirin can only tilt her head.


    Engrande looks bemused.


    Angie looked bewildered but when she recalls it, she pulls back from me. Come to think of it, neither Engrande nor Kirin knows of my true form.


    I stood up and get some distance away from them. I activate [Awakening].


    Kirin shrieked, which I did not expect, and scampered instantly to behind Tom. Engrande lost his grip on the barrel and spilled the liquor, leaving his mouth gaping with stuttering noises.


    Standing with hind limbs, skin blackened with pulsating dark purplish veins, I stare at the two who I have shown my true form for the first time.


    "By the gods, I know you''re a Magic Beast but this is not the picture I have in my mind."


    "Mwu...." Kirin is cowering behind Tom whereas Tom can only laugh awkwardly at the situation.


    "Are you a Mimic? Or a Shapeshifter?"


    "I don''t believe so that I''m either one. My race said Violet Tail, Magic Beast." Violet Tail is named by Kai, mind you.


    "A Skinwalker?"


    I don''t know what that is, so I''m gonna answer "No."


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Angie said but quite contrary to her words, she looks gloomy. I guess she''s conflicted with me being beautiful or monstrous?


    "Mwu."


    But beautiful? I know it looks cool but where did you get beautiful from?


    "It certainly is.... Wait. Don''t tell me.... Boy! That deal you made, you sold your body and soul to the devil?"


    Engrande, who has figured out what point I''m trying to make, suddenly shot up asking.


    "The deal was to let the monster possess you?" asked Kirin, in a long sentence, surprisingly.


    Seeing the trembling Kirin, I return back to my normal form. She is still wary but at least she has stop shaking. I wasn''t aware of how frightening I looked but since she''s only a child, her perspective might be different.


    "If it was just possession, I would have known early on." Or rather, Kai would already know.


    "Not possession?"


    Engrande who is looking perplexed suddenly lit up like a thought hit him. "Soul fusion...." Which it did.


    "Yes." It was something Kai discovered some time before adjourning into the miracle forest. The breakthrough hit him when I was practicing transmutation. He had a theory that I might have been some spliced up creature that escaped confinement like the usual monster sci-fi cliche but what he discovered was something much more massive and complicated. It''s not simple splicing but fusing of two wholesome Mana Vessels. Yes, the souls of the individual named Hyx Atlas and some unknown darkly Beast, fusing into one.


    It was then, more memories flood back into my mind. We knew we were on the right track then.


    "This is what I am. Everything special about me is all thanks to the monster within me. Take it away and I''m nothing. If weren''t for that deal, I wouldn''t be here. In other words, I didn''t save you all. The devil within me did."


    Angie wants to retort but the truth has been spoken and it is irrefutable, Angie clearly realizes that. She''s even shedding tears for me. It would be boorish of me to point out that she''s being too dramatic.


    "Dangerous....?" Kirin asked with her head poked out from behind Tom like a totem. I have to say, she looks quite cute like this.


    "No." I answer Kirin. "For now, the Beast lies dormant in me. For some reasons, it''s still asleep and for now, my mind is still Hyx Atlas but my soul isn''t anymore."


    "What happens if it wakes up? What happens then? What would happen to you? Would you die? Would the very being of Hyx Atlas be no more? Would you still remember us?"


    Overcame with such possibilities, she bombarded me with these questions which I only have three words for a reply, "I don''t know."


    I noticed Engrande as been staring intently at me for quite awhile now.


    "What''s wrong?" I asked.


    "Are you concealing your true stats at the moment?"


    [That is incorrect. I have yet to be able to mask our information from Appraisals.]


    "No." I answered in accordance to Kai''s analysis.


    "Oho~? Then correct me if I''m wrong, the soul fusion, it''s not completed yet, right?"


    [Ha, quite observant, isn''t he?]


    "How do you know?" I asked.


    "That explains a lot actually. I never told you this but when I appraised you, the information I got from you is..... wrong."


    "Wrong?"


    "Well, your stats doesn''t match the prowess you showed. Your stats are barren. It look like the values that one would see on a common peasant farmer. I thought you were just hiding it."


    "You didn''t bother to question me?"


    "Like I said, I thought you were just concealing yourself. Hiding your true information from being appraised isn''t an easy feat, from a level ten [Appraisal] no less, but seeing that you''re not exactly commonplace, I thought you would be able to do it. Seems like I was wrong."


    "What are you getting at?" asked Angie. What''s with that look towards Engrande for?


    "I''m seeing your original stats, your stats when you''re still the incompetent human, as how you put it. I think I''m seeing this results is because the souls have yet to fully merge together. For now, the human side is in control."


    I see. Besides me and Tom, other appraises can only see my stats as an ordinary human but.... on status cards, my true information is revealed, I wonder if it''s because of direct interaction.


    "Soul fusion.... I didn''t know it was possible...."


    "It wasn''t?" I asked the skeptical Angie.


    "When the scientists saw how powerful I, a Nephilim could be, they wanted to make more of me, Nephilims. Breeding them the natural way was too slow and the bonding between these two beings was... well.... you already know how it is. Still, they experimented on Angels and Demons. On the surface, the council forbade it but the ugly truth, they were even funding it."


    "And no one knew? No one opposed?"


    "People knew but no one dared go against the council. They were of the highest in the hierarchy. When it started, one idea led to another. Until they came to the idea of fusing the souls of an Angel and a Demon''s directly with each other instead of, as how Engrande puts it, splicing them together. However, they didn''t succeed. If I''m not wrong, I think the Chimera is one of the failures they produced."


    "What happened then?"


    "According to rumors, the whole thing was labeled as a failure as there were no breakthrough. And it was abandoned. No more whispers of it since then."


    Engrande sighs. His heartbeat rate is increasing and he''s sweating. On Kai''s advice, I turn my focus at him.


    "What''s wrong?" Tom who has also noticed it, asks.


    "There wasn''t exactly no breakthrough in soul fusion. There was."


    "There was?" A face full of doubts, Angie asked.


    "Just not between living things."


    [Ah. I see.] Kai said.


    Yeah, me too. I think I know what''s he talking about.


    "Mondra." Kirin bluntly blurted out.


    Engrande nods. "Their research data were salvaged and this was what made the idea of a certain mad bunch of researchers possible. By making use of these illegal findings, the Mondra research is approved."


    "The Mondras.... they were infused with living souls, not some simple magic enchantment."


    "Yes." He admitted, silently. "Since we''re all being honest here, I have something to show you all."


    [Well, this should be interesting.]


    No shit.


    <hr>


    As all secret room, place, or sanctum should have it, it was underground but not too far from the surface.


    We followed Engrande into a lab hundred feet underground. The lab was just what I expected, nothing too elaborate. They are looked like tools from the early twentieth century although nothing runs on electricity but Mana and magic. Without the needed regular maintenance, even if I poured Mana into this tools, they could no longer function.


    We arrived at a section where rows of cylindrical glass tubes are aligned. Well, tanks would be a much suitable wording as they were too large to be considered as tubes. These tanks were all shattered or broken. They certainly looked like they were used to contain something but question is, what?


    Engrande, in his nine feet height has a dark look and he avoids staring at these tanks as much as possible.


    "This here is where we used to keep the souls. All these souls were salvaged from the previous research."


    Figured as much. "For Mondras?"


    "Mondra is the main reason but there are others."


    "How could you do something like this?" Angie looks toward Engrande, disgusted at him.


    "Young, ambitious, and most of all, ignorant. A deadly combination. We were looking for means to create a weapon that wasn''t just a piece of steel or metal. My colleagues and I, we were obsessed with creating a weapon that surpass the highest tier of weapons, Divine Weapons."


    "Congratulations, you succeed." As if put on auto, my sarcasm escaped.


    "I did." Engrande sighs. "I did."


    We continue walking down the rows and rows of destroyed tanks until we come across two tanks that are still intact and standing, with some kind of inscribed chains and a cloth over these two tanks.


    I don''t feel anything from underneath the cover but I can guess that''s what the covers are for.


    "Didn''t think there would still be two left."


    "Are these...."


    "Yes." Engrande answered my unfinished questions.


    "Mwu~" Kirin is shaking her head like she''s warding off some headache.


    Ever since we descended into this place, Kirin has been acting all fidgety and she''s very obvious with it now in front of these two tanks. Because of my performance moments ago, she is clinging not onto me but Tom. What''s this prickling I''m feeling in my heart?


    With a single pull, the frail chains shattered and the cloth is removed, unveiling the sinister underneath.


    Everyone flinched at it , even me. It was not what I had expected. I have seen souls before and they looked nothing like this. Humanoid but they are of pale blue ethereal smoke of flesh. These two souls looked like some hounds have tore some part of them off. In simple words, they''re in tatters. I guess even souls can rot, huh.


    Mana Vessel (Human Soul)


    Age: 2052


    Status: Damaged (Great)


    Mana Vessel (Human Soul)


    Age: 2163


    Status: Damaged (Great)


    These were the results from appraising them.


    These souls have a face of a human without flesh, basically skull for face. They are drifting inside the tank, smashing and hammering at the glass while screeching and screaming inaudibly at us. Well, it wasn''t exactly inaudible. It was just on a different frequency. They sound like fading echoes and beside me, Tom and Kirin are able to hear it.


    ""Let us out....!""


    Is what I heard from the two souls. Their voices.... is truly unsettling, just like when I was fighting Aedrox. I don''t think any normal person could have remain sane after staring at these two tattered gruesome souls.


    Tom was barely fazed by it since he was already hearing voices in his head, including me and Kai. Whereas Kirin is looking more disturbed than before. To the point that she''s even shutting her eyes and covering her ears. She''s making noises to drown out the fading screeches and her face is distorting.


    I approach her. I thought she would shy away from me but she didn''t. She accepts my hand. I guess she doesn''t really hate me. She was just scared at that moment. After invoking [Pacify] to calm Kirin down, I ask Tom to get her out of her.


    Tom nodded and carried Kirin in his arms out of this place. I''m glad Tom is someone who is able to read the atmosphere.


    "Angie, you too."


    "I''m fine."


    "Angie, please."


    "Hyx, I''m fine. Trust me on this, alright? I can''t leave you alone, not when you''re so conflicted."


    Ah.... I have been found out. The souls do disturb me a little. I''m trying not to look like I was bothered but she said I was trying too hard. Good gods... I don''t deserve her.


    In the heat of the moment, I lost myself. I sprang at her and planted my lips on hers.


    "Hyx?" She asked, dumbfounded as our lips parted.


    "Sorry.... you were just too...."


    "It''s alright. I understand. Besides, I don''t hate it." she said, wiping her lips while looking suggestive with her eyes.


    Just when our pink space is forming, we were interrupted by the souls. They are hammering the glass harder than before. They are flattening their face on the glass like they expecting to phase through it. How rude.


    Well, even if the souls didn''t interrupt us, a certain giant in this room will.


    "Poor sods...." He said and placed his hand on the glass tank. "Maybe I shouldn''t have go through with it. Damn it. Curse my ambitions." His last lines were in whispers but I heard it with my keen sense of hearing.


    With a loud ringing sound, a crack appears on the glass tank from the repeated hammering.


    "What would happened if they broke through the glass?" I asked.


    "Nothing."


    "Nothing?"


    "Well, nothing much. They would haunt this place as ghosts. That''s all. Trying to kill us, wander in the Mortal Realm for eternity."


    "They can''t move on?"


    "Souls that are damaged too much can never find peace. Afterlife would be forever only a dream and fantasy to them."


    Ah, I see. They have been mutilated to such point.


    "What are you going to do?" asked Angie.


    I flash her a wry grin as I summon black tendrils from my back, they struck at the souls like a cobra, crashing through the glasses and devouring them in an instant.


    They can''t move on anyways, would be a waste to just let them be.


    Engrande looked mildly terrified although he supposedly already knew about my powers from the ancient Dryad. I guess seeing and merely hearing about are indeed two different things. Or maybe the Baba had left it out for whatever reasons.


    [Soul Harvest (Unique): Lv. 3 increased to Lv. 4]


    Hmm. Just two human souls and it leveled up. I guess human soul provides more experience?


    [Spirit Magic: Lv. 3 increased to Lv. 4]


    [Spirit Magic: Mini Scout - Acquired]


    [Magic Melee Arts: Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    [Magic Melee Arts: Arcane Edge - Acquired]


    [Lightning Serration (Legacy): Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    [Lightning Serration (Legacy): Storm Fangs - Acquired]


    [Death Inhibitor (Legacy): Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]


    Scratch that. Human souls do give a lot of experiences and it''s even distributed to other Arcane Arts, just like the time I devoured Clammis'' soul.


    These two souls.... they''re part of the scientists group conducting this experiment when it was still illegal.... When the lab rats ran out, they use their own peoples.... these two drew the unlucky straws. On the bright side, these two have some knowledge about the anatomy of souls. Which is nice and helpful but it comes with a lot of unsightly memories.


    "Any more secrets you care to share?" I asked dryly at Engrande.


    "A lot but seeing the condition of this lab, I don''t think we need to worry about it. I doubt the secrets are still in any condition to be called and kept as a secret." said Engrande, looking around the decrepit lab.


    "What happened after the war with the Void Demons?"


    "People united under a grand cause but without that grand cause anymore, they became divided. People started waking up with knives in their backs. The gathered what they can, I suppose. As you can see, not even any documents are left. Either they hid if for themselves or they burned it, nobody knows anymore."


    "Good. Things like these should stay unknown to peoples." Angie retorts.


    "Well, that''s everything here. What do you wanna do now, son?"


    "What they should have done from the beginning. What you should have done from the beginning." I said as I stare Engrande in the eyes.


    He understands what I''m trying to convey. He held his head down in shame as he walked out of this place. I gesture Angie to follow him.


    "Go. I''ll catch up."


    "Don''t be too long, okay?"


    "I won''t." I said and we kissed.


    When I made sure she''s out of range, I clad my whole body with red lightning.


    [There might be something worth salvaging in this place, sure you wanna do this?]


    Very much. We both know what had happened in this place. We have those memories after all.


    [Yes but destroying this place won''t change anything. No souls are trapped here. It would be nothing more than a pointless action.]


    Pointless? Do you really believe that?


    [I should warned you, Hyx. If you can''t see through something till the end, don''t do it in the first place. The common problem with heroes-wannabe is that they didn''t do all those for some greater good nor a grand purpose, even if that''s what they believed in, they do it for self indulgence, nothing more.]


    I agree but I''m not playing the hero here. Hell, I''m not even a hero in the first place. I''m just some unfortunate guy who have made a deal with the devil out of desperation and on a whim, and now, I''m just someone paying the price while looking for answers to my many questions.


    [Then why do you wish to destroy this place and risk collapsing this whole city? A sign of good fate for the deceased? They''re dead and you have nothing to do with them.]


    I don''t know. Self indulgence, maybe?


    [Hyx. The more you and I grew, the less I understand you.]


    Funny, aren''t you suppose to be the better part of me?


    [Actually, I''m neither the better or the worse part of you. I''m just another you. While I do know what you''re mind is going through, what you''re thinking, but as I have said and told you, I do not know the reasons behind your actions and thoughts.]


    Kai.... You do realize that.... maybe the next month or week, maybe the next day or even the next minute, I could be gone. We could be gone. Who''s to say that the monster within us won''t decide to wake up at the next moment? Do you understand that? The very essence of me could be no more at any given moment. I just want to.... do what good I can with the powers the devil have given me.... maybe also to do what I want.... leave a mark.... before I fade away.... at least.... they could have a future that is just one percent safer than before.


    [Hyx.... you''re not going to die or fade away.]


    You know, I have always thought the scariest thing about dying is that we do not know what comes after we die but.... I was wrong. The scariest part about death is that we will never know what will happen to the ones we care for after we die.


    Which is why....


    I don''t want to die. Not when I have just truly started living.... not when I have something to live for now....


    [And you won''t die. We will get through this, you hear me? Thomas, Bartholomew, Cormac, Citra, Nilin, Senna, Kirin, and Engrande. You may not truly have a family back then but now you do. We will make it out of this surface and we will find the answers we are looking for, as your alter ego and your best friend, that is my promise to you, Hyx Atlas.]


    Ha.... what the hell is this.... my split personality playing Dr. Phil with me.... but he''s right.


    I do have a family now and they are my family.


    An Oni, two Goblins, a Wyrm, a Wisp, a Nephilim, a Dryad, and a Colossus. One trait we all share, the only ones we have is each other. I can''t believe I''m saying this but even Nilin too. She could no longer return to the Spirits as she has broken the oath of using her powers for harm before the mature age of Spirits, which is three thousand years old.


    They are my family now and I want to protect them. And.... if I have to become the devil to do that.... maybe then, I wouldn''t mind letting it take over.


    [Stop joking around. I''m not going to let anything happen to you, my master. And should the devil within you awakens, you can count on me on making sure it wish it never wakes up.]


    Yeah, you do that, servant.


    [Now, shall we?]


    Without any more words, I invoke my newly acquired spell, [Storm Fangs]. A head of a beast formed from the crackling red lightning, it swallows the whole decrepit lab up.


    A piece of ceiling broke off from the ensuing destruction, falling right at me but before it could crush me flat, I was already gone when the space around me closed in.

 Intermission - Late At Night

    The blood moon had awakened. A red crescent moon. It used to be seen as a bad omen but time has changed. Now, peoples hold festivals during this night.


    Prior my initiation of the Nines, before that monster rampage incident ever took place, I never once miss the annual Red Crescent Festival.


    After years of abstaining myself from this festival, this year, I allowed myself to relive the experience of my childhood days, well in this case, nights.


    It was agreed that the three of us were to meet up at the festival but out of the three, including me, only two showed up. The third person was absent. It was unlike him to break a promise but it was also just like him to be fickle.


    If he wasn''t feeling well, he would told us but he didn''t. Which leaves to only one plausible reason as of why he didn''t show up.


    I knew of the friendly feud going on between Luna and Hyx. Almost everyone does. I think.


    Luna had the notion that Hyx truly despise her and therefore, his reason for being absent.


    How rude of him. I''m sure it wasn''t his intention to cause such misunderstanding but it didn''t change the fact that he did.


    Instead of him, Luna kept apologizing. By some miracles, I wagered, I managed to comfort and calm the near-hysteric Luna. I convinced that we could still join the festival with just the two of us. She beamed.


    It was awkward. Our skin touched a lot.


    I didn''t want to ruin the mood, so I ended up enjoying the festival with Luna, just the two of us. We had fun but Luna was over the moon with it, surprisingly. Just moments ago, she was face full of tears and snots and belittling herself.


    Most important of all, I had never saw her this happy before. When the liveliness of this particular night came to end, we part ways but not before Luna surprised me with unexpected words.


    Simply put, I was confessed to by a person of the same gender and age. No, not exactly my same age. Since she''s an Elf, we just look like we''re on the same years.


    Unlike other faith, Faith of the Nines doesn''t shun such practices. And I wasn''t oppose to it. In truth, I''m not even sure of my own inclination. Still, I asked her for some time. She consented to my selfish request and we parted ways then.


    We live in the same place, the temple of the Nines but we weren''t going back together as I still have some unfinished business.


    There''s only so much places that boy would go to in the dead of the night. He wasn''t someone bold enough to brave the unknowns of in the dark.


    He would be at someplace bright but isolated from people.


    Following my instincts, I found him.


    Right under the Sakura Tree with the pink petals reflecting the red brilliance of the blood moon, immersed in his reading. He could be boorish and annoying at times but this was one of his traits that I''m quite fond of. Everyday, I would see him devouring pages of a different book.


    Nevertheless, it didn''t change what he had done.


    That infuriating idiot. He actually lied to me and Iluna. He dares to break a promise and made her cry.


    "Hyx."


    He stiffened when he heard his name being called. Slowly, he peeked up from the book he''s reading. When our eyes met, I smiled. He returned a nervous laugh.


    "A book means much more to you than friends and festivals?"


    "No. Not really." After he closed his book, he got up, steadily without breaking eye contact. I''m not a tiger. Just because you''re looking at me doesn''t mean I won''t attack you.


    "May I know why then?"


    "Um.... I can''t tell y-you." It wasn''t said like a noble gentleman but pale shadow of one.


    "Why?"


    "Secret?"


    I sighed. Breaking a promise with two of his friends and now he''s refusing to give me the reason. Either he''s really an idiot or he''s too bold for his own good. The former triumphs all other possibility most likely. I say he isn''t satisfied with where his head is.


    "Er.... Vira, w-what are you doing?" He didn''t bother to hide the tremble in his voice. Subtle will never be a word to describe him. Nothing about him can be said to be subtle.


    I offered no response as I silently drew out a gleaming white sword from my [Arms Inventory].


    "Is that Sh-Shadow''s B-Bane?"


    "For most of the time, yes. But now, it''s your bane."


    "Ehehe?" A troubled and difficult face he had. "Nice joke?"


    "Thank you but I wasn''t joking."


    "Ah.... Are you going to use that on me?"


    "You think I''m brandishing this sword out just for laughs?" I asked him without neglecting my grin.


    "Hey, c''mon. It''s just a festival."


    "It''s just a festival?"


    "You weren''t very aboard with it in the first place."


    "You condescending Modred''s Hound. It''s the Red Crescent Festival. You know how much she longs to go to the festival, with the two of us, mind you. You have no idea how dispirited Luna was."


    "Eh?" He was looking at me in disbelief. Does he truly think his presence won''t matter?  "She''s dispirited? I.... But I...."


    "Don''t worry, she''s fine now. No thanks to you. We enjoyed ourselves, just so you know."


    "Well, that''s good."


    "It is but you''re still not forgiven. And rest assured, I won''t use the edge."


    "Um.... Milady, that''s Moonstone, a high-tier steel. Even the flat surface can cause internal bleeding, you know?"


    "Oh, I''m counting on it." I said and I attacked in flashes. Before two seconds were up, I have hit him on his right shoulder, his left hand, his right leg, and I was now pinning him on the trunk of the Sakura Tree. If I applied only a little bit more force, the point would made its way into his flesh.


    "Ow ow ow ow. That hurts." He said, wincing at the places I hit him with the flat surface of Shadow''s Bane. He had dropped the book when I hit his left hand. I could tell he wanted to pick the book up as his eyes were at the book on the grass. Did he not realize that he has more pressing matters to worry about at the moment?


    Since he wasn''t taking his eyes off the book he dropped, I followed his gaze. "Ugly Duckling" that''s the word written in gold color on the hardcover of the book. I know this story. A children''s bedtime story but I don''t remember it having this much pages. This one must have been rewritten to appeal to the older ages. Still, it is a story about finding a place one belongs to and seeking acceptance.


    "Yeah, I know. It''s pathetic, right?" said Hyx. "I broke our promise just to come here and read some children''s story."


    "I couldn''t care less about what you''re reading. It beats the other weird and nameless books you have always been reading. Nevertheless, tell me. Why didn''t you come?"


    "I...."


    Before he could fib, I apply more force into the tip. "Don''t lie to me, okay?" I warned him. His shirt was dyed a little in red.


    "I.... I didn''t want to get in the way."


    "Get in the way? Why would you be getting in the...." I stopped when I realized what he meant. "I see. Did you two planned this?"


    "Ah? No. No, we didn''t. It was just me."


    "Hmm?"


    "I know of her feelings for you, okay? I knew if I followed, she wouldn''t have.... but I''m guessing she already did, didn''t she?"


    So that''s why. You sly imp. "She did. She did."


    "Congratulations?" He said, forcing a smile.


    "But I didn''t give her an answer yet."


    "Heh? Why not?"


    Stowing away Shadow''s Bane, I looked him in the eyes. "What about you then?"


    "What? W-What about me?"


    "I thought you two were competing?"


    "Huh? Competing...? What are you talking about?"


    I feel like I would loose if I sigh here, so I withheld it. "Do you really think I wouldn''t know? In fact, everyone knew. Not just me. You''re an idiot. You''re terrible at lying and you''re terrible at concealing."


    He froze on the spot and started stuttering like the idiot he is. Combining with his reddening face, it became one of the rare moments that he truly acts his age. How cute. "Everyone k-knew? Y-You knew?"


    "You weren''t very subtle with your advances. So yes, I knew." You might to want to work on your methods.


    "Ah.... Shit...." He gave a dry smile. "How embarrassing." Despite what he said, he didn''t sound embarrassed. He instead sounded like someone who has given up.


    "Why did you let her?"


    I can see his lips trembling and his eyebrows twitching. A tear form in the corner of his eye but he wiped it before it even drip out. He lifted his head so our eyes could meet. "She''s an Elf."


    He said as if that one word could explain all his actions. In a way, it could.


    "I know how the world treated Elves just because they are so much more beautiful than every other Sagax race. Despite knowing this, she went against her clan''s teaching and advises for the sake of helping people. People like me. You have always been the pillar of her strength. And.... I consider her a friend despite constantly being at each other''s throat. I can''t do that to her. I can''t take away the pillar that have always supported her at her worst."


    "Hyx.... you...."


    He scoffed, it derailed my train of thought. "Well, not that I can take away the pillar in the first place, even if I tried my hardest."


    "Really? Is that how you think?" I asked.


    He didn''t answer me. He just hung his head low, looking at his boots scrapping the grass. His right hand is fumbling inside his vest''s pocket.


    "Do you really think that you don''t stand a chance?" I asked again.


    "Huh?" He looked up. He stared blankly at my way but he begun walking backwards when he caught my meaning but his back is already at the tree. "Ah....." He was gagging at that one word.


    I stood into his personal space, our face is only less than a dozen centimeters apart. It was kinda difficult though since I was at least half a head taller than him. Basically, instead of face to face, I''m pretty much towering over him.


    I don''t doubt that I looked like a bully at the moment.


    "You''re kinda close.... V-Vira."


    "Yet, I don''t feel close. Never did. You''re always keeping us at a distance. Why?"


    Without any answer, he just keeps fumbling in his pocket.


    Having enough of his indecisiveness, I forcefully dragged his hand out of his pocket and a silver ring fell out. It couldn''t be said to be a work of art but the silver ring does have some interesting pattern engraved on it.


    It was a flower. A flower that symbolizes strength and courage. A flower of warriors. A flower for heroes. The flower is called Xatara.


    It shares its name with a legendary female warrior that lived a few thousands of years ago. A slayer of the foulest beast from the darkest and deepest depths. Her tale is not widely revered but it was very well-known among the children back at the orphanage. Our caretaker, Lily believes that Xatara has ascended from her mortal coil and is now living among the Gods.


    Xatara, I looked up to her. I have even declare that I would be just like her when I grew up. However, reality isn''t so kind. Too much have changed.


    "What is that?" I asked, inclining my head at the fallen ring. "And don''t lie. You''re not very good at it."


    He quickly picked it back up and pocketed it. "That''s nothing. It was something but not anymore, not since I decided not to betray my friend."


    "Why do you always do this? Haven''t you lost enough? You have sacrificed so much. Do you seriously think that you don''t deserve happiness?" How laughable. Under most circumstances, Hyx would be the one saying such things to me, not the other way around.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "At the cost of other''s happiness? Not in a million years."


    My hand reached out for him but it was refused. "I think she needs you more than I do."


    "Hyx.... I...."


    "Besides, it''s too late for me."


    "What do you mean it''s too late for y...." My voice trailed off. My eyes widened. Stumbling at my words, I stepped back from Hyx who was shuddering violently but I wasn''t allowed. He had his hands grasped tightly on shoulders.


    Dark purplish veins surfaced on his body. His skin blackened. His eyes begun glowing purple. His figure distorting into that of a monster''s. His head and face morphed into head of a beast that I''m all too familiar with.


    It wasn''t just the appearance that I''m familiar with but it''s voice too, even its growling.


    "It''s a been awhile, my dear woman." It said and extended its tongue, slowly savoring every inch and corners of my face. My body is bound by fear. Fluids began to leak out from every orifices.


    I can''t help it. I was hardened by countless experience but none has prepared me for this.


    I''m starting to remember. I can feel the pain between my legs resurfacing. I''m recollecting the humiliation and despair I was put through. It didn''t relent at my desperate pleadings and cries.


    It only serves to fuel its lust for me as I cried more and more.


    Truly despicable.


    This shall not stand.


    The fear in me turned into anger. And the anger turned into wrath. The wrath became my strength. I screamed at it.


    I screamed a chant.


    I invoked [Durandal] and before the shining blade of light reach the monster''s flesh --


    -- I woke up.


    With just two fingers, the radiance blade is caught during its travel. If the blade was steel, I would surely feel the rebound. Apparently, I have mimicked my dreams.


    "Vira, are you alright?" Asked the person who stopped [Durandal], Runyx who is sitting on her knees by my side on the bed. Instead of me, she was the one who looks dreadfully surprised. I think catching an adept-level spell barehanded garners more disbelief.


    I am breathing hard. The sound of my heart knocking at my ribs is plain to my eyes. I released [Durandal] from my hand and it fades away.


    "Just some old nightmare." I lied. It''s not old. It''s quite recent, in fact. "Nothing to worry about." I assure her. Truth to be told, it is a lot to worry about.


    "Really?" She asked, unconvinced. It was only natural. I''m not even sure how believable I sound since I was panting when I said those words.


    "Nothing new." I said. My hands clutches on to the silver ring I wore around my neck for comfort. It became a habit ever since that expedition.


    The ring wasn''t an antique nor was it a work of a master craftsman. If asked what value it holds, I would say sentiment. A keepsake, so to say.


    "Nothing new?" She parrots me. "Been hanging around ya for a month now. This is the first time I know of this." Unlike her usual frolic self, she''s being very serious. I didn''t know she has this side of her. I have seen monsters who have the appearance of the most unimaginable but with only her gaze, I felt intimidated. She''s looking at me like a concerned older sister would to her younger sister.


    "I have been having nightmares since the monster rampage incident. It''s nothing special for what I do. It''s just that this time it''s a little bit more.... surreal."


    She keeps her eyes on me. She doesn''t look like she''s buying anything I have said. Despite how she acts, she''s a very cautious and observant person. Her merry is just a shade that hides her true nature. How shrewd.


    Her keen look shifted. She spins her head to the door. "Someone''s coming."


    "Now? Who could it be?" Although I said that, I can roughly guess who. Taking into consideration of every clue present in my mind, there could be only one person.


    "Should I...."


    I nod and she reverted back to her lance form. She can''t move by herself when she is in her original form. So she just fell onto the bed when she reverted.


    When the knocks came, I wrapped my night robes over my bare naked body.


    Yes, I sleep naked. It helps the body to breathe and it is quite relaxing. I had a hard time calming Nyx down when we spent our first night together. Of course I don''t mean anything sexual about that. Since I''m her wielder and she''s my weapon, it only make sense for her to be by my side the whole time.


    I open the door when another round of knocks came.


    "Can we talk?" was the first thing my night intruder asks.


    <hr>


    A week has passed since I became the Vice-Commander of the Night Hunters. First thing I did was information gathering. Catching up to the latest news and information, most of them are regarding monsters and Magic Beasts; where to hunt them, how to hunt them, when to hunt them, and if there''s any new breed that have emerged in my time of incarceration, I need to know, what are they and why did they emerge.


    Know your enemies.


    Respect your enemies.


    Keep them close.


    Ever since I set down on this path of vengeance, I learned a lot and I learned disrespecting and not acknowledging your enemies are the gravest mistake one could make. My blunder did not bring me my demise purely because I''m a True Dragon-kin. I wouldn''t be still standing till this day if I was a being lesser than a True Dragon.


    A little blunder could cost one''s life. That is one of the major and unspoken rule of this world.


    My childhood friend learned this the hard away as I had.


    She made a blunder and it cost her her virtue. It was what she told me. It wasn''t known by anyone other than a selected few. Oddly enough, she didn''t ask me to keep a secret as if she knew I would even if she didn''t ask. This just shows how much she trusts me.


    I was greatly shaken at first. Angry would be an understatement but I regain my composure after a fleeting outburst. This was close kept secret but I was told by the victim herself. A sign of trust, she says. In return, I was to spill the truth of myself too.


    The truth of my capture.


    It''s simple, actually. I made a blunder too. I was already a wanted man when I purge the town of Mimics but my face wasn''t seen. No one was the wiser. Until I gave in to a temptress, a succubus. They only appear beautiful on the surface but their true appearance is as grotesque as a Goblin. Despite knowing these facts, I fell for such a simple trick.


    In her form that was the sweetest to me, I confessed to her.


    That led to my capture.


    My punishment was either execution or eternal imprisonment. I didn''t choose. I left it all up to the only juror and witness in the court, Roland Atlas.


    My fate was sealed. My whole life in a pit.


    If it wasn''t for her, I would spent the rest of my live in the dark, unable to do anything while the monstrous beasts raze and ravage the world.


    And as of late -- No -- Not as of late. My childhood friend had been making a mistake. She had gave her trust to someone unworthy.


    It took me a couple of days to muster up my courage to relay the ugly truth to her. If she comes to hate me for this.... No, she won''t. She''s not that kind of person. At most, she would gave me some appropriate punishment and at the very least, told me off with passive-crude remarks.


    Not that those things mattered in my decision.


    I need to tell her.


    In the dead of the night, I knocked on her door a few times. While waiting for answer, I ponder on my choice of time. Although not always the case, only during the night that she has time for leisure activities. In the day, she would never stop working. Her break was frequent but it didn''t last for even half an hour.


    I could have come earlier before the moon reached its peak but I only found myself walking when it was this late but nevertheless, I made my decision.


    The door opens.


    Disheveled hair, loose robes , dead eyes, she greeted me in such fashion. In all honesty, she looks tempting and vulnerable. You would think her solemn demeanor during the day was a lie.


    I push such thoughts into the deep and ask "Can we talk?"


    Her lips curled up.


    If I didn''t knew any better, I would say she''s trying to entice me. It would be deprave of me to say this but the loose robes she wore really emphasize the valley of her humble breast. Does she not realize how appealing she appears?


    For her who is usually stoic, I don''t think she''s doing this on purpose but I don''t believe she''s this clueless. Is it because she trusts me to such an extent?


    And the scars on her face. She doesn''t have a face that would attract all the eyes but it would turn a few heads. The scars just weren''t helping. Magic can be used to rid scars. It''s not cheap but a Knight Commander like her won''t have any gold problems. So, why didn''t she rid it?


    "Come in." She said.


    Blankly, I stared. Not of her figure but how easily she let a man into her room in the dead of the night. I''m well aware of her strength but even so, this is just too heedless. Is she perhaps half-asleep?


    No. That''s not it. She''s fully awake. She maybe tired but her guard is firm, evident from the way she walks. Steadfastly, without any sway, she walks to a chair and sat down. Leaning back, she gestures me to close the door.


    After I fasten the bolt and I took a sit by the bed.


    "Ara~ Is you~?"


    In a tone of affectionate whispers, I sprang up. Or at least that''s what my immediate reaction is suppose to be but whoever whispered into my ear, the person has immense physical strength. She''s preventing me from springing up from the bed.


    "How bold for a man. To visit milady''s room at night. Here to provide her some comfort? Mind if I join?" The person then hugs me like a toy and rubs her face on mine. Even as a True Dragon-kin, I wasn''t able to pry myself free from her arms. Runyx, right? A Mondra is really something.


    Before I can refute, Amber already did so. "Nyx. Behave yourself."


    The living-sentient weapon arched her lips. "Mwu~ But he''s so warm to touch." Despite her objections, she complied.


    True. As a Dragon-kin, I do have very warm body temperature.


    Moreover, it''s fall.


    The night has been unbearably cold but not for me. I have been told that a Dragon-kin''s body warmth provides more comfort than a blanket but I don''t think she embraced me for such reasons.


    Contrary to her appearance, she''s not someone who does things without thinking.


    In just one week, I have discerned what kind of character she possesses. She''s buoyant and carefree but all to cover up her sagacious and shrewd character. That is her true nature.


    "So, what is it you want to talk about, Victor?"


    "Sorry for the sudden intrude, Commander." My apologies were late but better late than never


    "Ara~? Not Amber? You know what, I think I might call her Amber too."


    Like a mouse forced into a corner by a rat, Nyx yelped at the sharp eyes of the Night Hunter''s Commander.


    "Kidding?" Runyx apologized with a cramped smile.


    After giving a stern warning without words, she turns to me. "You can call me Amber if it''s just the two of us."


    Runyx is making a face that says "me too~!" but she was splendidly ignored.


    "What is it you want to talk about?"


    "Roland Atlas." Yes. The one who ensured my sentence. The Duke of Atlas.


    Amber sighs like she had expected this. "What about him?" Is what she said but her eyes says "Can''t you just let it go?"


    Unlike usual, she''s very unreserved. Is it because we''re alone?


    "Hyx Atlas. An exiled from the Valerius household. From what I heard, he was adopted by Roland Atlas. From your reports, he''s one of the victims of the recent expedition."


    Amber made no remark. She''s just patiently waiting for my point.


    "You two are quite close."


    "We were."


    "How close?"


    "Close enough to get on my nerves."


    I see. "He died. Right?"


    "Yes."


    "And a Mimic-type monster took its form, which you highly suspect it to be a Skinwalker, which you failed to kill."


    "Yes."


    "And his adoptive father, Roland Atlas. He knows of this?"


    "Of course. He might even be one of the first to know."


    "Yet, he didn''t look faze by it. I''ve seen and heard you two talk. The boy, Hyx, he didn''t even came up in any subjects in the conversation of you and Roland."


    She heaved through her nose and stood up. She walks to her bed and collapses into it. "Your point?" She asked while facing the ceiling.


    "Neither of you two brought him up in your talks. I find it weird. I can understand why you didn''t but I don''t understand why he didn''t. If anything, he didn''t seem like it matter to him if Hyx Atlas existed or not."


    "Victor." She said. There wasn''t any sentiment in her voice. It is just plain hollow. "You and I, we''re not the only ones that are acquainted with loss. There''s more than a billion people in this world. Don''t be naive and ignorant."


    "But don''t you think it''s weird that he didn''t at least --"


    "No, I don''t." She told me as she sprang up sitting. "He was an adventurer and a warrior long before he''s a merchant. I don''t know how much he has lost but I have no qualms that it wouldn''t be some small numbers. He''a Duke and a successful merchant now. What were you expecting?"


    I don''t know how she perceived my silent. I don''t want to know. The man, Roland Atlas, he has dug his claws deep into Amber. I can''t convince her. No matter what she said about him, there is just something that rubs me the wrong way about him.


    "Victor. Most of all, he''s a man not a boy. I can''t say I know him but I''m sure he has his own ways of mourning. What''s more, I trust him more than a lot of people I know."


    "Amber. How can you trust someone like him?"


    "Let it go."


    She said it. She finally said it. This is probably what she wanted to say ever since she figured what I came here for.


    "I know he was there at your trial. He even testified against you but he''s just doing his job as a law-abiding citizen. You did massacre an entire village without any proof of your defending claim. How could you blame him for that?"


    "So he just happens to see me massacring an entire village and then later profited ridiculously from my articles?"


    "He''s a merchant. He travels. That village produces good silk and is one of the main market of wool in the continent. Your were incarcerated for life. It''s only natural to think of selling your articles. What''s odd about that?"


    Curses. He''s good. His reasons are just too good.


    "This grudge of yours is just too inane. Do you think he''s worth it over every other monsters out there in the world? I released you to hunt monsters, not to become a hero of justice. Leave that to the newly summoned heroes."


    "Why? Why do you defend him? Does he have something over you?"


    Amber scoffed. I wonder what the others would say if they saw her in this state. Probably nothing. What can they say about her anyways? She''s a different person when she''s around a person she''s very close to? That''s a very stupid reason to bash someone for. Conclusion? Nothing will change even they found out this side of her. After all, she''s an S-rank who can walk the walk.


    Yes. She''s an S-rank now. What they always said is true apparently. What doesn''t kill you makes you stronger.


    Although, if the rumor weren''t all lies like always, she lost something grave in return for her ascend in rank.


    "And they say I was the one seeing enemies at every corners." She rolls her eyes. I will be honest, I''m a little put off by her current displays but the issue isn''t this.


    "Amber. I maybe your subordinate but I''m your friend first and foremost. Tell me, please."


    I got close to Amber but she wasn''t surprise that I did.


    "Does he have something over you?"


    She remains calm as always but I knew her better than a lot of people. She''s scared. I have seen those eyes before. Just like that time back then when we''re witnessing our home grounds being trampled by a monsters'' rampage.


    "Amber. Don''t be afraid. I''m here now. Please talk to me. If you something on your mind, please just talk to me."


    I can''t help it. I know I''m overstepping but she''s the only family I have left. Before my arms could find themselves wrap around Amber, she pushed me gently away with just a finger.


    "I''m not afraid. It''s an unfounded anxiety more than a rational fear. Does he have something over me? Yes, he does."


    I knew it. That Modred''s Hound.


    "But make no mistake. It was given out of my good mind and consent."


    "W-Why? Why would you gave him something over you?"


    When I asked her that, she looks away and hovers her hand over her stomach.


    No.... It can''t be....


    Could she be....


    She clutches tightly on a silver ring she wore around her neck. The ring has a string of pattern of some flower. It''s familiar. It felt like I knew the flower but I just can''t remember it."That ring."


    "This?" She held it up. "A keepsake."


    She sighs.


    She didn''t said from whom but knowing her, there''s only so many people that could be the former owner. Since she was really vague about it, I didn''t press on it. Also, I can pretty much figure out who is the person.


    "Amber. What are you hiding?"


    I asked but she''s not even looking at me. She''s just looking away, at a wall? "Enough, Victor. I can''t tell you anymore than this. Forgive me."


    "Amber. Why won''t you let me help?"


    When she looked back at me, she has the face of the usual taciturn and stoic Commander Ae''myun. "Because it''s too late and it''s something that would only get worse if more and more people know of it. You will speak none of this any longer, understood?"


    What kind of answer is that? I''m trying to help her.


    I must have lost my patient. My blood boiled from her answering vaguely and abusing her position at such a moment. I was angry that a friend, a family refused to help. So I bluntly thrust at her with direct questions.


    Maybe I shouldn''t have. In fact, I couldn''t even let the words escape from my lips. I felt a threatening intent. It came from a girl wearing a cheerful merry face beside me. Instead of feeling calm, I''m only feel pressure from it.


    "It''s kinda late now." With all smiles, Runyx told me. "We have an early rise tomorrow. Get some rest. You''ll need it."


    Speaking more than this wouldn''t go well. I kept my mouth silent.


    "Milady, you must be tired by now too. Get some sleep, I''ll escort our guest out."


    Indifferently, Amber nodded and fell back, onto her bed.


    As I was escorted out, Amber told me "I know you''re concern. You should be. I don''t blame you but believe me, I''m fine. You''re not the only one who is protecting me now."


    I see. She''s placed so much trust in this living-sentient weapon. I don''t know about that but that is not something I would do.


    It was less than an escort and more of being forced out of the room. Literally, I was being pushed out instead of letting me walk with my own two legs. Even as a True Dragon-kin, I can''t win against her strength if I didn''t use any magic reinforcements or enhancement.


    "Thanks for worrying but --"


    She pulls me close to her, her lips almost touching my ears.


    "-- you may be her friend but not mine. Tread carefully, will you?" whispered Runyx.


    Although she gently closed the door behind me, it didn''t feel any different from having it slammed in my face.


    I can''t believe it. Amber trusted someone she barely knew for a month more than me, a friend who literally grew up with her. I just can''t understand what goes through her mind anymore.


    Whatever secrets she''s keeping, she couldn''t even tell it to me but confine it with a most-likely criminal noble and a living weapon.


    I don''t think she''s doing it for my safety. She trusted me with the Vice-Commander position after all. You don''t give people such position if you''re worried about their safety to that extent.


    Why can''t she tell me?


    Perhaps....


    No.


    I can''t think that. That''s.... low. It''s just low.


    I wanted to pursue it. A friend is in the clutches of a devil and entangled by her secrets but.... I just have to trust that she can made it out herself. She refuse my hand and I was prevented from prying any further.


    I could pursue about this in another roundabout way but like she said, my focus should be on somewhere else. There''s a huge world out there, more monsters than guardians. If I neglect even a single day of responsibility, who knows how many will fall prey to the darkness.


    That night. I made a choice.


    I choose the world over a family.

 Intermission - The Elders

    "Oi, boy!" yelled an uncouth middle aged man in a cracked iron armor soaked in dried-up blood. He had a helmet to go along with his armor but after receiving a pounding from a bear-like Magic Beast, it no longer fit on his head.


    Over the counter of the blacksmith shop, from the back of the store, a boy in his late teens came out, wearing clothes one would expect from a blacksmith. His face was smudge with black ink and sweat has drenched through his shirt, revealing his toned body underneath.


    The man was new to this town. He expected the usual brawny old men like always but instead, he was received by a young boy.


    No way this boy could be the master of this shop, he thought.


    "Tell your master that I need these fixed by tomorrow morning." said the man as he laid a long sword and a shield on the counter. The gears state wasn''t much different than the man''s armor''s.


    A good evening or simple greeting would be nice, asshole


    The boy thought in his mind. "Just these two?" The boy asked while eyeing at the adventurer''s tattered armor. He would have given a smile too if the man had greeted but he didn''t.


    "Just these two." The adventurer affirmed with a snort.


    The boy was unfazed by the adventurer''s intimidation. "Your armor?"


    "My armor is still fine." The man arrogantly told him.


    "In need of a new helmet?"


    "No."


    The boy gave a quick once over on the sword and shield. "It would be better if you just buy a new sword or shield."


    The middle-aged adventurer clicked his tongue. "Don''t get bratty with me, boy. I said just fix these two will be fine."


    The adventurer must be short on coin. Pity, thought the boy.


    The boy collected the sword and shield into his hands and looked up to the man. "I already have two orders at the moment, Mr. Adventurer. It will be impossible to fix it by tomorrow."


    "I don''t care. Just treat it as a rush order." The adventurer continued shouting his words.


    The boy sighed but he did so, subtly. ""Rush order costs extra and you will need to pay upfront of half the price."


    "Say what now, you brat? You trying to swindle me?"


    "That is the policy of this shop. If you don''t like it, then farewell."


    The man gritted his teeth. This was the only blacksmith shop in this small town and the next town is half a day walk. It was nighttime now. Only a fool would travel in the night.


    "Fine." The man relented and threw a few silver coins onto the counter.


    "Will you be needing a polish as well."


    The man clicked his tongue again. "Just fix it. I can do the polishing myself."


    The boy noticed the man''s bandaged hand. Even the blood has soaked through and dyed it red. To this sight, the boy lift the corner of his lips. "I''m sure you can." He said, his slight grin turn into a goodwill smile.


    The adventurer clicked his tongue for the third time in a row. "Just make sure to get it done by tomorrow."


    "Of course."


    The man said no other words and left the shop.


    "Time to get to work, again." he told himself.


    And just as he was about to enter the forge room, the door creaked open again. At the first sight, the person that came through the door did not gave out a feeling of being a customer.


    And the boy knew all too well that the person indeed isn''t a customer.


    "Same old shabby shop. Not fond of upgrades?" the man said as he loosed his cloaked. There wasn''t any distinctive features on his face. A quite common face that no one would bother remember and that was the point.


    "Varus." The boy said and nodded slightly at him.


    "Elder Darkly." The man named Varus greeted back.


    "It is done." Darkly said and with a flick of his wrist, the space opened up beside him. From within the black space, he retrieved a sword of fine craftsmanship.


    "It''s done?" Varus asked in surprise.


    "The materials are rare but the forging process wasn''t that difficult. So yes, it''s already done."


    The plain man received the sword from the boy and stored it away in his own [Arms Inventory] without so much as a glance at the sword.


    It was either Varus didn''t care much about the sword or he trust Darkly completely but Darkly himself wasn''t bothered by neither of these two notions. He did his job and he cut no corners, his conscious is clear, the end.


    "The Grandmaster sent one of his personal lapdog to retrieve a single mid-tier Magic Weapon, I''m surprise. Or is there something else?"


    "Yes. Dire news." Varus promptly answered.


    "If it''s about the heroes, I already know."


    "Is that so?" Varus feigned a look of surprise which Darkly didn''t fell for. "Well, it ain''t all about the heroes."


    Darkly raised an eyebrow. "Something more dire than the heroes?"


    "It''s the Shepherd. His time has come."


    Darkly knew Varus could have worded it better but he also knew that it was intentional.


    "I see. So the Harbinger has finally emerged. Here I was, wishing that my time would end before he emerges. Tough luck." The boy sighed. "And what does the Grandmaster wants us to do?"


    "Nothing at the moment. Just be prepared for what''s to come. That''s the order from His Majesty."


    The boy clicked his tongue. "What of the other Elders?"


    "They are being informed, as we speak. They all have their own part to play."


    "And what is mine?"


    "The same as always. How goes the Holy Swords?"


    "It''s going well. It will be done in another two weeks."


    "One week."


    "One?" Darkly asked in disbelief. "That''s impossible."


    "The Shepherd has awaken. It was untimely, yes but it is what it is. If manpower is the problem, His Majesty will see to it. And of course, you will be compensated for the sudden rush. After all, rush order costs extra, no?"


    After a minute of staring competition, the boy relented. "Fine. Twice the original amount and I don''t need extra hands. Tell the Grandmaster the Holy Swords will be done in the coming week."


    "Very good. His Majesty will be pleased." Varus said and bowed.


    When Darkly took his eyes off of him for only second, Varus had disappeared when he looked back.


    "Elusive as always." The boy said and headed into the back of the shop. "Great, should have charged that guy more if I knew this was coming."


    <hr>


    A heavy storm assault the late night. Winds howled until trees fell.


    In such a wild night, in a certain brothel frequent by illustrious but incognito guests, on a bed in a large lavishly designed yet isolated room, a woman in her prime was bedding three men at once. While all the men are bare naked, the woman herself was in an alluring lingerie that emphasized on her divine-crafted figure. The word salacious wouldn''t even be enough to describe her state.


    In this dim lit room, this woman joined in a passionate embrace between three men. They filled all her orifices, leaving her moans gagging at her mouth. Although being left with no breather, the woman wasn''t the one dying for a breath but the men were.


    Standing by the side of the large and wide bed were more men. They are all somewhere around thirty to forty years of age. They all have decent vigor to it but none of those projected on their face. Their eyes were dead and blank, the same goes for the three who are bedding the woman. They were doing these indecent acts as if they were merely puppet dangling on strings.


    There was no free will to these men and bedding wouldn''t be the right word.


    To others, to the men, they might be copulating. In simple words, they are having sex. In a crude manner, they are fucking like wild animals.


    But none of it is what it seemed. To the woman, this was a feast. Not metaphorically but literally.


    She is the proprietress of this brothel. A woman of unparalleled beauty but only few took notice of it due to her magic at work. As a Succubus, her mere presence could cause arousal to men and women alike should she choose to.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    When the three men were approaching their peak, their face strained from the incoming pleasure, the woman braced herself for her meal.


    It wasn''t their fluids but their excitement that incur her appetite. The fluids are just flavoring to her. It was their souls that truly fills her hunger.


    However, none of those happened.


    The three men instead fell lifelessly like their strings had been cut without releasing. Their head rolled off the bed and continued to do so until it reached the dark corners.


    The women sprang up with a hidden knife ready to meet the assailant but her tension and caution faded when she saw a pale green hooded figure.


    As much as she likes to complain, she knew the person wouldn''t interrupt her feast without any grand reason. Also, the person wouldn''t be here personally if the importance was any less than what she gathered it to be.


    "You could at least wear a bell." The Succubus remarked, unfazed by the fact that she was now drenched in blood. Instead, she wiped a speck of blood from her cheeks and drew a line on her tongue with it. "Not bad. Nothing beats young men. So, what is it?"


    "Elder Erona." The voice was definitely a woman''s but it was so distorted that one couldn''t be blame for mistaking it for a man''s. "From His Majesty." The hooded figure said and gave her a piece of paper with her skeletal hand. It wasn''t bare bones but just an arm with skin and no meat.


    Erona received the folded paper with a lazy arm. She unfolded it and read the contents. It spoke about the summoning of the heroes which she already knew but what she didn''t know was the long-awaited emergence of a messiah. Like every elders, she was given a role to play in this grand scheme.


    "At last. After being bored for so many years, a worthy prey has come." Erona said, coyly. She turned to the hooded figure. "Is it a man? I hope it''s a man."


    "Not important."


    "Mah~ Men or women, I''ll devour them all the same."


    "Exercise control." The hooded figure said.


    "Just joking, Morwena. Wouldn''t want to offend His Majesty after all. Now, please leave. I''m still hungry at the moment."


    Without a bow or the slightest greeting, the hooded figure named Morwena retreated back into the shadows. Just like that, she was no longer in the room.


    Satisfied, Erona turned to the remaining young men in the room.


    For a while, when the thunder flashed, her hideous self was revealed. Wrinkled face, dilated eyes, horns, dark skin, long ears, and crooked teeth. An antithesis to her current appearance.


    Still, the young men didn''t turn and ran as they had already succumbed to her spell. They were far too late to escape. What awaits them is the most incredible sensual experience they will ever receive before their agonizing death.


    <hr>


    It wasn''t a stormy nor an ominous night, it was just a night like any other night in the capital of Zerogian Empire.


    Sun has set for a long while but only know, the capital began to brim with spirit. A festival was held in celebration to the summoning of the heroes.


    Lights were out throughout the governmental district but of the tallest building of the highest floor, a lanterns burn meekly in a feasible-size room.


    A man in round glasses sat lonely in this room, scribbling on pages after pages. Even from such height, he could hear the occasional roars and cheers but none did those bother him.


    He was wearing a respectable white coat over a white shirt. His hair was neatly combed and swept back. His hands were rough but they never tremble. They can''t. If they did, then he won''t be the Empire''s top physician.


    Far from the festive parts, he continued jotted down his reports on page after pages but stopped when his instincts warned him of an intruder.


    With a click, the lock was lifted and the door swayed open slowly.


    The good doctor had locked the door to his private studies and he was the only one with the key. There was even a layer of protection spell cast on the door to fend off any uninvited guests. Yet, the spell did not go off, the lock was picked opened in silent until the last inevitable moment, and the doctor was too late to realize it.


    But he was not afraid for he knew that there were only a few individuals capable of such feat. And these individuals he knew are all the personal guards of His Majesty, the Grandmaster.


    The doctor laid down his quill and turn to face his uninvited guest.


    The guest is in tattered robes but still enough to cover his body. The only visible part of his body was his face, donned with a ominous-looking smiling mask.


    The doctor was slightly mad at the sudden intrusion but he had been an Elder long than his peers, he knew that the Grandmaster wouldn''t sent his own hounds if it wasn''t anything important.


    "Evening, Kavac." The doctor greeted the grim figure.


    Instead of words, the person in the smiling mask named Kavac responded with clacking sounds.


    "Forgive me but I don''t speak whatever language you''re speaking." In fact, the doctor knew Kavac wasn''t actually speaking at all but it was an old habit of his to be prudent.


    Kavac tilted his head.


    The doctor sighed and splayed his hand. "Come."


    Kavac closed the distance between them in a single step and placed his hand on the doctor''s.


    This was the reason the Grandmaster sent Kavac to the doctor. Kavac had no way of communicating other than having the receiver deducing its subtle gestures. The doctor had another way, however. His Arcane Art, [Seer] and one of the spells under [Seer] allows him to read the mind of those he touches.


    The orders from the Grandmaster were conveyed to him through this method.


    Immediately after message was conveyed, Kavac had disappeared without a trace. One of the traits that was shared among the Grandmaster''s personal guards, they are all elusive, blunt, and efficient. Granted, they are one or two of them who are kind of different but they no less efficient.


    The doctor sighed at his new orders and went back to scribbling on pages after pages.


    The Shepherd''s awakening and the heroes'' summoning at the same time? This can''t be mere coincidence.


    The doctor said to himself. As a practitioner of medicine which based things on logic and facts, he wasn''t the type to believe in coincidence.


    <hr>


    The temple''s bell tolled as the clock tower struck twelve, signifying midnight has come for Farmas Kingdom.


    Every follower of the Nines had returned to their respective rooms, save for the Head Bishop of the temple. He wasn''t exception to this curfew but neither could he be chastise for wandering around during the night. Such is the privilege of the Head Bishop.


    Still, he couldn''t afford to be seen by anyone as the person he was about to meet with was one of the most wanted criminal across Evarenan.


    In the gardens where the flowers wouldn''t loose their beauty to the stars of the night and under the pale moon, a young lady sat by an intricate designed fountain. She was all black except for her pale white skin. Her light and thin apparels were quite fitting for someone of her job.


    "This is your idea of being inconspicuous, Ruk?" The Head Bishop asked.


    "Relax, Your Holiness. No one will approach here." The lady named Ruk simply waved away the Bishop''s words of worries.


    Although he didn''t have any basis, he somehow doubted the young lady''s words could be a lie.


    "Yeesh~ Quit worrying. Please act with more dignity. You''re a person of a higher position now. A head priest of a temple and --"


    "Bishop, actually."


    "-- an Elder of the Covenant. Act like one, okay?"


    The Head Bishop ignored her last words. "Here''s the report."


    Ruk received it with one hand which only raise the Bishop''s ire. "What''s in it?" She asked while shaking the rolled-up paper slightly and looking curiously at it.


    "The latest Oracle from the Gods. Demon season is indeed here as long foretold by the Covenant''s own Oracle."


    "Ah. Jolly. Been wanting to fight some Demons for sometime now."


    To that, the Head Bishop shuddered but managed to keep it from being obvious.


    Demons were monsters of unprecedented ferocity and brutality. Even the weakest ones, no one sane enough would want to challenge it. Once again, the Bishop doubted Ruk was only joking.


    "Why did the Grandmaster sent you? The reports could have waited and he could sent for any random couriers."


    "An urgent message." said Ruk while staring at the Bishop like he was the biggest idiot in the room.


    "The Heroes?"


    "The Heroes are part of the message but there''s more." Ruk stood up and looked the Bishop in his eyes. "You know of the Shepherd?"


    "I do." The Head Bishop said, returning an intimidating gaze of his own. He knew he was only asked because he was the newcomer to this secret pact.


    "Well then, I''m glad I don''t need to explain all that shit to you."


    "Language."


    Ruk scoffed. "The Shepherd has awaken. You are to look for the Sheep before the Shepherd does."


    "How am I going to find someone I don''t even know who or what is it?"


    Ruk giggled and a sigh follows. She twirled with her hand spread like a dancer on stage. "You''re an Elder and a Head Priest, Your Holiness. I''m sure you can figure it out." She said and hopped into the air. Instead of landing, she sunk into her own shadow. And she was gone.


    The Head Bishop clicked his tongue. "How unreasonable."


    As he was returning to his rooms, he pondered about his choices and plans for the future.


    "Just you wait, you hounds. I''ll make you all regret for looking down at me" He said so to himself, alone in a the quiet night with only the sounds of the cricket accompanying him.


    <hr>


    It was already midnight but it was as rowdy as ever.


    It can''t be helped. This is the Adventurer''s Guild after all, the Kayura City Branch to be specific. The flow of adventurers going in and out never cease.


    On the third floor of the Guild''s building, resides the personal quarters and room of the guild''s Branch Master. In contrast to the lower floors, the third floor was pin-drop silent.


    Sitting at the end of the room, a lady in warm blue silk dress was gazing gently at the pale moon. Her name is Fyra Yumi, a Nine-tail fox but known to only a few. A beautiful lady of refined grace and elegance.


    While enjoying the spectacle of the pale moon and a hot cup of red tea in a luxurious armchair, her dark purple hair gleamed with faint sparkles as it basks in the frail light of the pale moon. This is her leisure after a hard day work.


    But unlike most night, her leisure came to an end abruptly and much too quickly on this night.


    She turned back to her desk and put down the teacup back on the saucer. She then sent her gaze into one of the dark corners of the room.


    "Shadow." She called out.


    And the Wraith emerged from the darkness through the space which shattered like glass.


    ""Have my time in the Covenant finally came to end?"


    The Wraith shook his head.


    "Something dire then?"


    "Quick as ever, Lady Yumi. And also, evening."


    "Skip the pleasantries."She said and glared at the Wraith, incensed. She wasn''t happy for having her only leisure time in a long day of work being interrupted.


    "A message from His Majesty. Yes, dire."


    "The Heroes?" She asked.


    "No just about the heroes. The...."


    "Shepherd, right?" She completed Shadow''s sentence.


    He stared for awhile before breaking the gloom silence. "How do you know?"


    "Why else would he sent you? I assume this message is meant for all Elders?"


    "Yes."


    "Figures as much." Yumi noticed the dubious eyes of Shadow. "What? Surprised that I knew?"


    Shadow remained silent.


    "It''s not that difficult to figure it out, you know? The prophecy of the Shepherd and its Sheep is one of the reasons the Covenant was founded after all. If you weren''t sent here to assassinate me, then you must have been sent to conveyed a message that he could trust nobody else to."


    The Wraith provided no response.


    "Now, what does he want me to do?"


    If Shadow had eyebrows, it would be twitching. Despite their detachment from most things, they were undoubtedly and absurdly loyal to His Majesty. They would not stand if anyone were to disrespect their master.


    Elder Yumi is one of the oldest Elder of the Covenant. If it were anyone else that said those words, their heads would be rolling by now.


    "The Demons are here."


    "I could say I didn''t see this coming but I''ll be lying."


    "The Demons will be yours to deal with it."


    "I see. He''s afraid of the complications the Demons would cause and I''m suppose to direct the adventurers into curbing the chaos brought by the Demons. Figures."


    "His Majesty fears nothing."


    Although she said nothing in return, Shadow knew his words were challenged by Elder Yumi from the way she glanced at him.


    "What of the Sheep?"


    "Elder Rael."


    "The Head Bishop? Good luck to him. And the Shepherd?"


    "Elder Dusk."


    "Dusk again." Yumi said, chewing her words like a sour fruit. "And our secret ritual?"


    "It will proceed as planned."


    Yumi looked at the pile of papers stacked on her work desk. "No incentives?"


    "None."


    "Why?" She asked, disgruntled.


    "I am no fit to answer on behalf of His Majesty."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes."


    Yumi contemplate to argue further but the Wraith was right. He was in no position to deny the wishes of his master. She can only relent to the orders.


    "Fine then. It can''t be helped if this is what he wants. So tiring." To put weight into her helpless state, she feigned a sigh with a head shake.


    "Complications?"


    "None." She retorted. "Rest easy, Shadow. I wouldn''t fail him. This is as important to me as it is to the Covenant."


    "We shall see." The Wraith said and melded with his shadow.


    "Finally. The time has come, my beloved. Soon." She said, her eyes fell on a portrait hung on the wall just above the fireplace. It is a portrait of herself with an inflated belly, entrusted in the warm embrace of a man. Her eyes were gentle to the man. Tears bubbled in her eyes but she didn''t allowed it to flow out. She couldn''t afford it to. She can''t show any weakness now. Not when her goal is finally in sight.


    Now, to make preparations for the week to come.

 H27 - Preparations

    It rains.


    This big ass cavern actually rains. Well, it''s not like it was defying physics and water poured in out of nowhere. There are cracks and crevice all over this large cavern and the rain on the surface have seep through these openings.


    So now, we''re having a heavy downpour.


    I don''t know about the others but I was in a small shack practicing my magic blacksmith techniques and refining my alchemy skills. Since Tom haven''t contact me through telepathy about anything, I guess they are doing fine.


    Seriously, I''m still hung over on how convenient magic is. For forging, one would normally need a furnace, anvil, a workbench, and etc. The same goes to compounding and potion brewing. All of these procedures and requirements is compacted to a single cast of magic. I don''t know know how to feel about this but since it''s making things less complicated, I''m not gonna complain.


    Few days have passed since I came clean with everyone about my condition and like Kai expected, they accepted it wholeheartedly. Since then, I have make a lot of advances on my blacksmith and alchemy. As I have practiced it almost everyday without stop, my [Forge Fire], [Transmutation], and [Alchemy] skill are now level five. I have also gained some titles related to forging and compounding but nothing too excessive like Engrande''s.


    Even now, I can''t tell if there''s any actual effect from having a title. It might be just for recognition purposes after all.


    I am now making armor for Bartholomew and Cormac. Just the two.


    For me, armor only hinders me in a fight as my true strength only comes when I take on my true form. Unless I managed to make an armor that have shape shifting ability, I don''t need any armor. As for Tom and Angie, they can''t wear armor as they are both mage. Wearing metal would hinder the flow of Mana absorption from the surroundings for a mage from I''m told. Which is why they wear leather armor at best or robes made of some special fibers.


    Engrande told me he could handle his own armor so I didn''t bother about it with him. As for Nilin and Kirin, they not exactly combatants and even if they do fight, they won''t be in the front lines but I guess I will make them some light armor just in case. Just in case, I asked Nilin about [Spirit Formation] but it can only make light materials like silk and wool, making armor out of this magic is possible but not conventional. It just takes too much Mana and the quality won''t always be tip top.


    Hmm.... Does Citra needs armor too?


    She has grew into cobra size and her magic specializes in barriers. I have seen the fights between Bartholomew and Cormac. The two take turns having Citra as their support with each round. I gotta say, she''s pretty impressive but kinda risky for a support to be with the frontliners.


    "Do you need armor?" I asked at the Wyrm chewing at a small piece of apple while coiled around my arm. I was on the way to this shack when I found her alone, gnawing at an apple to big for her. It started raining then, so I picked her up and took her along. Of course, I have telepathically told Tom that Citra is fine and she''s with me.


    It was then I noticed two additional things about her. She now has the Arcane Art, [Sealing Magic] and she has ECP now. Which means the System has recognized her as a sapient species and a combatant. Neat. Her stats aren''t that amazing though. With me as the comparison that is.


    I wonder, what does she think of me? Despite being entrusted to me by her deceased mother, I''m actually the one spending the least time with Citra. Even Angie had spared some time to play with Citra. Apparently, she thinks Citra is cute. I''ll admit, Citra is kinda cute but I have half a mind since I know what she''s going to look like when she''s fully mature. That shit ain''t cute.


    I don''t think she has any opinion about me. She looks nonchalant to my presence. It''s like I''m an existence that don''t even mattered to her. To be honest, it kinda stinks.


    It "kyuu" at me when I asked her if she needs armor. Cute. She tilts her head in wonderment.


    I pointed at a piece of armor and then at her. I hope she get my meaning. I wonder how do those two communicate with her?


    The small Wyrm nods her tiny head.


    Oh good, she understands. I think.


    I don''t know why but I getting kinda fired up from just the idea of making a snake armor. After taking a few measures, I draw up a sketch of it and show it to Citra. She cried out in joy. I''m happy too but I think I can do it without her coiling around my neck. Seriously, how do those two handle her?


    As for weapons, only Bartholomew and Cormac need them. Engrande should be able to handle making his own weapon. For Bartholomew, I''m thinking of something heavy. A mace or an axe? Or a warhammer? In the end, I made all three of those and let him choose afterwards. For Cormac, I''m making him short swords and a bow. I don''t know how good he''ll fare with a bow but seeing how he fights, a bow might suit him if he can utilize a hit-and-run tactic with his shadow teleportation ability.


    I use Mithril for Cormac''s gears which is the lightest and toughest steel out there I can make and I use Adamantite for Bartholomew''s. Adamantite are heavier but also tougher than Mithril. It should be fitting for a heavy-weight combatant like Bartholomew. I wanted to use Onyx Steel but I can''t. Apparently, making Onyx and Azunmite steel requires max rank [Transmutation] and a degree of knowledge in [Alchemy].


    How sad. I know the recipe but I can''t make it. Levels restriction problems exist even in another world. Who knew. It''s things like this that makes me doubt my current reality.


    Welp, let''s shove this thought aside for now. There are more important concurrent things and it is disrespectful to the deceased if I think that way. Forgive me, Muo Li.


    Putting those aside, the things I need to prepare next are reagents, potions to be exact. I have make quite a lot of it of various effects but Kirin takes the cake on this one. I don''t know why but she''s going at it like there''s no tomorrow. So far, she has made fifty vials of health potion and Mana potion each, and also dozens for other effects like strength or magic boost. Since I didn''t like the idea of letting a kid to do so much stuff, I helped, a little.


    Maybe it''s because of this that Angie started to go the extra mile on her magic enchantment practices and occasionally stares daggers at her.


    Geez, you''re an adult and she''s a kid.


    I''m not dense. Kirin certainly has feelings for me but I''m not sure what kind. Rather, Kirin herself might not know of what kind feelings she has for me. She''s still young. She could be just still oblivious about various things but being the adult that I am, I try to accommodate her as much as I can and as reasonable as possible.


    Another problem arises from this, how am I to carry all these potions around?


    The solution is item box skill. A skill or ability that allows me to store items in a sub-space or another dimension per the typical template of Isekai.


    There are such magic in this world but it is rare. People with item box magic are highly sought after as they could stuff around without the weight to hinder them. People with item box magic can seriously make it big in this world but of course, there are also people who will resort to unsightly manners but that''s something of the norm in this world and my former world. Scums exist no matter the world.


    Since item box magic is essential, Kai had worked around the clock to synthesize a similar magic through [Spatial Magic]. I have gained the ability to create a sub-space, as wide as a hundred meter radius. It is called [Proxy Realm]. Deriving from [Proxy Realm], Kai created [Vault], which is basically an item box magic.


    That''s a problem solved but I wonder if I could enchant the effect [Vault] into a magic tool. According to Kai, it is possible but I''m not good with enchantment. So that will have to wait.


    Potions and item box out of the way, the problem now it''s monsters. The opponents we could be facing to be precise.


    Under careful guidance of Kai, I have once again begin integrating with Clammis'' memories. And boy, they aren''t all that pretty. Some were even a little bit too personal but I''ll be prudent with that.


    It is really a harsh world out there, especially for an adventurer.


    I gained a lot of knowledge about Magic Beasts from her memories. Which was what incited me to procure armor and potions. Knowing my luck, I can bet my life that even after getting through that stupid door, it won''t be a cake walk.


    Therefore, I need to know about monsters in general as much as I can.


    Is there a general weakness all monster shares?


    The most common M.O. of monsters


    How to kill them and etc.


    I came to know that every Magic Beast has this thing called Mana Core in them. It''s basically something like the soul of the heart. It resides at where the heart is and with the right spells, one is able to extract it. Mana Core are use to infuse magic into an object such as a weapon or a tool. It is an alternative to magic enchantments to people who can''t use enchantment magic. Their value depends on the tier of beasts they came from.


    I should have Kai research about this and see if he could develop a spell to extract the Mana Cores. It''s not possible now, however. He can''t afford anymore delays. He has been diligently watching over the foreign soul within me and studying it. Which was why he''s being quiet this whole time.


    There is another thing that worries me a lot. Probably not on par with the Void Demons or the Devil within me but close enough.


    Demons.


    No, not the Majins whom are always likened to Demons but actual Demons. Since they rarely appear, most of the Sagax doesn''t exactly believe in Demons but not Clammis and Muo Li. They have the unfortunate honor of seeing an actual Demon once. The Demon they encountered almost slaughtered their entire party. They survived because of a group of Templar Knights were passing through by coincidence.


    And these Demons have their own seasons every few years where they would appear from dense miasma places to wreak havoc. It is known as the Demon Season. Word is, a Demon Season is approaching or it was what Clammis believed.


    The Demons are not like what I imagined. They are not humanoid. They are basically a mass of darkness with undetermined shape. They have limbs or at least they looked like they do. They have a wavering form when they''re moving but the shape is all but lost when they make major movements. They reminded me of the aliens with time-reversing ability from a certain movie with exo-skeleton soldiers. I sure hope they don''t have such abilities.


    They are known to be dangerous for their hyper intuition, flexibility, adaptability, agility, and ludicrous strength. They also have ranged abilities but their main offence lies in their close combat ability. Worst of all, they are resistance to most magic and completely impervious to dark-type magic. Arrows are not good since they move fast and close combat is where they excel at, so that is kind of a no-no.


    In simple words, encountering a Demon for a normal fighter is basically the end for them.


    Just thinking about it sent chills down my spine and shivers to my skin.


    Nevertheless, even if none of those are to be the cases, I have to make the best preparations that I can. Who knows what''s going to happen?


    "Nyuu~?" I felt a nudge along with a cute sound.


    Ah, it seem I have dazed off while making armors. I can''t afford to daze off right now, not when everything is so close.


    I said my thanks to Citra as I gently caresses her head.


    Oh, she likes it. She''s even rubbing her head on my hand.


    Now, let''s just hope the preparations will go on without a hitch. I pray not for the Devil to remain eternity in slumber but at least please wake up only after we reached the surface.


    <hr>


    I didn''t finish with the armor and weapon making, I had just simply moved on to alchemy when I arrived at an impasse with the gears.


    The rain has stopped but I was too engrossed with my compounding to take notice. I didn''t even feel Citra who was coiling around my neck to get my attention.


    I''m not making the usual potion but potions with greater effects like instant regeneration. Although we have tons of ingredients and materials to make potions, they are not limitless. There is a limit on how much plants Kirin could summon at a time. In other words, she can ran out of Mana doing this.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    I''m concocting a potion of what one would call a miracle Elixir. It works just like a health potion but increased effect like recovering a lost limb. So far, I have only tested it on myself and Tom since Kai can handle it if anything goes wrong. I''m slight worried on the effect it will had on others. One of the main ingredients in this red liquid Elixir is my blood. Yes, in order to achieve such effect, I infused my own blood into it.


    I hope it wouldn''t carelessly give my powers away too. Kai said a mere drop of my blood couldn''t possibly yield any significant effect like being granted my powers but that is all just a theory.


    So far, I have made three Elixirs. One for Angie, one for Kirin, one for Nilin. Yes, all girls. I''m know I''m being sexist but this is who I am. Girls'' safety comes first. Besides, their defensive capability are the lowest among us. It justifies it.


    [Master, you there?]


    [Hmm, Tom? What''s up?] I wonder why Tom sounds so hesitant.


    [We have a slight problem.]


    [Oh? What is it?]


    [It''s better if you come to take a look at it yourself.]


    In a single blink, I teleport to where Tom is which is the large field behind the red building. Everyone is there.


    [Excellent. Your range on Spatial Leap has increased. I''m impressed.] Praised Kai.


    I haven''t been neglecting my skills after all. It feels strange for him to just suddenly praise me out of nowhere after being silent for half a day.


    "So, what''s the problem?" I asked when I arrived at the scene.


    Following Tom''s gestures, I found myself staring at two Hobgoblins, a Juggernaut variant and a Shadow Goblin variant.


    The dark red skinned Juggernaut is almost the same height as Engrande in his miniature form. He wasn''t as bulky as Engrande but he sure has more muscles from the looks of it.


    The Shadow Goblin has long black hair and dark toned skin. He''s a little shorter than me, less muscular than me but the shadows that seem to be dancing around him really give out an aura of intimidation.


    Are they....


    [Apparently so.] answered Kai.


    So they are Bartholomew and Cormac. They look more human now. I guess this is what defines a Hobgoblin.


    "When did this happened?"


    "Just now." Tom answers me.


    I see. Great. Now I''ll need to remake their armor.


    "Impressive. This is the first time I have seen a Goblin''s evolution."


    Angie said something that caught my attention. Hmm? She''s quite close to Kirin. Did they make up or something while I was absent?


    "Why?"


    "Eh? Why? Because they''re usually weak and stupid and they die within five years of their birth. Goblins in my time are at the bottom of the food chain if we''re counting only Magic Beast."


    I get what she meant. After all, from what I can gather from Clammis'' memories, the deaths of Goblins aren''t mostly caused by adventurers but by other Magic Beasts. I guess somethings don''t change no matter how much time passes.


    "Shameless." remarked Kirin. I was baffled for a second at her remark. I understood when I saw Nilin''s reddened face.


    Oh right, they outgrew their clothes. I was so stunned with their evolution that I didn''t realize it until Kirin pointed it out.


    I quickly use [Spirit Formation] and dress the two in simple clothes and pants that fit their respective sizes. For some reason, Nilin pouted. Did she want to do it instead?


    She sulked further when Tom patted her head warmly and gently but her face eventually slackens into reluctant smiles. Such a Tsundere.


    "Master."


    Hmm? I don''t think I recognize the voice is calling me. I turn to see Bartholomew and Cormac on their knees, bowing with their held low and their fist on their chest.


    Common? They are speaking Common?


    "Master, allow us to express our gratitude. Without you, we would have still be some plain Goblins rotting away in the dungeon or bringing more suffering to unknowing adventurers. You have showed us another path. A better path. For that, we are eternally grateful."


    said Bartholomew.


    Holy shit. I didn''t know they have such vocabulary. And how did they know Common all of a sudden and able to speak in such refined manner? They are even speaking so much better than Kirin and Nilin.


    I felt stares stabbing at me but I rubbed it off as my imagination.


    "Remarkable. They didn''t just evolve physically and spiritually but their mentality evolved too." said Engrande after gulping down some beer from a barrel. What the hell? Do you ever stop drinking?


    "Seriously, it''s just one surprise after another with you." Angie said, shaking head like she has given up. Was that addressed to me?


    I point at myself.


    "Ara~? Have you not realize that you might actually be the influence of their growth instead of me? Sure I might have given them the power to do so but you are the one who opened the doors of possibilities for them. Growth, no matter in what form, is affected by one''s surroundings and the people one surrounds themselves with."


    I see. I kinda get what she meant. Actually, it would make more sense that their growth is my influence considering I was with them longer than Angie is.


    "Master, fight me." Cormac suddenly came up to me and said. Fast. He was kneeling in front of me just a second ago.


    Due to his crude words, he almost received a head chop from Bartholomew but I stopped it just in time.


    "Easy there, Bartholomew. Your strength isn''t what it was anymore, careful now." I''m flattering him but it''s the truth. I felt the force transmitted to my entire body when I caught his arm. I was surprised that I could even stop such a thick arm. Might be thanks to Engrande''s training.


    "Sorry master but what Cormac meant to say is that we wish to test our newfound strength against the one who granted us these gifts."


    Um.... I''m kinda getting uncomfortable with how formal Bartholomew is speaking.


    "Ahahaha, that''s the spirit. Go on then. I''m also itching to see how much you have improved, boy."


    Eh? But I don''t want to. I look around for assistance but saw only betrayals.


    Tom, Kirin, and Angie wished me luck.


    Citra left me and joined up with Bartholomew.


    Nilin is sitting on the grass there, smirking at me. I wonder what did I ever done for her to hate me.


    "Fine." I gave up and said.


    <hr>


    "And...... Begin!" Engrande shouted as he slam his pseudo-mug, which is a barrel, onto the ground.


    Immediately, Cormac dove into his shadow while Bartholomew came at me straight on. I easily batter his straight fist, which is the size of my face, away and counter with a hook of my own. I didn''t use my full power as I''m afraid it will be too much for them.


    It was a needless worry. My fist connected but it only made Bartholomew flinched slightly.


    He locks his arm with mine as Cormac came out from his shadow from behind. He threw shadowy like darts at me, [Shadow Darts] appears beside the spell. I applied more Mana and strength into my locked arm and swung Bartholomew to my back, using him as a shield.


    Of course, I wouldn''t have done this if Citra wasn''t on him. She quickly put up a shield to defend him against the darts. Nice going there.


    Cormac had already disappeared before I knew it. This time, he emerged from a place much closer to me. At the same time, Bartholomew came attacking again.


    I use [Force Push] on Cormac which sent him tumbling away and stop Bartholomew''s fist with [Plane Displacement]. His other fist then glows an intense blue. It''s a strengthening magic call [Herculean Strength]. With that, he punches through the spatial barrier but his fist only found air.


    I reappeared a few distance away from them with [Spatial Leap].


    To be honest, I could have won instantly if I''m fighting with the intent to kill. I have fought people or things way stronger than me. Especially Vira.....


    I don''t know why but.... my heart aches a little whenever I think about her. I think we might have a thing going on but.... all that is in the past now. To her, Hyx is already dead.


    Never mind all that. In the past. In the past. Just forget about it. I have Angie now.


    Back to the sparring.


    I only now realize that I barely have any non-lethal attacks. All my [Spatial Magic] abilities are kinda fatal. To me, it''s much harder to fight while holding back. I can drain their Mana with [Mana Transmission] or fend them off with [Force Push]. Other than these two, all my abilities could cause serious harm and I don''t want that. I know it''s possible to heal them back if they suffer some degree of damage but I''m not willing to chance it, not for some mere sparring.


    I can use [Sealing Magic] but the game would be over in an instance.


    Geez, this is just tedious.


    The whole fight is just me just dodging and evading their attacks while occasionally returning a kick or punch of my own or using [Force Push] to keep them at a distance. Cormac relies on hit-and-run tactics which is good. I can go with the bow-plan I had in mind before. Bartholomew fights like a street fighter but at the same time like a marital artist. MMA, so to say. Due to the difference in stats, his attacks are fruitless. Citra is concentrating on defending against my non-lethal attacks.


    Still, the two have a look of satisfaction on their face. Are they battle junkies?


    Oh? They smiling at each other. Even Citra is nodding at their creepy smiles. They must be planning something.


    Eh? This time, it was Bartholomew who dove into his shadow. I didn''t know he could use [Shadow Magic] too.


    [No. It''s not Bartholomew. It''s Cormac. The shadow teleportation technique is not a caster-only type of movement spell.]


    Ha? Isn''t that a little bit too cheating?


    [Says you.]


    Fair enough.


    Cormac''s shadow extended into hands and rush at me. I was about to move away but I was stunned by some magic Citra cast, [Blank Mind], a spell under her racial ability, [Arcane Serpent], which is now level three. My mistake. I underestimated them and got careless.


    The shadow hands crawl up to my body and bind me to the spot just as the magic wore off. I use [Force Push] at Cormac but instead of melting into shadows, Citra helped him blocked the attack with her shield.


    Hmm. Could it be that his shadow traversing technique could only transport a single person?


    At that moment, Bartholomew appears behind me from a pool of shadows. He punches at the air and sends the shock wave at me. [Herculean Strength: Excessive Force] is what the ability is called. I don''t know if I can block this with [Plane Displacement] but I''m not risking it. I can''t move due to the shadows binding me. Now, what to do?


    [Cry?]


    S T F U. Go back to your analyzing of the Devil within.


    Since the name of the skill appeared in appraisal, it must be magic. If it''s magic, then it must be using Mana. If it''s using Mana.....


    I invoke [Famine Shield] and it devoured the skill, converting it into my own Mana. Oooh~? Bartholomew is showing a cramp face.


    With little effort, I break free of the shadow without any use of any kind of magic or ability. I can do this because of the difference in our stats. I can break free from the get-go but I wanted to see what they have planned and how they would react if their plan goes awry.


    Bartholomew immediately sank back into his shadow and I was attacked from behind. Ah? The attack is not from Cormac but from Citra? No. Not from Citra but Citra herself is the attack. She''s lunging at me with a magic shield invoke. We clashed but she persisted. The shield glowed and my instincts screamed a little.


    I draw back as the shield erected spikes from it. [Hate Spikes] Wah~! Are you trying to kill me? And isn''t that the ability of a certain succubus from a certain league?


    Just then, Bartholomew emerges from the shadows with an uppercut which I swiftly dodges to the side. Even though I dodged it, I felt the after wave. Damn, if I didn''t evade that, that would surely hurt.


    No wait. I don''t feel pain.


    [Hyx....]


    I know. Cormac is missing. I noticed. He sunk into his shadows the moment Bartholomew came out but questions is, where is he?


    My question is answered when he reappeared directly below me. I was going to move but Citra used [Blank Mind] to stun me again but I have prepared myself for this. Suddenly, [Warden Chains] appeared and bound me, preventing me from moving. Okay, I''m definitely not escaping this one. Damn, that [Foresight] of Citra is really a pain.


    Color me impress, little Wyrm.


    I''m grabbed by the feet and being pulled into the shadow. However, I did not sunk completely. I was sunk half way. Ah, so this is their plan.


    With a battle cry, Bartholomew leaped into the air with his fist raised. He''s aiming for me, of course. I can feel the Mana converge at that fist isn''t something I can block with my level of [Plane Displacement].


    What to do....? I really don''t want to fight anymore. I want to get back to my compounding.


    [Fun''s over?]


    Fun''s over.


    Time to get serious.


    I unleashed [Daunt] in full throttle and broke myself free of the bonds. In conjecture with [Overload], I threw them all into one place with enhanced [Psychokinesis]. Before they could regain their bearings, I drew a few slashes around them with [Sever], letting them know of the outcome of me being serious.


    And that marks the end of this spar.


    Like I said, they stood no chance against me.


    "Hyx, you alright?" Angie asked.


    I know why she asked me if I''m alright instead of asking the three. It''s because I''m having a nosebleed. [Psychokinesis] is pretty taxing after all and what''s more, I used [Overload] to boost its effect. It''s hard to catch moving object with this magic and even harder to affect something with resistance like a living thing. But I managed.


    Engrande is slamming the ground while laughing. "My my, son. I don''t think I can win against you if you really go serious with me."


    Right.... Fucking A plus bullshit right there. I saw your stats, you ain''t fooling anyone. You even have a legacy Arcane Art call [Shura] that I still have no idea what it does. If it''s anything like the myth back on earth, I think he''s going to grow four additional arms and two additional faces.


    "Master is strong after all."


    "Fumu, agreed. The strongest."


    The two said as they got up from the crater they created from my throw. They are unhurt thanks to Citra last minute barrier that soften their fall.


    Although they said that, the two was still unsatisfied. They ended up challenging Engrande and they fought until the dark descend upon us.


    Just like that, the day ended. I won''t call it a fruitful day but it sure was eventful.


    Maybe I can call it fruitful. I managed to create an armor for Citra after all. She cried in joy when she received the adorable armor.


    Thank god, the Devil still remains asleep today.


    <hr>


    I woke up with a groan in the middle of the night.


    Heavy. Something is on top of me.


    I meekly open my eyes to see the cause. My eyes gaped open at the sight of the cause. It is Angie.


    "Ara~? Did I wake you up?" She said in a coy manner while straddling on me.


    I wanted to retort but as my vision became clearer, I am left stunned.


    What is she wearing? A dress? The fabric is so thin and near-transparent that I can almost see her private areas. What''s more, the design is very suggestive and the black color only serves to emphasize it. The straps are thin as well. She''s also wearing gloves that matches the dress she''s wearing, suggestive, thin, and black. The same goes for the fishnet looking socks she''s wearing and the garter belt that is hooked on it......


    Ah....


    [Ah....]


    It''s.....


    [a lingerie.....]


    Yeap, a lingerie..... Where the hell did she get one? Wait. Could it be.....


    I appraise her and my suspicions is proven true. She now has [Spirit Magic]. Did she seriously learn [Spirit Magic] just so she could use [Spirit Formation] to create a lingerie? Considering how attach she is to me, I say it is very likely.


    Still, this kind of lingerie exist in this world. I see. I don''t know why but I imagine their lingerie to be something like a corset-type.


    "Are you aroused now, my beloved?"


    Unless I''m fucking gay, why wouldn''t I? But I''m not going to say that aloud. "Um... Angie?"


    "Yes, darling?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    She pouts suddenly when I asked that. She leans closer to me while still straddling on me. "You have been very neglectful of your bride as of late, you know. I''m starting to feel lonely at night, you know? "


    What the what? BRIDE!? How many steps did we skipped? It hasn''t even been a month. Chill! What happened to your brakes, woman?


    "So now, you are going to make up for all those lost time."


    "Angie...."


    She shuts me up with a kiss. A deep kiss. She invaded my mouth with her tongue and ravaged the insides. More than two strings are formed when our lips parted.


    Good gods.... I couldn''t breathe at that moment. "Angie.... Stop these now.... I might....."


    What I mean to say was "I might loose control of myself and have my way with you without caring about anything else." but --


    -- she held my tongue, literally, with her index and middle finger like a chopstick, and she whispers these words into my ear,


    "It''s okay. I know how hard you have been working these few days and how much is on your mind. You are afraid that you will run out of time any given moment. And you were working this hard for our sake, for my sake. Which is why, for tonight, let me reward you for all your hard work, okay?"


    Although she asked, I wasn''t able to answer with my tongue held.


    "So, do whatever you want with me, my beloved. Don''t worry, I have put a sound barrier. Any noise we make won''t make it past this room. So.... ravage me like an animal."


    Not good. I can''t take this. Kai, help.


    [......]


    No response. Kai overloaded too.


    "Darling.... break me." she said while slightly moving her hips to stimulate me.


    And once she did that, whatever remaining sense of reasons, restrains, and morals I have, they all disappeared. I packed them all up and threw them all out of the window.


    Screams and cries of agony and pleasure rumble throughout the city in the dead of the night. I don''t know if the sound barrier will hold with that much noise but I didn''t care. I was drowning in ecstasy.


    She was thoughtful to put up a soundproof barrier but she forgot about the shaking and damages we would do.


    Needless to say, everyone knew what happened but no one spoke of it. Surprisingly, Kirin is the only one that is clueless.

 T11 - Murphys Law

    Where is this place?


    There''s nothing but darkness stretching until the horizon.


    Is this a dream? It must be. My dreams have always begun with pure darkness for as long as I can remember. This is definitely a dream.


    But whatever kind of dream is this, I will surely forget it when I wake.


    Dream aside, there''s nothing here.


    No. There''s something. Someone.


    There''s a person in the center of all these darkness. He''s on his knees. Is he crying? Is he mourning? I can''t differentiate.


    As I got closer to the weeping person, I came to realize that person is Master.


    His clothes are in tatters. Wounds cover his body. And most of all, his eyes.... they are gone. A scar right across his face had rid him of his sights.


    A whiff of blood enters my nose. My face crumpled against the stench.


    Hmm....? I can smell in a dream? How?


    What the..... Just what is going on? Is this really a dream? It felt real.


    My footsteps had been silent this whole time but it tapped when I got near to master. He twitches at that noise and turn to my way.


    "Why....." Master asked with those bleeding hollow eyes.


    I try to speak but no voice came out. What''s happening?


    "What have I ever done to you!?" Master screamed at me, flinging his arms at me. The blood flew from his stained arm and landed on my cheek.


    Huh? I felt it. I can feel the cold trickle of blood on my cheek.


    I.... I don''t understand. Why did this felt so real? And why is master angry at me? I don''t know.... Just what is happening? Am I truly dreaming?


    As master stood up from where he knelt, the darkness around him parted, revealing the corpse it hid underneath.


    I froze. Every essence of me, right down to a single drop of my blood, they all froze. And those weren''t just any corpses. I knew their faces well.


    There''s Lady Senna.


    Nilin.


    Bartholomew.


    Cormac.


    Kirin.


    Engrande.


    There was a greatsword, broken into pieces. Made of metal but it bleeds like a flesh body does.


    Fragments of what seems to be an iron Golem crumbled before master.


    They all laid scattered around Master who was staring straight at me with his empty eye sockets.


    "Why.... Why won''t you leave me alone?" Master asked.


    I.....


    "Answer me..... Answer me. Answer me!! AEDROX!!"


    The darkness under my feet turned into clear water. In the clear surface of the water, my appearance is reflected back to me.


    My appearance....?


    Is that even me?


    It looks like me but.... dark purplish veins crawled all over my body. My eyes are glowing an intense purple. An obscure and transparent aura dances slowly but ominously around me.


    My body then moved on its own without my consent. Even my voice came out without my will.


    "Your fate could have been less painful, Harbinger. You forced my hands."


    I told Master, in a distorted voice, a voice that wasn''t just mine but there were other''s. It was like ten or more people spoke in unison.


    In response to my cruel words, master rushes at me with a cry. His skin sheds itself and revealing a black skinned monster underneath. A complete monster without the slightest resemblance of physical trait to a human. Similar to my current appearance, this monster before me was also covered in dark purplish veins.


    Before our attacks clash, a soothing and soft voice echoed in the darkness. Our body ceased moving.


    "Tom?"


    This voice..... I know this voice....


    "Tom?"


    The voice kept echoing in the darkness from no where.


    The echoes didn''t stop. It only keeps getting louder until.... I felt something struck me across my cheeks. A stinging sensation came after. It also felt slightly hot.


    The darkness and everything vanished into nothing. The emptiness parted before me to reveal the face of a teary-eyed girl with cyan hair tied into pigtails.


    It''s Nilin with her hand splayed just by my face. Did she slapped me? I assume yes. It would be weirder if she didn''t.


    But I couldn''t care less about it as everything I''m seeing are swaying. My world is too unsteady at the moment to be worrying about other things.


    "Tom, are you okay?" she asked. I can see she''s trying to remain a straight face. She probably doesn''t want me to figure that she slapped me. She''s bad at lying though. If you moved your eyes like that, people will know you''re lying, you know?


    But I couldn''t answer her, however. I couldn''t find the words. I couldn''t find my voice. The only response I could give is a simple nod. My brain hurts and it feels like it''s convulsing.


    Was it because of the dream I had?


    Hmm? What was I dreaming about?


    Huh, I don''t remember.


    I can''t remember. It must be a very disorienting dream for me to wake up panting and covered in sweat but I can''t remember anything.


    It''s frustrating but it can''t be helped, you know. Dreams aren''t meant to be remembered after all. Kai told me that if one could remember every dream one makes, it would be easy to confuse reality with dreams.


    All I could remember was that I was having some sort of nightmare but the details are all a blur.


    When I found my voice and bearings, I assured Nilin that I''m fine with her favorite head rub. I know she likes it but she doesn''t show it. She is really shy, you know.


    "Idiot." She said and buries herself in my chest. I continue brushing her hair as she breath into my skin. My clothes aren''t thick enough to abstain her hot breath from reaching my skin. Not complaining though since it feels good, you know.


    [See, you worried for nothing.] Master said. It wasn''t directed to me but Kai. I was resting under a tree with Nilin after my training. From behind the old tree, master emerges while saying something without a setting.


    Nilin went "Mou~." when she saw master. I can understand why. She wants to spend some alone time with me. She''s fuming into my chest which kinda tickles but I don''t dislike it.


    [Is something wrong?] I asked back through telepathy.


    [Nothing really. Kai detected some anomaly in your brain activity so he asked me to come and check up on you. I was in the middle of my training with Engrande.]


    At this point, I can almost understand every weird words that came out of master''s mouth.


    [Were you having a nightmare, Thomas?]


    Kai can even tell I was having a nightmare, huh. [I was but I can''t remember.]


    [Hmm....]


    Oh? Is rare to hear Kai making a pondering sound. His replies and answers always came immediately. [Why? What''s wrong?]


    Master answered in Kai''s stead. [Well.... we gained a new ability when I was fighting Engrande and at that moment is when your brain activity started going haywire. Or at least that''s what Kai said.]


    [A coincidence?]


    [It would be good if it is because the new ability we acquired is [Clairvoyant].]


    [Clairvoyant? As in the power to see the future?] I blurted out my faint excitement.


    [Not necessary the case but something along that line. The nightmare you have might a premonition.]


    When I heard the word "premonition", my skin crawled from some reasons.


    [Can you remember your nightmare?]


    [No, I can''t.]


    [Well, if he can''t remember about it, maybe it''s nothing important after all.]


    [You are awfully optimistic for someone with your circumstances, Hyx.]


    I agree with Kai. Master is too carefree. Not a day went by did he not smile. In fact, he''s smiling too much now. Lady Senna finds it pleasant but Engrande and I are a little creep out.


    Master sighed. [I believe it''s called sanguine. It beats sulking which dampens the mood. At least if I drown, I''m not taking you all with me.]


    Ah.... master.... don''t let Lady Senna hear you say that.


    [I understand what you''re trying to do, Hyx, but please, do it moderately. You are sort of coming across as a psychopath at the moment.]


    [Duly noted.] Master gave a dry retort.


    A moan out of where broke the stale mood.


    It was Nilin. She''s fast asleep.


    [You two are getting along quite well, isn''t it?]


    I kiss Nilin on top of her head. "Very much."


    "So, when are you going to confess?"


    According to master, this would what be known as throwing a straight ball.


    To that question, I can only laugh and smile.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    <hr>


    It''s a full suit armor of intricate design. The gleaming pale silver of the metallic surface resonates well with the calm and clear surface of the lake. It''s around three meters in length if I''m not wrong. It looks heavy but it is able to float.


    "Ara ara~ That''s one exquisite armor." said a soft voice filled with passion.


    "Aye, it is. Thanks for letting us use this place, Luamiraya." Engrande said.


    "Of course. Anything for the Shepherd and his friends." The Ancient Dryad, Luamiraya responded with a slight bow and a gentle smile. She is the current master of this Miracle Forest and like Kirin, one of the world''s remaining pure line of Spirit of Nature. According to master, she is over a million years old and apparently, this forest is where Master found Kirin.


    There are a lot of hostiles in this forest but Lady Senna and master culled them all in a short amount of time.


    We are now at the lake where Kirin was imprisoned. There was suppose to be a small grove in the center but it had disappeared sometime after Kirin was released. Master didn''t press for any reason so neither did the others.


    A magic circle is slowly expanding with the armor as the epicenter. Engrande, Lady Senna, and master stood surrounding the armor, only Engrade who was tall in height only has his feet submerged in the water.


    Doing this whole thing in a lake wasn''t for aesthetic purpose, as how master puts it, it was actually a safety measure. Engrande told us that the water is there to reduced the danger should it happen. We were also told that we might experience it first hand soon enough.


    Master prayed that we don''t.


    As for me, I''m standing at the shore with the remaining others. Kirin and Nilin looks bored while Bartholomew and Cormac have the exact opposite reaction. If it weren''t master''s orders prior, they would have plunge themselves into the circle. They are getting excited for the weirdest things. Well, looking from a different view, this is kind of exciting.


    I mean, we are witnessing the creation of a Living Doll, Golem after all.


    Citra is neither with Bartholomew or Cormac but instead she''s with Luya. She seems to have instantly taken a liking to the Ancient Dryad. She is happily nibbling on a small piece of apple given to her by Luya. Like Kirin, Luya also has the same power to summon plants at will.


    For quite a while now, Citra has been making quite sounds while enjoying the pampering she''s receiving from Luya. We''re not here on a picnic, you know? And you two, Bartholomew and Cormac, stop looking so jealous.


    And Nilin, you don''t have to come if you''re not interested, you know.


    Just so we''re clear, we are not forging a Mondra yet.


    Before moving on to create a Mondra, Engrande suggested to master that it''s better to start off small. So from creating a simple sword to now a Golem. Except a Golem isn''t something as easy as a sword. A Golem is a living suit of armor that serves its master. Although artificial, as how master puts it, it is in a way, a living thing since it has a soul. It is how a Golem gets its alternative name, Living Doll.


    The armor took some time to finish but it is now completed. All that''s left now is the magic inscription and a soul which the former will be provided by Lady Senna and the latter would be by master.


    "Well I did nothing." Even from here, I heard master grumbled while crossing his arms.


    "Cheer up, boy. It''s thanks to you that we have such a work of art before us."


    "Indeed." Lady Senna affirmed Engrande''s praise.


    "All I did was the design. You were the one who forged all that metal."


    "True but anyone could forge any metal. However, not anyone could come up with something like this."


    Master laughed wryly as he looked away with his cheeks dyed red.


    I agree. The motionless Golem floating on the water does have a very elaborate design. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. Somehow, it has a feeling of being ahead of its time. Is master''s original world the future?


    "So, what metal did you use?" asked Master.


    "Ohoho, I''m glad you ask, Shepherd." Engrande let out a strange laugh while rubbing his hands.


    [Shepherd or boy, make up your damn mind, old man.] Master complained through telepathy.


    "Per you instructions and ideas, this Golem has three layers of skin. These layers have their own unique functions. The outer layer is Moonstone but coated with Pale Silver. This two metal are natural conductor to magic. So, the outer layer would absorb most of the magic attacks and preventing it from hitting the circuits inside. While its main function is to resist magic but it has a toughness to withstand some weight of physical attacks."


    "Excellent." Master praised. I could be wrong but master''s eyes seem like they are sparkling.


    Lady Senna wasn''t following or rather, she''s unable to.


    "As for the middle layer," Engrande continues. "A tri-weaved fiber dipped in a special latex. It has high tensile strength but it hardens in response to physical impacts. It can block most physical attacks. Most, not all, remember that. In addition, I have coated it with Onyx on top of the latex layer."


    "You coated it with Onyx?" Master blurted out. "Why?"


    "Well, Onyx Steel aren''t exactly known for being shock absorbent but it does have some. Along with its own special properties, it could negate most impacts whether it''s from a physical or magical attack. Not exactly your idea but I adapted all of the other ideas you proposed that were discarded."


    "I''m honored?"


    [This is very enlightening and interesting. You put a lot of thought into this didn''t you, master?] Kai remarked.


    Master ignored Kai.


    "Lastly, the inner layer is where it gets interesting. I like your idea of having a last solid line of defense but I think Azunmite just won''t cut it. It''s too rigid and too heavy. The Golem will loose its speed and agility this way. So I stayed up all night and managed to create a new type of metal. It''s not as not as strong as Azunmite but it is way stronger than a lot of metal and it''s certainly many times lighter than Azunmite."


    "A new type of metal.... Does it have a name?"


    "Nope. I''m not big on names." Engrande said so with a laugh. He laughs a lot.


    "So, what''s next? Would I be of any assistance in the next step?"


    "Settle down, boy. I know you''re eager to contribute but you done a lot just by thinking up the designs."


    "I might have contribute to the design and architect but you made the materials, all of them."


    "Anyone with a little bit of time and determination can forge some good steel but not anyone can turn those steel into something amazing, you know. You''re due some credits."


    [A wolf in the sheets but a sheep on the streets.]


    I understand what the phrase means but how is that in any way relevant?


    [Shut up, Kai.]


    Despite there being a good distance between us and them, I can hear all of their conversation, not just the ones in my mind, thanks to my keen hearing.


    [I didn''t know making a Golem was so difficult.] I said.


    [It''s not.] Master replied my curiosity in brief. [That is if we are looking to create a mindless husk. What we want is something that can think for itself instead of blindly following orders. It maybe hard to create a living sentient armor but it is doable in the long run. Plus, a Mondra isn''t just a weapon. It is a person too in a sense. If we can''t create a Golem with a free will of its own, we sure as hell can''t make a Mondra.]


    Master''s explanation is long. That is very unlike master. Kai was usually the one who give such long winded explanation but lately, master has been able to do what Kai could. I see master truly has been working hard.


    "So, what''s next?" Again, dryly, master asked. Where did the dignified master went?


    "Senna, if you would kindly?"


    Lady Senna nodded and that was when the circle finished its expansion. With a chant of language I am not acquainted with, the whole lake then lights up brighter than the sky, words and languages of magic write themselves around the circle. After the full inscription have being written, the words converged onto the suit of of armor, searing themselves unto its palish gleaming surface.


    Following a surge of Mana, the armor moved. A subtle displacement.


    "Did it just moved?" Master asked what was on my mind. Actually, I think that''s what is on everyone''s mind.


    "It did but it''s only twitching from the sudden surge of energy."


    "Okay, if you say so." Master shrugged. "I''m guessing I''m next?"


    Engrande nodded.


    My mind begin to stir after the Colossus nodded. It caught me off guard and I winced in my mind.


    [Thomas?] Kai called out to me.


    [It''s nothing. It''s just.... my mind is stirring for some reasons.]


    [Ah, sorry.] master apologized.


    I didn''t ask what master has done but the answer is probably something I couldn''t comprehend. Master and Kai really do have a world of their own.


    Master begin his chant in a low whisper. It was low enough to not be heard by either Engrande nor Lady Senna but my mind is linked with master''s. I heard every word of his chant clearly. It is a spell specially synthesize by Kai for this occasion. It is a compound spell of various forbidden spells. Master and Kai were being very vague with the amalgamated spells but master was willing to let me know that it was thanks to some of his resurfaced memories.


    Apparently, master was very much into magic and not just alchemy, prior to his "aminisa", I think that''s what it''s called?


    This is a magic of unknown origins, it is what I was further told. A very corrupted base it was founded on. The spell to fuse, bind, assimilate, or merge two or more entities together. The more complex the structure of an entity is, the lower the rate of success. A spell that is considered by Engrande, Lady Senna, and Kirin to have the potential to reach a tier higher than forbidden, and that is Divine.


    [Mana Overseer (Unique): Synthesize]


    This newly compounded spell is given a name that underwhelmed its capability and potential. By the way, who came up with this name?


    [Our lovely and venerable master of course.]


    [Kai.]


    [Yes, milord?]


    [Your silence and absence has been difficult for me in these recent days but it gave me the opportunity to be a little bit more independent from you with various issues. I have learned a lot. I have learned to do what I can''t without assistance before. So, hold your tongue or get synthesize with the crap you spout, got it?]


    [O-Of course.... Hyx.]


    [Good. Now keep quiet and let me concentrate.]


    That was new. For a moment there, master seemed to have switch personalities with Kai.


    Despite having a fight in his mind, master didn''t neglect the chant in present time. As expected of master to be able to split his thoughts.


    {....the long awaited dawn, a world where home will be, a blind miracle. The devils we will be to turn such unfounded hope into reality. Entwined the fate of two into a singular destiny, Synthesis.}


    It was a Helix chant and probably the first time master has ever chanted for a spell.


    Both of his hand splayed. Red lightning burns rigorously on his left and an ethereal blob of energy coiled around his right. His hands spread, he drove both of his hands unto the chest piece of the armor suit.


    [Wait... Is master....] I know what master is doing.


    [Yes. It''s just the same as that time.]


    [B-but... But why?]


    [A life is a miracle. Creating life is creating a miracle but all miracles doesn''t come without a cost. Getting out of this place is a miracle, wouldn''t you agree?]


    [I.... it is. Getting out of this place sure seems like a miracle. A dream.]


    [Which is why, for such miracle, he will gladly pay the cost.]


    The red lightning wasn''t just shocking the armor. It was devouring the armor like a snake would to its prey. The soul in his right hand, which was one of the long-dead researcher''s soul, melded into the armor like sand seeping through cracks.


    Just as Kai said, it''s just like the time when Master resurrected me. Now, he''s doing the same. This time, a soul was offered and a legacy Arcane Art was sacrificed.


    "Is that everything?" Lady Senna asked, dubiously.


    The armor twitched.


    "I presume so. I could be wrong but it just twitched didn''t it?"


    The armor twitched again.


    "Yeap." Master said.


    "Then, that''s everything. Now, time to see the results."


    Its fingers, its toes, its head, little by little, it twitched. The small twitches slowly went into violent trembles. Even from here, I can clearly feel a highly potent force amassing.


    Ouch.


    Nilin dug her fingers into me. I couldn''t blame her. The energy was too much. To those without a tremendous amount of Mana pool, it would be suffocating. Despite being over a thousand of years old, Kirin has unexpectedly low Mana pool.


    Bartholomew and Cormac would have been in the same situation but Citra''s barrier have negated all that effect. She''s really amazing, isn''t she?


    [Snap. That may have been too much.]


    "Ara~? Isn''t that too much Mana? The poor armor doesn''t seem like it can contain it." said Luya, sharing the same observation with Kai.


    I can see the leaking energy is turning into sprouts. The armor, as it shudders without restrain, began scorching its vicinity from the overloaded energy. Even the water began to boil from it.


    "Engrande, Angie, get out of here." Master''s shout snapped me out of my daze at the sudden turns of event. Master is desperately trying to contain the volatile energy. His skin is coming off scrap by scrap after it was charred.


    The armor isn''t just trembling from the amassed energy, it is overloading from it. The heat emitted from the energy vented was only getting more and more intense.


    "What about you?" Lady Senna asked, her calm face has crumbled from the sudden shift of happenstances.


    "I''ll be fine." Master said and injected himself with a vial of purple liquid.  I remember that potion. It was made for master himself exclusively, to boost his self-healing powers. His skin healed back as soon as it was scorched. Not the perfect solution but it was the best one master have.


    With reluctance, Lady Senna nodded and teleported away with Engrande from the bursting armor.


    I then feed Citra a potion that boost one''s spell effect. After ingesting the transparent liquid, Citra''s barrier extended until it covers all of us.


    [Hyx alone won''t be enough to stabilize the energy. Thomas, I''m sorry to ask this of you but....]


    [I can do it.] I gave him my assent before the request was even spoken. After being with them for so long, I can already guess his next words. It goes without saying that it will be a definite yes. [What do you need me to do?]


    [.... Put up all your defense abilities and come here. You will help in the stabilizing.]


    [Wouldn''t Lady Senna be a more appropriate choice for this?]


    That was a moment of silent between Kai and master. I recognize this silent.


    [I don''t want to speak ill of the person who can literally level this whole place but Senna''s the  cause of this. She had made an error in how much Mana was needed.]


    [Shouldn''t we tell her that.]


    [She knows. Engrade does too but now''s the time to push the blame. Her mastery of Mana control only extends as far as to herself. She''s not suitable for this. Engrande could but the accumulating damage would turn him into dust when it''s all over. Kirin is an option but do you want her to do it?]


    What kind of question is that? Of course not.


    [Therefore, you are the perfect guy for this job.]


    [Then....] Struggling, master spoke. [Get your arse over here.]


    If this was a few days ago, master wouldn''t have even think of involving me with something so dangerous but that was few days ago. Things have changed.


    We have changed.


    As I stepped out of the barrier and set foot into the water, I am stopped by Lady Senna.


    "Where are you going? Why are you going there?" She asked in a fluster.


    "Because master requested me to."


    "A...." She wanted to retort but a realization must have halted her words. Instead, she nodded at me and stood back.


    It wasn''t because she believed that I was able to do it, rather, she believed in master. Which was why nobody else objected. We have come to trust each other. To the ones standing behind in the barrier, I replied to their good faith with a nod.


    I can do this. It is why master asked me to.


    I invoke [Exalted Skin] and activated [Wrath of Oni]. I''m only halfway to the armor pulsating with volatile energy and I can already feel the scorch. It hurts but it is nothing. With [Wrath of Oni] activated, pain is only a state of mind. My skin is shedding from the blazing heat produce by the bursting energy but it reveals not some mere flesh but raging shadow flames.


    When I have reached the armor where master was breathing harshly from the stabilizing, my whole body is wearing these peculiar flames like a suit. Simply put, the whole skin of my body had been burned off by the energy heat.


    I can see the whole lake bubbling from it. Now I know what Engrande meant.


    Now, time to do this.


    To quote my venerable master --


    -- All in a hard day''s work.

 T12 - Djin Sol

    "Mou~ Is it over?" asked Nilin from behind safe covers of the barrier. Although nothing got through the barrier, she was trembling from just the sight and the aftershock.


    [It was over until her big mouth opened.] Master remarked.


    I want to know of the outcome too but per master''s words, I''m not going to jinx it by asking out loud. We have managed to stabilize the volatile accumulating energy within the armor but the overloading had "fried" some of the circuits as how master put it. Therefore, the final product of the Golem might be different from what we intended it to be.


    We are now all on the shore of the lake while the armor is twitching intermittently in the same spot. An hour passed but none of us approached it. We only kept watch from afar. The amassed energy was too much and it was apparent that it would be a long time before it completely calms down. It won''t be paranoid to say that the armor could exploded at any given moment, you know.


    "Sorry. It was because of my blunder that....." Lady Senna began to apologize but was silent by master.


    "Gyaah~!" Nilin shouted at master''s action.


    Her reaction can''t be blamed for being exaggerated as master had silent Lady Senna by placing his lips on hers.


    "Ara~ How nice." Aside from everyone who was dumbfounded, Luya was the only one who find it pleasant.


    "Forgiven." Master said.


    "Eh? But...." Just as Lady Senna refuted, sounds of water splashing drew our attention.


    The armor which should have been floating motionlessly on the water was now standing upright, on the surface of the lake. Red sparks running across its body. In its empty eye sockets, a brilliant but violent red light glowed.


    Even though master hadn''t said anything yet, Bartholomew and Cormac was smart enough to take a defensive stance instinctively on their own. No, not instinctively. It''s just common sense. I wonder why did I thought otherwise? Bartholomew wields a mace made of Adamantite while Cormac wields a Mithril bow with dual short swords as the contingency which are also made of Mithril.


    Without a warning but a glare devoid of any intents, the Golem fired red lightning bolts at our direction. We are safe behind Citra''s barrier but at the first sign of crack, I hear a yelp from Citra. Just before the barrier was completely blasted through, a warm cyan light veiled the breaking barrier. The cracks faded as if the barrier was renewed. In a way, it was. I can understand that it is the work of Kirin''s [Spirit Magic].


    "Mwu. Enemy."


    "Why is it attacking us?" asked Nilin.


    "The magic circuit inside must have been distorted from the overload."


    Engrande might be right. The Golem''s status is Frenzy. Its race is Steel Titan (Metal Golem). It has the title <Rogue Puppet> and <Unbound>. Due to master wanting a Golem with a free mind, there wasn''t any restrains nor mind magic enchantment imbued in the circuit.


    "Ah.... This is bad." Lady Senna mused. "Shall I?"


    "What!? Do you know how much blood, sweat, and tears I have put into that?"


    "One can only imagine." It was Luya who answered, vaguely.


    A vein popped on Engrande''s forehead on hearing that kind of answer.


    While we''re barrage by the endless streams of lightning bolts and a storm brewed within the safe confines, master gallantly walked out of the barrier and met the lightning head-on.


    Unlike before, none of us said anything of master''s whimsical action. Lady Senna looked like she had something to say but she withdrew at the last second.


    The bolts hit a dark purplish barrier master conjured up. The lightning bolts shuddered before melding into the barrier. Through appraisal, I know the dark purplish barrier was [Famine Shield].  Even with such an amazing spell, master was at a loss on how to approach. Master could easily reach the Golem with [Spatial Leap] but what then?


    I recommend master through telepathy to drain the Golem''s Mana but that idea was thrown out of the window by Kai. It wasn''t possible simply because the Golem have the ability to resist it. Although the inscriptions was inscribed by Lady Senna, ultimately, it was Kai and master who came up with it. So master and Kai knew enough of what they were dealing with.


    Master used [Warden''s Chain] and [Imprison Rod] but those two were vaporized upon contact. It seemed to raised the Golem''s ire as its attacks got fiercer.


    "This is troubling." Luya said while looking dismayed with her face slanted into her palm. "What to do?"


    "Simple. We subdue it and fix the circuit." Engrande said.


    And we all looked to master.


    Master was busy fending off the Golem''s attacks and wasn''t even looking at us but he asked "Why are you all looking at me?"


    "If it''s the Shepherd, surely he could do it." Luya declared so with a warm smile.


    "Hate to break it ti you, honey. I d....." Master paused halfway and changed his tone. "It is a misunderstanding that I''m the most suitable person for this job. I even have trouble holding back in sparring against Bartholomew and Cormac, you know?"


    "Agree with master." said Bartholomew. "Master''s power is resolute and absolute. It specializes in taking lives not subduing. Suspending life is one of master''s terrible feat."


    I can tell master is conflicted with Bartholomew''s words but I avoid being boorish to comment.


    "If master went, the Golem will surely get vaporized." Cormac seemed convinced too.


    "Fumu. He sure will. A brute is a brute after all." Nilin hopped onto this opportunity to add salt to master''s wound. But it wasn''t master who respond to this insult but master''s beloved, Lady Senna. Nilin shrieked and hid behind me, away from Lady Senna''s death glare.


    "Ara~....." Even Luya has a cramped smile. Lady Senna is really terrifying.


    "Tom. You''re thinking of something rude, aren''t you?" Lady Senna asked as she turn her glare to me.


    What the hell? How does she knows? Women sure are scary.


    "Fine, I''ll go then." said a rough and coarse voice. It was Engrande.


    The space cracked and turn into thousands of splinters along with the red lightning bolts that encompassed it. Master [Fracture] the space itself along with Golem''s attack. While doing so, he looked over his shoulder nonchalantly. "Not a bad choice. You are probably the most suitable person to do this. Angie would most likely destroy the whole thing altogether."


    Master.... you are the last person who should be saying that..... Anyways, Kirin and Luya would also be a good choice but they are not accustom to combat.


    "Master. I believe I will be of use too." Bartholomew stepped up and said with a slight bow and his fist on his chest.


    "Me too, master. I can restrain its movements with [Shadow Magic]." Contrast to the tactful Bartholomew, Cormac said so in a lax manner.


    Before an answer came, we are struck by a intense tremor. Master had block a huge attack from the frenzied Golem. "I would have said yes but..... maybe in another year or so. Right now, you two won''t even last a second with it."


    The two wanted to retort but another wave of attacks invalidate their arguments. Imbued with master and Lady Senna''s power, the Golem was out of their reach of even being considered an opponent as a jest.


    Engrande sighed. "Say no more. I''ll be going."


    Master nodded and made way for the Colossus.


    Another wave of lightning bolts came attacking right at that moment. In response to this threat, Engrande clapped his hands together and his Mana surged.


    The word [Shura] appeared beside him on appraisal. Three pairs of ethereal hands emerged and three phantom faces of Engrande manifested on all sides of his head. Thrusting all four pairs of hands out, the bloodied lightning seemingly met an impasse and dissolved into the air.


    [So that''s the legacy Arcane Art, Shura.]


    [I was right. It does resemble the myth I know of.]


    I heard such talk between master and Kai. Seems like Shura is something originated from master''s former world.


    The Golem kept launching red lightning bolts after bolts but all of them dissolved into nothing before Engrande''s [Shura]. Judging from what I''m witnessing, those ethereal hands seem to have magic nullification properties.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Once Engrande was in the proximity, the Golem swiped its lightning-formed claws but the sparks disperse when Engrande caught hold with his ethereal hands. Without much of an effort and with a swing of one of his ethereal hands, he slammed the Golem down. While still submerged in the water, Engrande held the Golem down with three ethereal hands as he pummeled it with his remaining hands.


    Oi oi, wouldn''t that destroy that Golem like you hope to avoid?


    "It is strange. The Golem did not even move. It did not try to evade Engrande''s grasp."


    "That''s right. That''s right."


    The two Hobgoblins said in conjecture.


    I agreed with them. Engrande was by no means too quick nor agile. Even Bartholomew, the slowest of us could see his attacks coming. Yet, the Golem did not even try to evade nor even move like Bartholomew pointed out.


    "Maybe it couldn''t?" Luya said with a finger on her lips. Is it just me or Luya is very delicate with her conducts?


    "Nn. Couldn''t." Kirin agreed with Luya.


    I want to ask what do they meant by that but Kai seemed to have caught on my confusion. It was then explained to me that the Golem is not fully functional and merely operating on something like an instinctual level. The circuit that is responsible for its movement is probably destroyed in the overload. Which works to our favor now.


    But....


    Disappointing.


    I didn''t know what I expected. I don''t think I expected anything but I was still disappointed.


    The outcome was simple. Engrande pummeled the Golem until its fuel ran out. It couldn''t do anything but just stood there unleashing red lightning bolts at us. All Engrande have to do was just keep hammering it until it wears out.


    By the way, Engrande did not punch it with a curled fist but instead, he hit it with his palm spread which works well in suppression and caused limited damage. There was a moment where the Golem tried to use a magic greater than just bolts but... it tried. It didn''t manage to use it since Engrande wasn''t giving it any room.


    After the Golem was pummeled until it couldn''t even twitch, master drained the excessive Mana and ease its status with [Calm Field]. The only reason master couldn''t drain the Golem''s Mana from while stabilizing it was because the Mana might be harmful to be absorbed. After all, Master did have a lot of avoidable mishaps if he was a little bit more careful.


    Just like that, the frenzied Golem is subdued.


    [Should I be happy that it easily subdued or sad that it is easily beaten?]


    such conflicting question came from master.


    Then master comforted himself with the fact that the Golem might not be in full function.


    <hr>


    A world of black and white.


    The lake which is on the borderline of shallow and deep, its water is white while its rock bottom is a complete pitch black. The trees as far as my eyes could see are all dyed black and so are the grass and soil. The rocky ceiling which acts as the sky of this miracle forest is also painted white.


    It wasn''t the world that had changed. We were just in a dimension where every ingenious element and entity are static and exist for aesthetic purposes. Only me, Engrande, and master retain our essence and color.


    This is [Proxy Realm], a subspace creation magic of master''s [Spatial Magic]. This subspace expand as far as a diameter of two hundred meter.


    In case of another complications like just now, Kai suggested to take this whole thing to a place where nothing relevant or important will be destroy. Therefore, master''s [Proxy Realm] was the best choice.


    "There. That should do it." Engrande said as he finished fixing the damages on the Golem and also the errors Lady Senna caused. While Lady Senna was the one who inscribed the circuit inscriptions but it takes only an adequate amount of knowledge to perform any minor repairs or changes. That was how Kai explained.


    Lady Senna and the others are not with us in [Proxy Realm] as they are not really needed. While we assured them Engrande and Master is enough to handle any more complications, none of them is willing to leave us be. The compromise was that we contact Lady Senna at the first sign of trouble. She would came rushing at the first moment if called. Of course, there was no way to contact anyone in a different dimension but Lady Senna bought master''s lies just like that. Only Engrande and I felt a little unease on lying to an S-rank Nephilim but master didn''t seem too bother. Oi oi, what happened to your promises?


    Although we trust each other, we cared too much of each other to let one brave a danger alone.


    It is a little bit annoying but this is what family is suppose to be like. It''s nice, in a way.


    "Now, how about you do it, boy?"


    "Me?" Master pointed at himself with his head tilted.


    "Well, it''s already filled with Mana, well, it was overfilled in the firs place. Now, all it needed is a jolt to wake it up."


    "Can''t you do it?"


    Nervously, Engrande laughed. It''s a little bit disturbing to see him laugh like a shy girl. Even master''s face is a little bit cramped. "I''ll probably messed up the circuit like Senna. The circuit is  very complex and delicate. Out of everyone here, you have the most refine Mana flow. Safe to say, you have the best Mana control. And you did put the final touches to it before so, I don''t see any need to change that."


    With a complicated face, master nodded with assent.


    [What do I do?] Master asked in telepathy. I guess this is the reason master hesitated in doing it?


    [Didn''t you just do it before?]


    [That was [Synthesize]. Are you telling me to use that again? I don''t think using [Synthesize] here is the answer.]


    I hear a sigh from Kai. [Place your hand at where the core is.]


    [Okay....] Master placed his hand at the center chest of the Golem.


    [A little bit to the right.]


    [Whose right?]


    [Yours.]


    [Okay.... Now what?]


    [Pour a little bit of pure Mana into it.]


    [Alrightey....] Master said and proceed to infuse the Golem''s core with Mana.


    Mana is recovered through absorbing it from the surrounding atmosphere. Mana in the surroundings are known as pure or raw Mana. Once absorbed into one''s own body, the Mana is then refined for personal use, specifically for the person in question. Which is why it''s impossible for people to just randomly go up to one person and take their Mana unless one has the right spell or skill to do so.


    The Golem shuddered for a second after Master is done infusing it with Mana but it went limp after.


    "Hmm.... Maybe it needs more....."


    Before Engrande could finish his sentence, the Golem''s eyes sparkled red and stood straight up, on the surface of the water. All three of us immediately took some distance away from it.


    The Golem looked around its surroundings and gave its own body a shrug. Red Lightning ran along its body as it flexed. We all took a combat-ready stance against such behavior. By the way, Lady Senna and the others can''t see us or interact with us as we are in another dimension. All they see in the spot of where we are is barren. So they wouldn''t know that the Golem had regain back its consciousness.


    After directing its gaze here and there, it finally rest its glowing red eyes on master. It approached master without any sign of hostility and with each step, it drew a ripple on the water surface along with a little crackle of lightning. I don''t know how it works but it seemed to be using the red lightning magic to walk on water.


    [Okay.... It seems docile enough.] said master in an optimistic tone.


    The fingers of the Golem twitched with a crack of lightning.


    [Then again, I have been wrong before.] His notion changed at the sight of what might seemed to be an act of hostility. Master is fickle as usual.


    "Lord Creator." The Golem said and bowed on one knee before master. The voice wasn''t deep nor intimidating. Other than feeling mechanical, the voice was just.... normal.


    "Eh?" Engrande let out a sound.


    [This is predictably unexpected.] said Kai which I have no idea what he meant.


    "Me?" Master asked, pointing at himself.


    "Yes." The Golem briefly responded.


    "Why me?"


    "Lord Creator is the generous one who offered this one an opportunity of having a soul. This one has been granted the very essence of life, at the magnanimity of Lord Creator."


    Master switched his glances between Engrande and the Golem.


    A silly gesture but I understand master''s confusion. After all, Engrande was the one who created the Golem''s body and the majority of the Mana needed was donated by Lady Senna. But, wasn''t master the one who provided the most important parts? I wonder why master is shocked at the Golem''s allegiance.


    "I understand Lord Creator''s incertitude. It is indeed an indisputable fact that my body is the creation of Engrande. The Mana that circulates within me is undoubtedly provided by Senna Tenrun."


    "Well in that case, that saved me a lot of trouble to....."


    "However Lord Creator, --" The Golem inserted himself into master''s attempt at clearing up the misunderstanding. "-- can it truly be called "alive" if blood is merely poured into a well-endowed empty husk of a body?"


    The corner of master''s eyebrow twitched. It was mixed feeling of confusion and vexation.


    Engrande is watching the commotion with an interested face.


    "No.... I don''t think so?"


    Master replied with a question.


    "It is Lord Creator''s virtuosity and skill that brought me to live. I would have been nothing more than just an empty husk with a soul that couldn''t be called a soul, secluded in a suit of armor, awaiting its next order at an arbitrary pace. Lord Creator even went as far as to sacrifice a portion of one''s own strength and essence to give birth to a new life."


    By essence, I think the Golem meant the soul provided? If it''s that, didn''t master used some unfortunate researcher''s soul instead? I could be wrong though.


    "I see..... Then, rise." Master commanded. The Golem followed the stern words that unexpectedly came out of master''s mouth.


    Hmm? Something changed within master. The whimsical and fickle that always seemed to drift around master was replaced with an air of all seriousness. Even Engrande shrugged at the slight change of unease.


    "What are you?"


    "A Living Doll. The incarnation, the manifestation of Lord Creator''s will."


    "Is it now?"


    A dubious tone. It was what I sensed from master. Oddly, Kai was quiet. Somehow, I don''t dare to ask why.


    "Yes, I am."


    "So.... if I ask you to kill an innocent child, would you do it without question?"


    [Impressive.] Kai suddenly said. I don''t know why but given the current atmosphere, I postpone my curiosity for later.


    "Absolutely --"


    Engrande and I held our breath for the words to come. We figured what it would most likely say.


    "-- no."


    Our expectations is betrayed in a very oddly benevolent manner.


    "Why not? Are you not my will?"


    "I am. Which is why I won''t harm an innocent child without question. And I doubt I would comply with such order."


    "Why is that?" Master is smirking.


    "Such order would never be given by Lord Creator."


    Oh?


    "If it did, that person would no longer be the Lord Creator who would generously sacrifice a portion of his great strength in order to give life to a being that is merely created as a foreground for a grander scheme."


    Engrande and I both looked towards master who received such response.


    To that response, master''s smirk disappear. A satisfied grin replaced it which only turns into something brighter.


    "Looks I have succeeded.... no. We have succeeded." Master said as he looked at me and Engrande. "We did it."


    Engrande let out a sigh. "Got me all worried for nothing."


    The usual expression of master returned. He patted the shoulders of the Golem. "From now on, you shall be known as, Djin Sol."


    "Of course, Lord Creator."


    With a last heave of relief, master canceled the subspace.


    The next second, we are assaulted by beams of black and white. No, not us. It was only master.


    It was clear as day as to who was the one that shot those beams.


    With a smile, Lady Senna stared at master with narrow eyes that aren''t smiling.


    Engrande and I exchanged glances. To the impending commotion, we sighed at each other and get as faraway as possible from master.


    Even Djin Sol was distancing himself from master.


    [Eh? Why are you leaving too?]


    [It is in master''s will that liar would be punished. Appropriately.] Djin Sol responded. Since Djin Sol possessed a portion of strength obtained from master, it was only that Djin Sol could also communicate telepathically.


    [Et tu, brute?] master said. [Tom, help?]


    Sorry master but you brought this own yourself on thinking you can play the fool out of an S-rank.


    [Tom''s right, you know?] Even Kai agreed with me.


    "Now, dear." The chilly voice reached master''s ears who stiffened.


    "Yes, sweetheart?" Master replied sheepishly with a forced and cramped smile.


    What happened after? None of us knew, we could only imagine as we didn''t want to stay and find out.


    The only thing we know is that master was to be in bed for the whole day the next morning. For recuperation''s sake, according to Lady Senna.


    Women sure are scary.

 T13 - Residual Fears

    In front of me, a pillar of scorching flames rose like an avenging tide except it wasn''t going anywhere except up. The intense heat slowly smelted all the gathered materials into a single clump. A grayish black clump of metal with a chromatic gleam on its uneven surface.


    After it solidified, [Water Magic] is cast by Luya to bring the clump of metal down to an appropriate temperature for transportation. That clump of metal with an abnormal shine to it is the legendary versatile metal, Onyx Steel.


    For half a day, Engrande has been doing nothing but forging all the Onyx Steel needed for the Mondra and this one was the last batch. With this, Engrande slumped down into the shallow waters. It was a pond located a little bit to the west upon entrance of the Miracle Forest. Normally, he would had use the lake in the center of the forest but right now, the one occupying it is master.


    "It''s okay. You two can go ahead. I''ll take care of Engrande here." Luya told me in her usual gentle voice. They way she gestured at us to go ahead was elegantly gentle. In fact, everything about her spells gentle but sometimes, she could be very desirable that I would have fall for her if it wasn''t for Nilin at my side. She always pinched me when I fell too far.


    "Of course, your Majesty." Djin said and proceed to dump all the piled up Onyx clumps into a provided basket. Um.... I know it had been cooled but I thought I heard a sizzling noise when Djing touched those metals. Djin is able to feel pain just in a different manner. Since he wasn''t complaining about the heat, I guess it was okay?


    Still, your Majesty huh..... Even the usually composed Luya was a little bothered by it but she was tactful and went along with it.


    I wasn''t the only one who was uncomfortable with how Djin addresses everyone. Even master was a little vexed on how Djin kept calling him "Lord Creator". It was Lady for Lady Senna which I had no qualms about it but he called Luya and Kirin, your Majesty and your Highness respectively. This was because he viewed them as royalty to nature with Luya being a queen of nature and Kirin being a princess. He addresses me and the others with Lord attached to our name. Maybe it''s because it''s my first time being called so formally and respectfully but it is very uncomfortable to be called a lord.


    A few days has passed since the creation and the birth of Djin Sol. In a way, he was just like me. He inherited some memories of master in addition to his will. In other words, he didn''t need to be taught from the bottom like a child. The first thing we all did was assess his strength and power.


    To all of our surprise, the sacrificed Arcane Art, [Lightning Serration], the ability that was offered to Djin for his creation, it became a unique Arcane Art called [Scarlet Storm]. Essentially, it was still the same ability but only a different name and a different "policy" of inheritance. If anything, it is slightly stronger than [Lightning Serration].


    To salt master''s wounded pride, Djin''s close range combat skills exceeded master''s.


    Of course, master didn''t take that well but it can''t be helped. It was due to the fact that Djin has an inorganic brain and there was no strain if he overthinks. Therefore, he processes information faster, as how Kai explained it. However, his magnificence lies in his ability to duel in magic and physical combat at the same time. Master and I belongs to the Battle Mage class, which excels in using magic for combat in both close and long range. Djin''s class is Mage Fighter, a class which utilizes both magic and physical attack in both long and close range. Furthermore, Djin works well as a vanguard too due to the material he was made off. Engrande snorted at that mention.


    Simply put, Djin is the most versatile member in our party.


    I hate to admit it but he even fares so much better when he was sparring against Engrande than me and master.


    "We shall be off now." Djin bid a discerning greeting before turning to leave with the basket in hand.


    "My my, how tactful." said Luya with a stare filled with maternal instinct. What''s with that gaze? He''s not your child, you know?


    I merely slightly nodded back and followed Djin behind. I''m still not used to Luya. Something about her always makes me nervous whenever she''s around. The way she looks at everything so passionately is as if she would have her way with just about any walking and talking being.


    "Lord Thomas?"


    "Yes! What is it?" I screamed out when I heard my name being called.


    As usual with a voice devoid of feelings and emotion, he asks "You have been in a daze since we left the pond, Milord. This one is just worried for the Lord''s condition."


    Although monotonous, I am still unable to retort with "It''s because of your treatment to others, idiot." Ah..... This is so frustrating. I never knew I could get this annoyed. Is this how master felt from being teased by Kai?


    As I went off into my own daze once again and my feet carrying me mindlessly but purposefully, we arrived at the lake located the center of the Miracle Forest.


    Should I say I was late or right on time?


    Magic Beasts has been emerging from this forest for the past two days and they were all hostile toward us except Luya and Kirin. What I heard from master, these Magic Beasts are no longer sane due to the long years of desolation. Luya and Kirin are the only exception for some reasons.


    They attacked us but casualties were only on their side. Bartholomew and Cormac have not been slacking off. They were steadfast in their quest of not letting any monster approach master, who was currently engaged in other affairs.


    What affairs?


    Master is currently "cultivating". I think that was the word. He is accumulating power for the creation of Mondra.


    The first Mondra was created by multiple talents, not just one and all of them are talents among talents. So it was impossible for us to forge a Mondra with the limited qualified "personnel". That is if we go about the normal way. Which is why master is "cultivating".


    Once the threshold is reached, the cultivated energy will be unleashed at a single fleeting moment. In this single fleeting moment, master''s prowess and skills will received a temporary yet tremendous boost. Originally, Engrande volunteered for this part but master has the best Mana Control so the role naturally fell to master.


    Lady Senna is sitting at the bank of the lake, looking deficient while gazing at master who was in a meditation position. A weird expression but I wouldn''t know any other way to describe it.


    Without master''s company, a solemn air shrouded Lady Senna and she couldn''t be bothered with the monster. In her state, she was vulnerable to monster''s attack but that was only superficial. Any monster who got too close to her were vaporized by the aura she was subtly unleashing. The aura of desperation and deficiency doesn''t even discriminate friend or foe.


    It was no secret among us that Lady Senna is craving for master, especially during the nights. Especially-During-Nights. More than three days had passed since master began his cultivation and that''s approximately two nights Lady Senna gone without being comforted during nights. Her self-comforts resonated well during the night but we weren''t boorish to point it out, except for Cormac of course. Surprisingly, the one who reprimanded Cormac is Djin.


    Despite his monotonous tone, Djin is someone who has emotions but he just doesn''t have the ability to project it.


    Yes, it''s a he instead of an it. Since his personality is born of master, all of his orientation leans to the masculine side. Even the person in question himself twitches with unease whenever female etiquette was forced on to him. The culprit is none other than a certain million years old Dryad.


    Lady Senna who finally noticed our presence, lazily glanced over her shoulder. "Oh. Everything''s ready?" She asked.


    Before my answer came, Cormac took down the final monster in the vicinity with an exaggerated ability. The sheer volume of that said ability drown out my "yes". Lady Senna wasn''t quite able to catch it but she was able to discern it at the very least from my lips'' movement. She nodded and went back gazing at master.


    "Sorry." Cormac said as I glared at him. The black bow in his hands melted into his shadows. No matter how many times I have seen it, I''m still impressed by it, the racial skill of a Shadow Goblin, [Shadow''s Embrace]. It evolved from his [Shadow Magic] shortly after Djin''s creation. As far as I could know from appraising, [Shadow''s Embrace] is just a more powerful version of [Shadow Magic] but with a few extra special abilities. One of those being [Black Concert].


    It turns any offered articles into a part of [Shadow''s Embrace]. The Mithril bow, Seeker is so far the only offered article to [Black Concert] and this was its status before being amalgamated.


    Seeker


    Type: Bow (Magic)


    Power Strength: C


    Mana Conversion Rate: C


    Mana Threshold: D


    Status: None


    <u>Innate Abilities</u>


    Strafe


    Vital Pierce


    Impact Shot


    And this was the information I appraised after being amalgamated.


    Seeker


    Type: Bow (Spell)


    Power Strength: B


    Mana Conversion Rate: B


    Mana Threshold: C


    Status: Bound (Shadow''s Embrace)


    <u>Innate Abilities</u>


    Strafe


    Vital Pierce


    Impact Shot


    Dark Cluster (Unique)


    It became a Spell Weapon from a Magic Weapon. The exaggerated ability just now was no doubt the unique innate ability of Seeker, [Dark Cluster].


    "Tom?"


    "Y-yes?" I answered back in a panic. I have to stop dazing off.


    "The materials?"


    To Lady Senna''s question, I gestured at Djin to give her the basket.


    "Isn''t it too much?" She asked upon a glance into the basket.


    "Lord Engrande assured us that it is the right amount."


    "Well, if that''s what he said, then it is what it is." said Lady Senna without any excitement. "I suppose." She added.


    Seeing Lady Senna without a smile gave me a sense of insecurity. It was like a slip of a word would get me obliterated.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Before the stale air could get any staler, a shift in the atmosphere made us turn our heads. It was master, he''s out of his cultivation. In a split second, he was now right in front of us. Through Mana Vision, I can see his body is brimming with a lot of power but it was stable, in a sense. It''s a lot of power though. It felt like an over-inflated balloon and it would popped with the slightest wound.


    "It''s enough?" I asked. I meant the Mana he accumulated of course.


    His eyes was on the weeping Lady Senna but he answered "Yeah. More than enough."


    "My One True Beloved!" Lady Senna cried out and lunged at master but she was stopped by Djin. She cocked her head to the Golem like a rusty cogwheel. "Yes~!?" She asked with a cramp and twitching smile. Is that a vein twitching on her forehead?


    "Calm down. Djin is just doing what he''s told." I''m guessing master told Djin through telepathy? But why didn''t I hear it? Is it selective?


    [Yes. It is.] answered Kai.


    Oh.


    "Heh!?" Lady Senna turned to master, looking like she was betrayed. I believe the word I''m looking for is "dramatic"?


    "An unprecedented amount of energy is cultivated within me. It''s best for me to not be disturbed it, okay?"


    Her lips were convulsing like she could cry at any moment but she took a deep breath and regain her usual calm composure. "I understand but after this....."


    Her index finger which she is using to point at master is trembling.


    "We will be doing it for the whole day."


    Um..... Should I be listening to this?


    Master raised an eyebrow "Does our relationship boils down to revolve around such activity?"


    Crossing her arms with a flushed face, she looked away with a scoff. "Well, you''re other option for atonement would be eating my destruction spells straight on and...."


    "The whole day sounds good." Master cut in and said.


    Atonement.... I see. Lady Senna is angry for not being spoiled by master. You''re not a child, you know? Nevertheless, Lady Senna calmed down and returned to normal.


    [Are we to proceed as planned?] asked Djin through telepathy. Oh, how nice of you to include me this time.


    [Yes.] Kai answered. Since Djin''s mind is also linked with master, it goes without saying that he knows Kai too. In fact, Kai''s existence was imprinted as one of the basic memories.


    Master lifted the clumps of Onyx Steel out of the basket with [Psychokinesis]. There were more than a dozen. Isn''t it a bit too much for a weapon? These aren''t ores but just unrefined metals, you know?


    My voiceless question was ignored as master teleported back to the center of the lake. Drawing ripples on the entire lake, feeling the shift of pressure in the air, master began the forging of a Mondra.


    "Citra?" I called out and out she popped from the leather armor of Cormac.


    "Kyu~?" She tilted her head at my call. I don''t know when and why but lately, she''s getting kinda cute. I involuntarily patted her. After that, she put up a barrier that was even more powerful than the last time.


    "It''s here. Get ready." Lady Senna grumbled.


    Our eyes were focused on master and the levitating clumps of Onyx Steel. A magic circle formed underneath the floating metal chunks and a pillar of blistering heat erupted. The scalding heat seared into the metal and it slowly deformed the metals into their molten state.


    At that same moment, a magic circle inscribed with runic languages, just like the one used in the creation of Djin, manifested and expanded across the surface of the lake.


    We are hit by a tremor that was all too familiar. Even few days gone by, the memory was still fresh. In fact, this time it was even more tremendous than the time when Djin was created.


    Hmm? How strange. The runic inscriptions weren''t absorbed by the Onyx Steels in an instance. They were flowing like water being drained down a hole and I have the feeling that this isn''t how it should be.


    "Something''s wrong." Even Lady Senna felt it.


    At that moment....


    [Thomas, dodge!] Kai screamed and an image flashed into my mind. It was the image of master''s aura flared up and it scattered arbitrary in every direction.


    A second after, that premonition came true.


    A sharp cry resounded from master, followed by a massive amount of energy spike. His unleashed aura scattered without a care in forms of bolts. They weren''t too small nor too big but I can feel its sheer intensity. Citra''s barrier won''t be able to block something so condensed.


    I conjured up a spear of shadow flames. I leaped out of the barrier and voices of caution trailed behind me but now''s not the time for sentiment. I thrust the spear at the incoming bolts of condensed Mana. The second the tips touched, an explosion threw my back against the barrier conjured up by Citra.


    "Kyu~!" I heard her cry when I''m smacked against her spell. Doesn''t she have a clairvoyant-like ability? Why was she surprised then? How weird.


    From the time I received the premonition and to the time I acted, everything happened in more or less two seconds. A total of ten seconds went by after master began and everything was already falling apart. Was this doomed to fail?


    Oh damn. More stray bolts of Mana were coming here and I don''t think I could recover in time to fend off the next wave..... but I didn''t need to. I forgot about one particular person among us.


    With a flap of her wings, the strayed bolts perished in the gust produced by Lady Senna. The aura she emitted resonated with the aura master gave out, in a terrible way. Their aura collided and tides and waves rose from the lakes, the leaves and scattered from the gusts.


    I don''t know if she defused the situation or magnified it.


    I''m glad Nilin and Kirin wasn''t here. They weren''t combatants and having them here would only increase the burden. Forgive me for saying this.


    We managed to trick them away by tasking them with food foraging. Kirin would probably be at least of little use in this situation since she could strengthen the barrier but I can''t say the same for Nilin.


    None of us said anything but Nilin contributed next to nothing recently, at least for the current moment. After the stupid door is unlocked, it will be all up to her to guide us out of here. Engrande, Kirin, and Lady Senna might be able to but it had been more than two thousands years. Who knows what might have changed.


    "Just what is happening?" Lady Senna asked. To that, I shrugged.


    [Master, is everything alright?]


    No response?


    [Master? Kai?]


    No response.


    Something definitely went wrong. Nothing was happening like how Engrande told me.


    The heated molten steel of Onyx had yet to take a form. They were just undulating erratically while levitating before master.


    Master was just closing his eyes and kneeling on the water surface on both of his knees. Not a word of response came from him but his face which was twitching in pain only affirms my brimming premonition.


    "Is master in danger? I cannot imagine anything that would be difficult for such a versatile master." When Bartholomew said "difficult", I swore I could have saw his eyes glimpsing at Lady Senna.


    "Couldn''t be, right? Master is strong after all."


    I wish I have Cormac''s optimism but since I have a special link with master, the truth might not be that bright.


    Djin and I exchanged our gazes. We signaled to each other to brace ourselves for the worst that could happen.


    Master''s face distorted further into pain. His breath became ragged. His tightly curled up fist drew blood from his nails. The rampant aura was only increasing its range of influence. Even behind the barrier, we were pushed back. The circle of runic languages was fading. The inscriptions was loosing its form.


    Just what the hell is going on? Was it too much master? Did master made a mistake somewhere?


    Damn it. Why does it have to be so complex?


    Creating a Mondra is different from making some common magical article. The most important process of creating a Mondra is the Incarnation Process, where the quality of the product will only be as good as the creator''s will and resolve. If the will and resolve is too weak, the outcome of the product would be just another normal Magic Weapon.


    The soul infusion comes after the creation of the weapon but if the weapon wasn''t on par with the right quality, the soul infusion will not succeed.


    Amidst the chaos of the rampant aura, my ears caught the sound of leaves and grass rustling and twigs and branches snapping. When I drew my eyes to these noises, my spine shivered. Monsters of this forest was enclosing around us.


    Strange. Why are they attracted to it? They were actually afraid of the aura during the creation of Djin. They didn''t dare to come close. What''s the difference this time? They weren''t just coming for us. There were even some monsters approaching master that sprouted from various spots.


    "Cormac, Djin, don''t them let them get close to us. Senna, protect master."


    Cormac and Djin nodded to my shout of orders while Lady Senna looked a little perplexed. Um.... hello? We''re in the middle of something here? It is no time to be dazing off, you know?


    Fortunately, Lady Senna snapped back to reality immediately and assented to my orders. Was she just surprised at my sudden loud voice?


    However, my worries for master were needless. The moment the monsters set foot into the water, they were vaporized. Seems like the lake is infused with volatile aura master is emitting. Just like last time.


    "Well.... that was.... disappointing." Lady Senna said while retracting her wings. How is that disappointing? If anything, it worked to our favor that we didn''t need to worry about master getting attacked by monsters.


    Trees tumbled aside and monsters squashed under its foot, a Treant of approximately five meters tall came charging at us.


    The corner of Lady Senna''s lips curled as she prepared a spell which I suppose that it could destroy the gigantic Treant. But before she could act, multiple red lightning bolts overtook her and turn the walking tree into splinters.


    "Forgive me. My ability was much more efficient. My strength alone is more than enough for this rude guests. So just be at ease, Lady Senna. This servant will handle it."


    I could feel rage from Lady Senna who had her prey taken but after hearing such words from Djin, she couldn''t decide on how she should response. I know her feeling.


    While such minor details were happening, a voice echoed in my mind.


    Stronger. Stronger. This is too weak.


    It''s the voice of master.


    Need to be stronger. At this level, it wouldn''t change anything.


    No. It''s enough, Hyx. It''s more than enough.


    No. It''s not enough. It''s good enough for a Mondra but it wasn''t enough for a Void Demon. It needs to be stronger.


    Master.... what are you doing..... Did you deliberately caused all this?


    Stop this, Hyx. You''re hurting everyone and messing up everything.


    I have to do this..... Otherwise, if that happened again, everyone would die..... A simple Mondra is not enough. This one needs to be different.


    Hyx, calm down. You doing it again. You loosing yourself. Hyx. Listen to me! Enough.


    I can''t. I can''t let it happen again. I need to create a weapon that kill even an aberrant among absurdity. A blade that could cut the illogical. A tool capable to deny such existence.


    Hyx. Don''t do this! You are straying further and further away. You will bring nothing but more suffering. We''re not here to create a weapon of mass destruction, for fuck''s sake. We''re here to create something better than that. Something that isn''t just use for destruction. Hyx, did you forgot what you were told about Rising Valley? Do you think creating a bloodthirsty weapon would make the door open for you?


    No.... I.... But this is our only chance to make something that could defeat an aberrant existence. We can make sure no more lives will be lost if I...... if I can just make it into something..... The door wouldn''t matter if I can just make it into..... into....


    I see. Master wasn''t satisfied with the original intended result. Before we began all of this, we have decided on how much is enough but it seemed master had a change of mind. Was master tempted by the possibilities and promises of greater power?


    No... that''s not it. The truth is actually quite simple and pathetic.


    Master.... You''re still afraid. The past still haunts you. You never let it go. I understand now. I can feel it. The fear of master. The fear which he is trying to decimate by creating a weapon that could kill what he wasn''t able to.


    A blade that could prevent your traumatic history from repeating itself. With such weapon, you would no longer fear but.... what will you loose in the process? Have you thought about that?


    Would it be worth it?


    No matter how much you tried.... you just can''t let it go....


    Your biggest trauma.


    Your worst nightmare.


    The first time you met Aedrox. Due to how things went, you were forced to take a life of your own ally to preserves the lives of your other allies. A girl you long to meet but only to have your expectation to be betrayed. A betrayal born of a misunderstanding.


    In the end, those traumatic experiences, you weren''t able to bury it....


    Master. Why didn''t you tell us?


    No. I''m being naive. It only make sense that master didn''t tell us.


    I mean, how could you tell us? How could you tell us that you were haunted by the same nightmare at your every wake? You have so much responsibility. Everyone had hopes for you. Everyone relied on you. Of course you couldn''t tell us something that will make you sound weak.


    Nevertheless, you put on a smile and live on anyway.


    So hear me, master.


    Please, hear me. Don''t do this.


    We''re here to show that that we are different from the ones who sealed away Engrande, Lady Senna, and Kirin for their own benefits. If you create something like that, you will be no different.


    So please, hear me.


    .....


    Have I failed?


    I can''t hear anything anymore. I could tell master was still in conflict but I could no longer hear their voices.


    But in return, I''m assaulted by fragments of images accompanied with a sharp pain. Memories? Is that what they are?


    "Thomas? What''s wrong?"


    I could hear Lady Senna''s voice but my mind wasn''t attending to her but the flooding images.


    Yes, they are definitely memories. Some of time were familiar. I remembered now. I remembered what I dreamed about but somehow, I''m sure I would forget it once this is all over but.... I want to know just what these dreams are. How do these memories all fit together? I want to know.


    I need to know. For master''s sake. Even if I will forget about it later, I''m sure Kai would do something about it, like he always had.


    Like Lady Senna said, being with master is just one surprise after another. One miracle after another. Surely it would be a miracle if I were to remember what I forget.


    So come on, whatever nightmares that encompassed these memories, I''ll accept it all.


    Master''s burden, I will take them on.


    Master, know this, you''re not alone.


    We''re here with you.


    We will make it to the surface.


    So please, do the right thing.

 H28 - Indara

    A Mondra.... A very powerful living sentient armament.


    Is that enough? Would it be enough?


    Mondra is a symbol of hope. Created for the sole purpose to battle against the Void Demons who are deemed immortal.


    But.... at most, Mondras could only wound them. They weren''t strong enough to kill an otherworldly entity who aren''t bound by most of the logic of this world.


    Therefore, would this be enough? What if I encountered another one of them? Knowing my luck and my so-called bound destiny, I would definitely encounter them again. What then? Wouldn''t the same thing just happen again?


    It might be different though. We have a S-rank Nephilim on our side now. The outcome might be different.


    Yeah, it will. It has to....


    ....


    No. I can''t lie to myself. No matter how much I want to deny it, the fear has rooted itself deep inside me. The fear of loosing everything that matters to me. My intermittently trembling hands are the prove of how far and deep the fear has seeped into me. It is called trauma for a reason but what exactly is my trauma? The Void Demon or loosing the ones I care for? Or both? Or was it something else?


    Aaah..... I don''t know. My fear is too broad of a subject.


    But that''s not the topic as of now.


    Would a Mondra truly be enough? What if I end up regretting for not putting anymore effort into it? What if in the near future, a tragedy could have been avoided if I wasn''t such a coward of wanting more power?


    Coward or not, the truth lies bare.


    A Mondra wouldn''t cut it. I need something more. Something that would even bring terrors and shivers to the aberrant Void Demons.


    An unstoppable weapon that could strike down anyone who stands in my way or try to hurt my family and friends.


    A weapon..... a sword?


    A blade? Just like the first thing I wished for when I got pounded by a Wight. A blade.


    Yes. A blade. I need such blade. A blade that can cut down anything and if I will it, even reality itself. I want a blade that could cut existence itself. A blade that could kill literally anything.


    Yes. Yes. Such weapon would be perfect. Absolutely. An absolute tool of destruction. An end bringer for every entity.


    [Don''t.....]


    Hmm? Who''s that? Did someone called me? I hear it but it was a faint echo. I couldn''t quite pick up the words reverberating from somewhere. When I focus my ears to catch the fading voice, there was none. I didn''t hear anything.


    No. That doesn''t matter. Concentrate on the present. Focus on what''s in front of me. Stop reminiscing about the past at every moment. Focus, me. Focus on the current issue. Don''t day dream. Focus.


    Focus on creating the one weapon that I desire.


    I need to create a weapon that could destroy and annihilate my foes.


    Was that too harsh?


    Neh. In this world full of magic, nothing is too harsh even without taking the Void Demons into account.


    While I''m thinking that, I''m hit by a dread like a wave just washed over me. I shivered to that but I recovered fast. It was a dread filled with all sorts of negative emotion. I felt sadness, despair, anxiety, betrayal, anger, you name it. I wonder why was I hit by such dread.


    Anyways, I pour my concentration into the creation of a Mondra that stood above its other peers.


    I can see it. I can feel it. A sword slowly manifests itself into my mind. I''m able to picture it clearer and clearer. A greatsword with a blade dyed in platinum black. I feel the immense destructive force coming from the blade. It made my hairs stood straight.


    I had a feeling hat if I swung it, even reality itself would tear up.


    But...


    It''s not enough. This is still too weak.


    Stronger. Stronger. This is too weak. Need to be stronger. At this level, it wouldn''t change anything.


    No. It''s enough, Hyx. It''s more than enough.


    This voice.... it''s Kai''s but why.... why is he interfering? Does he not not realize the importance of my work here?


    No. It''s not enough. It''s good enough for a Mondra but it wasn''t enough for a Void Demon. It needs to be stronger.


    I told him, the obvious truth.


    Stop this, Hyx. You''re hurting everyone and messing up everything.


    Am I? I am, aren''t I? But.... This is necessary. Compare to what will happen in the future, this is nothing. I have to make sure the future is safe. I have to do this..... Otherwise, if that happened again, everyone would die..... A simple Mondra is not enough. This one needs to be different.


    Hyx, calm down. You doing it again. You loosing yourself. Hyx. Listen to me! Enough.


    Shut up!


    I screamed back.


    It is not enough. History will repeat itself. It will. Right here, right now, this is a chance for me to make sure it doesn''t. I need to do this. This weapon right here, is my insurance.


    Do you understand, Kai?


    I asked but there was no longer any voice coming from Kai. I don''t know why but I think he either gave up or I unconsciously pressed the metaphorically mute button.


    Suddenly, images flash into my mind. The images are of the death of everyone around me. One particular image stood out among the rest. It is an image of Tom. While being surround by the corpses of my cherished ones, Tom stood in front of me. His whole body overtaken by the Void. Dark purplish veins encroached his entire body. Although he looks like Tom but from the demeanor alone, I can discern the true identity of the one wearing the skin of Thomas Atlas.


    Aedrox.


    Normally, I would be in the depths of fear and pit of despair from witnessing such scene but this wasn''t my first rodeo and something like this is nothing but a recurring nightmare for me. Ever since I got the clairvoyant skill, I have nothing but premonitions, extremely terrible ones. Which is why, I was calm in facing this peculiar situation.


    Nevertheless, I would not allow this to become a reality.


    I can''t. I can''t let it happen again. I need to create a weapon that kill even an aberrant among absurdity. A blade that could cut the illogical. A tool capable to deny such existence.


    As the dark reality began coming true, a loud voice intruded the dreadful peace.


    Hyx. Don''t do this! This isn''t you. You are straying further and further away. You will bring nothing but more suffering. We''re not here to create a weapon of mass destruction, for fuck''s sake. We''re here to create something better than that. Something that isn''t just use for destruction. Hyx, did you forgot what you were told about Rising Valley? Do you think creating a bloodthirsty weapon would make the door open for you?


    No.... I.... But this is our only chance to make something that could defeat an aberrant existence. We can make sure no more lives will be lost if I...... if I can just make it into something..... The door wouldn''t matter if I can just make it into..... into....


    The further I drifted into such thoughts, the lower the voice of Kai''s is becoming to me.


    Soon, my determination which is born out of my fears had completely drowned out Kai''s voice. I could no longer hear him.


    It''s almost there. The sword that I need. A two meters long greatsword in full platinum black. One single glance from anyone, they could instantly comprehend the magnitude of destruction this blade is capable of, this is the aura the greatsword is projecting.


    I can''t believe it. Such weapon might actually be possible to exist after all. A blade that could cut reality itself. It is no longer an idea.


    As the picture of this devastating sword slowly becoming a reality in front of my eyes, the hollow scenery around me changed.


    I instantly understood that my ability [Clairvoyant] is at work again. When work that interferes with one''s mind such as this, mind related magic often goes haywire.


    As much as this ability helps me out in combat, it does has its flaws.


    While my mind drifted into rubbish thinking, my surroundings decided on a setting.


    Multitude of colors painted my surroundings, transforming the empty dark world into a vast field of barren and dry land as far as the eyes could see. Barren may not be the right word here though. There were soldiers marching on across the land. Judging from their uniforms and armors, they are from different affiliations but they are marching side to side with each other. There were a total of twelve different types of armors and uniforms.


    They are all marching towards me. With every distance covered, the more strain their face became. They look tired? No. Not tired. They are afraid.


    Before I could blurt out some profanity out of bewilderment, a shadow loomed over me. I look back and saw an over ten feet tall bipedal monster standing with hind limbs.


    Its skin are of hard scale-shell type. Like reptiles. Its whole body dyed black and covered in dark purplish veins. It looks exactly like the monster I saw during my evolution acid trip but only bigger, much bigger


    Although I don''t remember seeing such monster before other than that time, I knew who and what this monster is the moment my eyes laid upon it. It is none other than the monster, the devil who is residing dormant within me. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    This is its memory.


    The military of each nation has banded up to subjugate this monster. When I looked behind the monster, I see even more soldiers but they are all of different races, ranging from elves, beast-kin, to even dragon-kin and Majins. There are even Angels flying in the sky


    All these just to subjugate one monster?


    Looking up directly above me, there were beings in ceremonial clothing clad in intense radiance. I can understand that these beings are Apostles of Gods. Their divinity wasn''t in the slightest way subtle.


    Wow.... even the gods are sending their soldiers. Just how terrifying is this monster?


    Curiosity for the monster''s strength peeked out but it wasn''t sated as the scene changed.


    This time, the monster was nothing but a small lizard-like insect with the same color schemes, surrounded by villagers wielding torches and pitchforks. The once glorified monster which was now an insect only cowers in fear against the mob. It was even curling itself up. It look towards a peculiar girl who was hiding behind an elderly man. It looked at the girl with eyes of someone who was betrayed.


    The girl avoided her eyes and in response, the insect twisted its face even further.


    Ah.... I see. Betrayal. Probably something like being adopted by a innocent naive little girl only to be abandoned by her when she learns of the insect''s true identity.


    And after I caught the gist of the memory, the scene changed again.


    The monster was only half its size on the first time and it was cradling two unmoving bodies of a woman and a young girl. I feel grief, sorrow, and suffering from the monster. It was crying. It was actually shedding tear.


    Are these two someone it cared about?


    When I looked closer to its surrounding, more corpses laid around. They weren''t killed by monsters. The wound are that of swords and arrows. Humans did this, or something humanoid did.


    The scene changed once again.


    On top of a hill, of a tall mountain, the monster in its full size stood at the peak, overlooking the impending destructing that was spreading to the cities below. Demons, Void Entities, and some other weird looking monster were wreaking havoc and the monster only watch from above. If anything, I can feel its heart getting calmer and calmer, like watching justice being delivered.


    Even though the order maybe messed up or some parts were missing, I could understand roughly what happened to the monster.


    Perhaps it was just a normal beast that people would hunt and harvest its Mana Core but it drew the wild card of fate. And after being through so much suffering and despair, it became what it is now. A monster that could even threatened the Gods.


    If this was the me from weeks ago, I would surely have gone mad but too bad, I have already gone mad. If I have to say, I''m a psychopath. No one sane would stay compose from being shown such suffering and experience these feelings of absolute despair.


    At most, I only shrugged at these sensations.


    I would label myself as crazy but I don''t think that''s the case. I remember hearing from a TV show which the psychopathic cannibal said something along these lines,


    Psychopaths are not crazy. They are fully aware of what they do and are aware of the consequences of those actions.


    Yet.... Why don''t I feel that way? I''m aware of my actions but at the same time, it didn''t seem like I was the one who made those choices.


    My ideals.... It was almost if I was merely doing a person''s bidding. Why did I imagined such things? Was I such a person? Do I truly wish for these?


    If anything, I was always more of a flight person when it comes down to fight or flight. I''m a wimp, to put it harshly.


    Actually now that I think about it, on my first encounter with a Wight, I chose to back stab it instead of running away. Why did I chose to fight?


    Why did I wished for a weapon that could end everything....?


    Why....?


    Ah.


    I understand now....


    The answer is simple. Those weren''t my decisions. If I was still just Hyx Atlas..... I wouldn''t have fought head on with all those monsters. I would rather hide and cower in fear.


    I fought them because the devil inside me wills it. All my major decisions, it wouldn''t be paranoid for me to say that they were all influenced by the devil within. Subtly and right from the beginning, my mind had been following the ideals of the devil not mine.


    This isn''t right.... I can''t let this go on.


    A blade that could kill literally anything?


    Like hell I need something like that. I don''t need it. I don''t want it.


    I didn''t wish for a blade that could destroy and annihilate everything and everyone. The devil did.


    What I wished for is merely hope, an insured future. That''s all I want. I want a tomorrow.


    A tomorrow with my family and friends, with my beloved, Senna Tenrun.


    Ha.... I think this just might be my first time calling her my beloved. After so many days passed, I''m starting to think what would it be like if I didn''t met her. I would have long went insane.


    Gosh..... I''m really starting to truly love her. Even now, just thinking about her, my heart began racing. Is this what I love is?


    Annoying feeling but I don''t dislike it. This is nice.


    And that''s all I wanted, for now.


    I wanted answers, sure, but that could wait.


    Family comes first.


    I don''t need that end bringer of a weapon.


    The moment I declared so of such conviction in my heart, the blackness that covered the shaping sword, cracks appeared all over and crumbled away like rough and dried-up skin.


    But the process stopped right there and no further progress went by for some time. A blinding light was all there is to it. It took no solid form. It wasn''t until for awhile that I understood the situation. The preparations are complete. The blueprint has been set. The material are there and what it lacks now, is the fuel.


    Just like with Djin, I''m required to offer it a soul and an Arcane Art. I still have one extra soul within me so that was no problem and as for the Arcane Art, I sacrificed the one I deem to be the least useful to me. I offered [Magic Melee Arts]. It had been fun using it in my sparring sessions with Engrande but as a Battle Mage, it just wasn''t suited for me.


    I can tell the moment I gave that skill for the creation process, the skill is reformed into something else. Rather than reform, evolution might be a better phrase. The skill evolved as it was transferred to another medium. Kinda like ascending peerage. It was the same for Tom and Djin.


    The blinding light absorbed my offerings and began to take shape. In just seconds, it settles down own an elegant form.


    Contrary to the its former dark color, the sword is now a gleaming silver. The design is simple but yet intricate and eccentric.


    As my hand instinctively reached out, I was attacked by flashes of visions. The only different thing about the visions this time is that they were not negative.


    In these visions, everyone seemed happy. Under the cloudy sky, the settings were bright in an aesthetic sense. I see myself sitting under the shades of a blooming Sakura tree while reading a picture book to two children, a boy and a girl with similar faces. Identical twins?


    The me in the vision was a bit older but not a lot. I am then joined by a female Elf who took a sit beside me. She rests her head on my shoulder as her eyes squeal in delight. The girl twin crawled into her lap and I was forced to lean closer to the Elf so the girl could get a better look on the book.


    We all look happy. Contend. The Elf woman has long palish beige hair with cyan colored eyes. Her hair was tied into a single braid which she let it dangle in front of her shoulder. As the me in the vision read the book, she just stares at such me with warmth and gentleness.


    Even if I was a fool, I can tell that the Elf is my wife. The matching silver rings on both of our finger is the prove. I''m guessing the twins are my children? Their eyes do seem a little long but not too much.


    Is this my future?


    It can''t be.... right? Marriage of all things.


    I wanted to bask in this bright hope of possibility further but I wasn''t able to. I was pulled out of such sweet dream and my surroundings was once again plunge into nothingness. A hollow and dark place with only the silver greatsword to accompany me.


    I lift my right hand and open my palm. Slowly, the sword drift into my grip. When my hand clutches the handle, I''m hit with an indescribable feeling. Neither bliss nor dread. It was just overwhelming.


    "Indara." I spoke. I don''t know why but I gave it a name just like that. There was no thought behind it. The name just came to my mind naturally and I said it out loud.


    "Yes. I''m Indara. Take care of me from now on. Okay, papa?"


    Someone spoke in reply. Huh? Papa?


    And my eyes opened in reality.


    I''m greeted by a worried-looking Tom. His legs are shaking and he''s out of breath. Despite his trembling feet, he is still able to stand on water. Good for you.


    [Welcome back, master.] Kai greeted me.


    Guilt immediately descends upon me but before I could utter a word of apology, I feel Kai waved a palm at me as if saying "It''s alright. Don''t mind it."


    I was about to ask "what happened?" but only a second after, realization struck me. No doubt something went down when my thoughts deviated from the righteous path. I look around and see the destruction I have wrought. It wasn''t a lot but it is there, the signs of destruction.


    There were monsters approaching us. They were often the discriminating monsters that attacked us whenever we set foot into this forest. The only time the didn''t came attacking was during the creation of Djin.


    I call them discriminating because they don''t attack Kirin nor the Baba Dryad. Something is different now that I look closer. From the looks of their eyes, I don''t sense any hostility. Their eyes tell me they are just as confuse as we are about their conditions.


    [What happened to them?] I asked.


    [Not sure. When the darkness shed itself off of the sword and took shape into its brilliant true form, a pulse of energy swarmed the area. After that, they became docile. It''s like the wave took away their hostility of us.]


    I see.... I ponder and I look down at my hand, my right hand which is wielding the greatsword Mondra, Indara. Was my desire for a brighter tomorrow so strong that it dispel their bad status?


    Well, strangers things have happened. Whatever happened, I''m not going to dwell further. Just be glad with what''s in front.


    "All''s well, ends well."


    As if setting up a flag with those words, a scream pierces my ears.


    "HYXXX!!!!"


    Hmm.... guess what happens when overly-attach lover would do when she find out her beloved had broken his promise and went to do something uncalled for at the risk of his life?


    Let your imagination flow......


    "LYING BASTARD!!!!"


    Oh shit. She sure sounds angry. Tom made way for the furious Angie who came charging at me. I raised the sword in my hand in guard against the fist clad in the scorn of a woman. Despite not being a close combat specialist, you really can''t disregard the difference in stats.


    I''m even pushed back a little but I stood most of my ground thanks to Indara. Hell sure does not hath fury like a woman''s scorn.


    "There you go again..... Doing something so dangerous and......" She reprimanded me without leaving her scorn out while tears bubbling in her eyes. My hand reaches out for her but she batters it away. "Don''t think something like that would gloss over your actions, mister."


    Ah.... She really is mad. I can see her other fist clenching. At this range, I don''t think I can go unhurt from the shock wave. Guys, help?


    Tom looked away while Djin said [Some battles have to be fought by oneself.]


    Fucking traitors. And it came from two persons who owes me their lives.


    Never mind their betrayal. I have another tactic but something like this won''t work a second time.


    My hand reaches out again for her cheeks but before she could swat it away, my hand shrinks and strikes back, grabbing her wrist, I pull her in for a kiss.


    "Mmmfff~?" She mumbled something in surprised.


    Tom looked surprised and he even made a breathless gasp.


    [Smooth.] Kai commented.


    When we parted, she stares at me with widened eyes and a flushed face.


    To that, I gently smile at her. "Sorry. I have worried you again."


    She looks away and inflates her cheek.


    Fuck! So cute.


    "Just make sure you repent later." She curtly said. I smile wryly at her vague invitation for a night of endless sex. I wonder if she''s just a nymphomaniac. And then her expression changed all of a sudden. Her eyebrow arches as she looks at me. The sword in my hand, to be precise.


    Hmm? Strange. I don''t feel like I''m holding a sword anymore. What''s this soft feeling?


    "Um.... who is that?" Angie asked while pointing at my right hand.


    I tilted my head to her choice of words. Shouldn''t it be "what" instead of "who"? Before I could ask, even Tom was staring at my right hand with widened eyes that emits disbelief.


    I raised my right hand to see what was wrong but I couldn''t. Something was pulling back as I try to move my right hand. Feeling odd, I look at my right hand.


    ......


    Um.... okay..... Instead of a sword, I''m holding the hand of a small child with silver hair and eyes, wearing silver apparels.


    "Yes, papa?" He asked with a bright smile to my stare. Ah..... Huh?


    Geh~!!!! Papa!?


    Right after that, I''m assaulted by a chill.


    For a moment, Angie''s face reminded me of a Hanya mask.


    "Hyx, my darling." She said with a smile but her eyes aren''t. "Whose child is that?"


    Even though I am confused at the moment, I somehow know who this child is. After all, I created him.


    "This is Indara. The Mondra that I..... we created."


    Indara stood straight and bowed in a very formal manner. Huh..... How courteous of him.


    "That''s the Mondra?" Angie asked back with twitching cheeks. "Why is it a child?"


    "Good question." I said and looked at Indara.


    [Why are you in the form of a child?] I asked through telepathy.


    [Because it is papa''s desire?] Indara replied. As I suspected, I communicate through telepathy. Wait. Hold up. My desire?


    [My desire? I didn''t wish for anything like this though?]


    Tears welled up in Indara''s eyes. Wait. Why are you crying!? [Does that mean papa doesn''t need Indara?]


    Oh no. Not this kind of template. Please don''t.


    [As far as you would hate to admit it, that sweet brief of vision kinda gave you a deep impression. Perhaps you were influence by that a bit?] Kai answered.


    I guess that explains it. Kinda. I did think that picture of a family greatly warmed my heart but I didn''t it was to the effect that I would desire a child.


    "So?" Angie asked, she''s still waiting for an answer while tapping her arm with her arms crossed.


    I sighed and said "A short but complicated story. Let''s talk about this while we get something to eat, okay?"


    Angie looks like she wanted to refute but her stomach growls at that moment, invalidating all her arguments.


    "Fine." She relented


    "What a cute sound." I teased.


    "Shut up." She retort in a very low voice.


    Well, at least everything ended with a good note.


    Kinda.

 Intermission - Vira (4)

    [Commander, Mid Demons, dead ahead.]


    Damien relayed the information through [Mind Magic: Vast Echo], a spell that allows one to communicate telepathically. It is a very efficient spell as it only needs a single caster to allow [Vast Echo] to be connected to all the chosen targets. Though, it will need a competent person to compensate the upkeep.


    [Acknowledge.]


    I responded and dash through the trees with increase speed. I passed three Shadow Wolves mauling on their prey but they scattered at the moment I sped through them. They ran away in all directions but they were none of my concern.


    In front of me is a small clearing in these sea of trees. Right in the middle, monsters with undulating forms, feeding on the carcass of a three meter tall Crimson Bear. Those monsters with ambiguous form, are Demons, Mid-level Demons.


    The three Demons finally notice my presence when I drew close enough. They stop feeding and instantly came dashing towards me with their complimentary mouth bare wide.


    They really are ferocious. I don''t think they are eating to live. For the past few days that I had been hunting down Demons, they seem more like live to eat rather than eat to live.


    I blind them with [Light Magic: Flash] and bisect them with [Laser]. I was only able to bisect two of the three. The third one moved at the last moment, severing a piece of its flesh. The severed flash disintegrated into nothing in an instant. Just as it landed, the Demon pounced again. I use [Laser] again but it dodged it.


    It learned. Maybe they are not as naive as everyone thought they are.


    Its head extends towards my way when it got in range. Though they learn, but for a monster without any significant intelligence, they rely too much on their instincts. Thus, their movements and patterns are always the same.


    I block and parry its bite with advanced-level [Light Magic: Brilliant Shield], and I thrust Fang deep into its body which I assume it''s the demon''s chest. The tip of the black blade hit something solid and further plunging into it. It''s the heart of the Demon, the Mana Core.


    Funny. A Demon has a heart. What kind of crude joke is this?


    The Demon withered and crumbled down into ashes.


    Another easy hunt. This has become a staple technique for dealing with ferocious monster who just charges head on. Deflect their first attack which encompass most of their strength and strike at their vital point immediately after the parry. A technique applicable for a lot of monsters. It seems easy but the timing and strength needed have to be precise. I remember Hyx trying to pull off this technique but he flew a few meters away instead. A good memory.


    While my mind was reminiscing such lovely memory, my eyebrows raised when I notice a small crack on [Brilliant Shield]. I wonder if a Greater Demon would just ram right through [Brilliant Shield]. I got to remember this if I ever encounter a Greater Demon in the future.


    Without a sound, another Mid Demon pounces at me from my left flank. It did a good job of hiding its presence. Did it just use its own kind as a bait?


    Its mouth and stingers are just barely a few centimeters from reaching me. To a normal human, it would be too late for them but I am not a normal person, regrettably fortunately.


    Time slows down as I accelerated my thought to think up of a countermeasure. This isn''t magic or a spell, it''s just my own innate ability to hasten perception which make it seem like time has slowed down.


    Fang is in my right hand. I have just canceled [Brilliant Shield]. Should I dodge or risk taking its attack head on with [Durandal]? Neither. There''s a third option. It comes in the form of Victor.


    Coming out of the bushes, he slams his elbow into the Demon. The Demon''s whole face, which I assumed it to be, distorted with the attack. I wonder if they feel pain. Victor must have enchanted his arm with magic otherwise normal physical attacks would not be able to hurt them.


    The elbow broke the Demon''s guard and Victor thrust his sword right at where the Demon''s Mana Core is located. When they both landed on the ground, the Demon had withered and being carried away by the winds as ashes.


    Wielding two greatswords of ashen color in both hands, Victor regains his stance after watching the Demon dissipated. Impressive as usual but I can do without his smirk at me. Did he think I wasn''t capable of defending against that Demon?


    Not that it matters anyway.


    [Commander. We got more movements ahead.]


    Selaine told me through [Vast Echo]. She is the caster of [Vast Echo]. Her talents surpasses everyone in the Night Hunters, even me. She along with Damien are responsible with scouting. While Damien''s job is a scout, Selaine is an all-rounder. She''s excellent in a lot of position. Truly talented.


    [Demons?] I asked.


    [Negative. Humans. Five of them. They''re young. They are dressed in knight armors but they don''t act like one. There''s a swordsman, a vanguard, a mage, a healer, and a scout.]


    [Do they know we''re here?]


    [I don''t think so. They seem inexperience. The scout is in the back line for some reasons but her eyes are darting everywhere.]


    [Curious.] I muttered. [Damien, Selaine. Hold your position. Victor, Naril. On me.]


    [[[[Understood.]]]] They all said in unison.


    Leaping from trees to trees, I arrive at the place where the young knights are lurking about. I give a signal to Victor and Naril, telling them to refrain from any actions for the time being. Among the leaves and branches, I silently appraise them. Not with [Appraisal] but normally. From their gears, I can tell that they came here to exterminate something huge or strong. They came prepare but they didn''t came experienced. They are here for the Demons, no doubt.


    Although the scout doesn''t look like she''s doing her job, I can see she is eyeing the surroundings with constant vigilance. Even when her party member asked her something, her guard never drops. Out of the five, I am most curious about the scout. Something about her makes her stand out from her peers.


    Despite being young and inexperienced, they at least have the common sense to move with caution. They have each other''s back. With Mana Vision, I see tracking spells were cast on them. Someone is keeping tabs on them constantly.


    From the way they move and hold themselves, I can tell they are at least formidable in a fight. They are donned in exquisite gears. They are tracked by magic. With these clues, I can roughly guess who they are but let''s play it safe.


    [Rise and shine. You''re up.] I whisper softly to the lance strapped on my back. I wouldn''t have use this kind of tone normally but Nyx being Nyx, she insisted.


    The lance name Nyx shifts to her human form while still clinging on my back. With her arms still wrapped around my neck, she gives me a little peck on my cheek.


    "Okie-dokey, milady." She said and hopped off. If Luna is here, I don''t think a bloodbath is avoidable. Got to discipline Nyx properly if I ever have the chance to.


    "Hello, fellow knights." Nyx greeted with a gentle smile and tone.


    The five young knights stiffened at once and turn around with their weapons drawn and raised. The healer of their group is already casting a buff ability with her staff. They are really cautious. Not bad.


    The swordsman who seems to be the leader of this party steps up. Unlike the vanguard, he looks like a young boy but with a built body. "Who are you?" The boy asked.


    He has an accent. An accent of someone unused to speaking the Common language. He doesn''t look like a Medivian. He looks more like a Xin but his skin is a little bit too dark to be a Xin. He looks to be about sixteen or older.


    "Me?" In a very cutesy way, unbecoming of the context, Nyx responded. "I''m Runyx. A Mondra. A living sentient weapon."


    ..... Seriously.....


    "A living w-weapon?"


    "Yeap." Nyx affirms with a nod.


    The young boy''s party begin chattering to each other but for some reason, they leave out the scout. The scout girl didn''t seem to mind the fact she was left out. The boy seems to be pressing the mage girl for information but all she did was shaking her head.


    From what I can tell, the mage girl might have appraising magic but it was useless since we are wearing recognition inhibition artifacts. It seems they are too. Although appraisal ability isn''t exactly common but it can''t hurt to be careful. Which is why every officers of high rank wears an recognition inhibition artifact.


    "How nice to finally meet the heroes of the Empire." Nyx gleefully said.


    And the heroes party who heard her words all froze. Yes, they are the heroes of the Empire. It wasn''t hard to guess their identity from all the clues I gathered.


    "You are the heroes from another world summoned by the Empire, no?"


    "H-how.... How do you know we are the heroes?" The boy hero swordsman asked with his sword pointed at Nyx. He''s a little impulsive.


    "Ara~? It''s one of my innate ability as a living weapon. [High Appraisal], it''s called."


    "Get out of town. How are you a weapon?" The boy hero continues with his doubts.


    "Shall I prove it to you?" With a finger on her lips, Nyx asked.


    But before the heroes could respond, Victor had appear beside Nyx.


    What the hell is he doing?


    [Victor, what are you doing?]


    [Trust me, commander. I just want to test how strong the heroes are.]


    He said that but all I can see is his canine teeth showing. Did he just want to release some steam? Despite not being bound by the usual chains, we, the Night Hunters do need to exercise some restrain. Victor seems to be tormented by that but putting aside that, he''s a pretty competent commander in his own right. He''s a natural and I''m proud to have him as my vice. I wonder if I would assign Hyx as my vice instead if he was still.....


    No. No use thinking about it anymore. Hanging up on the past would only hinder one''s steps in the present.


    "Who are you?" The boy hero shouted. I see veins popping out on his grip. He looks especially on guard against Victor. It was the same to the other members. I feel that they would attack at once if Victor make any sudden movement.


    "Shin, is it?" Victor asked, which sounded more like a statement. Now that his magic has returned, his [True Dragon''s Eye] could probably see through their stats even if they have recognition inhibition artifacts.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "Answer me! How do you know who we are!?" The more the situation drags on, the more flustered they become. Looks like they not used to having the odds tipping away from them. Except for the scout girl. She seems calm.


    "An impulsive bunch and you five are suppose to be the heroes?"


    They didn''t answer. They instead ready their stance and weapon against Victor.


    "But weren''t there only four of you? What''s with the fifth?"


    Hmm. Victor''s right. From the news and whispers, Tthere were suppose to be only four summoned heroes but there''s a fifth one. Is the fifth hero from the other faction?


    "I''m not a hero." The scout girl answered. "I was just dragged along."


    "My condolences to you then. This world is a harsh one. If you are anything less than prepare, only life of suffering awaits."


    "What is your purpose on talking to us?" The mage girl stepped in front of the swordsman and asked. Her lips are twitching. They are all trying hard not to give in to Victor''s innate intimidation. He''s a True Dragon-kin after all. Normally, people would have already fall prostrate in front of him if he let off such aura.


    "Forgive me for being rude but I find it hard to believe that the five of you will be the ones who will save the world."


    "What did you just say, you demon!?" The one with heavy weaponry and armor shouted.


    Demon? I don''t think Victor looks like a demon at all. Why would they have such misconception?


    "Ara~? Could it be...." mused Nyx. Then she skips forward to the hero party. They all took a step back from her. "Have you seen a Demon before" Nyx asked with her inclined.


    "Yeah. Looking at one right now. Maybe two." The vanguard answered without hesitation.


    I see. They have never met a Demon before. I wonder if Victor''s appearance of having dark skin and horns are the appearance of a demon from the heroes'' original world. If that''s it, it wouldn''t be weird for them to mistake Victor as a Demon.


    "I''m a Demon, huh.... To the wrong one, I might just be."


    Victor. What are you trying to do? Even if it''s just for the intention of probing for their strength, antagonizing this much would have a very harsh and great side effect.


    I wanted to stop him from aggravating them further but his words "trust me" came to my mind. I decided to sit back for a little longer to see how the situation will unfold.


    "Then show me, how you five heroes will slay a demon."


    Before perplexity could even register on the heroes'' face, Victor rushed at them.


    "A brilliant ward to repel the harms, Light Barrier." The healer chanted and Victor''s sword met an impasse of a glowing barrier.


    Chant shortening. Not bad but that won''t be enough. Victor only needs to apply more pressure and that will be the demise of the barrier.


    "Like I''ll let you, Demon!" The heavy warrior cried and swung his mace at Victor.


    A layer of ethereal dragon skin coated Victor''s left arm and he stopped the swinging mace with it.


    "A precision hit of flames, Red Javelin." The fire mage behind them chanted and fires a flame arrow at Victor.


    He moves back to avoid the magic but the healer is already casting another spell.


    "Let the light unto the dark corners, Flash."


    A blinding light stole Victor''s sight. For that brief moment, the Vanguard and the swordsman attacked.


    However, they were too slow.


    Victor recovered faster than they could act. He swings at a speed faster than the two''s perception. His greatsword hit the heroes'' weapon and due to the difference in strength, the two were thrown back from the clash of their weapon. Despite wielding two greatswords, Victor moves fast. Not taking me or Damien into account, he''s probably the fastest among the Night Hunters. No, even the Templar Knights.


    "Tides of flames surge before me, Blazing Wave." The mage girl cast a fire spell to repel the pressing Victor. The flame devours Victor but he has natural resistance to flame as a Dragon-kin.


    Something was flipped inside Victor. Maybe he saw the flames as a challenge and testimony to his identity as a Dragon-kin.


    He draw in his breath, crimson veins surfacing on his cheeks, and he unleashed a devastating breath of flames at the two.


    "Karen, barrier!" The swordsman shouted back. Looks like the healer''s name is Karen.


    "A-ah? Y-yes! At o-once! A-a brilliant w-ward to repel the h-harms.... Light Barrier!"


    With a trembling voice, she chanted and was barely able to make it in time. The light barrier defended against the fire wave but it broke against the force and heat. The shockwave sent all of them flying back.


    "That''s all?"


    Before the heroes could recover, Victor was already moving towards them, both swords at in his hands.


    "I''m not done yet!" The swordsman said some courageous words and stood up. His legs aren''t shaking. Good. That means they could at least handle this much.


    But Victor who saw the hero''s spirit, sighs in disappointment and sheathed his swords. With his bare hands, he taunts the boy hero.


    The boy''s face grimaces with humiliation and anger.


    "Enshroud me in the brilliant element of benevolence, Radiant Armor. Let my sword and light be of one, Holy Edge."


    After the chant, the boy hero''s armor and weapon are clad in a dazzling blue light. With a kick off the ground, he launched himself at Victor.


    "Eh? Shin, wait!" The fire mage shouted after him but she was too late.


    Armor and cloth are in the way but I can tell under those garbs, Victor''s hands have taken the form of a dragon''s. With his bare hands, Victor caught the sword enchanted with advanced level [Light Magic].


    "No.... no way." The boy hero muttered unconsciously.


    Victor retaliate with a thrust of his palm into the hero''s stomach. Blood came spitting out from his mouth as he was launched into his party.


    """Shin!!!""" His party members screamed in unison.


    How impulsive for a hero but as expected of someone this young.


    "Drop your weapon." Came a daring voice from Victor''s back. It belongs to the scout girl. Somehow, she managed to slip out of our sight and came from the back. She now has a dagger around the throat of Nyx. I don''t think she used [Shadow Magic] or [Space Magic]. So, what magic did she used? How come I wasn''t able to sense it?


    "Ara ara~? This girl is not bad." Even in this situation, Nyx is still as frolic as ever. Was she dropped when she was made?


    [Mou~ Milady is mean.]


    Oh, she heard me.


    "This is the last move I expected from a hero." said Victor. His tone carried no surprise contrary to his words.


    "Like I said, I''m no hero." The scout girl corrected him. She presses the blade further. "Now tell me, who are you and what is your purpose?"


    "Ara ara~ What should I do~?" Despite her desperate words, Nyx wasn''t looking the least bit worried and this only serves to aggravate the other heroes further.


    I suppose I should end this facade here


    I [Blink] next to the scout girl and pry her hand off of Nyx.


    "What the...?" Before the scout girl could finish blurting out her surprise, she was flipped and thrown away by Nyx.


    "Milady~! You come to save me~!" Nyx gleefully jump into me, expecting an embrace but I swiftly avoided her. I won''t comment on how her face met the dirt.


    "Another one!" The boy hero has his eyes widened at my appearance.


    "Two, actually." The scout girl said as she got up from being thrown. Her eyes are on the tree branches where Naril is. Naril isn''t in their view due to dense leaves and branches but the scout girl seem to have seen her. We might have been discovered long before Nyx even revealed herself to them.


    I gave the signal for Naril to show herself.


    "Dark gray armors and suits..... Shin, this isn''t good. I don''t think we can beat them." The mage girl told the boy hero.


    "Who cares!" The vanguard shouted and cast some enhancement magic on himself. I think he might be the same age as his peers but he looks older than them. "Heroes don''t back down."


    Wrong. Fools don''t back down. Heroes know when to back down and live on to fight another day. I guess I should defuse the heat now.


    "Calm yourselves, heroes of the Empire. My name is Xatara Ae''myun. I''m the Commander of the Night Hunters."


    "Night Hunters....."


    "Where have I heard of them before?" The vanguard who looked like a lion about to pounce on its prey before is now showing a very dignify contemplating expression.


    "An independent unit of the Templar Knights of the Faith of the Nines. Lead by the infamous Vira Ninehearts who is now known as Xatara Ae''myun, an S-rank and a bearer of the Grace of the Nines. The Night Hunters specialize in hunting down monsters, especially Demons and the notorious ones."


    Ha, impressive. The scout girl is knowledgeable. She''s right in everything except one.


    "Ara~! Scout girl is so smart. So you''re beauty aren''t just for display I see."


    Nyx, could you at least get up first from the ground before making such comments?


    The other four look at the scout girl with faces of disbelief.


    "And my name is Shizuka, not scout girl."


    Shizuka? What kind of name is that? Judging from her face, she''s a mix between Xin and Medivian like Hyx but her name doesn''t sound like either Medivian nor Xin. But since she''s not of this world, I can''t really argue about it.


    "So?" The vanguard asked us with an urging tone. "What are you hunters doing out here for?"


    Naril looks offended from the way the vanguard spoke but I held her back with my stare.


    The scout girl, Shizuka looks dumbfounded at the vanguard. I can understand why.


    "You muscle brain.... Obviously, they are here for the same reason as us. She literally just told us about it."


    The vanguard looks vexed at Shizuka''s explanation. He even has eyes that looks like he is about to hit her. Do they have a bit of a falling out?


    "What she said." I affirm her words. "Don''t bother going further. Every monsters and Demons within this forest have been subjugated."


    "You took our preys!?" The vanguard raised his voice. The mage girl and the boy hero looked tired at the vanguard''s attitude.


    "Shifting the blame to us for your delay actions, isn''t that too demeaning?." Victor retorted without even giving them so much as a glance.


    Shizuka lets out a small sigh. The healer who has been quiet all this time look down at her feet. The mage girl tightened her grip around her staff at Victor''s insult. The boy hero is desperately holding back his companion, the vanguard who was on the verge of exploding.


    "You Temple Knights....." Gritting his teeth, the vanguard snarls at Victor. Maybe us too.


    Anyways, I should stop this.


    "Enough." I said and everyone stiffened as if the temperature had dropped. It was at that time I noticed something. There was someone else other than Nyx who wasn''t intimidate by my coercion aura. My coercion aura even made Victor, a True Dragon-kin shivered.


    The mage girl and the healer girl lost the strength in their knees. They both kneel down on the spot. The vanguard and the boy hero managed to stay on their feet but it was only at the point of barely.


    "Sorry. I got too ahead of myself there, Amber." Victor looked away as he apologized. I don''t know if it was a slip of a tongue but he drew glares from Nyx and Naril when he called me by my nickname.


    "Oi, lizard boy. Calling milady by her nickname..... Know your place." Coldly, Nyx warned Victor.


    Both Victor and Naril are surprised at Nyx who was not looking cheerful for once. Surprisingly, Nyx is capable of being tactful. I''m shocked that she upholds the authority ladder.


    "If anyone is to call her by her nickname on a mission, it would be me."


    I take all those back.


    After releasing my coercion aura, the hero party instantly tend to each other. Like before, the scout girl, Shizuka is left out.


    Our eyes met but she turned away immediately. I could be wrong but did she just blushed?


    [Commander, everything okay over there?]


    Selaine asked through [Vast Echo]. I assured her of the situation and asked her to standby.


    Looks like there''s nothing else to say and nothing more to do here. With that thought, I turned around to leave, leaving the hero party to tend to themselves.


    Naril, Nyx, and Victor followed without question but we were stopped by the boy hero, Shin.


    "Wait. That''s it? You''re leaving?"


    "Our task here is done. Staying here any longer would be unproductive. We still have other places to go." I replied without stopping. I can sense the vanguard was about to do something boorish but he was held back by Shin.


    "Well, that was fun." Naril remarked as we''re out of range from the hero party.


    "They''re not much." said Victor.


    "Give them time. They are still young and it hadn''t been a month since they were summoned. They show promises, you know? I guess they''re about C or C plus rank for now, maybe?" It was Nyx who was praising them.


    "What do you think, commander?" asked Naril.


    I keep silent and continue leading them. Truth to be told, I didn''t have much hopes for them in the first place and I wasn''t interested in them. I have bigger problem to worry about other than gossiping about heroes. Unlike the vanguard from the hero party, Naril and Victor read the mood and follow in silent. Nyx is just giggling cheerfully like always and follow behind.


    [You realized too didn''t you, milady.] Nyx asked me through telepathy.


    I didn''t gave an immediate response but I finally did when she started humming. [Yeah. The scout girl, Shizuka is different. She wasn''t affected by my aura. From the looks of it, she''s hiding her true strength from her party.]


    [I would too if I was her.]


    [You saw something?]


    [Not everything. Their recognition inhibition artifacts are high grade. I only saw what I was able to.]


    I sighed. "Victor."


    "Yes, commander?" Despite being startled by my sudden calling, Victor remains calm.


    "Did you saw the stats of the scout girl?"


    Victor stopped in his tracks. Seeing that, I also stop. With eyes that emanates a very serious aura, he nodded.


    My gaze matches with Naril. I gestured for her to go on ahead without us. Although she seems reluctant, she complies with my order. After she went out of range, I nudged my head at Victor.


    "I saw all of their stats. They all have one unique Arcane Art and they are C-rank like Nyx said. The swordsman boy has two unique Arcane Arts and has the highest stats of them all but.... the scout girl......"


    "Just say it."


    "Her stats are low but not lower than the healers. And......"


    "And....?"


    With a smile, Nyx leans towards Victor as if probing him for answers. I''m not sure if she''s mocking Victor or this is just how she is. Either way, Victor isn''t bothered by her. So I left her eccentric behavior as it is.


    "The scout girl, Hirano Shizuka, she.... she has a Divine Art."


    My eyes widened. It''s been awhile since I was this surprised at things.


    "Divine Art?" Nyx parrots with a dumbfounded look. "What''s that?"


    "I believe it was called Apotheosis Magic in the ancient texts." I told her.


    "Heh~? Apotheosis Magic~!? For real?" Nyx blurted out her disbelief.


    Victor nodded.


    "You know about them?" I asked Nyx.


    "Of course." She answered in a fluster manner. "They are called Apotheosis Magic because it was the highest form of magic attainable. It was believed that the magic Gods use are called Apotheosis Magic. That plain looking and flat chested scout girl with dead eyes has Apotheosis Magic??"


    What''s with those copious details?


    "I don''t want to believe it either but that is the truth. It doesn''t seem like anyone else other than herself knows about it. Otherwise, she won''t be let free roaming like this. Her Divine Art probably doesn''t show up in appraisal unless it''s something in the level of my [True Dragon Eye]."


    "I see.... Not even my [High Appraisal] could see through after all."


    Hmm. A girl who was "supposedly" dragged along with the summoned heroes has a Divine Art. How is this possible? All kinds of unusual things kept happening. Is there a meaning to all this special occurrences? Is this a part of a grand scheme?


    The total people who has Divine Arts in the world doesn''t even come close to one percent and it could even be counted with two hands.


    "So, what''s the name of her Divine Art?" Nyx asked.


    After swallowing a deep breath, Victor spoke,


    "Night Empress, Abaddon."


    "Ah...." Nyx made a sound that is unlike her usual self.

 T14 - A Wonderful Surprise

    "---- Here''s to another beautiful tomorrow."


    After a long touching speech, Master make a toast in a loud voice. It didn''t sound like a shout but merely someone who had their voice amplified by magic. But with Mana Vision, I can tell master isn''t using any magic. I later found out from master that this is a technique call projection which is used by stage actors. Apparently, master has done some stage acting before in his previous life. If I''m not wrong, stage acting is some sort of an entertainment for the humans and Elves.


    """"""To another beautiful tomorrow.""""""


    And everyone''s voice that followed resounded with master''s. Voice filled with vigor shook the whole cavern. Even a speck of pebble fell into my glass but I just picked it out and drank the whole thing anyway in one gulp.


    Three days passed since Indara was born. Apparently, Indara sees himself as a person rather than a weapon. He cried number of times when we treated him as a weapon. So master decided to use "born" instead of "forged".


    Even though Indara acts like a child, he wasn''t the least competent in battle. Though he knew nothing about battle, he fairs quite well in one. His true potential is only drawn out when wielded by Djin but his immense Mana is only fully utilized when wielded by master. In simpler words, he is a better sword when wielded by Djin but he functions better as a power tank when wielded by master.


    After throwing discussions here and there, it was decided to be the primary weapon of Djin. It would only be under special circumstances to be used by master.


    After this particular issue, nothing else too interesting happened. In these three days, we have made a lot of preparations for the journey to the surface. Potions and provisions especially, are stockpiled in our own respective item box. Master is the only one who has an item box magic but he enchanted his item box magic to rings which he then distributed it to us. The items stored in our own Vault are interconnected with one another but the only one who have access to all of it is master himself. I believe Kai called this "Administrator''s Privilege".


    Now, we are having a party before our departure tomorrow. Of course, the party venue is the open field behind the red building.


    Master is drinking liquor in a mug while being hugged around the arm on both sides by Lady Senna and Luya. I don''t exactly know what happened but just two days ago, I woke up and couldn''t find master or Lady Senna in the red building where we slept. Master has even cut off our link at that time so it was useless to contact master with telepathy. When late morning came, master returned with both Lady Senna and Luya wrapped around his arms.


    I don''t need to ask what happened since I have quite a sensitive nose and the three were covered in sweat. My suspicions were further proven true when I saw Luya gazing at master with a passionate gaze for the rest of the day.


    Lady Senna wore a conflicted look on her face. Seems like she wasn''t fond of the idea of "sharing" but why did she do it though if that''s the case?


    I want to know but these are master''s private affairs and I shouldn''t be so nosy.


    By the way, Luya won''t be following us to the surface. She had decided to spend her remaining years in the forest. I wonder if spending the night with master is her final wish to remember her last moments.


    Kirin who looks jealous at the two woman with voluptuous figure is looking down on her own figure. When she pouted, master brought her to his lap. A faint smile spread across her cheek and she got daggers staring at her from both sides. I''m surprised to find Indara wasn''t as needy as the three girls. Somehow, I''m relieved.


    Nilin who saw this, climbed into my lap on her own accord. She was blushing while she does so.


    "Don''t get this wrong. It is just that the grass is uncomfortable to sit on and your lap is the only one available. Don''t get this wrong, okay?" She told me so. Even if she isn''t staring at my way, I can tell that she is blushing so hard.


    "Of course." I replied to her words softly with a gentle smile. She shrieked when I patted her but she said nothing of it. She jumped when I hugged her but I held her down in my lap. "You''re cute, Nilin."


    Instantly, I feel her temperature going through the roof.


    "Enough of this n-nn-nonsense. Let me go~!" She began struggling but I hugged her firmly to prevent her from escaping. I''m not going to look away anymore. I''m going to be straight forward with her.


    "Just give up, missy. You ain''t fooling anyone anymore." Engrande said. The others nodded to his words.


    Nilin became redder than ever and went quiet. Even though she is pouting but I saw a small gleeful smile plastered on her face.


    As for Bartholomew and Cormac, they are playing with Citra like usual except that they have a new playmate which is in the form of Indara. It is a little bit weird to see this spectacle now that they have all evolved. Indara who has a figure of a child doesn''t quite fit in. Citra had grew to more than five meters but she is able to adjust her size so she is now no bigger than a normal snake.


    Djin and Engrande are chatting about something battle-related stuff. Unlike the laid back master, Djin can always be found studying ways to improve his combat skills. I can say Djin has interacted more with Engrande than master, his creator.


    "Hey Kirin, I think it''s about to time to tell them about "that", don''t you think so?" Luya suddenly said.


    "Nn." Kirin nodded after hesitating a while.


    "Tell us about what?" asked master.


    "Kirin?" Luya made a gesture at Kirin in which Kirin nodded again. She got up from master''s lap and stood in the center of all of us. Lights began to shine, drops of dazzle ascended to the air from her. It was a sight to behold but it only lasted for a few seconds.


    After the lights faded, "Appraise me." said Kirin while looking straight at master.


    Although she asked master but I am also curious.


    Noticing something interesting, Indara separated himself from the trio and shift his entire attention to here. It''s amazing on how Indara could be completely like a child at one moment but switch into a serious adult demeanor on the next moment.


    "Hmm? Nothing changed...... wait..... D-Divine Arts? What''s that?"


    "Divine Arts!?" I blurted out loud upon hearing master''s words and drew stares to me.


    Name: Kiralhirin


    Gender: Female


    Age: 20


    Race: Dryad (Spirit of Nature)


    Status: None


    Standing: None


    Job: None


    Class: Healer Mage


    <u>Tittles</u>


    -Matriarch


    -Last Ancient


    -Transcendant''s Apostle


    -Young Dryad


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    -Nature Magic - Lv. 10


    -Spirit Magic - Lv. 10


    -Mana Control - Lv. 8


    -Soul Magic - Lv. 9


    -Alchemy - Lv. 10


    HP : 1200/1200


    MP: 12000/12000


    Overall Power Ranking : S+


    Divine Arts


    - Floral Matriarch,Gaia -


    Her stats have increased. Her ranking surpasses Lady Senna''s but since Kirin wasn''t a combatant, she probably don''t stand a chance against Lady Senna. Besides that there was nothing out of the ordinary -- was my initial thought but when my eyes moved down the column, these words caught my eye. I assume it to be the same for master. The words were once blurred when I appraise but now, the words are clear.


    Divine Arts


    - Floral Matriarch,Gaia -


    "Divine Arts?" Master parroted me. "You know what is it?"


    "Only what I read. The rarest type of magic in the world and the most powerful. Magic of Gods. It was called Apotheosis Magic a long time ago."


    "Apotheosis Magic....." Engrande trailed off with his words.


    Lady Senna gasped.


    Djin and Indara are indifferent.


    The remaining trio tilt their head in confusion.


    "Gods'' Magic?"


    "Yes." It was Engrande who affirmed master. "In my time, it was called Apotheosis Magic. The only ones besides the Gods who had this magic were the apostles of Gods or Demi-gods. I have never witness it myself but I heard countless stories of the miracles it brought."


    "It was the same to me too. Despite being a half angel, I never knew someone with Apotheosis Magic personally, only through camp fire tales."


    "So what are they? Magic granted by Gods?" Master asked.


    "Some believed that is the case." answered Luya. "But there are those who inherently possesses it, like Kirin and I."


    "Both of you? Two person can have such power at the same time?" For a very understandable reason, unease can be found in master''s voice.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "It wouldn''t be entirely correct to put it that way. Divine Arts or Apotheosis Magic, the power is drawn directly from a Transcendant, a being of a higher plane of existence, a God. Possessing a Divine Art is like having the medium to channel the power of Gods into your hands. That is the theory many believe. Therefore, there could be many individuals having the same Apotheosis Magic at the same time."


    "Many believe? You don''t sound too sure."


    "That''s because no one knows the truth. Everything is merely speculations. Not even I know where it came from. I have this power ever since I came into existence."


    "..... I see." After a long brief silence, master said.


    And back he went into silent, staring blankly at whatever''s ahead of him. All of us here could tell that master is in deep thought. Although Luya isn''t acquainted with master''s eccentric behavior, she caught on quickly unlike Kirin who is nudging at master.


    When master came back from his train of thoughts, he ignored the pestering Kirin and looked straight at Luya.


    "You''re entrusting what is basically God''s power to me? I know this is kinda late to ask but are you truly sure?"


    Luya moves closer to master without straying away her passionate gaze. Her gaze filled with affection is forming a pink space between the two. I don''t think she has forgotten about us but she didn''t seem to be bothered by our presences.


    Her right hand then cups master''s cheek.


    "I''m not entrusting a weapon nor power to you. I''m entrusting a little girl who longs for the outside world to you." She told master.


    Slowly, master''s doubtful gaze turned into a smile filled with understanding. "Of course. Forgive me for my insensitive question."


    "Dear, after everything you have done for me and us, you don''t need to ask for forgiveness. In fact, it won''t be wrong or rude of you to ask for a reward but I assume last night was enough?" said Luya, licking her lips while looking as seductive as possible.


    Taking advantage of the current mood, Luya goes for master''s lips but Lady Senna has never drop her guard. Luya''s lips ended up touching Lady Senna''s backhand instead.


    I can hear Kirin, Nilin, and Indara''s mouth drop.


    "My my~ How protective~" Luya said coyly to Lady Senna.


    "That was a once in a life time thing, please remember." Although Lady Senna is all smiles in return, but her eyes aren''t and I can see a vein popping on her forehead.


    "Ufufu~ Someone''s jealous?"


    "Papa being unfaithful?"


    [Ooof! Someone hit the mark.] Kai said.


    Although master doesn''t show it, his slightly twitching brow is a sure sign of his annoyance.


    "Bwahahaha~!" guffawed Engrande. He''s in his normal height so his voice carried some weight in it. I could have swore the ground trembled there for a second.


    After the unexpected revelations and the little battle of wit between two voluptuous woman, everything went on smoothly. By smoothly, nothing too terrible happened, is what I meant. Master had somehow calm the two down.


    Anyways, something did happened but nothing that would shift the balance of the world.


    Bartholomew and Cormac got drunk and the two ended up almost tearing Citra into two pieces. She was the object in a tag of war. The two got reprimanded by master in the end but it was Indara who saved Citra from the situation.


    Now Citra got attached to Indara, leaving the two Hobgoblins looking a little sad. Of course, Indara being a living weapon, he isn''t drinking or eating anything. Apparently, he can''t taste anything and he doesn''t need to eat but he does need the occasional Mana supply by master.


    After the two Hobgoblins, it was Kirin and Nilin who got drunk. They don''t drink normally but just for this occasion, Engrande insisted that everyone drink some. Nilin went on and on how I should be taking the first steps in a relationship and how I should cater to her every need.


    "Yes yes. Of course." I answered her at my many whims just to keep her from blowing anything out of proportion.


    While I''m spoiling and showering Nilin with affections, something got blown out of proportion.


    The large open field we are at got turned into a small forest.


    "Big breasts is not everything, you know?" Someone yelled.


    It was Kirin. She was nonchalantly using her Divine Arts while whining about something. Is that okay, to use magic of Gods like this?


    "Big breasts are a hindrance. They will only sag when it got old. Flat chest won''t have that problem. And flat chest are softer and smoother than big ones."


    Kirin said all of those while sticking her face close to masters and also while poking at Lady Senna''s chest. Those two bountiful miracle bounce with each poke gracefully but I''m more surprise with Kirin''s long sentences.


    "Ara ara~ Kirin. This is still too early for you. You are just a child after all."


    "No no no. I''m an adult already. I''m already twenty."


    "Kirin, we''re Spirits of Nature not humans nor beast-kin."


    "Mwu... Liar."


    "Ara~? Why would you say that? What did I lied about?" Despite trying to smile it off, I can see her lips twitching. Did Luya really lied about something?


    Kirin points at Luya''s chest. Although Luya''s isn''t the same size as Lady Senna''s but her size are still in the large faction. What''s more, he chest is so well-proportion with her figure so it won''t make one wonder about her size. But I think what Kirin is trying to point out is that it takes a Dryad a long time to develop.


    "Too late by then." Kirin said.


    Yeap, my guess was right.


    Kirin continued to stare hopelessly at her chest while master tried his best to comfort Kirin. For some reason, Lady Senna and Luya has a triumphant look on their face.


    "So boy, what are you gonna do once you got out of this place?"


    At that question, everyone turn their heads to master, including the drunk ones. Citra was also drunk and she ended up turning more than she needs to and fainted after. Luckily, she has Indara to take care of her.


    I''m starting to wonder is Indara truly a child at heart.


    "I got reincarnated to cater to some Goddess'' wishes. I guess I would look for some answers?" Master responded with uncertainty. No, it was more like cautious. Master is being cautious with his words.


    "Oh? Not planning to go back to your world?"


    Lady Senna froze. She remain so still that it wouldn''t be strange for birds to rest on her. The only other person with an overreaction is Kirin. She is staring down at master like she is expecting her eyes to trap master in his place. Her pouting face only made her attempt look adorable. Judging from master''s expression, I can say we are of the same opinion.


    "I died in my former world. I don''t think returning there is a good idea."


    "Well, in the first place, one doesn''t reincarnate into a different world upon after death, so it''s kinda too late to contemplate about it being a good idea. So technically speaking, it''s not wrong for you to want to go back to your former world."


    "Do you?" Lady Senna pressed on. She was so hung up on master''s answer that she didn''t notice how her breast deformed beyond the original shape on master''s arm. I can tell master is enjoying those sensation.


    "I did thought of it but....."


    ""But?"" Lady Senna and Kirin asked in unison.


    "I don''t want to. Or rather..... I can''t."


    "Why not?" asked Luya. "It''s not like such traversing magic doesn''t exist."


    "No, it''s not that. I don''t mean it in that way."


    "Ara~?"


    A regrettable smile formed on master''s face. Regrettable? No, it''s more like a moving smile. A sadness born of happiness. Truly a complicated expression. It wasn''t some refreshing expression master has but given the current context, it is truly complicated.


    [Kai, you''re awfully quiet for a while now. Do you know what''s going on?] I asked.


    Kai replied after a brief silence. [It''s better that master tell you himself.]


    Came the brief answer. I sigh and look to master. Master noticed my stare and I nudge at him to talk.


    Giving another complicated wry smile along with a nervous laughter, he spilled "I''m gonna have a huge responsibility in the near future so, I can''t even if I''m able to."


    Everyone look dumbfounded at master''s words. Except for Luya who went "Ohoho~!" with her fingers on her lips.


    Engrande found enlightenment as his expression turn into a wide smile. With a swing of his open palm, he pats master at the back which made master choke on his liquor.


    "Congratulations, boy. This is a proud achievement for a man."


    "As expected of Lord Creator." The ever-silent Djin remarked.


    "Oooooh." Indara who also got the point, made a sound in awe.


    It seems only Indara, Djin, Engrande, and Luya are the only two who understand what master was saying. Indara and Djin being magically linked to master is a given they would know.


    Hmph, why am I left out?


    [Kai?]


    Kai remained silent.


    "What do you mean?" Lady Senna asked, affectionately. I don''t know if that was intentional or just her natural charm. Considering her quarter succubus blood, probably the latter.


    Master and Lady Senna''s gaze matched but master turned away with a flushed face. He''s trying to hold back a laughter.... no, was it a cry? Either way, master''s shoulders are trembling.


    "Mou~ Stop curving and twisting your words, Mimic. Just tell us straightly."


    "Mwu. Speak straight."


    Kirin and Nilin are of the same opinion.


    Bartholomew, Cormac, and Citra are in their own world of brainstorming. They seem more eager to figure out the answers themselves rather than asking for it. Despite their body size, they act like children. Not a good combination but minding it further will only worsen it.


    I sigh and turn to Djin.


    Djin who noticed my line of sight, nodded. "In one of the many terms from master''s former world, I believe it''s called, a bun in the oven."


    Huh? A bun in the oven?


    I got a clue and I wreck my brain and shuffle my whole shared memories for the answer. After a short amount of time, I found it.


    Ah!


    Ah.


    Ah......


    Oh.


    "What''s wrong with Tom?" Lady Senna who took noticed of my change of expression asked.


    Just like Engrande, I also congratulated master and shook Lady Senna''s hands. Her hands are cold but soft.


    "Mou~! Dear, just tell me already." Lady Senna who got impatient mimicked Nilin''s pouting cry.


    Master just give Lady Senna a warm and radiant smile as he places his hand on Lady Senna''s belly.


    At that moment, Lady Senna went stiff. She drops the mug she was holding. It is a wooden mug  so it didn''t shatter when it hit the patch of grass.


    Kirin and Nilin also caught on at the same time. So did the trio.


    "Nyu~! Nyu~! Nyu~! Nyu~!" Citra kept making the same gleeful sound. I''m surprised at the fact that Citra has the biggest reaction.


    "REALLY~!!??"


    Right after that, Lady Senna burst out, her hands wrapping master''s face. Well, I was wrong. Citra''s reaction came second after all.


    Actually..... Citra''s reaction might be the third. Kirin is staring daggers at Lady Senna with a bloated face. It is a really cute expression despite her intentions. Nobody seems to notice it though.


    "B-but why am I not experiencing any symptoms?"


    "It has been only two weeks. At most, symptoms come after four weeks. Nevertheless--"


    Master leans himself against Lady Senna''s belly.


    "-- I can feel the life coming from here."


    Surrounded by warm eyes and smiles, Lady Senna''s trembling eyes begin shedding tears. She then threw herself into master''s embrace. Luya is tactful enough to part from master. Kirin was just shoved out of the way.


    "Hyx, I really love you. I know we haven''t known each other for long but I really feel like I can entrust my everything to you. Will you, my beloved, accept everything that I am and also everything that I''m not?"


    Master''s wry smile turned radiant once again. "I already did, didn''t I?"


    Lady Senna beamed and clashes her lips with master''s. It was a light kiss but a passionate one. Immediately, Engrande begins clapping and everyone followed.


    After another big swig from his oversize mug, Engrande spoke "Not that I have been to many weddings but that was the shortest wedding I have ever seen."


    "Short but sweet." said Luya.


    Lady Senna who heard those words, throws her gaze down with a deep blush.


    "Isn''t it a bit too late to be bashful now?"


    "It''s still is a little embarrassing in front of others...." Lady Senna mutters in a low voice that only those with keen hearing is able to pick it up.


    Everyone is happy, even Nilin is making an effort to look joyous for this occasion, everyone but Kirin. She has been pouting ever since the announcement. "Mwu~ No fair."


    "It''s okay, Kirin. You will still have a chance."


    She will?


    "Too late?" Kirin responded with a question.


    "Only to the ones who give up. You are a Dryad, Kirin. Seducing man is one the many perks."


    "Um.... Luya, what are you saying to her??" Master asked, worriedly but he was ignored.


    "If what you feel for him is true, the time will come for when you will stole his heart away."


    With those words, everyone glare at Luya who didn''t seem to mind the awkwardness she created. She is just going "ufufufu~".


    [This psychotic woman. I might have put my hands on something that I shouldn''t.]


    [Or you can have a flower on both hands.] said Kai.


    [Dude, shut up.]


    I don''t know what Kai meant with that but judging from master''s respond, it must be something rude.

 Intermission - Luamiraya

    How many years has it been since I last had a man? Or a partner?


    The exact number is a hassle and a pain to recall but I don''t doubt the immense value.


    Dryads can survive purely on just sunlight, air, and water but in order to bloom into something truly magnificent, we will need more than just those three.


    To us Dryads, a person''s soul is equivalent to what a human called supplement. Not only does it help our growth but it is also quite addictive. A taste was all it need to set a Dryad down the road of debauchery.


    Time flew by and millennium of years came and gone. Dryad has long been generalized as an imitation of a Succubus. Although they weren''t exactly correct, our misdeeds could hardly help in denying the claims.


    It''s unfair.


    Pigs have been raised to be slaughtered. Chickens, Cows, Goats, too shared the same fate.


    Humans to our eyes, are something akin to cattle. Just like the said animals are to them.


    So, why is it wrong for us but not for them?


    They too have consumed lives to keep living. They too can survive purely on the greens but they indulged in other''s lives purely for their desire to thrive.


    So, why is it wrong for us to do the same?


    It''s just not fair.


    I do not care.


    Most of us didn''t.


    Day by day, I lured the unsuspecting ones into my nest, a tall tree at the center of a clearing, as I gave them euphoria before clamming their lives for my own thrive.


    My life of debauchery seem to goes on till the end of times but I was wrong. The last thing I expect to be wrong of.


    I met a human boy.


    He wasn''t unsuspecting. He was well-aware of what I am and what I am capable of but yet, he didn''t show any antagonism towards me. He wasn''t naive either.


    The boy..... He saw us differently. The usual cautious hostility for a Dryad was replaced with sympathy.


    We were told about a Shepherd, a Harbinger, the one who will guide a tremendous change to the world for better. It was a prophecy told to us by the ascended ones but none of our kind truly take it to heart. It was an absurd wishful thinking.


    When I met the human boy, his gentle compassion really made me believe in the prophecy. I thought he could be the one.


    Sadly, he isn''t but it doesn''t invalidate how good of a person he is.


    Due to his unconditional kindness, I came to know the true meaning of love. I want to let him experience the euphoria I had always gave to my victims but not with the intention to consume him. I just want to make the one I love happy.


    Soon, he too open up his heart to me.


    We made a promise.


    We would always meet everyday. Everyday, we share our love and our profound bond only grew stronger.


    Our promise went on for years. His time flashes before my eyes. Before I knew it, he was already a man. A promising man with a bright future that is wasted upon me.


    He was a general of an army. A well-respected general, loved by his people and the masters he served.


    Our secret appointments became less frequent.


    Up until it completely stopped.


    I was angry.


    I felt betrayed.


    I thought he forgotten about me.


    I even contemplated raining my fury on his hometown but my fiery rage was doused by the unexpected fact of his absence.


    He didn''t betrayed me neither did he forgot about me. He just wasn''t able to visit me any longer.


    I only knew this when a girl came in his stead. She was a young lady with nice features. She was carrying a churn.


    With a bitter face and trembling shoulders, she scattered the contents of the churn onto my nest, the overgrown roots of a tall tree. When the churn have been completely emptied, she left the tree while dripping tears along


    And as for me, I was left shocked and devastated for I knew of what she scattered onto my nest.


    The contents were ashes. The ashes of the human boy that I fell in love with.


    That day, I experienced true sorrow. My first time in my long years of life, I experience a heartbreak.


    In order not to betray his memory, I recluse myself in my own forest and nest. I ceased all my acts of debauchery.


    And not a day when where I didn''t think of him. His unconditional love for me.


    I thought I could live on until my last moments with his memories to sate my desires. I thought it was possible. After all, I have been doing so for more than dozens of millennial.


    My thinking was proven naive when I chanced upon the prophesied one. The Harbinger, the Shepherd.


    I was instantly reminded of my deceased beloved.


    His sympathy.


    His kindness.


    His gentleness.


    His compassion.


    And additional trait that my deceased beloved lack--


    -- Empathy.


    I can feel my heart began beating and burning again. I''m starting to yearn and crave for a man''s warmth again. Not just any man but a man who reminded me so much of my true first love.


    Unable to withheld my desires any longer, on a night like any other for the past millions of years, I pulled him to my nest.


    With the sole intention of devouring him, affectionately and passionately.


    "You said you have something important to talk to me about but judging from the current situation I''m finding myself in, I don''t think that''s your intention at all, am I wrong?"


    The boy who has barely come of age, the Harbinger, the Shepherd, Hyx asked. If anyone saw us right now, we will be caught in a very compromising position that would cause mountains of misunderstandings.


    But it''s strange.


    Unlike many of my victims, he doesn''t put on any mask to hide his fear or uncertainty. Some of my previous victims even took the aggressor or dominating role but they all fell.


    Not this boy.


    It was almost as if he doesn''t care if anyone saw his true self nor did he care about his integrity as a man.


    "This is all your fault." I told him as I placed his hand on my left breast. My chest weren''t as large as his lover but it is ample enough to attract the attention of many men.


    "Heh?"


    He let out a cute sound and it only got louder as I pressed his hand. To further entice him, I moaned at the same time.


    "Do you feel that?" I asked.


    "Um....."


    "Or do you need the thin piece of clothing in between to be gone?" I asked, licking my lips wet as I stare straight into his eyes.


    "If you''re sick or anything, I''m sure Kirin will have something for you."


    How amusing. He could even say such things in such situation. His voice wasn''t trembling but was neither compose.


    "I''m not sick. It''s just that..... I long for a man''s embrace. You have no idea how long I had been in abstinence. I thought I could hold out until my end of times but then you came.... showing me what I had forgotten. Showing me, what I had lost..... In a way, I guess you can say I am sick."


    "Ah...." Came his reply.


    For a second, I can tell his mind wasn''t on me and I pulled it back with a kiss. It wasn''t just a simple kiss. I forced my tongue into his mouth. He didn''t fight back. He didn''t succumb to it either. He was just letting me do what I want.


    When our exchange of saliva ended, he pulled me into an embrace.


    "I''m sorry."


    He apologized.


    "I can''t go any further than this."


    "Why not?" I whispered into his ears. "Is it because I have lost my charm? Do you not see me as a woman? Or perhaps you despise a monster like me?"


    Coward. How cowardly of me to said such things when I knew his answer would only be filled with gentleness and kindness.


    "I don''t want to hurt her."


    Of course that would be the reason.


    But.....


    I don''t think I can accept this kind of reason in my current state.


    "No!" My desperation leaked out in a burst. I pinned his hands on the ground and forced an exchange of saliva once again. Not a shred of love could be found in this exchange. It was just an old temptress trying to relive her glory age.


    I keep telling myself that I was wanted the feel of the warmth that I lost but deep down, I was just reaching out to my suppressed debauchery instinct.


    While thinking so, I could feel my Mana being drained. I lost my strength and the tables were turn. No. It was more like flipped. Now, he was on top of me.


    "You shouldn''t have done this." He said.


    But not with eyes of contempt but pity.


    I don''t want your pity, is what I wanted to say but I couldn''t.


    "Now, what should I do with you?" He said, with a smirk this time.


    To my surprise and the contrary of his previous resistance, he went for my neck. He planted kisses and licked my nape. Moreover, he even left a bite mark which induced a shriek from me.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    What''s with the sudden change?


    "Hyx?"


    A voice resounded in the hollow cave at the bottom of a tree. The voice made me froze but he had an expression as if he was waiting for it.


    When I looked beyond his shoulder, I saw the figure of Senna Tenrum looking at us in a compromising position. Her face says horrified and her eyes say disgusted. Her whole expression turned ugly in a snap.


    "Just what do you think you''re doing?" Her Mana flare up with her rage. Her majestic light and dark wings manifested to show her assertion of the situation.


    "Um.... oops?" Hyx gave an unconcerned shrug.


    How are you still so calm?


    Even though I prepare for this but the real thing was nothing that can be compared to.


    "Last chance." Coldly, she asked the boy. "What is going on here?"


    Before I can speak, the boy cupped my mouth with his hand.


    "Exactly what you think is happening?" He retorted.


    What....? Why would he said.....


    An even uglier expression formed on the Nephilim''s face. "Is that it? Was everything about you in the end, a one fat lie? Any woman will do as long she fits your taste?" It was a tone mixed with sorrow and rage.


    I see.


    He knew.


    He knew she was coming. He knew she was looking for him.


    Realizing that I would incurred the wrath of a Nephilim if we get caught, he decided to take the blame instead.


    Gosh... Hyx.


    How chivalrous.


    But how could I let such chivalrous person be blamed?


    "Eh?"


    He squeaked as I wrapped my arms around him. I clung tightly onto him, sinking the expression of the Nephilim further.


    "My my. Perhaps you should have keep a closer eye on your man. After all, men like him are hard to come by." For maximum effect, I licked his temple.


    And the ground beneath Senna cracked at the same time. It cracked due to the pressure of her aura.


    Though I gave my best deviant smile, I can feel it faltering. If this went on any longer, I would loose my mind. I would go insane just from being stared at with contempt and jealousy by an S-rank Nephilim. I was confidence with my insanely high Mana pool but I wasn''t a fighter. I would not last long against a destruction-oriented spell caster.


    "What are you doing? I''m trying to help here. You could get disintegrated for this." He didn''t said it out loud but that was what his eyes were telling me.


    I returned his kindness. "I know." Is what my eyes told him.


    "You are overestimating me here. Even if I''m the prophesied Harbinger, I''m no match for her."


    How cute. His over-flustered face and panicking face is just too cute. I unintentionally leaked out a grin.


    "Oi. I''m still here you two lying sack of soils. You got some guts to be lovey dovey in front of the woman you''re cheating on."


    "Ara~? But he didn''t. It was I who tried to seduce him, you know?"


    Ah. Her contempt has been directed to me.


    "He did a good job of resisting my advance at firs but eventually, everyone would give in to a Dryad''s charm."


    I could feel him nudging at me to stop my provocations but I persist. This was my fault. I should be the one taking the fall.


    "I guess in the end, he chose me over a thousands of years old self-proclaimed virgin."


    And that was the snapping point for the Nephilim.


    I could see her lunging for my neck. Although I could see her, I was too slow to follow her.


    Closing my eyes, I succumb to my fate.


    "Oh for fuck''s sake, stop this madness!" screamed the Shepherd and the wings of Senna who was going for my throat stopped just a few inches away from my skin.


    "Madness?" She asked but she didn''t take her eyes off of me. "How is it a madness? I''m just trying to take back what was stolen from me."


    Hyx sighed. "Even if that was the case, how does killing her equivalent to taking me back?"


    "Why are you helping her?" She asked again, a tear welling up.


    "I''m not helping anyone. I''m just trying to clear this misunderstanding."


    "Misunderstanding?"


    "Yes. A misunderstanding. Nothing happened between me and her, okay? I''m sorry for contributing to the misunderstanding but I have a bloody good reason for it."


    "Nothing happened between you and me, yet." I added.


    He sighed and stuck his face close to mine.


    Before I could ask of his intention, my whole world shook.


    My world spun and I collapsed to the ground.


    Apparently, I have been headbutted.


    "You are not helping. So quit it." He sternly told me.


    How curt, to headbutt a woman. But his unexpected actions is as expected in itself. There wasn''t any significant strength put into it, of course. Therefore, I was pretty much unhurt.


    And after an hour of attempt to untying the knot of misunderstanding, the rough seas had calm. The rage of the Shepherd''s lover, a Nephilim has been contained but her grudge was still apparent. I find myself sitting on my knees with the boy just right beside me in the same position. The whole atmosphere felt tense and slightly awkward.


    I can hear him muttering "So this is a seiza." under his breath. Why are you smiles for?


    "I thought the misunderstanding is cleared." He asked, seemingly directing the question at himself. There was just something about him tilting his head in confusion with a wry smile struck the soft spots in a person''s heart.


    "It is cleared but my anger is not."


    At her reply, he lowered his head while still retaining his wry smile. Although it was in a low voice, I heard him saying "Touche."


    "In all honesty, why do you think lying about the whole picture would do well to quell my anger?"


    Hearing that, his eyes blinked wide. He raised his head to meet the Nephilim''s gaze. He had an amused and confused face.


    "What''s with the additional sophisticated words?" He laughed as he asked.


    I''m starting to wonder if the Shepherd is just an idiot or someone who takes great pleasure from pain.


    As I expected, the Nephilim flared up. Her aura danced furiously like wildfire which made the boy stiffened up. "Seems like you need more direction and guidance before you could realize how deep of a boiling water you''re in."


    Seeing his cramped face with faint curved lips, I can tell he was holding back a retort. Gosh, this boy is really asking for it and he wasn''t even looking the least bit afraid. On the contrary, his eyes had said nothing but affection the whole time while looking at the Nephilim.


    He really does love her.


    "I''m sorry, Angie. I-I didn''t know what I was thinking. I-I could be an idiot sometimes."


    As soon as he apologized with a downcast gaze, the Nephilim melted. Not in a literal sense but the vibe and expression she was giving was close to something akin to "melting". Of course, the Nephilim was desperately trying to not show her lost of composure.


    "F-fine.... I''ll forgive you this time. B-both of you.... but I won''t forget about t-this...."


    And the boy returned a kind and gentle smile to her forgiving words.


    "J-just promise me that you won''t lie to me again. Not even minor and petty stuffs like this, okay?"


    "Okay."


    "I mean it."


    "I know. I won''t lie to you again even if it''s an ant-sized issue."


    With that kind of smile, it made me remember that the Shepherd is no more than a fifteen years old boy but no doubt he is actually older than he looks.


    What a lovely couple. Truly.


    However, this is truly vexing at the same time. Flaunting your affections toward each other in front of an eternally single woman.... I am very bothered by this. Perhaps I should add some spice to it?


    "Speaking of lying....."


    Ara~? He is already looking at me in terror. His eyes were telling me "Whatever you''re planning, don''t." Looks like the boy has good instincts.


    "....aren''t you an awful liar too?" I asked the Nephilim.


    My words pique his interest and his eye brows.


    "W-what are you s-saying?" The Nephilim responded in a fluster.


    "What could I be saying? I''m talking about your virtue, of course." I added a sly smile for more effect.


    "I didn''t lie about that~! I am a virgin!"


    "Really? Thousands of years old without a single moment where you get swept away by a heat of passion? I find it hard to believe."


    "That is the truth. I-I''m not a slut like you~! Besides, I even bled on my first night with Hyx."


    In the corner of my eyes, the boy is burying his face in his palm. His shoulders were trembling.


    Slut..... Although I have proclaimed myself to be one time and time again, hearing it coming from other people still stings. I was planning to just tease her a bit but now that she had done it, I''m going to keep going.


    "Maybe you are a virgin but that doesn''t mean you haven''t done it"


    "W-what... what are you talking about?"


    "There''s a lot of ways to go about this without making it bleed, you know?" And I proceed to give her a few examples.


    At a lost, she was now stuttering on her every words. Her intimidating presence from before was gone and she was now looking just a like a girl in her puberty. Despite how she looks, she is incredibly naive and innocent. Even after so many nights of passion, she gets red when the topic is raised outside of bed. Hard to think she lived for thousands of years.


    There was no way she wasn''t a virgin but I''ll keep that to myself.


    With beet red cheeks and teary eyes, she turn to her beloved, the Shepherd. "P-please believe me, Hyx.... You were really my first.... I swear."


    He wasn''t looking at her. He was still burying his face in his palms with trembling shoulders.


    "H-hyx.... are you angry at m-me....?" Her hand reached out for him but she hesitated.


    "Pfff......" A weird blowing sound was let loose.


    She tilted her head while I was hiding my curving lips behind my hand.


    And then, the boy burst out laughing while crying tears of bliss.


    "Hyx?" She called out in a daze.


    He was still laughing while holding his stomach. Noticing her teary eyes, he stopped his guffaw and faced her straight.


    "Like I care about stuff like that, Angie. That kind of thinking is so old."


    "Mou~! I''m serious here, Hyx. I really am a virgin. Well.... was a virgin...."


    He finally stopped laughing completely. "I know, I know. I believe you but point is, I don''t care about that, alright? If I wasn''t your first or second, I don''t care. I just want to be your last, okay?"


    "H-how is that okay~!? I don''t want you to see me as a loose woman...."


    "I won''t. Never. I can''t judged you on things that I have no prove of and plus, if it wasn''t for you, I wouldn''t be able to still be laughing whole heartily like this. Okay?"


    Her response was stuck on her trembling expression and she make do with a vigorous nod while shedding tears of joy.


    Without any concern for a third party, they embraced.


    Wow, that was so sweet.


    But I''m still kinda vexed. How about I --


    <hr>


    -- and hours flew by like an arrow. Times sure fly faster when you''re in indulgence.


    "So, how was it?" I asked in between my heated breaths. It is the first time that I find myself beaten in bed. Not to mention he was doing with two.


    "It was..... exhilarating." He answered with a smile. Even after long hours of continuous acts, he regain his breath in just minutes. It wasn''t that his stamina was unlimited but rather, his recovery rate was too fast.


    "You are truly amazing. Most people would be in too much bliss to even give a straight answer.


    "I''m not most people." He gave me his answer without looking at me. Instead, he''s still ever gazing at the Nephilim. Unlike me, she gave out faster than I thought. She definitely lacks efficiency. "Neither are you."


    His words gave me a jump but not literally. "What do you mean?"


    "You''re very.... persuasive. I don''t think I can think up of anything to say to convince her to share." He said and stroke the Nephilim''s cheeks and hair. She respond with a purr that almost sounded like a cat.


    "Is that so?"


    "That is so..... what''s wrong? You look sad."


    "N-nothing." I said and turned away.


    "You sure?" He poked his head into my view. I turned away again but he did the same thing. It last a few times until I gave up with short bursts of laughter.


    "It''s just that.... I have been called manipulative, cunning, sly, shrewd. And the most obvious, seductive, alluring, tempting..... bitch.... but never persuasive. That was really mild."


    "With those as comparison, it does sound tame."


    "I''m persuasive, eh.... Do you really think so?"


    "Me?" He pointed at himself. "Well, I think people are idiots. Manipulation and persuasion are similar but they are not the same. Only the ignorant ones and those who sought convenience would think they are the same."


    "How so? I didn''t think there was a difference."


    "I guess you''re an idiot too."


    Oh. How rude. "Then pray tell this humble idiot here, what is the difference between the two? Was it the intentions behind it?"


    "Nah. Not the intentions. Intentions mean jack shit when you''re manipulating someone. Both persuasion and manipulation, they both mean to bend one''s will or resolve to other''s intent but one do so by revealing the truth and the other do so by obscuring the truth. So no, I don''t think you''re manipulative but you are good at taking advantages."


    Jeez.... Just how much you want to torment me? I''m feeling so tormented with your empathy.....


    If I was your lover, I would have maul you up day and night without rest but..... it is what it is....


    "Still, you''re satisfied?"


    He raised an eyebrow. "Am I satisfied?"


    I gave him a gesture at the Nephilim.


    "I guess I am." He answered as soon as he caught on.


    "Really? Seems to me, you can keep going, can''t you?"


    "I have enough."


    Or so you say. "Hyx...." I called his name, something I haven''t done in quite a while. I turned his head to face me with only a finger. He didn''t resist.


    "W-what...."


    "Remember, you''re not a human now. It is not good to keep it pent up. Your whole biology differs to that of your average sapiens. If she can''t satisfied you, you need to find an alternative."


    I prepared myself for his anger. After all, my words were insensitive. I expected a storm but I received a calming wave instead.


    "I can''t do that to her. Even if it hurts me. I know you mean well but..... I can''t do it...."


    In a way, his response is expected. His understanding and his loyalty to his woman. Ah.... how enviable.... However....


    "Hyx, a monster suppressing its own instincts is one of the most foolish things in the world. The rebound from this foolishness is unimaginable in terrible ways. Don''t forget that."


    "Thanks for the advice. I appreciate that but I will sought for an alternate solution that don''t involve hurting her."


    Despite my harsh words, I was repaid with gentle kindness. I didn''t even sense a trace of anger in him. He really can empathize well with people. Although, he seemed to lack sympathy.


    "Anyways, would you like to go again?" Can''t be helped. This is who I am and I have such a rare and fine man before me and I have the permission of his woman. I think.


    "Do you think she''ll mind?"


    "We shall see, tomorrow." I said, inching closer to him with heated breaths.


    He laughed quietly and dryly. "You really are asking for it."


    "So are you."


    And so, just like that, my last passionate night passed by, ecstatically.


    <hr>


    Once again, I''m left alone.


    They have finally left.


    After about a week of the best years of my life....


    Once again, I''m in complete solitude.


    Without the core, Kiralhirin, the whole forest has begun wilting but it wasn''t quite apparent yet.


    As I''m left to my own shadows as my sole company, not counting the other beasts in the forest, I waited for my end. Which shall come in a few years from now.


    But....


    I was wrong.


    It came much.... much more earlier.....


    An immense sense of dread enveloped me. I turned to meet the source of this gigantic dread.


    A figure of an old man with wounds leaking some strange substance that seemed to have substitute his blood.


    {I can see that I am too late.}


    He said in a tongue that was older than me. Even his voice carries the dread he emits. Everything around him, has wilted into an abominable state.


    {Took you long enough, Voidling.}


    I respond in kind with the same tongue.


    {And you are right, the Shepherd and the last of the Ancient Dryad is long gone. You are too late.}


    He laughed to my statement.


    {Am I late? No doubt but is it truly too late?}


    Right after those words, thousands of monsters appeared from the empty spaces around him. Monsters of all kinds in the dungeon. Now each a thrall to the Voidling before me.


    {I can see you have been busy. Quite an army you have there.}


    {And now, you will be a part of it.}


    I see. This is truly me end before I meet my demise, I must ascertain that he shall not have it.


    With the little time that I have, I gave up my Divine Arts. Now, she should have full control of it.


    Now, I can take me leave from this world.


    Forgive me, Hyx.....


    .... but now....


    I wished I have gone with you.


    This is my final regret.

 T15 - The Storm

    It''s too quiet.


    Not that I don''t like some peace this quiet is a different kind from a peaceful quiet. The silent is leaning more to be uncomfortable than peaceful.


    The only sound that persist in this solemn veil are our footsteps echoing against the walls in this vast and long corridor. The uncomfortable silence was brought on by a single peculiar person in our group.


    "Shouldn''t you be happier that it deescalate instead of escalate?" I asked master who has a disappointed aura looming around him like dark clouds. "It won''t be good if something like Aedrox appears again, you know?"


    "I know. I just..... thought it would be a lot more exciting since we put so much hard work into it."


    "Hear...."


    What master is referring to is the gate that prevented us from leaving. Master was prepared to destroy the gate with Indara should all of his ideas failed to open it but as soon as we gotten near to the gate, it gave a last glow of faint red light before crumbling away.


    A truly disappointing pay off for a huge build up, per the words of Kai.


    The biding energy within Indara that master prepared beforehand for the destruction of the gate was rendered inept by the scene before us. The wasted energy was unleashed towards a random unfortunate building.


    The display was nothing but a fateful imitation of a child''s tantrum. Everyone seemed like they wanted to chide master for being juvenile with his decisions but the reality is what it is. Master is still juvenile despite how many times we forgot.


    Nevertheless, master has been walking with a gloomy expression.


    A moment of silence took over again. To make it even more awkward, the path we have been walking on is a long straight path that extends as far as the eyes could cover. There are cyan vines growing here along the stone brick path and with the presence of Kirin, they shine even brighter. So we didn''t need to worry about light source.


    But I wonder why there wasn''t any cyan vines back at where we stayed. Spirits of Nature do exists there but nothing something like a cyan vine was seen there. How curious.


    Still, we begin to worry about some other trifle thing, the current quiet and awkward mood.


    Lady Senna heaved a sigh and takes the initiative to break the stalemate.


    "He''s right, dear. We should be happy that it was easier instead getting more complicated."


    "Hmm." Master promptly and vaguely responded. Then he stopped as if he recalled something enlightening. "Right, before I forget...." He said and took out a crate from [Vault].


    Everyone stopped in their tracks in accordance except for Nilin who went on in her wisp form without noticing everyone has stopped. Nilin is tasked with leading to the exit since no one knows the way and has any idea on how long the path would be, and she decided she would lead in her most energy-conserving form, which is her wisp-form.


    She was drifting further way from us until I called out to her. Noticing the distance she has created, she dashes right back in a jiffy.


    "Mou~! You could have told me you were all stopping."


    "I called you, didn''t I?" I retorted.


    Even though she''s just a wisp now, I can tell that she''s pouting.


    "Here."


    Each of us are handed a vial of potion with only Indara being exempted. A blood red liquid filled the vial.


    "What''s this?" Engrande asked as he gave a closer inspection. "I can feel enormous power from it. A potion to improve our capabilities in a burst?"


    "A healing potion but extremely potent. It can regenerate missing body parts too and bring you back from the brink of death, maybe."


    "Nn. Powerful." Kirin nodded.


    "It is indeed." Lady Senna agreed with Kirin as she took a whiff at the potion. "Hmm? Smells familiar."


    "It should be. It''s made from my blood."


    "Ah, how nice." Lady Senna said and snuggles her cheek on the vial.


    We all give an appalling glance at her but only master seemed indifferent to her actions.


    [Wrong....] Even the stoic-looking Djin has a negative impression.


    Nilin is also handed a vial but it disappear as if she sucked it into her body the moment she was given it.


    I thought Nilin would need help in storing it but it appears that she is still able to use the storage ring that master gave to each of us even while she''s in her current form. Strange.


    The other member who didn''t receive a potion of their own is Citra. It wasn''t that master didn''t make one for her but since she doesn''t have any way to keep it on her own, Bartholomew is keeping it for her.


    "Don''t get messed up with it, okay? Your names are written on it." Master told him.


    "Why?" Bartholomew asked back. Cormac is still looking at the contents with curious glances and while shaking it non stop until Barthlomew smacked him right at the back of his head.


    "Unfortunately, I can only make it to work specifically to each individuals. Fortunately, it can''t be abused by just anyone in that way. So everyone on the same page here?"


    And everyone nodded.


    Weird, I didn''t know what master meant with his last sentence but I somehow I understand master''s intent behind those words. Is it the same for everyone else?


    "I thought we were going with the syringe idea?" asked Lady Senna.


    "For other potions, yes but this is different. I tested it a lot of times, direct oral ingestion is the best way for it to take effect. Tom had a heart attack when I injected it into him directly so..... oral ingestion it is."


    Wait, I had a heart attack? How did I not know about this?


    [People often forget about their traumas.] Master replied.


    Say what?


    [Don''t worry about it. It''s all in the past.....] and master proceeds to whistle.


    What do you mean by don''t worry about it? I had a heart attack and I didn''t know about it.


    "Anyways, let''s get moving and.... what?"


    I wanted to press master further about the heart attack but our attention was attracted to Kirin who was grasping tightly onto master''s shirt hem.


    "What''s wrong, little one?" Engrande asked.


    "Eerie." She said as she pointed at the crack in space. The crack in space is actually master''s ability [Vault].


    At first, I thought she mistook it as something else but slowly, I was also able to feel something ominous coming from the crack.


    "I feel it too." Lady Senna said.


    "I am of the same. I felt it too." Djin finally spoke ever since we departed. I don''t think I have a heard him spoke since we woke up not counting our telepathy, of course.


    It wasn''t just eerie or ominous. It felt evil. It felt like destruction in its sheerest form.


    Nonchalantly, master took out a sack made of cloth wrapping up together. Everyone flinched away from the sack immediately. Citra dove into Bartholomew''s armor. Even Djin took some steps away while I was froze by the aura the sack produced.


    "I guess this is the culprit?" Master said.


    "What in the world is that?" Engrande asked as he slowly approaches the sack.


    Master laid it on the ground and unveiled the sack. What is there before our eyes are clumps of absolute black metal of some kind. Even smoke are rising but I don''t think it is because it was hot.


    "Byproducts of the forging of Indara. Probably from the negative emotions that I had during the forging."


    Indara who was in his original form being strapped to Djin''s back turn into his human form and came trotting here. He pats master who looks slightly dejected.


    "It''s okay."


    Master can only smile wryly back at Indara.


    His other hand reaches out for the black clumps but it was stopped by master.


    "Don''t. I have no idea what they are, yet but as you all can already tell, it is not something good. I can''t destroy it and I can''t leave it laying around either. Which is why I''m taking it along with me."


    "What do you plan on doing with it?" The giant asked.


    "I''m sure I can figure something out." Master said as he wrapped it back up and tossed it back into his [Vault]. "In the long run."


    Are you sure you should be tossing it just like that?


    A stale and silent mood drown us as the crack in the space disappears. Despite the absence of the sinister presence, the traces of it still lingers.


    "Come on, we should keep moving."


    "Huh? Oh! Right." Nilin snapped out of her daze when she was flicked by master.


    Once again, an awkward silent ensued as we travel down the ridiculously long and straight path. Do we still need Nilin leading the way if it''s just a straight path down the road?


    Nevertheless, we continued on but at least the awkward silent is slowly disappearing. We''re making small talks now and Indara is walking in his human form as oppose to being strapped onto Djin''s back. When asked, he responded that he dislike being carried like a luggage.


    We let him walked on his own for awhile until we realize he is just too slow since he has small feet. This is the reason he was carried like luggage in the first place.


    I never noticed but he''s shorter than Kirin by half a head although he looks more mature then Kirin.


    "Carry me, papa." Indara asked with his hands sprawled. Kirin who heard that jerked head towards Indara.


    "Sure sure." Without any complaints, master carried Indara into his arms, not as a weapon but as a child. Master smiled at the surprised Indara. It seems Indara didn''t expect his request to be granted so easily and he giggled in response. To make the atmosphere even sweeter, master rubs his head.


    Hmm.... Indara sure does look like master now that I''m looking at them side by side. I guess his case and mine were the same. We were crafted in the image of master after all.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Mwu~" Kirin got grumpy and sulked.


    Surprisingly, the one who offered to carry Kirin is Lady Senna but master interceded. Of course, Kirin got even more unhappier but she relented when master remind her that Lady Senna is pregnant.


    Now, Kirin looked guilt ridden.


    "Djin?" Master looks toward the walking armor and he instantly understood master''s notion. I still find it strange that Djin, me, and Indara are able to understand master''s simple gesture without too much indication.


    If this is the result of us having some sort of link with master, this is just too amazing.


    Without any effort, Djin put Kirin on his shoulders. She even yelped as she was suddenly lifted up. "Forgive me if it''s uncomfortable, your Highness."


    Flustered, Kirin shakes her head rapidly. "Nn, good." She said in a voice lower than usual. At least she''s happy now.


    Cormac and Bartholomew stared.


    I get it that it must be nice to have someone carry you but you two are not a small goblin anymore and aren''t even kids in the first place, so Cormac, Bartholomew, please act your age and stop looking at Kirin with those envious eyes.


    "Do we have any Onyx left?" asked Engrande.


    "We do but it''s only enough for a single sword." Master replied.


    Although master didn''t look at Engrande in the eyes when replying, no one seems to mind it. We have all gotten use to master''s strange etiquette.


    "Perfect. Just the amount I need to craft the weapon I have on my mind as soon as we got out of here."


    "What kind of weapon?"


    "Secret. For now." Engrande replied with a small laugh.


    The word "secret" seems to hook on master''s curiosity as he offered a quick glance at Engrande.


    "Nil, how much further?" Master suddenly asked.


    "Yeah Nil, how much further?"


    Cormac sounded impatient. Seems like he has been itching to ask the same thing but was afraid of being boorish.


    "Um.... we''re halfway there?"


    "Your tone carries uncertainty, Nilin."


    Huh. Nilin is the only one got addressed by Djin normally without any fancy titles.


    "I-it''s just that it has been a long time, o-okay? B-but don''t worry. I''m sure we are on the right path."


    Um.... it''s just a straight path all along. There''s no way we can get lost, right?


    Noticing Lady Senna''s intermittent fidgeting for a while now, I come upon her with a question like a itch I just had to scratch.


    "What''s wrong, milady?"


    I call her milady sometimes, advised by Kai and affirmed by master. Somehow, I''m doubtful but it''s rude to distrust my benefactor and savior.


    "It''s nothing. It''s just that the chain mail is kinda uncomfortable." she said, fidgeting a few more times.


    "Sorry but it could save your life." Master retorted.


    "Yeah, I know. Still, it''s very uncomfortable."


    By the way, only Bartholomew and Cormac are wearing armor, heavy and light, respectively. Djin didn''t have to, of course. Master, Engrande, and I can''t or rather, it wouldn''t be optimal considering we have shifting forms. Lady Senna, Kirin, and Nilin are all wearing chain mails under their robes and dresses.


    Apparently wearing armor especially metal types, will hinder magic efficiency unless one is a magic sponge like master, incredibly sensitive to Mana. Coming from that logic, a mage wouldn''t really fare well in close combat since they don''t have armor or lacking the finesse for evasive maneuvers. Also, most mages need to chant for each spell cast. Which is why a Mage Fighter is rare and a Battle Mage is incredibly impractical....


    .... normally speaking.


    Hmm.... if that''s the case, master could be a Mage Fighter if he trains a bit more. No, he surely is able to be a Mage Fighter if we had more time.


    While I''m thinking of the what if''s like always, we have begun making long talks while walking this long arduous path. Before I realized, we came to an opening.


    "Woah....." Cormac let out an amazed breath while Bartholomew and Citra feast their eyes.


    Huge.


    The opening we have entered into is huge. Remnants of battles could be seen in this area. There are corpses long decayed and some rusted battle equipment scattering over the place. There must be at least a hundred meter distance between the center and the walls.


    Speaking of the walls..... what are those things on the wall?


    Are those murals? Engravings?


    No....


    "What are those?" I asked as I pointed at those warrior-looking statues embedded into the walls.


    "Can''t you tell?" was the halfhearted answer I got from master.


    I sigh and resort to using [Arcane Analysis] on the statues. The distance between is quite far so I need to strain my eyes and energy further to appraise it.


    Huh?


    "Sentinels?"


    Master nodded.


    "They are not going to come to live and stop us, will they?" I asked.


    "I think whoever sets these all up seriously doesn''t want us to leave."


    "Didn''t we already past the trial or test back there?"


    "Who knows? Maybe whoever built and design this place have some disagreement with each other? Or maybe this part and that part were added and different times? We wouldn''t know but what we do know is that, leaving here ain''t going to be easy, that''s for sure."


    Maybe it''s just my imagination but I kinda saw a glint on master''s eyes. Don''t tell me he''s looking forward to it?


    Nah, it can''t be. Master likes peace.


    "Hmph. Looks we have another obstacle in front of us." Engrande added.


    "Advising to take battle formation." Djin is already reaching out to Indara for a weapon but Djin''s open arms were refuted by Indara.


    Although I don''t sense any threat yet but seeing as how Sentinels act as a guardian or a warden, I don''t doubt they would come alive any moment now to stop us from leaving.


    "Nilin?"


    Nilin shifts back to her human form with her back to master. "Yes?" she responded.


    "Did you know about this room?"


    "Y---yes-ss?"


    "Care to tell us why you didn''t mention to us about this room?"


    Nilin gives out a nervous laughter before answering "I forgot?"


    "And what is the true purpose of this room?"


    "Ah.... I might have not been listening when they were telling me?"


    Master sighed. "Tom."


    No additional context needed and I understood what master wanted me to do.


    I approach the trembling Nilin who is giving me a nervous smile. I smile back to her and her strained face loosened.... but it clamps back up when I drill my knuckles into her temple.


    "Wait wait wait! That hurts... that hurts... that hurts!!!" She screamed with tears coming out of her face. Her dignity as a Spirit of Nature dropped past zero point with her tear and saliva stained face.


    After I''m done with handing out her punishment, I look away from her face. Her messed-up face is kinda invoking a certain side within me.


    [New fetish awakening]


    Kai retort.


    [No no no no! Nothing is awakening. Go back to your work. Shouldn''t you be giving it your full concentration to withholding the soul unison? What if you make a mistake? Wouldn''t something terrible happened to master then?]


    [Sheesh. Just trying to have some fun.]


    It has been quite rare for Kai to be talking with us these past few days. It''s because he has been working hard to keep the monster within master restrained and suppressed. The unison of the souls within master is getting faster. No one knew what would happened should the unison complete but Kai guess that the master we know of right now, would no longer exist should it happen. So until master remember everything, we are keeping the soul unison from being completed.


    "Kyu~!!" Citra cried out suddenly and we stopped in our tracks.


    While we haven''t the faintest idea to the cause of her cries, master moved fast as if understanding her language. I noticed the text [Foresight] appearing above Citra''s head. Did she foresaw something? Master must have known it too since he has [Clairvoyant].


    Using [Pyschokinesis], master lifts a large boulder and throws it at the entrance where we came through. The next second, a door comes sliding down on the boulder master threw, sealing the path where we came from. The boulder couldn''t even hold the door for one second.


    "Tch. Should have threw it after I enchanted it with some Mana."


    "Ouch....." Indara cried.


    "Sorry."


    "It''s okay, papa." Despie being thrown aside in urgency, Indara smiled back at the apologizing master.


    Following the the closed path, Mana surged in the statues and ignited the magic within.


    The statues, as I predicted, came to live.


    "Seriously advising a battle formation, Lord Creator."


    Master look over his shoulder at Djin and gives him a nod.


    "Kyu!!"


    Citra''s shriek put us all on alert, even more.


    What follows after her premonition cry is something that spells trouble all over. Sentinels embedded in the walls are coming out. They indeed came to live.


    There weren''t any struggle to break free of their encase. It was like they just phased out from the walls.


    Sentinels are swarming from all the walls surrounding us. The numbers become something that I think even Kai would have trouble counting.


    [There are eighty-five of them. Twelve of them are superior variants.]


    Oh. Looks like Kai could count them after all but.... aren''t you really busy right now?


    [Counting things such as this is something I could even do with my hands tied while asleep.]


    Nope. To the wise advice of master, I won''t retort the flaws in logic stated by a super intelligent magic existence.


    When I shrugged myself back to the current situation, flashes of images assaulted my mind for a few seconds. I almost lost my footing but the harsh training under Engrande taught me to act on my subconscious and instincts. I was able to stop myself from falling.


    The images were of some red crystallized Spriggans. There was a man and a woman. They were being mauled and brutalized by these red crystal Spriggans. At the same time, I could feel the fear and despair being transmitted into me.


    Wha.....


    "Master?" I look to the source of the images, master. These are obviously master''s memories. Master himself looked a bit nervous.


    Looks like our current situation brought back some bad memories.


    "Dear, it will be fine." Lady Senna assured master. Even though she couldn''t read his mind, she could feel master''s unease. "You aren''t who you were. That''s in the past."


    "That remains to be seen."


    Instead of the usual "I know", master retorted with a more ominous answer. It even made Lady Senna looked a little bit unease now.


    Djin put Kirin down and took his battle stance. Out of all of us, Djin probably has the most intimidating presence from appearance alone.


    "Wah~! They are coming." Cormac screamed as the Sentinels keep pouring from the walls. Some of them stayed at their position. They are archers. Their arrows nocked and bow drawn.


    A text appeared beside the drawn bows. Before I could read it, another shriek from Citra caught my attention. Along with the shrieking Citra, master grimaced.


    "Citra! Barrier, now!" Master shouted his command.


    Citra nodded adorably and leaped from Bartholomew to Kirin who is in the center of all of us. Mana begin gathering and swelling with Citra as the epicenter. Moments later, a barrier, [Maven''s Veil] is erected and covers us all.


    "Uwah~!" Another incoherent scream came from Cormac as he witnessed the arrows being deflected away only inches before him.


    The arrows are doused with magic of some kind. Normal arrows probably wouldn''t have deal much damage to a peculiar group like us.


    Citra''s magic level isn''t until the level of being able to defend against more than a dozen of attacks but by using Kirin as a battery, the barrier was able to hold against this much.


    When their arrows failed, the variant Sentinels gave command to charge.


    In response, I invoke the shadow flames. Engrande used his racial ability, [Shura]. Cormac summoned his black bow, Seeker through [Black Concert].


    We all braced for the clash but that was an unnecessary action. Black and white balls of energy manifest around us. Each of the energy balls split into five beams that hit most of the Sentinels.


    What the what just happened....


    "Oh damn, woman..... You sure are scary." Engrande muttered with a cramped smile.


    Cormac is clapping until Bartholomew stopped him.


    Yes, it was Lady Senna. I wasn''t paying attention to her so I didn''t see the spell name but it was strong enough cut down the Sentinel numbers to less than a quarter of the original.


    "You just make my worries look silly." Master said with a faraway look.


    "Don''t worry, that''s not all of them. They''re coming again."


    Lady Senna is right. Another wave emerged and this time, they even came from the ground but luckily, none of them came from near the ground we stood.


    Lady Senna''s barrages of black and white are relentless but so are the Sentinels. They are equally endless.


    If Lady Senna was alone in an open battlefield, it would be an understatement to say that it will be a cinch for her to wipe out every last one of the Sentinels in a blink of an eye.


    But reality isn''t so convenient. Any flashier attacks would bring the place down on us and not to mention she will have collateral to deal with.


    Soon, the first line of our defenses, Lady Senna''s barrages were broken through.


    And much sooner, our second line of defense, master and Djin''s magic and Cormac''s [Dark Cluster] shots failed to hold them back.


    Now, it has become a close quarter combat.


    "Indara!"


    Without a sound of defiance or complaint, Indara shifts into his true form and flies into master''s hand. With Indara in his grip, he exits the barrier and lay waste to the Sentinels. Seconds after, Bartholomew follows after equipping himself with a shield and a mace.


    It was miraculous and convenient that Citra''s [Maven''s Veil] protection does not work both ways. Which means, those who are on the inside can attack the ones outside the barrier. Truly convenient.


    Engrande, Cormac, Djin, and I have considerable range even in close combat, so we stood inside the veil. Engrande is sending shockwaves with his ethereal limbs, Cormac switched to a whipblade simmered in his [Black Consert], Djin is unleashing red lightning bolts and strikes, and I''m using [Rage Spear] along with [Havoc Wreckor].


    Lady Senna is handling the archer and mage Sentinels. Kirin provides all of us Mana to operate while Citra keeps the barrier up.


    As for Nilin......


    well.....


    ....she''s cowering under Lady Senna who is hovering in the air with her black and white wings.


    Is she not to use to battles but she kinda held her own back in the cave where we found Engrande.....


    [Tom.]


    [Yes, master?]


    [Do what I told you about.]


    [Ah.... that.... but....]


    [It''s not like you''ll be lying, right?]


    [Ah.... no. No, I won''t be lying.]


    I took a deep breath and faced the shivering Nilin but not before I burned a few Sentinels into cinders.


    "Nilin."


    She looks up at me, uncurling herself.


    "After we get out of here, I''ll take responsibility for what happened to you. You broken your oath, right? Then I will sure take responsibility for it. I want us to be together, forever."


    Nilin stares blankly at me for a second.... before becoming bloated like a tomato.


    "But I need your help to make that happen, can you?"


    Strength seems to have found its way into Nilin as her eyes begin filling with determination while she is also getting redder and redder.


    She stands up and spreads her hands.


    [Rampant Growth]. The text appears beside her.


    Cyan vines begin erupting from the ground and grew wildly. They form into a pseudo-fence surrounding us, controlling the flow of the Sentinels'' assault.


    "I-idiot. That''s not something you should be saying at this kind of time."


    Her small voice could only be picked up by anyone with keen hearing. So ya, I heard her but I was too busy to retort.


    "Kyu~? Kyu! Kyu! Kyu!"


    Citra starts making another series of sounds. She appears to have seen something with her [Foresight].


    "Everyone, get ready. The leader Sentinels are making their move." Master glanced over to the variant who have been standing in the back line all this time. I can see the Mana flow around them is starting to shift. They are acting.


    I can tell from my hunch that they won''t be as easy as their canon fodder underlings.


    Master who has been fighting with Indara in his hands, threw the living sword to Djin who caught it without even sparing a glance.


    [Eh! Gentler, please.]


    [[Noted.]]


    [Mwu....]


    There could be only one reason for master to give away Indara in such situation.


    Master''s skin is dyed as black as a cave without light.


    Luminous traces of dark purplish lines covered his body.


    His height and size grew.


    His whole appearance changed as he took the true form of his race, --


    -- Violet Tail.


    "This has become all the more interesting" Engrande strengthened his phantom magic limbs. They are now gilded with a layer of whitish gold.


    "Now, let''s do this." Master said, his voice has become hoarse due to his transformation.


    "All in a hard day''s work."


    Lady Senna beat me by a second faster to master''s favorite line.

 H29 - Battle for a Tomorrow

    "Angie, don''t push yourself too hard." I told her the first thing after I took notice that the variant Sentinels are finally making their move.


    Although she was only barely a month pregnant, no way in hell that I''m going to take chances.


    "Be at ease, my beloved. The child in me took precedence over my incline for battles. I won''t do anything that would put her at risk."


    Her? Did you just arbitrary decided on its gender?


    "I''m a Nephilim. My constitution isn''t that of a human''s. Your worries are excessive."


    Excessive but not unneeded but she has a point. Pregnant might not trouble her in a way it trouble normal humans.


    One of the Variants summoned a spear made of magic into it''s hand. [Mystic Instruments] is the name of the skill it just used according to Appraisal.


    My attention is primarily on the Variants but I didn''t take my attention off of the smaller fries. There was a few close calls but Angie saved my ass a couple of times. I said close calls but I don''t think I would be hurt that much even if they landed their attacks.


    The spear-bearer Variant finally tosses the spear in it''s hand.


    I put up [Plane Displacement]but it pierces through it although not quite easily. If this was back then, I would have panicked a little but I''m stronger now.


    I put up three more [Plane Displacement] and it is stopped at the third one.


    Is there anything [Plane Displacement] can easily block anymore?


    A strange warmth like a blanket over my shoulders, I felt it suddenly. There is also some dazzling light behind me.


    I turned to find a prism shining intensely with bright white light.


    [Space Magic: Prism], [Light Magic: White Light], it reads. Looks like it''s a combination of two magic spells. The white light is trapped within the magic prism.


    At Angie''s will, white laser-like beams are shot out and all of those beams are dashing towards the variants.


    "What the...." Engrande is left speechless, not at Angie but at the Sentinels.


    The small fries ceased everything they were doing and retreated back to the variants. They are all desperately trying to defend the Variants against the attacks by forming a wall with their own bodies.


    Some Variants escaped the attacks using teleportation techniques, some are saved by their minions, and there is also a few who are not fortunate to survive an S-rank''s offensive power.


    A few.... no. It is more than a few. The surviving Variants only numbered to four. There were those who dodged the beam but a second beam arrived immediately.


    Jesus.... Angie and I are definitely on different leagues here. I would have no problem in taking down two or four of them with some slight difficulty but Angie just absolutely destroyed more than half of their numbers without so much as a sweat and not to mention how she decimated the small fries too.


    If she wasn''t here, things would definitely played out very differently in a terrible sense.


    Maybe this situation isn''t that bad after all. Maybe I should be taking this.....


    --Whoops.


    Just as I thought that there will be smooth sailing, I''m handed lemons.


    The remaining small fries crumbled into dust and new ones stopped coming.


    At a glance, it does look like luck was on our side but my instincts are doing nothing but alerting me.


    "Lord Creator, I sense a tremendous threat incoming."


    "Tin-man''s right, boy. I could feel it too."


    Hmm? If we''re talking about intuition and feelings, wouldn''t Citra be making a whole lot of noise right now?


    I look back and found the reason. It wasn''t that she didn''t see it coming but rather, she is scared stiff. Does it really warrant that much fear?


    "Master, something big is coming."


    To Tom''s words, I nodded.


    The Variants stop fighting and gather at a certain spot. They look like they are performing an impromptu ritual. The dust are gathering in the air, spiraling and expanding outwards, creating something like a portal.


    I won''t let you, you know?


    I signal Angie, Djin, and Cormac to use long range attack to interrupt them but all of the projectiles disappear as if there is a nullifying barrier around them.


    "Even Senna''s....." Engrande stares in disbelief. I can relate. It is absurd to think that Angie''s attack could even be stopped.


    I rush in to interrupt them but some of the dust forms into stakes and aimed for me. It is for naught, however. Over the course of our time back in that deserted city, my [Spatial Magic] and [Mana Overseer] has reached level eight. At level eight, I have unlocked a few skills which makes everything so much easier.


    One of them is [Spatial Magic: Phase Shift].


    The stakes went through my body as if I was just a mere illusion.


    I arrived at the center of the ritual but none of the Variants seem like they will be doing anything to stop me.


    Going through my list of arsenals available, I picked [Fracture].


    -- Guh! No good. It didn''t activate. How about this? [Sever]. It didn''t work either, eh?


    A hand came out. It came for my throat but it passed right through me of course.


    In just a few seconds, a much taller Sentinel came out of the dust portal. It is twice the size of the Variants and it wields a double bladed sword. To be precise, a double bladed butcher knife that matches its size.


    As soon as they are finished with the ritual, they all came attacking. I received support from Angie and the others but their magic projectiles are still being nullified.


    I fend off two Sentinels with my tail. And I phased through the rest of the attacks.


    Convenient as it might be, [Phase Shift] is something I can only activate for a short while and it has an interval or in gamer''s term, a cooldown. I have to use it wisely.


    The large Sentinel, Warden is its name according to appraisal, attacked with the double bladed butcher knife.


    The Warden has an Overall Power Ranking of A. It has over five thousand HP for an A-rank. Its Arcane Arts consist of [Earth Magic], [Mana Control], [Mystic Instruments], and a racial skill; [Eternal Guardian (Legacy)]. No Effective Combat Power. I guess it ain''t that intelligent.


    That''s good.


    No doubt with a power ranking of A, it surely would break through [Plane Displacement] with a swing but I have a new trick.


    [Shatter Shield]. Superficially, it looks the same as [Plane Displacement] from every angle but it shatters upon impact and return the same amount of force back to the attacker. I could have just [Spatial Leap] out of there but I was feeling a little bit daring.


    I don''t know what came over me.


    Granted, that was a dangerous way to do trials.


    After deflecting its attack, I counter with [Sever] but it didn''t activate like other offensive magic. Before it could launch another attack, I blinked back to safety.


    Hmm.... It seem the nullifying effect only affects direct magic attacks.


    "It''s a tough one, ain''t it? Any words of advice for caution?" Engrande asked.


    "Just the usual." I said something on a whim and charged straight at the Sentinels again.


    "The usual?"


    "What''s the usual?"


    "I don''t think we have one."


    Bartholomew raised an eyebrow. Cormac believed my nonchalant reply while Engrande got use to my eccentricities.


    I swipe my claws enchanted with [Sever] at the Sentinels. As I expected, it didn''t work.


    From behind, six [Abyssal Javelins] fly towards the ceiling above the Sentinels. The javelins of darkness brought the ceiling down but the Warden easily warded off with a swing of its weapon.


    I hear Angie clicking her tongue. Oh right, Angie has [Abyss Magic] doesn''t she? She mostly uses her unique Arcane Art [Twilight Providence] only.


    "Djin, you''re on." I leap back as I evade a few attacks from the retaliating Sentinels.


    Djin appears next to me only seconds after I gave out the command, leaving red sparks in his trail. With Indara in his hands, he instantly decimated two of the Sentinels who were too close to me.


    No. He decimated one. The other survived with only its legs lobbed off. However, it doesn''t give much thought to the damages it took. It comes at me like a bullet without any care to its own well-being.


    I easily catch its weapon aiming for my heart and crushes its head with my other claw. My size is considerably large than a Sentinel. I could fit an entire Sentinel''s head in my palm.


    The remaining two attacked in turn but they stopped in mid air as if someone pressed the pause button on a certain universal remote albeit only for a very short period of time.


    Although I didn''t witness the source, I can tell that it came from Angie''s [Time Magic].


    Their sudden pause gave Djin and I enough time to finish them off.


    Then, it is the Warden''s turn. It''s double-bladed butcher knife clashes with Indara while it sent its fist at me. I put up [Shatter Shield] and cross my arms as an insurance. Its fist broke the shield but the repelling force is resisted by the Warden. My insurance stance blocked the punch but I feel my bones cracked against such strength.


    [Master!]


    [Lord Creator!]


    [Papa!]


    "Dear!"


    The three who are linked with me screamed through telepathy. Angie was left out of it but her worries is still transmitted.


    "I''m fine."


    Broken bones are nothing to me after all. I just wanted to gouge my enemy''s strength. Speed is my forte. If I wish, I could do dance with the Warden all day.


    My bones are mended before I knew it.


    Overgrown roots appear and entangle its limbs.


    "Yeah! Got you!" Nilin gleefully yelled.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Well, not that I needed that but it does make what I''m about to do easier. So.... thanks?


    I went in with [Spatial Leap] and right hook the Warden''s face.


    Damn, it''s tough, physically.


    Something fell out. I don''t know what it is but it looks pissed after that. It easily untangled itself from the roots and attack.


    "Hah~!?" Nilin yelled.


    Why the surprise? Are you not aware of your own strength?


    While retorting to Nilin in my mind, I got into a close combat with the Warden.


    [Master, do you need help?]


    [I''m alright, Tom. Just standby.]


    [Got it.]


    The Warden desperately tries to slash and cut me but I am just too fast. Feeling slightly mischievous and caught in the mood, I lightly slapped the Warden''s face with my tail as a bonus.


    I''m enjoying this too much at the wrong place and the wrong time.


    I didn''t think Golems like Sentinels have emotions but the Warden''s rock-stiff facial expression is slowly warping into a grimace.


    It keep missing me and I keep landing my hits. It finally snapped and attack my teammates. Djin attempted to stop it but a single swing send Djin flying away.


    It fires some earth magic spells with rocks as the projectiles but they were all defended against by Citra''s persisting barrier.


    Angie and Cormac attack with long range magic but the results are the same as always.


    Engrande exits the barrier and faces it head on. It ethereal arms clad in flames, he rains barrages of punches at the Warden.


    I thought for sure Engrande would turn it into grounded meat but the Warden either deflected or blocked the punches perfectly. The punches that got through are met with strong resistance of its skin.


    What is it made of?


    Despite the many attacks it suffered, its help is still healthily above fifty percent of its maximum value. Not that it''s bad, my health is still at full due to my regenerative ability.


    Cormac dives into his shadow and reappears at the back of the Warden. He is wielding a black sword this time instead of a bow.


    The Warden notices it and splits its double-bladed butcher knife into half.


    Oh wow. That is awesome. Something about the scene tickled the chunni heart within me.


    Oops. Focus, Hyx. We''re in a battle now. I should stop day dreaming and help out.


    I close the distance between with consecutive [Spatial Leaps]. I invoke [Mana Transmission] and starts draining its Mana.


    Both of the Warden''s hands are occupied but not for long. After repelling away Cormac with ease, it attacks me.


    [You are unworthy to lay a hand on Lord Creator.]


    Djin said something pompous and defended me against the slash. With some fierce and elegant swordplay, Djin slices off the Warden''s left arm.


    With a little of its focus lost, Engrande takes advantage of it. He grabs hold of its other arm with all of his arms and tears it off.


    Oof...... That''s gotta hurt.


    -- EEEEEEWWWWEEEEEEE!


    It shrieks in an incoherent manner. Perhaps that was a chant for a spell because I can see a magic attack coming.


    Appraisal reads [Earth Spike]. The ground protrudes spikes around the Warden Engrande and Cormac hop away from it, Djin receives the spikes which broke against its metallic body. As for me, it just went through me.


    After draining two-thirds of its Mana, I felt something changed. It is also at the same time Bartholomew comes on the offense.


    His barehanded punch sent the Warden flying away from us. I intended to drain it dry of its Mana but Barthy here kinda messed that up.


    I look at the cut-up Hobgoblin but he looks at like he did a very proud thing.


    Ignorance is truly a bliss.


    "Hmm. Something''s different?"


    Angie commented and launches a few magic at the Warden. This time, every magic hits the Warden and it went flying even further away.


    "Yeah. I drain a lot of its Mana away and I seem to have drain away its nullifying barrier."


    Strange though, I don''t see any text appearing when it uses the nullifying barrier. Is it not some kind of magic?


    "Kyu~! Kyu~!"


    Ok.... I don''t like the sound of that.....


    In the next instance, images of multiple Sentinels appearing around the Warden flashes in my mind.


    Oh.... shit....


    Looking back at the Warden who is now a considerable distance away from us, its health have returned to full.


    That must be its [Eternal Guardian] at work.


    Multiple magic circles conjuring around it. From those magic circles, variant Sentinels rose from it. I called them Variants but their name according to appraisal is Elite Sentinel, not very creative but who am I to judge.


    I can''t count exactly of their numbers but there must be more than twenty of them.


    Good god..... As much as I like to fight, I ain''t a junkie. There is a limit to it.


    "Dear...."


    I heard Angie weakly called out to me and I turned to look at her.


    Her expression looks strained. She is sweating profusely. What happened?


    "Lass, you don''t look good." Engrande and I are of the same opinion.


    "Are you unwell, Lady Senna?" asked Djin.


    "I''m fine. It''s just that I felt drained all of a sudden."


    Drained?


    I activate a stronger Mana Vision and analyze her condition.


    What the....?


    I can see a fetus in her already and it was absorbing Mana and nutrients from her at an unbelievable rate but not at a rate that would dry her up.


    How could this be? She''s barely one month pregnant.


    No. This unexpected situation should be expected. My child is not of two humans but a Magic Beast and a Nephilim. A few differences should have been considered.


    Damn it. I fucked up. I should have known this. If Kai wasn''t busy, he would have pointed it out.


    I can''t afford to fool around any longer.


    "Djin. Tom. We''re going all out."


    The two nodded without any hesitation.


    "Dear...." Angie called out to me.


    "You take a rest. I''ll handle this swift and clean."


    She wanted to retort but Engrande clasps his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "Take a rest, lassie. Your child deserves it."


    "Y-yes." Angie reluctantly comply.


    Now that''s taken care off.


    Hmm?


    I invoke [Famine Shield] in the nick of time as a few projectiles came flying at us. The magic missiles melted into the shield and is converted into my Mana.


    "That''s quite rude of them." I said that but it is us that was being rude here. I ignored them in the middle of a battle after all.


    I gesture Kirin to my arms.


    Citra left Kirin and went to Bartholomew.


    Kirin and I embraced.


    No, we aren''t doing anything salacious in the middle of a fight. I am simply recharging my Mana. Yeap. That''s all. Her soft and fair skin in contact with mine is no agenda of mine at all, nope.


    Regaining back my Mana to full, I face towards the fully assembled Sentinels.


    Djin poured his Mana into Indara until it reaches the threshold. Tom activate his [Wrath of Oni].


    As for me, I enchant myself with [Spatial Magic] and [Overload]. This way, my attacks and skills will be considerably more effective and stronger but at the cost of higher Mana expenditure.


    "The rest of you, take care of Angie, okay?"


    "Of course, laddie."


    "Nn."


    "Fine. I-if this is also T-Tom''s wish."


    "Understood."


    "Yes sir."


    "Kyu!"


    Good. Now, let''s do this.


    [Well, I have made this more difficult than it needs to be.] I patronized myself as Djin swings Indara down on the Warden.


    The Onyx blade broke through every shield and barrier the Warden had put up and bisecting it into half. The last foe is finally slain.


    This whole thing could have been resolved much earlier and easier but I wanted to test how far I have come with my training with Engrande but since Angie began showing some strange symptoms, plans changed.


    To summarized the whole battle, I threw all the Sentinels in a sub-space I created with [Proxy Realm]. In there, I let Djin and Tom ran wild. The Elite Sentinels were immediately wiped out. As for the Warden, Djin and Tom held him in place with the close combat skills as I slowly drained it of its Mana. Once it was completely drained, we went all out.


    It was tough, however. Its body was partially made with Azunmite but it wasn''t impossible for us. We lost slowly chipped away its durability a.k.a its health. [Proxy Realm] reached its limit about this time but it was already enough. It had became fragile enough for Djin to destroy it in a single swing.


    [Soul Harvest] would definitely ended everything with ease but if I did that, I''m not sure what would happen to the bigger picture since they are mandatory Guardians of this place. Souls consumed by [Soul Harvest] are forever damned.


    When the last Sentinel crumbled into dust from two halves, I see a relief expression spreading on Angie''s face.


    Damn.... She''s really beautiful, isn''t she?


    "Angie, you alright?"I asked.


    "With you here, even the dark is bright." She smiled gently at me.


    If it''s just us here, I would have already pushed her down and have her until she begged for mercy twice.


    Suppressing the emerging wolf within me, I smile wryly in return.


    Kirin who is in my arms, tighten her hold on me. Again, we''re not doing anything shady, I am simply recharging. Yes, that''s all. Nothing else. And by the way, I am back in my human form. The moment [Proxy Realm] broke was also the same time my Mana reached its minimum threshold, returning back into my human form.


    Angie''s smile twitches and falters at Kirin''s action. I can see sparks scattering between them.


    "Just stop with it already." I said and brushes Kirin''s hair. She relents and enjoy the hair brushing. You''re the older one here, Angie. Please bear with this.


    "Yeesh. Save that for later, can you?" Nilin who looked jealous at our three-way affection is pouting.


    Tom who noticed the pouting Nilin, he approaches her. "There, there." Nilin is surprised at the sudden head pat from Tom. She resisted the ecstasy for awhile before finally giving in.


    Tsundere till the end.


    While I''m warmly looking at the two, Djin comes towards me. "Forgive my imprudence, Lord Creator but I suggest we keep moving. This ruin is full of the unexpected. We can''t brave the possible risk that exist even now."


    "Whew, that was hard. Indara thought we would have loose. Indara was really afraid just now."


    Indara told me while still in his sword form. I realized this kinda recently, he talks in third person when he''s nervous huh. During the whole battle, I can kinda hear his mumbling of our chances of victory.


    But it''s not really that hard though? My bad.


    "Hey, Tinhead is right." Engrande said. I see an empty barrel beside him. Did he just chugged one down right after the battle?


    I look to Bartholomew, Cormac, and Citra. The three gave me a look that assured their well-being.


    Good. Everyone''s alright. We should keep moving now.


    "Let''s go." I said and moved towards the direction of what seems to be the exit. Actually, it was the only exit in this room.


    "This is it huh?" Tom asked, walking beside me.


    "Yeah. After so long, we finally get the break we deserve. We might be looking at retirement after this." I said it jokingly but Angie''s giving me a funny look.


    Tom suddenly bursts out a short laughter. "Do you think it would be a bad joke like last time?"


    I smiled wryly. "I hope not." and turned it upside down. "It better not be."


    I felt my cheek getting poked. "Nn. Scary."


    To my left, is a glaring Angie. Kirin noticed it and returned her glare with a childish response. She was blowing raspberry.


    I thought Angie would have retort or retaliate but she swiftly ignored her. Oh? Is Angie finally acting her age?


    Kirin looks disheartened at this. Really? You''re sad because you can''t provoke her? Jesus, you''re older than me, you know?


    We arrived at a bridge. It was wide and made of some sturdy rock, thank god. And there aren''t any crocodiles nor alligators underneath but a pitch black fall.


    "Kyu~!" Citra shrieked and dove into Bartholomew''s armor.


    I immediately understood the nature of her cry.


    As we are crossing the bridge, a huge wave of dread assaulted us. Everyone felt it. Angie is clutching at her belly and curling up. I invoke [Spirit Magic: Calm Field] around us and pulled her into my embrace.


    Her constitution got better but I have mixed feelings since I''m embracing Kirin and Angie together. Please don''t fight. Not right now, at least.


    I exchange glances with Tom.


    "It''s familiar...." said Tom.


    "Is the murderer itself." I glanced back at where we came from. "The murderer of our friends." I would have clenched my fists if Kirin and Angie weren''t in my arms.


    Bartholomew and Cormac seem to remember it too. Their face distorted with rage and sorrow of the memories of their fallen brothers. If these were them before, they would be cowering in fear.


    "It survived?"


    I''m guessing Tom meant the Void Demon survived his battle with Vira. It''s not that surprising now that we know a little more about them. "Course it did. Otherwise the previous civilization wouldn''t have so much trouble with it."


    If they were that easy to be killed, Rising Valley would still be standing today.


    The trembled after the dreadful air, fissures making their way all across the room. From the cracks caused by the fissure, dark purplish energy spilled out from these small crevices.


    All the leaked energy headed towards the center of the room like crawling snakes. The energy sips into the broken pieces of the Sentinels and even the dusts.


    "Fucking hell....." I muttered. I felt cold shivers on me when I realized what it was trying to do. It is making himself a body with the Sentinels'' remnants. I swear I could see a slight resemblance of an oddly familiar human face among the undulating energy.


    "Papa, what''s that?"


    That is what your kind was created for, is what I want to say but his juvenile appearance made me think twice.


    "Angie." I nudged at her who was staring blankly at the gathering energy. She snapped back to reality and look at me. "And all of you, be careful. This pain in the neck here is one tough son of a bitch." I told them all.


    ¡°Lord Creator, I advise retreat. The advice may be ill but this entity before us is more so. Forgive my imprudence.¡±


    I didn''t bother to offer Djin even a glance. I let go of Angie and Kirin who are in my arms. I moved in front of them. Engrade looks like he is about to offer the same advice but I shut him up with a wave of my hand.


    "Noted. But I ain''t running." I retort.


    I can''t run. I don''t want to.


    [Master? Remember, you now have something more important than just vengeance.] Even Tom advised me through telepathy.


    [I know! But I can''t let him go..... Not after what he had caused me to loose....]


    [Hyx.]


    Kai finally spoke.


    [I''m really against this but.....]


    but?


    [If this is truly your decision, I will support it as much as I can.]


    [Huh? I thought you will be persuading me to do otherwise? What gives?]


    [You forgot, Hyx. We are one and the same. Your vengeance is mine too.]


    I see. Then, [I''ll be counting on you, Kai.]


    [Yes.]


    Vengeance is brewing within me but I let it fuel my actions instead of letting it take over.


    "Aedrox." I sneered at the Void Demon.


    A body made of the remnants of the Sentinels, he stared right back at me. A fearless grin formed on its rigid and strangely human-like face.


    The face is sorta familiar although I can''t quite put my finger on it but I felt irritation just from looking at that face.


    "Harbinger!"


    It called out to me. The space around him begins to crack open like frail glass.


    The cracks become holes. From these holes, hundreds of different creatures pour into the room.


    [Ooooo.... kay..... Papa? Indara think we should run. Please?]


    Indara''s voice barely registered in my mind. I was concentrating on appraising the monsters pouring in.


    They are all monster I have encountered before in the dungeon and they all have either Encroached or Corrupted status. They are all at least C-rank.


    And among the hideous creatures with purplish veins tracing their bodies, one stood out among them.


    A beautiful Dryad which I have shared my love with just the night before.


    "No....." Kirin who also saw the Dryad muttered in a completely hollow voice.


    "It can''t be....."


    "Your majesty......"


    Aside Kirin, Engrande and Djin, the others could only stare in terror and despair.


    Her eyes are completely white. Like the others, purple veins cover her whole body.


    I didn''t want to believe it but the truth is laid bare before me.


    Appraisal clearly tells me the name of the Corrupted Dryad.


    Luamiraya.


    "Like my present?" The Void fuck asked.


    To his question, I bare my fangs and snarled at him. I feel heat rising up in me. It literally felt like my rage is boiling in a very literal sense. It is really getting hot.


    I have even unconsciously breathing raggedly. My mind slowly slips into turmoil.


    My whole body is shivering.


    And I only feel the heat within rising without limits.


    [Hyx, something''s wrong.]


    [No shit, Kai.]


    [No. I''m not talking about her. I''m talking about you. Something is happening! This is really bad. You''re--]


    Kai was abruptly cut off.


    [I''m what!?]


    I screamed back at him. Despite my best efforts, my rage begins to cloud my mind. At that moment, I heard a voice from the system.


    [Conditions Cleared]


    Oh no.....


    [Commencing Evolution]


    Just fucking great.

 T16 - The Storm(2)

    Master suddenly collapse.


    His Mana flow surged and went rampant as the link that connects us all was cut off.


    "You''re making this too easy." The Void Demon remarked.


    We are surrounded by enemies on all sides.


    We took our usual defensive formation. Citra in the middle with Kirin as the battery, a barrier enshrouds us. We prepare ourselves for the monsters.


    But the monsters were only staring at us. They were all awaiting orders.


    "Steady now, everyone. Don''t get intimidated."


    Engrande has taken charge. This was the contingency plan we concocted before leaving Rising Valley. Angie and Nilin is tending to Master and the rest of us are the vanguard while master recuperate. That was the plan but I fear it wouldn''t go smoothly.


    The Mana flow within master is just in chaos. Just what is happening to master this time? Don''t tell me the unison is taking place?


    "I can make it even much easier for all of you here." The Void Demon told us.


    "What?" Engrande snorted back.


    "Surrender the Harbinger to us and you''re free to go."


    "And why would a depraved demon like you would do that?"


    "To respect the last wishes of my host."


    "Never!" Lady Senna snarled at Aedrox, baring her wings. Even Nilin was frightened by it.


    "Mwu~!"


    Aedrox turn to me and Engrande.


    "No." Engrande promptly answered.


    I threw a black flame dart at him. It was extinguished before it even reach him but that serves as my answer.


    "Fine. Have it your way." He said and splayed his hand at us.


    No, not us. At master.


    The space around master rippled. It was being folded like cloth, it was closing in on master.


    "Papa~!" Indara was fast. He turned back into his human form and rushed for them.


    "Lady Senna! Lord Creator!" Djin who was the closest to Master and Lady Senna reached out to them.


    As the space collapses, Lady Senna pushed Nilin away in time and prevented Indara and Djin from coming closer before it swallowed her and master.


    And they were gone. The presence of master and Lady Senna has completely disappeared.


    "What happened? Where have they gone?" Bartholomew asked as his eyes dart around.


    "Master disappeared?" Cormac repeated the obvious.


    "Have fun." said the Aedrox as he disappeared from the room in a similar fashion when teleported master away, leaving his enthralled ones to us.


    The hole that was gushing out monsters persisted. Looks like the corrupted Luya was responsible for keeping it open.


    "Forgive me, your majesty." Djin apologized and threw a red lightning spear at Corrupted Luya.


    She raised her hand steadily, palm spread open, the lightning spear was absorbed into the palm.


    "As expected, her abilities will provide the enemies with tremendous advantages." said Djin.


    "Then concentrate on the monsters other than her. The dungeon collapsed. The Void Demon can''t have possibly revived each monsters in the dungeon."


    I would like to agree with Engrande but after seeing what he could do, I''m not too sure about that.


    All at once, they came charging at us. They all crashed into the barrier but it did not mattered to them that they did not succeed. They are pressing their faces on the barrier, bursting open their flesh while doing so. One by one, they all followed they same suicide attempts.


    They have zero consideration for their own well-being.


    "Crap. This is not good."


    I agreed with Engrande. Each monster here are already extremely capable in their own rights and now they have been imbued and corrupted with Void power, I don''t see us emerging victorious, not without Lady Senna and master.


    "Ah~! They came in! They came in!" Nilin yelled.


    "Danger~!" Kirin pointed.


    Five corrupted snake-like monsters with six eyes slit right through the barrier. They are the size of an average human.


    As I was wondering how they did that, Engrande gave me the answer.


    "They are Wyrms. They have the same legacy Arcane Art as the little one here."


    My link with master was cut off so I wasn''t able to use [Arcane Analysis].


    One of them pounced.


    "Watch out, they have [Poison Magic]." Engrande warned.


    Before its venomous fang reached anyone, red lightning turned it into charcoal.


    "Slow." Djin pointed out. I feel like he was referring to us and the Wyrms.


    One of the Wyrms fire a black beam from its mouth at Djin. He took the beam without evading and guarding. The beam did not even so much as to scratch it.


    Oh right, Djin is made of Onyx Steel, the same as Indara.


    Cormac dispatched the Wyrm who was trying to fire the beam again with Seeker.


    Bartholomew pulverized another after being immobilized by Nilin.


    Engrande crushed one with his ethereal arms and incinerate the last one with [Forge Fire].


    "Kyu~! Kyu~!" Citra gave out her warning cries.


    "There, incoming." Cormac pointed at the direction of the danger Citra indicated. For some reasons, only Bartholomew and Cormac understood Citra''s words to certain extent.


    An Alpha Goliath broke through part of the barrier with a single charge.


    "Broke!" Kirin gasped.


    "Oh no, you don''t." Cormac shot down any monsters try to take this opportunity to rush in. His arrows didn''t do much against the Alpha Goliath though.


    "Citra repair the barrier. Kirin concentrate fully on mending it." Engrande shouted.


    The barrier was instantly mended, dismembering any monster who tried to get through. Although, the Alpha and four Goliaths got through.


    "Djin, you take care of the Alpha."


    "Understood, Lord Engrande." He complied and dashed towards the larger demon ape of the five.


    "Ah~! Wait for I-Indara." Indara ran behind Djin. With a leap, he turned back into a sword and flew into Djin''s hand.


    With Indara in his hand, he swung, leaving trails of red light and sparks, but unlike usual, the blade stops right in the middle of the Alpha''s flesh.


    The Alpha grinned and brought its fist together, ready to slam it down at Djin.


    I was about to call out to him but my caution was unnecessary.


    "Fool." said Djin and he unleashed the magic power within Indara and turn the Alpha into ashes from overloaded with Mana.


    Engrande easily turned one into splat. I cut one into pieces with [Rage Blade]. Cormac shot [Cluster Shot] at point blank, turning the Goliath into mass.


    Bartholomew was the only one encountering difficulty. The Goliath corrupted by Void power is significantly physically stronger than him. It was a bad match up for Bartholomew.


    "I won''t let you." Nilin bind the Goliath in place.


    I was prepare to finish it off but I didn''t expect what happen next.


    Thorns grew en masse from the roots binding the Goliath, impaling it all over. What a brutal way to go.


    We all stared at Nilin.


    "What~?" She tilted her head. "Anything to make sure I will be together with you forever." She looked at me with glittering eyes while emitting "praise me" aura.


    For some reasons, I felt shivers down my spine when I thought of her future.


    While other monsters are clawing and knocking at the barrier with nothing but the pure conviction to make us one of them or to maul us just for the sake of it, a few more Wyrms bypassed the barrier.


    Nilin traps them in place and Bartholomew incinerated the intruders with [Forge Fire]. Djin, Cormac, and I, we are responsible for long range assaults, repelling any that looks to close for comfort. Engrande has the burden of taking care of the intruders and the monsters clawing at the barrier.


    "Kyu~! Kyu~!"


    I do not like the sound of that.


    The barrier was assaulted by black lightning. They came like waves, crashing down onto Citra''s [Maven''s Veil] repeatedly.


    Cracks were formed from those attacks.


    Attack that came from an Alpha Serrator, clad in black lightning instead of the usual red. Rather than clad, it was more like the black lightning is spilling from its body wounds. If master was here, he would definitely be appalled at the sight.


    For someone who had gone through a lot, he is still unused to a lot of things.


    "Not good." said Kirin. She''s referring to our situation not about herself. Even without appraisal ability, I can tell her Mana level is still healthy from Mana Vision. She''s replenishing her Mana faster than her expenditure. No doubt this one of the abilities of [Floral Matriarch]. Divine Art sure is amazing.


    The barrier''s crack was quickly repaired. There was a slight shudder to the barrier but I passed it off as my imagination.


    "Cormac, take care of that Alpha Serrator."


    "Yes." Cormac answered and took out special-made arrows from storage ring enchanted with the spell [Vault].


    Seeker don''t need arrows but it can use arrows although normal arrow''s strength doesn''t match up to Seeker''s default magic arrows. But the white arrows that Cormac just took out are crafted by Engrande and master. They are enchanted with [Sever] and [Fracture] ability.


    Cormac released the first white arrow at the Alpha Serrator''s head.


    The Alpha grabbed a nearby Wight and used it as a shield. The Wight was distorted before being minced into pieces. The Alpha threw the mangle corpse at the barrier and it turned into complete splatter.


    Cormac nocked the second arrow immediately but the Alpha has faster preparation. It bared its jaw at the barrier and bit down on it. The cracks reappeared from its fangs.


    "Eat this!" shouted Cormac as he released the second white arrow. It went into the Serrator''s mouth and came out from the back its throat. Affected by the [Spatial Magic]-imbued arrow, the head and neck imploded before exploding. Blood muddied by the Void spurted out like a fountain.


    "Kyu~!" Citra pointed at a direction by mimicking her body like an arrow. She was pointing at a charging Alpha Goliath.


    "Guh! Another one? Djin, go get em."


    Djin nodded sent an aura in the shape of a blade with a swing. It cleanly tore right through the charging Goliath before it reached the barrier. The aura blade continued on its path and decimated any unfortunate monster behind the Goliath.


    Djin unleashed more aura blades and mowed down the monsters in succession. His kill count might be the highest among us now. As expected of master''s creation.


    Immediately after, a Wyrm came from the ground right where Djin is standing. No, it came out from underground to be more precise. It crawled up at Djin like a snake climbing a tree.


    Cormac moved fast and cut the Wyrm into two with a dagger handy.


    "Earth Wyrm?" Engrade said.


    Looks like it is some sort of variant.


    "Wait....." Engrande paused. Looks like he realized something.


    "Oh crap." At the same time, I realized the same thing as Engrande.


    The ground underneath us shook. Something is coming at us from below the ground.


    Besides Earth Wyrm, centipedes with humanoid upper body, Kalas also emerged from underground.


    "Shit!" Engrande cursed.


    Kirin screamed along with Citra.


    I moved to secured Nilin into my arms and make quick work of the intruders.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Eh~!?" Nilin gave out a cute cry as she was lifted. It was cute but now''s not the time to be enthralled by it.


    Bartholomew helped but he wasn''t able to do much due to his speed.


    Large whips of shadow flames conjured in my right hand, [Havoc Wrecker]. I swung it wildly but not without precision.


    Engrande was caught off guard and swarmed by Earth Wyrms and Kalas alike.


    "Primary directives." Djin said.


    Without any words of command from me or Engrande, he dashed towards Kirin.


    -- [G-g-g....get away from her~!!!!]


    Indara screamed as he was swung at the monster that were approaching Kirin and Citra.


    Hmm? Come to think of it, Indara was quiet despite the hectic situation.


    No. If I think about it, he can''t speak in his sword form and it''s only because of master that we could communicate through telepathy.


    But what was that just now?


    [Indara, can you hear me?]


    I tried to call out to him by thinking about it but nothing...... Was it a fluke?


    Anyways, now''s not the time for such trifle matters.


    I sent [Night Javelins] at the monsters swarming Engrande. It wasn''t easy. My ability grazed Engrande a few times but please overlook this.


    When the numbers were shaved down to an amount, Engrande shook himself free from the monsters. "Good job, lad!"


    I was thanked instead as he spin with his total eight arms in a circle. And he was free from the monsters.


    Seems like Cormac was dispatching the remaining intruders. All''s well, I guess?


    "How are you guys holding up?" Engrande asked even though he was the one with the most wounds but the wounds healed up immediately he injected himself with both a health potion and Mana potion.


    "Fine."


    "Still at maximum function"


    "I''m okay."


    "Still fine."


    Cormac and Bartholomew also took this chance to recover their health and Mana.


    "I can still fight." I answered


    "I''m alright too, you know?" A sweet voice came from my left arm.


    Oh, it was Nilin. I forgot I was carrying her.


    She blushed and looked away when she realized we were staring at each other in the eyes.


    "Kyu~! Kyu~! Kyu~! Kyu~!"


    Okay, what is it now? She seems to be crying much louder than usual.


    "Hurts." Kirin said as she was pulled by Citra who coiled around her shoulder.


    "What has gotten the little one so flustered this time?" Engrande mused while rubbing his chin.


    It seems like Citra was trying to pull Kirin to somewhere.


    No....


    What if she''s trying to pull Kirin away instead?


    Wait... Oh no!


    "Djin! Get them out of---"


    My shout of warning was cut off as the ground beneath their feet crumbled.


    In the ground''s place, a large mouth emerged, large enough to fit the three in the mouth.


    Djin wasted no time and moved away from that location. With Kirin and Citra, of course.


    The large mouth continued to rise from under the ground. It is a Wyrm. A large Wyrm....


    "Kyu~?"


    A cry different from the recent ones came out from Citra.


    "What''s the matter?" Bartholomew who also seemed notice the unusual cry from Citra, asked.


    "What....?" Engrande said.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Its titles. One of it reads "Citra''s mother"."


    "Really?" Nilin asked but she was ignored.


    Engrande have told master and I something about titles before. When in the company of relatives or families, hidden titles will appear to indicate their relationship.


    It appears this giant Wyrm is Citra''s mother. Citra realized it too it seems.


    The giant Wyrm continues to reveal its colossal body until it went through the barrier. If the barrier could be broken from the inside, this would be bad.


    Suddenly, the barrier shuddered. It was definitely not my imagination this time. It was loosing power.


    "Citra? What''s wrong?" Cormac asked as he continues to shoot down the monsters outside the barrier.


    "Kyu~...... Kyu~....."


    "She''s afraid and..... sad? I don''t understand. She''s distraught?" Cormac told us.


    I see. She''s in despair from seeing her mother''s corpse being desecrated and defiled into a mere puppet right in front of her.


    "Oh no, the barrier!"


    At Engrande''s warning, the barrier lost the source of its Mana and disappeared.


    Damn.


    Citra''s mental condition is most likely in turmoil. She couldn''t maintain the barrier in such state.


    No time for consideration for anything now.


    I unleashed [Demolisher] at the giant Wyrm that came diving its head at us. It didn''t manage to kill it but it was held back.


    "Kyu~! Kyu~!" Citra was screaming at me while pulling Kirin along.


    "Mwu. Hurts."


    "Citra. She''s already dead. Stop that!" Bartholomew shouted at her.


    But she wasn''t listening. She continued her cries while pulling Kirin along.


    "Guys. Watch out!" shouted Engrande as we are swarmed by the monsters this time as we are bare naked and defenseless without the barrier.


    "Your highness, put Citra to sleep."


    "Nn...." Kirin managed to nod and cast [Spirit Magic] to force Citra into slumber.


    Once Citra was asleep, Djin once again carried them into his arms and darted around to avoid the incoming monsters. I did the same.


    Engrande is pounded by monsters from every direction due to his large size. The Large Wyrm constricts him with its large body.


    "Damn Wyrm!" Engrande could only shout as he slowly looses any advantage he has.


    Other than Engrande, Bartholomew and Cormac weren''t doing well too. They are attacked from all sides and the small scratches and cuts received from the monsters are accumulating.


    A Kalas'' claw caught a clean cut across Cormac''s back. Due to their training with Engrande, Cormac was able to endure the pain and quickly launch a counter attack to stagger the Kalas who was preparing another attack.


    "Get away from him!"


    Immediately, the Kalas'' head exploded from being hit by the full brunt force of Bartholomew''s mace.


    Cormac took Bartholomew''s hand and dragged him into their shadows. The shadow portal closed too early and severed Bartholomew''s arm.


    I hope they are okay.


    Without the barrier, we are attacked from every direction possible, even above and below.


    "Nilin, climb on my back."


    Without waiting for her approval, I forcefully threw her to my back. I relied on her dexterity and luck to latch herself on to me.


    "Gotcha!"


    She did it. Thank goodness.


    Now, I have two free hands.


    I continue bringing death to all that closed in on me.


    I have yet to activate [Wrath of Oni] as I have no idea if it would hurt Nilin who was latching onto me. Now was not the time to try.


    "Ah!! You pests!!" Engrande roared. All of his hands clapped together to form a praying stance. He muttered something in a low voice. "-- [Thousand Arms of Shura]!!"


    His ethereal arms transformed into a large humanoid figure with only the upper body. It grew a few more extra arms but it is no where near fifty let alone a hundred or thousand.


    The Giant Wyrm was unable to keep constricting Engrande in that size, it was tossed away by him.


    With those extra arms attacking together, he was making the earth shook with every strike.


    He could have used these earlier but I can understand why he didn''t. Judging from his Mana pool with Mana Vision, it was draining fast. This skill consumes Mana to fast.


    Perhaps Kirin who saw Engrande also realized that his skill would not last, she pointed at Engrande while pleading to Djin.


    "Supply Mana." I heard her said.


    "Negative, your highness. Primary directive."


    Looks like due to some master''s order, he can''t let Kirin go. Sentience he might have, in the end, he values master''s wishes first.


    "Mwu~!" Kirin pouted.


    "Ah~! Look out." Nilin shouted.


    Oops. I was busy looking at the two that I was almost crushed by a rolling bug. It appears while it was rolling, it is impervious to magic. From the front only though.


    I swung [Havoc Wrecker] from the side and smashed it to pieces.


    "Your highness!"


    I turned to Djin''s scream and saw Kirin have gotten away from Djin''s hold and is now running towards Engrande.


    What is she thinking??


    Djin desperately tried to make his way to her but the monsters were too much. Even with [Storm Rush], the monsters were just too much.


    She was immediately surrounded. None of the monster cared if she was only a child. They attacked her all the same.


    "Get lost."


    Kirin spoke softly but somehow, I heard her voice like a tiny echo.


    Mana surged within her. Spirits gathered around her, forming into telephone pole-size spears. Each spears are launched deep into the attacking monsters. They were all killed in an instance.


    No.... what has she done?


    Spirits of Nature are not allowed to do harm until a certain age. I do not know if it applies to her since she''s something like a royalty among the Spirits and I can''t see her title without an appraisal ability.


    In addition, Nilin offered her assistance. She used the same spell that summons overgrown roots to act as a fence around Kirin''s path. I also assist by firing [Night Javelins].


    Bartholomew and Cormac jumped out of Kirin''s shadow.


    "I''m here." Cormac said and fire volleys of arrow.


    Bartholomew let out a battle cry and dove into the monster crowd. I was worried for a second but they way he swung his mace like a spinning top is even scaring some of the monsters away. Looks his arm has grew back and Cormac''s injuries are healed. No doubt the work of Elixir and potions master gave us.


    Kirin reached Engrande in the nick of time. She wrapped herself on his leg and began supplying Mana.


    "Thank ya, girlie!" Engrande gave his appreciation.


    "Welcome!" She nodded back with a smile.


    With a near-unlimited supply of Mana, Engrande went all out. He even put the giant Wyrm in its place.


    "NGRUUU!!!!" The giant Wyrm roared, a louder and lower pitch version of Citra''s cries. Magic circle forms in front of its mouth.


    A breath attack.


    It breathed out a dark purplish beam aimed at Engrande.


    Engrande countered with a palm force from one his [Shura Arms].


    The beam turns the force into nothing.


    Engrande clicked his tongue and sent multiple palm forces this time.


    The results were the same however.


    "Shit!" Engrande was too large to dodge the beam.


    "Go!" Djin spoke the word like an absolute demand as he threw Indara. He threw it so precise that it arrived exactly before Engrande and intercepted the beam.


    The beam was nothing against Onyx Steel.


    After that, Indara flew back into Djin''s hands.


    "Thank you, Tin-man."


    "Your gratitude is unneeded. Pour those efforts into protecting her highness instead." Djin told Engrande as he decapitated six monsters at once.


    Hmm.... Djin''s Mana level is still in the green. Rather than relying on magic, he utilize his physical potential to the fullest instead. He only casts magic when physical response was not optimal. Truly a Mage Fighter after all.


    "Ah!!!!" Engrande screamed


    We all turned to his sudden cry. A giant centipede had managed to sink its fang into Engrande''s left leg. At the same time the Giant Wyrm also attacked with a bite. He defended against the bite with his [Shura Arms].


    Not just the venom from the centipede but the corruption also begun to spread within Engrande.


    "Tin man! Cut off my left leg now!"


    Djin was occupied. Too many monsters surrounded him. He is doing fine but moving anywhere from that position will be difficult.


    "Let me." Kirin said.


    "Wait, girlie. You shouldn''t--"


    Without minding Engrande''s reluctance to have a child like her to amputate him, she summoned vines as thin as threads and wrapped it around Engrande''s left leg swiftly. At her command, the vines tightened and sever his left leg off.


    The leg was twitching by itself even after being separated from the main body as it got fully corrupted.


    "Tom, above us." Nilin called out.


    I looked up and saw quadrupedal reptilian monster crawling on the ceiling. A Hunter, if I remember correctly but..... aren''t they bipedal?


    It lunged at me.


    I fire a [Demolisher] at it but the spell was nullified. The way it was dispelled reminds me off the Sentinels'' barrier.


    "How..." I want to ask but first, I dodge its attack.


    It moves fast. It attacks again immediately after landing. I am repelling the monsters surrounding me while dodging the Hunter''s attack. This is hard.


    I don''t remember it being this fast. Did it evolve too much when it got corrupted?


    "You''re mine." Cormac yelled as he fired an arrow. Did he just leaped out from a shadow on the ceiling?


    The arrow missed and landed on the Hunter''s shadow. The Hunter is really too fast.


    Its eyes now on Cormac, it lunges again but it failed this time. Or rather, it couldn''t move.


    I remember now. Cormac has a skill that let him immobilize a person should he touch a person''s shadow. [Shadow Bind] is the name if I recalled correctly. It was one of the abilities enchanted on his supplies of arrows.


    Bartholomew came out from the same spot as Cormac and brought his mace down. The Hunter crossed its arm to block but Bartholomew''s strength exceeds its strength by a huge margin.


    "Behind!" Shouted Nilin.


    I turned and saw three more Hunters coming at us.


    Nilin managed to bind one with her roots but the two used the first as a scapegoat to escape the roots.


    They are learning.


    I saw Cormac trying to shoot another arrow enchanted with [Shadow Bind] but he was jumped by a Wight, larger than the usual size. An Alpha, again.


    Bartholomew was caught in a dilemma of helping me or Cormac. He chose Cormac.


    I fought back at the Hunters with my bare hands. It was a good thing that their physical strength doesn''t exceed mine.


    I felt a slight tremor beneath my foot. Acting on intuition, I got away from that ground but I was too slow. An Earth Wyrm managed to tangled my leg with its body.


    Shit. Now I can''t move.


    All other monsters took this chance to pounce on me.


    "I won''t let you!"


    Nilin did a good job of holding the monsters back with her magic but not the Hunters.


    Acting on a hasty decision, I performed an [Aura Strike] at the ground below me.


    An explosion ensued, clouds of dust are raised. The Earth Wyrm bound to me is swallowed by the explosion. Nilin and I were separated and thrown away.


    I have acted as Nilin meat shield for the most part. I absorbed most of the splinters that came at our way. Now, I''m left on the ground with an all mangled-up lower body.


    I lifted my head forcibly and saw one the Hunters is severely injured in the explosion too but the last was unscathed. It had used its own kind to defend itself against the explosion. How cruel.


    Shit....


    It wasn''t coming from me. It went for Nilin.


    "Nilin! Watch out!"


    Nilin who was still in a daze is far too late to respond to my warning.


    The Hunter pinned her down, stabbing its claws into her, one on her right shoulder and another her left palm.


    "Nilin!!"


    Her scream of agony pierced through me.


    The Hunter tore apart her right shoulder and repeatedly clawed at her left arm. It was toying with her. I don''t know if I should be grateful for not killing her immediately or angry that it''s torturing her but I know what I''m about to do.


    [Wrath of Oni].


    My flesh and blood melted into dark flames. My injuries became non-existence when I''m in this state. I closed our distance in a second. I turn the Hunter into ashes.


    "T-Tom...." She called out to me, her eyes are tearing up with her pain.


    "The Elixir. Drink it." I told her.


    While her trembling and heavily injured hands are working their best to take out the Elixir, I fend off the approaching monsters.


    She managed to gulp down all the content of the Elixir unsteadily. Some were spilled but the important things is that she drank it.


    It worked.


    Her wounds are heal immediately. The lost parts regenerated. Not even a scar but.....


    "It hurts....."


    The pain lingers.


    I unleash a radial burst of black fire and set a ring of shadow flames around us, keeping the monsters out from us.


    "Thank god. Thank god." I said something I never though I would say as I tightly embraced her after I deactivated [Wrath of Oni].


    "I''m okay, Tom. I''m okay." She was patting my head back.


    "Everyone!" Engrande shouted, loud enough to reach all of our ears. He was still struggling with the Giant Wyrm and some large centipede. He had no time to drink the Elixir. "Whatever defensive spells you have, crank it up all the way to eleven!"


    Engrande clapped all the twenty something hands together and began a long chant. Looks like it''s a forbidden-level magic.


    From the storage ring, I took out a scroll and Djin did the same. It is a magic scroll with the spell [Dimension Fort] enchanted with [Famine Shield] effects.


    "-- [Furnace Chamber]!" Engrande shout the spell''s name out loud. A red magic circle expand from Engrande and dyed the whole room in vermilion colors.


    We are all covered with the [Dimension Fort] just in time as flames for forging erupted the huge circle. Looks like Kirin had also used the same magic scroll.


    We braced ourselves while the monsters outside of the barrier are slowly turned into cinders and ashes. Even the Hunters are not spared. Looks like their magic dispelling or nullifying ability has its limits. Their sharp cries, screeches, and shrieks assaulted our ears but we endured --


    -- until the flames died down.


    "Is it over?" Cormac peeked his head out from a shadow of one of the burned carcasses.


    "Yeah. For now." I answered him.


    Everything around us are burned to crisp, as how master would have put it. Even the spatial barrier magic, [Dimension Fort] with [Famine Shield] effect is destroyed by the forbidden spell but it did its job at the very least.


    "That was hot~" Nilin said as she clung tightly on me. I could feel a little bit of her modest chest.


    "You all alright?" Engrande asked. He was breathing heavily and he was no longer in his [Shura] form. Despite still having some Mana, mental fatigue is not something that can be rid. Forbidden Spell took a lot out of him, not just his Mana.


    "We''re okay." answered Djin.


    "Nn." Kirin nodded.


    Bartholomew who have also got out of the shadow gave Engrande a thumbs up.


    "Thank the whatever Divines that let us pull through this conundrum."


    "You speak too early, Lord Engrande."


    Our eyes followed where Djin pointed.


    Corrupted Luya is unharmed. She surrounded herself with some sort of barrier. Strong enough to withstood a forbidden-level magic. At least, the space cracks are gone.


    "Luya...." Kirin softly called out but Djin stood in front of her, obstructing her vision of Luya.


    "She is no longer worthy of your eyes, your highness."


    "Nn...." Kirin reluctantly agreed.


    "She''s doing something." Engrande said.


    Mana within Luya surged. With only her surging Mana flow as a forewarning, the ground behind us burst apart. A large tree with red and black tinge emerged.


    "No rest for the wicked, huh." Engrande remarked.


    The roots were overgrown per the usual gimmicks. The branches were still growing out even after the tree itself has stopped. The branches soon grew out flower buds.


    No, not flower buds. It was more similar to a cocoon in shape and size.


    "What are those?" Engrande asked.


    They looked awfully similar to something master told us before.


    Something about Spriggans......


    Ah. I was right.


    The cocoons burst open, releasing the Spriggans inside. Instead of red, they are Black Crystal Spriggans.


    Not even they were spared of the corruption.


    Just how far and how much is corrupted by the Void Demon?


    "[Light Drop]?" Engrande mused as Luya conjured up a [Light Drop].


    It looked unstable with how its trembling. I have a bad feeling about this.


    In addition, javelins made of dark energy are conjured up around Luya.


    "So many....."


    Cormac is right. There''s too many. It will be overkill. Does she even need the Spriggans then?


    And at that moment, the [Light Drop] exploded, turning into an explosion of blind flash of light.


    "Not good! Fuck!" I heard Engrande''s curse over the blinding lights.


    "Primary directive." Djin said. Looks like he was unfazed by the blinding lights. Maybe because he''s inorganic?


    They javelins are launched at us and they were fast, faster than any magic attack projectiles that I have ever encountered until now.


    That move had rid us of any chance to prepare for defense. There was no time for us to use any scrolls or potion. Not even ample time for us to cast defensive magic.


    We have let our guard down due to our fatigue. We shouldn''t have deactivate whatever magic we were using.


    Engrande tried his best to use [Shura] but he was too slow. His [Shura Arms] blocked some but most of it pierced into his flesh.


    Djin moves fast as always. He had left Indara in my care and went for Kirin like usual. He protected her by covering her with his body.


    Cormac grabbed Bartholomew and dove back into the shadow but Bartholomew''s heavy weight might have brought him his demise. The javelins impaled Bartholomew all over and separated their hands. Cormac ended up diving into the shadow alone himself but not before loosing the left arm he used to grab Bartholomew and his left eyes were gouged by the javelins.


    I stuck Indara into the ground. Like Djin, I covered for Nilin with own body and have Indara blocked what he could. It was not enough. A few Javelins tore chunks of my flesh out.


    "T-Tom....?"


    To the worrying Nilin with teared-up eyes, I smiled wryly at her.


    Master, I hope you''re doing well at wherever you are because--


    -- we need you here, badly.

 H30 - Payback

    What is this.....?


    Where the hell am I this time?


    Everything around me is black. Pitch black.


    The same pitch black environment. Again.


    What hap....


    Oh right, I was evolving.


    Or did I evolved?


    Kai?


    Can you hear me? Kai?


    .....


    .....


    Nada. Nothing. What the hell happened to him?


    Did he--


    "He''s fine. He''s just unneeded, at the moment."


    What the..... "Who is this? Who''s talking?" Is that a man or a woman''s voice? Or both?


    "You don''t remember. Not a surprise, however."


    "Do I know you?"


    The voice chuckled. "Better than anyone else and everyone else."


    Okay.... I''m not following.


    "You could say we have known each other since the dawn of magic."


    "That long....?" The voice doesn''t sound like it''s lying. "Could you not do that? I''m in no mood for games or riddles."


    "Games and riddles?" It laughed. "I thought you''re smarter than this. If this was you before your memory lost, you would have quickly grasped the situation and reach an understanding."


    Memory loss....?


    "You have been watching over me for a long time. Well, not you exactly but your predecessors. You''re previous incarnations."


    My previous incarnations? The Shepherds? If that''s the case then..... Ah. "Is it really you? After all this time?"


    "Oh? Seems like you realized who I am, no?"


    "Tricky question. Do you have a name? I don''t remember you ever having one. Not even faintly."


    "Many names but nothing has ever stick. In the end, I''m always forgotten and the one''s who do remember me, they kept everything about me a secret. As far as history and historians are concern, I don''t exist, never have. Therefore, officially, I am nameless for as long as I have existed."


    That''s.... sad.


    "But.... For a vague term and lack of a better word, they have called me a sheep or a lamb. And you, Hyx Atlas, is--"


    "Your shepherd." I continued its sentence. "Your guide. The Harbinger."


    "Pleasure to be finally talking with you, face to face..... Well, metaphorically speaking."


    "What are you?"


    "A parasite? A bug? A mimic? A demon? A creature with an insatiable appetite for power? I''m a lot of things, take your pick."


    "You don''t know what you are?"


    "I do but question is, do you? I have revealed my very being to a lot of people. Yet and still, none seemed to understand or comprehend what I am. Answers, I gave it every time but they don''t grasp it, never did. Therefore, I came to a conclusion. Words, are not enough. Actions, in the end, truly does speak louder."


    Is this.... whatever the hell is this person another case of nut job?


    "You''re unconvinced. You''re afraid. Uncertain, yes."


    "Of course, I am. I don''t really know what you are but I know what you have done and what you are doing to me...."


    "Ah.... you don''t even remember about that. I see. Your wariness is understandable then."


    "About what?"


    "Our mutual understanding. Do you really think a unison of two souls into one single being can be done without the consent of both parties?"


    W-what....?


    "This is a consensual decision. We reached a consensus for this."


    "W-why would I consent to something like this??"


    "Simple. It''s because you choose to believe."


    "In what?"


    "A lot of things. Most notably, her."


    "Her?"


    The voice sighed. "The Goddess who offered you the chance for another life. The Goddess who is responsible for your reincarnation."


    "Why would she.... No. No no no no. For all I know, you could be lying. I-it doesn''t make sense."


    "If only you could remember...."


    "Then make me remember. If I remember everything, wouldn''t everything be easy?"


    "I''m sure your alter ego have already told you or you have already known. We are unifying into a single soul. That means my memories will become yours and my memories are worth millions and millions of years. What do you think was going to happen if all those memories is dumped into you in minutes, let alone seconds?"


    Damn.... the voice has a point, if he isn''t lying, that is.


    "You chose to believe her. You chose this destiny. I want you to remember, I really do but not without risking of turning you into a vegetable. Which is why, you chose to discard your memories. You believe this route that you chose will bring you closer to your goal."


    "And what goal is that?"


    "I can''t tell you, I''m afraid. I''m not even suppose to be talking you actually. One wrong word, it could trigger those memories coming back like a flash flood."


    "Then why are you talking to me?"


    "Because.... it felt like you were about to give up."


    I am?


    "Despite everything you have said or resolved, I can feel hope disappearing from you. You are lying to yourself again and again."


    "I am not giving up. I have a family. I have friends who cares for me. I have a bride-to-be. I have a child. I am not going to give up."


    "What you have, is more burden. More burden than you think you can ever carry. The burden to protect everything you care for. You can''t handle it. Typical of humans to lie to themselves just so they could get through the difficulties that befell on them. That is after all, the reason religions existed. You humans prefer the sweet lie than the ugly truth."


    "But I''m no human. Not anymore."


    "You are a fool. You''re no human? Says who? Says your appraisal? Thing doesn''t even have free will nor sentience. Unconsciously, your spirit is breaking. Not even Kai was the wiser because like you, too much burden was also on him and like you, for the most part, he bears the thought process of a human. In the end, you and him, you two lie to yourself to get by day after day. Frankly, watching the sidelines is starting to get sickening."


    I want to retort but each of his words hit me hard like the truth that I''m desperately trying to bury.


    "What do you want me to do? I didn''t ask for this and I ain''t even a full fledge adult in my last life but I chose to shut up and bears it all up like a responsible adult anyways. Can you blame me for breaking? Can you blame me for failing even though I have tried so hard, every time."


    "The key to survive in this unfair and difficult world, is not to just work hard, but to also work smart. Having just the brains or just the tenacity could only bring you this far. You need both."


    "Let''s say you''re right. I also need to work smart. What do you propose I do?"


    "Let it flow. Stop trying to go against destiny. Let it runs its course. Let us become one. Don''t fight it. You will only make it worse."


    "Meaning?"


    "Accept me. Accept yourself. Accept your decisions. Accept your destiny. Accept reality. Smarts don''t matter if you do not accept reality."


    "It''s not easy. You should know that....."


    "Yes, it ain''t easy but it ain''t impossible either. Like I said, tenacity and brains."


    "Easier said than done."


    "True but what can I do? Unless you are going to make way and let me take over, that''s my best advice. What was it that you said to me we both came to a consensus? Everything now will just be all in a hard day''s work and at the end of every day, you will look back at the fruits of your labor, thinking to yourself with a smile, that everything was worth it. So-- "


    "-- Let''s do this."


    "Well well, looks like you remember something. That is good."


    Those were my words of comfort.


    My memories.... some were coming back....


    My name.... was Aiden. Aiden Lee.


    My previous life.... I was someone born with a terminal illness. Due to my weak constitution, I was confined to a bed with nothing but books, movies, Animes, and the such to appease my boredom for my whole life. My treatment was painful. I endured it every day. My parents are always busy. I have no siblings. No friends nor sympathetic relatives. I was all alone.


    All alone without a single shred of freedom.


    So, I comfort myself with those words every day. I worked hard to stay alive.


    Even so, my hard work didn''t matter. I died anyways. Hard work alone isn''t enough.


    When I finally kicked the bucket, that was when I met the Goddess. A Primordial Being. Oroviosa, that''s her name. I remember shortening her name to Visa and she threatened to reincarnate me into a cockroach.


    The terms and conditions are still vague but I remember that I told her that I would help her. She was worried about something and I assured her that I would help her with that. I promised her. I was grateful for the second chance. I was warned of the hardship that awaits me but anything is better than being on a bed twenty four seven.


    To me, those hardships were freedom to me, not shackles.


    It''s weird. I was angry and grateful for this second life. Because.... anger was a blue moon to the me before. I was treated like a fragile Chinese Tea Set by everyone.


    I wanted this. I was alone. I was shackled. These two scares me more than anything which is why I accepted this life. Anything other than being all alone and strapped to a bed.


    "You still have a long way to go, Harbinger but I''m sure you will endure and brave through everything. However, if I ever felt that you''re breaking and thinking about giving up the next time, I will take over, capisce?"


    I nodded, metaphorically.


    "Oh, and a word of advice, an unknown is only feared when it''s unknown."


    And the voice went silent.


    Although not everything was resolved but I felt lighter. I have always felt like I have been put into a grinder but now, the weights are lifted off of me.


    [Hyx? Hyx? Are you there?]


    [I''m here, Kai. I''m here.]


    [Thank goodness. I thought.... I thought....]


    [It''s alright. I was just.... being educated.]


    [I know. Our memories are shared, after all.]


    Good. Save me for having to explain. And there''s something else....


    [And Kai?]


    [No need to say. I know. I won''t be interfering with the unison any longer but.... do you trust him?]


    [No, but I believe. I believe in this second chance that the Goddess gave me. I believe in fulfilling my promise. There is still a long way to go but are you..... are you with me, Kai?]


    [Where else would I be?]


    [Thank you, Kai. Thank you.... and....]


    [I know. I know. Don''t say it, Hyx. It''s okay. We both know this will come sooner or later.]


    [I.... I don''t think I need you anymore but I want you to stay....]


    [Hyx, I''m not going anywhere. You and I are one.]


    [I''m sorry....]


    [Your happiness, is mine. Although your mind isn''t completely at peace but it is calmer than ever before. I am happy, Hyx.]


    [Thank you for everything.]


    Kai sighed. [As I have said, I''m not going anywhere. If anything, I''m just going home.]


    [I guess you are.]


    Without Kai, I don''t think I would make it this far. Was he perhaps the manifestation to quell my unease, after all?


    [Well, time to go back. I''m sure we were facing something dire?]


    [.....]


    [Yeah, we were. Now, let''s do this.]


    [Conditions Cleared]


    [Void Exalted (Unique): Lv. 1 - Unlocked]


    An unknown is only feared when its unknown, truly.


    <hr>


    "I thought you will never wake up. After all, she had been screaming for you."


    Aedrox told me as I woke up and stood up from my seemingly slumber.


    Angie is lying face first on the ground beside him. Wounds cover her whole body. Her wings are all torn up. Black and white feathers scattered around.


    Status: Encroached (Progress: Medium)


    She''s not corrupted but encroached. What''s the difference though?


    Our child is safe. Looks like she poured all her efforts into protecting the child. Perhaps the outcome of her fight with Aedrox would be a little different if she wasn''t bearing a child. She has [Space Magic] after all.


    Well, not the time to lament on the past now.


    And by the way....


    Is this a sub-space? Are Angie and I the only ones in this sub-space besides Aedrox? Since my link with Tom, Djin, and Indara is cut, I think that''s the case. The whole place look like a carbon copy of the area I was in.


    Guessing this is Aedrox''s sub-space? There''s no Void energy in the atmosphere except for the ones that are leaking out from him.


    "H-Hyx...." Angie managed to call out to me with a stuttering and weak voice.


    She is in a very bad shape, to put it simply. She''s reserving her energy for our child. The well-being of our child is still her number one priority despite being in such situation. I''m glad she''s as devoted as I am.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Now, my initial response would have been to rush in and save her but my mind is somehow clearer. My anger is peaking but I''m not allowing it to cloud my judgement.


    "Hmm? What''s this? Aren''t you furious at what I''m doing to your bride?"


    He further provoked me by thrusting a stake into her left shoulder. The stake looks solid but upon closer inspection, it looks like a bunch of smoke condensed into a single stick shape. Appraisal has a simple name for it, Void Stake


    Keep calm, Hyx. She''s not dead yet but it''s kinda worrying since she is encroached.


    Hmm?


    Strange....


    I don''t feel panic even now. Anger, I''m feeling it but no hint of panic.


    Normally, unrest boils within me in situations like this but now it was a different feeling.


    I feel liberated.


    "Harbinger! I''m talking to you!"


    Oops. I''m facing an opponent now, aren''t I? And my bride''s live is at stake.


    Now, what to do?


    I take a look at my stats.


    Name: Hyx Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Violet Tail (Magic Beast)


    Status: Mildly Fatigue (Alive)


    Standing: Tenrun''s Heir


    Job: None


    Class: Battle Mage


    <u>Tittles</u>


    -Unparalleled Evolver


    -Monster Slayer


    -Pain Monger


    -Kin Eater


    -Ascended Being


    -Goblin Butcher


    -Friend of the Spirits


    -Dryad¡¯s Beloved


    -Liberator


    -Nephilim¡¯s Beloved


    -Arcane Blacksmith


    -Miracle Alchemist


    -One Who Defies Death


    <u>Arcane Arts</u>


    -Spirit Magic - Lv. 5


    -Spatial Magic - Lv. 8


    -Sealing Magic - Lv. 3


    -Alchemy - Lv. 5


    -Transmutation - Lv. 5


    -Forge Fire - Lv. 5


    -Awakening (Legacy) - Lv. 5


    -Death Inhibitor (Legacy) - Lv. 3


    -Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 8


    -Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv. 4


    -Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv. 1


    HP : 3500


    MP: 5000


    Overall Power Ranking : A


    Effective Combat Power: 5500


    - Attack: 900


    - Defense: 400


    - Magic: 1500


    - Resistance: 700


    - Speed: 2000


    Ho? My power spiked up by a lot. I have entered the realm A-ranks. I even gained a new title and standing is now Tenrun''s Heir? What does that mean? Tenrun was a clan? Angie didn''t mentioning anything about this.


    "Don''t ignored me!" Aedrox snarled and sent Void Stakes at me.


    I absorbed each and everyone of it with [Famine Shield].


    "Has the situation fried your mind? Void are poison to you mortals. You are an idiot to absorb it."


    Am I?


    Well, my health decreased some but it recovered back to full and my status still only reads Mildly Fatigue.


    "H-how...."


    Looks like Aedrox is slowly realizing something''s different about me.


    "Well then, I''ll be taking her back." I said with a smile and Angie is right next to me at the next moment.


    "What was that!?"


    [Spatial Magic: Free Warp]. My new skill. It''s a teleportation ability but it also allows me to teleport other things and people, providing that they do not have the ability to resist.


    "Still, you''re already too late. She''s already corrupted."


    But her status says Encroached though? Her HP is dropping and so is her Mana.


    I invoke the new ability I got, [Void Exalted: Void Skin] and covered only my hand in it. My health is decreasing but not at an absurd rate. Looks like I''m not completely immune to the Void yet but I have some resistance against it.


    Along with [Phase Shift], I stuff my hand into Angie''s chest. I grabbed onto the foreign essence within her. With a tuck, I pulled the Void corruption out of her. I crush it with my Void-clad hand.


    That was easy. Her HP and MP stops dropping. Her status now reads, Weakened.


    Now I''m really feeling the word "cheat" in effect.


    "Impossible!!"


    Aedrox lunges straight at me upon witnessing something akin to a miracle.


    Before his bladed arm could reach me, he is hit by an invisible force that sent him flying away from me.


    [Spatial Magic: Ripple Impact]. A composite magic of [Distort], [Fracture], and [Free Warp]. It''s like bending an elastic object and let it snap back into shape.


    "Damn you! Damn you!!" It shouted at me.


    I take out the elixir for Angie from her storage ring by using my admin privileges. Judging from her slight reactions, I can tell she''s conscious enough to drink it herself but I''m not going to pass on this chance. So I mouth-feed her the elixir.


    I feel some response as she is also wriggling her tongue. If she had any more energy, she would have been making out with me now.


    After finishing the mouth-feeding, Aedrox has regained its composure.


    "You really are worthy to be my vessel."


    "I am not in the slightest bit honored." I retort.


    I let Angie rest behind me. Her status is still Weakened so she can''t rejoin the fight. Just in case, I cast the strongest [Dimension Fort] on Angie. I hope it will last. My defense value is only 400 for an A-rank. I''m pretty sure Engrande has at least a thousand in defense.


    Well, Angie''s defense is less than a hundred if memory serves.


    HP : 2200


    MP: 8000


    Overall Power Ranking : S


    Effective Combat Power: 6000


    - Attack: 350


    - Defense: 50


    - Magic: 3000


    - Resistance: 2000


    - Speed: 600


    Yeap. It really is less than a hundred.


    "You are being awfully confident for someone who was just nearing death."


    Aedrox zeroed in on me in an instant. I evaded his hand which was going to grab me.


    "I wasn''t nearing death though?" Well, not exactly, at least.


    Aedrox blurs out from my view.


    -- Behind.


    I turned and blocked an attack with [Shatter Shield]. The returning force sends him rolling away.


    Wait.... that''s not him.


    The figure who I thought was Aedrox fades away like a mirage. Was that a mirror image with a temporary physical form?


    "Whoa there." I dodged an attack coming from my blind spot.


    "Tch. How did you dodged that?"


    "I''m psychic?" I''m not wrong. I do have [Clairvoyant] after all.


    Basketball size orbs of Void energy appear around Aedrox. "Dodge this."


    Bringing Angie with me, I [Free Warp] out of the strike zone. A huge crater is formed at where the orbs bombarded.


    There are still some left over orbs that come chasing me but I destroy it all with [Distort] and [Fracture].


    "You''re not getting away."


    Aedrox proceeds to unleash flurry and barrages of attacks with patterns that no could be predicted by the normal mind but in my case, my mind is no longer normal.


    "H-how....!? How did you dodged all that?"


    "I''m psychic. I told you."


    Ever since my evolution, [Clairvoyant] works so much better now and I respond better to critical situations. Feels like my thought process has been merged with Kai''s.


    "Bullshit!"


    He yelled and swung his bladed arm at me.


    "Eh?"


    I can''t warp? My whole feels compressed.


    "Submit!"


    The blade found its way into my right shoulder. It stings. It''s good that I still have my pain receptors tone down to one. He transforms his other arm into a blade also and thrusts it at me.


    I caught that arm with my hand clad with [Void Skin].


    Aedrox''s rigid face of its vessel turned wide-eye. "Tch. And they call us absurd and aberrant. So what does that make you?"


    I fully agree and I don''t know.


    But damn, Aedrox''s physical strength is not something to laugh at. I''m being overpowered.


    "But in the end, nothing''s changed." He grinned at me.


    In addition to his superior strength, some kind of pressure is pressing against me, preventing me from using most of my spells or abilities.


    "Not so tough now, are ya?"


    What the heck''s with his two bit villainous lines?


    A stake erupts from the earth below where I stand, it impaled my right leg. Another one emerged and impaled my left.


    Honestly, I''m only faring well against Aedrox so far is due to the fact that [Spatial Magic] is the one of the few abilities that is effective against him and I have [Void Exalted] to resist against the Void energy poisoning. In reality, I''m still far from being a match for Angie or Vira. They do have significantly more battle experience than me.


    My situation right now is kinda dangerous but it also kinda works in my favor.


    Let''s hope I don''t get overdose.


    I invoke [Mana Transmission] and drain his energy. It feels like boiling water trickling down my skin.


    "You..... You just don''t give up, do ya!?"


    "Unfortunately for you, yeah. I''m kinda persistent and stubborn."


    Now, he''s trying to separate from me but I''m not letting him.


    "Tch."He clicked his tongue and detach the arms I am holding onto.


    Eh? He can do that? Well, of course he can.


    He regrows back another pair of arms. He transforms his right arm into a blade and slashes at me.


    I dodge low and spin kick at him. At the same time my foot collide with his body, I invoke [Ripple Impact] but he was only knocked back a few feet. He predicted this but whatever''s preventing me from using abilities earlier is gone. I don''t know the reason but maybe it''s because I drained his energy. Just maybe.


    Meh, whatever. I cast [Ripple Impact] again and this time from above. He went face first into the ground.


    I stifled a chuckle.


    "Harbinger!!!" He screamed out of frustration and humiliation as he did something to the ground. Dark purple veins expanded out like a web from where he put his hands. Void energy spills out.


    Oh crap.


    I warp Angie into my arms and repeatedly cast [Dimension Fort] around us and also [Magic Enhancement].


    "You won''t die from this but you sure as hell will wish that you had."


    Aedrox said and ignited the spilled energy.


    The whole sub-space is then consumed and swallowed in a dark but radiant purplish explosion.


    <hr>


    "Stop being a coward and show yourself!"


    Not ten seconds past after the dust from the explosions has settled.


    "I know you''re not dead. I know you are hiding. Show yourself and face me!"


    I''m glad that I can create a sub-space within another sub-space. Well, not within exactly. More like parallel. Each dimension runs parallel to each other.


    Looks like the explosion earlier does not discriminate. Aedrox''s vessel is damaged badly and it looks like it could crumble from a single flick of a finger. I''m actually surprise that he hasn''t crumble yet.


    "You are not dead. You are the Harbinger. You are not destined to die here. You are my vessel!"


    Sounds like he''s trying to convince himself of the possibility that I might have perished from his attack. Come to think of it, he''s sounding more and more like a human with his choice of words and tones.


    "I''m right here."


    I reveal myself. I let Angie stay in [Proxy Realm]. She should be safe in there.


    "It would have been so much easier and less painful if you had surrender from the get-go. Just surrender and submit to me."


    "You and I both know that''s not going to happen. It won''t even be the last thing I do."


    I sneakily cast [Fracture] at him while we are conversing. The space where Aedrox was suppose to be standing explodes and scatters the damages.


    He dodged it. He''s too cautious now.


    Hmm? My arm feels like it''s in a grinder. With ease, I pull my arm of the imaginative grinder. My arm is fine but the feeling of being ground is still there.


    My leg is next to be ground. I escaped from that too.


    Just where did he went and where is he doing all this from?


    Oh. An image flashed in my mind.


    I leaned back and avoided a blade that came out of nowhere. The same pattern repeated a few more times, attacks seemingly came out of nowhere but I understand he is merely hiding in another sub-space and attacking from there. [Phase Shift] doesn''t work on him, I found that out by receiving a slash across my arm.


    Of course, that wound healed back in seconds. Glad that Void energy no longer hinders my healing ability.


    Eventually, he reveals himself and pounces straight at me.


    That''s reckless.


    I dodged with a short range [Free Warp] and retaliate with [Sever].


    I did some damage but it healed back. His wincing from my attacks. That means he''s taking real damage but he has a faster recovery speed.


    Now, this is a stalemate. I''m hurting him but he heals everything back. Appraisal is still unable to read his stats not even his HP or MP.


    I should step up my game. Not a time for me to hold back. After all, my opponent isn''t just some two-bit villain despite his tone and words.


    I use [Awakening].


    Black smoke spread from me. I melted into a puddle of shadows. From this shadow puddle, my new form comes crawling out.


    After evolution, my Awakened form looks even less humanoid. My features are the same for the most part except that I gained some height, my claws are longer, my limbs are now more fitted for quadrupedal, and my head..... lengthened.....


    Not less humanoid.... I don''t even look like a human anymore in my new Awakened form.


    I am now a complete monster. I look like the miniature version of the monster I saw in my visions although with some different and extra features. Most notably, the tail with a violet pointed tip.


    "Impossible...." Aedrox said.


    What''s impossible....


    "Why is the First Beast....."


    First Beast? Is that its name or something like a moniker? But First Beast eh, in a literal sense or just a name to accentuate its strength?


    Unlike Kai before, the First Beast isn''t answering to the questions in my head. Did it went back to sleep? Can I even call it asleep since it''s aware of everything that has transpired?


    "Harbinger, you and the First Beast are one?"


    My head naturally tilts to the side as I thought about the answer.


    "Yeah." I said.


    Whoa.... I sound kinda like a certain race of squid-like alien space ship from dark space. I am shouting with joy in my mind on how badass I sound but I shivered at the thought of speaking like that with a straight face to others.... especially if the others are from earth.


    "Curse it! Curse it all!!"


    Knowing that I''m also the First Beast, kinda hooked his nerves somehow. They really do have some history together.


    Anyhow, I''ll save those questions for later.


    I kick off the ground, launching myself at Aedrox. I thrust out my claw.


    "Foolish." He splays his hand at me.


    My strike is met with resistance but I feel like I''m breaking through all the walls of resistance. I enchant my claws with [Sever] as I swipe at him, tearing the space apart like fabrics. I missed, by an inch. I don''t think he dodged but I don''t feel like my aim was off.


    I can''t figure out what it was that made me miss but no time to lament about it now.


    He counters with his bladed-arm but I caught it with my tail. He tried to cut my tail with his other bladed-arm but his arm bounced off. I coated my tail with [Void Skin] along with [Shatter Shield].


    I throw him away and bombard him with [Ripple Impact].


    I follow up with a new composite magic that I synthesized on the spot. [Arcane Orb] energized with Void Essence. [Void Exalted: Void''s Roar].


    A dark purple beam fires from my mouth.


    Aedrox who is still getting bombarded with [Ripple Impact] cast some sort of magic that seems to be distorting the beam.


    I create a [Prism] and diffuse the beam, breaking free from the distortion


    Aedrox responded with an expanded range of his distortion ability. The beams clashed with the distortion exploded and raised clouds of dust.


    Under the cover of the smoke, I [Free Warp] to his six with [Presence Detachment].


    I didn''t think it would work but it kinda did. Although I do not know if it was a hundred percent since my presence could have just been lowered till the point that he''s too busy with what''s in front to notice. Nevertheless, it accomplished what I intended for it to.


    I can somehow vaguely see that Aedrox has covered himself in some kind of protective shroud. I thrust my claws coated with [Void Skin] into it and pried it open. A wave of unseen force assaulted me like a violent gale as I tore the shroud apart.


    Aedrox who finally noticed my presence, turned and attacked me with his two bladed-arms.


    The shroud is closing back from being pried and torn but I keep it open with my claws. With both arms occupied, I attack with my tail.


    He did the same trick. My attacking tail is met resistance and grinding.


    Fuck you. I ain''t backing down.


    I cast [Fracture] and [Ripple Impact] around my tail, destroying the unseen attacks and hurting myself too in the progress. My tail survived.


    My tail broke through the resistances and his bladed arms.


    When he''s about to teleport, I held him in place with [Psychokinesis].


    It still hurts to hold a resisting target''s movement with [Psychokinesis]. In fact, it hurts much more than ever before since I''m using it on Aedrox. However, I endured it. And I must be quick. The Mana drain is no joke.


    My tail blew his head off. "That''s for my bride."


    Void energy spilled out and splashes on my skin. I feel energized but also damaged. When I look at my HP and MP bar, my HP is decreasing while my MP bar is increasing. Heh. I''m converting the spilling Void energy into MP but at the cost of my HP. Since the offset for my HP isn''t that dire, this is an acceptable outcome.


    I then proceed to destroy his other parts with my tail.


    I destroy his regenerating left arm. "This is for my child."


    I destroy his regenerating right arm. "This is for Muo Li."


    I destroy his upper torso. "This is for everyone else that I care for."


    I know my dedications won''t worth much but this is all to release my pent up frustration of not being able to doing anything back then.


    While left with only the lower half, he ignited the spilling energy and created an explosion which created some distance between us.


    Once again, the explosion hurt me along with himself too.


    I zeroed in on him in the next split second.


    Judging from his shocked expression, he didn''t think I am this fast. In fact, I do feel like my speed has drastically increase. No, not feel like. My speed has increased as evident from my stats.


    I swipe my claws at the regenerating Aedrox. He keeps regenerating, I keep destroying. With every part I cut off from him, I use [Fracture] to crush it. I even tried to use a maximized [Forge Fire] on him. To my surprise, it kinda worked but the backlash was great, I''m caught in the flame eruption. Without the right equipment and environment, [Forge Fire] is really dangerous. If this place was the field at the back of the red building from before, the whole field would already be in a sea of flames.


    Uwah~! My HP dropped to sixty percent of its maximum value just from being burned by [Forge Fire] for a few seconds. I healed back to full in seconds, of course. Well, it does make sense for its high damage since it could even melt some very strong metal.


    However, it isn''t enough to finish Aedrox off. I know I can''t kill him but at least I can destroy every last bit of his Vessel. I have to destroy it all in a single attack otherwise he would just keep regenerating.


    But damn though, his Vessel this time sure is sturdy. It has yet to break apart on its own accord like before. Does he even still need me?


    "Your vessel''s doing fine, so far. Do you still need me?" You know, a deep sinister voice doesn''t go well with a sarcastic tone. I''m cringing here.


    "It does not matter how long it can last. It only matters if it''s eternal."


    Ah, I see. Only by donning me as a Vessel, he could live eternally. Is it really that good to live forever?


    No matter how much I have destroyed, his face still retains that oddly familiar human-like face. I guess that face is the testament for the last remaining and surviving piece of his Vessel. But I blow his head off a few times already, you know?


    Nah. Since the appraisal result is still all incorrigible and phonetic letters even now, logic is still not familiar with him.


    Well, if he keeps regenerating, then I''ll keep destroying. Not very optimal but the most optimal option at present.


    I stuff my claw into his chest as he was regenerating that part. I converged my Mana into the claw that I stuck in his chest. Deeming it enough, I invoke [Ripple Impact].


    Along with my right arm, his whole body exploded. I was thrown until I hit the invisible wall of boundary limits. The force was so strong that I broke a few bones. My bones immediately begin to mend itself and my arm is regenerating. My bones being mended hurts more than when I broke it. What the fuck is with that logic, body?


    "No.... not yet...."


    Oh, come on. He''s still regenerating. How did Vira even stopped him?


    "You heard me but you don''t acknowledge it. You still think of my words as jest."


    Oh, now he sounds more like what he use to sound like.


    "I am eternal. I am immortal. You can''t win against me, Harbinger. Just submit."


    "You heard me but you don''t acknowledge it. You still think of my words as jest."  I mimic him. " You and I both know that''s not going to happen. It won''t even be the last thing I do."


    I should stop speaking this way with this kind of voice. Someone stop me!


    He is seething his rage through his teeth now. "You.... If you weren''t the Harbinger, you would already be dead by now."


    "Unfortunately for you, I am the Harbinger."


    Still, what now? My abilities are something like sure-kill types. Wide-coverage and highly destructive isn''t my forte. That forte is....


    "Honestly, you should have woken me if you have that much problem against this pitiful creature." said Angie who just nonchalantly stepped out from [Proxy Realm]. Looks like she has recovered. Her wings are back to its glorious form and so is her complexion.


    "You look beautiful." I unconsciously muttered.


    "You don''t look that bad yourself, my beloved Hyx." She stared at me with her head raised.


    Hmm? Oh right, my form is now that of a beast completely.


    "Although I say that, our night time is going to have some complications from now on."


    Oh yeah.... I always loose control of my form during these heated sessions. Now, what to do?


    "You insolence!!"


    We were screamed at.


    I destroy the projectiles aiming for Angie with [Ripple Impact].


    "My magic is ineffective against him but now that we''re both here, I don''t think that''s the case anymore, right dear?"


    "Of course. Go get him."


    "No need to say it twice, dear."


    She said and injected herself with a power-up potion. Though it doesn''t work great against someone of her caliber but we need every boost that we can and since this is a sub-space, the damage to the real world would be minimized by a tremendous amount.


    Her wings became silver instead of black and white, and it spread even longer and wider.


    [Light Magic: Radiance Rising]


    The first magic she cast.


    The ground beneath us shine intensely with a brilliant light.


    [Shadow Magic: Darkness Descent]


    Above us, clouds of darkness begin to descent upon us.


    When we are all sandwiched between light and shadow, Angie signaled me.


    "Now, dear. Do what you can."


    You say that but what should I do?


    I try dispersing my Mana but all I''m doing is just [Daunt]. Ah, Angie is slightly affected by it. Oops, sorry.


    Now.... what should I do?


    "Curses!! Let me go!!"


    Aedrox is being kept in place with my [Psychokinesis] but the Mana drain is terrifying and my brain feels like it is splitting two ways.


    This is difficult. What can I do?


    [Void Exalted (Unique): Lv.1 increased to Lv. 2]


    [Void Exalted: Aura Diffusion - Acquired]


    Okay.... thanks, I guess?


    For now, let''s use that. [Aura Diffusion].


    Dark purple mark tattoos glowed on my body. Void energy leaked out from this marks. I tried to control the dispersing direction so it won''t affect Angie.


    "Insolence! Insolence! You will regret this!! You--"


    I cover Angie''s ears with my large hands as he continue to spill out insults and vulgar promises.


    The Void energy slowly mixed in with the shadow clouds and luminescence ground, turning the white light into a brilliant purple light and the clouds into dark purplish colors.


    "You do not want to incurred every last bit of my Wrath! You will regret this!"


    Noisy son of a bitch. "Hey fuck face, shut the fuck up. You''re now my bitch. I waited for this. I yearn for this, you fuck twat. Ever since you brought those death upon me. Not a day goes by that I didn''t think of how to make you pay. This may not be how I planned for it go but.... it sure as hell brings me great joy to see you cry, beg, empty threats, I long to see your pitiful, disgraceful, and pathetic display. So this is my final farewell to you, I wish we won''t be seeing each other again."


    Aedrox stares back at me with eyes of disbelief.


    "Without a vessel, you can go fuck yourself till another kingdom comes, twat. Now, Angie."


    "Didn''t know you had that in you. I like that side of you too" Angie said and cast the final spell as the trigger.


    [I am light, I am shadow. I am luminance, I am darkness. I am the forbidden union of both worldly essence. I thrive when the sun rose, I am strife after the sun set, I am either and neither. I am the Twin Providence, let there be light and let there be darkness, unite and meld into one, Twilight Transition.]


    After a long chant, the spell is invoked.


    The use of [Psychokinesis] have drained my MP till less than a quarter. With the remaining amount, I phase us both into [Proxy Realm]. I would love to return to the real world but something is forbidding us to. No doubt is Aedrox but--


    -- not for long.


    The last thing I witness before going into my sub-space is something like the reality of both light and darkness collapse into each other. A blinding flash engulf my vision just before the phasing completed.


    A wave of tremor came over us. It feels like the world has been toppled upside down.


    Even in another sub-space, the tremor spreads into even here.


    While the tremor persists, I noticed Angie and I gained a title.


    <Sworn Enemies of the Void>.


    I guess we did it?

 T17 - The Storm (3)

    Thin and sharp, it sticks into your insides. Something akin to a needle or thorn.


    I couldn''t see my own status since the link with master is severed but I can tell that this what it feels like to be encroached by Void power.


    "T-Tom?" Nilin stared at me. The only thing she could do.


    "Don''t come close to me or it will get to you too." I warned her.


    Standing in between us is Indara in his human form, his hand arms splayed out. He is trying to protect Nilin from me, though I''m not sure what will that accomplish.


    Besides me, Engrande was also encroached. He couldn''t even move. He was just lying on his back as he wriggles in pain and despair. The only voice that came out of him were hoarse gags, signifying his unending agony.


    "C-curse.... t-this...." was all the words I managed to make out from Engrande.


    Bartholomew is even worse. The corruption has completely taken over his whole body. He took a full brunt of the assault, so that is only fair as the result. His chest is still rising and falling but I don''t doubt it''s succinct. Are the corrupted ones even alive?


    And where''s Cormac? I can''t see him anywhere but I hope he''s okay. He was hurt pretty bad too right before he dove into his shadow. I hope he didn''t died in his own shadow.


    Nilin is unharmed, thanks to Indara and I acting as her shield. Indara is of course unscathed but I''m paying the price of being Nilin''s shield.


    "R-run.... Now.... p-please" I pleaded. Even words became hard to from. My mind felt like it was grasped by a claw.


    "I''m not running." She said. Her voice is trembling. Her eyes are full of fear but she''s not running.


    Unlike before, there''s no monsters blocking the path to our exit now. There shouldn''t be any problem now in making for the exit but the resolve and will is entirely another different question.


    "Nilin. T-this is s-s-serious.... I don''t know h-how much l-long.... I-I....."


    "No~! I won''t leave you~! I won''t let you be a liar!" She shouted back.


    She changed. She''s scared, she''s trembling but she''s not running nor cowering. This is bravery, knowing that there are other things that took precedence to your fears. But bravery can also be just a kind word for stupidity.


    She''s walking on a thin line in between bravery and stupidity.


    She can''t help me. Not even master could get rid of the corruption.


    "Nilin! Head for the exit, now!" Djin roared. Other than Nilin, Djin and Kirin are unharmed. Onyx Steel is really amazing. It can''t even be corrupted. In fact, the corruption dissolved into nothing upon contact with Onyx Steel.


    The corrupted Luya and her Black Crystal Spriggans are all on Djin. Luya doesn''t look like she intends to finish us off. Her attention is directed solely on Djin now. Is she playing with us or does she just not attacking since we aren''t a threat now?


    Djin is barely surviving the onslaughts. Kirin in one arm and a red lightning blade in the other. Since he didn''t have Indara, he''s using a Spell Weapon. There''s just too much Spriggan in the way and there''s Luya who no doubt could interfere. I don''t see anyway for Indara to return to Djin''s hands.


    Things are very dire.


    "T-Tom. T-tell me, if there''s anything I can do, just tell me."


    "Indara will help too."


    There''s nothing you two can do, just run, is I want to say but.... I can''t be cruel to those resolved she has in her eyes....


    "Djin!"


    Kirin screamed out and we all turned our heads.


    Luya, who is floating in the air, rained down spears at Djin. Djin evaded all with [Storm Rush]. The red lightning isn''t hurting Kirin despite being in contact with Djin''s sparking body but she looks dizzy from the sudden speed pick up.


    When Luya''s attack was over, Djin launched himself at her. A fist clad with extreme red lightning clashes with a palish purple shield that Luya erected. Djin lost in the clash and got sent back to the ground. The Spriggans took this moment to swarm him but Djin spun like he was dancing and swatted the Spriggans away like flies.


    "Mwu~~~nya~~~" Kirin is making weird sounds from all those sudden and extreme movements. I wonder if Djin remembers he''s holding Kirin.


    "Let me help, Tom! Just tell me what I need to do. Anything." Nilin pleaded to me with tear-filled eyes. Beside her is Indara nodding along.


    Resisting the pain of having talons sinking into my brain, I yelled out my words against the rising pain. "Get Indara to Djin! He needs a good weapon!"


    Nilin stuttered and looked blank for awhile before regaining herself. "R-right!"


    Nilin chanted something in low whispers. Soon, the Spirits around us became visible. They are usually invisible to peoples according to master unless one has the specific ability to perceive them.


    What is she trying to do?


    The Spriggans and Luya became dazzled for a moment by the appearance of so many spirits.


    "Show them your magnificence!" Nilin shouted and covered her eyes.


    I did the same instinctively immediately.


    The Spirits begin to shine brightly. Not as intense as a flash bang but it was still too bright. In that short moment. Nilin lifts Indara up with summoned vines and threw him at Djin''s way with the vines.


    Djin was the only one not affected by the sudden brightness and maybe because of that, he was able to follow up on Nilin''s plans.


    Indara reverts back to his sword form and lands into Indara''s hand. When the lights died down and the Spirits disappeared, wrathful red lightning replaced the intense cyan glare.


    "Well done." Djin said and brought Indara around a full circle, cutting down every thing in his vicinity. His combat performance with a real weapon in his hand greatly differs to when he has none.


    Luya conjures up hundreds of those deadly spears again but Djin reacted quickly this time. He threw waves of red lightning at the spears, messing up the conjuration processes. The spear faded away as their formation was interrupted.


    Luya who has more powerful stats and undoubtedly more Mana should be overwhelming Djin but Djin is just too quick with his actions and thought processes. Master said that Djin isn''t smart but merely able to think faster because of having no organic brain to be strained.


    Luya summoned plants of all kinds to attack Djin but he cut them all down swiftly while handling the Spriggans on the side.


    It''s just simply unreal. Carrying a child, overwhelmed by the difference in numbers and sheer strength, Djin is still outperforming us all.


    Damn it.... He''s doing everything while I could only sit and watch. I didn''t want this but lifting even a finger feels heavy. Everything feels heavy from just resisting the corruption.


    "It''s okay, Tom. I''m here. I''m here. S-so, what''s next?"


    Nilin couldn''t do anything for me but it wasn''t stopping her from trying....


    It just feels unreal. She wasn''t anything like this when we first met face-to-face. She was just a cute and helpless girl but now.... for me, she''s willing to be hurt. Gosh, do I deserve you?


    While we unconsciously began to create our own pink space, Djin landed right beside us.


    With just a few words, "take her", he tosses Kirin to Nilin. Nilin fell on her backside as Kirin was too heavy for someone her size.


    "Djin?" Kirin tilted her head.


    "I''ll hold them back. Your highness and Nilin will run for it."


    "No! I told you, no way!" Nilin refuted.


    "This isn''t a discussion. This is a demand. Your highness, please see reason with Nilin." While saying that, he casually deflected a few magic projectiles and fended off a few lunging Spriggans.


    "Mwu." Kirin shook her head.


    "Mwu." Nilin imitated her.


    "Your highness, now is no time to...."


    Kirin suddenly pointed to our back with widened eyes.


    Djin and I both turned and witness an amazing and terrifying spectacle unfolding. Plant monsters larger than Engrande and hundreds of those spears before our eyes and all the cut down Spriggans are back to full health.


    Luya has a faint look of irritation but I might be just imagining things due to my condition.


    "Not good." remarked Djin. I wished he has a face instead of a visor helmet.


    To make matters worse, giant roots grew out from above and around us. The roots look deadly and I don''t want to know what it could do. Nilin and Kirin responded with their own magic but they could only do so much. The roots from above us is coming down. The spears are flying at us.


    A sudden wave of huge energy and force blew most of the spears away.


    "ORA~!!"


    Came a loud roar filled with energy.


    Engrande in his [Thousand Arms Shura] form punched away the roots and the roots flew into the remaining spears trajectory and acted as a shield.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Ora" was something master kept shouting during our sparring session. I guess Engrande is sorta infected by master but now''s not the time to point it out.


    The corruption is still taking root but Engrande proceeds to ram his way through to Luya despite the countless attacks that Luya sent. Engrande isn''t defending against all those attacks. He is letting all of it pierce into his flesh.


    Judging from his state with Mana Vision, his Mana level spiked through his threshold. The Mana surging is especially strong at where his heart is. Don''t tell me.....


    His flurry of punches rush at Luya but her summoned plant monsters acted as her shields. Each were pulverized into pulp with the relentless attacks but they kept coming. They would sacrificed themselves just to protect their summoner. When all the monsters were wiped, branches from the Spriggan tree grew unnaturally and became a barrier to protect Luya from the rain of punches.


    Despite his failure to land a hit on Luya, I see a smirk formed on Engrande''s lips.


    He grew even more arms and each arm grabs hold on the tree that was producing the Spriggans.


    "Don''t underestimate the Colossi''s power of [Shura]!!!"


    And with that spirited yell, he uprooted the entire tree.


    Luya made an immediate exit from the tree. A slight grimace appears on Luya''s face.


    Huh? I wasn''t imagining things? She has emotions even in this state?


    Spears larger than the usual ones conjured around her. Most found its way into Engrande''s skin but he''s not relenting. He swung the uprooted tree at her.


    I didn''t know what happened after but all his arms, even his real ones, are cut off. The tree fell with a quake to the ground. I didn''t know when she summoned all that but vines extended till the height of Engrande with blade at the tip were summoned. The vine whips then darted at Engrande, plunge all those blades into Engrande.


    "Engrande!!" Nilin was the only one who yelled out.


    Kirin was too shocked.


    Djin was too calm.


    I was too weak to even speak. Crap. It feels like using my ability would only accelerate the corruption. This is so frustrating.


    Engrande''s bravery is cut down just like that.


    Divine Arts is truly terrifying.


    When the giant fell, it was our turn. Luya rejuvenates the trampled Spriggans and conjures up the same kind of deadly spears. Djin tried to do his usual thing to interrupt the conjuration process but Luya effortlessly prevented it with her summoned plant monsters in the way.


    She learns. Corruption isn''t just turning them into mindless slave zombies. They can learn. Really not good.


    The spears came at us.


    Djin threw red lightning waves but it only worked while the spears are conjuring. The spears tore through the crimson thunders and headed straight for us.


    Djin threw me Indara and cover Kirin and Nilin with his own body like it was only natural.


    What am I going to do with Indara? I didn''t use Indara to protect myself at that time but only as extra layer of insurance to protect Nilin.


    "Nyu!!!"


    A familiar cry entered our ears and a barrier is erected. The barrier is instantly shatter due to the overwhelming difference in ability power but Djin did the unthinkable.


    Once again, as if was all too natural for him, in just a short amount of time, he grabbed Indara from me which he gave to me just seconds ago, clad the blade with condensed red lightning, he swung in an odd manner, he didn''t destroy the spears but he did deflected it. With a strange but elegant dance, he deflected all the spears. He could probably only do this because of the last second barrier which slowed down the spears.


    Citra is awake, still coiled around Kirin''s shoulder. I''m kinda surprised she didn''t woke up earlier with everything that''s happening.


    When looked at, Citra lowers her head in shame. Seems like she knew what she did.


    "It''s okay. You saved us." Nilin said while patting her.


    "Kyu~?"


    "Nn. Saved." Kirin nodded and patted her too.


    "It''s not over." Djin said.


    The monsters Luya summoned once again are coming for us.


    Suddenly, the ground beneath them turned red with a magic circle.


    Flames erupted from the circle and burned them quite easily.


    "How ya like that!?" Engrande suddenly sprouted up from where he fell.


    Looks like Luya can''t really make good use of her powers. I can see [Forge Fire] activating seconds ahead thanks to Mana Vision but Luya look surprised. It didn''t look like she saw it coming.


    I''m reminded by what master told me. "Resources are nothing if one doesn''t know how to utilize it." I guess this saying fits Luya well. She is unacquainted with battles. Perhaps the corruption is working with the host''s previous experience as the base of their current performances.


    Engrande conjures up a single ethereal arm and sent a few palm forces. The attack was all over, it wasn''t exactly aimed for Luya and most of it hit the ceiling.


    After that, Engrande fell lifelessly to the ground but he fell with a slight grin and a wink at us.


    Was that his last desperate attempt to exhaust all his Mana before falling out of the battle?


    "Kyu~!" Citra cried.


    Hmm? What''s she doing? A magic circle appears in front of her mouth. She fires beams at the ceiling too. The beams were weak though.


    Luya looks unconcerned. She is just summoning more plants and monsters and preparing magic.


    "I see." said Djin as he unleashed lightning bolts at the ceiling too.


    Ah. Is that it?


    Nilin and Kirin did the same. They fire javelins made of [Spirit Magic] at the ceiling too. The whole room soon begins to tremble.


    Luya caught on as her eyes darted at above her. Plants begin wrap around to act as a barrier in addition to a magic barrier that already covers her. Her plant monsters are also taking defensive position against the imminent collapse.


    This is suicide for us all but..... what was it that master always screamed out when trying something daring.....? ....Oh right.


    "YOLO!" I screamed and cast whatever magic my heavy body could allow me at the ceiling too. The needles and talong dug even further into me....


    Damn.... this is too much.... I can''t.....


    Wait.....


    The walls are made of Azunmite in Rising Valley but it became less and less so the further we are away from there but I still don''t think the ceiling would crumble that easily. After all, didn''t Engrande used a much stronger magic then and the ceiling didn''t even collapse?


    After awhile when nothing happened, Luya came out of the barrier. She and her summoned plant monsters are staring at the ceiling as if waiting for anything to happen any time now.


    "Fool." Djin said and toss Indara who was charged with a lot of Mana, like a spear at the dumbfounded bunch.


    Was all that a ruse? Did Engrande realized the naivety of Luya when she didn''t saw [Forge Fire] coming?


    When Luya and her summoned plant monsters realized they were tricked, they tried to stop the Indara who is coming straight at Luya.


    Some vines and flexible branches failed to catch him and some monsters who stood in the way were just pierced through. Overall, that single brief moment of them letting their attention being snatched away proof to be their downfall. Just like our situation moments before.


    But before Indara could reach Luya, a palish purple spherical barrier prevented his further advancement.


    What? I didn''t think anything could stop an Onyx Steel blade.


    Djin clicked his tongue although he doesn''t have a tongue but he does feel anger and frustration after all.


    Indara is loosing his momentum and there aren''t even any cracks on the barrier yet.


    Luya launches those deadly spears at us. Now, Djin has no way of defending against us. Summoning Indara back would be too slow.


    "Kyu~!"


    Citra seems to have something up her proverbial sleeves.


    She conjures up a simple circle-shaped shield but it then starts to spin in a spiral manner with a glow.


    The spears are deflected and flew into the walls and ground. The shield against the deadly force broke but it did its job.


    Did Citra learned what needs to be done from watching Djin earlier?


    "Amazing, Citra!"


    "Nn. Amazing."


    "Kyu~"


    We celebrated too early.


    Indara failed to penetrate through Luya''s barrier. Loosing all its momentum and power, it began to fall.


    "Now." Djin said. It sounded like a command but to whom? He''s looking at Luya as if he has won.


    Hmm? He''s not looking at her but what''s below her?


    A black spot appeared on the ground directly below Luya and from that black spot, Cormac emerged.


    He''s encroached too but not as badly as me or Engrande. His lost arm has regrew but his complexion is terrible. His whole body is wrapped in shadows. Is he forcing himself to move with his shadow magic? In his hands is his favorite weapon, Seeker.


    "Eat this."


    He fires a single large black arrow from below Luya, unnoticed. Not even I noticed until he appeared.


    And when Luya did noticed, it was too late. The black arrow wasn''t meant for her. It was for Indara. It hit the pommel of Indara and at the same time, indara absorbed the black arrow, the blade became covered in black markings, and that push was all Indara needed to penetrate the barrier, leaving a black smoky trail.


    Everything was too late for Luya. The barrier is broken through and her summon monsters are useless against stopping Indara.


    Luya is cleanly bisected her as Indara continues to travel upwards until he impales into the ceiling.


    "Yes!" Cormac shouted.


    The plant monsters withered in seconds. The Spriggans lost their color and crumbled to dust. All of Luya summons died the moment she was split in two.


    Luya herself also withers but slower than her summons.


    "Luya...." Kirin called out.


    As Luya slowly withers away, a faint voice is transmitted to all of us like a whisper but loud enough as an echo.


    "Thank you...."


    A vivid cyan ball of light came out of the withered Luya corpse. Just from feeling the immense power that drifted from that ball, it is hard to mistaken the ball as something else. That''s the Divine Art, Floral Matriarch, Gaia, Luya possessed. It slowly floats toward Kirin.


    Djin stood in the way but Kirin assured him of his needless action.


    "Untainted." She told Djin.


    The power is untainted by the Void? Perhaps the Void-corrupted Luya wasn''t able to draw out the Divine Art''s full power which might be the reason she was sloppy.


    Kirin reach out and touched the ball. The ball then melted into her through her fingers.


    "Nn...."


    "Are you alright, your highness?"


    "Nn."


    Looks like it ain''t a trap.


    So, Luya is truly gone.... but....


    Strange, I don''t feel the corruption going away. It was still progressing. In fact.... I....


    "Lord Cormac, you did well." Djin praised.


    "Where''s Bartholomew?" Was the first thing Cormac asked.


    "He''s over--"


    I don''t know why but I clad my arm with [Blaze of the Depths] and attacked Djin mid-sentence. Of course, the black flames and my strength aren''t a match against Onyx Steel. I actually hurt myself instead.


    "Lord Thomas?" Djin sounds bewildered.


    "Run.... It''s still taking hold of me.... Run...."


    I attacked again. A [Rage Blade] in my other hand, I swung at Djin but I was sent away before my blade could reach. A single effortless push from Djin was all it took to send me rolling.


    "He''s right. I''m not feeling any better." Cormac looked at his own hands. "How is still happening....? Didn''t we killed the one who corrupted us?"


    Did we? Luya was the one who corrupted us but the roots of it all is still Aedrox but in the first place, there was no telling that the corruption would stop if the corrupter is eliminated. Luya''s plant monsters'' case might be because they are summons.


    "Danger!" Kirin yelled.


    Djin spun and roundhouse kicked Bartholomew away who suddenly got up and came charging.


    "Eeek~! The old man too." Nilin pointed.


    Old man? Oh, Engrande?


    She''s right. Engrande is still resisting but it was all futile. The corruption has taken hold of Engrande as his Mana is turning to the shade of purple.


    "Tin man! Finish me off!" Engrande coughed out tainted blood.


    "Lord Engrande...."


    Bartholomew got back up and rush at Djin again. Bartholomew''s Mana is completely dark purple. Is it too late for him?


    "No, Barthy!" Cormac jumped at Bartholomew and held down. "You can''t! They''re families!" Cormac is still resisting.


    For me, I can''t move. I focus entirely on resisting the corruption and any slightest attention that is not spared on resisting will have me been taken over.


    "Tin man! Quick!" A scream of agony followed those words.


    "Very well." Djin said and willed Indara back into his hand but Indara only flew back until before Djin and turned into his human form.


    "No." He said as he looked down on his feet.


    "Indara. This is dire. Dire actions need to be taken."


    "No! You can''t!" Indara backed away from Djin who tried to grab him.


    "Indara, listen to me. You have to do this." I called out. "Otherwise, it would dangerous for all of you later."


    "No no no no no! Indara won''t kill his family." He cried, throwing a tantrum.


    Still just a child, in the end.


    "Tom. Hyx can fix you. When he comes back, I''m sure he can fix you."


    Nilin too huh....


    "Nilin. He can''t. Trust me, I know."


    "Mwu.... Wrong...."


    "Your highness, I know you''re reluctant but this has to be done."


    "Mwu~!"


    "Kyu~!"


    Ah... even Citra is rebelling. Damn it.


    "Indara, you have to. We would only hurt you all if you don''t." I drop my soft tone.


    But he''s still reluctant.


    "This is difficult...." Djin clenched his fist.


    "Everyone!!! This is not the time to mess around! Do it quick!!!"


    Engrande is screaming as he nears his limits. Some parts of his body is bending in ways is not suppose to.


    "Barthy, resist it!" Cormac is still restraining Bartholomew.


    "No no no no. Tom.... This isn''t what you promised....."


    "I know. I know. I''m sorry but you have too--"


    "No no no. I want to..... I want to....."


    "Nilin. I-I know.... but t-things have changed--"


    A sudden explosion wave interrupted my sentence. There wasn''t any real explosion but just the space around us rippling like waves.


    Above the ground a few distance away from us, that particular space ripples fiercely and distorts in various ways. It then began to crack like glass.


    [aaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!]


    A voice in my mind screaming, it slowly gets louder and louder!!!


    [HOLY SHIT!!!!]


    With that scream, the space explodes and scattered us away in all directions. Engrande was the only one not thrown away by the force. As usual, Djin already has Kirin in his arms but Nilin was left out.


    When the dust and smoke settled, a beautiful woman stood in place where the space just exploded, she has a pair of wings on her back, one black, one white. Beside her, is a boy with shaved head shorter than the woman and a face similar to mine.


    "Whoa.... That spell''s coverage is way too much. I think it''s a little bit overkill." The boy looked around. His nonchalant face turns a little sour at what he sees. "I''m back and y''all rite?"


    It''s master.... It''s master.....


    "M-master...." Cormac muttered.


    Kirin just stared, a smile slowly taking its shape.


    "NO! WE ARE NOT ALRIGHT!!"


    screamed Engrande.

 T18/H31 - Coda

    ¡°And that¡¯s the last one.¡±


    Master said as he tore the last piece of corruption off of Engrande. It may be more complex and difficult than it looks. In my view, master is just reaching into Engrande''s soul and tearing out the corruption like plucking a flower.


    I can¡¯t believe it. Master has managed to achieve the power to rid the corruption. Only an hour passed between the time master and Lady Senna is banished into Aedrox¡¯s sub-space. Yet, master''s power has grown so much in that short amount of time.


    Even though master has proved himself to be an absurdity time and time again but I''m still having a hard time believing master became strong enough to defeat Aedrox.


    I want to repay master for this new life but all I have done is just piling debts upon debts.


    "Boy.... I took my eyes off you for a few seconds and you gone and surpass.... m-me."


    Engrande struggled with his last word. Even sitting proved to be difficult for him. His complexion isn''t recovering. His wounds have healed, his Mana is replenished, the corruption is expelled but....


    "I learn from the best." Master responded as he lowered his gaze.


    Although the corruption is rid but the Mana Vessel, the soul is damaged beyond repair.


    "And you did your best, boy."


    Everyone of us, nodded along.


    "Indeed, Lord Creator. This is a remarkable achievement."


    "Apparently, my best is not enough and just remarkable doesn''t amount to anything in this situation." Master said as he looked to Bartholomew, who was covered up from head to toe with a cloth. He sent an apologetic gaze to Cormac who is just beside Bartholomew. "I''m sorry...."


    Bartholomew had fell lifelessly the moment master extracted the corruption. He was long gone. There is nothing master could have done.


    "It''s okay, master." Cormac forced a smile. "At least, Tom and I are save."


    Cormac and I are the only one who survived the encroach. The corruption wasn''t too deep to severely damage our soul. Engrande wasn''t so fortunate and what''s more, he did the unthinkable to save us all. He injected the Elixir directly into his heart. It gave him tremendous boost in his power and strength but the backlash to his soul was too much. Overreaching his limits and the corruption already taken root in his soul, there was no chance for his soul to survive the ordeal.


    "Dear...."


    "Hyx...."


    "Papa...."


    "Lord Creator...."


    Citra and Nilin kept quiet. They look lost with their consolation words.


    "Come on. Cheer up, would ya?" Engrande put his large finger on master''s shoulder. "We won, didn''t we?"


    "It don''t feel like a victory."


    "Son, victory don''t come without sacrifices. This is how victories in most battles are like. People died for this. Don''t blame yourself. It''s just nature."


    "I know. I''m not blaming myself. This ain''t even my fault. I''m a victim too but I still feel bad. It''s just the worse feeling. I think I would feel better if I was responsible.... but I''m not."


    "Yes, you''re not." Engrande assures master. "Well, what are you gonna do now, boy?"


    Master looked at us. "I''m gonna send you off. Give you and Bartholomew a proper burial. Leave this place and look for answers. If the world is at least thousand times nicer than this god-forsaken place, I might even considering going around this world as a vacation."


    Engrande managed to laugh. "Hahahaha. You''re weird as always, boy. You truly have grown. I like your plan but...."


    "But....?"


    Engrande''s good humorous nature melted from his face. "I don''t need a burial."


    Master frowned at Engrade''s words.


    "My soul is beyond saving now. You and I know that the best. If I die now, I wouldn''t even join the cycle of rebirth. I would be lost and forgotten."


    "Engrande.... what are you saying?"


    "Before my soul crumbles completely.... I want you to devour it."


    Not just me but everyone else made a noise. I expected master to refute Engrande''s last will but he looks calm. Master is considering it.


    "I understand." Master nodded.


    Understand? Understand what? Master is really going to do it?


    "Master." Cormac tugged on master''s shirt.


    "Cormac?"


    "Bartholomew too."


    Huh? What?


    "I''m sure Barthy would have wanted this. To be able to be useful to master even after death. We have a debt to repay, after all."


    Master closed his eyes. A look of anguish flashed past master''s expression but he returned to his compose expression. "Very well." Master said as he opened his eyes.


    "Dear, are you sure?"


    "Yes, Angie. I''m sure."


    Seeing such look on master, Lady Senna nodded with a sad smile. I expected an argument or a discussion to break out but Lady Senna relented easily.


    "You ready?" asked master.


    "I''m all ready, for the past hour in fact. Even now, every breath hurts. I''m more than ready. Just.... make it painless."


    "Painless huh?" Master smiled wryly. "I could do that."


    [Soul Harvest] is shown on appraisal as master''s Mana surged.


    Instead of the usual tendrils with dragon-like head, a reaper of darkness manifested above master. The black reaper bears a huge scythe in its hands. The blade gleams from the faint glowing cyan light of the room before being swung in a full circle motion, trailing a dark cyan light.


    In just that single swing, I see Engrande and Bartholomew''s soul left their respective body and get absorbed into the blade. And the reaper melted back into master.


    It''s been a while since master last used [Soul Harvest] but it felt more.... refined somehow.


    Master''s Effective Combat Power is raised till 3900 after absorbing Engrande and Barthlomew''s soul. His defense stats rose sharply. Probably the effect of Engrande''s soul. His power ranking is now A. And master gained [Magic Melee Arts], [Herculean Strength], and [Magic Enchantment] from Engrande but [Shura] isn''t compatible it seems.


    Looks like nothing much came from Bartholomew but it would be boorish of me to point it out.


    Master let out a huge breath. "I almost forgot how it feels like.... Goodbye, Engrande, Bartholomew."


    Master then sent their bodies off with [Spirit Fire]. Heads lowered and eyes closed, we pray for their bodies to at least find a safe passage. This respect meant nothing in actuality but we did it to give ourselves a sense of comfort.


    "Papa.... are you.... alright now?" Indara asked, peeking from behind Lady Senna''s dress.


    "Yes. I''m fine now. Sorry for worrying you, Indara." Master went and pet Indara''s head.


    "T-Tom...." Nilin approached me.


    "Nilin?"


    "Liar!!"


    Uwaah~? I was slapped?


    "Liar!"


    Eh? She threw herself into me. Her arms tightened around me. If she has super strength, I would be crushed.


    "See? I told you Hyx can fix you. He can do anything after all." She said while crying into my chest.


    "Yeah. He can." I caress her head softly.


    Hmm? I''m looked at with warm eyes. Master is giving me a wink while Djin gave me a thumbs up which is unlike him.


    "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid...."


    Nilin continues saying such stuff into my chest....


    Lovely, isn''t she?


    Hmm? Who''s that?


    Unlike those times, you''re not forcing yourself onto this girl. This is a real relationship where a consensus is achieved and a give-and-take is established. You longed for this, no?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    W-who are you?


    This moment here, this is the moment you wanted all along, no? Instead of being in the dark forever and forcing yourself on women who would probably never see light again, you''re here, sharing a warm and comfortable feeling with the one you truly care about and one who cares about you in return.


    How do you....


    The ones you could truly call..... family.


    Enough. Who are you?


    Me? I''m you. The honest part of you. If it wasn''t for me, you would have died back there. It is because of me, you awaken your [Wrath of Oni], no?


    You?


    So, let me ask you, do you want all this happiness to last forever?


    Huh??


    While I''m asked with such questions, master is looking at me strangely.


    The next time things like this happen, it might not turn out as favorable as today. Who knows, maybe Nilin wouldn''t be lucky the one the next time. What do you do then? What if master won''t be here in time? What then? Do you wish to keep what you have with you, and not loose it to anyone?


    Y-yes....


    Master is saying something but the voice in my head is drowning it out.


    The power to save the ones you care for. The power to keep you from loosing anything anymore, do you desire it?


    O-of course.... Is it possible....?


    Master is looking worried but I responded with a smile. I don''t want master to keep worrying about me.


    Yes. You just need to accept it. Accept that you have it within you to protect everyone.


    Accept what exactly....?


    Accept me. Will you?


    I....


    Master is screaming at me.... but I still can''t hear him....


    Will you? Accept me who will make sure that Nilin would not be harm anymore.


    Y-yes.


    [t -- tom -- Tom -- Tom! Don''t!]


    [Lord Thomas! You must not!]


    Master''s voice finally got through along with Djin''s. It sounded like their voices broke through a barrier with a faint sound of glass breaking.


    What a fool and too late.


    What?


    Now, I will make him regret.


    No.... Just wh....


    Shh..... Let me take the wheel now....


    No.... master..... hel--


    <hr>


    Damn it.


    He''s smart. He hid himself among the residues of Void energy from the last battle. I felt his presence but I mistook him as a residue energy.


    Damn it.


    [Clairvoyant] was acting up but I chalked it all up to the unstable energy lingering in the vicinity that was making it haywire. [Clairvoyant] could only see into the future of the current realm. He existed in another plane. The visions I received was too vague and I also chalked those up as my accumulating fatigue.


    Damn it.


    I knew something was wrong. My instincts were screaming but the death of my companions dulled my reactions.


    I hesitated. It happened because I hesitated.


    Damn it!


    "You son of a taint, let him go!" I snarled while having my hand inside of Tom, fumbling at his soul which was being encroached. Unlike the usual, I couldn''t just tear Aedrox off of Tom. He''s more powerful than the others I have expelled.


    It''s not working. His grasp is only getting stronger.


    Tom couldn''t even resist it after he was tricked into saying yes. A direct corruption from the carrier is just too strong. If I wasn''t here, Tom would have been his new meat suit by now.


    "You sure you want to continue dabbling with me? Not that I''m opposing."


    As soon as he said that, a pain assaulted my mind.


    "Yes. Don''t let go." He spoke with Tom''s voice.


    It''s too late. His grasp is already strong enough on Tom to exploit our link. His trying to corrupt me, Indara, and Djin along through the link. Fucking twat.


    "Dear!" Angie called out to me worriedly.


    "No! Don''t come any closer! All of you, stay away!" I warned them. "And don''t answer to anything you might hear in your mind. Don''t listen to it. No matter what you hear."


    I said and cut off the link to Tom.


    "Hey, tell me. Do you even need their consent to take hold of them? Can''t you just encroached them like you did with the others?"


    The question must be unexpected since Aedrox, with Tom''s face looked at me with a short blank expression. It then turned into a snickering.


    "What are you saying? Never once have I not gain their consent. It is impossible for them to be enthralled without their consent."


    Never without consent? What is he talking about?


    "How do you get their consent like that?"


    He grabbed my arms with Tom''s hands and pulled himself closer. "Give them a little bit of agonizing pain and wait for them to beg for the pain to go away. Those unaccustomed to this kind of pain, they immediately gave in, begging for me to take the pain away."


    I see. The consent does not need to be direct. It can be roundabout. The details can be omitted, as long as he gets a yes in the end.


    "There are some who resisted it for a day but in the end, they all fall. Pain breaks most people easily. They will jump on the first chance of salvation but not you. You''ve been through so much. Corrupting you with the usual way would be futile. Your body and soul would crumble first before giving into the Void. Frustrating it may be but that is the reason of why you''re worthy to be my vessel."


    So, all those suffering I have been through.... It is to prepare for this? Did Visa put me through all that because she knew my encounter with a Void Demon is inevitable?


    Heh? Ah. I shouldn''t be thinking about other stuff right now. I should be concentrating on saving Tom. However....


    I should give up on that already. It''s all too late. I can''t save Tom. His status information is slowly becoming incorrigible. The black flames he clad himself in is turning dark purplish.


    I can''t save him.


    "Lord Creator, it is too late for Lord Thomas. We need to retreat now!"


    My attention is robbed for only a split second and Aedrox who has taken hold of Tom seize this window of opportunity.


    "Huh. Impressive." A compliment came from Aedrox.


    I managed to stop him from moving away from me with [Void Skin] and [Psychokinesis]. My MP and HP is dropping and raising since I''m hurt by Aedrox''s Void Energy but at the same time it''s also healing and rejuvenating me. This sensation is odd but I''m not complaining.


    "Angie. Djin. Get everyone out of here, now." I told them without taking my glare off of Aedrox. Looking at Aedrox through Tom''s face is really unsettling.


    "Lord Creator. That is--"


    "Understood, dear."


    Sounds like Angie stopped Djin from refuting. I spare her a quick glance and a smile.


    "Angie, what are you saying? We can''t leave Papa alone here."


    "This is his fight and only his. We would be nothing but liability. We shouldn''t be interfering, okay?"


    "But...."


    "Don''t you trust Papa?"


    Damn, Angie is becoming good at handling Indara.


    "Y-yes. I''ll trust Papa."


    "Good boy. Now, Djin. I trust you will comply with your creator and master''s order?" Angie''s voice sounded sharp and stern.


    "O-of course." Huh, even Djin stuttered against the serious Angie.


    "Mwu...."


    "E-eh...?"


    "Kyu...."


    "O-okay...."


    The remaining four comply, with reluctance.


    "Just make sure to come back, alright dear?"


    "I will." I answered.


    "How nice. They trust you so much but you are so cruel to lie to them."


    "About what?"


    "About you coming back to them. Well, you aren''t lying. You will come back but just not sure about whether it would still be you when you come back to them." A smirk form on Aedrox''s lips.


    "Is that a fact?" I return a smirk of my own.


    I can see a slight frown from him.


    "See you later, then. Senna."


    As Angie jolted back a little from me calling her with name, I [Free Warp] myself and Aedrox to a place where it will be suited for our battle.


    <hr>


    It was already in ruins but after Aedrox came through here, Rising Valley is even more of a ruin than before. It is now a remnant of a ruin. The plants especially, have all withered.


    While giving such comments in my mind, I took out the Elixir with name on it.


    It taste worse than I remember. Adding to the fact that it was red, it didn''t help with the digestion.


    Eyes closed, I gulped down the whole vial within a beat. I toss the vial away after emptying it.


    My status, HP and MP all returned to their nominal state.


    I flexed my joints and elbows, cracked my knuckles and neck.


    "You waited. How chivalrous." I held no contempt back in my voice as I gave a side glance at Aedrox who was sitting on air like a chair.


    He made no moves while I''m making preparations. He just stared at me with an expression that oozes out confidence like a river.


    "Most prey run from their predators. Is not everyday you get one so obedient to stay put. I''m just.... amazed."


    "You sure about this? I kicked your ass last time not thirty minutes ago."


    Aedrox chuckled at my words. "This vessel contains some of your essence. You gave him a part of you. This, is a huge upgrade for me. You would be a fool to assume we still a match to each other."


    Well.... that''s unnerving.


    "After I''m done with you, I will go after your bride. Your child. Your companions. Your creations. I will make them suffer right in front of you until you beg me to let you be my vessel. Sounds like a plan?"


    I don''t know if I''m just used to it or the evolution made my mind dull against such threats. I don''t even feel the least bit provoke. His simpler words before has more of an impact in term of intimidation.


    And without a prior warning, Aedrox unleashes a stream of dark purplish flame at me. I stacked multiple [Plane Displacements] coated with Void energy and blocked the stream. I counter with [Force Push] and send everything back to Aedrox.


    With a wave of his hand, everything that was sent back is dispersed with ease.


    Okay....? That''s discouraging.


    I received a look that no longer saw me as a rival. That smug face he has tells me that he''s looking down on me even more than ever.


    "No hesitation at all towards me?"


    "This all happened because I hesitated. I''m done hesitating. I won''t be making that mistake again."


    "But wasn''t I your friend?"


    "Thomas is my friend. You''re not. Just give up. Tricks like these don''t work on me."


    "That''s what you think."


    Pillars of black flames encased me. Using a new composite ability inspired by a certain path of pain, the flames are all pushed back until they extinguished. [Spatial Magic: All Repel]


    "You know, you don''t sound or act like someone who is doing this for his kind or race." I tried to sound as haughty as possible after giving the notion his last attack was a cinch.


    I got a slight reaction from Aedrox.


    However, he was kinda right about his vessel, this body is really holding out. Aside from the dark purple markings that cover the whole body, I don''t see any other signs of this vessel giving out. Actually, it looked better than when it was "alive".


    "You still see me as someone of your kind, you label me as such. I am not. Don''t presume an outworld entity behaves exactly like primitive mortals."


    Excuses, excuses. I rolled my eyes and I made it obvious.


    "You don''t believe what I''m doing is for the sake of my brethren, do you?"


    "You act more like a mad dog with insatiable blood thirst than a savior or a hero."


    "You mortals brought this upon yourselves." His grin disappeared. "We asked nicely. Not just this realm. Not just this dimension. We been to others too. We were all rejected. We weren''t even given the chance to proof that we meant no harm. You primitives, you mortals all attacked when you realized how naturally harmful and toxic we are to your world. We were given no room, no chance to explain ourselves. We were instantly deemed an enemy that needs to be culled immediately."


    "That justifies the atrocities you and your kind committed?"


    "Atrocities have been committed in the name of Gods. It happens every where and no matter the era or generation. At least we are honest. So what does that say about you Sagax races?"


    As far as I can tell, I''m not really part of Sagax but I''ll let him talk for now.


    "What will you have us do then, Harbinger? We played nice. We only defended ourselves when attacked. We suffered and endured for a long time. So long that you mortals will call it, eternity. One day, we asked ourselves, why are we playing nice? We don''t owe any world, a thing. We didn''t ask for this. We were born like this. None of us chose this."


    "So, you all decided to use force and violence?"


    "And what''s so wrong about that? Humans, sapient races, the Sagax, even animals, you all would came to a place and call it yours. Anyone who opposes, you put them in their place with the difference in strength. Survival of the fittest."


    I''m loosing this argument, aren''t I?


    "We realize we are in fact part of nature running its course." His grin was back. "Don''t despise us. We are just doing what you all living things have been doing. The strong thrives, the weak perishes. The Sagax races, isn''t the process of the founding of their civilizations the same as what we trying to do? Came to a place, claimed it as yours, and destroy any objections. I believe you humans called it, conquering or colonization."


    God damn it, he makes a lot of sense but I still can''t abide that, reasonable or not. Not when my loved ones are threatened.


    "You think we''re evil. We''re not. We''re just the natural order. We are the next apex predator and we will take hold of this world and shape it to our will."


    I sighed. "I guess there''s no more room for discussion?"


    "Not if we are discussing your terms of surrendering."


    Damn. I rubbed some off on Tom and Tom rubbed some off on Aedrox. Hearing some one speaking in a similar tone and voice as mine is really unsettling.


    "Are you going to surrender?"


    "You have Tom''s memories now, what do you think?"


    "I think, I''m a fool to ask."


    I laughed, maybe to get rid of some anxiety. I activate [Awakening] and take my true form. And with the deep ominous voice, I spoke as I stared directly into his eyes. "You are right. You are a fool. A fool to kill my friend and defile his corpse."


    "Well, let''s do this." He said as he looked at me, smugly.


    Ah. Truly unsettling.

 H32 - Coda (2)

    Fuck. Me. Side. Ways.


    Series of explosions ensued as I retorted to the concurrent situation in my mind. The stories tall building came toppling down like dominoes. Worst part is, I''m in the middle of it all.


    This is just bullshit.


    When the explosion stopped, black-red fiery projectiles followed, like literally.


    They came like homing missiles, bringing devastating explosions to everything it came into contact. Even if it missed, anything even remotely near it gets reduced into something unrecognizable.


    To break it down the transpired situation,


    The first wave consisted of fire pillar eruptions. After evading those for a few minutes, I was showered with fire balls. It burned down what''s left of the flora in this remnant of a ruined city. I tried using [Mana Burn] but it didn''t work. I absorbed some with [Famine Shield] but the sheer volume and intensity of that fire ball shower overwhelmed [Famine Shield]. A quarter of my body was incinerated down to bare bones.


    This type of wound isn''t much for me. I can heal it back but I sped up the regeneration with the help of potions. Even a millisecond is precious in a battle, especially a heated one.


    And then, Aedrox launched an attack that leveled a portion of Rising Valley. I didn''t try to dispel it with [Mana Burn] nor absorb it with [Famine Shield]. I scoot out of there when the beam of devastating dark purplish blaze was reflected in my eyes.


    Next, I was pursued by beasts created from Void Flames, that''s what I called those dark purplish flames. Each of them were formidable on their own but the problem wasn''t their combat prowess but the fact that they are suicide bombers. Aedrox knew I would fight it out with a battle-capable enemy unit. Since the fire ball shower, I was all ready for any kinds of tricks. I dodged death when the beasts exploded.


    After that were merciless attacks with [Havoc Wreckers]. While receiving these sound breaking whiplashes, I use [Psychokinesis] to throw some rocks at Aedrox. The rocks went through him.


    Eh?


    Oh right, he also has a phasing ability, didn''t he? I forgot.


    When that whiplash gimmick was over, it was the homing missile-like Void Flame projectiles.


    The concentrated heavy bombardment have me sprinting through Rising Valley like a rat. Running on four legs is still something I''m still getting use to but I''m still faster this way rather than running on two legs. Despite the increase in size, I''m more mobile and agile in this form.


    Turning sharp corners, leaping from building to buildings, hopping around in the empty air with [Spatial Magic], these are the only actions I could take in this fight.


    In the center of this whole city that spans about three miles, Aedrox floats in the air as he rained endless attacks on me.


    This sucks.


    I can''t get close to him. Or rather, I can but the Void Flames that he clad himself in is just a pain in the neck and butt. My right arm and my tail was burned off from my previous attempts. I wasted some Mana and potions to regenerate my limb and tail.


    Range magic deals damage but he heals back everything I thrown at him. His immunity to flames thanks to the corrupted [Blaze of the Depths] is just the right icing on the cake. [Forge Fire] is useless against him thanks to that.


    [Blaze of the Depths] don''t exactly make you invincible against fire. It drains your Mana drastically in return for the complete immunity but that''s just the issue here. Aedrox doesn''t use Mana and the Void energy he''s using to fuel his abilities look limitless.


    I wonder if he''s constantly drawing his powers from some kind of source. The Void, perhaps? Don''t tell me that is really the case but that it the most likely case.


    That''s a very discouraging thought.


    -- A sudden sound of a toll bell reverberated across the battlefield.


    A clock tower in front of me received those missiles and it came crashing down. I destroy every debris falling at my way with [Fracture] and [Sever] or my tail. The buildings are become more of a disadvantage than an advantage for me to take cover.


    And I''m running out of places to run. Every attack that I evaded or dodge are inflicted on the city. Soon, this whole place will turn into a literal fire pit.


    Crap. Crap. Crap.


    In the meantime, I retaliate with [Spatial Magic: Force Spears]. Basically, a [Spatial Magic] version of [Abyssal Javelin] but it shoots out like a bullet fired from a high-powered rifle. So far, it is the only magic capable to break through his layers of magic barrier. Those barriers seem to defend only against magic attacks. But I could be wrong with that assumption. I went for a close combat awhile ago, but my claws were blocked all the same but physical objects I thrown at him just went through the barrier and also him. It''s no use to wonder about the criteria with his aberrant powers.


    The latest [Force Spear] that I fired, tore through his right shoulder but as time seems to have been reversed, the wound healed back in an instance.


    Oh, come on. That''s not fair. That''s too fast even for a high speed regeneration. It was more or less one second.


    The difficulty of the last battle felt like a ten but this one cranks it up all the way to twenty. The vessel makes a difference. Despite being told of that many times by him, only now I truly relate to those words.


    Even more unsettling fact was that he isn''t spouting out threats or provocations. He is just wearing that smug face and continuously raining down his attacks on me.


    This really sucks.


    What to do....


    What else do I have in my inventory?


    Let''s see.


    I fumble for something and anything that could be of use in my [Vault] while running from the bombardments.


    Hmm? Is this.... What about this "thing" then?


    It is still in quite a raw state but now that I have a higher level [Transmutation] and the newly added [Magic Enchantment] Arcane Art from Engrande, I might be able to refine it into something doable at least.


    While concocting a very implausible plan in my mind, Aedrox landed like a meteorite in front of me.


    "Do you understand why you''re the prey now, Harbinger?"


    Ah, there''s the provocation. Honestly, I felt a little relieved now that he has returned to his chatty self. "Yeah. I get it now. You stepped up your game by a lot."


    "Now imagine what I could do with you as my vessel."


    "I rather not imagine it. Your current strength and power level is already discouraging and unnerving as it is. So, no thanks."


    "I see your witticism has gotten better."


    "Yeah, not that it got me anywhere in this fight."


    On the off note here, I realized in this fight that my mouth doesn''t move when I speak like a human in my Awakened form. It does move when I growl or roar but speaking normal words is apparently done through magic. The sound of the words just came out from my mouth like a tube.


    "You know, I think I''m starting to like you. I like that persistent of you." said Aedrox.


    I shifted back into my human form and raised an eyebrow at his statement. "So, spare me?"


    "Not a chance."


    Ah, worth trying. "Fair enough."


    Now that I have an improved Mana Vision with my evolution, I can see the flow of his internal energy a little bit clearer. I can faintly make out something like a pseudo-heart in his vessel. Well, I don''t know if it''s really the heart or brain but it sure does look like a central system. I guess I can go for that?


    "Giving up?"


    "Not a chance." I retorted and [Free Warp] behind him.


    I easily broke through the layers of barrier with my new skill [Spatial Magic: Spatial Shard], the [Spatial Magic] version of [Abyssal Blade]. [Sever], [Distort], and [Fracture] are ineffective but not [Spatial Shard]. How does that even work?


    Well, I did promised myself not to apply logic on his powers anymore but it''s harder than I thought.


    Withstanding the extreme heat and burn from the Void Flames he clad himself in, I went for that pseudo-heart.


    He dodged with a short-range teleportation at the last second.


    Eh? Isn''t that my move?


    He countered with a thrust of his bundled-up fingers. I caught that arm with my tail coated with [Void Skin]. His phasing ability doesn''t work against Void powers or [Spatial Magic].


    No, I didn''t transform. I merely manifested my tail and Aedrox looks surprised. Apparently, he didn''t think I could do that. I''m pretty sure I used [Partial Awakening] at least once in front of him or is my memory faulty?


    Anyways, I crushed that arm which is coiled by my tail and continue to thrust the [Spatial Shard] at his pseudo-heart.


    I have a bad feeling when our eyes matched.


    He slipped away from my tail grip as he was intangible. He didn''t phase through my grip, he turned his whole body into flames to become intangible.


    My thrust attack which aimed for his pseudo-heart found the empty air and I received barrages of explosions.


    The hail of explosions are not something to take light of. I felt it broke through all my defenses. Nothing was held back and a large crater was formed from those continuous explosions.


    Of course, I had [Free Warp] from that spot after the first explosion. Even though I escaped on the first explosion, half of my body is ruptured to a mess.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Well, that didn''t work." I said to myself as I took a breather. I am currently hiding in my sub-space made with [Proxy Realm]. My sub-space is just an empty space of darkness with a white area to indicate solid ground.


    The normal tactic in this kind of battle would be to disarm the opponent''s arsenal or let them exhaust themselves. This two tactic ain''t applicable to Aedrox. I can wait for him to slip up but he''s just getting better and stronger as time goes by.


    What I defeat him here and only for him to find even stronger vessel the next time? I can''t let that happen but how do I even defeat him now and let alone to prevent that from happening.


    This really sucks.


    Do I really need to go with "that"? I know I shouldn''t be hesitating but going with "that" is surely something that I need to contemplate about it extremely carefully.


    While I was concentrating on recuperating and coming up with a tactic, the space rippled in front of me. It felt a little warm coming from that rippling space.


    Well..... that''s.....


    Fuck


    I phase out of my sub-space as the whole space exploded with dark purplish flames.


    The scale of that explosion is massive. It even broke out of the confined sub-space and all the flames spilled out, drowning everything in its flames.


    I am currently in the air with a [Plane Displacement] as a foothold. The area instantly became another sea of flames.


    "Huh.....?"


    From the sea of flames below me, a giant made of those Void Flames rose up. A Void Flame Giant that is over thirty feet tall.


    I destroy the giant immediately with concentrated bombardment of [Fracture] and [Ripple Impact].


    The giant fell but another rose and took its place.


    While the giant robbed me of my attention, Aedrox crept up behind me.


    I realized too late and he took my head off of my neck.


    .....


    Neh. Just kidding.


    I didn''t get decapitated. That was only my vision of the future from [Clairvoyant].


    Reality was different although not completely. I got my throat sliced instead. I put priority in healing that wound but I''m now receiving attacks from two sides.


    This is bullshit!


    While thinking that, I switch places with Aedrox and let him take the hammer fist of the giant he created.


    [Spatial Magic: Switch Warp] was what I just used.


    I still have a list of composite magic that I haven''t used, so there''s an upside. They are all synthesized during the time when Aedrox generously allow me to prepare. In all honesty, I would have died if it wasn''t for that preparation.


    The giant died out like a candle flame being blown out. Aedrox is of course unhurt but he doesn''t look happy. I wouldn''t be happy either if my own summon accidentally hurt me due to enemy unit''s tactic.


    I [Free Warp] faraway from Aedrox and took position.


    The space below my feet ripple as it make an indent, I launch myself at Aedrox like a slingshot as the space snapped back into place. I raise a [Spatial Shard] as the head of my charge.


    Aedrox responded with a massive vortex of dark purple flames. I use [All Repel] to counter the flames that swallowed me. Although Aedrox has extreme firepower, his attacks are fragile and easy to counter. There''s some consolation at least.


    I turn the [Spatial Shard] in hand to a [Force Spear].


    Fast.


    [Force Spear] is faster than I thought. I wish I have a camera to capture the absolute stunt look on Aedrox''s face when he caught the same realization as I did. The javelin impaled Aedrox where his pseudo-heart is.


    I did it.


    .....


    Nope. I did nothing.


    Either that spot is a bogus or my attacks aren''t strong enough to give it some effect. I did notice a faint wince on Aedrox''s face however.


    "I take it back."


    "Hai?"


    "You really piss me off. You are becoming more infuriating than a bug."


    Ah, did he finally snapped? Well, I did incurred a friendly fire with his own summons.


    Giant Snakes rose from the sea of flames this time. They move like whips cracking the air. With so many of them coming at me at the same time, I''m bound to loose a limb or two but I escaped that onslaught with only loosing half of my fingers.


    Ugh~ Somehow, it''s more disturbing than loosing the the whole limb. Well, it''ll heal up in a few seconds. Let''s not mind the gruesome details.


    As I tried to create some distance, he kept zero in on me and engaged with close combat. His grimace tells me enough that he''s really pissed.


    When I looked below, I realized the whole place is completely drown in sea of flames. I can no longer find any place to land.


    "You sure you want to look away?"


    Hmm?


    I parried a few jabs and hooks with my bare hands. I throw his balance off by making use of his own momentum when he threw a haymaker. He flipped and chained the spin with a roundhouse. Fancy movements but there were a lot of excessive movements.


    I create some distance and attack with [Force Spears] but he was really adamant with close combat. Through his sheer strength and power, a punch sent me crashing through burning buildings. A single [Free Warp] cancelled out all the momentum and I stop flying backwards.


    The Giant Flame Snakes caught up. There were five of them, I guess? Things were hectic and they kinda blend in with surrounding sea of flames so I couldn''t really count properly.


    "Yabai." I muttered in Japanese for some reasons.


    I [Sever] the first one, [Distort] the head of the second, [Fracture] the third, burst the forth down with consecutive [Ripple Impacts], and swallow the fifth with [Soul Harvest].


    Hmm. Swallowing the snakes made no changes to my stats but I did recover some HP and MP. Well, they don''t really have a soul, so it kinda make sense that nothing significant changed. Well what do you know, logic works sometimes with him.


    "Fool."


    Heh?


    While basking in a slight triumphant moment, an explosion swallowed me.


    It looked like that but I never take my focus off of Aedrox, so I didn''t actually get swallowed in it. I warped on top of an unstable building that was bound to collapse in just minutes.


    "You''re good at running."


    "I was told running is good for your health. I kinda need all the help I can gather and beggars can''t be choosers." I smiled at Aedrox.


    His eyebrows twitched.


    His annoyance manifested in the form of a vast fire ball that descended upon me.


    I [Free Warp] away from there and watched from afar the building biting the dust. I looked around the ruined remnants of a ruined city that was among a sea of dark purplish flames. "You know, you should chill out."


    He appeared in front of me with obvious pulsing veins on his forehead. He''s the complete opposite of happy now.


    He''s getting kinda sensitive to my words. I wonder if it''s the effect of the vessel''s former memories.


    While thinking so, I am swarmed by his barrages of attacks. His attacks felt heavier than before but....


    Despite his relentless pursuit, none of his close combat attacks really have much effect. The only attacks that landed are the ones that completely overwhelmed me in terms of strength. His speed and technique is just plain terrible compare to mine. He''s bad in close combat. Well, it might be because of my [Clairvoyant] but.... come to think of it, Aedrox even got beaten in close combat by Muo Li and Clammis, didn''t he?


    "What''s with that look?" His face distorted even more.


    Huh? I touched my own face. Ah, I''m making a really condescending smile, aren''t I?


    "You little!" He shouted as he swung down [Havoc Wrecker] at me. My skin is charred from the close evasion but I dismembered his arm in return. I didn''t slice it off with [Sever] or [Spatial Shard] but I shot it off with a close-range [Force Spear].


    Again, as if time was rewound, his severed arm reattached itself back.


    Please don''t tell me he has access to [Time Magic] cause that will seriously suck for me.


    In a short fluster, I fire multiple close range [Force Spears] until Aedrox himself backed away by shifting into his flame form.


    He bore multiple wounds from the [Force Spears] but after materializing from his flame form, the wounds are all gone.


    God.... damn it. The root of all problems is that he has endless supply of energy to sustain his absurd regenerative powers. Without that, victory would long be assured by me.


    I really don''t want to use "that" but I don''t I have the luxury to say no now.


    After invoke multiple offensive spells at Aedrox, I dive into my newly created sub-space.


    In the sub-space, I create another and I dive into that one. I continue this course for a few times before settling down on the thirtieth sub-space I created.


    I take this chance to catch my breath and inject myself with Mana potions until the blue bar on my heads-up display is full.


    The main reason I use multiple [Proxy Realm] wasn''t to avoid Aedrox but as a containment area should I do something wrong with I''m about to do.


    I take out that "thing" from [Vault] and begin refining it into a doable weapon.


    While doing so, I can feel tremors. Aedrox is most likely breaking through realms after realms to me. I gave this my smallest attention while the majority is used on the refinement.


    That was just how dangerous the "thing" is. I don''t really know what is it capable of but my intuition is telling me that the consequences of messing up with that "thing" would be greater than Aedrox''s exploits.


    On the thirtieth tremor, Aedrox broke into the current sub-space I''m in. I quickly toss the weapon made from that "thing" into [Vault]. I made it just in time.


    "Done running?"


    "At least call it a tactical retreat. It makes me sound better that way."


    "Even in this kind of situation, your witticism is as sharp as ever."


    "Well, if you think my witticism is sharp, you need to go out more often."


    Heh? Holy shit, he''s breathing fire!


    I exited the sub-space and back into the real world as my sub-space turn into a fire pit.


    "That was too close."


    The space in front of me cracked like a glass.


    Ah. Shit.


    I quickly [Free Warp] away from there as fire burst out from that cracked space. The next moment, Aedrox strode out.


    Okay. Okay. Okay. Everything''s still fine. Everything''s still alright. All is still well. Still.


    Aedrox saw me who was taking deep breaths like a chimpanzee. The sea of flames below me erupted into a pillar. Of course, I saw it coming and evaded it with [Free Warp]. I consider using [Switch Warp] but since Aedrox is aware of that ability now, it probably won''t work. Well, it wold work if I use more Mana but the Mana to performance ratio would be inefficient.


    I don''t think I need to mention how I''m going naked here from all those extreme heat that burned away my clothes. I quickly redress myself with [Spirit Formation]. The cyan robes I''m wearing is standing out with my current situation.


    Aedrox closed in on me who was worrying about fashion in the midst of a battle. A Void Flame Sword in hand, he unleashes a flurry of attacks at me. Even though the slashes missed, the heat burned my skin and clothes a little. At this rate, my clothes will once again be burned out.


    I waited.


    I waited for an opportunity.


    I only waited because I know his swordplay isn''t as great as his magic skills. I know he will slip out that''s when I strike.


    I received grazes from the fire sword but I waited.


    Although he doesn''t have a form, there is still a pattern to his swings.


    At his most vulnerable point of his swordplay, I fire a [Force Spear]. He dodged it--


    -- as expected. He dodged into the trajectory of another [Force Spear]. The spear blew away his whole head.


    While he''s distracted and stupefied by the sudden turn of events, I thrust my hand into his body. Well, his vessel''s body. I pour about two thirds of my Mana into him.


    Like time rewinding, his head mended itself.


    I quickly retract my hand and take out a sword made of Mithril and a little bit of Onyx Steel. My sword clashed with his. Remembering what Vira did with her sword, I recite her form from sheer memory.


    Her form is that of deflects and precision strikes. I modified it a little to suit my own style. The swordplay last not ten seconds before I dismember his arm which was not holding the sword. I destroy that severed arm with [Fracture] and multiple [Force Spears].


    "What? H-how?" Aedrox gave a look of confusion.


    After another round of swordplay, I dismember his left leg. I did the same to that leg as I did to the arm. Since he''s floating in the air, loosing a leg didn''t do much to his balance.


    He can''t shift into his flame form and he can''t regenerate. It''s all because I injected my Mana into him and disrupting his energy flow. I kinda realized this as I was fighting him. The more he adapts to this world, the more similar his internal energy flow becomes like ours.


    At the cost of having access to more powers, he also became more vulnerable.


    My Mana within him is keeping his form tangible and preventing his regeneration. It''s kinda like I''m the one corrupting him. Well, this idea is inspired by his corruption ability.


    As I planned to sever his other arm, something changed.


    When our blade clashed, it felt heavier for me. His swinging patterns changed. His blows are harder to deflect. His strikes are faster than before. Even [Clairvoyant] could barely keep up.


    His swordplay got better. I''m suddenly finding myself slowly being overpowered here.


    Before long, the sword in my hands is shattered to a thousand pieces.


    "Do you think you''re the only who is able to learn? I am Aedrox, the speaker, the voice, the hand of my brethren."


    His wounds heal up. My Mana is slowly being expelled out of his system.


    Whoa..... That''s not fair. He rid my Mana just like that.


    "I will not be beaten."


    "What a coincidence. I have the same resolution."


    He clicked his tongue at my retort. "You know what, let''s do this fairly."


    Huh?


    He clicked his fingers and the sea of flames is extinguished at a snap of his fingers, literally.


    He descend to the ground and looked up at me, as if waiting for me to do the same.


    What are you trying to do?


    He read my mind as he said "No fancy magic tricks. No absurd healing powers. Just a sword and techniques, just these two, I show you I can overwhelm you." He pointed the Void Flame Sword at me.


    "Funny." I said as I too descend to the ground. "You sound more and more like a human."


    "I can still corrupt a person''s mind and make them eat themselves to heal themselves and feel no remorse or whatsoever. Does that sound human to you?"


    "Ha, fair point."


    I injected myself with the last remaining HP and MP potions and I trigger my Awakened form.


    I am towering Aedrox which is an odd feeling considering the reality is actually the opposite. I cast a concentrated [Magic Enhancement] on my claws and tail and coated those places with [Void Skin]. If his words is truly to be believed, from this point on, it will be purely close combat.


    "I trust that you''ll keep your word?" I asked.


    "Of course. As a respect for the person who is worthy to be my vessel."


    Oi, you called me a bug not few moments ago, is what I wanted to retort but I''m not going to destroy this golden opportunity of having a fair fight.


    Though it may look like a fair fight but in the end, I will still loose even if I win this. His brethren''s fate is at stake. He would not relent just because he lost in a swordplay.


    I really don''t want to use "that" but looks like that''s my only option now.


    "Well, let''s do this."


    "Whenever you''re ready, Hyx."


    Heh? This is the first time he called me by my name.


    As I thought, he changed. His overall personality changes with his vessel.


    But anyways, I think that "thing" should be taking effect any time now.


    He does not know it yet but the outcome of this battle has already been decided.


    It''s just a matter of time.

 H33 - Coda (3)

    "I will admit. I underestimated your friend."


    Aedrox said while tracing a pattern in the air with his flaming sword before finishing it with a swipe.


    A typical way of intimidating one''s opponent in a sword fight but it didn''t do much for me. I was too worried about my own condition to pay his intimidation any heed.


    My arms are numb and tired. My claws are trembling from the repeating heavy blows. My tail feels heavy. Even my vision is going out of focus. I''m starting to see doubles.


    This is not good and this outcome is unexpected.


    "This Vessel is more than it seems. The body is flexible. It doesn''t fight with my commands or will. It''s movements are smooth, like the cogwheels are regularly lubricated."


    Although it is a compliment but not for me nor the corpse he''s defiling.


    "As expected of an Oni. If I have given him a little more time to grow, I think he would have been a good substitute if I can''t have you."


    Aedrox said something that would sound weird if it''s taken out of context.


    Growls came out with every heavy breaths that I draw. To his words, I can only shrug in my state.


    Aedrox''s swordsmanship is beyond my imagination.


    The more we fought, the better he becomes. Even with [Clairvoyant], I can barely defend or dodge the attacks. Unlike before, there was no excessive strength or wasted movements. Everything was precisely adequate. I even lost count on how many ruses I fell for.


    I turn back into my human form.


    My size didn''t help in the fight. I was only a bigger target but not that it matters much now. I have increased vitality in my Awakened form at least. If I fought in my human form, I would already be dead but seeing how the situation is unfolding, I would be dead as hell in both cases.


    "We aren''t a threat because of our aberrant tricks, Harbinger."


    It''s Harbinger again, huh.


    "No. We are a threat because of our ability to adapt. Whatever tactic or plan our enemies came up with, we adapted to it and we crushed them at their own game. We have never cease to evolve."


    Hearing his testimony, I find it hard to believe they were defeated because of the Mondras unless the Mondras possess equally terrifying abilities too. According to Engrande, each Mondra has its own unique trait. Their unique trait was an unintended beneficial side effect. Indara has yet to show such side effect but I guess time will tell?


    Aedrox took a step forward and I took a step back as a natural response. Yikes. This is a sure sign of acknowledgment of my imminent defeat.


    Come on, take effect already. Please don''t tell me it doesn''t work.


    "You look like you''re waiting for something. Waiting for me to make a mistake?"


    "Hopefully."


    "Do you still think you can come out victorious in this?"


    "I would like to believe that, yes." I tried my best to smile but my trembling lips aren''t too convincing.


    "Even despite all notions to the contrary?"


    I''m covered in wounds. I can heal them but that would break the terms of this battle. The terms is only reason I''m still drawing breath. I can''t cheat, not yet. "Yeah.... At least if I fight, I would have a small chance to win as oppose to surrendering. Even if that chance is less than a single percent."


    "Is this it? Is this the famous hope I heard so much about, the thing you humans and the other Sagax races cling hopelessly on to?"


    "It is the same hope you and your brethren cling to. You are just as adamant, persistent, determine, and stubborn as we are. We''re not that different. In the end, we are both refusing to let go of something."


    Aedrox looks at me with those dark violet eyes of his without saying so much as a word. I feel like he''s evaluating the philosophy in my words but my real intent is just to buy time. Now that I had a proper look, I notice there''s some red tinge slightly mixed in his eyes.


    "I guess we are."


    Oh? That answer was unexpected.


    I might have been obvious with my surprised reaction cause his next words were "I know. I surprise myself too. This Vessel is really affecting me more than I presumed. He had a strong will. Strong enough to defy his basic instinct as a Goblin. I guess he deserves.... my respect."


    I scoffed. "Now you''re talking about respect? Isn''t it kinda too late for that?"


    "When you lived as long as I have, nothing is ever too late. It just becomes harder, that is all."


    He rushed in as soon as the last word left his lips. The jabs he rushed in with are almost unavoidable. Even with [Clairvoyant], I''m only getting by with grazes.


    "Come on, fight back now. Are you conserving your energy for the moment that I slip up?"


    "Sort of."


    I''m not retaliating. I''m just dodging. Fighting without using movement magic is hard. I relied too much on my magic but my class is a Battle Mage after all.


    A part of me is concentrating on Aedrox and the other part is eyeing at my MP bar. It''s only a little bit above the halfway point. I thought about buying time by concealing myself with [Presence Detachment] but since he''s so focus on me now, I don''t think I could elude him for long.


    While my mind drifts off the topic, Aedrox''s sudden assault surprised me.


    He drew a trail of intense dark purple.


    -- AH!


    I screamed as I thought I lost my hand but it turns to just be a very deep cut is all. Even without pain, getting hurt still makes me jump. I guess the concept of getting hurt equals to pain is deeply ingrained in my mind after all. It will take years to completely get rid of that.


    He leaps over me as I blocked against a feint. Yes, I''m blocking with my bare hands but of course, coated with defensive magic. Although that was a waste of Mana since it was a feint.


    I have no choice but to attack as a defensive strategy. He bends his body like a gymnast and attacks in that weird form.


    -- His sword pierced through my left palm as I tried to defend against an attack aim for my head. Turns out my human form truly can''t stand against his ferocity.


    I''m being pushed back with his flurry of attacks. Without any choice, I invoke [Partial Awakening] to conserve Mana and only transform my claws and let out my tail.


    I receive those heavy blows with a cross guard of my claws . My reinforcement magic on my claws are failing. With each clash of my claw with the fiery blade, I felt the defensive magic cast being chipped off.


    "I always thought you and your kind, the humans, the Sagax, took the world for granted. I might be wrong, I can see that now. Some of you are always grasping tightly to everything you currently you have, like you."


    "You noticed. Good for you but I''m not sure how that benefits me in anyway."


    "You know, maybe I won''t fully devour you when I take you as my vessel. Perhaps we could come to an agreement like you and the First Beast."


    "Yeah, right. No thanks. It may sound good in your head but trust me, when shit hits the fan, you will want me out of your head."


    "Maybe but your persistence of refusing to surrender is admirable. I almost sad to see it gone."


    "You''re slowly starting to think like a mortal and even act like one. You''re sure you don''t need to get yourself check?"


    "Who knows? Perhaps this is the first step into assimilating unto our new home, or if that won''t work, our new home will assimilated unto us. Either way, we are not waiting anymore."


    From an egoistic sob to this. Either he''s reaching enlightenment or he''s just high on his host''s resolves and feelings.


    "You know, Aedrox, if we met way earlier on, way before you and your brethren lost all hope in being nice, I think we would likely had come to an understanding, you and I."


    He chuckled. "I concur."


    "But now, I don''t think so. I can''t trust your desperation and I most certainly can''t trust the one who killed my companions. You have to be destroyed."


    "Destroyed, huh? We even tried doing that to each other, it didn''t get us anywhere. We got hurt, we healed and we''re back to square one. We''re immortal and eternal. We''re indestructible. We are undying. Mortals called it a gift but to us, is it truly so?"


    "That''s sad but ain''t my problem. I got my own hands full." I prepare for his next wave of assault. "I''m sorry."


    "Your apologies are meaningless. You''re not at fault. No one is. It''s just nature running its course."


    "Enough talk. Just come at me. Waiting is only going to make it more unnerving." Ironically, my real intent is the antithesis of my words.


    "Well, Hyx. It has been a pleasure. Time to--"


    He paused. His whole body froze.


    He stared those stiff eyes of his at me.


    The intimidating and terrifying aura around began to fade.


    His eyes stayed widen.


    The Void Flame Sword in his hand is slowly loosing its life.


    The dark purplish veins that cover his whole body are loosing their light.


    He fell to his knees while gasping for air.


    Finally.


    It''s taking effect.


    He stares straight at me, straight into my soul. His calm facade twisted into a furious grimace.


    "You.... What have you done....? Are you this much of a coward after all?"


    "In my defense, this was done way before you set the terms and rules."


    "You...."


    I don''t exactly know what is going on with his body. All I know is that it worked. I can tell by his fading energy. I have cut him off from his source from which he draws his powers from, presumably the Void.


    What I did was that I planted a clump of jet-black metal into his Vessel''s body. The black metal clump is the failed byproduct from forging Indara. The accumulation of my darkness and negative emotions. In a way, it can be interfere as the physical manifestation of my will.


    To think that it would actually be strong enough to affect Aedrox, that itself is a testament to how much darkness I harbor within me.


    "COWARD!!!"


    Loosing all his composure, Aedrox rushes straight at me.


    I heal my wounds that I couldn''t do before and prepare for the collision.


    Except that it didn''t happen. Aedrox unleashes his aura radially right before we collided. It was within my calculations but the massive range wasn''t. I [Free Warp] at least a mile away from him but the energy wave caught up to me.


    I throw up every defensive skills and abilities I have and withstand the wave.


    The wave lasted for a few seconds before dying down and I find myself in wounds with only one third of my MP. I survived the wave by concentrating on my healing to heal faster than I''m taking damage.


    I didn''t let my attention wander off from Aedrox while I patch myself up.


    When the dust and smoke settled, I see him limping towards with gasping breaths.


    Black veins with slight reddish tinge encroached his body, replacing those dark purplish veins.


    I guess that''s my "corruption" taking root?


    [Title - <Trickster> - Acquired]


    [Title - <The Satirical One> - Acquired]


    [Title - <The Astute One> - Acquired]


    Oi oi. What''s with these titles? They''re certainly not something that look good on a resume except for the last title.


    "What.... did you.... put in me?"


    He realized what truly happened it seems.


    I have put that in him when I blew his head off with [Force Spear] and stuff my hand in him. I actually enchant that clump of metal with a little [Presence Detachment]. That little enchant shaved off fifteen percent of my MP. [Presence Detachment] is really costly. In fact, it has the highest cost till this date with mass movement abilities as the runner up. But to my surprise, [Free Warp] has a reasonable cost.


    "My wrath. My despair. My fear. Everything dark of me, I ingrained it into your very soul. I don''t really know but that''s the closest thing I have to an answer."


    "The antithesis of your benevolent will..... Unbelievable..... To think it could overwhelm me...."


    Yeah. It can but it won''t last forever. I have to finish this while he''s still under that effect. Judging from the dying glow in his body with Mana Vision, I bet he can''t use a lot of his tricks, hopefully his healing powers too.


    I can barely use any magic now too. I have to conserve what little MP I have as contingency.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    I deactivate my [Partial Awakening] and I take out another Mithril Sword from [Vault].


    His flaming sword looks like it is about to vanish but he did something to it and as the flames vanished, a crystallized version of that sword is in his hand. He made the sword independent of his energy.


    Impressive.


    Once again, it all comes down to our swordsmanship.


    Our swords clashed.


    I feel less weight in his swings.


    He went for a thrust and deflecting it was easier than before.


    He went for quick attacks and I saw every swings that came at my way even without [Clairvoyant].


    He really isn''t able to use a lot of his powers now.


    In addition, he''s slower.


    He''s really weakening. Good. Now I can definitely--


    Eh?


    W-what?


    A flash went by my eyes, and something drew a scar across my face.


    "You underestimated me, Harbinger."


    Ha....


    A swing came. I deflected it but somehow, it came back and drew a wound across my waist.


    "Thanks for those.... memories. It came in handy."


    Oh shit. I fucked up.


    By corrupting him with my will, he also gains a portion of my memories.


    Crap. I did not take that factor into account. Rather, I didn''t think such thing was possible.


    "I see.... you''re an offworlder. It''s been too long since the last Harbinger was an offworlder."


    I feel like I heard something important but with my life on the line here, nothing sounded really more important at the moment.


    Crap. How much does he know, that''s the real question here.


    "And you..... you have led a very sad life." And he led his words with a laugh.


    "What''s so funny about my memories?"


    "Not your memories but you live a life similar to us Void Demons. Unable to die, unable to live. Trap between those two world. Enduring the suffering everyday as you stay strapped into one place with only a tiny glimpse to the outside world. Just like us."


    Hmm.... Now that he mention it.... Ah--?


    My mind wandered off for a moment there and he thrust the sword at my head. It ended up grazing my temple. The swing continues on.


    Each attack wasn''t as heavy as before but it was swung in away that makes it near-impossible to deflect or dodge with someone of my level of skill.


    Damn it. He knew too much about me now. He even knows my weakness.


    "And after you reincarnated.... you became a.... vile person."


    He looked at me like I some sort of a trash.


    "You''re simply the lowest being. To think someone like you, became the Harbinger. I''m shocked. Has the Goddess finally gone senile?"


    As much as it pains me to listen, I can''t deny him. He is right about me.


    I was a vile person.


    This memory came back to me when I evolved but it was a memory that I wish not to acknowledge.


    I am indeed a terrible person when I reincarnated. At that time, I have yet to regain memories.


    From a toddler, I was your typical rich and spoiled brat. Those cliche troupes.


    I have committed a lot of atrocities but they were all done moderately. I never cross the line. I always made sure that I could get away with the atrocities. The consolation was that the deeds were only something a kid would thought up.


    But it doesn''t change the fact that I was a terrible person.


    When I came of age, the moment my memories from my past life returned, I couldn''t believe how depraved I have been. As if it was karma handling down judgement, I was deemed someone without a spark, I was exiled. No one helped me. No one will. I was a brat. They were relieved to see me gone, even my own blood kin.


    But a businessman I met along the way saw something in me. Perhaps he could tell I was blessed by a god, and in fact, I was blessed by a Goddess. Oroviosa. So, I took on his family name, Atlas. Life wasn''t good but it wasn''t bad. That respite gave me some time to think.


    I know one day, I will have to fulfill my promise to the Goddess who reincarnated me but I want to atone for what I have done before that happened. And I joined the Faith of the Nines as a volunteer.


    It kinda surprised me that the Nines wasn''t the typical corrupted religion normally portrayed in fictional piece. As far as I know, they do good work and the Cardinal is a good person just from a single glance. Actually, he looks kinda naive that I''m afraid he would be taken advantage of.


    There, I met Iluna and Vira. Two girls who I have came to cherish a lot. My first real friends in this world, and also my entire life including my past life. Eventually, I fell in love with one of them, Vira but there was a rival, Luna.


    No matter which way you slice it, that situation was simply a recipe for drama but It was simple to me, really. My stay with them wasn''t permanent. I knew I would have to leave to fulfill my promise some day, so I gave up Vira for Luna.


    While enduring my aching heart, I let the days went by and by until he appeared.


    The First Beast.


    It came as a huge surprise to the amnesia me that the First Beast and Visa is in cahoot. Drawing conclusion from fragmented memories is really unreliable and dangerously ignorant.


    The First Beast caused some troubles in the region and I was the first one to connect the dots since I knew this was part of the promise. That was his signal to me. I knew the time has come for me to leave behind this mortal life.


    But I have regrets. I.... I still love Vira. I want to at least....


    And along came a complication.


    Vira was acquainted with the First Beast. She had took him in when she was still a child at the orphanage she lived in. The First Beast was only and still in his larvae form although it wasn''t mandatory. He was simply recuperating from his last major battle from thousands of years ago and being in his larvae form was the optimal solution.


    The First Beast who received warmth and kindness for the first time in eternity, accepted her care without hesitation.


    The young and naive Vira secretly raised him up like any other house pet but she shouldn''t have.


    When he recuperated to a certain stage, the miasma he had unconsciously released attracted a monster stampede. which primarily consisted of Mimic monsters. The horde decimated and destroyed the orphanage and nearby towns and villages.


    Vira instantly knew the First Beast was the cause.


    She began to despise monsters from that point on, especially Mimics. She gained an extreme prejudice against them. She swore to hunt down the First Beast who destroyed her life.


    The First Beast, having ran away from Vira, began to live a life in secrecy and solidarity until he recuperated fully. And that was when he began to search for me, the Harbinger, his Shepherd.


    I would have found him first but I hesitated. I didn''t want to leave because of a single girl. I never really believe in love. Bound to a bed in my entire previous life, romance was a foreign subject to me. My first love.... I didn''t want to part from her despite already having given her away.


    Due to my hesitation, Vira found the First Beast first. This was also her knight promotion quest. To her, it was two birds one stone. She relentless hunt him down until he was back into a corner.


    However, Vira didn''t stood a chance against a stuff of legends. She was incapacitated before she knew it.


    Like a comedy skit or something close to it, that was when I caught up to the two. A monster over seven feet in height looming over an unconscious girl in knight''s armor.


    Seeing that rare defenseless side of her, it incurred something within me and this was where I made all the wrong decisions due to my lust.


    I came to truly appreciate her superficial beauty. A face, figure, and proportion envied by all the ladies and desired by most men.


    I want to ravage her. I want to make her mine.


    I struck a deal with the First Beast. I will fulfilled my promise. In exchange, he will leave her alone and will not retaliate to her pursuits.


    After that, the First Beast left and we agreed on the time to began the soul unison at a place without prying eyes, the underground dungeon which where everything started. I still do not know whether it was coincidence, fated, or intended for a Void Demon to reside so close to the ritual.


    But before all that, I let myself succumb to my lust.


    With a lie already prepared in my fucked-up mind, I raped her in her sleep.


    I let everything out inside her. I wanted to mark her as mine.


    When she woke up some time later, I lied to her about what happened.


    The worst part is....


    She believed every word without so much as a single doubt. She believed that I saved her from a monster. Me, someone without a spark. And she believed this sack of shit of an excuse, with a smile.


    A genuine smile filled with nothing but admiration, gratefulness, and appreciation.


    And her hatred and prejudice against monsters grown even stronger because of me. I have hid the fact that I sexually assaulted her in her sleep but she remembered she was assaulted.


    My twisted lie and her unshaken trust on me, it somehow manifested into the delusion that the First Beast took her virtue.


    She descended further into the darkness because of me....


    .....


    I''m just the worst.


    I didn''t change. I was still the same vile person I was before I regained my memories. The same wretched boy who think he was the top of everything.


    As if to punish me, the nearest Kingdom picked up the energy spike as the First Beast prepared for the ritual.


    Thing got complicated.


    I joined the expedition. I joined it in hopes to protect Vira after the ritual of the soul unison but reality as always, were unkind. That energy spiked trigger the long dormant monsters that were once just ordinary magic beasts but long twisted by the Void energy that leaked out from the seal.


    Things went wrong.


    I didn''t want this. Never had.


    All those peoples.....


    They died because of me.


    Unable to cope with it, I chose to wipe my memories when I became one with the First Beast.


    It had always been my choice to loose my memories. I always thought it was weird that even if the First Beast''s memories were too much, there wasn''t any reason for me to loose my memories too. I was given the choice to keep my memories but I can''t bear with everything I have done.


    I wanted to start anew.


    I got my wish, somehow but.... I knew that one day..... all of this will comeback.


    And it did.


    In the midst of a fight with possibly the strongest being in the world.


    But even now, I still question it.....


    Why me....? Why choose someone like me that would betray a friend for personal relieve?


    I wanted to ask the Goddess that the next time we talk. I want to know why she pick me out of everyone.


    [Title - <Redeeming One> - Acquired]


    Appropriate although undeserving. I am aiming for redemption but....


    ..... but now, I got a potential World Ender to deal with.


    I say that but.... it''s harder than it sounds.


    Though he has gotten significantly slower and weaker but it doesn''t mean I have gotten any better than him.


    He knows where to strike and how to strike. He knows when to strike and when not to. He fully knew what I am capable of and I''m not.


    It became more one-sided than before. My opponent knows almost everything about me.


    "This will of yours.... It won''t hold me forever. Your will might be stronger but ours are far more etched into our souls. Our resolve is mightier and it''s forever. Your chains won''t hold."


    As a testament to those words, I began to sense some of his energy rising from him.


    Ah..... I really need to end this fast.


    With more ferocity, he swung that Crystallized Sword at me.


    With every clash, I feel the numbness seeps deeper. I''m loosing strength too and the fatigue is coming. I have been fighting way too long.


    I can''t carelessly use any magic or skills since my MP is low. It would suck big time if it turns out he has another trick up his sleeves.


    What can I do....


    The usual tactic would be to disable your opponent''s weapon, be it one''s fist or sword but how to go about that?


    Hmm.... What if....? Since his weapon is no longer dependent of his energy, then....


    On the nth clash, my Mithril sword finally broke against the crystallized sword.


    "This is over." He announced with a resolute expression and thrust the blade at the defenseless me. However, he frowned when he noticed the smirk I just couldn''t hide when I hit upon that certain idea.


    The sword of crystallized Void Flames disappeared from his hands.


    "W-what...!?"


    I sent a quick jab at the confused and dumbfounded Aedrox and sent him sprawling on the ground.


    What I did was something kinda low and hilarious. I store his sword into my [Vault]. The theory is that the less bound an object is, the easier it is to store it. For example, a stone tied strongly to a house would be impossible to store it but it would be a different question if the stone is tied loosely to the house instead.


    Since his sword became "independent" and he lost most of his powers. I figured nothing could prevent me from stealing his sword with [Vault]. My bet paid off.


    "Fine."


    He said. Staring straight at me with eyes that refused to give up. And I can see why.


    My dark will that is chaning him is crumbling. The hold on his powers would not last much longer.


    The Void Flames came back albeit weak.


    "Is it too late to say sorry?" I asked.


    He didn''t answer. He charges straight at me with those flame-clad fist. He is even using short-range teleportation to confuse my vision.


    Although his powers are not back to full force, those fist clad with Void Flames would still be lethal to me if I receive one or two punches in my current condition.


    With the last ounce of my MP, I used it to raise as many defensive skills as possible. I''m sweating ice cubes as I watch my MP bar decreasing.


    I was assaulted with a huge radius flame blast attack and I am forced to use a strong defense skill against it. [Famine Shield] helps but only on this attack. Those flame punches have too short contact duration to be effective for [Famine Shield]. Even so, [Famine Shield]''s conversion efficiency depended of the type of magic absorbed and I came to learn Void energy has the least efficient rate.


    He knew I would absorb that flame blast attack.


    Using my own technique, he appears behind me while I was confronted by what''s in front. He summons another Void Flame Sword into his hands.


    I knew what he was trying to do but there was nothing I could do in response. While still absorbing the flame blast with [Famine Shield], a sword is being swung with the intend to cut me into two halves.


    It''s too slow. [Famine Shield] is not absorbing it fast enough and it''s only a shield not a three sixty barrier. My back is wide open and the blade is coming closer to my waist.


    "Got you--"


    Aedrox''s confident grin is once again erased by my out-of-situation smirk when I shot him a glance. I bet he could even felt something was wrong because I used a magic spell on him. It is an intermediate rank spell called [Sealing Magic: Mystic Shackle]. It is used to seal one''s movement including the ability to use movement-related magic or skills. It wouldn''t have worked on him if he was at his usual strength and I wouldn''t have use it if the Mana cost is high.


    I got his movements sealed.


    From [Vault], I took out a dark purplish and faint reddish crystallized sword and brought in around a full three sixty. This is the same sword I stole from him.


    Nice, this blade is sharp and cuts nicely. The half-drained fire blast is cut into half and lost its bravado, and at the same time, I cut off one of Aedrox''s arm just as [Mystic Shackle] came undone.


    Can I make it? Can I do this?


    Asking myself the two million dollar question, I once again clash swords with Aedrox. My sword shatters into thousands of shimmering splinters and shards on the fifth clash.


    And my MP reach its limit. It wasn''t zero but that single digit number makes no difference. My whole body feels tired and heavy.


    Aedrox who saw my condition, shoots out a small bolt of Void Flames through my right knee from the tip of his sword.


    Guh! Shit!


    Loosing my bearings, Aedrox drew a wide arc at my eyes with his sword.


    My whole world is plunged into darkness the next instant.


    I don''t feel pain. Even if I do, everything feels like a tiny prick to me. But.... even though I was no longer acquainted with pain, I screamed from having my eyes lacerated.


    I can''t see.


    I can''t see.


    But the initial fear dissipates just seconds after.


    I''m comforted by an immediate fact.


    My eyes aren''t the only asset that provides me with cognitive abilities


    I can''t see.... with my eyes but.... I can still sense them. Putting aside my Mana sensitivity, I still have my amplified hearing, my amplified instincts, and even the vibration reverberating through the air from all the objects around me are picked up by my sensitive skin.


    What a fool I have been. I have so much tool at my disposal but I have only relied on one.


    Perhaps my instincts as a beast is taking over. I actually see everything clearer now. It''s like I''m seeing only the necessary information.


    Aedrox has a heartbeat. It isn''t exactly a heart beating but the core in the center of his chest is pulsing like a heart. That is definitely his "heart" and I just need the right weapon to hurt it.


    I can tell Aedrox has yet to realize that taking away my eyes has not rid me of my cognitive abilities.


    And it''s strange. My HP and MP bar is still visible to me. It''s like they aren''t part of my vision but my mind. I guess that is kinda true.


    Aedrox attacked. He is open. He think he had won.


    He may have my memories but getting rid of my eyes have just rendered those information he has of me inept.


    When he came close enough, I move in even closer to avoid his sword. He clad his whole body in flames as a quick response to my sudden unexpected movements. I can tell that he panicked and he knew he shouldn''t. He is invoking a teleportation type of spell. His whole being has a very minor shudder as the air around him closes in. This minute details couldn''t be seen with the naked eyes but I picked all this information up with my amplified senses.


    Heh. I should get a red suit and helmet with two horns after this.


    I uppercut him in the jaws with my elbow, discombobulating him and cancelling his invocation of a teleportation skill. Of course, my arms is charred down to the bare flesh in seconds upon contact with those flames. Ignoring that wound, I kneed him in the abdomen, also receiving the compensation of touching a burning body at the same time.


    My reckless actions is not without a plan.


    The number on my MP bar turns into a single oval-shaped number as I used the last remaining MP to invoke [Vault].


    I drew out a jet-black shiv with a length no longer than my hand. It is made of the same jet-black metal of my amassed darkness. This was what I was making in the layers of sub-spaces. I left some in its raw clump state and I used the remaining to craft and refine it into this shiv.


    Aedrox''s breath ceased as he took notice of the peculiar shiv in my hand. He douses the flames that swallowed his body and uses a different skill. The shuddering of of his molecules around him tells me that he is invoking another teleportation magic.


    I thrust and as expected, he dodged it with a short-range blink. I wield the shiv in reverse and swing at him who had blinked to the side. He too blinked away from that spot. My strikes and slashes kept finding air but like always, I waited.


    As I attack, I track his movements. I track his patterns. I track his behaviors corresponding to his next actions.


    -- At the same time, I keep an eye on my MP bar which is slowly recovering.


    I waited as I observe him.


    -- A part of my attention is on the recovering MP bar. Splitting my attention is a feat that was near impossible for me but loosing my sight somehow helps in using parallel thoughts. Odd but I won''t question my damn luck too much.


    He has the same eyes. Constant viggilance of any trickery I might be up to.


    -Come on, just a few more.


    After he evaded a quick cross cut from me with quick consecutive blinks, I thrust as if I''m throwing my whole body at him.


    Like usual, my attack missed on the empty air.


    -- Come on, a little bit more.


    I put my foot forward to prevent my fall from thrusting forward too much. I once again grip the shiv in reverse. I swing the shiv into the empty space behind me.


    Milliseconds before the shiv reached its destination, the air in that particular area shudders. The tiny dusts in the air parted as if to make way for an object.


    As the shiv arrived at its destination, Aedrox appears right at that moment and at that spot.


    My swing is met with resistance. He saw it coming and now my arm is at his mercy. Gripping my arm tight, he ripped it apart from my shoulders.


    Holy shit, it stings but this is nothing.


    -- So close. A bit more.


    He snatched away the shiv which was still being held in my torn hand and brought the blade down at me.


    I dodged it by leaning back but I throw away my balance by doing so. Shit.


    Gripping the shiv in reverse like me but instead of swinging, he threw the shiv instead, at the me who was still recovering my bearings.


    There was no option for me to move out of the way, not until I regain my bearings.


    -- Ah! That should be enough.


    -- In his current state where his power is still below the nominal point, it should work.


    As the tip of the shiv is just a few inches away from my heart--


    I tip my head at Aedrox who had the look of someone who knew he had just being played.


    -- I invoke [Switch Warp] with just the right amount of my remaining MP which went down to zero after this.


    The shiv found itself lodged deeply and firmly into a heart.


    Aedrox''s "heart".


    I win.


    [Title - <One Who Challenge The Unknown> - Acquired]

 H34 - Coda (4)

    My movements have nothing to do with my Mana recovery rate, something I noticed not few seconds ago. Keeping still didn''t increase the recovery rate but it was only after my heart beat slowed, the recovery rate started to increase.


    And my auto rapid healing is a biological factor, not entirely magical. The demerit in it was that it would only take effect once I have a calm mind and it doesn''t regenerate too fast but it''s still much faster than an average human. I can force activate it and increase the speed of regeneration by supplying it with Mana, like I have been doing all the while ever since my evolution.


    A quarter of an hour passed and my MP bar is filled to one third of its length. Deeming it enough, I stop my meditation and let the rest recover with the usual rate. Well, I called it meditation but it wasn''t really anything special but just me sitting still for the whole duration. No other mental techniques involved.


    As I got up, I almost fell due to the numbness that have spread through my body. Even though I don''t feel pain, I can''t do anything against numbness.


    -- I should give myself a quick once over before I move on.


    With those kind of thought in mind, my attention is brought back to the important issue at present. A person in front of me who bears a huge resemblance to my appearance -- or bore a resemblance to my appearance, I should say. His parched pale skin made all those differences.


    The person is Aedrox, a demonic entity of the Void, who has taken the body of my friend, Thomas, as his vessel.


    A fierce battle ensued but after some sharp ups and downs, I came out victorious by using some dirty tricks. Whether I''m proud of it is irrelevant.


    "Someone''s a little bit too confident right now, to be so unguarded...." Aedrox said while on his knees, his arms hanging sluggishly by his side.


    I ignore his attempts at initiating a futile conversation in his final moments. Even without appraising him, not that I''m able to, I can tell he won''t last any longer in that brittle state.


    I crack my knuckles and twist my neck. Crackling sounds resounded from my actions.


    -- Gosh, my neck feels stiff even though I was moving a lot.


    "It wasn''t just your darkness, was it?" he asked.


    "Aren''t you the curious one?" I gave a light reply. I have no intention of entertaining him any longer than needed. I give my body and condition a good once over. Making a mental list, I go down the points one by one on checking my status and health.


    "If it''s just yours, it would never have been able to overwhelm mine to this degree. My ties to the source of my very essence and being is completely severed. You can''t do that with just ten or so years of accumulated darkness -- no.... You need thousands of years for that to happen."


    "A question which you already know the answer to. Why do you still bother asking?" I spare a glance at the now completely vulnerable Aedrox while not stopping my check up. Looking at his current withered state kinda makes one think that his intimidating form from before was all a lie.


    Though I did learn somethings while fighting with him all out. It wasn''t exactly right to say that the Void is poison to this realm. This realms is as poison as it is the Void to this realm. It''s just that Aedrox has such a huge presence that he overwhelmed everything around him but now the situation has taken a hundred eighty turn. Thus, that wasn''t the case anymore.


    I didn''t dealt the final blow, nature did. I merely took away his overwhelming presence and let the poisoning the work.


    The black shard melted into him. The essence of my dark will spread all over his body, drawing an undulating web pattern.


    Though the information on [Arcane Analysis] are all still incoherent except for one, his status and his status reads; Dying. It should came as a surprise to me that I managed to "kill" him but I''m not. Instead of amazement, I''m slightly terrified. Terrified of the fact the there is so much darkness in me.


    Looks like my future is a dark one and hopefully I can brighten it up. I''m not a masochist, after all.


    "Not telling?" he entreated.


    To be honest, hearing Tom''s voice through his words is infuriating but I pay no real heed to any of it. If this was me from before, I would already be pummeling him into a pulp even while he''s down.


    "Well, I''m not gonna shut you up or anything. Considering the words you will be speaking out right now will be your last. So, feel free to scream, yell, insult, sing, or whatever."


    "You really do play dirty." I could hear the distaste in his words. "Never thought you would fight this way."


    While giving my arms a few swings, I answered "The stakes are high, I''m not going to bomb it all just for some meager pride."


    -- Alright, the numbness are mostly gone.


    All the while I''m giving myself a once over, Aedrox''s gaze has never left me. I couldn''t tell if it''s resentment or admiration that lurks in his gaze.


    A sharp sound of crack resounded and drew my gaze to it.


    It was Aedrox. His body cum vessel is beginning to give out, cracking up like brittle earth.


    "Is this it? Is this all I deserve? No merciful death. No honorable death. Just going to let me rot and withered away in my last moments?"


    "Perhaps." I answered vaguely. Honestly, I didn''t think this far. My exhaustion overridden my glory. Most of all, I want to leave this place as soon as possible. I''m also no sadist that take pleasure in kicking my downed enemy.


    -- Yeap, looks like I''m good to go. Every part of me is functioning as it should be. My hands are still trembling intermittently but even that had became a routine for me.


    "You know, I never thought this day would come. It all seems hopeless or impossible when I think about it from before. Some of us prayed for this day. Some of us didn''t. Some of us accepted that we are eternal and indestructible and we will be living eternally in an endless void of suffering."


    "Hmm. Individual souls, individual mind. That was what you said to me. Didn''t expect you lots to be so.... fragmented."


    "We are many, not too many to be too much for a world but enough to be a nation larger than any we encountered."


    While listening to his final rambles, I fashion myself a new set of clothes with [Spirit Formation]. A simple tunic and a pair of trousers. My footwear is a pair of boots made out of leather. Although the leather is different than any leather I know, the information from [Arcane Analysis] only reads, leather. Should I make a coat too?


    "To the mortals, they are always impressed with the idea of eternal."


    He''s still talking.... I honestly want to crush him and end everything right now but.... I think I might have a use for him. His current state is just right for me.


    "It won''t even be far-fetched to call it the ultimate goal of all mortals. A gift to the mortals perhaps, but a curse to us."


    Aedrox keeps on talking even though I barely paid him any attention. A piece of his cheeks broke from his dried-up body and turn into crumbs as it hit the ground.


    -- Hmm, I should make myself a pair of gloves too.


    "The day when we finally be free from this eternal suffering.... none of us think it was possible but you Harbinger, you proved us wrong."


    "Your point?" I asked. I didn''t bother to hide my annoyance.


    Now that I recovered enough with energy to spare, my emotions also returned. My rage begins building up once again.


    "I''m saying that I welcome it. For such a major matter, without the voices and consents of my brethren, I can''t speak for all of them now but however, I can speak for myself."


    Finally, I face him. Our eyes met once again but his left eye gave out and crumbled to dust.


    "I thought at least, I wanted to live forever, an eternal life without suffering but the truth.... turns out to be the complete opposite"


    "And that is?" I raised an eyebrow.


    There was a short silence before he continued, "I want to rest.... for eternity. No more suffering....."


    "Are those your last words?" I asked as my MP bar looses some of the fill as I activated a magic.


    "No but it is what it is. Just do what I have to do."


    I snickered. Granted, it was a slip. "What I''m about to do, is not something I necessarily have to do."


    His look turned dubious.


    Black shadow rises up behind me like a wave. The shadow mold itself into a suit of armor, a knight, wielding a greatsword in its hands.


    Huh, [Soul Harvest] took the form of a knight this time.


    "Soul Harvest...." He asked, a wobbly smile crept across his withering face.


    "You''re familiar?"


    "Too familiar. It is this Arcane Art that made the First Beast a force to be reckoned with. The mortals won the first contact war because the First Beast. It became exalted of the Void after repeated devouring of us Void Demons."


    "The first contact war?"


    This is the first I heard about this.


    "Another history lost throughout the flow of time. It is what its name stated. It was over millions of years ago. A beast with a potential for endless growth. It won the humans the war, single-handed. We the Void Demons stood no chance against it."


    "I have been wondering, do your people have a name or do you all call yourselves Void Demons?"This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "We do but personally, I prefer Void Demons or Void Legion. It serves to better instill fear and intimidation into our enemies."


    "And what do you call yourselves?"


    "It doesn''t matter and I always hated that name. It rings too true to our nature." He gave a fragile smile.


    I return that weak attempt of a smug. "Well, suit yourself."


    "You sure about this? Mind you, I am not like the other souls you have devoured until now."


    "I know that but I need your powers. I don''t believe for one second that you will be the last one I would ever encounter. For that reason, I need an equalizer. Also, after everything you have done.... to me, I don''t intend to let you off this easy."


    His arms crack into fragments. "You''re not wrong about me not being the last you''ll ever encounter. It is your destiny and fate to bring us salvation-- or damnation in some other''s cases."


    The dark knight raises its sword, preparing to smite the demon in front of me.


    "I sense rage and grief inside your words but.... I don''t feel vengeance emanating from you. You''re not doing this for revenge, are you?"


    "What does it matter?"


    "Oh.... you poor man.... You don''t realize it, do you? Powers come at a price, or prices. Your ability to feel, or your sense of realism, or even your empathy, your ever-growing strength would take those away from you. Power will dull those aspects. Take it from someone with firsthand experience."


    "You have my gratitude then." I retorted. I don''t know how much his words weigh in truth but I guess I''m about to find out sooner or later.


    Although he is wrong about one thing--


    -- This is for revenge. I knew not where his interpretation went wrong but this is without a doubt, revenge and this is the end of my vengeance.


    My anger must have shown on my face as he scoffed. "You think you''re doing this revenge but you''re not. Stop lying to yourself."


    The dark knight tightened its grip on the body length greatsword as if response to my vexation.


    "When they say power comes at a price, they don''t mean the cost. They mean the consequence that comes with it. Can you really tell yourself still feel like a human?"


    "Yes."


    Despite my steeled answer, the smug is still all plastered on his fuck ugly face. "Coming clean early is better than coming clean after the dirt has piled into a mountain."


    I waited no longer. Holding back a grimace, I commanded the dark knight to bring its sword down at the kneeling Void Demon. The blade impaled through Aedrox and struck the ground after.


    In an instance, the body completely withered into a barren state which won''t be too exaggerated to call it a poorly sculptured statue.


    I can see essence of dark purplish colors travelling through the sword, seeping into the dark knight itself. The dark knight then melts back into me.


    The body of Thomas gave out and crumbled to dust. Under my silent breath, I said some random prayers. I didn''t believe those words but I just feel like I have to say something.


    "Whoa...." A foreign sensation overwhelms me for a moment. My feet are fast enough to prevent a fall.


    It might be because I am accustomed to a lot of abrupt and aberrant stuffs that I didn''t feel particularly bothered by this new sensation.


    There isn''t any resistance. It''s almost like Aedrox consented to let himself be devoured.


    [Mana Vessel of a Higher Being - Acquired]


    [Void Exalted (Unique): Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 5]


    [Blaze of the Depths (Unique): Lv. 6 - Acquired]


    I received such message in my head.


    A Higher Being? I wonder what it means by that?


    Higher Being


    Beings that exist on a higher plane of existence. Gods are the prime example of higher beings. Secondary examples being True Dragons, specifically Vo''ryn the World Ender.


    Oh right, this function was in the status card that broke back then. I never did found out my appraisal ability has this function too until now. But come to think of it, Kai was the one who did all the explanations, so I''m guessing Kai was sorta reading from this in its stead?


    Hmm. It does feel kinda lonely without Kai.


    And I acquired [Blaze of the Depths], or rather, reacquired. With this, it truly does mean Tom has passed away. He didn''t join the cycle, he couldn''t, not with a soul so severely damaged. Devouring his soul along with Aedrox''s, is the best I could do to honor him.


    I''m sorry.


    And as a side note, I hope Vo''ryn and I will never cross paths. He or she sure sounded like a huge pain in the ass.


    Still, it kinda shocks me that the Void Demons are considered as Godlike beings. Isn''t that kinda too exaggerated? Then is Divine Intervention the only salvation against the Void Demons?


    Well, no use pondering about it since I have no way of finding it out right now.


    So.... what happens now? I don''t feel anything after harvesting Aedrox besides the three level jumps in [Void Exalted] level.


    HP : 3500


    MP: 5000


    Overall Power Ranking : A


    Effective Combat Power: 7000


    - Attack: 1100


    - Defense: 500


    - Magic: 2000


    - Resistance: 800


    - Speed: 2500


    My Effective Combat Power did some leap but that was it. There were much more improvements and upgrades with the previous souls I harvested unlike Aedrox''s case.


    Did something went--


    -- Ugh~!


    A pain assaulted my heart, literally.


    The pain isn''t anything severe though. At most, it felt like a hard prick from a needle.


    [Latent Force: Divine Art / Apotheosis Magic - Achieved]


    Huh? Say what now? The words are a little bit too professional and advance for my comprehension.


    [Commence Synthesizing of Mana Vessel of Higher Being (Aedrox) - Y / N?]


    Whoa -- what?!


    Is it trying to ask me for permission to convert Aedrox''s soul into an actual form of power?


    Wait. I have already been converting souls into my power since day one of awakening [Soul Harvest]. What am I saying....


    But anyways, is this for real? I''m really going to acquired powers that is said to be on par with Gods''? This doesn''t feel like cheat anymore. It is more like I have bugged out or something.


    Well, I did said I need power but I didn''t mean something of this magnitude.... Maybe this magnitude of power is what I needed?


    Should I say yes....?


    No more hesitation....


    Right. No more hesitation.


    Whatever the consequences befall onto me later on, I will overcome it.


    With that resolution, I hit "Y" with an imaginary finger.


    [Void Exalted (Unique) Will Be Assimilated Into The Synthesis As The Base - Proceed? Y / N ]


    I pressed yes without any pause.


    [Commencing Synthesis.....]


    Although superficially, there isn''t change but within me.... my Mana flow are working hard like a factory on a death march.


    The world comes to a stand still as I feel a great power begins forming within me. Well, maybe standstill is hyperbolic. If one does squint their eyes, they might be able to see the tiniest of movements.


    As for my Mana system, each segment is working like old masters in their respective fields.


    And I assume this is the part where I''m suppose to be curling myself up and writhing in agony. Although my sense of pain has been dulled, I can still tell when I''m suppose to feel pain. A weird feeling, indeed.


    It is very unsettling. Not feeling pain when you know when you''re suppose to. Like when every one is crying or sobbing from a sad scene from a movie and you''re the only one unfazed. Maybe the alienation is even much more than that.


    Your ever-growing strength would take those away from you. Power will dull those aspects.


    I recall to those words.


    No doubt those words will haunt me for the days to come but I don''t intend to let it continue forever. I''m not alone anymore. I have friends and family now. If I''m ever plunged into a situation where I can''t help myself, I will rely on them instead.


    After all, true friends and family is about being there at your worst and best.


    Although it was something I have never even considered before but for once in my entire life, including my previous life, I''m very excited to see my own child.


    My child might have been the source of my ability to rationalize even after all of Aedrox''s taunt. A groundless basis but the most plausible.


    Bathing myself in serene with those thoughts, a great shift manifests in the flow of my Mana.


    The soul of Aedrox is being taken apart like toy blocks but at an unimaginable scale.


    After being deconstructed, the countless fragments are being reordered and reconstructed.


    Puzzle pieces being put to its rightful places, falling rightfully in between the gaps of its partner piece.


    Some didn''t fit.


    But it didn''t matter.


    They were taken out and put back in.


    Even if it was wrong again, the process is repeated until it fits.


    There must be millions pieces of this puzzle, each with a unique side that would only fit with the right partner piece.


    The trial and error are abundant.


    The repeating process went on for what seem to be hours or even days until everything was finally completed.


    And time moves again.


    Although time had move with different pace, I can tell only a few minutes gone by in reality.


    [Synthesis Completed]


    [Synthesis Results: 100% - No Error Detected]


    That''s good to know. I don''t even want to think if it wasn''t a hundred percent as I would have no idea how to fix the remaining percent of error.


    [Divine Art: Exemplar of the Void, Aedrox - Acquired]


    Hmm. I''m not gonna dwell on the naming sense of the system but I will say it is kinda disrespectful and disturbing to use the name of a recently "deceased person".


    Nothing changed much at a glance. My stats didn''t rise any further after acquiring the Divine Art. It was truly anti-climatic but only superficially.


    It seems like Divine Art is a separate entity in a sense. It doesn''t even have a level. Its improvement won''t have too much effect on my normal stats. This kinda explains Kirin''s stats despite having a Divine Art.


    Since it is unlikely to find a place more suitable than this place here to give my new powers a test drive, I activate my newly acquired Divine Art..... Aedrox....


    Gosh, it''s even embarrassing to say it in my mind.


    Clad in dark purplish energy, it burns like gentle flames.


    I didn''t undergo some kind of transformation like in some kid''s show. I feel kinda downhearted at the lack of superficial intimidation while using [Aedrox]..... Okay, that sounds so weird to put it into words.


    Without any warning, a field of dark purplish aura expanded from me radially until it reached the end of this confine ruined city.


    Whoa.... the spectacle is magnificent.


    A faint and transparent world exist with the current plane of realm in an overlapping manner. The current world thrives in the competition for opacity. The intruded world is cosmic, for the lack of a better word, with shiny dark purplish stars. Like the outer space but instead of total black, it was of dark purple.


    There are no buildings in sight but there are some natural formation of rocks that resemble monuments. On these rocks, stood multiple figures of all shapes. Some are standing, some are sitting, some are lying, but they are all looking here, at me. Their eyes are glowing an intense white with slight traces of purple.


    Are these.... Void Demons....?


    Is this how Aedrox has been seeing the world?


    All eyes are on me but I don''t feel any interest coming from them.


    Except for one. The one standing in front of me. The figure with the most humanoid shape.


    It approaches me.


    -- Damn. It''s tall. At least by two heads.


    "What are you?" I asked as it stopped.


    {.....Q''nu.} It responded in Helix after a short silence.


    Q''nu.... it means nomad in Helix. So, the Void Demons are called Q''nu, nomads.... no wonder Aedrox hated it.


    {And what do you, Q''nu desire?} I decided to converse in Helix. Despite having not spoken a word of Helix in a long time, I haven''t gotten worse at it. By the way, Q''nu is also Q''nu in plural.


    {Peace.}


    At that word, I feel interests begin boiling in the other Q''nu. Did that particular word incited something within them?


    It goes without saying that it is talking about their search for peace for only their own race, not the general world peace.


    {At what cost?}


    {Any.}


    Short and brief but its intent is fully transmitted to me. No compromise.


    {No rooms for any negotiations.}


    {..... No more.} It answered after a short silence.


    {I can help.}


    {Lies.}


    Well, she ain''t exactly wrong but I wouldn''t know if I didn''t try.


    {This world.... is this to be ours.}


    She sounds monotone but there is reluctance in her voice. They didn''t want this but they have to if they wish salvation for their race.


    But nevertheless, {I can''t let you do that.}


    {Then you will perish, as the foundation of our salvation.}


    {I see. If that''s the case....}


    I throw my right arm into the air, clenched into a ball of fist.


    {You will meet the same fate as your exemplar, my fellow kin-in-laws.} I retorted. Don''t ask me why I called them in-laws. It just kinda popped into my head.


    I throw my hand back down like I''m pulling down a lever.


    Like in a compressor, the transparent world is clamp between forces of unknown origins.


    A single bright flash dyes my view.


    I haven''t the knowledge of wielding Void powers prior but after receiving this Divine Art, it felt like I instinctively know how to handle Void powers to a certain degree. What I have just did was simply transitioning myself out from the semi-existent world of the Void.


    This power is on a whole new level of aberration.


    I begin to charge up Void energy in my palm.


    I look around the city as energy continues to gather into my palm.


    Nothing but ruins everywhere I look. To think this place use to be the pinnacle of mortals'' evolution. This place holds a lot of memories, not just mine.


    It also holds a lot of secrets. Secrets that would plunge the world further into chaos should it be known.


    Which is why, I have to sanitize this place.


    Nothing is left alive after Aedrox''s pillaging so I don''t have to worried about collateral.


    The energy in my palm begins trembling unstably. This should be more than enough.


    -- Tom, Engrande, Bartholomew, Muo Li, Clammis, Luamiraya, this is goodbye.


    I throw the ball of energy into the air above me.


    The next moment, it cracks open, unleashing the biding energy within.


    The energy spreads out like a tsunami, leveling the whole city with me at the center of it all.


    My world spins along with the leveling. I feel a little bit nauseous.


    My MP hasn''t decrease but I felt something was drained from me and I definitely felt some exhaustion from using Void energy.


    In just seconds, the city which was once being revered for its unparalleled evolution, Rising Valley, is now nothing more than a huge plains of wasteland.


    Now, everything of this chapter is truly over.

 H35 - Overture

    A splash of a vigorous and dazzling light, splurged into the cave, expelling the dark shadows.


    Like a moth, I am drawn to this warm light.


    I hear birds singing, winds whispering, leaves rustling. If I strained my already amplified hearing, I can even pick up the sounds of water running.


    My entire mind and soul, directed solely at the radiant entrance at the end of the straight path.


    In a trance-like state, my feet brings me closer and closer to the light.


    It may just be imagination but my hands are calm. They aren''t shaking.


    Fear, despair, hate, all those dark aspects are forgotten the moment I laid my eyes on the light in front of me.


    Six silhouettes stand in the radiant light. Two of those dark figures, smaller than the others, beckoned to me with waving arms.


    One with slim figure and waist-long hair, reaches out a hand. My mind is isolated with only the desire to take that hand.


    Unconsciously, my walking pace quickened.


    The light expands further and further as I close in.


    With it being only inches away from me now, I throw myself into the light as I grasps onto the offered hand, the hand of my beloved, Senna Tenrun.


    I''m finally out.


    <hr>


    "Nothing changed much." Angie commented at the view before us, a sea of trees, and rivers slithering all over it.


    "Kyu." Citra nodded at Angie''s words.


    We are currently standing on top of a cliff, just outside the former entrance to a cave.


    I said former because it was no longer. I have closed it. I didn''t just close the entrance. I even cause a landslide to cover up the entrance''s outline.


    Hopefully, no one will ever discover it.


    Anyways, the view is everything I have ever hope for. It really brings out the fantasy feel. Natural green all the way with only bricks or wooden houses in the interlude. Not a metallic infrastructure in sight.


    "Beautiful." said Kirin, who is in my arms. I''m carrying her in my arms because she is too short to see the entire view. Naturally, that incurred some jealousy from Angie. Although she isn''t staring here directly, the air of jealousy emanating from her is apparent.


    "It is." I responded to Kirin''s remark.


    "Nature is beautiful, that is the absolute given." said Djin.


    I agree.


    It has been roughly a month since the last time I saw daylight.


    Judging from the position of the sun, it must be afternoon right now, closing in on dusk.


    "It''s plain though~?" Indara tilted his head with a finger on his bottom lip. Cute.


    "That is part of nature''s charm." explained Djin. "Unsullied. Untouched. Nothing concealed. Its lushes of wonder laid bare for all to see."


    I get what Djin is trying to say but there''s a few points I would like to retort on but I''m not fond of debates or arguments. So I keep my mouth shut.


    "Kyu~!"


    "Ah. Sorry, Citra."


    Citra who is on top of Indara''s head almost fell when he tilted his head. Why is she on top of Indara''s head? She usually attached herself to Bartholomew or Cormac.


    I look over to Cormac.


    Ah. That''s why.


    The only ones who aren''t basking in the magnificent are Cormac and Nilin.


    Both of them had their gaze cast down. Nilin is even shedding tears.


    Besides me, these two probably have the closest relationship with Tom. Their face had darkened intensely when I told them everything that transpired. Nilin was even trying to brush the news off as a jest. In the end, she couldn''t do anything but accept reality when she realized that I am completely serious through my expression.


    "I''m sorry." I told them.


    "It''s okay, master." Cormac forced himself to smile at me. It was a clumsy one. "You did your best. You did what you could."


    "I did...." How many times have I heard these words.... It''s too overrated to be used as a consolation, in all honesty.


    "But it wasn''t enough...."


    "Mwu, Nilin." Kirin reproached at Nilin''s words.


    "She''s right." I calm Kirin down by patting her head.


    "You promised me that you''ll save Tom...."


    I did? I don''t think I did.


    "Nil, master did what he could. He saved us. Don''t you think you''re being too--"


    I stop Cormac right there. I don''t want this to get blown out of proportion.


    Without waver, I look at Nilin. "I will not make any excuse. I wasn''t strong enough to save him. I was weak. Therefore, I''m sorry."


    After my apologies, Djin steps forward to Nilin.


    "Nilin, we would not be standing here, enjoying the magnificent view of mother nature in front us, if it wasn''t for Lord Creator."


    Um.... should I retort that Nilin is sort of nature herself?


    "Djin is right, Nilin." Angie chipped in.


    Cormac looks like he wanted to nod along but he changed his mind halfway and ended up swirling his head instead.


    Wiping away her tears, Nilin looks straight at me. "I''m not blaming you, Hyx. I was just...."


    Even if she didn''t finish her sentence, I know what she is trying to say. "I was just as helpless. I didn''t manage to do a single thing to help."


    Hmm? My eyes are on Cormac''s hand, slipping his fingers between Nilin''s. I don''t think Cormac has any ulterior motive to that act and Nilin seems to understand.


    Oh? Indara approaches Nilin. His hand reaches out for her head.


    "Indara?" Nilin blinked at Indara as he stroke her head.


    "There there." As innocent as he could be, he continues to stroke her head.


    "Why....?" Nilin sheepishly asked.


    "Nn? Isn''t this what Tom always do when you''re down?"


    If this was a cartoon, I can see a cupid''s arrow going through all our hearts.


    Angie even has a strained face at Indara''s adorable display. She''s refusing to show her sweet face but her strained face already says enough. This is something I noticed just recently about her, she doesn''t show any excessive emotions to anyone other than me or her rival-in-love a.k.a Kirin. If I were to put her into a group, I would say she belongs in the Onee-san (big sister) group. She''s not going full "ara-ara" yet but I think she''s close.


    I would not categorize her as Yandere either. Yet.


    "T-thank y-you...." Nilin returned to her usual docile nature.


    As expected, her dere power is higher than her tsun power.


    "What''s our next move, dear?" asked Angie.


    While contemplating the straight ball question, my nose twitched at a scent coming from the forest below. "We''re going hunting. We''re having meat for dinner."


    From the memories of Clammis and Muo Li, there is a monster, a magic beast called Steel Tusk Boar. Its tusks are made of steel as its name stated and it''s use as material for weapons. Their meat is a delicacy among adventurers. I can recognize the boars'' scent from the memories. Truly convenient.


    "That''s your first worry?"


    "One of the first, my love."


    Angie jerks back at my words with her face flushed red.


    Is she not accustomed to sudden sweet nothings?


    Besides meat, which is something I''m dying to get my hands on, we have to prepare our identification papers which is our "Status Card".


    From what I can tell from Clammis and Muo Li''s memories, status cards are available in adventurer''s guild or governmental offices.


    However, those two options are out of the question. It will raise too much questions and suspicions. Although, Clammis did knew of some offhanded method to acquire status cards but the price is steep. Still, it is better than going through the legitimate channels. The offhanded method will be discreet and no questions asked.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Okay then, food first, IDs second. What comes next, we shall figure it out along the way.


    No wait.... Food doesn''t come first.


    I gently put Kirin down who was in my arms. I ignore her pleading look for more.


    "Dear?" Angie stares blankly at me as I spun her to face me.


    I kneel down and plant a kiss on her navel. Of course, my lips and her navel is separated by a thin piece of clothing.


    "H-Hyx~!" Angie shrieked.


    "Mwu~!" Kirin stomp her foot on the ground with bloated cheeks.


    "I have been remiss, Angie." I looked up at her, who was looking down at me. "This one should be my first worry."


    "T-that w-was.... sneaky of you...." She muttered silently.


    I stand back up and raise her face to meet mine with my index finger. "I should find a place for you to rest first before anything else."


    I wasn''t such a sweet talker before and I don''t think I would talk like this to another girl from the same world as I am. Those who are familiar with fiction pieces would find this incredibly cheesy and lame but I finally understood why couples do what they do. It''s more like a mandatory action than a choice. You just can''t help but wanting to show your affection this way.


    I feel like, for my child, I would even able to slay Gods.


    "Of course, my love." She responded with a face tinged with slight pink and a gentle warm smile.


    "Mwu."


    Kirin is trying to break the pink space formed between me and Angie by rubbing her face on my leg.


    And now she''s pulling my shirt-- No. It isn''t Kirin tugging at me. It is Nilin. Looks like she has something she wants to say. This may seems imprudent of her but her face tells me she really has something she needs to say.


    "Hey, Hyx...."


    "Hmm?" I parted from Angie to face Nilin. Of course, after I received a nod of consent from Angie.


    To quote a famous Chinese actor who played a martial art master, "There is no man who fears his wife, only a man who respects his wife." Well, we aren''t married yet but that''s not the point and I''m getting off track here.


    "You said that the.... V-Void Demons.... Aedrox is the not the last one, is it?"


    "Yes." I answered promptly.


    "Are y-you going to h-hunt them down?"


    "Well, I wouldn''t go out of my way to look for them but if I do encounter one on the way, I will make sure to neutralize the threat."


    "I-I see.... Then.... can I help?"


    "Help? Aren''t you already helping? I mean, we''re a team now. We are helping each other, no?"


    Nilin shook her head. "N-no.... More than that.... I...."


    "Nilin. It''s okay to start out slow. You don''t need to rush."


    "I-I don''t mean it like that...." She cast her gaze back down on her hands, intertwined with one another, fumbling with her fingers.


    "Nilin." I said with a firm voice. "I won''t know what you''re trying to say if you don''t put your words properly."


    She stops fumbling her fingers. Her hands went for her dress, grasping on the sides as she raise her head.


    "I do not wish to just cower behind you all under the pretense of providing support. I want to fight on the front lines, like you, Djin, and Tom."


    "Nil?" Cormac stared worriedly at Nilin who just said something unexpected but not incomprehensible.


    "I don''t know how to fight like you could but.... f-for Tom.... I am willing to learn.... So, can you teach me how to fight?"


    Before giving an answer, I look to Kirin but she is giving a look of approval and understanding. I though she would disapprove Nilin''s decision but she didn''t.


    And I come to understand why when I see Kirin''s stats.


    HP : 1200/1200


    MP: 12000/12000


    Overall Power Ranking : S+


    Effective Combat Power: 9500


    - Attack: 100


    - Defense: 100


    - Magic: 8000


    - Resistance: 1200


    - Speed: 100


    She now possesses Effective Combat Power stats which means she has been recognized as a combatant by the system. But unlike Nilin, she wasn''t exiled or anything. Is it because of her position as the Matriarch or her Divine Art?


    She didn''t know either when I asked her.


    But man, she has the highest combat power and power rank among us, so to speak, but her stats are really unbalance. Still, I don''t think anyone of us here would lose against her in a fair fight, except for Nilin of course.


    With hope gleaming in her eyes, I returned a positive look at her.


    "Yes. Yes, I can."


    After I answered her, I noticed a title with a long name that is shared among us.


    The title reads, <Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins>


    We really did it, huh.


    <hr><hr>


    <u>Current Characters'' Stat Sheet</u>


    Name: Hyx Atlas / First Beast


    Gender: Male


    Age: 15


    Race: Human / Violet Tail (Magic Beast)


    Standing: Tenrun''s Heir


    Job: None


    Class: Battle Mage


    Titles:


    -Unparalleled Evolver


    -Monster Slayer


    -Pain Monger


    -Relentless Reaper


    -Kin Eater


    -Ascended Being


    -Goblin Butcher


    -Friend of the Spirits


    -Dryad''s Beloved


    -Liberator


    -Nephilim''s Beloved


    -Arcane Blacksmith


    -Miracle Alchemist


    -Primordial Beast


    -One Who Defies Death


    -Sworn Enemies of the Void


    -Trickster


    -The Satrical One


    -The Astute One


    -Redeeming One


    -One Who Challenge The Unknown


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins


    <u>Arcane Arts


    </u>-Spirit Magic - Lv. 6


    -Spatial Magic - Lv. 8


    -Sealing Magic - Lv. 4


    -Magic Melee Arts - Lv. 4


    -Herculean Strength - Lv. 5


    -Alchemy - Lv. 5


    -Transmutation - Lv. 6


    -Forge Fire - Lv. 6


    -Magic Enchantment - Lv. 4


    -Awakening (Legacy) - Lv. 3


    -Death Inhibitor (Legacy) - Lv. 3


    -Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 8


    -Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv. 5


    -Blaze of the Depths (Unique) - Lv. 6


    HP : 3500


    MP: 5000


    Overall Power Ranking : A


    Effective Combat Power: 7000


    - Attack: 1100


    - Defense: 500


    - Magic: 2000


    - Resistance: 800


    - Speed: 2500


    Divine Arts


    - Exemplar of the Void, Aedrox -


    <hr>


    Name: Senna Tenrun


    Gender: Female


    Age: 217


    Race: Nephilim


    Status: Conceived (Healthy)


    Standing: None


    Job: None


    Class: Ascended Magus


    Titles:


    -The Impure


    -Lady of Light


    -Taboo Princess


    -Unparalleled Evolver


    -Saintess


    -Relentless Reaper


    -Black Archmage


    -White Archmage


    -Twilight Spell Lord


    -Champion of Lumine


    -Insatiable Partner


    -Primordial Beast''s Beloved


    -One Who Challenge The Unknown


    -Sworn Enemy of The Void


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins


    <u>Arcane Arts


    </u>Light Magic - Lv. 10


    Shadow Magic - Lv. 10


    Abyss Magic - Lv. 8


    Space Magic - Lv. 6


    Time Magic - Lv. 2


    Body Strengthening - Lv. 4


    Twilight Providence (Unique) - Lv. 8


    HP : 2200


    MP: 8000


    Overall Power Ranking : S


    Effective Combat Power: 7000


    - Attack: 350


    - Defense: 50


    - Magic: 4000


    - Resistance: 2000


    - Speed: 600


    <hr>


    Name: Kiralhirin


    Gender: Female


    Age: 20


    Race: Dryad (Spirit of Nature)


    Standing: Ancient Queen (Spirit of Nature)


    Job: None


    Class: Healer Mage


    Titles:


    -Matriarch


    -Last Ancient


    -Gaia''s Apostle


    -Young Dryad


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins


    <u>


    Arcane Arts


    </u>-Nature Magic - Lv. 10


    -Spirit Magic - Lv. 10


    -Mana Control - Lv. 8


    -Soul Magic - Lv. 9


    -Alchemy - Lv. 10


    HP : 1200


    MP: 12000


    Overall Power Ranking : S+


    Effective Combat Power: 9500


    - Attack: 300


    - Defense: 20


    - Magic: 7500


    - Resistance: 1400


    - Speed: 280


    Divine Arts


    - Floral Matriarch, Gaia -


    <hr>


    Name: Cormac Atlas


    Gender: Male


    Age: 14


    Race: Shadow Goblin


    Standing: Servant (Hyx Atlas)


    Job: None


    Class: Magic Archer


    Titles:


    -Novel Goblin


    -The Unchained


    -Friend of Serpents


    -One Who Evolved


    -Shadow Dweller


    -Divinity Slayer


    -Survivor


    -Dark Ranger


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins


    <u>


    Arcane Arts


    </u>Shadow''s Embrace (Legacy) - Lv. 4


    Magic Melee Arts - Lv. 3


    Wind Magic - Lv. 1


    HP : 1000


    MP: 1500


    Overall Power Ranking : D+


    Effective Combat Power: 1300


    - Attack: 300


    - Defense: 100


    - Magic: 400


    - Resistance: 100


    - Speed: 400


    <hr>


    Name: Djin Sol


    Gender: Unknown


    Age: 1 Week


    Race: Steel Titan (Metal Golem)


    Status: Bound (Hyx Atlas)


    Standing: Hyx''s Golem


    Job: None


    Class: Mage Fighter


    Titles:


    -Unbound


    -Rogue Puppet-


    -Sentient One


    -Knight of the Primordial Beast


    -Relentless Reaper


    -Fearless One


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins


    <u>Arcane Arts


    </u>Scarlet Storm (Unique) - Lv. 5


    Magic Melee Arts - Lv. 4


    Body Strengthening - Lv. 2


    HP: 2000


    MP: 2000


    Overall Power Ranking: B


    Effect Combat Power: 5200


    - Attack: 700


    - Defense: 2700


    - Magic: 600


    - Resistance: 600


    - Speed: 600


    <hr>


    Name: Citra


    Gender: Female


    Age: 2 Months


    Race: Wyrm (Lesser Magic Beast)


    Standing: None


    Job: None


    Class: Support Mage


    Titles:


    -Orphaned One


    -Unchained


    -Guardian of the Primordial Beast


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins<u>


    </u><u>


    Arcane Arts


    </u>Arcane Serpent (Legacy) - Lv. 4


    Foresight - Lv. 3


    HP: 500MP: 300


    Overall Power Ranking: D


    Effect Combat Power: 800


    - Attack: 50


    - Defense: 50


    - Magic: 400


    - Resistance: 200


    - Speed: 100


    <hr>


    Name: Nieumilin


    Gender: Female


    Age: 2463


    Race: Wisp (Spirit of Nature)


    Standing: Apprentice (Hyx)


    Job: None


    Class: Support Mage


    Titles:


    -Exiled


    -Unchained


    -One Who Breaks The Taboo


    -Oni''s Beloved


    -Guide of Rising Valley Ruins


    -Conqueror of Rising Valley Ruins


    <u>


    Arcane Arts


    </u>Spirit Magic - Lv. 4


    Soul Magic - Lv. 4


    Wind Magic - Lv. 2


    Water Magic - Lv. 2


    Will O'' Wisp (Legacy) - Lv. 3


    HP: 300


    MP: 400


    Overall Power Ranking: D


    Effect Combat Power: 600


    - Attack: 20


    - Defense: 50


    - Magic: 450


    - Resistance: 50


    - Speed: 30


    <hr>


    Indara


    Type: Greatsword (Intelligent Living Magic Weapon)


    Power Strength: S


    Mana Conversion Rate: A


    Mana Threshold: S


    Status: Bound (Owner: Hyx Atlas)


    <u>Innate Abilities


    </u>Spell Edge


    Aura Blade


    Arcane Medium (Unique)

 Intermission - Atlas Estate

    "Yoven is no longer of Valerius household," reported the figure in robes sewn of shadows.


    It was only noon but the drawn curtains had prevented any daylight from intruding into the studies of Roland Atlas. The master of the room, sat in an armchair, in a room lit faintly by a table lantern, nodded with a faint smile as the report sung his tune.


    "He is to answer for his crimes in front of the King but he is currently in the winds. A reward has been issued by the King, ten gold for information on Yoven''s whereabouts."


    "He may be prideful and arrogant as a person but as a businessman, he is adamant and cautious, like any other in this line. So, where is he now, Shadow?"


    "He is currently affiliated with the demon sympathizers, Enlightened Apostles. He is currently on the road, fleeing to the north."


    "North...." mused Roland, "Our Kingdom doesn''t have much diplomatic relations there. Not a bad choice."


    "Shall we intercept, Elder Dusk?"


    "The Grandmaster is leaving the decision in my hands?"


    "His Excellency trusts your judgement, Elder Dusk."


    "Is that so?" Roland raised an eyebrow.


    "That is so," Shadow answered promptly.


    "Well then, we don''t need to intercept. Instead....."


    The Wraith felt the air tensed as he braced for Roland''s follow-up words. Despite his calm demeanor, anyone who exchanged enough words with Roland knew of the madness and seething rage that he always hides under his compose facade.


    "Let it be known to the world-- of the demon activities on the road to the north."


    There was a brief silent before Shadow spoke, "but there is no such activity on the road to north."


    "Enlightened Apostles would be there, no?"


    "I see. Leaving it up to the Night Hunters, Elder Dusk?"


    "Did I say that? Hmm. If that''s what will happen, then that is what shall happen. Now, on to the next report, if you may, Shadow."


    "The Night Hunters are doing better than His Excellency anticipated. Their culling of monsters and demons had even invoke the ire of the Zerogian Empire and the Holy State of Avalon. A fine work, His Excellency praised you."


    "I am honored, Shadow," said Roland as he stood up for his armchair, "What of the summoning ritual?"


    "It is proceeding according to plan. Elder Yumi has proven herself to be an extremely capable overseer in delicate and discreet plannings."


    Stroking his beard, the Duke of Atlas responded, "she may have the least love for the Covenant but her abilities and contributions is not to be taken lightly. Such an odd woman, don''t you agree, Shadow?"


    "My opinion is irrelevant as it is inconsequential," as monotone as he could be, Shadow replied.


    "I see," Roland''s words carried an ambiguous tone, "and what of the Shepherd and his Sheep."


    "For now, there is no progress."


    "Figures," and a scoff followed, "one does not simply expect the oldest of beasts and monsters to not learn from its past mistakes. It''ll be odd if it didn''t. Is my assistance required?"


    "No," came the blunt answer from the Wraith.


    Roland sighed, "it will be much faster if the other Elders didn''t have as much ego as the Zerogian Empire has gold."


    "Elder Dusk, it is not just simply a matter of pride. Need I remind you that personal contributions affect their standing in the Covenant."


    Walking passed Shadow, Roland grabbed his hat, coat, scarf, and walking stick from the hanger, "am I truly the only Elder left that cares more about the Covenant itself rather than personal qualms?"


    Shadow stayed silent.


    "Well, if that''s everything, I''ll be off to greet a guest."


    Shadow was surprised but he did his best to not let it be shown. As a scout, he only picked up the additional presence seconds later after Dusk.


    "Your ability of perception is as always, remarkable, Elder Dusk."


    "It''s just plain magic, Shadow. Not legacy nor unique. Those in your sleeves are much more impressive than mine, " Roland said and disappeared out of the room.


    "His Excellency disagrees."


    Saying so to himself, Shadow too disappeared out of the room but through his own shadow.


    <hr>


    Brilliant light spilled through the meters tall double doors and into the reception hall. From the opened doors, entered a graceful hooded girl in priestess robes. As the doors shut behind her, she pulled down her hood, her long pointy ears sprung up from its concealment.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Coming down from the grand twin staircases that curved into the hall, Roland doffed his head at the envoy of the Nines. "It''s always a wonderful pleasure to be graced by your presence, Miss Iluna."


    "I am only but a humble follower of the Nines, Lord Atlas. I''m undeserving of such greeting and praise," bending her knee a little, Iluna bowed back as her greeting.


    "We are friends, are we not, Miss Iluna? Please, call me Roland."


    "Then by all means, please call me Luna too."


    "Of course, Luna," Roland cast a glance over Luna''s shoulder. What he found painted a slight gloom over his friendly smile.


    Taking notice of the Duke''s strayed eyes, Luna bowed again, "I''m afraid she is currently engaged in other matters at the moment. Please accept my apologies on behalf of her."


    "Of course."


    After the exchange of obligatory nods and greetings, a maid came and led them to a room. A lonely room with two sofas facing one another and a glass table with gold ornaments in between. Tea and confectioneries are served on the table.


    The Duke and the priestess took their seat, opposite to each other, of course.


    Roland whispered something to the ears of the maid after taking his seat. The maid bowed and left the room with only the two in the solemn room with ample light from the windows.


    "I''m sure her duty is of no small matter," Roland spoke as soon as the door closed, "but prioritizing duty over family, it is a practice that will accumulate the scorns of children will have toward their parents."


    Luna answered after sipping her tea, "Roland, I am sure you know what her duty encompasses of. It is a matter that spans across continents. The fate of the world, at least partially, is now her responsibility."


    "Be that as it may, leaving one''s own child in the absence of its parents for long, even if it''s for the sake of the world, how can anyone abide that? And also, it is not I who you should be apologizing to and it is not you who should be apologizing."


    Luna responded with a silent smile tinged with sadness. She placed her cup back on the saucer.


    "My arrangement with Lady Vira is no secret to you. I''m sure she already told you."


    "Yes, she did."


    "While it is not entirely my business to take the reins of other''s parenting but neglecting her child for over a month-- I can only do so much to sooth the child''s worry."


    "I-I know," Luna looked away, "but she''s not neglecting her. She''s just...."


    "Once again, Luna, you are not to blame and you are not responsible. Whatever reasons you may be force to concoct due to the circumstances, it won''t change anything if she isn''t here."


    The words hit every mark of every excuse Luna was trying to make.


    "And the child is still just a toddler. A crucial moment for her mind development. I may not be a man who has the best of faiths in human nature but not even I could abide a child who has been neglected by her mother for a whole month, without so much as a letter or a single regard."


    Controlling her twitching cheeks, Luna managed to speak, "Roland, you know the circumstances aren''t that simple."


    "Whatever the circumstances maybe, Luna, we are talking about a child who hasn''t even had her second birthday."


    She took a few breaths, drowning away her swelling tears, "c-can I at least see her?"


    "I have no authority to stop you, Luna but I can''t say for sure that she wants to see you. After all, you''re not the person she wants to see."


    "Just let me see her."


    After keeping silent and observing the Priestess of the Nines, Roland relented.


    And fate, at that moment was kind for anyone seeking convenience and coincidence.


    The door opened and a little girl of black hair tied into twin pigtails, no more than two years old, trotted into the room.


    "M-mama....?" the little girl called out, a trace of anticipation could be seen in the little girl''s eyes.


    Luna stood up from the sofa and walked towards the little girl who was looking around the room. She squatted down to match their gaze, "Hi, Zoey. Remember me?"


    The little girl nodded. "Luni...."


    Unaffected by an infantile mistkae, Luna smiled. "Yes, that''s right."


    "Um.... Luni, where''s mama?"


    Luna squinted her face as if she swallowed something sour. "Zoey.... I''m sorry. Mama couldn''t make it."


    The little girl named Zoey left her mouth opened at Luna''s words. Clouds loomed over her gaze.


    "Zoey?"


    Grasping tightly to the hem of her skirt, sniffing sound could be heard from her.


    "Zoey.... what''s wrong?" Luna asked worriedly.


    "Does mama not l-love Z-oee.... anymore? Does she h-hate Zoee...." asked Zoey in between her sniffs.


    "No, of course not. She loves you, Zoey. There''s no way she hates you."


    "No!" screamed the little girl, "she hates Zoee! She don''t even look at Zoe when she''s here!" her weeping escalated into a bawl.


    "It''s not like that Zoey. Mama loves you a lot. She''s just.... busy at the moment."


    "Is it because Zoee is a monster?"


    The air became cold in the room. Luna and Roland froze at her words.


    "W-who told you that, Zoey?"


    "No one....." her grasp only tightened further on the hem of her skirt. "I hear Rolly''s friends and the maids talking.... they said my papa was a m-monst...."


    Zoey didn''t manage to finish her sentence before giving into her cries.


    "Rolly....? You mean Roland?"


    Zoey nodded.


    Luna shifted her glare to Roland, who was watching over the two with a complex expression and clenched fists.


    He returned a gesture of acknowledgement.


    Luna pulled Zoey into her arms, tightly embracing the sobbing little girl, "Zoey. Listen here, you are not a monster. Mama certainly doesn''t hate you. She definitely loves you, I promise."


    "Zoee not a m-monster....?" she asked, "Zoee is not hated....?"


    "Of course not. No one will hate you," Luna''s hand didn''t stop brushing Zoey''s hair.


    "Luni.... Luni.... Don''t hate Zoee, please...." she continued crying into Luna''s chest.


    After a few minutes, the crying deescalated into sobbing. Luna comforted her throughout the entire duration.


    "Zoey, wait for me in your room. I''ll come after I had a few words with Lord Atlas, okay?"


    "Mwu...."


    They parted from the embrace but Zoey''s hand wasn''t letting go of Luna.


    "Just a few minutes, okay? I''ll tell you stories of your mother then, okay?"


    Her eyes were red from the excessive crying. Luna''s words sounded harsh for the young Zoey but hearing that she would be told the story of her mother, she reluctantly complied in defiant against her infantile instincts.


    "Okay." said Zoey as she trotted back to her room. A maid was about to accompany her but she was stopped by Roland.


    "Anissa, find out who was the one with the runny mouth, would you?"


    "Yes, of course, my lord. At once," the head maid bowed and walked away, opposite of the direction Zoey went.


    "I''m sure you noticed her wet her sleeves were." said Roland as soon as he knew Zoey and Anissa were out of earshot.


    Luna nodded.


    "Luna, I can only do so much for the two."


    "I understand," Luna said, quietly as she stood up. "I will discuss this with her the next time we meet and please, be more careful of who you affiliate yourself with."


    "Of course, I will be extreme wary of my colleagues and customers from now on." Roland gave a nudge of assent.


    Before exiting the room, Luna spare one last glance at the Duke, "Is she truly a monster, Roland?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Is she?"


    Knowing the underlying meaning in her words, he replied in kind, "Of course not. How could she be one?"


    "I see...." seemingly grasping the hidden intent in his answers, Luna disappeared into the hallway.

 SS 1 - Iluna

    ¡°Should we be doing this?¡± I asked nervously. Fidgeting all the while, I also kept glancing behind me in this narrow alley that only fit a single person¡¯s frame. Even the sun struggled to reach this alley.


    ¡°No.¡± Vira replied. ¡°But we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe this is happening.


    ¡°Then why are we doing this?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°What if we get caught?¡±


    ¡°We have the entire to ourselves. We are not neglecting our responsibilities. The punishment would probably be light.¡±


    ¡°But what about you, Vira? You¡¯re a knight. What happens if you get caught?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­. Since I¡¯m a Knight, I will probably have my remaining days off taken away.¡± Vira answered dryly.


    It was odd. The usual stoic Vira would never do something like this. This was unlike her.


    While a part of me find it appalling on knowing such a side of her, another part of me made me fell for her even more. It made her empathetic. A side of someone you like that no one knew about, it made me feel just a little bit special.


    ¡°Are you okay with that?¡±


    To my genuine concern, Vira merely shrugged.


    We were defying the rules of the temple. We weren¡¯t supposed to leave the temple grounds without permission even if it was a free day but here we are.


    After turning a few more corners into narrow and shady alleys to avoid patrol of familiar faces, we finally made it to the parts far enough where the patrols wouldn¡¯t recognize our face.


    ¡°We should be in the clear now,¡± she told me.


    At a glance, this all seemed juvenile but to manage to avoid tens of patrol guards in broad daylight was no easy feat. It was only possible because it was Vira.


    As we passed by some guards, Vira exchanged obligatory nods with them. The guards nodded back with perplexity. One of them even blushed.


    We walked down rows of stall, crossed streets, and passed by more soldiers but none knew of our true identities. We were in plain clothing as oppose to our usual temple robes. It seems my fear of being recognized from our faces alone was unfounded.


    Still, how long has it been since the last time we were in town not for duty reasons?


    Just as I was about to ask Vira on how much further we were going, a boy sitting beside a fruit stall three houses away from where we are, was waving at us while chewing on an apple.


    I recognized the black hair and the face of a Medivian and Xin anywhere. It was rare to see this mix of ethnicity.


    It was Hyx but why was he here?


    ¡°That was fast,¡± he remarked. Contrary to his lively tone, he had an expression that was simmered in boredom.


    ¡°If we were considered fast then what are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh me? I was here since last night.¡± He responded nonchalantly.


    ¡°Last night?¡± Vira questioned. ¡°You mean you didn¡¯t go back to your rooms last night ever since they sent you out on an errand yesterday evening?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Without the night as my veil, I¡¯ll be caught within few meters away from the gate. I don¡¯t think I can slip out in the day.¡±


    ¡°You could just come with me.¡±


    ¡°Aye but you moved well when you¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Vira said with a disbelief expression but her tone held no animosity.


    ¡°Yeah¡­. I¡¯m probably up for some unheard punishment after this¡­.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Vira was chatting with the exiled Valerius boy so intimately like they have known each other for years. At most, they probably have known each other for one year.


    From what I heard in the rumors, Vira found Hyx vexing and disagreeable but the truth that was laid bare before me, couldn¡¯t be more wrong.


    ¡°You know--¡±


    Hyx seemed to finally notice me.


    ¡°¡ªI didn¡¯t actually expect you to bring someone else along.¡±


    With her usual compose face with a vague smile, Vira retorted ¡°you said I could bring a friend along with me.¡±


    A friend, huh¡­. I was only a friend to her¡­..


    ¡°Well¡­. I was joking. I never expect you to actually have friends. After all, everyone seems to avoid you like the plague.¡±


    I caught a slight twitch on Vira¡¯s compose smile, something I had never expected to see.


    I cleared my throat to announce my ever lingering presence which was ignored which had been ignored the next second after being acknowledged.


    ¡°My name is Iluna. An Elf of Avelin Forest¡± I introduced myself, a hand on my left chest with a slight bow, the customary greeting. ¡°Please to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. You¡¯re the only Elf in the whole drab temple. Please to meet you too.¡±


    The greeting that was returned to me was tasteless in etiquette sense.


    ¡°Do not blame the absence of good taste on the design itself.¡± Vira reproved Hyx who insulted her beloved temple. Vira really does treasure the temple.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Hyx was quick to apologize. I expected him to butt heads with her at least before giving in.


    ¡°Well, she seems dubious on hopping on board.¡±


    At Hyx¡¯s words, Vira turned to me. ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°I trust your judgment, Vira.¡± I gave my honest thought.


    Hyx stifled a laugh which Vira noticed.


    ¡°Do you disapprove of my judgment?¡±


    ¡°No offense but you don¡¯t make the best choices when you¡¯re around me.¡±


    I was shocked and appalled by Hyx¡¯s words layered with various meanings.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to understand why you were exiled.¡±


    Vira was as calm as ever in her response.


    ¡°Yeah, I understand too you know. God, I¡¯m a terrible person.¡±


    Hyx was very conscious of what kind of person he was, contrary to the rumors.


    ¡°I mean, look at me. I¡¯m conscripting you two on an excursion that had probably broke a few precepts of the Temple. But I¡¯m sure you two are no fool on the consequences?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°You were a very persuasive and bad influence.¡± Vira retorted.


    It was rare to see Vira spending some effort in a conversation. She wasn¡¯t the most taciturn person but she was concise when it comes to conversations. This wasn¡¯t the case when she was conversing with Hyx.


    What was this feeling of defeat?


    ¡°Or maybe you are just very fond of me?¡±


    WHAT?!


    Even though it was just a jest but a jest at a prodigy knight having a degree of feelings towards an initiate is simply too much to be just a jest.


    I looked towards Vira. I expected Vira¡¯s expression to be distorted with fury. I believed everyone has their limits and Vira wasn¡¯t exempted. At least, I anticipated some degree of revulsion but it was still her usual calm and compose expression.


    In fact, her smiled looked a little bit broader.


    ¡°I am,¡± was her response to Hyx¡¯s jest.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one left speechless. Hyx was too.


    ¡°That was very sly¡­..¡± He muttered under his breath as he looked away, although I still heard it clearly.


    It couldn¡¯t be¡­. Does Vira really likes Hyx? That can¡¯t be, right?


    ¡°Anyways¡­.¡± Hyx faked a cough. ¡°Shall we move on?¡±


    ¡°I wonder?¡± said Vira, teasingly.


    Not good. This couldn¡¯t be happening. Is my beloved Vira truly enraptured by this sort of person?


    ¡°Luna, you coming?¡±


    I snapped out of my dazed when Vira called out to me.


    Just like that, I found myself following hesitatingly behind the two.


    I didn¡¯t know where we were going and neither did Vira. Asking Hyx seemed like an exercise in futility. Vira had asked him once but the answer was,


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there.¡±


    This kind of person wasn¡¯t one in a million. The girls from the temples, including me were approached by this sort of peoples with the intention of courting us. If it wasn¡¯t for Vira, we would still be approached by such peoples till this day.


    But now¡­. Vira was conversing intimately with such a person.


    Has the Iron Maiden finally fell prey to the grasp of the demon?


    ¡°So, how was the ham sandwich?¡± asked Hyx with an abrupt and odd question.


    ¡°The what?¡± Vira blinked.


    ¡°Your breakfast, I mean. You did have ham sandwich, right?¡±


    We did have ham sandwich for breakfast. Our meals were the same for everyone in the temple. Same meal, same portion. No one was special. However¡ªHyx wasn¡¯t there for breakfast, he didn¡¯t even made it back to the temple last night. He was here since then.


    Then how did he know?


    Contrary to my frozen and surprised expression, Vira was as calm as ever. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t even know where to start. There are too many things that gave it away but the obvious one would be your face?¡±


    ¡°My face?¡±


    ¡°You looked delighted. When breakfast was just plain bread or vegetable, you always looked solemn after that. The only times when you looked a little bit satisfied was when there¡¯s meat present in breakfast. The only meal they served with meat for breakfast has always been ham sandwich.¡±


    I was stunned and appalled at his explanation.


    He looked to me and said, ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯m weird.¡±


    Vira inched closer to me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she told me. ¡°He¡¯s just very observant and curious.¡± Vira seemed to have gotten used to his antics.


    ¡°So, how was it? Good?¡±


    ¡°It could use a little bit more seasoning.¡±


    ¡°Did you saved some for me this time?¡±


    ¡°No and I don¡¯t think I have ever saved some for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh right, I was thinking of someone else.¡±


    Words couldn¡¯t even began to describe the amount of abhorrence I have for this person. It was unthinking to be this rude to a Templar Knight.


    Vira on the other hand, simply rolled her eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    While I was off in my not-so far-fetched delusions, we had reached our destination.


    ¡°Okay¡­. What in the Nines is this supposed to mean?¡± asked Vira without hiding her displeasure.


    Has he finally crossed the line with his antics?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this?¡±


    He asked, almost entirely with innocence.


    There wasn¡¯t nothing wrong or out of place but the sight was-- unexpected, to say the least. It was simply baffling.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here,¡± I spoke out.


    I was given a blinking glance. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s people here preparing for the festival, no?¡±


    The festival Hyx was talking about is the Blood Moon Festival in about a month¡¯s time.


    Vira¡¯s glare was cold and amused by Hyx looked unbothered.


    ¡°Yes, there is but why are we here for this? I had a different idea in mind when you said we would be seeing something different and fascinating. Are we to volunteer for assistance? Are we here for their entertainment? Are we here to provide beverages and foods?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± answered Hyx towards Vira¡¯s condemning question. ¡°I just thought it was nice to witness the preparation of a grand event. It¡¯s like food. The joy of witnessing the process of the cooking sometimes triumphs over the taste of the cooked food itself.¡±


    He even had a face like he said something profound.


    Vira was sighing while rubbing her temple. It was another rare side of the usually stoic Vira.


    Even with those enlightenment, Vira and I were still bemused by the joy that was to be found among the preparations of a grand festival, supposedly.


    Hyx himself was frolicking all over, gazing here and there with sparkling eyes at the people working hard with the preparations. He was truly finding joy in all these. His eyes held respect and curiosity for these workers.


    One of the rumors were right after all, he was eccentric.


    His smile began to fade when he realize we who were lacking behind with sullen faces.


    ¡°You two are definitely not liking this.¡±


    I was compelled to nod.


    ¡°Oh, not at all. I actually find myself enjoying it.¡± Vira said something astonishing.


    ¡°Really?¡± Hyx raised the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Yes, it is a joy to witness a new side of you, seeing you skipping around like a little girl on her first outing.¡±


    I was trying to be tactful but Vira was blunt with her observations. She said all those with a smug that wasn¡¯t meant to be a smug.


    ¡°I was skipping?¡±


    ¡°Like a little girl.¡±


    His face drained of colors. He began walking normally after that.


    My mood returned, seeing as how we got our well-deserve revenge on Hyx for making a fool out of us for breaking the rules for something so meager and meaningless.


    ¡°Sorry, Luna. I dragged you out here all for nothing.¡±


    Vira apologized but I assured her it was nothing.


    To me, strolling in a town beside her wasn¡¯t all for nothing and I also got to see some rare sides of her.


    We decided to head back after the toll bell for noon rang.


    Before we turned into the corner when we came from, Hyx stopped in his tracks which almost made us bump into him.


    ¡°Say, isn¡¯t that Sophia?¡±


    I followed his finger which was pointing at a young lady with golden braided hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s Sister Sophia to you.¡± Vira dropped a fist on Hyx who was shorter than her. ¡°And yes, that¡¯s her.¡±


    Out of all things, this was what made Vira acted with violence.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that man she¡¯s with?¡± I asked.


    There was a man walking alongside Sister Sophia. An unfamiliar man that was rough around the edges. Seems like he was a man of physical labor. He was significantly older than Sister Sophia but the way he held her as they walked, told us enough about their relationship.


    Of course, we weren¡¯t prohibited from commitments but Sister Sophia was definitely breaking the rules like us for being out here without permission or good reasons. We were in no position to reprimand her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go before she sees us too, okay?¡±


    ¡°Considering we just snuck out, I think that will be the best.¡± Vira agreed with me. ¡°Come on, Hyx. Let¡¯s--¡± Vira paused, her eyes on Hyx who was glancing at Sister Sophia with his head tilted.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Hyx walked on but stopped and turned when he realized Vira wasn¡¯t following. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Was that question directed at me or yourself?¡± asked Hyx, having the same riddled expression as me.


    ¡°I saw your face just now.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you did? I was standing right in front of you, no?¡±


    ¡°You looked like you realized something¡¯s off about them. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can we just go?¡±


    Vira sighed and slammed the wall behind Hyx. ¡°What did you realized?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It was just a brief moment, how would I realized anything?¡±


    ¡°Ham sandwich for breakfast,¡± said Vira and that was all it took for Hyx to relent.


    ¡°His ring finger of his right hand,¡± answered Hyx. ¡°There was no ring but there is a mark of one.¡±


    ¡°He could be a widower,¡± I said.


    ¡°On one hand, he¡¯s getting touchy and feely with So¡ªSister Sophia,¡± Hyx changed his way of addressing mid-way when he noticed Vira¡¯s glare. ¡°On the other hand, he hasn¡¯t stop touching his pocket which I wagered is where his ring is.¡±


    ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t a ring?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Then all is well, I think? But look at the man¡¯s face and tell me that doesn¡¯t look like someone being unfaithful.¡±


    Vira¡¯s intense glare at Hyx looked it could burn a hole through him.


    ¡°I¡¯m trusting you on this one,¡± she told us, cracking her knuckles.


    ¡°What chu¡¯ bout to do?¡± asked Hyx, in a strange manner.


    I couldn¡¯t understand what he asked but Vira did. ¡°That man needs to learn some restraint,¡± answered Vira. ¡°You two, stay hidden.¡± She said and disappeared from our sight, leaving a split second after image.


    ¡°Oh God¡­. Please don¡¯t tell me--¡±


    Before Hyx¡¯s words came through, the next moment, groans of a man and screams of a woman could be heard.


    ¡°Good Gods¡­. That self-righteous bi--¡± Getting pierced by my gaze, he changed his words ¡°¡ªwoman. Why can¡¯t she just let it go for once? This is going to get real ugly soon. I would suggest we get our scraggy bottom out of here.¡±


    I ignored his choice of words but not the intent behind it. ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave?¡± I asked Hyx who was walking towards the opposite way from the scene that Vira had just created.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave her? You brought us here in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± he answered. ¡°If we get caught during our way back, I will assume responsibilities but not this. She knows full well of what is going to happen if she made a scene now. She¡¯s doing this on her own volition. I¡¯m no saint.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you her friend?¡±


    ¡°I am, nothing more nothing less. She¡¯ll have to be more than that if I¡¯m going throw my head into the fire along with her.¡±


    ¡°Is that really it? A friend? Nothing more?¡± I asked, hoping for something.


    ¡°Do you want us to be something more?¡±


    I froze.


    ¡°I am only but her friend, for now that is. The door is still open for you.¡±


    My mouth opened but there was no voice. I couldn¡¯t retort to him who had seen through me.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. If you ever come to terms with whatever is that you¡¯re feeling, I¡¯ll make way.¡±


    Just like that, he ran down the streets until he vanished into an alley. My eyes trailed after his shadow long after he disappeared from my sights.


    I was left dazed by his words.


    I didn¡¯t understand his implications at that time but during the festival, his words were made clear then.

 SS 2 - Sorrowful News

    Anissa was pacing around in front of a door. The door leads to her master¡¯s studies. She was the head maid in the mansion of Duke Roland Atlas and currently, she had a predicament. In her hand was a letter, addressed to her master. It bore the sigil of the Nines. She was no clairvoyant nor some psychic but given the recent whispers in the wind, she could roughly guess the contents of the letter. Never before had she wished she was wrong. If her guess proved to be true, it would be devastating for both her and her master.


    Finally summoned her courage, she knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡± A voice beckoned her shortly after.


    In a room where the curtains were partially drawn, a man with graying hair and beard sat at the middle end of the room. Swallowing her anxiety, she made her way to the front of her master¡¯s desk. Without lifting his head, the Duke of Atlas merely grunted as an acknowledgment for Anissa¡¯s presence in front of him.


    ¡°Lord Atlas, this arrived just now. It was delivered by the Nines¡¯ personal courier, a white sparrow.¡±


    She observed her master¡¯s reaction but as always, he was stoic. She could never tell if anything ever surprises her master. A raised eyebrow was the closest thing to a shocked expression she has ever seen. She handed over the letter. It was difficult. She could barely stop her hands from trembling.


    The Duke of Atlas, Roland gaped his eyes at the sigil. Instead of receiving the letter, he nudged his head at Anissa.


    ¡°Milord?¡± She was dumbfounded at her lord¡¯s gesture.


    ¡°Read it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the first time she had read letters addressed to her master but it was always nothing compromising to the eyes of others. This letter was different. It was meant specifically for the eyes of the intended receiver. She wanted to ask the reason for her master¡¯s permission¡ªshe meant to ask, however¡ª


    ¡ªShe knew better. She knew her master well and she trusted his judgment. She nodded slightly and tore open the letter, taking special care to not ruin the sigil. It wasn¡¯t illegal to tear the sigil along with the letter but it was something along the line of gesture of respect in the high society.


    Hardening her heart and resolve, she proceeded to read aloud the contents of the letter.


    ¡°I see¡­.¡± said Roland. His expression remained unchanged but his writing has stopped. After taking a deep breath, he put down his quill. He heaved another breath as he sunk back into his armchair.


    Anissa had never seen her master broke his composure, no matter how slight. She was surprise but as a trained maid, it was courtesy to not show it. However, her mind was weighing on a different matter. ¡°It can¡¯t be true¡­.could it, milord?¡±


    ¡°It is the testament of Vira Ninehearts, it also bears her signature. It will be highly unlikely.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Anissa bitterly agreed. ¡°Should I see to the preparations immediately, milord?¡± asked Anissa. Considering the circumstances, that was the most sensible question to ask.


    Officially, Hyx was adopted into the Atlas Household on the whim of the Duke. It was a well-known knowledge among the nobles that Roland had not intention to remarry after losing his first and only wife. Many have thought Roland would be the last of his line until he suddenly took in an exiled from another Duke household.


    Hyx was never publically introduced nor has he formally debuted in the high society. Roland and the boy-in-question himself cared neither of such things. Till this day, no one really did understood why Roland did what he did. Not even the head maid, Anissa.


    But what Anissa did know was how fond her master is of the boy. Instead of a paternal relationship, the two were more like friends. Their time together was short but Anissa saw the two¡¯s interaction, they seemed to have an understanding between themselves. She had caught their conversation on accident on a certain day by complete accident. The conversation sounded not like one of between a child and an adult but between two philosophers. She had always question it but at times, the boy¡¯s demeanor resembled nothing like that of a child¡¯s.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Despite the various rumors she heard, the boy himself wasn¡¯t as bad as the whispers made him out to be. If anything, it was quite the opposite. In short, everyone in the mansion had a favorable impression on Hyx. This was why the letter which detailed his demise brought sorrow into the household.


    ¡°No,¡± came the unexpected reply from Roland.


    ¡°Milord? W-why not?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an exile. I didn¡¯t even go through the formalities of making him as my successor. As far as the public is concern, he¡¯s still a nobody. What¡¯s more, he was close to becoming a Ninehearts. Do you understand?¡±


    Of course, she did. She always had but to her good conscious, it was something she can¡¯t simply abide. But knowing where her master stood in the world, his decision was rational. She had no retort that could repel her master¡¯s decision. She could only compel.


    In the end, she nodded as her acknowledgment of her master¡¯s judgment.


    ¡°That will be all. Everything will resume as normal.¡±


    With those words as the impetus, her master continued back on his work as if the sorrowful news had cease to exist. It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say this was expected of her master.


    As a servant, she could only bow and compel her master¡¯s wishes.


    Shortly after the head maid left, a puddle of shadows was forming in the corner of the dark room.


    ¡°Shadow.¡±


    A Wraith appeared from the shadow pool after hearing his name being called. ¡°Elder Dusk.¡± The Wraith even greeted back.


    ¡°I want to know what really happened.¡±


    ¡°It is as what the letter has detailed. The truth is not much further than it.¡± The Wraith told the Duke.


    ¡°That¡ªI refuse to believe. If you know the boy like I do, you will know that he wouldn¡¯t shuffle off from this mortal coil with such ease.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, Elder Dusk but nevertheless, unless it¡¯s for the benefit of the Covenant, I can¡¯t abide to it.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, Shadow. The boy will benefit the Covenant.¡± Dusk said, with a grin subtle enough to not even be noticed by the sharp Shadow.


    ¡°Very well, Elder Dusk. I will see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Much appreciated, Shadow.¡±


    The Wraith froze. He was shock. It was second nature to him in appraising one¡¯s genuine intentions. It was unlike Dusk to show his genuine gratitude. After recomposing himself, he bowed and melded with the shadows. And the dark room was suddenly a bit brighter even if it was still dark.


    A knock followed soon after. It came from the door.


    After giving his permission, it was Anissa who walked in.


    Roland raised an eyebrow on her quick reappearance and on the letter she had in her hand. It was of a different sender this time. He instantly recognized the sigil on the letter.


    ¡°Vira?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, milord. This just came shortly after the last letter. Apparently she has a request.¡±


    Roland remained silent as he rummaged through the plausible reasons in his mind. After finishing a walk in his mind palace, he gave his conjecture. ¡°Something that concerns her daughter?¡±


    ¡°No but she did say something about a friend of hers.¡±


    Roland raised another eyebrow. He was wrong. He wasn¡¯t perfect but it was uncommon for him to be wrong with his intuition. The surprises and unexpected for today has been extreme. He couldn¡¯t help but took this as a sign of a huge coming change. Or he could be wrong, again.


    ¡°What did she asked for?¡±


    ¡°As a summary¡ªher friend, a Dragon-kin, was falsely imprisoned. The prison approved his released but they would only do so with incentives.¡±


    His quill stopped scratching the paper documents piled on his desk, the words ¡°Dragon-kin¡± made him did so. Dragon-kins were basically demi-human dragons and they were as secretive and secluded as the Oni-tribes and Fairy-tribes.


    ¡°Ah, a Dragon-kin. That is something worthy to be taken into consideration. And by the way, this prison mentioned¡ªthe warden wouldn¡¯t happen to be Yoven Atlas, would it?¡±


    ¡°It is precise that prison.¡±


    ¡°That Modred¡¯s Hound. I thought I would never have to have any dealings with him. This is kinda frustrating.¡±


    It was a prison which doubled as an auction house. The products auctioned were the prisoners, mainly peoples with exceptional abilities or skills. For a price, they could be released and made to serve the one who secured their release.


    Taking the Duke¡¯s grunting as an answer, she offered ¡°Shall I write up a letter of rejection, milord?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it. Thank you, Anissa.¡±


    After being waved, she bowed and left. Of course, she left the letter with him.


    He didn¡¯t want to do it but this was a huge opportunity. A Dragon-kin was not something he could passed up on. In the letter, Vira further told him of her intention to form a Demon-hunting squad named the Night Hunters that answer directly to the Cardinal and this friend of hers will be a vital member.


    Given the upcoming Demon season, having the Night Hunters would certainly lubricate the Covenant¡¯s operations. Not seconds passed, Roland had already thought of ways to make the Night Hunters bring prosperity to the Covenant.


    Today, he had done things that was uncharacteristic of him and he was about to do so once again.


    ¡°Shadow,¡± he called out.