Chapter 87: Searching through the Mystic

[खड्गाङ्ग]! (Khagdaga = Fire Spark)

A huge spark suddenly flashed from inside Shen’s palm, blinding the demon and giving him enough time to escape.

[Petty tricks.] → Vepar

The demon said with a mocking smile. She then summoned another storm and tried to strike Shen down with lightning and tornadoes, simply playing around with him until he exhausted his mental powers.

“Sail! Quickly! Sail away!”
“Bloody Seas! What kind’ov battle is that?!”
“Don’t ogle yer eyes now! Rise the anchor! Ya’ll rats!”

The other pirates panicked and hastily tried to leave. The storms and huge waves already engulfed the smaller ships while almost upturning the medium-sized ones. They tried to sail as fast as possible. If they remained on the island, they feared even the island would get engulfed by the huge waves.

[You demon! Get erased then!] → Shen

Filled with irritation while inside the form of [One with the Universe], Shen summoned in his hand a dark green spear. It was the spear of nothingness made from the root of the first essence born in the Chaos: Nothingness, which erased all and everything, even the spirit, and soul.

[Thou shall not use this!] → Vepar

The demon became agitated. She knew that if she was struck with this spear she would disappear entirely. But she also knew she wouldn’t be the only victim.

[If thou use that, not even all of the Sabaoth would be able to save thy soul!] → Vepar

“!!!”

Everyone from a few kilometers radius around Shen was able to feel the threatening power from the spear. The wind was avoiding him as if afraid of him, while the sea and the sky turned and retreated, looking as if the aura alone made the space itself around Shen to retreat from fear.

“W-what is that…?” → Sofia

Sofia felt as if she looked death in the eyes when she looked at Shen from tens of kilometers away from them. The fear paralyzed her body while freezing her blood. It wasn’t necessarily a fear of death, but one of getting completely vanished from the world as she knew. She felt True Death, something that made her tremble for a long time now.

Nobody was able to even gulp.

Shen! Don’t use such magic! Shen! Can you hear me?! → Sylvia

Sylvia tried to stop him but for some reasons, Shen wasn’t able to hear her panicked words. It was as if any kind of form of energy sent his way would get erased even before making contact with him, that being also from the mental ones.

“Shen! Don’t use such evil magic!” → Sylvia

She tried this time to shout while enchanting her voice with mana but to no avail. Shen wasn’t able to hear anything and no one at that moment.

[Perish Demon!] → Shen

Shen launched the spear at the biggest wave in which the demoness was using to reach him from the air. The spear distorted the space, making a cut in its way toward the wave, leaving behind a black trail as if cutting the space itself, showing the chaos and darkness behind it. The air was as if afraid of the spear, rushing away from in front of it, creating huge shockwaves in front of it. Right before the spear struck the wave, Shen heard a shout inside his mind.

[Foolish son of man! Stop at once!]

Shen was surprised and he nullified the spear right before it touched the water. The voice boomed again, this time with a calmer but stricter tone.

[What has brought thou such madness to destroy the oceans, O son of Adam?]

A deep and strong voice resounded inside Shen’s mind, and he knew exactly whose voice that was.

[Leviathan!] → Shen

Shen was surprised. He never expected for the Leviathan to contact him again so he explained himself in a calm voice.

[I’m attacked by a duke demon and I need the name of the angel that can suppress her.] → Shen
[And for such thou almost brought destruction upon the entire Dimension of Sario? For a fallen helper of Adonai?]

The Leviathan asked with a deep voice.

[Destruction upon Sario? O mighty Leviathan, please explain for I’m ignorant.] → Shen

Shen asked with a humble voice. He never expected the spear which erases everything to have such an effect. Even though he had other questions such as what did he meant by helper of Adonai, or “Dimension of Sario”, he knew better than ask more questions from a Primordial Beast.

[Listen to me, foolish son of Man. Teh essence thou summoned just now, destroys not just matter but soul and spirit together. Aiming such poison at teh oceans and Sario, only death and destruction thou would hast brought to mother Gaya, the planetary spirit. Killing not just teh material body, but teh spirits as well.]

The Leviathan explained in a deep and grave voice.

[With no soul, the body would decay. With no spirit even, a planet would crumble. Thou hast understood now?]

After hearing the explanation from the Leviathan, Shen felt lighting struck, making his heart beat wildly while his face paled. He almost destroyed the world that he gave his life to protect, with his own hands and without even knowing.

I must’ve gone mad! How come I wasn’t able to think about this?! → Shen

Shen started to sweat uncontrollably and tried to regain his focus.

No. I have no time to blame myself now. Now that I have the Leviathan’s attention, I must ask him a way out from here. → Shen

[Then how should I defeat this demon for I do not remember the name of the angel which can imprison her?] → Shen

After asking such his consciousness is summoned inside his own mind and the Leviathan right in front of him.

[Summon thee spirit and ask him such. Only he knows all and everything about thy self.]

Shen was dumbfounded at first but then he hastily calmed down and tried to focus.

[I ask you, the spirit of mine, what was the angel’s name?] → Shen

Suddenly, in front of Shen appeared a blob of light. Inside it, Shen sees a smaller version of himself reading a book from his Grandmother’s library with the title “Testament of Solomon (Copy)”. He heard himself talk and he tried to listen;

“Hmm… Demon with behind of fish, the name is damn distorted… The name is V-Vepherth…? V-Vepfart? Ve… wait, I think that’s just a drop of an inn. Is it Veparz~ or something? Anyway, I don’t really understand but it says he’s frustrated by the angel Iameth… never heard of him… and what does it mean ‘Frustrated’? Is it overpowered? Or… something else~? Ehehehe~.” → Shen

Shen of the past smiled with a perverted smile while going through the old pages. The orb then disappeared and left behind Shen with a poker-face on, feeling like face-palming.

“…”

I was such a brat at that time… → Shen

He massaged his throbbing temples then he bowed his head toward the Leviathan.  

“I thank you for stopping me in doing such a disastrous mistake. Mighty Guardian of the Sea’s Knowledge.” → Shen

[Thee must be careful, for teh old souls rarely make mistakes, but once they do, teh consequences are disastrous. Just like that foolish king that once took control over all the mighty demons of the Tartar, or the foolish wizard which played too much with the devils and lost his soul to them.]

The Leviathan said while disappearing slowly from inside Shen’s mind, leaving him alone and dumbfounded.

Was he talking about Solomon? He was, right? Damn, if he was a fool then what am I? As for the foolish wizard that lost his soul to devils… I think I even read a book about such a person, perhaps it was true?! → Shen

Shen felt even more like an idiot now after hearing that such mighty characters were called fools. In the end, he got back on his subject and started to think about it with a clear mind.

I might need the seal of that angel… there was a wheel with letters which helped in making small, angelic seals. Let’s see… the name of the wheel was…? → Shen

Then in front of Shen, another blob of light appeared and inside it, he saw himself reading another book.

“Oh wow~. What is this?” → Shen

A young boy of around 16 years old looked with big eyes at a drawing with many circles that had letters on and inside the circles.

“Rosse Cross section Ars Mani, angelic sigils So, I can make any angelic sigil as long as I know the angel’s name? Then I can make my own sigil as well?! Au Yis! I’m gonna do that! Where is J? Then O? Oh, wait… it has to be from the other way round… Then where is N?!”

Shen from the past then took a piece of paper and started to draw lines along the letters on the wheel, trying to make his own sigil from the old book.

The blob then disappeared and Shen felt like laughing at himself.

“I actually made my own sigil when I was young. How did I forget that?” → Shen

Shen then became serious and started to make the angelic sigil as he saw on the wheel.

“So it’s a sigil, not a seal… Let’s wish I can still summon Iameth even without a seal. If I put an ‘End’ and a ‘Beginning’ on the sigil, maybe it might have the same effect. The strong energetical field of this planet should let me summon angel hundreds of times easier than back on Earth.” → Shen

Shen drew lines by going after a letter to another on the Rosse Cross wheel he created inside his own mental world. Because the angelic sigils are made backward, Shen had to start from H then finish with I, going through H, T, E, M, A, I. At the beginning of the sigil made another line, connecting it to the sigil in the form of a “T”, while at the end he made a circle, representing the end of the sigil.

It said that the spiritual world is like a mirror of the material world. That means inside the spiritual world the North is South while the West is East. This is also a reason why the sigil must be created from the end to the beginning… Hm? Wait… I feel like I said something incredible?! And the Leviathan also said something about this world being a “Dimension”, not a world in itself? Oh~?! Some kinda idea is forming into my mind! → Shen

However, just before he could understand a truth about this world, Shen felt as if he suddenly had no air. He started to panic and regain his consciousness inside his body.

“Blub?!” → Shen

When he returned, he saw himself under the water, Vepar hugging him and looking right inside his eyes with her bluish dark eyes. On her face, a frivolous but dark smile appeared after seeing Shen regaining consciousness.

[For frightening me, this one will be sure to keep thou close to me when we return in Tartar.] → Vepar

She licked her lips and closed her face to Shen, almost touching his lips with hers.

[I know thou can’t keep thee form forever. I will weaken thou then steal thy soul, making thy mine.] → Vepar

She wished to suck out mental energy by sucking his soul through his mouth by kissing him, but right before she could touch his lips, Shen roared:

[Iameth! Imprison Vepar!] → Shen

A great golden sigil appeared behind him inside a square with a circle and on the circle, the name IAMETH was visible. The sigil shone with a golden hue, making the water around Shen to evade him and to boil.

Vepar shouted with a hoarse voice then her eyes turned pitch black.

[Why thou know such cursed name?!] → Vepar

She retracted from the shock and from the burning light. Even though the water around was boiling and turning into mist, Shen only felt a nice warmth, drying his wet clothes and body. From above Shen, a winged young man appeared and in his hands two golden, burning chains materialized.

I can’t believe it actually worked. I used my limited knowledge to create this so-called sigil of an unknown angel to summon him… Either this world is too convenient for me, either I’m just underestimating myself again. → Shen

[No! I will not let thee!] → Vepar

Vepar rushed toward Shen and tried to catch him right before the angel got to imprison her.

[वह्निकोप! (Vahnikopa = Firestorm)] → Shen

A pillar of fire suddenly surged from Shen’s open palms, swirling and engulfing all that was in front of him. Because of the sudden amount of steam created inside the sea, a huge explosion took place to the surface, looking as if an atomic bomb just collapsed atop the sea.

[Graagh!]

Even though the pillar was strong enough to destroy half the pirate’s peninsula together with the residents, it didn’t deal much damage on a Demon-God like Vepar.

What ridiculous resistance. I already used power-words together with the power of a spiritual ranked warrior, I think even a young God should’ve taken some damage, not just some scratches. → Shen

After failing to capture Shen, Iameth launched his chains and bounded Vepar while engulfing her in golden flames. He opened his mouth and a beautiful, yet firm voice resounded.

[I bound you, Vepar. And I command you to return back inside the Tartar.]

Iameth drew the Tetragrammaton in the air with the speed of light and commanded Vepar in a booming voice. After that, under Vepar a dark portal appeared. From inside the portal horrible screams and shrieks that would make anyone faint from fright resounded and made the waters around it to freeze and the ice to crack. Vepar sunk slowly inside the portal while screaming and cursing. She looked at Shen and with dark eyes she cursed;

[Thou and that cursed Solomon! Sealing us demons with the help of angels! This one sees weak sins with a leashed Pride inside thou, but a troublesome devil. May teh devil fool thee over and take over thy life! Just like Mephistopheles fooled Faust and took over his life! Thou will perish while teh devil will triumph! For such I say! The great Duke over teh Dead Seas of Tartar, Vepar!] → Vepar

After that, she disappeared inside the portal, not to be seen again.

“…”

Shen felt cold all of a sudden. A black aura was swarming around him and made him feel a chill and eerie air around.

W-what is this? → Shen

[You have been cursed by the demon, young mortal.] → Iameth

Iameth explained to Shen after reading his mind.

[…Can I ask you to dispel the curse?] → Shen
[… I can dispel the corroding aura so your destiny won’t be too altered. However, some words might still take part in your life. Such only depends on your will-power. Don’t let devils devour you at the end of the road, Omisus.] → Iameth

Iameth said while pressing his index finger on Shen’s forehead. The aura disappeared while the cold diminished. A warm wind blew around him inside the water, making him forget for a second that he succumbed inside the seas.

Angels were able to read minds just like high spiritual demons but they wouldn’t go against the laws of the universe. The reason why Iameth isn’t able to get rid of the curse isn’t that he can’t, but because Shen has to experience such trials in his life. Something like “he was destined for such sufferings” or also known as, his own Karma.

Geez, what a pain… → Shen

[Then, I shall leave now. I wish you well.] → Iameth

The angel nodded then disappeared in a  pillar of light.

[Ugh…] → Shen

Shen then grabbed his own head, his eyes slowly returning to normal.

[I need to hurry back… I’m already past the 20 minutes limit…] → Shen

Shen then flew toward the cruise ship in the distance, ignoring the upturned ships filled with pirates that struggled to remain above the calming waves.

[Hm?]

He saw on top of a flying warship Sofia trying to resist alone against the 8-top sea-dogs and the pirate king.

After Shen got grabbed by Vepar inside the Sea while he was meditating, Babowang and the other 8 top pirates laughed and celebrated.

“Hahaha! Did you see that? The mermaid took that devil at the bottom of the seas! He’s as good as dead now! Muahahaha!”

Number 8, Number 6 and the pirate king laughed together after seeing Shen getting dragged under the waters.

“Hmph. He wasn’t much anyway.” → Number 7

Number 7 harrumphed with a disgusted face while having her arms crossed at her chest.

“But he dared to take away my toys! HII!! I won’t forgive him!”

Number 5 and 9 felt irritated, stomping their feet on the decks, cracking the ironed floor under them.

“We’ll be sure to get hold of his friends later. For now, let’s see how we’ll deal with her.”

Number 4 and Haidao turned toward Sofia and made sinister smiles.

“She must’ve tried to backstab the king, otherwise why would’ve he attack her?” → Haidao

Haidao said and used his healthy arm to create more energy orbs.

“…”

I knew it would come to this the moment that Idiot King turned his sword at me… How should I get out from here? I need to confirm if my sister is truly safe. I can’t die yet. → Sofia

Sofia set free her chains and released her full aura, appearing like a tyrant of the seas.

“I want to see who’ll be the first one to step forward.” → Sofia

“Guh!”

Everyone was startled by the strong bloodlust she emanated and instinctively took a step backward.

What a fierce woman. I still don’t understand what she saw in that Bururiba. → Haidao

Haidao felt as if a huge shark was right in front of him, ready to bite his leg off in case he made just one more step.

“Hmph! Let’s attack together. She can’t block all our blows with just that chain and fang of hers.” → Number 7

Number 7 stepped forward. She always felt jealous of Sofia, be it because of her power, popularity or beauty, she wanted to end her now and forever so she could end her inferiority complex around her.

I’ll see for how much longer you can keep that arrogant look on your face. → Shen

Suddenly, a pillar of golden light appeared and struck the sea right where Shen was captured by the demon. Afterward, the water started to boil and huge clouds of mist rose in the air as if a volcano was awakening inside the seas.

“What is it now?!” → Number 7

Number 7 shouted, already annoyed by the constant intrusions.

Then a huge pillar of fire rose diagonally, like an answer to her rage, going toward the King’s ship, blowing up the sea in clouds of steam and destroying the crows-nest of the battleship on which the sea-dogs and the king were at the moment. After destroying the crows-nest, the pillar continued for more than 100 meters in the sky, going over the heads of more ships in the meantime and dissipating the furious and dark clouds.

“Hiii~!” → Number 7

Number 7 fell on her bottom after feeling the scorching heat of the pillar. She couldn’t muster any courage like before.

The others were in the same position. Nobody was able to say anything after witnessing such destructive power. The pillar was as big as the ship and it was strong enough to destroy an entire city.

What kind of battle is taking place under those waters? → Sofia

Sofia was dazed. She looked at the boiling water then she suddenly saw another pillar of light shooting toward the skies.

-Crack!-

A sudden cracking sound resounded from inside the king’s clenched palm.

“W-what?! Impossible!” → Pirate King

The pirate king looked at the seal in his hands and was dumbfounded after seeing how it simply started to crumble on its own.

“W-what does this mean? Did the demon actually lose?!” → Pirate King

He couldn’t believe the fact that the seal broke. Inside his book, it was writing about how the demon must be unsummoned with the help of the seal. After doing such, the seal needs to be placed with care inside a sealed box, it said nothing about suddenly turning into pieces.

S-something is wrong! W-what should I do? → Pirate King

The pirate-king started to panic and he simply clenched his sword. In a fit of rage and confusion, he searched around for someone to find as blamable and take out all his frustration on.

“K-kill Sofia! She once betrayed Bururiba which is the Devil’s friend! Kill her and give her head as compensation to forgive us!” → Pirate King

Everyone was still too shocked to think clearly so they did as ordered. They pouched at Sofia with their weapons ready, going for the kill.

“Damn cowards!” → Sofia

Sofia took out her chain and defended every attack that rushed toward her with incredible speed.

After a few blows with the 8 top dogs, Number 8 finally punched the chains away and Number 7 rushed forward with her thin sword.

“Today you’ll die like a dog!” → Number 7

Number 7 slashed forward with her scimitar, wanting to cut her head off. But just when the blade reached her neck, a hand grabbed the blade of the scimitar, stopping it right when the blade was supposed to get repelled by her chain. It seems that she didn’t really need any help.

“Y-you… Let go!” → Shen

Number 7 trembled when she saw the burning suns inside Shen’s eyes and all her dominating air disappeared like smoke.

[You’ve done enough.] → Shen

He then closed in his face to her and unleashed his own pressuring aura.

[Subduing Aura] → Shen

“Gah!”

They all with the exception of Sofia kneeled on the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood. Shen stood tall while still grabbing onto Number 7’s scimitar, asking in a deep voice.

[You all are condemned to death.] → Shen

At his words, they all started to tremble in fear. Even so, his next words gave them some hope.

[However, there is still a little chance for you all to survive after paying the price. All you need to do is to accept my help.] → Shen

They looked confused at Shen but after making eye contact with his devil-like eyes, they all started to sweat. In the end, Haidao asked with a weak laugh, his body trembling and sweating profoundly.

“H-help? Don’t make me laugh… After what we all did to you?” → Haidao

[Such petty forms of aggression won’t break me if used even for one hundred years. My wish to help is genuine. You’re free to decline, but the price is death.] → Shen

The others looked at each other and thought for a moment, then the pirate king asked again still uncertain.

“Y-you said we have to pay a price, right? How do we pay it?” → Pirate King

[Only I can help you pay it. The form must be while confronting your past sins.] → Shen

“And if we pass? Will you let us live?” → Number 6

At Number 6’s mocking question, Shen grinned like a devil and said;

[If you pass then you have the right to live. I will no longer have anything to do with you.] → Shen

Hearing such, the King smiled widely then got up and laughed;

“Boahaha! Alright! Help me to pay for my sins and I promise you riches and women!” → Pirate King
“M-me too! Help me and I will teach you my secret move!”
“Same here!”

They all got up one after the other and promised all kinds of useless rewards to Shen, who was looking at every one of them like at fishes ready to be knocked. In the end, Shen made a nasty smile and said in a sinister voice.

[Very well. I will help you] → Shen

He then throws Number 7 in the others and summons 9 dark-red spears, looking like phantasmatic burning spears.

[It’s time for you all to get purified.] → Shen

“W-wait! What?! What are you doing?!”
“Are you going to kill us?!”

The king and Number 4 gazed with revolting eyes at Shen. They couldn’t understand why they had all that talk if he would kill them anyway.

“W-what! Is this revenge? Hmph! Kill us if you got the guts!”

The cat woman talked with a confident grin. She heard from her subordinates that Shen never killed and he’ll never kill living beings like humans or beast-men.

It seems he opens up to the slaves, well I suppose, I made them talk after placing them to guard him.  → Shen

[… If you die… this only depends on you.] → Shen

Shen then locked the spears on everyone’s chests and said;

[Spear of Purgatory] → Shen

And shot them with incredible speed, making none of them able to react in time.