“Guaaah~! Guh!”
Without letting him even take his breath, I punched in the same way he did with the little girl, making his innards to bleed. While flying through some buildings, blood was flowing out from his mouth.
Not funny when it happens to you, right? → Shen
Right before I punched, I made sure to let that brat see a good reflection of his madness through my own eyes. Even though my punch quickly shook him awake, he would know from now on how to look at me: with fear and terror.
Tsk. Immortal body with a low level. I can’t do much with this. → Shen
I looked down at my own hands and saw how the scales fell while bloody cracks ran through my hands. I was already hard-pressed to use the Dragonic Materialization only on my hands, now to find out that I can’t use it for more than a few rounds per day. After I sent the dragoon flying I made sure to spin my body and catch the girl with my other arm.
I caught the little girl then started to heal her instantly. Even though the boy was also extremely injured, the girl had internal bleeding and if I didn’t treat the injuries immediately, her life would be in grave danger.
“M-mama…?”
The girl opened her eyes and saw my blurry silhouette. I gently touched her harmed stomach and started the healing.
“I’m not your mother, but I’ll be sure to reunite you two soon enough. For now, just relax and let me heal you up.” → Shen
“Okay… Thank you…”
Feeling the relaxing and warm touch made the girl feel sleepy and tired.
“Tama.” → Shen
“Qiu?”
Tama appeared on my shoulder like a shadow and looked at me with his red eyes.
“… I have no spatial energy for you-“ → Shen
“Qiu.”
The squirrel immediately pouted and crossed his arms as if no longer interested in what I wanted to say. However, his ears were still turned my way.
“…However, I do have this primordial energy. What do you say? Is it a good deal to exchange it for your assistance on saving every single resident from the affected areas?” → Shen
“Qiu…”
I focused the primordial energy used for dragonification in my palm and made Tama feel it. He literally took a bite from the focused energy and chewed at it as if chewing gum. This sight made me look at her with quite the perplexed expression on.
…I won’t be able to understand Spatial Devils for the time being… → Shen
“Qiu~!”
After a few seconds, Tama waved at his own mouth as if he just ate something hot or spicy. Afterward, he started eating everything I gave him until even the scales on my arms disappeared.
“It’s a deal.” → Shen
“Qiu!”
Tama nodded then turned into a little shadow. His shadow then split in more little ones and disappeared in between the cracks.
After this, I’ll have to go to that strong-willed brat and see if I can heal the horn back on his head. The wound is still fresh so I should be able to do so. → Shen
I said so while looking at the torn horn in my hand. After the good strong fist that I landed on the heroine, I quickly grabbed the horn of the little boy to be sure it won’t get any more damaged.
The players did grow stronger… But, is this all? The Empire guardians have shown much more of a challenge than these weaklings. → Shen
I felt quite embarrassed that I was also a player like these people, but there was nothing I could do. And also, it was rather fortunate that no one was so much into occultism and the lost science since back on Earth like me.
After finishing healing the little girl, I got to the young boy and tried to reattach his horn back on his head.
“Guh…”
The young boy groaned when I attached the horn back but he tried not to let out a word. It was as if he wanted to show me how much of a warrior he can be.
“Resist some more. I’ll be done in no time.” → Shen
“I’m fine! S-sir… I can resist this much.”
The demon said so while looking at me with respect and resolution. I was able to see a strong fire inside his eyes. Perhaps from hate and grief.
This is such a big contrast between the cry-baby Theodore when I first met him, and this young one. Both are demons but have different mentalities. Just like humans, they still have their own set of thoughts… → Shen
One more time I felt how the difference between the races was dimming the more I interacted with them. After a few minutes, the boy’s face stopped showing signs of pain and I hastily bandaged his head with care not to derange the just-reattached horn.
“Brat, can you walk?” → Shen
“Yes, milord!”
However, just as he got up, he suddenly lost balance and I had to grab him carefully.
“Damn brat! I just healed your horn! Don’t you dare break it again!” → Shen
“Y-yes, sir! I’m sorry!”
The boy answered in a haste, surprised by my sudden burst of rage. I took him in my arms and placed him beside the girl. There, Tama was waiting for me.
“Tama, take everyone together with these two brats on the other side of the kingdom to see Bonny. Seeing how energetic she was a while ago, she should still have enough power to heal these people.” → Shen
“W-wait! Lord Shen!”
The young boy grabbed my coat in a haste and looked at me with a firmness.
“Please! Let me fight alongside you! I want to be of some help! I’m already at Energy Warrior power-rank!”
“… Brat, can you even stand properly?” → Shen
“Y…yes I can.”
The young boy let go of my coat and stood on both his legs on his own. He was breathing roughly but his posture was straight.
“…”
I looked at him with neutral eyes, but with a strong feeling of respect.
Tsk, this kid makes me only prouder of my people. However, I won’t let him do something so stupid. → Shen
“Brat, such a power-rank at your young age without having the blood of a demon-lord or Diablo is already amazing, but in a fight between Saints and Great Saints, you’ll only meet your end. Go back and after all of this, continue your training. This kingdom needs spirited young men like you.” → Shen
When Tama started to engulf them with his shadow, the boy became more agitated and shouted out at me.
“T-then please let me look at least! I’ll hide in a corner and just look without saying a word! I promise!”
Finally having the possibility to observe a true fight between titans of Saint rank-power, the young demon couldn’t let this opportunity escape him.
“…”
Knowing that I can’t use Draconic Materialization on my arms will prove to be quite challenging now… But if this fight will prove to be useful for this brat’s growth, then I think I can give him my barrier. → Shen
“Sure brat. But I won’t guarantee you’ll be able to understand something. Here, hold this and don’t let go of it even when you’re close to death, understood?” → Shen
I turned around with a relaxed expression and offered the young boy a blue stone. The stone was shining a beautiful sky-blue light and was as big as his palm. That was the core of the Kraken which I turned into a protective barrier that I never really used because of my coat. However, It was a Legendary-graded barrier, maybe equal to my coat.
“Y-yes?”
“Good. Now you have the right to stay here. Don’t you get out of my sight if you wish to stay alive. Tama, let this brat here. Take the girl and go.” → Shen
“Qiu~.”
Tama saluted and left the boy here while turning into a shadow.
“Thank you, my lord!”
“Alright. Now let’s see what else will happen now.” → Shen
I got up and thought of what I should do now. The only reason I won against those heroes just now was because I had the surprise-element as my advantage.
I punched while using primordial power in full force. Taken by surprise, anyone would fall, knocked out. However… → Shen
I connected with the Earth Stone under me and felt how other 3 characters are approaching. This time, to use the surprise element I’ll have to separate them.
I might have quite the difficulty on my own. → Shen
[Just ask and thee shall gain powers comparable to gods, Omisus~.]
The devil’s voice resounded in my head, making me feel more tired and annoyed.
That line is so overused, man. Don’t try to win me over with such outdated tricks. → Shen
I smirked mockingly then took out a Dark Stone. After I woke up from my death, I got right back on creating more Elemental Stones. Being of only level 10, my only power was the partial Draconic Materialization and immortality. I had to create more stones because I knew that I might have to fight beasts of rank A or higher, with a power-rank of Grandmaster. If I were to use the full power of a stone, the destruction would be equal to a Great Spell of a Saint. Such power can’t be laughed at. However, the devil also tried to take over my Judgment. For one reason or another, my mental power was weakening.
After this is done with, I really need to search for a reason why my mind is weakening. → Shen
I hid in the shadows while letting the young demon atop a ruined tower. He would be able to see everything and at the same time remain low-key and undetectable.
Suddenly, the three that I detected appeared in the same place I was a few seconds ago.
“Huh? I could swear this was the place Stefano told us to meet up in. Right?”
The Lion beast-man player looked around confused then back at the two little girls.
“Hmph! They must be screwing around right now under some ruins or something.”
The fire fairy frowned disgustedly after remembering a disturbing scene when they had a mission together.
“Hm? Then, should we continue wrecking this place some more? For now, I only found some foreign residents. They all seemed of other races though.” → Jinxy
Unable to really understand what the red fairy said, Jinxy proposed with a wide grin.
“I know. I also found a lot of unknown races together with the four known. What is this place more exactly?”
The lion man asked confused.
“No matter now. Let’s go and search for those two pigs in heat.”
Just as they wished to separate and start searching, a loud shout resounded from above.
“Heroes, please wait!”
A little dark fairy approached them from the sky. He was Darius, the dark fairy from the elite group.
“Heroes, please return, now! The others are keeping an eye on this fort’s warriors. From what we found out, we really can’t confront them head-on!” → Darius
“Tsk, why are you here, fairy?”
The lion-man asked in spite. The heroes never truly liked the elite warriors.
“So you know the reason? Then spit it out! What are you waiting for?!”
Hearing that Darius knew why there were no warriors, she hastily rushed him to talk about their location and cause.
“Brat, how much will you underestimate us? Call back those idiots and let’s group up against them!”
The fairy also wished to eliminate the warriors, focusing her fire-element toward her staff.
“QUIET!”
Hearing their stupid answers made Darius lose his cool for a moment. Afterward, his respectful eyes turned cold and he said with an annoyed tone.
“You fools. The residents of this fortress can face a Demonic wave of Calamity level! How in the world will we face such monsters on our own? Let’s leave, now!”
He reproached annoyed then showed them the way back.
“The others are still facing the golems. Even though those things were already broken when they came, their might is no less than rank S Demonic beasts. We have to get back and assist them now.”
“Hmph! Who are you to order me around?! You dumb fly!” → Jinxy
Jinxy showed her tongue at Darius then fled into another direction, ignoring the rest.
“Grrr, this idiot…” → Darius
Darius then wanted to just give up and leave when a scream attracted everyone’s attention. It was Jinxy’s voice and she seemed to have got into troubles.
“S***! Everyone, let’s go!”
“What a fool!”
The Lion-man shouted in a hurry and Darius followed right after.
The three of them ran toward where Jinxy just left to, only to find her passed out while blood leaking from her mouth.
“W-what the hell? What happened?”
The fairy asked perturbed as Darius got down and turned her around. Around her neck, on her chest, around the joints and the heart area, blue bruises showed where she was struck with something pointy.
“… I feel the dark element. Is this… [Sharp Aura]? No. That skill would’ve penetrated her body, while this one just blocked her meridians and lowered her powers for a period of time… then it’s [Five Point Chi Burst]?!” → Darius
Darius murmured on his own with a baffled face.
Is it really [Five Point Chi Burst]? B-but how? That skill can only be used with a wind element, while this one was used with the dark element. Moreover, the strike wasn’t just five times but more than 30 times. And at an incredible speed at that!… Just who could do that? → Darius
“Oy brat, what the f*** are you murmuring on your own now?!”
The lion man grabbed Darius by the collar and lifted him in the air. At first, he wanted to cut his arm with his thin sword, but he refrained then simply sighed out. After calming down he looked at the Lion with sharp eyes.
“I will say it again. Let’s leave this place now. What we’re facing isn’t just anyone, he’s able to use combined forms of skills and elements. We must retreat. Now.” → Darius
“Grrr damn brat…”
The lion felt pressured by Darius’ words and placed him down. However, just as he did so, he heard a voice inside his mind.
Do you really think I’ll let you lot leave unharmed? After all that you’ve done?!
“Who are you, bastard?!”
He turned around and shouted agitated.
“Hasan? What is wrong now?”
“What? I heard nothing. What happened?”
His reaction made the two fairies agitated, however, he gave them no mind. He looked around until he saw between some rubles a black silhouette like a human’s shadow. The shadow suddenly disappeared behind the corner like a mirage, making Hasan even more restless.
“Wait right there, bastard!”
“W-wait! Hasan!”
“Idiots! Don’t!”
Hasan shot out toward the next corner while the two fairies followed right after two seconds late.
“You dumb beast, halt your steps!… Huh?”
Just as the two fairies followed the lion behind the corner, there was no sign of him anymore.
“W-what the hell?! He was here just a few seconds ago!”
The fire fairy shouted bewildered and made some more steps in front, while Darius stood still, his nerves stretched to the maximum. He stood there and felt around while trying to detect through the shadows of the rumbles with his own dark element. While the fire fairy looked around confused and terrified, Darius finally got a glimpse of a foreign entity crawling in the darkness. And that respective entity was hastily rushing toward the fairy that was now for more than 10 meters in front of Darius.
Like I will let you! → Darius
Darius shot out toward the fire fairy and just as he was about to grab her hand, a spiky wall of Earth suddenly rose from the ground right in front of him.
“Hmph!”
Darius didn’t even falter and cut in front with his own sword. The wall was cut in two but a black armored arm shot out through the destroyed wall and grabbed Darius by the neck. The gauntlets had a long silvery line made by Darius’ slash a while ago. However, it wasn’t enough to even cut through the armor.
“Gah!”
[Shadow Step]
The force pressing on his neck made him activate his evasion skill by instinct. He turned into a shadow and reappeared 10m behind, right where he was a moment ago.
“Oh~? Not bad, for a player.” → Shen
After the dust settled down, I stepped forward with the fairy passed out in one of my arms as I was carrying her on my shoulder like a bag of potatoes. My body was filled with cracks through which, dark energy emanated and enveloped some parts of my skin, turning it pitch-black. I was wearing a Black Obsidian Armor of Epic rank while on my hands I was wearing two Black Obsidian Gauntlets of Heroic Rank. My eyes were sharp and the smile I had before was now nowhere to be seen. I couldn’t feel like playing around anymore.
Even though my body is now immortal and I can circulate this lesser energy through my meridians without exploding, the pain is still excruciating… I feel like bashing my head on a wall right at this moment. I can’t, I’ll retract this energy for now. → Shen
“Restore.” → Shen
I commanded the stone and all the dark energy inside my cracked body got out and created a stone of my palm’s dimension. Because I needed to freely move inside the world of shadows, I had to fully combine my body with the element of darkness. So to do such a thing I had two options:
- Let the original element of darkness swallow my body and soul so I could fully travel inside the world of shadows without a problem, but still risk to have my mental barrier broken or my consciousness swallowed. If this happened, I would’ve remained locked in the world of shadows forever, with no turning back.
- Unite with the Imitation-element that had no real conscience and no true power to take control over my mind, but have your body broken down then restored repeatedly because of the brute and impure form of energy.
Both ideas suck terribly, but I had no other option. I’d break my body over my mind 10/10, so this decision was the wisest, especially because I have no training over the control of shadows… I wish this was the ONLY decision now… → Shen
I felt like there were other options too, but I really didn’t want to discover them now, especially after already doing the deed.
“…”
While I was thinking for myself, Darius was looking at me with worry and nervous eyes. He stood in a battle-ready stance with his blade drawn while I was gazing at him with a relaxed and focused face.
I can’t feel his power-rank! Just what kind of man is he? His equipment is high-class while his aura is like that of a veteran, but his body is young, he seems tired and injured while his power seems comparable with one of an apprentice. But how can an injured apprentice take out three heroes of Saint power rank so quick?! That’s impossible! → Darius
Darius’ brain was processing everything at high speed with no results while I tried to take my breath for a moment when I suddenly got a message from Isa and Ken. Or better said, from the System, telling me about the golems.
[ERROR! ERROR!]
[The circulation system overheated. Time until self-destruction: 5/10 seconds]
