Chapter 28

After taking that risk Misaka took it to heart to try and extract the foreign blood from within me, I almost lost consciousness at one point but thankfully everything turned out to be all right.

Looking at Haruna who had also gotten her blood cleansed filled me with great relief, Misaka was scared from using her ability, but it seems that the fact that she was scared made her more resolute and concentrated even more on the task, resulting in her success.

I was thankful I did not use the healing potion. That would have probably shown to Misaka that I did not trust her and that would only lead to more.

Yet I still drank it after she finished, while also giving some to Haruna, we needed to stop the bleeding and that was the best way, although the potion was drunk when I gave Haruka the excuse of me going to the toilets, I also took Haruna with me, and gave her half the potion, we then covered our wounds with bandages and made them look like they were still wounded.

Once I was back I asked Misaka something that was bugging me for a long time.

“Can I ask you something Misaka?” I said the girl that was now cleaning her hands from blood.

She looked back at me, looking a bit sad and contemplative, yet she paid attention once I spoke to her.

“That day, back in the sacrilegious king’s dungeon, when ‘He’ died, what happened? Truly, and don’t lie to me, I really want to know what happened”

Misaka remained silent for some time, enough to make me feel like giving up on asking her, but she then said something.

“They said it was necessary, and I knew what was going to happen to him, yet…I did nothing to stop them, Daiki did not die in the fire like they had told you, not…he was murdered…”

…I knew it, he was not the kind of guy that would die like that, not the kind of guy that would get himself cornered fighting against undead…if only I had the strength I have now back then…none of this would have happened…

“Daiki, was his name…I never forgot about him, even back on earth, he was always sticking out, although he tried to be unnoticeable he always managed to get in the spotlight, if not a spot of fame and popularity, then for bullying and humiliation, yet he never fought back, always thought of ways to get himself out of sight and out of trouble…even back in that cave, and on the way back, he remained on guard from the undead, he didn’t do anything that he was not supposed too, he remained in the back of the group, ready to run at the drop of a hat, but he failed to be on guard from one thing.”

Misaka then sighed, a heavy load and weight was weighing on her, the guilt and self-hate must have brought their toll on her.

“For us, who knew what was about to happened, we noticed his hesitance and his reluctance to do what he was told back in the cave, yet he was always worried about getting attacked by the undead, only to be attacked by us who were supposed to be there to protect him. The monsters there were not the ones that died, the monsters were us. The captain, Yuji, and Renji, were the ones that killed him, Haru was unconscious at that time, he, even though was weak, tried to help him…yet I didn’t do anything, I just stood and watched, scared for my own life if I was to say anything, but that means nothing, I killed him, my lack of action, was the reason of his death”

Once she said this, tears began to trickle down her cheeks, not only her, even I, shed some…

He had no ally back there…it must have been hard on him…

Your words have proven sincere.

The soul fragment had echoed throughout the worlds.

You have gained an ability.

Soul safeguard

Soul safeguard

Unique

(Passive)

Soul safeguard

A passive ability that wards off all evil spirits, specters, and ghosts.

It may not be what anyone could need, but at least it will help you in a treacherous night travel.

Amazing…this could help us a lot…Physical beings can be put to rest with the sword, but those of the other world are another thing…even dead…Daiki is still helping us…

“I will not hold it on you, Misaka, I haven’t the right to. However, you will have to promise that in the future, if something like this happen again that you will not stay your hand…Anyway, I know where our next destination will be, it’s the village of Riftell. Near the demonic kingdom.”

“What?!” said Haruna who just got back “Why the demonic kingdom, it’s a risky place to go to.”

Misaka then spoke

“No, I think that is the best place to go…it will be the least expected, and they will not think about us being there, even more so if it’s closer to the demonic kingdom, then it means that we will have better chances at confirming the existence of the magic that may be able to send us back to our world”

…I highly doubt the existence of this magic in the first place, but it’s better to let them hang on that hope, at least it will keep them motivated…my objective is similar to theirs…

“Then let’s move, although in a cave it’s not far enough from the knights. We will rest by day and move by night, counter to their expectations as it will give us more chances to escape their notice…”

The girls then stood up, and I led the way. I hope that our plan works out, the map indicates that the road ahead will be filled with danger, as monsters of levels far surpassing the one hundred are roaming the path. But if we want to survive, then this is the least of our worries…we need to become strong, no one is going to save us if we don’t save ourselves…

***

Daiki POV

Cursed one, run, for that you are being hunted.

The Rakshasas have marked you for the feast.

Once within the forest perimeter, the other undead began their mad run, and so I did, I didn’t want to be left behind like last time, the Rakshasas are too fast, and if I was to fight them while they outnumber me then I will die.

I decided on running for the time being, passing the man eating trees, by skillfully dodging the roots, while the idiots behind me got caught. The longer I ran the less company I had, and by the point I reached where I was the last time I died, and by the way the whole damn forest was reset to its original state. I was almost alone, with the exception of few ‘lucky’ ones that managed to escape the clutches of the trees.

The Rakshasas then soon appeared. They went for the weakest ones, instantly killing them and devouring them, while I began using shadow step to get as fast as I could to the temple.

It took but few moments for them to dispatch of most of the wanders, and even less to chase after me.

This time however I was not going to foolishly fight them, I need to get to the temple as fast as I could, there I might have the chance to get them in a corner and blow them all up using soul eruption.

The closer I got to see the rims of the temple, the faster and more Rakshasas were on my tail, one even tried to jump and at me, but was rewarded with a soul surge to the face, that sent him reeling. The soul surge skill became quite powerful, and it did not use much soul essence, thanks to Abigor’s training, most of my skills already reached their maximum growth point, I have yet to understand how much time I spent fighting against him, clearly it was a lot, but at some point I lost track…

So, I just kept using shadow step, this time however I remembered something important, the shadow step ability could be casted even if there is no light, and also is able to cancel the force of inertia, then why the hell have I always been using it to walk, and cover distances on solid ground?

I took to the skies with a jump, and tried to use shadow step, if my hunch is correct, then I could actually fly using the skill, or at least walk on air.

Then I tried to use shadow step, to walk on air itself, using the max range as a drop point of my ability, surprisingly it worked, my body dissipated for a fraction of a moment, and reappeared on the same horizontal length of where I was, moving more than forty meters in an instant. So I used it again, with every time I walked, I appear to be walking on air, jumping from place to place, while the hordes of the Rakshasa would chase me.

It took but a few more jumps to exit the tree perimeter. And thankfully the moment I did so. Not a single one of those things followed, they all remained within the forest of man eating trees, while I dropped to a clearing that was close to the walls of the temple.

Strangely I did not feel vertigo, but it doesn’t matter, while I was in the air I took a clear look of the temple.

It was square shaped, with each corner was an enormous tower, each tower is linked to another with a wall, and then there was the central dome. The head of the central dome was made of a golden matter while it had many inscriptions and signs.

I didn’t get the chance to read them, or even understand their meaning. However, I still saw the entrance to the temple and I was not far. I got closer to the walls, looking at them while moss and decay was premating the whole place, broken walls and unintended gardens, with pillars of old, crumbled up and thrown everywhere. The entrance to the temple was a great gate, which looked like it used to be decorated with sculptors of old deities. Now only crumbled pieces of them littered the place.

You have made it alive, your mark has been lifted, yet the feast has yet to end.

After entering to the temple’s yard, I saw that the tiles on the floor were almost fully consumed by weed, it seems that this place was abandoned a long time ago…I wonder why the Rakshasas are unable to access this point? But it seems to be a safe spot never the less.

The moment I reached the central dome, the atmosphere suddenly changed, it was like if there was something here, something that is watching my every move, but I was unable to locate them. I know they are here, watching…but I just can’t seem to know who.

I pushed the half opened door that was the entrance to the central building, but it crumbled the moment my hand made contact. It seems that too much time had passed, and the place itself is barely holding together. Inside the central building I could see hundreds of vases and pots, all over the place. While a distinguished scent was premating the air. It smelled like incent. I didn’t bother with the pots so I just walked within the dark room. There was a single carpet on the floor while the windows were either broken or fully darkened by the soot and dust. Looking around, I saw nothing special about the place, candles that were long since put out of commission, lamps that probably don’t work anymore, and dust, a lot of it.

I decided to head back, and try my luck at one of the other towers, at least I might get some insight on why is this place so special, or why didn’t the Rakshasas follow me here. Yet before I could leave I heard a creaking sound once I stepped on the carpet. Removing the carpet I saw a hidden wooden door, so I opened it. It made a loud creaking sound when it was being opened, revealing a small pathway leading down. I took the path that went quite the way down, and reached a strange place.

There was a giant door on the end of the tunnel, it was made of dark iron, and on this door were five small cups with flames on them, with the exception of the one in the middle. The other cups were positioned the same way the towers and the central dome was positioned, probably it has to do with this…

I touched the flame and found out that they were ethereal, and not real so it seems that I need to do something to make them activate, just like some old game mechanics, probably having to clear some puzzles on the other towers then come back and open the door, however, that was the case when game had to be played with rules, yet even games can be hacked and outsmarted.

“Abyssal projection” I casted, the door began to be distorted, then a giant portion of it just disappeared to reappear behind me. Who needs a key? When you can just tear away the door using spells that displaces matter.

Once inside, there was another set of stairs, I took theses ones and carefully walked down, looking at any sign of traps or anything that might get me killed. Thankfully nothing of the sort was there. The stairs ended when they reached an opening, one that was extremely vast, almost as big as the one I fought the boss of the first circle at.

There was another moon stone on the ceiling, it was lighting up the place, and in the middle of the whole thing was a statue. A gigantic one, one that far surpassed the fifty meters of length. I got closer to it, which by the way took a lot of time, but once in range I took a better look at it.

It was made of blue stone, littered with jewels and gold, the statue of a humanoid, with ten heads positioned in a way that one was cheek to cheek with another, resulting in an enormous circle made of heads. And twenty arms to match. Arms that sprouted from its back and side, it was sitting in a meditative pose, while all his hands were holding weapons, although some of the hands of the statue and even the heads were broken, I was still able to make the correct guess. However, this thing seems to be but a statue, I thought it was something that was similar to the colossi from first circle, but this is probably just a statue.

I then decided to search the place for an exit point. As it seems there is nothing much to do here, yet before I could get to the other side of the statue.

Perception has activated

The passive skill activated while I was just walking, I thought about the possibility of me activating a trap or something but that was unlikely, so I used shadow step to move out of where I stood.

Once I moved I noticed a hulking giant that was standing, it was the same thing as the statue, it looked like it, but while the statue was immobile this thing was alive, even its faces were all looking at me. This one had no broken arms, or disfigured faces, it looked perfectly fine.

Ravana

Level???

Boss class

Rakshasa king

(Ancient god)

The scholar, saint and devotee, Ravana as an old one always prided himself with his endless hunger and thirst for knowledge, developing ten heads to ascend and learn more, yet his passion was brought to test when the goddess of destruction Shiva appeared.

And so he became one of her worshipers, cutting of his heads one by one to gain her approval, yet her approval of his ascension was only granted when he cut off the last of his heads. Now brought back, due to Shiva’s bestowal, Ravana grew appetite for power, and no longer sought knowledge.

The damn thing is the real deal!

Looking at where I stood I saw that the boss was armed to the teeth. Glaives bows swords and spears, every hand of his carried a weapon and they all looked deadly, while he looked not to be bothered by the amount of hands he has to operate in order to properly move.

“Cursed one, dared thee cross this room, thou wishes to slumber, and it is agony that thou shall have.” Said the ten heads all at once, in a voice that made me shudder.

This is the first time that I will have to fight against something that its level is unquantified. I have no idea how I am to beat it, or if that I will even survive this, but I know, that I have no choice.

I jumped dodging another swat, and used soul surge on one of its heads, the damage was insignificant, barely a bruising, yet the giant was furious. As it roared, probably dissatisfied with something the size of a fly trying to attack it. so it began using almost all of its weapon at once, glaives slicing through air while arrows are sent everywhere, spears piercing the ground where I was dodging using all my power and concentration, although he was not as fast as Abigor’s avatar, the sheer amount of weapons is enough to cover that difference. So I used shadow step as much as I could, and hid behind the statue. I need to devise a plan, or at least escape from here, I looked around to see but dark space. This probably means that I will be needing to kill this thing, yet am I really capable of such a thing?

“Stop hiding coward! Show yourself!”

Do you think people will really stop hiding if you say that?

The boss screamed once again, this time using the bottom of his spears and glaives to strike the ground, making it shake.

“Come to me! Mine followers!”

The ground began to rip open and creatures began to emerge from it, they were the Rakshasa, too many of them, about a few hundred probably…

“Kill him, for that he is a coward that wishes to hide”

Oh shit! The Rakshasa began mapping the room, now I am more than disadvantaged, outnumbered, and out matched, the boss is too strong for me, and the Rakshasa are too numerous to ward off alone…alone?

If I remember correctly, yes! I still have that!

“Minion summon!”

As the duke of the sixtieth legion, your minions have heard your call and are ready to answer

How many do you wish to summon?

“All of them!”

Summoning

60 000 Minion.

For that blood must be shed, for that the name must be held

We of the legion, vow to never drop, until our breath is forever stop.

The minions that appeared that day began to emerge from thin air, slowly settling down, their disgusting and unorganized nature was still unchanged but the light in their eye changed from red, to green…

“Take them down!” I ordered. And an army of 60 000 obliged.

They began fighting the Rakshasa, while the Rakshasa had the level advantage, as most of my minions barely passed the level three hundred, the numerical advantage was at my side, although one Rakshasa could easily destroy a few dozen of the minions, they were too many for a few hundred. Even more so, these were not all the soldiers I had, as many were still being summoned even after this many is here, it seems that 60 000 being is too much for this place, even though it is quite large.

It took but a moment for the Rakshasas to be disposed of. After that I ordered them to take out the boss. Imagine sixty thousand small creatures climbing up your body, trying to kill you…

The situation didn’t look that great for Ravana, yet I felt that this was not his true might.

Using two of his many arms he struck a meditative pose, and with that, a third eye opened on all of his heads, causing my minions to slowly fall one by one.

You are under the influence of the Shavian Tilaka.

Tripundra

-20% willpower. (Will)

-40% intelligence (Knowledge)

-40% stamina (Action)

Dazed 10 minute

The fuck is this! A mass de-buff, that dazes everyone. What the hell!

Even though my willpower and stamina are infinite losing that much intelligence, will probably have some serious repercussions.

More so, my minions are probably suffering from this, they were all dazed, and when in a dazed state one needs to receive damage to wake up, or to be wakened up by something else. Shit!

I can’t move! And my minions are being killed off, by the dozens, the boss is stepping on them and striking them down with his weapons while they could only see themselves die. Even more so, the ones that are still spawning are affected by the continuous spell. It seems that he needs to remain in that pose if he was to keep the effect, but without anyone able to move, we will all die before the ten minutes end…