4th Day of 3rd Water Cycle, 1999 g.c.
The battlefield of Goblin Cave lay unrecognizable, a desolate canvas of ruined earth and jagged scars etched into the terrain. The cerulean sun hung high in the pale blue sky, its light spilling over the carnage, casting long shadows over the broken remnants of boulders. A soft wind brushed through the area, dragging with it bits of ash and debris that danced briefly before settling into the silence. My lungs burned as I sucked in a sharp breath, realizing I hadn't been breathing. My chest heaved as a raspy cough escaped my throat, the sound reverberating across the eerily still landscape.
I was alive. That realization hit as hard as the blows I'd taken earlier. Alive, but far from satisfied. The lingering bitterness of my fight with Taurus clawed at me. That bitch nigga should've been dead. Yet here I was, the one left standing while he had slipped through my grasp.
The static buzz in my mind, a dull grinding noise like a broken speaker, faded at last. The sound had been a constant ever since the fight ended, an echo of my Soul Core cracking and chipping away. When it finally stopped, her voice returned, soft and familiar.
"That was amazing, Master. You actually did it," Kyttin's voice purred, her tone laced with genuine admiration.
I groaned, my muscles aching as if they had been put through a grinder. "Uuuhhh... Ooww," I mumbled, too drained to muster more than that.
Luda, ever the stalwart figure, had been standing a few paces away, gripping the tome that had landed at his feet during the chaos. His heavy boots crunched against the ashen soil as he approached, his silhouette cutting a sharp figure against the glowing sunlit backdrop. He glanced down at me, his expression unreadable but not without a trace of concern.
"Still breathing? Good." His voice was steady, but his eyes scanned me, searching for injuries.
I tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a wheeze. "Not good. My clothes are burnt and covered in ash. But other than that, I'm still in this bih," I shot back, wincing as I shifted my weight to sit upright.
Before I could say anything else, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi]'s voice joined the mix, calm and precise as always, but this time tinged with an edge of caution.
"Master, [Adaptive Predator] is still activated as your Soul Core repairs itself. I suggest no fights for the next two hours."
I rubbed my temples as his words settled in. "So where's Hamburger Helper? I can't feel his signature."
Luda's response was blunt, almost casual. "He escaped while you were taking a nap."
The annoyance flared up instantly. "You gotta stop letting me hit the snooze. I missed the ending to the movie."
Luda's lips twitched in what might've been the beginning of a smirk. "Can you walk? You were falling out of the sky pretty fast."
I chuckled, the action sending a sharp pain through my ribs. "I slipped on a cloud," I shot back with as much bravado as I could muster. "But I'm decent. How's your back?"
He adjusted the book under his arm and rolled his shoulders slightly, grimacing. "It's been better."
The light banter was a thin veil over the weight of what had just transpired. The tension from the battle still lingered, heavy and oppressive, but in that moment, amidst the wreckage of Goblin Cave, there was an unspoken relief. We had survived.
The sight around me was staggering. I'd seen the aftermath of my own battles before, but this? This was on a whole different level. The field was an apocalyptic wasteland, a stark difference from what had once been the Goblin Cave. Craters pockmarked the earth like scars, each one a silent testament to the chaos we'd unleashed. The throne that had once loomed over the cave was now a mangled husk of magisteel, slightly buried among broken rocks and shattered debris. Smoke curled lazily from a few spots, the smell of scorched earth and something faintly metallic lingering in the air.
I shook my head, letting out a low whistle. "I miss when this field was a cave. Much better shade," I muttered, shading my eyes.
Luda, standing a few feet away, ran a hand over the weathered tome he'd been carrying. His eyes scanned the devastation with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Do you know any arts that can return the forest to this area?" he asked, his tone calm but probing.
The question caught me off guard. I blinked at him, trying to gauge if he was serious. "What you mean? Like some healing-the-planet shit?"
He didn't even flinch. "Something that could repair the lands at least," he clarified. Then, with a weight in his voice that I hadn't heard before, he added, "You do notice there are no trees around, right?"
I frowned, his words hitting harder than I wanted to admit. "I mean, Taurus did some of that shit too," I shot back defensively, though it sounded weak even to my ears.
Luda's gaze was steady, his expression unyielding. "Xiro… This isn't how a future Demon Lord—a future ruler—should act."
The title hung in the air between us, heavy and sharp. I sighed, dragging a hand down my face. "Damn. Aight, I'll figure something out," I grumbled. My eyes drifted back to the wreckage. "We ain't never gonna make it to the labyrinth at this rate."
Luda gave a tired chuckle, the faintest hint of amusement creeping into his voice. "It's been a busy morning. Makes me wish I would've grabbed that third plate during breakfast."
"I wish I had a blunt. This the most I've been stressed since I was born," I said, rubbing my temples.
Luda shrugged, his shoulders rolling in that casual way of his. "Sounds like you're living a good life, then. What about the rest of the Wolfpak? How are they holding up?"
My heart skipped a beat. I froze, realizing I hadn't checked on them yet. "Oh shit! Hold on. Let me retrieve 'em," I said, my tone suddenly sharp with urgency.
I focused on casting my [Yin Mana Arts: Shadow Storage], reaching for the familiar tug that would signal Artamis, Steez, and Alex being released. But nothing came. Each attempt felt hollow, like throwing a fishing line into an empty sea. Panic began to creep in, its cold fingers tightening around my chest. No cap, my mind started racing with the worst-case scenarios.
Just as I was about to lose it, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] intervened. "Master, let me assist. There's been some relocating."
With his guidance, I tried again. This time, an indigo-spiraling portal rippled open, and the familiar figures of my family emerged from the dark void.
Artamis stretched his limbs as if he'd just woken up. "Daylight again? Finally," he muttered, shielding his eyes from the brightness.
Alex stumbled, his hand pressed to his temple. "Uggh. My head hurts…" he groaned.
I couldn't help but grin, relief washing over me like a tidal wave. "Welcome back, niggas," I said, the words carrying a warmth that masked the anxiety I'd just felt.
They were here. They were safe. And for the first real-time since the battle ended, I let myself exhale.
While the others gathered themselves, I decided it was time to piece together the chaos that had unfolded while I'd been unconscious. Activating [Memory Recreation] and pairing it with [Accelerated Mind], I delved into the events like I was rewinding a tape. The details sharpened, but it was still like watching a puzzle missing a few key pieces. The sheer precision of Luda's stand-off caught my attention. Watching him command Divinity Mana without even breaking a sweat was something else entirely. No strain, no hesitation—it was like second nature to him. But before I could dwell on that, Orion's entrance stole the spotlight. His arrival was too swift for me to properly track, even within the memory. It was as if frames were missing from the recording, leaving me with gaps that gnawed at my curiosity.
The deeper I dug, the more things started to click into place. While I didn't know his name back then, I remembered seeing Orion on the same day I met Luda. That outfit was hard to forget. Talasi wasn't exactly known for hosting sharply dressed men. What stood out even more was a barcode on his wrist. It triggered something deep in my mind, a faint echo I couldn't ignore. I cross-referenced every memory I had of elves with similar markings, and when the pieces finally connected, my breath hitched. The barcode matched two specific instances. The first was the day I met Luda, but the second? My birth.
That revelation hit like a gut punch. Dr. Kai, the man who'd delivered me, had worn the exact same barcode.
The significance of those markings was no longer lost on me. Barcode-like mana tattoos were a cruel remnant of a darker history. They were used to identify slaves or prisoners of war sold into servitude. Among freed Light Elves, these marks were common, tragic reminders of a brutal past. But Orion was a Trapper. What was he doing with one of those? The question spiraled into more uncertainties, making my thoughts feel like a storm I couldn't calm.
As if to confirm my suspicions, Tsukuyomi chimed in with an observation. The book Orion had tossed at Luda wasn't random. "That's Fate's Diary," Tsukuyomi pointed out, his voice calm yet charged with significance.
The name alone placed pressure down my spine. It carried the same weight as Pawprints & Dreams, another infamous title in this world. These weren't just books. They were something more—something dangerous. The realization hit me like a tidal wave: the Trappers had been watching us, watching me, from the very beginning. And Orion's connection to these "Bibles" only deepened the mystery.
I pulled myself out of the memory haze to see Luda walking over to Steez. My brother was wrapped in a cocoon of temporal mana, an airy mist that shimmered like ground glass in the sunlight. Each particle of time-grains seemed alive, bending and twisting the very flow of time around him.
"What's going on with Steez?" Luda asked, tilting his head as he studied the scene.
Artamis crossed his arms, his eyes steady as he explained. "You've never seen that? He's rewinding his body."
Hearing that, I stepped closer, joining the conversation. "It's called [Just Last Week]," I said. "It's one of his Ultra Skill's sub-skills. It lets him reset his body to how it was, up to half a month ago."
Alex, rubbing the back of his neck, chimed in. "I think he used this earlier."
I nodded, still observing Steez. "I'm surprised he has the MP left for that."
Artamis smirked faintly. "He's mastered using [King Remembered In Time]."
Luda's tone shifted to one of genuine respect. "Your brother is unbelievably skilled at such a young age."
I glanced at him, a smirk rising slightly. "You speak as if you don't know my family."
Luda gave a small, knowing smile. "True. The Mikazuki clan is quite a collective of geniuses. One I now respect on the same level as my own clan."
As we talked, Alex's eyes wandered across the battlefield. His expression shifted to one of growing confusion. The sheer scale of the destruction was staggering, with scars of mana and craters stretching out as far as the eye could see. But no dead cow body.
"What happened to Taurus?" Alex asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Did we win?"
My jaw tightened. "That fuck boy got away," I spat, frustration dripping from every word.
Luda added a calm explanation. "More of a draw. Another Trapper appeared and recalled Taurus, leaving us behind without much resistance."
My fists clenched at the memory. "He should've killed me when he had the chance," I growled. "Next time we meet, I'm murdering that bitch-ass nigga."
My gaze shifted to Luda, catching sight of the book now resting in his hand. It radiated an aura that felt almost alive.
"Yo, L," I said, nodding toward the book. "That bible he dropped—what's the deal? I've seen it before, back when that pale bastard was lurking in Talasi."
Luda's attention snapped to me. "lurking?" he echoed, his curiosity piqued.
I filled them in, recounting the memory of the day Luda came to Talasi. I described the same pale-skinned man in the chocolate suit, casually standing around with that book in hand, blending into the city like a ghost. The implications were chilling. The Trappers weren't just a recent threat. They'd been embedded in Gaia for a long time, their presence cloaked in plain sight. And somehow, they'd been watching me from the start.
Suddenly, a cascade of notifications slammed into my consciousness like a freight train. My vision blurred for a split second before refocusing on a flurry of updates from [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] and the Prime Realm System. Their timing was atrocious.
"...Analyzation complete," Tsukuyomi's voice chimed within, smooth yet commanding. "Understanding of Divinity Mana and Omnis Mana now allows for your Soul Core to convert those affinities. You can now create and utilize both."
The Prime Realm System's monotone but weighty voice followed:
«Removal of manual access to [Trance]. New unique personal skill acquired: [Strong Spirit].»
"Wait—what? What's [Strong Spirit]? And I lost [Trance]?" I thought before the rest came flooding in.
«Installing defensive skill [Universal Mana Resist]. Installing defensive skill [Divine Mana Resist]. Installing personal skill [Divinity Mana Control]. Installing personal skill [Omnis Mana Control]. Installing personal skill [Ultimate Speed]. Installing defensive skill [Astral Pain Nullification].»
Before I could even process that, [Midnight Star: Belial]'s sardonic tone cut through the noise. "A copy of [Trance] was achieved before it was taken."
Tsukuyomi immediately retorted, "Analyzing the skill [Trance]. It's not usable without a Pure Lord Seed. And the system has locked out the ability for another manual activation."
Belial chuckled, his mockery evident. "So much bitching coming from you two today."
"What?" My internal response was razor-sharp, laced with venom that even I could feel dripping from the edge of my thoughts.
"Synthesizing of new skill using [Sage Regeneration] and [Omnis Mana Control] in progress," Tsukuyomi stated, changing the subject.
Moments later, he continued, "Creation of new Personal Skill [Auto-Infinite Regeneration] complete."
Before I could question it further, an overwhelming surge of healing energy flooded my body. Every torn muscle, every singed nerve, and every broken bone knit back together in an instant, the speed eclipsing even what [Sage Regeneration] could achieve. The energy wasn't just repairing me; it was fortifying my Soul Core itself. I could feel [Adaptive Predator] weaving into the process, amplifying the restoration buff to unprecedented levels.
"What!?" The word escaped my lips before I could rein it in.
Artamis's voice was quick to follow. "What?"
"Huh?" Luda sounded puzzled, though his tone carried an edge of caution.
"What happened?" Alex asked, concern written all over his face as everyone turned to look at me.
I was back on my feet, fully healed. My body felt stronger than ever, but my clothes? They weren't as lucky. The faint scent of ashes and burned fabric mixed with the natural musk of sweat and exertion. I glanced down at myself, taking stock.
"My bad, y'all." I waved it off casually, though my heart was still racing. "My V-Skills talking shit and making new skills without me knowing."
Artamis smirked. "Damn, Xi, still finding ways to get more powers and shit. Do you ever stop?"
"I ain't the only one." I shot a pointed look at Luda, who bristled under my gaze.
"Don't look at me like that," Luda muttered, clearly trying to downplay whatever he was hiding.
"That's one hell of a buff," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Why does your signature feel so much stronger, now? [Overcompensation] rewards you that much after a revival?"
Artamis, never one to miss a chance to instigate, chuckled. "Feels like he might beat you now, Xi."
"Now that you mention it…" Alex chimed in, his tone trailing off as he examined Luda more closely.
Luda sighed. "If we're speaking about absurd boosts, where did that power you used to push Taurus into a corner go?"
"You answer my question first," I countered, crossing my arms.
"Fine," Luda conceded. "I was going to wait until Steez was back with us to talk about it, but…"
Right on cue, the temporal coffin containing Steez released him, a faint shimmer of mana dissipating into the air. Everyone moved toward him, relief evident in their expressions. I watched closely, particularly interested in how his hands had recovered after their encounter with Divinity Mana.
Steez's palms were free of scars, but his hands trembled slightly, a physical manifestation of the spiritual damage he'd endured. The memory of the divine pain had left its mark.
"You good, baby bro?" I asked, my tone softer than usual.
"I'll be straight," Steez replied, shaking out his hands. "Just need a sec. That whole thing was wild."
"Nigga…" I started, exhaling sharply. "That shit was bonkers."
Luda, ever the diplomat, nodded toward Steez. "Thanks for attempting to save my neck back there. Don't know if I'd be here without you."
"Light work. It's what I do," Steez replied with a shrug, though the faint tremor in his hands betrayed the truth.
"Appreciate you, Art, for watching over them," I said, nodding toward Artamis.
"Thank me by letting me study that Guardian Armament later," he quipped, smirking.
"Maybe," I said with a roll of my eyes. "But let's get back to L's power-up."
Alex leaned in slightly. "I'm interested too. Does it have something to do with having a Sonata Core?"
"That's right, Alex," Luda confirmed. "Before my revival, I found myself within my soul, sitting in a garden under a white star. After coming to an understanding about myself, I was given the option to awaken my Sonata Soul Core. So I chose yes. It gave me a skill called [Dominus Avaritiae]."
I froze for a moment, the revelation hitting me like a ton of bricks. "Sounds like what happened the day I was born. I ended up with a skill called [Dominus Superbiae]."
Luda smirked, though it was tinged with something unspoken. "Your birth? Of course. I'm not shocked you achieved a self-understanding on that day. No, I'm not shocked at all."
Artamis raised an eyebrow. "You look a bit shocked, Luda."
Before Luda could respond, Steez interjected. "Oh cool, y'all got one of those dominus-named skills as well."
"Huh?" I turned toward him sharply. "You have one? How long have you had it?"
Steez shrugged. "You mean [Dominus Desidiae]? Since I first learned [Chrono Trigger]. It's a sub-skill from it."
"Da fuck, Steez! Wish you would've said something sooner." I facepalmed hard enough to make my palm sting.
"Why? I figured you'd used [Analyze] on me and seen it."
"No, fool," I muttered. "Although that's on me. I should have."
The realization slapped me across the face. [Chrono Trigger]. The damn skill had eluded me for so long, no matter how hard I tried to replicate it. Now it made sense why. It wasn't just a skill you could mimic through raw effort. It was tied to a Sonata Core—a piece of me I hadn't given nearly enough attention. Sure, mine was handy, giving me unlimited mana and storage while keeping me calm and confident, but I never saw it as more than that. I wasn't even sure what else it could do. The realization hit me like a jolt: I needed to dig deeper into this Sonata Core and really understand it.
Steez's voice cut into my thoughts. "Well," he began, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, "it's not really fully activated. It said I had an incompatible Vessel Skill or some shit, so I couldn't finish that awakening thing. Then, outta nowhere, [Chrono Trigger] shows up in my skill list."
I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Incompatible... interesting."
Alex joined in, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Taurus mentioned I had a Sonata thing too, but I don't remember ever seeing some garden with a sun or anything asking me to awaken it."
I shook my head, my gaze turning skyward as if searching for answers. "Mine didn't activate in a garden either. It was... different. Just dark. Endless black. Kinda like my [Shadow Storage]."
Artamis scoffed, his grin mocking as always. "What do you mean, endless black? It looks more like a night sky now, with all those stars that came outta nowhere."
I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at him. "Stars? What are you talking about? [Shadow Storage] is literally just within a shadow."
The answer came unbidden, echoing in my mind with the smooth, analytical tone of Tsukuyomi.
"During the middle of battle, absorbing Omnis Mana while your Soul Core was vulnerable, mutated your Mana Art [Shadow Storage]."
Before I could respond, Belial's gravelly voice chimed in, sharp but proud. "It evolved into a Personal Skill: [Soul Inventory]."
"From my shadow to my soul, huh... Talk about special places," I thought, shaking my head.
Alex, who had been processing everything in silence, finally spoke. "So... does activating one's Sonata Core really make you that much stronger? That's insane."
Luda shrugged, his tone steady and nonchalant. "Maybe. Or maybe my new V-Skill [Midnoon Star: Satanael] has something to do with it."
The group stopped dead in their tracks. Everyone's eyes locked on Luda like he'd just dropped a bomb.
I blinked, unable to stop myself. "Nigga, what!? You've got two now?"
Luda smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction. "From what I understand."
Artamis was the first to break the stunned silence, laughing as he jabbed at me. "Damn, Xi, looks like you ain't so special anymore."
I shot him a calm, deadpan reply. "Fuck you, Art," before turning back to Luda, "L, that's beastly."
Steez nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Dope shit."
But my thoughts raced ahead, piecing the puzzle together. "Him awakening his Sonata Core with a V-Skill that has a similar title to my [Midnight Star: Belial] has to be linked somehow," I thought to myself.
My focus snapped back to the present. "So, I know we're about to spin the block on that trap nigga," I said, my voice sharp and determined. "Me and you together, L. We can fade this nigga, I know it."
Luda crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. "That depends. Can you do that transformation again?"
The question hit me harder than I expected. I hesitated, looking down at my hands. The power had felt so raw, so otherworldly, yet fleeting. "...Not sure. Not at the moment."
Luda's gaze didn't waver. "Then I'm going to suggest we go back to our original reason for coming out here."
The words stung, not because he was wrong, but because he was annoyingly right. I clenched my fists, trying—and failing—to mask the irritation bubbling up inside me. The memory of Taurus escaping burned in my mind; his words were like a poison I couldn't shake. Me as prey? The motherfuckin' audacity.
Luda stepped closer, his voice steady but firm. "Let me add, we don't even know where he went. Besides, the second Trapper that appeared? That one dwarfed Taurus in magical power. I know you felt it. We need to focus on the Labyrinth. We're going to need those Pure Lord Seeds."
I couldn't find the words to argue. My silence said everything.
Artamis broke it. "He had that much more power?"
I nodded slowly, my gaze distant. "Even unconscious, it felt like a universe of its own. If Taurus's mana pool was the size of a cup of water, then that new nigga's signature was the size of Marie Pond."
Luda chuckled softly. "As Xi would say, the way he 'bitched' Taurus out proved that even Taurus didn't want any of that smoke."
Artamis whistled, low and impressed. "Shit. To think angels are that scary and strong."
My jaw tightened. The anger flared up again, sharp and unforgiving. "I don't care. They're on my shit list. I'll kill the entire heavens if I have to."
Artamis grinned, ever the instigator. "First, you gotta stop getting your ass beat by their Holy Cows. Hehehe."
I shot him a glare, my voice flat. "Fuck you, Art."
Alex had drifted from the group, his expression heavy with thought. The quiet weight of it was written all over his face. His shoulders were slightly hunched, his usually sharp gaze fixed on the dirt beneath his boots. Whatever was churning in his mind, it was clear that the new revelations about his potential power were sinking in hard. The idea of unlocking strength on par with me, Luda, and Steez wasn't just a passing thought for him—it was his new goal, one that seemed to dig into the parts of him I knew he didn't talk about.
I broke away from the others, keeping my steps casual as I approached him. His posture said it all, but I decided to start light.
"Yo, you good, my nigga?" I asked, nudging his shoulder lightly with my fist.
He blinked, jolted out of his thoughts, and looked at me with a half-hearted smile. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I was just trying to figure some stuff out."
I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head as I studied him. "Hmm. That Sonata shit bothering you, huh?"
Alex exhaled sharply through his nose, a sound caught between a laugh and a sigh. "It's on the list."
I leaned back on my heels, crossing my arms as I looked at him. "Don't sweat that shit, bro. Whether your core is awake or not, you still kicked ass. Thanks to you, I knew what to expect when I fought Taurus solo. That black fire shit you pulled out? Cool as fuck."
A small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hehe, I appreciate that, bro." He paused, his gaze dropping again, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his shirt. "It's just... I just need to get stronger."
The vulnerability in his voice was impossible to miss. I stepped closer, giving his shoulder a firm pat. "We all do, Alex. We all do."
For a moment, neither of us said anything. The faint breeze carried the sound of the others talking in the background, but it felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of us. I could see the tension in Alex's frame, the way he was chewing on his insecurities.
"Listen," I said, my tone softening but still steady. "Ain't nobody walking around with all the answers, especially not in this shitstorm we're apparently in. But the way I see it, you're already proving you've got what it takes. That black fire wasn't just cool—it was clutch. And you? You're clutch, my nigga."
He met my eyes, and for a second, I thought I saw a flicker of relief there, a crack in the self-doubt he'd been carrying.
"Thanks, Xi," he said, his voice quiet but sincere.
I gave him a nod, letting a small smirk tug at my lips. "Don't mention it. Now c'mon, we've still got a Labyrinth to deal with. Ain't nobody got time for sulking when there's Pure Lord Seeds on the line."
Alex chuckled softly, the tension in his shoulders easing just a bit. As we walked back to rejoin the group, I could feel it—that quiet determination starting to spark in him again. Sometimes, it wasn't about having all the answers. Sometimes, it was about knowing you weren't facing the questions alone.
The ruins of the battlefield stretched out, a graveyard of shattered stone and broken earth lingering with the smell of radiating mana. Dust hung in the air like a lingering specter, catching the faint glimmers of mana that still crackled sporadically in the distance. The entrance to the Labyrinth lay somewhere amidst this destruction, but I had no clue what to look for.
"Art," I called, my gaze still scanning the desolation. "Hit up Momma. Let her know what went down and ask her about the doorway."
He nodded, his citrus eyes narrowing slightly as he activated [Telepathy]. The faint hum of mana whispered around him as he focused. I could tell by his expression that he was giving her a detailed account—our clash with the Trapper, the appearance of Taurus, my new Guardian Armament, and the rescue of the majin and dwarf, now safe in town. Artamis's voice was steady, even when he relayed the close calls we'd faced.
After a moment, he blinked and turned to me. "She's staying put in town for now, just in case someone shows up there. She says to look for a magisteel chair resting on top of the entrance."
"A magisteel chair?" I muttered, my brow furrowing. "Weird flex for a Labyrinth door."
As we combed through the wreckage, I felt the tug of unfinished questions pulling at my mind. I wanted to speak with Tsukuyomi and Belial about Omnis Mana and Divinity Mana, to understand the power I'd barely begun to grasp. But before I could dive into those thoughts, Tsukuyomi's calm voice cut through my focus.
"One hundred kilometers from here," he said, his tone measured with an unsettling weight. "There's been a massacre. Many small sociovore villages were destroyed in the aftermath of the uncontained power struggle. Thousands of lives—beasts, civilians, children, elders—extinguished in the chaos."
The words hit me like a cold blade, but the reaction I expected from myself didn't come. Instead of guilt or sorrow, there was a hollow stillness in my chest. My lack of empathy gnawed at me, a quiet disgust blooming as I realized how little I seemed to care. Was I losing pieces of my humanity? And if I was, did it even matter now that I was an Oni?
[Midnight Star: Belial] interrupted my spiraling thoughts with his usual bluntness. "Absorb them," he suggested, his voice rich and commanding. "Keep them for later use."
I frowned, the idea sitting uncomfortably in my gut. "You want me to use their souls? Wouldn't that make me the same as the Trappers?"
"Consider the alternative," Tsukuyomi countered, his tone colder than usual. "If you leave them, Watchers will sense them and consume them before they can pass into the Spirit Realm. Or worse, the Trappers might harvest them to fuel their schemes. Is that preferable?"
I hesitated, the weight of his logic pressing down on me. Leaving the souls here felt wrong, but so did taking them. Yet, if they were going to be used regardless, wasn't it better to ensure our enemies couldn't weaponize them?
With a deep breath, I resolved to take responsibility. "Fine," I muttered. "But I'll figure out what to do with them."
Activating [Soul Domination], I reached out with my mana, letting it weave through the air like invisible threads. [Energy Devour] thrummed to life in my core, its connection to [Soul Inventory] sparking a new synergy I hadn't anticipated. I followed with [Sense Presence], feeling the faint, flickering traces of the 23,741 lingering souls scattered across the lands.
A prismatic tornado of magnetic-like winds spiraled outward, glowing with a kaleidoscope of light as it swept through the ruins. The souls, shimmering like fragments of stained glass, were drawn in, each one pulled into the vortex with a faint, mournful wail. The energy flowed through me like a river, the pressure immense but not unbearable, before settling into the depths of my [Soul Inventory].
The winds died down, leaving the battlefield eerily quiet. I stood there, the responsibility of what I'd done weighing a bit more on me. Those lives were lost because of this battle—because of me. And while I didn't know what I would do with those souls yet, one thing was clear: they were mine to safeguard now.
Returning to the search, the husk of the old Goblin King's throne loomed in the background. Its magisteel frame, once a symbol of authority and terror, now looked worn and brittle, like it had endured a thousand years of erosion in a single hour. The once-imposing throne, polished to a metallic sheen, was now tarnished and cracked, dulling the reflection of what sunlight broke through the morning skies. It stood defiantly, a battered relic that had somehow survived the chaos.
Steez was the first to notice it. "Yo, that the chair she was talkin' about?" he asked, motioning toward the backfield.
We approached it cautiously, forming a loose circle around the throne. The closer I got, the more I could see the scratches, dents, and scorch marks etched into its surface like battle scars. It was pathetic; a far cry from the menace it once represented.
"Y'all sure this is it?" Steez asked again, running his hand over the jagged armrest.
"That's what she said," Artamis replied, arms crossed as he gave the chair a once-over.
I cracked my knuckles, letting a bit of mana flicker through my veins. "Say less."
With a swift spinning back kick, I connected with the throne. The impact sent a shockwave through the metal, causing an explosive burst of energy to break it apart. A faint plume of dust rose around me, carrying the faint smell of snapped and broken metal. It wasn't just satisfying—it was therapeutic. After everything that had gone down, I needed to let out a little frustration.
"You'll get your rematch with him," Luda said from behind me.
"Yeah," I replied, exhaling slowly. "But until then..."
"Aye, look at that," Alex interrupted, pointing toward the ground where the chair had once stood.
The throne's destruction revealed a circular metal platform beneath it. Slowly, intricate magical lines etched into the surface began to glow, spreading like ripples across a still pond. The platform slightly raised when it hummed with life. The center opened with a liquid shimmer, revealing a moon pool of ethereal water. It glowed with a soft, otherworldly light, the surface rippling like silk under a breeze.
This was it—the doorway we'd been searching for.
Everyone locked eyes for a moment, the shared excitement unmistakable. After everything we'd been through, standing here felt like a moment of destiny.
"Alright, ladies," Luda teased, stepping back dramatically. "Don't trip over yourselves. After you."
Artamis smirked, nudging me. "Xiro, you first."
I rolled my eyes. "I'll beat all of y'all's ass."
Steez grinned, stepping forward. "I'm too much of a real nigga to be affected by that," he said, somersaulting into the portal with a casual splash. He sank into the glowing water, vanishing as though he'd been swallowed whole.
"Y'all better hurry up before I get to the boss first," Alex called, flipping into the portal with a flair that bordered on showing off.
Luda laughed and clapped his hands once. "Well, if it's like that!" He leaped into the air, tumbling through an intricate series of flips before crossing his arms and diving in with style.
"I'm not doing all that," Artamis muttered. With a shrug, he stepped forward, casually walking into the portal as if he were strolling into a warm bath.
That left me. I turned to face the battlefield one last time, taking in the wreckage. The mangled terrain was a testament to the chaos we'd unleashed here. My thoughts drifted to Vericka's voice, sharp and ever so motherly.
"Clean up your mess. We're a noble clan, not vagabonds."
I smirked, her words sparking a memory of the Mana Art she'd used to repair the backyard after training. I didn't use Earth Mana often, but I had been experimenting with plant creation. Trying to recreate my girl, Mary. I focused, letting the energy rise within me, but before I could fully shape my vision, a thought struck me. What if I combined Earth Mana with Divinity Mana?
The two energies coursed through me, colliding like moshing tides. A strange tickling sensation spread through my body as [Auto-Infinite Regeneration] kicked in, repairing the spiritual strain Divinity Mana inflicted. The soil around me began to glow faintly, and as the combined mana seeped into the earth, the ground pulsed with renewed life.
Blades of grass erupted from the cracked terrain, spreading outward in waves. They shimmered with an almost holy light, each one pristine white, as though frosted with snow. Yet, their texture and radiance were undeniably alive, carrying an ethereal glow that felt... pure.
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] spoke up. "The soil will grow into a forest within three month-cycles."
I shrugged, letting the thought settle as I turned my back to the glowing portal. This morning had been one hell of a wake-up call, but I wasn't about to be caught sleeping again.
With a grin, I leaped backward, twisting into a triple backflip. I landed feet-first into the moon pool, sinking into the luminous water. As the energy enveloped me, I threw up a two-finger salute to Arcadia, my voice carrying a promise.
"Later, Velonica. Your favorite Devil will be back."
And with that, I vanished into the mystical doorway.
[End of Chapter]
[End of New Game Plus Arc]
[End of Book One]