"Here goes nothing.." Myra muttered as she and Rei walked into the old abandoned hut.
Rei walked close behind all casually, as if they were not exploring a hut that potentially houses a monster. He looked around and noticed the countless spiderwebs in every corner.
"Someone needs a cleaning service..." He reached up and pinched his nose, trying to block the revolting smell assaulting his nostrils.
Myra grimaced too. "It smells like something's been dead here for months..." She waved the air in front of her face, trying to wave the scent away.
"Any signs of a big-bad?" Rei asked as he looked around the area, scanning for any leads.
Myra then noticed a stain on the floor. "There is a sign, alright.." She leaned over and examined the stain. It was still relatively fresh—and purple. "Fresh Drowned spit.." She muttered in disgust.
Rei raised an eyebrow as he followed her gaze. "Guess it had a good meal just before we arrived, huh?"
Myra nodded slowly. Disgusted, angered, and provoked. "I guess you're right.."
Then, they suddenly heard a loud stomp, repeating and getting louder. It's approaching.
Rei raised an eyebrow as he looked in the direction of the noise. "Guess it's here for dessert."
Myra, on the other hand, jumped at the noise and stood up straight, also looking in the direction of the noise.
A massive drowned, larger than any other Myra has seen before, approached, Tearing the wooden frame of the front door apart to be able to pass through as it approached. Drooling wickedly at the sight of them.
It looked different from the others, its flesh was rotting, it was much more malformed than the other, it looked like a walking chunk of rotten flesh.
Myra's eyes widened in shock and slight fear. "Wasn't this supposed to be a lower rank!?"
"It is." Rei smirked.
"The more hideous they look, the weaker they are. It looking like that means it recently came to our world. The ones ya saw before are way stronger. At least they can maintain their form. The closer a Drowned looks to a normal human, the stronger it is."
"Now since it's so weak, I'll let ya have it." He backed into a corner. "Not interfering."
Myra rolled her eyes at him. "Wasn't planning on letting you.."
She raised her fists up towards the approaching creature. Despite not having any power and not knowing what her ocean even is.. But she still wants to prove herself. To fight. To win.
Myra and the Drowned lunge forward towards each other. One ready for battle and prevalence, the other ready for a fresh meal.
[At Sera's office.]
"Master, May I inquire why you sent someone like Rei Kannazaki after such a weak enemy?" Viren asked. Standing behind Sera's seat.
"To tell us what he sees with Myra, if she manifested an ocean. And to interfere and save her if things got dire."
Sera was holding a pen, a massive pile of papers next to her as she approved or disapproved their contents sheet by sheet.
Viren nodded slowly. "I see, master. This isn't a mission to defeat a Drowned. It's a mission to bring Ms. Vespera's ocean out by force. Your Judgment is always perfect, master."
Sera smiled. "Thank you, dear. Now can you please help me with these papers?" She looked back towards him.
"Of course, master." Viren approached, his right hand contracted into his arm, and a pen rose in its place as he took one of the papers and started carefully writing.
[Treatment sector: Hibiki's station.]
Hibiki stood in a room full of all kinds of medicine tools, from simple pestles and mortars aligned on a shelf, to the most advanced high-tech mixing stations.
She stood at a chemistry station, She held 3 vials. Yellow Drowned blood, human blood, and water, as she carefully poured those three liquids into a larger container, a round-bottom flask set above a small fire.
"Perfect..." She muttered as she put the vials back into a vial storage rack. She then reached out and turned up the heat of the fire.
She then sighed and sat down. Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "Myra, dear. I'm sure you'll return with a great new discovery.." She muttered. Smiling slightly, believing in Myra's powers.
[The council room.]
The same figures that tried to exile Rei last time they were here, appeared to be deep in thought.
"We cannot trust Kannazaki... He's far too powerful for our own good. And now he trains that girl. And who knows how strong he'll make her.." The old lady spoke in a tone of anger and resentment.
"Correct, however, Master demanded we wipe his mistakes. We have nothing against him now." The bearded old man crossed his arms in thought.
The buff man with the scars was last to speak. "Not to mention, they both have the favor of the master. So even if we did have something.. Master won't act on it."
But then.. A fourth made his voice clear. "I have an idea..." A young man with spiky short white hair spoke out. His legs were perked on the table and he was playing with a small ball, the size of his palm.
All their gazes turned towards him. "Enlighten us, master Sakasama." Said the bearded man as he uncrossed his hands and leaned forward.
"Thank you, master Oji." He put his legs down and stood up.
"I, Kagami Sakasama.. Propose to kill them. And claim they've encountered, and been killed by an Eldritch-level Drowned. That way you'll be free of them. And Great Master Sera won't have anything against us."
The room was quickly filled with gasps and loud murmurs. "A great idea.." The old lady declared.
"It's a solid plan, indeed." The one in scars added. "But... Do you think you can defeat—and kill— Kannazaki?" He asked, sounding skeptical.
Kagami looked at him. "You're right, master Kenzo. I might not be able to defeat him. So if it appears so.. I'll simply seal them in a place they can't leave. Where they'll be as good as dead."
Kenzo's eyes widened, then he nodded in approval. "Very well, I approve."
Oji, the bearded man nodded as well. "I trust you can do it, Master Sakasama."
The old lady shot him a glare. "Failing isn't an option, boy. If you fail, We'll all regret it. Don't overestimate yourself."
Kagami nodded. "I know who I'm going against, mistress Kyoka. I'll go all out."
She nodded. "Good. Then I also approve. Don't let us down."
Kagami smirked subtly. "I won't."
[The North Hollow Forest: Abandoned Hut]
Myra's clash against the Drowned raged on. It really is weak compared to the others, for Myra, with absolutely no skill worth mentioning, is holding off pretty well against it.
"Damn... This thing's way weaker than it looks..." She narrowly dodged it's clumsy fist going at her face. Her confidence growing.
Rei was just leaning against the walls of the Southeast corner of the hut as he watched. A grin on his face. "Then kill it."
Myra rolled her eyes as she looked at Rei. "That's what I'm trying to do, dummy!" She didn't realize she let her guard down.
Before Myra could notice, the Drowned's fist clashed against the side of her face. Sending her into the nearest wall.
"Agh!" Myra let out a guttural grunt of pain as her back crashed against the wall. "Dammit.."
Before she could get up.. The beast lunged forward, pinning her down with its foot as it started rapidly punching her in the face.
Rei sighed. "So much for being much weaker than it looks." He watched. Not planning to interfere yet.
Myra desperately tried to block its attacks and push it off. But it was too fast, every time she tries to push it off, it punches her again and throws her off balance. Until...
Thud.
The beast froze at the sound. Its head snapping in it's direction. Myra's heart sank as she followed the Drowned's gaze and noticed what it was.
A small red pocket notebook. But not just any pocket notebook.. It's Myra's... That's her diary...
"NO!" She screamed out as she tried to reach for it. But she was too late as the monster had already grabbed it.
She screamed in anger and fear as she tried to pry it out of its hands. 'Give that back, you son of a-" Her words caught in her throat as she watched in terror.
The drowned tossed the diary up in the air. She reached out to grab it.. But was too slow.
CHOMP.
The Drowned's teeth clanged loudly as the diary fell into its mouth. Myra stared in terror as she watched a bulge in the drowned's throat, her diary slowly descended into its stomach.
"No... No.. No, no no no..." She stared ahead as she tried to deny what just happened.
Memories of that diary flashed before her eyes as she remembered the night when her mother gifted it to her..
The countless words she wrote... The endless secrets she spilled... That diary was everything to her...
Myra thought about such a scenario many times.. What she'd do if her diary was destroyed or she lost it...
She thought she'd be devastated and cry all week long.. But what she felt right now was something different... It wasn't sadness.. It was pure... Unbridled rage...
Rei's eyes widened briefly as he felt something strange. Then he grinned. "So THAT was what triggers it, huh?" He let out a loud, boisterous laugh. "Then so be it! Do it, kid!"
Myra's vision went blank. She couldn't see.. She couldn't smell.. She couldn't hear.. She couldn't touch... And she couldn't taste... But a voice echoed in her head, over and over again... One single word.
"Myth. Myth. Myth. Myth."
After a long silence.. Myra's senses returned to her. And the Drowned wasn't there.. Nor was the upper half of the hut...
The moon light cascaded down onto Myra, illuminating her face. She looked over at Rei and saw him staring upwards with a massive grin on her face.
She followed his gaze and her mouth fell open in shock at the sight before her.
A massive figure.. The size of a tower.. Made of bones... Shaped like a dog, was looking upwards at the moon. The Drowned was higher above as it descended into its mouth.
The skeletal hound swallowed the Drowned whole. Then looked down at Myra. Its empty eye sockets boring into her. It had a large metal collar around its neck.
And next to its neck, there were two hollow parts. Looking like something is missing there.
For some reason.. Myra felt drawn to that creature... It felt familiar.. Almost like she knows it personally...
The skeletal hound then instantly disappeared as Myra fell unconscious. Thudding against the rough floor.
Rei cackled loudly. "I knew you packed somethin' strong, kid! Way to go—oh." He sighed as he saw her unconscious form.
He approached and picked her up gently.
"This is the third time I carry you home this month, kid. Better be grateful."
[Chapter eight: END.]