Chapter 118 - Circulatory System (20)

The number of spirits had somehow grown to dozens. Luna's popularity was reminiscent of a social celebrity.

But these fellows absolutely refused to come near me.

Not content with just sitting on Luna's shoulders and head, they filled her arms as we moved.

She seemed a bit shy and added a comment at my gaze, "They're not heavy at all."

Just then, a reply came flying from Cecil. After two hours.

[...Just as you warned, we met that strange flowing thing. I've never seen anything like it in my life. They say it's some kind of evil spirit, but fortunately, a professor joined us and dealt with it. We're safe. The professor went to find the source to determine the cause, but Candy, are you really okay?]

Learning they had encountered those strange things right after my warning made my insides boil. It was anger at myself for failing to calculate numerous variables and leaving Trisha exposed to a new threat.

Though I knew I couldn't control every situation with my power, I couldn't accept it emotionally.

"Damian... are you okay?"

Luna looked at me with a worried face. Though my expression shouldn't be visible through the mask, she seemed to sense my emotional state.

"Yes, Cecil's group has no problems. By the way, have you sensed anything like strange spirit energy around here?"

Luna nodded.

"The forest spirits... seem to feel our surroundings are safe. I feel okay when I'm beside you too."

Perhaps that was why so many spirits, almost excessively, circled around us.

We advanced for a long while. The forest spirits stopped at one point and blocked our way. They jumped up and down expressing something.

Before us was a circular clearing with well-groomed ground.

Luna's expression gradually hardened as she quietly gazed at that place. Then as if tense, she pressed her chest with her hand and unconsciously stepped backward.

"What's wrong?"

Luna translated the spirit's words for me.

"They say it came from ahead. And... I can feel it too. Something is screaming."

Then she suddenly startled and sat down covering her ears.

"Kyaa!"

"Luna!"

I hurriedly approached her to check her condition. She was terrified. Her reaction was similar to when tormented by thought entities.

Luna grabbed my collar tightly with trembling hands and said.

"There's something ahead. Damian... be careful. Be careful."

I couldn't sense anything. It seemed certainly to be a spirit rather than a monster.

Going in with Luna seemed unwise.

"I'll go alone. Stay somewhere safe."

Luna shook her head vigorously.

"No... I don't want to. Let me stay by your side. That's safest."

"...Then stay behind me."

I held Luna's hand tightly. Perhaps feeling somewhat calmer, Luna slowly raised her huddled body.

Like that, we entered the clearing together.

Not even the usual bird sounds could be heard.

In the center of that wide space, six wooden structures were arranged in a hexagonal pattern. It looked like something one would see in ancient ruins or noble tombs.

However, not a single structure remained intact—all were damaged. Black corroded wood fragments were scattered around.

"There... agonized screams are coming from there."

Agonized screams? 

To me, it was just an extremely quiet place.

"Steel yourself."

We slowly moved toward the clearing's center.

There was a well-sized hole in the center. And unknown characters were densely carved into the wooden structure fragments surrounding it. Like something used in magical rituals.

"Luna, what do you think?"

Her breathing became rough.

"Strange... it's calling me from inside. Trapped in a cramped space... wants to get out... Who... who would do this..."

I could feel Luna trembling. She was terrified.

It looked like an empty hole from my perception. I picked up a nearby stone and threw it in.

Even after a long while, no sound of it hitting bottom could be heard. It was as if it had disappeared forever into darkness.

Judging from Luna's words, this was similar to what appeared in Zverev's research records.

The pit in the Northern Land of Death. The one that drives spirit summoners mad and makes them throw themselves in.

That was when it happened.

Someone approached making sounds from somewhere in the forest.

Rustle. 

Rustle.

Rustle. 

Rustle.

We hurriedly distanced ourselves from the hole and watched warily for whatever was coming here.

Rustle. 

Rustle. 

Rustle.

What emerged into the clearing was a boy.

From his clothes and age, he seemed to be an Eternia student like us practicing.

Balanced physique and solid-looking forearms. Clean, proper features.

But his condition wasn't good at all.

His clothes were in tatters like rags, and his jaw and chest were stained black as if he had vomited blood. And his eyes were rolled back showing only whites.

"Grrrr... ugh... urgh."

Like someone drunk on drugs or alcohol, his arms hung limp as he slowly closed the distance dragging his sword on the ground.

It was like someone playing with a corpse like a puppet.

"Is he... dead?"

Luna's arm holding my hand tensed.

"No, Damian. He's alive."

"..."

When I tried to step forward to speak to him, Luna stopped me.

"No... a spirit is attached to his back. The spirit is trying to devour his soul. No. No."

I couldn't see the entity attached to the boy.

I needed to quickly assess the situation and find a way to save him.

"Gurk. Grrrk."

He clearly showed hostility toward us. He didn't give time to think long. The boy began picking up speed and charging at us.

I drew my wooden sword and stepped forward, keeping Luna behind me.

"Stay back for now. I'll fight."

Using Luna's power in a mentally unstable situation carried too much risk.

I reached into my pocket and broke off a Maladirut stem. In this situation, this was the only thing I could trust.

He tried to bring his sword down on me.

Unlike his limp walking, his sword movements were sharp.

I started to take out the Maladirut but rolled to the side instead.

Bang!

Where the sword struck was deeply gouged with a dull impact sound. Like being hit by an iron mace.

Damn, his body's clearly not right but where does this monstrous strength come from?

I summoned a fire spirit about five paces away from him. The spirit sat on the back of my hand and began smoking the Maladirut stem.

"Huurgh, guaah!"

He wouldn't leave even a moment's gap. He immediately kicked off the ground and brought his sword down at me.

Rolling away again to dodge, the smoke I'd barely started went out.

"Oh dear."

Part of his blade began glowing. I thought he had used some magic, but looking closer it was an enchanted sword.

The enchantment activating meant there was mana in that body.

That'll do.

I lit the Maladirut stem and held it in my mouth. I stuck the wooden sword in the ground.

Then, I called forth the magic sword.

Pure white light extended from my right hand.

He sprayed blood from his mouth as he rushed in and swung his sword at my side.

Ping!

When I blocked with the magic sword, his blade was cleanly cut off and flew away like a boomerang.

"Urgh, grrk?"

He looked briefly at his sword hilt as if bewildered.

"..."

This surprised me too. 

I hope that sword wasn’t too expensive.

In that state, I kicked his body away.

The wooden sword caught on his leg. Then, it transformed into a sapling form and bound his body like a spider web.

"Urgh, ugh, huaagh."

He thrashed about trying to cut the sapling stems with his remaining blade but it was useless.

Those stems were harder than steel from steadily absorbing my mana.

In that gap, I inhaled the Maladirut smoke.

Finally, the black spirit's form began to become visible.

Behind the boy was something long like a person's shadow stretched to double size.

It was writhing with the boy like a puppet show.

Now it's my turn.

When I approached again, the spirit released its hold on the boy and stepped back.

I immediately stepped on the boy's shoulder to jump and cut off one of the spirit's arms.

"Kiaaagh!"

The boy and spirit screamed simultaneously.

Landing, I sliced off both legs too.

***

Victor recovered consciousness with the feeling of something surging up inside.

"Cough cough damn it."

He coughed up blood several times and rubbed his eyes while looking around.

"Hell, where is this?"

He was sitting leaning against a tree, and before him stood a masked man with his back to the sun, and one step behind him a familiar-faced girl looked down at him.

"...?"

Victor drew his sword from his waist and watched them warily. It was an automatic action ingrained through countless training sessions.

But he could only flail his arm, unable to even stand up. He posed no threat to them at all.

"Who are you?"

The masked man answered, "The one who saved you."

Victor noticed his blade was gone.

Only then did he remember being surrounded by black spirits and losing consciousness afterward.

He also recognized the blonde girl behind as Luna Reilis, the top seat of the Magic Department.

"Damn, that's right. What did you do to my sword?"

"Cut it."

"What... cut it?"

"Seems you don't remember. You came at me so I cut it."

He cut that sturdy sword? 

Though he let out a laugh at how casually it was said, unfortunately, blood poured from his mouth instead of breath.

"Cough cough damn it."

"Was it precious?"

"...It was my father's keepsake. Cough cough"

The masked man stood still like a statue for a moment. With the mask on, his thoughts were impossible to guess.

"That's unfortunate."

At least he was alive. That alone was enough.

"Cheap price for a life. The sword can be reattached."

"..."

Just then he suddenly remembered his companions.

"This isn't the time! My friends are about to die...!"

He tried to stand but collapsed again from intense pain.

The masked man threw him a potion.

"Drink."

One should be suspicious of potions from strangers. However, this potion's source was clear so there was no need.

The unique pattern engraved on the glass bottle. It was Merikania's special elixir, said to be hard to obtain even with money.

"Once it enters your mouth, you can't spit it out even if told to."

He showed no sign of regret in giving away such an expensive potion.

The pain like his internal organs were twisted made it impossible to decline. As he unsealed and drank the potion, the man asked, "Now, tell me what happened."

As the potion's effects began working, his hazy consciousness gradually cleared. He remembered everything accurately.

"Things started going wrong after eating the Blue Soul Herb."

Victor explained what had happened.

They had eaten the Blue Soul Herb to find the way to the circulatory system's center.

Then, they were enchanted by a strange voice and dug up the obelisk. Afterward, something awakened and he lost consciousness after acting as bait.

The masked man and Luna listened to his story silently.

"You fought alone as bait?"

"Yes. I just hope it wasn't in vain."

"Is there a way to find your other companions' location?"

Victor took out a torn piece of paper from his pocket and shook it.

"It's Dornier's letter paper. Even torn, it has properties trying to gather in one place. We divided it into four parts among group members. We can follow this."

He nodded as if understanding and extended his hand to Victor.

"Can you walk?"

That gesture felt like an acknowledgment of Victor.

Victor grabbed the man's hand and stood up. He didn't seem like a bad person, and Victor felt no particular hostility.

The masked man turned sharply and gathered their belongings.

Victor picked up his scattered blade and put it in its scabbard. The cut surface was unusually clean.

"Ah, seems we fought while I was unconscious, but you haven't completely beaten me yet. Remember that."

Though he would engrave the favor in his bones, competition was a separate matter.

The man answered dryly, "...If you come at me again, next time you wake up you'll be missing limbs."

A terrible joke.

Victor calmly wiped the blood from his chin and dusted off his clothes as he spoke, "Looking forward to it."

Watching the masked man gather supplies, Victor's eyes widened and he reflexively drew his sword.

The black spirit was lying right beside the man.

"Damn it, move!"

But the man paid no attention and stretched. Then, he grabbed the black spirit's hair and lifted it.

"Kiaaagh! Kiak!"

The spirit twisted its body in agony with its limbs cut off. He was doing what no one else could do.

His mind went blank briefly at the bizarre scene.

And for a moment, he thought perhaps the limb cutting wasn't a joke.

"Let's go."

Victor quietly watched the man's back and muttered to himself, "...What is he?"