ARC 2: Separated Ways

Rayanaga.

It was a city located in the eastern Demon Continent. Surrounded by an absurdly large mountain range, it was isolated from the other cities. Ironically, beast men still chose to traverse the arduously long path just to get to Rayanaga. It was because of the famous fruit that grew only at that particular area—Leica Berries.

Leica Berries were said to be fruits that grew in the Ethereal Realm. Considered as food of the Gods, it was famous as the most delicious fruit in the entire world. Rumors said that Leica Berries could be found only in two places in the mortal realm—Rayanaga and Krukas, a place located in Valhalla Continent.

~SSSSHHHHKKKKK

A large centipede-like creature with dark-silver carapace slithered on the frozen ground. On top of the two hundred meters colossal creature was a metallic rectangular cabin. In front of it was a simple metallic chair wherein two beast men sat—skillfully guiding the colossal creature through the winding path.

~SSSSHHHHKKKKK

The gargantuan centipede stopped. Licking its now chilly metallic snout, it then slumped its silver head at a nearby mound. Travelling non-stop for almost a week, it was glad to be able to finally rest.

“E-emperor Yolei. P-please wake up.” One of the coachman opened the metallic door of the cabin. Trickles of sweat that seemed to freeze from the subzero temperature flowed down its back. Bowing its head till the knees, it spoke. “W-we have arrived.”

~CLANK

~CLANK

Emperor Yolei gripped the metallic door frame of the cabin, slightly creating a dent on it. “Finally~ I could eat those delicious berries! HUFMUAHAHAHA!”

Yolei leaped to the ground. Upon landing, his large figure of nine meters created large cracks upon the frozen ground. His eyes widened after he saw the frozen city before him. Inside the cabin, his thick furs made him unable to feel the chilly mist. Asleep and awoken only just now, he was angered at the scenario that greeted him.

“GGRRRUUUAAAAHH!!!!”

Emperor Yolei’s scream echoed throughout the entire mountain range—creating cracks on the frozen boulders and trees that ornamented the area. He was in rage. There was only one person in the entire Demon Continent that could create such an abrupt change in environment.

“EEEEEKK!!”

The two coachmen covered their heads after they heard the roar from the emperor. With wobbly legs that seemed to melt at any moment, they prayed to the heavens for a merciful death. They knew that the Emperor of a Thousand Ghosts was the worst creature to enrage. The rest of the emperor’s subordinates went out of the cabin.

~CRACK

Emperor Yolei stomped unto the frozen ground. With the fear-filled servants from the cabin following behind him, everyone stormed through the now lifeless city. The trees, grass, ground, and even the mountains itself—all were frozen solid. The chilly mist seemed to freeze the pale servants at any moment.

~MUUOOOO

~MUUOOOO

Occasional ethereal-like dark creatures erupted from the enraged emperor’s body. Brushing against some of the dozens of servants that followed behind, what was left of the body was nothing but a decayed corpse. The ghosts that kept oozing out of the emperor sucked away life itself.

Everywhere the party went through was embraced by frozen ice. Some of the frozen beast men were smiling and drinking; some were nonchalantly taking a walk. Without a doubt, the entire city was frozen in an instant.

After a few minutes, the group arrived at the central plaza. What greeted them was the array of corpses pierced by sharp icicles from the butt to the mouth. It was a horrid sight. Each of the corpses was distorted beyond recognition. On the frozen floor was a message written with blood.

YOU LITTLE SHIT YOUNG SPROUT BRAINLESS EMPEROR

TRY STEPPING ANOTHER FOOT INTO MY TERRITORY

I’LL PLUCK YOU OUT AND DEVOUR YOU

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

It was needless for everyone to state who was the one that wrote the message. Instantly freezing everything for several kilometers, there was only one technique capable of such feat—Frost Nova. Without a doubt, the Freezing Maelstrom of the West had been at the city of Raganaya.

“Karakas.” Emperor Yolei uttered. His shaking body was testament to his suppressed rage.

“My Liege?” A beast man with slit-like eyes coupled with slithering tongue spoke. With his scaly tail flailing around at his back, he bowed down before the emperor.

“I am very angry right now.”

Karakas sighed and flicked his fingers. “Everyone—gather beside me.”

All of the servants did as what was told. They all understood what the right-hand man of the emperor meant by such words.

~SPROUT

~SPROUT

Giant vines broke out of the freezing ground and embraced the group. Everyone seemed nonchalant of the appearance of the spell. It was a usual scenario.

~GRRRROOOOAAARRR!!!!!!!

Emperor Yolei roared with all his might. Gathering a large amount of mana into his fist, he raised his hand and abruptly clawed the chilly mist in front of him.

~SSSHHHRAAACCKK!!

A colossal wave came forth and decimated half of the entire city in an instant. With an indefinite amount of power behind it, it continued to traverse the path until it hit the large mountain range. A large crater was formed at the place hit by the strike.

“THANATOS!!!”

~SSSHHHRAAACCKK!!

Emperor Yolei kept his barrage of surreal waves one after another. After a few more moments, the mountain range began to crumble down in response. The place that was once called the fruit capital of the east was beyond recognition.

~RRROOOOAAARRR!!

“THANATOS!!!” The Emperor of the East cried in rage. Still unable to contain the anger that swelled inside him, he gathered an astronomical amount of mana into his hand—he seemed intent of decimating the entire mountain range.

“Emperor.” Karakas flailed around a portrait of a woman. “Calm down okay? My vines wouldn’t be able to protect us if you use that technique.”

The beast man with slit-like eyes opened his almost decimated vine and went towards Yolei’s side. With his smile perpetually intact, he then grinned as he blatantly showed the picture.

“Mithra…” Emperor Yolei uttered in a soft tone that seemed to belie his previous rage. Fondly tilting his mane-filled skull-head, he warmly gazed at the portrait of the empress.

Karakas blew out a big sigh of relief. Why did he have to be blessed with such a hot-headed emperor? That was the question he always asked himself. With his smile still intact, he patted the beast’s arms.

“Thanatos’ ice magic is hard to melt, but it’s not perpetual.” Karakas stated. Glancing towards the almost decimated mountain range, he heaved another sigh. “Leica Berries grows in this place right? Isn’t that the reason why we went here?”

“………………………………”

Silence enveloped them for a moment as Yolei scratched his chin. Nodding twice as if enlightened of some things, he then glanced towards his still smiling right-hand man.

“You’re right. I almost destroyed our only source of Leica berries! HAHAHAHA!” Emperor Yolei laughed with his hands placed on his large boney hips.

Karakas heaved another sigh and spoke. “We better go back my liege. We’ve left the capital for too long. It’ll go down without me—*cough…I mean you.”

“Alright.” Yolei threw another rage-filled glance towards the place where the plaza was formerly at. Suppressing the ghosts that perpetually crept up his body, he asked. “Karakas.”

“Yes?” Karakas tilted his pale azure head.

“I am all brute—a stupid no-brain beast man. That…I know.” Yolei was serious. “That’s why you are here. You are my limiter; my guide—the one to prevent me from doing stupid things. Together, we complete each other. Tell me. Should I fight with Thanatos?”

Karakas revealed a grin that went up to his sunken cheeks. His tail flailed for a second before he mischievously replied. “You’re becoming better at these things my emperor. Heh~”

~Hiiissssssss

Karakas hissed and spoke. “We should lie low for a while. It’s not wise to confront another emperor as of the moment. It’s too risky. Of course, you are most likely to win, but the opponent is also an emperor like yourself. Now that the emperor of the south is aware of our presence, we should be more vigilant than before.”

“Then are you telling me that I should bury the memories of this humiliation?” Yolei snarled. Everyone shook on their knees at the exuded pressure.

“Yes.” Karakas nonchalantly replied. He was still wearing his eerie smile.

Yolei turned towards the direction where they came from. The chilly mist brushed against his hairy and bulky skeletal body.

“I trust your decision. Karakas.”

****

“Hey there~” Taki tiptoed as if in mockery. He was sure that Captain Marulo recognized them. Yuje had returned to the place where the rest of the group was at.

“You!” Marulo shouted agape. Idiotically pointing a finger towards the masked figures, his eyes widened as it glanced back and forth between Maricia and Taki.

“Yep. Yep.” Taki flexed his left hand. Watching the battle from afar made his body stiff. “We’re the guys you extorted THREE HUNDRED gold coins from.”

Maricia, still battered, looked at Marulo questioningly. “Mind telling me some things my dear captain?”

Her voice was soft and angelic, but eerily contained a mortifying sensation underneath. Marulo gulped and stood straight from his spot. With his armor dangling away, he lightly bowed.

“O-of course.” Marulo replied. He could never lie to his master. “The t-three hundred gold coins…they w-were for…you know? The city’s entrance fee.”

“I thought that it was fifteen gold coins per party?” Maricia raised a brow. Still gazing towards the crestfallen captain, she heaved a sigh. “So that’s where the excess money of the military comes from.”

“………………….”

“Not that it matters much.” Maricia brushed her golden hair towards her back. Eyeing her surroundings, she issued an order. “Secure the injured towards the infirmary! Prioritize those that are with life-threatening injuries! Those that are injured but are still in good condition shall wait their turn!”

After hearing the order, everyone quickly moved around the pile of wreckage. Salvaging those that could be salvaged, each of the beast man stricken by the battle was secured one after another.

Maricia walked towards the masked figures. “I ask again. Who are you?”

Raul and Taki were unable to respond before the stunningly beautiful figure before them. The daughter of Emperor Thanatos was fierce yet delicate—serene and at the same time enigmatic. The light from the three crimson moons above brushed against her smooth, pale ivory skin.

“…………………..”

Again, Yuje did not bother to respond. His eyes were closed underneath the brown clay mask. He was recirculating the little amount of mana left in his body after the grand magic.

“Answer me!” Maricia shouted. Insulted that the group seemed to be ignoring her, she pouted her cheeks and made a subtle snarl.

Marulo and the rest of her subordinates that saw the scenario gulped down in fear. After seeing the feat made by the masked group, everyone knew that they were not creatures they should be messing with.

“M-master!” Marulo said in a hushed tone. Dashing towards Maricia’s side, he nervously glanced towards the masked creatures. He was ready to beg for his master’s life if the worst eventually happened.

There.

Yuje had finally recirculated his mana. It was a must since mana inside a creature’s body was synonymous to the air they breathed. Air was the indispensable source of life for the material body; mana was indispensable for the soul. An abrupt loss of mana that usually accompanied a grand scale magic was perilous to the soul.

Still ignoring Maricia, Yuje turned towards the rest of the students. “Let’s go.”

“WHY YOU!” Maricia pulled out her short sword in frustration. With her pride wounded, she dashed towards Yuje. Yuje fiercely glanced towards her and summoned his crimson sword.

~SLASH

In the blink of an eye, Yuje slashed towards Maricia. Marulo stepped in front of the slash that reeked of the word death. With tattered armor embracing his bulky body, he shielded himself and Maricia using his broadsword. Marulo, though successful in his attempt to block, was blown away several meters from his spot. The impact sent him flying towards one of the boulders.

It all happened in an instant. Despite that, everyone was utterly mortified at the calamity that was cladded in a clay mask. Seemingly indifferent to the stunning beauty, the demon had slashed at the leader of the Bruhans with the intent to kill.

Yuje unsummoned his blood sword and gave a piercing glare towards Maricia. “You do not deserve my pity. Next time—”

Everyone trembled from those words.

Maricia lost all strength in her body as she shivered from the demonic apparition. The feeling of a prey trapped by chains and with a predator lurking just around the corner made her whole body tremble. She was the prey and the man was the predator. That much, she knew was sure.

“*Hic* *Hic* *Sniff*” Maricia tried her best to suppress her tears as she fell towards the ground.

“………………………….”

Murderous glares from the Bruhans and Marulo were thrown towards Yuje’s direction. They had never seen Maricia cry before.

“You made her cry.” Taki jeered at Yuje. The former farm kid was mischievously smiling underneath his mask. “You lady killer. Heh~”

“Yeah~ you made her cry!” Raul joined in. Somehow, the two of them found it hilarious. They all expectantly awaited Yuje’s next actions. A woman’s tears were their greatest weapon after all.

“Let’s…go.”

“………………………”

“………………………”

Yuje dashed towards the lambards. Taking the position of coachman himself, he signaled for the others to follow suit.

“Oh~ am I seeing things?” Taki was definitely enjoying the newfound revelation. “My almighty friend is afraid of—crying ladies! HAHAHAHAHA!”

Taki gripped the metallic door of the carriage. Placing the other hand on his tummy, he then laughed unruly. His series of laughter contagiously made the rest of the group join suit.

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

Somehow, Mui and Onesa seemed not to find the joke funny. Thankfully, the clay masks hid their frowning faces. They found the existence of Maricia to be offending. Without solid reason, they somehow dislike the stunningly beautiful daughter of Thanatos.

She’s the leader of those Bruhans that treats humans as food. Yes that’s why. That’s why.

The two silently convinced their selves that their anger towards Maricia was justified.

“HAAAAH. That was exhilarating! Who would have known that you have that soft side on you?” Taki said in bewilderment. Along with the rest of the group, he had already boarded the grandiose carriage. “You really have changed pal.”

“…………………….”

Yuje slapped hard the reigns of lambards, ushering them to move forward. He seemed determined to leave the partly devastated city. It took them only thirty minutes to reach the now decimated sea of forest. The pool of blood that covered the ground glimmered under the moonlit night. Scattered corpses of monsters ornamented the entire area.

“Woah.” Mui uttered. Looking out from the small rectangular opening in the carriage, her eyes glimmered in astonishment at the scenario that greeted everyone from the window.

“So many corpses of the undead everywhere.” Kath softly said. She too was looking through the window like her twin sister Mui.

~Halt

The carriage abruptly stopped. Yuje entered the barouche through the bow front. With the eyes of the entire group focused on him, he removed his clay mask.

“I’m thinking of going there…alone.” Yuje finally spoke. Ever since the massacre a few moments ago, he had deliberated if it would be wise to take the entire group towards the now dangerous north.

“As I thought.” Taki responded. He also took off his mask. With his night black hair tied pony-tail style, he leaned on the metallic wall. “I have thought about it too. We—all of us…it would be hard to protect us at your weakened state. We would all just be a burden.”

“With such inhuman capabilities like yours—” Raul added. “It would be faster for you to go alone.”

Everyone knew that Yuje could have chosen to leave the repugnant continent by himself. They had all seen him move at surreal speed countless of times. Though the man had the ability to leave the place by himself, he still chose not to. Just from that aspect, everyone was very thankful.

“This time—” Yuje darted his eyes towards the metallic ground. Taking a subtle breath in, he then glanced towards the group. “I do not have the confidence that I could take you guys back from that place…alive”

“………………………….”

“………………………….”

“…I—” Taki looked towards everyone. “—We understand. Time is of great essence. The best course of action is for you to go there alone.”

“Then…where should we meet?” Kath asked. She took out the map and placed it on the wooden table.

“There.” Yuje pointed towards a place in the map that was adjacent the city of Mupan. It was a place written in their history books. It was one of the two neutral territories in the entire continent. A place brilliantly sandwiched between the west, the east and the south. “We’ll meet in Qasa.”

“It’s settled then.” Raul said. Though he felt a bitter aftertaste from not personally rescuing the survivors of the north, he knew that the conclusion they’ve come up with was the best choice as of the moment.

“Don’t worry about us! Good luck!” Onesa exclaimed.

“Gather over here.” Yuje ushered everyone to come closer. “Gashka—wishes to speak with you.”

An ethereal white hue cruised from Yuje towards the group. It then spiraled around them and embraced them. The feeling of embracing comfort gave warmth to their cloaked bodies.

[Missed me?]

A voice spoke towards the group. There was no doubt on whom the owner of the voice was—it was Gashka.

[Though he refuses to show it, my human shell seems to care about you guys a lot.]

[Humans—they’re so weak and feeble that it seems like their lives are nothing but a fleeting moment.]

[For one of the creators of this world to directly offer you power—be honored.]

~SHUUOOOO

The ethereal light merged with everyone’s bodies. Glimmering a bright white-azure hue for one last time, it then faded into obscurity.

“What happened?” Mui lifted her hands and flexed her fingers. Glancing towards the students beside her, she spoke. “Is everyone alright?”

“Yes. I think so?” Taki glanced towards Raul. The freckled man was the only one that was not embraced by the translucent light.

“Gashka gave you guys the option to form a contract with him. The power to open the link has been instilled within your very bodies.” Yuje explained. “It is up to you if you are to embrace that power.”

Yuje opened the carriage door. Creating a subtle ~creak sound, he then went out of the colossal vehicle.

“A blood contract is always accompanied by risks.” Yuje putted his mask on. It was dark and only the rays from the crimson moons above were what gave illumination to their surroundings. “Think it through. You would never be able to cast your former magic again. Your God shall become Gashka. Our blood shall become your blood.”

“We understand.” Taki spoke in behalf of everyone.

“Don’t die.” Yuje spoke. His figure disappeared into the night after he uttered his last words.

“Let us meet again at Qasa.”

****

It had been two days since Yuje had separated from his group. He was now on his way towards the city of Kulaima.

Yuje gripped tight his blood sword. Ever since he traversed the Twin Mountain that separated Po and Kulaima, the abominable monsters kept assaulting him one after another.

~SLASH

Yuje slashed towards the monster that spanned seven meters in height. With a skeletal body, its whip-like tail was as sharp as a sword.

~GRUUA

The monster cried its last breath as its whole body was split cleanly in half. The Twin Mountain seemed to be the native habitat of such creatures. Yuje was intent on arriving to the north using the fastest route possible. Intruding deep into their territory, the battle hungry beasts charged towards Yuje one after another.

What a joke. I won’t waste my mana on these brutes.

~Dash

Strengthening his well-toned body using blood magic, Yuje moved at a surreal speed. He moved past the rabid monsters in an instant, occasionally striking down the monsters that blocked his path.

~STRIKE

~SLASH

The deeper he went into the mountain, the greater the number of enemies he confronted. The Twin Mountain was vast. Normally, it would take a week or two to reach the top—that is if they manage to get there alive.

~Halt

Yuje stopped in his tracks. Dodging the furious swipe from a monster on his right, he stretched out his hand and quickly slashed at the rabid beast’s head. The severed head rolled down the rocky ground. He then turned towards the structure that made him stop in his tracks.

A statue made of pure silver proudly stood on top of the mountain. With a towering height of around eleven meters, the figure of a woman overlooked the entire mountain range. Astonishingly, the way the sculpture was made was so great that it seemed alive. Its long hair that flowed down till its waist seemed to flutter by the chilly wind.

Yuje slowly walked towards the colossal statue. Words were printed at its foot. Surprisingly, the words were written in human language.

I have never seen such a beautiful creature before in my life.

It was just a glimpse, but it changed my life forever.

I never knew that life could be so beautiful—so wonderful.

If only this world was filled with beings like her.

Oh how wondrous this world would be!

I felt that it would be a waste not to sculpt such a revelation.

Her beauty is this world’s treasure.

I wish everyone could have seen it.

The sculpture I’ve made was made based on the glimpse I’ve seen of her.

It is not perfect—no sculptor could sculpt such a perfect beauty.

I will live in this mountain till my last breath.

I could never leave such a divine image alone.

The God Slayer.

Demon Emperor Mithra.

Yuje gazed upon the statue of the female beast man before him. He had never seen such perfect beauty before. Though made of metal, the sculpture seemed alive and was about to move at any moment. Its eyes seemed to be calmly gazing at the misty horizon beyond.

Even the monsters that perpetually assaulted him the moment he stepped foot in the mountain kept their distance. Yuje clearly felt the fear in the monsters’ eyes. It was not fear of him nor was it the fear felt from possibly losing one’ life. It was the fear of having just a single scratch or dent on the divine image.

I see. This statue is the reason why those monsters are so aggressive. They are intent on not letting anyone reach this place.

All of the monsters looked towards Yuje with fearful eyes. Their bulging eyes that complemented their sunken skeletal face seemed pleading—pleading for Yuje not to do anything to harm the statue.

Yuje stood there staring at the statue for what seemed like an eternity. Somehow, he could not take his eyes off it. By the time he came back to his senses, three hours had already passed by.

This sculpture is dangerous. It could kill weak-willed creatures.

Yuje forcefully peeled his eyes off the image. Dashing towards the ground beyond the sculpture of the emperor, without hesitation, he jumped off the top of the mountain.

This way’s faster.

Yuje let his body fall down from the very top of the mountain that had an absurd height of thousands of meters. The wind that fiercely resisted his fall violently brushed against grayed garb. The trees, monsters, boulders—everything passed by in a blur.

Almost near the ground, Yuje summoned his blood sword, gripped it tight, and created a gargantuan slash towards the forest ground.

~SLASH

The gargantuan slash decimated a part of the forest. In exchange, it created an opposing force that slowed down the man’s fall. Yuje smoothly landed unto the fissured ground. He then looked up and saw beyond the next mountain that he would need to eventually traverse. It had the same towering height as the previous one.

~CROOOO

~CROOOO

Large birds that shamed the lambards in size hovered around the mountain before him. Even from afar, he estimated their size to be around as big as the carriage they had rode on, or probably larger. Dozens of those creatures roamed the area. Yuje heard sounds of movement at his rear.

~SHRIICKK

~SHRIICKK

Yuje turned towards the direction of the noise. What greeted him was a lizard-like creature with twin heads and an absurdly large tail.

~GOOAAKK!

The lizard creature charged towards Yuje. With its jagged teeth the size of a butter-knife, it ferociously opened its jaw wide. With an average speed, it charged towards the man.

~GOOAAKK!

Yuje was about to split the creature in half when suddenly he felt a massive gust of wind from his right. One of the absurdly large birds that he saw hovering above the mountain was now directly above him. Snarling with a high-pitched shriek, the gigantic bird grabbed the lizard-like creature and flew unto the air.

Yuje was left there staring at the disappearing sight of the creature. Its sharp beak kept piercing through the now scrambled insides of the lizard.

“Heh~” Yuje uttered. He was grinning.

“Convenient. A shortcut huh? Flying towards the north—not a bad idea.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: My dog had just killed my washing machine. RIP 6 years old appliance. :'(