“Please.”
I said as I softly grabbed his hands.
“I have a way to win. Please.”
Lily clenched his teeth.
“You owe me one!”
He said as he pulled his hands off me.
“I owe you more than I can count.”
He stepped back as he sighed.
“Can you do that again?”
Depending on his answer I would have to modify my plan.
“Yeah.”
He said after a short hesitation.
“Okay. Fire with my signal.”
I turned to Tormented One. I started to sprint as Lily retreated further to avoid debuffs.
“Amaterasu. Are you listening?”
I dodged chains.
“I am here, Poyraz.”
After a short delay, an answer appeared in my mind.
“Can you ask Larve if she could do that water trick again?”
I preserved my stamina and skill. The penalty duration already ended but I just focused on dodging and getting a good look at what creature was trying to cover. Despite my attempt, the creature’s hand was too big for me to see anything.
“She says she needs time to cast it. Do you think she can purify that creature?”
“Not by her own. But it doesn’t work if she needs time. She can’t get close.”
I felt something nuzzle to my chest. Right!
“Gökbörü can transport the attack with Shadow Walk. Do you have any binding or sticky spells?”
After a short silence, I got my reply:
“Not one that can work at this range.”
“Less than optimal but it is still manageable.”
Despite not being able to catch me with its one hand it refused to pull its other hand from its damaged side. Even when I struck its hand it didn’t move its hand.
“It is not a choice for it.”
It had to hold its damaged side for some reason. I wasn’t sure why but I was sure it was related to its weakness. I hooked the chains of my sword to its fingers then I jumped several meters back. The chain lengthened with my will.
(Monstrous Strength is activated. Strength is increased by 30 percent for 150 seconds.)
Manifesting several great swords and pinning myself to the ground by stabbing them through my cloak, I pulled it with all of my strength.
“Now!”
My goal was not to overpower it and pull its hand myself. I wasn’t strong enough. However, I could hold it in the place. Strong winds hit my body as Lily, now a spear of wild wind crashed on the side of the creature. The impact was strong enough to send the creature several meters back. Chains wrapped around my arms tightened, threatening to break my arm into several pieces. I dug my feet deeply to the ground to not fly with it.
Muscles all around my body worked in unison so I could stand my ground. I didn’t have to pull it. It was already moved with Lily’s strike. I just had to pull its arm and it would be separated from its wound.
“Maybe that wasn’t the best course of action.”
I gritted my teeth so hard that my jaw hurt. Beads of sweat formed on my brow, trickling down my face. My arms quivered with the effort, and my shoulders, already damaged due to repeated use of Mana Erupt screamed with discomfort as they bore the brunt of the tremendous pressure. Every fiber of my being seemed to protest as he maintained this precarious position, my entire body aching from the strain. The chains strained and creaked as they resisted the creature's movements, threatening to snap under the intense forces at play. I hoped that just like the sword, their durability was infinite.
The creature let out another horrible soundless scream. Despite my vision blurring under the pressure, I looked at it.
“I see.”
So that’s why it was so stubborn about covering that part.
First, a dim, otherworldly light began to radiate from the Tormented One's cracked and wounded exterior. A pair of hands exited out. I was kind of worried seeing it since it reminded me of the ghastly hands Tormented One projected. However, my worries vanished when its head exited. It gave me the same impression as Rodrick, only weaker and less visible. Its color was drained and it was grey. I wasn’t sure of its gender but I was it was a beastkin. A wounded, mutilated beastkin.
It fully exited out of Tormented One and I could swear I saw a smile on its face despite the horrible disfiguration it endured. It flew into the air, circling around the Tormented One. The lower half of it was made out of mist like a ghost out of a cartoon.
More and more escaped from Tormented One’s body. The creature resisted fiercely and tried to free itself from me. I noticed the great swords I manifested slowly falling to the ground and not helping me stand still.
“Okay, next part.”
I matched my movements with it pulling me. I demanifested my swords and let myself fly towards it. My flight was more of me being dragged but I was able to get close to it. I jumped to its wound as it tried to catch the ghosts and tried to close its wound. With Lily’s strike, the wound was now bigger.
I stabilized myself.
“Larve, Gökbörü now!”
My torn cloak became darker and shadowy. A water ball as big as my head exited it and splashed on the creature. The effects were…. Potent to say at least. Screams filled my head as the wound enlarged. The water melted its grey skin like acid. I was thrown off it and hit the ground. It moved irregularly and eerie manner as it tried to stop the souls from escaping.
I saw Lily who was trying to retreat away from its range. It seemed like with the ghost escaping the status effect of it was weakening. However not weak enough as Lily seemed to struggle. I leaped towards him, ignoring my aching body in the process. I tackled him as the creature was about to hit him while trying to catch the ghosts.
My tackle sent both him and Lily sprawling to the ground just in time to avoid the creature's massive hand crushing Lily. The Tormented One's attempts to recapture the escaping souls grew increasingly frantic as the water from Larve's attack continued to erode its damaged form. I wasn’t sure how she got it, why she got it, or why it worked like this but I was glad Larve got that water ball skill.
Lily grunted as he hit the ground, but I quickly helped him to his feet. We both knew we couldn't afford to stay down for long. The creature was weakening, but it was far from defeated.
“So, what now?”
Lily asked.
"You keep it distracted. I'll go for the final blow."
Lily sighed as he summoned another gust of wind. Seeing sweat cover his face I couldn’t help but worry. Arcane Overload or Primordial Fear?
“Will you be ok?”
I asked before I moved away from him. If he collapsed after we were far away, that would create problems.
“ I have no other choice than be okay when I am with you.”
…
He rushed to the creature’s side and swung his blades before I could say anything. Lily wasn’t like me. He… I don’t know. Despite being with him and calling him my best friend, I wasn’t sure if I knew him really. He pulled me out to be free but I pulled him in to fit certain ideals and order. Were you a good friend if you tried to change what made your friend happy? Were you respecting him if your existence bound him to situations he didn’t want to be in?
Maybe I was a bad friend just like Blanche said.
But I had no time to think of another discussion about life. I had to move. Lily was doing his best to keep the creature from grabbing the ghosts. Ghosts passed straight through my body as they circled around the creature but it seemed like the creature could interact with them. I witnessed it firsthand when it caught one of the ghosts and tried to put it inside its wound.
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“No, you don’t!”
I released a wave of mana to free the ghost. Tormented One just shrugged it off and kept moving. I jumped to its arm.
“Wait.”
Rather than trying to force its hand open, I thrust my sword at the ghost. The ghost rapidly turned into mist and was absorbed into my sword.
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
(Current Souls:67.)
My action angered Tormented One. It slammed its hand to the ground and I held on for dear life. Considering I took its “food” it was normal!
“Oi, Beastkin Ghosts! Come to my sword! I will purify you! Look!”
I ran away from the chains it released to catch me. If I could collect the souls escaped from Tormented One and purify them it couldn’t absorb them back and gain its power!
(Will you purify 1 Corrupted Beastkin Soul?)
Yes!
As soon as I gave my approval Aliera’s divine force burned in my sword. The rune across the blade shone radiating, almost soothing red divine force.
Despite being tired, wounded, and being in the presence of a horrible creature the light filled my chest with a warm feeling. It reminded me of lying beside the old-fashioned wood-burning stove my grandparents had when I was still a child.
I saw the outline of a beastkin bathing in that light. Even though I could only see its outline I could see that it was damaged and covered with something. As the light overtook its figure what was covering it was washed away and its figure was restored.
(Do you want to free the Purified Beastkin Soul?)
Yes.
A bright being with no conceivable shape came out of my sword before disappearing. As it disappeared I could swear I heard a faint “Thank you.”
“Poyraz, look out!”
Ghosts must felt the purification so they flew towards me. I felt like a single french fry surrounded by seagulls. Thankfully, ghosts were not here to take a peck out of me. They tried to grab my sword and were absorbed into it.
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
Notifications filled my vision. It saved me from running around and absorbing them myself. But that also meant that Tormented One, following the ghosts, was hot on my ass too.
And boy, I think I pissed it off greatly by purifying its food. It slammed its hand towards me. Ghosts scattered away, probably scared of being absorbed by it. I blocked it with my sword and the ground beneath me cracked. At least I hope that noise came from the ground and not my spine. The pressure was massive but it was clearly weaker now.
“Lily, a little help here!”
I shouted as I pushed back its hand.
“I am trying! But it is aggrod onto you!”
I saw Lily attack the creature from behind. Despite Lily’s attacks clearly damaging it now since it was weaker, it kept swinging its hands at me.
“Give me back my Grandfather!”
Morrigan’s sudden roar sent shivers down my spine. I didn’t notice her until she stabbed the creature’s head with two massive shadow blades and pulled its head back. Amaterasu hasn’t been attacking from the range for some time. She must been focusing on recovering Morrigan!
Even though the creature previously wasn’t bothered by Lily’s attacks, Morrigan’s attack must caused it a lot of pain as it let out a soundless scream. I knew the reason for it. I could sense a divine power on Morrigan. It was much more different compared to mine and Lily’s. Did it belong to beastkin’s god? Considering a large number of beastkin souls were at stake, I would understand if they wanted to help.
“Come on, Poyraz!”
I jumped to the creature’s open wound, plunging my sword deep inside. In the process, I was able to get a good look inside its body.
It was… illogical. It was deep and dark, bigger than what it should be but unlike the darkness, I felt in the afterlife this one was twisted. In the middle of the darkness, a vortex of grey souls flew, their form slowly fading and scattering as they screamed. Some were broken out of the vortex and were trying to get out. They stabbed themselves with my sword and were absorbed. Seeing it more and more souls broke off and came towards me.
Tormented One tried to grab me with both of its hands and I was worried for a second.
“Mage Hand!”
“Mage Hand!”
I didn’t even look back as I heard Amaterasu and Nocturna’s voices. I put my trust in them.
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
(You collected Soul of Corrupted Beastkin.)
(Current Souls: 665)
Tormented One’s skin slowly turned to ash as it fell on the ground like an empty shell. Its movements were getting slow as I absorbed the souls and it finally stopped moving.
(You defeated Incomplete Tormented One.)
(Stars are looking at your accomplishment with great interest.)
(By defeating an evil force and saving people you established yourself as worthy Champion of Aliera. Your title strengtens.)
(+11 to every stat)
(+11 percent resistance against all abnormal status effects)
(11% growth rate for all martial arts skills.)
(Magical Beasts, The Ancestor Spirits are looking at you with careful gaze.)
“You pathetic, worthless mortals!”
A bunch of notifications came as Asmoneal who had been silent for some time insulted us.
“Sounds like a skill issue to me “How to Be a Villain 101”.”
Lily answered for me. I was tired. Tired to the core. I could collapse at any moment.
“You will pay for what you have done to my people!”
Morrigan shouted.
“You stupid pawns. You don’t even know, do you? How tight the leash on your neck is?”
“I have no leash on my neck.”
“Hhahahahah!”
A mocking laugh filled the air.
“Then answer me: Why did you fight to save those beastkin? Why didn’t you answer my offer?”
“Because you suck.”
I answered nonchalantly.
“Ding, wrong! Because you are programmed to obey what God called you here! Did you really think they gave you a body without putting a system to make you follow their principles? Did you really think that they pulled a soul as strong as you without making sure you wouldn’t turn on them? You are a dog, Poyraz Karabulut!”
Everyone looked at me, even Lily who shared the same fate as me. If what Asmoneal said was true, it was true for him. I remembered how my body reacted when I first saw Aliera. How I wanted to bow down… I looked back at the others. They expected an answer, perhaps a rebuke.
I lifted my sword into the air.
“Can I purify all the souls at once?”
(Yes. Do you want to process?)
“Yes.”
Red light washed all of us.
“You want an answer, Demon King Asmoneal? Very well. I will give you an answer. But not today, not now. I will give you your answer when I finally reach you, grab you from the stupid throne you are sitting on right now, and give you a beating so legendary that people will talk about it for 10 thousand years. Now, get the fuck off my face.”
Souls flew into the air. I looked at the Morrigan, who was looking at me with worried eyes.
“I will have to talk with you guys later. Now I am going to pass out.”
“Wait, what?”
My body fell as my vision went black.