After giving suitable arts to everyone he believed needed them, Miko entered the Imperial Weaponry with everyone following behind him.
When they entered, everyone was once again shocked by what was in front of their eyes. First of all, inside the weaponry was extremely huge. Way bigger than how it seemed from the outside.
There were countless glass cases hung up on the walls. Inside them were all kinds of weapons like swords, bows, spears, axes, etc. On the ground were countless suits of armor lined up like soldiers at attention. There were so much armor that it could easily equip an army or two.
If you looked around a bit you would even see chariots as well. The entire room gave off a feeling of bloodlust.
“Amazing. Each and everyone of these weapons and armors are world class.”
Said Alec.
“If you were to sell a single item in here, you’ll be rich for life.”
Said Sora, while he eyed the armors.
“What’s the big fuss? These are just for display. Nothing but garbage.”
Said Ishma.
“Garbage? You’re calling these work of art garbage?”
Gear asked as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
“Hmph. This shows how much this world has deteriorated”
Ishma said with a frown.
“Listen up, kiddos! During the Era of The Gods, these so called masterpieces were nothing more than things used by commoners. They can’t even compare to true masterpieces created by Higher Beings like Hephaestus, Ogun, and Ptah.”
Everyone’s mouths started to salivate just imagining weapons created by those gods.
“Ishma’s right. Everything you see in front of you are just things to fool anyone who somehow entered the vault and wanted to steal a godly weapon.”
Miko added.
“Basically, they’re disposable.”
“…..You know, I’m starting to think we’re too rich compared to everyone else.”
Said Nen.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if someone said that we were the richest clan in the world.”
Rin agreed.
“Hey, hey. This doesn’t belong to the clan. It’s all mine.”
Miko stated with a matter of fact tone.
“Anyway, let me show the real treasures of this weaponry.”
He said and then started to walk deeper into the huge room.
He walked past the glittering suits of armors and ignored the weapons on the walls, and continued his walk without pause.
From the way he walked one could see that he really didn’t value these items.
Everyone walked behind him, while fighting the urges to touch the armors and weapons in the cases.
“Okay, I’ve decided. I’m going to steal one of these armors when we’re going back.”
Ace suddenly whispered in Sora’s ear. Sora gave him a thumps up and grinned in agreement.
“Oh, just so you know.”
Miko suddenly spoke up without looking back.
“There are spells on these items. If someone takes them without permission, they'll lose their soul.”
“Ekkk!”
When they heard that, Ace and Sora squealed like a pair of girls and held on to each other.
Seeing their reaction, Miko secretly smiled in satisfaction.
After they walked for a while, Miko stopped in front of a crude looking metal door. On the door was an insignia of a demon chewing on the bones of another demon. The door also gave off a sinister vibe, as if on the other side was hell.
“T-This is where the true treasures are kept?”
Hina asked with a trembling voice after sensing something menacing on the other side of the door. It pales in comparison to the existence they met outside, but it was still quiet terrifying.
“The doors are made of bones!”
When she used her abnormal eyes to examine the door, she discovered that it was constructed using the bones of all kind of different creatures.
Miko nodded to confirm Hina’s words.
“This door is called the Deadman’s Door. It’s made of the bones of countless powerful monsters, and their blood was used to enchant it.”
He looked at the door as if admiring a work of art.
“This door is basically indestructible, so unless you know the method to enter it, you won’t be able to enter inside. After all, forcing your way in is impossible.”
He explained.
“Do you know that method, Miko? The one to open it, I mean.”
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Momo asked.
“I know.”
Miko nodded.
“Ishma, Regis.”
“Yes.”
Ishma and Regis answered simultaneously and stood behind Miko. And then-
Their arms turned into swords and they stabbed through Miko.
“Wha?!”
This naturally shocked everyone.
Miko’s blood started to flow out of his body like a hose.
“Miko!”
All of Miko’s friends were immediately enraged and wanted to attack Regis and Ishma. However, they were stopped by Momo.
“Stay put and watch.”
She simply said while looking at Miko’s bloodstained back.
“Cough!”
Ishma and Regis removed their blades, which caused Miko vomit up blood.
“Damn, that hurt more than I expected it to.”
He said.
He walked up to the door with wobbly steps. He then lifted his hands, and then did something completely unexpected.
He stabbed his hands into the wounds caused by Ishma and Regis piercing through his back all the way through his chest.
“Ugh.”
He then groaned as his hands twisted in his wounds.
“Ahhh!”
He then released a shout and tore two things from his body. One was a lump of his bloody flesh, the other was one of his ribs.
“T-The method to open this door is to present it with a gallon of blood, a lump of flesh near the heart, and a rib.”
Miko said with his body covered in cold sweat. It was obvious from one look that he was in pain.
“Again, this kid is insane.”
Said Kouta.
Below Miko’s feet, the blood which flowed from him spread out until it came in contact with the door.
“Hahahahahaha!”
The moment it did, a creepy laughter echoed in the room.
“Blood! Blood! My first meal in thousands of years!”
The voice echoed in the room.
“Holy fuck! The door talks!”
Ace screamed and jumped into Hina’s arms like a kitten.
“This blood….Yes, it’s the blood of that wrenched creator of mine and his cursed wife.”
Said the door.
“Feed me, feed me more of their cursed blood! And let me taste their flesh too!”
“Yes, yes.”
Miko placed the flesh on the insignia along with the rib.
The two soon disappeared and strange crunching sounds were heard.
“Hah~! Delicious! Alright, state your desire and I'll grant it in consideration of your generous gifts.”
Miko instantly healed himself using Primordial Recreation and stood up straight.
“I only want one thing. Open up!”
Miko shouted.
“Very well. Welcome to hall of the damned!”
The door declared.
Immediately after, it slowly swung opened.
By this time, all the blood Miko lost on the ground was sucked up by it. By the way, only someone with Tia and Augustus blood can open this door beside Augustus and his generals. Plus the person opening the door must possess the purest form of their blood. In other words, their direct descendants.
When the door swung open fully, everyone was assaulted with a terrifying bloodlust.
The bloodlust was so terrifying that everyone suddenly felt the urge to retreat with their lives.
“What a terrifying bloodlust. Are the weapons stored inside responsible for it?”
Kirika asked while fighting the urge to beg for her life, from whatever was inside.
Miko was unaffected by the bloodlust and instead smiled while looking into the room beyond the door.
“Come, let’s hurry inside.”
He then walked inside with hurried steps. After much hesitation, the others followed after him.
*Bam!*
When they entered, the door shut behind them.
Miko looked around the room with a satisfied expression.
“Yeah, this is perfect.”
Inside the room were countless weapons, armors, and chariots. But unlike the ones early, these continuously released a thick bloodlust as if everything in the room was thirsty for blood.
“Holy……”
Everyone was even more shocked than they were earlier.
“Are these really weapons?”
Jin couldn’t help but ask.
“They’re more like demons in disguise.”
He said while looking around.
“Everything in here was created for slaughter, used for slaughter, and brought forth slaughter.”
Said Miko.
“So calling them demons isn't wrong, especially since some of them can possess you and drain you of your life.”
He added with a grin.
“You can’t be serious! You want us to use these dangerous things?!”
Asked Cait.
“Of course. These weapons are the finest in the entire clan. They can turn a child into a demon of slaughter. They’re no better items to level you up.”
Miko answered.
“Besides, not everything in here bring harm to the owner. And if you master these weapons you’ll grow at a terrifying rate.
He said.
“I’ll be honest. These weapons really creep me out.”
Bloom stepped out and said.
“Just being in the same room as them make my soul quiver. I doubt there’s anything in here that I can use much less master.”
A lot of people nodded in agreement.
“Don’t worry. I’ll choose the most suitable weapons for everyone. Since I have a vast knowledge on the items in here, I’m confident that I can find the perfect weapons for all of you.”
Miko said.
“However, I’d like you all to promise me something before I give you these items.”
He suddenly gave a serious look on his face.
“Don’t abuse them.”
He said.
“I don’t need to explain how dangerous any of these things are. I’m sure you can already tell. As such, abusing these weapons are forbidden. You should only use them when I permit it, or you’re in a life and death situation. Other than that, train yourselves using them as guides. If you do, you’ll become stronger, I swear.”
He stated.
Everyone looked at each other and then showed their agreement with nods.
“Good.”
Miko said with a smile.
“I won’t ask you to make soul promises since I trust you, so don’t worry.”
Miko didn’t only pick them using their potential and talents alone, he took their personalities into consideration.
If there was any chance that they would go against their word, he wouldn’t have brought them into the team.
“Alright, lets start picking your weapons.”
He said while looking around.
“Ah, there it is.”
He approached a shelf and took up an item. It was a pendent shaped to look like it had three eyes.
He whispered something to it, and the pendent magically separated itself into three different eyes.
Miko smiled and threw an eye each to Echo’s triplet daughters. They caught them and looked at them.
“From what I heard, you three share a magical link that makes your three lives count as one. If I remember correctly, only one of you need to train for you to grow stronger, and you experience an explosive growth if all three of you train together.”
“You know a lot.”
Said the oldest, Sylvia.
“Of course. You’re precious members of my team after all.”
Miko didn’t stated that in order to kill the sisters you had to destroy all three of their hearts simultaneously, otherwise if you kill one and not the other two, that dead one will return back to life.
“What I gave you is the Eyes Of The Demon Triclops. After checking it for yourselves, you’ll see that it’s perfect for you.”
He then grabbed a black glaive and threw towards Kaido, and threw Jin a bone white sword.
Miko didn’t say anything to them and nodded.
As a test for everyone here, he wouldn’t explain the weapons he gave them and let them figure it out themselves. He was excited to see how they progress.
He then continued to silently give out weapons.
He gave Momo a magic staff.
He gave Alec a sword handle.
He gave Rin, a sword of course. But it was shaped quite oddly.
To Kouta and the sleeping Christian, he gave a silver and gold orb respectively. They looked similar to Augustus’ Vastator in its base mode.
To Nen, he gave a pair of evil looking gauntlets.
To KC, he gave a bone bow that had a string made of gloomily blue flames.
To Kirika, he gave a single glove for her right hand, with strange markings on it.
To Al-Shura and Alesia, he gave two identical spears with red cravings on them.
To Ashur, he a burning axe with a bone handle.
To Hal and Kane, he gave two suits of armor.
To Chika, he gave a mallet and a light suit of armor, and to Verde he gave a pair of Katars (wolverine like claws).
To Krul he gave a cannon, to Yaya he gave a trident made of gold, and to Maki a pair of combat boots and gloves.
To Ren, he gave a disk-like weapon known as the Chakram. To Cait, he gave a gigantic hammer, to Sura he gave a crossbow.
He gave Sora a saber, Ace necklace, Luka a spear, Hina a saw-like weapon that was made with fangs, Bloom a halberd, Mayumi a suit of feminine light armor, and finally a bulky suit of armor to Edward.
Miko looked at everyone with their individual weapons and smiled.
“Now that you all have your new gear, I'm looking forward to seeing you all baptize them in the blood of our enemies.”