Chapter 8: Demonic Blade (2/2)

The assumptions that yesterday's hours of exercise didn't go to waste were confirmed. The average time it took to enter a trance decreased, and the post-effects seemed to be lighter, but I wasn't entirely sure about that. Such rapid progress delighted and motivated me to keep working.

What's interesting is that my energy was different from what I observed in the guys. It was noticeably stronger, even compared to Kei Li's power, let alone Babe's. If you looked closely, you could see that my energy was somewhat denser, more aggressive, and...

Darker, perhaps? Yes.

The influence of Yatsufusa was clearly evident.

Driven by curiosity, I increased the speed of energy circulation between myself and the teigu using the same method as before. Under the influence of the artifact's power, my spiritual shell began to change gradually, filling with a cold, dark force with a hint of decay. Along with the energy of the ancient blade, I felt fragments of emotions that it carried.

Hatred, a thirst for destruction, and a desire for dominance.

Although, what could you expect from an artifact whose foundation was presumably a real demon? The characteristics of spiritual power, fragments of emotions, and the presence of something like a domain—a storage of marionettes—all pointed to this version.

I was relieved that there was no sense of another will or consciousness behind these induced emotions. Otherwise, this path to power would have been closed to me. While I might be a psycho, a freak, and generally a crazy girl with schizophrenia, I wouldn't risk dealing with a sentient demon, at least until I explored all other options.

Slowly saturating my body and aura with Yatsufusa's power, I eagerly watched the changes taking place. My spiritual power, adapting to the incoming energy, began to condense and partly adopt its properties. The architecture of the aura was also undergoing some changes: under the pressure of denser energy, the "channels" within the body widened and became more complex, while the external shell thickened. In the center of my chest, where the thread of connection with the artifact was attached, my life force and spiritual power, entwined with Yatsufusa's energy, created a small vortex.

"So, this is already not good!"—the altered spiritual power, exceeding a certain concentration threshold, began to oppress the life force.

I immediately slowed down the energy exchange. After observing how the state of my spiritual shell began to revert, I decided to exit meditation and assess my condition.

Cold!

A strong, bone-chilling cold that froze me from the inside out. It was most acute in the center of my chest, as if someone had inserted a piece of dry ice beneath my sternum. Other bodily sensations were dull, as if I had been injected with a local anesthetic. Even the familiar headache felt like it was coming through cotton. Although there was no numbness, and it didn't affect my ability to move. But despite the soul-chilling cold, there was a simmering, malicious force inside that urged me to act.

Hatred!

Together with the strength and cold, I felt an icy hatred for all living things. I wanted to pick up a katana and start killing. It didn't matter who: enemies, friends, bystanders. Everyone.

Kill! Kill! Kill them all! — a wordless whisper-sensation crept into my soul.

"You'll suffocate!" I gritted my teeth in angry mirth. "I'll only kill when I damn well please! DISAPPEAR!" The feeling induced by the artifact could not grow into something more and began to fade slowly.

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"What bad luck!" I thought with annoyance at myself. "Not only am I not the epitome of mental stability, but now half of my abilities are actively trying to send my teetering sanity on a freefall ride! Why, oh, why did I decide to become a dark magician? To survive and succeed"

"Kurome, are you okay?" came Natal's concerned voice.

"I'm fine," I exhaled, relaxing my fists and releasing the tension in my jaw.

"I don't know what you were up to, but next time, do it somewhere else, friend," Akira said, a little scoldingly. "Your strange energy scared the horses. And for heaven's sake, why didn't you respond when we were calling you?" She struggled to keep from yelling, her voice rising.

"I'm an idiot!" I grimace mentally. "I felt a directed stream of attention, but I got carried away and let it slip past my consciousness. The experimenter, damn it!"

And all of this if we forget the mortal danger of the whole endeavor. Yes, my perception suggested there was no immediate threat, but that didn't mean anything. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't stopped in time or if my willpower had been insufficient? But I, like the last idiot, got carried away and forgot about everything else in the world. Of course, the peculiarities of perception and thought in the trance state are quite specific, and I could attribute this mistake to that. But a mistake is a mistake. You can't justify it when you're facing death.

And I even knew who was to blame for this—Victor's memory! The enthusiastic nature of a resident of more prosperous places and times confused me. I should have expected problems from this side. Anyway, my last incarnation managed to find a way to a place that was worse than most hellholes, even in the seemingly absolutely non-magical world of Earth.

I had to admit it: starting experiments with the power of the teigu while inside a moving carriage was far from brilliant. You didn't need exceptional intelligence to realize that absorbing part of Yatsufusa's malevolent power could make me radiate fear, scaring horses and the coachman. Natal had mentioned that yesterday. But what I didn't think about was the fact that frightened animals could bolt, break their legs, or tip over the carriage. Even an idiot would have figured that out.

I mentally cursed myself. How could I hope to outplay the top echelon of this vast country if I didn't even bother to calculate the consequences of my actions one step ahead?

I really wanted to bang my head against the wall.

"Apologies, I admit my mistake," I grumbled, furious with my own stupidity. The anger was fueled by the influence of the artifact's power that continued to course through me. "I should have been more cautious," I lowered my head, owning up to my fault, and suppressed my emotions with an effort of will.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Kurome. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. We're not mad; we just ask you to be more careful," Akira, having apparently read something in my face, refrained from scolding me, as it seemed she had intended to do, and instead chose to offer support, sitting down next to me and hugging me. "Right, guys?" She turned to Kei and Natal, who both nodded in agreement, confirming her words.

She's kind, even if she's quick-tempered.

"I need to learn to control my facial expressions," I thought as I gradually regained my composure. "It's not good when my emotions can be read from my face."

On Earth, there were experts who could literally "read" a conversation partner through involuntary microfacial and body movements. Even my previous incarnation had watched a few instructional videos on the topic. It wasn't certain that Imperial physiognomists were just as good, but one could hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

"Why didn't you respond? And for heaven's sake, what was that?!" Akira's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. The looks on Kei and Natal's faces suggested they were also eager to hear the answer.

"When I concentrate on my connection with the teigu, I hardly perceive the external world. Next time, just come over and shake my shoulder."

I couldn't say for sure if I would have felt the shake, but the presence of others in close proximity would have been hard to miss.

"What happened..." I had to suppress another flare of anger; the power of the teigu was still pressing on my mind. But keeping quiet or snapping back wasn't right. After all, what happened was my fault. "I absorbed a part of Yatsufusa's spiritual power, and apparently, I started emitting it involuntarily. I shouldn't have experimented in the carriage. I didn't calculate the risks and acted recklessly. It won't happen again."

"Calm down already! No one's scolding you. You can't always be number one everywhere," the redhead said, a bit irritated. "But I didn't understand a damn thing. Explain it to us more clearly. Does your connection with the teigu pose a threat to you?"

"It doesn't pose any threat," I replied, maintaining my external composure. "Well, if I don't go insane or get consumed by the essence of the demonic creature in the artifact, that is." "You remember the power my sword emits when someone tries to wield it, right?"

"I do. It's a terrifying thing! How on earth do you use it?" the girl shuddered, apparently recalling her attempt to synchronize with it. As I knew, the previous commander of the Base had ordered the entire Squad to be tested for compatibility with Yatsufusa, and everyone except me had failed.

"I absorbed a part of that energy into myself and started emitting the same power as the sword. Do you understand now?"

"I understand. But why do you need this, Kurome? I was just next to Kei Li, and even then, it sent shivers down my spine! I can't even imagine what you felt," Akira said, giving me a strange look.

"Nothing special," I replied quickly, seeing that Natal was starting to frown. I had no desire to listen to his lecture about the importance of being cautious; it was beyond my capabilities. "I have good compatibility; everything is fine. But imagine what could happen if I combine this trick with my KI."

"Yeah, I can imagine," the girl chuckled. "Rebels with dirty trousers will scatter like rats! Great idea, Kurome! Um... just promise to stand away from us when you decide to use it, okay?"

"Okay. I think I'll take a break now," the dark, illusory (or was it real?) power had finally receded, leaving behind weakness and a somewhat hazy emptiness.

Wrapped in my travel cloak, I leaned back on the seat and tried to fall asleep. Sleep wouldn't come. The nervous hangover was joined by the previously suppressed symptoms of stress. The cold didn't go away either. Along with the feeling of a splitting headache, I "enjoyed" a strong chill, shivering beneath the cloak.

"Cursed cold! Cursed stupidity! Cursed world! May the Abyss devour you all!"