Zumi held her breath, not daring to blink as she watched the intense fight unfold before her. She couldn't afford to miss this kind of battle, knowing that she could learn valuable lessons from observing such skilled combatants clash. Every cell in her body hungered for growth and strength. As an Exorcist, she understood the obligation to keep pushing forward and evolving – an instinct even more potent than the drive to procreate.
The silver-haired man's movements were mesmerizing as he swiftly carved up the boar demon, effortlessly slicing through its flesh with what seemed to be a water blade – a technique Zumi had seen Kon use in the past.
The demon's attempts to regenerate were met with a cunning tactic as the silver-haired man cut a boulder in the distance with precision to create four stone slabs, trapping the boar demon's head inside. Despite the flesh’s efforts to follow underground to start the body, it would take years, perhaps even centuries, for the scattered flesh to reassemble.
Zumi decided it was time to retreat, her breath still held in awe and fear. Watching this battle had taught her a crucial lesson in dealing with adversaries possessing potent regenerative abilities and adaptability. The prospect of the demon being stuck for such a long time in darkness, no longer sane, seemed a crueler fate than death.
Her encounter with the silver-haired man had offered valuable insights into the ways of an Exorcist's fight. Whether he was the future Kon or something entirely different didn't matter now – what mattered was the glimpse she had gained into a battle far beyond her current capabilities.
Feeling a surge of energy, Ord, coursing under her skin, Zumi's body creaked as each muscle became infused with it. Unlike the typical energy warriors released externally to reinforce themselves, who also focused on a defensive Ord coating, a privilege of being a warrior. However, she decided to abandon any form of defense. Drawing from her newfound understanding, Zumi concentrated all of her Ord into her arm, causing it to feel rigid, while the rest of her body lacked its usual Ord enhancement, making her feel sluggish in comparison.
Though it wasn’t a special ability, lowering the defenses around her body induced a great risk in battle. Which in return enhanced Zumi’s next attack even further, and then with a smile on her face like a madwoman, she punched at the ground.
Just like that, Zumi, who had stagnated in her development for years, started growing again.
She understood right then and there, that adversity was needed to sharpen the blade that was Ord energy!
The explosion that followed her punch was an awe-inspiring display of raw power, the very embodiment of her unyielding strength and determination to grow. The force unleashed created a cataclysmic shockwave, shaking the ground beneath her feet, as if the very earth itself trembled in admiration of her might.
Zumi looked at the large crater as the result of her raw strength, and laughed like a mad woman, as she understood something that she couldn’t understand before. “Yes! This is it! The true essence of being an exorcist! Endless growth!”
***
In the distance, there was a shaking that brought everything to a halt, even causing the Strength Exorcist to frown. With Carpy's sensory powers at my disposal, I extended them for 0.3 seconds—this was the limit that allowed me to avoid sensing any dangerous future or past knowledge, only pinpointing the source of the explosion.
Expecting to encounter an ultimate class demon, I was utterly shocked by what I felt. It was a human responsible for the explosion, though I didn't linger long enough to identify them.
A smile crept onto my face as I cracked my fingers. This was intriguing—a newly grown monstrous exorcist. It didn't matter whether they came from the present or the future; such a development could only benefit humanity in the long run.
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This timeframe was much earlier than in the original story, where exorcists began challenging ultimate class demons. The reason behind the Dragon King's barrier cast around the known world remained a mystery. While many believed it was to protect humanity, it also inadvertently led humanity to grow weaker during its protection.
Ord represented a miraculous power that thrived on competition. Those who were talented, lucky, or in some way special, would eventually develop enough to handle ultimate class demons, just like the exorcists of two thousand years ago. Those who were not, would die.
"Well, that direction is the last place we should head towards," warned Anika.
"What? It's obvious we should go there! That's where the powerful opponents are!" The Strength Exorcist argued.
Sei shook his head. "Let's not be reckless. We came to this island for a reason, and we're nowhere near completing our mission."
"Not really. We've pretty much finished it," The Strength Exorcist retorted. "We were sent here as scouts to assess the danger level of this place, and it's clear that this place is dangerously infested with ultimate class demons."
Despite Anika and Sei's lack of conviction, the Strength Exorcist turned to me. "What about you? Shouldn't we go and investigate?"
"We don't have the time for that," I replied.
While the others' goal was to assess the danger level of the island, my mission was to prevent the birth of God. The entity named God would undoubtedly annihilate humanity, not out of hatred, but simply because we stood in the way of its goal. Like humans destroying an anthill to build a road, ‘God’ would do the same.
However, that ‘thing’ should still be in its infancy state, making it vulnerable enough for us to kill. God's four guards were dangerous as well, but we should be able to handle them as long as Carpy could evolve into an ultimate class demon. Maybe slipping past them would be a better idea than even fighting them.
As we ventured deeper into the untamed wilderness, the air grew thick with humidity, enveloping us like a warm, wet blanket. The dense foliage wrapped around us, creating an emerald green labyrinth, with vines hanging like serpents from towering trees. Every step was a struggle as we waded through a cacophony of rustling leaves and strange unseen creatures skittering away.
Fuck, this was something that would make anyone paranoid.
But suddenly, as if nature itself conspired to unveil its enigmatic secrets, the jungle gave way, revealing an awe-inspiring spectacle before us.
Unlike any ruins I would think of when someone imagined ‘ruins’, these structures were an amalgamation of past and future. Twisted metal and shattered glass adorned the remnants of once-majestic skyscrapers that now lay in ruins, their skeletal frames reaching skyward like mournful giants. Crumbling walls and staircases led to nowhere, hinting at the grandeur that once existed.
This world seemed to possess a peculiar mix of modernity and regression in technology. It puzzled even me, who had a profound knowledge of it from the manga. As I explored the ruins, my attention was drawn to some smudged graffiti that bore traces of the language Ord. It was nothing special, just on the wall of a mall.
Despite having read many dictionaries in various languages, I never really learned to understand them. However, thanks to my special ability, {Perfect Me}, which utilized all the knowledge I had gained, I could now translate the text.
To my dismay, the graffiti read: 'God Has Abandoned Us!' The fact that it was in a foreign language was rare, as nearly everyone in the known world spoke the same language, with few exceptions in small communities.
As I continued to wander, I noticed more graffiti with faint Ord signatures, suggesting an intentional effort to preserve them or perhaps to keep them hidden from specific individuals. Although most of the messages repeated the words I had seen before, some drawings had aged more than the writings. Among them was an illustration of a man wearing a crown of thorns and wielding a purple dagger, seemingly coated in poison. He was stabbing a bright yellow figure.
I wondered if this man was the same figure from Chunni Weeb Queen's dreams. It appeared he was betraying someone. Below the graffiti painting were some writings, but the passage of time had smudged them, even beyond Ord's capabilities.
Nonetheless, I knew better than to get sidetracked by this mystery during my mission. Agon may not be around, but I still recognized the potential to be pulled into a side quest that would serve no purpose.
Despite my resolve, the words ‘God has abandoned us’ left a foreboding feeling in my heart, and an uncomfortable sensation gnawed at my stomach.
"We better keep an eye out," I called out to the others, but the unsettling feeling remained unabated.
I understood that my Ord would respond to my emotions as long as I kept moving forward. There was no room for hesitation now!