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Chapter 8 – Red Spirit

Upon venturing to the mountains their sense direction seems to be scrambled up as they always return to the entrance. It does not seem to be illusion magic as Nelus didn’t feel the mana around them getting used up so it must be something else.

Reila: Lord Nelus… I am getting so tired can we rest for a bit?

Nelus: I understand then let us camp near the forest for now.

Nelus then gathers some wood and controlled some water from the river a few kilometers away for their supplies for the night and also some fruits and meat from a wild magical beast called agstin which is a deer like creature, it seems it is edible as he check its contents. Nelus set up a barrier thin enough, around them so no one will notice thei presence.

Nelus: Say Reila, what do you think is the cause of us always returning to the entrance if it was not magic?

Reila: U-uhm such a sudden quention.

Nelus: Well it has been on my mind for quite a while and I want to sate my curiosity.

Reila: It might be that the mountains that are moving. Ehehe, as if…

Nelus: Hmm…

The sun has risen and they continued their journey through the mountains. I removed the barrier while pondering on what was Reila saying last night.

Nelus: .

Reila: Lord Nelus, what are you doing?

Nelus: I am putting a large marker on the path so that we might know why we always return back.

Reila: How can we know that we have been here before? All I see is a normal rock...

Nelus: With this magic, I created a hollow rock filled with my mana, it won't dissipate until a day has passed. It is quite a simple magic, just leave mana on its inside and set it to be dense enough so that mana wont leak too much.

Reila: Isn’t that very hard to do?

Nelus: Not really all you need is a proper theory and enough mana to do it.

Reila: As expected… you really do have a massive amount of mana…

They followed the road while he kept leaving mana rocks as a marker in set intervals. They walked further and further and again they returned to the entrance.

Reila: This can’t be… how…?

Reila said in a distressed voice as she questions Nelus.

Nelus: Look at these rocks that I left… it is all smashed up…

Reila: Th-then the mountains really are moving?

Nelus: No… it would’ve been obvious if a whole mountain is moving, so it leads to only one reason why we always return to the entrance while the scenery doesn’t change or that the changes are being made ahead of us.

Reila: What is the reason?

Nelus: Let me show you… do you see that some of the rocks are not destroyed?

Reila: Yes…

Nelus: With such a narrow space, if something was following us through the path all the rocks should be partly destroyed as they are sensitive to other's mana, making it a very good sensor, also the mana rock remnants is destroyed into dust particles meaning that “something” should have great force or great strength smashed it purposely. It can also mean that it has great size. In such a narrow space how could only some of it be destroyed?

Reila: I… don’t know…

Nelus: The answer is… .

He made two large arrow shape like wind with a pointed edge made of pressurize wind and launch it slowly to the wall on both sides of the destroyed rock. The left wall shattered into pieces while the other… moved… and dodge the slow wind.

Nelus: Golems and not just any normal golems, these golems have what you call a metal core. They inherit some of the skills of the metal. I can sense that the core has a dark element within it so it hides the existence of the holder without using mana. This explains why even I can’t sense them once they are out of our sight.

Reila: It is attacking!? Lord Nelus!

Nelus: Then I will too. ("Divine Combat Style: Strength Stance")

I concentrated the light element around us to cover my fist using . Despite not being used to using the light element, it is the most effective against the dark element so Nelus decided to use it. The light around his fist dimmed as he used it. Punching the core, the light around his fist extended forming a large fist shape  as it was strengthened by the stance adding power to his punch, it flew out through golems body gaining great damage. What he used was just simple light manipulation as he was cautious to not to destroy it. The golem was left motionless. Nelus then inspected the core with God’s Eyes.

Iron Core Type: Catalyst Durability: 52,543/ 132,453 Quality: Mythic It is a core made of iron that was naturally formed through time as it gained sentience

Ability:

Camouflage

Dark Armor

Anti-Sense

Quite a good piece of metal it is. Mythic rank metals are hard to find as I have read and to think it had gained sentience which is even harder to find as if a weapon is made out of this, there is a chance for it to get a skill that can generate familiar from it. As he was admiring the metal, the ground shook and what emerged were golems all around them.

Nelus: … This will be hard especially that all of them seems to have an iron core…

???: Enough!

Reila: Huh?

In front of us was a woman that was translucent, which have red silky hair, gentle gold color eyes and pale skin.

Reila: Beautiful… translucent... red... It can’t be…

Nelus: Who are you?

Reila: Lord Nelus! She is the famous Red Spirit! She seems to help those that are in trouble around Alxia, almost everyone has heard of her!

Nelus: (Spirit? I can’t sense any soul in her… every spirit has a soul to exist… then what is she… wait… I had heard that name… ah… it was Genbalt that told me about her… some of his beings was helped by her and it seems it isn’t limited in Alxia, she also helps those inside different worlds in different realms. Does that mean she is an otherworldly being? I can’t be so sure…)

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Red Spirit: Can you release that core?

Nelus: Why?

Red Spirit: They were just protecting something.

Nelus: What are they protecting?

Red Spirit: If you want to know, release that core and follow me.

Nelus then proceeded to do so as he doesn't seem to see her as someone suspicious, even he had heard about her before after all. As he releases the core it then floated towards the golem with a punctured body as it then returns to its initial position while the hole on its chest healed itself bit by bit.

Reila: The Red Spirit… whoaa!!

As she was leading us inside a cavern what I saw at the near end was a giant white wolf. It has a ragged appearance with vicious fangs yet has an aura of anxiousness around it.

Reila: A Fenrir… a mythical beast…

Nelus: (God’s Eyes.)

Fenrir Race: Mythical Wolf, Magical Beast Gender Male Level: 342 Element: Ice Existence: S-S

I see… quite a powerful creature… just a bit more and it can become either an otherworldly being or a Godlike being that lives in Alxia.

Nelus: Why are the golems protecting this Fenrir?

Red Spirit: It is not this one that they are trying to protect it is the other one, his wife, that the male fenrir and his friends, the golems, are protecting.

Reila: F-from what does a S class magical beast need protection from?

Red Spirit: He told me it was from the man with snake eyes.

As the fenrir heard her words it was suddenly filled with murderous intent but it doesn't seem to be directed at any of the three including the red spirit.

Fenrir: Grrrr!!!

Reila: He told you? Does that mean he can talk?

Red Spirit: Only with those that he can trust.

Nelus: (The man with snake eyes… the X rank otherworldly being Leo told me about.)

Nelus pondered as there seems to be a connection between the two.

Reila: That sounds terrifying… to push an S class existence being to such a state is…

Red Spirit: Yes the man with snake eyes was extremely powerful. He treated the two fenrir like insects and when the male fenrir attacked he was countered and flew to the wall as he fades consciousness. The female fenrir was enraged and attacked but instead of hitting him, she was bitten by him and was poisoned severely, it seems she only has a few days to live…

The fenrir the drooped its ears while making an expression akin to a sad puppy as Reila was filled with sympathy towards it.

Reila: No way… Lord Nelus… can you do something about this…

Nelus: Yes I can…

Red Spirit: How?

Understanding Nelus' words, the fenrir jumped up as if filled with joy as it stared at Nelus with a solemn expression while his tail was swaying slightly.

Nelus: I will absorb the poison into my body.

Reila: No! You can’t it’s too…

Red Spirit: Are you cra…

Before they finish speaking he put his hand on the female fenrir as Nelus instantly pull in all the poison in her body into  his. A black liquid was then drawn from her body as it then swirled into a sphere inside him before doing so in an instance. He knew with such potent poison it might affect those around him including Reila and the other fenrir. He was a little dizzy as he fell into one knee onto the ground. Reila then became anxious as her face paled from the sudden actions of Nelus.

Nelus: (So this is how it feels... my material body seemed to be at its limit. Let me release a bit of X rank to dissipate the essense)

Reila: Lord Neeluuus!!!!!

Red Spirit: Hurry!! We must… wh-what!? The poison in his body is dissipating… unbelievable… a poison potent enough to put a magical beast with an existence of S-S into a near death state is gone in an instant… what are you…?

The red spirit said as she felt the poison disappear from within Nelus.

Nelus: It is okay I have an extremely high poison resis…

As he was talking Reila suddenly punches his chest hard while her head is down crying… such action instantly confused him as to what he did wrong. Reila too was surprised at her actions.

Reila: Stupid!! Lord Nelus!!

She punches him again softly this time and leaned on his shoulder.

Reila: Don’t do that ever again what if something happens to you…

Nelus: Do not worry as...

Again she punches him softly and sobbed.

Reila: Do not do that ever again!!!

Nelus: I will not…

Reila: Promise?

Nelus: Yes.

Red Spirit: Oh my you two are so close…

The Red Spirit smile mischievously as Reila became flustered, she then separated from Nelus.

Reila: U-uhm…

Nelus: Well we are frien…

Reila: Hmph!

Reila this time pouted… As they inspect the female fenrir, she was feeling a lot better than before. The male fenrir was a little teary eyed was extremely relieved. It then let out a bark while its expression was a joyous one.

Fenrir: …Graaff!!

Red Spirit: It was telling me that he wants to repay you.

Nelus: Tell him that all we want is to get through the mountains. We are in a bit of a hurry.

Red Spirit: Then it shall be done.

As the twin fenrir guides as out of the mountains the golems were waving us goodbye as the return back into the mountain. As we left for a certain distance away we hear a rough, deep voice.

???: Thank you!

A male voice was heard by Reila and Nelus. In Reila's surprise she absentmindedly asked Nelus a question.

Reila: Was that?

Nelus: Yes it was.

As they disappeared from their sights, the Red Spirit and the Fenrirs were having a conversation.

Male Fenrir: It is still not enough to repay what he did… we owe him our lives…

Female Fenrir: Frei, I agree with you but only I owe them as I was the one he saved.

Frei: Fala, then we both owe him our lives as you, my wife is most precious to me.

Fala: Frei… then its decided we shall go and protect them. First we must follow them.

Red Spirit: Well if it is both of your choice then it is okay.

Frei: Thank you too for giving me instructions on keeping my wife alive.

Red Spirit: It is my pleasure. I don’t want to see others suffering after all.

Frei: We shall never forget your kindness. Fala let us be off in search of them.

Fala: Yes, my dear!

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