Angel was compelled to step back as Asaga's aura got stronger, experiencing its overwhelming force.
"Wait!"
She realized that the source of this energy was not coming from Asaga himself, but from something within his pocket. Embarrassment briefly washed over her, but the urgency of the situation spurred her into action. She cautiously approached him and tentatively reached into his pocket.
Angel felt something hard in the pocket and quickly grasped it, pulling it out with force. However, due to its weight, it slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a hard thud. The object bounced once and rolled towards the bed, and when it did, the dark aura that had been surrounding Asaga began to fade away. Angel bent down to retrieve the object, her eyes locking onto its bright, glassy appearance.
In her hand was a magnificent ruby-like stone, unlike any SoulEquipment she had ever seen before.
The stone was pear-shaped, with a tapered vertex and a rounded end. Its surface was smooth and flawless, glinting brilliantly in the light with little eye-catching spots. The starburst pattern on its surface added to its allure, making it a truly magnificent sight to behold. Angel marvelled at its beauty, wondering what kind of power it held within.
Captivated by the pure beauty in her hand, Angel cradled it, her thoughts drifting to the nature of SoulEquipment and the awakening of power within Soul Warriors. She pondered whether the form of the SoulEquipment was determined at the moment of awakening or if it existed within the client's body from birth, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.
However, as she scanned the stone, a dark veil descended upon her mind, enveloping her in its mysterious embrace. Confused and disoriented, Angel slowly regained consciousness to find herself in a desolate, black void.
“Where am I?”
She cautiously rose to her feet, fear creeping into her heart as she stumbled blindly forward, uncertain of where she was or where she was headed. Despite the overwhelming darkness and solitude surrounding her, Angel pushed forward.
Suddenly, a young boy appeared before Angel, causing her to startle and take a few steps back. She took a moment to catch her breath before cautiously approaching him, her curiosity piqued. At a first glance, the boy appeared to be around eight years old, with dark blue hair tinged with a hint of grey. But what struck Angel was how familiar the boy's face seemed. She felt as if she had seen him before, and her mind raced to place the memory.
"I've seen that face before," Angel thought to herself, "Is it him?"
As she approached him, the boy spoke, his voice trembling with emotion. "Please stop," he implored.
Angel was taken aback by the raw emotion in his voice, and he continued, "You...I've been waiting for you all this time. I want you to acknowledge the love I have for you, not ignore it. You left me alone with those creatures. I hate you!"
Angel was struck by the intensity of the boy's words, and she could sense the deep pain and hurt lurking just beneath the surface.
"You mistook me for someone."
The boy finished his outburst and abruptly ran away, leaving Angel standing in confusion, still trying to understand his words. As she came to the realization that he simply did not want to be alone, Angel could not control her legs in time but could only call him.
“Kid!”
BANG! A gunshot struck out.
Angel was paralyzed with shock as she saw blood flowing towards her, and she slowly raised her gaze to see a Lizardwar standing before her, holding a smoking gun. He was dressed in a dark green uniform, with a garrison cap covering his head.
The Lizardwar pointed the gun at Angel, leaving her with no choice but to stand there, defenceless. She did not have SoulEquipment with her, and after the encounter with the boy, she was too drained to even consider trying to dodge or block the incoming bullet.
He gazed at her with a twisted smile and spoke, "It's such a shame that our time here is so limited. But we will meet again, young one."
Lizardwar's finger tightened on the trigger, and the deafening sound of the gun echoed throughout the inky blackness, filling Angel with a sense of dread. She had no idea what would happen next or how she would survive this deadly encounter.
Everything seemed to happen in a flash. Everything rushed through Angel’s mind like a wave. The image of the walls, the village, and even the majestic castle all sunk in a sea of flames, collapsing one after another to create ruin. The scene of innocent people shouting out in fear and despair before being extinguished by the atrocities of the Replord Empire.
What a horror! She could not take it anymore. Immediately after that, she awoke to free herself from that nightmare.
Her body was drenched in sweat while her hand clutched the radiant ruby-like stone. Trembling with fear, she carefully placed the stone on the nearby table and took a deep, calming breath, attempting to steady her heart.
She could not get rid of those images from her mind. The cries of the innocent echoed in her mind, their hopes and dreams snuffed out by the cruelty of war.
Angel’s mind was vague. She was unable to shake off the feeling that the Lizardwar had caused her to experience those nightmarish moments. But the boy and Asaga, their faces were both so familiar to her, yet she could not be sure if they existed in her memory.
Her heart skipped a beat as her SoulEquipment and Asaga's jewel, began to shake and quiver. The movement was so sudden and forceful causing Angel to jump. She tried to grasp the sword, but her hands slipped from the hilt. Glancing down, she saw the jewel moving on its own, much like her SoulEquipment.
Angel was filled with trepidation at the thought of reliving those terrible visions. She was scared to decide whether to pick up the jewel again.
That feeling… she did not want to experience it anymore. But Asaga was in danger, and only she could help him. With a deep breath to steel her nerves, she slowly reached down and retrieved the jewel, hoping to unravel the mysteries behind it.
"What should I do now?"
Angel was grappling with indecision, unable to determine what the right course of action was. Suddenly, Asaga cried out in agony, clutching the bed frame and breaking it in half. Quickly reacting, Angel drew her Golden Roses and pointed it at him with one hand, while the other held the gem.
A circle of strange symbols appeared before the blade and spun rapidly, creating a green ball in the centre of the room. In an instant, the sphere transformed into a series of branches that enveloped both Asaga and the bed. As a result, the bed and Asaga were now secured and unable to cause harm to himself.
With Asaga now safely contained, Angel placed her sword and the red jewel on the floor. When she just let go of them, the two’s SoulEquiqment came together. A set of bright red and white light particles gathered there and formed a portal to the wall.
“Woah!”
Angel was awestruck by the sight of the black and empty dimension behind the portal.
She was unsure of what to do, but she decided to venture forth into the unknown. Although she had Golden Roses, which would have easily eliminated any shadows she encountered, she could not bring it with her. If she did, the gate would close instantly. Angel stepped forward, into the flat and unobstructed world, not knowing how much further she had to go.
“Angel! Angel Fourmier! Is me again!”
A sense of relief washed over her. She was no longer alone in this infinite space. That voice continued:
"I am Dark Blood, Uchire Asaga’s SoulEquiqment. How about this, I will be your tutor from now on. Just listen to me and we can save Asaga from this mess. Do you see the door at the end of the hallway?”
At first, Angel was surprised because this was the first time in her life she met a SoulEquipment had the ability to communicate. This was something that could be said to be extremely rare in the Soul Warriors world, even unique, but she immediately put aside that superfluous thought and focused on what was in front of her.
"Yes, I do see it."
Angel peered ahead and finally noticed the door in the distance. As she approached the door at the end of the hallway, she heard Dark Blood's voice ring out once again.
"You need to run straight to that door right now. If the enemy shows up, I'll lend a hand. NOW!"
"You should have told me earlier!"
With Dark Blood's guidance, Angel sprinted towards the door. However, right at the time she was about to reach it, a massive stone wall appeared out of nowhere, completely blocking her path. Angel was taken aback by the size of the obstacle, which loomed over her.
"What now, Dark Blood?" she asked.
She took time to do some stretching and warm-up exercises while waiting for a response from Dark Blood. Suddenly, a loud and angry voice boomed through the area.
"Who the hell let you in here?"
Angel turned to see a hulking Lizardwar man approaching her, dressed in a torn military uniform. He had an open mouth, drooling profusely, and his saliva was covering the ground around him. Although he was vastly different from the Lizardwar in her nightmare, Angel remained vigilant, ready to defend herself if necessary.
The weapon that he was holding was a rusty bulky blade. The enemy tottered toward her at a rather slow speed. Before the Lizardwar could touch her, Dark Blood’s voice eventually echoed in her mind after a minute of silence:
"Angel! Use me temporarily! That is the only way to get the two of us out of this situation." Angel was taken aback by the suggestion.
"Are you sure about that? Holding other SoulEquipment is not a good thing at all!" she asked.
"We don’t have much time!" replied Dark Blood, urgency clear in its tone.
Faced with no other choice, Angel reluctantly accepted the offer. "All right, lend me your power!" she exclaimed.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
"Hahaha! Nice decision!" replied Dark Blood with a chuckle.
In response, red light particles appeared in the air and then converged on her palm, forming a strange sword. The blade glowed a blood-red colour, and on the hilt was depicted the face of a grinning demon.
Angel's hand felt heavy, but she could not ignore the power that now rested within her grip. The sword was breathtaking, a perfect blend of sharpness and beauty.
As she held the SoulEquipment belonging to Asaga, she was overtaken by a strange feeling, as if she were becoming one with it. She could feel the dark power emanating from the sword, a potent force that instilled fear in those who encountered it.
Her mind was filled with feelings of hatred, pain, unhappiness, and loss. She finally understood why Asaga always kept himself aloof from others. Holding this SoulEquipment was proof that he had once suffered a tragic past, which was the source of the nightmarish vision that she had experienced when she first held his gem.
Angel was absorbed in her thoughts about the sword, neglecting the presence of the Lizardwar. As he closed in, he brandished his weapon with both hands, ready to strike with all his strength.
In that moment, the sword in Angel's hand suddenly emitted a dazzling light, momentarily blinding her. She quickly realized that the enemy was about to attack and had to react fast. She discarded the idea of using Dark Blood as a shield and instead nimbly dodged the blow by ducking and jumping aside. Immediately after that, the blade hit the floor with potent power, causing the entire passage to vibrate for a while.
Such a powerful shot. The place she had stood before was torn to bits. Angel successfully dodged the blow, and quickly circled behind him, brandishing her sword into a gash aimed at Lizardwar’s hip.
He let his hands off the handle of the blade and lay close to the ground, causing her to just wing the sword across his back. Next, the Lizardwar kicked her knee straight with his firm foot, which made her crash against the wall and fall to the ground. Angel bit her teeth in agony. A tear streamed down her cheek. Dark Blood asked her with great anxiety:
“Are you alright?”
Angel glanced at the Lizardwar with a thought that came to her mind:
“Is that a soldier from the Replord Empire’s Elite Army?”
Angel used her hand to gently rub the wound. She smiled in optimism:
“I’m okay, I just feel a little pain.”
“Haha! Such a cute kitten, can’t wait to smash it!”
The Lizardwar laughed while holding his blade up high, about to plunge as hard as he could to finish her off with a single attack. With her knees bruised, she had no choice but to raise her sword to block his critical strike directly.
The deafening sound of metal colliding echoed throughout the passageway.
"Impossible!?"
He was stunned to see that Angel blocked his attack completely without a scratch. Taking advantage of opportunities when he was distracting, Angel picked up the handle of two swords and pushed them hard, causing the Lizardwar to fall to the ground. The time had come, Angel clasped Asaga’s sword tightly and rushed towards him.
“Oh fuck!”
The enemy frantically snatched the blade out of the ground and held it up high. That powerful impact echoed throughout the hallway again.
[Goddess Counterattack]
Behind her, an illusion of a Valkyrie carrying a giant sword in her hand appeared and stabbed straight ahead. He pushed Angel away, using his weapon as a shield to protect the body.
But that Valkyrie was an illusion, so it easily passed through the blade and stabbed his chest directly. The place where he was standing immediately cracked. It sank deep into the ground while the fragments broke into dust including the blocking stone wall.
He widened his eyes as he could not stand the force of the impact on his chest. Feeling like he wanted to be split apart, he coughed up blood. The Lizardwar had underestimated the opponent. He did not expect an ordinary female practitioner like her to have such outstanding powers.
Not only that, but Angel attacked continuously right after Valkyrie’s stab hit him. She did not leave that guy a chance to react.
A row of sword lines surrounded him, making him gasp in shock. As Angel pressed forward with her relentless assault, the Lizardwar found himself on the defensive. The lightning-fast strikes from her blade created a series of gleaming arcs in the air, each one aimed directly at his heart. He struggled to keep up, frantically swinging his sword to parry each blow, but to no avail.
Angel moved with grace and precision, her movements reminiscent of a beautiful dance as she attacked from every angle. Despite his best efforts, the Lizardwar was unable to counterattack, forced to keep his guard up in an attempt to survive. The relentless barrage of strikes left him gasping for breath, his muscles straining under the pressure.
He felt notably uncomfortable in this situation. The power of his slash could cause earthquakes and crush opponents in one slam. But what just going on? The match was a tilt in favour of Angel’s side.
"ENOUGH!"
He cried in unbearable rage, pushing down on the blade with his hand to exert a thrust through Angel’s sword. That caused her to be pushed back a distance and knelt on the floor. The uniform that she wore was soaked in sweat. Angel looked straight at him while gasping for breath from exhaustion.
Because of the subjective thought that she could put an end to him quickly, Angel had pushed all her strength into those attacks. She regretted that wrong decision. The Lizardwar looked at her with a look full of arrogance, then waved his blade high in triumph.
"Your foolish subjectivity has given me the upper hand. See you in the afterlife"
“Let me end this! Checkmate asshole!”
Slash!
Dark Blood answered for Angel’s place and then suddenly slipped out of her hand, rushing into him. Due to being so sudden and being targeted in a blind spot, this might be the end for him. Being killed by the Soul Warrior was like a disgraceful death to any Lizardwar.
“No! You must die with me!”
The eyes turned red. He ignored the sword flying towards him and continued to swing the blade straight at Angel.
“Crap...”
He froze, then touched his stomach when he felt the humidity. A rather fishy smell and strong from below flew out. Dark Blood had stabbed undeviatingly into the stomach that he could not avoid or block.
“Did I just lose...”
Blood spilled non-stop from his stomach. He knelt on the floor. Angel had defeated the Lizardwar. That was an indisputable fact. But he denied it:
“I am a general who served and died in the Empire’s most glorious era ... Many Soul Warriors had died by my hand and now I lost to a young apprentice? No, it can’t be! YOU MUST DIE!”
Shakily, he pulled the sword out of his body and then charged uninterrupted at her. He goggled his eyes, screaming with a sparkling white mouth:
“I WILL KILL YOU!”
“Oh, for god’s sake! Let me give you one more!”
Dark Blood flew out of his hand, slashing the neck with a powerful slash.
The Lizardwar collapsed with his head cut off. Blood spilled all over the floor. Bone protruding from the body, plus raw flesh mixed with bright red liquid splashed. Angel stood up shivering and leaned against the wall. The confrontation with the Lizard ended in victory for Angel and Dark Blood.
"You seem to be holding up well, given the circumstances," Dark Blood commented. "I was under the impression that most women would have trouble handling this much blood."
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern," Angel replied. "I'm actually here as part of the Royal Legion's support team. My job is to fend off any Lizardwar attempts to incite conflict between our nations. I've seen a lot worse than this, so it's just another day on the job for me."
"I'm starting to like you, girl," Dark Blood said, admiration in his voice. "But time is running out. We need to get moving."
It transformed itself from a weapon into a walking stick, which Angel gratefully took and used to hobble towards the door at the end of the hallway. She pushed it open and gasped at what she saw.
Angel stood behind the door, taking in the breathtaking sight of the pristine desert. The endless expanse of sand and gravel seemed to shimmer in the heat of the scorching sunbeams overhead. She was struck by the wild natural beauty, but she was careful not to step out into the sun's rays, as it would only worsen her injury. Instead, she remained safely behind the door, admiring the desert's splendour.
“I’m so useless…”
Incidentally, a weak voice, trembling as if crying. She recognized that sound. She turned her eyes in every direction to search for him. Angel found him.
“Asaga...”
Angel's heart sank as she spotted Asaga lying motionless on the ground, surrounded by a pool of his own blood, sweat, and tears. The sight of Asaga in such a state filled her with rage and disbelief. She could not believe that someone would have the audacity to harm him in such a cruel way. The pain on his face was evident, and Angel could feel her anger boil within her. She had never felt so incensed in a long time.
However, Angel stumbled upon a horrifying creature, with its body covered in deep cracks and saliva continuously dripping from its gaping mouth. It was evident that Asaga had been in a fierce battle with the monster. With their wounds, Asaga and the monster lay unmoving on the ground.
Angel rushed out through the door, her hand reaching for Asaga. She yelled urgently to him:
"Asaga! Grab my hand!" Her heart raced as she feared for his well-being and the danger they were in.
Asaga extended his hand to Angel's, but his motions were sluggish and unstable owing to the multiple wounds on his body.
When the monster regained awareness, it turned fiercely to Asaga, who was reaching out to Angel. The lava erupted into the air, casting a dark, ominous shadow over the area as the sky turned from blue to a stormy grey.
The earth was engulfed in flames, with deadly smoke billowing from the gaps. The collision of large asteroids, some the size of a football field, only contributed to the desert's turmoil and desolation. With a bloodcurdling scream, the beast surged towards them, yelling its wrath and desire to terminate Asaga's life. "Asaga, die! DIE!" The ferocity of its rage rocked the ground beneath their feet.
The monster's evil energies grew stronger as time passed, attempting to draw Asaga away from Angel's clutches. She tightened her grasp on Asaga's hand and yanked with all her might, desperate to save him. The beast surged forward in a rage, its sharp claws outstretched. Angel, on the other hand, was unyielding, yelling with conviction:
"Asaga will stay with me!" With a final burst of strength, she pulled Asaga through the door, just as the beast reached for him. The door slammed shut behind them.
…
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On the opposite side, that mysterious arm dragged Asaga to the light pedestal and vanished in an instant. Komodo slipped past, all the way to the ground. He leapt up and glanced about, but couldn't see Asaga anywhere, biting his lower lip and cursing: "Fuck! Why do they keep running away from me? "I was having a good time!"
He rose to his feet, brushing off the dirt that had clung to him during his pursuit, and had a look into the expansive scenery before him.
The raging inferno of the volcano's eruptions grew. The once serene and beautiful desert was transformed into a sea of blazing heat and destruction. The deafening thunderclap echoed through the air, as if a battle cry from the fiery depths of the earth, challenging the very fabric of the sky.
Komodo, who was watching the destruction unfold, was filled with a sense of emptiness. He felt bitter, vowing that when he finally escaped this place, he would spare no effort in destroying the Soul Warrior.
He closed his eyes, shaking his head wearily, uttering a few words before he was slowly consumed by the lava.
"Uchire Asaga, I will find you."
----------------------------------------
Angel leaned against the wall and tried to catch her breath. She turned her eyes towards Asaga. The uniform he wore was tattered and torn, revealing his chiselled and well-defined physique. Angel felt her cheeks flush as she took in the sight, feeling both embarrassed and enamoured at the same time.
“Why... Why does he look so… No! I must calm down! Calm down, Angel! Calm down!”
She tried to turn away and compose herself, but the image burned into her mind. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. The idea of being in the presence of her crush was overwhelming, and she found it hard to keep her composure.
Angel stood up and tried to hide her face, hoping to lessen her embarrassment. However, the sight of Asaga's attractive body was too much for her to handle. She struggled to calm herself down, knowing that she needed to focus on the current situation.
Angel was taken aback by the sudden weight on her shoulders, her heart racing as she realized that the person pressing her down was none other than Asaga himself. Despite her attempts to push him away, he held her firmly in place. Confusion and panic swirled within her as she struggled against his grip.
“What... what are you... doing?”
Asaga's face inched closer to hers, their breath intermingling as he gazed deeply into her eyes. Angel felt her heart racing and her knees weakening, unable to comprehend the sudden.
How strange! The strong stench from blood and sweat seemed to vanish, replaced by a very pleasant-sounding scent. Lips became abnormally smooth. The first kiss feels so strange! How sweet and warm. Although strange, but also very familiar.
It was like sweet honey that made people fall in love, bringing them to the fairytale and immersed in the spring colour of all things. The landscape of the surrounding corridor gradually turned into dust. Gradually, the wind appeared and blew it away, leaving green plateau-like heaven.
The scent of flowers and grass radiated. The birds were chirping. Everything was like a hymn in harmony with the soul, making the small hearts of two strangers harmonize with the beat.
The entire world seemed to disappear, leaving only two people left. Even the flow of time stopped drifting to give wings to the happy couple.
“It is really strange for a girl like me to have these feelings. No one understands my emotions and boundless longing for leaving my other half. Only one minute away from you, but I am extraordinarily nervous. I feel uneasy forever. I just want to meet you. I want to swoop in that warm embrace to quiet my heart that is racing.”
“Can you feel it? Only a small part of my love for you. I like you! Like you very much! More than myself!”