[Divine Acquisition; Endless Web]
Something occurred right then in the minds of everyone. Everyone, everywhere, all at once 1. This immediate occurrence was characterized by an internal mixture. They had all joined Lusha’s mind and vice versa. Within this entangling of minds. Noone was an individual. Not even Lusha herself.
There, they felt the overwhelming sadness and sorrow of many non-individuals like themselves. Lusha also felt herself intermingle with herself tenfold. This was the worst opponent to have ever used the technique on… but it was the same thing as well for him. The ability connected to the demon, who connected to the other 5 incarnations of himself. That connected with the other incarnations of the villagers and the people that were there. This technique was truly intended to destroy everyone in near proximity in the worst way possible.
Before the ability could take full effect. She had already entrusted her other variations to react accordingly. The moment they felt the ability about to occur, they realized everything. In that one single moment of conclusion, they had already sequestered their allies within the voids separate from their realm. The Infinite Pocket.
At this time, the mind of the demon was too subjugated to react in time. In fact, it could not evade this technique even if it had wanted to. His link with his other variations saw to it that there was no universe in which this could be evaded.
With his mind in this state. There was a major confusion that occurred. One, he was incapable of differentiating between his own field of view, and his own sight. The first time she had utilized this technique was in the eastern continent. Right after attaining the ability. She had no idea how far it would go. Everyone died. Including Aias and Xin. However, it mattered not that they died for they were immortal.
Though something peculiar did occur. Amongst the plains of the Valley of Red grass, there were various amalgems there that had experienced her ability first hand. These rocks, though were non-sentient, she recalled gained the ability of sentience to some degree. They began to react differently with others, enforcing the same ability that she had upon them- though to a lesser degree. Though truthfully, if one were not equipped to handle this technique, it was an ailment.
They dubbed the name of the ailment Spider’s Eye.
Lusha laughed outloud at the actual realization of what was actually going on. Such a simple ability, yet very grueling. She was almost enraged by the devastation she had felt earlier. As she laughed, so too did the demon, sharing in her delight. So too did everyone in the village far away as they suffocated slowly under the pressure of her Mana. - and so too did all the other iterations of herself and all other iterations of everyone. She lurched forward at speeds greater than what could ever been shown from her earlier. Before the demon could react, his head was blown clean off of his body.
All five other iterations of his body also had their heads cleanly removed from their shoulders. This same situation occurred also to herself, and subsequently everyone in the village in all variations of the universe. They all perished instantly.
Her head regenerated itself immediately afterwards. The demon attempted to recover, but Lusha would not allow it. She stuck her hand through the creature’s body, feeling his arm pierce into his stomach and her own. This was now a fight in complete unison. It connected not only the minds of everyone, but the bodies of everyone involved as well.
The hole in her body recovered quicker than his could have. She let the demon’s head recover. She did this only because she could feel his fear rising within her. And in turn, the delight she felt at this all was swelling within everyone present. Swelling… that was the right way to call this.
With every attempt to overpower her emotion, the demon’s was simply subjugated in her despair. Memories that were not his overpowered his own. Thoughts that were not his overpowered his own.
“That’s right…I must run.” Lusha thought. “I have to flee and get out of here. This bitch is crazy…. She’s going to kill me for real…. I have to get out of here.”
In turn, these thoughts intruded on the fearless creature’s. For the first time it felt fear… of her. It began to flee. That was the only thought it could think of. The fact that this ability was an amalgamation of 5 of her didn’t help that this ability was much stronger at the moment.
As it attempted to flee, Lusha tore apart her own leg. The demon’s leg flew off in his attempt to run and it stumbled across the terrain. It tried to switch itself out, but to no avail. Each other variation was dealing with the same situation
“I want to beg. This whole situation is terrifying… I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“STOP!! IT!!....HOW DARE YOU INTRUDE ON MY THOUGHTS!!” The creature spat out at Lusha in disgust and shame. Slamming his fist into the ground.
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“Do you know what I’m about to do to you next?”
The creature reviled and grimmaced in anger. He had expected her ability to be fearsome, but nothing like this. This was…. This was unorthodox. It should not have existed in this world. It truly should not have existed. He was now seeing a glimpse of Ignis Pneuma.
“W-what…what was your goal when you developed this ability…”
“I simply wanted to feel.” Lusha responded back. “Can you tell what I’m about to do to you?”
For the first time, as he pondered that question, the thought process occurred in his head. And for the first time, he truly felt fear that was his own. “H-how…. How do you know of that?”
For the demon, who was not used to this ability, there was a lot that he could not understand about it. But right now, Lusha had understood the beginning of his birth, and where everything had started since his first memory. Yes, truly they were not things that should exist. Now she knew why.
She also knew exactly how to destroy him. He walked over to the creature and squatted in front of him. “Do you know why you have not regenerated your leg?”
“Because I have not allowed your body to yet.”
That’s right, since they also linked in body, she was capable of suppressing everything he was about to do. Even now, his body was paralyzed in fear, an emotion he should not be capable of feeling. “So this is what humans feel? That’s why you’re thinking right now, is that right.”
“Geroodrah. That is your name right?” She plucked his head off of his shoulders and tossed it into the distance. Only then did she allow his body to regenerate, only to kick it as hard as she could as his face regrew back. She did this for no other reason than to return the spite that she had experienced earlier. She knew about the creature’s ability to regenerate. But it was nothing like hers.
“So Geroodrah. How is it you know Aias?” She allowed only the creature's mouth to regenerate.
“A-aias?”
An image gleamed through his mind and he understood the question. “A-ah… the other coordinate.”
“He-”
“Nevermind, I got your answer.” The moment Geroodrah had thought of the answer, she had received her reply. She then began to ravage the existence. She tore off his arms, removed his legs and stopped his ability to regenerate. With each move she did, she ensured that she felt the pain of it all just so the demon too can feel it.
It screamed loudly in agony and rage. “YOU DAMN WITCH!!” It spat in her face with disgust. The demon’s red eyes glared at her with vehemence.
“You think you’ve won? You will never see your allies again. Only I have the ability to transmute them back from these worlds.” Lusha sighed and looked at her other selves. They all shared the same mind so there was no need to clash with them. The confirmation she got from them was the same confirmation she got from the creature just now. Rinn was still in her universe. The only person that was not here was Grodd. However, she fully believed Grodd was entirely safe within the other worlds. After-all, he would still continue on his existence on a journey with her.
Then the Rinn that the demon had killed must’ve been- A version of her from the third universe confirmed it was her Rinn. “I see… I apologize.” The other Lusha waved herself off. “She was a nuisance. Perhaps your world’s Rinn was better.” This caught her off-guard. Though she could feel even now, as that version of her said that, it felt great despair.
Lusha smiled. It seemed she was the same no matter what version of the universes she was in.
As Geroodrah attempted to speak once more, Lusha stuck her finger into his chest and removed the core he held within. It was a blood-like stone, possessing the appearance of an aqueous solution, yet the same hardness as stone.
She held the core in her hand. At this same time the others all did the same thing. The only one that did not, was the Lusha in the fifth iteration. She allowed the creature to maintain its form and figure.
It was then that another figure had appeared. Someone new. Someone that… was unlike this creature she had met just now.
“That’s enough.” Though this man had been entangled within the same webs as Lusha’s ability, he was able to retain his individuality. Lusha looked up to study the man one more time. Her hand was compelled to let go of the stone and drop it back down to the floor- where the body would quickly reinsert it back into itself. This…. Was an anomalous situation. This creature had just compelled her to release the stone… utilizing her own ability with familiarity.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Cyrn, number 4 of the Twelve Demon Generals.”
Geroodrah grimmaced at him who stood and placed a hand on the demon’s head. From this position he peered right down at Lusha, who’s eyes held disdain for him since the moment they had met. “Geroodrah… I believe our orders were not to engage in any actions that may earn the ire of the coordinates.”
“Forgive me, Lusha Viscirilis. I’m not here to become your enemy.”
Geroodrah spat at the man’s feet. “FUCK THAT! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS… BITCH DID?! WE’RE NOT YET DONE HERE.”
“We’re done here.”
Cyrn immediately utilized Lusha’s ability to compel Geroodrah to utilize his ability. Bringing back Grodd to his dimension current dimension. The other iterations of him did the same in unison and brought everyone back to their current locations. For some of these universes, there were those that had died.
For that, Cyrn apologized greatly with a bow to all of them. “I cannot return the dead. This is the best I can do. Please forgive his impudence. For those of you who wish to kill him in your universes please do. His power will forever be absent from those existences. But it is the least I can do to atone.”
This creature… that genuflected before him. Though it was of the same origin as Geroodrah, their demeanor was completely different. It was easily capable of being mistaken for a human. Yet… there was an unnatural uneasiness that crept within Lusha. These things that have come to exist… they were not an existence that bode well for the world.
Now Lusha understood exactly what it was that Merlin had encountered. “It is an order of ours that you shall not continue to anger the coordinates. This order was given by the supreme one himself… though I fear you may have already angered her beyond forgivable margins. You will have to face his judgment when we return.”
“Don’t give me that. I’ll kill that wretched witch. There’s nothing you can do to stop m-”
At that point all variations of Geroodrah ceased to exist. He imploded on himself, core, body and all until everything that remained was a small piece of clothing scrunched together so tightly with blood bone, and flesh that nothing leaked out. “To resist the order of the supreme…. Is unforgivable.” Cyrn sighed. “I truly wish you can forgive us for this infraction. We are not your enemies.”
Lusha merely remained in shock. That was not magic. Cyrn had simply used her ability to compel his body to implode. A sudden shiver had run through her body. This thing…. It held power rivaling that of her teacher.
“I know what it is you truly seek. Should you eventually seek to aid us, there is a way it can be reached. In the great one, there is a solution to all your ailments. But you would have to be willing to aid us. If you can overlook this, Everything will be taken care of for you.” Cyrn smiled.
Then utilizing her own ability, it compelled the ability’s deactivation. But just before he deactivated it, he transmitted a message to her. He smiled and began to walk off. “You have a nice ability there. But next time, utilize your other one. Do you not think I recall the events of the past? Lucia Viscirilis, the only one with 3 Divine Acquisitions. You would not have had to deal with Geroodrah for long. Do think about my proposal, Lucia Viscirilis.”
Then the world moved from underneath the creature's feet and he was gone. Lusha could only stand there in awe. This time she truly shuddered. For she knew what kind of fate awaited the world. Yet…. she was also excited deep within. For the message the demon gave her was…. Beyond unburdening.
There was a new era that was to be ushered in. Bringing both sadness and hope. This left Lusha conflicted in everything…. She was now faced with a crossroad