The journey to Kagoshima-Ken prefecture spanned forty-eight arduous days. Throughout their travels, Joseph couldn’t stop pondering—and boasting—to Yoshi and Lyra about his recent feat of taking down a demon lord. Yet, he couldn’t shake the thought that slaying one didn’t automatically grant him the status of a demon lord.
“So, you did kill a demon lord,” Yoshi said with a smirk. “How does it feel?”
“Well… not as I hoped,” Joseph admitted, scratching his head. “That demon lord wasn’t exactly the strongest out there. Sure, he was tough, but he wasn’t one of the heavyweights. From what I could tell, he was just trying to climb the ranks of the supernatural hierarchy.”
“You’ve really been fixating on this demon lord thing,” Lyra noted dryly.
“Yeah, I am!” Joseph exclaimed, his tone defensive. “If I don’t, who’s going to take me seriously? Or maybe that archdemon’s vision about me becoming a demon lord was just a sham,” he muttered, his voice trailing off.
The mention of the archdemon stirred something in Lyra. A fleeting vision of her own future, as foretold by the same archdemon, flashed vividly in her mind. One of the three predictions had already come true—Joseph had saved her life. But the other two fates still loomed over her, their outcomes uncertain.
She shook the thoughts away abruptly, her tone sharp as she sought to steer the conversation back to their mission. “Focus,” she said, her gaze hardening. “Kagoshima-Ken isn’t a place to take lightly. Whoever holds the Relic of Souls could unleash destruction far worse than anything we’ve faced.”
Her words brought an uneasy silence over the group. Both Yoshi and Joseph, along with their companions, grasped the gravity of her warning.
When they finally arrived at Kagoshima-Ken prefecture, the scene before them was harrowing. The people moved as if under some kind of dark manipulation, their expressions vacant and their movements unnervingly synchronized. Yoshi and Lyra exchanged grim looks, their senses overwhelmed by the ominous presence of wandering souls drifting through the area. The air was thick with a dark, unwelcoming aura.
Joseph, however, remained oblivious to the supernatural details. He couldn’t sense the souls, nor could he feel the oppressive energy that weighed heavily on his comrades. Yet, even he could tell something was terribly, unmistakably wrong.
As they ventured deeper into Kagoshima-Ken prefecture, the oppressive dark aura grew thicker, pressing down on them like a suffocating weight. Yoshi and Lyra remained on high alert, urging their companions to stay vigilant. Though their presence was noticed by the locals, the people remained eerily indifferent, moving about in a synchronized, zombie-like manner. Their hollow gazes and mechanical actions made it clear—they were no longer themselves.
Their guide, a traveler and native of Kagoshima-Ken, seemed shaken to the core. As they followed his lead, he could barely believe what had become of his homeland. The desolation, the unnatural stillness—it was a nightmare come to life.
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept through the area, carrying with it an ominous warning. The force was so intense that it nearly knocked them off their feet. Before they could recover, a chilling, malevolent voice echoed through the prefecture, reverberating like a thunderclap.
The skies darkened, casting the land into an almost twilight gloom, and a figure emerged from the shadows. The being who revealed herself was none other than Ayame Minori—the Prefectural Lady of Kagoshima-Ken.
Once a revered protector, Ayame had been a Knight Huntress of Rank A (Tier 7), a fairy renowned for her unmatched combat prowess and leadership. Tasked with safeguarding Kagoshima-Ken, she had been celebrated as a hero, capable of defending entire planetary systems from catastrophic threats. Her agility, magical mastery, and tactical expertise had made her a symbol of hope for her people.
Years ago, after the passing of the previous prefectural lord, Ayame had been appointed as the new ruler, a decision that seemed destined to bring continued prosperity and safety to the land. However, tragedy struck when an unexpected and overwhelming evil descended upon Kagoshima-Ken.
In her desperation to protect her land, Ayame had attempted to wield the powerful Relic of Souls—a mystical artifact capable of extraordinary feats. But the artifact came with a terrible price. Caught off guard, Ayame was possessed by an ancient and malevolent spirit, one that turned her into a puppet for its wicked will. Under its control, she used the Relic of Souls to trap the citizens’ souls in the afterlife, leaving their bodies as empty vessels for invading spirits to inhabit.
Now, standing before Yoshi and his companions, the possessed Ayame exuded an aura of menace and authority. Her piercing gaze seemed to strip away their courage as she spoke with a voice laced with malice. “You dare trespass here? Leave now, or I will ensure you regret it.”
Her grip tightened on the glowing Relic of Souls, its power radiating like an ominous beacon. With a sinister smirk, she activated the relic, summoning the possessed citizens and fallen warriors of Kagoshima-Ken. The ground trembled as the horde emerged, their soulless eyes locked onto Yoshi and his group.
The companions instinctively drew their weapons, forming a defensive stance as the possessed beings closed in. Ayame, her expression cold and unyielding, stood amidst the chaos, her corrupted presence a dark reminder of what Kagoshima-Ken had lost.
The atmosphere grew heavy as the possessed citizens and undead closed in, their lifeless eyes glowing faintly under the darkened skies. Lyra’s instincts took over as she raised her staff and began chanting rapidly. A shimmering, golden barrier formed around her companions, pulsating with energy.
“I’ve got this!” Lyra yelled, her voice firm and steady despite the chaos. “Stay within the barrier!”
Yoshi stepped forward, placing his hands on the barrier’s surface, his own energy flowing into it. “I’ll reinforce it,” he said. His power intertwined with Lyra’s, strengthening the shield further against the ominous force radiating from Ayame.
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Ayame’s eyes narrowed as she realized her manipulation wasn’t working. The relic in her hand pulsed with malevolence, but her attempt to seize control of their souls was repelled by the barrier. Her frustration boiled over as her grip tightened on the relic.
“Fine,” she spat, her voice echoing unnaturally. “If your souls won’t submit, then let’s see how you fare against more undead.”
She raised the relic high, its glow intensifying as dark tendrils of energy reached into the earth. Moments later, the ground began to crack and tremble, and rotting hands clawed their way out of graves. Decayed bodies, animated by evil spirits, rose one by one, their soulless forms lurching forward.
Joseph, despite the dire situation, couldn’t resist making a quip. “Well, looks like Morgana has summoned the army of the dead!”
Everyone turned to stare at him, their expressions a mix of disbelief and annoyance.
“What?” Joseph shrugged defensively. “I had to get that off my chest. You can’t blame me for quoting BBC’s Merlin in a moment like this!”
Lyra sighed, shaking her head. “Focus, Joseph. This is no time for jokes.”
Yoshi nodded. “And remember—no harm to the citizens. They’re being controlled. Incapacitate them, but don’t kill them. The undead, though…” He glanced at the decayed figures approaching them. “Those we can destroy.”
The battle erupted in a flash of movement and light. Lyra fired bursts of magical energy, weaving spells to immobilize the possessed citizens while Joseph and Yoshi engaged the undead with swords and precision strikes. The clash was relentless, the horde seemingly endless as more undead rose to join the fray.
Ayame watched from her throne, her expression cold and calculating. She raised the relic, its glow intensifying, and began chanting in an ancient, guttural language. The relic’s light dimmed briefly before merging into her body, causing her aura to flare with unrestrained power.
“It’s time I dealt with you personally,” she declared, stepping down from her throne and entering the battlefield.
Joseph, in the midst of slicing through an undead soldier, felt an icy chill run down his spine as Ayame’s gaze locked onto him. She raised her hand, channeling her power in an attempt to manipulate his soul.
To her shock, her magic rebounded, unable to penetrate his essence. For a moment, confusion flickered across her face before she glared at him. “What… are you? Why can’t I control your soul?”
Joseph smirked, lowering his weapon slightly. “Oh, that’s simple. We’re many.” His tone was mocking, his grin widening as he mimicked Ermac’s iconic line from Mortal Kombat.
Ayame’s frustration turned to fury. “You’re insufferable,” she growled, lunging toward him with a burst of speed.
The clash that followed was nothing short of chaotic. Ayame’s attacks were swift and relentless, her fairy magic infused with the relic’s dark power. Yoshi and Lyra joined the fight, their combined efforts barely managing to keep up with Ayame’s overwhelming strength.
“Hold the line!” Yoshi shouted, summoning a blade of pure energy to deflect one of Ayame’s strikes.
Lyra reinforced their barrier as Ayame’s attacks grew more ferocious, but it wasn’t enough. With a devastating blow, Ayame shattered the protective shield, leaving them exposed.
In that moment, she extended her hand, dark tendrils of energy snaking out and latching onto Yoshi and Lyra. Their movements froze as their souls were ripped from their bodies, their eyes going blank.
Ayame smirked, holding their captured souls aloft. “Now,” she said, her voice dripping with malice, “let’s see if you can continue to joke, Joseph.”
Joseph stood alone, his companions’ lifeless bodies crumpled around him. Yet even as Ayame loomed, a spark of defiance gleamed in his eyes.
Joseph stood at the center of the chaos, his breath steady despite the overwhelming odds. Around him were the possessed citizens, warriors, undead, and now his closest allies—Yoshi and Lyra—under Ayame's sinister influence. The relic's power pulsated in Ayame’s grasp as she hovered ominously, her expression triumphant.
Yoshi, his movements unnaturally fluid and enhanced by the spirits possessing him, advanced with his energy blade blazing. Lyra, her mismatched eyes glowing with eerie intensity, summoned waves of devastating magic. Together, they formed a formidable force against Joseph.
“You’re going to have to do better than that!” Joseph taunted, dodging an onslaught of strikes and spells with seemingly effortless agility. With a sweep of his blade and quick hand-to-hand combat techniques, he incapacitated the hordes of possessed citizens and undead that rushed at him. The battlefield was cleared, leaving only him, Yoshi, and Lyra.
“Yoshi! Lyra!” Joseph called out, his voice laced with frustration. “I know you’re in there! Fight it!”
Ayame’s laughter echoed through the air. “They can’t hear you. They belong to me now, as does their power.”
Yoshi lunged forward, his strikes precise and relentless. Joseph parried, the clash of their weapons sending shockwaves across the battlefield. Lyra followed with a burst of magical energy, forcing Joseph to leap back.
The battle was fierce, each strike and counterstrike testing Joseph’s limits. The evil spirits controlling Yoshi and Lyra harnessed their full potential, making them faster, stronger, and more dangerous than ever before. However, Joseph noticed something—Lyra’s eyes were flickering. The fiery red and electrifying blue glow seemed unstable, as if something within her was struggling to break free.
“Lyra…” Joseph muttered, dodging another attack.
Inside Lyra’s mind, her two souls fought against the malevolent force controlling her. Her late sister’s voice echoed, encouraging her to take back control. “You are stronger than this, Sister. Together, we can overcome it.”
Lyra’s mismatched eyes flared brighter before settling into their natural glow. With a surge of willpower, she expelled the evil spirit from her body, her magic swirling in a radiant display. Free at last, she turned to Joseph.
“I’m back,” she said, her voice steady but fierce.
“About time,” Joseph replied with a smirk, deflecting another of Yoshi’s attacks.
Lyra stepped in to engage Yoshi, her magic clashing with his energy blade. “Go! I’ll hold him off!”
Joseph nodded and turned his attention to Ayame, who had descended from her throne to confront him. The two clashed in a fierce and explosive battle. Ayame wielded the relic’s power with precision, unleashing waves of dark energy and fairy magic, but Joseph held his ground.
“You think you can defeat me?” Ayame snarled, her attacks growing more frantic.
Joseph dodged a powerful blast, his movements calculated. “Defeat you? I plan on doing much more than that.”
With Lyra’s magic aiding him, Joseph created an opening and lunged, his hand reaching for the relic absorbed into Ayame’s chest. The relic’s dark energy resisted him, but Lyra’s spell gave him the strength to rip it free. Ayame let out a scream as the relic was torn from her body, its glow dimming in Joseph’s grasp.
Joseph wasted no time, channeling the relic’s power. A wave of light spread across Kagoshima-Ken prefecture, driving the evil spirits from the citizens’ bodies and vanquishing the undead. The skies cleared, the oppressive darkness lifting as the land was freed.
The relic shimmered in Joseph’s hands before vanishing. He stared at the empty space where it had been, letting out a sigh. “Ryujin and his tricks again,” he muttered.
As the citizens regained consciousness and the land returned to normal, a gathering was held in the prefectural hall. Ayame, now free from possession, expressed her deepest gratitude to Yoshi, Lyra, and Joseph for their bravery. The traveler who had brought them to Kagoshima-Ken was rewarded for his efforts in seeking aid.
Ayame presented Yoshi and his companions with gifts as tokens of gratitude. Turning to her council, she addressed the mysterious disappearance of the relic. “Though the relic of soul is no longer in our possession, we can find solace in the peace we’ve regained.”
With farewells exchanged, Yoshi, Lyra, and Joseph departed Kagoshima-Ken prefecture, their mission accomplished. As they ventured onward, the group remained silent, each lost in thought about the battles they had faced and the challenges still to come.