True Beast II

That face whose expression is lifeless belongs to the girl I had learned was missing just before I met Lumi, Kiara Reyes.

No… no, no, no, no It can’t be, I thought she died? She’s one of the reasons why I’m helping Lumi and… I knew all along. I simply didn’t like to face reality.

I wanted to believe she was alive while knowing she was dead. I should be glad to learn that she’s alive but… I can’t. “Is something wrong Eden?” Lumi asked as she glanced at me and looked at the pit. “Ah, sorry. I should’ve checked it first, this kind of thing probably looks kind of disgusting and disturbing to you normal humans.” She added.

“I know her… that face belongs to someone I know.” I said with a low voice.

“Eh?” She uttered as she made a troubled face.

I’m… I should’ve gone with her. I thought as I remembered our last meeting, when we parted ways outside that fast food place. I’ve done it again…, I’ve gone and caused trouble for another person didn’t I? “Hehe…”

I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die. I should die.

As thoughts repeated over and over in my mind, I unnaturally started to breathe heavily. “What’s wrong Eden? Snap out of it!” Once she said those words I snapped back to the reality before me. “I’m sorry… I’m just feeling guilty right now.”

I know… if people were to know what I’m thinking right now, they’d say ‘it isn’t your fault, you couldn’t have known’. But! It’s precisely because I could have done something to prevent her from ending up like this that I’m guilty about it.

If only I’d know things were going to end up this way, then I could’ve done something to save her! I… don’t want people to suffer because of me. I want to become a good person.

***

“Eh?” I uttered in confusion as I glanced back at Eden whom I’m carrying on my back. Does she know her? Then, this sight must be painful for him. To see someone, she knows being crucified and used as a seedbed to breed beasts.

It should be painful for her but… I don’t know how to act in this situation.

I was planning to storm the enemy base sooner or later, it’s just that we’ve been caught up in their spatial transportation.

Since earlier I’ve been wondering where exactly this is… but now that I’ve seen this pit. I know now. “This is… a pocket space separated from reality itself all the while being closer to theGarden.” I spoke.

“Huh…?” Eden uttered in confusion to what I just said. “You mean we’re not on earth?” She asked.

“Technically speaking, we might still be on earth, it's just that in a different space.” I explained.

“Then, what do we do now?” She asked another question.

“All pocket spaces have a single foundation supporting them. It could be all kinds of things but in our case it’s that.” I answered his question then pointed at the crucified woman. “We… need to remove it.” I continued as I hesitated slightly on saying it.

I’ve been inside pocket space’s a few times, but this is the first time I’ve seen one on this scale. Usually, they only should be the size of a single story to four story buildings depending on the user’s connection.

“No… do we… really need to?” She said in a meek voice.

“We don’t have a choice, if we want to put an end to Sameal and these beasts then we need to do it.” I replied as I turned my gaze on her.

She bit her lips and stayed silent for a few seconds until finally. “Fine… but there’s something I want to try first.” I raised a brow. “You said we only need to remove them from this pocket space, right? Then what if we bring her outside of it.” She added.

Bring her outside…? In theory what he’s saying makes sense but I’m not sure if we can find the exit to a place this huge. “It might work… but it also might not work. All pocket spaces have exits embedded inside them but we don’t have the time to leisurely find it at our own pace. That’s why the fastest way would be to kill her.”

I’m sorry, she might be someone precious to you but she’s in the way.

I might look cold hearted about this and that’s fine. It’s only once. After this job is over, I’m going to **** you ***** forever. “But-” He exclaimed but before he continued, I intercepted her. “Fine, I’ll allow you to choose the lives of innocent civilians or her.” I strongly asked him.

I actually don’t care about innocent civilians or her. So, I’ll let you choose. If she still chooses her then it’s going to be a pain, but not impossible to drag her out. I just remembered, I can use that thing to blow this place to pieces and make our own exit.

My memory is not as good as it used to be with all these **** swirling around inside of me.

***

“Fine, I’ll allow you to choose the lives of innocent civilians or her.” Lumi asked me with her strong will showing in her expression. I need to choose…? Her question, her life or innocent civilians. To most people this would be a very heavy choice.

If they picked innocent civilians who have absolutely nothing to do with them then they’d feel very guilty about not picking their loved one.

If they picked their loved one then the lives of many innocent civilians would weigh on them forever.

A simple but devastating trolley situation.

I’ve already thought about my answer if something like this were to happen, after all I’ve already seen this kind of thing in a novel.

The story was about a single person who was saved, and aimed to repay and show his gratitude to that person by aiming to save everyone.

In the end in his journey to save everyone, not letting people suffer, he saved no one.

I won’t make the same mistake as that protagonist.

“That’s simple, of course I’ll save her.” I answered. While I’m on her back I couldn’t see her face but I could still see what expression she was making.

Lumi was slightly smiling.

“Ah, what a pain… but sure let’s do it.” She responded.

“Aren’t you caving in a bit too easily?” I said as I too smiled. I’m not used to smiling so, I probably look ugly right now… smiling and all that.

“This is what you wanted, is it?” She replied.

“Of course, it is, I’m just a bit worried about you.”

“You don’t need to be. We’ve got this don’t we?”

“Yeah, let’s go. We’ll both save her.” I proudly said.

“I think not.” A deep gruff voice had said then we both turned our gazes ahead.

“Sameal!” I shouted in anger.

“Indeed, I shall not let you touch the foundation.” He declared as his ever-present electricity had covered him once more.

“We will defeat you here. I won’t let you live any longer!”

“Hmph…” He uttered as his electricity suddenly spiked up. “Very well… then go ahead try.” This guy… I’ve fought him over and over again; this is probably our third clash. He just irritates me.

“Eden, would you mind staying down for now?” Lumi asked.

I don’t mind, it’s just that I personally want to beat him into a pulp myself for Kiara, me and you. I thought as I bit my lip in consideration for a few moments.

“Fine, but feel free to transfer the nanomachines to me anytime, I really want to murder this guy.” I said as in the next moment that invading feeling had returned along with a mild headache.

“Thanks. Then sit here.” She said as she walked back a bit and gently laid me down by the open door.

I was sitting up straight as I watched her walk towards him. “Main Armament” She voiced a command and a moment later her crystal sword had manifested. She quickly grabbed hold of it. “And then… End to Eternity.” She voiced another command.

That’s one I’ve never heard her say…. I thought as a moment later ice suddenly materialized on her crystal sword’s blade, making it look sharper and slightly bigger.

I raised my brow as I saw the ice emit its cold air. I smiled again…

She looks even cooler than before. I already knew this but she’s a heroine. A strong and beautiful one at that. I’m a worthless protagonist just sitting here and letting her do the work. It’s possible that I might just be a supporting character to her story. She has more main character potential.

“Win this! Tear that guy to shreds!” I cheered.

She quickly glanced back and smiled at me.

So, this is how it feels to support someone and have them smile back at you… I think I’ve gotten a little closer to understanding people who have special people in their lives.

***

“And then… End to Eternity.” I uttered the next command then a moment later ice had manifested itself and wrapped around my blade dramatically increasing its sharpness and length.

The idea to do this didn’t come from me but when I saw Eden wrap blood around the knife, I gave him the idea of turning it into a hiltless sword. I thought it was a good idea.

“Win this! Tear that guy to shreds!” Eden cheered, then I quickly glanced back as I smiled. “…” I sighed then turned my gaze towards Sameal.

I swear… this guy keeps on coming back and back, this is probably the third time I fought him.

Well, time to go at it.

“Haaaah!” I cried out as I put strength in my legs and ran towards him with sword in hand. As soon as he entered my range, I thrusted my sword forward. Just when the tip was about to reach his neck, He used his claw to quickly parry my attack.

And this begins the exchange.

After he parried my attack, I swung my blade to the right to bring it back to him. Noticing this he parries it again.

I jumped back a bit then dashed towards him.

I swung my sword upwards diagonally to the right, then downwards diagonally to the left, and went in for a thrust.

As usual he parried those attacks.

Even if I try and cut his body to shreds, it’ll be impossible for him to stay down because of his immortality therefore during the course of this fight I need to find out.

The weakness to his immortality.

When we had our conversation earlier, he had messed up.

If he had said that he was just immortal without even mentioning the imperfect part. I would’ve killed that girl serving as the foundation and immediately escaped this pocket space with Eden.

Along my journey, I had met some people who were like me that had flawed immortality, but I would’ve immediately been able to tell whether or not they possessed it.

However, Sameal is a different case.

Back then… on our first fight, I couldn’t detect his immortality. If I had detected it then and there, I surely would’ve been able to end him in our second fight because I would’ve had ample time to think of countermeasures against his kind of immortality.

But that’s only hypothetical, right now I need to focus on the reality in front of me.

Think, think…!

His body had nothing that serves as a core, meaning right now the Sameal I’m fighting is remote controlled from somewhere.

Another location.

The lists of candidates for it are endless because of how large this entire place is and I haven’t even explored most of it.

Even though remote control is the possibility I’ve thought up with the highest chance of being it. There’s still something I feel that’s missing. If he can hide his immortality from my senses then he can surely hide his connection. Is what I’ve thought.

Maybe I have a blind spot somewhere? It could possibly be just that but then again, I have a small number of blind spots and flaws that people can’t just exploit unless they know about me…

Know…, know…!?

He did mention that he knows about me because of his lord… then could he know through that? If that’s the case then which of my weaknesses is he exploiting?

Let’s list them off one by one.

The fact that I use the 2nd dimension through the usage of voice commands? No, that’s not it.

My disability to accurately locate people who use their 2nd dimension access and connection. Maybe, but I’m not sure.

I have a feeling the latter is the one, but there’s something else that’s bugging me. If he hides it using some ability while simultaneously using his electricity, it should at least tax some stamina off him or have continuous headaches as long as he’s using his abilities.

Is he just that strong that it isn’t affecting him at all? Quite possibly.

As I’m dissecting and analyzing the information that I have to reach a conclusion, there’s endless possibilities that I can’t wrap my head around each one.

Each and single possibility that I have thought feels right and wrong at the same time in many different ways.

First off, what even is Sameal?

Based on looks alone, he looks like a cross between human and wolf but how should that even be possible?

I’m certain it’s not an ability because if my theory is right that he’s using another ability to hide his immortality, then it would become three abilities that are in his possession.

And becoming like that through scientific means is not possible in today’s era. If something like that had been done then it would’ve caused an uproar around the world.

It could’ve also been done in secret to prevent the former but I also doubt it. With all these endless possibilities and information, I’m left with only but one choice.

I have to destroy his soul directly.

To destroy one’s soul means to interfere in the 2nd dimension and destroy its physical manifestation.

This is going to be my first time using it.

I’ve had it for so long in my spatial storage, I’ve never taken it out before. For as long as I can remember it has always been there. I don’t remember when I acquired it, but it’s perfect for a situation like this.

An ultimate murdering weapon, a weapon that’s designed solely for the purpose of inflicting true death.

When people die, they are just inserted back into the cycle of reincarnation, they won’t truly die. However, with this weapon, a soul that has been touched by it can experience a death that is very true to its meaning.

Its name…

“System access: retrieve item #7 from spatial storage #*.” I jumped back and voiced a command. In the next moment, a deep-black scythe with it’s handle as long as my own sword and its long-curved blade had manifested in my other hand.

Immortal Slaying Scythe Harpe… The weapon is said to have been used by Perseus to kill Gorgon.

I myself was surprised when I found It in my spatial storage and inspected it.

Anything thrown inside my spatial storage can analyze the object’s history, the material it’s made of, and other specific details about it.

That’s why I know this weapon is especially dangerous and should only be used as a trump card in extreme situations like these.

“That’s… I see, that weapon is certainly able to truly kill me.” Sameal said as he laid eyes on it.

I quickly dematerialized my sword and gripped the scythe tight with both of my hands. I quickly glanced behind me to look at Eden, he was watching me with a serious expression. Then I turned my gaze onto Sameal.

One wrong move and I’m the one who’s going to get killed instead. I haven’t used a scythe before but now seeing its shape and structure I can at least use it decently.

I need to be careful to not accidentally cut myself with its blade. I just need one stab and that’s it, he’ll die.

“Phew…” I breathed in and out as I readied the scythe and dashed towards him. “Hyaaah!” I shouted. As I was running towards him, lightning spears had formed and launched.

I quickly swung the scythe, slicing all of it one by one. It’s heavy! And it’s hard to swing accurately.

As soon as I cut through every single spear, I quickly turned to his direction and started running again through the cloud of dust. “*********************” As I was dashing towards him, I heard something growl loudly.

I turned to my side and swung the scythe down. It was the wolves. I forgot they were still there; I was so focused on fighting him that I forgot he’s not alone.

This is going to be hard; I can’t handle both Sameal and the wolves using the scythe alone. I can’t use the scythe with the sword because I can’t swing the scythe well if I’m only using one hand for it.

“Grr…” I heard a growl come from behind me so I swung the scythe horizontally, slicing it in the process.

This is dangerous…. At this rate I’m going to end up being hit by the scythe’s blade because of how I’m using it.

I need another way to reach Sameal. I thought as I swung the scythe all around the place, killing any wolf that tried to come near me.

I don’t have a choice; I have to ask him…!