stonecrandall Page 174
Page 174
Chapter 248 Facing the Abyss
Gazing at that resolute and upright figure shrouded in light, Artotai rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
He simply couldn't reconcile that brave and fearless face with his lazy, spineless master! Seriously, this sudden change in style was too abrupt!
Migo stared wide-eyed at the projection, where the boy was protecting a heavily wounded canine-like monster that seemed to be seriously injured. The monster was trembling and struggling to support itself, uttering anxious and weak cries.
The blond boy ignored everything and resolutely spoke out in defense:
"If you want to harm my familiar... then step over my dead body!!!"
Upon seeing this, Migo's mind went completely blank.
……
An evil aura gathered within the cave, and the "darkness" formed by black fluff balls trembled and emitted angry sounds:
"You despicable ants! You dared to launch a near-sneak attack just as I was taking shape and my true form was about to descend after accumulating power over countless years!"
"You will pay the price for this. You are facing an unparalleled abyss that will bring endless destruction to the entire world, the source of annihilation!"
"Even though my very essence is now in turmoil, with just my will, I can easily crush you and your insignificant servants!"
"Darkness" was furious. The power of the abyss had finally accumulated and solidified in this world over time. This great but destined-to-be-gloomy day was almost ruined by this ant who hadn't even cultivated the power of the Lightborn!
It is impossible to quell the fury in its heart without letting this human being, who has offended the abyss of greatness, die little by little in despair!
"This is... really messed up."
Intense pain shot through his entire body, and Mino, gripping a pitchfork, was covered in sweat.
All he could do now was chuckle bitterly and hope that he had the ability to rewind time after being killed... Of course, he knew that was impossible.
"My soul has only been here a short time, and I'm going to die here before I even reach adulthood... Damn it, I really thought I was the protagonist of this world. What bad luck."
Mino began to regret it more and more. She had only wanted to find an empty cave to satisfy her chuunibyou fantasy of exploring another world.
As it turned out, my dream came true. I directly encountered a hidden monster that I absolutely couldn't mess with, and the way it spoke... seemed pretty chuunibyou (a Japanese term for someone with delusions of grandeur).
There was no escape—with just one strike, that terrifying monster had severely injured him and his familiar to this extent. Mino could sense that the monster intended to slowly torture him, to enjoy the blood, fear, and pain.
"Damn it, at least... at a time like this, I could have a system or something..." Mino complained one last time.
He glanced behind him at the Saint Beast Terminator, who was barking anxiously at him, and made a decision.
"Saint Beast Terminator! Run! I'll stop this evil monster!"
With her voice rising again, Mino declared without turning her head, "I will be the one to wage a fateful duel against the darkness of this abyss!"
Behind him, the canine-shaped monster shuddered, its eyes shrouded in glistening mist as it stared at Mino's retreating figure.
As a familiar bound by a contract, it instinctively sensed Mino's desperate intent; the other party wanted to buy time for it to escape the cave.
Why...power...I wish I had power...
An unprecedented anxiety surged in the eyes of the canine-like monster. The demonic horns on its head kept trying to gather light, but they quickly dissipated. The blood in its body kept flowing, trying to awaken the power hidden within it.
But at that moment, Mino's resolute voice rang out again: "This is an order!"
With a jolt, as if shackled, the canine-like monster's body moved involuntarily. Despite its desperate struggle, its body trembled as it tried to escape from the cave.
The contract with a familiar is absolute; once the command is given, it has an effect almost like a Command Spell, and cannot be disobeyed.
"nya! nya—!"
It called out anxiously, but could no longer see Mino. It only felt that the darkness behind it had become much deeper.
The unfathomable power of that monster is even slowly recovering and expanding!
"Ha! Interesting!" The will of the abyss watched Mino's final struggle with amusement. "I'll take you as my first toy... Since you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, you'd better be prepared."
Mino slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
Regardless, this monster seems to have no intention of dealing with its familiar anymore; all its hatred is directed at itself.
The fact that he could exchange his life for the survival of Saint Beast Terminator was already the best possible outcome...
"My lord...!"
Inside the cell, Altottai was deeply moved.
Seeing this almost hopeless scene, Mino prioritized the life and death of her familiar over her own life. This was a difficult decision that Mino made, completely abandoning the idea of escape and almost transcending life and death!
Migo sat blankly on the bed, her body gradually trembling uncontrollably. It wasn't just Mino's memory, but also... her own memory.
She recalled the helplessness and fear she felt when facing the terrifying monster in the cave, and also the unparalleled sense of security she felt when that small figure stood in front of her.
At this moment, all doubts no longer matter.
Migo had found the answer in her heart.
He will never abandon me.
……
I heard the trembling footsteps behind me.
Mino smiled and closed her eyes with a sense of relief.
At least, the little dog that was summoned from who-knows-where wasn't implicated, and that's enough.
The darkness before him seemed to be swallowing him whole, and a chill surged through his body, freezing his limbs... This was the only way Mino could console himself.
At least, only I will die...
Inside the cave, a woman's voice, tinged with sobs, suddenly rang out crisply from behind.
"Brother Mino! It's so dark here... Where are you?"
Mino's eyes widened instantly.
"Shana?!"
Panic suddenly flashed in Mino's eyes. She turned around abruptly and shouted, "Sana, don't come any closer! Run! Get out of here!!!"
Footsteps pattered over, and short red hair appeared in her field of vision like a torch, sending chills down Mino's spine.
"Shana wants to stay with her brother!" Little Shana stubbornly grabbed Mino's clothes, but seeing Mino's expression, her face immediately welled up with tears.
"Brother Mino, you're covered in blood! Don't die! Shana doesn't want you to die!!"
With a "whoosh," little Shana hugged Mino even tighter.
"Go! Shana, let's go!"
"Saint Beast Terminator, take Shana away quickly, don't worry about me!"
Mino anxiously pushed Shana away, calling out to the young horned demon not far away, but the sound was like a tune pleasing the devil, causing the beasts in the cave to bare their dark fangs:
"There's no escaping it..."
Chapter 249 The Path to the Awakening of the Sacred Sword!!
"Even if you scream your lungs out, no one can save you."
The mysterious monster let out a sinister laugh.
"asshole!"
Anger surged in Mino's eyes, half for himself and half for the terrifying monster before him.
With her bleeding right hand, Mino gripped the pitchfork tightly once more. She desperately wanted to find a weakness in her opponent, but the overwhelming power was almost futile.
"Oh? Interesting, you want to turn the tables on me?" The Abyss Will sensed Mino's actions, its tone becoming excited:
"Come on, hit me! If you're so tough... take me down in one move! Hahahaha!"
The frail pitchfork lunged at him, seemingly helpless, but "Darkness" snorted and decided to teach this futile human the price of offending the abyss.
Without dodging or evading, without any chanting, it condensed a pure power that these humans called "black magic," intending to grind the humans before it to dust. The cold, python-like black light fell thickly towards the blond boy!
The senses transmitted through the soul contract sent a chill down Saint Beast Terminator's spine; it was an intense aura of death, about to end the life of one of the contractors.
No, no way!
The canine-like magical beast's will twisted violently, its entire body enveloped in a layer of white fluorescence, and dense spiritual power burst forth, attempting to fight against its body driven by commands...
"No, you mustn't..."
A faint sound echoed inside the cave at that moment.
Mino was almost completely drained of strength. He held a pitchfork in his right hand and held little Shana in his arms with his left. His vision was almost blurred, but at that moment he felt a warm but not scorching flame suddenly ignite in the arms of his left hand.
A head of red hair, tinged with a faint flame, danced in the air like a witch's. Little Shana, her eyes brimming with tears, raised her stubborn gaze, and a crimson light burst forth from her fiery pupils! That light, imbued with a power akin to a rule, flew like a moth drawn to a flame, hurtling towards the black light along with Mino's pitchfork!
"You're not allowed to bully your brother—!!!"
Inside the cell, Migo, whose eyes were already blurry, suddenly widened her eyes and exclaimed in shock:
"The Demon Eye?! The Demon Eye of the human-demon race?!"
How could Mino's sister possess the Demon Eyes? Migo's heart trembled. There was no mistake, the aura of rules that those eyes possessed... was the power of the Demon Clan's "Authority"!
Those are demonic eyes that only the human-demon race possesses. It is said that although the human-demon race is weak, once they are under extreme emotional influence, they can awaken the demonic eye. Some human-demons can even possess power close to that of a demon king: because the demonic eye can nurture desires that transcend racial limitations, granting the human-demon race a second kind of "authority"!
Migo wouldn't be mistaken; that was knowledge engraved in her bloodline, and that was what she couldn't understand.
Humans and demons are ultimately demons, but judging from the results of spiritual perception, Mino's sister Shana is clearly a genuine human!
Before Migo could even process everything, a vast, boundless surge of spiritual energy suddenly erupted across the arena—
"This, this is..."
The pure white illusory light solidified in the air, bringing a piercing sensation to the soul. It churned and echoed endlessly in the room like a storm, gathering in the darkness to form a pure white star, its color... exactly the same as the white crystal on Migo's forehead.
But this light did not come from Migo in the cell, but from the projection. Accompanied by a desperate hiss, a white light that broke all rules suddenly appeared in the dark cave!
A small white crystal appeared on Saint Beast Terminator's forehead. A soft "crack" sounded in the void, like something breaking. It broke free from the constraints of the command, its eyes became deep and lively, and a pair of demonic horns emitted a terrifying light.
In the ocean of the mind, the familiar contract has become fragmented... A certain desire that was rising fiercely in his heart spurred the horned demon to take the last step of its infancy.
The spiritual power inherited in his bloodline has fully awakened, and the terrifying spiritual power has transformed into the sharpest claws, tearing out!
"nya——! (die!)"
The white crystal, which contained all the spiritual power in his body, shot out suddenly, piercing through Mino's body like light without causing any damage. Then, wrapped in power enough to shatter space, it slammed into "Darkness"!