Chapter 121 The Mask



Whoosh...

I could feel the alien Mana slowly invading my body. The energy surged through my veins, electrifying every cell in my being.

I tried to resist it, but Rose was pumping it without a stop.

'Fuck...'

Cursing under my breath, I tried to get away from her hug, but I couldn't move my body.

Swish...

I was paralyzed, trapped in her embrace as the alien Mana continued to course through me.

"Aiden?"

I could hear Rose whispering, however, I couldn't hear her clearly due to the overwhelming rush of energy pulsating in my ears.

'Huh?'

Suddenly, I noticed that I couldn't feel any pain. Although Rose's Mana was now entering my body, I didn't even feel discomfort...

It was refreshing even.

'No fucking way!?'

I could feel my Mana merging with the alien Mana, creating a powerful synergy, unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

Rose was transferring her Mana to me!

"..."

I could feel sensations returning to my body as Rose's Mana continued to flow through me.

Unknowingly my eyes were drawn to her, sitting just a few inches away from me. her black hair brushing above my face.

Her emerald eyes were strained, focused on her hands that were still connected to mine, transferring Mana into me.

For a second, I felt as if my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

"Aiden?"

After a few moments, Rose noticed that I was looking at her and quickly turned her gaze toward my face, giving me a smile that some people might pay for.

"I'm okay..."

Licking my lips, I managed to utter, shifting my gaze to the ceiling. For some reason meeting her eyes felt troublesome.

Ugh...

Slowly raising my body, I pushed myself from her hug, feeling the proximity of her presence still lingering in the air.

I stretched my back and limbs, feeling the usual soreness dissipate as Mana washed through my body, carrying away any discomfort or fatigue.

"How did you kill it?"

Suddenly, Rose spoke, making me freeze in my tracks. Well, obviously I couldn't tell her about the artifact. This was the only time affinity-related thing in Leclentia, so I couldn't risk revealing its existence to anyone, even Rose.

How should I answer this question...

I could feel the silence getting overbearing as I tried to come up with a plausible answer, however, nothing came to mind.

I could tell that I was lucky, however, nobody exceeds the speed of light because he's lucky.

"..."

As I tried to think of an answer, I suddenly felt something patting my head. I whipped around to find Rose standing behind me, a slightly sad smile on her face.

"If you don't want to say it... it's okay...."

Rose spoke, her emerald eyes, scanning my golden ones.

"But now or later I will find out the truth...."

However, her face slowly morphed into a mischievous one, making me shudder involuntarily. For some reason, this time her threat seemed more serious than playful.

As the conversation lulled, I couldn't help but be drawn to the remnants of the defeated giant lying on the ground nearby. The massive creature's body was a hulking mass of rubble and twisted metal, remnants of its once formidable form.

Quickly and discreetly, I approached the rubble, my eyes scanning for any valuable artifacts or items. Among the debris, I spotted an obsidian mask, gleaming faintly in the dim light of the chamber.

Without hesitation, I swiftly reached down, snatched the mask, and tossed it into my inventory, ensuring Rose didn't catch a glimpse of my actions.

With the artifact safely secured, I turned my attention back to Rose, who was still observing me with a mix of curiosity and intrigue.

"Did you find anything?"

Rose spoke, looking toward me, however, I just shook my head.

"Just some obsidian pebbles..."

***

The journey back was easier than I had anticipated. Rose spent most of our way back quiet and since it only took a few moments due to the portal that appeared after we defeated the giant, there wasn't much opportunity for conversation.

"..."

Looking at the massive tower among the ruins, I sighed in relief.

Although this journey was short it was a remarkable one.

***

Splash...

Somewhere deep within the treacherous expanse of the vast ocean, a group of demons found themselves caught amidst a relentless tempest. The raging waters churned and thrashed, their towering waves crashing against one another with thunderous force. Dark clouds obscured the moon, casting an eerie shadow over the tumultuous scene.

These demons, beings of malevolence and malice, had long dwelled in the depths of the ocean, their sinister presence concealed from the world above. With eyes glowing with fiery intensity and scaled bodies exuding an aura of darkness, they reveled in their sinister domain, plotting their nefarious schemes beneath the surface.

However, on this fateful night, the ocean, seemingly awakened by some unseen force, unleashed its fury upon the demonic inhabitants. The waves surged higher and higher, rising like monstrous claws eager to claim their prey. Each cresting peak crashed upon the demons, sending them tumbling and writhing in the relentless undertow.

The demons fought desperately against the merciless onslaught, their sharp claws slashing through the water, but their efforts were in vain. The elements, angered by their malevolence, had risen against them. Harsh winds howled, whipping their dark forms mercilessly, while rain fell in torrents, adding to their torment.

In their struggle against the wrath of the ocean, the demons' sinister powers waned. Their fiery eyes dimmed, their malevolent energy dampened by the overwhelming force of nature. Each crashing wave brought them closer to surrender, their once confident demeanor replaced by fear and desperation.

As the night wore on, their demonic forms were tossed like mere playthings within the storm's ferocious grasp. Their twisted bodies twisted and contorted in unnatural angles, battered and broken. With each passing moment, they became weaker, their malevolent essence fading.

Just as the demons teetered on the edge of defeat, a momentary lull settled over the raging tempest. The wind died down, and the rain subsided, allowing a fleeting glimpse of the moon's pale light to pierce through the heavy clouds. In that transient calm, a foreboding stillness hung in the air, as if the very ocean itself held its breath.

Then, from the depths of the turbulent abyss, a darkness even more profound than the storm itself emerged. A colossal tentacle, thick as a towering tree trunk and covered in slimy, writhing suckers, rose from the watery depths. It stretched forth with an otherworldly grace, its immense size dwarfing the already diminutive demons.

The demons, battered and broken, froze in terror as the Kraken's tentacle loomed over them. Its monstrous appendage coiled and twisted, its grip tightening around the weakened demons, each sucker clamping onto their scaly flesh. The demonic beings, once embodiments of malevolence, were now reduced to pitiful creatures, helpless before the might of the ancient sea beast.

The Kraken, a titan of legend and nightmare, had been roused from its deep slumber by the tumultuous storm, drawn by the disturbance caused by the demons' malevolent presence. With eyes gleaming like orbs of malicious intent, the Kraken emanated an aura of primeval power that echoed through the depths.

As the Kraken's tentacle held the demons in its formidable grasp, its icy gaze fixed upon them, filled with an intelligence that surpassed mortal comprehension. The ancient creature seemed to study the demons, as if assessing their worthiness of continued existence. It was as if the ocean itself had taken notice of their malevolence and had sent this mighty guardian to pass judgment upon them.

With a flick of its immense appendage, the Kraken cast the demons into the churning waters below. They were swallowed by the hungry depths, disappearing into the abyssal expanse from which they had emerged. The sea closed around them, and their wicked presence.

As the demons were cast into the churning waters, one of them, fueled by a flicker of defiance amidst his fear, attempted to muster a last-ditch effort to fight back against the Kraken's overwhelming might. With a snarl of rage, he summoned the remnants of his waning power, conjuring dark tendrils of malevolent energy that crackled around his clawed hands.

The demon lunged at the Kraken, his remaining fury propelling him forward. But before he could strike, the ancient sea beast reacted with lightning-fast reflexes. Its colossal tentacle coiled around the demon, constricting with an unimaginable strength. The demon's defiant snarl was abruptly silenced as the Kraken's grip tightened, crushing his form in its vice-like hold.

Bones snapped, and agonized cries were choked into silence as the demon's resistance faltered under the overwhelming power of the Kraken. With a merciless twist of its tentacle, the Kraken dispatched the demon, its malevolent essence extinguished like a waning flame. The lifeless body of the once-malicious being joined the others, sinking into the dark depths, consumed by the unfathomable abyss.

The remaining demons, witnesses to their comrade's swift demise, trembled in terror. The futility of their resistance was laid bare before them, and their feeble hopes of defying the Kraken's judgment shattered like shards of broken glass. They realized, with a chilling certainty, that they were at the mercy of a force far greater than anything they had ever encountered.

In the presence of the ancient sea beast, their malevolence withered, replaced by a profound sense of powerlessness. They hung suspended in the Kraken's grip, their frail bodies dwarfed by its immense strength. Their fiery eyes dimmed, unable to match the icy glare emanating from the depths of the Kraken's gaze.

With a disdainful flick of its massive appendage, the Kraken once again released its grip, allowing the remaining demons to plummet into the watery abyss. They were left to their fate, swallowed by the relentless depths that had once nurtured their malevolence. As the Kraken retreated back into the dark recesses of the ocean, the demons' presence faded, their malevolent essence dissipated, forever silenced by the judgment of the ancient guardian.