God's Gourmet [42]

Minutes prior to Jin-Woo's encounter with Pandora, Ichigo hit the bottom of the pitfall she fell into. She let out a small grunt after hitting the ground, but jumped up easily, uninjured. She still held her makeshift bat in her hand. The bat was undamaged by the fall.

She blinked as she looked around, noting the area's torchlit interior. It was an underground corridor, with no natural light coming from anywhere. She took a deep breath in before cupping her hands on the sides of her mouth.

"Hello! Is there anyone out there?!" She asked, her voice echoing for about a minute before fading away. Sensing no one's presence, Ichigo shrugged to herself before beginning to walk down the stone corridor.

It was peaceful for about a minute before she stepped on a plate in the ground. The stone flooring indenting. Ichigo had a fraction of a second for her arms to snap up, protecting her head. Spikes shot out from both sides of the corridor, daring to pierce Ichigo's body.

However, upon contact with her, the spikes shattered, her mana-enforced body too strong to injure.

Ichigo slowly blinked, slowly poking the spikes with a finger. On the tip of several of them, blood remained.

"Oooooh. Well, it would be a good idea to destroy as many as possible, right?" Ichigo nodded to herself before bending down and dashing down the corridor.

She ran at her top speed, setting off every possible trap and destroying the corridor as she did. A few minutes later, Ichigo finally saw light, and emerged from the stone corridor. As the sunlight hit her face, she squinted her eyes.

All around were huge boulders, like she was standing in a barren wasteland. There weren't any immediate hostiles, but Ichigo had an odd feeling in her stomach.

Behind her wasn't the castle, but a huge hill. It all but confirmed that she was farther away from the castle than she needed to be. The tunnel she came in through was completely collapsed,

As she confusedly scratched the back of her head, she hummed to herself. "How did I get so far away? Maybe the tunnel was farther than I thought it was? I need to get back soon, so Jin-Woo or Fanzer doesn't fight Yogumunt all on his own."

She thought to begin climbing the hill but heard a voice that put her off-track. It was in the distance, and she immediately hid her presence, pulling her mana inwards and pulling a piece of rubble from the tunnel over herself.

A high-pitched woman's voice sighed, "I don't get why Master Yogumunt sent us all the way out here… wouldn't it be better for us to be in the fray so we can help him kill those humans?"

Ichigo peeked out from behind the rubble, seeing five familiar Perfected Constructs walking around.

The one to respond was Kali, the four-armed Construct. "Nyx, his reasoning is clear. He needs to check our aptitudes in being his loyal, powerful Constructs. Why else would be forbid us from sensing mana?"

Nyx, looking no different than a black-haired young woman, huffed. "Well, Master Yogumunt could've told us that!"

Lilith, the tallest of the three, shook her head. "Master Yogumunt believes in us, Nyx. If we can't even protect Ashborn's dagger for a little bit, why should we expect him to trust us with more important duties? We need to prove ourselves to him, then he'll warm up to us."

Behind the trio, Enkidu and Xuan Zang lagged. Enkidu sighed before speaking up. "We are Perfect Constructs, the success to master's work for years. His hard work simply has not sunk in yet. He still wishes to do more."

Xuan Zang nodded, his eyes remaining closed.

Ichigo watched the five carefully, silently smiling. Her heart thumped in her ears. Her blood racing was out of excitement, rather than fear. Five opponents that were stronger than her.

She continued to listen intently.

"That sound came from around here, didn't it?" Lilith asked, receiving a soft hum from Xuan Zang. "And we can't even tell if it's from one of those humans because Master Yogumunt forbid us from sensing mana."

"Stop complaining, Lilith," Enkidu ordered.

"Or what, huh? You gonna attack me?" Lilith mocked, turning back to Enkidu and sticking her pure-white tongue out.

The Perfected Constructs continued to go back and forth, complaining and fighting amongst themselves. They sounded like human beings, like it'd be easy to join their conversation. However, Ichigo was aware of the situation.

They were not her allies.

Her allies, Fanzer and Jin-Woo, needed her, and so, she had a duty to handle. A smart Hunter would blind the Constructs and pick them off one by one, but….

'That weapon, I need to get that back,' Ichigo thought, clenching her hand around her bat.

Ichigo got out from behind the rubble and began walking towards her enemies.

Ichigo was not a smart Hunter. In fact, she wasn't much of a Hunter at all.

She willingly forfeited the element of surprise, approaching the five Constructs. They all had more mana than she did, and she'd be at a disadvantage, however, she didn't buckle. That was just the type of fighter she was.

As she came into view, the group stopped bickering and focused on her. She stopped a few feet away from them. Silence lingered over the six for a few minutes. The Constructs traded brief looks with one another as Ichigo quietly glanced over them.

"Ya came just ta' die, eh?" Kali asked, a twang to her tone that Ichigo couldn't quite place. "Ya as stupid as ya look?"

Ichigo shook her head. "I don't have any plans on dying now. May I have that dagger back?"

Kali looked around, her expression morphing from utter confusion to complete anger. She walked up to Ichigo, getting in her face. "Ya think we'd just give it ta' ya, ya moron?!"

Ichigo didn't flinch. Xuan Zang took a step forward, putting a soft hand on Kali's shoulder. The four-armed Construct scoffed before stepping back with a huff.

Xuan Zang gave Ichigo a smile, eyes closed. "And you're miss…?"

"Ichigo," she answered.

Xuan Zang nodded sagely, "Miss Ichigo. You're a Hunter, aren't you?"

Ichigo shrugged, a bit nonplussed, "Kinda? I'm a licensed Hunter, but I don't often participate in raids."

Xuan Zang nodded once again, "So, if you're a Hunter, isn't it your duty to kill us, who are monsters?"

Ichigo looked at Xuan Zang for a second, blinking absentmindedly. She scratched her head, laughing, "Well, I guess it's just because you guys don't really seem like monsters? If I'm not wrong, Yogumunt took something out of my friends and put them into you all. So… you're a little portion of my friends right now."

Now it was Xuan Zang's turn to laugh. It was a boisterous laugh, unbefitting of the monk-like Construct. The other Constructs looked at him, eyes watching him closely. Some were confused, while others were cautious.

"Master Yogumunt has given us the order to protect this dagger," Xuan Zang revealed, softly gesturing to Nyx.

"Xuan Zang, what are you—" Nyx cursed, taking a cautious step back from Xuan Zang. Enkidu held his arm over Nyx's chest, readying himself to protect her. His eyes lingered on Xuan Zang, his gaze steely.

Kali bared her teeth, while Lilith softly held her back. Lilith's expression was unreadable, but the fingers on her hand fidgeted nervously.

Nyx wasn't physically holding Legacy, but Ichigo could feel the tiniest bit of Mana of Death rising off the Construct. The Construct hid the weapon under a veil. If Xuan Zang hadn't mentioned it, Ichigo doubted she could've figured it out.

Xuan Zang continued like nothing had happened, "So do you think we'll give it to you easily?"

Ichigo scratched the side of her head, "Well, I can't kill you guys since you're a little bit of my friends, and I don't want to hurt them so…." Ichigo continued scratching her head, seeming to fall deep into thought. "I dunno know what to do!"

Xuan Zang smiled, glancing back at his fellow Constructs. They'd all taken one step back, looking at him cautiously.

"Master Yogumunt has given us autonomy. We can now choose, and think, and act for ourselves. These souls within us make us who we are, this is what my enlightenment has taught me. And now, each one of you must've faced doubts on what to do now, hm?" Xuan Zang said.

Kali was the first one to fervently deny him, "Ya connivin' bastard, what are ya' talkin' about?!"

Nyx shared similar sentiments, but Enkidu and Lilith remained quiet. Kali took an angered step back from Lilith, while Nyx took a cautious step back from Lilith.

Suddenly, the Constructs were split. Kali and Nyx stood next to one another, angered and bewildered by the other three's choices. Enkidu approached Lilith, who stood still, stunned by Kali and Nyx's reactions.

When Enkidu laid his hand on her shoulder, she turned back and looked back at Xuan Zang. Enkidu did the same thing too, and all the attention fell on the Buddhist Construct.

Xuan Zang gestured to Ichigo, who looked at the scene in a bit of confusion, "A human being stands before us. Miss Ichigo was given the opportunity to attack us like monsters, but now her lack of desire forces us to answer a question."

Lilith took half a step forward, pure white eyes gazing nervously. "Xuan Zang, don't… do this. You don't have to do this."

Xuan Zang continued, "Are we human, or are we monsters?"

Kali roared, "We're monstahs', ain't nothin' else!"

Nyx held her hands up, ready to cast a spell. "I don't know what happened to you, but we're supposed to be loyal to Master Yogumunt and him alone! How dare you betray him!"

Xuan Zang shook his head, smiling at his allies, "Your choices make me happy, my friends. I don't need you to agree with me, I simply wished for you to make your own decisions. I choose to stand with humanity."

Xuan Zang smiled, and before anyone could respond, Kali shot past Enkidu and Lilith, two of her fists slamming into Xuan Zang's face. The Construct was lifted off the ground and sent tumbling backwards. Incredibly angered, Kali threw a punch towards Ichigo, which threw her back just as much as it did to Xuan Zang. Dirt flew into the air, obscuring Xuan Zang and Ichigo's fallen bodies.

"Yeah, how's that, huh?! If ya' wanta' stand with humans, then ya' can die wit' em too!" Kali roared, spinning back and looking at Enkidu and Lilith. "What about ya' two, huh?! Ya' gonna betray the mastah' too?!"

Lilith bit her tongue, while Enkidu stepped forward. "We'll consult Master Yogumunt about this ourselves."

Kali clenched her fists, "Ya' think I'd let traitors like ya' talk ta' Mastah' Yogumunt?!"

Lilith turned back, looking to Nyx, who looked similarly angry. "Nyx, just… don't do anything we'll regret…."

Nyx scowled, "I wasn't the one who's been doubting our creator! Master Yogumunt works so hard for us, but you two go and doubt him?! I can't let you guys just do what you want, especially if you're going against our master!"

The two sides kept one another in check, and as they edged towards an inevitable conflict, Xuan Zang lightly laughed as he stared up into the patchwork sky. Next to him, Ichigo let out a small sigh.

"Why did you side with humanity?" Ichigo asked. "I don't really get it either way, but…."

Xuan Zang was quiet for a second, the sound of his fellow Constructs tensely arguing fading into the distance. "Humans are admirable. They live such lives where they can choose what they want, they're not restricted by mere instincts of simple orders from nigh-deific beings. I'd like to choose too."

Ichigo slowly rose from her spot, shaking her head. Her nose was bleeding, and she had a black eye, but she wasn't bothered by her injuries. She extended a hand to Xuan Zang, but the Construct only lightly tapped hers, energy flowing into Ichigo.

Ichigo was suddenly filled with an intense energy, and her injuries reverted to their prior states. In fact, she felt even better than she did before. Her muscles felt looser, and her body was ready for anything.

However, she could tell this sudden skill was doing something to Xuan Zang. The Construct's body was covered in flickering lights, the strongest lights emerging from the monk's chest.

"What's happening to you?" Ichigo asked, her eyes widening. She extended her hand back to Xuan Zang, but the Construct just smiled.

"I admire humanity, but I can't live among them. I wouldn't feel happy knowing I got to live instead of the people who made up who I am," Xuan Zang's body began fading away, scattering into mana. Ichigo looked with wide eyes, unable to do anything. She tried to stop it, grabbing small bits of the scattering mana, but nothing she tried worked. "Still, this does make me quite happy. In my last moments, I lived just like they did. Free, oh, I'm free."

[Xuan Zang has activated the Soul Attribute skill: Life's Last Healing.]

Xuan Zang burst into mana, scattering as several orbs—souls—flew away. Ichigo looked at the spot where Xuan Zang was, feeling abruptly emotional.

"Thank you, Miss Ichigo. Now, I leave my energy with you. Live a good life," Xuan Zang's voice faded away, leaving Ichigo with more power than she could've imagined having.

She always lacked in her mana pool, which held her back from officially being anything higher than a B-Rank, despite her capabilities always surpassing her rank alone. However, Xuan Zang's blessing permanently increased Ichigo's mana pool, bringing her to the S-Rank.

However, Ichigo didn't cheer.

She just stared at the spot where Xuan Zang once was. A tear fell down her face before she wiped it away.

Yes, Ichigo was not a Hunter. She was a fighter, but she was also a kind, friendly person. This was who she is.

Clenching her bat, she raced forward, her body crossing the area in an instant. Her bat suddenly smashed into Kali, a shockwave of energy rocking through the Construct's body before she slid back to Nyx's side, falling to one knee.

Enkidu and Lilith looked at Ichigo cautiously.

Ichigo looked past them, staring at Nyx and Kali. Her green eyes shimmered powerfully. "For those of you that want to leave, I won't stop you. However, if you attack me, I won't have any choice but to attack you back."

Lilith and Enkidu traded a quick glance, and Nyx noticed it. "You don't get to run away! You both—"

Nyx suddenly fell silent, a feeling of immense dread suddenly filling her. She slowly turned to look at Ichigo. The woman didn't do anything threatening, but Nyx felt like an immense creature suddenly began looking at her.

Nyx was pulled from her stupor when Kali slowly rose from her spot, panting.

"Let em go, we've gotta bigga' threat now," Kali spoke lowly, half of her arms hanging limply at her side. Ichigo's blow totally shattered them.

Enkidu and Lilith glanced at one another before Enkidu nodded, an orb of metal forming around them and pulling them into the ground. Their presences disappeared entirely soon after.

Ichigo looked at Kali and Nyx seriously, "You two plan on standing in my way? You won't just give me the dagger?"

Kali growled, "I don't need those wimps ta' help me! I'll kill ya' myself! Nyx, do it!"

Nyx opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. Mana swelled around the Construct, and Ichigo had a chance to stop her from activating her skill. However, she didn't.

Perhaps it was foolish, but this was just the person she was.

Nyx's energy swelled, and then it covered Kali. Kali's body shook for a moment, her eyes going white before her body's energy doubled, then tripled. Her body grew several feet, and her muscles bulged.

[Nyx has activated the skill: Tricking the Mind.]

Nyx fell to the floor, falling unconscious. Kali didn't even look back to her body, laughing as she looked down on Ichigo. Ichigo looked unperturbed.

Kali laughed, her laugh shaking the very ground. She pointed toward at Ichigo, grinning. "I'm gonna pummel ya' into dirt!"

Ichigo twirled her makeshift bat in her hand, cracking her neck.

Kali's massive fist shot towards Ichigo, but she batted the blow away, doing the same to the oncoming second fist. She pushed forward, hopping onto Kali's arm before the giant pulled back with shocking speed. Ichigo barely blocked before two of Kali's fists slammed into her, sending her flying backwards.

Before the fighter could react, Kali was at her side, suddenly slamming her into the ground. The Construct laughed as she continued to hit Ichigo. "Where'd ya' confidence go, huh?! HUH?!!"

Ichigo couldn't respond as Kali relentlessly pounded her fists into her.

"Ya're just like everyone else! Ya're weak! Ya try to be strong, but ya're nothin'! Nothin' but a waste of space, ya hear me?! Ya can't even kill us, that's how weak ya are! And ya don't just got a weak body, but a weak mind tuh!"

"Ya ran away when things got tough! And I can tell, ya can't even face your fears!" Kali roared, pounding Ichigo's body faster, a crater beginning to appear in the earth. "Ya will fall behind! They'll leave ya, and they won't need ya, right?!"

As Ichigo stared up through the tons of blows, she listened to Kali's words. She had no idea how Kali could know that information about her, but she didn't care. In truth, Kali was right.

Ichigo was worried that Jin-Woo and Fanzer would leave her behind. Jin-Woo's connection with Mana of Death and Fanzer's incredible mana capacity left her only with her physical abilities to catch up, and she worried they wouldn't be enough.

"Ya've got no dreams! Ya live every day easily, without movin' towards anythin'! That's why ya'll die!" Kali roared, slamming all her fists into Ichigo's body, cracks shooting out into the surrounding area. Kali slowly pulled back, panting. Rocks fell onto Ichigo's bloodied body.

'A dream…. A dream….' Ichigo's mind traveled; her green eyes full of vitality even after she was smacked around. 'If I had a dream like Fanzer or Jin-Woo's, it'd be….'

Kali slowly turned around, walking away slowly. However, she stopped when she heard a pile of rocks being moved, slowly spinning to see Ichigo standing up, mana steaming off her body.

Kali let out a roar, closing the distance between her and Ichigo in an instant. Her body created an immense shadow over her enemy as her fists closed in on Ichigo. However, her fists were all suddenly swatted away, Ichigo's bat flying faster than Kali could recognize.

Kali stumbled backwards, suddenly feeling a chunk of her energy disappear.

Ichigo bit down on some food that wasn't there before. A delicious-looking kebab, a steak, and a bowl of ice cream all disappeared as Ichigo quickly devoured them.

Kali couldn't understand what just happened. She leapt at Ichigo again, but her attacks were batted away even easier than before, more food appearing just for Ichigo to devour.

The soul is a mystery that most Hunters didn't properly understand, even if it was the very thing that allowed them to be Hunters. However, every Hunter who didn't live underneath a rock understood what a Soul Attribute was. But despite this mass information, many thought a Soul Attribute was simply another ability for Hunters.

A Soul Attribute wasn't simply a static ability.

Rather, as a person grows, their Soul Attribute may grow in tandem. This phenomenon is quite rare in Hunters, since many don't think to move forward after they've hit the S-Rank.

Ichigo's heard a voice come from deep within her, but at her core, she knew exactly what the voice was.

<We're the Gourmet, and we eat everything we desire. But right now….>

Ichigo's eyes shimmered powerfully, gold flickering within them.

<Right now, we desire one thing.>

[Ichigo Jin-Sol's Soul Attribute is evolving.]

<We desire victory.>

[Gourmet -> God's Gourmet]

<And nothing will stand in our way, not even God.>

Every one of Kali's attacks were transformed into food, and Ichigo devoured that food, pushing Kali back more and more.

[God's Gourmet Passive Skill: God's Tongue.]

[Skill: God's Tongue quadruples the positive effects of any food God's Gourmet eats.]

[Ichigo has activated the Soul Attribute skill: Gourmet's Grand Feast.]

Ichigo's stats rose higher and higher, and suddenly, Kali felt like a mouse in front of a lion.

Turning her enemy's attacks into food that she'd devour to get stronger, yes, this is how Ichigo fights.

In a blink of an eye, Ichigo's bat pummeled Kali, bringing the giant Construct down. The Perfect Construct crumbled, falling and causing a tremor as she hit the ground. Soon after, her body shrank down to its original size.

When Kali hit the ground, Nyx shot up. She looked at Kali's fallen form before staring at Ichigo. The Hunter's energy was suddenly much more massive than before, and Nyx cowered away before it.

Ichigo approached Nyx, and the Construct curled up, trying to protect herself. Ichigo softly bent down and laid her hand on Nyx's head.

"Can I have my friend's dagger?" Ichigo asked, and Nyx nodded furiously. Dark energy coalesced around her hands as the dagger appeared, Mana of Death writhing around it.

Ichigo softly took the dagger, which began sucking away her energy as soon as she touched it. "Thank you. I can't say what'll happen to you after Yogumunt passes away, but maybe you'll be okay. Your friend will wake up soon."

Ichigo's bloody form began walking away from Nyx, eating more food. Her energy only rose more as time passed.

Ichigo absentmindedly hummed to herself, "For my dream, I think… being the Sovereign of Hunters sounds like fun."

She smiled brightly, liking how the words sounded. "Yeah, I'm gonna be the next Sovereign of Hunters!"