Ch 83:- Soul Sea

Ch 83: Soul Sea

In the midst of a vast oceanic river, its edges stretching endlessly into the horizon, stood a solitary figure. He seemed to defy the laws of nature, standing firmly with both feet planted in the ever-flowing current as if it were solid ground. His face was stoic and mysterious, his obsidian eyes shining with otherworldly knowledge as he gazed upon a small but grandiose island. The island itself was made of a dark, stone-like material, giving off an eerie and foreboding aura.

At the heart of the island lay a massive red crystal, pulsating with dark crimson energy. It seemed to throb and breathe like a living creature, with blood-red veins branching out from its core and spreading across the surface like capillaries. These veins continued down towards the water, illuminating it with an otherworldly golden-red glow that shimmered and danced on its surface. It was a sight unlike anything he had ever seen before.

He let out a tired huff as he moved his gaze away from it and looked above, his gaze fixating on a broken star hanging in the boundless sky. Its light flickered weakly, like a dying flame struggling to stay alive. That was his soul core, the essence that once defined him as a divine being. It was now cracked, shattered, not completely destroyed, but rendered unusable and unstable. In other words, it had become dormant once again.

Nevertheless, he was thankful that the soul itself had no direct relation to the soul core, other than serving as its host, a vessel to carry it. He couldn't fathom what would have happened if it literally was what its name meant—a soul core, a core that held his very soul, something tethered to his essence. The consequences would have been unthinkable and catastrophic. If his soul had been shattered along with the core, then he would have been utterly and truly lost, with no reincarnation or second chances, only void awaiting him.

But thankfully, that was not the case. The formation of a soul core itself is both a delicate and rare phenomenon. Only those who are adept and have firm control over the soul force can perform such a feat. It is no easy process, as one mistake could lead to death or even a fate worse than that—corruption. In his case, he was only able to form the soul core due to his luck, determination, and help from his system. Even now, he suspects that his bond with the system is what's keeping his soul core from totally collapsing.

He let out another tired sigh before deciding to continue doing what he was there for—studying the soul core and helping Cia form a more mundane, humane version of it: the mana core. Considering her eagerness from the previous day and her progress, he may find an answer if it's possible to perform the mystic arts he knew and learned in the nightmare with this world's version of a more mundane soul force, mana.

As he contemplated this, a spark of inspiration took root in his mind.

'Maybe I can do it if I infuse it with a little...'

Suddenly, the voice of someone calling and shaking him brought him back to reality from his soul sea.

"Hey, hey, stop it. I am awake," Rayne said as he cracked open his eyes and looked at Quinn's face, who was looking at him with concern.

"What happened?"

Quinn frowned a little before sighing and said in a tired tone, "Did you already forget we will be returning to our military base today? So hurry up and gather your luggage; we are already too late."

Rayne sighed once more before using his superior speed, quickly gathering his bag, and leaving alongside Quinn in a similar fashion. Soon enough, they arrived at the hotel lobby.

As soon as he arrived, he immediately stopped breathing. These few days after turning Cia into a vampire, he didn't really interact with the group much, neither did he interact with Cia. Instead, what he has been doing is meditating and getting a hold of his urges, which also left him no choice but to abandon his frugal diet for a while and drink blood regularly. Unlike Quinn and his vampire type who didn't need to drink that much blood, he was different; he at least needed to drink 6 pints of blood regularly both because of his flaw [Gluttony] and also because he was a little different from them. So, during this couple of days he just did that, carefully choosing his prey and drinking from them. He may have even gone a little overboard during this period and drank more than 10 pints. It was by accident; it was just too easy to get lost in the feeling. He may or may not have started an urban legend while he was at it, scaring students, and maybe he had also scared the Bree family leader, Mona Bree. The point is, it was not his fault; all the fault was his vampire self and the students like who told them to get scared when someone was chasing them for their blood. Like, no one told them, at least I didn't tell them to do that.

"Sigh, humans, but damn that woman Mona, her blood was good. Maybe I should have put a tag on her; then maybe I could have been able to taste more of her later by stalking into her room… that is not a bad idea. I think I should have done that," Rayne thought as he licked his lips, reminiscing the taste of the blood. Meanwhile, a good bunch of the female students were looking at him and blushing furiously, all of them conversing among themselves animatedly.

After all the students had arrived and finished lining up, General Mike did a headcount to determine if they were all there and then cleared his throat, attracting all the attention to himself before saying:

"Alright, it looks like everyone is here. And I would like to say one more thing, sorry about doing this again."

As soon as he finished, the shutters of the hotel lobby came down in an instant. Metal doors blocked the entrance way, and soon every small little hole was closed. Looking around, all the soldiers and school staff can now be seen wearing gas masks, and slowly the room started to fill with pinkish gas, lulling all the students into a peaceful slumber.

"Tch, Humans and their odd antics," Rayne clicked his tongue and muttered quietly as he once again retreated back to his soul sea, while his body fell on the ground as if a marionette cut off all its strings.

~Meanwhile, a couple of days ago at Pure Base~

A graceful figure could be seen swirling and twirling, moving with unparalleled elegance of a dancer within the training grounds of Pure Base. The young woman, with her platinum golden blonde hair cascading down her back and piercing blue eyes filled with determination, wielded a greatsword with remarkable finesse. Every movement she made was like a dance, fluid and seamless, as if she were an extension of the weapon itself. Her body flowed like water, dodging, parrying, and weaving through imaginary opponents; her strikes were precise and powerful. It was a sight to behold.

A few meters away from her, two people could be seen standing, overseeing the students that were training.

"What do you think?" the person standing there spoke.

"I would say this year is quite promising," the other person said.

"You know that is not what I

meant, James," the first person replied with a hint of annoyance in their voice. "I am talking about her, Erin. She has been showing tremendous progress lately, and her battle prowess could be said to be on par among her peers."

James, the person who had brought Erin to Pure Base from planet Biolotmere, turned his gaze towards Erin, studying her movements, footwork, and technique. But no matter how many times he looked, he just couldn't decipher it; her whole form seemed like water, malleable yet lethal like a raging storm. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke:

"What could I say, Agent 5," James murmured, his voice barely audible over the sounds of clashing swords. "Erin's progress is... astounding."

Agent 5, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Astounding, you say? Care to elaborate?"

James hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to articulate his thoughts. Erin's skill with the sword was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. It was as though she had tapped into a hidden well of knowledge; her movements were imbued with a certain grace that defied any battle technique he had ever witnessed. Her movements were effortless as if she...

"It's... very difficult...to put into words," James finally admitted, his gaze fixed on Erin as she executed a flawless series of strikes. "Her swordsmanship is different... unconventional, even. But it's undeniably effective."

Agent 5 nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing in concentration. "I see. A prodigy, perhaps?"

James nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's one way to describe it. It's almost as if she has unlocked a new understanding in the field of combat, I guess?"

"That I see as well, but that is not the only thing I see; something else like a spark in her eye, a fire burning deep within her soul, yes, James, that is what I see. I see a warrior, a leader. One who will bring justice and lead the pure to victory. She possesses a rare combination of strength and compassion, a true embodiment of what it means to fight for a better future," Agent 5 paused before once again saying, "I will say this now, James; mark my word, she will one day bring salvation to Pure."

James looked at Agent 5 in contemplation "You really believe what you said?"

"I will not say yes, but I have hopes," Agent 5 said.

"It is not like I have any choice after all you are my 'superior'," James said as he let out a small chuckle.

"Haha very funny of you; now go and gather everyone, we have an important announcement to make," Agent 5 said while shooing away James and once again looking at Erin studying her.

As Erin continued with her training, completely immersed in the rhythm, she suddenly felt a shiver travel down her spine. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she felt the eerie sensation of someone watching her. Halting her strike midway, she turned around, her eyes scanning the whole arena until her eyes fell on Agent 5 standing at the far end of the room looking in her direction. Noticing that Erin had noticed her, Agent 5 gave a curt nod with Erin copying it before once again returning to her endless swinging, this time a little too conscious of her movements, making her movements a bit stiff.

Nevertheless, she continued on as plans formulated in her mind.

~Some time later~

Clang!

The clashing of swords reverberated throughout the hallroom as a friendly spar unfolded between two students. Erin held her long sword, its blade giving off a metallic blue sheen against the room's lighting. Her opponent, Bart, wielded two small curved swords that looked like a pair of scimitars.

While Erin's movements were graceful and fluid, her sword gliding through the air with majestic elegance, Bart's fighting style was more grounded, basic, yet efficient. He moved with a calculated rhythm, utilizing the dual blades to create strategic offense.

As both Erin and Bart circled each other, the tension in the air grew palpable. Erin's water-like movements mirrored the calm before a storm, and Bart's focused stance hinted at a readiness to counter any unpredictable strike. The clash of their contrasting styles painted a vivid picture in the sparring room.

Erin initiated the engagement with a swift series of strikes, her blades creating an intricate pattern in the air. Bart, with his scimitars, parried and dodged, displaying a grounded and methodical defense. The room echoed with the sound of metal meeting metal as they engaged in a dance of blades.

Suddenly, Erin executed a parry, seamlessly appearing behind Bart, raising her sword to deliver a final blow. But Bart countered with a skillful spin, deflecting Erin's anticipated attack. The clashes of swords once again continued with a captivating ebb and flow, a display of contrasting styles intertwining in a silent cacophony of combat. The fluidity of Erin's water stance clashed with Bart's calculated dual blade maneuvers.

As the spar reached its climax, both fighters pushed themselves to their limits. The room bore witness to the clash of water and steel, a captivating dance that left the spectators in awe.

Erin's water-like grace became more pronounced as the sparring match progressed. Her movements flowed seamlessly, as the fight continued, her stance becoming a bit more refined than before and her ability to predict and counter Bart's every move becoming better. Bart, although skilled with his dual scimitars, found himself struggling to keep up with Erin's unpredictable and rapid swordplay. His mind and body both exhausted beyond measure, his moves becoming more stiff and hesitant.

As the intensity of the battle heightened, Erin unleashed a final flurry of strikes. The rapid succession of blows left Bart with limited options for defense. Despite his best efforts to block and evade, Erin's relentless assault overwhelmed him.

In one swift and decisive maneuver, Erin spun around, and her blade met Bart's with deadly precision. The clash reverberated throughout the room as his dual blades clattered onto the ground several feet away from him. Erin stood victorious, her sword poised for another strike if needed, while Bart acknowledged his defeat with a nod.

Taking her blade away from Bart, she clicked her tongue and turned away in disappointment.

"Still not good enough, it still doesn't feel right! I took too much time!"

Meanwhile, James, who was watching this from the sidelines, shook his head in disappointment. He still didn't quite understand why Agent 5 recommended Erin for the Agent Exam. She was still new to this whole thing, and he wasn't sure if he could trust her fully. Recalling one time he asked about her sword technique and she answered vaguely, saying it was some kind of heirloom. It didn't feel quite right to him; he could also sometimes sense this strange uneasiness, as if some otherworldly unholy creature was looking at him from the deepest depths of hell.

James shook his head, attempting to dispel those intrusive thoughts. He looked in their direction, took a deep breath, and shouted from across the room, "You two, come over here."

Hearing it, both Erin and Bart turned their heads before quickly making their way towards him. The rest of the students continued their practice, stealing glances in their direction.

"Excellent, both of you," James exclaimed with a forced smile. He continued, "I witnessed what you both did and have been watching your fights for the last few days. Bart, don't be upset; you've remained my best student for the longest time, but there's still room for improvement, and I think you learned that today. Erin, I don't have much to say, but you did excellent; keep up with your progress."

"The reason I've called you here is that I want to nominate both of you for the Agents' exam," James said with a dramatic pause, studying their reactions. Bart was excited, while Erin was the exact opposite, looking serious with no facial expression.

"Does this mean there's been an opening in the top 100?" Bart asked eagerly.

"Yes, not just one but two. They have asked all the teachers to select their best two students, which is why I called both of you here today," James explained. "This is a great opportunity for both of you. If selected as numbered agents, you will be able to leave the base. We will assign you a mission on one of the planets or even at one of the military bases. Prove your worth, and maybe one day, you will be in the same position as I am."

Erin had learned quite a bit about the ranking system while staying at the base. Agents in the top hundred rarely dropped in rank; they often switched positions between each other. However, this was the first time they were looking for someone from the hundreds to become numbered.

"Does this mean two agents from the numbered were killed?" Erin asked.

Looking at Erin's face and her determined look, James thought for a moment, wondering about her reason for asking. He then remembered on whose recommendation she was recruited. At least she deserves to know this.

"I'm not really meant to tell you this, but it's not really a secret either. Since it revolves around you, I think you should know. The truth is we don't really know what happened to them, but one of them was agent 100, Layla—the person who recommended you to us. She's no longer responding to our calls."

Hearing this news was devastating to Erin, and she was starting to fear the worst.

'What happened to you, Layla?'