15 Ch. 15 Weakness

With each beat of my soul formed wings, I rise higher until I finally punch through the exit. I continue my upward flight into the midday sun until I'm high above my city.

At the zenith of my flight, I survey the city below as I begin to glide above the various structures. The once-thriving and populated city is nothing of its former glory. Now, it's just deserted ruins, infested with demon beasts.

As I glide lower, I spot a large group of Giant Blue Armed Apes. The sight of these filthy beasts in this city pushes me beyond furious! Snarling, I rocket to the center of their group intent on ridding the world of these animals!

With a thunderous crash, I hit the ground as I slice through three of the apes with Solarion. My need to spill blood wasn't slackened in the least. As if I've practiced for years, Solarion sings in my hands as I cut down every demon beast in the area. Surveying the blood and gore surrounding me, my fury is still raging.

Channeling soul force into my throat, I issue a challenge in a ferrous roar to the heavens that echos to every corner of Orchid City. As my challenge echos off buildings and ruins, the call of dozens of demon beasts rises up. Accepting my challenge with roars of their own, they rush to my position.

I soon find myself swarmed. There are no tactics or strategy used. They simply charge forward, angry at my challenge and presence. They came screeching by the dozens, and like wheat before the sickle, I fell them all.

It wasn't long before my soul formed armor and wings winked out of existence. I've never been this low of soul force before. A drained and exhausted feeling washed over me mid-battle.

My rage-fueled killing quickly turned into calculated maneuvers to eliminate each ape with the least amount of energy needed. As I'm dancing through their attacks and bodies, I begin to question my possessive anger. I felt attached to this city and her people, but that shouldn't have sent me into a vengeance filled rage!

I'm suddenly forced to evade a massive fist from a hulking Giant Blue Armed Ape! Quickly surveying my attacker, I take in the sight of a three-meter tall gray-haired brute. With a strength nearing Gold rank, this is the strongest and largest ape I've encountered.

The weaker apes quickly retreat a dozen meters away from us. Seeming to size me up, the Alpha ape begins to suck in a large amount of air. Not giving the huge flea-bag a chance to roar in my face, I pivot and thrust Solarion deep into his chest.

The Alpha ape only has a moment to look confused before life is extinguished from his eyes. As the body falls to the ground, I can't help but comment, "Well, that was anticlimactic."

There is a pregnant pause before several apes release ear-piercing screeches. The loud screech is quickly picked-up by all the apes surrounding me. Acting on my gut feeling, I quickly attempt to cut away through the crowd. As if driven by some primal instinct for revenge, the apes begin to attack with reckless abandon!

With too little soul force to easily escape, I'm forced to use every bit of my superior strength to fend off their suicidal attacks! I may be far stronger than any individual demon beast present, but the sheer number of apes in a berserker state could overpower me.

Using a series of quick sweeping attacks from Solarion allows me to punch through their barricade. Now that I'm no longer completely encircled by homicidal monkeys, I start using the terrain to prevent them from surrounding me again.

Now that an enormous amount of pressure has been lifted off of me, I have a moment to access the situation better. Able to see that I'm only seconds away from being surrounded again, I merge with the Shadow Devil and quickly enter Void-Form. At losing sight of their target, the Giant Blue Armed Apes start to loudly call out as they dash throughout the area.

Thinking more about my situation with the emotionally detached thought process while merged with the Shadow Devil, I'm even more confused. Yes, I should have felt sorrow looking at the remains of children, but not a seething need to avenge the dead!

I pay no attention to the chaos the apes are causing around me, as I quickly move to a large sturdy looking building. Once I reach the center of the building, I release Void-Form. Visible once again, I quietly listen for any sounds of movement in the building. Those damn dirty apes appear to be sticking to the streets and vegetation in their search of me.

Sitting in the lotus position, I begin reviewing everything that happened in the past few hours. After a quick analytical examination of the prior events, the most likely cause is manipulation. The most probable source of would either be the Shadow Devil or the strange energy I absorbed from Emperor Kong Ming's Tomb.

Releasing the merger with the Shadow Devil, I close my eyes and seek my soul realm.

Once my consciousness entered into my soul realm, I'm able to make out the Shadow Devil and a large gray mist. I attempt to inspect the foreign mist from different angles when an unstoppable suction pulls me into the mist!

In a panic, I find myself in the void of space, surrounded by a sea of stars. Calming a bit, I take in my surroundings. An odd mixture of terror and relaxation settles over me. It's beautiful.

"Greetings Inheritor. Or should I say, Candidate?"

Spinning to face the voice, I lock on to the sight of a noble and dignified senior and long flowing white robes. His eyes seemed to match the depths of space that surrounds us.

"Emperor Kong Ming," I confidently state.

"Correct young one," Emperor Kong Ming states as he continues to stare at me.

Unable to hold it back, I ask, "So you're the one that's been manipulating me?"

"No."

Dumbfounded by his immediate reply, I stutter out, "But... But it was because of you that I became so angry at the sight of the ruined city and the remains of those children! Your city and your people!"

"The fault is solely due to your own weakness. I am just a sliver of intent, yet you are not strong enough to protect your mind from my influence." Emperor Kong Ming plainly states.

"I'm only a Gold rank, and you are at least at the demigod..."

"No, young one. The strength you lack is that of your Will and Soul. Until you have hardened your Will and strengthened your Soul, you will never reach the summit of being a cultivator." Emperor Kong Ming lectured in an encouraging tone.

"Could you teach me h..." I begin to ask.

"No, young one. You are still just a candidate and only the Inheritor will receive my legacy. My time grows short. My intent will continue to merge with you until they have become one. That is unavoidable. As you have noticed, my emotions and familiarity with certain artifacts will have a varying degree of influence on you. If you wish to remain outside the influence of my intent, you have less than a week to increase your Will and Soul.

"You will not be able to speak with this sliver of intent again. I wish you luck on your path young one." Emperor Kong Ming completely fades from view.

Before I can react, I'm thrust out of the vision.

"Son of a bitch," I angrily call out!

Taking several deep breathes, I concentrate on calming down. I've spent enough time in a rage today. After a few moments, I'm able to rationally think again. I start analyzing everything I know about this.

So, the frightening power I absorbed from Emperor Kong Ming's Tomb, was actually a 'sliver' of Kong Ming's intent. His intent will be fully merged with me in less than a week. And unless I somehow strengthen my soul, I will have to worry about random spikes of irrational behavior.

Thinking about it more, the intent's influence is probably what caused me to understand sections of the page from the Temporal Demon Spirit Book. Not sure what brought the migraine on though.

I need to get this reigned in. While the understanding of the remnant page is very useful, the rampaging apes outside are not. Or is it.

I made Solarion because the Thunder God's Meteorite Sword is too powerful until I am far stronger. But Solarion is too weak as she is right now. I can turn this blunder into an opportunity to begin increasing Solarion's power!

Realizing what I just said, I think Kong Ming's intent is already influencing my emotions. I would have never thought of committing the wanton killing of hundreds of anything! Even after thinking more about it, I still see more benefits than disadvantages.

I enter the Library of Heaven's Path to search for any possible ways to keep from losing myself. Calling for all books about the soul, only a few dozen appear in front of me. Looking up at the books floating before me, I notice a reflection of light. Looking up to the apex of the Library of Heaven's Path, a large golden book is suspended in air!

Suddenly filled with anticipation, I mentally call for the golden book. Once the large book is in my hands, I slowly open the cover, to reveal a lone golden page. A Golden Page from the Library of Heaven's Path!

This could be the answer I so desperately need! I have to take the chance and try to use it to strengthen my soul. Unfortunately, I don't know of anything on Tiny World that I can use to test if the page worked.

Continuing to debate with myself is getting me nowhere. Deciding to take a leap of faith, I lay my hand on the Golden Page. I focus on the thought of needed to increase my soul depth and will power. Verbally announcing my desire, a lustrous golden light fills the Library of Heaven's Path.