[154] Mysterious Legacy[4]
[2300 Words]
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*Clatter~!*
*Clatter~!*
Thunder rumbled aggressively above the Sky Bloom island, with the sound of lightning piercing through the heavens, deafening all in its wake and frightening the predators that roamed the island.
In stark contrast to the serene and beautiful atmosphere that once defined the island, the scene had now transformed into a terrifying tableau of death and destruction.
Amid the dense forest, where a mysterious pool lay hidden, an intriguing scene was unfolding.
Dozens of trees had been completely uprooted and destroyed, with numerous craters of varying sizes pockmarking the hardened ground. Alongside these signs of devastation, several predator corpses littered the area, victims of the recent battle.
At the center of the pool itself lay a white silhouette, unmoving. Its body was marked with gruesome and horrifying wounds, evidence of the fierce encounter.
This mysterious figure was none other than the once-dreaded malevolent spirit.
"Haah… Haah… Is it finally over?" gasped Vivi, who hovered above, her lower body having transformed into a swirling mass of sand.
Below her, the ground bore marks of her presence—dry, dead patches and withered trees. Wherever Vivi went, her power seemed to sap the life and moisture from everything dependent on water.
"That was strange…" Nami sighed, still gripping her unsheathed sword tightly. Her gaze fixed on the spirit, now in an uncertain state.
The spirit had ceased its attacks some time ago, but caution lingered.
"I heard tremors from afar earlier. Could it be the captain?"
The voice came from Nojiko, the blue-haired girl holding an unusual gun in her hand. Not far from her lay the corpses of numerous beasts, each bearing holes that seemed to have been caused by bullets piercing through their bodies.
The gun in her hand was peculiar—its design complex and futuristic, as if plucked from a world beyond imagination. Its dark color and exceptionally long barrel were framed by a robust metallic casing.
A detached cylinder dangled beneath the barrel, seemingly purposeless and mysterious in its addition. Yet the most striking feature was the large orb embedded between the hammer and the barrel, radiating an inexplicable aura that gave Nojiko an unsettling sensation.
[Image here]
This weapon was known as "Emperor," and the name was no exaggeration. At first glance, it might appear as a convoluted and overly intricate firearm, but its design was no coincidence. Instead, it embodied the volatile and unpredictable nature of its abilities.
It was a gun that seamlessly blended futuristic innovation with a touch of archaic technology. The long barrel was encased in a metallic frame, while the detached cylinder hinted at enigmatic functionality. There were no visible scopes or clear details to suggest the weapon's purpose, yet its defining feature was the orb—a component that elevated it beyond mere weaponry.
And its power? Astonishing and terrifying in equal measure. The ability to control a bullet's trajectory as if one were commanding the very winds themselves. To write pathways in the air, to shape the bullet's course. No reloading was required, and the ammunition was unlimited...
Or rather, there wasn't any ammunition in the traditional sense. The bullets consumed the user's stamina instead, for this world knew nothing of "Stand" energy.
God's Weapons skill had made such radical modification possible.
Imagine a bullet circling its target, relentlessly chasing them without losing speed. It could curve into a U-shape, thread its way through a narrow passage unnoticed, and strike with unfathomable precision.
[Image here]
Yet, like all great power, there were limits. Nothing remains infinite. Despite its supremacy at close range, the bullets began to lose their effectiveness with increasing distance. The gun adhered to the laws of range—its strength diminished as the target moved further away.
Furthermore, the Emperor had a special bond with Nojiko, mirroring the connection between user and weapon in its original world. This unique relationship allowed her to summon the gun directly to her hand, offering unmatched convenience.
"I'm not sure… Mikita flew off in that direction earlier. I have no idea what's happening with her," Nami replied to her older sister, her focus returning to the enigmatic spirit before them.
"This… there's an unfamiliar language here… A script I've never seen before."
Suddenly, the girls were drawn to Robin's voice. She was brushing dust off ancient, mysterious statues.
The statues were relatively small, resembling animals, each roughly the size of a young child. There were five in total, and Robin had discovered them in the area minutes after the battle ended.
"What are these things?" Shirahoshi tilted her head gently, her large eyes fixated on the engravings carved into the statues shaped like various animals: a lion, a tiger, a leopard, a bear, and finally, a monkey.
"Unfortunately, even I don't recognize the ancient language inscribed here… If only the captain were here---" Robin began but was abruptly interrupted as she sensed something in the sky.
The atmosphere grew heavy, and the tension in the air became palpable. Something significant was about to unfold.
Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she looked at the three figures descending to the ground.
It was none other than Ren, Kalifa, and Mikita.
"Hello, Girls. It seems something rather interesting has happened here..." Ren remarked as his gaze swept over the surrounding devastation and the strange pool. His eyes narrowed slightly when they landed on the shadowy figure, which Mikita had informed him about earlier.
"FuFu~ It seems the captain has had his fair share of fun too~," Nojiko chuckled lightly before stepping forward to greet Ren. Nami, Robin, and the rest followed suit.
Seeing the group of women gathered around him, Ren could only smile. "Sigh… That's right. Just some oversized crabs, peculiar trees, and a wooden monster… nothing too serious."
Most of the girls' mouths fell open in shock at his casual tone.
"Ren-sama, we need details!" Shirahoshi exclaimed, her voice tinged with childlike eagerness. Ren gently patted her head.
"Not now. Let me first figure out what's happening here, and then I'll satisfy your curiosity."
Hearing this, the astonished girls snapped back to their senses and nodded in agreement.
"Captain, based on your expression, Mikita must have already informed you about the events that led to this battle with the strange spirit. Do you have any idea what's going on?" Nami took the lead in speaking as she walked alongside Ren toward the pool, with the rest of the group watching closely.
"Hmmm… A spirit from myths that forces humans to drink the water from this peculiar pool..." Ren mused, activating his photographic memory. Yet, as he scanned through his mental archive, he shook his head in frustration, finding no information that matched.
'Miss System, do you have any idea?' he asked internally, and an immediate response came.
[No, Master. I'm just a system, after all.]
"..."
'Is This girl annoyed cuz I keep calling her Miss System?'
[I am not a girl! I'm a system. And no, I'm not bothered by such things.]
Her voice was slightly flustered, betraying her claim.
'Sigh... This is cheating. Stop reading my thoughts, will you?', Ren thought, exasperated.
[Hmph! No rewards for you today!]
'Wait, wait… you can't be serious, right?'
[Who knows~]
At that moment, Ren briefly entertained the idea of finding where Miss System resided and giving her a few smacks on the butt for teasing him.
[Pervert! You're such a pervert Master!]
'Stop reading my thoughts, then.'
[...]
Despite the mental banter, Ren remained focused on his task. He retrieved dozens of empty bottles from The Infinity Space and began filling them with the pool water that the spirit seemed so desperate for his crew to drink.
Even after filling dozens of bottles, the pool remained full, and throughout the entire process, the spirit did not move.
"You. I know you can communicate with humans," Ren called out loudly, his voice carrying enough authority to ensure the spirit heard him.
"..."
No response.
"Speak, or I'll destroy the pool." A wicked grin spread across his face.
"N-No!" The spirit cried out, breaking its silence, fear evident in its voice.
"Good. Speak. Tell me why you're manipulating people into drinking this water. What are the side effects? Are there any benefits, or is this just a lie?"
Hearing the barrage of questions, the spirit fell silent, its expression conflicted and indecisive.
"Captain, I found these statues a few minutes ago," Robin interjected, drawing Ren's attention back to her. She placed six small animal statues before him. "I'm not sure what these inscriptions mean... Do you have any idea?"
Robin held Ren in high regard. Aside from being her lover, he was a mysterious figure with vast knowledge. She think he might recognize the symbols.
Moreover, she remembered his unique skill that allowed him to understand all languages. Her hopes were high.
"Let me see..." Ren picked up the lion statue and began to examine its engravings.
His Omnilingual skill allowed him to comprehend all the world's languages, so deciphering the mysterious symbols posed no issue. Instantly, the meanings translated into his mind.
"In the middle of the forest... dig deep..." Ren recited the phrase engraved on the lion statue. Robin and the other girls listened intently. Robin, in particular, pulled out her notebook and began recording his words.
Nami, however, kept her eyes on the spirit, noting how its expression changed upon hearing Ren's interpretation.
Returning to the task at hand, Ren examined the remaining five statues, reading their inscriptions aloud.
"An ancient legacy... in a mysterious cloud..."
"Life, and perhaps death... a god or a demon..."
"It doesn't matter who... what matters is the being itself..."
"Search there... beneath the waters..."
"Not just any water... but Devil's Water... where the devil resides..."
"!!!"
The moment Ren finished reading, the spirit let out a feral roar and attacked with all its remaining strength.
"Let me handle this," Ren said, stopping Nami, who had been prepared to strike the spirit again. Using Shave, he disappeared, reappearing in front of the spirit in an instant.
"Goodbye."
.
"Broken World."
.
*Crack~!*
*Shatter~!*
A massive seismic force struck the raging spirit, which could only let out a pitiful wail before it began to dissipate slowly under the watchful gazes of the diverse group of girls.
"NO! Don't touch the treasure!!"
"NOOO..."
"Shut up," Ren muttered, shaking his head, no longer concerned with the vanishing spirit.
Instead, he turned his focus toward the pool.
"Search there, beneath the waters, huh?"
A faint smile crossed his lips as he activated Observation Haki, covering his hand with Armament Haki before touching the water's surface.
*Sizzle~!*
"Wow…" Zala's mouth dropped open in shock.
"This water... Is it corrosive?" Vivi wondered aloud, astonished.
"But the pool itself doesn't feel hot..." Leila narrowed her beautiful eyes skeptically.
"Appearances can be deceiving," Nojiko remarked, her gaze lingering on the mysterious pool.
"And here I was wondering why no life forms existed in the pool..." Nami shook her head as understanding dawned upon her.
"Based on Captain Ren's analysis of the statues, there should be something beneath the pool, right?" Robin asked, her tone carrying a subtle excitement as she looked in Ren's direction.
"Be careful, Captain. There might be a trap down there," Kalifa cautioned as she adjusted her glasses with a professional demeanor.
"Hmph, I doubt any trap could catch Captain Ren," Mikita said confidently, shaking her head with pride.
Amid the exchange of words, Ren remained calm, studying the water. His Haki-shielded hand remained unharmed by the liquid, despite its corrosive properties.
Then, in the next moment, a brilliant blue glow emanated from his palm, spreading across the pool.
"!!!"
In an instant, all the water vanished, as if it had never existed.
"What an incredible ability. If only I could store living things in it..." Ren mused aloud.
[You would've conquered the world on your first day, as a Level 1 beginner who suddenly activates cheats,] Miss System's soft voice teased in his head.
Upon hearing her words, Ren shook his head and smiled to himself. 'Aren't you a cheat by yourself?'
[Hmph~ I'm just a system. Any praise won't give you anything...or better rewards.]
"Really?"
[Really!]
"I doubt it."
[Don't doubt it!]
"Fine, fine... But can you stop yelling in my head? It's a bit annoying."
[Sorry...]
Ren detected a hint of sadness in her tone, and guilt welled up in him.
Unbeknownst to him, Miss System, who was reading his thoughts in that moment, felt elated. Knowing her host's personality, even a small twinge of guilt toward her was significant.
"Ehehehe~" Somewhere in a mysterious space that seemed beyond this world, a woman sat laughing foolishly.
Anyone familiar with her true identity and temperament would be utterly stunned to see her like this—and perhaps driven insane if they managed to survive seeing her at all.
The mysterious woman's thoughts were interrupted as her attention returned to the screen displaying her host.
"Wow... This is pretty deep..." Ren remarked, peering into the cavity revealed beneath the now-drained pool.
"A... secret entrance?!" Vivi exclaimed in awe.
"Treasure exploration time!" Shirahoshi, ever enthusiastic, viewed the situation as nothing more than a playful adventure, despite the earlier battles.
The rest of the girls were equally astonished by the deep hole that had emerged after the pool dried up. The cavity was so profound that sunlight couldn't reach its bottom, leaving its true depth unknown.
*Whoosh!*
"Follow me, ladies," Ren commanded, his voice steady.
With those final words, he leaped into the dark abyss below.
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To be continued