Chapter 21 - Preparations

<p>It took me almost another day to recover enough to walk around. In that time, I ended up talking and sharing a lot of things with the two siblings. Eniyala wanted to know how I had survived against the wild monsters of the forest, so I recounted my experiences up until the shrine. On the other hand, since memories became hazy from Reincarnates of their past lives due to how long they had lived here, there weren't many stories. However, it helped make good stories to tell the young Raeki, who listened with shining eyes.<br/><br/> This led to me asking several questions myself. How advanced was technology? How far away was the next town or city? How did they even find me in the shrine? They said they had seen the fight, but why were they at the shrine in the first place?<br/><br/> Thanks to Reincarnates, medicine, weapons, the food industry, and even some technological advancements were all made in leaps and bounds. Raeki even showed me a small box that worked just like Inventory, but also was fundamentally different. It would store an unlimited amount of items, but if the box surpassed the user's Strength, they would become incredibly heavy. The Strength requirement was raised depending on how heavy an object was. <br/><br/> The closest town was about 24 miles. Not an easy trip, but not impossible. <br/><br/> The shrine, however, had quickly become a sore topic for Eniyala, after Raeki had run up to my bedside and excitedly asked, "Hey Klum! You said to the evil killer man 'I hope you enjoy whatever counts as hell, bitch.' What is a hell and a bitch?"<br/><br/> Eniyala had glared daggers at me as a warning. She may not have known what hell was, but she sure as heck knew what a bitch was. She looked a little too ready to beat me with a stick while I was still recovering to risk telling him, so I quickly had to come up with an excuse.<br/><br/> "… Hell is, uh, where bad guys go after they pass, and a bitch is a very smelly fruit."<br/><br/> This had the opposite effect of what Eniyala wanted, as Raeki began walking around the house calling everything "bitch." I had to sleep with one eye open in case she decided she didn't need my help anymore.<br/><br/> But, I got the information from him regardless. Apparently, he and his sister had followed far behind the "evil killer man," aka Reniel, up to the shrine. They had been planning an attack when I stumbled in. They had planned to wait until he was at his weakest or whenever he most let his guard down, which was when I lost my arm and they thought he cut off my head. I guessed they had also glimpsed a bit of the future. However, when I magically regrew an arm and killed him, Eniyala was clearly flabbergasted, probably because she had seen the Level difference, and understood what Holy Rend was.<br/><br/> Raeki explained that they were a town that had worshipped the Sword Saint, as she was rumored to have saved it long ago, and the ancestors had remained loyal ever since. That was why Eniyala couldn't believe I was picked to be her disciple. <br/><br/> Finally, as Klum's Reincarnation's cooldown was nearly at four and a half hours remaining, I dressed myself using the clothes Raeki had picked out for me from his father's closet. I slid on a black t-shirt that was probably at least two sizes too large. The bagginess was similar to Eniyala's, making me wonder if the baggy clothes she wore came from her dad as well. The gray pants weren't much better, but Raeki had given me a belt to ensure they wouldn't drop to my ankles. I slid the blood-stained shoes on my feet (thank the Gods they had invented socks, which sat snugly on my feet as well). Checking myself out in a cracked mirror, I nod once in affirmation. "Right."<br/><br/> Pushing roughly on the broken door, I took in the new room slowly. It was a combined kitchen, living room and dining area, yet everything was trashed. 'Reniel sure was a dick,' I think as I turn to the two heads of blue. Raeki had a shield twice the size of his torso on his back, sitting on a broken couch, while Eniyala fiddled with a small pen-like object in her hands as she leaned against a wall by the door.<br/><br/> "Ah. Is the dreamer boy finally ready?"<br/><br/> "Sis! Be nice!"<br/><br/> Eniyala just rolls her eyes while waiting for my answer. I nod. "Sorry I took so long. Are you ready?" It was subtle, but I put a small emphasis on "you." She shot me a look before flipping the pen thing in her hand, pointing it at me. "Actually, I wanna test you."<br/><br/> "Test me?" I tilt my head confusedly. "What do you mean?"<br/><br/> "I mean I wanna spar. Or is the little baby still too weak?"<br/><br/> "I'm not gonna fall for your little taunts, you know." I sigh, pushing my hair back. "But… if you really want to, we can spar, I guess."<br/><br/> A small grin appears on Eniyala's face, quickly disappearing. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, cupcake. C'mon, let's go."<br/><br/> "Waiiit! Eniyala!" Raeki makes a pouty face at his sister as he jumps up, blocking her from leaving. She sighs, shaking her head. "Alright, give it to him." She ruffles his hair before continuing outside, the small billowing of the clothes that didn't fit her increasing in the wind as she pulls a large piece of wood aside to crawl out of a hole that I assume used to be the doorway.<br/><br/> Turning excitedly, Raeki dashes up to me, hopping up and down like a kid on a sugar rush. "I picked up something for you when we brought you back here! I saw how you broke all your weapons, so I grabbed this and your little sword for you!"<br/><br/> Pulling out his cube, he put his hand over it for a moment. It glows a blue that matched his hair before two objects materialize on the ground. Shoving the cube back in his pocket, he kneels down to grab the larger weapon, which shone a dull gray even with minimal light entering the room.<br/><br/> It was Reniel's replica. Seeing it reminded me that it was nowhere near its inspiration, and that fact was further proven when I took it into my hands. The weight was balanced minimally towards the handle, and it felt as if it was more likely to drop through the air, while Holy Rend felt as though it would lift up and fly away if I didn't hold onto it.<br/><br/> Still, I had no weapons, and I could use this a lot more than once every three days, so I smile at the boy and hold out a fist for him to bump. Immediately he bumped it, a large grin spreading on his face as he ran full-speed out the door after his older sister.<br/><br/> "Cute kid," I mutter to myself, the smile still lingering on my face as I turn back to the sword. Without even glancing at it, I held out my hand, placing the remaining Lower Canine that was still on the ground into my Inventory.<br/><br/> "Now, let's check you out."<br/><br/> My vision gained a slight purple hue for a moment as I activate Analyze on the sword.<br/><br/>[UnHoly Raze]<br/>[Rank: Super Rare]<br/>[Description: A replica of Holy Rend that doesn't even amount to a quarter of the sword's divine power. It is temperamental, and only those worthy of it may use it to its full capabilities.]<br/><br/><br/>Element Dmg: Dark (10% per hit)<br/>Atk: +20<br/>Def: +11<br/>Spe: +18<br/>Dur: 24/45<br/><br/> I let out an impressed whistle. "Damn, he had this and still couldn't win?" <br/><br/> To be fair, once I had Holy Rend, this blade had no chance, but I was surprised he couldn't finish me off before. Maybe it had something to do with the way it described it almost as if it was alive? "So what, it's like some Mjölnir type shii—hey buddy! What's up?" I quickly cut my muttering off as Raeki ran back into the house clutching something. <br/><br/> "I forgot to give this to you!" He said loudly, holding out my one remaining Arm guard. Somehow, they had actually cleaned it, removing the countless bloodstains upon it. My smile from earlier returned as I accepted it, strapping it securely to my left arm. "You're a lifesaver, y'know that?" I replied as I ruffle his hair. His tiny grin grew from ear to ear as he laughs. <br/><br/> "Man, for an Agility build, you're pretty slow," a bored voice calls out, as Eniyala pokes her also-small face around the doorway. Her long, wavy blue hair fell like water around her simple, yet easy to look at features. "Don't tell me you're chickening out because I'm more than twice your Level."<br/><br/> I scoff. "Don't even. Try seven times before I'd even be intimidated by you."<br/><br/> She raises an eyebrow, clearly questioning if I had forgotten how she hadn't even had to lay a finger on me to get me to talk, but I ignore it as I walk out the doorway.<br/><br/> It was my first look at what was left of their town. It wasn't much. It looked like old ruins at this point, as some houses were just walls. Slash marks sat almost everywhere, even on the ground. A large hole that had clear burn marks sat near the center of the colorless area, and charred bones could be seen poking out from the edge. I glance at Eniyala. 'Did she really do all that…?'<br/><br/> The woman caught my look, locking my eyes to hers with a long, even stare. Even when she was roasting or judging me, she kept that even look on her face. <br/><br/> We walked until we were just outside of the town's remains, in a huge clearing right inside the forest.<br/><br/> "You ready?" She asks over her shoulder, twirling the pen in her hand.<br/><br/> "Are you?" I tease back, sticking out my tongue.<br/><br/> She sighs. "You could've just said yes." With a click in the side of the object in her hand, it extends into a long rod which she spun quickly, sliding it up her arm as she turns to face me, gesturing with her middle finger in a 'come at me' manner.<br/><br/> "Now. Bring it."</p>