Old demon has cometh

"How could this be possible... it's all blank! His memories are totally empty. I've been in his soul world for a considerable time, and I would have expected even the most minute of fragmented pieces of memory to be the norm, but his memories are illegible!" In his flight, the old shaman reflected deeply about what had unfolded and wondered quietly why it had happened at all.

"The fact that it's totally vacant indicates that I was unable to access it, either because my abilities are insufficient or because of the peculiar circumstances surrounding it..."

The old shaman attempted to grasp the void in front of him with a hand seal, but, contrary to his expectations, it accomplished nothing.

"Even that doesn't work... Huh... Whos there?!"

After perceiving an anomalous presence in the soul world, the old shaman bellowed to the void and searched. His senses heightened to the limit. He was in a state of shock.

After having a tinge of dread, he realized that something wasn't quite right and that he was no longer in control of the situation. In order to leave this soul world, the old shaman formed a hand seal.

"I need to take a step back for the time being... Originally, when I saw this youngster, I assumed my guess was about 80% accurate. However, after seeing this place, my suspicions regarding this kid being possessed by an evil spirit have been more solidified... In the meanwhile, after I'm out of here, I'm going to totally destroy his vessel, which is still vulnerable, rather than risk a dangerous struggle in the soul world." As the old shaman felt his soul being transferred outside, he reflected on his guesses.

Instantly, he grew shocked after seeing that silver chains that were formed of green fire were encircling the whole soul world as if he were being held captive within a cage. In his senses, he could sense that the outside world was cut off and as a result, his soul form was automatically recalled back to its original placement.

"What are those chains?... Such vile aura..." As he gazed up at the emerald chains above him, the old shaman thought to himself, his heart racing.

When the old shaman glowered, there was an observing middle-aged man, who seemed to be somewhat younger than him and clothed in a blue windbreaker that looked similar to that worn on earth.

The old shaman was taken aback once he realized he had completely missed him, even though he was looking directly in front of him.

"Fellow... Leave me be. I have no ill will against you. I was worried about this lad's well-being, and now that you've seized possession of his body, it should rightfully be yours." The old shaman calmly.

"A puny fire elemental magus. That was chosen by this planet's elementals... Don't you think it's a little impolite that you're invading into someone else's home?" The middle-aged man spoke with a smirk on his face.

"With that, that was entirely my fault... Bu-"

"There's no need to go on incoherently... You'll either die here today or bow before this sovereign, whichever comes first. If that's the case, how could I allow an ant to come and go as he pleases? You may only choose one of those two choices as a punishment for your transgression." The middle-aged man's expression darkened as the heat of the soul world intensified. ​

"Don't make me do this..." The old shaman grimly replied, "Even a chained beast would fight, nevertheless this old man."

"I'd want to see you try... Waste." the middle-aged man replied as he hovered slowly towards the old shaman at a leisurely pace as if the old shaman's warning were nothing.

During the course of their conversation, the old shaman didn't let this chance pass him. He was repeatedly forming a hand seal behind his back and intending to summon his fire spirit and battle his way out of this soul realm. However, to his dismay, his support did not arrive as anticipated.

Realizing that it was pointless and that his opponent was closing in on him. The old shaman prepared to unleash a scorching catastrophic inferno from his mouth, the old shaman's cheekbones enlarged dramatically.

The blazing inferno he was hoping didn't materialize, and not even a spark could be seen coming out of his mouth. With that, the old shaman was filled with a sense of despair. It was as if his magic had been extinguished as soon as he stepped foot in this soul world.

"To compel a person's magic to submit is conceivable, but how can one prevent a single magic from being released while knowing that all of the magic originated from inside the soul? That is just impossible! The only thing that can do that... Wait... Could it be... You..." The old shaman muttered as he tried everything he could think of, but it was all in vain. Nothing seems to be working.

As he rocketed through the void, the old shaman backed away in terror, and he made his way to the greenish shackles with all of his efforts, attempting to break through them with his incorporeal form as he did so.

Even though he was only a few feet away from it, he could already feel the tremendous heat emanating from the chain, causing him to come to a complete stop in his tracks. ​

The old shaman couldn't help but think. If he even takes a few more steps forward. The chain's greenish flame would burn his soul into oblivion.

After a few moments, an ancient voice, almost like a whisper from the devil, could be audible in the ears of the old shaman muttering, "I'm waiting..."

When he heard that voice, the old shaman felt a chill go down his spine.

"Considering that you are well aware that you are plainly outmatched, I applaud you. Here... As a gift for my praise. I shall bestow you this." The middle-aged man gently flicked a small greenish orb, filled with unholy might, as it made its way to the old shaman.

The old shaman didn't even have the time to flinch since the greenish orb was moving too quickly for him to react. His eyes darted in full horror when the greenish orb softly reached his chest.

Boom! The feeling of being burned in endless fire instantly erupted, as he couldn't help but let out a massive grunt, while his body shook uncontrollably.

In the soul world, the soul would experience a hundred times the pain of the mortal flesh, so even with his immense willpower, the old shaman's soul grew feeble.

"Oh? I was under the impression that you were all talk and no bite. But, to my surprise, you handled the situation well..." He talked slowly and deliberately, and the middle-aged man burst into laughter as he did so.

"Because the soul world has a faster rate of time progression, let's see how long you can hold on for..." Immediately, a dozen greenish spheres shot through the void and struck the old shaman. He began to roar as a result of this. As his soul became much duller than before.

After an unknown amount of time had elapsed, the middle-aged man continued to torment the old shaman. Until he lost his will to fight. When it became clear that there was no use in fighting back The old shaman sneered to himself, mocking himself for his ignorance.

"I'm prepared to go with the second choice as a last resort. This Dazul is eager to be of service to you. Sovereign."

In the soul world, even though he has been tortured for an extended period of time, in the outside world just a sliver of time will have passed during that period of torment. The process of fighting in the domain of the souls is very difficult and risky.

The only way to be safe when letting go of your soul and fighting it in the world of the soul is if you are self-assured and your opponent is in a league below your own.

In his prior belief, the old shaman had assumed that a tiny malicious spirit had taken up residence in this body; nevertheless, he could never have predicted that the devil himself, an ultimate evil, was really living in this body.

In the old shaman's mind, grief was constantly running through his head, as he tried to paint a painful grimace on the face of this abominable monster.

"Good…" The middle-aged man nonchalantly waved his hand, as the darkness instantly changed into an infinite sea of blood stretching from the eye could see, like he was some kind of a god.

Upon arrival, a huge throne of skulls sat in the center, and the middle-aged man flew there, bored, as he commanded the old shaman to follow him in his leisurely flight.

The middle-aged man sat there in his throne of skulls and after cutting through a portion of his finger as it was bathed in a greenish light, the middle-aged man threw it to the old shaman, as he said, "Eat it."

Leave with no choice, the old shaman had no option but to eat the finger, as if he were to refuse, he would die.

Boom! In an instant, the feeling of unfathomable power flowed through his veins, as coursing greenish light replaced his power. The power was so immense, that, it was about to burst from his pores.

In a little way, his whole body expanded somewhat as the old shaman's soul transformed from that of an old, shriveled man into that of an elderly, fat man.

"Seeing that you've accepted my power, become this kid's master."

"Without a question, my Liege... It would be this kid who would be the master of this Dazul, in my heart and soul," The old shaman kneeled.

When he spoke those words, the old shaman instantly vanished from his field of vision, and the middle-aged man was left alone in the soul world. While sitting on his throne of skulls.

The middle-aged man's body grew incorporeal, as he reasoned, "This Mark of Alterrion had grown feeble... Even one bug was able to make me exert myself for a short amount of time. The trip from a distance of innumerable kilometers has left its mark; however, I have made arrangements for the time being. I believe that would suffice."

With a sigh, the middle-aged man vanished, and not a second later, the Mark of Alterrion in Nicolaus's soul faded, as its emerald brilliance barely gave forth a pale light before vanishing completely.