In the late afternoon, I stopped my meditation and opened my eyes happy with the result of my training.
“Finally you woke up master.” (Érica)
“What was Érica?” (I)
“You haven’t eaten anything so far.” (Érica)
“Spent all day sitting there meditating.” (Érica)
“I wanted to wake you up several times, but you seemed to be doing something important so I didn’t want to be in the way.” (Érica)
“Thanks for not interrupting.” (I)
“I was training differently, I’ll explain to you later, now I need to get something to eat.” (I)
“I’ll get you something to eat now.” (Érica)
Érica got up and ran away, in a few minutes she returns with a wooden cup of water and an iron plate with large pieces of roasted meat.
“Thank you Érica.” (I)
———-
After I ate I talked to Érica about my theory and my training.
“You thought right about the book about the blood element.” (Érica)
“Unlike other elements that have been extensively studied and researched for generations, the blood element is not only a rare element but also considered a prohibited element.” (Érica)
“As it is considered prohibited, any knowledge found must be destroyed, anyone researching it must be arrested or killed, and those who have this element must have their element sealed or exchanged.” (Érica)
“Because of this, it is quite possible that the book has a lot of wrongs or incomplete information master.” (Érica)
“I advise you to try to figure it out for yourself and form some theories yourself, then start reading this book.” (Érica)
“That way you will have your original knowledge base to compare with the knowledge in the book, rather than taking the knowledge from the book as a basis.” (Érica)
“You may be right, I was thinking about reading the book tonight, but I think I’ll put it off in a few days, I’ll try to keep learning on my own.” (I)
While I was talking to Érica, the other girls came back from the hunt, Kira and Ibuki were very different.
Kira was in mint condition, not even a smudge of dirt on her clothes or a hair out of place.
But Ibuki’s clothes were bloody and torn, her hair was a mess and was covered in dirt.
The training seems to have been difficult for her.
I go to them with Érica and call them all to come along with me to the nearest river to take a shower, they all agree.
———–
After the shower, we all gathered in one of the cabin’s rooms, Érica helping to dry the water from Ibuki’s hair, it was already night.
“So how was the hunt?” (I)
“It was fine, I didn’t need to help her once.” (Kira)
“Which monster did you make her fight?” (I)
“She only fought Goblins and Kobolds.” (Kira)
“Since the master has been teaching her martial arts I thought enemies with humanoid bodies would be better for her training.” (Kira)
“And how it was?” (I)
“She started very bad, her blows were strong, but she couldn’t dodge or defend any blows.” (Kira)
“As the fights went by, she began to deflect the enemies’ blows with her own.” (Kira)
“Was it really like that Ibuki?” (I)
“Ibuki wanted to use the master’s technique, but Ibuki was very wrong at first.” (Ibuki)
“I see, you didn’t dodge or defend the attacks because you wanted to dodge them, but you shouldn’t get hurt so much from the training.” (I)
“…” (Érica/Kira)
Érica and Kira look at each other before turning to me with accusing eyes.
“I think we know who she learned to train with so carelessly.” (Érica)
“Yes, she learned from watching others being such a fool in training.” (Kira)
“…” (I)
“(These words hurt me directly in the heart.)” (I)
“(Where is the respect they should have for their master.)” (I)
“Changing the subject, how do you think Ibuki’s performance went?” (I)
“She has a lot of talent, her moves still don’t compare to the master’s unpredictable moves, but they are strong and precise.” (Kira)
“She still doesn’t know how to assemble proper combinations of her punches, she’s also too naive to always give direct and predictable punches.” (Kira)
“In short, she’s not ready to face other people yet, but at her current level she can fight monsters with just her fists.” (Kira)
“Looks like her talent is bigger than I expected if she’s already at that level.” (I)
“You are an even more talented master.” (Kira)
“Monstrously talented.” (Kira)
“Yes, I’ve never seen anyone learn magic so fast, it took me weeks of training myself before I managed to create magic circles, but you learned so quickly.” (Érica)
“You created a martial art without any initial combat training, no records of anyone else who has done it.” (Kira)
“Stop it, you guys are embarrassing me.” (I)
I spent some time talking to the girls, but for some reason, I started to get anguished, a feeling of worry started to grow in me without me understanding why.
“Is the master alright?” (Ibuki)
“Are you feeling something master?” (Érica)
“You have suddenly started sweating and his face looks worried.” (Kira)
“…” (I)
I don’t know what to say to them, I don’t even know why I’m like this, all I feel is a sense of urgency like I have to be somewhere else.
“I don’t know what’s going on, I just feel anguished and worried out of nowhere.” (I)
“Try to meditate master, it can help you to better control your emotions.” (Érica)
“Okay I will try.” (I)
I sit cross-legged and try to meditate, I clear my mind and synchronize my breathing with my racing heartbeat.
But this time I don’t try to calm my emotions, I instinctively focus my mind on them and try to trace them back to the source of my anguish.
I don’t know why I’m doing this, it just feels right.
Gradually blurry flashes of images appear in my mind, at first they were blurry images but with time the images became more and more clear.
The images portrayed a battlefield filled with weak screams, fire, and bodies on the ground, a scene I thought I would never see in my life.
Soon I started to smell it, at first it was weak but it got stronger until the only thing I could smell was the bodies decomposing on the floor and the bodies burning in the fire.
Then the sounds that had been barely audible before growing louder and I could hear clashing swords, cries for help, and explosions of fire.
Then came the other sensations, like the taste of blood in the mouth, the pain of wounds and bruises on the body, tiredness.
I was confused at first, but I saw my own hands holding two swords and slashing the Undead, so it all made sense.
What I had been talking to Érica this morning came to mind and I understood that I was seeing things from the perspective of Diana who was fighting the Undead, I was sharing all her senses.
Suddenly I see her look in one direction and go to save a woman who was trying to attack a Zombie from behind her back but tripped over a body on the ground and fell.
Diana helps the woman and then fights alongside her to defeat three oncoming Zombies.
After saving the woman Diana turns in a direction further away from the center of the battle where an adventurer was surrounded by the Undead, she runs there and turns her back on the adventurer as she asks him to get up and not run if he can’t be dead next time.
“(Why is she still fighting?)” (I)
“(I told her to run if the fight got tough.)” (I)
Suddenly the adventurer starts talking about a girlfriend, then apologizes and thanks for some sacrifice, I don’t understand what he says, but I feel Diana get scared, then a sharp pain comes from her back and I feel a kick pushing Diana towards her Living Dead.
“(…)” (I)
I finally get it, that thing stabbed Diana who ran to help him and left her as bait for the Undead so he could run.
“That bastard!” (I)
I have to do something, I can’t let Diana get killed by the Undead because of this bastard.
“(I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!)” (I)
My Aura explodes from my body as if responding to my desire to save Diana my aura enters me and follows the same link I used to connect with Diana’s senses.
“(I wish I had spent more time with the master.)” (Diana)
I can hear Diana’s voice in my head, she’s scared yet she’s still thinking about me.
I don’t care about anything else, I’m going to save her, I don’t care if it’s possible or not, if my Aura can follow this connection to her then I’ll send everything I have to save her.
I cling to that connection and follow my Aura to her and scream in my mind with all my willpower focused on her.
“(Get up and fight!)” (I)
“(If you’re hurt, I’ll be your cure!)” (I)
“(If you’re weak, I’ll be your strength!)” (I)
“(If you need power, I share my power with you!)” (I)
“(Remember that those who serve me will never be abandoned.)” (I)
I tell her everything I feel, first of all, I have to show that regardless of the distance I’m by her side, so I use my ability [ Weak Recovery: 10 ] several times to heal her wounds.
Little by little I feel my connection with her becoming stronger and I feel like I can control her body, she doesn’t even try to resist.
I get her to her feet and quickly replay the entire martial art of the Fist of Chaos in my head before throwing myself into the fight against the Undead.
It wasn’t even a fight, I wiped them out for the simple fact that they dared attack Diana, so I turn to the bastard who dared stab Diana.
I explode my Aura out of my body and use my ability [ Aura of judgment: 2 ].
He’s saying something but I don’t care, in my eyes, he will be judged for the unpardonable crime he committed, I use Diana’s mouth to convey my voice through the connection we have.
I want him to know why and by whom he is being judged, I want him to know that I don’t care about anything in judging someone, I don’t care about their motives, in my eyes, he has committed an unpardonable crime, one I won’t let him get away with without punishment, because mine is the right to judge those who hurt those I care about.
“You will be judged, for mine is the right to judge those who do wrong to those who serve me.” (I)
“Mine is the judgment and I find you guilty.” (I)
My two auras enter his body, I can feel them attacking his mind and something inside him, I can see his face full of despair at the end, but I don’t care, I say one last time so the last thing he hears is his crime.
“This is the end of those who hurt those I care about.” (I)
Then my Aura comes back to me, and I feel my awareness and will be pulled together with my auras back into my body and I open my eyes.
“Master are you alright?” (Érica)
“What happened to you?” (Érica)
“Master calm down, please calm down.” (Kira)
“Teacher?” (Ibuki)
As soon as I open my eyes I see the girls all pale, Ibuki is crying, Érica looks desperate and Kira keeps trying to calm me down.
I look at my hands and see they are bleeding, it feels like I clenched my fist so hard that my claws ripped my palms, I keep looking at my body and I notice I’m drenched in sweat.
I try to get up only to have my legs fail and I fall backward, then finally realize I’m exhausted, I don’t even have the strength to move.
“I’m fine girls, now I’m fine.” (I)
“What happened to the master.” (Érica)
“All we saw was you meditating, then suddenly you shout something and an explosion of Aura comes out of you only to reenter your body.” (Kira)
“And no matter how much either of us screamed, you didn’t seem to hear.” (Érica)
“It happened what we talked about earlier Érica, I shared Diana’s senses.” (I)
“She was in a battle with the undead along with many others, she was in danger so I helped.” (I)
“It was supposed to be the special mission, it happened sooner than I expected.” (Érica)
“Let me get some rest, let’s talk as soon as I wake up, I feel very tired.” (I)
Ding!
<[ Your skill leveled up [ Intimidation: 2 > 4 ] ]>
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<[ Your skill leveled up [ Body manipulation: 1 > 4 ] ]>