Han Ran remained motionless for a few seconds.
Clap clap clap
"Why isn't it working?? What did you do?" he shouted at Samantha.
Crack crack
Fissures began to appear on Samantha's helmet.
CRACK
Thud thud
The helmet shattered into pieces, each fragment falling one by one at her feet. Her long pink hair flowed in the wind, and a confident gaze tinged with contempt revealed itself on her face. Her crystalline pink eyes seemed to shine like precious stones, and her facial features were defined as if sculpted by the finest craftsman who ever existed. A beauty without equal.
"As long as I stand, you will not be able to harm anyone in this territory," Samantha announced, raising her shield once more.
Lagertha, the soul-weapon bound to Samantha, this shield possessed two special passive effects:
[ Protection ] Protects allies from all external physical damage with a veil of karmic energy.
[ Martyr ] All spells, curses, debuffs, and alterations cast on allies with karmic energy are converted into physical damage and absorbed by the shield bearer.
The bearer can designate as many allies as desired within a 5-kilometer radius.
Blood began to flow from Samantha's mouth, which she immediately wiped away.
"Did that helmet absorb the damage or something ? The 5th stage is truly terrifying," Han Ran worried, beginning to sweat. "I don't quite understand how you did it, but I don't think you can hold out much longer protecting so many people."
"Hold out long?" Samantha repeated with an amused expression. "You didn't really think this fight would last more than a minute, did you?"
Whoosh
BANG
As soon as she finished speaking, Samantha lunged at Han Ran and delivered a massive strike with the shield's tip, which he couldn't react to. Han Ran took the blow full force to his stomach.
Bluurghh
Han Ran spat blood while staggering backward. "Such speed... I suspected there was a gap between our combat power, but to think you'd have such agility and strength while specializing in defense. What a gap."
Han Ran pulled dozens of black talismans with red inscriptions from his sleeves and threw them into the air.
"But this is my show!!!"
[ Red Sky ]
Boom Baam
The talismans exploded all around Samantha in a rain of crimson fireworks.
[ Repulsion ] she incanted.
Fwooooshhh
The explosions were swept away by a discharge of karmic energy as if they had never existed.
Clap
Han Ran applauded, and the same inscriptions as on his palms appeared on the ground, on stones, and on trees.
"I can transform everything I touch into bombs, and I've prepared thoroughly for this! If a hundred explosions aren't enough, I'll cause a thousand to bring you down!!!" Han Ran cried, hysterical.
[Lagertha • Crescent Moon]
Samantha's shield transformed into a quarter-moon resembling a boomerang, which she threw with a swift and powerful gesture.
Feeeeww
Baam
The shield struck Han Ran's right hand, projecting his arm backward and dislocating his shoulder in the process.
"Aaaarrgghh!! Damn it!!!"
Voom voom voom voom
The shield made a complete turn then returned at full speed toward Han Ran.
BAAM
The shield's tip struck him with a powerful impact to the back of his skull, knocking him unconscious instantly.
(Am I still alive?)
Noah wondered, bathed in a veil of pink karmic energy.
(This energy... Miss Samantha?)
He turned his gaze toward the battle and could see Levi gathering all his courage to stand up and face his fear. Emily had started running toward Noah to check his condition, and when she got close enough, she noticed he hadn't received any injuries.
"Don't be afraid!!" Noah shouted. "We can do this! Miss Samantha cast a spell to protect us!! Attack it with everything you have!!!"
"Noah!! You're okay!" Levi exclaimed, relieved. "I thought you were dead."
"I thought I was going to die too, but we'll talk later. For now, we have a monster to defeat."
The monster seemed devoid of intelligence.
GHHHRRROOOOOOOAAAAAAAKK
All it seemed to want to do was destroy.
As it raised its other arm to prepare another blow:
[Water Lances]
Emily began the assault.
Tchak Ftch Tcha
Three lances pierced the creature's decrepit skin on its left flank, causing three gaping holes. But as if it felt no pain, the creature continued its momentum and brought its fist down on Levi with a heavy vertical movement.
THOOOOM
Levi managed to dodge with an improvised roll to the side before circling around the creature.
Noah, who had started sprinting, drew his dagger.
[Reinforcement] [Acceleration]
He first targeted the ankles.
Slashh slashh
GRROOOOOOAAAARR
Duuumm
The monstrosity fell to its knees.
[Water Lances]
Emily sent another volley aimed at the monster's face.
Ftchaaa tchaak
The lances blinded the Wendigo's left eye, slicing chunks of flesh in the process.
"Keep going like this—we can do it!" Noah encouraged, but Emily had a bad feeling.
"Where did the wounds from my first attack go?" she asked.
"Be careful! It's getting back up," Levi alerted.
"No way, it can regenerate?!?" Noah panicked.
GRROOOOOOOAAAHHRRG
A figure lunged at the monster during its roar.
Baam
A kick to the face made it lose balance and fall backward. The assailant landed like a feather and took a combat position.
"Miss Mai, you're feeling better!!" Emily rejoiced.
Mai nodded.
Her arrival boosted the team's morale, and they regained their fighting spirit.
"Let's go with Operation 'Attack Until It Can't Regenerate Anymore'!!!" Noah shouted, charging for a new attack.
Levi, feeling courage building within him as he watched his comrades fight, clutched his necklace in his hand. He remembered the warning Samantha had given him before the flight.
"I was told about what happened during Manju's test. The attack you used, 'Raksha'—are you aware of its effects?" Samantha asked.
"Not really. My grandpa taught me this magic word to chase away evil spirits, and I didn't really believe in it at first. But I remembered it by chance."
"I see..." Samantha thought for a moment before speaking again. "Raksha is actually a high-level spell of Buddhist origin. Casting it should normally have been impossible for you since you never learned it, but our analysis showed that your necklace is most likely the artifact capable of casting them in your place.
One bead equals one spell. But even if you're capable of casting spells, you absolutely must not take this lightly."
Samantha then took on a more serious tone. Levi swallowed hard while remaining attentive.
"Whether it's a spell or technique, incantation, casting, and usage normally require learning and then mastering it, not to mention compatibility with the karmic path. The fact that you can skip these steps thanks to the artifact isn't necessarily a good thing.
All karmic spells and techniques respect the law of balance. A certain level of karmic will is necessary at the start for casting and incantation, then maintaining them drains either endurance or mental energy. In the case of forbidden techniques or those surpassing the caster's limits, it sometimes becomes necessary to consume one's vital energy, which means losing years of life."
Levi gradually fell into shock as he realized the truth.
"We don't know how much yet, but Raksha definitely consumed your vital energy reserve," Samantha announced gravely.
"We're not going to confiscate the necklace since it's the only object you have with you. However, as long as you're under my responsibility, you are formally forbidden from casting even a single spell. This is my personal decision, and I hope you'll understand."
"But... I don't necessarily have to cast powerful spells. Even the most basic spell would suffice. I'm sure it should be fine—I have plenty of endurance," Levi advanced desperately.
"You're incapable of it," Samantha cut him off. "At least for now. The enormous amount of bad karma in your body prevents you from doing so. It's about the compatibility I mentioned. Buddhist techniques require a Buddhist spirit and energy, and even the most basic spell requires a minimum of good karma.
Your case is particular because despite all your bad karma, it's surprising that lightning hasn't struck you down yet. As if this karma wasn't yours.
Anyway, it's one of the reasons you weren't detained and suspected of being a demonic human. To be able to cast even the most basic spell, you'll need to purge all your bad karma, and after that, you can start accumulating good karma.
And by the way, if we catch you casting demonic spells with your bad karma… You'll definitely be branded as a demonic human and it won't end well." Samantha drew a horizontal line with her thumb across her throat, then pointed at Levi with her index finger. "So, no spells whatsoever !"
At the time, Levi had understood very well the consequences of using a spell. But facing the Wendigo, in front of his friends fighting, perhaps because of the adrenaline, he felt he had to do something.
A few kilometers away, hundreds of kilometers in the sky, two men stood face to face. One almost merged with the black night, his body seeming so dark, while the other shone delicately like a star.
Pitch Black began with his usual bow.
"It's an honor to meet the Sovereign of Dreams. I've dreamed all my life of meeting you someday. However, it's truly sad that it's under such circumstances... I must admit I'm deeply disappointed to see you clinging to this appearance."
The young man covered in light smiled warmly.
"You're right, absolutely right. This isn't my true appearance—in reality, I look like an old man at death's door. But you don't need to worry about it. It's just the whim of a husband and father who wants to look cool one last time."
"It's absolutely sad, pathetic even, I'd say! You and I were supposed to be absolute enemies! Nightmares and dreams, shadow and light!! But you had to sacrifice your vital energy, the life you had left, for your stupid justice. Ridiculous!! Now, even if you're a stage above mine, you're nothing but a shadow of who you were. It's therefore my duty to end your days with my own hands."
Black smoke began to spread all around Pitch Black, gradually transforming into long black tentacles.
"For generations, all the heads of the Whitefeathers family have died of old age. Do you know why?" the young Count asked. He then continued, "The Whitefeathers family is known for its forbidden spell that consumes only vital energy and causes its users to age rapidly. I may not look it, but I'm currently only 39 years old."
"What are you getting at?" Pitch Black cut him off, irritated.
"You said you wanted to end my days? You're mistaken. My slumber was a bait, and you showed up. One attack will be enough for me to make you disappear, then I'll just go back to sleep."
"Pretend all you want!" Pitch Black cried, attacking with his tentacles like whips.
Fiuuu-tchak Fiuuu-tchak
Dozens of tentacles struck empty air while the Count dodged them one by one with ease.
[Specters of the Abyss]
Pitch Black cast a spell, and the black smoke took human form. Dozens of specters were formed at once, armed with misty swords, bows, and spears. They charged toward the Count in coordination with the tentacle strikes Pitch Black was sending.
Zzaaaap
In a flash of light, the Count teleported right in front of Pitch Black.
Vaaaaaamm
A luminous projection resembling a wave emanated from the Count and suppressed all the smoke, tentacles, and specters. Pitch Black, blinded, retreated while blocking the light beams with his hands.
"You collect people's nightmares and fears to transform them into creatures, right?" the Count asked.
"I do the same thing, but it's dreams that become reality. It's the Whitefeathers' forbidden spell [Dream World]."
The Count raised his head toward the sky, his gaze distant.
"We're in Maria and Stanislas's dreams. Maria is my little niece—her dream is to be able to shine and fly like a star. Stanislas is a young warrior I met years ago. He dreams of being able to stay young forever.
I can't maintain [Dream World] for very long, but I'm going to give you the honor of seeing the most beautiful dream I've ever been given the chance to hear."
While diving back into his distant memories, Count Whitefeathers incanted:
[Dream World • Emily's Dream]
"What are you drawing, my dear?"
The man approached his daughter's desk and glanced at her coloring.
"No, don't look! It's not finished yet!" she said, hiding her drawing.
"Haha, alright, but I absolutely have to see it when it's done."
"Ta-daaa!!!" the young girl cried proudly, showing the drawing to her parents.
"It's...""Flowers?" the parents wondered, trying to guess what was being presented to them.
"That's Mommy, that's Dad, and that's me. Last night I dreamed we were all three together in a field of flowers. And they were Mommy's favorite flowers!!"
"Huh? Flowers?" Pitch Black questioned the illusion appearing before him. "Bwahahahahaha, flowers? Is that all you have?!"
"Yes, flowers.
They're my wife's favorite flowers... Emily used to scold the servants if they didn't take care of them and spent her time chasing away the rodents that harmed the garden. So much so that one day she dreamed of them."
"In my dream, there's only me, Dad, Mommy, the flower field, and nothing else. That way Dad won't have any more work and can spend all his time with Mommy and me!"
"Hahaha, no more work, you say? That would really be fantastic!" said the Count while laughing happily.
Pop
Fwooooosshh
As the wind gently blew over the peonies in the flower field, Pitch Black's existence evaporated like a bursting bubble in the greatest silence. The Count, indifferent, continued observing the vast expanse of flowers surrounding him.
"It's time to go to sleep," he ended.
End of Chapter