On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Four Hundred And Fifty-Three / Side One Hundred And Sixty – Shiratori Himeko, Shirohime

It was a relief to hear that everything had worked out. I had been confident that similar preparations to when we fought the Myconids would suffice, though thinking back on it, considering the immense risks involved, we had been rather foolhardy then. Of course, we had made improvements since, no longer having to go things alone, but with a while bunch of Mortal Engineers and even Japanese scientific advisors to draw expertise from. Plus of course, we’re stronger now. A lot stronger.

Arisu-san too, she was one of our major trump cards. Being able to bring her Room to the Material now offered a number of opportunities, even if the range was limited, but that could be solved with Shiro’s buffs, and what better place to secure potentially dangerous and brainwashed hostages and opponents than a separate, inescapable space that Shiro said even I would be helpless against Arisu-san in. The damage to the integrity of the Boundary isn’t too bad either, since again it’s not interfering with the higher Astral, unlike Saionji-san’s Gaze of Avalokiteshvara.

My sister apologised for losing her statues, but that was nothing. It was what they were there for, replaceable meat shields to keep her and everyone else safe. “I can handle the girl’s dormitory myself.” I muttered, and Lee Jong-su gave me a quizzical look. Barking a tired laugh, I massaged my Eye, wishing it would work properly so I could easily find the rest of the hostages within the massive Academy campus. No such luck. Though likely when I take down that bastard hand…

“Take back Jin-Ae. You have to look after your own.” I said, and though he didn’t understand he got the gist as he heard her name.

“Yes, we go. Safe. Then come help?” Hee-Young tilted her head, still supporting the wounded girl on her back. Waving them off, I raced towards the female dormitories, trying to establish connection with Choi Ji-ho and his Guild, but the line of communication was still down. It’s a good job we brought our own gear on a different frequency, it seems. The weakening Chosen, and the one who uses what seems to be mind control water is still at large though. Hopefully they are in the dorms, not the Academy buildings. I’d feel better about facing them myself…

While racing towards the dorms in the Material, in the Boundary I was in quite the different situation. The severed hand surged towards me, using the thumb as a sort of leg, and four fingers clawed at me, as if I was fighting four separate swordsmen. Storming Twilight met several of the yellowing, ivory talons, lightning crackling, and I wreathed it in wind energy, forming a savage, vibrating chainsaw of clashing air around the blade. I dodged the third strike, while the fourth came at me from a blind angle, but my footwork, beaten into me by Ulfuric, and honed by further training in Tsumura Arts, allowed me to sway out of the way. With my free hand I lashed out with beams of light, which made the hand flinch, burned spots appearing on the pale skin.

“Worthless, hopeless, useless. You would dare to oppose me? Your end shall be an object lesson to all on this blighted world! Unless you cease resistance and submit, in which case you shall be spared, and know bliss!” The blue eye was staring at me, giving me a vile headache, my Eye blurry with tears even when not in use, but as the talons swept in on me I once more repelled them, this time the grinding edge of my wind-imbued weapon, slightly strengthened by the extra Rank of Dvergr Techniques I had gained recently, striking sparks and leaving slight grazes on the diamond-hard nails.

Hmm, it’s as I suspected. This thing is strong. However… “Submit? To someone spreading chaos like you? Never!” I declared boldly, and it seemed to infuriate it, the eye blinking, black, oily tears seeping from it, forming a rising mist around me. Ignoring that, I thrust, while simultaneously summoning jagged spears of rock from the ground, using the strength the Bezoar gave me. The hand rose into the air, jabbed by the rocks, only to sweep through them, cutting them apart. As it fell I took my chance though, and a cage of vibrating wind threads imprisoned it, and the skin split slightly, flesh tearing, revealing obsidian-black bone beneath, more dark, smoky blood gushing. Light shone, and only a rapid closing of its eyelid prevented the blue, staring eye from being pierced. Even so it bellowed, the sound making my nose, ears and even eyes bleed.

“To injure me, one who is the truth none wish to see… your arrogance and stupidity appal me. I can see I have been far too lenient, used to the worthless fools who have come here previously…” The hand accelerated, moving like a spider, trying to seize me, only for a black sphere to strike one finger, momentarily diverting it, though it caused no damage. Taking the opportunity, I channelled aether and spatial element, and soon Storming Twilight, magnified to many dozens of times its weight, appeared, spearing the hand, blood scattering.

Damn, the distortion of information around the creature makes calculating the trajectories and coordinates for Void Motion near impossible to do accurately… My sword, which had meant to pierce the staring eye, instead tore through one finger, embedded in bone. The hand squealed, screaming in what sounded like dozens of languages at once, some of them barely understandable, others sounding unlike any logically constructed form of communication. I felt momentary dizziness, but fortunately with my separate Material body, I was able to weather it, though I slowed for a moment, and now I wasn’t carrying my sword, the remaining three fingers darted forwards.

“Too bad.” The cage of vibrating wind threads that had been harassing the hand tightened, forming a net, snaring the stabbing fingers. “I’m hardly helpless without my sword.” Tsumura Arts uses many weapons and the body, and Ulfuric is a master of all weapons…

Slamming a kick reinforced by Body Enhancement into one finger, I felt pain in my foot, but the hand also cried out, as I had wrapped my foot in wind as well, and inky blood scattered, evaporating into mist. Another black cannonball of energy came soaring, this one much weaker, and one finger slashed it in half, detonating it in a spray of aether.

“Insolent wretch! The one who dares to injure me before my triumphant return to my greater whole I can tolerate, but such a weakling as you… die!” The hand was incensed by taking attacks from Kang Da, who was sniping from outside the Territory, having finished off the last few Defensive Emplacements within range of our battle. The eyelid opened wide, and I took that opportunity to attack it, Foehn, whipped up by my wind element into a savage frenzy, pouring into the eye, even as a brilliant blue beam, shimmering with darkness element, surged outwards. The beam pierced the cascade of Foehn, though it lost a significant amount of power, just enough for Kang Da to dodge as it ripped a giant furrow in the ground , melting all of the Boundary in its path, but the shockwave from the explosion was enough to send him flying, blood scattering. I breathed a sigh of relief when he started crawling away after landing heavily, clearly still alive, if battered and bruised by the aftermath of the blast.

“Should have saved that for me.” I ignored the baleful screams of the hand as the eye burned, cooking like an over-fried egg, the smell, even muted by the Boundary, utterly revolting. Fingers flailed at me, catching fire too, and I dodged the falling droplets and sparks, grabbing Storming Twilight and wrenching it free in a welter of dark gore. Suddenly, despite the squeals and roars of pain, a second voice, a laughing one, could be heard, even as I severed the half-cut finger that I had wounded earlier, the severed digit landing in Foehn and twisting and writhing like a dying snake.

“You think very highly of yourself, foolish one. The truth you imagine in your mind is merely a falsehood, an illusion.” The nails slashed at me, but concentrating the wind and using my sword I severed a second, and could easily fight off the remaining two with my greater speed. Even as I duelled the creature though, the Foehn consuming it, the skin was cracking and splitting, strange, translucent slime seeping out along with the dark mist. My instincts prickled at me, and I jumped back cautiously, even as it oozed out, forming a rough blob larger than the hand was originally, which then split down the middle, revealing a massive blue pupil bigger than me.

“The moment you battled me within my range, it was already over for you. The Curse of Disobedience and Thinking is already within you. You have been breathing the mist of Chaos, of falsehood, and are now merely…”

“Sure, whatever.” My blade stabbed deep, lightning flashing, and that vile cooked smell rose again, as the new voice screamed, overlapping with the old. “But I’m not one to let my guard down. No boss monster has only one phase nowadays…”

********

“Out of the way!” Shiro cried as the horribly grotesque meat-and-blood version of the boy before them attacked. The scorpion-people commanded by Violet were trying to the get subdued hostages clear, but with a sudden movement, the speed nearly a match for Aki, one fist slammed down, and the head of one exploded, the suddenly headless corpse also beginning to swell and distort, though then Violet dismissed it, the corpse flaring to aether. Flames gushed out, and one of the fallen hostages was consumed, burning to ash.

“Fuck, number Three… ugh, now I’ll have to get a new Three. That makes me sad…” Violet cursed, raising her tattooed hand and making a whipping gesture, vaguely reminiscent of a stinging tail. A vivid surge of aether flashed into existence, and the burning, grotesque opponent was smothered with an acrid, poisonous fog. “…but nobody survives the sting of a Violet Scorpion!”

It is useless… Tan thought, just as Shiro was thinking the same. An arm came out of the fog, and Violet only barely avoided it. Blood splattered, and the water barrier conjured by the old man corroded with a series of popping sounds, and several droplets fell on his face. The old man roared, eyes widening, mouth gaping in a drooling snarl, eyes turning crimson as the blood vessels within burst. This is the power created by burning his own life, affected by his own misused Favour. It will burn brightly, but fade swiftly, no matter his intentions.

“Shit.” Shiro unleashed her flames, trying to overpower the fire around what was Jun-Seo, as well as the sudden tide of water droplets that were surging around them all. One scorpion-man fell, leg pierced by multiple sharp droplets, only for him too to start raging, as the water was all tainted with blood, which was scattering everywhere. Shivering, Shiro pulled at her golden mantle, the feeling reassuring, even as she grabbed Violet and dragged her back out of the melee, even as another of the hostages was stomped to a bloody paste.

“The situation’s bad. Shit. We only have…” Shiro’s hair flared red and a massive, blazing wheel blocked the corridor, only leaving the enraged, berserk old man Si-woo on their side. “…two choices. Aki, Aki, you there? It’s gone to shit! We’re going to lose all the victims we saved unless we kill the … no, he’s already dead, these are just his death throes.” She finished, speaking rapidly.

“I get it.” Violet declared, her expression full of cold regret. “You said Akio-oppa can heal nearly anything, right? So… sorry old uncle… stay down!”

Violet lurched forwards, once more thrusting her arm, the scorpion tattoo now seemingly slightly cool to Shiro. Water droplets formed a barrier, spinning and glittering like an array of tiny knives, and blood splattered, the water turning pink. Violet grimaced, the pain unbearable, and her own eyes started to turn red, even as the old man fell, her hand piercing his shoulder, corrosive mist rising. As old man Si-woo hit the ground, foaming at the mouth with bloody froth, his body twisting and snapping as he contorted, body fighting against the paralysing venom, she opened her mouth to speak.

“Don’t hold back on me, Shiro-unni. I’m not going to be myself, but… I took… this mission on, nobody… forced me…” Soon speaking was impossible for her, and she surged forwards, only for Tan to call a flame elemental behind her, arms reaching out to grab Violet, scorching her flesh as she struggled.

“Fuck! Aki, can you hear me?” Shiro cursed again, and finally his voice came back, giving her momentary relief.

“Yes, sorry, I hear you. Damn, just keep yourself safe, no matter what. I want to save who we can, but if that comes at the cost of you, Shiro, it’s not a price worth paying. I… give me just a minute and I think I can help you turn the situation around. Do your best!”

“Shit. Fine, I will.” Shiro flushed, her face set resolutely. “Tan, it’s your time to shine. Aki asked for a minute, so…” The glow of aether around her was momentarily blinding, before her hair and eyes were a flaming crimson, and her skin had darkened from its pale white to a rich, alluring brown, her figure somehow becoming riper and more perfect. Behind her, the flaming wheel shattered, the hulking berserk brute crashing through, followed by the scorpion-men who had also succumbed to the madness.

“Yes. Leave it to me.” She spoke, her tone seductive. “I shall endeavour to be… considerate.” Tan, having now descended in true Divine Possession, licked her immaculate lips. “And while the lingering smell of the foul Angra Mainyu and his ilk lingers here… I would hardly have accepted…” her fist shot out, wreathed with flame, and Violet screamed, hurled backwards.

Careful, Tan! Don’t kill her!

“… a wager from someone that would lose to someone so much weaker than I. For just as I cannot manifest here without your body holding my true might back…” Do calm down, princess. I have little desire to drink deep of these Favours, and I would like less to set your man against me. Shiro, looking through Tan’s eyes now, could see that the flame was licking over the wounded Violet, but other than scorching her skin a little, it was mostly just consuming the berserk aether raging through her. “…the same is true for others, no matter how troubling.” Tan finished, a smile on her crimson lips.

“So…” dodging a punch from behind, Tan lashed out, her hand shaped like a fan, chopping one arm clean off, the scattered blood bursting into flame. “… let us put an end to this wretched, unruly mess!”

********

On hearing the panic in Shiro’s voice I had responded. The situation there had taken a turn for the worse, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to give her any support on the Material at this very moment, as circumstances had changed for me as well. But that doesn’t mean I can’t help… worst case, Tan will defeat everyone there. We’ll lose some hostages, and there’ll be unnecessary deaths… I bit my lips, chagrined at the thought of even with perfect planning, things could and would still go wrong. …but there’s still a chance I can help them turn it around, back in the Boundary.

Several immobilised and unconscious young boys and girls were lying in the dark, debris-strewn hallway, a dark mist sizzling on their skins, as I had used some of the ampules of Spirit Water I carried to dampen the cursed blood and water they were afflicted by, and even in ambush, there was no way I could be taken down by them. But what had caught me eye was the last one, who had leapt out at me with skeletal hands, his expression vacant. The resemblance to Park Yu-jun in the footage we had obtained was clear, and so I had wrapped him gently in air, which had sadly caused him to struggle, one arm snapping, his bones like frail twigs from hunger and overuse. Dribbling some pure Spirit Water into his mouth, his eyes regained a little clarity, and he mouthed some words that might have been thanks, before he passed out.

One bright spot in this heap of shit. Everything about this is so cruel and ultimately worthless. From that bastard in the Boundary that claims it’s a God, to the two in charge of this bitter game, where people’s lives and dignity are treated as less valuable than pieces on a chessboard. If I hadn’t accepted Ortlinde’s offer back at the start, me, my sis and all the girls would be at the mercy of warped bastards like this. Some would say they’re kids, but… no, they are old enough to know right from wrong. Now I had a choice to make. Wishing I could use my Eye, I instead decided to make a pragmatic, if somewhat cruel move. Hoisting Yu-jun onto one shoulder, I grabbed another victim, a small, weak-looking girl, and put her over my other. I then grabbed a second girl, holding her under my left arm. That left two boys and another girl, and I secured them as best I could, before heading for the exit, leaving those I couldn’t carry safely behind. I have to look out for our interests first. But I can be back in a few minutes to grab these too, but if I can’t resolve the battle in the Boundary and against Shiro’s opponent first…

The stabbing fingers were deflected by my sword again, and they had become less durable, my blade gouging a great crack in one nail. Despite my bravado, the giant eye, despite being pierced and cooked by lightning and the insides gouged by wind and flame, continued to laugh, the area around me a fog of dark mist. “Hapless, misguided fool. You think you are wounding me, but I am truth that seems a lie, I am indestructible, I am…”

“…someone who talks too much!” A beam similar to what had attacked Kang Da leapt from the eye, though this time it split into multiple branches, bombarding me. I evaded, though several struck me, burning holes in my thigh and stomach, bringing me great pain. Superficial though. No, that’s a lie, they are actually pretty bad, but my Ether Healing can patch me up… “So time to die. Truth, lies, some would say it’s all a matter of perspective, but what’s true is that the deeds here are evil, beyond question.” The ground exploded, and this time I mixed vines into the stone spikes using wood element, trying to ensnare the blob, piercing it with long, barbed thorns, holding it in place.

“Nonsense. The lives of lesser beings are as dust compared to the strength of the mighty. Have you not built your strength on death? All who seek the heights do. The lie is that the good take no lives, no, the righteous often are crueller than those who all label as evil. But…” The eyeball laughed, venting more black gas. “…for you, it is too late. My cursed breath has been seeping into you since this battle started.“ I stumbled then, staggering away from the eye, even as the hand reached out to seize me with its remaining broken fingers. Storming Moonlight slipped from my grasp, and the eyeball quivered with unholy laughter. “Your tenacity is impressive, and you have wounded me, despite labouring under the suppression of this place. Rest assured, I will not slay you. You will give your mind to her, and stand as her bodyguard, going where I cannot yet tread…”

“Such an honour. But I already have my quota full.” The hand grasped me, only to find itself pierced with a hundred smoking holes, the pale flesh disintegrating, the blackened bones bleaching white and cracking, turning to dust. “I don’t think she’ll be my type. You certainly aren’t.”

The eye tore free of the vines and rock spikes binding it, only to look in surprise at the glowing halo of light behind me, the edges shrouded with flickering darkness. Flame element surged, vanishing within, the brilliant ring growing in intensity. “The thing is, you’re strong, sure. But you’re no God, just a mere leftover who thinks itself a whole being.”

“No, I am part of the Evil Purpose, when I re-join the whole, I will be Evil Purpose!” it denied me, raging.

“That’s crap. I was initially worried by the way that you shut down my Eye and messed with my head, but all you are is what you claim. Lies. Smoke and mirrors. If not, then your League would have overpowered me. And the most telling proof…” The halo of Prominence Dawn burned behind me, awaiting a thought to activate. No time to gloat. Shiro needs me, any more delay could put others at risk. A light swept out, and the eyeball retaliated, blue beam of darkness meeting my light. For a moment they clashed, but light soon won out, and all that my light beheld was bathed in Radiance, the power of the Foehn I had fed it all-devouring.

“This cannot be… such a Radiance should only come from… the followers of…” The slimy eye was dissolving, shrinking rapidly under the blaze, and in the distance a number of Buildings shattered, the Territory around me collapsing, before the light slammed into another Territory barrier beyond it, eating through it in numerous places, before it regenerated itself, the shimmering aether-light faded and tenuous.

“…is that the Boundary here’s in pretty good shape.” I snorted, turning away, feeling a great weight settle upon me, a Favour torn from someone, the Territory owner. It was a frightful mess of a one, powerful, yet somehow deformed and blended with another, but as I scanned the information I leapt to the side, as a small beam of blue light passed by where my head was. Turning, I channelled my Spirit Water, wrapping what remained, a small blue sphere with a pair of long tusks, the size of a basketball, in a bubble of it, which burned it like acid.

“This… is a lie. I cannot fall, be defeated by a mortal, before I… become whole once more. My disguise, my lying death… it was perfect. How… how did you… see through me?”

The words were fainter towards the end, and I didn’t bother to answer it, only clenching my fist, compressing the Spirit Water, until the creature burst with a final weak whimper. More letters flared across my vision, and this time they were clearly comprehendible. “I’m not enough of a fool to tell the enemy what mistakes they are making. But… when my Mystic Eye wasn’t displaying anything intelligible, I knew. Besides, you’d already shed your form once. But… the lie was that you were a threat along the lines of Nurarihyon, or even Shaeula’s father or the other Seelie Lords. Otherwise you wouldn’t be playing games here, gathering adherence. You certainly portray a terrible foe well, but in the end, all you were was a parasite, a leftover.”

The rush of power with its death had restored a lot of my fading strength, and I was now able to balance my Split Thoughts better. Back in the Material, I called out to Shiro, to check that she was all right, while I looked at my spoils.

Your Class, Conqueror has increased from Level 19 to Level 21. You have destroyed the Anchor of a hostile Territory. Your class, Conqueror is sufficient to claim and extract the Divine Favour within this Territory and its owner. Your Adherence is sufficient to utilise Jarovid’s Blood That Brings Forth Might In Fury, but you are incompatible with this Divine Favour. This Divine Favour has suffered degradation and encroachment. You may consume it but this will entail some risk of harm, or find a suitable vessel, but in the current state, this Favour is likely to cause harm to any who possess it. Your Eight Moons Chakra Network and Silver Connection has strengthened significantly. Your League has increased by 2. All other Statistics have increased.

You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased from One Hundred And Thirty-Nine to One Hundred And Forty. Your…

You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased from One Hundred And Forty to One Hundred And Forty-Three. Your…

Several key skills felt on the verge of Ranking up too, and as Prominence Dawn collapsed behind me, I was inundated with a tide of adherence, though perhaps a third of it was pulled away from me, dragged towards the other Territory, and presumably the Chosen who ruled it. The adherence felt dark, cruel, but power itself had no sin, only how it was used. Turning my attention to Kang Da, I resolved to give him some healing, my aether reserves spiralling up as my subtle body and Chakras were strengthened. And then… we finish this.

********

“This would be trivial were I just to incinerate the fool, but…” Tan struck out again, severing the fleshy arm for the seventh time in under a minute. New, lumpy flesh began to form, vile, tainted blood streaming down to the already sodden ground, and Shiro felt a moment of annoyance. My armour is ruined. I don’t think I want to wear it ever again. But yeah, I don’t want you to eat that. The thought of it is disgusting.

“A shame. It truly, truly is.” Tan sighed, moving like a dancer, keeping the maddened death-throes of the monster away from the fallen Ji-woo and Violet. The wheel of fire had faded, and unfortunately it seemed like none of the summons of Violet had survived, nor had the wind elemental user, his fragile body expiring. There were still signs of movement in a couple of the other victims though, and Shiro wanted to save them, if only to keep Aki from feeling bad. “This world continues to surprise me. To think such as the being behind this twisted game remained here. It would have been sorely weakened by the long deprivation of aether and adherence, but…” Tan’s leg swung up, kicking the creature that had been Jun-Seo under the chin, shattering the neck, but the only result was to get blood all over her, and the ribcage burst open, ropey intestines surging out, grasping Tan tightly.

“I think not.” Tan sneered. “This is currently my body, and you shall not touch it. Though my true magnificence would leave you begging for me. But… this time I would walk on by. I am Taṇhā the Thirsty, only someone more splendid than the Buddha will I accept now.”

Hey, it’s still my body so be careful! I don’t want to star in the sort of creepy doujin Yasu likes!

“There is little cause for worry. For I have now digested the Favour of the one called Daizen. It took some time, but it has been… worthwhile. I deny your power over me!” At her words, the tentacles slid off her, the creature pausing in surprise, and Tan ducked low, slicing off the legs of the berserk, mindless living corpse. The ropey intestines surged down, grabbing the legs and the regrown arms formed into a quadruped shape, a dragon-like head forming, splintered and deformed bones forced into crude fangs, and Shiro was glad she wasn’t in control of her body, as the sights and smells were sickening.

“As it grows closer to death, the adherence sustains it, but also warps it. This was a battle for beasts, for one to rise above all, and so… huh.”

Wait, why did you stop moving, Tan? I know you are strong, but… Shiro’s thoughts trailed off as a satisfied smile spread across Tan’s face, and the creature roared, contorting and twisting, before breaking apart, disintegrating into aether and vanishing, leaving behind only a puddle of dark blood.

“It seems that a minute was not needed.” Tan laughed melodiously. Flames surged, and the ground around them and the walls burned, the remains of the struggle cleansed. A gentle lick of flame, and Shiro’s armour was pristine again, as if the horrible close-quarters battle was but a bad memory. As Tan withdrew her Divine Possession, Shiro groaned, her body screaming in protest, her aether near-depleted, her muscles and bones aching. Ether Healing was working with what aether she had left, and Shiro was glad once more she had pushed to Rank it up. “The presence of the powerful foe has vanished, as if it was a lie. Perhaps it was. Though danger is not measured in mere strength. It was a troubling foe, I have no doubt. But we have our victor.”

“Yeah, when Aki gets serious, he can bring the pain.” Shiro nodded, turning to Violet, who somehow had remained conscious, despite her body trying to destroy itself in efforts to attack, despite her burned muscles and tendons inhibiting movement.

“Is… is it over? It can’t be. I’m still… I have the urge to fight, to serve…” She bit her own tongue, the bite savage, pain clearing her head for a moment. “My poor… guys. Lucky one of them wasn’t here… huh. I have to start… again.” As tears trailed down her bloody face, Shiro softly reached down and wiped her eyes.

“Yeah, there’s probably the sister of our giant meatball left. The true ruler of this Academy. But… Aki will handle it. As for me… damn, I think I’m done. But I can still help save who can be saved.” Bending down, she hefted Violet onto her back. The woman groaned, trying to attack her, but her arms were unable to produce any power.

“Don’t worry, Aki will fix that right up. Scars and all.” Shiro felt a bit guilty at the horrible burns that had crippled and disfigured Violet. Turning to the other Hunter, who was in an even worse state, she sighed. “Ladies first, just take a break and we’ll be right back…”