The moonlight's chilly glow continued to cast its ethereal light, while the bluish aura that had enveloped me earlier had now faded, leaving only a faint blue shimmer in my right eye. Ayesha's aura, in contrast, emitted an air of resentment rather than malevolence. Her expression revealed a mix of distress and fear.
Within the cave, my gaze settled on ten individuals. Among them, two had auras that resembled flickering flames, weak yet tenacious in their battle.
Shifting my focus to Venidith, her bright smile welcomed me despite the noticeable waning of her aura's strength. If only I had arrived a bit later, she might not have endured much longer.
With an audible exhale, my gaze returned to Ayesha, causing her to flinch slightly as I aimed my sword at her. "We can put an end to this. You're not a demon, but a soul corrupted."
Venidith persisted in labeling her as feeble and a seeker of borrowed power. It made sense, as only those who are vulnerable or have lost everything would seek to borrow power from a demon. If Ayesha were purely evil, she would have undoubtedly transformed into a demon.
"Tsk, don't think your glowing eye will help you win!" Ayesha retorted, her resentment evident, as she manipulated waves of thousands of threads and needles in my direction.
I noticed a change in her attacks—either they had slowed down, or I had grown stronger. As I swung my sword, they disintegrated completely, not merely shattered. The blade sliced through their atomic structure, eroding their integrity until they ceased to exist.
Ayesha swallowed audibly, attempting to hide it, but I could detect her anxiety in her aura – its flow quivered and faltered, radiating fear. Undeterred, she made another attempt, conjuring fifty needles the size of buses into the air, casting long shadows that stretched across the entire area.
What intrigued me was that the size of the needles didn't affect their speed; they defied the laws of physics. With a simple gesture, each one shot through the air even faster than a typical small needle.
Taking immediate action, I swung at the first needle and propelled myself away from my initial position. Another ten needles followed, prompting a swift spin on my part, reminiscent of a spinning top. My blade sliced through them, causing the massive needles to waver as they descended, sending shockwaves through the ground.
Landing on my left leg, I sensed vibrations emanating from below as threads sprang out from the ground. I swiftly swung my blade in defense against their advancing presence. Amidst the six imposing needles, a narrow opening became visible. Without hesitation, I assumed a striking stance and leaped despite the throbbing ache in the nerves of my feet. My speed caught her off guard, leaving her with no time to react.
Like a falcon, from the ground, I charged at her, executing a slashing swing. Blood sprayed in a curved arc, tracing the path of my blade. She couldn't emit a scream or even budge. Her strength paled in comparison to the monstrous opponent I had faced earlier. Her aura network shattered.
I soared past her, ascending higher into the sky, and briefly glimpsed the enormous spider. Within the forest, its gaze tilted upward, fixated on me. With unwavering determination, I assumed a stance and propelled myself towards it with a swift kick, surpassing even the fastest eagle in speed. The sound barrier shattered with a resounding crack.
And there it stood – the spider. Countless threads, perhaps numbering in the millions or billions, burst forth from its form, sprawling throughout the forest. The ground trembled as the threads hurtled towards me, yet their efforts proved futile.
Engaging in a circular motion, I spun, adopting a drill-like appearance as billions of threads attempted to pierce me, yet their endeavors met with failure. Sharpening my focus, I sensed its desperate attempt to escape, but it was too late. Initiating a drilling motion, I punctured through its abdomen. It emitted a high-pitched shriek, abruptly silenced as its intricate aura network disintegrated.
..
Touching down, I used my left arm to support myself as I flipped backward, poised for an impending counterattack... which never came. The colossal spider collapsed without a sound, its impact shaking the earth upon landing.
Surveying my surroundings, I found nothing but silence. Ayesha appeared to be alive but was struggling to make any meaningful contribution. Her pseudo-demon form had granted her a reprieve from instant demise.
Navigating through the forest, I made my way to a clearing where I discovered her wrapping herself in threads using her hands. Though weakened due to her severed aura network, her determination remained evident. Blood stained the threads, and the manner in which she enveloped herself gave her the appearance of a weaver.
Fear now filled Ayesha's eyes as she looked at me, the baybayin runes glowing in her eyes. Her aura no longer radiated resentment, but instead a light shade of red, flowing more naturally. The corruption seemed to have lost its grip, leaving her in a state of fear.
"Pl-Please, Do-Don't kill me!" Ayesha pleaded, her voice quivering with fear, as she continued to wrap herself in threads.
"Why?" I muttered, fixing my gaze on her, "Is it because that old man did something to you?"
Tears streamed down Ayesha's face as she coughed up blood, "I-I was... Violated by that bastard," she managed to say, her eyes shifting to the lifeless body of the chief in the distance.
"Was it before or after we helped the village?" I inquired, recollecting the village's history of being involved in a cult before their eventual rebellion.
A villager had once mentioned that a shrine maiden was chosen to have relations with every male in the village. The practice had ceased after the villagers revolted, but it seemed their newfound knowledge of farming and fishing hadn't been enough to sustain them.
We assisted by teaching them better fishing and farming techniques, along with preservation methods like pickling, smoking, and salt preservation. Everything appeared to be on the right track, until a realization struck me.
During my visits, I rarely saw children roaming around. The only children I knew of were the chief's daughter and son, as well as a few others from well-off families in the village.
I didn't notice it, Maybe because I was too busy trying to be better at that time. Or it was just me being anti-social?