With the area cleared and everyone gone, I took a deep breath, thinking about my next steps.
I could feel Simon's curious gaze on me, though he didn't interrupt.
I exhaled, and firm determination, I channeled my Qi. It surged through my veins as the void Qi covered my hands, distorting the space around it. My eyes morphed as I used draconic gaze.
I searched for the weak points in the fabric of this dimension. With a slice I Cut the air, ripping the space-time.
"Let's go, Simon," I said simply.
There was no explanation, and as expected, he didn't ask for one. Simon trusted me. Without a word, he nodded and followed me through the portal.
On the other side, we stepped into a world like no other.
The sky was a deep purple, glowing with an unnatural hue that illuminated the barren land stretching out endlessly. There was no sun, no moon, only the mesmerizing glow.
The air has a pungent choking smell, thick with ammonia, immediately making our stomachs churn.
"Ugh... boss, this smell is revolting....goddamnit," Simon muttered, visibly disgusted.
"...yeah...," I replied, quickly encasing us in a Qi barrier. The though most of the stench was filtered, but some still lingered in our nose.
I glanced at Simon.
"This is the dimension the parasites are coming from, the ones the bald monk talked about." I said as I admire the twisted beauty of this strange world.
"I see... dangerous and strange. Not the kind of place you'd want to settle down," he added, his tone calm but wary.
"I want to farm this world, Simon," I said, my gaze fixed ahead. "This is a good opportunity."
Simon crouched, touching the barren soil beneath his gloved fingers,
"I understand but Farm, boss? This soil doesn't look fertile for anything...we should figure that out first..."
"what?..oh..god no, What I meant by farming is not agriculture...I meant gaining experience by killing these parasites" I said face-palming, as I should have seen this coming since he wouldn't know such terms due to his childhood.
"Oh." He stood up, nodding. "Got it. Makes more sense." he said calmly
"I've been itching to test this sweet baby in the field for a while now," he said, grinning beneath his skull mask as he materialized the gun we built.
With that We walked in the direction of high energy concentration,
As we moved something caught my attention.....
'humans?'
I could see a group of humans in the distance, gathering samples, wearing HAZMAT suits. The sight was both amusing and irritating.
'What are they doing here?'
As we approached, they noticed us, their eyes widening in shock.
They hadn't expected anyone, especially not someone walking around without a protective suit. They immediately aimed their magic-sequence guns at us while Simon with his.
'I swear this is getting old now....' I thought of the situation.
I walked forward, unfazed by their panic. "Humans," I said, my voice calm but commanding. "Why are you here?"
They hesitated, clearly on edge.
One of them finally spoke, his voice trembling. "We... we're from a classified organization. We're conducting research on this dimension. It's... it's part of a secret mission."
I chuckled.
'Of course. Humans and their curiosity, always sticking their noses into things they shouldn't'
"I see," I muttered to myself, shaking my head. "Let me be clear."
I took a step closer, watching their expressions changing into fear. "This dimension is off-limits. Anyone who enters here from now on will be obliterated."
Their eyes widened, and I could hear the fear in their rapid breathing in the HAZMAT suits.
"who...who are you to declare it...why the hell should we listen to you..!!" another said in panic,
"Who am i? well i am the one this world belongs to.
Why should you listen? hmm lets see, Cause last time I checked, you are the ones in protection suits not me...." i said with a smile.
They stepped back, as the reality slowly settling in them,
"Know this and Know this well, The parasites won't invade Earth from now, I will seal off all the cracks in dimension. So go back and tell your 'secret organization' to never try to probe around this dimension even by mistake." I said as i motioned them to run along.
with a gulp One by one, they turned and bolted back towards their portal, scrambling in desperation.
I didn't even bother watching them leave.
They weren't important.
But one man stayed behind, his face concealed by his helmet, but his posture... different. He wasn't panicking like the others.
I turned to him, my gaze narrowing. "Why didn't you run?"
There was a pause before he spoke, his voice flat, almost resigned.
*sigh*
"It doesn't matter, Just kill me here. I don't have anywhere to go back to," he said, his tone lifeless.
"I was homeless, lost my job, my home, and been cast out by my parents because I trusted a wrong girl....I am a Nobody.
They Kidnaped me because I was expendable. And me a...
A lab rat.
If I go back, I'll just end up dead, dumped somewhere even without a proper burial.
At least here, I can die in peace. Maybe the parasites will feed on me or this world take me.
Atleast I'll be usefull this way"
he finished as he removed the suite and stared above with his soulless eyes.
His words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I just looked at him.
This man had nothing.
no hope, no future, only death he seeks. I thought over it for a while.
I spoke, "If you want to die a nobody, you can,"
"But... if you want to live as someone who matters, I have an offer for you."
He looked at confused. "What do you mean?"
"Work for me," I said
"Serve me, and I'll give you something to live for.
You'll have power, freedom and everything that I can give. But," I paused, locking eyes,
"understand this: accepting this offer means forfeiting your soul to me.
You'll have an eternal life... but one that of servitude. A life with purpose, but only as long as you serve me diligently and loyally. The choice is yours."
He was silent for a long moment, his gaze drifting to the glowing purple sky.
After what felt like an eternity, he slowly knelt down, bowing his head.
"I'll serve. I'll be of use to you, your every wish, as long as I'm given a chance for a better life. Even if it means giving up my soul...I accept this."
"well said,"
A smile crept across my face as I placed my hand on his head.
I began to drain his soul.
He trembled in pain, but he didn't scream. He could feel the power flowing through him as I replaced his soul with something far older, far more profound. And...it was done.
he stood up, his eyes now reflecting the void.
"You're no longer human," I told him, my voice imposing.
"You are neither alive nor dead. You will be able to see and exist in any realm that I have conquered. Your purpose is to watch over and protect these realms.
In exchange... I'll give you eternity. Do everything you ever dreamed or will ever dream"
"From now you shall not be a nobody but You are reborn and be called Dasein, The one who Exists"
Dasein bowed deeply, his voice sounding like an overlapping echo with deep loyalty.
"Thank you My Lord, Your servant will obey. Your Will is my Will"
I smiled. "Good. Good. Raise now, lets finish what I came here for"
well we resumed our walk again with him tagging with us. but i have to say he is very useful as he led us deeper into the hive.
Simon showed his superior weapon mastery as he ploughed down the parasites that attacked with his gun.
he seems to like M4 more as i always see him using it, personally I like '47 but yeah its his preference.
We resumed our walk, now Dasein tagging along with us. With each step, the ground beneath us shifted subtly, as though the land itself was alive, aware of our presence. it was creepy.
As we went deeper, it became clear that Dasein had an uncanny ability to figure out the maze like paths that led toward the heart of the hive.
Simon, moving in front, his M4 at the ready. He worked with the kind of precision only someone like him could manage, mowing down parasites like they were nothing.
"Boss, this stinks," Simon muttered, wiping away some of the grime as another parasite burst from his shots. "they fookin explode in the nastiest way possible"
I smirked. "it Could be worse, Simon. At least they die fast. It seems that these parasytes leave behind their physical bodies when crossing to Earth.
Which actually makes sense, as it is near impossible for travel between dimensions physically through cracks in space-time..." I said as we moved forward.
He kept blasting away anything that came at us. I watched him handle his weapon with the ease.
He really favored the M4. Personally, I liked the '117, but that's just my preference.
Meanwhile, the parasites came in waves, screeching and rushing at us. They were disgusting, but nothing we couldn't handle.
I focused my Qi, forming it into sharp bursts that tore through them.
Each time they attacked, they were shredded, green fluid splattering everywhere as we fought our way deeper.
Finally, we reached the core of the hive. The doors opened to a large chamber, and the walls pulsed with a sickly, fleshy glow.
The ground slick with the fluids of the parasites. And there, in the center of the room, she lay—the Broodmother.
Her form was unlike the parasites we had fought. Feminine in shape, yet grotesque, she radiated an unnerving energy, an aura of corrupted life.
Her body was encased in a translucent membrane, pulsating with light, and from her, long tendrils of flesh stretched out, connecting to the walls, she is the part of the very hive itself.
Her limbs twitched, and her head turned slowly toward us, her eyes...or whatever those are, wide with panic.
She knew we had come for her.
The Broodmother let out a guttural screech, the sound vibrating in this fleshy lair.
"Alright, Simon," I said, glancing at him with a grin. "Let's see how fast you can kill her. First one to land the killing blow gets—"
"She pleads..." Dasein interrupted suddenly, his voice calm but serious.
"huh? I'm Sorry what?" I blinked in surprise, caught off guard. "She's pleading? What are you talking about, Dasein?"
Dasein's expression remained serious. "She's pleading for you to stop. She's begging for her life and her children's lives."
I was confused. "Wha? Wait, she said that? You can understand her? All I'm hearing is screeching."
I was suprized by this twist,
"Yes, my lord," Dasein replied, looking puzzled. "it seems screeching is the only way she can produce high pitch noise...but I can hear her..in my mind??"
he was confused as it is all new stuff for him.
'what he hell, he can understand her...System what's happening here? how can I not understand her language, I thought you can convert and translate any language?' I asked the system in doubt.
[HOST, SYSTEM CAN CONVERT AND TRANSLATE ANY LANGUAGE OF THE SENTIENT BEINGS IN MULTIVERSE]
'Wait, so your saying its not Sentient?'
[AFFIRMATIVE, THIS CREATURE IS SEMI TO NEAR SENTIENT]
'welp, you do have conditions huh..' I thought before I looked at him,
"she mourns...she says she is willing to submit if spared" he added,
This was unexpected. I glanced over at Simon, who simply shrugged. He didn't seem to care either way.
"well, tell it I agree to spare her and her brood since she is willing to submit" I said as I withdrew my void Qi.
Dasein bowed, he stepped towards it as he cut his wrist open with void energy, signifying his strong connection to Void.
His blood, now dark as night flowed out. In a sudden burst broodmother came out of its mortal shell.
Now in its ethereal energy form.
She extended her tendrils toward Dasein's wound, slowly and cautiously.
I watched, feeling a strange unease as her thin, fleshy tendrils dug into the open cut, her essence flowing into him. It was a disturbing sight.
'What the hell...' I thought, watching the exchange.
But the real shit happened now.
As soon as she entered Dasein's body, every remaining parasite in the chamber burst from their fleshy forms and rushed toward him in a frenzy.
"What the—!" I moved to stop them, but then I hesitated. Despite the chaos, I could feel Dasein's presence steady and unwavering. of course he cant die technically.
Multiple wounds opened on his body as they all rushed inside him just like their Mother.
Simon glanced at me, clearly unsettled. "Boss...is he going to be alright?"
I nodded slowly. "He'll be fine. He won't die."
Now that I notice, throughout the walk, there was something odd.
Dasein remained unharmed, I thought it was his healing factor but no...even his clothes are not damaged. Parasites swarmed toward Simon and me, but they ignored him entirely.
Parting like waves before him. It wasn't just them avoiding but rather it was as if they feared him, actively stayed far from his presence.
But I cant say for sure if its his innate ability or to them he is something more terrifying as for some reason I cant inspect the people after they join my cause.
Anyways, with these thoughts aside, it finally finished.
As the last of the parasites were absorbed, Dasein's wounds closed almost instantly. He opened his eyes...
They were...same as before, "hu? what happened Dasein...is it successful?" I asked as I couldn't notice any difference.
Dasein bowed. "Yes, my lord. They are all within me, merged with their mother. She will remain inside me until a suitable host is found."
I raised an eyebrow. "Huh... alright, then. So, that's it I guess"
Dasein nodded again. "She also thanks you for sparing her and her brood."
I chuckle, "No worries, I seldom kill people who want to submit. I only seek responsibility and Loyalty from them" I say as we look around.
And as I have guessed the walls of the chamber began to tremble. The hive was collapsing.
"Time to go," I said quickly, grabbing both Simon and Dasein by the shoulder.
we Moved rapidly out of this Maze like cave using my shadow walk.
"whew~ Close call ye?" I said with a smile as we reached the Ground, "Since we are done here, lets go back then,"
I grinned at Simon, who simply nodded, wiping some more of the parasite goo from his gear.
As I was about to cut the space, system message interrupted me.
[WARNING!! WORLD HAS DETECTED THE PRESENCE OF HOST]
[CONCELING THE PRESENCE..CHANGING IDENTITY.....FAILED!!]
[WORLD HAS LOCKED ONTO HOST'S SOUL SIGNATURE...]
[HOST HAS CHANGED THE WORLD PLOT MAJORLY IN SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME]
[ENCAPSULATING THE PARTY MEMBERS....RE-ROUTING DESTINATION...CHANNELING PATHS....]
[INITIATING ESCAPE SEQUENCE....35%...70%...98%..100%]
[HOST USED AN ESCAPE ROPE!!]
"eh...??"
[HOST HAS SUCCESSFULLY FLED]