After picking up his lost item, Elish left the ruin, and it automatically self-destructed, leaving no trace behind.
Now standing close to the peak of the tallest mountain around, he observed his surroundings and began contemplating his next move.
"Should I return just yet, or… ?" Elish raised a brow as he considered many options that flowed in his thoughts.
He wasn't feeling tired or sleepy, so resting wasn't a priority at the moment.
'Since awakening, it has been non-stop movement for me, but this body doesn't feel fatigued for the most part. That makes things more convenient.'
Returning to the inn now would likely mean waiting until the next day to revisit the Auction House since their business hours were currently over.
"I'm quite a distance from Artia. Maybe I should try exploring it a bit," he thought loudly.
It wasn't a bad idea. Gathering more information about the new world he found himself in would be beneficial in the long run.
The only memories he had obtained hadn't proven to be very valuable, as the soldier was merely low-ranked.
"I'll need to catch a bigger fish," he said to himself.
'To my knowledge, I'm still in the Western Continent…' He wasn't sure of the exact region, so he had to investigate.
'This should be enough to pass some time.'
******
The night air felt cool as Elish breezed through the plains, away from the mountains that now stood behind him like a forlorn memory.
It was a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of a crowded city or the discomfort of a bug-infested forest. However, even this peaceful field did not compare to the Divine Realm.
Not in the slightest.
"You all must be living it up there, huh?" he mused, thinking about the traitors he had for siblings.
He had been walking for some minutes now, almost an hour, and so far he had passed non-residential areas.
Ahead, he spotted a massive mansion, situated a few hundred kilometers away. It wasn't too far for him to reach by dashing, but he could also warp there if he desired.
"Let's have some exercise," he decided.
Picking up the pace, he ran straight toward the imposing building, which nearly resembled a castle.
'The owner of such a structure must be an affluent person,' and Elish found that promising.
This felt like it would undoubtedly be a worthwhile visit.
In a matter of minutes, he arrived in front of the gate of the expansive compound. Elish could tell that the entire building, including the compound, was protected by a barrier.
"Hmm, the effect of an item?" he pondered, noticing that the source of the barrier emanated from a single spot within the garden.
The warbling blue orb seemed to send an energy pulse radiating around the compound, preventing the interference of unwelcome visitors like Elish.
It was also located at the center of the compound, inside the barrier, so it completely shrouded the property of the wealthy man who lived within.
Items with special effects were rare, even in the modern world, so for the owner to possess such an item, they had to be both wealthy and powerful.
"They call them Relics these days, don't they?" Elish remarked to himself.
According to the memories he had absorbed, humans in this world didn't possess any special abilities like those of fairies, elves, or other beings who could manipulate the Essence of the World.
Humans relied on the [Arts], like Hex, and special items known as Relics.
Relics were objects imbued with certain Authorities over Essences, granting them various abilities. In essence, they could alter or control the nature of things in the world.
They ranged from weapons to mundane items used by gods. Using that as the threshold, any item from the Divine Realm qualified as a Relic, regardless of its actual significance.
"It seems that due to the war I caused 3,000 years ago, quite a number of these objects were scattered all over the world as a result of the damage dealt in the Divine Realm and the other worlds," Elish reflected.
These relics ended up empowering humans, allowing them to evolve further and giving them an edge against other races, thanks to their innate creativity.
Elish couldn't help but smirk, thinking, 'Looks like I caused quite a bit of trouble for those traitors, even in my death.'
However, now wasn't the time to reminisce about the past. Instead, Elish decided to focus on the present.
"Well, let's see what kind of person resides here…" A wide grin formed on his face as he focused on the barrier before him.
"[Hex #95: Elemenalist ]," he casually raised his hand, conjuring a black orb resembling a miniature black hole.
The orb warbled, swirling ominously before the calm Elish.
"Swallow all," he smiled, directing the orb toward the barrier.
~WUUUUSSSHHHH~
Upon contact, the orb clashed with the barrier, sizzling in the process. There seemed to be some resistance offered by the barrier, causing Elish to slightly widen his eyes in surprise.
After a brief struggle between his power and the defense of the compound, the latter emerged victorious.
"Looks like it's stronger than I gave it credit for," Elish admitted calmly.
The Hex he had used was of higher quality than the one the Imperial Knight had employed against him. Plus, the usually had a more corrosive attribute. To think the barrier held up despite that…
'Impressive.' However, he still had tricks up his sleeve.
"How about this then?"
Several orbs, similar in properties and size, materialized in front of him simultaneously.
"Let's see how long it'll last," he said, launching seven prepared orbs into the air.
~BOOOOMMM!~
The seven orbs bombarded the barrier simultaneously, shattering it immediately. Since the barrier wasn't strong enough to fully counter all of them, the five remaining orbs tore through the compound, causing an even louder eruption.
~BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!~.
"Looks like I went too far," Elish winced at the cacophony they generated.
Fortunately, he had positioned them away from the source of the barrier to investigate it further.
Casually, he walked into the compound, which had been transformed from a lush garden into a chaotic scene by his Hex orbs. He approached the jewel responsible for generating the barrier, catching it as it fell when he removed the pillar supporting it.
The jewel, once brilliantly shining when the barrier was active, now appeared dull.
"Maybe it's out of energy," he murmured.
As he tried to observe it some more, Elish encountered some interference.
From around the compound and within the mansion, he began to hear noises—company caused most likely by the earlier commotion.
"Intruder!" shouted men in the distance.
'Should I confront them?' Elish contemplated.
Since he was feeling a bit bored, he decided to take his time. Ending the situation too quickly would leave him with nothing to do.
Elish used a portion of his body's integrity to generate a sturdy mask, covering his face in order to hide his identity. He felt it would be better than downright shapeshifting for a bunch of irrelevant soldiers.
'I don't plan on letting anyone live, but… just in case…'
In no time at all, he was surrounded by the mansion's guards. They had formed an impressive formation, indicating rigorous training. The leader-like figure stepped forward, pointing his sword at Elish.
"Are you the one responsible for this assault?" he asked, his tone rough and forward.
Elish found the defiance of guards in such situations rather tiresome. He maintained his composure, knowing that losing it would deny him the chance to enjoy the night breeze properly.
"And if I am?" he replied, noticing the guards' murmurs among themselves.
"Impossible, only he did that?."
"He sounds so young too. How old is he? 20?"
"He broke the barrier? That can't be!"
"There's no way a young lad his age could cause this much damage."
Besides, the damage done to the compound was in no way abysmal. It was more reasonable for them to think that Elish had something up allies.
"I see you like to crack jokes. Tell me, boy, who put you up to this? And reveal your identity too!" the Chief Guard continued.
Elish remained silent, refusing to play along with their assumptions.
"Answer me! Do you not know that merely trespassing in this territory is akin to treason, yet this much destruction has been made, and you claim to be the sole culprit?" The Chief Guard pressed.
Elish sensed a tone of pity in his voice, as if the man thought Elish was in deep trouble.
"If you confess and mention your allies in this futile attempt, then at least your life may be spared," the man offered.
'Hmm…' Elish narrowed his eyes, evident through the slit he had in his mask.
"A young man your age. You still have your whole life ahead of you. Don't throw it away. Now stand down, surrender, and do the right thing," the Chief Guard urged.
They had assumed Elish's age based on his appearance and voice, so the Chief Guard's response to him was reasonable, kind even.
However…
"Urgh."
Elish felt a wave of nausea at the man's self-righteousness. It reminded him of his siblings, seemingly pious and self-righteous on the surface but often revealing their true, disgusting colors underneath.
"Distasteful," Elish muttered.
"What was that, young man?" the Chief Guard asked, not hearing him properly.
"You disgust me," Elish glared at him.
The man sounded just like his siblings—holier-than-thou and righteous. However, beneath their facade, they often proved to be thoroughly unpleasant.
"Begone," Elish said, summoning one of his orbs and launching it at the Chief Guard.
~WHOOSH!~
The dark orb acted like a miniature black hole, pulling everything it touched into its depths.
Elish smiled as he watched as the man's face contorted in terror.
"Uarrghhh!"
It started with the armor, then his clothing, and finally his body.
"ARRRGHHHHHH!! GUUAAAAARRGHHH!!!"
Flesh was stripped from his body as he screamed, his very essence being devoured by the orb. Tendons, mucus, and fluids all surrendered to the voracious sphere, leaving only bones behind.
After the orb had drained every last bit of him, it exploded, scattering the remains of the Chief Guard in a gruesome display.
~DRIP… DRIP…!~
The guards who stood behind their leader had witnessed the horrifying spectacle and were rendered speechless.
As soon as the blood and flesh splattered across the ground, some on their own armor, they cast their eyes down, staring at the grotesque amalgamation of their leader's remains.
The gory sight was burned into their memory, and that was when they realized… the meaning of danger.
Then, their gaze shifted to Elish.
Their murmurings ceased, replaced by deadly silence, their faces contorting into expressions of terror and despair.
The entity in front of them was no young man. He wasn't even a man at all.
… This was a DEVIL!
"Who's next?"
*
*
*
[A/N]
The bloodshed begins…
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