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(Anna's POV)
Ding!
[The weakened soul of a Death Apostle has been sealed within the {Purgatory}!]
[The powerful Demonic Soul has lost all its abilities to exert its true powers inside.]
[It has now been marked with the {Prisoner of the Purgatory} Stigma.]
[This Demon Soul now belongs to you to use.]
[Several Constellations that hate humans are showing their ill intent against you.]
[Other Constellations that hate Demons are beginning to find you interesting.]
The moment Aim was finally sealed after beating him to almost death with everything we had, plus some more, I ended up getting a few notifications from these guys. I couldn't care less what they think anyway.
"Phew… I think it's finally done." I sighed in relief. "Baihe, Sara, are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, just a bit tired." Sara sighed. "Fighting Death Apostles back-to-back is not something I was made for, I think."
"Me neither…" Baihe gasped for air. "Agh, I almost died too... You've saved my life like... three times already, Anna."
"Don't sweat the details." I smiled. "That's just what a friend would do. You're my bestie, so of course I would do anything to help you. I'm relieved we made it in time."
"I-I guess…" Baihe nodded with a gentle smile, blushing a bit as she caressed her lips. "S-So… Um, what about the... err."
"A-Ah…"
Right, I had... Well, I gave her Elixir through mouth-to-mouth transfusion because she couldn't drink it on her own.
Yeah… It might have been a bit too much, but my healing magic wasn't working; pouring the elixir into her wouldn't work because to heal her insides, she needed to drink it and...
If I used the privilege Gaia gave me to heal her again, as I did with Henrietta, my life could have been shortened even more.
And if it shortens too much, when I need to use it again, it might be truly my last time before dying of old age!
So I just bet on it instead of trying to use the sure-fire way because of its costs.
Perhaps it creeped her out a bit?
"Sorry, I didn't mean it in a creepy way; I just needed the elixir to enter your mouth so you could drink it, but when I gave it to you normally, you were constantly spilling it." I sighed. "Sorry… Was it weird or creepy?"
"N-No, of course, it wasn't weird or creepy!" Baihe blushed while pouting, weirdly angry about what I said. "It was… I mean… Thanks." She smiled, hugging me again. "Thank you for being there for me... Thank you for saving my life. I-I… I just don't know what else to say, haha. I'll repay the favor later, I promise you."
"Don't worry about it! You've already paid me plenty with your help and friendship." I smiled, patting her head. "We're on this together, alright? There is no need to feel like you need to repay anything."
"A-Anna…" Baihe felt emotional, tears flowing from her eyes. "You're so nice! I just don't deserve you as my friend!"
She ended up crying on my shoulders. Damn, this girl's so cute, but she's also quite emotional. But she was amazingly strong to hold against Aim as much as she did!
"There, there, calm down. No need to cry; you're already like sixteen, girl! Let's cheer up and think of what to do now, alright?" I asked with a smile, nodding.
"Y-Yeah!" Baihe nodded. "Right, forgive me, I just got too emotional there... But I have to get used to these things."
"It might only become even worse in the future; we have to get used to this." Sara agreed, and Baihe glanced at her with a bit of an angry expression. Why? "I know you're still a young hunter, Baihe, but you have to get used to this."
"I know." Baihe nodded, gripping her fist. "Ugh, right… My arm."
"You say that as if it wasn't horrible for me to become your damn arm!" Astaroth complained at her side.
"Astaroth, Seal Voice."
FLASH!
"…?!"
He couldn't speak anymore.
"Are you okay with this one for now?" I asked her. "Don't worry, that guy's sealed by my skill; he'll become a useful tool until we can get out of here."
"O-Okay, I guess." Baihe nodded. "My arm was utterly destroyed; I assume you can't heal that back?"
"If the elixir didn't regenerate it, then we'll need something even stronger, maybe a Divine Elixir…" I sighed. "But those are super rare. I do have Panaceas left, but I'm out of Elixirs. Want to try drinking one?"
"N-No, please, those things are so expensive. I can deal with this for now…" Baihe laughed a bit. "You've done enough... Losing my arm is my fault; I have to deal with it, as Sara said. I'll take care of this damned demon. Though, how could you even do this?"
"New Skill, some Magic. It just happened. I think some of my sponsors hate Demons a lot and want us to beat this place as soon as we can." I smiled, mixing lies with truth.
"Honestly, after all the crazy things you've done, this shouldn't surprise me." Baihe laughed. "Sara, you… look quite phantasmal now that I see you."
"W-Well, a lot happened... I'm kind of a ghost... creature, sort of thing." Sara said. "It's hard to explain."
"It is a new ability due to having been revived from death," I explained to Baihe. "But as I said, just don't mind the details for now, please."
"A-Alright!" Baihe said. "I'll just ask all the things I want to ask later. We've got to concentrate. So, what do we do now?"
"First of all, where's Hector?" I asked her.
"Hector…" Baihe muttered. "Well, he… He died."
"Eh?!" I muttered in shock. "I hadn't noticed he wasn't anywhere; I thought he- Shit! We have to go see where he is right now!"
"Y-Yeah! He was around there!"
Baihe led me to where Hector was, confirming what she had said as his corpse was lying on the ground, lacking his head. He died in a gruesome way similar to Sara's death.
I didn't know this guy too much in the novel; however, he's an active fighter and party member, though he never became a friend of anybody, and his past is sad or something.
He was just there as a medium to connect with Thor and the Asgardian Nebula.
But seeing him dead is really gruesome and alarming.
The butterfly effect has gotten so bad that important story characters are dying left and right.
He becomes extremely important in the future, especially in the Second Awakening, when the Floating Continent of Midgard appears.
But now, our connection to Thor is completely gone.
Fuck!
Wait, no, maybe I can revive him like Sara? Even as an undead...
"Anna, what are you doing?" Wondered Baihe, seeing me summon a black book as I conjured dark, phantasmal magic.
"Trying to revive this idiot." I sighed.
"{Soul Calling}!"
FLASH!
I desperately tried to call for Hector's soul; however, the entire place was, for lack of a better word, soulless. There were no souls, not even the souls of demons we might defeat.
"This place…" I quickly noticed something, glancing at the ceiling. "I sense something... Sara, Baihe, can't you see it?"
The entire structure of this castle was strange already, but I quickly began to realize the true purpose of it. This was a place specialized in draining all souls that died inside.
Meaning that for whatever fucked-up reason, the Apostles of Death want the souls of strong Incarnations as sacrifices.
And Hector is already one of them—someone with a mighty soul blessed by Thor himself!
"I can sense something malicious up there, but... nothing else?" Baihe wondered.
"I do see it—empty streams; they're trying to absorb anything they can. Souls, in specific." Sara explained that her eyes were much sharper than Baihe's due to being a spectral being now. "This is bad... Hector died so gruesomely that not even his soul can be recollected. Like this, he cannot be revived the way it worked for me."
"I'm sorry… I wasn't able to help him; it happened so suddenly. That demon appeared and devoured his head before I could even react. Not even he was able to react in time either…" Baihe apologized.
"You don't need to apologize; this was much beyond your control," I said, touching Hector's golden armor and then grabbing the golden axe he had.
It wasn't Mjolnir or something; he had yet to even unlock that, but... This armor and that axe, and maybe these accessories here and there.
Well, I doubt he'll need them now that he's dead. Ah, am I lowering myself to an even bigger low now? But... they're so tempting!
Wait, not like I've ever had any shame about this, right?
FLASH!
Ding!
[You have looted the corpse of a strong Hunter, decomposing Materials…]
[You've gathered [Hector's Beheaded Corpse (A- Rank)] x1]
[You've gathered [Divine Thunder Essence Crystal: Hector (S Rank)] x1]
[You've gathered [Divine Lightning Beads (S- Rank)] x4]
[You've gathered [Reinforced Thunder Wyvern Full Body Armor (A+ Rank)] x1]
[You've gathered [Golden Axe of Thunder (A+ Rank)] x1]
[You've gathered [Bracelet of Lightning (B Rank)] x1]
[You've gathered [Thunder Spirit Ring (B Rank)] x1]
[Lucky! All Gathered Items Quality Ranks have increased by one!]
[The Cosmic Throne {Heroic Thunder Hammer} is glaring at you with anger! He asks why you are looting the entire corpse of his dead incarnation?! Don't you have any shame?]
There's no way he dropped more than just what he had! Did my Gathering Ability become even stronger after it was leveled? I got items that he certainly didn't have.
Were the Lightning Powers left on his body transformed into that crystal and the beads?
Interesting.
"A-Anna?!" Baihe was shocked when she saw me looting his corpse.
"Oops, that just happened, haha." I laughed. "Don't worry, I'll keep his corpse safe inside my Inventory."
"O-Okay." Baihe nodded. "Were you not trying to loot him, though, right?"
"Of course not…" I laughed nervously.
"I doubt he'll mind much." Sara pointed it out. "I've seen Hector loot the corpses of Hunters before, especially in big dungeon raids where their corpses weren't even recovered; he would grab anything they had greedily."
"E-Eh?! Was he that much of an asshole?!" Baihe was shocked. "I-I thought… He was chosen by Thor, so... Isn't Thor a nice heroic guy?"
"You're confusing the real Constellation with the comic Thor, aren't you?" I facepalmed. "Believe me, the real Thor is... Quite the horrendous asshole."
[The Cosmic Throne {Heroic Thunder Hammer} is gritting his teeth angrily! He wonders how a mortal is so sharp-tongued! He asks you if you're looking forward to death by his hammer, insolent insect.]
See?
"Hector is really morally gray, but..." Sara sighed. "Hah, I guess it's not right to talk about the dead now. Let's leave his soul resting in peace, wherever it might be now."
"Probably getting eaten by the demons as we speak," I said coldly. "Well, if he plundered corpses before, I'm sure he will not mind us doing the same at the end!"
Aim didn't have any dropped items. He got sealed with his entire body, something that Astaroth didn't do so easily because he was so damn strong, so this is helpful.
Especially this item...
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[Divine Thunder Essence Crystal: Hector (S++ Rank)]
The crystallization of the incarnation of Thor's powers dwells within his unliving corpse. It has been extracted perfectly and has become a Divine Crystal that can be absorbed by someone compatible.
Once absorbed, the user will gain up to three random skills from the original wielder of this power and might also fancy the interest of their original Constellation, Thor.
Additionally, when absorbed by a compatible person, a part of Hector's Stats will be permanently shared, alongside the Innate Talent for the Lightning Attribute.
Compatibility with you: Excellent.
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This is truly… an incredible item. I didn't know I could do this! So I could loot the corpses of strong hunters and get their powers like this?
No, I bet there are some conditions, but not all of them might work. Maybe dying from specific conditions and all. And I can't take that for granted. I better not get cocky.
[The Cosmic Throne {Heroic Thunder Hammer} is asking you for the second time to let go of his incarnation's body! You don't deserve to hold it or his treasures!]
"Why don't you just forget the past and think about the future?" I asked the Constellation, grabbing the golden-colored crystal in my hands. "Hector is dead, but I could inherit a bit of his legacy… How about it?"
[The Cosmic Throne {Heroic Thunder Hammer} is wondering what you're scheming…]
[He has never liked scheming women; they always bring trouble!]
[However, he recognizes your strength, and also… that you're holding the possibility of becoming his perfect incarnation in your hands.]
[He wonders what you're proposing.]
He's sure stupid to not realize what I'm implying! Do I really need to explain it to him? Can't he take a guess?
"Anna, who are you talking with?" Baihe wondered.
"She's talking with Thor; we can't see the messages because they reach her mind, however... I can sense his presence." Sara swallowed saliva, noticing alongside Baihe a large, invisible mass of lightning in the ceiling, glaring down at us.
"I'm proposing you a deal. I won't become your Incarnation right now." I said. Well, I will never do it, but I need to trick him. "But I can carry on Hector's duties in the future for you, and then later, I could think about it."
His manifestation. Made of semi-transparent lightning, it squinted its eyes and then crossed his muscular arms, laughing.
[The Cosmic Throne {Heroic Thunder Hammer} laughs at your bold proposal.]
[He swears there has never been a mortal so bold as to say such things in front of his divine presence.]
[However, he nods.]
["Very well… Have it your way, girl! But you better do as you promised! Fulfill Hector's duties!"]
As I heard his thundering voice that almost made my soul split apart into pieces, I absorbed the crystal without hesitation. Well, I was going to do it even without his approval, but I wanted to get into his good side first, just in case I need a bit of his help in the future.
FLASH!
The crystal dissipated into particles of light and thunder, melding into my skin and flesh. This time, there were only the endless visions of thunder, lightning, and electricity. No, Hector, his soul was not here after all.
It ended in a single second; I already had the powers I wanted. I had checked beforehand, Baihe and Sara were not compatible anyway, so this was the only way… Maybe.
Ding!
[You've completely absorbed the powers of the [Divine Thunder Essence Crystal: Hector (S++ Rank)]!]
[The Essence of Hector's Physique has been imbued into your body. All your Stats have greatly increased by +1000, and Ki by +500!]
[The Power of Thunder flows through your body. You have become worthy of wielding Mjolnir.]
[You learned the [Mjolnir's Manifestation (S): Lv1] Skill!]
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[Mjolnir's Manifestation (S): Lv1]
[Skill EXP]: [0/15000]
You've been permitted by Thor, the wielder of Mjolnir, to utilize your powers to temporarily manifest a small fragment of this Legendary Cosmic Relic's True Power.
By manifesting Mjolnir's power into a compatible weapon of choice, that weapon's Attack Power will increase by +1000%, while gaining the Element of Divine Thunder and creating an {Aura of the Mighty} around the wielder's body, increasing All Stats by +250%.
In this state, your body will be overcharged with Lightning and your Movement Speed and Reflexes will increase by +500%. Each time you attack a foe ten times in a row, a {Mjolnir's Strike} will be automatically summoned, striking a foe and dealing an additional damage of +2500%.
Once {Mjolnir Manifestation} effects end, if your body can't bear its power, you will receive a great backlash.
Duration: 5 Minutes. Cooldown: 24 Hours.
Level Bonus (1): Increases Weapon Bonuses by +10%, Effects Duration by +1 Minute.
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[You learned the [Thunder King (S): Lv1] Skill!]
[The [Thunder King (S): Lv1] Skill has been modified into [Thunder Queen (S): Lv1]!]
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[Thunder Queen (S): Lv1]
[Skill EXP]: [0/15000]
You're the Queen of Thunder, given the blessing of this powerful Element of Strength, Speed, and Mightiness, you can naturally conjure this element and shape it as you will, as long as you have the Mana for it.
You can fill your body with it to enhance your movement speed and reaction speed, release mighty lightning strike attacks, enhance your weapons with their might, or even shape the skies above you.
However, it will all require Mana.
Level Bonus (1): Increases Thunder Element Power by +25%. Decreases MP Consumption by -5%.
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[You learned the [Warrior's Physique (S): Lv1] Skill!]
[The [Warrior's Physique (S): Lv1] Skill has been modified into [Warrior Princess' Physique(S): Lv1]!]
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[Warrior Princess' Physique (S): Lv1]
[Skill EXP]: [0/15000]
Your body has been blessed to be that of a Warrior Princess, much like the Ancient Heroes such as Hercules or Thor were born with great divine bodies, you are now the same.
Your body will now naturally grow stronger and develop strong musculature. The more you train physically, the stronger your body will become—much faster than any of your peers.
You can naturally master any weapon after some basic training, and your battle instincts evolve rapidly as you develop and fight strong opponents.
Your Physical-related Stats will grow three times as high with each Level.
Whenever your Physique reaches a new Stage, you will receive Bonus Stats.
Level Bonus (1): Increases All-Weapon Mastery and Physical Prowess by +10%.
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These Skills were amazing, and that last one was what I really needed right now, due to my very weak physical body. With this, in due time, I could attain the ridiculous physique the strongest warriors out there have attained.
Yet, I can't help but wonder... With Skills like these, how did he even get eaten? Baihe said he couldn't react before he was devoured.
Did Hector lack enough Mana to use his Abilities as well as the future version of him that I read in the novel?
It is the only answer I can think of… I do have a lot of Mana though, especially with all the bonuses of my equipment, so I am superior to him in that regard.
I can use his powers much better than him. Perhaps.
"I'll put these powers to better use than your former little incarnation." I smiled.
Baihe and Sara were left speechless as I exuded an aura of pure divine lightning from my body. I guess the death of an important character ended up being quite a blessing in disguise.
But now, I hold the responsibility for the duties he did in the story. I better not mess that up, because if I do, the whole continent of North America might be wiped out.
"Alright," I said. "Let's get out of here." I summoned the Golden Axe for a change, imbuing it with my Thunder.
FLASH!
"{Thunderclap}!"
CLASH!
I struck the empty air; a huge shockwave of lightning was released; cracks in the empty air opened in an instant; and as another side was revealed to us, the presence of allies was very close!
"You can do that too?!" Baihe gasped.
"How do you think we got here to begin with?" I winked at her. "Now, hurry!"
"Yeah!" Baihe nodded, leaping with me, Sara, and my Familiars.
FLASH!
As we landed on the floor of another Domain, they quickly followed me as I started looking for the people who were trapped there.
However…
"YOU…!"
A demonic voice echoed from behind us as space started to distort itself, dozens of black holes opening as large demonic hands grabbed us, throwing us elsewhere!
"What the…?!"
When I realized what was happening, we found ourselves trapped in yet another dimension, this time a world of endlessly swirling purple, red, and black colors.
"This is as far as you will go, ruffians! I will not allow you, specifically YOU! To seal my Masters' anymore!"
And then, the Imp from the beginning showed up, floating in the skies.
"It's you?! You bastard!" Baihe roared angrily. "That we were all lost, that Hector died, it's all your damn fault!"
"It's that Imp guy." Sara said.
"Yes, it is my fault indeed." Laughed the Imp. "But my name is Jeremias! And I am very happy that a strong soul was sacrificed. Do not worry; it is for the greater good of our Demon Race! Master Beelzebub is working earnestly to revive our old, devastated world once more. Your world will be reshaped into our utopia; we demons will once again thrive!"
Then, he glanced back at us with furious eyes.
"But you will not be part of this wonderful world." He smiled. "Master has given me full access to the Source of Demonic Energy; my powers are endless now. And I will make sure to dispose of you, no matter the cost! Now-"
FLASH!
Before he could continue speaking, I enchanted my body with lightning and enhanced my movement speed through the roof, leaping into midair and flying towards him in a split second.
Gram overflowed with Lightning, Demonic Energy, and Celestial Energy, reaching the Demon's throat.
"You talk too much."
"Huh…?!"
SLAAASH!
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