"Hahahaaha"
I looked at the mentally retarded guy who seemed to have been punched too many times in his life. He is currently cutting and slashing left and right at ogres that we found in the forests near the place where Soi Fon and I took care of the theocracy guys.
Who am I thinking about? Who else other than Zaraki.
When the kidō ended and the black coffin dissapeared leaving mutiliated corpses and souls that later got absorbed into the blade, he appeared as a backup. When he noticed what happened, he scowled and got angry that there were no more enemies to fight, and he got excited for nothing. So, to keep him happy, we went to the forests, searching for something for him to kill.
Albeit he is still dissapinted at the wekness of opponents at least it got him into some better mood. I swear it's like treating children. They come excited, don't find their toys because someone borrowed them and the only thing that could placate them is to give them some other toys to play with.
The analogy seems weird, but it gets the point across. Souls getting into the sword is a bonus.
While looking at the carnage my thoughts drift off to what both me and Soi fon saw. After the whole fiasco and Zaraki were throwing a tantrum, both Soi Fon and I, who was right next to me for a split second, saw something that I thought might have been my zanpakuto. Maybe it was trying to contact me and nearly made it? I don't know.
What I know is that the guy looked... menacing, to put it simply. That man... I think he had horns on his head, multiple pairs of eyes and sharp teeth without any lips on his face. The face alone would look like nightmare fuel for anybody if not for the fact that he looked as if his face was basically a white mask. A hollow? In the original series, they were evil spirits, but I don't think he is one. No proof for that, just a hunch. He is wearing some kind of suit that is moving as if alive. Usually, I would not really think of him as a personification of death, but the hands without any flesh changed the image significantly. And don't even get me started on the energy emanating from him.
Our reactions to that were completely different. I just got interested and curious since I already had an idea that this being would most likely not look like a human. My companion on this trip was different. She got still without blinking or moving at all and went from that after around half a minute, after which she didn't remember blanking out. I think she might have fainted while standing. I find it slightly weird. Maybe everyone feels something from him, like instinctual dread when I don't due to the connection. No idea.
Enyway the whole fiasco proved that he is actively trying to communicate with me, but is not able to. Other than that it also means that absorbed souls are working just fine.
Seeing the insane man decapitate his last opponent, leaving a massive pool of blood on the ground, I decided we should end it.
"You satisfied now?"
I say that because it's getting dark, and from what I know, the bone daddy should be arriving in the city. He told me to meet him tomorrow, but I don't want to wait.
"Ah, yes. Disappointing and weak. I have no interest in weaklings but better them than nothing. So, where do we go now?"
He said while stretching his neck with a cracking sound.
"You are not going back?"
He just rolls his eyes at me and answers.
"Ah. The old hag would get angry that I left you here with just a vice-captain as an escort, and I don't want to listen to her nagging."
Yeah, I can see Unohana doing that while being the only person other than Yamamoto and me to whom he listens. Honestly, I am starting to like his company. His laid-back and direct approach is easier to deal with than the others, who are very respectful to me to the point of it being ridiculous.
"You are just jumping for the opportunity since the chances of a fight happening here are far greater than in soul society, aren't you?"
Said Soi Fon to the big guy.
Wait, that makes sense. I haven't thought about it like that, but on the other hand, he is very simple-minded, so I don't think that he would...
"Damn right, I do!"
I take it back. He just did.
I sigh and pinch my nose, after which I change the subject to stop them from bickering.
"We are leaving. Follow me."
All three of us shunpoed along the road that leads to E-Rantel. The whole travel took almost half an hour, even when using shunpo the whole time, due to the stops we were making because Zaraki sniffed out some monsters nearby and couldn't leave them alive. I worry about taking that guy into a city.
We arrived at E-Rantel. From the outside, all we can see are city walls that look well maintained, along with the gate manned by guards who are inspecting everyone entering the city. It is to be expected due to the need for them to be ready for war at any moment due to it being a border city neighbouring another country.
We omitted the entry check by jumping over the walls while none of the guards could see us.
Inside, while on the wall, I observed the city and saw typical medieval architecture with stone roads along with some smaller dirt ones directed towards more obscure parts of the city. I could see that there was some city planning involved, but it leaves much to be desired. Overall, as you would expect an ancient city like that to be. The most important parts of the city are the market, which is very big and filled with people, and the adventurers guild.
I decided to explore and then search for Ainz. It still feels alien for me to call him that.
The heart of the city is filled with various stalls of locals trying to sell their goods to earn a living, along with travelling merchants trying to buy cheap goods. Other than just the marketplace being set like that, it seems like a whole district is expertise in trade and craft. Blacksmith here, an inn there, not to even mention the guild building being nearby. During the whole escapade, I had to calm the other two numerous times since Zaraki, in his boredom, started provoking the vice-captain, hoping for a fight.
When it comes to demography, most of the people living here are human, but it doesn't mean there are no other races present here. Some give them side glances and scoff at them, but all of those are travellers stopping in this city. It seems that you can't have a fantasy world without racism, at least the local population is more open.
I continued to observe and walk around until I noticed a big building near the edge of a city.
I think I know the answer and won't like it. But why is there a temple with a statue depicting me?
It seems that the city is not against this religion, and looking at the location of this temple and other temples here, it doesn't seem to be funded much. So, most likely, the Re-Estize country is neutral when it comes to the religious sector overall.
I wanted to get inside and see how the interior looks, but weird things started happening. For example a statue at the entrance opened its eyes while I felt that I could move it if wanted to.
Is this whole religion more than just locals knowing about me and deciding to worship me?
I realised somthing. I completely forgot that one of my classes was 'kami' which is a diety. I really became a goddess! Noooo! It's gotta be so much work and so much stupidity to deal with. Please, priests of mine, don't be insane fanatics. I don't want to deal with it.
You know what. I will just ignore it for now. They operated fine without me here in the past, so they can continue.
We went back to the market right in time for people to start cheering at something. I looked at the object of their applause and got gobsmacked.
Ainz and the maid. What was her name again? Ah, right, Narberal. They are slowly parading while riding on a gigantic hamster. Yes, a hamster. Ainz noticed me looking at him and turned his head in the other direction embarassed. To be fair if I had such a 'mount' I would be embarassed too.
"The hell is this?!"