Chereads / The Paradox of Emperal / Chapter 15 - Wait! Are those …Recipes!?

Chapter 15 - Wait! Are those …Recipes!?

Suddenly, the box began to shake violently, trembling like it held a beast desperate to escape.

BOOM!

The box exploded into shards, and one sharp piece stabbed deep into Emperal's hand, making him flinch. Blood trickled down his fingers as he stared at the chaos. From the wreckage, a thick, ancient book floated up, bound in dark, corroded chains. Its surface was carved with glowing demonic runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.

The air grew heavier, darker, and suffocating. Emperal's eyes burned as they locked onto the book. Blood started dripping from his tear ducts, staining his face. He turned to Grimblaze, only to find the pygmy hippol sprawled on the ground, knocked out cold by the sheer pressure of the thing.

Before he could make sense of it, the book dissolved into a streak of light and shot straight into his forehead.

A sinister voice boomed inside his mind, thick and heavy, each word dragging him deeper into its grip.

"Hahahaha! At last... A vessel worthy of me!"

The words echoed like a hammer in his skull, sending jolts of pain ripping through his head. Emperal's veins popped out across his forehead, dark and throbbing, as if his body was struggling to contain whatever had just invaded him.

"ARGH!" He dropped to his knees, clutching his head, feeling like it was about to split open.

The voice laughed again, deep and guttural, its tone dripping with malice.

"Hah, still alive? Impressive. You've got some fight in you, boy. Most would've turned to ash by now. But you... your soul, it's stronger than I imagined."

The voice grew quieter but sharper, like it was carving itself into his mind.

"Yes... such a fine vessel... perfect to wield the Abyssal Corruption Physique."

The last words weren't human. They were spoken in a language that twisted and writhed, leaving a searing imprint on his thoughts. The sound itself felt alive, forcing his body to convulse with fresh agony.

Everything blurred. The pain, the voice, the aura—it was too much. Emperal felt like he was standing at the edge of something he couldn't escape. Something that wouldn't let him go even if he wanted to.

From the sinister manual, an eerie, ancient rune emerged, pulsating with a malevolent energy. The moment it appeared, it floated ominously in the air before shooting straight into the depths of Emperal's soul, intending to brand itself in his soul.

As it delved deeper, the rune shone brighter, its malicious aura spreading like wildfire. But then, without warning, it halted. It began to tremble, the once-mighty glow dimming as though the rune itself had suddenly felt... fear. A tremor rippled through its form, and it quivered as though struck by an invisible force. It hesitated, no longer exuding arrogance but radiating unease. It was as if it had stumbled upon something it could neither comprehend nor defy.

From the abyss of Emperal's soul, an unnatural darkness began to rise—a black matter so profound and terrifying that it seemed to defy reality itself. It coiled and swirled, tendrils of pure dread weaving toward the rune. The rune froze for a fraction of a moment before it began to shudder violently. And then... it panicked.

The rune reacted instantly, jerking and twitching like a caged animal. Its radiant energy sputtered, flickering wildly as if screaming in terror. The patterns on its surface warped and stretched, contorting like they were trying to escape its own body.

The being who controlled the rune, watching from afar, felt something shift. His smug confidence evaporated, replaced by sheer panic.. His expression, initially one of smug satisfaction, twisted into one of pure, unbridled terror. His voice broke through the void, a desperate, trembling cry

 "W-What is that!?"

Frantically, he willed the rune to flee faster, to escape the abyss that had no right to exist in this mortal boy. But as the rune ascended, an unseen force snapped into place, sealing off every possible exit. The being's horror deepened as he realized what was happening.

"No... NO!" he howled, his voice trembling with dread. "This can't be! Not here! Not now!"

The black matter, as if satisfied with its display of power, began to retreat, flowing back into the depths of Emperal's soul. The suffocating dread lingered for only a moment longer before dissipating, leaving an eerie stillness.

Yet, just as the being thought the ordeal was over, a new force took hold. It was intangible, silent, yet absolute. It enveloped the rune entirely, smothering it like a predator with its prey. The rune's once-clear lines blurred, its form eroding as though it were being consumed by an incomprehensible power.

"No... NOOO! How can this happen?!" the being screamed, his voice shrill with desperation. "Eons of planning! Centuries of preparation! For what?! Who is this accursed boy?!"

As the rune disintegrated, the same intangible force turned its attention toward the being. His body twisted, his essence unraveling as though the universe itself had decided he no longer had the right to exist. His final, blood-curdling scream echoed into oblivion before he was gone.

His cries grew fainter as his form began to unravel. Piece by piece, he disintegrated into nothingness, his existence wiped from reality by the same force that had claimed the rune. His final scream was cut short, leaving behind only silence.

Within Emperal's soul, the black matter pulsed faintly, then vanished into the void, leaving no trace of what had just transpired. All that remained was a chilling stillness, the kind that made it clear something far more terrifying than any ancient power had just awakened.

In the depths of Emperal's soul, the intangible force flickered for a brief moment, then vanished into the abyss, leaving no trace of what had transpired. All that remained was Emperal, his body still and his soul now harboring a mystery that defied even the most ancient powers.

After what felt like an eternity, Emperal stirred awake, his head pounding like it had been split open. He groaned, pressing his fingers to his temples. "Ugh... what was that?" His voice was raspy, his body sluggish as if he'd been crushed under a mountain.

He sat up slowly, his movements stiff, and tried to make sense of the fragments of memory flashing in his mind. Bits and pieces of what had happened flickered—terrifying, disjointed, and surreal. "That being..." He muttered, shivering as the memory surfaced. "What kind of nightmare was that?"

He froze, recalling the overwhelming presence, the suffocating dread that thing had exuded. "Was it even something from the cycles?" His voice faltered as he muttered, half to himself. "Or... was it something beyond?" The thought alone was enough to make his stomach churn.

Then, as if the universe wanted to mess with him further, he noticed something strange out of the corner of his eye. Grabbing a strand of his hair, his breath hitched. It wasn't red.

"Wait… black? BLACK!?" He shot to his feet, staring at the pitch-black locks that now cascaded over his shoulders. His voice rose in disbelief. "What the actual fu*k? My hair was red! Red with silver tints!" He yanked at the strands as though trying to make them change back. "What's with this pitch-black nonsense?!"

He paced back and forth, running a hand through his unfamiliar hair, muttering curses under his breath. "Alright, calm down. Calm down." He repeated it like a mantra, though his heart was still racing.

Forcing himself to sit down again, he closed his eyes and focused, trying to recall everything. Slowly, the memories began piecing together. The rune from the manual. The dark matter rising from his soul. That thing's panicked screams as it fled in horror, only to be snuffed out like it was nothing.

His eyes shot open as he remembered. "No way… the rune… it actually integrated into me?" He touched his chest instinctively, but the thought only raised more questions.

And then, his gaze landed on the manual. It lay there, unmoving but radiating an unsettling presence. It looked different now, the runes etched on its surface faintly glowing, like they were alive. A strange pull compelled him toward it. He hesitated but eventually reached out, his fingers grazing its surface.

A sharp jolt coursed through him, and suddenly, images began flooding his mind. Cryptic symbols, flashes of ancient rituals, and scenes that were grotesque 

"Wait! Are those …Recipes!?" He blinked.