Return of the Fallen Volume 11 Chapter 30
“Me heavy, hehe, are you sure you haven’t grown weak after being on this dying world for so long?”
Marty paused for a moment before she shook the thought away.
“You’re probably right, this place has drained me over the years. Still, I didn’t expect such weight. Hmm.”
Kazuki quickly changed the subject.
“That trap was interesting. Just as you said, it made a move on us after the third step. This doesn’t seem like old technology does it?”
“True. This whole place is powered by something unknown and yet it’s familiar. There are plenty of craftsmen that can do similar things all over the Higher Realms and even some in the Lower Realms, I just wonder how old exactly is this place. It’s before my time, but that could literally just be a day more or a billion years and beyond. I can’t date the place without using my power, and because of that I don’t know whether to be impressed by this tech or disappointed.”
Marty and Kazuki continued deeper and deeper down the temple. Each layer was more complex, and the traps more intriguing. From the old, such as poison arrows, to more modern, such as lasers and plasma bolts hot enough to melt Cosmic metal. The place was filled with ways to kill but for a Demigod, even a weakened one, it posed not much threat.
Coming down to the 8th layer, Marty and Kazuki were mid-conversation when she suddenly put a hand in front of his chest, and the two came to a stop.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
Marty shook her head.
“This looks…different.”
Kazuki looked around, of course, he wouldn’t be able to tell since he’d never been there, but still, he couldn’t help but look around.
“Didn’t you already say this place changes? The traps reset and change when one returns.”
Marty nodded.
“Yes, but that’s only the traps. I’m saying I don’t remember there ever being a room like this here.”
The room they had stepped into was shaped like a dome. Kazuki had experienced many bad times in domes and he began to feel a tingle on the back of his neck as his hairs stood.
Marty and Kazuki exchanged a look, and they both felt something was off.
“Let’s retreat.”
The moment Kazuki said this, the door they had just walked through slammed shut.
Marty was taking no chances. She immediately mustered all of her strength and tried to destroy the door with a kick but she was knocked backward by some repulsive force. Before she could even stand, a strange robotic voice echoed out.
“Two lifeforms have entered.”
A diamond-shaped black rock appeared in the middle of the room before it flashed forward and reappeared in front of Marty. A light shot outward from this black diamond and starting from her head, it lit up and passed down to her chest, waist, legs, and finally feet.
“Demigod. Strength C, Speed C, Dexterity C, Soul Grade E. Adjusting Parameters.”
Marty and Kazuki both looked at one another with complete confusion before the black diamond flashed once more and appeared in front of Kazuki. The moment it appeared in front of Kazuki, Kazuki tried to snatch it out of the air but to his shock, his hands passed completely through it. The black diamond hovered in place and the light just as before shone out and went head to toe over Kazuki’s body. Just before it finished, Kazuki tried to place a barrier of ki over himself but that didn’t seem to do anything.
“Regressing. Strength A, Speed B, Dexterity A, Soul Grade… Soul Grade…Unknown Damage To Soul. Attempting To Repair…Power Source inadequate…A.I Damaged. Can Not Repair Without Self Repair. Overwriting Initial Phase, Readjusting Parameters. Soul Grade Can Not Be Determined, Grading Soul To New Standards. Soul Grade F. Adjusting Parameters. Simulation Look Up. Simulation Records 5SD7812930EF. Simulation Begining in 3…2…1.”
Marty and Kazuki both tried to attack the door once more but before they could, their visions escaped them and their world became nothing but blinding white.
…
Their vision returned but neither were inside the temple but instead an open plain with short grass swaying with a gentle breeze. The two were still next to one another and Marty was completely lost.
“What is this place? That thing didn’t have a soul yet it was talking strangely and saying weird things about us. The only thing I understood was simulation. I think that means this isn’t real so don’t be frightened, old kid, I’ll find us a way out of here.”
Kazuki was not in the least bit frightened and Marty’s words only made him laugh inwardly.
(She shows such care for a stranger.)
“I’ve heard of simulations before as well. This place shouldn’t be real but I’m having trouble sensing my real body.”
Kazuki gave his shirt a sniff and could not smell his own scent. Nor could he smell his scent outside of this place. It was like the mind-body connection he had since long ago had been severed in one slash.
“I can still feel the presence of my soul but outside of that, it’s like our bodies no longer exist.”
Marty nodded.
“True, whatever this thing is, it is capable of fooling even a Demogd’s senses. Even if we know it’s not real, we both need to stay on alert. Manipulating you is one thing, manipulating me means it holds at least power equal to mine, so be careful.”
Kazuki nodded.
It didn’t take long before the two were interrupted by a horrible scream. The scream was piercing to the ears and sounded as if someone was dying. It wasn’t hard to find the source, as there was a woman in the distance being chased by something. It was a strange beast. It had large bat-like wings and dozens of horns protruding not only from the top of its head but all over its face as well. Long arms that hung low like an ape and hooves for feet. This creature tackled the woman before opening its mouth. Rows of sharp, jagged teeth.
With a single bite, it bit down on the woman’s shoulder and ripped out a large chunk, causing blood to spurt out violently.
“NOOOOOOO! HELP ME PLEASE!”
As the woman screamed and begged for mercy, Marty and Kazuki simply stood by and watched.
“Fascinating. From here, the blood looks real. I wish to take a closer look and see how real this is.”
Kazuki was immediately taken aback.
“We have to be careful. Engaging in this, isn’t that the exact opposite?”
Marty shrugged before walking closer.
“I’m convinced that once I have a closer look, I’ll easily be able to see through this so-called simulation and then We’ll come up with a way to break through it together.”
Kazuki was slightly at a loss as to what to do.
(Even acknowledging this scene may be too much and might suck us in even further, yet she’s voluntarily going forward. Something isn’t right here.)
Kazuki remained in place and watched from afar.
“Marty, don’t go! Even if this is a simulation, the fact that we cannot feel our bodies is a bad sign. You walking over there right now may in fact be causing your real body to walk wherever the creator of this place wishes you to. That could be right back into another trap or into the mouth of a Sandworm or a million other things.”
Marty shook her head.
“A simulation is a simulation. If this place can already get inside of our minds to such a degree, do ye really think it would have trouble forcing us to march to our deaths? Now come over here and let’s try and figure this all out together.”
Kazuki was dumbfounded.
(I’ve known her for so little time but I don’t think she would just ignore my warning like this. Wouldn’t she at least stop and think before making such risky moves?)
Kazuki was very suspicious and didn’t take a single step forward.
He could still feel his soul but not his body.
(Should I risk it? Should I attempt to use my aura and risk bringing a bunch of worms? Would that even awaken me from this place?)
Kazuki continued to watch Marty as she stood directly next to the demonic creature. She began touching it, poking and prodding.
“It even feels real. Or at least I am interpreting it to be as such. Fascinating. To escape this may be difficult.”
Just as she said this, the demonic creature’s attention turned toward her and it grabbed her by the throat and began to squeeze. Marty’s eyes widened and she tried to break the grip but to her shock, she couldn’t.
“Jentson…I…Hel..p..m..e!”
Kazuki heard Marty’s pleas but instead of making a move, he ignored her.
(This place isn’t real. The scene before me is an attempt to get a rise out of me. Make me emotionally unstable.)
This is something that would not work on Kazuki. Even if he could not feel his ki, just before he was thrown into this place he was already circulating it as fast as possible. He gave up on a barrier and focused on keeping his ki flowing through his body. By now this was second nature, like breathing. Even if he didn’t try nor think about it, his ki would actively flow throughout him unless he himself consciously stopped it. With his ki flowing, his emotions never broke, and he remained calm and tranquil.
More than that though, in his heart of hearts, Marty was still a stranger to him. He barely knew her. If she truly died right here and now, Kazuki would feel nothing. He understood how that could make others uncomfortable but he simply did not care. Only if it was someone he was actually close with would death have an effect on him.
Kazuki watched on without a change in expression as Marty was strangled to death. Her arms fell lifelessly to her side and her legs went limp.
(Is this all there is?)
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