Return of the Fallen Volume 6 Chapter 20

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Return of the Fallen Volume 6 Chapter 20

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Author: Blue_Rat

ch20

Once Kazuki knew the pattern, timing, and range of the rushing wind and aura from the cave, he easily avoided it. He climbed much higher than the cave was tall and traversed around it. He would swing like an agile monkey or leap like a spry tiger from spike to spike. With his rubber gloves and footwear, along with his aura which basically doubled how far he could sense things, Kazuki moved swiftly and accurately. Just before the cave would erupt, Kazuki would stop his monkey-like climb and hang on tightly.

The rushing wind and crushing aura would force its way out like a mighty tidal wave pounding against the shore. Kazuki was far outside of its range but he still stopped just in case. Even if there was only a 0.1 percent chance that something could go wrong, Kazuki would not risk moving about when the aura came flooding out.

37 seconds later.

*WHOOOSH*

Just like the tide of the ocean slams against the shore, inevitably it is forced back into the ocean, aka the cave. Kazuki once more swung like an animal when things settled and in a few minutes, he had climbed back down and had made it safely to the other side.

Now that Kazuki had his own aura, he found that controlling it was vastly easier than manipulating the godly aura. Trying to control his aura was like using his dominant hand and simply writing his name, while trying to use the godly aura was like trying to not only use your off-hand but also try and sculpt a masterpiece with matriculate detail with said offhand. The difference was night and day.

Kazuki wanted to hurry and improve his aura and thought about how the godly aura fed itself to his own and grew it rapidly.

(If it worked once, why not twice?)

Kazuki willed the godly aura leaking from his golden compass and tried to pull it into his Mage core like he had done a thousand times before.

…

Something odd happened. The godly aura moved as it usually would bt just before it entered his Mage core, it stopped on its own and retreated out of him. Kazuki scrunched his brow in confusion.

He fed this godly aura to his broken ruler without incident and could circulate it around his body just the same. In every other aspect, it worked as per usual but when he again tried to send it into his Mage core and feed it to his own aura, there was a roadblock. The godly aura simply stopped listening and fled out of him at a moment’s notice. Kazuki then attempted to move his own aura outside of his body.

(If I can’t get the godly aura inside my Mage core then I’ll simply bring my own aura out to meet the godly one.)

The thought was simple but the process was much more difficult than initially thought. His aura easily followed his will and stretched outside his body with ease. It aimed for the godly aura gently flowing around his compass but when his own aura came near, the godly aura would push back or it would fully retreat back into his golden compass.

This left Kazuki beyond confused.

(The godly aura acts as though it is a living thing with its own mind and will.)

Kazuki’s thoughts began to drift.

(The origin of this compass is too strange. The aura seems to have a mind of its own and doesn’t listen when I wish it to. I don’t have full control over it but an aura must have an owner, otherwise, how would they exist in the first place. Does this not mean that the true owner of this aura is out there manipulating it from behind the scenes. Why? Does the master of this godly aura know what’s happening to me. The fact that I can sometimes use it means that I’m given permission right? but for what purpose and why?)

*Grrrrrr*

As Kazuki was lost in thought, an ache and low grumble came from his stomach. The hunger was becoming worse and worse.

(I’ve no time for what-ifs and whys right now. I must secure some food before I start to lag myself.)

Kazuki opened the water chamber on his container and sipped at some of the filtered water to try and ease his hunger for now. The foul taste and smell were hardly worth it though, and he felt slightly nauseous after swallowing it down.

Tying the container to his waist, Kazuki laid his ear to the ground to pick up any threats in the distance. Not distinguishing any, Kazuki then started his jog into the unknown.

As Kazuki ran along through the darkness, it wasn’t long into he discovered something unexpected. Stopping a few feet away from the object, he observed it with both his ki and aura.

(To think there’s actually a tree down here.)

A weird tree stood tall in front of him. Kazuki couldn’t sense how great a tree it was from just using his ki or aura so he grabbed a handful of rocks from the ground and tossed them high into the air.

*Tak tak tak tak tka*

A few actually managed to bounce against part of the tree and an image was relayed inside his head.

(This thing is about a hundred feet up.)

Not only did he find out how tall it was but he also found several fist-sized objects hanging near the top.

(Fruit!)

*Grrr*

Kazuki’s stomach rumbled once more at the thought of something sweet and juicy.

(Climbing shouldn’t be a problem. I just hope those fruit actually taste good.)

Kazuki approached the base of this tree. It wasn’t too big around and could easily be gripped if he used both of his arms. The thickness resembled half a barrel at its biggest and a third that size at its thinnest. Kazuki was just about to grab the tree when up in the air he heard something flying above.

*Fwap fwap fwap*

As soon as he heard the sound of wings catching and pushing air, he froze on the spot. He immediately slowed his own heart rate and was about to let the Azirian blood out of his container and soak himself when the flapping wings multiplied.

*Fwap fwap fwap fwa fwap fwap fwap fwap fwap*

Kazuki’s ears twitched.

(It’s not the monster. Instead, what are these weird things?)

Using his hearing, he got numerous images in his head every time these creatures flapped their wings. There were four of these creatures. Each one was between 5 and 6 feet tall. They all had elongated heads that shaped to a point at the top. With wings that protruded from their upper backs and hung down all the way to their feet like a trench coat and arms that resembled reptiles covered in flaky scale-like flesh. these things were a weird combination that reminded Kazuki of lizard people mixed with bats. The mouths were long and were angled downward with rows o sharp teeth. These creatures had no eyes to speak of but had long slits running down their faces indicating they used it to smell.

Kazuki resisted dumping the azirian blood all over himself and just observed these things quietly. Two of them landed near the top of the tree. Claws outstretched from their taloned shaped feet and dug into the tree, holding them selfs up. The slits on their faces opened and closed several times as they moved closer to the fist-sized fruit. One of the creatures found the fruit with ease and opened its large elongated mouth.

*Cht cht cht cht*

As soon as the creature opened its mouth, the bark on the tree suddenly unfolded itself revealing a large hole on the tree. Inside was several rows of teeth. The creature gripping he tree knew something was wrong and tried to fly away but before it could, the bark wrapped around the creature like a large blanket and pulled it into its mouth.

*Crunch*

The creature had no time to even utter a cry as it was bit in half. The tree began to chew, smashing and grinding the flying lizard bats body into tiny pieces before the tree then swallowed it down. Blood poured down the tree and only now did, Kazuki notices several streaks that dried on the tree. It showed that this was a repeated occurrence. A monster would get close trying to snatch the fruit on the tree only to be unexpectedly turned into the meal.

The other lizard bats saw this but they didn’t immediately turn tail and flee. Instead, as their comrade or whatever was being devoured, each one of them clawed at the fruit hanging from the top and snatched a few pieces before they took off into the distance. Either they planned this or they simply used their friend’s death as an opportunity, either way, that’s just how things went down here.

*Thud thud thnk*

A few of those fist-sized fruits had come loose during the lizard bats bash and grab and fell at Kazuki’s feet.

As soon as they came down, one of the fruits had smashed open due to the impact and a sweet aroma suddenly hit Kazuki like a ton of bricks. The smell was something similar to a sweet grape mixed with mango. The smell was so overwhelmingly good, that Kazuki actually couldn’t help but stumble backward a few steps.