Root of corruption(3)
'What do you mean?'
I was surprised but kind of expected it.
"Don't you think this was a weird coincidence? A knife that suddenly sprouted a corrupt parasite? And while you were searching for traces?"
I wanted to nod but couldn't.
The situation was suspicious.
It could potentially be because I realized the item's identity, but my gut was yelling at me.
'Ah, hold on. How are the others?'
"Hmm."
I looked around and I saw that Alius was laying on the ground presumably asleep.
Raijin was sitting with his sword on the ground next to a tree.
'Crap, where is she?'
And, I couldn't find Samira.
"Uh, who are we looking for?"
'A friend.'
I said feeling troubled.
"Ah, alright I won't ask more."
I smirked and went over to Raijin.
'I think you misunderstood.'
Raijin looked at me and sighed lightly.
"I guess you're fine. And from the looks of it, I don't know you right? Who are you?"
His eyes were fierce even though he was injured.
"Don't worry, he'll come back after I finish my business."
'Wait if you say that, he-.'
"I guess this is what happens when you regress, no happy endings after all. Alright, goodbye, you demon."
He horribly misunderstood her words.
'I'm not possessed or anything!'
His body started burning and that flame approached me.
'Is that an attack that brings us down with him?!'
I was familiar with those kinds of attacks. After all, I've seen many lose their life.
"Stop that. I'm not an enemy. It also seems Kazumi is losing his mind so please stop."
*Snap!*
With a simple snap the flame dissipated and returned.
"Oh, really?"
Raijin looked surprised and simply stared at me.
"You're a Kyrillos right?"
'Huh? You know him?'
I was surprised and so was Raijin.
'No, Kyrillos. Is that an influential family or something?'
I asked a question that upon hearing it realized the answer.
"Yeah I am…."
"I thought so, take care of yourself."
I said some words I couldn't understand and ran towards Alius.
"What's his name?"
'Alius.'
I arrived quickly.
I looked at Alius for a bit while collecting mana.
He was bruised and had a few cuts. But nothing fatal.
"Hey, there could be corruption in this guy."
I agreed and solidified the mana.
[Activating authority: Slash that purifies(none)]
[Activating authority: Slash that protects people(none)]
*Swish.*
The mana covered him and erased the traces of corruption, while also covering his wounds.
'This is....'
From an outsiders perspective it looked like the bleeding magically stopped.
I was amazed due to all the strands of mana floating around his body.
'Like a magical surgeon.'
"It's like a bandage.... did the purifying energy just disappear?"
Before he was emitting a small amount of purifying energy but it disappeared.
We both looked seriously at Alius.
"No, this guy. He absorbed it somehow. Give me a second."
I looked curiously while I tapped his head lightly.
Mana was released from my finger.
I sighed lightly.
'What is it?'
It seemed she was troubled with something.
"This guy, he's a constellation right?"
I decided to answer honestly due to our contract.
'He's a friend. He isn't a danger towards this world.'
"Got it, anyway your friend here is amazing. Instead of mana circles or just mana circulation it's different."
Of course I wasn't going to confirm anything outright.
'Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.'
"Huh? Anyway back on topic...."
I stood up and started running at a moderate pace?
'Fast yet slow?'
I was jogging but I was moving unnaturally fast.
"He has a single core where he stores his mana. Also that mana gets purified to a certain degree, that was probably how he didn't get corrupted."
'I understand?
Not really, although I could ask him about it later.
We were quickly back in a forest area. The trees had signs of damage but weren't broken.
After a while eventually there were no signs of damage anywhere.
'This forest is truly large.'
I was reminded of this forest's name, and the legend associated with it.
'Do you know about the legend of this forest?'
"Hmm? There's a legend about this for- pft. Hahaha!"
She started laughing happily for some reason.
'Huh? Do you know about it?'
"Haa... can you tell me the basics quickly?"
She asked with a grin.
'Yeah, a bored goddess gives trials to a lonely mage. And at the end they end up together. Although that's extremely simplified.'
I nodded.
"Alright, now..."
I stopped while looking straight ahead.
'There she is.'
There she stood near a cave, like a statue looking straight ahead at the void, unmoving and uncaring.
'You should be careful. She acts awfully norma- no pitiful.'
I warned but I didn't get a response.
'Are you there?'
No response.
"Hello there."
Samira turned around waving her hand.
'What's happening?'
She smiled happily and approached us.
I sensed no irregularities which in itself was worrying.
"Stop, stay there."
She finally said something.
A sword materialized and I pointed it at Samira.
'Why didn't you respond sooner?'
I asked beginning to worry.
"Now."
I was confused but decided to go along with it.
[Activating authority: Slash that purifies(none)]
[Activating authority: Slash that saves people(none)]
*Swish!*
The sword cut right through her. Although due to my authority it didn't injure her.
'None, do you k-'
*Swish!*
She cut again.
'Hey! What's going on!'
Something was wrong.
*Swirl…*
Air swirled around Samira before starting to close in.
'Stop it! Why are you doing this!?'
Since the barrier wouldn't cut I doubted that my authority would work.
'She's going to die! Stop it!'
It felt like screaming at a tv screen.
You saw everything but couldn't say anything. Couldn't interact. Like a story you couldn't intervene with.
Although I could try something risky.
'Crap, here goes nothing.'
After all, a contract can be broken.
*****
"He got through that at least. I wonder, what's going to happen now?"
A person said sitting in their chair.
"Don't pretend like we didn't panic like crazy."
Next to them a man sighed to himself.
"Anyway, you're still watching?"
The man looked at the screen.
It was pretty big and had three other screens beside it showing one other person.
"Oh? You're watching someone else as well this time."
The video was live and they could technically intervene.
"Should I send him some coins? I heard he was pretty poor."
Although the man really didn't like that idea for some reason.
"No, don't do that. Then it would feel like real stalking. Anyway you should take a break."
The man said while tapping a chair.
"Why~?"
The person asked.
"You were once called a saint, saviour, judge of evil and even a goddess. How can you act like a spoiled brat? How does that happen?"
The man clicked a few buttons and a screen appeared.
[7 day screen time]
[91 hours and 43 minutes]
"Don't you th-."
*Swish!*
In an instant a sword was summoned.
"Verdict?"
The woman asked, her yellow eyes illuminating the screen.
"Guilty as charged."
The man playfully lifted his hands while looking like he was enjoying the situation.
"Hmph!"
The woman "hmph'd" loudly and looked away.
"Hahaha, nothing I can do. Anyway please drink some water."
The man placed a water bottle in the cup holder and walked out of the room.
"Yawwn~ I how's the other girl doing?"
The woman looked at another screen while opening the water bottle.
"Hmm, is that a spirit?"
********
"Hello, my name is... Samira. You are.... strong."
A black haired woman with a line of white hair stared at the person in front of them.
"Interesting, you seem awfully normal."
Sira sighed and started manipulating mana.
Although something was off.
'He's not talking? What's happening?'
She couldn't hear Kazumi's voice.
While Samira smiled and walked closer.
"Stop. Don't move."
A sword made purely from mana was summoned.
And several hundreds of small needles were summoned as well.
"You are not her. What's your identity?"
Samira sighed lightly.
"What do you mean? I don't understand. Ah, I guess I should've shown you my adventurer's ID."
She took out a card.
[Samira]
Role: Baggage carrier and guide.
Rank: B-
Sira shook her head.
"You are definitely being controlled by corruption."
Samira looked confused but nothing happened.
"Huh, where have I-"
Something was watching.
*Splitch!*
A disgusting sound fitting what just happened.
"Another eye."
An eye appeared on Samira's forehead.
"You won't escape."
*Snap!*
The mana quickly surrounded Samira and was slowly approaching, making sure nothing escaped from the cracks.
'I can't let any corruption escape. And I have to bring Kazumi back.'
"Kazumi where are you!"
'Huh? What's happening now!'
Sira's hand twitched.
She was quickly losing strength.
'Did he cancel the contract?!'
It seemed he cancelled the contract.
It wouldn't happen instantly but there wasn't much time left.
'If I ever meet him again I'm gonna beat him up!'
"Crap, I ask for this favour friend. Please take care of this dumbf-."
*Thud.*
Like that the contract was cancelled and Sira was forced to leave her body.
"Ah, hahaha. I wonder if I can still hide myself."
Samira laughed lightly and looked at the unconscious Sira.
*Twitch!*
Her body twitched a little.
"There's that boy. Wakey wakey. It's time to get your prize~."
Samira took out a knife and it was covered by something.
It looked like living meat.
*Thump. Thump.*
It seemed to be moving. And it beat like a heart.
"Urgh, what's going on?"
It seemed like Kazumi woke up.
"Don't worry. Everything is fine~."
Samira approached Kazumi while smiling. After all, she was grateful for his help in removing the strong pest.
"Huh? Ah, Samira...."
Kazumi flinched and quickly tried to create distance.
A sword appeared out of nothing and he held it.
"Ah~ how nice~."
*Swish!*
*Boom!*
"Ah, that's a nice sword."
Kazumi was knocked back and hit a tree.
"Cough! What the he- cough!?"
Kazumi tried to get up but started coughing blood.
*******
'What's happening?!'
When I regained consciousness I immediately started getting beat up. I also constantly heard an annoying ringing sound.
[You have been affected by corruption!]
[You have been affected by corruption!]
[You have been affected by corruption!]
[You have been affected by corruption!]
And it seemed my body was practically dying.
"Cough!"
'Was I being manipulated!?'
While I was coughing Samira Approached me.
She had three eyes and the third one was black.
"I guess a headband is needed."
Samira smiled kindly and threw her knife towards my arm.
[Activating skill: Physical enhancement(C)]
*Crack!*
[Skill: Physical enhancement(C) is cancelled]
'Just one casual attack is enough!?'
"Cough!"
I coughed more blood and my vision grew blurry.
"Ah! You can't die though! You're my precious toy!"
'That's why she aimed for my arm instead of my head.'
*Thud.*
How pathetic. To not only hinder your partner but also be useless.
'I should just die. I'm useless.'
*Swirl~.*
[World skill: Mana manipulation(none) is connecting with the world!]
Mana gathered around me covering me.
'What's happening now?'
I was tired.
*Shoosh!*
The mana pushed Samira away and threw me into the cave.
*Swoosh!*
*Thud!*
I was thrown at the end of the cave.
"Cough!"
It hurt, although I didn't mind.
'Ah, is there something here?'
I felt like I could move my body more easily.
Or like someone was guiding my body.
'Ah.'
There I saw a completely black orb.
It was radiating darkness.
'The root of my problems. A root of corruption.'
Then on the cave wall something was written.
No, many things were written.
Hundreds of different languages all saying one word.
[Cut]
'I should cut.'
That's the only thing I'm good at after all.
[Activating authority: Slash that purifies(none)]
The sword glowed extremely brightly.
'I'll go blind at this rate.'
My body was guided and as I was about to swing my sword.
"No! Stop!"
I flinched and looked apathetically at Samira.
"I'll die if you do that!"
I lowered my sword and stared at Samira.
She had three eyes, two brown and one black.
She had grayish hair and was yelling.
Have I met her before?
"Doesn't matter."
*Swish!*
It was a swift cut upwards.
Like that I lost consciousness.