Chapter 42 - Soul Absorption [Strange Monster (7)]

The possibility sent a wave of unease crashing over me. I thought back to the battle, trying to recall every detail.

The monster's twisted, humanoid form flashed through my mind, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead.

Could it be true? Had that monster truly been a human? The implications were too terrifying to contemplate.

I felt my mind spiraling out of control, the possibilities swirling together in a maddening vortex.

But then, Ella's calm, melodious voice cut through the chaos, a soothing balm for my frazzled nerves.

[Calm down Ryuk]. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the creeping sense of dread.

Yeah, yeah, relax. It's not certain if that thing was human or not. Maybe it was just another intelligent species, one that was still evolving.

But the questions kept coming, refusing to be silenced. Why were they attacking us? Was this some kind of invasion?

Were we caught in the middle of an interdimensional war, too busy fighting amongst ourselves to even notice?

Haaa, forget it. I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand.

I clicked on the available souls, and a prompt appeared on the screen. [Absorb or Dissolve].

I hesitated for a moment, weighing my options.

But something about absorbing the soul felt right. I clicked on absorb, and a new notification popped up. [Now absorbing #$#$_##-$ soul].

As soon as I saw the words, my vision began to blur and darken. I felt myself being pulled down, down into a deep, abyssal void.

My consciousness flickered, and then went out, plunging me into an inky blackness.

**************

A young boy, no more than seven years old, with black hair and piercing blue eyes, ran through a sun-drenched village, his wooden sword held aloft.

He proclaimed his dream of becoming a hero, his face aglow with a wide, infectious smile. His friends cheered him on, their laughter and shouts carrying on the breeze.

But the scene shifted, like the pages of a book turning. The boy, now ten years old, stood before an elderly man clad in white robes.

The air was thick with anticipation as the boy placed his hand on a glowing orb. For a moment, the orb shone brighter, as if sensing the boy's potential.

But then, its light dulled, and the letters [D] appeared, like a verdict pronounced. The boy's face fell, his eyes welling up with disappointment.

His parents, standing behind him, offered words of comfort, but the boy's head remained bowed, his spirit wounded.

The scene shifted once more, like a kaleidoscope turning.

The boy, now sixteen, walked through a bustling school corridor, his head down, his books clutched tightly to his chest.

His uniform was rumpled, his books dog-eared, and his face bore the marks of bullying.

Students snickered and whispered as he passed, their mocking gazes like a hail of stones.

But then, a voice, like a gentle breeze, cut through the din. "Josh. You're still at the academy, huh"

A girl with black hair and black eyes, dressed in a similar uniform, stood before him, her expression neutral although slight concern flashed in her eyes.

Josh's eyes locked onto Sierra's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. The air was thick with unspoken words, a mix of nostalgia and tension.

Sierra's expression was a picture of frustration, her teeth gritted and her lip bitten.

Josh's voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, "Oh hey, Sierra. Um, nice seeing you."

But before Sierra could respond, a voice boomed from behind her, "Yo!" She turned around, her long black hair swishing around her shoulders.

Josh's gaze followed hers, and his eyes narrowed as he took in the group of four students standing before them.

Ben, the blonde-haired boy, was grinning like a hyena as he tried to wrap his arm around Sierra's waist.

She slapped his arm away, her eyes flashing with annoyance. Ben clicked his tongue, his grin never wavering, as he sauntered over to Josh.

"Yo, Josh. Been a minute, huh? How's life treating you?" Ben's voice was laced with mockery, his tone dripping with condescension.

Josh's fist clenched, his eyes burning with anger, as he responded, "I'm fine, Ben."

Ben leaned in, his ear inches from Josh's mouth, and yelled, "Huh? Speak up, I can't hear you!" Josh's teeth gritted, his face twisted in rage, as he began to repeat himself.

But before he could finish, Ben's fist connected with Josh's stomach, sending him crashing to his knees.

Josh clutched his stomach, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked up at Ben. The blonde-haired boy was grinning, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Josh's mind seethed with anger and resentment, memories of their childhood friendship now tainted by Ben's cruelty.

The truth was bitter: Josh was the only one in their friend group to awaken a low-grade talent.

While Sierra and Ben had both awakened [S] rank potentials, earning them scholarships and admiration, Josh was left to struggle with his [D] rank talent.

And so, his former friends had turned on him, bullying him at every opportunity.

The scene shifted once more, like a painting changing before my eyes. Josh, now in his mid-twenties, sat in a dimly lit tavern, his eyes glassy and unfocused. He was drunk, utterly inebriated, as he chugged jug after jug of ale. The patrons around him were engrossed in a heated discussion, their voices rising and falling like a chorus. "Hey, did you hear? Amun Ra's avatar is fighting back the emissary!" someone exclaimed. Josh didn't flinch, didn't even acknowledge the conversation. He just sat there, lost in his own world.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the tavern, sending patrons flying and debris crashing to the ground. The scene shifted again, like a door slamming shut.

I found myself staring at a young man with black hair and amethyst-colored eyes. He wore battle robes, and a lean longsword hung at his side.

His gaze was fixed intently on Josh, his hand gripping Josh's throat like a vice. But then, something inexplicable happened.

The young man turned to face me, his eyes locking onto mine with an unnerving intensity.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and measured. "No, I guess it doesn't matter who you are," he added, his gaze never wavering.

Ella had explained to me that these were the memories of the creature, memories meaning I should only be able to watch not interact and they shouldn't be able to interact with me.

And yet the young man seemed to be aware of my presence, his eyes boring into mine like cold, dark stars.

As I watched in horror, the young man's grip on Josh's throat tightened, and Josh's body began to contort and twist.

His skin turned black, his eyes multiplying like dark, shining orbs. His body became fluid, like a living shadow, with runes etched into his skin like glowing, malevolent scars.

The scene shattered, like glass exploding in a shower of shards.

The remaining scenes were fragmented, fleeting glimpses of chaos and destruction. I saw worlds burning, thousands slaughtered by Josh and his kind.

The images were hazy, indistinct, as if Josh himself was no longer aware of his surroundings.

And then, the scene went black, like a door slamming shut on a nightmare. My eyes snapped open, and I found myself back in my inn room, gasping for breath like a man who'd been drowning.