The core?" Itekan asked.
"Every rune has a heart," Kutote explained. "Destroy it, and the entire formation collapses. But it'll be hidden."
"Give me a second I'll find it," Kutote said, closing his eyes. His red spirit ignited, lines of glowing symbols appearing in his vision. "There! Just below it's large stomach. Funny that's also where it's brain is—"
***
Thirty minutes earlier...
The five trainee heroes led by Itekan soon reached Avery who had successfully made his way into the next chamber.
"Itekan. Look at those" Avery said pointing at a large golden chest which was stowed away at a corner of the large chamber.
"Is that—"
"Yeah! I think we found something. We found the first treasure room!!" Avery said excited, he ran to the chest and knelt beside it a few seconds later Itekan and the rest reached the chest and knelt around it.
"What do you think is inside?" Avery asked.
"Dunno, I'm hoping I get a new technique or a weapon at least!" Itekan said.
"I'd like a new sword. This one is already getting chipped." Itoyea told them as he examined his sword. He still wasn't sure he was ready for the Dragon Emperor sword yet. The one Sensei Pwain had made was way past its expected lifespan.
"I think some gauntlets would be nice" Binturu said as he sat down. His fighting style mainly involved him infusing his SE into his fists as such gauntlets were probably the best weapons for him. As long as he stayed diligent to his current form of training, he should be able to chip away parts of the seals of Tagamorto. He didn't want to admit it but he was definitely feeling his skills were much more precise and efficient that before the elders sealed his power.
"Tsk!"
"Maybe a skill book or a technique scroll. Something that can teach me some attack techniques to balance my support skills" Rose hoped.
Kutote however said nothing. His Red Spirit utilized SE in a different way than theirs. Instead of piecing through the techniques to learn them step by step all he need to do was see the flow patterns used during the casting of the technique. His ability let him be able to replicate it almost instantly. As such he rarely ever sat down to learn techniques, as he got access to new ones during each battle.
"Wait one problem though. We don't have the key!" Itekan pointed out their oversight.
"Right,"
"That's true!"
"What a bummer!"
Just then the grounds vibrated violently as if the very foundations of the palace were being uprooted.
"Are those another set of explosive runes!?" Itekan asked as the ground broke apart.
"No..." Kutote replied, he had no idea what was causing the vibrations, but he was certain it wasn't a rune. He would have noticed. What could it be—
"Guys... Look over there!" Rose said pointing to a hidden door that had just opened up. Inside the dark room on the other side where red glowing eyes that spelt terror.
"Kutote! What do you see!!" Itoyea asked as he got in front of the group.
"Th—that is, I don't know what that is. It's SE is abnormal, it looks like a white Adogu*."
"Look at its horn!!" Rose pointed, on the Adogus long horn was what looked like a rusted key.
"Avery, Binturu. You guys check out it's strength level." Kutote told them. Avery nodded and started forward Binturu who stood next to Itekan also started moving when Itekan stretched out his hand to stop him.
"No. Avery, Binturu stay back. I think I'm ready to fight now. I've been on support for most of our fights since we got here. I'm itching for a proper fight"
"Same here!" Itoyea said.
"You guys!! We don't know just how strong that Adogu is it's wiser to test it's strength level before rushing in!" Rose tried explaining.
"Just leave them be. Nothing's changing their mind now." Kutote said resigned to the fact that nothing he said would change their minds. He learnt that during their 3 months training with Headmaster Kime. Once those two came together for anything they were unstoppable.
"Exactly. Avery, Binturu you guys got any objections?"
"Nope."
"Go ahead."
"Perfect. Itoyea let's make this fun. Who ever kills the Adogu first gets to pick from the chest first!"
"Hey!", "Don't go setting those sort of stakes!!" Shouts of protest rose from those on the sidelines.
"Sure!" Itoyea agreed.
"I'll go first!!!"
Itekan said and turned into his shadow form and literally vanished. Less than half a second later he appeared an in the space above the Adogu.
"Maximum Chajama!" Itekan chanted as he descended. A massive fireball blazed above him. The heat and light released by the maximum chajama rivalled a mini sun. It's heat scorched the walls, to the point it started melting and falling apart.
The rest of them were not invalidated to the effects of Itekan's oldest and most versatile technique. Rose immediately stretch out her hand and casted her safe zone technique. Shielding them all from the intense heat the mini sun released.
"That fool! Tsk!" Kutote groaned.
"He's going all out from the start!" Itoyea said as he watched.
The Adogu reacted to the massive increase in temperature, raising its massive head, it turned and glared at Itekan and his attack that was destroying the chamber.
Opening it's large mouth, it roared. It's scream was extremely violent and carried an aura. The clash between the two attacks was intense. Shattering the walls which remained solid and leaving a massive creater on the ground below. How the competition of stronger technique ended on Itekan's side. The Adogu was left shared.
The defenses on his head all completely overwhelmed his thick exterior has been burnt to crisp and his inner skin fried to a deep pink color
The Adogu turned to the caster of the attack and realized he was nowhere to be seen instead a whitish blond haired swordsman was by his side.
"Zugh!! Way of the wind; 2nd Form: Thunder Claps!!" Itoyea said as he moved. His speed was at this point nearly equal of not equal to the speed of sound. A massive explosion that sent the remaining parts of the walls crumbling down as soon heard as he broke through the sonic barrier.
Lightning fizzed out of his body and sword and as it descend. A clean thing ling of unbelievably polarized lightning struck the Adogu square on its neck.
"Sheek!!!" The Adogu screamed in pain as the lightning bored even deeper into his flesh going past all his defenses.
"He's going all as well?" Avery asked not expecting an answer.
"That dummy! I just healed him and he does ahead to fight that recklessly. I'm gonna sma—" Rose complained as Itoyea's reckless behavior.
Itekan did waste time to link his next technique,
"Shadows Hand: Shadows Roulette!!" Itekan said his shadow tentacles shot from all around him impaling the Adogu before it could move. The shadow tentacles didn't stop, didn't slow even as the Adogu thrashed about.
Itekan's twin shadow daggers appeared in his hand and he moved. He sensed it's life was nearing an end and wanted to finish it off. Itoyea as well started moving. He could feel it's life force drain out before their eyes. He would waste no time. The two moving in tandem didn't notice how well they moved in sync. However all who saw this came to call it the union of Light and Darkness.
"Shadows swordmanship, Eclipse Severance – blades that cut as the world darkens."
"Way of the wind; 2nd Form: Thunder Claps!"
The two tore through the Adogu with no reservations. It was over in a second. The Adogu fell dead.
Landing next to each other they high fived each other.
"That was my kill though!"
"No, I'm pretty sure I landed the final blow." Itoyea countered.
"Uhm guys" Rose called out to them, pointing at a black mass arising behind them. Turning they saw the Adogu they had just kill arise again. It's movements were sloppy and without coordination. Like a massive zombie.
"How!"
"I was sure my sword went through completely..." Itoyea said.
"Doesn't matter if it rises we'll just kill it again." Itekan said as he got into stance.
"Yeah!" Itoyea said. Itekan vanished again appearing next to the dead Adogu however before they could strike the Adogu shot a blast of intense wind strikes causing them to change modes to defensive one immediately.
"This is not enough to stop me!!" Itekan roared, "Shadows Hand; Inverse Gravity!!" Itekan commanded flatting the Adogu. The intensity of the gravity multiplying every second turned it jelly fast.
"That should have done it!" Itekan said dusting his hand as he landed next to Itoyea.
"It didn't."
"Exactly—What!?"
"It's rising again."
The Adogu now was more fluid than a slid beast. It's fractured body showed runic lines all across. Of course this didn't go unnoticed by Kutote.
"Wait..." He said softly, studying it.
"You lot can't even properly kill the damned beast!" Binturu shouted at them.
"Yeah what gives!!" Avery seconded.
"It's not as simple as it sounds" Itekan said getting frustrated.
Itoyea moved this time, appearing besides it he swung, "Way of the wind; 1st Form: Lonely Wind"
A moment later the Adogu was shattered with more sword slashes than it's body could carry. The Adogu fell, dead once again. However not long after it rose again much to everyone's unsurprise.
"It's Immortal" Itekan said in awe.
"Not so. It's dead! There a set of runes preventing it from letting up."
"How do we kill it!?" Itoyea asked.
"We've got to find it's core!"Kutote told them.
"The core?" Itekan asked.
***
Present...
Itoyea, nodded his hands aches to try out his latest skill. "You ready for one more bout!"
He reached for his sword, determination burning through the deception of sight.
"You can count on it!" Itekan said with a massive grin.
"Compressing both my 2nd and 4th forms, I received this inspiration. I call it 'Celestial Thunder Clap'"
Itoyea's 2nd technique, Thunder claps, gave him a x2.5 boost to his initial speed accompanying him with lightning. While his 4th technique, Celestial winds, was his attack with the greatest power. The combination of both gave him a speed and destructive capability beyond any, normal for a 3rd Stage Hero. In this form he was much faster and stronger than base Itekan.
"What is that!" Itekan asked recognizing its power.
"A little something I prepared for our next duel!"
"Nice! I can be dulling now can I" Itekan said and went full shadow mode his third shadow flick fluttering in the wind. He released as much shadow energy as he could muster draining his his reserves fast causing his shadow spirit to work even faster to refill it. The constant outflow and inflow of shadow energy had a surprising effect. As his shadow underwent a surprising change causing a forced growth. A fourth shadow flick started its growth.
Itekan felt a rush of energy fill every fiber of his being. This method of cultivating his shadow spirit was written in his father's diary. It worked only if the user had an indomitable will and a genuine quest for greater strength. It had a few drawbacks but what quick way of getting stronger didn't.
In their present forms the two of them had finally crossed past the 3rd Stage Hero forms and had now entered into the Blue eyes form.
Itekan moved first his speed flared and by his side Itoyea who in his sparked state was faster thodded forward, faster than their eyes could track, they plunged their blades into the glowing glyph at the center of the beast's chest.
The remains of the Adogu let out a piercing, inhuman scream.
Cracks spiderwebbed across its form before it shattered, light exploding outward in a wave that knocked them flat.
A few seconds later they rose, disoriented but alive and having vanquished their very first grade B demonic beast.
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Note: An Adogu is a large snake like creature with four legs at its heel. They are usually very hard to defeat because they have nearly impenetrable skin. Their attacks are wind or sonic based. However they are listed as B grade demonic beasts because of the grade of their SE core.
Just thought to let you know.
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Spiritual Energy (SE)
Spiritual Sea (SS)
Spiritual Signature (SST)