Written while listening to: "The Future is Now" by STARSET on YouTube)
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Laito floated still.
Like a lonely star across the almost empty firmament of this almost empty cave.
Almost. Because it was not entirely empty.
The ground was covered with knee-deep water.
With equal breaks, some kind of ripples moved through the shallow waters, spreading evenly towards the jungle at the edge of the cavern.
The fact that the jungle didn't try to reach into the cavern spelled some bad signs.
The source of that ripples was a misshapen hill rising right from the middle of the location.
The hill was entirely dark and lacking in vegetation.
What it had on top of it instead… was a structure.
Built(unbeknownst to Laito) in the architectural style of ancient Mictlan, clearly a defensive building.
Other things that Laito should have known – if only he had a better memory at the time – was that he had already read about it earlier… it was featured in the novel!
A western collarbone citadel.
Another thing that Laito would soon wish to remember, was that this citadel possessed a troublesome guardian…
A Great Demon… as the Song sisters would bitterly realize.
But our goofy lightbulb remembered none of that at the moment – he was now utterly focused on the one feeling that started to overwhelm him:
Relief.
That relief wasn't based on anything particular – it was more focused on absence of something that kept him company through all this time.
Which was disgust.
And within that building Laito could vaguely sense a presence of something that was not only not disgusting to him, but also felt… familiar?
It was hard to tell, but Laito was at least smart enough to know that what he was looking at was most likely what he had been looking for. A citadel.
And with that, he deduced that what he was sensing there was most likely a gateway.
'Wow, that's nice. I kinda expected to be trapped here for months… lucky me. I guess.' He remembered that a lot of sleepers were at times lucky enough to be thrown into the Nightmare Realm right next to some gatways… sometimes even conquered ones, but that required tremendous luck.
Of course Laito also suspected that it couldn't be THAT simple to just be able to waltz in there.
If even the blood-thirsty abominable jungle of death was hesitant to approach, then how could he not be?
Yet, the contrast between his unnatural hatred towards everything in this world and this relief was unexpectedly strong.
'I'll just rush in there. Whatever is in there, it shouldn't be strong enough to kill me in an instant… right? Considering my unique physique and all. Just fly straight through the walls and headbutt into the gateway… yea… great plan.' Despite how ridiculous that idea was, Laito has made his decision.
Not to scout ahead. Make some good preparations… maybe even consult some ideas with someone with a better head(Damian).
No.
He wanted to go full Leroy Jenkins.
And that he did.
'Worst case scenario… I have my other Core to bail me out from here.'
Suddenly – an unmoving star, changed into a crashing meteor.
Laito descended through the upper parts of the citadel. Temporarily blinded by the darkness of a solid object.
He fully expected to see once again once he passed into the inside…
But no.
He remained completely blinded. Even though he wasn't definitely inside the walls anymore, there was only… darkness.
Despite that, he hasn't stopped.
And good for him, because soon enough his rushing round body was assaulted by lightning fast strikes. The pain instantly erupted. His soul – despite being protected by his unusual condition – protested by agonizing attacks that apparently carried within itself vestiges of some hateful Will.
A Will to destroy. A Will to kill. A Will to devour.
Bound within sharp piercing attacks of something Laito couldn't see.
It lasted for less than a second.
This part of him felt so much pain, that the one currently in the Stormsea ceased to insult giant octopus monsters and started cussing loudly.
But within a moment Laito was already out of reach of this citadel's guardian.
And shockingly… just like he wanted…
He planted himself ball-first into the gateway.
And then…
–
Nothing.
For a few seconds. And then the Spell spoke.
[A tether has been established].
Laito felt giddy.
'I'm coming home baby! Yea! In record time!' He fully expected to be pulled into the familiar expanse of the Nightmare Spell.
Nothing like that happened.
Instead – Laito's body which was cracked and dimmed from the brief encounter with the citadel's guardian, started to pulse.
It contracted and expanded with the rhythmic manner and then…
'I feel weird… Ugh!' Laito felt an influx of… uhh… pleasure… Let's say that.
His body contracted one final time within the impenetrable darkness and…
Exploded.
Exploded with pure white light.
And that light spread in all directions, but only for a short moment – only until it reached the borders of the cave inside it happened.
Then it stopped.
And vanished.
The only thing that remained… was Laito… floating – fully conscious and confused.
Confused, because he could see again and the only thing he saw was the writhing expanse of the crimson jungle. Gone was the hollow bone cave he was in just a moment before.
'Huh? What happened?!?' I should get Awakened right now! The heck!'
And then the familiar voice spoke:
[You have devoured a tiny fragment of a divine realm].
–
–
'Are you kidding me!?!' Laito got upset and started to fly around.
But indeed, both the citadel, the hill, shallow waters and even its unseen powerful guardian were… gone.
Ripped away from inside the Hollows. Then as if the space tried to mend itself, with two previously not-connected segments of the jungle now grafted together. With no empty space separating them anymore, previously stable ecosystems of both these parts of the jungle, now started to boil with heightened activity again. The previously established apex predators started to challenge each another until new hegemons would emerge… only to be hunted by other creatures.
But Laito was having none of that.
He rushed away further west. Trying to rely on his speed, small stature and hopes and other self-delusions to evade getting targeted again.
The other Laito had more peace of mind to figure out what happened.
Back within the Stormsea.
As he flew back into the stomach the floating discoball positioned himself comfortably on top of the bone altar, he checked the runes of the Spell.
There it was:
[Existence fragments: 2/3].
'Uhm, that's nice. I've got one more. At least now I know how to get more, but…'
"How the hell am I supposed to get home!!!"
Both of Laito's bodies complained out loud.
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[16 months left until MHA plot beginning]
[Chapter End] The story is not over yet
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