No one's POV
After the fight with the Hydra, Sora and Yue managed to brought the unconscious Hajime into an Oasis deep inside the Labyrinth. After he healed Hajime up, he let him down in one of the beds while he explore some of the mansion.
Sora: To think a place like this exist in the bottom of hell...
After looking after the first floor, he found to no trap whatsoever. No even his [Extrasensory Perception] were able to detect anything, so he assume that the place was safe.
Sora: From the looks of it, this is some sort of safe zone for the maverick.
After looking awhile longer, Sora decided to head back to Hajime to see if he was awake only to see a huge purple lighting from a distance along with Yue's scream.
Sora: -_- What the hell are they doing over there?
Sora made his way to where he left Hajime and Yue.
Sora: Took you long enough..
Hajime: Sora!
As Sora opened the curtain, what he saw was none other a naked Hajime and Yue together.
Sora: Wha—?
Hajime and Yue: Sora?
There was an awkward moment of silence between them and Sora quickly close the curtain.
Sora: I'm sorry. It seems I've come at a bad timing. I'll let the two of you enjoy your love moment.
Hajime: WAIT!! THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!!!
After explaining the reason, about how Yue took off Hajime's clothes to clean him off, Sora also explain his side of the story about this place being the maverick lair.
Sora: Come on! Get dressed.
Hajime: Where'd you find all these clothes? Was the Maverick a guy then?
Sora: I found them in the mansion. I also found more than just clothes. I only search the first floor of the mansion, and I can confirm that this place is some sort of a safe zone.
Hajime: Sounds like we've gotta start searching the place.
After Hajime and Yue finished dressing themselves, Sora looked at Yue's shirt.
Sora: What're you after there, Yue?
Yue: Nothing fits me.
Hajime: Uh-huh.
As he exited the bedroom, he was stunned at the sight that greeted him outside. The sun was shining brightly into the room. Of course, they were still underground, so it couldn't possibly have been the real sun. There was a giant conical structure hanging high above the ceiling, with a dazzlingly bright orb hugging the cone's bottom side. The reason Hajime's mind had instantly thought of sunlight was not only due to the light and warmth, but also because it had none of the artificial quality present in lamps or fluorescent lighting.
Hajime: The sun? No, it couldn't be.
Yue: At nighttime, it turns into the night sky.
Hajime: Huh.
Sora: Come on. Let's start searching.
The three of them went towards the mansion that the Maverick had. Most of the rooms on the first floor was locked, and not even Sora's transmute were able to break it opened. Inside the mansion, they were able to find, hot tub, kitchen, living room. Until the three of them reached the third floor which only had one room.
Sora: Looks like this is the only room up here.
Yue: Yeah.
The three of them head inside and something caught their eyes. A person sitting in an ostentatious chair right next to the circle. Said person was clearly dead. The corpse had already decayed until nothing but bones remained, and it was clothed in a grand robe of black and gold. There was not the slightest hint of dust or grime anywhere on the robe. The impeccable cleanliness of the corpse made it seem more akin to a haunted house prop than something actually scary.
It was splayed out on the chair in a relaxed pose, with the skull's empty sockets staring down at its own figure. Almost as if the person it had once been had simply sat down there and died that way. The skeleton and magic circle were the only objects in the room.
Sora(mind): Why'd they chose to come here to die and not their bedroom or the living room...?
Hajime: Almost like he was waiting for someone.
Yue: Yeah. Looks suspicious... What should we do?
Yue seemed concerned about the skeleton as well. Hajime assumed it must have belonged to the maverick that was said to live here. The strange thing was that he died peacefully sitting like that, as if he were waiting for someone.
Hajime: Well, if we want to find a way out, this room seems to be our best bet. Even Transmutation couldn't do anything to the locks we found in the library and the workshop, so... this is the only thing left to investigate. Yue, Sora, be ready for anything. I'll be counting on you if something happens.
Yue: Okay... be careful.
Hajime tentatively took a step forward. Nothing happened, so he kept advancing slowly. Then, when he reached the center of the circle, the entire room was filled with bright yellow light.
Sora: ??
Hajime closed his eyes, unable to handle the intensity. A second later, it felt as if something invaded his head, and he began seeing flashbacks of his time in the abyss, starting from when he fell all the way up until he fought the Hydra. Finally, the magic circle's power began to wane and the light dimmed somewhat. Hajime opened his eyes... and saw a black-robed young man standing before him. He hadn't sensed him enter the room at all.
The magic circle still glowed faintly, filling the room with a mystical light. Hajime instantly shifted into a battle stance, but after a few seconds he lowered his guard. Not only could he not feel any hostility or malice coming from the man in front of him, but the figure himself didn't seem real. When he scrutinized it a little further, Hajime realized the robe he was wearing was the same as the one the skeleton had. That told him enough to guess who the man in front of him probably was. Hajime silently gazed at the figure, waiting for something to happen. Finally, the apparition began to speak.
Oscar: I congratulate you on overcoming my trial. My name is Oscar Orcus. I am the man who created this labyrinth. I suppose to the world I'm known as a maverick.
It seemed the dead man sitting in front of them was Oscar Orcus, the creator of the Great Orcus Labyrinth. Sora, Hajime and Yue stared, half surprised, half expecting it.
Oscar: By the way, please spare me the questions. This is nothing more than a recording I left behind, so I unfortunately cannot answer any queries you may have. I wanted to tell those who made it this far why it was that we, who learned the truth of the world, chose to fight against the gods... so I decided to leave a message. And this was the simplest form to convey that message in. I want you to know... that though we were mavericks, we were not truly rebels.
The story he wove for them was completely different from the history Sora had learned from the Holy Church's records, or the stories Yue had been told about the mavericks. The revelations Oscar had for them shocked them to the core.
His tale was one of mad gods and their descendants who fought against them.
A short time after the Age of the Gods, the world was engulfed in strife. Humans, demons, and even beastmen all fought against each other in a never-ending war. Their reasons were as numerous as their battles. Land, resources, personal values, greed, but most important among them was theology. In that age, the races and countries were split up into numerous factions, each of which had their own god. And it was each tribe's god that incited its people to fight against those who worshiped others.
After some time, a group appeared that sought to put an end to this centuries-long war. They called themselves the Liberators.
There was only one thing they all had in common. Each member was a direct descendant of one of the gods. Their leader was someone who had, by coincidence, happened to learn of the gods' true intentions. It appeared that the gods were using the various races like pawns, playing a grand game of chess with the world as their board. The leader of the Liberators couldn't stand their sickening disregard for life, and began looking for comrades who felt the same way he did.
After an arduous search, they were able to discover the location of Asgard, the home of the gods. There were eight among the Liberators who were exceptionally powerful, and they were chosen to be the vanguard in the battle against the gods.
However, their plans were foiled before the battle could even begin. The gods manipulated the sentient races and made them believe the Liberators were trying to destroy the world. They were marked as enemies of the gods, and every human, demon, and beastman considered them their mortal foe.
After a great many conspiracies, events, and dramatic encounters, the Liberators found themselves on the run. They couldn't bring themselves to fight the people they had sworn to protect, but those very people believed they were ungrateful heretics trying to bring about the end of the world. Their true name was forgotten, and they were known simply as mavericks in the annals of history.
The Liberators were killed off one by one, until only the strongest eight remained. With the entire world against them, they realized they wouldn't be able to defeat the gods. So seven of them scattered to the ends of the earth and built huge labyrinths to hide themselves in. They created a series of trials, praying that someone who could clear them might one day appear, so they could bequeath their powers onto them in hopes that these new warriors would carry out their dreams.
Only the last Liberator who didn't build a Labyrinth like the other seven. The last decided to fight till the bitter end. Even if it means fighting the world itself.
After he finished his long speech, Oscar smiled peacefully.
Oscar: I have no idea who you are, or why you chose to fight your way down here. Nor do I have any intention of forcing my own dreams of the gods' demise onto you. I simply wanted you to know what it was we fought, and died, for... As a reward for hearing me out, I shall grant you my strength. How you use it is entirely up to you. I can only pray you won't use it for evil. That's all I have to say. Thank you for listening to the end. May the 'blessings' of the gods never reach you.
Oscar's apparition vanished once he finished talking. At the same time, Hajime felt something strange enter his mind. The sensation was quite painful, but because he knew what was happening, he quietly let it enter inside him. The pain finally subsided, and the magic circle grew dim once more. Hajime let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in the whole time.
Yue: Hajime... are you ok?
Hajime: Yeah, I'm fine...
Sora: But man, what a tale.
Yue: Yeah... What are you going to do?
Sora: Hm? Nothing really. It was those good-for-nothing gods that summoned us here in the first place and told us to go fight in their war.
Hajime: I hate them as it is anyway. Still, this world's got nothing to do with us. All we care about is making it back to the surface and finding a way home. That's all... Did his story bother you, Yue?
Yue shook her head without hesitation.
Yue: My home is wherever the two of you are... I don't care about anywhere else.
Hajime:...I see.
Hajime blushed a little. Which make Sora sigh once again at the two lovebirds. Hajime then cleared his throat and dropped a bombshell of an announcement.
Hajime: Umm, also, I think I learned a new spell... Some kind of magic from the Age of the Gods, I think?
Sora: Magic from the Age of Gods?
Yue:...Really?
Yue said, amazed. Her surprise was understandable. After all, magic from the Age of the Gods was something the gods had once used, magic that no longer existed in the present day. Teleportation magic was from that age as well.
Hajime: This magic circle did something to my head, and it's like I suddenly understand how it works, kind of.
Yue: Are you sure you're all right?
Hajime: Yeah, I'm totally fine. Even better, this spell's a perfect fit for me and Sora.
Sora: Oh? Now you piqued my interest. What kind of spell is it?
Hajime: Umm, it's a creation spell of some kind. It lets me add magical properties to minerals, and create new ore with special traits.
Yue's jaw hung open as she listened to Hajime's explanation.
Yue: You can make artifacts?
Hajime: Yeah, something like that.
The creation spell Hajime had inherited was the same magic people had used to create artifacts in the Age of the Gods. Truly, it was the perfect skill for a Synergist. Though neither Sora nor Hajime didn't know it, Oscar's job had also been Synergist.
Hajime: You should learn it as well, Sora. You want to learn it too, Yue? You just have to step into the magic circle. It does this kind of thing where it runs through your memories. Oscar said something about a trial earlier too, so since we cleared it together, you should have the right to learn it as well.
Sora: Yeah, that's a good idea. It will come in handy seeing our job is a Synergist.
Yue:...I can't use transmutation.
Sora: That's true... Still, it's magic from the Age of the Gods. There's no real harm in learning it either way, right?
Yue: Okay. If you want me to, Sora.
Urged onward by Sora, both him and Yue stepped into the magic circle next. It began glowing faintly and started probing their memories. It must have decided both Sora and Yue had cleared the conditions as well, since the apparition appeared once more.
Oscar: I congratulate you on overcoming my trial. My name is Oscar...
Sora, Hajime and Yue: -_-
Oscar's disembodied voice rang out for a second time. Having it happen a second time kind of ruined the moment. Oscar repeated the same words he had earlier, so Sora, Yue and Hajime ignored him and continued their conversation.
Hajime: How'd it go? Did you both learn it?
Yue: Yeah, we did. But artifacts don't make much sense to me.
Sora: Hmmm, I guess even ancient magic is useless unless you've got an affinity for it.
The vision of Oscar smiled as it wrapped up its conversation. It was kind of surreal, really. Sora couldn't be sure he didn't imagine it, but it felt like the skeleton behind the vision looked somewhat sad.
Sora: Ah, since I guess this house is basically ours now, we should get rid of the skeleton.
He had no respect for the corpse at all.
Yue: Yeah... He'll make good fertilizer for the fields.
Neither did Yue. Though there was no wind, Oscar's skull fell forward another few inches.
They buried Oscar's skeleton near the edge of the field and even gave him a modest gravestone. In the end, even they felt enough pity for him that they didn't just make him into fertilizer. Once the burial was finished, Sora, Hajime and Yue returned to the two places that had been locked before. When they had buried him, they'd relieved him of the ring he'd been wearing on his skeletal finger. It wasn't grave-robbing, since he hadn't been buried yet. The ring had a symbol of a circle with a cross splitting it into even sections engraved on it, which matched the engravings on the locks perfectly.
First, they went to the library. They were hoping some of the books would have knowledge on how to get back to the surface. Sora, Hajime and Yue broke the seal on the bookshelves and started perusing the volumes. During their search, they discovered what appeared to be the building's blueprints. It wasn't nearly as detailed as a proper set of blueprints, but there were a lot of memos about what would be built where and how the layout of the house would look.
Sora: Found it.
Hajime: Nice. Looks like that magic circle is connected to the surface.
Yue: But to connect it, we need Oscar's ring.
Hajime: That's not a problem. I grabbed it when we buried him.
Sora: So the workshop's full of Oscar's artifact and all his materials. We'd better take them with us.
Yue: Hajime, Sora, look.
Yue had been looking through the other books while Hajime and Sora had pored over the blueprints, and she came to them with one of the books in her hands. It turned out to be Oscar's diary. It chronicled the normal everyday life of Oscar and his six powerful companions. One of the passages in it talked about the labyrinths his six comrades had made.
Hajime:...So basically, that means if we conquer the other labyrinths, we can get all the ancient magic the other Liberators possessed too?
Yue:...Maybe.
According to his diary, his six comrades had also designed their labyrinths so that anyone who made it all the way to its furthest depths would be granted magic from the Age of the Gods. Unfortunately, it didn't go into the specifics of what kind of magic each had.
Sora: One of them might help us get back to our world.
Hajime: You gotta point there. After all, the teleportation magic that summoned our class here was from the Age of the Gods too.
Sora: Well. Now we have an idea of where to look next. Our goal after we get back to the surface is to conquer the other six labyrinths.
Hajime and Yue: Yeah.
They searched around the library for a while longer, but they couldn't find any books telling them the exact locations of the other labyrinths. For now, they were stuck with the two whose locations were known, the [Grand Gruen Volcano] and the [Haltina Woods]. They could also start searching around the [Reisen Gorge] and [Schnee Snow Fields], where two other labyrinths were said to be hidden.
Once they finished rummaging through the library, the pair headed over to the workshop. There were a number of locked doors in the workshop, all of which Hajime opened with Orcus' ring. Crammed inside were all manner of ore, tools with unknown purposes, and work manuals. The entire treasure trove was a Synergist's dream come true. Hajime folded his single arm as he lapsed into thought. Yue tilted her head, puzzled, and asked him the question on her mind.
Yue:...What's wrong?
Sora: ??
Hajime: Hmm, well I was thinking. How about we stay here for a little while? Don't get me wrong, I'm eager to return to the surface too... but since there's all this stuff to explore and learn about, it might be better to make this our base and rest up for a bit. Especially since if we're going to be heading for the other labyrinths next, it'd be best to prepare ourselves as much as possible. What do you think?
Sora: Yeah I guess that would be the best choice. In here, we could learn lots off stuff. We could lear new type of Magic, items, artifact and many more.
Yue: I don't mind, as long as I'm with the both of you!
With that settled, the three decided to stay there to train and prepare as much as possible.
(Timeskip)
After about a month there, Sora learned a lot of things. It turned out, there were some books that described about how to use Spirit Art. But about who the identity of who Dragon King is, was still a mystery for Sora. He learned how to use his Spirit Art, to the point he no longer needs to visualized the process. And the refreshing morning sun cast its rays through a small skylight in the ceiling as Sora opened his eyes a bit, gradually waking up in his bed. Moving his hand sluggishly to grab the blankets and peel them away.
Sora:...Hm?
His hand suddenly squeezed around something soft. It definitely wasn't his blanket or bedcover, and it wasn't the mattress, either; it had a strange elasticity and springiness to it. It fit into the palm of his hand snugly, its warmth comforting. When Sora tried to move his hand to confirm the sensation, he could feel a wonderful response in his hands.
Sora:...What is it?
Sora wondered, his mind still half-asleep. Thinking it was strange, he gently tried to move his hand once more.
???: Mm...
This time, he thought he heard the seductive sigh of a woman — and with it, the sound of rustling fabric too. Sora gently removed his hand from the soft sensation and, with his eyes fearfully fixed on the ceiling, peeled back the covers and peeked under the blanket.
???: Zz... z...
He heard the peaceful breathing of someone sleeping next to him. Cautiously, Sora turned his head to the side. There was an unfamiliar girl sleeping soundly next to him. She looked to be in her mid-teens, just like Sora; she was a beautiful girl with long, peach-colored hair. No, an incredibly gorgeous beauty with long, peach-colored hair.
However, there was a kind of transparency to her existence, almost as if she wasn't real; an evanescence that gave a mystical and artificial impression.
???: Mmh...
The girl stirred restlessly underneath the covers, reaching out and grasping the sleeve of Sora's pajamas, before drawing her face closer to him. Her breath blew gently against his ear. Sora's mind snapped awake, but he wasn't able to think.
Sora:...
He gazed at the face of the unfamiliar girl from point-blank range, then turned his eyes back to the ceiling and relaxed, sinking heavily into the mattress once more. He closed his eyes.
Sora(mind):Is this a dream? I must still be asleep. Yes, that must be it. After all, the alarm didn't go off, so this must be a dream.
Sora thought to himself, trying to convince his own mind and avoid the reality of the current situation. No matter how soundly he was asleep, he would have awakened the minute he detected the presence of an unknown person next to him. Not to mention the fact that the intruder detection barriers around the mansion would have activated first. This had to be a dream.
Sora's thoughts churned rapidly until he came to the conclusion that it was a dream. Then, he squeezed his eyes shut tightly. And yet, he still felt oddly awake.
After a minute or so had passed, Sora slowly opened his eyes and flipped back all of the covers in one single movement. There, a truly impossible sight spread before him: snow-white skin, extremely well-balanced limbs that were smooth and feminine, and two soft-looking mounds. In other words, there was a completely naked peach-haired beauty before him.
Sora(mind): Why am I... sleeping with a naked girl?
Sora was lost for words. There was truly indeed a completely naked peach-haired beauty sleeping soundly next to him. Not even the alarm gone off. So this person is not a foe nor anyone with malice intention.
???: Hm...?
Seeing the girl opened her eyes, Sora quickly moved his gaze away from the girl, still unable to process what is happening. Until the girl sat up next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder going back to sleep.
Sora: EEEEEEEEH?!
In his horror, Sora let out an incredulous yell. Never in his life had he ever experienced the act of waking up next to a naked woman sleeping beside him.
Woken up by Sora's yelling, the woman sat up in the bed. With her legs folded underneath her, she stared at Sora in a daze. The series of movements she made was strangely erotic, making Sora avert his gaze without thinking.
Sora(mind): W-Why is there a naked girl right beside me?! And why didn't the alarm go off?!
Sora yelled in his head. His face was burning hot, yet his body had broken out in a cold sweat. If his eyes happened to wander even a bit, the girl's bare body would come into his view. He tensed up.
Yue: W-What's the matter, Sora?!
Yue asked, boldly peering through the door of Sora's bedroom along with Hajime.
Yue:...Huh? Ah, umm, err...
Hajime: Who the hell is she?!
When Yue and Hajime spotted Sora and a naked girl sitting near each other on the oversized bed, they were just as shocked. Sora covered the girl's body with a blanket in a hurry, but it was already too late — what she had just seen was already burned into Hajime's and Yue's mind.
Sora: W-Wait! It's not like that! It's a misunderstanding! This is—
At Hajime's point of view, she could be a hostile enemy that had just appeared, so he immediately take out Donner from his holster and aimed at the mysterious girl and fired a couple of shots.
???: Hm...?
The mysterious girl quickly raised her hand and caught all 6 bullet which ease, completely shocking Sora and Hajime at once. Yue tried to use some of her magic, but for some reason, she couldn't.
Yue: I can't use my magic!
Hajime: Say what?!
Sora noticed the magic essence that the girl is emitting, and he realized right away that it was Spirit Art.
Sora: I think its her. She's using Spirit Art to overwrite the Magic that Yue tried to manifest.
Yue: Huh? But— who is she?!
Sora: Th-That's right! Umm, who are you? I don't understand what's going on here at all! Could you explain this situation to me?
He asked, then placed a blanket over the girl. He wasn't about to leave her as she was, but he needed to sort out the situation at hand first.
???: Spirit.
Sora, Hajime and Yue: ??
???: I'm the spirit who formed a contracted with you, Sora.
She answered in a clear and beautiful voice, cocking her head curiously.
Sora: Spirit... I see. The contract spirit. So you're... the Spirit in my dream.
Sora calmed immediately at the girl's answer. Realizing who the girl was, he observed her face and found her to have a very divine look about her.
Sora:...There's a lot that I want to ask you. Who are you? Why are you contracted to me? You were the one who taught me on how to use Spirit Art. And the one who saved me from that pit hole.
Hajime and Yue: ?!?!
Hajime and Yue couldn't believe what they were hearing. Sora told them that when he was trapped under those debris, he heard the voice of a girl telling him that she was a Spirit, and she was also the one that taught him how to use Spirit Art.
???: I don't know.
The girl answered with an emotionless expression, although her voice had a hint of sadness in its tone. She quietly extended her hand and gently grabbed Sora.
???: Warm...
A soft murmur seemed to reach Sora's ears as she clutched his hand. However, the girl's mouth had not moved, and her expression looked rather relieved. Sora was completely thrown off balance.
Sora: Umm, okay... Could you at least tell us your name?
He asked with a sigh.
???: I don't know my name, either.
The girl answered with a sad look in her eyes.
Sora: Y-You don't know your name? Err, then, what do you know?
Sora questioned, bewildered.
???: I will stay by Sora's side, so I want a name. Just like how Hajime gave Yue her name.
That left Hajime and Yue even more shocked than before.
Sora:...By my side, huh.
Sora's face fell with gloom which make the girl looked at Sora's face a little uneasily.
???: Can I?
Sora: You... can, but why me?
Sora asked in return, confused.
???: I exist for Sora's sake.
The girl said plainly, showing no sign of shame. Her words were almost like a graceful and pure confession, though the girl probably had no intention of coming off that way. Sora's eyes widened before a giggle escaped from his lips.
Sora:...Haha. Is that so? Well, she's not an enemy, so you can drop your guard, Hajime, Yue.
For some mysterious reason, he didn't feel any hesitance in accepting the girl's attitude. Was it because she was his contract spirit? He didn't know for sure, but that was what Sora assumed. Seeing Sora relaxed his face, made Hajime and Yue relaxed as well.
Sora: Then, I guess... it is what it is. We'll have to think of a name for you.
For now, Sora decided to accept the girl's presence here. The girl showed a fleeting smile as she nodded.
???: Yeah.
Sora:...Speaking of, you know who I am, right?
He asked, nearly feeling captivated by that smile.
???: I know everything there is to know about Sora.
The answer that came back to him was rather unexpected, leaving Sora feeling taken aback.
Sora: Everything... Which means, umm... Everything?
???: Yes. About how your family moved away. About your father's passing due to sickness. Your mother in a coma, for an incident that left a scar within you. And about Nanao as well.
Sora: ?!?!
Yue: Incident that left a scar...?
Hajime:...
Sora:...
Sora shadow his eyes at the mentioned of his past trauma.
Sora: So you know everything after all.
???: Don't worry. I won't tell anyone until you gave the okay.
Yue: Sora...?
Sora:...
It was obvious that Yue is curious by that. Sora looked at her for awhile. It was clear it was a past he didn't want to remember, but he decided to tell Yue about what happened to his Mother. Why she went into a coma. After he was done telling Yue, she looked at him at disbelief.
Yue: Big Brother... I'm so sorry that happened.
Sora: Its fine... Its all in the past... And do you know why you know those things, by any chance?
???: I don't know. Because I knew before?
She shook her head, remaining as expressionless as ever as she tilted her head in question. Sora watched her quietly as she watched him back. In the end, Sora was the first one to avert his gaze — there was no telling how long they could have stared at each other.
Sora:...About your name. Are you sure you want me to name you? It's your name, so maybe it'd be better for you to think of one yourself.
???: I want a name from Sora.
Sora: Erm, then... Can you give me some time to think about it?
Sora asked with a troubled look. It wasn't easy to come up with a name on the spot, and he didn't think names were something that should be decided so easily anyway.
???: Okay.
She nodded and Sora had asked everything he wanted to know for now, so he processed the situation in his head.
Sora(mind): For now, she doesn't seem to be a bad person.
Sora: Okay, since that's clear, we need to find you some clothes. We can't have you naked now can we?
The sensation of what he touched earlier and the beautiful body he caught a glance of resurfaced in his mind, making his face turned red in an instant as he shook his head furiously.
???: Clothes... Like this?
The girl murmured quietly. A flash of light escaped from beneath the blanket before she lifted the covers.
Hajime: Wah! W-Wait! ...Huh?
Sora hurriedly averted his gaze from such a bold action, but the flash of a non-skin color in the corner of his eye made him glance back timidly. The girl was now wearing a simple dress.
Yue: H-How?
Yue nearly found herself captivated by how cute she was, as the mysterious girl won over her charm.
???: I weaved it with ode and mana.
The girl replied nonchalantly.
Sora: Right, so that light just now was spirit arts... No, wait. You can do that?
Sora questioned with a tilt of his head, nodding in half-understanding, half- residual doubt. He had never heard of clothes being crafted by ode and mana before.
Yue: You're so pretty!
???: Yue, is beautiful too.
As soon as she stood up, Sora was once again captivated by how beautiful she was. Her pink hair blown by the wind, make him think about cherry blossom in Japan. And how he remembered about his childhood crush.
Sora: Aishia.
???: Hm...?
Sora: Your name... What do you think of "Aishia"?
???: Aishia?
Sora: Yeah. In my world, "Aishia" was a word that meant "warm spring" or "beautiful spring." It may have been a bit too simplistic, but your hair was the gentle peach color of cherry blossoms, so you gave off a rather strong impression of spring.
???: Spring?
Sora: Yeah. Is it bad...?
Aishia: Aishia. I want that one.
The spirit girl said resolutely.
Sora:...Umm, we could keep thinking with everyone and come up with a few options first.
Aishia: Nope. Aishia's good. I like it! I like Aishia!
Sora: Well, if you like it, then...
Yue: Nice to meet you, Aishia!
Hajime: Glad to meet you.
Aishia: Hajime, Yue, it is nice to meet you.
(Timeskip)
After they ate, Sora called Aishia to join him outside so that he could speak to her. Along with Hajime and Yue who were following him.
Sora: You can fly with spirit arts, right? Do you have an elemental specialty?
As a spirit — the progenitor of spirit arts — Aishia would naturally know spirit arts, too. With spirit arts, a caster or spirit usually had their own specialty element. Experienced casters and high-ranked spirits could all use a certain level of every element, so Sora assumed Aishia could fly as well.
Aishia: Yup, I can fly. My specialty is the same as Sora. I'm proficient in all of them.
Sora:...I see. From the books that Oscar left, that universal users are really rare before, though.
Universal spirit arts users and spirits were few and far between. Because Sora himself was one of those exceptional users, he didn't show that much surprise other than the slight widening of his eyes.
Aishia: That's why I can fight, too. I can protect Sora. I can stay beside Sora.
Sora: Aishia...
Sora's eyes widened further this time, murmuring Aishia's name.
Aishia: You can lean on me whenever you need me. Just say the word, Sora.
Yue: Heh... Like me and Hajime then? You must love Sora so much don't you, Aishia?
Aishia: Yes! I love Sora so much...
Sora's eyes widened at Aishia's words, and he gave a soft smile.
Sora:...Thank you. I looking forwards to working with you, Aishia.
Aishia: Okay.
Sora: Thanks...
Aishia: Is that all?
Aishia wondered, tilting her head.
Sora: Mm, I actually wanted to try flying in the air together, but could I check your fighting capabilities instead? We won't be using any flashy spirit arts, though... Can you fight at close range?
Sota asked. Their conversation just now had piqued his curiosity about how well a humanoid spirit like Aishia could hold their own in battle.
Aishia: I can.
Sora: Then, let's do some light sparring.
Aishia: All right.
Sora: Okay. When this rock hits the floor, the match begins. Are you ready?
Sora picked up a rock, then placed 15 meters of distance between Aishia and himself.
Aishia: Yup.
Aishia gave a short nod. Once Sora confirmed her nod, he gently threw the rock upward. The rock drew a parabolic line through the air before landing on the ground. Immediately after, Aishia disappeared.
Hajime: She's fast!
In actuality, Aishia had moved in front of Sora in an instant. At the same time, her arm reached out to grab him by his clothes.
Sora(mind): What incredible speed! A throwing technique, huh?
Sora's eyes opened wide in shock before his hands moved reflexively. He broke out in a cold sweat, and he evaded Aishia's hands while backstepping.
Yue: She's amazing!
Sora had underestimated her; he had unknowingly categorized Aishia as someone that needed to be protected. However, Aishia had blown his naivety away at a moment's notice, as though she was proving her own strength to him. Aishia closed the gap between them with determination, launching a skillful attack.
With a combination of feints, her fists and feet moved at Sora at a terrifying speed. The force behind a single hit would be enough to damage his enhanced body if it made clean contact. However, Sora was still able to smoothly evade every attack.
Sora(mind): There's something familiar about the way she moves... Wait, is she copying my moves?!
He thought, seeing that Aishia's close-range combat techniques were consistent with his own style. While he wasn't sure of the reason, it was possible that she had learned the same techniques as him through osmosis. For several moments, Aishia continued to launch her attacks at Sora, before suddenly changing her attack pattern. She backed away for a moment and put distance between them, then used wind spirit arts — just like Sora — to accelerate her movement, stirring up the surroundings as she took off again.
With a deep breath, Sora mustered a large amount of ode from within himself to raise the effect of his physical enhancement and sharpen his senses even more. As Aishia closed in on him, Sora was only barely able to perceive Aishia's movements with his [sharpened senses]. Suddenly, Aishia thrust the palm of her hand at him, but Sora flanked her and sidestepped her outreached palm at the same time. He then aimed to trip Aishia off balance and used that momentum to lightly fling her in the direction she was moving. Aishia's eyes widened, but she gracefully flipped over in midair to deftly land on the ground, then turned to resume attacking once more.
Sora: W-Wait! That's enough, Aishia! I have a good idea of your ability now!
Sora called out. Aishia froze on the spot.
Aishia:...I couldn't land a single hit. You dodged them all.
Sora: Umm, well, they were all movements I knew already... So you could say I've been learning longer than you?
Sora replied with a wry smile. He didn't know how much actual experience Aishia had on the battlefield; all he knew was that she was asleep ever since he was born. It wouldn't be strange for her skills to be dulled, even if she was a spirit.
Aishia: Sora really is strong.
Sora: Ahaha, thank you.
Hajime: Her skill is something alright.
Yue: She's as strong Magic user as I am. And as good at combat just like Sora.
Hajime: I think she will be a good ally for us.
(Timeskip)
Another month has passed since Aishia had awoken from her slumber. She too had learned the [Creation Magic] from Oscar. After learning everything they knew, Sora was currently looking at his status plate.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Sora Yatagami Age: 17
Gender: Male
Level: ???
Job: Synergist and Spirit Arts User
Strength: 12500
Vitality: 10950
Defense: 10670
Agility: 14000
Magic: 15000
Magic Defense: 15000
Skills:
•Transmute — [+Ore Appraisal] [+Precision Transmutation] [+Ore Perception] [+Ore Desynthesis] [+Ore Synthesis] [+Duplicate Transmutation] [+Compression Synthesis]
•Iron Stomach —
•Lightning Field —
•Air Dance [+Aerodynamic] [+Supersonic Step] [+Steel Legs] [+Riftwalk]
•Night Vision —
•Farsight —
•Hide Presence —
•Poison Resistance —
•Paralysis Resistance —
•Petrification Resistance —
•Mana Manipulation — [+Mana Discharge] [+Mana Compression] [+Remote Manipulation]
•Detect Magic [+Precision Sensing] —
•Sense Heat [+Precision Sensing] —
•Hide Presence [+Illusion Waltz] —
•Fear Resistance —
•Elemental Resistance —
•Foresight —
•Intimidate —
•Tracking —
•Increased Mana Recovery —
•Mana Conversion [+Stamina] [+Healing] —
•Limit Break —
•Creation Magic —
•Language Comprehension —
•Superhuman Physical Characteristics —
•Extrasensory Perception [+Precision Sensing]
•Martial Arts —
•Healing —
•Weapon Mastery —
•Mind Manipulation (Can hypnotize his opponents, planting suggestions in their mind) —
•Sleep Manipulation (Can make others sleep by imitating sleep magic) —
•Perception Manipulation (With illusion arts he can affects the five senses of perception of a person) —
•Power Nullification (Can dispel sorcery) —
•Air Manipulation —
•Enhanced Sense —
•Fear Manipulation (Planted a suggestion in a person's mind that made him fear him) —
•Ice Manipulation —
•Light Manipulation —
•Darkness Manipulation —
•Flight —
•Water Manipulation —
•Earth Manipulation —
•Fire Manipulation —
•Telepathy (Can speak to the mind of others through telepathic spirit arts) —
•Reality Warping (Can manipulate essence to interfere with mana and create world-altering phenomena) —
•Vibration Manipulation (Can create shock-waves) —
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
After that, the 4 of them had gotten everything prepared as they were preparing to leave for the surface.
Sora: The new arm fits perfectly.
Hajime: Yeah, feels nice to have a second arm again, the prosthetic arm I made with Creation magic is perfect.
Aishia: Sora... are you thinking about the stuff we found awhile ago?
Sora: Hm, yeah. But we can't do much about it.
Hajime: We'll find the magic to take us home, and then do so. That's the only goal.
Hajime then pulled out a ring and necklace, giving them to Yue.
Yue: What are these?
Hajime: They're accessories I created from the dried up God crystals. You can store some mana in them. Use this quality of storing a vast amount of God crystal magic and continue training certain parts of your body...
Yue didn't say anything, just looking at the accessories.
Yue: Hajime... is this a proposal?
Hajime: ...
Sora: -_-
Aishia was looking Yue enviously. It was clear that she was jealous to which Sora take note of this. He quickly grabbed in his pocket.
Sora: Here, Aishia...
Aishia: Hm...?
From Sora's pocket, was a beautiful moon necklace with a ruby attached on them.
Aishia: Sora...?
Sora: I thought that you would look beautiful in it. It is also enchanted with super telepathy, so that we could stay in touched even from thousands of miles away from each other. Since our regular telepathy only reached a few miles.
Aishia looked at Sora surprised and held the necklace tight.
Aishia: Thank you... I really love you.
Sora:...You're welcome.
Aishia gave Sora a kissed on the lips for the very first time since they met. Sora was surprised by the sudden action, but he just let her do it and he returned the kiss instead.
(Timeskip)
They completed their preparations to the utmost over the past two months. Ten days later, Sora, Hajime, Aishia, and Yue finally decided to return to the surface.
A/N: Sora's gear.
Hajime; Time to say goodbye to this place.
Yue: Yeah.
Sora: Can't believe its been two months since then. Our powers are probably considered heresy to the Holy Church. I doubt they or the various human kingdoms are going to just let us roam free.
Aishia: Yeah...
Hajime: They'll ask us to give up our artifacts or try and force us to help them in their war.
Yue: Yeah...
Sora: If it was just humans we had to deal with, it wouldn't be a huge problem, but those crazy gods pulling everyone's strings are probably gonna be after us too.
Aishia: Its fine. As along as I'm with Sora. And the people he hold dear.
Hajime: We might end up making the entire world our enemy. No matter how many lives we have, it might not be enough to come out unscathed.
Yue: So what...
Hajime smiled at Yue's unconcerned response. She looked up at him, and he gently stroked her golden-blonde hair in response. He looked deeply into her crimson eyes, and saw that they were glowing with happiness. After a moment, he took a deep breath, then spoke aloud his hopes and convictions in order to carve them into his soul.
Hajime: I'll protect all of you, and you guys will protect me. As long as we watch each other's backs, we'll be stronger than anyone. And we're gonna defeat everything and everyone... and surpass the entire world, together!
Sora, Aishia, and Yue all smiled at him as Sora held his hand forwards and placed it in the middle. Aishia, Yue, and Hajime all overlap their hands with his in the center.
Sora: All four of us are going hime together. As long as we're together. Nothing can stop us.
Aishia, Yue, and Hajime: Yeah!