Zosimus called for help, however Susumu failed to act under huge pressure. Well, the Chains Man didn’t see another choice…

“Susumu, you shall learn the Spirit Mode. The reason is very simple. Despite being a user, Nemo isn’t a fighter. As for me, unfortunately I can only use my full power while possessing you” Zosimus stated.

Nemo shrugged his shoulders indifferent. So, Susumu was their sole hope for survival. He needed to get stronger.

“Let’s do this” Susumu nodded.

“Great. Now we need a place where we can train without being seen.”

Fate or mere coincidence, Nemo unintentionally unlocked a secret room that bided within the central wall. The three watched as the room slowly opened before them.

“Perfect” Zosimus said.

 

…

 

The charismatic pair Lied and Zaccharias went back to the 1st Underworld Level. Zaccharias hid inside the long coat of an elderly man who had just arrived in Mictlan as they rode an elevator to the second level. On this floor the spirits were received by a psychopomp, the guide of souls, and later divided into groups.

Every single spirit held a certain amount of regret. The greater the repentance, the more trials it had to overcome. Some spirits were required to pass all tests, as was the case with Lied’s group.

The psychopomp was actually a dog wearing a black and white costume with adornments, accompanied by two guards who stood alongside him.

“Is that Plasticity?” Lied thought to himself.

“No, it’s really his true form” Zaccharias’ voice popped up inside his mind.

“Huh? How…?”

“In addition to allowing you to enter people’s souls, the property Penetrability can also be used like this.”

Telepathy, the communication of thoughts or ideas by means other than the known senses. With Penetrability it was possible for sound to go through mental barriers. Lied remembered that Martyr did communicate mentally with him once…

“I am Xolotl, the Underworld’s psychopomp. My duty is to lead you to reincarnation.”

One of the guards grasped a sheet of paper for Xolotl whilst the dog read it.

“Each group will have five spirits and only one group shall enter at a time. The success condition of these trials lies in your will to live. Those of weak volition will remain trapped on those floors and eventually cease to exist, since the spirit needs a vessel to survive. In other words, you must reincarnate afore time runs out. That’s all.”

A good number of spirits lost their motivation before the trials even started. Because he was alive, that rule didn’t apply to Lied, nevertheless the boy was aware that the damage he suffered would be inflicted on his physical body.

Lied was picked for the first group.

 

…

 

3rd Underworld Level, First trial floor

As if by magic, a gargantuan gate erected on the spot, swirling air flowed out of the chamber.

“Wind?” Lied felt it.

“Lied, don’t tell anyone you’re alive” Zaccharias sat on the human’s shoulder and whispered in his ear.

“Alright.”

The guard who brought them here took the elevator back down and they entered the room, the dark gate closed behind them by itself.

The environment inside the chamber was of life or death, and that wasn’t an overstatement. Lied physically observed each of the spirits he spent the next few hours with: a short-haired, brown-eyed, bearded man in his 50s wearing casual clothes; a gray-haired, bright blue-eyed woman in her 40s wearing a modest dress and a gray scarf around her neck; a dark blue-haired, black-eyed man in his 30s wearing a shirt underneath his jacket; lastly, a long purple-haired, violet-eyed insipid girl of the same age as Lied, wearing a striped sweater that was slowly slipping off her shoulders.

“We are all in the same boat, eh? I’m Eduardus. I used to be a police officer” the dark blue-haired spirit introduced himself.

“The name’s Hector. I worked day and night away from home before I kicked the bucket. Not going to lie, I’m glad I died” the bearded man said.

“My name is Liana… W-When I was alive, I had a single desire: to start a family. Unfortunately, the doctor diagnosed me with infertility…” the introverted woman said.

“Luna. What I was and did is none of your business” the listless girl said.

“Watch your tongue! Your parents didn’t teach you anything?!” Hector scolded her.

Luna clicked her tongue as it was a tic of hers. From an initial impression, Eduardus reminded Lied of Susumu because of his occupation, his father and Hector were very much alike personality-wise, his mother and Liana shared the same inability, and Luna… well, reminded him of himself. The curious thing is that they were all aztecs.

Luna glanced coldly at Lied, her gaze then flickered to the glossy black bird perched on the young man’s shoulder.

“I’m baffled as to how the guards let a pet in” Luna said.

“He’s not my ‘pet’. His name is Zaccharias” Lied replied.

“I’m just a crow. A crow that likes to wear a hat” Zaccharias spoke.

Luna, Eduardus, Hector and Liana were taken aback by its ability to speak, yet they didn’t attach much importance to it since they were accustomed to the supernatural.

“And you?” Eduardus stared at Lied.

“Lied, don’t tell anyone you’re alive.”

“My name is Lied. I… have a goal: overcome these trials and surpass myself!”

“…Nonsense. Look, I get it that reincarnation is our second chance. Personally, I’m not interested. It’s just that I overheard a conversation between some spirits and this first trial… is ten thousand knives” Luna let on.

Luna’s huge revelation unsettled them as a heavy hush fell over the chamber.

“Ten thousand…?” Hector muttered.

“I’ll stop each one of them” Lied avowed.

“Are you totally nuts?” Luna asked rhetorically.

“…Let’s bet on his potential” Eduardus said confidently.

Zaccharias edged away from Lied and joined Eduardus.

“So you noticed it, officer” the crow said.

“I don’t know why, but I get the feeling that we’re about to witness a miracle” the aztec policeman smiled a contemplative smile.

Luna didn’t understand where his optimism came from. Liana was touched by Eduardus’ words and she, too, was filled with hope. Hector shared the same realistic view as Luna, although he saw something special in the human.

The five aztecs looked at that moment only at Lied, the light at the end of the tunnel…

[END OF CHAPTER]

[ARC “AWAKENING” STARTS]