Chapter 3: Saved?

After making friends with Akari I felt reinvigorated to take on our surroundings.

Now, how do I escape this cell? 

The question echoed in my mind as the oppressive darkness seemed to close in around me. 

 If only I could use magic or find some hidden weakness. 

I honed my focus on the walls and iron bar as a chime appeared in my head again.

[New Skill! You have learned Appraisal Lv. 1!]

Appraisal? Could this be the key to unlocking my way out? Only one way to to figure that out. I put my focus on the iron bars.

Name: Iron Bars

Durability: 85/100

Material: Ferrous Alloy

Hurray!

An unexpected rush of excitement coursed through me. Appraisal wasn't just a skill; it was a tool that could help me understand the world around me. But could it also aid in my escape? I remove a rock from my inventory and throw it against the iron bars.

Name: Iron Bars

Durability: 85/100

Material: Ferrous Alloy

Damn

I thought for sure that would do something to it but I guess no way to brute force it. My gaze shifted to the cell's door, and my determination renewed. I focused on the door's lock.

 

Name: Cell Door Lock

Type: Magical Seal

Complexity: High

 

My heart pounded as I analyzed the information before me.
A magical seal, huh? This won't be as simple as picking a physical lock. The complexity indicated that brute force wouldn't do the trick. My heart raced as I considered my options, and the spark of hope began to wane.

 

The uncertainty of it all gnawed at me, but there was no time to dwell. My eyes darted from the words in my mind to the intricate magical lines of the seal before me. I remembered the pattern on my capsule and the way the mana flowed throughout the trail in a pattern. I wonder if I can follow the mana trail that the magic seal has to free myself.

 

Gathering my will, I extended my senses toward the magical seal, trying to perceive the delicate currents of energy within. The sensation was like reaching out in the darkness, hoping to catch a fleeting spark. Slowly, I began to discern the patterns, to understand the ebb and flow of mana within the seal. It was a delicate dance, and I felt a connection forming.

 

But then, a surge of energy rushed through the seal, and the intricate lines glowed for a moment before a sharp jolt of power hit me. I gasped, a mixture of pain and surprise overwhelming me. It was as if the seal itself had struck back in defense, its complexity overwhelming my novice attempt.

 

Too intricate, I realized, my head pounding from the backlash. I lack the skill and finesse for this kind of magic. Disheartened but undeterred, I pulled back, my fingers tingling from the residual energy.

 

As the echoes of my attempt at magic still resonated in my mind, I heard the distant sound of footsteps echoing down the corridor. My heart raced anew. Could this be my chance?

 

Focus, Yuki. I gathered my resolve, ready to seize any opportunity that presented itself. My gaze locked onto the approaching figure, it was the same robed man. My heart pounded louder in my chest.

Who is he? Why is he here? Questions swirled in my mind, but there was no time for answers.

 

The guards waved a stone with inscriptions over the lock and inserted a key, and with a heavy clunk, the door swung open. The robed man's gaze met mine, his eyes hidden beneath the shadows of his hood. Who are you? Friend or foe? My thoughts raced. I use my [Appraisal] on him.

Name: Robed Man 

Level: ??? 

Skills: ??? 

Attributes: ??? 

Status: ???

Okay, that wasn’t helpful at all.

The robed man's attention shifted, and his eyes fixed on Akari. Her door swung open too, and she stepped out, her posture a mixture of fear and anxiousness.

 

"Come with me," the robed man finally spoke, his voice low and commanding. Defying his command, I stood my ground. But then, a sharp hum emanated from my bracelet, reverberating through my arm and sending a jolt of searing pain up to my head. I staggered backward, unable to hold my stance as the agony intensified. Gritting my teeth, I clenched my fists, determined to resist despite the torrent of mental shocks assaulting me.

Amidst the struggle, a chime rang out within my head, cutting through the haze of pain.

[New Skill! You have learned Mental Resist Lv. 1]

I can feel the pain from resisting his commands subside a tiny bit but it still is overpowering. I get up and fall into step behind the robed man a torrent of thoughts flooded my mind. What do they want? Where are they taking us? And can I trust them?

Gradually, the pain ebbed away as I followed behind him. The path that lay ahead was enveloped in ambiguity, mirroring the mysterious figure guiding us through the dark corridor.

Hold on, Akari. I’ll find a way out of this, together.

I look towards Akari’s figure and give her a reassuring smile. She smiles back faintly. I speak up and ask after a few steps of silence.

“Where are you taking us.”

The robed man halted his steps abruptly and slowly turned around to face us. His gaze felt heavy even beneath the shadow of his hood. The silence stretched for a few tense moments before he finally spoke.

“Well well, maybe you aren’t as much of a failure as the General thought.”

He continued forward without elaborating much. What an eyesore.

We continued to follow him up a flight of stairs, the echo of our footsteps reverberating through the confined space. As we reached the top, there was an unexpected surprise awaiting us: an empty wall. 

 

But then, the robed man began to chant a single word, a reverberation of power that seemed to resonate with the very air around us. And in response, the wall before us stirred, slowly rising upwards.

 

Blinding light seeped in from beyond the wall, a stark contrast to the darkness we had traversed. Is this the way out? As my eyes adjusted, the silhouette of the robed man became more defined against the radiant backdrop. Stepping forward, I realized we were entering a new space altogether.

 

It appeared to be an office of sorts, bathed in the glow of daylight. Intricately detailed statues of beautiful woman adorned the room, their eyes seemingly following our every move. Books lined the shelves, and the windows, though covered, emitted a muted shimmer, hinting at the world beyond.

 

This place feels... sacred, but why? The atmosphere felt oddly hushed, as if within a sacred space. The environment was unlike anything in the dungeons below, with white marbling and the walls adorned with beautiful patterns.

 

Where are we?

As we moved through the room, the statues and the mosaic-covered windows lent an almost chapel-like aura. He then leads us to another room with the largest and most grand rendition of the statues we have seen thus far. She smiled from atop giving off a smile just like a mother and a face that felt familiar. Below the feet of the statue lay a basin of water flowing outwards to the edges of the room kept in like a fountain. 

"Reverence be unto thee," the robed man’s voice trembled with zeal, a wild intensity radiating from his very being. His eyes ablaze with fervor, the robed man pulled back his hood to reveal an older gentleman appearing around his 50s, his lips parted in a manic grin as he raised his hands towards the heavens.

"The Goddess of Mana, the Mother of All," his words resounded with a sanctified cadence, "we humbly extend our gratitude for the sacrifices offered this day, an offering intended to shape the tapestry of humanity's future."

Without turning or breaking a sweat he continued, his gaze fervent on the statue.

"Ah, the chosen ones, the conduits of Aurinna's gift," he mused, his words carrying a weight of both anticipation and calculation. "Homunculi, crafted with purpose, each one holding the potential to enhance the very essence of humankind."

Aurinna, that sounds familiar…

"Your worth, dear homunculi, transcends the mundane. Created not by chance but by design, to shape the destiny of a world teetering on the precipice." His words dripped with a mix of reverence and conviction as if he saw in us a significance that extended beyond my understanding.

What a weirdo.

I stare at him in confusion and disgust. Akari already looks like she’s about to pass out from this madman’s personal speech. He turns and gives us one brief look and yells a command.

“Kneel in silence before Aurinna.”

Akari and I practically plummet to the floor, the swift motion grazing my kneecaps as we comply. His self-absorbed monologue continues, a dialogue with himself that seems to ignore the very real presence of those he addresses.

 

"Ah, such exquisite creatures," he muses, as if our existence were mere ornaments in his grand soliloquy. "Regrettably, the General has tendered his ultimatum. A new purpose awaits you both."

 

He singles out Akari with a peremptory gesture, beckoning her to approach. With a gradual ascent, she walks toward him, every step seemingly towards her doom.

“You are meant to be baptized," his voice drips with an eerie fervor, "and transformed into sanctified instruments for a grand and sacred purpose. A lamentable waste, for your potential, could have soared far beyond."

 

The icy fingers of dread crawl up my spine, a shiver that refuses to be ignored. He draws Akari closer to the statue, her form bathed in the muted light that seems to emanate from the very stone itself. Slowly, deliberately, he lowers her beneath the statue's feet, the ripples of the water distorting her reflection. Inch by inch, she is submerged, until only her head remains above the surface, her eyes wide with a mixture of trepidation and confusion.

 

"And now, under the benevolent gaze of Aurinna," his tone becomes eerily reminiscent of a priest's ceremonial intonations, "I cleanse you, child, of earthly taint. May your essence be reborn, your purpose consecrated." He lifts her, as if from a sacred font, his hand a vessel of ethereal authority.

 

As his voice continues in its twisted mimicry of sanctity, a sense of foreboding tightens its grip around me. The atmosphere is heavy with the weight of something unholy, a perversion of faith that has cast a sinister shadow upon this place.

The man pushes Akari’s head under the water with little resistance. He cries a single tear as he holds her head underneath the water, chanting a mantra.

no… No… NO!

I scream in my head as I resist the bracelet’s spell. I feel pain throughout my entire body as I attempt to reach for Akari.

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 1 → Mental Resist LV. 2]

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 2 → Mental Resist LV. 3]

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 3 → Mental Resist LV. 4]

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 4 → Mental Resist LV. 5]

The voice chimes in my head repeatedly but I can’t think or care. I reach for a rock in my inventory that I stole from the cell.

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 5 →Mental Resist LV. 6]

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 6 → Mental Resist LV. 7]

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist LV. 7 → Mental Resist LV. 8]

Gradually inching forward, my movements scarcely audible, I approached the figure cloaked in robes. I hear Akari flailing.

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist Lv. 8 → Mental Resist LV. 9]

[Skill Leveled up! Mental Resist Lv. 9 → Mental Resist LV. MAX]

[New Skilled Acquired! Mental Resist LV. MAX →  Mind’s Fortress LV. 1]

 

I rise with determination, wielding the rock I had acquired from above. Swiftly, I bring it down with all my might, aiming for the robed man's head. Yet, his reaction is as sudden as it is uncanny – he whirls around, his lips forming incantations, and a mystical barrier materializes above him. My makeshift weapon crashes against the barrier, thwarted.

 

With fluid grace, he releases another incantation, propelling me backward with an unseen force. My body slams into the wall, the impact jarring my senses. As I struggle to regain my bearings, I cast a glance towards Akari, briefly relieved by her safety. But it's the visage of sheer fury etched onto the man's features that dominates my attention as he advances towards me.

“Somehow you resisted the basic enslavement rune, how did a newborn…?”

 

In measured steps, he closes the distance, his voice laced with another incantation that crackles with power. However, before his spell can be cast, a sudden intrusion pierces the air – an arrow with great power,  aimed with unerring precision, pierces through his heart. His face contorts with shock and pain as the arrow finds its mark.

 

My eyes rise, drawn towards the source of this unforeseen rescue. Above me, two enigmatic figures crouched hooded, bows in hand come in from the ceiling. My body gives out as my mind blurs.

Please I don’t want to knockout for the 5th time.

The last thing I see is the other figure picking up Akari.

Name: Yuki 

Class: Divine Homunculus 

Race: Homunculus, Race Trait: Eternal Youth, Mana Absorption

Level: 1 

Experience: 7 / 100 (+1/day)

HP: 2 / 100 

Mana: 5 / 400 (+200)

 

Abilities:

[Arcane Link (LV. Max)]  •  [Mana Mastery (LV. MAX)]  •  [Spatial Inventory (LV. 1)]  •  [Heal (LV. 2)]  •  [Mind’s Fortress [LV. 1] New!   •  [Appraisal (LV. 1] New!

 

Equipment:

• Rag Cloth
• Iron Bracelet (Enslavement seal)

Inventory:

• Rock x49 (-1)

Titles:

• Goddess’s Last Hope: The goddess’s last hope for the balance of the world.
• Reincarnated Otherworld Scholar: Otherworldly knowledge can be accessed whenever.
• Goddess's Favor: Infused with the goddess's essence, giving an immensely increased mana capacity.

Party:

• Akari