Dance with the Nightingale-Chapter 61 - 60: First Glance: Demonic Cult.

It was chaos.

As soon as I opened my eyes, my first thought was just that – Chaos.

It was such utter chaos that no one even noticed that I had opened my eyes.

Just like before, Cana was bombarding the beasts with spell-balls, but instead of holding the line, Syrus was forced to fight this time.

Fight two particularly troublesome monsters.

One was four meters tall, brown furred, bipedal and extremely muscular.

That along with its bull like face, red eyes and hoofed feet, made it certain that it was a minotaur.

A monster with extremely well-developed physical aspects.

If it was just that much it wouldn’t be a problem. But right now, the minotaur had an maddening red aura coiling around his body.

An aura that signified the use of its bloodline ability, [Berserk].

A skill that was supposed to be the last stand of the race, but now, was used without caring about the consequences due to the monster’s state, due to this crazy frenzy.

The skill increased the minotaur’s crazy physical abilities even more, while greatly increasing its elemental resistance.

Meaning, with the monster’s current elemental resistance and defense, it was impossible for Cana’s one-shots to deal with it.

Same was the case with the second monster.

What it actually was? Even I don’t know.

After all, it was not possible for me to know each and every monster species when there were tens of thousands of them.

But whatever it was, it was extremely fast.

It was quadrupedal, had two sets of horns. Upper one being thicker and longer, while the lower one curved upwards. Its body was one-and-half meters tall and two-and-half meters long, and to match with it, it had a two meter long, thick tail.

If not for the horns, its size and the glowing green pattern running through its body, which I suspect was glowing due to an active bloodline ability, it would have looked quite similar to a cheetah back on earth, especially with its strong muscular legs.

One had power and another had speed.

Together creating a perfect combination, even though they were not really cooperating with each other.

And it was exactly because they weren’t, that Syrus could hold both of them on his own, quite easily.

Even arguing with Cana as he did.

’Really!? These guys!! Battlefield is not a place to argue you know?’

’They are definitely up for a lecture later.’

I thought, nodding inwardly to myself, before focusing on the problem.

He couldn’t finish them.

Syrus, he couldn’t finish these monsters.

-BANNGGG!!

After redirecting the huge club that the minotaur swung in his direction with a counter swing of his own, Syrus felt a rush of wild wind coming from his side.

Not missing a beat, Syrus changed his grip on the sword and dragged his left leg back. Then using that same leg as a pivot, he turned sideways, before swinging his sword horizontally.

-TANGG!!

His huge sword then clashed with the wild gust of wind, quickly igniting on his will, as the flames tried and engulfed the monster, who was sent flying backwards like a ball of fire.

Not for long though, a second after it was sent flying, the ball of fire stabilized itself, before a burst of wind exploded out of it, extinguishing all the fire coiling around it. Revealing the mostly unharmed monster within.

Who without a moment’s rest, charged right back at him.

’Hmm, still it doesn’t look like he needs help.’

’With his years of experience, along with his intuition, he can defeat them both.’

’It will take time though.’

I thought, as I clenched and unclenched my fist.

Feeling my muscles recovering quickly, together with the soothing sensation flowing through my body, I knew...

’At least they had the courtesy of feeding me potions.’

-Huuu

In the end, I sighed.

Counting down the seconds it would take for full recovery, while watching the ongoing fight.

And honestly, it was a novel experience.

Now that I had got a bit used to magic and fantasy, I could spectate the fight going on ahead of me, with a cool head. Unlike before, where my blood boiled each time I saw a fight.

And being a bit more honest, I really missed popcorn.

I know its strange thing to think about in the middle of a battlefield, extremely strange when one of my teammate was missing, but damn the fight was really popcorn worthy...

Anyways, the fight with the two monsters had gone better than I expected, as the horned monster had multiple burns on its body.

And while the minotaur was still raring to go, the red coiling aura around his body, had dimmed a bit.

Meaning, it was on its last leg.

After being thrown away for the umpteenth time, the horned monster charged again, so did the minotaur.

And as expected, it was the horned beast that reached him first, but with the minotaur being right in front of him, it was correct to say, both monsters attacked at the same time.

Gripping the handle of his huge greatsword with both hands, Syrus prepared himself. Not a bit fazed, as his sword covered itself in red shimmering flames.

And not long after they clashed.

-TANGGG!!

His sword connected with the horned monster’s horns, while the minotaur also upon him, its club already in mid-swing.

There was no way for him to block that attack.

And that’s when something different happened.

Instead of throwing the horned monster back as usual, Syrus instead was pushed back.

Pushed back just enough, so that the monster replaced him as the minotaur’s target.

And just to make sure it couldn’t escape with its superior speed Syrus used the card he had hidden till now, his earthen attribute!!

During the whole fight he only used fire element, creating an illusion for the monsters that he could only use fire, making this move completely unexpected!!

[Earthen Binding]

The ground caved in immediately, rocks and mud rising up with great vigor, as they moved and coiled around the horned monster’s feet, rendering it immobile and helpless against the upcoming strike from the minotaur.

-BANNGGGGG!!!!

The ground caved in again, this time due to the force of the strike. A dust cloud rising up, as all that remained in its place was scattered brain matter and a dead monster with its skull caved-in.

It wasn’t over though, and Syrus knew that. His eyes never leaving the minotaur who didn’t give two shits about the friendly fire.

The monster roared in rage, angry only because he missed again, before going back to swinging his bloodied club.

But this time Syrus didn’t block.

Didn’t block, didn’t dodge, didn’t endure.

For he had endured enough.

Now, it was time to –

– [Release]!!!

With my mouth wide open, my mind blown off, and with my shock off the charts, I watched like a little goldfish, as Syrus’ blood-red mana flared up, covering his whole body like a raging flame.

His mana literally spiked up, manifesting outwards like never before, coating each and every part of his body, except for his eyes.

His eyes that were glowing with an incandescent green.

His muscles tensed up the next instant, running through them bands of the same incandescent green. Bands which moved faster and faster, making it seem as if his muscles itself were glowing green.

Then with his incandescent green eyes still on the minotaur, Syrus moved.

Stabbing his greatsword straight, which now had a glowing green edge instead of the normal red, not a bit worried about the attack coming his way.

And really, there was no reason to.

-BANNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!

-KWANNGGG!!

-KWANNGGG!!

-KWANNGGG!!

The air split up.

So did the ground.

The power of the attack was such, that a large, jagged, crevice was carved on the ground.

Jagged only because, the air exploded, sending rampant shockwaves, that upturned what was supposed to be a clean cut.

As for what happened to the minotaur?

He was erased from existence.

Bit by bit, piece by piece, he was annihilated out of existence before the sword even reached him.

The air pressure created by the attack was so intense, the power within it was so intense that the monsters strong body gave out.

And not just him, the dead horned monster, along with several others who got caught in the range of the attack, were erased out of the existence, in the same way.

-Huuuu

And he the perpetrator of this violence simply breathed out; the green glow of his muscles receded along with his flaring mana as he retracted his sword back, not before he swung it twice though.

And his behavior certainly got someone annoyed, as she yelled...

"If you have time to fight with air, then get your ass here and help me, you rude bastard!!"

"AND!!, the next time you do something that will blow my ears!! WARN! ME! BEFOREHAND!!!"

The man in question, completely ignored her though.

Instead, he looked straight at me, as he said.

"You’re awake."

Me, who was still shell shocked about that attack, me who still had his thoughts all over the place.

’Test Subject #766 – The Flesh Fortress, wasn’t he supposed to be a meat bag?’

’Since when did he have an attack skill?’

’No, I don’t remember adding an attack skill in his skill set!’

’So, what the hell was it that he used just now!?’

As I was tackling the unbelievability of the situation, too busy in my own thoughts, that Cana finally noticed that I was awake. Thanks to Syrus’ beckoning, that is.

’Really girl, you need to improve your awareness.’

I somehow managed to quip, even when my mind was in chaos. Her field awareness was just that bad.

Stopping her bombardment for a moment, Cana turned towards me.

Her eyes finally meeting mine, as she stood there rooted in her place.

Then slowly, with her right hand patting her chest, she exhaled a relieved sigh, a worried sigh.

Then, taking a few steps forward she opened her mouth, worriedly asking, "Leader... are you okay?"

"I..."

I paused and checked my body condition, before continuing.

"I’m alright."

And that was true. I was really alright.

Around 90 percent healed.

"Just waiting to be fully healed."

"Okay..."

Cana nodded meekly, before suddenly exclaiming.

"No leader! We don’t have time!"

And continuing in her worried tone.

A tone laced with regret.

"Allen!, he-, he-, he is gone!! Allen is missing leader!!"

"Oh, I know."

I said, lightly. My tone completely different from hers as I continued.

"And I have a good idea where he might be."

"What!? Really!!? You know!??"

Cana asked, without minding my light tone, which I was sure she would have minded if I hadn’t added that last sentence.

"Yes..."

I said, pushing myself up as I sat on the ground.

Then turning my head towards Syrus, I asked the question that had been bugging me...

"Syrus, what was that, that final attack?"

...as calmly as possible.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

But apparently not calm enough, as instead of Syrus, Cana answered.

"Why are you so shocked leader? Can’t he have an attack skill?"

Asking me a question instead.

"A counterattack skill."

Syrus interjected.

"Shut up! My ears are still ringing because of you! And does it even matter now? Shouldn’t we save Allen first??"

"Cana, stop. He is waiting cause he is injured. Don’t push him while he hasn’t been healed."

"But Alle-"

"Going to a battle while being injured is equivalent to giving yourself a death sentence. And he said he has an idea of where Allen is, right? Let’s just trust him."

"Okay... I will wait."

"Don’t wait here, go and throw some more of those one-shots, the monsters are gathering again."

"Aghhh!! I’m going, you rude bastard!!"

"Take care of him!!"

I didn’t say anything.

In fact, I didn’t even hear what they talked about.

A single sentence occupying my mind – Can’t he have an attack skill?

Yes, he can.

He can. Of course, he can!

It isn’t strange at all.

After all he isn’t Test Subject #766 now!

He is Syrus Otone!

His own person!!

A person with infinite possibilities in his future.

Thinking till that, I knew, my way of seeing persons as my characters was flawed.

I had to see them as someone, whose a single possible future I knew.

Not as their godfather, who knew each and every single thing about them.

I knew Test Subject #766, but Syrus Otone?

Other than his backstory, I knew nothing.

So, I had to do better to know him.

Looking at the figure who was standing beside me, I said.

"Your fight was great."

"Hmm, it was easy, I have survived far worse situations than that."

"I see..."

"Those spell balls though, they are a great aid. Money is power, as they say."

"Yeah, can’t deny that."

I said looking at Cana bombarding the monsters.

"How’s your new equipment though, good?"

"Yeah, its good, works well, protects well, and doesn’t get in the way."

"That’s good..."

The conversation was going smoothly, a bit blandly when he asked something unexpected.

"Are planning to go all-out next?"

"Hm? Yes... But how did you guess?"

I sheepishly turned my head, as I asked.

"Haha, experience. I could tell as you were waiting to be fully healed."

Tilting his head slightly, he asked.

"So? Are you fully healed?"

"Hmm, yes..."

"Then, stand up, we don’t have time."

He said, extending his hand.

"Thanks..."

I murmured, as I took his hand and finally stood up.

Inwardly saying-

-Showtime.

***

Meanwhile, deep in the same forest. A majestic, forty-meter-tall tree stood in the center, as if it was the center of the vegetation.

But, instead of being full with the hubbub of life, it was quiet.

Eerily quiet.

Quiet, which was deranged by the sound of a flute resounding.

Disturbingly though, rather than expelling the eerie feeling, the tune of the flute just added on to the atmosphere.

Sitting below the tree’s canopy while leaning on the its building-wide trunk, was a robed woman playing the flute.

Playing an eerie melody.

And if the melody itself wasn’t uncanny enough then black wisps, numerous spectral black wisps, were floating around her.

Each wisp moving in its own twisted way, shining in the night despite being black.

With each of its twinkle, screams, haunting screams, maddened screams, frenzied screams in hundreds of different voices, rang out at the same time. Each voice tearing each other apart in a mad frenzy, forming a sickening, a sinister a voice that surprisingly resonated with the flute’s tune, complementing each of its notes.

Then suddenly something happened.

The continuous tune, the eerie melody, suddenly broke as the wisps around the woman started going crazy, each one emitting an ear-piercing shriek.

Not a bit bothered by this, the woman stopped playing the flute.

Her expression twisting as a strange, deranged smile, crept up on her face.

"Ah~ someone destroyed my seed~? Curious, curious~."

She mused, while moving her head side by side, her deranged smile widening even more as she continued.

"Who was it? Now, now, who was it?"

"Well~ should I add him to my collection as well?"

"Hmm~ no. The high-master would be mad if I took too long to deliver this. I can’t be too greedy~."

"I found my new seed, no, my new gem anyways. Hehehehehehhe~"

She said till that before breaking into deranged laughter.

Stopping only after a good while. And only when she stopped that she noticed the strange shriek’s of the wisps.

Then with an twisted expression and an angry voice that carried her mana she shouted-

"SHUT!! UP!! OR! DO! YOU! WANT! MORE! PAIN!!!"

Her palm litting up with a dark flame as she said that, causing the shrieking wisps to instantly quieten down.

"Good boys~"

She said, her expression changing instantly to form a smile.

"Well, well, how far are you my little gem~"

She cooed, a coo that would send shivers down anyone’s spine before waving her hand.

In response four of the numerous wisps floating around her merged, forming a smooth black mirror with demonic patterns, which glowed dimly before showing the image of Allen, walking through the forest, alone.

"You’re close, you’re close~ Come faster my little gem~"

Her cheeks flushing as she said.

"I can’t wait~"

"Hehehhehehhehhe~"

Deranged laughter resounded in that canopy for quite a while.