Tale of Discovery

Chapter 68: Message ; Dragon

As Sona is preparing a magic circle for us, I reminisce about yesterday's events.

The girl that Yuno 'summoned', Akame, is quite the tricky case to take care of.

I promised her that I will return her to the world she came from. The main reason for that is that I want to see if there is anything of worth there. Perhaps, something similar to her sword.

This has gotten me to think if I am able to "save" my creations as a blueprint of sorts to create whenever I want to. I should look into that later, but for now, I should be focusing on how I'm going to go to Akame's world.

It's easier said than done

Well, I'm mostly waiting for Yuno's power that has been exhausted because she overtaxed it, to return to optimum condition.

Her power is sure versatile and strong, for it to be able to open a gateway to a Platform. Are all 3-Digits this strong?

No way, that would be catastrophic. Irene did say something about her Code being "Maximized" or something like that.

"It's ready. Prepare for teleportation," Sona says, interrupting my thoughts.

Nodding my head, I wait for it to begin.

What I'm doing right now is rather risky, as she could've set a trap for me using this teleportation circle.

However, based on what I've learned about her character so far, she wouldn't do such a thing. Why? Because she doesn't know what I am.

Sona knows that I'm an abnormal being with immense power, but she doesn't know what kind of being I exactly am.

It's the basics of warfare: know yourself, your allies, and the enemy.

If you don't, you are boded to bring demise upon yourself and those that are with you.

"Familiar Forest," Sona says calmly before the scenery around us changes.

Looking around, I see dead trees all around us, and then the rosy-red sky.

Truly a fascinating scene, but I don't have the time to savor it. I am already sensing something pulling me towards itself quite a distance away from here.

Surely, that must be the thing that Infi has left for me, or else there is something that is somehow related to me.

Or could it be another interesting girl? I seem to be attracted to them for some reason.

Yeah, right. As if that would be the case.

"By the way," I say while looking over everyone, "you're getting a familiar for the monkey, right?"

"Yes," Sona replies neutrally while Saji's eyebrows are twitching.

"So, why is it that everyone in your peerage is coming over?", I curiously ask.

"No particular reason," she replies.

Do these Devils have nothing better to do with their lives? Thinking of which,

"How long are your life-spans?", I directly ask.

Sona squints her eyes slightly before answering,

"Up to 10 millennia."

The question that I just asked should confuse them even further. There are two reasons I did it. The first reason is that I genuinely wanted to know, while the second one is more sophisticated.

Someone with immense power and strange abilities. Has the ability to bring the dead back to life, even if they're Devils. Talks freely while a princess respectfully stands quietly behind him. Doesn't know about the basics of other races.

It has been narrowed down by a lot. I wonder what she thinks of such a being.

"Now then," I say, "you guys go do what you came here for, while I go on my way."

Waving at them, I disappear from where I was and reappear quite a distance away, moving at a great speed toward where I feel like something is calling to me.

---3rd POV---

In a vast and empty plain, lays a huge dragon, slumbering in peace. However, the dragon suddenly opens its huge eyelids and turns its head in a direction.

"Impossible," a loud sound reverberates in the surroundings.

It suddenly gets on its legs and dashes in the direction it was facing at a speed fast enough to make the dead trees it dashed past in the way to break.

Soon, it gets to the location and watches with dread as a humanoid figure goes through a barely visible barrier.

"STOP!", the dragon bellows, but the humanoid figure doesn't seem to hear her as it continues to go toward something right at the center of the barrier.

---1st POV---

It doesn't take me long to get to the location of the thing that's attracting me.

However, I run into something unexpected. Thin sheet-like energy that is barely visible is right in front of me.

Reaching out my arm, I attempt to touch the "barrier", however, nothing happens as my hand passes right through it.

Having made sure that it's safe, I slowly walk through to the other side.

My surroundings seem to change from what it was a little while ago to pure whiteness.

Without being surprised, I continue to move forward according to my senses, then suddenly, the direction from which I'm sensing the "thing" from, change.

Now, it's coming from my right.

Why would this happen? I guess that this is a mechanism to prevent others from getting to what the barrier is trying to protect.

As I continue to move around according to my senses. The direction changes several times before I come across a small cylinder that appeared out of nowhere, holding a small blue orb.

This better is worth the effort, as I feel like I spent about two hours trying to get to it.

I extend my arm and lightly tap the orb with my index finger.

---

"Verethragna!", I hear a shout as my mind and vision clear up.

Looking towards where the voice came from, I see several individuals floating the air beside me. However, I am unable to make out their faces except for a few of them.

The guy I had seen in my past vision forming the circle. Krul, Yuno, and

Sora.

Why is she here?

What's going on? Is this a memory of the past or is it a vision of the future.

My thoughts don't last long, as something or more specifically someone appears right in front of us.

"Infi," I lightly mutter as I look at the figure clad in a red aura and physically covered in red numbers.

The space around her seems to be continuously distorting as several figures appear from them and float in the air right opposite to us.

"You, die!", Infi...no... something that seems to be possessing her says.

Everyone around me begins to shout something out, however, I can't understand what they're saying except for those who I can recognize.

"Code: Abbadon!", Krul shouts before her whole body is clad in a deathly aura as her figure changes from her usual small and cute self to a much more mature version with majestic-looking clothing.

"Code: Sigilla!", Yuno shouts before her clothing changes to the ones she had when I fought against her, while her appearance remains the same.

"Code: @*#$!", The man in my vision shouts something that I am unable to make out in a deep voice before his figure is clad in a golden aura as Roman Numerals form all around him.

And lastly "Code: %@#&!", Sora shouts something that I am unable to make out as well before her figure is covered in a white aura, as her clothes change from regular ones to a frilly black and violet dress.

Suddenly, I feel like I am half in control of my body as I raise arms to the sky and gather some form of energy within them.

The sky immediately begins to darken at an incredible pace as huge golden electric currents form all around us.

"Code: Exousia!", I shout before the ground below me disintegrates as I feel my clothes change while my power levels multiplying by several magnitudes.

"Infi" and those that are opposite to us seem to have changed somehow.

A few seconds pass as each side glares at the other.

"On your words," Sora suddenly says.

Once again, unable to control my body, I lift my arm and bellow,

"Assail!"

Upon hearing my words, everyone on our side immediately disappears from they were, myself included as we reappear right in front of the enemy, prepared for battle.

"Genesis!", are the last words I hear from Infi who's charging at me before my vision darkens.

---

As I regain my clarity in the "real" world, I feel a wave of energy wash over me.

Then, Infi's soft voice resounds within my head,

"You've finally reached this point. I'm sure that you're confused over all of what's happening,"

I sure am.

"Worry not," she continues, "everything will be cleared up one time is due. There is no need to rush. All that is needed to be known is that our victory is certain, as we have you. Virus doesn't stand a chance against us."

Virus? Is that the thing we're fighting against?

"This is a message I've left you before my Proxy fades into nothingness to inform you of what you need to know, to move forward from here on out.

"You decided that gaining humanity would benefit you in your pursuit of power after it got sealed, as humans are naturally greedy and benefit-seeking beings. So, you created a scenario for yourself in which you made yourself suffer to train your newly gained humanity.

"We watched you go ver with the process carefully to make sure nothing goes wrong. Now, your endeavors seem to be worth it as I'm sure your character is extremely contrastive compared to the past.

"To keep it up, you need to balance your humanity with your past incarnations by either spending time with humans or Code: Eve."

Another Code... I'm not sure about her claims, but I will give it a try, as it doesn't seem like it would negatively affect me.

"There two more things that you need to know. First one, every Platform has a Core. Find it, and you will be able to form a gateway to enable passage from between the Rift and said Platform.

"The second is that there are fragments that you yourself mentioned about. I don't know what it is, but you spoke highly of them. From the looks of it, they will benefit you, somehow, so look for them.

"That's all. Farewell; I wish you luck on the path you take."

As soon as she said that, the space around me shatters as I find myself back in the Familiar Forest.

I'm planning to regroup with Sona and the others, however, my plan is throttled as I find something moving toward me from the distance.

A huge blue dragon is dashing towards me at an incredible speed and comes to a stop a couple of meters away from me.

"You! Identify yourself!", a deep and somewhat feminine voice resounds within my ears.

Slowly floating into the air, I look at the dragon in its huge draconic eyes and solemnly reply,

"I suggest that you introduce yourself first, lest I turn you into meat paste,"

Although I haven't studied much about the expressions of dragons, I can tell that she's frowning.