One of the reasons Ash liked Sabrina so much was exactly this… she trusted him completely and followed his lead without hesitation.
After sending Sabrina into his separate space, Pikachu jumped back onto Ash's shoulder. Alone, Ash could act more freely, and his safety was easier to guarantee.
"This should be the entrance… let's see what's hidden here."
Standing at the center of the altar, Ash found a circular opening. A foul stench wafted out from within, the unmistakable odor of long-decayed corpses.
"That smell… are these people sacrifices? Looks like this altar was used for human offerings."
As he stepped inside, Ash covered his nose, while Pikachu used its tiny paws to block the smell.
[Ding~!]
[A mysterious energy has been detected, 700 meters ahead.]
The system's sudden notification made Ash's eyes light up. It had been over a year since the system last actively alerted him. This could only mean one thing… something valuable was ahead.
He immediately moved deeper into the altar.
Soon, he reached the location indicated by the system.
There, floating quietly in the air, was a transparent gem.
"…No way."
Ash swallowed, his voice catching slightly. He recognized it instantly.
[Ding~!]
[Infinite Gem detected: Soul Gem. Grants the user the ability to perceive, manipulate, and attack souls.]
"Jackpot…"
Excitement surged through him. He had not expected his luck to be this absurd. Finding one Infinity Gem was already rare enough, but now…
The gem suddenly began to resonate.
Drawn by the energy of the gem already within Ash, the Soul Gem floated toward him and merged into his body in an instant.
"This feeling…"
The moment it fused with him, Ash felt a profound change. His consciousness seemed to loosen, as if separating from his physical form.
In the next moment, his vision shifted.
His body collapsed to the ground.
And above it… floated his soul.
Ash looked down at himself, a strange and indescribable sensation washing over him.
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu panicked, frantically pushing his body.
"Relax, Pikachu… I'm fine."
With a thought, Ash's soul returned to his body. He opened his eyes and sat up.
"Pika…" Pikachu let out a relieved sigh.
Now, out of the twelve Infinity Gems, Ash had already obtained two.
Ten remained.
"System," Ash said, narrowing his eyes slightly, "didn't you say Infinity Gems would be rejected by a world's rules? Then why does this world have both the Space Gem and the Soul Gem?"
[Ding~!]
[The laws of each world are complex and not fully analyzable, even by the system. The system's purpose is only to assist the host in acquiring Infinity Gems. Other variables are not guaranteed.]
Ash clicked his tongue.
"Useless system…"
Even so, his mood was excellent. If two gems existed here, then there was a real possibility that more could be found.
"Still… if the Soul Gem was just sitting here, then to others, it probably looked like nothing more than a rare gemstone."
He glanced at the spot where it had been.
"And this altar… it was clearly used for something. Looks like I'll have to catch that kimono woman and get answers."
With that thought, Ash continued deeper into the altar.
…
Outside the altar…
The kimono woman watched nervously.
"No… Nine-Tails, what should we do? He went inside the altar. What if he finds my body?"
Beside her, the Ninetales let out a soft cry, as if trying to reassure her.
Then, without hesitation, it leaped into the altar.
The woman hesitated for a moment… before following after it.
…
Meanwhile, Ash had already passed through the inner passage and arrived in a vast underground chamber.
What greeted him was a chilling sight.
Rows upon rows of humanoid stone statues stood in perfect formation.
At the very center, a transparent crystal coffin.
Inside it lay a woman.
Ash's eyes narrowed instantly.
"It's her…"
"The same woman from before."
Before he could react further…
"Boom!"
Just as Ash was about to step closer to the crystal coffin, a burst of flames suddenly blocked his path.
He stopped instantly.
Turning his head, he saw the familiar figure of the kimono woman… and beside her, the Ninetales from before.
"I was wondering how long you could hold back," Ash said coldly, his Rinnegan locking onto her with an oppressive gaze. "This altar… don't tell me it's your doing."
A terrifying pressure surged from his body.
For Ash, using human lives as sacrifices was absolutely unacceptable.
The overwhelming aura crashed down instantly, pinning both the woman and Ninetales in place. They couldn't move at all.
"I… I told you… I couldn't sense you before," Ash continued, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So that's it… you're in a soul state."
After obtaining the Soul Gem, his perception of souls had become far sharper. Combined with the power of the Rinnegan, he could now clearly see her true condition.
She wasn't a normal human at all.
"This altar wasn't built by me… please, don't misunderstand!" the kimono woman said hurriedly, panic filling her voice. She was so nervous that her words came out uneven and strained.
"Miwoo…"
The Ninetales stepped in front of her, its body tense.
Even though it seemed to hold a certain affection toward Ash, the woman was clearly someone it wanted to protect at all costs.