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Chapter 41 — The Price of Ascension
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Important Note:
This chapter is entirely fictional and bears no relation to reality, and everything that happens is part of a fictional anime plot.
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Kyura stabbed the monster's neck.
The stabbing was not silent… rather, it was accompanied by a faint sound, as if something inside had shattered.
Blue blood gushed from the creature's neck and flowed onto Kyura's hand, warm and strange in its texture.
The monster screamed.
A long, sharp scream that pierced the polluted void.
A violent shiver swept through Kyura's body, a primal fear that paralyzed his thoughts.
He tried to pull his hand back… but he couldn't.
His hand was stuck inside the monster's neck, as if the flesh had swallowed it.
The monster lowered its head slowly.
Its eyes were wide, red, staring directly at Kyura.
Kyura fell to his feet and stepped back…
Then—
Without warning, the monster clamped its jaws shut and devoured Kyura's arm from the shoulder.
Blood splattered over the piles of garbage.
Kyura staggered back, his eyes trembling, his heart nearly bursting from his chest.
He screamed.
A scream of pure pain, devoid of pride.
Kyura:
(No…
I can't become stronger with only one arm…
This hurts…
It hurts so much…)
The monster charged at him wildly, its neck still dripping blood, its mouth opening again.
Kyura:
(I won't give up here…
I won't die…
But my arm…
My body refuses to move from fear…
I hate to say this, but…)
He screamed with what little strength he had left:
(HEEEEEELP!!! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!)
But the echo faded, and the place slowly swallowed his voice.
Kyura (in a broken voice):
(Am I an idiot?
I'm underground…
No one will come here…
If I don't defend myself… I'll die.)
He gritted his teeth.
He stood up.
He aimed his right hand at the monster's neck and stabbed it with force until it came out the other side.
He pulled his hand back and retreated.
The monster swayed.
It fell to the ground.
Its breathing became ragged… then slowly began to fade.
Kyura:
(I… won.)
He was silent for a moment, then said in a heavier voice:
Kyura:
(I now understand the meaning of:
"Everything has a price."
The price of my victory… is my arm… and some wounds.)
The smoke began to dissipate.
And Kyura collapsed, weeping.
Kyura:
(My arm hurts…
Will I continue my journey with one arm?)
He staggered until he reached the wall.
He looked around…
No ladder.
No exit.
Kyura:
(Does this mean I'm trapped here?
There's no way up except jumping… and the distance is far.
Or climbing…
But I only have one arm.)
A heavy silence settled.
Then—
A bodiless voice.
The Entity:
(Mission accomplished successfully!
Your reward, you corrupt one—
I mean… you fool—
is the healing of your arm.
But to achieve that…
You must complete an additional mission.
Regrowing a new arm requires a high-level mission.
Since you completed a B-level mission approaching A-level,
You must complete another mission for it to count as having completed an A-level mission.)
Kyura, whispering:
(You're infuriating.)
Then he said in a louder voice:
(Do you mean that I completed a B-level mission…
And I need to carry out another mission for it to count as having completed an A-level mission…
And then you'll restore my arm?)
The Entity:
(Yes.
And while this originally requires an S-level mission,
It's fine.
Your mission now:
Climb this wall until you reach the sewer.)
Its tone changed…
Becoming heavier, colder.
The Entity:
(With one arm…
And only one leg.
Do not use the other leg at all.
One…
Two…
Three…
Begin.
You have only one hour.
Otherwise…
You know the consequences.)
Kyura (with exhausted anger):
(Damn you, you wretched thing…
You know my body is still numb from the poison…
And you're asking this of me?)
No response.
Silence.
Kyura:
(It seems… there's no escape.)
He planted his hand and foot into the wall and began to climb.
After minutes, blood began to seep from his hand and foot.
But—
Black fire appeared surrounding the place where his severed arm had been.
Fire that does not burn.
Does not hurt.
It merely… surrounds.
Kyura:
(What is this now?…
Keep climbing.
Consider it physical training.)
About an hour passed.
He reached the top.
His hand and foot were battered with wounds.
He shouted in anger:
(Curse you, you damn bastard!)
He looked at his hand…
And saw that part of it had returned.
Kyura:
(This means the fire is healing my arm…
I'll return to the master.
His lesson really benefited me.)
He stood up and walked through the sewer, staggering.
He grabbed a ladder.
Climbed up.
Opened the manhole, emerged, and closed it behind him.
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Scene 2 — The City | Evening
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The streets were lit by lamps, and the moonlight flowed over the black sky, the stars twinkling with beautiful tranquility.
A relative silence prevailed over the place.
Kyura walked until he reached Kazo's house.
He knocked lightly on the door.
The door opened.
Kazo appeared with a wide smile.
Kyura:
(I've returned, Master Kazo.)
Kazo (bashfully):
(Don't call me master…
You're embarrassing me, you fool.)
Kyura:
(But you're the one who told me to call you master.
And if you don't want to…
Fine, I won't call you master.)
Kazo slapped Kyura hard.
Kazo (angry, his eyes blazing):
(You fool!
Of course call me master!
Earlier you went out and ignored me like I was an insect,
While you walked like a king!)
He moved close until his face pressed against Kyura's face.
Kazo:
(Who do you think you are? What's your excuse? Huh?)
Kyura grabbed his face and pushed it away.
Kyura:
(I have no excuse…
I was testing my level of grandeur.)
Kazo:
(Try it on someone else, not on me.)
Then he said coldly:
(By the way…
What's wrong with your arm?)
Kyura:
(This is because—)
Kazo:
(It doesn't matter.)
He entered the house, leaving Kyura standing.
Kyura (sadly):
(He asked…
But he didn't listen.)
The door was closed.
Kyura:
(I'm still outside.)
Kazo opened the door again.
Kazo:
(I thought you came in.)
Kyura entered and immediately collapsed on the sofa, asleep.
But Kazo jumped on him.
Kyura:
(What is it?)
Kazo (angry):
(How dare you sleep on the sofa while you're covered in blood like that?!)
Kyura:
(Sorry…)
He went into the bathroom, washed himself, then returned and lay down.
Kazo jumped on him again.
Kyura:
(Now what?)
Kazo:
(You didn't clean the blood off the sofa.)
Kyura got up, brought a damp cloth, and wiped the sofa.
He put it back in its place and lay down.
Half of his arm… had healed.
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To be continued...