Volume 3. Chapter 2. Progression
"Singing. I love singing. Singing is the best! Singing is life! Singing is- AAAAAA!"
"Annoying."
I stepped upon the plant I just created crashing it flat.
I was in the world that I created, in the middle of a prairie. Behind me was the door that I used to get here, still wild wide open. in the distance I could see the forest that I built, encircling me.
" Nice. It's nice to be a god."
Being the one who created all of this...It was amazing. This feeling of omnipotence, the power to create and destroy as I pleased. No wonder gods were jerks, they had their egos blasted up by this!
" Those idiots."
I lifted my foot looking at the plant I created. it was like a fly trap with a mouth in its middle.
Being the creator I could mess around with the reality with this world creating some wields things. talking plants, flying fishes you name it, I make it.
"Now then let's do this."
From my observations of different worlds, I learned some very interesting things.
The more mana a planet has the cooler things pop up from the ground, like magical plants, ghosts, unique monsters flying monsters, dungeons, and anything you can imagine.
"This is my world."
I am Melino, God of Madness. The world that is created by my hands must be madness as well. And for the first strokes, I had some ideas.
"Cane of Beginning."
My divine weapon materialized in my hand, the cane with the green gem still embedded in it.
"This is where my world begins. It shall be where a new civilization begins. Cane of Beginning! Fourth Form! Key of Troy!"
Like in the fight with the Goddess, the cane's end became a key that slid right into the ground. The same way I built my factories in Dis, buildings emerged around me, made from the materials located in the ground.
At first, I made the base with the stones I created. Then I raised several skyscrapers that were connected with bridges.
Then slowly I built different types of facilities like parks, schools shops, lodging areas, and other things. When I felt satisfied, I opened the world system and set up several things.
While I was working on it, I noticed something.
It was the icon for messages.
I opened it and read it.
"Interesting."
*****
??? POV:
"Thank you for meeting with me."
"No need to worry. It's important for us to meet privately before we go to our Lord's Messenger. But I am saddened that one of us couldn't make it."
'I am here. I admit, that it took me some time to use, but I finally made this thing work.'
Two people were sitting in the middle of a run-down bar. One of them was a middle-aged man wearing a black suit and had his face hidden behind a surgical mask.
The one sitting before him was a woman wearing a white robe decorated with golden threads. she also hid her face with a white whale, giving her the appearance of pride. A golden scepter was planted into the ground at her side, which was radiating with some sort of power.
At the middle of the table, a smartphone could be seen with the text [Unknown Call] on its screen.
"I'm still feeling uncomfortable by using these 'machines'. Why are we using objects that are the reason why this world is so filled with corruption?"
'It's not the technology which is evil. It's the people who use it. If we do our job right, then this planet will surely become a paradise, regardless of the tulles we use.'
"I agree." The man in the suit took out a envelop and spread its content onto the table. "These are our targets. If we take down all of them, the power of this world will crumble."
They were photos, showing different establishments and people.
The woman took one of the photos and lifted it up.
"What a masterful painting. You must bring the artist next time we meet!"
"...Sure, but now, let's discuss how we will proceed."
'From the photos that you sent me; I am in proximity to that school. I can take care of it and the people inside of it.'
The woman threw the photo onto the table.
"Then I will take care of the heretics. they must be taught a lesson of disrespecting the almighty God."
"...You do realize we are just setting things straight before we meet Dealmaker. No one does anything before we talk to him. In a sense, he is our boss for now."
'Right. What is your thought about that guy anyway?"
"He brought me back to life, so I am in his debt. If he is going to help me with my revenge, then I will follow him."
"Me too!" the woman jumped up and lifted her scepter up. " He is the messenger of God! He knows fully who will bring salvation to our world! Through his messages and orders, we, the Three Heroes shall change the face of this planet with our two hands!"
"'...Right."'
*****
"Senior Brother, how are you feeling?"
"I said that I am fine so leave me-Ugh!"
The wounds on my side and left leg flared up again when I tried to get up on my feet as if they were on fire.
"Don't try to move. There is some sort of poison in your injuries that blocks the medicine."
The one who helped me was an inner disciple like me called.
His white hair now became enough that he could tie it in a bum, while his eyes were still full of fire.
He wore the sect's blue uniform like me, with his trusty sword on his back.
After I saved him from the Yi Bei, the woman who sold her soul to the Dealmaker, he started to follow me all around, begging me to teach him some of my martial arts skills. he leaned fast, soon becoming one of the best in our sect.
" I told you already, you need to leave this place!"
"I told you not to move. I don1t know how you found this place, but I can tell that you can't go there alone! We barely arrived to save you!"
It hurts my pride but he was right.
While I was fighting those grass monsters, several other creatures showed up, each possessing the same sort of power that that woman held. If not for their help, I would have died.
I looked outside, covered in sweat.
We retreated to the entrance at the cliff.
The grassland was full of monster corpses, that have already attracted other beasts to feed upon them.
" ...They are here."
As he said, two figures appeared at the edge of the cliff.
Both of them wore our sects' uniforms, so I could tell that they were allies.
one of them was an old woman who had her eyes closed the entire time, with wrinkles showing that she smiles a lot. She was our sect's top healer, Old Lady Hai.
Next to him was a strongly built man with bulging muscles appearing on his bald head. he was the outer disciple, whose name nobody knew, nicknamed The Boulder.
Those two and Lian Hyo were the ones who picked the fight with Yi Bei, allowing them to get a name for themselves.
"What did you find?" I asked.
The old woman sighed, before shaking her head.
"Honestly, it's despairing and wonderful at the same time. Several Spirit Beasts, demons, and humans are coexisting here, from what I could see. Some amongst them possessed some sort of dark energy in their bodies, and I noticed some beasts that I never saw before. Like the one, my friend here is currently holding."
The Boulder reached into its pouch and took out something, showing it to use.
"No way."
It was a fairy or something close to it.
It looked like a small human, covered in a green, chitin-like armor. on its back were two pairs of insect wings.
" It's still alive and I heard it talk to one of the residents. I guessed it will be beneficial to talk to it."
"Good call, let's do that!"
We tied up the little thing with a piece of fabric so that it won't escape, then we poured water on it.
"Uaaaa! W-Where am I?! Who are you?!"
It had a high-pitched voice that hurt our ears.
While fighting against the pain, I grabbed the little thing and lifted it up.
"Tell us everything you know about this place, or my friend here will squash you like a bug."
Boulder, smiling evilly, cracking some of his knuckles.
The little thing squawked in fright.
"I will talk! I will talk!"
This was easy.
"T-This is one of the outposts made our Founder! We spend our days here cultivating and expanding!"
"Why are there so many demons here? Where are they coming from?"
"Demons? There are no demons here. All of us were summoned here by the Founder and here Retainer!"
"Summoned? How?"
Lady Hai reached forward, exited. Being a healer, she also knew some spells herself, so it was natural that she was interested.
"I don't know! I and my comrades were called here for tending the plants! I don't know anything!"
"You said that this is one of the outposts. Those this mean that there are others?"
"I just assumed. The Founder called this the outpost in the desert before leaving! Only the Restrainer knows it for sure! This is all I know! Plesa-"
The little things search was interrupted by a rumbling that seemed to be emanated from the palace at the center of this place.
Feeling an imminent danger, I jumped onto my feet, not carrying about the pain, and lifted my sword.
The fairy started to cry while screaming!
" They are here! They are coming to kill us!"
As she said, from the forest an army emerged, composed entirely of monsters. In the distance, a deep voice rumbled like thunder.
"KILL THE INTRUDERS!"
*****
Yi Bei POV:
"...Just kill them....Yes.... Love you too."
She put away the small mirror which she has been using to communicate with her people.
"That damn samurai. Why can't he just leave us alone?"
She strokes the deer monster that she used as a chair.
the best was sleeping all curled up, responding to the gesture with a purr.
She jumped off the monster and looked out the window.
She was in the capital of the Silver Empire, nicknamed the Silver City. It received this by having several walls made from a silver-colored erected all around it, protecting it from any enemy. The materials from which these impressive creations were made, could only be found here, were hard to mine and harder to make something from it, making it unique.
But for her, this was a trivial matter.
Naturally, she was also extracting this mineral and, thanks to the help of her master and the equipment he provided, refining it was an easy task.
But her real objective was something else, the task her master gave her.
To create a sect and war.
The first part was already done, quite easily.
With the support of the emperor (who she killed with the entirety of the royal court and replaced with polymorphs), she already built a sect called Black Deer Sect where she infected several cultivators without their notice.
In the sect, there were around hundreds of people, hundreds of soldiers ready to war.
Her master didn't say it out loud, but she knew. She knew that war will soon start. Maybe not now, nor in a decade, but it will. And in a war, everybody needs soldiers.
Or rations.
*****
Sakura POV:
I did it.
The test was easy, just some basic questions and calculations. While we were writing it, they measured our energy capacity.
Those who had an energy capacity much higher than normal were immediately called out and accepted.
I was one of these lucky few.
Before I measured it with a device that I borrowed from a friend, my energy was slightly above average. Now it was almost two times as much.
That little demon really made me stronger even though I didn't feel any different.
It was a strange sensation, to be possessed by a demon.
I'm aware that I have somebody in my head, yet I can't feel it.
The only time it caused me anything was when I went to a church with a friend.
The second I passed through the door; my skin became itchy. At first, it wasn't bothering me, but it became worse, to the point that I couldn't stop scratching myself.
The feeling only stopped when I left the place.
The demon later told me that it was happening because he was literally burning inside of me, and if I stayed long enough in there I as well would combust with him.
Since then, I have stayed far away from any holy symbol.
Apart from that, he has been nothing but helpful. He taught me, gave me support, and even respected my privacy.
I should thank him once I am back home.
"Sakura!"
I looked behind and I palled.
It was one of my...stalkers.
Being from a family that is at the head of one of the most successful companies, I have been introduced to several heirs of different big shots.
Even though I tried to get rid of them, some didn't get the message and continued to pester me around.
This was...I couldn't remember his name, but I know that he is a douchebag.
He had blond hair and blue eyes, that matched with his good looks. Even though we came here to apply for the entrance exam, he wore the school's uniform, as if he knew he would be accepted. Probably used money or connections to get in.
It was an unspoken thing in this world, but those who had money could do anything they wanted.
Because of the gigas, most of humanity got exterminated, so those who still held onto power became even more powerful. I knew this because I was one amongst them.
"Congratulation on being accepted! I expected nothing less from the woman who I have chosen as my bride!"
Ignore.
I turned away and walked away.
"Hey, wait!"
He grabbed my arm and turned me towards him.
"Who do you think you are. I am your future husband, so you need to obey me!"
His eyes frightened me, and combined with his strong grip, I panicked.
Then something clicked in the back of my head, moving my body on its own.
"...Telekinesis."
I pushed him away from me, making him slide a few feet away from me.
Feeling the stares of the people surrounding me, I quickly ran away.
*****
?????POV:
At the top of a building, a brown-coated and top-hatted individual was observing the scene folding down there.
He smiled while a dark energy gathered around him, taking the form of tortured faces.
"This is going to be interesting."
+
+
+
AU note:
I decided to make a new series called A fungal Dream. It's an experiment on my part, trying my hand with something new. There are hardly any chapters in it, but I would love for you to check it out.