1st Pov Xicor Samiel:
I aimlessly walked through the dead environment of a valley as grey roots stuck out of the wall like dead arms reaching for help.
The valley would always go deeper and deeper but every time I go down, the Shuuki would be much different as there are more unique Shuuki in sight than on the surface.
As I continued forward with my hands in my pockets, I pulled a deck of cards out of them. These cards weren't the regular playing cards as the faces of them were blank and the backs of them were ornate.
I look at them on each side as one of them has pictures of regular Shuuki on them. These cards function like Poké Balls from Pokémon, these things can store a living being for an indefinite time.
Unlike the Poké Balls that need about three shakes for a complete capture, these things just need to be placed on the target before they are absorbed into the card.
Shikoku sent me down here to collect unique and normal Shuuki for Kuusetsu's trip in the human world, Kuusetsu seems to have been nagging at Shikoku for a while since getting her body without me knowing.
I guess she's making me do this as a safety precaution if she gets overwhelmed by the humans, considering Rairen's defeat, who is very much alive and healing. Shikoku managed to get him before he was sucked into the black hole.
It seems Shikoku doesn't like sitting idly and letting me do everything for her. Which I can respect since it feels like I'm babysitting them, if they don't get the opportunity to fight then how the hell will they learn how to fight when your opponent is aiming for your life.
I put the deck of cards back in my pocket without stopping but a presence behind me makes me stop, they've been following me since I left home, I'm thinking it's probably Shikoku or Kuusetsu, maybe Naruhine since it's been a while since I've seen her.
"I already know you're there, so come on out" I said in amusement as I turned to face the person tailing me.
"Aw~ I thought I masked my presence perfectly" a voice said with disappointment.
Stepping out from behind a cluster of rocks is Jaku'un, without her armour or mask, just a pouting woman who got caught.
"Jaku'un, what are you doing here?" I asked with a raised brow.
"Well, I wanted to make a surprise visit and noticed that you were leaving, so I followed you" She said as her pout changed to a wide smile, "When I looked through the blood sample you gave me, I found no strange abnormalities but rather, it was perfection"
Every word she said she took a step closer until she was right in my face, highlighting each detail on her face, even her flushed cheeks and the obsessive look in her eyes.
"Everything about you, it always leads to more questions that are always stuck in my mind and nothing and no one has ever brought me to that point" she continued as her finger hovered over my cheeks.
"I couldn't resist and came over to get more answers but the more I look at you, I find myself having more questions" She leaned in more, our lips mere inches apart.
"So~ are you gonna answer them or do I have to use my body to get them~" She whispered in my ear, seductively.
Her words made my spine tingle but I forced myself to calm down and pull back with a trace of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
"I'll answer your questions while I do my task since you are Shikoku's sister and she is my lover, so that would make us family" I said matter-of-factly.
Her face flashed with surprise for a second before she broke out in a series of giggles, but her flushed cheeks didn't diminish in the slightest.
"I'm starting to like you more and more" she murmured as she stared deeply into my eyes.
I didn't say anything else as I turned and moved forward to finish my task, so far I have almost all the cards having a Shuuki with a few unique Shuuki that have interesting abilities.
I'm hoping the deeper I go, the better the Shuuki will be. The clear difference between the unique Shuuki and Shuuki seems to be the concentration of Mato's unique atmosphere.
Right now, the air is dense and foggy, a stark contrast to the surface. The most possible way a unique Shuuki is born is a combination of a Shuuki emerging and the amount of atmosphere it absorbs.
"Oh~ What are you doing" Jaku'un hopped beside me, her eyes still on me.
"I was tasked to collect Shuuki for Shikoku" I said plainly.
"I wanna join in, this will be so much fun!" Jaku'un enthusiastically said pumping her fists up.
"Knock yourself out" I shrugged.
Jaku'un conversed with me about her abilities as well as what she has achieved within her position as a god. Jaku'un is a master of curses and even seems to have a domain of her own which is surprising to hear.
Jaku'un has a curse on the faithful, if they betray us the curse would kill them, ensuring that information about us remains a secret.
Her ability mainly focuses on side effects such as poisons, paralysis and others. She even mentioned that all of her siblings possess the ability to summon avatars to fight for them though the limit seems to be two at a time.
She even admits she is the youngest and weakest of all the thunder gods, the only one younger than her is obviously Kuusetsu.
Yet despite that status, her physical combat isn't lacking either as she told me that Taikyoku trained each of them personally.
Jaku'un seems to be well-versed in medical knowledge, due to her time experimenting on humans.
Our conversation stops when we enter a circular area, almost like a colosseum arena, as a deafening roar bounces off the walls.
This reminds me of a boss fight.
"Mhm~ I was having a pleasant conversation and an annoying bug interrupts it" Jaku'un said, her cheeks puffed into a pout as her brow twitched.
My eyes follow the source of the sound to see an interesting sight. Hanging from a pillar that littered the area is a creature with ashen grey skin with stubs scattered around its body with a tail that ends in a long sword.
Its arms were sturdy with dagger-like claws with blades coming out of its elbows, and flames coating its arms.
Its head was very unique with horns that curve in front of it, and a mouth that seems to be a mix between a mammal and a bird with an orange glow inside.
Just be it's looks alone is an eye catcher. Judging by the flames on its arms, the ability is fire-based so disaster tides would work best against it but I need to judge its strength if it's worth taking, rather than killing it.
I tilt my head to Jaku'un, without taking my eyes off the Shuuku in front of me, "Can you hang back while I do my job?"
"Sure go right ahead, my champion~" She said, emphasising the last part of her sentence.
I ignored her as I focused on the Shuuki in front of me as it leapt down, and a wave of fire was blown out from the impact.
Without wasting a second I dash forward and throw my fist into its chest as it is launched back into a wall, and rubble falls on its position.
As I was getting close to it I felt the temperature spike, it seems to use its heat as a way to exhaust someone at close range, smart.
This one is promising.
The Shuuki erupted out of the rubble with a pulse of fire, the scorching heat striking me, if I had to guess this is close to a large forest fire.
The Shuuki blitzed toward me; the speed was enough for me to react as I lifted my hand and caught its flaming fist.
I use projection sorcery to create frames of the Shuuki, which seems to be another attack by its fist aimed at my face that lands.
Just as shown, the fist came directly at me but I deflected it as the Shuuku was turned into a glass plane. I jump back to the furthest wall and put my hands together in the form of an ox.
"Piercing Ox" I chanted, the shadow in front of me twitched to life as a massive black Ox floated out of the shadow.
The Ox immediately charged forward like a raging bull, the closer it got the faster it became before it crashed into the glass plane as the Shuuki busted out and rolled across the ground but that didn't stop the Ox as it smashed the Shuuki into the wall.
Just when the Shuuki was about to slash the Ox with its flame-coated fingers, it was turned into a shadowy sludge as it sank into the ground.
I flashed at the side of the Shuuki with projection sorcery and hit the creature in the side as it staggered to a knee.
I didn't give it time to breathe as I assaulted it with punches and kicks. The Shuuku could barely do anything to counter before it let out a roar that pushed me back and a blaze surrounded the creature, like a protective shield.
I skidded to a halt as the Shuuki blurred to my side and opened its mouth wide before it launched a beam of fire that consumed me.
I felt no pain as the fire resistance clashed with the beam, all I felt was a warm sensation that was close to a nice warm bath.
Great, now I'm thinking of going into the large, warm bath or pool we have.
The beam did not stop so I lifted my leg to kick the Shuuki in the chin, forcibly stopping the beam and sending the Shuuki crashing to the ground as steam escaped the gaps of its mouth.
The Shuuki flipped off the ground and onto the wall before repeatedly bouncing off the wall around me, turning into a fiery blur.
Impressive speed for a unique Shuuki.
It stopped at a wall as it threw a ball of fire at me, which I sliced with a dismantle.
It repeatedly did this several times, each time getting faster and faster before launching itself above me with flames roaring around its arm, to the point where its arms weren't visible.
Using projection sorcery, I followed the frames perfectly out of the attack as dust and rock were flown back.
Even with the dust cloud blinding my vision, I could still sense it as I launched myself at it and grabbed it by the throat and threw it.
The Shuuki rolled against the rocky floor but getting a hold of itself and plant it's feet into the floor as it skidded to a halt.
I didn't give it time as I used projection sorcery to blitz in front of it with cursed energy swirling around my fist as a barrage of hardened strikes bashed against its skin before I stopped the barrage after a minute.
I looked down at the unique creature, its flames flickering in and out of life.
The Shuuki lay still against the wall with the only sign that it was alive being the rise and fall of its chest and the glowing orange chest.
"Congratulations~" Jaku'un said, clapping her hands as she made her way over.
"Thanks" I said as I pulled a card out and placed it on Shuuki's chest, the Shuuki's body began to be absorbed into the card before the image of the creature appeared on the card.
Picking up the card I inspect the creature on it while reflecting on the fight. The Shuuki was impressive to say the least, definitely gives normal and vice chiefs trouble but hard to say if it can win against a chief.
"Those were some interesting abilities you displayed" She said as she pressed her body against my back, with her arms wrapping around my neck.
I store the card back in my pocket and look back at the goddess hanging on my back with her ever-smiling smirk.
"I still have more in store than just them" I said lightly, responding to her smirk with my own.
Her smirk grows more predatory as she leans in even closer, "Then I'd hope you show me more on this little trip with me"
I give her a small grin, "As my lady wishes"