Ghost buryoku book 11, p.1
Ghost (Buryoku Book 11), page 1
Ghost
Buryoku
Book Eleven
Aaron Oster
For the adorable little guy who made me an uncle
Contents
Prologue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
Epilogue
Afterword
Prologue
Thunder boomed and lightning flashed, illuminating the sprawling mountains that stretched thousands of miles into the heavens, their peaks vanishing within the roiling storm clouds. Of course, anyone with sense – which would be anyone who’d managed to make it this far – would know that those distant peaks were only the first step in the momentous task that stood before them.
Elior Ravage, Titan of the Imperial Array, inhaled deeply, feeling his chest expanding as the Power-charged air entered his lungs. It had been so long since he’d entered a test that he’d almost forgotten the feeling.
This test was unlike anything he’d ever faced before. This was the final test, the one administered by a warping of chaos and the Spirit of Buryoku itself. Once completed, he would be the most powerful Martial Artist on the entire planet – unrisen demons notwithstanding – and would easily subjugate the weaklings who’d fallen prey to the ancient Divines’ seals.
The power that coursed through his veins was chaotic, balancing on the precipice of complete collapse, yet it was perfectly balanced at the same time. It was a beautiful harmony that played within his soul and spirit. His physical, mental, and spiritual states were as close as ever to becoming completely flawless.
Creating the Soulcore was the first step. Entering the Saiko no 3 was the second, and defeating a test made to challenge even Titans would be the final. It was the push needed to shatter the bounds of all limitations and truly connect with the worlds beyond.
Ravage would normally have stood before the roiling storms and just taken it all in, exalting in the pure brilliance and genius of his plan. However, it seemed that the so-called ‘guardians’ of the outer worlds – whom he’d already had the displeasure of meeting – were back once more to ruin his good mood.
“You know what my answer will be,” Ravage said, staring down the man and woman standing before him. “So why do you persist?”
He recognized the woman, though he hadn’t met the man before. Still, it didn’t much matter to him. All these guardians were the same – self-righteous lunatics who had already ruined Buryoku once. It was true that the previous generation of Divines hadn’t made the best of choices when it came to the stabilization of their world, but Ravage already had plans on how to rectify that, and these meddling interlopers were not going to interfere.
“We persist,” the man said, “because we have seen what has happened in the past.”
“And do you believe that the planet will fare any better once the Divine demon escapes his imprisonment?” Ravage asked mockingly. “Or is your sight so great that you can see and comprehend what I cannot?”
Ravage was genuinely curious about this. His insight was incredible, but he knew it paled in comparison to that of the Divines. There was no guarantee that these two had reached that level of power before leaving whichever planets they’d been born on, but if they had, their sight would indeed be greater than his.
“Your mere presence has skewed fate so much that seeing even a week into fate has become unreliable,” the man said sourly. “Thanks for that, by the way.”
“Well, if that’s all you’ve come to say, I suggest you move on,” Ravage said, beginning to grow bored with the exchange.
He’d been hoping to glean some information from these two, but it seemed they weren’t going to be telling him anything he didn’t already know. He knew they couldn’t interfere directly, as that would be against their rules. That was why they had resorted to threats. The only problem was that their threats meant absolutely nothing when they couldn’t back them up.
“Listen here, you little upstart!” the woman snapped, taking a threatening step forward. “Do you have even the faintest idea of what you’re doing here? Do you know how much damage another Divine can cause to the planet, let alone the galaxy itself?”
“No more than you are right now, I imagine,” Ravage said, crossing his arms. “I don’t know who died and put you in charge of the entire galaxy, but as far as I know, the mere act of advancement does nothing to the planet, or it would be impossible.”
“The damage doesn’t last if you leave like you’re supposed to,” she snarled. “But you and I both know that you’re not planning on doing that. So, what’s your plan? Let’s go through your options. You’ll emerge as a new Divine, face off with the demon race, and annihilate them. Then what? No demons equal no stability. This means total planetary collapse.
“On the other hand, you could just leave the demons as they are, and continue to wage a war that you will surely one day lose. This might save the planet itself, but it will also mean the total annihilation of the local races and the destruction of a valuable planetary resource.
“The demons also won’t be happy just staying here, which means they’ll look to the heavens next. Can you imagine a universe where only demons exist? Because that is a real possibility if you leave them as they are. I—”
“I think that’s quite enough, Crimson,” the man said, extending a hand and stopping her from continuing. “Don’t let him get under your skin. It’s what he wants.”
“Well, I’ve been accused of worse,” Ravage said with a shrug. “But thanks for all the information. I’ve found it most helpful.”
The man turned to him then, his eyes piercing in a way that told Ravage that he was no second-rate weakling. Even compared with the monster of a woman next to him, this man was on another level entirely. He was a true powerhouse.
“We may not be able to intervene directly at the moment, but we can make things more difficult for you. We’ll make you a deal. We can leave you to test in peace on the condition that you ascend within two weeks of emergence, or we can make this harder for you. I doubt you’ll fail, but we can keep you trapped here for far more than a measly year without breaking the bounds of what we’re allowed to do. It’s up to you.”
“Do what you will,” Ravage said. “What are a few more years when compared to the eons I’ve already lived?”
“That is your choice,” the man said. “Just to be clear, though, we may not be able to interfere just yet, but there will be a point when we can. You’d be wise to remember that, lest you cross that line and find yourself on your own.”
The pair vanished then, disappearing into the storm of chaos beyond space and time, leaving Ravage to contemplate all they had said.
Thunder rumbled again, drawing his eyes upward to where the mountain range was shifting before his eyes. It grew ever larger, emphasizing the monumental task before him. It was already going to be difficult to pass this test, but with the meddling of those two, things would be harder still.
Ravage had already known that their threat wouldn’t be idle. This would be the hardest test any would-be Divine Black-Belt would have to take, which was fine with him. Life had always thrown everything it had at him and then some. This time would be no different.
A series of script rings bloomed around him as he triggered his Path of the Imperial Array, blue-green light tearing away from his skin in lashing tendrils. He could feel the weight of his manacles trying to drag him down, but as always, he resisted their pull.
He had made it this far, after all, so what was one more test to someone like him?
“Bring it on,” he said, looking to the heavens.
Then he blasted forward, streaks of light trailing in his wake as he began the final challenge.
This would be the test of eternity.
***
The world within the demonic seals was far more intricate than one might have realized, especially given that they technically had no substance on the material plane. In simpler terms, their world had been constructed within the chaos and from the chaos, a world wrapped within a world.
It was just as much metaphysical as it was conceptual, meaning that it existed on a level that those outside of the Saiko no 3 couldn’t even begin to understand. There was a reason why even the most powerful of the demons had been unable to break free on his own. With the help of his most powerful agents, the Archfiend Gaius was as powerless to break free as the lowest of the Spawn.
Time worked differently within the confines of the seals.
While their ability to act outside of the seals was null and void, within the sealed world itself, the demons were free to do as they wished. The Archfiend and his weaker minions had spent the earliest days developing a day and night cycle, as well as naming months and years. This was based entirely on the time inside, rather than anything outside.
It was only once the first weaknesses in the seals became evident that the demons began seeing the outside world. Once the first demon successfully escaped – albeit for a short period – Gaius knew it was only a matter of time before they’d be able to break free.
What he hadn’t been counting on was their plans being altered, the human and beast factions putting up so much resistance, or the inability to force more powerful demons out through the cracks.
The Archfiend now sat on his throne, eyes boring into the motley group assembled before him. They were led by an Elderdjinn – one of the last of their kind – and seconded by an Oni. The first was too powerful to escape, but the second just barely met the threshold of allowance to squeeze through the chaos and escape.
Behind them stood demons of several races, as well as a misty sphere representing a human soul – a spy on the outside.
Gaius had been silent as the Elderdjinn spoke, explaining their plan briefly – he was a busy demon, after all, and getting an audience with him was an honor beyond the lowly weaklings gathered before him.
“…once we have isolated our target, we will see an end to an enemy Scion,” the Elderdjinn finished.
“Do you stake your mask on this claim?” Gaius asked.
There had been so many failed attempts that it was starting to make them look bad. Demons were not easily killed, yet they had already lost so many. In part, it was due to this very demon’s screw-up.
“I do,” the Elderdjinn said, though his tone betrayed that he would rather not have sworn such a binding oath.
“I expect the leak dealt with as well,” Gaius said, then dismissed them from his mind and closed his eyes.
Within his mind’s eye appeared the scene that had haunted him since his imprisonment here – the blinding light of the six who had joined forces to lock him in here. Their burning eyes bore into him as their combined power crushed his, compacted it, and forced it through the chaos, binding it here.
They had to have known it wouldn’t last forever and that he would eventually find his way out and prepared for it. Although the others had thought that the Divines had been desperate and hadn’t thought things through, Gaius knew they had.
Six pairs of eyes had stared into his, each glowing a different color with the might and authority to match his own. While no one knew this, the battle with the defeated Divine had very nearly killed him. Additionally, the Divine he had defeated had been the very weakest of the seven.
Any one of the others could have crushed him, and with all six pitted against him, his permanent death should have been the result. Why had they spared him with just a seal?
That question, more than anything, plagued the Archfiend’s every waking moment. He would find out soon enough, but whether it would be in time was another matter entirely.
1
Wisps of golden Power swirled around Herald Leroy, ghostlike in the predawn air. His senses were open wide to the world, and despite the overwhelming mix of chaotic greens and blues, his focus was sharp, fixed entirely on the lifeline of his Path. The tendrils of Power collected, swirling into his body from all directions and entering his new Immortal-body.
Essence flowed through him like lightning, twisting through his channels and turning to Qi near-instantaneously. The Qi darkened and thickened, glowing a brighter gold as its presence became more.
Golden power became tinged with red as it was forged to Chakra on the Path of the Titanic Demon. Then came the immense pressure. The power grew darker still as the Reiki crafting process began in earnest.
Roy sat in the middle of the storm – invisible to the naked eye – as he cultivated the power of the world. His Core was growing fuller each day, and his massive capacity – which now outstripped some of the Sovereigns’ – continued to increase.
A raging ocean of power sat within, the frame of the man containing it belying the true might that he could bring to bear.
It had been nearly a week since their escape from the collapsing library. A week since they had witnessed a Titan enter the final Torii gate. A week since Roy had advanced to Gray-Belt, then grown a subsequent five Dans, dwarfing any previous advancements from his past.
The collision of the continents was still in full effect, and even all the way out here, in the All-Green Mountain range, the storms from the coasts battered their shelter. Luckily for them, the house had been well built, and Hermit had chosen a good location to set it up.
They had been supposed to meet and speak of all that had happened after their arrival, but Hermit had left shortly after they’d stopped, leaving their group on their own for the last few days. In all honesty, none of them minded. After the relentless training and life-threatening battles within the library itself, it was good to take a bit of a break. Well, a Martial Artist’s idea of a break anyway.
“You do know that the simple act of ‘not fighting’ does not constitute a break, right?” Geon said, clearly having read his thoughts.
“We’re currently not in any life-threatening danger,” Roy replied, keeping his focus on the churning Reiki as it formed in his Core. “I’d count that as a break.”
“Do you know what I would count as a break?” Geon asked.
“I honestly don’t, but I don’t think that’s going to stop you from telling me,” Roy sighed.
“You know me so well,” Geon said, wiping away an imaginary tear. “I would consider going to a nice, private location, where we’re waited on hand and foot, and servants await our every command. Where no one can show up at random to challenge us to a life-threatening battle and we can sleep and eat to our heart’s content, all while enjoying the peace and quiet we so rightfully deserve.”
“You’re a Dungeon Core,” Roy said. “You wouldn’t be able to enjoy any of those things.”
“I would enjoy the peace and quiet,” Geon sniffed.
“You? Enjoy peace and quiet?” Roy deadpanned. “You’re a bloodthirsty monster who can’t get enough violence. How would what you just described be enjoyable in any way?”
Geon was silent for several long moments, then let out an explosive breath, shaking the construct of the boar’s head.
“I can’t believe you’re right about something,” Geon said, sounding almost shocked. “I need blood! Let’s go kill something.”
Roy tuned the Core out at that point and went back to cycling, meditating on the idea of uncovering his Reiki techniques. This, Roy thought, was the most important next step in his advancement. He was now well into the Gray stage and had unlocked the ability to use Reiki. Now, he needed a medium if he wanted to effectively apply it in battle.
“You know that the best way to discover techniques is to throw yourself into life-or-death situations, right?” Geon said.
“I think there are other methods out there,” Roy said, not wishing to put himself in mortal danger again for the sake of finding his techniques. At least not yet.
“I’m a Sage, which means I have a stronger connection to my Path than an ordinary Gray-Belt would. Additionally, with the Quicksilver cultivation method, I’m cycling faster than ever and have a deeper understanding of what I’m looking for.
“On top of that, I already have the techniques. I just need to find out how they would function with Reiki, that’s all.”
“You make it sound so easy,” Geon said. “But I notice that even those who’ve advanced to Gray already still haven’t found much.”
That much was true. Violet and Snarl had both advanced to Gray before him. While Snarl had discovered three of his techniques by this point and Violet had one, it was far from all nine.
“Well, they’re doing it the easy way,” Roy said. “I’m trying to do it the proper way.”
