Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 182: Now, Towards my Comrades

As I continued my training in the garden, the final night at Aiwass’ mansion came to an end. The phantom of the holy knight in my memory was still strong, and despite battling him throughout the night, I couldn’t land a single effective blow.

However, I also did not sustain any fatal injuries. I was not unscathed, and in an actual combat scenario, I would have garnered numerous wounds. However, I still had plenty of fight left in me.

Indeed, wielding the twin swords, which had become an extension of my limbs, made the battle significantly more manageable. Although I might not have reached the level of the holy knight or master Alexander in pure martial skill, it seemed I could hold my own. In order to protect the newfound freedom I had gained, I decided to train harder than ever.

As the morning broke, I could hear footsteps approaching me while I continued my training. Judging by the sound, stride, and weight, I knew it was Eins, even if I didn’t use my compound eyes.

“Good mornin’, Antares. Ya still been at it through the night? Did ya forgot today’s the day for your departure?”

“…Oh, good morning. As far as fatigue goes, I’m fine. I’m fairly sturdy, you know.”

“Haaah, seems like demons have more stamina than us.”

It may have seemed like a casual morning greeting, but the way my name was used so naturally felt remarkably fresh. I was still getting used to it, but with time, I knew it would become the new normal.

Eins nodded repeatedly, seemingly impressed, while a folded piece of fabric rested in his hand. I had a hunch about what it was, and my expectations were soon met.

“Here you go, this is your outfit.”

“As expected, this is it…!”

As I had suspected, the outfit Eins had brought was a personal garment made by Sieben. Without hesitation, I decided to put it on.

“It’s all black.”

“Sieben thought black’d suit you well, did ya dislike it?”

“It’s not that. I’m just grateful for having proper clothes. Besides, it’s quite comfortable.”

The clothing that was said to be crafted by Sieben seemed to have been designed with careful consideration for my needs. It was all made from uniformly dyed black fabric, which had a flexible, non-restrictive quality, allowing me to move freely. I felt confident that I could continue to fight as I always had.

Most notably, the pants had a hole designed with my tail in mind. The hole was not a gaping hole; rather, it was a slit running horizontally.

This clever design allowed me to pull my tail through the pants while keeping my butt hidden from view through the gap. It would have been quite awkward to have my butt on display, especially in this special attire. I genuinely appreciated the attention to detail in ensuring that wouldn’t happen.

“There’s more, too.”

“A cloak, and this one is a mask, huh?”

Next, Eins produced a dark brown cloak and an iron mask that covered everything from the nose down. The cloak was long enough to reach my ankles, completely enveloping my body. It had a loose, accommodating fit, which made it possible to conceal my tail inside.

The hood was included, but if I were to put it on, it would obscure my ability to see what was happening behind me. During battles, I knew I would have to remove it no matter what.

The mask bore the same scorpion pattern as the scabbards of my twin swords. While the exoskeleton covering my jaw seemed sturdier than the mask itself, it had Sieben’s playful touch.

“Pull down that hood and put on the mask, ya see, master had it made thinkin’ that folks wouldn’t easily figure out you’re a demon if ya did that. Well, if someone gets a good look at your face, it would be obvious cause’ of your compound eyes.”

“Even so, it’s more than sufficient. Aiwass really has taken care of me”

“That just means he has high expectations of ya, ya see. If ya worried ’bout that, just make sure to complete what he asked of ya properly.”

I felt increasingly indebted to the mounting favors, but Eins chuckled and patted my shoulder. If it came to this, I was determined to do whatever it took to develop the southern Enzo continent and make sure that it was ready for Aiwass to come at any time.

After getting dressed in my new clothes, I was led by Eins toward the dining room. Inside, Aiwass was already in the midst of his breakfast. It was just him today, and Hectia was likely immersed in the research Aiwass had mentioned to me the previous night. He didn’t mention it, and I decided not to dwell on it.

“You’ve arrived, I see. Well, it suits you quite nicely.”

“Thank you.”

Aiwass remarked with a smile as I donned the new clothing. I expressed my gratitude while taking a seat in the chair Eins had pulled out for me. Shortly after, a breakfast similar to Aiwass’s was served in front of me.

The breakfast Eins had brought consisted of soft bread, warm soup, a half-boiled egg, and a stir-fry of fresh vegetables and fish. The menu had been the same for the past three days….yet I couldn’t quite get used to it.

The food during my scorpion days had mostly been poisonous, and even after becoming a demon, I had only been accustomed to meager meals. Though Mika and those taught by him had improved it slightly, the quality of the original ingredients was inherently poor. It just couldn’t compare to the meal before me.

I wasn’t well-versed in the nuances of meals other than sweet stuff, but if we were to secure a safe haven, I knew we should aim for better daily food. While it wouldn’t be an easy journey, it was a goal worth striving for.

“I’d like to ask you this while you’re eating. You can depart whenever you want, but when do you want to leave?”

“Really! After I finish eating, or even right away…”

“No, no. Eating is important, Antares. I’ve heard you have a small appetite and excellent energy efficiency, but remember that eating provides the energy needed not only to fuel your body but also to engage your mind. Don’t neglect that.”

“I-I see. Alright, then I’ll eat properly.”

Aiwass spoke so passionately about the importance of meals that I felt compelled to follow his advice. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to waste the meal that Eins had prepared. I decided to finish every bit of it.

Since I decided to do so, I ate swiftly. However, Aiwass disapproved of uncouth, voracious eating habits. Especially when I hurried, the sound of my small claws on my cheeks moving was bound to irritate him. So, while eating with some haste, I made sure not to be crude.

“Phew….I’m full now. It was delicious, Eins.”

“Glad to hear that.”

After finishing my meal, I thanked Eins as he cleared the dishes. He responded with a wry smile. He knew how I had a poor sense of taste so perhaps he was wondering if my praise was genuine.

Certainly, I had a poor sense of taste, but at the same time, I deeply appreciated Eins for preparing the meal. I hoped he could sense that gratitude.

“Have you finished your meal? If so, follow me.”

After saying that, Aiwass stood up, and Eins and I followed behind him. He then led me to a small room near the bedroom that was assigned to me.

The room was devoid of furniture, but intricate spiritual circuits covered every inch of the walls. In the center of the room, there was a drawn circle, and Aiwass instructed me to stand inside it.

“This circle is designed to teleport the person standing inside it to specified coordinates. I developed this spatial spiritual circuit so that even those without special talent like Orvo could use it.”

“That seems really convenient.”

“It has its limitations, of course. Also, this.”

Aiwass handed me the metal box I had seen yesterday as I stood inside the circle. When I checked the contents, I found that the new luminous crystalline life form, which was named Acht, was kept there.

After discussing the arrangement to care for Acht, I had assumed that I would receive it right away. However, Aiwass didn’t close the box and hand it to me immediately. I learned that this delay was due to the need for some final adjustments. Being an artificial life form, Acht seemed to have various delicate aspects that required attention.

“Acht is still in a state where self-awareness hasn’t developed, much like a newborn. Please handle it with this premise in mind.”

“I’m used to dealing with babies. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Fufufu, I see. That’s reassuring. Well then, let’s start the teleportation.”

Once the handover of the box containing Acht was complete, Aiwass lightly tapped the floor with his favorite walking cane. It seemed to be the activation signal, as a tremendous amount of spiritual power was released from Aiwass, causing the spiritual circuits to become energized.

Spiritual circuits are supposed to be used to support spiritual arts and amplify spiritual power. However, I never expected that a teleportation spiritual circuit would require such an enormous amount of spiritual power to activate. Aiwass seemed to sense my surprise, and he wore a difficult expression on his face.

“Didn’t I mention there were limitations? It demands an immense amount of spiritual power to operate. Furthermore, there’s a critical flaw where any significant spiritual power fluctuations at the destination disrupt the stability of the coordinates. It’s far from a perfect technique… It seems replicating spatial teleportation and temporal manipulation purely through technology is quite the challenge. We need to delve deeper into our research.”

“Looks like a lot of fun.”

“Yes. To overcome difficult challenges through research, unravel the mysteries of the mind, and continually tackle even more demanding tasks. That’s the way of life for me Aiwass El Regis.”

Continually deepening one’s knowledge is indeed a way of life. Aiwass, who could confidently declare his own path, appeared dazzling to my compound eyes, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.

Could I, too, find something solid and unwavering about my own way of life, like him? No, I will definitely find it as well.

“Now, it’s about time for the spiritual art to activate. Are you prepared?”

“Yes, I’m ready at any moment. Aiwass, I’m truly grateful for your help. I’ll make sure to fulfill your request.”

“Hehehe, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

I lowered my head deeply once more and expressed my gratitude to Aiwass. His gaze held a somewhat fond look, even though I was not a child. Well, if you were to equate my actual age to that of a human, I was undoubtedly still a child. Given all the care and help he had provided, I was more than willing to accept it.

Next, I turned to Eins, who had been as much of a support as Aiwass, and in some cases, even more. I must also thank him.

“Eins, I’m indebted to you as well. Thank you.”

“Don’t ya worry ’bout it. If ya wanna show some gratitude, take good care of little Acht inside.”

“I understand. I promise you.”

Even without Eins having to tell me, I was genuinely committed to raising Acht. However, Eins’ statement heightened my sense of responsibility. It was as if a challenge had been issued to make Acht the most exceptional luminous crystalline life form among his siblings.

Oh, speaking of siblings, there was that islander I and Eins had treated. Thanks to the advice I had received from his brother when I was in doubt, I was able to decide what I should do in the end. Although it will be through Eins, I would like him to convey my gratitude to that guy.

“Eins, you remember that islander boy you treated, right? It was actually his brother’s words that inspired me. Please let him know that I’m grateful.”

“Huh? His brother? What are ya talkin’ about…”

“Hmm!? This…isn’t good!”

Before Eins, who was tilting his head in confusion for some reason, could continue speaking, Aiwass raised his voice with a rare urgency. Has something gone wrong since we arrived here?

“There’s a significant surge of spiritual energy occurring near the destination! It won’t deviate significantly from the imperial capital I designated as the destination, but where you’ll end up exactly is unclear…”

Before Aiwass could finish his unsettling statement, my vision began to fade to pure white. And without any problems, I was able to teleport…to the skies high above the imperial capital.

***********

TN: lol.

Btw, when mc was fighting that phantom of the holy knight, he wasn’t using his spiritual arts. It was solely a martial arts fight.