As they descended, the frown on Yuuto's face grew deeper as he listened to Dan Heng's story.
An ambush disguised as assistance from the Vidyadhara.
Their cooperation with the remaining members of the Sanctus Medicus.
Taoran's fixation on getting Bailu.
Meeting Hoolay.
All of this information was like a dam bursting open. Crashing all at once.
"So now it's a race to see if we can reach Bailu in time? Are we even sure of the reason why he's in a rush to send Bailu here?"
"...That's the thing, I don't know exactly why. The only thing I could vaguely count on is Taoran's words that this would regain the Vidyadhara's lost prestige."
Yuuto clicked his tongue. "What kind of prestige depends on sending their future High Elder to one of the Loufu's most dangerous enemies?"
Dan Heng didn't have anything to say and could only agree. All of it was still unclear.
There was however, a small theory that appeared in his head that made the guilt within him grow heavier.
"…"
The strong silence made Yuuto glance at Dan Heng.
'His regret is a lot stronger than normal. Is it because of a kin-like connection with another Vidyadhara or has he felt a bit of his past during his time away…'
Both could also be an answer as well.
Since the creation of [Anamnesis], his own 'moon'.
His attunement and sensitivity to memories have reached a higher level than before.
The world doesn't forget.
With each step Dan Heng took, a memory or feeling of regret lingered and left its mark within the world.
Even a rock at the side of the road carries memories within itself. This time is no different.
It only needs the right person to read and understand them.
"Hey." He called out to him.
Dan Heng snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him.
*Knock*
A dull pain appeared on his forehead and he instinctively rubbed the spot before staring at Yuuto all confused.
"No matter what happens, always remember that you won't be alone. You have people who will be there to back you up. So don't feel like the pressure will fall solely on you."
Yuuto knocked his knuckles once more on Dan Heng's head, which made him eventually raise his arms to block his next attempt.
One hit was more than enough.
Feeling his lively actions, the heaviness in Dan Heng's chest was eased slightly. Yuuto saw this slight change and diverted his eyes elsewhere.
"We should be coming up close based on what you said."
Yuuto took one last look at the trail Dan Heng left behind and tried to focus his attention back on the area ahead of him.
Dan Heng seemed to share the same thoughts and tried to do the same.
Turning a corner, a sudden waft of iron forced them to take an abrupt stop and cover their noses.
[Yuck! Who leaves bodies behind like this!?]
The two agreed with what Star said and saw the piles of flesh and discarded bones along the prison walls.
Blood soaked the concrete floors and looked like a wild beast just finished their meal in a rush. It was a savage and mindless way of eating.
"All of them are a mix of different prisoners but there's a lot more foxians … Looks like the culprit has a strong dislike for foxes."
[That doesn't make me feel any better knowing that…]
They both saw parts that were distinct features of foxians, which felt like the culprit took their time to torture their victims before eventually devouring them.
Yuuto touched the broken bits of flesh and attempted to read the memories attached to them.
Streams of information entered his head and he muttered. "It's not exactly new but not exactly old either. Maybe about an hour…"
"An hour…"
The timeframe, while not long, was enough to allow Taoran and Hoolay to progress their plan in a way the two didn't want.
"There should be a trail if we follow the path. They were not exactly subtle with how they were moving."
After lingering for a bit, they rushed towards the trail filled with blood and death. Each step showed a bloodier scene before eventually fewer bodies were seen.
Perhaps their appetite was finally being sated and satisfied with the meal they had. The prison returned to the desolate appearance it originally had.
[There are voices at the end of the hall.]
Her ears twitched, sensing the sounds and they increased their speed.
As they got closer, a familiar voice finally reached their ears. "How much longer until you finish? We've been here for a while already." His voice sounded like he was short on time.
However, the person he was talking to didn't take his tone lightly.
"Who are you to rush me? While we entered an agreement, you have no right to speak to me as equals. Watch your tone, spineless lizard."
"You–!!"
Members of the Vidyadhara stood behind Taoran. All agitated after being dismissed without a thought.
They wanted to lash out but considering the person opposite to them, they held their tongue, sensing the look Taoran was giving them.
While he tried to look unbothered by the comment, his followers knew that their leader was boiling on the inside.
A large physique, with intimidating jaws and neck muscles. A sneer plastered on his long snout. Hoolay moved his hand towards the center of the room, where a dense crimson light grew.
Engravings made out of blood, the person at the center felt the blood within them boil over. A painful but silent scream escaped her mouth.
"I'm almost done, so just…" Hoolay paused his words before grabbing a Borisin near him.
"L-Lord…?----AUGH!!"
The Borisin felt confused when he was suddenly lifted. This confusion didn't last long when a large spear made out of ice suddenly pierced through his chest.
"A couple of rats managed to sneak their way down here."
The attack was sudden and seeing the death of one of their members, they turned towards the area where the spear was launched.
Taoran in particular, was surprised to see Dan Heng, whom he thought was already dealt with, appear before him. Before long, it landed on Yuuto who was also eyeing him.
"Unexpected."
His voice was cold and he moved his hand forward, causing the air to fold. Fluid condensed and eventually turned into four thin swords.
"Capture them. Don't let them interrupt the ritual."
Orders were given and the members behind him brandished their weapons.
Dan Heng holding his spear, saw the person at the center of the ritual and his eyes turned cold.
Bailu.
"I can take care of the Vidyadhara. I'm accustomed to how they fight, so I'll leave the borisin to you."
Yuuto gathered his mist and formed his sword as well. Shimmering in dense moonlight. "I'll do my best."
He gave Star a glance and she nodded her head.
The next second, a flicker of ink-like wind and moonlight rushed towards the center.
Each with their own unique approach. The opponents clashed with the uninvited visitors.
Hoolay, on the other hand, had his attention attached to Yuuto who weaved through the group of Borisin with ease.
A simple but rapid slash that flowed like a river. Each move connected seamlessly, a sword that caused his body to instinctively burn each time he moved his weapon.
It was like a forgotten memory crawled its way out of the deepest parts of his body and caused him to remember the silhouette of a certain woman.
"How absurd…."
The wounds that had long been healed began to squirm as if reminding him. This flicker of moonlight.
His body shook for a second.
Not from fear.
But from immense shame.
The Warhead Hoolay couldn't stop his body from reacting after seeing just a bit of moonlight?
Disgraceful.
Vile crimson energy left his body. Waves left behind made nearby Borisin lower their tails in submission and also left them fearful.
They all wondered why their leader released this much malice so suddenly.
Hoolay's mouth curved into a demonic grin.
"One of that woman's people…"
Yuuto who was in the center of the group felt his skin prickle at the surface and immediately left the area he was at.
A claw twice the size of his body was lodged in the space he escaped from and a bead of cold sweat rolled down his face.
The pointed tips pierced the floor like tofu. Yuuto could feel a thick layer of hatred flow towards him without end.
"What's your relation to that woman?"
Hoolay looked down at Yuuto who carried that familiar blade that made his repulsion grow even stronger.
"Woman? I don't have a clue what you're talking about." Yuuto frowned.
"Is that so… If you don't want to say, then I'll present your head to her and see if she has an answer instead."
Yuuto felt a rush of wind brush past him and he moved his sword at an incline. A heavy pressure pressed against his blade and he moved his wrist to direct the force away.
He frowned, feeling the power behind the strike and moonlight gathered from the tip of his sword.
His eyes shimmered as [Clarity] formed, gathering the faintest details that were hidden and [Illumine] guided him to strike weak points that appeared.
The strike was quick and converged into a pointed cross along with slashes that penetrated the surface of Hoolay's thick hide.
Consecutive cuts swarm outwards like a storm while Hoolay swung his claws, intercepting each one with increasing force.
A few managed to sneak through and draw blood.
Still, Hoolay didn't flinch in the slightest.
"Sharp but still lacking."
"I didn't come here to be judged by someone like you."
Yuuto's eyes glanced past Hoolay for a second while also noting that the wounds on his body were healing rapidly.
'I knew Borisin had unnaturally fast regeneration but he's on a different level.'
From his encounters with some Borisin earlier, it took them roughly a few seconds to heal a typical wound.
Hoolay on the other hand, his regeneration was almost as if it were instant.
'Overwhelming him like this won't cut it but it's still necessary…'
Yuuto redirected his sword and sent out a few more precise cuts, which caused Hoolay's body to squirm faster to match the rate of his attacks.
The moonlight wrapped around his sword dimmed after pausing his momentum, sensing the cuts he sent were not as effective as before.
Still, faint fragments flickered underneath the regenerating skin. As if placing their mark.
Hoolay as well didn't take his attacks standing still. The ground beneath his feet cracked under the pressure he placed before lunging at Yuuto.
His body was agile but that didn't diminish his strength in the slightest.
"Haha! Are you going to run away?"
Hoolay gripped the blade etched into his back and his gaze followed Yuuto, whose figure blurred away.
A sabre the size of Yuuto instantly rushed towards his upper torso with the intent to cleave him apart.
As Yuuto adjusted his stance, Hoolay laughed as if entertained at what he saw and coated his left arm with his crimson aura.
His skin turned dark and bright red veins pulsed underneath. The strike moved too fast, leaving Yuuto no time to react.
*DING*
The sound of glass shattering echoed and Yuuto felt his left side turn cold.
Three distinctive claw marks ripped apart the ground beside him and ravaged the area to dust.
A few lines of blood rolled down Yuuto's arm.
[Mother's Embrace] had activated its protection on its own. The attack Hoolay released was recognized as either severe or at worst, fatal.
Yuuto's body flickered backwards. He was careless.
"You move just like her. The only difference is that your skills pale in comparison. Too predictable."
Hoolay didn't forget to mock him and grinned as if he had achieved something great. It was too satisfying.
The desire to toy with the person in front of him was too tempting.
Yuuto stayed silent and eyed Hoolay but at that moment, something clicked inside him.
'Woman… skills like her. Relation… this kind of hatred…—Shit.' He cursed.
'Is he someone Jingliu defeated in the past? Now he thinks I'm her disciple, so he decided to dump all his grievances for her onto me!?'
How many years has he been holding this in?
Knowing Jingliu's personality, she probably beat this guy to death and locked him down here without saying a single word.
Plus, seeing as he's a Borisin, this would enrage and humiliate him more than ever.
Yuuto felt the wound around his arm heal slowly and clicked his tongue, seeing as he was now caught in the crossfire of some century-long grudge.
Before long, he let out a sigh. While it looked like he was going to be a toy from now on, knowing that Hoolay was Jingliu's past opponent made this a bit easier.
'Should I thank her later?'
He looked at Dan Heng and seeing as he was faring well, his mind relaxed.
Yuuto lowered the posture of his sword. Feeling the weight on his back foot, he waited for Hoolay to strike.
A beat later, pointed claws pierced forward and with minimal movements, he took a step forward, narrowly avoiding the attack.
His Stellaron began to beat.
'What is this…'
Hoolay felt the air change around him.
Violent heat then rose but before he could register what happened, a surge of golden flames engulfed the two of them.
The change was intense.
It was like the sun descended.
"When did he have that…?"
In the distance, Dan Heng looked at the ball of fire and felt his finger tighten around his spear.
The ink-like wind grew stronger and the spear in his hand moved with more precision.
Hoolay within the ball of fire felt the hair on his skin fizzle out, though the heat that stuck to him felt more annoying.
"What tricks are you up to?"
His baleful aura wrapped around his body to resist the heat pressing onto him. It helped for a second but he noticed movement within the flames.
"[Sever]."
"Interesting… Did you learn this from her as well?"
Cuts that came almost instantly. Every inch of his body was riddled with injuries that felt sharper due to the flames eating at his wounds.
This corrosive fire was trying to match his regeneration.
Hoolay's impression of Yuuto changed slightly. Going from someone who lacked skills compared to his teacher to someone who had a few tricks up his sleeve.
But it was still far from enough to knock him down.
Heat crept from within his throat and he released a roar that dispersed the flames for a moment and he swung his sabre at Yuuto who now held a greatsword.
The two swords clashed and Hoolay was surprised to see that Yuuto's sword didn't shatter but also managed to handle his power to a certain degree.
Yuuto pulled his sword back and feeling the heat move away, he struck the greatsword into the ground and used it as a foot rest to offset the strike he couldn't fully handle.
His eyes flickered a deep hue of silver and the white leaf in his [Core Esse] bloomed a distinctive prismatic glow.
"Since you love to mention her all the time, shall I help you remember what you forgot?"
His other sword formed into his hands and its white surface carried a collection of fragments within it.
The golden flames faded.
Beneath his feet, the ground and air turned into a pure iridescent white. It was as if the world itself were made out of glass.
"[Anamnesis: Echo]."
A sword may cut flesh for an instant.
But a memory cuts forever.
"ARGHHH!"
Hoolay's body burned as if dumped in the deepest pits of hell.
However, that didn't bother him. It was something else.
Cuts returned. A line opened across his shoulder.
Another appeared across his ribs.
Then his thigh.
His chest.
Wounds emerged one after another. Wounds that were healed a long time ago began to appear.
Blood poured and intense spikes of pain assaulted his body, causing him to kneel.
Yuuto in front, let out a cough and blood poured out.
His mouth dripped with blood but a smile remained on his face.
"How is it? Do you remember now?"