Rearing Demons
Chapter 134: False Seeker; Starbrand Essence

Chapter 134: False Seeker; Starbrand Essence

"AHH!" A shrill cry erupted from the swirling dust. Yur stepped aside, his heavy breaths punctuating the silence. Fresh blood stained his body, yet he felt no pain, there was no point in dwelling on it.

"STOP!" The cacophony of chomping and screaming reverberated through the air, but Yur remained motionless, waiting. His Ashen Grasp encircled his arms, poised to strike at a moment’s notice.

Before long, the dust began to settle, revealing the winged man. Half of his body was missing, and a monstrous mouth gnashed wildly, attempting to devour more of him.

With his remaining arm, the winged man tried to shove the ravenous maw away, but Yur advanced steadily. In one swift, forceful motion, he seized the man’s arm and, with a powerful tug, tore it from his body, flinging it aside with a cry of "AHHHH!"

Howling in agony, the winged man bared his teeth and glared at Yur. "You damned True Seekers!" he growled, though nothing could halt the voracious mouth as it continued to chew through what remained of his form.

"Enough." Yur’s voice was cold as he pressed his palm against the grotesque maw, causing it to dissolve instantly into a pool of blood.

The Ritual of Maw’s Embrace was both dangerous and potent; a ritual that, from the bodies of a thousand lives, manifested a ravenous mouth forged from flesh and blood. It devoured everything in its path until its insatiable hunger was quenched. Unstoppable and unkillable, the maw attacked friend and foe alike, a force no one could control.

Of course, if Yur were to touch it while it was distracted, he could cancel the ritual, but then the maw might lash out at him if no other target presented itself. Powerful as it was, the ritual carried inherent restrictions.

Once the maw was vanquished, Yur immediately employed the Ashen Grasp to chain the winged man. "You bastard!" he howled. Yet the man could do nothing; the chains held him fast, and with both arms severed, he was effortlessly hoisted by Yur.

"Tell me, you attacked me out of nowhere. And you appeared so suddenly, where did you come from?" Yur demanded, still bewildered by the stranger’s origins and the uncanny precision of his appearance, as though the man had been watching him all along. Despite being only a Rank Five True Seeker, this opponent was only marginally stronger than Yur.

"Haha, kill me!" the man jeered with a maniacal smile, his tone defiant.

Shaking his head in disdain, Yur wrapped the chains tightly around the man’s throat. "KHHH!" The man began to suffocate, his face turning a deep, bruised blue. His legs flailed helplessly in midair until, finally, his armless body crumpled to the ground.

[Host has killed a False Seeker!]

At the sight of that unfamiliar term, Yur felt a strange surge within his body. He looked upward, his gaze fixed on a golden star being devoured by his black star.

"What is going on?" The golden star was swiftly and completely consumed by the devouring darkness, and in that moment, Yur sensed a new, invigorating energy flowing into him.

[Failed Flames of the Golden Star!]

With a swift lift of his hand, Yur summoned a golden-white flame reminiscent of the one the winged man had wielded. Though not as potent, it bore the unmistakable characteristics of the same inferno.

"What is happening?"

[The ability to devour a False Seeker’s and a True Seeker’s power is unique to Vael’Sythuun!]

Hearing these words, Yur nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face at the revelation. If he were to encounter more of these seekers and defeat them, his strength would be greatly augmented. He was certain he would meet many more foes, though their individual power remained uncertain.

Surveying the aftermath of the chaotic battle, Yur noted the devastation: trees lay shattered, and the ground bore vast craters. Searing flames—both black and golden with hints of white—danced around the battleground.

Making his way through the ruin, he retraced his steps until he finally located Sularin. The beast trembled in the background as if gripped by fear. Sularin was no feeble creature, so why did it cower so?

[Native beings of Glythoria tremble in the presence of Seekers, True or False. Only those stronger than the specific Seeker can remain steadfast!]

Kind of like my own dominion over demons?

[Correct!]

Understanding the implication, Yur nodded and approached the trembling beast. Patting its head gently, he murmured, "Calm down. He’s dead." Sularin, its fur still standing on end, eventually relaxed upon realizing that the False Seeker would not return. The creature attempted to nuzzle against Yur, but he frowned and gently shooed it away. "Come, let’s venture deeper!"

He climbed onto Sularin’s back, using his chains to steady himself. With a light kick, Sularin surged forward toward the distant volcano. So many obstacles, so many challenges, the closer he drew to the volcano, the more treacherous the path became.

————————————————————————

Meanwhile, Luna walked through the grand doors, each of her clones materializing before one of the colossal beings. The primary Luna fixed her gaze upon the immense throne, upon which sat the gigantic, humanlike figure known as the Starbrand Essence.

"So, this is the scale of this essence?" she whispered in awe. It dwarfed even the colossal Azure Dragon—it was as though an ant were staring up at a radiant star, utterly overwhelmed by its majesty.

Taking a deep breath, she murmured, "The first test is merely to approach it. That shouldn’t be too difficult... hopefully."

With cautious steps, each clone advanced slowly, their hearts fluttering as they scanned for any hint of trickery or trap. Fortunately, there was nothing amiss, if anything, each step seemed to grow ever heavier. Initially imperceptible, after a hundred or so steps the increased weight became undeniable. It was not unbearable, merely as if a few extra pounds were added to their bodies, and this occurred with every hundred steps or so.

Determined, Luna pressed on, traversing the glass floor that gradually faded away. Her eyes narrowed as she drew nearer to the Starbrand Essence. The floor beneath her began to vanish, revealing what felt like the very edge; a place with neither ceiling nor ground, no walls, only boundless space.

At last, she reached the precipice and peered over. "This is terrifying," she whispered, sweat beading on her forehead as she took in the vast, infinite expanse below. "Do I stop now?" Tentatively, she lifted one leg to test the void, only to feel solid ground beneath her foot.

Relief washed over her; there was still a floor!

Taking another deep breath, she carefully stepped forward, leaving the glass realm behind.

"HUH?!" No sooner had she crossed the boundary than she turned to look back, only to find that the glass world had vanished entirely. She now stood suspended in nothingness; around her lay only endless space, stars, galaxies, comets, all swirling in a cosmic dance beyond mortal comprehension.

The celestial objects were vast, their scale so immense that her breath caught in her throat. "So beautiful," she marveled, even as their overwhelming presence evoked a sense of dread. Was this another manifestation of nature, or something entirely different?

Entranced, Luna absorbed the scene; each star and galaxy exuding a haunting beauty. Then, she noticed the colossal being upon the throne, its massive face turned toward her, its abyssal eyes fixed intently upon her.

Who are you?

Suddenly, she heard a voice, deep and resonant like a roar, yet strangely intimate and close, as though emanating from the very being itself.

"I am Luna," she replied hesitantly, her voice trembling yet determined.

The being regarded her with a peculiar expression.

Luna? Are you here for me?

It inquired in a tone both confused and expectant, unsure of her intentions, and perhaps, of its own as well.

She watched as the entity slowly raised its hands, its gaze filled with uncertainty and a hint of vulnerability, an emotion she never expected to see in such a formidable presence. The fact that it could speak to her was already beyond her understanding.

Ah, yes. I am now this, yet not that. I have become one with it, and yet I remain distinct.

Luna listened as the being murmured to itself, its voice a soft soliloquy of introspection.

Tell me, why are you seeking me? it finally asked.

The question struck Luna as odd; she wasn’t sure how to answer or even whether she should. Was she here to control this being, to absorb its powers, to become one with it? Or was she simply here to understand it?

Her thoughts tangled, she could not define what compatibility meant. "I wish to... to see if you and I are compatible," she offered haltingly.

Compatible? In what sense? the being pressed, its tone laced with genuine confusion.

"I am not sure," Luna admitted, shaking her head as she struggled for words. Was she not simply meant to walk, the further she ventured, the clearer the connection would become? Yet here she was, caught in an internal dialogue.

Her mind raced.

I see you are here for me. For reasons unknown, I feel a connection with you; something strange, something potent. Is that why you are here?

The being mirrored her confusion, its eyes searching its own form. Uncertain of its next move, Luna took a tentative step forward, and then—

"AHHH!"

Her body plunged over an unseen edge, hurtling downward, yet the being continued to watch her with uncertain, questioning eyes.

A connection. What is this bond that ties us together?

As the being scrutinized itself, it ignored Luna’s descent into the void, a fall so rapid that she felt herself being propelled toward a brilliant star positioned directly below.

Flames raged around her, reaching out as if to capture her, and with her eyes clamped shut and teeth gritted, she braced for the unknown.

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