HPDBC Chapter 247: A Moment of Respite/Punishment
Chapter 247: A Moment of Respite/Punishment
In the darkness, Asura focused on his body, each of the monoliths only having one more evolution he could accept. He remembered the mind-numbing pain from trying to evolve without Helliana's help last time and felt apprehensive.
The final evolution of the Asura bloodline's basic stages was called Asura's Enlightenment - Combat domain.
He found the goal of this combat art was to reach a level of enlightenment with his body, able to fight with complete unity using all the chaotic powers and abilities within his body, from the dragon and devil combat styles to his devouring and Asura bloodlines. He would evolve his brain to perform these skills flawlessly, without gaps.
With a single breath, he allowed his mental energy to envelop his body. This was the first stage of Asura's Enlightenment; thus, Asura expected simple results.
However, the next sensation wasn't that simple as his mind overworked to control all three types of energy from each monolith simultaneously. Animus flowed like a raging sea during a storm, bringing a tight pain in his chest and neck as it rushed to his brain.
Countless images and ideas flowed through his mind, combat skills and styles that his eyes caught glimpses of while alive. Not only from this world but also Azoth's, Sura's, and Auros's lives flooded him with unique martial abilities that caused him to suffer, with blood pouring from his nose and his skin turning pale; Asura could barely remain standing.
His mind experienced so much at once that Asura could hardly breathe or grasp a clear picture. All of his thoughts seemed to explode, crumpled up, and mixed in a myriad of distorted shapes and forms, and his entire body trembled like an earthquake.
The boy's memory of a sword strike from a famous swordsman in Silvera's history appeared before him, causing him to experience a reality of his swordsmanship that gave him a slight hint of understanding the blade more.
Then, a serious monk who belongs to the mole tribe on Sura's planet was fighting young drakes with his bare fists.
"Haaa!"
Asura's eyes popped open, and his scream echoed through the dark dungeon. A spirit flame, dragon's fury, and void flame exploded at once and compressed inside his body as he imbued them with Asura's Enlightenment—Battle domain.
All at once, countless pieces of information joined within his mind. Although he couldn't understand them now, his subliminal mind would analyse them for him. The wonders of parallel thought were too important, as Auros seemed to become the one in charge of this task, with Asura's past self also helping with the theory.
"God... my head feels like a giant just used it as a trampoline."
Asura Fenix groaned at the tremendous pain in his skull.
"If my skull shatters and ends my life, can I come back with rebirth?"
Asura hoped for death as he lay on the cold ground, feeling each beat of his heart as a hammer crushing his mind.
"Wait! I can't do this! Next one, I have four more to go!"
'It's kind of dull name... Devil's Hide.'
The next evolution would complete his devil bloodline foundation, but he didn't understand why a devil needed to hide.
Since turning invisible seemed quite useful, he closed his eyes and started flowing energy into the Devil monolith; with no one to adjust the amount like the Asura monolith, it became difficult.
Alas, the meaning of this evolution differed from what Asura imagined.
It didn't mean to hide, but the very flesh of his body would become a devil's.
First, he felt a painful itching from head to toe before blood, pus, and dirt pooled from his pores; the next moment, even the skin itself peeled and fell from his flesh, revealing a horrific sight.
Yet Asura couldn't look because of the intense desire to claw himself and tear his flesh apart.
"Make it stop! It hurts too much!" Asura screamed and wailed in agony as the additional layers of devil's skin sprouted out of his body, followed by new flesh and the same level of agony as his original skin tore away.
The first layer, the deepest layer beneath his flesh and meat, was black, covered in rivets and beautiful patterns. The devil's shroud danced around this new skin, creating layer after layer until the softest, most beautifully fair skin covered it with no blemishes or faults, a silky smooth finish yet stronger than the average chain-mail armour.
Meanwhile, Asura's heart pounded fiercely from the terror of losing control of his Animus during this process.
As for the phoenix evolution, it seemed he needed to speak with Lorem about that evolution. So he lay back and cast water magic, while heating it and bathed himself before leaving a feeling of fatigue making him slow.****
Asura tried to recover before dragging the corpse of Aldric Cavallio from the basement. He felt his muscles gradually recover along with his core.
However, he didn't see this world from afar. Asura could remember Sura seeing his planet before in pictures.
That's why he found that his core slowly resembled a planet more with each step he took forward.
He noticed the lack of light and life, and now, after final adjustments, the ocean seemed to have split into nine different parts.
'That feels a little strange. Is it because of my cultivation technique and the nine plumes?'
There wasn't anyone to answer the question as the heavy corpse of Aldric slapped against the stones and debris, ruining his handsome face.
"Asura!"
To his surprise, Akkrum waited for him near the entrance, his body covered in dirt and blood. He noticed the body in Asura's hand and the state he was in and looked worried.
"Are you alright? You look horrible."
"I could say the same to you, Akkrum. How is the battle?" Asura asked as he approached his unit nine comrade.
Akkrum's body seemed to collapse. Exhaustion and fatigue seeped from his soul. The other students helped him stay upright as he tried to smile at Asura.
"We are winning. Something has happened in the central plaza to weaken them. Because we broke through, the commander allowed our unit to take a rest and guard this building."
"Look at how exhausted you are. Do you need healing?"
While Asura browsed the room, he noticed Cil was holding Akkrum up, and the two of them seemed to have a strange atmosphere.
'It seems romance has kindled during a life or death battle, haha.'
Asura was happy for his comrades, knowing these kinds of relationships had an equal chance of lasting as well as not. However, this wasn't the time for love because he would need to tell Lorem something believable once he saw her.
Otherwise, there would be trouble for him.
"You should rest too, Asura," Akkrum said. "Also, your eyes look a little strange."
"Yeah, I think I will." Asura smiled as he placed his hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Thanks."
Asura had no intention of telling him his eyes looked strange because he wasn't human, and he finished his evolution. Instead, he could only feel the invisible dagger poking at his chest that these humans wouldn't accept him like Azoth.
'This is what I hate about being different.'
After shaking off his troubles, Asura returned to his body and let out a tired breath before resting next to a wall in the room.
A feeling of hot pain pierced through his soul, but a sudden coldness removed all the pain the moment he touched the icy wall.
He felt everything become simple, and no longer suffered.
With a moment of silence, he slipped into a deep sleep.
***