LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 33: Evolution
In the midst of the ruins of what was once Washington, I stand still, my gaze fixed on the lifeless body of Kinshiki slowly falling from the sky. The broken silhouette of my opponent crashes to the ground with a dull thud, raising a final cloud of dust. A weary sigh escapes my lips as I close my eyes, reflecting on the battle that has just ended. Despite my overwhelming victory, my mind is already focused on what is yet to be done.
The crunch of rubble under multiple footsteps catches my attention. Turning my head slightly, I see two groups approaching: the one led by Yumi, and further back, the hunters accompanying President Smith. The latter cautiously keep their distance, observing the scene with a mix of fear and fascination.
Yumi is the first to reach me, a satisfied smile lighting up her face. "I congratulate you on defeating Kinshiki," she says in a gentle voice that contrasts with the surrounding devastation. "And now?"
"We will just proceed as planned," I simply reply, my gaze briefly resting on Elysia standing in the background.
"Very well," Yumi nods before gracefully stepping away. "I'll leave you to it."
Once Yumi has left, Elysia approaches me. Her face betrays deep sadness as she murmurs, "I suppose it's over."
The silence that follows speaks more than any answer could. In the distance, we can perceive the first signs of the process initiated by Yumi with the divine tree. Without a word, I approach Elysia. With unexpected gentleness, I take her chin between my fingers and kiss her.
Elysia's eyes widen in surprise, but she quickly gets carried away by the passion of the kiss. Our tongues intertwine in a sensual dance, the world around us momentarily ceasing to exist. We are alone, lost in this moment of intimacy amidst the chaos.
As we kiss, luminous filaments begin to wrap around Elysia's feet, slowly climbing up her body. She seems not to pay attention, too absorbed in our embrace. It's only when the filaments reach her neck that I break the kiss. I look at her one last time, offering her a smile filled with warmth as the filaments completely envelop her.
Turning to Hernandez, I nod slightly. "Thank you, old man."
A warm laughter escapes the old man's lips. "Ahahahah... I should be the one thanking you. You've given me the greatest gift of my life," he responds sincerely, as the same filaments begin to envelop him.
The hunters, witnesses of the scene, desperately try to resist the spreading phenomenon. Their efforts are in vain - one by one, they are enveloped by the mysterious filaments. This process is not limited to Washington; all around the world, the same transformation is taking place. Humans and monsters alike, nothing and no one is spared.
I walk towards the divine tree towering majestically towards the sky. Rising into the air, I position myself in front of the fruit forming. Yumi joins me shortly after, and together, we silently observe the maturation process. The once noisy world is now plunged into an eerie silence.
I watched her silently for four long hours, until Yumi finally broke the silence. "It's ready," she simply announced.
"I see," I replied, stepping towards the fruit the size of a football pulsating gently. With a confident gesture, I plucked it from the divine tree, feeling the power emanating from it under my fingers.
The fruit was identical to my memories, the only difference being that its color leaned much more towards black than the usual red, but none of it mattered.
I stared at the fruit for a moment before slowly bringing it to my mouth. Taking a first bite, I couldn't help but grimace in disgust.
"Yuck," I reacted spontaneously. "This really tastes like crap," I added, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "Should have expected that, well, let's not waste any time."
I started eating the fruit in its entirety, while Yumi watched the scene with a smirk. Once the last bite was swallowed, I wiped my mouth once again.
"I've eaten it all, what happens now..."
Beep... beep...
A sudden pain shot through me, and I instinctively brought my hand to my stomach, more precisely to where my heart was. The beats became more and more intense, preventing me from even finishing my sentence or asking what was happening to me.
'Damn, what the hell is this,' I thought, casting a glance at Yumi, but all I got in return was a wicked smile. My vision started to blur, the world around me becoming fuzzy.
'It hurts, damn' was my last thought before everything tipped into darkness.
************
Yumi watched as Akira writhed in pain, suspended in the air. Even when he lost consciousness, his body remained levitating. The beats intensified even more before abruptly stopping, causing a burst of pure energy. This clashed with Yumi's energy shield.
"It's already impressive that you managed to defeat Kinshiki, but the energy you possess is even more remarkable," Yumi said. "I should probably kill you now..." She paused. "But I'm so eager to see what kind of monster you will become that I can't bring myself to eliminate you," she added, an unsettling smile lighting up her face.
As she reached out towards Akira, the scattered energy suddenly was drawn towards him like a magnet, forcing Yumi to step back. The energy swirled around his body, forming a sparkling cocoon. The sword forged from Belthegus's heart, which had been trembling until then, stopped as soon as the cocoon formed.
"Well... I guess his evolution has begun," murmured Yumi, contemplating the energy cocoon.
Time seemed to freeze in this devastated landscape. Perched on a branch of the divine tree, Yumi gazed at the horizon, Akira's sword resting on her knees. The silence was only broken by the wind's breath, until...
Crack... crack...
She sharply turned her head towards the energy cocoon enclosing Akira. Cracks began to snake across its surface, multiplying rapidly until it covered him entirely. A few seconds later...
Click...
The cocoon exploded in a rain of fragments, revealing a transformed silhouette. Akira's hair, now of impressive length, cascaded down to his waist. His appearance had become more refined, elegant, almost androgynous. Two majestic horns had sprouted on his forehead, gracefully curving back towards the crown of his head.
The aura emanating from him was overwhelming, divine. For the first time in her existence, Yumi felt what she usually inflicted on others - this sensation of being scrutinized to the depths of her soul. Akira's eyes, of a crystalline blue almost translucent.
In an instant, he materialized in front of her. A silence fell, until Akira broke it with a smile:
"Did I keep you waiting?"
"Not really, I think it's time to go back now," Yumi simply replied, returning his smile.