SWNOVELXO Chapter 40: Alone against all I
[ Back to the present ]
Sitting nonchalantly on the edge of an arched window, under a crimson moon, I gazed at the horizon, where the divine tree stood, when suddenly I felt the presence of this woman approaching. Over the past two months, I had not approached her; indeed, I found her interesting, but nothing more.
*knock... knock... knock... knock...*
The footsteps echoed in the dark corridor, their echo reverberating on the walls of cold stone. Each step seemed to bear the weight of a lifetime of sufferings and disillusionments. The figure slowly advancing emerged gradually from the darkness, revealing the woman whose name I did not know.
Her eyes, deep black, seemed to have lost any spark of life. They stared into the void in front of her, as if nothing mattered anymore, as if she had given up all hope long ago. Her diaphanous skin accentuated this spectral impression, giving her an ethereal and melancholic beauty.
Her face expressed nothing. Neither joy, nor sorrow, nor anger. Just an acceptance of her fate, whatever it may be. This total absence of emotion paradoxically gave her a certain mysterious and captivating charm, like a marble statue to which a genius sculptor had breathed a hint of life.
Her steps led her to the end of the long corridor dimly lit by a few flickering torches. She emerged into a vast circular room, whose walls rose endlessly towards an invisible ceiling, like an infinite tower shrouded in darkness.
Following my gaze, she spotted in the distance the titanic silhouette of the divine tree, its top disappearing into the dark skies. She may have never gazed upon such a colossal vegetal giant.
Without even deigning to turn my head, I spoke with a voice as sharp as an icy blade: "What do you want, inferior being?"
She flinched imperceptibly, as if slapped by my contemptuous tone. But she quickly regained her composure and replied in a tone devoid of any emotion:
"I have a name."
A slight smile, both amused and cruel, stretched my pale lips, contrasting with my expressionless face.
"Names hardly matter in my presence."
I slowly opened my eyelids, revealing my blue eyes that seemed to reflect the infinity of this world. My intense gaze settled on her, piercing her to the depths of her soul.
"I may have spared your life, but is that a reason for you to come bother me? What do you seek to achieve?"
She held my gaze without blinking, a glint of defiance briefly shining in her black eyes.
"I did not come to beg for help or pity. I seek... answers. A sense to all of this."
I burst into a joyless laughter that resonated lugubriously between the walls of the tower. Then, becoming serious again, I stood up, slowly approaching her.
"What is your name?"
"Yuki," the woman answered.
"Answers? In this world, there are only endless questions in this cruel and absurd universe. But so be it... Since you have come this far, I consent to listen to you. Speak then, lay out your miserable existence before..."
Yuki took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her scattered and painful memories. Then, in a monotone voice, she asked:
"Who are you? Where do you come from?" Then, tilting her head slightly to the side, she added with curiosity: "But what intrigues me even more, is why me, out of all?"
It had been two months since the tree had been absorbing the vitality of this planet. According to my calculations, I still had another month before the process was completed. I cast a pensive glance towards Yuki, then turned back to where I had been sitting earlier.
I settled comfortably, gazing at the sky, lost in thought. After a moment of silence, I murmured:
"Where should I start?"
And so, nearly two hours passed, absorbed in Akira's story, Yuki lost track of time.
***********
A month had passed since Akira and Yuki had started interacting daily. Time had flown by like the wind. During this period, Yuki had discovered many facets of Akira's complex personality, while he had gradually grown accustomed to the presence of the young girl.
Until the day finally arrived - the day when the chakra fruit was to be harvested. Akira rose into the air, gradually ascending to the top of the divine tree, where the coveted fruit awaited him. The harvest was quick. Akira descended back to Yuki, the fruit in his hands. The young girl's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"So, this is the chakra fruit?" Yuki asked.
"Yes," Akira simply confirmed. He paused before continuing, "As I told you, when you eat it, you evolve into something different from what you were."
As Akira was about to continue his explanation, the space in front of them suddenly tore apart. A dimensional rift appeared. From this opening emerged an Otsutsuki guardian, his imposing presence instantly changing the atmosphere. His eyes first scanned Yuki, then lingered on the chakra fruit, before finally settling on Akira.
"Akira Otsutsuki," declared the guardian in a solemn voice, "you are summoned before the patriarch."
These words furrowed Akira's brow, quickly replaced by an enigmatic smile. He turned to Yuki, whose face betrayed growing worry. With an affectionate gesture, he ruffled her hair.
"Don't make that face," he said with a reassuring smile. He gently placed the fruit in Yuki's hands. "I've had a lot of fun in your company, it's a first in so many years," he added, ready to leave.
"Are you planning to come back?" Yuki's question lingered in the air, filled with contained emotions.
Akira paused for a moment. Without turning back, he continued walking as he replied with a hint of amusement in his voice, "I will return, or maybe not."
What happened next was unexpectedly violent. As Akira passed by the guardian, the latter's body suddenly exploded brutally. Pieces of flesh crashed against the surrounding walls, blood splattering the ground in a gruesome spectacle.
As Akira crossed the threshold of the portal, he spoke his final words to Yuki: "Become someone strong and live your life." The dimensional gate closed, leaving the young girl alone with her thoughts and the divine fruit in her hands.
During his journey through the dimensional space, Akira sensed a subtle movement in the fabric of reality. His instinct signaled to him that something unusual was unfolding. The other end of the portal finally opened, revealing a sight that surpassed anything he could have imagined.
The world that unfolded before his eyes was literally overrun by Otsutsuki. They floated in the sky, their white silhouettes standing out against the horizon. Others stood on the ground, forming a perfect circle around the portal's emergence point. It was a trap, evidently prepared long in advance.
A smile spread across Akira's lips. "You have finally decided, patriarch," he remarked.
The patriarch responded with a voice as sharp as steel: "The threat you pose is too great for the clan." His eyes gleamed with a cold light as he gave his order: "Kill him!"
The attack was simultaneous, hundreds of Otsutsuki rushing towards Akira. Yet, the smile on his face never wavered. Eyes closed, in an almost theatrical gesture, he spread his arms and whispered, "Let the show begin."
In the next instant, he disappeared, materializing in front of the nearest Otsutsuki. With a violent gesture, he tore off the head, inaugurating what would become a legendary battle.