Memory Reaper's Ascension - Chapter 145: A strange Encounter (II)

Chapter 145: A strange Encounter (II)

Ishiki felt a cold dread fill his heart. He felt useless and there was this strange voice in the back of his mind that constantly pulled him to stop resisting and give up his body.

He didn’t let the wild thoughts take over his mind and looked at the gorgeous lady in front of him.

The woman smiled at him again. That seductive, knowing smile that promised things Ishiki’s exhausted, wounded, desperate self wanted far more than he should.

’Why do I find her so charming?’ he wondered, recognizing the wrongness of his reaction. ’This isn’t normal attraction.’

But knowing that didn’t make any difference or stop it. Nor did it make his body respond any less or cool the heat in his veins.

His thoughts were becoming more and more slow with each passing second and there was a fog shrouding his rationality.

The woman reached up and began unbuttoning the long shirt she wore.

Slowly… one button at a time. Her eyes never left Ishiki’s face, watching his reaction with obvious amusement.

The first button came undone, revealing the graceful line of her throat.

The second, exposed the magnificent upper curve of her chest.

The third—

Ishiki’s breathing stopped entirely. His mouth went dry and every rational thought fled his mind as more and more of her perfect, impossible body was revealed.

“Wait,” Ishiki managed to croak out, forcing the words past the fog clouding his mind. “What… what are you doing here? Why are you—”

She shrugged the shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the marble floor.

Underneath, she wore nothing.

“Are you another player?” Ishiki called out. “Answer me!”

“A player?” she repeated, her deep voice reverberating through the hall. “Yes I am…”

She took a step closer, eliminating the small distance Ishiki had managed to create when she had backed off. Her naked body pressed against his bare torso again.

“I suppose in a way, I am playing,” she whispered, her lips so close to his ear he could feel them move with each word. “Playing my part to fulfilling my purpose. Just as you’re playing yours, dear boy.”

Her hand moved lower, fingers trailing down past the blood-soaked bandage to rest just above his belt.

Ishiki’s entire body tensed. He could feel his body responding in ways he absolutely could not afford right now.

“Stop,” he gritted out through clenched teeth. “Just… stop. What purpose? What are you talking about?”

The woman pulled back and instead of speaking, she took a step toward the center of the hall.

Ishiki watched with growing dread as she moved and positioned herself near the central pillar, where crimson moonlight fell directly across her bare skin, illuminating her like a spotlight on a stage.

“You should have never come here.”

That was all she said.

’What does that mean?’ He thought desperately, trying to make sense. ’Is she warning me? Threatening me? Or just stating a fact?’

Before Ishiki could make any rational conclusion… a dagger martialized in the lady’s hand.

Ishiki blinked as he looked at the dagger that looked somewhat familiar. It was the common Iron dagger from the store.

’So… she is a player.’ Ishiki’s eyes narrowed. ’But what the hell is she doing…’

Just the next second… without a speck of hesitation, she drove the dagger through her own chest.

“No—!” Ishiki started to shout, but his voice died in his throat.

Blood welled up from the wound, bright crimson against her pale skin. It flowed down her torso in rivulets, dripping onto the floor.

But still the girl didn’t scream… there was no hint of pain on her face whatsoever. Instead that cunning smile never seemed to leave her juicy lips.

Ishiki’s eyes widened as he realized where the blood was going.

It wasn’t pooling beneath her as it should, instead It was flowing across channels carved so faintly into the marble that they had been invisible until liquid filled them.

The streams spread outward from the central pillar toward the five surrounding pillars. Each one connected by hidden channels and receiving her blood like a ritual offering.

’Holy shit! What the hell is she doing.’ Ishiki was left speechless.

Then the lady started to chant something.

The words were utterly incomprehensible. This wasn’t any language he had ever encountered.

A headache exploded in Ishiki’s skull with such force that he thought his head would split open. Pressure built behind his eyes, in his sinuses and throughout his entire head.

He collapsed to his knees, hands clutching at his temples. The bladeless tachi broke into several motes of light as he doubled over, retching violently. His body convulsed, trying to expel his innards.

’What… what is she doing to me?’

Through the haze of agony, he heard a thump.

The woman had collapsed as well, the dagger was still in her chest and Blood continued to flow from the wound, feeding the channels connecting the pillars.

And the pillars were changing too.

Bright crimson luminance erupted from each of the six obsidian structures. This light was darker and deeper than the natural red light of the moon. It was like congealed blood given radiance.

The invisible threads binding Ishiki in place snapped. The fog clouding his thoughts evaporated instantly and the sluggishness in his movements vanished.

His mind cleared with shocking abruptness.

’I was under a compulsion the entire time,’ he realized with horror. ’She was controlling me. Making me unable to move or think clearly.’

Whatever that woman was—it had manipulated him completely. And now it was done with him.

Which meant something far worse was about to happen.

Ishiki threw himself away from the pillars, rolling backward to put as much distance as possible between himself and whatever was about to be unleashed.

Just in time.

The pillars burst.

The obsidian material split apart.

The entire Secondary Ring shuddered as the cathedral came apart. Debris were thrown in all directions. Stone pillars that had stood for centuries crumbled. The vaulted ceiling collapsed inward with a deafening roar.

Every single player stopped in their tracks and looked as the sky was filled with thousands upon thousands of broken rock pieces.