7 Spear Boy Meets Queen Of Spears

(Cao Cao POV)

"Is it weird that I find the fact that I can beat myself up via a clone is cathartic in a way?" I ask my spear mentally, to which Cato says (Well, one's own worst enemy is often themself, to which I can agree. Sometimes I wish I could beat myself up, but I do not want to wish for injury in case I had to fight in future battles.) Celestine then added ( I would agree with you on that, Cato, but I more often than not like to beat my enemies.)

While thinking this, I have been fighting various wood clones of myself, and my skills have improved by a decent amount over the past two days. My stores of LP have again gone back up to 345,600 LP, to which I then spent 200,000 LP on a basic Telepathy skill. I have been able to gain a handle on it as after buying it, I began to hear random voices from everywhere, but after focusing my mind, I have been able to drown them out.

Luckily, unlike a certain redhead, I do not have a psychic entity in my mind, increasing my psychic abilities to the point where I can't control them, so the process is slowly going, but I am definitely improving. You can't have telekinesis without telepathy. That's like having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without both peanut butter and jelly and now I am hungry.

So, going over to the fire pit I made, I cleaned the ashes using my cleansing magic and then placed some meat I had hunted earlier and began to cook it, to which I then used 5,000 LP for a cooking skill. 

Specifically, I grabbed a cooking skill from that food anime, which I believe was called Food Wars, as I always wanted to see if I could actually cause a foodgasm in the future, and also, it's a defense against Ophis in case she ever comes around. The skill itself only provides me with knowledge of how to cook various things, with the experience itself having to come from my own cooking attempts.

It's one thing to have the knowledge. It's another thing actually to make use of it, but the lowest rank is better than most chefs already, so it is enough for now, and as I level the skill, I will gain access to more knowledge. I have also leveled up in terms of chakra control through constantly checking my surroundings as well as using observational haki, as I have been wary of the huntresses staying around me.

 But considering the fact that I have not seen one of them and I know they would not be able to hide from my senses, they most likely have left and have probably told the council about me. I have not felt any eyes on me, so she must not have told anyone yet, but I am most likely going to have to abandon this place in a couple of days. Luckily, I have improved my sorcery enough so I can open portals nearly instantly if I'm not in combat, so I can easily make a quick escape.

Cato even commented on my growth (Your potential is rather interesting, to say the least as well. It seems not to increase your perception or comprehension. It's like you have no ceiling as most humans have a definitive limit.) Celestine then says ( Hey, I am happy about it as I keep getting to fight someone who keeps getting better. I do not see the problem with this.)

( That is because you are a battle maniac. Don't forget we saw everything you did. Even the times when you began yelling out your moves before attacking.) Cato says mockingly as Celestine comments ( I was going through a phase, you old man! Besides yelling your attacks before you actually do, it is cool. You agree with me, right Cao?)

I decided not to comment for the sake of my sanity as I even had a chunni phase, especially after watching Demon Slayer. Cato simply chuckles as Celestine grumbles, which is rather scary as I'm going to be training with her later, and she may take out her annoyance on me. But I would actually rather her be angry when fighting me as it keeps me improving. Now, I'm able to fight with her for a couple of minutes before she overwhelms me with pure skill.

Speaking of Demon Slayer, maybe I should get a total concentration breathing skill, but that might seem a bit redundant as I don't use a katana to make use of breathing techniques. But then I remembered that one of the characters literally used a ball and chain with breathing techniques, so maybe I should be able to develop my own breathing style.

"Any idea where to head next? I asked the two, to which Cato said ( Well, since we have little option, we should head to the Land of Shadows to meet Queen Scathach as at least there we will die or be able to be trained and be relatively safe from the outside world. Knowing the Greeks, they will let the entire world know about you, so we are going to need to go underground.)

Celestine, in a tone more serious than ever, says ( While I would disagree with this action, even if I wish to meet the queen of the shadows, do be careful and treat her with respect. This is no goddess that has a highly inflated ego. She is a woman who knows how good she is and can back it up. It is the reason that most gods that used to exist in Scotland and Ireland are dead. Regardless, you should be able to survive, given all your skills. But please do be careful.)

Nodding, I finished eating my food and began to erase all traces that I was here, such as cleaning and getting rid of my magic traces. The process takes a couple of minutes, and during the process, I added a new defensive skill, instant death defense for 100,000 LP, leaving me nearly empty. 

So, opening a portal to the location where the land of shadows meets the material world, I step through and immediately feel intense bloodlust and battle intent, which, while fueling my mental resistance, is but another weight on my shoulders.

Currently, the point of entry is on a far-off island off the coast of Scotland and only opens when the moon is at its peak, so I set up camp with the howls of monsters and shadows near me. I did not let them get to me as I began to meditate to calm my mind and increase my fortitude for the times to come. And so the hours began to pass as the darkness seemed to encroach upon me with each passing second.

And then, from the encroaching shadows, a door appeared, beckoning me to go through it, and after using the 43,200 LP I gained during the 6-hour wait to increase my regen to the next rank of C, which should help with healing if my limbs end up getting limbs cut off. 

Now, I had 20,000 LP left, and with that storage, I walked through the door. I saw a land stuck in eternal darkness, with the only light being a moon covered by overcast clouds. The very air here reeks of death quite literally as it smells like dried blood and guts, and as I spread my observational haki across my max distance of a couple of miles and upon a large mountain, I saw the shadows of a large castle in the distance to which I assumed was Scathach's domain.

So, gripping my Longinus closely, I began to trek up the mountain, which had a large spiraling staircase, kind of like the stairs that led to High Hrothgar in Skyrim, and taking the path, large shadows began to approach me in tides of pure blackness. But using my spear, I channel the holy light within it to ward them off, and so a small light forms in the dark as I begin to climb the mountain.

(Scathach POV)

It seems that another man has wandered into my domain. I wonder if he is here to learn or to die at my hands or at the tip of my Gae Bulg, but I would assume the former as that is what all have wanted.

 To learn from me or bed me or both. And it seems to be the user of the Spear Of Longinus that brings back memories of a better time. I have only seen that spear but once, and its user was rather lackluster, to say the least, as he was simply a man who heard of my reputation and sought to conquer me.

But I am a queen, and we do not bow without meeting a proper challenge, so as I got off my bed, I placed my battle gear on, grabbed Gae Bulg Alternative and a normal spear, and walked to the throne room as this will be one of the few times I actually feel somewhat interested. I do wonder if this person is the one that is going to kill me.

As I entered the throne room and saw the cuts and cracks along the walls from prior battles, I sat upon the throne and waited for my newest entertainment. I do hope that this child is more interesting than the others. He is definitely the youngest to enter here other than Cu and Connla, but that is what makes this more interesting. Holding Gae Bulg across my legs, I began to clean it as I saw him approach from my connection to the land of shadows.

In my time as the queen of this place, I have formed an innate connection as there's not one place in this pocket Dimension that I do not know. I have traveled from end to end and seen the moon remain in the sky for thousands of years. I do wonder if anything has improved on the outside as I am unable to look due to the wards in place installed by the various gods that entrapped me here.

It's almost funny that with all of my knowledge and skill, I still ended up trapped alone like that woman Calypso on her island. But unlike her, I am not fated to meet those I will fall in love with but those who will simply continue to fail me. Is there not one who lives that can challenge me?

Sighing, I felt the boy enter the castle. As he cut a swath through the shadows, his light was snuffed the closer he went to this place, and as I watched him, I saw his spearmanship. While it was average, he was definitely taught by someone. But during the fight, I saw him improve over time as the shadows all represent warriors I have killed in the past, along with others who sought to learn from me.

His movement became smoother, and his strikes deadlier as with each opponent he slayed. I saw him improve, and a smile began to form under my mask and shawl as my mind began to feel a small amount of excitement. Even though he wielded that spear, he had not used any of its abilities other than its holy light and extension abilities. He is definitely a skillful fighter, but I do wonder how he is able to dodge so many strikes as if he can see them coming before they are even near him.

So many mysteries, but I have the time to figure them all out, and based on his looks, he will definitely grow up to be a lady killer in the future, even if he does not know that. A small amount of mirth enters me as I imagine teasing the child and seeing his expressions, which only increases my impatience, but for now, seeing his progress, he shall arrive soon enough.

(Cao Cao POV)

Shades are not great conversationalists, as all they seem to do is shriek and moan in a rather annoying way, with all but a faded guttural voice being heard from some. Luckily, they are not very powerful individually, at least, but in waves, they are very annoying. Regardless, I have made it to the throne room. Based on the fact that it is covered in scratches and blood.

So, placing both of my hands on the door, I pushed them open and saw her. Wow, I have seen her in Fate, but damn, I can see where most players developed a sensei fetish. Regardless, I do not stare and simply approach the middle of the room, get on one knee, and say, "I greet the Queen Of Shadows, God Slayer, and Instructor of Cu Chulainn and Connla, and I have come to bargain."

All she does in response is stare right at me with a dangerous look in her eyes, and all I can think, along with Cato and Celestine, is.

"I am in danger."

(You are in danger.)