Chapter 5: Chasing Shadow Spirits 1/4

The sensation of flying in the clouds and being lifted up is exactly what the three of them experienced. In fact, that was how the teleportation technique worked.

Then after a few moments of experiencing that sensation, the three of them had moved from a narrow alley to an abandoned hospital.

Tiwaz Re used the teleportation technique to move to the place he had locked together with Etzell and Melissa. The three of them were going to an abandoned hospital where many shadow-type spirits roamed.

Tiwaz Re had locked the place last night and he intended to eliminate all the shadow-type spirits there.

One of the proofs that they had moved was that there was a lot of green grass growing around the area, whereas in the narrow alley, there was only a little green grass growing around the walls.

Perhaps because it was still daytime, the atmosphere was still very quiet, and it was quieter than the old building where Etzell destroyed Tiwaz Re's barrier there.

"What's wrong with this? I feel dizzy!" complained Etzell.

"So weak!" quipped Melissa.

"Hahaha, get used to this kind of thing!" said Tiwaz Re with a chuckle.

"Is this the effect of your technique?" asked Etzell.

"Yes, of course. For people who have just experienced it, they will feel a certain effect," Tiwaz Re replied.

Basically, the teleportation technique was based on the speed of light, which was why someone who teleported would feel a sensation like being lifted very high and then return to their consciousness. When they come back to consciousness, there is a possibility that they will experience certain effects according to Tiwaz Re. These effects can include anxiety, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and so on.

Just like other techniques, the teleportation technique used a considerable amount of spirit energy, and the amount of power depended on the level.

"Human, human! They're non elemental technique users!" exclaimed one of the shadow-type spirits when he saw Tiwaz Re, Melissa, and Etzell.

"Kill them!" another one exclaimed.

Usually in the morning like this, the spirits would not act aggressively and hide in buildings that were not inhabited by humans. But when the time was about to show night, they would act aggressively and continue to hunt down humans who could not use elemental techniques.

However, this time is an exception. Because the place where they were hiding was being disturbed, in the end they decided to secure the person who had disturbed them. Especially if that person was a human who could not use elemental techniques, they would act aggressively and intend to kill them outright.

Realizing that there were several humans around them, shadowy spirit types began to come out of the hospital building and surrounded the three of them.

A black figure with empty eyes, that was the true form of the shadow-type spirit. They were numerous and formed a circle to surround Tiwaz Re, Melissa, and Etzell.

"What the hell?!" said Etzell in surprise.

"I didn't expect this many, are you crazy?! Tiwaz Re!" snapped Melissa.

"I think I'm going to die soon. Thank you, mom and dad, I can finally catch up with you!" continued Etzell.

"Take it easy! You can trust me, Etzell!"

Seeing Etzell who was in despair, Tiwaz Re began to calm him down.

"You're so bad, Tiwaz Re!" complained Melissa.

"Hahaha! What else can you do?" Tiwaz Re replied with a laugh.

"Don't laugh, look at the situation now! Anyone would feel scared if surrounded by horrible creatures like them!" protested Melissa.

Satisfied with laughing, Tiwaz Re now had a different expression than before.

"Yeah, let's get serious. Listen, Etzell! Hunt or be hunted, that's the only choice for humans who can see spirits now," said Tiwaz Re.

"I-I understand! But I'm still too weak to hunt," Etzell replied.

"Sorry, Etzell! This is indeed my fault. Actually, by erasing your memories before seeing the spirits, there is a possibility that you won't have to choose between them. However, that possibility is getting smaller as the final evolution of humans grows. So in the end, humans who can see spirits in this day and age will be indispensable for protecting humans who cannot see spirits," Tiwaz Re explained.

"If you are unable to do either, then your life will soon end because of that doubt," he continued.

"S-so huh? So they can also attack ordinary humans?" Etzell asked.

"Yes, they can attack ordinary humans. But since they are considered useless, most spirits decide not to attack them," Tiwaz Re replied.

"Keep talking until we get attacked!" interrupted Melissa.

Melissa realized the movement of the shadow-type spirit that began to turn some of his body shadows into sharp weapons, that's why she warned Tiwaz Re.

Even though the three of them had not been in this abandoned hospital for five minutes, the shadow-type spirits were quickly surrounding them with murderous intent.

"Yes, I understand. Now follow my plan! Melissa, you take care of the spirits who seem to be attacking Etzell! As for Etzell, please just shut up and watch, maybe you'll learn a lot from this incident! And I myself will take care of all of them from the farthest," Tiwaz Re ordered.

"Okay!" replied Melissa.

"Fine, I understand!" said Etzell firmly.

Melissa was ordered to take care of the spirits who wanted to attack Etzell alone, while Etzell himself was only told to stay and watch while learning something. As for Tiwaz Re, he would take care of all the spirits that were far away from where the three of them were.

Due to the almost countless number of shadow-type spirits, Tiwaz Re decided to make such a plan.

"Shadow Cloak: Level 1!"

"Chain Slash: Level 2!"

"Woah! How cool!"

The battle began, Tiwaz Re used Shadow Cloak: Level 1 to cover his body with a shadow cloak, and Etzell who saw it was amazed at Tiwaz Re. As for Melissa, she used Chain Slash: Level 2 to protect Etzell. As for Etzell himself, he just stood by and watched as Tiwaz Re ordered him to.

The shadow-type spirits began to throw their attacks at the three of them, including Etzell. All forms of sharp objects such as knives, swords, arrows, scratches, and so on were aimed at the three of them.

"AAA!!! I'M DEAD!" Etzell shouted in panic.

"Melissa," Tiwaz Re called out casually.

"Useless!" shouted Melissa.

TING! SLASH!

Melissa managed to deflect all incoming attacks and protected Tiwaz Re and Etzell. Because the attacks were in the form of shadows, so everything just disappeared after being parried by Chain Slash.

"Thank you, Melissa!"

"Save that for later! Chain Slash: Level 3!"

Intending to counterattack, Melissa raised her Chain Slash technique to level 3 and extended her chain at several shadow-type spirits. After that, she widened the chain and managed to bind them all.

When some of them forced themselves to move and escape, they were instantly torn apart. And soon they began to slowly disappear just as Naste had yesterday, in short those who did so would surely die.

Even though the spirits were of the shadow type, they still couldn't break through Melissa's chain. That was because Chain Slash: Level 3 had a binding effect that could split anything if something inside moved, either consciously or unconsciously.

Realizing that some of them were already dead from forcing their way out, the remaining shadow-type spirits just stood still and resigned themselves to Melissa's technique.

"Good job, Melissa! Now it's my turn!"

As if not to be outdone, Tiwaz Re began his attack using the Shadow Cloak technique: Level 1. With his shadow cloak, he managed to make most of them fall stiffly silent.

The Shadow Cloak technique: Level 1 can hold the shadow of something and make it immobile through an intermediary, such as the shadow cloak created by Tiwaz Re himself.

"They're immobilized!" exclaimed Etzell.

"Yes, because they are weak during the day. They forced themselves to attack us in the morning just because they were disturbed," said Tiwaz Re.

"So you're saying we're at an advantage here?" asked Etzell.

"Something like that," Tiwaz Re replied briefly.

"Shadow Cloak: Level 2!"

Deciding to increase his power, Tiwaz Re raised his Shadow Cloak technique to level 2 so that he could reach out to all shadow-type spirits and make them unable to move.

"You can let them go, Melissa!" ordered Tiwaz Re.

"Okay!"

Ordered to release her Chain Slash, Melissa did so.

"This is too easy," said Tiwaz Re.

The battle was unbalanced as Tiwaz Re easily kept them all immobilized. With results like that, Tiwaz Re could easily defeat all the shadow-type spirits with just one attack, namely by using the Shadow Cloak technique: Level 5 as before.

"Shadow Clo-..."

"Tiwaz Re, above you!" exclaimed Melissa.

Just as Tiwaz Re was about to finish them all off, reinforcements suddenly came from another type of spirit.

Looking up as Melissa said, Tiwaz Re and Etzell saw a spirit in human form and wearing a mask, the figure stood right on the hospital fence.

"Loke Naste, I didn't expect him to lose, maybe he really regrets it. And I, Loke Santral, will avenge him," said the figure who introduced himself as Loke Santral.

Right after he introduced himself, Tiwaz Re's Shadow Cloak technique simply disappeared including his shadow cloak. That allowed the shadow-type spirits to move again.

"Wh-why?! Who is he?" asked Etzell.

"Did you expect this, Tiwaz Re?" Melissa also asked.

When asked by the two of them, Tiwaz Re just silently looked at Loke Santral.

"So you're an technique neutralizer type, Santral?"

"How dare lowly creatures like you enter our lair!"

"No, it's not like that. I think you are the ones who have entered the human world and made a mess."

"As you wish, I will kill all of you here."

"It's a little inconvenient, but I'll beat you."

After a short conversation between Tiwaz Re and Loke Santral, everyone in the abandoned hospital fell silent and stared at each other.

"What happened?" muttered Etzell.

Seeing the events that Etzell could not understand, he could only mumble and ask himself.

"How did you defeat it?" asked Melissa.

"That type of spirit is a technique neutralizer, where any technique won't work on them," Tiwaz Re replied.

"Yes, I know! Masked spirits, haven't we never met them before?" asked Melissa again.

"Take it easy, there's only one type of neutralizing technique here. I'll take care of all this!" replied Tiwaz Re.

"Hey, Tiwaz Re! Look beside us! Why are there so many masked people?!" asked Etzell in confusion.

Just when Tiwaz Re was sure that there was only one type of technical neutralizer, Etzell suddenly interrupted and asked Tiwaz Re about the many masked people beside him.