The Shadows Speak

Circi

By Mother's Grace, did I mention how bullshit cultivation is? No? Well it is. It's such a broken ability that it's not even funny. The crazy thing is I'm not even referring to the verse we currently inhabit. I am referring to Mother's library on different cultivation worlds and verses that she has collected knowledge about in the past.

I believe she referred to them as manhua, a form of Chinese manga or comic that would depict the story of the one blessed by their universe. The reason why I say that cultivation is bullshit in every universe except this one, is because these cultivators quite literally create universes in their own spiritual bodies. All by meditating and reaching breakthroughs using a variety of techniques created by themselves or by 'miraculous opportunities'. 

Suffice to say, I don't believe that any of us currently have the capability to cultivate, that doesn't mean I can't try to research a way to make magical equivalents. It may be a fruitless endeavor however, at least until we are done with what we need to do. Speaking of which, the Chinese pantheon are technically just a bunch of cultivators that reached godhood. Although their cultivation isn't nearly as powerful as the place I was reading about.

Their entire pantheon can be taken out by Lucifer or Yahweh alone. There was plenty of evidence in the past of them trying to gather 'pearl beauties' aka them being horny for any women that looked even remotely good, supernatural or not. Then they were forced into isolation since they caused a bad reputation with almost every single patheon. At least the gods did, the goddesses were similar, but are in weird positions across the various worlds here. 

That alone is too much to unpack that it could be a story for another time. I have been assisting Sebastian with researching further into information he gathers on each pantheon in real time. I have finished learning everything I could from the Norse much faster than I originally anticipated. Having the same thirst for knowledge has been a blessing in disguise when it comes to learning new things.

I took a deep breath and stood up from my desk in my lab. It's funny thinking about how the Chinese pantheon was isolated, since the Greek/Roman pantheon did similar things. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades being prime examples. The difference being, they don't try to dip their hands into the territory of other pantheons. They kept to themselves for the most part. At least lately. 

We seem to have an alternate version of some of the gods, so many of the notes from Mother about the 'original' version of this universe will have to be updated. A prime example of what has been discovered more recently, outside of Loki not being a god, but a goddess, is the fact that Zeus has decided to permanently become a goddess. She is still just as freaky as the normal Zeus, but prefers to ride, rather than taking the driver seat. 

Sexual preferences of the leader of the Greek/Roman pantheon aside, I needed to continue my research on growth weapons. Sacred gears were a more recent invention of Yahweh. However, they had Ddraig and Albion sealed up for a longtime, before finally creating their sacred gears. None of us have figured out the exact time frame of when their gears were made, but no wielders for them have been discovered yet. 

We still have yet to find any sacred gear wielders at all, so I couldn't even study one if I wanted to. There were probably hundreds of sacred gears on hold. Yahweh most likely decided to not let any be used due to the war. Azazel's notes on the subject are barren as well, even though he made a subpar enchanted weapon that he masqueraded as an artificial sacred gear. Miss Jane and Jess' growth weapons were 100x better than whatever the trash he came up with. It wouldn't surprise me if they could make something better than what Yahweh came up with. 

Speaking of which, Mother was working with Miss Jess and Jane on another weapon in hopes to make something that mimics the potential of Levi's, if not be better. I might as well take a look at the progress since this weapon would be for Kuroko, he has been an extremely useful bodyguard, and became a close companion. His potential alone was just below me and my siblings, surpassing all but Levi's main servant Bob. I really wish that Levi was more original when it came to names, but it is what it is. 

Kuroko

From the moment that I was named by Master Circi. Until now, I have been eternally grateful. One thing that I have come to understand as I have done further research. The symbol that was etched onto my arm that had an image of Master Circi wielding a scythe, represented death. The tattoo was also wearing a jester mask. A detail that didn't show until more recently. I was Master's Jester Of Death.

I wasn't much of a jokester, nor was I very mischievous, so I didn't understand the title of Jester. I guess I will discover it with time. For now I needed to wait patiently for The Creator and their lovers to finish working on the item they were creating. I had no idea what it was for, but according to them, my magical signature, and the shadow dragon that I defeated recently while doing some locational research with Master Circi, was an amazing catalyst. 

I could feel a ripple of power with each movement The Creator made within the forge. They were doing the final touches, and Miss Jane and Jess were sitting beside them, assisting when needed. Each strike of their hammer caused shadows to ripple across the entire room. Each pulse of magic would have been felt throughout the entire base if it weren't for the barrier that Miss Jess erected. 

By the time that Master Circi sat beside me on the bench a distance away, the entire room started to shake. Darkness encompassed the entire room. If it weren't for the flames of the forge, and the magic light nearby, even night vision would not be able to see the object that is currently floating in the room. 

The object was a necklace that was pitch black in color, with an image of a silver figure holding a blood red gem in the center. The gem itself was being held by the image of The Creator. This item, it was calling to me. Not verbally per se, but I could feel it calling to me from the depths of my soul. So I flew over to it and reached out unconsciously. 

"KUROKO!" I could barely register my Master's call before all I could feel was pure, unfiltered, POWER! 

Jess

The boy was interesting. His magic naturally inclined to shadows and death from the moment that he was named by Circi. It only grew stronger and stronger as time went on. Now at this moment, if it weren't for Mark, I might have felt a bit uncomfortable from the amount of power that necklace we created radiated. I have also never seen Circi as worried as she was now. 

She cared for the boy as if he were her own child, strangely enough. Jane noticed it too, and we started to treat Kuroko like our first grandchild. Perhaps that was the true reason that Mark decided to have Kuroko be the first one to obtain a growth item after Levi. The process itself could be replicated, but we required a very powerful catalyst if we wanted it to reach the standard that Tammy set. 

That's besides the point though, The darkness of the room receded the moment Kuroko put on the necklace. Circi was shivering with worry though, since he could barely register her words, still taking in the influx of power. 

"I am fine Master Circi, just surprised by the new power I am feeling. I don't think The Creator would allow something to harm me in their presence." While that did reassure Circi, it was surprising to hear that type of confidence in them not being harmed. It was a good thing though.

"While that may be well and good, don't scare me like that. I thought you let the power take control. Regardless, what can it do? Are you able to tell?" I felt a shiver when I looked to my left and saw Mark's eyes shine so bright that it was as if the room wasn't encapsulated with darkness just moments ago. 

"From what I can understand, the initial abilities are two. One allows me to have vast control over shadows, to the point that I can teleport using them, or utilize shadow magic at a level beyond mastery. The second allows me to raise enemies I defeat as undead soldiers that can grow stronger and rank up past the level they were when they were alive." Before anyone could react, Mark shifted in front of Kuroko, moved him onto a bench, and shifted Circi beside him, before moving me and Jane next nearby. 

"Do you think it would work on any species? Or is there a limit of some kind? Is it restrained to beings of this universe?" I started to sweat when I saw multiple projections starting to appear with various images of different races and different creatures.

"I don't see any problem with any of them from what I can tell. The only problem I may run into is that they have to be killed by me. They cannot be already dead, or defeated for me." They focused on one projection, dismissed the rest, and enlarged it to show Kuroko after he finished with his statement.

"Would you be able to raise this? Levi and Bob are able to fish them up from the swamp a distance away from here." They were showing off a Pokemon strangely enough.

"I shouldn't have any issues with that. Is this a type of dragon?" The Creator just nodded at Kuroko, and teleported us to just outside the swamp. Jane must have messaged Levi earlier, since her and Bob were already here. 

Kuroko

Of all the things, I wasn't expecting to come to the swamp right after accepting the growth item that was made for me. It didn't have a name at the moment, but I will name it after some time, if it didn't already have one. Madam Levi decided to fish herself and Bob stood nearby. The Creator, Miss Jane and Jess, and Master Circi stood on the side nearby. I was standing in a bit of an open area that Madam Levi will drag the Pokemon to so I could fight it. 

It wasn't long before it was fished up and tossed in my direction.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAR" The bluish, purple dragon, with a golden highlight on the tip of its head, spikes on its body, and missile shaped ears, flew towards my direction.

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