42 Chapter 42: Sanctuary (5)
Chapter 42: Sanctuary (5)
~Mash B. POV~
Using my Gamer Ring I can easily conjure a portal directly inside the tomb with ease. I might have Echidna around to help appease Beatrice as well as have some help in the future.
I had to weigh the pros and cons of her. And I'm leaning towards cons already killing her but not yet… not with Life Sword Zeam in their territory with the other witches that's plain suicidal.
Granted helping her is extremely bad but… no wait it's still bad no matter what I do. I highly doubt she'll allow me to kill her friends so I can fill up my [Unseen Hand] skill. But before that, I kind of need her blood or bodily fluid tea to synchronize my Witch Factor.
[<Indomitable Spirit> LEVEL UP!]
Like that. Yeah, need that if that skill is leveling up. Doesn't help when I use my [Unseen Hands] it levels up with it keeping my sanity in check. Or my soul doesn't break on me from my canon knowledge…
Luckily, I have a solution for this dilemma I'm in. That is meet a witch, right? It sounds simple saying it doing it… not so much.
It's not impossible but that carries a lot of risk. Remembering my knowledge about this barrier was created by Echidna that prevents halves from going through it.
Any halves that come close to it start to lose consciousness and feel as if their existence is being disturbed even if someone takes an unconscious half that has crossed the barrier, they will never awake outside the barrier as their spirit is trapped within it.
The barrier checks the blood of those that go near it and only affects those it determines as half-bloods it also causes those who are not permitted to enter the Sanctuary to get lost...
Showing my Gamer Ring, however, I don't think that rule applies. Using its power, I began to open up a portal using the kaleidoscope easily shattering a hole to the entrance of the Sanctuary's most guarded secret… well except for a loli crystal and Echidna body.
*Shiii*
The graveyard and tomb of the Witch of Greed Echidna… I guess this is perfect then for me since Garfiel won't notice to look inside the tomb if an intruder is here. Although I would eventually have to meet up with the guy.
Not because I want to mind you but because he hates my guts. My thoughts go to Beatrice for what I'm about to do considering some things… yet I shook it off. The poor girl already believes her mother is gone and lets sleeping dogs lay to rest.
Inhaling and exhaling releasing a sigh I entered inside the tomb.
*Tmp*
Taking off my Gamer Ring closing the portal I entered inside the tomb. And with a lift of my foot taking a step I crossed the invisible line between the seller area and the outside and the inside and felt my foot sink into the floor.
With my foot, my body was dragged into and I felt myself fall. And while falling, I felt my consciousness slowly start to dull before I soon blacked out… but not before I read a notification pop up.
[Ding!]
[Due to your Witch Factor of Sloth, you have gained access to be invited!]
/////
Upon seeing the notification my ears perked up to an unknown voice calling out to me in a surprised tone, "Oh? You're an interesting one, aren't you? You're invited to the tea party, congratulations."
Hearing a mature woman's voice, I opened my eyes and found myself to be sitting down. In front of me was a table covered by the shade of an umbrella above it and a woman sitting calmly on the other end.
A woman with barely exposed skin was porcelain-like and pure white, so white that it seemed any semblance of color had been completely bleached from her existence her black eyes shone with intellect and were the only part of the woman that looked alive, and her long straight hair reached down to her back and was as white as her skin. and a black butterfly hairpin.
The only parts of her body that were visible were her head, neck, and hands, as the rest of her figure was wrapped in clothing most of the time and the contrast between her black clothing and the whiteness of her skin helped express her striking beauty.
[Observe].
[Echidna Lv.? Witch of Greed]
Chuckling Echinda leaned in on purpose showcasing her curves and smiled cheekily showing off, "Oh my? Do you perhaps like what you see?"
Welp. It's not every day I get to troll a witch.
Trying to do Lloyd Frontera's expression of disgust using my [Healing Magic] to control my facial expressions before letting it level out at a deep frown.
That seems to get her attention noticing my expression not even flinching as she lets out a pout before leaning across the whole table and looking me straight in the eyes yelling, "I said! Do you like what you see!"
Leaning back in my chair giving her a good look over. What can I say free eye candy she's offering me is one I'll take especially with her curves.
Sighing, I leaned back before giving her a look of pity replying, "Sigh… sorry but I don't stick my dick in crazy."
Echidna for her part blinked before she made an outburst leaning back in her chair and letting out a sigh before muttering, "Huh? What are you impotent?! I may not care much about my body but as a woman, this hurts me! Are you gay or something?"
Huh? Never knew that a witch could feel offended by her looks. But remaining unfazed I tapped the table in front of me before taking notice of something important here, "Say where is the tea? I thought this was a tea party?"
Making a confused face, she then made a look of realization before slamming her fist on the top of her palm. She then looked towards me before sticking out her tongue and tapping the side of her head with her fist acting cute, "Oh! I kind of forgot my bad tehe?"
I don't believe that for a fucking second. Unless you're Aqua from Konosuba you can't be that incompetent.
*Snap*
*Thud*
Snapping her fingers, two cups appeared on both sides of the table. She then picked up her cup and calmly took a sip before looking towards me in expectation, "To start the tea party, you must also take a sip."
My gaze lingered on the cup of tea in front of me. It looked so innocent like nothing wrong could come from it. But I knew what the hell it's made out of… or I dared to see the truth.
[Observe].
----
Item: Echidna's Tea
Rarity Item: SSS
Type: Food…?
Description: A tea created out of bodily fluids by the Witch of Greed Echidna. When consumed helps stabilize the Witch Factor and synchronize with the host enabling it to summon greater power of an [Authority] easily without the risk of losing oneself strengthening your soul.
----
Yeah… I figured as much. Welp time to pull a Gionoro drinking tea like a Chad.
Reaching towards the cup I proceeded to bring it up and stared at the liquid menacingly. I with my willpower and no hesitation at all drank every bit of it before calmly placing the cup on the table like nothing ever happened.
Echidna noticing this let out a blush before looking to the side muttering loudly drinking her tea like nobody's business, "I – I never saw s-someone drink my b – bodily f – fluids so c – calmly and bold…"
[Ding!]
[Due to drinking [Echidna's tea] the Witch Factor for Sloth has stabilized!]
[<Unseen Hands> Improved Update!]
[The user can summon up to 20 [Unseen Hands]!]
Huh. Didn't think I gained improvements in my skill [Unseen Hands] drinking tea. Maybe killing her is too bad of an idea unless I can use her to farm my skill.
Yes. I could farm her drinking her fluids for the grind. Nothing else than that. All for the grind. But I already made my choice.
But moving on she then looked towards me again with a neutral expression still on my face and noticed my lack of reaction and let out a sigh of disappointment pouting, "Yeesh, I wanted to at least see you get flustered. But I guess nothing ever fazes you huh?"
I then looked directly into her eyes before expressing a bitter smile leaning forward at the table and replying in a sarcastic tone, "Sorry, I'm just an extremely terrible people person. It's just terrible for both of us to meet and talk having zero social skills."
Echidna merely raised an eyebrow at my words as I continued propping my chin with my hands in an almost tired tone, "Well, we should probably straight get to the point, right? I'm guessing you also hate wasting your time on pointless projects, correct?"
Sipping on the last of her tea, she places down the empty cup before sitting straight in her chair with an exact emotionless tone and face meeting my gaze, "To get straight to the point, you are someone who also seeks out knowledge. So, in return for any question, you ask with me being able to answer it, I will also get a question in return along with said answer."
Cracking my neck, I replied in a simple tone agreeing to her terms, "Simple enough. So, who goes first?"
*Snap*
Snapping her fingers, the tea inside our cups refilled as she says before calmly getting a drink from her cup, "Hmmmm, I'll go first. What is your name? That should be a good start, right?"
Welp. The more improvement for my [Unseen Hands] the better. Smiling I took a drink of tea before placing it down replying to her question in a friendly tone, "The name I go by is Mash Bastion."
I then finished all of the tea inside my cup before placing it down on the table responding in a friendly manner, "But I won't ask for yours Echinda I already know. I don't want to waste this chance on stupid questions."
[Ding!]
[Due to drinking [Echidna's tea] the Witch Factor for Sloth has stabilized!]
[<Unseen Hands> Improved update!]
[The user can summon up to 30 [Unseen Hands]!]
She sighed drinking a bit more of her tea and gesturing to her hand to continue, "I guess we do think the same how very… unpleasant. I suppose to so your turn now?"
When finally given the chance, I recalled what I read from the Forbidden Library. It explained everything it could about Mana and other theories except for a few details that I'm lacking to grasp. How to use my own Life Force energy or in this world terms how to manipulate my Od.
Inhaling and exhaling I asked my question in a serious tone getting her attention at my question with a surprised look on her face, "How can I manipulate my life energy known as Od inside my body?"
Going silent she stared at me with full seriousness as she asked in a serious tone, "How did you know about that?"
Smirking at this I figured this world had a means to use Od. It just seemed to be the case here with Mana being a thing then something like Od or in other media names in different series named Chakra, Ki, or Chi fits this term the best.
Since it wasn't shown in the anime or novels, I doubt it would make its appearance. But I had to be sure. And Echidna's reaction just now sold me entirely that Ki does exist and the means to manipulate it.
The method does exist. Or at least a starting theory but combined with my knowledge it could very well be the truth.
If there's one person in the world who can use or figure this out it would be the Witch of Greed because of her greedy nature to understand the world. I mean she managed to create the clones of Ryuzu by making fake Od cores for them.
Then it comes to reason she knows how to manipulate them… in theory at least. I'll need it so that I can use Magic in worlds that don't have magic since Od can create a separate world of their own.
After all, in worlds without Magic to refuel me the next best thing would be to learn how to manipulate my Od. Od is always my world that's separate from other worlds meaning I can always be at my best without any world laws interfering with my Od world. That's an advantage I need to grasp.
