Chapter 34: Entering the Thunder Mountain Ruins
Finally, it was time for the true beginning of the Thunder Mountain Hunt.
The entrance of the Thunder Mountain Ruins stood tall at the peak of the mountain. It was a simply designed, several meters tall door frame, with no actual doors to open. In its stead, was a familiar looking black abyss. It was a Void Portal.
With all preparations set, there was no hesitation as people began to line up in one long singular row. One by one, people disappeared into that world of darkness to face whatever lied beyond.
Eventually, it was Uncle Kil's turn, but before he went, he gave a few words words of "comfort". "Alright men, stupid Nephew and the little lass. All I ask, is that you don't get kicked out with your bare ass flashing and your face a teary mess, good luck!"
With a boisterous laugh and a large grin, Uncle Kil leaped into the Void Portal, leaving everyone who heard him standing with wry smiles at his vulgar words.
With a long sigh, Jonathan stood up to enter next while shaking his head. After giving his soldier's some true words of inspiration, he then turned to speak to the little kitten. "Good luck, little lass. While this 'Blessing of the God's' has only ever had a few casualties, you still need to be careful! The 'Calling Bell' around your neck won't be able to alert me if anything goes wrong!"
"Meow!" The little kitten responded with a resolute meow.
"Hehe, as confident as ever, huh?" Jonathan sighed . "Then all I can say is be careful."
And with that, Jonathan joined in his Uncle's wake and entered the Void Portal with a step.
Finally, it was the little kitten's turn, but as she walked up to the portal, she couldn't help but shiver as she got closer to it. 'Do I really have to experience that again?...'
After a few seconds of hesitation, the little kitten finally shook her head furiously to wake her from her stupor, and with gritted teeth, took a step forward!...
★★★
"Uuuugh!"
The little kitten awakes to find herself feeling a horrible case of nausea. Everything in her sight is spinning and she has to struggle to not puke out her last meal. This carries on for several seconds before she finally gains some sense of baring.
'W-where am I?' The little kitten groaned in anguish, her small head wobbling as she tried to gain footing. '...And, h-how did I get here?...'
The little kitten took this time as she was recovering to examine her surroundings intently, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Pushing through the nausea, she found that she was in a world of pure whiteness. There was nothing to note except, strangely, the fact that the floor acted as a mirror, reflecting her small silver frame back at her.
'Well, I look as cute as always...' The little kitten flaunted brazenly. '...But that aside, I'm starting to remember things now... If I'm not wrong, I should be inside the Thunder Mountain Ruins!'
The little kitten took a seated position as she continued to study her surroundings after her revelation. 'So... Is this it, just a world of white? First the darkness of the void, now I'm being blinded by a world of white... I'm starting to miss colour, even my own fur is monochrome...'
The little kitten faced downwards to face her reflection and saw her dim greenish-red eyes staring back at her. 'At least I have my eyes! Wow, they really accentuate my features!'
As the little kitten was admiring her 'beauty', a sudden loud, sharp and highly amused laughter broke her out of her moment, even making her jump a few inches off the floor in her fright.
"Kekeke!!" The laughter sounded, grinding her ears and bringing the little kitten's attention to its source.
What she saw amazed her, as in front of her was a translucent monkey-like beast that looked somewhat humanoid, yet had short red fur. Its red eyes were squinted in mischief and its irritating laugh seemingly never ending.
'Whose this freak?!' The little kitten exclaimed in thought as her front body lowered in a battle stance. She would look menacing if not for her cute appearance of a small, 2-3 month old kitten.
"Hey, how rude! Who you calling a freak, freak!" The monkey-like beast reprimand, its mouth bloating up in its anger.
'T-the freak read my mind, it really is a freak!' The little kitten's eyes bulged in terror.
"Hey, hey! I'll bully you, I'll bully you dead!" The monkey-like beast warned with an exasperated expression as it pointed shakily at her.
'W-who are you?!' The little kitten demanded, baring her teeth as a threat.
"Kekeke, are you trying to threaten me, puny cat?" The monkey-like beast's anger dissipated in an instant and began to snicker. "What a typical Magical Beast from the Feline Family!"
'Huh? Feline Family?' The little kitten queried. 'A-And who are you calling puny, freak!'
"You don't even know about the Magical Beast Families?... How interesting... Puny cat, let my analyze you a little!" The monkey-like beast's red eyes suddenly lit aglow at this moment in a bright glow.
In response to the monkey-like beast's glowing eyes, the little kitten suddenly had a feeling of deja-vu. She experienced the familiar feeling of an invisible eye prodding her bodies inner workings. It was the same feeling when the Sky Magician's, Hidden Blade and Mist Step had used their conscious eye on her and the rest of them a few days prior. Except, the little kitten could somehow feel that this monkey-like beast could examine her at a much deeper and fundemental level.
'T-This pervert, get your prodding sight out of me!' The little kitten hissed with puffed cheeks.
"Quiet, I need to concentrate!" The monkey-like beast sneered back.
Eventually, the monkey-like beast's glowing red eyes dimmed to its usual luster and an 'o' expression appeared on its face as soon as it did. "How interesting, never would I thought I'd see something like you in this small world!"
'Eh, what's that supped to mean?' The little kitten asked with narrowed eyes.
"Kekeke, like I'd tell you, puny cat!" The monkey-like beast stuck out its tongue, taunting the little kitten.
'Y-' Before the little kitten could growl back, the monkey-like beast spoke once more, interrupting her.
"Okay, okay. Don't get all emotional on me, I'll stop the bullying for a few seconds. Kekeke." The monkey-like beast said with a smirk. "But still, I think its better for you to wait a little longer until you learn more of your origins. There's a reason your knowledge is capped off, after all!"
'Huh? My knowledge is capped off?' The little kitten exhaled. 'What does that mean?'
"Kekeke, you want to know huh?" The monkey-like beast grinned tauntingly. "How about this puny cat, if you pass my trial, beyond the usual reward, if you impress me enough, I'll also add on some information about who you are."
'Trial?' The little kitten studied the monkey-like beast in deep thought. 'Wait, who are you anyway? Why are you in the Thunder Mountain Ruin's?'
"Oh, me?" The monkey-like beast's eyes lit up in an excited gleam. Obviously, he had been waiting for this question for a while now. With a large grin, the monkey-like beast stuck out its chest and spoke in a prideful tone. "Kekeke, I am the Guardian Spirit of this 'Blessing of the God's'. In other words, I am but a humble artificial being! At your service."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone