章節 54: Another Person
The familiar agony disappeared and Shura awoke. But when he awoke, he realized that something was off. He could feel his body, his real body, only vaguely. His sense and connection to it were becoming weaker as well. If what he was feeling wasn't his real self, then what was it? It was like a dream. Sometimes when one was dreaming they could feel their real body, this situation was similar to that. But was this really a dream?
It was a dream-like experience, similar to dreams in that he was an observer, but he couldn't act. He could see, hear, smell, taste, and feel, but the body moved and did things on its own, just like within dreams. Sometime a moment would last for a long time, at other times time sped up and things happened quickly and it was all a blur to Shura.
He saw a spacious hall made of wood. The place was empty except for himself. His small hands were assiduously practicing sword strokes, over and over and over, thousands of times, tens of thousands of times.
A gentlemanly and tall man who cast a shadow over Shura taught him poetry, literature, philosophy, and the arts of war. He also taught him how he should live based on example. This was his 'father'.
A gentle and beautiful woman took care of his meals, making sure he was never lacking in material things or familial care and love. This was his 'mother'.
Shura spent a blissful time in childhood. He quickly grew up and became a man. He went to places, and did things. People congregated around him, cheering him and calling his name, for he was strong, and so he was renowned and famous.
Shura obtained a few more scares, his facial features became weathered, and another decade was experienced. The man became a top figure within the martial art society.
He then fell in love at first sight with a girl, it was his first experience with love and he tried everything he could think of and do to please and woo the girl.
Time passed. Shura returned home to visit his parents, but they weren't there. A letter was left for him to go somewhere alone, or else. He went, and his parents were there, and so was one of the girl's other suitors. A man whose authority and power dwarfed his own.
Things happened vaguely and in a blur, but the results were not. His 'parents' lost their life. He was framed for the killing of his parents and injured so seriously that his cultivation and martial art prowess was seriously harmed. This was all done by that suitor, all within the span of a day, and at one location. This suitor was the crown prince of the Great Dynasty. Shura was nothing to him.
In the end, after a long and brutal struggle, he barely survived. That suitor got what he wanted and married the girl in the end. The girl who Shura had tried so hard to impress believed what that man had said. There was news of her publicly denouncing Shura.
The only thing left of the man was a little bit of life, endless grief, hatred, and his sword that he couldn't quite use.
All of these things happened to Shura quickly, yet it also took time. Time here was different. He was certain that however long things occurred here, not much time would pass in the real world.
All of these things happened, Shura experienced and felt all of these things as if they were something that actually concerned him. Yet deep in the back of his mind, he wasn't taken in at all. All of this wasn't real. He wondered what was really going on. He could feel that all of this was supposed to convince him that it WAS him, but he his mind remainded clear.
It was now that Shura could move, and control himself. He felt his body aching, he felt a lack of energy and weakness in his body. Wave after wave of uncontrollably strong emotions assaulted him, trying to overwhelm him and compel him to think and act in a certain way.
"What is this?" he said, his voice was hoarse.
He had never forgotten who he was or what this was. Was this an illusion, a dream? why did it happen, what did the meaning of it, and how come it was related to the poison and his injury? Or was it not related at all.
"What am I supposed to do now, why did this happen?"
Shura was certain that this was nothing but an illusion. His real body was still there. Here, his soul had come to this place, deep in his mind and was cut off from his body.
He needed to get out of here, to go back to his body. How was he supposed to do it? And what were all these things that he just witnessed?
Shura shook his head, there was no point in trying to think about it. It was nothing but an illusion, all of this was an illusion, a dream. It wasn't real. This happened because of that 'something' that entered his body through the wound. It caused all of this.
Shura looked around at this 'dream'. He was in the middle of nowhere. No signs of settlements or people around. It was nighttime and dark, but he could still see due to the light of the moon.
Shura was holding a sword. He stared at the sword. If he inflicted bodily harm to himself and die, would that end this state of illusion?
Shura placed the sword to his neck. What would happen if he was to lose his head?
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Who's there?!" Shura turned toward the direction of the voice.
"You, it's you!" Shura said.
He recognized the speaker, it was the woman whose projectile weapon injured him.
"What is this place, what do you want?" Shura asked.
"Can't you tell what I want?" the woman said.
Shura was silent. He did not know what the woman wanted. Did she want to kill him? What, and how would she gain. Wait, was she still even alive and here? Shura was certain that she and the other man had been eliminated.
There were too many unknowable things.
"I don't know. What do you want?"
"I want to live," the woman said.
It was a simple sentence, but Shura felt the weight of the words and he could feel what it meant for her. If someone asked him what he wanted and he told them, he didn't believe for a moment that the words he says would have the same weight and feelings behind it.
Was he doubting the validity of his own wish, his desire? But it was true. In his eyes that simple desire of living, compared with his own desire to obtain the greatest power in order have anything become possible... In comparison, he was too greedy. The desire wasn't simple at all.
"For you to live, what does it have to do with me?" Shura asked the woman.
The woman shook her head and gave him a self-deprecating smile. "It was my bad luck to come across you. I knew I was not your match, but if I were eliminated, I would also die. Without the Supreme Truesoul, I probably won't live past this competition."
Shura was surprised. He had thought that everyone going after the Supreme Power were all doing it out of lust and desire for power and 'more'. He didn't expect for there to be such a simple reason as just living.
"Sorry, but your body, I'll be taking it. It's the only chance I have of continuing."
"Ah, so that's how it is. You're trying to destroy my soul and take over my body. Okay, I understand," Shura said.
"But if you do that, then I..."
"Your soul will be wiped and only I will exist."
"That's not happening. Whatever it is that you have in mind, whatever it is that you intend, know that it won't happen. You said I shouldn't take my own life in this dream world of yours? Then that's exactly what I'll do!"
Shura stabbed his own heart with the simple sword in his hand. He was far from inexperienced in making this motion. But this time he went further. Shura took out the sword and then with all of his remaining strength he slashed at his own neck.
Shura felt a dull impact that quickly disappeared. Everything was disappearing. Shura could feel it. This whole place, this whole thing was collapsing.
"What have you done!?" Shura could hear the voice of the woman in his ears.
Everything disappeared and faded away.
...
Shura opened his eyes. Great darkness welcomed his sight, but it was a welcomed sight. He was back again, back in the real world.
He focused on his body. Whatever abnormality had occurred was now gone, or at least dormant. But before Shura could celebrate, he felt another presence within him.
"You..."
"Yes, this is what you've done. You caused this."
There was another mind next to his own. The mind of that woman.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票