Gleam [Karma Cultivator Isekai] - Chapter 127: Vex

A cold morning greeted Chance and Bella as they woke. Heavy gray clouds blocked out the sun and a howling gale occupied their small camp, buffeting them as they exited their tent.

Lin sat cross-legged before them, his hands braced against his knees and his face to the sky. He drew in a deep breath and let it out, rolling his neck before rising to his feet. “It will not be long now. Our foes approach.”

“How do you know?” Chance asked.

“Bloodlust recognizes itself, and neither Vex nor Shae make any motion to hide theirs. I suspect that Vex could easily hide himself from me if he willed it, but Shae could not. I have already felt his blood. He approaches.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Chance’s bracelet slithered around his wrist, expanding into its urumi form. He followed Lin’s gaze, but there wasn’t anything in the sky but clouds as far as he could tell. “How long until they show up?”

“Soon.”

“That’s not very specific,” Bella said. “Minutes? Hours? Seconds?”

Lin shrugged in response, finally pulling his eyes away from the sky to look down at the two of them. “They will arrive when they do. Just wait. I will take Shae. Try to stall Vex for long enough for me to complete my battle.”

“Is there really anything you’d be able to do to Vex, even if we managed to fight him off for long enough for you to defeat Shae?”

Lin let out a deep laugh. “No, of course not. But I plan to bring Shae with me on my trip to the afterlife. He will be my final sacrifice. It would be disappointing to go down without a proper fight.”

Right. Forgot this guy was insane.

“We’ll do what we can,” Bella said, her hand involuntarily moving to rest on the scroll that Rilu had given them.

The two of them had spent a fair amount of time the previous night trying to figure out ways to get Vex to actually open it, but none of them held any promise. Vex was arrogant, but nothing about him screamed complete moron.

He’d know something was up the moment Bella tried to give him a gift, and he’d also be able to see how much power was stored in it. There was no world he’d just pull the scroll open purely out of curiosity.

Rilu’s words still echoed through Chance’s head as he tried to piece them together. He could have sworn that he was missing something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find it. Bella hadn’t had any more luck.

I’m just reaching for straws that aren’t there. Our best bet is that Yamish decides to get involved out of the blue. I’m just not going to think too much about the likelihood of that happening – and the cost that we’re going to pay if it does. At that point, it might actually be better if we die. I’m not sure what cost Yamish will see equal to killing Vex, but it’s definitely going to be bad.

“Ah.” Lin scratched at the back of his neck. “They are here.”

Chance dragged Essence from his Gate and into his body, filling himself with power as he spun and looked around the clearing. Adrenaline thumped through his veins at an instant’s notice, readying him for the fight.

Nobody was there.

“Where?” Bella asked urgently, looking as stressed as Chance felt.

Lin burst into laughter and slapped them both on the back, sending them staggering.

“Relax. Fearing death will not lessen its grip on you. March into the beyond as you lived, or your life will have been for waste. A good death is just as important as a good life.”

Chance’s eye twitched, but he couldn’t stop himself from letting a small chuckle of his own. Part of that was probably due to all the Essence he was holding onto, but now was hardly the time to dwell.

I hate to admit it, but Lin might actually have a point. Being as stiff as a board isn’t going to help anyone.

He heaved a sigh, drawing on his Essence to help himself relax. Chance touched Bella’s shoulder, sending some of his power into her. Her stance softened and she gave him an appreciative nod.

Minutes ticked by. The unlikely alliance stood in the cold morning, listening to the wind and watching the clouds crawl across the sky.

A ripple passed through the air across from their tent. It expanded, drawing outward like a maw of some ravenous beast, and Shae stepped out from within it. The Shikari held his twin swords at his sides, ready to strike.

His long black hair had been tied back behind his head, and his eyes smoldered with fury and determination. But, mixed in with the other emotions, was stress and worry – and the reason for it emerged from the portal a moment later.

Vex stepped out behind Shae. The cultivator’s purple eyes bored into Bella as the portal snapped shut behind them.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to show up,” Lin said, stretching his arms out before him. “I see you’ve brought a babysitter this time, Shae.”

“Forgive my tardiness,” Vex said, his lips curling into a sarcastic smile. “I just couldn’t help myself. I wanted to see my former student squirm for just a little longer. I hate ruining entertainment before it’s gotten a chance to properly get going.”

“It’s odd,” Linn said. “I feel the exact same way.”

Lin flickered, erupting in red energy and blurring into motion. Shae’s swords flashed up before him in an ‘x’ pattern a moment before Lin’s fist slammed into them with a resounding clang. Blood-red Essence poured from Lin’s fist.

Shae skipped back as Lin lunged for him again, his swords arcing out to sever the huge man’s head. Lin twisted out of the way, then transferred the momentum of his dodge into a vicious backhand that caught Shae in the stomach and sent him hurtling dozens of feet back.

Roaring a challenge, Lin sprinted after Shae. Vex didn’t seem to care in the slightest about either Lin or Shae, though. He had eyes only for Bella.

“I trust you knew this was coming,” Vex said, stepping toward them. “You didn’t think you could actually escape, did you?”

“Even if it isn’t from me, you’ll get what’s coming to you,” Bella spat. “And I’ve got more allies than you think.”

“Allies?” Vex snorted, glancing over to Chance. “This child? Yamish has his eye on the boy, but not you. He will not interfere to save your life, Bella. You are mine.”

Even with his Essence filling his body, Chance could barely keep himself from attacking. Everything about Vex grated against him, and his Essence was of the same mind. The man was pure Bad Karma, and the universe longed for his removal.

“Not just him.” Bella’s fists clenched at her sides. She pulled the scroll that Rilu gave her. “I got a gift from a powerful Karma cultivator. All I have to do is read this, and you’ll be gone. Ash in the wind.”

Chance grit his teeth. Standing still felt like agony. This was the best strategy the two of them had managed to scrouge up. Vex would never open the scroll if he knew what it did, but if he could wring just a little more despair out of Bella by taking her own weapon and using it against her…

Come on. Take the bait.

Vex arched an eyebrow. “Cute. You think a pathetic little artifact like that is going to do anything against me, Bella?”

“It came from a Karma cultivator far more powerful than–”

Vex burst into laughter. “Yes, yes. I know of Rilu. I will admit that he is indeed more powerful than me, but he suffers from the very power that you boast about. He can do nothing to save you, Bella.”

“You want to find out?” Bella’s voice was remarkably calm as she raised the scroll as if to open it. She matched Vex’s gaze and bared her teeth. “The universe hates you a lot, Vex. You’re an affront to its existence. Even Rilu isn’t completely bound when it comes to someone as vile as you. This is the last time I’ll offer. Leave and never return, or I’ll use this scroll and wipe you from the face of the universe.”

Vex crossed his arms before his chest and arched an eyebrow. “I had planned to rip you apart piece by piece, but I think listening to the agony in your voice as this pathetic idea crumbles is far more exciting. Go ahead, Bella. Use the scroll.”

A second passed. Bella’s hands tightened at the edges of the scroll. Chance’s heart clenched and he raised his urumi.

“Something wrong, Bella?” Vex’s smile grew. “Aren’t you going to use that Karmic Retribution scroll? Summon all the good Karma you’ve earned over the years to strike me down?”

Chance’s stomach plunged.

He knows what the scroll does?

“H-how?” Bella stammered, taking a step back. Some of the confidence that had been steeling her posture sank into the ground.

“Did you really think I couldn’t recognize an artifact like that?” Vex shook his head in disappointment. “You – and Rilu – are both fools. Even if I was stupid enough to actually unfurl the scroll, it wouldn’t have anywhere near the strength to harm me. You have nothing, Bella. Is this really the extent of your preparations? I had expected more, even from you.”

“If you actually believed that, you wouldn’t just be standing around.” Bella caught herself before she could take another step back and steeled her gaze. “You’re bluffing, aren’t you?”

Vex disappeared.

It wasn’t the same as when Lin or Shae fought – then, Chance at least got a very vague sense of the battle. Even though he couldn’t keep up with their speed, he could see what happened when their blows landed.

He never saw what Vex did, but Bella let out a pained cry and flew back, slamming into him. Chance dug his feet into the ground as he skidded across it, only managing to keep his balance and grip on Bella by sheer luck.

Bella doubled over, coughing blood onto the ground. Vex stood where she’d been a moment before, a disgusted expression on his face.

“Bella!” Chance’s grip tightened on her shoulders. “Are you–”

“Does it matter?” Bella asked, coughing again into her fist. The scroll – she’d somehow managed to hold onto it – slipped from her fingers and fell to the grass.

“No,” Vex said. “It does not. This was disappointing, I’m afraid. What a waste. I’m going to have to go find a new student after this whole debacle. One that isn’t as foolish as you were. What an utter bother.”

The wind howled. Vex walked toward them – moving at a speed that they could watch. He could have killed them both in an instant, but he chose not to, purely just to take in their expressions.

Chance’s eyes darted around desperately. He called on his Essence, pulling on any luck that he could find, but nothing changed. It was completely pointless.

There’s nothing we can do against him.

And, judging by the elated look on Vex’s face, he knew it too.