Trope World - Volume 1 Chapter 47 Pieces Of The Past

I bore witness to the universe of fire an eternally burning plane. Worlds were the fuel and time was always running out. It was a fight for resources for more fuel to give life to sentient flame. It was a battle to gather enough life to craft a new flame. It was a struggle to rise through the ranks to reach Sovereign. There were further ranks in the elemental plane. That world’s system was Darwanistic.

The demon was bullied and beaten. He was weak until he acquired some good fortune. After that he strived to be better than the demons that bullied him. He fought against those who would bully the weak and uplifted those who showed him kindness while he was weak.

“What are you?” The demon gasped.

It was because of my creation. I look human but on the inside I’m not. Darkness and the deep were my origins. Darkness was the end of all things and the deep was the unknown and the depths of oceans. My soul was the worst target the demon could have chosen. Even my original would have been devoured by the demon’s nature.

“I’m Wrath.” I said. “If I’m anything, then it is hatred. I hate that I’m in love with Od even though I’m a copy. I hate that I can’t remember how I overturned my world. Most of all I hate you for being too weak to put up a fight.” I felt the demon’s soul fade away as my darkness consumed it.

One Against All lv10; +1000STR

One Against All lv20; +2000STR

One Against All lv30; +3000STR

One Against All lv40; +4000STR

One Against All lv50; +5000STR

One Against All lv350; +35000STR

I saw a moment hadn’t witnessed before. It was like a waking dream, I was drawn into a memory.

Memory of a Fallen Soul #2

My body smashed into the unforgiving pit. I was burning up all that was me began to fade. I needed something to burn instead of me. I took hold of the nearest soul and crushed them into me. Their soul collapsed against mine and became a buffer. It was like a candle wick and when they burned away, I’d burn again. More souls fell screaming and in pain. I took them and selfishly used them to save myself.

The vision turned and I was different. Horns adorned my head and bat-like wings stretched emerged from my back. A light in the distance just a spark remained out of my reach. My wings couldn’t fly me out of this hell hole. A long tail tipped with a point emerged from my spine and stabbed into the nearest soul. I drained them quickly. Adding their power to my own. I adapted to this place long ago. This place no longer burned away my soul. Instead, I consumed souls to add to my strength. It had been decades since I died. In this place it was all I could think about. I wanted vengeance andI couldn’t quite remember why.

Time continued to flow as my body became less and less human. My wings had grown large and mighty. I no longer fed on human souls. Foul black blood leaked from multiple wounds across my body. Another demon had tried to make a meal of me. It had ambushed me in my territory. It had a large sword like arm and one deformed into a shield. It was fast and powerful. It thought its initial attack had beaten me. A surprise attack from my tail dealt a killing blow to its soul core. I stabbed into it drinking its stored soul essence.

I barely resembled a human anymore. Vast black wings stretched out from my back. In one hand I held a demon’s sword arm and the other its shield. My body was covered in black scales and my eyes had multiplied. My skull held ten eyes giving me a perfect field of vision. I was far from human and fed exclusively on demons. Still during times of loneliness, I looked up at the only source of light in this place. A golden dot in the black sky was all the light my demonic eyes could see.

Memory of a Fallen Soul #2 END

The vision passed and I was myself again. I wasn’t Melchior, I wasn’t that demon, I was wrath. Melchior wasn’t angry like that demon. He didn’t have any of those memories. What was going on? What happened next? I wanted to know, I had to know.

“There is a way.” A whisper of a voice said.

“Oh, you’re still alive.” I said with contempt.

“It isn’t easy to kill a sovereign.” The demon said chuckling. “If I had fuel, I could be a boon to you. I could feed you more of my qi and reveal more of your past.” I looked over the endless armies of skeletons they’d seemingly forgotten about this little battle. I knew I hadn’t fought their strongest. They had sacrificed their fodder as a distraction. What was more important than destroying me? Were the residents of Low Port attempting to break the siege.

“Your flame is flickering in the wind. I don’t see any firewood present.” I said.

“The unlife make excellent kindling. I’ve swallowed countless worlds overrun by them.” The demon said. I looked over the army there wasn’t much else to do with them.

“Alright, how do I do it?” I asked.

“Just place your hand on one and I’ll do the rest.” I snorted and dashed across the prairie and snatched up a ghost. Fire erupted from my hand sucking the struggling ghost inside my palm burning its soul to ash.

“Yes, that’s a little better. I need more hundreds of millions more. Feed me and feed from me let us join in symbiosis.” I gathered a ball of quake energy on the tip of my finger and tossed them around. Each exploded as I rose from the ground and flew through the forces of undead and took them into the flame. It was easy and familiar.

I made sure to use only enough power to stun them. I waved my right hand and the ghosts flew to my outstretched hand. The demon within me grew a little stronger. One Against All hungrily devoured any surplus the demon created. I could feel the skill growing a little before I cut down at its absorption rate. Each soul was like a drop in a swimming pool. I needed to kill their elites.

Five figures dressed in spandex and wearing odd armor dropped down. As the dust cleared, I got a good look at them. They weren’t like the normal elites of the army. Each of these five were much larger and stronger than than the captain I fought. Aura’s of death flowed from these five in a storm of earthly qi. My blood started to boil, and I looked up at the heavens in an attempt to see the lone star. All that I saw was the sun.

“Look at this fool Gardner, he looks like a push over. I can’t believe they called us to deal with a pillar level.” Gardner a massive green zombie wearing a sun hat shrugged. Part of his face was missing showing off ghostly protoplasm in place of bones and flesh.

“Well Mason you know the troopers aren’t much of a threat. One of us is equal to millions of them.” Gardner said and flashed his necrotic muscles and stood in a strong man pose.

“You got the right idea Gardner lets do this. We are the Demolition Squad lord Monger’s strongest force. Demolition Squad sound off.” The captain of the squad shouted. I wonder how much they are worth in kindling.

“The weakest is stronger than me when I possessed the bones be careful.” The demon said. It seemed it had more uses than a fire qi battery.

“Gardner anti Earth and healing is my specialty.”

“Mason Earth magic and fortifications is where its at.”

“Dozer I crush everything in our path.”

“Crack no secret is safe from me.”

“Demolition squad captain and master of explosions together we are.” The entire squad joined together and formed a pyramid. They lifted their captain in the air and threw him up. It was the strangest thing I’d ever seen. “The Demolition Squad,” they cheered.

I face palmed and took a breath.

“Cool are you all going to fight me at once or is this a one at a time thing.” They joined together in a group laugh.

“It seems you lack any form of common sense. A mere pillar cultivator isn’t a match for any of us. There is only one way to decide who gets the glory of killing you for Lord Brigadier General Monger.” They flashed their hands out against each other and soon they were separated into five corners. “A children’s card game.”

“What!” I stammered as they set up tables and began to shuffle each other’s decks. “What are you doing?”

“None of us would cheat but it never hurts to make sure its fair.” Captain Demolition said. “Ha you have no chance. I play cats paw which lets me dump my hand into the graveyard and summon every monster I draw in my new hand. Look I have another cats paw, which lets me dump my hand again and look another cats paw. I flip up my face down card black ritual and summon from my side deck Warmaster’s Elite Borger which activates its effect. Every monster card in my graveyard is returned to my deck and I get to draw seven cards. If one of my monsters that was in my graveyard is in my hand, I can special summon it and deal direct damage to your life points equal to my monster’s attack power.” It went on for several exchanges until Gardner finally had his turn with only a few life points left. I thought about just walking off.

“I play Elephanttaur Stampede which allows me to special summon every elephanttaur monster from my hand to the field. I have five each monster increases the attack of the other by five hundred points and while Elephanttaur Stampede is active I can attack directly. Sorry captain you lose.” Gardner said.

“Damn it you always beat me Gardner.” Demolition said.

I sat down and waited out the next few rounds until someone finally one the championship. “Can we fight now?” I asked.

“Be prepared for now you fight the Gardner a grand champion of Battle Beasts. Five Elephants’ tackle.” The green zombie yelled as he glowed green and an avatar of an elephant appeared around him as he charged. I was too slow for once and he hit me full on. Blood sprayed from my mouth as the attack launched me back. I straightened in the air and punched at him blasting him with pressure currents. The zombie tanked the blows and glowed green before vines rose through his body and stitched him together. Ok this was starting to get interesting. A memory of a demonic technique came to mind.

“Demon Gatling,” I shouted as I punched forward and embers of demonic flame blasted from my fist. Gardner put his fists up in a boxer guard and spun around the incoming line of fire. He ran forward glowing green for another Five Elephants; Tackle.

“I don’t have enough power to survive more than three of those.” The demon said. I’d have to bide my time and deliver my next one carefully. I dashed forward just as the Five Elephants’ Tackle was released. I copied his stance and spun around the first green elephant, a second one smashed into my guard, a third hit me from behind, a fourth threw its tusks up knocking me in the air, and a fifth smashed down on me sending me back to the ground. Before the dust settled Gardner tossed some seeds at me. The sprouted quickly and pulled me up and binding me.

Gardener grinned savagely as he hit me with two lefts then a left right. He went in for body shots and finished with a cross punch and upper cut. I felt a few teeth crack before I used aerial recovery. I flipped back to earth and copied Gardener’s form. I dashed forward and dodged his next attempt to ensnare me with plants. I feinted a cross punch and he ducked just as I flew around to his back.

I wrapped an arm around his neck and flew up. I felt the sonic boom as we shot up into the great blue sky. “Now I’m ready for him.” I broke Gardner’s neck stabbed my arm inside of his torso. Demonic fire burned him from the inside out and fueled my demon.

I hovered above the ground. Demonic fire danced over my fists as my demon flourished with more kindling than he’d ever had. From its memories, I knew that normally stronger demons took those like Gardner leaving only lesser cultivators for sovereigns, who left less for the other fire elementals.

“I’m close if we consume the others, I’ll rank up from an ambiguous sovereign to a count. The Sovereign realm covers Count, Baron, Viscount, Duke, Prince, King, and Emperor. Then after the Sovereign realm is the the creator realm. I don’t know what that realm contains. I’ve never heard of an elemental surpassing the Sovereign realm. Reaching it is a one in a billion chance.” I nodded and felt refreshed.

One Against All lv500; +50,000STR

Time froze and I witnessed another vision.

Memories of a Fallen Soul #3

Bodies of other demons laid before me dried out from the feeding of another demon. Feeding from normal demons wasn’t enough anymore. I’d reached the end of what they could do for me. Looking up at the lone star above. I cursed it for what it made me do. Somewhere along the line my hate had moved from my human life to the star above. It gave us light but cursed us in the darkness. I’d witnessed millions of demons get swept up in the darkness trying to fly towards it.

Our bodies changed according to our desires; I’d rarely seen a demon without wings. We all wanted to reach the star. Mere wings couldn’t reach the star. I’d realized that centuries ago. A memory of futuristic engine had been enough for my body to evolve again. Instead of wings on my back a particle firing growth had appeared in the middle of my back.

My head had changed becoming triangular with a fang filled maw and twin curved horns on my head. My ten eyes had become as natural to me as my reversed legs. I was a true demon with only faint memories of earth.

Demons surrounded me on all sides they were the court of L.u.s.t. On a throne made of living demons of l.u.s.t sat a leather clad pink skinned lady with a delicate forked tail and a set of delicate hooves. In their archaic language, I heard them shout me down for being in the territory of l.u.s.t. I licked my lips and flexed my rippling muscles. They were demons close to my levels and the one on the throne was perhaps above me in power. I fell to my knees and bowed my horned head. I requested asylum in this chaotic world.

Hundreds of years passed by in the blink of the eye. The flesh of my back glowed with a black halo. It was the engine my body had created. Particles fired out granting me flight that didn’t rely upon simple wings. My body had changed again. My muscles were more compact and my horns more jagged. My face looked like an elongated skeleton complete with monstrous fangs. My head was large and bulky. Around my forearm’s weapons began to grow. On my left arm a Gatling gun grew out and on my right a particle cannon. I wasn’t like the demons in the realm of l.u.s.t and they were growing suspicious.

My tail stabbed into one of the great councilors of the court of l.u.s.t. The greater demons power flowed into me as it dried up into a husk. It sparked a war against the entire court. With my particle engine, cannon, and Gatling gun they fell until I stabbed my tail into the Grand demoness of l.u.s.t. With her power added to mine, I reached a new level beyond a mere greater demon. My body grew larger black metallic armor grew over my body and a second black halo engine appeared on my back. I was no longer a mere greater demon; I had become a Devil.

Memories of a Fallen Souls #3 END

The vision faded and I returned to my senses as I touched the ground. There was a lot of missing information. Whole centuries of information were lost. I didn’t have time to go over it.

“My god, he killed Gardner. That doesn’t make any sense captain, he’s only at the pillar formation level. I can sense it.” Mason said.

“I was afraid of that. Mason he’s the type that can hide their cultivation base. It doesn’t happen often but on occasion there is the rare intelligent fighter that hides their real power. You do the same don’t you Mason.” Captain Demolition said.

“That I do captain, but I’d feel batter with Crack fighting with me. We need to know how much he’s hiding.” Mason said.

“Right parasite going out.” Crack yelled and fired a wiggling slug at my face.

I dodged out of the way just as Mason formed a dome around us then a maze within the dome. The dome quickly filled up with a 3d maze. The ground rumbled as the dome rose out of the ground and formed a complete cubic sphere. Everywhere within was a maze. Then the sphere began to spin. I punched my way through a wall only for it to reform behind me and spin me around. I hit another wall and accidently went deeper into the maze. This fight was growing more complicated.

I saw one of the walls move and dodged a parasite slug as it shot through. “The maze is growing larger and absorbing earth qi from the air. We’ve been moving upward. It’s been 5 minutes and we’re already a kilometer in the sky. We need to get out of here before we exit the earth’s atmosphere. These parasites aren’t the biggest threat.” I bit the bullet and flew down letting gravity lead me down until I exited the maze. Only when I left, I was in a second larger maze.

Hahaha the zombie laughed his skeletal hands were in the air as the new maze closed around me. “This is my ultimate magic. Out of the maze is just another maze.” I placed my legs against the maze wall, bent my knees, and leapt firing myself from my maze down like a meteor. I could jump down faster than I could fly. In the blink of the eye my arms were around the zombie. I yelled out in triumph as I ripped him in half. Hell’s fire exploded from my body turning the zombie into kindling body and soul.

I collapsed on the floor feeling One Against All’s stamina requirement catching up with me for the first time today. That last move had used 100% of the skill’s strength. I normally only used around 1 or 2%. It would be a few hours before I could use that much strength again.

A blow smashed into my chest knocking me against the ground skipping me for several kilometers. Crack was somewhere and I was fighting Dozer now. Their captain looked down on the battlefield with a strange expression on his face. I spat out a tooth just in time for Dozer to hit me again this time smashing me against the face of a mountain. He hit me again and again. My body shot through the mountain as a fissure split the mountain in half. Rubble fell on me burying me deep inside the mountain. I laid there trying to breath and get my second wind.