the great corruption system-Chapter 61: reunion

Chase awoke, still sleeping from the pain of what was happening to him. He had to check his status at some point. Looking at the beautiful woman next to him, Chase saw she was more alert than he was, already looking at the entrance scrutiny.

’It’s a damn shame. I wanted to see how she sleeps for once’ seeing that she didn’t respond, Chase was glad to know she was done invading his mind.

As he was getting lost in the imaginary of her resting face, the tent was opened, revealing two familiar faces. Harold had more than recovered, and Noah, who looked rather surprised.

"Chase?, well I’ll be. I heard the battle reports and feared the worst." He then looked at Jasmine who was next to him. "But it seems your doing alright. Wanna chat outside?"

Outside the tent, Chase and Noah took a good look at one another. Noah could tell Chase was different. Not only could he sense mana emitting from him, but something else as well. He was showing the aura of someone of rank two, but had faint traces of something almost sinister as well.

He also had struggled to believe it because now he was way taller. A little bit taller than him now.

"You’ve certainly changed since we’ve last spoken. When did we advance enough to get growth potions?"

’It’s good that he’s alive, but I do worry for what’s inside him.’

Chase was looking at Noah, he seemed more laid back, Relaxed. "Don’t be mad, I’m just a late...super bloomer." It was hard for him to try to rationalize a height increase this drastic.

As far as Noah was concerned however, it was still a tad suspicious with everything going on. "I’ve been meaning to ask you, what happened back there?"

Chase knew what he was referring to, that night, was still a core memory in his life in this world. "We came up against a very powerful creature.... and barely managed to defeat it."

Seeing the look in his eyes, Noah knew he wasn’t going to continue nor elaborate on what happened. ’He seems to regret what happened, so it’s best not to push it.’

"And why didn’t you report back to camp the moment you were finished?" Noah wasn’t getting accusatory, but he had reason to be suspicious.

Chase got a bit angry. "They drafted me. I didn’t have a choice in coming, so I refuse to entertain them and prove my innocence to my abductors. To me they were more my enemy than anyone I killed."

That did sound right, but now Noah had to think of a way to remove all the negativity in the atmosphere.

"But most of all I didn’t forget, this place isn’t in the best predicament, but when we come back to the guild, I personally challenge you to who can chug the most."

Chase scoffed "I’m not one to back down from a challenge."

"Alright then. I’ll be making myself useful until your healed." With that, Noah walked away with Harold, eager to put his muscles to good use.

Standing was taking a strain on Chase, but he checked his status:

[Character Information]

[Age:18]

[Rank:2/9]

[Bloodline 1: Vantriel]

[Bloodlind 2:locked]

[spirit weapon: Jasmine]

[Abilities]:(demon claws) (minor shapeshifting) (mind tricks) (hellfire lvl 1)

[Unlockable Abilities]: (flame constructs lvl 1)

(Molten armor lvl 1) cost: 300 evolution points.

[Evolution points: 200]

’So he used his own influence to forcefully evolve me? I guess that was the "gift" he was talking about. But I’m guessing I’m not supposed to evolve like that, so the process is slower.’

"Too much stupid stuff is happening."

Chase shook his head before going back to the tent for rest.

–

At the town entrance, two well dressed women were in holy attire, walking and observing the conditions of the people residing here and the overall conditions of the place.

"It’s certainly awful, just look at this vile–"

"Even if the place is ugly, please remain quiet.

If we see anything demonic, kill it

And do an inspection on the population."

A beautiful woman who was dressed like a nun, walked forward, holding a staff appointed to her by the church. A holy mage named lily. Another woman beside her, and the one who was going to be doing most of the talking, was a cleric named anna. Looking forward, they saw someone approaching.

"It’s my pleasure to have you here, even though this isn’t the best of circumstances."

Shiva greeted them both.

"Well on the bright side, you look good as well,

Despite everything that happened. And on that not if you don’t mind me asking, what horrible things happened here?"

–

After she explained everything, Obviously omitting to tell about Chase and the rest of the team, the two woman nodded. "Surely you can take us to one of these things right? I must know what we’re dealing with in person."

Shiva brought the two woman towards a mountain a corpses resembling the monsters they fought. Thankfully they were all half burned as that somehow made them look better. They were being put into a giant pile for fire mages to come in and burn all in one go.

lily couldn’t help putting on her disgusted face at the sight of them, her face visibly scrunching up. To not embarrass anna she didn’t say anything, but she was unsure how long it would last.

Walking up to the pile, anna took a good look at the corpses. "Poor souls. But do not fear, for all come back to the goddess calarna."

She looked back at lily, whose mood seemed to be lifted.

The holy mage began her silent prayer, and as she did, her staff emitted a light that soon illuminated the entire area. Men dragging bodies stopped, looking towards the light, they felt their spirits lifted. Walking up to the creatures, she simply tapped one of the monsters with her staff, and a pillar of light enveloped them.

Shiva put her hands over her face, partially blinded. And as the radiant light faded, the bodies were no more. And for a split second,

She saw what seemed to be the disembodied souls of the victims, not as happy as they should be, but free at last. And with one shimmer, they were gone.

"I hope they are at peace now" lily said, before her face sank back into its usual disapproving blank look. "We will have to station a few people here if that demon could still be lurking."

–

A few days later, the town is rebuilding.

New buildings are being put in place,

No new murders have happened and

Everything seemed to be going fine.

With more members of the holy church partroling the streets, it’s time for the torchbearers to leave.

In Harold’s new, rebuild estate, he and shiva are standing in front of Chase and his team.

"We truly cannot thank you enough. I owe you all my life, and for that I am not giving you the original cost for this quest. You each get 5 golds."

Chase was quick to turn to Andrew "your not the only one with coin now are you

moneybags?" His chin was held the highest.

Andrew raised his brow before reaching into his pocket before being stopped by Damian.

"Let him have this. It’ll be the last time he sees some real cash for a while."

*COUGH* Harold loudly cleared his throat.

"Getting us back on track, I also want to show even more support. I’ve decided to give you all this."

Harold walked over and handed it to Andrew.

It was a mirror that didn’t reflect, rather showing a black space. Harold then walked over to his drawer and pulled out another.

The mirror in his hand then showed Harold’s face. "The mirrors are magically linked so that we can speak while far away. Not only that, but I can send up to three small items in case of an emergency, after that the mirror shatters."

"And why give it to Andrew and not me?"

Chase was confused.

"Because Andrew is the least likely to break it doing something stupid. If not him it’d be uh, Donny." He was still having trouble with the names.

"I do have something for you however."

Shiva walked up to Chase and handed him a

Short sword. It had dragon patterns engraved into it and a curve at the end.

"I finally have a sword again." Chase opened his arms for a hug but shiva simply walked past him "your welcome." Walking towards Damian, She handed him mana stones.

They were very tiny, but still good nonetheless. "Either use them as a power source or collect more to upgrade your weapons one day."

"Thanks." Unlike Chase, Damian decided to act cool, keeping a completely straight face until the stones entered his hand.

And for Donny, Harold walked up and handed him a liquid. "For if you needed to get rid of someone." Donny guessed it was poison just looking at it. He nodded.

"Take care, all of you."