Ugh… It was over. I somehow did it. I guess it was possible, so not "somehow", I knew I could manage at the end.
But that doesn't make it less surprising and impacting to me. What just happened today will keep being engraved on my very being as both a traumatic experience and a frenetic battle against a mech.
I never thought I would ever fight mechs in this world… I mean, it is all magic and stuff, so where would that mech even come from?
Well, from Unique Skill Users.
It seems that Unique Skill Users had shaped this world a lot, and had changed it a lot too.
I honestly don't know how much they changed it, but I would really appreciate it if I could be enlightened at least a little bit over it… But nothing. I will really have to just learn things by myself somehow.
After the battle was over, I quickly left Benladann sleeping in her room within Fuyu, while her parent weapons were left over a desk near her bed, I left Yuki watching over them, while I cut a small piece of my soul and infused it into Skadi, by doing this, I managed to get a new member and making the spear actually intelligent, so I left her watching over Fuyu.
Yeah, after my soul grew strong like now, I can split my soul again, but only two times before my cultivation goes down, and there goes one of the two times.
Skadi was similar to Fuyu when it gained conscience, so "she" still needs time to develop a proper personality, but it seemed that from the get-go, she was very overprotective, so that's good.
I quickly flew back to Benladann's town, which was on fire before I used my icy wind magic to quickly dissipate it all before anything else was to burn even more.
Now, what do I do here?
I want to give these people proper burials, or soon enough, monsters will come here to eat their charred corpses… And I don't want that to happen. These people were… Benladann's childhood, each and every one of them. I don't want their bodies to have such an end.
So I began to slowly take out each corpse and began to dig large holes in front of each house where they were, thankfully, I had the very useful Mining Skill to assist me in this task.
It took me around two hours, but I managed to bury everyone around 15 meters deep, it should be good enough, and I even left icy coverture for extra protection…
I saw as their souls seemed to have become more in peace when I buried their bodies as if the grief of what had happened to them maintained these people's souls around…
I saw some of their deformed faces recover a bit, as the light of the sunset shined over their ethereal bodies… it was a beautiful yet melancholic sight.
The souls slowly began to dissipate into the light, some waved their hands at me, even… little children.
Sigh…
I stood there and watched as everyone left… I hope that wherever they go, that they can have better lives there.
I had considered eating their corpses for the possibility of getting the ability to shapeshift into an ice giant, but I couldn't bear with doing such a thing, perhaps if it were someone else, but… these people was Benladann's people, those she met and loved.
Probably there were childhood friends, their families, or even some uncles, aunties, and more…
Call me soft or whatever you want, but I would never try to eat the corpses of such people… Even less when their souls seemed so pained.
Rest well…
However, there were two corpses I didn't bury… Benladann's parents.
I froze their corpses into a large ice cube to preserve them and decided to save them for now within Fuyu.
Why? Because whenever there is the opportunity to remake their bodies I am sure that their corpses might come useful.
…I don't know how or when this will even happen. I don't even know if it is possible.
I am merely holding on to this hope, a mere thought, a mere… yeah, just hope pretty much.
But maybe…
No, I will find a way. I will just do it.
Somehow… I know there is Life Magic in this world. I know it can be used to heal, even heal back limbs, maybe.
So, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to regenerate an entire body?
Maybe that would be like a god-level life spell I guess…
But even then, in a world with magic and things such as Unique Skills… Why not?
It is better to hold onto some hope than merely accepting this truth.
So for now, please forgive me, I will have to keep your corpses for a bit…
I also gathered all the pieces of technology I could find, all these mechs burnt pieces were all useful for my own research, and there was also the giant shattered piece of the Mana Core Battery from the giant mech, which I am planning on eating.
I keep looking around for anything until I suddenly feel a presence.
Wait… no, more presences.
How didn't I sensed them before? Perhaps I was not paying attention?
I quickly rush towards the area of the presence, the ruins of what seemed to be a large shrine, I quickly move the debris out to find anything, and then, I find a door that leads underground…
I slowly open it with my claws and…
I am greeted by what seems to be an old woman with pale-blue skin, long silvery-white hair, wearing leather clothes pointing a cane at me.
"Agh! Beast! Get off! You won't get any of these children! I promised their parents that I would protect them!!!" roared the old grandma, as she suddenly conjured a giant icicle spear and fired it at me.
Poof!
However, the icicle spear was destroyed and absorbed.
"Eh?!"
I could also notice several little shadows behind her, hiding within the darkness of the underground, trembling and fearful…
So there were really survivors…