CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 81: FARMING

Richard’s body hung suspended, feet kicking, arms thrashing-but none of it mattered. Akumo’s grip, forged through centuries of raw battle and hardened spirit, didn’t budge. His eyes remained calm-cold and ancient, unbothered by the violent storm raging inside the boy he had chosen to revive.

The corrupted aura that had taken over Richard snarled inside him like a beast. His head jerked back, his eyes glowing with the dangerous mix of white and black energy from the remnants of the two wrestling spirits. Snarls escaped from between his lips. Twisting, he flailed, and yet... Akumo’s hand was unmoved, steadfast as a mountain.

"You cannot break free," Akumo said quietly, though the quietness was more terrifying than any roar. "Not like this."

But Richard-or rather, the devilish spirit overtaking him-was clever.

Too clever.

In a flash of sudden agility, his legs snapped up and kicked sharply toward Akumo’s back-right at the very point where the old warrior’s ventilation seal lay hidden beneath layers of bone and ancient flesh. The strike wasn’t strong enough to injure Akumo deeply, but it was precise, painfully precise.

Akumo grunted-once.

Only once.

But it was enough.

His grip faltered.

Richard slipped from his hand to drop to the ground on his feet, aura crackling around him like a living storm. Raviel gasped sharply.

"Lord Akumo—!" he shouted, eyes wide with disbelief. Not many could force Akumo’s hand open, not even by trickery.

Richard didn’t hesitate. The instant his feet touched the ground, he lunged forward, fist charged with dark spirit energy, and punched Akumo straight across the face. The sound was like the collision of two metal slabs, resounding deep within the cave.

Akumo staggered, not falling fully, but dropping to one knee for a brief moment. A single moment that felt like an eternity of shock in the chamber.

"Impossible. he’s even adapting while unconscious. Pure battle instinct, controlled by the spirit." Raviel whispered.

Akumo put one hand down onto the ground to steady himself. His voice rose-not angry, but with the pride of a warrior refusing to bow.

"A warrior who falls completely... is a disgrace." He pushed himself up in one effortless motion. "And I, Akumo, do not fall to a confused child."

His old bones groaned, but his spirit rose, flaring just enough to show he was still far from being broken.

Richard roared-a twisted sound, half his and half the demonic spirit within-and threw an energy ball of raw unstable power at Akumo. The black-dark sphere pulsed violently as it flew, tearing the air around it.

Akumo raised his hand to counter-but before he could release his force, Raviel flashed in front of him.

"Lord Akumo, your strength is too low at the moment. Leave it to me!"

Raviel extended one hand. The energy ball-which was deadly enough to destroy a section of the cave-slammed into his palm, yet he held it as easily as catching a falling apple. His fingers tightened, crushing the volatile sphere and redirecting its core outward. He whirled abruptly and launched it into the far corner of the cave, where it exploded harmlessly against an energy barrier.

Richard hissed through clenched teeth-a sound that hardly resembled anything human anymore.

There wasn’t a second to waste, and Raviel didn’t. From his arms burst flames, shifting into long curved chains lit with blazing fire.

"Richard!" Raviel shouted. "You leave us no choice!"

He snapped his wrist forward and the flaming chain shot through the air like a serpent lunging for prey. It wrapped around Richard instantly, coiling his arms, chest, legs, tightening with magical force that shimmered across his skin.

Richard jerked wildly, but the chain only tightened further.

"This chain," Raviel warned, "binds even the ambitions of the strongest magicians. You cannot break it while I hold it."

But Richard threw his head back...

And laughed.

A deep, distorted laugh.

"HAHAHAHA! You think this cheap chain of flames can bind me?

His voice was not his voice. It was a twisted combination of Richard’s tone and the deeper, older resonance of Akumo’s spirit—merging, clashing, echoing together in a disturbing fusion.

Akumo narrowed his eyes.

"That mix... it is the echo of two spirits fighting in one shell," he muttered. "His body cannot bear it, yet his spirit refuses to submit."

The flames wrapping around Richard dimmed suddenly, but it was not because Raviel was losing power; rather, his skin started to freeze over. Frost crept over the arms, chest, and legs, and turned the flaming chains into smoldering steam.

Raviel’s eyes went wide. "He’s using your ice-water technique, milord! Never having learned it!

Akumo’s jaw clenched. "Because half my spirit resides in him. He can access techniques instinctively, like muscle memory."

Before they could counter this new danger, Richard’s body dropped into the ground-literally phasing downward, sinking into the stone like water through cracks.

Raviel gasped. "He’s using your underground transmission technique too!"

The chains hung in the air, suddenly empty.

Akumo’s expression hardened.

"He’ll rise from the opposite side."

A second later, Richard erupted from the ground exactly where Akumo predicted. But Akumo was faster-despite age, despite damage. In a sudden burst of strength, he took to the air in a powerful leap, delivering a devastating downward kick right into Richard’s chest.

The impact cracked the stone floor.

Richard flew across the chamber like a broken doll, slamming into a wall and sagging forwards. His body shook, the devil aura raging inside him in confusion and fury at the sudden chastisement.

Raviel was staring in shock. "Lord Akumo... even weakened... your combat force is still immeasurable."

Akumo remained silent.

He moved.

In one stride, he was in front of Richard, clutching him by the throat, and lifting him off the ground with one arm, again without apparent effort, as one might lift a child.

Richard’s feet dangled, his broken breaths rasping; his eyes flickered back and forth between light and darkness, fighting for identity.

Akumo’s voice dropped low and firm, cutting through the storm.

"Richard. Quiet now."

Richard’s breath hitched. The aura around him wavered.

"Remember who you are."

And Richard’s fingers, clawed like a beast an instant before, fluttered.

"Remember why I brought you back."

The swirling demonic aura faltered.

"Remember... our mission."

For the first time since the chaos began, Richard’s eyes flickered, not glowing white, not darkened black, but returning slowly to their natural colour. The storm inside faltered. His spirit trembled.

Akumo tightened his grip—not to harm, but to anchor him.

"You are Richard. You are mine to guide. Stay. With. Me."

Richard gasped.

And his mind—down deep within the storm—finally heard him.

The aura faded.

Richard’s body slackened.

Raviel didn’t waste the moment. He charged forward, his palms erupting with intricate symbols of sealing magic. A glowing sigil streaked across his hand, a shimmering rune of infinite closure, which he pressed hard against Richard’s chest.

The chamber flashed.

A swirl of silver and black spiralled out.

Raviel muttered ancient words—sharp and swift—under his breath.

It seared itself onto Richard’s chest like a glowing tattoo, then slowly sank beneath his skin until nothing was left but the faintest shimmer.

The evil side of the mixed aura shrieked as it was drawn in: pulled, twisted, confined, and locked inside an eternal seal.

The echo disappeared.

The air stilled.

Richard fell forward, completely unconscious, limp as cloth.

Akumo caught him before he hit the floor. Raviel stepped back, breath shaky, sweat at his temples.

"It’s done," Raviel whispered. "The evil aura is sealed. His body is safe. For now."

Akumo looked down at the young man who lay without stirring in his hands. Richard’s eyelashes seemed to flutter weakly, but his soul had fled, overwhelmed by all he’d endured.

"He’s normal again," Akumo murmured. "But he won’t wake for some time."

Raviel nodded. "And when he wakes... he will not be the same."

Akumo exhaled heavily, though he didn’t show relief. His eyes—ancient, wise, and deadly—remained fixed on Richard. "Yes," he agreed. "He will be far stronger. He lifted Richard in both arms. "And far more dangerous."

But Akumo is calm. "Listen, Raviel, I know Richard isn’t in his senses now. He will be calm now. Your sealing is too good now."

Raviel became pleased to get a compliment from his lord. He said, "Thank you, my lord; you know I am an expert at sealing technique. I can seal more and more. Even a big monster or giant spirit, I can seal them in a single shot."

Askumo replied, "Yes, that’s why I like you most. This sealing technique of yours even beats me anytime. I know you’re not only the darkness king but also a beast god in sealing."

"That’s not so true, Lord; my powers are nothing in front of you. You are a God-level warrior of your time. "You reached the level S in magicians and warriors," claimed Raviel.

Akumo shouts, "No, not only have I reached that, but I can master the S level. By myself. Only one mistake made me suffer this much. This mistake breaks my dreams, and I get cursed by this time, condition, and situation."

Raviel reminds him, "Lord, we’ll talk about this another time. You need to get yourself into ventilation first. Otherwise it’ll get harmful for you now."

For using this much power for all of the summoning things, Akumo lost much of his energy on it. Most of his energy was absorbed by the reanimation of Richard from the past.

Who is the masked man of the time!