Chapter 24 - 17 - Where Am I?

* * * * *

Gathered in a VIP room, were the leaders of the Three Factions, Azazel, Sirzechs, Michael and the other three Maous. Along with them, was Odin of Norse mythology.

"...So this is the current Sekiryuutei."

One of the leader murmured.

The members present were watching a video shown on a screen.

What the scene showed--

Was the Sekiryuutei clad in a humanoid armor that towered even Fenrir.

The strength of the humanoid beast was clearly apparent, easily able to defeat the Child Fenrirs and even Fenrir itself, although Fenrir disappeared halfway.

Azazel muttered to himself.

Vali, I can understand why you, who are a battle maniac, took such a high interest in the Sekiryuutei. His strength might be even above yours.

"Are his whereabouts still unknown?" Sirzechs asked.

"Although the possibility is low, we have to consider that he may have been kidnapped by terrorists."

"Hah...this is all my fault. If not for Loki--"

Odin started to speak but Azazel cut him off.

"It's not your fault geezer. Loki's actions were unprecedented. The Sekiryuutei disappearing as well. No one expected such a scenario."

Sirzechs faced Azazel.

"We have to find Sasuke-kun."

"Yeah. After all, he possesses a legendary dragon. Rias and Akeno as well..."

Sirzechs looked at Azazel meaningfully.

"How are they?"

"They are currently still in despair, since their pillar of support has disappeared. For Rias, Sasuke was the one who freed her from her engagement with Riser while for Akeno, he was the one who also helped to mend her relationship with Barakiel. He already held an important place in their heart. For him to disappear..."

Everyone became silent upon hearing that.

- - - - -

"Vali, is it true about the Sekiryuutei-nya?"

Vali looked at Kuroka, who carried a slightly depressed look.

"It's true. He has disappeared. The Three Factions are currently exhausting their resources to find him." Vali replied as a matter of fact.

"Could it be the Hero Faction?" Bikou looked over at Arthur, who used to belong to the Hero Faction.

"I have no idea. They are a bunch I don't understand." Arthur replied coolly.

Vali shook his head.

Everyone else suddenly raised their head, including Fenrir, who had become small.

Vali made eye contact with Arthur, who nodded his head.

- - - - -

"Cao Cao. Have you heard about the Sekiryuutei?"

"I have. The Three Factions suspect it's the Khaos Brigade."

"Were you involved in it, Cao Cao?"

"No, I only learnt about it recently. It's a pity, really. I wanted to fight both of the Heavenly Dragons."

"The Sekiryuutei is stronger than we thought. We might have a hard time."

"So? That is even better. It will allow me to grow past my limit."

"Good, with this--"

"The 'infinite' will end."

- - - - -

A spiral distorted and a lone figure, wearing black cloak over a black shirt and pants, stepped out.

* * * * *

As Sasuke stepped out, the first thing he noticed--

Was blue light.

The walls, ground and ceiling were made of mood, making it seem as though one was inside of a tree itself.

Sasuke focused his attention on his surroundings and noticed many patches of moss growing across the floor.

Sasuke pondered while he surveyed his surroundings.

Is this one of Kaguya's dimension?

I should have returned to Konoha---

Did I appear somewhere else instead?

[Partner, where are we? Is this the place you were hoping to return to?]

No, I don't remember this place at all.

Sasuke observed his surroundings more carefully.

This is not one of Kaguya's dimensions as well--

So where did I end up in?

However, he received a feedback instead.

Tch, I can't create a portal...

Traveling through dimensions repeatedly took a huge toll on Sasuke's body and even if he used Ddraig's ability, 'Boost', he couldn't recover the stamina of his eyes. Furthermore, he felt that traveling through these unknown dimensions, that brought him to a completely different place, took a heavier toll on his eyes.

Did I somehow end up in another world again?

Sasuke slowly crouched down and placed his palm on the ground.

[Partner, what are you doing?}

1,2...5...

There are multiple presences around me. And...they posses some strange energy signatures.

Above--

I can sense activity.

Sasuke concentrated--

There seems to be a lot of presences above me.

And their energy signatures flows like a human.

Sasuke looked up.

There are humans above me.

It was at that moment--

- - - - -

SWOOP!

GUGUIIIIII!

A voice resounded above Sasuke.

When he looked up, a huge dragonfly was swooping down.

Sasuke immediately drew out his sword. A swing that resembled a sharp wind blade intercepted the swooping down dragonfly.

"GOOOOOOOO!"

While crushing roots of trees and thicket underfoot with cracking sounds, a hairy creature--A large monster six to seven meters tall, with dark red fur and long curved spear like tusks, was charging at Sasuke.

It was a mammoth.

Sasuke leaped up and the momentum of the beast was quickly toyed around by Sasuke with a use of keen and nimble body movement.

The dragonfly shot out a projectile from its abdomen.

"Fire release : Great Fireball Technique! (Katon : Goukakyu No Jutsu!)"

A fireball, the size of a giant orb, was expelled from Sasuke's mouth and it enveloped the giant dragonfly.

The dragonfly was convulsing in twitches through it's whole body and expired while free-falling with a scream and breaking the foliage on its way down with crunching sounds.

It's giant body writhed and undulated and just like that, it's breath was stopped and that giant body slowly burned away.

Sasuke focused his attention back at the Mammoth creature and clashed the large creature right from the front.

The blade cut into both the edge of the large mouth that could swallow a human whole.

Sasuke concentrated the tip of his sword with lightning and twisted the sword inside the opened mouth of the Mammoth. The Mammoth head bȧrėd the white of it's eyes widely and it hung its head languidly as if dying in exhaustion.

Swinging his sword that shone in elegance, just like a crescent moon, the blade that flew sharply draw an arc and bisected the neck of the Mammoth.

The creature, with it's neck crushed, fell down to the ground while raising a heavy sound.

[As expected, Partner. But, just what are those creatures. I can sense several more surrounding us. We should get out of here quickly.]

Sasuke sheathed back his katana and looked up again, where he had previously sensed the presence of humans.

- - - - -

I need to find out exactly where I am.