Duality of Shadows

"Grassrunner is a humanoid variant connected to nature, with a mutation similar to that of beasts. Among humanoid bloodlines, this must be the one that best utilizes my technique," the Oni asserted categorically.

"I want your technique, and for an important Grassrunner. What do you want in return?" the whale spoke softly.

He reflected slowly. "Hmm... I understand... accept a female Oni..."

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"No! I’m already committed, and I don’t accept having more than one." The response came dry. They were always thrown into this.

The figure lightly scoffed. "Well, human culture is different indeed. So... could you personally teach an Oni? Just need to give them the opportunity and a little attention. If it’s a... yes, a newborn who hasn’t received the influence and pride of this surviving people."

The whale looked at him thoughtfully, and the figure remembered something, speaking quickly. "That couple of Onis you brought, they’re already different from everyone else. When you give them the knowledge that they must unite deeply, it won’t be long before the woman becomes pregnant. Their child has potential, you just need to give him the opportunity."

"Fine. If he takes advantage of what I’ve given him, I’ll give him more indefinitely. It will only be up to that future child to respond or not."

Both understood each other. Then the figure waved and a rune detached from his body and floated towards the whale. Alm and Bruno caught it and received the dense information in their minds. In the same second, they transferred everything to their spear, directly into Liumi’s still unconscious soul.

That was all she needed. Her unconscious state was because she couldn’t handle the behemoth bloodline along with Yin and Yang. It was something of a very high level for her, but with this technique, it would be possible. It was just a matter of whether she could learn it or not.

"Let’s finish this," said the whale, pulling out the same spear.

The Oni saw that and his eyes widened in astonishment. He had much knowledge about everything, that union of powers in that spear was something unique and almost impossible to exist. This human figure, besides everything, had many cards and secrets. He smiled excitedly, it was all he wanted for the future of his race.

"Onis don’t fight with weapons, our body is a weapon," he said, clenching his fists excitedly.

"But a backward and idiotic idea for me to erase from them in the future. Come, I’ve never fought someone more experienced; beating up an old man will be unique," said the whale emotionlessly as he spun the spear.

Their gazes met, and in the blink of an eye, they both disappeared.

BOOOM!

Two powerful bodies collided, creating a spatial distortion that seemed to herald the end of the world. The whale had reached a physical level of a cultivator in the divine realms; but the Oni, although physically inferior due to the limitations of the puppet, still possessed his bloodline and an experience capable of defying any expectation. Alm and Bruno knew well the difference experience could make; they themselves put it into practice constantly.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Everyone within that world felt the ground tremble as if being torn apart by an earthquake, with each passing second becoming more and more intense. They were all catatonic, aware that the whale had been taken for the test in the underground.

An hour passed... two hours... twelve hours...

The tremors didn’t cease but became increasingly refined and controlled. It was as if they were witnessing an intense battle training, where one side was constantly pressured to evolve. Little did they know that this was exactly what was happening.

Underground, the Oni puppet was riddled with holes that pierced through its entire body, you could even see through to the other side. Meanwhile, the whale was covered in blood, with bones exposed in several places. However, neither side seemed to feel pain or discouragement. They were like impassive blocks of ice; or malignant serpents lying in wait, waiting for the right moment to strike fatally.

"Great, great. It seems you’ve fought desperate battles for many centuries," said the Oni puppet, with a satisfied smile. "I’ve gone through the same, but over millions of years. It’s rare to find a worthy adversary."

The whale snorted in response. Alm and Bruno had been a single soul for a long time in this fight. The Oni wasn’t joking; every move was a deadly threat. However, they smiled internally, feeling a growing pulse in their spear.

The training was worth every second. Not only for them, but for her, and for the spear that was her new body. She was constantly pressured and stimulated by this fight. The speed of association and learning of the technique was slow at first, but at some point Alm and Bruno felt a consciousness subtly awaken. Then, watching that puppet using the technique firsthand, the speed multiplied.

"It’s time to end this," declared the whale, pointing the spear forward with determination and staring firmly at his opponent.

The Oni shook his head, feeling his energies rapidly draining from that exhausted body. It was the end, the end of the battle and the end of his own will; the round figure had come to save his race... but he wouldn’t surrender easily.

A sudden whirlwind of wind enveloped the whale. The Oni watched in surprise as Yin and Yang intertwined with the laws of the earth. In an instant, a purple light emerged from the spear, slowly enveloping the whale’s body.

Then something surprising happened. A genuinely happy smile formed on the whale’s face, an expression of pure joy and relief.

The Oni turned to look at the whale’s shoulder, where the purple light condensed and took shape. Slowly, a creature a few inches tall appeared there. With purple fur and white tips, it had yellow eyes like those of a lion, soft white fangs, and a long, undulating tail. It looked like a wild and mysterious feline, but exuded an unmistakable beastly and humanoid aura.

If anyone from the Earth saw it, they would say it was a domestic cat... purple, and with a very strange look... but incredibly cute.

The Oni’s eyes widened in surprise. That was his important Grassrunner... a weapon spirit? He momentarily felt confused, questioning the usefulness of it, but as he felt the aura of the whale and the spear merging, a tremor ran through his body. That... had infinite potential!

The whale sighed deeply, and the spear resonated in response, pulsating in harmony with the spatial waves that writhed around.

’Welcome back...’, echoed the emotion-laden words, resonating in the mind of the small confused figure observing everything on the whale’s shoulder.

KBOOOM!

The separate world trembled as if on the brink of collapse... but suddenly, everything fell completely silent.