(This is a spoiler, but the sealing array that Shisui saw IS NOT the seal that is holding Nihilora. This sealing array was created by a certain black mage to keep out unwanted visitors from entering Mildian. Yes it is the ruins of Mildian in this fanfic. However, any mage who is knowledgeable can still bypass the seal with enough protection, such as Precht. The reason why this is a dead valley now is because of the Curse of Ankhseram. So Shisui's theories are wrong, just thought I'd clear this up before I get people telling me how it should be Zeref's curse that caused the dead valley and what not. Nihilora's seal is within Mildian, but even Mildians didn't know they built their city atop Nihilora's seal. I have a whole thing mapped out about the origins of Nihilora and his kind, so you guys are just going to have to wait to see what I have planned as this is as much as I am willing to reveal.)
Bonus Chapters every 100 Power Stones
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
"Telepathic Dialogues"
[Year X790]
~ With Shisui ~
The connection formed immediately in his mind. This valley could very well be where the demon Nihilora was actually sealed, with the sealing array being the cause of the dead zone that surrounded it. The theory was speculative, based on limited information and potentially flawed assumptions. But it seemed like the most plausible explanation for everything he was observing.
If Nihilora's presence was indeed what had killed this entire valley, then the creature's power was even more terrifying than he'd initially realized. The demon fragment he'd encountered had been dangerous enough, despite being only a small piece of the original entity. A complete demon capable of draining life from such a vast area would represent a threat on an entirely different scale.
Shisui considered his options carefully, but eventually released a long sigh of defeat. Finally, when he felt strong and confident enough in his own survival to investigate the dead zone properly, he was hindered once again by circumstances beyond his control. The barrier was clearly beyond his ability to bypass safely, and even if he could find a way through it, the potential consequences of disturbing such an elaborate seal were too dangerous to risk.
He consoled himself with the reminder that if this seal really was what held Nihilora back from the world, then leaving it undisturbed was probably the wisest course of action. The last thing anyone needed was for him to accidentally release an ancient demon through careless investigation.
Sighing once more in frustration, Shisui took a step backward, intending to head back to Warrod to give his report on the Mountain Zone. At least the past six months hadn't been wasted, even if the investigative mission remained incomplete.
However, he didn't realize that as he stepped backward onto a shadow cast by a nearby tree, everything would change completely.
The moment his feet landed on the dark patch behind him, Shisui's entire world transformed. Gone was the valley he had been studying just moments before. Instead, he found himself standing in what appeared to be a void filled with pure darkness.
Shisui looked around in confusion and alarm, his Mangekyo blazing as he tried to process what had just occurred. A moment ago he had been examining a complicated sealing array that blocked his path into the dead valley. Now he found himself standing in what appeared to be an endless void.
The sudden transition made no sense. He hadn't activated any techniques, hadn't been caught in anyone else's jutsu, hadn't even sensed the presence of another person in the area. One moment he'd been stepping backward from the valley's edge, the next he was somewhere else entirely.
His senses remained fully active, detecting the space around him even if they couldn't penetrate the overwhelming blackness. The void wasn't absent of everything, it was filled with something he couldn't identify.
More significantly, his Susanoo's ribcage continued to emit its characteristic green glow. The spectral energy provided enough illumination to confirm that he was indeed surrounded by darkness rather than experiencing complete sensory deprivation. He could see the translucent bone structure protecting him, could observe how its light interacted with whatever filled this space.
Shisui was about to voice his confusion aloud when an unexpected voice reached him through means that immediately put him on full alert.
"Speak not a word, human."
The words weren't spoken in any conventional sense. Instead, they felt transmitted directly into his mind, much like the telepathic techniques that members of the Yamanaka clan had mastered back in the Elemental Nations. The familiar sensation of mental communication triggered every combat instinct he possessed.
His Mangekyo spun frantically as he turned in place, searching for the source of the telepathic contact. Someone or something was present in this void with him, close enough to establish mental communication but concealed from him temporarily.
His eyes finally settled on a bat hanging upside down from what appeared to be a branch made entirely of shadows. The creature was perfectly motionless, suspended from the dark appendage as if such formations were completely natural in this strange environment.
Taking a closer look at both the bat and the space around him, Shisui made another disturbing discovery. Neither the creature nor the void itself contained any trace of Ethernano. The magical particles that permeated everything in Earthland were completely absent here, replaced by an entirely different and unfamiliar energy system.
The bat remained perfectly still as they studied each other across the darkness. Its eyes reflected his Susanoo's green light, but revealed nothing about its intentions or nature. The creature's telepathic abilities were clearly functional, but it seemed content to wait rather than continue the conversation.
Shisui was about to open his mouth to speak when the voice suddenly returned to his mind with unmistakable authority.
"This is your final warning. Not a word, human."
The emphasis in the mental communication made it clear that speaking aloud would have serious consequences.
"But if verbal communication is forbidden, how are we supposed to interact?'"He thought the question as clearly as he could, wondering if the bat could detect his mental processes.
"As we are is fine."
The immediate response confirmed that telepathic communication was indeed possible. The bat could apparently read his thoughts directly, eliminating the need for spoken words entirely. That level of mental intrusion would have been deeply unsettling under normal circumstances, but given his current situation, Shisui was willing to accept whatever communication methods were available.
He gave the bat a pointed stare and telepathically directed his next questions. "What are you? And are you responsible for bringing me here, wherever here may be?"
"I am but a Shadow. A Whisperer of the Nocturnae. And you, human, have been summoned here to Umbra Noctis."
The terms were completely unfamiliar to Shisui.
Whisperer? Nocturnae? Umbra Noctis?
None of these names or concepts matched anything from his experience in either the Elemental Nations or Earthland. The bat was speaking of things entirely outside his knowledge.
"Understanding comes after the trial, human."
Shisui's eyes widened upon hearing mention of a trial. The implication that he was expected to undergo some kind of test raised immediate questions about his situation. He hadn't volunteered for any trial, hadn't agreed to participate in whatever process the bat was describing.
"Trial? What trial? And why do I need to go through it? Scratch that. In the first place, what even gives you the right to summon me here and demand me to go through a trial?"
The bat's response was both brief and ominous. It was also useless as it did not answer him at all.
"I pray for your survival, human."
With those unsettling words, Shisui felt the space around him beginning to shift and change. The darkness that had seemed so solid and permanent started moving. The bat disappeared from his view, either moving away or simply becoming invisible against the shifting backdrop of the void.
Whatever trial awaited him was about to begin, and he had no idea what he would be facing.
~ End of Chapter 62 ~
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