Homecoming from the Other Shore (III)

"You're clearly not a superhuman, yet you're researching these things... What's wrong?"

"This is seriously problematic! What do you mean? Blood Fiend isn't a superhuman?"

"So what... doesn't my Husband know?"

"How would I know!"

"But didn't my Husband inherit part of that guy's power? I thought you already knew everything about him."

"I only have fragments of her memories! -- No, that's not important! The problem is, what do you mean by saying she 'isn't a superhuman'!?"

"What's going on... It means exactly what it says? That guy isn't a superhuman."

"But she has the ability to control blood!"

"Being able to do that doesn't mean she's a superhuman."

"Isn't the ability to control blood a superpower?"

"If it were her, it certainly wouldn't be the case. Actually, I was quite surprised at first too."

"Wait, how did you figure out she wasn't a superhuman?"

"Although greatly weakened by the severe trauma—she can still use her abilities on her Husband's home planet, Earth."

"What does it matter!"

"Of course it's related, because there's no spiritual power on Earth, so theoretically it's impossible to use superpowers!"

... ha?

"What... does this matter?"

"I must ask you, my Husband, what exactly do you think the supernatural abilities on Spirit Star are?"

"... Isn't it just all sorts of weird and wonderful special abilities?"

"Generally speaking, that's roughly the case, but 'superpowers' originated from this world, and they all share a common characteristic—that is, they require absorbing 'spiritual energy' from the outside world to use. Didn't you figure that out when you first transmigrated, my Husband?"

"Uh, yeah."

I've long forgotten.

To understand this world, I consulted a lot of materials in the Winter Arrival City library, including astronomy, geography, historical figures, and so on. But I just glanced at "spiritual power" and moved on. At the time, I thought it was just like Magic Power Battle Qi, chakra, primal force, telekinesis, and the like—a convenient energy to facilitate the development of the story, so I didn't think much about it.

"Judging from my Husband's expression, I can tell he hasn't paid attention... For those with superpowers, spiritual energy isn't 'ammunition' or 'fuel,' but rather a 'trigger' or 'switch.' It's not that using a more powerful ability or a more powerful technique requires absorbing more spiritual energy from the outside; in fact, it's not proportional at all. If we compare those with superpowered individuals to firearms on Earth, spiritual energy acts like the trigger. As for the power of the attack, it depends on the gun and the ammunition itself—that is, the superpowered individual's ability, their physical strength, and overall power. Even if there are times when they are too tired to use their abilities, it's just that the amount of spiritual energy absorbed at that time wasn't 'just enough to use the ability.' To put it another way, it's like 'not pulling the trigger all the way down.' Besides, spiritual energy itself also has the effect of strengthening the body after absorption..."

"In short, no matter how strong a superpower is, if it doesn't absorb spiritual energy or doesn't have any spiritual energy stored in its body, it's like a gun without a trigger—completely useless."

Therefore, in a place like Earth where there is no spiritual energy, no matter how great Blood Fiend's abilities were, she wouldn't be able to use her special powers, not to mention that the small amount of spiritual energy she had stored in her body had already been used up in the great battle.

Spiritual power...

Superhumans rely on themselves in battle...

Spiritual power merely acts as a trigger or switch; it doesn't actually aid in combat...

Even the most powerful beings at the highest levels can't do anything without spiritual power...

The moment they stepped out of the world of Spirit Star, it meant their defeat and even annihilation...

Etc.

My heart suddenly skipped a beat.

So, it seems that spiritual power not only doesn't aid in combat, but actually prevents those with supernatural abilities from leaving this world?

Wouldn't that be no different from a dog collar?

"..."

A chill ran down my spine for no apparent reason.

"Husband? What's wrong?"

"... It's alright, please continue."

"That person known as Blood Fiend, she doesn't need spiritual power as a trigger to use her abilities, so she can wield power even on your Earth!"

Blood Fiend can use his abilities without spiritual power.

In other words, she is not a superhuman and is not bound by the absolute collar called "spiritual power".

If her power isn't a supernatural ability, then what is it?

"I've said everything I needed to say, now it's your turn, my dear Husband."

"... I?"

"Don't tell me you've never felt anything amiss. I've always been inside Husband. And you often use your abilities without absorbing spiritual energy."

"I've never noticed... and I can definitely absorb spiritual energy. I remember when I first arrived in this other world, I absorbed some after killing a demon beast. Aren't they just those little specks of light in the air? As long as I concentrate, I can see them flowing into my body..."

As I spoke, I closed my eyes and opened them again, concentrating my mind. I immediately saw tiny specks of light floating in the small room—spiritual energy, albeit very thin. With a thought, I absorbed many of these specks of light into my body.

Luo-chan stared at me blankly.

"Hey... Husband, do you really have to 'concentrate' to see the spiritual energy floating in the air?"

"Yes, what's wrong with that?"

"But even if a superhuman doesn't concentrate at all, they can still see spiritual energy just by staring blankly."

"... ah?"

"It's precisely because those points of light—spiritual energy—are omnipresent in the eyes of those with supernatural abilities, unavoidable even if they don't want to see them, and their presence is overwhelming, that this planet is called the 'Spirit Star'! I've never heard of anyone with supernatural abilities who has to concentrate to see spiritual energy, except for the blind!"

So that's true... Sometimes when we're in places with abundant spiritual energy, I see Haoyue and Xiao Wu squinting as if they're seeing something blinding. Is it because there's too much light symbolizing spiritual energy dazzling their eyes? They're different from me; I won't see it unless I deliberately look, but they have to see it whether they want to or not...

"No way, could it be that I really..."

I tried circulating my supernatural power, letting blood seep through my skin, while simultaneously focusing my attention on the points of light in the void. As the blood flowed out, the points of light, which were spiritual energy, were slowly flowing into my body—

No, stop.

From this moment forward, treat these spiritual energies as if they never existed in the first place, and completely ignore them.

Then, as if hypnotizing himself, he continued to activate his supernatural abilities—

"My Husband, look! I wasn't wrong, was I!"

"Really...?"

Blood continued to flow under my control, but the specks of light no longer entered my body.

In other words, I don't need a "trigger" called spiritual power when I use my abilities.

"So it turns out my ability really isn't a superpower. Neither I nor Blood Fiend are superpowered individuals..."

"So you finally realized it, my Husband. You're so slow! You could have noticed something was wrong if you had just thought about it carefully."

"What's the meaning?"

"I have existed in this world for countless years, and my experience is beyond the imagination of ordinary people. But even so, I have never heard of any superpower being advanced by 'devouring external objects'—except for my Husband."

"..."

Luo-chan talked on and on, looking all high and mighty, while I fell into deep thought.

If, as I believe, the essence of spiritual power is more akin to a "collar" around the necks of those with supernatural abilities than an "assistance"—

Could we view the ironclad rule that "superpowered individuals must absorb the spiritual energy of the Spirit Star world to use their abilities" as "a shackle imposed on its inhabitants by this world"?

Or even further—is this actually one of the fundamental rules of this world?

In that case, wouldn't I, who come from another world and can use abilities without spiritual power, be an existence outside the rules?

But if that's the case--

"... Am I just like the Leader?"

The instant this thought popped into his head,

Something vibrated.

It wasn't an earthquake, a jolt, or an impact; rather, something hidden beneath the material layer suddenly began to move.

The cramped room, the dirty floor, and the incessant chanting of the Rakshasa True Word —though still right beside me—suddenly felt like a world away.

I've been isolated—I suddenly realized this fact.

Just like antivirus software puts the virus into quarantine.

Something, some being hidden beneath the stage, concealed in the void, seemed to sense something and suddenly awoke.

It evokes the image of a hunting dog startled awake from its slumber, shaking its head, sniffing around, searching for its prey.

Then, as if it had found its prey, the hound's ugly head turned towards me.

We're about to be discovered.

After an extremely short period of time, which cannot be expressed in units of measurement, my existence will be exposed, I will be locked onto, and I will be identified as an enemy.

Knowing this, I was powerless to resist, unable even to escape, and had no time to feel shocked, fearful, or resentful.

Oops--

Sa!!!!!!!

Just as I was at a loss, the sense of crisis that I felt about to be locked onto by some kind of entity suddenly disappeared.

The world is returning to normal.

The forgotten village, the cramped room, the loli's body with its huge breasts—everything has returned, as if nothing had ever happened.

I quickly checked my body from head to toe, and thankfully, I wasn't missing any arms or legs.

"... Husband? I thought you suddenly got into the mood for passionate self-touching, but it seems a bit... wait!? Husband, you're covered in cold sweat, and your complexion looks terrible. What happened?"

Luo-chan asked me in surprise, "Do I really look that bad?"

"That's strange, didn't you feel anything?"

"Huh? Nothing happened. Husband, did you sense something?"

"I..."

"Although I don't know what happened, my Husband— "

Her voice abruptly stopped.

That exquisitely beautiful and alluring body suddenly vanished.

It disintegrated into red smoke, then spontaneously coalesced into a scarlet rune, before listlessly burrowing back into my body, like a computer suddenly being unplugged.

"Luo- Luo-chan!? Tsk, what's going on-"

My question was answered in the next second.

Thump!!!

The sound of a heavy object falling to the ground.

To be precise, it was the sound of heavy iron boots stomping on the ground.

Something was walking along the narrow corridor of the country cottage.

Clang! Clang! Squeak-- Clang! Clang! Squeak-- Clang! Clang! Squeak--

The excessively heavy footsteps were mixed with the sound of heavy objects being dragged along the floor.

At the same time, a sudden, inexplicable fear arose in my heart. As soon as it appeared, it was like a bottomless black hole, pulling my consciousness, my spirit, and everything within me downwards!

This feeling is completely different from the one I experienced when my will was invaded by the malevolent energy during the rampage of the Rakshasa True Word. The malevolent energy was external, but this fear arose directly from within me! It originated from my own heart!

Who is it?

Under the oppressive weight of unfounded, extreme fear, I slowly turned around—

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is a major, suspected scandal finally about to be exposed?