Volume 10 - Dream Eater: Chapter 51 Slaying Baku

Now standing at just over ten meters tall, Baku resembled a small hillock rather than the towering mountain he once was. He careened wildly, cras.h.i.+ng into mountain walls, reducing them to debris that he tumbled amidst. Since their initial encounter, his aura had waned noticeably.

Lily exclaimed, What? Down to a Double-soul Big Dipper? The very notion that a Big Dipper could regress was baffling. It was evident Baku hadnt ignited his Stellar Soul.

Putting her resolve into words, she declared, No more hesitations! She sprang onto him, positioning her weapon against what she presumed was his neck.

Wait Bakus voice had lost its once robust and authoritative tone. It now sounded feeble and worn out. He was well aware of the inevitable end awaiting him. Even with the few relics he possessed, he stood no chance against Lily. He might have doubted the tales of Lily vanquis.h.i.+ng Shuten Doji, but he was certain of her formidable strength, equivalent to that of a quintuple-soul Big Dipper. Coupled with s.h.i.+mizus energy absorption and Ayakas fearless retaliation, his defeat was undeniable.

The once-mighty ancient beast now lay amidst debris, taking labored breaths. Blood seeped through patches on his black, furry hide. The eyes that once petrified many were now hollow and desolate.

Do you expect mercy after all youve done? Youve sown seeds of terror, tormenting countless souls, including forcing Sister Ayaka to endure nightmares for years on end. Do you really wish to continue this existence? Lilys gaze was steely and cold.

This is the way of the Heavenly Path the eternal cycle Its not my doing, Baku retorted, blood dribbling from a broken fang as he spoke.

Heavenly Path? Is that your defense? As Lilys words left her mouth, her blade punctured his skin, releasing a torrent of blood.

Kagami Lily, think twice before sealing my fate. I am the ancient divine beast of Fortune. The escalating dark and Eldritch Energy over the years has plagued humanity with nightmares. This darkness has seeped into me, and after enduring its torment, Ive been transformed into this wretched form, his voice trembled, the weight of his desperation evident.

It was almost an admission of his own inadequacy.

Lily responded tersely, What concern is that of mine? Even Shuten Doji started as a benign monkey and turned malevolent out of sheer jealousy. Your tales and reasons dont absolve you of the heinous deeds youve committed, especially the anguish inflicted upon Sister Ayaka.

Baku! Ayakas voice quivered with rage. Do you truly believe Id ever pardon you?

She leapt onto the beasts head, positioning her Naginata threateningly against it.

All the while, s.h.i.+mizu carried on draining Bakus dark energy, sapping his strength even further.

Fujiwara no Ayaka I recognize the gravity of my sins, and they may be beyond redemption. Yet, if theres ever a chance to restore the Heavenly Path, I can usher in prosperity to this world. It may not mean much now, but it serves a purpose. Slaying me could jeopardize the Heavenly Path and all of mankind, Bakus voice was filled with desperation.

Prosperity? The Heavenly Path as I see it is a cesspool of corruption. It only promises an eternity of nightmares. I fear if you persist, your malevolence will only grow, Ayaka retorted icily.

Young human prodigy, my perception of time greatly differs from yours, he began. I have no prowess in real-world combat. My dominion lies in dreams. The power I wield has been acc.u.mulating for over a millennium. Humanitys greed, desires, tragedies, and inherent darkness, their corrupted dreamsthey fortified me. I didnt thrust nightmares upon them. Rather, human nightmares gave birth to me.

You cannot lay the blame at my feet, Lily retorted impa.s.sively.

However, you cant place all responsibility upon me either. If you were to end my life, the dream realms of all those under my influence would crumble. The repercussions would vary based on the individuals mental fort.i.tude and strength

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. The more resilient might survive, but theyd surely be scarred, he countered. I share this not out of a desperate plea for life. With my recent defeat, Im bereft of hope and much of my dark energy has dissipated. My nature isnt as malevolent as it once was. Whether you choose to believe me or not is beyond my control.

And how do you propose we save those ensnared in your dream realms without causing them harm? Lily pressed.

I am the only one who can ensure their safety, granted you let me live, Bakus eyes held a trace of their earlier cunning, yet they were undeniably dim.

Deceiver Lily hesitated, struggling to discern the truth. Still, she was reluctant to endanger Ayakas mental well-being.

If a millennia later, Baku regained his might and resumed his reign of terror, that future wouldnt be her concern. If she couldnt ascend to the Celestial Stage, her lifespan wouldnt even span that long. Compared to an Archdemon of equivalent power, a humans life was fleeting. An archetypal human Big Dipper lived just over a thousand years.

Though Lilys strength mirrored that of a quintuple-soul Big Dipper, she hadnt truly reached that level. Her eventual ascent was probable but not guaranteed.

Lady Lily, whether or not you trust my words, understand this: should I perish, as long as dreams persist, another Baku will arise. If those dreams skew towards nightmares, another malevolent ent.i.ty will undoubtedly emerge, Baku a.s.serted.

No one could validate his claims. However, Lily intuitively felt there was merit to them. Bakus existence was intricately tied to dreams.

As long as dreams persist, so will a Baku.

First, erase Sister Ayakas nightmares. Then divulge the full truth behind the trap that harmed her, Lily commanded, moving her blade away from him.

Id rather suffer mental wounds than show you any clemency! Ayaka seethed, her body quaking. However, she eventually sighed, sheathing her Naginata and distancing herself from the beast.

A dim glow emanated from Bakus eyes, followed by a peculiar dark pulse that vacated Ayakas being.

Ngh Ah Feeling momentarily disoriented, Ayaka swayed, but Lily caught her in time. How are you, Sister Ayaka?

Lily Im uncertain. It feels as though the consuming darkness in my soul has been lifted, but I cant be sure, Ayaka replied. The trauma ran so deep that her fears were hard to shake.

Is it truly gone? Lily probed.

Yes, confirmed Baku.

If youve deceived us, know that I wont hesitate to end you.

At this juncture, my only aim is survival. I cant fulfill my mission. If I continued to torment Lady Ayaka, wouldnt I be signing my own death warrant?

What mission are you referring to? Who wants to harm me? Whos orchestrating this against me? Ayaka demanded.

If you could kindly ask your sister over there to cease absorbing my dark energy Baku began.

Silence! Dont you claim to be the divine beast of fortune? Lily snapped. Weve granted you life. Why cling to that dark energy?

How pragmatic of you. But, arent you worried that my dark energy might corrupt her mind? Baku retorted with a smirk.

If Lily asks me to vanquish all beings, Ill obey as long as I breathe. If she wishes me to be benevolent, Id help all, even at my own expense. Why should it matter how my mind is tainted

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?

Suddenly, Baku convulsed. Severely wounded, he coughed up more blood. Closing his eyes, he opted out of conversing with s.h.i.+mizu.

Enough games. Speak! Lily pressed.

With difficulty, he responded, Born a divine beast, I possess certain tendencies. But the overwhelming dark energy Ive consumed has overtaken me. Embedded within it is a formidable consciousness, one I, despite my prowess, could not defy. It compelled me into these actions. However, orchestrating the trap in Izumo Mountain was beyond my capabilities. Thats sacred territory for the human empire. Someone collaborated with me: the reigning Cloistered Emperor of your Heian Dynasty

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.

The Cloistered Emperor? Daitengu? A wave of realization hit Lily. Although she knew the Cloistered Emperor played a role in Ayakas misfortunes, she hadnt antic.i.p.ated his involvement so soon.

Why does the Cloistered Emperor pursue Ayaka? Why did he ally with you?

Youd best pose those questions to him. Im in the dark myself, Baku replied, evasively.

The revelation left Ayaka breathless. The realization that Daitengu had her in his sights since her youth, that hed been privy to her every move, was staggering.

Why press me to unveil the destiny of the Mirror Girl?

That directive came from the aforementioned consciousness. Physically, Ive always been anch.o.r.ed to Iyo Island, but my reach extends globally through dreams.

Quite a handy talent, Lily mused, interrupting.

Yet, not all dreams are within my grasp, Baku explained. Ayaka, youve been exceptional since youth. For powerhouses like you, my approach is gradual, slowly enticing and manipulating until I can dominate their dreams. But your pure heart evades me. Teaming up with Daitengu, we set a trap during your expedition to Izumo Mountain. However, it was your choice to venture there. Given your might, remaining in Heian-kyo wouldve rendered us powerless.

Ayaka was momentarily lost for words.

Were you successful in extracting any secrets from Ayaka?

No Destroying her resolve was gratifying, but she utilized a method that kept me in the dark. Even with total dominion over her dreams, I couldnt glean any significant information.

Ayaka had safeguarded her memories with an amnesia spell, ensuring Baku remained uninformed.

Ive disclosed all I know.

That commanding dark consciousness who or what is it? Lily inquired.

Panic flooded Bakus previously vacant gaze. Im unaware Truly. If I had any knowledge, I fear Id perish before revealing it. He began to convulse again, repeating his ignorance in genuine terror.

Sister s.h.i.+mizu, how much longer until youve drained all his dark energy?

Footnotes:

Robinxen: Actually this sounds good to me.

Robinxen: Can you imagine being so broken as a person that being told to be good will make you behave just because that person told you to?

Robinxen: The schemes deepen, now time to bulldoze through!