Broken Core [LitRPG • Cultivation • Post Apocalyptic • Romance]

The party stopped in the large cavern of their next nest. The sprawling city before them was degraded and mostly collapsed while souls roamed the streets. The journey took a month to reach Europe, or where Europe once was. The rent was only another week away and that would bring them back into Asia.

Along the journey, they stopped at a number of cities, towns, and villages. The Pact members were questioned and killed. Some were left alive, but after the first few, it became apparent that The Pact was pulling their soldiers from their path. Coral guided them as best she could, and it was only thanks to her that they reached the nest. The number of splits and branching tunnels was mind boggling.

Now that they were at the nest, it was time to set up. Everest was bouncing with excitement that she was going to be able to fight this time, while Zenaria stayed close to Coral, ready to escort the woman into the city.

Amber wasn't in any rush to fight for once, having stalled in growth for the time being. That left James to set up camp for them.

"Go out and start fighting," he ordered.

Zenaria hurried over and kissed him once before pulling Coral away. Everest padded off to find something to kill, followed by Priest, whom mother ordered to keep her safe.

James moved to a small clearing that was free from rubble and started building their temporary fort. He hadn't been able to practice with too many elements apart from earth. He also didn't see the need to learn the others at the moment. He instinctively knew that they wouldn't be that hard to tap into. There just wasn't any need for them.

Stone walls rose up before him, making Amber hum as she leaned against him. "You should make a small hideaway for the two of us."

"What about Zenaria?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

"Nope. Just the two of us. The kitsune gets enough pampering as it is. Every time she gets a little misty eyed, you fawn all over her."

"I do not," James protested.

Cocking her brow, she didn't need to say more as he winced. She was completely right, and he didn't know if he liked that or not.

"At least make our room a little bigger this time. Maybe a sitting area for the three of us. A little space from the others would be nice. Private baths for a change."

Nodding, he started building a small central room and changed Coral's room to a slightly larger size. If he was going to give her a space for her bath, he needed to make it comfortable. Priest's room was after that, doing much the same as Coral's.

Amber helped him design their room further by guiding his building. She wanted a room with plenty of space and larger than nearly the entire fort. The bed was extra large, and they likely didn't have enough furs and bedrolls for the whole thing, but she didn't care.

"You know we are only going to be here for one night, right?" he pointed out.

"Who cares," she said while waving him off. "I want comfort."

Rubbing his head, he glanced toward the city. "I think I'm going to go fight today. I need to stretch my muscles a little."

Amber stretched her arms above her head before yawning. "Wake me when you get back." Pulling out her sleeping mat, she entered the newly finished fort and prepared for a nap.

Walking over to Mother, he found her with her eyes closed, relaxing after marching for a month. "I'll be back later."

Cracking one eye open, she said, "That's fine."

Glancing at Shadow Paw, who was playing with his children, James smiled. The cubs were full of energy already, and he could feel his influence strengthening them by the day.

Patting Mother's nose, he wandered away. Pulling in his soul as tight as he could, he used fine control to appear like a weak cultivator. He had been practicing on the journey, hoping to be able to fight monsters again, but this would be the first time he was able to test it out.

Drawing his ebony sword from his storage, he held it up to the dim light. My family is with me, and now they will taste blood.

Continuing into the city, he tightened his control on his soul as he scanned the streets. The first monster he came to was not something he had seen before. What looked like a giant moth floated over the street, sprinkling down a fine powder that clung to the pavement and rubble.

That's new.

Coating his sword with his Sword of the Soul King, he drew the moth's attention. Flapping its wings, he hurled a cloud of the dust at him, coating his body as he felt his body tingle.

New Skill: Paralysis Resistance: Level 1

It was only thanks to his high level that the moth didn't bring him to his knees, if not collapse him entirely. Instead, he was able to walk through the powder, feeling it affect him to a lesser degree as the moth switched tactics.

Its wings started to glow and with another flap, it hurled razor sharp blades of wind at him, scattering the dust before cutting into his clothes. The attack struck his bare skin, but failed to do damage as he rushed forward the last few steps.

Slashing upwards, he carved an arc through the air that spread his flames. The moth was caught with the tip of his sword, the ebony blade splitting it open before Soul Flames scorched it to ash.

A sliver of Soul energy flowed into him, but he didn't bother checking his notifications. It simply wasn't worth it for one monster.

Lowering his sword, he rubbed his chin. I need a bigger group, or a group at all. A single moth didn't do it for me.

He was afraid to push out his Soul Senses in case the monsters felt him and fled. That meant moving through the streets and hoping to come across something. A thought he didn't relish. With nothing to do for it, he turned left and started further into the city.

***

Zenaria watched Coral twitch on the ground as the shredded remains of five moths bled into the stone. The insects were fascinating, and she had taken the moment to brush against the lingering dust to increase her skills. Coral was not so lucky, and had been ambushed and paralyzed the moment they entered their section of the city.

"You look at peace," Zenaria teased.

Coral tried to groan, but her mouth failed to work as her body processed the toxin. It was comical in its own way.

Sitting down, Zenaria kept the woman company while spreading out her soul. Hundreds of monsters were nearby. Some of them were the moths, while others were creatures they hadn't met yet. Their souls were rich with energy, but not enough to help her grow in any meaningful way. Coral on the other hand would do amazing.

Closing her eyes, Zenaria focused on listening to the sounds of the world. He ears twitched in time to the sound of battle in the distance. The growls of a certain dragon were followed by the belching of flames that made monsters scream. The tinge of smoke and roasting meat was on the wind, making her smile.

Everest is having fun. I wonder if Priest is going to help her fight or conserve his energy. James won't want to replenish it if it was wasted for no reason.

Zenaria realized that she still had much to learn about her mate. James rarely talked about his time from when he first awakened. Luna knew the story and hadn't talked about it either. When Zenaria had first met him, the man was a mystery filled with power.

He always knew she was there and wasn't threatened. It was a feeling she wasn't used to. As a cultivator, she had been skilled with taking down some of the most powerful people. Her wires shredded everyone, and yet she knew she would never be able to touch him.

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When he reached out and pulled her from the shadows, she knew her life was over. Only, he didn't kill her. He offered her a new path and she found herself asking for protection. She became his sister, and in time, his lover.

The first time he touched her lower back, she almost fled. She knew he was going to ask about her missing tails, but then he surprised her. He moved on, focusing on her one remaining tail as if it was the most important thing in his world. He washed and brushed it to perfection, clearly having learned how to care for tails from Luna.

He never pressured her to share her past, and she was drawn to him that much more. Before she knew it, she was breaking down, spilling her life story to him. The man was filled with compassion as he comforted her. It wasn't long after that she found a second tail appearing. Made from pure Soul Energy, it swayed like a real one and picked up dirt just the same. The fibers needed to be washed and brushed, and James took delight in helping her.

In fact, he took delight in helping all of them. No matter what time of day they needed him, he was always ready. She was more than eager to continue letting him pamper her as her heart melted just a little more each time. That's when she knew she could never leave him.

When she had fallen in love with him, she nearly cried. He was with Luna and she never stood a chance. Then Luna pushed her towards him when he was broken and needed them the most. They influenced him enough to not become a raw killer that would wipe out the world.

Pulling out her book, she started reading over the story she was writing. It started with the first time they met, and by met, she was stalking him. It was far from being finished, and this nest would just be another Chapter. Someday, she would set the book down, happy that it was finished. Maybe she would him read it, but her sappy moments were ever present in the pages.

A groan pulled her out of her thoughts, just as she was about to start writing. Coral started to shift, the paralysis finally wearing off. Putting the book away, Zenaria stretched and stood back up. "How was your nap."

Coral glared at her, hoping to murder her with the stare. "I hate this place!"

Smiling, Zenaria spread out her soul and tugged on a few monsters. They felt the draw and started making their way over. "You better prepare yourself."

Expression falling, Coral shakily got back to her feet. Lifting her spear and shield she grimaced at six more moths floated around the corner. "Couldn't you have at least let me walk around a little?"

"Nope!" Giggling, Zenaria prepared to interact with the dust again. She needed the resistance, just in case her future fights needed it.

With a roar, Coral charged toward the pack, only for them to throw dust at her with glee. The misty powder coated the woman and she crashed into the pavement a second later. With a laugh, Zenaria cut down the creatures before walking into the dust and soaking up the resistances. It was nice being strong enough that the creatures couldn't bother her. A strength that she owed completely to James.

***

James moved down the street, not at all bothered by the monsters flooding in from the surrounding areas. It seemed as though his interactions with the first few packs ignited a rage that couldn't be quenched. Blood coated his body and dripped from his shirt as he sliced through yet another alligator looking creature.

The long reptile had eight legs and a mouth with enough pressure to make him frown. The first time one bit onto his leg, he had to brace himself as it threatened to pull him down and roll away. Unlike the moths that had wind element, the alligator creatures had earth and actually came up from the ground as if they were surfacing from water. They also liked to sink him into the ground, trying to bury him.

Rolling his eyes each time, he would either use his earth magic to crush them, overpowering their control. Or he would slash through their heads, killing them if they surfaced.

The moths on the other hand continued to rain down dust on him and attempted to cut off his arms with each encounter. His shirt and pants had already repaired themselves hundreds of times as he made no rush to finish the fights.

With his soul closely pulled in, he couldn't feel the despair that the monsters likely held. He couldn't even feel how many were around him. They simply continued to show up, their teeth, claws, wings, and feet attempting to kill him.

Changing his heading toward the nest, he smiled. If the monsters were going to continue harassing him, he might as well bring them all to him.

Keeping a steady pace, he cut down monster after monster. Block after block. It wasn't long into his walk that he found Zenaria joining him with Coral, and a block further when Everest arrived with Priest.

The influx of his friends also brought an influx of monsters that were hell bent on bringing them down. It wasn't until Priest joined the fight that James realized how desperate the monsters truly were.

"Do you think they know I'm here for the nest?" James asked.

Priest grunted as he slashed his hand through the air. A group of five alligators fell apart before the ground behind them exploded. "Are you telling me you don't cause a mess wherever you go?"

Zenaria barked out a laugh.

"I do not," James protested.

"Sure, sure," Priest teased. Bursting forward, he appeared behind a flock of moths and they all watched as the creatures fell apart. The dust they were releasing disappeared with small crackles that caused a chain reaction to all of the dust on their street.

"I'm feeling very attacked right now," James grumbled.

"Did we hurt your feelings?" Zenaria teased. "I bet burying you with my tails will help."

Frowning, he glanced at her. "You make it sound like I'm addicted to your tails. Just so you know, Luna has a far better tail. Even Grace's is nicer."

Zenaria glared at him. "Take that back!"

"You hurt my feelings," he countered.

A jet of flames scoured the street, cutting off the argument as Everest preened. "Take that! I killed the most!"

"Should I start fighting seriously?" James questioned.

Everyone glared at him.

"Don't even think about it!" Everest growled. "Stay in the middle and look pretty!"

Laughing, he kept them moving toward the nest. Once they were a block away, a pulse of energy washed out from the blob of flesh and the city started to shake.

"I think it feels threatened," James commented.

A moment later, the sky was blotted out by the beating wings of a thousand moths. The nearby buildings collapsed as alligators dug their way toward them.

"Umm…James…" Zenaria said with a slight panic.

"Yes, love?"

"We might need your help this time."

Resting his sword on his shoulder, he shrugged. "Nope."

"What do you mean no?" Coral asked. "We can't fight this many!"

Even Priest looked worried as he readied another of his skills.

Sighing, James held up his hand and activated Setting of a Thousand Suns. The first monster exploded, followed by a second. The charging creatures froze as they felt his true power for the first time as their brethren continued to die as chunks rained down from the sky.

"I thinned them out," he announced.

"Only a thousand more to go," Priest mumbled. "You're so kind…"

"I'm the best," James joked. Pulling out a chair from his storage, he took a seat. With clear relief that he was done fighting, the monsters charged again.

Zenaria growled before disappearing into her Phantom Form. A second later, nearly a hundred monsters fell apart, making Coral stop.

"Did she just…" Coral didn't seem to be able to process what she saw.

"Better start Siphoning," James told her. "You two, Everest."

Both girls nodded before he watched as streams of Soul Energy flowed into them. A few seconds later, the quick movement of wires shredded dozens more as the kitsune moved around the area.

Everest reared back her head and blew the largest burst of flames he had seen down the street. Moths and alligators alike were incinerated from the heat that made him sweat.

"Wow!"

Everest glanced at him and smirked. "I bet you can't do that!"

Raising his hand, he prepared to use his fire magic when the dragon nearly tackled him.

"It wasn't a challenge!"

Rolling his eyes, he turned to Priest and watched the man wave his hands in the air, seemingly random. Slowly, sigils appeared in front of him that made the charging monsters pause.

James was about to ask what was happening when the world flashed white, blinding him. Zenaria screamed out in pain as she was pulled from her Phantom Form, and Coral sounded like she collapsed.

When his vision returned, James didn't see any signs of the monsters any longer. All he found was ash raining down over the city. "What the hell?" Getting up, he turned to the man. "What did you do?"

Panting, Priest clutched his chest. "Killed them."

Spreading out his soul, James felt the man and found his energy nearly gone. "You used everything to do that? That was a tremendous amount of Soul Energy."

"Ass!" Zenaria yelled from where she was on the ground.

Coral groaned as she started getting back to her feet. "What hit me?"

Priest only chuckled before turning to the nest. "Is it time to kill it?"

Sighing, James nodded. "Let's go, Zenaria. You need this one so you can catch up to Amber."

The kitsune happily joined his side as they approached the blob of flesh. Once they were within its radius of pressure, Zenaria was forced to stop. Unlike Amber, she couldn't properly approach.

"Can I use your soul?" James asked.

Smiling, she nodded.

Grabbing a small sliver of her soul, he stretched it out and attached it to the energy inside the nest. With a gasp, Zenaria started sucking it up like she was dying of thirst.

Within seconds, the nest crumbled to dust and she passed into level eleven. She was now simply waiting on him to reach the immortal soul so she could get stronger.

"What a rush!" she nearly shouted.

Chuckling, he turned her back to the group. "Let's go wake up Amber."

"We still have nearly the entire day. What are we going to do?"

The others gathered around, waiting for his answer as well.

Humming, he shrugged. "How about we simply relax. It's been a month of marching to reach the nest, and the rent will be just as easy I think. Not to mention the nest after that. So, today, we should play games and relax."

"Chess?" Zenaria asked.

"I suppose I can play a few matches." Turning to Priest, he added, "you aren't getting recharged right away. Punishment for wasting so much energy."

"Sorry…"

Coral put her weapons back into her ring and stretched. "I think I'll take a nap. Getting off my feet for a few hours will feel heavenly."

James wanted to agree, but he wasn't uncomfortable with walking as far or for as long as they had. His body didn't really get tired anymore.

"Do you have any stories that you would like to share?" Zenaria asked.

The question was directed at Priest, and the man smiled. "After a few games we can talk. I'm sure Amber wants to hear them as well."

James agreed with that and as they left the city behind, he prepared to lose most of the games. Zenaria was just too good.