The Greatest Fight [progression cultivation isekai]

A Friend from Ages Past

Something streaked by, fast—so fast that the locals dismissed it as nothing more than a passing gust of wind. Its round, beady eyes scanned in all directions, shifting so rapidly that they appeared to have many pupils; its breath was quicker than the rhythm of a woodpecker. The haze in the distance grew thicker as it approached Grayshroud. Bouncing from one smoke stack to another, it made its way through the city until it reached the plaza where Roa and the Shadow had just fought. Its eyes opened wide as they focused on a single spot in the middle. With a thunderous flash, it landed, causing the crowd to gasp.

"What the—" shouted a woman, startled.

"A raccoon dog?" said another.

The fluffy creature leapt on top of the Roa's lifeless body, and unleashed a powerful wave of aura, sending everyone else backwards, flying to the ground. The animal gently rested the unconscious boy onto the floor.

"Don't die, Sunflower..." it whispered, as it stood on top of his chest, closing its eyes.

A bright light enveloped them, followed by another bang. Over and over, the animal struck the lifeless body.

"Get off of him!" yelled a woman, as the crowd surrounded them.

Thunderous flashes struck the Jumper repeatedly, his body jolting with every impact as the animal's round paws leapt up and slammed back down, releasing energy into his chest. Roa's eyes finally flew open, along with his mouth, inhaling a panicked, gurgling breath at last. The racoon licked him on the face, as the hero attempted to catch his breath. People stepped closer, standing there with wide-open eyes, unsure of what they were gawking at.

"That thing—I think it saved him," said someone, as they stared in silence.

Nobody intervened. The racoon sat next to Roa's face until his breath slowed down and he was able to regain his calm.

"Sunflower," it whispered in his ear, "are you alright?" its voice was calm and kind—and familiar.

The boy turned his head with a confused look in his eyes, and stared at its little, wiggling snout.

"You were almost gone there," it said, licking him some more with its tiny, wet tongue.

"Who..."

"Don't speak. You must rest now. I will take you to a safe place, don't worry."

The animal morphed into a young man. Roa's eyes opened and closed several times as he struggled to stay awake.

"I—I know you..." the boy whispered as he passed out.

He felt a trickle of water gently flowing down his parched throat, waking him up for a moment, causing him to notice faces that he did not recognize. He moved his legs, feeling the warm, soft duvet covering him.

"This will bring you back. Don't worry, my old friend," he heard someone say, as he passed out again.

Several hours later, a piercing pain forced his eyes open. He slid his hand onto the side of his torso where the discomfort came from, feeling bandages tightly wrapped around him. He looked around—the people surrounding him went silent, noticing his eyes open.

"You're alright. You're going to make it."

"I know you," said the boy, forcing a smile, "you're the waiter from the yacht."

The stranger morphed back into a raccoon dog, leaping onto the bed, and resting onto Roa's chest. The warmth from its small body felt comforting to the boy.

"I have been giving you Ambrosia, and using the Heal Gift, transferring my life force to you—to keep you alive," explained the animal, lowering its face onto his chest.

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"Thank you." The Sunflower slowly pulled his hand out of the covers to pet the racoon, feeling its soft fur on his hand. "Who are you? Why do you keep helping me?"

"My name is Tanoò. This is my true form. We were friends long ago, before Black Fortia. I was also there when we broke you out of your prison world."

"You helped Nirvana? How?"

"Yes—I was with my teacher, Master Ditto. I am their disciple. We were the two chefs who popped their heads out of the kitchen of the diner. My master is the greatest shapeshifter in all of Free Society, myself being the distant second. We used our skills to confuse the enemy that day—take its focus away from you, so that you could get to the Exit."

"I see—thank you."

"No need to thank me. We took your semblances at your jobs, then moved to the diner when it was time. Master Ditto even changed your own appearances to trick the enemy. However, the two Shadows who were sitting there realized something was up. After you left the diner, they followed you, but we were able to take them out. Unfortunately, they alerted the others."

"Briteside..." said the boy, as he shook his head.

"Regardless, the plan worked, at least partially, as you managed to jump to the next world, and get away."

"Yea—but, I think I messed up. The last Exit was the wrong one. I ended up in some desert world."

"That's alright. The important thing is that you made it out. We also eventually escaped from that world. Master Ditto and I separated when you weren't at the expected meeting point, asking me to look for you in the Elsewhere. Eventually, I picked up your energy near Grayshroud, meeting you by accident as I was infiltrating the oligarchs' party on Tar Lake."

"What were you doing there?"

"I was trying to find a way out—an Exit, a portal we might use, if I managed to find you. I knew the Heavenly Nobles of the Palace Basements would probably know the best ways out. However, once I got there, I found the kidnapped women, and knew I had to rescue them before completing my mission. When you showed up—everything fell in place on its own."

The raccoon dog licked Roa's bruised hand, causing the boy to smile, before his expression turned serious again.

"What about my girl, Eralay? She was with me in that prison world. What happened to her?" asked the boy, as the animal raised its head and stared at him.

"I don't know, unfortunately. Master Ditto and I were not nearby when you jumped through the Exit. We were busy escaping from a swarm of Shadows. Our mission was to get our old friend out—you. We do not know who that girl was—nor what happened to her."

The Sunflower took a deep sigh, and closed his eyes.

"Rest now. My energy is enough to bring you back to normal—but it will take time. I will stay by your side until you are better, don't worry."

"Mr. Briteside, the Shadow that took her—I fought him. This is why I am in this state. He told me that the Lord of the Worlds has her—the Patriarch."

The animal's eyes grew concerned, as it lowered its head, saying nothing for some time.

"He is the master of the Old Order—the most powerful being in the Innerverse, after the Dreamer—the latter, perhaps, being just a legend. The Gates follow the Lord's every word, as does every one under their rule. That's why they are called the Lord's Shadows—they act as an extension of the Patriarch. If that is where that girl is—I am sorry, my dearest friend, but I do not know of anyone who has ever met him, nor lived to tell the tale. We meet many locals we grow attached to on our jumps. Sometimes, the only thing we can do—is remember them fondly—and move on."

Roa closed his eyes again, and a tear fell down his face.

"Rest now. You get to see another day. Your heart will heal, and you will grow stronger. Live on, and one day hope will come looking for you again."

"Thank you. I'm sorry if I don't remember you anymore. They erased everything in my head."

"Not everything."

Roa opened his eyes.

"Your spirit lives on. I recognized it right away from great distances. You are still you, just—reborn anew, once more."

Some time passed when the boy from Earth finally regained consciousness. They were alone. The little critter was still patiently laying on his chest, moving up and down as the Sunflower breathed. Its warm body was giving off a dim light as it continued to heal him.

"Who were those other people in the room?" asked Roa.

"Jumpers," Tanoò said, as it raised its head up. "Some friends I made on my recent travels, and some who tagged along."

"Why are they here?"

"They heard about the situation and decided to join. They could not believe that you were still alive, after so long had passed—it's as if you came back from the dead. Your presence, to them, means that change is coming. They wanted to see you with their own eyes."

"I am nobody, Tanoò..." chuckled the boy, shaking his head.

"You're right—and yet, you of all people must believe, as we all must, that even a—nobody—as you call it, can be capable of great things."

"If that's what you say…" murmured Roa.

"No—that's what you said to me once, long ago—and you were right. I have seen it with my own eyes—the power that is within all people. Now, these Jumpers believe that the Gate will soon fall, thanks to your actions, and your presence."

"The Gate?"

"Yes, the one guarding the chokepoint."

"Is he powerful?"

"The Free People I met call him—Lord Smog. The Gate governs the Palace Basements for the Lord, and the worlds connected to them. They say that he is powerful, but that his true might rests in a monster he controls—an Abomination. We will need all the help we can get."

Roa nodded.

"We must get back to my friends. They must be worried about me," said the boy.

"We will—but you cannot move now. Your body is still terribly damaged, although stabilizing."

"Please, bring them here then. We must prepare for the battle ahead."