My body stopped aching. Wait! Am I dead!?
Shin hurriedly opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings. He had returned to the void, only this time there was no island in sight. As far as his enhanced vision allowed him, far beyond the horizon there was nothing but the cold empty void.
"Shit! Did I actually die this time," He murmured to himself as he placed a hand on his chest.
Though fient he could feel a warmth pulsing through his chest in a calm rhythmic pattern.
"I'm not dead. Then what's happening this time," Shin then stood up and began walking around.
"Demon God! Demon God! This isn't funny at all. This isn't the time to joke! I need to get back right now!" Shin called out to no avail.
He paused and squatted,staring into his reflection made by the water like makeshift ground he stood on.
With a heavy sigh he reached out a hand and it phased through the reflection as if it was passing through air.
Just as he prepared to stand up, a ripple ran across his reflection, then another and another. The frequency at which they passed over his reflection increased instantly before going dead calm.
Someone is behind me.
On instinct he reached for the nonexistent sword and spun around with incredible speed before pausing.
"Shin'en. Is that you my dear son?" the woman infront of him asked.
Shin's knees buckled as he plopped onto the floor, eyes wide open and tearfilled.
"Mom," Shin managed in response.
The woman as she embraced Shin. He raised his arms to embrace her but stopped midway as the tears came charging down his face.
He let his arms drop onto his sides as his mother continued to embrace him. His mother then moved back and looked at him while wiping away his tears.
"My dear boy, look how much you've grown. How I wish I could have seen you grow up," She said in a cheerful voice.
Shin could no longer hold back his tears and began to cry like a little child while throwing himself into his mother and embracing her.
"I see you're still my little baby boy. Now, remember what I told you when you're in a desperate situation," she spoke in a soothing voice.
Shin leaned back and looked at her, still tear streaked and snot dripping from his nose. He shook his head,"I don't," he managed in between sobs.
She gently patted him on the head.
******************
Outside Gemma is frantically looking around for something.
Shit! Where the fuck is that phone.
In the next second she spots it about to go overboard and swiftly launches out a pink tail from her back and manages to catch it in time and quickly conceal it before anyone spotted her.
"Hey Satel how's Shin doing?" Bael asked still focused on the crocodile.
"He's still out, why?" she asked.
Suddenly a huge boom of crackling thunder rang out from above them. When she looked up she saw thunder clouds beginning to form as streaks of blue lightning danced about.
"Bael, I authorize the release of seal sev—," she paused when she looked down at Shin. His back had already started healing at an incredible rate and in an instant it was fully healed.
The Hellfire Quetzecoatl let out another deafening roar, one that was almost akin to war cry filled with pure joy.
Shin slowly opened his eyes and glanced over at Bael's direction. He reached out an arm towards it and the Hellfire Quetzecoatl followed his movements and bared its massive jagged teeth and enormous fangs at the crocodile.
Bael glanced back and saw that Shin had raised a hand in his direction and immediately moved out of the way, allowing him to get a clear visual on the Azure crocodile.
In an instant the water beneath them began to boil and the metal boat started heating up and glowing bright red. The Hellfire Quetzecoatl opened its gaping mouth as a ball of fire began to form from within it, becoming as large as its face.
Shin took in a deep breath and spoke.
"Set your soul ablaze, and ignite!"
The Hellfire Quetzecoatl launched a stream of red and green flames and instantly eviscerated the crocodile sending out a shockwave so massive it leveled the the forest with fifty kilometers around them and sent the boat hurling downstream with a massive wave of displaced river water.