Reincarnated As A Parasite

Ashura's Incarnation Arc - Chapter 22: Return

Thoughts and possibilities jumbled in both of their heads as they flew back to the gates of the city while Asura carried Whirl. They maintained a modest altitude enough to make their shapes indiscernible to any onlooker.

Why did those monsters disappear? What could have caused them to behave that way?

Whirl came up with a little clue and filled them in as much as she can. As the girl was near the site where the sound originated, she had a small encounter with what caused it.

"I couldn't get a clear view but for me it looked like a tall black humanoid. Some gross worm creatures were jutting out of it's body so weirdly. I'm so glad you put me so high up! It could have seen and ate me! I never want to see that scary thing again!"

Or so she says, according to her description she indeed encountered a monster right out of an alien movie. But to Ashura, he was afraid it was one of the cousins of his parasitic body.

He was dubious with the idea that one of his kind was nearby because he hardly felt anything that suggested that there was when Asura was fighting the blizzard lizard. However, for a split second he did feel it even though it was faint once he got out of the enclosure the lizard subjected them to. The ice crystal particles must've been disrupting the signals being sent out by his unexpected cousin making it harder to discern.

Presence of a fellow parasite triggers a peculiar sense to Asura's parasite. The last time he felt it was when he was still at the laboratory, but back then he definitely felt some similarities.

But why? He thought at first that the scientists were simply conducting some shady experiments to enhance the military might of a state. He didn't expect a parasite would be so close to his base of operations, much less it could control monsters.

Did it escape? Was it released intentionally? Then for what purpose?

Whatever it was and whatever it was for, he was definitely going to the laboratory to find out. Although Ashura suffered a considerable decline in his confidence after that indirect loss, Asura remained impatient of delaying the rescue mission any further. He can't fully go against the whims of his host, even a leech knows it's limits.

Sure, telling Asura to wait a little longer was an option. It's not like she'd disobey him if she truly believed Ashura is who he claims to be. But it doesn't hurt to check first on how the people there really fared. If a personnel poses any harm, then he'd make a mess if it means Asura could escape. Though personally, he also cared about her parents even if he didn't know why. It was as if Asura's inner emotions are disorganizing his sense of identity.

It was the logical choice to go with playing safe. After that large scale subjugation quest, they're the ones who got subjugated and suffered the most. The numbers of their enemies vastly outnumbered theirs, it was inevitable they'd get stomped.

In the end, the mercenaries had to go home with their tails tucked under their feet and Asura barely derived any benefits from that onslaught. A mere 100 increase in constitution fell below Ashura's expectations even when his host ate most of the remaining monsters and compressed them to a point they served their use. Asura even had to go hungry after the session and opted to absorb some of the human corpses strewn in the battlefield like mangled dolls.

"Asura, what happens if we go above the clouds? Can your wings do it?" Said Whirl suddenly to Asura with a childish expression which halted Ashura's train of thought. The reward of experience outweighed her fear of heights long since she thought of flying over the clouds.

Because of her question, Asura became curious as well. Sadly, Ashura discouraged the idea saying it might be dangerous.

"My master said I shouldn't because it's dangerous." Said Asura curtly to Whirl, albeit with some slight tone of disappointment. It's was a dream for any kid to know what it was like to have the clouds underneath you for once.