Gacha Summoner: Pulled into Another World

Chapter 39: Whispers of the Past

Chapter 39: Whispers of the Past

The storm raged on as Yuuji and his companions pressed forward, the trees around them bending and groaning under the force of the wind. Every step felt heavy, weighed down by the unnatural energy that filled the air. Yuuji’s mind was still reeling from the vision—the shadowed figure, the destruction of the Heart, the overwhelming sense of dread. The void was more than just a threat; it had a will, and it was growing stronger.

"We need to find shelter," the knight said, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. "We can't keep going like this."

Yuuji glanced around, but the landscape was barren, twisted by the storm. The trees offered little cover, and there was no sign of any caves or structures they could take refuge in.

"There's nothing here," the archer muttered, her eyes scanning the horizon. "If we stop now, we’ll be sitting ducks for whatever’s out there."

Yuuji knew she was right. They had to keep moving, but the storm wasn’t natural. It was infused with the void’s energy, and staying out in the open could be dangerous. As if in response to his thoughts, the wind shifted, carrying with it a faint, eerie whisper—something too soft to make out, but undeniably there.

"Did you hear that?" the mage asked, her eyes wide.

Yuuji nodded. The whisper wasn’t just the wind. It was something else—something ancient and malicious. His hand instinctively tightened around the Blade of Eterna, and he felt a faint pulse from the fragment of the Heart within him. Whatever the void was planning, it was already starting.

Suddenly, a soft glow appeared through the trees ahead, barely visible through the swirling storm. It was faint, flickering like a distant fire, but it was enough to draw their attention.

“Look,” Yuuji said, pointing toward the light. “There’s something up ahead.”

The knight squinted, his eyes narrowing. “Could be a trap.”

“Or it could be shelter,” the archer replied, already moving toward the light. “We won’t know until we get closer.”

With no better options, they followed the archer, their movements cautious but purposeful. As they drew nearer, the glow became brighter, and Yuuji could make out the shape of a structure—a crumbling tower, half-buried in the forest, its walls worn by time but still standing. The light was coming from inside, flickering through the cracks in the stone.

“This place…” the mage said quietly, her eyes wide with recognition. “It’s ancient. I’ve seen sketches of ruins like this in old texts, but I never thought I’d see one in person.”

“What is it?” Yuuji asked, keeping his voice low.

The mage stepped closer, running her hand along the worn stone. “It’s part of the old world, from before the void’s corruption. A tower of the Guardians.”

“Guardians?” The archer raised an eyebrow. “You mean the people who fought the void centuries ago?”

The mage nodded. “They were the protectors of the balance between the void and the Heart. This place must have been one of their outposts, though it’s clearly been abandoned for a long time.”

Yuuji felt a strange pull toward the tower, as if something inside was calling to him. The light flickered again, and this time, he could hear the whisper more clearly. It wasn’t just random noise—it was a voice, ancient and hollow, beckoning him closer.

Without hesitation, Yuuji stepped forward, moving toward the entrance of the tower. The others followed, though the knight kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes scanning for any sign of danger.

Inside, the air was thick with dust, and the light that had drawn them in came from a single, glowing orb that hovered in the center of the room. It pulsed with a soft, golden light, casting long shadows on the stone walls.

“What is that?” the archer asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The mage took a step closer, her eyes wide with awe. “It’s a Guardian relic. A memory stone.”

“A what?” Yuuji asked, though he already felt a strange connection to the orb.

The mage turned to him, her expression serious. “It’s a device the Guardians used to record their knowledge—memories, experiences, even prophecies. This one must have been left behind when the tower was abandoned.”

Yuuji stared at the glowing orb, feeling the pulse of the Heart within him growing stronger. Whatever this relic was, it was important. He could feel it.

“What do we do with it?” the knight asked, his voice cautious.

The mage hesitated for a moment before speaking. “We activate it. But be careful. Memory stones can be… unpredictable. They’re infused with powerful magic, and not all of the memories they hold are pleasant.”

Yuuji nodded, stepping closer to the orb. His hand trembled slightly as he reached out toward it, the glow reflecting in his eyes. As his fingers brushed the surface, the light intensified, and the whispering voice grew louder, filling his mind.

Suddenly, the room around him vanished, replaced by a vision—an ancient battlefield, scarred by fire and shadow. Towering figures clad in armor fought against creatures of darkness, their weapons glowing with the same golden light as the orb. The sky was torn apart by void storms, and in the center of the chaos stood a figure wielding the full power of the Heart.

The vision shifted, showing the Heart shattering into pieces, scattering across the world. The figure screamed in anguish as the void consumed everything, leaving nothing but darkness in its wake.

Then, the scene changed again. Yuuji saw a group of warriors standing before a massive gate, their faces grim. They were Guardians, their weapons raised as they prepared to make their final stand. But before the battle could begin, the vision faded, and Yuuji was pulled back into reality.

He gasped, stumbling backward as the light from the orb dimmed. The others rushed to his side, concern etched on their faces.

“What did you see?” the mage asked, her voice urgent.

Yuuji shook his head, trying to steady his breathing. “I saw… the end. The Heart was destroyed, and the void consumed everything. The Guardians were fighting to stop it, but they failed.”

The knight frowned. “If they couldn’t stop the void, what chance do we have?”

Yuuji didn’t have an answer. The vision had shown him the destruction of the Heart, but it had also shown him something else—hope. The Guardians had fought until the very end, and though they had failed, their legacy had lived on.

“We still have a chance,” Yuuji said, his voice steady. “The Heart may have been broken, but we can restore it. That’s what the fragments are for. We just need to find them before the void destroys everything.”

The mage nodded, though her expression was troubled. “The memory stone showed us the past, but it didn’t tell us where to find the remaining fragments. We’re still searching in the dark.”

Yuuji glanced at the dimming orb, his mind racing. The vision had given him a glimpse of the past, but there had to be more. The Guardians had left these relics behind for a reason. Perhaps there were other memory stones—other pieces of the puzzle that would guide them to the fragments.

“We’ll find them,” Yuuji said, his determination unwavering. “We don’t have any other choice.”

As the storm raged on outside, the group gathered their strength, preparing for the next leg of their journey. The void was growing stronger, but so were they. And somewhere out there, the remaining fragments of the Heart were waiting to be found.

The real fight was just beginning.