Skill-Eater: Prison World Saga-Chapter 33: Sakura Unmasked II

Ah, hell. She really does know everything.

Having someone voice his deepest secret sent a cascade of adrenaline coursing through his veins. If Edge didn’t like the next words that passed Sakura’s lips, he was going to have to kill her after all. He tried to keep his intentions off his face and out of his tone as he got ready to ignite his core and hit her as hard as he could.

Before he embarked on a course from which there would be no turning back, he decided to answer her question and judge her reply. “We’ve spoken face-to-face on two occasions. When I first bound my core and after evolving to stage one. Skill-Eater is usually asleep, although it wakes up on occasion to share an emotion, insight, or desire.”

As he uttered the words that he had never spoken to another living soul, Edge began to pace, walking back and forth across the narrow confines of the shack.

He tried to make it look like a nervous habit, but that wasn’t his true motive. He was really getting close enough to land a lethal strike. He had a sneaking suspicion that Sakura knew what he was up to. But even with the threat of imminent violence electrifying the room, she just sat there, watching him with a serene smile on her face.

As a lifelong fan of the Prison World broadcasts, Edge was familiar with a wide range of cons. After all, deception was one of the most effective strategies for gaining an advantage over another person. As a result, most people on Ord were accomplished liars, regardless of whether they chose to use that facility to the detriment of others. Even taking that into account, he couldn’t sense even a hint of misdirection in her words.

“It’s good that the two of you have spoken. It will make the next part easier. I will answer your question in full as promised, as well as any others you might have. But before we get to that, I’ll balance the scales and reveal my secret to you. It might not be reason enough to trust me by itself, but it will provide some critical context for the offer I’m about to make.

“Before we dive into the details, I suggest that we take this conversation somewhere we can speak more comfortably. Go ahead and manifest your iceblade or draw that knife and hold it against my neck. Whatever makes you feel safe.”

With that, Sakura rose from the stool she was sitting on. Then she reached down to press a concealed button where the leg met the floor. Edge didn’t take her up on her offer, although he was ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Instead, he watched as she pulled on the top of the stool. The motion caused the panel that the legs were attached to open on embedded hinges, revealing a staircase below.

He found that despite the intensely-stressful situation, he was incredibly curious to learn what awaited him on the other side. What he would find at the bottom of those stairs, and what he would hear when Sakura next spoke.

He followed her down and down and down, to a level that had to be a hundred feet below the streets of Puppet Town. He had never heard of a basement like this and had no idea why it was hidden beneath one of the poorest houses in town.

When they reached the last step, Sakura flipped a switch on the wall, filling the room with light. Edge found himself standing in a massive chamber, easily ten times the space of the building above. The walls were lined with a variety of magitech machines, including the giant preservation unit where she was storing her apples. One of them was a high-grade privacy device, which meant that this room was impenetrable to scrying skills.

One corner was filled with comfortable furnishings, including a wooden table with padded armchairs. She took a seat and gestured for him to pull up the chair across from her, which he did. Edge had no idea what was about to happen and was ready for almost anything.

Even still, the next series of events shocked him to the center of his being. Sakura unrolled her sleeves, then waved a hand over her forearm. To his astonishment, her skin began to darken as a prisoner’s tattoo wavered into existence. “This is the first of my two true secrets. I’m a jailbird, not a tourist. I have a skill that can trick the Dome and keep the System from warning the wardens.”

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Edge was floored by the revelation. He had never heard of a power that could hide a convict’s status, let alone fool the wardens well enough to enter protected territory. He knew in that moment that if they couldn’t reach an accord, only one of them would be leaving alive. A secret like that wasn’t something that you revealed and let the other person walk away unless you were willing to trust them with your life.

When he read the pattern of the ink, his eyes went wide. She wasn’t a class D-Class convict, like the men he’d killed in the temple after binding Skill-Eater. Sakura was Class-C, with a core at least middle stage two and a bounty that was worth a small fortune. “Ok,” he said, still processing the stunning revelation. “I’m listening.”

She looked him in the eye, smiled, and then gestured a second time. When she did, a skill that he hadn’t been able to detect deactivated. The instant that it did, Skill-Eater roared to life of its own accord. It wasn’t a desire to consume or a warning of imminent danger, although he felt caution radiating from his core like heat from a stove. It was something that he’d never sensed before—the recognition of encountering an equal.

He understood in that moment what it meant. She has a Unique core too. Something just as powerful as Skill-Eater. Sakura being a convict was surprising, but something that he could wrap his head around. But this was something else entirely.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Edge had known on some level that if he had bound a Unique core, other people probably had too. But he hadn’t expected to run into them in person, especially not in a settlement in a former starting area like Puppet Town.

She laughed at his expression, although he had the sense that she was incredibly nervous too. That her machinations had reached a critical juncture. Sakura had rolled the dice after wagering everything she owned and was waiting to see which way the pips came up.

“Edge Vasher, scion of Skill-Eater, meet Lore-Weaver, the spinner of truth and lies. You didn’t have a reason to trust me, so I just gave you two. Not only will I get run out of town if Earl learns I’m a convict, if anyone finds out that I have a Unique core, they will bury me in a heartbeat. Now that I have your undivided attention, it’s time to answer your questions.”

While she talked, Edge could sense his core’s surprise resonating with his own. For once, Skill-Eater was totally awake. He had the impression that the entity inside him was having its own conversation, negotiating with a being that was equal to itself. A longstanding relationship that blurred the lines between rival and ally.

“The reason why I know so much about your core is due to the nature of my own. We can go into the details another time, but for now, let’s start with the broad strokes. Your core specializes in the acquisition and use of skills. Mine does the same with information. My ultimate ability grants me access to parts of the System that are normally off-limits, even to the wardens. It’s how I was able to message you, even though that function is shut off.

“What I can do and how often has rules and limits, but Lore-Weaver lets me acquire intel that no one else can obtain. It’s how I learned about Skill-Eater’s awakening, and how I knew you were here the moment that you set foot past the gate. Now that you’ve learned my identity and how I know what I know, we can finally discuss the reason that I asked you here today and have been willing to lend my assistance.”

By this point, Edge was praying that they could work together. In part because of the lure of obtaining the information at Sakura’s disposal. But mostly because he had severe doubts that he could take on another Unique core-wielder, especially someone with more experience who had reached a higher stage.

If they wound up fighting to the death, there was a good chance that Edge would be the one sleeping in the cold, hard ground. Fortunately, Sakura still showed no inclination toward aggression. She met his gaze head-on as she laid out her proposal.

“Here’s the full measure of where I stand. As I’m sure you know by now, trying times are coming for all who dwell on Ord. The stage-two beasts that are migrating onto the plains, and even the stage-three garax you fought, are only the beginning. Before long, terrible danger will arrive at our doorstep. Jailbirds, monsters, and even more exotic threats are coming in the days ahead.

“My ability to gather information—to get around without being spotted and access forbidden parts of the System—is incredibly useful. But it won’t do anything to stop something deadly from wiping me out.

“If I want to survive, if we want to survive, then we need to combine my abilities with people who have the power to fight on the front line. I want you to be that person, or one of them at least. Thus, I am proposing an alliance between us. I’ll watch your back and feed you information that will help you grow stronger. In return, you protect me and my friends, along with the rest of the settlement. I know that truly trusting each other will take time. But if we aren’t willing to take a risk and try working together here and now, then neither of us will live to see the new year.”

Sakura looked him straight in the eye, excitement and vulnerability written upon her face. He had the sense that her persona had fallen away, leaving her true self sitting in front of him. “So, Edge, what will it be? Will you accept my offer, reject it, or kill me to preserve your secret?”

Then, to his utter astonishment, she turned away and closed her eyes. I don’t believe it. She’s placing her life in my hands. “I want you to trust me. But if you decide to end me instead, please get it over with and don’t make me suffer.”

Edge took a deep breath, sighed, and then made his choice. “That won’t be necessary. I’m willing to accept your offer, at least on a provisional basis. If what you’re telling me is true, and it seems likely that it is, then you will be a valuable ally. Like you were saying, our cores complement one another, forming a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

“Besides, you could have turned me in for my reward or used your powers to lure me into a trap just as easily as setting up this meeting. You might be lying about some parts, but I can’t see what you would gain from it, given the obvious truth of the rest.”

He stuck out his hand when she turned back around, relief clear in every crook of her features. “Let’s give this partnership a try and hope that it leads us both to a bright future. On that note, we haven’t been formally introduced. Edge Vasher, good to know you.”

“Sakura Lunaris.” She took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “I’m pleased to officially make your acquaintance. Since it seems that we will both be walking back up those stairs at the end of this conversation, let’s get down to business. I’m not specialized for combat and won’t be coming on the expedition. I don’t have a lot of information regarding the Savage Garden or the biome it’s in, but I can use my powers to provide logistical support until you enter the dungeon.

“With your permission, I’m going to use a skill that will let me see through your eyes and hear through your ears. Combined with my ability to send messages through your Guide, we will be able to communicate while you’re in the field. It will only last a few weeks and needs to be refreshed with a touch. But it will give you a chance to see what I can do and let me communicate anything vital to the mayor and the sheriff if needed. Although, just like you, I plan to preserve my secret at all costs, so I’m trusting you to use your discretion in what you reveal.”

Edge wasn’t keen on the idea of someone being able to watch him wherever he went, but he knew that it was necessary if he wanted to get the most out of what Sakura had to offer. He nodded his agreement.

She ignited her core and touched his face, leaving a thin coating of mana behind. “Good. I’ll give it a test run after you leave town. And don’t worry, I can’t access your senses without your awareness. When the skill is active, you will feel a tingle running along your temples.”

With the big issues out of the way, they chatted for another hour, getting to know each other and taking the first steps toward deepening their relationship. When they were done, Sakura gave Edge another apple as a parting gift, then he made his way over to the public green.

He could hear the crowd well before he saw it. A sea of voices echoing down the streets of town. When he checked the time, he learned that it was almost time for the mayor to make her announcement and begin the expedition to conquer the Savage Garden.