The Author Reincarnated As An Extra-Chapter 50: • River of Sacrifice

Deremiah gritted his teeth as he registered the vast distance between both boats. Also, nothing he was going to do would bring the boat he was on closer to theirs.

Like other boats, it kept moving forward on its own, carried by an unseen force and locked in a path toward the unseeable distance.

He looked back at Elora’s boat, and saw her still fighting against the Sea Ghosts. The other girl had finally joined in, and it seemed her Technique was something that had to do with a blue magical energy, which she used to create blasts.

Soon, those beasts would completely overrun that boat, leaving Deremiah running out of answers.

If they tried to jump into the water to reach him, they’d be dragged under in seconds by the Sea Ghosts. And even if they somehow made it to his boat, they’d bring the cursed scent from the river with them, making this one just as much of a target.

Elora turned around and noticed the hesitation in his face. She narrowed her eyes and shouted, "We can’t reach it!"

Deremiah clenched his fists. That meant there was only one way:

He would have to warp them alongside him from that boat to his. .

The problem was, his ability was far from mastered. The Writhe allowed him to teleport, and he understood that it was only short ranges and places he could see.

He knew how to warp between the boats, but he wasn’t certain that the Void he’d managed to gather in the few hours of rest was enough to take someone alongside him. Would the Writhe even allow for that?

No time to find out.

The Sea Ghosts were swarming Elora and the girl, their grotesque webbed fingers grasping at their limbs. The blue-haired girl actually was quite skilled with her Technique, and she struck them with bursts of blue colored magic.

But for every one she blasted away, three more lunged forward. Their numbers were overwhelming, and soon, the boat began to tip.

No. No!

More Sea Ghosts jumped into the river, swarming the boat. In desperation, Elora threw a hand forward in the crowd of monsters.

And from the river sprouted multiple vines which snapped around the creatures and hurled them away. One of them was flung so high that it slammed into the face of the nearest statue with a sickening splatter.

When they finally got a breather, the two girls turned to Deremiah’s boat, and the problem of how to switch was still there. Elora’s Technique could have helped to bridge between boats, but because the two boats were in constant motion, there was nothing the vines could hold on to to help them both cross.

"Deremiah! What do we do?!" Elora yelled, seemingly for the first time.

Deremiah’s eyes instantly widened. ’No. She had been too loud.’ His eyes darted around in fear as he felt his heart begin to pound louder. ’No.’

And indeed, his fear was right.

The sound of stone grinding against stone echoed across the river. The deep, earth-shaking rumble began, the water started to vibrate and the air turned tense.

Deremiah watched in horror as the statue that the Sea Ghost had splattered on moved. Its blank, carved face twisted toward Elora’s boat.

’Oh no. No.’

It raised its massive sword from the river with a groan of shifting rock, water spilling off the blade in torrents. The entire river trembled, the waves swelling, crashing against the boats.

Elora and the blue-haired girl turned, and although she held her expression, true terror thumped in her beating heart. The large sword lifted higher.

She grabbed the blue girl’s hand, and they were both ready to jump into the water — knowing their chances with the Sea Ghosts were better than the inescapable sword of judgement.

But instantly, Deremiah appeared in between them. His arms snapped around their waists, pulling them close catching them slightly off guard before summoning the Writhe once again and activating the warp with a bit of hope.

The world folded into itself.

All three turned into purple pulp, then disappeared.

The sword collided with the boat at the same time and it exploded behind them. Water burst into the air, shards of splintered wood flying in all directions.

Then came the Sea Ghosts. They dived in hungrily, searching for bodies. But they found nothing.

Snarls of frustration filled the air. Then their empty, soulless eyes turned — locking onto the boat that was now escaping them. Deremiah’s boat.

Their hunger twisted into rage and they cried and snarled in anger.

Even worse, the statue also moved. Like a machine, it slowly turned its stone head and its blank eyes locked directly at them.

Deremiah felt his heart drop. Elora took a step closer, while the girl took one backwards, praying in her feeble heart.

Then, the statue stood straight, and it turned around. Fully! The entire body moved, and that was when it took its first step.

Elora’s eyes widened.

Boom! A foot slammed into the water. Waves surged outward, crashing against boats, nearly capsizing them. The river quaked beneath the goliath’s weight.

Another step.

Boom.

The Sea Ghosts swam ahead of it, surging toward them like a swarm of rabid sharks, launching themselves into the boat one after another.

Deremiah and Elora fought side by side, blades flashing through the air. Deremiah severed the head of one as it lunged toward him, then pivoted, driving his sword into the gut of another mid-air. Elora cut two down in one sweep, her strikes as swift as the river itself.

And still, the statue followed. It was chasing after them, and even though its steps were slow, a single one of it covered even more distance than the swimming Sea Ghosts.

Elora panted, glancing at Deremiah. "Why is it following us? The others didn’t."

"It heard your voice and registered it. Just like it did with her teammate earlier. But you’re still alive. That’s why it’s following us." His eyes narrowed at the statue. "It’s you it’s after."

Elora’s face darkened with understanding, and then with acceptance. It was clear she was already thinking about facing the statue in the river, rather than putting their lives at danger.

She gripped her blade tighter.

Deremiah looked at her face, recognizing that expression. "Don’t even think about it," he said.

She looked at him, questioning his audacity with a gaze.

"I didn’t spare your life just so a Stone Sentinel could take it." He cleaved through another Sea Ghost, sending its corpse splashing into the water. "You’re staying here."

Elora stared at him for a long moment.

Then she exhaled.

"Very well."

They fought together.

But the Stone Sentinel only got closer as they killed more and more Sea Ghosts. Then, a sudden gasp came from the blue-haired girl. "Look!"

Deremiah and Elora turned in unison.

In the distance, a massive door had appeared. It was a gateway of blinding light, with golden celestial patterns, and a pulsing energy — the same energy that had been pulling the boats.

Elora’s eyes narrowed. "Is that where the Trial ends?"

Deremiah stared at the glowing entrance, knowing the truth. "I hope so."

Ahead, other boats reached the gate — vanishing the moment they touched the light.

But just as they were getting closer, they saw the Sentinel raise its greatsword, and then swing it in an arc.

Instinctively, everyone braced for impact, but Deremiah heard a wheeze in the air, and he saw an arrow strike the Sentinel’s forehead.

The impact exploded into a blast of golden energy, staggering the statue. The blade paused mid-swing, and the Sentinel jerked backwards slightly.

But this was enough.

It gave them just enough time to enter into bright doors.

Deremiah turned around instantly, recognizing that arrow. Just then, he saw Varion, standing over his sister, Sarah, bow still raised.

They locked eyes. freeweɓnovel~cѳm

Varion was one of the companions of Zenith in the story and Deremiah had just shared a Corridor with him.

Deremiah’s breath caught in his throat. Could Zenith have been in this Corridor as well?

And if so, did he survive?

Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.co(m) for the b𝘦st novel reading experience