Immortal Healer: Immortal Stonekeeper Prequel (2025) Chapter 20: Chapter 20: A New Weapon

Read chapter 20 of Immortal Healer: Immortal Stonekeeper Prequel (2025) by Mercynarie on NovelPedia.

Chains rattled as Duncan’s body spasmed violently, flinging himself against the wall. Sweat soaked his back as he sucked in air like a drowning man, trying to still the hammering in his chest. Bloody hell, that took a lot more out of him than it normally would. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” A Japanese soldier stood up from his chair, pointing threateningly at him. “Don’t even think about trying to escape!” Duncan’s wards had given up trying to torture him and had decided to simply keep watch over their prisoner. They slumped back in straight-back chairs, fanning themselves in a near-futile attempt to alleviate the cell’s humid heat. Thankfully, none of them knew magic, which meant they were none the wiser to Duncan’s astral form returning to his body. He had taken the chance to project his astral form out of his body earlier and explore the place while the soldiers busied themselves chaining his physical body up. The first thing he looked for was Lucy. He found her location quickly enough, for a relief. After all, she was only two cells away from him, although the cells between them were empty. The vampire’s cell was also laced with holy magic, not too different from the one in the liminal prison he saw earlier. The next thing he looked for was his belongings. To be more specific, the Transylvanian Darting Daggers and the Rakshashi Fan. They were left out in the open in the only room with an office desk. If he were to wager a guess, that room must belong to an important person. But he also saw something else on the way back: A large machine in the middle of a warehouse, buzzing with an unsavoury concoction of magic. It was empty, but he could sense lingering magic from multiple creatures swirling within. Whatever this machine did, it was mixing DNA at random. He wondered if that was the true cause of Bertram’s death. If so, Yuri was truly a heartless woman to have let her husband be subjected to such horrors. Steel creaked as Duncan’s cell door opened again. A different man walked in this time, one who appeared full of confidence and dignity. And yet, Duncan could also spot a hidden sense of vulnerability behind his demeanour. It was an odd combination, to be sure. “Sorcerer Duncan Ward.” General Masao Kubo gestured for his men to leave as he pulled up a chair to sit on. “A pleasure to finally meet you. Our fates have been intertwined centuries ago, it seems.” Duncan narrowed his eyes. “You know me?” “Not me. But Koji Kitagawa knew you, didn’t he?” He nearly reeled in response as memories of that frankly terrible warlord surfaced in his mind again. It had been five centuries since— “Who is he to you?” Duncan asked cautiously. “My ancestor.” Kubo started to grin. “Yes, that’s correct. I resurrected my own ancestor, Yuri Kitagawa, to serve our nation. That is how far I’ll go to regain Japanese superiority, and you will not stand in my way.” “You seek my elixir of life for nothing but your delusional ambitions,” Duncan said behind clenched teeth. “You are not worthy. I’ll die before giving it to you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Something flashed in Kubo’s eyes, but he leaned back against his chair instead. “Ambitions? You think I’m doing this for such a petty reason?” His voice hardened. “I have not come so far just for myself. No, I serve a higher purpose. I am serving—” “The Emperor,” Duncan cut him off impatiently. “Or— let me guess— Japan. Every soldier pledges their undying loyalty until they’re just a body among a thousand others. You think yourself a hero? ‘Soldiers’ like you are just boys who point their weapons at other boys just because their government tells them to. When will you people learn?” “You know it’s right what they say about old people; you always think you know it all. No, I do not think myself a hero,” Kubo said. “I serve humanity as nothing but a man willing to do what it takes, and to take what he needs.” “That’s a right fancy way of calling yourself a thief.” “There are no crimina