After Mithra completed her bath, she opened the door and stepped out, wearing only her tattered shorts.
The moment the door opened, she encountered a figure startlingly familiar.
Redwyn, positioned on the opposite side of the hallway, looked up as the door swung open: "Huh? My goodness! Who are you, beautiful?!"
Given that Mithra had been completely covered in grime when they first met, it was unsurprising that seeing her face for the first time, Redwyn realized she was strikingly beautiful.
"Why are you emerging in just shorts? Don't you have any proper clothes for someone to deliver? Oh, wait, I actually came to bring you some clothes," Redwyn said with a smile, gesturing toward the bag in his hand.
Mithra: "..."
"Ah! Why do you always use Object Manipulation to yank my hair?! What transgression did I commit?!"
...
Redwyn entered Mithra's quarters, clutching his head.
Mithra took the offered garments and headed back to the bathroom to change.
It was a relatively thick winter outfit, entirely black, utterly unremarkable, with no visible branding—apparently provided specifically by the placement authority.
Mithra emerged to find Redwyn exploring everywhere, displaying a profound curiosity about the appearance of the room.
Had this young man never experienced staying in a hotel before?
"Oh, that was quick. Teacher Chensar mentioned you are largely permitted to move within the school grounds now. Want me to give you the grand tour?" Redwyn offered.
"You should go back, wash up, and change your own clothes first. Don't soil my room," Mithra instructed.
Redwyn then snapped back to reality, realizing that he himself was indeed quite filthy. Having foregone bathing for a week, the grime accumulated from rolling in the tunnels was truly appalling.
"Uh, you have a point there," he muttered, visibly annoyed.
"What administrative procedures did you finalize for me?" Mithra asked quickly, cutting to the chase.
"Some necessary guarantees. After all, I was the one who brought you here, so if you encountered any issues, I would naturally bear some accountability. The other part was just answering inquiries about how I met you and similar details," Redwyn explained.
Mithra nodded, offering no further commentary.
However, Redwyn immediately grew restless: "I didn't badmouth you, you know."
He had recounted most of their ordeal, but consciously chose to omit several key details that might reflect poorly on Mithra.
Originally, he had only intended to comply with the required process, doing whatever was asked. But when he recounted their encounter with the siege, specifically Mithra's broken arm followed by the strange physical transformation, he recalled Mithra's later actions helping him save the child.
He had subconsciously omitted those specific parts.
He knew this behavior wasn't entirely responsible, but in that moment, it was an instinctive choice he made.
Furthermore, he had been severely reprimanded for acting without first consulting his superiors regarding Mithra.
"It makes no difference. You should still go take a shower; you're quite malodorous," Mithra stated casually.
"I didn't complain about you smelling bad back in the tunnels, though... Hey, hey, hey! I'm going to shower, stop yanking my hair!"
Redwyn grumbled as he finally left.
Mithra, however, picked up the remote control, powered on the television, intending to observe the current state of this world.
Most of the TV programming appeared no different from what she remembered from Earth. It seemed the integration of miracle powers hadn't caused any drastic upheavals to this world's established order.
Perhaps this was because the Dream Nexus's influence on Earth remained quite localized. Dream Nexus entities generally couldn't traverse to Earth, and beings larger than a human couldn't pass through the Transmission Points.
As a result, the most significant impact was merely the introduction of miracles into everyday life.
Earth's documented history of contact with miracles seemed to be less than a century old, but by leveraging its already perfected social infrastructure and a relatively stable, peaceful global environment, the introduction of novelty hadn't generated any major crises; in fact, it spurred rapid development toward maturity.
It was somewhat regrettable that because miracles were introduced at such a subtle juncture in time, Earth's technological trajectory had partially deviated. Although it still presented the appearance of a modern metropolis, its foundational technological level was likely slightly inferior to the Earth Mithra originally hailed from.
However, Mithra lacked a deep understanding of specific technological aspects; her assessment was based primarily on superficial observation, suggesting there might be oversights in her judgment.
Who knew? Perhaps Earth would suddenly unveil some ridiculously advanced black technology in the future.
Watching a commercial for new inspiration medium products on TV, Mithra switched the television off and rose, preparing to venture out and explore.
This time, she encountered no further interruptions. She successfully exited her room.
Consulting the internal map of the building near the staircase, Mithra decided her next destination would be the reading room within this center.
The reading room was quite spacious, lined with towering shelves of books. Mithra observed a few students seated at various tables, all appearing to be roughly the same age. She quickly glanced over and noted the format on their computer screens; it appeared they were engrossed in academic papers.
Truly dedicated scholars.
Mithra's entry garnered a few brief glances, but upon a quick assessment, she presented nothing particularly attention-grabbing. The students swiftly returned their focus.
Although not particularly fond of deep reading, Mithra enjoyed the ambiance of libraries and bookstores—browsing to see what kinds of collections they housed. Only when she had significant free time would she select a volume that piqued her interest and read a few introductory pages.
Mithra discovered that the books available at this placement center were mostly foundational texts, primarily covering history and cultural studies.
She casually picked up a copy of "Earth History", intending to locate a quiet corner.
Venturing into the deeper recesses of the room, she found a single long table situated between two towering bookcases, one side of which was already occupied by another individual.
A truly striking figure.
Because of the long, silvery-white hair that shimmered almost like spun gold, it was impossible not to notice them.
Mithra took a seat on the opposite side of the table. The person happened to look up at that exact moment.
It was a woman of delicate features and stunning beauty. Even from a distance, she was noticeably tall and slender, an uncommon stature for women. Her silver-gold hair was intricately styled into several slender braids across her forehead, and her eyes were a somewhat muted shade of gold.
She did not appear to be an ordinary resident.
She wore apparel styled similarly to Mithra's own attire, though rendered in white and tailored to a feminine silhouette.
Could she also be someone brought back from the Dream Nexus, like herself?
"Hello, are you also someone who returned from the other side?" The woman greeted Mithra with a genuinely warm smile.
"Hmm," Mithra replied casually, then opened the volume she had selected and began to read.
Noticing that Mithra was not particularly inclined toward conversation, the woman registered a slight regret but quietly lowered her head to resume reading her own book.
Time slipped by quickly. Mithra, without realizing it, had been absorbed in reading for a considerable duration.
Earth's history largely mirrored the version from her own Earth; though fundamentally similar, a closer inspection revealed discrepancies everywhere. Ultimately, it was not the same world; it couldn't even truly be classified as a parallel counterpart.
The current terrestrial year was 1995, February 21st.
The Earth Federation government had attempted to establish contact with various administrations within the Dream Nexus, but mostly met with resistance. Only the Holy Sanctuary had managed to forge friendly relations with the Earth Federation. Earth's systematic miracle education largely integrated learning from and referencing the Holy Sanctuary.
Aside from the Holy Sanctuary, most governments across the Dream Nexus harbored a strong, perhaps instinctive, aversion toward Earthlings. The Dream Nexus did not project its governance onto Earth, yet Earthlings could traverse the Nexus freely, leading to an unconscious perception among Earth people of inherent superiority over those from the other side, which fostered many negative perceptions.
Coupled with the native xenophobic resistance to Ki within the Dream Nexus, the lives of Earthlings traveling there were far from the effortless and idyllic experiences often depicted in official propaganda.
However, the latent advantages that realm offered were too compelling to ignore.
Not to mention that while the inherent risk wasn't negligible, it was far from prohibitive.
The extra lives granted by life locks and the incredibly convenient Teleportation Points—these two factors alone gave Earth explorers a distinct advantage.
This provided a substantial margin for error in any exploratory endeavor.
Having observed all this, Mithra suddenly became slightly thoughtful.
Miracle activation manifests strange and peculiar phenomena, even leading to the emergence of beings like Wandering Gods.
The Dream Nexus's direct influence on Earth is curtailed, but has the introduction of miracles here caused any unforeseen complications? So, have the miracles brought back to Earth resulted in any disruptions?
"Is something troubling you?" At this moment, the woman opposite seemed to notice Mithra's contemplative expression and took the initiative to inquire.
Mithra looked up at her. She found the other person's persistence in engaging her somewhat odd, but she still spoke: "Don't the miracles here become weaker?"
The other person closed the book in her hand. Mithra noticed that the woman had been looking at... a fashion magazine?
"On Earth, the influence of miracles becomes weak. The spiritual inspiration here is far less pervasive than in the Dream Nexus, but conversely, even already activated miracles would probably diminish in power here. Earth's inhabitants themselves are also affected; on Earth, life locks probably cannot protect them."
"It feels more like a kind of inherent exclusionary mechanism, one that specifically blocks out things like life locks," Mithra offered her interpretation.
The woman nodded and smiled: "Perhaps that is accurate."
Mithra assessed her again: "I am Mithra. And you are?"
"My name is Matsuri. I'm a returnee who arrived about two months before you. I'm also the only other returnee in this placement center besides you for now."
"Matsuri?" Mithra found the name somewhat unusual.
"It's a placeholder name. I've forgotten my original one. I have no memories, and I arrived here from the Dream Nexus without understanding why," Matsuri stated.
"Are there very few returnees here?"
"Very few. At least in the time I've been here, I've only encountered two others. And those two were only brought back recently after being trapped in the Dream Nexus for an extended period due to an accident. They departed after a few days of necessary recovery."
It appeared that most returnees followed a similar pattern, akin to how lost persons are located and brought home.
Mithra's situation, in contrast with Matsuri's presence, was slightly more complex.
"Are you originally from Earth? Ah, my question might carry an unintended implication…" Matsuri asked curiously, but as soon as she spoke, she registered her words as potentially awkward.
However, Mithra understood the core of her query: "I am not from Earth, at least not according to my memory. But the current reality dictates that I must be here."
Matsuri replied: "I also feel I'm not native, but I saw those Crosses, and I could travel to Earth from there."
"Do you desire to return to the Dream Nexus?" Mithra inquired, observing her demeanor.
"Honestly, it barely matters where I am. Because I lack memories, every place feels the same. I can't locate my home in the Dream Nexus either," Matsuri confessed, tracing the book in her hand with her finger.
Mithra looked intently for a moment, then asked: "Have you been confined to this school for two months with no avenue for departure?"
Earth was undeniably a good environment for recovery. However, she had only come to observe out of simple curiosity and a slight sense of anticipation. At most, after a few days, she planned to return to the Dream Nexus to honor her agreement with Safin.
She hoped the matters here wouldn't consume too much of her allocated time.
"Usually, once the initial identity vetting procedures are complete, you gain permission to leave this school. Afterward, unrestricted travel back and forth to the Dream Nexus becomes possible; it should only take a matter of days. However, to navigate freely on Earth, as we are currently doing, you still need to successfully complete a series of mandatory educational assessments," Matsuri explained.
Matsuri proved remarkably easy to converse with. She was very forthcoming in answering any questions Mithra posed.
Perhaps this was born from finding a fellow returnee.
It was only when someone arrived seeking Matsuri on official business that she finally stood to take her leave.
As she stood up, Mithra noted that Matsuri was actually quite tall and slender, even appearing to surpass 1.8 meters. Mithra, herself over 1.8 meters, was considered tall, but Matsuri slightly exceeded her height.
Mithra briefly watched her retreating figure, then lowered her head to resume reading her book.
"No Ki…"
In her heightened state of awareness, Mithra's Ki perception wasn't confined solely to herself. She could sense the Ki of other living beings within a certain radius to some extent.
As long as it was a living entity, even Cursed Beings revived through physical means, they all possessed Ki.
But Matsuri possessed none.
Conversely, it would be too abrupt to conclude outright that she was deceased.
However, considering the fundamental concept of Ki, one could deduce that at the very least, no active energy flow existed within Matsuri's body.
No movement implied no Ki.
...
Just as Matsuri had stated, three days later, Mithra received a temporary identification card, specifically issued for individuals like her, permitting her to move about the school grounds.
Upon obtaining this certificate, the scope of her activities would no longer be confined strictly to the school campus.
The university environment itself wasn't particularly captivating, although Redwyn had insisted on dragging Mithra around for a few laps during these intervening days.
However, based on the overall context, Mithra suspected he was simply trying to show off to his peers—that he had managed to bring back a "savage" from the Dream Nexus.
That was when Redwyn's hair was almost yanked out by Mithra.
The placement center was relatively quiet, but while moving through its halls, she frequently encountered Matsuri.
When they happened to cross paths, they would exchange brief words. After all, they were the only two of their kind present.
Matsuri claimed to have no memories, yet she demonstrated a surprising breadth of understanding. Whether concerning Earth or the Dream Nexus, a fragment of knowledge would surface with just a word, proving extremely useful to Mithra.
In return, Mithra could only offer Matsuri her own memories of Earth.
Now that she possessed the ID, her sphere of action was somewhat liberated. Mithra had no intention of lingering longer; she reported to the placement center staff that she was finalizing preparations for departure.
At this moment, Mithra stood in Chensar's office, awaiting the official seal.
Although this final bureaucratic step—reporting and signing forms—felt overly cumbersome, because it conveyed the distinct atmosphere of a modern urban city, she chose to comply diligently.
Chensar reviewed Mithra's stated purpose for returning to the Dream Nexus and commented: "You plan to immediately return to that tunnel to assist your acquaintance?"
"Not to save, merely to help. If I were to speak plainly, it would be to ensure he finds peace," Mithra replied expressionlessly.
Chensar's expression shifted to one of complexity. Finally, he extended his hand and affixed the seal: "It is not uncommon to have unique personal allegiances and circumstances within the Dream Nexus. I hope you achieve your objective."
"Thank you," Mithra offered her simple expression of gratitude.
Chensar regarded her and stated: "We attempted to post your request on the Dream Nexus forums, but due to the ambiguous conditions and the significant inherent risks, very few individuals were willing to assist you in such a short timeframe without any immediate, direct benefit."
"It is already incredibly kind of you to even attempt to ask on my behalf; thank you for your assistance," Mithra continued to express her gratitude.
Mithra had already candidly disclosed the entire situation in Gross Town to them early on, but apparently, the secret of a small mining town lacked the captivating allure of greater events.
The placement center had posted her recruitment request on a general-purpose forum, but even after several days, a sufficient number of willing helpers had not been selected.
Not to mention that Mithra was exceptionally forthright, detailing every single risk one by one: the peril of being permanently confined within the tunnel due to a curse, the threat of being hunted by a cult possessing formidable strength, and finally, stipulating a condition of zero retainer fee—after all, she was currently penniless.
Consequently, the Earth inhabitants' enthusiasm for this exploration venture didn't exactly surge. Indeed, this fire of zeal required the fuel of self-interest to truly ignite.
The Dream Nexus was impossibly vast, hosting countless ongoing or impending events, and harboring innumerable secrets.
Mithra's recruitment notice concerning Gross Town had effectively vanished without a trace.
"Be careful," Chensar nodded and advised.
Mithra excused herself and left the office.
There was nothing of her own to pack. Everything she needed to carry was already internalized within her being. Mithra immediately planned to head for the Cross Teleportation Point.
At the entrance to the placement center, she encountered Matsuri, who also appeared to be preparing to leave.
Upon seeing her, Matsuri happened to turn her head simultaneously and offered Mithra a gentle wave in greeting.
Mithra returned the nod and was about to walk past directly.
Matsuri's eyes immediately narrowed, and she quickly caught up, stating: "It seems you are permitted to go out today. Are you planning to return to the Dream Nexus right away?"
"Yes. Are you heading out as well?" Only then did Mithra offer a proper reply.
"I need to procure some tailoring implements to craft my own attire," Matsuri explained.
Matsuri was genuinely very interested in matters of clothing. During this time, Mithra was aware that the majority of the books she read focused on this very subject. In any case, possessing an interest was a positive trait. Individuals like herself, who lacked much enthusiasm for such pursuits, could occasionally appear quite hollow, but it was inconsequential; the powerful figures pulling the strings behind the scenes would ultimately resolve that issue.
"I hope you find the tools you desire."
"But procuring the specific tools I want here feels somewhat troublesome. Mostly because Earth's science and technology are a bit too advanced, which I haven't quite acclimated to. For instance, I really don't care for the sensation of using a sewing machine," Matsuri remarked with a slight frown.
"Are you searching for older styles of needles and thread?" Mithra inquired upon hearing this.
Matsuri nodded: "It would be wonderful if I could purchase something suitable."
"I will keep an eye out for something appropriate during my travels over there," Mithra offered.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Matsuri's eyes lit up with genuine pleasure.
The two walked together toward the exit, then parted ways in different directions.
Matsuri, with her long, brightly colored hair, was quite conspicuous along the route. Objectively speaking, Mithra still fell within the range of a normal-looking person.
They managed to take a bus from Hydria University to the Teleportation Point square. She borrowed some coins from the placement center staff and began counting them while waiting for the bus, when she suddenly heard someone call her name.
Turning around, she saw it was Redwyn.
"Mithra, Mithra!"
"...Is something the matter?" Mithra replied coolly, without displaying any pronounced emotion.
"Something is up… Since you're setting off like this, shouldn't you have informed me you were leaving?" Redwyn grumbled.
"I currently possess no means of communication device."
"Didn't I explicitly offer to escort you to my quarters?"
"Making a special detour is too much hassle. Unnecessary."
"You really are impossible!" Redwyn gritted his teeth but ultimately conceded. He declared: "I just saw your recruitment post. I'm coming with you to serve as backup. Do not refuse. Even if my personal strength is what it is, providing cover for you shouldn't be beyond my capabilities. Mr. Safin was very kind to me; I cannot simply stand by and do nothing."
Mithra studied him for a moment, then asked: "Do you typically not maintain many friendships?"
Redwyn's previously resolute expression instantly deflated: "Why bring that up so abruptly! Aren't we discussing serious matters?"
"If you had numerous friends, you wouldn't cling to the person who smashed your head in daily," Mithra replied, turning her head to gaze toward the road ahead.
"Uh…"
"However, if you insist on acting as a meat shield, then by all means, come along. Do not hold me accountable if you perish."
With that, the bus arrived. After the door hissed open, Mithra boarded directly.
Redwyn hurried to follow: "Hmph! I've practiced Ki-Siphon Hand until I'm proficient these last few days! It's hardly the same as before!"
Muttering under his breath, Mithra ignored him.
...
Gross Mountain.
Mithra and Redwyn arrived at this location once more. Walking along the winding mountain path, the two glimpsed the familiar silhouette of the town again.
Redwyn swallowed nervously. He had spoken boldly before, but now, returning to this place, a slight apprehension couldn't help but surface.
But at least this time they were returning during daylight hours, so the pressure wasn't as intense as it had been at night.
The two approached cautiously, but soon felt a creeping sense of doubt.
Why were there so few people around?
Although they had deliberately chosen the town's outskirts this time, not daring to rush into the town center, they couldn't spot a single figure in the vicinity. It was decidedly strange.
"This is a bit odd. Could they have enacted something else?" Redwyn frowned, voicing his speculation.
Mithra stood up, utilizing her powerful eyesight to scan the area for a long time. She still found nothing amiss. Without overanalyzing, she motioned for Redwyn to quickly follow her up the mountain path.
They reached the entrance of the tunnel nestled within the mountain. In the open area before the cave mouth, the corpses left from the great battle between the two were scattered across the ground, now showing clear evidence of having been cleared away.
The human remains, in particular, all indicated signs of having been moved.
Redwyn felt a pang of fear, while Mithra simply sat down next to a pile of bodies. Disregarding the stench of decomposition and the maggots crawling over them, she reached over one corpse and examined its hollow eye sockets.
She clapped her hands together once and stood up: "The eyes have all been excised."
"As expected, the cult in town was preparing for some major operation," Redwyn surmised.
"Hard to say for sure. Let's check on Safin first."
With that, the two entered the mine.
The area where the corpse pile had been hadn't changed drastically. Mithra, after igniting a wooden club with Ignition, scared away a few stirring Cursed Beings, and made her way back to Safin's cave.
"Cough, cough… Cough, cough, cough!"
Before they even got close, intense coughing sounds echoed from inside.
Mithra and Redwyn unconsciously halted their steps.
But never mind the sound of their footsteps, Mithra hadn't managed to conceal her light either.
"Is that Mithra?" Safin's voice inquired from within.
Mithra hesitated no longer and directly entered the cave. She saw Safin's face, which appeared significantly more haggard than when she had last seen him just a few days prior.
"Mr. Safin! Why are you in this state?" Redwyn followed closely behind and was startled when he saw the sight.
"Young man, you've returned as well," Safin chuckled, maintaining enough composure to inquire. Then he looked at Mithra again, noting that she had meticulously cleaned herself and was wearing fresh attire. He smiled faintly and remarked, "It seems you were successful."
"No, I failed," Mithra replied casually. "And it's a shame; in the end, only I could have assisted you."
"What about me?" Redwyn pointed to himself in bewilderment, then meekly drew back after a sharp glance from Mithra.
Safin shook his head: "You actually returned. Thank you."
"No need for thanks. You look unwell. Is the curse becoming unbearable?" Mithra inquired.
Safin fell silent and nodded slightly: "If you had returned any later, whether I could even converse with you coherently might have been in question."
"Then you intentionally urged me to go back first," Mithra noted with a hint of resignation, frankly realizing he hadn't wanted her to face unnecessary risk.
She didn't linger on the subject, instead stating: "Then let's hurry down to find the item now. Be careful; the situation in town seems highly abnormal."
"They have been awaiting an opportunity for a long time. Having been established in this town for many years, perhaps their ritual is nearing completion," Safin explained with effort.
Mithra, who had just turned away, looked back: "You knew?"
"Because I am currently bearing the curse from the depths, the feeling is undeniably clear," Safin said, speaking with difficulty.
Mithra confirmed: "A Holy Sanctuary patrol team will be passing by nearby shortly. I have already informed the settlement at the foot of the mountain about the Gross Town situation; someone should arrive to manage it by then."
"I certainly hope so. The Dream Nexus is vast; the Holy Sanctuary's own jurisdiction is limited. Many things are completely untraceable, otherwise, we wouldn't have ended up in this predicament… Cough, cough!"
Redwyn looked somewhat uncomfortable, but Mithra remained expressionless: "Let's depart now."
This time, she didn't look back and left the cave immediately.
Redwyn glanced back a couple of times and could only leave a word of caution before turning to catch up with Mithra.
The two silently and quickly entered the tunnel without further conversation.
Amidst the flickering torchlight, their two shadows swayed together. Occasionally, they could hear the rustling sounds of unknown creatures moving around them.
Suddenly, Mithra pointed the torch towards a pitch-black side tunnel and stopped.
Redwyn was slightly delayed but quickly focused his eyes and said: "There's something there!"
The senses of Believers should not be poor, especially Ki Believers; they possess a sharp awareness of living things.
Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch—
Counting on its bony limbs, it rapidly scaled the rocks. Under the torchlight, it suddenly burst from the darkness—a grotesque "spider" formed from several hideous faces with hollow, vacant eyes.
Redwyn's eyes instantly filled with terror. Such a thing suddenly erupting from the pitch-black mine tunnel carried a significant shock factor.
But he maintained his composure; he quickly extended both hands to cast Suppression.
The monster spider climbed with alarming speed. It took a crucial moment for the focus of Suppression to successfully envelop it, by which time it had nearly lunged at the two of them.
The instant Suppression took effect, the spider monster froze mid-motion. Mithra simultaneously drew the stone hammer from her waist and swung it forcefully down at the immobilized target, which seemed almost to be offering itself for the blow.
A dull thud echoed in the tunnel. The spider monster was hurled backward, making a rattling sound.
Surprisingly, this single blow did not instantly kill it. It was still writhing and struggling rapidly on the ground. Redwyn hastily stepped forward and swiftly threw a throwing knife.
After being repeatedly pierced by the throwing knives, it finally ceased all movement.
Mithra advanced with the torch, illuminating the corpse in the flickering light to examine the dark mass.
[Gross Tunnel Cursed Collective: Weak Cursed Beings learned to pool their inherent curse energy, gathering it to gain a more intense offensive nature. They no longer feared light but were now unable to leave the heavily cursed area.]
The familiar, small-statured Cursed Beings were insignificant compared to this composite horror. This monster, only about the size of a dog, yet possessing surprisingly potent attack power, presented a stark contrast.
"How on earth did these things evolve into this?" Redwyn felt a wave of nausea after looking closely and couldn't help but remark.
"Because of the curse miracle," Mithra replied casually.
"That's also categorized as a miracle?" Redwyn was quite surprised.
"Besides the systematic miracles categorized by humans, there are many strange and chaotic ones too. They don't require a specific user; they merely need a conduit—like this environment—to help them become active," Mithra explained.
"Activated miracles…" Redwyn recalled that piece of knowledge.
Although activated miracles were mandatory basic curriculum, it was like telling these recruits to be careful in the Dream Nexus and not rely too heavily on the safety net of extra lives just to mess around. Without practical application, the true gravity of the concept remained difficult to internalize.
Not to mention that on Earth, miracles couldn't be activated, which left the education in this specific area somewhat incomplete.
The two continued their advance.
There were quite a few of these Collectives. Even the small monsters in the deeper tunnels, as soon as the duo got close enough for them to sense their presence, rushed at them like rabid animals.
After a continuous series of these frantic encounters, Redwyn, who was responsible for using Suppression to control the targets, began showing the initial signs of fatigue.
Ding~.
Although Calmness required a decent amount of Senseforce consumption, the required amount was limited. Moreover, in a state of Calm, it could accelerate Senseforce recovery to a certain degree—this was the usual rationale for casting Calmness most of the time.
Ding~.
Another sound of Calmness. This time it actually came from Mithra.
Mithra seemed addicted to Calmness. Without it, she simply couldn't proceed; it appeared she could only sustain herself with more applications of Calmness.
If there was one miracle she would choose to use for survival, it would undoubtedly be Calmness. At that point, Redwyn would sincerely be grateful for it.
While walking, the two spotted an opening up ahead, and they moved out of the cramped passage.
They found another path constructed along the sheer cliff face. However, what lay below was not the usual pile of decaying corpses, but an ancient ruin!
"That must be our destination," Redwyn's eyes widened as he tried to see clearly, but unfortunately, even with a torch in the darkness, he could only make out a rough outline.
As soon as he finished speaking, Mithra suddenly made a subtle hand gesture, signaling him to fall silent.
Redwyn quickly covered his mouth.
Then, they heard heavy, rhythmic footsteps.
They were approaching from the far end of the wooden walkway they had just traversed.
Mithra listened intently for a moment, then slowly moved toward the edge of the corridor.
Under the torchlight, a figure stood motionless on a wide wooden platform.
Upon seeing that silhouette, Redwyn immediately held his breath.
Mithra, however, tilted her head slightly, registering a flicker of surprise.
A Nightborne Knight!
The knight's armor style was identical to the one they encountered when leaving Gross Town earlier, but this knight's plate looked significantly older—its surface rough and mottled with rust, and the helmet was half-cracked.
The knight himself wasn't the primary concern; the critical factor was the mysterious straight sword it carried.
Although Mithra and Redwyn had discussed the miracle effect imbued within that straight sword, apart from the unique ability Mithra activated after her arm was severed, they possessed no suitable countermeasures for the "Blade of the Unseen."
This type of knight was undoubtedly a highly dangerous unit for Mithra and Redwyn, necessitating an extremely cautious confrontation.