"..."
"...(≖_≖ )"
’Something’s suspicious.’
’Why hasn’t it attacked me yet?’
It’s been more than five minutes. The giant wolf-thing hasn’t moved a muscle. It just sat there, those empty sockets fixed on me.
’Could it be... It’s afraid?’
’...’
’Nah. No way.’
Because that would be crazy, I shook my head, trying to clear the stupid thought.
I must be getting ahead of myself. Right?
’...Okay. Let’s check my options.’
One: Run for my life. But only if there was no other choice. Running now, without even trying to find the others, felt like a betrayal. Not only for others but also for myself, my principles.
Two: Search for the others. But I didn’t know if I could even leave this spot. What if the moment I turned my back, that thing decided I was prey and attacked?
It was a staring contest right now. Moving might break the rules.
My brain kept cycling through the same dead ends.
Then, a crazy idea presented itself.
’...What if I just talk to it?’
I froze.
Yeah, that totally sounded ridiculous.
This place must be messing with my head.
Still... it wouldn’t hurt to try, right? It wasn’t like I had better options right now anyway. Who knew? Maybe the guy just wanted someone to talk to, maybe it was a lonely creature, like in many stories.
Gathering my courage, I opened my mouth to speak.
No sound came out.
’Ah, right. Sound is blocked here.’
Fine. If I couldn’t speak, maybe I could try telepathy. I focused my aura, aiming a thread of conscious thought toward the motionless creature.
It was the Mind’s Thread, one of the gifts I received from Master Virion last time.
[...Hello? Can you hear me?]
[...]
No response.
I sent the telepathic thread again. [...Hey. Can you understand?]
[...]
[Sir Night Devourer?] I tried a third time, putting more force into it. [...Can you hear me?]
The creature didn’t react. It just kept staring with those empty sockets. There was no movement.
I squinted.
’...Let’s try it.’
Slowly, I took a step forward, then a step back, retreated a few meters, and even turned my back on it, muscles tensed for an attack that never came.
’...Damn it. Is this an illusion?’ I cursed. If so, then I really made a fool out of myself.
<Seren? Is it real?>
Thankfully, I had someone to ask for help.
<No, friend. It is not an illusion. But... it does not feel real either. It feels more like a phantom. A memory given solid form.>
<I see.> I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. A phantom, huh. Or even a sentry, but definitely not the true Night Devourer.
Then there’s no need to worry about it.
I opened my inventory. My fingers closed around a cool, smooth disc of metal. I pulled out the Resonance Compass, the intricate runes on its surface glowing faintly in the pervasive gloom.
I focused my mind, recalling the distinct, warm, and fiercely vibrant aura of Uru’en, the feel of it when we’d raced through the snow, when she’d saved me the first time.
The compass needle shivered, then snapped to a firm position, pointing decisively into the twisting darkness to my left.
A tiny, silver rune shaped like a stylized flame, the marker I’d assigned to her, glowed at the edge of the dial.
’Good, it’s working!’ A surge of relief cut through the oppressive dread. ’Master, you are the best!’
Then, I started moving, following the compass.
However, I didn’t lower my guard. I became even more cautious.
Since I already wore a relic for physical defense, I reached into my inventory again.
My hand closed around a small orb that felt like captured sunlight, the Aegis of Dawn, the relic for protecting my soul. The next moment, a subtle, gentle warmth bloomed in my chest, a protective barrier settling over my mind and soul against psychic intrusion or corruption.
For an extra counterattack measure, I took out the Crescent Mirror, its cold, polished surface reflecting the distorted darkness around me.
It wouldn’t hurt to be prepared for the worst.
Armed and with a clear goal, I moved deeper into the Devourer’s domain. The phantom wolf gradually faded into the gloom behind me, as if it had never truly existed, leaving only the Resonance Compass in my hand, my sole guide through the silent, shifting dark.
As I walked, another thought surfaced.
A crazy one.
...But not an impossible one.
’...Should I test everything today?’
The idea lingered.
I had too many things at my disposal now: resonance arts and techniques I’d never used in real combat. Relics that had only been rotting away in the inventory. Skills I’d awakened but never truly pushed.
Such as the Spatial Severance Technique, the Echo-Walker Resonance Art, or the Spatial Reflection Art. And even that newly awakened random ability.
Besides, I could even check if the beast was related to the Abyss or not.
Honestly...
This was the perfect environment for it.
No witnesses(Probably).
No restraints.
No collateral damage.
An enemy that justified pulling out every move.
And very likely, no second chances.
’...’
Furthermore, I had a feeling coiling up in my chest.
’...I’m going to fight.’
A real battle.
Possibly one where life and death would hang on a single mistake.
’...Hmm.’
My pace slowed.
If that were the case, then holding back would be the real foolishness.
I exhaled.
If things truly went south, I’d stack Glacia Sinfonia with Virion’s Blessing, something I had never done before. Because the timing didn’t match back then, but now, I can test my theories about them as well. I can go all out and push myself to the limit. Or even surpass them.
...Me in the sky, staring down at the Night Devourer and that red-robed villain guy. Ice wings, primordial beast’s aura(blessing), eyes glowing with fire...
’Hehe.’
My fingers flexed unconsciously just by imagining it. But...
’...Let’s hope nothing goes wrong first.’
...Wait.
...Did I just raise a flag there?