Chapter 348: Episode 5

I parted the bangs covering my vision and looked around frantically.

That is another world. This is a human body. The figure you wanted from the bottom of your heart. What kind of expression do I have now? I'm sure you're smiling.

For a while, I couldn't do anything and just stood there blankly.

I was immersed in sentimentality like this for a long time, but suddenly I sobered up. There are many things that need to be checked.

First, what happened to my original body? Now my consciousness exists within a human body. Sight, hearing, smell, and other senses are also attached to this body. This is likely due to the effect of "Sensory Sharing," which was set as a special ability.

It's not like my body itself was transformed into a human. This is merely a Nen Beast or a Nen doll. As the user of the ability, I should exist separately.

Or perhaps, my true form was also taken inside this Nen doll. Of course, I feel I have the ability to change myself by wearing thoughts based on my own body...

I searched for the host nearby. Near the base of a Red Plant where I woke up, I found a tunnel that had already been dug. I hadn't noticed because my viewpoint was high, but isn't this the home I have been using for years?

I reached in to take a look, and my hand touched something. I dragged it out. It was a cold ant corpse, my body.

"I, I'm sorry...!"

Aside from seeing my dead self, this was the first word I spoke as a human; it was a double shock. The main body was curled up with its legs tucked in, showing no signs of movement.

What does this mean? If the main body is truly dead, then what is my current body? I tried slamming it on the ground to see if there was any reaction.

"Is there!?"

A shock ran through my entire body. To be precise, I only felt that sensation. This means the pain is shared. The body is still alive. It might be because the fact that I swore not to cut off the pain-sharing in my Contract had an effect.

Was that a call of pain? My body woke up. At that moment, information surged into my mind like a tidal wave, and I felt dizzy. Is this because the information captured by the human body and the ant body was being recognized simultaneously?

Although they are completely different existences, the two of them are contradictory. Their perceptions are connected, and consciousness and information are shared.

"Disgusting..."

This is useless. Unable to bear the feeling of discomfort, I blocked Sensory Sharing, except for the pain.

The special ability possessed by the Nen Bead, "Sensory Sharing." This in itself is not an unusual ability. It is used to share vision with scout Nen Beasts and can even receive information in real-time from remote locations.

However, thinking about it carefully, I feel that not only the users of Nen Beasts but even those who use remote sensing are blocked by their own vision during the process of skill activation. In other words, it is usually impossible to see "the scene you are currently seeing" and "the scene in the distance" at the same time.

However, there are some exceptions. A certain Chimera Ant possesses the ability to share vision with numerous scout Nen Beasts simultaneously, using its own insect "compound eyes." I think this is an ability called "Super Eyes."

Although it was only for a very short time, I could certainly share two viewpoints. They not only share vision but also share all senses. It is true that such a setting was added when creating the ability, but to say I could do it just like that is another matter.

I think the reason all sensory sharing succeeded lies in "Psychological Synchronization." With this ability, my consciousness became multiple consciousnesses communicating the same thought. In short, this Nen doll body is also being manipulated by "Spirit Synchronization," and a part of my consciousness has formed.

Consciousness-sharing bodies that can only possess the same will have become capable of independent thought. The "multi-intent parallel operation" I was pursuing is now complete. The birth of a completely independent individual, a consciousness shared with sensory organs, may have stimulated them to break away from the same thoughts. It seems the "Idolatry" ability was unintentionally useful for the advancement of "Spirit Synchronization."

However, it is strange that the subject of consciousness has shifted to the Nen doll. Isn't it normal for the ant body, which is the main body, to be the subject? The main body is a Nen doll, and the subject is like a child. This might be influenced by my strong desire to become a human. I tried to use "Spirit Synchronization" to command the main body that had stopped activity and ceased moving.

"Move."

Receiving the order, the main body wandered around aimlessly on the spot. It's as if I'm not smart. I don't know which one is the monster.

However, I am not yet used to the feeling of parallel operation, but I believe that through practice, I can control the Nen doll and the main body simultaneously as if they were "myself." Instead of giving orders, he manipulates both bodies naturally, as if he were moving his own body. I believe I will improve my ability in this area.

When I became a human, there were a few things I wanted to do first. That is, to give it a "name."

As an ant, I didn't need a name, and I didn't think I needed one. However, there is no one without a name. It seems to be very important to humans.

I named this silver-haired girl "Quinn." Quinn is taken from Ant Queen. I think it's easy, but it's better to be easy to understand than a strange, twisted name. It should be. Dissent is not accepted.

As for me, looking like an ant, I have no intention of giving myself a name in the future. You can also call it the main body.

The Aura consumption for maintaining the ability activation that I was worried about has also been managed. Because of the Contract, if you don't activate it 24 hours a day, no matter what happens, you will be in trouble. From now on, how to use Aura on the premise of Quinn's operation becomes very important.

Perhaps because it is a Conjuration System ability I am not good at, it consumes more than I expected. For this reason, the quality is high, and there are no complaints about the workmanship. There is no problem as long as Aura is used normally; even if the main body is sleeping, it can be kept active by giving it extra Aura. However, when using Nen to enter battle, it is thought that exhaustion will immediately enter the danger zone.

However, the results of the Training reside here. They succeeded in extracting Aura from the egg. This gave my consumption Aura a lot of leeway. It is said to be worth long-term devotion to the "Heart-Tuning" Meditation training.

Or rather, recently I have just been practicing Meditation. From morning to night every day, I am dazed, not knowing if I am asleep or awake. It is no exaggeration to say that I am approaching the mindset of a plant. The precision of "Spirit Synchronization" is getting higher and higher; I don't know when it became so high. If I hadn't realized Quinn, would I still be in that state? It's scary to think about.

The body reproducibility of "Idolatry," which I desperately pursued by pushing myself to that point, is surprisingly high. It really surprises me how fragile the human body is. I scraped my knee when I just fell, and it's still bleeding. And it hurts. I cried. On the contrary, I am moved that I can live with such a body.

Wounds can be repaired with Aura, but there is nothing you can do about pain. The ant body also has pain, but it is not that obvious. If my leg were torn off, I wouldn't be too sad, but if someone did the same thing to Quinn's body, I might faint. Why is it so inconvenient? Of course, this is a vow that needs to be prepared.

However, there are benefits to being human. One is athletic ability. It runs much faster than an ant. Another is Nen Ability. Quinn was completely reshaped into a human and is able to use her Nen Ability, including the Four Major Principles.

Her talent is incomparable to her body. Admittedly, he is not starting from zero because he started training since his ant days, but even adding that, it is still amazing. If I say that I have mastered all the techniques I struggled with, not to mention the control of the four major systems, that day, I will understand how unusual it is.

The application technique "Ryu" is a technique that appropriately shifts attack and defense power to various parts of the body according to the enemy's movements, so it is the only one that cannot be done. This is a technique that can only be trained when there is an opponent; it is an application technique that can be called a secret and is the foundation of Nen combat. The only way to train this is through actual combat.

However, if it is just the movement of attack and defense power, it is much smoother than when I was an ant. Other application techniques are also clumsy, but I can make a preliminary form. After all, Nen Ability is just a power created by humans, and the human body is probably the most suitable for handling it.

The techniques mastered by Quinn can be fed back to the main body to a certain extent. Conversely, from now on, the efficiency of Training will be greatly improved.

This "Idolatry" was originally intended to be a popular Materialization ability, but after actually using it, I understood. This is an ability full of outrageous performance. Looking back, I don't think I imposed too many restrictions and promises on him. On the contrary, without such great determination, it would be impossible to embody Quinn.

However, there is one thing that bothers me. Quinn's system. Since I am a Manipulator, I thought Quinn was also a Manipulator, but when I tried the Mizumi Method training, his reaction was different from before.

The leaf floating in the water turned white. This may indicate a change in the Specialization System. As indicated by the special changes that do not appear in other systems, the Specialization System is said to be an unclassifiable ability that does not belong to any other system.

Among the six major systems, only those with special abilities can learn the Specialization System. If it is another type, you can learn a little bit depending on the training situation, even if it is a weak type, but only the Specialization type is an exception. Abilities have no fixed tendencies, and everyone has unique abilities.

I wonder if my system has changed to the Specialization System. In some cases, people with "Manipulation" and "Materialization" constitutions adjacent to "Manipulation" and "Materialization" types in the gender chart might become "Specialist" systems after birth.

To complete "Idolatry," one must have the Materialization System and the Manipulation System. If it is the Specialization System, then it is in a position compatible with both. If you think that my passion for Quinn led to a change in lineage, I think it makes sense.

However, when I tried to verify the Mizumi Method as an ant body, I saw a change indicating the Manipulation System. As usual, the leaves showed a brilliant high-speed rotation. In other words, although the main body is a Manipulation type, Quinn is a Specialization type, which is the result of being disconnected. I don't understand.

Well, a real person who possesses Nen Ability from nothing can no longer be said to be a Specialization System that transcends the fields of the Conjuration System and the Manipulation System, right?

I will continue to practice today as well. Since Quinn was born, he has turned over a new leaf and is more devoted to his Training.

In the pouring rain, Quinn is doing strength training with his ant body as a dumbbell. I just started, but my arms are already full. This body is too weak. Without Aura enhancement, I can't even do 10 push-ups. Using Aura cannot be used as muscle training, so I am at a dead end now.

The main body weighs about 5 kilograms. Because it looks like metal, it is relatively heavy. Since Quinn is constantly receiving Aura from her main body, it would be more efficient to attach it to her if possible. Quinn has almost the same body structure as a human, but she cannot generate Aura and can only consume Aura. This Aura is all the elements that make up Quinn, and none can be missing.

By the way, Quinn is completely naked. Clothes cannot be materialized. As expected, I don't want to use more Memory to make clothes, but I want clothes. It is said that the three elements of food, clothing, and housing are indispensable in a person's life. Food is okay (Quinn doesn't need to eat as long as she has Aura), but clothing and housing are devastating.

There are no clothes, and there is no house to shelter from the wind and rain. My house is too narrow for Quinn, so I am currently expanding the side hole to a suitable size. Even in the rainy season, the temperature is high, so I won't catch a cold even if it rains.

There are trees everywhere in the wilderness, so I wonder if I can do something about them. Without tools like saws, without nails, only natural trees to build a house... well, let's take it slow. Now I am focusing on my Training.

Recently, I have also joined in physical training, but it is mainly training for the sake of being prepared. In any case, to compensate for Quinn's weaknesses, improving his Nen Ability is a top priority. Through the Contract, her death is equivalent to my death. Before that, although she is a Nen user, she is my other self; no, I could say I am myself. Even without the Contract, I would not want him to die easily.

Quinn's specifications are certainly high. His talent is worth seeing. However, this is a bottleneck for strengthening the Specialist System composition.

The appearance rate of the Specialist System is extremely low, and it learns unique and powerful abilities. However, compared to other types, it has the worst compatibility with the "Enhancement" type and is inferior in terms of pure combat power without abilities. I have to think about how to cultivate.

Mindfulness training is mainly divided into three categories. First, there are the basic "Four Major Principles," their combined "Application Techniques," and "System Training" which focuses on origin training. Most importantly, System Training becomes important for increasing the power and accuracy of Emission. It is said that you can improve your basic strength not only by training your own lineage but also by parallel training of adjacent lineages that are compatible with each other.

However, if you remove the point of training efficiency, even your weak systems do not need to be learned desperately. Other systems do not need to be forcibly developed to a level that can be used in actual combat; you just need to firmly hold onto the system you like and use it as much as you want.

However, only the "Enhancement" system is different. This system is an ability that enhances the power and function of things, which can increase the strength and durability of oneself and one's equipment. Since it is an ability that improves power directly related to combat, such as attack power, defense power, self-healing power, and the five senses, no matter what type of person you are, you cannot ignore this point. This is why it is said that those who enhance their abilities are the strongest.

As I mentioned before, the compatibility between Specialist and Enhancement is the worst. This alone puts you at a very disadvantageous position. Specialist ability users cover their weaknesses with powerful unique abilities, but Quinn does not have this advantage. The characteristic of being unable to use special abilities...

What worries me most is the strength of the body. The maximum amount of Aura output to the outside of the body is called "Aura Output (AOP)," and the larger this value is, the more powerful the skills that can be used, and the greater the power used for defense. Relative to the main body, this value is quite high for Quinn, and although it is an attribute type, I think it is able to maintain a certain rate of enhancement.

However, the attack power and defense power (the effective enhancement rate of Aura) are much higher on the main body. This is because the power of offense and defense is not only greatly affected by Aura but also by the original strength of the body. The main body, which originally had a powerful exoskeleton, can be easily enhanced with Aura to increase its defense power several times over, but Quinn's bloated upper arms, no matter how they are enhanced, cannot reach that level.

Well, Quinn has his advantages. It can exhibit mobility that an ant's body cannot achieve, and it can also perform subtle movements. I am also working hard to strengthen my body through muscle training. The actual amount of Aura is still in the growth stage. There is a lot of room for growth.

Kitty, kitty.

Just as I was thinking about doing sit-ups next, I heard a harsh metallic sound. Ants appeared in droves from the red forest. It was the Ant King and his direct Bodyguards.

When the Chimera Ant Queen reaches a certain size, she stops producing soldier ants and only gives birth to King ants periodically. These are most likely new King ants born from the swarm in the center of the forest.

Moreover, the number of King ants is not just one or two. They impregnate females of other races to create the next generation of Ant Queens, but there are no mating partners on this wasteland. Therefore, it seems that the King ants have saturated the forest.

If you ask why they gathered in front of Quinn, it might be for this purpose. Quinn is a human girl.

Well, let's kill.

I don't want to kill my kin as much as possible, but these guys are different. I can lay my hands on them without hesitation. Just looking at them makes me feel sick. I cannot suppress my killing intent.

Hitting with Quinn's hands is painful, so I used "Ryu" to reinforce the stones scattered around and turned them into blunt weapons. "Ryu" is an application technique of "Ten," a technique that uses Aura to reinforce weapons and other equipment to improve durability and destructive power.

It consumes much more Aura than a simple "Ren," and if it is not a familiar or favorite item, the efficiency of reinforcement will decrease. It is just a simple stone reinforced with Ryu, but it is very suitable for training.

The ants are slow and not a threat. Only an idiot would get caught and impregnated. The guards blocking the way are treated properly by the main force.

I hit the King ant walking towards me with the stone. An inefficient weapon that makes Quinn's obvious Aura important hit the Ant's armor. It was really Hard and could not be damaged. The impact might pass through the inside, but you cannot kill it with just one or two hits.

On the contrary, its durability is exactly what I wanted. One shot after another, I carefully smashed the stone down with killing intent. I feel like there is such training. If I remember correctly, it is "Stone Crushing," a type of enhancement training. Constantly hitting the target while reinforcing the stone weapon so as not to break it. If you don't use too much force, don't pull too much, and don't consider the balance and reinforcement, the stone will easily break. It is a simple but nerve-wracking task.

After that, Quinn continued to shake the stone silently.

With Quinn's birth, the precision of "Spirit Synchronization" has steadily improved. You will be able to share feelings with the main body without any problems. Now I don't even feel like I am the subject. Both of them have become the main body and are able to take separate actions while sharing consciousness.

The consciousness in the egg has also successfully made itself independent and constrained. However, there is still very little it can do. The main use is as an Aura drawer. It has become Quinn's battery. Sending Aura to the Sacrificial Doll is the first step in manipulating a Nen Beast, and it is not difficult to send Aura directly from the egg to Quinn.

First of all, even if it is said that this egg has consciousness, there is a problem of how it thinks without a brain. Consciousness may not exist as a physical function, but as a soul-like existence. There is no other explanation; it is a product of a supernatural phenomenon called Nen Ability.

Some questions about sharing consciousness with the egg have been clarified.

The first is to increase the total amount of Aura, which allows us to increase the enhancement rate all at once. The Aura of two people, if used for enhancement, will be twice as strong, and if it is three people, it will be three times as strong.

In the end, it cannot be completed. No matter how much Aura you put in, you cannot produce power exceeding the Aura Output (AOP). No matter how abundant the water source is, the power of the water flowing from the faucet will not change. The amount of latent Aura is much higher than that of humans, so he is good at continuous fighting and is strong in a war of attrition, but I feel a little disappointed.

Currently, it is too wasteful for the egg to only be used as fuel for Quinn, so I am looking for ways to apply it to other techniques.

The second question. What is the capacity (Memory) of the egg? In the past, I used the metaphor of having a thousand Nen Abilities in my stomach, but if this is true, then there is no need to worry about memory problems. No matter how powerful the ability is, you can create it as you wish.

This is not a good story. The shared consciousness created by "Spirit Synchronization" automatically acquired the same abilities as me from the beginning. In other words, because I was forced to recite "Spirit Synchronization" and "Idolatry," there are no blanks in my memory.

I actually tried to make some new abilities, but none of them worked. For example,

Skill Name: "Unnecessary Death Makeup"

Effect: Heals all damage caused to the user and restores health.

Constraint: None

Contract: The user dies 10 seconds after the effect is activated.

Shortening life expectancy to 10 seconds in exchange for complete damage recovery is too risky. I can only think of ways to use it, such as rewarding the last arrow to deal with an opponent I can't beat, or leaving a final message on the verge of death. First, I want to explain why I want to create such an ability.

The phrase "betting the user's life" is the most effective vow in a Contract. Trading life for power. I don't think I have the determination to defeat it. If it is a vow based on death from the beginning, rather than imposing conditional punishments such as "I will die if I do" or "I will die if I don't," it is more effective.

This life-threatening vow is already used in Idolatry. Quinn and the main body are one. If one of them dies, the other dies too. If understood literally, it should be like this, but in fact, there is a certain amount of speculation here. I am not really risking my life. I have a way out.

For me, life is not just one thing. To be precise, death as a person is not a big deal. Like cells replaced by metabolism, consciousness aggregation repeats life and death.

Sure enough, if the ant's body is broken, it's over, but the eggs in the stomach are often already dead. Some die from stress, some from physical damage caused by training, and some are defective products... Then make the next egg to replace the dead egg and replenish it.

Death is a daily experience. If the main body is safe and there is even a consciousness, it is possible to regenerate.

Therefore, I think that even if I die because of the Contract, I can survive by sacrificing an egg. I'm not sure, but I think it's intuitively correct. This intuition is important for creating Nen Ability. This is a promise after combining this speculation.

I feel that death will not be a big vow, which may lead to a decrease in its value as a gambling chip, but even so, I don't think there is any way not to use this constitution. If everything goes well, I want to make a powerful vow.

That's why I came up with the "Unnecessary Death Makeup" ability. Restore damage in exchange for death. The formal risk and reward should be balanced. The 10-second grace period is considered insurance, but it is not necessary. I can use this ability without any drawbacks.

Well, I can't remember. Proving that memory is not infinite. Due to the nature of recovery, this ability belongs to the Enhancement system. In addition to being incompatible with the Manipulation system, the recovery ability that is difficult to awaken even in the Enhancement system is too high.

However, he cannot give up easily. I don't know how much Memory is left because I have already made two abilities, but I might be able to make one more. I have also thought about other abilities.

Skill Name: "Sacrificial Doll (Tentative)"

Effect: Manipulate a Doll to take over the user's damage.

Constraints: (1) Carry the doll with you. (2) If the doll is slightly damaged, it cannot be used.

Contract: The user dies 10 seconds after the effect is activated.

Manipulation ability, object manipulation. Manipulating a doll to move it doesn't have much use in combat, so it has special abilities.

It is generally believed that dolls are children's toys, but I think they were originally made as Magic tools to ward off evil. If the background is sublimated through object manipulation, it might be used as a special ability. However, this is a very strong argument.

This time it is an ability of my own lineage that I am good at, and I think I can do it because I have restricted it heavily, but this is also not good. I don't have any Memory left, or I have very little left. Even though I tried my best to make the carved wooden doll.

Perhaps I could learn it by training for a long time like "Idolatry," but I don't have that motivation. Training at the same level is too painful. I have thought about various abilities, but somewhere in my heart, I feel like I have drawn a line saying "this is impossible." Perhaps this is the concept of "Memory" itself.

"No Harvest"

It has been a long time since there was a sunny day like today, so I am going on an adventure, exploring the wilderness while jogging. The body is placed on the head. This is a considerable weight, and if you don't keep your balance and run, you might stumble. I used Matoi and ran at a fairly fast speed, but no matter how far I go, the wilderness is still the wilderness.

Even when I was still an ant, I conducted such explorations many times. But I have yet to walk out of this wilderness. It is too wide. It is fine. Perhaps, if you do not seriously explore with the feeling of leaving the Red Forest, you will not see the exit.

For now, even if the Red Forest is far away and can no longer be seen, there is a way to return without hesitation. I am an ant; even if they are far from the nest, they can use the pheromones that guide them to find their direction. Even so, in an emergency, I still want to find a range around the Red Forest that I can visit within a day, but it will be necessary to further expand this range in the future.

Quinn looked back at his delicate body. Have I really become stronger? Do you have enough power to cross this wilderness?

It is said that Chimera Ants originated from the Dark Continent. It seems to be a dangerous place anyway, but I do not know the specifics. I do not remember that matter. It feels like the story ended in the middle.

If this place is located in the Dark Continent, then this wasteland must be a relatively safe place. To what extent can I fight against the threats that might exist?

I know I have become much stronger than my former self, but it is frustrating not to be able to do what I want to do. I have always been unable to use "Spirit Synchronization" as I imagined, and I have run out of "Idolatry" memory. It is not a direct attack in battle either.

I know this is something I do not have, and I do not regret creating these two abilities. Nevertheless, there is still a sense of unease that cannot be erased.

One more. I am going to set out again for the final struggle. The maximum value of memory varies from person to person, but everyone can probably remember one or two abilities. Three at most is the limit.

Some people have remembered about 6 of them, and there are also non-standard people who steal and use other people's words. I do not want that kind of power, but I think I have quite a bit of talent. I am thinking about the last ability I want to try.

Its ability name is "Sacrificial Cradle (rotonegg)". The effect is a Bullet. This is the origin of the Emission System. It is a long-range attack that shoots Aura bullets, serving as a basic general ability of the Emission System.

Being able to maintain a long distance is its strength, but if used to a certain extent, it can block the power of the Bullet, so ability users who can only rely on long-range attacks can be brought into melee and defeated. I feel there are many.

However, in the final analysis, it still depends on individual strength. If the power that can be fired in one shot is great, it will become a turret, and if the speed is extremely fast, it can suppress with a Barrage like a machine gun. There is also a method of using real bullets to further amplify the power, or using materialized bullets (the Emission System has the worst compatibility with the Materialization System, so another person with the Materialization System did it. Sometimes a cooperative system is adopted to use bullets).

If I have good compatibility with the Emission System, I should be able to handle Nen bullets with fairly high accuracy. Add a Constraint to that, and the power is further strengthened. The Constraint of "die if used".

A normal person would not create it; that is an ability that cannot be created. Battle is about protecting something, and usually, one's own life is included in what is being protected. One should not envision a situation where one must attack at the cost of one's life. This is why this ability should gain a certain amount of power.

No special ability, just a Bullet. If you cannot use this level of output, you can give up completely, as if there is no free Memory. If you can remember it, then your memory is truly used up, and you do not have to worry about "Maybe I still remember an ability?".

Quinn held the main body with both hands and assumed a shooting posture.

"..."

The number of cases where eggs died because of this is countless, but this is the first time I have intentionally "killed" it. When I tried to use "Unnecessary Death Makeup" and "Sacrificial Doll", I wondered if the concept of death bestowed by the Covenant could really satisfy that small sacrifice. I often hesitated.

However, the final answer remained the same. I want to travel to the Dark Continent and one day go to a world where humans live. I want to know humans. I want to know what it feels like to be human. In the process, I will most likely encounter a threat far beyond my imagination.

Overcoming it requires power. There is not enough power to adapt to the scope of common sense. I need a way to defeat someone stronger than me, an enemy much larger than me.

Immediate Death. If I have to pay the price of my life, I will accept it. Survive by it. The power I have is the determination to stick to this broken reasoning.

"'Sacrificial Cradle (Rotonegg)'"

A flash of light burned my vision.

This is not a Bullet. A pillar of light extended in a straight line. A massive release of energy. At the same time, a feeling of death spread in my heart.

The eggs died. Not one or two. Centered on the sacrificed eggs, death spread as if it were infected. It immediately cut off the dead consciousness from the aggregation, but it still did not stop. Repeated isolation and leakage.

We created an ability based on death as a Covenant, but we did not specifically decide how to die. As a result, the price was exchanged for Aura. To activate this skill, it requires consuming enough Aura to make life disappear.

That time of less than a few seconds was compressed to the limit. Fear the emptiness growing inside you. Now I understand what I should do.

Do not isolate. Do not refuse. You must admit that you have died, rather than cutting off your own life.

You are me.

The light gathered thinly, and then disappeared as if intermittently. The moisture left on the ground after the rain evaporated formed fog. Quinn was exhausted and knelt on both knees.

About half of the eggs died immediately. If I had not improved the accuracy of "Spirit Synchronization" through Meditation, the damage would have been greater. All of me might have died here. Even if I was prepared for this, it was a terrifying experience.

The fog was blown away by the Wind, and the field of vision opened up. I thought I was shooting forward, but the power of the emission must have moved my hands. There is a line that divides the earth into two.

A huge, deep trench extends to where the naked eye cannot see. There are no useless traces of destruction like a crater; it was dug out as if the Obstacle above the passage had been cleared away.

This is the power obtained at the cost of hundreds of lives. A lot was lost, but of course, this power is worth it. I shuddered at the power I had obtained.

Quinn tried to stand up, but his movements were awkward. I not only sacrificed the eggs, but also almost exhausted all the Aura I had saved. A full-power blow, for better or worse, is not flexible. It is an ability that cannot be used easily.

"...?"

When I tried to recover my Aura, I noticed that the scene before me was a bit strange. Liquid began to accumulate in the groove I had made with the Bullet earlier.

I do not remember adding such an effect to "Sacrificial Cradle". The mysterious liquid, as if seeping from the ground, is constantly accumulating. Its color is bright red. And there is a strong fishy smell drifting about.

Immediately after, the earth shook, as if to interrupt my thoughts. A tremor that made it impossible to stand. There has never been an earthquake in this wilderness. I do not think this has anything to do with the Bullet I shot.

There is something underground. Judging from the smell of this red liquid, it is definitely blood. A creature is lurking under the ground where I am standing. If this is the Dark Continent, it is not strange at all.

Most importantly, at the worst time, I will wake up this terrifying giant creature. It is bad now. Only as much Aura as possible is left for Quinn to materialize. Once a full-scale battle begins, it will soon be exhausted.

If he can no longer materialize Quinn, death is waiting for him. This is the second dance before. Now that the egg inventory is reduced, I have no confidence to endure that punishment again.

I whipped my body that would not listen to me and made Quinn run. I had no choice but to run away. The enemy might not even know of your existence. If you use Ken to cut off your existence, you might be able to manage it somehow.

However, as I started running, I noticed the next event.

"Mountain...!"

Growth. I can only express it.

In this wilderness, the only distant mountain that can be seen beyond the horizon. The Sun always sets after it. I once called it the "Western Mountain". Since I was born, that majestic mountain that has always remained unchanged extends as if to pierce the sky.

I do not understand what happened. The height of the mountain will not suddenly rise. Is my common sense wrong? Are you saying this is also the effect of the Bullet I shot? To grasp the situation, I looked around frantically.

Then I saw it. My feet stopped. Beyond the wilderness I have not yet reached, at the end of the east, it is.

It is a Snake head. No, is it a turtle? It is looking back at me. I thought there was something wrong with my eyes. I can only think that my sense of distance has gone crazy. Because if you look from here, it is as big as the mountain in the west.

A Snake, with its head at the east end and its tail at the west end. If so, this wilderness...

"Oh, oh"

The sky darkened. The tail mountain is high enough to block the noon Sun. It is falling slowly. The shadow covers the sky, darker than Pitch Darkness, without even the afterglow of stars, a suffocating darkness.

The day the sky collapsed, I lost my hometown.

――――――

"Sacrificial Cradle (rotonegg)"

Emission ability. Liquidation.

【Constraint】

·None

【Vow】

-User deceased.