Since we left in a hurry, I was only introduced to the twins once we're already on the road to get away from the Spirit King. Though they both looked cool and serious, Rei turns out to be someone gentle who pampers Jayna like a precious little sister while Ren was an older brother figure who voluntarily took menial jobs such as driving the carriage. Yumiko found them more than 2 years ago in a destroyed Dark Elves camp. That was the time when the Dark Elves were still kidnapping Spirit Race children.
They're brainwashing and training the children to reach the higher stages since the means they're using to corrupt someone hasn't appeared yet at that time.
By the time Yumiko arrived at that camp, only the twins were left among the numerous children who were forced to fight their own race.
She fought the two of them as a Natal Spirit while the two were already Fused Spirits. Without using her Spirit Channeling, she defeated both of them without killing them. After that, she took care of them and removed their brainwashing using a Higher Spirit's borrowed power. By saving them, even if the two were older than her, Yumiko became someone they devoted their lives for. Apart from Harlan, these two sent the news about the fortress and the breach so they took it upon themselves to scout it while waiting for her. They learned scouting techniques during their time at that camp so they're among the best scouts in the Spiritas Federation.
"You mean, you're the Ember we're hearing about in the Fortress? Legends about an Invincible Natal Spirit appearing in the competition organized by Jayna's father already arrived there. They said you defeated everyone with only one punch from your Spiritual Twin. Reminds me of Yumiko back then."
Since we're on the topic of introducing ourselves to each other, Jayna blurted out how she helped me put on a disguise to join the competition and won it in a landslide. Hearing that, Ren couldn't help but ask me.
"Ah. That's an exaggeration. But not entirely false."
Those legends about Ember were really exaggerated but to think that it already reached the far away Frontier Fortress…
Did that mean Ember was already known among the whole Spiritas Federation? Talk about being famous in one night.
"Really? How was it, Jayna? You watched it with Yumiko, right?"
Rei asked Jayna who was making herself comfortable beside her. Since Yumiko was currently communicating with the spirits using her Spirit Channeling, her companions were aware that they shouldn't disturb her.
"If I said he's probably stronger than me at that time, will you believe me?"
With a smirk on her face, Jayna recounted what happened during the final match where I only shot those four arrows to Trax to defeat him. It's like an effortless match according to how she described it.
"Oi, Jayna. Don't exaggerate it too much."
I tried to stop her but it only became fuel for the girl's playful side.
"Look at him, it has only been three days since then."
Jayna pointed at me and that made twins' gazes locked onto me, they're probably gauging my current realm of strength. They're both Transformed Spirit so it's fairly easy for them to determine that. After a few seconds, Ren opened his mouth.
"You're a Natal Spirit just three days ago, how come you're already at the later stages of Fused Spirit? Even Yumiko wasn't that fast. Did you find a Spirit Ocean droplet?"
Spirit Ocean droplet? What's that? That's a new term eh. But considering its name and his question, is it like a precious item that can elevate one's realm by consuming it?
Seeing the confusion on my face, the two were also stumped. They didn't know if my silence was confirming the question.
"I don't know what a Spirit Ocean droplet is but let's just say my fast progress is part of my unique ability which has the same source as Yumiko's Spirit Channeling."
After a while, I opened my mouth and described it as such, even if I keep downplaying it, to everyone's eyes, it's really a freakish feat. That's why this time, I decided to put it in the same category as the Heroes' unique ability. It's already proven by the short time I awakened it that it's far from being mediocre.
The carriage was already moving along a roadless path when Yumiko stood up from where she was, a different persona exuding out from her. This is her after she completely communicated with the Spirit who won their own competition on who will lend her their powers.
The talks about Ember or me were forgotten as our attention all turned to her.
What appeared behind her was a Phantom Image of someone whose whole body was dotted by spirals. Even the clothes he wore were full of it. With Spiral pair of glasses and spiral earrings. I remembered that one anime that revolved around spirals that said, 'Don't believe in yourself, believe in me that believes in you!' But of course, he's not like any of the characters there, just the spirals.
"Yumiko?"
Jayna asked curiously, her eyes were glittering brightly once again. I guess her curiosity is bottomless. Well, it could probably be attributed to how every Spirit Yumiko called upon her Spirit Channeling was someone unique.
"Heyo.I communicated with the Overlord of Dimensions, I can open a portal that can get us out of here before that old thing catches up on us."
Overlord of Dimensions... That spiral guy is? What kind of dimensions?
I looked again and I couldn't find any trace of being an overlord from him but if Yumiko explained it as such, there's no way they'll lie to her, right?
One thing I noticed was Yumiko's countenance this time was like a hyperactive guy vibing to something. This is probably that overlord's mannerism.
"Yo, Ren, stop the carriage. I'm going to open the portal."
Her borrowed power from the higher spirit only has 5 minutes as its duration so upon learning what kind of power the spirit lent her, instead of facing the Spirit King, we'll just transfer away from this location.
We're already far enough from the fortress anyway and the Spirit King appeared specifically for Yumiko. Just like the previous times, he'll leave if he fails to catch sight of her.
Ren stopped the carriage on a clearing then Yumiko went out of the carriage to stand in front of it. She turned her back to us after smiling creepily. Her straight body then suddenly bent forward and she started dancing to something unknown to us. Her dance was too erratic. It's hard to call it a dance. Partner it with what she's wearing, with flicks of her hands and her hips, though it's erratic, it also became somewhat erotic. Her girl-next-door figure was emphasized through it.
Taking my mind off her weird dance, I noticed how those moves of her hands and hips were somehow drawing spiral figures which were one by one materialized at the space in front of her.
With another wave of her hand, both Psyche Energy and Spirit Energy was stirred in the space in front of her. The way it got stirred was even stronger than how I absorbed that huge amount of Spirit Energy when my three paths were forcefully synchronized.
The Spirals that were drawn suddenly rotated fast and gathered together in the middle as a mirror-like surface appeared from it. Through it, we could see other scenery and a makeshift fortress-like structure in the distance.
Unlike that breach I saw back on Earth which consisted of cracks that were slowly opening the gap between the two dimensions, what Yumiko was doing was connecting two separate spaces from this dimension or world through those spirals. This is like what the Principal did, opening a portal from one place to another. Easily traversing the distance just by stepping right inside it.
Now what I'm curious about is if this is the only power lent by that Overlord of Dimensions. But considering they're lending her powers according to her needs, this might just really be the only power that Spiral Spirit lent her. But really, why did she have to dance like that? That's something that cannot be unseen. I could see Jayna restraining herself from giggling.
"Looks like our journey will also be cut short because of this, the portal will lead us to the vicinity of that place where they built their fortress."
Yumiko turned back to normal after the portal stabilized itself.
"Wait. Why are you all staring weirdly at me?"
Noticing our weird gazes, only then did Yumiko's mind register what she just did. The changes in her expression were something more amusing. From embarrassment to anger and finally to helplessness as she slowly crawled back inside the carriage.
"I should've recorded that."
I muttered when she went near me.
"Shut up, Daisuke."
With a punch to my shoulder, Yumiko slumped herself on the corner.
The other three refrained from saying anything. After a while, Ren started the carriage again as we passed through the portal Yumiko made. The silhouette of something big could be seen flying towards us from the rear. Was that the Spirit King?
After passing through the portal, it vanished from behind us as we found ourselves in a forest with the same scenery we've seen. That makeshift fortress of the Dark Elves was there at the distance.
"Don't mention that to Yuko."
Yumiko whispered to me when she finally calmed down.
"My lips are sealed. Though I really regret not recording it."
"Daisuke. Just tell me if you have a death wish, alright?"
With a smile that's not a smile. Yumiko muttered those words.
I shook my head as an answer, giving up on teasing her. I then sent her a ball of Psyche Energy to refresh her mind and replenish what she used.
"It's really great that we could understand each other like this, right?"
Still with that smile. Yumiko loomed over me.
Ah. It looks like I provoked a hornet's nest. Though I could keep teasing her, I refrained from doing it again. Once or twice were enough, I just remembered what happened with Zerina.
"This is only temporary. That old thing will surely follow us here. Though I accounted for him appearing, it's really a good chance to make use of him this time."
Yumiko said after all the awkwardness was brushed off. She then turned to Jayna and me. The previous event of Yumiko dancing was already put at the back of our mind. It's time to close that breach.
"Follow the plan. Jayna and Daisuke will infiltrate the Fortress using Jayna's disguising ability."