「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
The orc swung his club in a wide arc. I duck, the club missing me by a hair's breadth. The strike from the orc destroyed a chunk of the wall. The shards flying in the ensuing chaos.
Screams and explosions resounded in the giant cavern. It filled the atmosphere to the brim along with the occasional explosion and heavy thumping.
The orc, enraged by my dodge, let out a ear-piercing scream, it's saliva flying everywhere. Some of it hit my face, and I had to wipe it off to get rid of the horrible stench that the beast's breath possessed.
Focusing the mana to my legs, I dash forward. This caused another wave of pain to assail me and to bring right to the orc's grotesque face.
Pushing heat to my arms, I swing my sword. The blade approached the beast's neck. I redirect mana into my arms, strengthening my grip on the hilt. True to my guess, the impact caused an intense wave of pain to assault my arms.
It felt like my bones were about to snap from the impact alone. The blade landed on the orc's neck. I thought–hoped, that the beast's neck would be cut off in just one swing. I guessed wrong.
The blade sunk a few inches into the beast's tough skin, refusing to go any further. I try to pull out the blade from the beast's neck, only to be met with the beast's strong muscles squeezing the blade with intense pressure. The beast sneered.
The orc reached it's hand out towards me, trying to put me in it's grasp. I let go of the sword, abandoning it. If it wasn't going to be of use to me anymore, then I didn't want it. The beast's burly hand missed me entirely.
It would seem that I had the upper hand when it came to speed and agility. Using this new information, I maneuver around the beast. It tried to grab and smash me with it's thick club, swinging wildly and without direction.
With my superior agility, I dodge every blow and strike, though not without difficulty. A couple few attacks graze my cheek, shoulder, and collar bone. It would seem that the beast targeting for my head especially–most likely hoping for an instant-kill.
After under a minute of continuous dodging and weaving around the beast's strikes, I find an opening. The orc's attacks started to slow down as it ran out of stamina. Looks like the orc – or just this specific one – cannot use mana to enhance it's physique like I could.
Still, though, to think it could push me this far…
Maneuvering myself to the beast's blind spot, I reach for the brown hilt of the silver sword. The orc noticed my charge, turning it's head in my direction.
Big mistake
The beast's instinctual reaction only helped me. The blade landed perfectly on my open palm. I pushed heat into my hand, grabbing the sword with all my might.
Easy enough
The hard part, though, came after this.
Recalling my fight with the giant bat, my mind wandered to the way the beast redirected mana. Unlike my crude method of forcing the mana to my desired location, the beast's technique seemed to be that of a master's. The way the beast maneuvered the mana – not just into one location but also the area surrounding it – was nothing short of outstanding.
…Though, given that it had a part of it's body that served as a great conductor for mana. My mind recalled the mana circuits on the beast's wings. With that kind of simple arrangement that let one be able to understand and manipulate mana easier, I could see how the beast was able to manipulate mana the way it did. It's arrangement was like the crack emerging from a broken mirror. No matter how many the lines, it always originated from somewhere. I imagine that the beast used this clear advantage to hone and master mana as well as it did.
If only I could do that too
Diving deep into myself, I heighten my focus. In the endless abyss that I had brought myself to, I look for my core. This was what let the giant bat manipulate mana multiple levels beyond me. It instinctively knew where the mana would come in and let it absorb mana for easier use.
I looked everywhere. Still, to no avail. I dove even deeper. Then some more. The deeper I went, the more detached I felt of the outside world. Eventually, in the deeper abyss. I found something shining. It had a faint glow. Almost to the point of dying. It periodically blinked, barely staying alive. I chased after it.
Running…
Chasing…
Pursuing…
I ran and ran through the deep abyss. As I did, my steps felt heavier and heavier. Each one I took felt like I was being submerged in water while having a ball and chain attached to my legs and arms.
Running…
Chasing…
Pursuing…
I didn't know how long it had been. It was more like I was chasing after eternity. Each second felt like a million, each moment a part of forever.
Running…
Chasing…
Pursuing…
My feet suddenly came to a stop.
What was I pursuing again?
The thought made me question myself.
Who am I?
What am I?
Why am I here?
Why do I keep going?
For what reason do I continue?
Is this all a dream?
In the first place, what even is a dream?
Is this reality?
Or is this another one of my delusions?
The questions kept coming one after the other. Every single letter of every word felt like peeling a layer of myself. A faint light shone.
What is that?
Why is it so bright?
What even is bright?
Why does it keep going?
I mean, it's basically at the end of it's rope. Shouldn't it just give up?
How blind is it not to even notice that?
Despite my hypocrisy, I continue my journey. The weights slowed me down. The crushing pressure made my movements dull. But that didn't matter.
What mattered was what that was.
Is that hope?
Is it salvation?
Is it the answer I'm looking for?
…An answer?
Though I don't remember much anymore, I could still recall coming here for a purpose.
But why would I come here?
The question baffled me. In this desolate and lonesome dimension where not a single life or thing existed, only a madman would come here of their own accord. Still, I continued my endless journey.
What are you doing?
Are you insane?
That might not even be real, you know?
Are you really that stupid?
Are you really gonna risk everything for such a small probability?
Why would you even do that?
"'Why, you ask?"
I turn to my side.
There stood a pitch-black figure. Other than it's pure white eyes and the shape of it's face, everything about it's existence was shrouded in darkness. I felt like no matter how much I reach for it I would never be able to even get close to it. Still, that didn't mean it was something beyond my grasp. It's more like it was always there, right by my side. Yet never within reach.
I open my mouth. Voicing my response.
"For her, of course."
…
The shadow had no response. Still, it didn't disappear. It continued to stare at me–watch me. It wanted me to follow through my promise. To see where my boundless foolishness would take me.
With my doubts gone, I continue my stride. The weights were gone, letting me run. The crushing pressure has disappeared, letting me breath. Eventually, I reached it.
…
The faint ball of light was now within my grasp. It was laughable. The shining ball of light that illuminated the entire dimension was no bigger than the pall of my hands. I bring the ball of light closer to me. It felt cold to touch. Like just being near it was enough to freeze my entire being solid. The ball of light began to shine brighter. It's light becoming colder and colder.
A rumbling emanated beyond the abyss.
Suddenly, I was back. The memories I had forgotten now returned to me. Hurriedly, I survey my surroundings. Where I stood, the body of the burly orc could be found.
No. That's not just it
Several more corpses lay beyond the one I had been fighting earlier. My attention was caught by the wounds they had on their body. Some were bisected. Some had their limbs cut. Others had holes big enough that one could see through them on their bodies.
What happened here?
A figure stepped forward. It said something. I didn't understand what it meant. The figure tilted it's head. Then, something unbelievable happened.
"...O_? _o l_ke th_s?"
The figure spoke. Each word becoming closer and closer to a language that I was oh-so-familiar with.
"Tes_ing– _est_ng. _an __u und_rst__d m_?"
I just stood there, stupefied. What I was seeing shouldn't be possible. And yet it was happening right before my eyes.
"…There. Can you here me now? Man~ You really did a number on the orcs, huh~. I'm pretty sure they're more scared of you than me now… see? The injured ones are pissing themselves right now"
I turn my head in the direction she was looking, eager for anything that made sense. It was unbelievable enough that somebody was talking in a language I understood. Let alone the fact that that very same person hasn't attacked me yet.
Looking at the fallen orcs – each one injured or incapacitated in some way – I notice that, in fact, they were pissing themselves. They all stared with at us – mostly at me – with fear. All of them had tears falling from their eyes and snot dripping from their noses. It was disgusting enough to make me want to kill them. I unconsciously gripped the sword that I didn't even know I had tighter.
"…!!"
The beasts flinched. All of them either backed away or began to cry even more. Some even embarrassed themselves further.
"Oof. You really spooked them, huh. I never thought that the prideful race of Aljaabar would ever act like so terrified like that. Truly a sight to see. Hm? Oi, oi. Are you serious?"
…Well, that's familiar.
Turning my attention back to the suspicious figure, I point my blade in her direction. Since she started talking, it's really gotten on my nerves.
That voice...
She didn't even flinch. Instead, she cast a lazy gaze to me. I could just about see her eyes through the large hood of her full body robe.
"Ohhh~ Are you wary of little ol' me? …Figures. Of course you wouldn't trust somebody that easily. Understandable. I would do the same, too."
She spoke with a certain aloofness to her. Each word was said like she just met an old friend out on a walk around town. Still, that didn't mean she was unguarded.
I observed the dense pack of mana surrounding her. It swirled in the air, warping the space around it. Instantly, I was reminded of the aurora of lights I saw when I obtained the title of 「Magician」. While it was nowhere near as grand or impressive, it was pretty damn close. Judging by her attire she probably specializes in 「Conjuration」. She spoke once more.
Is she the chatty type?
"…Okay. How about this? You seem to be pretty curious anyway."
She took off her hood. Silver strands flow as she did. It took me a moment to realize that that was her hair. Her hands moved with fluid grace as she tucked a strand behind her pointed ear. She wasn't human.
"Well? Aren't I beautiful?"
She said with outright confidence. Even I wasn't this prideful. Her face was like it was carved by a master sculptor over decades from the purest marble. Her rosy cheeks further accentuated her beauty to greater heights. Her eyes, though, was completely different from her divine visage.
They were empty, devoid of light and color. It was like she was blind, especially with the way she continued to inspect every inch of me. Just like I was doing to her. I couldn't see much of her figure because of her robe. At least she definitely wasn't overweight.
That only made it even more complicated.
"Huh? I've had people throw up and faint after just one look, but I've never seen somebody make that kind of reaction."
She tilted her head in wonder, and I wondered what she was talking about. As if in cue, something dripped from my face. I touch my cheeks with my free hand.
Am I… crying?
Suddenly, I understood everything.
Why my chest felt like it was being twisted and crushed at the same time.
Why I felt my gut churning itself.
Why I wanted to just run over there and hug the robed figure.
"You doin' good bud?"
It was her.