Germain turned over in her sleeping bag and noticed Shizuku lying next to her.
Shizuku was resting peacefully on her side, her sleeping bag snug around her. She had removed her broken glasses, and her steady breathing suggested that the "Night Stalker Blood Battle" hadn't disturbed her mood at all.
Being able to sleep so soundly in such conditions was actually a good thing, and Germain felt genuinely happy for Shizuku.
Germain slowly sat up and noticed Ging leaning against a nearby wall. His eyes were closed as he rested.
The person on guard duty had already changed shifts without Germain realizing it. It had switched from Shizuku to Ging, and then from Ging to Bisky. This allowed Shizuku and Ging to rest one after the other.
Bisky, who was initially sitting cross-legged by the stone door of the "Second Safe Zone," had been focusing her aura as she kept watch. Hearing Germain's movement, she turned to look and gave a small smile.
She didn't make a sound, careful not to wake Ging and Shizuku.
Germain decided not to disturb the calm atmosphere either. He mimicked Bisky, sitting cross-legged and starting his own training of *Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu, Gyo, In, En, Ken, Ryu, and Ko*.
The more he kept up with his daily practice, the more he could feel its benefits. Especially in intense battles, when there weren't many fancy techniques left to use, it all came down to willpower and mastering the basics.
After some time, Ging and Shizuku woke up one after the other. By then, it was already past noon.
Everyone was hungry, so they took out "cards" from a silver briefcase and unlocked food items.
It wasn't clear whether the meal was breakfast, lunch, or even afternoon tea, but after eating, Bisky finished her last dessert—a cream puff—with great satisfaction and praised the situation.
"In times like these, you really appreciate how thoughtful Menchi, Buhara, and Sanbica were in preparing these supplies. At least we can catch our breath for a moment."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Soon after, they had to shake off the temporary peace and begin discussing their next plan of action.
"I originally estimated that we would reach the 'Core Area of the Ancient Labyrinth City' by this afternoon," Ging said regretfully. "But now, it's definitely not possible."
He spread out the wrinkled paper map on the floor and pointed to their current location at the safe house, as well as the location of the 'Core Area of the Ancient Labyrinth City.'
"Fortunately, during our escape from the 'Night Stalker,' we didn't leave the area that Don Freecss had already explored."
"Although we took a bit of a detour, there's still a path that leads to the 'Core Area.' If we take this route, we should be able to enter the 'Core Area' tonight."
"Tonight?" Bisky frowned slightly. "Won't that be too risky? If we go in now, we'll be facing both the 'Core Area' and the threat of the 'Night Stalker creatures' at the same time."
"If we can enter the 'Core Area,' it will actually be safer," Ging said.
"Don Freecss described that once the conditions are triggered, a clear boundary will appear there, blocking any life forms trying to enter the 'Core Area.'"
"This definitely includes the 'Brion Parasitic Species' and the 'Night Stalker creatures.'"
Bisky thought for a moment and nodded. "Then I have no doubts. It's definitely better to enter the 'Core Area' as soon as possible."
Ging looked at Germain and Shizuku. "What do you two think?"
"I'm with you guys," Germain answered.
"Me too," Shizuku nodded.
So, the group agreed on the plan. After taking a short rest and quickly packing up, they left the 'Don Freecss Safe House' and set off.
On the way, they once again used the same group rotation tactic from yesterday—two people in a group to eliminate the 'Brion Parasitic Species,' while the other group rested, then they would swap.
When it was Germain and Shizuku's turn to rest, Ging and Bisky went to eliminate the 'Brion Parasitic Species' that had noticed them. Germain noticed that Shizuku kept touching her abdomen.
"What's wrong?" Germain asked curiously. "Didn't you eat enough earlier? Would you like to snack on something now?"
The "Free Card" also included snacks besides regular meals, as Menchi and Buhara had considered that they might not have enough time to sit down and enjoy a proper meal.
In this situation, snacks could still serve a purpose, at least providing some sense of fullness.
"I'm not hungry," Shizuku shook his head and gave Germain a strange look.
"Then why are you still rubbing your stomach?"
"Oh, that..." Shizuku once again touched the area of her stomach. "During yesterday's 'Night Stalker,' a chunk was taken out of me here."
Germain vividly remembered that scene. If it weren't for the "Breath of the Archangel," Shizuku would most likely have died right then.
He hadn't expected Shizuku to be calmly touching the spot where the wound had healed while recalling the details of that moment.
"At that time, I really thought I was going to die. After surviving, I still feel like it's all unreal," Shizuku stopped touching the area and instead rubbed her stomach.
"Germain?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm feeling scared... afraid of death... I never used to feel like this. Have I become weaker?" Shizuku lowered her head and asked softly.
Germain thought for a moment before answering, "No, you haven't."
Shizuku slowly lifted her head, looking at him as if asking for confirmation.
Germain explained, "Whether you're 'human' or anything else, as long as you have emotions, you'll fear death."
"Many people who remain unyielding in the face of death, calm in danger, are often thought to be fearless or without fear, but I think that's a wrong view."
"They're not unafraid or without fear; they've transcended death in their spirit and will, achieving a form of sublimation. Once they cross that line, their mind becomes stronger."
"Shizuku, before, you were numb to death. But now, you face it and have experienced it. You tremble before it, yet you will overcome it. You will become stronger."
Shizuku pressed her lips together and then nodded.
Over the next period of time, Germain and his group continued to move forward. They didn't encounter much strong resistance along the way.
They easily crushed those lone "elite-level Brion parasitic creatures."
As time passed, the sky gradually changed, shifting from dawn, to bright, to yellow, and now to a gray-black hue as night slowly fell.
The closer they got to the "core area," the more active and dense the "Brion parasitic creatures" became. Eventually, they formed a massive, moving wall, blocking their way.
Germain and his group had to force their way through this wave of "heavy barriers" to reach the "core area."
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