As the trio moved deeper into the forest, they stumbled upon a large river.
The water was remarkably clear, glistening under the sunlight.
Nex knelt near the water's edge and scooped some into his hands. He was about to bring the water to his mouth when Leslie reacted swiftly and knocked his arm away.
"You promised me you wouldn't do this again," her tone was a mix of worry and frustration.
Nex looked at the clear water in his hands, slightly taken aback. "Well, this time, the water looks very clear, though."
"No means no. We must always boil it before drinking." Leslie's voice wavered slightly, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Last time you got a fever, you almost died... I don't want to go through that again."
Leslie's voice trembled. "You know you're all I have left now…"
Nex sighed and patted her head. "I'm sorry, okay? I'll be more careful."
Faust watched the interaction between Nex and Leslie, his mind drifting to a memory of his own.
He remembered a similar exchange with Eila.
"How many times must I tell you to always wash your hands before eating?" Eila says.
Faust responded. "But I already washed them at the lab."
Eila, her tone firm. "No buts. Wash your hands again."
Snapping back to the present, Faust couldn't help but give a wry smile.
Stepping forward, he dipped his finger into the river and tasted the water, surprising Nex and Leslie.
"The water is fine," he assured them.
"My body has been modified; I can safely taste and test it. Don't worry, I'll handle this part."
Leslie looked at him. "Thank you, Faust."
Nex nodded in appreciation.
Then he materialized a few 2-liter plastic bottles. He began to fill them with the clear river water.
Faust asked, "How did you do that?"
Leslie chimed in, "Oh, that's one of Nex's abilities."
Nex eyes widened at Leslie...
Leslie said, "Don't worry, it's Faust. We can trust him. Plus, he might be able to help us understand the extent of your ability."
Nex then turned towards Faust, a slight apprehension in his voice. "I hope you can keep this a secret."
Faust pondered. 'A storage ability? Or perhaps it's something more, like a dimensional ability, and it's just one of them.'
He then says. "Don't worry... Could you tell me more about this ability?"
Nex hesitated, glancing at Leslie.
She gave him a nod. With a resigned sigh, Nex began, "Basically, I feel like there's a small dimension in my soul. I can move items in and out of it."
Intrigued, Faust pressed further, "When did you begin to experience this?"
Leslie answered for him. "Not long after the apocalypse began."
Nex recounted his experience. "Yes, at that time, A group of people attacked us, and they started shooting."
"I thought we were done for… I tried to do something, anything... and that's when it happened."
Faust inquired further. "How large is this dimensional space?"
Leslie answered. "We've tested it. It appears to be about the size of a 10-meter cubic in size."
"That's quite large," Faust remarked, his mind racing with possibilities. "Have you tried moving living creatures into it?"
Leslie replied. "We tried it with a monster once, but it didn't work."
Faust pondered this for a moment before posing another question. "What about when they're butchered? Can you store meat in it?"
Nex nodded. "Yes, that works. We can store meat inside."
Faust asked. "Does the meat spoil faster or slower while inside this dimension?"
Leslie answered, "There's no change in the state of the meat. I've checked it thoroughly. It remains exactly the same."
"I hypothesize this means that time is halted in that dimension."
Faust replied. "That's very convenient. Have you tried moving only a part of a living creature into it?"
Nex shook his head. "Not yet. When I use my ability, it requires a lot of focus. It's hard to do something like that in the middle of a fight."
Faust inquired, "Does the taste of the meat change after being stored inside?"
Leslie responded promptly. "No, the taste doesn't change. It's safe to eat."
Faust considered the possibilities, "Then I'm sure you can put a living creature inside. Maybe it just requires more power, or perhaps their consent can make it easier. "
"Don't forget, living creatures aren't just the big ones we can see. There are also microbes, viruses, bacteria... If these were to die, the taste of the meat would definitely change."
Nex pondered this. "Hmm, but how can I find a creature that would give me approval to do that?"
Faust nonchalantly responds. "You could try it with me."
Leslie's reaction was immediate. "No... What if something goes wrong?"
Faust replied. "I doubt it will harm me. If you're really worried, try finding someone on the brink of death."
"They might agree, seeing it as their last hope. And if my conjecture is right, you should be able to place them in a sort of suspended life within that dimension."
Nex nodded thoughtfully. "I'll try that."
Faust then offered further advice. "Also, try to learn how to use your ability during combat."
"If you can, for instance, move part of an opponent's tissue, you could inflict serious wounds with just a stab of your spear."
Nex seemed puzzled. "Spear?"
Faust elaborated. "Well, it's your weapon, right?"
"Try creating a zone around the blade that can transfer things into your dimension. That might just do the trick."
Nex nodded. "Alright, thanks, Faust. I'll give it a shot."
Leslie chimed in with a smile. "See, I told you consulting Faust would help us make progress."
Faust probed further. "So, what other abilities do you have?"
Nex replied. "My strength seems to multiply the more I'm wounded."
Faust commented. "That is a useful ability for a fight,"
Turning his attention to Leslie, he asked. "How about you, Leslie? Do you have any abilities?"
Leslie responded. "No, I don't have any abilities yet. I'm hoping to acquire one through this professional system."
Faust then offered. "If you trust me, when you get a class card, let me look at it first. I might be able to modify it for you."