As a result, Mithra began her study of miracles, with the advanced Stabilize miracle as her goal.
She activated her sense, extending her powerful perception outward, forging a connection with the object from which she wished to draw strength.
Then, she had to imagine the shape of the miracle and visualize its intended use. After that, she needed to engage her miracle-releasing organ and set it free.
The miracle-releasing organ was the part of the body responsible for unleashing miracles. Each person's first releasing organ was unique, leading to variations in how miracles were manifested.
For Mithra, her releasing organ was the most common of all—her left hand. She felt no particular uniqueness about it.
Mithra dedicated herself to practice, losing track of time in the cave, but feeling as though significant moments had passed.
Finally, her desperate need for Stabilize brought forth a flash of "Self" within her sense. She quickly drew it out.
A sudden sensation of coolness and relaxation surged through her hand, manifesting as a white mist forming in her palm.
Something felt off.
"Not bad. Now fix it onto the required location. Stabilize is typically placed on your forehead," Safin said, observing her progress.
Before the mist completely dissipated, Mithra placed it on her forehead.
Ding.
A sound resonated in her ears like a bell. In an instant, Mithra felt her scattered thoughts vanish, her mind becoming incredibly calm, akin to a monk deep in meditation.
Whoa.
That sensation was fleeting. Mithra opened her eyes wide. "How come it's gone already?"
"This is your first time using this miracle. It's quite good that you managed to activate it," Safin replied, shaking his head with a chuckle. He then turned and began digging in a corner of the cave.
Soon, Mithra observed what he was unearthing.
Half a frost-covered rabbit carcass.
"Almost time to eat. Let's have dinner," Safin said, settling on the ground.
He processed the rabbit deftly, impaling it on a wooden skewer and placing it over the fire to roast. "Resources are limited. I hear the food in the Enchanting Land is much better than here in Dreamland. But we have to make do for now."
Mithra shook her head. "I know; anything is good right now."
They quickly finished the half-rabbit. The flavor wasn't remarkable, but they consumed it all.
"Originally, I could have stretched this rabbit for a long time. An extra mouth means less food," Safin remarked, tossing the leftover scraps and bones into the fire.
"I'll go out and find more food," Mithra volunteered.
Safin nodded. "You should get acquainted with the shallower levels of the mine shaft. It will make your future endeavors easier. My range of movement is limited, so let's discuss it first."
Safin explained to Mithra that he had carved markings on some of the turns in the tunnel. By following these markings, she would be unlikely to get lost in the shallower depths.
"Even though there are many curses in the mine, there are also ordinary creatures. They are our source of food. The curses are hostile towards people, but they seem uninterested in other creatures," Safin clarified.
"How do curses form? Are they a kind of miracle too?" Mithra asked, curiosity alight in her eyes.
Safin pondered for a moment. "Miracles aren't entirely inert objects."
Mithra frowned, confused.
He continued, "Miracles aren't merely useful tools. As long as people believe, a different kind of miracle can manifest. Uncontrolled desire can lead to terrible outcomes. While ordinary people can't achieve this, the collective thoughts of many can give rise to such phenomena."
"Miracles come at a high price."
With that, Safin cautioned her, "You can wield miracles, but don't become entranced by the convenience they offer. When you truly encounter a similar situation in the future, remember—remember your name."
...
Mithra carried a small lantern through the dark tunnels, her heart swelling with joy that it was still lit. In the brief time she had possessed it, she had already grown attached.
As a newcomer, even with the high-end intermediary she had borrowed, her light wouldn't last long. So, she had chosen the simplest approach to illumination.
Unfortunately, the pickaxe she had fought alongside with had not returned with Safin. But that was alright; there were plenty more back where the bodies lay.
Safin had mentioned that large gatherings of cursed creatures, like the horde she had encountered, were unusual. Typically, these cursed beings were cowardly and wouldn't dare venture into the light. They could only unleash their hatred in the shadows.
Even though she didn't know for certain, Mithra felt a surge of strength within her. Even if she were to face another swarm of monsters...
This time, she was certain she could escape.
She continued along the path, familiarizing herself with the way. Soon, she arrived back at the wooden walkway where she had fought her first battle. The remains of the monsters still lay strewn about, thick dark blood pooling in the dirt, impossible to identify as belonging to friend or foe.
"Pickaxe, pickaxe..." she murmured, her gaze finally landing on a blood-stained pickaxe lying desolately among the corpses.
There it was.
The trek back to the pile of bodies took longer than expected. Along the way, she encountered a few monsters, but they were far less aggressive than in a group. They would lash out if she got too close, but Mithra easily evaded them, confirming Safin's words.
Just as she reached for the pickaxe, she heard footsteps approaching.
A group of individuals, dressed similarly to the ones she had seen before, entered the ghastly pile of corpses.
Mithra stood in the open, her lantern casting a bright light, making her a beacon amidst the dim, chaotic scene.
They spotted her immediately. One of them pointed a finger in her direction and said something.
That feeling of familiarity struck her. Were they the ones she had chased off earlier? Should she return the lantern?
Mithra's thoughts were interrupted.
"You're not a cursed creature," the leader of the group stepped forward, his voice deep and resonant.
He was a man with a long beard, clad differently from the others. He wore a large grey coat embroidered with strange purple eyes, a white stone necklace hanging around his neck, and a bracelet adorned with dual-colored stones.
A peculiar scent wafted through the air.
Though Safin hadn't taught her the nuances of the believers' knowledge, something deep within her intuitively signaled that this was a significant encounter.
"No, I'm surprised you're so afraid of me," Mithra replied, her voice steady.
The man's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her from head to toe. "Where did you come from?"
"I don't know."
"From the Enchanting Land?"
"I don't know."
"What are you doing here?"
"I don't know."
The man's eyes twitched. Mithra maintained an expressionless demeanor.
"You're quite the talker. Hopefully, you can keep that up," he said, slightly widening his stance and letting his shoulders sag.
Mithra noticed a twisting pattern flash on the necklace hanging from the man's chest.
Then, with a sudden surge of power, his legs seemed to gather strength.
Reinforce Body?
Safin had intended to teach Mithra this essential miracle first. The sense type was Self, and its effect... well, it was complicated to explain. Just think of it as a way to strengthen the body. That much Mithra understood.
She recognized it from Safin's earlier demonstration, where his Reinforce Body enveloped him entirely, but this man's power only reached his thighs.
Despite the danger looming over her, Mithra found herself oddly absentminded.
Bang!
The man suddenly stomped the ground, leaving an imprint of his foot. He charged toward Mithra like a frenzied rabbit.
Mithra lightly lifted her foot, stamping down on the pickaxe that lay upside down on the ground. She seized the handle and swung it down.
She had accurately predicted his trajectory, and he slammed directly into the pickaxe.
The sharp point pierced his stomach with tremendous force, and a scream of pain escaped him as he halted abruptly. Mithra felt the force push her back several steps.
"Huh? Not bad. His Reinforce Body doesn't cover his entire body. Other parts are still strengthened, but it seems I can break through his defenses with normal means," she mused to herself.
Safin had previously demonstrated Reinforce Body in front of her by kicking a wall, creating a hole without sustaining any injury. It wasn't the best demonstration, but it was clear and effective.
The man before her was significantly weaker than Safin.
Suddenly, fueled by pain, the man retaliated, unleashing a flying kick. They were too close, and Mithra couldn't prepare in time; she only had a moment to raise her pickaxe.
A dull thud echoed as the pickaxe snapped. Mithra felt overwhelming force that sent her flying through the air, rolling clumsily across the ground.
"Ugh..."
Shaking her head to clear the fog, she felt excruciating pain. Her hands twitched as if thousands of needles pierced her muscles. The scrapes on her body felt ablaze.
But that sensation was fleeting. The intense pain that flared up subsided almost immediately, and the minor wounds healed as if they had never existed.
Mithra scrambled to her feet and turned, darting toward a tunnel behind her.
She knew that even though this man's Reinforce Body was far inferior to Safin's, he could easily take her down. Had that last kick struck her head, she doubted her recovery would save her.
Footsteps echoed behind her. Mithra pivoted and swung her lantern at the man's face, knocking him to the ground.
She pressed on into the tunnel, her expression unyielding.
The man picked up a torch from the side. "You lot stay here. She's a bit strange, but just an ordinary person. As soon as she shows herself outside, grab her."
The others were too fearful to disagree, reluctantly nodding in agreement.
With torch raised, the man chased after Mithra.
He frowned as he entered the tunnel, realizing Mithra's erratic movements combined with the incompetence of those he had ordered to guard the entrance had allowed her to escape further.
He paused, closing his eyes.
About five seconds later, the pattern on his necklace glimmered again, this time focusing on his ear.
The chaotic sounds of the tunnel amplified in his hearing. A cruel smile spread across his face.
Found her.
He quickly found his direction and sped up. Though the tunnel was cramped, his first miracle-releasing organ allowed for incredible agility.
The torch in his hand gradually illuminated the scene before him, and at last, he spotted a figure.
"Damn it!"
"Curses!"
It was a cursed creature!
Instinctively, he kicked out, smashing the creature's head. He cursed a few times, but before he could pause, several more cursed creatures crawled into view.
The man was too lazy to engage them directly. Instead, he tried to shoo them away with his torch.
The cursed creatures hesitated, making awful noises that further muddled his already amplified hearing from the Reinforce Body.
Suddenly, a handful of rock and dirt flew from the side, snuffing out his torch in an instant.
The tunnel plunged into darkness.
"Seems like you won't be 'illuminating' anytime soon," Mithra's voice echoed through the dark.
"You little smart-ass trickster!" he shot back, dealing with the cursed creatures that attacked him now that his light was gone, shouting as he did so.
The Reinforce Body, which hadn't been activated on his first releasing organ, had a limited duration. He felt his hearing returning to normal.
He realized Mithra was trying to completely block him, attempting to use this opportunity to let the cursed creatures do the dirty work.
Yet even without sight or replenished miracles, the Reinforce Body on his legs remained enough to fend off the cursed creatures. He would methodically search for her, confident that his people outside had already been alerted. She could only retreat deeper into the tunnel; it was only a matter of time before she met her end.
...
Mithra leaned against the wall, listening intently to the chaos unfolding in the darkness. Thoughts swirled in her mind.
She recognized this path; she had traversed it before. Running this way wasn't a random choice; it was where she had previously encountered multiple cursed creatures. It felt like a calculated risk worth taking.
She could easily escape and return to Safin, ensuring her safety.
But there was another consideration gnawing at her.
The equivalent exchange mechanism on her body hinted at unseen observers, watching her every action.
Perhaps she should reveal more of herself. Maybe it would trigger further "exchanges."
After all, though the rewards had come with a price, they had proven effective. As a newcomer without allies, having more aces up her sleeve could only be beneficial.
As for being a puppet for those who were watching her? That thought was beyond Mithra's concern.
She had already died once. Life goals were a distant memory; she had merely planned to work hard at her previous job.
What did it matter where she worked? This place was simply more thrilling than before.
Mithra knew she was essentially a pawn in this game.
The second consideration was her desire for an intermediary.
As a naive newcomer, it was only natural to want a few spare intermediaries. After all, Safin hadn't mentioned giving her his own.
The environment was dark, noisy, and chaotic. The man was being harassed by cursed creatures and lacked the Illuminate miracle. The Reinforce Body's enhanced hearing required significant concentration and had a limited duration.
Despite their differences in raw power, these conditions might be enough.
Mithra glanced at the broken pickaxe in her hand. "Let's try this out."
"Stabilize!"
Ding~.
For an instant, her mind cleared. With determination, she plunged the pickaxe into her own stomach, twisted it around, then yanked it out!
The intense pain would have normally sent her spiraling into unconsciousness, but with Stabilize's aid, she remained upright. Her body trembled violently; her expression wavered between anguish and a twisted smile, tears pooling in her eyes.
But in the darkness, no one could see.
Her body began to regenerate.
As it healed, her overall sensitivity surged. Mithra noticed this enhancement even through the initial excruciating pain that had nearly consumed her. It wasn't just her pain that had intensified...
All her senses sharpened. The "overall sensitivity" described was no mere fabrication.
She checked again; as expected, her sense, already linked to her body's sensations, had grown stronger.
This time, the duration of Stabilize had extended to three seconds!
"Another Stabilize!"
Ding~.
Good. Now she could keep her head clear.
She gripped the blood-stained pickaxe and moved slowly toward the man.
His strength lay solely in his legs; his other body parts lacked substantial reinforcement. He was completely disoriented. In contrast, Mithra's enhanced senses granted her total awareness in the darkness.
A pair of eyes, glistening like pools of thick black liquid, approached him.
She raised the pickaxe high.
Then, with a swift motion, she swung it down.
Swoosh!