After regaining her composure, Mithra felt something vague appear in her sense. It was faint and fleeting, and if she missed it, the opportunity would be gone.
But Mithra quickly refined and clarified it.
The familiar sense of an external presence, a symbol of Godly sense, was something she had encountered countless times while practicing Hunting miracles.
Combined with the maw's battle experience, Mithra refined it.
["Enlightened Step": Also known as "Melody," a Godly miracle. A special miracle from "Universal Hands." Upon activation, it allows the user to enter a special state capable of brief high-speed movement. Prolonged use will severely deplete sense power. Excessive use may result in the growth of extra limbs.]
[—The source of this ancient power is its desire to play music.]
"Interesting," Mithra noted the conclusion.
This made her even more interested in the "Universal Hands" Wandering God.
This couldn't wait. Mithra decided to try it herself. The maw had only been a test.
...After actually trying it, she realized it was better to let the maw use it. It just required better coordination between them.
This miracle required a clear, resonant sound.
It turned out that the Many-Armed Monster's "boom, boom" wasn't for show; it was necessary for the miracle's activation.
The Many-Armed Monster's sounds seemed to be connected to its arm movements. The maw, lacking a brain, didn't know what sound to make, so it mimicked the others.
Mithra, not having achieved Unified Sense, needed to use her miracle releasing organ to produce the sound.
"Can't move around in this world without power," Mithra said.
The monsters here had enhanced senses. They weren't just blind; their sense of light was incredible. And they had excellent hearing.
Using "Enlightened Step" in this world would be like advertising her location to the monsters.
After a fierce battle, Mithra sat down to rest.
It wasn't really a rest; she was waiting for her clothes.
Unlike Mithra, who regenerated by bathing in enemy blood, her clothes regenerated more slowly and had limitations. If she was careless, she might only have a few scraps of cloth left by the time she returned to Matsuri.
As her clothes were fully repaired, more and different sounds could be heard in the darkness.
The sounds of the battle with the Many-Armed creature were still loud enough to attract more monsters.
Mithra decided not to fight anymore.
Switching her lantern to flashlight mode, she continued searching for a way out.
She continued her journey, pausing to rest, occasionally interacting with monsters, collecting information via the Night Eyes, and practicing her skills.
Finally, she reached a large clearing. She shone her light into the distance.
"Hmm?" In the faint light, Mithra vaguely saw the tall walls of Sun City.
Of course, if this was a mirror of the real world, a wall was to be expected.
Mithra began searching for a breach in the walls.
She wondered about the relationship between this world and the outside world. The breach in Sun City's walls had happened much earlier than this world had been created.
But if she could find it, she might be able to find her original entry point.
She didn't know how to leave, but finding a corresponding location might provide some clues.
Many stories used this kind of plot device.
She was relieved to find a breach.
But her relief was short-lived. In the faint light, she saw something above the breach.
Numerous pulsating, seemingly living pieces of flesh, a mix of pink and red, looked fresh.
The flesh was clinging to the breach in the wall, the location of the real-world Sunshine Village. It was as if the wall's wound was parasitized by the flesh.
All of it was "Chrysalis" cursed creatures.
Chrysalis in this world?
Wait.
So the Wandering God that had destroyed Sun City's walls the "Chrysalis"?
That explained why the Chrysalis organization had come to Sun City.
Their destruction of the Xyrin energy point was described as a previously broken and deactivated energy point. The Chrysalis organization had been here. Was it for their Wandering God?
Lost in thought, Mithra heard a low rumble.
The sound came from far away, from above the walls...
Mithra instinctively raised the lantern, shining it upwards.
Even the calm Mithra unconsciously held her breath.
It was a creature far larger than the walls themselves. The imposing walls were like toys before it. One hand rested on the wall; its head was a pulsating tentacle that stretched out, obscuring its form in the darkness.
If it moved through Sun City, it could easily destroy everything.
["Herald of Eternal Night," Nateduras: They are the heralds of Eternal Night, the great beings who prayed for its return. The pillars supporting "Darkness," now slumbering in Eternal Night.]
[—Please do not disturb their slumber.]
Mithra stared at the creature, which suddenly lowered its head. It had seen the light!
Attracted, its massive body began to move, leaning forward. A powerful arm reached out towards Mithra, crossing a vast distance.
Mithra extinguished the lantern.
With the light gone, everything returned to darkness.
The massive creature vanished.
The heavy rumbling sound disappeared, as if it had been a momentary illusion.
But Mithra didn't dare to turn the light back on immediately.
The "deeper creatures of darkness"—Mithra had initially thought the Many-Armed Monster was one of them, but it was clearly not.
The moment she saw the "Herald of Eternal Night," her mind instantly understood what it was.
Then, the moment it noticed her, she extinguished the light.
Even though it wasn't a "Wandering God," Mithra believed it was as powerful, if not more so. And Night Eyes had indicated "they"—these beings were more than one.
"My patrons are more impressive than I thought," Mithra muttered in the darkness.
Countless such beings were merely Anderet's "pillars."
Although initially shocked, Mithra quickly regained her composure.
Beneath her calm exterior, curiosity stirred.
She was curious about the world as seen by those ancient gods and how they had ultimately fallen, overthrown by humanity.