Dimensional Descent

The people of Terrain say that the Mountain Sands Range was a forbidden zone. It gained its name because according to legend, the deeper one traveled into this mountain range, the more difficult it became to leave.

Unfortunately, when she entered this mountain range, Aina had no idea about this. Due to her hasty teleportation, rather than being sent to a proper city like Leonel had, she appeared in the wilderness where she just so happened to stumble across a Variant Zone.

Due to the nature of a Variant Zone, Aina managed to claim rewards despite her competitors being several times more powerful. But, this made her escape all the more difficult.

Without a choice, she charged into the mountain range and eventually managed to find this network of tunnels.

Knowing it wasn't safe to go back the way she came, believing that those three Heirs were still chasing her, Aina instead decided to find a secluded location to breakthrough. Now, she was hoping to find an alternate exit.

Unlike Leonel, Aina didn't have perfect recall nor did she have a powerful mind. This wasn't to say that she wasn't intelligent, but rather that she wasn't as much of a monster in this regard as compared to Leonel. After all, Leonel's mind could probably put a supercomputer of the 25th Century to shame.

Without a choice, Aina could only travel forward slowly, leaving marks on the walls of the caves traveled through to remind her of where she had been and whether she was traveling in circles or not.

Luckily, Aina had the small sword she gained from the Variant Zone. It was much more convenient to use than her massive ax on in such small quarters.

[Author's Note: Yes, small sword. Note that Aina's great sword has not appeared yet at this point]

By now, Aina had long since placed her sensory boosting headpiece on. Before, she had been hesitant to do so.

Compared to Leonel, she was much more informed about the situation of other worlds. So, she was very much aware how much of a draw a Quasi Bronze treasure could be. As such, she hid the fact she had one while within the Variant Zone. But now that she had become the enemy of those three anyway, even if she ran into them now, it wouldn't make much of a difference. After all, the blood of a Fifth Dimensional entity could be considered about equal to a Quasi Bronze treasure. In fact, to the right person, it would be even more valuable.

is getting

excitement in her heart. If Force was increasing in the direction she was walking, it was very

she came across with

shifts in Force density weren't humanoids but rather beasts and Invalids. Though Invalids only cared about devouring humans, beasts were different. Whether it was humans or resources, they would be interested in both. It wouldn't be a surprise if

of the increased Force density, she heard a faint scratching noise

body, what she did have was great hearing and eyesight. In fact, after absorbing the Abyssal Panther's blood, her ability to see in

'There's something up ahead…'

though she truly was a panther. The light in her amber eyes seemed to

the darkness as she quickly darted forward, making it to the small

peeking inside, Aina was stunned by what she

'An Invalid!'

heartbeat quickened slightly before she forced it to enter another

any Invalids that managed to survive this long on a world that had long since gone through its Metamorphosis wasn't an existence she could look down upon. But,

was absorbed, it would be a great boon

case, was that Terrain was a world without much talent. Though Invalids that survived this

for obvious reasons. So, if all

sword, prepared to strike at

it scratching and

emotion. Their only goals in 'life' was to devour other humans and evolve themselves. Something like an Invalid being so interested

her head and removed all

it. But, with her strength, especially after