Dimensional Descent

Aina pulled her sword out quickly.

She didn't quite understand what was happening. Shouldn't Invalids be creatures of instinct? They shouldn't have any intelligence or sense of comradery. Something like signaling one's allies was a distinctly human trait. Sometimes beasts of higher intelligence would engage in such matters as well. But, Invalids? That should never happen.

'It didn't become energy?'

Aina was shocked once again. The Invalid before her collapsed, but it didn't disappear into energy she could absorb. Just what was happening?

Aina's heart seized. Did she make a mistake? Was it not an Invalid at all?

No, that was impossible. Its eyes, its aura, its demeanor, it all screamed Invalid. So, what was happening exactly?

Aina didn't believe that she would make such a rookie mistake. Plus, what existence other than an Invalid could shriek like that even after having its head pierced through?

Aina was certain, it hadn't been a shriek of pain or unwillingness. It had no emotion behind it all, it was completely hollow and without conscience.

'I need to move.'

Aina thrust these thoughts to the back of her mind, taking a glance at the wall the 'Invalid' had been scratching at.

If Leonel had been there, he would immediately recognize the Tier 5 Black Ore embedded into the wall. It wasn't very valuable, but it wasn't worthless either. At the very least, it could sell for a couple kilograms of Black Urbe Ore.

'I don't have time to dig it out and it doesn't seem like a very high level ore either.' Aina nodded to herself. 'Run.'

in such a difficult situation for such a worthless Ore she couldn't even mine, but there was no time

back in the direction she

time to run and create new markings on the wall. And, if she got lost in these tunnels, there would be no one to

she was correct, then her arrows wouldn't mean much if anything to them. With their low intelligence, she didn't need to worry

confidence, only to come to a

simultaneously rotated their heads

her

forward? Or

her to continue following her arrows. But, the latter would force her to forget her initial plans entirely. There was no way she would be able to

was no way that Aina would only meet these Invalids on her way back and never

her teeth.

the way here. If that was the case, there might very well be even more if she headed in deeper rather than trying to exit. Her

to boil, a faint red hue covering her blade

shot forward, brandishing her

as fast as Fourth Dimensional humans, their joints

just learning how to walk on their own two

Aina's back, but this was a good thing for her. The less coordinated they

of her blade, one lost an arm and a leg in quick succession. Without even bothering with the remaining two, she shot by the gap she created after the Invalid toppled over, nearly hitting her head on the ceiling

longer minding the noise she might make. As long as the

actions. Why couldn't she had traveled in a straight line before? What possessed her to take so many

allowing her to easily bypass them. But, a few came in groups of

she grew more anxious the more she ran. How were there so many Invalids here? Why did none of them become motes of light? Why were they

The more she ran into, the more she