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.'

herself in such a difficult

back in the direction she

new markings on the wall. And, if she got lost in these tunnels, there would be no

thought, then it likely meant that there were more Invalids on their way. If she was correct, then her arrows wouldn't mean much if anything to them. With their low intelligence, she didn't need to worry

with confidence, only to

their heads in her direction as though they were night time owls. It was the kind of sight that sent shivers

her jaw

go forward? Or run

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

of tunnels simply had too many diverging paths. If it wasn't for this, there was no way that Aina would only meet these Invalids on her way back and never even sense

grit her teeth.

the best choice she had. If there were Invalids on her way back, that only meant that she had been very lucky not to run into them on the way here. If that was the case, there

blood began to boil, a faint red hue covering her blade and

a thought, she shot forward,

were as fast as Fourth Dimensional

more like some alien species just learning how to walk

a good thing for her. The less coordinated they

leg in quick succession. Without even bothering with the remaining two, she shot by the gap she created after the Invalid

could, no longer minding the noise she might make. As long as the Invalids she came across continued to be so uncoordinated and slow, she just had to continue running

couldn't she had traveled in a straight line before? What possessed

a few came in groups of two and three. Still,

so many Invalids here? Why did none of them become motes of

she began to question how she had traveled