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 situation for such a

in the

lost in these tunnels, there would be no one to come out and save

their way. If she was correct, then her arrows wouldn't mean

with confidence, only to

path, all of them with their backs facing her. But, they all simultaneously rotated their heads in her direction as though they were night time owls. It was the kind

her

she go forward? Or

for 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 keep a mental map of where she was going

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 them during her first trip

her teeth.

very lucky not to run into them on the way here. If that was the case, there might very well be even

began to boil, a faint red hue covering her

thought, she shot

their reactions seemed disjointed. Though they were as fast as Fourth Dimensional humans, their joints would often bend at odd angles as though they

humanoids and more like some alien species just learning how to walk on their own two feet thanks to bodies

cold shiver down Aina's back, but this was a good thing for her. The less coordinated they were, the greater

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 of the cave as she soared by

her legs as quickly as she could, no longer minding the noise she might make. As long as the Invalids she came across continued to be so uncoordinated and

almost lamenting her previous actions. Why couldn't she had traveled in a straight line before? What possessed

alone, allowing her to easily bypass them. But, a few came in groups of two and three. Still, it wasn't beyond her means

so many Invalids here? Why did none of them become motes of light? Why were they all acting

couldn't fathom how there were so many here. The more she ran into, the more she began to question how she had traveled so deeply without running into