Dimensional Descent

Aina struggled with all her might.

By now, she had a grasp of what the ability of this Invalid was. It was clearly a puppeteering ability and this ability was unfortunately especially effective against those with weak Soul Forces like her own.

However, that didn't mean that she didn't have a chance. She had been struggling from the very beginning, there was simply no way that the stamina of this Variant Invalid was endless. There had to be a limit to how long it could hold control over her.

Due to her experience in the Joan Zone, Aina had learned a lot of Joan's death. Even if there was just a single thing the experience taught her, it was that it took far more energy to control a person than it took to wrest control away.

Aina knew that all she had to do was to keep struggling, to keep playing the part of helpless damsel, only then might the Invalid foolishly continue to chip away at its own stamina.

"… Do you understand now? Do you understand your worth? HAHAHA!

"Don't worry, I will treat you well. How couldn't I? You will be the key to my Empire, the centerpiece to me truly ruling the universe and showing these humans who the true superior beings are!

"These fools of Terrain seem to believe that they have won the battle against me when the reality is that I am just using them. I have patience that my fellow man do not have.

"If I didn't have these humans as a cover, how would I continue to enjoy such delicacies everyday? Who knows if those Invalid hunters would have come to put my head on a pike by now?"

The male Invalid's manic laughter continued to cause the Earth to tremble. It was clear at a glance that this Invalid was just a step away from the Fifth Dimension. As for why it hadn't crossed that threshold yet… It simply couldn't.

In a world with its potential capped like Terrain, it would simply take too long to reach the Fifth Dimension. Without the ability to travel to other worlds, the Invalid could only wait patiently and bide its time.

But, so what if Terrain reached the Fifth Dimension eventually? How could the male Invalid's ambition end there?

was nothing it could do. Unless it could find a method to secretly travel to another world without being detected, its path

kept its head lowered, displaying patience those of its kind simply didn't have. Of all the things it had spoken, this was by far the closest to the truth. It had

The name of the Puppet Master

men shed blood. I will sunder the clouds with a single word and destroy

was practically roaring. Its voice seemed one part ambitious and another part rage fueled. It was as though all the pent up frustration of the last several

Puppet Master slowly calmed its

of its hands, the sound of shuffling

couldn't be more perfect. With all my other chess pieces aligning, this must be a providence of the Heavens. I

of no help to me. I will first

package. It was large in stature, so large, and likely so heavy, that six 'Invalids'

handcrafted this piece, you could call it my magnum opus." The

most

be impressed. His demeanor seemed to

those things, this

set the heavy curved package down and

Leonel had been here, his eyes would have immediately widened in shock. These red rubies, each

was known as Force Nurturing Ore. It was an Evolution type Ore, though

step. Not only were its effects lesser, it took a long period of time – months to years – for its true

Nurturing Ore was only useful on already completed products while Evolution Ore could be used on raw materials. This

increase the quality of treasures, but it was useful on living beings as well! It had similar recovery benefits to

was that the red glow of these tunnels… It was entirely reliant on the source of Force Nurturing Ore! Just how much