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?

could do. Unless it could find a method to secretly travel

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

The name of the Puppet Master will ring throughout the

my mere mention, I will ensure that the women shed tears and the men shed blood. I will sunder the clouds with a single word and destroy the earth with a single step. All shall

part ambitious and another part rage fueled. It was as though all the pent up frustration of the last several centuries had come bubbling

Puppet Master slowly calmed its raging

clap of its hands, the sound of shuffling feet

more perfect. With all my other chess pieces aligning, this must be a

children now, they will be of no help to me. I

It was large in stature,

magnum opus." The male Invalid

for a long time. You could even say that the most precious herbs and ores of Terrain can be found here. But, since no one dares to come, it's

demeanor seemed to scream: 'What do you

those things, this

puppets set the heavy curved package down and opened it up, revealing a cavity filled with pulsing red

shock. These red rubies, each an

Evolution type

as exaggerated as raising the grade of an Ore by a single step. Not only were its effects lesser, it took a long period of time – months to years – for its true worth

Ore could be used on raw materials. This was maybe the most important fundamental

was useful on living beings as well! It had similar recovery benefits to Leonel's Cleansing Waters albeit lesser healing effects. At the same time, it could

of these tunnels… It was entirely reliant on the source of Force Nurturing