Dimensional Descent

Aina felt as though all the wind had been knocked out of her. The faint light of hope she thought she could grasp on to suddenly went up in smoke, disappearing like a fleeting fragrance in the wind.

After a moment, the male Invalid finally recovered from his shock.

That last struggle of Aina's, especially the shout, had actually put a dent in its stamina. Though it wasn't as exaggerated as him being on his last legs, at least a third of his reserves had been sapped up.

In truth, Aina's breakthrough wouldn't have made a difference. It was the final act of defiance that truly impacted him.

But, it seemed that this final push had truly taken whatever she had left out.

When the Puppet Master recovered, its gaze narrowed, a slight hint of ferocity hidden within their depths.

"It seems that you don't understand how to be grateful, what a shame."

The male Invalid reached up from Aina's cheek, ripping the crown from her head.

"Oh?"

At that moment, the control the male Invalid had on Aina increased by more than tenfold. Whereas Aina could at least struggle and resist before, right now, she couldn't even breathe without the Invalid's permission.

"So that's how it is. Clever, clever. You diverted some of your mental strength into hiding the grade of this treasure from me so that you could struggle in secret. I thought that your mental strength was nothing compared to me to begin with, but to think it was even worse than I originally believed."

The Invalid examined the headpiece closer. After a moment, it began to laugh again.

"A Quasi Bronze Treasure? An one that boosts mental strength as well? You are truly my guardian angel!"

The Invalid's laughter seemed even more uproarious than before. But, it only made sense. Such a treasure to a mental strength expert like him would be like giving wings to a tiger.

It already allowed someone with such poor Soul Force like Aina to struggle against a near Fifth Dimensional entity like it. What kind of amplification effects would it have on him?

Though it was somewhat feminine, it was already clear that appearances were something

a sow would take decades, even centuries to begin to bear fruit, the benefit of a Quasi Bronze treasure would give

on it before, it was

"AH! YES! YES! YES!"

Invalid felt as though the whole world had opened up to it. The restrictions on Aina became even sturdier. It was to the point it could even manipulate Aina's senses to make

It looked toward the girl before it like a

obedient. But this is fine, I will teach you

Invalid picked up the knife on the table and spun it in the air, allowing to fall

a blade embedding itself into wood sounded again. But this time, it had severed the fingers

flinch. Pain wracked her body, threatening to throw her into the pits of hell.

Aina's head to turn toward it as it picked up one of her fingers, sniffing at the dripping blood as an

the crimson liquid

"Oh my!"

soaring to towering heights even past where it had been

"Magnificent! Wonderful! Unbelievable!"

longer hold itself back. Its teeth shone beneath

her soul. She sat there

her like inner devils looking to devour all sense of pride and hope

can't die here! I

tears of blood continuously streaming down her face.

there be such a

the haunting

mother? What

root in

young man's smile suddenly occupied her mind. Though it was less charming than that of the Invalid's, to Aina, it was several times better. She didn't know how much effort the young man put

couldn't quite see the rest of the young man's face. Her mind

'I can't die here…'