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?

the headpiece onto its head. Though it was somewhat feminine, it was already clear that appearances

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

smiling down 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 her see what

had calmed. It looked toward the girl before it like a prime

a shame that you aren't obedient. But this is fine, I will

knife on the table and spun it

But this time, it had severed

body, threatening to throw her into the pits of hell. It felt as though everything revolved

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

crimson liquid falling from

"Oh my!"

soaring to towering heights even past where it had

"Magnificent! Wonderful! Unbelievable!"

could no longer hold itself back. Its teeth shone beneath the

shook Aina to her soul. She sat there and

swarmed around her like inner devils looking to devour

here! I

blood continuously streaming down her face. But, it simply didn't seem to matter what

could there be such a delicacy in

haunting thoughts eating at her

mother? What

took root

flash of a 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 into that smile, but just by gazing upon it, it felt as though she could

the rest of the young

'I can't die here…'