Dimensional Descent

'What's going on here, old man?'

'I've never been stupid enough to enter a Rapax Nest, how the hell would I know?'

Leonel's heart felt uneasy, it was like his heartbeat had gone hollow, ringing in his ears and sending an odd wave of something slightly less than pain through his chest. It wasn't quite piercing enough to harm him, but it was too great to ignore at the same time.

The more uneasy Leonel became, the colder his gaze got. Eventually, they began to flicker with a smoldering flame, the temperature around him even rising for a moment.

Aina shifted her eyes from the path ahead to land on Leonel's side profile. But, not long after she did so, she found herself looking into his eyes.

"If it comes down to it and I try to bring you into the Segmented Cube, don't resist." Leonel spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of cold.

Aina stared at Leonel deeply for a long while. It didn't seem like she would respond at all after a while. But, when she finally did, her choice of words were like a baffling sledgehammer to Leonel's chest.

"I am stronger than you."

Leonel, who hadn't looked away from Aina, continued to do so. Despite the fact the words should have been shocking, he didn't seem to react like it was at all. His pace didn't falter, his expression didn't change, and his heart seemed to have regained its calm bearing.

"Don't think that I'm just saying that to say that." Aina continued. "I'm not making it up, nor am I only stronger than you by a small measure."

ability could be extended to others through this incredibly intimate action. Though not as detailed as when she used it on only herself, she could tell Leonel's deficiencies and had a vague idea of the path he could take to improve himself as well. Of course, she would never give this information to Leonel because of how vague it was, it could very well be skewed. But, it was still enough for her

him that Myghell would be. In fact, Leonel hadn't

already know this." Leonel responded, his voice not

Aina's brows furrowed.

just as strong as

wind, a stronger

stride becoming wider. Her

looked ahead as well, exhaling a heated breath, his body

really hate you."

do you follow me?" Leonel asked

also love you." Aina

of their passage was left behind. As for Little Blackstar, he was even less of a problem, gliding through the air as though it was solid ground and vanishing into the void without the slightest issue like a fish

"I love you, too."

eyes widened, her head suddenly snapping in Leonel's direction. But, before she could react,

"Leon—!"

the Segmented Cube just as Leonel rounded a final

the expanse of the Segmented Cube for just a moment before her fury bubbled over. A violet

around her was vanquished into an ashy pit

or if it was because she had no idea whether Leonel had meant those words he had just said or had just used them as a method to distract her into not

what felt like nothing. She broke through another Tier, entering Tier 6, and yet she didn't seem to notice in the