Farah's POV

Hale and I sleep for a few hours before we depart again. We investigated the surrounding area with the girl that we captured. Hale still needs to use her power to restrain her.

-We have walked for a few hours already, Hale. And we are still inside this barren land. (Farah)

-There must be something wrong with this area. (Hale)

Hale glances back at the girl and asks.

-Do you know something? (Hale)

-...

The girl ignores Hale and remains silent. Hale sighs and turns to me.

-Ask her for me, Farah. (Hale)

-Me? (Farah)

-Yeah. (Hale)

Would that be any different from Hale asking her? I think she will ignore me like Hale.

 

-Hey...Do you know something about the current situation? (Farah)

-...Yes.

Eh, why does she answer me so naturally? Hale seems to notice my troubled face and whispers in my ear.

-Because you look like a human from inside to outside, Farah. (Hale)

I'm not really fully human now, though. But it's not the best idea to explain to that girl that issue. We should focus more on the current situation first.

-Check the underground. They may be...

Before the girl could finish the sentence, Hale had already acted.

-Let's see who is hiding! Conquer! (Hale)

Hale releases the dark energy wave to the ground.

-Huff! (Hale)

It only takes a while for something to pop out of the ground.

-Monster, huh! (Hale)

These monsters somehow look like humans if you look from above the hip. While its lower part is something that looks like the body of a centipede. And all its legs have been replaced by human hands.

-Ice Lance. (Farah)

I reflexively cast ice magic and shoot them.

-Grawlll!

They skillfully avoid my attack and head toward us while drawing their clunky and gigantic body.

-Explode... (Hale)

All the monsters stop in their tracks and self-destruction.

-What...?

The girl behind us looked bewildered at the scene that unfolded.

-Hmm... (Hale)

-What's wrong, Hale? (Farah)

Hale temporary puts me down to the ground to check up on the corpses.

-There is something different from these monsters compared to those on the last trial. (Hale)

-They are the monsters, so maybe they were made different. (Farah)

Hale shakes her head as she denies my statement.

-I can sense the space mana drifts from its core. It may be the reason these monsters can trap us here. But their cores... are chaotic. (Hale)

-Chaotic? (Farah)

Hale puts her hand on her chin and tries to find the word to describe it to me.

-The people in the last stage and these monsters all have nuclei inside their bodies, Farah. All of those nuclei are rich in space and magic mana which allow them to continue reviving despite the heavy wounds. (Hale)

-That's... (Farah)

-That's why we would be able to see them safe and sound every time the stage restart. (Hale)

-I understand. Then, what were you talking about? I mean, why do you think their cores are chaotic? (Farah)

-Simply, their core has the restrictions not to use those kinds of mana. Otherwise, those dolls will break easily. (Hale)

-I see... (Farah)

-But these monsters are free to use their power inside their core. (Hale)

Hale closes her eyes and starts thinking.

-There must be something wrong with this stage, or...this stage is made to be like this. (Hale)

The girl can no longer hide her curiosity and asks out loud from behind.

-What are you guys talking about?

-You don't need to know... (Hale)

-...

Hale looks at me and says in a serious voice.

-This stage may be dangerous, Farah. It may be the work of that being. (Hale)

-That being? (Farah)

Hale told me about the being chasing us when we moved to the next stage.

-She is much stronger than current me now. (Hale)

-That will be troublesome. (Farah)

Then, the only way to deal with that being is to transform. But most of my strong forms are on cool down. I can't think I can deal with her if the current Hale can't even deal with it.

-Let's put that aside for now. (Hale)

Hale picks me up and carries me in her arms again. Without the intercept of the centipede monster, we quickly escape from the barren land. It only takes us 30 minutes to sight the city.

-Don't do anything to people inside...

The girl helplessly glares at Hale and gives her the threat.

I try to reassure her by answering in Hale's stead.

-We won't... (Farah)

-...

We move and head toward the city. There is a fortress surrounding the entire city.

Hale glances at the girl and asks.

-How can they protect themselves with that small fortress? (Hale)

-...

-Shhh, Farah asks her in my stead. (Hale)

I ask the girl the same question, and she tells me.

-We have a goddess's item that can repel the monster.

Hale instantly gave the girl sarcasm when she heard the answer.

-Borrow the power of another goddess to kill other holy beings. What a joke. (Hale)

-...

The girl ignores it and turns to the city.

-Why...?

-Huh? (Farah)

-Why is it so silent today?

The girl runs toward the city and ignores herself was restrained.

-Hale... (Farah)

Hale sighs and tells me.

-Let's follow her. (Hale)