My feet reached out for the outside, allowing me to savor the warm breeze and the unfamiliar sounds that came with it.

The freshness underneath made my feet ticklish and delighted. 

From the scenery beyond, I came to understand this was indeed a hidden spot, covered by trees and foliage. It would be hard for anyone to find it if they tried, even tougher, without knowing about its existence.

There was a line of water coming from the mountain, and a thinner one from the inside of the cave. Certainly, a spring lived inside the bulky set of stones that formed this cave.

‘Is there a need to summon spirits inside such a hole?’ I thought to myself, remembering my past cycles. They had been as roundabout and random as possible.

“All the way forward!” 

At her words, I resumed walking, hurting my feet with small pebbles, branches, and brownish-dry leaves.

It was then when I moaned in pain at stepping on something a tad sharp that she halted me by placing an arm around my hip, then kneeling by my feet to have a look at them. A little thorn, which Angelica's hands removed with little trouble. Proceeding to shelter my skin with some of her clothing, ripping the texture to blend it around my feet.

“May it be easier for your journey.”

I stepped a few times, feeling comfortable with the changes, “thank you, Angelica.”

Instantly, my eyes caught her own rolling upward in bliss, showing me she definitively had issues. Nonetheless, I contained my opinion and thoughts to not hurt her feelings. If there was a reason for her personality to have become like this, then I would likely find out soon.

Through the forest, we moved, leaving the mountain and its mysteries behind.

“Is Dante a kingdom?”

“Yes, Mio. The one on the bottom right corner of the continent.”

I smiled gently at her answer, as it was far more normal than every other one. 

“For Mio to be this blessed, your rank in the spirit realm must’ve been high,” her eyes met mines as her words resonated in my mind briefly.

“I’m... not really sure.”

“Understood,” from a camouflaged pocket, she removed a massive book: it was as dark as it was old, without a title on the cover, unless it hid on the other side.

“That is?” Her eyes widened at my question.

“An old record of all the spirits that have been summoned since the birth of my ancestors.”

“Does it also have the important spirit you mentioned before?”

“Of course!” Her voice raised along with her hands, happiness dwelling on top of her tongue to the point of Angelica almost biting its tip with the excitement.

“That’s amazing! Can I have a look?”

“Of course, great Mio!” Her nimble fingers scrolled the book at one of the first pages, surprising me with the information recorded on it. 

Mio | level: 1 | Age: 20 | Race: Rabbitkin
Strength: 1 | Vitality: 2 | Stamina: 2
Agility: 4 | Dexterity: 4
Potential: Swordmaster 
Innate Ability: Dash.

“That name...”

“Yes. You’ve inherited that legendary rabbit’s legacy. Mio was the strongest sword user in these lands.”

That came out as some unavoidable pressure, as she wanted me to become a spirit of that degree, “I’ll do what I can.” An uneasy smile escaped my lips.

“You’ll have proper guidance to become almighty.”

“I’ll be in your care then...”

With a light bow, she added swiftly, “leave it to us.”

“Us? The other spirits and their masters?”

“Them too. We’re a small and exigent family, but we watch over one another.”

“Are spirits with animal features common?”

Once again, she scrolled through the pages of her book, reading its contents out loud, “the physical form of a spirit reflects its true form, such is the fourth law of this realm.”

“Who set those laws?”

At my question, her book closed, “no one knows but they are to be respected.”

“Sure,” my brief answer came as a result of remembering the other laws. Ultimately, they were all related to spirits, and even if one didn’t agree with them, things wouldn’t work their way. Just like that day when I couldn’t use my class without having a name.

Therefore, I didn’t find any interest in them. My mind was a lot more eager to learn something that could help me protect myself and my masters. Only then could I find it in me the ability to progress the scenario routes.

After some turns and a bit more walking, we left the forest behind.

“Is that?”

“Yes.”

I found myself to be amazed at the so-called village. It looked more like a small fortress made of wood. Vertical logs with sharp spikes made a wall that surrounded a really long house. From the looks of it, everyone lived in there.

Around the wood, there were farming fields, and some utensils, along with other tools.

It wasn’t the most primitive thing I had ever seen, but it wasn’t anything to be hyped about.

“This is our combat facility,” she reached out her arms on its way, leaving her palms facing to the blue sky above us, whose clouds didn’t seem too happy with our existence. 

I gulped, taking a moment to understand what Angelica had meant with her beliefs: it seemed her volition would take her as far as to make a small army of spirit users to purge what she considered being evil in this world.

I withstood my ground towards this situation and the environment. After all, with a name I had received, and more than just an endless potential. The magical words had something more on my list that gave me some peace of mind.

Trait: Death Sense.

Destiny pitied me but truth be told, no one would remain sane from the pain and trauma of dying repeatedly. 

And I was not an exception.