Levandis Temple stood the same as ever, enduring the wind, a place in earth that kept its secrets for longer than present Gods, and changing tides devoid of logic or far too clear flow. Even after the happenings before the entrance startled its Ruler or the workings of beings that mortals couldn't even fathom changed some things, it had its place in the current reality.
All of that went out of the eyes and out of the mind of most beings, for they did not matter.
Even when the earth shook, earthquakes resounded throughout the entire world, and a flood of workings and rules ceased to exist, the world kept its shape like in the Old World.
But not the most minds. They saw and felt it more than this world itself.
Down below the Death Valley, the Fate was steadily keeping its pace. The Gate of Suffering, Islands of Greatness, or those even lower were all intense and wild without any interruptions. There were only a pair of Surface-level Challengers in there, obvious to two dots in some pillars, while the playful Hell Party had none. Even Ceila with her divine party hadn't gotten some official business. She was an invader through and through.
The majority of beings going through the Gates were demons and even some undead that had their souls, or instincts set ablaze. They were challenging factors of this temple and their continuous journey was as arduous as theirs. Then, various troops in training and punishments created cycles where there was a neverending flow of Challengers and challenges.
Mindarch provided these services regardless of the chaos that went through the core of this world. Hell Haven under Levandis created enough numbers and Chaos, so even other Hells wanted her piece of bliss, which often became a pain. Some Lords would force her to accept their troops for parties or trials and let them grow out of nothing but some little exchange. In a sense, this was exactly what Lordis did with this place, making it an open, albeit time-gated dungeon.
Through such an ordeal devoid of Surface, this location will always be in a constant shift and surge of inner demons, devils, and military endangering the Surface. It will flood out. Always.
Rules of strong and weak were an excellent way to grow, which Levandis held not because of her power, but workings through Mindarch and Ravine. Well, only one was the true part of this place. The other ensured the flow of power to the entire world, giving rise to Boosts and ripening in numerous forms. At least for as long as he wanted it or could allow its existence.
Hell Haven was in a position to get by just fine without him. Most places should, but not the living beings. Some won't be happy, but certain roots and gears had to remain stable when politics or settings limited most Gods. Ravine was far too important. Thus, having a clear vision and stable structural flow was important. Most Hells were taking that kind of idea for their nature, hindering the Sky from their dwellings and being kind of independent. Only then can Hell keep existing.
So far as Levandis's position and worth went, Surface and Sky knew that Hells were inevitable existences and realms filled with their own rules.
For Surface-level Challengers, it meant something completely new and distinct from the Surface, so most dungeons fell short of Hells. But was an invasion to Hell simple, or were the wars across all those sides fine? Everyone wanted riches and hoped for more riches. It didn't matter when one viewed the Divides or people.
There was nothing wrong with anything when Hells always did the same thing to the Surface, and vice-versa. It was ensuring fairness and rules.
Mindarch had limited authority over the means of what Ravine could grant, but he was the soul of this temple, so there were some unique rules and stakes involved. For example, he didn't care if Boosts ceased to exist. Nothing will replace Mindarch, though something widespread like that could surely influence unlikely scenarios and cause mayhem for people. Not for him. Not for Gods. This hindrance was for people to see and met with shock.
When the trembling from the world's core spread around the world, many things changed and many beings shifted. Few understood what went on, what happened, or what changed. Most feared the end of the world arrived.
Until it went back to normal in a few minutes depending on the location.
Alas, the true consequences had yet to hit everyone. Caused by the repercussions of a single clever and insane God, insane reality will soon spread and start, for an important flow could no longer process the data.
The insanity that was the constant shift of power and Boosts secured the landscape and many powers. It also gave politics and countless beings a shroud of hope or problems. Halting it meant stopping feeding the hunger itself.
And the hunger could bite back or self-destruct if it no longer had its meals.
Murai, who successfully endured the last problems of the Islands of Greatness, was blissfully unaware of what occurred after getting his long-awaited Boost before they ceased. Frankly, he wasn't even aware it stopped.
He wasn't alone in his path through the temple either, nor was he the most dependable soul on some cheap Boosts. He shouldn't care for them if Lisa was entirely convinced, though it was also adhering to some problems and rules about this world.
Murai simply decided to make them his priority because he could. So far in, Gate 1 and 2 had rather questionable heights, but undeniable lows that made him suffer and cheer. Some of that was almost negligible for his needs, whereas some heights overshadowed the lows. Most of his thinking was unnecessary. Most lows were an outlet for his soul and complaints, which changed him and gave him the taste of a unique life.
He was getting used to it, albeit slowly. One of many sources of good news was his progression that arrived after days of training and killing without any Boosts in sight. He didn't hate that sudden power shift. Unfortunately, some things with the recent Boosts made his mind confused and soul doubtful. Just how much has he handled this meal without his payment or awareness?
Just how much should he trust something that went beyond the common sense of the Surface? He saw and noticed many strange bits, though he never took them for something terrible because he wasn't taking power lightly. It gave things. That was undeniable, but what if it could do so much more? Perhaps it wasn't a worthy and deserved dessert after enduring a difficult trial.
Murai was kind of glad that there was something. Albeit cheap, it helped him steady his progression's stagnant, wrong, and creeping heights. He was used to being dependent on himself. That changed for the better or worse after the Golden Room crashed his expectations, gifting him what one might consider primary aspects of every Blessed, but it was wrong.
Boost was something that might help or become a pain. It was just growth and change, and dependence on it could leave the limits or leave one depressed because the next steps might be impossible to overtake. There were supposed limits to what one's flesh, body, and Boosts could go. Species and races were included and as far as Lisa saw that, Murai was strange. Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld said it the best. There was much more to what Murai could become, which became a pain for Lisa.
Blessed were lofty individuals of this world—and Ravine —always took them for something strange and special. Having a second chance in life was as unnatural as any living could get. In this world, they had privileges like none. Those were faster learning processes, elevated ceilings to many powers, better admission of talents, brighter Boosts that were borderline cheats, and memories that often changed everything.
Murai couldn't wait for his newly evolved abilities to show their fangs. He liked this simplicity, even if he could be better, or different.
However, he had one worry. The shift from Mana Shaping to Heavenly Shaping changed his foundation like a curse. It felt worse because it was forced, yet it was his choice, so who was he to blame? At least it seemed he didn't have to change his foundation over time. His Heavenly Shaping was good for a long time if not for this entire life.
At first glance, it didn't hinder his Core Defying Fusion technique or change his core. A foundation for his magic shifted, however. It meant he had to re-learn the basics for all of his spells. Mana abilities were kind of different. Mana Sonar didn't seem to be all that different. It still took mana out of his mana space, so with effort and connection, his soul did the rest.
Oblivious to the changes in the outside world, the shift in the core of this planet, or the existence of the Divine Spheres, Murai was clueless about what was brewing below and far away.
Knowing it would give him a headache, but for now, nothing happened besides massive trembles that shook him as he walked towards the next Gate.
“What was that tremble? Someone farted?” Murai joked to Lisa, who seemed confused and weirdly wincing in the air, glancing around or up. Lorry was the same as her, flaring his Soul Flames around, but not moving an itch since he floated and had not much physical strength.
The trembling went on for a while, but they were mild before disappearing and letting the temple reclaim its peace. It was a powerful earthquake if it was able to shake these sorts of Depths, but not a massive one that would crush the world apart.
Most places under the Surface survived worse things than an earthquake or the core's trembling because some insane God fought inside of it.
“Be my guess,” Lisa shrugged her arms. “Might be this place?”
“Lorry has no clue,” the talking skull said after a dramatic pause. “Could be an anger of Lorry's Lady. Lady often takes... weird approaches. Perhaps Lady has awoken?”
Murai felt the ground and the temple didn't change. But something about it was odd. It was his hunch again, lingering, and showing its effects. He felt suspicion until he remembered his stakes.
With his shopping and Boosts behind, getting stronger and more familiar with his powers meant some earthquake should remain an earthquake. Like with the start of Gate 2, he hoped Gate 3 wouldn't be too bad. Lisa already hyped him about it, while his plans were long undergoing some interest in his soul.
He had a lot of things to do, including deciding on his mental magic swordsmanship, figuring Heavenly Shaping with it, and seeing more about his flesh. Peak Layering was an intriguing technique like Blitz.
Before all of that, it surprised him how well he adjusted to his changes and trials in Gate 2. Especially that Last Island was silly at best, even if it gave him numerous headaches. When he reconsidered it, wasn't just that damned copy golem challenging, if not broken? Before that one, there were some challenges in almost every duel in the Ending Isles. But he got stronger through struggles and changes. Now he should be more than comfortable around low to mid-level 40s, as long as their Class and power weren't excessive. Against potent fools of rich Bloodlines, he will still struggle but won't suffer.
The incoming Gate had no stoppage to Boosts according to what he heard. He was clueless, his pockets were heavy in treasures, his hood was on, and his Artificial Core had more essences to get.
He was happy like any Child Panacea should be in his spot, albeit none would have any of his proportions. At least not under his circumstances and age.
It was essential to be satisfied with what one had under very challenging times, yet Murai would disagree. Power was dear to his heart in every life, allowing him to shift from the misery and suffering of his cycling lives.
This one was very vivid, as it was changing his outlook after a couple of days of back-to-back fights against strong foes. It might be caused by this place or his uniqueness, or just because he lived for less than a month away from his egg. He started to enjoy himself and this strange life.
Anatidaes were nasty little creatures. He got that idea out of Mindarch, Manager Kil, and bits of what Lisa said weren't shabby too. It went hand in hand with his physical senses.
He was a monster now! An utter savage monstrous beast that crashed a few beasts with Divine Beasts Bloodline in the Ending Isles alone.
He deserved some confidence, while his magic and abilities moved up a notch.
Whilst there were few dull lives that he rather hoped to forget, the ones filled with great heights, weight, and hardness were more to his tastes. Some suffering and misery could mix into it for sure, for it was correct to expect the inevitable.
What if everything was as easy and digestible as taking weak essence to a core? Everything would be dull and lazy.
Was Murai lazy? Dull? Did he complain and hate all sorts of things? He did so almost shamelessly.
The right pace and mind allow one's mind to overcome some limits as long as they matter. It was what growth was all about, or an outlook arriving at the correct lines of Fate before turning to presence as a chance.
This life, destination, and hopes he had were creeping onto one another, giving rise to numerous ideas inside his soul.
It was tough to change and give him a good position. Hopefully, no misery will come out of it later.
Murai was slowly turning to a new leaf, expecting this life to not be that bad after all. That was usually a longer process than a year or some months. He was aware of how time went hand in hand with power, which made this life even stranger.
The flow of time was unchangeable and firm. Every life was prone to it like a sunflower aiming for the sun. Changes that came out of time or Fate were still possible. Well, one of them was ridiculous.
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This living was no different, as some things were changing it. He and Lisa. Surroundings too, or this world itself was something that allowed all of the above?
He wasn't entirely sure who he should believe or what was trustworthy. He often wasn't sure about his own memories. They weren't unreliable. Just chaotic and filled with regrets, questionable times, and lost hopes that overshadowed greater times.
Sometimes, he wondered what the end of this life as a duck would be like, or the end of it all. It was wishful thinking that he was far too used to.
For now, he trusted Lisa's temperament and ideas, and some questionable hopes of her advances were redundant. Her idea about this temple was a great fortune, giving him much more in return than Lisa privately hoped for. It surpassed her expectations by many folds, but it was away from Murai's head.
Now he understood why she took that as her judgment, which was strange, considering he let her do that to him at a time when he doubted her. Alone in the Seventh Death Forest, hunted and pressured, he trusted her with his life.
Perhaps the circumstances back then mattered more than some trust or words, even if they weren't even that long ago. He let it slide or had he no choice but to accept his End?
It felt like months ago, even when less than five days had passed. Or was it the way Lisa started to act that startled him? She was less numb and brief with her explanations and often opted to give exposition and answers when she deemed it worth it, or when she wanted something from him.
Perhaps she was turning to a new leaf like he did, but why? Well, she was still hindering many fitting words from going out of her mind. Murai was sure of it, yet she offered him her answers at the very end of Gate 2.
For now, he had enough to see her promise like essences. Golden Room delivered its worth. Essences, potions, and vitality treasures gave his arsenal a much better feeling. It was no longer about his belongings that was his body alone, but outer ones!
He was no longer a poor little duckling with nothing to his name. Amelius Hoodie was the best example of that, similar to the pouch in his pocket that Lisa took care of. Inside were plenty of treasures, while she kept the rest in her ring.
The best additions were still the Boosts. He couldn't refute that in the slightest. The second issue was the numerous essences that will never stop being precious to him. Having them stored—even if they were artificial or natural—was great, but what was great about that when his Essence Gem was full right now?
He planned to use essences from there to spare its space after getting his footing in the Gate 3. For now, he wanted to hoard and get as many of them as possible since his little made-up core was bottomless. Better time was around the corner, Lisa promised him.
The rest of the loot and treasure wasn't that great. The majority of things were left in Lisa's possession, including all Artifacts. He considered them to be fine examples of some craftsmanship that should be worth some wealth. They also gave some context on what level this world was living at. Some worlds or parts of the universe adhered to some systematic approaches to wealth and power, while citizenships, tiers, or spectrums bore endless Sectors.
The tiers of the worlds and planets were diverse as one would expect from a vast universe, similar to mana itself. The peak of possibilities was often what mattered for the level of a planet's scale and expansive potential. In this case, it should be about godhood, or... something else. Murai wasn't sure for the time being, similar to what the true heights of this world were like.
He couldn't spend all of his points on essences alone. Lorry didn't allow it. There were purchasing limits even for lower grades, albeit very lax. If it hadn't been for Lisa's idea and persuasion to take a lot of healing and various magical potions, he wouldn't have taken them.
Murai decided to store immediate helpful items in his pouch that he kept in his pocket. Those were all of his stored essences, potions, and treasures under a body-altering category that might be useful even for a duck. He got various magical fruits that Golden Room had, but he hoped he wouldn't use them. Lisa said he should take them anyway, saying that he would need them. Thankfully, he had a lot of points left even after his essence shopping spree.
Throughout Gate 2, even those inferior Mana Potions went occasionally down his throat when he wasn't willing to rest between some Islands. Their quality—no matter how poor—boosted already enchanted Mana Replenishment, giving his mana space significant recovery and less calmness.
At low quality, their main effect was letting mana into the core for Shapers, or letting mana guide the flesh of Handlers. In less likely scenarios, using them to ease the negative effect of Overdrafts was also possible. Unfortunately, it didn't help much against the intensity of the enchanted Replenishment.
Just a little bit, but it helped.
Rejuvenation Potion was out of stock, so he got dozens of them for dirt cheap, while also taking a pair of Life Potions, which was an upper tier of vitality-enhancing potions above Rejuvenation Potion. He wouldn't get too tired because of them, or too wounded.
Mana wasn't the issue in most cases unless he met some nasty tests that Mindarch sent him. The stamina was a problem if he was far too intense in his Shaping and lacking time, so Murai took some better Mana Potion too.
In case of hunger, Rejuvenation Potions worked as a great mending shot to his adrenaline and stomach. But he still had his source of hunted food, thanks to his unhinged desire to eat the foes when he was hungry. That was usually impossible for most Challengers, and it was a small reason he was that quick and successful in Gate 2. Most wouldn't eat their enemies in the slightest. The effects of the essence-gathering location were intense and almost corrupting, while the loss of essences was undesirable.
Food was like a shot of adrenaline towards his insanity, allowing him to focus so he didn't care for his appetite afterward. It was a primal urge he was kind of neglecting by thinking of it as normal. Murai knew it fairly well.
This life took this approach far since his stomach was gluttonous like his little cores, yet his desire to eat was similar to his desire to grow. Having more strength was doing that to him, so having his potions refilled was one way to get ready for what was to come.
Most of it went out of Lisa's suggestions. The secondary stuff was their effectiveness. The more lasting the potion became, the higher its efficiency.
That was one of the basis of alchemy not only in this world. It was an unchanging effect of nature and works of art in mana and universe. Iris showed him that in his week of insane healing, and since it all partake in the flow of the River of Manaflow, he instructed her in a thing or two.
It was a long ago, and Murai appreciated the sentiment and desire for the weak to learn. Even when the said person had some knack and connection to a God who wanted something ridiculous out of him, he didn't care.
Iris wasn't Vermillion. That was the end of his worries.
With everything ready, Murai pointed his wing to the door. “Let's go then.”
“Alright,” Lorry said, turning a switchboard back to normal and letting all shelves and treasure disappear under formation and physical-based locks.
The luscious and rich aura and treasures disappeared as if they weren't here at all, leaving the room dim as if thieves arrived. All the gems and coins of all kinds weren't important, although some of them ended up in Lisa's ring. They were a financial value that validated the exchange rate from the Surface to this place, serving as plundered wealth around the Surface or other Hells.
It wasn't important to Murai at all, nor were some books or tomes with various techniques. Some of them might have been great at some ideas, but now? He had plenty of what to focus on.
The majority of tomes were precious in some specific Paths or options. Murai held too specific circumstances to use them outright, or at all.
Right. If he were a human, he would view it differently. What his species could handle? What Pathway? What Path? What swordsmanship was fitting under him? It sounded like a big deal, so he wasn't sure where to start. He wasn't even sure how far his magic would go, how specialized his body and magic could become, what his limitations were, or how Boost could influence it like his own choices
So far, he felt many thoughts.
Anything to do with Shardblades sounded fun, yet a Path was supposed to signify a person's future and hopes. It should follow an ideology, while this world had—supposedly—very strange interactions towards Paths because of Levels and various power systems.
It was at least how Lisa described it to him in the past days, as he was a Blessed relying on them rather than someone haughty and desolate like many people who opposed it. Those wouldn't be weak. They might be more impressive because they would be self-reliant on their own power and choices.
Thus, Murai may as well call his choice a Path of Anatidae for the time being, though it didn't exist and he didn't like the name. It wasn't anything official, he bet. Would that be under the Pathway of Beast? If that's so... imaging crazy ducks as a Path was ridiculous. He forgot about names or Paths quite quickly.
He believed the Core Defying Fusion Technique served as his priority well enough. It would work substantially smoother without the shackles that were his current species or issues he wasn't aware of. It wasn't only that, unfortunately. As an Anatidae, he had to consider other things that Pillage and Heavenly Shaping portrayed, or Mindarch briefly described. The aspects Murai learned in the past day will be substantial.
He had yet to train in these principles, but that was about to change in the upcoming Gate.
Circumstances and things were far too out of his way, so how about some weapons instead? Many mages had mandatory needs for them, for obvious reasons and benefits. Magical staff—condensed with materials and source mana—mended well with one's Path as a nice Catalyst to empower one magic.
It worked the same for Shapers and Handlers, although only one of them was very dependent on them.
Shapers held near-endless magic as long as their internals could take care of it, whereas Handlers only hoped their bodies could handle the mana flow.
Amplified magic was always important in almost all circumstances. Not having them led to shortcomings against those who had them. Mages were the kind of people who took the idea of advantages well into their hearts because most of them were smart and capable figures.
Murai was one of them, but at the same time, he was so far out of that sight, that he couldn't think of himself as a mage.
Mage duck had a certain sound to it, but Lisa would laugh at him for such an idea. Lorry would be the same. He couldn't take Catalyst for much more than treasures for selling.
Well, perhaps he could think of his hoodie as Catalyst. Amelius did talk about it as if it were a potent piece of equipment. At least Lisa believed it to be that. If activated, of course. It wasn't and it seemed it won't be simple from that talk a while ago.
Murai wasn't sure how to activate it on his own, because he hadn't gotten any readings about it whatsoever. Will of the Batleworld and Mindarch kept it out of the way, disguised by excuses or other problems.
But Murai could try touching it himself because it was entirely possible to do it against the will of this world. He just didn't know how much of it was a Breach or a Taboo, or if it had some nasty consequences. There were many ways how the equipment worked, even if they were inactive by the rules of this world.
So far, Amelius refused to do something worse and kept Murai's hoodie inactive.
Equipment had physical structure, so touching their workings or affecting them by becoming their master wasn't a prohibited action. No rules would stop that possibility, but the acknowledged equipment was much more appropriate. It was a blessing towards the equipment after all, and without it, the core item still remained. In swords or armor, it was simple. In magical equipment, it was a tad bit worse.
Going against the norm was possible, even if it was prohibited in some continents or nations, hiding under some Taboos—depicting ideas that must not happen—and Breaches, which were ideas that shouldn't happen but happen anyway.
Equipment and many Artifacts had their internals, runes, and other things that should validate their quality and workings. They just needed a final rush of readings that would change it officially, turning it into an authorized business to their bearers. Without it, it was just an unofficial hot item, which many would kill for, if these items were extremely potent, certain in some Taboos, or Breached protocols. In those cases, it depended on who was the one seeking them, or making them.
For Murai, he wondered if his hoodie was that. Amelius mentioned he could try and do whatever he could with it, so he might as well do that.
None of his equipment or Artifacts went through any readings, apart from brief ideas of his spatial storages.
He had other things, so what was their deal? Well, Lisa said it to Murai rather simply.
When one thought of limiting the space itself or a simple cave-like method of storing things in separate spaces, their use was unanimously fine and hard to stop. Simply put, some equipment pieces were unlocked for anyone who found them. For a better example, Pachi's Gift went with the accepting protocol and he unlocked it himself as its first user. Back then, the creation protocol went through some Extreme mages under Pachi's influence. It surely got its readings upon creation, but it got another one under its first and only user.
So what about that sword, belt, and that runic thing? Could he use them without any trouble, even if they were unlocked or locked? Well, there seemed to be a limitation in dropable and usable loot that one could get out of certain Dungeons, vaults, or circumstances. One could always try to use them, and some changes or readings were appropriate to get out of any loot from Dungeons. No matter the lock or protocols, some things were always owed to a new owner.
Overall, Murai felt that these equipment and Artifacts rules were kind of lackluster. One should use them still, so he didn't feel that Lisa was making herself clear. She didn't because of him.
It was true that the official statement and readings from Will of the Battleworld turned unofficial equipment to a new level. It could change in some way like a small blessing and turn it better than it was. It could follow a person and change it according to levels, magic, or one's abilities. It was a good system as long as one followed its processes. If one didn't and was a haughty loner like some Taboo Makers, one could be seen as a sinner, thief, or someone unfit for this world. There were a ton of them because power was suitable to go uninterrupted.
Murai wasn't willing to see that truth, but he was also willing to make us of everything he could. Even with his hoodie on, he hoped it would change one day.
At least Lisa spoke the truth, whereas Murai had his thoughts about limitations akin to excuses. Was it a Path-based or race-based issue? If so, this duck was a curse.
Spatial equipment wasn't important in these questionable rules. Artifacts were a bigger deal, as their effects mostly involved those accepted readings, even if one got an unlocked piece. One generally can't get the most out of them without proper knowledge, and readings would help one see what one has. Most equipment was fine to use without this approval, albeit some finer pieces always needed some outer touch.
Murai didn't like these complicated contradictions that reeked of existing rules that interfered with treasures that people made for a reason. Locking them seemed like a nuisance.
Lisa hadn't heard a single peep out of that armor from 93rd Island either, so she wondered what it was about. That upset her mind alone, similar to how Murai's hoodie looked like. Nothing about it helped to ease her mind. She hoped some readings would. They didn't.
Murai expected nothing, so he didn't end up disappointed. His hood had some effects for sure, obvious to its runic structure and that weird little flat gem on his chest.
Perhaps its use was better than any Catalyst since Amaliues spoke of it as an insane treasure worth for Anatidaes. Lisa appeared somewhat shocked when she saw him, and he noticed she watched him ever since like a fool.
A clothed duck was a silly idea after all.
It was a gift, so Murai didn't look too far into it. But he could. Perhaps then, equipment will change his mind.
For now, Murai had no opinions about it besides neat style and comfort. It made him appear less like a duck, so he appreciated it.
Lorry turned his skull to the entrance, away from the Golden Room. Gate 3 was a perfect time for his desired action while observing Murai and Lisa walk in a place of intensity wasn't his problem.
Gate 3 had certain privileges and terms for Guides, and he couldn't wait to use and see them. Murai proved himself and his talent, so perhaps what will happen in the next Gate won't be that different from others.
It all depended on a certain level of randomness and pursuing strategy. And Lorry was sure that Lisa planned something big. That stern, ghostly, yet fairy-looking and menacing ghost had many ideas. Then, the right Challenger was there, seeing a choice that would change the outcome.
Usually. This time, Lorry had no doubts that some things were about to change, but he didn't know what or how.
There was a certain mission ahead, filled with no apparent foes, or waves to crush. At least on the surface of Lorry's words, Lisa knew better than to trust that skull or this place. One may as well not fight at all; that was a fact. Nothing would be wrong with it if that place allowed that.
Lorry said fewer things about it. Lisa was doing the same thing so far, waiting until Mindarch would speak about it further at Gate 3.
Murai hopped happily out of the table and got out of the room. Ending up in the same dark tunnel, he watched the light at the end and felt a slight breeze. There was some lingering smell as well. An intense flood of something mildly wild. His senses and something else got higher, but he wasn't sure what he was feeling, or how. His soul was in weird shambles or was he too tensed up after his foundation and Boost changed him? Was that mana that he felt from that tunnel? It was crisper than usual.
Lorry floated ahead first, laughing for no reason, and watching the light at the end of the tunnel.
Murai followed Lorry's flying pace right beside Lisa, who was silent and tensed up. He didn't tell anything to her, nor did she to him. A simple tunnel had a simple premise to get going.
Walking forth and squinting his eyes, Murai was momentarily lost in the bright light of a new world as he stepped into the entrance.