Murai didn't know this world after all, so seeing Lisa and her plotting nature and vague word choices were always something he found annoying. Hearing her willingness to finally talk was a welcomed change that was important, but would it make a drastic difference? Not much. Not now, at least in his opinion.
The problem was obvious. Why this change didn't come sooner? Because Lisa didn't want to talk before, and now she had an advantage or change in attitude about it?
Though, that would be his problem since his own perception and opinion caused his own anger while caring about Lisa was his own problem. For all he could care about, he may forget her and be done with it. That would be the easiest solution, but sometimes, the easiest thing didn't happen according to one mind. He needed information and Lisa wasn't talkative when it was important to be so. That was a fact that he disliked with a passion.
“So what if it is a bit funny?” Lisa said, annoyed. “Sona sounds like some form of the ancient word anyway. Like something magical and mysterious, since it is that. Strong, and something I haven't heard before. It's my own interpretation of what it means to be in a world of a power that means a magical being.” she sounded as important as always.
“Right... magical. Got it. Tell me about it please...” Murai kept his comment short, and boring, leaving Lisa in a self-centered view as if he really was interested.
“Since you insist. My ability as a Soul Render is special and I am extremely pleased with how it feels when I have it now. Not only it is special, but it resolved around my whole being that I see as a power of the path of souls. You don't ever hear of such paths normally, so feeling it with my own senses is interesting. Only special cases of mages can feel my presence if I will turn my physicality to null, and even fewer could make an impact on my form with their magic. It would require quite a specific power, or incredible Will, intent, or weapon.”
That made sense since Lisa's form was that of a soul form. An intangible thing that was one of the most mysterious essences known to anyone. One can destroy it. Murai did so many times in the past hours with many tangible or intangible soul form beasts. Of course, those weren't of the kind like Lisa whose origin was of a higher caliber than those beasts born from this Seventh Death Forest.
Murai viewed this topic in high regard, and with stronger intent than anyone, as his soul was walked, existed in, and formed many paths already. Something that should be impossible, but it was, for whatever reason that caused his Cursed living.
Lisa continued. “It is true that as this... peculiar Soul Form, it is hard to damage my physicality by ordinary means, but that doesn't mean I am invisible. A soul may be weak for some figures of specific paths. Beings that can wield and empower their attacks with the intent that can move unformed, I am like a good target for them. I may die because of that, the same way you can also die or injure yourself.”
“Die? This talk about physicality makes sense, Lisa. Soul Forms are peculiar because their soul is involved in their origin, rather than their power in general. So what If you die? Will it have some repercussions since you are this... unknown Soul Form directly involved within my soul space?”
“M-maybe... I am... Unsure.” she said, appearing as if she didn't want to tell the whole picture of the truth. It was a bit more complicated than she was willing to explain, while his interest piqued some hesitation within herself.
“Oh, so your case will have some problems? Is it your form? Ability as a Soul Render, or it has something to do with you as a Life Companion under this rule of the Battleworld? I bet you aren't talking sense as you should, but it doesn't mean I can't figure or come up with some guesses myself.” Murai deducted.
“Yeah... Yes. About that... I will talk. Alright? I own that.” she winced her body, appearing nervous about what she wanted to say. “It has something to do with this world and these differences and messes that make not only the Will of the Battleoworld crazy but many other things that follow us around,” Lisa said hesitantly. “I was doing something. with you, Murai Hisagi. Don't hate me for that as you probably think of it as important, but you didn't feel it. I was using a part of your World's Blessing for myself, pulling it out of you by the intentions of the Will of the Battleworld that gave me that option. Rewards that were meant for you, became smaller because of that. It was one of the reasons I didn't explain a lot of things to you sooner and it is the reason I went to sleep to finalize my first evolution behind your back... S-sorry.”
“WHAT?” Murai barked at her, almost stomping the ground in the reality where the danger of the messiahs lurked not that far away. “Are you serious? Did you mean.. this whole leveling thing, upgrades, and the World? You bled me from the inside out so you would have your own meal? How.... shameless... but...” he hesitated. “You took advantage of my cluelessness... and situation. How does it even work? You were taking something from me without my knowledge? That... sounds... doubtful. Who do you take me for?” Murai said as his voice drifted to doubt when he questions his own power and lack of noticing what she did. He was not really angry at her words, but more confused as something important probably happened without his awareness.
Also, he didn't feel his progress to be lacking all that much in the past week so whatever Lsia took from him meant, she was taking it for herself because she wanted more power. It was that kind of thing. Murai couldn't blame her since he would do the same thing if he was in her situation.
“You... you aren't angry?” Lisa asked, surprised and calmly waiting for his fury. “I would be furious, as a former Blessed that understands this thing... Its... Against the unspoken code, but not as it matters, I suppose.”
“Who says I am not?” Murai said. “You don't have to worry about my soul or intention to shackle you like a fool. Tell the truths, for once. Think of it as a price for whatever you did, that went behind the scenes of my knowledge.”
“It's... simple” Lisa hesitated, thinking of what she wanted to tell, as there were things that she couldn't reveal. “I wanted to wield the power over my Soul Form faster, so I would travel the world to be more useful. That is it.”
“That's it? It sounds like an excuse to not tell any more of it, but I'll take it as if you don't care about the whole picture. Also, don't make it all about yourself... You may think of yourself as important but you aren't all that useful to me if you continue to be such a bother. What about this leveling process at all? You took it from me, I presume? This... power? What is it... I guess it has something to do with the world itself, which is making this whole evolution and progression possible. You didn't steal my mana, or something within my soul... I know that much. It isn't coming from within us, so my only guess is the World's Core itself?”
“I... You are right. I know you would know it, or guess it sooner but you never said anything along your... Soul or mind. I said things I deemed worth telling and didn't say things that should've been said. I know it my wrong as a former Blessed. I can tell... more things if you will accept me.” Lisa said with a change of attitude and confidence.
“I got it... Accepting... you. Asking or talking like that is a basic thing, but you are forgetting something. Trust me... I feel your loftiness from a mile ahead. I didn't voice my questions, as I have no need for caring about your ego. Now I do... slightly since the world is pressing on me like a mountain. I need it, so explain this situation without being borderline, yourself.”
Lisa shut herself up, as her whole being in the soul space shuddered. Murai's words were quite meaningful, and they made her realize some things that she wasn't willing to acknowledge. She also understood some things from this conversation and something in her mind changed.
“Alright... It is true that I am myself. Still... am.” She whispered to herself before speaking loudly to answer Murai's words. “The World itself is one big source of messy magic that is unique and unlike... anything you've seen. It is something similar to the River of Manaflow as you mentioned before. That is a source of mana, but the world is a source of everything pertaining to the many paths and possibilities one can get within, or outside of that River.”
Murai heard that to another degree of interest. “A power in the level of River of Manaflow? That... seems insane. Does the Core of this world itself do this? These Blessings under God's domain and this whole ass system? I don't get it... It makes no sense for gods to wield this sort of power... They do... I can tell it because it is happening.” Murai figured in confusion and understanding.
“I don't know the answer to that.” Lisa shook her head left and right around herself, noticing no qualities or strangeness before her in Murai's soul. It is still menacing, even in confusion and hesitation. “But, I know a few things that can or may make sense for your worries. This Core is the reason this all works. I can vouch for that. It is also one of the reasons many Gods are present in its proximity, forcing and trying their way toward higher powers.”
“You speaking surely, or with guesses or hunches that you know, or not?” Murai asked, eyeing the messiahs that moved throughout the paths of the Seventh Death Forest. He was still patient and had time to hear her words, so he wasn't in a hurry.
“Think of it as you wish, but I am not joking. My own guess is that the secrets of this planet are something beyond the gods themselves. It shouldn't be something about one's divinity, or power over the people like the conventional ends of one's path. For example, this whole thing about the dungeons is also a thing to question. Somalis and others are obviously places that have already been here, long before the gods came to this world. It was part of the former planet before it became the Battleworld itself. No one can be sure of why, you know? A whole lot of things are old and ancient, but some are still older than others. This whole World Core idea isn't a topic that the public knows about. I do because of my former status, and a lot of Extremes think of this as an important topic. It is hard to point it out this sort of answer to this sort of power, you know? It's something I wish to uncover myself someday, so if you may, this is my answer which provides some answers to your doubts.”
Murai grunted inside, feeling that she was still forgetting or not stating some of the things he wanted to hear. Or should hear.
The talk about the World Core was a peculiar one, as the universe itself held many individual and unique things. Murai knew this sort of huge deal... Power in the similar complexity as River of Manaflow shouldn't be anything simple. This system in this world was definitely something of that sort of caliber.
For countless times, Murai wasn't sure which part of the universe he was born with. The knowledge of that always became important later, or not. Because of that, he knew many secrets and knowledge of higher powers. Planets were no simple things, and whenever a civilization in the cosmos rose, it was prone to certain mysteries. After all, life was a rare thing in this universe filled with Chaos.
Battleworld itself may be just a tiny little dot in the greater place and there was nothing wrong with that approach. Yet, the Gods made it their plaything for some reason that Lisa just explained. Literary and most likely, figuratively.
Murai held a couple of guesses which could make reasonable cases, explanations, or answers, but it all came to one thing. He had no need to care about it. At least not now, when he was weak and not ready to take such answers to his heart.
Lisa continued. “As for the reasoning behind my... situation. I was eating up a bit of this power that was flowing to you by your... existence? As you endured life in the Battleworld, it makes this flow into you. They are known as Boosts. Core does it to import power from it to the beings on the surface, up or below it. Pretty much anyone is prone to it one way or another, but some more than others. Blessed are among the more... than the latter. In this special affair of me, being within you, it puls its power to me also, but I took a chunk of it for myself. In some sense, it is like mana, but not really.”
Murai nodded to himself, feeling that her words carried a lot of truth, yet it was a truth he couldn't see or conform it himself. The origin of this worldly feeling was vague and hard to point out.
“Is it true that everyone has this flow? This intangible.... threat? Or... something, vaguer?”
“Everyone has it. It should be the case. The world is huge and it poses some value of interest, I believe. Its purpose should constantly flow to all beings, enabling them to level, improve, and share countless possibilities of power. Abilities, attributes, and their own level all play a big part because of this Core. The Will of the Battleworld is then a topic of the runner of this place, along with this Core. It is an artificial voice of reason, creation, and a lower purpose to appease some sense of the creator who... or... It is created by whoever runs this place right now, I reckon.”
“Hoh... Your words this time carry a lot of sense. It's surprising...” Murai said, impressed by figuring it was the case.
“Excu...”
Murai shut her off, continuing. “I heard some of this topic already from a little girl of 17 years of age, let alone a figure such as yourself. It is... a weird progression that doesn't make me happy, but it makes sense. You added much-needed context while she added some answers too. It doesn't need to be intricate, or sensible. Alright. That doesn't explain my inability to sense very little changes, nor it should. I couldn't even sense a tinge of it, so I guess you ate a lot, didn't you? I couldn't notice it.”
“Well... M-maybe.” Lisa mumbled hesitantly. “It's more complicated than that. It's part of Anatidae. It's about them. They are creatures of darkness and brightness. They are demons of unlike features and Will that is... kind of legend in some parts of the world. I haven't felt the need to be too direct with you, so I did what I did, hoping your progress would be fine even without the part of it, but I suppose it isn't fine. I decided on it before you finished the Somalis Dungeon, so I am sorry.” Lisa bowed, apologetically looking like a sorry figure even though Murai's Will was no longer in his soul space.
Though, her whole bearing of the lustrousness of before, slowly became more intricate as she talked. The Essence of her Soul Form, filled with glowing and shimmering wavy mana, was unlike before. It was more vivid along with waves of rules within them that seemed more intricate, complex, and powerful. Her being was bearing the mystery of the Soul Render, so it was no wonder.
Before being one, she held a very poor iteration of Soul Essence that worked with those strange flows of power from the World Core. It made matters out of her hand but now? Now, she held some incentive to work through her decision, which may have worked against Murai, but she did it for him, albeit more for herself.
Feeling her bare sincerity, she appeared honest, according to his sense but that didn't mean there weren't more words to tell. Doubt was still there since Murai knew he didn't know much about her past. Since she already plotted something once, it was easy to figure she would do it again. Murai thought of that as such.
“I doubt you are even sorry all that much,” Murai said. “You may be your own person, but I am myself. You seek something out of this... because you want to live and walk the power like before. It is Ego, as I said. I don't blame it, as I blame my... or everything. I know that. I can't guess it or force it. I am not upset all that much by your action, since I am used to being alone in the path of power.” Murai said in a calm manner after some sort of decision came to his mind after deliberate contemplation.
Lisa remained silent as if wanting to hear more of his words that stemmed from her sincerity. “I wish to continue... but this was a good start. So... Wanna see me butcher those messiahs? I am over your topic, so if you want to talk about some more meanings later, do so later and without hesitation if you fear my anger or your plot that much. My Soul Read isn't allowing me to gouge the powers of these lunatics, but a soul is intricate enough to gouge them a little. They should be level 30, or around that number. It's going to be a mistake or straigh up the tough challenge.” Murai said, still hiding in the bush. “It is quite to my taste. Hehehe.”
Looking at the walking foes that weren't spread around the Seventh Death Forest, Murai saw them enough throughout this talk with Lisa in his head. They firmly walked a couple of meters beside each other, walking and looking for him. Though, they didn't know they were hunted instead of being hunters. The Centralis Kingdom's messiahs were trying to catch him according to the topic of the Encounter from Razmund's side.
Murai couldn't guess which sort of meaning they had, as his own part was his, while Razmund's case was his own. Two parties will clash either way, with individual prose, rewards, wish, and ploys. That was what sort of mess Encounter was.
A mess that Lordis decided to call after deep deliberations, or further plots that knows no bounds of common sense.
Having his life exposed and used by others made Murai quite upset. In one way, he was furious at Razmund, but more so at gods who were likely figures hiding behind their lofty palaces. This feeling of pressuring hunt made his heart skip a beat, but his mind was firm. Hunting him like some kind of animal wasn't his idea, but if the world wanted him to act like one, he may bite this bait and carry his Will to the bitter end.
Perhaps in the end, he will love this idea, but now, it was time to taste the start of it first. Murai was right in his own approach, but this whole Encounter was suspiciously against his odds, and Lisa realized it all too well.
He was way too low in the flow of power and this whole balance of this Encounter made no sense. Including Lisa's worry or purpose, it also posed no solution. She couldn't help him, let alone give him a solution to end this madness. She can carry her purpose and help him with solving it, but only in small steps which may not be easy at all.
“If you let me out, I can be of some help against those messiahs,” Lisa said after some thought. “I am more powerful than before. Levels themselves aren't good enough to gouge others, but they are good to look at yourself. Numbers aren't absolute. Especially when humans are involved. In the sense of the Battleworld, abilities scale much better with one's power. They make up for the core attributes that the basic level-ups contribute. Your case is more than like that though, as your body is that of an Anatidae. Such species must have a ton of hidden properties where the Will of the Battleworld, Blessing of the World, is included. Your own experiences are making the biggest impact though. The level differences don't matter to you, am I right?” she asked.
“You just explained the absolute common sense of any power, Lisa,” Murai said, unbothered, and unsurprised by her basic revelation that he long figured out.
“That's your opinion, so I am just stating what is this Battleworld and its system like. Do you think my words don't mean anything to you? I will stop eating up your Boosts, so tell me how it makes you feel after a week, or 2. You will soon be worried about God's Trial anyway... so this whole mess is just another mess to the others. Hmph! You make me worry and tell useless things. Numbers are important, but only some of them. Talk in the cleverness and skill can many levels useless and those men are no dumb beast, let alone dull soul form monsters.” She explained before playing a pouting game, where she was playing an upset princess since she wanted to get out of the soul space.
“Oh, I almost forgot about that... How much do you... Well, what did you gain from this eating-up flow from the World Core, or should I call it something else? Boost?”
“Begginer path of the Soul Demon,” Lisa said begrudgingly, not answering his second question. “I am still a Life Companion, but a special one that is residing inside of you. I can be called the case of the Battleworld itself, if in the broader term, as my whole creation is... a bit complicated. I don't understand it either, but it is what it is. I am something between Blessed and Gifted. A being that can improve and walk path like you can.”
“Then what is the difference?”
“Blessed is a being like you, involved with the Battleworld with the utmost freedom and care from the Core. A Gifted is a familiar, or someone who gained something from the Battleworld, or by God's domain, Will, care, or gift. Such figures can still have a certain freedom, but Gods usually use their position as an opportunity to gain a permanent follower. My case is something between them since I am something like a Blessed, but my involvement with yourself is hinder... Is complicating things a little. Get it? I am like your... follower. We are connected by a strand of fate.”
“Hmm...” Murai thought out loud, thinking of Lisa's words in his own storm of thoughts. “Your abilities? I am quite intrigued by this now, unlike before. This isn't bad, so since you used my lack of knowledge, you shouldn't feel too bad if I use you as a tool. Get it?” Murai sneered in mockery and a meaningful glint was within his eyes.
It was vile enough to turn Lisa a bit uncomfortable, but she got what she deserved. She thought so too, so she understood her change of mind. It was important to deal with it with her own problems. That much, she owed him. The situation called for it since God's Trial will be way too harsh, but that was far away.
For now, the Encounter was the present problem that needed her attention. She had no choice by to force herself to be as honest as possible, and even include many other pieces of information that she hoped to trade to get to know him better. She failed in those unnecessary and frankly speaking, greedy choices. In fact, she was much more inclined to work with Murai than ever before. She held some power right now. Murai also wasn't some clueless brat that some Blessed would be at the beginning of their life. In that sense, Life Companion was like a huge helper that would give Blessed a meaningful start n their journey.
It was the exact opposite of Murai's case so it wasn't a time to be the greedy and egoistical succubus she used to be. It was time to change it towards something else since her own life was still hers, but not hers alone.
“Soul Render... Those aren't necessarily some soul beasts, but demonic mana beings. Their Class is varied, and Class does matter a lot in the context of power. My Class D doesn't even cover a lot of my possibilities, similar to your own Class D grading. I look like a ghost as before, so that means the obvious. I am still far from being an incredibly profound being. At the moment I am level 18 Soul Render with a beginning range of abilities.”
“Abilities that are useful are basic Mana Shaping as you have, but my Mana Pool is lesser than you by more than a half. I have a high perception of the soul and can view or force memories out of others depending on the power of the foe, or their Will. Mental attacks to the soul are also something I can do, albeit, their effectiveness doesn't go far above my level. It should be quite weak against level 30ties, who have high Vitality and experience that shaped their soul to be stronger than my power. For example, those messiahs are quite tough, since their utmost belief makes their soul and mental defenses quite hard. They could even kill themselves if I tried to view their memories.” Lisa explained quite a bit this time, leaving nothing but meaningful word choices.
“Then use your... questionable abilities along with mine. I will smack those messiahs and see for myself what is this Anatiadae about. I can't be carrying and fighting those ghosts all the time and those fuckers are from a place that forced this all. It will be the first task for you. Work now with me, but according to me. Like a tool with some senses.” Murai ordered, leaving no place to talk back as he willed Lisa to get out of his Soul Space.
It was time for a fight and he won't be the one forced to it this time around.