By the time we gathered all golems, it was already an evening. Even if tornado lasted less than an hour, golems were scattered in every direction... and quite far.

I have to say, I was mesmerized by its destructive power. Even with enchantments of the devil, thirty-one golem was lost. Some were unlucky enough to land on hard rocks, others... simply vanished. I suspect that while still inside the tornado, they were smashed to bits when collided with one another.

And let's not forget all the devastation it left in its wake. A wide path of bared earth, free from any plants. Every single tree uprooted clean in its path. Maybe this was normal for tornadoes in this world, but I can say for sure that none had such power in my old world...

I definitely have to learn how to create this!

"Done. You can head inside..." I heard Sei not far from me.

Like always it took him just a moment to create a manor size building in the shape of a pyramid, our 'temporary' camp tent for the night. It seems that permanently turning sand into blocks of stone wasn't a problem for the demon. At some point, I even thought he used transmutation, yet he denied and claimed it was 'only' a high-level earth manipulation.

While spells are easy to use, they are limited in what they can do, manipulation on another hand has much more freedom. Even if by using it you have to 'manually' do all necessary actions to get the same effect of a simple spell, its potential is almost unlimited. I can't believe that without even learning wind magic, I have acquired wind manipulation.

The golems were stationed around us not far from the building. They needed neither food nor sleep and if not for me, could march to our next target even now. Hmph, I am not in a rush. I might have resigned myself to the fate of being an instrument of destruction, but that bastard devil doesn't even pay me!

Hmm, something isn't right. I just realized that lately I hardly felt any remorse for killing those creatures. I mean, even if their god is at fault, they just defend their world... We are the bad guys there.

Is this because they don't look like humans? Probably...

Sei said that Dahaal doesn't consider what we do as something bad. Their souls will simply incarnate in another world.

And here I thought I was getting soft, maybe Phoenix affected my personality more than I thought. Perhaps his presence alone was making me act nobler than what I am. While my father didn't approve what I did, it was only because I put myself at risk. He never condemned it as something evil.

I thought that I just long for a thrill of a fight, and as long as 'they' are bad guys, it's ok to kill. Maybe I am really just a killer?

No! It has to be an influence of the devil!

Now that I think about it, I always felt his presence on me. I thought he only watches me, but maybe there is more to this... No, I probably just try to shift the blame, he can't even affect me with my mental resistance... or can he?

"... oh, and don't worry, this time I made the bed 'soft'. Though I still think you should improve your sleep resistance, Sis. It's a serious weakness." continued Sei.

"So the devil has an excuse making me work even at night? I don't think so. Besides, I have enough awareness to protect myself even while asleep. Not a single assassin is among the living from the last attempt." I answered happy for a distraction.

Hmm, I probably shouldn't mention that one of those assassins actually escaped back then. I did manage to kill him a bit later, but even that was through the hands of monsters. Yes, it would be for the best if I keep silent about that.

"Fine, do as you wish," said Sei and started heading to the forest, probably to hunt something for the diner. "I still think it's unnecessary weakness..." I heard his whisper.

Hmm, he is right. I really should acquire sleep resistance. Probably could split my mind into two, and let part of it rest while another is active, then swap... No, if I ever plan to use though acceleration, it's not an option. I guess that leaves only soul awakening. My ability to think as a soul should hold the answer...

Yes, I will try it tonight. As for now... I quickly checked the status of Phoenix and others and judging from the health all of them should be alright. While this wasn't much, it's the only connection I have with them.

This was also the only reason why all this time I never bothered challenging anyone from Eli race to a sacred battle. While without this, my level is stuck at 39, I just can't do that. To do so, I would need to leave the party, and I can't join them again from there... they might even think that I have died.

I looked at my hand... time to make a new scanner. I should have stored it in my dimension before using that spell steal. Well, it's only a prototype.

Technically this was supposed to be a multi-purpose battle equipment, with scanner being just one of its functions. Sadly it didn't survive this long... making new CPU will be a pain the ass.

While I made it to last, enduring freezing cold and heat of my hellfire armor, was probably too much to ask. With my heat resistance now at level nine, it should be possible to make it sturdier now. Hmm, maybe I should also ask Sei to help me with some powerful enchantments? I want this equipment with me all the time, not stored safely in my dimension. If I will have to use spell steal once again, it will be out of my reach. This won't do.

I placed remains of the scanner on the ground, and a moment later it started to float inside the sphere of mana between my arms. A few chunks of earth and stones soon joined and started crumbling into dust, just like the scanner. This should be enough for any materials I might need.

Despite its ability to salvage everything to its core components, I doubt transmutation will be useful as an attack anytime soon. It takes too long to activate it, and the range is limited. But its ability to make high-quality stuff practically from a soil is more than enough.

*

And... done. As I looked at my new bracelet, mana screen appeared slightly above it. After navigating through the menu, I looked at a mini-map of our current location.

Everything looks fine. Though, without some field testing, it's hard to tell if adjustments I made are enough to detect mages with similar concealment enchantments from earlier today.

Mana regeneration enchantments, maximum mana capacity three times higher than my own(without dungeon boost of course). Yes, this thing should have no problems with power, and should work... forever. Unless I will go overboard with some later features or break it again, 

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Hmm, to prevent the fate of its predecessor I will name it... Catbit. Maybe this reminds a bit how that guy from a movie named his stuff, but it's not a bat, it should be fine...

What's next?

Should I try again to grasp the principle of those communication enchantments? Or should I give it a break and work on something else? I have already wasted a few days on them, and there is no sign of any progress. If not for that, my Catbit predecessor could have been so much more by now...

The enchantments I am talking about are on the amulet I received from Sei on the first day. Supposedly it allows to contact anyone with a similar amulet in their possession, and it can do that... anywhere! With 'a bit' more mana, even someone in another world is not outside the reach. To contact someone on another side of the planet, for example, is just a child's play.

I really, really want it!

I looked at my bracelet... I have already installed a holographic projector, and without this 'intergalactic' connection my Catbit will never be complete.

Fine! I will work on it one more day and if it's still not enough... will pay the price Sei asked in return for the help. I should have never mentioned the songs from my old world. How nice it was when calling him brother was enough for everything.

While synthesizing the sound of most instruments might take a while, it wasn't why I was so reluctant. He asked me to sing!

Maybe with my current level of enhanced mind, it would be possible to do so without flaws, but I still can't forget how I embarrassed myself in front of dad when was still a child. Since the day of that 'incident', even when I like a song very much, at best I dare only hum the melody.

After sniffing the air, I suddenly realized the dinner was ready. I quickly dropped what I was doing and rushed outside. I have already suffered for a half-hour with a pleasant smell reaching inside the building. But I knew it will be only harder if I looked how he cooks.

The food Sei prepared was served at the table on a large plate. The dish was roasted meat sliced into small cubes with a sauce on the top. There was a lot of it... he knows me well.

Like always, it was very tasty, I never ate anything like this. Each bite made soft crust sounds while insides were melting in my mouth and tears of happiness slid my cheks. Even with pocket dimension still ruined, I ate so much that when finished I looked like a woman pregnant for four months.

It took him just one day to make me call him brother with his cooking. It couldn't be helped, he was just too good at this.

From what I could understand, somehow he infused the food with mana, and some ingredients were processed with a high pressure, or specially remade with transmutation. The rest of the process was still a mystery to me... master cook isn't just for show.

"Was it good?"

"Yes. I never ate anything so delicious in my life!" I answered with a wide smile. The food was even tastier than yesterday.

"Good to know. It's a bit hard to guess with our difference in race."

"What kind of animal was this cooked from? Relz? Soha?" I asked while licking my fingers.

"Neither, let's just say you have met them today..." he said while looking in the direction where the battle has occurred.

I looked there for a moment and then realization drew on me, and with it, a strong feeling of nausea. The stomach started to twist. Did I just ate...

"Ha ha ha ha. Just kidding. This was cooked from garl, a type of bird we have seen this morning. Should have seen your face just now." Sei started to laugh. "Only Razel could disrespect enemy by eating their flesh... Uhh. Now I remember why I started to learn how to cook on the first day I meet with her..."

*

Four more days have passed without any ambush or a raid and we were on a course to their city. We have left our golems an hour ago and traveled there just the two of us. I was somehow able to keep up with Sei at his 'optimal' speed, though that was only thanks to the constant use of teleportation.

I would blink to the furthest location my sight allows, and a moment later Sei would be there as well. Well, maybe I could reach further with one blink, but it would take more time to calculate my destination. Anyway, limit break or not, not all of us can reach Mach 3 on foot!

At this pace, it didn't take us long to reach the city.

And it was quite... unusual. The 'city' was a mix of a labyrinth and canyons formed from large walls of rock. The closer walls were to the center the larger they become, and walls at the center were almost twice the size of those in front. Each of those walls had many small holes. No, maybe calling them small holds true only if compared to the city. Each opening was actually at least four meters in diameter. Probably an entrance to the 'apartment'.

Even without a scanner, I could tell the city was abandoned. 

"Hmm, I was hoping for a meeting with their Champions. Have they decided to abandon the city without a fight? Can't blame them I guess, probably saw Destroyer and thought it was heading for the city..."

"Destroyer?" I asked.

I haven't seen those colossal golems since the day we left that dead world of the devil.

"Yes, Dahaal transferred it not far from there to take care of nearby dungeon," he answered while still looking at the city.

"What do you mean by 'take care'?" I looked at him. Does he mean...

"Just like it sounds. Boom. No more dungeon. It's annoying to deal with monsters if they are left... Oh, there it is..." Sei suddenly looked to the side.

"Where?" I followed his gaze but there was nothing in sight.

Uhh, don't tell me that even with my enhanced sight I can't see that sky towering giant. I looked at my Catbit and after activating its scanner function saw a large dot 'only' a hundred kilometers away. How the hell he could see that far. Shouldn't the shape of the planet make it impossible? Uhh, I give up...

"Dahaal just said Destroyer has already finished with the dungeon, it's heading for the city now."

I wanted to ask why even bother destroying an empty city, but there was something else on my mind.

"Umm, brother? There are many enemy forces a few hundred kilometers to the east." I said while still looking at the screen of Catbit on my arm.

"Hmm? Oh, you are right, I can't believe I missed them. This might be fun... though I don't think golems we left will be of any help."

"What do you mean? Didn't you said the devil will transfer them to our location?" I asked surprised, but he just grinned in response.

The answer to my question I learned only a bit later.

*

 After an hour of waiting, I finally saw destroyer class golem once again. Just like those at the world of the devil, it looked like a giant spider, but because of clouds covering upper parts of its legs, gave an impression it was even taller than those four.

I watched as Drarg, its name according to analyze, walked above the city. One of its legs accidentally touched walls in a few places and easily shattered them just with that. When the center of Drarg was aligned with the center of the city, runes started to glow on its lower body.

Even from this far, I could hear a humming sound as the golem was charging its attack.

Suddenly the ground under me trembled and a large chunk of it was torn and lifted into the air, with us on top of it. I quickly looked at Sei but he just smiled in return.

"It's dangerous staying on the ground."

After a minute, a wide beam fired from Drarg's body causing a large white wave of energy spread far and wide and the city was reduced to a cloud of dust. Legs of the golem were caught in the wave as well, but they only glowed for a moment with a pattern of runes and there was no sign of any damage.

The wave didn't stop with the city and continued its destruction for miles. Just a few seconds later the wave passed right under us, and we were good ten kilometers away from the city. By now our altitude was almost one kilometer high, but even there I could feel a strong shockwave in the air.   

The wave continued as far I could see and only far on the horizon I saw signs of it weakening. This is even worse than a nuclear explosion!

I quickly looked at my Catbit to check how far the wave has reached...

"Noo!" I shouted in horror.

My poor Catbit... it was only a scrap of metal now. Why have I forgot to add protection from EMP?!

"Ha ha ha, the real fun is about to begin." suddenly Sei started to laugh while looking to the east.

Ah, that's right. The enemy I detected earlier.

At first, I saw nothing, but very quickly I realized that I was just looking in the wrong direction. High in the sky, a large fleet of ships was approaching us, and there was so many of them that it looked like a dark cloud. A part of a reason why I overlooked them.

So this is why golems will be useless...