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The first thing I noticed was the soft surface beneath me. Even without opening my eyes, I could tell I was on a bed. Right, I must have passed out.
I sat up, taking in my surroundings. As the light hit my eyes, a familiar ache settled in my head. Waking up always felt like a struggle.
I was in the medical tent—no surprise there. I figured Nick would bring me here. I could have passed out in a regular tent, but the beds here looked much more comfortable.
"Thomas!"
The woman sitting by my bedside broke into a bright smile.
"Hannah." Of course it was her.
She reached out to pat me, but I instinctively slapped her hand away.
"Ow!"
"?"
Unlike usual, her expression held a hint of genuine hurt. She clutched her right arm tightly, and from her face, I could tell she wasn't just playing around. Had I hit her that hard? Frowning, I noticed the bandages wrapped around her arm.
"Hannah. What. Happened?" I said robotically.
"###### ####### ## #######..."
I struggled to decipher her muffled words. Leaning in, I focused my magic sense, looking past the bandages.
I braced myself for a gruesome sight, but instead, I sensed... mana?
Maybe I was still half-asleep. I slapped my cheeks to wake myself up, then took another look. How was this possible?
Traces of magic power intertwined with her flesh—the properties of healing magic were clear as day. It shouldn't be here, yet there it was.
Did I do that? No way. I don't sleepwalk. But I was the only one here who can use magic.
Once more, I spread my magic sense as far as I could. I caught another trace nearby.
"Mikey?"
Mikey was also in the medical tent, stretching in front of a doctor. The magic energy emanated from his thigh, but he had no visible wounds there. The concentration of healing magic was far greater, enough to fully heal whatever injury he'd sustained.
I hadn't even known he was back. It definitely couldn't have been me who healed him.
Who did it?
"What. Happened?"
"Umm…"
In the end, Hannah couldn't provide a clear answer, or at least one I could grasp.
Aside from Hannah and Mikey, I detected no other traces—no source of this unexpected magic.
Really, how unlucky am I? Someone with magic passed through while I was out cold, and now I couldn't even ask anyone about it. Great. Juuust great.
Whoever wielded that magic clearly knew how to conceal it. Just like I learned to hide my own magic power through Schtrom, someone here had the same skills. It could be anyone.
"Thomas, ###### ######## #######. ######## #########."
"?"
I hadn't caught her words the first time. When I asked her to repeat, Hannah spoke more slowly.
What she said surprised me.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Come with ###### Mikey to ###### Level ######## travel ### ########### ######."
With the little amount that I could comprehend, I pieced her words together and if I'm not wrong... she was inviting me to leave camp!
"Okay!" I agreed immediately.
The invitation took me off guard, but it was a welcome one.
My first official exploration. I wonder where we'll go.
Hannah retrieved my backpack from who-knows-where and helped sort my things. We left the medical tent and stocked up on supplies. She filled one bag, then another, then another—damn, she was packing a lot, and I was to carry everything.
As I followed her around camp, gathering supplies, the wanderers were busy fortifying the perimeter.
There was... a tense atmosphere.
Blockades rose, taller than the tallest person in the camp, while the usually friendly faces hurried past me, their smiles replaced with grim expressions.
Their fear was palpable—something big had clearly happened while I was asleep, and the fact that I was in the dark about it was infuriating.
Seriously? This is how I wake up?
What the hell happened?
"Thomas, let's go." Hannah tried to pat me on the head again. Instead of swatting her hand away, I sidestepped to avoid it.
"?"
I wasn't heartless enough to smack an injured woman. Don't look at me like that.
At last, the moment for exploration arrived. We walked to the camp's entrance and bumped into a familiar face.
"Mikey?"
"No, don't call ####### ### I am Michael!"
Mikey was all geared up as well, even more so than usual. Going on another expedition too, huh?
"Thomas, you go ##### with Mikey." Hannah suddenly mentioned, pushing me towards Mikey.
Wait, what?
I'm leaving with him?
"Hannah. You. Stay?" Looking back, I asked her.
"Yeah." She showed me her bandaged arm. I mean, it made sense. Hannah wasn't in a condition to be traveling with that.
Wait, something's weird.
...if someone used healing magic on Hannah, why isn't she fully healed? Why is Mikey the only one?
The fuck is this discrimination? Is it because Hannah is a woman? What an asshole...
Woah, woah, woah. Let's not jump to conclusions. They're probably not as good as me, that's all.
"Mikey, take #### my ######## ## ###."
Hannah opened one of the bags I was carrying and handed him a handgun. He gratefully accepted it, holstering it under his clothes.
"I. Go. With. Mikey..."
It was decided then. I'll be leaving with Mikey.
Truthfully, I wanted to stay. The people of the camp were agitated, and now that I knew Hannah was staying, I wanted to be close to her, just in case.
This might sound dumb, but I might be a little attached to her. Just a little. Hell, I feel something for everyone in the camp. However, she takes priority.
...maybe I'm too attached? I never realized this before.
I've been getting too comfortable, it seems. In that case, I definitely have to leave.
I steeled myself and waved her goodbye. "Bye. Bye. Hannah."
"Come on, Thomas. We #### ## hurry."
Mikey patted me on the shoulder. Reluctantly, I followed him out of camp.
Well, it's not like I can't leave additional security behind.
Whatever it is that's going on, it's hella suspicious.
I created an invisible barrier around the camp. That ought to be enough—I spent a good chunk of my mana pool on it.
Mikey stopped before a Level door and kicked it open. "Come!"
Damn, someone's in a rush.
We were greeted by the cold night air. The temperature dropped to a single digit, and the mellow light of the tunnel was replaced by moonlight and neon strips.
I didn't think that I would return to the Neon train station so quickly. I was just here the last time I was conscious.
Still, taking in the fresh air here felt calming.
Looking around, Mikey nudged me and pointed to the train station in the distance. I nodded, and we speedwalked towards it.
"..."
"..."
He was silent. So was I. It seemed like a serious kind of silence. I didn't know him all that well, even if we interacted a few times in the past.
"...Mikey."
"Hmm?"
Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a chocolate bar. I had a bunch from my prior visit to the station. In the first place, it's thanks to him that I knew where to find these tasty treats.
He smiled. "Thanks, Thomas kiddo."
I'm just repaying you for the chocolates you've given me. I retorted in my head. Although, I'm still older than you. Don't call me kiddo.
I grabbed another one for myself and munched on it.
We reached the end of the platform and descended a set of stairs into the train tunnels.
A majority of the wanderers we passed seemed agitated while clutching what resembled posters. They were looking for something or someone. They used to be much more relaxed just a while ago.
I tossed it to the back of my mind. We're in the same boat. Michael and I are out on a mission too, although I don't know what we're doing. That just means I need to focus more.
A high-pitched screech reached my ears as we began to ascend a different train platform.
Metal scraped against metal as a train came to a screeching halt, right on time.
"Hurry!" yelled Mikey.
We ran up the stairs. I saw more and more of the train as we climbed higher.
Like the rest of the station, neon lights covered the train from top to bottom. Its design reminded me of the trains before my reincarnation with hints of wear and tear.
The doors started closing. Mikey and I squeezed through the gap at the last moment.
There were plenty of seats available. Mikey quickly sat down to take a breather. I handed him some almond water.
I remained standing as the train shook into motion. I kept my balance, eyes focused beyond the windows as the train accelerated to impossible speeds.
The view outside became nothing but a blur. And moments before the train rammed into the Level's border—
"Woah... What kind of logic is this?"
—the train phased through the corporeal and incorporeal like an unstoppable phantom.
Suddenly, the train was zooming through multiple Levels every few seconds, ignoring any and all obstacles in its way. The scenery shifted like a blurry slideshow.
A cityscape, then an ocean view, then green hills with identical houses, all stretching without limit. I found it hard to peel my gaze away.
Mikey joined my sightseeing, snacking on chocolate as we did.
There wasn't much to do other than wait.
"Mikey. Teach. Me." I pulled out my notes, feeling bored enough to study.
"Hmm, no."
"Why." I tilted my head.
"Call #### ### Sir Michael. I ##### teach you ###### ### Sir Michael."
"Sir Michael?"
"Yes. Call me Sir Michael."
"Sir Michael. Teach. Me."
Unlike Hannah, Michael was an actual teacher at the camp. I'll learn more from him in a day than her in two weeks.
In the middle of our lesson, the door to the train driver's compartment opened, attracting the attention of every wanderer on board. Out came a man wearing a ticket collector's uniform.
Scratch that, he wasn't a normal man. He only had one eye. The rest of his face was blank. Unnerving to look at as always. The uncanny valley is strong with this one.
The semi-faceless entity waltzed up to a wanderer—another passenger like Michael and I.
The wanderer gave him a ticket. After scrutinizing the ticket, the collector snipped it in half with a pair of scissors. He then went to another wanderer, repeating the process.
...I don't have a ticket.
I nudged Michael. He followed my gaze.
With no panic whatsoever, Michael confidently reached into his pocket and took out a ticket.
Nice.
But that was when his expression turned into panic. He checked his other pockets. They were empty.
Uhh, not nice?
It dawned on me that Michael only had one ticket, and there were two of us. Did he drop the other one while we were hurrying?
Great. Just great.
The ticket collector was getting closer and closer. Every wanderer he checked so far had a ticket. The consequences of not having one were still a mystery.
"Here, have ####."
Michael shoved our only ticket into my hand. Then, he stealthily reached under his clothes. His fingers wrapped around the gun Hannah handed him.
The consequences must have been dire enough.
"No."
I stopped him, handing the ticket back. Confused, he tried to give it again, but I used magic to keep it glued to his fingers. Michael looked at the ticket with a weird expression. "?"
Finally, the faceless ticket collector stopped in front of me.
Our eyes met. I was sitting down, and the ticket collector expressionlessly glared at me.
Get it? Expressionless? You know, because he doesn't have a face? Half a face anyway.
Once more, Michael reached for his gun.
Ehem. Let's stop kidding before Michael does something unnecessary.
A sliver of haki escaped me. The train shook with greater turbulence. I kept staring at the ticket collector.
"..."
Slowly, the ticket collector lowered his head.
Then, he turned to my companion.
"Huh? Me?" Michael's hand halted, seeing the ticket collector turn his attention to him. "Here..." He presented his ticket, and the collector snipped it in half before moving on.
Murmurs erupted from the nearby wanderers. There was no need to guess who they were talking about.
Michael's inquisitive stare was also pretty heavy, but I heard him mutter something about the perks of being a Faceling. The train ride was peaceful.
Soon, the train began to slow. As a side note, a faceless entity was driving it.
The brakes clamped down on the tracks that extended to infinity and beyond. The neon colors emitted by the train reflected on ceramic white tiles and shallow, blue-green water.
Another interesting place...
With a hiss, the doors opened, allowing the colorful water to rush inside. It didn't feel dangerous, and no one else seemed cautious. It's a good thing I was wearing high boots, though. No wet socks for little old me.
I walked a step behind Michael, exiting the train. We found ourselves in a maze of brightly lit halls with pools of blue water. Ceramic tiles covered the walls and floors, reflecting the light into every corner.
An endless, tranquil Level. The water felt comfortably warm, like when you piss in the ocean and feel it rush against you before drifting away...
Well, shit. I just ruined it for myself. But it was the most accurate way to describe it.
The passengers of the train scattered in all directions. An extra hundred people would be roaming this Level, but the chances of meeting them again were nearly zero. None headed in the same direction as us.
I wonder what drove them to explore the unknown. Unhindered by uncertainty, or fear. I'm only confident because of my powers.
Elevated side paths hugged the walls just above the water. We walked on them. The empty train drove off as we began our journey through the Level.
"Aaaah~ Wawawahahauuu~"
My voice echoed quite easily despite all the water. I sang some tunes to pass the time.
"♪ Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore...♪"
Where are we going anyway?
While I didn't mind walking in any particular direction, Michael does have an objective in mind. We weren't just wandering—more like traveling. That's the vibe I got from him anyway.
I drew on my journal. It was a drawing of the Level we were currently on.
"Good drawing!" Michael said, impressed.
Beside the drawing, I added the symbol equivalent to a hashtag to ask for a number.
I learned in the camp that they designate numbers to Levels they know of. Level 0, Level 1, Level 2, and so on.
Michael brooded for a moment. "Level 37."
"Okay."
According to Michael, the train dropped us off at Level 37, the pool Level we were in.
I drew an arrow extending from my drawing of Level 37 to another page.
Michael looked at it for a few moments. Then, he realized what I was trying to say.
"Level 38." Michael then drew another arrow. "Level 39. Done."
Alright, progress. Thank God for the art skills! They're pretty useful for getting my intentions across.
At least I know where our destination and route are now. Too bad I don't know what Level 38 or 39 looked like. Michael wasn't an artistic person either. When I asked him to draw, it looked like those nonsensical modern art pieces. That didn't help much. I can't interfere with the paths if I don't know where we're going.
So, while we speedwalked, I opted to study this world's language under Michael.
******
"Are you walking?"
"Yes. I. Am. Walking."
"How are you walking?"
"Quick. And. Quiet."
"Good job. Now, where are we going?"
"Level. 39."
"Excellent work!"
A few days passed. While learning from Michael, I restarted my magic experimentation out of boredom. It reminded me of home too much though, so I stopped. I then refocused all my attention on studying the language.
Three more weeks passed. All I've done is walk, practice, and talk with Michael. The three weeks flew by quickly, even if it was repetitive. One thing I noticed is that I've gotten better at learning new things. Compared to when I was learning ☆◎○▽◇□※▽△ back then, I could easily pick up words and phrases. I probably picked up a brain upgrade somewhere.
Very neat.
Finally, our surroundings became a bit more interesting. We reached a part of Level 37 with minimal light.
The blue-green water shifted into a darker and greener hue, the uniform layout became narrower and more chaotic, and the usually pristine tiles were now covered in filth.
A subspace. I concluded.
If Level 37 was a piece of paper, then the area we stumbled into was a sticky note.
This place isn't safe.
Once I stepped into this shabby space, I felt it in the water and the air. Tiny life. Miniscule microorganisms.
An otherworldly bacteria.
An entity can be easily intimidated. Not these little suckers though.
Michael didn't want to turn back. He wore a mask and covered his eyes with goggles. So he knows about the bacteria. While he prepared himself, I continuously killed the microorganisms around us with magic.
He tried to put those goofy-looking goggles on me. I evaded him since there was no need.
I had to convince him I'd be fine before we could continue moving forward.
The journey continued.
"Look. There." After a few minutes, I pointed at something in the distance.
Hundreds of meters away, peeking behind a corner, a faint orange light reflected weakly across the dirty water.
"Level 38?" I asked Michael.
"Lucky! Follow me, Thomas." Michael looked at me with appreciation. I did nothing though. Hannah probably told him some weird things about me...
We hurried towards it.
We turned the corner to get a better look. A thick smog accompanied the orange light. I couldn't see a few meters in front of me.
Nevertheless, onwards we go!
The tiles became paved dirt and stone. The enclosed, dark, and damp area became dry and open like a desert. The smog kept me from seeing more than a few meters ahead as if there was an ongoing sandstorm.
I coughed after breathing in the smog. My nostrils felt violated.
Yeeesh. It's like someone shoved my head inside a car's exhaust pipe.
I whispered under my breath.
"Wuld." (Breeze—Improvised Shout)
A strong wind began to blow across my face. Michael's hair fluttered like blades of grass in a hurricane.
The thick curtain of orange smog swept past us. It should clear up in a bit.
Yet no matter how much the wind blew, the smog remained.
It should have dispersed by now. I clicked my tongue. The wind died down soon enough. Always with the infinities, this damn place...
"Sir Michael. Follow. Me."
After signaling to Michael, I dragged him deeper into the smog.
He coughed. The fog was getting even thicker. "Thomas?"
Time to intervene.
The air around me distorted faintly, letting us breathe like normal. Then, I took control of the Level, distorting the paths that led to other Levels to converge a few meters away from us. From there, it was only a matter of leading Michael to it.
"How..." Under the cover of the smog, Michael couldn't have seen my tampering, only the result. "...the fuck?"
A wooden gate.
Blue neon lights in the distance.
A sign with an arrow due East.
The blaring of a ship's horn.
A trail of leaves on the floor.
Tiles similar to the ones in Level 37.
Six paths led to six different Levels, one of which was a path to return to the previous one.
I spoke to my stunned companion. "Level 39. Which. One?"
"I... what the... huh...?"
His face showed a mixture of confusion and astonishment.
"This is ######## too strange ######."
Michael looked at me with suspicion.
I didn't panic. As a matter of fact, I expected it. I'm not that stupid.
I flicked my wrist. A large, spherical dome made of ice erupted from the ground, sheltering us from the smog.
"What the fuck?!" Michael grabbed my shoulders and shook me like a rattle.
From this point forward, I wouldn't hide my magic. Now that I knew more about this world, there's really no need.
My magic isn't special. Magic already existed in this world, as I discovered upon waking up. Not necessarily inside people, since I haven't seen anyone like that, but there is evidence of its use.
And I'm trying to leave breadcrumbs. Having people spread the word that they saw me using magic is the best way to do so. Hopefully, it'll reach the ear of someone who can use magic like me.
My distortions, however, were my trump card. I've only seen one entity use it. It's also pretty fucking powerful and useful in this world.
I know I called it Hax Mode before as a joke... but it wasn't inaccurate.
I'll keep my distortions hidden. Mostly.
"Level 39..." I started feeling a little dizzy from all the shaking.
"Oh, right! Right!" Michael stopped shaking me, but a hint of incredulity remained. "Follow me... what in the world..."
Michael chose the trail of leaves. The more we followed it, the easier it became to breathe.
Small branches started appearing in the distance as the smog began to dissipate. Then, larger branches. Then a whole trunk, followed by multiple trees of an unknown species.
"Are. We. In. Level 39?" I said.
"Yeah."
The orange smog was replaced by little puffs of mist. Without the smog, I could finally see much better.
We arrived in a foggy, enchanting forest.
I looked to the sky. It was nearing nightfall—one half of the sky was dyed a purple-ish blue, while the other half was a mix of red and honey-gold.
"Anyway, ##### ###! Thomas! What was that, huh?!" Michael waved his arms around.
"☆◎Magic▽△," I said in the language of my previous world. Light left my palm and surrounded my body. I made it shift through the colors of the rainbow for added magicalness.
"W-W-W-W-W-W-Whaaaa..."
I kept it coming, making water out of thin air. Michael seemed terribly conflicted, the way he looked back and forth between me and my magic. It's like he couldn't decide if he wanted to grill me for answers or keep watching.
"...aaaaaaäaaaaaãaaaâaaåaāà..."
Yeah, he's somewhere in the middle.
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. 3D mana constructs. I cycled through each one. I planned on showing more to make my capabilities clear.
However.
I stopped my actions once I smelled the misty air.
Something stinks.
The forest was quiet, the occasional sound of rustling leaves being the only noise in a kilometer radius.
Level 39, through my observations, was quite small. Much larger than the neon train station, but not infinite like other Levels. The path we took led to us appearing on the perimeter of the Level.
I detected no life in this place. Not in the seemingly lush flora that is this forest, and not even microorganisms.
This smell...
I frowned. Magic power swiftly rushed out of me in preparation.
"Sir Michael. Level 39. Is. Dangerous."
My words made him snap out of it. He regained the serious look he usually sported.
"Bad? No, ##### #### it is safe." Michael raised his doubts. He was confident, but my instincts don't just get triggered by nothing.
Upon seeing my expression, however, Michael hesitantly retrieved his gun. His eyes thinned into slits as he surveilled our foggy surroundings. "I don't see anything. Stay behind me."
My reply was immediate. "No."
I'll show you what I can do.
From the ground, I conjured a powerful blast of air to dissipate the fog. It wasn't as thick as the smog of the previous Level, but it did hinder our vision.
The hush of the forest was broken by a symphony of rustling leaves.
"?!"
Yes, it was me. Stop looking at me like that.
With the fog gone, we scanned our surroundings with our backs against each other.
"Look over there." Michael spotted something shiny in the distance.
I boosted my eyesight. The source of the sheen was armor, and someone was wearing it.
Not someone. Something.
Humanoid in appearance, but too bulky to be human. Its torso alone was as thick as the surrounding trees, and its head resembled that of a deformed gorilla.
"Entity," I announced.
Michael aimed his gun, but I raised a hand to tell him otherwise.
The entity was already dead.
We cautiously approached it for a closer look. The closer we were, the more apparent its large size became.
The gorilla entity was bathed in dried, purple blood—the entity's own blood. The barrel-sized holes near its heart must've been the killing blow.
This magic signature... this entity was a magician?
Not a magic beast or a mindless entity, but an actual intelligent entity.
By definition, magic beasts are animals with magic power inside them. People differed from beasts by being capable of controlling the mana with their will. This is usually done through spells, but they are magicians as long as they control mana.
I crouched beside the dead entity. From what I could discern, Mister Gorilla has been dead for three days. Also, he had approximately 200x the magic power of a normal person.
Quite powerful. More than that, his body was part flesh and part mana, reminiscent of how physical enhancement magic operates but also different.
It lasts even after death because it has become a part of him. A permanent boost like that... very interesting.
I made a mental note to study the permanent physical enhancement effect. For now, his light armor was also of particular interest to me.
This metal... No, is his armor made of animal hide? It's loaded with mana!
The hell? I'm suddenly finding all kinds of magic-related shit the moment I decide searching for them. Has magic really been this common all along? I just needed to get out and explore?
"Thomas, look there."
I turned my head to where Michael was pointing.
Where there should have been trees was a large, artificial clearing. Countless tree trunks were snapped in half or shredded to pieces, letting the sun's setting rays shed light on the area.
So that's why it was so stinky.
What could only be described as a graveyard for monstrous beings was there for all to see.
Mister Gorilla was humanoid, but most of the entities resembled the stuff of folklore.
The concentration of mana was suffocating, and so too was the stench.
These entities were nothing like I'd ever seen. Mister Gorilla was just a chump compared to the size and the amount of mana these guys were emitting despite being dead for some time.
...the hunter-gatherer side of me is twitching like mad. To make my hair stand on end despite being dead for so long...
"Michael. Stay."
I couldn't contain my curiosity.
I ran to the pile of loot before he could dissuade me.
"Hey! You come back ##### now!"
Michael tried to run after me, only to stop after a few steps. He was heaving like he just ran a marathon.
That's right. You can't follow me, so just wait there.
Time for a quick magic recap.
-All living beings generate magic power (in my previous world anyway).
-Not all living beings can control magic power.
-Magic power dissipates over time.
The tens of thousands of bodies on the forest clearing were constantly releasing mana to their surroundings. The dead can't exactly control their magic power, so it's spilling out like blood from an open wound.
High concentrations of mana can exert pressure on a body and the environment.
Someone who has little mana can't resist it, much less Michael who had none. Eventually, the mana will dissipate, which is why only the area around the bodies are full of mana.
The student thus becomes the teacher, even if I'm really only talking to myself like a schizo.
I'm more surprised that this forest Level is still intact from the magic pressure. Hmm...
Vacuum Wave
I shot sharp winds towards a random tree.
A clear hit, yet there wasn't even a scratch. I fired another with more magic. No damage.
Only when I imagined it to split in half did it finally fall.
My brows furrowed. A tenth of the magic power in my body was spent on that one attack alone.
After recovering my magic power, I approached the tree and tried to pluck a leaf from a branch. I couldn't pull it out no matter what, not even with physical enhancement magic.
For them to cause this much destruction to the forest... Some of these dead dudes are already monstrous. Just how strong were the victors of this battle?
I shivered at the thought.
Doesn't sound like my problem though.
I created a hunting knife and approached one of the corpses. I set my sights on an oversized alligator-looking monster. It was one of the weakest out of everything else here.
When I tried to cut into its skin, the blade snapped in half.
I looked at the broken blade with awe. What could have possibly killed you in this world? Definitely not those sickly dogs.
I created another knife and enchanted it. As I brought it down once more, runic symbols appeared on its surface.
I was met with little resistance. I carved through the alligator's skin and harvested whatever I could.
While I was doing that, Michael called out to me before leaving. He's begun looking for whatever it is he is here for. I can help him later when I'm done.
I used physical enhancement to speed up the work. I ought to be able to do something with these parts. Just gotta figure out what. I dismantled more entities to familiarize myself with their anatomy.
There were more than a hundred types of entities, and only one me. Let's keep this "short."
"Tiid." (Slow Time)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"You look ###### tired." Michael sat down on the ground to rest.
"..."
For two sleepless weeks, I dismantled and studied the magical entities. To Michael, only an hour would have passed all thanks to Slow Time.
My arms are so damn sore...
I plopped down beside a tree, taking a much-needed break.
The alligator monster was relatively easy to work on, considering it was similar to a normal one. I skinned that thing in 10 minutes with my hunting knife and magic.
But not the other ones. Some were too big for a hunting knife to be effective. Others were just impossible to cut into with conventional methods. For my knife's enchantments, I had to apply more and more of the Dragon Language's power with each successive monster to keep up with the increasing difficulty, something that never happened before.
I sipped some almond water as I ran my fingers through my hair.
Oh wait, I got a buzz cut. I'm still not used to it, hehe.
I sipped more almond water as I ran my fingers through my almost non-existent hair. Despite all the work, I was pretty happy with the rewards. I got new materials and a lot of new creatures to draw.
"Yes. Tired." I replied to Michael, hiding the grin on my face. I leaned against the tree as I ate moth jelly.
A yawn escaped me. I was... definitely tired. I just need a little break... sit down for like, 2 measly minutes...
Zzz...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"H-have a good rest."
Michael spent some time observing Thomas sleeping. His expression was heavy with worry... for himself.
'Does Hannah know?! He's the furthest thing from a Faceling!'
Panic, panic, and more panic.
Unbeknownst to Michael, he was traveling with one of the so-called gods of the Backrooms and treating him like a porter.
As a teacher, Michael was knowledgeable about all matters concerning the Backrooms, especially the powerful entities that roamed it. Most were rather temperamental, and only a handful could be described as friendly.
Thomas was the latter, but... everything was happening too fast.
He resisted the urge to bang his head on the ground, thinking back on the times he had treated Thomas like a kid. That could've been grounds for a quick execution.
"Damn it, Hannah! What the fuck have we been harboring?!" Michael screamed. Realizing he had yelled out loud, he quickly covered his mouth and glanced at his sleeping companion.
Thomas didn't stir awake.
He breathed a sigh of relief. 'What to do... what to do...'
Michael's objective remained unchanged. He still had to rescue his students and the Level Key back to camp. He could only hope that Thomas would remain cooperative for the rest of the journey.
At that moment, Thomas shifted in his sleep.
The slight movement suddenly crushed the tree Thomas was leaning on. Michael jumped back in surprise and tripped over an exposed tree root.
Thomas didn't stir awake.
"Ow, my back..." he grumbled as he got up and patted his backside. "How the hell did he do that? Ridiculous thing..."
After not only learning that Thomas was an entity capable of influencing the Backrooms and using his powers, Michael found that Level 39—a level renowned for its tranquility—had become a chaotic mess.
Michael stayed a good 20 feet away from the sleeping Thomas and dug into his memory.
Level 39—Safe/Secure/Devoid of Entities
'Well, not anymore,' Michael commented before recalling more information.
Level 39 is a series of twisting dirt paths with an expansive oak forest covering both sides, spanning approximately 300 km across a circular shape. It is stuck in a constant state of late dusk.
...the paths of Level 39 randomly twist and curve, often creating ineffective loops. Wanderers can easily get lost.
...the trees have been observed to be immovable and indestructible by human means. After further examination, it was observed that every single tree is not alive since their roots gradually progress and fuse with the ground of the Level.
...the environment of Level 39 seems to hypnotize wanderers with a sense of calm and relaxation. This may lead to prolonged stays until the wanderer dies of thirst or starvation. Drink almond water to nullify the effect.
...take refuge in the cabin in the woods, the only place unaffected by the Level's calming properties.
'The last time I came here with my students, it was just a forest that was slightly strange.'
'Something is afoot. I need to report this immediately.'
Michael scratched his head in worry.
'For now, remember why you're here.'
Michael prayed that the students didn't get caught up in whatever bullshit that went down.
'The cabin isn't too far. They should still be there.'
Michael looked at Thomas in wonder. Seeing him sleep so peacefully made it difficult to accept that he was, in fact, more than meets the eye.
"...I'll be back."
After taking a few minutes to organize his belongings, Michael set out.
Thomas didn't stir awake, completely relaxed.