After talking for a while, I can now confirm that the one who came here is just an avatar of the Dark Witch. So it's not like I have zero chance—but I still need to plan things out very carefully.
But first, I should finish consuming these dark magic-infused flowers.
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Finally done!
Just a moment ago, it was still a massive tree, but now it's completely vanished. As it fell, many cocoons that had been hanging from it dropped to the ground.
I checked through them and found a wide variety inside—including humans—but all had been completely drained and turned into nutrients for the tree. And now, the tree has become nutrients for me.
Is this the brutality of the food chain?
Will I one day become food for another species too...?
"What kind of nonsense are you thinking about now?"
Ah!
Hey, could you not just whack me on the head every time I let my guard down?
"You're imagining yourself getting eaten—what else am I supposed to do except hit you?"
Okay, I admit I was thinking nonsense… but you didn't have to hit me so hard… Anyway, Seina and I argued for a bit, but it ended quickly.
What's the situation now, Seina?
I have to keep checking, because if the battle out there has already been decided, then my only option is to run as fast as possible—not think about stealing any rewards.
"They're still fighting, but that dragon looks like it can't hold out much longer."
Ah, another urgent rescue mission followed by some looting, huh… But the enemy this time is seriously over my level.
The only thing I have that counters the Dark Witch isn't strong enough to use yet.
"Um… I could give it a try."
Oh? You have a plan, Suzu?
"It's nothing too special, but if you let me control your body and cast magic, the power will increase significantly. I can't guarantee success, but it gives us better odds."
Hmm…
Letting Suzu cast the magic is definitely a good idea, but her body control is still lacking, so I'm afraid she'll take a hit from a counterattack.
"Did you forget about my Inference system?" Seina chimed in.
No, but even if you can predict, it's useless if Suzu doesn't react in time.
"What if you and Suzu link up? You stay in control of the body, but when it's time to cast magic, switch over to Suzu."
That could work, but it requires extremely precise coordination between us.
Can you do it, Suzu?
"I-I'll… try my best!"
Then let's go.
"If you're still planning to go, Shiraori, then take this with you."
Meradis spoke and handed me a small, glowing circular object.
Huh?
"This is a Corporeal Spirit Pearl. Every Spirit is born with one. It contains everything that makes up a Spirit and also has the power to resist Dark Magic."
Eh?
"Isn't that incredibly valuable? Are you sure it's okay to give it to me? Besides, I can absorb Dark Power just fine."
I tried to refuse immediately, but she forced it into my hands.
"Don't lump the Dark Witch's power in with everything else. Just consider it an extra layer of protection. I'll be waiting here with the other Corporeal Spirits and Spirits."
I didn't want to accept it, but seeing Meradis's resolute expression, I could only accept it helplessly.
"I promise I'll protect it with all I've got."
That was a sincere vow from the bottom of my heart.
"Thank you."
After that, following Seina's guidance, we headed toward the deepest part of this place. Meanwhile, Meradis and her group returned to the gate to wait for us.
While we were on the move, Suzu asked if she could upgrade [Holy Magic] to level seven, saying it would be a huge help.
I didn't want to waste Skill Points like that, but when she mentioned it might save my life, I didn't hesitate.
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Ugh!
Just seeing those numbers from the system makes my heart ache… But since I've already done it, I hope it's worth the cost.
Let's see what it does now.
< Level 1 – Blessing: Heals physical wounds for allies or self, especially effective against wounds from [Dark Magic].
Level 2 – Purify: Removes all negative effects currently affecting the user, highly effective against [Dark Magic] wounds.
Level 3 – Saint Slash: Summons a "Holy Sword" that swipes forward and explodes on impact, inflicting the "Holy" attribute on targets within a 5-meter radius.
Level 4 – Saint Pierce: Summons a "Holy Sword" that pierces forward through all barriers, also inflicting "Holy" on all targets in its path.
Level 5 - Eternal Flame: Summons part of the immortal flame from the peak of Imperior, which cannot be extinguished until the target is completely incinerated.>>
Level 6 – Benediction: Instantly increases all stats by 50% for five minutes. Afterward, all stats are reduced by 30% for three minutes.
Level 7 – Nirvana: Allows complete resurrection even after death or disintegration. After revival, all stats are reduced by 50%. If there are any living entities with the "Holy" attribute nearby, the reduction decreases by 3% per entity (up to 10 times). Countdown: 30 days>>
Nai wa!
Totally worth it!
What do I have to be afraid of now?
Hey, Suzu, don't tell me you already knew the effects of the remaining levels? Hurry up and tell me!
"U-um… I think… once you unlock them, you'll find out yourself."
Suzu sounded a bit hesitant, which only confirmed how terrifying the effects of the remaining levels must be. But fine—I'll wait until I unlock them myself.
For now, the important thing is that I've gained a "resurrection shield," so I can afford to fight a little more recklessly. Though the stat penalty after revival is something I'll have to deal with.
"Oh, you just need to have some living creatures follow you and slash them once. The 'Holy' attribute will automatically be applied," Suzu said.
Alright, let's go find some prey first...
Dark God's Eye, dragon buddy, Dark Witch… here I come!
…
Here it comes!
Even without seeing his face, the pressure bearing down on me was undeniable. They've been fighting for so long, yet neither shows signs of weakening…
Stay calm…
I need to find the right moment to jump in.
"First, you need to hide." Seina reminds me.
Right…
I retreat to a safe distance and activate the Inference system to assess the battle.
From what I see, the dragon friend is on the back foot—constantly dodging dark magic and limited to ranged attacks.
Meanwhile, the Dark Witch is pushing forward confidently, but is occasionally distracted by the Eye attempting to escape—a moment the dragon seizes to counterattack.
This is truly a three-way clash, each with their own goals. To claim the Eye, I must engage both sides simultaneously.
I take a deep breath, steady my nerves, and silently leap into the fray. The air buzzes with smoke and potent mana, and gusts of heat from the dragon's fire attacks stoke the tension.
Stay focused!
I rely on Stealth to approach unseen, positioning myself in a shadowed corner. The Dark Witch is cornering the dragon, yet moves with calculated precision.
I cast Heaven's Net, firing resilient spider silk strands overhead to form a trap against anyone who nears. The Eye detects me—glancing warily—then refocuses on the witch, seeking an escape.
"Be patient!" Seina whispers.
I nod inwardly, activating Enhanced Vision, Focus, and Heaven Eye to keep track of every move.
The Dark Witch isn't fazed by the dragon's counterattacks. He raises his hand—dark mana surging up like an underground fountain.
"Dark Chains!"
The Dark Witch raised her pitch-black hand high. From her palm, jet-black chains immediately shot out like venomous snakes. The chains were not only made of Dark magic, but also emitted a roaring sensation as if they had their own consciousness. As they bound the dragon's body, I could hear the sound of magic rubbing against the dragon's scales, emitting a piercing screeching sound.
The chains tightly wrapped around the dragon's wings and neck, completely restricting its movements, making it unable to escape no matter how hard it struggled. Under the suppression of [Dark Chain], even a creature with brutal power like a dragon was pressed down, screaming helplessly.
Even a dragon is suppressed by these dark chains.
This is the moment.
Go all in.
I bolt toward the Eye. It darts away—but not without challenge this time.
I enact Flash and dash forward. My forelegs morph into razor blade legs from Blade Leg, forcing the Eye to swerve and slam into a wall, sending dark mana reverberations outwards.
"Don't let it escape!" Seina shouts.
I fire Spider Silk, ensnaring the Eye to bring it closer.
Suddenly, the Dark Witch counters.
"Abyssal Ruin!"
Just as I was about to pull my eye closer, the Dark Wizard suddenly launched a counterattack. He extended a hand towards me, his palm spinning, then he let it fall as if to end a sentence.
A giant vortex was created in mid-air – it was not wind, nor was it normal energy – but a vortex formed entirely from Dark magic.
[Abyssal Ruin] instantly swallowed both me and the spider web I had shot out earlier. In that moment, the surrounding space seemed to collapse, gravity became chaotic, and a strong suction force pulled me into the center of the vortex.
Can he really use this—here?
I trigger Invincible Shield just in time, crashing into the wall as the barrier absorbs most of the force.
This isn't over yet.
I grit my teeth and unleash Poison Mist. A deep purple cloud envelops the Witch, obscuring his vision. But he remains unmoved—waves it aside like an inconvenience.
Desperate, I cast Paralyzing Evil Eye, but he sidesteps in under a second and closes in again. A single Flash following another—and finally, I escape his grasp… for now.
I pivot and dash to the dragon, delivering a powerful strike that severs the dark chains. The dragon, freed, roars in rage, beats its wings, and sends blazing rock projectiles hurtling at the witch.
I don't pause—I sprint toward him with blade legs raised, but he blocks with ease and retaliates with a punch that sends me careening.
Simultaneously, the dragon's attacks are absorbed by a swirling Dark Magic vortex the Witch conjures.
Damn it—almost anything I try is neutralized.
"Watch out!" Seina alerts me—I feel another surge of mana.
"Dark Prison!"
A snap of my fingers rang out, and immediately a giant black sphere covered the entire area I was standing in. It was the [Dark Prison]. Inside it, light was completely extinguished, there was no direction, no sound.
I felt like I was trapped in an eternally silent space, every move felt like I was being pulled down by an invisible weight. My magic power was stagnant, my reflexes slowed down, forcing me to use [Flash] to escape, otherwise I would have been trapped inside and crushed like a strangled insect.
Meanwhile, the dragon strikes again, cracking the ground with its tail.
"Firestone Barrage!"
Balls of molten rock shoot toward the Witch. He casually raises a dark barrier that stops the onslaught. The explosions echo as hot debris flies outward.
Seizing my chance, I slip in from the flank—blade legs aimed at his back. Just as I'm about to connect, he whips around, glare draining all warmth.
"Evil Eye Destruction!"
Dark mana lashes from his gaze. I dodge with Evasion, but a part of me still takes the hit—and vanishes.
This is lethal.
I fear my end is near.
The dragon bolsters himself with a magic shield, then charges again to engage the Witch head-on.
At the same time, the Eye attempts another escape.
This time, I don't let it. Activating Intimidation, I shoot dozens of silk strands to bind it in place. Exhausted and drained, it can't resist—I increase my webbing until it's firmly held.
All three of us are after the Eye; letting it slip away would be pointless.
I now realize how big the gap is. Surviving—even surviving—is a victory.
"I'm ramping up Inference to simulate the fight!" Seina says.
"Use Soul Link. I can help you channel spells—there's one that will turn the tide." Suzu joins in.
Got it.
I signal the dragon.
It picks up on it.
We charge together—but the Dark Witch raises his hand again. The air grows oppressive.
"Dark Annihilation Array!"
The final skill he used in this part was a massive destructive technique. Under the feet of the three of us – me, my dragon friend, and the eye – a giant magic circle appeared, rotating slowly like a giant machine waking up.
[Dark Annihilation Array] was a type of magic circle that could drain the life force of anyone trapped inside and simultaneously burn their soul with pure Darkness. It was not just for attacking, but a large-scale execution tool, created so that no one could escape unless he allowed it.
Cheat move—unforgivable.
All this time, I'd barely entered the fray, and I'm already facing apocalypse-level magic.
How do I know the names and effects of these skills? Suzu is reading them to me as I go.
But names don't matter now.
I just need a way out.
I refuse to be the first to fall here.
So embarrassing…
You know?!