Step! Step!
Her footsteps are slow but extremely loud as they echo inside of the corridor, making them the only sound audible inside of it. It’s a similar corridor to what the Hero had to go through to access the area he is in; however, it’s not the same one of course. It’s in fact, the corridor for the next area. She can freely move around the Bubble Universe as her Empress allows her such freedom and that’s why she’s able to go past the colossal door that stopped the Hero dead on his tracks and forced him to find a way to unlock it. Indeed, although there isn’t much that she can do as not only her Empress forbade her from taking action unless extremely necessary, she also ordered her to guide the Hero and only provide physical assistance to him in the case something out of the ordinary happens. Her Empress has an idea of how the story will unfold but having in consideration that their enemies are the very Defects of the very world, the possibility for unforeseen events to happen are extremely high. If it wasn’t for such, there wouldn’t be any need for Miranda to be here as the Hero could and can easily handle the task in his hands.
“Sigh, I hope I can relax a little bit…”
A mere desire from her but one that she hopes will become true. She has just stepped out of the corridor and the opposite of the previous one, this one didn’t lead her into a room but instead, to the outside. A large area that is surrounded by a wall, one that is tall enough that it makes it impossible to be able to see what’s in the horizon. Of course, this wall follows the same philosophy in terms of design as all the others. However, there is a small detail on them that makes them stand out a little more than the previous ones. Nothing too drastic as he would say but enough to catch your attention to it because of it. The passage of time has started to take effect on it as it has a few vines throughout it, but ones that only reach close to a ? of the total height of the wall. This area has been forgotten for a few good years, that is the simple conclusion he would reach but the same can be said about anyone that steps inside this area. The same can be said about everything else that is present here. Nothing unusual for her as she has previously “explored” all the areas that are present in this universe.
Though, something quickly caught her attention.
“Where are the Void Constructs?”
This is odd, there should be a few of them roaming around here, defeating any Shadow that happens to spawn. He hasn’t progressed further enough in her story for this place to be overrun by the Shadow and if that was the case, at the very least some of them would be here. Yet, nothing, not one nor the other… Maybe they only appear once a Shadow spawns? Probably more than one as a mere Shadow by itself is not a threat at all unless of course, their strength starts to climb to the realm of S rank. In this case they can do a bit of damage around here. But it’s improbable for them to spawn at that rank as it still is far too early for that to happen. The more he progresses with the story, the stronger the Shadows will become and the dire the situation will be as a consequence of it. It wouldn’t make sense for such powerful Shadows to appear this early as Kiana is still fine. I could deduct that my Empress did something but these Void Constructs are created by the Void Whale and while she could easily take control of them, she has decided for the Whale to be in charge of them.
“Although… There are a few magic residues around here.”
The girl keeps on slowly walking forward, carefully inspecting her surroundings, gently but masterfully sensing everything around her. All the magic present here is currently being thoroughly inspected by her, their exact quantity, their strength and even who they belong to will be discovered in a few short moments as she’s that good with the skill Magic Sense. Though apart from that, there’s not much she can do to figure out what might be happening. Everything seems to be in place, there are no signs of battle whatsoever, no vestiges of either the Shadows nor the Void Constructs or as the Hero likes to call them, the Crystal Monsters. A few seconds go by and roughly half of the area has been thoroughly inspected by her, showing to the world itself how good she truly is with said skill. But only after exactly 1 minute and 25 seconds she was done studying the entire area and the magical residues present on it.
“All of these residues belong to Void Constructs. There isn’t even a single magic residue from a Shadow whatsoever.”
This is odd. From what I understand, there were Void Constructs in here but something happened to them. It does not seem that the Void Whale deconstructed them, making them crumble into pieces and then dissipate into the world. If that was the case, this entire area would be filled with magic, something that is not happening right now as only a few specific places have magic residues on them. But even then, after a few long hours, the Bubble Universe would’ve fully consumed the “unnatural” magic in the area; however, it would do so in a uniform way, slowly consuming everything in union. What’s currently happening is that, in some small areas there are those magic residues, a phenomenon that wouldn’t happen in normal cases. If the Void Whale deconstructed her minions, their magic would spread out somewhat equally, and depending on their strength and numbers, the area that will be “infected” will be bigger or smaller. Having in consideration that around thirty or so Void Constructs were supposed to be here, their numbers and strength would basically swallow this entire area with their magic.
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“This means that something defeated them... One by one I would say.”
When a Void Construct is defeated, their magic is not spread out but instead it stays around its core. The reason for this is that the core is what provides the body with magic, allowing it to move around and even act independent. In a sense, it can be said that the core is both the heart and the brain of the Void Constructs. When the Void Whale deconstructs one of her minions, the process of doing so is what makes their magic spread out just like a wildfire would in the middle of a forest. Their entire bodies lose form in an instant, transforming into magic in the process. When a Void Constructs is defeated the same happens but the process is much slower, as what’s left of it, it slowly loses form, slowly transforming into magic and dissipating into the environment afterwards. Exactly what’s happening at this moment.
However, as the girl is slowly putting together what might have happened, a few unwanted visitors decide to ruin her little adventure.
Roar! Magic noises!
Several Shadows appear out of thin air, quickly surrounding her in the process. Several of them, all different types and of course strengths. As the Hero has said several times before, in a normal situation this would’ve been the death sentence of whoever was far too unfortunate enough to be surrounded by a group of Shadows, they are that dangerous to a normal person. But in this current situation the one that is surrounded is no other than someone whose strength should round the SSS rank realm or in other terms, someone strong enough to deal with these pests rather easily. Although, while she’s not worried about her safety at all as these Shadows strength round the realm of B rank, she still couldn’t stop her mind to be surprised at this phenomenon as she didn’t sense or hear them appear.
“How did all of you get here… And without even me sensing it?”
How’s that possible? My Magic Sense skill not only is always active, I’ve mastered it beyond reason. I should’ve sensed them the moment they “opened a portal” to this Bubble Universe. Yet, I was unable to do so, allowing them to catch me off guard because of it. I can easily deal with them but, I doubt these measly 10 Shadows are the only ones of them. More are coming, I have a feeling about it but the early problem arises, where from and how. Let’s deal with these Shadows first, they are quite eager to consume me after all.
Roar! Slash!
Indeed, these Defects are eager to consume her after all, with so much magic energy right in front of them, why wouldn’t they? Their own purpose in life is to consume, consume and consume anything and everything that has a single ounce of magic on it. All in hopes to gain strength, all with the desire to become the next Demon Lord. Though, why would he create such beings if their own purpose in life is to take his spot? Maybe he wants them to get stronger so that he then can consume them instead, gaining even more power in the process? Whatever the reasons for such despicable acts are, what’s needed to be done is always going to be the same. Dispose of these Defects and the monstrosity that created them. Several Shadows at once run up towards her, all with hopes to get a tasty meal. There are 5 in total that try their luck, they all look different from each other but their strength is roughly within the same realm, between B- and B rank. However, while they are running up to her in union, thanks to the difference in strength and general “looks”, the canine Shadow is the first one to close the distance between them, leaping towards the girl in an attempt of biting her head off. He missed, even though she had his back to him, she more than could “see” him coming, allowing her to comfortably dodge him by simply side stepping to the side a few centimetres and while she did so, she counter attacked, cutting him in half with a simple but extremely deadly swipe, one that was done with the help of magic. She surrounded her hand with Black Magic, an ominous aura coloured in an abyss black but with a few shades of grey to it, with said aura she shapes it to something akin to a small blade, more so a knife, one that is extremely sharp, allowing her to slice through the chaotic body of the Shadow with ease and destroying the core at the same time.
Three other Shadows close the remaining distance between her, these ones although their strength vary by quite a bit, their appearance on the other hand it’s extremely similar to each other. They seem to be something akin to what Shadows that my Hero defeated previously, they are that similar but their strength in this case is vastly superior. With their arm wide open ready to show her some love, a deadly kind, they leap at her ready to embrace her and most probably, bite her head off after all, what kind of “animal” can survive by having its head bitten off? This time around there isn’t much of an escape for her as they somehow were able to cut off three potential directions, leaving her only with the option of dodging backwards. Though, someone of her strength, does she need to dodge any of these Defects at all?
