Murai knew from the get-go that this murder, mana, and Sharpness were all about that crazy sword bastard.

There was nothing else! Nobody. He might have seen him once in this shitty life, but it was enough.

He had heard and learned enough about this madman to make his blood boil and his mind turn worse. No matter how Razmund beat him before, that big-ass sword wasn't there, but who would blame a little man for handling a small duck like a sack of shit?

Murai might.

At least he planned to. Sooner or later, he will get the privilege.

The determination and advance came like a sudden wave, and something much more ominous was ahead. Razmund saw those eyes, looking barred, dirty, bleeding, and scorched after moving nonstop around the ever-changing mess that Lisa unwittingly created.

The Fate was changing... The Dice was screaming and complaining.

Nothing unusual was happening, all things considered.

Murai felt it with his instincts, so when he snapped his Sonar around, he did not need doubts. Lisa recognized this terrible change in time and completely disregarded her victory. She felt much worse about this than her face revealed.

The time limitation and wondering about the directions turned into a fever dream. This failure was her responsibility, though Murai didn't blame her. Nobody did.

Turning around to face a dozen-meter wide and tall mining shaft that went on for hundreds of meters straight, Razmund had a full head of insanity and dirt.

He destroyed a chunk of walls with his wild entrance that had no swing of secrecy. His claymore was in his hand, and his eyes were fixed on his target straight ahead. Even if the place had few bits of these bright objects of wealth, he preferred witnessing his Fate.

The Dice danced in joy for two seconds before he clutched it close with his left arm, and then, its screams started.

Razmund's appearance was wild, and his breath was rugged. He ran like crazy, and the Hunters didn't help in the slightest. That was Lint's fault, he knew. It was not just a waste of time and effort, but they even backstabbed him. He shouldn't have listened to him at all, yet here he was.

"Caught you... you little thing," he uttered, yet his voice didn't travel far at all. It was because of his hoarse voice of someone who would rather have water and a couple of breaths before another step.

It was hard to understand him, yet his act and direction were as straight as his claymore. One could wonder how long he had run for, and with no drink, meal, or shower, Razmund turned into a beggar.

Lisa took it the quickest out of everyone. She turned to Murai, judging and thinking she was too late. Either way, she recognized her terms and accepted this quarrel. After all, it was acceptable. There was no helping it, even if her mistake was right there. Where it hurt.

Bagus and Itrosh most likely weren't enough against this madman. This realization struck her as she faced him with her eyes and senses wide open. What followed were many of David's words that described Razmund in tales and details she forced him to find. Around that table, days ago, face to face, he told what he knew as a human and performer of many depths.

Razmund was clearly on a collision course with her, so Lisa had to know what she was against, and those talks resurfaced. It was tough, but not personal. It was Murai who got that personal attachment to this matter, and she ought not to forget it.

Lisa wished to say the same thing, but she hated the overall picture. Murdering this boy wouldn't give her anything but brief satisfaction.

For Murai, it was something like that as well, though he didn't know every exposition of this Blessed. He knew enough to understand his troubles. He was a piece of bad news for anyone below the Laws and even those slightly above.

And now, with scraps of substantial Gates behind, he grew and became even more dangerous. How or why? Rules or not, let alone the lacking Boosts, there were ways to stop growing anywhere, and Lisa expressed it many times since entering this Gate.

The Encounter was a reasonable and perfect answer to mess things up, and those reasons stood right beside those like him and those he harbored.

Murai clutched his beak, obliterating rocks and wooden planks with Peak layered three times. It pissed him off. Behind the stones and planks, there were old areas of mines that were neither forbidden nor dangerous.

They were empty and out of all maps, though Lisa was too busy caring for that, let alone confirming further doubts. There was no need anymore. Murai pointed in that direction, where his Token responded to something.

Lookish and Foolisch knew very little about this section, or they knew everything. Revealing, knowing, and writing about it was not cool, and Lisa never knew Lookish.

She heard of Foolisch, albeit not very personally, so why look for secrets in secured properties, where only perfect places await?

Well, it was still part of a potential that Lisa might have visited later, but after learning where to go, she became even more certain.

Nobody fucked with her, but anyone could dare that, and a few did.

Before Murai adapted, his Token led him to an old opening, which was also puzzling, as it was full of rocks. Once more, by the heed of his beak, rocks fell apart, revealing a shaft that went sharply down. It was small. Surprisingly small for the number of stones before it.

"Lisa," he Willed to her, "The Token."

"Now what..." she whispered to herself, turned back to Razmund, and assessed the whole messed-up situation.

This damned Blessed saw his target from hundreds of meters away and reignited his hunt. He straightened his back before calmly walking forward, leaving his claymore's edge creasing the ground, while his breathing steadily improved. His ambiance and mana were the same. It kept going, giving him the dangerous look of a wild beast.

Both Bagus and Itrosh tensed up and realized that this man felt even more threatening than they ever considered. They heard stories and reports, but feeling him in reality and facing him were completely different experiences.

Everyone felt the air turn tart, heavy, and tense. The atmosphere so deep underground was already bad enough, so with a maniac willing to eradicate everything in his way, it was harder to find one's breath and compose one's mind.

Oxygen was scarce, and no matter how many ventilating shafts were made, some items were worse than others when magic, Materium, and physical means mixed.

This man was the wrong seasoning. It felt awful. Itrosh had no doubts that she would feel the same sensation even if she was facing him on the Surface.

Fighting in this place should be even more challenging, or... was it even possible? It took a moment for the slight breeze to shift the tension. The rocks Murai crashed apart moved, and from that hole, an unfamiliar breeze went onwards, refreshing their minds and stamina.

It was a weird freshness, yet it helped them much more than any potion. Frankly, it was strange how it came and messed with them.

Lisa hoped to find a clear path to victory, while Murai hesitated on the spot, glaring right back at Razmund after unleashing his Peak.

In one clear and direct way, Razmund was right there. His enemy. His foe. The madman who crashed his body and started this whole charade!

The course of that starting beating was less of a problem at the moment. Murai earned his near-death, and wished to forget that grudge, but couldn't. That pressure and aura undulating from those calm steps left much to be desired.

He felt the suspense of Death more than when he faced him for the first time. Back then, he was nothing and nobody, so this made sense. He got better.

Back then, Razmund didn't even have his claymore and considered him an enemy. He was just another beast. Another animal. Bare fists, twists, and kicks were enough to crush that beast.

What were Murai's choices? Some good ones were definitely close, yet how far would they go? That pressure was screaming at his soul, for it was penetrative as if Death was coming closer and closer and knocking on his forehead.

"Murai?" Lisa's voice spoke to his mind. "Don't even think about it. Don't even think!" She reminded him and pointed to the shaft behind him.

Jumping down seemed like a good possibility. Perhaps even destroying the shaft afterward was a smart move. Wrong. There was no doubt that Razmund would follow them in a couple of swings of his blade. And even if he failed, what would stop him from digging down and finding them again?

Once caught, he won't let go.

Trying the most suitable plan was what Lisa suggested since this madman coming for his skin wasn't what he should handle.

The next Gate. That was what Lisa held for a plan for a good while. Whether it was a good choice or a last chance wasn't important. Now, getting the hell out of here was perhaps the best thing that could happen.

Would that work and grant Murai his long-awaited remedy? No. It would grant a minor time and sequences of yet another plan.

Razmund was right there anyway. Killing him would solve so many problems and ease so many nerves; it was a wonder what would happen upon his death. To some degree, Murai didn't want to flee, but his conscience told him it wasn't a great idea.

Feeling new chances, his heart stirred like his soul. His instincts won him over. Murai smacked his head to the ground and glanced at Lisa.

"No matter," he Willed. "I feared many things in my lives, but the End isn't one of them. That guy is the antagonist of my Encounter. Killing him sounds like a tough job, but you don't want to see that. I don't know why. It sounds important, no?"

"Important and hard. Everything about this Encounter is problematic for me to understand, let alone judge. You have been my first task. Always had, frankly. So what is right about this meeting? On one side, a maniac. On the other, a Child Anatidae that is barely seasoned."

"Oy!"

"Don't!" Lisa shouted into his mind. "You don't get it. That guy is away from the norm and killing him would create further troubles, so why kill him?"

"Me, you mean?"

"Not... that far, but do you think we can defeat him, let alone you?"

"A simple poke to the neck can do wonders," Murai snickered, yet felt it was wrong on many levels, so he lost his patience and almost walked forward.

Something in him stopped those steps. It was his guilt and weakness. The blame, too, perhaps? He wasn't sure what it would do, but wouldn't his death set things straight once more?

The moment Lisa read and understood him, she became furious. "There is a high possibility these two won't stand a chance."

"Even Bagus?"

"Even him," Lisa said with shame. "If there were Ultium, it might've been different. A mixture of this whole party is balanced around a powerful yet questionable idea, while... Razmund is alone. I can call that straight away. I wanted to hurry ahead because I wasn't sure of it, but wasting time was my fault. I am not sorry about that, and you should think twice about this position. Getting out is our priority! Away from this guy is secondary."

"That I can do, but besides that plan of yours that you keep shrouded, leaving this temple sounds simple on paper and impossible for my feathers. I remember something about giving up. Does it still count if we clash and fail like this? You've never implied this back-door."

Lisa seemed reluctant about this topic. It was no back-door. Lorry said so. She did not.

Murai's voice brought her back to the harsh reality, and she had to adjust as before. Unfortunately, Murai wasn't prepared for this, even if his words were right.

She could guess what he desired and hoped for. His instincts screamed at him to run away, but his head was soaring. He genuinely feared no End. Yet that something came with hopes that could shatter reality and change any kind of man.

"Sure. You can leave by giving up," she hesitated and lied. "A Guide is needed for that, so this Gate is troubling and manipulative, and I am sure there are many safe places for us at the moment. It is no fault but ours. Mine more."

"Fucking what?" Murai quacked at her, fearing it was probably the case, though wasn't it also strange? He forgot the ruler, place, and this shitty Hunt because of all these protectors. There were multiple ideas and rules to consider, and he had no mind for most of them.

No Guide was a joke. Lisa omitted more than that detail and knew this precarious situation was filled with holes and problems that weren't above hers.

Lisa diverted her gaze, watching Razmund, who was getting closer. She had no doubts he was preparing his breath and Steps, calming his mana and mind to unleash those crazy Dances. It was never fine to fight like a maniac in the underground, so seeing him become calmer was a dangerous sign.

"Guide is one way to hell," Lisa whimpered. "Lorry could lead you out of here, but only under special circumstances. We don't get it. This one is terrible... no... Shitty," she punched the stone in anger, feeling the worse reality. "Itrosh?" She asked the most reluctant person in the group.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"W-what?" she replied, jolting on the spot and glaring at Razmund. No weapons were within her grasp as she stood beside Bagus, who was just like her, standing away from that small shaft that went down.

Murai was no longer on top of him, so his big, glorious feathers perked up in anticipation of foreboding dangers.

Itrosh feared Razmund from the bottom of her heart. He ended up crazier and stronger than rumors predicted.

Away from the likes of her, who relied on a bunch of nasty tactics and less power, he was like a guillotine waiting for her head. He was also a large fish for her little sticks, so what was some killing, stopping, or catching?

Lisa didn't judge her for that. There were other points to give, so she gave her a chance. "Calm down, Itrosh. What did you say about David and Ultium a few hours ago? What was their last message?"

"Them? Forget them. I pointed them to our entrances and underground, but who knows what's going on above and... around us? Do you see that madman? He is going to slaughter us like chicks." Itrosh pointed at Razmund. "He could've killed them already, and we wouldn't even know. And the Hunters! What about them?! Oh, and you can flee and fly... I can't."

"Rubbish. Those are guesses. They are alive; Murai would feel the bond and change in their lives. Since he felt nothing, this is not outside of our grasp. It is around us," Lisa said firmly, "so aren't you glad? What I need right now is time. He is here, and he is here to stay unless he won't stay or we change."

Itrosh made a difficult face, hiding worries or certain decisions.

"I figured they wouldn't help. They should, but I always doubted that in my heart. Perhaps as a failed team, this is fine. Finding a way back is a riddle. I called that out how many hours ago? Oh, I don't know what to think in this bottomless pit of madness." Itrosh explained herself and hid most of her deeper worries behind genuine fears.

Lisa didn't like to rely on help that might not come, so she turned to Bagus, floated forward, and appeared right before his face. "Bagus?"

Razmund was still around eighty meters away, yet his aura was large and threatening, guided by his claymore and mana. His steps echoed in the silence of this area, creating a tense, creepy technique. He was forcing every one of those steps with firmness and readiness since he required adjustments and his opposition in a corner.

"I am... not afraid," Bagus mumbled, not backing away, unlike Itrosh, who started to shake and step back.

"Fear is good," Lisa said to him. "I hoped it wouldn't come this quickly, but there it is. I suppose fearing the worst outcomes means they are meant to become real. Fear means you haven't got a screw loose in your head." She turned her head to the distance. "Unlike that madman. He fears no End, as he holds power meant to crash us. What do you have?"

"What do you suggest?" Bagus asked seriously and glanced at Murai behind him. "That shaft is small. Too small for a person. Is it a way down? Or way up? Where does that Token point to?"

"No matter. Can you, alongside Itrosh, manage to keep this guy here for a while? The target is close. We need time."

By now, Lisa had almost begged for his support.

"Now, of all times?" Bagus was surprised that things had gotten this far and tight. It smelled like Fate to an extent, giving him something he hadn't felt for a long time. A desire. A dream.

A clash against someone worthy and willing to go against everything he stood for.

Life for a dream. Dream for a path. Death to expose the door.

Itrosh and Bagus thought at the same time, and both heard what Lisa said. Both had different perspectives, or were those excuses?

A way for a purpose sounded like a damnable favor. They were being used, but that wasn't wrong. They were using their situation as an opportunity for change, and that was what Helpers were for.

They had a purpose. Dealing with it was fair, while fleeting was a disgrace.

Alas, this was a difficult position to have and settle, even though it carried a lot of favors. This clash was one such thing. At least for Bagus, whose feathers and talons on his feet creased against each other or the ground, he felt it to his bones.

So much could be spent for others and turn meaningless. Fruitless. For a long time, they knew what they'd gotten into. David called that out days ago. Razmund was a well-known figure who lived in a different world from them, and on many levels, rumors suggested he should have remained there. Now, it felt worse, but so what? They were also worse than usual.

Each was unwilling to spend their life for outsiders or a meaningless purpose. A fitting End was something that a lot of Hells took for something special. A goal, perhaps? The end of their Path? It seemed respectable and honorable to die as the Path envisioned, and looking for a suitable and honorable End was an admirable life goal.

No one wanted to die indebted to someone or improperly depending on an ideology outside of their beliefs.

Depending on outside or inner ideas, this could become very dangerous. When one begs or uses someone for their needs or ideas, it could become a clash of interests. Considering their affairs, it was no different from betraying beliefs or going against them.

Lisa sensed a hint of conflict in her voice. For a moment, she was losing her mind over what she meant to do.

Bagus was willing to die for the sake of someone, and that included going against his heart. He hoped to do that at some point. Itrosh would be the same, but she liked money, good food, and company.

She was someone who wasn't cowardly, but someone who knew what she wanted and did it well. Not dying was one such thing. It was respectable and not wrong.

Bagus was unsure if spending his life was respectable or honoring his race. He barely knew Murai and Lisa for a couple of days, yet what use did hesitation hold right now?

These last days were entertaining and part of a deal. That did create a change. There were no rewards without a word. No exploit was there either.

Razmund was right there, ready to kill regardless of whether they were Helpers or not. From his aura alone, he had already made up his mind long ago. No reason or excuse would change the upcoming clash that one side hoped for while the other feared.

That was why Bagus nodded to Lisa and gave her a weird look before proudly puffing his chest. He was willing to give this a swing.

On the other hand, Itrosh was long behind him when Razmund passed the fortieth meter.

They were in the attacking range five meters ago...

Were rewards sincere enough, even when it came to this business? For some, sure. But was it worth it to lay down one's life before the very reaper that she had expected for days just to fall down to her knees and flee?

No.

Betrayal worked with emotions and actions. There were no precedents, but trust and negotiations could lead to anything.

"My prey...." Razmund's voice echoed forward, this time sounding coherent even if his voice was rough.

His steps repeated, darting around the walls like that screeching song and long sword, frightening Itrosh when she imagined one move cutting her in half.

Something in her broke, and she turned and ran to a shaft with an unknown end in sight. There were multiple intersections, though she wasn't sure if there was a way out without going through Razmund. No one was sure. Not even Murai, who was standing around with his Token in his beak and sizing up Razmund.

However, Itrosh memorized the route back to the Ip'ur City, so she no longer cared about anything else but severing herself from this mess.

Lisa looked disappointed when she disappeared, and for a moment after Itrosh fled, deep down, she understood how inevitable and expected this was. Murai thought so too, so he only watched her fade from their side without blinking.

"I am sorry for her," Bagus said apologetically. "We don't take refunds for our services."

"I see. No apologies are given with sincerity, but two are better than one," Lisa argued. "Could you work alone? Are you sad she left you?"

One question was undoubtedly unnecessary.

Bagus was fine without giving any answer and watched Razmund with uncertainty. There was no way he could flee, but perhaps he could try.

What would that do to his pride and heart afterward? Leaving meant a vacant or shattered dream. Perhaps he wouldn't get far, so this might be the worst decision ever.

Bagus was never good at making important changes. Not in these undesirable conditions. He felt his chances were there, rather than being impossible. These corridors could help.

Clutching his wings and releasing his puffed chest, Bagus realized it was faulty. He was sure he had no choice but to fight back because he couldn't go against all of his principles. He also liked Murai riding on his head and back, so that was that. No more running.

Murai stepped forward, wanting to give Bagus the last incentive with a surge of his Will, but before he knew it, a tail flickered, slapping against his beak.

Murai stumbled and flew into that shaft at the perfect angle and accuracy. Falling into the darkness, he didn't know what to think besides quacking and hearing Bagus's words.

"Don't waste time or my life for nothing. I will be of help. I swear to see this to the end. Next time, let's ride in the sky."

***

Murai dropped not that far. Perhaps about a dozen seconds of steep descent reached a couple of dozen meters below the previous shaft. The angled hole was old, possibly for resource imports, ventilation, or another purpose. It wasn't tight at all; it would certainly fit a child and plenty of Gems. Or, well, this was where his Token aimed for, so he was about to discover what was up with it.

Falling to the ground of an old corridor, Murai faced another floor that hadn't had a visitor in a long time. What was before him was no different from anything above or distant.

It was perhaps smaller, but cozier and less crazy. That was feasible; there were a lot of safe places and technology around those mines, after all. It wasn't just rock and stone, but they were still far from cities and villages. They were more like settled, specific places meant for one thing alone.

The authentic version is on M|V|LEMPY_R.

Here, there was a certain flow in the air, and he swore the air was blazing bright yet soft and moving like a fresh breeze. Many Ultra Materium veins were everywhere, guided, celebrated, and looked much more intricate. It seemed there were Runes around everything.

Gems were also scattered around as decorative objects or for other purposes. They were fine fuel, yet for what? Murai learned from Bagus and David how valuable Ultra Gems were, yet the exact usefulness of these gems varied.

Many reinforcements were still around the walls, looking like pillars or plates. They were part of the walls that were full of engraved symbols resembling architectural formations, or... walls. Just that.

It looked like he was in no mine but in an advanced dwelling, apart from the ground that had seen better days. The ceiling seemed distant and inferior as well.

An old temple, forgotten by many and captured by Materium, was an almost perfect description.

From the beak, Murai spat his Token that he had almost gulped down in his fall. It began to vibrate in much stronger tones and even ushered in new noises, indicating that the portal was closer. He made a good choice choosing that opening, though there were others.

Looking around, Murai noticed dried wood panels, furniture, and dust in many corners. There were rooms within the walls, and even those had a surprising amount of veins, looking fine as if they were part of everything. They looked... created. Crafted? Sculpted, most likely.

Murai found nothing problematic in this place or resembling a portal, so he squeezed his Token in his beak and proceeded forward.

He was unwilling to disappoint Bagus's retaliation, but he sure hated the fact that he couldn't speak to him one more time. It made him feel worse than normal.

But no matter how he went around, the vibrating and trembling beak hindered his walk and shook his head and eyes. He ended up cursing and smacking it to the ground, hoping to calm it.

It did not work.

Nothing was going well anymore.

Watching the lower level of those mines, Murai didn't like how he felt. The Token was giving a terrible sense of direction, while the notion of this facility went well beyond his previous expectations.

Just how deep was it? He had trouble walking because of Token's tremors, so he clasped his beak and wobbled around while attempting to hurry. There was no success. Bagus's words were still in his ears, but the journey onward was confusing.

With his beak open, his teeth felt like a cluttering piano. Even his vision was starting to shift incoherently. It took a lot of effort for his reasons and thoughts to clear up and focus on his steps.

Following him was nobody and nothing. Lisa had yet to arrive, while Razmund must have stopped his calm and dreadful steps with the only option available: fighting against his Helpers, or what was left of them.

Bagus must do well. He should be... Unfortunately, Murai was unable to sense a thing. He remembered that aura and steps lingering in his mind, which took him by surprise. Murai hadn't seen Razmund in a long time, so meeting him all the more powerful was quite punishing to his psyche.

From sharpness to aura, what could he do himself, let alone alone? Murai believed in many things, and that singing was weird, like Razmund's totally unhinged vision.

He wasn't sure where it was coming from or if he was finally losing his sanity, like that guy. It was normal; who should even blame him or hate him? He hadn't done much to warrant such hateful thoughts.

After a couple of quick recollections and steps, the clarity improved. The main reason was still a begrudging mindful focus, and trying to find a way out along with that Token. Noticing every notion and tremble of this shitty thing troubled him for days. Finding the final destination wasn't optimal.

But it was here and incoming, regardless of whether it was a chaotic mess or terrible consequences sent by a cheeky Goddess or Fate. It was perhaps neither, for it wasn't supposed to be like this.

The direction was the same, and the portal was somewhere around him, and Murai judged every sensible and bigger tremble with relative ease in the following minutes. The trembles did not stop, however, nor did his complicated feelings of reliance and reason.

There was no simple direction as he began to walk. Thus, he observed the surroundings, noticing how this level of mines was far more pleasing, finer, and cooler than those above.

Everything looked flat and vast in comparison to most of what he had noticed before. It was also smaller in scope, albeit... that could be wrong.

He had yet to see this depth properly, as this level was a rather sizable section comprising many large tunnels and rooms.

Part of it was also a mining complex, and everything was packed within ten-meter tall ceilings. It wasn't broken or bad. It looked decent and sturdy, most likely recently built and well-maintained for some purpose.

However, there were old-looking rooms and facilities for mining and collecting objectives. Gems, runic, and manufacturing planning were also included, although a few rooms resembled blacksmithing workshops instead.

Most had no resemblance to mining shafts, and even their intent was hard to recognize. Murai glanced and judged them as quickly as he could, and figured they were like home. There was no hiding from him anymore, even though mining was no longer around.

This place was old and formed meticulously. There were no souls around, and everything indicated one or two confusing consequences. The place felt safe, organized, and well-hidden.

It changed after Murai walked into no room in particular. He glanced at an actual residence. There was even a pot with soup on top of a flat, glistering, flaming Gem. It boiled with fragrant soup.

The ground aside had many soft pillows and even plants for auric changes and runic constructions for air, and what appeared to be nicer, mana ambience. They weren't nasty forms of constructs, but they were weird because they looked like plants. Their fragrance was soft, holding notable power over Light and Wind Laws, giving this room a fresh air as if the one present wasn't underground.

It felt as if he was in the middle of the jungle as he walked in, used his Sonar, and focused on his Token and Soul Read alike. That was strange, considering this location should be dry and extremely hot in dry heat. This wasn't about that.

Nobody was home, which Murai noticed with hesitant fear and foreboding, shaking steps. His Soul Read was still useful. He knew it was part of him, the same as those trembles that weren't about his Token alone.

Far above him, other noises were happening, but he couldn't concentrate on them. They were closer than he thought. Then, he noticed the mana and total mayhem of feelings and consequences. He walked to an ancient world, seized, and manufactured.

Constructed.

Someone had been living in this place for decades, if not longer. It looked like no ordinary home, but more like a fractured facility converted into living quarters.

This one single room disregarded such standards. There was no proper bed, but the pantry and kitchen were surprisingly well-equipped.

What was most notable was the magic. His Sonar did not betray him, unlike his heart. There was a wall filled with many concepts, ranging from machines to metallic gears and golems. There were even bookshelves filled with old-looking books and papers, accompanied by writing corners full of concepts, sketches, and more.

Murai dropped the Token, hoping to see this place for a few more breaths. Nope! He had to hurry. He had to; Bagus was fighting in his stead, and there was no way he was willing to waste time like an idiot.

It wasn't a picky promise; he just didn't like how Bagus felt and talked. Frankly, Murai didn't like how Razmund and that whole situation felt.

"A home, huh?" Murai sighed, picked up his Token again, and left the room without spending too much time on that peculiar wall. He went back to hunt for his purpose because it wasn't near.

Looking for the most notable tremors was deeper and simpler. Murai had to walk and understand where to look. There was no notable presence of his portal, which adhered to the common idea that every one of them should have.

It wasn't just one rule. It was how the Challenger stuff operated. Lisa and David promised the portal would be here, and it wouldn't be small.

Still, no semblance of runes or peculiar Chaos Space auras were around, and his Mana Sonar wasn't a small, insignificant spell. It was quite strong already.

At one point in the past, Itrosh suggested a mission-type challenge, or how they were meant to find a broken portal and fix it. It was a possibility that Lisa acknowledged from her memory of potentially very difficult missions.

Mindarch or Levandis sometimes granted or forced such stuff under exceptional circumstances, or where they needed to fix that shit and not do it themselves. Some Challengers were fine with that, while achievements and a number of their entries were included.

However, it would be stated by Mindarch, no matter what, so that was that.

Murai was here for the first time, while his most reasonable help was still his relative age. Thus, this idea was not a possibility, so Lisa didn't even consider such shitty motivations. This was a mess beyond that of Levandis, yet how could that be possible? Was it Lordis again?!

Of course, more ideas lingered, and this location was not typical, and Murai was perhaps included. This whole Hellscape Run felt wrong to Lisa in every regard, and matters would have been at least voiced or mentioned in some capacity.

Anything right and wrong should show answers, but Battlewill was insignificant, and so was Mindarch, who disturbed it even further. He caused Lisa's hesitation until she questioned if she should question it more or keep feeling abandoned.

It was coming, obvious by this place or tremors.

Murai felt them and kept looking, walking, and wondering where this path would end.