Ruminas stared at the path ahead, then glanced upward. The distance from the bottom to the surface must be over a kilometer, with smooth walls offering no handholds—not to mention the mysterious tendrils that had thwarted her earlier.
"The hand and those tendrils definitely came from a monster. It might be a boss for this stage, but why did it attack suddenly and then retreat? Is this a mandatory part of the mission, or is there another reason…?"
Ruminas pondered briefly before setting the question aside. Her priority now was deciding whether to climb up or follow the only path down here.
"Let's try."
Waiting for her mana to recover slightly, Ruminas targeted a protruding rock ledge. She aimed precisely and teleported, managing to grab the ledge. But just as her fingers gripped the stone, the tendrils reappeared, intent on pushing her off.
Ruminas deftly dodged, flipping backward and landing on the ledge. The tendrils, however, didn't relent. Instead of attacking her directly, they began destroying the surface she stood on.
Seeing this, she teleported to another spot, but the tendrils followed swiftly, demolishing that foothold too. Not only her current perch but every higher ledge was being systematically destroyed.
"Tch, playing dirty, huh?"
Out of options, Ruminas leaped back to the bottom.
"Climbing up won't be easy… Wait! Beru can travel through the earth. Maybe I can use it to check what's behind those tendrils."
Ruminas scanned her surroundings, searching for the small centipede that usually clung to her. Only then did she realize it was gone.
"When did we get separated!?"
Ruminas felt a pang of panic.
From the chaotic battles above to her fall, everything had been so intense and relentless that she hadn't noticed Beru's absence.
"If it's up there, I hope it's okay…" She sighed.
"This situation feels oddly familiar," she muttered. "The priority now is reuniting with the others above."
With climbing no longer viable, Ruminas turned to the sole, pitch-black path ahead. It was completely dark, but fortunately, she had a flashlight in her inventory.
"Here goes nothing!"
"I hope there aren't any monsters down here. If I'm lucky, I can evolve too."
Ruminas began walking, The Parasol Lady at her side, still holding her red umbrella.
"Not merging back?" Ruminas asked, glancing over.
"Blocking that thing for you has weakened me. Merging would prevent me from recovering, as I'd need to expend energy to maintain my presence," The Parasol Lady replied.
Ruminas felt a twinge of guilt. Without The Parasol Lady's help in wielding the black aura, she wouldn't have killed so many monsters or endured this long.
"Is… there anything I can do?"
"Are you sure?" The Parasol Lady asked, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"No pets!" Ruminas quickly stipulated.
"Then wear this." The Parasol Lady conjured an old, weathered collar that exuded an undeniable mystical aura.
"What's that?" Ruminas asked warily.
"A master-slave collar. If you wear it, I can draw energy from you to replenish mine."
"Can't we transfer it normally?" Ruminas countered.
"Normal transfer causes energy loss. This ensures efficiency. Plus, it works both ways—you can draw from me too, preventing you from being helpless when your mana runs dry," The Parasol Lady explained.
"But… won't this let you control me?"
"So what? Given all I've done for you, this is a fair trade," The Parasol Lady said sternly.
Ruminas fell silent.
"…"
After a moment, she said, "Fine, but there has to be a time limit. I'm not doing this forever."
"Once you put it on, do you think I'd let you go?" The Parasol Lady retorted.
"You will," Ruminas shot back confidently.
This time, The Parasol Lady was the one who fell silent.
Ruminas took the collar and fastened it decisively. The moment it clicked into place, she felt an invisible chain binding her, an uncomfortable sensation. But The Parasol Lady was right—this was her way of repaying the help she'd received.
Ruminas clenched her fist, sensing a faint energy link forming between her and The Parasol Lady. The binding sensation was unsettling but not restrictive enough to hinder her movements.
"How's it feel?" The Parasol Lady asked, her eyes glinting with intrigue.
"Not great, but I'll manage," Ruminas replied, adjusting the collar.
The Parasol Lady chuckled softly, saying nothing more.
"So, how do I transfer energy to you?" Ruminas asked.
"You don't need to do anything."
With a flick of her finger, The Parasol Lady triggered a drain. Ruminas felt her strength siphoned away, her vision swimming as she staggered but managed to stay upright. The sensation soon faded, but her barely recovered strength was nearly depleted again.
"Thanks for the meal," The Parasol Lady said.
Ruminas sank to the ground, breathing heavily, her face pale and forehead beaded with sweat.
"Oh, my apologies. I might've overdone it," The Parasol Lady said.
"It's fine," Ruminas replied. "Should've put more points in Endurance," she thought.
The Parasol Lady tilted her head, her smile unchanged but her eyes flickering with unreadable amusement.
"Really okay?" she asked, her tone teasing.
Ruminas clenched her fist, acutely aware of her exhausted state. She was used to physical strain from combat, but having her energy drained like this was profoundly uncomfortable.
"Yeah, just tired," she said gruffly, steadying her breathing.
The Parasol Lady laughed softly, stepping back and glancing at the dark path ahead.
"Don't pass out midway. I'm not carrying you."
Ruminas sighed, using her spear's shaft to stand. She didn't argue or show irritation, knowing this was part of their deal.
She'd chosen to wear the collar, so she'd bear the consequences.
"…Let's go."
She mustered what strength she had and continued, though her pace was noticeably slower.
The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, cold gusts carrying an eerie chill. Suddenly, the cavern trembled, snapping Ruminas to high alert.
"Relax, I'm still here," The Parasol Lady said, her hand moving subtly. Ruminas felt a trickle of strength flow back into her, easing her tension slightly.
"Something's moving," The Parasol Lady noted.
Ruminas nodded.
"It's massive, but this narrow terrain gives us an advantage."
"Don't be overconfident. In your current state, do you really think you can fight it?" The Parasol Lady asked.
Ruminas said nothing, shooting her a sidelong glance.
Whose fault was her weakened state?
"The 'Stillness' you felt before—do you remember it? Use it to evade for now," The Parasol Lady said casually.
Ruminas didn't argue. She knew a direct fight was unwise.
She nodded.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Stillness"—the state she'd touched before. It wasn't mere hiding or camouflage but blending into the environment, becoming part of it.
The feeling was hard to articulate, but as she focused, her body began syncing with the space. She slowed her steps, regulated her breathing, and eliminated all unnecessary movements.
The Parasol Lady glanced at her, a faint smirk forming.
BOOM!
A violent tremor shook the cavern.
"It's here…?"
From the depths, a massive shadow emerged, its form vague in the darkness. Ruminas glimpsed enormous tendrils sweeping through the space.
"Tch… the same one from before?"
She silently slipped behind a nearby rock ledge, keeping her breathing shallow.
Shh…
The colossal tendrils slithered across the ground, sweeping near her position.
Then… they paused.
It hadn't detected her.
The Parasol Lady stood silently nearby, her form even more ethereal than usual, as if blending into the space in her own way.
Ruminas cautiously observed the creature.
It was no ordinary monster.
In the flashlight's dim glow, she saw a serpentine body, its jagged hide bristling with bony spikes. Its tendrils twitched, probing every crevice as if searching for something.
"No eyes… How does it detecting?"
Ruminas squinted, analyzing the situation.
"It's probably tracking sound or vibrations."
If so, absolute stillness was her best bet.
Ruminas held her position, not moving an inch, her breathing adjusted to produce no sound.
And then…
The creature slowly slithered away, vanishing deeper into the darkness.
Ruminas didn't relax immediately. Only after confirming it was gone did she ease her stance.
"…You did better than I thought," The Parasol Lady said, her tone carrying a hint of praise. "You've caught the rhythm. Keep practicing."
Ruminas didn't respond, merely adjusting her posture and looking ahead.
"Let's move," she said.