In a solitary mansion room, after the servants had brought a large quantity of provisions, Mithra closed all the windows, then stood before a table overflowing with dishes.
Mithra hadn't requested anything overly elaborate, so the spread consisted simply of dried rations and piles of cured meat.
"Although this isn't local fare or particularly exotic, it's hardly subpar either," Mithra commented, removing her top to reveal her muscular upper torso.
Gurgle, gurgle.
With immense impatience, a diagonal slit opened across her chest, stretching from her left shoulder to her right hip, initially resembling a grotesque, ragged gash.
However, the edges of this "gash" immediately sprouted small, uneven, sharp teeth, proliferating rapidly like aggressive weeds.
The blood-filled maw, encompassing Mithra's entire chest cavity, opened wide. From within, countless robust, snake-like tongues emerged, eagerly lashing out at the food before them.
The tentacle-like tongues swept across the table, and after a brief, frantic consumption, all the provided sustenance was completely devoured.
Mithra, who had originally intended to merely sample the fare, didn't manage to secure a single bite for herself.
During the mouth's furious eating process, Mithra experienced no discomfort beyond the agonizing sensation of hunger finally subsiding. In fact, if anything, as the appendage consumed the food, she felt her own body subtly solidify, becoming fractionally firmer.
"Hungry…" But this mouth had not yet reached its saturation point. This volume of sustenance was far from enough.
"That's enough for today," Mithra stated, looking down.
Hearing this, the tongues inside the mouth began to lash out towards Mithra herself.
"What's gone is gone. If you don't behave, you can just let me starve to death," Mithra said, completely unmoved by the display.
After a brief struggle, the mouth, muttering "Hungry," slowly closed. The teeth retracted back into the flesh, until finally, it reformed into a simple slit and vanished entirely.
Mithra touched her chest; there was nothing abnormal, and she could still calmly feel her own heartbeat beneath.
But she could distinctly sense something extra overlaid upon her physique.
"My body is becoming more and more vitalized," Mithra remarked calmly, flexing her neck slightly.
...
The following day, Mithra sought out the advisor from Hydria University and explained her current situation.
Although surprised by Mithra's surprising connections in this area, the outcome was satisfactory, meaning everyone involved was pleased.
After settling these minor bureaucratic matters, Mithra began her personal investigation into the Flesh Slime incident.
Even though Xyrin City hadn't really expected much assistance from Mithra, Mithra herself was extremely serious about the task.
She traveled to the original explosion site. Just as she arrived, she noticed Nino laughing casually with a little girl, clearly slacking off!
As Mithra approached, Nino noticed her arrival. After exchanging a few brief words with the child, the girl bid farewell and left.
"You've arrived. I hope you weren't famished yesterday. I heard you managed to consume that massive amount of food immediately," Nino commented.
"It was manageable," Mithra replied, her gaze lingering on the little girl's receding back.
"That's my younger sister, not what you might be imagining," Nino couldn't help but interject.
"What exactly am I imagining?" Mithra countered, looking directly at him.
"…We are currently surveying and documenting the scene here. You are free to conduct your investigations as you wish, just try not to obstruct our work," Nino said stiffly, swiftly changing the subject.
"You've already started the collection process?"
"This is a Sun Creation node in the Southwest District. It requires immediate repair," Nino replied.
"Sun Creation node?" Mithra asked curiously.
Nino pointed upward, toward the sky. Mithra looked up. The sky was clear, and the sun seemed no different from the day before. It was just that the Akimitsu, though immense, didn't convey a sense of actual heat.
"It guides the gentle power of the Sun Creation from the heavens down to the earth, blessing the Sun Creation node of the region."
"Wait, the sun above our heads is the legendary 'Counterfeit Sun'?" Mithra suddenly realized.
Nino replied calmly: "Yes, you were unaware?"
Hearing this, Mithra once again looked up, staring directly at the somewhat dazzling Akimitsu hanging overhead.
Indeed, the black informational dot associated with the Eyes of Night appeared.
She had previously ignored the sun overhead, paying little attention to it, completely overlooking the fact that this celestial body could actually trigger informational data.
["Sun Creation": Also known as the "Counterfeit Sun," an artifact once engineered to resist the descent of the Eternal Night. Its core creator was Ringer, from the Ancient Mysteria Kingdom. Its sunlight has diligently illuminated the world overgrown with curses for a thousand years, holding back its return. However, it might be showing signs of fatigue.]
Ringer?
Wasn't Ringer the great entity who compensated her with the Prosthetic Miracle Hand after her right arm was severed?
Was he the legendary artisan who spearheaded the Sun Creation Project back then?
Nino noticed Mithra staring blankly at the Sun Creation and said: "You won't glean any further detail by staring. The Sun Creation within the Xyrin City area symbolizes and connects with the real sun, ensuring that Xyrin City's climate remains normal."
"So sophisticated?" Mithra finally looked down.
"That is the pride of our Empire, and the eternal soul of our Xyrin City."
"What are its specific functions?" Mithra, however, was highly pragmatic.
The data provided by the entity behind the Eyes of Night was often vague and served only as reference; Mithra needed to delve into the technical specifics herself.
Nino glanced at Mithra with faint disapproval, then continued: "Although the Sun Creation prevents abnormal weather patterns, that doesn't imply it lacks influence over the climate. It blesses Xyrin City with favorable conditions, guaranteeing there will never be calamities stemming from climate shifts. Furthermore, its sunlight suppresses those malevolent Wandering Gods, capable of keeping their curses at bay."
Even the usually composed Nino displayed a look of profound pride when speaking of the Sun Creation.
Mithra's expression remained steady, which caused him some slight disappointment. He could only lament that outsiders from the Enchanted Realm failed to comprehend the true merit of the Sun Creation.
"Are you being serious? That object above our heads can actively repel curses?" Mithra emphasized, asking for confirmation.
Nino was slightly irritated: "Our ancestors have resided in this city for over a millennium. Please cease your questioning, individual from the Enchanted Realm."
"If you are so certain of its efficacy, then something has clearly gone awry. Notify your inner-city lords immediately. If this explosion was significant enough to nearly result in me being used as a scapegoat, then the reality of the situation will likely shatter your current beliefs," Mithra stated bluntly, as always.
"What exactly do you mean?" Nino frowned.
"Those Flesh Transmutation Believers carried the curse of a Wandering God. Can you understand it that way?" Mithra stated.
Nino's face instantly turned ashen.
Flesh Transmutation Believers carried the curse of a Wandering God?!
The Sun Creation couldn't stop them?!
"Are you certain?!" This time it was Nino's turn to demand confirmation.
Mithra was too lazy to repeat herself, simply meeting his gaze in silence.
Without further ado, Nino quickly turned and hurried away, climbing into a carriage.
Such an agitated reaction meant he didn't even bother with Mithra anymore.
Mithra watched the carriage kick up dust, first glancing around, then directly walking towards the ruins. There was no doubt that those Flesh Transmutation Believers came here with a clear purpose and a detailed plan.
With no one to stop her, Mithra directly approached the interior of the ruins, observing her surroundings.
She saw numerous mechanical components; scattered, old-fashioned gears, most of them already damaged.
In the innermost section, she observed a group of people discussing something around a large mechanical pillar, holding tools to measure and inspect it, all displaying worried expressions.
Mithra fell into deep contemplation.
The Sun Creation above and the Sun Creation node before her were both engineered by Ringer and his team a thousand years ago. Moreover, it seemed quite different from the pure magic fantasy creation she had envisioned; this Sun Creation node possessed a distinct mechanical style.
Well, well, well, it turns out this world's magic fantasy isn't just limited to idealistic miracle-casting; it can also integrate miracles with advanced magic fantasy technology!
Mithra approached to examine the large mechanical pillar, which bore obvious signs of damage.
[Deactivated Sun Creation Node: A node designed to guide the Sun Creation's energy to fully descend upon the earth. Its true essence is the anchor suppressing the source of the Eternal Night. This anchor was once breached and deactivated.]
[—Even though the Eternal Night can no longer descend, that realm has not vanished.]
"Excuse me, who are you?"
Mithra was lost in analyzing the string of information when a young female scholar with an intellectual air approached her and asked.
"Ah, I'm an investigator who came to look into the destruction of the node, here to observe the situation firsthand," Mithra replied, nodding politely.
The other party quickly nodded: "I see. My apologies for interrupting. I assumed you were an apprentice accompanying your teacher, much like myself."
"No trouble at all. What is your name?"
"Kim So-yang."
"An Enchanted Realm person?" Mithra raised an eyebrow.
"No, no, my ancestors were Mysteria people who migrated to the Sun Creation long ago," Kim So-yang said, gently waving her hand.
"Mysteria? Isn't that a legend?" Mithra feigned ignorance, asking with curiosity.
"Actually, I'm not entirely sure myself. People around here just say my family tells tall tales. My family's origin stories have been passed down for generations, but if you ask me to prove it, I can't," Kim So-yang admitted, slightly awkwardly.
A bit of a pity, but Mithra didn't press the issue: "Are you artisans?"
"Yes, we are artisans who research and craft versatile miracle artifacts, though I am still far from becoming a master..."
"So-yang!" A voice called out loudly. It was a thin old man.
"Grandpa!"
"I told you to call me Teacher in this situation! And stop wandering off. Even if you don't fully grasp it, you should still observe and learn. And I explicitly told you not to casually converse with strangers," the old man chided impatiently.
Kim So-yang quickly apologized and moved behind the old man, softly saying "Sorry" to Mithra.
Mithra, however, stepped forward directly and offered a greeting: "Good day, sir. I am an investigator dispatched by Xyrin City."
The old man's eyebrows remained furrowed: "Investigator? Hmph! You can investigate later. Xyrin City claims to be the source of the Sun Creation, yet it's nothing but an empty boast. Not only has their craftsmanship deteriorated, but they haven't even properly maintained the most basic nodes. They are even so careless in guarding them that outsiders could sneak in and destroy one. It's truly outrageous!"
The old man spoke with great vehemence, spraying spittle. Mithra took a few steps back to avoid getting splashed onto Matsuri's clothes.
Even though they were already stained with a lot of blood, Mithra still preferred to maintain cleanliness.
"You are absolutely correct," she then said sincerely, though her tone remained steady, radiating an air of "I know I'm wrong, but I'm not changing."
After all, she was not a Xyrin City native.
But it could also be inferred from the old man's words that he, too, did not seem to be a Xyrin City resident.
The old man shook his head vigorously.
Mithra had already spoken: "May I inquire about the current status of this Sun Creation node?"
The old man, however, did not continue to fume about Xyrin City's failings. Although his tone remained unfriendly, he still replied: "Some pipelines and miracle mechanisms were damaged. The most crucial miracle-guiding component was fortunately unharmed—a blessing in disguise. But pipelines are simple fixes; miracle mechanisms are complex. Crafting new mechanisms to interface with the old-generation miracle-guiding components is no easy feat."
The old man glanced at her and concluded: "It seems pointless for you to be here. You are an amateur. Very well, there is nothing for you to investigate here. Go investigate those culprits! If you manage to apprehend them, I'll personally scold them until they drop!"
After speaking, he returned to the group.
Kim So-yang, however, did not immediately follow. "My grandpa—no, my Teacher... Teacher is very strict. I apologize."
"It's fine," Mithra shook her head. After all, it wasn't her who received the scolding.
"The miracle-guiding component is the core of a versatile miracle artifact, responsible for linking the artifact user's Senseforce and activating the miracle component housed within the item. The miracle mechanism, however, refers to a series of specific operational components that execute functions after the miracle on the artifact is triggered," Kim So-yang softly elaborated to Mithra again.
Mithra considered this for a moment, then asked: "Since the miracle-guiding component of the Sun Creation node connects to the Sun Creation overhead, the technology for that specific part must be incredibly advanced. Other mechanical elements responsible for spreading influence are more common, so you can handle those repairs, correct?"
Kim So-yang nodded: "More or less."
"How much knowledge do you possess regarding the Sun Creation?" Mithra pressed further.
"My family has ancestors who participated in the Rising City's new Sun Creation project. In this region, our lineage is considered professional. Of course, I'm still learning, but my grandpa is amazing!" Kim So-yang stated proudly.
Rising City—the current capital of the Xyrin Empire.
It possessed the second Counterfeit Sun, a newly forged Sun Creation created during the Era of Wandering Gods, following the Xyrin Empire's resurgence.
It symbolized the empire's rebirth.
Mithra nodded slowly.
In that case, Kim So-yang's grandfather might indeed be considered an authority in this domain.
So many people gathered here; it couldn't be that they rushed over today just because something happened yesterday. Not to mention, the explosion of just one node shouldn't warrant such a mobilization of manpower. Simply looking at the distance between Rising City and Xyrin City, it wasn't short, and they weren't Earthlings who could teleport.
These artisans had been invited to Xyrin City before the incident occurred.
Xyrin City, it seemed, also had its own recent agenda.
Kim So-yang was soon called away by her grandfather again. Mithra didn't disturb the group, whose discussion was now quite animated, opting to walk around the perimeter.
The Eternal Night would not descend again, but that world had not vanished. Xyrin City's Sun Creation suppressed the previously unchecked horrors.
Just as Mithra was searching for traces.
[Event – "Searching for Eternal Night"]
[Curiosity can be a virtue, or it can be poison. We hear you wish to seek out that lost world?]
[Anderet's Gift: Method to enter the "Eternal Night Phantom World."]
[Cost: Find your own way out.]
[Do you accept?]
Anderet, you truly appeared.
When Mithra saw the name appear in the text prompt, a question in her heart was, surprisingly, answered.
The "Awakening Gift" and the "Hunting the Wandering God" three-choice gifts, although still originating from the behind-the-scenes boss, only provided descriptions and didn't specify who the gift-giver was.
Only gifts triggered by normal inspiration could name the source of the gift.
Although the Eyes of Night were rumored to be a gift from "Night" Anderet, without concrete evidence, Mithra hadn't made any casual judgments.
But now, Anderet had directly revealed themselves.
It could probably be confirmed.
Thinking this way, all the information her Eyes of Night perceived must also originate from Anderet. Perhaps that data was even "personally coded" by Anderet.
The thought alone was thrilling.
Regardless of whether it was entirely true, Mithra first needed confirmation.
Mithra was momentarily lost in thought. The text before her eyes suddenly flashed towards Mithra's face, then swiftly returned to its original position, snapping Mithra back to her senses: "Accept."
The boss had sent an invitation; how could she possibly refuse?
After the text impacted her mind, Mithra gained a special miracle.
["Dusk": Eternal Night miracle. A special Miracle of Divinity fixed directly within the eyes. After casting, it can reveal unseen night fissures. After passing through the fissures, the other world is what you seek.]
Silently moving to the side, she directly cast this miracle.
Her eye region had not yet achieved Sensory Synchronization and thus could not cast miracles. But Anderet seemed to have directly engraved this miracle onto her eyes, granting her a backdoor bypass.
In her dark, lightless eyes, tiny, candle-like lights flickered, eventually outlining a pattern that encompassed a black hole while simultaneously tearing through the sun, moon, and stars—three distinct concepts.
Was this the totem of night?
No, not quite.
In Gross Town, at the Nightborne Church, Mithra had encountered the Night Totem, but that Night Totem's "background" was a "stellar corona," not a "black hole," and the concepts of sun, moon, and stars were not rent apart.
The information displayed in her mind was not "Miracle of Night" but "Eternal Night miracle," hinting at the profound changes it might contain.
While contemplating, her vision shifted. It was as if her sight was covered by a layer of twilight filter; everything before her grew dim, and the sunlight faded.
Entering this visual state, she looked around.
It seemed to be just an atmospheric "filter," likely for ambiance in normal use. She hadn't discovered any novel applications yet.
Its true function, however, emerged when Mithra looked at the rear of the large mechanical pillar of the Sun Creation node, revealing a blackish-green, inky fissure with spreading edges within Mithra's field of vision.
Mithra blinked a few times, then deactivated "Dusk."
After the twilight filter receded, the fissure also vanished.
Mithra moved to the rear of the large pillar, to the exact spot where she had seen the fissure. There was nothing there; her hand touched empty air.
Considering this for a moment, Mithra suddenly grabbed a guard who was also inspecting the scene nearby and asked: "Did you observe anything here?"
The guard looked at Mithra in confusion, then at the direction she was pointing: "What are you talking about?"
"Sorry to bother you," Mithra said no more, shook her head, and dismissed him.
The guard left with a strange expression.
He had heard colleagues mention that this Enchanted Realm person was very peculiar, possibly mentally unstable. It seemed the rumors weren't exaggerated.
Mithra, however, reactivated Dusk once more. After the fissure reappeared, she no longer hesitated, directly reaching out towards the anomaly before her. When her hand touched the fissure, it suddenly widened a fraction, and a powerful gravitational pull emerged.
Without any time to react, Mithra's vision darkened completely.
...
Her eyes opened, but it was still very dark.
So dark that surrounding objects were only vague outlines, almost akin to temporary blindness.
Mithra attempted to rely on sight for a while, then temporarily gave up, focusing only on feeling with her other senses. However, although she benefited from the enhanced senses resulting from Lebionce's regeneration side effects, she had not undergone professional non-visual sensory training.
Simple awareness was manageable, but prolonged and meticulous spatial sensing proved quite challenging.
The Eternal Night seemed even darker than she had initially imagined.
She looked upwards, but it was even more absolute blackness; she could discern nothing at all.
She groped around arbitrarily, but for a moment, her hands touched nothing tangible.
A faint breeze brushed against her skin. Her nose detected the metallic scent of blood, entirely devoid of putrefaction. Then, various faint, bustling sounds reached her ears.
Even though her eyes were useless, her other senses fully informed her that this realm was remarkably lively.
She cast Calmness first.
Ding~.
Mithra noticed that when casting a miracle, the light emitted from her inspiration was actually obscured within the Eternal Night.
Suddenly, a resonant sound rapidly approached Mithra.
"Ah, the welcome wagon has arrived rather quickly," Mithra observed indifferently.
After a dull thud, Mithra raised her left hand, unleashing the Burning miracle. A ball of fire rose in her hand, instantly illuminating her immediate surroundings.
Bathed in the firelight, Mithra saw a monstrous figure lunging at her, somewhat similar to the Cursed Beings of Gross Town, but lacking any eye sockets on its face—only a gaping maw.
She reached out and squeezed the monster's neck, pinning it to the ground. After using Burning to incinerate it, Mithra hadn't even had time to formulate her next move.
Suddenly, a barrage of growls and shrieks erupted around her.
What followed was a sound that could be described as "ten thousand horses galloping"—a vast, surging cacophony. A large number of entities were rushing toward her!
The light had stimulated them!
Although Mithra had anticipated that in a pitch-black, almost lightless world, any source of illumination would stand out like a beacon, easily attracting attention. This was why she hadn't initially considered directly attempting to use a "torch."
However, that didn't mean she wouldn't try something reckless. When faced with an attack, she unconsciously still desired to see her opponent's appearance.
As it turned out, the stimulating effect of light in this world seemed even more extreme than she had anticipated!
Crack!
After using Vitality, she forcefully twisted the neck of the already incinerated monster. The torch remained where it was, but the fire in her hand extinguished. She turned and randomly selected a direction, then ran.
Thump!
It seemed to be an obstacle…
After casting Calmness first, Mithra advanced cautiously, feeling the wall surface.
Not long after, a large mass of indistinct creatures quickly gathered around the corpse of the monster she had ignited. They ferociously attacked the flame, tearing the remains to shreds.
Until the fire vanished, they still seemed incapable of calming down; their deafening noises caused Mithra's ears physical ache.
Thump!
On her path, Mithra bumped into something again.
But this time, what she collided with was no longer a cold wall, but warm flesh—some kind of active creature.
"Roar!" Immediately, a growl resonated nearby, followed by a foul stench.
Thump!
Another dull thud. This time it wasn't the sound of collision. It was Mithra directly drawing her hammer and striking the entity before her. Even though she couldn't see, making such a loud noise meant even an idiot would know its location.
After one swing of the hammer, the growl abruptly ceased.
Suddenly, a tentacle-like tongue extended from beneath Mithra's clothes, probing forward.
"Hungry… Eat…" A heavy voice reached Mithra's ear.
"It seems this is your innate self-defense mechanism for securing sustenance," Mithra remarked, touching the wide chest-mouth that had unwittingly opened a slit.
Her inner clothing twitched, and more tongue-like tentacles stretched out to gather sustenance.
Suddenly, some other monsters approached.
Mithra suddenly felt a sharp jolt of pain.
It was as if the tongues collecting food were being attacked by something else!
"Oh… Hungry… Pain…"
"Which comes first: being attacked or being hungry, followed by pain?" Mithra forcefully pulled back the extended tongues.
Most of the mouth's senses were intrinsically linked to Mithra's own, especially hunger, and pain was naturally included in that feedback loop.
Invisible entities continued to lunge at Mithra.
Mithra was still occupied retracting the mouth's tongues. Not paying attention, she was directly tackled. This creature seemed to possess many slender legs, akin to some kind of insectoid lifeform.
After tackling Mithra, its entire body pressed down, and a sharp object forcefully pierced Mithra's abdomen.
Then, a more horrifying, intense pain emanated from Mithra's core. It felt simply as if her stomach had been turned into a washing machine agitator, violently churning her insides.
Swish!
Next, she felt her abdomen empty, and something was being drawn out from within her body.
"You really want my intestines, don't you?" Mithra was sweating profusely from the agony, and the corners of her mouth twitched again into a strained smile.
Four swords quickly pierced out, impaling the nameless monster clinging to her body.
The monster shrieked, then collapsed. Mithra raised her foot, kicked it away, then turned and stood up, fumbling on the ground, trying to retrieve her intestines.
She wasn't entirely sure if what she touched was anatomically correct, but it was flesh regardless. She stuffed it all back in for the moment. If it wasn't clean, the large mouth could simply consume it later.
"Huh? Why are you trying to steal my intestines, you son of a bitch?"
"…Hungry…"
Swish!
"Oh… My tongue…"
"Next time, if you consume my things without my explicit permission, I will eat your tongue in exchange, understood?"
"…Understood… Hungry…"