The air… the air was different.
After the suffocating darkness of the dungeon, simply breathing the fresh wind made her head spin. It was like rediscovering the world: the immense sky, the song of birds, the warmth of the sun on her skin—things long forgotten, almost unreal.
The eyes burn, the pupils struggle to get used to.
"Finally… this ordeal is over, thanks to this new ability," she said, letting out an exaggerated sigh. Her shoulders slumped as if an invisible weight of a hundred kilos had been lifted.
→ [Black hole - Level 10]
Effect: reveals a black hole aspire in everything around it.
"But it's kind of creepy. Good thing I didn't max it, or I'd have sucked in the entire dungeon," she muttered.
A large clearing stretched out before her, bathed in golden light. The grass swayed gently in the breeze, dotted with bright wildflowers—red, blue, yellow—bursts of life after the darkness. In the distance, trees formed a crown around the clearing, tall and silent, like benevolent guardians. Their leaves filtered the sun into a rain of light.
"First, I need to change clothes."
She revealed her keyboard once again.
→ [Instant dressing]
With a snap of her fingers, her clothes transformed into an adventurer's outfit. Designed for efficiency and survival, it still held the elegance of a free spirit.
She wore a dark leather jacket, flexible but reinforced at the shoulders and chest. The tailored sleeves hinted at the fine, firm muscles of her arms. Beneath it, a light canvas shirt with a slightly open collar offered comfort after long journeys and battles. Nothing was new, yet everything was meticulously maintained.
"Wait for me, Yuki. I'm coming."
As she admired her new outfit, a figure dressed in black with a hood approached from the forest.
"Hey! Who are you? Don't come any closer—I know how to defend myself!" she crisp.
The person knelt, bowing respectfully. "I am honored to finally meet you, my dear goddess," she said.
The woman had a pale, serious face, her expression cold. Piercing red eyes radiated an immense inner strength. Her hair was light, mid-length, slightly wavy. Strands framed her angular face, emphasizing her pointed ears and the curved, obsidian-like horns emerging from her forehead.
Taken aback, Amane asked, "Why does everyone call me a goddess? I'm beautiful, sure, but every time… really?" She glanced at her statistics table, scratching her head in mild confusion.
"In fact, They say that in literal sense" Amane became slightly disappointed.
"My name is Eleanor, one of the five commanders serving directly under the Demon King," she explained.
Coughing softly, she continued confidently, "I knew it was you—the one the Demon King sent me to meet." But in truth, she had no idea.
Eleanor's gaze remained unwavering. "I expected nothing less than a goddess."
Amane, more surprised than ever, thought, She actually believes me!
"But how did you arrive so fast?" Amane asked. "You're in human territory, after all."
"It's my skill—it allows me to move through shadows," Eleanor replied.
"Wow… that skill is amazing! I have to try it later," Amane thought, though it didn't explain how the Demon King, not yet reincarnated, had informed this demon about her situation.
"I sense someone approaching," Eleanor warned, narrowing her eyes. From the entrance, a group of six adventurers with barbaric gear moved toward the dungeon.
Damn, if these adventurers see me here, Cloister in front of the dungeon… especially with her around, Amane thought.
"Hide in my shadow."
"Heard."
Without a sound, she melted into the shadows as if night itself had swallowed her.
Amane revealed her keyboard and typed quickly.
→ [Invisibility - Level 2]
Passing near the door, the adventurers entered the dungeon without noticing them.
Stepping out of the shadows, Eleanor said, "Impressive—you immediately realized that if you went to level 3, your shadow would vanish, so you set it to level 2."
Amane smirked. "Of course. I wouldn't risk making you disappear."
What a relief… I almost set it to level 200. At least I didn't have time, she thought.
She made her keyboard reappear.
→ [Google Maps]
A second screen appeared, showing a map of the world—different from Earth but corresponding perfectly.
I'm finally getting used to this…
It's the world map, with every location marked…
Cool! I can even zoom in and mark the best path.
They chatted until noon.
"I want to try something."
→ [Time Perception]
She closed her eyes and concentrated. The exact time—12:34 p.m.—appeared in her mind.
"What did you do, goddess?"
"I just checked the time. But now, let's find a city."
"I suggest we head to the city of Tarnis. It's the closest one and where the adventurers came from."
"Stay in my shadow," Amane added. "You're not yet familiar with human life or customs. It's safer this way."
Eleanor melted back into Amane's shadow and began walking toward the city, adding skills as she went.
→ [Wind Blade - Level 4]
→ [Earthquake - Level 5]
→ [Lightning lance - Level 2]
Her "Divine Writer" ability reached a new level. New unlocked skill: "Divine Eyes: First Door."
Single skill: [Divine Writer - Level 3]
Effect: Rewrite any skill or modify its level in the statistics table.
Bonus: "Divine Eyes: First Door" allows seeing the past and future of any individual through eye contact, displaying it on the statistics screen.
I'll need to lower my skill levels a bit to blend in and not stand out, she thought, planning her approach to the city.
Eleanor remained on her knees throughout the talk. Why did it give me no effect? Finally I think that if she was standing all the time I would have been even more stressed, Amane thought.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard of Elaria Castle, students trained in sword and magic.
"I'm faster than usual…" one thought.
"I can grasp the basics of magic in minutes…" said another.
Two figures observed from a distance.
"They've all grasped the basics well. They'll become great heroes," said a man speaking with a priestess.
"You are their coach too, captain of the royal guard. Your name will be remembered in history," she added.
The training was exhausting but manageable. Even the most lazy managed to follow, between two breaks to blow or complain halfway. Some laughed and challenged each other: "Last one on the field is a pledge!"
Others tested their powers like players discovering a new game: with curiosity, excitement… and sometimes too much confidence.
Yuki sat lost in thought until a friend approached her.
"Are you okay?" she asked, concern on her face.
"Don't worry. I'm just making a little problem for Amane. She's still vulnerable," Yuki replied.
"You have nothing to worry about. She'll handle it."
Smiling faintly, Yuki got up. "Let's resume training," said his comrade, extending her hand.
"That works," Yuki replied, taking it.
From afar, Amane saw the city on the horizon—an indistinct silhouette shrouded in magical mist with purple reflections.
It's time. Let's see what awaits us there.