The trio had become a quintet so suddenly that it still felt strange.
Cyrene walked at the front alongside Acheron, while Samael, Liu, and Bel followed behind.
— We'll head to the others. — Cyrene commented calmly.
Then she offered them a small smile.
— We can continue our conversation there.
Liu simply nodded.
Cyrene then looked at Acheron.
— Please, Acheron.
The three immediately became alert.
Without saying a word, Acheron moved slowly.
Then she placed a hand on the sword hanging at her waist.
FLASH—
The violet blade slowly emerged from its sheath.
But as it was revealed...
Its color changed.
The deep purple was swallowed by an intense crimson red.
The pressure in the surroundings seemed to shift.
Liu and Bel reacted immediately.
Both took a step back, their hands moving toward their weapons almost instinctively.
Acheron merely cast them an indifferent glance.
— I won't hurt you.
Then she swung her sword once toward the wind.
A simple motion.
Almost casual.
And a moment later, she sheathed it once again.
CLICK.
— Let's go. — she said, starting to walk.
Liu observed her for a few seconds before turning to Cyrene.
— What did she do?
Cyrene answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
— She cut away the influence of the Cursed Creation ruling this territory.
Silence fell for a moment.
— What do you mean? — Liu asked, frowning slightly.
Cyrene began explaining as they walked through the ruined streets of the dead city.
— America is divided into six great territories.
The wind flowed through the crumbling buildings as she spoke.
— Each territory belongs to a different Cursed Creation.
Liu narrowed her eyes.
— They all came from the Category Five Gate?
Cyrene nodded.
— Yes.
Part of the lightness vanished from her expression.
— And their mere existence influences the world around them.
Samael remained silent as he listened.
Cyrene continued:
— You've probably noticed how absurdly far you have to travel to get anywhere.
Liu nodded slowly.
She had heard Samael mention it that morning.
— That's the influence of the being that governs this territory, — Cyrene explained. — We spent years trying to understand the abilities of these creatures without approaching them directly.
She let out a small sigh before continuing:
— One of the abilities of the creature ruling this region is "distance."
Bel's eyes shifted slightly.
— Distance?
— It governs absolutely any concept related to distance, — Cyrene replied. — Because of that, in the southern part of South America... sometimes you need to take ten steps for them to equal a single one.
A chill ran down Liu's spine.
It was absurd.
It didn't feel like an ability.
It felt like a distorted law of nature.
As they walked, Acheron remained several meters ahead.
A Fallen Nightmare Creature suddenly emerged from between the ruined buildings.
She slowed her pace.
Then she simply drew her sword and swung it toward the creature.
Where the blade passed...
Space itself split apart.
The moment Acheron sheathed her sword—
SHHHK—
An invisible slash cut through space.
The creature was split in half instantly.
No resistance.
No battle.
Samael watched carefully.
It didn't seem as though she was cutting matter.
It was as if she were cutting space itself.
Liu came to the same realization.
What a monstrous Aspect...
Then she asked:
— And the other creatures? What are their powers?
Cyrene smiled gently.
But this time, there was a hint of mischief in her expression.
— I'll tell you when we reach their territories.
Liu narrowed her eyes.
Cyrene shrugged.
— That way you won't abandon us halfway through the journey.
Surprisingly honest.
As they continued walking, Liu noticed something important.
The buildings were actually passing by now.
The scenery was changing.
They were finally moving normally.
Before, it had felt as though they walked endlessly without getting anywhere.
— Has that influence disappeared completely? — Liu asked.
Because if they had to cross all of America under those conditions...
It would take years.
Cyrene shook her head.
— No.
Her tone became more serious.
— The influence returns over time.
Then she cast a brief glance toward Acheron.
— In fact, it should be impossible for an Ascended to completely sever the influence of a Cursed being.
Liu immediately looked at the purple-haired girl.
Cyrene continued:
— Acheron can only do it because her Aspect specializes in cutting immaterial things.
That definitely did not sound reassuring.
Quite the opposite.
After some time walking, they finally arrived before an old house that was nearly collapsing.
Two figures were already waiting near the entrance.
The first was a tall man with long green hair.
The second...
Was a person wearing heavy crimson armor that completely covered their body.
Even their face remained hidden behind a metal helmet.
Bel observed them for a few seconds.
Then he finally decided to ask something that had been bothering him since the beginning.
— I want to know something.
Cyrene turned toward him.
— Of course. If I can answer it.
Bel narrowed his eyes slightly.
— Why can't I sense any soul essence from any of you?
It deeply disturbed him.
Cyrene looked genuinely confused by the question.
— I'd ask the opposite... why do you use soul essence so inefficiently?
Silence immediately fell.
Bel frowned.
— Inefficiently? I'm using it the same way every Awakened does.
Acheron finally spoke.
— You don't know, Cyrene.
She gave Bel an indifferent glance.
— The way they use essence is different from the norm.
Cyrene blinked several times.
— What do you mean?
Acheron answered calmly:
— The method we use was developed by the Saint of the Fourth Hive.
Liu's eyes narrowed immediately.
— By combining knowledge obtained from the Third Nightmare... — Acheron continued. — And taking advantage of the influence of the ruler of this territory.
Cyrene finally seemed to understand.
— Ah...
She looked at Bel again.
— So that's why you use soul essence so inefficiently.
Bel clearly did not like that statement at all.
But before he could reply, Cyrene changed the subject.
She pointed toward the two strangers standing near the door.
— These are Enkidu... and Zero.
The green-haired man simply observed them silently.
The other was a boy clad in crimson armor, making it impossible to see his appearance.
He stood motionless beside the other man.
Cyrene then concluded calmly:
— Our companions.