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Imugi.

Grade-2 Monster.

And I had it's Core.

One of the most coveted Cores in the game, due to its synergistic nature with almost everything.

The black and white Core, which offered: Ascension (Active) and Imugi Cultivation (Passive).

The effects were simple. Ascension upgraded my next move into a whole new move. Yes, the mana costs were atrocious and being a Knight-class adventurer, I could only use it so many times. But being a grade-2 Core came with a whole bunch of benefits.

For one, Ascension has no limits to what it can 'ascend'.

It's different than the abilities like [Upgrade] or [Level Up]. These are usually limited to Core abilities, skills or an ally's ability, or skill.

[Ascension], coming from a Grade-2 Core… well, it had no limits.

It could upgrade everything and by everything, I mean absolutely everything.

[Aura]? Check.

Core abilities? Check.

Skills? Check.

Item abilities? Check.

There's a reason why Grade-3 Cores and higher are so coveted. It doesn't just have to do with the fact that the stats attached to it are ridiculous. The abilities get ridiculous too. But again, MSS is a game about synergy. And just like the synergy you have to create with your party… There are definitely skills that benefit more from Ascension. Because sometimes, the mana cost of 'ascending' something just isn't worth it.

Then again, any Core could be garbage in a shit build. Ascension just happens to be one of those cover-all Cores.

But for a build like mine that was used to explosive bursts of damage and prolonged bouts…

'I really need to ask Doror if he can return some of the skills that were attached to Lunar Shield.'

With the stats from the Imugi Core, waiting for buffs wasn't a prolem anymore. Atleast, not for now.

Unexpectedly, the [Imugi] core had just skyrocketed my offensive capabilities beyond anyone on this expedition; Skaris included.

Again, my weakness is the elemental damages, Special Fields and status effects.

Those… accessories and charms. Or a healer.

Which brought up another question: just what was that priestess?

What kind of healer could cross the raging ocean during an Imugi's [Ascension] + [Dragonification] to stop me from killing Arione and feed me a Grade-2 Core instead? Something told me it wasn't an accident, that she was actively trying to make me absorb the Grade-2 Core. No doubt, the precious seconds I spent killing Arione would have meant that the Core would have sunk into the ocean depths, to be scattered away or eaten by a rare monster that could [Evolve] from eating Cores.

"Uh, Slaveborn… Sir?"

I gave the Elf archer the weight of cold focus.

He swallowed, "I mean, Sir. I uh, we're here."

I had two new people under my command.

Jourgan, the Elf Archer [Player].

Freier, the Elf Priestess [Player], who belonged to the Church of the Nine.

Which brought up another issue.

This Freier person, she was a [Player] and a Clergy at the same time.

Well, that was assuming this Freier person was a player at all. Yet, I couldn't imagine Delas bringing someone who wasn't a [Player] to be a member of his party. The fact that she had a [Mount] unlocked at this stage in the game meant she wasn't a regular cleric. She was a hard worker.

All clergy unlocks a [Mount] eventually, as long as you follow the questline. But it requires a lot of work and it's rare to see someone unlock a [Mount] so early on in the game.

Regardless, it was something worth looking into at a later time. The nuance of relationship between clergy and their god can only be known by the priest. After my encounter with Oung and Khan, I knew that my game-knowledge of clergy went out the window immediately. In the game, the gods had been mechanics; part of the system. A cosmic vending machine.

Here, they had free will.

I shook my head, clearing myself of unneeded thoughts. "You're sure?"

"Y-yes." Jourgan avoid my eyes, looking to Freier for guidance.

"Jourgan was our tracking specialist. A special-type of Wayfinder, specializing in finding other adventurers."

"...So you killed other parties for their belongings?" Kyrian asked. It wasn't really a question.

"Yes." Freier answered without batting an eye.

Jourgan looked back and forth between Freier and the Mage. Looking uncomfortable, he turned to me. "I smell other people, they definitely went through this hole."

We were standing in one of the cavern entrances, which led to the deeper dungeon level within the spire.

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I nodded. We got here using Jourgan's [Ghost Chameleon] ability to avoid monsters and possibly other adventurers. So far, we hadn't needed to. The island felt strangely empty, which wasn't good.

I was desperate to find signs of other adventurers; of the people that I was looking for. They had to have made it. They had to.

The hole led straight down but I had no doubt it would reach above ground again. About five-feet wide and a little less than six-feet tall, it was less of a tunnel and more of an ant-hole. No stairs, no worn paths. Just dirt and rocks, as natural as it could get in MSS. I bent down, touching the soil and taking a whiff.

Smells of adventurers, yes. But I couldn't identify who.

Kyrian walked up next to me while I was trying to decipher between the smells. "Lock, are we taking these two with us?"

I looked over my shoulder. Jourgan pretended not to hear, smiling at me and trying to look as friendly as possible. Freier made no such pretense. She made direct eye contact with me, almost challenging me.

Healers. They know how much they're worth. That goes double for [Players].

"...Yes." I said quietly.

"Ok." Kyrian said.

"Hey you, Archer. You're up first." I gestured to the entrance with my sword.

"M,m,me?" He pointed to himself then tried to catch Freier's eye for help.

She promptly ignored him. The elf priestess was too smart for that.

"Yes, you." I kicked one of the stray rocks and it rolled down the tunnel. "Now."

"B,but I'm an archer. I should… be at the back. Shouting out directions on where to go. If a monster attacks–"

I let a hint of annoyance enter my voice. "You think I don't know that?"

"I mean, it was j,just a suggestion." But he stopped complaining and walked up to the entrance of the tunnels.

"You. Next." I pointed at Freier.

The elf complied easily enough.

"Kyrian, stay in front of me at all times."

"I should be watching your back." He argued but his heart wasn't in it. He knew better.

During the planning stage, my members were free to talk and give input. But in moments like this, where we had captives and in potential danger, my orders were final.

"I barely fit here," Jourgan complained. He was tall, taller than me; definitely not as tall as the 7-feet tall Skaris. But he had to duck down the entire way to fit.

Freier took position behind him without a word.

This priestess was smart. I had a feeling that she knew their fate had been sealed the moment they met me. They could either die or be useful and have a chance to live. That was why she outed her identity as a healer right away. But I knew that she was paying attention. Looking for an opportunity to squeeze herself out of this captivity.

I didn't care.

I just needed her help until we could find my party.

We walked in a single file line, the ant-hole not allowing for anything more than that. In the darkness, there was no need to use Jourgan's [Ghost Chameleon] Core. No light to refract unless we used torches. Floating torches would attract attention regardless of whether we ourselves were invisible or not.

Kyrian cast the [Light] spell and we delved deeper into the Spire-dungeon.

Pitch-black air surrounded us, suffocating our minds if not our lungs. Oxygen was scarce here and I could hear the Priestess and Kyrian working overtime to breathe. Rocks threatened to trip the two fragile members of this makeshift party with every step. It was enough to make anyone feel claustrophobic. I couldn't move without my shoulder, elbow or knees touching a part of the walls.

It was a test of endurance and willpower. Without an end in sight, continuing to delve deeper into the earth…

It drives people mad. I could practically see the [Madness] gauge filling up. It made people snap, more sensitive, prone to anger–

"You can't breathe so loud." Jourgan spoke up suddenly, "I'm sorry but–"

"Understood." Kyrian said before Jourgan could finish. The Elf Priestess didn't reply but her breathing turned quieter too.

For this instance, I didn't say anything. Jourgan was right. In a small tunnel like this, if a monster came charging at us…

That was why I put Kyrian where he was. While Jourgan and the Priestess bought time, I could drag him out.

It didn't take long for the tunnels to start curving upwards. A grueling uphill that tested people's physical endurance.

An hour, maybe two. We walked in silence.

Kyrian was limping again.

After the third hour, the tunnel led us out into an alcove. It was just big enough for the four of us to sit down without touching shoulder to shoulder. But that was it. No water, no space to lay down.

"We rest here." I stated.

Kyrian sat down and took off his boot. "I think I'm going to need to use a healing potion." He reached in his pack. "Maybe just a few drops."

"Please, let me." Freier approached him, her hands outstretched.

Violet mana convulsed and I saw life return to Kyrian's eyes. The strain around his mouth was gone. Pain relief from having his minor sprain healed.

"I have some blisters." Jourgan said but Freier ignored him just like before.

"Excuse me." Freier said after awhile. "If possible, I'd like to change into my priestly garments. Is that alright?"

I looked at the elf for the first time.

She had been using bits of mana to keep attention off of her looks because more details about her came into focus. Freier kept her hair short, framing her face and barely touching the back of her next. There were bits of white mixed with red hair; until I realized her hair was split down the middle in the two colors. The other striking thing about her were the eyes: huge pupils without any color in them. No sclera, just colorless pupils; the eyes one would expect an elf to have.

"The garments, they're blessed?" I asked in MSS terms. Did these equipments have stat blocks attached to them?

She nodded.

"Go ahead."

She tweaked her [Dimension Ring] and began to change.

She was attractive, in that slim fleeting elven way. But I didn't dare give her the decency of turning around. Freier didn't seem like she was dumb enough to make a move now, but just in case; I kept close watch. Jourgan openly leered.

It didn't take long. She already kept underwear on, some kind of bra and short-shorts. Over it, she put on black and purple robes; reminding me of the elven priestess Eltis from the Fracture.

"Which branch are you from?" I asked.

The Elven Goddess; the Nine, had nine faces.

Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, Despair, Apathy, Envy, Hubris and Arrogance

"Despair." Freier answered simply. She wore a veil now, hiding more of her face. "You know the goddess' teachings?"

"A bit." I said.

"We met a priestess of the Nine before." Kyrian said. Maybe he let his guard down because she healed him. Or maybe it was because she was an elf, and he was trying his hardest to let go of years of Turinan brainwashing. Either way, he seemed a degree warmer in how he treated her.

"The Nine is the goddess of love. Despair is the love of absence, to deprive one's self of joy."

"Sounds the same as apathy to me."

"To take what was once there and to recall what was never there, the two are not the same." Freier reproached me carefully, her tone measured.

Jourgan scoffed. "Still on about that bullshit? I'm telling you, it's just a game-mechanic."

Kyrian frowned. "Game-mechanic?"

"Player terminology." I explained.

Jourgan and Freier's head snapped towards me.

"...He knows?" Jourgan said in disbelief.

"Knows what?"

"That you're a player?"

Kyrian immediately clammed up, realizing that what he did was a mistake.

I bit my own tongue too. That information, it was worth something I just wasn't sure how much. "It doesn't matter."

Freier was the one who changed topics. "Jourgan. The goddess is very real."

Jourgan spat to the side. "Then ask this oh-so-powerful goddess to take us out of here." He gave me the side-eye, watching for my reaction, "...As soon as we find Sir Slaveborn's party members of course."

Freier didn't bother responding. She sat there, conserving her strength. The fact that Jourgan brought such a nonsensical demand as proof showed that he had no idea how MSS gods worked. If he truly believed it as a game-mechanic, he knew that his demand was impossible. If the gods weren't a mechanical aspect and were truly free-will wielding all-powerful beings, why the hell would they pay attention to this place of all things?

As for me, I had enough exposure to the gods to know better than to talk poorly about a goddess whose priestess was sitting in front of me.

Jourgan twitched. "Did you hear that?"

I focused, trying to hone in on my [Hearing] stat.

I heard it.

"Someone's screaming."

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