Hours passed as we wandered in the dark forest.

We still hadn't found an end.

“I can feel we’re getting closer.”

Yet, we weren’t sure how much further we had to go or which direction was right. Our souls were slowly being gnawed away, and magical creatures continued to attack.

“It feels like death.”

Ella seemed to share my thoughts, as her expression didn’t look too good.

"How much farther is it?"

Her face was pale, and each time she spoke, a frosty breath escaped her lips. Her fingertips were turning blue, as if she were suffering from frostbite.

‘Is she unable to withstand her soul being gnawed away?’

My soul was strong, fortified thanks to magical creatures and Iscaliote, but she was not so fortunate. Her soul was being eaten raw, and it was clear it was becoming tough for her to endure.

“Just a little more, we’re getting closer.”

I lied to keep her from giving up. I didn’t know how much farther we had to go, but if I told her truthfully, it might break her spirit.

If her mindset shattered, thinking she couldn’t go on any longer...

She would die.

‘I must get her out of here alive.’

My mind was filled with the thought of saving Ella.

I then asked Ella, “Senior, how much farther can you go?”

She slapped her face a few times with her hands to regain focus and then said.

“…I’m still okay, don’t worry.”

Thanks to those words, a bit of color returned to her face. It wasn’t exactly a sign that her soul was recovering, though.

I assessed her condition as objectively as I could and started planning our next steps.

‘If she’s in this state… I think we can manage if we avoid fighting as much as possible.’

I told her that I would handle any combat unless it was absolutely necessary. She didn’t protest, perhaps because she understood her own condition.

“Are you alright?”

“Still okay, for now.”

With that brief exchange, we continued to push our way through the forest.

Branches scraped against our skin. Our feet sank into the muddy ground, and visibility was poor in the dark.

As we pushed through, unwelcome guests suddenly announced their presence with loud cries.

-Groooooan…

‘Cursed creatures, always howling.’

“What kind of grudge do they hold to keep coming after us?”

The forest was filled with the eyes of the Magical Creature Wolves. Ever since we were trapped in the monster’s stomach, they never stopped attacking us. Just seeing their eyes sent shivers down my spine.

-Click.

I loaded my gun and fired at the approaching Magical Creature Wolves.

-Bang!!!

-Bang!!!

I didn’t stop shooting as long as I could see them.

The shotgun quickly ejected the casings, reloaded new bullets without pause, and ejected the casings again.

-Bang!!!

The forest was filled with the sound of gunfire, the residue of mana that resembled smoke from gunpowder, and the wolves' screams of agony.

-Groooan!

The firepower I generated by myself was enough to be threatening, yet insufficient to crush the entire pack of wolves.

Occasionally, a wolf would break through the firepower.

These would usually be dealt with by Senior Ella with her arrows, but in the current situation, I couldn't rely on her support.

-Clang!

I smashed a Magical Creature Wolf's head with my shield and then drove the edge into it.

I grappled with it for quite a while.

“Phew… Is it over?”

After taking down all the magical creatures, I surveyed the surroundings.

There were no more standing magical creatures.

However, one disturbing detail remained...

The darkness beyond the forest where the Magical Creature Wolves had emerged.

From there, I could feel an overtly unpleasant gaze.

It was the same gaze I felt since catching the first Magical Creature Wolf.

‘...It’s still following us.’

Could it be the pack leader of these wolves?

The source of the gaze watching us.

Its intentions are too blatant.

'It seems to be planning an attack when we are exhausted from fighting the wolves.'

If it targets Senior Ella when we're distracted fighting the wolf pack...

Her safety cannot be guaranteed.

'Can we attack first? Or...'

I touched the unusual magazine in my possession and pondered.

'...Could we intimidate it and drive it off?'

The magazine infused with Iscaliote's energy.

If I fire this, could it drive that monster away?

After much deliberation, I made a decision and spoke to Senior Ella.

"Looks like we've dealt with them all, so let's advance."

Being in a situation where we could be hunted, revealing our full strength might be disastrous.

I tucked the magazine back into my clothes and hurried along our halted path.

In the dark woods, a place where starlight hardly reached.

A pair of eyes was watching the humans.

The owner of those eyes was an intelligent Magical Creature, known as a 'Hunter.'

But now, it had lost its reason and was moving by instinct.

'...Prey.'

Ordinarily, it wouldn't have thought of them as prey.

They were too strong to be considered prey.

But... the female looked significantly ill.

He was sure he could devour just that one.

The Hunter extended its long hands and climbed through the trees.

During all this, its red eyes remained fixed on the humans.

"Senior... are you alright?"

"No, I feel like I'm about to die."

There was good news and bad news.

The good news was that we had made it out of the forest and reached a new phase.

At the forest's end was a basin.

A vast, sprawling basin.

The bad news was that the basin was filled with Magical Creatures.

The even worse news was that Senior Ella was on the brink of collapse.

‘Inside that basin... I think the source is there...’

Going into that basin to fight wasn't possible given Senior Ella's condition.

I clasped her cold hands with both of mine.

‘Cold.’

"...Where are you touching?"

"Senior."

"What?"

"Can you fight?"

"..."

She mumbled, then sighed.

Her breath turned into white frost and dispersed.

“It’s hard… just leave me.”

She slumped down, resembling a fallen, dried tree branch.

I held her hand, trying to share my warmth.

But, could such a thing really replenish a soul that’s been drained?

I felt frustrated at the fact that there was nothing I could do for her.

I had to destroy the Magical Creatures in that basin in front of us. But could she, in her current condition, survive a battle?

‘Is abandoning her really the only option?’

I recalled the large star I had seen in my inner world. Was that my soul?

I also remembered the souls that had been absorbed by the star.

‘If only I could transfer the power my soul has absorbed…’

I was holding her hand and contemplating a way, but she seemed to see it differently.

She spoke with a tone of disbelief.

“Why are you acting so pitiful when we hardly know each other?”

“...”

Hardly know each other, she says.

Well yes, this is technically our first meeting in reality. But her face... I’d seen it countless times in the game.

‘…Mostly during events related to the Head of the Disciplinary Committee.’

As she was a character I held some affection for, I didn’t want to leave her to die here.

No, even if it was a character I didn’t care for, would I have left them to perish here?

Probably not.

“You seem to be in decent shape, so if you’re lucky, you might escape… Go ahead."

Lips shivering from the cold.

Just as she was about to say something, seemingly her last words, I interrupted her.

"You’re not going to die. Senior, don't be so dramatic."

It's just a matter of transferring the power from my inner world...

It's not a difficult task, I thought, and held her hand firmly.

I don't know how long I held on, but just as Ella Senior started to feel uncomfortable and tried to pull her hand away, I felt something I hadn't noticed before.

'Is this... a thread? It seems to be connecting us...'

Did Iscaliote mention this?

That when a soul reaches a higher level, it can interfere with the inner world of someone it's connected to?

I'm not sure how this connection of causality works, but now, holding her hand like this, I could feel it.

And... has my soul's level significantly increased?

Of course, it’s far below Iscaliote's standards, but I started to believe it might be possible to push power into the inner world of someone I’m connected with.

'A thread is linking her and me.'

This must be what Iscaliote was talking about when she mentioned causality.

I focused my consciousness on that line.

I strained to inject my energy into it.

'Recall the sensation of defeating and absorbing Iscaliote's stars.'

I need to reverse the process and force the absorbed power into her.

I tried to do it clumsily but… When I first learned to move mana, I had no idea how to do it.

'Damn it.'

As I focused all my consciousness, recalling the massive star within my soul and closed my eyes,

a voice whispered past my ear.

“...Shine the starlight... think about it...”

Iscaliote?

A faint voice that seemed as if it would dissipate if I didn't concentrate.

It whispered in my ear.

'I don't know how she's suddenly reaching out to me.'

I focused on the advice, maneuvering my inner world.

'Shine the starlight.'

I aimed the light of my star to reach her.

Recalling the sensation I had when I drew out my Unique Armament, I infused power into her.

At that moment, "...It's suddenly so warm."

Ella's once pale face started to regain color.

'Did it work!'

Noticing the warmth returning to her face, I smiled softly.

"What, were you telling me to leave you behind? As if you’re some soldier stranded in a battlefield, Senior."

"..."

"I'll never leave you behind."

As if remembering what she had said earlier, a pink blush spread across Ella's face.

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