Miniature Eternal Night

Mithra, wielding her Auxiliary Light Lantern, began her pursuit.

Such bright light in the darkness of the Eternal Night World would be conspicuous to those from the real world, even if the Eternal Night creatures couldn't see it.

But that didn't matter.

Locating someone was similar to searching with a light; it might even attract curious creatures.

Following scattered bloodstains, Mithra pursued an indistinct target.

In the distance, a bright light, not quite sunlight, shot towards the sky. Around the beam, faint signs of Eternal Night creatures were visible.

That was likely the former inner city defense line.

Mithra moved along the city's edge, searching for signs of human activity.

Night Hunter groups would leave traces in the darkness. Easy to find would mean easy capture.

Unfortunately, Mithra sensed she might be mistaken.

After a long search, she found no clear signs. The Night Hunters were too skilled to leave traces. She was likely pursuing something else.

Suddenly, she sensed a unique being, different from the Eternal Night creatures, approaching.

Mithra immediately shone her lantern in that direction.

Only a hazy shadow was illuminated; the creature reacted to the light, quickly moving out of range.

Swish!

Heavy footsteps echoed nearby, like a predator patiently seeking prey.

Mithra used a scanning mode, catching only glimpses.

She could only confirm that the creature had thick fur and sharp claws.

A beast?

Mithra's Ki sensing was imprecise; it could only detect presence; fast movement made precise location difficult.

She turned off her lantern and stood still.

Casting Stabilize.

The crescent blade spun in her hand as Reinforce Body activated.

Activating the Feral Body, a beast miracle.

She found this miracle in the Guidebook. It was supposed to be complicated, but Mithra learned it easily.

The effect was minimal for her. It simply granted some bestial enhancements while maintaining her human form.

It seemed slightly pointless, but useful when beast transformation wasn't practical.

Switching to the Impetus Stone Miracle.

Mithra knew this one well; she'd extensively studied Stone Miracles. Fire wasn't practical in the Eternal Night; there weren't many fire-based body-enhancing Miracles, so she chose another option.

After applying the enhancements, Mithra extinguished her lantern.

Instantly, the approaching beast hesitated, its movements slowing.

As it paused, Mithra spun, lowering her stance, slashing the crescent blade across the ground.

Swish!

Enlightened Step activated.

The Auxiliary Light Lantern illuminated a creature; it had human-like features but a monstrous, bestial body; one forearm was missing.

The creature was shocked by Mithra's sudden attack and the sudden light. Its eyes, long accustomed to darkness, were stimulated.

Mithra's crescent blade fell.

Bang! Swish!

The crescent blade unleashed a powerful blunt force, sending the creature flying. It didn't fly far; it knelt before Mithra, its body ripped open from the shoulder to the waist, blood and organs pouring out.

"Ugh…" The creature gaped, revealing blood and fangs; its clouded eyes finally focused, seeing Mithra clearly.

"…Why… you… I… I avoided…" the creature mumbled, its body collapsing with a thud.

"Hmm?" Mithra wiped the blood from her crescent blade, glancing sideways at the sound.

It recognized her?

She noticed the creature's missing arm.

"Ah, you're the… the…" Mithra tried to recall the name, but she only vaguely remembered hearing it from the branch bishops she had killed.

"I… I… later… what did I become?" The creature suddenly reacted, seeming to regain consciousness.

It weakly twitched its remaining arm, its eyes focusing on a part of its body.

"Ah… ah! My beast nature was awakened by the Eternal Night… I… I was dreaming… Was I dreaming? No, that was the dream; this… is real… Ah… no… Great Anderet… let me sleep… Don't let me be like this…"

It muttered incessantly, its pupils dilating and fading, finally ceasing all movement.

Mithra observed, sensing an aura emanating from the corpse.

It was unremarkable, similar to the Gross town priest, lacking Hunter elements, quite simple.

Mithra fed the body to the Maw.

After eating, the Maw used its tongue to extract an Eternal Night crystal and offer it to Mithra.

"Hungry…" It had chipped a tooth on the crystal.

Mithra accepted the crystal, carefully wiping the blood from the Maw's tentacle-tongue before retracting it.

This was her fifth Eternal Night crystal. Though far from her goal of sixteen, she was making progress.

A small sense of accomplishment.

Just as she put the crystal away, a bright light flashed in the distance.

Likely a Light Miracle.

Using Light Miracles in the Eternal Night was reckless; the creatures wouldn't ignore it.

Even if the average creature wasn't strong, their reaction speed and numbers were significant.

But just a Miracle?

The Night Hunters, even if capable of using Light Miracles, wouldn't use them here.

Therefore, it was a newcomer?

Mithra tapped her crescent blade against the wall, activating Enlightened Step and rushing towards the light.

...

In the darkness, a bright light illuminated everything.

The Light Miracle was cast by the Sanctuary's advance team, sent to rescue Mithra.

They understood the danger of light in the Eternal Night, but needed to attract monsters to create chaos.

Livnis, two branch bishops, and numerous Night Hunter believers had cornered them.

Entering the Eternal Night, they carefully enhanced their senses, searching for Mithra.

But they first discovered Night Hunter traces.

While Tinina and Nie Hong weren't concerned, the Sanctuary members were cautious, recording these observations.

This record led to trouble.

Due to the darkness, their perception of distance and sound was flawed.

Their presence was detected.

Livnis and her forces ambushed them.

The advance team was overwhelmed; even two of Livnis' trusted branch bishops, along with numerous believers, were quickly surrounded.

They cast the Light Miracle, making a desperate gamble.

"Hmph, I told you not to complicate things!" Tinina repelled a branch bishop with a Rend, then searched for Nie Hong.

She worried about the young, stubborn boy.

But then, a dark aura flashed in the darkness.

Several Night Hunter believers collapsed, their bodies rigid.

Nie Hong gasped, wiping blood from his face, sensing creatures gathering due to the light.

Livnis wasn't particularly interested.

The team was weak; aside from the Gulan Sacrifice Tower member, the others were unremarkable.

The Ki Miracle user was rare, but Livnis only valued his Ki skills; his combat strength was negligible.

She initially considered dealing with any Sun City pursuers, but decided against it; pursuing her required Kimio's personal command.

The other groups were likely scouting parties.

No need to take them seriously; simply eliminate them.

However, the Sanctuary members were skilled; they sensed danger, judging the situation accurately and using Light Miracles to cause chaos.

"Remu, the creatures are gathering. Let's go; don't bother with them," Livnis said.

The branch bishop repelled by Tinina retreated without hesitation.

A giant insect lunged from the darkness, but before reaching Livnis, it was severed.

Another branch bishop, silent beside Livnis, wielded a staff—more accurately, a long, bladed weapon, its blade shaped like a dark crescent moon.

Some slower cultists were attacked; they struggled to escape.

"Let's focus on our task. Sun City won't be able to pursue us anytime soon," Livnis said.

They were close to their target; there was no need for complications.

As she was about to act, Livnis frowned.

A feeling of unease washed over her.

A violet beam suddenly illuminated them.

Even the Night Hunters felt a pang in their chests.

But some Eternal Night creatures didn't react, fleeing due to other disturbances.

They realized the light wouldn't provoke the creatures.

The light came from a lantern; the wielder was obscured, but unfamiliar.

"Oh… a pleasant surprise," Mithra said, ignoring the Light Miracle.

Livnis and her bishops focused on the violet-black crescent blade in the light.

Abyssal Crescent?!

A Grandmaster's God-killing weapon!

Wasn't it taken by the Hunter?

Could this person be…

Livnis spoke, "Who… who are you?"

Mithra didn't answer; she extinguished her lantern.

Darkness returned; the Night Hunters used their senses.

They heard the crunching of bones and flesh being rent.

Snort—

A rough, bestial breathing sound.

Clang!

A violet glow illuminated a beast wielding the Night Hunter Greatsword, its blade obscuring half its face. Eyes opened, staring at the Night Hunters.

"Scatter!" Livnis ordered immediately.

Unseen energy blades flew through the darkness.

...

"They seem to be retreating; let's go!" Nie Hong said urgently.

The others breathed a sigh of relief.

But Eternal Night creatures surrounded them; escaping would be challenging, but easier than facing Livnis.

After a while, a Sanctuary believer threw a fire Miracle to distract the creatures, creating an opening.

They fled, eventually finding a safe place to rest.

Nie Hong's Ki circulated, healing him and sensing his surroundings.

"Good, no one's missing," he said, his Ki sensing confirming the headcount.

To prevent infiltration, they confirmed their identities, and the headcount matched.

Silence followed.

"I apologize for our unnecessary actions; we wouldn't have been in this mess otherwise," a Sanctuary believer said wearily.

"Hmph, good. I don't want to work for Sun City or the Sanctuary. I'm here for that person," Tinina said bluntly.

Nie Hong, still upset, focused on the task: "We didn't choose a direction during the escape; let's find our previous markers. We don't want to get lost here."

Though he wanted to find Mithra, he knew the difficulty; ensuring everyone's safety was paramount.

Tinina suddenly inhaled sharply.

"Wait… Miss Tinina, what is it?" Nie Hong sensed something.

"I think I smell it… but the Eternal Night air is chaotic; I'm not sure," Tinina said uncertainly.

Nie Hong wanted to ask, but acting rashly would be unproductive.

Nie Hong's injuries were minor; some Sanctuary members were more seriously hurt, needing treatment before returning.

They rested.

Nie Hong closed his eyes, sensing his surroundings.

"Nie Hong… that's your name, right?" Tinina said suddenly.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Why are you so insistent on finding her?"

Nie Hong replied without hesitation, "She's my friend. Of course, I want to find her."

"Just a friend? Not family?"

"She's almost like a mentor; she taught me so much," Nie Hong said.

"…Truly unlike most Enchanting Landers," Tinina commented.

"Ah…" Nie Hong chuckled. "There's no real difference between Enchanting Landers and Dreamlanders."

"Honestly, even without Miracles, your stable lives are enviable. Most people don't face sudden Wandering God attacks," Tinina said angrily.

Silence.

Nie Hong didn't know how to respond and changed the subject. "Miss Tinina, why are you so fixated on Mithra?"

"I targeted the wrong person, but I found the right thing… I want her sword."

Tinina paused, her voice heavy. "Not to steal it, but to examine it closely, the eyes on it."

"The eyes?"

"The other eye that matches mine. I want to know if it's on that sword; nothing else matters,"

Tinina's voice was on the verge of tears.

...

After everyone recovered, the advance team prepared to move.

Nie Hong sensed a subtle change in Tinina's Ki; he couldn't determine what it was, but her breathing had become slightly heavier.

"Miss Tinina?"

"What?" Tinina's voice was normal.

"If you're feeling unwell, please tell us," Nie Hong said.

"Yes," Tinina replied casually, seemingly puzzled.

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in the darkness, diverting their attention.

"What was that?" someone asked.

"Could it be the Night Hunters?"

The Sanctuary members hesitated; they'd been ambushed before for reckless investigation.

Tinina inhaled sharply. "We need to check it out."

"What did you smell?"

"Mithra… or rather, the Ki I'm seeking. I can't be wrong about such a powerful energy surge."

With their true target revealed, the team moved without hesitation, marking their path as they went towards the sound.

In the darkness, the Night Hunters saw only fleeting violet lights, becoming disoriented and losing numbers.

Livnis gathered the Darkness Miracle in her hands.

"Heavy Darkness" rained down.

Mithra moved swiftly, her bestial senses unaffected by the darkness. She perceived even subtle traces, like a precise radar, evading the attacks.

Despite the power of Livnis's Miracle, even a small fragment of darkness created a powerful explosion; yet Mithra consistently anticipated and avoided them.

A lone cultist froze in terror; Mithra flew past, severing his head.

Another figure, equally swift, approached, malice clear.

Mithra, in beast form, swung her sword, clashing with the long blade several times before launching a close-range Hunting Blade.

The opponent dodged, then countered, thrusting towards Mithra's chest.

Mithra, enhanced by bestial strength, blocked, then swung her greatsword downwards.

The opponent braced, blocking the blow.

Snort—

Interesting. The opponent had reacted to the Hunting Blade.

Not by seeing it, but by anticipating Mithra's movements.

In a lit environment, skilled believers could anticipate and evade these attacks after a few clashes.

But Mithra's use of the Hunting Blade in beast form in the darkness was deadly precisely because her movements were unseen. Anticipating the attack was far more difficult.

This opponent had done so instantly, using enhanced senses beyond mere sight to achieve what was difficult, even impossible, for most.

Another attack came, intended to rescue a comrade.

Mithra's claws scraped the ground, her movements silent. The attack missed.

She charged past, severing the head of another branch bishop.

Suddenly, an intense Miraculous aura erupted; the light shone brightly, even in the Eternal Night.

Livnis appeared in an Illusion form, her hair flowing, her expression cold.

But a gaping wound remained on her chest.

Her injuries weren't fully healed; otherwise, she wouldn't be struggling so much against this weakened Hunter.

The combined Xyrin suppression and previous sneak attack weren't life-threatening, but significant.

["Night's Shriek": Darkness Miracle. Borrowing the power of darkness, this Miracle creates the sound of a dark sprite. The shriek travels through the darkness; no one can escape its whispers.]

"Aaah—"

Livnis's Illusion form opened its mouth, revealing a pair of Anderet-like wings near her mouth.

As indistinct shrieks echoed, the darkness around them seemed to ripple.

When the ripples reached Mithra.

Bang!

Mithra felt as if struck by an immense, unseen being. The pressure wasn't singular; it came from all directions.

Instantly, Mithra's flesh blurred, her bones shattered.

This wasn't a mere cement mixer; this was like being trapped in a cement truck, and she was the cement…

Boom!

A tremendous explosion centered on Mithra.

The two branch bishops had already moved away before she was overwhelmed.

Ikli remained impassive; her hand trembled slightly from blocking Mithra's attack, but she showed no distress.

Remu was awestruck, admiring Livnis.

That was their Grandmaster! An Illusion believer!

A serious attack could subdue even an incomplete Wandering God!

"Cough…" Livnis coughed, blood staining her lips.

The wound on her Illusion form widened, forcing her to clutch her chest.

The Hunter's sword was incredibly effective against Darkness Miracle believers.

Why did the Night Hunter Church fear this erratic Wandering God?

The three old Grandmasters, including Livnis, hoped it would remain dormant. The new faction, while accepting anyone, few dared pursue its power; an emergency meeting was called after confirming its resurrection due to internal mistakes.

Though this Wandering God followed Anderet, its "faith" was unacceptable to human believers.

Its faith manifested as its power, its essence: Hunting.

While faith, it undeniably countered darkness; "faith" and "contempt" were only a hair's breadth apart.

They were only fortunate that the Hunter was so reckless, attacking in such a weakened state.

Crackle—

A nightmarish sound.

Livnis froze.

The aura shifted.

The unsettling Hunter aura lessened—good news.

But something emerged from the darkness, even more unsettling than the Hunter.

"Ugh… Ooh… Aaaah—!" A sound like groaning, then sobbing, escalating into a furious roar.

The Auxiliary Light Lantern flickered.

They saw a gaunt, black figure; the lantern was clutched in its raised chest, shaking with its roar.

The flickering light… if the Hunter was a faith that scorned darkness…

This being felt like it scorned the entire world.

"Run!" Livnis commanded instantly.

Though the being's power was unclear and less focused than the Hunter's, Livnis trusted her instincts.

Believers rarely hallucinated; Illusion believers practically never did!

Regardless, the being wielded the Night Hunter Greatsword! Without the Hunter Miracle, the sword alone was enough to suppress them!

The Stranger stumbled forward.

Livnis's Miracle was powerful; Mithra's beast form could withstand only a few attacks; prolonged pressure was unbearable.

"Dog," weakened, was battered.

Mithra had enjoyed the sneak attack; now, she was facing raw power.

The Stranger's appearance mitigated the subsequent explosions.

The Stranger's senses were chaotic; Mithra feared she couldn't move precisely in the darkness, leaving the Maw to manipulate the lantern for the Stranger.

The Maw could create an opening, but with difficulty. It was merely a "small mouth".

The tentacle-tongues struggled to adjust the lantern, repeatedly muttering, "Hungry, hungry, hungry," hoping for a feast.

The lantern flickered erratically due to its clumsy handling.

Regardless of the humorous reasons…

The Night Hunters saw only fleeting violet light; they scattered wildly, losing more members.

Livnis focused the Darkness Miracle in her hands.

Suddenly, the Maw switched to scan mode, a beam illuminating several Night Hunters.

Bang!

As the light touched them, a faint glow enveloped the Stranger.

Reinforce Body activated—

The physical enhancement was far stronger than Mithra's, a white mist swirling around the Stranger as it smashed into the ground and charged.

Swish!

Several Night Hunters were disintegrated above the waist.

Nearby Eternal Night creatures were crushed.

The Stranger stood over the corpses, roaring.

The Night Hunters fled; even Livnis didn't want to face this unknown being.

Fully healed, with the crescent blade, and several Eternal Night crystals, backed by the Eternal Night itself, she might have fought, but now, injured, and weakened after battling the Hunter… this was absurd!

As the Night Hunters fled, the Stranger, having roared, looked down at the fleeing figures.

It raised the Night Hunter Greatsword, one hand on the hilt, the other on the blade.

"Aaaaah—!"

The Stranger roared again; black energy surged from its body, engulfing the Night Hunter Greatsword.

Whoosh!

The eyes on the Night Hunter Greatsword flickered uncontrollably, then violet energy coalesced.

The Hunter Miracle!

The Stranger was Mithra.

Mithra could use what it could use.

Though she couldn't sense Miracles without a medium, she could access Miracles through God-killing weapons.

The process, however, was more forceful.

Swish!

An immense violet beam erupted from the sword, piercing the sky.

Even without seeing the Hunting Blade, the Night Hunters felt an overwhelming terror descending.

"Aaaaah—!"

The Stranger raised its leg high and stomped, the ground trembling. The Night Hunter Greatsword, empowered by Mithra's unprecedented Hunting Blade, descended.

Boom! Swish!

Guided by the Auxiliary Light Lantern, the violet energy blade carved a deep, ferocious scar across the ground. Everything in its path was consumed.

Ikli was unfortunate; she was in the blade's path.

Remu screamed, urging Ikli to evade, but Ikli abandoned escape, facing the unseen yet terrifying blade. Then, he turned to dust.

The Maw almost dropped the lantern, fearing Mithra's wrath.

The darkness obscured the final Hunting Blade's trajectory.

The Maw frantically adjusted the lantern, aiming upwards.

Then, the monstrous being appeared.

It had been waiting, observing Mithra. As the lantern illuminated it, a powerful tentacle lashed out.

The Stranger looked up at the descending tentacle; the contrast was immense.

But the Stranger didn't fear.

It charged forward, roaring, engulfed in Ashes Flame Father flames. All its Miracles coalesced; its chaotic senses surged.

Abyssal Miracles formed a cloak; the Abyssal Crescent appeared in its hand, scraping against the Night Hunter Greatsword.

As the tentacle neared the ground, the Stranger lunged, smashing into the earth.

An explosion; then, it vanished, leaving a crater and fissures.

Enlightened Step!

The violet lantern danced wildly, the Maw straining to maintain its aim.

The tentacle, having lost its target, briefly recoiled before plunging downwards.

The lantern shone on the tentacle.

The Stranger stood atop it, slashing with the greatsword and crescent blade.

Swish!

Blazing flames, crackling white lightning, roaring darkness, all amplified by the crescent blade.

A final, ultimate attack.

Brilliant light exploded, illuminating half of Sun City. A shockwave spread, blowing away Eternal Night creatures.

...

The Night Hunters were stunned.

The Herald of Eternal Night, the legendary Darkness Pillar, had appeared unexpectedly.

And someone had dared to attack it…

As the light faded, darkness returned; the commotion confirmed the Eternal Night's disruption.

"Blessings and curses coexist…" Livnis's voice was hoarse. "That being, unlike the Hunter, brought us what we sought… Let's go, before it reacts… that thing won't die so easily."

Remu, beside Livnis, was stunned.

Livnis patted her shoulder and walked on.

They had long lost much on their path, especially their humanity. But seeing their companion leave, they couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

The Night Hunters, after this experience, would never feel comfortable in the Eternal Night again.

The Hunter and the monstrous being had instilled deep fear and unease.

...

The Night Hunters were shocked; the advance team even more so.

"…That wasn't the Hunter," Tinina said after a long pause.

Though brief, her Night eye had detected inconsistencies; she saw parts of the truth, but couldn't piece it together.

"Too far to see clearly… but that violet light… impossible…" Nie Hong was stunned.

They knew Mithra was powerful, but not this powerful?!

She had fought the Herald?!

The Sanctuary members, witnessing the scene, wondered if Mithra even needed rescuing.

"Let's go check. That area is near Sun City's border!" A Sanctuary member said, regaining their composure.

They hurried forward. Though awed by the Herald, fear wouldn't stop them.

...

Bang!

A figure crashed to the ground, collapsing several buildings before falling into the ruins.

After a moment, a hand pushed aside the debris, and a figure struggled to its feet.

"Ugh… Mith… Mithra… You are Mithra… I am Mithra…" A hand clutched hair, digging into the scalp, using physical pain to stimulate consciousness while repeatedly casting Stabilize.

A few steps later, a stumble sent her to the ground.

Her hands groped, finding a stone, which she used to break her finger.

Using the broken finger, she wrote her name in the darkness, muttering it repeatedly.

The Auxiliary Light Lantern illuminated Mithra's sweat-drenched, vacant expression.

Blood-soaked "Mithra" characters were scattered around her.

"Hungry…"

Mithra paused briefly but continued, writing her name with her broken finger. The Maw, anxious, licked the blood and clumsily copied her writing.

After a long time, Mithra's eyes cleared.

She didn't know how long she'd been writing, but she and the Maw had covered the ruins with blood-soaked "Mithra" characters.

"Hungry…" The Maw slowly offered the lantern.

Mithra accepted the lantern and shone it forward.

"I am Mithra."

"Hungry…"

"You are the Maw."

"Hungry…"

"I am the Stranger."

"Hungry…"

Mithra walked through the ruins, her breathing even, her expression calm, returning to her landing spot.

There, a large, damaged tentacle twitched weakly.

A fragment of the Herald of Eternal Night; a tiny piece compared to its immense form.

But…

"We've won, barely," Mithra said calmly.

[Nateduras Tentacle Fragment: "Herald of Eternal Night" A fragment of Nateduras' body, though small, retains powerful activity. Nateduras himself likely doesn't understand why so many fragments were broken off. A high-quality material symbolizing darkness; it may even contain remnants of eternal night. Excessive contact can cause vision impairment, depression, and reversed sleep cycles.]

[—— I wanted to say something, but I didn't. They aren't bad children.]

"They forcibly dragged me through my chest, then ambushed me from above, waiting like a hunter in the trees, and attacked as soon as the light shone. But they aren't bad children," Mithra said, looking at the final message from Night Eyes.

Anderet, the boss, came out to talk!

Of course, even though Mithra thought this, her mind was blank.

Anderet, the boss, denied it.

How could she, working for the boss, be "bullied" by the boss?

Those unilateral faith cultists were one thing, but could the burden bearers compare to Salutisas' crimson serpent next door?

Putting her thoughts aside, Mithra approached the tentacle.

Honestly, she originally thought she had little to do with burden bearers.

But The Stranger's power in that state even shocked Mithra herself.

Despite lacking much intellect, it mastered various techniques, ones Mithra possessed and didn't, going berserk and wanting only to slaughter, unable to bear even a slight grievance.

This was the impetuous self, deep within her own mind: pathetic, helpless, wronged, yet capable of slaughtering people.

Since the battle with the Night Hunter, Mithra hadn't allowed The Stranger to manifest for extended periods.

At most, brief appearances, less than a minute before reverting, relying on its unclear Ki to suppress various threats.

But this time, facing Livnis's might, Mithra's only option against such a powerful opponent was The Stranger.

Then, The Stranger's performance exceeded Mithra's expectations.

While seemingly just a super-enhanced version of herself, its power manipulation in that state was completely different from her normal self.

Previously, Mithra's limited knowledge attributed the difference solely to the fully Unified Sense, but in reality, it went far beyond that.

The Stranger could even utilize traces of miracles and abyssal wonders.

Especially the forced use of the Night Hunter Greatsword's Hunter miracle; aside from a slight lack of finesse, it wasn't that different, and the power output wasn't significantly less, was it?

Finally, this intense outburst shattered a tiny fragment of the Herald of Eternal Night.

The price was a long-unseen, frantic rampage, lasting a considerable time, almost making her forget who she was.

"Hungry…?"

"Eat this," Mithra casually said to The Maw.

Though Anderet, the boss, personally touted her "Nail" as a high-grade material, Mithra didn't care.

Feeding it to The Maw was efficient resource utilization, wasn't it? Besides, confirming she could cut off another piece was enough.

There's an opportunity to readjust things; after all, wasn't it staring curiously at me from above?

First, fulfilling my promise to The Maw—letting it have its fill, and its reward for diligently writing.

"Hungry…!"

The Maw rubbed its two tongue-like tentacles, then swiftly extended numerous tentacles, seizing the tentacle fragment and stuffing it into its mouth.

Though called a fragment, for a human, this piece of tentacle was still quite large.

Furthermore, its skin was incredibly tough; Mithra couldn't cut it with any weapon, and The Maw couldn't bite through it either.

But that wasn't a problem; The Maw could swallow it directly.

Mithra felt a slight tightness in her chest, like a blockage.

But it quickly dissipated after the tentacle fragment was completely swallowed.

Followed by a rich, full feeling, no—even a distended feeling!

The Maw getting full was a rare occurrence; most of the time, it would be hungry again within half an hour.

Overeating was completely unimaginable.

But the Nateduras tentacle fragment was different. Clearly only the size of an adult human, something The Maw had eaten before, it felt different.

This tentacle fragment was to The Maw what a Pokémon Energy Cube is to Snorlax.

A single one contained enough to satiate the gluttonous being.

Mithra's thoughts about stocking up on the Herald of Eternal Night deepened.

But before she could think further, she suddenly felt a noticeable increase in her physical strength.

Her muscles, bones, and internal organs—everything experienced balanced growth. This was a gradual, unconscious growth whenever The Maw ate, but previously it was imperceptible; this time, it was profoundly noticeable.

Simultaneously, she vaguely sensed something in her mind; alongside the primal sense's growth, wondrous images flashed before her eyes.

On the earth, a thick, purplish-black pillar of light seemed to support heaven and earth.

A woman in a dress similar to Livnis's—a slender black gown—with tentacles extending from her head like a cluster of flowers, obscuring her true face.

She stood within the pillar of light, reaching toward the sky.

Around her, three Heralds of Eternal Night circled, tilting their heads and emitting deep, thunderous growls in response to her movements.

The white sky began to be stained black; the true sun in the sky flickered repeatedly, struggling, but still gradually being consumed by the darkness.

The entire world was shrouded in the darkness of Eternal Night.

Mithra withdrew from this vision; the sensation in her mind became perfectly clear. She had perceived a miracle.

["Miniature Eternal Night": Eternal Night Miracle. Through sensing the image of Eternal Night's descent, combined with the power of the Herald of Eternal Night, a unique divine miracle is born. Upon activation, it can create an illusion of Eternal Night within a limited area, obscuring the senses of those within. Used in conjunction with Eternal Night crystals, it can open a temporary, one-way Eternal Night rift; such rifts can also serve as a point of escape.]

[——The shadow of Eternal Night never retreats.]

Seeing such a grand image, Mithra had expected to perceive something exceptionally powerful, akin to an abyssal miracle.

This miracle is essentially a simplified Eternal Night, a readily cast dark environment that cloaks the user.

Mithra herself didn't favor it, but it seemed useful in her beast transformation state; as mentioned before, it could be used to prevent enemies from seeing her using the Hunting Blade.

Its most crucial, truly weighty function was the subsequent ability to open a rift to the Eternal Night world when combined with Eternal Night crystals.

Unlike Mithra's previous experiences, this rift seemed to allow two-way travel, not a one-way ticket.

The applications were numerous; at the very least, even without gathering enough Eternal Night crystals, she could carry "Eternal Night" with her, and use it to a certain extent.

The Night Hunter Church would surely be envious.

Stretching her body.

Having briefly processed her gains, she should return and check on things.

The Stranger had casually slaughtered a branch bishop; she needed to retrieve that Eternal Night crystal.

Then there was the matter of those Night Hunter Church members seemingly searching for the Herald of Eternal Night's location? She seemed to have sensed their movements when they were blown away.

Without the light, they might find nothing, but with such a clear target, they were likely after something else.

The light shone forward, Mithra stepped onto the path once more, The Maw excited; after overeating, it wanted to vent its energy.