"What is this?" It was a double-ended needle-shaped object, completely indistinguishable from a compass. But something exchanged from that mysterious system should not have been ordinary—at least, that was what Hinagiku thought.
"Could this compass help us find the exit?" Mikoto reached out and tapped the compass in Wu Yan's hand, smiling. Although she knew about the system and could see its list, she knew absolutely nothing about the items within it. If Wu Yan had not still been holding it, she might have even felt like zapping it a couple of times to see what happened.
Wu Yan tossed the compass in his hand twice and looked at Mikoto speechlessly. "Did you get it wrong? We're trying to get in, not get out..."
Mikoto froze, then awkwardly scratched her head. "Then... then what does it do? Does it just find the entrance?"
"You actually guessed right..." Wu Yan shook his head with a laugh and raised the compass. "This is a special compass. Ordinary compasses can only point south, but this one can guide the user toward conceptual directions, such as the concept of 'entering.'"
"That's so amazing..." Hinagiku studied the compass with great interest. Wu Yan had told her before how incredible the system's items were, but aside from summoning, which she had not witnessed personally, this was the first time she had actually seen it for herself.
"Hurry up and try it..." Mikoto was curious as well. Academy City had plenty of strange things, but in that world of technology, everything could be explained through science. She had never seen an item powered by something as abstract as a "concept."
And as a fourteen-year-old girl, it was perfectly normal for her to be curious about novel things. It just meant she was still at an age when she liked to play...
"I'm already using it!" As soon as he finished speaking, the compass in Wu Yan's hand floated into the air. It spun twice with a "whirr, whirr," then shot off in a certain direction.
Hinagiku and Mikoto both froze, staring in surprise at the flying compass.
"This compass can lead the way on its own?" Hinagiku pointed in the direction it had flown, her mouth hanging open. Wasn't a compass only supposed to "point," meaning guide a direction? Yet this one could actually lead the way. How could Hinagiku, who had still lived in an ordinary world a month ago, not be surprised?
"It looks like fun. Let's catch up!" Mikoto said excitedly, clenching her fist. Then she stepped forward and ran off by herself without waiting for Hinagiku or Wu Yan.
"Wait!" Hinagiku hurried after her. Drawn in by the novel item, much of the fear in the two girls' hearts had faded. Wu Yan followed with a wry smile.
Fun, huh? I spent 1,000 Item Points just for this "fun"...
In the dimly lit passage, the three immediately started running, chasing after the compass flying ahead of them. Their chaotic footsteps echoed far through the broad tunnel, creating yet another round of reverberating footsteps.
Then, at a certain moment, the compass flying before the three suddenly stopped and pointed in one direction. Wu Yan and the others hurriedly came to a halt.
Hinagiku looked around at the walls and rocks surrounding them and asked doubtfully, "Is there a path here? I don't see one..."
"Is that compass all right?" Mikoto pointed at it. "It seems to be pointing at a wall!"
Wu Yan nodded, somewhat unable to make sense of it. After thinking for a moment, he raised his head and looked at the wall the compass indicated, a complicated glint flashing through his eyes.
Wall:
Wu Yan's expression twisted.
Could a wall have a level? How was that possible? If walls could have levels, then the Buddha's golden statue would probably have a heaven-defying level!
There was only one explanation: it was not a wall, but a monster. A monster named Wall, one that looked like a wall and could block people's path...
Wasn't this just screwing with him?! That monster had been "standing" there the whole time, yet they had walked all this way without noticing it. Why had the system's detection not picked it up earlier?
It was not really Wu Yan's fault. He simply had not paid attention to the wall, nor did he have a habit of looking at walls. The system's detection function only scanned things within his field of vision, so naturally it had not detected it.
"What's wrong?" Seeing the change in Wu Yan's expression, Mikoto immediately asked.
Wu Yan pointed at the monster called Wall and said weakly, "That should be the entrance..."
Hinagiku frowned. "Where is the entrance? That is clearly a wall."
"Ah..." Wu Yan sighed and waved his hand. "That really is the entrance. It's just blocked by a monster."
"A monster!" Hinagiku's body trembled as she asked nervously, "A monster... where...?"
"I'm telling you..." Rubbing his brow, Wu Yan rolled his eyes. "That wall is the monster blocking the way!"
"The wall?" The two girls both froze.
"You mean that wall looks like a wall, but it isn't actually a wall? It's a monster that looks like a wall?" Mikoto's mouth twitched. It felt utterly absurd. Everyone had heard of monsters, but this was the first time she had heard someone say that a wall was a monster.
Seeing the two girls' disbelief, Wu Yan said nothing. He drew the Kusanagi Sword and slashed at the wall!
Logically speaking, if it had been an ordinary wall, then with Wu Yan's strength, that slash would have shattered it into pieces. But instead, a huge "wound" appeared on the wall where he struck.
"Roar!!!" A thunderous roar came from within the wall. Rather than a roar, though, it sounded more like a cry of pain.
The sound rang through the entire passage, stirring up violent echoes. Hinagiku and Mikoto stared at the wall in horror and screamed. The sudden sound, so incredibly loud, had badly frightened both of them.
The passage began to shake, and chunks of stone fell from above. Wu Yan quickly retreated to Mikoto and Hinagiku's side, watching the wall.
The trembling gradually weakened until it stopped. The bizarre situation made Mikoto and Hinagiku nervous, so neither spoke. They merely clutched Wu Yan's clothes. Wu Yan was somewhat speechless. Though they had some strength, and Mikoto was far stronger than him, they were still young... afraid of ghosts and monsters and such...
Suddenly, the wall Wu Yan had struck began to squirm like a pudding, wobbling up and down. Under the gazes of the three, the wall soon detached itself and slowly floated before them.
Its squirming became more violent. Two huge rocks seemed to shake loose from the wall and fell to the ground, leaving two holes behind. A crack split open below the holes, and a strange cry came from within it. They were clearly eyes and a mouth!
"Now it finally looks a little like a monster..." Wu Yan said with some relief.
In contrast to Wu Yan's relief, Mikoto and Hinagiku clung tightly to each other, their faces crumpling as they stared at the wall that had turned into a face, tears gathering at the corners of their eyes.
"Roar!!!" Wall roared, spun in midair, and then slammed fiercely toward the three.
"Move!" Wu Yan shouted, swiftly dodging to the side. Mikoto and Hinagiku came to their senses and clumsily dodged away as well.
Wall brushed past the three and continued without losing momentum, crashing into the wall behind them. It shook twice, turned around, and charged at them again.
Wu Yan dodged Wall's charge once more and raised his sword. Sparks of electricity began to flicker around Mikoto's body as well.
Seeing a monster for the first time had frightened her. After all, she was a young girl. But Mikoto was still a level 68 powerhouse, and she usually acted more like a boy. After her initial fear, once she saw the real monster, she quickly adjusted.
The unknown was the most terrifying thing, and Mikoto demonstrated that perfectly. Hinagiku, however, still looked terrified. Ghosts and things like that were what she feared most, and monsters fell into the same category.
Although Wu Yan kept his eyes on Wall, he had been watching Hinagiku the entire time so he could rush over to support her whenever necessary.
It was not that Wu Yan did not care about Mikoto. She was far stronger than he was, so there was no need for him to worry about her. Hinagiku was the weakest among the three, and if anything happened, she could not be revived. After all, she was not one of Wu Yan's summoned characters.
As expected, Hinagiku was helpless against this kind of supernatural stuff...
Wu Yan sighed inwardly, then charged at Wall with his sword raised. Since Hinagiku was so afraid of these things, it was better to finish it quickly. It was only level 20, anyway.
Wall had just charged at the three and been dodged. It was still maintaining its forward momentum, preparing to crash into the wall like before. But Wu Yan swiftly rushed behind it and slashed down, cutting off a piece of its corner.
Before Wall could cry out in pain, Wu Yan dropped flat onto the ground. A blue current streaked over his head and slammed into Wall, blasting it into the wall.
"We're not done yet!" Mikoto swung both hands, and two more currents shot from her forehead, striking the spot where Wall had crashed into the wall one after another. Two huge explosions erupted, scattering large amounts of rubble.
Wu Yan stood up, brushed the dirt off himself, and shook his head.
Wouldn't it have been better if you had obediently let me chop you to death? Now look at you, getting your corpse whipped by a violent girl...
"Is it dead?" Hinagiku took two steps back and asked timidly. Wu Yan could not help but smile wryly. He had told her that if she was scared, she should not have come.
"It should be dead." Mikoto casually brushed aside the bangs stirred by the electricity, as though the monster were merely another delinquent she had taught a lesson.
Watching Mikoto brush her bangs aside with such a cool expression, Wu Yan grumbled inwardly.
Who was it that was scared to death just now...?
As Wu Yan complained inwardly, Mikoto struck a pose, and Hinagiku remained uneasily tense, an explosion suddenly rang out. Rubble flew everywhere. The three were startled. Wu Yan swung his sword and knocked aside the stones rushing at him, while Mikoto stood in place as rings of electricity flashed around her body again. The instant the stones touched the current around her, they turned to powder.
As the stones were continuously blocked, Wall's obviously much smaller body suddenly shot out and charged toward Hinagiku.
Wu Yan and Mikoto were startled and moved to rescue Hinagiku, but then...
As Wall rushed toward her, the fear on Hinagiku's face grew deeper and deeper. Just as it was about to hit her, the terrified expression on her face suddenly broke apart.
"Don't come any closer!!!" With a broken expression, Hinagiku smashed Wall into the ground with one punch. Then she clenched her hand, and Crystal Sword, White Sakura appeared in her grasp. Hinagiku repeatedly brought it down on Wall!
"Don't come closer don't come closer don't come closer don't come closer don't come closer!"
Watching Wall shatter into smaller and smaller pieces under Hinagiku's relentless attacks, Wu Yan and Mikoto both took a step back.
The two looked at each other and exchanged awkward smiles, the same meaning shining in their eyes.
Hinagiku was absolutely someone they could not afford to provoke...
Before you continue