Advancement was not the end. To strengthen their minds against the urge to fuse, they nearly bit through their lips. Enlightenment—Endurance appeared on their Destiny Rings first, and almost in the next second, both of them gained Miracle—Fusion.
But the power obtained from the ritual only made them want even more desperately to truly become one with the other. Such rapid acquisition of Spirit Runes was itself an extremely abnormal phenomenon.
Yet Shade's presence, and their oath to Shade, still gave them the resolve to walk toward Angelina, whose face had somehow become streaked with tears.
The journey of less than ten seconds felt endlessly long to Leisha and Dorothy. Once they finally left the range of the ritual, they realized that their entire bodies were soaked in sweat. Though their trembling bodies were somewhat weak, the powerful urge in their hearts instantly faded until only a faint trace remained.
"Elder Sister."
As her Destiny Ring withdrew, Leisha had no time to say anything to Dorothy before stumbling forward and embracing the crying Angelina. Leisha's long red hair clung to the side of her face. She then turned and gave the equally pale Dorothy a helpless smile, whispering in her heart:
"Look, Angelina is already so grown up, yet she's still crying."
The three women and one cat were all safe. Dorothy and Leisha examined themselves and found that aside from their abrupt advancement after seizing power from the Ritual Matrix, both of their souls had become more stable and powerful.
That was a good thing, but they still needed to figure out where they were and how to return to the hotel. The walls were trembling, and Blood Mist filled the surroundings. This was not a place where they could remain for long.
Fortunately, Grace and Helen had given