That strange black humanoid was completely insensitive to sound. But when the sphere of light Iluna had summoned shone on it, it suddenly sprang from the sofa to the floor. Its joints twisted, its limbs pressed against the ground, and it crawled like some huge insect into the unlit space behind the sofa, startling all three of them.
"That's the source of the curse. It's exactly what Old John described. We've encountered a rare case—this isn't a naturally formed dark creature. It's a curse source transformed from a human!"
Shade said as he shielded Emilia behind him. Iluna was about to say something, but the sphere of light in her hand abruptly went out.
In an instant, darkness enveloped the three of them. An exceptionally powerful Whisper Element swept over them, accompanied by the sensation of space shifting.
Within that darkness, the faint silver light glowing from Shade guided the two girls closer to him. Iluna also grabbed his sleeve and frowned as she looked around.
"The malice here is really intense. Look ahead."
A thread of white light appeared in the darkness. They were no longer in the Reality World. Shade did not immediately approach it. Instead, he summoned the Moonbeam Greatsword first, then looked back at Emilia.
"If we end up fighting, be careful."
"Got it."
The Elf Girl hid behind Shade, looking pitiful and frightened. It was not an act; she really was terrified. Seeing her like that, Iluna subconsciously puffed out her chest, but then realized something was wrong with her own emotions and immediately reflected on whether this place was influencing her.
The three of them approached the only light in the darkness together. As they drew near, they discovered it was the figure of a pure-white middle-aged man. He had been silently still, but