The city's streets were paved with ceramic tiles.
These ratlike creatures were not only about the same height as humans, but dressed much like people in the modern Academic World. Mannequins stood behind the glass windows of shops lining the streets, while groups of two or three large rats leisurely browsed.
Reilo and the Shura Path had sneaked into the city. To their surprise, they saw advertisements for beauty pageants displayed on the huge screens atop the buildings. They stared up at them for a long time, astonished by the development of this strange civilization.
Its entertainment technology had advanced to this degree, yet the vehicles on its streets were still all kinds of animal-drawn carriages. From time to time, enormous domesticated birds flew overhead.
Glug, glug.
A raggedly dressed rat looked utterly despondent. He carried a bottle of liquor, repeatedly tilting his head back to drink, while muttering something under his breath.
"That one."
Reilo picked his target.
The Shura Path curled its lips. It knew perfectly well why Reilo had chosen this fellow: even if he went missing, it wouldn't cause much of a stir.
A moment later.
As the large rat staggered past a dim alley, an invisible force dragged her into the shadows with a whoosh. The Shura Path pressed five fingers to the top of her head. In her horrified, despairing gaze, her body gradually went limp and her eyes grew unfocused.
"The Poet Pig Clan."
After digesting its memories and emotions for a moment, the Shura Path gave the name.
Then it extended a hand and condensed a bead of blood essence in its palm. Reilo said nothing, merely slapped the bead against the top of his own head. A moment later, he had absorbed the essence of the Poet Pig's memories, including its