"This isn't my world. It's dangerous here. This contains information about this place and its taboos, including information about Deep Blue Star, where I am. Read it first."
Wu Heng pointed with his index finger, sending a cluster of gray energy toward Naoko. It formed into a ball before her chest and hovered there.
Naoko extended fingers as delicate as scallion stalks and pinched it. The energy merged into her palm, and she instantly understood everything.
"There's actually such a wondrous place in the world. It's unbelievable. So I'm merely a story character from one of those worlds."
Naoko murmured to herself. Unlike some of the characters Tower Guardians had brought out by circumventing the rules, she did not react with disbelief or question her own existence.
She was simply happy that she had been brought out—especially that Wu Heng had brought her out.
She liked this sense of attachment and had not the slightest awareness of being Hell-level.
Wu Heng saw that Naoko was still deepening her understanding of this world, her expression thoughtful, and did not disturb her.
He turned over his right hand.
The 'Core of Tomie's Curse' floated above his palm, a transparent mass constantly changing shape and drifting unsteadily.
The substance that should have been born for it had been absorbed by Naoko, leaving it undernourished and unable to evolve to the Hell level.
Yet something nurtured from the life, death, and curses of an entire world was naturally far from simple.
It was like an underdeveloped embryo.
As long as Wu Heng could find enough energy in story worlds and cultivate and hatch it, it might be able to advance to the Hell level.
By then, Wu Heng would likely gain another trait.
After putting it away, Wu Heng heard footsteps approaching from outside