"We found them!"
Greenfield Park in the city center.
For some reason, the Earth Crystal, which should have been deep underground, had come to the surface. The massive crystal was still filled with light, countless hands reaching out from within to drag at the chaotic darkness in midair.
Noticing our approach, the darkness in the air split apart again, releasing huge amounts of Black Mud that rained down in a pitch-black mass, as though the sky were collapsing.
I gripped the Ruby Gunstaff and raised a shield, trying to block the torrent of dark mud.
"Now!"
The fused state dissolved, and "I" became me and "her" once more.
"I'm going up. Make some footholds for me."
"Leave it to me!"
She waved her wand, creating bubble-like steps in the air.
Then she added, "I'll head over to the Earth Crystal!"
Before then, I had to become the "Great Will."
It was a path I had never tried before. Rather than being devoured, I might as well devour it instead. Since I was also a Witch, a Dark Aggregate, then theoretically, I should be able to do it, right?
The Great Will's newborn consciousness had yet to take shape. It was merely an aggregate of chaos and negativity. There was no way I, who possessed consciousness, would lose to this enormous mass of malice.
Stepping on those bubble stairs, I drew closer to the roiling chaos in midair. Along the way, I reached out and touched the streams of mud flowing down. The Great Will would turn them into Shadow Soldiers to obstruct us, but before that could happen, they fell into my stomach and were absorbed into my body.
"Thanks for the meal."
As the darkness inside me continued to grow, my body evolved in a direction that was no