The expedition took another step forward, and humanoid figures of dust appeared behind them in unison.
Every dust figure had the same face as its corresponding explorer.
"Why does this thing look exactly like me?"
"Damn it, mine does too."
"This is bad. I've got a bad feeling about this. Why is this place so creepy?" someone suddenly said with a shudder.
Anyone would shudder at the sight of a dust figure with a face identical to the one they had customized.
The expedition leader's expression darkened. He raised his dagger to his mouth and licked its edge.
Swish! With a slight flick of his wrist, a cold gleam flashed through the dust, cutting a gash across the humanoid figure's face.
Its head did not split, and its body remained unharmed. Only a straight, vertical wound appeared on its face.
That was the mark left by the dagger passing through it.
"Stop burning them. The dust can't be killed or destroyed. You're wasting your time," the assassin leader said grimly.
The others did not want to waste mana here either. Although they had brought plenty of potions, casting spells required more than mana. Too much spellcasting would leave them mentally exhausted, compromising their peak combat strength.
Ignoring the dust, they walked over a kilometer without dealing with the humanoid figures behind them. The figures formed an enormous procession. They neither spoke nor attacked, simply following behind and sending chills down everyone's spine.
The assassin leader looked back several times, a trace of panic showing on his face, but his discipline kept him from losing his composure.
"Riko, you handle burning them. Make sure you conserve mana."
"Yes!"
They could not leave this unchecked. Throughout their walk, everyone had felt an indescribable discomfort, as though something terrible would happen unless they