Number Ten was held in Inanna's arms for the first time in ages, and, unusually, did not refuse.
Number Four crouched on a low table nearby, pacing back and forth.
It held that luminous white tooth between its tentacles, turning it over and over, passing it from one tentacle to another, then from left to right—in short, waving it around in front of Number Ten.
Unfortunately, Number Ten never asked the question it was waiting for.
A gloomy Number Four decided the tooth was too small and not eye-catching enough, and resolved to get a bigger trophy next time.
Preferably something like the Fungal Lord's dragon horn!
The Fungal Fortress was going to build a statue of the Marshal soon, and that dragon horn would be used as decoration. Number Four wanted to obtain a huge, cool trophy like that too!
Only, if it wanted a trophy, it had to go out in search of battle. But if it left Pink Puji, then—
Looking at Inanna's hands, Number Four felt reluctant again.
Number Four had not made up its mind, but Fourteen already had.
"You want to travel alone?"
"It isn't travel. It's the eradication of the Hand of Passing."
While Number Fourteen communicated with Linden through the Mycelium Network, he dealt with Norris and Ming's attacks.
Jida pounced from the left, the four-meter-tall beast kicking up sprays of snow with every step, the Resonance Cannon on his shoulder already gathering a ghostly blue glow.
Ming charged in from the right, without making any defensive move at all.
The Sword Saint did not use a sword, relying only on the Tentacle Blades that came with the Puji body.
With one sweep, he tripped the charging Ming, then with another slash, cut off Jida's Resonance Cannon as it was charging.
The