Slipping into a dream

Time flows differently in the Sea of Imaginary Numbers than in the outside world. It is possible that thousands of years have passed here while only a second has passed outside. Or it is possible that a day has passed here while the world outside has changed beyond recognition.

There was no light, like a deep, dark sea, only suffocating darkness. It seemed that the only way to escape was to enter a deep, eternal slumber.

Bai Mo approached Tiamat's face, raised his hand, and pulled open her eyelids, which were taller than city walls. In her pair of lifeless, Ruby- like eyes, the strangely crossed pupils seemed to be gazing into the endless void.

"She's sleeping soundly. Well, being trapped in a place like this, there's probably nothing else to do but sleep."

After confirming that Tiamat was still asleep and that he shouldn't wake her no matter what he did, Bai Mo felt relieved and began to think about how to leave.

"After all, there's nothing here. It's pretty boring, isn't it? It's ironic that having everything leads to boredom, and having nothing also leads to boredom. In the end, it seems like it's all meaningless."

Looking at Tiamat Manaka, Aige thought of her past self and couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

Suddenly, she changed the subject, saying with immense relief, "But I'm much luckier than her, after all, all I want is you. Thinking about it this way, it doesn't seem so bad to stay here forever."

It seemed there was a third person present, someone who didn't exist, and that Manaka words were spoken to this third, invisible person. Bai Mo didn't respond at all, only examining the Command Spell in his hand.

Even in the Sea of Imaginary Numbers, the Servant's summons still hold true. His second line of defense is that he can rely on Ereshkigal to get him out of here.

But now that he's in Tiamat's prison, Bai Mo isn't sure if he can succeed; if he does, will bringing Ereshkigal over make him another victim?

Seeing that Bai Mo was completely ignoring her, Manaka wasn't annoyed. She had plenty of time on her hands and shoulders, and therefore appeared quite relaxed. She wasn't worried about getting out at all; rather...

It's best if we can't get out.

"How long are you planning to stay there? Didn't I tell you to go straight back? Why are you here?"

Bai Mo frowned as he looked at Manaka, who was trapped in bright red flesh and blood, and asked.

"After all, I came here on a mission. 'There might be a problem with Tiamat. Let's check it out just in case.' That's what Mery asked me, so I came here through Gorgon's [Womb of All Beasts].

While you were fighting, I took the opportunity to conceal my presence and hide. But unexpectedly, the ground beneath my feet suddenly cracked open, and I fell into it.

So it's not that I didn't listen."

Manaka stood with her hands on her hips, looking quite self-assured, but the gesture, given her petite stature, only exuded a cute childlike charm.

"After all, as the Master who protects Human Order, I also have responsibilities that I must fulfill."

Hearing Manaka's explanation, Bai Mo stopped asking questions. In that sense, she was an innocent bystander who ended up here.

"I see, I understand. It seems you were caught in the crossfire of my battle. Since things have come to this, let's try to find a way to leave this place together."

Bai Mo reached out his hand to Manaka, wanting to pull her out. Seeing this, the girl's heart fluttered like a joyful fawn; this was the first time he had ever reached out his hand to her.

She placed her ten slender, jade-like fingers on Bai Mo's palm and gently stroked the lines on her palm.

Are you coming out or not?

Seeing that this guy had no idea what to do, Bai Mo frowned slightly.

"I really want to come out and hug you, but I can't right now. This way, I can connect to Tiamat's dream, which is something Mery needs me to check."

Manaka very gently, as if touching a rare animal, holding Bai Mo's finger and saying:

"How about you come to my place? Tiamat is still asleep, but it's still warm. And perhaps there will be clues in her dreams about leaving."

Upon hearing Manaka's words, Bai Mo's eyelids twitched violently, but it seemed to be the only solution at the moment.

A crack appeared in the flesh, but there was no foul smell; it was like the warmth emanating from a warm blanket on a winter's day. Manaka patted the crack beside her, as if a lover lying in bed had reserved a spot for their partner, somewhat impatiently.

Can I get away from you?

Bai Mo pulled her hand away from Manaka and looked at Manaka's dissatisfied face, feeling a deep sense of resistance.

It's not that I'm resisting these flesh and blood, but rather that I'm resisting being around Manaka.

Hearing this, Manaka tilted her head and smiled.

"No, you can't. After all, you entered Tiamat's dream through my [Womb of All Beasts]."

He let out a deep sigh, and Bai Wunan's teasing voice echoed in his mind:

"Alright, stop nagging. It's just sleeping with a woman, right? Back in the day, you were in Hell bathing with a bunch of virgins and you remained unmoved. Show some manly spirit!"

Bai Mo had already tried her best not to think about it, but Bai Wunan's words only made her feel more resistant.

Hell is really unlucky; they've been harping on this one thing for five thousand years.

Hearing Bai Wunan's teasing words, Bai Mo patted his head, but in the end, he still entered the flesh and blood.

The moment Bai Mo touched the flesh, he felt a surge of immense life force, and a powerful sense of comfort flowed from his spine to his brain.

He was astonished. He could clearly feel that the fifteen years of life force he had burned in the battle with Crimson Moon was slowly recovering.

Currently, the combination of Asura Reincarnation and Orca Heaven and Earth Way is my strongest offensive method, and this method can actually compensate for the drawback of Asura Reincarnation burning life force!

Although it's very slow, it is indeed recovering gradually.

Seeing this, Manaka's face showed worry. Generally speaking, life force does not flow in on its own. This situation can only prove that Bai Mo's body has lost its original life force.

"Have you used up your life force before?"

"Yeah, I was exhausted from fighting a tough guy earlier. There was no other choice at the time."

Upon hearing Bai Mo's words, Manaka waved her hands, and a Magecraft array appeared, causing the surrounding life force to flow towards Bai Mo like a vortex.

But Bai Mo raised his hand, signaling Manaka to stop. She was a little puzzled, but seeing Bai Mo's gaze on her, she stopped.

"Why?"

Bai Mo used his power to isolate the flow of life force, preventing it from flowing to him. He even expelled the portion of life force he had absorbed.

"This is her life, it never belonged to me, and this loss is nothing."

"But we are enemies with her, aren't we? Even if we aren't enemies, this little bit of life force is nothing more than a drop in the ocean to the Primordial Mother Goddess."

Upon hearing Manaka's words, Bai Mo shrugged, his voice light yet firm:

"Since we are enemies, we should defeat her with our own strength. If we are not enemies, we should at least exchange things on an equal footing. If I were to steal her life force now, it would only make me feel uncomfortable."

If their thinking doesn't align, and a fight breaks out, even their knives might become dull.

Not only that, Bai Mo thought to himself:

Who knows what problems might arise from absorbing Tiamat's life force?

His experiences in Greece instilled in him a deep sense of wariness and aversion towards anything related to God.

Manaka's eyes held a hint of confusion, as if she couldn't understand why someone would choose to give up something that was clearly profitable, something that seemed to completely violate the laws of human survival.

"Alright, I'll think of another way to help you later. You just said you'd exchange things for something of equal value, right?"

Ignoring Manaka's words, Bai Mo slowly closed her eyes and delved into the depths of Tiamat's consciousness. Watching this scene, Manaka quietly moved her fingers behind her back, and a dark red light appeared.

Only after doing all this did she close her eyes in peace.

Just as their consciousnesses began to descend, Tiamat's breathing, which had been in a deep sleep, quietly ceased. It was as if someone who had been sleeping for a long time had turned over, and consciousness was returning in a hazy state.

Opposite to Bai Mo, "Sajyou Manaka" slowly opened her eyes. They were a pair of beautiful, inhuman, strange eyes, as if cast from molten Ruby.

She gazed at Bai Mo, who was so close to her, with a look of doubt, but mostly curiosity.