And … I’m out! Mm, it seems like I’m the only one who quit so far. And there’s no witnesses around either except for Puppers and Durandal. “Durandal! You’re not hiding from me anymore?” It really was only a light hit! I didn’t mean to kill him … mostly. Mm, but I still don’t have any of his deep dark secrets to tease him with. But something’s weird…. “Durandal? Are you okay? The tomb didn’t do anything weird to you, did it?” I was so nervous when he and Puppers disappeared, but it’s okay now that they’re back. Oh, that means Ilya should be back too.

…Uh, did Durandal just disappear on me? “Hey! What the hell!? You’re going to pretend like I don’t exist? What the fuck, Durandal!?” It was only a light punch! And he deserved it too! And he knows he deserved it! In fact, he must’ve known what would’ve happened if he hit me, but he chose to hit me anyway! And I apologized! Um. Okay, maybe I didn’t apologize, but that’s because I don’t have to apologize since it wasn’t my fault in the first place. Hmph. “Oh. That’s a nice spear you got there, Puppers.” It looks really nice. Very fancy. Is it a sky-realm-ranked weapon? Too bad I don’t know how to use spears, or I would’ve taken it from him. Mm, I guess he can have it. Aren’t I such a benevolent person?

Ah! Now’s not the time to get distracted. I have to be quick before other people come out. Mm? Why don’t I want other people to see? Well, since the Slaughter Seeking Sect people are chasing me because of the crown, won’t the Despair Seeking Sect chase me if I obtain this inheritance? …Wait a minute, they were already chasing me. And if they try to rob me, I can rob them back. Though, it’s a little scary since there’s so many of them and only one of me. I’m a frail, helpless lady, okay?

But first, before I touch the tomb to absorb it, I’ll cut out the engraving with a few Breaking Blades at a distance. I’ll do a focus engraving this time. Intelligence is a bit too scary. One bone of intelligence and Ilya forced me to learn how to read. If I absorbed two bones, who knows what she’d do to me next? It’s unacceptable. Here we go, Breaking Blade! And … done! Now…. “Puppers, go touch the wall.”

“Excuse me?”

There’s no one here. And I’m not completely sure if the defensive formation is gone. What if it isn’t? Won’t I rip my face off before exploding? I can’t let that happen! “You heard me! Go touch the wall to test if the defensive formation is still there.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Puppers said. “You see, despair—”

“All my ideas are good ideas! Go, touch wall, now.” Is he disobeying me?

Puppers sighed, but he listened. And his spear disappeared too! Where’d it go? One of my interspacial rings? Mm, I have too many to check them all. Well, I don’t think it matters too much. Anyways, it seems like Puppers is perfectly fine after touching the wall! “How do you feel?”

“The same as usual. But you—”

Hah! I was right! All I had to do was wait for the tomb to open before absorbing it! “Okay! Step aside, Puppers!” I’ll teach this stupid tomb to make fun of me, telling me to read an impossibly large book. Hmph, hmph. Let’s see it produce a book once I absorb it! And … ah? It’s dark? Where am I? I can’t see. Why can’t I see? I’m a sky-realm expert! Even if I’m not part owl, I can still see in the dark with the help of my Unrelenting Path of Slaughter! But I can’t use it? What’s going on?

…Is this … water? Help! What the hell is going on!? This…, this reminds of the time…. Wait. No, it is that time! The water’s rising. It’s going past my head. No! Stop! I can’t move. It’s getting deeper; I can’t breathe; water will flow into my mouth. It’s already going up my nose! Air! I need air! But I can’t swim to the top! Is there even a top? My feet hit something. The bottom? Jump!

Air! I can breathe, but only for a second! No, not even a second. There’s water entering my mouth already. I’ll drink it. It tastes horrible. I’m sinking again. My chest hurts. I’m dizzy. It’s cold. I can’t see. Someone, help me. My nose is sore. Water flowed up it. It’s stinging my eyes. My feet, they touched the bottom again. I have to jump if I want to breathe.

Jump.

Sink.

Jump.

Sink.

Every time I jump, my face hits something. But the pain doesn’t matter. I have to breathe.

…

Jump.

Sink.

…

I’m tired. How long do I have to do this for? Will this ever end?

Jump.

Sink.

Ah? There’s light? If I open my eyes, they’ll sting, but I have to see where the light’s coming from. It’s the way out. Above me, there’s a hole. A circular hole of light. Jump! My arms are tied, I can’t grab the edge of the exit. Then I’ll use my mouth. It hurts my teeth. Is this … wood? It’s metal and wood. A barrel. It’s hard to hold on with my teeth and breathe at the same time. I inhale through my nose, but its wet and hurts my chest when I do. But I have to. My eyes are wet, from water or tears, I don’t know, but I can’t wipe them. I’ll use my neck, pull down with my teeth and throw my chin over the edge. The metal’s cutting into my skin, but it worked. I can relax. It hurts, resting all my weight on my chin. “Someone…. Help.” My voice is hoarse. I can’t shout. It hurts my throat.

There’s someone coming. He’s old, balding. His tail is grey. The fur on his ears are grey too. He’s wearing a dirty sack. It barely covers his skinny body. The sun’s in my eye; I can’t see his face. The water and shadows make it too hard to discern. “Save me. Please.”

The man’s hand is as big as my face. Is he pulling me out? Most people don’t lift people via their hair, right? Right!? What is he doing!? “S-stop!” It hurts. He’s forcing my head into the water. I can’t breathe. Someone, save me….