They would be fine. They just needed to do this together. Together. For now.

As far as he was concerned, there was only one way out: forward. He could feel that same pull inside himself too, a feeling that had started growing over time that made him unable to stay still or turn his back on what came next. It was like being a soldier in war, fighting for a cause that felt more important than life itself. He could die at any point—that knowledge had been ingrained within him by all that he saw and did while living—but it wouldn't stop him from continuing on and doing everything he possibly could until the very end. There was no choice here, not anymore.

He used another [Mind Attack], and he found that one of the minds were resistant.

Lance wondered.

He reached for Mana Manipulation, shaping his [Mind Attack], and he felt the attack grow stronger.

[Enemy defeated!]

***

Lance and the others finished mopping up the creatures, but something wasn't quite right. The presence was still there, like a faint shadow in the distance behind his group: a creature of immense power whose mere existence filled him with awe and dread. A sense of purpose welled up within him as he focused on its presence, as if his entire being had been designed around it and it alone.

Lance thought.

"Have you all been using your skill points?" Sophie asked. "They've been a huge help to me."

Jacob nodded; Grace agreed verbally. Lance could feel his heart racing inside his chest, though he didn't show it on his face. They'd let down their guard. All of the monsters close by were dead but Lance wasn't going to let his guard down just yet. He still had plenty of reasons not to trust the group, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes if he wanted to get out of here alive.

He wasn't sure what he was waiting for, exactly—an answer? Some sign of approval from the System? A command like: 'kill everyone'?

Nothing came, but the pull in him grew stronger and more urgent than ever before. Was that really the presence's will or was it simply because they were still linked together as one being—one unit—as part of the same group?

Lance thought as he focused back on the others.