"Who-who are you, nya?" She asks as I pry the brick from her.

"There's no need to know,"

"Nya? I'm dying here, why don't nyou spill the beans?"

Not happening.

"Put a bullet in her head, mercy kill," I repeat my directive.

The rifleman gives me a nod, raising his rifle.

Sigh, to think she was actually from another cult. Perhaps, this was the wrong call of action to take, considering that we all share similar predicaments, it wouldn't be wise to make more enemies than necessary. However, before I can even regret, the demi human disappears. Vanishes even.

What the-?

"Oh my, to think you bullied my little girl so," A feminine voice resounds.

Above?

Wearing a dark, wide brimmed hat, a contrast to her pale complexion, with scarlet orbs levitating around her as they look down on us. The moonlight streaming behind gives her the appearance of some spiritual apparition. I can't make out her face, but I don't need to see her face to tell that she's not human.

"That thing up there's a monster,"

Putting aside my casual prejudice, I'm being serious that when I call it a monster. It's a monster.

She intones some words of which I do not understand. Though I can somewhat gauge the meaning, piecing together what could be considered words of admonishment. She speaks the foreign language whilst caressing the demi human. A very surreal sight.

"Oh my, so much work to do. Suzi dear, can you be a darling and take care of them?" She gives a last remark as she disappeared from sight.

"Okay!" A youthful voice responds.

And if my eyes do not deceive me, in front of us stood a young girl in a white one piece dress. Though it was marred by the splotches of red splattered across it. Where'd she come from?

"Hi," She smiled bashfully, my heart warmed up like a bewitching spell was cast on me.

Even the way she snacked on that humanoid limb was quite endearing.

"Aren't you a cute little girl?" The rifleman started spouting some weird stuff.

"Oh! Thank you…"

What a decorous child! She must've had a good upbringing. Though I can't help but feel a bit jealous of the rifleman. Why couldn't she say such a thing to me?

Though whilst I give him the stinkeye, I do not fail to catch her next words.

"For being my supper," That part didn't sound too good.

After all, that's taboo. Even for a girl as cute as she, I don't make any exceptions when it comes to taboos. Or maybe she's into vore? For a girl as cute as she, I can let this go.

I shake my head. Nono, I need to keep my stance impartial.

"Cannibalism isn't okay,"

I garner no response.

Hmm? I wait for a minute.

She doesn't react. In fact, no one does, just silence. How odd. It was like the realm was brought to a stop.

I look around and stretch my fingers. They stretch as they should. Everything seemed normal, so far…

However, as I performed more actions, that's when I realised the space around me also just didn't feel right. Like things were just wrong if I had to say. Objects were longer or disproportionate, I had one too many bolts or my machete was positioned a bit higher than I thought. I would normally just attribute this disconnection as a result of being too absorbed in the girl's cutesiness, which was a far stretch but still plausible. However, what sealed the deal was the abject lack of noise.

Even when I'm absorbed in my own thoughts, I would still hear sound, or if not, at least white noise, meaning that this must be the effect of some kind of magic.

Judging from the girl's actions, she must've been the one to cause this state.

"Could I trouble you to fix it?" I asked politely. But still, there was no reaction. At this point, I felt like breaking something, I couldn't stand being in this broken space. It was wrong and I felt my sanity slip. My thoughts spin as I struggle to process any information.

Am I insane?

Yesn't, I'm not insane. Not yet.

Or maybe I'm already insane? Haha, I must be! My thoughts form no pattern and small sentiments are inflated dominating my mind space, destroying any logical thinking pattern.

In my bout of hysteria I pull out my machete before wrenching it in my gut, yet I feel nothing. No pain, no nothing. I don't even bleed.

What I do feel though, is a strong urge to kick that lass over there! Something I would not ever deign to think of on regular days.

Giving the helm to my subconscious, I embrace the mania. Walking up and rearing my leg, I kick the little sucker. And like glass shattering, the world righted itself.

"I godsdamned knew it,"

My thoughts snap back to me, no longer being filtered through a pink lens or shoved through a fine sieve.

Looks like I was stuck in a mind trap. Quite an advanced one at that. To be able to warp my mind to such an extent, she must be some form of elite, possibly of the Golden Mind rank.

Damn it, she has to be. The power to dominate my mind and make such a train wreck demands the capacity of a Golden rank.

I survey my surroundings now that the illusion was broken. But still, something still didn't seem right.

Why was I staring down at rows of teeth? And why was there some abomination in front of me? I stare down a hideous monstrosity, with rows upon rows of teeth, the amalgamation of flesh and limbs stunning me momentarily.

*Snap!* *Crunch!*

What was that crunch? Just hearing the crunching of bones and squelching of flesh made my skin crawl. Oh, now that I think about it, the rifleman and the quiet guard seemed to have vanished. Guess we all know where they went.

Though, what am I even looking at?

"Sigh, one problem at a time," And the first problem to solve was not dying.

*Skreee!!*

It unleashed an unearthly screech, it echoed in my head, it vibrated through my bones and it caused a mind numbing pain. Immediately, I can feel my mind is sluggish, my body doesn't respond to my thoughts as fast as I'd like.

Tsk, this thing specializes in psychic attacks! My one weakness! In addition to fire…

I plink a bolt in its wide jaw enchanted with a healthy dose of earth essence to really stick it in there. But it does nothing.

If there's a single silver lining to this cesspit of a situation, it would be that the summoner woke up from its screech. She seemed to handle the situation rather well, throwing summon after summon into its wide maw.

Looking at the abomination then at the summoner, I realise that it'll be slaughter…

For this fool!

Sayonara!

Giving a quick salute, I hastily skedaddle my ass on out of there.

I give a thumbs up as my eyes meet with the summoner's horrified gaze.

Good luck!

…

"You scumbag!"

Once again the superb summoner Marielle Goldburn was in yet another life threatening predicament.

*Skreeeee!!*

The abberation screeched once more as its many limbs flailed and crushed the summons that came to meet it.

This isn't working!

Hector and Charron both perished and that bastard left her for dead. When she found him again, he was going to regret ever having left his mother's womb. Drawing on more star essence, she formed more summons which she promptly pushed into the maws of the abomination.

However, it was a losing battle, the monstrosity was destroying more summons than she could make. But with a stroke of inspiration, Marielle, the fabulous summoner that she was found the solution to this dead end road.

If quantity didn't work then try quality!

A saying within her family of esteemed summoners. She had never comprehended the purpose of having summons of high quality as — in her opinion — their ultimate purpose was to put the summoner out of harm's way and be the cannon fodder that clears the path.

But now she understood it. Cannon fodder would never be able to defeat foes of strength, it was only the work of mediocre summoners trying to fill up a battlefield, and the reason why Marielle herself was always third rate. She needed to up the quality. But to simply increase the potency of each summon was not enough. Not enough to fight the monstrosity in front of her. She needed something more powerful to enhance her summons.

And to do so, that required a risk.

Reaching down into the inner depths of her body, she found it. Her soul. An ethereal wisp that made itself home within the inner chambers of her heart.

Softly, she tugged and pulled at the essence it comprised of, the essence of her own soul. It pricked and it weakened her but she kept at it.

Using this, she made another summon however with a few additional steps. Forming the summon. Only one. However, its power had increased by folds upon folds. It shimmered in a golden light and took on a semblance of her visage.

This was the secret technique of the Goldburn's! Golden Astral Projection!

An exemplary technique that created a summon of extraordinary rank. Its power only scaled with that of the summoner's making it a strong technique even applicable for use in the higher power ranks.

However, such power came with a drawback. The usage of soul essence in any activity was risky, and if the summon were to be destroyed, the user too would face a critical backlash from the sudden loss of soul essence.

Though there was no need to think about such things currently. It was now or never!

Weaving together the summon, she pushed into it her core and her will. But it was not enough, it needed more! She shoved her limits, her shackles. And like the collapse of a dam, she felt a surge of power!

Breaking through the realm of Silver Strength, she advanced to a Steel Will! Truly magnificent!

The rank up filled her with more power, more energy. Pouring it all into her summon, she was finally done.

With the summon complete, she gave it an order.

"Kill it,"

No, it was more like willing a body part to move. It was like the summon was a part of her.

Moving swiftly, the summon flashed behind the bewildered monster, as it pummeled the blob of flesh. Each punch was like being struck with a two tonne warhammer. The blows rattling it leaving helpless against the thrashing.

It decimated the monstrosity of the blood cult.

Yet again, the brilliant star summoner, scion of the Goldburns, Marielle Goldburn strikes down yet another vicious foe!