Ruminas tore through the battlefield like a gust of wind, leveraging her invisibility to weave through the chaos and deliver lethal strikes. She dodged monsters that detected her, then materialized from their blind spots, dispatching them cleanly with her dagger.
Boom!
"Faster!"
The dust would clear soon, so Ruminas needed to rack up as much experience as possible. Switching to her axe, she slammed it into the ground, shaking the surroundings.
Seizing the moment, Ruminas grew even more ferocious, cutting down monsters with relentless fervor. The black aura amplifying her stats gave her a significant edge.
"Calm yourself. You're being unconsciously influenced by it," The Parasol Lady's voice echoed, causing Ruminas to pause briefly.
"Is that true?" she asked.
"I've suppressed its ability to take control, but if you willingly embrace it, I can't stop you. That thrill, that intoxication with power—it's all part of it."
Hearing this, Ruminas slowed her combat rhythm. She maintained her precision and strength, but her emotions no longer burned with reckless intensity.
"Thanks for the warning," Ruminas said.
"In truth, this is a prime opportunity to grasp 'Stillness,' but I won't interfere. Letting things unfold naturally is best," The Parasol Lady replied.
Ruminas frowned, skeptical.
"Something like 'Stillness' can be comprehended in a chaotic battle like this?" she questioned.
"Everything has two sides. If you fixate solely on 'Stillness' and ignore the rest, you'll never achieve it," The Parasol Lady said gravely.
Ruminas fell silent for a moment.
"I understand, but now's not the time."
The dust had fully cleared, but her invisibility kept her hidden. Only a few monsters with special abilities could spot her, and she swiftly sent them to their graves.
"The monsters keep multiplying…" Ruminas thought.
"Retreat," an illusion of Achlys said beside her before vanishing to continue fighting.
She nodded, searching for an escape route.
On the other side, Achlys signaled Aoi and Renji to start running. He fought while retreating, his illusions distracting the monsters to buy Ruminas time to regroup.
"Still too far…" Achlys calculated silently.
Suddenly, green aura flared around him and his illusions. Including Achlys, five figures stood at five points, forming a pentagon. They began casting a spell.
"Swap: Phantom Barrier!"
Achlys's magic activated. A surge of green light erupted from the five points, linking into a pentagonal barrier. Instantly, the space within warped, spawning countless overlapping illusions that slaughtered the monsters.
Boom!
A monster lunged at one of the five positions, but as it made contact, the figure dissipated like smoke.
"Just an illusion!"
The four remaining illusions rapidly swapped positions, constantly shifting the real Achlys's location to confuse the enemy. The overlapping images made it seem like hundreds of Achlyses appeared and vanished within the barrier.
Monsters fell like wheat, and Achlys gained a decent chunk of experience, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to the horde outside.
As the monsters closed in, Achlys could no longer hold them off. Finally, all five illusions vanished, and he reappeared at a hidden illusion he'd kept at a distance from the start.
Meanwhile, as Achlys unleashed his skill, Ruminas seized the chance to dash forward, exploiting the monsters' confusion to break through. But she was abruptly blocked by two massive creatures.
"Another new type…?"
Ruminas hesitated briefly before deciding to bypass them—fighting here was disadvantageous. But as she attempted to teleport, one of the monsters swung its arm precisely at her destination.
Boom!
Her body was sent crashing into the wall, leaving large cracks.
"Ow…" she groaned softly.
"It can predict my teleportation?"
Ignoring the pain, Ruminas scrambled to her feet. Her brief lapse had canceled her invisibility, and dozens of monsters now spotted her.
As she stood, scores of them charged.
Ruminas swung her axe horizontally, knocking them back, then teleported to another spot.
"They're numerous but disorganized, fighting over prey. I still have a chance to escape, but those two giants are the problem…"
The two colossal monsters stood motionless, their faces featureless except for a single massive eye that tracked Ruminas's every move.
"Damn it, can they really predict my teleportation's trajectory?"
Shock flashed across Ruminas's face.
"I don't believe it!"
She charged again, weaving through smaller monsters and teleporting to bypass the giants. But one anticipated her move, striking precisely where she'd appear.
This time, Ruminas refused to take the same hit twice. Just before reaching her destination, she forcibly altered her trajectory mid-teleport, dodging the attack—but not without cost.
Crack!
The sound of breaking bone echoed.
Ruminas collapsed, the injury in her leg searing, but she activated her bracelet's healing ability, forcing herself to stand and keep moving.
"I came up with this trick on the fly, so why did my bone break?" she wondered.
A soft chuckle rang in her mind.
"You know something?" Ruminas asked.
"Of course. Your skill lets you instantly appear in a chosen direction, right?"
Ruminas nodded.
"Then understand this: once you activate it, the direction is locked until you reach the destination. During the process, intense frictional energy surrounds you. If you stay within the designated path, you're fine. But if you force yourself out mid-teleport, your body can't withstand the strain."
"I see…"
"But if I don't do that, I can't get past those giants."
"Then it's time to learn 'Stillness,'" The Parasol Lady said with a smile.
"Now…?"
"What do you think allows them to predict your movements?" The Parasol Lady asked.
"Some special ability?" Ruminas replied.
"Partly, but the rest is because your presence is too conspicuous. You've killed many monsters and used the black aura, making your killing intent overwhelming. Those eyes likely see beyond normal vision, so no amount of hiding works," The Parasol Lady explained.
"So what do I do?"
"First, restrain all your actions. You have combat talent and quick judgment, but you still reveal too many openings through minor movements or fleeting expressions."
"You don't notice this against these monsters because they're too mindless. But in my world, even a child trained in the Art for a few years could read your movements."
"That obvious!?" Ruminas asked, stunned.
"'Stillness' will help you fix that," The Parasol Lady affirmed.
"I get it, but I'm short on time. Can you be more specific?"
"Start with the small actions. Stop shifting your eyes. Keep your arms from swinging unevenly. Ensure each step is consistent. And don't make your movements too complex."
"I understand the others, but what's with the last one?" Ruminas asked.
"Overcomplicating things can make you predictable, especially against opponents with heightened observation like these," The Parasol Lady replied.
"Got it."
Ruminas took a deep breath, suppressing all the killing intent radiating from her.
Stillness.
Not standing idle. Not doing nothing. A state where her every action left no trace.
Boom!
The two giant monsters raised their arms, poised to strike along Ruminas's predicted path.
But this time—
She didn't charge immediately.
Her grip on the axe loosened slightly. Her eyes ceased their frantic search for an escape. Every unnecessary expression vanished from her face.
Only stillness remained.
The surrounding darkness seemed to sink into a void, and Ruminas blended into it. The giants' massive eyes stayed locked on her, but they hesitated.
A single moment. But it was enough.
Teleport.
This time, no killing intent, no fluctuations, no signs.
They could no longer predict her.
Boom!
Both monsters struck simultaneously, but Ruminas was gone. A minimal sidestep, no wasted motion.
And then—
Thud!
Her axe buried itself deep into the nape of one giant's neck.
"GRAAAHH!!"
The monster roared, but it was too late.
Ruminas channeled aura into the axe, tightened her grip, and spun mid-air—
Slicing its head clean off.
Thump!
The massive head hit the ground, causing a small tremor.
The remaining giant flinched, stepping back.
"You learn remarkably fast," The Parasol Lady said with a laugh.
Ruminas stayed hyper-focused. Killing one monster didn't mean she was safe—she was still surrounded by the horde.