Interconnected: Spliced Souls

“Thanks for picking me up,” I said, crossing my legs. The carriage we were in was heading for a specific location in the city’s noble district.  

“Anything for the sexiest fighter I’ve seen in days!” Bunbun’s overzealous breasts nearly spilled from her bunny suit attire. She crossed her long, fishnet-covered legs and stretched wide. “So, were ya excited? Didn’t expect to be picked up in style, huh? Especially not with a buxom beauty like me. Mr. Manager has ordered me to be your liaison for anything you need tonight.”  

Bunbun and her ride appeared after I returned to the city-- they met me near the gates and allowed me to skip the line to re-enter.

Presumably, someone from Fortuna was watching me, but my mid-tiers didn’t sense anyone when I tossed them a blood crystal after arriving at the necromancer's hideout. However, when we investigated the cauldron room again... It wasn't there. It just...vanished? But the two hadn't felt a presence, but someone or something had been there. Or maybe the cauldron could be remotely teleported? We didn't know, but what could we do? Regardless, the two relaxed in my ring and waited to be called upon.  

“A personal attendant?”  

“Yep. The ever lustrous and gorgeous Bunbun shall be yours to command for tonight.” Bunbun made it a spectacle, raising her hands while deepening her voice just slightly as if she was putting on a play or something.   

I looked out the tinted window and watched people stare at the overindulgent carriage.  Bunbun groaned and whined, saying she worked hard to rehearse that scene.   

“I guess tonight’s going to be long, isn’t it?”  

“You could say that.” Bunbun recrossed her legs. “Not just anyone can turn 40,000 dupla into 120,000. Even fewer are given the chance to triple it. I’m sure it won’t be easy.”  

“Nothing ever is, but I don’t intend to lose.”  

“And I’m inclined to believe you. Don’t let me down, Servi!”   

“You think I will?”  

“Nah, I don’t.” Bunbun winked and flashed a smile. “But don’t you know a Bunnykin can die from sadness?” That smile swapped to a saddened frown, and she looked at me with her large, teary eyes.   

“I didn’t.”  

“Well, now you know for the future!”  

Servi. Are you going to ask Bunbun about the Kaisaku Syndicate?   

I figured it wouldn’t hurt. I raised the issue, and Bunbun asked where I had heard such a fake-sounding name. “It almost sounds like something a kid would think up because it sounds cool. But no, that’s the first I’ve heard of it.”  

“What about monotonia? My opponents were using them.”  

“Ah?” Bunbun’s ears twitched. The carriage hit a small bump, and her matronly assets bounced wildly after her top came undone. She casually stuffed her breasts back inside and tied the strings to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. “Or I can loosen them. It’s whatever you desire.”  

“No. I’m fine.”  

“Aww…” Bunbun pouted. “And here I thought I had the womanly charm to seduce even the most devout abstinent priestess. But if it’s pills you want, then I’m your gal. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen. Between you and me,” Bunbun whispered, leaning forward while sticking out her chest. “Mr. Manager’s given me permission to spend 60,000 dupla on you. So… Food? Wine? Men? Women? Bunbun—the best Bunnykin in the whole wide world— is at your service.”  

“I just want to know where they come from.”  

“The pills?” I nodded. “That I don’t know. They show up in boxes. It’s not like they have a return address stamped on them.”   

“I see.”  

I need to ask Cassidy directly. If she’s scheming ‘against’ me to put an end to the missing fighters, then she’s bound to know something.

“One more thing. Do you think you can get me in touch with Cassidy? The manager said she was in her lab, but I want to talk to her about something before tonight.”  

“I can try, but once Cassidy gets neck-deep in her work, it’s impossible to pry her away. Even Mr. Manager leaves her alone until she gets tired or bored.”  

I sighed, which made Bunbun promise she’d give it the ‘ole bunny try,’ but I wasn’t expecting much.   

---

Gerld, Suusa, and Sissy had taken Momo and Albert on an extensive tour of the city and showed them their favorite places to eat, but the location they had in mind to close out the night only opened once the moon took its place as ruler of the night.   

The tavern was weathered and unassuming, beckoned with a wooden sign that swayed gently in the night breeze. Dim lanterns illuminated the cobblestone path, leading patrons to the welcoming haven that was so popular amongst the more rural adventurers. Vines climbed the stone walls, and frosted windows offered glimpses of lively camaraderie already happening within.    

“You could call this my stomping ground,” said the Rhinokin, opening the door to the Rustic Hearth, releasing sounds of laughter and the aroma of fried delights. “It’s a shame Servi isn’t here to experience it.”   

“Yeah. But this place is cozy.” Momo hugged her bag and walked in, Albert and Sissy following behind. She waited for Gerld and followed him to an empty table. Albert, ever the gentleman, still retained his chivalry from when he was Emperor Keywater’s head butler and pulled out Momo’s chair for her.   

She giggled and said it made her feel special.   

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask,” said Gerld. He pointed at Albert’s outfit. “Are you a butler?”  

“I am,” he replied, adding that his previous summoner before Servi had groomed him into being the perfect butler.   

“But Servi isn’t forcing you to be one?” Gerld received an elbow and quickly apologized for his big mouth.   

“She isn’t. She knows my past and purchased this outfit for me. Wearing it instills me with warm fragments of a past long forgotten and abandoned by most who used to know me.”  

“Sorry if this is rude, but just how old are you? I’m curious,” said Sissy.    

“Old enough to be your grandfather. We age slowly. I have a decade or two before I hit a growth spurt and resemble a teenager.”  

“Really? I’ve heard Unicornkin can live for hundreds of years. Guess I should've known it was the same for Bicornkin.”  

“We may look similar, but the differences are there.”   

Momo left the butler and witch to their conversation and chose to look around. The atmosphere hummed with lovely chatter and the clinking of tankards. Barmaids, with trays laden with frothy mugs and sizzling platters of fried delights, skillfully navigated between tables. Their laughter and quick banter added to the vibrant ambiance as they expertly delivered drinks to patrons, ensuring no mug went empty and no appetite unsatisfied.   

“And welcome to the Rustic Hearth!” An apron-wearing koena with sparkling purple scales danced up her right arm. The rest of her was skin, so she must’ve been mixed. “What will y’all be having tonight?” She smiled, her voice containing a hint of southern twang.   

“I’ll take the honey mead,” said Gerld. Sissy and Suusa ordered the same.   

“And what about you, cutie?” The koena waitress wrote the order on a small notepad and ran her hand through Albert’s hair. “Tea? Juice? How about an order of our fried cheese?”  

“Do you have stonebridge stout on tap?”  

“Stonebridge stout? Geez, you really are old. I don’t know anyone under sixty who drinks that stuff.” Gerld shuddered.    

The waitress panicked and apologized for assuming Albert was a mere child. “I thought the horns were cute decorations.”   

“Ohoho! It’s fine. No harm has been committed.” Albert laughed it off and asked Gerld if ordering food was within the budget. He had offered to cover the bill, but Albert wanted to be sure.   

“Sure. Hey, add an order of the turkey legs and fried cheese. And a couple of cookies.”  

“Yes, sir! Oh, and we do have it on tap. And what about you?” The barmaid smiled at Momo, who just wanted a glass of tea.    

“Right away. I’ll put that in for you.”  

Momo was curious about the stonebridge stout. She wasn’t too big on alcohol, and her grandfather rarely drank. Albert’s eyes were partly lit with fondness as a scene of the past played in his mind. It was of a more generous time—before whatever evils or sins had corrupted the man he considered his brother.    

He said stonebridge stout was dark and hearty, made by smoking barley in the brewing process. “It’s thicker than normal ale and has a very unique aftertaste.”  

“And don’t forget about the chocolate.”  

“Eh?” Momo was confused when Gerld rolled his eyes. Chocolate was delicious, so why would it be a negative?  

“It’s not regular chocolate. It’s about the bitterest thing you can find. And some madman added sourness to it. And then melt that in alcohol? I don’t have a palette refined enough to enjoy it.”   

“I’ve tried a sip or two in my coven,” said Sissy. She scrunched her face and wrinkled her nose—evidently, the memories weren’t the greatest. “And… More power to you, Albert, but I just can’t handle it.”  

“It is an acquired taste, but it is refreshing. Would you like to try it?”  

“Maybe a little sip,” replied Momo. As a singi, she was naturally curious and wondered if it was as ‘unique’ as her friends made it out to be. The conversation turned to food. Sissy rubbed her stomach and groaned, citing just how much they had eaten during the city tour.  

“But what good is alcohol with good food? You can’t drink on an empty stomach."  

"But that’s the thing. Our stomachs aren’t empty.”  

Grrrrooowwwlllll  

Gerld’s jaw dropped. Momo nervously chuckled and said she was still a growing girl.   

“Just…where does it go?” Sissy’s monotone voice could be inferred as jealousy. “If I ate as much… It goes to the hips, you know. An overweight witch can’t exactly fly on her broom.”  

“If only it went to your chest.”  

That rude comment earned Gerld another elbow to the stomach. At this point, Momo figured he teased the witch because he genuinely cared about her. Perhaps her friendship with Suusa was built on different core values, but those three were close-knit companions.    

Momo saw herself, Servi, and Srassa in them. And maybe… Just maybe... Maybe they could go on a fantastical adventure soon? With Saline and Cue in tow, only the divines above knew what kind of fun they'd have in the big capital.   

“And here you go!” The waitress returned to their order and skipped away after someone called for her.   

“Oh…” Gerld lifted the mug to his lips and tasted the sweet alcoholic nectar. He gushed about this being the best drink to slowly welcome in the night. "You gotta give the body time to adapt. You can’t delve into the hardcore stuff off the bat. I… Uhh…” His horn blushed crimson. “I know that from experience.”  

Sissy laughed as a nearly forgotten memory flashed to the forefront of her mind. “I can’t believe that happened! Okay, so get—”  

“Geh! No! Bad witch! They don’t need to know about that!” It was unusual to see Gerld stammer.   

“Ooooh~~” Sissy’s smile turned into a naughty smirk. As she reached for a fried cheese. They had just come out of the fryer, and they were pipping hot. But it didn’t stop her from dunking it into the frigid cold dipping sauce.   

“I’ll buy you anything you want. Within reason! I’ll even pay postage to ship those knickknacks to your coven.”  

“Then it’s a deal. Sorry, but it really was embarrassing. Just…”  

“Grr…” Gerld side-eyed her hard enough to break into a brisk cold sweat. “On—On second thought, let’s not use our imagination to think about it. No. It’s not worth it. Anyway, try these. You don’t want them to get cold.”  

“They do smell good…” Momo grabbed a turkey leg and bit into it, and juices squirted across her lips. She didn’t think it would be that flavorful, tender, or juicier than a freshly ripe melon.   

“Just look at that cheese pull.” Sissy chomped on her fried delights and pulled, watching the cheese stretch and stretch and stretch. “That’s how you know it’s good.”  

“How’d you find this place?”  

“We didn’t. It found us. Well, the owner did. He was passing out flyers a while back. We were hungry, and the prices seemed reasonable,” explained Suusa. His face looked much more relaxed—like he was… experiencing a tranquil calmness.  The youthful ogre broke one of the colorful sugar cookies in half and dipped it into his drink. Momo did the same with her tea, and her face was blooming with positive deliciousness.   

“That’s so good…” she whispered. Albert asked if she wanted to try his drink. “Okay. Sure.” She grabbed the handle and looked, not expecting it to be the color of chocolate. It smelled like it, but it also emitted an aroma that suggested she’d be knocked on her butt if she underestimated its potency.  

One sip.   

One small, meager sip was enough for her to swear it off.   

“I refuse to believe chocolate is in there!” Momo went for her tea and swallowed a mouthful to help erase that awful bitterness.   

“That’s what I said! It’s not chocolate. Chocolate is supposed to be rich, deep, and amazing. It goes on every sweet imaginable, but that? It is a pale imitation that does not belong!”  

“Wow… You’re passionate about it.”  

“You damn right I am. Ah, no offense, Albert.”  

“None taken, my friend. It took me a few years to adjust my palette, but I cannot help but enjoy and relish its rich flavor.” Albert paused, but then he reached for a cookie. He felt naughty—like this was much above someone his age.   

And it worked. The weird combination of sugary cookie and bitter, sour chocolate steeped and melted in the alcohol somehow fit together like peas and corn. Momo was wary, but her tail extended and softly zagged.   

Oh…  

It was delicious.   

Gerld couldn’t believe it and refused to try it until Sissy pressured him into it. He groaned and squinted his eyes, closing them at the last second before popping the soaked cookie into his quivering mouth.   

“So, it’s good, right? I want you to be the sacrificial lamb before I try it.”  

“Geez. Is that all I am to you?”  

“Sometimes. Well... You aren't dead, so… Excuse me!” The witch’s favorable review prompted Suusa to order a stonebridge stout and another serving of cookies for the table to share.   

And once that was finished, Gerld stretched and pointed at a dart board in the bar’s corner. There was also a billiards table, but it was in use. “Anyone feel like playing?”  

“Only if you feel like losing.”  

“Oh? Brave words from a witch who doesn’t remember the last time we made a wager.”  

“Yeah? Well, come on. Let’s go. The board’s awaiting us.”  

Sissy and Gerld grabbed their drinks and left.   

“Goodness, you two,” said Suusa--the voice of reason. He couldn’t get a word in before metaphorical sparks bloomed as the two friends had a surprising rivalry. “Would you two care to join?”  

“Yep. In a few. I wanna finish off these turkey legs.”   

“Okay.” Suusa joined his friends, and Momo retrieved Servi’s phone while opening the app Itarr had made for them to communicate.  

So, umm… Momo had never texted someone before, but how could she write without pen or paper? The last time she touched the phone, it was a pink square. But now she saw letters, numbers, and symbols. Momo’s mind had difficulty ’understanding’ how to make words without handwriting.  

“Tap the letters,” instructed Albert. “The phone does the writing for you, so consider it a ‘pen’ that instantaneously sends written letters over long distances. If you wish to write good morning, then…” The butler retrieved his phone and showed her how he’d do it.  

“Okay, so... I...think I have it.” Slowly, she pressed her index finger to the backlit screen and wrote a simple question.   

How are Servi doing?  

“Crap, I made a mistake! Umm… How do I erase it? I hit the little arrow too fast and 'sent' the message.”  

“You cannot alter it after sending it. But look at the backwards arrow…here. That’s the backspace. Tap it, and you’ll remove the last letter.”  

“Okay… Interesting… Very, very interesting.”  

Ah, I see you’re using the texting function! Servi’s doing fine. After arriving, Bunbun took us to the bar, and she drank for a few hours while talking to her and the bartender. We’re hanging out in the locker room now. I think her fight’s about to start.    

Did the bet she make?  

Momo growled. She fat-fingered and made another mistake, sending the message before proofreading. The little buttons were too tiny and felt…abstract, for the lack of a better word. But Momo enjoyed it. It was almost…soothing? She was communicating with a goddess inside her friend’s soul, but it felt so… 

Normal.  

Kind of. Servi wanted to, but Bunbun said her match would be special since it’s not on the docket. But she took Servi’s 30,000 dupla when she escorted us to the locker room to bet on her behalf. The manager will announce it later tonight and open the betting pools for half an hour, but we haven’t seen him tonight. Servi’s made an impression on him and the others, I think. But we’ve been here for about thirty minutes. No one’s come to get us.   

What about Cassidy?  

We haven’t seen her. I think she’s in her lab. But please don’t worry. I promise we’ll be okay.   

Okay. Tell Servy we’re fine. I’m with Suusa, Albert, and the others at this bar. We're about to play darts.   

“Geez… This is harder than I thought.”  

“There’s no need to be fast. Take your time and carefully type what you wish to say until you get used to it,” replied the butler.   

Have fun! I want to hear all about it the next time you’re in the soul world.   

Okay. It’s a deal. Ah, I don’t wanna wait them more. Momo cutely scowled after catching her mistake. She fixed the message, sent it, placed the phone in her pocket, grabbed her bag, and darted towards her friends at the dart board after snatching the last turkey leg.   

“Have you played before?” asked the butler.   

“A little. My grampy used to play with a few friends when they came over. I’d sit and drink my water while cheering him on.” Momo bumped shoulders with a stout dwarf on accident. She apologized, he tipped his hat, and returned to his conversation about rocks and minerals.   

“Hey-o! There you are!” Gerld threw up a hand and waved Momo and Albert over. The friendly watch grabbed a stick of chalk and a board and sat it on the nearby table that held their drinks.   

“I hope you two are ready!” Sissy was energetic, and the vibes rubbed off on Momo. Her competitive fury burned alive, and she was ready to kickstart the night's second half.   

Of course, she wanted to have fun with a certain golem-turned-crystal that rested in her pocket. And it wouldn’t be complete without Servi, Itarr, and Srassa, and the pink singi couldn’t forget about her lookalike.    

This perfect night…wasn’t so perfect because key players were missing.   

But we can recreate this in the future. With Claire, Dineria, and Lucy. And Marissa and her children…   

But that didn’t mean Momo had to be sad. She knew Servi and the others would want her to have fun. Besides, there’d be far more opportunities to recreate this night—no, ample chances to eclipse it in the future.   

Momo just thought of this celebration as a trial run. 

---

The locker room was lonely and oddly plain for a place embroidered in gaudy decadence as Fortuna. The dull tiles and stained walls clashed hard with the outward appearance you’d see if you took a few steps outside.  

“So, she’s playing darts, huh?”  

Yep. Do you know how to play? Albert says you throw these objects at a board and try to reduce your score to 0.  

“I do. It’s a fun game. I wonder if the bar has billiards.”  

I don’t know what that is.  

I explained it to Itarr, then crafted a pool cue out of blood crystal. While at it, I retrieved a few large chunks, melded them together, and began carving a pool table to give me something to do while I thought about the night.   

My stomach felt like a butter churner. The discomfort was uneasy, and I wondered if the manager was making his move. Granted, he could’ve been behind the missing fighters. I believed he was. But without Cassidy to verify my thoughts, I just had my gut feeling. My instinct hadn’t been wrong that many times before. And they always said it was better to trust your stomach.    

But then ten minutes passed.  

And then twenty.  

And then thirty.  

The room remained empty long enough to finish two more tables, a dart board, and a dozen darts. I paced back and forth and eventually tried the door to discover it was locked.  

That should’ve sounded alarm bells—why would they lock the door if not to entrap me? Or prevent me from leaving earlier than they intended? Were they preparing something?  

Itarr asked if she should absorb it, but I shook my head. “No. Let’s wait a little longer. Is Momo still doing okay?”  

Yes. I’m still texting her. They’re taking a break from darts to eat a slice of pie. Gerld’s being generous with his earnings. He's about to buy the bar a round on him.    

“That’s nice of him. Who won the game?”  

Albert.   

“Ah, I figured. Seems like he’d be good at darts.”  

Suddenly, the doorknob finally turned. The door opened, revealing someone I knew.  “Hiya, cutie!” chirped Bunbun when she bounced through, her excitable spirit as high as ever. She skipped forward and lowered her head. “So, yeah. I’m totally sorry about the wait. You see, the prior fights…kinda went on for longer than we thought. This happens sometimes. People can really get fired up once emotions start circulating. The thrill of battle is an excellent lover, you know.”  

“I get that, but why keep me away? Why couldn’t I watch?”  

“Honestly? I’m not sure. It may have something to do with your match. But that’s why I’m here. Mr. Manager’s gonna tell them about the night’s final brawl in a few minutes. It isn’t on the schedule or anything. He does this kinda thing often, so the crowd kinda expects a fantastic surprise finale.”  

“I see. The honor to falls to me?”  

“Who’s better than the girl who took on an endurance match without breaking a sweat? That’s where the real money comes in, ya know. Especially since Mr. Manager’s spread savory rumors about your beauty and prowess. People get hot and bothered when they watch a cute bombshell kicks ass and take names. Even better, those loaded nobles are nice and drunk, and they loosen their purse strings the more alcohol they drink… Ehh!” Bunbun’s eyes went wide. She panicked and shook her head. “That’s another company secret. Promise this sultry Bunnykin you’ll keep it between us!”  

“What’s one more secret? Sure, I don’t mind.”  

“Great! Okay, so...” Bunbun reached inside her top and retrieved a golden ticket and golf ball-sized gemstone. It was etched with light blue glowing runes. “This ticket is your betting slip. Mr. Manager still hasn’t announced it to everyone, but I got a message saying to go ahead and bet on your behalf. Don’t worry. This bunny Bunbun bunny wouldn’t dream of hopping away with your hard-earned dupla! But Mr. Manager’s really giving everyone blue balls. The second to last match is about to start, but he’s not anywhere.”  

“That’s a little weird,” I said, absorbing the ticket. “But what’s the deal with the crystal?”  

“This? Mr. Manager says it’s a teleportation crystal linked to the stage. When it’s time for your fight, it’ll warp you to the stage. It’s kinda like the teleportation pad you used the other night at the other arena, but it’s much more theatrical.”  

“If I’m the finale…I guess it needs to be exciting, huh?”  

“Yep. Mr. Manager goes all out. Anyway, don’t put it in your ring. I don’t know if it works inside an item enchanted with a storage spell, so why don’t ya stick it in your pocket?”  

“Okay,” I said, slipping it in. These overalls had deep pockets to keep my stuff extra secure.    

“Great!” Bunbun clapped and flashed another smile. If nothing, the hyperactive Bunnykin was friendly beyond a doubt. “Is there anything I can get ya before my break ends? Are you hungry?”  

“I’m fine. Thank you, though. Don’t work too hard.”  

“Oh my! Sexy, powerful, and kindness are the traits I look for in a lover,” swooned Bunbun. “But I know you’re not interested. Oh! This one-sided love will be the death of this lonesome bunny!” She exaggerated and ended it with a giggle.   

The girl had a few screws loose, but she was otherwise fine while she really leaned into her identity as a Bunnykin.   

“I don’t need you to die on me,” I replied, playing along. Bunbun hopped twice and said my encouragement would stave off that loneliness a little longer.   

“Anyway, I have to hop back to work. It won’t be too much longer. I promise.” She jumped to the door and left after a wave, and Itarr and I spoke about her.   

If you could personify hyperactive as a person?  

It’d be Bunbun. But that personality was enduring. I loved how positive she was. And while she could be lewd and flirty, I didn’t necessarily think that was a bad thing when kept in moderation.  

I mean, it wasn’t for me. Bunbun was sexy and pleasing to the eyes, but I didn’t feel any lust for her.  The only bodies I wanted to hold against me were Itarr, Momo, and Srassa.   

Do you think Bunbun can be our friend?  

“Maybe? I hope. She’s nice, isn’t she?”  

Yes, she is. Would Momo like her?  

“I think so. Why don’t we hang out with her with Srassa and Saline? We’re planning to come back here to see Cassidy after returning to Canary with Sissy and the others." 

What if the fights are too brutal for them?  

“Crap. Yeah. It might be. But we don’t have to head to Fortuna. Why not roam around town? Hell, we could go to that bar Momo’s at right now and have a shit load of fun. Positive memories… That’s what I want to make, Itarr. With you and everyone else. I want to fill my gaps with fondness I can happily look back upon with a smile.”   

Do you think…I’ll get a physical body soon?   

“I really hope you do.”  

I want to hug Srassa. And hold Lucy and tell her she’ll get through her ordeal. And I want to share a meal with Dineria, Claire, and Nimyra. There’s a whole lot.   

“And we’ll do all that. And more. And anything else you want to do. It’s a promise, okay?”  

Okay. Thank you, Servi.   

“You’re welcome. But…” I tossed the teleportation crystal in the air and snatched it. “I’m tired of waiting. She could’ve at least left me something to do. A deck of cards would’ve been nice. Well, I guess I can make some more blood crystals.” After invoking the skill, I sat on the bench, crossed my legs, balanced the orb in my lap, and produced some crystals.    

It is strange. I asked Albert, and he wondered if this is an isolation tactic.  

“What would they isolate us from? It isn’t a problem for us to walk out. There’s no one here who can really stop us. Then again, they don’t know that.”  

He says another theory is that the ones responsible are prepping a trap. A small part of him believes the teleportation crystal isn’t linked to the arena. 

“It’s to somewhere else? Maybe to some ambush?”  

It’s just a conjecture, but Albert said he once orchestrated a similar surprise attack against a group of assassins after Virin’s head. But if the manager's behind the missing fighters, and Cassidy’s way of telling us about it without arousing suspicion was to ask him to target us, then doesn’t this make sense? Albert says prolonged loneliness can severely alter someone’s mental state.   

“But that’s where they screwed up. They don’t know I’m not alone. But screw it. Let’s give it another thirty minutes or so. If the orb hasn’t activated, I’m just going to walk out,” I said, sighing.   

I kept cutting my wrist with the blood crystal knife and stashed them. Itarr said she’d transfer them to the vault while making a few more undead. It was a good idea to stockpile our zombies and skeletons since we could store and retrieve them from the ring. But that meant giving each one a crystal to snack on to make them targetable by my ring.    

We talked a little bit about a way to bypass that step. Itarr was still researching a way to return [Voiceless Incantation] via Merka’s soul fragments. But after that, she wanted to somehow instill a solid chunk of blood crystal within [Necromancy]’s activation method to automatically grant the absorption property. It would presumably raise the cost by one. But automating that process would be a quality-of-life change I’d get behind.    

But I wouldn’t have to forcefully leave because ten short minutes later, a thick blue gas poured into the room from under the door. It quickly filled the locker room, and I instantly felt weary for a few seconds before [True Immortality] kicked in, returning me to normal.  

“Sleeping gas? So, that’s their play?”  

Seems like it. Will you pretend to be affected?  

“Nah. Let's handle this quickly and return to Momo and the others. Let my being awake surprise them.”  

I sat back and relaxed until the teleportation crystal glowed. I saw the pulsating light through my overalls, and I retrieved it. It was faintly warm—like it had been sitting outside on a calm summer, and it remained like that until it shattered. The fragments warped and surrounded my body, entrapping me in a layer of light blue energy…