"Stop."
Psssh—
Huh? So, the barrier Demonic Crow mentioned is right behind the cave of the Golgrith race I previously killed?
What if I had accidentally touched it before knowing anything?
The place where the two stopped was a forest of black pine trees, an odd contrast to the other trees in this zone. Additionally, these pines were lined up neatly, forming a spiral-like pattern stretching from one end to the other.
"I was here before, so why didn't I sense its presence at all?"
Evan asked in confusion as he glanced slightly upward.
"Contractor Evan, act professionally. Address me formally as 'you,' just as we would in an official matter. Call me Demonic Crow as usual. You may create a codename or nickname as you see fit."
Demonic Crow patted him while speaking in a formal tone.
Come to think of it, from that beautiful girl (Selene) to the man named Magnus, they all spoke informally. Were they adapting to me?
Even Lloyd seemed comfortable speaking casually.
"Alright."
What name should I use?
Hmm…
'Something deep, something that does not receive light as a Contractor, something that sounds dangerous and untouchable by ordinary humans!'
Evan's eyes burned with determination.
"Call me 'Aphotic,' Demonic Crow."
Khukhukhu! This is a name that won't be common! Only I will have it!
"Pfft, sounds like a drugstore."
"???"
"...Forget it. Focus on the mission, Aphotic."
Back to the topic, the black pine trees before Evan were likely magic used by the enemy to protect their camp.
A gust of wind tickled Evan's skin, as thin as tissue.
He got an idea.
Cuih—
He spat on the tip of his right index finger and raised his hand high in the air. He wanted to see if the northern wind currents could pass through the pine trees.
Evan examined his surroundings and found that the air current from north to south moved without obstruction. That meant one possibility.
"Illusion Magic."
"That… is correct."
Yes! Yes! Feel that, you foolish bird. You must be shocked by my extraordinary and unconventional method!
"Not bad, Aphotic. Your observation is truly remarkable. Low-Grade to Mid-Grade Illusion Magic can only replicate physical phenomena based on the sensory perception of the target."
Demonic Crow, whose beak had gaped in shock before, now closed it and began explaining professionally.
"If you observe closely, the effect of this Illusion Magic only influences vision, touch, taste, and smell. The way to determine whether magic is an illusion or not is by using sound variations with an echolocation method similar to bats. But instead, you tried to sense the 'discrepancy' between reality and the illusion."
"Then, is there a way to infiltrate it?"
Smirk.
"I can override the rules of this magic by sabotaging it with existential energy. You need to move quickly before I exhaust the energy reserves of this avatar form."
"Alright, let's do it now."
Evan nodded, tidying his filthy clothes. Who would want to fight someone in such a disgusting and unprepared state?
Whoosh—
"Close your eyes, Aphotic."
Demonic Crow flew in front of Evan. Unbeknownst to him, the six eyes of Demonic Crow, previously hidden in the shadows, were now open.
Evan ignored Demonic Crow's words at first but then shut his eyes tightly.
"Since you are not yet a Contractor or have not walked the path of Accord, you are not permitted by '???' to see the form of pure existential energy. However, try to feel it up close."
Gulp—
What?
Is it really that dangerous?
Pssssh—
Evan calmed his excited heartbeat. He took a slow breath and focused all his senses on his inner feelings. And sure enough, he experienced something strange.
The energy was alive, moving, breathing. He tried to perceive it with his mind's eye and found that the 'thing' was unstable, as if its form could never settle into a single shape.
"Now, I will use this pure existential energy to create a form I can control."
As if obeying a command, the energy expanded into an imperfect organic structure. Like broken wings, shedding feathers, and writhing tendrils.
Colors also began to 'grow' from within. A void-like blue spread throughout its existence. A shade so deep that it seemed to swallow the surrounding light.
Just 'seeing' it through feeling alone was already terrifying. Such an aesthetic… was a 'misleading beauty.'
"..."
"It's done. Open your eyes."
Demonic Crow was now perched atop Evan's head again.
What he saw with his own eyes was something he never expected.
"...You just made a hole with all that flashy technique?"
"Yes, in short… the best counter to magic is pure existential energy… Stay professional, Aphotic."
Evan swiftly examined the barrier, which turned out to be only 5 cm thick, or 5-Zeth in this world's measurement system.
There was no difference from the tall trees outside. He could enter and reach their camp quickly.
He stepped in cautiously.
"Sir Demonic Crow, it appears there are no enemies around us."
Evan said while scanning his surroundings.
"Hmmph, Sir Aphotic. The assessment begins now. From this moment on, I am a third party. Your life and death are your own concern."
Fuck.
The camp was only 500-Ferr (meters) away. I need to check for traps or spies hiding around here.
Evan walked slowly through the dense forest. The first thing he checked was whether there were any hidden wires or traps on the ground. He knew the traps in this world might be different, but it wouldn't hurt to apply the same suspicion as the Vietcong troops in the Vietnam War.
"Do they have a tunnel system as a countermeasure against enemy attacks?"
"Hah? A tunnel system???"
"Forget it."
Apparently not. He had walked about 50-Ferr and found nothing of note. Even the conditions inside the barrier were the same as outside.
Living creatures were already rare here. What else should I expect?
"Sir Aphotic, I have a suggestion that may help you. Dig a hole and get inside."
"Huh…?"
Dig a hole? Get inside it?
After a brief ten-second pause, he finally realized how crucial this was!
Damn it, are their troops arriving soon?!
No, there must be reconnaissance units patrolling the area.
Wait, I don't have any tools… Should I dig with…?
Noticing Evan's reaction, Demonic Crow added something to his words.
"You must have guessed it. Remember, you are a Contractor, Sir Aphotic."
"..."
Yeah, I have to do it with my bare hands.