The sound of wind roaring accompanied by swirling snow. Silence instantly turned into confusion."..." Both Alphonse and Derrick, who had just launched an attack on Alden, had looks of confusion in their eyes.Meanwhile, Erin fell to her knees, running out of mana. "No... in this state, I could go back to sleep..." Erin mumbled before falling backward onto the snow....What would happen if Alden didn't come to this continent? What if Alden didn't meet someone suspected of having the power of Dorm The Savage? What would happen if Alden didn't interact with his surroundings?This is what is happening now.The storm has stopped, and Alphonse and Derrick have no idea why they are outside the city. However, in front of them are two strangers lying on the ground. One is a young woman with distinctive white hair, wearing slightly loose and somewhat dirty clothes.The other is a man in strange attire, a short cloak covering his

The night before.Alden woke up in a place that was familiar to him. He clicked his tongue at the sight.A settlement, with most houses made of wood. The place was deserted, a stone stood beside Alden.He sat on the stone, waiting for something. He knew it was a dream, and the reason for this dream's appearance was clear to him. This place was where he last saw his mother, where he encountered Darbend The Eclipse, and where he made a deal with Alioth The Nightmare.Reflecting, sitting on the stone, waiting for Alioth to appear. Black Orb was not by his side, making the atmosphere silent, unsettling his mind, even though he knew it was just a dream.His mental state was unstable, especially when confronted with scenes that reminded him of the changing past. Black Orb had told him that the reason Alioth always met him in dreams here was Alden's unstable mental condition. That was one reason why Black Orb didn't fully trust Alioth, even thou

The burly man stared sharply at the two guests."Dad, you have to provide polite service to customers; that's why this blacksmith shop is always empty." The young man closer to Alden spoke with frustration."I haven't done anything..." The burly man furrowed his brow, removing his protective gloves."Well, that's the reason!"The young man then turned to look at Alden, changing his annoyed expression into a radiant smile."Customer, what kind of sword are you looking for?"Alden fell silent; he hadn't thought about this beforehand. He planned to buy a sword, but he hadn't considered what type would be suitable for him."You can choose from the rack, or if you have specific specifications for the sword, I can forge one for you." The burly man, named Douglas, a senior blacksmith surprisingly not on good terms with the Guardian, explained.Alden looked around, and another young man named Getlon, Douglas's son, expe

Erin tried other spells like Ice Shard and Ice Barrier. The result was that she could use Ice Barrier but failed with Ice Shard. It was confusing considering Erin had a high affinity for the water element.Meanwhile, while guiding Erin through her exercises, Alden began to passively control the mana around his sword. He didn't overtly display his actions, continuing to provide guidance to Erin while maintaining the enhancement on his sword.For Alden, manipulating mana was relatively easy, given his early proficiency. However, due to the thinness of his mana, he decided to stop practicing, fearing he might run out before the Gate opened. On the other hand, Erin faced the opposite challenge, with an abundance of mana that needed careful control to stabilize her spells.Several hours passed with this training.The straw doll began to show signs that the Gate would soon open. Alden quickly realized this and warned, "The Gate is about to open; stay be

"You know this will be a dangerous journey, right?" Black Orb gives an early warning. "Not only for you, but also for Erin," it continues.Alden nods in understanding. He's aware that their current destination might be more perilous, considering the target Dark Soul is from the second floor of the Dark Dimension, the Bubble Plague. This type of Dark Soul tends to be particularly dangerous for individuals with unstable mental conditions, and both Alden and Erin fall into that category.Therefore, long before this plan, Alden contacted Alioth to request assistance in maintaining Erin's stability. Now, in addition to the ring, Erin also possesses Alioth's red crystal, making it easier for Alioth to provide aid when needed.As for Alden, he feels more confident. The domain of the second floor of the Dark Dimension is the mind. Consequently, most Dark Souls inhabiting that place have dangerous mind-manipulating abilities."Since I used the 'T