Veyra and I entered the ruins and were immediately surrounded by the fog. It’s weird, at first it seemed quite manageable, but it was only once we crossed into the area that it suddenly filled up to an overwhelming amount. It almost seemed as though we were an automated response to our presence.

  This definitely has to be some kind of magic spell… I wonder if there’s a source where we can turn it off? I scanned around but ultimately couldn't see a thing. Veyra, can you see?

  I extended my arms and used the Parasite skill to soak up some of the mist around us, creating a small clearing in the shape of a dome around us.

  Her eyes widened, “Difficult, but… see.”

  It wasn’t exactly a perfect plan, but that was good enough. As long as she could see in front of her, with me leading the way, we would be fine. If anything dangerous showed up, we could always retreat. If need be, I’d have Veyra hide behind me while I tank the damage. I was confident in my defence and health after all.

  It felt eerily quiet, almost like we were the only two beings alive at that moment. I could hear Veyra’s boots against the damp grass, but nothing past that. I decided to test something and tossed a small stone I picked up into the mist.

  I waited for the sound of it hitting the ground, but it never came. I looked at Veyra, and she shrugged, just as confused as I was.

  “Maybe… still fall…”

  That’s unlikely, but… now I’m getting paranoid. I should check, just to be sure. It’s good to be prepared after all.

  One of my floating claws levitated forward and felt along the ground in front of us. A solid floor filled my palm. There was definitely ground there. Oh, I found the stone too.

  I brought it up to my face, and Veyra peeked from over my shoulder with intrigued eyes,

  “Why…no sound?”

  Where’d the sound go? I’m not sure either. It’s just a theory, but I think this mist completely erases sound when you enter its space. In other words, we’re walking blindly in here.

  It might make things more difficult. If any monsters attacked us from within the mist, we’d only notice them once they were right on top of us. I knew we’d face problems with such a strange area effect, but I wasn’t expecting such a major handicap. I felt a lot less confident.

  I wonder if we should turn back. I stared off into the void, trying to see anything besides the never-ending view of pale mist.

  Veyra’s fingers wrapped over my claw.

  “I…want to…go on…” It was slight, but the distortion in her voice lifted.

  Between her real voice slipping through and the look on her face, I felt like I couldn’t refuse her. We had to continue on.

  Fine, you win. But if any monsters appear, we stick to me in the front, and you stay back. Got it?

  “Got…!” She shook her head with a grin.

  Seeing her dainty body hop with glee, I suddenly came to the reality of what we’d do when we did face a monster. I had no idea how she fought, or if she really could fight anything.

  Veyra, you were an adventurer before, right? Are you only planning to fight with that small dagger? Don’t you use magic or something a little...bigger?

  Her eye drifted down to the dagger along her belt. Her eyes sharpened with a shameful cringe as she gripped its handle,

  “I…hunt…bow.” The words came swiftly through telepathy. She gestured to the knife with a firm expression, as if to settle my doubts. “I can fight…this too.”

  I didn’t really see how such a small knife would help, but when she kept giving me determined looks like that, how could I not agree?

  We walked for another hour before we finally came across something besides random chunks of buried stones and busted ruins. Using the Construct skill, I extended a few chunks of stone made from my body around us as scouts. Once they bumped into something, I’d investigate with Veyra behind me.

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  The scout right in front of me bumped into something, and I was immediately made aware through the link I had to it. I prepared my claws, and Veyra tensed herself up.

  The scout was bound; I couldn’t move it anymore. It wasn’t very strong since it was the size of a hand, but for it to be completely stuck was weird.

  I extended the range of my Parasite skill, and the clearing grew to triple its size, which revealed a massive pink flower, propped upright by slithering vines above the grounds surface.

  The scout was bound in its tentacular vines, where it was pinned and smashed into the ground repeatedly.

  W-what is that thing…?

  {Rose Succulent Lv18}

  {A high level of hostility is detected from target}

  {Target’s weakness appears to be the head. Weak structure and frame detected}

  The description updated, I bet that’s because of the Absolute Appraisals upgrade. Even so, if it was confirmed hostile, did that mean there was no way to communicate with it?

  I directed my attention to Veyra and sent my thoughts through to her.

  Veyra, can you try talking to it with telepathy?

  She nodded back, “Try…!” Her eyes gazed ahead at the rose head wrapped around exposed roots and thorned vines. After a moment of silence and some intense eye movement, she suddenly gripped her head and stumbled back.

  Veyra, are you okay?!

  It didn’t take a psychic link to see that something wrong definitely happened. I hated that I couldn’t use telepathy like she could, so I was completely in the dark when she wasn’t speaking directly to me.

  “No…voice…! Only…Monster…!”

  I guess the monster had no thoughts. I guess there really might be nothing in there to reason with. Well, we wanted to level up anyway. I’m a little mad that it hurt her, though.

  Veyra, I’ll start attacking it, and once it can’t move anymore, you finish it off.

  I don’t know how experience works for others, but it might only give it to the person who finishes the monster off. Not to mention, without a proper bow, she only has her knife to deal damage. I couldn’t leave any room for failure.

  “Graaaaahhhhh!!!” I released a thunderous roar and reached for its head.

  Vines whipped through the opening between us and avoided my claws entirely. They were solely aimed for me and a moment of rash strikes, coiled around my torso with a firm grip.

  Wh-what the— is it crazy, it’s completely exposed!

  I closed my grip on the flower's head, and it collapsed like a cracker in my palm. The crunch of its core resonated between my claws right before the vines dropped dead around me.

  {250 EXP gained}

  That was…easier than I expected.

  “Atlas…” Veyra’s voice suddenly entered my mind, slightly distressed.

  Hm? Oh– I didn’t even realise! Sorry, Veyra, it died a bit faster than I thought it would. You’ll get the next one, I promise. My head sank slightly.

  Veyra’s feet rose off the ground in a swooping pull, and in an instant, she was suspended from her ankle by a thin green rope. No, they were vines.

  I tracked their length to another Rose Succulent that appeared beyond the mist. I wasted no time in clearing the path ahead, focusing all the scouts on expanding their range.

  It was more taxing than I thought. My mana was being depleted much faster than the Parasite skill could regain it, so I was in a constant deficit. We needed to end things fast.

  {Rose Succulent Lv24}

  Veyra, I’ll keep it in place, and you deliver the final blow once I do.

  “Please…quick…!” The sense of urgency in her voice bordered on panic. She must have been really scared.

  I rushed forward, and both claws flew at the rose head. Suddenly, a net of vines cut through the air and blocked my claws, then locked them in place.

  They’re not that strong on their own, but it’s actually pretty tough when there are so many of them… I might have to try harder.

  I flew towards it, my floating torso leaned forward as I approached the net and bore my fangs at it. My stone maw separated as a row of jagged fangs bit down on the vines and tore through them with ease.

  I never thought I’d have to fight with my mouth as a golem, but it was actually pretty effective. I managed to free my claws and restrain the flower head without damaging it. Even so, the vines that held up Veyra continued thrashing her around in the air.

  The panicked look on her face grew deeper, and she turned a dark shade of red that extended to her pointed ears.

  Veyra, are you okay–

  “Don’t…look!!!!” Her words cut through my mind like a knife, silencing all other thoughts.

  Her cloak was being kept down by her hands, but I saw it. Even if it was only for a second, her skirt rose, and the pale virgin shine of her thighs was clear as day. We locked eyes for a moment, and I shut my open mouth, finally understanding her expression.

  My claws shot through the air and grabbed the vines that held her up, then snapped them apart. As Veyra fell through the air, she spun upright and took a somewhat graceful landing in front of me. With a hesitant spin, she slowly turned to me and extended her telepathy,

  “Did…see?”

  I tried my best to keep my expression straight and not to fumble my words. Using the mental link, I offered a confident response.

  I did. It looked good!

  …

  The blushing red expression sharpened as she grit her teeth and held back the tears along the corners of her eyes. “Atlas…idiot!”

  Crap, I wasn’t thinking when I spoke. I’m still awkward when talking to people!!