3-4m? I tilted my head in front of the big stone.
This is the first time I’ve been in a place that isn’t protected by barriers.
I wonder if this is really it but I certainly feel strong divine power from the big stone in front of me.
So, I’m sure it’s right….
However, what does this stone mean?
Ah, maybe they were planning to make a new stone statue.
「Well, whatever their reason is, it’s none of my business. Let’s just crush this one too.」
Crush it down and that’s the end of it.
Same as before.
Imagine the stone shattering, put my palm against it, and cast the spell using my new power.
「Shatter!」
Light flooded out of my palm and enveloped the stone and……the light disappeared.
「…..areh?」
As soon as the light went out, I felt the power disappear.
Was it absorbed by the stone?
In any case, I waited for a while but nothing happened with the stone.
It seems like I failed.
Should I try one more time?
No, I have a feeling that the result would be the same.
-0-
I gently touch the stone.
I thought I would feel cold but I was surprised to feel warmth.
Is this stone warm?
I look up.
The trees are in the way of the sun’s rays.
It shouldn’t be heated by sunlight.
「A stone that emits heat? Or maybe a living stone….that’s creepy.」
I remove my hand from touching the stone.
If the new power doesn’t work, let’s try magic.
I did it again but this time, I’ll be using magic power.
「Shatter!」
My body becomes hot and clammy as an enormous amount of magical power is leaving my body.
Areh?
Am I in danger?
I panicked and tried to suppress my power but the overflowing magical power condensed to a fist-size light and hit the big stone!
-0-
—Scene Change—
-0-
「Hnn? Why am I riding Marshmallow? Ehto…」
For some reason, Marshmallow is circling in the sky while carrying me.
Funny, I don’t remember riding on Marshmallow.
I look down and see a big stone.
Ah!
I attacked the stone and it counterattacked.
The moment magic power hit the stone, it glowed and there was a huge blast that sent me flying.
Since I’m on top of Marshmallow, he must have saved me.
「Thank you, Marshmallow.」
When I called out to him, he turned his neck around and grunted.
Marshmallow can make that sound too like Flying Lizard?
There are still a lot of things I don’t know.
-0-
By the way, that was strong.
What should we do?
Attacking it is dangerous.
The next time I attack, maybe I won’t just be blown away by the blast.
-0-
I mean, I did it again without hesitation.
I guess the first thing to do is to examine it.
Haa, I’ve become too reckless.
「For now, let’s examine that stone.」
I asked Marshmallow to go down near the stone.
Looking around, it seems that all my companions are safe.
Thank goodness.
I’m sorry if you got hurt because of me.
I pat the heads of those who look anxious.
After a while, everyone seemed to calm down.
-0-
I look at the big stone.
When I gently touch it with my hand, it is still warm.
It seems to be warmer than before.
Perhaps it becomes hotter when fighting back?
Well, I don’t really care.
What is important now is how to break…this stone.
Or figuring out what it is.
However, how do I find out?
So far, I only need to break it!
If we let my power penetrate the inside of the stone, will it be able to tell me anything?
I don’t know but….I should at least try.
「Let’s do it.」
I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and let the new power invade the interior of the stone little by little.
It’s like inserting a single thread slowly into the center of the stone.
I was expecting a counterattack but I was able to penetrate inside without any problem.
Does it know that I have no intention to attack?
Or does it fight back in response to the impact of an attack?
Well, let’s go to the center part.
-0-
….This is strange.
The whole stone is around 3-4 meters high and 2 meters wide.
It should have already passed the center but for some reason, I think it is still far.
「What’s going on?」
I check the length of the thread of power I sent to the stone.
It’s not that accurate but it should be around 4 meters.
It should have already passed through the center and even pierced through the other side.
I can’t say for sure though because I can’t check it with my own eyes.
However, even now, the thread continues to move forward.
Is it safe to proceed?
「Hnn?」
The tip of the force felt something so it stopped advancing inside. I tried to check the situation.
「Is it only my imagination? I thought there was something there.」
I regain my composure and move the thread of power once more.
Immediately, a touching sensation comes through the thread.
It seems that it was not my imagination after all.
-0-
The force is touching something and it shows no sign of counterattacking.
Does this mean that as long as I don’t attack it, there is no problem?
Well, my power touched it, what should I do now……..?
For now, what I sensed from it is…..a pretty condensed power.
-0-
Areh?
I sense a divine power that’s not from the apprentices.
Hmmm, but all divine powers are very similar.
I’m not sure if I can really distinguish between them.
I’m not sure but I will keep in mind that there’s a possibility that other apprentices or gods are involved.
-0-
So, the problem now is this condensed power.
It’s the last of the apprentice’s power.
It can’t be destroyed.
If I attack it, it will attack back.
「How do I weaken others’ power without attacking….ah, absorption.」
Once I take away the power, this big stone will never be a problem.
Absorption is not the same as an attack so it shouldn’t fight back.
Hnn?……it’s not an attack, right?
I feel a little unconvinced but it should be fine.
-0-
I took out the monster core that led us here.
How can I have this absorb the power……?
Yeah, I wonder if I should use a power thread as a basis.
Suck it up like a….straw through the thread?
Let’s try.
-0-
I imagine a long straw sucking water.
I think a simple image is less likely to fail in this kind of thing.
I’ll imagine a straw sucking up water in a huge bag and transferring it into the monster core.
I don’t think there’s a quantity issue.
Just imagine something and that’s it.
「Absorption」
The monster core floats softly and begins to glow.
The scary thing is, the big stone starts glowing too.
-0-
Ah, will it attack?
We prepared ourselves for the blast.
I saw Kurou and the others and Marshmallow bracing themselves.
…..?
After waiting for a while, nothing happened.
However, both the monster core and the big stone are still glowing.
Looking at them closely, I can see a white thread connecting the two.
Could it be that they are just glowing because of power transfer?
Or rather, did I succeed?
-0-
I gently reach for the monster core.
However, I felt a hit of danger so I stopped.
It would be better not to interfere if magic is in effect.
Yeah.
-0-
Assuming that it’s successful, I wonder if that condensed power is something that can be absorbed by a single monster core.
If it could, how long would it take?
…..I’m pretty sure I brought some spare monster cores with me.
I search my bag and find that I have 10 of them.
The one eyes prepared them for me and I’m glad that I brought them with me.
-0-
But still, I looked at the thread that connects the stone and core.
「Too thin.」
When I let it in, I imagined a thin thread to prevent it from counterattacking.
When I changed to straw, I should have imagined a thicker straw but I forgot.
Therefore, it is a thin straw like the ones on paper packets.
How long will it take to absorb the power?
「I wonder when will I be able to go home.」
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