Ruel looked at the visibly satisfied Muriel, also smiling.
At times like this, he recalled discussions he had with his father, which made him understand why he truly looked up to the man.
He had once childishly asked his father why they prioritized those names for the unborn child.
His father had said that it was the first proof of existence a person had–a proof that makes one known.
'It seems she's not the emotionless type of Spirit.'
"I need to go to Enma and obtain the items for the Ritual," Ruel said as he stood.
Muriel glanced through the window, still looking at the environment.
"If you want to do it now, you need to first find a safe and unattractive place to do the Ritual in this world. It'll be harder for you to do it in Enma now."
"The town's state is only getting worse—no one knows when things will spiral out of control. If I can obtain power now; I'll do so. Plus, I know of a safe place."
Muriel looked at him with an emotionless eye, then said, "Whenever you're ready."
Ruel nodded.
He went to the corner of his room, put on his hunter boots, fixed the daggers to his belt, wore a black hood, and covered his face.
As someone who was interested in making the town better, he had joined a squad fitting for his strength—the Scout Team.
Ruel looked to his bathroom, deciding to use its window as his exit.
Muriel merely hovered around him as he moved.
Before Ruel went, he sighed and walked to his table.
He opened a book and boldly wrote: "I will be back. I promise."
Muriel hovered down to the book and looked between the text and his face.
"This should make them less worried. I don't know how long I'll be gone."
After Muriel nodded in understanding, Ruel went to the toilet and saw the small shaped window.
Using his dagger, he removed a glass and with great difficulty, crossed the window and fell into the dark alley.
The streets of Greyland were dark, with some corners lit by a few street lamps or the glow from nearby apartments.
Because monster movements were also more in the neighbouring region, people refrained from going around at night.
Under the pale blue sky, Ruel navigated the town with skill.
As a skilled scout of the town, leaving wasn't hard—he knew its ins and outs.
Soon, he crossed the town, scaled a specific part of the wall the moment there was less supervision there and dropped to a grassy field.
He bent low, using the knee-length grass to conceal himself.
He looked to the extreme end of the grassfield, where the beginning of the forest was marked.
"It gives me an odd feeling," Muriel stated telepathically.
'I wondered if she had something like this… It's a basic trait of bonds like this.' Ruel thought.
"Maybe because it's a dangerous region," He replied with a dark chuckle.
She turned to him with curiosity. "Why is it dangerous?"
"Because of the monsters that live within it."
"Hmm… what gives me an odd feeling is more than monster presence."
Ruel tilted his head as he considered her words.
"I heard that it's easy to get lost when you enter deeper."
Muriel faced the forest again. "I think it is that."
Naturally expecting a say of caution, Ruel said to her in his mind.
"Don't worry. I've done this a couple of times. The only difference this time is… I'm staying inside for a while."
He heaved a long exhale. "Let's go."
"Hold on," Muriel stated, "I want to do something."
Ruel was skeptical, but he saw his system screen appear and could sense that she was trying to move it.
After a few seconds of them exchanging looks, he gave her the access she wanted.
She navigated the Enma system and used the shop feature.
Ruel saw as she scrolled through a list of items with images and texts that described them.
'I can really buy something from this? What can I buy?' He was curious to know.
After a few seconds, he saw Muriel purchase items, reducing his En Coins.
She reached into the screen and retrieved a red potion and a dark cloak.
They were a body enhancement potion and a basic concealment cloak.
Ruel could feel mana pull out of him. 'She's using my mana to be tangible?'
She handed him the potions and said, "Later, you can ask me if there's anything within the shop that is beneficial to you. I'll check."
He curiously asked, "Why didn't you buy this earlier?"
She replied calmly, "I wasn't sure what we'd need until I felt the energy in this area. Buying the wrong thing earlier would have wasted our resources."
Ruel shrugged then looked at the items in his hand. After a brief hesitation, he chugged down his potion and wore the cloak.
He was about to ask what use the cloak would have now, but before he could speak, Muriel picked it up and tossed it back into the screen with the bottle.
'Is that a storage device?' Ruel was shocked by all these developments, his body feeling light yet strong.
"We can go now," Muriel said.
With a nod, Ruel darted into the forest, his body further enhanced with his mana.
He climbed the trees, using the sturdy branches to move swiftly through the canopy.
After ten minutes of running at his peak, he reached a very tall tree with thick grasses growing from it.
He jumped down and approached the big tree roots and shifted some stones that rested on the tree.
It revealed a small hole that led to an underground tunnel.
"This is… my man cave," he said to Muriel, who was looking curiously.
He jumped in and closed the tunnel imperfectly from within using prepared rocks.
Standing in the darkness, he faced the translucent and slightly glowing female that hovered behind him.
He looked around the hidden cave, aware that this might be the last time he stood on his home soil for a while.
He said, "To Enma."
Muriel immediately instructed him on what to do.
Ruel first sensed his system and used it as a medium to since his Anchored destination–prepared by his Ancestors–in Enma.
Then, he sensed another dormant Anchor and placed it within the cave.
These two Anchors will serve as the destination for where to land in both worlds—only a person born beyond Enma can do this.
After getting familiar with his Anchor, the system extended to form a door that had spiraling energy within it.
Bracing himself, Ruel walked through the door and left his homeworld for the first time.
His heart pounded—not from fear, but from the weight of everything to come.