"Spill it--what happened when you tried to enter me!"
Upon hearing those words, Cuhlun realized he was cornered. His facial expression barely changed; even if it had, it would be impossible to tell in the dark room.
He responded in a calm tone.
"Ah yes, this is one of the things I'll try, of course, but I haven't yet. After all, we first need to escape this world. We only have a month and must find the portal urgently. I can't waste our precious time on this…"
Although Renas's face was hidden, it was clear from his eyes that he was smirking.
"Stop pretending. I know the truth very well. I was already certain there would be a tough test within me--I knew I wouldn't be taken over. But whenever you sleep, I can see the creature you take over. There's only one explanation: you haven't tried to take me over in the past two days. And that must mean something…" Renas narrowed his eyes.
"A long time ago, you already tried to take me over, and because you knew the test within me, you're not trying to now."
Cuhlun clapped."Correct guess. Still, that doesn't mean I'm your enemy. Believe me, I don't want our years of friendship to break apart. Still, I have no choice; there are things I can never give up. Instead of blaming me outright, can we look at it differently? For example, rather than accusing each other, we could form a partnership on guessing each other's keywords. Let's pause looking for each other's keywords for now, first grow stronger, and become in a state where nothing can kill us. I think neither of us wants to die or kill the other, so for now, can we set the keywords aside and focus on survival?"
Renas's shining eyes faded into the darkness again; his anger seemed to have subsided.
"I didn't expect you to come with a peaceful idea. Fine by me. I don't want either of us to die. Let's pause the keyword guessing for a while; we first need to become strong, just as you said."
Cuhlun smirked. Though the darkness hid it, his face showed happiness.
"Same here. Of course, my aim isn't any of that. I know you, and I think you'll join me. The important thing isn't just growing stronger. No matter how strong I get, there's always someone stronger. Even if I'm rarely on battlefields, judging by the world's state now, almost everyone going to war has eventually died. So rather than seeking strength, I want to seek peace."
Renas exhaled quietly.
"You're not wrong. Still, seeking peace is the right of the strong. If you are weak, wherever you go, nowhere will remain peaceful forever. You'll fall back into chaos. So maybe after gaining enough strength, we can revisit what you just said?"
Cuhlun replied, "Of course."
After this conversation, both of them slept.
In the following days, they continued moving through the ruined city.
Cuhlun wanted to sleep a lot, but it was difficult. He once had certain skills that made sleeping easy, but now he had lost them all. He needed to find a few pills.
These pills were usually found in hospitals or pharmacies. As many might guess, they weren't anything special--just ordinary sleeping pills.
When he first obtained his Signature Ability, he had used them, so he was accustomed.
Together with Renas, they roamed the ruined city for a long time. During the day, monsters rarely appeared, so they could walk safely.
Still, they were aware of bird-eyed creatures watching them from the pure darkness inside buildings.
These creatures didn't disappear in daylight; they just hid in shadows. So dangerous beings were still around them.
The reason for avoiding sunlight was that weak creatures burned under daylight, and strong ones weakened.
So they usually avoided sunlight.
Cuhlun and Renas moved through the city trying not to engage them, all to find pills for Cuhlun. They were searching for a pharmacy.
Eventually, they found a better place--a hospital. A large building, half-ruined, with "hospital" written in fluorescent signs.
They entered slowly. The inside was dark, full of shadows, with no daylight reaching in, so they might encounter monsters.
The floor and walls were overgrown with moss and various plants. Mold and dampness permeated everywhere, giving off a terrible smell.
Some fluorescent lamps on the ceiling had broken wires hanging down. Some lights were on, some off, some flickered.
Many chairs remained in place, but some had been thrown against a wall long ago, breaking it.
The wall fragments lay on the floor. Whatever broke the wall must have been very strong, likely a physically powerful creature.
Not just the walls--almost all windows were broken, likely from a flying, agile creature visiting frequently.
Of course, five years into the apocalypse, it was unlikely either creature was still here.
Still, they had to be cautious and quiet, just in case.
They began moving quietly, one after another…
crack
"Uhmmm"
Renas turned and saw Cuhlun had stepped on a large plant while stretching. His face read, "useless". Damn--it wasn't like Cuhlun was weak. He could take over bodies and view memories; how could that be bad?!
Perhaps the conditions required were bad… yes, makes sense. In the middle of a battle, he couldn't suddenly enter an enemy's body. He had to be asleep and have seen that person before. Time continued while he tried to take over someone's mind, so he needed to be safe.
Of course, Renas had never seen the details of the ability. All of this was what Cuhlun had discovered. If the host died during a mind takeover, Renas had no idea what would happen. A simple guess would be that death might occur--or at least something close.
Could someone continue living in another's memory? Probably not, though perhaps with certain items or powers it might be possible. He kept that in mind.
While Cuhlun was lost in his ocean of thoughts, Renas slapped him, bringing him back. The sound echoed through the hospital. Renas stood up, as if no words were necessary, and continued walking. Cuhlun had no choice but to follow.
Having already made noise, they no longer cared about moving silently.
They searched the hospital rooms and finally found the pills.
Only three boxes remained, totaling 24 pills, since many had visited before. They could have gone to the storage for more, but neither wanted to take that risk.
Cuhlun would use ten pills in this world, saving the rest for emergencies in other worlds. This was because they were in a hurry to leave this world, but not other worlds.
In the following days, after taking the sleeping pills, Cuhlun entered the bodies of seagulls, mice, and various insects, exploring extensively.
Renas spent his days idly.
Weeks passed, and the one-month period was almost over.
A few days before death, they finally found a portal.
White and gray, large enough for an ordinary human, emitting strange buzzing sounds.
When they approached, the voice that had been silent for so long spoke again.
"So you finally found it. I feared you wouldn't. You may pass through the portal."
…
"You won't pass?"
The voice sounded desperate.
Cuhlun spoke first.
"Before passing, I want to ask something. When we go through, where will we end up? And will everyone there have power equal to what we had when fighting the sacred dragon Meldora?"
The voice let out a slight laugh.
"Alright, I understand. You're just worried whether it will be harder than here. Simply put, the world you go to is partly chance, though not 100%. As one grows stronger, one moves to a universe with even stronger beings. With your current power, those there will likely be at your power level. I said equal to your powers, not your experience. So I think you can handle it easily.
Lastly, if you're thinking of me, don't worry—I'll come with you. You can't escape me even if you go to another world."
At first, Cuhlun wanted to trust the voice, but the strange grin and laugh at the end made it difficult. Still… it seemed they had no other choice. Renas appeared to think the same--the portal was the only option.
Although Cuhlun and Renas needed to pass together, they weren't entirely sure--they had never gone through a portal before. Still, it seemed the most logical. They wouldn't want to be separated.
Hand in hand, they stepped through the portal.