"Well, isn't that just great?"
Celia's words seemed sarcastic, but Evelin doubted that their situation allowed such levity. The two of them were hiding in a crevice formed in the walls of a sizable cave.
The cave itself was a substantially complicated structure. After all, it was less of a cave and more of a hole drilled inside a titanic boulder. She knew that both were technically the same thing.
'It's just that one is created by nature. On the other hand…'
She couldn't clearly see it from where they were, but deep inside this cave was the heart of the cave. It was where the queen laid her eggs, nurturing them in the chilling darkness. This entire cave was supposed to be the entire reason the nest had formed.
And even deeper, behind the still eggs, was the Queen herself.
Even from where they were, Evelin could feel it, and so did Celia. The sheer difference in strength between them. The powerlessness and whatever feelings it brought along made a person shiver before they could even reach her.
It was the ability that made every commander-class beast much harder to fight than the beast itself. It reminded a person that a prey can never become a predator.
However, Evelin knew better than to fall for that illusion. She had already seen her sister tear beasts of the queen's level in two without breaking a sweat. She was under no pretense that she was anywhere near as strong as her sister, but just knowing that the terror lying in wait wasn't invincible was enough for her.
Unlike the rest of the cohort, her childhood wasn't filled with books and cafes. She had picked up the sword when she was four and had already slain her first beast by the time she was twelve. She was raised to be a challenger, the best there could be. But everything came at a price.
And when she returned from the first trial, she was dealt a hand no one could have imagined.
Evelin shook her head.
'Focus.'
Regardless, it hadn't been that long, and her life was dragged into the chaos of the tower once again.
Like always, her cursed luck pulled her to the Queen. Her objective was to destroy the eggs that the queen was shielding. Only Evelin doubted the monolithic pincer was going to let her do so without repaying the favor.
And Evelin wanted nothing to do with a second-ranked commander-class pincer.
But what was she going to do otherwise? Complain?
Taking off her coat, she threw it over at Celia. The other caught it, her eyes wide with disbelief.
It was as if Celia was thinking—Who does this entitled brat think she is?
Evelin grinned unconsciously.
"How long can you last?"
Celia squinted her gaze.
"You're talking as if you can last longer than me, as if I were the one facing the queen alone."
Sighing deeply, Evelin rolled up her sleeves.
Celia was a well-trained challenger. She came from a particularly well-off family and had been training for a long time. Her gear was top-notch, while her weapons were as costly as they got. She had seen her capabilities in the first trial as well, having fought against an endless army alongside each other.
But she also knew that this threat was nowhere near what Celia could handle.
So, she was going to have the honor of dancing with the queen all to herself.
Meanwhile, Celia was going to use her core ability on Evelin. She knew that it was supposed to be a buff, powering up almost all her aspects. But she was still unaware of what 'all her aspects' were supposed to be.
Celia gave her a strange look, similar to how Evelin used to look at her sister whenever she was going out to take down another abomination.
Scoffing lightly, Evelin spoke.
"Don't be stiff. Just… breaking a few eggs. How bad can it be?"
Celia scratched her neck, turning away.
"Don't jinx it. We already have our hands full as it is."
It had been some time since she had gotten the time to speak this freely with Celia. They had gotten to know each other in the first trial, but their friendship grew deeper by the end of the trial. Having a comrade she could trust was more than she could ever ask.
Relaxing her body, she turned to the other side, her back facing Celia.
"It's time."
Hearing her restrained voice, Celia nodded.
She lifted her hands, joining them with one hand above the other. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath.
As she concentrated, a bizarre energy enveloped her heart. The energy was qi, but at the same time, it wasn't. It was something else, something far more raw, more fundamental.
The energy travelled from her heart toward her arm, and then to her palms. Her arms trembled as she forced the energy between her hands, trapping it. The amber glow of the energy grew clearer, visible to the naked eye.
She swiftly parted her hands and placed them on Evelin's back.
"Ugh…"
The amber energy spread across her back. It seeped into her meridians, blending with her own qi. Although she didn't feel it, she knew that the eerie energy was using her qi to travel across her body. Before she knew it, the amber glow had reached her own heart.
The warm glow enveloped her heart like a blanket. Its presence was conspicuous, but at the same time, it wasn't something that could be felt.
Evelin groaned, stretching her shoulder while examining the changes inside her.
It was almost unbelievable. However, knowing the world being how it was, Evelin found it much more believable than most.
The flow of her internal energy was far more efficient. Her body felt lighter, despite already being more athletic than most people her age. Her sight was clearer, letting her see even in the darkness.
The more she observed, the deeper the effects of Celia's core ability went. It felt like a cheat ability, almost on the verge of becoming a heaven-ranked ability. She now understood what she meant by 'all her aspects'.
But she also knew that the cost behind such a boon was just as high. She couldn't waste even a single second.
Nodding to herself, she spoke.
"Well, I have to say. That was more unpleasant than I had thought."
Celia smirked, the amber glow around her heart glowing faintly.
"The feeling is mutual."
Evelin stepped out of the crevice, turning to the depths of the cave.
Clenching her jaw, she spoke evenly.
"What about you? Just going to keep hiding in here?"
Before she could notice, Celia was already out of the crack, facing the exit of the cave.
"I wish I could do that. But I'd feel bad if you had to break those eggs while a bunch of pincers squirmed around you like worms."
Evelin looked at the exit as well. There, she could see a few pincers crawling toward them, their googly eyes filled with malice. Their screeching cry echoed inside the cave, making her ears ache.
'I really jinxed it, huh?'
Patting Celia on her shoulder, she turned back to the cave.
"Well then."
Celia peered over her shoulder, Evelin's figure growing smaller as she went further inside.
Drawing the sword out of its sheath, she held it firmly.
"When is this going to end… It feels like I'm trapped in a bad dream."
*****
Evelin quietly walked toward the heart of the nest. With every step she took, she felt her heart growing heavier. Her instincts were screaming at her, telling her to run away. Her head was filled with countless anxious thoughts, each ending in her death.
Usually, in a raid, the battalion would first exterminate all the beasts and finally slay the commander-level beast leading them. It was supposed to be a slow and elaborate process, consisting of dozens of first-ranked challengers and even a team of second-ranked challengers leading the charge.
But here she was, about to face the Queen herself.
Somewhere out there, Lian was supposedly holding off the entirety of the nest by himself. Otherwise, she knew that the nest wouldn't have been as empty as it was. If they hadn't considered him a worthy threat, they wouldn't have left the queen's side.
It was strange, really. Being in the same generation, the rumors attached to him weren't what you'd expect from a prospective challenger. He sounded like the type of challenger who'd stop at the second floor, giving up on his life as alcohol consumed him.
Yet, seeing him herself, the rumors fell apart one after another. She had called him a coward, and much more that she couldn't even remember anymore. And now she was following the plan he had devised all by himself, while all she could do was tell him all the information she had on a pincer nest.
Clenching her fist, she lowered her head.
'I guess I do owe him an apology.'
That was if the queen let her leave in one piece.