pearl of wisdom

[Season 2] Chapter 45 - Approaching Thunder

"Be gone!" Immediately, you parried the blade the big breeder thrusted in your direction, teleporting just as he twisted his spear into the space you were in, "Whoa, that's some amazing magic. Is it teleport—"

"—ation—!?" a flash passed the big breeder's head. He clicked his tongue, flaring down at the data human who had fired the bullet, "It's dangerous, Batis!!"

"Don't m-mess around. . big breeder. Y-you. . re-member don't y-you? Th-ese bullets y-you gave me. B-before. . locking me. . a-away, you gave me. . b-bullets a-able to stop and elimi-nate da-ta humans. . The-se bullets. . are the b-bullets able to el-eliminate data humans. . T-these would. . also kill you. . if you get s-shot."

You blinked, staring at the data human as your fists clenched around your blade. Eyes glimmering as your lighthouses formed a barrier beneath your feet, allowing you to stand, you zeroed in on your occupied opponent, That. . . can't be right.

"Ahh- that's right. I have you those. I gave you that faint ray of hope, so that you would despair even more from a place which you could never escape." The big breeder grinned, dodging the plethora of bullets that Batis fired, "It's no use, Batis. I just have to dodge the bullets anyway. Bullets that can't but anything aren't good for anything, are they? It's no use—!!"

There was a deafening silence in the seconds that followed. You blinked, diminishing the glow your eyes held.

"H-his. . . h-head," Batis croaked out, "e-exploded. . .!!"

The scent of soft amber was quick to greet you as Baam steadied you from your daze, "[Name]. . . did you?"

"I was wondering if data humans could house my conciseness. . ." You stared at the glitching pair of doors, their administrator now gone, "It seems not. It's a shame that we weren't able to cross through those doors. Anyways, is everyone else safe?"

"Ahh!" Baam hurriedly brought you back onto the ground as Khun rushed over, "[Name]!! Baam!! Are you okay!?"

"We're alright, what about the Grand Quest?" Khun gestured to the bird trapped in his lighthouse, "We still haven't finished it. There might be something even more dangerous so I trapped it for now. When big breeder disappeared, so did that colossal monster. . ."

"I see." You shuddered, "Where's Yu Han Sung? He should—"

"[Name]." And the blond himself apprached you, not a single spark of light in his eyes, "There's something that I need to tell you all. About the secret of behind this hidden floor."

"This should be a good spot." Han Sung commented as he walked into a vacant dining room, you, Baam, Khun, Rak and Androssi right behind him.

"The secret behind this hidden floor. . . You were saying?" You started as soon as the door was closed shut.

"The place the big breeder went to. I don't know what you did to suddenly make him disappear, but I know where his main body is. We have to move onto the next stage before he returns." Yu Han Sung closed his eyes momentarily. Khun glanced at the bird in his lighthouse who cried, "So should we just clear this thing right now and beat the Grand Quest?"

"No, that's okay." The blond shook his head as the mother long-haired tit sighed in relief, "Actually, the Grand Quest isn't the only way to clear a stage."

"What!? So you're saying there's another way!?"

Han Sung crossed his arms over his chest, "Think about it, doesn't it seem strange?"

". . . He's right. The purpose of this hidden floor. . . the reason big breeders and data humans exist to guide heroes on their adventure. . . the reason the Fruit of Good and Evil exists. . . what it was like before the big breeders. . . Doesn't it seem odd?" You started, a pensive look crossing your face as your eyes drifted about— then staring at your pocket where an additional weight had appeared not too long ago.