Michael squatted beside the body of the dwarf, carefully studying it for any clues or indications of what might have happened. The cut across the dwarf's throat was clean and precise, suggesting the work of a skilled assailant.
Meanwhile, feeling a sense of weakness enveloping her, Gaya closed her eyes to focus on the celestial energy around her. Despite not having fully adapted to the cultivation of this realm or ascended to godhood, she still retained the ability to use celestial energy, thanks to her Celestial stage status in the mortal realm before ascending.
However, to her shock, she could no longer feel the energy around her.
"I can't sense anything," she said, a hint of concern in her voice.
"It might be because this is one of those places Silvaris mentioned where we can't access energies or use spells," Michael responded to Gaya's concern while still examining the body.
Curious about Michael's abilities in this constrained environment, Gaya asked, "Can you use spells here?"
Michael looked up from the body for a moment before answering her.
"Seems like it hasn't affected me," he noted. His Godhood prevented the arrays from affecting him. But unfortunately, the same could not be said for the others in the pocket dimension.
"Being a god has its perks, I guess," Gaya rolled her eyes slightly at his response, half in jest, half in genuine frustration.
Examining the clean cut across the dwarf's throat, Michael furrowed his brow in thought.
"Whoever did this has done it before... many times," he said, his voice low and serious. The precision of the wound indicated a skilled, experienced killer.
After hearing Michael, Gaya squatted down next to him. Her fingers lightly touched the blood pooled on the ground.
"The blood's still warm," she said and paused for a moment.
"He was killed just moments ago." She looked up at Michael, her frown deepening.
"We've only been in this pocket dimension for about an hour, right? So, he must have been killed within that time."
When he looked up from the body, he glanced around the area.
"But look around," he urged Gaya. "There are no footsteps, no broken twigs, nothing. It's like the killer just vanished."
He stood up, his gaze sweeping the forest. "Seems like we are dealing with a pro," he said.
Gaya, following Michael's lead, stood up and scanned the surroundings. The silence of the forest seemed more ominous now, knowing there was a seasoned killer hunting in the woods.
"We need to be extra careful," Gaya said, her voice tinged with caution.
But before they could take a step forward, Gaya looked down to examine the clean cut on the dwarf's throat. Then, she folded her arms as a look of realization crossed her face.
"Isn't it fucking obvious? It must be the work of that sneaky bastard Jin," she declared, her tone laced with certainty and a hint of disdain.
Michael looked at the wound again, considering Gaya's accusation. As an assassin himself, he recognized the telltale signs of an assassin's work. The precision, the efficiency – it all pointed towards someone skilled in the deadly art.
"You might be right," he admitted, unable to argue against her logic.
"Let's just stick close to me," Michael said calmly.
In response to Michael's words, Gaya grinned like a little devil.
"So, if I can't use energy here, that means whoever killed the dwarf can't either, right?" she mused.
"And if it is Jin, well, I might just get a chance to kick his ass if he tries anything funny with us."
Michael chuckled at her fiery spirit. "Remember, we're not here to pick a fight with Jin. I've got that invitation to join the Assassin's Guild, and killing a worshipper of the God of Death doesn't seem like a smart move," he reminded her, trying to keep their focus on the bigger picture.
Not entirely convinced, Gaya countered, "What if he's trying to kill us to eliminate competition for the dungeon's treasures? Looks like that's exactly what he's doing."
Acknowledging the possibility, Michael cracked his neck and replied.
"If push comes to shove, we'll deal with him. But let's try to avoid unnecessary conflict. We need to stay focused on figuring out this place,"
As they continued their trek through the dense forest, Gaya couldn't help but express her frustration. "What's the point of this place?" she asked, her gaze sweeping across the surrounding trees. "We can't just walk around like headless chickens all day. There must be something to do or a way out."
Michael, who knew that dungeons like this were anything but straightforward, urged patience. "Let's just keep our eyes open and stay alert," he suggested, believing that rushing into action without understanding their surroundings could lead to trouble.
Their journey was interrupted when they stumbled upon another body. This time, it was an elf clad in golden armor. Unlike the dwarf, the elf had multiple stab wounds across his chest and throat, suggesting a struggle had taken place.
Gaya crouched beside the body and began to inspect the area. "Look at this," she said, pointing to the broken twigs and footprints around them. "And there's blood splattered on that tree." Her observations painted a picture of a violent confrontation, one that was vastly different from the clean, precise kill they had seen earlier.
"This doesn't fit the pattern of the first kill," Michael noted, his voice thoughtful. "The first was quick and clean, but this... this looks like a fight."
Gaya, who initially suspected Jin as the killer, leaned in closer to study the body and the surrounding scene. She noticed more evidence of struggle. The earth around the body was disturbed, branches were broken, and leaves were scattered in a pattern, suggesting a violent brawl. She also observed uneven blood splatters on the nearby trees and underbrush.
"This doesn't look like the work of an assassin," Gaya commented, her voice reflecting her analysis.
"Assassins kill quickly and cleanly. This... this is messy, full of rage or fear."
She stood up, brushed dirt off her hands, and continued, "Whoever did this, they weren't trying to be stealthy. This is a fucked up kill,"
Michael nodded in agreement as his eyes followed the trail of bloody footprints leading away from the body.
"Let's follow these footsteps," he suggested, pointing at the crimson trail on the ground.
"They might lead us to some answers."
"Alright, but we need to be on guard. This forest is turning out to be a death trap." Gaya said with a hint of determination to find the killer.
As they continued their cautious walk through the forest, with Gaya seizing the opportunity to delve into a topic that had been on her mind.
"I forgot to ask, but does everyone who ascends to the realm of gods from the mortal realm retain their cultivation, or how does it work?" she inquired, her curiosity evident in her tone.
"Before five thousand years ago, when the barrier wasn't around, those who ascended either were reborn with no memories of the mortal realm and with no powers, starting as mortals in this realm. A few chosen ones regained their memories and bodies but lost their cultivation from the mortal realm."
Gaya chuckled at the thought. "If the big wigs in the mortal realm knew this, they'd be pretty pissed off. Probably choose not to cultivate higher than the Half Celestial realm," she mused, imagining the reactions of powerful cultivators to this revelation.
She then added with a slightly sarcastic tone, "The 'chosen few' sounds like a fancy way of being a god's lap dog."
Michael gave a small smile, acknowledging the truth in her words. "It does seem that way. Being chosen comes with its own set of strings and conditions. It's not as pretty as it sounds,"
As they walked through the forest, Gaya couldn't help but feel a sense of calm, despite the potential dangers that lurked around them.
"You know, despite the killer or killers in this forest, I feel quite calm taking a stroll with you," she said to Michael, her tone reflecting a mix of contentment and irony.
Soon, the conversation then shifted to the complexities of cultivation in this world.
"You know, I find the cultivation here damn confusing, especially after hearing how Raphael managed to beat you, a god, when he's just an angel," Gaya remarked, her brows furrowing in puzzlement.
"It's actually simpler when you think about it," he began to explain.
"In the realm of gods, there are nine stages of cultivation." He listed them casually.
"Initiate Realm, Qi Awakening Realm, and so on, up to the Divine Ascendancy Realm." He paused for a moment before continuing.
"The higher one's cultivation, like if someone is at the fifth stage, they can absorb the grace of a level 5 god and temporarily reach the power of that level god. That's how Raphael managed to beat me. Without using the grace, even at the highest cultivation stage, he wouldn't have stood a chance."
Gaya listened intently, processing the information.
"So, even a level 1 fledgling god can kill a Divine Ascendancy realm cultivator?" she asked, seeking clarification.
"Yes," Michael confirmed. "Even a level one, fledgling god possesses power that transcends the highest mortal cultivation stage,"
Gaya, intrigued by the conversation about cultivation and the power of gods, turned her attention to Michael's own abilities.
"When are you planning to upgrade those dark flames of yours and reach godhood level 3, the Greater God level?" she asked, a curious edge to her voice.
Michael glanced at her, considering his next steps. "I need three more Seeds of Darkness to reach level 3 godhood," he explained.
"I'm planning to upgrade the flames before I go to the Assassin's Guild, but that depends on whether the situation allows it."
lightsnοvεl The quest for the Seeds of Darkness was not just a matter of increasing his power but also a strategic move. Reaching the Greater God level would significantly enhance his abilities and power, potentially giving him more breathing space to deal with the pantheon.
"Well, let's hope we find those seeds soon," she said while walking beside him.
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