Time in this place seemed to fall into eternity, as if it had lost all meaning. Thea was like a traveler sinking into a quagmire, clinging to the giant dragon's neck while watching it perform death-defying aerial maneuvers.
Deadman, who had been shouting nonstop earlier, was now completely unable to speak. Only the dragon continued charging toward the end of the passage, as if gleefully running wild.
Thea felt certain the creature was taking revenge on her for frightening it with the holy sword. Otherwise, with a passage a hundred meters wide, was there really any need to spiral forward like this?
At this point, there was nothing she could do but hope the path would end sooner rather than later.
After enduring who knew how long, her heroic-spirit form sensed itself passing through a resilient barrier. The fiery red corridor was instantly replaced by a dazzling golden light.
"Finally here!" Although Miss Thea no longer had a physical body, she still took two deep breaths. This journey had truly been exhausting.
"I'll send you this far. I hope you enjoy your time here." The dragon's tone was casual, but the smug way its two heads and four eyes rolled made it obvious how pleased it was with itself.
With that, it turned and flew off in the opposite direction.
Only after the dragon left did Thea have time to examine the space. As far as her vision reached, there were at least tens of thousands of kilometers of land. One could easily imagine the terrifying power of those who had originally carved out this place.
Now, however, the entire region was covered in mountain ranges and dense vegetation. Through gaps in the canopy, traces of ancient architecture could be seen scattered throughout.
The departure of many supreme existences had given this small world a chance to breathe. Without beings constantly siphoning off the world's origin every moment, the descendants they left behind lived relatively well.
That said, this realm had been forcibly created in the first place. Without those powerful beings to guard it, the backlash of the world's own consciousness continued to push these remnants back step by step.
Wherever Thea looked, signs of civilization could only be found in a valley about a mile to the west.
In this world formed entirely from mental power, that place resembled a paradise. The brilliant radiance there was dazzling even to Thea's eyes.
What one breathed here was not oxygen, but color. What one perceived was not sound through ears, but resonance through the soul.
A very comfortable place. Thea stretched slightly. Not only did she feel at ease, but the holy sword within her also transmitted waves of joyful feedback.
The energy distribution in this mental world was remarkably uniform. Cultivation efficiency was the same everywhere. Thea had no intention of interacting with the remnants here; she had not forgotten her purpose. Sitting cross-legged, she began meditating using a method recorded in Sargon's memories.
"Boss… you?" Deadman, whose mental power was far inferior to Thea's, finally recovered at this point. Seeing her sit down to meditate, he was completely confused. What about me? Am I done here? Can I leave now?
"Boston Brand, welcome home." A blue-skinned old man suddenly appeared to the left of them. Thea's eyebrows twitched slightly. Sensing no hostility, she gathered her thoughts and continued focusing inward.
The old man behaved as if Thea were not even there, speaking only to Deadman.
"I've seen you before—in my dreams!" Deadman, who had been dragged here as a "door key," finally recalled something. He stared at the old man in surprise.
"When you were five years old, you were beaten by parents who loved alcohol more than they loved you. You prayed for someone to take you away from that home. It was we who heard your call back then. Your memories may have forgotten this place, but your heart has not. Come, my friend—I'll show you around."
The blue-skinned old man extended a hand kindly. Thea gave a small nod, and only then did Deadman follow the old man toward the other side.
Once they were gone, Thea devoted her full attention to herself. She was no stranger to mental power training.
Whether it was learning from Lady Shiva during her days as a martial artist, studying on her own after obtaining Constantine's spellbook, or more recently drawing from Sargon's memories and Morgan le Fay's spell tablets, Thea had long since developed a cultivation method uniquely suited to herself.
Mental power differed from magical power. It sounded mysterious, but in truth, all intelligent beings possessed it—only in differing amounts. Most living beings were shackled by their physical bodies, with their mental power suppressed by the endless signals processed by the brain.
What one sees, hears, and thinks fills the mind to capacity. Aside from a rare few with exceptional talent, most people live their entire lives without ever tapping into this potential.
Mages realized early on the supportive role mental power played in magic. Physical attacks were the strength of the body; mental attacks belonged solely to the soul. Mental power, magic power, and the soul were seen as three interdependent components—none could be missing.
When a mage's internal energy reached a certain peak, the soul would leave the body, carrying all its essence toward a higher form of existence. Whether this meant ascending to a higher dimension, Thea could not say. However, the "rainbow transformation" described in many religious texts bore a strong resemblance to this process.
This legendary realm, though not godhood, surpassed it in some respects. Thea gave it little thought; such heights were far beyond her current reach. Her only goal was to strengthen her mental power, merge her clones, and return to her true self.
The fusion of two souls had already granted her a natural advantage in mental power. Now, within this mental realm—and with the holy sword occasionally feeding her energy—her cultivation speed was more than a hundred times faster than in the outside world.
There was no sunrise or moonset here, no passage of time. Thea sat unmoving for what felt like an eternity. During this period, Deadman finished his tour. Seeing her still immersed in cultivation, he did not disturb her and left the realm through another exit.
After an unknown span of time, free from the constraints of a physical body, Thea's mental power accumulated rapidly. What had once been a trickling stream had become a clear, tranquil lake.
When she attempted to complete part of the fusion, the holy sword stopped her. It was not yet time.
She continued to accumulate power. As her mental strength grew, the entire realm responded. The ground trembled, and mist-like radiance rippled across the sky. Yet aside from the blue-skinned old man glancing over from afar, none of the remnants paid any attention.
For them, time held no meaning. Neither did survival. Life and death alike failed to stir even a hint of emotion.
When Thea's mental power broke through a certain threshold, another portion of the holy sword's abilities unlocked. Using this realm's unique environment and the sword's emotional resonance as a conduit, she could now hear the appeals of countless lives.
As the chosen one of the Moon Goddess, Thea already possessed the ability to hear others recite her name at night—and the seven words spoken afterward. The ability sounded impressive, but in practice, it had caused her no small amount of trouble.