Steel Sky, Sector G-7, Domestic Water Circulation Filtration Chamber.
Cold metal bulkheads, pale blue indicator lights, the sound of flowing water.
Two distinct “awakenings” occurred almost simultaneously.
"Whoa—!"
Sirona sprang up from the shallow pool, like a fish thrown ashore by an invisible force.
She was breathing heavily, her long, dark blue hair clinging wetly to her pearly skin, her chest heaving, and the extreme fear frozen by the aura of the Shadow Abyss still lingered in her star-like eyes.
The cold touch of reality brought her back to her senses, but the all-consuming darkness of her dream and the terrifying silhouette of the man before her still lingered in her mind.
She looked around in panic, confirming that there was only cold metal and flowing water—the monster wasn't there! At least, not beside her!
Run! We have to get out of this awful place right now!
The thought exploded in her mind like a thunderclap.
However, just as she used her fishtail to propel herself out of the pool like an arrow—
Buzz...
A deep, resonant hum, as if the space itself were trembling, resounded.
A few steps ahead of her, on the metal ground, the air twisted and folded strangely, and countless tiny points of light appeared out of thin air, as if attracted by an invisible force, rapidly converging and condensing!
Sirona froze instantly, her fishtail dangling in mid-air, her pupils shrinking to pinpoints in extreme horror.
She watched as the shimmering points of light, like the most intricate loom at work, swiftly outlined the silhouette of a tall, slender body composed entirely of pure magical crystal—
Limbs, torso, head... that sharply defined jawline, those deep-set eyes, that signature expression, tinged with a playful scrutiny...
It's "He"! That monster in human skin!
Sirona's blood seemed to freeze completely at that moment.
Linde's mental power, like the most skillful thread, traversed space and precisely "stitched" onto this newly formed crystalline body that radiated pure magical energy.
"Click..."
A soft, crisp sound, like a joint returning to its place, came from inside the crystalline body.
Immediately afterwards, the body, which was entirely composed of cold, hard, and glowing magical crystals, moved its neck and stretched its arms in an extremely natural and fluid manner.
He even looked down at his "hand" made of crystal, his five fingers opening and closing with such precision that there was no hesitation whatsoever.
"Hmm, the conductivity is even better than expected, and the mental energy consumption is also low."
Crystal Lind spoke, his voice carrying a strange, crystal-like quality, cold yet clear, echoing in the empty cabin.
"It's enough for temporary use."
Linde was quite satisfied with the novel experience he was having through his crystalline body.
This crystalline body is like a custom-made magical exoskeleton, with spiritual energy attached to it as easily as an extension of one's own body.
He was relieved; he had gained a convenient "clone".
But for the little siren who had just experienced a nightmare in her mental world and was still in shock, this scene was no different from the most terrifying slow-motion replay in a horror movie!
Creation out of thin air! Spiritual possession! Manipulating inanimate crystalline remains as if they were one's own body!
This is completely beyond Sirena's understanding of "magic"!
This is more bizarre and terrifying than any deep-sea monster or any legendary forbidden spell!
This made her realize with absolute clarity that she was not facing a powerful mage or lord, but a monster that she could not comprehend at all, a monster that manipulated the very rules of existence!
"babble--!"
A short, sharp sob filled with extreme fear escaped from Sirina's throat.
She could no longer bear the onslaught of mental shock, and her body reacted faster than her mind.
She abruptly retracted her fishtail, which had been protruding from the edge of the pool, and her whole body (the fish) curled up like a startled seashell, desperately squeezing into the deepest corner of the pool, a corner filled with pipes.
She held the magnificent, enormous indigo fishtail tightly in her arms, as if it were her only shield.
Her long, wet, dark blue hair was disheveled and covered most of her face, revealing only her deep blue eyes filled with fear and tears welling up in them. She stared intently at the freely moving crystalline monster, her small body trembling uncontrollably in the cold water.
"You...you...don't come any closer!"
Her voice was thick with sobs and trembling uncontrollably, like a small animal driven to the brink of despair, only able to utter a weak warning.
She shrank herself even smaller, as if that would make her disappear from the sight of the crystalline skeleton that radiated a cold, magical aura.
Crystal Linde ceased its activity, its "eyes," composed of pure crystals yet possessing a penetrating power akin to a soul, calmly gazing at the trembling, deep blue mass in the corner.
He took a step forward, his crystal-clear feet striking the metal floor with a crisp "click".
The sound was like a thunderclap in the extremely quiet cabin, startling Sirenna so much that she shuddered and unconsciously slapped the water with her tail, splashing water onto her face and making her look even more disheveled.
Are you that scared?
Crystal Linde tilted his head, his crystal-like face seemingly revealing a... almost innocent confusion? Although his expression was limited, his tone carried a hint of amusement.
"Just because I created a body that makes it easy to speak? Or because... you saw something you shouldn't have seen?"
His voice was calm, but it made Sirena tremble even more.
She recalled the darkness that tore through space, the all-consuming void. "Things I shouldn't have seen"...it was absolutely forbidden! Something that would bring annihilation with just a glance!
"I...I don't know! I didn't see anything! I was just...I was just looking for a place to sleep!"
Sirina buried her face between her knees and her fishtail, her voice muffled and filled with desperate sobs, "Please let me go...please...I'll leave right now! I'll never come back!"
She was now filled with deep regret. Why had she entered this strange, large ship? Why had she stumbled into this iron coffin that held the ultimate terror?
Crystal Linde took two more steps forward, getting even closer to the edge of the pool.
He could clearly see the lines of Sirenna's back, tense with fear, and her shoulders trembling slightly beneath her wet, blue hair.
"leave?"
Linde's voice came through his crystalline body, carrying an undeniable calm.
"Little guest, after you barged into my 'home' without permission, damaged one of my mechs, and even tried to attack me with your mental world... do you think that saying 'I'll leave right away' will solve all the problems?"
Linde gave a friendly smile.
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