Calling it ”Human Mimic” couldn’t be any more accurate. I plainly saw through with【World Ruler】that the Human Mimic’s face was a “skin pattern”.

With only moonlight illuminating the surroundings, and the Human Mimic leaning over the cliff, it looked like a shade. Nevertheless, from the information that was visible, I was able to deduce that the “Human Mimic” was a “reptile”.

The “mouth” which is supposed to be a “skin pattern” is used for predatory purposes, it seems.

Although it was dark and not clearly visible, there was a hole that looked like a “nose” between the “eyes” and “mouth”. It was actually an “anus”.

In other words, Human Mimic was a lizard monster that was in a headstand position.

(Why is it doing that?)

I don’t know if its tail is short or if it was cut off, but the “head” wasn’t cone-shaped. Human Mimic was probably catching prey with its hind legs and carrying it to the “mouth”.

The real face should be on the ground with the forefeet.

I imagined that the muscles of its neck and forefeet that support such a huge body would surely be tremendously impressive. While being impressed by that unusual point, I was pondering on my next action.

The Forest Eater, which I saw over the cracks in the red sky above the Lev Magic Empire, was so awe-inspiring that I shuddered to my bones.

However, Asha burned it with all her might, and I dealt the killing blow. That experience led to the strengthening of my spirit.

Looking up at the Human Mimic, I did feel scared, but not to the point of being frozen in fear.

(Fighting it is not an option. I have to escape. But am I fast enough? No, will it even chase me? If it is looking to eat, there are way more early summer birds in the sky.)

The time I spent thinking about it was less than 1 second.

However, the next moment, Human Mimic’s jet black hind legs started coming at me.

「!?」

I immediately induced an explosion with【Fire Magic】and blew my body back. I couldn’t afford to dodge by jumping away at that moment. Immediately after, the Human Mimic’s claws gouged the ground, forming a huge crater on the ground.

(I was too naive! Come to think of it, even the early summer birds didn’t notice this thing approaching until the very last second! However, it didn’t try to eat the early summer birds. Which means..)

I am its target!

「Kuh!」

It swung the leg that went through the ground. It didn’t quite reach me at all, but a tremendous gust of wind blew my body away.

(What the hell is up with these powerful hind legs and joints!?)

I balanced my body while using【Wind Magic】in the air, and landed on the ground.

「Are you for real?」

The Human Mimic jumped down from the cliff and landed about 10 meters in front of me while smashing down the surrounding trees.

The earth shook and a huge cloud of dust kicked up.

The second “mouth” under the anus was dripping with drool.

This was not the time to be worrying about running out of mana. If I don’t fight it with everything I have, it will spell my instant death. Right when I decided that–

『..Su.. So-Sorry.』

A low-frequency voice assailed my eardrums, like the unpleasant sound of a mosquito buzzing around your ears.

Sorry?..Did it just say sorry?

『It’s been a while since I used “Earth Talk”.. so I can’t move my tongue well.』

I was stunned. Human Mimic slowly turned its body—its giant uneven head and its real face towards me.

The two eyes were positioned extremely far away from each other to the left and right. Its mouth gaped open fairly wide, reminiscent of a Japanese giant salamander. But the six tongues which peeked out were exactly like a reptile.

Wait..what am I saying? Reptiles don’t have six tongues.

That’s not important!

My brain was in a total mess. I couldn’t open my mouth.

That monster.. did it just speak?

『Little one.. Brave little one. Can you hear me?』

I nodded without being able to say anything. As I did, the Human Mimic moved its tongue satisfiedly and blinked its round eyes.

『The big goat has died. The world is going to get stormy for a while.』

I was shocked. The big goat is undoubtedly the Forest Eater.

『Do you know the big goat?』

「....Yes.」

My heart was pounding rapidly. Is Human Mimic related to the Forest Eater? If so, is it going to throw a sudden fit of anger?

『Do you know the reason why the big goat died?』

I was trying to escape if the chance presented itself, but nevertheless I didn’t think of lying to the giant.

「Yes.. I killed it.」

The other party is a giant, whereas I am a small being. That is why I didn’t want to lose the strength in my heart. Not lying was the only way I could hold my pride in front of the Human Mimic.

『You, little one..?』

I felt the air trembling around me. The sort of warm air right before a typhoon, which causes unrest in your heart, filled the surroundings.

『..It doesn’t seem to be a lie.』

However, that air was quickly pulled away.

「Are you not angry?」

『I lost the feeling known as anger a very long time ago. However, my heart is buzzing for the first time in a long time.. it seems that I still have some living thing-like aspect left in me.』

「..Who are you?」

The eight giants that seem to have lived since ancient times.

I didn’t know that they understood the human language. No, everything about them is a mystery in the first place.

I know there are 8 of them, but I don’t know if that is all of them.

『We were born to balance this world.. pillars, so to speak.』

「Pillars?」

『Two worlds divided by the goddess. This world was entrusted to the Vision Ogre, who created us.』

「Vision Ogre..」

My mind became increasingly confused with each word coming out of the Human Mimic.

『Don’t you know? You do know. That black, foggy ogre.』

「—You mean the mediator?」

『Ah, right.. that’s what the old covenant says. I see.. so you obtained that skill orb for that reason.』

It looked at the skill orb I was holding.

【World Alliance】——What exactly is this?

『Do not trust the Vision Ogre.. especially if it concerns the Covenant.』

「There is still too much that I have yet to understand.」

『If so, use that skill orb. You can do it, right? After all.. you are a child with two vessels.』

「..You know about me?」

『I do.. There was someone like you in this world in the past. Because of its mighty power, I heard that it was finally labelled a “disaster”, shunned, and killed.』

I felt like a dagger was thrust into my heart.

“Child of Disaster” without doubt existed in the past, brought upon “disaster”, and was killed.

So that is why they have been trying to kill me.

「Those people–」

『Use it.』

「..Huh?」

『Use that skill orb. You will find answers to several of your questions.. I am going now.』

The Human Mimic started to retreat.

『Watch out for the Vision Ogres. Those guys are planning something.. Because of that, I felt frustrated for no reason and came to this place. I am going back.. to Canion..』

「Ah, umm..」

I called out, but I didn’t know what to say.

Was the Human Mimic.. mentally manipulated by the mediator? Is that why it came to the south?

If so, was it the same for the Forest Eater?

But for what reason?

(Ahhhhh, I don’t knowwwwwww..)

The Human Mimic scaled up the cliff while making a noise and was gone after that.

After that, I was left alone with the seven prismatic-coloured skill orb.