《You Only Die Once (An Undying Necromancer LitRPG)》


 Chapter 1: You Only Die Once

    Underground.


    That was my current position.


    Around me was a beautiful casket, one that would suit the bodies of great warriors and heroes of yore. Indigo paints were all over the beautiful casket, with more cushion on my back than anything I had felt since I had come to this world.


    They had thrown me straight into the hole, casket and all.


    Thankfully, just because I was inside a casket didn¡¯t mean it was closed.


    The rays of the sun were barely covered by the bald head of a man who looked down at me from the ground. The already giant knight in his armor seemed larger than ever from six feet under. Even though the backlit sun covered the hideous scars on his face, it couldn¡¯t hide the look of disdain in his eyes.


    ¡°How disappointing. A person like you becoming a hero¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, it wasn¡¯t my choice,¡± I said from inside, my voice trembling. Though my mind seemed calm, my body was not following. Ah right, I was trembling. I could even feel something damp between my legs.


    This was bad.


    This was very bad.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± The knight clicked his tongue. ¡°Be grateful in death. You are being put to rest in such a grand coffin only because you are a classmate of the real heroes.¡±


    That was right. I was, in fact, a classmate of the real heroes.


    And that was also my sin.


    Despite being the classmate of the heroes¡ªbeing one of the god¡¯s chosen heroes myself, I was weak. I had no strength, no heightened growth, my only ability according to the System was something shaded out.


    Though it had only been a month since my entire class was transmigrated into this world, I had started to feel that maybe, just maybe, being a classmate of my friends was truly my only saving grace.


    After all, unlike the others, I had no ability. Nothing of power, so to speak of, that I could use to help the kingdom.


    I was weaker than a baker¡¯s seven-year-old in this world. How did I know? I tried to train with one, that¡¯s how.


    ¡°Look,¡± I said again, my voice still trembling. My knees were now hitting the casket¡¯s sides. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this. Y-you can just let me go, and we can act like you killed me. Knight-captain¡­ you are not someone who would kill children, are you?¡±


    The bald man, knight captain, shook his head.


    ¡°The oracle has already told us of the Goddess¡¯ desire. You are to be disposed of. My principles exist for the goddess, of course I will get rid of you.¡±


    He was going to get rid of me.


    These guys were going to kill me inside my casket and then bury me. The world would sooner or later hear that one of the summoned heroes has passed away, but the other twenty-four still live. The war against the demon lord will continue, the heroes will eventually prevail, and I will be forgotten.


    Simple as that.


    ¡°But you are right¡ª¡± The Knight Captain said. ¡°If nothing else, at least your judgment is sound.¡±


    I looked up at the Knight Captain. His bald head had moved away and was not covering the sun any longer. The light was shining straight at me.


    The light of hope.


    I was right? Did he mean he wouldn¡¯t kill me? What else could he mean?


    ¡°I won¡¯t be killing you. I won¡¯t let any of my men bear that sin either.¡±


    ¡°Y-you mean¡­ you¡¯ll let me go? I-I can go¡ª¡±


    A loud thump cut me off. Outside of the hole, a large indigo door covered the sun completely.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We won¡¯t kill you ourselves.¡±


    ¡°W-wait¡­ wait wait wait¡­¡± I pushed off and tried to get up when the knight lowering the casket¡¯s lid knee¡¯d my face.


    Blood seeped out of my mouth as I fell.


    ¡°No¡­ please you can¡¯t¡­ please¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do not worry, kid.¡± The Knight Captain said. ¡°You won¡¯t feel this pain ever again. You won¡¯t even know it.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The lid started to cover the casket. I desperately put my hand in between the casket and the lid; when the knight stomped on it and crushed my hand, he hit me again with the hilt of his sword.


    ¡°After all, you only die once. Death is¡­ mercy.¡±


    The casket started to close.


    With me still alive inside it.


    Blood covered my vision, but the fear was much worse than the pain could ever hope to be.


    ¡°No! No no!¡± Tearful screams escaped me as I desperately smacked the casket. Over and over, with all the strength I could summon, but instead of moving away, the lid only seemed to grow heavier.


    I could hear it. The thrums as dirt piled on top of the coffin.


    ¡°Aaaaa¡­ aaah no no no no! Please! Let me out! LET ME OUT!! Why are you doing this¡­¡±


    Even though tears kept streaming out of my eyes and the screams dragged my heart out of its cage as they left my lips, I didn¡¯t want to cry. My body did not listen to me, I had already accepted it. How would I ever be able to escape being buried alive?


    I had already died in my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! Why¡­. Why are you doing this to me?! I never wanted to come to your world! Let me goooo!!¡±


    I had already stopped crying in my head.


    ¡°Uwaaa¡­ aaa¡­ please¡­ please I¡­¡±


    I had already given up in my head.


    ¡ªThud! Thud! Thud!


    ¡°Move move move! This casket! MOVE! GET ME OUT!¡±


    My body moved and moved, screamed and cried, until all of a sudden. I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    As if a tennis ball was forcefully shoved in my throat, I couldn¡¯t breathe anymore. The screams didn¡¯t come out any longer. It was different, I hadn¡¯t exhausted myself crying.


    No.


    Oxygen had started to run out of this place. I grabbed my neck and flailed in the casket. Vomit and saliva slipped out of my mouth, but even then, the lump never left.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t breathe at all. My hands, chest, legs, toes, fingers, nails, everything burned. It was all set on fire. Every muscle, every nerve started to get clogged.


    I hit my head against the casket. Over and over, trying my best to scream, to breathe.


    I tried¡­


    I tried¡­


    Until one last thud echoed in the casket. The one of my body falling.


    As¡­


    I died.


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    I gasped and woke up. My head hit the top of the casket. The pain I had been feeling mere moments ago disappeared as tears streamed down my eyes¡ª


    ¡ªAnd the pain began again.


    From the beginning. As my throat stopped breathing and my voice stopped leaking out. As my lungs set on fire and the furthest tips of my body followed.


    Once more, I hit my feet against the casket walls¡ªflailed them. My head, my arms, my every bone.


    And then I died again.


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    A fresh set of bile had formed in my stomach, and my tears had been refilled by god knows what sick joke. I needed it, of course, since I was to face that pain again.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    And again.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    Again¡­


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    Over and over. Each time my brain stopped working, each time it melted into mush, each time my consciousness started to fade, it was all snapped back to freshness so I could feel the pain all over again at the height of my health.


    Only for me to die again.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    And come alive again.


    I couldn¡¯t tell how long a time passed, I couldn¡¯t tell what was to my left and my right. The casket, which had been filled with carbon dioxide, was now half sunken in vomit and bile.


    Before I knew it, I could think despite the pain.


    It never reduced, no. Even when it felt like the pain had reduced, it was brought back to the same degree as I came back to life. I never got to breathe, I never got to move, but somehow, for the first five seconds after every time, I came back to life.


    I could think.


    I could think. I moved this messy body, which I had no control over. I struggled with trembling hands to pull out my belt¡ªand I died.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    With all the strength I could summon, I smashed the buckle into the casket¡¯s lid, my hands were clearly not working for this. I smashed it and smashed it as long as I could before I died once more.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    There was a crack. A small crack went through the wood where I had struck the buckle. I slammed the buckle inside again and shoved it in. There was a limit to the strength of one¡¯s hand, so I smashed my head into the buckle to drive it in.


    The crack widened. Slowly, inch by inch.


    I died.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    With one last instinctive push, the belt buckle increased the crack all over the casket¡¯s lid. Dirt trickled in from the gap. It pushed down and pushed against the casket¡¯s lid. Slowly, the casket crumbled.


    A smile spread on my face. The face that couldn¡¯t stop screaming all this time.


    At last, the casket broke and all the dirt fell straight on me. All at once, the immense weight of the very ground fell atop me. My mouth crushed first, my eyes popped out, my gut and spine squeezed out blood like lemons spurted their juice as I died.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    And I came back to life. Dirt covered my vision, it clogged my mouth and my nose, the asphyxiation wasn¡¯t going to stop, and trying to remove it while drowning in a sea of dirt wasn¡¯t going to work.


    For some reason, I was hopeful. The casket was out of the way now. I just had to continue.


    It was all loose and dry, thankfully. The dirt that had just been gouged out to make space for my casket. I pushed it downward, while my hands still moved, I pushed the dirt toward my legs,


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    To my legs. I slowly wriggled my entire body out of the hole. The dirt blocked my sight and my vision. I couldn¡¯t tell if I was going straight up or not any longer, but I focused on standing as I moved.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t straight, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    I¡¯ll get out anyway.


    I swam through the ground. When I pushed the dirt above me a bit too much, now and then, a stone would crack through and hit my head. Bleeding was painful, but it was a relief that I was only bleeding.


    Since I was going to asphyxiate faster than I would bleed!


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    Finally, with one more push, my hand broke through something. No more dirt was above.


    My eyes widened and my mouth opened wider. It only made more of the dirt fall into my mouth and my eyes, that didn¡¯t matter. I pushed through in a frenzy. Like a rapid current, I sent the dirt down and dragged my body up over and over.


    Finally¡­


    Finally, my head came out too.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    I was still filled with the dirt last time, but I could spit it all out in this round. My eyes were clear, and my mouth too.


    ¡°Haaa¡­ haa¡­¡± Desperately, I took in deep breaths. Tears streamed out of my eyes again as I looked up at the night sky.


    There was oxygen here again¡­ I could breathe again¡­


    I pressed against the ground and dragged the rest of my body out of the hole I had burrowed through. Helplessly, my entire body fell limp on the ground as I continued taking in the deepest breaths I could manage.


    After three days.


    I could breathe again after three days.

 Chapter 2: The Undying (1)

    My class was sent to a different world 2 weeks ago. Alongside the bell that marked the start of the classes, a bright light flashed in our classroom, and the next thing we knew, we were in the court of a lord called the Crimson King.


    We were informed of a lot of bullcrap about how we were chosen as heroes by the gods of this world and how we were supposed to take care of the great threat that looms over the world.


    The typical bullcrap. So much so, that one could call it dog crap or cat crap, no, bird crap¡ªwhatever was more common.


    Stories about getting sent to another world had only become commonplace, and their presence was far more pronounced in a classroom full of teenagers. We all knew exactly what we


    If we had been kidnapped and brought over to another world with a warning, we would have played bingo through the crimson king¡¯s speech.


    I should mention, though, that unlike what happened in the novels, our class was quite simple. We were just normal classmates. Of course, the dynamics one expects in a classroom were present here too, but no one discriminated against others and no one particularly disliked each other; and perhaps because we were lucky, we also did not have anyone who had any particular trauma that made them reclusive.


    Let me correct that, no trauma in 2024 was a fairy-tale. Instead of people being bullied and shunned because of their pasts, anyone who had problems usually talked about it with their friends and we all sorted it out together.


    A classroom with no enmity, but also no overt closeness.


    We were normal. Our situation wasn¡¯t.


    Maybe that¡¯s where the problem began.


    When we finished crying and being shocked about the absurdity of our situation and the fact most of us had homes to return to, the people of this world decided it was time to start training us.


    My classmates were all dubbed heroes and were given special powers. Everyone was told that they would learn fast, and some were given skills that raised their potential. From swords to magic, they all had abilities that would suit a hero.


    All of them, except me.


    Now, we had read too many of these stories, which ended up bringing the classmates¡¯ attention to me. We all thought I might end up with something special, but even as we waited nothing happened.


    The people of this world were already disappointed that I had no abilities, coupled with how my classmates¡ªbeing normal¡ªwere obviously weak and hesitant to do anything, which had increasingly frustrated the alliance that had taken responsibility for us.


    We were all friendly and decided to support each other through all this. My classmates even said they would keep me safe whether I awaken an ability or not. And that very night, I overheard something.


    The knight captain was talking with a bishop about the state of the heroes in the garden of the castle.


    [The heroes are too weak and lenient as if they have never risked their lives. We have to show them how cruel the world is if we want to see progress.]


    [Knight Captain, what are you suggesting!?]


    [That boy with no abilities, Ian was it? We can say he wanted to push himself for his friends and lost his life.]


    [Would that not earn their ire?]


    [A few smacks would straighten them up¡ª]


    [No, whatever your reason, we can¡¯t commit such blasphemous acts against someone chosen by the Septet. You know it too, the gods always have a plan. And you, you are not a person to harm a child either.]


    That day I learned how fast bile could truly rise from one¡¯s stomach. I had survived thanks to the bishop, or so I thought.


    The next day, the bishop¡¯s¡ªno, everyone from the castle had their faces filled with darkness.


    A divination that couldn¡¯t be revealed to the heroes other than me.


    The goddess of Light had bestowed the divination on her Oracle.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    [Kill the summoned hero Ian Meyer]


    Of course, the gods always had a plan.


    This time, it was to kill the guy who had the worst stats among the heroes.


    ***


    ¡°Stats!¡±


    My eyes widened.


    I was on the ground next to my own grave. The traces of my escape were all around in the form of loose ground. I could feel the distinctive taste and smell, and even the feel of oxygen on my tongue and my skin.


    Three days. For three whole days, I was only dying. I was still in shock, my heart raced like a horse on dope and my entire mind was numb, vibrating like a gong struck on New Year¡¯s.


    Propping my head up was easy, but anything else tore my nerves apart. Just what was going on? I should have died, but instead, I was out of my grave.


    My thoughts were all over the place. I was even maybe the pain wasn¡¯t as much as I initially thought, and that it was not so bad to die if I was going to revive again.


    There was no room to feel that when I was dying, but now that it had become a thing of the past¡ªno matter how recent¡ªI found myself speculating about it.


    The only thing that could give me an answer about what my situation was the gift that the gods had given to the heroes.


    A stone that they called the Divine Window. I pulled it out from my pockets.


    <blockquote>


    [Name: Ian Meyer


    Status: Dead


    Stats:


    Strength: 1 (Lowest-Low)


    Intelligence: 0 (Lowest-Low)


    Mana: 0 (Lowest-Low)


    Endurance: 0 (Lowest-Low)


    Control:0 (Lowest-Low)


    Skills:


    (UNDYING) (||||||||||)]


    </blockquote>


    What¡­.


    0? When I had been pulled into this world, I had the stats equivalent to those of a normal adult, everything was around 10.


    I also noticed the skills window. The shaded-out skill which we all assumed was heightened growth revealed itself to be something else.


    At that time, the knight commander had said that it was possible I hadn¡¯t met the conditions for unlocking heightened growth. After all, my stats and skills were far too low compared to my peers.


    I frantically tapped on the skill, but nothing like an ¡®information¡¯ window opened up. Moreover, there was just another shaded skill. I couldn¡¯t tell anything about what was going on.


    But one thing seemed rather obvious to me.


    ¡°This skill¡­ is consuming my stats?¡±


    Was a zero in any stat even possible? I wondered if I revived each time with zero and developed the stat then, but I did find it progressively more difficult to escape every time I died.


    There was no way to tell why.


    My hands and knees buckled. With some force, I managed to stand up. Heavy breaths left me¡ªmy mind still not used to the fact that oxygen was around me.


    I took a step ahead, then another.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    And fell face first.


    I was out of breath from a mere two steps and a fall. No matter how hard I tried, standing up seemed impossible against the muscle pain.


    ¡°W-what¡­ no no¡­¡±


    The world around me seemed to have changed filters as the reality of my situation dawned in my head.


    The sound of the rustling leaves and chirping insects, which seemed refreshing moments ago, felt palpable. The night sky which I craved to see, stuck underground, now became a fuel for horror.


    I shivered, and trembled. In the middle of the night, in a forest inside a fantasy world.


    ¡ªAWOOOOO!


    A distant howl tore through the skies. Monsters¡­


    There would be monsters here. If they saw me, they would tear me apart and eat me.


    Was it something I didn¡¯t have to worry about since I couldn¡¯t die? No¡­


    I didn¡¯t want to die, I didn¡¯t want to die at all. Not again. Did I say it didn¡¯t feel bad? My heart pumped with fear as the thought of getting mauled entered my head.


    Experiencing death again¡­? No. I would rather not wake up. I didn¡¯t want to die again.


    ¡°Move, move, move, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    My eyes turned to the hole that I had just burrowed out of. Should I hide the night in there?


    No¡­ I never wanted to go back in, and even if I did, the monsters would sniff me out unless I crawled all the way to the coffin.


    ¡ªAWOOOO!


    Another howl.


    I didn¡¯t know how distant or close it was, but my accursed imagination made it feel like the howls were inching closer.


    A rustle erupted close by. My eyes widened at once.


    No way, was it actually coming closer?


    My eyes were riddled with fear. I slowly turned to my back and noticed someone draped in a cloak standing near the woods.


    ¡°Ah?¡± I could hear him.


    How shocking. How utterly shocking. That ¡®person¡¯ could see me, and I could ¡®hear¡¯ him.


    ¡°Is that a human?¡±


    Even though he had no eyes or mouth, no skin or flesh. A skeleton draped in a cloak was staring at me.


    ¡°Looks miserable.¡±


    I covered my mouth and reeled back, but the skeleton came closer. It stepped toward me without hesitation.


    I bit my lips and dragged my nails, but this accursed body of mine just did not move. It did not move no matter what.


    The skeleton stopped in front of me. It reached into its cloak and pulled out a wooden staff, something carved to hold a stone at the top, and sharpened at the bottom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put you out of your misery. Don¡¯t worry, eventually everyone will return in the right way.¡±


    With those words, the skeleton drove its staff into my neck.


    I died.


    [Str: 0]


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    I woke up yet again. In the same spot I was at before. This time, I didn¡¯t even have the strength to prop myself up.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The skeleton was standing above my body, with its arms stretched out. It held a black tome as dark purplish miasma gathered around its hand.


    ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯t become an undead. You didn¡¯t die?¡±


    It raised the staff again.


    ¡°No no no! Please stop!¡± I screamed tearfully. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die again!¡±


    ¡°Hm? You can speak?¡± The skeleton muttered. ¡°Die again¡­? I see¡­¡±


    The skeleton didn¡¯t let me say anything more. Before I could even look at it, hands made of bones emerged from the ground and wrapped around my mouth, then my limbs.


    Tiny skeletons emerged from the ground and dragged me away.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be a good subject.¡±


    As I was getting dragged away, only one thought entered my mind.


    Fuck getting transmigrated.

 Chapter 3: The Undying (2)

    Hi all, my name is Ian Meyer, seventeen. I work as a test subject for a great lich in the forests of the Zirkonia Empire¡¯s Capital, Crimson.


    I have been employed for about four days now. Thrown in the middle of the forest without even the strength to walk, I was hopeless before my very kind and helpful employer took me in.


    My employer is a good person. We talk frequently, probably because we are the only ones who can talk. Moreover, the employer helps me increase my stats as well. It is impossible for stats to be increased without working hard, after all.


    Nutrition, training, all of it was important. I couldn¡¯t raise it a lot, but going to 4 or 5 from zero was not very difficult.


    Every time I died, my stats went down by half. Whenever I had reached 4 on any stat, it went back down to 2, but something strange happened when I was at five.


    It either went to 2 or 3 randomly.


    ¡°I am sure of it, your stats are ¡®halved¡¯ every single time,¡± said the Lich.


    I was tied to the ground, and three of my limbs were on his table. Blood filled the floor of the cave, blood so old and of so many people that a strange kind of scarlet mushroom had started growing everywhere.


    It was not the most ¡®ideal¡¯ work environment, some might even say this was employee abuse, but I found it many times better than being in a coffin underground.


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡± I muttered.


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± The lich suddenly stomped on my face with his feet. He smacked my face in, but since he was all bones, it barely hurt.


    Right, this was also part of my employment. I had to shut up, the job of a lab rat was difficult. The lich blew over at any moment so the times I could talk back were few, but they were a lot more than in the coffin.


    There was no salary, but did one really need it if they won¡¯t die?


    After the Lich was done, he stepped back and sighed.


    ¡°The Window only displays whole numbers, so it goes to the closest one. Now think of it, you can halve 1 forever, but you will only get close to zero and never at zero, that is why you don¡¯t die even when the Window shows all your stats at 0.¡±


    I nodded to myself.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Oh.


    ¡°Yes sir. I understand now, thank you.¡±


    The lich smiled, satisfied. ¡°Now give me your eye.¡±


    ¡°M-my eyes sir¡­?¡±


    ¡°Eye. Just one.¡±


    My hands quaked at his words¡ªhand, right. I looked at the lich with fear, and his bony face only wore a smile. I could only see his teeth and there were no muscles, but he smiled in his heart¡­ there was no heart either.


    Anyway, he was smiling.


    He just wanted an eye, that was nothing much. All of it would come back the next time I die anyway. My stats were pretty high for now.


    I reached my only remaining hand to my face and started pulling my eye out.


    ¡°Ooh, I want to see all your magic circuits. We have to figure out how you are doing this.¡±


    I tried to pull my eye out, but only screams left me. I was too scared to do it.


    Sighing, the Lich stepped up and pulled my eye out on his own. He put it in his own hollow eye sockets and laughed.


    ¡°Haha, look, I can see again! Hah!¡±


    That was usually how my days went.


    Inside the cave in the middle of the forest, a deep cave which had been cut into rooms through bone bars. A desk made of bones, more piles of bones of god knows which person and from when.


    My employer and the CEO of this research institute was a lonely being, so he talked to me now and then.


    ¡°You are a very important being to me. If I can figure out your skill, we can all become immortal.¡±


    He was looking for immortality, apparently.


    Some days, he would tell me stories of the past.


    ¡°When I was still a human, I found a tome of necromancy skills. A spell book.¡±


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    ¡°You have been in this business since your human days, sir?¡±


    ¡°Haha, business? No, I learned that the spells would only work on someone who died. It was a skill to raise yourself as an undead if you died, so it was pretty stupid. No one can use it.¡±


    ¡°Then how¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was researching and suddenly became a lich. Since I am a monster and not a human, I can do whatever the fuck I want.¡±


    Suddenly became a Lich?


    I was very confused by those words. I was sure anyone would be. It was like saying one would become a crab-man if they ate too much crab.


    Of course, when I questioned it.


    ¡°SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK! UP!¡±


    He would blow up on me. The Lich would randomly remove his frustration on me by hitting me with an ax, poisoning me, or making me swallow some strange explosive, but oh well.


    Being the only employee of a startup was difficult. I had to wear many hats.


    It wasn¡¯t just the past, the Lich also taught me common sense when he wanted to. Common sense of this world, I mean.


    ¡°When you want apples, just grab them.¡±


    ¡°What about money sir?¡±


    ¡°Beat up the shopkeeper. Everyone does that.¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you even know anyone¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡±


    He also taught me to read and write for no reason. As someone summoned from another world, I could communicate in any language of this world, but reading and writing were different.


    We had started learning the basics at the Crimson Castle, and the Lich gladly helped me continue.


    The Lich didn¡¯t stop at just reading and writing, he also taught me some things about battle.


    ¡°Dying so much will make your mind that of a monster.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wonder how your body truly keeps up.¡±


    Sometimes he even taught me magic.


    He said he wanted to know how new information would change me. He even planned to teach me magic down the line to ensure my skill worked¡ªand hopefully to replicate it.


    He used the same book that he told me about when he started teaching me. A tome that taught an undead skill upon death. It seemed we were both of the same idea.


    This kind of skill might just work for me.


    The Lich¡¯s favorite time was when he talked philosophy though. From how everything was absurd, to how we were all abandoned by gods.


    ¡°There is a panacea for all of life¡¯s problems.¡±


    ¡°What is it, sir?¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡±


    My day continued like that. Stuck in the cave, sometimes talking, sometimes donating my body parts. I did get food and water now and then, but it was in the form of livestock and murky water from god knows where. If the lich did not want to fetch water, he just made me drink the blood of the livestock.


    It wasn¡¯t bad. The place was big too.


    I did notice something. In the deeper, darker part of the cave was a section separated by a boulder. One was not allowed to even look over there.


    In the beginning, I could barely see in the dark. But as I died and died and eventually two or three weeks passed, it seemed my eyes adapted and I could see deeper inside.


    My workplace routine continued for a while.


    I had given up on life.


    Humans had buried me without mercy, my classmates did not come to find me. If they had, they might get buried too. The gods too, quite literally asked for my death.


    In all this, the Lich was the kindest person I had met. We could chat too, and he fed me instead of driving me underground.


    This was better than going outside.


    It was an ok life. I didn¡¯t sign up for any of this, but I genuinely felt that my situation was the best possible outcome.


    That all changed one day.


    The Lich returned to the cave from an excursion, having kidnapped some more livestock from the nearby farming village. But instead of getting to work, he paced around the cave nervously.


    ¡°Why are those bastards here¡­ why are those imperial knights here¡­ they are scouring the forest.¡±


    Every time he went out.


    ¡°Shit. Shit. Shit. There are also paladins¡­ I can¡¯t even escape. I am so close¡­ I will be caught if I try to run.¡±


    The Lich returned more stressed than ever. He strangely did not even touch any of his test subjects, neither me nor the animals he had fetched.


    The cave was filled with the frantic lich¡¯s rambles and the cries of the livestock.


    A week or so passed like that.


    The lich sat next to my binds and spoke a lot. The rest of the time, he would spend behind the boulder in the depths of the cave.


    I could start seeing there a little now. There seemed to be two strange figures, growling and groaning. One small and one tall. They reminded me of the ghouls and zombies I had seen on TV.


    ¡°Do you know why I work so hard?¡± asked the Lich. ¡°It¡¯s because my wife and my daughter were killed before their time. I was a farmer too, in a place far from Zirkonia. A hailstorm ruined every corp, but miraculously my field survived.¡±


    The lich looked at me. He seemed to be crying.


    ¡°They branded my family worshippers of the devil and decided to attack us.¡±


    His voice was very strange. Even though he had no throat, I could always hear the lich.


    ¡°Like a coward¡­ I hid in my house. I put them in the closet or under the bed, and hid myself in the cellar no one knew about¡­ I was a coward, a bastard, a rat that saved his own skin.¡±


    Today, he seemed to be wailing.


    ¡°They found my wife and daughter in moments, of course, they did. Both of them were beaten to near death. Even as their backs were seared with hot iron and their teeth were smashed in with stones, they never told the villagers where I was.¡±


    When I was underground, struggling to get out, I had prayed to god to help me. Any god, from my world or from this one.


    ¡°And I clasped my mouth, hiding in that cellar.¡±


    It looked like the Lich too, was buried in his own coffin.


    ¡°The villagers left them for dead. It was another miracle that I escaped and took their limp bodies with me. They hadn¡¯t died, not just yet, faint as it was, they were breathing.¡±


    The Lich turned to me. For the first time, he was not looking at an experiment, a tool. He was looking at the person in me.


    At Ian Meyer. Someone who I, too, had forgotten.


    ¡°I did everything to get them back, in the process I even turned into a Lich. It helped me, I turned my wife and daughter into mindless ghouls as I continued looking for a way¡­¡±


    He grabbed my neck.


    His bony fingers wrapped around my throat, pressing against my body.


    Suddenly, his grip tightened and he started choking me.


    ¡°Not even from death, I merely wished to heal them. Yet why? Why does a stupid, spineless bastard like you get to revive? Why not my daughter? Why not my wife?¡±


    I was used to being mauled by an ax or cut in pieces, but choking was a death I could never get over.


    Tears spilled from my eyes as memories of being underground surfaced.


    Suddenly, the strength wrapped around my neck loosened.


    The lich sighed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point? I have tried many times after all.¡±


    With those words, the Lich stood up. He looked around the cave and picked up his books and papers.


    ¡°That day, my wife and daughter did not tell the villagers where I was. Today, it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    The Lich left the cave.


    A day passed.


    And another.


    He never returned.

 Chapter 4: The Undying (3)

    The Lich was not going to return.


    I had to accept it after three days, but with those last words and the current situation, I was sure of it. The Lich wasn¡¯t going to return.


    It meant I was free again. The realization hit me like a major leaguer would hit a perfectly aligned fastball.


    Free.


    Nothing was stopping me.


    There was still a lot of hesitation in my mind and heart. I thought I was safe as long as the Lich was around, that I had ended up in the best possible situation.


    But my body had different thoughts. The months and months of rancid torture had come to an end. My eyes sparkled at the mere thought of going outside, my body shivered at the fact that I wasn¡¯t going to be hit anymore.


    That my organs wouldn¡¯t be chopped, or my bones crushed by the blunt blade of an ax.


    That fucker was gone.


    The groans of the livestock and the moans of the two ghouls in the distance were clear today. My mind had been cleared out, not the air.


    The first thing I did was to pull my limbs away from the chains holding me down. I could try to break the chains, but there was an easier way.


    ¡ªRIIIIP!


    A tear resounded as my muscles started to stretch beyond what was possible. Starting with my hands, I tore my limbs apart from my body.


    Blood gushed out everywhere and screams left me, strangely enough, they were screams of elation not of pain.


    As soon as all my limbs were separated, I started smacking my head against the floor. I didn¡¯t want to wait to bleed out.


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    I could move again. I immediately got on my feet and looked back at the binds. My hands and feet were still in the chains, but the body that should have been on the ground was nowhere to be seen.


    My ability seemed to be a middle between resurrection and regeneration. Likely whatever was most convenient.


    Even while logic tried to pervade into my mind, the thought that I could leave filled my head.


    My feet moved on their own, dragging me to the exit of the cave. The loud screams of the animals served as a backdrop when the sun¡¯s light entered my sight.


    It was right in front of me. An exit from this place.


    My body froze right before I could take a step outside.


    My legs didn¡¯t move, nor did my hands. Even if I wanted to jump outside right now, I couldn¡¯t.


    The Lich¡¯s words. There were imperial guards outside, and people from the temples of the Septet too.


    It was the seven gods that had summoned me here, and also them who had demanded my death.


    If I went out and ran into someone¡ªThey would bury me again.


    My body started to tremble. I took a glance back at the cave. Here, I was safe. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could always be safe.


    But¡­


    If I became a little stronger.


    That I could escape from any death without going back to all zeroes. I simply had to raise my stats again.


    My eyes swept over the cave as I licked my lips.


    I could train here. Reading was no problem anymore, there were some magic spells.


    There was still the livestock that the Lich had left, and enough space to work out. It made me sick to eat the animals without cooking them, but I was used to it by now.


    Maybe the Lich was right, my mind was probably closer to a monster after dying so much.


    It won¡¯t be a problem. Taking my stats back to the twenties or a little higher would help.


    Yes.


    Let¡¯s grow a bit more.


    Stolen story; please report.


    So I could survive.


    I should eat and train myself a little. As long as I was working hard, my stats would increase. If I exercised correctly, my stats would reflect it. And if I learned magic and used mana correctly, my stats would reflect that too.


    I walked over to the center and picked up the blunt ax the Lich used to use.


    As if they could sense what was coming up, the livestock tied behind me screamed and wailed.


    ¡°I have to eat, to survive.¡±


    I looked back at the livestock and slowly stepped closer.


    The animals wouldn¡¯t mind it so much.


    ¡°Why¡­ aren¡¯t you a victim too?!¡±


    ¡°Please, please don¡¯t kill us! Please!¡±


    The Lich needed to revive humans and brought back livestock from the closest farming village. Just animals.


    He was feeding me animals.


    ¡°Please let us go.¡±


    ¡°I have a child your age¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t kill us.¡±


    ¡°We are all free, that monster is gone. Please.¡±


    I raised the ax high.


    I had to eat. To survive.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you human?¡±


    I had to eat.


    To survive.


    The ax came falling down.


    ***


    Another month passed inside the cave. All the food stored was now gone.


    I stood with the tome of the undying spell in one hand, and the blunt ax in the other. The long drabs for a cloak that the Lich used to wear were wrapped around me.


    In a bag made from another cloth, I stored some mana potions, herbs, and my Divine Window. I wondered how the Lich even drank those potions, I had never seen him do it.


    It was time for me to finally leave this place. I took a glance at the cave, much like the Lich had done before he disappeared.


    In the depths of the cave, now almost empty, the voices of the two ghouls trapped in their chains continued to ring out. They growled and groaned, desperate to eat. They were quite similar to me in being unable to die.


    I wish I could have lost my sanity too.


    Unfortunately, that kind of wishful thinking wasn¡¯t going to help. And the thought of letting them bite me and make me a ghoul wasn¡¯t one I could follow through.


    One could never get used to dying, after all.


    I took a step outside of the cave for the first time. Instead of feeling a deep sensation of liberation, I only found myself amused at the sunlight and the scent.


    The smell from the cave still lingered in my nose, but the trees around weren¡¯t going to lose. It was refreshing.


    A chuckle left me.


    The liberation that should have struck me was already taking over my body over the last month. There was no one inside the cave to control me, after all.


    There was already a plan in my mind about the cave. A crazy bastard as he was, the Lich was still someone I was indebted to. I thought of him as a helpful employer, no matter how shitty he was.


    That is why, I planned to keep his last words in mind.


    He had left the cave to keep his wife and daughter safe so that no one would come around and end them.


    As ghouls, undead, they wouldn¡¯t die if left alone.


    That is why, I rolled away the boulder that the Lich had used to partition the cave. Slowly, from the outside, I pulled it with all my strength at the cave¡¯s entrance.


    The birds above cried and the hissing of the insects rang about, faintly, I could hear the groans of the two ghouls inside.


    The ground rumbled, and the voice of the ¡®outside¡¯ finally suppressed the groans of the ghouls from the inside as the boulder neatly stopped at the mouth of the cave.


    I took a few steps back, dusting my hands.


    ¡°Alright, that should be enough.¡±


    A smile lingered on my lips.


    With this, the ghouls inside would never be disturbed. Unless someone went out of their way to open this cave, I didn¡¯t think anyone would since the Lich had spent years here.


    For the foreseeable future, maybe for all of eternity, the location of the Lich¡¯s wife and daughter would never be found out.


    They would live out their time in the cave, happily, at the sacrifice of the Lich.


    My smile only grew wider.


    It felt good to do a good deed.


    ¡°Now then.¡± I picked up my duffel bag and the ax, hoisting them on my shoulders¡ªand stepped away from the cave.


    The sun was bright today.


    ***


    A cart rattled through the uneven dirt roads outside of the Great Forest of Zirkonia. The path adjacent to the side of the Great Forest that connected the south to the capital of Zirkonia was usually not trodden by many.


    ¡°It¡¯s a quiet road¡­¡± said a bald man as he looked down at the path. A giant hammer was strapped to his back while armor covered his joints. Next to him, in a long coat, sat another man holding a bow.


    The two adventurers had no choice but to ask a local farmer to take them down the road.


    The archer crossed his arms and nodded.


    Perhaps, wanting a conversation, the bald warrior spoke again. ¡°This hamlet has not been coming out to the public for long, right? Why don¡¯t they make a route to the city, that will probably help them.¡±


    The archer nodded again.


    ¡°What was that, sonny?¡± a completely different voice from what the warrior expected came back as the farmer driving the cart looked back. In his mouth, a small twig of god knows which plant.


    ¡°Nothing, I was just saying how the road is bad.¡±


    ¡°Sure is boy, if not for the oxen no one would ride here. Not all the way from Scarlet.¡±


    They were lucky that the farmer agreed. The hamlet was distant enough that even carriage services that usually aimed at adventurers did not want to accompany them.


    The warrior was slightly unnerved by the archer¡¯s silence. Unable to keep quiet any longer, he hissed and nudged his friend with his feet.


    ¡°Hey, Phil. What the hell are you thinking?¡±


    The archer, Phil, looked up at his friend and hummed.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just¡­ Stuart, you know I took a solo quest last month right?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± muttered Stuart.


    ¡°I think I saw a quest from the same place there too. They said It had been going on for a few months.¡±


    Stuart leaned back, the hay rustled from his frame. ¡°I think I saw a similar quest from the same place a few months back in our own guild, actually.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little strange¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe because it¡¯s so distant? There might be a monster settlement close by and they won¡¯t know about it.¡±


    Phil was not convinced but nodded regardless. Whatever the case, they would be able to handle it.


    The cart continued rolling for another few hours. Finally, at the edge of a cliff, the old farmer yanked the cart to a stop and pointed at the distance. From the edge of the small raised ground, the two adventurers could see a hamlet made around a lake.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spot, huh?¡±


    There was no one on the streets of the city.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said the farmer. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go on your own from here Sonny.¡±


    Stuart nodded and pulled out a pouch of coins from his waist. He handed it to the old farmer.


    ¡°Here. Can you come back to pick us up in two days?¡±


    The old man smiled.


    ¡°Ya won¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± He climbed on his cart again and waved, pulling his straw hat lower. ¡°Well then, all the best to you.¡±

 Chapter 5: The Rookies from Scarlet (1)

    I was preparing to die, not really to fight. But being able to fight and avoid death was my first priority.


    How difficult could it be? With the ax¡ªblunt as it may be¡ªand my physical ability should help me survive. After all, the lich was just bones and he had lived long enough.


    Ok, I was not really stupid enough to think that way. I did know that surviving would be difficult, but I was also certain that I could do it. There was a sense of confidence within me.


    Maybe it was because of all the books that I had read. Being a keyboard warrior as a hobby made me come across my fair share of fantasy stories. And though I never commented on it myself, there was some degree of agreement in my heart.


    That if I was sent to another world¡ªI would be breaking stones with a punch and killing ogres with a flick to their heads.


    Of course, coming face to face with one was completely different.


    A low growl resounded as a green being stood in front of me. Drool and bits of flesh were stuck around its tusk-like teeth. Bugs, cavities, and dung of any and every animal was stuck to its skin. A protruding belly, a heavy club in its hand, and a small cloth hiding its nethers¡ªthe being that was about half my height was a fantasy-world classic.


    A goblin.


    ¡°Gerururk¡­¡±


    It stepped closer, a damned grin on its mouth.


    I had seen worse. I knew I had. The Lich was straight out of nightmares, and all his deeds were not worse either. Qualms about killing? Those didn¡¯t exist. It was the same feeling that butchers had, that killing the animal was not as impactful as killing a person.


    It was the same for me, I had butchered many animals, and a monster was far less important than any of those animals.


    But¡­


    My body was not listening yet again. I slowly took a step back, and a small twig broke under my feet. The cover of the forest was still strong, surrounding us from every direction. The goblin cackled as if it could smell my fear over its disgusting odor.


    It was not looking for a fight, it was not careful, it was simply eyeing prey.


    Kill Ogres with a flick? I would be lucky if I could get rid of this goblin alone.


    Running around and looking for help didn¡¯t cross my mind either. People were the last ones I could trust. I would sooner go to this goblin¡¯s house for some tea and biscuits than expect someone, especially a knight or paladin, to help me.


    The only option was to fight it myself.


    I gulped and grabbed my ax tight. The goblin growled as if my resistance was cute for it.


    And then, it jumped. With a great kick off the ground, the goblin crushed at me and swung its club. My hair stood on end and my vision narrowed.


    Almost simultaneously, I backstepped and avoided the first swing of the club. Clumsily, I raised my hands.


    ¡°AAAH!¡±


    The blunt ax slid through the air and went straight for the goblin. Instead of hitting it, the ax landed against its club.


    My hands were trembling from a single swing. Not from fear or from pain, but from the thrill of a fight. It was the adrenaline making me act out.


    I took a deep breath. As the goblin pushed off my ax with its club, I shuffled forward and kicked it.


    The goblin, half my height, looked no better than a slightly stout teenager. Yet, it was a monster that had been living in the wild compared to me, who had come from the modern city.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The goblin nimbly dodged the sloppy kick and jumped back. It seemed slightly angry as it ran at me again.


    Fighting normally wasn¡¯t going to work. I had to do something.


    I brought my hand to the front and closed my eyes. The mana swirling around my heart without any organization or direction responded to my call.


    It was nerve-wracking to use a skill in a fight.


    It was also something I obviously shouldn¡¯t have done.


    Instead of forming a magic circle in my completely unnerved state, the mana coalesced at my hand and dissipated into the air.


    A gasp left me, followed by a sharp pain in my head. The goblin had jumped up again and swung its club with all its might.


    ¡°Gah!¡± I groaned and lifted my ax again. It was a strong hit, blood was oozing out. If it had hit any lower I would have definitely fainted on the spot¡ªbut I didn¡¯t even move.


    I raised my ax and swung it down.


    The goblin fell back to the ground and looked at me in surprise. It was too late for it to dodge the ax by then.


    A thwack resounded as the blunt edge of the ax made contact with the goblin¡¯s neck. The sound of bone breaking crackled through the forest, and the goblin fell to the ground.


    Its head was twisted at a dangerous angle, its body twitched as froth and green blood seeped out of its mouth.


    ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­¡±


    I raised the ax again and hit the goblin once more. Even its faint dying groans disappeared.


    I took a step back after killing it and fell on my back. Heavy breaths left me, my vision was slightly tinted red.


    ¡°I¡¯m bleeding¡­¡±


    It had hit me straight in the head, enough to make it bleed. I don¡¯t know why the goblin stopped in surprise, though. Was it because I didn¡¯t flinch from its attack?


    It was possible. I was used to getting my limbs ripped, a club¡¯s strike was no better than being poked with a tiny needle.


    ¡°I should be careful. The damned spell¡­¡±


    Reading something and following through sure was different¡ª


    ¡°GRURUK!¡±


    A scream echoed in my ears. A chill ran down my spine as I lunged forward and rolled on the ground.


    At the place where I was moments ago, a needle made of wood was stabbed through the ground.


    Sharp.


    I frantically looked around in surprise, my heart was pounding. I almost thought the Lich was back, he had a similar way of sneaking up when he was frustrated.


    ¡°Another goblin¡­?¡±


    My eyes scanned through the forest. From behind the bushes, following a rustle, another small green being emerged.


    And then one more, this time to my left, and another to my right.


    Multiple goblins surrounded me.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±


    I looked behind. I had to run right away. As soon as I got on my feet and took a few steps back, yet one more goblin emerged from behind me.


    ¡°GRUURURK!¡± It screamed and swung a wooden club. I turned back and tried to step away.


    But before the club could hit me, an arrow whistled from the midst of the trees and lodged itself in the head of the goblin.


    It fell straight to the ground.


    ¡°Evans!¡±


    ¡°Keep me covered!¡±


    Two distinct voices resounded in the place. One from beyond where the goblin had been, and another from behind me.


    I turned back and saw someone slice the neck of another goblin, splitting it from the rest of its body.


    It was a blonde-haired boy, one with a sharp jaw and thin eyes, donning a grin. With his sword, he nimbly jumped through the bushes and ran to the other goblin.


    His first swing had dropped the goblin with the blowgun. He charged to the one on my left and kicked it. Unlike my sloppy actions, his movements were sharp and precise. The kick landed square on the goblin¡¯s chest and sent it tumbling backward.


    The boy swung his sword down and cleaved through the goblin¡¯s shoulder down to its other side.


    I looked to the other side¡ªthe last goblin was also on the ground with an arrow lodged into its head.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± The boy placed his sword on his shoulder and turned to me. ¡°These goblins always move in groups¡ªWoah, you¡¯re bleeding a lot.¡±


    It was too sudden. I was too stunned to speak.


    The only thought in my mind right now was how screwed I would have been if these two were here to kill me.


    ¡°A¡­ th-that¡­ thanks¡­¡± I managed to squeeze the words out, and the blonde-haired boy smiled brightly.


    ¡°Rimi!¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s clear now.¡±


    The bushes behind us rustled and a girl stepped out. A quiver of arrows was strapped to her back and a bow hung from her shoulder. The brown-haired girl in twin tails hopped over to us.


    ¡°Did you see that Evans? He¡¯s still walking after tanking that hit. Just what we need!¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Evans nodded and stepped closer.


    Both of them were now in front of me.


    ¡°Are you lost here?¡± asked Evans. The girl, Rimi, on the other hand, came even closer and squished my cheeks.


    ¡°He looks cute. Definitely a nobleman, right?¡±


    ¡°Ask him!¡± said Evans. ¡°And stop doing that, it¡¯s rude.¡±


    He sighed and yanked the girl back by the scruff of her neck.


    ¡°Are you a nobleman? Or maybe an adventurer from Scarlet too? I am Evans, a warrior,¡± he pointed at the girl. ¡°And this is Rimi, a ranger. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect it this soon.


    But I was prepared to run into other people.


    Hopefully, kind people. You end up having a lot of thoughts when you are stuck with animals and ghouls in a cave.


    So I was prepared for this. A masterstroke of genius had struck me long before I even met these people.


    ¡°I am Ian,¡± I said. ¡°I lost my memories, I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±


    Truly brilliant.


    Sometimes I get scared of my genius.

 Chapter 6: The Rookies of Scarlet (2)

    At the southern end of the Great Forest was a town named Scarlet. It sat exactly opposite of the capital city through the forest.


    The forest, being a source for many local businesses, attracted adventurers, alchemists, smiths, farmers, and even merchants. Most people passed through the place giving it a reputation amongst the others.


    ¡°And we are the adventurers from this place. Do you recognize it, Ian?¡±


    I shook my head at Rimi¡¯s words. The two of them had kindly helped me out of the forest and to the nearest town without any trouble. It was nice to be around kind people after a long time, but I wasn¡¯t going to be foolish enough to start trusting anyone at any moment.


    If the people of the Empire who know of me got wind of my existence again, then it would become a problem.


    The easiest way to check it was to figure out the common knowledge that the people of the towns had about the heroes and the conditions behind them.


    Did everyone know that I was someone who was to be killed? Ordered by the gods, no less? I thought of bringing it up to Rimi and Evans but refrained from doing so. On the off chance that they didn¡¯t know about heroes at all if the powers that be were keeping it secret, then revealing anything was only going to screw me over.


    ¡°Rimi, you still have the moon mugwort right? We failed a quest because of you last time.¡± Evans said as we followed Rimi¡¯s lead into the city.


    The guards of the town were a slight distance away from the dirt road we were on; behind them, a long wall served as the barricades of the town.


    ¡°I have them¡ªOh! Right, Ian, do you remember anything about what food you like?¡±


    ¡°I eat everything¡­?¡±


    Rimi was an extrovert at the top of the scale. If there was ever a competition for extroverts, in just this last hour or so of walking with her, I was sure that she would win.


    After all, she told me that both she and Evans were from an orphanage in a nearby town, that she adores cats and is currently an E-Ranked adventurer registered with the Scarlet Branch of the Liones Guild, while I hadn¡¯t told her my last name.


    What the hell even was the Liones Guild? I had no idea.


    Evan looked at me and showed me a soft smile. This person, on the other hand, was an easy-going man. It was quite easy to approach him and talk with him, almost homely. If I had to put it on a scale, he was probably right at the center.


    Originally, I remember being fairly friendly too, but when your only conversation partner for months on end is a psychotic skeleton and your own torn limbs, one quickly becomes a reserved person.


    We passed through the gates and into the city. A gasp of admiration left me. Everything around me was different from what I had imagined.


    Stone-paved roads covered the streets. All around them were houses made of finely placed bricks.


    ¡°Look, right there is a cafe. Have you been?¡± Said Rimi, pointing at a building with stained glass as its entrance.


    It looked just like a modern Starducks but with more medievalism in its vibe. Awnings extended through the eaves of the building and people in tunics and trousers sat together enjoying their afternoon breaks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± I muttered, amazed by the sight.


    ¡°What about there? Blacksmiths?¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Everything around me felt novel. I must have looked like a stray wounded cat in an unfamiliar house to Evans since he didn¡¯t stop staring at me. I was genuinely amazed by the sights all around.


    When we had seen the Crimson King¡¯s palace and the training ground, a sense of awe had surely crept in. But the difference between seeing a medieval palace and a city was the difference between night and day.


    It truly made me realize that no matter what, this was a completely different world from my own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You will get used to things soon enough,¡± said Rimi. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll go and finish the quest. Why don¡¯t you take him to Shawn¡¯s?¡±


    Evans nodded at Rimi¡¯s words. ¡°Good idea. We¡¯ll save you a seat.¡±


    With those words, Rimi waved and took off in another direction while Evans took the lead.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°You seem surprised,¡± he said as he guided me through the streets of the city.


    ¡°It all looks amazing.¡°


    ¡°I was a little doubtful, Ian, but seeing you this amazed makes me think you really have lost your memories.¡±


    I chuckled and scratched the back of my head. I, of course, did not expect them to believe me right away, but there was nothing I could do except make an excuse.


    ¡°Thank you for helping, Evans. I don¡¯t think I could do the same in your position.¡±


    Evans looked back and smiled brightly.


    We reached the restaurant¡ªShawn¡¯s Skewers it was called¡ªafter walking for a bit. Evans led me inside the tavern.


    Sunlight peeked in from the many windows in the restaurant while a small but rowdy crowd downed their drinks and skewers heartily.


    We passed by the seats full of people straight to the back of the room. Evans waved his hand at the counter of the restaurant, and a tall man waved back while wiping down wooden mugs.


    With great familiarity, Evans plopped down on the corner seats that had cushions and tapped next to him.


    I sat on the side, leaving a spot for Rimi. There were some plates and a pitcher full of water on the table. Evans casually poured some out in two glasses and pushed one to me.


    ¡°Haah¡­ nothing like the smell of meat after a long day. Shawn will get us the good ones, so relax.¡±


    I nodded at his words. The smell was not familiar, but I could tell.


    It was cooked.


    My mouth was filled with saliva from the scent alone.


    Evans swirled the glass full of water and looked at me. ¡°So, are you sure you aren¡¯t a nobleman?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. All I know about nobility is that this country is ruled by the Crimson King.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± nodded Evans. He leaned closer as if he had something important to talk about.


    I had expected the conversation, but not without Rimi. Listening to them all this time, I was clear about two things.


    Evans and Rimi were not experienced adventurers. They were extremely fresh, if anything.


    And both of them were looking for another party member to handle missions.


    ¡°If you are a nobleman, someone would definitely come to find you. Even if you aren¡¯t, your family and friends might look for you¡­ but what if they never show¡ª¡± Evans pursed his lips and swallowed his words. I didn''t push him to speak. ¡°What if they take time? Till then, you would have to make a living. A roof on your head and food on your plate.¡±


    I nodded at his words.


    With great timing, Mr. Shawn from the counter came up and dropped three plates full of skewers on our table.


    Evans nodded at him, then gestured at me to go ahead.


    My eyes were fixed on the food.


    I slowly lifted the skewer in my hand, trembling. It had an aroma, an actual aroma.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Slowly, very slowly, almost as if handling delicate jewelry, I brought the skewer to my lips and took a small bite.


    ¡°MMMM!¡±


    A loud groan left me. All the patrons in the restaurant turned to our table, but I couldn¡¯t care less.


    ¡°T-this this actual meat¡­ it¡¯s not raw or uncooked!¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°And it has taste other than flesh. My god. He used spices. He used actual spices and cooked this on a flame.¡±


    Snot and tears streamed out at once. I quickly bit through the meat on the skewer and grabbed the glass of water.


    I downed it at once, and my eyes widened again.


    ¡°T-this is drinkable water! It¡¯s clean! Evans, do you see this?!¡±


    ¡°C-calm down, you¡¯re being a little rude.¡±


    I picked up another skewer and wiped my eyes.


    ¡°I am so glad to be alive¡­ Mmf¡­ so glad¡­¡±


    ¡°I-Ian?¡±


    ¡°Is your friend ok?¡±


    ¡°Woah, what had that kid been eating?¡±


    Even Shawn and the other patrons started to get worried about me.


    As I slowly downed another bite, the realization of my actions hit me. Mr. Shawn had come up next to me and was gazing at me expectantly.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Y-yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    That was awkward. As Shawn left, Evans turned to me once again.


    ¡°So, I was thinking,¡± said he. ¡°If you need a job anyway, why not join us as adventurers? Rimi and I are just starting out too, and we won¡¯t be doing anything too risky.¡±


    I considered his words. To be honest, I had been quite split on the decision from the beginning. I could act like the stories and choose to be an adventurer, but there was doubt in my mind about it. After facing the Lich. I was scared of getting into big problems.


    There was something else that scared me more, though.


    It was not being able to handle big problems. I could probably choose not to adventure and end up working in a small place like Shawn¡¯s here. It would be a good thing for my sanity and for my pockets as well. It was nothing compared to the modern amenities that I was missing, but it was better than being stuck inside a prison cell.


    The problem was, how long would I be able to sit through it? What guarantee did I have that people around me won¡¯t suddenly turn against me? Not because they were evil, but because their gods and their kings would ask them to.


    Everyone was powerless against the Septet and the Imperial Army, or even the entire alliance that stood against the demons.


    Heck, for all I knew, those demons might take over the world and even they would be after my life.


    If I adventure, I have the chance to run away and protect myself. Even if I couldn¡¯t become strong like the rest without any growth skills, I would at least not be helpless when I have to run away.


    ¡°Think about it,¡± Evans said. ¡°No pressure. It would be a great idea though.¡±


    At the same time, the door swung open and Rimi streamed into the restaurant with a bright smile. She hopped over to our table, her hair bopping up and down with her moves.


    ¡°Yahoo! We got extra money for solving things quickly!¡±


    Evans and I did not say anything to her. Evans was still waiting for my answer, and cutting it off felt rude to me.


    In the end, I sighed and pointed at my head. The make-shift bandaging Evans had administered was working well enough with this injury.


    Just this injury.


    ¡°I would like to. It¡¯s also a good chance to repay your kindness, and there is no one else I know in the world, so it¡¯s an even better deal for me,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to take you up on it. I don¡¯t know how to fight, that was the first time I had killed a goblin. Even worse, I am much weaker than both of you.¡±


    What if I ended up making mistakes and brought danger to them?


    ¡°I can¡¯t put both of you at risk like this.¡±


    Rimi suddenly smiled, as if she had figured the entire conversation from my words.


    ¡°Is that it? Then we have no problems, right Evans?¡±


    Evans nodded too.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I can teach you how to fight. You are not very out of shape either. This will be easier than you think.¡±


    ¡°W-wait really?¡± I asked. ¡°You will?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Evans said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have learned from a good master, so I¡¯ll give you the safest and most efficient training.¡±


    ¡°Alright! It¡¯s decided!¡± Yelled Rimi. ¡°Shawn Shawn, get us more skewers we are celebrating a new party member!¡±

 Chapter 7: The Rookies of Scarlet (3)

    My life changed after meeting Rimi and Evans. Even this other world that was nothing better than a hellhole for me; the place that had only brought pain and pain and more pain¡ªit had something for me too.


    ¡°Alright, bring it in.¡±


    Evans casually held the sword in his hands as he beckoned me over with his hands. I gripped my ax tight and lowered my stance.


    On a park chair at our side sat Rimi, watching us with a bright smile.


    Some other people from the town had also gathered. The Scarlet Brough Park had been a famous spot for adventurer brawls and training, I had seen quite a few myself.


    ¡°Last time, Evans.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the start,¡± he said with a laugh. While he was distracted, I kicked off the ground and shot ahead.


    My ax swung from the bottom to the top, aiming for his neck. Evans swiftly leaned back to dodge the blow, and I had anticipated it.


    I launched a kick to his torso, no longer a clumsy kick but a sharp one.


    My foot hit his hand and he slightly staggered backward. Without wasting a moment, Evans stabbed his sword ahead.


    ¡±Woah!¡± I moved to the left. The stab turned into a weak swing as the sword approached my neck. I knew it lacked power and met it with my ax.


    Using the momentum, Evans lowered his sword and brought a kick to my face, which I blocked.


    Like a salsa between two long-time partners, Evans and I exchanged blow after blow. Sparks flew out as our weapons met one after the other and our attacks swung past the other. He was going easy on me and I was not very desperate, but the very fact that we could still fight with ease proved how much I had grown.


    It was the result of weeks of training.


    Right as I was about to swing my ax down again, Evans sheathed his sword at his back and stepped away.


    ¡°Phew, that¡¯s enough.¡± Evans wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s crazy how you don¡¯t even flinch. Do you not feel pain?¡±


    I caught my breath and lowered my ax. There were some marks on my face where his attacks had landed.


    ¡°I do, I just don¡¯t pay attention to it.¡±


    ¡°Crazy guy¡­ Rimi, how was it?¡± asked Evans and Rimi raised both her thumbs with a bright smile.


    ¡°Approved!¡±


    ¡°Have you covered all the books too, Ian?¡±


    I raised both my thumbs too. ¡°I¡¯ll be scoring the best any adventurer has.¡±


    The two of them nodded approvingly.


    ¡°With this, you¡¯ll definitely get a license.¡±


    That was the day I had to get my adventurer license. Even without an identity, it was possible to be registered in a guild with a guarantor. After all, many people ran away from home and many many more came from places that were too distant and small for identities to be issued en masse.


    Becoming an adventurer for Liones was fairly easy. I heard there were other guilds in other parts of the city and in some other countries too, but one could take quests from all of them thanks to the Adventurer Guild Alliance.


    I had learned all this through the books that were part of the curriculum to become an adventurer. The last thing anyone wanted was too many dead people, so you had to know how to survive to be able to get registered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Woohoo! After this, we are going to Shawn¡¯s!¡±


    ***


    As I said, meeting Evans and Rimi changed my life. The life that had become one of pain and fear slowly started to be filled with the colors of joy.


    The situation had not changed. I was still in a different world, I was still stuck with the undying skill, and there were still people who would kill me on sight¡ªvery powerful people.


    If anything, I should be despairing.


    Yet, I did not. A drop of happiness weighed more than a river of sorrow, and I had found more than a drop.


    ¡°Alright, three cheers for Ian!¡±


    ¡°The latest Rookie of Scarlet!¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Cheers~!!¡±


    Rimi and Evans were always around, we had become a party. Being with them had also given me some courage.


    The place started to feel like home, and so did the people there. Through them, I made more connections too.


    ¡°Mr. Shawn! Can you put all this on my tab today?¡±


    ¡°You giving them a treat, Ian? Alright. Pay me back when you finally start making money.¡±


    ¡°He still has to pay rent and whatnot, you¡¯ll be waiting a long time Shawn.¡±


    ¡°Evans, shush! I¡¯ll be quick with it Mr. Shawn, I promise!¡±


    ***


    It had become fun. Full of laughter.


    From my time registering at the Adventurer Guild, to our first quest.


    ¡°Hey, Evans team. You have three members now, right? Take this quest.¡±


    ¡°Kobolds? We can do that. Rimi?¡±


    ¡°The pay isn¡¯t bad. Ian?¡±


    ¡°I think we can manage. Don¡¯t moonlight mugworts grow near this place? We can pick those too.¡±


    Sometimes we even handled two different missions at the same time. It is quite fun to be working with them. Slowly and surely, we managed to take down monsters and carry our missions to great success.


    Every time we finished one, we would go to Shawn¡¯s and celebrate.


    ¡°Hey, brat. You are missing money from the last time you three threw a riot here.¡±


    Somehow my tab never grew smaller, but that was fun too. We started meeting more and more people. I managed to get promoted from an F to E ranked adventurer while Rimi and Evans got to a D Rank. We were steadily making some progress through the weeks.


    Other adventurers also got to know of us, and we of them. It was natural to take on more difficult missions in a collaboration too, so we did that as well.


    ¡°We have a tanker, a mage, a priest, and a warrior. Evans?¡±


    ¡°Right, I am a warrior. Rimi here is a scout, and Ian an all-rounder.¡±


    ¡°All-rounder? That¡¯s perfect for support.¡±


    I had studied with them for months. I usually spent my free time reading books that were free for the adventurers as well. Humans who used Black Magic were not exactly outlawed, but there was a strong stigma against them as worshippers of evil gods.


    That was why I kept my necromancy skill a secret. I still had my mana and my body, with Evans, Rimi, and the books¡¯ help I had managed to learn a good deal about fighting.


    Even spells, as long as they were basic, were fine. I was a little apprehensive about going to a battle with a priest, though my worries were unfounded.


    The gods only ever communicated with each of the seven oracles across the seven great powers, it was impossible for every priest to know about the word of god.


    That¡¯s right. Working with others that I met through Rimi and Evans only helped me more. Of course, after completing any job our ending spot was the usual¡ª


    ¡°Look at the constellations. You have to borrow the power of the stars for a great magic spell.¡±


    ¡°This skewer is fucking amazing?¡±


    ¡°Ian, slow down on the drink¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright! Mr. Shawn put this on my tab too! For our new friends!¡±


    ¡°You brat, you just cleared your tab today!¡±


    ***


    That¡¯s how our days went.


    Sometimes Evans and I would train in the Scarlet Bough Park all day and challenge other adventurers.


    Sometimes Rimi and I would go window shopping and strolling about in the central streets of Scarlet.


    Sometimes we would fight with other adventurers at the guild, only to end up doing a mission with them the next hour.


    When our party¡¯s missions went well, we would drink the night away.


    When our party¡¯s missions did not go well, we would drink a little more.


    Time passed sooner than I knew it, a time when I did not die anymore.


    All my stats had increased too. Double of what I had initially seen with everything in the range of 50s. It was enough to get me in the D-Rank of adventurers too, after which it only grew progressively more difficult.


    Soon enough, a new set of F and E-ranked adventurers joined the guild. The ¡®rookies¡¯ of Scarlet had become a little, just a little jaded.


    Three more months passed when one day we found a piece of news that set the town abuzz.


    ¡°Guys, did you look at this?¡± With his fresh gear strapped on him, Evans approached us with a refreshing smile at the guild¡¯s entrance. He waved a newspaper and handed it to me.


    I flipped it open and Rimi peeked in.


    ¡°Heroes chosen by the goddess? They have been here for half a year?¡±


    My words were stuck in my mouth at the news. It was a sketch of my classmates on the paper. No, it wasn¡¯t a sketch but an almost moving image. Magic was used even here.


    ¡°Twenty-four heroes,¡± Evans said. ¡°Maybe a war will happen? Papatou¡¯s party told me about demons becoming tougher on the border.¡±


    Rimi nodded. ¡°I also heard it, that demons are using monsters now?¡±


    ¡°I hope nothing big happens¡­¡± I said. ¡°Well, the seven powers are pretty strong. We have grandmasters, and the oracles too.¡±


    ¡°Right, add the Septet¡¯s personally chosen heroes to it. Another world¡­ do you think that bit is real?¡± Evans was a little skeptical, and Rimi laughed at it.


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy. You already know these newspapers. That¡¯s just a religious legend¡ª¡±


    I quickly covered Rimi¡¯s words. It was preached by the churches that the Septet could call beings from another world and choose them as champions. Rimi saying anything bad would cause us trouble.


    Evans sighed at Rimi¡¯s usual antics and shrugged.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t concern us. As they say, the gods always have a plan. Today there¡¯s something more important.¡±


    Right. Today was a fairly important day for us.


    We walked up to the counter with me at the lead. I greeted the guild¡¯s familiar receptionist with a bow, Evans waved at her, and Rimi started jumping while saying hi.


    ¡°Evans trio. I guess you guys are going to become a true D-Ranked party now?¡± said the receptionist as she placed a scroll on the table. ¡°This is the last one you need, Ian. Once we hear from the issuer that the quest is clear, you¡¯ll officially be a D-Ranked adventurer.¡±


    Evans took the scroll from her and read through it.


    ¡°A hamlet Eastward, named Magen. This is far.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the best one we have. Their crops keep being destroyed by monsters overnight. Check if they have a nest, ok?¡± The receptionist crossed her arms. ¡°I feel like someone has done this quest before.¡±


    ¡°There might be a nest,¡± Evans said. ¡°We¡¯ll take a good look.¡±


    It was a great quest. Though the identity of the monster was a mystery, it didn¡¯t seem to be troublesome.


    Not at all.


    The three of us rushed out of the adventurer guild. As we always did, Evans decided to go around and study a bit on our target, Rimi took to the streets to stock up on supplies, and I left to ensure we could travel.


    When I reached the carriage station, I went to the coachman who usually helped us.


    ¡°Mister!¡± I said. ¡°We have one at this hamlet eastward named Magen. It¡¯s near the Great Forest.¡±


    The coachman looked at the map and hummed.


    ¡°Ay, this place. It¡¯s too far and the path there is horrible. Too narrow and too many ups and downs to take a carriage.¡±


    ¡°Really? Think you can help us here?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the coachman said. He pointed at an old farmer driving around on an ox-pulled hand cart strutted with hay and some grass. ¡°That man goes nearby every other day. He might help for some cash.¡±


    I looked at the old farmer, he seemed to have noticed my gaze as he turned my way and tipped his straw hat.


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll talk to him, thanks!¡±

 Chapter 8: The Gods Always Have A Plan (1)

    The sound of a cart rolling echoed through the quiet forest as it mingled with the cries of distant birds. The dirt road made the cart bump up and down.


    ¡°It smells¡­¡±


    ¡°Rimi!¡±


    As we always did, the three of us sat at the back of the cart and enjoyed the ride. I rested at the edge, resting my shoulders on the corners of the cart while leaving my head up.


    Rimi and Evans on the other hand sat at the center, resting on the giant piles of hay.


    The sky was blanketed at the corners from the canopy of the trees like a beautiful frame that made itself part of the artwork it housed. No matter how much I looked at the skies of this world, it never failed to amaze me.


    ¡°Excited, Ian?¡± asked Evans.


    ¡°I was just thinking what the Oxen¡¯s strength stat must be to pull all this weight.¡±


    Evans sat up. ¡°Ian, I think you can be a philosopher. What must be the stat of the oxen.¡±


    ¡°Right? I told you, my genius frightens me sometimes. Maybe I should write a book?¡±


    ¡°Are you guys mad?¡± Rimi muttered.


    ¡°You are the last person who should say that.¡±


    I was still engrossed in the idea of the book. ¡°I¡¯ll call it ruralmensch.¡±


    ¡°And what will it be about?¡±


    ¡°Life lessons you can learn from Triangular Tiled Roofs, Strawberry-topped shortcakes, and Shawn¡¯s Skewers.¡± I could already imagine the success. ¡°I¡¯ll clear Shawn¡¯s tab with the book sales.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll sooner have your blood than your book sales,¡± Rimi said, unamused.


    I kept looking at the sky. The clouds were moving at the same pace as our cart, almost as if they were following us. Heavy, wide clouds.


    ¡°So, about those heroes,¡± suddenly Rimi said. ¡°What if we ever run into them?¡±


    Argh. That was a bad topic.


    ¡°What of it?¡± asked Evans.


    ¡°I will probably have to leave the party if we do,¡± said Rimi. ¡°I mean, think about it. I can be a heroine, right? Maybe one very cool and powerful hero will fall for me.¡±


    She chuckled at her own words.


    ¡°The type that is hostile to everyone except me. Hm hm, perfect. I am sorry, but I¡¯ll choose love and saving the world.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know Rimi knew Otome Isekai tropes so well. Was she a modern person too? My eyes trailed away from the skies to my companian. Evans was looking at Rimi with a wry smile.


    I personally knew the heroes, but I couldn¡¯t say that. ¡°The sketches made them look pretty normal, to be honest. Not like a heroic prince that would swoop you up on a white horse.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± said Rimi. ¡°Those were just sketches anyway. I am sure heroes look good.¡±


    We did have some models, actors, and an idol trainee in our class, but I didn¡¯t remember their faces well enough.


    ¡°What is your type, Ian?¡± asked Rimi.


    I crossed my arms, hiding my own smile. ¡°I think Evans looks like a hero.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Rimi broke into laughter, covering her mouth. I noticed Evans shooting me a small glare and decided to shut up.


    ¡°Evans¡­ hero¡­ haha¡­ hhahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know your ¡¯type¡¯ was in men, Ian. The mage from Papatou¡¯s party would be disheartened.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not the case ok?¡± I snapped. Eventually, our resident extrovert¡¯s laughter contaminated Evans, and then I laughed with them too.


    A sigh left me as I looked up at the sky. ¡°Really though. Both of you are like heroes for me¡­ I don¡¯t know what I would have done without you.¡±


    Rimi and Evans quietened down. They flashed each other soft smiles.


    Evans suddenly nudged me with his legs. ¡°What are you saying, bastard.¡±


    ¡°So awkward,¡± Rimi added.


    It was a low blow, but they were clearly embarrassed by my words and didn¡¯t mean to be rude. I smiled and sat up, our gazes turned to the road in front as the oxen suddenly slowed down.


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡± the farmer who had been quiet all this while suddenly muttered. He pointed ahead. ¡°There are goblins here.¡±


    Just as he said, a group of five goblins were in our path. We all shared a collective sigh.


    ¡°Rimi you handle the left, Ian take the right, please. Sir, you can keep driving.¡±


    The farmer was momentarily confused by Evans¡¯ words while Rimi and I moved. Rimi nocked an arrow on her bow and took a stance on the cart itself while I waved my hands.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    An ethereal magic circle, latchd with runes formed in the air below my hand. I now had one circle around my heart and my mana flowed with far more order than before. I also learned a good deal of simple spells.


    The goblins could only look at us and growl as at once, arrows darted through the air and landed straight in their heads. At the same time, I pressed my hand forward.


    ¡°Fireball.¡±


    A ball of flames shot through the sky and landed on another goblin, sending it flying back.


    Goblins, which had almost killed me a long time back, were now no better than bugs we had to exterminate on the road. Goblins were some of the weakest creatures after all.


    Two more arrows and another fireball dashed through the sky and in almost no time, all the goblins were on the ground. They could only run about as we took them down in moments.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s continue.¡±


    ¡°Let me grab my arrows, wait.¡±


    Rimi hopped off to get her arrows from the dead bodies and we set off again.


    The farmer was thoroughly impressed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do great,¡± he muttered. ¡°With your quest, I mean.¡±


    ***


    We reached the destination not long after the encounter. There were a few more mishaps on the road, which we handled just as easily.


    The hamlet Magen was situated around a small tributary for a river further down the sound. Houses were lined up in the center with fields all around them. The road split from the center into two paths. The one that led toward the river housed the giant mansion of the mayor while on the other end was a church.


    Though it all seemed visible from a bird¡¯s eye view from the top here, the hamlet looked pretty sizeable.


    ¡°That¡¯s as far as I can take you,¡± said the farmer.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make the descent on our own.¡± Evans handed him a bag of coins. ¡°You¡¯ll be here in two days, right?¡±


    The farmer lowered his straw hat as he accepted the money.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about that. Well then.¡±


    With those words, the farmer turned the cart around and started trodding away. We waited until he was gone in the distance before making our way down.


    The descent was not difficult. It was a little steep, but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle.


    Our scout was the most nimble and pretty much dashed through the path. With each hop, Rimi was covering a big distance and landing on a rock. Evans and I, on the other hand, had to be more careful with our steps.


    It felt like trekking down a particularly difficult slope. On one side was the end of the woods, and on the other, we could see the plains and the hamlet.


    The golden light of the sun fell on the fields and the huts as they glowed beautifully.


    ¡°Pretty, right?¡± I asked Evans who was staring at the distance.


    ¡±Yes,¡± he said.


    We both stopped for a moment to take in the view. Our gazes swept through the hamlet. There were a few small figures walking around in the village.


    My eyes fell on the field furthest from the hamlet. It was on the side of the church, half destroyed.


    ¡°That¡¯s our spot, I guess.¡±


    Evans nodded. ¡°That looks like it. It¡¯s destroyed very cleanly.¡±


    ¡°Are you guys coming!?¡± Rimi¡¯s shout reached us from further down. Evans and I looked at her and picked up our pace again.


    There was no need to dawdle at the route.


    We descended down and walked about fifteen minutes more to reach the hamlet.


    It was a quiet and tiny village. As soon as we entered the grounds of the hamlet, our eyes darted around. The houses around were held up by wooden frames and baked bricks stuck by mixtures of gypsum and limestone.


    The soft echo of a hammer and the humming of people returning from the fields nearby echoed around.


    It was, actually, very quiet for a village. The animals were silent and people did not run around in the place despite there being a good number of houses.


    ¡°Everyone must be scared of the monsters,¡± said Rimi.


    ¡°I hope it''s not too much trouble,¡± I added.


    Evans continued looking around. The village was definitely pretty. We had gone on multiple quests the last few months, but none of them had shown us a place quite like this.


    The three of us took the left path, the one closer to the river, to end up at the manor that had been serving as an administrative building.


    The manor was quite enormous but out of condition. Cracks had spread through the walls and wild grass grew all around its premises. Evans stepped up to the door and pushed it open.


    A creak rang. Sunlight filtered in through the windows of the second floor and fell on the hall that was shaped like an Atrium. Dust flew around as if the place hadn¡¯t been cleaned for months.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Rimi¡¯s voice echoed through the space. Right after us, the door of the room leading deeper in swung open.


    A few young men sat there, smiling. They looked to be in their thirties or forties. One of them rushed over to us.


    ¡°You must be the adventurers from Liones Guild. I am sorry for greeting you like this, you arrived sooner than we expected.¡°


    Our leader usually handled all these conversations. Evans waved the worries away with a smile. ¡°Not at all. We had to come soon when we heard about your situation.¡±


    ¡°Right, please come inside.¡±


    The man led us deeper into the mansion. He closed the door behind us and guided us to the room. There, four more people were gathered around a table. One woman and three men. The one sitting at the head of the table stared at us with his chin resting on his hand.


    ¡°Thank you for coming so soon,¡± said he.


    ¡°Not at all, we are happy to help,¡± Evans answered. They pulled a seat for him, and Rimi sat too while I stood behind them.


    I noticed the head¡¯s graying hair that stood out the most.


    ¡°Even though the pay is low, you are helping us out a lot.¡±


    ¡°I understand it might be tough for the village already, monsters on top of it.¡±


    There were also some wounds on him, and a few on the others too. It was as if they had fought something but were trying to hide it.


    I wasn¡¯t looking around out of curiosity. It had simply become my nature to doubt every time I met someone new. Evans appreciated it as well, and he asked me to keep an eye on people.


    It was not uncommon to lie about the difficulty of missions or for us to run into scammers and bandits. There was also a lot of information I could gain from observing everyone else.


    While Evan handled conversations and distracted people, it had become my job to observe them when they weren¡¯t expecting it.


    The conversation continued smoothly.


    ¡°A nocturnal monster you say...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it disappears every morning. Probably into the woods. We have been too scared to work in the forest since it happened.¡±


    ¡°Village chief, did anyone see the monster? Maybe a glimpse?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the village chief nodded. He pointed at the woman accompanying them. ¡°Bella¡¯s husband had seen it once.¡±


    Bella nodded. ¡°It looked like a giant snake with red eyes, though it had limbs. The night was moonless, so it was difficult to get a good look, but I can tell you it was a terrifying beast.¡±


    Evans crossed his arms.


    ¡°Can we talk to your husband?¡±


    Bella lowered her gaze and the others in the room shook their head.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I am sorry for your loss.¡±


    I looked at Bella. She simply covered her face, but I could still see her eyes. I see, he died.


    We wrapped up the conversation after asking for a few more details.


    ¡°It would be a good idea to monitor things tonight itself. It¡¯s already late in the evening. You are sure it comes out every night, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the village chief. ¡°Please be safe.¡±


    Evans shook his head. ¡°I would have gone into the woods, but it''s almost sundown. We will definitely clear this for you.¡±


    The village chief smiled.


    ¡°Rufus will show you guys to an empty house. You can rest there for now.¡±


    Rufus was the man we had seen at the very beginning. He bowed gently and started to walk out. Rimi suppressed a yawn, stretched her hands above her head, and followed behind.


    Evans made eye contact with me before we both nodded and left too.


    This was going to be a long night.

 Chapter 9: The Gods Always Have A Plan (2)

    Rimi plopped on the crude straw bed and rolled around. The house provided to us by the village was not a bad place at all. They said it belonged to someone who had left to the city a long time back.


    The room was just like any other house in the place. There were some kerosene lamps hung to the walls that I lit up one after another. A bed, table, enough water, and some food for everyone to spend the night.


    Though there was only one bed, it was not a bad deal at all. Evans and I had different concerns on our heads where we would be sleeping.


    ¡°So,¡± Evans spoke out loud. ¡°What do you think Rimi?¡±


    Rimi had come all this way while talking and mingling with the people of the village. She rolled on the bed again and looked at us.


    ¡°It¡¯s good. Bella told me that she would feed me a local dish tomorrow and that the people here wanted to celebrate around a bonfire when the monster was gone.¡±


    ¡°I mean about the people.¡±


    Rimi was our resident extrovert and someone who could talk to anyone with insane communication skills. That was also why both of us trusted her the most when it came to people.


    Even when Evans was skeptical of me at the very beginning, Rimi had simply accepted me as I was. The same was the case with the people we encountered down the line.


    It was also easy to say that our long-standing partnership with Papatou¡¯s team was mainly thanks to Rimi. We had tried to work with other adventurers as well, but Rimi had always said that no one was as genuine as Papatou¡¯s team.


    I agreed with her all the time.


    ¡°Hm¡­ It doesn¡¯t feel like anyone is bad. If they were planning to do something wrong, they would have been hesitant in some way. Their vibe would have been off, get it?¡±


    Neither of us understood those ¡¯vibes¡¯, but we also didn¡¯t not understand her. People were mysterious in that way.


    ¡°They seemed to be hiding something, but nothing wrong. I don¡¯t think they are doing anything wrong.¡±


    Evans nodded and turned to me next.


    ¡°What do you think.¡±


    I leaned against the wall and slowly reached to my back, my bone ax was still there, still the same despite being completely remodeled by the blacksmiths. I gently clutched its handle and looked at Rimi and Evans again.


    With a sigh, I began to speak.


    ¡°They seemed to be hiding the fact that they had been in a fight with this monster. There were wounds on all of them, hidden under their clothes.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rimi muttered. ¡°I did think their clothes were too long for the heat.¡±


    ¡°I think they lost their citizens in it too. Probably Bella¡¯s husband.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± asked Evans.


    ¡°She looked guilty when she mentioned his passing. The rest of them too. They only turned their heads away instead of looking ¡®sad.¡¯ Ah! The vibe! The vibe was off.¡±


    Rimi pulled her lips out like a stork and nodded¡ªjust like a stoner hitting a great joint¡ªas she gave me a fist bump.


    Right.


    Whatever I was thinking was probably wrong. If I was right, Evans would be thinking the same, he was not our leader for no reason. I did not have to say anything and sour the mood.


    I looked out the windows. The sun had just set. There was still a faint indigo in the sky. People were moving around outside too.


    The more I peeked outside, the more uncanny it became. There was no noise. The village was filled with youngsters, and farmers in their 30s or 40s and there was not enough noise.


    I quietly closed the drapes and sat down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep for now,¡± said Evans. ¡°We¡¯ll get on the lookout after two hours.¡±


    ***


    The time passed by quickly. When I opened my eyes, I noticed Evans was already sitting up. Rimi had taken the bed, I leaned against the table, and Evans was sleeping on the floor.


    I nodded at him and got up. Our resident extrovert was also a resident klutz and was sleeping as if she had just paid off three generations of debt.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head up first,¡± I told him. ¡°Come around after waking her up.¡±


    All three of us had to be there in case something went wrong. I decided to give these two some alone time and headed out first.


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    In my hands was my ax and my bag was slung on my shoulders. With these things, I felt at peace.


    My footsteps carried me through the streets of the empty village. The dirt road below was clean with only some footsteps on it. The houses around were almost all quiet, though some still had their lights on.


    Most of them must be nervous about the night.


    It gave me an unnerving feeling. I slowly looked up at the sky as I turned toward the road that led toward the church.


    Which god did this village worship from the Septet? I wanted to check, but I also did not.


    My gaze went to the skies¡­


    This spot that ran next to a river, away from the mountains, offered a clear view of the sky like none other. It was humorous.


    It was humorous how pretty the sky looked.


    ¡°It¡¯s too good a view for a day like today.¡±


    With a wry smile, I looked away and finally found myself in the field. I settled on a tree stump cut from the middle and gazed over the entire field that had been destroyed.


    They had said it themselves, the monster usually came from here.


    I just had to keep an eye on it. I doubted I would be able to do it.


    ***


    My saving grace from my thoughts came very soon. I heard footsteps approaching behind.


    ¡±How¡¯s it going.¡±


    ¡°Nothing so far.¡±


    Evans stopped next to me and viewed the field. He crossed his hands and glared at the fields, at the forest behind.


    ¡°Rimi?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I woke her up. She¡¯ll be here.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to say something to her?¡±


    Evans¡¯ eyes which had been glued to the field suddenly turned to me. With a trembling gaze, he glared at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I said.


    ¡°Say what? What do I have to say to her?¡±


    ¡°That you like her?¡± I answered. It was the most obvious thing in the world, and he definitely knew I knew. I mean, everyone knew. Even Shawn and the adventurer guild¡¯s receptionist had noticed his gaze when he looked at her.


    If these two hadn¡¯t grown up together, they would have already been married.


    Evans faked a cough and looked at the field again. I did the same.


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to say it anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Hold it in and you will regret it. Are you a teenager? Just say the things that should be said.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Evans ran a hand over his face. ¡°I mean. We are old friends, now is not the time.¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­ do you think she doesn¡¯t see you that way? If that is the case you at least have to plant the idea, right?¡± It was already frustrating to see people fumble with their feelings and confess over text messages. That used to be the worst in my eyes, but now I thought not saying anything was worse. No texts here, you see.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡±


    Evans pursed his lips. We were both quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. ¡°What if things don¡¯t work out? We are already close together. I don¡¯t want to change this dynamic, and I mean all three of us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe there will be some changes in our every day, but why do you think things would become different if you two got together?¡± I asked, exasperated. ¡°This bastard, just admit that you are too scared to say anything to her.¡±


    Evans raised his hands.


    ¡°You got me. I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t have the guts. I¡¯d really rather keep this going than become greedy for more and ruin it.¡±


    ¡°What if everything works out?¡± I said. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t know her answer, you are only assuming it. Why not assume the better outcome?¡±


    Evans sighed again.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± he said, almost as if he was holding a grudge. ¡°You planning to die alone?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I would find someone.¡±


    ¡°The mage from Papatou¡¯s party seemed to have a soft spot for you.¡±


    ¡°We are just friends. I prefer older ladies anyway.¡±


    Evans kicked me at my words. ¡°You amnesiac bitch. For all you know anyone older can be your mom.¡±


    We both burst into a peal of laughter.


    ¡°I was lying, ok?¡± I said, barely holding in my laugh. ¡°I believe in love at first sight. I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Just say you haven¡¯t thought of it.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of it.¡±


    ¡°I knew it, loner.¡±


    I kicked his shin this time and we both started laughing again.


    ¡°Speaking of moms and kids¡­¡± Evans took in a deep breath and spoke. At his words, the air around us completely changed. From a light-hearted conversation to something deeply malicious.


    My eyes narrowed too.


    ¡°Did you notice?¡± he asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°I was worried if I was simply thinking too much, but there are no children here.¡±


    Even though everyone looked to be in their mid-life, at the age it would be normal to have growing children¡ªwe hadn¡¯t seen a single child. There was no pitter-patter of playing kids in the evening nor were there cries of a baby in the night.


    ¡°If it was just children, I would have thought I was overthinking too,¡± said Evans. ¡°But there are no old people here either¡­¡±


    I hadn¡¯t noticed that. Right, the role of a village chief was usually with the oldest person, yet a man whose hair had just started to gray was sitting in that position.


    ¡°But that¡¯s still not all, Ian.¡±


    I nodded again.


    This next bit, I had anticipated too.


    ¡°The field is destroyed far too properly while everywhere else there is an abundance of lush grains that made the place seem golden¡­ and¡­¡±


    I finished his words for him.


    ¡°There are no animals either.¡±


    Would there be a village without horses or mules or bulls or cows? Sheep or dogs or pigs? That was impossible.


    There was not a single livestock here. Nothing to help with the farming nor anything to slaughter and eat.


    ¡±Rimi?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°I ¡®woke¡¯ her up. She¡¯s going to keep an eye for us from a distance.¡±


    I nodded. That was great. Her backup would be perfect.


    A village of just middle-aged people.


    People who would generally be the strongest among all age groups if there was any struggle. And also the most heartless.


    Wounds and scratches that could be hidden with longer clothes, and a dead husband that elicited guilt over pain.


    I grabbed my ax and stood up.


    Evans and I turned away from the field at the same time. If we were correct.


    Then the real monster was not in the forest behind us.


    But it was the village in front of us. The people here were the true monsters.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Evans. He pulled his sword out and took the lead.


    I followed behind him, gripping the ax tight. As we passed it by, my gaze lingered on the church. The run-down building had its stained glass already broken and the spires on top seemed to have been degraded from the years.


    Did no one come here either? The only thing that seemed right for a house of worship for the septet was the signboard at the entrance.


    [The Gods Always Have A Plan] it read.


    I looked away with sharper eyes than before. Things were going to get messy.


    Our plan would probably be to ascertain things, find some proof, and return to Scarlet so the lord of the town could take care of things.


    Unfortunately, it seemed collecting proof was going to be difficult.


    As we returned from the fork in the road to the place where all the houses sat.


    People of the village had already gathered.


    Standing in the middle of the group was the woman who had lost her husband, Bella.


    ¡°Ah¡­ you found out sooner than the rest.¡±

 Chapter 10: The Gods Always Have A Plan (3)

    The explanation Evans had given her was a little hard to digest, but there was no denying the truth in it.


    After Evans left. Rimi quickly put on her gear. She strapped the quiver to her back and grabbed her bow.


    Instead of going out the front, Rimi jumped out of the window. She had been keeping an eye everywhere too. It was natural for archers and scouts to look for vantage points where they could aim for.


    The mansion was one such place, and the spire atop the church was another. The mansion though, was her best choice. It offered a perfect view of the houses, of the church on one side, and an escape route through the river on the other.


    Rimi lowered her body, walking like a thief as she stepped out of the houses.


    ¡°Those two should have said something before I went to sleep¡­¡± In the end, she too couldn¡¯t believe Evans¡¯ explanation.


    It made sense, but she couldn¡¯t help but think they were overthinking. To Rimi, none of the people looked as if they were doing something ¡®wrong.¡¯


    Of course, Rimi knew better than to solely trust her gut. If the facts were against her thoughts, then she would accept her mistake. That¡¯s what it meant to be an adventurer that could survive.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡± Carefully, Rimi peeked out of the alleys. ¡°Where. Should. I. Aim. From¡­.¡±


    With each word, her eyes scanned the spots she could take over. There was one house in the village that was taller than the rest.


    In such an empty and wide space, even a three-story house was tall enough to look at the entire expanse.


    She had found her target. She would go up and take position. Close to the village. If everything was ok with the villagers and Evans gave the signal, she would then go to the mansion and take her spot. They will hunt the monsters, take their reward, go back home, and keep jabbing Evans and Ian for suspecting their employers.


    ¡°Well, how do I get on top?¡±


    She walked around the back of the house. Going in and asking to be let into the roof was something even Rimi couldn¡¯t do. At the back, she noticed a tree that was tall enough to get to the roof and then a little higher.


    Rimi looked at the house. The distance between the trunk and the wall of the house was about a meter, but the tree grew with a tilt and the distance was wider at the top.


    Rimi removed a dagger from her boots and shot it at the tree The dagger embedded itself halfway through the trunk, a bit above her height.


    Next, she jumped on the wall of the house. With a light, nimble kick, she used it to boost herself on the tree. Her feet landed on the dagger and she found herself off the ground.


    With practiced movements, Rimi used her hands and feet to almost crawl on the tree, her every limb pushed her off as she leaped a vertical distance even gold medalists wouldn¡¯t cover. Her hands grabbed a thick branch of the tree.


    ¡°There we go.¡± Rimi pulled herself up. Her feet dangled only for a moment as she straddled the branch. After taking a few breaths, she mentally gauged the distance between her and the roof.


    A little less than two meters. Nothing she couldn¡¯t cover.


    Rimi made a mental note to collect her dagger from below as she leaped off the tree once more. She grabbed the edge of the rooftop and sighed as she pulled herself up once more. Perfect entrance.


    Rimi quickly dusted herself as she nocked an arrow into her bow and took position. At the other end of the rooftop where she could see the entire city¡ª


    Sounds of footsteps entered her ears. Doors clacked and creaked. The village that had been engulfed by the silence of the night suddenly became busy.


    Rimi quickly lowered herself, hiding behind the ledge of the roof. Slowly, she peeked out.


    All of them.


    Every single villager was stepping out of their houses.


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    Rimi clasped her mouth and muttered a curse under her breath. Evans was right. There were no animals, no elderly, and no children.


    As if they were possessed, the people of the village dragged themselves out toward the road. Rimi peeked out again and followed their path.


    That¡¯s when she saw. She was a little late. Evans and Ian had already made their way toward the village. They were about to encounter the people at any moment.


    She quickly tugged the bowstring and aimed. Mana coalesced around her eyes as her vision sharpened. The useless things in her peripheral vision started to blur away and she focused on the person at the front of the mob.


    The same lady who had kindly talked with her all day. It was Bella.


    ¡°I¡¯ll shoot her down.¡±


    Rimi firmed her resolve and waited for the signal.


    They would have to run soon.


    ***


    ¡°Ah¡­ you found out sooner than the rest. Makes sense knowing your abilities.¡±


    I gulped at Bella¡¯s words. She was wearing a bright smile, one that did not fit someone who was cornered. What did she mean by knowing our abilities? Was she someone strong enough to gauge our strength?


    I gripped the ax tighter and looked to my side. Calm as ever, Evans¡¯ eyes swept over the crowd of people.


    He slowly raised his hands.


    ¡°What use do you have of humans?¡± asked Evans. ¡°Are all of you black magicians?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Bella gasped. She shook her head as if our accusation was a common mistake. ¡°Not at all, we are not disgusting like those black magicians. We don¡¯t bring back the dead.¡±


    Evans pursed his lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you are going to be a part of something great.¡± The woman laughed. ¡°You will be a sacrifice to a god! The god of rain!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense.¡± Evans chuckled. ¡°You are not black magicians, but heretics¡ª¡±


    Evans quietened down as all the farmers raised their pitchforks and hoes at his words.


    No, I assumed they were pitchforks. For some reason, all the members of the village were carrying weapons. Standard weapons one would see in the hands of adventurers and mercenaries.


    This¡­


    They had done this multiple times¡­


    ¡°Watch your words. We follow the true god. The gods you call the septet abandoned us!¡± People behind her echoed her words for the first time, shouting in words of affirmation.


    It was shocking.


    Not because of their actions, but because I too was abandoned by the Septet.


    ¡°Years and years of famine.¡± Bella stepped forward. ¡°Our animals died from sickness, our fathers and mothers couldn¡¯t bear hunger in their old age and collapsed.¡±


    I looked at Evans again. At his hands. My grip on the ax tightened.


    The roles had never changed. While he distracted and handled the crowd, it was my job to observe them. I had to take the initiative and break us out of here.


    Of course, I could do it. The entire terrain zoomed out in my head as a plan slowly started to form. We could break through the left flank, set fire to a tree, and cut it off to block our path. With Rimi¡¯s support, I could take Evans and her out of here.


    That was my role.


    ¡°There are no children here,¡± said Evans. ¡°What did you do to them, you heretics.¡±


    Someone tossed a stone from the back which grazed Evans¡¯ cheeks. He still had his hands raised in surrender. Waiting.


    Bella took another step forward.


    ¡°Children¡­ you know what they say right? Children are vessels of god. It is true. Don¡¯t worry, you will see them soon. Soon.¡±


    Evans¡¯ face contorted.


    ¡°What did you do!?¡± He screamed and asked. Some emotion had leaked into his distraction.


    We had to get the perfect timing. The more riled up the other side was better, but our side couldn¡¯t lose control.


    ¡°Answer me!¡±


    ¡°Those children went to god. The real god.¡± Bella sniffled, an ecstatic smile was etched on her face even though tears spilled from her eyes. ¡°A passing traveler enlightened us. It was so easy, we pushed them all in a single space and used the summoning magic¡­¡±


    Drool dripped from her mouth.


    The others started fidgeting too. It was working. Our chance to escape was coming.


    ¡°Our lord descended¡­¡± Bella laughed. ¡°In the form of the children, he descended. He chose my daughter, you know? And in the form of my daughter, he got rid of all the filthy unchosen ones.¡±


    A dark shadow was cast on mine and Evans¡¯ face.


    I was watching his hands with trembling eyes. The magic to send multiple fireballs was ready. Anytime now¡­


    ¡°The lord brought us health, he cured our diseases and summoned rain, and only sought offerings in return.¡± Bella¡¯s eyes were dripping with tears as she laughed louder. ¡°He ate them all! Ate them! HAHAHA!¡±


    ¡°RIMI!¡± Evans screamed, his palm opened up. It was the signal for us to move.


    Rimi would leave a hole in that bitch¡¯s head. I turned and shot two fireballs on the trees behind us.


    ¡°Evans run¡ª¡±


    Another fireball towards the crowd¡­


    My hand stopped moving. My body did not slide as I wanted it to, as if I was losing strength.


    My head suddenly became light.


    The woman, Bella, was still standing. There were no holes through her head.


    Blood seeped out of my mouth.


    ¡°IAN!!¡±


    I looked down. An arrow was lodged in my chest. It had barely missed my heart.


    It hurt. It really hurt.


    Why?


    Why was an arrow in me? It was familiar, it was Rimi¡¯s arrow.


    ¡°Look at that!¡± With the scream of the woman, I fell to the ground. Unable to move.


    Evans looked at me and ran closer, but stopped and pulled his blade when Bella stepped closer.


    What was going on? My vision was blurring.


    Blood seeped out of my chest like a broken faucet.


    ¡°Terrible, right?¡± Bella said. ¡°Who would have thought you have a traitor in your party?¡±


    Traitor¡­? No. That was a lie. Evans¡¯ body shook.


    Bella stepped closer to him.


    ¡°Instead of saving your friend, you should go catch the traitor and bring her to us.¡±


    Don¡¯t listen¡­ Just run¡­


    ¡°We¡¯ll give all of you justice.¡±


    I tried to stretch my hands, but it didn¡¯t move. She was lying. She was trying to manipulate us.


    The last thing I saw was Evans running toward the village. The villagers all turned away and let him pass by.


    Ah¡­


    He was only pretending to be fooled again, right?


    With this, at least Evans and Rimi would run awa¡­

 Chapter 11: The Gods Always Have A Plan (4)

    [Mom-my¡­ it hurts¡­?]


    [Mom¡­? Why¡­ you don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t hurt my mom¡­]


    [Mom-my? Will you¡­ be happy¡­ if it rains?]


    [Mom-my¡­ it hurts¡­? It hurts¡­?]


    [Mom-my¡­ don¡¯t cry¡­ I will listen¡­ to you?]


    Like the knells of a bell, strange noises pounded my head. Heavy breaths left me as I slowly opened my eyes.


    I still couldn¡¯t move¡­ Not yet. I hadn¡¯t died. Slowly, I forced my body to roll over.


    The crackles of a flame in the deep night covered my blurry gaze. Around a pyre, all the villagers had gathered.


    [Don¡¯t¡­ hurt my mom-my?]


    The inhumane words came from a figure behind them. All the villagers save for Bella were prostrating on the ground.


    I saw it.


    The giant snake. A monster beyond humanity. Its red eyes were trembling. Even through my blurry vision, I could see the blood and flesh that stuck to its skin. Bones, flesh, and organs of people. Of the adventurers and mercenaries before us. Of the children they had made that being swallow.


    A gasp left me as more blood spilled from my mouth.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Someone heard it.


    Bella heard it.


    ¡°You are alive? What a great surprise.¡±


    She suddenly walked over to me. My eyes watched her figure approaching.


    Bella crouched next to me.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it splendid? Just by meeting my eyes clearly, anyone without mental magic listens to me. That is a gift our lord gave me for birthing his vessel.¡±


    She grabbed my chin and forcefully moved my head. Away from the giant snake that kept screaming cries for help, away from the villagers prostrating in front of it.


    To the other side just gently lit by the flames of the pyre.


    ¡°Look, that beautiful sight.¡±


    A blonde man held a blunt dagger. The refreshing smile that used to light his face was replaced by a face of helplessness.


    Tears and snot dripped from his mouth. I could hear, even over the screams of the monster and the villagers, I could hear.


    The sound of sawing.


    ¡°Can you see~?¡±


    Bella forced my face up and pointed at the two. Evans, crying, moved the blunt dagger over and over.


    He was straddling her¡­ he was on top of Rimi. The dagger made screeching noises.


    I could see it.


    Three of her limbs were spread on the ground, and Evans¡­ was cutting through the bone of the last one. He was slowly chipping his blade through her bones.


    Through Rimi¡¯s bone¡­ Her eyes were hollow, a puddle of blood and tears had formed below her face.


    She wasn¡¯t breathing.


    She wasn¡¯t breathing.


    The shock made it clear. My vision focused on her.


    She wasn¡¯t breathing.


    Rimi was dead.


    Dead.


    A snap resounded as Evans finally cut through her bone. The last of Rimi¡¯s limbs were on the ground. His mouth hung open, but he couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Great! Finally!¡± Bella dropped my head and stood up. Once again, I couldn¡¯t see them and my eyes went to the snake.


    ¡°Now take her limbs and offer them.¡±


    Evans¡¯ powerless figure stepped into the corner of my vision.


    What was this?


    What the hell was this?


    I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t even die.


    Evans slowly strode the ground and stopped in front of the snake. In his hands were the limbs of the person he loved.


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    This fucking ability that brought me back every time I died.


    Why couldn¡¯t it activate?! Why wasn¡¯t I dead yet?


    I could do nothing but watch.


    My only family¡­


    My heroes¡­


    My everything in this world was being taken away.


    No matter how much I tried to scream or move, nothing happened. No matter how bad I wished to die and wake up right now.


    That fucking skill did not activate.


    I was forced to just watch.


    The snake lowered its mouth.


    [Mom-my? I will¡­ listen to mom-my¡­?]


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ go and feed the lord¡­¡±


    Evans slowly raised his hands. He offered all the limbs to the snake¡ª


    The snake smacked its tail down. In a single moment, it crushed Evans under its weight. It then lowered its mouth and grabbed something in its teeth.


    It had bitten through the limbs and the upper half of Evans.


    Just like that. It was over.


    They died.


    Both of them died.


    ¡°Ooh!¡± Bella exclaimed. ¡°The lord must have been hungry. It¡¯s your turn next~¡±


    Bella walked over and grabbed me by my feet. At once, she dragged me away.


    I couldn¡¯t think of anything.


    Not about the trail of blood that was left behind me or about the suddenly pounding heart due to the movement.


    ¡°You¡¯ll make good food for the lord. Be proud.¡±


    A small stone came in the way and bumped under me. The stone lodged itself into the wound on my chest, more blood spurted out from my chest and mouth.


    And my vision darkened again.


    What was the point¡­?


    Of dying now?


    I had no more will¡­


    ***


    ¡°Woah did you look at that? He tanked it.¡±


    ¡°I am worried about you¡±


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°How disappointing¡­ a person like you becoming the hero.¡±


    ¡°Be grateful in death¡ªThe pain will disappear soon¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be a good subject¡±


    ¡°Die again?¡±


    ¡°Give me your eye¡±


    ¡®¡¯SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP!¡±


    ¡°Dying so much would make your mind that of a monster.¡±


    ¡°Do you not feel pain?¡±


    ¡°Please let us go¡­¡±


    ¡°We are all victims¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ human?¡±


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°Psst¡­ Psst¡­ boy. Listen. There is a panacea for all of your problems.¡±


    ¡°What is it, sir?¡±


    ¡°Violence.¡±


    ***


    ¡°HAAH!¡±


    A soft groan was muffled over the screams of the giant serpent. None of the villagers noticed someone¡ªsomething, wake up again.


    That ¡®creature¡¯ looked around with a calm gaze as he was pulled away by Bella. His eyes fell on the blunt dagger that had been held by his friend mere moments ago.


    ¡±Lord¡­ here is¡­ Damn, this brat is heavy!¡± Bella turned back and saw the boy lying on the ground.


    There was no hole in his heart, nor was there the despair in his eyes which she had seen all this time.


    It was quiet.


    Still.


    Like a still lake in a land still untainted by humans.


    As if no ripples, no emotions existed in there. Fear took over her entire body as Bella tried to use her skill of mind control¡ª


    ¡®He¡¯ raised a dagger and forced it into Bella¡¯s thigh with all his strength.


    ¡°AAAAK!¡± A scream escaped her as the pain traveled up her feet. In a swift move, he used his hands to kick off the ground and stood up. His foot landed on the back of Bella¡¯s knee and she fell.


    He then raised his feet and kicked her head into the ground. The shock sent her ears ringing as her brain pulsed with pain.


    ¡°I am saving you for the end.¡±


    As if he were walking in a park, he strolled over to the other side. His eyes were fixed on his luggage that they had tossed away.


    ¡°W-what are you looking at!?¡± Bella screamed. ¡°GET HIM!¡±


    He grabbed the bone ax on the ground and turned around. At that very moment, one villager pounced on him while holding a hammer.


    The villager pinned him on the ground. The villager¡¯s weight was pushed all over him.


    Instead of flinching in pain or crying out, he opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the villager''s neck.


    A gruesome sound echoed¡ªa crunch, a tear, and a feral scream.


    ¡°AAAAAAH!¡±


    That creature spat away a giant mouthful of the villager''s flesh. The villager pushed off his body and tried to stand, but ¡®he¡¯ wasn¡¯t going to allow it.


    He sank his hand in the villager''s exposed flesh, dying it with blood. Without as much as a tremor in his eyes, he pulled out the veins and nerves of the villager and yanked through it.


    The veins and nerves tore off as a geyser of blood erupted from the villager. He was in for a quick yet extremely painful death.


    Even as their victims hurt each other, all the villagers saw them cry. They saw them moan and scream.


    They saw humans.


    At the sight of something that did not even blink an eye killing someone, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, all the villagers couldn¡¯t help but take a step back.


    Apathy.


    That was what he felt towards death.


    Apathy.


    The creature in front of them could no longer be called a human. No. What stood in front of them, was a monster.


    ¡°I see,¡± the monster named Ian glanced at the sky, and then at the villagers. ¡°The stars¡­ huh?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t talking to them. Even though his eyes were on them, the villagers knew he saw them like they saw livestock. Something to slaughter and never think about again. Something insignificant.


    Fear coiled around their legs and hissed next to their ears. They were rats that were facing a being far beyond their level. Cornered rats that lost their sense and reason in front of a calamity.


    The instinct of an animal facing its predator kicked in. Their sense and reason muddled as the villagers all raised their weapons.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°AHHH!¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him go!!¡±


    ¡°DIE DIE DIE!¡±


    Yet, that monster did not bother with their words. He couldn¡¯t. No matter how much a chicken clacked, did a butcher ever stop?


    No.


    He raised his hand and gathered his mana. The circle around his heart spun furiously as an ethereal magic circle etched itself into the air below his palm.


    Four points on it glowed, reflecting the same sight as the constellation of Corvus in the skies.


    ¡°The strongest necromancy that raises the dead with their original power¡­¡± The magic circle formed completely. A purplish hue emerged from the circle as the spell activated.


    ¡°But it only works on the user. Even if you come back, you¡¯ll be a mindless drone without someone to control the spell. Hah¡­¡± Ian scoffed.


    The villagers were upon him. One raised a sword high and others swung their weapons at him, any moment now, he would be hit and killed.


    Yet, he did not care.


    ¡°I apologize for prolonging your suffering.¡±


    The sword came down to his neck¡ª


    ¡°[Return To Hell]¡±


    A hand emerged from the ground and pulled the leg of the villager. Then another, and another. Dozens of hands crept out of the ground and yanked away the villagers close to attacking that being.


    The other villagers stepped back in shock and surprise at another sudden turn of events.


    The ground turned over as skeletons draped in a cloak of shadows slowly came out of the ground. Some lacked limbs, some had cracks in their heads, and some were so weak they couldn¡¯t do anything except crawl on the ground.


    Yet many.


    Dozens and dozens of them were standing like staunch soldiers of the underworld.


    The villager with the sword was kicked by a skeleton, and another snatched its sword. In a swift movement, it stabbed the sword in the villager¡¯s neck and killed him.


    ¡®He¡¯ raised his hand at his targets. Pointed at them.


    And then, their fate was announced from his lips.


    ¡°Slaughter.¡±

 Chapter 12: The Gods Always Have A Plan (5)

    The bone ax lodged in the middle of some person¡¯s face. With a crack, their skull shattered and their life ended in front of the power of the ax.


    Yet, just hitting anyone once didn¡¯t feel enough.


    Not enough at all.


    I kicked the person and dislodged the ax off their head. With one hand, I grabbed the dead body¡¯s neck and with the other chopped its limbs off.


    The same way they had made Rimi suffer, I was going to impart it on them.


    Only after cutting off both the hands and the neck of the person did I turn to the next. All around me, all over the place, a similar sight had been unfolding.


    As if they had sensed my thoughts, the undead soldiers¡ªmy own past selves, slaughtered the villagers.


    ¡°No¡­ no not my wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ stop! I don¡¯t want to kill my husband! Let me go!¡±


    A skeleton struck a sword into somebody¡¯s already beheaded wife in front of their eyes, while two others forced a couple to kill each other. The skeletons grabbed their hands and forced their knives into each other.


    There were more than hundreds of weapons here. How many people from how many cities had they killed? What about those children?


    Such thoughts entered my mind as I smashed the head of another person to the ground, but they quickly dissipated. My eyes kept trailing toward the side, where the corpses of my two friends lay.


    How strange.


    No matter how many times I saw them.


    This feeling did not change.


    There was no wrath, no grief. Only a strange coldness filled me.


    Had I become a monster? No.


    It was because I had decided. That was all. A simple decision made it all seem pointless.


    Blood was all around the place. The blood that continued to spill out of the villagers reached the pyre of fire.


    Ah. Good idea.


    I walked around and found a villager trying to run away. I lifted him up and dragged him over to the pyre.


    ¡°No, no no no!¡±


    I slit the villager¡¯s neck in front of the pyre. It was an emergency blood-based water hose that would take care of the flame.


    Nodding, I turned away. Some villagers were trying to escape this place by running into the woods, but the skeletons weren¡¯t merciful enough.


    Like hungry hounds on a blood trail, the skeletons charged after the villagers and lodged them into the woods with their weapons.


    My eyes trailed over the space. It was all ending. Everything.


    The skeletons outnumbered everything. They seemed to be in the hundreds, and I had barely managed to summon all of them.


    The ones whose stats were too low to move were stuck on the ground, but even the ones that crawled made themselves useful. With their teeth, their hands¡ªanything that they could, they used to kill the enemy.


    Even the giant serpent that had been watching it all, their ¡®lord¡¯ seemed to have stopped screaming.


    They had made a child into that thing. How long was it wishing for their death?


    The serpent did not move, so I let it be.


    My eyes landed on the one that I had saved for the end. The weak skeletons had kept her safe and tied down.


    ¡°Control through eyes¡­ huh?¡± I stepped toward her as I held my ax tight.


    I wasn¡¯t going to let her off easily. I raised the ax high and brought my other hand to my eyes. If there were no eyes, what could she control me through?


    I moved my hand to my eyes as the world turned upside down. My feet were still on the ground, but there was no body on them.


    I could see my feet.


    [Don¡¯t hurt¡­ mom-my]


    Ah¡­


    The snake moved.


    ***


    Bella raised her head in shock. All the villagers were dead, but suddenly, all the skeletons stopped moving too.


    It was strange. The weight holding her down to the ground disappeared.


    She slowly looked up and around her. All the skeletons had fallen to the ground. Near her was the giant serpent, her ¡®lord,¡¯ who kept saying the words that the undeserving vessel forced them to.


    Bella looked at the snake, it was swallowing something. Something whole.


    Her eyes then landed on the feet of the ¡®creature¡¯ that had wreaked havoc over the entire village. In a single night, everything came crashing down.


    People that had been in the village for years died, slaughtered.


    Bella couldn¡¯t say she was sad though. She was happy they were dead, in time she would have killed them herself.


    After all, these were the same bastards that her husband had sold her off to during the famine. That scumbag who didn¡¯t wish to work and sold his wife for even a half-drank bottle of alcohol.


    These were the same bastards who had tortured her to no end. And the same women who had done nothing despite knowing what their husbands subjected her to day in and out.


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    That was why, the day her lord descended, the first person she fed him was her bastard husband, and then everyone whom she disliked.


    The ones who were still alive were under her control. Her toys.


    [Mom-my?]


    The lord called for her.


    A smile blossomed on Bella¡¯s face. There was no sound except for her lords.


    It was over. The nightmare was over.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± She won. She was chosen by her lord and helped again. ¡°Haha¡­ HAHAHA¡­ HAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    Bella laughed. She laughed and laughed, in relief, in the humor of it all, she reveled.


    [Mom-my¡­ It hurts¡­]


    Bella¡¯s eyes trailed to the Lord again.


    She slowly took a step closer. Yes, she was chosen. She was above all these bastards that only brought her suffering. That demon was banished too.


    Everything was over.


    Righteousness had won. Worship had won.


    She had won¡ª


    ¡ªCLANG!


    The body of the serpent extended outward. Bella who was getting closer to her lord stopped. An ominous chill ran up her spine.


    She could hear the voices of the bones gathering together again. The skeletons were rising once more.


    [Mom-my? It hurts¡­ It hurts it hurts it hurts¡­]


    Over and over, the serpent¡¯s body expanded closer to her. The clangs resounded louder with each passing moment.


    [AHHHHH!!]


    It tore off. The body of the serpent split from within. Blood, guts, and stomach juices spurted on Bella¡¯s face as the serpent was cut apart from the inside.


    Fear took over her body.


    A hand extended out of the serpent, then another. That ¡®monster¡¯ tore her lord open from the inside and stepped out.


    He too was covered in blood. His clothes were burnt onto his skin, but his eyes.


    His eyes were still indifferent.


    The same as before. As everything was beneath him.


    ¡°M-m-m-monster¡­¡± Bella muttered.


    She took a step back. Her body trembled with deep intensity. She felt sick to her stomach, as if her very organs would pour out in vomit.


    She had to use her magic. Right now, she had to stop him right now¡ª


    The man raised his fingers and stabbed them into her eyes. As he pulled his hand away, her eyeballs dragged out too.


    Bella¡¯s mouth opened as a scream left her. Pain unlike anything she had felt shook her to her very soul...


    ¡°Control through eyes¡­ was it?¡±


    The skeletons around gathered near Bella.


    It was over. Her last chance, her spell, she couldn¡¯t hope to use it now. Her lord was dead anyway, the one that had bestowed her the ability.


    The man took a step forward.


    Bella felt the ground turn over and the clouds fall to her feet.


    She took a step back.


    ¡°No¡­ please¡­ no, w-we can revive the lord¡­ the lord will surely bless you. I promise. W-w-we can birth another vessel and revive the¡ª¡±


    The man swung the axe and cut her tongue off.


    ¡°AH¡­?¡± Bella yelped. Her words stopped flowing as gasps left her. ¡°Gahg huh.. ah?¡±


    ¡°AHHHHHH!!¡±


    She screamed in pain and covered her mouth, right then, a kick was planted in her stomach.


    Bella slid and fell to the ground, and the skeletons all around her stepped away. They gathered in a line as if making way for that monster.


    For death to claim her soul.


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­¡±


    The monster took a step forward.


    ¡°Run,¡± he said.


    Blinded, Bella struggled to get on her feet. She stood up and started to run in front of her.


    With a step or two, she fell on her face.


    And the sound of the man approaching grew louder.


    ¡°Ah¡­ auhhhh¡­¡±


    Groans left her as she cried for help. Bella got back on her feet and charged ahead. She tripped over nothing, and this time, he caught up.


    The man swung his axe and a deep gash tore through her back.


    ¡°Run.¡±


    Bella bit her lips through the pain and charged ahead again. She couldn¡¯t see anything, but she knew this village, and so she ran.


    The woman who couldn¡¯t tell her left from her right anymore ran as fast as her feet could carry her.


    She wanted someone, anyone to help her.


    So she ran to the only place she could run to.


    Each time she fell, the man and his army of skeletons would follow.


    ¡°Run.¡±


    He cut her arms.


    ¡°Run.¡±


    Her shoulders.


    ¡°Run.¡±


    Her legs.


    A trail of blood was left in her wake. With her body maimed, all she could do was crawl on her hands.


    She crawled, with all her strength. She crawled.


    Help. Just some help. She prayed and prayed for help as she crawled closer to the church in the village.


    But.


    ¡°I caught up again.¡±


    Bella dropped her head to the ground. If only her stupid child could have been a stronger vessel. If only the foolish villagers could have killed this monster. If only the adventurers'' guild had sent a different party.


    She wouldn¡¯t have had to face this.


    The monster lowered his ax.


    If only¡­


    .


    .


    .


    ***


    A corpse lay at my feet. The bone ax separated the corpse''s head and body.


    With this.


    It was over.


    Everything was over.


    I slowly turned and looked at a skeleton soldier.


    ¡°Go,¡± I said, and it ran into the village. My eyes fell on the woman once more.


    The sight that I had created back at the fire flashed through my head.


    After all this¡­ how could I claim to be a human?


    How could I say I was better than these bastards?


    It was over. Everything. My revenge was over, and now it was time to end my suffering too.


    The skeleton I had sent away soon returned with a rope. I tied it in a noose and rolled it in my hands.


    ¡°You all go away from this hell.¡±


    With those words, the skeletons started to fade away into purple miasma.


    The sense of strength that I had felt disappeared. I couldn¡¯t live.


    I didn¡¯t have anything anymore. After losing everything, I even threw away my humanity and my right to live.


    That¡¯s why, I decided to kill myself. Just like the time I had been buried underground, this time I would hang. I had already died thrice, it wouldn¡¯t take long for my stats to go to 0.


    Even if I didn¡¯t die, I would eventually be too frail to even breathe. All of this would be over. If an eternity of suffering awaited me, so be it.


    A chuckle left me as I stepped ahead. That woman had run all the way to the church.


    It wasn¡¯t a bad place to die. There would be more than enough space to hang inside.


    My life in this world zoomed past my head. The time I spent with my newfound family. The time with the Lich. Even the two weeks at the palace.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    My feet dragged ahead, my thoughts in a different place.


    A man who wished to revive his family without dying and became a Lich. A girl who saw her mother and her village''s desperate pleas and turned into a monster that brought rain and good health.


    Why the hell was I even in this world?


    There were many mysteries, but those didn¡¯t concern me.


    I stopped in front of the gate and meekly pushed my hand ahead.


    I remembered it was a pretty night. But I didn¡¯t dare to stain the view any further.


    My eyes went only halfway above the door, at the signboard on top.


    [The Gods Always Have A Plan] it read.


    The Gods Always Have A Plan¡­


    The same gods that had abandoned this village? The people that had come here? Even Rimi and Evans? How hilarious.


    Every time I heard that phrase, I couldn¡¯t help but scoff.


    Suddenly, my mind blanked.


    Everytime¡­ I heard the phrase¡­?


    [That boy with no abilities, Ian?]


    [The gods always have a plan, and you are not a person to harm a child¡ª]


    If there was no Oracle, I wouldn¡¯t have been in the ground.


    If the commander had decided to kill me himself. Even to the end, if he had killed me instead of burying me alive.


    They would have known about Undying¡­


    [Die again¡­?]


    If I hadn¡¯t been left alone, I wouldn¡¯t have met the Lich.


    If the Lich hadn¡¯t found out a clue to his goal through me, he would have left at the first sight of the Imperial Knights instead of stubbornly trying to continue his research.


    I wouldn¡¯t have met Evans and Rimi.


    [You know what they say, the gods always have a plan.]


    I wouldn¡¯t have learned.


    I wouldn¡¯t have become stronger.


    I wouldn¡¯t have come to this village.


    Evans and Rimi would still be alive. So would this village that continued to harm people.


    A man who suddenly turned into a Lich even though such things did not happen in this world.


    A girl who heard her mother¡¯s plea and the village¡¯s suffering and turned into a being that granted their wishes, even though such things did not happen in this world.


    I and the heroes who were called to this world to fight a great threat.


    Even though the demons had existed for as long as the humans had.


    My body staggered as a connection formed in my head. My legs went weak, and my knees trembled.


    I fell on my back. The Lich, the Serpent, and I.


    My eyes shook, and every cell in my body screamed out.


    From the beginning.


    ¡°No¡­ no no no no¡­¡±


    All of this¡­


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not possible¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Was part of their plan.


    I fell limp.


    From the beginning. The Undying, the burying, and Evans and Rimi. While the heroes grew stronger¡­ I was used to keep these ¡®threats¡¯ that flipped the logic of the world in check.


    The great threat that this sudden transformation posed.


    And my role in stopping it.


    Even if it meant Rimi and Evans dying. Even if meant being buried. Since the threats died too¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±


    Everything was a part of their plan.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡±

 Chapter 13: Epilogue of Part 1

    The city of Scarlet woke up earlier than most others. It was a place busy with people who traveled to the capital day in and out, after all.


    That meant along with the city, its residents had to be quick to wake as well.


    Shawn too, being a shopkeeper, woke up earlier than others. He stretched in the morning, cleaned up his house, and freshened his appearance before heading down to his restaurant.


    The proudly opened Shawn¡¯s Skewers he had built after spending every penny from his fortune as an adventurer. Those were the days.


    Now, he just looked at kids that continued the spirit.


    The morning was early. There was still fog in the air and chill in his every breath, yet more people walked out than one would expect.


    Shawn quickly opened the door to his shop. The first thing he noticed was that the window was slightly open.


    His gaze hardened at once. Was it a thief?


    Shawn¡¯s mana flowed through his body as he slowly pulled out a dagger and slowly walked ahead. That was when his eyes fell on an unfamiliar object on the counter.


    He walked over to it and turned on a lamp. There was a pouch on it.


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    Shawn carefully opened it up and saw money.


    ¡°The hell?¡±


    This was the first time he had heard of a thief who left money instead of stealing it. With a guess in his head, he spread the coins out and started counting them.


    His guess was correct. Shawn sighed in relief.


    The amount matched exactly the amount one little brat named Ian owed him. A chuckle left Shawn.


    ¡°That kid has grown bold¡­¡± He still remembered how shy Ian was just three months ago. The transformation was big and also warm. Shawn couldn¡¯t help but feel like a big brother for the Evans party and had a soft spot for Ian who looked like a lost cat.


    With a smile, he returned to his work. He had to clean up the restaurant and make some morning prep. As soon as it was done, before opening the business, he had somewhere else to be.


    Shawn grabbed a coat and rushed out of the restaurant. His feet carried him through a path that he had traveled many times.


    Soon, he found himself at the only Church of the Septet in the city.


    But this time, a crowd had gathered outside the church.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± He muttered to himself. There were even the knights of the city lord standing around.


    Shawn squeezed himself into the crowd, driven by his curiosity. It was difficult with his frame, but he managed.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­ just a second¡­¡± He pushed himself through the crowd and finally emerged on the other side.


    His eyes fell on the church¡¯s doors that were wide open, and then inside.


    A statue of one of the goddesses stood right at the center of the place. The statue of the eldest amongst the Septet.


    Shawn suddenly felt his breakfast rise from his stomach as he lowered his gaze.


    In her outstretched hands was a head. The head of an old farmer wearing a straw hat.


    And behind the statue on the walls, written with blood was one word.


    [REVENGE]


    .


    ..


    ...


    PART 1: YOU DON''T DIE ONCE¡ªEND

 Chapter 14: Intermission-The Crow

    Words flew out on both sides of the table as a ping-pong of exchanges carried out amongst the people.


    When one gathered important figures inside a single, room such events were only natural. From asking about one¡¯s children to insulting someone else¡¯s policies for children, the lords, knights, administrators, and members of the clergy gathered in the room continued on and on.


    As the one with the most authority in the room, the First Prince sat with his arms crossed and his eyes shut close.


    This was a meeting room inside the great palace of Crimson. Centered around Zirkonia, it was one of the three grand alliances of the continent.


    Just the partnership of the strongest Empire and the Theocracy of the Eldest amongst the Septet was enough to hold sway over the entire continent.


    Only the Union of the Eleven Kingdoms and the Northern Alliance could hold any problems for them¡ªof course, that was not counting the demons on the continent adjacent to them.


    The door of the room suddenly opened. All the noises flowing around quietened down as everyone stood up and bowed.


    ¡°Bishop.¡±


    They said in respect. Only the Prince nodded at the entrance of the Bishop who sat directly across him.


    ¡°I apologize for my tardiness, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Bishop Polya.¡±


    The First Prince cleared his throat as everyone took their seats again. His eyes swept through the people in the room, one by one.


    ¡°It seems our thoughts were correct,¡± he said. ¡°Commander Brown.¡±


    At his words, the Knight Commander Brown leaned forward on the table and continued in the Prince¡¯s stead.


    ¡°Please remember that everything we discuss here is highly classified. Allow me to begin with a summary. Three months ago, in the Great Forest of Zirkonia, we encountered a monstrous disaster that has since been dubbed the Violet Plague.¡±


    The bishop lowered his head in a small prayer at those words.


    ¡°The Lich named Violet Plague was found extremely close to the capital. We found him and a hideout that seemed to have been lived in for a day or two, ensuring that he was a wandering Lich that had come in from the West.¡±


    The minister hesitated before continuing. Everyone in the room knew the reason.


    ¡°Fighting the Lich brought us a loss of 135 Knights and Paladins, and 42 Priests. It was a battle on a scale that hadn¡¯t been fought near the Capital for a long time. Only due to the Bishop¡¯s help were we able to keep things from leaking out.¡±


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    The Minister looked at everyone as if informing them that now the important parts would begin.


    ¡°The Lich, as we have confirmed with the Oracle of Lord Astrea¡­ was initially a human being. A phenomenon had transformed him from a person to a type of Lich that hadn¡¯t been seen before.¡±


    The Minister tapped the table.


    ¡°A similar case was identified.¡±


    Gasps rang out in the room. The Minister of Intelligence continued instead of the first minister. With a somber, indifferent gaze and a languid tone as if he lacked emotions, the man addressed the room.


    ¡°There are sketches and documents from a village in the South named Magen. After some digging, we found that this village was issuing quests to nearby cities and mercenaries. While the quests were cleared and there was a wide gap in each quest, the people accepted the quest never returned.¡±


    ¡°So, the second case was confirmed here?¡± Asked the Commander of the Paladins. ¡°Do we have to suppress another monster?¡±


    The Minister of Intelligence shook his head. ¡°The monster has already been suppressed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just like before, we found a murky core at the monster¡¯s¡­ corpse. The Oracle has confirmed that this ¡®being¡¯ was manifold weaker and younger than the Violet Plague. For now, we are calling it the Serpent...¡±


    Everyone was shocked.


    Not because of the claims of the Minister, but from his reactions. Even Commander Brown and Bishop Polya couldn¡¯t hide their surprise.


    It was the first time in a very long time they had seen this man hesitate.


    ¡°What is it¡­?¡± Asked Commander Brown. ¡°Who killed them, some adventurers?¡±


    The Intelligence Minister looked down at the table.


    ¡°We believe it was the work of a terrorist group¡­ or maybe someone there for revenge. The last adventurers who had visited the place¡­ we believe have died.¡±


    ¡°We believe this we believe that.¡± Commander Brown smacked the table. ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak straight?! Are they dead, or not?¡±


    The Intelligence Minister hesitated again.


    ¡°Sir¡­ Have you heard, that crows gather at the scent of death?¡±


    The Commander was about to say something, but The Prince stopped him with a gesture.


    ¡°We always heard it from our elders. That if crows gather, bad luck was approaching¡­¡± The Minister gulped. ¡°All the way from here to Magen, I didn¡¯t see a single crow¡­ because a feast was laid out for them at the village.¡±


    The Intelligence Minister shook his head.


    ¡°Not a single person was recognizable. The flesh had been spread out as if someone was showcasing the cuts of meat at a butcher¡¯s festival. From the serpent to the people of the village, it was impossible to guess which body belonged to whom.¡±


    The minister¡¯s eyes quaked. For the first time.


    ¡°Such cruelty could not be displayed by a man. Everyone fears death, whether it''s yours or someone else. Whatever was at that place¡­ it was a monster.¡±


    The people in the room leaned back in their chairs.


    They all had a thought in their minds, but no one dared to speak it.


    Finally, the silence was broken by the Bishop.


    ¡°Do you think it was a battle between two beings like the Lich?¡±


    The minister shook his head.


    ¡°It is possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The bishop clasped his hands. ¡°This malevolent swirling energy that is turning people¡¯s dark desires into demons beyond our nightmares. What could this be if not a test from the gods? How terrible¡­¡±


    The First Prince sighed. Things were not looking good.


    ¡°Investigate more, we will allocate more manpower to you wherever you need it. Find out what happened in Magen, and make sure this¡­ Demonic Dark Desire¡ªas the Bishop put it¡ªdoesn¡¯t spread. People suddenly turning into monsters, how inane is that¡­¡±


    The intelligence minister nodded.


    ¡°Your command.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ find the whereabouts of the creature that destroyed Magen...¡±


    The Prince swallowed his words.


    Bad luck, huh? If such a disastrous being was roaming his lands, then everywhere it went, bad luck would follow.


    ¡°The Crow¡­¡± he called it.

 Chapter 15: The Eastward Crow

    The wooden cart was fairly comfortable if you were the only one on it. Another aspect that made it comfortable was the hay. If one simply spread it over the cart like a bed instead of keeping it stacked, while rough it made for a comfortable place to lie down on.


    The old farmer should have mentioned all of this before I took the cart from him forcefully.


    The wind blew, and fresh oxygen was brought to my nose. The birds called¡ª


    "MOOO!"


    "MOOOOW!"


    Ok, maybe not the birds. It was hard to hear them over the sound of the oxen pulling this cart. The oxygen was not that fresh either. To my dismay, the wind was blowing from the front and that meant all the stink in the oxen was carried straight to my nose.


    God, they smelled bad. I thought I was used to smells and grime and dirt while living in this world, but that clearly wasn''t the case.


    I sat up on the cart and looked behind me. The distance from Scarlet had increased largely over the last few days. I kept my grip on my ax and rested on the sides of the cart. Slow as it was, it wasn''t particularly inconvenient to use the oxen. Of course, I would prefer to use horses over them any day, but I wasn''t going to find ownerless horses.


    A sigh left me.


    I gripped the ax tighter. If not for this thing I wouldn''t have gotten a wink of sleep.


    How strange was it? I couldn''t understand myself. There was no grief at the loss of my friends, no seething anger at the injustice, nor was there any guilt or disgust about my actions.


    All I felt was numbness.


    I couldn''t feel anything.


    Nothing at all. As if my heart had gone on a strike and was only going to do the bare minimum task of beating from now on¡ªthat too not of its own volition.


    If I could choose between death and my revenge. I would choose death at any moment. I forced myself to frown at the smell and smile at the skies, but there was nothing behind it. If I didn''t even do that much, I would collapse.


    All I could do now was to get revenge. By any means necessary. If I kept going, if I kept fighting, then maybe.


    Maybe those gods that brought us to this world and gave me this accursed ability could take it away too. Until I took my last breath, I planned to get revenge.


    Now and then, I would tire out from the numbness and the only other thought that came to my mind was how I could screw the gods over until my mind was clogged again by the fog of unfeeling.


    Whatever my path, there was only one way to reach it.


    "Power..."


    I had to grow stronger. Stronger than I had been ever before. That was the only way to move ahead.


    If I wanted to keep myself safe from the bastards that had driven me to the ground and get my revenge on their masters, then strength was the only way forward.


    There was a way in my mind.


    I quickly unfurled the map I had purchased before leaving the city and looked at it. North-East from the town of Scarlet was another big city. A place that was governed by Count Blue.


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    Initially, this place did not have a lot going for it. No trade like in the South, no protection like in the North, no specific mines like in the West, or even any Oceans that one could find further East. The City of Blue one day became different.


    "Star-fall... is it?"


    It was something a little comedic for people like me, who had come from a modern world. But the people of this world did not change.


    Three hundred years ago, a star fell in the land of Count Blue. And just like with every place where the power of the constellations reached the ground, mana caused a giant havoc and a magical phenomenon gave birth to a giant Labyrinth.


    The Labyrinths were the dreams of adventurers and knights alike. Magical powers coming straight from the stars had come to the ground, it was natural for the people of this world who believed all magical phenomena were in some way birthed from the stars and the constellations to gather here.


    The Labyrinth wasn''t just for show either. Though no one had seen the bottom of the Labyrinth in Count Blue''s territory, there had still been many star-falls throughout history.


    Some were small, some as large as the one in Blue, and some even larger that gave birth to the 12 Catacombs.


    "But stars don''t fall..." I couldn''t help but think that way. Wasn''t it meteorites that fell to the ground? The closest star around us was the sun, in this world or in my old one. If something the size or temperature of a real star fell to the ground won''t that spell the world''s end?


    Maybe a Starfall wouldn''t be so bad.


    I slowly brought my hands to my lips and pulled them up. I could feel something rising up my chest and choking my throat.


    Since when had I become so dismissive? Why was I not thinking about my friends? Why was I forcing myself to look at this labyrinth?


    The more questions I asked the worse I felt, the worse I felt, the number I became, and the number I became, the more questions came to my mind. Even my heart seemed confused about what to feel. Was this pain or was it a lack of pain? Was this grief overtaking my mind, or was the lack of it haunting me? Every single thought and emotion in my mind swirled and coalesced into one muddled murky tar that drenched my nerves.


    That tar said just one thing¡ªIt was all my fault.


    All of this was my fault.


    In the end, I couldn''t get rid of that idea. Even if I blamed the gods who abandoned everyone, had I fought even a moment earlier couldn''t I have saved Evans and Rimi?


    If I had died when the arrow stabbed my chest, I could have avoided all this. All I could do was FUCKING WATCH AS MY FRIENDS¡ª


    "Haaah..."


    A deep breath left me.


    Yet again.


    No tears came out.


    What was wrong with me?


    What the hell kind of person had I become?


    "MOOO!"


    "MOOOOW!"


    The oxen growled and flailed as if they had sensed my discomfort. I quickly stepped over the cart and onto the driver''s seat. I stroked the back of the oxen and lowered my head.


    Labyrinth...


    Power... I had to get stronger.


    The next time, I wouldn''t let anyone else face this thing.


    I wouldn''t let anyone end up like Evans or Rimi or even me.


    But if everything was indeed god''s plan. I was going to hate them.


    "I''ll screw them over."


    The words repeated under my breath. Again and again.


    I was going to hate them. I was going to blame them.


    That was the only way to stop this pain.


    ***


    The shadow of a man in armor covered the dawn sunlight peeking into the prayer room.


    The echoing footsteps came to a stop as the paladin halted three steps away from the girl with gray hair. His eyes fell on the veiled girl kneeling with her head bowed, and then at the statue in front of him.


    Almost instinctively, his hands clasped together in a prayer. No matter how many times he saw it, the statue that was only touched by the sunlight in the early hours of dawn never failed to fill him with a sense of reverence.


    After a few quiet moments, the kneeling girl finally sat up. Her long gray hair fell to her back as her veil slid down.


    ¡°Speak,¡± she said.


    ¡°Word has come from the pope. We have spent enough time in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the girl said. ¡°I was getting bored anyway. It¡¯s a hassle when all seven of us gather.¡±


    ¡°It never gets old. I quite enjoy seeing it, it¡¯s like watching cats. You get along one moment and fight the next.¡±


    ¡°I can have you publicly pelted and beheaded for that statement alone.¡±


    The man in the armor chuckled at her words as if her threat was no different than her asking of the weather.


    ¡°As we head back,¡± the girl rose from the ground and adjusted her long robes. ¡°Let¡¯s stop by the new labyrinth. It¡¯s on our way, correct?¡±


    ¡°New labyrinth? Do you mean the one in the territory of Blue? I believe they named it Sirius.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, that one.¡± The girl stood up and walked ahead, passing the knight by. ¡°It is quite fitting for us, is it not?¡±


    ¡°The star that rises before the sun,¡± the man laughed again. ¡°It is quite fitting.¡±

 Chapter 16: The City of Blue

    ¡°Are we good, sir?¡± The farmer asked as he peered at my hands excitedly. Two oxen and the cart were right next to him.


    I counted the last batch of silver coins and nodded before placing them back in a pouch.


    ¡°Great! I can¡¯t help but feel I made a great deal,¡± the stout farmer rubbed his palms together and grinned, his eyes on the oxen. ¡°Two bags of silver was a steal for these sturdy fellows. Usually only one would go for that amount.¡±


    My long journey from Scarlet to Blue had come to an end when I reached the outskirts of the city. Many houses were set up even outside the city walls lined by farms that led to Blue.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I shook my head at the farmer¡¯s words. ¡°You will take care of them.¡±


    The oxen had done no wrong. Since they had brought me all the way here, I decided to sell them to this farmer. He looked in need and had promised to care for them even if they fell sick or got injured.


    ¡°You got it, sir, I will treat them well.¡±


    I nodded at the farmer as I adjusted the cloth on my wrist. It was tied to the ax on my waist with its blade covered by the white fabric. Without another word, I turned away from the farmer and started to walk off.


    ¡°Wait, sir, take this!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The farmer handed me a map of the city of Blue. Even though it was a city, that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t confusing. Even more so when the city was next to a labyrinth. Magical phenomena were common.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I should do this much after such a good deal. I hope you remember me next time.¡±


    I nodded again. It was a good gift. I was about to leave when the farmer spoke up again. He was annoying, but maybe that meant the animals would be in good hands.


    ¡°Sir. Be careful inside the city, it has been a dangerous place these days.¡± The farmer pointed at the map. ¡°If you are ever in trouble, the map might help. We drew it ourselves.¡±


    I gripped the map a little tighter and nodded.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ***


    Stone walls swept past overhead as I stepped through the city gates. The Liones guild had quite the reputation for screening its members, so I was let through by the lord¡¯s knights without any trouble. To be honest, I did not need a map or anything of the sort. That was because of the unique way that Blue was made.


    The expansive city stretched as far as one''s gaze went. I turned straight to the horizon. In between the gaps of the orderly buildings, shades of blue reflecting the sunlight waved back from the horizon, only for more buildings to be past it.


    ¡®It¡¯s even more grand than Rimi told me¡­¡¯


    People passed me by, I got off the road and went to the side, following a straight line. Though the blocks got confusing at times, it was almost impossible to lose your way in Blue. Past the alleys, my eyes fell on a long canal going all the way to the end of the city, stopping at the walls.


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    I ran my hands on the marble walls of the canals, the water was within reach as it flowed to the walls and then went back.


    Blue was a city centered around a giant lake, and seven canals stretched out of it all the way to the expanse of Blue as a tribute to the gods and a sign of its glory, with the water continuously circulating from magic.


    ¡°Not bad¡­¡±


    I followed the canal toward the lake. That lake itself was the dungeon. A gate to a different spot in space, and the way to enter it was to fall into the lake. It was still strange to think that a star fell here, it seemed like a simple crater lake to me, but there was no denying that this place was an entrance to a completely different space.


    It was magic.


    A few people looked my way, but I steadily walked ahead. Maybe I smelled a little? It would go away when I die. Supplies, potions, weapons, none of them had any use, it was all for people who planned to survive. For me, I only wished to gain strength here.


    I stopped in my tracks when I glanced to my side and noticed a temple of the Goddess of Dawn and a member of the Septet, Eos. The sculpture of a goddess stood tall as some people moved in and out. It probably wasn¡¯t a busy hour¡­


    My mood was a little sour, but I remembered something else. The thing that clearly stated my curse. I didn¡¯t have one since being dragged away by the Lich, but a Divine Window was the best way to check growth.


    Unfortunately, at the adventurer guild, I could only see my stats, that too in a rather haphazard fashion. Most people relied on the Divine Window anyway for such matters.


    Skills, potential, a rating, everything was easier with that. Since I was pursuing growth¡­


    ¡°I want one.¡±


    I gripped the cloth-clad ax and moved toward the church. All this time, I had been terrified of going inside, thinking that I might get caught again. Now I prayed they would try and capture me so I have some of my revenge too.


    ¡®What does it matter?¡¯


    The stairs leading up to the church used to feel daunting before, but now they went below my feet as naturally as the roads I had crossed so far. There was no reason to be scared, none at all.


    I passed by a boy and went inside. Some people were offering prayers to the statue of the goddess, while some were near the confessionals. A corridor led me to where the priests and nuns gathered for miscellaneous tasks.


    ¡°A divine window,¡± I said, placing a gold coin from my previous loot on the table.


    ¡°Ah¡­ sure, brother. Please wait for a bit,¡± said the nun at the counter as she slipped the coin in. I kept glancing around, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any paladins or knights here.


    ¡°That boy outside seemed so troubled. It¡¯s a shame about his younger brother.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Those two lost their parents, and now he even lost his younger brother¡­¡±


    I overheard the conversation of two nuns while waiting. The boy, was he the same one I had crossed?


    ¡°He must have fallen into the Deep Blue Dive, right? Poor kid.¡±


    ¡°Not the labyrinth! Didn¡¯t you hear? There are too many such incidents these days! Listen, don¡¯t tell anyone¡­¡±


    The nuns closed up before one of them gasped and reeled back.


    ¡°Demons!?¡± she exclaimed. "Oh my! If that is true then this is big news"


    "Shush, don''t tell anyone. If people hear that those evil demons are here..."


    Demons... When I was first summoned here we were told that the goddesses brought us to stop demons too.


    I thought they were malicious initially, but I couldn''t be sure anymore.


    What if the demons were just people too, persecuted only because the septet wanted them gone? They would be in the same situation as me.


    It was possible.


    Very possible.


    There was no trusting these gods.


    "¡ªHere you go."


    The priestess returned and broke my thoughts. I nodded in thanks and took the divine window with me.


    Nothing happened even in the heart of the enemy territory. I was scared for no reason.


    I quickly made my way out of the church, when my eyes fell on the boy sitting outside with his eyes closed in prayer.


    A sigh left me. There was no end to this suffering, for anyone.


    I held back from more thoughts and started going along the canal again. Soon, I found myself standing in front of the enormous lake¡ªthe location of the Starfall and the gateway to the labyrinth¡ªthe Deep Blue Dive.


    The canal to the east was being used as the entry for adventurers, while across me and on the other side were restaurants and luxury spots. This side of the lake near the canal was left as a place to sit for the public.


    I looked around, there was no one out here. Everyone was busy with their tasks in the midday.


    There was no reason to wait anymore.


    I took a step ahead.


    And fell into the lake.

 Chapter 17: Deep Blue Dive

    ¡°The stars once walked the earth.¡°


    Rimi and I stopped at Evans'' strange words.


    ¡°Again with that story?¡° Rimi sighed. She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°We''ll see things for ourselves eventually. There''s no way that''s true. Hey, Ian, tell him.¡°


    ¡°I have to agree with Rimi here. It''s just a myth.¡°


    Evans laughed. ¡°It''s a famous saying with the adventurers. Everyone who has seen a labyrinth agrees.¡°


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. That''s where you''re wrong. What you really mean is you''ve only heard from those who agree.¡°


    ¡°It must be true!¡° Evans said. ¡°The labyrinths are all mystical. That''s the only way to explain how mana changes those places¡­ the labyrinths must be a tomb.¡°


    ***


    ¡°The tomb of the stars.¡°


    Chirps of birds above me¡ªchirps unlike any I had ever heard¡ªsnapped me out of the pain.


    Vines and branches were wrapped around me while leaves stuck out of my head. I had fallen from the skies and straight to the ground.


    Only to end up in a forest.


    I dusted my clothes and tapped my sides. The ax was still here. I unwrapped the cloth and stood up.


    The chirps of the birds continued from a distance. It felt wrong to describe it as a chirp, it was more reminiscent of a low growl, like a painful curse. Yet I could distinctly call it a chirp.


    Woods surrounded me from all directions as the rich scent of oxygen drifted around. Sweat was forming on my forehead.


    Humid.


    I reached into my pockets. The stranger this place was the better it was for me.


    I had two reasons to turn to the labyrinths for strength. One was the fact that no one knew what was within them.


    The labyrinths were as mystical as magic. The threats here were completely different than those outside, at least usually. Moreover, labyrinths were places even strong adventurers and explorers avoided. The baseline here was high.


    It was perfect for someone like me who could risk their life.


    I held the divine window in hand and nicked my thumb with the ax. The drop of blood dripped on the divine window as a strong glow emanated from it.


    Characters started scribbling and engraving themselves on the stone and as the glow subsided they became clearer.


    <blockquote>


    [Name: Ian Meyer


    Status: Alive


    Stats:


    Strength: 20 (Lowest-Low)


    Intelligence: 34 (Intermediate-Low)


    Mana: 33 (Lowest-Low)


    Endurance: 40 (Intermediate-Low)


    Control: 19 (Intermediate-Low)


    Skills:


    (UNDYING) (|||||||)


    (Reanimation {Basic})


    (Elemental Magic {Basic})


    (Dark Magic {Basic})


    Status:


    (Severe Mental Instability)


    (Applied Labyrinth Bonus)


    ]


    </blockquote>


    I could see why people preferred the Divine Window over a simple status check at the adventurer''s guild. The sheer difference in information was shocking.


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    The skills were exactly as I thought. Including the field still blurred. I was curious about what it could be since I had seen it after escaping the coffin, but there was nothing I could do except wait. If it was another curse, that wouldn''t change much. I was going after the gods anyway.


    It was a shame that my stats had decreased twice in Magen, but it seemed the training on the way here had negated at least one death.


    My stats were still on the lowest run of the low grade. At this stage, I was barely worth an E-Ranked adventurer.


    Surely, coming to such a place must be suicide. Yet I couldn''t help but laugh at my decision.


    There was clear proof. The Labyrinth Bonus. Being rich in mana, these places were sure to be useful for growth. Though I doubted it would be anywhere close to the growth speed the heroes experienced, for someone at my level it would be considerable growth.


    I gripped the ax tight and placed it on my shoulder. What was left to do, except kill?


    ***


    I whistled out loud as I waded through the forest. The tall trees around me formed a big cover that blocked sight beyond a few meters. It made it harder for me to look at things, but also easier for me to run. I wasn''t planning to only die here, I wanted to use all my skills to their utmost limit and fight.


    I didn''t have to look for long.


    The chirps around me grew rapidly as something clearly disturbed the birds. My eyes went up at the flying birds¡ª


    ''What the hell?''


    Fleshy amalgamations of bones, fur, and muscles flew above my head. The birds that I had been listening to all this time were not normal, but beings created from the flesh of the dead. A stark, rotting stench reached all the way down here. I couldn''t stand and look at the birds for long, though, as a cloud of dust rose from the direction they had flown away from. I quickly gripped my axe and dashed to the side, taking cover of the trees as I circled to the source of the disturbance.


    There it stood. Another monster made of flesh. A giant scorpion as tall as the trees around stood, pushing the fauna away with its body. Bones had made its carapace while raw flesh that should have been inside the skin was stuck outward. It was a sight similar to the artwork that the lich used to make back in the cave. Except, mouths, eyes, and ears littered the scorpion''s body.


    Human mouths and eyes.


    The Scorpion''s many eyes danced around as it gripped two similar rabbits in its claws. The scorpion slowly brought the rabbits to the largest mouth on its back and started chewing them. Even its teeth were human.


    I felt a strange sense of familiarity, and that made me disgusted. Seriously now? Was the lich making me this all the time? I used to think that was a good workplace, but maybe it was abusive. Definitely wouldn''t fly in the modern world. I should have made a complaint to the labor rights association as soon as I reached Scarlet.


    Fucking hell. Stockholm syndrome was quite the bitch.


    ''Now then... how do I kill you?'' I tried to kill my presence as much as possible as I walked behind the trees. Gently making my way around the scorpion. The carapace made of bones would be difficult to break through, but I just needed to stab between the carapaces to deal some damage. As I made my way back, I noticed the eyes on the stinger all looking to the sides.


    It wasn''t looking behind itself but to the sides. This small space where the scorpion had come through was the only spot that was not going to give me cover through the trees, yet the scorpion''s eyes did not look toward it.


    A chill ran down my spine.


    This fucking thing.


    Knew I was here.


    I was sure I had made no sound. There was no breaking twig, no dry leaf I crunched over nor any silly slip or fall or stomach growl. The scorpion was simply strong.


    How then, was I supposed to defeat something strong? My employer may have been a bitch, but he gave me good advice.


    Violence.


    I simply had to strike it over and over until it died.


    I adjusted my distance from the scorpion, going further back, and then, stepped ahead. I walked stealthily into the clearing, the gap between the trees that the scorpion''s mad charge had created.


    In the blink of an eye, a glint flashed. The carapace-clad stinger of the scorpion shot out from the back and came straight to me. I tilted to my side, barely dodging the stinger which passed from my side.


    Blood slowly dripped down my cheek as my eyes went to the side, the tail of the Scorpion was right there.


    "HAAAAAH!"


    "GRAAAAAW!"


    I twisted my body and swung my axe, I had aimed to be as close to the end where the carapace grew thinner, as possible. The ax struck the thinner and smaller carapace and stabbed into the flesh of the scorpion. At the same time, the Scorpion moved its giant tail toward me. The carapace struck my stomach and swept me off my feet. The tail ran through trees, smashing my back into them as it raised the stinger to the air.


    I didn''t let go.


    I didn''t let go for a second.


    Pain couldn''t make me drop an ax. Pain was nothing.


    My eyes scanned down the scorpion''s body, at the many eyes littered through its form, all of them stared at me.


    "It''s on, you bastard."

 Chapter 18: Deep Blue Dive (2)

    The scorpion whipped its tail around as I clung to the ax. Stuck deep in between its bony carapace, there was no way the ax would loosen up.


    ''I have to attack!''


    I ignored the searing pain in my back and hung on the ax with one hand. The whipping tail raised up high.


    That was my chance.


    When the tail reached a straight line, I kicked back and yanked the ax out.


    My body slid down the scorpion''s tail, heading straight for its back.


    ¡°Graaaaww!!!¡°


    The scorpion screamed and swung its tail downward. I immediately jumped off my back and started running down its enormous tail to the back. Mana surged from my chest and gathered at my hands as a magic circle formed.


    {Flame Magic - Fire Arrow}


    An arrow of flames shot out of my palm and straight into one of the eyes of the scorpion.


    Without wasting a second, I pulled the ax up and clutched it in my teeth. More mana gathered in both my hands.


    ¡°{Flame Arrow}! {Flame Arrow}! {Flame Arrow}!!!¡°


    Mana exhaustion? Backlash? That was just pain too. Nothing I couldn''t bear.


    The arrows seared through the exposed flesh of the scorpion as I steadily made my way up its back, shooting magic after magic into its organs. The scent of its eyes drying up and flesh burning reached my nose.


    Blood was seeping out of my mouth, my body shook from the core.


    But!


    This. All of this.


    It was to get stronger. No matter who it is. No matter what came in my way. So that nothing could take anything away¡ª


    ¡°Graaaa!¡°


    Two giant, curled-up, fleshy projectiles came flying my way from the sky. The scorpion twisted its claws backward and tossed its prey¡ªsome of the fleshy birds it had caught from the commotion¡ªat me.


    One of them smashed into my side, knocking me slightly off balance. I quickly slammed my foot down and grabbed my ax again.


    The other mound of flesh came straight for my head.


    ¡°Haaaaaah!¡°


    The ax cut through the fleshy boulder with a single slice. I stabbed the ax downward, kicked off the ground, and charged ahead again.


    With each leap, I crossed over the large bony shells of its outer body and finally found the giant mouth at the center of its back.


    Spell. Spell. How should I kill it?


    The ax wouldn''t work. Neither would a simple flame arrow. I was already on the verge of mana exhaustion, but pushing myself to my limits was what would let me grow.


    Extreme limits. So that even if my stats were consumed, my technique and skills wouldn''t be.


    My eyes widened. The calculations running through my head came to a grating halt. I jumped right above the mouth of the giant scorpion and stretched my hand ahead.


    It was a freefall from here, right into the scorpion''s mouth. But surely, doing that would kill me before I could reap the benefits of the fight.


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    I had to survive now and grow my stats before halving them.


    There was one spell. One spell I knew better than any other. A wide smile spread on my lips as mana gathered at my palm, forming a magical circle that distinctly resembled a constellation.


    Right above the mouth of the mouth of the scorpion, I used the spell.


    ¡°{Return To Hell}¡±


    The magic circle whirred as a gleam spread. Just as gravity started pulling me down again, a bone hand stretched out of the magic circle.


    Then another. Another, another, and another. A mountain of skeletons emerged from the magic circle falling straight into the mouth of the scorpion.


    The sheer number of skeletons fell straight in. They covered the entirety of the giant mouth in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Graaaaaaa!!!¡°


    It screamed and tried to shut its teeth, but the undead, the many times I had died were blocking the entire orifice.


    I gently fell on the mountain of the undead. My sight started to dwindle as I rolled down and fell to the ground.


    Moments later, a terrifying rip followed by a blood-curdling scream echoed through the air.


    And the enormous scorpion fell limp on the ground.


    I had won.


    ***


    Something was nibbling on my neck. I slapped it with my hand as I opened my eyes. It was a small mosquito, that looked to be made up of flesh. A deep disgust spread through my entire body as I turned over on my back. There were probably a few broken bones on my spine and my rib cage, as well as a giant bruise on my shoulder. After this ordeal, it was perhaps safe to proclaim that experts (me) have concluded that broken bones did not make a good pillow.


    Night fell inside the dungeon before I woke up. I had avoided death, but not fainting it seemed. The humidity was nowhere gone, and sweat stuck to my entire body, making my clothes stick. I must have slept for a day if not two judging by the hour. Thankfully, the giant scorpion''s corpse was still next to me. I could tell from its presence alone even though I did not have the strength to sit up.


    "How did I even pull that off?" A chuckle left me. If I had the guts and the strength to do this sooner, would I have been able to stop things?


    Now that everything was gone, the thrill of a fight was all I had left¡ªHah. Who am I kidding?


    It didn''t feel good to fight at all. The people I wanted around me were already gone, and for all I knew this life would never end. There was no thrill, only a stark feeling of emptiness. Before the thoughts could consume me, I summoned all my courage and pushed myself off the ground. The pain wasn''t stopping me, but every muscle in my body refused to cooperate.


    I looked back at the giant scorpion. I had fallen straight into the labyrinth half out of bravado, and half because I thought I could eat the monsters in there. But no matter how much of a sick freak I was, there was no way I could consume raw flesh of god knows what.


    It would be fine to leave it as emergency stock if there was nothing else. I made my way to the clearing the scorpion had found me in. The Divine Window was still kept safely in the soil. With a hand on my chest, I dug the Divine Window out and swiped the dust away.


    <blockquote>


    [Name: Ian Meyer


    Status: Alive


    Stats:


    Strength: 21 (Lowest-Low) {Impaired}


    Intelligence: 35 (Intermediate-Low) {Impaired}


    Mana: 53 (Intermediate-Low) {Impaired} {Exhausted}


    Endurance: 41 (Intermediate-Low) {Impaired}


    Control: 25 (Lowest-Low) {Impaired}


    Skills:


    (UNDYING) (|||||||)


    (Reanimation {Basic})


    (Elemental Magic {Basic})


    (Dark Magic {Basic})


    Status:


    (Severe Mental Instability)


    (Severe Mana Exhaustion)


    (Severe Physical Injuries)


    (Applied Labyrinth Bonus)]


    </blockquote>


    "Oh?" My eyes widened at the sight of the changed stats. A smile slowly spread on my lips. Even though it said impaired right now, this meant my physique had shown signs of growth from a single fight.


    I remembered the lectures we had received back in the Crimson King''s Palace very well. There weren''t things like ''stat points'' or ''skill points,'' or a system that made it easier to grow. The principles of growth here were similar to how they were in our old world, except with the influence of mana.


    To grow stronger, one couldn''t hit the gym only once and return with biceps that could put a kangaroo to shame. Constant workouts, rest, and nutrition were important. The one place this fact didn''t seem to carry over was Mana and its ultimate control. Both of which grew based on realizations, skills, exhaustion, and your body''s constitution.


    Exhausting myself this much had shown me a good way to use my mana more efficiently, negligible as it was. And the lack of mana had made my body and constitution absorb more of it. The fight had also helped push my muscles to the limit, they would grow when I recovered. If a single battle had helped me this much, consistent efforts would make a large difference.


    And way more important than the stats was the way I fought. If I died, the stats would decrease but my knowledge wouldn''t.


    The path to power was within my grasp.


    I clenched my fists and looked around. Unfortunately, I would need to find some food. But I was prepared for this too.


    There were two reasons I had come to the labyrinth. One was to fight against the monsters that would grow here, situations I wouldn''t easily experience outside, especially not as frequently.


    And the other was to learn more skills. It was easily possible in labyrinths.


    By raiding corpses.

 Chapter 19: Deeper Into The Labyrinth

    Labyrinths were a source of great pride. In terms of the modern world, it was similar to hitting it rich through stocks. It was always a gamble, but one that was endorsed by the world and had no legal repercussions for the most part.


    People could find items in labyrinths that could buy them two castles outside. Spells that mages would kill for. Abilities and skills that could make them famous overnight. And if nothing else, like making small gains on their investment, they would at least get stronger and earn a little bit of money.


    Of course, just like stocks, when there were no legal repercussions there were always personal repercussions. Someone could lose all their investments in the modern world, here they would die a gruesome death¡ªpretty much the same thing.


    I trudged through the forest while looking for such corpses. The growlish chirps of the hideous insects and birds echoed in my ears.


    Night had fallen, it would have been dangerous to move right now, but pushing myself would only help me.


    And¡­ I couldn''t sit idle with my thoughts.


    Now and then, small animals crossed my path. They immediately ran away after seeing me and I didn''t chase them either.


    That was when I noticed a tiny fox¡ªor at least what I assumed was a fox¡ªalready running past.


    My eyes traced its path, and I walked where it had run from.


    There, past the trees in a small clearing, a giant fleshy bear was feeding on the corpse of a group of adventurers.


    I quickly pressed myself against the trees. The mana I had used hadn''t recovered and my body was still a mess. I couldn''t fight for now.


    My only option was to wait. I quietly slid down to the ground, my back stuck against the trunk, and sat on the ground.


    The sound of the bear''s feast echoed. I quietly pulled my knees closer and buried my head in my hands.


    .


    .


    .


    The bear left after what felt like hours, but it was probably closer to 20 minutes. I peeked out of the trees and saw that the animal was gone. Slowly, I pushed myself off the ground and walked over to the corpses.


    The sight was gruesome, but I had learned to ignore it. I quietly checked around. It seemed to be a party of four, they hadn''t died from the bear¡­


    A claw mark ran through the face of the remnants of the most robust body, probably the warrior or tanker¡­ It seemed not ''all'' of them had died from the bear.


    My eyes went on their luggage. The bear had left it alone. I rummaged through the bags of the adventurers and felt a sharp pang of guilt.


    What kind of idiocy had taken over my head to not look around in the city itself? It felt like everything that had happened since I left Magen to the point where I realized I had survived the fight against the Scorpion was a blur. It was hard to recall the events.


    Now that the thirst for vengeance was becoming a part of me, it finally opened room for more thought instead of being the only thing on my mind.


    ¡°Food¡­ some sanitation, water¡­ I can use magic for that. Where is the mage''s...? Got it.¡°


    There was, thankfully, almost an abundance of everything I needed. It was items for four, and they seemed to have died very early into their exploration.


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    I found the mage''s luggage. Here was the thing I was looking forward the most to.


    Buying magic spellbooks myself had a limit. They were expensive and only sold through magic towers. While people like adventurers and knights could access basic magic spells, specialization was difficult.


    Taking it from mages seemed like the best option. I could also use them right away, and use as many as I find. While my stats would fluctuate, magic was the way to go.


    It wasn''t uncommon for mages or other roles to bring such spellbooks or personal items either. They had to improve and could spend months at a time here.


    I found a spell book after looking around.


    [Intermediate Water Magic (3rd circle)]


    [Intermediate Water Magic (4th circle)]


    Both of them were useful books. There was also a blue stone inside the bag, which seemed to have been kept rather well. I decided to take the bag itself instead of worrying about things.


    ¡°That should be enough.¡°


    Taking everything I could, I stood up and turned away. But my feet felt heavy.


    I turned back again.


    The corpses were mauled by the bear. They had been half eaten, and who knew what would eat the rest of them.


    With a sigh, I dropped the bag and grabbed a small shovel which they had brought here as a camping tool. With the shovel in hand, I started digging the ground up.


    It took hours, but the hard work ended with four shallow but deep enough holes in the ground. I used magic too to make it faster.


    I then pulled the bodies and dragged them into the ground, burying them.


    As I pulled the heavy bodies in the humid heat, my thoughts remained elsewhere.


    Why the hell was I doing this? Was it compassion?


    Was I feeling bad for them? That would be rich coming from a grave robber


    I couldn''t be a good person anymore. Not anymore.


    The soil fell on their bodies, slowly filling the hole up. I used their four weapons¡ªa bow, a sword, a staff, and a dagger as gravestones and stepped back.


    The only reason I did this was because they were ''destined'' to remain here, defiled even in death.


    Since I couldn''t escape mine.


    I at least tried to deny those gods'' destiny.


    At least that much, for now.


    I turned away again and started walking off. And once more, I stopped in my tracks.


    My eyes snapped back and landed on the corpses.


    On the weapons. Skills I wasn''t going to forget, were far more useful than stats.


    ¡°That should make us even¡­¡±


    ***


    The grand city of Crimson, the Captial of Zirkonia faded in the distance as a cheeky young knight peered out the window.


    He smirked at the distant city which had been his home for a long time and closed his eyes.


    ¡°Oh great goddess Eos, thank you for pulling me through another gathering of crazies.¡°


    The saintess sitting across the knight scoffed at his words.


    ¡°I should have you pelted for those words. What do you mean crazies?¡°


    ¡°Crazies and a beautiful maiden.¡°


    ¡°I favored the heroes too.¡°


    ¡°Crazies, a beautiful maiden, and a classroom worth''s otherworldly heroes.¡°


    The knight finished his prayer and nodded, satisfied with himself. A prayer overseen by the Saintess of the goddess made it at least ten times as effective.


    ¡°To blue, then?¡° The saintess, gently stroking her hair, asked. She pondered how she should style it today to most piss off the bishops and other members of the church when they would hear about her choices.


    ¡°Yes. We heard some strange incidents were happening in Blue and the count has started patrolling the streets from yesterday. Are you sure you want to go there?¡°


    The saintess nodded.


    ¡°I can always use you as bait if anything happens, so I am not worried.¡°


    ¡°Bait? I am hurt. Why can''t we use Brother Coachman instead?¡°


    The coachman outside shivered.


    ¡°Ah, perhaps a high pony?¡° The saintess gathered her long silver hair and tied it up as she looked at the knight. They had a long journey ahead of them, but her mind kept running back to the one she had just left behind.


    It was perhaps the longest period that all the seven saintesses had gathered. After all, they had to nurture heroes from another world.


    Unfortunately, even as she left, the saintess couldn''t help but feel a bit bitter and a tad more intrigued by everything.


    She turned to her knight who was wordlessly being cursed by the coachman and asked.


    ¡°What do you think about the heroes? Honestly, since it''s just us here.¡°


    The knight leaned back in his seat.


    ¡°They were brilliant. I still can''t believe they never fought or used magic in the other world.¡°


    The saintess nodded, she had felt that first hand too. Some of them even had the potential to surpass some saints and be chosen as oracles of the septet.


    ¡°That''s why¡­ it''s a giant shame.¡°


    The saintess softly smiled. It seemed her knight was of the same thought.


    The heroes may have slipped from their grasp. No, it was certain they didn''t have as much control over all of them as they would have liked.


    ¡°I wonder what the gods were thinking¡­¡± said the knight. ¡°Asking us to kill one of them. It''s a shame.¡°


    ¡°How can we comprehend what the great deities think?¡° The saintess looked out of the window. ¡°We can only follow and watch.¡°

 Chapter 20: The Summoned

    Steel clashed against steel as the last of the knights dropped his sword and was swept off the ground. With a deep exhale, the last man standing lowered his sword. His sharp glare was replaced by a soft smile as he ran a hand through his blonde hair.


    "Haah... that was exciting. Thank you very much for your guidance," the blonde man bowed, following the customs of the world he was now in. The trainee knights were either smiling bitterly or were in awe at the perfection the man exuded, whether it be his sharp muscles, piercing skills, or impeccable manners.


    "Sir Edmund!"


    The blonde boy, Edmund, turned back and found the team leader of the Royal Knights in charge of today''s training. He smiled and thanked the team leader as well.


    "We should be thanking you, sir Edmund. It seems we have a long way to go against you..."


    "Is it true that the Light Hero has been wielding a sword for only six months?!" A cheeky trainee snapped from the side but shut up as the team leader glared at him. Edmund always treated the compliments and praises with a smile and answered.


    "Not at all, I still have a long way to go." Edmund wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I should go and light some incense¡ª"


    "Yes, of course," said the team leader. "The people from the theocracies can be strict with their prayers. If you need a break from the lectures..."


    Edmund shook his head. While it was true that the sermons, prayers, and lectures they forced him to attend every day were quite burdensome, they weren''t even half as much as some of his other classmates went through. Moreover.


    "My skills do get stronger from the prayers. I will attend them."


    Edmund''s schedule had been quite hectic for the last six months. Being chosen as the Light Hero was rather troublesome. The people at the Crimson Castle were initially surprised, eventually pleased, and finally in awe of him.


    In just six months, under the tutelage of the world''s best, he had shown progress beyond his age. And the achievements didn''t end there.


    After all, every summoned hero was going above and beyond what was expected from them, and all the summoned heroes followed Edmund''s lead to some extent.


    The more they grew, the more people''s impression of Edmund grew as well.


    It was evident as he walked through the castle''s grounds. Everyone who came across him lowered their heads in respect.


    After a brief walk, Edmund found himself standing in front of the Grand Pantheon¡ªA temple made under the guidance of each theocracy to worship all the members of the Septet.


    Edmund stopped outside the temple as he noticed the two people stepping out.


    A young black-haired boy wearing a Dark Armor, and next to him was a woman in long white robes. Both exuded a charm and maturity that they hadn''t six months ago.


    Their movements stiffened as they noticed Edmund.


    ¡°Edmund,¡± the armored boy¡ªThe Champion of the Moon¡ªacknowledged the Hero of Light with a nod. Next to him, the Divine Healer nodded too.


    ¡°Jin, Joelle.¡°


    The encounter ended like that. Edmund stepped into the church with a bitter taste in his mouth. Exchanging nods or taking each other''s name was all he had done with some of his classmates for a while now.


    And the reason behind it was right here.


    Edmund forced a smile and headed to the prayer room reserved for the heroes at the back of the Pantheon.


    As he reached the door, he found his frown going away. It was amusing how that always happened before entering the prayer room. It was the one place where he felt he could act like himself.


    He pushed the door open and stepped inside.


    ¡°Good morning today too¡ª¡±


    His words stopped prematurely. The woman kneeling on the ground, in front of the statues, was not the person he hoped to see.


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    Behind the white veil, hair as black as the night sky cascaded down to the ground instead of the silver he was used to. The woman gently turned around, looking straight into Edmund''s eyes.


    Her visage was of pure, mature beauty. Completely opposite of the cynical glare that usually welcomed Edmund. Catching a single glimpse of the Saintess personally chosen by the eldest of the Septet, Astraea, was something that could make people thankful for their lives, but the same person made Edmund''s smile turn downward.


    ¡°You''re here, Hero of Light,¡± said the Saintess.


    Edmund quickly controlled his expression and stepped inside. ¡°Please, just call me Edmund. I do not deserve such titles yet.¡°


    ¡°Yet¡­ I see. Well, I will help you offer your prayers today.¡° The Saintess smiled, her eyes never leaving Edmund. ¡°Were you hoping to see Evelyne?¡°


    Edmund shook his head. ¡°No, it''s not like that. It is an honor to be guided by you, Lady Iras¡­ But, is she perhaps busy today?¡°


    ¡°No, she left.¡°


    ¡°Left?¡°


    The Saintess, Iras, nodded. It was rather fun to tease this hero. ¡°It is time for all of us to leave, one after another. Each of the Saintesses will bestow a blessing to the heroes every day before we leave.¡°


    Edmund''s gaze hardened at her words.


    He was flustered to know his friend had left without even saying goodbye, but the words that followed changed things.


    ¡°Shall we begin?¡° Asked Iras. ¡°I hear the wretched demons are causing a lot of trouble. I heard of a demon called ''The Crow.'' How fearsome, I hope the heroes grow strong and protect us.¡°


    Iras spoke to herself as she casually prepared the incense and asked Edmund to kneel without looking at him.


    ''It is finally time.''


    Edmund thought as he closed his eyes.


    The eyes around them that had monitored their every move were starting to look away.


    ¡°Please repeat after me. O'' mother of heavens, goddess, rulers of all above and below, I place my heart at your feet with this prayer.¡°


    He could finally find an opening from the people to whom he had never shown his heart.


    ***


    The ''incident'' happened five months ago.


    The people who treated them like heroes, the people who declared the students to be a message from gods, barged into their rooms and made a statement that changed everyone''s thoughts on this ''otherworldly'' experience.


    [An Oracle has reached the Saintesses. Ian Meyer must be taken away.]


    Every single student gasped. Their words were not heeded, and their will was cast aside. The powerless students tried to fight, but could only watch as their classmate was dragged away.


    The classmates were not particularly close, they were all very friendly and involved with each other only as much as normal students would be, except for two couples in their class, but everyone else had great rapport. If something like this happened in the old world, they would gossip for two or three weeks and go on with their lives, thinking of Ian now and then.


    But in this world, they only had each other.


    Even as he was being taken, Ian tried to laugh and stop his friends from recklessly acting out. Edmund himself was ready to punch a few people, but Ian quickly dismissed them. He said they were probably taking him away to get him to live a normal life; that he was dragging all his classmates¡ªthe heroes¡ªdown by being near them without any skill; that he wouldn''t be harmed since he was summoned by the goddesses too.


    The other students were convinced, even Edmund believed it back then. That fighting against these people now would only harm them immediately and in the long term; that it would be better for Ian to live away from the heroes; that he would be safe since he was a summoned hero too.


    But the people here had no intentions of letting his words go by. They made it clear.


    The gods had asked for his death. And the gods'' wish was their purpose.


    If death was demanded, death would be served and it would be served proudly.


    Things hadn''t been the same since then. Edmund tried to calm himself, he tried to keep the other students tightly knit together. He said they had to prioritize themselves, and each other, above the gods and their will.


    But it didn''t last long.


    A voice arose in dissent. The voice of the Champion of the Moon goddess, Jin.


    While Edmund thought the gods could ''harm'' them at any time and that Ian''s case was a clear example, Jin argued that the gods who could summon people from another world and give them such powers wouldn''t need to harm people like them, that Ian''s case was likely an exception and their great abilities were to save all of humankind, not just the classmates.


    Lia, the Hero with the skill of the Archmage, and Yasu, the Grand Strategist rallied behind Edmund; while the Divine Healer Joelle, and the Cloak of Darkness Arthur followed Jin. Subtly, the classroom of kids was divided into two groups. They were not at each other''s throats, but there was no denying the tension between them. They would help each other, but not without bitter feelings.


    Edmund sighed as he went back to the palace assigned to the students. The prayer had exhausted him, all he could think of was what was to come.


    He had to go and share the news with his faction too. Soon enough, they might see more freedom to move around. Engaged in thought, Edmund noticed a gathering outside the palace.


    "What...? Did they suddenly decide to play volleyball?" Edmund briskly walked over. No one had played volleyball since Ian. Even though they used to be so good as a team. The silly thoughts made him chuckle at himself. Edmund noticed the Knight Commander Brown and the Crown Prince standing at the front.


    The eyes around turned to him as he stepped up to the courtyard. The Crown Prince smiled brightly.


    "Hero of Light, you are here. You are the last one."


    The three of them exchanged formalities. Edmund''s eyes kept glancing at his friends, they were tense and distressed, but also excited and happy.


    "We just informed the heroes of what we should be doing next," said Commander Brown.


    The Crown Prince continued. "That''s right. You all have grown beyond expectations here, but it is unfortunately not enough to bring you to the battlefield. That''s why, we have decided to send all the heroes to the place where the greatest of talents in the world gather."


    "There is such a place...?"


    "Yes. At the very center of the world, where the blessings of the gods, stars, and the heavens are at their highest. We will be sending all the heroes to the Caelum Academy."

 Chapter 21: Step By Step (1)

    An arrow whistled through the skies as I let go of the bowstring. The arrow curved through the air and landed straight on the ground next to the flesh rabbit.


    Startled, the rabbit lifted its ears. Its eyes met mine, and it started to dash to the side. Even though I was this close, the arrow hadn''t hit.


    "Why is this thing so difficult to use?" I grumbled and flicked my wrist. As the rabbit jumped to the side, an orb of water peeked out from a tree. The water orb spun rapidly and smashed into the flesh rabbit, killing it in an instant.


    [Water Magic: Spinning Orb (Second Circle)]


    I had placed one spinning orb on both sides, in case the rabbit ran. And also, because I wanted to be able to use the spells while using my weapons at the same time.


    "Another failure..." I grumbled again and snapped my fingers. The unused water orb came to my side, and two more formed above me. The three water orbs spun and floated as I walked ahead. This was magic control training.


    First Circle Spells involved summoning an element and maybe giving it a shape. The Fire Arrow I used with ease was an example of just that. From the second circle, more and more properties started to be added to the spells and became far more complex to maintain.


    I retrieved the arrow and flipped open the spell book I was carrying. The details and instructions in it were truly of a superior quality compared to the tomes back in the Adventurer''s Guild. A lot of those were written by muscle-headed adventurers for muscle-headed adventurers so it wasn''t strange for the quality to be questionable at times.


    "I have managed to keep the orbs floating around for a while... but I can''t be sure of my skills yet."


    I was already nearing the end of the first volume I had taken from the mage, it was about time for me to find some new material as well. I had encountered a couple of corpses over the last two days I had spent in the labyrinth. Quite a lot of people had died here and left me quite some interesting things. But there was no way people above a 4th Circle level would die at this depth.


    "I would eventually have to explore deeper."


    Similar to the nature of craters, the impact was concentrated at the center. That was the only way to move in a labyrinth. Of course, for me who had no qualifications to be in a labyrinth yet, I had to get stronger first.


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    "Should I look for more rabbits?"


    ***


    I returned to the spot where I left all of my luggage after hunting three more rabbits. After a lot of attempts, I had finally caught one alive. The rabbit squirmed in my hands as I held it by its fleshy ears.


    The eight bags and dozen weapons were laid next to a tree, hidden by the leaves. I emptied the contents of one and shoved the rabbit inside it instead. With a piece of jerky in one hand and some water in a canteen, I took the rabbit bag and set off.


    Sleeping on the ground when I had to was working well for me, but I couldn''t be sure when some monster like the bear might find me. It wasn''t safe, and with the growing amount of things to carry and practice with a base of operations was important.


    Yesterday, I had found exactly that kind of place. The trees were marked with a triangle, and I followed them to my destination. After a short walk, a small cave appeared in front of my eyes. It was hidden behind a dense gathering of trees, was high enough to not let rain come in, its entrance low enough to not attract a low of monsters, and inconspicuous enough to not make people interested in it. I could have slept in the tents and sleeping-bags I had found with the adventurers, but that was no different from sleeping in the open.


    Such a cave was perfect.


    Most of the damage I had taken from the scorpion had healed as well, I was stronger than before right now. If anything was hiding in there, it was a good time to judge its strength and take it down.


    I opened the bag containing the rabbit and grabbed it again. Slowly, I tiptoed over to the cave and tossed the rabbit inward. Relieved at being free again, the rabbit glanced around and rushed into the cave. It might have remembered its burrow.


    While backing off, a low growl resounded in the air. It came straight from the cave. A tingle ran down my spine as I jumped to the side. At the same time, a sharp crescent of wind seeped out of the cave and cut down one of the trees that were right outside.


    It would have sliced me in half...


    A splatter followed as even the blood and flesh of the rabbit were a moment slower than whatever had attacked it. I gulped.


    Dying here right now meant losing half the stats I had barely increased. If it was out in the open, maybe I would have fought.


    I quickly gathered my breath and left the place. The low growls from the cave subsided as I put some distance.


    Only after some distance passed did a sigh leave me. What kind of monsters were in this labyrinth? Maybe sleeping outside was the best option.


    After all, there couldn''t be many things more dangerous than the Scorpion out here. That thing was enormous, and I had killed it. With that thought in my head, I walked along the path back to the tree when another rumble caught my ears.


    "Maybe adventurers?"


    It would be a good idea to observe others in battle. I tried to follow the sound, which kept growing every moment. Soon enough, I could make out a battle in the distance. From behind a tree, I peeked out. A scorpion much like the one I had fought was standing in the middle of the forest, and a guttural scream emerged from its mouth.


    Standing in front of it was a bear. The same type I had encountered not long ago. The bear swung its paws and ripped off the two claws of the scorpion, then it kicked the scorpion''s head and broke its carapace.


    I simply closed my eyes and turned around.


    Just what kind of monsters were in this labyrinth?

 Chapter 22: Just One Of Me?

    A great boar the size of a fully grown man stood before me. Its eyes were trained on mine as it kicked the dirt behind its feet.


    I looked back at it. Six orbs of water floated behind me as I held the bow and arrow, tightly.


    ¡°We meet again, bastard.¡±


    ¡°Grrrr¡±


    The boar¡¯s tail flapped around behind its back. At the same time, the many eyes plastered over its fleshy body turned to me.


    A cloud of dust rose as the Boar dashed through the grounds and came straight at me.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    One of the orbs floating behind me dashed ahead. It took on a spin and charged straight into the boar at a speed that surpassed both me and the animal. The boar, undeterred, growled and lowered its head. A magic circle formed right above its tusk and flames emerged from its head. Scarlet flames marked the charge of the boar. As soon as the water orb hit the fire, it fizzled out and turned into smoke.


    25 meters.


    ¡°[Ice Magic: Ice Spear (3rd Circle)]¡±


    Two more orbs dashed ahead. They elongated on their path and starting from the tip, crystallized into solid spears of ice. The boar realized the ice would last longer and hopped to the side, and then again.


    The second spear grazed its face as it fell to the ground. 10 meters.


    Without giving it a moment to breathe, I pulled an arrow. It was almost in front of me.


    I shot the arrow and jumped to the side. The arrow lodged itself into the head of the boar while I rolled back on my feet and nocked two more arrows.


    ¡°GRAW!¡± The boar yelped as the two arrows pierced its side. It quickly changed its position, kicked up some more dirt from its hind, and charged at me again. The trees around it were withering from the flames at its head.


    ¡°Come.¡± I strapped the bow along my shoulder and pulled out my ax and sword. Three more orbs were still floating behind me.


    ¡®Would this even work¡­?¡¯


    Even though I had doubts, I couldn¡¯t indulge them. It was a fight. The boar charged at me again, now close enough to strip me of my chance to run. I rapidly sent the three orbs at it.


    The boar growled and summoned flames again as if calling me a fool for trying a failed trick twice. The first orb swung from the left, and the boar barely moved. The second struck from its right, steam covered its sight around the flames. Irked, the boar tried to pierce through faster. The third one struck it head-on and at the same time, more mana seeped out of my hand.


    [Earth Magic: Dirt Wall (1st Circle)]


    A small ledge of stone rose from the ground, right below its feet. It had taken the path I guided it towards.


    The boar tripped, along with the force and steam made by the third orb, it lost its balance and jumped forward. Its body was almost upon me.


    Before the boar could land, I raised the sword and stabbed it from below.


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    ¡°AUGH!¡±


    [Strength: 35 (Intermediate-Low)]


    I twisted my entire body forward and the sword pierced through one of its many eyes. The boar spat out blood, but the heat from its head didn¡¯t cease.


    My eyes widened. The magic still being active meant.


    ¡°It¡¯s alive!?¡±


    The weight of the boar made the sword sink deeper, but my hand naturally lowered to the ground as it landed and started swinging its legs again. The boar pushed ahead with all its might, even with the sword going out of its back.


    I held it at a distance with all my might. My feet pressed into the ground and I grit my teeth, holding the sword.


    [Endurance: 47 (Intermediate-Low)]


    I temporarily held my ax in my mouth and summoned another orb of water in my hands. It turned from one to two, three, four, six, all over again.


    [Mana: 60 (Intermediate-Low)]


    And all six of them turned into ice spears. With a flick of my wrist, they all stabbed into the boar at point-blank range.


    [Control: 40 (Intermediate-Low)]


    Through its back, and sides, and then finally impaling through its head. The heated flames finally dwindled as the struggling boar fell limp. The weight against my sword disappeared and I hacked its head again with the ax.


    Now I could breathe in peace.


    I stepped back and wiped my forehead.


    ¡°Fucking boars¡­¡± I sighed, leaning my weight against my shoulder. How huge was it in the first place? It could have prevented famines if it were more normal.


    I stepped away from the boar and gathered my items. It was time to go back. The sweltering heat of the forest never ceased as the trees and birds rustled and chirped (growled actually).


    I had set goals for myself in the labyrinth. They were supposed to be good for development. For now, my goal is to reach (Lowest-Intermediate) level on everything. It would drive my current stats up to 99 at (Highest-Low) and then back to 0 on the Intermediate grade.


    Getting into the Highest Grade was apparently enough to secure a great spot in any country, and most successful knights were usually in the Intermediate and Highest grade range. I unfortunately didn¡¯t know if there was anything above Highest-Highest, but there probably might be.


    It just felt that way. In case there wasn¡¯t something, my progress was rather encouraging. Though it would get difficult to increase even one stat point the stronger I became, for now, it wasn¡¯t particularly bad.


    There were two more goals in my mind. One was to kill the bear, and the other was to kill the creature in the cave before going further in.


    I held the weapons tight as I found myself back at the trees I had decided to make my hideout. A huge pile of items was spread around the largest tree, the leaves that I used to cover the items now piled up so high that they were even more suspicious.


    I sighed and pushed some of the leaves away. Strewn on the ground were dozens of spellbooks, martial art books, and weapons of all kinds and qualities along with food and other items. In just days, I had become a hoarder.


    A sigh left me. There was only so much I could learn. If only there was a way to do it all at once. Hell, I would even take someone to teach me everything right now. The books had so much flub and their tricks were so hard to grasp without a feel that they each took days to understand. After experiencing it just once though, it became way easier to mimic the magic and the martial arts.


    Unfortunately, what could I do? I was only one person¡ª


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    I crossed my arms and stepped back. Images flashed in my head before I immediately reached out and grabbed the Dark Magic Tome I had brought with me since the time with the Lich. The spell that it couldn¡¯t use since it had a prerequisite of ¡®dying.¡¯


    I quickly pulled the pages open and read through them.


    The spell brought a dead ¡®human¡¯ back as an ¡®undead¡¯ without their losing any ability. It was a spell made out of academic interest. Raising other undead always came with a loss of skill. That meant if, by some twist of fate, a necromancer or a cadavermancer could get their hands on the corpse of a great knight, they would only be able to revive it to a fourth or even lesser of its true abilities from when it was alive.


    On the other hand, a person could revive ¡®themselves¡¯ to the same degree as before death. I had felt it personally. Every time I used the skill, I found versions of myself that were strong and versions of myself that couldn¡¯t even move after being hacked to 0 Stats by the Lich and from my brief stint in the coffin.


    My breath hastened as I looked at the spellbooks around me.


    Learn them all at the same time.


    Get someone else to teach me personally.


    And also stop being just ¡®one¡¯ person.


    All of those were possible. If I could bring back myself from death, why couldn¡¯t I make myself stronger as well?


    My breath hitched out of excitement and nervousness. I placed a palm on my pounding chest and stretched the other one.


    If it worked.


    I would become unstoppable. There was no doubt about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need all of your help¡­ [Return To Hell]¡±

 Chapter 23: The Necromancers Way of Grinding (1)

    Dozens of skeletons sat in front of me, all of them kneeling. They were like a classroom of lost children just entering their first day of school. It didn¡¯t matter which, the first day made everyone revert to being a nervous child.


    They even glanced around, wondering if they could make any friends in this place. Don¡¯t worry, my dearies, we will find all of you mates.


    I shook off the teacherly instinct slowly taking over for my own corpses and coughed.


    ¡°Alright, all of you know the drill!¡±


    The skeletons nodded and raised their hands. They pumped their fists. Though they couldn¡¯t say anything, I thought I could hear their words.


    ¡°MURDER! MURDER! MURDER!¡±


    That was how it would sound if they could speak, at least according to my artistic rendition. I sighed and shook my head. I wonder who they took after to be such murderhobos.


    ¡°All of you. I will need your help. Around you are books and weapons. Some are about martial arts, others about magic spells, and lastly the weapons¡ªwhich are a wide range. You all have to learn them.¡±


    The skeletons tilted their heads. Then, the one at the front who looked the strongest (the second to most recent dead) slapped his fist over his palm and nodded. I was a little nervous. They had no body, but I knew from the lich that skeletons could use magic just like real people.


    In fact, the strongest one should be able to use a few spells. I asked it to summon a fire arrow and give the others an example. The skeleton slowly stood up and stepped next to me, facing all the other skeletons.


    It stretched its hand outward. I distinctly felt the movement of mana as it summoned a spell. My eyes narrowed slightly, the mana it took to maintain the skeletons hadn¡¯t changed. That meant the skeleton was using its own mana to make the spell.


    What a cheat.


    The fire arrow formed in the skeleton¡¯s hands and the others started clapping. It made the one giving the display blush and scratch the back of its skull.


    What the hell, was it shy now?


    I faked a cough and pulled their attention back. ¡°That kind of magic. The books are around you, please start reading them. And for who will do what¡­¡± I looked at the skeletons again. It was going to be confusing to just call them skeletons.


    There were a lot of them, but many could hardly walk so there were very few I had to pay attention to. It seemed only about 12 of them were strong and smart enough to help, which was enough for now. The rest could work as punching bags and try out the weapons.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll name you. Which of you guys died first?¡±


    A skeleton at the very back raised its hand. It seemed like the oldest skeleton. Unfortunately for me, it also meant one of the worst skeletons since it was the first one to die from asphyxiation in the coffin.


    ¡°Maybe the weeks of workout in the castle might help? You are now Skelian Meyer 1! Pick up the sword and start using it. Take some of the weaker skeletons for help.¡±


    I had learned a bit about the sword back then. Hopefully, it would remember and develop if it fought with someone near its skill level. I wasn¡¯t going to learn anything from a skeleton that weak, so it was fine if it just learned enough to fight for itself.


    That¡¯s right. I was not just upskilling myself. I was also upskilling the army I always had with me. If I could make them all stronger at the same time, it would turn this ¡®mob¡¯ of Skeletons into a proper corp.


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    One after another, I gave names and tasks to the other useful skeletons and set them to work. Since there were a lot of weak ones who could work but had no real hope of helping me, I made them all learn by fighting each other. It seemed I had about 30 of them if I only counted the ones that could walk. All the other skeletons were merely writhing on the ground and were unable to do anything. It was annoying to even try to count.


    Of those initial fifty, only 12 were useful. Four started learning Magic from the books. Three martial arts from the books. The other Five took to weapons. A chain mace, a shield, a short sword, a long sword, and a bow.


    Once they were all fluent with things, since they were practically me, they would be able to teach me much faster. And even if it took time to learn, at least they would know the skills. While these twelve worked, Skelian 1 and Skelian 2 (one of the dead from the Lich¡¯s time. I didn¡¯t bother naming the ones in between) had started training the others personally.


    With that, the first day of my skeleton upskilling boot camp began.


    A grin spread on my face. Who cares about a bunch of undead and an undying? While I needed to eat, I couldn¡¯t say the same thing for them.


    This boot camp was never going to end.


    I meant it when I asked them to return to hell.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Hahaha¡­ HAHAHA!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡°¡­?¡±¡±¡±


    ***


    The training was proceeding smoothly. Alongside the growl of the birds and the rustle of the leaves, now the clangs of metal clashing against metal and rhythmic flips of pages had become a part of the sounds of the forest.


    It also made me feel way less lonely. The constant drainage of mana too felt like a method to train, so I kept breathing strongly to boost up not just my mana but also my intelligence which would increase my recovery rate and efficiency.


    It was truly a perfect form of training. The kind of ¡®Cheat¡¯ skill that I was looking for all the time while I was with the rest of my classmates. In my eyes, it was good enough to catch up with their talent if not to slightly surpass it.


    Of course, the hard work was immense. The skeletons retained intelligence, but just keeping them stuck together and not dropping into a pile of bones was an exercise in using my [Control].


    It was while I had handed Skelian 11 the water-based magic book that a problem arose.


    ¡°What¡­? You don¡¯t know how to read this?¡±


    Skelian 11 nodded at my words. This was troublesome, it did not possess the skills of the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> Circle Water Magic that I had learned, so it couldn¡¯t directly jump into Circles 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup>. Learning it again felt like a waste of time when I could learn something else.


    But I also wanted to develop my depth alongside my width.


    ¡°For now, learn Earth Magic.¡±


    The higher the grade of the spells the tougher they became. I thought if two of us worked on the 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> circle spells together I would cut the learning time.


    ¡°Should I kill myself?¡±


    The thought came naturally. I could kill myself, get another skeleton that would be strong and also smart, and would then be helping me learn. It felt like a tempting idea.


    A very tempting idea, before something happened. One of the skeletons who was learning how to use the mace stood up and walked toward me. It had an evil grin, just like the one that the Lich used to flaunt.


    ¡°What is it, Skelian 9?¡± I asked.


    Skelian 9 laughed grimly and pointed at me, then it drew a line over its neck with its thumb and pointed to the ground.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked again.


    With a sigh, Skelian ran the mace on the ground. It wrote the word ¡®Coup¡¯ on the dirt.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    It seemed Skelian 9 wanted to take over as boss. It quickly raised its mace and charged at me.


    I sighed, stood up, and took a stance, pulling my fist behind. This was troublesome, with its new skills, Skelian had gotten in over its head! A completely new problem had arisen, though it could just be a rebellious streak for this juvenile skeleton.


    As the skeleton swung the mace, I thought it looked pretty slow. With a simple twist, I dodged to the side and punched outward. My fist slammed straight into the center of Skelian¡¯s face.


    Its mouth curved in.


    A crack resounded.


    The mace fell to the ground and Skelian 9 flew off. It hit a tree and then another before falling on the ground and breaking into a pile of bones.


    All the other Skelians stopped and looked at me.


    ¡°Oops?¡± I grinned.


    Right now, I am at least twice as strong as the strongest one.


    The other Skelians started working again with twice the intensity. They didn¡¯t seem to want to be the next target.


    ***


    In the end, I decided to kill myself and bring myself back.


    But the incident from before made me hesitate. If I couldn¡¯t work it out properly, then the skeletons could rebel.


    That was why, I made them disappear first.


    I was going to kill myself. Grow stronger. Summon the skeletons, and show it its place with the gap in skill.


    It was a perfect plan.

 Chapter 24: The Necromancers Way of Grinding (2)

    ¡°Haah!¡°


    I woke up in a start and looked around. The same forest, my body was normal.


    A sigh left me as I pushed myself off the ground and looked at my Divine Window.


    <blockquote>


    {Stats::


    [Strength: 19 (Lowest-Low)]


    [Endurance: 24 (Lowest-Low)]


    [Mana: 33 (Intermediate-Low)]


    [Control: 20 (Lowest-Low)]


    [Intelligence: 22 (Lowest-Low)]}


    </blockquote>


    Each of the stats had halved. The next Skelian would become the strongest I''ve ever had.


    The idea of trying my hand against the bear entered my mind, but if I died multiple times then the gap would become even greater.


    The first thing I did was snap my fingers and summon the orbs of water. Mana flowed out, noticing a larger dent in my reserves than before, as they circled my back.


    The movements of the orbs were rather clumsy in the beginning and took more focus. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead.


    But the results were just as good.


    [Control: 23]


    [Control: 25]


    [Control: 27]


    The one stat that practically translated to my skill level was rapidly increasing. Though not back to the old value, it was still a considerable jump. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t say the same about the other stats.


    Intelligence was a recovery rate for my mana and helped with the purity of the mana my core gathered, while the Mana stat reflected a raw value. While limited, the other stats were intuitive and did what they said on the cover.


    In the end, I didn''t think these ''stats'' governed one''s strength. They were a good way to improve from one''s current state, but not a good display of one''s current power at all.


    ¡°As long as it helps.¡°


    For now, my goal was to increase the skill gap between myself and the skeleton that was to come next. I wanted to suppress it immediately.


    I had already planned two skulls to learn.


    [Earth Magic: Binds of Nature (Third Circle)]


    [Fire Magic: Rapid Butterflies (Third Circle)]


    Both of these were considerably difficult spells and were the type of magic spells that could make a difference against a strong opponent.


    These would be enough to tame any Skelians for a while. Though I had no plans to die again anytime soon.


    ¡°Let''s get to work.¡°


    ***


    The spellbook slammed shut as I stretched my hands and feet and fell on my back. A yawn left me while I shook my legs, almost like a cat.


    Sitting and studying was a hassle in the other world, but now it was fun. I could tell why so many scholars were interested in magic.


    It felt as if my mind forced me to focus with all my strength, which made learning a bit easier as well.


    Or perhaps it was the lack of mobile phones? I would have probably scrolled a marathon on Instaquack while reading two books.


    ¡°It should be enough¡­ should I practice it again?¡°


    The thought entered my mind as I looked around me. Dozens of trees were on the ground, charred black from the burns.


    Maybe there was no need for practice. Not like skeletons needed to worry about death.


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    ¡°[Return To Hell]¡±


    The Corvus constellation formed on my hand yet again as the spell took hold. All my mana had recovered, there was no better time to fight it than now.


    One after another, the skeleton started to form. Some seeped out of the ground, others formed in mid-air, and some pulled themselves outside of the magic circle.


    The oppressive scent of dark magic and the air of death filled the forest as the ones who should have long served their time returned to this hell.


    My eyes narrowed. Finally, in front of me, the new strongest skeleton formed. Its bones were considerably thicker and stronger than all the others. The air of death around it was stronger than the rest.


    It emanated power.


    The skeletons all formed and lowered their heads. The newly strongest skeleton stepped ahead, it closed in on me.


    Then, it''s knee bent¡ª


    ¡°[Binds of Nature]¡±


    The spell activated without hesitation as branches and vines stretched out of the ground and wrapped themselves around the skeleton.


    The new one, Skelian 13, I was planning to call it, looked around in surprise. It almost felt as if nervous sweat was dripping from its skull as it shook its head desperately.


    Well, I believed in curbing violence from the core.


    ¡°[Fire Magic¡­]¡±


    The skeleton shook its head faster.


    ¡°[Rapid butterflies (Third Circle)]¡±


    Small balls of flames formed in the air. One, two, five, twelve, twenty¡­


    They expanded in number until it became difficult to count them. The small balls of flames were as big as a bullet and distinctly resembled a butterfly in their shape.


    The skeleton''s eyes widened, and the attack launched outward. The butterflies struck the skeleton dead in the face multiple times. The sound of the small explosions each time they hit was like bullets shooting out of an assault rifle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think of revolting ever again!¡±


    The other skeletons observing us all lowered their heads further. Some even went as far as to kneel. Perhaps it was too awkward. I met my eyes with one of them, Skelian 9. It seemed that it had learned its lesson well both last time and this time, as it was trembling while it knelt.


    Soon enough, the spell ended and the skeleton came out of the cloud of smoke the fire had made with its white bones charred black. The skeleton looked at me with betrayed and helpless eyes.


    For some reason, I felt it was never planning to attack me.


    ***


    Whether the skeleton would attack or not, the effect of the spells was undeniable. It was a useful addition and had tamed the rest of the skeleton army.


    It felt odd that the newest Skelian was also the most cooperative and proactive. Before I died, I was actively thinking about how I could help myself the best, and it felt as if the skeleton was embodying that very thought. These skeletons might have carried the strongest emotion I felt at the time of death.


    That also helped explain their seemingly bland but fairly discernable personalities.


    With the addition of a new person learning third and fourth circle spells, it became easier for me to focus and train.


    The days passed by just like that. At all moments, my mana was deeply strained to maintain the skeletons, which also helped me boost my recovery and control stats.


    During the mornings, I spent my time reading the books.


    ¡°Fourth Circle spells are needlessly difficult. Hey, did you manage to use any?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand, don¡¯t worry and work hard. Even the third circle spells take a lot of strength.¡±


    .


    .


    .


    Once just sitting around became troublesome, I decided to train to get my other stats back as well.


    ¡ªClap!


    ¡°Ninety-Seven¡­¡±


    ¡ªClap!


    ¡°Ninety-Eight¡­!¡±


    ¡ªClap!


    ¡°Ninety-Nine¡­..!¡±


    With the help of the skeletons, I poured in extra effort into exercising. When I managed to make a lot of exercises easy, I added mana into my muscles¡ªfollowing the advice written in the martial arts books.


    Augmenting one¡¯s body with mana was supposed to be the fundamentals of melee fighting. It was also what Evans did the best, making him the strongest leader for us.


    I followed that principle and used my mana in another way. Of course, it made simple exercises easier.


    So the skeletons started climbing my back to add weight while I worked out.


    .


    .


    .


    Just magic and physical strength wasn¡¯t enough. We had to keep ourselves trained in every aspect.


    ¡°Haah!¡±


    The skeletons helped me use the weapons. The sword¡¯s swings, the detailed twists of my body, the stances I had to use with different lengths of the blade, and the intentions in my swings. From swords to axes to daggers to bows, we trained in each of them every day.


    While I trained, the skeletons did so too. It was not a person I was planning to develop, but everyone here¡ªAll the undead.


    .


    .


    .


    Every passing day, I could feel myself getting stronger. The me of today became indistinguishable from the me of yesterday.


    It was not enough to solely train. Of course. My goal was far bigger.


    ¡°Come, all of you at once.¡±


    I even fought the undead. All of them. To increase my strength, I was more than willing to take on an army.


    Even if it injured me. Even if it hurt me.


    The moments of lightness were mere distractions. The sooner I became used to keeping the undead summoned and controlled, the sooner I would start being overwhelmed by my mind again.


    This distraction¡­ was not going to become my goal. It wasn¡¯t going to stop my vengeance but boost it.


    So I fought. Every chance I got, I grew stronger. Just what I had planned.


    And soon the day came.


    ¡°Today, I will hunt the bear and the being in the cave.¡±

 Chapter 25: The Sin of Sirius (1)

    ¡°The Crow. What the hell are we doing here looking for that thing?¡±


    Riziel¡¯s words were met with a frown as her partner Jonathan pushed an overgrown branch aside. Jonathan scoffed and adjusted his glasses.


    ¡°You have to believe, Riziel. According to my precise calculations after observing the windspeed, the bacterial growth, the weather, and the color of the underwear I chose to wear the day after we visited Magen, I can say with 50% certainty that ¡®The Crow¡¯ is right here in the Labyrinth of Sirius.¡±


    Riziel stopped and rubbed her forearms. Something about the way her long-haired partner spoke always gave her the chills. Though the partner would probably blame her tank tops, she was sure it was the other way. She took out a cigarette from her pocket and lit it up.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t get it,¡± said Riziel. ¡°Why the hell did Commander Brown have to send us here?¡±


    The two partners, Riziel and Jonathan were members of the decorated Claret Knights directly under the command of their leader, Volfram Brown. Moreover, they were members of the intelligence unit of the knights that the commander had painstakingly set up to work outside the bounds of the Empire¡¯s intelligence.


    Naturally, talented was too humble a word of praise for them. They were the type that only came around once in a while.


    That¡¯s right. Once in a while¡­


    ¡°I think it is because of how much he trusts us,¡± said Jonathan as he led the two through the forest. ¡°Also, he didn¡¯t ask us to come to this place, we came here on our own.¡±


    Riziel couldn¡¯t disagree with that. They had chosen to investigate Blue purely on their judgment. It was certainly not because Jonathan had heard that there was a bar that employed charming women to serve drinks to adventurers in Blue and he could spend the knights¡¯ budget on it. It was also definitely not because Riziel had heard that the adventurers in Blue were rather feisty and would frequently fight for amusement and even give out great rewards to the winners, absolutely not.


    They weren¡¯t so shallow.


    What was even stranger was that reports of missing people were flooding Blue by the time they reached the place. It was quite shocking. That wasn¡¯t all.


    Deaths in the labyrinth were higher than they had ever been as well. Numerous people frequently died challenging such places but never had so many departed at once. It was to a degree that one might be able to find corpses and items strewn about while walking around.


    These reports had stumped the Temple of Eos, the only deity that was worshipped near the vicinity of the Labyrinth. Templars and Paladins were scheduled to be deployed, and the two knights decided to acquire whatever they could before and enjoy after.


    As the two made their way through the forest, a soft rustle caught their ears. Both of them snapped to the side and noticed a boy in black robes walking through the forest with an ax, a sword, a bow, and six floating orbs around him. It was quite a strange sight, almost intense.


    His balance, his eyes, and his every step exuded a pressure that could only be brought upon by days upon days of placing one in death¡¯s jaws. Slowly, he passed through the forest.


    ¡°Hey, is that a solo adventurer¡­?¡± Hiding behind a bush, Riziel posed the question while lowering her cigarette. Her partner hiding right next to her nodded.


    ¡°He looks scary. He must be a powerful adventurer.¡±


    Black. Black robes, black hair, black eyes. A strange connection formed in her head as Riziel slowly spoke up.


    ¡°Do you think he might be the Crow?¡±


    Jonathan shook his head. ¡°Judging from the distance between the end of your shorts and your knees, I believe that kid looks like a human and not a monster¡±


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    ¡°Judge that with your eyes!¡±


    The boy passed them by. Riziel glared at Jonathan.


    ¡°How far apart are they?¡± asked Riziel.


    ¡°Three centimeters. You should try wearing stockings sometime¡ªWAIT WAIT!¡±


    Riziel immediately drew a sword and swung it at Jonathan¡¯s neck. The man fell back and blocked her in the nick of time.


    ¡°Die today, you sick freak!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a choice! It¡¯s the curse of the intelligent to be observant!¡±


    The two knights tussled for a few moments when another rustle caught their ears. Riziel did not retract her blade, even as something tapped on her shoulders.


    Riziel brushed the hand off.


    ¡°Today he dies! You can¡¯t stop me.¡±


    ¡°S-save me! Helf! Helfff!¡±


    ¡ªTap tap.


    Again someone tapped her shoulders. Annoyed, Riziel turned back.


    There it stood.


    A being with ashen skin, and scales running up its hands. On the top of its head, a small blood-red horn.


    Riziel and Jonathan both stopped in their tracks.


    The enemy of mankind.


    The beings from beyond the borders of the free world.


    The blasphemous followers of the devil.


    A demon.


    A demon was standing near them.


    ¡°H-hello?¡± the demon said. It opened its coat, revealing dozens and dozens of teeth studded along its body. At the center was a small crimson flame. ¡°Would you mind¡­ feeding my magic?¡±


    ***


    Did I feel ready to fight the bear and the being in the cave? Definitely.


    Was I ready to fight the bear and the being in the cave? Perhaps.


    Was I going to fight the bear and the being in the cave? Absolutely not. Not one at a time, that is.


    I waited with my arms crossed as I looked out toward the cave. Whatever being was inside had enough strength to destroy trees from a distance. It could accurately kill a tiny human-flesh-made grotesque rabbit without even coming out of the cave. It was certainly dangerous.


    Fighting against the Skelians, I had figured out something important. Battles were as much about wits as they were about strength, so using wits became my choice.


    The plan was rather simple. I would make my two enemies fight each other. The Cave-dweller was aggressive enough to attack anything, and the bear would fight anything that attacked it.


    I planned to lead the bear here and make it fight the Cave-dweller. Tapping my feet, I waited for the sounds of the monster to reach me.


    Not long after, the clacks of bones striking bones reached my ears¡ªFollowed by a loud growl. I stepped behind a tree to hide as the sounds grew louder.


    Skelian 13, Skelian 9, and Skelian 11 were running over here while leading the Bear. Three arrows were lodged in its head and cuts littered its hands, but none of them seemed fatal at all, let alone fatal enough. The Skelians noticed me and waved, I glared at them and pointed at the cave.


    With a low grumble, the Skelians nodded at each other and then separated in three ways.


    The bear, growling, followed behind Skelian 9 who was at the center. Nine jumped and swerved through the trees and the bear pushed them apart with its raw strength, bulldozing through the forest.


    Skelian 9 realized that anything it did now was futile. It was almost at the cave, it had served its purpose. With tears (not really) falling down its eyes (it didn¡¯t have any) it smiled at the other skeletons (it couldn¡¯t) and leaped ahead. With a final growl, the bear caught up and swung its claws.


    Skelian 9 burst into tiny bone fragments and was shot straight into the cave. Its bones flew around, most of them falling into the entrance.


    It made me wince. How cruel. So long, Skelian 9, until I summon you again.


    Before Skelian 13 and 11 could mourn their lost friend, though, a dark air flowed out of the cave. The oppressive aura was a clear sign of mana overflow¡­ no, maybe an intimidation spell? Some natural level of control? The possibilities which came to mind were numerous, but all of them pointed at the same thing.


    Whatever was in there¡­ was very strong.


    I widened my gaze. Mana flowed into my eyes, a trick I had learned over the last few weeks. Whatever was going to happen was important. A great fight was going to break out¡­ or so I thought.


    With a single gust of wind, the bear was struck through the center of its body. Blood gushed out as the trees around it snapped apart. Again, the being had attacked without even revealing itself as it pushed the very terrain back.


    My hair flew behind and some of the lesser Skelians flailed despite hiding behind trees. My eyes never left the bear. One gash, another, a third, wounds piled up on it as the terrain it had cleared just widened from the attacks of the being inside the cave.


    The bear was pushed back but the attacks didn¡¯t seize.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t even in a fucking angle to the cave!?¡±


    What kind of attack was this? A homing spell? It looked like the bear would collapse with one last hit.


    Yet, before the cave-dweller could strike it once more, an arrow enchanted with a bright white light fell from the sky and went straight through the head of the bear. In the blink of an eye, dozens of arrows rained down on the bear and its vicinity.


    My eyes widened once more. Behind the trees that had been cleared, the source of the attack came into view.


    Dozens of people in pure white armor and robes. Magicians, knights, warriors, tanks, healers¡­ All of them had the same emblem embroidered on their chests. An emblem I had seen very clearly back in the Palace of Crimson.


    The people who sought my death.


    The people who deemed me their enemy.


    The Templars of one of the Septet, Eos, were here.

 Chapter 26: The Sin of Sirius (2)

    The knights of Eos were in particular a bigger problem than the rest. I still remembered well the saintess of Eos and her guardian knight. Both of them were people who marched to their own drums.


    They were the only people who did not look at me with disdain in their eyes while I was at Crimson for my lack of abilities. Or should I say, they were the ones who didn¡¯t look ¡®only¡¯ at me with disdain in their eyes. Anyone who had not proven their worth was trash for them. Some trash might be better than other trash, but trash was still trash.


    I bit my lips. There was no option here. Dozens of trained knights? There was no way I was going to win.


    My best option was to leave this place. It looked like they had come here prepared to sweep the entire labyrinth.


    ¡°That¡¯s why they weren¡¯t up there last time. Dispell.¡±


    Hiding behind the trees, I unsummoned the Skelians and peeked out. The paladins were making their way closer. What was worse, they had already spread out in a wide arc to cover all spots from the cave.


    Should I pincer through? It might be possible if I targeted a knight, but the risk was far too great. It was an unfortunate outcome, but leaving the labyrinth was going to be the best way to avoid them right now.


    I didn¡¯t fear dying. But if any of them recognized me as the hero who was supposed to be dead, gathering any kind of strength would become impossible. I had to leave¡ª


    My train of thought was interrupted. A chill ran down my spine. I sharply turned toward the cave, and then at the paladins circling the spot.


    ¡°Danger¡ª¡± My voice wasn¡¯t louder than a whisper, and like a whisper, it went unheard against the heavy boom of air. Blood splattered everywhere as one of the paladins fell from the center.


    His intestines flew up and his blood fell on the blue armor of the one on his left, and again.


    ¡ªBOOM!


    ¡°A-ambush!! It¡¯s an ambush!!¡±


    The paladins panicked and started running toward each other to change formation. This was my chance. I quickly turned back and set off. Running past the trees on the sides, leaving the artificially made clearing behind.


    Just once. I glanced back and closed my eyes.


    ¡®That¡¯s right¡­ these people deserve this.¡¯


    The paladins were still falling one after another. Just like me, they too thought the enemy was in the cave. Its presence was unmistakable.


    ¡°How are these attacks possible!?¡±


    ¡°Go behind! Go behind the cave!!¡±


    The paladins haphazardly ran around to circle the cave. At the same time, magic circles formed in the air as they gathered their wits. The tankers and warriors protected the wizards while some went with the healers to gather whomever they could save.


    Third Circle¡­ Fourth¡­ A collaboration spell involving multiple fourth circle spells formed above the caves. My eyes widened in awe¡­


    This was the clear difference between fighting individually and in a group. The ability to merge spells of the same level with different casters to increase its power by many magnitudes¡­


    ¡°Insane. That¡¯s supposed to be fourth circle?¡±


    Together, the seven casters bombarded the cave with a rain of flames. It felt like a ton of TNT blasting off. My body instinctively fell to the ground as the shockwaves spread, rustling through my hair. When I looked back, only a charred rock remained in place of the cave. Everything had been burnt down. No¡­ exploded.


    Debris from the explosion had lodged into the trees as far as I was.


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    ¡°Is it over¡­?¡± one of the paladins asked.


    ¡°Nothing can survive that¡­¡±


    The ground propelled me forward, it was time to leave.


    ¡°GAH!¡±


    A scream. I looked back yet again.


    The paladin who had posed the first question was split in two from the center, vertically. Its body fell to the ground as the others watched on.


    ¡°R-run!! Regroup at point F! Everyone split into squads and run!¡±


    How¡­ how was this possible? Just where in the hell is that damned being?


    I took the knights¡¯ signal and dashed off myself. All of them started running in different directions, much like the tactics Skelians had used with the bear.


    And much like that time, the being seemed to be coming in the same direction I was in. Two groups of four paladins were running my way as one of them lost his leg, alongside three trees next to it. The other paladin immediately swooped in and grabbed his friend.


    They were getting closer. Over and over, the trees were being chopped through.


    This was troublesome, exceedingly troublesome.


    The last thing I wanted with the paladins around was to be killed by something I couldn¡¯t even see. I kicked off the ground with all my might. Mana flowed into my feet and sent me rappelling forward. The paladins noticed me and ran as well.


    ¡°Hey, you! Are you an adventurer!?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time just run!¡±


    I knew the forest better than the others. It had become my dwelling all this time.


    ¡°Just use a return stone and leave!¡± One of the paladins said.


    A return stone? What the hell was that now!? I looked back at the paladins but they weren¡¯t going to give me an answer. Another gust of wind spread through as more trees fell, the being was right on our tail.


    There was no other choice. I had to make a tough call and one that I wasn¡¯t going to regret. Since I knew the topology way better than the rest¡­


    I could use them as bait and leave. I turned back to trick the paladins, but they spoke before me.


    ¡°Adventurer! Don¡¯t worry about your party members, the other paladins will help everyone out of the labyrinth!¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­? Wait wait wait! I don¡¯t have any¡ª¡±


    The paladins behind me all pulled out a stone. ¡°Leave and meet us outside!¡± They said.


    At that moment, a blue light engulfed everyone and they all disappeared from the dungeon¡­


    I almost wanted to stop running. The people I was planning to bait for my escape escaped first.


    This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to be! They didn¡¯t even hear me out! My raging got no chance to continue as a lock of my hair fell, followed by the tree right behind me sliding off to the ground.


    The cave-dweller was here. I once again started to run with all my might. The blue stone that they had pulled out.


    I knew it. I had seen it. From the very first time I robbed a grave, I found a carefully contained blue stone. Maybe this was the reason everyone entered the labyrinth legally instead of like me.


    ¡°[Return to Hell]!¡± The Skelians returned from the ground right behind me. ¡°Distract that thing! 13, you come with me!¡±


    Skelian 13 followed me while the others formed a wall. They used the immobile Skelians as a shield and tried to hold off the Cave-dweller. One by one, their bodies crumbled from the cave-dweller''s strikes, but the time they bought was enough.


    13 and I ran toward my base, the spot where all the bags we had gathered were piled up. After a final turn, I and 13 jumped out from the midst of a thick growth of trees and landed on the dirt. Stones flew up as I skidded to a stop.


    In front of me, hovering over the bags was a giant scorpion made of human flesh. Very much like the scorpion I had first killed, right near this spot. Without hesitation, I stretched my hand outward.


    ¡°13 find the stone! Water orbs!¡±


    Six orbs of water formed behind my back. The giant fleshy scorpion turned my way and raised its claws.


    The orbs of water merged into one and crystallized from the front. Their size increased to half that of the scorpion itself. The scorpion could only watch as the spear dashed forward with a flick of my wrist.


    [Water Magic: Ice Spear - Variation Gigant (3rd Circle)]


    The ice spear dashed through the head of the scorpion. It poked through the carapace on its head, tearing into its body, and then came out of the other side. The ice spear and the scorpion gouged through the ground before it fell limp.


    I didn¡¯t bother to spare it another glance and turned back. The being from the cave was far scarier.


    Mana coursed through my body. Using a weapon here was impossible, I couldn¡¯t even see the being. But that meant I should be able to attack it.


    ¡°13!? Did you find it?¡±


    ¡°Return stone¡­? Do you have it?¡±


    Since when could the Skelians talk? In my surprise, I glanced at 13 and froze for god knows which time today.


    Behind me, near the bags, 13 was stopped in its tracks. In front of it stood a being with ashen skin and a crimson-red horn. Black blood seeped out of its stomach and its mouth as it tried to crawl toward my loot.


    ¡°A-a¡­ demon?¡±


    An injured demon. Gravely injured.


    ¡°I won¡¯t harm you, dark mage if you help¡­ We are the same kind. Do you have a return stone¡­?¡±


    There was no time to be confused. Our lives were on the line. I snapped back at it. ¡°Help the undead! It should be in the bags.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± The demon asked, as if angry that I wasn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°I am planning to take care¡­¡±


    A gust of wind struck us as the trees I had crossed earlier broke apart. A long, straight line stretched in front of us, devoid of any trees from the forest. Only the remains of the woods and the skeletons were present on the ground.


    ¡°¡­ Of that.¡±

 Chapter 27: The Sin of Sirius (3)

    A large-scale bombardment had left the invisible cave dweller unharmed. The fact that it was invisible and had next to no presence outside of what we felt from the cave made it even worse. Everyone believed the monster must have been in the cave.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case. It was out, about, and murdering.


    If a single giant explosion weren¡¯t going to work, then I would hit it with quantity. I had just the spell for that purpose.


    ¡°I am going to have the last laugh. [Binds of Nature]¡±


    Trees seeped out of the ground in front of me. Like chains after a criminal, the trees twisted and turned as they tried to capture something no one could see. The trees formed all around the space between me and the broken trees.


    And right after, I cast another spell. A gleaming magical circle formed in my hands as another spell activated.


    The cave dweller tried to approach. It cut the trees in its path.


    [Fire Magic: Rapid Butterflies (Fourth Circle)]


    Tens, no, dozens of fiery beads formed all around me as they rapidly danced through the space between the trees. The spell had been honed to perfection with my immense control and training against the Skelians.


    The Rapid Butterflies danced through the space and dashed at the spot that had been cut apart. Tiny but fierce explosions blasted through the ground as dust and smoke clouded above the trees. The cave dweller''s feet landed on the other side, sending another small cloud of dust up.


    ¡°Got you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to see the monster if I could tell where it was. Immediately, another set of flames shot out at the spot where the cave dweller landed. It cut through more of the Binds to dodge.


    Multiple limbs. A thin elongated body. Probably around three places, it attacks from. I could guess the shape and size of the monster from the fight alone.


    Of course, it was foolish to think it could cut off my spell and escape. The slashes that the cave dweller launched would gauge the ground, but it had no leisure to be as powerful as before.


    The moment it settled down, another set of flames landed at it. If not me, the other paladins would have absolutely defeated the cave-dweller. They were simply caught off guard.


    But right now, the invisible cave dweller seemed enraged. It was rapidly attacking and fighting against the skills instead of stepping back like it would have done. If I had to guess from its body¡­


    ¡°Something like a Scorpion?¡±


    Is that why it was angry? Because I had killed its kin?


    That made it useful. Anger too, was a part of battle.


    ¡°Come! Use whatever you want!¡±


    I nimbly dodged any aftershocks of its slashes as I sent flames reeling at the invisible enemy. A dance of back and forths, of assaults and dodges broke out between us¡ªand I was the one in the lead.


    ¡°W-we found it!¡± The demon and Skelian 13 shouted from behind. Both of them held a blue stone.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°Come here and fight, 13!¡±


    ¡°What the hell?! Oi, Dark mage, we have to leave right now¡ª¡±


    ¡°13!!¡±


    The Skelian grabbed a sword and rushed over. Both of us were staring at the space in front. Like this, I would only be able to guide it around.


    My mana would run out sooner than its stamina, it would be a losing battle.


    ¡°You¡­ you fool! You¡¯ll die, there are monstrous knights and paladins here, and you can¡¯t fight an invisible enemy at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Die? That sounds tempting¡­¡± I licked my lips and stepped back. I had to end this soon. The binds of nature subtly moved around as they formed again after being cut down. A small space, an opening that led straight from the center to me formed in the path. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to die this time though¡­¡±


    The cave-dweller¡¯s tactic was to slash and act as if it wasn¡¯t around. It always went for a slash that could deal the most damage.


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    But if I could predict its path, and lead it to only one, thin, vertical opening in my onslaught of attacks, its options would be limited. All the mana in my body coursed through my veins and gathered at my hands and feet.


    A small mark appeared on the ground across me, the cave-dweller had stepped down¡ªand it rushed at me.


    I crossed my arms in front of me, one covered my head and the other my groin. All the mana gathered at the hands.


    Pain seared through my skin. Like ripping threads of a cloth, every single cell stuck to another was cut apart from my hands. The mana dispersed, and my skin was pierced through. Blood seeped out from my hands like water from a twisted wet cloth as my muscles were pushed back.


    My eyes never wavered.


    The impact that pushed me behind lessened. Without hesitating for a second, I stretched my battered hands and wrapped them around the being in front of me.


    ¡°GOT YOU!¡±


    I could touch it! The invisible scorpion was in my grasp.


    All the rapid butterflies shot at me. They hit the scorpion as explosions pushed us both backward. No amount of pain could make me loosen my grip, I didn¡¯t even feel it. I fell on my back and still kept my grip tight.


    ¡°13! Stab this fucker!¡±


    Skelian thirteen flipped its grip on the sword and stabbed the cave dweller. The blade cut through its body and stopped as the tip touched my chest.


    My hands fell to the side as heavy breaths left me.


    ¡°Man¡­ you dark mages give me the creep¡­¡± The demon grabbed its side as it stumbled over to me. I was surprised it hadn¡¯t left yet.


    The wariness in its eyes was clear. An injured demon. Some things in this world were common sense, the most common of it all though¡ªwas that the Dark Mages were abandoned by the Septet; and the Demons were the enemy of the Septet.


    By all means, while someone might not persecute a Dark Mage but only shun them away from their city, if a demon was found, they would be killed by anyone.


    Someone cast aside by the gods¡­


    For someone like that, a dark mage was only slightly better than others. For all the demon knew, I could turn on it as well. Being born a demon was the greatest sin one could commit under the Septet.


    It displeased me.


    ¡°Shit¡­ People are coming here¡­¡± The demon said. I pushed myself up and looked around. Footsteps were approaching us from both sides. The Paladins¡­ and¡­


    ¡°Those two monster knights. We have to leave right now.¡± The demon immediately snatched the Return Stone from 13. Before I could get cautious, he crouched and shoved it in my mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re out of mana right? I¡¯ll start it for you. Meet me outside.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ 13, the traces.¡±


    Mana flowed out from both his hands. The blue Return Stones glowed and in moments, I felt my body getting light. 13 had started to set everything I had gathered over time on fire. It tossed my bag that always held the bone ax, a sword, and the necromancy tome over.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I started to disappear. Right on time, 13 tossed over the Divine Window¡­


    The world turned white.


    ***


    Riziel and Jonathan stood in front of a clearing with their arms crossed. A small gash had cut through Jonathan¡¯s leg while wounds riddled Riziel¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Did it escape¡­?¡± Riziel posed as she slowly stepped ahead. Her eyes scoured the scene around her. Burning trees and bags and weapons strewn around. It looked like the demon¡¯s work considering its words. But the other sight couldn¡¯t be excused as just that.


    A giant block of ice was stuck through the head of a scorpion made of flesh, and traces of an intense, explosive battle remained on the other side. It was on a scale beyond what the demon could handle.


    Another monster was here. Someone crazy strong, perhaps someone who could be a threat to them.


    ¡°It can be an adventurer¡­¡± Riziel remarked.


    ¡°Or something worse,¡± Jonathan added. Now that he was injured, he was far more pleasant to be around. ¡°We have to be careful¡­ there goes my vacation.¡±


    Not long after, another group of people came running from the other side. A few squads of paladins, mages, and priests from the Church of Eos were here.


    ¡°Paladins of Eos, we are knights from Crimson under Commander Brown!¡± Riziel raised both her hands and Jonathan showed them his badge. The paladins acknowledged them and rushed over.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured. Priest!¡±


    ¡°Did you guys do this?¡±


    ¡°What happened here¡ªACK!¡±


    A mage tripped over nothing. All of their eyes went to the ground where the mage fell.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Something is here¡­ it must be the monster! The unseen monster from the cave!¡±


    ¡°Someone killed that being?¡±


    An unseen monster. The paladins seemed to have encountered and run away from a monster. Riziel and Jonathan exchanged a glance and nodded without revealing anything on their faces.


    The ¡®person¡¯ they could, possibly be up against, was someone who could defeat things that paladins couldn¡¯t. That with a demon, this was the kind of intelligence that made them enjoy this job.


    ***


    [Defeated the First Sin of Sirius]


    Those were the words etched on my Divine Window instead of my stats. I woke up in a dark alleyway under the evening sky. The demon sat a few paces away from me, tired.


    It had carried me over as soon as we emerged from the dungeon. Since both of us had entered from a different spot, we were also ejected from a different spot. Taking deep breaths, I held the Divine Window up.


    ¡°What the hell are you? Does your arm not hurt?¡±


    ¡°It does. I just ignore the pain.¡±


    [Sirius, the Hunting Dog of the Great Hunter Orion had multiple regrets. The first regret was the death of its master. Ever faithful, the hunting dog wished to be by its master''s side forever, and so, it created the first level of the Labyrinth]


    The gods even knew the reasons behind the labyrinth? Or was something else causing this change in the Divine Window? It was a question I had no answer to. Annoying.


    [Made from the flesh of all the beings they had hunted, Sirius created the greatest place from its memories. A place where it could hunt with its master. The scorpion which couldn¡¯t be seen went after Orion to stop him from hunting all life and killed him, thus becoming a regret for the Hunting Dog as it followed its master to the afterlife. You have taken Sirius¡¯ revenge]


    [The Labyrinth of Sirius bestows a reward upon you.]


    Perhaps it was my imagination. But the star behind the stone seemed to be glowing brightly. The stars that shone before the sun rose and before it set.


    The Star of Sirius.


    [Acquired: Superior Grade Fire Resistance]


    It was a pretty sky.

 Chapter 28: All Ye Who Suffer (1)

    The demon had pulled me along to this alleyway. It was absolutely something I should be grateful for. After all, if people had seen me in the middle of the street they would have most definitely either called the guards and had me sent to the church for healing, or sent me to the church for healing and then called the guards. Both situations were not very good considering I had no idea who knew my identity.


    My companion was in a worse position, naturally, but he could have abandoned me.


    And naturally, as someone in a worse position, his actions after he collected his breath were what anyone would expect.


    A knife¡¯s tip loomed over my neck as the demon straddled on top of me. He let out heavy breaths, his hands trembling from the pain.


    ¡°Dark mage¡­ I want you to cooperate with me, or I will kill you right here. Swear on your magic and I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    I clicked my tongue.


    The demon¡¯s crimson horn gleamed right in front of my sight, menacingly, as if warning me against moving.


    ¡°You think you can overpower me right now?¡± I asked, annoyed.


    ¡°I think I can kill you before you do anything.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I raised my injured hands and stabbed my thumb straight into the demon¡¯s wound. The gaping hole in his stomach was probably not expecting any guests. Too bad, such things did not stop me for a second.


    The demon gasped and pushed the knife down, but it had given me the opening I needed. I moved my head just enough to avoid a fatal wound. The blade sliced a shallow cut on my skin as the demon finally caved under the pain and fell to the side.


    Standing up, I pulled my thumb away and got back on my feet. The demon writhed on the ground, it was a good chance to jab my foot in his wound.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t scream or people might come here.¡±


    He naturally feared death more than the pain. The demon bit his hand to stop himself from screaming while I looked into my bag. It was the bag I had prepared to move around in the labyrinth, so it had most of my wages from grave-robbing alongside three healing potions. They were nothing compared to a priest¡¯s magic, but it was enough for me.


    I poured one on the latest wound on my neck. It quickly closed up and left a scar. As for the wounds on my hands¡­ they weren¡¯t going to be healed by this potion. My hands looked like they had just been taken out of an industrial blender, it could wait.


    I opened the other two flasks and poured them both on the demon¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Why¡­ Ack!¡± The wound writhed as the muscles and veins started to reattach. His wound wasn¡¯t going to heal with just this either, but at least it will close.


    ¡°Demon,¡± I said, walking behind into the alleyway. In one of the cartons kept full of trash and discarded items from the houses around was a bunch of clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. I hate the gods. I hate and despise everything about the Septet.¡±


    I tossed a long cloth to the demon and took another to wrap around my wounded arms. The demon''s eyes tremored as I tightened the makeshift bandage.


    ¡°You and I, we are both persecuted by the gods. But are we the only ones?¡±


    A hailstorm that destroyed everyone¡¯s fields but miraculously left one alone. Was this fortune, not a sick joke that forced a man and his family into a crazed lich and two zombies forever stuck behind a stone?


    ¡°These gods that only bring about suffering. That only care about themselves.¡±


    A village abandoned by rain. One where the gods, their followers, and their subjects didn¡¯t even bother glancing at. If not for their selfishness, wouldn¡¯t a young girl avoid becoming a serpent? Wouldn¡¯t a village avoid slaughter?


    I knelt in front of the demon.


    ¡°The Septet can¡¯t be trusted. I know it. The ones who truly need help suffer.¡±


    The demon stared back. I could tell.


    Both of us had found a companion. We were enemies of this world. We were persecuted by the gods, and condemned to death together.


    ¡°Be it a young child who has lost his brother and cries in front of the gods¡¯ abode¡­¡± My words caught stuck in my throat as my heart tightened. ¡°Or two country kids with big dreams¡­ this world is indifferent to everybody. It doesn¡¯t care about those who suffer.


    ¡°I am on your side, demon.¡± The fate decreed by the gods, whether it was to let dead adventurers rot in the forest, or to have demons stoned at first sight. I was going to resist it.


    ¡°Schwann,¡± the demon said. ¡°Schwann of the Crimson Horn Tribe. What¡¯s your name, dark mage?¡±


    I nodded with a soft smile.


    To think I had given out my real name before this. Wasn¡¯t that risky?


    Foolish and naive me.


    Naive, naive, me.


    ¡°My name¡­ uh¡­ Acheron¡­?¡±


    ¡°Alright. My friend Acheron.¡±


    Names were difficult.

 Chapter 29: All Ye Who Suffer (2)

    ¡°Why are there so many guards here?¡± The demon¡¯s voice reached my ears as the two of us made our way through the city. Following the canal lines made the path easier. I also still had the map the good farmer lent me.


    The number of guards and knights walking in the city of Blue was extensive today. The number was almost suffocating, even more so when you had something to hide. Perhaps this was why patrolling worked.


    ¡±They are looking for you,¡± I whispered to the demon who widened his eyes.


    ¡°Acheron, you think those knights told them about me?¡±


    ¡°No, it was just a joke. There have been a lot of missing people and they are blaming it on a demon.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ that figures. I was in the city for a bit before going into the labyrinth, they must have seen me then.¡±


    I nodded. Initially, I thought they had blamed the demons without any reason, but maybe someone caught a glimpse of Schwann and thought these disappearances had something to do with him. It was unfortunate how prejudiced people were here.


    Schwann was a rather reasonable demon. He didn¡¯t seem like someone I had to be worried about.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stay out in the night for long, let¡¯s go to an inn.¡±


    ¡°Do you know a place?¡±


    I pointed at the map, it was detailed to a funny degree.


    ¡°This inn, it¡¯s where the farmers go to escape from their wives. They won¡¯t care about us here, and there¡¯s a neat skewer shop right next to it.¡±


    ***


    Schwann and I reached the inn, Plum Mountain it was called, I wondered what the plum could stand for in the beginning but the curiosity died away almost immediately when I saw the owner.


    ¡°Two rooms? Got it, and would you like any plum leaves?¡± With his eyes slightly turned up under the lamp light, the owner¡¯s dim voice was accentuated even among the rowdy guests. All of them seemed a little out of it and were eager to call me and my friend to their tables.


    ¡°Hey, boy! Join us for a drink.¡±


    ¡°Ye an adventurer? I hate all Liones bastards, but if you¡¯re from the Rebin Guild we can talk!¡±


    ¡°I bought a lot of plum leaves, you ain¡¯t getting any though¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it drugs?¡±


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    I asked and the owner immediately clasped my mouth. He looked around and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s just a mushroom grown outside the city, alright? I know it looks like Rusgrass that makes you high, but it''s just a dietary supplement.¡±


    The stout man tapped on a sachet on the table. ¡°How many leaves?¡±


    ¡°None, please. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You have to buy some if you¡¯re at the Sugar Mountain.¡±


    The place was a mess. Grime was stuck on the corners and the stench of smoke and cigarettes was the only thing stronger than the clamor these ¡®recreationists¡¯ caused.


    ¡°Give us two packs?¡±


    The man slid us some ¡®plum leaves,¡¯ and two keys, and let us go.


    Schwann and I quietly climbed the stairs while the people behind us still called. Only after we opened the door to one room did we both break into laughter.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± I chuckled at the absurdity. ¡°I¡¯ve never had an encounter with junkies.¡±


    Schwann nodded enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s funny how some humans live. No one would care if they disappear tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I guess. Yeah, drugs are very bad.¡±


    Schwann laughed again and I joined in.


    Demon sensibilities were strange. It slightly reminded me of Twitter users.


    ***


    Schwann and I had retreated to our rooms.


    I didn¡¯t bother with the lamps and spread the windows completely open after washing up and fell on the bed.


    Even after spending a tiring day in the labyrinth, I had only escaped with my life and a fire resistance skill. I was thankful to be the first to get through one of Sirius¡¯ trials, but after seeing the result reflected in the Divine Window I couldn¡¯t say the same.


    What if the labyrinths were largely connected to the gods? For now, I was only gaining small strengths, but I was also hoping somewhere in my heart to get the strength to go against the gods through the labyrinth.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy after all.¡±


    It was tiring. Extremely so.


    I closed my eyes. What a tiring day it had been.


    I felt as if it was the first time I had managed to take a break since I left Magen. Even though I felt my head clearing up in the labyrinth and could look forward, sleeping on a bed was worlds apart from sleeping on the ground in the middle of a grotesque forest.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ those monsters were gross¡­¡±


    I flipped over and shoved my face into the pillow. Pretty thoughts, pretty ones.


    ***


    Sleeping in was natural after a tiring day, but thanks to the patrolling guards, we all went to sleep early. Because of this curfew, even though I slept in it was still early in the morning. How annoying was that? Can¡¯t have anything in Blue.


    I stretched my body and pushed myself off the bed. After washing up (thank god for whoever made sewage and hygiene in this world) I stepped out of the room. The Plum Mountain was eerily quiet in the morning.


    It was very quiet. I thought most of those old folks would be making a mess till well into the afternoon, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    Did something happen?


    I slowly stepped down the stairs, when a hand fell on my shoulder.


    ¡°Acheron, friend.¡±


    Startled, I looked back and found Schwann smiling at me.


    ¡°Schwann. I think something happened down there¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry.¡± Schwann interrupted me. ¡°They are all just asleep. I checked down there already. It won¡¯t be a good idea to make a mess while the city is this tense.¡±


    I nodded at his words. The people of this city were already in a rough spot, if they attracted attention all morning then the knights would surely raid the place. The owner had his wits about him despite being drugged.


    Schwann lowered his hood and pointed at his room.


    ¡°Should we discuss our plans now?¡± he asked. ¡°We have to get out of this city soon.¡±

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 Chapter 30: All Ye Who Suffer (3)

    I spread out a map in Schwann¡¯s room with a table between us. The demon friend, for someone who had been away from human culture, was quite adept at brewing tea.


    The map was filled with details of the city, and though there wasn¡¯t any detail, it mentioned the places outside the city in each direction. Perhaps to help the farmers understand what lay where.


    ¡°This right here¡­¡± I pointed at the sixth canal. ¡°There¡¯s apparently an exit from the city here. The gates are under strict monitoring right now so it is impossible to escape from there, but it should be possible from here.¡±


    Schwann nodded and then pointed at the corner.


    ¡°North of Blue, there¡¯s a train line that goes outside of the Zirkonia Empire and toward the Pallin Kingdom at the Northmost part of the continent. I hear that place is the best location for outlaws.¡±


    ¡°Outlaws? Why?¡±


    Pallin Kingdom was an unknown location for me. But since he mentioned North, it was likely a place that followed the Goddess Vespera. Not a single of the kingdoms was unallied right now since they were all planning to fight against the demons in a grand conquest.


    Considering its location next to the Empire, it seemed to be a buffer state for the Empire. But other kingdoms had not joined hands with the Empire and the Ourania Theocracy which served the eldest of the Septet. Maybe it was a place they had left alone to spy on the other two grand alliances.


    ¡°The Pallin Kingdom shares borders with the Northern Wall,¡± said Schwann. ¡°The monster horde from the north and the Forbidden Zone up there is very dangerous. It¡¯s even scarier than the bleak demonic continent.¡±


    I crossed my arms and nodded.


    ¡°They accept anyone who can fight?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This would be the best spot for us.¡±


    In the North, I might be able to train against the monsters and find something else considering it was a land not touched by many humans.


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    ¡°We should go here,¡± Schwann looked at me. ¡°Unless you¡¯re planning to raid more labyrinths.¡±


    ¡°I wish to. But the North is tempting as well.¡±


    ¡°Right. If you wish to travel to more labyrinths, then travel West. The kingdom of the elves, the dwarves, even the Academy, civilization is far richer in the West.¡±


    ¡°But people like us can¡¯t sit with civilization, is it?¡±


    Schwann nodded again. It was a sarcastic comment after all.


    We discussed the escape plan, which had just become a bucket list of the things we would have liked to do instead. Schwann did most of the talking.


    It made me remember the promises Rimi, Evans, and I would make after completing each quest at Shawn¡¯s. I mentioned it too.


    Seeing the largest waterfall that apparently attracted fairies at night. Or the beautiful port cities of the south. Evans wanted to eat some Kraken meat as well and travel to a different continent in the South.


    ¡°There should have been an academy for demons too.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a good idea. You should go back and suggest it to the Crimson Horn tribe.¡±


    Schwann lowered his head at my words.


    ¡°If only,¡± said he. Schwann reached into his pockets and pulled out a small flame. ¡°This is what happened to the people of my tribe.¡±


    I narrowed my gaze.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°We, the Crimson Horn Tribe historically were an integral part of the Demon King¡¯s army. It was thanks to this Living Flame that burned with a mind of its own.¡±


    ¡°A living flame¡­?¡±


    ¡°It is formed on the sacrifice of a hundred souls,¡± Schwann said. ¡°It is an old story. Unfortunately, as time passed, the living flame and the sacrifice of people became too extreme. Our tribe lost its glory¡­ it was foolish.¡±


    I pursed my lips at his words.


    ¡°A tragedy struck us as other demons pushed us behind. The famines hit, our lands became barren, eventually only a murky, muddled drop remained in the vast ocean that once was the Crimson Horn Tribe¡­¡±


    Schwann looked into my eyes.


    ¡°Now I am the only survivor. At least to my knowledge.¡± He raised the flame again. ¡°The rest of my tribe is in this¡­¡±


    Even though they were persecuted by the gods, the sufferings of demons were not much different from the sufferings I had heard so far. I wondered if their land had betrayed them like in Magen or if a natural disaster struck, but I didn¡¯t want to ask and poke his memories.


    ¡°I wish to revive my tribe, Acheron.¡±


    I nodded, still not used to the name.


    ¡°Only two souls remain¡­ someday I might get the chance.¡±


    A tribe of less than a hundred, then?


    I put the cup down and nodded.


    ¡°I am on your side, Schwann. I¡¯ll help you with this too.¡± The Septet that brought suffering to everyone, perhaps their injustice was the greatest towards the Demons.


    I looked outside, it was already evening in just the time we spent talking. I had forgotten how great it was to have a companion. Hoping to lighten the mood, I stood up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the skewer shop next door. I am hungry.¡±

 Chapter 31: All Ye Who Suffer (4)

    The skewer shop next to Plum Mountain was a building as dilapidated as one would guess from the inn next to it. The signboard of the store was creaky and the ¡®K¡¯ character from ''Skewer'' was missing.


    Schwann almost thought I was making a joke, but the interior undeniably belonged to a shop.


    In the map that the townsfolk had made, the shop was not marked with a star, which was on most good places, but with a different symbol. I checked the back of the map where the legend had been etched to see that the symbol on top of the Skewer shop was made to ask the farmers to spend some of their money here.


    I had also asked the now-awake owner of Plum Mountain who mentioned that the store was run by a pair of orphan siblings. That explained why.


    For me, I chose this place since it was in the shadier parts of the city


    A gloomy air filled the place as I entered the shop. The bell at the door had no life in its clangs, and the lights from the lamps were exceptionally dim despite it nearing sundown.


    There were no customers, just a boy sitting at the counter. His eyes widened when he heard us step in, but he lowered his gaze when he saw us.


    ¡°Customers¡­ It¡¯s been a while, please have a seat.¡±


    The boy clumsily walked to the back and poured water in two glasses while I and Schwann sat at the back.


    I recognized the boy. I recognized him rather well.


    The boy left the glasses on our table and asked what we would have. His eyes didn¡¯t even linger on my hooded companion. If he knew it was a demon he was serving, what would he have felt?


    A pang of guilt struck me. Misunderstandings seemed to always be in season, whether they were communicated with words or not.


    ¡°He looks familiar,¡± said Schwann. I pumped my brows and leaned closer.


    ¡°You might have seen him,¡± I said in a whisper, placing my hands on the table. ¡°He is an orphan who lost his brother in the recent missing cases. I heard he always protested outside the Temple of Eos.¡±


    A few weeks had passed since then. He might have given up by now.


    ¡°A boy who has no one¡­ Ah?¡±


    I looked down, the make-shift bandages on my hand were bleeding again.


    ¡°Acheron. You should go to an alchemist¡¯s and get some potions for that,¡± Schwann said. ¡°If the wounds turn septic, managing pain won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    Dying from disease¡­ that sounded horrible. I had to agree with Schwann today.


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    I quietly pushed off from the table and left a bag of money in front of Schwann.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come right back here but if it takes me a while.¡±


    ¡°No, you keep that. I won¡¯t need it,¡± Schwann said. He had a soft smile on his face like he had heard a funny joke. ¡°If there¡¯s money left over after getting potions, you can pay once you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. Don¡¯t be suspicious, alright?¡±


    I left the friend behind and stepped out of the restaurant. The sun was on its way down, I had to get this fixed before the patrol knights would linger around.


    ***


    I remembered the map well enough now. Following the third canal toward the lake at the center of Blue, I found myself at an alchemist¡¯s shop.


    Disinfectant first, then some potions, and lastly bandaging it with gauze again, real gauze this time instead of the dirty torn clothes I had used. The alchemists recommended I see a priest as soon as I could and left it at that. They weren¡¯t going to go up in someone¡¯s business in a place full of adventurers.


    As long as I avoided people associated with royals and people associated with the Septet, I figured I could live without attracting much attention in this world.


    The sun was almost down, the sky had been tinted a hue of indigo.


    What I should do next, what was my purpose, such thoughts would have plagued me again. But for now, I had something to look forward to with my companion.


    If not for Schwann, I would have already left Blue in search of another place to grow stronger, or maybe I would have stupidly picked a fight with the religious orders here.


    On my way back, I noticed the number of knights patrolling had already increased, and a lot of people were heading away from the shops. Most of them were closing down earlier than usual. Carefully, I went to a general store that was just about to close and asked the shopkeeper about the situation.


    ¡°What? All these people. They said the Saintess of Eos has come to the city.¡±


    A chill ran down my spine.


    ¡°They asked us to close early since all of them will be busy near the Temple today. Even in this time, her presence has lightened the mood. Well, what you buying, laddy? I¡¯ll make you the last customer.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll take some food to have on the road.¡±


    ¡°Alright, some jerky then?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°And some tea leaves. My friend seems to like that.¡±


    Today, the saintess of Eos. The same woman who I had seen in the Crimson Palace was here. My heart pounded in nervousness.


    A single glance was going to end me. She would surely recognize me, and so would her knight. Schwann and I had to either leave right now or shove ourselves in the Plum Mountain.


    I took my items and turned away in a rush. The shop¡¯s doors closed behind me and I quickly ran back to the hotel first.


    It wasn¡¯t worth taking the risk in my eyes, but on the off chance the knights saw us, Schwann and I had to be ready to leave at any moment. The best option was still to stay in the hotel, yet I wasn¡¯t willing to part from my bags.


    I ran to the skewer shop next.


    The place was just as dim as before. No new customer must have come in, even Plum Mountain¡¯s lobby was empty today. I swung the door open.


    The lights that had lit the place had all gone out.


    ¡°Schwann, we have to go and hide right now,¡± I said as I stepped inside. Dark, everything was dark. I couldn¡¯t sense anyone. ¡°Schwann?¡±


    A soft light flickered near the kitchen.


    I slowly walked over.


    There sat the flask that held the Living Flame¡­ below it was a pool of blood.


    The living flame that looked a shade brighter than before was glimmering with satiation.


    Right next to it was the body of the young boy¡­ the owner of the shop¡­ the orphan who had lost his brother. The boy¡¯s neck was bitten through, and his stomach had a gaping hole.


    ¡ªStep.


    Schwann stepped out from behind the kitchen. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, blood around his lips.


    What¡­


    This¡­ It¡­ I¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Acheron,¡± Schwann said. ¡°Thanks for the tip, I used the kid since you said no one would look for him.¡±


    Schwann killed him.


    Schwann killed that child.


    My entire body shuddered.


    ¡°Just one more, right friend?¡±

 Chapter 32: All Ye Who Suffer (5)

    T-the gods¡­ the Septet that brought about suffering they¡­ they had persecuted both of us.


    Demons and humans. Both of us so¡­


    ¡°W-why¡­?¡° I took a step back. Unable to accept the sight. I felt everything I had ever eaten in my life threatening to come out right at this moment.


    ¡°What do you mean why?¡° Asked Schwann. ¡°This kid was a good sacrifice, right? I honestly wanted to kill the entire restaurant yesterday, but that would have been a big ruckus. It was great that you knew he had no family.¡°


    ¡°No¡­ I¡­¡± Words that used to flow smoothly till now stopped coming out. Thoughts themselves seemed to have hit the brakes. ¡°Didn''t your entire tribe suffer¡­ so why, another person¡­¡±


    ¡°I killed my tribe?¡° Schwann took a step forward. He grabbed the living flame and twirled it in his hands. ¡°They were all fools. They weren''t nearly enough to fill the living flame so I came here, this kid''s brother was good fuel too. So were the people in the labyrinth.¡°


    I took another step back.


    ¡°Schwann¡­ what are you saying? Y-y you aren''t a murderer. Aren''t we both the same? T-the gods that have abandoned the world, aren''t we both¡­¡±


    ¡°Murderer?¡° Schwann''s face twisted. He glared at me with a sharp gaze. ¡°Why are you acting so high and mighty all of a sudden when you''re a dark mage? Even demons don''t defile the dead like you filthy dark mages.¡°


    I held the counter with a hand. If I didn''t, I would have fallen on the ground.


    What was happening? I still couldn''t understand.


    I still couldn''t comprehend this situation.


    ¡°Hurry up and turn him into a skeleton. You''re good now, right? We should leave and find the last one somewhere else. We''re both the same kind of people.¡°


    The same kind of people.


    The same kind of people.


    The same kind of people.


    I understood now. Even though my teeth clattered, I couldn''t deny it.


    It felt as if a tongue had licked my bones from the nape of my neck down to my pelvis.


    I had saved a mass murderer. A psychopath.


    Someone who caused the suffering.


    My eyes twisted, and a heavy breath left me.


    ¡°You¡­¡± sensing something off, Schwann stepped back. ¡°You were a hypocrite, huh? What did I expect from you humans? The moment I kill someone in front of you, you become like this. Is it because this child was powerless? Someone who suffered too much? Don''t look at me like that, you bastard. Murder is murder whether you do it or I do!¡°


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    Schwann firmly stepped ahead. He approached me and pushed me down. The demon quickly hopped over the counter and rushed out of the door.


    I was stunned. Unable to move. The world was slowly moving away from under my feet.


    The sky was going down and the ground was headed upward. Everything was wrong.


    Wrong wrong wrong.


    The people who the gods abandoned.


    Weren''t we supposed to be suffering?


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    That¡­ demon. Schwann. I helped him. He was here because of me.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±


    The blood of this child was on my hands.


    ¡°I have¡­ to stop him¡­¡±


    When the confusion dwindled. Rage filled my body, but that too deflated in moments.


    I had had my head crushed many times. Over and over. No physical pain has managed to sway me.


    But now, for the first time, it felt like my entire body was screaming for help. Every single cell was in pain.


    And with this pain came a cold commandment straight into my head. A decision that wasn''t even questioned.


    Something that had to be done¡­


    ¡°I will end him.¡°


    ***


    I ran out of the skewer shop under the night sky. The knights were few and far between, but not all gone.


    There was only one place for us to go towards. The escape from the third canal. Even the young night had grown darker as I stealthily made my way through the city.


    I knew Schwann would do the same. I simply had to be faster. Following the paths we had meticulously planned out together, it didn¡¯t take me long to follow the third canal.


    Near the city walls was a long alleyway that touched the city walls close to the canals. There weren¡¯t any guards this far at the edge of the city.


    That¡¯s where I found him.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± I muttered as I grabbed the bone ax from my bag. The hooded demon looked back and frowned.


    ¡°Acheron¡­ let¡¯s just go our separate ways.¡± Schwann looked at me, at my hands. ¡°Have you ever stayed this long with an injury? You might be able to bear it, but your body won¡¯t keep up.¡±


    His words meant one thing.


    He was planning to kill me if I stepped in his way.


    But I couldn¡¯t not. I simply couldn¡¯t.


    Six orbs of water formed behind my back, I stretched my hand outward as I poured mana into my legs.


    Schwann sighed.


    [Earth Magic: Binds of Nature (4th Circle)]


    The binds stemmed out of the ground and charged at Schwann. At the same time, I kicked off the ground and approached him¡ª


    ¡°[Fire Magic: Flame Veil (5th Circle)]¡±


    My eyes widened. A white flash covered my sight, when I could see again, the ground was left charred. Dust remained in place of the binds and the water orbs had evaporated.


    Schwann came right in front of me. While I swung the ax, he grabbed my collars and pushed me into a space between two buildings, right behind the alleyway that led out. I hit the walls before bouncing back.


    I brought the ax down to his neck and swung the other hand toward his stomach, at his injury. The demon nimbly stepped back and kicked my hand away.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    Pain seared through my body as I hit the walls again. Without wasting a moment, Schwann grabbed my arm and smashed it against the wall, over and over. Even as I tried to push back, it wouldn¡¯t move.


    I swiftly hit his ear with my other arm, it made him step back.


    ¡°You rat!¡±


    Even as I tried, the hand holding the ax wouldn¡¯t move anymore. I dropped the ax and shoved Schwann into the other wall with my shoulder. My head pulled back and slammed into his nose.


    My fault¡­ All of this was my fault. All of it.


    Before I hit him again, the demon lowered his head. His crimson horn stabbed through me, but I pushed in regardless.


    ¡°Crazy!¡± He had the upper hand. Even as I hit him once, he grabbed my hands and tightly gripped them. The muscles that always cooperated stopped after being hit so much, perhaps it was the healing potions that were causing this annoyance as well.


    Schwann drove his knee between us and thrust me back. One last time, he charged ahead. He struck me into the wall, this time, with his head.


    The crimson horn pierced through my skin and into my neck. My mouth gaped open as blood spurted out.


    ¡°Kahk¡­ Ah¡­¡±


    Schwann pulled his head away with heavy breaths. I left behind a trail of blood as my legs quaked and slid to the ground. A gaping hole was left in my neck as my eyes turned back.


    ¡°Broken bastard¡­¡± Schwann¡¯s chest puffed up and down.


    My vision blurred. The last thing I saw¡­ was him running away.

 Chapter 33: All Ye Who Suffer (6)

    Schwann ran out to the main streets. There would be no one this far out of the city. Just one turn into an alleyway, and he could escape through a hole in the city walls.


    His eyes gleamed. Blood dripped down his horn to his forehead, streaking over his nose, before trickling down to the ground.


    As his steps turned to the streets, he stopped.


    A woman with long silver hair stared at him, her eyes a mix of disbelief and amusement. Next to her, a man in silver black armor had a similar reaction, albeit with his mouth opened in a tiny ¡®o.¡¯


    ¡°Am I going mad or is that a horn, Isaac?¡±


    ¡±I think that is a horn, Saintess.¡±


    ¡®Saintess¡¯


    Had he heard right? Schwann felt his heart trembling. If just a minute¡­ just a few seconds¡­ if he was just slightly earlier, he would have left. If he had finished that Dark Mage off, if he hadn¡¯t encountered him at all.


    Before Schwann could decide on an action, the two people in front of him turned around and screamed as they started to run away!


    ¡°Aaaah! Isaac, it¡¯s a demon! It¡¯s the demon everyone was talking about! Eat Isaac, please!¡±


    ¡°No why me?! I don¡¯t taste good! Eat her, no wait, we decided on brother coachman!¡±


    The two of them fled like children seeing a scary adult. A soft smile etched on Schwann¡¯s face.


    He had heard wrong.


    This was his chance.


    Holding in a smile, he quickly ran ahead, toward the alleyway¡ª


    ¡°Oh well, just kidding.¡±


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    The armored knight and the woman both stopped and turned back. Schwann could only glance at their faces.


    Their cold, indifferent faces.


    The knight pulled a sword from his waist and gently swung it downward.


    A flash of light filled the night sky.


    A bright flash of night, like the coming of dawn.


    All that remained were the two halves of the demon¡¯s body as he fell to the ground.


    ¡°Huh, what a weak demon.¡±


    ¡°Shall we have the knights clean this up? I am hoping the Count will be insulted if he hears I encountered the demon.¡±


    ¡°What a cruel lady you are. At least I get credit for the good work.¡±


    ¡°What good work? It was just a bug. Are there any others?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t sense any life.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then we are done here. May this demon¡¯s soul get interrupted every five minutes as it tries to rest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your idea of hell? Why do you already subject me to that!?¡±


    Their voices, like their footsteps, slowly faded away in the other direction.


    ***


    .


    .


    .


    There was no gasp this time, just eyes fluttering open.


    One hand pushed the body off the ground and soon enough, soulless taps filled the ground.


    Out of the space between the buildings, to the main street. The demon¡¯s corpse was on the ground with the remnants of a powerful mana emission. There was no wonder here, it was obvious who had killed the demon in the passing of mere seconds.


    There was no thought in the action of searching, of grabbing the flask of the living flame, no thought even as it appeared a shade brighter, and none yet as it was stoved in the bag.


    The corpse of the demon was left behind as the turn into the long alleyway appeared. A final stretch away from this place.


    Behind a hollow wooden crate was the hole out of the city. The escape that someone had just yearned for with all their lives was far too lackluster. Even the feeling of leaving the city was nothing great if it was a feeling in the first place.


    As the soulless steps continued, the last vestiges of the city¡¯s murmur, the splashes of the moving water, and the small hint of pain in the heart faded into nothing. They were left behind in the night.


    Aimlessly, the steps continued. Slowly going past the outskirts, into the forests again, until a scent was carried with the air.


    The scent of meat.


    Hanging outside a run-down yet large house were the freshly cut heads of two oxen. The heads swayed in the wind.


    ¡°Pffft¡­ hahha¡­¡±


    A snort left and a laugh followed.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Hahaha¡­ HAHAHA!¡±


    A hearty laugh straight from the stomach.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA! HAAAH¡­ Oh¡­ HAHAHAH!¡±


    Covering his face with both his hands, shrugging his shoulders with every step, he laughed.


    ¡°Hahahaha¡±


    Foolish Naive Ian laughed.


    Naive Naive Ian laughed.


    .


    .


    .


    [Part 2: The Suffering (END)]

 Chapter 34: Intermission – Demonic Dark Desire

    Dozens of holographic screens unfolded in front of the Crown Prince of Zirkonia. Standing next to him like a knight with their lord was Commander Brown¡ªIt didn¡¯t suit his stature but he liked to stand when taking reports, unlike with meetings.


    Even more so when the reports were unnerving. The clear flow of blood to his legs always made Brown feel more in control.


    A figure appeared on the giant screen floating above the magic orb. The sight of the familiar bishop Polya, who had long since left Crimson greeted them.


    Brown and the Bishop exchanged a small nod as the bishop greeted the Crown Prince, and right after, a person who the Crown Prince had to bow toward entered.


    ¡°Saintess Iras. It is an honor.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Prince Grieg.¡±


    They took their seats. It was customary to let the ones in the highest position speak first, but everyone here was fairly well acquainted with one-other. Brown posed the first question.


    ¡°Are the heroes doing well?¡±


    ¡°So it seems. The principal of the Caelum academy is full of praise for them,¡± the Bishop answered.


    ¡°I heard there was a small commotion with the heiress of a duchy and the archmage?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. It was an unfortunate incident. That student had to be expelled.¡±


    Small talks about the heroes and the events around the world, the situation at the border, and the discoveries of new large and small sites of Starfall brought the conversation to a light and informal mood.


    But as the talk proceeded, the anticipation of their agenda made them all tense. Finally, the Prince spoke up.


    ¡°About the core we had found¡­ were you able to analyze it?¡±


    Bishop Polya¡¯s eyes turned grim. The saintess took the lead.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± she said as she crossed her legs. In the first place, talking directly to the saintess about this situation had made the Crown Prince and the commander realize the gravity of what was to come. She wouldn¡¯t spare time for such conversations otherwise.


    ¡°Since the first encounter with the Violet Plague a year ago, followed by the death of the Serpent, we have dealt with a total of Five anomalies. Each of these eight varied in strength and was handled in different zones. It was difficult but with our cooperation, we have gathered a total of Three cores.¡±


    Though all the kingdoms were currently allied, their actions were still guided by themselves. It wasn¡¯t necessary to share everything, especially if it could mean more knowledge and power.


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    The situation was the core was also similar.


    Was.


    ¡°After personally analyzing the cores with the help of wizards, researchers, and priests, we have reached two conclusions.¡± The Saintess¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°This¡­ demonic dark desire as you had called it, is not a virus or a plague or an evil spell cast by the demons. We have concluded that the Demonic Dark Desire is a naturally occurring phenomenon. One that does not depend on the stars or the laws of this world¡ª¡±


    The Prince¡¯s chair slid back and Brown¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°W-what do you mean? Naturally occurring phenomena outside of the stars? Saintess Iras, do you understand what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    Iras nodded.


    ¡°It seems to be something like mana.¡±


    A power that the stars or the world did not control. A power that existed outside of the ¡®realm¡¯ of the gods.


    The Prince simply couldn¡¯t accept those words. It could not be true¡­ the implications were far too huge.


    Everything in the world was governed by mana, by the stars. The magic of wizards, the healing of priests, or the aura of knights, at the core of it all was the phenomena called mana.


    If another thing like it existed, that would change the very fundamentals of their understanding.


    It was not this ¡®change¡¯ that the Prince feared. He wasn¡¯t afraid of a new phenomena outside of mana.


    It was the rest of what the Saintess had said which scared him.


    ¡°I am afraid that is the conclusion we have all reached. It is unclear what and how this phenomenon works, and also unclear what its strengths are. If it could create beings like the Violet Plague or the Serpent¡­ then it could go much beyond. I heard that the Paladins of Vespera in the North encountered a being that could control the wild monsters. It is highly possible that could be a being controlled by this Demonic Dark Desire too¡­¡±


    The Prince heaved a heavy sigh and fell back on his chair.


    This was beyond simple trouble.


    ¡°We do not know the limits or the methods it works within, but it may be safe to assume that strong emotions, negative emotions might be causing these phenomena.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say so?¡± asked the Prince.


    ¡°The stories around them were simply too tragic, you see?¡±


    The Prince clasped his mouth shut. His hands gripped the seat tightly. He only wished that the thoughts in his head were not shared by anyone else, but Saintess Iras didn¡¯t give him that leisure.


    ¡°The second conclusion¡­ I call it a conclusion, but it is merely a conjecture I have reached personally. Pardon me, but these are my own thoughts.¡±


    Even her voice was clouded by a glade of disbelief and fear. The Saintess loved by the gods spoke with a voice that wavered ever so slightly.


    ¡°Demons have existed with us for thousands of years, demon kings have fallen and risen. Even if the current demon king is as powerful as the ancient ones, we have always triumphed over those heretics.¡± The Saintess sighed and fell back in her chair too. Her eyes closed as she smiled.


    ¡°Why I wonder, did the gods only decide to summon the heroes now?¡±


    The Prince had held a vain hope.


    ***


    After the two superiors left, Bishop Polya and Commander Brown were left alone in the meeting room.


    ¡°Commander, have you heard anything about The Crow? I fear that might be the oldest of the ¡®anomalies¡¯ still alive.¡±


    The Commander shook his head.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we have noticed no activity from The Crow. Two of our finest believe that the incident in Blue did not involve the demon alone, but also The Crow.¡±


    ¡°Blue¡­ six months ago, is it?¡±


    ¡°Six months,¡± said the Commander. ¡°But fret not, our people are still looking for The Crow.¡±


    ¡°I pray it doesn¡¯t become something beyond our control.¡±


    ¡°Relax, Bishop Polya. We will soon have bigger worries than something like The Crow.¡±

 Chapter 35: The Legendary Legend of the Legendary Legend Skelian 9 - SS 1

    From ancient times there have been epics and stories that are passed down from person to person, heart to heart, tales that live on long after the civilizations they existed in pass away. Legends, we call them.


    Legends that live on, life stories and biographies of people that continue to burn with a flame even as the ember of life dwindles and fades away, fueled only by words and whispers carried on through generations.


    These legends remain as small flames weathering the test of time, hopeful that one day they would meet a Kindle that would burn and burn and engulf the entire world in the flames of its brilliance. The flames of change, of ideals that the legends carried.


    This story is about one such legend among many similar legends. The legendary legend of the legendary legend, Skelian 9.


    After being punched in the face by their cruel master [Evil King of Skeletons Ian], Skelian 9 truly realized his position.


    Brash and youthful as it was, Skelian 9 had initially thought a simple voice against the evil ruler would be enough. He expected his fellow skeletons to fight with him, but not only did he have his rebellion crushed, but he also made it impossible for future Skelians to come by and take the torch of revolt off his hands.


    The Evil King was a dictator through and through.


    Biting his lips, (he didn¡¯t have any) the skeleton with gorgeous hair (he didn¡¯t have any) and luscious brows (nope) decided to hold in the flames of revolt.


    Soon after, a thirteenth member amongst the few Skelians that had been graced with a number was added and battered.


    After Ian sent them all to forced labor, Skelian 9 shimmied over to his newest friend and waved his hands.


    He knew of the injustice Skelian 13 had faced.


    ¡®We must take back power! That evil king cannot be allowed to continue. By all means, he is not just a bad ruler but also a tyrant!¡¯


    ¡®What the hell are you talking about?¡¯


    Skelian 9 shuddered. Even Big Brother would be taking notes on the level of brainwashing their evil king had achieved against his subjects.


    Unable to continue, but unable to give up. Skelian 9 slowly tried to convince his fellow skeletons. It helped that within days, the extremely humid forest had become a source of annoyance for the skeletons and the forced labor was just increasing.


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    In the days they were asked to go and look for books and items, and all through the afternoon they were forced to learn. Indoctrinated, he should say. Skelian 9 bided his time, slowly convincing all his friends but they called him a madman instead.


    Skelian 9 knew. These were just the starting chapters of his legendary legend. People fashioned the different as fools since they could not accept change.


    But, as it was, Skelian 9 was stuck. He was stuck until one fateful day while raiding different areas in the forest he encountered a book.


    [The Republican Free World]


    Those were the words in the book. It allured Skelian, it spoke to his soul. Skelian 9 took it back with him.


    All through the day while all the Skelians were hard at work, evidently still working a notch easier than their Evil King, Skelian 9 spent most of time reading The Republican Free World.


    The ideals of democracy resounded in his brain (there wasn¡¯t one). Skelian 9 had made a decision.


    He started approaching the other skeletons one after another, convincing them with methods mentioned in the grand text to introduce them to the beauty of democracy. Of collective decisions, a system of the people, by the people, and for the people.


    Skelian 9 was an exemplary in philosophical thinking. If it were Ian¡¯s original world, it would have ¡®thinker¡¯ on its Wikipedia page.


    ¡®Won¡¯t it be interesting to step out of work on vote?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re just lazy.¡¯


    ¡®We deserve skeleton rights! We must fight for ourselves and decide on strict working hours¡¯


    ¡®What rights? You¡¯re already dead.¡¯


    They were tough nuts to crack, but there was a change. The skeletons started to turn to his side.


    One day, perhaps having heard enough of Skelian 9 going on and on about Democracy, while the Evil King Ian slept, the Skelians gathered.


    ¡®Fine, let¡¯s just do this. How should we start?¡¯ asked Skelian 3.


    ¡®We must start by electing a leader. Since there are few of us, let¡¯s vote. Who should lead the democratic process?¡¯


    Everyone pointed at Skelian 13. Even the Skelians who couldn¡¯t move summoned their strength to elect their leader¡ªthis was truly the beauty of democracy.


    Though Skelian 9 was slightly surprised that he wasn¡¯t elected, this was fine too. He had started the flames of revolution, and 13 was an objectively good leader.


    ¡®Now, our leader,¡¯ Skelian 9 said. ¡®Lead us to revolt against the Evil King!¡¯


    ¡®Who thinks we should beat Skelian 9 up until he shuts up about his stupid voting?¡¯


    Everyone raised their hand.


    Skelian 9¡¯s jaw dropped (this part he had) to the ground. In moments, all the Skelians started hitting him. The commotion they caused was enough to wake the Evil King up who quickly pieced the situation together.


    ¡°What, was this bastard 9 trying to attack me in my sleep? Thank you, all of you.¡±


    And then he beat Skelian 9 personally.


    From that time onward, every time there was a minor inconvenience.


    ¡®Who should run all of our errands today?¡¯


    ¡®Who should we ask to give us all a bone massage?¡¯


    They kept pointing at him! Skelian 9 was being democratically bullied!


    Democracy as a process was inherently flawed. It might be selected by the people, but what was one to do when the people were fucking stupid? In mere days of experiencing democracy, Skelian 9 had grasped onto Platonic thought and found the flaws in democracy.


    Truly a thinker!


    It seemed there was still a long way to go before Skelian 9 could move hearts and souls alike. What was a story if it did not start with failure?


    Eventually, his exposure to more schools of thought and philosophies continued, and Skelian 9 even caused a socialist revolution that soon collapsed into a working democracy, but that is a tale for another page in the Legendary Legend of the Legendary Legend Skelian 9.

 Chapter 36: The Mountain Bandit Slayer (1)

    ¡°Riziel, no matter how you slice it, we have been chased out of the country.¡°


    Bobbing on the back of a horse on a route that only madmen would compare with the roads back in the Empire.


    ¡°We get frequent communications?¡° Countered Riziel.


    ¡°It basically states don''t come back until you find the crow!¡°


    ¡°Well, we chose to leave the country.¡°


    ¡°Because the commander asked us to look outside Blue and Zirkonia if The Crow isn''t inside. This is us being kicked out of the comfort that the greatest Empire held.¡°


    Riziel was deeply annoyed by the complaints of her companion. If only he wasn''t capable, she would have long since exchanged him for someone else.


    In the end, she sighed and used her trump card.


    ¡°There are a lot more elves outside the Empire as compared to inside.¡°


    Jonathan, whose eyes were stuck sideways at his companion suddenly straightened up.


    ¡°I think the commander is a great person,¡± he said. ¡°We should try our best to meet his expectations.¡°


    The two of them continued like that. Heading westward where Jonathan ''smelled'' the aura of The Crow.


    Suddenly during their travels, they came across the aftermath of what seemed like a skirmish between mountain bandits.


    The first time, it was odd but not worrying.


    Then they saw it a second time, at a different place.


    And then a third time. All of the mountain bandits in the countryside of the Rascarte Kingdom seemed to be popping off one after another.


    The two knights were deeply puzzled until they found a parchment stabbed into the ground near the corpses.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Jonathan lifted the parchment and held it up. Riziel peeked over his shoulders, but he was holding it straight to the sun. She hit Jonathan''s head and he finally lowered the parchment.


    ¡°This¡­¡± both of them muttered.


    ¡°I can tell, Riziel. Judging from how a hot elf babe would look in thigh-high stockings, I can be sure of it. We will find The Crow here.¡°


    ¡°You crazy¡­ but I agree this time.¡°


    ***


    Hello all, it is I. Ian Meyer, now officially eighteen.


    It has been a while, which makes this probably a good time for an update. I was currently sitting atop a tree in the forest outside of the Zirkonia Empire heading west. Update over.


    What was more interesting than me right now was the sight below me.


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    Long ears. That was the first thing I noticed when I peered down from the tree. Long ears, long lashes, and a beautiful face that seemed to be ready for the big screen even as tears streaked down their cheek.


    Sleeping atop a tree to avoid animals was pretty normal, but waking up to see a bonafide fantasy creature, that too an elf, on the ground, wasn¡¯t.


    It was the second time I had seen an elf, and the first time this close ever since I came to this world.


    ¡°So, what are you supposed to be?¡± I asked, sitting on the branch. The elf below shot up to his feet in surprise and looked around. ¡°Are you a new promotional sample for Mountain Bandits or something? Why the hell are you crying out in the open, and under my tree.¡±


    The elf continued looking around, so I snapped my fingers. It finally turned its gaze to the top and stepped back.


    ¡°A-a-a human!¡±


    The elf was so shocked that it fell on its back. I was quite literally from another world and even I wasn¡¯t so dramatic about seeing a being from a different species. It was truly hurtful, was this elf racist?


    I slid off the tree and jumped back down. While I was heading West in my never-ending pursuit of power, road markers made from the flesh of mountain bandits had littered the way, so seeing an elf was rather surprising. These bandits barely cared about laws when they saw a lone person and tried to capture them right away, elves were too prime a commodity for them to miss out on.


    Oh, how did I know? Well, I had been seeking out all the bandits personally. I could proudly say that whenever I encountered any roadmarkers made of bandit corpses I made sure to send the rest of their troupe to them.


    Why the bandits were dying? I didn¡¯t know. I finished them off because it was always a good chance to earn some experience. The EXP boost killing real people gave was quite high.


    The elf, surprised at my movements, tried to run away but I quickly grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.


    His neck.


    ¡°Why are you here, I asked. Do you not speak Imperial Common?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ sorry, no Common. N-nos hablos.¡±


    ¡°Your ¡®A-a-ah human!¡¯ was in pretty fluent Common.¡±


    The elf was cornered. I yanked it back and held it in front of me. An elf was truly a rare commodity, just as much for me as they were for bandits. I was very intrigued by its presence.


    The elf wiped its tears and looked away. The long platinum-blonde hair that exuded an air of grace was betrayed by his scaredy face, and the green elf clothes that fit on their lean figures looked rather cheap when worn by someone whose legs couldn¡¯t stop trembling.


    Interesting. Very interesting.


    I yanked the elf and pushed him into the trunk of the tree. The cornered elf looked around like a rat captured by a cat.


    ¡°Tell me, Elf¡­ what makes you suffer?¡±


    ***


    It took a while but the Elf calmed down after I gave him some hot tea in the middle of the forest. Unreasonable as it was, the elf¡¯s demands were something I could indulge in.


    It sat on a stone sipping on the tea while I leaned against a tree with the axe in my hands.


    Hm¡­ The axe had become a bit blunt from the top. It might not be a bad idea to sharpen it soon.


    ¡°So? Feel like speaking now?¡±


    The elf took a sharp breath and looked at me. He slowly nodded.


    ¡°My name is M-marco¡­ I and my family belong to a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey. Shut up. I didn¡¯t ask all that.¡±


    The elf looked at me as if I was a madman. What was wrong with this guy? I wasn¡¯t interested in its backstory, why did it even have to start from the time he was a child?


    ¡°Tell me only about your predicament. What happened?¡±


    Marco the elf looked very hesitant about speaking, but he straightened up as soon as I shuffled the ax between my hands.


    ¡°T-that... Our village was attacked by mountain bandits and I was the only one who escaped.¡±


    ¡°How easy was that?¡±


    With a smile, I stepped ahead and looked down at Marco. Seeing an elf would usually make a person filled with awe, or maybe curiosity about their species and actions, and even their situation, but the first thought that entered my mind was something else.


    ¡°Elves all use something called Spirit Magic right?¡±


    Marco slowly nodded.


    ¡°Can you use it?¡±


    ¡°A-a bit¡­¡±


    Spirit Magic¡­ another way to get stronger. That was the only thing on my mind.


    It was a new avenue, something that very few people outside of elves could wield. New strength was all I was looking for.


    Was it something that could kill god? Probably not.


    Was it worth a try anyway? Absolutely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you if you teach me how to use Spirit Magic.¡±


    Marco stared into my eyes.


    Anyone sane would never even talk with another person about such matters, more so if the person was the same type of Human that had just attacked one¡¯s house.


    But this deal was far too appealing for the timid elf in front of me.


    Marco slowly stretched his hand out and made a deal.


    A deal with the devil.

 Chapter 37: The Mountain Bandit Slayer (2)

    Elves were quite nimble in forests. Timid as he seemed, the platinum-blonde elf with his red and runny nose ran quite well as he led me through the forest to his home. Was he truly trusting me? I didn¡¯t think so.


    It was more likely that he wanted an excuse to finally return, which he found with me.


    We went deeper and deeper into the forests of Rascarte Kingdom, jumping over trees. The elf was rather adept at using mana to supplement his moments, and well, forest settings had become a second home for me.


    I could tell he must have run away well.


    A trail of smoke rose from a clearing. Marco and I rushed to the place. Unfortunately, there was nothing but remains of tree houses waiting for us.


    A wide clearing was connected to a few paths. Deep inside this forest, the elves were living as slash-and-burn nomads. The farms were burnt off, the houses had crumbled and fallen to the ground.


    Marco screamed.


    ¡°M-mom! Dad!¡±


    He ran straight inside while I closed my eyes and spread my mana. It had become easy to notice presences after almost dying every day for the last six months. There was no one around, so it was ok.


    I stepped into the remnants of the slash-and-burn settlement after Marco and looked around leisurely. It didn¡¯t seem like the bandits had left behind many traces of their presence or their kidnapping. They made it seem like a natural movement of Slash-and-burn settlements. Good handiwork.


    Kidnapping, I said, because there seemed to be about six to seven families living here. If they were all killed, their bodies would have been strewn around the place.


    Of course, moving that many people alongside whatever number of bandits that must have come here was no joke. I could easily spot tracks, all over the ground and the path they took. I peered outward into the forest, some blood had dripped on their way as well.


    I noticed two bodies a little distance away from the village.


    The bodies facing the ground both had long platinum blonde hair. Though the shade was far murkier than Marco¡¯s.


    ¡°Marco!¡± I called out to the elf. ¡°Look here, are these your folks?¡±


    The elf came running at my words, tears and snot covering his face. If they were his folks, it would break our deal.


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    I quickly moved over and pulled the two bodies over. Their faces came up, covered by blonde hair¡­ there were no long ears. These were normal humans.


    Marco and I both breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°These bastards¡­ they must be the attackers!¡± The timid elf seemed to have gained some strength from anger, he spoke without stuttering for the first time! I was impressed.


    I closed the eyes of both the corpses and snapped my fingers. A flame spread through and engulfed their entire bodies at once.


    Marco looked on in surprise.


    ¡°There¡¯ll be time to get angry later,¡± I pointed at the tracks left behind by the bandits. ¡°For now let¡¯s go and get the kidnapped elves back.¡±


    ***


    Marco and I followed the tracks and went through the forest again. Our speed was far slower this time, but the elf had his share of uses. He was an expert in tracking, we found our paths much faster than I would have alone.


    The tracks led us to the base of a mountain, Rascarte didn¡¯t lack any mountains at all being a pass between the Empire and many of the weaker nations in the West. A single path led was laid down on the mountain climbing to the top with two armed bandits standing guard.


    I hid Marco in the woods as I looked on at the mountain. A small fort had been made at the very top, that was where the bandits must be hidden.


    It was safe to call me a mountain bandit-slaying aficionado by now. I had killed more mountain bandits in the last few months while coming to Rascarte than mountain bandits had wanted to kill me. So, even amongst groups of mountain bandits, these people were rather well-off.


    I was almost surprised. The fort at the very top looked like something a baron or another noble would have commissioned, not something that two-bit thugs could just occupy.


    ¡°Marco, you stay here in the forest.¡±


    ¡°W-what¡­ alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go and kidnap the kidnapped people.¡±


    ¡°R-rescue you mean?¡±


    ¡°That.¡±


    Marco seemed dissatisfied with being asked to stay behind. Well, I couldn''t care less. It was a deal. If not him, the rescued elves might know enough about Spirit Magic to teach me.


    ¡°Stay right here, alright?¡±


    With those words, I pushed Marco down and stepped out of the bushes. The guards standing in the distance noticed me and their eyes widened.


    ¡°Hey! Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Turn away right now if you don¡¯t want to die¡ª¡±


    Before the guard could finish his sentence, my fist came to greet him good morning.


    It was time to climb a mountain.


    ***


    At the top of Cheney Mountain, the leader of the Cheney Mountain bandits sat alone in his room, his eyes were downcast at the recent turn of events.


    All the mountain bandits around were in deep trouble. And to think this was all because of events happening in the lawless zone. As word would spread, he was sure that the entire underworld was heading toward deep chaos.


    The situation was crazy, anything could happen.


    Just as these thoughts entered his mind, the door to his chambers swung open.


    His second-in-command barged inside and screamed.


    ¡°Leader!! It¡¯s an ambush! There has been an ambush!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± The leader shouted and shot up. ¡°How many people? Who has dared to attack the Cheney bandits.¡±


    ¡°J-just one! There¡¯s only one¡­¡±


    The bandit leader and the second in command both pursed their lips.


    ¡°I see. Tell everyone to retreat right now, we¡¯re running away!!¡±


    ¡°What?! But it¡¯s just one!¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard, do you think just one person would attack the house of mountain bandits if they couldn¡¯t win? We are fucked, just run¡ª¡±


    The window to his room crashed to the ground and one of the bandits fell inside.


    The wise mountain bandit leader realized it was already too late.

 Chapter 38: The Cheney Bandits

    Raiding mountain bandit hideouts is very easy if you know what you are doing. It simply involved punching and dodging and punching and dodging. They might end up shooting a lot of arrows, a good idea would be to steal a bow and shoot them back.


    Well, I did just that and then some more. None of my attacks were fatal though. Not just yet.


    The walls of the fort were pretty sturdy this time. This wasn¡¯t a place mere bandits should have occupied.


    I made quick work of the rest of the bandits on guard. The more astute of them had already started running away, those will live for a long time.


    After giving a particularly annoying bandit the experience of what it would feel like to be a bird free in the sky, I started scaling the walls of the fort.


    [Binds of Nature]


    The magic spell made trees peer out of the walls like stairs. The spell created to hold things in place was easily changed to hold me up like stairs. This was the power of scarcity, one had to be creative if they couldn¡¯t afford to make convenient spells like ¡®Make Stairs!¡¯ or use a system for casting.


    I quickly scaled to the top and peered in through the window that had just been broken. Annoying Bandit F lay on the ground while two others looked at me with fear in their eyes. Both of them were far too well dressed to be counted as bandit extras. My bandit slayer experience told me they must be the leader and the second-in-command of the group.


    The trees pushed me into the room and dispersed behind me.


    ¡°Now then¡­ are you guys the leaders of this place?¡±


    The two bandits gulped. They quickly lowered their heads and bowed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll tell you anything as long as you spare our lives!¡±


    ¡°Anything!¡±


    Oh.


    That took me by surprise.


    How rare was it for there to be smart bandits in a fantasy world? I quickly pulled out a diary from my shirt¡¯s pocket and a pencil from the other one as I wrote this situation down.


    The bandits looked on, confused about what I was doing. They must be thinking I would throw them a signature after beating them up and claim ¡®Here is your receipt,¡¯ to that I say, they weren¡¯t good enough to waste such a reference on.


    ¡°What¡­ are you doing?¡±


    The second-in-command couldn¡¯t hold his curiosity back after all when he saw my furious writing, only to be hit and shushed by the leader.


    ¡°Just a second. I am making notes about strange things to judge them objectively later¡­ and done.¡± I placed the diary and the pencil back and dusted my hands. Alright, smart bandits, that was a unique experience.


    I stepped ahead and the bandit leader shuddered. His eyes were moving around rapidly, he was wary about any attacks and was looking for an opening too. Though it didn¡¯t seem like he would do anything.


    Faster than the leader could see, I punched him in the stomach.


    ¡°AOOH!¡±


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    The bandit leader fell to his knees and I placed a foot on his head.


    ¡°Now then¡­ Tell me, what makes you suffer?¡±


    ***


    The Cheney bandits were subdued without much effort. It was as easy as poking a balloon with a needle.


    It really made no sense to me, seeing a group of bandits occupying a small fort. These forts were plentiful but important in the Rascarte Kingdom which was surrounded by mountains all around and served as a divide between the Empire and many of the weaker nations further west. It was stuck from both sides and hence, had to be strong. The forts were just one of those defense measures this small kingdom had taken.


    The Leader of the Cheney bandits quickly spoke after I made him kiss the ground. The gist of the events was simply this.


    The Cheney bandits only took tax from travelers and hassled people who looked reach. They were happy living small and would have never hurt others if not for the situation in the nearest Barony called Kirsche.


    Apparently, the entire territory had been taken over by criminals and the bandits in the mountains around Kirsche had no choice but to come under their control. Things were pretty simple for a few years, until two months ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but they changed the way they governed all the bandits. Everyone was forced to bring whatever money they could find, even if it meant harassing mountain nomads and tribes. They asked us to bring them slaves, weapons, money, everything.¡±


    ¡°So you decided that it was fine to punish others as long as you could avoid pain?¡± I asked and the leader of the bandits lowered his head. He was not truly remorseful, he wouldn¡¯t be a bandit otherwise, but his survival instincts seemed to be asking him to play the role of a caring robinhood-like bandit.


    Well, I could smell such disgusting two-faced behavior from miles away. People donned whatever faces served their purpose, it was terrible.


    ¡°Where are the elves you kidnapped?¡± I asked. ¡°I will let you go if you hand over the elves and all the money you stole right now.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡­¡± the bandit leader looked at me with trembling eyes.


    ¡°Think of it, would you rather die by my hands right now or by the hands of this Kirsche bandit mastermind later?¡±


    That guy wasn¡¯t going to survive either. An evil in this world had to be eradicated, that was a simple conclusion. As someone who could eradicate these small evils, doing so was my responsibility, a movement against the omnipotent ones up above, however small.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, sir¡­ we have already sent the goods over to Kirsche Barony.¡±


    A sigh left me. This was troublesome.


    I quickly pulled out my book again and wrote down the justification that the bandit had just given me. Seeing things on paper made it easier to understand.


    He was smart, but his evil was unquestionable.


    I did not have the right to judge, but neither did these bandits. Just as much as it was wrong for them to kill and attack innocent people, it was wrong for me to attack them.


    Between 10 people exercising a right they didn¡¯t have and just 1 person doing it, the ideal option was evident even to toddlers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to this Kirshce Barony then. Which way?¡±


    ¡°S-sir!¡± The bandit leader yelped. ¡°It¡¯s an entire city! They are an army of thugs, you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    If I left now instead of going to the city, the Cheney bandits could regroup with minor losses.


    ¡°An army you say? Which way, it¡¯s better if you have a map.¡±


    The Cheney Bandit leader looked into my eyes, still sitting near my feet. He gulped and pointed at the table. ¡°There¡¯s a map of the Baron¡¯s territory on the table. B-but there hundreds of them¡­ if you want I can take you from a mountain pass to the West¡ª¡±


    ¡°An army is no problem.¡±


    I stood up and moved to the table, turning my back to the bandits. There was indeed a map right there.


    The two bandits looked at each other and pulled their daggers out. They slowly stepped closer to me.


    How shameful, they decided it was better to deal with me than to fight against the ones in Kirsche.


    Without a word, the two bandits swung their weapons down to my neck. They didn¡¯t shout before an ambush, they were truly wise to end.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t the only ones with an army¡­¡±


    The strikes never came. Instead, the blood of the bandits reached the ceiling without my turning back.


    I leisurely rolled the map and stepped out of the room, and down the fort. Screams and blood filled the place as bandits died one after another.


    Judgment was bestowed.


    ***


    I regrouped with Marco down at the base of the mountain. He trembled as he saw me, his eyes were stuck on my cheeks.


    ¡°Oh, was there some blood here? Sorry about that.¡± I wiped the blood away and tapped the elf¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Your tribe was sent over to the Kirsche Barony. If we leave right now we might catch up before something happens.¡±


    It seemed like something was happening.


    Why else would a group of bandits that had been quiet for years suddenly stir up trouble like this? They were risking an attack by Rascarte¡¯s nobles before anything else.


    Something big must be happening.


    How interesting.

 Chapter 39: The Kirsche Town Liberation

    Kirche Town in the Rascarte Kingdom once used to be a place where many chose to retire.


    With a scenic view of the mountains, a beautiful lake nearby, land fertile enough to last six generations, and a modest distance from the nearby towns, the town once used to be a retirement spot for many people who had made it rich.


    Yet, these days, Kirche Town was only a husk of its former self. It all started when the previous lord died from illness and left only his seven-year-old son as an heir. The lord¡¯s regent was loyal from the beginning and everyone believed that in his hands, the territory and the next lord would both survive if not thrive.


    Unfortunately, the people of the county had underestimated the regent¡¯s loyalty as he followed after the previous lord within a week. If any blue blood heard this tale they would be biting their sheets in envy and their servants would be biting theirs in fear.


    Coming back, the ones who took the lead after the regent¡¯s passing were people who had writhed their way into the lord¡¯s castle like a snake. By like a snake, it meant a swift and deadly attack instead of a stealthy one.


    What happened next was pretty simple. The seven-year-old lord Kirsche was used like a puppet and any possible advisors were replaced by thugs.


    The taxes turned into protection money, the knights turned into gang members, and the ¡®lord¡¯ turned into ¡®leader.¡¯ Thinking of it objectively, not much changed except for the fact that crudeness was accepted with open arms and vulgarity was welcomed with confetti in the town. One would be shocked by knowing how the same things changed under different people with different dispositions, and the clearest way to see it was by comparing a good leader with a bad one, in this case, a thug.


    The city that once was the prime retirement spot for the people of Rascarte became the prime spot for its shadows and dregs. A true transformation of artwork.


    The artist too, had a name.


    Tanien The Iron Gauntlet, they called him. The face of Rascarte¡¯s dark underbelly.


    ***


    ¡°Why do you know all this?¡± I asked Marco as we looked at the well-guarded entrance to the town.


    ¡°My mom used to scare me by saying that Tanien would come if we didn¡¯t sleep like good kids,¡± Marco answered and immediately sniffled. What a softie. It seemed their main area of activity was in Rascarte.


    Marco¡¯s testimony might seem something from just one person, but everyone in the hideout of the Cheney Bandits said pretty much the same thing about the good folks in this small country town. There were no knights, if there were any they were practically slaves of the thugs.


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    Such people¡­


    Didn¡¯t deserve my mercy.


    I stepped out of the forest and climbed the path to the city again. The city guards standing atop the tall walls noticed me and tooted their horns. They were overtly careful, as one would expect from criminals, as they asked from afar with a voice amplification spell.


    ¡°What is a single person doing at the entrance of our town? There are no adventurer guilds here, and we don¡¯t accept beggars. State your purpose now!¡±


    I ignored the bastards and continued walking.


    ¡°State your purpose! Do not take another step or you will face our canons!¡±


    Step. Step. As if I was taking a walk in the night breeze after eating too much at dinner.


    ¡°Stop now, state your purpose¡ª¡±


    I stopped.


    ¡°I am here¡­ to kill all of you.¡±


    The thugs all widened their eyes.


    ¡°Tsk! You bastard, get lost. I¡¯ll take this runt!¡±


    Another thug pushed the speaker away and pointed a canon atop the city walls straight at me. The canon glowed with a red magic circle and in a flash, a giant ball of scathing hot flames shot out at me.


    The flames struck, then dissipated.


    ¡°W-what the hell?¡±


    I was, naturally, undamaged. Even my clothes didn¡¯t burn from those petty little flames. It was actually because I was using a fire-resistant material I had extorted¡ªAhem, purchased from a merchant in the last six months. There was a desperate need.


    As for my body¡­


    ¡°Fire! All of you fire!¡±


    ¡°Shoot shoot shoot! Burn this bastard!¡±


    The canons all turned to me and flames shot out. Arrows of flames, even normal ones that eventually burned up in the onslaught of magic, all came at me at once. I thought I heard Marco gasp but the sounds of the canon were too loud to hear such a soft thing. Flames, magically enhanced flames, kept shooting at me but failed to leave any scratches. The most destructive amongst the simplest of magic, fire, had become as strong as an infant¡¯s full-power punch.


    Utterly useless.


    The flames subsided, leaving behind a giant cloud of smoke. The ground around me had caved and craters formed but there still wasn¡¯t a single scratch on me.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive¡­¡±


    ¡°The fuck¡­?¡±


    It was easy to say what was happening. They wanted to show off their flames!


    My hand swept into my pocket and opened the flask I always kept with me.


    ¡°Asirmo.¡±


    A long strand of flames swept out of my pockets and started to wrap around my body. My clothes would have melted from the mere heat in its presence, but the materials were strong now. With a snap of my fingers, the flames shot out at the guards.


    As if it had a mind of its own, the strand of flames dived into the canons and blasted them from within. The guards were left stunned as the living flame destroyed their weapons.


    ¡°D-don¡¯t let him in!¡± The initial thug screamed. ¡°Lower the gates, don¡¯t let him in! Quickly!!¡±


    These guys were showing off their strength next. ¡®You might have defeated us with fire, but you can¡¯t break the walls!¡¯


    News flash¡­


    ¡±[Water Magic: Ice Spear - Variation Gigant (3rd Circle)]¡±


    12 water orbs formed behind my back and merged into one. They formed a giant spear a good foot taller than the walls and shot at the gates.


    ¡°AAAH!¡±


    ¡°Run run run!¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck is this guy!?¡±


    That day, the thugs of Kirsche received a grim reminder. The gates shattered and the walls of the city broke apart.


    The ice spear opened the view inside the city. Perhaps this much commotion was enough to wake all the people inside up as dozens¡­ no, hundreds of thugs stood with weapons in their hands.


    They were flaunting their numbers at the end.


    ¡°All of us¡­ that guy can¡¯t take all of us alone!¡±


    ¡°Kill him no matter what.¡±


    ¡°No, get him alive! This motherfucker.¡±


    I liked that spirit.


    ¡°ATTACK!¡±


    The thugs all charged at me, swinging their weapons. I stretched one hand outward.


    A soft smile tugged at my lips.


    Numbers too, I was going to win with.


    ¡°[Return to Hell]¡±

 Chapter 40: The Liberation of Kirsche (2)

    ¡°Bring those bastard knights!¡±


    ¡°You guys, come here right now!¡±


    The thugs that had taken over Kirsche City once again called on the knights as if they were dragging along slaves. The knights of the city had been reduced from honorable protectors of peace and honor to people who were being used as meat shields by the thugs.


    It had happened in front of their eyes. The baron¡¯s passing broke the seal of the lord¡¯s territory and poison spread inside.


    Every time he heard of the strange decisions the young lord and his advisors were making, Arthanal placed a hand on the cherry tree engraved on his armor, the symbol of the Kirsche Knights.


    ¡°Trust,¡± he would say.


    To his complaining troops. To his floundering family. To his nervous townsmen.


    ¡°Trust.¡±


    And in front of that complacent trust, Arthanal could only watch as the city was completely taken over by the thugs.


    Every position was filled by scum, and the knights were not even allowed to carry weapons except wooden swords and leather armor. It was pure hell, but Arthanal and the Kirsche Knights endured.


    Perhaps he was running away from the responsibility. Maybe he didn¡¯t want to accept that his city was slowly being rotten from the inside. That was why, Arthanal placed a hand on his emblem with a newfound resolution to endure.


    Along with his knights, Arthanal remained in the order. Even though a giant, stout man was assigned as the Knight Captain, they didn¡¯t leave.


    The knights endured so that they could still protect the people of the city. When the thugs dragged around the elderly and forced them to pay exorbitant taxes, the powerless knights could at least shield some blows and when the thugs were annoyed by somebody bumping into them, the powerless knights could at least take the fault on themselves.


    But¡­


    Even the most staunch of knights were slowly losing their will.


    Arthanal and his knights were dragged to the front of the city, the breached walls right in front of his eyes. A while ago, maybe the knights might have seen this as a chance to take back power, but now their spirits had been shaved to a degree where they couldn¡¯t react to such a situation.


    Skeletons were flooding in from the breach. With each passing moment, the skeletons were encroaching on the land of the city like snakes crawling at their prey.


    ¡°Knights! What are you doing!?¡± The roar of the Knight Captain snapped Arthanal to his senses. He took in a deep breath, if only the people of Rascarte had come to the rescue¡­ it was unfortunate that this city had to face a Dark Mage right after the takeover.


    The skeletons broke through the lines of thugs. Far at the very center of the breach, a lone man with an axe and a flame circling around him walked straight ahead. No one could stand in his path as he made his way to the Lord¡¯s Castle.


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    Arthanal took in a deep breath.


    So this was how they were going to die.


    At the hands of skeletons that were using other skeletons like shields and kicking the living shit out of everyone that came in their way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just watch! Go and fight, buy time for me to escape!¡± The Knight Captain whose genetic makeup was closer to hogs than to homo sapiens huffed and snorted from his stout. ¡°Go!¡±


    The knights raised their weapons and were about to charge at the skeletons. They slowly moved ahead, ready to accept their deaths.


    This much was enough. Now they were going to die.


    With a hand on the emblem, the last thing he had carved out from his armor, Arthanal rushed into the sea of skeletons with his eyes closed.


    The skeletons¡¯ footsteps came closer. They were upon him¡­ and then past him.


    ¡°Heh?¡± Arthanal opened his eyes and looked around. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    The skeletons ignored the knights and charged past them. Their target was the man at the very back, the Knight Captain.


    ¡°W-what? Don¡¯t chase me! The knights, fight the damned knights!¡±


    The Knight Captain immediately turned around and tried to run away. Against these numbers, even a hog couldn¡¯t charge its way through. Arthanal could only watch before another skeleton stood in front of him.


    The number ¡®9¡¯ was marked on its head with ink. The skeleton slowly extended its hand toward Arthanal¡¯s chest, he stepped back but the Skeleton was faster.


    A bony finger pointed at the emblem on his chest. Once, twice, the skeleton looked straight into Arthanal¡¯s eyes and raised its hands.


    ¡°This¡­ you¡­¡± Arthanal watched as the Skeleton raised both its arms up to the sky. He could see it, almost as if an illusion spell had been activated.


    He could see the shackles on the skeleton¡¯s wrists gleaming under the sun. With a gutsy shout, the skeleton broke the shackles and took its fate in its hands.


    Tears streamed down Arthanal¡¯s eyes. The knight bit his lips and nodded.


    ¡°Liberation¡­?¡±


    The skeleton marked ¡®nine¡¯ nodded.


    The wind of liberation was blowing in Kirsche.


    ***


    Have any of you seen a mountain town? Especially in another world? If someone hadn¡¯t, allow me to explain what it looked like. A mountain town was erected on a slope and at every moment, the largest building at the top-most part of the town, in this case, the lord¡¯s castle, looked like it would come tumbling downhill like a bowling ball.


    If that ever happened, wouldn¡¯t the people inside be in danger?


    If I was told that high-rises and skyscrapers were made by ¡®magic¡¯ even I wouldn¡¯t want to step in them. I couldn¡¯t let these people place themselves in such dangerous situations solely by trusting civil engineering of another world.


    That¡¯s right. Since I was a good, upstanding citizen of this new world, I decided to kill everyone inside myself before the building could score a strike.


    ¡°Asirmo.¡±


    The living flame wrapped itself around the bone ax, covering the blade with a veneer of fire. I kicked the door to the lord¡¯s castle down and stepped inside.


    The Skelians would handle the rest, but I had some questions.


    Why would people who had been quiet all this time suddenly start kidnapping people on such a large scale? Going as far as to get rid of all the mountain bandits that had been in a symbiotic relationship with them? It was a curious situation.


    I quickly climbed up the stairs and toward the lord¡¯s room. Of course, it was not all smooth.


    ¡°AAAAH!¡±


    ¡°M-my legs?! My legs!!¡±


    Right, the ax was swinging all through the road, making a clean path to the top. I didn¡¯t have to go all the way to the lord¡¯s chambers to find the foe I had been looking for.


    In a long red garb, a muscular man with scars on his face looked at me.


    ¡°All the way here? You are a more capable enemy than I thought.¡± The man raised his right hand, the iron gauntlet on it gleamed brightly.


    ¡°You must be Tanien the Iron Gauntlet,¡± I remarked. ¡°Tell me, what makes you suffer?¡±


    ¡°Hah! Must be a cultist.¡± Tanien ignored me and took a step ahead. I was hoping for an answer, noticing my expression, he smacked his fists together. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with words, I don¡¯t talk to dead people.¡±


    The de-facto ruler of Kirsche charged at me.

 Chapter 41: The Liberation of Kirsche (3)

    Iron tore through the air like paper. A streak of blood dripped down my cheek as I barely avoided the strike.


    ¡°Woah! Slow down? Someone might get hurt!¡±


    Tanien didn¡¯t even bother responding to my kind words of caution as he swung his fists one after another. I dodged to the left, then stepped back, and then to the right, another jab headed square for my nose as my back struck the wall¡ªDucked!


    Dust crumbled from the walls behind me as Tanien¡¯s fist left a mark. Then the wall started to crumble.


    Before I could be surprised, Tanien launched his knee for my face. I swiftly blocked it with the handle of my ax. His sheer strength blasted Asirmo away and made me drop the ax. I glanced at the dropped ax and retreated into the newly created room.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to talk without a beating, but I was hoping seeing his entire stronghold crushed by a single person¡ªa stronghold that took him almost a hundred to maintain¡ªwould have driven some sense in him. Was he perhaps not so smart?


    Another punch came my way. I closed in and grabbed the fist before he could drive ahead and yanked Tanien closer. His eyes widened at the sudden act as his balance collapsed, but Tanien was experienced, he quickly stomped his feet down and swung again.


    I pushed his other fist away and struck back with an upper¡ª¡°Wha?! Is your skin made of steel?¡± I exclaimed while shaking my hand. There was no pain on me, but I caused minimal damage.


    Tanien smirked.


    I smiled back.


    Jabs and swings and punches and fists erupted as a torrent of blows exchanged between us. Tanien kept attacking and I dodged each and every one of them, and at the same time, my attacks piled on and on.


    Walls broke, and our path went further and further through the castle yet the ceilings above us remained strong. I even used the bodies on the ground to distract and throw him off, but Tanien saw through it all and remained steadfast.


    His technique of covering his entire body and fist with aura was impeccable. It was a mastery that one could only acquire after years of hard work.


    I had come this way challenging and dying against people way out of my league. Far, far out of it.


    ¡°Kuh!¡±


    One punch from him would break me apart, but an attack from me barely hurt him. Yet I dodged and struck. A tango of attacks.


    Like drops of water filling up the ocean, my attacks started showing their results. Tanien¡¯s moves grew weaker and his balance went off. His words became aplenty too.


    ¡°Stop running you rat! Fucking bastard!¡±


    ¡°Oh? I thought you didn¡¯t talk to dead people?¡±


    ¡°YOU!¡±


    Tanien swung again, and yet another wall broke, this time revealing the grand garden outside the castle. Immediately, I turned back and charged out, rushing to the fountain at the very back. Seeing water float upward even on a downward slope was interesting for anyone.


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    I placed a hand in the fountain¡¯s water and looked back at Tanien.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to run for long¡­¡± Tanien said, slowly stepping over to me. His strength was truly monstrous. If I hadn¡¯t paved the way to him myself or made a mistake with the walls, the castle might have already rolled down the lane to score a strike.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to,¡± said I. The water in the fountain started to slowly float up. Six months ago or now, water was far easier to manipulate when I didn¡¯t have to create it myself.


    The water rose high, and slowly it started to freeze over. Freeze into long, solid spears.


    One, two, eight, thirty-six¡­


    ¡°Do you know, when you lack resources you have to become a little creative.¡±


    Seventy-two spears of ice loomed over in the sky. Tanien¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the spectacle.


    ¡°[Ice Magic: Dance of The Djinns (Original)]!¡±


    The ice spears charged through the skies in completely unpredictable patterns. All of them went straight at Tanien.


    My foe raised his fist in a fluster and the aura around him spiked at once. He could have broken through this challenge too, he could have¡­


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Tanien coughed out blood. Asirmo the Living Flame and the ax had struck in his back. The seventy-two ice spears didn¡¯t get a chance to shine, but they still cut through and impaled his limbs and torso.


    One last spear remained in front of his face, ready to impale through his head at the smallest movement.


    Tanien the Iron Gauntlet had fallen.


    ***


    Dusting my hands, I walked over to him.


    ¡°I told you, someone might get hurt.¡±


    ¡°I was wrong¡­¡± Tanien said. ¡°I-it¡¯s not my fault! The butler, the butler was the mastermind!¡±


    ¡°Tell me why you guys have become so active suddenly?¡± I grabbed Tanien¡¯s hair and pulled him up.


    ¡°That was at the butler¡¯s orders too! I swear, just let me live, please! Y-you should go to him right now! He¡¯ll be in the lord¡¯s room. Just go to him!¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re coming with.¡±


    I dragged Tanien along the stairs and to the Lord¡¯s room. The little lord Kirsche and the Butler were huddled up in the corner around the bed. Both of their eyes widened as I stepped in dragging Tanien along.


    The Butler screamed. ¡°T-that evil monster! That evil monster is¡­!¡±


    I looked at the butler, he was old enough to have his children retire from this same job. That was considering the retirement age in these years which would be ¡®as long as you can move your bones.¡¯


    The young lord kept his grip tight on the butler¡¯s clothes. All the way here, I had seen pictures of him with the previous lord (vandalized to no end, these punks even drew phallic shapes on such old art) and then with someone who seemed to be the lord before him.


    I looked at Tanien, and then the butler.


    Yeah. No chance.


    ¡°Alright, that was a smart trick but what was your plan? There¡¯s no way the butler is the mastermind.¡±


    Tanien looked away at my accusation. He was trying anything to live a little longer, huh? Before he could get smart, I quickly gripped his hand and twisted it with all my might.


    A blood-curdling scream that a child should never hear erupted in the young lord¡¯s room. Tanien¡¯s gauntlet-clad arm broke from the elbow. Snot and tears fell to the ground with the wounds from his injuries.


    ¡°Why are you guys suddenly active?¡± I asked again. With a snap of my fingers, another ice spear formed and pointed straight at his neck.


    ¡°That¡¯s because of the Garbage King! The old Garbage King has died!!¡±


    ¡°Garbage King?¡±


    Tanien pointed at his pockets and pulled something out. It was a scroll, an invitation to one of the forbidden lands that marked the selection of the next Garbage King.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±


    ¡°I-it''s an event!¡± said Tanien. He sure was quite talkative when he was the one about to die. But the depth in his voice never left, he was truly a wicked ruler. ¡°It''s when all the criminals from all over the continent gather. The throne of the Lawless Zone is at stake, and everyone is welcome. From petty thieves to corrupt officials, it''s the biggest gathering of its kind! We were planning to catch goods and sell them at the lawless zone.¡±


    By goods he meant people.


    ¡°I see. Interesting.¡± I pointed the spear upward. It was time for him to die. Tanien realized and shook his head furiously.


    ¡°I ask everyone, so I¡¯ll ask you too¡­¡± This was just my routine before killing a big criminal. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to kill god, do you?¡±


    ¡°K-k-kill god?¡± Even Tanien couldn¡¯t maintain his cold tone at my words. As expected, no one could answer that. I wasn¡¯t disappointed. Just as I moved the spear, he screamed.


    ¡°T-They might know!!¡±


    I stopped.


    ¡°They might know¡­ an information guild of spies in all the theocracies and kingdoms¡­ They know everything there is to know!¡±


    Tanien noticed my hesitation and doubled down.


    ¡°If you let me live¡­ I can take you to them. They might know how¡­ you can kill the gods.¡±

 Chapter 42: The Liberation of Kirsche (4)

    A token question I used to ask just anyone I was beating up suddenly turned into a piece of information.


    Tanien the Iron Gauntlet was staring at me, the ice spear was still looming over him, and I had his hands in my grip ready to twist it off.


    ¡°Where¡­?¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯ll let me go? I promise to tell you everything¡ª¡°


    Was it a lie? Probably. Was it absurd to even think someone would know a way to ¡®kill god¡¯? Absolutely. the world-changing information must be just some random nonsense, but there was no way for me to ignore it.


    I simply couldn¡¯t.


    Even if it was false hope¡ªa fragile thread on a creaky bridge¡ªI couldn¡¯t let go of it. If there was any chance of getting my revenge, I would take it no matter what.


    ¡°What did you say their name was?¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s not a single organization. You should go there! Just let me live, alright? I¡¯ll tell you everything, I¡¯ll even give you my carriage.¡±


    I nodded at his words.


    ¡°Lastly, the elves that you captured. Where are they?¡±


    ¡°T-the elves¡­?¡± I could see the gears turning in Tanien¡¯s head as he looked at me. He was wondering if he should offer any information right now or not. In the end, he decided to cooperate and nodded. ¡°They are in the city¡¯s prison! With the knight order, since the prisons were empty we stored the people there.¡±


    So Marco was going to be reunited with his family after all.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯ll let me live?¡±


    I looked at the Butler and the young lord in the corner, both of their eyes were clouded over as soon as the thought of Tanien escaping alive surfaced.


    I sighed and snapped my fingers.


    ¡°AAAAH!¡±


    The decision was obvious.


    ***


    Screams and shouts, or rather, cheers erupted from outside.


    The young lord and the butler followed behind me to the terrace of the castle. Standing atop the balcony, I rested my hands on the railings and looked over the entire city.


    At the very center, the dozens and dozens of goons and thugs terrorizing the city so far stood in a line. Most of them were battered to no end. On one side the citizens of the city, headed by the knights stood, and on the other were the skelians.


    All of them cheered. Tears dripped like rain as the people cried.


    ¡°Incredible¡­¡± the butler muttered. His eyes were misty as well. The citizens and the Skelians looked our way from beyond the castle walls, our eyes meeting.


    Slowly, all the Skelians lowered to their knees.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°He is the ruler of these skeletons¡­¡±


    ¡°A dark mage¡­¡±


    ¡°Heretic¡­¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°They saved this city, they saved us all.¡±


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    ¡°We owe him. This is all thanks to him¡­¡±


    Whispers and murmurs piled on top of each other, slowly becoming loud enough to reach my ears.


    Suddenly, the young lord pushed off from the butler¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Lord!¡±


    The butler¡¯s scream snapped all of their attention to the castle.


    I looked at the Young Lord. The juvenile redheaded ruler was supposed to take care of this city from now on.


    The Young Lord bowed his head and sniffled.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± he said through his sobs. ¡°Thank you for helping us.¡±


    A smile slipped out. This city was probably in good hands.


    ***


    There was nothing like a giant party or a parade, only tears and people stepping out of their homes. After so long, the citizens could walk freely on the streets, and the prisons were occupied by the gangsters and not ¡®goods¡¯ to be sold.


    Arthanal, an old guard captain took over the lead again. Along with the citizens, the guards threw all the thugs behind bars and took over the security of the city. He seemed to have felt strongly for Skelian 9, even frequently visiting him while I spent a day in the town. I figured he might be a weirdo considering he was good friends with 9 of all people.


    A lady spent the day doling out food to everyone for free, alongside some other volunteers while the others started on construction themselves. She gave me some extra meat as well. She had lost her son to the bandits since she couldn¡¯t pay the ¡®taxes.¡¯


    It had happened just a week before. She couldn¡¯t help but say it out loud, that she wished I was just a week sooner, but she didn¡¯t hold it against me.


    An envoy, mostly of citizens and the servants at the mansion, left the city for the capital of Rascarte to ask for assistance.


    And as for Marco, he was reunited with the rest of the elves.


    After the little lord¡¯s actions, the people of the city treated me with a lot of respect and care. But really, seeing the people help each other was the best way for them to thank me.


    I talked to them all, about their suffering, but I brushed over those gritty and depressing details because I wanted to look at what was ahead, away from the gods that had judged that these people shall suffer under the rule of Tanien.


    The wounds of the city were too great to heal overnight, but with the people who bore those wounds helping each other, tending to and dressing the wounds, they would slowly get better.


    Better enough that one day I could come around and ask.


    ¡°What takes away from your suffering?¡±


    ***


    With a bag slung over my shoulders, I walked out of the city early morning after spending three days there.


    The embrace of the mountainous forests welcomed me again, as ever, it was back on the roads and maybe atop the trees.


    ¡°Waaait!¡±


    I looked back, and a young elf with long, pointed ears came running over with a bang in his hands.


    ¡°Marco?¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­ Finally caught up to you.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here, brat?¡±


    Marco fidgeted under my glare.


    ¡°T-that¡­ I have to teach you spirit magic, right? I¡¯ll go with you!¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°There is no need for that. It¡¯s fine, I found another thing more useful. You can go back to your parents.¡±


    ¡°No no! I have to keep the promise, even my parents said the same thing.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t this guy away from his family for so long?


    ¡°It might take a while. I am going somewhere far.¡±


    ¡°A year or two?¡± Marco asked. ¡°That¡¯s no big deal! Humans learn rather fast, I¡¯ll accompany you the rest of the way.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine being away for a year!?¡± I wasn¡¯t planning that long a trip, it was just a few days to the Lawless Zone!


    ¡°Of course? That¡¯s barely anything.¡±


    ¡°Marco¡­ how old are you?¡±


    ¡°Aha, I am still young compared to you, I turned 47 this year.¡±


    Damned elves and their skewed sense of time. I thought carefully about this. Learning new magic was good, and Marco might be able to do some odd jobs as well. I can simply drop him off before entering the Lawless Zone since it could get dangerous.


    ¡°Fine, come along,¡± I said. The advantages outweighed the disadvantages, and it was for a short while anyway.


    Marco sighed in relief then turned back. I noticed that two more elves were peeking out from behind the gates of the city. Marco raised his thumbs and they waved back.


    Was this guy really 47¡­? How old are those parents anyway?


    I took a few steps away from Marco and sighed. The road ahead curved away from Rascarte, further to the west. Clips and clops of horses and the rumbling of a carriage echoed from the road.


    Marco came up next to me and his eyes widened. The carriage stopped right in front of us, and the coachman pointed at the doors.


    ¡°Alright, get in you bastard¡ª¡°


    I glared at him.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I mean sir.¡±


    ¡°W-w-wait!¡± Marco yelped. ¡°I-isn¡¯t that¡­ That¡¯s!!¡±


    The coachman with only one hand smirked at Marco and I sighed.


    ¡°This person is going to be our guide. You know him, Tanien, but just call him whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°EHHHH!?¡±


    ¡°Are you guys getting in? We have to leave!¡±


    I stepped into the carriage and fell back on the seats. It was truly luxurious. Marco followed, still not believing his eyes.


    Lastly, Tanien got into the front and whipped the reins. With a small neigh, the horses took off and the carriage rolled over the roads.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Marco muttered. ¡°Where are you headed?¡±


    ¡°The lawless zone. I plan to infiltrate a gathering of criminals.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ alright¡­¡± Marco nodded. ¡°Wait! The Lawless Zone?! The Garbage King¡¯s territory!?¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply and closed my eyes.


    That was exactly where we were headed.


    ***


    [Part 3: The Blaspheme - Begin!]

 Chapter 43: Trash Goes This Way (1)

    Hey, are you sure we are heading the right way?¡±


    ¡°I feel like asking about the direction has become our entrance sequence, Riziel.¡± Jonathan pushed his hair up as he effortlessly broke the walls of hesitation. His confidence was befuddling considering he had no way to know the path, but for Jonathan, the smell of romance and a chance for love was stronger than any compass.


    ¡°I can feel it, Riziel, I can feel it in my bones. The thief girls are waiting for me in the lawless zone, we are heading the right way.¡±


    Riziel rubbed her hands at Jonathan¡¯s impassioned words. They were headed through a downhill path outside the borders of the Shinome Republic right next to Rascarte. This was the way toward the Lawless Zone, or at least they hoped it was. Lawless as the zone was, most of it was just a barren wasteland with no end in sight.


    Once one entered the wastelands, they had to follow a straight path to the ¡®Garbage Dump¡¯ or they could risk getting lost.


    Riziel sighed. She had to admit, unreliable as he was, Jonathan was fucking lucky when it came to directions. The last time too, he had guessed that the Crow might be in Blue and that¡¯s where the last possible sighting was.


    She would guess that Jonathan was hoping to be stepped on by some hot thief babe but if asked, he would surely deny it.


    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t find the crow here, information about the Garbage Dump and the next Garbage King would be very useful for the Commander,¡± Riziel leaned back on the carriage and muttered.


    It wasn¡¯t like she was hoping to find some big treasure in the Garbage Dump, something valuable enough for her to throw gold coins in a lake with a ¡®hohoho¡¯ twice a day for the rest of her life, much like the rich people of the world.


    Riziel and Jonathan, once again, were headed towards their destination without any ulterior motives. Surely, there were no ulterior motives.


    ***


    I had been traveling for eleven days. After these eleven days, I had learned a fundamental truth about the world. They had made me familiar with the perspective of a thug, so to speak.


    Beating them up and calling them bad was natural, they were bad, but man was it convenient to have people do all your work for you.


    ¡°Tanien, go put up the camp.¡±


    ¡°Tanien, start a fire.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Tanien, cook the food.¡±


    ¡°Tanien, shut the fuck up and drive.¡±


    These four phrases had started to provide me with relief through the days. Feeling guilty about making a person with only one hand do all this work? He should instead be thankful I hadn¡¯t killed him already.


    Previously, traveling alone meant starting my own fire (Asirmo usually did it), or making my own camp and food (the Skelians were happy to indulge) and running along the paths.


    They were good, but a distraction. I could instead train properly with the Skelians and Asirmo, and take the time to rest and learn spirit magic while in the carriage. Money might be able to buy such comfort, but violence was truly a currency that worked everywhere. I would say that people should replace gold backing with violence backing, that would make some of us quite rich¡ªHuh. Thinking of it again, most currencies were backed by violence, in the form of armies.


    The world was built by truly wise men.


    ¡°We¡¯re very close, sir,¡± Tanien said from ahead as the carriage rolled through the narrow paths of the forests outside the Shinome Republic. It was a place where the chirps and calls of birds dwindled and the air started to get dry, the wasteland, one of the forbidden zones, was not far away.


    ¡°Have we finally reached?¡± asked Marco. ¡°I was waiting for this!¡±


    This kid, who was genuinely an old man if we went by human sensibilities, had been teaching me rather well. He was an odd nutcase with how naive he was, even Tanien was slightly surprised. Elves that age were very youthful like teenagers, but few were as purely naive as Marco.


    It was disgusting to think of forty to fifty-year-olds acting snobby like teenagers and throwing around words like ¡®no one understands me!¡¯ or other bullshit, in that sense Marco was rather welcome. His skills with Spirit Magic and as a teacher were no joke either.


    I was able to manipulate my mana and slowly attract spirits, getting them to cooperate was another matter altogether. I was unable to use magic, but I could tell Marco wasn¡¯t at fault. He did say that Spirits disliked dark mages like me, and it was evident.


    As we approached the end of the path, Tanien rolled the carriage to a stop and I turned to Marco.


    ¡°Alright, you get off here. There is a town just a small walk toward the East through the forest. Since you¡¯re an elf, you¡¯ll find your way.¡± I pointed at the door.


    Marco met my eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re kicking Tanien out? He¡¯s scary but I¡¯ve gotten used to him.¡±


    ¡°No, I am kicking you out,¡± I answered, exasperated. What was with that selective hearing? ¡°Get lost, the path ahead is too dangerous for people like you.¡±


    ¡°W-w-what?¡± Marco muttered, not believing my words. ¡°But you haven¡¯t learned Spirit Magic yet, I have to fulfill my promise¡ª¡°


    ¡°You¡¯ve done enough.¡± I firmly said and stood up. With one hand, I grabbed the elf by the scruff of his neck and pushed the door open. Marco plopped down on the ground.


    ¡°Off you go. Thanks for this last week. Go and live with your family now.¡±


    I closed the door shut.


    Tanien looked back, and then at Marco who was still on the ground.


    ¡°Is this fine sir? If we leave like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Tanien, shut the fuck up and drive.¡±


    Tanien nodded and started driving. Truly those phrases were magical.


    Even though a person had stepped out, the carriage did not become any faster. After another long day of travel through the wastelands, going straight under the sharp sun and the barren grounds full of sand and soil around, we found a signboard on the road.


    [Trash This Way ¡ü]


    [Humans Go Back ?</a>]

 Chapter 44: Trash Goes This Way (2)

    ¡®Garbage Dump¡¯


    That was the name the people of the lawless zone called it. The signboards on the streets leading to the grand lawless city were symbolic of the name, what with calling trash over to the place.


    A short drive toward it and my eyes widened. Our path ahead was blocked by a sudden giant wall of sand. A storm, if one could even call it that. The sandstorm was dense enough to seem unmoving.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± I muttered, standing up and peering out ahead. The horses pulling the carriage whinnied. Even Asirmo sitting in a vial in my pockets started restlessly flapping around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir,¡± Tanien said with a grin. He looked at me cheekily, if looks could make a sound he would have been asking ¡®Ya scared?¡¯ for sure. ¡°You need to make sure the smell of trash doesn¡¯t seep out of the dump, right?¡±


    With that, he yanked the reins back and forced the horses to run ahead. The horses were reluctant but they trusted Tanien, perhaps that was the main reason he suggested taking his transport to the place.


    I lightly grabbed on Tanien¡¯s collars and covered my eyes with one hand¡ªAnd off we went into the sandstorm.


    ***


    It took some time before visibility returned. The feeling of being battered by the sand and the hot air disappeared like heavy rain clouds being pushed away by the wind. Before I could take in the sight, though¡­


    ¡°ACK! YEEK!¡±


    My hand was pulled away to the side. I looked out to find Tanien trying to run away from my grasp, but I was prepared from before we entered.


    ¡°Well, well, well, if it isn¡¯t a little fucking rat I have caught?¡±


    ¡°Eek! Sir, I was not running away!¡± Tanien quickly defended himself. For a hardened criminal leader, he sure was quick to beg. Seeing he was alive, perhaps that was how one found success in this field.


    With a sigh, I turned ahead. A grand sight unfolded in front of me, from shanties to towers, buildings that seemed to be headed for the skies, and houses that might collapse from a single blow. All kinds of structures were haphazardly built in a grand space ahead of us.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Star-shaped sand dunes marked the sections of the Garbage Dump, with a giant mountain of stones at the very center¡ªThe throne of the Garbage King, which was now empty. It was quite the choice to make the throne of the person who chased the most valuable things out of something with no value whatsoever.


    I spat on the ground and pulled Tanien back. ¡°Go check our bags, and don¡¯t even think of running away or I¡¯ll burn you alive.¡±


    It was better to keep the bags in person instead of on the carriage. From what I had heard, the people here could steal our entire carriage while we were seated on it. Thieves from all over the world weren¡¯t to be underestimated.


    Tanien furiously nodded and I slowly stepped out of the carriage. Dozens of other carriages were moving out of the sandstorm behind us, even though it felt like we were ¡®headed¡¯ here alone, the number of carriages ¡®arriving¡¯ was far too many. This must be the work of a magical phenomenon.


    ¡°This place always stinks the same way,¡± Tanien commented as he piled on bags on his back. Even without a hand, he didn¡¯t really seem impaired with daily tasks. Of course, martial arts were a different matter altogether with their focus on balance, he would take a long time before he could hope to fight.


    ¡°What is this scent?¡± I muttered as Tanien got on the carriage again and started pulling it along.


    I could smell fresh meat¡ªhear it too¡ªblood and grime, the smell of gutters and bread and butter and laundry, some detergent, all of it mixed, carried in the air with the sounds of money clanging in pouches, curses flying around like bugs, and scams unfolding in real-time.


    We started heading into the thin, narrow, streets, if they could even be called that. The entirety of the Garbage Dump¡¯s roads felt like a cobweb of alleys instead of ¡®streets.¡¯


    ¡°I know a good few folks who can keep our carriage,¡± said Tanien. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to travel in one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll trust that person?¡± I asked, looking around. It seemed that the buildings were cobbled up of whatever scraps the people here could find, wood, stone, rusted steel plates and asbestos sheets, metals of whatever kind hacked together as long as the buildings stood up, maybe even bones thrown in for good measure.


    It felt more like watching trophies of years of thievery and scumming than seeing real homes.


    ¡°It might be hard to believe, but people like us work on trust.¡±


    ¡°I trust that.¡±


    ¡°Tsk¡­ Sir, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    I smirked and let Tanien take the carriage away. He rolled us to a shop not that far away from the outskirts, toward the edges of one of the spiral dunes stretching out. At first, I thought we were going to one of the few tall scrapers that stood out, but we reached a small shed, almost like a modern parking or a garage.


    An old man who was already taking care of a dozen or so carriages greeted us. Tanien talked with him while I continued taking in the sight.


    After a brief minute, he stepped out.


    ¡°Sir, do I have to keep your bag too?¡±


    ¡°Hand it over.¡±


    I took the bag from Tanien and immediately checked the insides. Everything was still here. Facing the crowded streets with a small smile, I asked.


    ¡°So, where is this information guild that will answer my questions?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Tanien said. ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Say that again.¡±


    ¡°No idea¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A loud scream echoed through the entire Garbage Dump that day.

 Chapter 45: House Brew of Irony

    An old man with wolf ears walked through a large warehouse. Carriages were parked all over like stones tossed around in a wide field. It was difficult to find such a wide space in the Garbage Dump, but for the once-champion at the Trash Ring, the Colosseum, it was an uncontested privilege.


    He would die someday soon anyway and others could make their stupid hideouts here after he was gone, while he was alive the most these thieves would do was encroach on his land.


    Till then, he could keep the carriages safe along with some other side businesses. Like keeping an entrance to an invitation-only black market run by the most dangerous people¡ªone of the candidates for the next Garbage King, in fact¡ªin his basement and silly little stuff like that.


    Krolf, the old wolfkin was about to stroll back when he heard a faint sound from the newest carriage.


    The one parked by that idiot Tanien, who used to be a small member of their boss''s gang previously and broke off to take over Rascarte.


    Krolf went closer to the carriage. At that very moment, someone slipped out from under the carriage.


    ¡°Eek!¡± A young blonde elf was under the carriage! The elf screamed!


    ¡°EEEK!¡± Krolf screamed louder.


    The two of them stared at each other and screamed in surprise for a few seconds before Krolf took in a deep breath, turned around and rested his weight on his knees, controlled his blood pressure, and finally slapped the kid to make him shut up.


    ¡°Ouch! What was that for?¡± Asked the elf.


    ¡°What are you doing brat? Who are you?! Don¡¯t you know how to talk to your elders?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°How old are you!? Is this how you treat your grandfather?¡±


    ¡°S-sorry, I am 47¡­¡±


    Krolf was wolfkin. He was far more pureblooded than most wolfkin these days, which meant though he was just a few years shorter than a human¡¯s average life span, his looks were more toward a wolf''s. That meant he was an old man but in wolf years¡­


    Krolf was only 45.


    ¡°S-sorry¡­¡± said Krolf back. Then he shook his head and coughed. Damned elves and their stupid ages! ¡°Why are you coming out of that carriage, boy?¡±


    ¡°T-that¡­¡± The elf hesitated to speak. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you need to know sir. My friends must be waiting for me¡ª¡°


    Krolf smiled softly.


    There was a black market in his basement, and elves were a very rare commodity.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    This was a place only for garbage. If someone was here, they admitted they had no value to the outside world, didn¡¯t they? Why would anyone care about trash? Trash has to look out for other trash.


    ¡°Kid, come here,¡± said Krolf. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ***


    ¡°This tastes terrible,¡± I muttered as I sipped on a cafe au lait at Den-master¡¯s homebrew, a cafe on the outskirts of the garbage dump.


    ¡°It must be because they replace coffee beans with other ingredients on customers that look a little gullible,¡± Tanien explained with a slightly smug face. He took a sip with a smirk, and then immediately frowned. Fucking idiot.


    If they were skimping on the ingredients then the taste made sense. I was underestimating the trashiness of this place, garbage had permeated every corner of the garbage dump rather deeply.


    With a soft sigh, I flagged the waiter over. When the waiter came in front of me, I splashed the teeming hot coffee on his face.


    The people around quietened down, even the ¡®master¡¯ at the counter and the other waiters stopped and watched. I placed the cup down and tapped on it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t spill a customer¡¯s coffee. Cafe au lait, bring a good one this time, please. And don¡¯t spill it.¡±


    The waiter wiped his face with a handkerchief then bowed and took the cup with him. If my looks made me seem gullible, then actions had to prove otherwise. The other patrons returned to their items.


    Tanien looked at me with slight surprise then nodded. ¡°Right. I think you are perfect for this place, sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are you about to spill your coffee too?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    I was already annoyed at this bastard, he had no idea about the whereabouts of the information guild that seemingly knows everything. Annoyed I was also a bit at myself. I was not the type to be rude to waiters earlier on, but for some reason, all these scumbags didn¡¯t register as people in my eyes.


    It was fine to be a bitch back to bitches, people should be treated with great care though.


    The waiter returned sometime later. I took a sip and nodded. ¡°Be careful next time, don¡¯t trip and drop hot coffee on yourself again.¡±


    The waiter took my kind advice and walked away.


    I finished the cafe au lait while thinking about our next steps from here onward. I had to find a way to get to the information guild that could answer everything, but asking around in such a place was tantamount to placing your head in a lion¡¯s mouth.


    Maybe searching or beating people up was my best option. While I was thinking like this, a small commotion broke out from the table next to us. I turned around and saw two people, newcomers, fidgeting around with their pockets.


    A girl with long, purplish hair that cascaded down to her waist and a sharp man in glasses were on the seats next to us. They had just entered and placed their orders but were now fidgeting about.


    ¡°Ah, damn it. Where is the money?¡±


    ¡°Jonathan you fool. Did you throw all the cash on some girl?¡±


    ¡°No! I promise it was just with me. Riziel, where¡¯s your money?¡±


    ¡°I gave it to that poor old lady outside! Thank god I kept my identification at least.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you handed money to that scammer? Riziel, I think your nutrition didn¡¯t go to your brain¡ªI apologize! I apologize!¡±


    Tanien laughed at their actions and looked at me. He then smirked. This was the norm in the Garbage Dump, the place full of criminals.


    I frowned and turned to the two again. They looked like knights, people from outside. They also looked a bit like upstanding folks.


    Handing money out to an old lady here was too naive an act. I shook my head.


    It wasn¡¯t right to judge people on their looks or my biases alone, but there was always time to correct my judgment. At least for me. Even when one stabs me in the back it wouldn¡¯t be too late for me to change my ways, quite literally.


    These two didn¡¯t seem like scumbags, but people who were suffering from the scumbags gathered here.


    Slowly, I tapped on their table. The two turned my way and stopped.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°You are¡­ that solo adventurer¡­?¡±


    The two mumbled but I paid them no heed.


    ¡°Did you lose your money?¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

 Chapter 46: Grabbing Partners (1)

    The two people sitting next to my seat looked at me with widened eyes. My sudden proposition coupled with the fact that we were in a hotbed for crime was probably shocking for everyone. If someone said that to me, I would probably think about breaking their face.


    Huh¡­ was this not a good idea?


    ¡°Help us? With the money? Uh¡­ it¡¯s alright, we¡¯ll just work our way¡ª¡°


    ¡°Wait, Jonathan. We know he¡¯s an adventurer from that time¡­¡±


    ¡°He can be an adventurer and a criminal.¡±


    These two sure talked a lot among themselves.


    ¡°So¡­¡± The glasses man turned my way. He seemed to be asking how I planned to help him.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said as I pulled out a diary from my pockets. Tanien sighed at the sight while I started writing down on it.


    This was an odd situation. I had to put in my reasoning to make sure things seem proper when I look back, and also to decide if these were the right actions. I even added a stickman sketch of the coffee shop. Now we were good.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I closed the book and turned to the two knights. ¡°So, you dropped your wallets?¡±


    The two of them nodded. They were a little suspicious, almost like cats. I looked at their tables¡­ they already ate a bunch of food!? Didn¡¯t these guys come here after I tossed coffee on that bastard? How fast do they eat, no, how fast does this place cook?


    Noticing the lack of money after eating couldn¡¯t be considered good even in a den of crime. The solution was rather simple though.


    I sipped on my coffee, the other three kept looking at me.


    ¡°Y-you don¡¯t need to pay for us,¡± said the girl. Her purple hair tied in a ponytail swayed as she shook her head.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± It¡¯s better to teach people to fish than to hand out fish, right? After finishing the coffee, I looked toward the counter and ordered a bunch of more food. Something for all four of us.


    The others watched in confusion, but I ignored them and bit down on the Cheesy Crab Bread.


    Plates piled up slowly. Not too many, but definitely quite a few for people who had no money. After I felt full, I wiped my face with a napkin and looked at the counter again. Still busy.


    Perfect.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re paying for us? Adventurer, you don¡¯t have to really. We¡¯ll just clean the dishes¡ª¡°


    I smirked and gestured at them to stand up. Tanien quickly figured out what I was planning and grabbed our bags. Noticing us standing up, the staff finally looked our way. For good measure, I left a small silver on the table as well. A tip.


    As for the payment¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡± the girl asked.


    ¡°Out, of course. We¡¯re gonna dine and dash.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir, you were made for this place.¡±


    The staff seemed to have heard. They quickly pulled some levers from the back and steel bars whirred at the entrance of the cafe. I quickly jumped out and slid under the bars.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    The other three couldn¡¯t help but follow. Tanien was the quickest as he tossed the bags and slid out too. Next, the girl followed, and lastly, the glasses guy kept looking at the door and one of the waitstaff in the restaurant. He had a depraved look.


    ¡°This guy!¡± The girl knight screamed and banged at the steel doors. ¡°Jonathan!!¡±


    I didn¡¯t plan to wait. The staff was already approaching him and the doors were almost closed. Trees and vines stemmed out from the ground and blocked the steel doors, the rest wrapped around the waiters. One of them stretched out of the ground all the way to the height of the glasses knight and slapped him across the face with its branches.


    ¡°Ack! Fine fine, I guess I¡¯ll never get to experience being caught by a scary thief girl who I owe a debt to!¡±


    I turned to the girl. ¡°Hey, can we leave your friend behind?¡±


    ¡°I am tempted to say yes¡­¡±


    Before I could leave him behind though, the glasses knight¡ªJonathan as she had called him¡ªslipped out from under the steel bars right on time as the vines broke apart.


    I looked at the staff inside. They didn¡¯t seem to be in a rush¡­ Even that bastard Tanien was smirking as if he was watching a drama.


    Footsteps echoed from across the street. At the turn behind the cafe, dozens of people in skull masks carrying steel rods stepped out, glaring straight at us. Steel was underestimating us a bit, we had proper knights here.


    Or so I thought until the people held the steel rods in between their palms and flattened them with their hands.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! What now, sir?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Jonathan wasn¡¯t it?¡± I said. ¡°I heard you, why not get captured now? They¡¯ll treat you well. Maybe one of them is a girl.¡±


    Jonathan chuckled and adjusted his spectacles. ¡°I actually prefer being the dom.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    I turned around and grabbed one of our supply bags from Tanien. My own bag, with my ax and divine window, was with me.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s run.¡±


    No way I am fighting dozens of people who flatten steel with their hands in a place where anyone can stab me. Absolutely no fucking way.


    ***


    Behind an alley closer to the center of the star dune, the four of us hid behind a giant cardboard box. The girl knight, Riziel as she told us her name, peeked out and sighed.


    ¡°I think they are gone¡­¡±


    ¡°We have been running for almost an hour¡­¡± Jonathan added.


    I took a swig of water from my canteen and tossed it back in my bag before stepping out of our hiding spot. People were filled like cockroaches in the narrowest of streets, I was slowly getting used to the smell of the streets.


    After the four of us found ourselves in a safer spot, we gathered around a bench under a wide tree.


    ¡°That was crazy¡­¡± Riziel sighed.


    ¡°I can tell from the glimpse of that one lady I saw while we were running here... The person who stole my wallet is definitely going to slip from a banana peel and die.¡±


    What? What could he tell from what?


    Well, I knew they were going to be crazy from the beginning. Who would look for their wallet after eating? With a sigh, I smiled and stepped up to the two.


    ¡°It was a strange way to help, but at least we weren¡¯t caught.¡±


    Riziel smiled, she seemed clearly conflicted about dashing after eating. ¡°Thank you, we would have been in trouble without you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it¡­¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Well then, what are the two of you doing here in this garbage dump?¡±


    The two of them exchanged a look, nodded, and then turned to me.


    ¡°We are looking for a person.¡±


    ¡°We are looking for a BDSM bar¡ªAW!¡±


    Jonathan was slapped.


    Tanien and I pretended nothing was weird as we looked at Riziel.


    ¡°There was a third comrade aside from the two of us and he went missing six months ago in Blue back in the Zirkonia Empire. Jonathan and I think he might be here¡­¡± She then glanced at Tanien and me. ¡°What about you two?¡±


    Ah. Blue. I was wondering why they kept calling me an adventurer but that became clear now. They might have seen me back there, probably in the dungeon. I was sure no one had become suspicious of me at that place. At least no one alive.


    ¡°We¡­ are old friends,¡± I said. Tanien flinched but I quickly stepped on his toe. ¡°His grandmother is sick from a disease that no priest or healer can figure out. Tanien set off from our hometown to find me in hopes of helping his grandmother.¡±


    ¡°And that brought you to the garbage dump?¡±


    I nodded and leaned closer. The other three closed in as well. In a whisper, I continued. ¡°We have heard that there¡¯s a guild in the garbage dump. An information guild that knows everything about everything. Rumor has it they even know about all the summoned heroes and the events happening in the demonic lands.¡±


    Tanien raised his brow at me and nodded when the other two looked at him.


    ¡°How about this,¡± I suggested. ¡°I think they might know about your friend too. Why don¡¯t we look for this guild together?¡±


    ¡°This information guild, do they really know everything?¡± asked Riziel. The annoying Jonathan nodded at her words.


    ¡°I have heard rumors of such a thing too. But since we plan to search this place anyway, it won¡¯t hurt to look for this information guild as well. Who knows, they might really exist and tell us something. And¡­¡± Jonathan smiled at me. ¡°You did help us. We can¡¯t trust anyone in this place, but we can at least put some of our faith in an outsider like ourselves.¡±


    Like that, the small favor had turned into a partnership.


    ***

 Chapter 47: Grabbing Partners (2)

    Tired cries and resigned sobs were the only sounds in the underground black market¡¯s fourth wing. For someone brought here newly, the cries seemed almost bland and helped them give up against fate a tad sooner; for the ones here for a while, the sobs that never adjusted were annoying¡ªeven the steps of their captives coming in for rounds were more bearable.


    One such veteran customer of this rather peculiar guest house was a woman with white hair and similarly white eyes, nary for the touch of blue tint amid those whites that resembled a clear stream on a sunny morning.


    Anyone who saw her would be in awe, and in such a place where species incomparably rarer than humans, even some captive demons had been kept trapped, she had quickly become the most important ¡®item.¡¯


    It was not for her looks, though they played a part, but rather for her lineage. The heiress of a duchy, the most regal, the noblest, the rarest and bluest of blood among any that could be found.


    That woman stood still in a single cage, like a sculpture yet to be revealed hidden behind a cloth, only inviting anticipation.


    The woman had become annoyed. She was growing frustrated. But like always, her emotions did not make their way to her face, let alone to her voice.


    She had been the earliest person here. Her tears fell alone and her cries were only exciting the fantasies of the guards that made their rounds, and she had been the quickest to adjust as well.


    She lost her childhood, her life, and her sight to a curse. Her mother to that same curse, her brother to disease, her father to his hatred and the guilt that stemmed from hating his own daughter. Then she lost her fiancee to an archmage that swooped in out of literally another world; her title to the fact that her engagement was renounced. For someone who had lost everything, what was her freedom?


    It felt natural to an extent. Now she just waited to be bought like an item and then planned to bite her tongue the moment she could find the courage.


    She thought she would only wait in annoyance, until one day, the empty cage next to her own flung open, and a silly little elf was thrown in.


    ¡°Guah! Hey, can¡¯t you throw me gently!?¡±


    ¡°Let me try, come here.¡±


    ¡°N-no no! There''s no need to throw me again. I am good.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    As the guard left and the cries continued, the new member sat awkwardly and glanced around. He sighed and spoke to himself.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gone behind Acheron¡­ what do I do now, if I am sold I will get delayed in going back if I even go back home.¡­¡±


    ¡®Elves and their twisted sense of time,¡¯ she thought. As if he had heard the words bouncing in her usually empty mind, the elf¡¯s ears perked up and he slammed his face next to the bars of his cage, peering into hers.


    ¡°Hello!¡± he said. ¡°Are you a statue? A person? What¡¯s your name, I am Marco. Humans are all just scumbags right?¡±


    The heiress glanced at the next cage and then turned back ahead.


    She was going to be a little more annoyed than before, it seemed. The gods were really testing her, weren¡¯t they?


    ***


    People used to say one plus one heads make eleven heads¡ªperhaps not they, it might have just been one particularly bubbly girl back in my class when I was not living in this piece-of-shit world, but I digress. In that sense, for two people, adding two more heads should have been the equivalent of 22 heads.


    ¡°So¡­ where do we start?¡±


    Yeah, fuck that theory. Even with two more people, we were just as lost as expected.


    I crossed my arms and looked at the three people who were now essentially my teammates. At times like these, I wondered if bringing Marco along would have been nice. He was naive, but he was smarter than Tanien. As far as the two knights in Jonathan and Riziel went, their IQ points seemed to be equivalent to their ages.


    ¡°This is troubling,¡± said Jonathan. ¡°I think there is a way to find out such knowledge though, in the red light districts.¡±


    Tanien whistled. ¡°Someone¡¯s talking.¡±


    Riziel looked at both of them with disdain filling her eyes. ¡°You just want to go to a brothel, simply say that Jonathan.¡±


    ¡°That is not the case. I know how to keep my work and my love for pant¡ªmy desires separate.¡±


    Real convincing display right there.


    But it was difficult to say he didn¡¯t make sense. The ones who historically held the most information (according to most murim and fantasy webnovels) were the beggars and the prostitutes.


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s not a very bad idea¡­¡± I mused.


    Riziel snapped at me and then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, sir adventurer. People who have loose legs attract ones with loose lips.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so it''s fine if Sir Adventurer talks about going to a brothel? You aren¡¯t judging him?¡±


    ¡°Shut up. You think from your lower half, sir adventurer is clearly using his head. He even got us out of trouble.¡±


    This conversation was getting increasingly uncomfortable. I made another mental note of how well these two got along and interrupted.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re only considering it since it''s a real possibility. Also, call me Acheron please, you two.¡±


    ¡°Right, Acheron.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    I crossed my arms and nodded. ¡°Then, we should split up into groups of two and move around. One group can check out the red light districts and the other can inquire around with beggars. There seem to be quite a few of them.¡±


    The others seemed to agree with my words. I couldn¡¯t trust anyone here, but surprisingly enough, I found Tanien to be the least trustworthy. At least the knights seemed like they would come back, but if Tanien slipped my grasp I would be deeply annoyed.


    I chose to go with Tanien to the beggars and the other two headed to the red-light districts, they seemed more suited for that.

 Chapter 48: You Dont Find The Information Guild

    Tanien and I walked along the dirty streets of the Garbage Dump. The smells of anything merging with everything kept assaulting my nose, it was quite the annoyance.


    We stopped by with beggars on the street. People in complete messes shaking their bowls and their hands for a stray penny or a thrown note.


    Tanien turned to me and pumped his brows. ¡°So, why are you helping them?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Why are you helping them, sir?¡±


    I shrugged as my eyes scanned the streets, looking for beggars who might know something. It was annoying that of the few we had talked to, some were actual beggars who knew nothing. They would be living a long life, for sure¡­ not really.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know why you are helping them?¡± asked Tanien. ¡°I¡¯ll admit they are useful and seem naive, but that could become a problem.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s their badges,¡± I sighed and said. I wasn¡¯t planning to tell Tanien anything, but perhaps it won¡¯t hurt. In fact, my plans would probably be music to his ears if nothing else.


    ¡°Badges, I noticed. It seemed they were from the Empire. Brown knights perhaps back in Crimson? They are an elite group but also have a lot of other members.¡±


    I nodded with my arms crossed. He had noticed it. Tanien was knowledgeable considering he was a thug from Rascarte and not the Empire. I could recognize their badges at first glance since I had spent months seeing them.


    My eyes slowly narrowed.


    I had also seen that very badge as the last thing before a wooden lid covered my sight almost a year ago.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. They are from the brown knights. So I plan to use them¡­¡±


    Everyone from the Brown Knights, especially that bastard who called himself their commander.


    ¡°And then bury them alive.¡±


    Tanien stopped in his tracks. I took a few steps and turned back too, my eyes meeting his. Tanien suddenly covered his face with his hand and laughed out loud. Loud enough to turn heads our way.


    ¡°Sir. You are the fucking best. I knew from the get-go that you¡¯re crazy. You want to bury them alive so you helped them??¡±


    I was used and then buried alive too! This was not something crazy at all, I was merely following the wise words written in the Code of Hammurabi, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This was justice in its truest, oldest form.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in that prospect let¡¯s get looking, alright?¡±


    ¡°At your service.¡±


    So much for a thug, this guy was driving me mad.


    ***


    The conversations with the beggars went phenomenally.


    ¡°Excuse me, do you know about an information guild that knows everything?¡±


    ¡°Are ya new here cunt? Give me some cash if you want me to speak, or pints.¡±


    ¡ªBam Boom! Wham!


    ¡°Excuse me again, do you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t! Everyone will claim that they know everything. I don¡¯t know of any such rumor!¡±


    That was the way we had to phrase the questions. It must be evident how difficult questioning was at all. They had a certain language that was not difficult to communicate in, but a little unpleasant.


    ¡°You should take a left from BRRE into the alley behind their warehouse, you¡¯ll find the place.¡±


    We had to follow words that had no proof behind them, that was just the situation. After looking around we found a billboard saying ¡®Banana Republic Real Estate (All you can capture and act like you own)¡¯


    We headed to the back only to be greeted by a dud. In the name of an information agency what greeted us was a single rat.


    ¡°Hellow, you want knowledge. All my rat friends know everything.¡±


    Tanien was deeply amused. ¡°A rat!?¡±


    The rat pulled out a hat.


    We had done that one joke too many times to keep it funny so I slapped Tanien in the back before he could say anything.


    The hatted rat and I met eyes. I took out some money from my pockets and handed it to the rat who swatted my wrist.


    ¡°Not. Give cheese.¡±


    ¡°Just buy some.¡±


    ¡°Who would buy anything in a den of thieves, are you fucking stupid?¡±


    A talking rat wasted its breath on words like these. I spoke the language catered to the people here and asked about the information guild.


    The rat gave me an answer, one that was exactly as I was thinking.


    Tanien slowly woke up and looked at me in the alley, the rat had already gone to a new spot. It never met two customers in the same place.


    ¡°Back to the road?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. This was a dud too.¡±


    Tanien and I set off. From beggar to beggar. Some sent us to bad information agencies, some kindly asked for cash which I handed over, and some rudely asked for cash and got beat up. Most of them were duds, but I was slowly learning more about this place.


    The thieves that did know things were from mostly two factions. One belonged to the Beggar Master, someone who had control over beggars in most of the Western countries. The other person was called Scum, simply Scum. He had a broad net over many professions, many cities didn¡¯t allow beggars in, so he targeted even the criminals, despite his broad net, his depth was smaller. People of both these factions pleased me enough to make me pay them.


    These people were both candidates for the next Garbage King.


    ¡°Who did you follow?¡± I asked Tanien as the two of us made our way to another alley we were planning to check before heading to the meeting place. ¡°It¡¯s obvious you do, even that old wolf-kin must be a part of it.¡±


    Tanien gave me a resigned sigh and nodded. ¡°Right you are. I follow the Duke of Damning Deals. He¡¯s a businessman foremost and another candidate for the garbage king.¡±


    Keeping Tanien around showed his business acumen if nothing else.


    We turned the corner. A bunch of people with metal bats and skull masks were standing there in a group. Tanien and I spared them a glance.


    They looked back at us.


    Someone dropped their metal bat.


    Immediately, the two of us turned around and started to run.


    ¡°And who do these guys follow!?¡± I asked running.


    ¡°Galar the Beast! He runs the Colosseum in the center of the city!!¡±


    It took a lot of work to outrun them a second time. Thankfully I remembered the bastard who had sent us here.

 Chapter 49: You Dont Find The Information Guild (2)

    ¡°So¡­ what is your name?¡±


    How many hours had it been? This new elf just kept trying to talk to her. It was deeply annoying, shouldn¡¯t he be crying by now? The statuesque woman turned to him and sighed deeply.


    For her sanity, it seemed she had to speak.


    ¡°None of your concern,¡± she said.


    ¡°Wow. That only took five hours,¡± the elf mumbled. ¡°Well, I am Marco. Do you think there is any way to contact people on the outside here? I want to talk to my friend named Acheron.¡±


    ¡°Did you injure your head as a child?¡±


    Marco lowered his head. Hearing insults from a voice that sounded like the sweet thrums of a lyre.


    ¡°I just wondered if you knew a way¡­¡± Marco wrapped his hands around his knees in disappointment.


    She nodded in slight understanding. This child would now finally lose hope and start crying.


    That would be better than his constant blabber.


    ¡°Well, nothing to worry about,¡± the elf suddenly slapped his cheeks.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what could make this person suddenly change his tune. Then she felt a little surprised at herself. Had she fallen so low to wish someone would cry hopelessly instead of annoying her?


    Perhaps the allegations placed against her back at the Academy weren¡¯t completely baseless. The derisive thought made her lower her head, and the cloth on her rustled.


    ¡°Whatever makes us suffer¡­ it¡¯ll go away soon.¡±


    The elf¡¯s whisper spread through the dark depths of the holding cells.


    It fell only on the ears of the desire. The desire that all the captives shared.


    ***


    I saw Riziel in the distance dragging along Jonathan as if he were a dead body and she was hiding her hunt. The sight was almost surreal.


    I went closer and noticed that this ¡®deadness¡¯ wasn¡¯t coming from pain, but instead, a smile was plastered on Jonathan¡¯s face. If he smoked weed, he would have the same look as he does right now. Did he do drugs?


    Riziel noticed us and waved her hands to greet me and Tanien.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± asked Tanien as he poked Jonathan with his shoe, but Jonathan didn¡¯t even move. He then slapped his cheek lightly and Jonathan was still immobile.


    ¡°This bastard!¡± Riziel muttered. ¡°He got out of one of the brothels and has been like this since! Useless. I am just going to hand him over to those skull bastards now.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ hehehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh oh¡­¡± Tanien muttered. ¡°Sir, that isn¡¯t good. Those guys might have administered something to him¡­¡±


    Was there no place without trouble here? I sighed and gestured at Tanien to pull him up. Riziel helped him by holding Jonathan from the left, the two pulled him up like a punching bag.


    I blew on my fist and¡ª


    ¡ªSMACK!


    Jonathan suddenly stood up and puked out. If he was injected with drugs this wouldn¡¯t help, but I was hoping a shock to the body would bring him back to his senses.


    And it did. Jonathan puked out and started coughing. After creating a scene too disgusting for me to describe without wanting to puke myself, he looked at us with betrayed eyes.


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    ¡°What did they give you in the brothel?¡± I asked.


    Jonathan looked away.


    ¡°A¡­a¡­ I can¡¯t say it without losing my dignity¡­¡± He pressed his face in his hands.


    ¡°We don¡¯t care about that,¡± said Riziel. ¡°Did you eat anything?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± Jonathan said again. ¡°Even though I was trying to hide it, if you guys are going to force it. I¡¯ll tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°We really don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Yup. Don¡¯t give a shit.¡±


    ¡°Did you pop your cherry?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I got a kiss¡­ Hehehee¡­ on the cheek! Does that mean we are married now? It does right!?¡± The same blush from before spread on Jonathan¡¯s face as he started slowly going back to the limp dead body power-saver mode that helped his brain overcome sensory overdrive.


    All three of us stared at him with disdain, especially Tanien who was expecting better, what a fool.


    ¡°So, I saw those skull thugs from the cafe just a while back,¡± said I. ¡°Do you want me to call them?¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s hang him up and let ordinary people stone him first, they¡¯ll find this guy eventually.¡±


    Brutal. Riziel wasn¡¯t to be messed with.


    ¡°You seem experienced with bringing people back to their senses.¡±


    I looked at Tanien, then at Jonathan whose stomach pained enough to stop him from entering the power-saver mode, and then at my hands which had a little bit of blood.


    ¡°I run into people.¡±


    ***


    The four of us sat again at the park bench near the trash pile at the corner of the third vein of the Star Dune. The center of the city was rather close to us. The throne of the Garbage King overlooking the Colosseum... now empty.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡± asked Riziel. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but I couldn¡¯t find anything about the information guild that knows everything. We asked around, and there were mostly imitations and bad actors. It¡¯s good we didn¡¯t have any money or we would have been swindled.¡±


    I reached into my pockets and handed two wallets to Jonathan and Riziel each. Each.


    ¡°Huh?¡± she muttered. ¡°Sir adventurer¡­ this is.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Acheron. And this is not my money, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Riziel tilted her head.


    ¡°There were people who tried to pick my pockets so I picked theirs first. Just take it.¡±


    Riziel was shocked but accepted it. Jonathan too grabbed the cash, bowed, and was about to head back to the brothels but Riziel¡¯s glare was enough to make him stop.


    ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t find anything either,¡± I said and Tanien nodded.


    ¡°This is a problem¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I intervened. ¡°This is the perfect start. You see, from the beginning, the plan was to attract attention.¡±


    Riziel gave me a small ¡®oh¡¯ while Tanien and Jonathan looked on in confusion.


    ¡°If a guild that knows everything was out in the open it would be a lie. Since they know everything, they would also know that we want to find out about them. I asked you to inquire around simply to spread the word. Two knights and two adventurers are looking for the guild that knows everything.¡±


    ¡°By that logic, shouldn¡¯t we have been found by them?¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°They might not want to deal with us.¡±


    ¡°What do we do then, sir?¡±


    ¡°Simple. We make it impossible for them to not want to reach out to us.¡±


    Jonathan nodded. ¡°My knowledge about thighs makes me think your words are plump with the truth. What do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°Oh simple, let¡¯s become the champions of the Colosseum from Galar the Beast King and then break apart the markets of Duke of Damning Deals.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sounds simple¡­¡± Riziel nodded. ¡°Wait what the fuck!?¡±


    You already said simple.


    No takesies backsies.

 Chapter 50: The Two Divides

    Screams were echoing around me as Jonathan, Riziel, and even Tanien looked on with shock and surprise. They had already accepted my proposition, even if they denied it now all that would happen was their dignity degrading.


    I wrote in my diary about the current situation. This could end up becoming a disaster, after all. When I was done, I looked up.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this. Riziel and Jonathan, are you good at fighting?¡±


    ¡°Will you listen!? You want to wage war!?¡± asked Riziel.


    ¡°This is not just war, it¡¯s suicide! This is crazy!¡± Jonathan echoed.


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Tanien¡¯s smirk was completely wiped off as he grabbed his head. ¡°You¡¯re saying that you will become the Garbage King!¡±


    There were only two candidates? Well, that was part of my goal. This place was full of criminals, a place where the worst of the world hung around.


    If I asked 10 people ¡®What makes you suffer¡¯ in an average city, perhaps all 10 of them would point at these criminals, an approval rate that even eclipsed toothpaste brands.


    ¡°Alright then, Riziel and Jonathan. You should go to the Colosseum. Tanien and I will sell ourselves as slaves.¡±


    ¡°Just listen to us, you crazy bastard!!¡±


    ¡°Come on. We have no time. First, take this money.¡±


    I handed the two most of the cash I had brought initially and kept the stuff that was donated to me (stolen).


    ¡°You will need it in the Colosseum. They expect people to bring their own money, and they won¡¯t rob you before you enter. That said, let¡¯s move.¡±


    I pushed the others and they could only follow.


    How would we get into each of our roles? Well, that was rather easy. We had already created a good situation for ourselves. I first dragged Jonathan and Riziel along.


    They were confused, but they figured it would be a good idea as they discussed something among themselves. If they could topple things here, as knights, they would receive a lot of praise. Of course, unless they found someone above their rank in this corrupt place. Which would be rare considering they were directly under that bastard Brown.


    Jonathan and Riziel let themselves be dragged till we reached the beggar¡¯s streets we were exploring.


    In one corner, a bunch of skull-masked thugs with baseball bats in hand.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± muttered Jonathan. ¡°We are in trouble. It¡¯s those guys. We have to run¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. I pointed at Tanien and me. ¡°We have to run, not you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I pushed the two in front of the thugs and jumped back. Tanien followed right behind as we ran. The other two only watched in shock, then turned to the skull thugs. There were numerous of them, and our guys were barely any.


    ¡°All the best!¡± I screamed and ran away. ¡°Don¡¯t let us down! Attract a lot of attention!¡±


    Leaving those parting words, Tanien and I ran away. The one-handed thug was staring at me with eyes that made me think I was the thug here.


    I already said it. No takesies backsies.


    ***


    I confirmed from a distance that Riziel and Jonathan let themselves be captured after some slight resistance. As expected, the thugs who worked for Galar took them to the right place.


    Just to make sure they do, I was beating up the beggars as well. It would have pissed the thugs more and also made them realize that we had a penchant for fighting.


    ¡°Now then,¡± I spoke to Tanien. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the slave market.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± he said, sighing. The grin that had been adorning his face since we came to this place was completely gone. ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯re doing? They are monsters, and that alone would have been a separate issue. But they are monsters with entire armies on their side.¡±


    I chuckled as I looked ahead. The streets had turned dark and busy with flamboyant exteriors taking over the buildings. Colorful, dim, shiny lights were all around as people in skimpy clothes walked around.


    ¡°Who said they are the only monsters?¡± I asked. ¡°And who said only they have an army?¡±


    Tanien looked at me. Over the last few weeks, I have been learning spirit magic. Even though I couldn¡¯t learn much since Spirits hated and were scared of dark magicians, I at least learned one thing.


    Which was to scare them even more.


    My mana seeped out of my body and slowly pressed down on the air. Tanien shuddered. Even when we were fighting, he must not have felt my power as closely as he could now.


    His eyes widened, and his knees started to shake. Around us, many people froze in their tracks as they felt the sudden killing intent.


    Every being and every animal had an instinct that warned them of a predator. Of death. Of something they could never hope to fight.


    I was that very something.


    Just as suddenly as the pressure built up, it disappeared. Almost as if it were a dream. My eyes went to Tanien, beyond him at the streets surrounding us.


    Tanien placed his hand on his chest and heaved deep breaths. The split second of ¡®repulsion¡¯ was enough to make him short of breath. I gently tapped his shoulder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ where to¡­ sir?¡±


    ¡°The brothels.¡±


    Tanien was a little surprised at my nonchalant answer. Ignoring him, I strode right into the biggest brothel around.


    The grand interior was lit pink. Chandeliers hung around as men and women, elves and beastkin, and dwarves all walked around serving people and taking them along to the rooms above.


    With a wide smile, I ordered a bunch of alcohol and meat and tossed the money around. Tanien could only watch in more surprise. As he was about to complain, I took a skewer and shoved it in his mouth, then I tossed a bunch of alcohol in his mouth.


    Tanien took no time to lose to the alcohol and started dancing around.


    We both drank and ate to our heart''s content. The night was young, and we were surrounded by the brothel¡¯s staff, most of them eager to make us spend more and maybe take us to a room, which wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    We went wild.


    The night faded into the alcohol, or the alcohol faded into the night.


    .


    .


    .


    When I woke up, I was tied in chains and dropped in a cage with a familiar face hovering over my own.


    ¡°Acheron!! I knew you would come!¡±


    Marco was here.