《Legacy of the Resourceful Hero》


 Chapter One: Debut of the Resourceful Hero

    The land of Sabarum lied in ruin. The vast landscapes were lit up with raging fires, the villages and kingdoms were overwhelmed by monsters, and any glimmer of hope that was left.. had already disappeared.


    Princess Myosis, leader of Sabarum''s most powerful army, had failed at her task to keep the world safe. Sweat dripped down her chin as she witnessed the chaos and destruction firsthand. "It''s.. all over.." she stated. "Everyone is being slaughtered.. and at my command."


    From behind, a demonic looking rock monster raised its fist, and prepared to crush the devastated princess. She herself was too caught up in her own thoughts to realize it.


    Seconds before Myosis would have been killed, an extremely large and muscular man used nothing but his own body to knock the rock monster away.


    "S-Sen..dal..?" Filled with despair, Myosis''s gaze met her large companion''s. He was one in a million, that much she knew. But right now her thoughts couldn''t escape that of her catastrophic failure.


    Sendal lifted his burly hand, and smacked her across the face. He then tightly grabbed Princess Myosis by the shoulders. "I know.. things are looking bleak right now. Everyone is dying, and a comeback seems hopeless. But.. I don''t care. That look is not one I''ll allow you to display Princess. Do you hear me??"


    She gulped. "Y-Yes.. yes of course!"


    "Good. Now if you recall, sometime back, you informed me that you had an item.. an item that was given to you by a dragon slayer. One that you stated could be of use if a situation like this ever arised. Please.. tell me you still have it!"


    Blankly staring into Sendal''s eyes, Myosis said nothing.


    He stared back, but his eyes contained much more of a flare. "Dammit Myosis I asked if you have the damn thing! You spoke quite highly of it, it has to be of some sort of use!"


    Swiftly and suddenly, Myosis grabbed a glowing cube from her pocket. As she held it in front of her, her hand noticeably shook. "This cube.. has the ability to summon one hero. The strength of the hero is based on the situation they are summoned in. What we are facing now is nothing compared to what lies ahead. But, I seem to no longer have a choice. Unless I take action, Sabarum will be eradicated completely."


    "So that''s what it is, I see.." Looking at the device for a moment, Sendal continued. "I don''t believe we should delay any further, Princess. We should activate the device as soon as possible."


    "Yes I agree. Although.. I never exactly figured out how to make it work. The only details I managed to gather are what I''ve already stated."


    Grabbing it from her hand, Sendal tossed the ominous cube into the air. "Well I apologize but with each passing second the death count increases, and I can''t allow that to continue! If you truly have no clue how this thing operates, I''m sure a bit of smashing should get it working!" His fist slammed against the cube, shattering it to pieces.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Shockwaves blasted across the globe, and everyone turned their heads. About fifteen feet from where Myosis and Sendal were standing, a figure, seemingly male, knelt.


    Seeing this, Myosis anxiously separated her lips, revealing her shining white teeth. "There he is, a hero with the abilities to bring down this entire threat. If what the dragon slayer said is true that is."


    The hero stood up, revealing a completely nude body. He examined his surroundings, which consisted of many horrendous sights, and clenched his fists.


    Myosis watched him. "No weapons.. and no armor of any sort. Could he be like Sendal, using only his pure might? Or.. no, maybe the cube only includes the hero and not the equipment. "Sendal!" She called. "Please, fetch the hero some gear and inform him of the situation."


    "No.. that won''t be needed." The hero claimed.


    "I-It won''t..?" Myosis seemed a little confused. "Okay.. maybe he is like Sendal after all. He doesn''t really look large enough for it though."


    "That is what I said, is it not? It won''t." The hero stood firmly. "If I''m correct to assume I''ve been summoned here for combat, then I need nothing more than the glistening green blades of grass beneath my feet."


    "Alright then, I trust your word hero. Just please.. if you can, help us. O-Our people are getting killed left and right. Our land is in ruins. A slew of powerful, monstrous beings are attacking us in every place imaginable. We''ve given as much effort as we can, and still managed to lose. You''re our last hope, the only chance at victory left."


    Shoving his hand into the grass, the hero smirked. "Your last hope, huh? You can consider yourselves a lucky bunch then, because you managed to summon one such as I. Just stand back and I will take care of your dilemma."


    Both Princess Myosis and Sendal looked on in awe as the hero pulled a large clump of grass from the ground. He twisted and turned it between his hands, constructing something with it.


    "Sendal.. what could the hero be doing?" The Princess asked, a little confused.


    Sendal squinted his eyes, and responded. "I have not even the slightest idea, but I wouldn''t question his actions until we''ve seen the results, Princess."


    After a mere thirty seconds, the hero slowly stood back up. His entire body was covered with powerful looking armor made entirely... of the grass. An intricately designed helmet, along with detailed body armor complimented a long, sharp grassy blade.


    "W-What the... hell..?" Myosis was stunned.


    "How did he..?" Sendal was equally shocked.


    "I call this... my dynamic meadow form!" The hero screamed.


    Before departing, he glanced back once more.


    "Ah, by the way. You may call me Cereo. Remember that name well, as it will be necessary for when you are gifting me my rewards."


    And he was off. Cereo rocketed his way across the land, cutting down loads of monsters as he passed them. It only took one stroke of his blade, and a grouping would fall to the floor. After taking down hoards, saving villages, and defeating large individual beasts in a matter of minutes, the time came for Cereo to take on the leader of this army.


    He stood across from a man who had long, sleek black hair. After twisting and turning his grassy blade, Cereo pointed it toward the supposed leader. "Finally, after a bit of searching I have found you. I recommend you stand down, or else you are in for an unpleasant and gruesome death."


    The leader flipped his hair, and chuckled. "Hahah, a truly impressive performance. But the strength of my underlings is nothing compared to mine, underestimate me and you will regret it.. as I am the 4th commander of the demonic onslaught, Nelmin!"


    "Nelmin you say?" Cereo raised an eyebrow. "Such a pitifully ridiculous name. While I''m not sure who your parents are, I am now certain that they held a secret disliking toward their child the instant he came out of the womb! There is simply no other explanation for why-.."


    Without hesitation, Nelmin sped forward. He clashed both blades of his own against the one Cereo constructed out of grass. "The craftsmanship.. how did you manage to acquire such a well made weapon?"


    A wide smile grew on Cereo''s face, he stared into Nelmin''s eyes and said. "I constructed it.. out of grass!"


    The eyes of Nelmin grew wide, he seemed stunned by this revelation. Before he could respond however, Cereo spun himself around so that he was behind the 4th commander of the demonic onslaught, and sliced him in half.


    Before Nelmin''s torso hit the floor, Cereo cut it into tiny pieces with his overwhelming speed. The only body part left, was the head.


    It began to rain, and Cereo looked up at the sky. He allowed the drops to hit him. "I am glad to have been able to return to this world, how long has it been? Hundreds? Thousands of years? Ah, no matter. Either way, what I trained myself to do inside of that cube has certainly paid off. As I have taught myself how to construct anything and everything out of the simplest of objects."


    He picked up Nelmin''s head, and prepared to return it to the princess.


    "Some may call me, quite the resourceful hero. Ahaha!"

 Chapter Two: Parasitic Conundrum

    All the rain had put out the fires, and following the defeat of the monsters, everything was much more peaceful.


    Cereo returned to the princess, and placed Nelmin''s head onto the ground in front of her. "The leader of these foul monstrosity''s has been defeated. He claimed himself to be the 4th commander of the demonic onslaught, leading me to believe that there will be more attacks where that came from."


    Myosis couldn''t believe her eyes, neither could Sendal, who stepped forward from behind her to look at the evidence.


    "Impossible. That gear is made of-.." the princess began.


    Sendal stepped in. "Magnificent work hero! The one who entrusted us with that cube certainly wasn''t bluffing when he told our dear princess of its abilities."


    "You are indeed correct." Cereo sheathed his blade. "There are hundreds of heroes tailored to specific situations held within the confines of that cube. I was just lucky enough to be the one selected."


    "Ah, I see. That''s interesting information on the cube, thank you for sharing." For a moment, Sendal thought to himself, before saying, "I believe you discussed the topic of rewards with us? Yes? Well, while we don''t have any prepared at this moment in time, I''m sure the princess would be delighted to have you at the castle for a meal with her and the king. Isn''t that right, Myosis?"


    Accepting the fact that the hero won under these circumstances, attaining victory in a matter of minutes that is, Myosis quickly agreed. "Why yes, of course. If it weren''t for his bravery, I wouldn''t be able to have a meal tonight at all."


    "Hah!" Cereo gestured with a thumbs up. "That sounds like a magnificent idea my muscular friend. It is decided then. I will feast alongside the princess and her father, before proceeding to bathe and slumber within their awe inspiring castle. Whichever way it is, I will follow."


    The group of three traveled back to the main castle of Sabarum. The king, who''s elderly age understandably kept him from assisting with the battle, greeted them all from inside the throne room. "Though we suffered massive amounts of damage, the kingdom is still standing, and my daughter is alive. To me, that is what''s important above all else." he looked over at Cereo. "I see that we have a new face, whom might this be? He seems to own some high level gear that even the likes of myself has never seen before."


    "This is Cereo, father." Myosis informed him. "He''s a hero that we summoned from the cube given to me by the dragon slayer."


    "The cube.. I see." The King continued. "He must have played a big role in our kingdom''s protection."


    "Yes, he did indeed. Without him... I''m afraid I would have failed, and Sabarum would have been completely wiped out. I-I''m sorry.." the eyes of Myosis began to water, but before she could cry, Cereo placed a hand upon her shoulder.


    "Without the princess, my summoning would have never occurred in the first place. She is not only the one who felt the time was right to bring me out, but she also acquired the cube. I''m unaware of how she did so, but nevertheless, she''s as responsible for the safety of Sabarum as I am."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Sendal smiled. "The hero is right, Myosis acquired an item that saved us all. She was far from a failure."


    Princess Myosis glanced at both Cereo and Sendal.


    "As expected from my daughter." The King responded. "In any case, now that the battle is over, I believe you all could use some well deserved rest."


    Nodding, Cereo agreed. "Though I was encaged inside that cube for an unspeakable number of years, I agree that a moment of relaxation would be ideal."


    "King Myosis." Sendal began. "We discussed the possibility of treating the hero to a feast for his deeds. If it''s not to much trouble, would you be so kind as to assist us with that?"


    "Very well, I don''t see why not. I will prepare a grande meal at once!"


    That was the king''s final statement, as Princess Myosis killed him with a dagger to the neck a moment later.


    Cereo was taken aback. "Err-.. uh, is there a reason why you just offed your own father?"


    "That was.. not my father." she said. "It was a parasitic abomination that we had suspected took over his body for weeks. The King would have scolded me for gaining assistance from a hero, and not doing things myself. Accepting our request for a feast was just the nail in the coffin.."


    "Hm.." Cereo stared at her. "You don''t seem to be as devastated as one who just lost a parent."


    "Like I said, we suspected it for weeks okay? And even though they were just suspicions, in the back of my mind I-.. knew."


    "Please refrain from causing her further stress Cereo, holding back her emotions is hard enough as it is." Warned Sendal.


    "Hm, very well." Cereo paced back and forth for a moment. "A parasitic abomination, huh? Sounds like you''re familiar with it."


    With a nod, Sendal gave further insight. "In addition to the demons you faced, our world has been plagued with numerous other dilemmas. One of which is a parasite that overtakes human bodies, altering their personalities."


    "And that''s it? While it is indeed unfortunate to see great change come to one''s self uninvited, I cannot say I understand what makes killing them a necessary precaution."


    "It''s necessary to kill them, because if they remain under the influence of the parasite for five years, the host is transformed into a winged beast that I won''t even attempt to describe."


    "Ah, I see." Cereo touched his chin.  "Do you know of a location where these cases are frequent?"


    "Yes, we do. Myosis can-.." Noticing that Myosis was still grieving, Sendal decided to explain himself. "Frace village. While not a very well known place, it''s for some reason become a hot spot for the parasites to feed."


    "A hot spot you say? That''s exactly what I was looking for." Cereo spun himself around, and placed a hand on the door used to exit. "If a magnet for the parasites exists, then I shall travel there to resolve the issue at once. Saving this world from all of its dangers is why I was summoned after all. Both of you, wait here in this now vacanted castle until I return. Once I do so, I assure you that I will have successfully created an antidote for the parasite issue. Until then, I bid you both farewell."


    Myosis looked up, and even Sendal seemed surprised. "But.. Cereo. You are still unaware of a multitude of factors."


    "Factors that are irrelevant. All I need to know are the basics, and my instincts will do the rest. Put your faith in me, and I will not let you down." Cereo departed toward the village, despite having no knowledge of its location. He was stopped by a man wearing a blindfold and a modern day lab coat before even exiting the castle gates.


    The lab coat sporting man put his foot on the self driving carriage Cereo had somehow built in mere moments.


    "What is it I''m looking at?" He said. "I''ve never seen a contraption such as this, let alone within our castle walls. Explain quickly, or I''ll end your life."


    Cereo gazed at him for a moment. "This man is able to see, even with a blindfold covering his eyes? Impressive, I shall do as he asks for now."He exited his vehicle. "This is simply called, an automatic carriage, sir. While it''s not a widespread or known vehicle, I assure you there''s no reason for panic."


    The unknown man kicked the automatic carriage seventy times within the span of a second, shattering it to pieces.


    Not reacting much facially, Cereo looked down at the rubble, and then looked back up at the man. "Uh, did you not listen to my statement? What you just destroyed was merely a harmless form of transportation. Nothing more."


    "Before you left, Sendal requested that I accompany you on your journey. Probably to see how you plan on curing a worldwide pandemic in a near instant. While he trusts you though, I don''t. I have no reason to. So we''ll be using one of my vehicles, do you understand?"


    "Hm. I doubt it''ll be as effective but, as you wish. I guess I''ll have to earn your trust on the way there."


    The man adjusted his coat. "If you believe that''s a possibility, then by all means try as much as you''d like." After entering one of his vehicles, a humongous carriage, one that seemed to hold an entire room inside, he looked at Cereo. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Blank.. and no matter how great you may think you are, it doesn''t impress me."


    Cereo entered the vehicle alongside Blank, and they traveled to Frace Village. What they found there though, was far from what either of them had expected.

 Chapter Three: Parasitic Investigation

    Cereo and Blank arrived at Frace Village, and it was strangely quiet.


    "What the.." Blank began. "While the village is usually calm, I''m normally at least able to see people. Something must be off. Come now, let''s investigate."


    Both men exited the vehicle while in the middle of the village. They explored, attempting to find some sort of clue as to what occurred. Cereo searched through many buildings and houses. While looking through where it was obvious a blacksmith once worked, he found the mangled, bloodied corpse of the store owner.


    "Things.. must be catastrophic." He said.


    "What was that?" Blank had entered from behind. "Tch, what a disgusting stench."


    "What you smell is sickening, because it is none other than the body of a dead man. The blacksmith who once ran this place, has been killed in quite the disturbing fashion."


    Arriving next to Cereo, Blank looked at the body with a hand over his nose. "And my suspicions are confirmed.. dammit. If the town has been slaughtered, then they must have failed to notify us of an infected citizen. It must have slipped by them somehow. Most likely because it was someone who wasn''t that well known."


    Cereo crossed his arms. "Another factor may be that due to the overwhelming number of cases, noticing a change in everyone became rather difficult."


    "That''s certainly another possibility." Blank answered.


    Just then, they both heard a noise from another building. Confident in their abilities, they went to seek out the source without hesitation.


    Inside, a disgusting, long creature was hunched over, grabbing at the flesh of another deceased villager.


    "If I''m not mistaken, that must be what becomes of a five year infectee." Cereo claimed, preparing his blade for combat.


    Blank nodded. "You are in fact correct. However, these things, which we call Awakened Parasites, are far stronger than you may think. I warn you to prevent yourself from engaging unless a beat down sounds pleasant."


    "A beat down? Hah. From the likes of that? No need to fear, Blank my friend. While I wouldn''t lose to it either way, for now all I need is a wing. It''ll allow me to research and create an antidote rather quickly. Just watch, and maybe you''ll retract your claims of being so superior."


    Pushing off the back foot, Cereo sped forward toward the beast. If it could even be called that. He was only a second away from removing its wing, before the creature spun around, connected its fist with Cereo''s chest, and sent him spiraling through the wall, into another building.


    "Tch, idiot." Blank scoffed. Under his lab coat, he took out a small bottle, and an equally sized knife. "Don''t go getting your hopes up now, you disgusting filth. That man was simply a moron, one such as myself won''t get hit so easily."


    Unsurprisingly, the awakened parasite ignored Blank, and attempted to knock him away as well.


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    With the bottle grasped in his left hand, Blank popped open the lid, and poured an amount of its liquid contents onto the ground in front of him. Once the awakened parasite''s hand was inches away from Blanks face, it connected with an invisible forcefield created by the liquid.


    "A disgraceful attempt." Blank shook his head. "But that was expected. You''ve had your fun, but now it''s time for you to be the one that''s attacked for once."


    Cereo slammed through the wall before Blank had a chance to attack, and was completely decked out in new gear. He seemed to have created an entirely new set of armor, weapons, and tools with things found around the village. Smoke filled the room, as a direct result of something Cereo had made. Using dual wield blades, he cut off both of the awakened parasite''s wings.


    The smoke cleared, and Blank used his seventy kicks within a second move on the awakened parasite''s left leg. It screeched and screamed, then proceeded to lunge forward at Blank.


    Blank jumped back, smashing out of the building they were in, and threw some of the liquid forcefield he had into the air to block the parasite''s attacks. The parasite''s speed however, made it necessary for Blank to block with his knife as well.


    The exchanges between the parasite and Blank were so fast, than any normal human would have only barely been able to comprehend what was going on if at all. For Cereo though, it was easy. While the two went at it, he positioned himself behind the parasite, and used both blades to this time immobilize the creature by turning its arms and remaining leg into a pile of flesh pieces.


    Blank wiped a hint of blood off of his face with his thumb. His breathing had increased slightly. "It''s unable to move, so make the antidote already. You made all of that new stuff in around a minute or so, right? So I''m assuming the same goes for everything you do. Now hurry up."


    With a nod, Cereo retrieved the wings he had removed, and swiftly analyzed them, concocting a medicine with nearby items that could cure anyone that was under the influence of a parasite. After a few more minutes, he had created over fifty of them. "It''s creation is complete." he said.


    Walking over to the struggling body of the awakened parasite, he stared at the antidote.


    "If it works, this will be a huge step for us all." Blank stated, leaning against a pillar. "I don''t mean to sound sentimental or anything, but once someone is infected with a parasite, that''s it. They''re dead, no question about it. But.. if a cure for a disease like that was actually just developed by you, then you will have drawn closer to your goal of earning my trust, even if only by a small amount."


    "I''ll accept any form of progress." Continuing to stare, Cereo began to tip the antidote over the limbless awakened parasite.


    "What''s the matter? You''re not hesitating, are you?" Blank interrupted him. "If you doubt its effectiveness that much, then don''t do it."


    "Well you see, the one we''re experimenting on is absent of any limbs. If we were to return them to their human form, they would regain their senses, laying upon the ground unable to do anything other than sit there."


    "Yeah.. I do see. Fine then, once we confirm it works, we''ll put whoever this is out of their misery. You may consider this their final gift to society."


    "Is that your idea of a joke, Blank?"


    "Unless you can develop another antidote that regenerates limbs, then it''s either that, or allow them to remain as an awakened parasite."


    "Grr.." Cereo tightened his fists, then lifted the antidote into the air. "Allow them to remain as a parasite? Not an option.. I apologize to whoever this is, but I must do this for the sake of the rest of this endangered world!" His hand tilted slightly, only a fraction of a second away from releasing the antidote''s contents, when it was smashed by a kick.


    The kick came from a young women, looking to be in her late teens or early twenties. "Are you trying to turn this world into more of a hellhole than it already is?" she asked. Her leg was still in the air, foot pushed against the broken container held in Cereo''s hand.


    "Not at all. I was attempting to revert this here awakened parasite back to their human form. We were testing an antidot-.." Cereo''s response was cut off when Blank tackled the girl to the ground.


    "Damn runt.. just who exactly do you think you are aggressively interfering with business you have no involvement in? An explanation for someone as irrelevant as yourself is unneeded. Leave now or the dagger I wield will be inserted into your throat."


    Cereo looked on. "This girl isn''t a threat Blank, do you truly need to use this much force?"


    "I do, as a matter of fact. A variety of things annoy me, but interruption from an irrelevant source nears the top of the list."


    The unknown girl glared. "Contact between an awakened parasite and any form of liquid causes it to multiply by the thousands."


    This caught the attention of both men.


    Blank looked down at her. "And where did that tidbit of information come from?"


    "Get off me and maybe I''ll tell you."


    "Tch.. runt.." Clearly against his best wishes, Blank stood himself up. The girl followed suit, and patted herself off.


    "I also advise you to get rid of those." she pointed to the pile of antidotes Cereo had created.


    Not seeming to agree, Cereo picked one of them up. "What the.. are you saying we''re unable to use these on those who have yet to awaken?"


    "That''s right, drinking a liquid other than pure water causes them to awaken. It''s a clear sign that someone''s been taken over by a parasite."


    "Incorrect." Another stranger, this time an older looking man, approached from the door.


    Blank leaned back up against the pillar. "Just who I wanted to see, the girl''s grandpa."


    The girl though.. seemed frightened. She shook, not saying a word to the man who had entered.


    Cereo put a hand on the hilts of his blades. "My apologies Blank, but when I was young, that was not the reaction I normally had when visited by either of my grandparents."


    Her head.. was crushed against a wall by the man''s fist shortly after what Cereo claimed.

 Chapter Four: Source Location

    "Foul beast!" Cereo yelled, swinging both of his swords at the strange old man.


    The man blocked, and allowed them to stab into his arm. "Stop attacking." He said.


    "I just witnessed you end the life of that girl before my eyes, what reason do I have to refrain from combating you further??"


    Swinging a blade once more, this time his attack was blocked by one of Blank''s forcefields. The sharp end of the sword was stopped a mere millimeter away from the old man''s eye. The stranger didn''t flinch, not even a bit.


    "Look at the ground, idiot." Blank growled, hand on Cereo''s wrist.


    Altering his gaze toward the floor as Blank had requested, Cereo laid eyes on the girl who''d just been killed. A parasitic abomination was attempting to squirm its way out of her head. It died before it could do so.


    "Ah, I see.." Cereo put his weapons away. "So that woma-.. parasite was merely attempting to prevent us from eliminating it."


    "Mhm." Hands behind his back, the old man paced back and forth. "The goal of a parasite is to blend in long enough to awaken. Your antidote will probably cause their species to become extinct, so it for obvious reasons didn''t want that. Unfortunately, you both blindly believed her after only a few claims she made."


    "You may have been the one to save us, gramps, but don''t take that as an invitation to act like a jackass." With an annoyed tone, Blank glared. "If you had never arrived, I would have figured it out and killed that sack of shit myself. Don''t think you''ve done anything impressive."


    The old man stopped. "Hm, arguing is a waste of time so I''ll just let you believe that.  Nevertheless, I have information that I think would be quite useful for you both if you intend on using that antidote to cure the parasitic infection."


    Cereo attempted to respond, but Blank spoke first. "So you''re confident that it works without ever seeing it in action, I''m curious to know how you''ve come to such a conclusion."


    "An old man''s intuition I guess you could call it."


    "You scold us for not questioning the girl quick enough and then give us a pathetic reasoning such as that? How childish..."


    "Blank.." Cereo shifted his eyes between them both as he spoke. "As ridiculous as his reason is, the man''s correct. My only concern earlier was the state that the awakened parasite was in, never did I doubt the abilities of what I had created. Why is that, you ask? Well.. it''s because out of all the times I have been summoned over the eternal existence of the world, not once have I ever failed."


    "Well.. there''s a first time for everything." Blank claimed. "Blind confidence, no matter how much you''ve succeeded, will eventually result in your downfall. Get a personality trait like that out of your head."


    "That will never happen, as my confidence is far from blind. It''s been justified countless times before, and I see no reason that it won''t continue to be."


    "Do you two want the information I have, or not?" The old man asked.


    "Tell the hero, and he''ll let me know, I''ll be waiting outside." Calmly, Blank left.


    "Hm, alright then." The old man returned his gaze to Cereo. "As I have other things to do, I''ll make this as quick as I can. The far northside of Sabarum is known to be the home of a vast collection of dangerous mountains. Many of them are home to unspeakably grotesque creatures, which is why it makes sense that.. the source of the parasites is from there."


    Cereo''s eyes grew wide. "The source.. of the parasites? Knowing of such a location is indeed a great help, I''m assuming you have more information on the subject?"


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    "Yes, I do. I''ve been in those mountains countless times. I''m what people call an exotic researcher. I go and document unknown creatures that reside within those mountains, gaining as much information about them as possible. It''s how I know so much about the parasites. One day, inside of a cave that had red crystallizations on the outside, there was a bloated mass covered in them. The parasites."


    "Sounds like a rather sickening sight."


    "It was, but nothing I couldn''t handle due to my years of researching. After conducting.. experiments on it, I attempted to take it out, but it was no use. Whatever that thing was made of took no damage at all no matter how much I threw at it."


    "Hmph." Cereo walked over, and patted the old man''s shoulder. "Calm your frustrations, my elderly fellow, as you have been lucky enough to come into contact with this world''s savior, the great and resourceful Cereo." He began walking toward the door. "I will find this cave, I''m certain that my comrade Blank is well aware of the location of these infamous mountains, and I will send the demonic thing you are speaking of to it''s grave. Then, I will cure Sabarum of all it''s parasitic cases without risk of acquiring anymore."


    With a smirk, the old man glanced back. "Your confidence is sort of.. inspiring. I won''t deny it, Cereo."


    Reaching the exit, Cereo stopped. "Thank you, I strive to uplift those nearby. But.. before I depart, I have two questions to ask."


    "Yes? What are they?"


    "Firstly, what is your name?"


    "Well that one''s simple. It''s Zen."


    "Hah." Cereo kept still. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Zen. Secondly.. and what I''m the most curious about.. how did you come upon us? It certainly doesn''t seem like this was a chance encounter."


    Zen turned around. "I''ll be sure to let you know if you survive this."


    "Can''t say I agree with that, but as you said earlier, no need to start an argument." As the door closed from Cereo''s departure, he said one more thing to himself. "It''s not like there''s any chance that my survival isn''t guaranteed anyway.."


    Outside, Blank was waiting next to his massive carriage. "That old pile of dirt must have had a lot to say. So, what is it that you found out? Anything that put a dent in that ego of yours?"


    "Hah, having confidence and an ego are two entirely separate things. Either way, yes.. I learned quite a bit."


    "How magnificent, please do tell."


    Cereo informed Blank of everything Zen had told him. Not seeming impressed, Blank closed his eyes. "Very well then, I suppose we should get going. Traveling to the northside mountains takes quite some time."


    "If needed, I can make swift modifications to the-.."


    "Not a chance." Blank denied, getting into a seat inside his carriage. "And don''t think about it again. As I said before, nothing you do will ever impress me. So stop trying."


    With a sigh, Cereo entered alongside him. "Impressing you was far from my intent, but I suppose a long ride will allow us to regain stamina. I''ll leave your vehicle be. Now then, let us depart."


    Several hours, days, and weeks passed. Cereo and Blank remained on a path to the northside mountains, stopping in the occasional town, and consuming food that Blank had onboard his massive carriage.


    Meanwhile, the residents of Sabarum could not stop discussing the revelation that King Myosis had been infected with a parasite, therefore resulting in his death, and Princess Myosis''s takeover of the throne. Some were pleased that the now Queen Myosis was running things, but others believed that the former King''s other children were far greater candidates.


    In the castle, Queen Myosis sat upon her new throne. She rested her chin upon her hand, and worried about difficult political decisions as well as how long it had been since Cereo and Blank''s departure.


    "The hero was overwhelmingly strong.." she thought. "There''s no need to worry about him, especially since he''s being accompanied by one of the strongest members of our royal guardians. But.. no letters or anything? Well, I suppose that isn''t really Blank''s style."


    "Princ-.. Queen." Sendal, who stood guard right next to her throne, caught Myosis''s attention.


    She smiled, it was rare that Sendal fumbled with his words. "My my Sendal, my new position seems to keep catching you off guard."


    His lips grew into a grin as well. "Well Myosis, it''s rather difficult to break a habit that''s been in place since your birth. I still remember it though, the moment I saw you I knew already. I knew you would be your fathers successor." Sendal looked at the Queen. "Those eyes gave it away."


    With a blush, Myosis attempted to keep a straight face. "I doubt something as trivial as my eyes could possibly have predicted such an event."


    "But they did, here you are as the ruler of Sabarum. And I believe you will be the one to bring it out of these dark times." Sendal''s smile faded. "But.. I''ve been meaning to ask you something."


    "Oh? Well of course, go ahead. You can ask whatever you''d like."


    "Do you have a plan for dealing with your siblings? You know, they have each already begun preparations of their own for overtaking the throne. Knowing how sick they can be, your life is at a great risk."


    Myosis peered into the sunlight that leaked into the room. "That is part of why I''m so anxiously awaiting the heroes return."


    Cereo and Blank approached a large gate that was blocking the road. A woman was standing in front of it, and she wielded a long staff that had a floating purple mass at its tip.


    Stopping the carriage, Blank grunted. "Annoying.. I despise privileged idiots who believe they can do things like this without consequence."


    Eyes locked on the woman, Cereo responded. "They aren''t the ideal kind of people, do you have a plan of action for how to deal with the situation?"


    "Of course, I''ll at least allow her to attempt to find a suitable explanation for this." Blank exited the vehicle, and adjusted his lab coat while walking up to the strange staff wielder. "Hello woman, either move or explain. If I don''t like what you have to say, it''ll immediately result in your-.."


    From the purple mass, a hand reached out toward Blank and slammed his head into the concrete. This alerted Cereo, who sped out of the carriage.


    While he was charging forward, Blank grabbed his foot. "Rethink what happened last time you mindlessly began attacking someone, it doesn''t work."


    "Hm.. you''re correct." Cereo stated quietly, tilting his head down. He looked up, and began speaking with the woman. "Staff wielding female, we have come to enter the mountainous region. If you''d be so kind to let us pass through, I believe we could avoid any trouble. Although I''m assuming there''s of course a reason for your blockage."


    "Mhmm.." she dragged her finger across her lips. "If anyone was allowed to come in here, the number of deaths would be.... overwhelming to say the least. So I''ve been appointed to make sure none of the weaklings are allowed to enter. Hopefully.... you understand."


    Cereo tightened the grip he had on his weapons. "I do indeed, overconfidence is a trait that blinds many, however, I assure you that I am not one to overestimate. Whatever it takes to gain entry into this place, I will gladly endure."


    The woman was now licking her fingers, and Blank looked at her strangely from the ground. "The price of entry is.. the corpse of someone you love."

 Chapter Five: The First Trial

    "T-The.. corpse of someone I hold dear?" Cereo stuttered.


    "That''s right.. mhm." The staff wielder crushed a fingernail with her teeth. "Many of the beings that lurk throughout the mountains rely on mental torture to eliminate their victims. In order to confirm your mind is ready for it, we''ll need to see that your emotions can handle, and that you''re willing to sacrifice.. anything."


    "That means Zen-.."


    Blank struggled to stand, and when he finally did, he spoke angrily. "You expect us to kill just to bypass this ridiculous gate of yours? As stupid as that garbage already is, we have a dilemma." his eyes narrowed into a sinister look. "There''s not a single person on this planet that I love."


    With a nod, Cereo agreed. "As much as I hate to say it, neither do I. I''ve only been apart of this land for a brief period of time, developing such a close bond with someone just.. has not occurred."


    The woman at the gate grinned. Displaying an off putting look to say the least. "Wrong.... I can sense that there is someone currently in this world for both of you... a person that you each care for deeply.."


    Confused, Cereo raised an eyebrow. Blank on the other hand returned to the carriage. "Tch.." he gritted his teeth and nearly crushed the side of the seat where he placed his hands.


    "Blank.. if there truly is someone you hold dear, accompanying me is unnecessary." Cereo told him from the carriage doorway.


    "Still such a pathetic moron.. how do you expect to even enter at all without having anyone yourself? As a matter of fact, I''m intrigued to know what would compel you to do such a disgraceful thing just to pass a gate."


    "Well... the only reason I''m currently standing here is because I was summoned to protect this land. Failing to do so is simply inexcusable."


    "Hm.. yeah, whatever you say." Blank prepared to depart. "And the only reason I''m not dead is because Queen Myosis and Sendal saved me. That''s a story for another day, but for now they gave me a job. I''m supposed to accompany you, and I will do so by any means necessary. So I''ll be going."


    "Very well. In that case, let us not waste time any longer. There''s a certain someone that I believe may be the one the women says I care for."


    Cereo directed Blank to a poor looking town. It was small, and was the type of place where each of the residents knew each other.


    "You''re telling me you know someone here?" Blank questioned, looking around.


    "Not necessarily." Cereo responded. "When I was previously summoned, centuries ago, there was indeed someone.. a woman, who I cared deeply for. Of course she is deceased now, however coming to where she once lived gives me the chance to potentially meet a descendant of hers."


    "Tch, you assumed it would still be in tact?"


    "The appearance of this place is vastly different, that much is certain, but considering how many years have passed, the fact that any familiarity remains is rather impressive."


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    They stopped the carriage mid town. "We will begin by asking around, her surname was Setina. I''m sure that if anyone remained here, one of the townsfolk will recognize it."


    Cereo exited the vehicle halfway, but was stopped by Blank, who grabbed his arm. "Keep in mind, if someone is found here, they most likely have no connection to the woman you once knew other than sharing a family history. It''s been far too long."


    "Hm." A small chuckle slipped through the lips of Cereo. "Sorry but, the goal here is to feel emotional pain. Your statement has the opposite effect. Plus... though I may seem unaffected, what truly hurts is that I, a hero, must kill someone innocent." he pulled his hand away. "Now let us begin. We''ll split up in order to double the speed in which we can potentially locate them."


    It only took a moment for someone to recognize the name. Cereo was the one who asked, and was told that a young female named Firose Setina lived nearby.


    Rather hesitantly, Cereo thanked the man and traveled to the home he had mentioned. Blank was already there when he arrived, waiting outside the front door with his arms crossed. "Get it over with as quickly as possible. I know you''re shooting for emotional pain but, all she said was that it needed to be someone you care for. Making things work by starting on conversation is a waste of time."


    "I suppose you''re correct." After staring at the door for a moment, Cereo didn''t waste anymore time before entering.


    "He''s lying." Blank mumbled to himself. "The connection between Cereo and Sabarum must be far greater than I''m aware of, otherwise killing someone like this wouldn''t be so easy. That is unless... he''s far more sinister than I''ve come to believe."


    Following his entry into the home, Cereo immediately noticed Firose standing near a table. She looked confused as to why a stranger was in her home. Not wanting to prolong this, Cereo quickly attempted to complete what he was here for.


    A second before a strike from Cereo would have connected with, and killed Firose, the staff wielding woman appeared, and blocked it.


    "What the-.. why have you appeared? I''m attempting to do as you asked, must you interfere?" Cereo yelled.


    "Mm....." she licked her lips. "The true test was to see if you could kill someone you believed you loved. Whether or not you truly did was..... irrelevant."


    "Are you-.. tch.. I suppose that certainly would damage someone mentally, nearly worse than if they actually committed the act." Cereo altered his gaze toward a terrified Firose. "Am I able to bring a friend? Or must he endure the same pain that I just have."


    "Since he''s with you...... I''ll let his trial slide. Just be sure not to complain when he enters unprepared... mm..."


    The woman faded away, leading Cereo to depart from the home shaken up.


    "I''ve told you a hundred times before, but apparently you still haven''t gotten the memo." Claimed Blank, who angrily waited just outside. "Your actions don''t impress me, all you''ve done is hold me back. Not going through even this grueling trial will in the end leave me in a bad position."


    "Are you.. attempting to say that you would have rather killed s-.."


    "Fucking shut it, Cereo. Nevermind, I should know by now that speaking with you is almost always a waste. Let''s just depart."


    Cereo and Blank got back into the carriage, ready to go all the way back to where the original gate was, but beforehand, Firose stepped in with them. "Um.. whatever you guys are doing.. must be pretty important for you to wanna kill me, huh?" she said, playing with her sleeves.


    Cereo looked at Blank, then at Firose. "The woman you saw in there would not allow us to pass into a necessary location unless we nearly offed someone we cared for. You are a descendant of one who I had feelings for at a certain time, so I deemed you the best possible candidate. My apologies for-.."


    "It''s fine, really!" Firose blurted. "I just.. kinda want to see what this thing is if it''s so great. Life seriously gets boring in a small town like this and, if you feel so bad about nearly ending my life then bringing me with would actually be a great way to make up for it!"


    "No, now get out." Without even looking at her, Blank kept a calm face. "I do understand why you''d grow tired of such a bland place, but it doesn''t give you the opportunity to interfere with the mission of a man who was going to kill you a mere moment ago."


    "Bringing her with in order to potentially develop a relationship would be.. a good way to make up for my intentions." Cereo calmly suggested, looking thoughtful.


    "Bringing her with would also bring with us an unnecessary burden that we''ll need to watch out for. Not to mention that you are unaware if she will even be allowed entry without passing the test."


    Out of nowhere, Cereo shot up from his seat. "Hah.. everything you just mentioned is irrelevant. After giving it a bit of thought, I have decided that this indeed is the perfect way to make up for my wrongdoings. Come now, Firose. Your life of boredom is no more, from now on it will be filled with adventure and entertainment. It''s the least I can do, right?"


    Firose''s eyes lit up, and Blank covered his ears. "Tchh.. yet again it''s pointless to argue. Just don''t come to me for assistance when she''s unable to pass through the gate."


    "Hahah.." a laugh came from Cereo. "I''ve had enough of this tone of despair, if a problem arises we will find a way to solve it in our own way. The truth is.. I have a special connection to this land, one that I am yet to have mentioned to you. It''s why I was prepared to kill without much hesitation. Passing through that gate was necessary to keep Sabarum safe. But.. I need to prevent others from steering me toward the dark side. Blank, Firose, a day like today will never arrive again. That is a promise."


    "I don''t care about any dumb promise of yours, I care about ridding this land of the parasites. Let''s go already. Girl, you can sit over there." Blank pointed at the floor.


    Smiling, Firose pranced into the carriage. "Okay, it doesn''t really matter where I sit as long as I''m comin!"


    And from then on, the group of now three traveled back to the once blocked gate. When they arrived, the woman was nowhere to be seen.. and the gate was open.

 Chapter Six: Adventurous Discussions

    After passing the gate, the group of three traveled up a long, winding road that took them into the mountains. Eventually though, the road stopped, forcing them to begin traveling on foot.


    "You know, Blank." Cereo began, examining their vehicle. "If you would allow me to make edits to your carriage, walking would be unnecessary."


    Having already gained a head start further into the mountains, Blank sneered. "There''s not a single thing someone like you could do to improve a vehicle of mine. Keep your dirty hands off it."


    Firose watched them both argue curiously, looking extremely intrigued with the conversation.


    "Very well, very well, though I believe there are a multitude of improvements I could make. Have you not seen what I''m able to construct of grass? The rocks held within these mountains would allow me to improve the functionality of your carriage by inconceivable margins."


    "Is that really true, Cereo?" With a tug, Firose asked Cereo with focused eyes.


    "Hah, that it is." he responded confidently. "In due time, you''ll come to find out that I''m quite the resourceful hero. Constructing tools and practical mechanisms out of barebones material is my specialty."


    A laugh burst from Blanks mouth. "Is that supposed to be your idea of showing off? If her love and affection is your goal, then find something else to tell her about."


    "I mean, if what he says is true then it actually sounds pretty cool! But.. I guess you''re right, it takes a bit more than that to gain something as sacred as my love." Firose pushed her hands against her chest.


    "There''s rarely an occasion where I''m incorrect, so I advise you to get used to it.. whatever your name is."


    "Did you not hear the countless times it was mentioned?" Cereo was stunned. "Her name is Firose, Firose Setina."


    "I didn''t think it would be needed considering this was supposed to be a two person journey."


    "Always expect the unexpected, those are words to live by my dear friend."


    "Advice from you? Tch, it''s already irrelevant."


    "Hey, guys?" Firose jumped in. "So, I''m guessing that if Cereo thought he was supposed to kill someone he loved or whatever to get in here, you planned on doing the same thing Blank. Do.. you really have someone you love? I hope you do because you seem kinda sad a lot."


    "If I did, you two would be the last ones I inform."


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    "Oh.. I see."


    "I''m assuming the first would be the princess, is it not?" Cereo questioned.


    "That''s information that''ll remain with me and no one else."


    At this point all three comrades had been going through the mountains together for some time. The linearity of the place slowly began to disappear.


    "Hm.. there seems to be quite a few potential paths for us to take here. Any ideas for which one will inevitably lead to the parasitic source?" Cereo looked around.


    In thought, Blank answered. "During our travels, you mentioned that the old trash said the cave was covered in red crystals. If that''s the case, then locating any trace of those red crystals would be a solid start."


    "I''ll help!" Firose yelped. She then instantly began to search for anything red and shiny.


    "Locate the red crystals. Yes.. that seems to be the most logical course of action. Allow me to search then." With insane speed, Cereo soared around the area attempting to locate something that resembled a red crystal. Blank did the same.


    While searching, Firose lowered her head near a flower. "Awh, how pretty." She smiled. A gigantic worm then burst from below, destroying the gorgeous sight. It''s skin was boiling, even bubbling around the outside. Gruesome pieces of slimy dirt dripped off its body, and hit the floor before disintegrating. "Oh... you''re not pretty." she looked up at the creature, not changing her expression at all.


    The worm screamed and howled, opening a mouth it had near its face revealing a set of teeth sharper than razor blades. It charged downward, preparing to bite through Firose, when it''s head was removed by done other than Cereo.


    "And, we have our first encounter with one of the apparent grotesque creatures that reside up here. Are you uninjured, Firose?"


    "Um.." she looked down at herself. "Yep! I''m fine! No need to worry at all!"


    More worms burst from the ground all around them, surrounding the two. "Splendid, let us keep it that way then. Shall we?" Cereo rocketed in different directions, using the blades he made back at Frace Village to turn the worms into piles of flesh.


    Blank appeared, and slashed a few of them with his knife. But.. that wasn''t all they had to deal with. Moments later, a worm the size of all the others combined joined the fight. It obliterated some nearby trees, looking more like it was freaking out rather than using targeted attacks.


    Leaping into the air, Cereo pummeled his knee into the middle of the humongous worm. It was sent flying into the air, and, splattered into blood when Cereo finished it off with a strange gun he had just made out of some of the mountain rock.


    "Could you have killed it in a more disgusting manner?" Wiping blood from his face, Blank narrowed his eyes.


    "Apologies, Blank, but my method of battle will not be altered to maintain your cleanliness."


    "Here ya go Blank!" With a smile, Firose pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, and extended it to him. "This should get you cleaned up pretty fast, just uhh.. keep it okay!"


    "Tch.." Blank accepted her offer. "Yeah, I''ll do that."


    Some time passed. The sun was slowly disappearing from the sky. Cereo watched it lower, and sat on a log. "I''m pleased to see that the beasts up on this here mountain remain no match to people such as myself and Blank. Though I cannot say my mood is the same for our progress toward locating the cave."


    "That''s because our progress toward locating the cave has been utter garbage." Blank sat nearby, on the ground. "It shouldn''t even be called progress, not even a single crystal was found. I guess different methods will need to be put in place tomorrow."


    "Huh?" Firose stood nearby, and titled her head. "Ohhh, I almost forgot to tell you guys. I found some crystals."


    Cereo and Blank quickly turned toward her. "What?!"


    "Yep. They''re right over... there!" Her hand pointed at a distant wall. A part of the mountain that was completely vertical.


    "We may have found one who''s even more of an idiot than you, Cereo."


    "Calm yourself Blank. These are the infamous northside mountains we''re speaking of. Don''t dismiss Firose''s seemingly preposterous statement just yet."


    Firose watched Cereo slowly approach where she had pointed. She put a finger on her lip. "Uhh, are you guys trying to say you can''t see it?"


    "That''s exactly the case. But.. allow me to investigate." Pressing a hand against the cold mountain, Cereo looked up. "Nothing here seems to indicate that there''s any sort of hidden location." he thought. "But to think it would be in plain sight is foolish."


    "Well?" Blank was now next to him. "Found anything to support your belief in the girl?"


    "Firose. And no, I only arrived here a moment ago. Discovering a hidden object could prove to be difficult."


    That''s when... Firose walked past them, appearing to phase through the mountain. The astonishment on Cereo and even Blank''s face was clear. She returned from inside the solid wall holding a glistening red crystal between her fingers. "Look, see I told ya. Even if for some reason you guys can''t see them, the pretty red crystals really are right here!"


    "Not possible..! That-.."


    "That confirms it." Cereo gently took the crystal from Firose, and examined it. "The crystals truly are beyond this wall. Now though, we are faced with a new dilemma entirely." He returned his attention to the wall. "Why are you and I, Blank, unable to travel or even see beyond this part of the mountain."

 Chapter Seven: A New Companion

    His foot was pressed against the floor, both hands clenched a spear, and he prepared to launch himself forward in an attempt to break through the part of the mountain where the crystals resided.


    Who was doing this? Cereo, who''d been using a variety of methods in an attempt to surpass the blockade in front of him.


    "Your attempts are useless. If you couldn''t tell by now, forceful entry clearly isn''t the way to go about things." Blank was jiggling around one of the bottles that contained his liquid forcefields.


    "Giving up so easily, are you?" Cereo responded. "Well.. I''m not one to abandon this method so quickly. This could very well be a test of might. Though I''m unaware of why Firose wouldn''t be required to participate. Maybe because the woman from the gate verbally granted us entry, but not her."


    "It isn''t a test of might, dumbass. And it doesn''t matter if she was granted entry or not, there''s another reason why this is occurring. One that we''ve all been too dumb to figure out so far."


    "Ahh, maybe only girls can go through?" Firose suggested.


    Dropping his spear to the floor, Cereo turned away from the blockade. "That wouldn''t make sense considering Zen, an elderly male, is the one who discovered what we''re attempting to locate in the first place."


    "Maybe I... can be of assistance?"


    Someone approached from behind. It was a female. She had lengthy, luscious silver hair that led down to her elbows. Blue eyes that glistened identical to how the ocean did. She had a slim figure, and her upper body looked like it had some sort of matte black cloth wrapped around it, everywhere except for on her hands, and above her nose. To some extent, it resembled layers of tape/bandages. Her lower body consisted of the same matte black color, except on shining armor.


    "My name''s Asada. Asada Oceane, and I too have been attempting to locate the heart of the parasites."


    Blank adjusted his lab coat while looking at Asada. "Splendid. You can help us pass through this strange blockade, then leave us alone and look for the ''heart'' or whatever you called it elsewhere."


    "It''s.. in a fixed location. Searching elsewhere wouldn''t serve much of a purpose."


    "I guess you won''t be finding it then, now will you?"


    Cereo stepped between them both. "Calm yourself there Blank. Don''t underestimate the importance of outside assistance. Having yet another comrade accompany us, one that I''m assuming has quite a bit of strength considering the dangers of this place, is nothing less than a plus in every regard."


    "That''s right." Asada stepped forward, and touched the mountain. "So, you said the sweet girl is able to see through this?"


    "You''ve been watching us this entire time, right? You shouldn''t need to ask." Blank said.


    Asada looked down. "I suppose I didn''t conceal myself too well. Yes, I''ve been on your trail for a bit. Not the entire time but, long enough to hear your constant rambling."


    "Rambling? Yes, that''s a frequent occurrence when you travel with an inferior moron and the girl he dragged along."


    Triumphantly, Cereo put his arm around Firose. "Had we not brought Firose, we would have been unaware of the crystallized path that only she is able to see and access."


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    "Tchh.. don''t act like you''ve accomplished something. Another way would have been figured ou-.."


    "Wait! Just hold on a moment!"


    Asada looked intrigued, and Blank appeared annoyed that he was cut off.


    "Did something happen?" Asada asked with a bit of urgency.


    "Hah... indeed. Something most certainly did occur." Cereo pulled Firose closer, as he turned around to completely face the mountain blockade. He proceeded to chuckle. "How could I have been so naive, the answer to this little puzzle was quite obvious."


    "The wall... you can see through it now, can''t you?"


    "That is one point for Asada, and a mere zero for Blank."


    "Points?" Blank scoffed. "You must be kidding me."


    "Oohh, points huh? Just you guys wait, I''m gonna get way more points than you all sooner or later!" Firose said in a determined manner, clenching her fist.


    Cereo smiled warmly. "You Firose, already have an infinite number of points considering you originally located the crystals. Blank and Asada''s participation is simply a means to decide second place."


    "Awh, really? Guess you''ve both already been beat then!"


    Yet again shifting his lab coat, Blank put away his bottled forcefield. "This point system serves no purpose, I suggest you abandon it Cereo."


    "Being a sore loser is not something I can tolerate Blank. If your behavior continues, I may be forced to kick you from the game." Cereo informed him.


    "Please do."


    "Cereo." Asada alerted him. "If touching the girl.. Firose, was really the key, then we should all be able to pass through if we hold onto her. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    "I would, though I still fail to understand why exactly she''s the key."


    "No need to question it, let''s just move forward."


    "As you wish. Let us continue! Blank, I advise you not to fall behind unless you want to remain at the bottom of the point rankings."


    "Tchh.." Blank closed his eyes, and tilted his head down. "In that case I think I''ll intentionally walk near the back."


    Everyone grabbed a hold of Firose, and could finally see the path she could see the entire time. "Ya know, it''s pretty cramped in between you guys." she said. "But cozy at the same time!"


    "Great, now move forward so I can finally let go." Blank impatiently stated.


    "Well.. alrighty I guess! I just hope you''re not all crushed when you let go, I have no idea how far it should be until we''ve passed where the mountain would still be there for you guys. For all I know, you''ll have to hold on forever."


    Clenched onto Firose, the group made their way through the crystallized path. It was a gorgeous sight indeed. The amount of glistening red crystals increased as they traveled. Eventually they came upon a tunnel of them. A tunnel made almost entirely of the crystals. After walking through that for some time, Blank suggested that they break apart.


    "Okay... now that we have entered a separate location, can we all get off each other already?"


    "I like being close to my new friends but, after all that walking I kinda agree." Firose made a small grunting noise.


    "But it''s as you suggested earlier..." Cereo reminded them. "Letting go could potentially kill us if we are only able to access this place while maintaining contact with you, Firose."


    "Yeah... that''s true."


    Also expressing her discomfort, Asada noted. "The old man you were speaking of somehow must have moved freely in here. Plus, we''ll need to let go in order to eliminate the heart of the parasites anyway. If it kills us, then oh well. It''s the only way to find out."


    "Heh.. you truly are a daring one." Cereo lightly smiled. "Alright then, let me be the one to initially let go. If it results in my death, you''ll all know to head back."


    "We''ll be fine. As you can see, I grew rather impatient and decided to test it myself. " From behind them, Blank had already relinquished all contact with Firose. He tapped his foot on the ground. "Now can we get going?"


    "I see you beat me to the punch Blank. Dare I say this deed has earned you a point. Either way, I applaud you. As you''ve requested, we can continue onward within our own personal space."


    The group moved forward, conversing every so often. Their footsteps echoed down the crystal tunnel. It was calm for a while, but the walk was beginning to drag on without any noteworthy occurrences. Eventually though, the crystallized walls began to sprout something large.


    "Woah guys, what is that thing? I have a feeling that it''s pretty dangerous." Genuinely interested, Firose pointed.


    Blank glanced at her. "How would we know what something from a remote location such as this is? Seriously girl, please use that head of yours for once."


    "Her name is FIROSE!" Cereo corrected him with volume.


    "Yes... I''ll be sure to keep that in mind for the next fifteen seconds."


    "Blank, you really must learn to be kind. I believe you''ve gone quite some time without making even a neutral remark."


    A rumbling interrupted them. What had been sprouting from the walls landed onto the crystallized ground with a clank. Each of the four examined it, and observed five separate red crystal monsters. Monsters that were void of any details, only resembling the silhouette of a humanoid being.


    "Everyone, stand back." Gesturing with her hand, Asada waved the other three back as she calmly approached the creature. "Whatever these things are, I''ll take care of them." She placed a hand on the massive scythe sheathed on her back, and removed it, clearly preparing for a fight.


    "Wait a second Asada, you really don''t want any of our help?" Firose pressed her hands together, looking on at Asada with a concerned expression. "I get that you''re probably pretty strong and all, but still, it''d be a lot safer for you."


    "I''m sure. There''s no need to worry, I can usually tell the strength of an opponent just by looking at them. They aren''t that tough. Plus.." she flicked back her scythe. "One of the main reasons why I came here was to prepare myself for a battle I''ll need to partake in in the future. If I can''t defeat lowly monsters such as these, then I have no right to call myself anything other than pitiful. So please, allow me to take them out myself."


    "Oh... I get it now. You''ve gotta make sure there''s no way you''ll lose to anyone in that war. Alright then, kick some ass! Just um.. don''t die please!"


    Asada tightened the grip she had on her scythe. "I won''t, you have my word."


    Just then, finally, Blank broke his streak of only spewing rude remarks. Sort of...


    "If you die, we''ll be delayed in our progress through this place. So don''t. If our assistance isn''t necessary, then prove it. Eliminate those things."


    He paused for a moment.


    "Maybe then I''ll allow you to continue traveling with us until we reach the heart."

 Chapter Eight: Journey Through the Crystal Tunnel

    Asada continued to walk forward at a steady pace, growing closer and closer to the crystal enemies before her.


    Once she drew close enough, they all attacked simultaneously. Each of the five enemies blocked a direction of escape.


    Keeping focus, Asada barley shifted her position. With a simple flick of the wrist, a circular slice was made all around her, cutting the entire group of crystal enemies in two. The pure power behind the attack even managed to cause the top half of three of the enemies to burst into pieces. The remaining two then cowered in fear.


    "I see, so these creatures are capable of feelings." she said. "Which mean their acts of aggression could have meaning behind them." Asada proceeded to slowly approach the immobilized crystal monsters. Once arriving, she shattered both of their heads with her foot. "However, whatever that meaning is.. is irrelevant. They put my life at risk, so no matter what, they needed to be killed."


    Further up the tunnel, a massive amount of the crystal beings pulled themselves out of the walls, just like their predecessors. Asada didn''t give them much time to live, though. She sprinted down the hall, and used her scythe to shatter heads, slice torsos, and make many piles of tiny crystal.


    "Would you say that you have been impressed?" Cereo asked Blank, looking as if he thought there was a chance that he''d say yes.


    "Tch, please. Not in the slightest. While she''s certainly more impressive than you, it takes much more than that to reach my level."


    After defeating all that stood before her, Asada lightly panted. She turned back to look at her three temporary companions, and made a slight gesture with her head. "Well, are you all coming?"


    "Yes, yes of course." Firose happily joined her. "Wow, you really are amazing Asada! You were right, those things didn''t stand a chance!"


    "Thank you. And yes, it''s as I said, losing to something like them is something I can''t afford."


    With that, the group resumed their journey through the tunnel. Nothing noteworthy occurred for sometime, and conversations continued.


    "Hey uhh, Blank?" Firose tugged on his coat.


    "Hm? What is it that you need?"


    "Nothing in particular I just.. wanna get to know you better since we''ll be traveling together for a while. I mean, right now we''re basically strangers, this should make things a little less weird ya know?"


    Blank sighed, and placed his hands into his coat pockets. "Unlike most, you''ve made a valid point. It''s not like there''s much else to do on this walk anyway. Fine then, we''ll converse."


    "Hehe.." Letting out a small giggle, Firose looked around. "Alright then, well, I wanted to ask some things. Firstly, I think the most important part about someone is what their goals are. You know, why are they here. What''s their reason for living." She looked up at him. "I''m sorry if it''s too deep but, what''s yours? Your.. reason for living?"


    Blank didn''t answer for a while. He kept his head forward. "My reason for living, huh?" he finally said. "That certainly is a deep question. Especially for your first."


    "I know, sorry about that. You don''t have to answer if-.."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Let''s start with Queen Myosis, I''m sure you''ve heard of her."


    Firose smiled warmly for a moment, but then it faded. "Not exactly, you see where I''m from, there isn''t really a single noteworthy person living there. Seeing as how we''re super far away from the capital, nobody bothers sending any news our way. The ruler we last heard of was King Myosis, but I guess I can put two and two together to figure out who the queen is. Is it his wife?"


    "Daughter." Blank responded. "King Myosis is dead, and I''d rather not speak of what happened to his wife." his eyes shifted ever so slightly into a faintly noticeable look of distraught. "His death is actually why we''re here. The parasites we''ve been speaking of take over the body of a human, and alter their personality for five years before transforming them into a disgusting monster. That pathetic oaf Cereo claims he''s developed a cure, but the source of the infection must be eliminated first."


    "Yeah.. I was wondering why taking that thing out was so important."


    Blank nodded. "But that''s not what we''re discussing... let''s get back to the Queen. When I was younger, she took me into her household as an orphan. Behind her fathers back.. she was such an idiot. She claimed that she saw something in me, something that was special, and that even if it was against the King''s will, I would be joining the Royal Guardians."


    The eyes of Firose were glowing with curiosity. "Royal Guardians... they sound important."


    "Important is an understatement, members of the Royal Guardians are among the strongest beings on the planet. They directly serve the throne, so you can probably guess how shocked I was."


    "Super shocked." Firose said in a serious tone.


    "Tchh.. uh, yes. Super shocked." Blank''s blindfolded eyes scanned many of the shining crystals they had been walking past for hours. "At that time, I was nothing. Just a kid who lived his life awaiting a parent to take him in. To this day, I''m still in the dark when it comes to what happened to my blood relatives. They could have died in a tragic accident, or they may have been scumbags. It doesn''t matter much to me, because I never had a relationship with them. Who I did have a relationship with though, was Myosis. She''s the one who raised me, taught me, and created the weapons I use today. Believe it or not, the Queen is an exceptional inventor when she has the time."


    "Awh, you''re really lucky to have someone like that. I grew up all by myself. I was given necessities by the people in my town, but no one ever told me I was special. Especially not someone like the queen!"


    Blank smirked. "I am pretty lucky, and grateful." he then tightly clenched a fist. "It''s why I''d do anything she asks, without hesitation."


    The look on Firose''s face was neutral, but quickly turned into one filled with glee. "That makes me so happy for you Blank! Really... even though I don''t know you all that well, it makes me glad anyway."


    "I suppose I should give my thanks, then."


    "Can I ask you something else?"


    "What?"


    "..why are you so mean sometimes?"


    The two''s conversation was interrupted when up ahead, finally, something of note appeared.


    It was yet another person grasping a staff, only this time they were male. Something that didn''t change, however, was that they stood in front of a large gate.


    "Ah, splendid. You all have arrived." he said.


    Asada stopped, and calmly peered forward. "And who are you?"


    "It''s rather obvious." Blank growled. "Seeing as how this low life is nearly identical to the women at the other gate, this is going to be another sickening test."


    "Hm? What other gate?"


    "Nngh.. what..? You''re joking with me, right?"


    "No. This is the first gate I''ve come upon."


    "What an interesting revelation." Hand on his chin, Cereo thought out loud. "Our dear friend here seems to have entered the mountains untested."


    "She''s far from a dear friend, we only met her hours ago." Blank complained.


    "No matter. Let''s not waste our time on trivial details such as how I refer to her, I''d like to hear if this man is going to assign a test that I am no longer able to complete."


    This made Firose smile. "I''m glad you don''t wanna kill anyone anymore, I never talked about it that much, but it was pretty creepy the way you just barged into my house when we first met."


    "I''m aware.. and that is why I will make sure to never stoop to that level again."


    The staff wielding man pounded his staff''s handle against the ground. "I assure you, this next test is nothing like the one some of you previously took part in. That one challenged you mentally, while this one challenges you physically."


    "Good, that basically guarantees our advancemen-.." Blank stopped near the end of his sentence, realizing that Firose would need to compete this time. "Question." he then resumed. "A few, actually. Firstly, why is it that only myself and Cereo were required to complete the first test. As a matter of fact, I didn''t even take part at all."


    The man seemed to be holding back a chuckle. "Well.... the test was deemed to be unnecessary if the person in question had already unintentionally completed it in their past."


    Both Cereo and Blank''s attention were caught. Cereo looked at Asada and Firose, he was stunned. "They''ve... killed someone they hold dear..?"


    Asada didn''t react, while Firose stepped back a bit, slightly covering her face.


    "Hm. What spectacular people you''ve brought along with us." Blank sneered. He returned his attention to the man with the staff. "Whatever you say. Secondly then, will this be an individual test? Or will we attempt it together?"


    "This test will see each of you individually face off against a capable, and powerful creature of the mountains that I captured and deemed worthy of this specific test. Upon its defeat, you will pass. The only means of failure is your own death. I have plenty of creatures of similar strength, so there''s no need to worry about running out of opponents."


    "Don''t assume what I worry about, if you only had one creature that''d just be stupid. Obviously you had a plan for that." Softly placing his hands into his coat pockets, Blank began asking his final question. "Lastly.. why have you been keeping tabs on us? The location we''re in was incredibly hidden, only one of us could even see it. Yet somehow the second test is here. It''s not a coincidence. The jig is up." he paused for only a second. "Tell me, what exactly is going on?"

 Chapter Nine: The Second Trial

    "What is going on, you ask?" The man next to the gate smiled. "While the points you bring up are certainly worthy of suspicion, I assure you nothing out of the ordinary is occurring. We have numerous workers stationed in several different locations to enforce the second test. This isn''t the only place."


    "A typical excuse that a child could have come up with." Blank waited for a moment. "I''ll figure out what''s going on later then. For now, let''s get on with this unnecessary test of yours."


    The staff wielder turned to his right. "I''m glad to see you''ve complied, at least for the time being. Well then, let''s not delay any further. Please, accompany me, and the trial will begin." An opening in the tunnel wall formed itself, and the man entered. After glancing at each other, our group of four followed suit.


    Inside was a massive arena. There was an area for onlookers, which is where everyone was at the moment, but of course once a battle began, whoever was taking part would be in the section clearly meant for fighting.


    "Strange man." Cereo crossed his arms. "I believe it is time for you to reveal the beast we will be battling. Also, I''d like to know how exactly the first testee will be decided upon."


    "There''s no particular way." The gatekeeper responded. "But for today, I think the wheel will do."


    He tapped the bottom of his staff on the floor, and a wheel with the participants faces on it revealed itself from underneath the surface.


    "Ah yes, the wheel that has our faces plastered on it even though we''ve never been here. Nothing out of the ordinary at all." Blank clearly jested.


    The gatekeeper placed his hand on the wheel, preparing to spin it. "The magical energy within this room is what displays the faces of the competitors, it has nothing to do with myself."


    The wheel was then spun, and everyone watched as it landed on someone.


    "Asada battles first." An echoing voice from somewhere in the room claimed, as the wheel selected her.


    Following this, Asada stepped forward, not showing much else of a reaction. "So I''m up first.. that''s fine. Just show me where to go, and I''ll eliminate the beast you choose as quickly as possible."


    "Hah! I''m quite the fan of your confidence." Cereo chuckled. "Without a doubt, the battle you are about to partake in will not be one to challenge a skillful combatant such as yourself. Just do your best, and we may progress further."


    "I think something is slipping your mind." Blank watched as the gatekeeper led Asada down a path that would assumingely lead her to the inner section of the arena.


    "Oh?" Cereo looked at him. "May you enlighten me as to what I have not considered?"


    "As an apparent hero summoned from a rare cube, your intelligence certainly isn''t up to par. What you haven''t considered, is that the child you brought along, will be required to compete in this test, moron. And sorry to say, I have significant doubts that she''ll even survive past twenty seconds."


    Cereo shifted his attention to Firose, who was happily awaiting to see Asada compete. "Ahem.." he nervously coughed. "Firstly, she is clearly at the least an adult. Referring to her as a child is simply incorrect."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Tchh.. I don''t care if it was correct or not. You were clearly aware of who I was referring to."


    "Hm. Valid point. Well, concerning the fact that she must battle against a ferocious beast, that actually does pose a significant issue."


    "Yes, I''m well aware. Why else would I bring it up."


    "Just-.. listen. There is always the possibility that Firose has abilities that we are completely unaware of. She''s never been into a situation where combat was necessary, meaning there''s a solid chance that she''s stronger than we think."


    Blank sighed. "Don''t be more foolish than you already are. Blind confidence now combined with blind optimism makes me question how you''ve managed to make it this far."


    "Grr.." Again, Cereo''s eyes met Firose. "Damn you Blank! Fine, I will admit that you are partially correct this time. But.. don''t get ahead of yourself just yet. Per usual, I have a plan to solve this little dilemma of ours. Have you forgotten what I am capable of?"


    "Creating anything you may set your mind to out of the most barebones of materials. Yes, I recall. Now go use that talent to make Firose a suit of armor to get killed in."


    "Ah-.. Blank, must you make such gruesome jokes?!"


    The entire room shook, instantly shifting everyone''s attention to the middle arena. The opponent Asada would be facing had been let loose.


    It was an incredibly large spider like creature. It swiftly hopped around the arena, frequently landing in corners. Once it had landed on the ground, it horrifyingly stood straight up, only using two of its eight legs.


    It''s menacing eyes peered down almost into the soul of Asada. The creature, in this state, even looked like it was sentient.


    "Tch, what is that thing doing?" Blank asked no one in particular. "If it''s attempting to scare someone, it''s failed pathetically." Immediately after finishing this sentence, he glanced at Firose, only to see her incredibly terrified.


    "Oh man.. I''ve never seen anything like that monster. I seriously hope Asada can handle something that.. uhh.. well, that gross!" she said.


    "Appearance means nothing." Asada claimed, preparing her scythe while staring up at the thing. "Time to see if it''s combat is up to par."


    The gatekeeper left the arena, and with that the fight began. Before Asada could even react, she was flung into a wall by a kick thrown by the spider creature. It''s speed created a sonic boom behind it, as the thing bolted forward to attempt yet another attack.


    It smashed its fist directly onto the wall Asada was against, creating cracks around the entirety of the arena.


    The breathes of the creature became heavier after this quick series of events. It slowly removed its fist from the wall, allowing bits and pieces of rubble to slip to the floor. Something else that hit the floor though.. was drops of blood. Confused, the creature raised its fist to get a better view of it. That''s when it noticed the massive hole that had been somehow drilled into its hand.


    With speedy, spiral like movements, Asada bolted her way through the insides of the spider like creature''s body. She attempted to find any vital points, such as a heart or lungs, but was unsuccessful. The organs of this creature were like nothing she had ever seen before.


    "How odd.." she thought. "While it does have organs, they don''t seem to be ones that humans have researched. I suppose that means I''ll have to destroy them all in order to guarantee my victory."


    With a twist of her scythe, Asada shredded the organs surrounding her. She leapt into an area higher up in the creature''s body, splattering everything to pieces. Then, with a final flick of the blade, she sliced open it''s stomach in order to escape.


    Expecting to have attained at least near victory, Asada glanced back at the creature.. and was caught off guard when her attention was met with a massive boulder sized fist.


    Luckily, Asada was fast enough to sever the wrist with her scythe, sending the fist to the ground instead of getting crushed by it.


    "Hm? What''s the point of having organs if nothing changes without them?" She questioned. Staring up at the thing, Asada began to think. "This location certainly lives up to its name. If such a creature was found in these mountains, then I see why they''re so infamous. Though I haven''t seen anything quite this strong until now. It''s possible that these tests are to confirm we can handle them if they only appear from this point onward."


    The spider creature tried attacking again, but Asada lunged forward, and shredded it''s entire body. It fell apart, each piece of it hitting the ground with a thud.


    Asada flicked her scythe back, and walked near where she had entered the place. "Alright, it''s been taken care of. Have I passed?"


    "Indeed." The gatekeeper smiled. "That was a very impressive showing. If your comrades have similar abilities, you should have no issue making it to the next section of the mountain."


    "Good, glad to hear it." Blank placed a hand on the gatekeeper''s shoulder. He had apparently made his way down to the arena entrance on his own. "Now then, there''s no need to waste our time spinning a creepy wheel when we all must partake in the test anyway. I''ll be going next, so prepare the next beast."


    Smirking, the gatekeeper shook his head. "Very well, I guess I can''t deny that you''re right about that. The next opponent will be unleashed shortly."


    Asada looked back at Blank as he entered the arena. "I''ve never seen you fight, so I don''t know how strong you are, but try to be careful. As you probably noticed, the one I faced was incredibly quick with quite a bit of strength."


    "Yes I''m aware, your tips aren''t needed. Just keep your mouth shut and watch along with Cereo and Firose. Then you''ll see why telling me such things is pointless." From his side, Blank prepared one of his liquid forcefields, shaking it up while impatiently waiting.


    "Tchh.." he complained. "I don''t see what the hold up could be. Just bring the beast in here already so I can slaughter it and move on."