ã€ŠHeroes to Huntedã€‹


 Chapter 1 An End

    ?There are no heroes in war.

    If you told me that when I first enlisted, I would''ve scoffed in your face. Hell, my reason for enlisting was to be one.

    Back then, I convinced myself I''d only save the good from the evil. That my fight would be limited to the ugliest and worst that humanity had to offer. I''d be a legendary liberator of justice!

    But war, real war, isn''t like the fiction you see in games and movies.

    War isn''t exciting, it isn''t hopeful, and it certainly isn''t enjoyable. Instead, war is a ce of fear...desperation. A ce where morally good men and women are corrupted into savagery. A ce where we''re doomed to brutalize one another to survive just one more day.

    For those reasons, I couldn''t believe heroes were forged from war. On the contrary, the battlefield was just a breeding ground for monsters.

    "W-What¡­happened?" My ears rang, and my vision blurred. Every muscle and every joint within me throbbed with searing pain. Mentally, I was just as impaired; my mind was sealed within a foggy haze.

    Four years of active service, that''s how long I survived. Yet that veterancy amounted to nothing; my gut still felt queasy at what I saw. Never had I witnessed a scene as grisly and grotesque as this, or maybe I had, and I just repressed it.

    Our transport took the brunt of it. What remained was a worthless scrap heap of warped steel and smoldering ash. Leaking from it were fuel trails forming rivers of consuming fire. The smoke from the hungry mes forced its way into my lungs, swirling within my body as an insidious invader, burning me from the inside out.

    Myrades were next. Those with whom I shared unbreakable bonds were now medleys of body parts syed across the ground. The only exceptions were those already reduced to ashes. The sole reminder of their memory were the piles of charred bone they''d left in their ce.

    "My friends... All of them dead..." I mumbled with a nk expression. "Reduced as fodder and sacrificed to the war machine." Though a broiling fury rumbled beneath my skin, my body was frozen stiff in shock, unable to express the emotions on my exterior.

    Depressingly enough, though I hailed these recently departed as friends, I had no tears to shed for them; they were long dried up at this point.

    That''s not to say I didn''t care for them. It''s just that, over the years, I shared meals, stories, and hardships with hundreds just like them. Sadly, those journeys ofpanionship always ended the exact same way...

    No matter how sturdy their bodies or robust their minds, I was the one left behind. I was thest one standing. That''s why I was so ustomed to it; losingrades was just another facet of life for me.

    That said, I had one thought: ''Why am I still alive? Why did I live while the others found their early graves?'' A forlornugh escaped my chapped lips. ''And yet, I don''t feel lucky.''

    Quite the contrary, Imented my fate, the fate of living on with suffering as my only horizon. Imented the arrival of another day with such spite that I considered myrades'' deaths to be a mercy for them.

    They had no time to reflect on their lives. No time to cry for their loved ones or curse their pointless deaths in a pointless war. They were free from the madness that was human greed and corruption. Free from the burns, the bullet wounds, and all the mental anguish that came afterward.

    "Those lucky b*st*-" a fit of bloody coughs possessed me, exacerbating my already shallow breathing. My lower lip became glossed with a solution of saliva and blood. ''Guess I can''t get too worked up.''

    I slumped my head over while instinctively shifting my one still functioning hand to pressure my wounds. Sadly, my effort was futile; it only coated my fingers in scattered red.

    I looked down to see shards of jagged debris jutting from my stomach. "A g-gut wound¡­." I hoarsely cackled. "I''m not walking this off."

    A sudden death wasn''t surprising; it came with the job description. What shocked me was my agreement with the mission to begin with. Even on paper, we all knew we''d have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

    "Yet we all agreed... We''re fools, aren''t we?" I forlornly sighed, then averted my gaze to my side in search of a response. But there would be none. The soldier and friend at my side had already sumbed to their blood loss, their face mangled with crimson stains and regret.

    ''Ah, right. The dead can''t speak...''

    We were charged with drawing enemy fire away from a civilian convoy.

    It wasn''t just my team; various other squads were conscripted too. We congealed into a makeshift battalion, forming what would be our ragtag suicide corp. Despite beingplete strangers, we''d all be bound together by the cold grip of death.

    Immediately after reaching our rendezvous point, we came under heavy fire from invading forces. We fought the good fight against insurmountable odds for a while.

    Between our posts, the echo of crackling gunfire, thrumming engines, and thunderous explosions bounced between the city''s concrete buildings. It was like a biblical apocalypse given form.

    Moral of the story is: the battlefield was anything but quiet.

    Even so, every sound paled inparison to that piercing whistle. It was a familiar sound, one that resonated within me with equal parts fascination to terror.

    ''Maybe they''re finally giving a sh*t...'' was my first thought.

    I hoped it was celestial. I thought the heavens were finally taking action and putting an end to the perpetual tragedy that was my existence; that they were grieving for the souls lost in this wasteful war. That''s what I wished, but I should''ve known there''d be no weeping for the likes of us.

    That whistle wasn''t some crying god or goddess, expressing their angst for humankind. Instead, it was the sound of impending death... An artillery shell.

    "I wonder what fool thought of the phrase ''for the greater good,'' anyway," I mumbled, my voice dripping with cynicism.

    It was a genuine question, one devoid of any rhetoric. Had the creator or creators considered the true madness and macabre ramifications of which they preached?

    Sure, in theory, martyring oneself for another was just "the right thing to do." But, in reality, that was only one side of the coin - the side depicting the protected fortunate few.

    However, every coin can be flipped, and when you were the meat shield, you quickly realized that side was reserved for the foolish.

    As it turned out, that fleeting sensation of nobility was nothing more than a novelty. By the time that natural high of satisfaction wore off, it was already toote. Your soul, your very core, would already be poisoned with regret. It''d seep through your veins like a heinous venom, corrupting your optimism to pure loathing for a world gone insane.

    In the end, you realize that nothing was satisfying about it. The movies... The games... The books... EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of those godd*mn hyped-up stories of grandeur; it was all a lie.

    Protecting others was just a terrifying and bitter-filled experience. One that made youment the people you were dying for, not celebrate them.

    ''How could they abandon us?! We''re the protectors of those in need, but who''s there to protect us?!'' I cursed everyone and everything for my circumstances while my blood boiled hotter than me. It wasn''t from the fast-approaching inferno. Rather, it was the seething burn of hatred-fueled anger inside me.

    Despite that, I knew the anger wasn''t sensible. I knew I had made my own grave with my own choices, but dying wasn''t something that inspired a rational mind. On the contrary, I was stuck in irrationality.

    I clenched my still functioning fist tight; it was my effort to relieve the turbulent emotions inside me. After the wildfire of anger came a flood of woe.

    Reflecting on my memories, once hopeful but now marred by loss and unfulfilled aspirations, I came to the realization that I never achieved my adolescent dream of bing a hero.

    ''How...did this happen? Where did I go wrong?'' I sifted through my life, all in search of the "why," or the "how." I was supposed to be so much more, and I did everything right; everything I was supposed to.

    ''So why? Why am I dying like a dog in a napalm-filled oven? Why is there so much restlessness and regret stirring in my heart? Why don''t I feel pride, like I thought I would?!'' I clenched my teeth tight, holding back multiple years'' worth of screaming.

    By now, I thought I''d have toppled a tyranny or two. I was supposed to be adorned with a wall of medals across my chest, proving I was a man amongst men. I''d be a savior to those I wanted to save.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Sadly, as the years slogged by, that goal became increasingly inessible to me.

    I never defeated any oppressor. I''d only in countless others who were, like me, just fighting for their right to survive.

    As for the medals, they were just meaningless hunks of polished rockpared to what I''d done to obtain them.

    ''So much for glory,'' I rxed with a sullen sigh and angled my gaze upward, finding myself blinded by its radiance.

    The encroaching inferno tore me from thought, recing my wheezing with pained whimpers. While searing its way up, the mes left ckened streaks across my skin. It sank into my wounds upon reaching my stomach, thoroughly grilling my insides.

    I opened my mouth to scream, but the pain robbed me of my ability to produce sound.

    The irony of it all was that, despite being a human torch, my body felt the coldest it had ever been. I focused on what was the bright afternoon sky, but even that became unnaturally dark.

    It was as if the Sun had burnt out, transferring its raging inferno within me. Everything else soon followed suit.

    Like my flesh, the world I spent the past twenty-two years in was crumbling away toward obscurity.

    ''This is actually it. I''m dying...'' This was an event I always told myself I wanted. Ever since my second year of enlistment, I''ve wanted to escape this hell. But, now that I was finally at the pivotal moment, I couldn''t help but reflect on the naivety of my past.

    Those few years ago, I believed I''d die an admirable and heroic death, the kind that could end in the history books. I thought I''d die a death that gave meaning to my choices and principles. A death that proved my life meant something.

    ''Look at you now,'' I hopelessly smirked, the corners of my eyes twitching with a forlorn sting. ''You''ve sessfully wasted your life. Mission aplished!''

    Far from a memorable ending, I was doomed to die as a meaningless statistic.

    ''It''s fine, I''ll probably live on as a dusty file in some abandoned archive. What greater honor than that?'' I chuckled in sarcasm, but soon the emotion guing me broke free.

    A new pain welled up around my ckened eyes. It wasn''t born from cuts or burns. Instead, it came from deep within my heart.

    ''Dammit, shut up, you idiot!'' I mentally pped myself.

    I had to silence these kinds of dissenting thoughts. I couldn''t allow myself down that road. If I did, I wouldn''t be able to hold it back. ''The least I can do is die like a true soldier, free from regrets!''

    But I was toote¡­

    Thanks to my reflections, the one thought I figured I''d never consider became all I could think about. As it turned out, though I convinced myself I wanted death, it was a facade. A facade that stripped away like rust to a weathered pipe when the reaper finally confronted me.

    The irony of it was palpable, and a bitterugh escaped me as my tears burned off my ashen skin.

    ''I don''t want to die¡­.''

    ***

    I regained consciousness to see I was enveloped in darkness.

    ''Ugh... It''s so dark,'' I inwardly griped and tried opening my eyes. However, I soon discovered they weren''t ever closed.

    Shut eyelids didn''t block my vision; it was the ominous stare of the abyss.

    ''Ah...guess I''m dead.'' I didn''t feel any particr way with the realization; maybe the reality hadn''t yet sunk in.

    I wasn''t sure what to expect in the afterlife, but this hadn''t been anything like I hoped or dreaded. Instead of paradise or suffering, I was ripped from reality. I could only describe this experience as being set adrift in a waterless sea...alone.

    ''This might not be that bad,'' I sighed in relief. I''m sure the thought would''ve terrified anyone else, but floating through an empty void for eternity appealed to me.

    Compared to the throes of death, the rhythmic pping of gunfire, and the drone of active war machines, the sound of nothing was soul-soothing music. The kind that could lull a newborn baby to sleep.

    I closed my eyes, content with an eternity of darkened istion. Ironically, that eternity was short-lived; it was cut off by a hoarse voice.

    "-proaching¡­"

    The voice was faint like someone spoke to me from the other side of a very long tunnel.

    ''Is someone there?'' I tried to call out. However, though my mouth performed the motions, I produced no noise. Did I forget how to speak?

    The voice returned, this time sounding closer.

    "-epare¡­ ar¡­val¡­heroes."

    Abandoning a vocal response, I tried reaching out. That, too, ended in failure. I was halted by a twinge of sharpness within my chest. It began as a pinch, a minor difort. But, as time passed, the pinch became a throb, and the throb became a stab. Eventually, my body transformed into a vessel for the word "agony."

    My insides were stuck in an endless cycle. Like they were being carved apart and put back together with glue, over and over again. Even the sensation of being incinerated was dwarfed inparison.

    Minutes were hours as I writhed.

    ''Get it out of me¡­ GET IT OUT OF ME!!!'' I vigorously wed at my chest, seriously considering the possibility of tearing it out if it meant that the suffering would cease. I wholeheartedly believed I was on the verge of losing my sanity. Luckily, the suffering relented before that, leaving my near-broken mind intact.

    When the pain ceased, I nked out of consciousness. My body must''ve needed a factory reset after all of that. Unfortunately, relief would still be a far-gone sensation, considering that a cold pressure began coiling around my ankle.

    Swiveling my body towards it, I saw a vibrant green doorway of swirling light. The pressure tightened and dragged me toward the cryptic portal.

    ''Screw it, I''m too tired to struggle anymore. Besides, my fight is over,'' is what I thought with bottomless relief.

    Little did I know, I couldn''t have been more wrong. Wrong because this end was the beginning. The beginning of a decades long war that''d engulf a world in strife and tragedy.

    Little did I know¡­ I''d be dropped right in the middle of it.

 Chapter 2 A Beginning

    ?Hard limestone, a chorus of voices, and the scent of sweat and mold; all my senses flooded back. I hoisted myself up when that voice echoed throughout the room.

    "I wee you! Heroes!"

    I turned my body and appraised my surroundings to find the voice''s source. What came into view was a room filled with a shifting crowd. At least two dozen people were crammed within this small space, and each appeared as disoriented as I was.

    "Where are we?"

    "What''s going on?!"

    "Mom?! Dad?! Where are you?!"

    "What? Where?! What the f*ck?!"

    Various other lines of panicked confusion were spouted off and repeated within the room.

    If there were any hints why we were gathered here, you wouldn''t find them within the demographics of our group. The only trait we all shared appeared to be our Japanese ancestry, given the names being called out, at least.

    Aside from that, I could see students, office workers, bookworms, and athletes. Yet, despite this randomness, I stood out like a sore thumb. Unsurprisingly, military-gradebat gear was rare amongst the civilian popce.

    I moved my attention to the room itself. Discerning fine details about it was impossible; the room was poorly lit at best. It relied upon a few rudimentary torches to illuminate its walls. Despite that, I could still glean that we''d been left in some rustic, cer-like space.

    The walls were built from crudely cut, gray stone blocks and thick wooden support beams. Above and below was ayer of creaking wooden nks.

    Though the scenery was jarring, what captured my attention were the dancing yellow-red mes of the mounted torches. I tried to look away but couldn''t. I was ensnared by the fire.

    I instinctively moved a hand to my chest and grimaced. ''I died. I burned. I know I did! That''s what killed me!'' Seeing the exposed me, my heart constricted with a crippling tightness, and my gut was wracked with a queasy squirm. The sensation was so intense I had to clutch my hands over my mouth for fear of vomiting.

    I gasped rapidly for air while reliving the scene of my supposed death. It was unrelenting, so I staggered away, looking for any kind of safety. I sought shelter within the darkest corners of the room to regain myposure. Once wrapped in a shadow''s embrace, I recovered enough to investigate the situation further.

    What came next was standard with a soldier''s paranoia. ''Gotta calm down and look for exits,'' I thought, my breaths still shallow and sporadic.

    A n of action always came first, and it seemed any would be limited to a single wooden door on the opposite side of the room. Obstructing it were several cloaked figures, each focusing their attention on the unruly crowd.

    Gripped within their hands were strange, symmetrical objects. They weren''t guns, des, or weapons of any kind. Instead, they were¡­books?

    "What?" I questioned under my breath. I thought kidnappers would''ve been armed with more than just an arsenal of literature.

    Despite the figure''s initial greeting, none of my countrymen dared to respond. The air was still shackled in unease, so the best they managed was awkward staring. That is...until themanding voice of a young woman filled the room.

    "Heroes? What are you talking about? Where am I?! Is this some kind of cult?!" matching her every word were expressive hand gestures.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Based on her youthful appearance and mannerisms, I was confident the girl was in herte teens. Umon for her age, she had a ferocity in her voice that''d make toon instructors proud. Look-wise, she was just as mboyant. She boasted a pair of attractive eyes that shimmered a vibrant, golden amber and an equally golden tied-back ponytail. She was the color yellow personified.

    Though the young woman spearheaded the verbal charge, our group was anything but organized.

    Rather than an orderly questioning followed by civilized decision-making, the interrogation devolved into pure chaos. It became the norm for my countrymen to avoid questions altogether, resolving to hurl insults at the figures instead.

    "Pointless time wasting," I scowled. I wasn''t interested in haphazardly gleaning information during all that disorder, but I was grateful for it. Thanks to the distraction, I could check for the wounds I sumbed to a bit ago.

    I pressured the straps and heard a light snap. Once the buckles were undone, I shifted my vest and lifted my shirt to reveal my scar-ridden stomach. Setting aside that my incinerated gear was once again pristine, I was utterly shocked by what I saw...didn''t see on my body.

    I took my free hand and brushed my fingertips across my abs and chest. Though the skin was rough and calloused, a byproduct from four years'' worth of wounding, it wasn''t what I expected. There were no fresh stitches¡­no burned flesh. Only scars that had been long healed by the graces of time.

    ''My wounds¡­ they''re gone?!'' my rational mind was thrust in turmoil. Numerous questions red up, but now wasn''t the time for answers.

    I tried reasoning with myself to shelve my curiosity. ''Okay, as far as I can tell, I''m healthy. My wounds are gone, and my gear is in peak condition. If anything, that''s good and not something to question,'' I sighed and fixed my gear back into position. Once my vest was in ce, another rming reality struck me.

    ''My weapon¡­it''s gone too¡­'' Of course, it made sense, but I could onlypare the emptiness I felt to that of a husband missing his wife.

    You might say I was exaggerating, but that firearm was my will to live manifested. There were so many times when that gun saved my life or the lives of myrades, and it was gone. Without it, I was at risk of losing half of myself.

    As unsightly as it was for me to lose my cool, panic set in. Between my newfound pyrophobia, my missing wounds, and not having my weapon, it took everything I had to concentrate on the cloaked figures.

    ''Stay focused...'' I brought a hand to rub my forehead. ''Gotta keep focused.'' After some moments, I, again, cast my attention on the figures.

    ck hoods obscured their faces, the only exception being the revealed old man.

    Each had a holster with a ceremonial knife. Noticeably, the hilts were impractically ornamental, with various golden engravings that snaked across them. I also noticed the des were jaggedly curved like kukris. All of these facts meant that they were obnoxiously unfit forbat.

    I brought a hand to my mouth in contemtion. ''They have ck robes, ult books, AND cosy daggers?'' The prospect of them being members of a cult, like the young woman used, was bing more likely by the second.

    Though the barrage of questioning by our mob was still ongoing, the hostility ricocheted off of the old man and his allies. They stared at their verbal assailers with vacant expressions. Their faces mimicked that of disinterested parents as they waited for noisy toddlers to tucker themselves out.

    My countrymen soon fell silent again. That''s when the old man resolved to speak. "Many apologies, dear heroes," he crossed his arms behind his back, "I know you all must have many questions. I''m sad it isn''t within my authority to answer them, for I am merely a humble summoner."

    A few choice words caught my attention, but nothing was more jarring than his tone of voice and posture. Every bit of it felt empty and stale. He acted more akin to that of an advertiser than a jailor.

    The young woman scoffed and took to the spotlight again. "Forget apologies; at least tell us where we are! Surely that is ''within your authority!''"

    The old man performed an easing gesture. "I understand your frustration, Miss, but please calm down." The woman''s fury wasn''t quelled, so he sighed and continued. "I suppose I could exin the basics of the matter to you all."

 Chapter 3 Explanations

    ?The room fell quiet, despite being loud with anticipation.

    Many expressions, ranging from fear to intrigue, possessed my countrymen as they waited for his words. I, too, was maddeningly curious. However, unlike my countrymen, I kept my muscles rxed and my eyes focused.

    My exterior was the pr opposite of the storm of emotion brewing beneath my skin.

    The old man took a breath and threw his arms to either side, exaggerating a sense of excitement. "You, by which I mean all of you, have been selected as sacred warriors of humanity! Heroes!" His face became solemn, though I wasn''t sure it was genuine. "However, I''m sad that none of which I could say about your location would have any significant value to you."

    "And why the hell is that?!" an unfamiliar voice left the crowd. Dozens of others shouted, too, demanding the same answers.

    "Well," the old man raised his arms towards the ceiling, "it''s because you''re all in a new world!"

    ''A new world?'' I knocked on my ear twice, thinking I still had some fire lodged there.

    ''Did he im we weren''t on Earth just now. I must''ve misheard him.'' That''s the theory I went with because that was a ridiculous promation. He looked serious enough about it, but that would mean he was delusional rather than a simple liar.

    ''What would he stand to gain from such a barefaced lie? If they''re pulling a ruse, they should''ve picked a story,'' I scowled. I''ve never been one to enjoy being toyed with.

    Whatever it was, my wounds vanished for no logical reason. I also wondered if there was an exnation for the pain earlier.

    The crowd shared my skepticism; murmurs of unease and discontent erupted from them. Amongst them was the young woman. "Not¡­ in the same world?" she covered her mouth in shock. "What does that even mean?"

    "Why exactly as it sounds, Miss," the old man grinned. "From our past interactions, we''ve learned the heroes we summon are actually of another world!" Then, falling one of his bony fingers on us, he narrowed his eyes. "Your world."

    "T-That''s stupid!" the young woman swung her arm toward the old man. "You realize you''d have to prove that, right?! If we''re in another world, why can we understand you right now?!"

    Her challenge didn''t deter the old man. On the contrary, it appeared to excite him more. "Of course!" he performed the flourish of a bow. "But first, would you do me the honor of enlightening me about your name, Miss?"

    Her body shivered at his request. "W-What?" she took a step back in hesitation. "Why?"

    ''Yup, that''s the right reaction,'' I nodded to myself. If a delusional old man d in cosy asked for my name, I''d get some red gs too.

    "I''m simply curious," the old man replied. "Now, if you would indulge me¡­." he beckoned to her with his bony fingers, further adding to the creepiness of his request.

    A few moments passed as she considered it, pondering with a hand to her mouth. Several momentster, she nodded and rxed her shoulders, a sign her resolve was strengthened. "Fine, my name is Agawa Sayaka, alright? Now answer my question!"

    "Of course, Dear Hero! First, I''d like to state that summoning you all has three side effects." The old man raised a closed hand, lifting a finger with each new listing. "The ritual provides you with the ability of heroic interpretation. It allows you to understand speech patterns and meanings within any sophisticatednguage. Second, any item the spell perceives as a weapon is automatically discarded."

    ''Then...it really is gone...'' I sighed and my heart sank. New world or not, they disposed of my weapon. Would I really never hold that gun again?

    However, there was no time for grief. The old man''s body trembled with excitement at thest listing. "To answer the third, allow me to ask my own question."

    Impatience grew on Agawa''s face, but she held in any protest. Likewise, the rest of our group joined in her agitation. Yet not one uttered a syble against the old man''s evasion. On the contrary, they waited obediently for the old man''s following words.

    "Before you appeared in this room, you all experienced a pain originating from your chests, correct?" the old man smiled and gestured to his heart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Scattered gasps apanied by stunned expressions followed his inquiry. They all clearly knew what he''d been talking about. I, too, was anxious thinking they tinkered with my body. Although, I did feel a degree of relief knowing we might discover the reason for the pain. Phantom injuries were terrifying for people like me; you never knew how they might manifestter.

    "You bastard¡­" another from the crowd stepped forward. "What the hell did you do to us?! I''ll give you five seconds to convince me not to beat the answers I want out of you..." he flexed his fingers, echoing the sound of cracking knuckles throughout the room.

    He looked to be in his midte teens. I wouldn''t say he was a hopeful new member of society, though. His theme was very "punky" in nature. I could tell he was a hooligan between the column of earrings that pierced his right ear, torn jeans, and his baggy ck hoodie.

    "You misunderstand, Sir," the old man replied, "we simply performed a ritual to summon you. That pain you felt was your second heart awakening from dormancy. It was an unfortunate but minor side-effect."

    "MINOR?!" the punk yelled. "That ''side effect'' was way beyond minor! And a ''second heart,'' what the hell is that? You better make sense soon," he red with murderous intent, "restraint isn''t something I''m good at¡­"

    The punk''s threats weren''t adequate, given how the old man kept his calm demeanor. "It isn''t surprising you don''t understand what I''m speaking of. However, no unawareness will change that all living beings are born with the organ," he shook his head and sighed.

    "Ohhh," a smirk appeared on the punk''s face, "why don''t you tell us what this ''second heart'' does then? Given you''re such an expert and all."

    "As you wish, dear hero," the old man said with a bow. "You are aware of the functions of your normal heart, correct?"

    The punk impatiently nodded with a furrowed brow.

    "Wonderful!" the old man eximed with raised hands. "Well, your second heart acts the same way as your physical one. The difference is that it regtes the flow of mana rather than blood. It''s because of it that all creatures can produce extraordinary phenomena!"

    The punk grunted and crossed his arms behind his head. "...and? Even if I did believe you, what''s this got to do with the ''side effect''?"

    "It''s all straightforward, really," the old man shrugged. "Mana and what it''s metabolized from, Aether, seems tock form in your world, so your second heart had no need to materialize and thus remained dormant. That is, until now."

    The punk clicked his tongue and stomped forward, prompting the cloaked figures around the old man to ready themselves. "You''re pissing me off, old man!" he angrily swiped his arm. "I told you to start making sense, remember? What the hell was that pain?! Last chance!" he finished his threat by assuming a pouncing stance.

    ''Is a fight breaking out?'' I stepped away from the crowd, realizing that an opportunity might''ve been presenting itself. Mass confusion would no doubt follow if this punk attacked, and I could use the distraction to slip past the guards. I could escape wherever the h*ll this was.

    The old me might''ve joined the punk in fighting. He would''ve thought it the "noble" thing to do. But, after years in blood-soaked warzones and being sacrificed for a truckload of civilians, I felt I had done enough.

    ''I''m done being a meatshield,'' I scowled.

    However, there would be no chaos. Instead, the old man remained calm and tugged at his beard in contemtion. "Hmmm, how about I exin it with a metaphor?" the old man cocked his head to the side, pointing at his wrinkled ear. "Suppose a man is born deaf. Now imagine that just as the man gains his ability to hear, he''s subjected to the loudest sound possible. I imagine the man would be in quite a bit of pain! That''s essentially what happened to all of you."

    Most of the audience furrowed their brows in confusion, but the metaphor madeplete sense to me. Although that was only if what he said was true about the ''second heart.'' Like the rest of my countrymen, I was nowhere near convinced.

    "Mana? Aether? Second heart?" Agawaughed in frustration. "The more you talk, the less sense you make! By mana¡­you mean magic, right?" She took a deep breath, dramatically emphasizing what she said next. "Magic. Doesn''t. Exist! It''s FICTIONAL! Make believe! Even kids know this!"

    Nothing could spur the old man; he maintained hisposure even after being so belittled. "On the contrary, Dear Hero. In your world, magic may be vacant from daily life. But here," he grinned, "I assure you it''s quite real."

    Though he sounded friendly, his confidence only stoked Agawa''s irritation. "Then why don''t you prove it then?" she crossed her arms. "So far, you''ve just been talking. Let''s see you actually do something! If everything you''ve said is true, then you can perform some magic trick with the flick of your hand, right?"

    "Very well," he sighed, then handed the book he held to one of his associates. Finally, he donned a mischievous grin and outstretched his hands. "Watch closely now, you''re about to see something amazing¡­"

 Chapter 4 Magic...Exists

    ?With both palms empty, the old man raised one toward the ceiling, his eyes focused and intense. Suddenly, the space around us lit up with numerous sky-blue orbs of light. Each radiated a chilling energy.

    They zipped through the air and flowed like an endless stream toward his extended hand, forming a vortex as they traveled. Then, with a decisive swing, he released the energy in a single st of freezing wind.

    The once decrepit and dull room now shimmered with a thousand blue sparkles emitting from the frozen sheet that now nketed it. The sight captivated my countrymen as dozens of shocked gasps and awestruck expressions painted their faces.

    However, the ice had no time to settle as the old man gathered vibrant red orbs around his opposite hand. Then, with the same gesture as before, the room exploded in a torrent of me, purging the frost into steam.

    The mes roared past me, mming against each wall within the room. Naturally, this sowed terror into the hearts of my countrymen.

    "Oh god! What''s happening?!"

    "Help me!!!"

    "What the h*ll are you doing?!"

    "GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!"

    They were locked in a total hysteria fueled by the smothering mes. Yet, despite that, none panicked more so than I.

    My breathing became rapid while palpitations wracked my chest. The fear of being roasted alive again forced me to huddle over in terror. I''d acted more like a frightened child than a grizzled killer. I balled up and clutched my head, stuck in a cycle of shame andplete terror.

    A momentter, I noticed a fact that eluded me till now. ''It doesn''t...hurt?'' In fact, the fire appeared to actively avoid us. Despite the room''s hellish appearance, nobody, including myself, suffered any burns.

    "A-Am I¡­Okay?" I unlocked my body and appraised it to see not even a mark of damage. ''How is that possible?''

    Sadly, though I was uninjured, it did little tofort my psyche. My mind was entangled in a knot of panic, and my body was soaked in sweat. I tried steadying my shaking hands to hide my panic from the others, but the effort was in vain.

    "Calm down, man. Calm down. You''re okay," I mumbled this to myself between shallow breaths. That gluttonous inferno¡­ The odor of grilled flesh and bone... All of it was forever branded into me. All of it was something I''d never forget, no matter how much I wanted to.

    As thest fragment of ice receded and the fire faded, a young man in a beige high school uniform excitedly spoke in approval of the situation. His eyes were wide and his smile wider. There wasn''t anything particrly unique about him except his unkempt, fiery red hair.

    "I-I-I knew it! This is one of those things, right?! The thing where you get transported to another world as a hero?! Holy sh*t...this is awesome!" he leaped with joy.

    The old man made a grand gesture toward him. "Your enthusiasm is magnificent, Dear Hero! Yes, we''ve summoned you to defeat the King of Devils, Raum himself, and his legion of demons. What awaits you all is a new life full of adventure and wealth!"

    "Sounds like a scam," I grumbled. Because of that, my thoughts were equally divided in two. One side believed the old man''s spiel due to his magic trick; the other wrote him off as a senile crackpot with a knack for special effects.

    ''Aside from that, what did he say? Defeat the "King of Devils?" Is this supposed to be an RPG?'' I considered the possibility that I was dreaming and pinched myself. Ridiculous, I know, but so was the situation.

    Soon after, three more assembled around Red Hair. They piled together in a new clique and eagerly conversed amongst themselves. Momentster, the four nodded in agreement and turned toward the old man.

    "So¡­ What''s the n, old man?" Red Hair asked.

    "Of course, Dear Hero!" the old man eximed. "In anticipation of your arrival, the lord of this domain has nned a weing party to celebrate! It''s nned that any of your more plex'' questions be answered there."

    "A celebration?! Alright!" Red Hair became even giddier at the mention of a party.

    Given Red Hair''s approval, the old man and his associates drifted toward the exit. "To that end, my associates and I need to confirm the number of carriages required to transport you. Is that eptable?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes, yes, that sounds fantastic!" Red hair replied nonchntly and waved off the old man.

    The door groaned closed, followed by a loud clunk. With that, our captors left the room.

    The primary source of angst was gone, so a distinct wave of relief flooded my countrymen. After my countrymen''s numerous stressed sighs died down, the group surrounding Red Hair focused on us. Their expressions lit up with excitement as if they''d found a new toy to y with.

    They garnered our attention, and Red Hair introduced himself. "The name''s Tachibana Daisuke," he pointed his thumb towards himself, "nice to meet all of ya! My new friends and I have a good grasp of what''s happening. Follow our lead, and we''ll not only survive¡­ we''ll thrive!"

    A few seconds of silent deliberationter, most of the group nodded in agreement. It wasn''t long before they flocked towards Tachibana, chattering loudly.

    ''Idiots...'' I griped. ''He''s just a kid! Why would you follow him?'' I guess if someone was desperate enough, they''d follow anyone that promised safety.

    There were two exceptions though: Agawa and the punk from earlier. Like me, they watched the herding masses with contempt and disappointment.

    "Lemmings."

    "Idiots," I heard them simultaneously grumble.

    ''Well, I''m not one to let an opportunity go to waste,'' I smirked. With Tachibana as the center of attention, I was able to check the room''s exit.

    The door was of sturdy oak paired with iron reinforcement; markings of wear and tear suggested it hadn''t seen maintenance in many months, if not years. Even the iron handle and lock were wholly rusted on the surface. Yet, despite its poor condition, the door seemed too sturdy to break.

    ''Here goes something,'' I grabbed the handle and pulled, causing metallic brown shavings to rub off my skin. However, my efforts were in vain as the door refused to budge. Rather than swinging open, it opted to grind against the frame while I shook it.

    "Of course," I sighed.

    ''So much for the "hero" thing. We really must be captives,'' is what I thought, but I wasn''t disappointed. I had no doubt in my mind that was the case.

    I could''ve exerted more force, though that would''ve likely yielded a different oue than I wanted. If I put the handle under any more stress, I had no doubt I''d rip it clean off before making progress with the door itself.

    Attempting to break the door down was an option, albeit reckless. I opted not to, figuring it''d be better to stay safe and avoid rash decisions. Besides, impulsiveness wasn''t something I was known for. I always preferred careful nning to risky action for any problem.

    Upon my task''s conclusion, so was the "leader selection" event.

    "Back to the corner," I mumbled.

    I wasn''t fond of crowds and liked being the focus of one even less.

    Whenever arge gathering happened, I was always far away from it. I knew the fear was irrational, but crowds terrified me. I could never be sure what enemies might be lurking in the shadows.

    Silently, I inched back to my original position. "Almost back to obscurity-"

    "What about him? He''s clearly in the army," a girl pointed at me. "Wouldn''t he be the most qualified as a leader?"

    "...or not," I grumbled.

 Chapter 5 Social Pressure

    ?The room became still as I fell under the analyzing gaze created by dozens of eyes.

    I would have liked to avoid being involved in something asplicated as social politics. Sadly, with this atmosphere, I had little choice.

    Tachibana noticed me, then sauntered up to meet me. "Huh, so you do look like you''re in the military... Who are you, then?"

    The level of informality astonished me. Maybe I was too used to military practices, but I couldn''t remember being addressed sockadaisically.

    ''No respect, huh?'' I''ll admit it irritated me a bit, but not to the point I let it show on my face.

    Moving on, despite my irritation, I performed a formal soldier''s greeting just as I''d been taught. It wasn''t a choice but an automatic reaction from years of service.

    I straightened my back, slid my boots together, and saluted. "A Sergeant of the 31st forward toon and a member of the Armored Deployment Corps. Sato Katsuro of the Japanese Military!"

    "Woah," Tachibana stepped back, "so you guys talk like that?" For a moment, he only stared at me before resuming. "Well, whatever," he shrugged, "so¡­do you think you''re up to the task? That you can take charge of our merry band of heroes?"

    After everything I''d been through these four years, I wasn''t interested in leading anyone anymore, even more so after how myst mission ended. Unless a superior ordered it, I had no obligation to protect, or even help these people.

    "I need orders first," I responded tly.

    "I see," he scratched his neck, "that didn''t really answer my question¡­ Okay, I''ll be more specific: Are you willing to lead us?" he nodded toward the crowd of curious spectators within the room.

    ''Did he not get it? Was I vague?'' I always struggled with amunication gap when speaking to civilians. ''I guess I need to be more direct.''

    "I only perform tasks when ordered by a superior," I made straight eye contact and left nothing to interpretation.

    His face became apparent with impatience, and his shoulders tensed up. "So, you''re saying you don''t intend to lead us then?"

    ''This kid¡­'' my eye twitched with irritation. He knew I didn''t intend to lead, but he wasn''t asking out of curiosity. It was painfully evident he was trying to knock out a potential rival, like a regr politician, by getting an unambiguous deration of surrender.

    ''Fine,'' I relented, ''I''ll give him what he wants.''

    I folded my arms behind my back, straightened my posture and spoke with a loud tone. "That''s right, Tachibana. I don''t intend to lead this group." I never got along with political types, so avoiding this kid would be in both our interests.

    "Sounds good!" Tachibana stered an idiotic smile on his face and turned from me. Then, gleefully skipped back toward the others. "Welp, you heard the man, folks! Unless there''s anyone else that would like to throw their hat into the ring, we should get goi-"

    Interrupting Tachibana''s deration, the punk stomped his foot on the floor. "This is stupid! Like I''d let some brat tell me what to do! You all can y politics if you want," he pointed to the door, "but I''m leaving."

    ''That''s the way!'' I smiled slightly. It was nice to see someone else sharing my opinion.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Brat?!" Tachibana eximed. "Who do you think you are?!" he flexed his arms for a fight.

    A violent smirk containing what could only be described as ded fangs appeared on the punk''s face. Then, uncannily, he arched his neck and turned toward Tachibana. "I''m Takagi Akio, and I''m getting the hell out of this moldy prison. Get in my way," he made a slicing gesture with a finger across his neck, "and I''ll kill you."

    Unsurprisingly, that threat was enough for the overconfident Tachibana to back down and make himself small. The sight resembled a fussy Pomeranian cowering after angering a grizzled Doberman.

    ''All bark and no bite, huh?'' I chuckled inside.

    It seemed like someone else enjoyed it as well, especially Agawa, the girl behind me. I could hear her snickering and then muttering, "Behold, our valiant leader."

    Takagi then walked forward, making me the next hindrance he needed to address. "Move" were his only words to me.

    There was no way this kid could break it, and even if he could, I wouldn''t want him antagonizing our captors, so I tried talking him out of it. "The door is locked, and exceptionally sturdy. Attempting to force it wouldn''t end well without proper nning."

    "It doesn''t matter¡­ move," his eyes were fixed on me with growing intensity.

    ''Civilians frustrate me,'' I sighed wearily. ''They just don''t listen¡­''

    Following orders made by civilians wasn''t a habit of mine, but I figured it''d be better to let him learn from his mistakes. He wouldn''t break the door, so the worst oue was he minorly hurt himself.

    I stepped aside, prompting Takagi to continue his stroll to the immobile obstacle. Another beast-like grin appeared on his face as he lifted his right leg.

    It was a very untrained and reckless way to break down anything, let alone a reinforced door. Without support, he''d kick it, the door won''t budge, and all the force he exerted will reflect back on him.

    ''Maybe he''ll learn to listen,'' I smirked and crossed my arms.

    But that''s when he started glowing!

    Small orbs of green energy gathered in a spiral around his leg, their luminescence reflecting off every wall. The light dwarfed the torches in both radiance and size, blinding everyone.

    I had no choice but to avert my gaze too.

    The light vanished when I looked away, taking the door with it. No, the door didn''t disappear¡­this guy sent it barreling down the hallway! The sound of wood fracturing against stone proved that.

    Once the dust cleared, I was met by Takagi''s arrogant smirk as he stared me down. There were no words exchanged. But I definitely heard the phrase, "I told you."

 Chapter 6 Summoning Spire

    ?Roughly half an hour passed since we exited our imprisonment.

    I knew these people were just liabilities, so I tried to break away and find my own path.

    Years ago, back when I believed in the existence of "heroes," I might''ve been different. I might''ve paved the way for them and guided them through danger. However, I was no longer that naive. Now it was survival of the fittest, and you could be d*mn sure I''d be the fittest.

    Sadly, my ns fell apart. The second I slipped away, the crowd, including our self-proimed leader, Tachibana, followed me like flies to a trash heap.

    I turned back to see their stupidly hopeful grins as they clung to my every movement. "Frustrating¡­" I griped but made no effort to cast them aside. I had to focus on the task at hand: escaping.

    The task proved difficult as the hallways were abyrinth of doors and curves. There were no maps, blueprints, or floorns, so my only option was to pick routes at random in the hopes one would lead outside.

    Soon after we broke out, Takagi''s feat became the talk of the town.

    At first, he was less than willing to answer any questions about what he did, even after he was approached by every other person. However, probably because of the constant pestering, he cracked and exined his "process."

    To the disappointment of my countrymen, his exnation was very "instinctual." Uttered sound effects aside, it amounted to how he felt a strength welling up within his chest as his desire to escape grew stronger.

    Tachibana used him of using "magic," but Takagi wholeheartedly denied it.

    Magic or not, there was no doubt what Takagi and the old man did was simr. The orbs of light were too close in likeness for that to be disputed.

    Immediately after Takagi stopped boasting about his physical strength, we ran into another door. Though it appeared simr to the previous one, its stature was farrger and more imposing.

    Takagi smugly said, "heh, guess I get to break another," while I reached for the door handle. As it turned out, it was already unlocked, much to Takagi''s disappointment. However, the door required some elbow grease to open.

    The handle was useless, so I ttened my palms onto the grooved wood and strained my muscles, pushing with all my might. Even that was barely enough, but the door soon groaned open with squealing hinges.

    I wanted to be quieter about our exit since we had no idea if any enemies lurked outside, but nothing could be done.

    It twisted inside its hinges until we felt the warm embrace of thete afternoon Sun.

    We stepped outside and stopped to take note of our surroundings.

    One could hear the buzzing of local insects, and the air held a sweet pine scent as it breezed past. Considering the cozy warm temperature, I had to imagine it was summer. Which was puzzling since it was supposed to be mid-November.

    Wherever we were, it wasn''t remotely close to matching a tropical description, so the high temperatures for winter were unnatural.

    Odd weather aside, one thing captivated my countrymen''s and my interest more than any other; the primevalndscape.

    There were no cities, no cars, not even pavement. The very word "modern life" was a fictional concept. As far as the eye could see, there was only the wildness of nature.

    ''Another world¡­huh,'' I brought a hand to my chin. ''It might actually be true.''

    Our sightseeing was cut short when we spotted several hooded figures. Likewise, they spotted us.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They turned and began a steady approach, forcing my group to merge tighter for strength in numbers. As my countrymen tightened formation, I was sifted to the front, like oil on water.

    ''Cowards,'' I cursed them inwardly. If I could, I wanted to avoid fighting. Though I was used to taking the lives of others, it wasn''t exactly something I enjoyed. Still, I was ready to put these cultists in body bags if I had to.

    The central figure lowered his hood to reveal himself; it was the old man.

    "Oh, hello, Dear Heroes! We were just about to fetch you since the carriages finally arrived," he gestured toward several ck wooden transports on crude wheels drawn by horses.

    ''Wagons...'' I stopped to gawk in surprise. ''These people are actually using...wagons...''

    On the surface of each were strange, ult-looking runes. They didn''t look to be of anynguage I could identify, but I could tell they were more than just juvenile scribbles.

    The old man tilted his head and continued. "Might I ask how you all left that room? I was sure I had my associates secure the door for your safety."

    The first to respond was Agawa. She crossed her arms beneath her chest and snapped. "Our safety, huh? How does locking us up make us safe?"

    The old man sped his hands together and smiled. "I''m d that you should ask, Ms. Agawa!" he gestured towards the tower. "You see, this is known as a ''Summoning Spire.'' It''s a ce where we summon heroes such as yourselves. Unfortunately, some would seek to harm you, so we need to guard it tightly. If one of you were to be seen unattended outside," he started hoarsely chuckling, "your very guards would probably think that you''re an enemy and attack you!"

    "Ohhh," Takagi spoke with interest, "in that case, you locked us in there for the guards'' safety, then? Because I wouldn''t want to see what remains of the person that tried to take me on. After all," he flexed his leg, "I busted down that prized door of yours."

    I brought a hand to my forehead and grumbled, "Idiot." These people were our captors, thest thing you wanted to do was let them know you could be a problem.

    Luckily for Takagi, the old man remained docile. "I see; so you broke out?" he curiously studied Takagi. "In that case, yes, I suppose it would''ve been for their safety!" heughed with fictitious cheer.

    "Well, in any case, you''re all just in time! The carriages have all been prepared to travel to the lord''s manor. Now, if you''d all help yourselves to whichever seating most pleases you, we can be off!" he ushered us toward the carriages.

    Despite his request, my countrymen remained rooted to the ground. They nervously chattered amongst themselves, unsure if trusting the old man was wise.

    After ncing back at him, I was unsure if we even had a choice. He was friendly, but the feeling of coercion was unmistakable. I was proven right when a few dozen guards appeared and started pressuring my countrymen to the carriages.

    One didn''t need pushing, likely to recover his shattered image after the run-in with Takagi. Tachibana and his three followers took the lead and snapped up the lead carriage.

    They stepped up on a pair of retractable stairs and entered while excitedly talking about "what an opportunity this was."

    I almost felt envious of Tachibana''s innocent and youthful enthusiasm.

    There was a time when I looked at the world in wonder, too, though that time was long gone. Despite only being in my twenties, I felt like a frail old man in terms of spirit.

    Especially after seeing the guards, I considered running. I wanted to feignpliance, then slip away at the most opportune time. However, the vignt gaze of several armored soldiers weighed heavy on my back.

    ''Guess I''m not going anywhere, for now,'' I sighed.

 Chapter 7 A Leisurely Ride

    ?Knowing there was nowhere to run, I chose the back-most carriage. Between all of them, nning an escape would be the easiest in the back. Soon after I approached it, Agawa and Takagi followed me.

    I stepped inside to see a luxurious spread. The seating was lined with red velvet cushioning with golden thread. A single silver hook dangled from the roof, presumably for antern.

    I checked the ss within the windows. Depending on their toughness, I''d either be able to rx or be stuck in a constant state of anxiety.

    ''Well, so long as it isn''t too brittle, I can make do,'' is what I thought as I reached a hand to the windowsills. But, my hand phased straight through. Confused, I tried another window, then another¡­then another.

    The realization hit hard like a bombshell. ''There isn''t a shard of ss in this deathtrap!'' Again, my mind ran wild with all the possibilities of an ambush. The thought of being sniped through an open window turned my heart into a jackhammer as it pounded against my chest.

    I sat down and tried to hide my emotions but still broke into a nervous sweat.

    ''What about IEDs?'' At this point, I''d seen enough of them to put a national-level fireworks disy to shame. So riding in an unarmored and ssless stagecoach set me on edge.

    Then my dread was interrupted by a warm sensation on the back of my hand.

    "Are you okay?" Agawa asked with a concerned expression.

    "Yeah," I calmed myself, "I''m fine, thanks."

    Though her look of concern was still there, she gently removed her hand from mine and gave a subtle smile. "That''s good."

    I tried to smile back, but the best I managed was a pitifully bent grin that reeked of insecurity.

    Our final ridingpanion hadn''t made a name for himself, even though he was dressed mboyantly. As he stepped in, I sensed an overwhelming aura of "shrewdness" from his very being.

    He was immactely suited, with his entire outfit clear of any visible wrinkles, tears, or blemishes. Considering his attire, you''d think he walked straight out of a men''s clothing catalog. In addition to his suit, his eyes were concealed behind a pair of razor-thin, grey-rimmed sunsses, and his hair ran slick with dried gel.

    He remained quiet but broke the silence as the carts pulled forward, almost as if waiting for our escape to be sealed. "How do you do, you three? I''m afraid I know of all your names from earlier, yet you''re still unaware of mine," he paused and gave a sharp smile. "My name is Kamida Gin, and I''m in the business of lending funds to those who need them...unofficially."

    "So, you''re a loan shark," Agawa asserted.

    Kamida sighed to himself and ran a hand through his hair. "I find that term to be so biased, Miss Agawa. If you don''t mind, I''d prefer to be called an ''unofficial financier.''"

    Agawa tilted her head. "Do you admit to being a loan shark, then?"

    "I''ll admit to being an unofficial financier," he replied with a sly grin.

    Agawa responded with a roll of her eyes and turned away to watch the passing outdoors. She cradled her head above her hands over the windowless sill.

    My unease about theck of ss flickered out like an expended lightbulb when I watched too. Rather than anxiety, I felt awe while I gaped at the beauty of nature.

    What stretched before me wasn''t a polluted and death-ridden wastnd. There weren''t hopelessly decayed towns or gruesome mass burial sites. Instead, I was greeted by a verdant green that stretched as far as the eye could see.

    Spreading across the open fields of overgrowth were snaking, crystal-blue rivers that reflected pirs of light back into the sky. Over them was a cohort of uncorrupted, snow-capped mountain ranges.

    Seeing such a beautiful disy of nature that hadn''t been corrupted by the grips of humanity, I was in awe.

    More than that. I was...humbled.

    "This ''other world'' business," Kamida shattered my trance, "It''s pretty strange, isn''t it? I must confess... I don''t believe it myself. Though, after that disy, it''s hard to argue. I mean," he grabbed his forehead andughed, "who knew that MAGIC could exist?!"

    "Are you idiotic?" Takagi insulted. "Haven''t you ever heard of special effects? That stuff was obviously fake."

    "Not that I''m convinced," Agawa interrupted, "but it''s amazing you, of all people, can say that. Considering what you did to that door, I thought you''d be the first to believe it."

    Takagi looked at Agawa nkly. "That? That was just my natural strength," he immaturely flexed.

    "Huh?!" Agawa eximed. "How can you think that?! Even ignoring the kick, how would you exin the light that spiraled into your leg?!"

    ''She makes a fair point,'' I thought. I knew better than anyone the door was too bulky to be broken by a kick. Even a breaching tool would take more than a few swings, yet this guy tossed it through the air with a single strike? There was strong, then there was impossible. What he did was thetter.

    "I''m just superhuman," Takagi taunted, "you don''t need to get jealous."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Agawa wasn''t amused. She pointed at Takagi and sneered, "You aren''t superhuman; you''re super-egotistic! Get over yourself!"

    "Huh, so you wanna fight, is that it? I''ll knock your head in," Takagi leaned forward and cracked his knuckles.

    ''Such pointless fighting,'' I scowled. It was tedious, but I''d have to break up the petty squabbles between them. I couldn''t allow them to fight, mainly because they could draw unnecessary attention to our carriage if it escted.

    I began to speak in protest when Kamida beat me to the punch. "Why the hostility between you two? We should be exchanging pleasantries, not violence. After all, that''s what friends do!"

    Kamida''s interjection was not well received, at least by Takagi. Akin to a malfunctioning missile, he instantly changed course. "Ohhh¡­and when exactly did I say I''d be your friend, Con-mida?"

    Say what you will; the pun was impressive. Even more so considering the creator. Takagi may have looked like a run-of-the-mill delinquent and acted like one, but he even had a sharp tongue to boot.

    ''The guy must have a lot of enemies,'' I chuckled inwardly.

    "Aww, please don''t say that, Mr. Takagi. You know it never hurts to have more friends. Even for the strong few that can handle themselves," Kamida gestured to Takagi''s legs, "it''s always wise to have a few people to rely on."

    "Sure, sure. Friends might not hurt, but a sketchy dude in a suit definitely could!" Takagi scoffed back.

    Kamida''s lips curved to form a wry smile. "I suppose you may be right, Mr. Takagi," Kamida sped his hands and grinned, "I look forward to earning your trust in the future!"

    Amazingly, Kamida''s confidence was as impable as his suit. I witnessed him dousing Takagi''s turbulent fire of hostility with a flood of overwhelming friendliness. With that level of charisma, if he ever tried selling me something, I''d have to tactically retreat before I ended up bankrupt.

    Takagi scowled and retreated from the conversation. Then, like Agawa, his gaze became fixated on the untamed wilderness.

    Not pushing his victory, Kamida then turned to me. "And? How about you, Mr. Sato?"

    I took a breath and exhaled in preparation. I''d need to be careful to not get swept up by his words.

    "What can I do for you, Sir?" I hoped he wouldn''t try any mind tricks on me.

    He reciprocated my question with his best salesman grin. "Would you be pleased if you and I were to share a friendship, Mr. Sato?"

    I didn''t detect malice behind his words, though I knew this type of person tended to be troublesome. ''Should I really let myself be involved?'' On the other hand, he could be more of an issue if I refused him.

    I weighed my options, and, in the end, the route of least resistance would also be the route of the least headache. Seeing his charisma and aggressive friendliness in action, I don''t think I could''ve refused anyway.

    "That''s fine, Sir, so long as we survive."

    He became luminous with joy and smiled. "Splendid! I''d expect no less from a man who has served; you''re very practical! So," he leaned toward me, "how long have you been enlisted? If you don''t mind my asking, that is."

    Instant regret followed my decision to ept. Now that we were "friends," would he start grilling me for personal information? The guy was a loan¡­unofficial financier, after all. Attempts at extracting that stuff must''vee naturally to him.

    About to answer a t "no," I felt two extra pairs of eyes beaming at me.

    It wasn''t just Kamida''s attention on me, but also Agawa''s and Takagi''s. I never knew being in the military was such a fascinating topic. It was hard to refuse when I''d been burdened by so much social pressure.

    "Since the Japanese military was reformed," I replied.

    "I see." Kamida interlocked his hands. "Four years, huh? You must have quite a bit of battle experience under your belt, then."

    Years of brutality haunted my mind. There were bodies piled as high as mountains, weeping families that could fill a river with tears, and towns ttened by artillery barrages, never to be rebuilt again. But above all, the screams were what affected me most.

    "Yeah, I suppose I do¡­" I wasn''t giddy with this conversation topic. Even my false grin twitched with genuine irritation. More than irritation, I was furious with myself that I didn''t refuse his questions in the first ce.

    Kamida must''ve caught my unease because his retreat was swift and efficient. "Oh, pardon my manners. I realize this must be a sensitive topic for you. We can leave it at that if you wish."

    "If you wouldn''t mind," I replied in relief. "War isn''t exactly one of my ideal conversation pieces." I was thankful this guy knew when he''d pushed his luck.

    "Of course, and again, please pardon my curiosity." Kamida apologized and fell back into his seat.

    The following minutes were bound to a conversational standstill, allowing me to enjoy the natural scenery outside. It was then I noticed an rming sight.

 Chapter 8 ...Or Not

    ?After I turned to the outdoors, I noticed there now patrolled two to three men on horseback while wearing rudimentary armor on either side of the carriage. Apanying the crude gear, they wielded identical swords and bows.

    "That''s new," Kamida said, pointing to our new guards.

    Noticing what Kamida referred to, Takagi replied, "it doesn''t matter how many bugs they send; I''ll squash ''em all!"

    Agawa turned her head and taunted Takagi. "You know, nobody will like you if all you do is start fights..."

    "Fine with me. I don''t make friends with bugs anyway," he said with bared fangs.

    Takagi''s narcissism aside, the presence of the new soldiers concerned me.

    A changing of the guard was definitely standard for any operation, but a reinforcing of it? That was a red g anyone could recognize.

    Typically, anymander worth their salt would reserve excess forces to preserve their strength. If they were deployed now, theirmander was foolish¡­or something was expected to happen.

    Checking our surroundings, I failed to notice anything out of the ordinary.

    The tree line was clear, except for the asional woond critter. Behind us was a free stretch of empty gravel road, and in front of us was¡­

    Next, I saw a glint of sunlight as it reflected off a lone projectile.mIt whizzed past our carriage, cutting through the air with absolute precision. An instantter, the arrow found its mark in a rear line guard''s neck.

    "Guhh," he cried out. An explosion of blood spurted from him as he fell from his screaming horse.

    I traced the arrow''s trajectory and confirmed my suspicions.

    "TO ARMS! Bandits on the cliff sides straight ahead!" a shout apanied by the rm of a ringing bell came from the lead carriage.

    Suddenly, the once peaceful atmosphere of the forest was reced by war cries and the throes of death. On either side of us, our protectors desperately sought any cover.

    After finding their shields, our defenders loosed a volley of arrows toward the bandits.

    I peered cautiously out the carriage''s front-facing window to see twenty, no thirty assants lining the jagged cliffs surrounding the road. Each wielded primitive longbows and sprayed arrows at our convoy.

    Our guards'' fearful expressions. The overwhelming odds stacked against them; it was an all too familiar scenario for me. It was the same for my subordinates and I on ourst mission.

    I could''ve bolted out from the carriage. I could''ve run out to aid the dying soldiers in any way I could, but I had no responsibility to. Without any orders, my only duty was to myself.

    ''I already died once; there''s no way I''ll let it happen again so easily! Still¡­'' I looked out to see a dying man groaning in pain. Below him was a growing pool of crimson. ''I''m sorry.'' As much as I hated seeing men sacrificed in a losing battle, it wasn''t my ce to try being their "hero."

    The sound of frantic whipping echoed from the rock walls surrounding us. Then, right on cue, the carriages elerated to breakneck speed. The few guards left standing defended us with longbows and crossbows while returning to whichever horses were left alive.

    While passing by one of the attackers, I heard an rming phrase. "Death to the Devil King''s dogs! Death to Kirina d!"

    I locked eyes with the shouting bandit; it was a ck-cloaked woman wielding a bow and a makeshift banner.

    The banner itself was oddly nostalgic. Lining its frayed cloth edges was a border of red dye. Streaks then converged inward to form a crimson Sun. Though it had minor differences, there was no mistaking it.

    ''That''s Japan!'' I thought with widened eyes. There was no doubt that the g signified my homnd.

    The woman fixed her gaze on me; she motioned her mouth and silently uttered a word. A word that concerned me more than her previous phrase. I was never good at reading lips, so I couldn''t be sure of what was said. But, what I thought she told me to do was "run."

    As she finished, I saw a sh of bright purple light appear before us. Soon after, a thunderous p shook the ground as the light exploded into an arc of blue electricity.

    The fractal arms split and pummeled the cliffs, emitting an ear-grating buzzing noise. The force of the electricity was so destructive it forced the attackers to retreat from the cliffsides. The impact of the lightning fractured the earth, creating a thin smokescreen of dust and pulverized rock.

    Despite the fantastic scene, I focused more on the woman bandit, specifically what she said.

    ''Why would a bandit, attacking us, tell me to run? Why were they waving a banner depicting Japan? Wasn''t this supposed to be a new world?'' I had many questions, but the heat of battle wasn''t patient. I''d have no time to gather answers.

    "What the hell is happening?!" Agawa panicked, huddling over from the windows.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Her frantic words propelled me into action. "Just get down and stay down!" I shouted. "And make yourself as small as possible!"

    Kamida and Agawa followed my instruction and dropped to what little floor we had. Though cramped, they scrunched up with their hands and knees tucked into their bellies.

    Takagi, on the other hand, only scoffed at me. "Hah, this is nothing. Getting scared-"

    My veins boiled with anger and throbbed against my skin. "You think this is a joke?! Get the f*ck down!" I was tired of dealing with civilian idiocy.

    Again he brushed off mymands. This time, he condescendingly mocked and waved me off.

    My irritation peaked when, in my peripheral vision, I saw a rogue arrow flying for our wagon. Based on its course, it was on a direct collision course with Takagi''s head!

    ''God d*mmit!'' I was out of time and long out of patience. So I grappled Takagi, paying no mind to his thrashing andints, and dragged him to the floor. Holding him was no easy task, but I refused to let his foolish bravado get him killed.

    We huddled over the dusty floor while waiting for the projectile to fly through.

    We waited...and waited¡­and waited, but the snapping of an arrow breaking upon contact with the carriage never came. Even so, we ally there, hugging the bottom of the carriage.

    About ten minutester, a voice ahead shouted, "all clear," and slowed our carriages back to a reasonable trot.

    ''We''re¡­in the clear?'' I turned my gaze upward to see the missing projectile. It was suspended in midair, halfway through the carriage''s windowless sill. Around its shaft flickered a blue-green light barrier. It rapidly shed like static where the arrow was piercing it.

    Though locked in ce, the arrow trembled violently from the friction.

    I got up to study it, cautiously, of course. But, before I could, itunched from the barrier and spun off in the opposite direction. While spiraling backward, the arrow caught on various pieces of foliage, creating differently pitched cracking noises. Eventually, it disappeared far from sight into the darkness of the forest beyond.

    I again pushed a t palm toward the windowless sill; this time, I was repelled backward. Like a ma of opposite prity.

    "What the h*ll?" I muttered, confused. "What kind of tech is this?"

    Even in my modern world, I''d never seen anything like this. I''ve seen thetest in military advancement, but never an activated barrier with no physical structure. ''Maybe it''s magic,'' I thought, torn between sarcasm and genuine belief.

    Takagi picked himself up from the floor, staring daggers at me. Surprisingly, he didn''t say a word. Instead, he took his seat and averted his eyes outside.

    Kamida and Agawa soon followed us and returned to their seats.

    "That was an ordeal," Kamida said, patting himself down to brush the dust from his suit.

    Agawa sighed wearily. "It was more than an ordeal! Bandits? Are you kidding me? I just... I just want to go home," she whined, cradling her head in her arms.

    While banter andints ensued between them, I was stuck contemting that bandit''s words. "The Devil King''s dogs," was she referring to us?

    ''If what the old man said was true, anything "demon" is our enemy. So, why were we being targeted by people allegedly on our side? Why the hell did they have a Japanese g?! There was also what the bow-woman said¡­.''

    Considering those questions, I was pointed to a distinct possibility. The possibility they weren''t bandits at all. Something was very wrong here. Something was being hidden from us.

    Every safety rm within my body red incessantly due to the bandit''s warning and after the attack, the guards for our caravan dwindled to a mere third of their original number.

    Since they had be so few in number, I considered the possibility of bursting from the carriage and neutralizing any that''d stop my escape.

    Sadly, their weakening didn''t change the fact that I''d never survive in the open wilderness. Even with my training, with no food, water, weapons, or even any idea of where I was, running was guaranteed to end up in disaster.

    I was stuck. Despite knowing I should leave, there was no way I could. I had to y along with whatever these cultists wanted for now.

    ''Guess I have no choice,'' I sighed and rxed my body into my seat.

    After that, we all retreated into our respective minds to dwell on what had happened. What else did the future have in store for us, I wonder?

 Chapter 9 A Heroes Welcome

    ?Finally, after miles of untamed wilderness, a town came into view. Seeing a bastion of civilization, especially after what happened, lifted my countrymen''s spirits from despair to cautious optimism.

    Mypanions all released sighs of relief at the sight of potential safety. I, on the other hand, couldn''t be at ease. My gut churned with angst, and my mind was a tangled knot of escape strategies and dread for what was toe.

    Though I felt something off, I was powerless to resist. The feeling was akin to being tied to a cinderblock and thrown into deep water. I knew I should cut myself loose, but I had no choice but sink and suffocate in the seas of the unknown.

    However, the town''s appearance changed things.

    ''Okay, I can slip away here.'' Although it was enemy territory, a town meant I could pilfer supplies before escaping. I could arm myself up and be ready for whatever the wilderness had in store.

    Maybe it was just the time of day, but the town radiated light. Reflecting off the shingled rooftops were rays from the evening Sun that colored the city with a vibrant orange tinge.

    The most notable detail was a battered stone wall encasing the town. Lining it were crions fixed with oil pots and trebuchets. The corners were even more impressive since each contained a buttressing-supported tower.

    ''Why is everything so¡­medieval, here?'' I furrowed my brow. It was a shock, considering the modernized world I was used to.

    There was a dingy stone tower, carriages, crude weaponry, a rustic town, the primevalndscape, and even ''magic.'' Such things being so widespread within reality seemed impossible at best.

    I''m unsure if it would be ssified as remaining logical or stuck in irrational denial. However, I still couldn''t believe we''d been transported to a new world. Considering it myself, it was probably thetter. Could you me me, though? Something so absurd actually happening wasn''t scientifically possible.

    On the far side of the town, the wall stretched around what looked to be a total misuse of taxpayer funds. By that, I meant there was a massive mansion that dwarfed everything in size. It was so disproportionate you''d think the vige houses were meant for dogs rather than people.

    ''Looks like there''ll always be those with more wealth than they can manage,'' the conclusion irritated me to my core. I''ve seen countless viges rocked by starvation in my travels. Meanwhile, I''ll bet those that resided in the manor threw food away by the bucketful because it was improperly seasoned.

    "Privileged b*st*rds," I growled under my breath, but not loud enough for anyone to notice.

    "Ah! That must be the lord''s manor," Kamida proimed, pointing towards the structural titan.

    "It reeks of narcissism," Agawa said tly.

    Cracking his knuckles, Takagi replied, "whatever it is, it''d be best for the sake of whoever lives there if they don''t try to lock me up again."

    Kamida''s eyes and mouth widened in excitement. He almost leaped from his seat as he gestured to Takagi and me. "Ah yes, I''m d I chose this carriage to ride!" He clenched his fist and held it up toward the ceiling. "Between you and Mr. Sato, we could take on the world if only given a chance!"

    I appreciated the sentiment but wished Kamida wasn''t so dramatic about it. Taking on the world was terrifying, and his nonchntly suggesting it made it even more so. ''Civilians...'' I shook my head. The things they could say with smiles on their faces disturbed me sometimes.

    We grew closer to the gates, giving me a better look at what kind of security and atmosphere I should expect. Aside from the numerous guards at the entrance, I couldn''t help but notice theck of townspeople.

    ''I''ve seen war-ravaged ghost towns that were livelier than this.'' Though it was evening, I''d still expect a town of this size to have one or two citizens walking the streets. But there wasn''t a man, woman, or child in sight.

    I gained a better perspective of the streets and alleyways after we passed inside.

    Like everything else, the buildings were very archaic in nature. Despite being astoundinglypacted on street level, each structure stretched abnormally high vertically. The consecutive floors jutted forward slightly more than thest. The hanging edges were supported by a series of diagonal wooden pirs.

    "Hey, look at that." Agawa signaled, pointing towards a building adorned with a redwood cross.

    stering the structure''s walls were tworge bay windows on ground level. Beyond them was a disy showcasing arge variety of bottles and a child with a look of mncholic dejection.

    His sullen expression entirely differed from the reception I expected. It wasn''t long before we noticed other townsfolk. All were eyeing us cautiously from within their homes with simr reactions to the child.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "So much for the weing celebration, I was promised!" Takagi pouted. "Weren''t we supposed to be saviors to these people? So why are they looking at us like we''re the invaders?" he crossed his arms and legs in a fit. "Ungrateful bastards."

    This feeling was actually nostalgic to me. It was expected that the people you fought to protect would fear the conflict that came from supporting you. There were very few viges where I was stationed that weed the presence of soldiers. It couldn''t be helped.

    After encountering more vigers, I soon realized their expressions weren''t what I initially assumed.

    Their stares weren''t out of hatred or terror. They weren''t silently telling us to leave or projecting an aura of intimidation. Rather, they almost seemed to pity us, like they were apologizing for a crime not yetmitted.

    "I''m not sure. They almost seem afraid," Agawa said solemnly. "No, not afraid¡­Sad¡­ They seem sad to see us."

    Kamida interlocked his hands over hisp. "You may be right, Ms. Agawa. The unease I sense from these people isn''t unlike those that couldn''t pay their debts. They''re expressions of guilt."

    Roughly ten minutes passed while we endured the stares from dozens of townsfolk. The air was so thick with tension I half expected a missile to fly out and strike us. Thankfully, a missile never came. We made it to the inner gates of the city unscathed.

    Now in the mansion''s courtyard, nothing barred us from seeing it in all of its recklessly rich glory. Judging by the rows of windows, at least six floors were stacked upon one another.

    Between eachyer stood a g; they depicted an odd bird with a spark of me. Above that, the shingled roof extended upward in a gothic, curved trapezoidal shape.

    On the left side was what appeared to be a hedge garden. Unfortunately, I couldn''t discern much about it since the shrubbery was so tall. Still, I could spot a decrepit stone mausoleum peeking out between the des of bountiful green.

    The right had a warehouse-like structure. There were several horseless carriages simr to the ones we''d been riding stationed around it.

    A jarring bump drew my attention to the road ahead. On either side of it were equidistant pine trees. It wasn''t just the distance, either. They were totally symmetrical in stature too.

    "What is that supposed to be?" Agawa said with an inquisitive tone. She was leaning out of the window and pointing forward.

    We followed her direction to spot a tall marble fountain toward the road''s end. Following the "bird" aesthetic, it was carved into what looked to be...a hawk? It was hard to tell, given the uncanny pose it was erected in.

    The bird curved its neck toward its body and supported its weight on a single leg. Its wings stretched high toward the sky and appeared cloaked in a raiment of sorts. Furthering the bird''s royal aura, it had a peculiar arrangement of feathers on its head that protruded out as a symbol of regality.

    "It''s a bird, what''s it look like?" Takagi retorted.

    "I know that!" Agawa snapped back. I mean, what kind is it?"

    "It''s certainly not one I''ve witnessed before!" Kamida chuckled. "It''s probably just a part of local folklore, if I had to guess. I''m not expert on avian physiology, but I assure you¡­that creature isn''t of our world."

    "Yeah, you''re probably right," Agawa agreed and returned to her seat.

    The road''s end encircled the fountain, drawing passengers to the manor''s entrance.

    We steadily approached until all wagons came to aplete stop.

    I broke out in a cold sweat, and my eyes uneasily twitched. Seeing such a disy of indulgence and greed¡­of course, a man like me was bound to be intimidated!

    ''This is the reason wars are waged,'' I griped internally.

 Chapter 10 The Manor

    ?"We have arrived, my dear heroes!" My inner unrest was interrupted by a familiar, hoarse voice. "On behalf of the master of this house, I wee you!" The old man threw his hands toward the sky. "Wee to the manor!"

    After the greetings, he ushered us out of our carriages and into the building.

    Though cautious, my countrymenplied with his every word, probably due to the fresh trauma from the attack earlier today. They proceeded up a small flight of stainless stone stairs to the mansion''s interior in a disorderly line.

    Aside from me, that is. I purposely slowed till I fell behind the group. The n was to slip away here and sneak back to the town.

    "You''re falling behind, Sir," a troop of guards appeared behind me. "Please continue into the mansion."

    ''Figured it wouldn''t be so easy,'' I quietly growled, then projected a fake smile. "Of course! Thank you." Then I begrudgingly followed my countrymen to the manor''s doors. They were far from the moldy counterparts within the tower we started in.

    The doors were painted pure white and lined with depictions of golden feathers. Impressively, they effortlessly opened at even the slightest touch.

    When we entered, I instinctively averted my eyes away from the extravagance. Decorating the wall, like paint on paper, were polished treasures that endlessly amplified and reflected any light.

    From golden-framed paintings to ornamental artifacts on velvet pedestals, the interior was more like a museum than that of a house. Wherever there wasn''t a picture or relic stood white marble statues depicting various creatures and people.

    Most of the carvings were pretty forgettable, but one caught my eye for some reason. It depicted a man that knelt on one knee. His face was chiseled and handsome, with two fixated eyes that stared past me to some unseen horizon.

    You couldn''t see most of his body; it was blocked by two massive wings patterned with marble-cut feathers. Notably, the limbs highly resembled those of the strange bird statue outside as they protruded from his back, wrapping around to his front.

    ''Is that supposed to be an angel?'' I pondered to myself.

    Upon walking up to the statue, I read an inscription.

    |Behold! The Savior of ckwood, the Oppressor of Demons, the yer of Shamane, and the Master of me! Long live the Hero of Ash! Long live the me Baron!|

    ''ckwood, is that this town''s name?'' Not that it made much difference what the town was named, unless I got my hand on a map.

    I didn''t know what the rest of it meant, but it would be safe to assume this guy was a huge deal. On the other hand, he might have just been rich andrgely arrogant. If I had to guess, it was more likely of the two possibilities.

    A series of loud gasps from my countrymen pulled me from thought, prompting me to proceed through the entryway into the manor''s main hall.

    Below us was a red-painted path leading in various directions to the left, right, and straight ahead to a marble staircase. Along each side of the trail was a perfectly constructed line of maids and butlers.

    They bowed and spoke in perfect unison. "Wee to our lord''s manor, Masters and Mistresses! We hope you enjoy your stay!"

    I gawked at them with widened eyes.

    The straight-cut, ck tuxedos. The frilly bos andced white aprons. I couldn''t even imagine wearing something so¡­subservient. I suppose I wasn''t one to talk about subservience, though. As a soldier, I was nothing more than a puppet to the strings of politics, left to dance within the theaters of war.

    Someone from our group shouted in approval at the outfits. "Woah, real maids! I''ve only ever seen fake ones in cafes. They''re all real cuties too!"

    I couldn''t see who it was yet, but I could guess. That guess was confirmed to be true when I looked over to the source. ''Yup¡­ It''s Tachibana.''

    He and his entourage approached the maids with what I could only call ulterior motives. "Hey," he pitifully flexed, "how''re you girls doing? Are you excited to meet the ones that''ll defeat the Demon King for you?"

    For the briefest moments, the maids and butlers shared the same expressions of dejection the vigers had. Their artificial smiles of gratitude and joy were reced by genuine grimaces.

    "Hmmm, is something wrong, girls?" Tachibana inquired.

    As quickly as it happened, the servants reverted back to their default masks of cheer. "No, not all master heroes! We''re all ted that you''d take the time to speak with us!" a meek-looking maid frantically replied.

    "You know," he inched closer, "I''d really like it if we could take the time to get to know each other. What do you say?"

    The maid blushed, though I could tell that even that was simply service. "I sincerely apologize, sir, but we servants are quite busy with our daily duties to engage in extra activities with our guests. Please forgive us!" The maids bowed profusely.

    "Aww, that''s a shame. Maybe next time then¡­" Tachibana relented, and his clique returned to the group.

    The maids gave awkward smiles of affirmation before returning to their default poses.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After Tachibana''s return, the old man strode up to the bottom of the marble staircase. "Now, my dear heroes, I know I already stated this, but I must say again, wee to my lord''s grand residence!

    The maids and butlers bowed to us once more. However, they performed a perfect flourish and exited the hall.

    Now that the room was devoid of any servants, the old man continued. "Fortunately, it is time to announce the order of tonight''s festivities. I''m sure you all are absolutely starved from today''s events, so my master has prepared the grandest feast to enjoy!"

    The mere mention of a luxurious banquet bought the trust of my countrymen. All of their unrest and wariness was transformed into starving salivations.

    My stomach rumbled to the touch after I brought a hand to it. I was pretty hungry too. Still, I refused to let myself be bribed off by some food, especially from this shady bunch. ''I''m no stranger to hunger; I canst a while if needed.''

    "However," the old man continued, "before we adjourn to the dining hall, I''d like it if you''d all allow me to formally introduce myself." He brought out his right arm andid it across his chest. "My name is Albert Weiser, and I''m the head magister of this household. Now," he beckoned, "right this way!"

    If the promise of food wasn''t enough to captivate my countrymen, disying wealth and indulgence did the trick.

    As we walked, I kept myself vignt for any opportunity to break away. Sadly, each hallway was blockaded by several soldiers.

    ''Can you be any less suspicious?'' I griped with frustrated sarcasm, and my brow furrowed as I trudged forward.

    Meanwhile, I could hear only impressed gasps and satisfied banter from my countrymen. Despite all of the red gs, they remained blissfully ignorant to it all. ''You''ve all been won over, huh?'' I was saddened to realize I was the only skeptic left.

    Then I felt a tugging on my vest. I turned to see a subtly distressed Agawa. She projected a worried gaze to the ground while her hand clung tightly to my vest.

    "Hey, Sato?" she called out and shifted her eyes upward to meet mine. They were clouded with doubt. "I''m feeling kinda uneasy about this whole situation. What do you think?"

    I know I shouldn''t have been happy about someone feeling worried, but her insight restored my faith in my countrymen, although only a little. This girl was a bit snappy but had a good head on her shoulders.

    I put on a slight but easing smile, the same kind I gave to a crying child or panicked civilian on the war front. "I think you''re right, Miss, but we should y along for now. Let''s avoid acting suspicious, okay?" I tried to alleviate her anxiety. It''d be troublesome if this girl raised a fuss by being reckless.

    "Yeah," she hesitated, then loosened her grip, "yeah, you''re right. We should pull Kamida and Takagi aside at some point, though. You know? To discuss things with them too."

    ''That doesn''t really sound like a good idea¡­'' Thest thing I wanted was this girl spreading panic amongst the others. However, on the other hand, it''d keep her busy. Without her to worry about, I was free to n my escape. ''I guess I''ll y along. What real harm could she do?''

    "I agree," I nodded, "we''ll talk to them soon."

    "Thank you," Agawa''s unease gave way to a warm smile. "It''s reassuring to know that you feel the same way."

    Our conversation concluded, so she left me and joined the rest of the advancing group.

    Seeing her and the rest of my countrymen, a pit of guilt formed in my chest, knowing I was nning to leave all of them behind.

    ''Don''t be a hero; there''s no such thing anyway,'' I sighed. ''You know better than to try.''

    ***

    Like the trees lining the road outside, the simrity between the hallways was unreal. No matter where one looked, you''d almost think you never moved in the first ce.

    ''I swear... I''ve seen that same motif painting twelve times by now.'' The further we walked, the more bothered I became, growing increasingly irritated with each repetition.

    Given the symmetry, it would only be possible to navigate this ce with intimate knowledge of its floor n. In fact, you might even get lost then! I couldn''t be sure whether that was intended or a side effect of the lord''s strange tastes.

    Several hallways and staircasester, we arrived atrge, gaudy doors of golden wood.

    ''This must be it¡­.'' I gulped anxiously, dreading what the inside would look like.

    Two guards approached from behind us, and after pushing against them, the doors groaned open.

    What came into view shocked me to my core.

 Chapter 11 A Banquet

    ?The dining hall was just that, a hall.

    Various gold and gem-encrusted chandeliers lined the ceiling.

    Parked in the middle of the room was a singr table that spanned the entirety of the hall''s length. nketing it was an equally massive, gold-embroidered tablecloth. As if that wasn''t already luxurious enough, the chairs were also intricately designed with etchings of their own.

    Expectedly, the carvings matched the theme of the manor I''d seen thus far. Extending across its smooth wooden backrest were depictions of an irregr yet royal bird.

    Instantly, patches of the table were filled by the various cliques that formed during our carriage ride. Likewise, Agawa and I found Kamida with Takagi as they were scanning for their seating.

    Kamida threw up his arms in excitement when he saw us. "Ah Ms. Agawa, Mr. Sato! Mr. Takagi and I were looking for you!"

    "Huh, what are you on about?" Takagi pocketed his hands and snarled. "I wasn''t ''looking'' for anyone. You just invited yourself to sit next to me!"

    Despite saying that, Takagi stood where he was rather than leaving. I wondered if he actually hated the idea of eating together. The kid acted tough, but maybe Kamida''s words got under his skin.

    "Ah yes, pardon me, Mr. Takagi," Kamida cheerily sighed, "I was looking for the both of you so that we four may form some bonding memories together." He finished by triumphantly cing his hands above his hips.

    "Sounds good¡­." Agawa responded. "Sato and I discussed meeting with you two to talk, so that''s good."

    "That''s splendid! Now, where shall we sit?" Kamida surveyed the table for opening seating.

    Meanwhile, I was doing my own searching.

    I appraised the room for potential exits. Sadly, there were only two visible means of escape. The door we entered from and the door on the opposite side of the room.

    I wanted to suggest we search for a seat near one of those, but they''d all been snapped up by other cliques. The only seating left was at the very edges of the room. Even if I split off from the three and sought out a chair for just myself, none remained.

    "We took too long," I grumbled under my breath.

    "What was that?" Agawa questioned me.

    "It''s nothing," I gave a twitchy grin to mask my frustration.

    It was then that Takagi entirely gave in to Kamida''s social pressure. He scowled and pointed to four perfectly aligned seats towards the far end of the table. "How about there?" His tone was exhausted, and his finger drooped slightly. Cooperation must not havee to him naturally.

    Kamida excitedly sped his hands together. "A fantastic suggestion! Well, let''s help ourselves then, shall we?"

    Upon being seated, the other set of doors swung open.

    Proceeding inside was arge caste of servants. They poured into the dining hall wielding various dinner trays and carts.

    With deadly efficiency, the once barren table now had an impressive arrangement of exotic foods popting it. There were foods for anyone from any walk of life.

    Perfectly browned meats drowned in various spices, seasonings, and sauces. Vibrant fruits, all of which exploded in a spring of nectary juices with even the slightest provocation. Finally, there was arge assortment of fresh veggies that even the most renowned chefs would envy.

    Their task nowplete, the majority of the servants bowed and returned in the same fashion with which they entered. Those that stayed kept an equal distance from each other on the outskirts of the feast and observed.

    Seeing the borate spread before me, I felt light sadness. It had been so long since I saw such good-looking food.

    I was mortified that I''d need to exercise self-restraint and refrain from eating. Though I wanted to delve into everything on this table, I didn''t hold an inkling of trust in these people. That was before even considering the events that transpired today.

    I still didn''t want to stand out, so I grabbed a meager amount of food from each nutritional category. I hadn''t nned to eat any, so the least I could do was waste as little as possible.

    "Huh," Agawa nudged me, "is that all you''re going to eat?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "She''s right," Kamida added, "you''re our trusted warrior! We can''t have you malnourished!"

    "It''s fine. I''m not hungry," I forced augh, brushing off their concerns.

    They both exchanged concerned expressions before epting my decision. Then, they dug into their food the way I wished I could.

    tes brimming and spirits overflowing, a melody of metal scraping against ceramic echoed throughout the grand hall.

    After unwinding the cloth wrapped around my eating utensils, I noticed we weren''t even using silverware. No, what was given was, undoubtedly, one hundred percent goldenware!

    I discreetly spied on the others around me. At one point, I even saw someone desperately pocketing as many forks, spoons, and knives as possible rather than using them for their intended purpose.

    ''That''s not a bad idea,'' I smirked. Though I likely had different reasons than that thief. With how sketchy these people were, there was no way you''d catch me without a weapon.

    I appraised each unimed knife near me.

    Most were useless and dull butter knives. However, there were a few I could use. They were serrated and sharpened to perfection; both needed traits to cut the flesh they were served beside.

    Sadly I couldn''t just pocket the knife, given how a servant''s presence weighed heavy on my back. I needed to camouge my actions.

    I reached forward and shaved off a piece of meat from therge roasted haunch nearest me. Then, after transporting the meat onto my te, I subtly but hastily stashed the knife in the pockets of my vest.

    Kamida started rowdilyughing, startling me. "What a disy ofvishness! I simply can''t wait to meet the lord of this estate! With these tastes, I''m sure he and I would make fantastic business partners!"

    "About that," Agawa motioned for Kamida and Takagi''s attention, "do either of you feel slightly," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "uneasy¡­about everything that''s going on?"

    "What?! Of course, I feel uneasy!" Kamida almost looked offended. "I''m extremely anxious to see what kind of person runs such an efficiently wealthy household!"

    A flicker of frustration crossed Agawa''s face. "You-"

    "You know that isn''t what she meant!" Takagi interrupted. "You''re right, Agawa; this ce doesn''t sit well with me."

    I could see I wasn''t the only one shocked by Takagi''s agreement, given how Agawa''s eyes and mouth were gaping in disbelief.

    "What the hell," Takagi pointed his fork toward Agawa. "Why do you have such a stupid look on your face?! It''s not surprising that I''d agree with you, right?"

    "Actually..." Agawa grinned teasingly, "it is... It''s surprising to think you''d agree with anyone, let alone me. You struck me as the defiant type that actively tries to DISAGREE with others."

    "Huh?!" Takagi stabbed his knife into his steak. "So, you''re making fun of me now?! I could easily walk over and knock you out. I believe in gender equality," he smiled, "so don''t think I''ll hold back either!"

    "Ohhh," Agawa''s eyes narrowed, "I''d like to see you try. I''m pretty fast, so I bet I''d be able to drop you before your first swing!"

    Takagi closed his eyes and performed a belittling gesture to Agawa. "Heh. I guess you forgot how I beat down that door earlier."

    Agawa didn''t look impressed. I could only describe her taunting expression as that of amusement. "Okay... You can break down a moldy wood door. If that''s such an achievement, you aren''t as intimidating as you think. Shall I call you ''Door yer'' from now on?"

    Though no violence was involved, their argument continued to devolve from clever jabs into crude insults and unintelligible growling. Luckily, we had Kamida, the master of overwhelming friendliness, to de-escte the verbal arms race.

    "Now," he consoled, "let''s not ruin such a nice banquet with something as pointless as a brawl, alright?"

    Being struck by his infectious niceties, the tension between Takagi and Agawa returned to tolerable levels. However, they still refused to look at one another for the rest of the meal.

 Chapter 12 An Unexpected Meeting

    ?The time finally arrived for the main event of the evening, at least ording to Weiser. During it, my countrymen and I were expected to mingle and dance with the local nobles of this domain, presumably to introduce ourselves.

    He also mentioned that the manor''s fabled lord would finally appear. Hopefully, they''d be more forting with information than Weiser was, but I wasn''t holding my breath.

    Corridor through corridor, stairwell through stairwell, the sheer size andplexity of the mansion would put the bestbyrinths to shame.

    ''Don''t the servants of this mansion get lost? Doesn''t the lord get lost?!'' I imagined the irritating personality of the person who designed this ce; it made me growl in frustration.

    As we walked, my mind grew louder, filled with newints.

    The frivolity of this mansion was unbelievable! All anyone needed was shelter, food, and a good vantage point. I was pretty sure golden-coated doors didn''t fit within those criteria.

    Eventually, I ran out of things to groan about, and everything went quiet. But, wait¡­everything was quiet.

    I turned toward where the group was. "Oh¡­"

    Just like that, I was left with solitude as my onlypany within a mansion where every hallway was more identical than thest. I wasn''t sure how, but I managed to slip away from the guards'' notice. They must''ve been too preupied managing the herd to worry about a single outlier.

    Seeing such a turn of events, I had one thought.

    ''Lucky,'' I smirked to myself.

    I wasn''t sure where the guards went, but I was finally free to loot and leave. I was off in search of an armory, pantry, or anywhere I could gather travel gear.

    Sadly, snooping was a tad difficult. Every door was sealed tight, and I wasn''t about to start randomly breaking hinges. That''d cause too much noise andmotion.

    I walked some time longer and arrived in yet another identical hallway. Again, everything about it was the same, except for a tiny irregrity.

    As I said, each door I previously encountered was sealed, preventing nosey interlopers from entering.

    However, there was a peculiar one here that immediately snagged my interest. It was slight, but I could see the darkness as it peered past a stray crack forming between the door and its frame.

    ''Should I go inside?'' It was an appealing thought but also one to be cautious of. An open room in a house of locked doors was something very rming.

    ''Maybe there''s intel, or maybe there''s someone in there already.''

    Even if I only learned about the manor''s lord, that would be enough intel for now. But, on the other hand, I doubt they''d appreciate a snooping guest, so there was bound to be some consequence if I was discovered.

    Unmoving within a vacant hallway and staring at the open door, I pondered the pros and cons of what I was about to do.

    "The room is dark," I muttered, "so it''s is probably empty. If I do get discovered, I''ll just say I got lost." Even I cringed at how stupid and cliche that excuse was, but whatever. It wasn''t all that far-fetched, considering this fun house of a mansion¡­

    "Alright," I steeled my resolve, "f*ck it. No risk without reward."

    I reached forward and cracked the door open, little by little. It faintly squealed with every millimeter, but not enough to cause rm.

    The room was cloaked in shadow. Even darker than the lightless nights on the war front. Although my eyes had yet to adapt, I sensed her.

    An icy chill erupted through my spine, resonating within every bone in my body. My veins stood deathly still as my blood coagted just from the fear. Even the hairs on my neck had frozen stiff with dread.

    It was the presence of a predator.

    I reached for the knife I''d stolen and stood with my guard up in the doorway. I hadn''t moved an inch as I waited for my eyes to ce a face to whoever¡­ whatever was activating my fight or flight response.

    When the veil ofplete darkness finally lifted, she came into view.

    There, toward the far middle of the room and near arge bay window, sat a young woman in an overly extravagant chair. Her body was rigid while she gazed upon the starry sky. Then, as if returning her stare, the moonpletely enshrouded her in a pale, silvery light.

    She was so transfixed by the sights outdoors that my presence seemed to elude her notice.

    Her physical features were as pale as the light encircling her. Her long blonde hair, fair wless skin, everything about her was incredibly doll-like. The only exception to that was her eyes, which were a profound deep red. It was as if they had drained everyst drop of blood from the rest of her body. The only thing that exceeded the red in her eyes was her gothic-styled,ced dress.

    "Hey," she turned, locking her eyes with mine, "do you¡­like the night?" She spoke in few words with a voice devoid of tone.

    Her sudden acknowledgment of my presence startled me, and I tightened my hand around my hidden dagger.

    "Excuse me?" I said with caution and maintained my distance.

    "The night¡­" she paused, presenting me with an expression as monotone as her voice. "Do you like it?"

    Her second rification didn''t solve my confusion. It was too odd of a question, especially when talking to a stranger.

    Factoring the bizarre conversation starter into her ominously dangerous presence, I considered the possibility of a strategic retreat. But, ignoring my misgivings, I went along with it.

    "I guess I do."

    She shifted a foot to the edge of her seat and rested her chin on her knee.

    "Why?" she asked, a strand of hair falling over her face.

    The follow-up put me more on the spot than I''d expected. I knew I always enjoyed myself the most after dark but did I have a reason for it?

    I immersed myself in deep thought, reying all my memories and searching for the "why." Each shared amon theme: a silent atmosphere, a roaring fire, and good food (at least by hunger''s standards).

    I felt foolish for not realizing it earlier. "The battlefield is more peaceful at night."

    "Battlefield?" she stared at me quizzically. "Are you¡­a warrior?"

    ''Why did I mention that?'' I froze with surprise. I always avoided discussing war-oriented topics, so why did I talk about it with this girl? Usually, I had mental walls up to explicitly dodge these conversations, so for me to be the one to instigate them was unheard of.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I brushed it off, not wanting her to delve deeper into my background. "It isn''t important," I asserted, hoping that this girl wasn''t the badgering type.

    Luckily, she didn''t seem fazed by my refusal to continue. Instead, she broke eye contact and returned her attention to the stars.

    It fascinated me to see her so fixated on the sky. She didn''t seem to have any worries or cares; she just watched as the stars slowly shifted across the heavens.

    I forgot about the fear her presence had instilled in me. With the unease no longer guing me, I saw no threat, only an entric girl with odd conversational tendencies. I kept my hand near my de, just in case, but became less hostile. Thanks to this, I noticed a detail I hadn''t spotted earlier.

    Contrasting her appearance with the vigers from earlier, she was definitely of some "nobility." A fact that likely meant she carried lucrative information.

    On the plus side, she also seemed more straightforward than Weiser, though a bit cryptic. So, supposing I could keep the conversation going, talking to her might''ve yielded some valuable knowledge.

    "Do you?" I asked.

    "Do I?" she tilted her head in confusion.

    "Do you like the night?"

    Her head shifted over her knee as she angled her gaze downward. "I suppose¡­I do."

    "Why do you like it?"

    Her knee fell from her chin, and her foot returned to the ground. Then, she slowly turned to face me again. "Food," she said, matter-of-factly.

    Her justification was even less defined than her answer was. I guess I needed to press her a little more.

    "Food?" I asked.

    "Food," she nodded. "It''s easier to get¡­at night."

    Hers was an honest and straightforward answer. An answer with no nuances orplexities. Ipletely respected it! I loathed the scheming types, so encountering an earnest person with such simple desires was a wee surprise.

    I still harbored suspicions toward this manor, Weiser especially. But, despite that, I was oddly bingfortable here...with her. In some way, I felt an odd level of understanding with her.

    In this room, illuminated only by the night sky, we both werepletely isted from the woes of the outside world.

    Silence ensued between us for a few minutes. Personally, I relished in them and indulged in each passing second. Though I knew I should''ve been questioning her, I just wanted a break from it all, even if only for a moment.

    "Hey," she called out, "could I ask¡­another question?"

    "Sure. What do you need?" Knowing her previous question, I readied myself for anything.

    She stacked her hands over herp. "The food, did you all enjoy it?"

    She could only have referenced the dinner, but I decided I should verify it anyway. "By food, do you mean the dinner party?"

    She nodded in silent affirmation.

    Memories of my excited countrymen, happily and greedily stuffing their faces, filled my mind. "Yes, I believe everyone did." I was also reminded of the cutlery thief, "...some a little too much."

    Slightly but noticeably, her expressionless face gave way to a subtle smile at my words. "I''m d," she said.

    I wonder why she was concerned about our dinner. ''Does she have some connection to Weiser?''

    I had no reason to let my curiosity fester, so I asked her. "Could I ask why you''re curious about the dinner, Miss?"

    She looked at me, puzzled. "Isn''t that¡­something a host should be¡­concerned about?"

    "Host?" I was still perplexed. "What do you mean?"

    She brought her hand to her chest as she spoke. "I am¡­Kirina d. The current lord¡­of this domain."

    I avoided showing it, but my mind became a maelstrom of emotions, ranging between hostility, confusion, and shock. ''Kirina d... Isn''t that the name our assants mentioned?!''

    I squeezed my knife tight again.

    If I recall correctly, the bandits implied she was one of the "Devil King''s dogs." That meant she was our enemy, ording to Weiser. In that case, why would he insinuate that his master was our adversary?

    ''Thatst thing she said, didn''t she im to be this manor''s lord?'' The thought of her being the elusive "lord" was difficult to digest. However, it was more usible than her being an essential figure in an enemy regime.

    Either way, this wasn''t a decision to make through brief consideration. I needed more information before I decided which of the two, if not both, factions was my enemy.

    I wouldn''t ignore what those "bandits" told me, but I refused to blindly believe them too. If I needed to investigate deeper, then so be it.

    With the decision made, I took a deep breath, caged my lingering thoughts on the matter, and continued our conversation as usual.

    I definitely didn''t want to reveal any suspicious behaviors if she was an enemy.

    "I see," I tried smiling, "if you''re the host, thank you for your courteous hospitality."

    Oddly, she avoided my gaze and fixed her sullen eyes on the ground. "You shouldn''t¡­thank me," she said solemnly.

    Her reaction rmed me, so I tried interrogating her further. "Why shouldn''t I thank you?" I crouched low to the ground to meet her lowered head.

    However, she provided no answer. Instead, she only bid me farewell by waving me out the door.

 Chapter 13 A Ball

    ?As I stepped out of the room, I was met with the sight of two guards, their smiles appearing forced and insincere.

    "Excuse me, Sir, but what''re you doing?" The two split up from one another, barring both paths of the hallway.

    I feignedughter and, as I nned, used the "I got lost" maneuver.

    They, too, smiled and, oddly enough, epted my excuse without question. "Understood, Sir. Please follow us to the rest of the guests right away."

    Though they seemed cordial, I could tell they weren''t giving me a request but an order. They weren''t going to let me continue my lone wandering, which only furthered my suspicions regarding this ce.

    However, suspicion or no suspicion, I still had no choice but to follow their orders. So I sighed and said, "lead the way!" through clenched teeth.

    It was some time before we arrived at the ballroom. During the trip, I couldn''t stop thinking about the Kirina d issue. ''Can that frail, awkward girl really be an enemy?''

    Again and again, I probed my memories for further hints about her and the bandits'' identity. Each time, I arrived at bupkis. Once we finally reached the doorway, I had no choice but to ignore my concerns and focus on the event.

    "We''re here, Sir. Please go inside," the guardsmen ushered me to the door.

    "I''ve got it. Thank you," I replied. ''You won''t keep me here, though,'' I internally added.

    The ballroom was disturbingly grand, even by the mansion''s standards. The sheer size of it made the dining hall look like a cheap apartment''s living room.

    Lining the back walls were massive, open bay windows leading to a wood and stone balcony overlooking the town below. Surrounding the windows were colossal golden-blue drapes that billowed with the entering winds.

    The floor was aposition of smooth marble and limestone. It was so polished I could see an obscure reflection of myself on the surface.

    Attached to the ballroom ceiling was an enormous, crystalline chandelier. Its curves of gold contained various encrusted precious gems ranging from sparkling diamonds, deep red rubies, and vibrant blue sapphires.

    Because of the gems, the light that seeped through became distorted, dyeing the floor in sparkling colors.

    There were quite a few new faces amongst the waltzing crowd.

    Handsome men and beautiful women, all decorated in velvet suits and dresses, were partnered up amongst themselves and my countrymen.

    The extravagance of their garb rivaled even Kamida''s if you could believe that. Not only the nobles but many of my countrymen boasted luxurious attire too.

    They all swayed to and fro in sync with the ssical melody that filled the room.

    "This atmosphere... It''s suffocating¡­" I whined. Somehow, I felt more at home with my potential enemy, Kirina d, than in this luxurious ballroom. I wasn''t sure whether it was because of the danger I sensed from her or the absence of a crowd.

    Of course, a few of us didn''t ept the offer of such gaudy clothes. One of which I had already spotted. It was Takagi. He was near a refreshment table and red with his usual intensity.

    He stood alone within the tide of swaying couples, or maybe I should say, stood against it. In their avoidance efforts, the partygoers formed a perfect, circr barrier around him.

    Aside from Takagi, the next person I noticed was Tachibana. He''d had his usual entourage following him as well. Even in suits, their mental immaturity was painfully obvious. Possibly more so since they had been drifting from girl to girl and propositioning them.

    ''That''s some willpower. To be rejected so many times and keep going.'' I would''ve been impressed if it were anyone else, but it fit his character too well to be surprising.

    Unlike Tachibana, women flocked to Kamida like moths to a me.

    Amongst their excited chatter, he saw me. When we made eye contact, he gave me the goofiest grin. Knowing him, the prospect of how much value he could extract from them, rather than the harem itself, was what he enjoyed.

    As for myself, I never bothered learning to dance. The closest I ever came to it was hand-to-handbat courses, but I didn''t think I could apply those skills in this situation. Even if I could, I still felt it was best to avoid this crowd.

    ''And it''s not like I can try escaping,'' I griped to myself. After my stunt of wandering off, the guards in the room paid me extra attention. Leaving without detection was near impossible now.

    With a daring escape out of the question, heading to Takagi was the next best option. That way, I''d be away from the festivities and have a natural crowd barrier with me.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I traveled toward Takagi. However, on the way, I couldn''t help but be mentally captivated by the musical notes that filled the room.

    The melody was soothing,posed of various string and woodwind instruments.

    As I closed my eyes, my consciousness was transported to an endless expanse of verdant green. The sweet scent of grass filled my nostrils as a gentle breeze blew across intangible, weed-lined riverbanks.

    In that moment, it felt as though true peace of mind was within reach. The music''s soft breeze seemed to blow away all of my worries.

    Sadly, I couldn''t stay in paradise for long; I had to worry about colliding with the waltzing couples. I opened my eyes and nced at the music''s origin to see over a dozen musicians arranged into groups by their instrument type.

    Surrounding the stage''s borders were various tall candles which gave the illusion of a short, fiery barrier.

    When I was just a few paces away from Takagi, I ended my focus on the distractions. I raised my arm slightly to greet him but was interrupted by a familiar tugging on my vest.

    "Where the hell have you been?! Agawa whispered loudly.

    "Huh?" I turned to meet her. "Oh, I was left behind."

    "LEFT BEHIND?!" she looked at me in disbelief. "Aren''t you some elite soldier? How''d you fail to follow a slowly moving group of people? In a tight hallway, no less!"

    I wasn''t about to expose my true intentions of leaving, so I brushed off her concerns. "That''s rude," I shrugged, "I never called myself an elite."

    "That''s what you care about?!" she shot me an irritated scowl.

    "It was a joke," I chuckled. "Besides, I did manage to find my way back here, didn''t I? That has to be worth something."

    "After an hour!" she eximed with widened eyes. "I thought something happened to you! We all did! Well, except for Kamida. He said you were just messing around the mansion... So what were you doing, anyway?" she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

    I didn''t really care to exin myself to a civilian, a high schooler especially. However, there was no point in being unnecessarily secretive. It''d be a pain if I had the watchful res of the guards AND my countrymen to worry about.

    With fictitious remorse, I apologized with an awkwardugh. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to worry anyone." I nced at her to gauge her mood, but she still seemed frustrated. "I did use the opportunity to explore a bit."

    "You explored?" a spark of curiosity fluttered within her eyes, recing her previous annoyance. "Did you find anything?"

    Knowing it''d keep the mood positive, I decided to spill what I''d discovered. "Not much. I met a girl that imed to be the lord of the mansion. She was¡­strange¡­to say the least." I refrained from mentioning the "devil''s army" thing and Miss d''s possible identity, though. Thest thing I wanted was panic or rampant rumors hurting my odds of escaping.

    Agawa looked at me, dumb-founded, like I''d just told her that civilization copsed. "What?! You''re telling me that you met the lord of the manor, and you DON''T think that''s important?!"

    "She didn''t give any useful information," I shrugged and shook my head, "so I didn''t consider our encounter all that important."

    "You didn''t learn anything? How is that possible? What did you two talk about then?" Her interrogation was relentless.

    ''Now I know how Weiser must''ve felt back in the tower,'' I sighed, then said, "Whether I liked the night and food, I guess?"

    "What?" she looked at me in disappointment and disbelief. "Well, whatever, so long as you haven''t been murdered and eaten somewhere¡­" Her face of frustration gave way to a weing smile. "I''m d you''re back!"

    ''At least one of us is,'' I chuckled in frustration.

    If it wasn''t for the guards finding me, I''d be halfway through leaving this mansion. Instead, I was stuck under their watchful eye. Even the small act of scratching my nose aroused suspicious stares from this mansion''s personnel around me.

    ''Guess I''ll y along for now,'' I tiredly sighed.

    "Thanks," I said with a slight grin, "it''s good to be back."

 Chapter 14 Festivities

    ?It was then I noticed Agawa had changed out of her tracksuit into a bright yellow sequin dress. It produced numerous iridescent strands of light that swirled around her body with each motion. If I could describe her with a single phrase, she was the Sun incarnated.

    "You know Agawa," I stroked my chin, "I''m a little surprised."

    "You''re surprised?" she tilted her head and stared at me with visible confusion. "About what?"

    "You didn''t really strike me as the type that would wear fancy clothes like that."

    She projected a soft pout, and her cheeks were tinted a rosy red. "Well, excuse me for trying something fancy! Even if it doesn''t look good, I still want to try a dress at least once in my life!"

    Sighing, she looked down, and pinched the waist of her dress from both sides. "I guess I should stick with a boyish tracksuit, huh?!"

    ''Did I say that it didn''t look good?'' It was now my difficulty talking with others reared its ugly head. I had no idea what I said, but apliment solves all, right?

    "I wouldn''t say the dress doesn''t look good on you. It isn''t very practical, but it''s aesthetically pleasing."

    "''Aesthetically pleasing?'' You," her blush became a nk stare, "really suck at givingpliments, don''t you?"

    Her words were painfully familiar. Throughout my life, there were many asions where I had to praise someone, but, more often than not, my attempts ended the same. "Yeah, I might''ve been told that once or twice¡­." I couldn''t stop there; her stare seemed to see right through me, "or several times."

    For a few moments, she maintained her nk stare. However, that soon changed when she burst out inughter, likely at my expense. It wasn''t bad, though¡­ I guess? Her aura of cheer affected me, given how I chuckled too.

    "Anyways," I tried to change the subject, "why haven''t you partnered with anyone? I doubt it''s because of ack of suitors."

    "Oh, that," she avoided eye contact. "Don''tugh, okay?"

    "I''ll try not to," I replied with a tone of sarcasm.

    She shot me an unsatisfied re.

    "Okay, I promise I won''t," I reaffirmed.

    "Uh. Well¡­" she hesitated and fidgeted her fingers together. During her pause, her eyes darted in every direction to avoid mine. "I¡­uh¡­can''t really dance well¡­Or, well¡­at all."

    I didn''tugh, but what I did was possibly worse. I stared at her in disbelief that she was worried about something so minor. Especially considering our current situation.

    "C''mon," she furrowed her brow in frustration and blushed, "I know I told you not tough, but you''ve got to do something. Anything!"

    I sighed and smiled. "Sorry, I couldn''t help but admire your honesty."

    "My HONESTY? Are you messing with me?!" she irritatedly crossed her arms.

    It perplexed me. Though her words seemed frustrated, her face gave way to a subtle smile. Did she like what I said, or didn''t she? I wondered if people were always thisplicated. Either way, in trying to mend my blunder, I apologized while making an easing gesture. "Sorry, I wasn''t try-"

    "Look at you! You''re so serious!" Agawa erupted inughter again, hunching over and holding her sides.

    When she finally ceased, she straightened her back and continued. "You know, I think I can kind of understand you now. Not only do you suck atpliments, but you''re also pretty bad with social cues." she pointed her finger at me as if to lecture. "You''re not a very good talker, are you?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    shbacks of a thousand failed conversations appeared in my mind. "Yeah, I guess I''m better at fighting than talking," I shrugged.

    "Well, aren''t you the stoic soldier!" Agawa giggled, then sighed. "Well, it can''t be helped," she said with a yful grin, "I''ll forgive you."

    "I appreciate that," I chuckled back. Her words relieved my weary mind. With that resolved, I returned to the matter at hand.

    Realizing we were in the same boat, I considered inviting her to my loitering session with Takagi. Plus, the crowd was bing denser over where we were standing, so we had to move anyway.

    "I was heading to Takagi. Did you want to jo-"

    "Would you dance with me?!" she eximed, clutching the base of her neck.

    "...What?" Though it was a simple request, it took time to register it.

    "Would you dance with me?" she repeated.

    "But¡­ didn''t you just tell me you were bad at it?" I gave a hesitant grin, and my eyes twitched in confusion.

    "Yeah, So? Just because I''m bad at something doesn''t mean I''ll avoid it. That''s how you learn, you know?"

    I appreciated the offer; I really did. But dancing wasn''t part of my job description. Throwing and catching bullets? That was something I''d do. But swaying to music and leaving myselfpletely vulnerable? That wasn''t something I wanted at all. Besides, I couldn''t dance, so the excuse I''d use wouldn''t be a lie.

    "Uh," I scratched my ear, "I appreciate the offer, but you''re probably better off partnering with someone else."

    "Ah, you refuse to partner with a novice, huh?" she smirked. "I didn''t realize Sato, the Soldier was such an elitist!"

    "No, no, no. Not at all," I waved my hands in disagreement.

    "Then why?" she asked, crossing her arms and tapping a finger on her arm.

    "It''s just that," I paused, "dancing isn''t really in my skill set either, so you won''t get any good experience with me." Having said that, I thought for sure she''d reevaluate her decision.

    Only she didn''t¡­

    Her face became puzzled. "Experience? When did I say that I was going for that? The fact that you''re a novice makes you an even more ideal partner!"

    I was shocked at what she''d said. "Why would my being bad at dancing make me a good partner?" The idea made no sense to me. If I were learning to shoot, I''d want a veteran to teach me, not an amateur.

    "It''d be embarrassing to dance with someone that knows what they''re doing," she smiled. "I''d rather dance with you, especially since I could me any fumbles on you." She finalized her statement by offering me her hand. "So¡­would you dance with me?"

    ''I really think you should reconsider, Miss,'' is what I wanted to say. However, the vignt stares from dozens of mansion staff made me reconsider. Maybe by indulging in some of these festivities, I could shake the staff''s suspicion and find another chance to escape.

    "Well, if you insist," I feigned a smile and took her hand. "Don''t me me if I step on your toes, though."

    She giggled in response. "I''ll be sure to step on yours, too, if you do!"

 Chapter 15 Reminiscence

    ?Getting used to the movements was an ordeal, especially since I was taller than Agawa.

    Some toes were pinched, and some apologies were made. But over time, our limation to each other grew. Our synergy improved so much our bodies seemed to move under a single mind.

    "Wow, we might actually be getting the hang of this," I said with genuine surprise.

    "Yeah, I guess dancing can be pretty fun! Though," Agawa panted heavily, "it''s pretty exhausting."

    After she mentioned it, ripples of fatigue spread through my body too. "If you''d like, we can take a break," I said, slowing our waltz.

    She looked at me as if I were demented. "Of course not! Everyone knows you shouldn''t stop when you''re in the zone!" she tightened her grip so I couldn''t let go.

    Her speaking of "the zone" reminded me of the tracksuit she wore. Appraising her, I noticed her body was more toned than your average person''s. Basketball? Volleyball? Her hair was too long to be a swimmer, so that was out.

    She interrupted my thoughts. "You''ve been staring at me for a while. It''s kind of embarrassing¡­ Did you need something?"

    "I was curious if you were in a sport of some kind. You seem more athletic than your average person."

    She red up with pride. "Yeah, I''m the captain of," she choked, "was¡­captain of the Track and Field club."

    Her reaction wasn''t surprising in the least. Given the "new world" thing, which was bing increasingly less arguable every second, she might never see her old life again. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to bring that up. I mean, I did, but not in that way¡­" I cursed my own insensitivities.

    She shook her head and gave a sad smile. "No, it''s alright," she sighed. "I still can''t bring myself to believe our situation right now.

    "It''s difficult to believe, to say the least," I nodded in agreement.

    "Yeah¡­" she cast her gaze towards the ground. "Hey, Sato? Do you think we''ll ever go back home? I mean, even if this isn''t some alternate world, we''re obviously not in Japan anymore. So¡­do you think we''ll ever see our families again?"

    It was a difficult question. The kind with an easy answer. The kind of answer that would ease her unease. The kind of answer that any decent human being would give to someone who was hurting, but¡­I couldn''t do that. I couldn''t dole out false hope; it would have been too irresponsible.

    "If I''m being honest, Miss-"

    "Agawa," she interrupted, "call me Agawa."

    "Alright¡­, Agawa... Sadly, I can''t be sure of whether we''ll ever return or not. Despite all the sights and experiences I''ve lived through, I''ve never been through anything like this. I''m sorry."

    "It''s okay," she consoled with a sad smile, "I wasn''t expecting you to know, anyway."

    After that, we just waltzed to the tune of the music and each other''s heartbeat. Hers was rapid from exhaustion, yet she still maintained our pace. I, too, was beyond exhausted, but that subsided to a feeling of warmth within my chest.

    It was terrible. It took every bit of willpower I could muster to prevent my body from getting carried away and grinning beyond its capacity. I was feeling joy! It had been so long since I did anything physical without the purpose ofbat. I was either fortifying my body or steeling my mind for the next skirmish.

    I was still terrible at dancing, obviously, but the act of it was a fantastic experience. If I had to guess why I felt this way, it was because the skill unified two people, not blow them apart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Could I ask another question?" Agawa asked, breaking the rhythm. She looked up at me, her expressions cycling between anxiety and curiosity.

    "It depends. What about?" I responded.

    She visibly hesitated, avoiding my gaze. "Um, could I ask why you became a soldier?"

    My grip loosened in shock. I wasn''t expecting a question like that, not at all. Though I stared in her direction, what I''d been looking at was far beyond the present reality. Rather I saw the distant past.

    Hearing her question sent my consciousness backward while I relived my past life. I relived the days when I still held naive ideals about what it meant to be a soldier. I must''ve taken too long to answer due to my reflections since she became frantic to apologize.

    "I''m sorry!" she released her hands and bowed. "I shouldn''t have asked something so personal, please forg-"

    "It''s alright," I interrupted, "but could I ask why you''re so curious?"

    "It''s just... I wanted to get to know you a little better," she smiled anxiously.

    ''Such a casual reason,'' I chuckled. I really preferred to not answer, but I guess I owed this girl for gifting me such an enjoyable experience. ''I guess this one time doesn''t hurt much,'' I sighed.

    "Sure, I''ll tell you," I slightly smiled.

    We once again locked hands, resuming our rhythmic movements. Herrge, golden eyes drilled directly into mine, sparkling with fascination.

    Using the music as aunching pad, I ejected any hesitation from my body.

    I angled my gaze toward the crystalline chandelier above us. The prisms of reflective ss reminded me of the night it truly started. The night I''d decided to put an end to my humanity.

    "It happened when I just graduated high school. Back then, I was a naive brat with a dream. A dream that I''d save people and be the one that brought hope back from the brink of despair. If I''m being honest," I chuckled, "it was probably the result of some cartoon I watched when I was younger."

    I checked to see if I''d lost her interest, but I shouldn''t have doubted her. Her eyes were locked on me as if guided by aser pointer.

    "It seemed like it''d be so easy," I continued, "I just needed to be stronger, faster, and smarter than my opponents. With those boxes checked, I could save anyone that I wanted. At least...that''s what I thought."

    Agawa nudged me, asking for permission to speak, to which I nodded in agreement.

    "You say you wanted to be a savior, right?" she tilted her head. "If that''s the case, why didn''t you be a police officer or doctor?"

    Two seconds into my story, she had already figured out the dreams of my adolescent self.

    "You aren''t far off; during and before high school, I always nned on joiningw enforcement or, at most, the JSDF. But a few weeks before my graduation, it happened: the event that plunged the world into its third world war. The reason why Japan reformed its military in the first ce."

    ''And the reason humankind lost its humanity,'' I inwardly added.

 Chapter 16 The Evenings End

    ?"''It?''" Agawa asked.

    "The Trigger," I replied. "The event where all weapons capable of a mass loss of life disappeared. Nukes, bioweapons, chemical weapons, everything¡­it all vanished into thin air. With the fail-safes gone, there was nothing left to hold us back. Nothing left to protect us from ourselves."

    Considering it myself, it was like a horribly dark joke. To think the only thing that prevented all-out war between us wasn''t kindness or benevolence; instead, it was the threat of mutual destruction. As it turned out, the armorers and weaponsmiths of war were the ones keeping the peace all along, and therein lies the joke¡­the cruel paradox of a species gone mad with power.

    "I remember that day," Agawa said, shifting her gaze downward, "my parents panicked and bought months'' worth of supplies. My father even got a license for gun ownership¡­ He hates guns."

    It wasn''t surprising to hear how her folks reacted. Given how she was, I imagined they were quick thinkers too. "It sounds like your parents were smart people."

    "I''m sorry," she apologized profusely, "please continue."

    "Don''t worry about it," I said to ease her worry. "Now, where was I¡­." Sifting through my mind and reying the event chain, we''d arrived at the night the chandeliers reminded me of; the night of my graduation.

    "I stayed outte with some friends to celebrate our graduation. A few of them decided to say farewell to the ce that nurtured their youth by trespassing on it."

    She giggled charmingly before falling back into a sweet smile.

    "And so," I continued, "we entered the school grounds, wandering for hours. There were some goofy stunts pulled, but none of that is important. Eventually, we ended up on the roof. We wanted to memorialize the night like fools."

    I paused and took a deep breath. What came next was a sight I''d never forget. The strobing lights, the blotched night sky, the deafening vibrations. It was then I realized the daily peace we so enjoyed was built upon the backs of a million sacrifices.

    "It was dark," I proceeded, "so we heard them before we saw them. When we turned our heads, our eyes were met by a thousand dislocated stars, only they were flying away at high speeds."

    "That''s when I knew they weren''t stars at all¡­ They were signal lights belonging to hundreds of military transport helicopters, all of which were in the process of shipping bodies to a conflict on foreignnds."

    Remembering my past, I felt a distinct, growing regret gnawing at my eyes, threatening to overwhelm them with fluids. I took another breath to hold it back.

    "The sight stirred feelings in me. Among them was my desire to honor my country and be a hero. I decided then and there that I''d enlist in the military. I''d use my ideals to change the battlefield and save lives."

    Reciprocating my story, the melody of the music shifted. Rather than an uplifting and inspirational rhythm of cheer, it became restrained and forlorn.

    I forced a smile. "But that was just a dream¡­. The first thing I learned after boot camp was that for every person you saved in war, you took the lives of several more. I learned that being a hero in war just wasn''t possible."

    Amid my story''s ending, Agawa became energized and jerked me from my thoughts back to reality. "That''s not true!" she shouted, attracting the attention of other partygoers.

    I didn''t tell her that story to draw attention, so I tried easing her down from her frustration. "Agawa please don''t ye-"

    However, her time of listening to me was over. "Look, you''re a soldier. It''s your job to fight. I won''t pretend to know the hardship you''ve gone through, but saying you haven''t saved anyone is stupid!"

    She forced our dance to a stop with a new determination fueling her. "It''s like you said, because of people like you, people like me can enjoy the peace back home. You fight so we don''t have to; that''s the textbook definition of a hero!"

    I had never met anyone like this girl before.

    She was loudly outspoken and quick to wit when defending her opinions. The way her personality was, she managed to push boundaries and respect them too. She was speedy to insult and even faster to console.

    Like the Sun, her rays of warmth evaporated the negative emotions festering inside me. "Maybe you''re right," I smiled slightly and rxed my body, "maybe I have done some good¡­."

    Looking at each other, we exchanged what would be the most heartfelt expressions of relief and joy that I''d ever experienced.

    Neither of us spoke after that. Instead, we resolved to enjoy the music and each other''s silentpanionship.

    Almost as if it were queued to our silence, the ballroom''s lights dimmed, and the musical melodies faded with Weiser appearing onstage. "Greetings, my dear heroes! Have you enjoyed yourselves thus far?!"

    His question was met with a symphony of apuse and cheering.

    "That pleases me more than anything! I''m delighted that you all enjoyed the festivities thus far! Now, Dear Heroes," he smirked, "shall we move on to the next event?"

    Among the crowd were various murmurs of uncertainty. However, only my countrymen were distressed by the announcement. In fact, it wasn''t confusion taking hold of the nobles within the ballroom. No¡­those were expressions born of trembling excitement.

    "Excuse me, old man," Tachibana approached Weiser, "you didn''t mention anything other than dinner and a dance. There''s more?"

    Weiser smiled. "Indeed, there is. You see, the final curtain call for tonight''s festivities has yet to be concluded. That said¡­shall we end it now?"

    The way he said those final words, my insides squirmed with angst. It was faint, but I could sense malicious undertones lurking within his courteousness.

    I tried to warn my countrymen, or at least Agawa, but it was toote. Before I could utter a syble, Weiser snapped his fingers.

    One by one, my countrymen fell limp and crashed to the ballroom floor. The beat of repeated thuds echoed throughout the hall, recing the once-weing ssical melody that preceded it.

    "What the hell did he do?" Interrupting me was Agawa''s full weight; she''d gonepletely limp. "Hey, are you okay?!"

    But she wasn''t okay. None of us were.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    All across the ballroom, my countrymen dropped like flies. Like them, the vibrant and sunny girl I shared a dance with nowy deathly still in my arms.

    I prepared myself for the worst and brought two fingers to her neck. Opposite what I expected, I felt the rhythmic thumping of a steady heartbeat, though faint. ''Just unconscious...'' I felt relieved, but the fact didn''t change the dire situation.

    Still confused, I sought out the nobles for help but seeing them only added to the despair. Their once joyful and weing expressions contorted, bing maniacal and bloodthirsty. What reflected from their eyes wasn''tpassion or worry; it was a craving for murder.

    "Heh," I chuckled and sighed, "it figures." I was never so regretful about being right. Right that the manor was a death trap disguised as a new beginning, all along.

    I gentlyid Agawa''s body to the floor, drew the knife I''d stashed, and readied myself for death. Though I hadn''t known why I was allowed to remain conscious, I wasn''t about to waste the opportunity. ''If I''m meeting death¡­ I''m takingpany.''

    "C''mon, you f*ckers!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and took a killer''s stance. "Who''s first?!"

    Many of the nobles changed their crazed res into that of genuine surprise upon seeing me. "Why is that one still awake?" one said haughtily while pointing at me. Rather than fear, it was like they had been addressing a minor inconvenience.

    "What can I say? I''m a defiant b*st*rd!" I proudly responded. "Now c''mon!"

    Responding to my challenge, Weiser approached slowly. "Dear Hero," he gave a sinister smile with outstretched arms, "isn''t it customary to eat the food your gracious host gives you in your country?"

    "...food," I mumbled, feeling the onset of an epiphany. The food that I stopped myself from eating. The food that my countrymen consumed with jovial smiles on their faces.

    ''The food¡­''

    "you drugged it?"

    "Correct!" Weiser arrogantly eximed. "I had you pegged for a smart one, Dear Hero!" He apanied his false praise with a series of steady and mocking ps.

    "I figured you suspicious b*st*rds were up to something," I sighed, then flourished my de. "Want to tell me why you did it before I kill you?"

    However, the time for talk was over. Rather than a verbal retort, Weiser answered with an arrogant grin and raised his hand. He mockingly chuckled, and our duel to the death was underway.

    ''I''ve seen that motion before,'' my eyes narrowed. It preceded the moment he cast ''magic.'' Another tidbit of information I knew from our time in the tower; it took a few seconds to prepare.

    Not wasting any time, I propelled toward him at full tilt. I had no luxury for fancy tricks, so I tackled the challenge head-on.

    "That''s the spirit," he smiled at my approach.

    "I wouldn''t be so cocky!" I growled back at him; his arrogance genuinely irritated me.

    As the sky-blue orbs of energy gathered, millions of ice fragments condensed in the air around Weiser. Though the room was dark, the space around him shimmered with reflective luminance.

    In seconds, I was nearly upon him, ready to plunge my knife into his throat.

    "I''m taking you with me!" I shouted with triumph.

    To counter, he waved his hand in my direction, forcing every shard to merge intorge projectiles.

    Once fully formed, the icy chunks zipped through the air until they collided with me. Following loud thuds, they fractured into hundreds of pieces against my body.

    Luckily, I had my vest on. It dulled the impact to being near negligible. It was almost like being pelted with small pebbles by a group of children. Nheless, the tiny shards left frosty patches on my armor, impeding my movement further with each new addition.

    Still, for every inch my feet scraped back, I stepped two forward. I trudged on and smashed through his frozen wall with brute force. The ice crackled and screeched, shattering into dozens of fragments as I burst through.

    Sadly, the reckless push forward wasn''t without consequence. My body ran wholly sapped of heat, leaving patches of my skin ck with frostbite.

    "THIS IS NOTHING!" I winced, clenching my teeth through the pain and pushing through. Once he was within shing range, I lunged toward him and wound up my arm for a swift thrust. A thrust aimed straight for the Adam''s apple of his throat.

    I smirked, thinking I''d take the bastard with me upon my tale''s end, but those hopes died when I realized he was smiling back. That''s when I noticed a crucial detail. ''His left hand¡­where is it?'' I averted my eyes downward to find it by his waist.

    An inconspicuous stream of purple-hued power spiraled around his missing hand in a miniature quasar. Sadly, though I saw the fractal branches of luminosity, it was toote to retreat.

    My de was millimeters from piercing his throat''s flesh. That opportunity ended when a sh of light converted my body into an electrical conductor.

    Twitching skin, spasming muscles, and a sharp throb in my heart. That''s how it felt for my flesh to short-circuit.

    I couldn''t control my legs, so Weiser casually stepped aside, allowing my force to carry me into the floor. Finally, my mind started slipping away from reality.

    In myst moments of consciousness, she''d be thest one I saw.

    Upon the stage, standing amongst the thin border of me, she was there. Her crimson-red eyes pierced through the darkness as they bore into my soul.

    "K-Kiri¡­na¡­V-d."

 Chapter 17 Summon To Table, Part One

    ?I shook my head upon awakening to stop the world from spinning.

    "Ugh..." I slouched my head forward, "am I¡­still alive?"

    Though my vision was blurred, I saw numerous fractal burns and ckened patches of skin across my half-naked body. Both left asting sting on my skin''s surface that contrasted sharply with the frigidity of moisture. From head to toe, I was soaked all the way through with water.

    ''W...What the hell is going on?''

    Once I became more aware, I was greeted by a familiar scent in the air. It was putrid and stale, with a metallic finish. It was the smell of rotting blood.

    Moving was futile; my hands and legs were bound to a nted wooden shelf. My skin around the leather straps ran red and purple from their tightness.

    They removed all my remaining gear, leaving me with wretched rags in ce of my pants and shirt. I suppose I should be thankful for that, at least.

    I scanned the room for the smell''s origin, foolishly thinking I''d already seen the worst humanity had to offer. That no matter what disturbing sight awaited me, I could withstand it. However, when I saw it, I couldn''t help but gag.

    ''Can humans really do this?!''

    Several human torsos were wholly stripped of their skin and limbs, exposing the fleshy pink muscles and fatty white ligaments underneath. A bloodied,rge rusted metal hook over a trough pierced through the top of each.

    Adjacent to the blood-filled container was a workbench showcasing dozens of stained surgical instruments. Most concerning were the cleavers and paring knives scattered across the table. None of which were tools of surgery.

    Every emergency sense I developed over my life was howling, and thoughts of escape assailed my mind.

    I considered over a dozen strategies to escape. Sadly, with no idea where I was, any n I made would likely be pointless. It didn''t matter anyway; my nning was stomped out by the sound of footsteps cking against the stone floor.

    "Ah, so you''ve woken up." The voice was calm and casual. Almost as if we weren''t in a room filled with the pungent odor of decayed bodies.

    I turned to see a sickly old man staring back at me, his eyes trembling with insanity.

    Decorating his skin were dozens of scars and grotesque stitching. He wore them as naturally as you''d wear a t-shirt. His actual clothing consisted of a tatteredb coat and crude shorts. Following the image of a mad doctor, his hands were dyed red with dried blood.

    The old man followed my gaze to his scars. "Ooh, noticing my exquisites, are you? I''m quite fond of them. I''m d a connoisseur such as yourself can appreciate my art!" His smile was crazed, revealing crooked teeth and inmed gums.

    Given his appearance, I imagined he was responsible for those freely swinging drained carcasses. I needed to keep him talking if I wanted to live.

    "Connoisseur?" I asked with a fatigued voice. "What are you talking about?"

    He madly cackled in response. "Why, I''m talking about you, of course! I mean, look at you! You''re covered from head to toe with such lovely adornments to your flesh. Stab wounds, sh wounds, burn wounds, unidentifiable wounds. You''re amazing! I''ll admit it¡­ I''m envious!"

    He leaned in closer, studying my scars with an intensifying gaze. I quickly discovered his emotional range was as unstable as his words. When he visually dissected me, he expressed anger, happiness, sadness, and envy. Each step was more disturbing than thest.

    "If I''m such an idol¡­would you mind freeing me?" I knew it was a long shot, but if war taught me anything, survival was all about chance. You better believe I''d take every single one I could.

    The old man silently gawked at me and my question as he registered my request. His head slowly tilted to the side as he pondered. Then, when he concluded his decision, it snapped back to being straight.

    "Oh, I don''t mind at all! But... I''m sure Lady d would, so I won''t. Although just thinking about the consequences I''d suffer¡­ The profound pain I''d be feeling¡­ENVIOUS!" he violently squirmed and clenched his fingers to his face. Again sprawling across his face was a crazed smile, and his eyes trembled excitedly.

    Even though I hadn''t gotten my hopes up, I still felt disappointed. "I thought that''d be the case," I sighed.

    The old man looked genuinely sorry, but it was short-lived. "Yes, many apologies, fellow connoisseur! Oh, but my name, I can give you my name!" he bounced up and down with excitement.

    I couldn''t let him take control of the conversation. If I did and he ended it, it would be game over for me. So I refused his offer.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No, tha-"

    But he wasn''t deterred by my refusal. Hell, he didn''t even wait for it.

    "My name is Malgam! I''ve been assigned as your caretaker. Isn''t that fantastic!" his eyes, fingers, arms, and legs were all trembling chaotically.

    I had to steer the conversation back, so I addressed him. "Okay¡­ Malg-"

    "Yes!" he interrupted.

    "Malgam¡­ What are you nning?" He seemed like the talkative type and was thoroughly insane, so I assumed extracting information would be a cinch.

    "What am I nning?" he fidgeted his fingers and tilted his head at an irregr angle.

    "What¡­do you n to do with me?"

    "Oh, that! Yes, yes, yes," he brought a scalpel out from his coat pocket, "I n to harvest you, of course!" He angled his scalpel and lightly slid it across my chest, venting streaks of crimson across my skin. "I''m going to extract your heart, well, other heart."

    ''My other heart? I remember that from somewhere. What was it again? It was something Weiser said back in the tower.'' I dug through my memories and felt the fog in my mind lift with an epiphany.

    "So, you''re trying to harvest my second heart," I asserted with confidence.

    He seized my shoulders and shouted, leaving traces of spittle on my face. "Yes, that is absolutely correct! Leave it to a fellow connoisseur; you''re quick to understand!" He then turned and traveled to the de-strewn workbench.

    It took all of my concentration to remain calm. The threat of death was one thing; it was something I lived with for years. The idea of being dissected while still alive, though? ''That''s enough to make a grown man cry,'' I sighed.

    Despite my mounting fears, I shook my head to keep focus. "Mal-"

    "Yes!" he shouted.

    "Malgam...why do you want to harvest my second heart?" Though I asked, I knew the answer. Organ trafficking wasn''t umon in my homnd either, so maybe I could have bargained my way out.

    Malgam ran back to me, his eyes consumed in a new frenzy. Now inches from my face, he hyperventted as if he had just run a marathon. I wasn''t sure which was more toxic, the stench of rotting bodies or his breath.

    "Why to eat, of course!" he maniacally smiled.

    ''To¡­eat?'' the thought sent shivers through my spine. But, though I wanted to deny it, it all made sense with the new information.

    The hanging torsos. The blood trough for draining them. The cleavers and paring knives¡­ I thought I''d already seen everything. From depraved torture to ruthless firing squads to hopeless prison camps, I always figured it couldn''t get worse. ''But¡­cannibalism?''

    Gagging wasn''t the end of it. The thought of a man eating another turned to stomach convulsions, ejecting what little I had in my gut across the floor.

    Malgam cackled. "Someone is getting a little excited, huh? I''ll admit," he smirked, "I envy you. To be able to savor such despair, you''re truly one to be envied!"

    ''Oh yeah, I''m f*cking lucky,'' I internally snarked back.

    Dread welled up within me like an overloaded valve. But I couldn''t afford to let it take control. If the panic consumed me, then these damn cannibals would too!

    I exchanged a re with Malgam and made a silent vow. ''No matter what happens. No matter what I''m forced to do, I will live through this.'' My eyes lit up with a fiery determination that even the greatest flood of despair couldn''t extinguish. ''And I''ll kill anyone that stands in my way.''

 Chapter 18 Summon To Table, Part Two

    ?Though I made my vows, I wasn''t actually sure how to act on them, given I was bound up, injured, and weaponless.

    ''Guess I should focus on what I CAN do for now," I sighed out of frustration.

    Rather than escaping, I focused my attention on gathering information. "Why would you eat my second heart?"

    Malgam rubbed the back of his head and blushed. "Oh, not me. I''m human. HUUUUMAAAAN," he emphasized it as if speaking to an illiterate child. "Yup, it''s the demons are the ones who''ll be doing the eating.

    ''Demons?'' Every answer he gave left me with more questions.

    "Did you say demons?" I asked. "What do you mean by ''demons?''"

    "It''s exactly as it sounds!" he frustratedly threw up his arms. "The nobles you danced with are all demons, Lady d, too!" He then pointed his finger at me as if to lecture. "Oh, but Weiser isn''t. He''s human, like us!"

    Malgam''s attitude changed at Weiser''s mention. He pouted and crossed his arms. "I never liked him. He''s always messing with me and trying to fiddle with my mind," he finished with a pained expression while rubbing the temples of his skull.

    I ignored the part about Weiser; I had more important things to consider. Like the demons, for example. That''s what he called them, though that isn''t how they looked...at all. They had no inhuman features, no monstrous deformities. In fact, it was the opposite; they were all unrealistically beautiful.

    "How are they demons when they all looked so human?"

    Malgam brought the scalpel back into his coat''s pocket, shelving his hands. "Well, of course! They aren''t some low breeds!" he said condescendingly.

    His word choice of ''low breeds'' intrigued me, but that didn''t matter. What mattered was learning who or what I was dealing with. "What are they then?"

    He became oddly reserved with my question, and his intense gaze seemed to pierce through my eyes to the depths of my soul. "They''re a force that humanity has feared since we faced our first night. When the shadows that crept around our bonfires churned, that was them. They''re Fullkin."

    "Fullkin?" I furrowed my brow, confused.

    His eyes were filled with disappointment, and his expression became condescending, as if I''d just asked what two plus two was. Then he mmed a closed fist on his other open palm with an epiphany.

    "Oh, that''s right. I suppose those from your world wouldn''t know them by that name," he wed at his chin and averted his gaze upward.

    When he finally returned to reality, he did so with a new expression of excitement. "I remember! You call them vampires! Probably? At least that''s what another of you heroespared them to before I killed him."

    Aside from how casual he was about murder, I loathed that I couldn''t bring myself to be surprised about the idea of vampires existing. Between being transported to another world and devoured by our esteemed hosts, the idea of them actually seemed usible.

    However, their self-proimed "vampirism" did beg a new question.

    If they were vampires, would they follow the same rules as the fictional ones back home? Maybe there was hope to live after all. "Don''t vampires only drink blood? Why do you need our hearts too?"

    Malgam brought a finger up. "Oh, they''ll do that too! That''s why I''m collecting all your blood in that big container thingy over there," he gestured to the hanging torsos. "As for your hearts, I''m not sure myself, but they eat them to gain power¡­probably?" His curious tone seemed as if he were the one asking the question.

    "Power?" I questioned.

    "Yes, power," he nodded with a smile. "You otherworlders have exceptionally potent second hearts. So you are just chock full of the mana they enjoy eating. So we summon you for them; they eat you instead of us. Does that make sense?"

    ''Make sense?'' Did the situation where I was strapped to a bloodied wooden shelf and about to be eaten by alleged vampires to gain power make sense? ''Of course, it doesn- Wait, what was thatst part?''

    "Malgam," I hoped I was wrong, "what did you mean by ''we summon you''?"

    "Huh?" he tilted his head in confusion. "It''s just as it sounds."

    "By ''we,'' you don''t mean...mankind¡­ Do you?" I took a hard swallow as I braced myself for the answer. I feared my own question.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "That''s right," he nodded matter-of-factly.

    My heart sank into a bottomless pit as hopelessness crept in. It weighed heavy on me, dragging me down to the depths of despair. I was used to petty human infighting, but would we war against one another even in the face of literal monsters?

    ''Of course! Why would I even be surprised? It''s such a ssic human move. It''s always every man for themselves until that man needs saving,'' I cynically chuckled.

    My disappointedughter soon transformed into pure disgust. The revulsion brought an onset of a nausea-inducing headache. However, I had nothing left in my stomach to act on it.

    After the sickness came throbbing anger. I imagined how many had lost their lives because of the betrayal. If the vampires nned to kill us anyway, they could have at least been forthright about it!

    I clenched my fists, pushing my arm''s veins to the surface and bruising my calloused palms with my fingernails.

    Amidst my feelings of hatred, my thoughts involuntarily turned to the memories of my briefpanions. Kamida, Takagi, and Agawa each appeared in my mind, and even though my time with them was short, I couldn''t help but feel regretful about their fates.

    I gritted my teeth, and a vein pulsated to my forehead; I couldn''t contain my rage anymore. "Why the hell is mankind helping demonkind?! Aren''t they the enemy?!" My heartbeat rhythmically mmed against my chest, and my breathing became quickened.

    Even when faced with my sweltering anger, Malgam remained happily unhinged. "Oh, I guess they were. After the first party of heroes failed, humanity had to make a pact with demonkind for survival."

    "Of course they did," I snarled under my breath to curse them. No matter where I was, it was always the same. I always needed to clean up someone else''s mess.

    Block a bullet for a foolish subordinate? I was there. Kill a father, a mother, a brother or a sister over a war some politician instigated? I was there. Sacrifice myself for a convoy of nk faces because it was my duty? I was FUCKING!!!.....there...

    ''So why? Why can''t I ever rest?! I''m supposed to be dead! So why?! Why does it alwayse back to this?!'' Like a floodgate opening, my negative thoughts and emotions swept me away with a strong current.

    ''Stop, think. Calm down. This isn''t the ce for an emotional breakdown,'' I reasoned with myself. However, calming the turbulence within me was no easy task. If I had topare it, I''d say it was like stuffing a hurricane in a bottle, but it had to be done. So I forced what might''ve been the deepest breath I''d ever taken, expanding my diaphragm to its limits.

    Loudly exhaling, I was ready to continue my questioning. "...Why... Why do demons need humans to summon us? Couldn''t they do it themselves?" Though I quelled myself from rage, my voice still staggered from the fury that festered within me.

    "Simple," Malgam said, "the summoning ritual is built in such a way that only humans can summon other humans. If any other species tried," he held a hand to his throat and mimicked the throes of death, "they''d die."

    "So you summon us for the demons, just so they can devour us? What the hell does that make us, then?! It''s almost as if we''re-"

    "Why you''re cattle, of course!"

    ''Of course we are. We''re cattle. Goddamn¡­cattle!''

    It was expected, though. Humans would always deceive other humans, even when faced with amon threat. ''Ours really is a disgusting, self-serving species,'' my thoughts inevitably transformed into a torrent of insults toward "humanity."

    However, my session of cynicism was cut short when Malgam took hold of my throat. "Oh, this is a problem! I forgot your cor!" Despite his unstable emotional state, this was the first time I''d seen him looking so panicked.

    ''A cor? So they really do intend to kill me like a dog...'' I sighed tiredly.

    Despite my exhaustion, I''ll admit that I was giddy to see Malgam panicking. Could this have been a chance? No, even if it wasn''t... I''d make it one.

    ''Fate lost its chance to kill me when it resurrected me into this hell!'' I clenched my fists and teeth in defiance toward any that would stop me.

    Malgam frantically removed his hand from my neck and receded toward the darkness. "I''ll be right back to get your cor, so stay there, okay!" Eventually, both his silhouette and cking footsteps disappeared.

    I had only one response to his order. One line summed up all my thoughts and emotions at that moment.

    "Like hell I will."

 Chapter 19 Determination

    ?With Malgam gone, nothing prevented me from trying to break free.

    For several moments, I struggled in ce. The wood groaned, and the leather crinkled as I pulled, but both refused to budge any further.

    "No way will some ancient torture rack stop me," I grumbled to myself, but I was at a loss as to how to break free.

    The bindings were thick and sturdy, so tearing them was out of the question. Sadly, I''d find no weakness in the shelving, either. It was devoid of any structural defects, so breaking it wasn''t feasible.

    "Come on, Katsuro!" I groaned. "You''ve escaped worse!"

    After a few minutes, my grunts of resistance were deafened by a blood-curdling scream. Following it, I was a frantic but familiar voice echoing through the halls.

    "No! No! Get your filthy hands off me! Y-You b-bastards! LET! ME! GO!"

    The voice was shaken and, though feminine, had a ferocious tone that made it indistinguishable from any other. ''Is that...Agawa?''

    ''I guess she''s a goner,'' I sighed to myself.

    I''d seen too many deaths by now to be shaken by hers. But then a picture popped into my head. The image contained Agawa''s warm smile as we waltzed in a close embrace to a soothing melody.

    ''But maybe she doesn''t have to be...''

    Of course, casualties would only be natural in this situation, but there was no harm in trying to mitigate them. If I could, I''d save her. It was my way of repayment for the enjoyable experience she gifted me back in the ballroom.

    "NO! PLEASE!" she grew even more distressed.

    Hearing her cries stirred something in me. I thrashed my body savagely against the post, looking for an opportunity...any opportunity, to escape my shackles.

    I jerked back and forth, beating myself against the wooden rack to break free. A jab of pain shot through my back each time, but even so, I kept trying.

    Despite my powerlessness, or maybe because of it, my struggles grew more reckless as time passed. The bindings eventually dug deep enough into my skin to draw small streaks of blood from my wrists.

    Upon feeling the wetness trickling down my arms, an idea clicked. ''The blood... I can use the blood!''

    I snapped my gaze to my left arm and then my right; they were swollen purple to nearly bursting with a searing pain to match. However, it still wasn''t enough. I needed to subject myself to even greater agonies if I wanted enough lubrication.

    "-EASE!" her voice, like her time, was running thinner with each passing moment. "SOMEBODY! PLEASE HELP!

    I furiously rubbed my raw skin against the leather, causing me to wince in pain. However, the bindings were eventually coated in red, rewarding my efforts.

    Once again, I tugged and pummeled my body against the shelf to free myself. However, that effort was fruitless. Sadly, but expectedly, my bonds barely budged, even when slick.

    I ceased my struggle, losing all the strength I had built within my constricted muscles. ''Is this really how it''s going to end? Did I survive immtion just to die at the hands of a mythical race of monsters?''

    "A-ANYONE! P-PLEASE!" Hopelessness began to set into Agawa''s voice.

    "SHUT THE HELL UP!" A male voice yelled, followed by a loud thud.

    A captive crying woman... A belligerent male... I had seen enough of humanity to know what was happening. It was a savage crime I witnessed many times on the war front, sometimesmitted even by those I called allies.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Yet, each time, I was powerless to prevent the act.

    In times of mass desperation, corruption ran rampant through the ranks, embedding itself deep within the hearts of my superiors and their superiors. All of which were eager to turn a blind eye so long as the men maintained their posts.

    The term "war crime" hadpletely lost its value.

    But now, there was no one to stop me, not a chain ofmand I had to obey. Because of that, I lost any inhibition regarding the pain. For once, I was free to make my own decisions, and if I could help it, I''d spare that girl from the fate she was about to suffer.

    "P-Please, Sato¡­" her words became meek and defeated, meaning the time for hesitation was over.

    With great determination, I braced myself and forcibly started tearing my hands from the tight straps. A searing pain shot up through my arms like an electric shock, pulsing through my veins and causing my chest to tighten.

    The agony resulted from my wounds chafing against the unyielding leather, and I strained my muscles to the point of tearing.

    I was brought to the brink of shutting down from the pain as darkness encroached upon my pupils on all sides. Still, I disregarded it all and gritted my teeth. "I''ll be free from these bindings or these damn arms," I growled, holding back my pained whimpers.

    The small streams of blood formed a constant gush as I tore more skin from my wrists.

    With each cry I stifled, I had to remind myself to hush the next. I couldn''t afford to waste an ambush opportunity. Especially if I was going to be injured when I confronted them. Besides, "this is nothingpared to being burned alive, not even close!"

    I felt a slight loosening of the straps, and was granted a bit more rotational movement, giving me hope that my escape was within reach. One final, forceful tug was all that stood between me and my freedom.

    With onest surge of determination, I took a deep breath of foul air, and ripped my arms from the restraints with a fierce jerk. Amongst the pain, the feeling of victory surged through me as I pulled my arms away.

    I raised my hands to the light above. They were stiff, swollen, and raw, leaving me with almost robotic movements.

    "I''ming for you, Agawa. Nothing can stop me now..." Whether that deration was for her or to boost my dwindling morale, I couldn''t be sure.

    I had no time to spare, so I hastily unstrapped the leather restraints around my legs. Their rubbery, tan exteriors became deep brown as they soaked up the blood that smothered my hands.

    Though I fumbled, I eventually utched the straps from their buckles and fell to the floor.

    I staggered to my feet and limped to the blood-soaked workbench; each step I took was apanied by abored breath. My sight slid across the bench''s top. As I saw earlier, there was a variety of surgical instruments.

    Hacksaws, bloodied gloves, syringes, rope and chains, and numerous other disturbing tools were strewn about the workbench''s surface. Amongst them were several knives. I seized the sharpest of them. Its razor edge was so honed that even the lightest pressure could split my skin like butter.

    ''At least I have a weapon,'' I smirked. Though I would''ve preferred my gun, beggars can''t be choosers.

    Now that I was free and armed, I worked my legs overtime and charged down the hallway toward Agawa''s voice. I received relief from the chilled ground to my red-hot, cloth-wrapped swollen feet with each step. Several more, and I would finally reach a dposing wood door.

    As I traveled, a strange detail caught my eye: a torture room that was symmetrically identical to the one I had been strapped in, except it was scorched to all hell. The wooden shelf, the metal skinning table, and even the floor were all charred ck as the midnight sky.

    I paid no mind to it. Instead, I maintained a one-track fury for the one I resolved to protect.

    ''This is it,'' I squeezed my knife tightly. ''You won''t be a casualty, Agawa; I won''t let you.'' I calmed my muscles, and as I breached, I felt it in my bones, my very core. The presence of one I knew all too well loomed nearby.

    Death was on the horizon, and he was reaping souls.

 Chapter 20 Agawas Peril, Part One

    ?Waking up in a frigid, damp stone room, a dazed Agawa shook herself from drowsiness.

    ''W-Where am I? What happened? One moment, I was dancing, and then¡­ Ugh, I can''t remember!'' I shuffled restlessly from the frigid stone floor to my feet.

    "Sato! Hello!? Anyone!?" I called out to the darkness, only to be met with the dead of silence.

    My head spun. It was like the inside was trying to burst forth from my skull. My eyes were impaired too. I had to squint and focus for several seconds before discerning anything beyond a jumbled blur.

    Once my vision settled, I checked my body to see all my clothes had been stripped. Recing them were shabby old and stained rags.

    Luckily, they left me with my underwear. However, I couldn''t be grateful since these "clothes" didn''t leave much to the imagination.

    Aside from my bright yellow bra and panties, my attire was in shambles.

    The pants, if you could call them that, were ripped with various tears and holes running up the sides of my legs. As for the shirt, it was so tattered my belly was nearly exposed.

    "Ugh... at least I was given something." I tried to remain optimistic, though I was teeth-grindingly irritated.

    I averted my attention from my clothing and noticed an unusual difort around my neck.

    Reaching for it, I touched a metallic ring. "What is this? A cor?!" I seized it with both hands and yanked.

    Mybors were rewarded with a nasty red bruise before the cor fell back into its original spot.

    ''I can''t believe the sickos put a cor on me!'' I had to grit my teeth to hold in my frustrations.

    Knowing I couldn''t do anything about it, I started stretching my aching muscles. Every ligament and fiber throbbed like I had trekked across a dozen marathons.

    A series of pops and cracks ensued as I roused my body into action. Then, with everything in working order, I surveyed my surroundings.

    While exploring the room, I was halted by a jerk in my leg and a resounding ng.

    I lost my bnce, and my body was left at gravity''s mercy while I plummeted to the floor.

    When Inded, I broke my fall with my right arm. However, I wouldn''t say that ended well since my arm was left purple with an ugly bruise.

    I groaned to myself in pain and annoyance. Once I''d stood back up, I felt my skin rubbing against another unusual tightness centered around my left ankle.

    Tugging on my leg was pointless. Any attempt was met by a continuous rattling sound that held it in ce. I followed the noise to its source when I detected a dull gray and rusted iron chain.

    I visually followed its trail to discover that the rattling originated from a stake buried deep within the solid stone floor. Obviously, it wasn''t something I could dig out with my bare hands, so I just had to live with it.

    Fortunately, there was some ck to the shackles, so I had some walking room.

    Given my captors'' generous gift of rags and chains, I wasn''t surprised my surroundings resembled what you''d expect of an RPG''s dungeon.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Three walls were constructed out of moss-covered stone brick with the asional driblet of dew sliding down them. Sealing the final side was a set of corroded, thick, and gray metal bars.

    There was a makeshift straw bed in one corner. Covering it was a wretched excuse for a white nket with numerous frayed ends and tears. What was even more pathetic was the cloth pillow.

    The nket wasn''t terrible, but the already ttened pillow was leaking its straw stuffing at the seams, making it more of an empty sack than a sleeping aid.

    In the opposite corner of the cell was a filth-ridden hole surrounded by flies and maggots.

    I grimaced at the sight of what I assumed was to be my "bathroom."

    ''Ugh, there''s no way in hell I''m using that¡­'' is what I thought, but I shuddered to think about how long I could resist if I had to stay here for very long.

    My innerints were shaken by the faint echo of voices. The first sounded gruff, heavy, and giant-like.

    "Yeah, she''s in here. I tell you," he cackled, "she''s a real beauty."

    The next one, though higher pitched, was still clearly masculine.

    "Are you sure Lady d won''t mind?"

    The voices were apanied by the scrunching of leather boots and the jingling of keys, a sound that became more ominous as they grew closer.

    Despite the situation, mymonsense was ovee by curiosity. I crawled toward the cell bars for a better look. To my irritation, the chain''s ck ran out just shy of my goal, so I awkwardly loosened my leg muscles for the extra inch of vision.

    "Dumbass!" the heavy voice insulted. "It''ll be fine. They have plenty of fresh meat. What''s one measly girl that we take for ourselves?"

    "Heh, You''re probably right."

    At first, the voices were faint, and their owners were obscured from view. However, a crippling dread soon set in when I realized I could now discern their silhouettes. One was massive in stature, while the other was lean and short.

    Without standing up, I dragged myself away from the bars as silently as possible. My next objective was concealing myself within the hay bedspread. I thought they''d pass me by if I pretended to be asleep.

    Inch by inch, I closed in on my hiding ce. Once I reached the bedding, the straw underneath crumpled and cracked while I pushed myself across. As soon as I could, I lifted the nket over myself.

    Though I tried to remain perfectly still, my body betrayed me and trembled. I''d never been too scared before, but now I felt like I was the heroine of a sher flick.

    "Please pass by.... please pass by..." I quietly whispered to myself, almost praying.

    Unfortunately for me, the jingling of their keys and squawking of their boots ceased as they came to aplete stop.

    They were right outside my cell¡­

 Chapter 21 Agawas Peril, Part Two

    ?"Ugh, looks like she''s asleep," the heavy voice said.

    My mind was paralyzed on how to respond. ''What do I do if theye in? Do I fight? Do I plead? No¡­ I''ll be fine.'' After all, to them, I looked asleep, so they''d eventually lea-

    "I can''t believe you actually stole those! It kinda scares me what they''ll do to us if they find out¡­"

    "It''ll be fine," the heavy voice replied, "we''ll return the keys when we''ve had our fun¡­" following his joke, the two cackled with what I could only describe as sinister intent.

    A resounding ck, followed by an ear-grating grinding, drowned out my thoughts. The squeaking from their leather boots was even more pronounced when they entered the cell.

    "A, don''t sleep too long," the heavy voice feigned distress. "Come on, missy. I and my bud just want to get to know you better," he finished with a devilish snicker.

    My heart sank as I realized I was in the same room as the two men.

    I couldn''t see them with my head buried under the covers. But I didn''t need sight to tell how wretched of creatures they were. Aside from their creepy demeanor, their smell was septic enough to rival a metropolitan sewer.

    Soon, I felt a hand grope my body through the covers.

    That was it. I wouldn''t hide anymore, and you could definitely forget talking! I decided to beat these perverts into submission and then some. I was a ck belt, so some degenerates would be no problem!

    Without warning, I threw the covers from myself and over the face of the groper.

    "Wha-" he took a step back in shock and struggled to remove the nket that was now veiling his vision.

    The opportunity was there, so I struck the center of his face with my free leg.

    He recoiled from the force, crashing into the cell bars.

    I finally put faces to the voices of the filth that had the nerve to try touching me. They were caked in soot and grime, with hair so greasy a spark could set it ame.

    Fitting the heavy voice of the one I kicked down was an even heavier-set man. His head was balding, and he wore a soiled white shirt with beige trousers. The other seemed reminiscent of a rodent.

    He had a small nose, a jutting jaw, and a dirty goatee. Jarringly, he also seemed to be wearing some kind of leather armor.

    Despite being better equipped than therge one, I could tell he was the type to take orders, not give them.

    The bearded one heckled while the other recovered. "Woah, she really knocked you on your ass!" heughed hysterically.

    The heavy one carried on and tore the nket from his head, revealing a bloodied nose that oozed a thick stream of blood.

    He red at me through the cracks of his fingers while wiping his face.

    "Tch, fine," he approached, "if you want it that way, I guess I won''t y nice either."

    I was clearly the faster one of the two of us.

    I evaded a wide grapple heunched. Then, mmed my leg into the ground, propelling myself toward him. Finally, I took hold of his neck with both arms and threw him off bnce.

    He yelped out in pain as his body crashed to the floor. With therger, more dangerous one writhing in agony, any semnce of fear I had was reced by a glowing optimism.

    The bearded one shouted at me in rage. "You bitch!" He slipped out a roughly stained dagger and angled its tip at me.

    He was ready for his turn to get beaten down.

    After taking down that ogre of a man, I felt like I could defeat anyone! I was especially optimistic about the bearded one. His body was flimsy and akin to a dried twig; it looked ready to snap with the mildest pressure.

    I flung myself, this time in his direction. He panicked and put his guard up, but it was toote.

    ''I''ve got him!'' But that confidence was reced with confusion when a familiar ng of rusted metal reverberated through my leg.

    I stopped mid-air, inches away from striking my opponent.

    Time seemed to slow as the distance shortened between myself and the ground. The realization hit me harder than either of these thugs ever could.

    ''The shackle on my ankle¡­ it''s still there.''

    All the momentum I had built up turned against me in the blink of an eye.

    Upon mming into the ground, my breaths were limited to brief, raspy wheezing. Luckily, I avoided hitting my head; that would have been my end.

    "H-Heh, you''re pretty good." The heavy one stumbled back onto his feet.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Sadly for you, your luck just ran out, girlie," his mouth formed a smug smirk of victory. "We could''ve been nice to you, you know?"

    With me incapacitated, there was no barrier between them and their goal.

    In ast-ditch effort to preserve my honor, I fought with every tool I had. Kicking, punching, wing, biting, screaming, I did everything I could to defend myself.

    "No! No! Get your filthy hands off me! Y-You b-bastards! Let. Me. Go!"

    Everything I had left was poured into defense. As you might''ve guessed, it was far from good enough.

    They overpowered me and pinned my limbs to the ground. With me immobilized, therger one tore at what little clothing I had until I''d been entirely bare.

    My pleas only seemed to stimte them more as their expressions became sadistic.

    The bearded one mocked me with a grin. "You can scream all you want, girl. Nobody ising to save you!"

    I threw my pride away as I resorted to begging. "NO! PLEASE!" I cried, clinging to the hope that these men had even an inkling of morality within their hearts.

    They only cackled back with cruel smiles.

    "Would you shut up? You''re really killing the mood..." The heavy one whined, reaching for my breasts.

    The touch of his filthy hands removed any inhibition; I needed to be saved. "PLEASE! SOMEBODY! PLEASE HELP! My appeal wasn''t calling for anyone in particr. I just wanted to be spared from this fate.

    "I said shut up!" the heavy one growled again.

    Every bit of resistance left in my body started to die out. "A-ANYONE! P-PLEASE!" My voice was all I had left; the rest of my body went limp from hopelessness.

    "SHUT THE HELL UP!" the heavy one struck me across my temple with a wave of his fist.

    My head pounding, I could feel my vision fading to ck. ''Maybe it''s for the best,'' I teared up. ''At least I won''t be conscious for it¡­''

    The heavy one rxed his shoulders. "There see¡­ Now was that so hard?"

    "Heh," the bearded one closed in, "looks like she''s losing the fight in her."

    Complete despair took over my body as I resigned myself to the torment.

    That''s when his face appeared. I''m unsure why I thought of him, but I somehow felt it would work this time.

    At first, I didn''t think to call for anyone in particr. However, now I was calling for you.

    "P-Please, Sato¡­"

    Once again, there was no response.

    The tears I held back gushed from my eyes now that I''d realized I was utterly alone. That I had nobody to count on to help me.

    What other choice did I have but to give up? I fought; it wasn''t enough. I screamed; nobody came. Now I was about to lose something precious to some disease-ridden monsters.

    Until they stopped.

    "Huh, hey, do you hear that?" the bearded one turned towards the door.

    I''m not surprised I missed it. My heartbeat thrashed against my chest with such ferocity that all other noise was drowned out. But after he mentioned it, I heard it too: the patter of frantic footsteps.

    They grew closer with every moment that passed.

    "Ugh, what the hell? They better have a good reason for interrupting me!" The heavy-set man turned toward the cell door when it blew open.

    Dashing in was a man I''d lost faith in. A man I thought abandoned me now stood with a furious expression. Even with my blurred vision, I recognized his face.

    My eyes stung as I allowed myself to feel hope again.

    ''I can''t believe you¡­just when I lost hope, you do this¡­.'' I closed my eyes to cut off my tears. ''You really are an idiot. You''re an idiot and¡­.''

    "Thank you."

 Chapter 22 A Bloodied Savior, Part One

    ?My hands trembled uncontrobly, undergoing a violent spasm every other moment.

    Just the act of opening the door was too taxing for me, requiring more focus and effort than I cared to admit.

    I stepped back a few paces and positioned my shoulder towards the door. Then, taking a deep breath, I charged toward it with all my strength, unleashing a forceful m that echoed through the room.

    When I burst in, I saw two men pinning Agawa to the ground. Arge balding one in a torn cloth shirt and a thin one with a goatee beard wearing leather body armor.

    The balding one turned away from Agawa toward me. "You bastard, who the hell are you!" he swiped one of his thick, bushy arms at me.

    "It''s one of the prisoners!" the bearded one responded frantically. "Why doesn''t he have a cor?!"

    I checked on Agawa to see she was in an unforgivable state. Her clothes were torn to shreds, her face was swollen purple from where they struck her, and her eyes were stained red from crying.

    ''How many more are experiencing what she is? How many have been consumed...defiled?'' The thought disgusted me. Even more than that, a fire ignited inside my heart. It burned away any hesitation that I might''ve had...any feelings that would''ve held me back from what I was about to do.

    "I''ll be honest with you two, I have to kill you both," I flourished my knife, tightening my grip to the point of stanching my wrist''s bleeding. "Sorry."

    The bearded one stood up from Agawa and panicked. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

    Both thugs assumed a fighting stance while wielding worn daggers. The weapons were pitifully made at best, with both des bearing cracks from years of use and poor maintenance.

    The two were better off using screwdrivers or box cutters at this point.

    Knowing that I had to keep Agawa out of harm''s way, I taunted them. "Yours are very small¡­aren''t they?" I forced a smirk. "Your des, I mean?"

    "You¡­YOU¡­" The balding one''s face went red with rage. "I''ll KILL YOU!" His guttural scream echoed throughout the room, leaving shortsting vibrations in the air.

    The balding one charged, making him the first to attack; it was probably a coincidence. His moves were that of an amateur. Sluggish, unrefined, and full of openings to exploit. He thrust his knife toward my left eye, but it was easy to dodge.

    After I sidestepped, the thug staggered past me. He was at the mercy of his weight''s momentum.

    "Wha-" he eximed in dismay.

    "You''re surprised that I dodged that? Really?" I jeered.

    His face reddened as he roared with renewed rage. He swiveled back toward me and lunged again, this time with more reckless fury than before. "KEEP DODGING YOU LITTLE B*TCH; I''LL GUT YO-"

    I waved my free hand in front of him, blinding his eyes with a spurt of blood from my wrist.

    "AH! You f*ck!" he stopped in his tracks to rub out the blood, an opportunity I wouldn''t waste.

    I kicked my legs into gear and quickly descended upon him. ''You''re finished,'' is what I thought when I split his neck''s flesh with my de. I plunged it deep into his throat, going so far as scraping against his spinal cord, before ripping it back out.

    Blood sprayed wildly from his wounds as he raspily wheezed. Fortunately or unfortunately, I was used to the throes of death, so it didn''t affect me much.

    He frantically pressured his neck wound with widened eyes as gouts of blood gushed between the cracks of his fingers.

    Impressively, despite his situation, he still opted to fight. Though he tried to shout, his cut throat prevented him from forming coherent words. Instead, what he uttered was raspy, unintelligible nonsense.

    Shakily sping his dagger in his free hand, his expression became that of a bull''s as he charged me and swung his knife with reckless abandon. A decision he wouldn''t have time to regret.

    I grabbed his leading wrist and twisted it, causing his hand muscles to loosen involuntarily.

    Once his palm opened, I snatched the knife from his hand and embedded the de into the base of his neck. The knife shook as it snapped his spine in two through squelching flesh.

    His body went limp, and his eyes dulled as thest spark of life faded from them. Finally, he crashed to the ground, kicking up a shockwave of dust and blood from the impact.

    "One down," I exhaled.

    "You!" the bearded one backed away in shock. "What the hell did you do?!"

    "Now to the next," I turned my eyes to meet him. I''m unsure what kind of expression I had, but streaks of urine trickled down his leg in response. Though I felt no hesitation, I still sympathized with the humiliation he must''ve felt.

    He dropped his knife and fell to his knees to beg. "No, no, please, I''m sorry. I didn''t want to do this, but he egged me on!" he pointed toward the drooling corpse on the ground. "I was going to kill him myself, I swear! Please, please, please believe me!"

    "I believe you," I said softly. After I stashed the knife behind my back, I walked up to him and kneeled.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    No matter how despicable someone was, I didn''t relish in another''s pain. Even in the war, I avoided actions that caused senseless suffering. This time would be no different.Though I say that, it''d be a lie to say I felt no personal ill will toward him. Seeing what he did to Agawa, I couldn''t forgive him for that.

    The thug''s terrified, tear-filled expression gave way to euphoric relief. "Oh, thank you! Tha-"

    Like a lighting strike, I brought the knife from behind me and surgically sliced his neck in two. A blend of shock and fear appeared on his face.

    To ease his pain, I next plunged the de as far as it''d go into his heart. Several severed arteries dampened my blow as I sliced deeper into his chest.

    He weakly wed at my throat to push me away, but it was already toote for him. Though he could no longer speak, his eyes said it all. They were wide, filled with panic and fear. Even more than that, they were the eyes of one who''d been betrayed.

    "W- W-," he gurgled blood as he wheezed. Though he couldn''t speak, I could guess what he''d been trying to say. He was asking "why?"

    "I can''t trust you not to kill meter," I replied. I then sat and took his head into my arms. It was the best I could do to ease him into the afterlife.

    "Forgive me" were the only words of condolence I could offer. There wasn''t a single excuse that would justify what I''d done. He was despicable, but I stillmitted the crime of snuffing out a surrendering unarmed man''s life.

    He hacked blood on my face and his skin twitched sporadically. As much as he fought against it, his body had already epted the inevitable. It already anticipated death. Then, his eyes widened to their limits, his attempt to stay conscious.

    Several secondster, the convulsions within his body ceased, and his grip loosened from my throat.

    His hands fell to the floor, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Like hisrade, he passed on. The reaper finally imed his soul.

    ''Well, might as well grab anything useful,'' I flipped him over and grabbed a bloodied keyring from his trousers. I noticed them during the fight, and given these were dungeon guards, their keys would be incredibly handy.

    As I stood up, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the bloody pool. Though I saved Agawa, a savior wasn''t what stared back at me. Instead, it was vile¡­less than human. It was a machine. A machine whose only purpose was killing.

    ''That''s me¡­ Freshly manufactured,'' I sighed and turned away. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Agawa.

    She unmovingly watched with a look of pure horror. Tears ran down her cheeks and over her hands as she clutched them to her mouth. Her eyes were wide, exposing the panic that seized control of her body.

    Some part of me knew this would happen. Anyone would be repulsed when witnessing one person''s act ending another''s life. Especially when that other was a surrendering, begging man.

    Though I knew it would end this way, I''ll admit that I felt disappointed. It was sad I couldn''t be what Agawa wanted me to be. "I''m sorry, Agawa, but I told you, " I met her eyes with my own, "I''m no hero. I''m just a soldier that''s lived longer than he should''ve, that''s all."

    She didn''t respond. Instead, her body froze with her eyes transfixed on the scene of bloody carnage.

    Distinct regret formed within my heart as I looked at her. Not because she now saw me for what I was, but because I had no time to let her deal with her trauma. We were still in this godforsaken mansion, after all!

    I approached her with the utmost care, nning to unbind the chains that detained her, but she shuddered with every step I took. That same person who danced with me just hours ago now saw me with nothing but fear and disgust.

    Knowing she''d be a liability like this, I decided to manage her as one.

    ''I''m sorry, Agawa,'' I apologized again, then leaped toward her. She had only a fleeting second to worry before I struck her in the gut. She fell forward into my arms as her eyes lost focus. A momentter, she was unmoving and unresponsive.

    Though apathetic, I wasn''t so insensitive that I''d leave her so close to being nude, so I scavenged a nearby nket to wrap her in after easing her body to the ground.

    Once I''d clothed her as best I could, my attention fell upon her reddened ankle. More specifically, I focused on the iron binding that was shackling it.

    I fumbled through the key ring I obtained from the bearded guard, trying each on the chain''s lock.

    The first key failed; it was too big. The second key failed; it was too small. Finally, after several minutes of trial and error, I heard a reverberant "clunk," signifying the lock was now utched.

    After removing the steel ring, I examined Agawa''s ankle more closely. My immediate concern was the extent of swelling present; the area was a deep reddish-purple color, with visibly inmed skin.

    While the sp was definitely tight, it didn''t seem restricting enough to cause this much irritation to her skin. Not unless she violently yanked on it or something to that degree.

    ''I can at least wrap it,'' I thought. I was nobat medic, but I could still apply the basics. So I found some unsoiled rags to bind her leg with.

    After I was done, I looked at the keys I had pilfered. Most of them were incredibly ''ordinary,'' which contradicted the theme of mboyance within this ce. However, there was one that caught my eye.

    Amongst the cluster of unremarkable metal, this key shimmered with personality. It was engraved in the shape of a bird talon, with sharp golden wings welded to the base.

    "This looks important," I said, stashing the keyring away on my person.

 Chapter 23 A Bloodied Savior, Part Two

    ?Several minutes passed while I salvaged equipment from the dead thugs.

    While scavenging, I tore the most pristine portions of cloth from their clothing and used them as makeshift bandages to stem my bleeding.

    ''I''m going to get an infection for sure¡­.'' I thought as I wrapped my gashed wrists. I guess asking for a ce of torture and surgery to have clean bandages lying around was too much.

    Before setting off, I took inventory of my current arsenal.

    I had two holsters fastened to my waist, one from each guard, and three knives to upy them. To put it lightly, storing them both in one sheath was a snug fit. So snug it brought the holster to nearly bursting.

    Lastly, I had those keys. Out of the dozen there, I figured at least one of them would for sure be useful at some point. "Especially considering all the damn locked doors," I growled.

    There was one thing I had to leave behind. I groaned with frustration after every nce I took at it. "Why couldn''t your owner have been bigger?" I grumbled, discarding the leather armor.

    Not only was it too small for me, but it would be even less of a fit for Agawa due to her bust. I couldn''t even imagine hauling such cumbersome things around all day.

    ''It must be tough to be a woman sometimes,'' I sighed, then hoisted Agawa onto my back.

    She wasn''t extraordinarily light, probably due to her muscle tone and chest, but she wasn''t particrly heavy either. It was uncanny how perfectly her weight was centered in the "Goldilocks" zone.

    After lifting her up, a dilemma quickly emerged to taunt me.

    My hands were upied carrying her, which left me with nothing to wield my weapons. I wasn''t a fool; I knew trying to kick my way out of here seemed idiotic at best. I was no Takagi, after all.

    ''I could carry her over my shoulder; that''d give me a free hand to work with. But, then again, I don''t think she''d appreciate that very much,'' I chuckled, but that soon gave way to confusion.

    ''Huh?'' I was taken aback by how considerate I was toward her. ''When did I start caring about the opinion of civilians?'' I reflected on my previous missions, recalling numerous times when I was in a simr position.

    Something would render a civilian unable to walk, and I''d need to carry them as a consequence. I never worried about theirfort in those situations, so long as they survived. Why was this time any different?

    ncing at Agawa''s face, I had my answer.

    Typically, the people I helped were never really people at all. Instead, they were just numbers and photos clipped to a mission briefing folder.

    However, she was different from them. It may have been short, but I traveled, broke bread, and even danced with her. Those experiences wouldn''t let me think of her as just a "nk face" anymore.

    Because of that, a pang of ache shot through my chest once I realized this girl had now loathed me.

    Since enlisted, I have always kept everyone at arm''s length. Probably because I knew they wouldn''tst long anyway. It''d been so long since I truly enjoyed time with those I''d call friends. So long that I forgot how warm they could make you feel¡­as well as how cold.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''This is how things should be,'' I consoled myself. As a soldier, I wasn''t meant to have these attachments.

    ''Okay, that''s enough feeling sorry for myself,'' I shook my head. "It''s time to go."

    I stepped outside the cell with Agawa in tow, amazed to see how empty the corridors were. I thought themotion of the fight would''ve raised some rm, but not even a rat appeared out of curiosity.

    "No point in questioning it," I smirked, then began walking in the opposite direction of where I initially came from. There was no reason to risk confronting Malgam since the cells in that direction were empty.

    During my travel, I was confronted by a chilling realization. One that was brought up by the hooked corpses I saw earlier. ''Could everyone have all been killed already? Are we thest ones left?''

    Pressured by the idea that everyone was dead or dying, I picked up my pace to a desperate sprint. ''I''m getting out of here. They won''t kill me, no way!''

    I passed dozens of cells, each showing no signs of being opened, let alone having contained a recent prisoner. The idea that Agawa and I were the only ones left seemed like the only possibility.

    However, that thought was dispelled when a voice cried out in the darkness.

    "No! Please! What are you doing?! N-" Following the pleas was a bone-chilling shriek and then¡­silence.

    As I grew closer, slicing and grinding filled the corridor around me. The grotesque sounds bounced between the stone brick hallways before disappearing deep into the shadows.

    I crouched low to avoid detection and peered around the corner. Within the room was a workstation simr to the one I was brought to. Everything was the same, down to everyst detail. However, there was one difference.

    On the table in the middley a newly deceased corpse. Hacking away at it was a short, crazed-looking girl. She severed muscles, ground bone, and tore cartge as she dug through the corpse''s chest cavity. Then, following a crack from broken joints, her expression lit up in joy.

    As she maniacally smiled, she removed her hands from the body''s innards. When they were finally visible, a pulsating organ was revealed within her grasp.

    The organ took a direct likeness to that of a heart. In fact, I wouldn''t have been able to differentiate it from one if not for the irregr violet glow it emitted. Veins containing a radiant purple fluid ran along the organ''s surface.

    "Aren''t they just beautiful when freshly harvested?!" the girl asserted to no one, raising it toward the torchlight above her.

    I had to consider my options carefully.

    On the one hand, I could burst into the room and neutralize the girl. Aside from potentially finding new gear, I could verify the dead''s identity. Though that was more of a habit than a requirement.

    The other choice was to continue forward, leaving this room far behind in the darkness of this dungeon''s hallways.

    I took a nce at my holstered knives. ''Guess I could use some more equipment,'' I shrugged.

 Chapter 24 The Death Of A Hero

    ?After deciding to breach the room, I backtracked and hid Agawa out of sight. The hiding spot was a deep alcove filled with numerous crates. I couldn''t be sure of the contents, but I maneuvered the boxes so that Agawa was hidden from any hallway creepers that might pass by.

    Then, with her safety secured, I returned to the macabre operating room.

    I peeked inside to see the crazed girl still gleefully waving the violet heart back and forth above her head.

    ''She''s distracted; If I breach the room now, I can just knock her out.'' Despite her apparent insanity, I wanted to avoid killing if I could help it, especially when the target was clearly a civilian. I might be in a new¡­wherever I was, but the rules of engagement were ingrained deeply into my skull.

    ''Though I think I broke that code when I killed the guard earlier,'' I felt a tinge of regret forming in my gut.

    I couldn''t dwell on that thought for long, so I brandished one of the two worn daggers I looted from the guards and readied myself to attack.

    The de was nearly worthless, but the hilt was thick and sturdy. With this level of heft, dealing a decisive blow would be child''s y. It could render those with even the toughest skulls unconscious.

    The girl turned away from the doorway, giving me a brief opening to exploit.

    I made a wild rush inside and, once upon her, I struck her skull''s temple with the hilt.

    The blownded dead on her skull''s temple with a loud thud, and the girl''s light body fell to the ground with force akin to a feather.

    Her grip loosened as she lost consciousness, dropping the organ she previously cradled with zeal to the operating room floor. It grotesquely sttered across the ground before settling in a small pool of blood.

    Seeing my sess, I released a sigh of relief. "Thank god... I avoided killing one, at least."

    I couldn''t relish in my victory for long, though. I had to keep moving. So I turned her over to check for anything useful.

    Despite the girl''s demented behavior, her appearance was quite ordinary. Her ck hair was arranged in a medium-length bob cut. Unlike Malgam, she hadn''t had on a bloodiedb coat or tattered trousers. Instead, she wore pristine ck jeans with overalls clipping over a pure white, buttoned blouse.

    The cleanliness of her appearance was remarkable, considering the surgery she had conducted just moments ago.

    "The mark of a pro," I muttered.

    There was a fact about her that eluded me until now. I must''ve missed it due to her disturbing activities. The fact that this girl was exactly that, a young girl.

    She couldn''t have been any older than the age of ten, and yet she happily killed and carved up another person.

    "What the hell kind of parents would let their kid do something like this?" I grimaced.

    An impulsive thought of taking her with me did pass my mind. I was always an avid supporter of the nurture argument when rearing children. Though I was a killer, I figured I could help bring her to normalcy.

    However, I put that idea to rest.

    Caring for such an unknown variable was beyond me. Besides, I was in no position to try raising a kid. Especially not while I was in the process of escaping death.

    I apologized to the girl and hoped she would improve her mental state from here. But, even if she tried, the road to recovery after taking a life was long. The source on that was me.

    I stepped away from her after searching her pockets. ''I can''t believe that I just looted a child...'' A distinct feeling of shame formed a pit in my stomach.

    My only sce was that the situation made it a necessary action. Not only that, but my effort wasn''t fruitless, which justified it a bit more.

    While pilfering her pockets, I heard frantic footsteps fast approaching me. So I ducked behind the operating table away from sight and peered out while waiting for them to pass.

    "O-Oh no! This wasn''t part of the n! They''ll kill me if I mess up! Just like the others! I can''t die! I have to find him! I''ll just find him and everything will work out! Yeah, it will!" While his words did stir my curiosity, what I was most concerned about was Agawa.

    ''Could he have found her? If he did, I''ll have to confront him¡­'' I tightened my grip on my knives.

    However, luckily, the one thing I feared hadn''te to pass. Though it was dark, so I couldn''t make out much, I could tell his arms were swaying freely while running.If he''d found her, I imagine he''d have her in chains already.

    ''It doesn''t look like he found Agawa; that''s good.'' Knowing that I allowed him to pass without confrontation.

    Once his footsteps receded into the darkness, I returned to my task at hand and found a small, folded map of the mansion''s floor n.

    "Ughh..." I grunted in disgust. I was irritated that even the residents needed a map to navigate this ce.

    After stuffing the paper into one of my two holsters, I searched the rest of the room for anything useful.

    There were various carving utensils, but I had enough weapons. The only other thing was a familiar but unused trough for collecting blood.

    ''Which reminds me¡­.'' I nced at the fresh corpse on the center table. A tinge of regret seized my chest when I realized whoy there.

    Though I never liked him much, a loss of life was always something toment. Overflowing blood soaked into his hair, making it even redder than it was naturally. It was the one who''d been the most excited of all of us...<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Kids killing kids?... What the hell is wrong with the world?'' I swore under my breath, clenched my aching fists, and cursed reality.

    I was used to corpses by now; I''d seen enough to fill up a thousand morgues. That was why I trained myself to ept that there are just some people you can''t save, no matter the effort you put in.

    I said this, but the frustration I felt¡­ ''It''s... suffocating.''

    "I''m sorry, Tachibana¡­ If only I got here sooner, you''d still be alive."

    There was no point in dwelling on things for long, so I moved away from Tachibana''s corpse to scavenge the room.

    While rummaging, I discovered a few prisoner''s shirts in a drawer and draped them over Tachibana''s body. It was the best I could do in ce of burial.

    I said some words of prayer and began leaving the room.

    My body became heavy, and my vision blurred when I reached the doorway. My head spun with dizziness, causing me to stumble forward. I managed to catch myself on the wall to stop from falling entirely.

    "No time for rest," I groaned. The light-headednesssted only for a moment, so I wrote it off as fatigue.

    When I fully recovered, I began my trek to Agawa. I hadn''t hidden her very far away, so it was just a little jog before I returned to where I''d left her.

    After seeing that she hadn''t moved, I couldn''t help but be relieved. "Good, she''s still unconscious." It was an rming thing to say out of context, but I didn''t want to subject her to another knockout strike.

    I fished out the map from where I stored it before grabbing her by the hand. The process took a bit longer because of my wounds, but I eventually hoisted her onto my back.

    I shuffled and maneuvered Agawa''s body until she took an awkward angle on my back. Though it made her ufortable to carry, it was necessary to read the map in my hand.

    Once everything was in ce, I continued my jog down the hall with Agawa in tow. A frustrating detail red back at me from the scribbled blueprints in my hand.

    "How is this supposed to be useful to anyone?" I grumbled, remembering this was the map of a ludicrously symmetrical horror house.

    After some time running, I approached a split in the hallway. It went in four directions, and, as usual, they were all symmetrical in appearance.

    "What do you think, Agawa? Left, right, or straight?" I rhetorically questioned, knowing there''d be no reply.

    I scoffed at the useless piece of paper in my hand and resolved to pick one randomly. Everything looked the same, so no amount of strategy would''ve helped.

    By chance and impulse, Inded on the left hall. Then, nodding to myself, I continued my advance in that direction.

    There weren''t any cells lining the walls, oddly enough. Instead, there were open rooms illuminated by sparse candlelight. I peeked inside a few to see they all had luxurious bedspreads and well-crafted furniture, such as dressers, desks, and borate tables.

    "At least they treat some of us ''cattle'' well," I joked under my breath. Then, after sighing to myself, I left the room and continued ever onward.

    However, I only managed a dozen steps before dizziness again assailed my body. I barely managed to support myself against the wall before I copsed.

    "That was close¡­" I said, resting my head against the rough stone. I found relief from my mind''s fever with the wall''s freezing touch. Then, I lightly bashed my head into the wall to keep myself lucid. "C''mon, keep going... You need to keep going."

    My pep session was interrupted by a group of rapidly approaching voices and footsteps.

    I took refuge in a nearby room and dove out of sight with Agawa. We sat in silence as I waited for the group to pass us. Then, posting myself against the door, I ced my ear on it to listen as they traveled by.

    "Goddammit, who let this guy out of his cell!"ined one guard.

    "I heard he just broke out and beat the shit out of his guards!" responded another.

    "What?! Didn''t you fools cor him?!"

    Between the ttering footsteps and shuffled voices, I could guess maybe a group of four to seven guards was passing by. Their exact number was difficult to discern during their hysteria. Still, I gleaned a tidbit of helpful information from them.

    "We did cor him!" Another man eximed. "But his kicks and punches are inhuman! It''s like he''s a wild beast!"

    From their conversation, one of the other captives must''ve broken free and was running amok. They undoubtedly had some skill if they were causing this much of a ruckus.

    ''Having an ally wouldn''t hurt,'' I thought, figuring we had better odds of escaping if we teamed up.

    The stampede of footsteps eventually faded, prompting me to exit the room and follow. The guards were flinging insults and usations of me toward each other the entire way.

    "Camaraderie sure is different here," I muttered.

 Chapter 25 A Wild Beast

    ?Some time passed since I started following the guards.

    Throughout that time, there weren''t any notable developments. But now we were standing outside somerge door, and the guards stared inside with furrowed brows of frustration.

    Two of the five swiped their swords from their sheaths and bolted inside.

    Almost as if rejected by the room, they flew out at considerable speed. As they spun through the air, their bodies rag-dolled uncontrobly before crashing into the smooth brick wall beside me.

    Their journey ended when they slid down the wall to the floor and slumped over, unconscious.

    The remaining guards looked back to their fallen allies in dismay and cursed the hidden assant. Then, growling at their enemy, they brandished their des toward the room.

    One took the lead.

    "You''re gonna pay for this, you-" his words were met by an airborne bowl.

    After the collision was the screech of breaking ceramic as the dish shattered into his face; his skin was shredded by the bowl''s shards as they stuck out from his face.

    He crashed to the ground, dropped his sword, and clutched his new wounds while bawling. His tears mixed with the streaks of blood to form smears of diluted red across his face.

    After seeing yet another of theirrades felled, easily no less, the final two hesitated even more.

    They looked at each other and steeled their resolve. Then, gripping their weapons, they howled a war cry and thrust themselves into battle.

    The sound of grunting, metal shing, and flesh being struck echoed through the halls.

    "Shit! I can''t just stand here!" is what I said, but what I saw wasn''t a scene where I was necessary.

    Standing in the room was indeed a wild beast.

    He was d in rags, like Agawa and me. Unlike us, however, he wasn''t battered and bruised. Instead, he was the one doing the battering and bruising.

    Behind himy one of the two guards, freshly beaten and unconscious.

    Despite that, I felt more pity for the other one.

    Grunting and frantically grabbing at his assant''s arm, he was lifted into the air by the temples of his skull. I imagined it was a harrowing and terrifying experience.

    The savage turned towards me, still holding the crying guard in the air. "Yo, soldier guy."

    He was incredibly calm, especially considering what was happening. Then, proceeding with his dramatic reveal, he plunged his new victim headfirst into a nearby wooden table, splintering it into several pieces.

    I should''ve known who it was by the guard''s description. A savage beating, inhuman strength, and they looked like a wild beast? There was only one person who fit that description.

    "Takagi?" I tilted my head in confusion.

    "What? Do you know another badass around here? Yeah it''s me, idiot," he snarked and approached me. "What took you so damn long? I''ve been having fun all alone, don''t tell me you''ve been napping this entire time?" his expression became condescending.

    I couldn''t be irritated with him; what he said was true. "Sorry," I said apologetically, "I have no excuses."

    My apology made Takagi recoil in difort. "Hey, stop that! I was only messing with you! Geez," he clicked his tongue in irritation, "why are you so serious?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I sighed and straightened my back, turning my focus to the room. It was unmistakably a mess hall. Numerous wooden tables extended from one end to the other. Half of them were reduced to uselessness, aside from being used as scrap wood.

    The aftermath of Takagi''s destruction went far beyond just smashed tables; shattered dishes and scattered cutlery littered the area too.

    There were multiple other guards, aside from the ones I followed, piled around the floor. All of whom were beaten to the point of unconsciousness.

    "Admiring my work, huh?" Takagi said proudly. "If you pay your respects," he shook his head, "I guess you could be an underling."

    Somehow, his arrogance was refreshing to me. I must''ve been relieved that he stayed the same despite everything we''d been through. He was still the same rude, arrogant, and savage Takagi who beat down an unbreakable door with a single kick.

    ''What a crazy bastard,'' I chuckled to myself.

    After our greetings, I stored Agawa at one of the unbroken tables to gather all the guards and tie them up. Once he saw what I was working on, Takagi joined me in locking them within the mess hall''s food pantry.

    With a tight pull in opposite directions, we secured each soldier one by one with various ropes and chains we''d scavenged. Now that they were bound, I did what I did best. I looted them.

    To my relief, I found some of their armor actually fit this time!

    I strapped on a leather studded vest, bracers, and shin guards. It was definitely a step down from my usual body armor. Still, I felt much safer with a shell around my soft flesh.

    Takagi helped himself to several items from the pile. He grumbled to himself and fidgeted with the equipment for a few minutes but eventually figured out the various buckles and clips. He opted for shin guards and bracers but avoided the body armor for some reason. In addition to the armor, he only took a sword and a holster from the loot pile.

    "Aren''t you going to upgrade from those pin prickers?" he asked, pointing to my three holstered knives.

    Seeing how well-maintained the longsword was, it was likely the better option for fighting.

    Unlike the sword, the knives were incredibly fractured and dull, hardly reliable, to say the least. Still, when it came tobat, it was best to stick with what you knew, and I knew knives inside and out. Maybe once we escaped the mansion, I''d learn to use a sword, but I wouldn''t risk our sesses on a whim.

    "No," I grasped my holsters, "these are fine."

    Takagi lost interest and moved on. "So, what''s her deal?" he gestured toward Agawa.

    It wasn''t my ce to reveal the trauma of others, so I described the events as vaguely as possible. "She was attacked and passed out from exhaustion."

    Takagi gripped his chin in intrigue. "Is that how you got those freakish wounds?" he nodded toward my wrists.

    "No," I lifted my hands toward antern on the ceiling, "I broke out with these."

    Afterying eyes on my wounds, my mind became light-headed. Though I tried, I couldn''t tear my gaze away; my eyes were obsessively chained to mycerated wrists.

    "Hey," he said, "you sure you''re good?"

    But I couldn''t respond. My focus was ensnared by my injury.

    A driblet of bloodnded on my cheek, and my body was reminded of how much I''d lost so far. Darkness encroached upon my pupils on all sides as I lost the strength in my legs.

    My neck weighed heavily, and my eyes involuntarily closed. Though I struggled, I couldn''t stay upright any longer. Thest thing I felt was the impact of stone against my spine as it mmed into me.

 Chapter 26 Arming Up

    ?I was enveloped by an endless void, my onlypanionship were my thoughts.

    ''Back here again, huh?'' I sighed, recognizing the feeling of istion all too well. What I would give to stay here for just a while. That''s all I''d ask.

    Suddenly, a voice shattered the silence, piercing through my thoughts.

    "-ey!"

    ''The sound is familiar¡­whose voice is it again?'' I tried to open my eyes, but they refused me.

    "-y!"

    My body was wobbling. ''Are they shaking me?''

    "HEY, GET THE HELL UP!" a sh of blunt pain shed across my cheek.

    I jerked myself awake at the stimulus. "W-What happened?"

    "What are you doing?!" Takagi eximed. "Who cks out in the middle of escaping? Are you an idiot?!"

    ''ckout? Idiot?'' It urred so suddenly that it took a moment to remember where I was. Though I was curious about many things, my focus was drawn to the aching in my cheek. I brushed my fingertips across it to find it was warm from light swelling.

    "Did you p me?" I asked.

    "Huh, oh no, I didn''t¡­." he turned from me, smirking and darting his eyes suspiciously. "I, uh¡­ I punched you."

    I shook my aching head before speaking. "...Why a punch?"

    "A p didn''t seem like it''d work," he shrugged.

    As much as I wanted to argue, he was right that his punch woke me up. Although it was for the low price of a fierce throbbing in my head. I could almost feel my brain popping out of my skull.

    I made an attempt at soothing the pain by rubbing my forehead, but just the act of lifting my arm exhausted me to the point of queasiness. Thankfully I had no bile left; otherwise, I likely would''ve vomited by now from the crippling headache.

    I ced my palm on the floor and pushed myself back up. Then, staggering to my feet, I wearily asked, "how long was I out?"

    "A few minutes," Takagi replied with crossed arms. "What''s wrong with you, anyway?" I couldn''t tell if he was concerned or condescending me.

    I coughed violently, expelling a bit of saliva through each fit. The air and spit grated against my throat as it exited. It left asting pain even after I regained control over my breathing.

    I examined my skin and noticed that it had turned deathly pale. "Looks like anemia," I said with a sigh.

    Takagi furrowed his brow and asked, "What does that mean?"

    Given Takagi''s delinquency, I guess it made sense that he didn''t understand. He was definitely more of a "brawn" than a "brain," that assertion was indisputable.

    "It means I need some proper bandages," I replied with a chuckle.

    Takagi scoffed and asked, "So, are you useless then?"

    I found his bluntness refreshing; it reminded me of my old drill instructors. "No, this is nothing. I''ve endured worse," I said tiredly, forcing a grin.

    "Acting tough, huh," he crossed his arms behind his head. "Alright, I''ll y along. What''s the n then?"

    I nced and gestured at Agawa. "Would you carry her for me? I don''t think I can anymore. But I can still fight well enough, though."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Half of what I''d said was a lie, and half wasn''t. I could still, just barely, support Agawa''s weight, but I didn''t know when I might ck out again. If I did with her on my back, I''d be dooming us both to death. So, in the end, Takagi had to be the one to carry her.

    ''There''s no point in the all of us dying,'' I shrugged.

    Takagi red at me, then clicked his tongue in frustration before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine, I''ll take Agawa duty. But don''t think I''ll let a sickly, washed-up soldier have all the fun!" he cracked his knuckles and wore a beastly smile.

    "That''s harsh," I chuckled. "Yeah, I''ll appreciate your help."

    "So, are we escaping like this?" Takagi questioned.

    "Hell yes," I grinned. Those were the words I longed to hear most. It was finally time to break free from the nightmare. Finally, time to fight back.

    Despite my giddiness, I knew to maintain caution. One wrong move led to death in these situations, so each had to be meticulously nned and wlessly executed.

    "We need a n of action before we do anything," I responded.

    Takagi impatiently fidgeted and asked, "And how exactly are we going to do that?"

    I pulled up the map I''d stolen from the girl and beckoned Takagi to take a look. With him standing beside me, I pointed toward a string of rooms. They appeared identical inyout to the cells I woke up in, so chances were any prisoners still alive would be there.

    As expected, the hallway proceeded past the cells to what I now call "harvesting" rooms. Beyond those appeared to be a service tunnel leading out of the manor. I had yet to learn where, but the mansion was thest ce we wanted to be, so it didn''t matter.

    Another route led to the tunnel, it would probably have less resistance too, but it would take longer to traverse. Sadly, we were racing against the clock. It would only be so long before they noticed the missing patrols of guards, and we had to be long gone by then.

    I looked up from the map and met Takagi''s eyes. "We''ll need to make our way to this tunnel," I said, pointing to the location on the map.

    As I described our route in detail, I noted possible entry points for enemybatants and how we would handle them. I also pointed out nearby supply closets and storerooms that would allow us to avoid detection.

    When I finished tracing our predicted path, I took a deep breath and waited for Takagi''s response.

    Takagi scratched his unkempt hair and clenched his jaw in thought. After a few moments, he nodded and said, "Sounds like a n! And maybe we''ll run into more bugs! It''s kinda fun smashing them," he grinned and pressed his foot to an unconscious guard''s back.

    I frowned at his cavalier attitude towards the guards we may encounter. "Remember, our focus is escaping. We need to avoid confrontation if we can."

    "Raaax," he raised his arms and shook his head, "I won''t hurt anyone who doesn''t deserve it," he finished with a smirk.

    I sighed and wearily rubbed my forehead to soothe my already exhausted mind. ''Convincing this kid to follow the n, let alone the rules of engagement, is going to be a battle on its own¡­''

    Before we set off, I rummaged through the kitchen and found some clean cloth to change my soiled bandages. The old bandages were caked with dried blood and had be fused to my skin. Removing them was a delicate process, requiring a series of gentle tugs to avoid worsening my injury.

    As I peeled away the old bandages, the sight and smell of my rotting flesh made me wince. The gash was a deep purple, with clotted blood encrusting the still-open wound. The odor was overpowering, a putrid stench that filled the air and made my stomach churn. It smelled of decay, like something rotting beneath the scorching Sun.

    ''I''ll need medical attention soon, or I''ll risk amputation.'' The wounds were no doubt on a fast track to being infected and were beyond healing naturally. While dressing them, footsteps echoed from the mess hall toward me. Not wanting Takagi to see the state of my arms, I hastily finished tending to them.

    "You ready yet?" he asked impatiently.

    I clenched my teeth and tightened the cloth binding to my arm. "Y-Yeah," I winced and secured my bandage with a safety pin, "let''s go."

    And so, we left the mess hall and proceeded down the dark hallway.

    Considering everything, I was grateful that Takagi was the one I found. Although he had a sharp tongue and the problem-solving of a raging chimpanzee, he was reliable in the end.

    Out of our group, I could think of no one more capable of watching my back in a fight. I had no idea of knowing how right I really was¡­

 Chapter 27 Moral Conflict

    ?The next hour was spent dodging between the traffic of frantic guards while traveling to the service tunnel.

    Oddly enough, there was always a clear way forward. Whenever the hallway split into varying branches, we''d always find the other sections crawling with opposition.

    ''It''s like they''re leading us,'' I scowled. Though I made that realization, I had no choice but to be a puppet to their whims. There was no time for hesitation, and escaping this hellhole was the only thing on my mind.

    Eventually, we came upon our firstndmark. Within it were our few living countrymen. They were huddled together, forming four-person partitions, with each being secured inside moldy cells that weren''t unlike the ones I''d found Agawa in.

    Upon seeing Takagi and me, they turned to desperate begging and threw themselves against the bars. The masses mored loudly as they reached out toward me for deliverance from their fates.

    "Please! Please help me!" an unkempt man begged.

    "Oh, thank god! You''re here! I knew you''de!" a girl smiled ecstatically.

    "I was starting to lose faith!" a woman said while covering her mouth with teary eyes.

    "Always leave it to the soldiers!" a grizzled man grinned. "You''re one to be counted on! Now let us out!"

    However, rather than freeing them, I motioned to proceed forward. I didn''t have time to be weighed down by so many liabilities. I couldn''t afford to babysit a horde of potential weaknesses.

    I took several steps past when they''d realized my intentions. When that happened, dozens of voices cried out in despair. All attempting to halt my advance.

    "No, NO! WHERE ARE YOU GOING! PLEASE!"

    "Don''t leave us!"

    "I''m begging you, please... I have children! Don''t leave me here!"

    "Where the hell are you going?! Get us out of here! It''s your damn job!"

    With each panicked plea, my resolve to abandon them was shaved away, bit by bit. It wasn''t long before I stopped in ce entirely. My mind was at war, caught in an internal conflict between morality and self-preservation.

    ''There''s no time! Don''t be a fucking idiot, Katsuro!'' I clenched my hands and teeth as I reasoned with myself. ''You have no obligation to them; there are no heroes. Just keep going.''

    Meanwhile, their hands wed desperately toward me through the bars of their cell.

    "PLEEEEASSSEEE!!!"

    "DON''T YOU DARE LEAVE US!"

    "C''MON! JUST LET US OUT!"

    "I DON''T WANT TO DIE!!!"

    Their incessant bawling formed a tether, a ball and chain that wrapped around my legs. I couldn''t move forward, even if I wanted to. Eventually, Takagi spoke up from within the anguished shouts.

    "Hey, soldier guy," he rubbed the back of his head and rolled his eyes, "we should probably help them. I''d lose sleep if we left them here."

    ''If even Takagi is showing them concern, I guess I can''t leave them behind.¡­'' From that, I made my decision. I cast my gaze to the floor and muttered a single phrase that summed up my situation. "...I''m so fucked..."

    Finally, I took a deep breath and reached for the keys I''d stolen from the manor''s security. Fortunately, there were no guards around, presumably because of the chaos that Takagi caused at the mess hall. Otherwise, they would''ve been upon us like a swarm of hos from all the shouting these damn civilians did.

    I utched each cage one by one, during which my countrymen gave their sincerest thanks. When they were all released, they formed a herd behind me. As I collected more of them, I performed a mental headcount. By the time we''d reached thest cell, I realized we''d been missing over a dozen people, including the suspiciously friendly Kamida.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Where do you think the Conman ran off to?" Takagi asked with an irritated growl, then looked around and grunted. "Maybe he''s dead already," though his tone sounded indifferent. I could tell he felt a degree of worry by how restless his body became.

    "He''s around here somewhere," I attempted to ease Takagi''s worry with fake optimism. "We''ll find him," I said while checking my map. ''And die trying¡­'' I cynically added.

    The captives now freed; our next order of business was to search for the service tunnel. It was honestly a stroke of luck that the tunnel was so close to here.

    Thinking of that luck, I felt a queasy feeling in my gut. It was the kind that told you to stop and reflect on what you were thinking. Complete and utter self-doubt.

    ''This is all...easy. Too easy,'' I ground my teeth together in frustration. I hated ying into my enemy''s games..

    Despite feeling that, in my heart of hearts, I shouldn''t trust something as suspicious as the good luck I''d been blessed with, I had no choice. I had to take the risk. My options were between the uncertainty of a skepticism-inducing tunnel and the certainty of death if I stayed here.

    I took a deep breath and trudged forward, my heart pounding with a mix of fear for the unknown and my determination to live.

    When we passed the cells and reached the harvesting wings, what greeted me were dozens of more cries.

    I looked at Takagi, and he nodded back with a serious expression. ''Guess that means we''re saving everyone. Whatever, I already drank the poison, might as well lick the bowl clean.''

    When we came to the first room, I whispered to Takagi. "Stay here; you don''t need to see this."

    He grunted at me in disapproval but clicked his tongue and followed my orders.

    Hispliance genuinely surprised me, but I guess even he knew now wasn''t the time to argue or make a scene. We had to be as quiet and efficient as possible.

    When I peered inside the chamber, I was d to have sent Takagi away. It was a sight that took a lifetime of therapy to alleviate. At least to a normal civilian. Though it shocked me at first, I was confident in my ability to adapt to the sights of pure evil. In the end, a picture depicting dozens of corpses was just another Tuesday for me.

    As expected, the cadavers were strung up from the ceiling, with one still stuck to the operating table. A pool of blood was draining down the nted table into arge collection bucket.

    Though it was toote, I dashed into the room and, like how I did with that young girl, I knocked out the harvester with a single blow. I couldn''t afford to leave anyone conscious to alert the manor''s security of our ns. If they didn''t already know, that is.

    After that, we resumed moving at a steady pace, and I apprehended each harvester as we went, with some more capable of fighting than others. I managed to knock out a few more, but most were frenzied with an unnatural zeal. Sadly, their unyielding nature added even more marks to my total kill count.

    When all was said and done, I ended up saving very few of my countrymen from their harvesters. Most were already drawn and quartered, left in multiple bloodied pieces to greet me. Most rooms contained the same scenes I''d witnessed within the first harvesting room.

    The bodies of my countrymen were stripped down to the basest portions of their flesh and hung by blood-caked hooks. Their various sliced and bent appendages were tossed in a bin, and their blood was dumped into another.

    We finally reached thest room of the wing, and our momentum slowed as we approached.

    Knowing they were liabilities, I sent the civilians ahead with Takagi and the map toward the service tunnel I''d marked for him earlier.

    "Just be careful," he grumbled. "You''re about the onlypetent person here. Aside from me, of course," he finished with an arrogant smirk.

    "I''ll be fine, just get going," I replied tly.

    He snorted at me, and led the herd of panicked civilians like a shepherd with sheep. I took onest look and felt a degree of confusion. ''Is there one more among us?'' I thought with curiosity. ''No, I''m probably just tired,'' I sighed. ''Besides, I have bigger problems right now.''

    Without the herd to worry about, I began creeping to the door to not startle any inhabitants who might be inside. It was challenging to maintain such a slow approach. My leg muscles were spasming lightly from fatigue, and my awareness was corroded by delirium, which didn''t exactly paint a picture of a master prowler.

    When I came to the entrance, I thanked myself for tolerating the difort and remaining patient. After I heard the conversation within, I readied myself to breach.

    "You lucky bastard," I silently chuckled.

 Chapter 28 A Salesmans Promise

    ?***Kamida POV***

    ''Greetings! My name is Kamida Gin. I am thirty-three years of age, an aplished financial consultant, and an absolute gentleman!''

    ''If I had to describe myself in a single word, I''d be charmed to say I''m absolutely elegant. Throughout my life, I have always made it my pursuit to handle any situation, no matter how unpleasant, with absolute dignity and ss!''

    ''Where am I, you ask?'' If I''m being honest, I wasn''t readily sure myself.

    rmingly, my hands were bound to some slick, metallic surface, and I had a sack on my head. ''You might be wondering how I got into this situation. To answer you, I haven''t a clue.''

    Let me tell you what I do know, though.

    As a man with thirteen years of sales experience, I have never failed to manipul-...persuade another into a deal. Some struggled, but I''d always seeded in the end. That said, I had no doubt I''d escape this undesirable situation. That is a promise, a salesman''s promise.

    The sound of metal grinding against metal grated my ears, disrupting my thoughts. Soon after, some force ripped the bag from my head, temporarily blinding me from the torchlight above.

    Blinking a few times, I opened my eyes. When the blurry veil finally lifted, what was revealed was indeed a perturbing sight.

    "Oh, you''re awake!" a woman eximed while excitedly cking two knives together.

    Given her change in demeanor, I almost didn''t recognize her.

    Amongst the women who borderline attacked me in the ballroom, she was one of the tamer individuals of the bunch. She didn''t throw herself to my feet like the others; hers was an elegant distance of two meters. Her attitude wasn''t obnoxious, either; she was more reserved and of the ssy variety.

    She had wholly captivated my respect!

    That''s right, she had been the one I''d admired most during the ball. Which is why her personality change was utterly concerning for me.

    During the dance, she was the apex of dignity. Now, though? Now she stood before me as she disturbingly stroked a knife''s de. She was ogling me and drooling with pervertedly lustful salivations.

    Following my instincts, I pped a bright smile on my face and set aside the fear that was brewing inside. "Hello, Miss! To start, I''d like to state that your new look is as beautiful as the dress you wore during the dance!"

    Needless to say, that was a lie, of course.

    During the ball, she wore a stunning ck dress that hugged every curve of her feminine figure. She''d radiate elegance and confidence. Both were traits a man like me respects most.

    Her silk-textured ck hair seemed to endlessly flow down her back, glistening whenever she flourished. All of that wlessly paired with two sky-blue eyes that sparkled brightly against the chandelier light above.

    A far cry from then, she now donned a ssless, red-stained brown apron, and her hair had been tied up in a reckless ponytail with a multitude of strands that jutted out in mutiny. The best way I could describe her now was...messy.

    She brought her hands to her now flushed cheeks and smiled. "Oh, you''re such a flirter!"

    I felt an immense desire to bow, but, to my distaste, I was a little tied up.

    Begrudgingly, I settled for words. "Well, of course, Miss, I just had to state the facts! Speaking of facts, could you do me the kindness of telling me what is happening here?" The time for information was ripe now that I had her buttered up.

    There was no way this woman could resist my charms. ''None ever have,'' I thought with a smirk.

    Sheunched her face towards me, stopping just a few inches from mine.

    Her breath became rapid, pelting my skin with moist heat and my nose with an oddly fruity scent. "I''m going to make a meal out of you!" she eximed with disturbing joy.

    I heard what she said, but I feigned that I didn''t. "You''re going to make a MAN out of me?" I flirtatiously joked. "Wouldn''t you rather release me, and we have dinner first, just the two of us?"

    She backed away and giggled. "That actually doesn''t sound too bad, but," she pointed her knife towards me with the light from above cascading down its de, "I''m nning on having YOU for dinner, so I''m not sure that''s going to work."

    Don''t underestimate a veteran! I''ll have you know that my expression barely flinched at her admission to cannibalism. "Why so hasty?" I eased her. "Let''s talk for a while! I''m sure we cane to an agreement that suits the both of us." I said with a sly wink.

    She stashed the knife she had been sharpening and leaned over me, practically crushing my chest with hers. "What would you propose?" she said with a yful yet curious tone.

    Negotiations were sessfully established, and I switched my tactics to be more assertive. The key to sess was uncovering the other party''s wants before they could uncover mine. Then, armed with this knowledge, I would delicately guide her toward a mutually beneficial agreement, like a skilled puppeteer with a marite.

    "Would you mind if I inquired why you''d want to eat me?" I asked. "I''m not tasty, I assure you."

    "Because it feels good, of course!" she eximed, circling a finger on my bare stomach.

    Her admission of depravity shook my confidence. ''Am I in trouble?'' I asked myself, feeling my mental state beginning to falter.

    ''No, me? Of course not! I mean, she did practically just admit that she''s a sadist that takes pleasure in eating people, but we all have our unique traits and quirks! Right?'' There was no way that I, Kamida Gin, was in danger!

    ''Think, Gin, you are a man with no equal in terms of persuasion. If she has a strong personality trait, you need only tailor your responses to it!''<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I nodded to myself, refusing to give in to fear, and maintained my professionalism. "Could you borate on how consuming me will provide you with pleasure?"

    She jumped up from me and began squirming her body in an unnatural euphoria. "Because your hearts and blood are so delicious, I can''t stand it!" She locked eyes with me, a thin streak of drool dripping from her mouth. "Just a single taste is enough to send me into total bliss!"

    The depths of her perversions seemed to know no bounds. This might''ve been... No... It WAS the first time that I''d encountered someone like her.

    My body had actually broken out in a nervous sweat! I wouldn''t be deterred, though. On my honor, as an unofficial financier, I''d seed in this negotiation and live!

    "If it''s bliss you''re looking for," I winked back, "why don''t we seek it together? I''m sure we could find something far better than devouring me."

    "Reeeealllly?" she replied skeptically. "Do you really think you''re capable of that?" she asked with a tilted head.

    "Of course!" I confidently dered. "In all my years, there isn''t a single human being I haven''t kept my promise to!"

    She turned, exposing her side to me and revealing the white blouse she''d worn beneath her apron. "What if I told you I wasn''t a ''human being,'' though." Turning only her head, she nced at me with yful intrigue. "What would you do?"

    Her question puzzled me. Was she suggesting that she wasn''t human? Of course, she must''ve been joking since a person''s madness could only go so far. Still, it would''ve been in my best interest to y along. Who knows what she might have done to me if I didn''t.

    "Well, Miss, I''d begin a new record of perfection," I eyed her, "starting with you."

    "Oh, what do I do?" she swooned. "I''m starting to like you more and more! I don''t want to spoil my dinner with feelings of regret!"

    I couldn''t tell if she was exaggerating or if I''d made some progress; either way, I took it as a sign I should keep ying into her delusions. That may have been the key to my survival. "Miss, might I appeal to you and determine what species you belong to?" I readied myself for anything.

    "Why I''m a vampire!" she pridefully shouted. "Or, at least, that''s what you would know me as."

    I was ted at the stroke of good luck. To my benefit, she chose a known creature of fiction rather than something of her own fabrication. With that, I could leverage my knowledge and convince her to let me go.

    ''After all, vampires can''t possibly exis-''

    She held up her finger and pulled back her cheek, revealing a set of fearsome, razor-sharp canines that gleamed menacingly. They appeared capable of tearing through even the most hardened skin with ease.

    Then, taking a second finger, she stretched her full, rosy-red lips further to reveal two more fangs on the other side of her mouth. She even went far enough to disy how deeply embedded they were into her glistening pink gums.

    As much as I tried to convince myself otherwise, they were undoubtedly genuine. Those were fangs.

    Ah yes¡­vampires¡­ they''re real. They''re real, and one is standing directly in front of me¡­naturally.

    For the first time since I started my career, I waspletely struck down. My perfect streak, my ss, my elegance... It was all falling apart.

    "Oh, you''re cute even when you''re expressionless!" she squealed. "I just can''t wait anymore!"

    She ran to the workstation and retrieved one of the knives she had stored. On her return, She gripped the de by the handle with both hands and held it above me. The knife was anything but steady; her hands trembled furiously with excitement.

    "Are you ready?" She excitedly asked with a crazed smile.

    Sensing the danger, I returned to reality to protest. "Wait for a second, Miss!"

    She was too far gone.

    No longer willing to heed my conversation, her sole focus became the puncturing of my chest cavity. The knife''s tip closed in slowly until it encountered the topyer of my skin. Its tip sunk into my flesh, splitting apart my skin and drawing a stream of blood.

    Thirteen years. In all thirteen years, I had never failed before. Was this normal for failure? To be killed and eaten by a mythological monster¡­was that the standard?

    ''If I survive this, I make this new promise to all of existence: That I, Kamida Gin, will never fail again. Failure is just too terrifying!''

    "Please, Miss!" Now abandoning any sense of tact or strategy, I resorted to any means necessary to preserve my life. "Don''t you need a financial assistant?" I begged. "I''d be happy to aid you with any economic endeavor! A ve, perhaps?!"

    She lifted the knife from me, still preparing it in a plunging position. "Well, here we go!" she yelled in glee.

    "Wait, let''s discuss this! wait, wait¡­WAIT!"

    The knife stopped just short of insertion when a man in the most impoverished outfit bashed down the door. He wielded a de of his own, startling my soon-to-be killer. Though he wasn''t in uniform, I recognized his scarred face immediately.

    ''Did you think that I was panicking? Me, Kamida Gin? Of course not! It was all strategy! A strategy that I used to gauge my opponent''s psyche and stall her for this exact moment. I was never in any real danger, after all.''

    ''How do I know, you ask?''

    It''s because a salesman''s promise never lies.

 Chapter 29 Monster Vs Killer, Part One

    ?I kicked in the door, sending it flying off of its hinges. As expected, the room was identical to all the other harvesting chambers.

    The center operating table held a bound Kamida; he looked at me with the most pleading expression I''d ever seen. Hovering over him was another harvester, but something was different about her.

    She was unlike any other I had encountered in the previous rooms. Her appearance was disheveled, her expression depraved - just like the rest - but she exuded an unmistakable aura of bloodlust, much like Kirina d. It sent shivers down my spine, inciting a natural fear within me.

    ''Must be a vampire,'' I thought to myself. Of course, I had no idea if that was true, but, whatever she was, I wouldn''t make the mistake of underestimating her.

    She faced me, her expression of surprise instantly diffusing into pure hatred. "How DARE you¡­." she trembled and directed her knife at me. "HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT MY LOVEY-DOVEY TIME WITH MY MEAL!" her lips constricted, revealing four razor-edged fangs, and her eyes shined with rage.

    Aside from the irregr teeth that served as proof of her vampirism, I was more confused by what she''d said.

    "Lovey-dovey time?" I repeated, puzzled. I looked over at Kamida, who shook his head frantically in protest. It was apparent that nothing was loving or romantic at all about his situation.

    He was drenched in a cold sweat, and his panic-filled widened eyes trembled sporadically. His entire body trembled uncontrobly, and I couldn''t me him. After all, he had just narrowly escaped death by mere millimeters.

    I was thoroughly vexed by what she said, but oh well. I gripped the paring knife in my right hand, pointing it forward, while the blunt knife was in my left hand, held backward in a defensive position.

    After positioning myself in a defensive stance, I was ready to deliver a flurry of strikes while simultaneously guarding myself against iing attacks.

    "I hate to break it to you," I said with a firm voice and a smirk, "but your meal ising with me." Even though I was exhausted and in pain, I was ready for a fight to the death.

    Sheughed maniacally, filling the room with contempt for not just me but all of humanity. "Interesting..." she said, spinning her knife with a flourish. "Cattle like you should know your ce."

    "Cattle..." I scoffed back. "I won''t be led to ughter so easily." I took a deep breath and centered myself, ready to face whatever wasing next. Though I didn''t know thebat capabilities of alleged vampires, you could be sure I knew my own. I''ve killed many monsters in my life, all having roamed within human skin like her.

    The cruel, the sadistic, the unforgivable. I''ve ended the stories of many that fit those descriptions. Even if she were a demon, it wouldn''t be any different for me. I''d take her life all the same.

    "Interesting," she grinned, her eyes shing with malice.

    Suddenly, time seemed to stand still as she vanished before me, leaving only a lingering afterimage to fill the space she just upied.

    The next moment, my senses were jolted as she appeared behind me, moving with such speed and grace that I''d almost guess she teleported. Then, with a knife in hand, she sliced downward with deadly precision, aiming for the base of my neck.

    My instinct kicked in, honed by years of evading danger, and I quickly buckled my knees. Then, with all my might, I leaped back just in time to avoid the lethal strike. Even so, the de sliced through the air with a terrifying speed. So much so that it grazed the hairs on my head.

    With a strike like that, I wouldn''t have been surprised if she''d lopped my head clean off uponnding a direct hit.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Wasting no time, she lunged back toward me, aiming her knife for the pupil of my right eye. The illuminated tip grewrger by the millisecond.

    Again, I countered by the skin of my teeth by side-stepping away and parrying her blow with my blunted knife. Gripping the hilt tightly, I shed my knife upwards to meet hers.

    Sparks flew off the shing des, emitting an ear-splitting screech followed by a shower of bright flying sparks. I took advantage of the opening and pushed forward with all my might, hurling her off bnce and away from me.

    Seeing her failure, she growled in frustration. "You''re a stubborn b of meat, you know that? Just. Fucking. DIE!"

    Unfazed by her taunts, I mockingly retorted, "So the all-powerful vampire can''t even kill cattle? Even when they''re injured to all hell?" I pointed my paring knife''s tip toward her. "You''re weak...aren''t you?"

    "AGGHHHHHHHH!!!" Without warning, she screamed out angrily and leaped forward, aiming another vicious swipe of her de. Realizing that dodging repeatedly wasn''t a sustainable strategy, I tucked my body in, rolling toward the space near Kamida to regain my footing.

    After missing yet again, she exhaled loudly in irritation and threw her hands down in a fit. When she regained herposure, she turned to me with feigned rxedness.

    "Hmmm," she hummed with a series of deep breaths, and tapped her knife on her shoulder, "you''re pretty impressive. I never thought a human could keep up with my de like that¡­. And here, I was hoping you''d die quickly so I could return to my quality time with my dear over there," she gestured toward Kamida.

    Upon seeing her leering but deadly smile, Kamida visibly shivered. His entire body quivered uncontrobly with fear.

    "Thanks; I''ll try not to let thepliment go to my head," I weakly chuckled while panting. "Your speed is pretty impressive, too. I can''t wait to see what you dish out next!" is what I said, but I was already nearing my limit.

    The blood loss had taken a critical toll on my body. My muscles experienced light spasms, seared with throbbing pain, and my mind pounded against my skull with a crippling headache. It took all I had just to stay conscious and focus my vision beyond just a jumbled blur.

    ''I better pick up the pace or I''ll die for sure.'' My body was shutting down, and my life had literally been draining away through the holes in my wrists.

    I subtly checked my surroundings for an advantage...anything I could use to limit her movements andnd a decisive blow. That''s when I spotted several stacked and square metallic trays on the workbench next to me.

    Relief crept into my tired, throbbing mind upon seeing the blessing. ''Heh, maybe I''m the lucky one, Kamida,'' I slyly smiled.

    "That''s some nerve¡­" the vampire scoffed. "To take your eyes off your opponent¡­ I''ll slice you up and eat your heart!" she disappeared again, but this time, I was ready.

    Before she reappeared, I dove to the workbench, dropped my blunted knife, and swiped the stacked trays with my free hand. Then, grasping the cold steel, I scattered them around me to create what looked to be a small field ofndmines.

    Luckily for me, she triggered one.

 Chapter 30 Monster Vs Killer, Part Two

    ?The vampire reappeared, winding up another sh, but, to her dismay, she stepped on one of my traps.

    The tray scraped the stone floor as she slid uncontrobly away from me. It was only for a moment that she lost her posture. Thankfully, a moment was all I needed.

    I swiveled my waist, raised my leg, and mmed my foot into her stomach. I could feel her ribcage cracking and her organs shifting within her body from the impact. As the bones broke, vibrations traveled up my leg, emphasizing every fracture.

    Her eyes widened with shock as all the air within her body escaped her gaping mouth. An instantter, the force from my kick finished its transfer and sent her flying backward toward the blood trough.

    Her breathing was short and unsteady as she clutched her gut. She shook uncontrobly like she''d been struck by the tremors of an earthquake. The woman tried to recover, but her uncontrolled wheezing only worsened until she fell to her knees in a fit of coughing.

    I wasn''t one to take chances, so I grasped several scalpels strewn across the workbench''s surface. Then, after taking a handful, I swung my hand toward her, hurling the des at her as projectiles to cover my approach.

    Somehow, she barely regained enough movement to sh them out of the way. It didn''t matter, though. It was still toote for her.

    I leaped in and raised my arm for a sh with my paring knife.

    Our eyes exchanged contact; her''s were filled with shock and intrigue. Her two pupils were the most noticeable of her expression; they''d been entirely dted with fear. It was brief, but I saw my own eyes being reflected in hers.

    My expression was cold and murderous. One you''d expect from a tempered machine of war.

    Finally, as I''d done with the bearded guard, Icerated her throat.

    Her flesh, now parted, ejected a fountain of blood that jetted from her wound. Jarringly, the fluid spraying wildly outward was different from anything I''d ever encountered.

    Rather than it being a deep vibrant red, her blood was ckened. The hue was like someone mixed powdered charcoal with red paint. The consistency was unnaturally thick too. It was almost as if the blood coagted before even leaving her body.

    She copsed, plunging her face into the dark pool that formed below.

    Usually, I would''ve tried to apprehend her like I did the others, especially since she looked like a civilian. However, my instincts told me not to treat her like one. They said this woman would''ve definitely killed me if I were to hold back.

    Despite that¡­ Despite her speed and power that were obviously superhuman, she still fought like an amateur.

    While kneeling down and checking her pulse, I wondered. "Did I really have to kill her?" There was nothing to be done now, though. The deed was done, and she was dead. No amount of regret would change that. I just had yet another life that would invade my dreams and weigh down on my conscience now, that''s all.

    I stood up from her corpse and walked briskly to Kamida while digging through my holster for the keys I''d stolen. Once I''d taken hold of them, I used a key to utch the metal sps around Kamida''s arms and legs.

    I expected the same reaction as Agawa. I expected him to look at me with that same horror and disgust she did. Which is why I was utterly astonished when he reached out and hugged me.

    "Thank you, Sato! Thank you, Sir!" tears flowed from his eyes. "I was terrified, Sir! Absolutely terrified!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''See, I told you that the threat of dissection while alive could make a grown man cry,'' I thought.

    He continued clutching onto me while his quaking body recovered from the shock of almost dying.

    Once he''d calmed himself down, we shared eye contact. "I promise, Sir," he said with quivering words. "I promise that I''ll repay this debt! I''ll give you a hero''s discount on my services from now until the end!"

    "Thanks," I chuckled weakly. I wasn''t expecting a reward, but I couldn''t help from being disappointed in what he offered.

    "Of course, Sir! It''s the least I could d-"

    "We should get back to escaping," I interjected. I knew now wasn''t the time for celebrations, not while death loomed over our heads like a homing guillotine.

    Sniffling, Kamida let go and stood up from the table. He started exiting the room when he turned back towards me to say, "seriously, Sir, thank y-" he froze, his look of ease contorted into pure terror. His eyes widened and revealed every bit of the whites within them. Then, spasming in fear, he raised an arm toward me.

    ''What''s wrong?'' is what I meant to say, but my words froze in my throat. In fact, the only sounds I''d been capable of were the gasps of pained wheezing. Looking down, I noticed a thin spear of hardened blood piercing through my lower stomach, creating a new hole to my insides.

    It retracted, grinding against my intestines as it left. Upon its departure, I was drained from the meager strength I had left in my legs. I was about to fall to the ground when I caught myself on the operating table.

    I reached towards Kamida, stumbling over my own words. "R-Run, you f-fucking idiot!"

    Responding to mymand, Kamida profusely apologized before barreling out the door. I was relieved when he''d picked the correct direction toward the tunnel. I would''ve haunted him as a ghost forever if he ran the wrong way and got caught again.

    My mission to rescue Kamida was aplished, so I turned my attention to what disemboweled me. My vision was blurry, so I recklessly threw my knife at the jumbled blur I assumed to be my attacker. However, the de was knocked aside by a wall of hardened, ck blood.

    I had nothing left to fight with, so I fell from the table and flopped onto my back. I watched as the blood wall reliquidated and fell back to the floor as a puddle. What was revealed when the wall copsed was the woman I''d just killed.

    She stepped closer and towered over me with a menacing re. Her eyes were fixed on mine, seething with sadistic rage. Her enraged expression revealed her teeth clenched tight as she ground them together. "You''ll pay¡­ You''ll pay¡­" she repeated, over and over again.

    I checked her neck wound to see it hadpletely regenerated. The congealed, ckened blood still covering it was the only indication that it had ever even existed.

    ''You''re such an idiot, Katsuro,'' that''s what I thought when I realized that, despite being given a second chance at life, I''d wasted it once again by being a sacrifice for someone else.

    Like in my previous "death," I let out a bitterugh.

    ''What a shitty joke¡­'' I sighed.

    My vision was again fading into ck, an experience that I was bing ustomed to. ''Screw it, just kill me already,'' I gave up and allowed myself to fall into the bliss of unconsciousness.

 Chapter 31 Takagis Frustration

    ?***Takagi POV***

    "Ugh, what the hell is taking them so long," I growled. "The guy better not have gotten lost because he gave me this useless map." Then, ncing at my hand, I examined the now crumpled scrap of paper. "I mean, who the hell could even read this?! The handwriting looks like a little kid wrote it!"

    Irritatingly, we''ve been standing around and waiting since Sato sent me down this dreary hallway. I still couldn''t believe I''d been ying as a taxi to the sleeping beauty and a chaperone to the rest of these idiots.

    To rify, when I say "idiots," I mean these useless lemmings that consider themselves people. The lemmings who just satcently in their murder kennels, waiting for their numbers to be called.

    ''At least put up a fight before you die,'' I eyed the herd with open disgust. However, boredom seized control, so I focused on the locked door barricading our escape. It was made from sturdy brown wood paired with a rusted-over lock.

    Unsurprisingly, the lemmings were utterly useless in handling the door. They poked and pried at it but did little else.

    "Ugh, get out of the way," I snapped at the masses to clear a path.

    With hopeful nces cast my way, my demands were followed without hesitation. With a direct route to the door, I sauntered up to it with the confidence of a king approaching his throne.

    "Did the soldier give you his keys?" a lemming timidly asked.

    "Keys?" I tilted my head in confusion. "Oh, Sure. I''ve got a key right here," I slyly smiled, lifting my right leg.

    Once upon the door, I repeated the motions I''d made at the tower. For some reason, I couldn''t summon up those green orbs like I did before, but I didn''t need them.

    I pulled my leg all the way back, then loosed it like a hammer to an anvil, striking the door by its handle with a heavy impact. It ttered against its frame and shook loose a pile of dust that had umted at the top.

    ''Ugh... So it''s gonna be like that, huh?'' I sighed tiredly. Did I really need to hit the thing multiple times to break it?

    Turns out I did, since my first strike failed.

    "Okaaay, let''s try this again," I grunted in determination. However, even after my second strike, the door remained stubbornly in ce, mocking me with itsck of movement.

    Despite its inanimate nature, I couldn''t help but feel as though the thing was sneering at me, taunting me for my inability to break it open.

    That thought simmered frustration within me, fueling a fit of anger that drove me to deliver a series of weighty blows to the door.

    With each forceful kick, I let out a word of frustration. "Open. The. Fuck. Up. You. Stubborn. PIECE. OF..." Drawing back my leg, I channeled every ounce of strength in my body before shouting the final word. "SHIIIIIT!!!"

    With a loud crash, the hinges snapped off the frame, causing the door to squeal and groan as it fell to the floor.

    While panting heavily, I savored my triumph while feeling a wave of arrogance surging through my body. I reveled in the satisfaction of a job well done and felt like nothing could stop me now.

    ''I scare even myself sometimes,'' I thought, admiring my work. Interrupting me was a tap on my shoulder; it was one of the lemmings that Sato sent with me. The only noteworthy aspect of the guy was how in he was.

    He grossly fidgeted his fingers and spoke with a disgustingly meek voice. "Um, we should probably get goi-"

    "HUUUUHHH?!" I snarled in annoyance, exposing the veins on my forehead.

    "I''m sorry!" he yelped, then bowed several times before retreating back into the shifting crowd.

    ''Like hell, I''ll let any of you leave without that guy...'' The soldier was worth at least a thousand of these ipetents in a fight. I had way more respect for him than I did for any of these trashy background characters.

    Though I thought that, it''d be a lie if I said I wasn''t feeling restless by now. ''How long does it take a guy to knock out some unsuspecting loser and free another unsuspecting loser?!'' I bet I could do it in five seconds if I weren''t stuck ferrying this baggage everywhere!

    Pivoting my body, I saw that the rest of the group was struck by the same anxieties as the in guy. They were all, to my annoyance, constantly mumbling amongst themselves as they gawked at the exit.

    "Shut up!" I shouted and blocked the opening. My voice echoed throughout the corridor and tunnel beyond, emphasizing my words further. Luckily, my demand was very effective, given that a sweet silence enveloped the room afterward.

    ''Heh, that solves one problem,'' I thought triumphantly.

    Unfortunately, I created a new one with my "request." After my disy of aggression, these people now directed their expressions of unrest, terror, and sorrow at ME! They looked at ME like I was the bad guy!

    "And wipe those idiotic looks off of your faces!" I snarled.

    Hearing my secondmand, most of them angled their sights downward to avoid mine.

    ''That''s better,'' I smirked again.

    However, a blissful silence wasn''t what I heard. Instead, the sounds of feminine groans yed, originating from my back. A minuteter, the mumbles were paired with a continuous rustling that developed into a full-on struggle.

    "Wha?! Where?!" Agawa panicked and struck my head repeatedly.

    If I were anyone else, she might''ve knocked me out. If it weren''t for my skull, hardened by years of back alley brawls, I would''ve been knocked out cold.

    ''She really packs a punch!'' I thought, gaining a tad of respect for the girl.

    However, praise wasn''t what I''d give her. I didn''t appreciate getting wailed on from behind. "Hey, knock that off!" I growled.

    "Wha?.. Takagi?.. Is that..." the assault on my head ceased as she stopped in silence. I wasn''t sure exactly what she was doing, but I guessed she was evaluating what to do next.

    Partially out of revenge and primarily because I hated being used, a tempting thought to drop her crept into my mind now that she was awake. I decided against it, though. It would''ve sucked if she fell the wrong way and got knocked out again. No way did I want to carry her anymore¡­

    "T-Takagi?" she asked meekly. "Is that you?"

    "No, it''s the prime minister," I said with a snarky tone. "Yeah, it''s me; sorry, I''m not your boyfriend, the soldier guy," I taunted, partially to gauge her mental state.

    As it turned out, it wasn''t good. The mere mention of Sato was enough for her to start restlessly struggling to escape my grasp again.

    "Seriously? You need to stop! I''ll drop you. Is that what you want?" I loosened my hold on her legs to show my sincerity. I wasn''t one to make idle threats.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Thankfully, that was enough to get her to cease her incessant squirming. I heard her take several breaths, calming her emotions from a typhoon to a light rain.

    With her calm, I eased my tone. "You can walk now, right? I hope you can because I''m not carrying you anymore."

    Her answer took the form of a mild grunt. I assumed that it was in agreement.

    With her permission, I steadily let go of her legs and allowed her a moment to stabilize herself on the ground. Now that I was free from the burden, all the aches in my joints erupted with a vengeance.

    I rotated, worked, and bent every muscle in my body through various exercises. ''Nothing beats a good stretch routine,'' I chuckled. I always stretched plenty before and after pulpifying some fool that challenged me to a fight.

    While stretching out my hamstrings, I noticed Agawa standing in ce, frozen to the ground. Her vacant gaze was captivated by the filthy dungeon floor, and her mind seemed to just...nod off from reality.

    "Hey, wake up!" I snapped my fingers in front of her. "I''m not rying you around anymore, so you''d better get a grip."

    I shocked her out of whatever trance she''d been in, and she cast a look at me with new life in her eyes. "I-I''m sorry, Takagi," her expression was clear with distress, "I don''t even know what to think right now."

    I sighed, then grinned. "Do what I do, then. Don''t think ahead; just do stuff as you need to."

    She stared at me nkly. She must''ve expected some form ofplicated consoling.

    ''Too bad for you, I don''t care!'' is what I wanted to say, but I abstained. Instead, I did something totally unlike me; I feigned concern. "Are you alright?" I begrudgingly questioned.

    "Yeah," she gave a pitiful smile, "I''m alright." Her shoulders rxed while she ingested several inhales paired with exhales.

    I did feel some pity since she couldn''t maneuver her hands much. They were busy acting as safety guards, holding up her lone covering of a tattered nket. Whatever she went through, it was reassuring she maintained enough sanity to protect herself.

    ''What should I do?'' I scratched my head in confusion. I couldn''t figure out if I should ask her what had happened or not.

    I wracked my brain for answers, though thinking was never a strong point of mine. It''d suck if I sent her into crazynd again because I asked the wrong question. Luckily, I didn''t need to ask; she initiated the conversation on her own.

    At first, she mouthed what she wanted to say like she''d been rehearsing lines for a y. "Uh," she paused, "where is¡­um¡­Sato?" her eyes twitched as she winced at his name.

    Though I was curious about her reaction to his mention, I decided it''d be better to brush it off. "That guy? He''s having fun saving the Conman. If I had to guess, he''s probably fighting some psychopath right now." I ground my teeth together and inwardly added, ''he''s taking his damn sweet time doing it too...''

    Her new expression emitted mixed signals. On the one hand, her body appeared instinctually relieved at the mention that Sato wasn''t here. On the other, her eyes began darting around sporadically in anxiety when I''d mentioned that he was fighting someone.

    "What happened to me?" she asked nervously.

    "Do you want the long or short version?" I replied, crossing my arms behind my head with impatience.

    "Uh¡­long, please."

    ''What a pain,'' I sighed.

    "The soldier guy met up with me while ferrying you around. Then he pushed you off onto me," I restlessly rubbed the back of my neck. "and we found everyone else. Now here we are, that good?"

    Agawa''s lips curled in confusion, and her expression emitted an aura of frustration. "That wasn''t very long," she said irritatedly.

    "Welp, you get what you get," I shrugged. "That''s as long as I was willing to make it."

    "I''m scared to ask what the short version would''ve been," sheughed weakly.

    "That version would''ve been ''nothing much.''"

    Sheughed again, this time slightly less solemn. "That''s just like you. I shouldn''t expect anything less¡­or more in this case..." Though she joked, she defaulted back to an expression of quiet angst in no time at all.

    She reached out to me and began mouthing a question. However, she caught herself and her arm just short of their target. Pulling them back, she constricted her body to be as tight as possible and squeezed her arm with anguish.

    Surprisingly, I felt slightly (I couldn''t stress that enough) concerned about her. Finishing what she started, I reached out to her arm when hurried footsteps echoed throughout the dingy halls.

    Naturally, this sound scared the lemmings to all hell, and they began inching toward the exit, despite my blocking it.

    "Do you hear that?"

    "Oh god, they''reing!"

    "We gotta get out of here!"

    "LET US THROUGH, KID!"

    But I wouldn''t have it. "Shut the hell up and stay there! If any of you try to run," I gave a ded smirk, "I''ll beat you to a fucking pulp..." With my threats, they backed down and away from the tunnel.

    ''Okay, now that that''s solved,'' I thought triumphantly. I cracked my knuckles and stretched my neck from side to side. The sound of several satisfying pops echoed from within my body as I prepared my body to fight.

    The unidentified runner approached our position rapidly, and I took a brawling stance. It looked like I''d be alone since the remaining lemmings were busy cowering behind one another.

    ''Cowards,'' I clicked my tongue in frustration but wasn''t deterred. Even if I had to do it alone, I''d fight this whole damn mansion if I had to!

    ''If these bastards want a fight, I''ll beat it out of them!'' With my assertion, something erupted inside me, kicking up a frenzy of anticipation and excitement.

    My bones, my veins, even my blood: it all anxiously awaited the fight. It all urged me to match my opponent''s approach and meet their challenge head-on for a bloody battle.

    Momentster, the footsteps were practically on top of us, making it impossible to contain my giddiness.

    ''They''re here!'' is what I thought, but reality was nothing if not disappointing.

 Chapter 32 A Heros Savior

    ?Instead of some badass d in armor, I was met by the hyperventtions of a hunched-over, half-dead con man.

    Upon seeing him, my flexed muscles deted, and my excitement backfired into depressing boredom. ''Huhhh, well, guess I got all worked up for nothing,'' I childishly kicked a foot to the ground.

    To alleviate my distress, thoughts of punching Kamida to release some steam seeped into my battle-starved mind. But, fortunately for him, I had...a little self-restraint.

    Instead of a punch, I waved to Kamida as I approached him. "Hey, Con-mida! d you finally ma-"

    He propelled himself onto me andtched on, interrupting my greeting. Then, as if preventing my escape, he seized my shoulders and tightened his grip as much as his body would allow. He tried to speak, but each ragged gasp for air subdued his voice.

    "What''s the hell''s the matter with you? Let go..." I tried shaking off his arms, but his sweat-marinated fingers were sealed tighter than the cor around my neck. "What''s your prob-"

    He interrupted me again, managing words between each of his retching fits. "Sa¡­to¡­h-he''s¡­"

    That''s when I realized. ''The soldier guy¡­he isn''t here.''

    My eyes went red with anger. "Where the hell is he, Kamida?! Where did you leave him?!" I grabbed his back shoulder, constricting my grip far tighter than his. He yelped from the pain but kept trying to speak through his exhausted breathing.

    "He''s¡­back t-t-there," his wheezing was unrelenting, so he abandoned his voice and pointed back toward the harvesting rooms.

    "W-Wait," the in guy stuttered. "Is he dead? The soldier is dead?!" On his face was a look of dismay. It was as if he assumed Sato to be immortal or unable to be harmed. "No¡­ NO! How could that happen?!"

    "Let''s go, then!" I growled. "We''ve gotta go back!" I turned to rally the rest, only to be met with the stench of cowardice.

    There they all stood, a small army of bodies that could repay the one who''d helped them. They were all healthy, and they were all fit, so why were they trembling so much? Why were they stepping closer to the exit now that I wasn''t there to blockade it?!

    "YOU GODDAMN WEAKLINGS!" I shouted, swiping my hands at them.

    Startled by my voice, like a herd of gazelles, the lemmings stampeded down the tunnel at full tilt, disappearing into the darkness.

    I clenched my jaw, kneeled, and, to my instant regret, smashed my fist into the stone floor. I then lifted my swelling, bruised knuckles and made a vow. ''With this pain as my witness, I swear...'' I focused my seething re down the dark hallway, ''I swear I''ll kill you all if I get out of here!!!''

    I hadn''t a moment to spare, so I lifted myself from the floor and prepared for a mad dash to where Sato was.

    Suddenly, I felt a tap on my back. I turned to see Agawa standing behind me, her face hesitant but determined.

    "I''lle with you," she said, her voice quiet but resolute.

    "What?!" I snapped back. "How could you go anywhere in that getup? Don''t act tou-"

    "I''m going," she reaffirmed, her eyes burning with the mes of defiance. "If it means I can help, my nudity is nothing to me!"

    Agawa was so determined I could hardly believe she was so timid just moments ago. After witnessing her like this, I knew that no words of mine would deter her from following. There was no time for me to try, anyway.

    "Don''t expect me to look away if the nket drops," I sneered.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Heh," she raised a fist, "it''ll be thest thing you ever see if that happens."

    The two of usughed, then locked hands and shook. Finally, we smirked to each other and nodded, symbolizing the birth of a new partnership. We were letting go when a now-rested Kamida grabbed on too.

    "Don''t think I''ll let you kids go alone!" he asserted with a passionate gaze.

    His selfless act surprised me so much that I couldn''t help but tease him for it. "Nice of you to join us, Conman," I joked. "Did the soldier guy offer you something?"

    "No," his expression hardened, and his fists squeezed shut. "I have a debt to pay him, and I don''t take those lightly..."

    We released each other, our hands lingering for a moment before we stepped back, bracing ourselves for what could be our inevitable end.

    Despite the fear and uncertainty gripping me, I felt a strange exhration. In that moment, with two trusted allies by my side and a mission that demanded my utmost courage and resolve, I felt like I''d finally woken up from a life of monotony and routine. I was alive!

    Surprisingly, an unfamiliar face blocked our path forward. "If it''s alright, I''d also like to go." His tone was suave and uncannily calm for the situation.

    He was on the older side, and if I had to describe his look with a single word, "disheveled" would be it. His hair was medium length, with strands drooping down over his face. Encasing his jaw was a horrible five ''o'' clock shadow that was right on the cusp of forming a full-blown beard.

    ''This guy would definitely be useless in a fight,'' was my initial impression. "What makes you useful?" I asked impatiently.

    He lit up with pride at my question. "I''m Nakamura Shinjiro, and a doctor!" he eximed. "From what I hear, this Mr. Sato could be injured, and I feel I could help him if you''d let me!"

    Kamida uncontrobly smiled and ran to Nakamura, sping hold of his hands within his own. "Yes, pleasee with us!"

    Nakamura nodded with a grin, and what could be our final descent into the depths of hell was underway. As we ran, I felt a sensation I''d never experienced. It was warm, fuzzy, and radiated throughout my body.

    Though I had no experience with it, I knew this emotion couldn''t be anything else. It was the warmth ofpanionship. Apanionship that I shared with the two¡­three idiots who were following me into hell.

    ''I guess I don''t, not, not hate it¡­'' I pondered.

    Several minutes passed before we arrived at the room Kamida was freed from. The door swung loose from its frame, and a metallic, salted odor filled the hallway.

    ncing over my shoulder, I noticed Agawa briefly flinch at the pungent odor that filled the air. However, her momentary difort did notst long as she quickly regained her unwavering level of determination.

    With me taking the lead, we barged into the room. The sight thaty before us was as disturbing as it was infuriating.

    There, an unconscious Satoy, in a pool of blood, with something writhing on him. That something turned out to be a mature-bodied, bloodied woman.

    She had him locked in a killer''s embrace, her teeth buried within the base of his toned neck. Mypanions, ensnared by total hopelessness, muttered amongst themselves that we were toote.

    But I knew better. There was no way that you''d die that easily. No. Goddamn. Way.

    "GET THE HELL OFF HIM, YOU BITCH!" I shouted and barreled toward the nearest weapon.

 Chapter 33 New Trauma

    ?The weapon I acquired took the form of some wooden scrap I''d torn off a torture shelf. It crackled and snapped, following my loud grunts as I tore it free from the frame.

    Despite themotion I was causing, the woman remainedpletely engrossed in her task. With her teeth buried into Sato''s neck, she continued to steadily drain away his life essence.

    My rage began to boil over as she ignored my presence. "I hope you got a mouthful!" I yelled, and charged at her, fueled by my anger and desperation.

    I stood over her with a re of murderous fury, fully enveloping her beneath my shadow. Even so, she made no note of my presence.

    "Heh," I raised my arm for a swing, " ignore this!" I threw my arm down, mming the wooden scrap against her head. A cut formed on her forehead, and streaks of ckened blood poured forth. But, aside from that, she still hadn''t reacted.

    "There''s plenty more where that came from!" I bellowed through clenched teeth, fueled by a primal rage that coursed through my veins.

    I rained down a steady stream of weighted blows upon her. With each strike, I grunted and snarled. My frenzied noises echoed through the air, evoking the image of a wild beast tearing into its prey.

    Likewise, my attacks carried such ferocity that she was forced to utch her fangs, releasing a mouthful of Sato''s blood that she had not yet consumed.

    I repelled her off Sato''s neck like a tick with me and savagely struck her as hard as I could, as fast as I could. The crunching of her skull as her head scattered was grotesque but not something that would quell my anger.

    Her blood shot up and sprayed wildly, soaking my club ck as midnight. The color caught me off-guard, but my only focus was thrashing this monster with everything I had. Even when she ceased moving, I kept hammering away at her out of pure adrenaline.

    It didn''t take long before my weapon broke into several pieces, leaving me with nothing but a useless handle¡­and the realization that I''d just killed someone.

    I dropped it, the wood ttering loudly on the slick floor, and stepped backward in shock.

    While trembling, I brought my hands to view. They were soaked in ck blood and glistened from the torchlight above. I had always been violent, something I med my old man for, but never had I crossed a line like this.

    I stared at my victim. She was aplete mess, her head split open like a melon. As her blood pooled on the floor, I pondered to myself about my victory.

    I wasn''t thrilled, nor was I prideful at my victory. Instead, I could only think of one thing. ''What¡­ What did I just do?'' I wanted so badly to grip my mouth and fight the queasiness threatening to consume me, but I couldn''t. I was too afraid of smearing blood on my face.

    My focus was drawn to the ceiling as I thought to myself. ''Is this what it''s like for you, Sato¡­ Yuuya?'' I wondered if this level of brutality was the type of thing a soldier faced on a daily basis.

    Many thoughts consumed my mind, but I felt a weight around my waist. ''What''s that?'' I thought, looking down.

    When I saw it, I couldn''t help butugh at my stupidity. ''That''s right...I have a sword...'' With this, I could''ve just stabbed her and been done with it. However, thanks to the heat of the moment, I didn''t even remember that I''d had it. Would I be so bloody if I''d used a de?

    Squeamishness overflowed from my gut to my throat, sending me to the edge of vomiting when Nakamura excitedly cheered. "H-He¡­ He¡­ He''s alive!"

    With that deration, my queasiness vanished. Recing it was unbridled joy.

    My somber expression dissolved into an embarrassed smile. I wasn''t sure why I felt attached so strongly to Sato. Perhaps it was because he reminded me of my brother, whom I deeply respected.

    Without hesitation, I rushed to him, with Agawa and Kamidagging close behind. We crowded around Nakamura, our hopes soaring and weighing heavily on his back. He frantically tore at his own clothes, desperately trying to bandage Sato''s stomach wound.

    In that moment, Nakamura''s gaze was unwavering and uninterested in his surroundings. It was as if he saw nothing else but the critically injured man before him. His focus was wholly fixed on saving Sato''s life.

    We followed Nakamura''s lead, ripping portions from our clothing and piling them nearby for Nakamura to use. Agawa even tore parts from her already ragged nket to provide for the doctor.

    Once we''d finished, Sato''s torso was wrapped so thoroughly you''d think he''d been mummified.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Filled with hope, Kamida uttered the question we''d all been thinking, "Will he be okay?"

    However, Nakamura avoided eye contact. No, it wasn''t that he''d been avoiding us. His eyes were fixated on Sato''s wrists.

    He expertly unwrapped the bandages to reveal the putrid gashes of flesh that hid beneath them. They crusted over with darkened red and released a grotesque bloody discharge.

    As Nakamura''s face fell with the sight, his demeanor changed from one of determination to despair. He looked at us with a pained expression as if the very hope we had held was poisoning him from within.

    "If I''m being honest...no. No, he won''t be okay. This man was already in critical condition with the wound on his stomach. If we factor in the injuries on his wrists..." Nakamura''s trembling hand moved to lift his sses with two fingers, scratching the area of his nose that was underneath. "To think he''s been suffering with such injuries on his arms too¡­"

    "So, you''ll be able to fix him, right?" Agawa asked, frantic with worry. It shocked me, given her attitude toward Sato before.

    Nakamura stood up from Sato, staring at his motionless body in anguish. He scrunched his fists together and bit his lip, nearly to the point of drawing blood. "There''s nothing more than I can do without the proper equipment."

    His admittance of failure sent me over the edge. "Don''t give me that!" I shouted. "You''re a doctor, right? So, fix hi-"

    He turned to me, his eyes flickering with frustration. "There''s nothing more I can do, alright?! I have no blood transfusions, no medication, no IV bag, I don''t even have a fucking sewing kit!" he clutched his neck to ease his now ragged breathing. "I-I''m sorry, I just didn''t expect this level of injury..."

    As much as I wanted to ost Nakamura for his ipetence, I knew it wasn''t his fault.

    Though he had medical experience, he was no God. Ultimately, I was just projecting my anger onto him, as I''d always done when I was stuck and helpless. I would always retreat into my rage,shing out at anyone within striking distance.

    ''I''m so useless,'' I despaired with clenched fists.

    Unlike me, Agawa took charge and presented a sliver of hope. "What if we take him with us?!" she loudly asked with renewed perseverance.

    "What?" Nakamura stared quizzically.

    "What if we take him with us?!" Agawa repeated. "I remember seeing a clinic-looking building in town. Couldn''t we take him there?!"

    ''A clinic? Did we see something like that?'' I dug voraciously through my memories of the town.

    Reying all day''s events, I finally found myself staring at the building we''d seen that sullen kid in. Above the window he stared from, hanging over the doorway, was a sign depicting a painted red wooden cross. Maybe she was right! Another world or not, there was nothing else it could be!

    Nakamura took a breath and nced at Sato. "If he has any, he doesn''t have much time left. With his lost blood, we''d need to act about as fast as a bolt of lightning to stand any chance at saving him."

    Agawa ignored Nakamura and instead strode swiftly toward the woman''s lifeless body. She ripped off the blood-soaked apron, pants, and shirt without a moment''s hesitation.

    After putting on the pants, Agawa used her current coverings to protect her modesty as she slid on the blood-stained clothes.

    She turned away from us and dropped the nket, revealing her smooth and unblemished back. Finally, she hastily threw on the shirt. While it may not have been the mostfortable fit, it did the job.

    I breathed a sigh of relief. ''Anything''s better than a nket, at least.''

    Due to the significant difference in bust size, Agawa''s new blouse hung just below her slim waist. The two''s waist difference wasn''t asrge, but Agawa still had to fasten her pants with some makeshift rope she made with pieces torn from the nket.

    Finally, without turning around, she spoke, her voiceced with a hint of a smirk. "A bolt of lightning. Easy enough."

 Chapter 34 The Kennels, Part One

    ?Agawa rushed to Sato''s side, giving us no time to question her motives or protest. Then, after kneeling next to him, Agawa reached for his cheek; her hand trembled more with each inch of distance closed.

    Despite her determination, Agawa''s hand halted just short of touching Sato''s cheek. She stood frozen, a profound sense of fear etched on her face.

    "Are you sure you''re okay?" Kamida asked while gathering up Sato''s knives.

    I had the same question. With her uneasy expression and trembling, I didn''t know if we could trust this girl with the task of carrying Sato. "Look, just let me handle it! I''ll carr-," I began but was interrupted by a resounding p that echoed throughout the room.

    My initial reaction was one of confusion. ''Did...did she just p herself?" I wondered, dumbfounded. ''What the hell exactly did that do?'' I was about to voice my question when I noticed my answer in Agawa''s unflinching eyes.

    Following the p, her cheek swelled and turned red, but the fear that was so prominent before had vanishedpletely.

    Agawa reached out once more for Sato, this time seeding and gently brushing his hair back with affection. "I''m sorry for earlier," she whispered, her expression twisted with regret. However, her remorse quickly faded as her lips curved into a warm smile. "It''s my turn to help you now."

    With great care, she removed her hand and, in one fluid motion, lifted him onto her back with gritted teeth.

    "Wait!" I protested. "I should probably be the one to carry him. You know, since I''m stronger."

    "Were you captain of your school''s Track and Field club?" she sneered. "I''ll admit, Sato is kind of heavy, but he''s nothingpared to the hell I put myself through in school!"

    Usually, I would have insulted her at least five times by now for how ridiculous her idea was. However, given her conviction and pride, I couldn''t push further.

    "Fine," I smirked back, "you can act tough for now."

    "It''s not an act if it''s true," Agawa retorted with sass.

    We growled at each other, but Kamida interjected and ced a hand on Agawa''s shoulder. "Let me know if you need a break, okay?"

    "Come on, let''s go already!" Agawa growled with impatience. But then, her tense expression softened into a smile, and the rest of us couldn''t help but grin in response. "We''re getting out of here!"

    As those words rang out, a powerful resonance coursed through our bodies, binding us together in a way that transcended our disparate backgrounds. Though we came from vastly different circumstances, we were now united by a single purpose, and our hearts beat as one.

    We would save the one who had sacrificed everything for us. We''d save the hero who''d shielded us from danger.

    ''This mansion¡­they could send whatever monstrosities they''ve got; they won''t stop us from saving you!...'' I tried to keep my thoughts locked up but couldn''t contain my overflowing resolve. "So, you better not die, Sato!" I shouted with unbreakable conviction, startling the others. "If you do, I swear I''ll beat you to death myself!"

    We raced out of the room and sprinted toward the escape tunnel, our hearts pounding in our chests. The sound of moring guards echoed through the corridors, spurring us on.

    The tter of weapons and the barked orders of our pursuers grew louder with each passing moment, and we knew we had to move fast if we wanted to make it out alive.

    As we ran, I stole a quick nce at Agawa''s expression. Despite the weight of the fully grown man she carried, she lookedpletely unfazed, her eyes locked on our goal.

    ''She really wasn''t bluffing,'' I thought, panting heavily. I was genuinely impressed with her athleticism.

    It took every ounce of my strength to match her stride and avoid falling behind. I may not have been a professional athlete, but even I could recognize the efficiency of her movements.

    Every step she took was precisely calcted, wasting no energy and conserving as much motion as possible. It was no wonder she could sprint down the hallway with such incredible speed!

    ''Like hell, I''ll let you show me up!'' I gritted my teeth and pushed myself beyond my limits, knowing our lives depended on it. Agawa may have been my clear better, but mypetitive nature refused to let me admit it.

    Looking behind me, I noticed that the other two had it worse than me, especially Kamida, who heaved like an oldborer with every step he took.

    "Ugh...Ugh...Ugh..." Kamida''s head bobbed wearily as he ran, his form clumsy and unsteady. Sweat poured down his face, and his eyes were wide with exhaustion.

    Thanks to Agawa''s ludicrously fast running, we made it to the tunnel in half the time it took to reach Sato.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Just like the rest of these deste halls, it was poorly illuminated by sparsely ced torches. However, unlike the dungeon''s corridors, the air within was bone-chilling and moist.

    Our run slowed to a quickly-paced walk due to the illumination. We didn''t want to risk reckless injury by slipping in a tight, dark corridor. Especially since we had Sato to worry about; we couldn''t afford to carry someone else.

    Despite our concerns, we had to maintain a fast pace. Who knew how far behind the guards could''ve been in pursuit of us. However, our speed slowed to a crawl when our noses were assailed by a putrid stench of rot.

    The deeper in we went, the stronger the decay became.

    "Ugh," Kamida griped, clenching his fingers over his nose, "what is that horrid stench?!" he retched, trying his best to avoid hurling.

    "It''s dposition," the doctor replied matter-of-factly. He narrowed his eyes toward the halls in front of us. "Wait a moment, please," he asked, then started tearing at some spare cloth he''d saved from before.

    "W-With pleasure," Kamida smiled. He was delighted at the suggestion to wait; his skin was soaked with enough sweat to fill a hot spring. Between his pained wheezing and hunchback posture, he looked like he''d been on the verge of death from exhaustion.

    Sadly for him, a few moments of respite would be all he got as Nakamura handed us each the fruit of hisbors. Resting within our palms were sturdy but makeshift bandanas.

    ''Will this even do anything?'' I eyed the rags with skepticism.

    "Put these on," he ordered, "it should limit the number of airborne toxins we ingest."

    "Oh, thank god!" Agawa eximed in relief. "I wasn''t saying anything, but this rancid odor is killing me," she shed a charming smile and crinkled her nose.

    We each wrapped the cloth around ourselves, except Agawa and Sato.

    They both needed assistance for individual and obvious reasons.

    Now that we''d had some protection from the odor, our march quickened, and our confidence grew as we explored more of the dark corridors. We were lucky the tunnel was linear since several torch mounts were vacant, leaving stretches of total darkness ahead of us.

    In those moments, we relied on the sparse, flickering orange glow emitted by two torches we had scavenged from the walls. The path ahead was barely illuminated, leaving us in a constant state of uncertainty. Shadows danced on the walls, and every sound echoed endlessly down the halls.

    "Those bastards," I grumbled. I assumed the missing torches were courtesy of the cowards who''d run so decisively away before. They must''ve taken the majority of them to ease their escape.

    ''I swear if I get my hands on them,'' I cracked my knuckles. Knowing they got out scot-free while we trudged in darkness boiled my blood.

    Several steps ahead and the narrowness of the corridor stretched out into a pitch-ck room. The only reason we''d even known of the opening was due to the presence of a lone torch. It was mounted to the hallway''s edge with metallic stakes embedded into the wall.

    We proceeded forward but suffered a fit of gags once we''d reached the room''s entrance. The stench of decay had grown so invasive that our masks weren''t adequate enough to snuff it out anymore. The smell was so foul I would''ve dly traveled through a metropolitan sewer instead.

    Kamida opened his mouth toin, but his words were cut short by a spine-chilling howl that echoed through the tunnel. Mypanions froze in their tracks, exchanging wide-eyed nces of terror.

    Soon after, it was apanied by a dozen others just like it. The ck abyss before us was filled with a chorus that one could only link to death and misfortune.

    The sound was unlike anything I had ever heard before. It was a bone-chillingbination of a blood-curdling shriek and a guttural wail. It was as if the sound was ripped straight from the depths of hell.

    The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and a shiver ran down my spine into my veins. Though I tried to hide it, I felt it too; a profound fear.

    We stood there, paralyzed in ce, waiting for the noise to fade into darkness. But, even after it did, I could still hear it on rey within my mind. It was a sound that would haunt me for a long time toe.

    "What was that?!" Agawa whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

    Kamida found his footing and leaned against a wall. "Nothing good, I assure you..."

 Chapter 35 The Kennels, Part Two

    ?The three exchanged expressions of worry while I gazed into the ckened abyss ahead.

    "Ugh, it''s so damn dark," I growled. My eyes were useless, so I closed them to heighten my other senses. To my annoyance, the stench grew more pungent because of it, but I also managed to glean something.

    It was faint, but I could discern the pattering and sshing of light footsteps against a slick floor. I homed in on the sound and realized they couldn''t possibly belong to a full-sized person or even a small child. They were too quiet and too brief to be human.

    "Hey," Nakamura whispered, "we should use that," he pointed to the lone torch mounted next to me and gestured a throwing motion.

    My mouth curved into a sly grin, and I nodded in agreement. "I guess you can have some good ideas sometimes, huh." I reached for the torch and freed it from the rusted steel mount, though it took some fidgeting. Then, after directing the rest to stand back, I hurled the solitary light into darkness.

    It spun in the air for a few moments longer than expected. However, it eventuallynded several meters down, revealing we were on an upper level from where the sounds originated. When the light settled, two truths were revealed to us: the stench''s source and the culprits of the howls.

    Seeing whaty under and around the torchlight reminded me of Nakamura''s words. There was no other way to describe the sight besides "dposition."

    Within the small dome of light were at least a dozen mutted corpses. Some were all bone, and covering them were dozens of what looked like gnaw marks. Some still had tiny bits of necrotized flesh dangling off, and others remained as fleshy masses, though they were missing various extremities.

    Agawa''s stammered, and her breathing quickened as she spoke. "A-Are those... Where are we? What the he-" but she was consumed by a fit of gagging before finishing.

    ''Ugh, oh god...'' I held a fist to my mask, narrowly holding in my bile. Sadly, I say the same for Agawa and Kamida. They silenced their voices as best they could. But, despite their efforts, the halls still echoed with the sounds of violent retching.

    Nakamura was the only one who''d been totally unfazed by the situation.

    He gazed at the mountain of bodies and maintained a forlorn expression. "I expected as much. You can''t get a stench that pungent without at least this much."

    What came next was more jarring than the unburied gravesite, even to the point of startling Agawa and Kamida from their vomiting session.

    Instantly, numerous small shadows leaped from the darkness, attacking the torch''s light.

    They gnawed, gnashed, and wed it apart, leaving only a renewed ckness. The only thing we''d hear for the next few minutes were the sounds of growling, snarling, and more of that chilling howling.

    "Were t-those¡­dogs?" Agawa shivered.

    Despite feeling unnerved by the bone-chilling howl, I refused to show any signs of weakness. I clenched my jaw and steadied my arm with the other to conceal the trembling that threatened to overtake me.

    "It doesn''t matter what they are." I grinned with artificial confidence. "If they want to y ''dominance,'' I''ll ragdoll them across the room until they''re ready to y fetch instead." Projecting arrogance was the only way I knew to cope with what I''d been feeling inside.

    But I was a good actor, or Kamida was a considerate conman, considering how he yed along with my act. "Your fearlessness is quite the inspiration, Mr. Takagi," he managed a raspy chuckle.

    Nakamura handed me the torch he''d been carrying, gestured at me, and prompted me to take the lead.

    I waved it around before us to reveal a thin stone bridge. I couldn''t see how far it went, but it was our only option. From what I could tell, those things were stuck below, and we were above, so long as we didn''t fall¡­we''d be fine.

    We began our trek across when I noticed our second torchbearer, Kamida, falling behind. "Don''t tell me you''re scared, Con-mida?" I quietly taunted. Somehow teasing another about my fear consoled my own.

    "Uh¡­perhaps we should take our chances and backtrack?" his legs were shaking, and his breathing was shallow.

    "Hurry up," I ordered. "The faster we leave, the sooner I can forget about this disgusting smell."

    Upon hearing me, he sighed and grumbled something to himself in frustration.

    It was a pleasing sight to me. The overbearing and cordially forceful Kamida was shaking in his pants like a scared child. I would haveughed if I weren''t focused on subduing my own anxiety.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Sadly, my facade of strength faltered when a thought of those corpses entered my mind. I grimaced and clutched my free hand to my mouth, leaving an odd wetness on my lips.

    ''What the hell is that?'' I questioned, then instinctively licked my lips. Regret soon followed when a disgustingly stale and metallic taste filled my mouth.

    It was then that I remembered the still-notpletely dried blood that coated my hand. In my moment of weakness, I did exactly what I didn''t want to do and smeared my victim''s blood on my face.

    I wanted to hurl, I wanted to break down and let panic take hold, but I had to keep moving. "Just one step at a time," I mumbled. "Just one step at a time."

    After reaching the other side, I turned back to see that Agawa had alsopleted her trek. So now we were only waiting on Kamida and Nakamura.

    That''s when I heard a distinct "crack" reverberate throughout the room.

    In the next second, Nakamura''s stature became shorter and shorter as he began plummeting into the abyss below, following the shard of rock that had fractured off.

    He returned my look with one devoid of expression. Even his body had gonepletely still and reactionless. He must''ve been too shocked to know what face he should''ve shown.

    "Watch out!" Agawa shouted, but Kamida was the first to take real action.

    He dove forward, throwing his torch to the bridge. He narrowly managed to w at and take hold of Nakamura''s arm. "I''ve got you, Sir!" he shouted in desperation. "Don''t let go!"

    Finally noticing his situation, Nakamura frantically shook himself while trying to seize the bridge above. In no time at all, he was swinging like a pendulum in Kamida''s grasp.

    Though Kamida tried to remain calm, I could see panic bubbling up to the surface. "Sir," he urged, "I would implore you to stop before we both die."

    Nakamura did stop; however, it wasn''t before Kamida lost his grip on the bridge. "Oh shit! OH SHIT!" he shouted, breaking his guise of "the elegant man."

    "YOU IDIOTS!" I rushed forward with all my strength and pulled Kamida back from the brink. "I''LL TAKE HIM! GRAB ONTO SOMETHING!" I shouted to Kamida.

    I took on all of Nakamura''s weight, allowing Kamida to re-steady himself. When he fully recovered and regained his grip on the bridge, he took hold of Nakamura''s other hand. With Kamida and my synergized effort, we started hoisting Nakamura from the depths of certain death.

    We both grunted loudly as we dragged him toward the bridge.

    "Oh god! Oh god, help me!" Nakamura bawled like a terrified child. "Save me, please!"

    "We''re...Working...on it!" I snapped back through clenched teeth. "Just calm...the fuck...DOWN!" As we pulled Nakamura up, he inexplicably grew heavier. It was as if something had attached writhing, living weights to him.

    I peered over the bridge and saw the shadowy dogs below, rabidly leaping and snapping at Nakamura''s leg in an attempt to mp down on his flesh.

    One of them seeded.

    Upon noticing, Nakamura yelped in pain and furiously shook his legs to knock the hound off. Frustratingly, he must''ve not realized that his guttural shouting and ceaseless shaking made dragging him up hundreds of times harder.

    Apanying his terror were the distinct growls of a canine with the intent to kill, hell-bent on tearing off the flesh before it with a one-track fervor.

    It was for a moment, but his intense struggle resulted in a jabbing pain within my palm as the muscles inside constricted tighter than should be possible.

    ''Shit, I''m losing my grip,'' I despaired as he slipped through my fingers.

 Chapter 36 The Kennels, Part Three

    ?My hands loosened, and I felt Nakamura''s fingertips brush against mine.

    He was near the point of no return when Agawa dove next to me and seized him by the forearm. Pulling hard, she screamed loudly as she lifted his and the dog''s weight.

    "HIT THE DAMN THING!!!" she shrieked with frantically wide eyes staring in my direction. "HURRY!"

    "Wha? Oh, I got it!" I stood up and gripped the first thing within reach, the torch Kamida had tossed aside, and jabbed it into the mutt''s snout. A sizzling sound apanied the dog''s pained yelps as its face was seared beyond recognition.

    "Yeah! Take that you fucker!" I shouted triumphantly, jamming the torch further into its face.

    Defeated and locked in the misery of its broiled skin, the dog loosened its jaws and howled back into the abyss below. It wasn''t long until the pack of darkened hounds retreated after seeing one of their own be so disfigured.

    I released my hold of the torch, knowing we still had another in reserve, and again took hold of Nakamura. By the time it ttered with the floor, Nakamura had already been thrown back onto the bridge.

    After he was rescued, I copsed on the spot,pletely ovee by stress and exhaustion.

    My muscles were still involuntarily spasming, and I felt utterly dazed, unable to recover. With nothing else to do, I focused on where the torch hadnded.

    As expected, there were multiple bodies surrounding it. This time, however, they weren''t horribly decayed. On the contrary, they were in peak condition barring the numerous bite wounds andcerations of ws, as well as a strange, dark green webbing of veins that snaked across their bodies.

    ''Wait...'' I focused my eyes with a squint and was hit with an rming reality. ''I...I know them!''

    Though their bodies were gnarled and broken, it was unmistakable that they had all been members of the cowardly group that abandoned us in the manor.

    I promised to kill them if I saw them again...but actually doing it? That wasn''t at all what I intended. I was only referring to a pleasantly brutal beating with maybe a concussion or two.

    Intentions aside, after seeing their lifeless corpses, I somehow felt a pang of guilt about it. Like the act of my cursing them was the trigger to their deaths.

    ''I can''t believe they''re dead...'' The feeling was surreal. People I had just seen alive not thirty minutes ago were reduced to being chew toys for a group of hell dogs.

    Interrupting me from my thoughts, Nakamura shouted in relief at his survival. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" tears of relief and pure euphoria welled up in his eyes.

    I sighed and picked myself up. Then, I turned and grabbed Nakamura''s shoulder. "Don''t do any more falling, you idiot!" I reproached, even though I knew it wasn''t his fault.

    "Of course," he bowed his head, "I swear! I swear I''ll be more careful!"

    Still stuck in a frenzy of rapid breathing, we all limped away from the bridge and onto the solid footing of the other side. While we sat and soothed our battered muscles, Agawa walked over to Sato and lifted him back onto her back.

    "Come on, guys, we need to keep moving. It wasn''t THAT bad," she sneered at Kamida and me.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Heh, you''re only saying that because you got the easy part," I grumbled.

    We began snarling at each other when I noticed that Nakamura had been using my torchlight to inspect his new wound. Although the pierce marks were deep, burrowing nearly to his bone, it was still what concerned me the least. What most rmed me was the frothy green pus that oozed from it.

    Like me, Agawa detected the unsettling condition of Nakamura''s leg. "Are you okay?" she asked concernedly while walking toward the doctor. "Can you walk?"

    He quickly hid his wound beneath his hand and shifted his gaze toward Agawa. "Y-Yeah¡­thank you," he replied, but his agonized face suggested otherwise.

    Grimacing, Nakamura took deep swipes at the bite with a bit of cloth, sttering the strange discharge across it. Once he''d cleaned up as best as possible, he sacrificed his bandana as an impromptu bandage.

    "Well, shall we go?" he said nonchntly. Though he tried concealing his difort, it was apparent that his nose had crinkled from the smell. He then stood up and attempted a slow march, limping and quietly yelping with each step.

    Seeing Nakamura''s pathetic attempt at bravado, Agawa''s face gave way to what she''d most definitely been thinking. However, she couldn''t possibly act as a support and carry Sato too.

    It was tedious, but I wouldn''t let her take care of everything. "Here." I reluctantly offered my shoulder to Nakamura.

    He saw my gesture and frantically tried to refuse it. "Oh, no¡­no, I''m oka-"

    I growled ferociously, more so than any of the beasts below. I offered the guy help; I wouldn''t let him refuse it so quickly. If he insisted on declining, I''d put him in a condition where he couldn''t.

    "Yes, please, and thank you," he graciously bowed to my intimidation and attached himself to my shoulder.

    Now that we''d survived yet another perilous situation, I couldn''t shake off the feeling of invulnerability. I began reminiscing about all the fights I''d won thus far and grinned.

    I thought we could easily take the world, as Kamida once suggested!

    Unfortunately, remembering previous events also renewed another sensation. I was reminded of her, the woman I''d left in a solution of her own brains and blood. It still felt too surreal for what I''d done to be true.

    While we walked, I pulled my free hand to view and shivered; splotches of dried blood still covered it.

    Images of the kill were endlessly reying like I''d been rewound into the past and abandoned there. I could almost feel the heft of the wooden handle within my hand, how it felt to m it into her head. It was all ingrained into the deepest depths of my soul.

    I''ll admit I''ve dealt with anger issues all my life, but they were always apanied by good intentions. For every misdeed Imitted, I did three times its weight in good to repent. It was a lesson my mother instilled in me.

    ''Is there really anything I could do to atone for this, though?'' I grimaced, dreading that I now knew what it felt like¡­ I knew just how much pressure I needed to cave someone''s skull in¡­

 Chapter 37 Heart To Heart

    ?While walking with Nakamura dangling from my neck, I was lost in thought about what I''d done. Though I was still concerned about Sato, his condition could no longer distract me from my feelings about bing a murderer.

    Looking back, I never once thought of myself as evil. Despite my issues, I always did my best to uphold the boundaries of thew and morality. I always helped people when I could in order to make up for my delinquency.

    Still¡­staring at my bloodied hand, a thought I''d kept locked up broke free. ''Am I¡­the bad guy now?'' my heart constricted tight, leaving me lightheaded and woozy. The realization brought up many memories of my childhood. Memories that primarily left me grimacing with rage.

    There were a few that brought joy, though. Or at least they did. But, now, I was ashamed just picturing her visage. I felt I had no right to rely on her memory for emotional support after my sin.

    ''I''m sorry, mom. I... I''ve... I''ve be a murderer,'' I sniffled, holding back the flood of tears that threatened to overwhelm me. I could only imagine how disappointed mom would''ve been in me.

    I must''ve been pretty obvious with my distress since Nakamura was staring at me the whole time.

    "What do you want?" I grumbled and looked away toward the darkened tunnel walls to hide from him.

    For a moment, he didn''t respond at all. He only watched me with an infuriating expression of pity. I opened my mouth, nning to tell him to mind his business, but he spoke first. "You know," heughed, "contrary to what you''ve seen, I''m actually a pretty good doctor."

    "Yeah, that''s pretty ''contrary,''" I sneered.

    He chuckled again. "Do you know how long I''ve been a doctor? It was so long ago that I''d first enrolled in medical school. But, despite that, I could still feel the passion that I had that day. I was ready to heal the world and all its suffering!"

    ''Is this guy bragging to me?!'' the idea that he was spouting all of this off was maddeningly irritating, so much so that I was ready to knock his lights out.

    I furrowed my brow and tightened my fist. "What are tal-"

    "Being a surgeon," he interrupted and hardened his eyes, "you aren''t just responsible for saving people. In some cases, you also be the one that decides who lives and who dies. It''s when too many needs saving that your mettle is tested to its very limits."

    He took a hard swallow and stared at the passing dull granite floor beneath us. Like he''d been entranced by his past, I saw various emotions flicker through his eyes. Then, flinching, he tightened his grip, remembering that he needed to return to the present.

    "Just as well," he continued, "there''ve been times when I was forced to make those kinds of hard choices."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Many times, I decided to save the son over the mother. Times when I saved the father over the bachelor and the younger sister over the older brother. Such are the sins of a surgeon..." As he continued, his voice steadily lost its stability. Every word uttered made it increasingly obvious that he''d been holding back his emotions with everything he could.

    "That burden was always too heavy for me to bear. Although I was proud to have preserved a life, I''d find myself depressed that I inadvertently caused the deaths of others. Of course, numerous people offered me help in any way possible after the fact."

    "But I was a fool. I hate to say that I declined every single one of them. I thought my sins meant I had to suffer alone. Ultimately, under the influence of what I''d done, I could feel my mind slipping away into ces it should never have gone. I willingly walked the path of self-destruction under the pressure of mental anguish that crushed me daily."

    He squeezed my shoulder with his unwavering gaze staring directly into my soul. "Please," he pleaded, "don''t be foolish. You''re too young to be burdened with such a thing. The weight of death is heavy because it isn''t meant to be shouldered alone." His expression morphed into that of nearly begging, leaving me with moderate difort.

    I hated sappy moments like this. Maybe I didn''t like the idea of others caring for my well-being; it was too abnormal for me. Even so, I knew that I shouldn''t take his words lightly. So I answered sincerely, in my own way.

    "How could I shoulder it alone?" I grumbled. "It''s already too crowded with you leaning on me anyway."

    He smiled and nodded, softening his pained expression to that of enormous relief. "Good... I''m d to hear it," he genuinely smiled. Then, our "heart-to-heart" now over, he shifted his focus to the dark halls ahead.

    Hearing that I had someone to rte to... to rely on, I could feel the pressure on my conscience being lightened, albeit very slightly. I was relieved I would be alone in dealing with what I''d done.

    "Ah, you''re smiling like a normal person!" Agawa eximed, pointing at me. "Normally, you''re all crazy when you do that!"

    "I''m not!" I furiously rubbed my arm to my face, trying to correct whatever expression I had. "And mind your business!" I snapped back.

    But Agawa didn''t let up. Instead, she resorted to teasing me about what she''d seen for the rest of the way. I thought about inflicting a slight amnesia on her, but I was too busy lugging Nakamura around.

    My only hope was that we''d discover the exit sometime soon and forget my mistake as soon as possible. As it turned out, my escape was nearby, taking only a few more minutes of wandering before we discovered it.

    After indulging in all that disturbing sentimentalism, I was excited to break down the door. But my enthusiasm was quickly dampened when I noticed it was already flung wide open, revealing the town ahead. It was bathed in the eerie glow of the night sky.

    ''Looks like some of the lemmings actually made it this far,'' I thought with a sharp grin.

 Chapter 38 Unlikely Aid, Part One

    ?We stepped out of the tunnel, finding that its end led directly into the outskirts of town.

    The moon cast a soft glow over the empty streets, interrupted only by the persistent chirping of crickets. It was hard to imagine that this peaceful setting held such a sinister secret, but our recent experiences left no doubt.

    "Such a beautiful ce," Kamida said forlornly.

    "And yet it''s so ugly," I snarked back.

    "Indeed, looks can be deceiving," Nakamura replied.

    Standing in the chill of night, we scanned our surroundings with extreme care.

    Within the massive city ahead, a wall of medieval structures loomed. Each building was crafted from an assortment of materials, including stripped wood, shaped granite bricks, and baked blocks of y.

    The structures were intricately interconnected, forming abyrinthine maze that stretched in every direction except ours.

    Which begged the question...

    "Where the hell do you think the clinic is?" I asked impatiently. "Do any of you actually KNOW where we''re going?"

    "Don''t worry," Agawa reassured, "we saw the clinic along the main road, right? So we just need to follow that."

    "That''s not much of a n," I grumbled, crossing my arms above my head.

    "It''s the only one we''ve got, Sir," Kamida interjected. "Now, let''s keep moving, or we''ll get ourselves discovered."

    I sighed in frustration as our journey began. ''Can''t believe I''m letting Agawa take charge,'' I clicked my tongue. Nevertheless, now wasn''t a time to argue, so I followed with begrudging obedience.

    Even though we were above ground, the lighting was scarce, reminiscent of the dimly lit dungeons of the mansion. Normally, I would have been irritated by theck of light, but this time it yed to our advantage.

    We skulked to the nearest alley, sticking to the darkest patches of shadow to conceal our presence. Given Sato''s and the doctor''s conditions, we couldn''t risk a fight, though I craved one.

    Once we''d reached the alley, amotion originated from behind us. We performed a 180-degree turn to see that the inner-courtyard gates to the manor were beside the tunnel.

    The doors opened, and a sizeable patrol of guards emerged, all dressed in gleaming steel armor and armed with weapons that glittered in the moonlight. They halted just outside the gate, and a man who appeared to be their leader addressed them.

    "Find them!" he raised his hand upward and outward. "round up the filth and bring them back!"

    Responding to their captain, the troupe of guards stamped their feet once and rallied back. "Sir, yes, Sir!"

    Upon entering the street, they left their leader and split into groups of six. One of which descended into the dark tunnel we''d just left.

    "It''s a good thing we left when we did; they don''t look like the types that''d negotiate," Kamida whispered andughed nervously.

    "You''re right. So let''s not stand around like idiots," I snarkily replied. "It''s not like we''ve gone very far yet."

    Kamidaughed again. "Of course, Sir. Let''s go."

    We traveled for at least an hour, evading guards at every turn, all to find the clinic that Agawa had spotted earlier. Through that time, the sands of time were slipping away for Sato, urging us to hasten our search. Every passing moment felt like a cruel reminder. A reminder about the fleeting nature of life as Sato''sbored breaths echoed through the corridors.

    I caught a glimpse of his face. ''Was he always this pale?'' I thought, noticing his new ghoul-like pallor. ''Fuck...we need to hurry.''

    Eventually, after passing numerous decrepit alleys and streets, we arrived at a peculiar passage that split in three ways. My group murmured amongst themselves with loud whispers, strategizing on how to proceed.

    "We should go that way, probably? That looks like the main road!" Nakamura pointed out the alley that branched left toward a cobblestone street.

    "That''s probably not the best idea," Kamidaughed nervously. "They''ll likely be watching the main streets the most. So we should go right."

    We nced down the right path; it was dark and led into yet another web of dark alleys and warehouse-like buildings.

    Meanwhile, Agawa was staring ahead. However, we couldn''t venture in that direction. Blocking it was arge house. Its backyard was surrounded by a tall, red-brick fence, so discerning much else was difficult.

    They bickered quietly for several more precious moments on which path to take. They''d been so mentally paralyzed on nning that I wondered if we''d ever leave. However, our time to prepare was short.

    "Hey! Have you checked down this way?!" an unfamiliar voice called out from behind us, back the way we came from.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No! C''mon! Let''s check it out!"

    Just like that, our position was surrounded by the yellow-orange haze created by dozens of torches. We were rabbits within a snare, and hunters were approaching from all sides.

    "And, uh, what would be our n of action now?" Kamida frantically whispered.

    "Ah, looks like I''ve got no choice," I tried my best to sound bummed about the confrontation. In truth, however, I was overjoyed beyond measure. "Hey Kamida, catch!"

    He faced me, narrowly swiping a falling Nakamura from the air.

    Now free from any burdens, I cracked my knuckles. I couldn''t wait to meet the guards head-on. They were nearly upon us when we heard someone aggressively whispering at us.

    "Get in here!" the voice ordered.

    Drawing our attention to the source, we were confronted by a kid standing in the house''s backyard.

    "C''mon!" he panicked, beckoning us to enter the house.

    Personally, I''d rather take my chances brawling with the guards; at least then, we knew what to expect. However, my opinion didn''t matter. Agawa, Kamida, and Nakamura practically teleported into the house.

    "Tsk," I clicked, "disappointment again." Irritatingly, I considered just bing ustomed to having my excitement toyed with.

    Reluctantly, I followed the kid''s instructions and paced toward his house. He tried rushing me, but if I was entering, you''d better believe I''d do it in my own way and on my terms.

    Immediately after I''d stepped inside, he mmed the door shut as silently as possible.

    I looked around to see we''d been let into a sort of storage area. Across several shelves, boxes, and tables were jars of otherworldly herbs of various colors and leather-bound steel tools.

    "Follow," he said, ushering us deeper inside.

    "Um¡­thank you?" Agawa responded, her gratitude sounding more like a question than a statement.

    However, the kid ignored her, continuing to guide us through the darkened house.

    Kamida politely inquired, "Excuse me, do you know where we might find your parents?"

    The child stopped in his tracks and turned his head toward us. However, his reply wasn''t verbal but made using two gestures. He ced a finger to his lips and brought another to point upwards.

    Confused, we exchanged nces with each other, trying to decipher the meaning of the kid''s movements.

    Based on the finger to his lips, I assumed he''d been "hushing" us. Given that, he was undoubtedly telling us they were sleeping. However, his second gesture left us uncertain, as the alley''s darkness made it impossible to determine if the house had a second floor.

    "I apologize for asking," Kamida smiled, "but could you borate?"

    The kid shot us a look that twitched with irritation. "Asleep," he begrudgingly rified, then motioned us forward. "Hurry up."

    As we went, I observed quite a few parts of this house that didn''t seem like housing at all.

    There was a room with some sort of ''mixing'' table. Within its center sat an absurdlyrge, gray stone bowl containing a grinding tool. Layering the top was a bushel of unfamiliar, dried herbs emanating an aroma of earthiness and burnt wood. Although the smell was unpleasant, it somehow revitalized my entire body.

    Next came a sizeable main room decorated with hundreds of vials, each containing a myriad of differently colored liquids. On the far side from us, built into the wall, were severalrge bay windows and a wooden framed, polished ss door extending to the rest of the town beyond.

    "I feel an excitement within me stirring," Kamida asserted. "This must be a shop."

    The kid looked at Kamida, nodding twice at his assumption. Then, without uttering a single word, he took hold of a dimly lit candle embedded within a ceramic and metal sconce. As our guide, he led us up a flight of narrow stairs.

    Each step croaked boldly in response to the pressure of our weight. It gave me the impression they''d give out at any moment, plunging us into whatever lie below. The others must''ve thought the same; they were fearfully hugging the wall as they traveled.

    A few more paces, and we reached the top. Finally, having solid footing must''ve overwhelmed the others with relief, given their exhausted gasps and sighs.

    After making it to the top of the stairs, the kid red at us demandingly. He raised his hand and urged us to enter a room he''d opened the way to. But, before following him, I discerned several others down the opposing direction of the dimmed hallway. One of which was sealed.

    ''That must be where the parents are,'' I thought.

 Chapter 39 Unlikely Aid, Part Two

    ?The room we entered had three single-person mattresses on the right side. On either side of each was a pure white, embroidered curtain suspended from a mobile rack of steel bars. To the left, there stood several ss cabs. Like the shelving below, each boasted more liquid-filled vials amongst a few misceneous items.

    The kid nudged Agawa and Kamida, ordering them to lie Sato and Nakamura on their respective beds. But the two only met him with stares of hesitation.

    "We probably shouldn''t stay here too long," Agawa asserted to the kid. She then pointed to both Sato and Nakamura. "These two really need medical attention."

    "Clinic," the kid remarked. "This is a clinic."

    "Really?! We made it?!" Agawa chirped in excitement.

    "Keep it down!" I snapped. Though the kid was seemingly helping us, we had no idea how his parents would react. Plus, I was still skeptical of the kid. The only reason why I didn''t act on it was because we had nowhere else to go. Despite my doubt, I still felt relief on the off chance that we seeded in saving Sato.

    Still giddy from the kid''s deration, Agawa wasted no time cing Sato on one of the beds. The wooden frame cried out an ear-grating grinding sound with each inch he''d sunk in.

    Now free from Sato''s weight, she started performing stretches, loosening her tired muscles with a series of audible "pops."

    Likewise, Kamida followed a simr process with the doctor, except Nakamura was the one whimpering when he''d made contact with the frame.

    Seeing his leg, I could tell why. Beyond the bandana bandage, the veins around his bite were ckened. Like the corpses from earlier, they coiled up his leg like a horde of thin snakes.

    "Green Blight," the kid remarked, pointing at Nakamura''s swollen ankle.

    "Green blight?" he looked puzzled at the diagnosis. "Is there an infection named that?"

    The kid didn''t answer; instead, he reached into a nearby cab to pull a vial containing ck fluid. With the vial in hand, he marched to the doctor and thrust the small bottle into his face. "Drink," the kidmanded.

    Nakamura raised his hands in a polite refusal. "Oh, uh, thank you! But I think I''ll pass," heughed awkwardly. He must''ve not beenfortable having a child prescribe him strange substances as medicine.

    The kid clenched his teeth and hands in frustration. He''d been shaking so much that I thought he''d shatter the bottle in his hand. "Drink!" he ordered, practically throwing the vial in the doctor''s face. "Or you''ll die."

    Thatst part startled everyone, unaware of whether the kid was warning or threatening us. Whichever it was, I wouldn''t let a kid push us around. "Hey, you little bra-"

    Cutting me off was the distinct sound of a "pop," followed by rhythmic glugging.

    I turned to see that the sealing cork for the bottle was now discarded beside Nakamura. Small driblets of ck ooze dripped down his neck while he chugged away the contents of the sk.

    "Stop that!" I ordered. After seeing an empty bottle, I knew I was toote.

    "Ugh," Nakamura groaned and wiped his mouth, "the best medicine always has the worst taste, doesn''t it?" he sped his hands and bowed his head. "I thank you!" he finished by parting his mouth, forming a full grin toward the distressed kid.

    The kid''s cheeks turned a rosy red, which he frantically tried to hide. Briefly, I noticed him ncing at Sato before returning to the cab he retrieved thest vial from.

    As he rummaged through the shelves, pushing aside vials and sks, Agawa''s gaze was fixed on him. It was as if she was trying to discern a blurry figure standing in the distance. Suddenly, her eyes widened with a sudden realization, and the spark of an epiphany illuminated her face.

    "Ah!" she eximed, pointing at him. "You''re that kid we saw in the clinic''s window earlier!"

    He ignored her, though, and continued rifling through the cab. When he stopped, he turned to us, holding a bottle in each hand. One contained a deep, vibrant red liquid, and the other contained a viscous, transparent, tar-like substance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He paced up to Agawa, grunting at her and handing her the red vial. "Unconscious guy, drink."

    "What is this?" Agawa questioned, appraising the vial using a nearby candle. The liquid brightened as she swirled it, appearing to absorb the candle''s light rather than reflect it.

    "Medicine," he tly responded.

    Though Nakamura had epted his treatment, Agawa hesitated. She was endlessly stuck with indecision, analyzing the vial. "I really don''t know what to do," sheughed nervously.

    "It''s alright." Nakamura urged Agawa. "It''s fine. Just give it to Sato."

    Even given a doctor''s approval, she still hesitated. I didn''t me her; I''d never seen medicine like this before, and it reeked of shadiness. ''How the hell is some liquid gonna do for him now, anyway?'' I griped. ''He needs stitches, not cold medicine!''

    I reached out to check the vial when the kid clicked his tongue in frustration and snatched it away.

    "Watch," the kid pulled a scalpel from his pocket, holding it toward us.

    The suspicious movement set me on edge, so I raised my fists and assumed a guarded stance. I knew he was just a child, but I wouldn''t underestimate anyone or anything in this town.

    ''If this kid wants a fight, I won''t hold back!'' I was ready to pounce on him at a moment''s notice. At least I was until he shed his arm with a single, deep cut.

    "What are you doing?!" Agawa cried out.

    Following her were the loud concerns of the doctor as he struggled to stand up. "Kid, we need to stitch that up right away!"

    "Shut up and watch!" the kid snapped. Then, wincing, he held his reddened arm in full view of us.

    His surprising resolve rooted us each in ce and held our tongues.

    We followed hismand and watched silently as gouts of blood streamed down his skin. He flicked the cork off of the vial and took a deep swig. Though I was obviously no doctor, I knew what we witnessed was nothing short of a medical miracle.

    With a few drops of whatever he''d just swallowed, the skin on the kid''scerated arm began to stitch itself back together. Like strands ofce, the flesh regrew and intertwined until the cut waspletely sealed. Before long, the only indication that his wound had ever existed was the blood stains on the floor below.

    We were all shocked by what we had just witnessed. However, only Nakamura''s jaw hit the floor in shock while he gasped in disbelief.

    "What was that?!" he nearly shouted in awe.

    "Medicine." The kid dered matter-of-factly, then attempted again to hand Agawa the vial. "DRINK," he sternly ordered with dwindling patience.

    Thoroughly convinced, Agawa uncorked the bottle and positioned it over Sato''s mouth. However, before a drop could leave the vial, the door flung open with the strength of a raging middle-aged man.

    "What the hell are you doing, Roman?!" His forehead creased with fury, and it seemed as though steam was about to burst from his clenched teeth.

    He was standard for a man of his age. Not exceptionally well-built and not overly out of shape. What stood out were the darkened purple blotches that hung heavy under his eyes and his horribly stained white overalls paired with dirtied beige trousers.

    ''He must be the father,'' I thought to myself, then assumed an attacking stance.

 Chapter 40 Unlikely Aid, Part Three

    ?Agawa threw the bottle down on a nightstand and, like me, readied herself for a fight.

    Roman clicked his tongue in frustration. "Too loud," he said, ring at us.

    "Don''t¡­make me repeat myself, " the man glowered at Roman.

    Intimidated by who I assumed was his father, Roman angled his gaze downwards to avoid eye contact while fidgeting his fingers. Though it wasn''t remotely warm within the room, Roman profusely sweat with anxiety. It was as if the kid had just stepped out of a sweltering sauna.

    Veins pulsating against his skin, the father stomped toward Roman and lifted his hand.

    For me, seeing a grown man raising his hand to kin was all too familiar. It brought forth a spring of memories... Memories I would''ve rather left buried deep within the deepest depths of my mind.

    Despite my efforts to contain it, I felt a geyser erupt within me. It contained a molten fury formed from years of regret, neglect, abuse, and hatred.

    I saw ''him'' within the father and myself within the son. My breathing quickened, and my mind raced with thoughts of extreme violence. Eventually, the boiling rage took over, and I instinctively leaped toward the father, readying a right hook of my own.

    Astonishingly, a beating isn''t what the father doled out. What he did instead shocked me to my core, so much so that I stopped in my tracks.

    Rather than pummeling his son into submission, the father knelt down and wrapped Roman in a warm embrace. Rather than fury paired with cruelty, the distinct look of worry was painted over his face.

    ''What?'' I stood there, dumbfounded. My anger evaporated, and my fists lost their grip.

    "What have you done?" the father asked again, softly this time. "Who are these people, Roman?"

    I knew the question was a difficult one.

    By now, I felt I could trust the kid. Despite the danger it posed, he not only gave us a safe haven but even a strange medicine that''d save us from the brink of despair.

    His dad, however? Who knew how he''d react upon hearing our identities.

    I nodded to Agawa and Kamida; hopefully, they knew it was the signal to punch and run if things turned sour.

    Roman uttered a light sigh and shrugged. "They''re patients," he replied tly.

    The father''s eyes lit up with renewed fury. "Don''t lie to me!" he shouted, squeezing Roman''s shoulders. "They''re from the mansion, aren''t they?! They''re heroes!" his grip tightened even further, prompting Roman to wince in pain.

    Roman clenched his small hands and gritted his teeth. He matched his father''s gaze with one of fiery defiance. "So, what if they''re heroes?! Aren''t we supposed to help people?!"

    The father widened his trembling eyes, revealing pure panic beneath his rage. "Not them!" he fiercely shook Roman out of desperation. "Anyone except for them!"

    Kamida began to interject, as usual, but his services weren''t necessary.

    Roman pressed ahead and threw his father''s hands off himself. "Who cares if they''re heroes?! If we see people in need, we help them!" he pointed a hand toward his father in confrontation. "You told me that."

    With his son''s words, the father that once boiled with anger receded to a simmer. He mmed a fist against the floor, creating a deep vibration that echoed across the floorboards.

    Pulling himself up from the floor, a puffy red swelling on his fist was revealed from the impact. After regaining his footing, the father red at us like he''d been mentally piercing us with daggers.

    "Get out," he ordered. "It''s too dangerous for you to be here."

    "No, dad, they''re hurt!" Roman became frantic, grasping at his father to plead. "If we turn them away, that bandaged guy and the bearded guy could die!" he pointed at Sato and Nakamura.

    The father nced at the both of them before turning to me, Kamida, and Agawa. "Fine," he growled, "one hour. I''ll treat them and give you one hour to rest, then you have to leave peaceably. That''s the deal."

    Honestly, it was a good one. He''d treat our wounds free of charge, give us a ce to rest, and let us go? What else could you call it if not a good deal?

    ''This guy... He thinks he can threaten me?'' I squeezed my fists into a ball. I hated ultimatums; they always made me feel so...powerless.

    Getting ordered around was something I couldn''t tolerate. Even so, I knew I shouldn''t cause trouble with the guy, so I only returned his scowl in full force.

    "Huh," the father noticed me, "if you don''t like it, then I could just kick you out right now." His threat was apanied by a grunt of intimidation.

    Now he''d done it. I was about to let loose when Agawa grabbed me by my cor and yanked me backward. The cloth dug into the front of my neck, choking me momentarily.

    "No, we definitely appreciate anything that you''d do for us! Right?" she asked me, though it seemed more like coercion than a request.

    ''Ugh...fine, I''ll y along,'' I thought, forcing an ugly, twitchy grin. "Y-Yeah," I replied, subduing my anger, "I REALLY appreciate it¡­."

    "That''s what I thought," the father said snarkily. Then, while keeping his hostile re, he proceeded to finish what Roman had started.

    His work was as efficient as it was speedy, captivating Nakamura in awe. Sato had been assessed in just a matter of moments, his wounds sterilized, and the clear tar from earlier applied onto them. As the gel dried, it hardened, forming what almost looked like a stic scab.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The father finished by administering the red fluid and reced Sato''s musty bandages with pristine ones.

    ''So this is what a doctor is capable of?'' I was genuinely impressed. Looking at Nakamura, I could only hope he was aspetent a doctor as this one.

    Next, the father leaped to Nakamura''s side and analyzed his discolored leg. "Hmm," he rubbed his chin, "I won''t even ask how you contracted Green Blight, but have you visited another doctor? The wound appears to have been cleaned and dressed, makeshift as it may be."

    Nakamura embarrassedly rubbed his neck. "Yeah, I''m a doctor as well." His awkward reply was a far cry from the pride he''d exuded during our first meeting.

    The father briefly hummed in intrigue while he pulled a metallic sk from a drawer nearby. Then, returning to Nakamura, he applied a smooth, transparent ointment to the bite.

    Sighs of relief left Nakamura, and his agonized face soon softened, giving way tofort. Soon after application, the ckened veins receded, and his leg regained a bit of its natural color.

    Once he''d finished, the father tightly wrapped sterile white cloth bandages around the wound and stapled them together with a holding pin.

    His work done, the father groaned and stood up. "That should do for a while," he affirmed, then threw a sk of more ointment to Nakamura. "Apply a dollop of that whenever the pain returns. By the time you empty it, you should be cured. You say you''re a doctor, so I assume you''repetent enough to apply some cream by yourself."

    Nakamura smiled back and chuckled. "Yeah, I should be fine. Thanks, Doctor...?"

    "You don''t need my name," he snapped back. "We won''t know each other long."

    Finished with his task, the father took hold of a reluctant Roman and headed out the door. He stopped, just shy of opening it. "The deal. You all remember it, right?" he hadn''t turned back, but I could tell his expression was that of intimidation by the subdued fury in his voice.

    "Of course," Agawa said, "thank you very much!"

    He grunted at her appreciation, like son like father, and motioned to Roman. "Thank him," he demanded, "If it weren''t for him, I would''ve thrown you all out already."

    Agawa and Kamida bowed to Roman, speaking in perfect sync. "Thank you very much!" She then nudged me and hissed. Though I mumbled it, I strung together a sentence vaguely resembling a ''thank you'' too.

    Roman recoiled with difort at their gratitude. Probably to avoid more embarrassment, he hurried out the door with his father and closed it.

    Now alone, we four exchanged unsure nces on how to proceed. The first to move was Nakamura. "Well, let''s check on Mr. Sato," he said, swaying to his feet.

    "Wait," Agawa protested, "you shouldn''t move yet!"

    "I''m fine," he eased, then stamped his leg to the floor a few times, "I''m not sure what they did, but my wound feels a hundred times better." Finally, he smiled and paced up to Sato, excitedly studying the father''s work with intrigue.

    Assessing Sato myself, it was evident that his condition had already vastly improved.

    Though slowly, the color of his skin was rebounding back to life from its deathly pale hue. Not only that, but his breathing became increasingly more stable with each passing second.

    "So? What do you think?" I impatiently asked Nakamura. "He''s going to be okay, right?"

    At first, Nakamura sat in silence. He bowed his head, and his eyes hid beneath the locks of his hair.

    We were all in suspense about what his following words would be. We hoped against hope he''d give us good news. ''That medicine worked, right?!'' my thoughts became frantic from Nakamura''s silence. ''Don''t tell me he''s still gonna...''

    Interrupting me, Nakamura unsteadily brought a hand to fix his sses to ce and, again, itched the bridge of his nose underneath. "He''ll be alright," he whispered.

    "What?" Kamida asked. "Could you repeat th-"

    Nakamura turned to us with a wide smile and eyes shimmering with joy. "I said he''ll be alright!" heughed rambunctiously.

    Following Nakamura''s deration, we all shared his cheer as we celebrated Sato''s survival. However, Agawa was the only one who took physical action with her excitement.

    She bolted past Nakamura,unching herself into a hug and wrapping her arms around Sato''s still unconscious body. "Thank god¡­" she paused. "Thank god you''re okay!"

    Nakamuraughed and cleaned his sses using the cloth of his shirt. "Yep, I think he''ll recover just fine with whatever that medicine was. I find it hard to believe such crude-looking ooze is more effective than what I had ess to; I guess it should be expected, though," he shrugged. "We''re in a new world, after all!"

    What he said was a fact I had yet to ept. How could I? A new world? That was absolutely stupid! With everything we''d been through, however¡­I don''t think I could argue it anymore.

    I moved to a window and carefully peered beyond the sheets covering it, losing myself in the still starry sky. ''I guess it''s true. Wherever we are, it''s not Earth...''

    The urgency of Sato''s condition gone, we were ready for an official strategizing session to escape this hell. Not that nning was really my thing.

    I preferred to hammer things out of the way with force; lessplicated stuff could go wrong that way. Though we''d only have an hour before leaving, our determination to escape, like our bodies, was renewed with new vigor.

    Given how the rest of that night went, we needed it.

 Chapter 41 New Allies, Part One

    ?Time felt stagnant as we ran, and all we could focus on was escaping. We only realized how long we had been running when a prickling ache rose within our bodies. Carrying Sato, The Sleeper, on my back only added to my exhaustion.

    "Wake the hell up, already!'' I internally griped and shook him on my back. However, in my haste, I identally hit him against a nearby wooden building.

    I heard a not-so-quiet "clunk" as his head made contact with the wall.

    "Oops," I muttered, shrugging off the mistake. ''He''ll be fine.''

    Agawa, who was keeping a watchful vigil on our surroundings, hissed at me in a loud whisper, "Be careful!"

    She walked up to Sato and reached for him. She caught herself for a moment and grimaced like she''d been actively willing herself to continue. Then, shaking her head, she made another attempt with renewedposure.

    "I can do this," she muttered under her breath.

    Likest time, a moment was all she needed to clear any hesitation, and her hand gently fell against a newly formed mark on the back of Sato''s head. She still twitched with angst but was now tenderly rubbing Sato''s swelling with a look of mixed concern.

    "Well, aren''t you all ''motherly?''" I teased.

    "Oh, shut up,'' she said with a rosy tint appearing on her cheeks.

    I was about to continue mocking her when a stampede of iron on cobblestone echoed through the streets.

    "What is that?" Nakamura whispered.

    Ignoring his question, we all took positions in the darkest shadows of the alley and observed to see the sound''s origin; arge toon of soldiers.

    Like the ones we''d seen at the gate, these soldiers were definitely a cut above the guards we''d seen in the dungeons of the mansion.

    Rather than some cobbled-together leather armor, these ones sported reflective te mail, smooth steel gauntlets, and greaves. They had the kind of equipment you''d get in the mid-game of some RPG.

    Though I hated restrictive clothes, I wouldn''t have minded getting my hands on some of those shiny gauntlets and boots. You could say I was more of a "diatorial" fighter when equipping myself. I liked to stay as nimble as possible.

    "Look there," Kamida whispered, pointing towards the outer wall''s exit.

    Following his request, we three peered from the alleyway to the streets and observed the main gate. Now surrounding it was a wall of steel-d guards, all wielding various binding ropes, irregrly shaped blunted clubs, and sharp instruments.

    In front of them paced who I assumed was theirmander.

    Setting him apart from the masses, he had a silvery gray chest piece garnished with numerous gold etchings and a billowing ck-gold cape. Amongst the engravings was some kind of crest. It consisted of a pair of fangs with two crossed swords and w marks.

    If that wasn''t already "regal" enough, the tip of his helmet red up in spikes around the edges, forming what looked like a silvery-ck crown.

    He stopped pacing andmanded the attention of his subordinates with a rallying cry. Though we were enemies, even I could feel some kind of fervor stirring within me from his overwhelming charisma. He was¡­imposing.

    The knight drew his de, a golden-rimmed longsword that devoured any ray of moonlight making contact with it. He spoke, his booming voice seemingly echoing for miles as if he''d been challenging the heavens themselves.

    "The time hase again to prove your loyalty to yourselves, your families, and Lady d! Tonight, some ruffians, some ''heroes,'' have escaped captivity. Like in years past, they''re plotting to overthrow everything we''ve built together. Plotting to destroy everything that allows a peaceful coexistence.

    Stopping briefly, he eyed the wall of fighters before almost throwing his sword up to the night sky. The moonlight slid down the de''s edge, freezing on it like a sheet of pale ice.

    He inhaled deeply, the air audibly scraping against the mouthpiece of his helmet. Exhaling, he shouted with a voice that induced tremors in the air. "I, Darius Harmon, will do everything to preserve the safety of my family! What of you lot?! Tell me¡­am I alone in my desire for peace?!"

    The soldiers'' response was utterly unanimous. With synchronized movements, they mmed their heels together, saluted, and matched their captain''s intensity.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "NO, SIR!" though they shouted in sync, not even theirbined effort held a candle to the intimidation their leader exuded.

    "Good... Then take your posts and find them. Quell the rats that infest Lady d''s Garden," Harmon dismissed his subordinates with a swipe of his hand.

    Following theirmander''s orders, they efficiently dispersed into multiple squadrons and scattered into the night.

    "Isn''t this bad?" Agawa whispered.

    "I wouldn''t call it good," Nakamura replied.

    "Tsk," I clicked my tongue. ''You know, feel free to wake up whenever. We''re only being hunted by trained warriors, is all¡­'' I furiously nudged Sato.

    Naturally, he didn''t wake up, I expected anyway. Of course, I say that, but anticipating it did nothing to douse my frustration. How could the most capable of us be taking a damn nap through all this!

    "What''s our n of action then?" Kamida asked.

    It was a vexing question. Though we spent an hour nning back at the clinic, we didn''t know what to do. How could we? We were two middle-aged men, a high school girl and a delinquent. In my book, that didn''t create apelling narrative depicting "genius tacticians."

    Sure, we should''ve expected them to barricade the gate. That much would be obvious to anyone, yet we stupidly overlooked the possibility.

    "Now here we are, blindly stuck in this trashy situation," I grumbled.

    ''Ah! I wanna punch something!'' my mind was aching for stress release.

    "Hey!" Agawa waved a hand in my face. "Earth to Takagi, what do you think?"

    "I wanna punch something¡­." I griped, a tear of frustration forming in my eye.

    "Huhhh," she stared at me with a nk expression.

    "Well, whatever we do, we shouldn''t stay here," Nakamura said, then fixed a finger down the alley opposite to the gate. "Let''s keep moving."

    Running was something that we were barely capable of at this point. The alternative was being eaten, however, so we had some motivation to push past our limits.

    We ran and ran, this time eluding even more squadrons of guards along the way.

    ''Weren''t we already struggling enough? Why the hell did someone have to turn on "hard mode?!"'' I always hated those damn arcade games where the difficulty got endlessly more challenging.

    Street to street, alley to alley, we dipped in and out of the open. We had no idea where we were going, just that we were desperate to find any clue how to escape.

    ''I wonder how many of the lemmings made it out already?'' the thought of the cowards enjoying peace of mind and security stoked my anger. They were so hasty with running; they better not have gotten themselves caught so easily after abandoning us¡­

    Thinking about enacting revenge on the ones who''d gotten away, I felt a second wind of energy pooling deep within my body.

    With the motivation to beat down the cowards that left us, I could feel my focus be sharper than ever! My instinctual reactions were quick, and my mind was quicker.

    It was a good thing, too, since the next corridor concealed an ambushing assant.

    "Take this, you fuck!" she shouted, swinging a wooden stick straight for my face.

 Chapter 42 New Allies, Part Two

    ?While most would''ve panicked at the sudden attack, I smiled.

    Raising my left leg, I brought it down with the force of a hammer to an anvil and smashed the stick to bits. It crackled and snapped, symbolizing any hope my assant had of winning the fight.

    ''I hope you''re ready,'' I smirked. After annihting the weapon, it was the wielder''s turn. So I snarled and leaped around the alley''s corner, bracing myself to confront a squad of knights.

    That''s why you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when I was met with the fearful res of two cowering girls and that in guy from earlier.

    The guy hid away behind the taller of the two girls.

    "That cor¡­are you one of us? Are you going to hurt us?" the taller one asked, still wielding the broken remains of the stick she''d tried to strike me with.

    The second question I wasn''t sure I had the answer to. I promised I''d beat anyone who left us senseless to the point of unconsciousness. I promised I''d make them pay for achieving safety while we suffered.

    These three, though? They were far from any semnce of relief and safety. On the contrary, their expressions shivered with dread, nearly to the point of tears. If I throttled them now, I''d probably lose some of my respect for myself.

    ''I''ll postpone it,'' I sighed. ''Besides, it''s no fun if they''ve nothing to fight back with...''

    My mind was made, so I finally answered them. "I won''t hurt you, but that''s only if you stop waving that damn stick in my face!"

    They whimpered in fear at my demand. Although the taller woman still appeared panicky and slightly defiant, she eventually lowered her shattered beat stick.

    As the taller girl conceded, the smaller one panicked even more. "No, sister, don''t!" she pleaded, hiding behind her sibling and shaking.

    ''Sister?'' I questioned.

    It was then that I noticed the striking simrities between them. The piercing blue eyes, refined facial features, and ashen ck hair all pointed to a clear familial connection. Yet, despite the resemnce, it was obvious that the taller girl was the elder of the two. She exuded an aura of maturity, while her younger sister seemed fragile and vulnerable, akin to a scared, small animal.

    "I don''t have a choice, Hikari!" the older sister snapped, pushing her sister away. She then turned to me pleadingly and said, "Please... Just don''t hurt us."

    "You''re pretty slow, aren''t you?" I clicked my tongue in annoyance and locked my arms behind my head. "I already told you that I wouldn''t."

    Upon hearing my guarantee, the older sister''s hostility began to subside. Although she remained visibly tense and wary, her twitchy demeanor and furrowed brow hinted at a glimmer of trust. At least, it seemed we had reached a point where a discussion was possible.

    "You''re the guy that screamed at everyone and kicked the door... What was your name again?" the older one asked in an unsteady voice.

    "You first," I smirked.

    She hesitated, her hands still slick with cold sweat and trembling with trepidation. After a moment, she locked eyes with the younger sister, and the two shared a nod before stepping forward together.

    The eldest took the lead. "I''m Hagiwara Ayame, and this is my little sister, Hikari," she took hold of the smaller one''s hand. "I''m in college, and she''s a second year in high school. Call me Ayame. Now you," she pointed at me, expectedly, "what''s your name?"

    I cackled and pped my knee to mock her. "I''m not telling you my name!"

    Though the older sister became red with fury, Agawa was the one who''d jabbed my gut with her elbow. "The idiot is Takagi, don''t mind him¡­." She leaned in, whispering something into Ayame''s ear before backing away again. "And that''s why you shouldn''t be bothered, so don''t worry!"

    Upon the ending of Agawa''s gossiping, Ayame looked at me with a nk stare before barely containing a quiet outburst ofughter. Holding her sides, she hunched over, findingfort in leaning on the side of a wooden crate beside her.

    "I remember it now!" she smiled mockingly.

    "Huh? What the hell did you say about me?!" I demanded, almost threatening Agawa.

    But she only smiled coyly and turned away from me before replying, "nothing much... Door yer."

    I growled and felt anger writhing beneath my skin. But I was too tired from my current burden to act on it. It was a burden that would give me back pain if it didn''t wake the hell up already!

    "Tsk, whatever," I sighed and turned away.

    After that, the ice was broken between our two groups thanks to whatever Agawa had said about me. Then, one by one, everyone introduced themselves. At least until the one person who couldn''t came up in the discussion.

    "Hey," Ayame nodded towards Sato, "isn''t that the famed ''soldier'' from the tower? What happened to him?"

    Agawa tensed up, still obviously uneasy about Sato''s name. She awkwardly smiled at the sisters before replying. "He was caught fighting within the man-" but she was cut off by a sincere Kamida.

    "He saved our lives!" he eximed, clutching his chest. "We owe our lives to this man, so we''re repaying him with interest! We''re getting him out of here!"

    "Is that so?" Ayame asked rhetorically. "I''m just d he didn''t bail on us the way I thought he was going to."

    "Sa-" Agawa paused, "Sato wouldn''t do that!" hers were the eyes of honest anger. Despite her whispering, her words seemed louder than a shout as she defended Sato''s honor.

    ''When the hell did they get so close?'' I asked myself, confused since I''d initially assumed that Agawa hated him.

    Performing an easing gesture, Ayame awkwardly chuckled. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean any harm by it, honest. It''s just...after his reaction in the tower, and after he almost left us in the mansion, it''s just how I feel now."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Agawa had been about to retort in anger when Kamida stepped between them. "Now, now, look. There are more important things to do now, right? Like survival, for example?"

    Though still frustrated at Ayame''sment, Kamida saved the day again. Agawa and Ayame returned to normal, and we continued toward the final introduction. The in guy''s¡­the lemming''s introduction.

    "So," I leaned in, "who''re you, lemming?" I presented him with my best, most wildly intimidating grin.

    Backing away in fear, he staggered over himself and tripped to the floor. "I-I-I am¡­"

    "Huh?!" I snarled at him, not unlike what I''d done back in the manor.

    "I''m sorry!" he frantically prostrated himself. "I''m T-Takahashi Hirosh-shi."

    I grunted at him and left him in a puddle of his own fear. Now that I''d achieved revenge on one coward, albeit not a beating, I was able to derive a bit of satisfaction. ''Good, now I can sleep tonight, or morning, or whenever I''ll be able to sleep again...''

    "Alright," Ayame said, "did you guys want to help us with our n?"

    "n?" Agawa quizzically inquired.

    "Yeah, the shaky guy over there?" she pointed to the lemming. "He said he saw one of those armored carriages they took us here with." Then, eyeing him down, she urged him to finish the briefing.

    "Uh¡­yeah I¡­"

    "HUH?!" I snarled again; it was actually fun for me to tease the guy. But Agawa nudged me harshly.

    "Knock it off!" she snarled. "This is serious!"

    "Tsk," I pouted, "you''re no fun."

    Takahashi struggled to recover, but he eventually stumbled to his feet. Nearly in tears, he continued to speak. "L-like she said, I saw¡­uh¡­one of the wagons that we were brought here in. There were only a few guards near it, so I thought we could take it to ride out of the city."

    "That''s it?!" I jeered. "Don''t you idiots even know the gates are blocked by a bunch of guards?!"

    Ayame looked at me matter-of-factly. "No, we didn''t, but we figured it would be since that''s the obvious thing for them to do," she shrugged, unknowingly stinging my psyche since we didn''t think of the possibility ourselves.

    ''Oh, whatever...shut up, know-it-all,'' I thought with wounded pride.

    "I''m confused," Agawa replied, "if you know that the exit is barricaded, then why do you want to steal the wagon?"

    "Didn''t you guys notice it when we were being attacked by those bandits? Ayame asked. "That weird barrier? We can use that to protect ourselves!"

    ''Barrier? Oh yeah, that barrier.'' Reflecting back, I did remember. I remembered when Sato threw me to the ground...it pissed me off just thinking about it. However, beyond that, I recalled seeing an arrow suspended in the air by nothing more than a sheet of blue-green particles.

    "Do you have the knowledge of how it works?" Nakamura questioned.

    "Yeah!" Ayame replied enthusiastically. "Takahashi said they activate whenever it detects a threat or something," she pointed to Takahashi.

    "Would you mind borating on how he figured it out?" Kamida inquired.

    "I..." Takahashi murmured. "I threw rocks at it."

    "ROCKS?!" I lost my cool and nearly shouted, but the rest of the group shushed me.

    I was dumbfounded. This guy wanted to bowl through an army of armed guards with just the confidence inspired by tossing rocks?

    My eyes twitching, I just stared at him. "Rocks? You threw¡­rocks? How''re rocks, anything like spears and arrows?"

    "Uh-" he''d begun to reply when Ayame spoke for him.

    "The barrier will deflect anything! We''ve already seen that it works on arrows¡­or have you already forgotten, Dooryer?"

    ''Oh god, do I have to deal with two of her now?'' Ayame''s snark reminded me too much of Agawa, so much so that I''d wanted to leave them here and try to escape through some other means.

    "Do you remember where this wagon is?" Nakamura asked, interrupting me from thought.

    "Yeah," she replied, "follow us. We were actually heading to it when you stopped us," she chuckled.

    "This better work¡­." I griped, preparing for a full march to wherever they would lead us.

    Hearing my words, Ayame turned to me with an expression of absolute confidence. Surprisingly, she took hold of my shoulder and locked me in ce, forcing an exchange of eye contact.

    "It will work," she affirmed, "it has to."

 Chapter 43 A Risky Plan, Part One

    ?A few twists and turns, that''s all it took before we''d reached what looked to be a total gift basket!

    "Is this it?" Agawa whispered to Ayame, peeking out from the alleyway.

    "Yeah," she replied with a wide grin, "this is it."

    We came across a deserted street, with the only activity being from a boisterous shop¡­as well as the few guards who''d remained outside.

    Beyond its nked walls and a singr bay window, one could see numerous soldiers dressed in steel, all enjoying a feast fit for a celebration.

    "CHEERS!" they shouted, their voices discernable from all the way across the street.

    Reading the swaying, weathered wood sign that swiveled above the door, I discerned the words: "The metail" paired with an etching of clinking sses surrounded by a fiery swirl.

    "Fucking booze¡­" I growled in a low whisper and ground my teeth.

    I''ve always hated alcohol. Throughout my life, it''s been a recurring antagonist of mine, a foe that I had to confront on a daily basis.

    It wasn''t just me; my mother and brother also suffered at its hands through verbal abuse, cigarette burns, and beatings. It wasn''t an umon urrence for a member of the Takagi family to make a friendly visit to the hospital.

    From morning to night, I was always haunted by the effects of that garbage; rather, I was haunted by someone who was under said garbage''s effects.

    The memory of my past set fire to my blood, broiling my insides. Despite the growing heat within me, my eyes were frozen in an evil re. I was fixated on the obnoxiously drunken soldiers with nothing short of rage.

    "I hate them... I hate them..." I seethingly muttered the phrase like a mantra, wanting nothing more than to catapult myself inside and beat everyone there senseless.

    Despite my anger, I knew I shouldn''t me them for it. I shouldn''t me them for the crimes that personmitted, butmon sense was a luxury I could rarely afford. However, I had to break the bank this time and expend every ounce of patience within me.

    I couldn''t ruin our chances at escape, not when we''de so far.

    So I gritted my teeth and buried my emotions deep within my soul, restricting my thoughts to only thinking about how we''d steal the carriage before us.

    It stood alone, swathed within a translucent shifting mist that hung low to the street, barring the presence of two mares and three guards. Looking past the guards, I saw the horses were connected to the carriage by a thick, tied rope.

    The horses, a pure ck stallion and a spotted tan saddler, might''ve been even sturdier than the carriage itself. Beneath everyyer of their skin was flesh so toned that even the most muscr bodybuilders would be left envious.

    ''Those aren''t horses...they''re tanks,'' I thought, feeling slightly intimidated at the daunting task of controlling such monsters.

    I imagined what it''d be like getting caught underneath such beasts, to be subjected to their full mass as they trampled over me. It was a harrowing thought, to say the least. They were easily capable of ttening my body into a puddle of ground-up bone and shredded muscles.

    Though such a gory image should''ve intimidated me, I could only smile confidently. After all, ''we won''t be the one''s worrying,'' I snickered.

    "Let''s move closer," Ayame whispered, leading us toward a stack of bulky brown wood boxes. Peering between the cracks, I noticed more details about the guards outside.

    "How shall we dispatch them?" Kamida questioned. "I doubt they''d be willing to listen to reason."

    One stumbled into the carriage, barely sustaining his own weight and standing upright.

    "Those movements..." Nakamura let out a quiet hum as he pondered. "I think those men are intoxicated."

    One hunched over next to the carriage and expelled the sounds of violent retching following Nakamura''s assumption.

    "Yup, definitely drunk," he continued matter-of-factly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The three guards'' disy of a drunken stupor continued too. There was unintelligible muttering, giggly hups, and flushed faces shared between them.

    I clenched my fist on the crate, disfiguring the wood and nearly injecting splinters into my hand. Following my grip, my face tightened as I ground my teeth to calm my rumbling rage.

    My anger grew exponentially as I tried to tame my fury; repressing it only seemed to make it worse. My desire to shatter the drunkards'' skulls before me became stronger than ever.

    ''C''mon, you idiot! Now isn''t the time,'' I insulted myself, trying to shake off my oozing hatred.

    Shocking me from my inner conflict, I felt a warm sensation pressed against my shoulder.

    "Hey," Ayame whispered, "calm down. If we''re going to do this, we need to do it quietly."

    "I know!" I growled under my breath. "I know..."

    Still tripping over one another, the guards halted their movements by supporting themselves on the wagon. Of the three there, only one still grasped their weapon: a bulky gray longsword.

    Oddly, I noticed that their armor didn''t match those who''d been inside. It more closely resembled the rousing captain we''d seen at the gate, the one called Harmon.

    ''Talk about NOT leading by example,'' Iughed. It was funny how different these three were from their supposed leader.

    While the captain emitted a charisma and intimidation fit for royalty, the three standing before me were reminiscent of nothing more than insignificant bugs.

    "What now?" Kamida whispered and nced at Ayame.

    I asked myself the same question. ''Did we ever actually make a n?'' Sure, we agreed to follow the three, but in all that time, we never took the time to discuss anything in depth.

    Turning my gaze to Ayame, she answered my confusion with a nod.

    "What?" I grumbled.

    She nodded again, this time more fiercely, jerking her eyes toward the carriage.

    "What?!"

    Her face twitched with irritation. Then, she silently mouthed an order to me, emphasizing each word as she went. "Go. Over. There. And. Knock. Them. Out...OKAY?!" she finished with a wide-eyed re, revealing all the whites within.

    Usually, I''d be tempted to disobey when given an order, especially in such a belittling way. Aside from my mother, doing what someone told me always irked me.

    ''I guess this is her way of acknowledging my greatness, so it can''t be helped,'' I smirked and forgave her. I was the strongest of everyone in our group, barring Sato, and she knew it.

    "Heh, if you insist," I was ready to finally get a chance at some action. So I kneeled and lowered Sato to the ground before resting his head against one of the crates. "He''s your burden again for a bit, Agawa."

    "Just don''t get too beat up by some drunks!" she whispered in retort.

    "Heh, trust me," I turned away toward the guards, "someone''s gonna need a hospital...and it sure as hell won''t be me."

    Now on the warpath, I nced at my waist to see the leather holster wrapped around it. ''Should I use it?'' I asked myself with a look of uncertainty.

    Thinking back about all of the blood, I decided against it. Though it was justified... Though I was a punk... I didn''t want murder to be something I''d be ustomed to. At least, that''s what I''d strive for so long as I could help it.

    Pulling my hands to view, I smirked. "Yup, these are my favorite, after all." I balled them up into veiny fists, constricting the muscles to the point ofplete spasms.

 Chapter 44 A Risky Plan, Part Two

    ?''Time to knock some heads,'' I smiled and stepped out from behind the crates into the open streets. I had the element of surprise, or at least I did before the damn lemming tripped over himself into the street!

    Upon hearing the ttering crates, the guard with the sword hupped and turned toward us. "foo ish zhat?" he asked the other two, staggering away from the wagon.

    ''FUCKIIIIING LEMMIIIIING!'' I internally shrieked. He ruined my element of surprise, so I opted to strike as hard as I could, as fast as I could.

    I mmed my legs into the cobblestone below and propelled myself toward the guards. Like a bullet, I passed clean through the closest opponent with a strike to his unarmored neck.

    He tumbled to his back, and the ng of his steel cuirass against stone echoed through the air.

    Next, before they could realize what had happened, I sprang onto the next two. Like a savage beast, I tore at their armor to reveal the small weak points underneath and pummeled them with a volley of blows.

    Infuriatingly, they barely even fought back. Hell, I wouldn''t even call them opponents at this point. They were personal punching bags. Something that annoyed me to no end.

    "FIGHT BACK!" I screamed,pletely neglecting my goal of stealth. But my demands would go unheeded.

    In fact, what I''d received was the opposite response. After my plea, they conceded easier, as if they didn''t want a drawn-out fight. Like the first, the other two dropped faster than flies would to a swatter. The two, like the first, now lie still and unconscious on the ground.

    I heaved heavily and gazed upon them with immeasurable disappointment.

    Turns out, winning easily was even less satisfying than retreating entirely. I couldn''t help but shake the feeling I was being toyed with. As if they allowed me to win the fight for reasons not yet known.

    "What are you doing?!" Agawa shouted to me. "Hurry up!" she was carrying Sato and leading the group from behind the crates.

    With the outer guards now incapacitated, the rest of the group bolted to the wagonAgawa and Ayame flung open the door, swiftly shoving Sato onto the carriage floor before hopping in themselves. Kamida, Nakamura, and the younger sister rushed inside in a frenzied panic before mming the door shut behind them.

    "All full up?" I asked with a ded grin. "Fine, I wanted shotgun anyway," is what I said, but my excitement deted once I discovered who my wingman was.

    ''Ugh, it''s the lemming.'' I griped and looked at him with an expression of open disgust.

    He gave me a stupid, twitchy grin before taking hold of the reins.

    "Hell no!" I eximed. "There''s no way I''m letting you drive!" Then, shifting my body, I lunged at the horses'' leash for control of the carriage.

    "Stop!" he shouted back. "What are you doing?!"

    "Not dying! Like hell I''d trust you with this!"

    To my surprise, the lemming was actually brave about something. Instead of meekly handing me the reins, like a good little coward, he struggled against me¡­ME!

    Between shoves, grunts, and loud insults, I tried everything I could to wrestle the reins from the lemming; however, he was incredibly slippery and always managed to keep the leash just out of my reach.

    "You won''t take them from me!" he bellowed. "I''m driving!"

    I couldn''t believe my eyes. Seeing the lemming be so adamant, I was stuck between being halfway impressed and wanting to toss the guy overboard.

    "Do you even know how to steer?!" he shot me with a look of irritation.

    I''d been about to ask him the same question when the door to the tavern swung open with force. Popping out of it was the squadron of heavily armed soldiers that once enjoyed a feast of booze and meat.

    They dashed out to confront us.

    "What the hell is going on?!" With the sound of metal grinding on metal, they unsheathed their swords and directed them at us. "Exin. NOW!" the lead guardsman ordered.

    "No problem," I smirked, "I just wiped the floor with your three buddies over there, and we''re stealing your wagon! That cool?"

    "What the hell are you talking about?!" he replied. Nodding his head to an ally, they moved to surround the wagon. That is until the lemming put the pedal to the metal.

    With the p of leather pping against the horses, we rampaged through the now-broken blockade of soldiers.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As we rode, the only sounds that I''d hear would be the cking of stampeding hooves on cobbled rock pavement and the furious shouting of receding mob characters behind us.

    Looking back, right before we turned a corner, I saw a sight that angered me to no end. The guys I''d just pulpified were now nonchntly standing up and confronting the other guardsmen with amanding presence.

    ''This feeling,'' I brought a hand to my chest and squeezed. It was the same intimidation I''d felt from their captain! Their faces were now devoid of expression, a far cry from their drunken stupor just moments ago.

    The three drew their swords, forcing the other guards to stand down and cease their explosive shouting.

    I boiled over with rage. "What?! You''ll fight your friends but not me?! Am I not good enough for you?!" I shoved the lemming beside me in another attempt to take hold of the reins.

    "What''re you doing?!" he cried. "Stop! We''ll crash!"

    "Who cares! We need to go back!" I snapped with eyes that twitched with rage. "I need to kick their asses!"

    "Are you crazy?!" he looked at me wide-eyed and terrified. "There''s no wa-"

    "HUHHHH?!" Though I used the usual tactic, my intimidation ended inplete failure. The lemming must''ve steeled his resolve to the point of absolute resistance.

    "You can be an ass all you want! You won''t take these reins from me!" he had them on lockdown, like a diamond in a museum''s vault.

    While yelling in a fury, I was locked in a bloody conflict within myself. I wanted so badly to shove the lemming off the side and take control, but I, once again, was stopped by her visage.

    The mangled face fresh in view, I considered my actions'' possible repercussions. ''Could I end up killing someone again? Could my anger turn me into someone I''d always despised? Could I... Could I end up like my old man?''

    Myst thought terrified me; I always hated the guy, after all. Not just that, I always thought of myself as better than him. That I was superior to him. However, with the decisions I''ve made and the things I''ve considered, was I like him after all?

    "It... I can''t be," I shuddered, forcing myself to bottle up my anger.

    In my shock, I took a breath and soothed my irritation. Then, I did something I never thought I''d do. I obeyed the lemming and took my seat. "Fine," I sighed, "but I''ll be back for those three¡­"

    Looking at the roads ahead, I saw a sight I thought I might never see again. Though it was slight, barely peeking over the city walls and the mountains beyond, we all witnessed the glimmer of hope. It was the dawning glow of the rising Sun.

    With the symbol of our homnd beckoning us forward, nothing could stop our advance now. Nothing to stop us from surviving this hell!

    "BRIIIING IT ONNNNNNN!" I shouted and raised an arm in excitemen

    ***The Guards'' POV***

    Watching the carriage turn the corner and disappear from view, a group of city guards confronted three men in gray armor.

    "What the hell are you three doing?! You tol-"

    "We told you what you needed to know, " the leader of the three responded. "This is by order of Captain Harmon; interfere, and your heads will roll," he spoke in a tone devoid of hesitation and angled his sword at the city guards before him.

    These kinds of threats were why tensions had always been high between the ckwood Guard and Harmon''s Honorbound. Ever since the ds took control of ckwood, fullkin-kind was always arrogant and cold toward the humans that had lived there for generations.

    Each member of the Honorbound was groomed and handpicked to be the best of the best. Not only that, but each had an innate advantage...each was of fullkin descent.

    Given this tension, it was no surprise the ckwood Guard lieutenant considered ordering his men into a sh in retaliation to the threat. But he also knew their numbers wouldn''t guarantee a win against these three. Not only that, but they each had a family to protect.

    Obedience was their only option for survival. Even if it meant allowing scum like ''heroes'' to escape captivity.

    A bead of sweat formed on the lieutenant''s forehead before he conceded entirely. "V-Very well," he bowed.

    "But, Sir!" a guard protested.

    "It''s final!" the lieutenant snapped back. "If Harmon''s personal guard says to stand down," he bitterly nced at the three, "then we stand down..."

 Chapter 45 A Riskier Escape, Part One

    ?The wheels rumbled and grated against the cobblestone, vibrating our carriage with every rotation. Even with our speed, we still elerated uncontrobly. The lemming was whipping the horses into a frenzy with a face contorted into desperation.

    Finally, the first sign of opposition we encountered took the form of a makeshift barrier lined with a corps of soldiers.

    "SURRENDER NOW!" a lead guardsman shouted from within the chaos. "IF YOU DO, I PROMISE TO MAKE YOUR DEATHS PAINLESS!"

    "NO THANKS!" I bellowed back. "YOU COULD SURRENDER, THOUGH!"

    Upon hearing my response, the lead guardsman ignored me; instead, he shouted to his subordinates to prepare themselves for a fight. "YOU HEARD THE HERO! KILL ''EM ALL!"

    "YES, SIR!" Some thrust spears and longswords forward, while others frantically kited new additions to their pathetic barricade. From fruit baskets to barrels to small crates, the city guards took refuge behind them and loosed a volley of arrows to dy our advance.

    I threw up my armored arms and readied myself to smash the projectiles from the air. Though I never tried swiping arrows from the sky, I''ve had baseballsunched at me. The premise was essentially the same, right?

    ''Yeah, I''ll be fine,'' I closed my eyes, tapping into my instincts, into the deepest depths of my core. If I was going to block a barrage of arrows, it wouldn''t be while stuck in thought.

    My mind emptied; my sole focus was deflecting the danger looming over the lemming and me. So I waited, and waited, and waited until they were within a perfect swiping distance.

    ''Now!'' I internally roused myself into action. I swung my hand in a wide arc, ready to cast the arrows aside with my gauntlet and roll straight through.

    Only...I missed?

    Though I was nning to shove the arrows aside at an angle, I still expected wounds or even just the feeling of an impact. But I felt nothing.

    I brought my hand and forearm to view. Rather than cuts and bruises, my arm was left entirely unscathed. I focused my gaze upwards, remembering a crucial detail I''d forgotten. ''We have a goddamn barrier!''

    The arrows were locked in suspended animation, just like how it''d been with the window before. The arrows'' shafts trembled from the force of an outstretched blue-green barrier, and their tips violently quaked in ce.

    Like before, the trembling soon ceased as the arrows were slungshot backward.

    They whizzed through the air randomly, peppering the soldiers in front of us with a torrent of wood and iron. Smashing crates and splintering arrows sounded out amongst the soldiers'' screams. The ones who survived the barrage looked on inplete shock, including the lead guardsman.

    Watching them get annihted by their own attacks, with their own carriage, no less, I couldn''t help but insult them! I cackled as loudly as humanly possible. "You''re a bunch of damn idiots! How could you get forget your own ''magic!''" I had totch my arms to my seat. If I didn''t, I might''ve fallen offughing.

    Barreling past them, we shattered their sad excuse for a barrier into two barely recognizable halves. While we bowled through with the fury of a wrecking ball, the audible crunching of wood and fiber apanied the carriage''s violent rocking.

    That''s when I caught a glimpse of the lead guardsman. His face was still frozen in dismay from getting overwhelmed so easily. I cast a triumphantly mocking grin in his direction. "SHOULD''VE TAKEN MY OFFER!"

    Though he didn''t have a verbal response, his face went red with rage as we passed him by.

    Various parts of crates and other debris flew upward around us. It created a shower of vandalism that I relished in.

    I know it''s crazy. I know that an ordinary person would feel anxious, fearful even, at the situation. An average person would be dreading what''s toe. But me? I couldn''t stop the stirring of joy and excitement inside my heart.

    Raising a fist to the rising Sun, I shouted, "THIS IS AMAZING!" andughed loudly like a mad fool. I honestly felt that moment was what we all secretly longed for. To smash everything in our path and force our way through any obstacle. I was too filled with happiness to care about anything else.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, it was time for a reality check.

    Almost to meet my arrogance, there stood the knight with no equal in ckwood. The knight who actually¡­genuinely instilled fear in my core.

    Between us and the gate we needed to cross for freedom, he stood with arms crossed over the hilt of his sword, its de buried into the cobblestone. Though his stance was unguarded, I couldn''t shake the feeling we were riding straight into the utched jaws of death.

    I smiled once more. However, the grin wasn''t one of tion. Instead, it was born from a deep-rooted anxiety. Despite everything, he could calmly stare us down like a wolf would with cornered prey.

    Even though¡­no¡­because I''m so reliant on my instincts, I knew I was no match for him.

    "HEY!" the lemming shouted. "We''re running straight through!"

    "What the hell are you talking about?!" I shrieked. Though I''m reluctant to admit it, my usual ferocity was entirely upturned. For the first time in my life, I felt an intense urge to retreat...like a coward.

    I had a pit of profound angst within my gut, where a fire of zeal usually roared. I could feel my insides churning as my mind frantically told me to abandon ship and run. I was terrified.

    We closed in, and the gray knight still hadn''t budged an inch. He patiently waited to meet our challenge. Reinforcing him was an arsenal of soldiers bracing themselves behind wooden spiked fortifications.

    My body recoiled backward in my seat. ''Are we really doing this?!'' I clutched my stirring chest to calm my loudly thumping heartbeats. ''Dammit, how do I shake this off?!''

    I ground my teeth together, desperately thinking about how to quell my instincts. ''How did the annoyance do it?'' I wondered, thinking back on Agawa. A brief momentter, it clicked. I remembered how Agawa shook off her fear.

    I clenched my jaw and let loose a beastly growl. "LIKE HELL I''LL LET YOU SHOW ME UP!" Then, I raised my fist and plunged it with fury into my gut. It was already difficult to breathe on ount of the biting winds. Yet, despite that, my strike was what robbed me of my ability to inhale. Luckily, that wasn''t the only thing I had stolen from me.

    Thanks to my efforts, the fear poisoning my body and mind was washed away, too.

    With renewed courage, I stood and bellowed a war cry. "Bring it on, you fucking mob characters!"

    Arrows, spears, fire, and ice...they hurled everything they had at us in a final struggle. The arrows and spears, as expected, only ricocheted off with a vengeance in random directions.

    As for the fire, once it made contact with the barrier, it plumed around us in a red-orange haze. We avoided any burns, courtesy of the barrier, but I still felt the heat of the ze on my skin.

    The horses squealed in a panic but maintained their stampede into the raging inferno. Even when we''d be enveloped by the heat, the mares loyally continued their charge forward.

    Once the fire dissipated, what assailed us wasn''t the immtion of me but the chill of frost. A hailstorm of pale blue icy shards pelted the barrier around our wagon. Like ss, they fractured into slivers before being carried off by the soaring winds as nothing more than frigid particles.

    After surviving so many attacks, our escape was close at hand.

    ''We''re almost there!" is what I wanted to say, but we still had to confront our greatest obstacle. It would be the deciding factor of our fate. It was the one that merely stared with disinterest while its allies panicked and scattered.

    HE would be the final trial to ovee before we crawled our way out of literal hell. Remembering his name from earlier, I decided to issue an official challenge.

    "HARMONNN!" I shrieked.

 Chapter 46 A Riskier Escape, Part Two

    ?As we closed in on each other, I locked eyes with the gray knight, eager for the confrontation that was about to unfold. Though I hurled insults and threats his way, I couldn''t tell if he was registering them or simply staring off into space, biding his time in silence.

    Regardless, I was determined to emerge victorious.

    Whatever he was doing, I couldn''t maintain my focus on him forever. Especially when a blend of low and high-pitched screams screeched from the alleyways behind us.

    "HELP US!!!"

    "HEYYYYY, HEYYYY, WAIT FOR US! PLEASE!!!"

    "PLEASE STOP! TAKE US WITH YOU!"

    I cast my gaze to see several others. They were all garbed with cors and rags, indicating they were the remaining survivors. Thest ones left from the herd of lemmings.

    They bolted into the open streets with expressions of terror and dwindling hope, reaching for us¡­reaching for their salvation.

    "Hey!" I shouted to the coward beside me. "Stop here; we''re helping them!"

    "What?!" he cast me with a look of total disbelief. "What are you talking about?!"

    I clenched my teeth and seized him by the cor. "You heard me, you damn lemming! STOP THE WAGON!"

    But he resisted, pushing me back and screaming, "NO!" Then, he whipped the horses again as if to emphasize his point. "We have to save ourselves!"

    "Fuck that!" I snarled and readied myself to jump. If this bastard didn''t want to help, then so be it. ''I''ll save them myself if that''s what it takes!'' I tightly gripped the railing, ready to take a leap of faith and return to the pits of hell, but before I could move, something stopped me in my tracks.

    Looking at who I''d wanted to protect, I was struck by something Nakamura had said.

    ''In some cases, you also be the one that decides who lives and who dies. It''s when too many need saving that your mettle is tested to its very limits.''

    Those words echoed as I watched their flesh be sundered in half. In the blink of an eye, the gray knight had appeared beside them. He towered over their frail bodies,pletely engulfing many of the lemmings within the shadow created by his massive stature.

    They had no time to react. Not before their life was instantaneously snuffed out. With a single swing from his mighty de, he effortlessly cleaved the souls from their bodies.

    Almost as if their blood was just as surprised at the slice, several moments passed before their newly formed corpses exploded into fountains of blood.

    It ejected up and outward, dousing the lone gray knight in a darkened red rain. The drops slid down his sleek armor, emphasizing the curves and indentations of the engravings on it.

    ''Th-They''re dead?'' I was stuck in astonishment. But from that, I had an epiphany.

    I may not have been a doctor like Nakamura, but the premise was the same. If I''d stopped the carriage... If I''d tried to save those people, we all would''ve died, too. We all would''ve known how it felt to be separated into two pieces.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I didn''t want to believe it, but it was true. ''You can''t save everyone.''

    My body went limp as I pushed away from the railing and back into my seat.

    Unblinkingly, I just stared at the ground passing beneath us. "Does any of this actually have a point?" I mumbled in shock. "Are we just... Will we die in the end, after all? Are we struggling...for nothing?" I wondered how arrogant I actually was in the face of all that death.

    My thoughts soon turned back to the haunting realization.

    If everyone couldn''t be saved, how long till it was my head on the chopping block? How long before my brother was killed in battle? Before my mother was struck by my shitty old man for thest time?

    Though I had seen enough death to fill a lifetime by now, I only just now realized how fragile a person''s life really was.

    As we approached the soldiers, I feltpletely drained of any will to fight. I could only watch as we rapidly closed the distance between us. Though I knew I should resist, I had lost all my will to fight. The strength that once fueled me was gone, leaving me feeling utterly defeated and helpless.

    ''I''m sorry...everyone. I''m sorry,'' I surprised even myself and apologized to everyone onboard the carriage. While under the influence of hopelessness, I was useless.

    But my self-pity was short-lived. As I wallowed in despair, my attention was abruptly drawn to a shadow sweeping overhead. I looked up just in time to see a portcullis gate''s sharp, metallic points sh past us in a blur.

    ''Are we free?'' I couldn''t believe my eyes as I gaped in confusion. Expecting a chase, I surveyed the road behind us. However, to my dismay, the only thing in pursuit were the unceasing stares of all the soldiers we''d passed. Rather than blockading our escape, they merely stepped aside.

    ''I don''t even know anymore,'' I sighed, rubbing my aching mind. I was too exhausted to contemte the "why" of their actions, so I epted it.

    After taking in the sights of the wilderness ahead, it was official. We finally escaped that hell! That''s why I chuckled when I discovered a new one forming in my mind.

    Though I had always dealt with trauma, I had never felt so ensnared by it. Like a fly, I was entangled in a webbing of angst and fear.

    *** Gray Knight POV ***

    Swiping blood off his stained de, a knight of gray and gold stood amongst his subordinates. He marched to the gate and watched as the carriage receded further into the wilderness.

    He paced to a spot beneath the portcullis, then stood stiffly still as he fixed an icy re on the escaped heroes.

    "Are you sure that that was okay, Captain?" a guard asked with a look of worry. "Shouldn''t we go after them?"

    "It''s fine," he replied, staring down the group of rats, "it''s all ording to my Lady''s n. You lot need only do as you''re told." Then, throwing his ck-gold cape aside, he sheathed his sword with a smooth grind resounding across the gate''s stone brick entrance.

    Though none could see it, on ount of his helmet, and though none could hear it, on ount of his stoicism, he had a turbulent eruption brewing underneath. Like a rumbling geyser, his anger was set to explode at a moment''s notice.

    "I''ll be seeing you," he cocked his head toward the empty road. "You''ll regret your birth for harming my kin." He was ready to invoke revenge on those who''d wronged him.

 Chapter 47 The Blackwoods, Part One

    ?"How long has it been since we escaped hell? An hour? Two?" I mumbled, my voice hollow and distant.

    Everything I''d experienced through the day had left me numb, and the passage of time lost all meaning. My mind was consumed by the horrors I witnessed and the atrocities Imitted to escape.

    The adrenaline that once fueled me before had worn off, leaving me with a sinking feeling of dread and regret. Now that we were finally safe, my thoughts were free to roam, and the memories flooded back with a vengeance.

    The twitching mass of flesh I left behind in the dungeon, the rotting corpses in the tunnel, and the grisly remains of those who fell to the Gray Knight''s de... They each took a turn on the stage within my mind, each ying out with grotesque vividness.

    I shook my head, trying to dispel the memories, but they lingered, haunting me. These were sights no one should have to witness, yet I had seen them all, and I feared they would never leave.

    The memory of the Gray Knight''s brutality weighed heavily on my mind, haunting me with every step we took toward safety. I could still hear the screams of his victims ringing in my ears, and the knowledge that I was powerless to stop him filled me with a sense of despair.

    As the adrenaline wore off, I was left with a sense of hopelessness that shook me to my core. This was a cruel and unforgiving world. A world where the weak were nothing more than prey for the strong.

    "How funny," I mumbled to myself, then let out a mad chuckle. This was the world I had always dreamed of, a world where might was the metric of sess, and the weak were trampled underfoot. But now that I was living in it, I couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of regret.

    Now that I was here, I could only think about going home. So I repeated myself. "How stupid... How stupid..."

    I brought my trembling hands to my face, trying to calm my shaken nerves. But the questions kept racing through my mind. ''What do I do now? How am I supposed to survive? What am I supposed to do, Yuuya?''

    "H-Hey!" the lemming snapped at me, jolting me from my thoughts. "I need help watching for trouble!"

    My initial reaction was to snap back at him and remind him that I didn''t take orders from anyone. But as I opened my mouth to speak, I found that the words wouldn''te. It was like my brain had short-circuited, leaving me with a nk mind and a gaping mouth.

    "Hey!" he shouted again. "Ple-"

    His words broke through the veil of fog within my mind, once again allowing me the ability to speak. "I get it," I grumbled with a frustrated sigh, "I get it¡­ Just shut up already¡­"

    I straightened my spine and gazed at the dense sea of foliage stretching out before us. The vibrant greens and browns of the forest were almost overwhelming, blotting out any trace of the grassy ins or snow-capped mountains we had left behind. The sun was little more than a hazy blur, its light barely filtering through the dense canopy overhead.

    ''How the hell am I supposed to keep watch when it''s this dark?'' I ground my teeth in annoyance. I strained my eyes with a squint, trying to peer past the wall of darkness enveloping us. It was pointless, so I took a breath to calm myself and closed my eyes.

    ''If my sight doesn''t work...'' I thought, heightening my other senses.

    My nostrils red, taking in the fragrant earthiness of the dew-dipped rocks, followed by the musky aroma of mud and the crisp scent of pine emanating from the trees. Each inhtion felt like I was absorbing the very essence of the great outdoors.

    As my senses heightened, I became acutely aware of the orchestra of nature surrounding me. Apart from the steady thump of my heart, I could hear the birds'' distant chirps and other animals'' calls echoing through the woods.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was all so soothing, so peaceful¡­ Or it was until I heard an uproar of birds and the splintering of wood to our left.

    The lemming''s voice grated on my nerves as he spoke up again, his unease evident. "Did you hear that?"

    "Yeah, I do. Now shut up so I can listen," I hushed him with an irritated tone.

    My ears strained to make sense of the noise, but I picked up on the sound of heavy panting and the rustling of underbrush. It was getting closer, and fast. It wasn''t just fast; it sounded to be on a dead-on collision course with us!

    "It''s close!" I shouted, blowing my eyes wide open. I frantically turned my head in search of the sound''s source, but there was nothing to see but shadow.

    Secondster, a silhouette emerged between the trees, with two small green orbs reflecting glimmers of light. As it drew closer, the orbs were revealed to be eyes and part of a creature farrger than I expected. Spear-like needles protruded from its back, and its bushy brown fur billowed in the wind.

    Carrying the beast were four bulky legs with paws capable of crushing a man''s skull. Each was equipped with serrated razor ws that could bore a hole clean through anyone unlucky enough to cross its path.

    The creature''s identity was unmistakable, despite having notable differences from those I had seen before.

    "That...is one mean fucking bear," I muttered, eyes wide with shock and my heart racing.

    The bear snarled, revealing a row of sharp, pearly white fangs that could easily crush bone. Its lips tightened, and the beast let out a thunderous roar that shook the sturdy tree trunks around us.

    The lemming''s panicked screams echoed through the forest. "OH, GOD! Please, no, GOD NO! This isn''t supposed to happen!" he shouted, frantically whipping the horses into a frenzy.

    Following the lemmings'' panic, the horses shrieked. Then, bolting forward, their hooves pounded the ground with a deafening force, kicking up a storm of dirt and gravel as they went.

    With the horses'' reckless stampede, the carriage lurched forward violently, causing us to bounce around like rag dolls. I clung to the side, struggling to maintain my bnce as we careened wildly down the path.

    Drowning out the approaching beast''s war cries were shouts of confusion from within our carriage. Sometime between the bone-chilling roar and rampant rocking, the ones inside finally caught up to speed on the situation.

    "TAKAGI! WHAT IS THAT THING?!!!" Agawa shouted. Her voice was staggered and imbued with the unmistakable sound of panic.

    But there was no time to answer stupid questions. I braced myself for the inevitable impact, grabbing onto whatever sturdy pieces of the wagon I could find and squeezing past my bodily limits.

    With the terrified of my heart and racing thoughts, I found myself repeating one, over and over again.

    ''I won''t die here,'' I clenched my teeth. ''I refuse to die here.''

 Chapter 48 The Blackwoods, Part Two

    ?Unfortunately, as I expected, we failed to gain enough speed to evade the predator''s charge.

    I watched helplessly as our friendly neighborhood grizzly recklessly collided with our carriage''s protective magic barrier.

    ''Maybe it''ll hold out,'' thought myst shred of optimism. ''Maybe we''re due for a bit of good fortune...''

    Upon getting smashed into, the barrier emitted a high-pitched whine as it valiantly attempted to repel the attack. Sadly, the force of the grizzly bear was too great.

    ''Nope, I figured as much.''

    With a thunderous shockwave, the magical barrier shattered into a symphony of sound akin to a chorus of breaking ss and explosive energy. The sounds reverberated through the forest, drowning out any other sound within.

    In that moment, time seemed to stand still, allowing my fear to swell with each passing second.

    The carriage jolted forward with immense force,unching into the air and tilting at an increasingly steep angle. The wheels lost grip as the left side lifted skyward, and the horses buckled under the weight.

    In a sudden, violent motion, the carriage squealed and flipped onto its side, pulling the leftmost horse down with it. Though the creature shrieked nonstop, a distinct snap could be heard and following it was an eerie silence.

    Meanwhile, the passengers inside the carriage were screaming bloody murder at the force.

    ''Oh, shut up,'' I growled to myself.

    They were screaming, yet they were the lucky ones; it looked like they''d be protected by the barrier''s usual aura. While in the air, I caught a glimpse of its bluish tint lining the window. Pressing onto it was a terrified Agawa. She looked at me with eyes widened to capacity in panic and a gaping mouth.

    ''Yeah, I''m talking to you,'' I snarked in my mind. ''Be grateful you aren''t flying through the air like I am.''

    While tumbling and twirling, I turned my head to see the lemming. He was in the same boat as me, left to gravity''s mercy as we rag-dolled. At about the same time, we eventually crashed onto the unforgiving earth below.

    My body repeatedly collided with the rough terrain, my skin tearing with each impact. The only reason I came to a stop was because of a sturdy pine tree blocking my path.

    I mmed into it, back first, knocking the wind out of me. As Iy there, dazed and injured, I couldn''t help but feel grateful that my spine wasn''t shattered.

    Gasping for air, I tried to speak. I tried to shout at the ones still in the carriage. "hu... e... hu..." but I couldn''t. I couldn''t even manage a syble. Talking, grunting, and even breathing seemed impossible.

    Each breath of air felt like it suffocated me further. However, through sheer force of will, I shakily lifted my head from the mud and took stock of the wreckage around me.

    I struggled to make out any details since the darkness of unconsciousness pressed in from all sides. Even the parts that weren''t shrouded in ck were blurred and unfocused.

    As the weight of the day pressed down on me, I found myself wishing for the sweet release of unconsciousness. But then, the thoughts that had upied my mind before the impact resurfaced. ''I can''t die, not here, not like this.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    There''s no way I survived everything I had just to be a meal for some furry monster.

    "Le-Lemming! You¡­ You alive?!" I nced in his direction to see his unresponsive and unmoving body, with his face firmly nted into the mud.

    ''Did he bite it?'' I couldn''t tell; my vision was too unreliable. Looking past him, I saw our upturned carriage. Next to it was our assant, a beast that gloated in victory as it explored the crash site.

    It stepped over the left horse, which had already perished. Its neck was bent irregrly forward, with a bone jutting out in a gross disy of blood and muscle in the back.

    Despite its desperate cries for help and fierce struggles against its restraints, the other horse was equally fated. The very ropes that once propelled it forward now held it captive, rendering it immobile. The mare could only look on and shriek in terror while knowingly living itsst moments.

    Once upon the horse, the grizzly rose on its hind legs, towering higher than the carriage. The beast cleaved its ws down, delivering a swift and lethal blow to the horse, rending its flesh into pieces.

    The horse''s skin ruptured like butter, and a burst of crimson fluid showered the air in a mist. After being struck by the jets of blood, the bear''s deep brown fur became slick and dyed with a red hue.

    Upon reducing its prey to mere hunks of flesh, the bear lowered its head and filled the forest with the wet smacking of its lips. It ate ravenously, practically inhaling the meat it tore out.

    From cracked bone to ripped muscle, the beast gorged on everything it could bite and w out from the horse''s chest cavity.

    Turns out, the beast was a picky eater and recklessly discarded the pieces it hadn''t wanted, from variously shaped pinkish-red organs to the elongated lower intestines to even a strange and pulsating violet heart. It threw all of it away in disgust and in various directions. One of which was mine.

    ''Oh great,'' I closed my eyes, expecting the flesh tond atop me. ''That''d add to my streak of luck...''

    However, it didn''t.

    After a wet st, the torn remnants of an animal''s bright innards piled up before me. Though I''d seen plenty of gore at the mansion, I never knew how much a creature''s insides could glisten with just a few rays of sunlight.

    ''So that''s what insides look like up close,'' I gazed nonchntly at the mound of flesh. I guess I was too desensitized to gore at this point, or maybe I was just too tired to react. Either way, I luckily didn''t feel the urge for nausea.

    Seeing the beast so preupied with its meal, I thought I had a chance. I thought it would be too busy with its meal to notice me. That would''ve held true if it weren''t for the loud knock of the carriage door opening. Because of that, the beast pulled itself from the meal ahead of it.

    "Idiots!!!" I rasped beneath my breath.

    Once the beast lifted its head, it revealed a blood and gut-marinated snout and loudly snorted while searching for the noise''s source. It locked eyes with me, paralyzing me with fear. My legs, arms, everything; it was all too petrified to shake, let alone move.

    A terrifying thought entered my mind. ''Am I next?''

 Chapter 49 A New Predator, Part One

    ?The bear twisted its massive neck, snarling and baring its teeth in a fierce disy of intimidation. Despite the distance between us, I could feel the ground tremble beneath my feet as it let out a thunderous howl, sending a plume of steam from its snout into the crisp morning air.

    I tried to will my legs to obey, to take me to my feet for my next move. Yet they remained frozen, unresponsive to my desperation. All I could manage were a series of jolting twitches.

    "C''mon," Agawa whispered. "Let''s go."

    Despite my paralysis, I spotted Agawa and the rest from the corner of my eye. Unfortunately, they had the same idea as me. They wanted to use the bear''s feast as a distraction to make a run for it.

    However, a ring issue arose.

    I desperately wanted to shout, "It''s not distracted anymore, you idiots! Stop!" but my lips refused to move. I struggled to make any motion to warn them, but my body wouldn''t cooperate.

    From their vantage point on top of the overturned carriage, they had no sightline on the beast. They were oblivious to the danger, despite its menacing roar.

    "We need to stay quiet," Ayame hushed a lightly bawling Hikari. "It''s okay; we''re getting out of here."

    "Okay, sis." Hikari grinned, fully trusting her elder sister. "I believe you."

    ''NO!!! STOP!!!'' I lifted my hand, but it soon fell back to earth under its own weight. ''STOP!!!'' My protests were limited to my thoughts. Why couldn''t they have been born mind-readers?!

    Slowly and cautiously, they crept toward the back of the carriage, preparing to jump off.

    Meanwhile, the bear remained focused on me, exuding a threatening presence. But everything changed when the fools on the carriage caused a loudmotion by identally slipping off.

    "Watch out!" Kamida warned, but it was toote. They must''ve lost their footing, sending Sato''s unconscious body to tumble to the ground beneath the carriage.

    "Sato!" Agawa stifled a shout

    The bear swiveled its head to the sound and let out a curious growl. It fixed its gaze exactly where Agawa and friends had so kindly rang the dinner bell for it. The beast lowered its stance and began prowling toward them, all while they still hadn''t noticed how much they screwed up.

    ''Goddamn idiots! What are they doing?!'' I managed to clench my teeth and fists, regaining a bit of strength in my body. Adrenaline must''ve kicked in, overriding my fear and exhaustion.

    "Is he okay?" Agawa asked Nakamura, who''d been examining Sato.

    "Yeah, he didn''tnd on his head or neck, so he''ll be fine."

    ''EXCEPT HE WON''T BE!'' I wanted to scream in frustration. ''NONE OF YOU WILL BE!''

    The fools were totally oblivious and about to be grizzly feed. It was only a matter of seconds before that reality yed out.

    "I...I won''t let that happen..." I growled. "We''vee too far." I couldn''t let things end this way. Not after we''d finally gotten free. Not after we survived!

    ''I''m not sure about that Harmon dude, but I can fight a bear!'' The pressure the beast exuded was crushing but nowhere near as heart-stopping as that knight''s!

    Though I stumbled along the way, my feet soon found proper footing as I shuffled. With that, I deeply inhaled to rx my muscles and dull the pain that I was suffering from.

    ''What do you know,'' I raspily chuckled, ''it still hurts like hell.'' But it didn''t matter. Pain wasn''t necessarily new to me since I was a delinquent and all. Fights where someone was sent to the emergency room weren''t umon.

    I wasn''t about to fight a bear BARE-handed, so I motioned for the weapon I''d avoided using till now. Frustratingly, the multiple impacts shifted my holster to my back.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Come on... Come on!!!" I growled, groping at the air behind my back, trying to grip my sword''s hilt. After a few brief moments of missing, my palm found its mark,nding dead on the muddied grip.

    "AHA!" I smirked but winced, still feeling the ache that enveloped my body. I tightened my grip and pulled my hand outward, drawing the de for the first time.

    I brought the sword to view, seeing my reflection in the pristinely preserved steel. My eyes, though clearly weary, were determined and resolute. I was fully prepared to draw first blood.

    Agawa''s mouth formed a silent question, "What are you doing?". She gestured for me to stay put, a sentiment echoed by the rest of the group, who gaped at me.

    Little did they know, a danger lurked just around the corner, waiting to turn them into its next meal.

    "You''ll owe me for this," I mouthed to Agawa, who tilted her head in worried confusion.

    The bear was almost upon them, so I mustered every ounce of strength I had left and bellowed, "C''mon, you porcu-pansy! How ''bout a pleasant beating?!" I grinned widely, hiding the growing fears building within me.

    Once again, it snapped its head, focusing entirely on me.

    "Yeah, that''s right, big guy," I egged it on, e over and let''s brawl a little..." I started tauntingly beckoning with my free hand.

    The beast let out a gruff snort and turned away from where the group was. Once they''d seen why I did what I did, Agawa looked at me with the most pitiful look.

    ''Like hell, I want your thanks,'' I scowled at her. I just hated the idea of them dying to some glorified porcupine. Especially after everything we''d been through so far.

    The bear left the road and paced toward me. It crunched more fallen sticks and pine needles with every step before silencing them underneath its massive paws. Between each of its husky pants was a guttural growl that chilled your body to the bones.

    Before the beast came too close, I remembered the lemming lying deathly still between us. I''d have no problem leaving him there if I knew he was dead, but I had no clue whether the fodder had kicked it yet or not.

    "Tsk, useless until the end, huh?" I clicked my tongue in frustration. While staring down the bear, I inched away from the lemming as quickly as possible.

    Step after step, I moved further from the lemming while avoiding a premature charge. I''m unsure why I knew it''d rush me if I moved too fast, but I had a gut feeling. It was like I understood the creature. Like I was ring at a wild beast as one myself.

    Once I''d gotten the lemming out of harm''s way, my dance of death went full swing. The bear and I circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. As we nearly exchanged positions, I saw the tree line Agawa was now in.

    We met eyes, and I aggressively gestured toward the new burden on the ground. She gestured back with a hand signal and nodded. Though we were clearly in agreement, I felt a tinge of worry that she''d misunderstood what I wanted.

    ''It''s obvious what I want her to do, right?'' I wanted her to run over and pick up the lemming while I distracted the beast. I even motioned at him, so there was no way she could have misunderstood me, right?

    ''Even she''s not that stupid,'' I reassured myself. ''Okay, we should be good.''

    With our n in ce, it was time to let loose. "Come on!" I hoarsely shouted, swinging the de recklessly in the air as intimidation to the grizzly. "What are you waiting for?!"

    I had no clue how to use a sword, but it was long with a bit of bnced heft. ''It''s just like a baseball bat, right?'' I assumed the premise would probably be the same. All I needed to do was take a swing and not miss. Simple.

    Though I still quaked in fear, I could feel another feeling quivering in me. It was even more powerful and incessant than the dread. So much so that it overwrote mymon sense to run like hell. I was filled with overflowing excitement!

    The prospect of defeating such a massive foe appealed to my dominant nature. Whenever I found myself in a new ce, I wanted to assert myself by throttling the baddest and strongest of whatever group I could find.

    That said, what greater prey could I find over a huge grizzly?

 Chapter 50 A New Predator, Part Two

    ?Its eyes widened, and another earth-shattering roar escaped its gaping jaws. Clear gobs of drool sprayed from its quivering lips, propelled forward by the force of its cry.

    Though the disy was undeniably impressive, I was too deliriously excited to be intimidated, even as the sound shook the air around me.

    "That ain''t gonna work, small-fry," I sneered, "you gottae to me!"

    Its eyes narrowed into slits, and the beast dug its ws into the muddy ground, preparing tounch itself at me. With a fierce growl, it charged toward me at a heart-stopping pace. The ground shook with each thunderous step as it closed in.

    I crouched low, my muscles tense as I prepared to dodge the oing attack.

    Rapidly closing the distance between us, the bear''s massive form loomedrger andrger with each passing moment.

    "Wait for it," I muttered to myself, bracing for impact.

    The creature was almost upon me, so it raised a paw for a swipe. Its ws glinted in the sunlight as they aimed straight for my throat.

    "NOW!" I screamed, hurling myself away from the grizzly''s attack. But I wasn''t content to simply dodge.

    I lined up the de''s edge and slid it down the length of the bear''s snout, using its own momentum as my driving force. Through the entire motion, a gush of blood sprayed outward, dousing my face and neck with red.

    The grizzly let out a deafening roar of agony, its eyes zing with murderous rage. It spun around, lips curling back to reveal bloodied gums and razor-sharp teeth, the memory of itsst meal still fresh.

    I''ll admit, the sight of flesh wedged between the grizzly''s teeth shook me to my core. My mind raced, imagining those fragments of meat as my own.

    ''Just one wrong step,'' I thought, feeling a shiver rise from my bones. ''Just one wrong step, and that could be me...''

    The fear once caged deep within me now seeped out like poison, eating away at my resolve. The excitement I felt moments before faded away as I faced the brutal reality of what was at stake in this fight.

    There were no ground rules to be set for this fight. No breaks or rests during the fight. No ambnces waiting to pick up the wounded after the fight. No. This was raw, unbridled violence. Compared to everything I''d faced before, this was the real deal. A fight that could very well end with someone dead or dying.

    A crimson stream flowing from its shed cheek, the beast began a more cautious, nned approach.

    ''Guess I''m not going to get any more lucky strikes,'' I shrugged. Knowing I couldn''t keep it upied forever, I shouted, "Hurry up, Agawa! Hurry up and-" but I was cut off by what I saw in my periphery.

    It wasn''t Agawa carrying the lemming away; it was Kamida. He was struggling to pull Takahashi by the arm over his shoulder. ''But, if he''s there, where the hell is she?!''

    I darted my eyes around in search of her to see a sh of yellow appear near the beast''s backside. The blur ducked below my vision, hidden behind the beast between us. Then, within a second, the beast started wailing in agony for no apparent reason.

    It thrashed about in a tantrum, bellowing roars and swiping its paws randomly. When the beast turned, the reason for its rage was revealed to me.

    Agawa had leaped in with one of Sato''s daggers and plunged it down to the hilt into the beast''s back left leg. Then, just as quickly as she entered, she vanished from the bear''s side and dodged its counterstrike. Finally, she strode to my side, away from the now very pissed-off predator.

    "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" I shouted at her with a mix of shock and anger. "I told you to gr-"

    She looked at me in shock. "You were begging for help, weren''t you? So I came to help," she shrugged at me nonchntly.

    "I wanted you to carry the lemm-..." It took a moment for what she''d said to register. "BEGGING? I don''t beg! I just wanted you to make yourself useful!"

    She crossed her arms, still holding the sharpest of Sato''s knives. "Looked like begging to me," she shrugged again.

    "Look, just get out of here! Don''t be reckle-" Looking at her, I saw her legs and arms trembling furiously. She hid it very well in her voice but was terrified of confronting the creature.

    ''So she''s not ying dumb...'' I realized she wasn''t being reckless at all. In fact, she knew the considerable risk she''d been taking and, yet, showed up to help anyway.

    ''You idiot,'' I shook my head disappointedly. I was disappointed to have gained some respect for her.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Heh, fine,'' I smirked, "don''t get in my way."

    She smiled back, about to utter something, when we were interrupted by the antsy third party we left out.

    The grizzly bellowed angrily, causing Agawa and me to shift our full attention to it. It tried making an approach but stumbled over the leg wound.

    Every step it took made the de Agawa lodged in its leg squirm and shake within. Eventually, the beast staggered over itself and fell, giving the two of us some time to strategize.

    "So, you got a n, or just want to get in my way?" I teased Agawa.

    "Huh?!" she gasped angrily. "You want to fight it?! No! We''re running! Why do you think I even stabbed its leg in the first ce!"

    "To give us a prime opportunity!" I asserted.

    "An opportunity to die?!" she shouted back. "Because that''s what''ll happen if we stay!"

    "Wha?!" I was shocked by her cowardice. "No, we ne-"

    "Don''t underestimate that thing," Agawa interrupted. "Just because I stabbed it doesn''t make it any less of a monster."

    I guess she was right, at least in that regard. Though the bear was limping, you still wouldn''t want to be caught in its clutches. It''d easily w you to pieces if given a chance.

    ''But running? She wants to run?!'' I preferred facing problems as they arose. I hated letting them fester by retreating and dealing with themter. So I made my decision. "I''m not runn-"

    "We''re running," she vetoed before I could finish. "Don''t be an idiot."

    My eyes twitched with disbelief and irritation. ''She gained some respect and instantly lost it,'' I sighed.

    Seeing how Agawa refused to be a team yer and help, I had no idea which of the two was myrger problem at this point. I guess it was the bear since it was literally physicallyrger than Agawa by a considerable margin.

    "Fine, when the bear misses, I''ll run," I grunted.

    Agawa and I took a robust stance, ready to make a mad dash away.

    Meanwhile, the bear struggled to wobble back to an attack position, shaking and whimpering on its way up. It was a disy one wouldn''t at all expect from an apex predator.

    Though it was trying to devour us, I still felt a degree of pity for the pathetic disy I was witness to. My face even twisted into a disgusted cringe.

    "Just kill me if I be that pathetic," I mumbled to Agawa.

    She shot me a look of confusion. "What was that? What are you talking about?"

    "Nevermind," I sighed. ''It''s not like I''d ever make such a pathetic disy anyway.''

    Stifling its cries, the bear regained a rushing pose and bellowed another ground-shaking roar. It red at us; its eyes glossed with fear and anger. Finally, the beast again scraped its front ws on the soil beneath, further crusting them with grime and mud.

    "Ready?" Agawa asked.

    I angled my head toward her, gave a ded grin, and nodded.

    "I''ll take that as a yes," she said, rolling her eyes.

 Chapter 51 A Predators Pursuit, Part One

    ?Ovee with anger, the bear roared and mmed its paws into the ground.

    "It''sing!" Agawa braced herself to dodge, and as she suspected, the beastunched at us with thunderous force.

    ''So fast!'' I gaped in awe. Considering the leg wound crippling it, the beast moved at a pace I didn''t think possible. It moved with such speed even the soil didn''t fully mold in the shape of pawprints.

    As the bear charged towards us, it skidded to a stop in the mud, towering over us on its hind legs. Its sheer size was overwhelming, blocking out the little sunlight that managed to filter through the dense forest canopy.

    "Get out of the way!" is a phrase I heard being shouted in unison near the tree line. The rest of the group motioned for us to make a full retreat.

    But I couldn''t shift my attention, not even for a moment.

    The beast threw heavy swipes, almost akin to a boxer''s hook, in an attempt tocerate our flesh with huge, serrated ws. Though I''d like to say we dodged with ease, Agawa and I weren''t war veterans like Sato.

    The angle, the force, the speed; everything about the bear''s strike exceeded our every expectation. I guess dodging a direct blow was different from a reckless charge.

    With its looming strike, I had one thought permeate my mind. ''I''m fucking dead!''

    Only I wasn''t. Thanks to the wound Agawa inflicted earlier.

    Barely, but just enough, the beast buckled on its wounded side, causing its once precise killer strikes to nce at our skin when we backed away.

    "That was close."

    "That was close," Agawa and I said simultaneously.

    The bear grunted in pain and fell from its hind legs back onto all fours.

    We knew we wouldn''t have a better opportunity, so Agawa and I disengaged. As nned, we made a mad dash to where Kamida and the others had been.

    During our run, I readjusted my holster''s to the side of my waist, trying to stash my bloodied de.

    "C''mon, you stupid thing," I griped as the de kept twitching just out of ce from the socket. It was always so easy to holster a sword in video games and movies, so why was I struggling so much now?!

    Thankfully, after a few moments, I finally felt the de hit the sweet spot of the sheath, and with a smooth grinding sound, the sword slid right in. Just in time, too, since we arrived at the rest of the group.

    "Hand him over!" I snarled at Kamida, taking the lemming''s hand and hoisting him onto my back.

    Though I could see Kamida wanting to protest, there was no time to argue. It didn''t matter if he debated anyway; I wasn''t about to let an out-of-shape old man like him be in charge of something like this.

    "Oh shit!" Agawa shouted, noticing the bear''s mad dash. "We gotta move!" She took the still-unconscious Sato from the sisters, and the chase began.

    We sprinted at full tilt away from our pursuer, ducking and weaving between fallen pine trees and various foliage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''No way it''ll keep up with us!'' I thought, due to our fast pace and mobility. That''s why I was utterly shocked when I looked back. ''It''s...catching up?'' My eyes widened unnaturally, almost to express the words of dismay I was thinking.

    Unlike us, the beast had no need to run around light obstacles like shrubbery and fallen logs; it just bowled through them instead. It was like we were being pursued by a miniature tornado as it obliterated the forest floor.

    "It''s right behind us!!!" Hikari cried, tears forming in her eyes.

    "Don''t look back! Just keep running!" Ayame shouted to her sister.

    Cracks of wood, tremors of paws, and gruff whines ricocheted from the trees around us. If I had been blinded, I might''ve even assumed we were being pursued by multiple rather than just one.

    It steadily gained on us, so there was only one option: to fight. We couldn''t run forever, even if the bear wasn''t outpacing us. I only needed to see Nakamura and Kamida''s condition to confirm that fact.

    Kamida wheezed heavily. "I-I can''t, I can''t¡­." and fell behind the group, bit by bit.

    "Keep pu-pushing," Nakamura encouraged, almost out of breath as well, "I can''t resuscitate you if you''re eaten!"

    "T-That''s definitely incentivizing," Kamida replied with a raspyugh.

    I turned my head from the old men and toward Agawa. As expected, she was doing just fine stamina-wise. Though her body was still in peak condition, I could tell her mind was in shambles when she noticed the bear closing in.

    "What do we do?!" she panicked while eyeing our pursuer.

    This was my moment. The time for running was over; it was a pointlessly stupid idea anyway.

    I swallowed a gust of cold air, expanding my chest as far as it''d go. I wanted as much breath as my body could contain to make my demand loudly known.

    Exhaling slightly, I began to shout, "Let''s figh-" but was cut off by Ayame.

    "Hey, over there!" she pointed to an enormous and gnarled oak tree, its thick roots sticking high out of the earth to provide a natural shelter. "We can hide in the roots!"

    Checking it myself, she was right. The roots seemed sturdy andpact enough to form a wooden cell capable of keeping that monster at bay, at least for a moment.

    I doubted it could hold out forever, but we''d at least have time for a n... I gues

    ''Why does she have to be right?'' I thought in disappointment. ''Can''t we just fight the damn thing and get it over with?!'' I genuinely didn''t understand the appeal cowardice had to these people.

    As usual, the majority overruled my opinion on the matter. They all curved to the left and bolted for what would be our cage.

    ''Seriously?'' I exhaled in exhaustion; I was mentally done with these people. ''Whatever...maybe I can punch the bear in the snout a few times to feel better.''

 Chapter 52 A Predators Pursuit, Part Two

    ?After running a few moments, Agawa was the first to make it underneath. Next came the sisters; the older one, in particr, was surprisingly fast. Not as fast as Agawa, but fast nheless.

    Obviously, I was the next to make it under. I definitely would''ve been first if it wasn''t for the fact that I''d been carrying the lemming around. I mean, Agawa was a taxi to Sato again, so I could have for sure beaten her! (Not that I couldn''t beat her on even footing, mind you.)

    Grinding the soles of my feet against the hard soil, I slid beneath the roots and swiveled around.

    "Ah...What the?" I winced, feeling a sharp throbbing in my ankle. Once within the safety of the roots, I turned to see a rogue stick piercing my leg. Small but noticeable blood spurts exited the new wound in my foot.

    Though we''d been running around a while, this was the first time I realized none of us had proper shoes. Maybe that''s what the threat of death does to a person. It makes you forget any pain in the moment.

    I looked back to the final two idiots as they heaved their bodies toward us, the predator hot on their heels.

    "Keep running!" shouted Agawa next to me.

    Likewise, Ayame followed suit. "You''re almost there! Don''t look back!"

    ''They''ll be fine; they''ll make it,'' I reassured my worried mind. There was plenty of space between them and the beast. So long as they kept running, they would barely escape their pursuer''s clutches.

    At least, that''s what would''ve been true for an average bear. A fact that I''d forgotten was this thing had been anything but average.

    Howling, it glowed with green light and elerated at even greater speeds.

    "Is that...magic?!" Ayame gasped, a new flicker of panic in her eyes.

    ''It looks like it,'' I clenched my teeth in frustration. ''But how is that possible?!'' I always thought in these situations that magic was limited to people and mythical creatures. But a random bear in some starter town woods was using it?

    ''How could that happen?'' I felt I had that information at the tip of my mind. Like someone told me the "why" already at some point. Trying to remember was pointless, though. Not because I couldn''t, but because it was literally meaningless information in this situation.

    The predator sprang forward, its powerful muscles propelling it closer to its prey with lightning speed.

    Kamida''s hair, once glossy and styled, now hung in greasy strands as he stumbled away with a look of abject terror on his face. It was the sort of expression that would make a seasoned horror movie director proud.

    On the other hand, Nakamura''s expression was frozen, his body seemingly disconnected from his brain. He was the picture of helplessness, his face an unreadable mask as he ran toward us with dull eyes.

    The beast cocked its head and focused on one of the two meals before it. I guess Nakamura looked like the tastier snack since that''s who it veered toward.

    It''s because the bear became preupied that Kamida finally made it beneath the roots. Infuriatingly, I couldn''t say the same for the other moron.

    "Oh my god!" Ayame shouted as we watched the beast tackle Nakamura to the ground.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The beast took hold of Nakamura, its massive jaws closing around his shoulder with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed in all directions, drenching the bear in a gruesome shower of crimson. Nakamura''s howls echoed through the forest, filling them with a haunting chorus of pain and terror.

    The predator shook its prey like a rag doll. I could see Nakamura''s flesh tearing under its powerful grip. Then, the beast threw him downwards to w at his back. His blood-curdling screams mixed with the victorious roars of his assant.

    Between the sight of a human being torn to shreds and the chilling chorus of sounds apanying it, I froze. But I had no time to be traumatized; I had to act.

    Since my time in the town, I realized you can''t save everyone. Some die, and there''s nothing to be done about it. But you? There''s no way I''d let you die, old man. Not after I wasted all that energy letting you lean on me¡­. Not after you promised to carry my burden with me!

    "Alright fuck this!" I shouted, dropping the lemming and swiping the sword from my sheath. "I''m tired of running."

    I dashed out from the cover of the roots with a look of hateful vengeance on my face. I nted each step firmly into the ground, crunching the grassy mulch underneath, and propelled myself forward.

    "Wait, are you crazy?!" Ayame shouted from behind me.

    But I ignored her, and, once in range, I screamed, "Let him go, you bastard," and swiped at the surprised beast.

    While screaming a battlecry, I ran my de along the length of its snout until I nearly split the side of its face in two. A piece of its cheek came undone, revealing ayer of pinkish muscle underneath.

    The beast shrieked and iled from the lost skin, utching its jaws from Nakamura in the process.

    He fell to the ground, merelyying there deathly still in shock. His back ran slick with a deep red coating, and his right arm was twisted in ways an arm shouldn''t be twisted.

    With pried open eyes pried a small stream of clear drool leaking from his mouth, his body had gonepletely limp. The amount of pain he was in must''ve overwhelmed his senses.

    "DON''T YOU DARE DIE, OLD MAN!" I bellowed, taking more jabs at the guarded beast. I could feel my heart constrict tight with the thought of him leaving me behind. Leaving me to deal with my trauma alone. "YOU CAN''T DIE!"

    Water glossed my eyes at the thought of his death, but I couldn''t cry. I was never one to cry, and I wouldn''t start now.

    So I took my free hand and wiped my eyes free from tears. "Agawa!" I called out with a slightly cracked voice. "Get him out of here¡­." I took a breath, faked a savage smile, and pointed my de at our furry friend. "I want some one-on-one time with this guy."

    "Fine!" she agreed, sprinting to Nakamura, who''d been unnervingly quiet. Then, bending downward, she speedily threw his arm over her neck and nced at me. "What are you gonna do? Be stupid?!"

    Iughed while waving my sword nonchntly. "Nooooo, I''m gonna do what we delinquents love doing..." I made eye contact with the beast, "I''m gonna teach a weakling to respect his betters!"

    Almost to ept my challenge, the bear ceased its incessant wailing and gruffly snorted while narrowing its eyes. At this point, the beast knew I was something to fear.

    I swung my sword forward in an amateur flourish, taunting the bear and mockingly smiling at it. "Let''s get started," I smirked with a facade of confidence.

 Chapter 53 Kamidas Aid

    ?***Kamida POV***

    I always thought of myself as an apex predator of sorts. Throughout my years, I discovered the weakness of others and preyed upon them with deadly efficiency.

    That was my job, my ce in the hierarchy. I had to indebt others to my boss for a constant revenue stream and fund our operations.

    Because of my persuasion prowess, no violence was ever necessary during our dealings. It was a skill that made our encounters with the authorities negligible. I was totally unmatched and infallible.

    Despite all of that, I had to wonder. If I was an apex predator, what would you call the furry brown monstrosity towering above Takagi? An apex-er predator?

    I now realized just how outmatched we humans were on the food chain.

    "Takagi!" Agawa shouted next to me while amateurly tending to the wounds of an unconscious Nakamura. "Run, you idiot!" she followed hermands with frantic waving.

    But he only smirked back, pulled his sword towards his hip, and thrust forward. Responding in kind, the beast threw an arm toward Takagi, ncing his left arm with its serrated ws.

    With a mighty sweep of its arm, the bear ripped the strapped leather bracer on Takagi''s arm clean off. Beyond that, it left three shallow butrgecerations on his skin. Within seconds, his forearm was covered with blood.

    Takagi wasn''t deterred from striking back despite the gushing crimson soaking his arm and de. He stepped diagonally toward the beast''s side and twisted his hips, winding up a deep sh. Given his swing and posture, he looked more like a reckless baseball yer than a swordsman.

    "AGGHHHHH!" he grunted loudly. In an instant, he threw his strike with high velocity, like his arms were bound up by a pulley and released. The sword swung so intensely that even the air around the de cried from being cut. Finalizing the sh, the de''s edge slid though and split the topyer of the beast''s skin.

    The attack was undoubtedly impressive, and he''d definitely wounded the beast. But it was nothingpared to thecerations the bear paid him back. ''He''s just a man in the end,'' I shook my head.

    The fur on it was too thick for any significant damage. All Takagi managed with such a wild strike was to draw small streaks of red. The blood trickled down the beast''s belly, coating strands of bushy fur before dripping to the mud below.

    Unlike when he shed its snout, the beast didn''t react to Takagi''s attack. Instead, its response was to throw another paw to hack at Takagi''s leg.

    Again, he backstepped, receiving a narrow blow to his leg. Over a few seconds, and despite his armor, a purpling mark swelled up where the bear''s attack hadnded.

    "I''ll pay you back for that!" Takagi snarled.

    Using the beast''s recovery after the swing, he spun around to its backside, ignoring the pain in his arm and leg. Once in position, he made a slice for the hind leg opposite the one with the embedded dagger.

    The de''s edge glided across the bear''s unseen flesh, parting it into an exploding gout of thick blood. The crimson sprayed with such intensity that Takagi had to back away for fear of being blinded by the rapid jets of red liquid.

    The bear bellowed in loud agony as Takagi threw more blows in a wild fury.

    "He''s very Impressive," I muttered, in awe of Takagi''s raw fighting talent. Though I''d known he was a bit of a violent character, I never could''ve guessed he could hold his own for so long against such a monster.

    Despite that, I couldn''t help but take notice of his ring w.

    ''Yet such an amateur..." Sadly, though he was certainly good, his movements were reckless and inelegant.

    He stumbled steps, he missed attacks, and, rather than keeping his eyes on the enemy, he was foolish. He retreated rather than pressing his advantage, and focused on stemming his arm''s bleeding. So much so that he failed to see the impending danger approaching him.

    In the second Takagi looked away, the wounded bearunched at him and shed at the leg he''d received his original gash. Like the bracer on his arm, the armor was torn clean off.

    "Oh, you fucker!" Takagi shouted as he pressured the chunk of missing flesh and jumped further away.

    However, his reaction was toote. By the time he realized and retreated, the damage was already done. Even worse than the arm wound, the beast created a gash that ran deep into Takagi''s left leg.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I''ll pay you back for that!" he howled in rage, probably too doped up on adrenaline to feel the pain.

    Takagi tried stepping toward the bear but fell to one knee. "No! Not now, dammit!" his expression became furious with the body holding him back. "GET UP!" he angrily eximed, beating his leg with one fist.

    Instead of obeying, his body remained rooted in ce.

    "TAKAGI!!!" Agawa shouted, her face contorted and twisted in horror. "Get out of there!"

    Despite having wounds of equal severity, the bear was abat veteran. It must''ve experienced injuries such as these daily. Which is why it was capable of pushing through them.

    Howling triumphantly, the beast sprinted to Takagi and wound up its killing blow. Meeting its charge were the frantic screams of myrades.

    ''He put up a good fight,'' I thought solemnly. Unfortunately for him, it looked like his journey was finished.

    Time stagnated as the scenes before my eyes became increasingly slow. It was like the events of each moment were halted to emphasize every second of his death.

    Though mypanions behind me were undoubtedly crying their desperate pleas for Takagi to escape, the noise deafened out. No¡­my attention was solely focused on the events transpiring ahead.

    ''Is there anything I can do?'' I wanted to help him; I truly did.

    Aside from him being so young, I was indebted to the kid for helping me escape from that wretched town. One thing you''d learn about me pretty quickly; a debt was something I never took lightly.

    ''I have to do something... You have to do something, Gin!'' I clenched my fists and exhaled loudly.

    I wasn''t sure what to do, but anything was better than standing here, gawking. ncing at my allies, it didn''t look as if anyone else would take action.

    ''It''s time for me to do something! Time to repay my debt!''

    Beyond my principles, the thought of protecting another was enticing to me, too, truth be told. Plus, indebting a man like Takagi would''ve proven to be a great boon for the future, indeed!

    "I''M ON MY, SIR!" I shouted, feeling the excitement resonating from my bones. I bolted from the safety of the tree roots and took hold of the sharpest stone I could find on the ground.

    "Allow me to aid your fight!" I triumphantly dered, winding up my best throw. I then hurled the rock with as much force as I could muster toward the bear''s head. The beast was stationary while it prepared a finishing sh on Takagi, so I was confident in my uracy.

    My mouth curved in a wide smile as I watched the rock stride through the air. ''What a marvelous throw!'' I thought smugly. It was a throw that would''ve surely disoriented the bear when itnded dead on the pupil of its right eye.

    However, I was never a physical man. That''s why the rock veered off-coursepletely, missing its mark and aplishing nothing. Well, I did feel a wave of crippling shame at my failure, so there was that.

    ''Of course,'' I chuckled hopelessly, ''I can''t do a thing without words...''

    I stood there, frozen and embarrassed that I was too useless to even achieve a sessful distraction. I was always this way. I was always only capable of talking my way out of disputes. When push came to shove, I was always the one getting shoved.

    Despair had no time to take hold of me, though, as a fast-moving yellow blur sped past at breakneck speed, challenging the swiftness of the beast''s strike on Takagi.

    Between the blur and the bear''s swing, every millisecond became essential when deciding Takagi''s ultimate fate.

    Once again, I became inelegant as I hoarsely cheered for the blur''s sess. "GOOOOOO!!!! AGAWA!!!"

 Chapter 54 Square One

    ?Her approach was like lightning as she zipped toward the beast. I could only stare in awe as this small high school girl challenged what could only be dubbed aplete monster.

    Striding to its backside, Agawa recklessly jabbed at the bear''s lower leg, the one that had already been jammed with thest dagger.

    With each brief moment of the de''s insertion, the wet squelching of the grizzly''s flesh could be heard between its repeated irritated whimpers before she removed it.

    Though I was no expert at bear anatomy, Agawa must''ve severed an important tendon or two during her reckless barrage of skewering strikes. It was something I had to assume, given how the beast struggled to stay upright.

    The bear fumbled backward, falling onto its wounded leg and embedding the dagger deeper into its flesh. Thankfully, the shift in position forced its swing to miss Takagi by the length of a hair with its razor ws.

    Seeing the bear lose its bnce, Agawa shouted at me. "Don''t just stand there; get Takagi!"

    "O-Of course," I stammered over myself. I was surprised she seeded in stunning the beast. "Right away!"

    I sprinted toward the danger, with every bone in my body cursing me as a fool for cing myself so close to a vicious predator.

    ''Run, you fool! No, not that way! Where are you going?!'' These were the types of reflections that gued me as I rushed to Takagi''s side.

    Despite the cowardice, I had my principles and my honor. I held a debt to Takagi and,e hell or high water, it was a debt I''d repay! Thus, I ignored every warning light shing within my mind andnded myself right next to Takagi¡­and right within the bear''s striking range.

    I nced at the beast, and it red at me. I could feel the quake in my legs be more pronounced under its vigil.

    ''Ignore it,'' I withheld my panicked breaths. ''Just ignore it.'' Repeating that same phrase to hold back my desire to run, I grabbed Takagi by the arm and pulled him onto my shoulder.

    Takagi struggled against me, dropping his sword in the process. "What are you doing?! Get ou-"

    "Shut the hell up, boy!" I shouted, surprising even myself with my crude word choice. Luckily, it was effective, and Takagi becamecent with my demand. I guess he was shocked by my disy, too.

    The grizzly loosed a seething, thunderous roar while the two of us hastily retreated. It tried to inch closer and take a swipe, but Agawa''s relentless assault kept the beast from advancing.

    While we dashed back to the roots, Takagi deliriously uttered, "W-Why did you interfere? I had the thi-"

    "You had nothing!" I snapped back. "Now isn''t the time for bravado, not when your life is on the line! If you''re going to be recklessly brave, at least be smart about it!"

    Takagi quieted down, and I turned to see that Agawa hadn''t let up her endless stabbing of the beast''s flesh.

    Though the leg she wounded was no longer essible, she swiveled around and began thrusting the knife into wherever it would stick. She created so many holes in the beast''s body that its side became redder than brown.

    With each jab, the bear howled with an increasingly angered cry and began thrashing about to force Agawa away. Loud thuds from its fattened body yed as it iled against the mud.

    "That''s enough, Agawa!" Ayame cupped her hands around her mouth. "Get back here!"

    Upon hearing Ayame and knowing she couldn''t confidently keep up with a beast gone mad, Agawa ended her attack and backed away. She then hurriedly rendezvoused with the rest of us.

    The beasty copsed in exhaustion, its once ferocious demeanor now subdued. Despite the crippling wounds, the scent of bloodlust lingered in the air, indicating the threat had not entirely passed.

    "Is everyone okay?!" Agawa rasped, trying to regain her breath. "How''s Nakamura?!" she panted uncontrobly and kneeled, cing her bloodied palms on her knees.

    "He''s¡­ I don''t know. Not good, obviously!" Ayame snarked with a tone of desperation and quickened breaths.

    In Agawa''s absence, Hikari and Ayame had taken it upon themselves to care for the injured. Hikari gently cradled Takahashi''s head, examining the wound with a furrowed brow.

    Ayame worked quickly, her fingers shakily applying bandages to Nakamura''s back wounds while she applied pressure to staunch the bleeding.

    Despite Ayame''s determined efforts, Nakamura''s blood continued to flow freely from his wounds, coating her hands in a slick, crimson sheen. It pooled on his back, spreading out in dark red tendrils resembling dark, twisted roots from a gnarled tree.

    "He needs a doctor!" she screamed, futilely pressuring his wounds further. "For God''s sake, we need to get him somewhere! Anywhere!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You think?!" Takagi taunted Ayame and red at Nakamura. He looked ready to burst and release a torrent of anger. Yet he gritted his teeth and tore his eyes away.

    Meanwhile, I heard a soft voice calling me from the sidelines. "H-Hey, "Hikari beckoned to us and pointed to an empty patch of dirt beside her. "Over here."

    Shuffling forward, I brought Takagi to where Hikari instructed. I carefullyid him down with his back to the tree''s base, and he groaned in pain. His difort clearly shone on his face as his torn back touched with the rough bark.

    Once fully settled onto the ground, Hikari inched over to look at Takagi''s wounds. They were grotesque, purpled, and ran crusted, wet with a mixture of old and fresh blood.

    "W-We''ll- I''ll bandage you up right now." Hikari stammered. We didn''t have much to bind with at this point, but she sacrificed a few straps from her clothes to wrap Takagi''s leg gash in.

    "Tsk," Takagi winced and grunted through clenched teeth. Although Hikari wasn''t an expert like Nakamura, she carefully but tightly wrapped Takagi''s raw flesh in cloth with precise circr motions.

    "Where''d you two learn to do this?" I asked while she worked.

    "O-Our¡­" Hikari tried to respond but struggled to utter even a syble.

    ''Heh, heh, I guess she''s a bit awkward around others,'' I chuckled, momentarily forgetting my own panic.

    "Our mother," Ayame affirmed for her sister. "Our mom was a nurse." Her voice was steadied, showing her in a state of total concentration. She was absolutely absorbed in her task of minimizing Nakamura''s blood loss.

    Meanwhile, since the injured were being cared for, Agawa remained vignt, carefully eyeing the beast she''d left behind. It was just before Hikari finished tending to Takagi that Agawa gasped.

    "What¡­the hell?" she said, pointing toward the previously stationary bear.

    We all focused our eyes on the whimpering beast, with even Takagi trying to angle his neck for a view.

    "What''s going on? What''re you all gawking at?!" he was shaking and shuffling, to Hikari''s annoyance.

    "S-Sit down!" she yelled, shoving him back to the ground.

    While Hikari struggled with a beast of her own, we watched the bear make a somber howl and start glowing an ethereal green aura for a second time.

    This time, instead of elerating toward us at high speeds, the once parted flesh weaved itself back together. It was exactly as we''d seen from the kid, Roman, back in the clinic.

    It was an awe-inspiring sight, one that captivated all of us with fascination and fear.

    "What am I watching right now?" Agawa mumbled.

    "I don''t know... I... I don''t know..." Ayame replied.

    Though terrified, festering within us all was an equal amount of curiosity that ensnared our focus, so we couldn''t look away. Could you me us, though? Our minds worked at max capacity, trying to make sense of what we were witnessing.

    As if the glowing aura around the beast wasn''t mind-boggling enough, even the crimson puddle on the ground turned a hazy and bright green. Once the blood was illuminated, it lifted into the air as an iridescent mist, wafting around the bear and curing its wounds. Most of them, anyway.

    As miraculous as the sight was, the magic still couldn''t mend all the damage Agawa and Takagi had done, including the knife that Agawa had stuffed into its leg.

    Its fur billowed wildly, despite theck of wind, as it stood up from the ground.

    I didn''t want to believe it, but the beast nearly fully recovered from Takagi and Agawa''s assault with ease. It turned toward us, more furious than ever and raring for round two.

    Looking back at mypanions, their tired and fearful expressions, I couldn''t say the same for us.

    "Shit¡­" I said, losing any sense of elegance.

 Chapter 55 Trapped, Part One

    ?Thousands of kilograms of pressure. That''s how heavy the beast''s re felt on my skin.

    It emitted a killer''s aura with an intensity capable of stopping a man''s heart if he were weak-willed enough. Though the beast had tried to kill us before, that was likely just a territorial or hunger matter.

    "Now it''s personal," I mumbled, staring at the angered predator.

    There was no charge, roar, or even a growl; the beast just began a wary march to where we were hiding. After being defeated once, it wouldn''t rush in recklessly anymore.

    Luckily, what would be our executioner was still a distance away, so we had some time left to n¡­or panic.

    "N-No way," Ayame said with a twitchy expression. "What do we do about that?" she raised a hand to point out the obvious danger.

    "Hey¡­Conman," Takagi stammered, his expression in apparent agony. "Why don''t you go r-reason with it," he finished with a weak cackle.

    "That''s not funny, Takagi! Can''t you be serious for once?!" Agawa snapped.

    Despite Agawa''s arguing, I knew.

    ''Takagi''s right,'' I bit my lip and clenched my fists. Between him and Sato being immobilized, we could do little to nothing. Our only option left was the use of harsh words.

    "We just need to stay here, right?" though Ayame kept pressuring Nakamura''s wounds, she gestured to the knotted roots. "Those will keep that thing out, so we''ll be fine!"

    "Don''t be stupid! You think some glorified nt fiber will keep THAT out forever?" Takagi pointed to the six-hundred-kilogram killing machine. "We gotta kill the damn thing, or we''ll never get out of here!"

    "And how did that work out for you?!" Agawa sneered. "We need to lure it away and run!"

    "Ohhhh, and are you volunteering?" Takagi taunted.

    "Absolutely!" Agawa retorted back. "I''m the fastest here, so I''ll bait it away!"

    ''That''s a fantastic idea!'' I looked at Agawa with renewed hope. She was undeniably the fastest in our group, so she could no doubt escape that beast''s clutches!

    "We can''t run!" Ayame shouted. "What about Nakamura?! He''s too injured to be moved!"

    Takagi nced at Nakamura with a pained expression before returning his gaze to Agawa. "Besides," he added, "you saw what that thing can do. Even you wouldn''t get away¡­."

    My hopes were ripped to shreds when I realized they were both right.

    Nakamura''s bleeding was too profuse to be subjected to something like a mad dash on someone''s back. Not only that, but the beast had unknown capabilities.

    ''There''s no way she''d escape unscathed...'' I sighed. An onset of hopelessness assailed me, growing with each discarded n.

    Like what you''d expect from a group falling apart by the threat of death, a mass argument broke out between Agawa, Takagi, and Ayame. Each was trying to figure out how best to survive this ordeal in their own way.

    During the debates, the beast had already closed the distance by several meters. It was only a few more before it collided with the roots we took refuge in.

    After observing its powerful jaws, rending ws, and oundish use of magic, I knew there was no way our meager protection would hold against a continued assault.

    ''What can we even do? Is it hopeless? Are we doomed to die at the hands of a mad beast?''

    There was little time left to decide.

    There were no other exits, so we''d be trapped like rats once the bear reached us. Once that happened, we''d be limited to hoping against the beast''s strength as it shaved away our haven of protection like bark from a tree.

    Our fate rapidly approached the point of no return, which stirred Hikari into a hysterical sob. "Why is this happening to us?! Why aren''t we home right now?!" she stood away from Takagi and screamed. She clutched her face tightly, tears leaking through the cracks of her fingers. "None of this makes any sense! NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE!!!"

    Seeing these kids'' agony, I felt wildly disappointed in myself. I should''ve done more, been more. I should''ve helped keep us safe however I could...

    "I relied on them too much," I cursed beneath my breath.

    ''Gin..''

    Though I was never a fighter, I couldn''t help but feel I needed to take responsibility for our survival. That''s when I felt a presence nagging at my mind. It tugged on me like an anchor to a boat, steadying me in my sea of indecision and self loathing.

    ''...Gin...''

    It was a voice belonging to the one that gave me my purpose in life. It belonged to the one who charged me with upholding his stupidly lofty ideals.

    ''...Gin!''

    Even now, I could hear his voice echoing in my mind...

    ***

    "GIN!!!" a fierce voice bellowed, followed by the m of a hand on hardwood.

    "Woah-Wha-What?!" I shook myself awake to see I''d been standing in an office.

    The right side sported a miniature sandbox. Within it, the sand was meticulously crafted into swirls around a lone pir of granite. Painted on the stone''s gray surface with nk ink was the word my boss held in the highest esteem; the word "Strength."

    On the other side was a mural of an ancient dragon. The creature was a deep, dark blue, a hue akin to twilight. Its body wasrge enough to split oceans and swallow Japan whole.

    It was the inspiration for our organization''s name and operations. We were the Kairyu-kai, otherwise known as the Sea Dragons, yakuza.

    Then came the middle.

    It was fitted with three chairs, two in front and one behind a smooth cherrywood desk. The top was the spitting image of the word "organized," given the neatly stacked papers and lone ck pen.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Sitting in the chair behind the desk with his focused stare on me was none other than my boss. None other than Ito Masaru.

    "Hey!!!" Ito snapped his fingers. "Are you listening to me? Gin?"

    He was a man that exuded a look of regal elegance and an aura ofmand within his blue silk kimono bound up by a ck obi sash. Both were appropriate, given his years of experience directing the Sea Dragon''s activities.

    Despite his immacte clothing, his physical appearance was unkempt and disheveled. He was a busy man, after all, one that rarely received a full night''s rest.

    "Yes, excuse me, Sir," I bowed with utter respect. "I nodded off."

    "Again?" Ito locked his hands over the desk, maintained his stare, and sighed. "You need to pay more attention."

    "Of course, Sir! I promise to do better," I bowed again.

    "Huhhhhh," he stretched and exhaled loudly in a sigh, "I have to repeat everything, don''t I?" Behind his stoicism, I could see a slight irritation. He was a man that disliked repeating himself.

    "Apologies, Sir, but yes."

    He sighed again, then shook his head. "Well, I was praising you for stopping Saito."

    "Praising me, Sir?" I tilted my head, confused, and cast him a quizzical stare.

    "Yes," he replied matter-of-factly, "praising you."

    "May I ask what for?"

    "You don''t remember? The bar? Saito? Any of it?"

    An image began to take shape in my mind. It came to color and developed into a full-blown memory. I pictured a bustling bar filled to the brim with patrons. It was one we gave protection to from rival organizations.

    ''That''s right; it''s all familiar. We were collecting debts when the owner refused to pay forck of funds. Then Saito...escted things. He almost killed the man, but I stopped him. I managed to talk him down.''

    I nced around the office to see a standing mirror. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw my youthfulplexion within its reflection. "Ten years ago...huh?"

    "So?" Ito asked with a hint of impatience, "Do you remember?"

    "Yes, Sir. I remember everything."

    Ito exhaled a sigh of relief, and his shoulders rxed. "Good, I don''t need my top advisor getting amnesia on me," he joked, letting out a subdued chuckle.

    "Of course not, Sir! I''m ready to serve!"

    "I know you are," he smiled. "Now, back to business. I was informed of what you did to stop Saito. You''re one persuasive bastard to be able to stop a raging bull with words. Because of you, the situation didn''t be a newsworthy incident. I''m proud."

    His words resonated within me. They pierced my core, igniting feelings of pride over my sess. So much so, I struggled to hold back the tears of fulfillment and happiness his praise bestowed upon me.

    "Thank you and absolutely, Sir! I''ll always do my best for the group!" I gave a heartfelt bow.

    "Good..." his expression hardened, and his eyes focused on me like nothing else existed in the world but our conversation. He took a deep breath, emphasizing the importance of his following words.

    "Gin, as Sea Dragons, we have a duty to uphold and live by a code of ethics and honor. We may be criminals, but that doesn''t mean we''re monsters. We Dragons don''t just take from themunity; we give back to it. We help those in need when we can. You did well in proving that."

    "Thank you, Sir!" I bowed again, then raised my head in confusion. "But what am I to do if a subordinate doesn''t back down next time? You know I''ve never been a physical fighter!"

    He chuckled, stood up, and paced around the desk up to me. "Gin, my friend, remember this well," he ced a hand on my shoulder. "''The strength of the dragon lies in courage.'' That''s what my father always told me before he passed on. Do you know what that means?"

    "I think so, Sir," I nodded.

    "Good, because it''s a philosophy our organization has lived by since its inception. Look, Gin, you may not be strong physically, but you''ve got resolve in that shrewd heart of yours. A resolve you can use to aplish anything. I''ve no doubt you could quell any beast with your courage. So do our organization proud, always. No matter where you are, no matter what you''re doing, always uphold our values and represent the organization well. Promise me this."

    "Yes, Sir," I replied.

    "No, promise me. Say those words," his stern gaze pierced into me like daggers before it faded into obscurity. Likewise, the entirety of the room began shifting and turning as it gave way to reality.

    ***

    From there, I felt my consciousness return to my body. Even though the memory was over, I''d answer my boss with a tear in my eye. "I promise, Sir. I won''t let you down."

    When I came to, I witnessed a scene of total disarray. Mypanions weren''t just trapped within the roots but also themselves. They were drowning in their panic and uncertainties.

    Agawa was preparing for her reckless run toward death, all while arguing with a furious Takagi.

    Hikari was still inconsble. She bawled like a petnt child, a steady flow of tears sliding down her stained cheeks.

    Ayame, the big sister she was, triedforting Hikari, but she couldn''t leave the man who needed her most. She remained fixed over Nakamura''s body, loyally pressuring his wounds.

    With all this going on, I nced at Sato and sighed. ''I wonder... Would we be in such dire straits if you were awake, Sir?'' Sadly, I''ll admit that I felt slightly bitter. Bitter at the fact that the most capable one of us was resting all this time.

    I owed him my life. I knew I owed him the respect of defending him, even though he''d be a total burden. But... ''Why won''t you just wake up?'' I clenched my teeth and faced away from him, only to see our slowly approaching demise. "No, I can''t always rely on him. WE can''t always rely on him."

    I brought a hand to my constricting chest, clutching it tightly. ''There''s so much fear, though,'' I shook my head. The thought of confronting the beast myself sent a shiver up my spine.

    The monster was giant, a far cry from a pissed-off Saito. ''Your ideals are going to kill me one day, Ito,'' I sighed, then curved my lips to form a wry smirk. "The strength of the dragon lies in courage, right boss?"

 Chapter 56 Trapped, Part Two

    ?"Just get me a weapon!" Takagi bellowed, drawing my attention. "Even if my leg is like this, I''ll sh that thing while it''s digging us out! Let''s at least make it pay for its fucking dinner!"

    "With what weapon?! With this?!" Agawa stretched out her arm and held her bloodied knife to Takagi''s face. "You think this''ll reach far enough to fight with, head on?!"

    ''Reach... Reach... That''s what I could do!'' I felt a glimmer of hope swell up inside me. Looking beyond the roots and the beast that''d been within a few meters by now, I could see it.

    Our sliver of hope. A hope which took the form of Takagi''s lost sword.

    "Agawa," I shouted and stepped toward her, "could you distract it?!"

    She and Takagi looked at me with expressions caught between confusion and frustration.

    "What?!" Agawa snapped. "That''s what I was go-"

    "Not baiting," I interjected, "a distraction. I''ll run for the sword, then we''ll meet back here. We''ll stab the grizzly through the roots!" I smiled, my attempt at inspiring confidence in the others.

    We definitely wouldn''t survive if we waited for the beast to w its way inside, but with a proper weapon, we stood a chance.

    Agawa raised her finger to argue, but I couldn''t allow her to waste precious time.

    "There''s no damn time to decide! Just listen to me and do what I say!" I swiped my hand at her; I had no time to entertain her arguing.

    You know, it''s amazing how much a person can change in life-or-death situations. I mean, look at me! I, Kamida Gin, was now shouting orders and speaking with crassnguage. I was as unkempt as a wayward drunkard!

    After my outburst, Agawa gaped at me in disbelief before shaking herself back to reality. "F-Fine, okay¡­okay." She conceded to my demands, and we both prepared to run.

    Takagi nced at me and lit up with an impressed smirk. "I''m starting to like you a little, Conman," he shakily gave a "thumbs up" before his arm fell to the floor from its own weight.

    Seeing Takagi''s body tremble with weakness, I felt nervous about the future. ''It''s not just Nakamura... Takagi''s lost too much blood.''

    Following the symptoms of anemia, Takagi''splexion was fading to a pale white. Though his wounds weren''t as severe as Nakamura''s, he''d been bleeding from his back, arms, and legs for longer than one should.

    I grinned back at Takagi, but that was only a facade.

    Setting aside my worries about him and Nakamura, I was also about to leave safety. I was about to confront a predator that tore a horse to shreds with ease.

    ''The strength of the dragon lies in courage,'' for every moment of cowardice I had, I countered it with my boss''s words. ''Push through the fear, Kamida. Besides,'' I nced at Sato, ''I still have another debt to repay.''

    "You ready?" Agawa outstretched her legs for a sprint.

    "Likely not," I chuckled to hide my unease, "but I''m going anyway." I raised a hand and clenched my fingers into a fist. My n was to materialize my fear, my hesitation, and my anxiety within my hand. Then, I''d crush it all like dust before casting the scattered remains aside.

    Our minds in sync and our peace with fate made, Agawa and I readied ourselves for the conflict toe. We approached the roots to see that, as if to meet us, the bear was right outside.

    It hunched down low and, storing as much momentum as possible in its legs, braced its body to smash away our defenses in a single blow.

    "We''re really doing this, huh?" Agawa shook at the beast''s presence. "God, what I would give to be home right now."

    I turned toward her and sighed. "And miss out on being chased by a mutant grizzly? You''d forgo such a unique experience?"

    She giggled tiredly at my sarcasm and returned her gaze to the outside. "Yeah... Yeah, I think I''d rather skip this for another boring day with the TV."

    Once we grew closer, the bear spotted us emerging from within the darkness. Its pupils erged in rage, and it utched its mouth to release a deafening roar.

    The bellow was perhaps the loudest, most bloodthirsty one we''d seen until now; it shook every bone and vein in my body.

    "It''s time; you ready?" Agawa smirked.

    "Yeah," I smiled, "we shouldn''t keep our killer waiting."

    "THEN LET''S GO ALREADY!" Agawa bellowed.

    Using the beast''s attempt at intimidation as our signal, Agawa and I nodded to each other andunched our own n into action!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    We dashed outward with fiery spirits and unbreakable wills. No matter what the beast threw our way, we''d struggle and ovee it!

    Seeing our approach, the beast shook the air with another thunderous roar, then charged in retaliation. In an attempt to rouse our own fury and intimidate the beast, Agawa and I loosed a battle cry too.

    Unlike the bear''s, our shouts were far from potent enough to quake the air around us, so I doubt we were menacing. However, our war cries stoked the me of our determination to the point of being inextinguishable.

    Thankfully, my body was swept up in adrenaline and pride, masking the fear of confronting the beast.

    "Hey! Over here, ugly!" Agawa screamed and beckoned for the bear''s attention. Responding to her taunts, the beast snarled and changed course.

    ''Okay, the decoy worked!'' I internally cheered, seeing its focus being diverted away from me. ''I''m going to do it! I''ll retrieve the sword! I''ll save us!''

    Or, at least, that was the n...

    A n that failed once a resonating boom shook the ground with vibrations akin to an earthquake. Though we were running full tilt forward, an epic shockwave of dust and mud sted us back underneath the tree.

    In the wake of the explosion, a violent whirlwind of pine needles and pebbles gave chase, tearing at our skin as we flung wildly in the air.

    Luckily for Agawa, her trip was clean, only mming into the moist dirt beside Ayame.

    I, however, was ill-fated.

    On my return, I collided with every possible obstacle before finally face-nting into the mud. Sadly for me, my body was left next to the entrance of what used to be our cage, making me a prime first target for the beast''s rampage.

    ''My back is burning...'' I tried to lift my head, but my body was wracked with searing pain. My legs would defy me too. Each attempt to stand was thwarted by nauseating dizziness.

    My head spun to the point of motion sickness, and my muscles twitched wildly. Both factors made my arms buckle, forcing me to fall back onto my face.

    "W-What the h-hell did it d-do?" was the question I managed to stutter while looking upward.

    ''Is this it? Is this the end?'' I expected it to be. We had no cover left or roots to protect us from the outside world. We werepletely exposed. ''At least I tried,'' I coughed, expecting a painful death as my entrails were gutted from my body.

    When the possibility of such a brutal death entered my mind, I cried, embarrassingly enough. ''I don''t want to die... Please, not after everything. I can''t die.'' As I anticipated our gruesome end, my hopes sank like a ship struck by a wave of despair. However, an end wasn''t what we received.

    "What...is that?" I heard Ayame gasp from behind me.

    "I-It''s something else!" Agawa rasped through pained breaths.

    ''What''s going on?'' I questioned as I averted my gaze upward. That''s when I saw what had mypanions so confused.

    Rather than the charge of a magic-infused mutant grizzly, I saw the silhouette of something within the smoke.

    The creature didn''t prowl low to the floor; it was bipedal and upright. It didn''t have billowing brown fur; its skin was smooth and bare, covered only by a pair of ckened cks and a padded leather apron. It didn''t strike the ground with serrated ws but wielded a massive war hammer of darkened steel.

    Despite these differences, one thing was simr between the bear and this creature. They were both gargantuan in size, both monsters within their respective species.

    Once the smoke finally scattered, the creature''s face came into view from obscurity. A face that contained two shimmering silver eyes as they returned my gaze, eyes thatcked any form of deep emotion.

    ''A-Are we?.. Are we saved?'' I questioned with widened eyes of disbelief.

    He raised his hammer from the small crater he created with his mighty strike. Following his motions was the crackling and crumbling of pulverized debris as it fell back to the ground.

    Upon nting the hammer on his shoulder, his eyes shifted to us. Like shackles, they locked us to ce beneath their intimidating re. Several stepster, I was officially in range for him tond a deadly headshot below.

    After gripping the handle tightly with both hands, so much that he revealed the snaking veins within his fist and arm, the man readied for another earth-splitting swing.

    Fear, relief, despair, hope, and curiosity; all of those emotions welled up inside me at that moment. My vision was limited, so the bear was out of sight. That said, I had one question re up in my mind.

    ''Is he aiming for me?''

 Chapter 57 Natural Selection, Part One

    ?The man heaved and grunted gruffly while holding his hammer high.

    Just beyond the weapon, I caught a glimpse of a familiar sight. Though with not as much re as we''d seen with Takagi and Weiser, the man''s hands lit up faintly with small green spheres of light.

    ''He''s using magic!'' I thought, stunned.

    Then, after loudly exhaling a gust of air, he twisted his hips and swung with the force of a freight train.

    Knowing an impending blow was on the way, I winced, panicking in anticipation. My eyes followed every motion of his medieval sledgehammer, expecting it to knock my head clean off.

    "Kamidaaaa!!!" Agawa screamed out, followed by the rest of mypanions.

    Though I wanted to, I couldn''t utter a word. Not to beg, not to protest, not to argue, not a single one. When I imagined such a thing smashing my head, I couldn''t move. Shivers of fear traveled up my spine and froze my tongue in ce.

    The hammer closed in, and one thought gued my mind.

    ''I don''t want to die.''

    The hammer inched closer.

    ''I don''t want to die...''

    And even closer.

    ''I don''t want to die!'' I closed my eyes, too afraid to look my killer in the eye.

    I squeezed my eyes shut, and a gust of cold air blew past my face. The weapon''s tip hade so close that I could feel the air''s vibrations as it passed by.

    ''I''m not dead?'' I questioned, then opened my eyes. They followed his weapon''s head; straight into view of his true target. I saw that same goddamn bear!

    "It''s...alive?!" The realization enticed me to give up. To ept my fate since even this man''s monstrous strike wasn''t enough to kill it.

    The beast was mid-tackle, with outstretched hind legs and an utched mouth. It must''ve wanted to deal the man a fatal blow as soon as possible.

    Luckily, he must''ve noticed the beast before I did. As it turned out, his swing was meant to be a counterattack against it the entire time. ''He never intended to kill me at all!'' I smiled with frenzied relief.

    The idea he nned to stter my brain was just a silly misunderstanding!

    ''What a ridiculous reality...'' The idea that my "misunderstandings" had gone from petty mimunications to possible death events was almost funny if it wasn''t so depressing.

    Still, I now had the knowledge that even this man''s nuclear strikes couldn''t finish the beast, not for good. My heart tightened at the idea that we would end up grizzly food anyway.

    Despite facing what could''ve been his fatal mistake, the man''s expression remained nk and unfazed. Even with the maw of death so close, the man made no attempt to preserve himself.

    ''What a fool,'' is what I thought until I saw why he was so calm and confident.

    As the ws closed in, a barrier of sparkling blue-green light repelled them away.

    ''But how? How is that possible?'' So far, every disy of "magic" we''d seen required a visible charge. Some kind of build-up with floating, colored orbs.

    I guess the question wasn''t necessary, though. What was important was the result. Thanks to the barrier''s protection, his swingpleted its arc andnded square in the gut of a pouncing bear.

    Upon colliding with the side of the beast''s belly, his hammer crunched the grizzly''s ribs into numerous fractures, causing it to cry out in pain. Then, after twisting and smashing the beast''s insides as deeply as possible, the hammer rag-dolled the beast, felling it to its side.

    The beast''s body skidded far across the mud until it halted next to where we''d left it after Agawa''s and Takagi''s victory.

    Like the grizzly, I was blown away. Though the man was a monster, to think he could effortlessly hurl something so huge with such ease was absurd!

    Probably because of the adrenaline from the shock of what I saw, I regained some strength in my body. ''I can move again,'' I sighed wearily. I turned my neck and cast my sights on the rest of my allies. They, like me, were wearing dumbstruck expressions at what they''d watched, minus our two unconscious members.

    Despite having her gaze transfixed on the unknown man, Ayame never took her palms off Nakamura''s bleeding back. Despite the shockwave... Despite the monster duel ying out in front of us... She diligently pressured Nakamura''s wounds as best she could.

    It was a feat that demanded total respect!

    Then, a harrowing roar tore me from my admiration for Ayame. ''It can''t be...'' I slowly straightened my neck back to the scene of battle-torn carnage.

    But it was...

    What I saw was that same godforsaken bear standing back up as it exuded a bright-green aura. Some good news was that, despite the healing and like the de in its back left leg, some damage remained.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Well, that''s something at least,'' I tried to hold on to some semnce of hope. Then, squinting my eyes, I noticed its side was irreparably disfigured by the man''s strike.

    ''A good sign!'' I hoped.

    "Just die already!" a voice filled with irritation shouted behind me. Though I didn''t turn, I knew it couldn''t be anyone other than Takagi. "Why won''t the thing fucking die?!"

    Likewise, the rest of my group shouted in despair and frustration at the beast''s unyielding nature.

    Unlike us, the man merely shrugged and took up his hammer once more. The grizzly stood up to meet his challenge, favoring the side that wasn''t caved in, and whimpered.

    "Help whenever," the man spoke in a low tone and paced a few steps toward the beast.

    I was baffled. ''Is he talking to us? That''s ludicrous!'' Surely he saw how battered and beaten we were. However, I had my answer when two feminine figures appeared on his left side.

    "Huhhh," one sighed, "we thought ya had it covered! A measly quillbeast shouldn''t be that big of a deal! ''sides, Yuki did give ya the barrier! Ya should be thankful!"

    The girl had shaded green hair, matching the surrounding forests. It drooped low down her back in an unkempt braided ponytail.

    Within her grip was an expertly crafted shortbow made from shaped and smoothed pinewood. Matching the picture of an "archer," she had a leather-bound quiver that boasted numerous feathered arrows tethered to her back.

    She looked us over with attractive turquoise eyes; her expression shined with curiosity. "So, these guys from ckwood, ya think? They look like hell!" she snickered with a grin.

    "Focus," the second girl ordered, "it''s still alive." she nodded in the grizzly''s direction.

    Her voice was tranquil butmanding. Despite her quiet demeanor, I felt a degree of calm control from her that you''d only experience from a natural-born leader. I''d know; my boss was the same way.

    As for her physical appearance, we couldn''t discern anything noteworthy. She was shrouded in a ck bup cloak. Its shadow obscured most of her facial features. Her only revealed characteristics were her sparkling azure eyes and a single lock of purple-tinted hair that dangled in front of her face.

    "Asuka, cover us from here," she said, then turned to give us a cold stare. "and guard them."

    "But!" the archer whined.

    "Do it," the cloaked woman ordered.

    "Fiiiiine," the archer relented. She then turned to me and smiled, "guess I''m babysittin'' ya...huh?"

    I awkwardly chuckled, still confused by what was happening. "T-Thank you?" It sounded more like I was asking a question than expressing gratitude.

    "Dontcha mention it!" she replied with a wide grin. "d tah meetcha, newbie!" she took her free hand and motioned to my cor.

    ''Newbie?'' I was about to ask what she meant when the girl turned from me and ran to Nakamura.

    "Oh, this ain''t good!" she dug into a pouchtched onto her waist. When her hand emerged, she held what looked to be pure white cloth bandages and homemade gauze.

    Seeing the strange girl revealing medical supplies, Ayame turned from fear to distrust. "Can you help him?" she asked with impatience.

    "I can def''nly try!" the archer replied cheerily.

    Though I would''ve liked to celebrate our fortuitousness, my fears returned when the ground shook by another of the grizzly''s howls.

    The beast charged with reckless abandon, utterly uncaring about its well-being. Its sole focus was on tearing apart any that stood in its way.

    To challenge its approach, the three strangers remained calm and unphased.

    "Shrug, you''re with me," the cloaked girl said, raising two delicate, light-skinned hands from her cloak. Within each was a symmetrical, lightweight longsword.

    The honed des shimmered strands of light as the Sun''s few rays interacted with their polished surfaces. Despite the metallic portions appearing to be of master quality, the handles themselves were makeshift,prised of multiple straps of darkened leather.

    The hammer-wielding giant of a man turned to her and, like his apparent namesake, only shrugged in response.

    Flourishing her swords with a spin, the cloaked woman paced confidently toward the beast. Likewise, the giant grunted and swung his hammer into an attack position.

    The preparations for their fight now finalized, the two set off to kill what I assumed was unkible.

    Though I was filled with hope at that moment. Hope that our first day in this nightmare was finallying to a close. Hope that we''d finally see a chance to rx in safety''s sweet embrace.

    Sadly for us...there was still one moment of despair to be experienced before the day was done.

 Chapter 58 Natural Selection, Part Two

    ?"Ready?" the cloaked woman asked, angling her swords at the charging beast.

    The man with the hammer responded with yet another shrug showing his agreement.

    Meanwhile, the grizzly was fast approaching its two challengers with a body enshrouded by a vibrant green light. The beast bellowed a roar as it dumped as much power as it could into a desperate next attack.

    However, something was different. Rather than being tamed and orderly, the energy danced in chaotic strands. Likewise, by its pained face and shaky steps, I could tell the bear''s body was being strained to its very limits.

    ''It''s like the bear is overloading itself.'' I guess the beast wanted to end the fight once and for all.

    Though it was hard to tell from where I was, I could see an enormous torrent of purple-green orbs flowing into the cloaked woman''s body as she prepared a thrust.

    The bear elerated again and leaped forward, aiming for the woman first.

    "WATCH OUT!"

    "Get out of the way!"

    "What are you doing, idiot?!"

    Those were the words mypanions spoke in tandem, waiting for the moment of the woman''s evisceration.

    Seeing how petite the woman''s frame was, I thought her resisting the beast was unthinkable. ''She should''ve dodged...'' I cursed and wore a pained expression. ''There''s no way she could defeat that thing.''

    Fortunately for me and unfortunately for the bear, I was wrong.

    The beast entered within a meter when a brief sh of light filled the forest, followed by the crack of thunder. After my vision finally returned from momentary blindness, the scene before me seemed to freeze in time.

    Though they were now back-to-back, it was like the beast and the woman had traded ces.

    Luckily, the woman dodged the bear''s blow. In her ce, the beast''s paw was smashed into the earth, forming a crater surrounding the pawprint. If she was...if anyone was hit directly by that strike, there was no doubt they would have been ttened.

    On the other hand, it took a moment for my mind to process what the woman did. The beast''s flesh along its shoulder and side was just as surprised, considering a few moments passed before it split apart from the slice.

    The beast bellowed a guttural cry and thrashed about as ayer of the flesh on its side came undone, revealing the bloodied pink muscle underneath.

    Although the womannded a critical blow, it looked like the two weren''t ones to take chances. Rather than letting up their attack as we''d foolishly done, the two started an unrelenting synchronized assault.

    The man followed up his ally''s first strike with gusto.

    He spun his hammer vertically, gaining momentum with every second of rotation until the head uppercut the bear''s underjaw, shattering the bones and teeth within to fragments. The force of the attack transferred into the beast, lifting its upper body from the ground and forcing the beast to its hind legs.

    The woman seized the opening her ally created. She ran alongside the beast, twirling her des to make perfect "X" shes across its flesh. Her cuts were so precise that the blood sprays that followed jetted out in wlessly thin, straight lines.

    Beyond the physical damage, the magic she''d infused into her swords must''ve electrically charged them. It was an assumption I made since arcs of purple-blue electricity now burst forth from each de, sizzling the grizzly''s hide to a crisp.

    With spots of ckened burnt fur, smashed indents on its body, and sliced-off skin, the beast was on itsst legs. Despite how much the creature could heal, the two''s sessive strikes overwhelmed its regeneration to the point of exhaustion.

    "Yeah! Fuck it up!" Takagi cheered ecstatically with a sparkling smile. Though he was pale as a ghost, his happiness brought a degree of color back to his skin.

    I mean, Takagi''s excitement made sense. When he and Agawa fought it, they barely managed to wound the beast enough to force it into recovery. Meanwhile, the two before us weren''t fighting with the grizzly. No. What we were held witness to was something much more one-sided.

    "It''s like an execution..." Ayame held a hand to her mouth in shock.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Blow after blow, the beast fell lower and lower to the ground while trying to recover some semnce of the initiative.

    However, regaining momentum just wasn''t possible for the grizzly. Its body was already working overtime, trying to mend the wounds as new ones were created to rece them.

    "A-Amazing, " Agawa muttered, her eyes gaping in awe. Though the gore made her wince asionally, she''d still remained transfixed on the scene ahead of us.

    The beast''s legs finally gave out, and it crashed to the ground on its belly.

    Seeing the opening, Takagi screamed out again. "Hell yeah! Finish it!" he raised a fist and thrust it as high as he could into the air, shouting various praises and profanities the whole time.

    We were all euphoric. Though I did find it unpleasant to watch a creature''s death, a brutal one at that, I was overjoyed that our ordeal was nearly over.

    Finally...finally, victory was within our sight!

    Oddly, the two fighting clearly hadn''t felt the same way. Instead of finishing the job as we''d expected, they nodded to each other and disengaged.

    The hammer wielder swung his weapon onto his shoulder and rushed toward us. On the way, he generated more magic, this time a vibrant yellow.

    The otherbatant, the cloaked woman, stood alone a few meters from the critically injured grizzly, stockpiling more orbs of energy.

    "What the hell are you doing?!" Takagi despaired. "Finish the damn thing!"

    "Shut up, wouldja?! That''s ''xactly what they''re doin''! It''s too dangerous right now!" the archer sneered back in irritation, trying to focus on Nakamura''s wounds. "Geez," she hissed, "no patience with some people."

    ''Too dangerous? Patience?'' I was utterly confused by what she said. I mean, they had it! They could''ve in the beast then and there!

    Though I soon realized what she meant about "danger."

    "It''s doing something!" Agawa pointed out. "What''s it doing?!"

    "Just get down! Stay low to the floor!" the archer shouted.

    Following hermand, my allies made themselves as small of targets as possible. However, out of sheer curiosity, I kept my head up to watch the spectacle before me.

    Like earlier, the blinding green aura around the beast became turbulent, forming a miniature maelstrom of energy. Then, the beast staggered to its feet andunched what would be its final attempt at victory.

    It charged up the energy, centering all of it on its back until the quills vibrated violently from the magic pressure. Then, the beast raised its head, bellowed, and released everything at once. It ejected every quill from its back to form an explosion of spears that flew in every direction.

    The man slid to us, dropping his hammer, and turned toward the beast. He then threw both hands up with t palms and ejected all the magic he''d umted outward to create a shifting wind wall.

    It wasn''t like the turquoise variant we''d seen before. While that was silent and boasted a more refined look, the wind wall before us was tumultuous and chaotic, like a ttened tornado.

    Then, within a second, I heard the repeated thumps created by dozens of skewers sticking into wherever they could alongside the wind wall''s howl. A symphony of sounds ranging between splitting wood and pierced dirt yed out instantly.

    Several quills were on a direct collision course with us, gliding through the air. They were thick enough to pin a man to the wall and long enough to be used as a makeshift pike.

    I''ll admit that I was worried. Worried that this man''s wall of condensed air couldn''t stop the barrage of spikes fast approaching us. So much so that I broke out into a profuse cold sweat.

    After a fleeting few seconds, it was the moment of truth. The moment we''d discover which was stronger. Would it be the man''s barrier? Or the impacts created by multiple piercing quills?

 Chapter 59 A Harsh Reality

    ?Inch by inch, the spears slid through his barrier with decreasing velocity.

    "They''reing through!" Agawa shouted with panicked eyes.

    "Hey! Giant! Your barrier sucks!" Takagi sneered at the hammer wielder.

    The quills almost passed the halfway point when the force behind them finally dissipated. The momentum was absorbed by the wind wall and dispersed within its churning currents.

    "Ya were sayin''?" the archer snarked at Takagi, to which he responded with a growl.

    Once the sound of flying spikes piercing anything and everything ceased, the man sighed and released his arms, ending the barrier in the process.

    The quills fell t, creatingrge imprints on the dirt below when theynded.

    His hands and muscles now rxed, the hammer-wielder stepped toward the beast and took up his weapon, but that sight wasn''t what intrigued me. With the wind barrier gone, I had a full view of the cloaked woman.

    "Amazing..." I stood with my eyes and mouth agape.

    Though the man blocked numerous quills from reaching us, the amount was nowhere near what the woman redirected. There were dozens of embedded needles forming a perfect arc around her.

    Despite having just survived what could''ve been a gruesome death, the woman''s demeanor was calm and collected. No fear, no panic, no despair, she brushed off what would''ve killed anyone else here as if it came to her as naturally as breathing.

    Twirling her swords, she began a cautious but confident stride toward the exhausted beast.

    The grizzly''s energy was spent, so it remained copsed to the floor while raspily breathing. The eyes, the nk expression on its face, I could tell it was too worn out to panic or struggle anymore.

    Despite the injuries it received from the two, nothing was as morbid as the self-inflicted wounds the bear incurred upon itself.

    Its back was torn apart and bloody after ejecting the quills. Like a bee''s stinger, each needle took a chunk of flesh from the beast as a price tounch.

    ''A gruesomest resort...'' I thought, noticing how desperate the beast must''ve been to use such a self-harming attack. ''In the end, it''s just trying to survive, like we are...''

    "Is it... Is it dead?" Agawa stammered, arcing her head to get an angle.

    "Nah," Suda replied. "Not yet."

    The two fighters met once more, this time towering over the dying predator as it red back at them with weary anger.

    The woman raised her swords above the beast''s head, preparing to deliver herst respects. With the force of a guillotine, she thrust her sword down.

    Then, a mournful howl echoed throughout the woods, signifying the beast''s "final words." After that...silence filled the forests. As if the trees themselves were shocked by the grizzly''s defeat.

    ''Did they... Did they win?'' I couldn''t see since I was spectating prone on the ground, so I returned to my feet.

    Following me was a series of grunting and sighs as Agawa, Takagi, and Hikari stood up from the ground.

    Though Takagi winced and had to support his gashed leg with his arm, he seemed to ignore it. Maybe he was too shocked at the beast''s death to notice his pain.

    "Is it over?" I asked, unsure if what happened could really be true.

    "I... I don''t know. I think... I think it is! I think they won!" Agawa cheered and smiled.

    "I can''t believe it! We''re alive! We''re fucking ali- Ah!" Takagi tried matching Agawa''s enthusiasm but stumbled over his wounded leg back to the ground.

    "Sit still!" Hikari warned him with surprising boldness. "Y-You''re injured! STAY!"

    "B-But, it''s over! It''s dead!" I burst out into augh of nervous optimism.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Our enthusiasm grew greater as the victors started their victorious stride back to us. We were all ecstatic.

    "We''re alive!!!" Takagi shouted again.

    "You''re damn right we are!" Agawa cheered.

    Weughed, we cheered, we praised, we celebrated... We did everything our aching bones and throbbing muscles would allow showing our joy at surviving.

    Even Hikari, though not as outspoken as the rest of us, celebrated in her own small way. She heaved a sigh of relief and mumbled, "We''re going to be okay," with a grin syed across her face.

    Though we had no clue who these three were, we couldn''t care. We were too busy rejoicing in our survival to worry about anything else!

    Our happiness was overflowing! That''s why we all overlooked a crucial detail about the woman''s expression when she arrived outside the shelter''s entrance.

    Though she won against an apex predator, though she was stoic, the woman''s face showed a tinge of regret and sorrow when her eyes made contact with the archer''s.

    I followed their gazes, still wearing a buffoonish smile, only to realize Ayame wasn''t cheering with us. Opposite to cheering, she silently and lightly bawled to herself while clutching her eyes with blood-covered hands.

    I reached out in concern. "What''s wr-" but stopped when I noticed Nakamura''s head cradled in herp.

    Ayame removed her hands from her eyes, revealing cheeks stained red with bloody hand prints. Then she took a clean strip of gauze and gently wiped at Nakamura''s dirt and crimson-covered face.

    "I tried," she whispered through her tears, "I''m...sorry. I tried."

    His once beating chest was still, without even the slightest twitch of movement. His fingers were bent slightly, constricted with rigidity. Hisplexion... It was as pale as a winter''s first snowfall with ckened bags underneath histched-shut eyes.

    "I-Is he?" Agawa stammered with disbelief.

    "He is, Ms. Agawa." I grit my teeth and turned away. Though I didn''t know the man long, he was one I respected. His fate was one that filled my aching chest with regret.

    When the archer silently nodded at me, I knew for sure. I knew that, sometime during the fight, Nakamura had passed away.

    "I''m so sorry," Ayame''s tears continued to flow as she gently rubbed Nakamura''s forehead. "I''m so, so sorry."

    We were all stuck in sorrow at the realization.

    Agawa grimaced and turned away, Hikari looked on with wide eyes of shock, and I bit my lip in frustration. However, Takagi was the one out of us who acted the most concerning.

    I expected him to shout out angrily, punch something, and do anything you''d expect from an anger-ridden punk. Only he did none of those things.

    "It can''t be¡­ You can''t be dead¡­" he mumbled with a body gone totally limp. He became silently, unmoving, and his once vibrantly passionate eyes were now as vacant as the voids of space.

    I had no idea what the kid was thinking, but he was clearly reflecting deeply. Or maybe he just hadn''t epted the reality of the situation yet.

    It was a cold, hard truth that we faced that day. A day where we were confronted by many of them. We were in a new world. A world where magic existed. A world where demons roamed free to devour us.

    But, of all those truths, one stood as the most disturbing, frightening, and morbid. Unlike the guaranteed safety we''d enjoyed in our old world, this one afforded no such luxury.

    Despite living through so many precarious situations over thesest hours, only now did I realize the kind of ce we were brought to. Only after experiencing the death of one I''d be acquainted with did I see our new world for what it was.

    Here, wherever "here" was, was a ce where any single one of us could die at a moment''s notice. Our lives were...fragile.

    "So this is our new world..." I turned away to hide myself from the others. ''The dragon''s strength lies in courage," I repeated, trying my best not to lose hope.

 Chapter 60 Strangers, Part One

    ?***Agawa POV***

    Several minutes had passed since we realized Nakamura had died. They were possibly the quietest moments of my life.

    We all stared at his body, lost in thought and our emotions. Despite only knowing the guy for a few hours, I couldn''t bring myself to ept that he was dead. Though we''d seen many others die until now, this was the first time I knew the person.

    As it turns out, when someone you know, even just slightly, dies, you get a sense of bizarre surrealism. Almost as if the reality you were facing was nothing more than a vivid fever dream.

    ''Why can''t I just wake up already?'' I sighed. ''Let me wake up.''

    I wasn''t the only one despairing. Takagi, Kamida, and the sisters were all distraught and acted out in their own ways.

    Though emotions were still tense, the archer soon broke the silence. "What''s this?" she asked, pointing to the dirtied bandage on Nakamura''s leg.

    Peaking out from his browned leg bandage were small but noticeable ckened veins. Veins that reemerged because Nakamura hadn''t had the chance to reapply the medicine the doctor gave him.

    "It''s a wound; what''s it look like?" is what I expected Takagi to say, but he was locked in a practicallyatose state as he stared at Nakamura''s body. Instead, he repeatedly mumbled one phrase over and over again. "It can''t be... He promised..."

    The one to step in and exin was Kamida. "It''s a bite wound he''d gotten from some dogs. Might I ask why you care?" Though his voice was smooth, as always, I could tell it wasn''t without effort.

    However, I couldn''t be sure whether it was the trembling of his clenched fists or the twitching of his expression. Even so, it was clear that Kamida was struggling to maintain a facade of calm.

    "Dogs? Huh," she hummed to herself. "No reason, just concerned, is all." She unfastened the binding pin holding Nakamura''s bandage together.

    With that gone, the cloth fell from his leg, revealing the gangrenous green pus-crusted flesh underneath.

    Between the ckened veins, rancid ooze, dried blood, and decaying flesh, I was forced to avert my gaze. Sadly, looking away wouldn''t spare me from the smell. It was putrid, sour, and pungent enough to immediately permeate the air after exposure.

    My nostrils were filled with the stench of rotten flesh, causing me to wheeze and gasp in disgust.

    The archer covered her nose and asked, "none ''o'' ya would happen tah know what the hell this is, wouldja?"

    Gaggin between his words, Kamida managed to utter "Green Blight" before staggering away in a fit of retching.

    Likewise, aside from Takagi and the archer, we all frantically shambled toward the exit of the den for relief. Even Ayame, who cradled him into the afterlife, had toy Nakamura''s head to rest. Afterward, she followed us outside to avoid the odor.

    Surprising us at the exit were the stares of the cloaked woman and the man-giant; they stood before a scene I could only describe as pure "carnage."

    I first noticed that quills were lodged within everything and anything nearby.

    Everywhere I turned, some trees looked like they''d grown irregr and asymmetrical thorns. Even in front of us was a ground trapped by a field of embedded spikes.

    I stood in awe for a few moments, marveling at the sight. I couldn''t gawk forever, though, so I eventually turned my attention back to the two standing before us.

    We shot them clear looks of distrust, to which they responded by standing at ease and without hostility.

    The woman stashed her hands and concealed her weapons within the confines of her cloak. Likewise, the man-giant rested his hammer''s head back into its default position on his shoulder.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Their poses at least gave the impression they didn''t intend to kill us...yet. ''But who knows with this damn ce?!'' I sighed.

    ''We should probably talk about if we''ll run or not,'' I thought, looking at my allies. Sadly, that conversation would have to wait until we had a moment alone.

    Though we hadn''t known whether they were enemies or friends, Kamida maintained his courteousness. "Thank you," he bowed. "thank you for helping us!"

    Following suit, we all performed the same gesture before returning back to the noiselessness of awkward silence.

    Normally, I would''ve pried into these people. Like what I''d done to Weiser back at the tower, back when all this started, I would''ve questioned them without mercy. But now? Now I couldn''t say a thing. I was too busying to terms with everything.

    Luckily, Kamida kept on in my stead. "Might I ask who you three are?" he warily extended a hand of greeting, attempting his usual aura of amiability but falling short into slight awkwardness. Kamida''s smile twitched with uncertainty, and he nervously rubbed the back of his head.

    Irritatingly, the two ignored his question and his hand, silently looking us up and down.

    Ayame''s voice trembled as she spoke; she was stifling her tears. "Please, just tell us," she pleaded, her words barely above a whisper. "I don''t know how much more stress I can take." Exhausted, she hung her head, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her emotions.

    The man and woman exchanged a nce. She nodded, and he shrugged before she took the lead and spoke. Her demeanor exuded leadership, and she wasted no time getting to the point with her efficient words.

    "Call me Mizuno, and this is Shrug," she pointed to the man-giant, to which he shrugged in response. She then gestured out attention toward the archer still studying Nakamura''s wounds. "She''s Suda."

    ''Wait, aren''t those?...'' I realized those names were most definitely of Japanese descent. Even so, I decided to remain skeptical and guarded. Something I didn''t do back in the manor. ''I''ll pretend I don''t know.''

    Sadly, Kamida didn''t seem to feel the same way since in curiosity was stered onto his face. "It''s splendid to meet you three! Could I ask about your na-"

    "Save it," Mizuno interjected, "questionseter, and we''ll be asking them."

    "Ah," Kamida quieted and bowed, "I understand, Miss Mizuno."

    Just as we''d finished our "friendly" exchange of banter, Suda came out from the den while brushing her hands against each other. On her face was an expression of obvious concern.

    "News?" Mizuno asked tly.

    "It ain''t good," Suda wearily replied, walking past us. "One of ''em kicked it, and-"

    "His name is...was Nakamura!" I finally spoke up. Knowing that he was dead, I at least wanted his name to be recognized. ''He deserves that much.''

    The three looked at me, with Suda being the only one to offer an apologetic smile.

    "Right, I''m sorry ''bout that," she bowed slightly in apology and resumed speaking. "Aside from Nakamura, it looks like two others are unconscious. The final person," she pointed to Takagi, "well, he''s clearly in shock."

    Mizuno sighed somberly, then shrugged. "Nothing we can do about that..." It looked as if she was genuinely regretful at Nakamura''s death. Despite that, I couldn''t help but think about how easily she brushed it aside. Like she was used to seeing the lives of innocents extinguished in this unjust world.

    But Suda wasn''t done. "There''s another thing..." she raised a hand and took a loud breath of air. "I''ve gotta tell ya something you won''t like..."

 Chapter 61 Strangers, Part Two

    ?We all waited anxiously for Suda''s following words. Though I had no idea what could''ve been worse than Nakamura''s death, I wasn''t about to underestimate the cruelty this world was capable of.

    I said all of us, but Mizuno and Shrug weren''t at all phased by the mention of bad news. They must''ve been too used to it to be bothered.

    "What?" Mizuno asked impatiently, visibly folding her arms underneath her cloak.

    "The one that died, Nakamura; well, he had some kinda disease or infection in his leg. I''m worried the bear might be..." sheughed nervously. "Well, it might be contaminated if it bit ''im."

    ''What? Why does that matter?'' I was utterly confused. I mean, who cared if the bear was infected by whatever Nakamura had? It was dead. HE...was dead. ''What we SHOULD be worried about is burying him!''

    I found myself irritated at their strange and almost offensive priorities.

    Unlike me, the beast being "contaminated" must''ve mattered quite a bit to Mizuno. She groaned in a frustrated tone and arced her head back in irritation. "Can we tell?" she asked, looking back at Suda with a tired expression.

    "I''m not sure..." Suda cautiously replied. Then, turning toward Kamida, she asked, "hey, I''m sorry tah have to do this, but do y''all know how long it took for those veins to show up on yer friend?"

    For a moment, Kamida only replied with a stare. Getting questioned about a recently departed friend was a difficult thing, after all. Once a few brief moments passed, he managed to will up a response.

    "I believe it was instant," Kamida replied awkwardly. "Immediately after being bitten, the veins around his wound...they became ck."

    "You''re sure ''bout this?" Suda leaned in wide-eyed, pressing a hand to her mouth in contemtion.

    "He''s right," I affirmed. I thought back and remembered when Nakamura received his first wound.

    It wasn''t a memory I enjoyed thinking about, back when he''d had his first brush with death, so I tried my best to forget it as quickly as I reminisced on it.

    Upon hearing Kamida and my assertions, Suda red at the two of us, her eyes prating deeply into ours.

    The whole incident was ufortable, to say the least.

    Despite my usually outgoing nature and experience with staring contests, her gaze put me on edge. It wasn''t yful but fierce and imposing. The intensity of her stare made me feel like she was picking apart my thoughts.

    As I felt my eyes and lips twitching and a thin sheen of sweat breaking out on my skin, I couldn''t help but wonder if I wasing across as a liar. Even though I wasn''t lying, her prating gaze was enough to fill me with self-doubt.

    Surprisingly, she managed to see past my nervousness to the truth, given how she nodded to herself in satisfaction. Either that or she was just too easily trusting.

    Suda smiled at Kamida and me warmly before casting her gaze back toward Mizuno. "Looks like I do have a way tah tell, after all!" She speedily spun around toward the bear and hummed a sweet tune.

    Then, she began an almost pleasant skip over to the corpse of the beheaded quillbeast. Mizuno followed, but not before nodding to Shrug, likely telling him to keep an eye on us.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Maybe I can talk with the others. We can n an escape.'' But, frustratingly, that idea wouldn''t work. Not with Shrug''s unblinking eye analyzing our every move.

    ''I''ll wait for now.'' If even a minuscule opportunity presented itself to talk with my allies privately, I''d jump on it in a heartbeat.

    I looked over to Suda and Mizuno as they arrived at the beast''s corpse. It was difficult to discern what they''d been saying, given the distance.

    Though my hearing was impaired by distance, my vision was still unhindered, allowing me to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    Suda slung her bow over her shoulder, unbuttoned a holster at her waist, and retrieved a hunting knife.

    It was curved with a finely-grained light brown wooden handle. Jutting out from the grip was a wlessly sharpened and well-maintained steel de. The most notable detail was its size. If given a chance, it was big enough to slice an arm clean off.

    "Alright! Let''s see what we''ve got here," Suda knelt down and, in one smooth motion, shaved off arge patch of the beast''s fur. She exposed arge area of skin near its bloodied belly.

    With the grizzly''s skin revealed, Suda brushed her fingertips along its bare hide. She then moved to appraise the fleshy area near its open neck and inside its severed head''s mouth.

    I couldn''t be sure what Suda was looking for, but it was safe to say she saw what she didn''t want to see. She threw up her hands in frustration before falling backward and sighing out of weariness.

    She supported herself with her arms andughed in slight irritation. "I was tracking that bear fer weeks!" she shouted, gritting her teeth. A few momentster, after she''d finished her fit of frustration, Suda stood up, and the two walked back over.

    She had a sulky pout on her face with slightly flushed cheeks, while Mizuno wore the same expression we''d seen her in so far. Well, as much as we could see, given the cloak.

    "Looks like it''s squirrel again, Shrug!" Suda eximed with a sarcastic cheer.

    Hearing her assertion, he shrugged in response with a nk expression.

    "Huuuuhhh," Suda griped and ran a hand through her hair, "what''ll we do about cam-" But she was stopped when Mizuno shot her an irritated re. It was like Mizuno wanted to silence her from speaking.

    After such a tant disy of shadiness, any hesitation vanished about talking to the others. ''We''re going to escape; tonight at thetest.''

    Mizuno spoke up, distracting me from my plotting. "We''ll figure it out; we always do," she replied to Suda.

    Suda looked at Mizuno with an expression of worry and gave a twitchy smile. "Are you sure?"

    "No," Mizuno replied tly, "but we need to prioritize." She cast her gaze up toward the receding Sun and sighed. "We need to make camp; nightfall''sing."

 Chapter 62 Making Camp

    ?A few hours would pass while we set up the campsite.

    During that time, we were rushed to be as efficient as possible while racing against the waning Sun. Because of the tight schedule, Mizuno took it upon herself to divvy tasks amongst everyone.

    Although I hesitated to leave Sato and Takahashi behind since they were unconscious and defenseless, I couldn''t argue with Mizuno. ''She executed a grizzly, after all...''

    Mizuno was clearly wary of us, considering how she equally split us between the three of them.

    ording to Mizuno''s instruction, the sisters went with her to survey the area for whatever reason and to pick up some gear she and her group had stashed before rescuing us.

    Unsurprisingly, it was a task Hikari adamantly refused. However, when Ayame began leaving, Hikari clung to her sister''s back like a child to their mother.

    I was to go with Suda to help her spot game for dinner and supplement the rations for her group.

    Before I went, I concealed Sato''s dagger on myself. I wasn''t sure if I could kill someone, but I could at least stab them in the leg if they threatened me.

    Despite having a weapon, I didn''t think I could fight the other two. But Suda didn''t show any extraordinary fighting capabilities yet. So I considered myself lucky to be paired with her. ''I''m fast, so I should be fine in a fight with her, right?''

    Finally, Takagi, Kamida, and the two unconscious (Sato and Takahashi) were assigned to Shrug to fortify the den and make where we''d sleep less conspicuous.

    Over those hours, we all performed our individual tasks. Like us, the Sun grew increasingly weary from the day. It sank lower and lower down the horizon, painting the once deep blue sky a blend of reddish-orange.

    As it fell from the sky, shadows crept across the ground until the forest floor became nearly pitch ck, making our tasks exponentially more difficult. Especially the job assigned to Suda and me.

    Luckily, we managed to bag more than a few pieces of small game before it got too dark. However, as Suda had griped about, our hunt was limited to primarily squirrels, except for a single fattened rabbit.

    ''Ugh, I guess I''ll have no choice,'' I felt a slight degree of nausea at seeing the dead animals, especially knowing they''d be in my stomach soon enough. ''Anything''s better than drugged food,'' I scowled.

    The food was spiked back at that manor; I was sure of it. So there was no way I''d consume food these people gave unless I watched its preparation like a hawk. ''I''ll keep my eyes on that food for every second of every minute while it''s cooked!''

    Speaking of food, we collected more than enough, so we started our trek back to the campsite.

    I was traversing a knocked-over pine tree when Suda called out to me. "Hey, I''ve been meanin'' to ask ya! What''s yer name?" She slung her bow over her shoulder and carried the game we''d killed for the day.

    ''Do I answer her? What could she do with my name?'' I wasn''t sure whether giving that information would endanger me or not. So I weighed the pros and cons when she interrupted me.

    "C''mon," she whined, "you know my name! I think it''s fair I learn yours too!" she projected her face into a blushed pout.

    "Oh, whatever," I sighed. ''Between serial killing knights and colossal bears, I guess it doesn''t even matter.''

    "Agawa," I said begrudgingly. "My name is Agawa." Though I was hesitant to tell her, there was one thing I was curious about. ''I wonder how she''ll react to my name?''

    ''Will she be surprised? Will she be happy? Angry since I didn''t tell them earlier?'' There were many possibilities, but Suda chose the one that most shocked me. She didn''t have much of a reaction at all.

    "That''s a great name,'' Suda smiled. She then walked beside me in silence until she asked another question. "So...do you miss Japan?" she looked at me, her once sunny eyes filled with longing and regret.

    Suda''s inquiry shocked me to my core. ''How did she know about Japan? Though the "summoners" knew about us being of another world, even they hadn''t named our country specifically!

    ''Maybe...maybe this girl knows something. Maybe she could tell me what the hell is going on! Maybe she''s from home after all!'' I was increasingly overwhelmed by the urge to interrogate her.

    Sadly, we ran short on time, and the sunlight quickly faded. If we dyed with any more talk, we would have been left alone and lightless in a vast wilderness teeming with God knows what.

    Suda must''ve also agreed since she retreated from her own question. "Nevermind," sheughed it off and focused her attention forward, "I can probably guess anyway."

    And so, we began a long sprint back to camp, racing against the encroaching nightfall. Given my speed, I had no worries I could make it back to camp. However, I had doubts about the girl next to me.

    My doubts were left dashed, though. Dashed when the girl next to me sprinted straight passed me. Her body emitted a soft green glow as she steadily increased in eleration.

    ''I''m not one to get shown up, especially with running!'' I smirked. Then, kicking my body into high gear, I challenged her speed.

    She turned to me, her ponytail billowing wildly in the wind. "Ohoho! So yer a little fast, huh?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "More than a little," I snarked back, "I''ll outrun you in no time!"

    "Heh, we''ll see about that," Suda retorted and picked up speed.

    Thanks to ourpetition, we were able to reconvene with the others at camp by the night''s full arrival.

    ***

    Finally, after some time of running, we saw the mellow glow of a distant campfire.

    While panting heavily, Suda eximed, "Check it out, y''all!" and lifted up a twine rope bearing the fruits of ourbors. The fruits being several red-hooded squirrels and arge gray rabbit. "We got sum dinner!"

    Shrug took a nce and shrugged. He then resumed finalizing our shelter''s fortification before heading inside.

    Mizuno merely nodded in thanks and proceeded with her walk toward the tree.

    Ayame said to Suda through clenched teeth. "Thank you very much," and kept a disgusted smile. I could tell that eating squirrels and a rabbit wasn''t a fun thought for her, but she was too polite and hungry to say "no."

    Like her sister, Hikari grimaced but uttered a polite "thank you" before following Ayame away.

    While wearily grinning, Kamida tried his usual pleasantries. He raised his arm in wee, disying a thin sheen of grime and dried mud on his skin. However, his arm soon fell limp, and he disappeared from view, staggering inside the hut.

    "Geez, looks like he went through the wringer, huh?" Suda giggled.

    "Yeah, I wouldn''t say Kamida is exactly made for hardbor," Iughed back.

    From his intense sweating and heaving, I would''ve assumed he was forced into a week''s hardbor rather than scrounging for bits of wooden scrap for a few hours.

    After that exchange, I focused on Shrug and Kamida''s additions to our shelter. I mentioned only them since it seemed like all Takagi did was soak up space near the den''s entrance. He sat there, motionless and unresponsive to any stimuli.

    Reflecting his posture, his eyes were dead, and his expression deader. ''Nakamura''s death really affected him,'' I furrowed my brow out of concern.

    Despite his stagnant state, one significant change in Takagi''s condition urred. He clutched onto the metallic sk of ointment that the doctor had given Nakamura.

    Takagi stared at and clutched the sk tightly. It was as if he''d expected it, like Nakamura, to slip away if he let go. ''Maybe I should leave him alone for now,'' I sighed.

    Aside from Takagi, Sato and Takahashi remained unconscious.

    ''So the only two working on it were Shrug and Kamida?'' Plus, I doubted Kamida did much to help, so I was sure the effort was Shrug''s alone.

    Looking at the shelter, I did have oneint. It appeared totally ramshackle.

    The entrance was decorated with branches, twine, and scavenged quillbeast quills.

    The quills were ced randomly as stakes, nonsensically even, like they naturally ended up that way. They would deter a critter or two, but I doubted they could stave off an assaulting predator.

    Furthermore, the sticks they gathered formed an imperfect wall with only a thin hole to enter and exit. The stacked branches almost resembled the natural state of the roots before they were sted away.

    "Will this be safe?" I asked Suda, pointing at the den. My eyes and lips twitched with anxiety as I imagined such a brittle defense trying to stand up against one of those bears again.

    She looked at me with a yful smile andughed. "''Course it''s safe! Shruggie did it, after all!"

    I cringed from dashed expectations. "But, it''s so..."

    "Random? Lemme tell ya somethin'' Agawa." Suda paused, grabbed me by the shoulders, and exchanged eye contact. Oddly, her usual cheerful tone became serious and firm. "There''s one thing you''ll learn here: if you wanna stay alive, you hide. Sure, you can have thick walls, but nothin''s safer than not bein'' noticed in the first ce."

    She tilted her head, swinging her ponytail to the side, and smiled. "Ya get me?"

 Chapter 63 Breaking Bread, Part One

    ?As I considered Suda''s words, I realized that, despite their shy fighting style, these three preferred to remain inconspicuous whenever possible.

    After a moment of reflection, I turned to Suda and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I understand."

    Suda returned my nod with a smile, and we traveled inside. When we entered, I examined Sato and Takahashi''s bodies.

    ''Wow, they''re actually pretty well taken care of!'' It appeared that every effort was made to ensure theirfort. They were set up with makeshift beds made from interwoven grass and sliced-off bear fur. Adding warmth to the makeshift bed was a modest firepit near a well-ventted hole.

    ''That exins the light,'' I thought with a slight smile, happy to see my injuredpanions resting sofortably.

    Though I thought that, I couldn''t be sure how much warmth the fire emitted. Considering it was barely past a state of embers. ''Makes sense; it''d suck if we burned this ce down,'' I sighed.

    Takagi obviously wasn''t the culprit of such nice treatment, so I stole a nce at the only person who could''ve been responsible. ''Is it possible? Did Shrug take care of them?! Is this monstrous, hammer-swinging, seemingly apathetic guy actually considerate toward others?!'' I was bbergasted.

    After us, Mizuno and the sisters entered our makeshift shelter.

    "Good work, everyone," Mizuno said tly.

    "Good work tah ya too!" Suda smiled cheerily while humming to herself.

    Mizuno smiled, then she and the sisters stashed the brown leather rucksacks in the corner of the room. After that, The sisters opted to sit near Takahashi and Sato while Mizuno rummaged through her rucksack.

    It was apparent what the sisters were doing. Aside from sitting as far away as possible, they kept casting uneasy nces at the spot where Nakamura died.

    Looking toward where he died myself, I noticed a thick but dried red stain on the tree''s base. Tied to that stain were constant reminders of our time together. Our meeting in the dungeons of that mansion, our escape...his death.

    "He''s really gone..." I muttered, clutching a fist tight to my chest. The memories of him were a chain, shackling and dispiriting my sinking heart. However, I still wouldn''t want to forget him or what he did for us.

    "What happened to..." I paused, feeling the words choke in my throat. I took a deep breath and regained myposure. "What happened to Nakamura''s body?" I finally asked, gazing at Kamida, who rested near the fire.

    "We buried him outside," Kamida replied with a weary voice. "A man of his stature deserved that much, at least."

    ''That exins his muddied hands,'' I thought to myself.

    Kamida''s expression was as tired as his voice as he leaned backward and mumbled. "I...I can''t believe he''s..." he stopped himself from going any further, resolving to shake his head in disbelief.

    "We?" I took a nce at Takagi, who was still practically non-existent. With a better glimpse of him, I saw numerous bloodstained bandages snaking across his injuries.

    ''They look so painful.'' A fact Takagi hid well, given his reactionless demeanor. His state was almost vegetative. Seeing him so...broken...and now that I had a chance, I knew what to do.

    "Are you okay, Takagi?" I called out, taking steps to him and kneeling. I reached out, trying to grasp his hand with mine, fully expecting him to pull away as you''d expect from a rebellious punk. But he didn''t; instead, he only sat there, unresponsive to me.

    "Takagi?" I crouched low to the floor, trying to meet his gaze. "Are you okay?"

    Our eyes met, but I knew he wasn''t seeing me, not really. Takagi was lost in his own thoughts, seemingly tuning out the world around him.

    "I''m worried about you," I muttered, feeling a creeping unease filling my body. Seeing him so quiet and docile was unnerving, especially whenparing it to the reckless confidence he''d always had before.

    "Did he really help you?" I asked Kamida with hopeful optimism. Knowing that Takagi moved, even just to help bury the one he mourned, would''ve put my mind at ease.

    To my sadness, Kamida solemnly shook his head and gestured toward Shrug. He was sitting near our den''s doorway, acting as a natural door and barricading us from the outside.

    "I see," I responded woefully. Sighing, I took ast look at Takagi and grimaced. ''There''s nothing I can do for him...'' My heart seized up as I realized that fact and backed away.

    Turning away, I took several steps before reaching my standing spot near the door. From there, I caught a closer glimpse of Shrug''s body. His stature, even while sitting, was huge and imposing.

    The bulging mass of muscles that hid underneath his apron was more visible from where I was. They were honed to the point of having steel-like durability, and his hands appeared capable of grinding a stone to dust.

    ''It makes sense,'' Iughed, ''the guy went toe to toe with a mutant grizzly, a quillbeast, after all. So naturally, he''d be a monster too.'' Speaking of monsters, I couldn''t keep my eyes off the outdoors after today''s events.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Though I kept ncing back at Suda and the other two, just in case they''d try anything, my attention was drawn to the outdoors like a moth to a me.

    ''What could be out there? Hiding? Waiting to kill us?'' I felt that behind every tree and every bush and every rock was an intruder. ''Someone could be out there right now. Waiting for their chance,'' I bit my bottom lip in anxiety.

    In my mind, aside from the people I escaped with, everyone was an enemy. Everyone else was out to kill us.

    I reflexively inched my hand toward the knife hidden underneath my shirt. The steel was warm as it rested against my thigh and bare belly for the day.

    After several minutes of rummaging, Mizuno pulled an item from one of the rucksacks. Her movements prompted me to be on my guard, but that deted when I saw a small slice of stale, golden bread in her hand. She then moved to the firece and sat herself down.

    Following Mizuno''s lead, Suda walked to the tree''s base, stashed her gear, and sat cross-legged opposite her. She hummed pleasantly while rocking her head from side to side as she started butchering the game we''d killed for dinner.

    "Anythin'' bad?" Suda asked, leaning in toward Mizuno.

    "No..." Mizuno replied, staring at the fire''s orange-yellow ashes, "but we''re leaving before dawn." She pulled down the hood of her cloak, exposing more of her face''s features.

    Mizuno''sbat prowess was impressive, but it was her fair, milky-white skin and deep purple hair that caught my attention. Her hair cascaded down just below her neck, and her full pink lips gleamed in the dim light of the embers from the firece. Even though her hair was slightly disheveled, likely from wearing a hood, it only added to her allure. Mizuno was undeniably beautiful, a true knockout.

    "What''d ya see?" Suda asked while nonchntly removing a squirrel''s heart.

    ''That''s disgustingly amazingly disgusting...'' I cringed. I was torn between being impressed at how casual Suda was about the gore and smell or being in disturbed by it. For me, the sight of red and pink entrails wasn''t a wee one, so I felt the intense urge to avert my gaze.

    ''I can''t... I can''t look away. They might do something to the food if I do!'' I doubled my efforts and locked my eyes on the gutting.

    But then Suda dipped her hand into the entrails, causing the organs to squelch between her fingers.

    ''Nope, I can''t do this,'' I turned away, feeling the onset of nausea. Seeing her fingers squirming inside what used to be a living animal''s chest cavity was still too much for me.

    I peeked at Mizuno to see she wasn''t affected by the grotesque disy. She just crunched away and swallowed a chunk of bread. After clearing her throat, she responded, "a wrecked rune-coach on the side of an open road. We can''t stay here for long."

    "You guys stole a rune-coach?!" Suda eximed from behind me.

    Without turning back, I replied, "Are you talking about the carriage? If you are, then yeah. We did.."

    On my back and neck, I could feel the burning admiration of a country girl archer. I turned to see her frozen in ce, a squirrel''s heart in her hand and staring at me wide-eyed with excitement.

    "Man! I had all ''o'' ya pegged for ipetence, but to steal something like that is no easy task!" she loudly giggled while skewering a squirrel on a sharpened stick to roast.

    Setting aside her tant insult, I was surprised at her assertion about it "not being easy." Considering how we acquired it, beating up a few drunks, I couldn''t think of it as any easier than that.

    "So, these ''rune-coaches''..." I questioned, "are they typically heavily guarded?"

    Suda boisterouslyughed. Her excitement was so much that she had to pull away her knife for fear of cutting herself. "Whaaat?! You stole one! Obviously, you should know they are!"

    "But...it wasn''t guarded?" I replied with a puzzled look. "I mean, it was practically given to us."

    The deceivingly warm atmosphere turned cold after what I said.

    It wasn''t just Suda who shifted to a suspicious re, but Mizuno also shot me a look of disbelief while Shrugtched a hand to his hammer.

    ''Did I say something wrong?'' I wondered in shock. Given their immediate looks of hostility and surprise, I must''ve.

    "Hey..." Suda spoke in a low tone and tightened her grip on her knife. "Could you tell us how exactly you escaped again?" Though she smiled, I could feel the animosity and intent to kill brewing underneath.

    "Huh?" was my only reply. ''Are they showing their true colors? Are they going to kill us?!''

 Chapter 64 Breaking Bread, Part Two

    ?Mizuno red at me with chilling eyes, "I think it''s time you answered our questions."

    "Huh?" I had to repeat my thoughts out loud. It was my attempt at making sense of what was going on. ''What happened again?''

    One moment Suda was giggling uncontrobly about us stealing a rune-coach, and the mood was rtively amenable despite my distrust in them.

    ''So why? Why, and how, did things shift so quickly to bloodlust?!'' Why did Suda have a glint of murder in her eyes while she glowered at me, hands on her hunting knife?

    Why was Shrug, the man who took such good care of Sato, Takagi, and Takashi, brandishing his hammer with the intent to use it?

    Unlike the other two, Mizuno hadn''t drawn either of her swords. No, her hands were upied after she''d crossed and locked them together. She leaned in closer, faintly illuminating her hands and jaw with an orange glow from the campfire embers.

    I took a gulp in suspense, and the room went silent. The only exception was the crackling and snapping of twigs as they converted to cinders in the firepit.

    Then, breaking the silence, Mizuno spoke up. Her words were calm and confident, devoid of any unease. "Tell us how you all escaped."

    My mind was in paralysis. ''Do I say what happened? Do I not? Do I lie?'' I realized that we were at a crossroads. A crossroads where someone''s life could be snuffed out if I made the wrong choice.

    ''Maybe they have an idea!'' I desperately looked to my allies for answers.

    Takagi hadn''t budged an inch; he remained transfixed on Nakamura''s sk. He was still intently focused on the silvery shine of the metal, dull to the world around him.

    Takagi remained motionless, his gaze fixed on Nakamura''s sk. He was so intently focused on the metal''s silvery shine that he seemed oblivious to everything else around him.

    The sisters were no use either. Hikari hid fearfully behind her sister''s back while Ayame scowled and scowled at a now hostile Suda.

    Finally, Kamida was-

    "Hey!" he boldly asserted, apparently staging an intervention. "Why don''t we all calm do-" but a vertically spinning knife cut off his words. It whizzed and grazed the thin hairs on his cheek before burrowing deep into the tree''s base beside him with a sharp thud.

    Unlike her hunting knife, the dagger was razor-thin and "dart-like." It had a small, unwrapped steel handle and various serrated bits running along both sides of its de.

    If that thing had burrowed into someone, it''d undoubtedly shred their insides, leaving their guts a bloody mess.

    Kamida must''ve also imagined the consequences, given how his eyes widened in fear and froze, revealing every bit of the whites within them.

    Kamida and I both eyed Suda, whose free hand was pointed toward him with a loosened but nearly clenched fist.

    ''Guess it''s clear who threw it.''

    "Ya should know," Suda eyed Kamida with a killer''s grin, "I don''t miss twice. You should siddown," she gestured her hand toward the floor.

    Though he momentarily choked at the threat, Kamida''s next move shocked me. He muttered something to do with courage, and rather than buckling to fear, he becameposed.

    "Friends..." Kamida pleaded, "surely you''d prefer a cordial conversation. We''re happy to answer any of your questions!" He then focused his gaze on Mizuno, who red back at him. "Please, you should know fear never yields a good answer during an interrogation."

    "Sit down!" Suda demanded, baring her teeth toward Kamida.

    But he pressed on, ignoring Suda''s orders, and stepped toward Mizuno with outstretched arms. "Miss... Please! I''m unsure what has you so upset, but surely it isn''t worth a conflict!"

    "I warned ya, buddy..." Suda sighed and motioned quickly for another throwing knife. Just as she''d pulled her hand back to view, dart-dagger in hand, hers was stopped by Mizuno''s grip.

    "Yuu?" Suda turned and quizzically questioned Mizuno. "What are ya doin''?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It''s fine," Mizuno assured, then looked back toward Kamida, "sit. We''ll talk...peaceably," she motioned for Suda and Shrug to lower their guard and return to what they''d been doing.

    Shrug immediately followed the order by releasing his hammer and resuming a non-hostile stance, but Suda wasn''t convinced.

    "Yuu... Are ya really sure ''bout this?" Her grip on her weapons, like her willingness to follow Mizuno''s direction, shakily wavered.

    "I said it''s fine," Mizunomanded again. "Besides, you can tell if they''re lying, can''t you?" she grinned slightly.

    Suda smiled back and fully returned to a state of calmness. "Ya got it, Yuu; I guess you''re right." she thenughed and returned to her usual cheer. "You''re always right!"

    Even though the open hostilities had subsided, Kamida, the sisters, and I were still locked in unease over the recent events. Nevertheless, our concern could not stave off the relentless questioning that ensued.

    On and on, while Suda prepared more squirrels to roast, Mizuno checked our story with a fine-toothb. She asionally called upon Suda, and she''d into our eyes. ording to Mizuno, Suda was checking us for lies or something like that.

    It was an odd thing to do, but who knows with this ce. So I decided not to put that much thought into it.

    We discussed everything. From the time we arrived at the tower... To the mansion... To the dungeon and our escape.

    Everything about our hellish day was left entirely bare. The most challenging parts of the story were the ones that inspired memories of Nakamura.

    Takagi was especially broken up by Nakamura''s mention.

    Despite being unresponsive to almost everything, it looked like Nakamura''s name was a tether that kept Takagi from abandoning sense altogether. His pained expression became even more pronounced when we noted our time in the dark tunnels with the dogs.

    Finally, an hour and a halfter, we''d arrived at our confrontation with the quillbeast. As well as our first encounter with the three of them: Shrug, Suda, and Mizuno.

    "That''s about it," I wearily concluded, hoping my recap of today''s events would appease them.

    "Wait," Suda asked, "do you even know why you were brought here, Agawa? Do any of you know why you were brought here?" She cast her gaze around the room, analyzing each of our expressions.

    Mine was definitely one of confusion. Though it was a question I always wanted to ask, it was never one I could get an answer to; I was too busy trying to keep my life intact.

    Likewise, the sisters had no idea. They both shook their heads, giving a decisive "no."

    But Kamida? Kamida hadn''t moved an inch. Instead, he went oddly silent. He crossed his hands and covered his mouth, breaking out in a cold sweat.

    I couldn''t be sure what he was thinking, but they definitely weren''t memories of happiness.

    "Oh...you look like you do." Suda leaned in, probing Kamida for more details. "So? Do ya know why you were brought here?"

    "I-I''m not sure," he stammered.

    Suda lit up with a grin. "Ohoho, it''s not good for ya to lie. In fact, I''d highly suggest ya don''t." Within her words was the undeniable tone of a threat. Like me with them, they hadn''t fully trusted us yet.

    He looked at her with eyes of angst and terror. Then, trembling at his own words, he replied, "is it true? Were we... Was our group really summoned to be eaten?"

    His words bewildered not just me but Ayame and Hikari too. They both looked on in horror. "Now''s not the time for dark jokes!" I snapped at Kamida. But when I saw his face, I knew he was the definition of the word "serious."

    Sudaughed. "Yeaaaah... it''s a pretty shitty fate we summoned are facin'', huh?" she sighed.

    Upon hearing her, I mentally noted her use of the word "summoned." Between their names and calling herself a summoned made a fact I already suspected clear. ''These people...they''re from our world too.''

 Chapter 65 The Days End

    ?The air hung heavy for awhile after that as I, Ayame, and Hikari came to terms with Kamida''s words. Even so, the three strangers marched on.

    "What''d you think of their story?" Mizuno asked Suda, nodding in our direction.

    Suda cleared her throat briefly and took a breath. "Though I''m not sure what to think ''bout the fact they stole the coach that easy, I can guarantee ya they ain''t lyin''."

    Mizuno stopped, ced a hand against her lips, and stared into the crackling fire. Time stood still for several moments, only resuming once she looked at me and finalized her decision.

    "So now all of you know why you were brought here, right? To be served up as food on a golden tter for demons?" she thoroughly eyed each of us, specifically our reactions.

    ''Food? Demons? What the hell?!'' I was hesitant to believe it, to say the least.

    ''He wouldn''t lie about that, right?'' I nced at Kamida. He seemed to know what they were talking about, and I trusted him, so my one option was to believe him. To think that not only were our summoners trying to kill us, but go as far as eating us?!

    "Could you tell us what the HELL is going on?" Ayame said from behind me. She rose from her seat, but Mizuno waved her back down.

    "We''ll disclose everything," Mizuno affirmed. "But first, eat," she motioned to several squirrel carcasses impaled on sticks around the firepit. They were stripped of their skins and organs, leaving nothing but a husk of crispy browned muscle.

    Setting aside the fact that the flesh was squirrel, the food was exquisitely charred, barring a few ruined pieces of ckened streaks running alongside the meat.

    Mizuno, Suda, and Shrug each took a skewer and promptly munched away. Ravenously, they tore off and wolfed down caramelized tendons like they hadn''t eaten in days.

    "Whaddya waitin'' for?" Suda motioned to the rest of us. "Grab one and eat!"

    Ayame and I hesitantlyughed, stalling for time to think about our options. Meanwhile, Kamida had an expression of obvious curiosity fixed on his face.

    ''I hate to admit it, but it does smell good,'' I thought as the tantalizing, salty aroma wafted about, filling our hovel, and my nose,pletely. ''Still, I really don''t want to eat the food given by someone that already threatened us once...''

    We looked on at their small feast with growling stomachs but fearful minds, traumatized by what happened in the manor.

    Even Takagi was no exception to hunger''s temptations. Though he still nkly stared at Nakamura''s sk, his gut rumbled and stuttered like a small engine waiting to be filled with fuel.

    Eventually, Kamida once again took the lead. "Would you mind?" he asked, moving toward one of the skewers.

    "Absolutely! Help yerself; that''s what they''re there fer!" Suda cheerily smiled.

    After returning her smile and bowing, Kamida stepped forward and took hold of a skewer. Then, before backing away, he tore off a shred of flesh and offered it to Suda. "Would...you care to eat some?"

    "Say what?" Suda looked at him quizzically. "Is there somethin'' wrong with it?"

    "No, no, no, it''s just..." heughed and rubbed the back of his head.

    What Kamida wanted must''ve clicked with Suda, given how her expression lit up with an epiphany. She swallowed another chunk of meat before saying, "Ohhhhhh, I see. Yup, I guess the bloodsuckers like to drug ya, huh?" Then,ughing, she leaned forward and, like a wild animal, viciously snapped the strip of squirrel flesh from his hand.

    As if to emphasize her point, Suda made very vocal humming noises of satisfaction and chewed as dramatically as possible. "Mmmmmm, yum, yum, very delicious!"

    The first to sumb to her tactics was Ayame. Her stomach rumbled and growled as she salivated at the thought of food. "That''s it; I can''t take it anymore!" she eximed, reaching for a skewer for herself and Hikari. "I don''t care if it''s rat meat; I''m starving!"

    Ayame took a crisp crunch from the meat and handed one skewer to her sister.

    "Uhh, n-no, I''m okay, Sis," Hikari waved her hands in refusal. "I''m not very hungry right now." Following her meek deration was an even meekerugh.

    "Eat!" Ayame practically shoved the squirrel meat into Hikari''s mouth. "I think it''s gross too, but we don''t know when we''ll get to eat again. So eat!"

    It took a bit of force, but Ayame eventually convinced Hikari to take hers. Hikari''s expression forced a grimace as she took a chunk from the squirrel, but that soon faded to odd satisfaction.

    "It isn''t bad?" Hikari mumbled with a stunned expression.

    "Nope! Meat is meat!" Sudaughed. "Plus, if yer travelin'' with us, ya should..." she paused and donned a look of distress, "ya should get used to eating squirrels."

    I reached for a second helping of food to offer Takagi, but Mizuno stopped me with a gentle hand on mine. "He''ll eat when he''s ready," she firmly asserted.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I opened my mouth to protest, but when I looked into her azure eyes, lit up with orange reflections from the fire, I felt reassured. It was as if she could see the future and knew everything would be alright. Her calm and sincere demeanor washed away my unease, and I obediently returned to my spot on the ground.

    Looking at my own skewer, I resolved to take a bite. ''Just pretend it''s chicken,'' I nervously giggled and closed my eyes. I brought the skewer close and mped my teeth down on it, tearing off a piece.

    ''Hikari''s right! It''s not disgusting!'' After chewing off and gnawing at the slightly burnt flesh, I nearly wept a tear of joy. I was happy to finally fill my belly.

    "I''m not sure who coined the term ''hunger makes the best seasoning,'' but they''re absolutely right!" Kamida eximed with a look of flushed satisfaction.

    Following his assertion, we all shared a mutual, quietugh.

    He was right, though! Despite the fact I was eating unseasoned and dried tidbits of rodent from a stick, it was like a five-star meal!

    "Now that we all have food, Miss Mizuno, Miss Suda," Kamida spoke again, breaking the uniform sound of crunching meat and smacking lips, "would you mind filling us in on what you know?"

    Suda looked toward Mizuno with unsure eyes, seemingly asking for permission. When Mizuno nodded back, Suda returned her gaze back to Kamida.

    "Welp, looks like Yuu''s okay with it! Sure thing!" she gulped thest piece of meat from her skewer and threw it into the fire. It speedily ckened before incinerating into darkened ash.

    She cleared her throat and beckoned us all to move in closer. "So, first, lemme con-"

    "Could you tell me where you''re all from?!" I hastily interjected. I desperately wanted to ask the question but hadn''t had a chance until now. I was beyond doubt they were from Japan, but I had to be sure.

    Suda giggled and returned my curious gaze in kind. "Figures that''d be yer first question. I thought our names made it obvious, though."

    "I just wanted to hear you say it," I affirmed.

    "Makes sense," Suda replied. Then, motioning toward a disinterested Mizuno, Suda gave me a charming, almost luminous grin. "Meet Lt. Mizuno Yuki! She''s the icy flower of Tokyo PD! Oh, and of Earth, Japan. Kinda ridiculous that I gotta specify that, but you know."

    Mizuno refrained from saying anything, but a distinct eye-roll was made upon hearing the "icy flower" title.

    ''I guess she''s not fond of the title,'' I snickered.

    "As fer me," Suda mischievously grinned, " I''m Corporal Suda Asuka! Of the same ce! Feel free to call me whatever!"

    "And him?" I pointed toward the giant in the room. The one that was nkly picking his teeth free from squirrel bits with his empty skewer.

    Suda nced at the man, sped her hands excitedly, and eximed, "no idea! We call him Shrug!"

    I was taken aback by her response. ''Isn''t ''Shrug'' her ally? How could she not even know his name?! She''s joking right?'' I figured there was no way you could trust a stranger to have your back, especially in a world like this.

    I shakily raised my hand and asked, "Uhhmm, what do you mean ''no idea?''"

    Suda returned my question with a quizzical stare and tilted her head. "Exactly what I said? He don''t talk much, and he never talks about himself. In fact, he mostly just shrugs at everything," she pointed to Shrug, to which he shrugged in response. "See? So we named ''im Shrug!"

    "Huuhhhh," I was too tired to question anything anymore. I had no idea what the time was, but it was time for this hellish day to finallye to a close.

    "Yup! That''s Shruggie! We found him hammering away at some bloodsuckers while traveling, so we had ''im join us!" she let out a charmingugh.

    Finally, while the conscious members of our group officially introduced themselves, thest cinders of our campfire died out to darkness, symbolizing our day''s end.

    My eyes became heavy, and my sight blurred. The ache in my muscles and joints were just as impairing. My entire body felt like it was shutting down, even to the point where I''d consider hibernating for weeks to recover my strength.

    ''I''m too tired to think of escaping anymore,'' I sighed. Besides, hearing concretely those two were of my world, police officers no less, I felt I could finally rest easy. Like I could finally wake up from my nightmare.

    Right before sleep took me, I overheard a hushed exchange between the three.

    Suda''s bright demeanor faded to a serious tone devoid of humor. "What should we do?" she asked Mizuno. "Do you wanna trust ''em?"

    Mizuno took a breath and paused. Then, a few momentster, she said, "We''re taking them with us... We''re going to Freehaven."

 Chapter 66 A Night In The Woods, Part One

    ?A light flurry of pearly white snow. My insted runner''s tracksuit, green as the Spring''s first grass. A massive gathering ce filled to the brim with shining new youths, Hokkaido''s best and brightest.

    I found myself inside that familiar scene.

    After seeing a faceless pair of panicking students, I remembered. There was a specific event fast approaching. It was an event that teachers and students alike loathed because of the stress it brought: tests.

    I''d been agonizing and agonizing over them. Every day I was left utterly drained as I bnced all of my daily responsibilities. I was the Track and Field club captain, a top academic student, a social butterfly, and even an avid volunteer formunity service.

    Why was I overloading myself with so much, you ask? Expectations.

    EVERYONE had an expectation of me. Everyone expected me to perform well in all facets of my life, from my parents to the teachers and even other students.

    Because of that, life always felt so...suffocating. It was like I''d been tossed into a churning whirlpool, left at the mercy of multiple twisting tides created by the image others had for me and my future.

    The expectations of others were why I always hated my life. Because of those expectations my life wasn''t mine anymore; it was owned by the people around me.

    I wanted to be free from all of them so badly, to disappear and start over.

    "Hey, Saya!!! You''ve got this!"

    After those words, I realized I''d been running. The rapid crunching of gravel beneath my dirtied white sneakers confirmed that.

    Without straying from the painted white lines on the snow-stained track course, I averted my gaze toward the snowy banks on my right to see my best friend, Aiko, cheering back at me.

    "Keep running, Saya! Breathe!" She''d been cupping her hands over her mouth to amplify her cheering.

    Her voice was always soothing and yful; it drained any fatigue I''d felt and empowered me to try harder.

    I smiled back at her, returned my sights to the course, and took a throat-burning breath of frigid air. After my exhale, I elerated exponentially, gliding down the path ahead of me as quickly as possible.

    At first, I hated running; it was something my parents forced me into when they thought I was "wasting my youth." But, as time flowed and the annoyance became routine, I realized my love for it.

    While running, I was free from the machinations of others. It was just me, my two legs, and my drive to beat the few people that could keep up with me.

    Running was...liberating.

    I genuinely felt I could stay on this empty track with Aiko forever. It was a thought that gave me evesting joy.

    After I passed ap, I looked back to where Aiko had been, ready to give a triumphant smile, but she was long gone. Likewise, everything around me began fading away from view.

    The buildings decayed to dust, falling apart down to every molecule. The once gentle snowfall became darkened red and pelted me in a rain of blood.

    "Ai?!" I shouted, frantically looking around for her, for anyone. My heart raced with fear as I realized the life I''dmented had fallen away into a nightmare.

    In my panic, I tried to stop myself from sprinting, but my legs refused me. Instead, they kept thrusting me forward relentlessly, dragging me with reckless abandon.

    Laps became endless as the curves twisted and contorted before my eyes, forming an ever-expanding straight road.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    My breathing became erratic, and a wet sensation streamed down my cheeks. Though I hadn''t noticed it, I started bawling at some point.

    I cried, but my whimpers were stifled when I heard a horde of howls, cackles, and growls from behind me.

    I turned to see I was being pursued by what I could only describe as hell itself. A swarm of shadow-cloaked dogs, dozens of ground-smashing quillbeasts, and even a caste of filth-ridden dungeon guards.

    They all shuffled in my direction, reaching for me however they could to pull me back into an abyss of despair.

    So I faced forward, ducked my head, and ran.

    I ran through a corpse-filled street stained red with blood and gore where hooked corpses lined every street light. I ran through a pit of screams where faceless people were carved apart by knives and devoured.

    I ran and ran, unsure if I''d ever make it out alive.

    Hell, at this point, I think I would''ve smiled at the thought of death. The idea of endlessly, frantically, desperately trying to escape it was too much for me to bear.

    The chorus of the underworld grew closer, so I nced back. Though I was the fastest in my ss, the fastest in the prefecture even, my speed wasn''t enough to deter my pursuers forever.

    Over time, they gradually gained on me. A few momentster, they were close enough for the dogs to snap their teeth at my heels.

    An image of Nakamura appeared in my mind; it formed when I felt the pressure of fangs mping down on my foot. The dog tugged and dragged me off bnce, forcing me to facent into a pool of blood below. My face, my tracksuit, everything was stained crimson.

    Then, snarling, the dog dragged me backward to my fate.

    Everything happened at once. My clothes were torn off by the guards, my skin was shredded by dozens of canine fangs, and my limbs were outstretched by the mping jaws of massive, mutant bears.

    It was so overwhelming that the pain hadn''t even mattered anymore. With every cell of my body in agony, it started to feel normal.

    Finally, a quillbeast hovered over me, its mouth utched, and snapped its teeth shut over my head.

    It was then that I woke up.

    My heart thrashed painfully against my chest as I clutched it with one hand. I felt soaked, so I ran my other hand over my body and underneath my soaked blouse. I was terrified by the thought that the blood from the nightmare had transferred to reality.

    I brought my hand back to view to reveal a transparent moisture. "Thank god..." I let out a weary sigh of relief. "It''s just sweat."

    Though there was no blood... Though there were no dogs, quillbeasts, or dungeon guards, one thing had be a reality from the nightmare.

    Out of the corners of my eyes, a steady stream of clear liquid poured forth down my face, blurring my already strained vision.

    I brought both hands to clutch my eyes and wept quietly within the darkness of our hovel.

    "I miss home..."

 Chapter 67 A Night In The Woods, Part Two

    ?In trying to tame my wild breathing and stifled cries, I forced multiple chest-expanding breaths.

    ''Breathe in, breathe out... Breathe in, breathe out...'' Like a mantra, I repeated this in my mind over and over to pace myself while clutching my hands against my chest.

    Finally, after several minutes of my exercises, I reached a point of mental tranquility. Aside from an asional, involuntary gasp for air, my breathing stabilized.

    I stood up only to stumble backward, smacking my head on the tree''s base. Given my weariness and previous fit of sobs, my mind was still too delirious for precise movement.

    "Ah...damn..." I griped, rubbing the spot of impact on the back of my head and feeling the onset of light swelling.

    I squinted my eyes and used the natural moonlight to gauge the surrounding room. What I saw were mypanions scattered across the floor, sleeping soundly. Or most of them, at least.

    Out of our group, two were nowhere to be seen. One was Shrug, which hadn''t surprised me since Mizuno said the three of them would alternate shifts to watch for danger.

    Aside from him, there was still one vacancy to be addressed. Takagi, shockingly, was absent from his ce of rest.

    "Where did he wander off to?" I tiredly mumbled. But that''s when I heard it. It was faint, but a clear, audible pattern of squelching flesh and cracking bone, followed by violent grunting, resounded from the outdoors.

    I''ll admit I could feel my blood run cold, and my heart seized up in fear. Especially after my nightmare, stress had umted to the point of bursting inside me. ''What''s out there?'' I balled my hands up into fists, ready to strike first if I had to.

    I was terrified. Still, my curiosity overwrote my worry as I slowly paced to our den''s exit.

    Step by step, the vicious sounds of gore became louder and more pronounced. When I finally stepped outside, I was greeted by the pale embrace of scattered moonlight...and the huge scarred arm of a man-giant barring me from continuing.

    "Sh-Shrug?" I angled my gaze upward to match his.

    His expression was fierce and forceful while he shook his head "no" and pushed me backward.

    Unsure of what was happening, I thought there were intruders. So I whispered, "what''s happ-" but was interrupted by a savage growl.

    After hearing it, I remembered what I''d initially set out to do and searched for the origin of the noise.

    What I saw next was a man left unhinged by emotions and trauma. He stood over the quillbeast''s carcass, drenched in blood from head to toe. He looked like I did...in my nightmare.

    He had a sword in hand, Takagi''s longsword, and raised it toward the moon before slicing it deep into the quillbeast''s body. This motion was repeated several times, with each sessive incision bing more brutal and reckless than thest.

    "Fuck. You. You. God. Damn. BEAR!" With every swing, he snarled and grunted, filling the once tranquil night forests with the sounds of a man gone mad. His fury, his sadness, his angst, all of it imbued into his attacks and the air around him.

    The man''s visage was familiar to me, and I definitely knew his voice. The behavior, however, wasn''t his at all. Rather than his usual yful but punk-like nature, it was like he was a true demon, a murderous beast given human form.

    "DIE! DIE!" he repeated, over and over again.

    After several minutes of him hacking away, the corpse was barely recognizable. It was reduced to a pile of tattered skin, snapped bone, ripped cartge, and severed organs.

    Now that his "enemy" was obliterated into a pile of flesh, he loosened his grip and dropped the blood-soaked de. It ttered onto the turf below with a blunt thud, and he turned toward us.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Although his eyes were flooded with tears, they could do nothing to quell the wildfire of unbridled rage that hid beneath his gaze.

    He winced at us and averted his eyes, seemingly ashamed of his actions. Then, when the air of frustrated embarrassment became too much for him to bear, he made a beeline toward the den''s entrance, straight past Shrug and me.

    "Out of my way," he choked while avoiding eye contact.

    The horrid stench of filthy pennies permeated my nostrils when he ran by. Given that he was covered by so much rotten blood, I guess it was to be expected.

    After crinkling my nose in disgust, I nced at Shrug. He stared at the pile of quillbeast flesh with an unflinching expression, then shook his head. Finally, he sighed deeply before shrugging and returning his attention to me.

    "Sleep," he said, gesturing for me to return inside.

    And so I followed his instruction, again attempting to find sleep''s embrace. But, between bloody memories and even bloodier nightmares, small bouts of rest ranging between a few minutes to a few hours became the best I could aplish before jerking back awake.

    I tossed and turned the whole night, reying everything that had happened since I came here in vivid detail. All the way until dawn''s first light split between the trees and spilled into our shelter''s entrance.

    Quite a bit happened that following morning.

    Takahashi woke up from unconsciousness in a hysteria-fueled panic. However, he calmed down once we exined the situation to him. In fact, even more so than Kamida, the sisters, Takagi, or me, he''d expressed overwhelming joy and interest in our three saviors.

    He excitedly asked many questions, which shocked me, considering his timid personality until now.

    Some were as simple as how long they''d been surviving as fugitives in this new world (roughly seven months), while others had to do with details such as what types of magic they could use. Eventually, his questions became too incessant and hard to answer due to trust issues, so they stopped answering them altogether.

    ''Must be an otaku,'' I thought, staring nkly at Takahashi. Though I had to admire how giddy he was despite everything that''s happened so far.

    Next, after they silenced Takahashi''s questioning, we moved to breakfast. It was the gray rabbit Suda, and I had caught yesterday, paired with bread rations they had on hand for traveling in their packs.

    Since Sato was still unconscious, Mizuno created some kind of liquid paste from bread and water to feed him.

    After the meal, Mizuno forcibly washed Takagi with a torrent of water magic to clear him from his stink. She was worried his smell could attract more predators during our travels.

    He''d protested against her slightly with growls and profanity. However, he was still too distraught by Nakamura''s death to resist as he typically would.

    Looking at him, I couldn''t help but remember his murderous expression fromst night, an image that sent chills up my spine. I couldn''t be sure what kinds of demons he''d had hiding beneath his skin now.

    Next, Bandages were tended to and changed by Suda. To my joy, Sato''s wounds had all but nearly vanished, minus the fresh new scars they''d left. Even Takagi''s injuries had healed significantly over the night, leaving only slight scabbing and shallow cuts.

    When Kamida and I expressed our awe, Suda exined that their bandages were specially made. She didn''t know exactly how, but she''d divulged how the wrapping was infused with various herbs and substances that stimted healing.

    Once everything had been taken care of, we finally began a three-day trek to what Mizuno and Suda had described as "Freehaven." A ce they specifically described as "our first step toward freedom."

 Chapter 68 A Few Days Walk

    ?Three days had already been spent walking through endless vegetation and untamed wilderness.

    Three. Whole. Days.

    Seeing how the Sun had been hiding away from view and giving way to the shadows of the new moon, I guess it''d be four days now.

    During our travels, the three leading us discussed many things about this new world, intel they gathered from interrogating enemy agents and intercepting messages, or so they imed.

    First, the world we''d been summoned to was named Gaia.

    Like Earth, it wasprised of seven continents: Arcadia, Gelum, The Opes Inds, Primordia, Salmawet, Alfheim, and, finally, the continent we''d been summoned to, Merideam.

    Though they hadn''t had much information regarding most of them, they''d discovered that the "summoning" phenomenon was apparently worldwide. That all across this, hundreds of thousands of "heroes" were being teleported to their deaths as mere hunks of flesh to be served.

    Thanks to Kamida''s questioning, they also discussed the irritating neck choker we''d been given at the manor. I had wholly forgotten about it by now since agony had be my body''s default setting.

    Still, my curiosity and frustration were piqued when the topic was brought up again. It also brought up vile memories I''d rather not have recalled that gave rise to shivers up my spine.

    They told us the cors were called "mana-chokers," and they actively suppressed our ability to use magic.

    The "bloodsuckers," as Suda calls them, ensure heroes are equipped with mana-chokers since we were all incredibly dangerous if allowed the opportunity to harness ourtent magical abilities.

    When we''d asked Suda how to get the cors off, Mizuno said they had a method. Sadly we had to wait until we reached what I assumed was their base of operations, Freehaven.

    The discussion of the cors did raise a question with the three, though. They''d asked how and why Sato hadn''t at all been cored. I wasn''t sure myself, either, but Kamida and I both exined how he''d helped everyone escape certain death.

    They''d still harbored a few suspicions toward him but relented eventually. They must''ve figured there was no point in questioning an unconscious man.

    Still...thinking of everything they had told me... A few days ago, I wouldn''t have believed any of this. I would have... I HAVE scoffed at the idea of magic existing...at the idea of being in another world.

    Takagi too.

    He would''ve no doubt hurled insults recklessly and taunted them as they exined the circumstances. But now? Now he''d just locked himself away from the world, retreating into his own to avoid the cruelty of reality.

    This world had seemingly been systematically breaking down the people we once were.

    As such, I was now listening intently to every word rather than scoffing at them, knowing that this world made the impossible...possible.

    Sadly, retaining what they''d been talking about was another story since I was utterly deprived of rest.

    At Mizuno''s behest, we relentlessly trudged forward, only stopping for sleep for a maximum of six hours per session. However, thanks to my newfound insomnia, courtesy of my trauma, you could whittle that time down to three.

    I couldn''t see myself, but I had to imagine myplexion resembled that of a corpse at this point. My eyelids weighed heavy, desperately trying to give way to sleep. But I couldn''t; every time I closed my eyes, I saw piles and piles of bodies.

    It caused me more anguish to rest than to deprive myself further.

    Sleepless nights weren''t my only issue, as my feet and hands were enveloped by blisters, bruises, and cuts. Likewise, aside from Mizuno, Suda, and Shrug, mypanions each scored quite a few minor injuries from being poorly clothed for the outdoors.

    "Ah...shit...When are we gonna get to where we''re going?" Ayame griped as she picked a rogue twig out from her foot. She sat with her leg hoisted above her other knee and used a fallen log as a makeshift bench.

    Clinging to her back, as usual, was her sister Hikari. Out of us all, even Takagi, she was struggling the most.

    While Takagi was in total mental agony, he remained quiet and oddly reactionless the whole trip. I''d even go so far as to say he acted like a second Takahashi. Both were quiet and isted from the rest of the group.

    Meanwhile, Hikari was a sobbing mess, constantly wishing to wake up from our very real nightmare.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Seeing Hikari''s descent into hopelessness, Suda sighed and tried consoling her. "Hey," she waved after tossing another branch into our small campfire, "it''ll be fine. You''re safe now." But, like the stick, her assurances just burned and crackled away into ash. Even more so when Mizuno stepped forward.

    "Don''t lie to her," Mizuno interjected, "she''ll have to learn, or she''ll die." Like her nickname, her words were cold and unsympathetic.

    While I disagreed with Mizuno''s word choice, I did agree with her message.

    From what I could tell, this world was the peak of Darwinism. For potentially the rest of our lives, we''d have to live under thews of "kill or be killed."

    I certainly wasn''t ready to kill anyone, but I''d fight back tooth and nail if I had to.

    Ayame shot a furious re at Mizuno and gritted her teeth. "Hey! Don''t talk to my sister like that!" She proceeded to coddle Hikari, probably doing her sister more harm than good by babying her.

    Mizuno apparently had no interest in arguing; she merely rolled her eyes and took a seat to help Suda set our meal for the day.

    "More bread and squirrels," Suda looked on with a pained expression. "What I would give for some juicy bear ''bout now."

    Once we''d all be situated near the fire, few words were spoken. Though our minds were awake, our bodies must''ve shut down from exhaustion, aside from the three.

    We merely devoured our meager dinners before slipping off to sleep.

    ***

    The sweet melodies of passing birds, the swaying of trees against a soft summer wind, and blunted blows of fists against flesh. Those were the sounds that filled my half-conscious mind.

    "What the hell are ya doin''?!" Suda shouted frantically. "I swear I''ll shoot ya!"

    After hearing those words, my once-heavy body became weightless as I surged with adrenaline. ''Are we...under attack?!''

    I yanked Sato''s dagger from where I''d stashed it nearby and sprang to my feet, ready to wildly slice whatever monster awaited me.

    First I saw Suda, she wielded her shortbow and readied a feathered arrow against our assailer.

    Then, I spotted the likely assailer themselves.

    He''d exchanged blow after blow with Mizuno, with both expertly dodging and redirecting the other''s strikes.

    Despite that, I''d hardly say their skills were on level with each other. Given how the intruder still managed to keep up while simultaneously evading Shrug''s attempts at subduing him.

    In fact, he''d used their teamwork against them. Once Shrug threw another grapple with his hulking hands, the intruder used Shrug''s massive size as a mask against Mizuno.

    He buckled his legs and dodged toward the campfire, took a handful of cooled ash, and thrust it into Mizuno''s eyes.

    Her irritated grunts mixed with Suda''s panicked shouts.

    "Yuu!!!" Suda stepped forward, trying to angle a shot.

    But she couldn''t fire; the area surrounding him and Mizuno became encased in a shroud of ashen smoke as he slipped behind a blinded Mizuno.

    After sweeping her off her feet, he folded Mizuno''s arms to her back and pinned her to the ground. Finally, he grasped one of her swords from beneath her cloak and angled it to pierce her throat.

    Once the smoke cleared, I''d finally gotten a clear view of his face. His expression was one of a man who''d take no more chances. Like he was ready to defy his fate and survive, no matter the cost.

    "Sato?"

 Chapter 69 A Misunderstanding, Part One

    ?***Sato POV***

    ''Where... Where am I?'' Thest thing I remembered was the searing pain of a ckened spear piercing my gut, followed by what was supposed to be death''s cold embrace...again...

    With an effort, I pried my eyes open, but my vision was still obscured by a hazy veil. The intensity of the re suggested that I must have been unconscious for several days. Curiosity getting the better of me, I tried to take stock of my surroundings.

    Despite my eyesight troubles, I could tell I was somewhere outdoors. The pelting of the Sun''s rays on my skin, the sweet scent of dew-dipped vegetation, and the pungent musk of moist soil guaranteed my assumption to be true.

    Beyond that...voices, two to be exact. Both were feminine, and both I hadn''t recognized.

    "Whatcha think we should do? Can I start cookin'' ''em?"

    "No," another stoically replied, "we''ve wasted too much time already; we''ll skip breakfast."

    "A... I''m damn hungry, though! Can I eat just one? I''m sure Shrug''s hungry too!"

    "Doesn''t matter. We can eat leftover meat on the road; that''ll be enough."

    Key phrases stood out to me from their conversation. The phrases that revolved around cooking, eating, and, most suspiciously, meat that had yet to be identified raised many red gs.

    ''Guess they''re saving me forst,'' I chuckled inside, realizing my captors hadn''t yet carved me into a tter.

    Subtly, so as not to attract attention, I flexed my arms and legs. To my surprise, they hadn''t been bound or secured in any way; a mistake my captors would dearly regret.

    Finally, through squinted eyelids, I discerned the silhouette of three figures.

    Two, as expected, were petite and feminine in build, with one having a bow slung over her shoulder. Thest was massive, practically a giant amongst men.

    Hundreds ofbat scenarios yed out in my mind since I''d assumed these three were vampires. Still, all ended with my death, given thebat capabilities I''d seen the species be capable of so far.

    Though the odds were grim, I felt good. Really good, in fact. There wasn''t a sharp throbbing in either of my arms or gut. Instead, it felt like my body had been fully renewed with youthful vigor.

    I have no idea why they had healed me from what would''ve been a surefire death, but one thing was certain. For this fight, unlike in the manor, my body would be in peak condition.

    And so I waited for my moment. My chance to strike with the lowest disadvantage. The opportunity soon presented itself when one of them approached me.

    "Takin'' care of ''im again ''fore we go? Act how ya will, but you''re a softie to the injured," the girl with the bow giggled.

    ''Take care of me? Are they nning to kill me now?'' Upon the realization, I wasn''t about to lie down and wait for death. Once the approaching woman had been within striking distance, I dashed to my feet.

    They all looked on in shock at my surprise recovery from unconsciousness, but it wasn''t the kind I''d expected.

    "Well, aren''t you lively," the archer joked rather than reaching for a weapon. "How''s it feel to rejoin the livin''?"

    I ignored her and lunged toward the woman closest to me. I had no weapons, but I was sure she did. Though I couldn''t see any due to her muddied ck cloak.

    The cloaked woman tried stepping back to avoid my sudden strike, but my speed was unmatched. I''d been upon her in seconds, moving to grapple and subdue her as fast as possible.

    Sadly, neutralizing her was no easy feat.

    Her first reactionary move upon confrontation was to seize my arms and sweep a leg toward the back of my ankles, trying to flip me off bnce.

    But I maneuvered out of the way and aimed to counter by twisting her wrists and throwing her off her feet.

    Frustratingly, to each of my actions, she had a defensive reaction. Her moveset was honed and precise, with her every move focused on throwing me to the ground.

    Given this girl was a vampire, I hadn''t been shocked by her being adept at hand-to-handbat. What did throw me off was how closely her fighting style resembled one of my homnd''s unarmed martial arts. It was one frequently found amongw enforcement.

    "What the hell are ya doin''?!" the archer shouted frantically. "I swear I''ll shoot ya!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In response to the threat, I shifted my position to the cloaked woman''s side, gaining a view of the archer and keeping them both within my field of vision.

    She was loading an arrow into her bow, tugging back the string, and aiming straight for my chest.

    Likewise, the giant made his move. He widely swung an arm toward me in an attempt to push me away from hispanion.

    Though I evaded his sweep, I knew I couldn''t keep up for long.

    I had an edge against the girl, mainly because I was familiar with her fighting style. But a drawn-out battle against three? That was a guaranteed loss with a likely and very bloody death.

    So I scanned the room while cautiously, but aggressively, pressing my attack.

    While some might have questioned my "reckless" offense, I couldn''t allow myself to be defensive, not even for a moment.

    When outnumbered and outgunned, I''d always believed in eliminating enemies as hastily as possible, knowing eachbatant put down made the battle significantly less one-sided against me.

    Eventually, after passing several still bodies of those I''d assumed were my countrymen, given their clothes, my eyes spied a stroke of luck: a spent campfire.

    Just in time, too, since the giant had thrown yet another strike, aiming for my gut.

    Though muscr, he hadn''t had the finesse the cloaked woman had. His attacks were all power but rtively slow, so it''d been easy to use them against him.

    I disengaged from the cloaked woman, using the giant''s swing as a barrier, and rolled toward the firepit. Then, after grasping a handful of ckened ash, I lunged back toward her.

    As expected, she took a defensive stance to redirect any strike.

    Unfortunately for the woman, her defense did little to shield her eyes from a handful of ash.

    She raised her arms while grunting in pain and frustration, attempting to retreat. In doing so, she revealed two holstered longswords beneath her cloak.

    "Yuu!!!" the archer shouted, trying to angle a shot at me.

    Given her cries, she''d clearly cared about her ally, so I used the cloaked woman as a shield by leaping behind her, barring the archer from acting.

    Like she had tried with me, I swept the cloaked woman off her feet, locked her arms behind her, and pinned her to the ground with my knee to her back.

    Now that she''d been immobilized, I grasped a longsword from within the woman''s cloak and slid it from its sheath. Finally, I ced the de to her throat and red at her allies with sincere murderous intent.

    After seeing their ally at what could be death''s doorstep, the giant and the archer had been frozen stiff with indecision.

    Despite having a hostage, I couldn''t feel any degree of confidence, given these people were vampires. I knew their species, like the ones in fiction, had some miraculous regeneration even toward what would be considered a critical wound.

    Still, I wondered if they could recover from a severed head.

    So I readied myself for a series of executions, to behead these monstrosities one by one until I was thest one standing. Despite them being inhuman, I''d wanted to end their lives within a fleeting moment to avoid needless suffering.

    I pressed the de closer to her skin when a familiar voice interrupted me. My battle trance began fading until she finally came into view.

    "Sato?" she''d asked with a curious, confused tone.

    Looking at her, I was left speechless. Amongst the vampires and bearing a weapon toward me was none other than the fearful girl I''d left in Takagi''s care. None other than Agawa.

    Within her eyes was a blend of fear and joy. She stared at me, lost in confusion.

    ''What the hell is going on?!'' is a thought I''m sure we both had.

 Chapter 70 A Misunderstanding, Part Two

    ?Many thoughts rolled around within my mind, but most concerning was Agawa''s condition. Herplexion was ragged with exhaustion, and her body showcased various bruises.

    "Agawa? Are you hurt?" I asked, but I soon returned my eyes to the woman I had pinned. If she tried anything, I''d end her then and there.

    "No! What''re you doing?!" she dropped her knife and pointed. "Get off Mizuno!"

    Shockingly, Agawa was armed...and even defended a vampire; she must''ve been terrified of disobedience.

    ''We just can''t catch a break¡­'' I sighed.

    Soon after, the others woke up from themotion. I''d seen Kamida, Takagi, and a few new faces, all sporting rags and a cor. Each shared Agawa''s expression, ones of confused panic.

    "What''s going on?!" I pulled the sword closer to the woman''s throat. The woman Agawa called "Mizuno."

    "I''ll ask you the same thing!" Agawa eximed, then approached me cautiously.

    "Stop moving," I ordered. Though I knew her, it was only for a day. I couldn''t believe it, but maybe she''d betrayed me for the assurance of safety.

    She stared wide-eyed with frustration and gestured at me. "What?! Let her go! Sato, please!"

    "She''s a vampire, Agawa. They talked about eating us, for God''s sake!" I hoped that maybe, just maybe, she''d wisen up and return to her senses.

    Unfortunately, that wouldn''t be the case.

    "What? Them? Vampires? Eating us?" Every sessive word left her expression more puzzled than before.

    It wasn''t long until Kamida interjected too. Like Agawa, he looked like he''d been on the receiving end of a twister. His once immacte image was disheveled and tarnished by torn-up rag clothing paired with scarred skin.

    "Sato! Sir, I implore you to reconsider! They''re friends! They''ve helped us; they even helped you!" his words wereced with distinct desperation.

    "What? Helped me?"

    "Yes, they healed you, Sir! They''ve been treating you with the utmost care!" In his fervor, strands of muck-covered hair fell across his face. "Please, just calm down!"

    With his words, an internal conflict brewed within me.

    ''Am I wrong? Are these three really allies?'' The idea seemed impossible.

    If the three weren''t vampires, it meant we''d escaped. It meant my countrymen escaped...on their own, carrying me along with them. But there was no way. They would''ve encountered HER. With her strength, they would''ve died. All of them...brutally. Yet, somehow, they returned for me, defeated that monster, AND got me out of the city while I was critically injured?

    ''There''s no way. No goddamn way.'' I wanted to believe them; I truly did. But it was too oundish. Too good to be true.

    Besides, maybe the three did heal me, but that didn''t prove trustworthiness. Especially after what happened in the manor, "well-mannered" people seemed to be the most dangerous in this world.

    In my thoughts, I must''ve seemed distracted; the man-giant and archer felt confident enough to inch away from my field of view to ambush me.

    "Back up, and drop the weapons!" I pressured the woman''s neck over the de, fully prepared to detach her head. "I''d really rmend you don''t move after that. I''m not dying today."

    Heeding my threat, the two discarded their armaments and retreated to their initial spots.

    "Huuuuh?!" the archer eximed with hands raised. "What''re ya talkin''

    ''bout?! Eatin'' ya? What?!"

    "You can''t lie to me. I overheard your conversation."

    "What are yo-" she paused, blinked, and pointed to several bloodied squirrel carcasses strung up by a rope. "I was talkin'' ''bout those, you ass! Now let Yuu go!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Squirrels? She was talking about eating...squirrels?'' Her assertion was in context, but I couldn''t be convinced. I let my guard down once and nearly died. I wouldn''t make the same mistake again.

    I thought that, but the tide was shifting against me. Justifying my actions became more difficult with each passing second.

    I could feel the onset of guilt as I subconsciously considered that I''d made a mistake.

    Even I knew this scene wasn''t one depicting a "good guy." Far from it, this was a scenario where I appeared as the viin. Hostages? Threats? Distrust in allies?

    That''s no way any decent human being would operate.

    ''It''s for survival,'' I consoled myself. ''It''s kill or be killed, and I refuse to be killed.''

    "Look!" Mizuno snapped. "Just cut me and get it over with."

    "Yuu?! What are you saying?!" Suda tried stepping forward, but she froze under my watchful re.

    I kept my focus, but Mizuno''s demand shocked me too. Why would she ASK for me to injure her?

    "You know the bloodsuckers have ck blood, right? So cut me and find out." Her resolve was unshakeable, and her logic was sound; ckened blood would be a dead giveaway to her innocence or guilt.

    "Yuu! Ya don''t nee-"

    "It''s fine, Asuga. It''s fine. You too, Shrug." She gave both a slight smile, a smile giving the impression she''d known everything would be okay. The kind a capable leader gives to uneasy subordinates.

    They must''ve trusted her immensely. After Mizuno''s order, they both relented, but the look of worry still never left their faces.

    I contemted, considering what kind of trap Mizuno was leading me into. I recalled thest vampiress I fought; she''d used a sort of "blood control" to create a spear and even a wall. Was this woman trying to do the same?

    If I extracted her blood, would she morph it into a weapon? Would she pierce me through the skull and be done with it?

    "Do it already," she ordered, "we''re wasting daylight lying here."

    Given her insistence, I couldn''t be sure. Though I knew drawing blood was the only way of confirmation, it might''ve been her retaliatory trump card too.

    "Ugh...fine," Mizuno sighed, "I''ll do it myself."

    Before I could react, she slid her chin along my de and split her flesh, exposing a stream of her life''s essence. To my dismay, it was red as the reddest wine. A far cry from the ckened hue I was expecting.

    ''It was...a misunderstanding?'' I was bbergasted. Not only was I wrong, but I threatened the life of an innocent woman over an assumption.

    I released the sword, leaving it to gravity''s influence until it ttered to the floor and cursed under my breath. ''What the hell am I even doing?''

    "Happy?" Mizuno rhetorically questioned, seemingly unfazed. "Now get off me."

    I stood up from her, feeling the onset of embarrassment and shame. ''Am I always this paranoid? Have I be so shaken that I''d murder innocents on something as flimsy as suspicion?'' I even suspected my countrymen of treachery rather than listen to their words.

    That''s when I realized that I must''ve lost something important somewhere on my life''s journey. What was it again?

    Bringing my hands to view, I saw years of hardened scars and burns. Beyond them were memories, painful memories.

    I reminisced on all the lost allies and betrayals I''d suffered. It all made sense now. I had already been struggling beforeing here, but the manor was the straw that broke the camel''s back.

    I had utterly lost my trust in others.

 Chapter 71 Pariah

    ?"Yuu! Are ya okay?!" the archer shouted, shoving me aside.

    The Sun''s rays were blotted out by a massive presence at my side. It was the man-giant. He stood next to me with eyes intently focused on my every move.

    Mizuno dusted herself off and returned to her feet, her chin slick with blood.

    "I''ll clean ya up!" the archer affirmed, then retrieved a brown rucksack.

    After rummaging through the bag, she freed her hand to reveal a small white cloth patch and some gauze. The archer reached forward to help, but Mizuno snatched the supplies from the her hand.

    "I''ve got it, thanks," she eased.

    While she cleaned and bandaged her wound, all other eyes were on me.

    My countrymen, the archer, and the giant unblinkingly observed my every breath and every twitch. They watched me like I was a powder keg, and they were waiting for my explosion.

    None of them red at me with such vehement fury as the archer. She motioned her mouth, probably to insult, but was cut off by Mizuno.

    "Drop it, Suda. It''s fine."

    Suda turned back in disbelief, gaping at Mizuno. "Are ya serious, Yuu?!

    This guy attacked ya!" she threw a finger in my direction.

    "It''s. Fine. Forget about it," Mizuno ordered, stering a bandage on her chin wound. "Worry about packing up camp; it''s time to move."

    Though she nodded in agreement, Suda''s open hostilities were as evident as the Sun in the sky. She fixed an angered re to me while gathering the rope of squirrels and scattered supplies.

    Unsure of what to do, I followed my usual protocol on the war front. I assumed we were fugitives, so my first goal was to fend off any potential trackers.

    I moved to dismantle the campfire remnants but was stopped by a massive hand on my shoulder.

    I looked up to the one I''d assumed was "Shrug." He shook his head and held me in ce. I must''ve been under guard to ensure I caused no more incidents.

    With nothing to do, I reduced myself to just being an observer. The first Iid eyes on was Agawa. As expected, she avoided eye contact with me; she must''ve still been repulsed by what I did in the manor. Or by what I''d just done to Mizuno.

    "Hey," I turned to Shrug, "could I talk to her?" I pointed a hand toward Agawa; she was rolling up some makeshift animal skin bedrolls for transport.

    He narrowed his eyes and glowered at me. Then, after a moment, he shrugged and nodded, "yes." Though he let me go, he followed me close, waiting for the moment I might betray them again.

    "Agawa?" I called out to her. "Could I have a word?" I wanted to ask her about everything that had happened so far.

    But when she saw me, she had the strangest reaction. First, she wore a slight smile of relief, but that soon gave way to a grimace when I approached closer. She hastilypleted her chore and speedily retreated away.

    ''Avoiding me, huh? It makes sense; it''s only natural,'' I sighed. I knew my bridge with her was burned, so I turned away in eptance. ''I did what I had to do, I don''t regret that,'' I consoled myself.

    Everyone else eyed me like I was the enemy, except for Kamida and, surprisingly, the woman I''d attacked. Whenever we traded nces, she nodded respectfully. It was like she''d given me a form of recognition.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After seeing her in a calm, non-hostile setting, I felt an incessant feeling of deja vu. Like I''d met her somewhere prior to now, more specifically, her cloak.

    My attempts to unravel the mystery were halted when Kamida approached me.

    "Sir, may I have a few words? I''d like to bring you up to speed on what you''ve missed." In spite of the high-tension situation that happened just moments before, Kamida seemed steadied and calm.

    I, however, was still filled with regret and shame for my actions. I pensively closed my eyes and performed a slight bow. "I''m sorry I didn''t listen to you earlier. I-"

    Kamida started chuckling and ced a hand on my shoulder. "Look, it''s alright, Sir. In the end, nobody was hurt too badly, and everything worked out. There''s no need to dwell on what''s behind us; let''s focus on what''s ahead."

    ''Yeah, he''s right. Now''s not the time for shame.'' Resolving to focus on our survival, I breathed deeply and bowed again. "You''re right; please tell me what I missed."

    "Of course, Sir!" Kamida smiled.

    Before he started, I asked him about Agawa. After what she saw in the manor, I was concerned about her mental state. Though she seemed to loathe me, I couldn''t help but worry for her health.

    "You know," Kamida replied, "out of everyone, she was the most worried for your health, Sir. When you were healed, she was the most joyous."

    ''What? She was worried for me?'' I stood there, staring quizzically at Kamida. The reaction she just gave me was one of aversion, not worry.

    Kamida seemingly read my thoughts through my expression. "Mr. Sato, I''m not sure what happened between you two, but the manor was unpleasant for everyone, traumatic even. I''m sure she''s just working through her feelings," he tapped my shoulder and smiled. "Give her time."

    After that, he continued with his briefing.

    From Kamida, I learned how they rescued me from death and how Takagi smashed my assant''s skull. I learned of a doctor who''d helped save my life, then had his taken by a mutant bear.

    I learned of a child and his father that ran a clinic together within the town. A gray knight with the strength to blow humans apart with a massive sword, and I was finally filled in on the three I attacked.

    "Shit..." I rested my head wearily in my hands. "I...I can''t believe I attacked them... Police officers, no less."

    Forget the Rules of Engagement; I could be considered a full-on traitor with what I''d done...

    ''So the fighting style wasn''t coincidental,'' I again made eye contact with Mizuno. My expression became apologetic, which she ignored and returned to work.

    Before we left, I also introduced myself to the three new faces who''d been in the manor with us.

    The two sisters, Ayame and Hikari, were both uneasy at my approach, though Hikari seemed the most afraid. She hid behind Ayame''s back, only uttering the phrase "hello" before retreating from sight entirely.

    I met the one named Takahashi. He didn''t strike me as much. He was meek, easily frightened, and odd, to say the least. As we left, I saw him coating his hands in ash residue from what used to be the campfire.

    When I asked him why he said it was because he was germophobic and learned in a ss that ash could make a suitable recement for soap.

    I questioned Kamida about it, and he was just as surprised. He told me he hadn''t seen Takahashi talk about having any phobias or much of anything, in fact.

    I shrugged it off as the camp was finally packed. Then we began a journey through the wilds.

 Chapter 72 Satos Advice

    ?Through foliage, past waterfalls, and over watering holes, we walked for the next two days without rest, aside from a minimal amount of shuteye each night.

    It was tough to sleep anyway. I was too anxious to leave myself vulnerable to an ambush. I skipped the whole "sleep with one eye open" by avoiding it as much as I could.

    Despite my feelings, I hid my paranoia and unease from the others, especially since I was kept under the watchful vigil of either Shrug, Suda, or both. I didn''t want them to form a worse impression of me than they already had.

    I apologized to them, of course, but it wasn''t easy to earn the trust of others. Especially when you''d threatened their lives and the lives of their friends.

    Suda was particrly pissed at me, to put it lightly. Whenever I approached her, she hissed, shoved me aside, and eyed me with tant distrust.

    I overheard Mizuno trying to calm Suda''s animosity. She tried exining that I was doing what I had to with the information I had avable. Suda agreed, but she still couldn''t forgive me for harming one of her allies.

    Shrug, while less openly hostile, too red at me. His expression silently said, "I''ll kill you if you try that again."

    Mizuno, when I approached her to officially apologize, said she understood. She was aware and even respected that I attacked her when I thought she was a vampire. She said it meant "I wasn''t afraid to take action." A trait she apparently always respected in her subordinates.

    Since I couldn''t make amends with the two others, I altered my priorities.

    After we set up camp the second night, I checked on Takagi. Ever since Kamida informed me he''d shut himself away from reality, and why, I worried about him.

    I worried because I''d seen this before. He took his first life...brutally...and lost the life of someone dear to him, both on the same day. It''s a story many others have suffered through. The story of a rookie soldier.

    Some pulled through on their own, without the aid of others, but many lost themselves to wallow in their own misery. They would forget there was a present to return to since they obsessively lived in the past.

    Given Takagi''s condition, it looked like he was on the fast-track to being thetter.

    So, while the group sat around a crackling campfire surrounded by a wall of pine trees, eating and exchanging banter, I reached out to Takagi''s shoulder. I felt obligated to help him, to help all three of them however I could. Kamida, Agawa, and Takagi, all three risked their lives to preserve mine. Without any orders, no less!

    "Hey, we need to talk." I wanted to pull Takagi back from the brink before it swallowed his consciousness whole.

    He was unmoving and ignored me. Within his scarred and muck-covered hands was a shining, silver sk. From what Kamida told me, it belonged to thete doctor Nakamura.

    He wouldn''t respond to me, a ssic move of one that walled themselves from the outside world. But he''d listen. Somewhere in his mind, I knew he''d hear what I said next.

    "You know, I had a teacher in my toon when I first enlisted. A former high school teacher..." I sighed; reminiscing such memories was unusual for me, but it was necessary.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "She was five years older than I and, maybe from her time as an instructor, she was a fantastic role model. She always listened to the gripes of new recruits and sweetlyughed the days away with us. She was someone we could always rely on when times were tough. Some soldiers, myself included, relied on her a little too much..." I took a deep breath to stem my emotions. Mentioning her opened old wounds, and the story salted them.

    "She was my mentor. Someone I trusted to be there for me, tofort my anguish when I failed to save or when I ended another life. I had grown dependent on her."

    Her memory brought a bittersweet smile to my face. But that smile burned away with what came next. "On the day of the Eastern Copse, when the death toll in Asia reached an all-time high, our battalion was redeployed to defend Kyoto from invasion."

    Images of her yed through my mind. Scenes of camaraderie,ughter¡­and sorrow when a sniper brained her during a routine patrol.

    I swallowed my growing anxiety. The scene of her fragmented skull and sttered brain across the ground dug up a spring of old emotions. Emotions a series of deep breaths could narrowly hold back.

    "Abruptly, during that mission... She died... The person I spent four months with while training and three with while fighting, the person I trusted to help me through my duties as a soldier, died within the span of a second."

    I stood up, moved in front of Takagi, and kneeled to exchange eye contact. His were lifeless and empty; he wasn''t looking at our world but at memories of what it once was.

    I saw my old self within him. When she died, I locked myself up and became reckless...emotional. Those factors caused the deaths of many others. It became a spiral of self-me and despair that only dragged me down deeper the more I dwelled on it.

    Manyrades paid for my recklessness with their lives. Many civilians suffered because I couldn''t "see" them; I was too focused on "saving" her. I was reying the events of that day in my mind, always thinking of what I could''ve done better.

    Those thoughts prevented me from improving myself in the present. I became a liability, a danger to myself and those around me. I couldn''t let Takagi experience the same.

    "Takagi," I grabbed both of his shoulders and exchanged eye contact, "I''m going to give you some terrible advice. You need to follow it to the letter." I took a deep breath and looked into Takagi''s eyes, hoping to reach him. "Forget Nakamura. People die quickly, so you need to move on from them quickly."

    It was a horrible thing to say; I knew that. But it was the only way for him to survive. In a life-or-death situation, which we were very much in, there was no room for grief. The only option was to keep trudging forward, step after step.

    Upon hearing my words, Takagi''s eyes flickered briefly with life, and his fingers twitched. It was a good sign, a sign he was listening, so I continued.

    "You need to bury what you''re feeling deep inside yourself and leave it as an issue to deal with another day, another year. Now isn''t the time to mourn. You need to figh-"

    Takagi''s left fist balled up tightly as I spoke, and a sorrowful fury filled his hateful re.

    He stood up, raised his fist, and threw it straight for the center of my nose.

 Chapter 73 Takagis Breakdown

    ?Thanks to my training, I caught Takagi''s fist in midair and held it there. Of course, I empathized with him, but I still wasn''t about to let myself be beaten to a pulp.

    "Let me go, you fucker!" he threw his other fist, aiming for another weak point; my skull''s temple.

    It made sense. As a punk, he must''ve had a lot of fighting experience. So he''d naturally know where his strikes would be most effective.

    Unfortunately for him... I had more.

    While he swung, I slipped underneath the arm I held, twisting it, and flipped him to the ground. His back crashed into the turf, and he gasped for air.

    "Calm down!" I turned him to his stomach and ced a knee on his arm''s joint, limiting its motion.

    "Fuck you!" Takagi retorted. "''Forget about Nakamura?'' How the hell can you say that?! He saved your life, you ungratef-"

    "What the hell are you guys doing?!" Agawa stood up from the campfire; the rest of mypanions soon followed her.

    Suda gripped her bow and an arrow, aiming it for my chest. "Let ''im go." Her eyes were devoid of any shred of hesitation. She wasn''t threatening me; she was making a promise. A promise to end me if I caused any more trouble.

    I couldn''tply with her. Throughout the exchange, Takagi thrashed about violently, doing anything he could to shake me off. With his current mood, like a raging chimpanzee, I had no doubt he''d try to tear my head off if I released him.

    "Suda, stop," Mizuno took hold of Suda''s bow and lowered it, "this is between them."

    Suda hesitated but ultimately gave in. "Fine! Fine... Fine!... I getcha already." She huffed and sat back down with a scowl. Finally, she returned to her squirrel skewer, trying her best to ignore Takagi''s frustrated shouts.

    Likewise, Mizuno and Shrug returned to their seats.

    Three were left standing; Kamida, Ayame, and Agawa. Meanwhile Takahashi was retreating into the darkness in avoidance of the conflict.

    The three looked anxious to speak, but they hadn''t had a chance before Takagi finally shook me off him.

    I retreated a few steps while Takagi recovered and rotated his shoulder.

    He glowered at me, his eyes consumed by a smoldering rage. "You... I was wrong about you... I respected you, but you''re useless in the end. Letting yourself get knocked out, having us ferry your ass to safety, having Nakamura die because YOU were too busy napping in aa..."

    Takagi clenched his teeth. "Why the hell didn''t you wake up?!" his words started to stagger, and his breathing became unsteady. "You could''ve saved him! If you were there..." he paused and lowered his gaze. When he returned it, he revealed two tears streaming down his eyes. "If you were there, Nakamura would still be here!"

    I had no response; what was there to say? I couldn''t apologize; a "sorry" would be meaningless. I couldn''t give an excuse; that would only anger him off more. I could only stand in ce, ready to receive all of Takagi''s verbalshings.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Agawa. She''d been pushing Kamida to try stopping us. But Kamida shook his head in disagreement and stood his ground.

    "Whatever, I''ll do it!" Agawa angrily relented, opting instead to approach us herself in intervention.

    She was about to shout but was halted by Kamida''s hand on her shoulder.

    "Stop," Kamida''s expression matched his serious tone, "this is necessary, Ms. Agawa."

    Ayame spoke up in Agawa''s defense. "Necessary?! But look at them! They''re going to kill eac-"

    Kamida squeezed Agawa''s shoulder and looked at Ayame. "Agawa''ll make it worse; this is a dispute they must resolve themselves." He returned his sight to Agawa. "Please, just stop. You''ll only cause more problems."

    Agawa cursed under her breath, shook off Kamida''s hand, and backed away from us.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Say something!" Takagi squeezed his fists. "If you won''t say anything," he formed a fiendish smile with ded teeth, "I''ll just beat it out of you. You deserve that much," he lifted his arms and took a brawler''s fighting stance.

    One thing I learned in the military was that, in some cases, fists spoke louder than words. Knowing this was one of those times, I took a stance too.

    "Heh, at least you''ll put up a fight." Takagi snarked arrogantly. "It''d be no fun if you just stood there and took it." Though he made his usual insulting remarks, anger-filled tears flooded his eyes. Whoever this Nakamura was, he had a strong influence on Takagi before his death.

    The woods became silent, the only soundsing from the crackling of burning wood from the campfire. Then, a branch snapped from the heat, and Takagi lunged forward.

    Like his turbulent fury, his attacks were infused with pure hatred.

    He recklessly charged me like a tidal wave to a seawall. While he wailed on me, he sounded like a man possessed. Apanying every attack were vicious grunts and guttural snarls.

    Despite his ferocity, he was a novice. Though powerful, his strikes were easy to predict and redirect.

    Takagi threw a wide right hook that could shatter a cinderblock. I backstepped and grasped his wrist. Then, with all my force, I threw him over my shoulder.

    He crashed into the ground. But there''d be no rest. After snarling angrily, he flipped onto his hands and sprang to his feet. He then raised his fists, ready to try again.

    Surprisingly, he began feinting attacks. He must''ve realized brute force alone wouldn''t work with an experienced opponent. He thrust his fist toward me, but a punch wasn''t his true objective. He opened his clenched palm and went for a grapple on my defending arm.

    When he took hold, he smirked. "I''ve got you now, you fu-" But, again, I redirected his hand and threw him over my shoulder.

    Still on the ground, he hoarsely screamed with impatience, then said, "don''t think that''ll work forever," and growled.

    He was right...because I wouldn''t let itst forever. As he began to recover, I shoved him back to the floor and flipped him to his stomach. Then, I used a knee to pin one of his arms while holding the other arm behind his back.

    Likest time, he struggled and thrashed about violently, but I wouldn''t be bucked off again.

    "Let me go! Let me go, dammit!" he tried every possible maneuver to escape, but it was futile. My hold on him wholly shut down any counterattacks.

    "Calm. Down." I tightened my hand around his wrist, causing Takagi to wince from the pain. "We''re going to talk about this peaceably, alright?"

    However, Takagi didn''t respond.

    "Takagi! I nee-" Interrupting me was a nervous twitch from his lips. Not just the lips; his entire face trembled from a force he struggled to hold back.

    In just a few moments, a flood of renewed tears overwhelmed his eyes. "Why?... You can fight so well, so why weren''t you there? Why weren''t you there to protect us? To protect him?"

    "I''m sorry," I grimaced. "You can''t save everyone."

    Takagi began speaking again; however, this time, it wasn''t directed at me, but at someone whose presence escaped the physical world. "Why did you die?..." his words were meek and defeated. "You promised me... You promised to help carry my burden... "

    I could feel Takagi''s muscles rx, and his fighting spirit drained away. So I warily released him and paced backward.

    Takagiy on the ground, his body limp as he silently wept. Despite gaining his freedom, he was still trapped in a moment of raw emotion.

    For the remainder of the night, we remained silent, watching as Takagi confronted a reality he had long shielded himself from. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the asional stifled sobs from a broken delinquent.

 Chapter 74 An Odd Encounter, Part One

    ?Spirits were low the following morning, a byproduct of what happened between Takagi and me. In spite of that, we efficiently packed the camp and marched ever onward.

    As usual, Takahashi appeared with ashen hands. Considering that he used it as soap, it was clear what he had been doing.

    We walked for hours and hours. From the crack of dawn to thete afternoon, we slogged forward. During that time, Takagi, albeit slightly, returned to his old self.

    It looked like my confrontation with him yesterday helped, though not in the way I''d hoped. He was pulled out of his shell, but at the cost of his view of me. He was always rude, but now he saw me with genuine disdain. I became a lightning rod to absorb all of his negative emotions.

    ''I guess it doesn''t matter. So long as he doesn''t get us killed,'' I sighed.

    Since I made my first impression, I was finally getting used to being the "ck sheep" in the group. I told myself it didn''t matter how they felt about me as long as we were alive. In the end, that''s all that mattered.

    I did consider just leaving and striking off on my own, but I''ll admit a bit of curiosity rooted me here. Curiosity to find out more about this new world I found myself in. Besides, somehow, I felt responsible for the three who risked it all to save me. I couldn''t abandon them so easily anymore, my pride and honor wouldn''t allow it.

    So I trudged on, ignoring the res of disdain I was showered with.

    The day was nearing dusk when we found a spot to camp out. Near it was a small, crystal blue pond. Though the moon was just a dim crescent, its few pale rays brightly collided with the pond''s surface. The light reflected chaotically as small water ripples formed and flowed outward.

    "Maybe we''ll get some fish fer breakfast!" Suda drooled, staring at the pond longingly. "Can we, Yuu?! Can we stay an'' fish awhile in the mornin''? I''m SO tired of squirrel." She tilted her head and looked at Mizuno pleadingly.

    Mizuno lifted a finger in protest, but Suda''s begging must''ve overwhelmed her. "Okay, fine. An hour. You have an hour extra, that''s it."

    Suda''s face lit up with joy at Mizuno''s words. "Thank ya, Yuu! I love ya!" she ran to hug Mizuno but was repelled.

    "Eat and get to sleep; we''re waking up an hour earlier than usual. So you''ll need it," Mizuno turned from Suda, forming a slight smirk.

    "Absol- Wait, what?" Suda stood in visible confusion, then nervouslyughed. "Yer jokin'', right? Yer jokin''? You know I''m not a mornin'' person, Yuu!"

    But Mizuno remained unresponsive, opting instead to start roasting our usual meal.

    After dinner, we all went straight to sleep; the group dreaded the early morning that came afterward.

    I tried to stay awake the night to help the three keep watch, but the call of unconsciousness became overwhelming. I had stayed up too many nights to resist it anymore. Eventually, my eyelids betrayed me and forced me to sleep.

    ***

    A crack of a branch shocked me from my sleep. I utched my bloodshot eyes and tightened my fist, expecting an enemy encounter.

    The moon stood high in the sky. Its sliver of luminance was only interrupted by the asional passing cloud. After one drifted away, revealing its light, I saw the scene of a sobbing Hikari beingforted by her sister.

    They sat near the pond with Hikari''s head cradled deeply into Ayame''s arms and chest. They looked to be isted within their own world together.

    Without revealing myself, I inched closer. It was terrible to snoop, I know, but it was necessary. I had to learn the mental condition of each group member to assess what threats they might pose to the group as a whole. Any amount of instability could mean death in the wrong situation.

    I propped myself behind a tree, sat out of their sight, and eavesdropped.

    Hikari''s voice was hoarse and staggered. "Sis... Can we...go home? I just want to go home..." she pulled her head from Ayame''s chest and looked up at her sister pleadingly.

    Ayame took a hand and wiped the tears from Hikari''s bloodshot eyes. She then stroked the back of Hikari''s head and held her tight.

    "We will... I know we will..." Ayame grimaced but soon forced a tender smile. "You remember when we only worried about our next exam?" Following her reminiscing, she let out a saddened but charmingugh.

    Hikari, though somber, giggled too.

    "Mom always bought us tons of dark chocte and blueberries a few days before it. ''It boosts brain function,'' she''d always say," Hikari said and chuckled again.

    "Huuuuuuhhh," Ayame yawned and stretched an arm upward, "what I wouldn''t give for some chocte right now."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Hikari smiled sweetly but soon returned to dejection. "Do you..." she winced. "Do you think mom misses us? Like, is she looking for us?"

    Ayame embraced Hikari lovingly, holding tight as if to squeeze out her sister''s every bit of unease. However, during the hug, Ayame''s eyes flooded with mncholy.

    "Y-Yes, I''m sure she does. I''m s-" she stopped and took a deep breath, resealing her emotions. Only after stemming the tears did she end their embrace and pull away. She must''ve wanted to appear strong for her sister. "I''m sure she is," Ayame said with fake confidence.

    "Do you... think she''ll find us?"

    With Hikari''s final question, Ayame couldn''t hold it in anymore. Fluids burst from the ducts within her eyes as she hugged Hikari tighter again. "I hope so..." she whispered back with a pained expression.

    They sat together for the next hour,forting the other''s emotional agony. I was about to leave when I was approached quietly by Suda.

    "Whatcha doin''? Spyin''?" she whispered and eyed me with distrust.

    I wanted to say no or im innocence, but I WAS spying. No matter my reasons, I was spying on the two near the pond. "I was... I wanted to see their emotional state." Though what I did was questionable, I felt exining my reasons would absolve me from guilt.

    Surprisingly, I didn''t detect any animosity from her. Instead, Suda stood beside me and leaned on a tree''s trunk while crossing her arms. "And ya can''t do that by askin'' ''em directly?"

    "I can''t... Not when everyone distrusts me so much," I let out a quiet chuckle.

    "An'' whose fault is that? It can''t be helped when ya just up an'' attacked us." Her words stung me to my core. Being reminded of that incident filled me with shame.

    I rested my head within my hands, pondering everything I''d done till now.

    For a moment, there was just silence between us. Until Suda sighed audibly. "Look at me," she ordered. "I dunno why I didn''t just do this in the first ce."

    I turned my sight up toward her widened eyes. At first, it was awkward. Several secondster, a strange sensation assailed my mind. I felt as if my innermost thoughts became bare for all to see.

    She began to mouth a question but stopped and looked away with widened eyes.

    As soon as the sensation started, it ceased. I came back from my trance to see Suda staring at the sisters.

    "What the hell?" she questioned.

    When I turned to see for myself, I witnessed dozens of shifting blue-glowing lights. Their misty figure twisted and changed as they emerged from the water.

    Despite their movement, they didn''t disturb the water''s still surface. It was as if they didn''t have a physical form, but that was impossible. They were visibly rising and twirling in front of us, after all!

    Granted, given the absurdity of this world... I guess even this was possible. Hell, I''d even say it''s likely.

    Soon, hundreds of them wafted out from the water. They filled the space above the pond and formed what looked to be a sparkling neb of azure light. It wasn''t long until theirbined luminance painted the surroundings around the pond a deep blue tint.

    More and more of my countrymen woke up to the disturbance as the light grew.

    "What are those things?" A dazed Agawa pointed toward the strange apparitions while rubbing her eyes.

    I looked to Suda and Mizuno for answers, but both had equally puzzled faces.

    Given their confusion, these entities were totally unknown. In the military, you were taught that anything "unknown" was dangerous. "Always assume the world is out to kill you" was a phrase my instructor instilled into my toon.

    I turned to Suda; she''d already pulled her bow and prepared a shot. But, if what I saw with the water was any clue, I doubted an arrow would greatly affect them. As far as I could tell, those things didn''t have a physical form.

    "We should go," I warned Suda. "We need to go...now!"

 Chapter 75 An Odd Encounter, Part Two

    ?Without turning from the wisps of light, Suda angled her head toward Mizuno. "Yuu! Whatcha thinkin''?! Run or gun?!" sheughed nervously and burst into a cold sweat.

    Mizuno gripped both her dual swords and drew them from beneath her cloak. She stood motionless, watching and waiting, seemingly appraising the threat. That threat grew when the wisps started levitating toward us.

    Agawa and Kamida shouted for the sisters to back away, but they were ignored. The sisters were too enraptured by the deep blue light.

    As the apparitions closed in, Ayame foolishly reached out to touch one. It drifted toward her like a moth to a very enticing me.

    It was inches away from her fingertip when a squirrel carcass flew out from behind her.

    I swiveled my head to see the thrower; it was Shrug. He was sprinting toward the sisters with a look of panicked urgency.

    Upon contact with the carcass, the entity enveloped the body in a hazy blue mist. Then, a momentter, the orb vanished into the body. It was like the corpse sucked it in, caging it.

    For a moment, the body was suspended inanimately in the air. However, that was soon reced by sporadic muscle convulsions and twitching flesh.

    A momentter, the corpse finally exploded into a rotten paste of blood, guts, and bone. It sttered everything nearby in a blue-hued red, including Ayame.

    Though the corpse was atomized, the wisp still stood in its ce. The only difference; it was slightly denser now.

    Upon his arrival, Shrug snatched Ayame and Hikari in his arms. He hoisted them onto his shoulders and ran back toward the campsite. When he reached it, he dropped them to the ground, out of harm''s way.

    I looked to Takagi, half expecting him to already be running to fight the swarm. Instead, he was watching from back at camp with a look of apathy. I guess he was still too shaken by Nakamura''s death to act.

    Now free from the sisters, Shrug walked to his hammer and grasped its hilt.

    He heaved it from the ground with a gruff grunt, leaving an imprint of it in its ce on the earth. Finally, he performed a mock swing, creating a forceful gust of air, and nted the weapon firmly on his shoulder.

    Meanwhile, Suda loosed an arrow in retaliation toward the swarm of apparitions, but, as I expected, it phased straight through.

    "The hell? Did I miss?!" she cursed under her breath as she futilely loosed more shots toward the creatures. The arrows passed through, only to be lost to the pond''s darkened depths.

    Hundreds of formless, body-exploding enemies with no discernable way to be defeated? There was no way we''d take those on. Our only blessing was their slow-moving nature.

    I spun around to face Suda once more, my voice rising with a sense of panicked urgency. "We need to run! Right now!"

    She looked at me, then at Mizuno. "Yuu! Whadda we do?! Run?! Run right?!"

    Mizuno turned toward the campsite and grimaced.

    We obviously had no time for packing, something she seemed to know. But losing those supplies meant our journey to Freehaven would be exponentially harder.

    "Shrug! What''re you doing?!" Suda pointed out to Shrug.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    With grim determination, he strode towards the horde of blue sprites, his massive hammer at the ready.

    Ignoring Suda and Mizuno''s orders to retreat, he swung his weapon behind him and gathered a small stream of red power around its head.

    The hammer zed to life and became enveloped in mes that turned the metal orange-red. Raising the weapon above his head, he spun it around himself, creating a roaring cyclone of shifting red mes.

    The infernal twister expanded as Shrug unleashed more power, drawing in more of the wisps. To my surprise, their very existence scattered to dust upon contact. Shrug was killing them!

    Despite his impressive feat, they were continuously growing in number. The apparitions endlessly poured forth from the pond as if it were a bottomless spring.

    Still, everyone gaped at Shrug, at the man who instantly wiped out dozens of whatever the hell those things were. All except for me.

    The roaring yellow ze, the sweltering heat on my skin, the crackling of foliage and insects burning away with its touch. It inspired memories in my mind. Horrible memories.

    My breathing became ragged, and a fierce sweat soaked my body. An intense desire to run filled my flesh and soul. Both shouted for me to abandon this ce at the sight of the raging mes.

    I clutched my tightening chest and forced my breathing to steady. ''C''mon... A little trauma is nothing; just ignore it,'' I thought, trying to pep myself.

    I turned away to the camp, trying to ignore the gnawing fears within me.

    While Shrug fought off the horde, Mizuno and Suda took the others to pack as much as possible. I followed too. My phobia aside, I knew I wouldn''t be of use against the sprites, anyway.

    Considering what I saw, the creatures weren''t affected by physical objects or attacks. However, since Shrug was annihting them by the dozen, it was safe to say "magic" did work on them.

    Sadly, that wasn''t something I was sure I could pull off. So I focused on what I COULD do and helped gather up our supplies.

    As we packed, Takahashi was exceptionally unhelpful. Rather than aiding us, he shivered in fear as far away as he could from the apparitions.

    He wouldn''t have helped much because we didn''t have long. Shrug''s magical attacks became unstable and sluggish. His face twisted into nausea, and a profuse sweat formed at his brow.

    He was reaching his limit, and the once-dense congration surrounding him scattered into sparks until dying out entirely.

    "C''mon, Shrug! It''s time tah move!" Suda waved him over after hoisting a rucksack onto her back.

    This time, he followed her call. He lowered his hammer and retreated from the growing horde of blue wisps.

    There was no time to retrieve any other supplies or pack up camp, so we abandoned everything else. We left with just the rags on our backs, weapons, and the three rucksacks of sparse rations.

    I looked back while we ran; our camp was utterly overwhelmed by a blinding blue swarm of light.

 Chapter 76 Freehaven, Part One

    ?We walked tirelessly through the night after the attack. Our hasty pacing andck of rest had us utterly exhausted.

    Fortunately for me, sleep deprivation wasn''t anything new. Between the nightmares and the constant threat of capture or worse on the war front, you learn to live with it. Sadly, that wasn''t the case for the rest of my countrymen.

    Their bodies all told the same story: chapped lips, drooping eyes, limp arms, and lethargic footwork. They were all beaten by physical and mental exertion.

    We lumbered through the woond foliage like zombies, stumbling over fallen trees and blindly marching through thick shrubbery. While Suda scaled arge rock to scout ahead, Mizuno questioned Shrug about the creatures.

    "Shrug; what were those things? Where did you learn to kill them?" she fixed her gaze on him.

    Shrug took a breath, then equipped his hammer. He took the hilt and inscribed strange symbols into the dirt. Though I''d never seen that type of writing, something clicked in my mind. It was that feeling you''d get when you finally understood something you wracked your brain toprehend for a long period of time.

    After that, I could somehow read it as "Aether Wisps."

    Finally, he uttered the phrase, "opposite element kills."

    "Those things are made of aether? Are you saying we need each type''s opposing magic to defeat them?" Mizuno questioned.

    Shrug nodded in agreement to both, and Mizuno sighed, "Of course¡­"

    After the two''s exchange, Suda called from up high with the all-clear to continue.

    After that, for hours, the group''s conversations were limited to variousints about tiredness, hunger, hurt feet, and bruised hands.

    The scorching Sun eventually began its daily descent, leaving my countrymen starving from theck of breakfast in the morning.

    "Uhhh..." Ayame brought a hand to her rumbling stomach. "I never thought I''d miss instant ramen so much..."

    "I know!" Agawa chirped. "I wish I could eat a sandwich from Killi''s Burgers! All this squirr-"

    "Quiet!" Suda threw up an arm while stopping, halting our advance. Likewise, Mizuno and Shrug motioned for us to maintain our positions.

    "Don''t...move," Mizuno ordered. She turned to us and eased us to stay put.

    Next, Suda wet her lips and loudly whistled a soothing musical melody. Notably, it resembled a popr song in my homnd, one about strength in unity.

    Though what she did was strange, what came after startled me.

    From out of the dense forestry to our left, an unfamiliar lone whistle finished Suda''s song with a final verse.

    The sudden appearance of that strange voice set my countrymen and me on edge, and we threw up our guards, ready for anything. I nced at the three, expecting the same reaction.

    I expected Suda to reach for her bow; instead, she nonchntly crossed her arms behind her head.

    Rather than arming herself with dual swords, Mizuno remained unfazed and docile.

    Likewise, Shrug just nced toward the sound and stared with disinterest.

    Then, from the sound''s origin emerged a small army, all cloaked in makeshift camouge and armed with various pieces of medieval weaponry.

    From shining steel swords to long-pointed pikes, shortbows, and crossbows, they were ready for war.

    Aside from theirrge armament, they boasted a numbers and height advantage. They outnumbered us three to one and stood atop an elevated dirt shelf.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Leading them was a rugged man with a ck leather eyepatch over his left eye. A deep scar stretched above and below the patch, telling the story of why it was there. Sections of steel ting covered vital pieces of his chest, abdomen, and legs with leather straps to hold them steady.

    Based on the bulkiness of his armor, I could tell the man boasted a powerfully muscr body. One that had the strength of an ox.

    Oddly, the man''s arrival sent Suda into a nervous sweat. She fidgeted her fingers and darted her eyes rapidly to avoid eye contact with him.

    He formed a scowl beneath his grizzled beard and pointed to my countrymen and me. "Who are they?" he asked with a low voice.

    "Recruits," Mizuno replied tly. "They''re new recruits, Barrett."

    He looked us over, then grunted at her dismissively. Finally, he stepped forward and jumped off the shelf,nding with a small shockwave of dust beneath his feet. His metal greaves echoed a loud ng against the crunching gravel beneath.

    He paced up to Suda with unblinking eyes. Her sweating and twitchiness intensified with each step he took.

    "Where''s the meat?" he exuded heavy pressure with each word. Even the forest critters nearby went deathly silent upon his inquiry.

    Suda shrunk from his intimidation and stammered over her words. "Uhhh...yeah...the meat..."

    Her stalling dried up the man''s patience. He stepped closer to Suda and cast his shadow over her. But, before he could utter anything, Mizuno spoke up.

    "The bear was poisoned; it can''t be helped," she affirmed.

    His eyes twitched in irritation toward Mizuno. "Poisoned? You spent all that time tracking a bear... Only toe back EMPTY-HANDED?! Do you have any id-"

    "Let it go, Barrett," Mizuno snapped back, "it was out of our control."

    He glowered at her and radiated frustration. He then jerked his head to the side, signaling the militia to take us forward before leaving himself. While he walked away, I overheard him scoff and utter the word "useless," followed by him spitting at the ground in disrespect.

    After our escort by the militant group, we came upon a wall of ghillie-wrapped wooden stakes deep within the forest. Centered in the middle was a massive wooden gate.

    It slowly groaned open, revealing the entrance to a vige of tents and other makeshift structures.

    Suda turned toward us with her hands yfully at her back. She then leaned forward and gave a sparkling smile. "Wee tah Freehaven!"

    Those three words... They resonated with each of us.

    Hikari cried in relief and clutched her sister tightly.

    Ayame and Agawa smiled at each other andughed uncontrobly.

    Kamida was... Kamida. He shouted the praises of the fortress'' security and cheered.

    Takagi grimaced and cursed under his breath.

    Takahashi had the most profound reaction of all of us. He looked on at thepound with apparent anxiety and brought a hand to his mouth in shock. He must''ve been traumatized too deeply by the events back at the manor to findfort.

    I, while still too distrustful to feel secure, felt optimistic. I was hopeful we had found a ce to call home, if only for a while.

    The goal of safety we longed for... The goal of safety we survived the past hellish week for... It was right within our grasp. We braved the storm and survived!

    That said, who could''ve known another was already brewing on the horizon.

 Chapter 77 Freehaven, Part Two

    ?Upon entering the gates, we were greeted by the bustling sights of a busy settlement. Leather-armored soldiers were training with various weapons, cooks were kiting piping hot meals to workstations, and hope was in the air.

    Small groups formed around bonfires as they drank and sang, celebrating a day''s hard work alongside the fall of the evening Sun. There would be no cheer for us, though.

    Rather than a wooden mug of homebrewed alcohol and a tray of nourishment, we were grouped up at the camp''s entrance, like a pile of new weapons to be inspected. Our evaluator: Henry Barrett.

    Akin to how he was in the forest, the man exuded an aura of dominance. His sharp gaze seemed capable of rousing a man''s spirit...and crushing it.

    This was a nostalgic experience for me. To be appraised as an object based on usefulness was step one to bing a soldier.

    Unlike me, barring Kamida and Takagi, my countrymen cast worried looks toward the three that led us here. They were silently pleading for them to stay.

    "Where are you three off to?" Kamida questioned with a smile.

    Mizuno matched his gaze and gave a light smile. "We''re reporting back, don''t worry," she turned away, beckoning for Suda and Shrug to follow.

    Shrug looked at us and shrugged before following Mizuno away.

    Suda''s reaction was the most rming. She eyed each of us, top to bottom, before giggling nervously. "Good luck," she said ominously, gesturing in Barrett''s direction. "I hope you won''t need it."

    He responded with a sharpened scowl. Almost as if it cut Suda, she winced and speedily retreated away with Mizuno and Shrug.

    The issues between the two seemed deeper than their meeting in the forest. He glowered angrily, and she shrunk away in shame; for whatever reason, the two definitely weren''t on friendly terms.

    Either way, she left, leaving us entirely to Barrett''s mercy.

    He stood before us, hands crossed behind his back, and took a deep breath. Then, after a calm exhale, he widened his eyes. "LINE UP!" he demanded.

    The pressure from his intimidation pushed my countrymen into ce. In my case, I hesitated. As a soldier, my only true orders shoulde from a superior within the Japanese military or political hierarchy.

    However, those rules didn''t apply anymore. We were in a new world, and old habits had no ce here. It was finally time for me to adapt. If I wanted to survive, I''d have to fall in line.

    So I did.

    He stepped forward and, one by one, appraised us. First was Kamida.

    "Your arms, raise them to your sides," he red at Kamida.

    Kamida must''ve been used to this level of intimidation; he barely twitched at Barrett''s menacing presence.

    Instead of stammering or crying as he had in the manor, he calmly smiled. He acted just as he did before the reveal of the manor''s secret, suave, calm, and collected. I guess he had nerves of steel so long as he wasn''t in a life-or-death situation.

    Barrett hummed and raised a hand to his beard. "You''re scrawny and a lousy fighter. I''ll leave it to ine to figure you out."

    Kamida replied to the bluntly insulting appraisal with amusement. "I suppose that''s true!" he chuckled.

    However, Barrett wasn''t amused. He turned back to Kamida and red. "You don''t talk unless I tell you to, understood?"

    Though he hadn''t looked intimidated, Kamida straightened his face and nodded.

    "Good," Barrett said triumphantly and moved on.

    For Agawa, he discovered a concealed knife she had on her (my old paring knife). She tried ying it off, but he confiscated it, much to her dissatisfaction. Finally, he praised her muscle tone and smiled. "You''re a limber one. You''ll make a fine scout," he smirked and moved on.

    "What''re you talking about?!" Agawa snapped back. "A scout? What makes you think I''d work for you?! I never agreed to anything!"

    He narrowed his eyes at Agawa and chuckled. "This camp has no room for freeloaders," he taunted. "I''ll let YOU think on that."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I motioned to re menacingly at him; I wasn''t about to let him threaten her. I stopped myself, though. Despite my misgivings, I knew he was right. Luxuries like "public welfare" were a thing of the past. Now only the strong and useful survive. ''It''s best she learn that now,'' I sighed and returned back to my position in the line.

    In Takagi''s case, Barrett noticed his mncholy. Specifically how unresponsive he was to being ordered.

    Barrett tried to raise Takagi''s arm forcefully, but Takagi immediately pulled away and shouted, "don''t touch me."

    Then, in a fit of anger, Takagi wound up his arm and punched Barrett in the jaw with great force. The sound of the impact was loud, like a thud.

    Despite having a fist currently buried in his cheek, Barrett remained unbothered. In fact, he was pleased, given the grin sprawled across his face. "You''ve got some fire, kid," heughed, wiped the blood from his nose, and put his hand on Takagi''s shoulder. "The enforcers always need new bodies... We''re d to have you aboard!"

    He began walking to the next person when he stopped in his tracks. Without turning, he said. "Oh, and kid... Don''t punch me again, not unless you''re ready for a hell of a fight."

    Takagi growled, but Barrett onlyughed back in response.

    When he reached me, like with the rest, he performed the motions of intimidation. He was probing me to see if I''d crack under pressure. But I was used to this kind of thing.

    So I followed the inspection obediently using the routine I''d formed as a trained soldier. I raised my arms for his review and stood at attention.

    "Woahoho," he was taken aback and leaned in to make eye contact, "you''re different. You''ve got the eyes of a killer." He inspected me further,menting on all the visible scars on my body.

    "You... You''ve fought before," he smirked and stepped back. "I think you''ll fit right in with the enforcers too."

    I nodded back. In these situations, it was customary to salute in Japan, but we weren''t there anymore. So I opted not to.

    He frisked me, removing the holsters and armor I''d scavenged from the manor. One thing caught his notice; it was something I''d forgotten about until now.

    "Hmmmm," he hummed with a low tone. "Where did you get this?" he held up his hand, revealing the keyring I''d stolen from the two guards back at the manor. Between his fingers was the odd key. The one with engraved golden feathers.

    "I stole it from two guards back in ckwood," I replied.

    "I see; I''ll be confiscating this, too, for further inspection," he eyed me, waiting for a moment of defiance. However, he wouldn''t find that moment. I wasn''t about to argue over some keys.

    ''Besides, there''s no way in hell I''m going back there, so it''s not like I''ll need them.''

    Unopposed, he stashed the keys away on his person, then resumed to the rest of the group.

    From there, he moved to analyze the sisters and Takahashi. But he was interrupted by a woman.

    "Barrett, don''t you think it''s time to stop harassing the newbies?" she raised a finger in admonishment. Her voice was as smooth as a summer breeze, with a gentle cadence that carried a hint of authority.

    Her striking appearance matched her confident demeanor.

    She had silvery eyes that shone with profound intelligence and long, silky white hair with ck tips that cascaded down her back. Her sweet smile and mature allure were disarming, putting even the most anxious at ease. Finally, her well-defined and feminine figure was hidden beneath her buttoned gray-ck blouse and cks.

    "ine?!" he raised an arm in protest. Don''t interr-"

    She walked past him, ignoring his objections. Then, after a modest bow, she introduced herself. "It''s a pleasure to meet all of you. I''m ine Hearth, and I''m the lead personnel coordinator."

    Standing behind her was a turbulent firestorm of fury. "Hey... What the hell do you think you''re doing, ine?" he reached forward, but she turned toward him with another smile.

    "Henry... Why don''t you focus on your job as Quartermaster? Shore up our supplies for us. Besides, the General needs to speak with them. You''ll obey the chain ofmand, won''t you?" Though sweet on the surface, I could detect traces of malice within thosest words.

    He glowered at her with a rumbling fury before letting out a deep growl and leaving.

    With Barrett gone, Hearth returned her focus to us. "Well," she sped her hands and tilted her head, "shall we meet the General?"

 Chapter 78 Freehaven, Part Three.

    ?We passed many workstations and structures while following Hearth.

    There was a gruff old cksmith. He hammered away at smoldering steel over an ashen ck anvil. With the Sun creeping below the horizon, he relied upon the glow ofntern light and the bed of cindery coals to see.

    Next was a series of tented storehouses. Each was guarded by two soldiers dressed in makeshift studded brown-leather armor and boasted longswords.

    Amongst them stood Barrett; he angrily shouted at a soldier about "the careful distribution of food" or something along those lines.

    After passing numerous bunkhouses, we saw the most curious structure. Curious because, out of every other, this one was the most developed and fortified.

    It was a modestly sized rectangle fitted with meticulously crafted wood nks and iron ting. The top red up into a multitude of venting chimneys. Most intriguingly, the building contained no windows or means to see inside. On its ckened door was a wood sign inscribed with the phrase "R&D."

    "R...and D?" Agawa pointed quizzically at the building. "What''s that?"

    I could guess what it meant based on what I knew from my world. I was proven right when Hearth spoke up.

    She maintained a steady pace forward but cocked her head back and smiled warmly. "It''s Research and Development! We use it to study and create tools from salvaged material. I can''t go into specifics, though. Even I''m not sure what goes on in there," she finished with a charming giggle.

    We passed several structures, sleeping tents, small training areas, and bonfire pits. Eventually, we came upon a grand gray tent with two banners staked in the ground.

    Immediately upon seeing them, I was struck by a sense of familiarity. The red borders, the centered red Sun. It was the same banner I saw when we first came here. The ones I saw during the "bandit" ambush on the carriages.

    ''Yup, so they weren''t bandits, in the end, after all...'' Beyond confirming my suspicions, the banner evoked other feelings.

    ''Japan...'' It nearly brought a tear to my eye. Though it was devastated by war, it was my home. The ce I swore I''d die for.

    My heart tightened with mncholy as images of a proud ind country yed through my mind. Memories of salty sea shores, thriving urban districts, and tranquil green farnds. ''I miss it...''

    "We''re here!" Hearth eximed with raised hands, breaking me from thought. "Wee to headquarters! The General''s just inside, waiting for you all," she turned toward us and smiled. "I''ll be right out here if you need me."

    Kamida thanked her for her guidance before we followed her instructions and cautiously entered the tent. The inside screamed the phrase "officer''s quarters."

    The ground was covered by a luxurious red carpet, fully sealing the tent away from the outside world. Above it stood a sleek pinewood desk with various books and paper stacks lining the edges...and behind the desk sat a born leader.

    His focused, darkened blue gaze, his brooding silence, and his aura of absolute righteousness. Just one look and I knew he was a man of power. A man of quick nning and swifter action. Physically, he was angr and chiseled, befitting a man of high leadership. He donned an immacte white cored shirt and ck tie beneath a dark blue suit.

    He had his arms propped atop the desk''s surface and crossed his hands in front of his mouth. His attention neglected us; he was staring at three others, the three we parted ways with half an hour ago.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Mizuno, Suda, and Shrug stood quietly before him. They each had rming expressions of unease and worry. Even Shrug, the man of peak stoicism, couldn''t fully contain his angst.

    The man sliced through the silence with a clear voice honed to a razor''s edge. "This is..." he stopped and wearily rubbed his temples. "Provisions were already low enough..." he lowered his head and hushed his voice. "Goddammit..."

    "I''m sorry, Cap. I..." Suda performed a solemn bow. "I know the camp really needed it." Likewise, Mizuno and Shrug performed their own gestures of apology.

    The suited man sighed and waved their apology off. "It''s fine... Between the strange ''wisps'' that you mentioned and everything else, you had a hell of a time. You all did the best you could. Besides, there''s no use worrying about the failures of the past... Not while we''re screwed in the present."

    He gave a tired smile and lifted his gaze from the table, noticing us standing at the entrance. "Ah, these are the new recruits you mentioned, I assume?" he questioned the three.

    The three also turned toward us, and Mizuno nodded at the suited man. "That''s right, Sir," she responded. "They''re the ones we found being attacked by the quillbeast."

    He hummed to himself and looked us over. Strangely, he paid me extra attention. "They''re going to need a lot of training. Will you three be responsible for it?"

    "Yes, Sir," Mizuno replied again.

    He''d been about to speak when Suda interjected. "Uh, Sir! What should we do about the supply problem? Ya know...since the bear didn''t work out..."

    Silence ensued while he visibly pondered his next move. He took a breath and turned his attention toward Mizuno. "What do you think? Any ideas, Lieutenant? I can''t make a decision without input from my second."

    Mizuno brought a hand up from her cloak and gripped her chin. "Aside from dispatching more hunting parties...we could schedule a raid? Steal from ckwood''s stores?"

    The suited man shook his head and chuckled. "That sounds risky, but we''re running out of time. So a raid might be our only option left..."

    "Oh well," he sighed, "our problems aren''t going anywhere." He looked at us and smiled. "Let''s call it quits for now and rest. You all must be starving and tired."

    My countrymen needed no verbal response; their longing and drooling faces at the mention of rest and food were more than enough.

    Heughed again. "Well, before I send you all off, my name is Furuya Susumu, former captain of Tokyo PD and the lead figure in this settlement. I look forward to formally meeting each of you. Dismissed!"

    After the meeting''s conclusion, everyone began their departure from the tent. However, as we left, he waved me down. "You and I..." he paused and stood up. "We need to chat," he narrowed his eyes and motioned for me to take a seat.

    Given his fierce expression, a refusal wasn''t an option.

 Chapter 79 A Night Of Drinking, Part One.

    ?Once we were the only two in the tent, Furuya returned to his seat with a weary groan. Then, he shed me a grin and gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

    "Please, I insist," he said. Though he was asking, I could tell it wasn''t a request. Instead, it was a nicely-toned order. It was also one I wouldn''t refuse.

    Especially after the stunt I pulled with Mizuno, I needed to build a foundation of trust with these people to protect my ce here.

    Plus, this was clearly a militant camp, and this man was at the peak of the hierarchy. If there was anything a soldier knew to respect, it was the chain ofmand.

    "Understood," I responded tly, pulled out the chair, and took my seat.

    Furuya inhaled a light breath and stretched his fingers. Each pop within every joint was emphasized within the silence of the tent.

    The tension between us was mind crippling, leaving me in dread of what he wanted to discuss. I frequently had to remind myself this man could be trusted...probably.

    After traveling for half a week with Mizuno and the other two and learning of their former upations, I held a small modicum of trust for them. By extension, I had a degree of faith in their allies, though it took an active effort to maintain.

    ''This man says he was the captain at their precinct, so I can trust him, too, right?'' I tried reasoning with myself, but it took increasing effort when he inched a hand beneath his desk into a drawer.

    My breath quickened, and my muscles tensed upon seeing his suspicious movement. I readied myself to pounce on him if he tried anything hostile.

    He rummaged loudly, then slowly removed his hand, furthering my anxieties. As more of the object was revealed, my spection only became worse.

    ''A knife? A baton? A gun?!'' I held my breath, and my palms tightened around my chair''s armrests. The chair''s wood creaked under the pressure of my grip.

    My mind raced as I considered subduing him before he could finish whatever he started, but I stopped myself. ''Just rx, just rx,'' I internally repeated this phrase, though it hardly did any good.

    Just as my unease peaked, his hand was lifted free from the desk, entirely in view.

    In his clenched palm, rather than a weapon for a fight, was the elongated neck of a burgundy-colored liquor bottle. Then, he proceeded to utter thest words I expected to hear.

    "Want a drink?" he gave a juvenile smile and chuckled. "It''s good stuff! And...it''s from my secret stash," he winked.

    ''What?'' is what I responded inwardly. I couldn''t speak; my tongue was caught up by the surprise question.

    After seeing he wasn''t reaching for an object of murder, my anxiety was released in a visible burst at the anticlimactic turn of events.

    I let out a tired exhale, and my muscles ckened. Much to my dismay, his aura of control and order was nowhere to be found. It was reced by carefree immaturity.

    "It''s alright, buddy; I''m off duty now. " No need to be so standoffish," he mmed the bottle onto the desk. Then he removed two stainless sses from the same drawer he retrieved the booze from.

    "You a drinker? I''m not supposed to be..." he leaned in and gestured a finger for my ear. I brought it to him, and he whispered, "Yuuki would kill me if she found out about this. So let''s keep it a secret between us, okay?" he finished with a sly smile.

    Still confused, I settled back into my chair and nkly nodded while he popped the cork from the top.

    After it burst out, he poured a smooth, chestnut-brown liquid into both sses and slid one toward me. Though I hadn''t picked it up, the earthy aroma of the liquor permeated my nose. I could feel my brain tingling just from the smell.

    I stared at him, still in disbelief at his attitude shift, then moved my gaze to the booze before me. The liquid shimmered beneath the glow of torchlight.

    "What? Not drinking?" he questioned. "Oh, I guess maybe you''re just nervous. Here," he took hold of the ss in front of me and gulped down half.

    Furuya exhaled satisfactorily before cing the ss back where he had taken it from. "Man... That''s good stuff! You gotta try it! C''mon!"

    After confirming the drink was safe for consumption, I took it in my hands and repeated his motion. With a decisive gulp, I guzzled down the final half. Unlike how unfazed he reacted to the alcohol, I greatly regretted drinking it.

    I was never a booze man; I liked to keep a clear head in case of an ambush. That was why the burning sensation flooding my throat nearly knocked me to my knees.

    A violent fit of coughing and retching wracked my chest, and I hunched over onto the desk. My face was firmly nted into the smooth wooded top as I held my sides.

    "Ohhhh, my bad, I never..." he chuckled loudly, "I never would''ve thought you''d be a lightweight!" hisughter grew even louder as he taunted me. "I can''t believe it!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After several moments of my coughing and his cackling, I managed to squeeze out a few words. "W-What the hell? What the hell is that?" I pointed to the bottle.

    He emerged from hisughter and wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, that?" he pointed to the bottle. "That''s firewine. I asked our chemist to make me something for the cold and dull nights. It packs a hell of a punch, but I guess you already know that!" he started chuckling again before pouring another serving into my ss.

    When the searing sensation finally dissipated, I wiped my mouth and straightened my posture.

    My words were hoarse from the pain, but I managed to speak. "W-What did you want with me, Sir? I''m guessing you aren''t just looking for a drinking buddy."

    Hisughter ceased as he took another swig of firewine, this time from his own cup. He gruffly grunted in approval of the burn and mmed the ss down.

    After a deep breath, he matched my gaze and smiled. "Don''t worry about it, buddy. This is just an interview. There''s nothing at all to be worried about!"

    ''An...interview?'' I didn''t know how to respond, so I said nothing. I understood vetting your personnel. After all, one had to be careful about letting a traitor into their camp. But still...an interview?

    Even if I wanted to speak up, there was no time to talk. Not before he started again. "You know, Mizuno told me a lot about you few. She told me you all survived that hell of a city, ckwood."

    He took another sip before narrowing his eyes. "She also told me about how she recognized you, in particr. She said you wore a soldier''s uniform during your ride to the city."

    ''She knows me? And she saw me in my uniform?!'' More confusion filled my mind, but also understanding.

    I recognized her from somewhere, too, but I couldn''t figure out where. Not with everything else that had happened. But, if she knew me already, my feeling of deja vu with her was justified.

    "Sir, could I ask where she recognized me from?" I wanted to sate my curiosity once and for all.

    "Oh, you might''ve not seen her. But she led the assault on your carriages to liberate you. Sadly, we overestimated our weapon''s capabilities and underestimated the strength of theirs."

    That''s when I remembered her, and the veil of confusion guing me finally vanished.

    Mizuno was the bow-woman. The one that mouthed "run" in trying to convince me to get out of there.

    I clenched my teeth and grimaced while averting my gaze downward. ''Easier said than done,'' I angrily griped to myself.

    Furuya must''ve spotted my frustration as he spoke up cheerfully. "Chin up and keep drinking, buddy! Alcohol is the best remedy when you''re down! Well, at least that''s what I say," heughed again.

    I looked at the gut-burning liquid with distaste, but I also wanted this feeling of crushing regret to cease. So I took up the ss and lit my throat aze.

    After chugging every drop, I ced the ss back on the desk and desperately tried clearing my throat to no avail. I was stuck with the burn, but that was fine with me; the pain reced the mental anguish I felt over my countrymen''s deaths.

    When I finished coughing, he asked me a series of questions over the next few hours, from before I was summoned to when I was gutted.

    He asked me about things like my thought processes, what actions I took following them, what information I learned, and...who I killed. He wanted to know everything.

    When the curtain finally closed on my recollection of events, he set down the ss he drank from and shook his head. "You definitely had some choices to make. Failure is always a tough pill to swallow. It hurts even more than this booze," he chuckled forlornly.

    His words were like daggers, twisting and tearing apart my heart. I already knew I messed up; his reminding me of it only salted the wound.

    "Beyond that," Furuya continued, "you managed to escape without a cor, through a horde of guards, and with a rune-coach to boot! I also heard you attacked Mizuno..."

    Furuya''s cheer ceased, and his eyes went cold. As he stared deep into my eyes, he uttered a phrase out of the blue. "You''re working with them, aren''t you? The vampires."

    His words shocked me to my core. Of all my years of service, never had my loyalty been questioned. From ming shores to blood-soaked battlefields, I was always the most loyal of them all.

    But now...now... ''I''m a...traitor?''

    Furuya stood up from his desk and red at me. Was this turning into a fight?

 Chapter 80 A Night Of Drinking, Part Two.

    ?Furuya red at me. He raised his hands and prepared for what looked to be a strike.

    I raised my guard, readying for a counterattack. But the thoughts of violence were dispelled when he started hystericallyughing.

    "I''m only messing with you, buddy!" he wrapped his arms around his belly to his sides, and tears of joy formed in his eyes. "You should''ve seen the look of horror on your face! It was... It was..." Laughter overtook him, preventing him from finishing his sentence.

    ''What the hell is happening right now?'' I sat dumbfounded, staring at the guy pointing andughing at me.

    When he finally came down from his fit of giggles, Furuya wiped the moisture from his eyes and breathed deeply. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It''s just your reaction was priceless. Most try to deny it first or panic, but you skipped all that and went straight to fighting me! You''re hrious!"

    He started a second fit ofughter, spurring me to finally take verbal action. "What are you talking about? A joke? You weren''t serious about that?!"

    Through stifled giggles, he managed a response. "Of course not! I told you this was an interview! I just wanted to see how you reacted!"

    ''All of that...that was just part of his "interview?"'' I realized I had no grasp on this man whatsoever. He was more entric and unpredictable than I could''ve imagined.

    He quelled his giggles briefly to speak clearly. "You think we''d just let unvetted people into this camp?! Suda would''ve killed you already if you had bad intentions! She''s our local mind reader, after all!"

    "Mind reader? Suda can read...minds?" I asked.

    Furuya cast a confused look toward me before experiencing a visible "click" in his mind. "Ohhhh, I guess she didn''t tell you about it, huh?"

    He gulped down thest of the liquor within his ss, then shrugged. "Well, Suda has a power no other seems to have. We don''t know why, but she can ''read'' people''s intentions by asking questions and maintaining eye contact. Isn''t that cool?!"

    Now that he mentioned it, there was a moment where it felt like Suda was probing my mind. There was also the distinct feeling of her ripping away from it when the wisps appeared.

    He said she had to ask a question, which she was in the process of doing but couldn''t finish. ''I guess that means I''m not "vetted."''

    I had two options. I could maintain silence and allow him to believe I was already scanned by Suda and risk exposureter down the line. Or I could tell the truth ande clean about my status as an unknown variable.

    "Sir, I have to tell you something," I chose thetter. Whatever consequence there would be if they knew I wasn''t vetted would be smallpared to what would happen if I lied.

    He shot me a quizzical look, then smiled. "Sure thing! And please, call me Furuya when I''m off duty."

    "Okay, Furuya, I have to tell you I don''t think Sudapleted whatever it is she does. She was interrupted when we were attacked."

    He brought a hand to his chin and pondered. I expected him to call for the guards outside and hoist me to some detainment area.

    Instead, he filled our sses, took another swig, andughed again. "You know, Sato...That''s your name, isn''t it? Sato? Mizuno informed me of it during the briefing before you and your group arrived."

    I nodded my head yes.

    "That''s great! Sato... It''s a fantastic name! Anyway," he swiped a binder from the top of his desk. Upon opening it, he revealed pages containing ink stains from writing. "This is our supply ledger."

    He beckoned me to his side and pointed to a column littered with red numbers and check marks. "Look here, you see these red markings? That''s our food reserves. Notice they''re absolutely fucked right now!"

    I was confused. Hepletely blew off my confession of being untrustworthy. "Furuya, are you sure you want to be showing me this? I told you I haven''t been verified yet."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He gave me an easing look. "I heard you; it''s fine! We''ll just have Suda check you in the morning. Besides, I have faith a man of your profession wouldn''t betray his country. You''ll still enjoy extra security around your bunk for tonight, though. So look forward to that!"

    I let out a half-hearted chuckle. I could no longer determine if this man was a cautious nner or a reckless fool. His "on-duty" and "off-duty" personas were just too different.

    "Anyway," he pointed back to the ledger, "so what do you think, Sato? You have war experience, so I''d love your input! How should I solve this little problem of mine? Do you think Mizuno is right to stage a raid?"

    I thought back to all of my experiences in this world. Every sight and every piece of knowledge I had was meaningless for strategy. Even so, I knew the town was well fortified. Any attack on it would hold a risk too high for something as small as food.

    But, if there was anything else I knew about a vige at war, it was the supply chain. Though it would have food stores, those would be safely tucked away in the confines of the town. However...the suppliers wouldn''t be.

    "Do you have an urate map?" I asked. Information was half the battle, and I didn''t have enough of it.

    He looked at me and smirked. "That''s a good first move. And yes, we do! Right over here," he motioned behind us toward arge table.

    We paced up to the table to see a document of the surrounding area sprawled across it.

    "See? Pretty good, isn''t it? You have no idea how hard we worked to get all of this."

    It really was a work of art by informational standards. From ckwood to the pine forests outside of it, everyndmark was properly cataloged and disyed.

    My suspicions were confirmed when I saw patches of housing beyond the walled vige surrounded by ttened ins. Those were homesteads and likely undefended suppliers to the town''s food reserves.

    "Here," I pointed to the closest one, "enemy farms are the best bet. They''re open, undefended, have a high yield, and will cripple your enemy''s food supply."

    His expression changed to that of understanding and excitement. "You know...that''s a fantastic idea! Though the farm is a bit of a travel, it''s worth consideration. We''ll discuss it more tomorrow morning. Leave it to a soldier; you''ve some great ideas!" he took his ss and gestured for me to join him.

    At first, I declined to drink. "No. No, I''m okay, thank you." I had already consumed enough liquor to begin feeling the effects of inhibited judgment and motor skills. Which was something I wanted to avoid as much as possible.

    "Please," he motioned to my ss, "I insist." His expression tightened, and his gaze locked me to ce. He wasn''t asking... He was telling me to drink.

    I wanted to refuse, but he was the leader of this ce. I had no idea what type of man he was, so even the slightest act of defiance could spell disaster for me. That said, I followed his instruction. I had no other choice.

    After I grasped the ss, he made a toast to me, to good health and to Freehaven''s sess.

    "Bottoms up!" he joked, then swallowed his ss liquor in a single gulp.

    I followed suit, and my lungs nearly burned out from chugging the alcohol. Soon after, my mind spun, my body temperature heated up, and my face became flushed. For the first time in my life, I was starting to feel drunk.

    Furuya noticed it too. "Ahhhh, I guess you''re getting a bit tipsy. Well, let''s call it for today and pick things up tomorrow! Thanks for your time, Sato."

    He called upon an escort who brought me to an empty bed, concluding my first night in Freehaven. As it turned out, despite my multi-daya, I was exhausted.

    Within minutes, I drifted off to thends of unconsciousness. I had to squeeze in whatever sleep I could. After all, we had a raid to n.

 Chapter 81 A Night Of Drinking, Part Three

    ?***Agawa POV***

    We all sat around a familiar sight with unfamiliar surroundings.

    The Sun had already set, painting the sky ck with the exception of the brightened stars.

    Though there was a chill in the air, the roaring campfire between us kept the cold at bay. Lining the rock-bordered firepit were a variety of skewered meat cubes and mushrooms.

    As I said, it was a familiar sight. The only difference was we''d been surrounded by walls, giving us the guise of safety.

    Even so, I somehow managed to feel uneasy. I felt like any second now, a monster could burst through, tearing apart everything in its path. I broke into a nervous sweat thinking about it.

    So, while the others exchanged banter, I handbed my hair in an attempt to distract myself from my panicked thoughts. It was frayed and filthy from a week without bathing.

    My skin felt heavy from the grime. Mud, twigs, and pine needles, I was covered from head to toe with the definition of the word "wilderness."

    "Agawa! Aren''t you going to eat?" Ayame interrupted my thoughts. "You should. It''s important to keep your strength!" she said, tearing off a roasted white mushroom and smiling.

    ''She sure adapted quickly to the food,'' I chuckled.

    I followed her advice and reached for one. The browned meat glistened with the moonlight, and the escaping juices dripped onto the veggies, voring them further.

    Before I ate, an image of the man we left behind appeared in my mind. "Do you think Sato will be alright?" I asked nobody in particr.

    I looked to Takagi, expecting a response from him first, but his attention was lost in the dancing mes of the firepit.

    Though he was eating, I could tell even those motions were him on "autopilot." His condition had improved since his confrontation with Sato, but he still hadn''t fully returned to his old self.

    So I looked to my other group members, only to be answered by Mizuno instead.

    "Sato will be fine. Furuya is irritatingly carefree, despite how he sounds," she scowled and drank from a wooden cup of water. His mention seemed to frustrate her.

    "Yeahhh," Suda smiled, "the boss is entric but harmless so long as you don''t pose a threat as an enemy."

    "That''s good; I know Sato is no ene-" A picture of him covered in blood, wielding a crimson-stained knife in a jail cell shed before me. Though I knew he was no threat to me, I couldn''t help feeling terrified after seeing that side of him.

    After everything we experienced, I overcame most of it. I could even sit beside him! Or, at least, while he was unconscious. But now that he was awake, I couldn''t bear to look him in the eyes. Every time I did, I saw that same horrific scene.

    ''So much blood...'' though my eyes were open to the present, all I could see was that gore-filled moment of the past. Then a warm sensation pressed against my shoulder. It was Suda, and she leaned in toward me.

    "Are ya okay? Yer a little pale." Within her eyes was genuine concern. It made sense, considering we spent quite a bit of time bonding while hunting together during our weeklong travels in the wilderness.

    "I''m fine, just a little tired, is all," I leaned forward and cradled my head in my arms. That''s when I felt the familiar sensation of metal against my throat''s skin.

    I brushed my fingertips against the base of my neck. My touch stung my raw, swollen flesh, causing me to visibly wince. I cursed to myself and lifted my head toward Suda.

    "Actually, you said we could get these cors off when we got here, right? When can we do that? My neck is getting a rash from this thing." I tugged at the cor, showing what I was referring to.

    "Absolutely! Though it''ll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. Our local nerd is probably sleepin'' right now," Suda smiled and shrugged.

    As much as I wanted to get this damn thing off as soon as possible, it couldn''t be helped with howte it was.

    ''Just a little longer...'' I consoled myself.

    Then, Takashi spoke up. He asked the question on all our minds but was too afraid to ask. "So...what''s gonna happen to us now?"

    "You''ll be assigned roles," Mizuno responded. "You''ll contribute to this camp based on your skills and what you can do. It''s how we survive."

    "Y-You won''t force me to fight, will you?" Takahashi asked nervously.

    "Only if you seem suited for it," Mizuno said tly.

    Takahashi became restless and tried to make himself seem as small as possible. He must''ve been afraid they''d turn him into a warrior, though I doubted it, given his demeanor and physical ability.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Speaking of Mizuno mentioning roles, I was reminded of our first encounter within the camp. The burly guy with the eyepatch, Barrett, assigned Sato, Takagi, and me to groups. ''Is that what she referred to?''

    "So is what that Barrett guy said about the ''enforcers'' and ''scouts'' true? Will we be assigned to groups like those?" I asked, not wanting to leave it to spection.

    Suda smiled and rubbed the back of her head. "Ahhhh, no. I knew he''d do somethin'' like that..." she paused and swore under her breath. "Look, ya can just ignore ''im, okay?"

    I was puzzled. Mizuno, moments ago, said we were to be assigned jobs to be useful. Now Suda was directly conflicting that by telling us to ignore it?

    "We should ''ignore him?'' What do you mean?" I asked.

    "Wellll," she chuckled, "Barrett is actually in charge of our supplies. He''s our camp quartermaster. He directs material and food, not manpower. I''m sure Hearth told you she''s responsible for that."

    "So why did he assign a few of us to groups?" I followed up.

    "Because he wants to be the camp''s leader," Suda said tly with a nk face. "He doesn''t like how carefree Cap''n Furuya is sometimes. He thinks it''s a sign of weakness. So he''s tryin'' to build a faction to back his own leadership."

    I was visibly shocked by such ackadaisical response.

    She calmly admitted to having knowledge of Barrett trying to stage a coup! I obviously wasn''t versed in the politics of running a settlement. Still, I was sure an active mutiny wasn''t to be taken lightly!

    "And you''d let him do something like that?! Isn''t that something you''d explicitly stop?!" I had to stop myself from shouting too loudly. The surprise was too much.

    Sheughed more before continuing. "Yeahhh, that''s what I said tah the cap too, but he shrugged it off and assured me Barrett wasn''t a problem. He also said we can''t stop ''im because the settlement has a right to free leadership. It''s kinda stupid, but I trust the cap. Plus, I made sure Barrett wasn''t plottin'' anythin'' too nefarious, so we''re good...hopefully."

    At first, I was too astonished to speak, but another question popped into my mind. "What roles will we get then?"

    "Whatever Hearth assigns you," Mizuno responded, pointing me to my skewer. "You should eat; we won''t stay out here forever."

    Though the answer wasn''t satisfying, I quieted down and focused on my food like she and Ayame instructed.

    For the next several minutes, all talking ceased between us. The chattering of crickets and the snapping of burning sticks became all we could hear. However, Kamida soon broke the silence.

    He stood up with an expression of pride and held up a wooden cup filled with water. He then cast his gaze on each of us and smiled. "My friends, though I''ve only known you for a week''s time, it feels like we''ve spent a lifetime together!"

    He wiped a tear from his eye and drank from his cup. After clearing his throat, he continued. "Together, we escaped that ursed town! Together, we survived a perilous journey through the wilds! Together, we made it to this safe haven and survived! I''m proud to call all of you my allies!"

    However, contrary to what everyone expected, cheers of camaraderie weren''t what Kamida received. Instead, Takagi ripped his gaze from the campfire and focused angrily on Kamida.

    "What about Nakamura, Conman?" Takagi sullenly snapped. "Where''s the ''together'' for him?"

    Kamida looked at Takagi with a pained look. "Nakamura was a good man. A man of integrity. A man that demanded only the highest of respect. He was a man we''ll never forget for his sacrifice against that monster. It''s because of him I''m alive. Because of him, I can say this speech; I know this."

    "So why the hell are you so cheery?! How can you celebrate when you know he died for us? For you?!" Takagi swiped his skewer at Kamida.

    Kamida took a breath and a hard swallow. "It''s because I know he sacrificed himself for my life. In appreciation for him, I can''t dwell on his death. If I stayed depressed, It would waste the gift he gave me."

    Takagi jeered in disagreement and returned to silence.

    Likewise, Kamida sat back down, and the once joyous air became cripplingly somber. It remained that way for the rest of dinner until we began our journey to bed.

    While Mizuno and Suda led the sisters and me to thedies'' sleeping quarters, Shrug led the rest of our group to the men''s. On our way there, Suda pulled me aside.

    "Psssst, Agawa," she whispered, "wanna go hunting with me early in the morning? We''re kinda screwed ''cause of that bear. Yer good fer spottin'' and catchin'' things, and I think we''ve got good chemistry. Whatcha say?"

    My muscles, bones, and even my cells hurt from fatigue. I knew they''d ache even more in the morning, thanks to my insomnia.

    Despite my pained body, I knew this was a perfect opportunity to show my usefulness. I''d fulfill my requirements to stay here and be allowed to work with someone I knew! It was a good deal.

    Besides... I needed something to distract myself from my own thoughts. My very bloody and very terrifying thoughts.

    "Sure thing," I whispered back and forced a tired smile.

 Chapter 82 The Next Morning

    ?By habit and a series of nightmares, I awoke at the crack of dawn. I tried to move, but the once-cold cot became a cozy entrapment to my body. For a few minutes, I sat in paralysis, internally battling with myself to leave thefort of the cot.

    Though it took mental effort, I willed myself out of bed and proceeded to the tent''s entrance. When I stood up, a bout of dizziness assailed my mind. I stumbled and had to stabilize myself by cing an arm on the bed.

    My mind pounded, and my stomach painfully squirmed with nausea. ''Damn alcohol,'' I griped.

    My stomach rumbled with hunger on my way out. The only thing I''d consumed the day prior were several servings of that gut-burning alcohol and some small bits of bread. If I wanted to be at all useful, I had to get something in my stomach.

    In my pursuit of breakfast, I pushed the tent''s ps forward, revealing the warm embrace of the day''s first light and the sight of two stationed guards.

    ''That''s right...I''m under watch,'' I sighed, remembering my conversation with Furuya. ''Well, I guess it''s a chance to make a good impression.''

    I stepped out between my two guards. Upon hearing me, they cocked their heads toward me and red. Both were armed with shortswords and makeshift brown leather armor.

    Their armor had clear differences, but the same couldn''t be said for most of their physical features. They both had hair as golden as a meadow of wheat and green eyes that rivaled emeralds with their depth of color. Finally, their cheekbones and noses were symmetrically chiseled down to thest curve.

    Their only differences; one sported long wavy hair and a beard, while the other was clean-shaven with short hair.

    "Good morning," I nodded, trying to maintain some semnce of friendliness.

    The two looked at each other, then nodded to me without saying a word.

    Seeing their unfriendly response, I waved uneasily. "I''m just off to find some food," I motioned to my stomach and awkwardly chuckled.

    At the mention of food, the bearded one broke his demeanor of seriousness. His eyes widened, and he let out arge grin. "Food?! Alright! I''m hungry too budd-"

    Interrupting him was the other. He shot the bearded one a look of annoyance and growled. "Shut up, idiot! We''re on duty!"

    The bearded one slunk away and shed me a twitchy smile. Finally, he cleared his throat and straightened his face. "That''s fine," he said, trying to maintain a serious tone, "we''ll show you there."

    From there, they led me through the settlement. Probably due to the early hours, my path had little contact with others. I was grateful for it since it made my walk rtively peaceful.

    That is until the bearded one spoke up again. "Hey! So if we''re guarding you, we should get to know each other!"

    I turned to match his gaze; he was childishly grinning beneath his beard.

    "Idiot!" the short-haired one said. "Focus on guarding, not friending!"

    The bearded one nced at the other and stared for a moment. He, then returned his attention to me. "So anyway, my name''s n and he''s Joseph. We''re brothers, born to the Traunt family!"

    I was d one of the two was talkative; it made it easier to read his intentions. "It''s good to meet you, n. My name''s-"

    "Oh, General Furuya told us both already. You''re some badass soldier from another world, right? That''s so cool! Can you te-"

    "ALAN!" Joseph snapped. "Just focus, would you?!"

    n motioned his mouth to protest but was cut off by Joseph''s pressuring re.

    "Okay, okay... I get it," n replied and held his tongue in silence.

    After our conversation died down, I noticed a familiar rhythmic nging. I''d heard it when we first arrived at the camp.

    Over and over, it repeated, getting louder with every step I took. Eventually, the origin of the sound was revealed; it was the cksmith, already hard at work.

    Now that sunlight illuminated him, I could glean more details about his appearance.

    Half his face was hidden beneath an unnaturallyrge, frayed gray beard. Like his hair, strands of his beard were twisted into a braid held by ornamental bands that snaked down his chest.

    His most notable feature was his body''s unique proportions. He was on the lower side of average height, and his chest was oddly bulkypared to his legs. Furthering the image of a "grizzled cksmith," his burn-stained arms bulged with muscle. On one was a snaking pattern of tribal tattoos.

    n raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Barik! Working hard, I see!"

    The cksmith grunted back and projected a fierce look. He then returned to hammering away at the de in front of him.

    "Friendly as ever, I see," the bearded escort joked to the other.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    But Joseph wasn''t amused. "Would you act like a guard for once?" You''re going to get us scolded by Hearth again."

    nughed and turned to Joseph. "It''s fiiiiineee; you worry too much, bro."

    As he scowled back, a visible crease in Joseph''s forehead formed.

    The two then bickered for the next several minutes.

    Eventually, we arrived at our goal; arge, tented mess area fitted with makeshift tables, wooden log seating, and a cook''s section.

    Within the space for the cook was arge, dark gray cast iron cauldron suspended over an already roaring fire. It was surrounded by various wooden shelving and chopping tables. Completing the ensemble was a young man.

    He sported a dirtied white apron over a pair of simple brown trousers secured with a rope belt. His tattered beige shirt added to his "peasant-like" appearance, while his deep brown eyes and hairplemented his natural look.

    We stepped closer, and the man looked up from his task of smashing a b of red meat. "Oh! If it isn''t the Traunt brothers! Hello!" he lifted his hand and waved it, revealing the hammer he''d gripped for tenderizing meat.

    "What''s up, Johnny!" n cheerfully waved back, much to Joseph''s displeasure. "What''s there to eat?"

    The question made the cook grimace as he solemnly looked at his cutting board. When we stopped next to him, I could see why.

    Given this was an area for cooking and eating, I expected to see steaming vegetables, boiling meats, and simmering stews. But that wasn''t the sight awaiting me when we arrived. Instead, it was pitifully bleak.

    Barring a few stale loafs of bread and thin gruel, the shelves and tables were mostly barren. There were a few bs of dried meats, but nothing that supported the idea of a long-time thriving settlement.

    ''Their food supply really is this bad?'' Though I saw the ledger, I couldn''t believe the settlement was in such dire straits.

    n tried sneaking aside and picking off a chunk from one of the bread loaves. However, his hand was stopped when it was gripped by another''s.

    He looked up, and sheer terror sprawled across his face.

    Joseph brought a hand to his forehead and mumbled the word "idiot." I could almost see his urge to disown n as a brother painted across his face.

    Curious, I led my eyes up the arm attached to the hand, gripping n to ce the face to whoever ambushed him.

    Unlike the delicate hand grabbing him, its owner''s expression was sadistic and evil. Within her silver eyes was the glint of murder.

    "Try it, n... Try it and see how far you get," she squeezed down on his hand, causing him to wince in pain.

    n nervouslyughed and removed his hand away from hers. "Hearth! Very nice to see you! I was just...well," he sighed, knowing there was no way to exin away his actions, "I''ll admit it. I''m super damn hungry!"

    "We all are," she pulled her hands back and crossed them beneath her chest, "you need to deal with it, just like the rest of us."

    "You''re right! I''m very sorry!" n bowed. "We only came here because Sato said he was on death''s door without food!"

    ''What the hell?'' I was taken aback. Never had I said anything along those lines. Sure, I said I wanted some food, but I wasn''t dramatic about it. Was this guy trying to throw me under the bus?

    Hearth cast me a quizzical look. Seeing my own, she must''ve discovered what was truly happening. "Huhhhh," she shook her head, "I''m delighted you lied, n! Thetrines needed to be cleaned. Seeing how I''ll be taking charge of Mr. Sato now... I guess that makes the two of you free for the job!"

    n whined, but not more so than his brother. "Goddammit, Joseph! I told you we''ll get in trouble!" he threw up his arms in a fit of frustration.

    "Off you go!" Hearth said with a deceivingly sweet voice. Seeing her depraved look of satisfaction at the brother''s misery, I decided it''d be best not to get on this woman''s bad side.

    Once the two were out of sight and their very loud arguing became faint, she cast her gaze on me.

    She tore off a chunk of bread from a loaf on the table and handed it to me. "General Furuya wants to see you. I''m only letting you have this because you''ll need it. You ready to go?"

    I knew I hadn''t had a choice in the matter, especially if she sacrificed a chunk of their precious food for me.

    I could now see why the two brothers feared Hearth so much; she was a mischievously cunning fox. Her every action seemed calcted to entrap those she interacted with.

    So I smiled through clenched teeth and replied in agreement. "Absolutely!"

 Chapter 83 A Morning Meeting

    ?When Hearth and I arrived at Furuya''s tent, we opened the ps to see Mizuno, Shrug, and Barrett standing opposite him around the back table.

    We stepped inside, and weight was instantly stacked atop my shoulders.

    The four of them were engrossed in a high-pressure discussion, their serious tones and expressions conveying the urgency of the matter at hand.

    "That''s what Sgt. Sato suggested," Furuya said.

    Mizuno put a hand to her chin while pondering. "Raiding a farm... It''s a better n than attacking ckwood. But it''s far... really far. Would the camp hold out?" She lifted her eyes from the map and looked toward Furuya.

    He matched her gaze with eyes of certainty. "With tight rationing and an early harvest from our farming plots, it''ll hold long enough. Right, Barrett?"

    Barrett stood with crossed arms and an intimidating scowl. "Even if it won''t, I''ll make itst. This camp won''t fall from something like a ''food shortage.''"

    Furuya bobbed his head with satisfaction.

    They conversed further while Hearth and I paced closer. When we''d gotten past his desk, Furuya noticed us.

    He gave a slight smile. "Good morning, Sato. I hope you slept well. Hearth, we''ll be assigning jobs to the recruits today. So if you''d please stay, too."

    She smiled and bowed. "Of course, Sir," she said, walking to the table. She took her ce between Barrett and Mizuno, much to Barrett''s displeasure.

    He red at her and growled, to which she responded with a wicked grin. "Nice to see you too, Barrett," Hearth said with deceptive friendliness.

    After a light bow to thank Hearth, Furuya focused his gaze on me. "We''re also discussing a potential raid on the closest farm. I''d like you to join us; it was your idea, after all."

    I agreed and stood at an empty space around the table.

    ''He really does swap personalities for work and casual.'' The imposing man in front of me was a far cry from how he''d been the night before.

    "Okay," Furuya nted his palms onto the war map, "now that we''re all here, the real discussions can begin. We''ll start with job assignments. What do you think of them, Lieutenant? As the person who spent the most time with them, where would they best fit?"

    Upon hearing Furuya put Mizuno in charge of assigning my countrymen and me, Barrett audibly grunted with dissatisfaction. Then, like a pouting child, he turned his head away to avoid eye contact with Furuya or Mizuno.

    Mizuno stopped to consider carefully, then pointed a finger toward me. "After witnessing hisbat prowess firsthand, I suggest Sgt. Sato be involved in the raid, ckwood or farm."

    I subtly ducked my head with guilt, remembering what she was referring to with that statement. Though she forgave me, and the others seemed to have gotten over it, the blunder still haunted my mind.

    ''It''s time to get over it,'' I shook my head. ''There are more important things to worry about than pride right now.'' As I''d expected, the conversation continued ever onward, leaving no time for me to brood.

    Furuya hummed in agreement with Mizuno''s analysis and gestured for her to continue.

    "The younger of the sisters, Hikari, gives the impression of being a liability in a battle and has low strength for strenuousbor. The meek male, Takahashi, as well. I suggest they be ced under Johnathan''s care in the kitchen."

    She must''ve been referring to the cook in the mess area, considering the Traunt brothers called him "Johnny."

    Furuya cocked his head toward Hearth. "What do you think of that assessment? Are you in agreement?"

    Hearth crossed her arms beneath her chest and smiled. "Yes, sir. From the short period of time I spent with their group, those two appeared the most unreliable. The girl hid behind her sister while the male retreated at the sight of others. So I''d rmend nonbative roles for them too."

    Mizuno, after Hearth finished her analysis, continued.

    "As for the male with earrings, he''s reckless but has a high potential for fighting. He''s also exhibiting erratically dangerous behavior due to the death of an ally. His unstable emotions make him unfit for activebat, but Shrug volunteered to train him personally."

    "Is this true, Shrug?" Furuya interrupted. "Do you really intend to train him?"

    Shrug, as usual, opted for a non-vocal response. Instead, he shrugged and ducked his head in agreement.

    "Wow," Furuya muttered with bewilderment. Though Shrug''s actions surprised him, he soon returned to the talks at hand. "Anyway, please continue, Lieutenant."

    "Understood, Sir." Mizuno saluted. "The slender male, Kamida. Though he seems incapable of anything physically oriented, he appears well-learned and charismatic," Mizuno shed a nce at Hearth. "He''d do well assigned to logistics."

    Hearth''s expression turned intrigued as she tilted her head and hummed pleasantly. "Do you really think he would work well? Besides Barrett and me, we have never had anyone else assigned to logistics."

    "I understand," Mizuno responded. "But I still believe Kamida would be a good fit."

    "We''ll see," Hearth replied, a mischievous smile forming on her lips.

    ''Good luck with that,'' I found myself praying for Kamida''s sess. Somehow I thought it''d be easier to be assigned to the front lines rather than work under Hearth.

    "Finally, the elder sister Ayame and the girl Agawa are very agile. They''re also quick to think in harsh situations. Therefore, I''d rmend they be ced under Suda''s care."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I guess she beat you to that one," Furuya replied to Mizuno, tiredly shaking his head. "I can''t believe she left with one of the recruits without even saying where she was going..."

    ''Wait, what? Suda left with one of my countrymen?'' Though I wasn''t sure, Suda became attached to Agawa during their hunting trips. So I assumed Agawa was the one she took with her.

    Mizuno bowed sincerely and grimaced. "I''m sorry, Sir; I knew she was unsettled about the failure with the bear, but I didn''t know she''d pull something like this..."

    Furuya was about to speak, but I wasn''t about to remain silent when the life of someone I was indebted to was at stake.

    "Are search parties in ce?" I asked.

    They turned to me, and Furuya shook his head. "No. Suda can handle herself. Besides, we can''t afford the manpower right now. Not while the camp is on the brink of starvation."

    "I''ll search for them alone, then." I had faith in myself. It wouldn''t be the first time I had to track down a lost group. This was a perfect opportunity to repay Agawa for the time she carried me to safety.

    But Furuya shook his head in disagreement.

    "I''m sorry, Sergeant, but I can''t let you do that. If you''re going to live here, you''re going to need to follow my directive. I..." Furuya paused and pointed to the tent''s exit. "WE...need you on the expedition to get food. The lives of everyone here depend on the sess of that mission."

    He took a step back from the table and sighed. "Plus, with Suda gone, there''s no way of proving your intentions. I can''t allow you to travel alone until Suda is allowed to check you."

    I wanted to argue... It took much of what I had to not. But I knew he was right. When it came to the "greater good," nobody knew more about it than a soldier. Or their superiors, at least.

    Much to their shock, I conceded. "I understand... How long is the mission predicted to take?" Suda was prew enforcement, so I could hopefully trust her to not make any life-threatening mistakes.

    "Two weeks," Mizuno replied to me tly. "It''ll take a week to get there and a week to return."

    ''Two weeks...huh?'' I sighed. I had no choice but to ept it.

    "What''s the n for the raid?" I asked. Since we were on the topic of travel time, I figured it was finally time to discuss the mission.

    "As for the raid, we n to strike here." He ced the tip of his index finger on the closest farm, both to ckwood and us.

    Thanks to the uracy of thendmarks, I could roughly tell the distance scale. The farm was only a few kilometers from the walls of ckwood.

    I pointed to the drawn fortress signifying the town. "Should we expect enemy reinforcements? Patrols? Anything?"

    To answer my question, Furuya signaled Mizuno. "Your unit is the one that''s traveled that sector most. What do you think, Lieutenant?"

    Mizuno leaned over the map and traced a path between ckwood and the farm. "Three patrols move through here, each taking an eight-hour shift."

    "Do you know how many? What they''re armed with? Training? Do they have the means to signal when they''re being attacked?" I had many questions. From fighting strength to what they frequently ate for breakfast, I wanted to learn my enemy inside and out.

    Mizuno concisely answered each of my questions.

    Each patrol boasted roughly twenty members. ording to her, they sported an average footsoldier''s set of gear. Longswords, shields, spears, and leather or steel armor.

    Judging by their gear, I assumed they''d be roughly the same as the ones I''d seen in the manor regarding training. I was confirmed right when Mizuno described how their previous skirmishes had gone.

    Finally, she described that each soldier carried a "pocket re" that, when ignited,unched into the sky and exploded. Which would, of course, alert any other patrols to their peril.

    ''No mistakes then. Got it.'' I was used to high-stakes missions, so this was no problem.

    Mizuno then described every aspect of the n.

    First, she discussed our entry point, which was to be a stream following a thicket. That way, our footsteps and bodies would be masked for the approach. She also said we''d run the operation during the early morning to maximize daylight.

    They weren''t sure if sunlight affected the vampires of this world, but they''d take any possible advantage they could.

    Next, she borated on the farm''s defenses. As I assumed, they were negligible, aside from a few guards and farmhands. She discussed that we''d need to empty at least one of the warehouses to obtain enough food for the camp''s survival.

    Toward the end, she did mention one troubling detail. The warehouse entry points were fortified with solid steel and reinforced by heavy-duty locks. I questioned how we''d get past those without explosives, but Mizuno assured me we could.

    I asked her if we were to be given transport. There was no way we could carry all that food to camp on our backs. To which she responded a t "no." Apparently, the base had horses but was forced to consume them a week back. So we were left to whatever we could improvise when we got there.

    Our mode of escape was up in the air. It would depend on whether we could steal a transport or not. If we failed to secure one, we would retreat using the same footpaths we used to start the operation.

    Mizuno concluded her briefing, so Furuya stepped away from the table and held his arms to his back. "Well, now you all know what you''re set to do. We stand at a crossroads, people. The sess of this mission will determine whether we make history or get swept away like dust. I wish all of you the best of luck!"

 Chapter 84 The Party Splits

    ?After the meeting was adjourned, everyone vacated the tent. Except for Mizuno and Furuya.

    I was curious if they''d been plotting something, so I returned to listen to their conversation.

    That''s when I spotted an intimate moment between the two. Their arms were coiled around the other, locking them in a tight embrace. They then sealed their hug with a heartfelt kiss.

    ''So that''s how it is.'' I wasn''t surprised, given how Furuya talked about herst night.

    "Make it back to me in one piece, okay? I trust you can do that." He brushed a rogue lock of Mizuno''s hair behind her ear and held her gaze for a long moment.

    Mizuno gave a stoic smile. "It''ll be fine. Just don''t let Barrett overthrow you while we''re gone."

    The couple chuckled cheerily at her joke.

    "I''ll see you soon, Suya. I''ll be back," Mizuno began pulling away.

    "You better," Furuya smiled. "I love you, Yuuki."

    Mizuno''s cheeks turned pink as she shyly averted her eyes. I could tell that "lovey-dovey-ness" was not something she was used to.

    Furuya put his hands on her shoulders, pleading. "Come on, you''re going on a long mission. Would you say it once? Please?"

    Mizuno leaned up to kiss Furuya and, with a deep breath, managed to say the words: "I... I love you too, Suya."

    Furuya''s eyes widened with surprise, and his smile grew even wider. He hugged her tightly again, nuzzling her neck.

    "Thank you," he smiled warmly. "You''re the best."

    The two then broke physical contact, and Mizuno began to leave. With her inching to the tent''s exit, I backed away. I hadn''t meant to intrude on such a private event, but I did. By the time I thought about leaving them alone, the moment was already over.

    Mizuno and I then regrouped to start packing supplies for the journey. Based on the time constraints, we had to leave that very day. We were to fill two-weeks'' worth of provisions within a few hours.

    The supplies included food, bandages, weapons, spare clothes, and some armor.

    As for armor, I was given a set of treated boiled leather; its chocte brown surface was sleek and shimmered under the Sun. The armor creaked with each movement, always assuring me I was protected. It wrapped around my torso snugly, like a hand to a glove. Paired with my armor was a studded steel pad for each of my arms and legs.

    A series of belts and pockets were sown on, allowing easy ess to numerous supplies. It was uncanny how much the primeval vest resembled my military-issue te carriers back in my old world.

    Much to my difort, I noticed the weapon I was being issued. While digging through the darkened armory, Barrett eventually returned to the light, revealing a sheathed long sword in his hand.

    "Take good care of this one; it''s one of Barik''s finest!" Barrett boisterouslyughed as he thrust the borately crafted metal-banded leather hilt to my face.

    Though he was cheerful, I certainly wasn''t. I was uneasy about using a weapon I hadn''t been trained to use. "Could I make a requisition request?" I inquired with a false smile.

    Barrett ceasedughing and looked at me with a countenance of confusion. "Sure thing, ''requisition'' away!" He ced extra mocking emphasis on the word "requisition."

    "Do you think I could swap weapons? I prefer knives over swords if I''m being honest."

    For a moment, Barrett stared. However, he lit up with a smile and gave me the answer I least expected. "Nope! Sorry! I know I said you could make a request, but we have an abundance of swords right now, so you''re stuck with it!"

    After his denial, he reached into a sack and retrieved several bottles containing odd liquid. Barrett called them "potions" and then emphasized how difficult they were to create.

    "Don''t fuck up with these," he ordered and begrudgingly handed them to me. Six were red as blood, and the final was as blue as the afternoon sky. "Now shoo," he condescended with a disinterested wave of his hands, "I''ve other business to attend to!"

    ''I really dislike that guy,'' I scowled as I turned away with Mizuno at my side.

    After a few paces, I turned to her and asked, "What are these for?" while gesturing to the strange bottled liquid.

    Mizuno turned her head and held up one of the reds and the blue vial. "The red will heal any fresh injuries, even severe wounds like broken bones. You can only consume two, at the most, daily. Too much and your blood will coagte before bursting."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Well, that''s a pleasant thought...''

    "The blue..." Mizuno continued. "That one increases mana flow efficiency. You can''t control magic yet, so you won''t be drinking that one."

    I was confused by her statements. I didn''t see how some liquid could heal you from death, and I wasn''t sure how magic worked. Despite that, I knew Mizuno wasn''t one to lie, and I figured I''d learn about how "potions" worked eventually anyway. So I dropped it.

    Soon, I met the rest of the team. It consisted of the cksmith, who was introduced as Barik Forge, the apparent creator of my new sword, the Traunt brothers, Mizuno, and me.

    I asked Mizuno why a cksmith was apanying us on a military operation.

    "Remember when I mentioned how fortified the warehouses were?" she asked. "He''ll help with that. He''ll also be useful if we fail to find transport. Besides, he''s no rookie to a fight, so we''ll need him."

    Barik hadn''t strayed from my first impression of him. He seemed to be in a perpetual state of frustration and preferred secluding himself from us.

    ''I guess he''s not a people person.'' I hoped that wouldn''t impact our mission negatively. Though I thought that, I somehow felt a kinship with the man. I couldn''t quite put my finger on it, but his mannerisms and aura were nostalgic to me.

    The Traunt brothers were happy to see me. Well, one, at least.

    n ran up to me and shook my hand aggressively. "Hey, buddy! Sorry for throwing you under the bus earlier with Hearth; she terrifies me, man."

    Though I didn''t appreciate being lied about, it was a harmless thing to do. Plus, he had to clean atrine for it, so I was happy. However, his actions did raise a bit of concern. Was he the type to sacrifice others for his own gain and survival? If he was, he''d be a clear liability to the group.

    "Don''t mention it," I smiled through clenched teeth. ''Though I''ll be keeping a close on you now,'' I added inwardly.

    Joseph, unlike his brother,cked any immature hyperactivity. On the contrary, he tried his best to remainposed and reserved like when we met.

    Upon further inspection, it almost seemed like he was copying Mizuno. I had even caught him staring at her while in a daze.

    n must''ve noticed it, too, because he took the opportunity to verbally pounce on Joseph to tease him. "You''ll never get her," he cackled. "She even rejected you already!"

    "Shut the hell up, n!" Joseph replied angrily, then stomped ahead with fury and flushed cheeks.

    Though he tried to hide it, romance was stered across his face. Between his reddened expression and embarrassedly retreating away, it was apparent.

    After seeing something so juvenile, I chuckled. Seeing something normal like "love" amidst all this madness was refreshing. Even if it was an unrequited one.

    Sadly, I could only see my originalpanions briefly before I left for the expedition to the farm. I was happy about one thing. Rather than a muck-covered metal cor, the reddened bare skin of their necks was visible.

    When I asked, Kamida told me they''d met in the elusive "R&D" building to get the cors removed.

    "We met...an odd girl in there," Ayameughed. "She was very monotone? I guess? But she was definitely a genius! They had so much stuff in there! She even had a gas mask!"

    Iughed. It was a joy to see them all so excited about this ce. It was the one safe-ish ce we''d found sinceing to this world. I''d do what I could to preserve it at all costs.

    ''I swear, I''ll do what I can to protect this ce.'' I made this vow not just for the others, but also for myself. If I ever felt the urge to desert and run, I''d look back on this moment and remember my resolve.

    After a heartfelt goodbye, I began my departure with the rest of my team.

    Kamida was hesitant to let me go. "Please, Sir! After what happened with Nakamura, we should stick together, no matter what!" he tried his best to convince me to reconsider.

    But I wouldn''t be persuaded. "I''m sorry, Kamida. But, if we want to live, this is necessary."

    He sighed wearily, then epted my decision. His lips curved to form an obviously forced smile. "We''ve already lost one good man to the hell of those woods. Come back alive, Sir... Sato... You have to. You will, right?"

    However, I said nothing. I only nodded with a fake grin and turned away. I had no idea what to expect, and... ''I''m not one to make promises I might not keep.''

    And so, we left with not only the weight of our gear but the entirety of the camp''s hopes on our backs.

 Chapter 85 Satos Affinity, Part One

    ?The first day was an uneventful slog. We marched along from the time of our departure to the Sun''s. Finally, we concluded our day with the usual routine of setting up camp.

    While scouting, we heard a chorus of haunting howls echoing throughout the twilight sky.

    ording to Mizuno, it belonged to a pack of timber wolves. Based on the low pitch of the howls, she also deduced they were hunting. Knowing that we opted for high ground. It took the form of a tall, mossy boulder with a rtively t surface.

    Of course, sleeping would be ufortable on solid rock, even with our animal-skin bedrolls. However, it was better than getting torn apart in our sleep by predators.

    Some banter was exchanged before bed, but it was limited to being between the two brothers. The rest of us devoured a portion of our packed rations before sleeping, minus Mizuno.

    She had agreed to take the first watch. Then, after a few hours, she''d wake me up, and we would switch. Then I''d swap with one of the Traunt brothers and so forth.

    I ttened my bedroll and set my pack/gear aside, minus my armor. I wasn''t about to be caught metaphorically naked during an ambush. Likewise, I kept the shortsword I was given within reach.

    When Iid down, sleep alluringly called to me. My desire for it was amplified by the natural white noise of nature. Billowing pine trees blowing against the wind and chirping insects became the luby that forced me into unconsciousness.

    ***

    The darkness faded away, revealing a rock simr to the one we had perched on beneath me. Only I was alone and the sky was dyed a deep crimson with clouds as ck as midnight.

    There were no trees, justrge, dead towns filled with the broken memories of my past. The rubble was ashen ck from being razed by a now burned-out inferno.

    Seeing the familiar ruins, a bottomless mncholic pit formed in my stomach. The past four years of my life were ahead of me: just endless fields of lifelessness and ashen destruction.

    ''Wee to paradise,'' I joked somberly.

    I was about to step down from the rock when the shadows above the ground began churning. The darkened smoke swirled and twisted upward intorge pirs before each congealed, manifesting into a person.

    Old to new,rades to enemies, all forms of the acquaintances I''ve formed over my life stared back at me; their eyes were devoid of emotion. Rather than smiles or hateful res, their expressions were nk, as if they were frozen in time.

    There was one main simrity between those that stood before me. Every single one of them was dead. During my campaigns, I witnessed the end of every person here.

    "I''m sorry," I grimaced, feeling the onset of survivor''s guilt. Some of them I failed to save, others I made it impossible to save. Either way, I was responsible for their deaths.

    Suddenly, the ckened ground sparked into yellow mes. It grew high, consuming everything in its wake. Only I, on myrge boulder, remained unscathed. Even the specters surrounding me were engulfed by the fire.

    However, the dead can''t die twice. Instead, they were locked in perpetual agony, doomed to burn for eternity. The once silent space was filled to capacity with the tormented wailing of the damned.

    I saw myself within them, the "me" who''d also been reduced to boiled blood and charred skin.

    Instinctively, I brought my hand to my chest as I watched a sea of immted suffering. I held it there, feeling the heavy thumping of my heart within. I was growing increasingly queasy at the sight before me.

    Beyond the unease, I felt relief. Relief that I wasn''t amongst them, safely out of the me''s reach. "I''m safe... I''m safe..." I whispered to myself, but I spoke too soon.

    The burning shadows snapped their necks upward, ring at me. Then, like a hivemind with a single objective, they swarmed toward me. Their ashen fingers gripped the rock, leaving smoldering palm prints as they climbed up to the top.

    My breathing became sporadic, and my eyes shed with panic as they approached.

    "No... No, stay back..." I slowly backed away from the rock''s edge, centering myself on it as much as possible. Given how I was surrounded, there was nowhere left to run.

    Their cracked, king fingers eventually grasped the rock''s edge as they pulled themselves up, one by one.

    "STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" I frantically began kicking the fallen souls back to the depths of hell.

    I winced in pain every time I struck them; their burning faces seared the soles of my feet whenever I kicked them. But the pain was nothingpared to the terror within my heart. I had to survive dammit!

    "YOU WON''T TAKE ME!" I hoarsely shouted while hammering away at the relentless hordes.

    Sadly, my struggle was a losing one. Despite my efforts, I soon became entirely overrun by an army of burning phantoms. The ck haze of smoke exuded from their immted skin, forming arge, darkened cloud above.

    They reached for me, wing at me however they could.

    "NO! NO!!! STAY AWAY! PLEASE!" I kicked in their legs, cracking the bone to stun them. I threw my fist repeatedly, knocking more of my attackers to the fiery pits below. I did everything I could to survive. I had to survive!!!

    I pulled my arm back for another strike, only for it to get caught. With widened eyes of shock, I turned to see the toon I had died with. They returned my gaze through horrifically disfigured faces. Their flesh was pieced back together through a series of grotesque cauterizations.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Let me go!" I tried to yank away, but it was toote. Soon my skin was branded by the grips of dozens of ming hands.

    I matched their agony, screaming from the pain of my flesh sizzling off.

    They pulled me by the legs, forcing me to fall to my face, and dragged me toward the rock''s edge. They aimed to haul me back to where I rightfully belonged. They sought to cast my sinful soul into the depths of hell.

    Upon realizing their intentions of hauling me into the fiery pit below, I resorted to begging. "Please, please, please, stop. Don''t! DON''T!!!" Tears from the fear of being roasted again broke down any semnce of pride I had.

    I wed into the rock as deeply as I could, desperate to stop them. However, that only aplished the tearing of my fingernails. Ten streaks of blood trailed after me as each nail snapped off.

    ''Not again! NOT AGAIN!'' I struggled and clung to the rock''s edge by my bloodied fingertips. I pulled myself against the weight of a thousand souls. The muscles in my arms spasmed and tore from overuse, but I still held on. I couldn''t die. Not here. Not like this!

    However, the weight of my past was too heavy in the end.

    I couldn''t help but cry helplessly as I felt my fingers slip away, one by one, from the rock. When I finally lost my grip, I saw my countrymen. They reced where I once stood on the rock, staring at me with distrust and contempt.

    "Please! For fuck''s sake, help me!" I reached for them, hoping they''d return my desire to protect them in kind. Only they turned away, leaving me to my fate.

    There was no time to experience betrayal, not before I felt the familiar sting of fire on my flesh. I was stuck in a storm of raging me, and as I fell, the inferno fed on my body, converting my flesh into fuel to growrger.

    Again, to my terror, I became a human torch.

    I burned for what felt like an eternity. The pain was constant enough that it dulled, and my body became ustomed to it. My mind was on the brink of fracturing to pieces...

    Then a voice reached into my subconscious and pulled me from my hell.

    "SATO!"

    My eyes sprang open, and I awoke to see Mizuno shouting at me. She was drawing in deep blue orbs of magic with a worried expression.

    Likewise, the Traunt brothers and Barik stood as far as they could away from me and stared at me in confusion.

    ''What are they looking at?'' Maybe I was screaming in my sleep from the nightmare.

    But that wasn''t it at all.

    They weren''t focusing on me because I was loud. No, they were focused on the unnatural brightness surrounding my body. I looked down to see my bedroll and clothes had totally burned away. In their ce, a raging fire cloaked my body.

    "What is this?!" I stood up and frenziedly attempted to put myself out. "What the hell?! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"

    "Stay still!" Mizuno shouted while she finished charging. Water was condensing from the air intorge translucent orbs. "Your mana is out of control! I''ll put you out; you just need to stay still!"

    I tried everything possible toply with her order, but my fear overrode my will. "Fuck that!" I shouted and leaped from the rock to the mud below.

    When Inded, I rolled recklessly across pine needles and moist dirt to extinguish the fire.

    But the mud wasn''t enough. The mes burned hotter, searing the ground and any twigs on the floor. The whole time, I was shouting and bawling like an inconsble child. "Help me!!!"

    Following my screams for help, Mizuno finished stockpiling energy. She threw her hand toward me, loosing a torrent of water in my direction.

    Her magic engulfed me, snuffing out the untamed me until every bit was just a very terrifying memory.

    Afterward, I was soaked to the bone, and my naked body was bared to the world, but I couldn''t care. The fire was finally gone.

    I kneeled within a muddied puddle, and tears formed in my eyes. They were tears formed from intense relief. ''I''m okay... I''m okay... I''m okay.'' I tried calming my ragged breathing.

    I brought my mud-covered hand to view. Though my clothes and bag were reduced to ashes, my flesh was left unharmed, just like what happened in the tower with Weiser.

    Except this time, the mes belonged to me.

    "What the hell is happening to me?"

 Chapter 86 Satos Affinity, Part Two

    ?No matter how much I tried, I couldn''t sleep.

    Adrenaline aside, I was too afraid to wake up covered in me again. So I convinced the rest of my party to sleep in my stead. Rather than shifts, I''d be taking watch until sunrise.

    The Traunt brothers quickly retreated to bed; however, Mizuno stayed up to exin what had happened. Meanwhile, Barik was lying on his bedroll with his head propped atop his arms, listening.

    Prebustion, Mizuno said she''d discovered small but noticeably bright red orbs gravitating into my body while I slept. They pooled into me until my flesh emitted a radiant heat and ignited.

    What most concerned her wasn''t the fire. She said one losing control of their mana at first wasmon. What did worry her was how I''d used magic while unconscious.

    "It''s supposed to require conscious effort," she told me while sitting back on her bedroll. "You shouldn''t be capable of performing magic unless you will your body to. Passively casting anything is unheard of."

    That''s when Barik spoke up for the first time since we started our journey.

    "It''s an affinity," he said with a gruff voice. "He has an affinity for fire."

    "An affinity?" I stepped toward him with a quizzical look.

    Barik moved to a sitting position. "Yes...an affinity. It''s a very powerful attunement to a magic element. It''s also very rare. Until now, I''ve never encountered anyone with one."

    I scratched my head and took a seat next to him. "If you''ve never seen someone with one before, how do you know I have one?"

    In response, he pulled a book free from his pack. It had numerous strange geometric carvings across the leather. They weren''t unlike the carvings I''d seen on the wagons when I was first summoned.

    He opened it, skimming through various dirtied white pages, and disyed one to me. It depicted a hand-drawn, dissected human body.

    Various arrows were pointed to different parts of the body. But the one Barik called attention to was dubbed the "Aetherium nd," though I knew it as the "second heart."

    Beneath the arrow was a block of text written in pitch-ck ink.

    [Human aether nd: Prone to mutations... (Possible Precursor magic?)

    epted name of mutation: Affinity...

    Primary Effect: Drastically improves the rate and efficiency at which the host can metabolize aether into mana.

    Side Effect: Individuals can passively metabolize Aether/training not required for Affinity''s element. ]

    "Out of all the races in the world, humans are the only ones capable of having an affinity," he said from behind the opened book.

    The group went silent for several moments, but Mizuno spoke up soon after.

    "Barik, how much do you know about affinities?" her eyes emitted a glint of an idea.

    "What I know from my father''s journals," he responded.

    "Can you train Sato to control it? To control his magic?"

    He nced at me, back to his book, and then to Mizuno. "Is that a request? Or an order?"

    "I can make it an order," Mizuno replied coldly.

    Barik sighed and snapped the book shut before returning it to his pack. "Fine, I''ll try teaching him what I know." Though he agreed, I could tell he was begrudging about it.

    Mizuno nodded in eptance, and the two returned to sleep.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As for me, I upheld my promise and kept watch for the remainder of the night.

    It was colder than usual, but that was because the fire incinerated everything on me, even my armor.

    Luckily we packed a few spare sets of clothing, so I wasn''t left naked. However, we had no more protective gear, so I would be left with just cloth to guard my flesh during battle and against the elements.

    Despite that, I was grateful I had set my rucksack and weapons aside. They were left in pristine condition, minus a few rogue burns. Losing those likely would''ve meant the end of my journey, forcing me and potentially the entire party back to resupply.

    Time passed slowly as the moon and unknown constetions of stars passed by overhead. During that time, I sat above the rock''s edge. The edge I fell from in my dream.

    I reminisced on the hell of that nightmare; one scene stuck with me. The one where I begged for help, only to be cast aside.

    ''If I was in trouble, I wonder if these people would help... Or would they abandon me without a second thought.'' It was an irrational thought, especially considering how they risked life and limb to carry me while I was unconscious.

    ''Idiot,'' I scolded myself, ''there''s no point in thinking about that!''

    But I couldn''t rationalize my mind; it was frazzled between the nightmare, the "fire affinity," and my previous mistakes. My heart was left to squirm in unease, and the stress of it all upheaved my mind into negativity.

    A thought I promised not to think again entered my mind. ''What if I just left?'' Even beyond the distrust, the nightmare was a wake-up call. Did I really want to keep fighting? To keep adding more deaths onto my conscience to torment meter?

    Looking back at my allies, they were all sound asleep. I could easily slip away. I could drift off into some obscure part of the world and iste myself from the conflicts my current path was bound to throw me in.

    Of course, the idea was taboo, paramount to desertion. But after I failed to protect my countrymen, after I attacked Mizuno, and after this outburst of me, was I even useful? Was I actually serving my purpose? Was I more of a threat than an asset?

    ''Maybe it''d be better if I deserted,'' I sped my hands over my neck and pulled down. ''Can I really do it? Can I really leave? It''d be okay, right? I mean, this is a new world, after all. Do I really have to keep fighting?''

    From how I''d disappear into the darkened woonds ahead to how I''d survive the monsters within it, I considered every little detail possible.

    ''It''d be so easy. They''re sleeping too. I could grab my gear and run without looking back. The camp was in danger, so I doubt they''d give chase.''

    Beyond my view were several silhouettes of paths that snaked through the shadow-veiled forest, all perfect candidates to disappear into.

    Then I heard a shuffling from behind, startling me from my scheming. Joseph was tossing and turning in his sleep and embraced his pack tightly as one would a loved one.

    "Mizuno," he mumbled with a stupid grin on his flushed face. His embarrassing disy gave me a chuckle and an epiphany.

    I looked over mypanions and was reminded of an important fact. The promise I''d made only a day ago. ''That''s some shitty resolve if I break my word so soon...is that all my promises are worth?''

    "No," I mumbled. "I can do better. I can BE better." From the start, I was at a disadvantage with that promise; it wasn''t in my nature to protect others unless ordered or incentivized. Heroes didn''t exist, after all.

    ''Besides, heroes may be fake, but I''m a soldier of the fucking military! I won''t give up!'' If I couldn''t even ovee myself, how could I expect to ovee the trials ahead?

    ''You''re staying here, Katsuro. For once in your life, you''re going to be a protector. You''ll keep your promises and keep them safe. It''s your honor!'' I finally managed to rouse my determination back from embers. It burned away all the negativity and cowardice that threatened to consume me.

    Sitting still allowed my thoughts to venture down paths that were better left untraveled, so I distracted myself with something else. Though the topic was just as unnerving for me.

    I brought my hand to view and flexed my fingers. "So...not only can I make fire... My body has an affinity for it?"

    The irony of it nearly made me burst out intoughter. To think that I, someone developing pyrophobia, have atent ability to produce fire!

    I brought a finger upward and cursed at the heavens. ''What kind of sick joke is this?!''

 Chapter 87 Backtracking, Part One

    ?The Sun soon dawned, basking the wilderness in its warm glow. With the arrival of the day''s first light, various chirping birds and woond critters crawled out from their ces of rest to hunt and forage.

    Following their example, mypanions stirred awake too. As expected, Mizuno was among the first, followed by Joseph and Barik soon after.

    Mizuno stood up from her bedroll, revealing she''d taken off her ck cloak sometime during the night.

    She wore a shadow gray, buttoned blouse fitted with a ck leather harness, and her pants were tight around her slender form. On each side of her hips was a leather holster fitted to a belt. They were empty but obviously used for storing her two twin longswords.

    She performed a series of morning stretches to rouse her muscles into action before throwing on the ck cloak, once again concealing her body.

    Meanwhile, Joseph ventured over to the only party member who hadn''t yet started the day.

    "Get up," Joseph ordered a dazed n. "It''s time to get up."

    n shuffled in his bedroll and squinted upward toward Joseph. "Ugh...what time is it?" he griped while rubbing his eyes. He opened them slightly more to see the Sun still hiding behind a wall of pine trees.

    To Joseph''s frustration, n mumbled, "just five more minutes," before rolling to his side, away from Joseph.

    "It''s time for you to get up!" Joseph replied, then repeatedly shoved his brother with his foot.

    After each push, n sighed irritatedly but remained docile. Eventually, however, Joseph''s incessant foot nudging frustrated n to a boiling point.

    n threw up a hand and tried dismissing his brother. "Why don''t you try to give Mizuno a morning smooch instead?" he taunted and pulled his nket over his head.

    Joseph clenched his teeth in anger, and his nudging became full-blown kicking. "Get the hell up, youzy lout!"

    Several strikester, n couldn''t take the beating anymore. "Cut that out, will you?!" he snapped back. "Fine, I''ll get up... Just stop that!"

    n stood up from his bed, and we ate more of our packed rations for breakfast. Afterward, we equipped all our gear and fastened our rolled-up bedrolls back to our rucksacks. Ready for another day''s journey.

    We walked for hours, passing familiar scenery, until we stumbled upon one of our old campsites. It was the one we''d been forced away from by that swarm of blue wisps.

    Some of our makeshift supplies were still intact. However, the elements and creatures from the forest left their damaging marks in various ways. A bit of it was sure to be useful, but the risk of stopping here wasn''t worth it.

    "We should keep moving," I said. "Right, Mizuno? What if we reencounter those orbs? The wisps?"

    Mizuno nodded in agreement and motioned for us to move on.

    "You won''t see them," Barik interrupted, "they''re only attracted to high concentrations of mana." He then performed a hand gesture to emphasize his point. "They won''t attack so long as no magic is performed nearby."

    "Are you sure?" I asked. "I was awake when they appeared and didn''t see anybody casting magic. How would you exin that?"

    Barik brought a hand to his beard and stroked the braids in thought. "There''s only one other thing that wisps like. ''Crystalline Aether.''"

    Mizuno and I gave him quizzical stares.

    Noticing our confusion, Barik borated. "They''re crystals formed from highly condensed and hardened aether. So wisps will swarm to those."

    If we had one of those, everything would make sense. Especially when exining theirrge numbers. However, that begged the question, "who had an aether crystal?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "One of you must''ve; it''s the only exnation," he replied confidently before heading into the abandoned camp.

    Mizuno approached Barik. "These crystals... What do they look like?"

    While walking to the log the sisters sat at, Barik replied, "they''re hard to miss. Aether crystals glow, and their color reflects the element they were formed from. They''ll also leave a glowing, colored residue on the skin of anyone that touches them."

    Mizuno brought a hand to her chin while lost in thought. However, in the end, she emerged just as clueless as she started.

    Likewise, I hadn''t seen anyone holding anything resembling a glowing crystal throughout the trip or with any bright residue on their body. Sadly, we couldn''t turn back to question any of the others, either. Not while the camp was on the brink of starvation.

    So we dropped it and, for the next several minutes, foraged for supplies around the campsite.

    The brothers made it apetition to pige the most gear. Though there wasn''t much to pick from, to begin with.

    Barik sat down and retrieved a crude writing utensil from his pack. Then, he pulled out another book.

    When I walked over out of curiosity, I saw that he was taking notes regarding our paths, the surrounding scenery, and the pond ahead. I noticed something else too. It was a strange sight, considering the man was encased in bulky armor.

    Rather than being equipped with heavy leather boots, like the Traunt brothers and I, Barik sported armored "sandal-like" shoes that widely exposed his heels and toes. ''An odd choice, but to each their own, I guess.''

    Rather than questioning Barik''s eyebrow-raising wardrobe decision, I moved on to another curiosity. "What are you doing?" I asked.

    Without looking up from his notebook, he pointed to the pond ahead. "You said this is where the wisps came from, right? So I''m taking note of this ce for the future."

    "I did... But why are you logging the location?" I assumed it was to avoid danger, but he had already stated how to prevent it.

    Barik took a breath and answered my question with another. "How many of them were there?"

    Thinking back on that night, I remembered a scene painted wholly in blue. Like a night sky neb, I recalled the space above the pond filled with hundreds of bright orbs.

    "Hundreds..." I replied.

    He brought the pencil to his beard upon finishing his notes. "Mmmmm," he grunted, "if there were that many, I''d wager this ce an aether spring. In that case..." he mmed shut his book and packed it back into his rucksack, "I''m noting the ce for rare materials. That''s all you need to know."

    I gazed out at the unnaturally still pond. Just like before, there were no ripples, air bubbles, or flying insects in sight. It was as if the pond waspletely lifeless.

    "An aether spring?" I questioned.

    "Yes, you all witnessed a swarm of wisps being birthed from here. So there''s nothing else it could be. There''s also the pond''s stillness to be considered."

    He paused, then turned to me with narrowed eyes. "Have you noticed how even the buzzing insects avoid it? It''s because no living thing can stand exposure to pure aether. If you absorb it too long, your Aether nd will overload and rupture your insides. It''s...not a pretty sight."

    For a moment, Barik and I sat in stillness while staring out at the sparkling blue water. However, our trance was interrupted when a giddy n shouted from behind us within the tree line.

    "Guys! Guys! I found something!" he frantically gestured for us to follow.

 Chapter 88 Backtracking, Part Two

    ?We followed n away from the camp and into the tree line.

    We walked for a few minutes until we encountered arge, t rock about the size of a small table. Above it was a bright red residue that emitted a dim glow.

    Beside the rock was another, small enough to be held in one''s hand. Along its jagged edge was more residue.

    "Hmmmm," Barik hummed and knelt down, "this is from a crushed aether crystal, albeit a small one."

    "Why would someone grind something like that up?" n asked while peering over Barik''s shoulder.

    Barik turned his neck toward n. "For a kick of spice to your food...or vtile powder. A bomb, to put things simply."

    Barik then stepped to his feet and away from the rock. "It looks like whoever did this didn''t have much, so I doubt they can do anything malicious with it."

    "What should we do? Should we head back?" I cocked my head toward Mizuno.

    She was the assigned leader of this mission, which made her wordw. So, though I felt uneasy and wanted to return to camp to verify if any among us had any aether crystals, I''d follow Mizuno''s word without question.

    She stared at the residue, then finalized her decision. "Just in case... n, I want you to head back to camp and warn the others about this. Search all of the new recruits that I brought with me."

    "A-Are you sure?" n replied. "Will you have enough manpower to raid the farm without me?"

    "It''ll be fine. We''ll make do." She raised an arm and pointed in the camp''s direction. "Go, tell General Furuya about this. He''ll know what to do from there."

    She didn''t specify, but I knew how harshly suspicious individuals were dealt with during a war, especially during times of desperation, like a food shortage. Either they''d be killed... Or they''d be tortured for information and then killed.

    My heart raced with worry, especially for the three I''d been indebted to. I couldn''t bear the thought of those who had helped me being falsely used and sentenced to death. And after all I had been through to protect them, I refused to let their lives be cut short just as we had finally found a supposed safe haven.

    The memory of being stabbed in the gut while fighting to keep them alive only fueled my determination to ensure their right to a fair trial.

    "Wait!" I stopped n as he began leaving. "If there is a traitor, you can''t punish them; I want a chance to look into it first. Can you promise me this?" I looked at Mizuno.

    She crossed her arms beneath her cloak. "There are rules, and there are consequences. If someone within the camp was responsible for this and had malicious intentions, they''ll be dealt with ordingly."

    I eyed her, and my expression tightened. "Promise me, Mizuno. Nobody will be killed until I''ve had the chance to investigate it." I wouldn''t budge until I got a guarantee I was satisfied with.

    Seeing my stubbornness, Mizuno relented with a sigh and, without turning her head, addressed n. "n! Make a request on my behalf that none of the rookies be harmed if one turns out to be guilty."

    "Understood!" n saluted. However, before he could dash off, he was given a surprise hug by Joseph.

    "Be careful, brother," Joseph said with a face of worry. "Don''t do anything stupid."

    "Absolutely, bro!" n gave a goofy grin. Their goodbyes concluded, and n began his fast trek in the camp''s direction. At his pace, I estimated he''d be there within the day.

    "Thank you, Mizuno," I gave a sincere bow.

    She turned away from me and gestured for us to move forward. "We''re not savages, Sato. Even without my request, General Furuya wouldn''t execute anyone unless under the harshest circumstances."

    Still, I gave her another heartfelt bow in appreciation before once again following her lead.

    ***<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Several more hours passed as the afternoon became evening and the evening became night.

    To supplement our rations, we managed to forage a few handfuls ofrge berries and a rabbit. Though we encountered many other critters, squirrels especially, it was an impossible effort to catch them. Without Suda and her expertise with a bow, acquiring game was exponentially harder.

    Even Mizuno, who seemed adept with a bow when I''d first encountered her, couldn''t hit such small targets reliably.

    Still, the food we did gather allowed us to save the night''s food ration. Which was a definite win.

    We finished setting up our camp for the night and formed a circle around a dim fire.

    "You think my brother''s at Freehaven yet?" Joseph asked while staring into the fire. "You think he''s alright?"

    "I''m sure your brother''s fine," I eased. "With how fast he was running, I''d even say he made it there before sunset."

    Joseph smiled forlornly and returned to devouring a chunk of roasted brown rabbit flesh.

    "You know...you really care about your brother? Don''t you?" I asked. After witnessing Joseph''s perpetual state of annoyance and frustration toward his brother, I figured he would''ve been happy to see him gone.

    Joseph recoiled at the question. "Me? No! It''s just...that idiot is always getting himself into trouble! Since our mo-..." he paused, clenched his fists over hisp, and grimaced.

    After a few moments of silence, Joseph inhaled, then exhaled deeply. "Ever since it was just us two, he kept making reckless decisions. So I have to babysit him ALL the time, or he''ll get himself killed!"

    A piece of my mind focused on where Joseph had cut himself short.

    Both brothers looked fairly young, and it was apparent they had no other family, given they left the camp without saying much in the way of farewells.

    "Is it just you and your brother?" I questioned. Though I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

    Joseph refrained from speaking but nodded silently in agreement.

    "I''m... I''m sorry... Can I ask how long?" I wasn''t sure why I was asking these questions. I guess I just wanted to learn more about the people I would fight with.

    "Sure, whatever," Joseph hunched over and rested his head on his knees.

    "Our mom died when we were ten. She died of disease and overwork. That was seven years ago."

    "And your dad?"

    "We never knew our dad," Joseph sighed, "the bastard left after getting mom pregnant. Apparently, he moved to a town called Brussix on the continent''s western side. Or that''s what I heard before my brother and I fled ckwood three years ago... That bastard..."

    Joseph''s muscles seized up as his face became red with subdued anger. But that soon subsided as the time for bed fast approached.

    With the pale crescent moon high in the sky, everyone soon found their beds and drifted to unconsciousness.

    When I started setting down mine, I was stopped by Barik. He gripped my shoulder tightly and nodded to the small clearing beside the camp.

    "Training," he said stoically.

 Chapter 89 Satos Training

    ?"I... I can''t..." I shamefully averted my gaze. Though he hadn''t said what we were training for, I knew he nned to have me use my affinity.

    "Why? Barik said, unfazed.

    "It''s because," I clenched my fists, "I''m... I can''t... I can''t deal with fire. It terrifies me." I turned my head to the ground and bit my lip in frustration. I hated that I couldn''t make use of my power, but using fire was too much of a hurdle for me.

    "So?" Barik sighed and crossed his arms. "Fire terrifies a lot of things, kid. But there''s no time to be coddled. Let''s go; I''m not taking no for an answer."

    Fear welled up in my heart, and my legs were locked to ce. The idea of setting myself aze left my mind dizzy with dread.

    "Well? C''mon... We don''t have all night," Barik walked up and took me by the shoulder. "If you won''t move, I''ll move you myself."

    I wasn''t even in the right mind to struggle. My body refused to function while I envisioned using my affinity. Though my body was frozen, my mind certainly wasn''t. As we inched closer to the clearing, my mind was flooded with desperation and all the irrational thoughts that came with it.

    ''I can''t do this.''

    ''He''s not serious.''

    ''Will they really make me do this?!''

    ''Run!''

    ''What if I knocked Barik out? Could I get out of this?''

    ''I''ll do it... I''ll do it! If it means avoiding the fire, I''ll take him out. Damn the consequences!''

    I turned to Barik, ready to viciously retaliate against him like a cornered wolf, but he stared back at me. To my surprise, the stoic cksmith, who always seemed frustrated, now donned a slight but warm smile.

    "It''ll be alright, kid," he squeezed his grip on my shoulder. "Calm down."

    I tried, but what he was asking for the impossible. I couldn''t do it; I couldn''t control my fire. There was no way. It would definitely spiral out of control again.

    We reached the clearing, and my body turned from paralysis to running. Being a coward was thest thing I wanted to bebeled, and I truly wanted to confront my inner demons. However, the gnawing anxiety in my gut was too much to ovee.

    I started squirming and pulling away from Barik''s grip until he mmed an elbow into my side and threw me to the ground.

    My mouth gaped as the air in my body left me. Then, while kneeling, I cradled my side with an arm, gasping and wheezing the entire time.

    I gazed up at the grizzled cksmith to see a look I could recognize.

    Though his expression waspassionate to my plight, it was devoid of sympathy. Behind a glint of reflected moonlight, his eyes were focused and akin to that of my old bootcamp instructor.

    "W-What the hell?" I panted.

    "Is your mind clear now? It better be." Barik balled up his fists and mmed them to the ground below. After gathering a stream of deep brown energy, the very earth molded around his arms. He stood up with gloves formed from y and rock. "I won''t go easy on you, kid. So you better toughen up."

    "What?" I asked.

    He stepped closer.

    "Wait, wait, what?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He raised an arm and held it momentarily. It blotted out the moonlight, casting me in shadow.

    "Wait! HOLD ON!" I shouted, but he was beyond listening.

    He mmed his fist down, which I narrowly rolled away from. I pushed myself up from the ground and protested, "What the he-" but stopped in shock after seeing the aftermath of his attack.

    The ground was churned and upheaved in a wide cone. If I''d been hit by that, a few broken bones would''ve been the least of my worries.

    "What the hell are you doing?!" I swiped my hand at Barik.

    "Beating the shit out of you, kid. You say you''re scared of fire, which means you obviously have too much time on your hands. Just focus on the fight," he mmed his fists together, "I know I will." He approached with a killer''s intent and repeatedly rammed his fists together in intimidation.

    He readied for another ground-splitting attack, then swung.

    I rolled myself back to avoid him. Afterward, I regained my footing and assumed a fighting stance. My mind was frazzled, but muscle memory carried me through.

    "You''re going to have to do more than dodge..." Barik taunted. "You have to fight back."

    "Shouldn''t we level the ying field?!" I uneasily replied. "I''ll spar, but I need a weapon!"

    Barik red at me with disappointment. "You have a weapon. A potent weapon few others can emte. You have your fire; use it."

    "I can''t! I told you I can''t!" I desperately tried reasoning with Barik, but he was unresponsive.

    Instead, he leaped to me and swiped his arm in a wide arc. I sidestepped beneath it, only this time he prepared for my evasion.

    "Foolish," he mumbled with an embedded arm in the ground and projected an upward crumbling rock wall, barring my escape. Then, he wound up his other fist and thrust it straight for my gut.

    I couldn''t evade; there was no room to. I had no weapons; I left them back at my bunk. With no other option, I turned to Barik with only milliseconds to decide my next move.

    My back was literally to a wall, and I had no choice. I couldn''t rely on my guard to lessen the blow; he''d pierce straight through it. So my only alternative was a swift counter-attack.

    I ducked my head and stepped toward Barik. Then, after nting my arms on his, I attempted to redirect his blow. It was a major test of strength, seeing he had the force of a charging bull.

    Still, I managed to divert his fist to the side. Now I just needed to put him on the defensive. I''d aim for his neck and force him into submission!

    Only my n was halted by small pirs of stone. Theyunched outward from Barik''s rock gauntlet, colliding with my chest and stomach.

    The force from the impact rag-dolled me backward, smashing me through the rock wall. It crackled as it fractured and fell to pieces.

    My body repeatedly crashed into the ground as I flew, only stopping after I wed my hands and feet into the dirt below.

    After recovering, I raised my head to see Barik striding toward me with confidence. Again, he repeatedly rammed his fists together in intimidation.

    "It''s time to face your demons, kid. Either that, or die." From his t tone and confident posture, I knew he wasn''t joking, embellishing or lying. Even more than that, I sensed a killer''s resolve. One you''d expect from grizzled veterans on a battlefield.

    ''He genuinely intends to kill me,'' I thought, astonished with the realization.

 Chapter 90 Playing With Fire, Part One

    ?I gritted my teeth and red in frustration. However, it wasn''t directed at Barik but toward myself and my inability to act.

    Thanks to the pain in my chest from his attack, my mind was gifted a moment of rity. I remembered the crucial rule instilled in me over my four years of fighting.

    ''You idiot,'' I cursed myself, ''how could you let fear overtake you?!'' I, a man who''s waded through valleys of death, blood-red rivers, and the smoldering remnants of towns, was crippled by something as small as a phobia.

    Though I say small, the terror surging through me was nothing minor. My heart hammered away at my chest, and my palms became slick with sweat. But how I felt didn''t matter; what mattered was survival.

    "Nothing else matters," I wheezily mumbled to myself.

    I formed a slight smirk and returned to my feet. "Yeah... I''m ready. But I won''t use magic." Though I refused to use my fire, I could fight. Even against Barik, a magic user, I could still win! I hope...

    Barik returned my smirk in kind. "I like the look in your eyes, kid. But you''ll use your affinity," he paused, then nodded to himself. "I''ll let loose and force it out of you."

    ''Let loose? After everything, he could still do more?!''

    Turns out, he certainly could.

    A mixture of luminous green and brown energy pooled around his legs. In the next moment, rock and hardened y snaked up his legs, then his torso, then over his head.

    He encased himself in a jagged stone set of armor, leaving only two slits for his eyes. The joints crackled and broke apart, allowing him free movement.

    ''You''re kidding me,'' I looked at my fists, then at him. ''There''s no way I can defeat that. Not without a weapon.''

    "Here Ie, kid," he said with a muffled voice. Then, he flexed a leg backward to lunge forward.

    ''Okay, the armor is a problem, but he shouldck mobility now.'' Except he didn''t. Practically disobeying thews of nature, he effortlesslyunched himself toward me, quaking the ground as he left.

    In seconds, he was upon me.

    Heunched several attacks in quick session, and my reactions against them became increasingly sluggish. Barik''s ground-pounding strikes were growing closer and closer to their mark.

    The exhaustion from the fight and myck of sleep the previous night were taking their toll. As a result, my body was forced to stop for the briefest of moments.

    Barik seized that moment.

    He waved an arm upward and over, then mmed it to the earth. After a short dy, a massive omnidirectional shockwave blew me backward.

    As I flew, Barik''s next attack was already underway. His other arm was nted firmly into the ground. Then, numerous rock walls appeared in my path.

    While I rag-dolled, I smashed into and through each of them, grunting and wincing painfully until my momentum finally broke.

    My breathing was ragged, and my flesh ached. The physical abuse left my mental rity in disarray, and I could feel my eyes rolling back into my skull to seek the safety of unconsciousness.

    ''I can''t... I can''t...'' my mind, bones, blood, and skin, it all begged for the end. But there was no time for rest. In no time, Barik had already closed the distance and struck me with an uppercut.

    My body left the ground, and he took hold of one of my legs. Then, he raised me upward and threw me back to the center of the torn-up clearing.

    Again, I used my arms to break my fall, but the rock fragments on the ground shredded my skin. I tried to push myself upward, but my arms buckled from exhaustion.

    I fell t on my face,pletely spent.

    "I''m gonna fucking die..." I mumbled in disbelief. "This guy is going to kill me..."

    The crunching of grass and shattered rock beneath footsteps heralded Barik''s approach. "You honestly might, kid. At the rate you''re going, you''re just a liability. Maybe it''d be better to kill you now..."

    ''A liability? I''m...a liability?'' I tried clenching my hands out of frustration, but they were too shaky from injury to form fists.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I wheezed, and amongst all the other agony, I felt a sharp pain piercing my abdomen. ''Two ribs are broken,'' or at least, that was my educated guess from experience.

    "You''re really going to give up? Is that all your life is worth to you?" Barik stood above.

    "I... I have no we-weapons... I..." I could barely squeeze the words out.

    "You do, kid! Stop being stubborn and use the fucking fire already!" Barik sighed wearily. "Is that all yourpanions'' lives are worth to you?!"

    "My cpanions..."

    Numerous thoughts, all conflicted and despaired, gued my mind. So I shook my head as violently as I could to rid myself of them. My action exacerbated the pounding headache I already had.

    Though my head thumped with pain, my mind became clear about what to do. I had to think about thest option open to me. The one I avoided all this time.

    My mind split in two. One ordered me to survive, even at the cost of my own sanity. The other panicked about what surviving would mean... What it would cost, and begged me toy down, epting defeat.

    But I refused to give up. So long as my heart kept beating, my determination would too. ''Looks like you''ll get what you want, after all...Barik.''

    I closed my eyes and entered a trance of deep focus. ''What was it Takagi said? "Feel a desire" or something?'' I locked away my fear of the fire, or tried to at least, and centered myself. Then I squeezed my hands as tightly as possible and attempted "feeling a desire." However, not even a plume of smoke puffed up from me.

    "Hmph," Barik grunted in disappointment, then pulled his foot back. "You''re too stubborn," he said, burying his foot into my gut with a full-forced kick.

    Again I rag-dolled, but the pain was dulled from my concentration. I was lost in thought about what I could do to elicit even a bit of magic.

    ''What aboutst night?'' I questioned myself.

    I pondered to myself. I was thinking about what I did while unconscious. What had I done that allowed me to generate magic? That''s when I realized; maybe it wasn''t a specific desire but a powerful emotion that let Takagi use magic.

    I remembered that harrowing nightmare; a particr feeling shot up my bones and pumped through my veins. ''Maybe... Maybe it''s my fear. Maybe that''s what I need.''

    With nothing to lose, I stopped fighting it. I envisioned every horrible detail within the past four years of my life. Every insecurity, every sorrow, every gruesome death, every thought that normally only emerged to haunt my dreams. All of it flooded into my consciousness.

    Following suit, a profound panic gripped my body. I shook uncontrobly as the floodgates opened, and my breathing went ragged. Despite that, I felt it. A profound power welling up inside me.

    But it wasn''t enough. It was close but just out of reach, something I could only brush with my fingertips. I still had one thing left to unlock; my pyrophobia.

    I imagined myself surrounded by me. My flesh was charred ck as charcoal, and my blood boiled as it left my body. I mentally relived every grisly detail of my death.

    Then, I felt it.

    Red orbs energy flowed into me, and I felt a spark of power. Within me were faint embers signifying my will to live. As with every me, I focused everything I had on them. I cultivated the feeling until it went from a single cinder to a roaring ze.

    The power transferred from within my body to reality. It started as a thin veil, scorching the ground ck. However, my arms were soon engulfed in a turbulent yellow me. The fire coiled around them like twin burning serpents.

    Having a fire so close, its sweltering heat upon my skin, it took constant effort not to faint from panic. Even so, my fear became my fire''s fuel. I channeled and fed it to the hungry inferno. Once sated, the me grew bright as the Sun and hot enough to melt steel.

    However, my control of it wasn''t anything like Barik''s rock gauntlets. The fire danced chaotically, searing everything in its path. My weary focus was barely enough to keep it from spreading to the rest of my body.

    I raised my immted arms to Barik, and, with uneven breathing, I painted a fear-filled smirk on my face. "I... I''m ready."

    "It''s about time," Barik taunted.

    We both readied ourselves and fully intended to annihte the other. This wasn''t training anymore; it was a warrior''s sh with our lives on the line.

 Chapter 91 Playing With Fire, Part Two

    ?To my surprise, the fire didn''t damage me. Oddly enough, it didn''t even cauterize my open wounds; they simply bled through the mes, dripping steamed driblets of crimson to my feet. It was as if my flesh became naturally resistant to being burned.

    The mes extended forward from my arms in an uncontrolled cone, almost akin to a jet''s propulsion. I quaked with bottomless fear at the sight, barely containing my urge to give into panic. My face twitched, and keeping focus required an active effort. Still, I wouldn''t give in to my inner demons.

    Meanwhile, Barik was my opposite. He was calm, collected, and inplete control of his power. He stuffed his arms back into the ground and doubled up on his armor. The thickened rock around his body made him appear to be more like a brown-gray golem than a man.

    However, instead of charging me head-on, he performed a new move.

    Barik raised both arms above his head and mmed them simultaneously into the ground. Aside from the shockwave created by a trembling mass of vibrations, numerous flesh-impaling spikes trailed outward. All headed straight for me.

    I steeled myself to fight back. There''d be no more futile dodging; my body wasn''t in a condition for that anyway. Instead, I crossed my burning arms and swiped them forward in an ''X.''

    A torrent of mes surged forth, cleaving the spikes in half and scorching the ground until it was ckened, save for a few glowing patches of embers that lingered in its wake.

    In response, Barik raised a dome of hardened granite around him. The fire shed with his defense, vaporizingyer uponyer until it brute forced through entirely.

    Where Barik once stood was now an immted mass of molten stone and ashen dirt.

    "No... Did I kill him?!" I panicked, thinking I''d just killed my ally during what was meant to be a training session. However, I had no need to worry. When the me cleared, arge crater was revealed where he once stood.

    ''Thank god...'' a wave of relief washed over me when I realized he had managed to burrow underground.

    However, my relief soon subsided to suspicion. "Wait, that means..."

    As I thought, Barik smashed through the ground beneath me, knocking me into the air. "You didn''t think you''d get me with that, did you kid?" heughed loudly and took hold of my leg, mping down on it with pressure akin to a vice grip.

    ''Is he¡­having fun?!'' the realization shocked me. After wincing from the pain of his grasp on my ankle, I directed my immted arms toward him. Then, like a rocket, I loosed all my firepower into a singr, point-nk st.

    "Oh shit!" he eximed, then narrowly evaded back into the safety of the underground.

    Meanwhile, I had identally propelled myself upward. Unfortunately, my control over my flight was nonexistent, so I mmed into a tree before crashing to the ground.

    After stumbling to my feet, I could sense my fire and fear growing beyond my control. If I allowed it to continue, there was no doubt I''d have a repeat ofst night.

    I did everything I could, but I was at my absolute limit. It was a bonafide miracle that I was still conscious. So I tried resealing my fear. I tried locking away all of the memories and thoughts that allowed the fire to grow in the first ce.

    However, it was toote. The devouring inferno took on a will of its own, growingrger and more untamed by the second.

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I shouted while doing everything I could to put myself out. It grew to my shoulders, burning away pieces of my clothes as it went.

    "Losing control, huh?" Barik approached calmly. His armor was ckened and crumbling to pieces, showing that my mes must''ve hit him, despite his evasion. "I guess that''s to be expected; you''re a novice, after all..." he released his magic, and what was left of his armored shell crumbled to the floor.

    "What the hell do I do?!" I held my arms as far from me as I could. Then, an irrational thought entered my mind in my panic. I considered cutting off my arms if the fire couldn''t be snuffed out.

    "Raax," Barik sighed. "Here, I''ll help you out."

    "HOW?! DO IT!" I didn''t care how; I just wanted the fire gone.

    He bored his arms into the earth, forming two holes. "Stick them in there."

    He was right. Magical or not, fire needed oxygen to remain burning, right?! So I followed his advice, fell to my knees, and suffocated the mes below the ground.

    Several minutes passed while I hunched over.

    I could feel my broken ribs stabbing into my flesh due to my irregr position, but I held still. I kept myself there until any semnce of light or heat was finally extinguished.

    When the sensation of warmth finally disappeared, I cautiously pulled my hands free and fell to my back. Like my fire had been, I was desperate for oxygen. So I frantically gasped for air as if my life was in danger of being snuffed out next.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Are you okay, kid?" Barik knelt down with a concerned look on his face.

    I was too exhausted to reply. It took me several breaths before I could utter a syble. When I did, it was out of anger for what he forced me into doing.

    "Ho-How could you do that? What the hell?!" I wheezed between my breaths.

    Barik plopped himself to the ground beside me and deeply inhaled. "Look, I''m sorry... But it was necessary. You can''t be afraid of your own strength, not here."

    I wanted to argue, to tell him there was another way. A less painful way. But, in reality, I wasn''t so sure. Even after the battle and the mes were extinguished, my heart was still constricted by an intense dread when thinking about my power. However, despite my misgivings, it was a fact that I learned to use a critical,st-resort escape tool because of him.

    He disregarded my silence, opting to continue speaking instead. "You know... I really am sorry. I met many young men like you back in my glory days. Not as strong, but each had emotional baggage. Baggage that got them killed when they should''ve lived. If I can, I want to prevent the same from happening to you."

    I understood. After all, separating my emotions from battle was the creed I tried to live by. While here, I''ve epted the deaths of those I failed to save and moved on. After all, death and loss were natural urrences in war.

    But my pyrophobia was different. Fear wasn''t an emotion that was easily suppressed by denial and distractions. It was hard to keep a cool head when the inside was filled with fire.

    What did calm my emotional turmoil were the passing stars. Thanks to the night sky''s tranquility and nature''s white noise, I quelled my inner unrest.

    After a deep sigh, I was finally level-headed enough to speak back. "You don''t need to apologize," I eased. "What you did was right. What you said...was right. As I am now, I''m a liability. I needed a p in the face."

    "I did a little more than that," he boisterouslyughed.

    I shared in his cheer, but my chuckle was meek and raspy. If Iughed too hard, the broken rib in my gut dug deeper into my flesh, sending a reverberating sting throughout my body.

    "Could I ask you a question?" I turned to Barik.

    Without moving, Barik replied, "sure thing, kid. Ask away."

    "You''re acting a lot different from how you were at camp; why?"

    "Ahhhh...." he sighed loudly. "It''s because I''m unsure how to act...normally?" he furrowed his brow and faced me. "It''s not a story I want to delve deeply into. But I was a soldier once. After that kind of experience, it gets...harder to interact with others."

    ''Ah, so that''s what that is,'' I finally knew where my kinship for him came from. As a soldier myself, I discovered how hard it was to limate back into society, especially as anything other than a warrior or killer.

    I wanted to ask more questions. Who he fought for? How long he fought? Who he fought against? But I couldn''t. I knew those questions weren''t ones to be asked lightly.

    Instead, silence ensued for several minutes. I was on the cusp of drifting to sleep until Barik spoke again.

    "Huuuuuh," he groaned. "You need toe work in my forge after this."

    "What?" I swiveled my head toward Barik. "What are you talking about?"

    "Your mes are abnormally hot. When you burned my ground spikes, you could color me surprised! You''d help me a lot in the forge!" he cheered with a smile.

    "That''s quite a promotion!" I said sarcastically. "From a soldier to a cksmith''s assistant!"

    "Well..." Barik smirked, "You''d probably be more of a forge itself than an assistant. Your mes are what I''m after."

    "Ah...So I''d be a tool..." I sighed.

    "We''re soldiers. We were always tools!" he cackled, and I followed suit.

    With exhausted minds and fatigued bodies, Barik and I shared an unlikely bond during several moments of cheer. While exchanging banter and jokes, we joyouslyughed the night away.

 Chapter 92 Four Days Later

    ?The following morning was another slog.

    Thanks to my busted ribs, we had to expend our first red potion. Though I was skeptical about it, I popped the cork and chugged. It tasted disgustingly metallic yet sweet.

    "Ugh..." I wiped my mouth with a look of disgust. "And you said this heals you?" I asked Mizuno.

    "It does. I told you it''s a healing tonic," she replied matter-of-factly, then stuffed the empty bottle into her pack.

    A healing tonic it was.

    Upon consumption, the busted bones within me started to straighten and mend back together. It was an odd feeling but a wee one as the pain subsided. I was totally rejuvenated!

    "It...actually worked?" I said with a dismayed expression.

    "I told you," Mizuno replied and shook her head.

    Joseph then mentioned Barik''s and my training going too far. He griped that we wasted a precious potion by injuring ourselves too much, then pointed to the torn-up wastnd that used to be a verdant clearing.

    "What kind of training does THAT to the ground?" he questioned.

    Barik shed a smile, which was unusual for him, at least around the others. "The good kind," heughed boisterously.

    His shift in demeanor was a shock for Mizuno and Joseph. They asked Barik why he''d changed, and he replied with a single phrase. "I found arade," and sent a grin in my direction.

    Then, for the next three days, we revisited many of our old campsites. Near each, we found a rock, log, or some other hard surface with ground-up red residue.

    Individually, the amount of red powder wasn''t concerning. However, as we found more, Barik became increasingly worried. He said thebined amount was enough to convert a medium-sized house into a smoldering crater.

    Though the realization made us uneasy about the camp''s wellbeing, we were thankful we sent n. With him there, a possible crisis could''ve been averted.

    Aside from that, the only notable development over those three days was my training. Unfortunately, for two of those days, I couldn''t bring myself to use my fire.

    It took every drop of courage in my body to use the power. Even after I seeded on the third day, I needed Barik''s help putting it out when the me inevitably spiraled out of control. Likest time, I was left a shaking mess afterward.

    My refusal to use it on the two days naturally led to my ass being kicked.

    However, by Mizuno''s orders, Barik ensured I was left only with minor cuts and bruises. For obvious reasons, Mizuno didn''t want us to consume more of our healing potions.

    After each training session, while battered and beaten, Barik and I bonded a little more by trading war stories of our pasts.

    Though mine had guns, bombs, and tanks, and his were filled with swords, magic, and wagons, the premise was the same.

    Through mud and blood, we had trudged on and ughtered anything that threatened our country and survival. However, there was one thing he never mentioned; it was the identity of who he''d fought against.

    He only described how senseless the war was. How it was instigated by the opposers through greed and hubris. Despite that, he didn''t believe in genociding the opposing nation, which was the exact policy his side enacted.

    But, as he said a few days ago, we soldiers were just tools; meant to be used at our superior''s discretion. So he had no choice but to follow a creed calling for mass bloodshed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    On the third night, I finally asked him.

    "So... Do y..you think you could te...tell me about the ones you fought...against?" I was out of breath, and we both found ourselves lying on the ground, panting heavily.

    "H...Huh," Barik sighed, "I can''t...say much, kid. All I can say is...my country...betrayed them," he took a deep breath and calmed his breathing.

    Likewise, I steadied myself enough to speak without interruption. "Your country betrayed them? How?" I was confused. From his stories, it sounded like the opposing nation was the sole aggressor.

    "My country did betray them..." Barik propped his head above his arms. "Our two nations were always close. Socially, economically, and politically, we were bound by shared years of mutual prosperity. We had a pact; it stated we''d fight with one another, no matter what."

    Barik''s expression hardened, and he clenched his fists. "But then the fools dered war on the rest of the world. They wantednd, resources, and power. Their military might made them arrogant..."

    He sat up and pulled his knees to his chest. "And when they asked us to join them, my nation secretly aligned with their enemies instead. Those we fostered good rtions with over years became our sworn enemies overnight... I ended up killing so many that I once calledrades..."

    Barik paused, leaving the air thick with profound sadness.

    "I''m sorry, kid," he turned his head to me and grimaced, "but I''d rather not talk about this anymore. Can we drop it?"

    I nodded in agreement. I wasn''t going to pry, so we sat silently in the moonlight until Joseph relieved us of watch duty.

    Barik returned to his bed while I made do near a tree.

    Sadly, after I incinerated my bedroll, I was left to sleep in the elements. We hadn''t packed any spares, and all we had were some extra clothes I could pile over myself to use as nkets.

    I also had to sleep at a distance to protect my and our gear from harm; we were all worried I might lose control again.

    After a night of nightmares, luckily not ones that triggered my fire affinity, the morning finally arrived.

    This was it, the day we''d arrive at the farm.

    We traveled and found the stream we initially nned to follow. It peacefully flowed forever onward, soothing my mind of any angst. Though I was a seasoned soldier, the moments before a mission always filled me with unease.

    By the evening, we found a spot on a hill overlooking the farm. We performed a few hours of reconnaissance, confirming what we all had hoped back at Freehaven.

    Few soldiers were guarding the farm, and the physical defenses were just as negligible.

    Between the many open fields andrge bunkhouses for workers, there was a centralpound. Surrounding it was a small cobblestone wall that one could easily scale over. Inside, you could see arge main cabin, a guard''s barracks, and three fortified warehouses.

    Wepleted our scouting, then retreated to set up camp. We were extra cautious in its preparation due to our close proximity.

    That meant we avoided any fires or training and concealed ourselves behind the thickest foliage we could find.

    Before we slept, I took onest look at my allies. It was a habit I formed during my missions. I always branded their image into my mind so I could remember them clearly if they fell.

    Unbeknownst to me, by the end of this mission, one from our expeditionary group would fall. I''d never see them alive again.

 Chapter 93 Start Of The Raid, Part One

    ?"Hey... Hey, get up..." Mizuno whispered and nudged me awake. When I opened my eyes, she had her index finger to her lips, signifying me to keep quiet.

    I nodded to show I understood.

    "Good," she whispered and removed her hand. Then, crouching low, she gripped her longswords beneath her cloak.

    I assumed my own stance to remain stealthy and looked upward to see that the dawn hadn''t yet fully appeared. Instead, the wilds were misty and dark as the Sun rose from beneath the treetops.

    ''An enemy patrol, maybe,'' I thought, retrieving my de. I then turned to see Joseph and Barik. They were wide awake, each bracing themselves against a tree next to one another.

    Joseph brandished a long sword and a leather-banded, thin iron shield he must''ve stored inside his pack. Beyond that, his expression was one of anxious anticipation. It was a look I knew all too well.

    ''This kid... he''s never experienced a real fight.'' I either forgot to ask or assumed he was capable since he was picked for the mission. ''I guess the camp''s personnel are stretched pretty thin, too,'' I sighed.

    Barik, on the other hand, as one would expect of a veteran soldier, was calm and collected. He sported a smooth-gripped il. It had a ball on the end of a long chain and was embedded with numerous spikes long enough to de-brain anyone it struck.

    Beyond those two, I cast my gaze in every direction to eventually see what had mypanions on high alert. The faint orange glow of torches between branches and shrubbery apanied the stomping of boots on crunching twigs.

    "Hey, why do they have us out here anyway?" a guard said.

    "Probably to find more heroes? I heard a bunch escaped from ckwood," another sighed.

    "Bah! What are they even doing?! Letting heroes escape... Who knows what they''ll do!"

    "Just shut up and keep an eye out!" the lead guard snapped back. "If there are heroes around, we''ve gotta be ready."

    Slowly their silhouettes gave way to aplete view. There were roughly six of them. Three had iron-framed oak round shields and longswords fitted into leather holsters. The final three sported arge steel warhammer, dual daggers, and a shortsword with a bow.

    "What''s the n?" I whispered to Mizuno.

    We had two options.

    We could hunker down and hope they passed us by, or we could capture one for questioning and eliminate the others. Option two would likely yield lucrative information, but it''d also put us on a time limit. A missing patrol would be obvious to whoever was in charge.

    After a brief internal deliberation, Mizuno gestured for us to stay hidden. I guess she was the "take no chances" type when leading a mission. It was something I agreed with.

    Even with all our nning, we were running into this mission blind. We had no idea what to expect, so the ripple effect from taking unnecessary risks was simply too dangerous.

    I nodded, then concealed myself behind a fallen log, and Mizuno took cover next to some shrubbery.

    The guards were nearly upon us, and their conversations grew louder.

    "So, what''ll we do with that hero girl you found?" the warhammer guard asked.

    ''Hero girl? Did they capture another of my countrymen?'' my ears perked up in surprise.

    "Oh, her?" the lead guard shrugged. "The Cap said we can''t kill her. He''s calling over some noble from ckwood to pick her up."

    "Seriously?!" another guard threw up his arms. "After they practically let them go, they expect us to just hand her over?!"

    "That''s the n," the lead guard replied matter-of-factly. "Those monsters will probably just eat her anyway, so all''s well that ends well, I guess."

    ''Great,'' I sighed. ''Not even in the farm, and our n already hit a snag.''

    With their conversation, the mission became entangled within a whole newyer of plicated." We''d have to decide whether to leave the girl to her fate or risk the mission''s sess to bring her home.

    As much as I hated it, my suggestion was on the former. Of course, the preferred oue would be to save her AND escape, but I wasn''t so naive. ''There''s no way we can aplish both.''

    Knowing undertaking one goal would inevitably risk the failure of the other, I could tell what the right call was. We couldn''t endanger the lives of an entire camp over a single girl. I guess some would call my decision "for the greater good."

    Plus, I had my priorities. As of now, the ones I wanted to try protecting were back at camp. Agawa, Takagi, and Kamida: those three held my full focus.

    ''How''re the others reacting,'' I thought. Turning my head, I saw an apparent moral conflict brewing within Mizuno. Hers were the eyes of hesitation.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Meanwhile, Barik and Joseph also shared looks of concern, Joseph especially. His expression was one I''d expect from an inexperienced soldier. He clenched his teeth while gripping his sword tightly. Based on the fire in his eyes, it looked like he readied himself for "option two."

    I silently shook my head in protest toward him, but he was too focused on the guards to notice. Then, he took a step out from his cover.

    "Shit, don''t do it!" is what I wanted to shout, but even the slightest whisper could alert the guardsmen, given they were directly upon us at this point. I was helpless to prevent Joseph''s impulsive action. ''This kid is going to ruin everything!''

    However, we lucked out.

    Though Barik seemed unnerved by the mention of a captive, he didn''t let that stop him from focusing on our primary goal. He ced an arm on Joseph''s shoulder and pulled him back. Joseph shot Barik with a hateful re but stopped after noticing the grizzled warrior shaking his head.

    Joseph silently cursed and stood down from an attack stance.

    Thanks to Barik''s effort, the guards passed us unalerted. Eventually, they and theirughter faded into the dark forests, leaving us to ponder their words.

    Joseph furrowed his brow in frustration. "Why did you stop me?!" he whispered a shout.

    "Because we can''t afford to give ourselves away," Barik asserted emphatically.

    Joseph growled at Barik, then turned to Mizuno with a look of passionate determination. "Captain, please? We''re going to attempt a rescue, right? We''re saving her!"

    I wearily shook my head. While he was morally justified in his reaction, it did not inspire confidence in his judgment. ''Those kinds of words will get you killed,'' I sighed. ''Hopefully, they won''t get us killed too.''

    My distrust red up as I considered making the three follow from a distance while I cleared a path. ''I know I''ll make the right calls. These three might only get in the way.''

    However, my fog of doubt was dispersed when a dim light of hope shone through. The light being Barik''s reply to Joseph''s naivety. "No, you can''t save everyone. The camp should take priority." Thanks to his experience, Barik must''ve known what risks saving the girl entailed. However, despite his and I sharing agreement, it was ultimately our leader''s, Mizuno''s, decision.

    She took a hard swallow and a breath. Though she undoubtedly knew the correct answer, it was a tough one, regardless. "We''ll focus on the mission," she asserted. "If we can, we''ll help her. But the missiones first."

    I was relieved upon hearing her words. However, Barik grimaced, and Joseph ground his teeth in frustration.

    "What''re we even doing if we''re not saving those that need it," he growled.

    "We''re saving ourselves first, kid," Barik replied. "We aren''t much use if we''re dead."

    Upon being shot down, Joseph turned away and cursed numerous profanities beneath his breath.

    Eventually, the Sun rose above the trees, and, despite the tension among the group, we officially started the operation.

    We traveled down the hill and took refuge in a ditch to avoid detection. Upon the passing of another patrol, we dove into a nearby cornfield to mask our approach toward thepound.

    As we observed yesterday, only a few guards patrolled the cobblestone wall. Thanks to that and Mizuno''s lead, we avoided detection with ease. However, upon crossing a narrow dirt road separating the wall and the cornfield, we encountered another patrol of three.

    They walked side-by-side and quickly closed in on us.

    Moreover, while the rest of us managed to cross the road and hide in another ditch beneath the wall, Joseph was forced to hunker down in a spot with poor coverage.

    Diagonally nted cornrows were the only things preventing the guards from seeing him as they approached. Once they passed by, they''d gain aplete view of ate teenager crouched down in leather armor.

    ''He''s going to get seen,'' I grit my teeth. ''Looks like he''s a liability, after all.

    Mizuno gestured to Barik and me, signaling for him to take the guard closest to Joseph and me to take the one closest to us, which left her the middle guard.

    We signaled in agreement and steeled ourselves for the first kills of the mission. I preferred knocking them out, but we couldn''t leave loose ends that couldplicate things further.

    ''This is where everything could go wrong,'' I sighed, then gripped my sword tightly in anxious anticipation.

    Secondster, they were adjacent to us, and, like we feared, one noticed Joseph.

    "Hey! Who''s there?!"

 Chapter 94 Start Of The Raid, Part Two

    ?The three guards snapped their heads toward Joseph. He attempted to stand and reach for his weapon when one guard shouted, "Stop! Don''t mo-"

    However, while they confronted Joseph, our attack was already underway. I slipped behind the speaking guard, angled my longsword to his throat, and slid its edge against his skin. His once articte and clear words were reduced to gargled choking as blood streamed down his neck.

    Likewise, the other two had no time to react.

    Mizuno stabbed her de through the mid-guard''s throat with absolute precision, causing a stream of blood to trail down the length of her sword.

    The de''s bloodied tip peeked out the front of his throat, and he dropped his weapon in shock. Then, following a series of pained grunts, the guard moved his hands to fearfully clutch at the foreign object.

    "Wha-" the final guard eximed, but Barik was already midswing with his il. This was apparent from the distinct sound of the air swishing past the ball and chain.

    The spiked ball flew through the air, impacting the guard''s skull and creating several spurts of crimson as the spikes embedded themselves. Then, in one smooth motion, Barik tore the il away, ripping fragments of the guard''s bones and brain out. Finally, with half his head bashed and scrambled, the guard fell to his back, frothing at the mouth...then dead.

    After a few short moments, the two others sumbed to blood and air loss. Each fell to the ground with distinct thuds as their equipment ttered to the dirt path below.

    Mizuno exhaled quietly in relief and whispered, "Barik, Sato, hide the bodies. Joseph," she turned to the teenager still prone to the ground and gaping in disbelief, "get up and get a grip. Help me hide the blood trails."

    "On it, Ma''am," Barik affirmed with obedience. He stashed his il and moved to drag two of the three bodies by their arms.

    ''We better move quick,'' I internally grumbled while dragging the final guard. ''We''re on a time limit now. It''s only a matter of time before this patrol is missed.''

    While we transported the corpses, Joseph remained still but soon stood up while shaking himself awake. "I''m sorry, Captain. I messed up," he grimaced and tightened his palms into fists. As someone inexperienced, failure must''ve stung him to his core.

    "Save it; now''s not the time," she disinterestedly asserted. Time wasn''t on our side, and a new patrol was due to arrive at some point; these facts must''ve influenced her actions when she harshly dismissed Joseph''s concerns.

    "Alright¡­ Understood," Joseph exhaled to regain hisposure, his muscles and expression visibly rxing from anxiety, then moved to help Mizuno conceal the blood trails.

    Barik nearly reached the edge leading into the ditch when his gaze hardened, and he frustratedly grumbled, "I hate that I''m used to this feeling." His stern expression contorted into a grimace as his eyes became tinted with a forlorn regret.

    "The killing? Or the hiding of the bodies?" I rhetorically questioned. I knew the answer already.

    "Both," he grunted quietly while tossing the two into the ditch. "I wish the world could just find peace...''

    Those words struck me with a twinge of bitterness. I retreated into my mind for a brief moment, remembering the lofty and naive goals my past self had. The goals to make a difference on the battlefield. The goals to do better.

    "If only it could," I returned to reality, my pessimism stronger than ever. "Then our sacrifices would mean something," I groaned, feeling a pang of regret toward the thought that all of what I''d done, I''d done for nothing.

    ''No use crying about it now,'' I sighed, then threw my guard into the ditch after Barik, the body quietly ttering against the hardened dirt and weeds below.

    Upon our task''spletion, Barik and I exchanged brief eye contact. His were focused and unwavering.

    "One day, they will. Our sacrifices WILL mean something. Someone will break the chain of suffering. Someone will make this world a better ce." He spoke with conviction and certainty. With his confidence and focused gaze, it was as if he believed himself to be irvoyant. As if knew his words woulde to pass, no matter what.

    I, however, had the hopeful capacity of a dying ember, struggling to stay alight amidst the cold and darkness that surrounded me. "I wish I could agree," I sighed, my voice heavy with resignation. "Having faith in others isn''t an easy task for me nowadays. It''s hard to think the world can have a brighter future after seeing so much darkness."

    "I guess we''ll have to see," Barik lightly chuckled, then turned to Mizuno and Joseph.

    Meanwhile, Mizuno and Joseph were working to hide the blood pools and trails. Their leather boots emitted a grinding noise as they hastily but quietly kicked up gravel. The two continued churning the crushed rock, dirt, and dust on the path until only faint streaks of red were visible on its surface.

    "Alright, let''s keep moving," Mizunomanded, gesturing all of us to the rock wall.

    We circled the cobblestone fortification for a few minutes until we came to the side containing a series of wood and stone warehouses. Thanks to their size, each cast arge shadow over the wall, further concealing us from sight.

    "Are we climbing over?" I questioned, stashing my gear and reaching for the wall.

    "No," Mizuno stopped me with a hand to my shoulder, "leave it to Barik."

    ''Barik?'' I tilted my head and cast a puzzled gaze in his direction.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You look confused. Did you forget already?" he chuckled quietly and nted both hands on the wall. "I thought you''d know well what I could do by now."

    Following his words, he gathered brown energy around his arms and released it. The rocks within the wall shifted and grated against one another until they formed a small passageway through the barrier.

    ''That''s right, magic exists¡­ I need to get used to that,'' I brought a palm to my forehead and tiredly exhaled. I could feel a physical ache in my mind as I reminded myself that I was in a new world.

    Our entry now formed, Mizuno ushered for Barik to stand back, and she took point. "We''re hitting the nearest warehouse," she asserted with an expressionless tone.

    While following her, we were stopped dead in our tracks. Ahead, and just around the corner of a building, two voices could be heard and grew louder by the second.

    "Did they say when they nned to pick up the girl?" one guard asked with a hint of impatience. "I saw a few of the men eyeing her with lust. I may hate those hero fuckers, but I hate what they''d want to do to her even more. They should just let us kill her and be done with it. No need for extra suffering."

    "Who knows," another guard nonchntly shrugged.

    We stopped in ce, frantically seeking a form of cover, any cover to escape detection. With each passing moment, the patrol inched ever closer, causing me to tighten my grip on my sword.

    We couldn''t turn back, the only thing protecting us from being seen was the wall of the structure we held ourselves to. ''Are we stuck? This is what happens when youunch a mission with little information... Goddammit!''

    I readied myself to ept our reality of a mission-gone-wrong when Barik loudly whispered from behind us. "Over here!" he waved. He stood at the entrance to an alleyway between two warehouses. The space was cluttered with dozens of variously sized crates and barrels, making it a perfect ce to conceal ourselves.

    Following his gesture, we rushed to cover; however, Joseph remained in the open, clenching his teeth and fists in frustration. "How can we just leave her here," he grumbled.

    "Joseph! Now!" Mizuno ordered, barely containing herself to a whisper. Though normally stoic and straight-faced, her countenance was now irritated, as if she were dealing with a disobedient child.

    Joseph scoffed in frustration, then followed her orders.

    ''Good timing... A secondter, they would''ve spotted us.'' I felt the tenseness of my shoulders release to relief.

    The guards were just passing the opening to the alleyway while continuing their discussion.

    "You know, I don''t know why you all hate heroes so much. I mean, I know we need to feed them to the fullkin so they''ll leave us be, but why is there so much disdain for them?"

    Luckily, we had all found cover before thatst question. Because of it, the other guard stopped at the alleyway''s entrance and shouted in anger.

    "YOU FOOL! I forgot you''re not a native here... Otherwise, there''s no way you could forget what one of these HEROES did to our ancestors, what they did to ckwood... Every single one of them deserves death. We''ll never forgive them!"

    "But wasn''t that almost three-hundred years ago? Wh-"

    "You don''t understand. What that monster did to us, that ''me Baron,'' is not something that washes away with time. We''ll NEVER forgive them." Within the guard''s voice was a seething rage that was only matched by his thirst for vengeance.

    "Alright, alright," the other guard eased, "I get it. No need to bite my head off. I''m not one of them; I was just curious."

    "It''s fine," the angered guard growled. "The noble will show up, gut the bitch, and all will be well in the world," he finished with a fiendish cackle.

    After that, the two sighed to themselves and continued onward.

    ''We made it through,'' I thought, relieved. ''How are the others doing?'' I nced around to check on myrades.

    Mizuno and Barik were calm and collected, nodding to themselves and assessing what to do next.

    Joseph, however, was visibly trembling. The guard''s final words must''ve sent him into a barely subdued fury. "Bastards!" he mumbled and stood up from crouching. "I can''t believe we''re leaving her like this!"

    Looking at him. Looking at his eyes, I knew we had a problem. His re was one of fiery determination and impulsiveness. One that would allow him to ignore the chain ofmand and race off on his own. Yes, those were the eyes of a reckless hero.

    ''This kid''s idealism is going to get us killed,'' I red at Joseph.

 Chapter 95 Start Of The Raid, Part Three

    ?I let out a defeated sigh and tiredly slouched my head.

    It was toote now. The window for a personnel shift was long gone, and we couldn''t afford to lose the extra body, especially if we couldn''t find a carriage to carry the supplies.

    I gritted my teeth, feeling the weight of responsibility I''d have to take to ensure our and this kid''s safety. ''I''ll just have to keep an eye on him,'' I thought, my mind anxious about the potential dangers that came with Joseph''s inexperience and my heart dreading the hardships toe.

    Interrupting my thoughts, Barik gruffly whispered, "Good thing we took cover here," and smirked. Then, he pointed out a side ess door leading into our targeted warehouse.

    Mizuno surveyed the alley from behind cover, taking note of the surroundings before turning her attention to Barik. "The way is clear; get the door open," she said in a calm, measured tone.

    Barik gestured in agreement before taking several steps to the door. Sadly, but expectedly, it was locked. Though it didn''t have a handle, it was bound up by a pristine steel chain that sealed it to the frame.

    Barik hummed in curiosity and underwent an odd appraisal ritual.

    He ran his hand over the door''s fortified surface, tapping it lightly and brushing his palm against the grain. His callused fingertips caught on every nook and every divot within the wood. "Hmph," he grunted in approval. "Masterfully crafted. Three-inch thick seasoned wood and top-quality steel banding with an eighty-five... No... Ny percent purity."

    Though his words were initially articte and clear, they eventually devolved into incoherent mumbling as his focus deepened on analyzing the door.

    Observing Barik''s focused and intense expression, it dawned on me: ''That exins his demeanor at the forge,'' I chuckled silently.

    Beyond his inherent awkwardness around civvies, the man clearly had a single-minded focus too. If he was working, there was no room for distractions; he couldn''t even register them.

    He stepped back and spoke with the harsh tone of a grizzled soldier while wearing the grin of a seasoned artisan. "I''d wager there''s no breaking through this one. Not with brute force, anyway."

    Mizuno observed coolly with crossed arms. "Can you open it?" she asked, maintaining a straight-faced countenance.

    Turning his head, Barik raised his right hand and flexed his burly fingers. "Of course I can," he replied with a tone of confidence, his eyes fixed on the chain. Finally, he deftly wrapped his fingers around the links, his weathered hands finding the perfect grip.

    With a deep breath, Barik channeled his magic into the chain, to which it groaned and creaked in response. His brow furrowed with concentration as he poured more energy into the steel. Eventually, the metal started to warp and twist under his grip.

    The steel sumbed to his will, corroding and rusting before our eyes.

    The sound of cracking metal filled the air as the chain became as brittle as ss.

    A satisfied smile spread across Barik''s face as he released the chain, the rusted links now hanging by a thread. "It''s done," he announced triumphantly. "Let''s get what we came for."

    We all nodded in silent affirmation and gripped our weapons tightly. A mounting pressure of suspense built in all of us. A pressure queued to burst when the door swung open from its hinges.

    Mizuno confidently unsheathed her dual longswords and stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the door ahead. "Open it," shemanded, her voice firm and steady. "And from this point forward, wemunicate only through hand signals." Despite the uncertainty of whaty ahead, she exuded an unwavering sense of determination and victory.

    Under Mizuno''s order, Barik wrapped a stained white cloth around the decayed chain to muffle the sound. Then, like a hammer to an anvil, he struck the chain with the hilt of his il. A distinct clink of shattering metal could be heard, but it was limited to the confines of the cluttered alley.

    Barik raised his free hand and hand gestured, "OK." Then, fulfilling Mizuno''s order, he edged the door inward. The hinges quietly squealed as the darkness of the structure''s interior was revealed.

    It was just as disorganized as the alley, with numerous brown bup sacks, wood crates, and barrels lining the floors. Therge main door leading into thepound''s courtyard was sealed, meaning no outsiders would see us upon entry.

    To our right was a wooden-nked staircase nailed to the wall, seemingly leading to a darkened storage area above, based on what I could vaguely see.

    Lucky for us, the fewnterns lining the walls were supplemented by open windows on the second floor. Strands of sunlight cascaded into the room, leaving illuminated patches of brightness on the floor surrounded by shadows.

    Sadly, an easy mission wasn''t one we were destined for. As voices rang out within the room, rather a loud shout.

    "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" a guard bellowed in dismay.

    Trying to silence the outburst, a woman''s voice hissed back, "Shhhhhhh, I only got to know about this ''cause my cousin is a merchant. You know how they like to censor this kinda stuff, so stifle it!"

    I peered around a crate just enough to see one of the guards. He slouched over and frantically looked from side to side with a face of paranoia. It was almost as if he expected the walls to have ears, eavesdropping on their conversation. Then, he nodded to himself, having decided that the coast was clear.

    "Calm down, Sammy," a grizzled voice sighed. "It''s not like anyone can hear us in here. Cut James some ck." Following his words, he raspily chuckled with cheer.

    Despite the unknown old man''s easing, the other guard still spoke in a hushed tone, "Still, to think there''s a revolt in Arcadia! What do you think they''ll do?"

    The female guard replied with a hint of anger, "Probably raze the traitors to the ground. That''s the least they deserve for siding with the heroes; filthy scum." She spat on the ground and cringed. "I can''t believe anyone would side with creatures so vile!"

    ''A revolt? So we''re not the only ones putting up a fight!'' I''ll admit, knowing we weren''t the only ones struggling against fate eased my worried mind a little. Especially since that reminded me of Kamida''s words when we first met. ''We don''t have to challenge the world alone, after all. Thank god...''

    Though the news was pleasant to the ears, Mizuno and Barik remained unfazed as they assumed ambush positions behind a pile of clutter. The scent of old and fresh produce mixed with the metallic tang of stored weapons filled the air.

    Joseph trailed behind us, his face depicting a moral struggle I recognized.

    It was an expression I was sure I had worn during my initial campaigns. He was weighing the importance of following orders against the morality of saving the captive.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He was a reflection of my early self; I grimaced at the realization.

    ''How can I feel anger toward him? After all,'' my gaze fell as my heart sank in profound sadness, ''I was like that too...once...'' However, I shook my head to dispel my emotions; now wasn''t the time for thoughts of regret.

    Once we were all in position, Mizuno, while crouching, briskly scanned the room. After reaching the other corner, she signaled back to us with one hand, raising a finger for each enemy sighted, and motioned their general direction.

    ''One. Middle. Two... Middle. Three... Middle. Four... Middle. Five... Above. And Six... Also above.''

    ''Looks like we''ve got our work cut out for us.'' I felt a rising tension throughout my body, tightening my muscles. Between their slight numbers advantage and two being above, I doubted our ability to do this cleanly.

    Mizuno again hand gestured to the two above and readied her des.

    ''So she wants to take those two?'' I felt a nagging distrust pulling at my confidence again. I didn''t know how she nned to eliminate them, but it required myplete faith.

    The woman was definitely a capable fighter; anyone else, I wouldn''t have managed to stem my unease. Even so, I couldn''t help but think, ''You better not fuck up,'' and constrict my muscles with tension.

    ''So that leaves us four.'' I tightly gripped my sword and peered toward them. They were in deep conversation regarding the social politics and inner workings of what''s needed to genocide a nation.

    I nced at Barik, then at Joseph while motioning toward the four.

    Though Joseph was distracted before, even he seemingly knew the importance of staying aware duringbat. His eyes were pinpointed and focused on the group of enemies before him.

    ''Hopefully, the kid can fight well,'' I slouched and furrowed my brow in exhaustion. So far, he hadn''t given me any reason to trust him with anything other than not being involved entirely.

    Finally, Mizuno nodded, and our attack was underway.

    The three of us leaped out from our cover, rushing the four that were on ground level. Only one was faced in our direction: the lone woman I assumed was the merchant''s cousin.

    "What the hell?! Who the hell are you?!" she shouted, drawing herrades'' attention. Following her panic, the other three turned and reached for their weapons.

    However, by then, we were already upon them.

    I was the first to swing. My de sliced clean through the base of his neck, immediately lopping off the head of the first guard. His open wound sputtered a shower of blood as his body twitched and staggered to the ground.

    "JA-" another called out, seemingly distraught about the death of their ally. However, they had no time to cry before Barik smashed their right kneecap with his il.

    "OH GOD!" he cried with tears in his eyes while pressuring his new wound.

    Barik followed up with another strike, a wound-up swing for the guard''s bottom jaw. The crunching of bone and teeth resounded from the blow, quickly followed by the guard''s pained whimpers.

    Meanwhile, the final two, the woman and another, a grizzled old man, managed to unsheath their weapons and assume battle stances.

    "Y-Y...YOU''LL PAY FOR THAT, YOU BASTARRRRRDS!" she shouted, tears streaming from her eyes. Then, she lunged at me while baring her teeth with what could only be described as primal animosity.

    I still wasn''t an expert on swords, so I avoided a parry. Instead, I sidestepped and attempted a stab at her abdomen. However, she was skilled and redirected my thrust with her own.

    "It won''t be that easy, you fuck!" she taunted and threw me back.

    While exchanging blows with the woman, I heard a flurry of ngs from shing des above and behind me. ''Looks like Mizuno kept her word,'' I sighed in relief. ''At least we won''t need to worry about them.''

    Meanwhile, Joseph was locked in his own life-or-death struggle. Despite his inexperience, Joseph fought skillfully, deftly blocking and redirecting the old man''s hand-axe strikes with his shield. He followed up with swift jabs and slices of his shortsword.

    ''Looks like he''s not so helpless, after all,'' I felt relief in my gut, knowing he could, at least, hold his own in a fight.

    However, the old man was no ordinary opponent. His grizzled expression and scars spoke of a lifetime of fighting, and his movements were deliberate and deadly. With a sudden feint, he lured Joseph into a trap.

    The old man pushed past Joseph''s shield, resting the bottom of his handaxe''s de on the shield''s edge before forcefully ripping the protective tool from Joseph''s hand, leaving it to freefall and tter loudly to the dirt below.

    With Joseph''s guard exposed, barring the leather armor he''d worn, the old man lifted his axe-wielding arm, ready for a lethal blow.

    My heart raced as I watched helplessly, still locked in a fierce struggle within my own fight.

    "DON''T YOU DARE TURN AWAY FROM ME!" the woman snarled and loosed a wide swipe for my side.

    I narrowly blocked her attack with my de, but its force carried it forward, slicing through my clothes and grazing my flesh.

    ''GODDAMMIT!" I gritted my teeth while frustration and impatience boiled inside me. Though the singe of cut flesh surged through my wounded side, my anger was toward my helplessness to save Joseph.

    I could only watch as the old man moved to secure his victory. "I''m sorry, boy," he said with genuine remorse, then raised his arm high. Finally, he swiped his axe down for a lethal blow. There was a burst of blood, and a life was snuffed out.

 Chapter 96 No Heroes In War

    ?At that moment, the air stagnated as everyone reeled in shock.

    Mizuno, who had already eliminated her twobatants, stood atop the stairway with widened eyes of surprise. Her gaze was locked on Joseph.

    Likewise, my attention was ensnared by the scene before me. Joseph''s body was covered in sttered crimson as he fell to the ground.

    The woman, too, stood agape at the scene, clenching her teeth in rage.

    However, there was one amongst us who moved. He was the one who took action and defied fate. He changed the course of this fight with a single move.

    "You all right, kid?" a grizzled voice asked as he turned back to Joseph. But Joseph didn''t reply; he was unresponsively in shock at what happened.

    That''s right. Precisely when everything could''ve gone wrong, Barik intervened as if sent by a heavenly deity. At that moment, he swung his il, wrapping the chain around the old man''s handaxe mid-air, and tore it from his hand.

    Then, winding up another strike, Barik had thrown the spinning spiked ball of his weapon into the old man''s face, leaving it a gory, blood-stained mess as it shattered the front of his skull.

    Now the old man was nothing more than a twitchy, bloody mess as hey on the floor.

    "DAAAAAAAAAAADDDD!" the woman cried with a face twisted in anguish. She dropped her weapon and staggered to the old man''s side, frantically grasping at the crimson-stained hands of her apparent father while crying. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.... No, no, no, no, no.... Please, don''t leave me... You''re all I have!"

    Though she begged, he was already gone. His soul had already ascended, leaving a pile of flesh it once used as its vessel to rot and yield to rigor mortise.

    There were nost moments for goodbyes, no heartfelt smiles while holding back tears, no dramatic falling of the hand as he took his final breath. No, his was an instant death as his brain was destroyed.

    "D-Da-Daaad!" she bawled, her tears mixing with the blood coating his body. She leaned over him and buried her face into his bloodied chest, begging for celestial forces to exempt him from death and return his soul to the living. "P-Please, Lifra, I beg you... Bring him back... Bring him back to me!"

    However, there''d be no answer to her call. No, his body continued to leak crimson as his fingers ceased twitching. Finally, thest lingering remnants of life faded entirely from his body when it sumbed to motionlessness.

    Several moments passed while she sobbed.

    I was ustomed to death, used to ripping the spark of life from others when necessary. However, I was no monster; a distinct empathic regret still left a hole in my heart as I internally wept with her.

    Because of that, I couldn''t bring myself to reunite this woman with her father. Not so soon. Seeing her cry like a lost child stayed my hand, leaving me paralyzed. It reminded me of a fact I learned a long time ago.

    ''There are no heroes in war,'' I clenched my jaw tight and squeezed my fists, sending pangs of ache up my muscles. We try to justify it, but every man we killed was someone''s son, father, or brother. Every woman we killed was someone''s daughter, mother, or sister.

    As much as we tried to convince ourselves otherwise, these weren''t just copy/paste viins in some video game. They wouldn''t respawn endlessly as we cut them down. No, these were people with lives...memories. People that loved others and were loved by others.

    "I''m sorry," Barik apologized with a grimace. His eyes faded as if he were witnessing a different but simr scene y out. Like the past repeated itself before his very eyes. "I did it again... I''m... I''m sorry."

    Even so, despite being distraught, Barik didn''t expose himself. Befitting a seasoned veteran, he maintained his guard in case the woman decided tounch a retaliation attack.

    Mizuno ventured down to us, her ck cloak sttered with a few streaks of blood. "We need to go. We can''t waste time here," she affirmed with a pained expression. Though she was stoic, even she couldn''t hold back the emotions this scene stirred.

    "Aye, I understand," Barik took a breath and mournfully replied. Though he clearly didn''t want to, he started winding up his il to finish the woman off. "Forgive me," he whispered.

    However, he was stopped when Joseph blocked the path. "NO! What are you doing?! Why are you trying to kill her?! Can''t you see she''s lost the will to fight?!" Again, his eyes burned with reckless determination, and his teeth were ferociously bared. His expression told the story of a naive kid not yet ready for the harshness of war.

    "Get out of the way, Joseph," Mizuno harshly ordered. "We don''t have the luxury for prisoners."

    "Just knock her out! Please! We''re not murderers!" he desperately pleaded with outstretched arms. "She doesn''t deserve to die!"

    With his words, I couldn''t help but let out a bitter chuckle. "Joseph, you and your naive ideals. ''We''re not murderers,'' you say? Wake up! This is war. What about the previous guards we''ve killed? We''re no better than the ones we''re fighting against. It''s all just death and destruction, and there''s no end in sight. What you''re doing... It''s just self-gratifying hypocrisy!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Barik''s piercing gaze felt like a physical blow, one that left me reeling with a mix of emotions. It was as if he thought my outlook was a disease I''d been afflicted with. Like the hundreds of dead I encountered in my campaigns left me with a horrible infection, one that ailed me so deep it affected my very mind.

    Mizuno''s eyes dimmed and a small crease appeared between her eyebrows at my words, betraying the control she typically maintained over her emotions. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling with the effort of regaining herposure.

    Finally, Joseph reacted as I expected. His downcast expression sank even further with my words. But his fists remained balled up in defiance as he blocked the path. "I don''t care! Just please, let her be!" he begged, throwing away any semnce of pride for the sake of a stranger, an enemy. "She''s not evil! We don''t have to kill her!"

    "I know that, kid," Barik said with a solemn nod. "I know she doesn''t deserve death. None of them did. But that''s war. In war, there''s no such thing as purely good or purely evil, only those who survive and those who don''t. Unless we kill them first, we''ll soon find the situation reversed. Now step aside, please."

    "NO!" Joseph stood his ground with an unbreakable will. "I WON''T LET YOU!"

    That''s when everyone aside from Joseph noticed the shuffling behind him. The woman he desperately protected had taken hold of her father''s dagger. She lunged upward for Joseph, angling the de''s tip straight for his heart.

    "DIEEE!" she screamed with swollen cheeks and eyes reddened from crying.

    "Get out of the way, kid!" Barik shouted, shoving Joseph aside.

    Barik''s face twisted in agony as the dagger sank into his flesh. It squelched and a burst of blood jetted out from being stabbed. "FUCK!" he grunted, dropping his il and staggering.

    "Barik!" Joseph shouted with a look of desperation. As he fell, he reached toward the cksmith, but tumbled to the ground instead.

    Then, like lightning, Mizuno dashed to Barik''s side. I quickly followed to help, and we tore the woman from Barik. She viciously twisted the de in his shoulder before being thrown back, forcing Barik to curse numerous profanities.

    The woman stumbled to the floor but returned to her feet with a single-minded rage. "I''ll kill you all!" she ground her teeth together and again leaped to attack. Only this time, her body was met with one of Mizuno''s longswords as it pierced her chest.

    The woman''s eyes and mouth widened to their limits as every breath of air left her body. She made eye contact with Mizuno to see hers were devoid of hesitation. Though Mizuno had clearly felt empathy earlier, she must''ve sealed those emotions away when arade''s life was endangered.

    "Forgive us. Now join your father," Mizuno eased, then ripped the sword from the woman''s chest. A trail of blood followed the sword''s removal, and the woman crashed to the floor. Her limbs twitched, and bloodied drool leaked from her mouth. Though she wasn''t yet dead, she would be soon.

    Watching the woman''s blood pooling on the floor, Joseph looked on in disbelief. "Is this... Is this really what we''re doing? Is this what Freehaven does?!" his voice was staggered and he shook his head as if he believed this were just a fever dream. A nightmare he couldn''t wake from.

    Mizuno paced over to the guard Barik had initially fought, her expression attempting to convey indifference. However, it was clear to all of us that she was struggling with conflicted feelings about our actions, and perhaps even lying to herself about them.

    Meanwhile, I watched the crying woman writhing in agony on the floor. "D... Da..." her head slumped to the ground as she twitched from the blood loss.

    ''I should end her suffering; we owe her that much,'' I sighed, then gripped the hilt of my de. But, before I could approach her to deal the finishing blow, I was distracted by incoherent mumbling from my left. It was the other guard, and Mizuno hovered above him with a raised sword. Its de shimmered with the small bit of sunlight prating the room.

    "Pleathe... Pleathe ohhnt ''ill ee... Pleathe... Er ''ere ''or eh girl, wight? There''th a dungtheon... under the main ''armhouthe. She''th ''ere, tho, pleathe... Dohhnt ''ill ee." His eyes were scrunched together, swollen from the crying, and his jaw hung loosely from his mouth, seemingly broken beyond repair.

    Though it was difficult to tell, given his speech, I could tell he''d been giving us the location of the captive girl. It sounded like there was a dungeon beneath the farmhouse.

    Mizuno''s eyes flickered with a mix of pity and regret as she spoke. "Thank you," she said, her lips forming a fictitious, slight grin. Though she tried to remain detached from the emotions of battle, her twitching lips betrayed her, and her eyes narrowed to form a pained expression. "I''ll be sure you don''t suffer anymore."

    The guard''s eyes widened as he realized his efforts to live were in vain. "''o! Pleathe! ''o-" But his words were cut off when Mizuno dropped her sword on his heart, sinking it deep and nailing his body to the dirt ground below.

    Though steadied and resolved, Mizuno''s eyes faltered and twitched as she realized that she had executed a begging man. Her emotions were trying to break free andment the crime she justmitted. It was extra taboo, given her history as a peace officer.

    Through her twitching face, I heard her mumble a single phrase. It was one that resonated with the core of my being. "What''re we bing..." she sighed, angling her head upward to the ceiling.

    I took another nce at the woman after Mizuno finished the other guard; she was deathly still, without a hint of movement. ''I''m sorry, I couldn''t even spare you from the suffering,'' I inhaled loudly as I held back from cursing myself.

    Seeing this gore-filled scene, one that I''d already seen numerous times on multiple battlefields, I echoed Mizuno''s question within myself. ''What have I be?''

 Chapter 97 Spoils Of The Raid

    ?The metallic scent of blood filled my nostrils as I surveyed the scene. The room was a massacre of death, with multiple blood pools staining the floor, serving as a constant, grisly reminder of what we''d done.

    Even so, my mind was focused elsewhere.

    ''Good thing this ce is soundproofed,'' I slumped my head in relief. If it weren''t, we''d be overrun by guards already, given the woman''s shouting.

    Mizuno snapped out of her daze and took charge. "Let''s get to work," she said, gesturing to the crates and sacks of food. "We need to grab as much as we can carry. Bread and grain first, then anything that has a long shelf life. And Barik," she matched his eye contact, "fix up that shoulder wound. After that, you know what to do."

    "Aye, Ma''am," Barik replied, stowing his weapon and dusting his hands. He then reached into his rucksack, retrieving another ss sk containing a thin crimson liquid. Upon popping the cork, he brought the bottle to his mouth and angled the bottom upward. The sound of glugging could be heard through the silence as he ingested the potion.

    Instantly after consumption, the flesh around his shoulder encroached on the wound as if warring against it. It divided and conquered until the only aspect of injury that remained was the stain of blood.

    Barik loosed a loud exhale and smirked. "Good as new!" he gruffly eximed, bringing his scarred arm to his mouth. He then groaned as he wiped the driblets from his lips and beard. Finally, he muttered, "Tastes like shit, though," and stored the emptied bottle back into his pack.

    Though Mizuno''s cryptic order to Barik intrigued me, I followed her instruction and began rifling through the supplies. Joseph eventually joined in, but it took some rousing from Mizuno before he pulled himself together.

    The three of us worked in synergy and silence, the quiet only broken by the creaking of opening crates and the rustling of untying sacks.

    During our search, we gathered bread, apples, cabbages, potatoes, beets, radishes, onions, and even seeds for gruel. Soon, a mountain of food was piled up in the center of the room, enough tost the camp for weeks.

    "Now what?" I asked, pointing to the stacked bup sacks. "We don''t have any transport, and we can''t carry all of this on our backs."

    Mizuno straightened her posture, stretching one arm upward while gripping its wrist with the opposite hand. Then, when she finished, she pointed me toward Barik. "Like I told you back at camp, he''ll take care of it."

    I followed her gesture to see an intriguing yet confusing sight.

    During our packing, Barik was in the middle of his own process.

    He was crouched, with his palms ttened to the dirt floor and drawing in brown orbs. Surrounding him in a circle were six deep holes. Beside them, the missing rock from said pits was congealed together, forming a man-sized pir each.

    Seemingly on their own, the pirs molded and sculpted into images reminiscent of bipedal dolls, giving the illusion of a squad of y soldiers. Though smooth in some areas, their surfaces were also jagged and chaotic, with various folds in others.

    "Whew," Barik smirked and dragged his sleeve across his forehead, leaving a smudge of dirt and sweat behind. "Been a while since I''ve done this."

    The sight was indeed impressive, but the usefulness of what he''d done had yet to be seen. As of that moment, we only had a series of well-made art sculptures. Not something that would aid our situation as it was now.

    "Could I ask how that helps?" I shrugged my shoulders, feeling the tension in my neck and the weight of my rucksack on my back. "I don''t see how some sculptures will be useful."

    Barik chuckled and flexed his fingers. "I could tell you, kid. But it''s better if I show you." Then, he traveled to the closest doll, ttening his palms atop the sculpture''s head. He closed his eyes, and his brow creased, a sign he entered a deep focus.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Several moments passed as I watched with no result. Eventually, unease prevailed over my patience, so I opened my mouth to speak. But I was stopped when I saw a sight that froze my words to ce. Despite that, the surprise left my mouth agape.

    All across the doll''s y and stone body, glowing runes of various hues appeared, painting the doll''s body as if they were tattoos. Geometric circles, strange sh marks in varying patterns, and other symbols were inscribed all over its body.

    Then, Barik stood up with a satisfied grin, moving on to the next, to the next, and to the next until he reached the final doll.

    Though each process was awe-inspiring to witness, one shocking fact assailed my mind. ''The symbols...they look just like the ones on the strange carriages. Rune-coaches, I think they''re called.''

    Barik stepped away from the final one, rubbing his hands together in triumph.

    With the simrity in the carvings, I couldn''t help but feel my intrigue in his past shift to suspicion. ''Who are you, Barik?'' I questioned while stealing subtle nces. His enigmatic past as a soldier suddenly left me with a feeling of unease in my gut.

    ''Focus on the mission,'' I shook myself from thought. Now wasn''t the time to be questioning the integrity of myrades. Besides, I was quickly distracted from my unease when the purpose of the runes was revealed.

    Once lifeless and inanimate, each y doll began quietly quaking in ce. They ground and scraped against the floor, cracking and crumbling to form appendages.

    When the process was over, we had six more able bodies crafted from stone, ready to help carry the sacks to camp.

    "See?" Barik addressed me and nted a dirtied hand on my shoulder. "I told you, it''s better to show than tell you. I make a mean golem," he chuckled.

    I was too absorbed in the sight of living rock to respond. The dolls seemed to radiate life, apanying the glow of light enveloping each. ''Magic is...amazing!'' Now was the moment I realized magic made the impossible...very possible.

    My thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Mizuno made an announcement. It was one I knew I''d hear since the beginning. One I preferred. However, it was one I dreaded, nheless.

    While the golems stomped and crackled with mechanical movements, loading supplies onto their backs and creating a cacophony of noise. Mizuno solemnly said with a tone of regret, "Our mission isplete. We''re heading home. Rescuing the captive is too dangerous, and we cannot risk the sess of this mission for a single person, so we''re leaving her behind."

    She paused to let the deration sink in. Then, with a downcast gaze, she apologized to the one most likely furious with the conclusion. "I''m sorry, Joseph," Mizuno apologized with genuine regret. But, rmingly, there was no response.

    "Joseph?" Mizuno inquired, and we three nced around the room to see his presence was missing from it.

    Though he hadn''t said a word about his n, I knew what it was inside and out.

    ''You dumb bastard,'' I cursed both him and myself. ''I should''ve kept a better eye on him. Of course, he''d do this!'' My muscles tightly constricted in anger and stress, knowing he might''ve just gotten himself killed by doing what we all wanted to.

    Barik''s expression hardened with dread as he stated the fact we all knew. "The kid left to rescue the girl..."

 Chapter 98 Hard Decision

    ?"Foolish kid," Barik muttered through his teeth, his frustration etched on his brow. Turning to Mizuno, he asked, "What''re your orders? Are we going after him?"

    Barik''s words thickened the air like a roux. His question was suffocatingly difficult, as the answer would likely seal the fate of someone we traveled with and trusted as an ally.

    Mizuno remained silent momentarily, her heart seemingly at odds with her mind. The two sides warred against the other, visibly disying the results of their conflict in her uneasy expression.

    The choice was more difficult than leaving a stranger behind; this was someone she knew. However, Mizuno seemingly drew the proverbial line at the bond of camaraderie.

    Nodding to herself with a look of resolute determination, her eyes focused on a future where Joseph returned to Freehaven with us. Given her expression, it was evident which side won the battle. Mizuno chose the path of the heart.

    "We''re going after him," she firmlymanded. "We don''t leave allies behind."

    Barik nodded, "Aye, Ma''am! You don''t have to tell me twice. Betraying allies isn''t a mistake I want to make. At least," a brief sh of forlorn reminiscence crossed his face, "not again..."

    As for me, my logic scowled. ''Throwing away the mission for one kid? A reckless one at that?! How idiotic!'' Although those thoughts were what surfaced in my consciousness, they weren''t how I truly felt.

    No, my true feelings were much moreplicated.

    Seeing Joseph and his fiery determination to save whomever he could... It shook a stone loose in my mind. A stone I always kept buried. A stone I cast aside a long time ago. It represented who I once was. It was something I''d kept locked away for a long time.

    The stone was my irrational, foolish, deranged desire to be a hero.

    Ultimately, the only response I could muster to Mizuno''s order was the one pre-programmed into my skull. The one my instructors instilled into me from day one of my training.

    "Understood, Ma''am," I replied with a clear tone of obedience.

    Our decision unanimous; Mizuno pointed to the golems. "Have them stay here and prepped for a run with all the supplies. We''ll likely be discovered, so our escape needs to be fast and efficient."

    "Aye, Ma''am," Barik smiled, his il pointing toward the six rock soldiers, "They''re ready and waiting."

    Finally, Mizuno coolly strode toward the door and gestured for us to follow. "Let''s go," she said, her voice regaining the steadfast confidence she''d had before.

    A familiar squealing of hinges permeated my ears as the door swung open. We stepped through it back into the pelting sunlight and ducked down beneath the cover of the crates.

    Maybe it was due to the pungent stench of blood we were subjected to, but once we left the structure, the smell of the outdoors seemed stronger. An amplified aroma of grass and mulch permeated my nose, filling itpletely with a soothing scent.

    Beyond the smell, we were greeted by a cacophony of frantic shouting created by several soldiers.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "MOVE YOUR ASS! LET''S GO! MOVE IT!"

    "Shit," I exhaled tiredly, "they must''ve found the bodies...or Joseph."

    However, I was wrong in both cases. The reason for their panic wasn''t at all what I expected.

    "He''s here! The noble is here!" a hoarse voice pierced the chaos. "All of you lot, get in line and get in order! Graves is here!"

    Following his rousing order, a synchronous "SIR, YES, SIR!" echoed throughout the homestead, infusing the air with a nostalgic feeling of obedient zeal.

    ''Takes me back,'' I reminisced but quickly shelved it. Not only did I loathe thinking about my past, but daydreaming was dangerous, giving plenty of openings for an enemy to exploit.

    "Graves?" Barik inquired with a whisper. "He said ''Graves,'' right?" he looked to Mizuno, to which she gestured in acknowledgment. "Well, that makes things a little troublesome..." He sighed, his expression giving way to genuine unease as a royal carriage appeared.

    Like the others, the transport sported dozens of carved runes into the wood and metal. However, distinguishing this variant from the others, this one had extra armor ting. Carved into it was a peculiarly unique crest.

    Inscribed onto the darkened steel was a crimson fox with a swirling tail. Its expression was guileful, and the eyes shined with mischief and cunning. The creature''s lips were furled backward, revealing dozens of sharp fangs.

    The carriage jolted to a stop, and I took a hard swallow seeing the line of leather and te armored soldiers beside it. ''It hasn''t even started, and I already feel like we''ve lost the fight,'' I slumped over with a sigh. The enemies'' sheer numbers advantage left me with a degree of hopelessness.

    ''Well, no use worrying about it...''

    In trying to distract myself from my thoughts, I twisted my neck, turned to Barik, and asked, "Why? Who''s Graves?" my voice barely above a whisper.

    Barik''s unease was palpable as he let out a quiet, deep exhale. "I knew of a man named Graves during the war," he said, his voice tense. "If I''m right, his name is Vincent Graves. They called him ''Graves the Cowardly'' since he avoided any fight that carried the risk of losing. But he and his n are more than happy to incite conflict if it means political gain."

    My eyes narrowed as I processed the information. ''Great... A political type.'' I already disliked the man, knowing he''d probably be the type to coerce others into situations where he gained off their suffering.

    "He and his family focus on maniption," Barik continued, his voice low and intense. "They pull the strings of others as if they were mere marite puppets, dancing to their whims. He''s also a fullkin, so his fighting ability is undoubtedly strong."

    I looked to Mizuno and saw that she was listening intently to Barik''s words, her hands resting on the hilts of her swords.

    The tension in the air weighed heavy on my shoulders, and I felt a sense of foreboding as Barik''s gaze settled on us. "He''s dangerous," Barik asserted, his voice firm with warning. "We DON''T want to cross des with him."

 Chapter 99 Vincent And Lilia, The Graves Siblings

    ?Upon hearing Barik''s words, I sighed inwardly. ''If only we had a choice. Joseph already made the decision for us.''

    Despite bottling up myints and keeping my frustration to myself, my emotions were bared with the slight scowl on my face. My eyes narrowed, my brow creased, and my lips curled back.

    The carriage door flung open with a suddenness that jolted me from my thoughts. In the blink of an eye, a woman burst from inside, her eyes shing with fury as she stood on the transport''s step.

    The soldiers who stood at attention before her were taken aback by her sudden appearance, their expressions ranging differently on the spectrum from curiosity to confusion.

    "Uh... Lady Graves! We weren''t expecting you!" the lead guard bowed his head, and the rest followed. Unlike the rest, he hadn''t worn a thick set of leather or iron-banded armor. Rather, his attire was limited to dirtied trousers paired with a bup brown overcoat.

    She ignored the greeting, instead looking over the line of soldiers like one would an irritant.

    The woman''s skin was as white as porcin, and she was dressed in avish, dark-colored ensemble that contrasted strikingly with her pallor.

    The ckce and ash-red cloth in her embroidered blouse enhanced her allure. Apanying it was a pair of pants woven from reinforced silk. They were tightly fitted to her form like a second skin and reinforced with elegant strands of red threaded throughout for added style.

    Her visage left asting impression on all whoid eyes upon her.

    The blouse''s sleeves ended just below her shoulders. They were followed by a clipped-on, translucent fabric that billowed around her arms, further enhancing the woman''s beauty.

    Her petite frame was proportionally wless in terms of femininity. Apanying it, she boasted a pair of mboyant, molten yellow irises and medium-length hair so vibrantly red you''d think it radiated heat.

    Like her physical features, her words were bold and imposing. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOT DOING?!" she bellowed at the soldiers, her every syble emphasized by lingering echoes across the homestead.

    The leader of the troop shamefully averted his gaze; his pride and resolve vanished like mist in the morning sun. Finally, he slunk away with fearful cowardice and bowed his head.

    Though he returned his sight to the woman, the guard visibly struggled to maintain eye contact. "Uh... For-Forgive me, Lady Graves!" the guard meekly replied with a head arced in shame. "I''m not sure what you''re spea-"

    "THE BLOOD, YOU OAF!" she snarled while baring her teeth. "Do none of you sense that offensive scent of death and decay that pollutes the air?! Why have noses if they''re too deaf to notice something so obvious?!"

    The guards looked at each other, their brows furrowed in confusion. Their leader tried to maintain hisposure and asked Lady Graves with a hint of apprehension, "Could you please rify what you mean by blood? We apologize for our ignorance."

    She let out a tired sigh before attempting to speak. "YOU-" However, the woman stopped her countenance of passionate anger, quickly shifting to surprise when a ck-gloved hand took hold of her shoulder from behind.

    "It''s him..." Barik muttered with a suspenseful look, tightening his grip on his il as if he expected an ambush at any moment. "It''s Vincent..."

    From the silence, a smooth voice pierced the air like a dagger. Its tone was cold and measured, with a sharp ent to match. "Leave it, Lilia. They''re human, remember? Their olfactory senses are inferior to ours. An inevitable consequence of their imperfect biology."

    "Sounds like an excuse," the woman pouted, her intrigue burning away to impatience. She then crossed her arms over her modest bust and shot the soldiers a frustrated re.

    "Perhaps so!" Vincent elegantlyughed and affectionately patted Lilia''s head, causing her to scowl and grumble.

    "Knock it off, brother!" she shook his hand from her head and growled. "Stop treating me like a child!"

    "Sorry, sorry," heughed again. "You''re always so energetic; I can''t help but tease you." Then, while Lilia bared her fangs and growled, Vincent disinterestedly strolled past his sister. He twirled his silver-studded cane and whistled a pleasant tune as he approached the soldiers.

    His ck leather dress shoes creaked while crunching the gravel beneath. With every step he took, the soldiers'' profuse sweating grew more severe.

    Now that sunlight illuminated him, I gleaned more about Vincent''s appearance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He wore an immacte red suit with golden buttons and thread, and his crimson dress pants were seamlessly matched toplete the aesthetic. The cuffs of his sleeves were neatly folded back with perfect symmetry.

    ''Yeah, they''re definitely siblings,'' I narrowed my eyes, noticing the striking resemnce between Vincent and Lilia. The shared hue and color of their eyes and hair made that fact apparent.

    There was one ring difference, however. Vincent''s hair was uniquely streaked with ck amongst the red, a stark contrast to the uniformity of his attire. In addition, a light ginger beard partially obscured his chiseled, handsome features, giving his face an air of maturity.

    He came to a halt before the soldiers, a slight smile adorning his lips, but an unmistakable sense of dread emanating from his very being. "My dear sister is, indeed, correct," he began in a voice that dripped with aristocratic elegance. "I sense the presence of death in the air. Pray tell, have your men recently disposed of any undesirables?"

    The guard captain shook his head and stammered, "N-No, Sir Graves. I don''t be-believe so."

    "I see..." Vincent brought his cane''s tip to his pursed lips, and hummed. "Well, might I inquire if you''ve checked in with your patrols?"

    "Damn," I mumbled. ''I guess it makes sense for vampires to have a strong sense of smell...''

    "Patrols?" the guard captain''s expression twisted with uncertainty.

    "Indeed! If your men haven''t confirmed any deaths, then I imagine some have probably found their own abrupt ends." Vincent arced his neck, sniffed, and pointed to where we''d left three men lying dead in a ditch. "By my estimates, I''d say there''s about three dead that way."

    The captain clenched his teeth in anger, and his expression became deadpan with shock. "My men?.. Dead?.."

    "Unfortunately so," Vincent sighed, then aimed his cane toward the warehouse; his gesture forced the three of us to hastily duck to avoid detection. "The aroma of copper and insides is particrly strong there. Strong enough to put a morgue to shame. I''d say the wall and that building would be splendid starting locations for your little investigation! Don''t you agree?"

    The captain ground his teeth together in frustration. "Someone''s going around killing MY MEN?!" He took a deep breath, steadying his seething rage before locking eyes with Vincent once more.

    "Right away, Sir Graves, we''ll take care of it," the guard captain bowed to Vincent, then set his sights on the line of soldiers beside him. "YOU HEARD HIM, YOU LOUTS! EARN YOUR KEEP AND FIND THE TRASH! KILL ON SIGHT!"

    "SIR, YES, SIR!" they unanimously replied. Half began a stomping run toward thepound''s open gate. While the others approached us with brandished weapons.

    "Shit, not good!" I shouted in a whisper and looked at the two beside me for solutions. However, their expressions were just as troubled as mine. We were stuck, and our cover was about to be blown.

    "Guess the cat''s out of the bag," Barik quietly chuckled, readying his il for a skirmish to the death.

    At least, that was the case until Lilia loudly sighed. "I''M BOOOORED!"

    She then hailed the group moving toward us. "You lot! Go with the rest to check the wall," her eyes shed with curiosity as she gazed at the warehouse. "I want to check that spot myself... That''s okay, right brother?" she shifted her eyes toward Vincent.

    Vincent shook his head and raised his cane with a smile. "Whatever suits you best, Dear Sister. Just be careful, alright?"

    "I''ll be fine! I just hope I can find some entertainment there..."

    Following Lilia''s orders, the rest of the guards promptly moved to thepound''s gateway. The captain tried to follow but was halted when the curved silver handle from Vincent''s cane wrapped around his left shoulder.

    "Uh... Is there something else I can do for you, Sir?" the guard captain asked with apprehension.

    Vincent grinned menacingly and tilted his head. "Take me to the girl, will you?"

 Chapter 100 An Unplanned Rescue, Part One

    ?Lilia smiled and waved, watching as her brother departed with the guard captain out of view behind the homestead.

    Meanwhile, I couldn''t be at ease. Though the guards were sent away, meaning we''d only have onebatant to worry about, thatbatant was a fullkin. Beyond her, Vincent was also a fullkin.

    ording to Barik, he was exceptionally dangerous. If either of them discovered us, the battle would likely carry more risk than simply fighting a toon of goons in armor.

    So far, I''ve skirmished with a single of their kind; the woman in the manor. Her chilling presence, maniacal rage, powerful strikes, and inhuman speed were all I needed to see to know their kind wasn''t to be taken lightly.

    I''ll admit my victory against her was purely my luck and her inexperience. If I was to fight either of these two, ''I need as much information as possible.''

    ''Barik must know something!'' I thought, remembering he was a native of this world, a seemingly old one at that. So I turned to him and whispered, "Any tips on fighting vam-... fullkin? Does sunlight affect them at all?"

    His expression became puzzled with a hint of forlorn regret. "Oh... I guess the General hasn''t told you." He inhaled deeply and shook his head in apology. "No, as I''ve said to the General, I''m afraid I have no advice to give. Even in all my years, I''ve never fought against a fullkin before... Sorry, kid."

    "It''s fine," I shrugged my shoulders and grinned to mask my disappointment. ''That exins why we built our n off of assumptions...''

    "Keep focused; she''sing," Mizuno pointed to Lilia as she turned toward us.

    Lilia had begun a march toward us with yful steps and a wide grin. Though she exuded the presence of a seasoned killer, her posture was almost childlike and immature. She held her arms behind her back, humming an upbeat tune as she traveled.

    "You know, the situation might suck. But at least it has a silver lining," Barik smirked and pointed out the transport the fullkin arrived in. "If we can draw attention away from the carriage, I''ll have my golems load up the supplies, and we''ll ride out of here."

    It sounded like a decent n on paper, one that solved our issue of transport. However, there was still one ring issue. "What''s the n to save Joseph?" I turned to Mizuno, who was eyeing the approaching fullkin with hostility.

    With Barik''s n, we had to fight the girl. She was in the way, and conflict would be inevitable. Plus, the battle would likely draw extra attention from the guards outside thepound; the longer the fight, the less our odds of survival became.

    Beyond that, we also needed to break past Lilia to save Joseph from death unless his foolishness had already gotten him killed.

    ''Save Joseph AND secure the carriage in time to escape while keeping our insides from bing our outsides? There''s only one way we''ll aplish that...'' It was a pain, but I knew what was to be done. Mizuno did, too; that''s why she turned to me with a look of subdued sorrow. It was the expression of someone about to send arade to their death.

    Mizuno, with a somber tone, looked at me with pitying eyes. "I''m sorry, but there''s only one way we''ll save Joseph and aplish our primary goal." Mizuno paused before shaking herself to recover the resolve and give the order.

    ''Here ites,'' I sighed, and Mizuno continued.

    "We need to split our forces. Sato, you have military experience. You defeated me AND Shrug in simultaneous hand-to-handbat, and you''ve your affinity. Right now, you''re our best option to rescue Joseph. It''s a hard ask bu-"

    "Just give the order," I replied with impatience. There was no time for rousing speeches. Every second passed was a second wasted.

    Mizuno took a breath and, upon exhaling, bestowed upon me an impossible task. "Sato, save Joseph at any cost. Bring him back to the carriage so we can escape this hellhole."

    ''And there it is.'' Just like that, I was forced into a direct conflict with the one Barik explicitly warned against. My posture slouched as I pressed my temple against the wood of the crate. ''Well, better give my answer...''<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, before I could, Mizuno added one extra stiption. "And Sato,e back in one piece. It''d set a bad precedent if one of our newest members died on their first mission."

    I chuckled at her sense of priorities. ''You''re lucky you''re my superior,'' I smirked. After all, I wasn''t one to disobey an order. "Understood," I replied and drew my de from its sheath.

    "Take these with you," she continued, reaching into her pack and handing me two of ourst four red potions. "Don''t waste them."

    "Understood," I repeated, stashing the two bottles into my pockets.

    A moment of heavy silence passed as we steeled ourselves for the fight toe.

    "So," Barik intoned, "we''re distracting the girl so Sato can get past, right?" He readied his legs for a mad dash and his il to pave a path forward.

    "That''s right," Mizuno nodded and peeked over her cover, catching a glimpse of Lilia. She was a few moments away from entering the alley. "We''re moving on three."

    Mizuno began her hushed count, our suspense growing as each number passed.

    "One..."

    Lilia''s first footstep on the wooden tform covering the alley resounded.

    "Two..."

    She was a few paces closer. A few more, and she''d be right on top of us. My heartbeat quickened as I shifted into a sprint position. Thisst moment was do or die.

    "THREE!"

    ''Time to die!'' I smirked with sarcasm. I didn''t know if I thought that as a threat to the fullkin girl or as a foreboding warning to us.

    Obeying Mizuno''s order, we dashed out of our cover to confront Lilia, only to find ourselves as the ones confronted.

    Lilia leaped to us, grabbed Barik by the cor with a single hand, and effortlessly hurled him into a wall with one seamless motion.

    "Oh shit!" Barik shouted as his body left the ground and mmed against the second warehouse. A loud creak of steel-reinforced wood followed the crash as his body sumbed to gravity, falling to the floor. A reminder he''d been thrown remained in the form of distinct indentations and cracks within the warehouse wall.

    Lilia then returned to her spot in the alleyway, her piercing yellow eyes haughtily watching us. She shed her fangs with a sneer and said, "Took you long enough to show yourselves. I''ve been waiting for you lot to make a move," as she outstretched the fingers of one hand. "I got bored of waiting, so I made the first move."

    Rather than her, we were the ones frozen to ce in shock. ''She... She saw using?!''

 Chapter 101 An Unplanned Rescue, Part Two

    ?Barik stumbled to his feet and shook the dizziness from his head.

    After his recovery, Lilia raised an eyebrow and nted her hands on her waist. "Why the surprise?" she asked with a quizzical nce.

    A shared silence passed between us as she contemted. Rather than answering, the three of us quietly stood our ground, bracing ourselves for whatever this girl might throw at us.

    Secondster, Lilia''s eyes lit up in epiphany. "Wait, don''t tell me... Don''t tell me!" She giggled as she examined our uneasy expressions. "You thought you were hidden?!"

    We stood frozen, transfixed by her sharp gaze. However, as her mockingughter echoed through the narrow alleyway, I winced as I realized the truth: we were not the trappers here but the rabbits, and she had us in her sights all along.

    "Oh, oh, that''s hrious!" Lilia continued tough uncontrobly. "How could you lot think you''re hidden when you''re sttered with innards?!" She pointed to our bloodstained clothing. "I could smell you all from a mile away! Why do you think I sent the guards away?! I figured I could have my boredom alleviated for a bit."

    As I stood there, a sudden realization dawned upon me, illuminating my thoughts with rity. It was then that I reflected and discovered the essence of my mistake. For all this time, I had beenparing the abilities of fullkin to that of humans, basing my judgment solely on their bipedal form.

    But now, I knew that I was wrong.

    Their ferocity and keen sense of smell were unmatched, and it was foolish of me to have not taken those into ount. In truth,paring them to bloodhounds would have been a more fittingparison, for they shared the same predatory instincts and primal strength.

    Lilia''s lips parted once more to hurl another insult, "You few really are foo-" but before she could finish, a cacophony of heavy footfalls cut through the air.

    Barik''s charge thundered down the cramped alleyway, his body bathed in the honeyed glow of the sunlight above. Sometime during our exchange, he had quietly amassed a wellspring of green energy, enhancing his speed for a sudden, explosive attack.

    "I''ll make my introduction first!" Barik''s voice roared with the courage of a man gone mad. As he closed in on Lilia, the ball of his il whirled above his head, ready to strike with deadly force. "Though you may not know me long, girl!"

    The sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls, ringing through the air like the beat of a war drum. The scattered rays from the Sun above cast a bed of light on the alley''s surface, only interrupted by Barik''s soaring shadow.

    With the dexterity and agility of a skilled acrobat, Lilia evaded Barik''s first down swipe with ease. His il''s spiked ball smashed into the dirt, lodging there and creating an echoing crater. Meanwhile, Lilia trembled with an expression of excitement, reveling in the rush of battle.

    ''She''s enjoying this?!'' I thought with surprise.

    Responding to Barik''s words, Lilia cheerily said, "You''re right! I won''t! Why waste memory on a dead man''s name?!" Her tone wasced with arrogance as she mocked Barik, a broad smile spread across her face.

    In a blink of an eye, Lilia vanished, leaving us stunned by her sudden disappearance. She reappeared above Barik, her eyes narrowed with cold intensity, directly contrasting with her molten yellow gaze. Herposure and movements held a high degree of grace, so much so that they rivaled those of a master assassin.

    "BARIK! SHE''S ABOVE!" As Mizuno warned Barik in a panicked tone, she infused her des with a crackling energy that illuminated the air with a purple glow, causing arcs of electricity to branch out from her des as they buzzed with magic.

    With a shrill, blood-curdlingugh, Lilia swooped down from the sky like a ravening banshee, her movements as swift as a gust of wind. "THAT''S ONE DEAD!"

    Unfortunately for her, she was wrong. Barik heeded Mizuno''s warning and had long since dropped his il. His hands empty, he ced his palms on the bare dirt surface and generated a seismic rumble in the earth.

    The ground trembled as Barik unleashed a powerful attack. The earth split apart as thin stone pirs sprouted from the area around him, their razor-sharp edges forming a cage that shielded him from harm while assaulting Lilia with a barrage of blows.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, as I watched in amazement, Lilia''s nimble body twisted and turned with the agility of a dancer, evading each spear with ease. Despite Barik''s formidable skills, he was unable tond a single blow on the elusive fullkin.

    Each fluid movement confirmed Lilia''s mastery of acrobatics, surpassing even the greatest of parkour runners. Her skill was a marvel to witness, yet terrifying.

    Finally, Lilia leaped through the air with a massive jump, reappearing near the carriage unscathed. She casually twisted her head toward her shoulder, brushing off a degree of dust before returning her sights to us. "You might entertain me, after all!" she bellowed with a fanged grin.

    "Heh, I''m d this old veteran could be of service," Barik smirked, releasing his magic and leaving the stone pirs to crumble to the ground. Then, he grasped his il from the ground and charged its momentum, ready for another strike.

    Mizuno approached him from behind, taking a spot beside Barik with readied, electrified longswords. "Go, Sato," shemanded with her usual measured tone. "Whatever you hear, don''t look back."

    "Aye, kid. Have some faith in us," Barik grinned at me with a wink, then gestured to Lilia''s extravagant outfit. "This woman looks ready for a ball, not a fight; I''m sure everything will go just fine!"

    Barik''s provocation at her outfit forced Lilia into a scowl. "Not like I wanted to wear this," she grumbled before assuming another attack stance.

    Momentster, their sh was underway as Mizuno and Barikunched simultaneous attacks on Lilia. I used that moment to dash past the battle toward where Ist saw Vincent, following the outer deck of the two-storied homestead.

    Lilia''s sight snapped toward me, and she prepared to lunge when Barik smashed the ground around her, pulverizing it to dust and causing Lilia to stumble from uneven footing.

    "You should keep your eyes on your opponent!" he boisterously chuckled.

    Lilia smirked back at him, regaining her posture and her eyes glinting with murderous intent. She pointed toward Mizuno and said, "As you wish, you and that woman will have my undivided attention. At least, until I''ve divided you both into pieces!"

    I turned the corner, noticing that the air behind me was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, and the echoing ngs of steel striking rock resounded through the air. All of which were intermingled with the deafening thumps and crackles of churning dirt.

    Amid the noise, I could hear Lilia''sughter, high-pitched and arrogant, as she reveled in the fight. "It makes no difference he got away, you know! My brother will kill him anyway!" she shouted, cackling with malice.

    Her words were infused with confidence, convincing me she was likely right. ''It doesn''t matter, though,'' I shook my head to maintain myposure. ''A superior gave me an order, and I intend to honor it!''

    Oddly enough, I did spot several windows leading into the basement. However, upon close inspection, I noticed each was barricaded with wooden boards. ''Guess they don''t want any prying eyes...''

    Eventually, I stumbled upon where Vincent likely traveled. Beside the wall of the homestead was arge wooden hatch attached to primitive supports. I opened it, feeling the vibrations of the rusted hinges as the doors groaned open.

    When the two half-panels finally crashed to either side, a sparsely lit, musty cer was revealed. "Why the hell do I keep ending up in these kinds of ces," I scowled with clenched teeth.

    Sighing to myself, I stepped inside and began my descent into the earth. My heart pounded in my chest like a jackhammer as my mind reyed Lilia''s words.

    Even so, I shelved my anxieties and ventured forward. However, my concerns soon red up again, this time for the well-being of my allies. "I''m trusting you two... Don''t die..." I whispered to myself, trying to keep my fear at bay. "And I''ll do my best in doing the same."

 Chapter 102 I Need A Knife

    ?With each step, the staircase echoed a resounding ck that reverberated throughout the rough-hewn limestone walls, which scraped against my palms as I felt my way down.

    The asional drip of dew from the ceiling above apanied my hushed breaths as I traveled. However, I stopped when I noticed my right hand running slick with moisture.

    Pulling my palm to view; a distinct dark crimson sheen covered it. The familiar smell of copper emanated from it, filling my nostrils with every breath.

    ''Blood...'' I stopped to consider my options and check my surroundings.

    With each flicker ofmp light, I noticed numerous more bloodstains lining the floors and walls. A path of crimson lined the stairs, traveling deeper and deeper into the dungeon.

    ''Shit, is Joseph dead?! Did that idiot get himself killed?!'' I grit my teeth in frustration.

    My thoughts were soon disturbed by repeated thuds and grunting.

    "Just. Tell. Me. What. I. Want. To. KNOW!" after each word was the crash of a heavy fist striking flesh.

    When the beating ceased, a familiar voice followed a series of violent coughing. "F-Fuck you, ho-how ''bout that?" a familiar voiceughed but soon cried out in pain.

    "Fuck me?" the other voice bellowed, the vibrations permeating the stale air. "You killed MY men! FUCK YOU!"

    I took cover behind a corner and peered inside.

    It was arge room, one spanning far enough for several steel-barred cells, all carved into the stone walls and capable of upying a couple captives each. From what I could tell, the room was one that hadn''t seen much maintenance for many years. Massive dust pockets and particles lined the walls and ceiling, particrly the cells within.

    ''So much for humane prisoner treatment,'' I sighed. ''And I won''t even question why there''s a damn dungeon here...''

    Most were open, with the lone exception of a single cage.

    Within it was a quietly sobbing blonde woman. She was curled up in a corner, her face obscured from view as she hid herself from reality. Like I once was, she was clothed with tattered rags and a cor, a clear giveaway she was from the manor.

    ''Looks like the infamous prisoner.''

    Dozens of reinforced wood pirs rose up from the wooden-nked floor, their sturdy forms supporting the weight of the homestead above. Each held a metal-encased ssntern, casting a warm glow over the scene and illuminating the damp, musty air of the underground chamber.

    In the middle of the room, Joseph was strapped to an angled wooden torture rack. Around him were several armored bodies. Their blood streaked across the floor from various puncture wounds.

    ''The kid did this?!'' I thought, genuinely impressed. ''With a little maturity and experience, he could be a hell of a fighter.''

    Three injured guards were huddled in the corner, pressuring wounds through their cut leather armor and groaning. Meanwhile, the captain and Vincent hovered over Joseph like vultures picking at a carcass.

    "TELL ME WHERE YOU CAME FROM!" the captain raised his hand for another strike but was halted by Vincent''s cane.

    "S-Sir?" the captain quizzically stared at Vincent.

    "Cease this, will you?" Vincent sighed, pulling the captain''s hand away. "I don''t prefer my meals too tender."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The captain begrudgingly stepped back, but his scowl turned to a satisfied smirk as Vincent closed in.

    "M-Meal?" Joseph exchanged eye contact with Vincent.

    "Indeed, Dear Boy," Vincent smiled, revealing the four razor fangs protruding from his gums. "The journey here had me famished, so I''m afraid you''ll have to do."

    "No, NO! Stay away from me!" Joseph panicked while tugging against the leather bindings that had himtched tightly to the rack. His efforts were in vain.

    "Ensure I''m not disturbed," Vincent ordered the captain, then sunk his teeth into Joseph''s neck. A distinct glugging sound followed as he forcibly drained Joseph''s crimson essence, causing his body to tremble.

    I saw myself in Joseph''s shoes. A dungeon, a torture rack, being in as a mere meal to feast on. Yes, this was a scene I wished never to see again. The only difference; Joseph was bound for death, whereas I escaped.

    Or he would''ve been bound for death if my legs hadn''t acted of their own ord and leaped out from the shadows. "Get the fuck away from him!" is what I wanted to scream, but my soldier''s instincts knew better.

    I made a silent but hasty approach, the only noise created by the patter of my shoes against the stone floor. I readied a deep vertical attack for the guard captain, who was closest to me.

    Sadly, the fight wouldn''t be so easy. An injured guard shouted, "Cap! Behind you!" to which he responded with a surprise turn and sh for my belly.

    The captain smirked and took a robust duelist''s stance with his longsword, saying, "You must be one of his filthy friends. I''ll enjoy killing you."

    Vincent remained transfixed on his target, draining blood as if siphoning gas from a fuel tank, despite my presence. His glowing yellow eyes were glossed over and faded as if in a deep trance.

    Joseph groaned in ce and lost more color to his skin, its vibrancy growing increasingly sickly with pallor after every passing second.

    I clenched my teeth in frustration, thinking, ''Goddammit, get out of my way!'' while ring fiercely at the captain.

    He noticed my impatience and mocked me. "Oh, what? Worried for your friend? It''s fine; you two will DIE TOGETHER!" Then he charged towards me, raised his sword, and threw sh after sh.

    The guard''s skill with the de put me at a tant disadvantage, and I struggled to find the correct posture or bnce of form.

    He struck, and struck, and struck again, sparks flying off the des as loud ngs echoed off the walls. A step forward followed each of his heavy strikes, forcing me backward bit by bit as his fury shed against my guard.

    "What''s the matter?!" he fiendishly cackled, "lost your nerve already?!"

    Responding to his taunt was impossible, as I concentrated all my efforts on evading and redirecting his strikes. Heunched a sudden thrust, and I angled my de for another redirection. However, a discarded sword on the floor caught the heel of my foot, forcing me to stumble momentarily.

    After that, a searing, throbbing sensation appeared on my flesh as crimson sprayed out. "FUCK!" I shouted, pressuring the new wound in my side.

    "Heh, too easy," the guard smirked, ripping the sword from my side.

    This was a losing battle, the waterfall of blood pouring forth from my side assured that. Though I struggled, death was certain unless I found a weapon I had trained with. Despite my injury, I knew one thing would change the tides in my favor. One thing would set me on the path to victory.

    ''I need a knife.''

 Chapter 103 Flash Before The Bullet

    ?"Aww," the captain feigned concern while waving his sword condescendingly. "Does it hurt? Do you regret it? Regret trying to save your scummy friend? It''s okay; you''ll die just as painfully as he will!"

    Meanwhile, two of the three guards were shouting various lines, insulting me and rousing their captain to action. Thest, with a look of sullen dejection, focused his gaze to the blood-stained floors below, namely the fallen dead.

    I staggered backward, cradling my injured side and pressuring the wound. Blood spilt from the cracks of my fingers, leaving a distinguished crimson trail along the floor.

    Beads of sweat poured profusely from my pores, eventually bing a moist sheen enveloping me entirely. The moisture was akin to glue, dampening, and sticking my clothes to my skin.

    ''I need something better. Something I''m trained with!'' I clenched my jaw, desperately scanning the room for something, anything other than this damn sword, to offset my disadvantage.

    That''s when I noticed a singr curved knife staked into the nked top of a small wooden table. ''There it is,'' I sighed with relief, ''my victory is just a few feet away...''

    Unfortunately, the captain stood between me and my goal.

    I turned toward Joseph to see his eyes were flickering in and out of consciousness. The time he had left was short and quickly diminishing.

    Like sand, I could feel the seconds left to save him slipping through my fingers.

    ''If I''m doing this, I need to do it now!'' I steeled my resolve, ready for an all-or-nothing attempt at victory.

    The guard captain sighed from irritation and rolled his eyes. "What''s this? You''re just going to stand there? Fine..." his lips curved to form a wry smirk beneath his beard. Then, he raised his sword for a reckless rush. "Guess I''lle to you then!"

    With his overcoat pping wildly, he charged toward me, his sinister cackle filling the room. The thundering of his rapid footsteps echoed around us as he closed the distance.

    I sidestepped just in time for his sword''s edge to graze my cheek, creating the slightest cut from which the thinnest bloodstream could flow.

    As soon as I was clear from the captain guards'' attack, with him at my back, I spun around toward him using the heel of my shoe as a pivot. Gaining speed with each second, I raised my own sword up in retaliation.

    The captain sneered, his contemptuous tone ringing in the air. "Amateur!" he spat, assuming a defensive stance to protect his chest. I couldn''t me him for his caution - after all, I made my moves obvious.

    His focus to protect his chest was exactly what I wanted him to do. But, in the end, his assumptions about my intentions were false; my targety elsewhere.

    Using the momentum from my spin, I flipped my sword, angling its tip downward, and thrust it deep into his left foot, rooting it to the wooden nks below.

    "AGHHHHHHH, GOD...DAMMIT! You little bastard!" the captain bellowed angrily while staring at his disfigured foot with widened, bulging eyes.

    He writhed in agony as I darted away with a singr purpose: retrieve the dagger.

    When I reached it, I took hold of its hilt, wrapping my callused palm tightly against the cold, coarsely studded leather. With a sudden jerk, I ripped it free from the worn wood. Tiny shards of tabletop fragmented off as I pulled it free.

    In my hand, the weapon felt bnced and deadly. Its de glinted in the faint light of thentern above, promising swift and merciless justice.

    A smirk stretched across my face, and I savored the feeling of confidence that surged through me. "This is more like it," I muttered under my breath.

    Meanwhile, the captain gripped the handle of my lodged sword tightly with his free hand before ripping the de free from his foot. More cries of agony echoed as he turned toward me. "You''ll pay for that, you little sh-"

    I was already upon him, mid-thrust with my new dagger, its tip trained for the jugr of his neck. However, this man was a cut above the rest. He wouldn''t fall as easily as the two dungeon guards back in ckwood.

    The captain made a split-second decision. His palm, or his life. He chose the former as my de slid into his hand, splitting flesh and bone as it dug deeper.

    "You won''t kill me that easy!" he snarled while wincing. Then, he diagonally shed his sword at me. I avoided it by tearing my knife free from his palm, a blood trail following its tip, and backpedaling. His weapon, again, grazed my skin. This time opening a small incision alongside my abdomen.

    Feeling emboldened by the weight of the blood-soaked knife in my right hand, I taunted him with a smirk, "Neither will you!" I dashed forward, applying as much attack pressure as my injured flesh would allow.

    Despite the dagger''s shorter lengthpared to the captain''s longsword, I found myself parrying his strikes with increasing ease - an ironic twist of fate.

    "What the hell is with you?! Just die already!" The captain''s voice became shaken with growing unease. He thrust his sword toward the left side of my skull.

    "You''ve got this captain! Kill him!" one of the three injured guards shouted.

    I skillfully flipped the dagger in my hand. With the de reversed, I blocked and redirected his thrust. The momentum of his strike carried his weapon forward, skidding it alongside mine in a symphony of screeching and flying sparks.

    The captain growled in irritation, "Lucky block!"

    With his guard down, I seized the opportunity and delivered a crushing blow to his face, using the weight of the dagger''s hilt for added heft. I could feel the snapping of cartge and the crunch of bone reverberating through my fist as I forced it forward.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After the strike, his nose was left crooked and smashed under the impact, leaving it bloody and dislocated. Crimson streaks flowed down from his nostrils as his eyes swayed from dizziness.

    The captain grunted, stumbling backward in a daze. He shook himself into action with a rousing war cry, his voice nasally from his broken nose, "You... You... You WON''T win!!! I WON''T LET YOU!" He lunged forward in ast-ditch effort, swiping his sword forward, aimed for my heart in a y of desperation. At least, that''s what I thought.

    The captain cackled with a fiendish grin as he ducked low, relinquishing his sword to gravity. His right hand disappeared beneath his overcoat, eventually revealing with the glint of a hidden dagger. "I''ve got tricks of my own!" he cackled as he aimed to strike the underside of my left rib cage.

    Unfortunately for him, his trick wasn''t fast enough.

    In a fluid motion, I dropped my knife, caught it during freefall with my left hand, and swiped it down. The de impaled the captain''s attacking arm, halting his strike''s momentum and forcing him to release his dagger involuntarily.

    The weapon ttered to the floor, followed by the captain''s agonized cries. "AGHHH!" his eyes teared up as his face twisted in pain.

    The captain staggered backward, his boots creating uneven clomps across the weathered nks beneath. While cradling his wounded arm, he backed into a wooden pir, mming into it and shaking free a dust pocket from overhead.

    The grime fell onto his face, coating it and blinding him to my next attack. However, despite the inability to see and profuse coughing from the dust, his instinct carried him through.

    He ducked, narrowly avoiding my lethal cut aimed at his jugr. Thanks to that, my knife had lodged halfway into the pir, burrowing deep like Arthur''s fabled sword of old.

    ''Shit, c''mon!'' I grunted, trying to free the knife from the sturdy wood pir. But my force had lodged it deep, and now various splinters blocked its escape. My attempts were met only by a series of frustration-inducing wooden creaks and groans.

    "Don''t think I''m that easy of prey!" the captain jeered as he added distance between us and cleared the dust from his face.

    ''Screw it,'' I snarled, abandoning my weapon for his discarded dagger. Fueled by adrenaline, I swiped it from the ground. With a new weapon in hand, I once again rushed him to end things once and for all.

    Before he could react, I was already upon him, delivering a series of calcted strikes.

    "GET OUT OF THERE CAP!" one of the injured guards bellowed, his expression the picture of the word "panic."

    First, an overhand feint, turning into a thrust for his injured foot''s leg. He learned and adapted from before, attempting to block my attack with an arm; however, his movements were dulled from fatigue and blood loss.

    "Ah, you fuck!" he hoarsely cried, feeling another gout of blood pouring forth from his impaled leg.

    Next, a forward dodge and duck, avoiding the horizontal swipe of his arm, his tant attempt at retaliation. Without a weapon left, he was reduced to throwing punches and bashes.

    I made a precise swipe along his side while dashing past him. He hunched over in agony as the de''s tip split his flesh in two.

    "I... I won''t lose! I can''t lose! I CAN''T!" his hoarse voice cracked under panic as he realized the gravity of his situation. He cocked his head with a furious expression followed by a violent fit of coughing from lingering dust.

    Again, two of the three guards shouted out. This time, their voices quaking as they, too, realized their leader was losing.

    "C-Captain!"

    "Fight, Jacob! You have to fight!"

    Finally, a kick into his back leg, forcing him into a kneeling stance and¡­

    "No... I''m s-sorry... Elizabe-"

    ...a deep thrust into the temple of his skull, impaling his brain and instantly killing him. He copsed to the floor, drooling a mix of saliva and diluted blood to the hardwood floor.

    It was official. I was the victor of our duel.

    Towering alone above the captain''s body, I breathed heavily. My chest rose and fell with exhaustion as I stared at the twitching corpse. The once rowdy soldiers fell silent in shock, hiding their faces from my view as if to hope I''d forget their presence and pass them by.

    I couldn''t care about them. My thoughts were consumed by a single phrase.

    ''I... I''m alive...''

    Sadly, there was no time, not even for a brief respite, and my pride in surviving quickly turned to shame. Why? It''s because this guard was just the warm-up, the sh before the bullet.

    My tired eyes soon narrowed upon my true adversary, the one who''d truly test my mettle as a man of the military. The one whose predatory presence subdued my breathing to bated breaths.

    "Vincent Graves..."

 Chapter 104 Vincent Graves: Fullkin, Duke, And Gentleman

    ?Despite my hard-won triumph, Vincent still savored the taste of Joseph''s blood as if it were a delicacy.

    "Get away from him..." I growled. My footsteps faltered and my mind felt sluggish from exhaustion. Still, I grasped the dagger I had snatched from the captain with unsteady fingers.

    With a fierce determination, I hurled the weapon toward Vincent with all my might. It spun in the air before the honed de plunged deep into his flesh, causing the pure red of his suit to be tainted ck from his oozing blood.

    Vincent let out a groan, his jaws no longer locked onto Joseph''s neck in a killer''s embrace. Instead, he staggered backward, his hand wing for the weapon that now protruded from his spine.

    "What might this be?" he intoned, his voice smooth and measured, devoid of any trace of anger or fear, as he carefully extracted the de from his back. He quietly groaned, then pulled it to view in front of him, examining it with a keen interest.

    A jolt of agony pierced my side as I awaited him to turn around and confront me, a reminder of my wound. Exhausted, I braced myself, my gut clenching and releasing, waves of torment radiating through me.

    ''Gotta patch myself up, but I can''t...'' a cough wracked my frame, and creeping unease settled in.

    The prospect of confronting the fullkin loomed, more daunting now with my battered and bruised body. Then, a sound emanated from my pocket - the clink of ss on ss.

    A spark of hope ignited within me as my hand fumbled in my trouser pocket. ''That''s right! I''ve got those disgustingly amazing potions!''

    Meanwhile, Vincent turned to me with a tilted head. "Might I inquire, did you lose this?" he held up the dagger to thentern light, its edge coated with a mixture of the captain''s and his blood. Then, his steadied eyes narrowed on the fresh corpse behind me. "Ah... I suppose you''re an adversary," he shrugged with apathy and dropped the dagger, uncaring about his in ally.

    "Yeah, you''re supposing right," I chuckled, trying to keep him busy with conversation as I withdrew a small vial, its vibrant red contents swirling alongside my arm''s tremors. "Just give me a second, would you?"

    Though I made that request jokingly, Vincent shockingly obliged with a gentlemen''s bow. "As you wish," he smiled with a posture of elegance as he patiently awaited me. "Take all of the time you need, Sir."

    As I reached for the bottle, a hint of suspicion crept into my thoughts. ''Is this guy really letting me do this?'' I eyed him doubtfully but decided not to dwell on his motivations and focused on my task.

    With a quick twist, the sponge cork popped out from the vial''s neck and flew across the room,nding on the floor with a soft tap.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Without hesitation, I downed the potion, bracing myself for the sickly-sweet tang that coated my tongue. The metallic taste mingled with the syrupy zest, and I battled the urge to retch. But I knew this was my only chance of survival, so I forced a smile and swallowed the tincture.

    The moments that ensued were as excruciating as they were relieving. My dying flesh sputtered to life, weaving intricate strands back together. It stung, seared, and throbbed, but the agony soon faded, taking the wound with it.

    I skimmed my fingers over my once-pierced skin to find my wounds were a distant memory. Like a dream, they had faded away to nothingness, leaving not a single scar or scratch behind as proof of their existence.

    I exhaled a breath, my weariness dissipating as I braced myself for the fight ahead. My hand closed around the hilt of the captain''s longsword, its elongated, crimson-covered de shimmering from dim light. "I''m ready," I affirmed, the words strained but resolute.

    Vincent''s concerned expression was unexpected, given his fearsome reputation as a fullkin. His countenance radiated refinement and courtesy, belying the predator lurking within. "You''re prepared? Are you sure?" he asked, his smile the height of suavity.

    "Yes. Let''s fight alre-" I started, but before I could finish, Vincent dashed forward with incredible speed, much like the fullkin I had faced in the manor. However, unlike her, Vincent exuded an air of seasoned battle-hardiness. The devastating precision of his attack confirmed this.

    He appeared next to me, his palm rocketed into my ribs with a tremendous force that shattered bones like twigs.

    The crunch of splintering bone echoed through my body, apanied by the sound of mybored breathing as I gasped for air.

    ''Wha-'' was my panicked thought as I rag-dolled across the room, propelled by the sheer force of the strike. Finally, I came to a jarring halt, followed by a distinct crackling sound, as I collided with the unyielding bars of a nearby prisoner cell, their metallic ng ringing across the walls and rattling in ce.

    I staggered to my feet, coughing violently, my vision trembled and faded in and out of focus. "Wha-what happened?" I managed to gasp. Then, twisting my head, I focused on my assant.

    Vincent''s ring yellow eyes pierced through the darkness like torches, watching me with contempt as I struggled to catch my breath. "Oh, you humans," he shook his head in belittlement, "It bewilders me how you manage to survive in such a harsh world with such fragile bodies. It''s truly an inspiration to us all!"

    He extended his arms into the darkness, one wielding his silver-engraved cane. The tips of his predator''s fangs became barely visible as he curved his lips in a calcted smile. The air around him seemed to thicken, heavy with a sense of foreboding.

    "It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir," he said in a voice that dripped with a polished and practiced civility. "My name is Vincent Graves. Fullkin, Son of Viktor and Zofia Graves, Duke of the Mire, and," he paused, bowing low, his shadow stretching across the ceiling and walls like an ink stain, "quite a gentleman, I assure you."

 Chapter 105 Sato Vs Vincent, Part One

    ?My breaths came in short, sharp bursts, and my muscles quaked with each inhtion.

    "Ugh, damn," I winced, following a ragged sigh; the simple act of breathing sent ripples of searing agony throughout my body.

    Meanwhile, Vincent stood before me, his gaze unflinching and unwavering. Only when he sighed and shook his head did his expressive grin falter. "I apologize; typically, I prefer a more efficient method of dispatching a foe - a slice to the neck or stab to the heart," his words carried a tinge of genuine remorse.

    "I don''t relish the thought of causing you pain, but I''d rather not ruin my suit with your entrails. Unfortunately, that means I''ll have to destroy your organs with blunt trauma," his eyes sank in pity as if staring at a wounded puppy.

    "It''ll be painful," he continued, adjusting his ck gloves, "but it''s unavoidable. I hope you''ll forgive me."

    In a convoluted way, this man just asserted he''d kill me. However, what stuck out to me was his reasoning. ''My well-being is worth less than a suit? Maybe humans and fullkin aren''t so different, after all.'' I chuckled at the realization, knowing there were plenty in my previous world who''d agree with his sentiment.

    "Oh, sure, don''t worry about it," I replied with a sarcastic grin. "I''m sure good suits are hard toe by!"

    His lips curved as they formed a relieved smile. "Splendid! I appreciate your understanding, Sir?.." he stopped, seemingly awaiting a specific response.

    Preferring to assess the damage to my body while keeping up a casual facade, I obliged him. I also avoided the soldier''s introduction, against my instincts. I felt I had no need for it anymore. "Sato," I said. "My name''s Sato."

    "Hmmm... Sato..." Vincent brought his hands to his pursed lips in curiosity. "I must admit I find the name to be quite intriguing! You heroes from this side of the world have the most unique identifiers!"

    "Is that so?" I feigned a cheery chuckle but soon ceased due to the physical suffering chest movements caused me.

    Surprisingly, the pain, though still crippling from my broken ribs, was gradually diminishing. The sharpness would intensify with each passing second, echoing throbs throughout my gut and chest before vanishing entirely.

    I reached out to touch the spot where Vincent struck.

    My callused, scarred skin was now a grotesque shade of purple, and the mere presence of my fingertips sent shivers down my spine. Despite the difort, I pressed inward, feeling something almost otherworldly.

    Beneath my palm, the shattered bones were mending themselves, snapping and shifting back into ce.

    There was only one exnation for this miraculous phenomenon.

    ''The potion must have a lingering effect,'' I made a mental note of the information and withdrew my hand. Then, while cautiously eyeing Vincent, I crouched down and reached for the sword I had dropped.

    The de grated against the nked floor as I retrieved it. Though the sword belonged to a leader, itcked any semnce of detail or care, and every bit of it reeked of the phrase "mass-produced."

    Upon wrapping my fingers around the hilt, Vincent looked at me with honest shock. "You''d prefer to fight? You know I could make your death quicker if you''d allow me."

    It was a foolish question to me. "That''s a great offer, but I''ll decline," I replied with a smirk as thest dregs of injury left my flesh. "Even if it''s futile, even if it costs me my pride, my limbs, or my life, I''ll fight to the very end. A little pain won''t change that." I finished with a mock swipe of the sword, my attempt at getting used to its weight.

    Vincent sighed and shook his head. "A noble gesture, but you realize you''re only dying the inevitable, correct? You''re going to die either way."

    I chuckled at his reasoning. "Buddy, I was dying the inevitable from the moment I was born. We all die sometime. Now," I gritted my teeth and angled the sword for a thrusting rush, "quit the chatter. Let''s get to the fighting already."

    "As you wish," Vincent grinned, "I promise I''ll try to make your end as swift as possible." He assumed a noble''sbat stance.

    Little did Vincent know, those words were my advantage. ''Brain, neck, heart, and lungs. Those are the ces he''ll target.''

    Of course, there was the distinct possibility I was wrong, so this was a gambit, and the stakes were my life. Still, it was all I could do in the face of an adversary capable of impossible speeds and hulking strength.

    I shifted my position to cover each of those vital areas while forsaking the others. I ducked low, allowing a fast response if he aimed for my skull while hiding my neck away to make it a smaller target.

    Then, I focused my guard around my chest, denying any attack on either my lungs or heart. Finally, I ced my back to the cell, limiting his potential approach to my field of view.

    I inhaled deeply, feeling the air forcefully pushing through my gullet as I awaited Vincent''s attack with bated breath. I exhaled, and Vincent dashed at me, but unlike before, I was ready. This time, I expected him.

    When in range and assuming a lowered stance, he aimed for one of my vitals, my heart, with a closed fist.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Thought so,'' I smirked with the satisfaction of predicting his move. Thanks to my readiness, I managed to react in time.

    With a quick reorientation of my de, I managed to block his strike with my sword. However, the power behind his punch still struck like a freight train.

    Vincent''s fist pushed my de backward, and the top of my chest bone crunched under the impact.

    Jabs, throbs, and aches shot up across my body, but I gritted my teeth and growled, ''It doesn''t hurt. It doesn''t hurt.'' I couldn''t afford to let my opponent see my vulnerability.

    Thankfully, the effects of the red potion were still active, and my bones were mending themselves as soon as they broke. However, the healing was noticeably slower than before. ''It''s running out,'' I sighed, then steeled my resolve. ''I have to make the most of this.''

    Knowing that further damage to my flesh was inevitable, I made a reckless decision to take advantage of the remaining strength the red potion had given me.

    With a battle cry, Iunched myself forward, relentlessly assaulting Vincent. Yet, throughout our exchange, heughed with a taunting calm elegance.

    My sword pulled backward at my side, and the tip angled towards Vincent''s neck; I thrust forward with all my might. But he, the wily adversary that he was, nonchntly tilted his head to avoid my de.

    Vincent spoke, his voice dripping with amusement. "Sir Sato..."

    Undeterred, I quickly swiped the de horizontally, attempting tocerate his neck in two. But once again, he buckled his knees, dodging my strike with ease.

    "...I can slightly..."

    I pulled back my sword and threw a sudden melee with my free hand, aiming for the tip of his nose. However, he intercepted my strike, effortlessly holding my fist in the palm of his hand and dispersing all of my momentum.

    With a tight grip, Vincent squeezed my hand, his ck leather gloves creaking as they created five fingerprint-sized bruise marks on my skin.

    Vincent leaned in, a grin spreading across his face. "...see why she chose you as harbinger for her ns. You''ve quite the fighting spirit!"

    "ns?" I questioned but avoided losing focus on the task at hand. He limited his response to a silent smile.

    ''Screw it,'' I grumbled to myself, abandoning the hope of learning more about Vincent''s statement. Knowing it was useless to me, I released the sword to gravity and opted for a hand-to-hand melee.

    With Vincent''s grip firmly in ce, my first objective was to break free.

    Using my body as leverage, I stepped forward, twisting my hand in an attempt to loosen his hold. Then, with precise timing and skillful execution, Iunched my other arm''s elbow into the top of his wrist, shattering his bones and freeing myself from his grasp.

    His wrist echoed a grotesque crack as it bent backward at an angle that shouldn''t be possible. Even I winced when I saw the mangled position his hand assumed. What''s odd was, Vincent was primarily reactionless, instead looking at his injury with quizzical curiosity.

    Now free, I dashed toward Joseph.

    "Oh my, I must admit, that was a splendid strike!" Vincent asserted cheerily while I ran. "Color me impressed, Sir Sato!"

    I ignored Vincent''s remark. Instead, when I reached Joseph, I performed two tasks simultaneously.

    One hand reached down to retrieve the captain''s knife. ''Now, if I could just get the other one,'' I sighed with frustration, staring at the other still burrowed in a pir.

    The other was outstretched to check Joseph''s body for a pulse; his skin was sickly with pallor and marred by a line of fang marks burrowed deep into his skin.

    I pressed the tip of my hand''s index and middle finger deep into his neck, just below his jaw. His stic flesh gave way to the pressure as I desperately searched for the beat of life within his body.

    However, the rhythmic thrumming I should''ve felt wasn''t there, only stillness. My skin lost its color, and my expression widened to reveal every bit of angst within.

    The realization sank my heart into a bottomless swamp, the murky depths created by a mixture of panic, dread, anger, and desperation.

    ''A pulse... I can''t find one?!''

 Chapter 106 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Two

    ?''Joseph is...dead?'' I stood in shock. Though I was used torades dying, he wasn''t supposed to. I was supposed to have saved him.

    "Dammit..." I pulled my hand from his neck, frustrated by my failure.

    "Oh... So the boy has passed?" Vincent inquired while fixing his wrist. The bone snapped and crackled as he maneuvered it back in ce. "You have my condolences, truly..."

    I had no snarky quip or retort to offer. Instead, I took several deep breaths to calm down, then turned toward Vincent with a clenched jaw and balled-up fists, one with a knife in hand.

    He stopped in ce with a courteous grin. "I can allow you a few moments to mourn the dead if you wish. I''ll grant you this mercy."

    Despite his words, my vignt gaze remained fixed on Vincent. ''I''ll be damned if he thinks he can lower my guard,'' I growled to myself.

    However, he was true to his word, and silence enveloped the room in stillness. Amongst the quiet, I heard the sound of hope. It, again, manifested as the clinking of ss emanating from my pockets.

    ''The potion!'' my expression lit up as I forced my hand into my pocket.

    Concerningly, the fabric, both inside and out, was frigid and damp,pletely soaked through. As I fumbled for the vial, a burning, pinching sensation shot through the entire length of my index finger.

    Undeterred by the pain, I grasped the ss and pulled it to view.

    A dark crimson sheen poured over the ss from my sliced finger. The bloodstream shifted down as it encountered the vial''s uneven surface.

    I pulled it closer when a sharp twinge of apprehension shot through me. My eyes followed the stream of blood until I noticed small lines etched into the once seamlessly clear vial.

    My focus sharpened, my eyes fixated on the vial''s contents, hoping against hope that I was wrong. Unfortunately, my worst fears were confirmed, or at least nearly so.

    "No... No, it can''t be," I muttered, my voice low and trembling.

    The once-vibrant liquid filling the vial was vacant, barring the third remaining. The rest had seeped through the cracks in the ss.

    ''But when did this happen?'' Confusion clouded my thoughts, but then I recalled the faint crackle that had apanied my collision with the cell bars. Was that the moment the vial shattered? It seemed likely.

    Frustration welled up inside me, but I forced it down, refusing to let it show.

    ''At least there''s some left. Hopefully, it''ll work...'' I acted quickly, uncorking the vial and pouring the remaining liquid down Joseph''s throat. I watched anxiously, waiting for any sign that it had worked.

    When there was none, I began to return my full attention to Vincent.

    ''I''ve done all I can,'' I nced onest time at Joseph''s lifeless form with a pained expression. "You better fight. You better fight and live through this," I said out loud, praying that my words might somehow reach him.

    Meanwhile, Vincent took several steps forward, to which I braced myself for a skirmish. Yet, in the face of my tant hostility, he hadn''t raised a hand to attack; rather, his were held at his back as he watched in interest.

    "You''re attempting to resuscitate the boy?" he tilted his head. "A curious endeavor indeed. Have you considered what you''ll do if you seed?"

    While angling my dagger at Vincent, I replied, "Kill you, free him, and leave. Simple"

    Vincent directed his gaze upward in deep thought, then returned his eyes to me. "Quite an ambition you have, to y me, I mean. Do you really consider yourself capable of such a feat?"

    "If it bleeds, you can kill it." I cast a menacing glower in his direction, my eyes filled with unwavering determination. "And I KNOW your kind can bleed."

    "Ah, you truly are an amusing one!" Vincent let out a reserved chuckle at my assertion.

    I gave a grin, ready to make do on the first part of my promise. "I''m d you find it so amusing. Yourst moments in this world should be cheerful."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Vincent smiled, then assumed an attack stance. "I suppose we''ll have to test this confidence of yours. Ready, Sir Sato?"

    Flourishing my dagger, I assumed a robust posture. My legs were spread, and my arms rxed to improve reaction timing.

    If I''m being honest, my confident demeanor was a facade - a tough front to mask the hopelessness of my situation.

    Even with my weapon of choice, I knew this battle wasn''t in my favor. I needed more than brute force or training. No, this fight demanded a calcted strategy.

    ''Let''s see, how can I win this,'' I stopped and quicklypiled what I knew. I doubted Vincent''s patience wouldst much longer, so I considered every second spent a second toote.

    There were several load-bearing pirs spread across the room. Each with a lit oilntern. One with an embedded dagger.

    Numerous grime-filled open cells lined the room, all resistant to force, as shown when my body mmed into their iron bars. The floors and walls within each, unlike the majority of the room, were stone, barring the few pirs caked in enough dust to put a sawmill to shame.

    Vincent was a fullkin, a creature with extraordinary strength, speed, and regenerative abilities capable of recovering from severe injuries. Yet, his regeneration wasn''t instant, requiring a few seconds before full recovery. At least, that was the case if the woman''s neck and Vincent''s wrist were any indicators.

    In addition, fullkin were bipedal, meaning their muscleposition would roughly, if not exactly, match the human form.

    There were three guards in the room, all injured, all huddled together in a corner. It was unlikely that they would interfere with my n, considering the level of wounding they''d been subjected to. One of the three was unmoving, presumably unconscious or dead.

    Then, recalling my duel with the captain, an epiphany lit up in my mind. ''I know what I need to do.''

    I smirked and finally gave Vincent my go-ahead for a dance of death. "Ready," I replied, my n finalized. It was a long shot, but the only one I had.

    "Very well; I hope you''ve made your peace," Vincent bowed, then sped toward me at lightning speeds, to which I responded with a mad dash for the knife-embedded pir.

    As he emerged to my side, I had already made it to my intended destination. His arm sliced through the air in a vicious arc, aiming to shatter my neck with a single strike.

    But I was ready.

    With quick reflexes, I dropped into a crouch, evading Vincent''s deadly swipe by mere centimeters.

    His palm mmed into the pir beside me. It sent a shockwave through the homestead, rumbling the structure''s very foundation.

    Wood splintered and groaned under the force of the blow, releasing another thick cloud of grime and sawdust into the air.

    As I watched the particles dance and swirl, I noticed the embedded knife dislodge from its ce of rest. It nowy,pletely exposed, on the hardwood floor.

    Furthermore, the sudden jolt from the copsing pir shook thentern from its hook. It flew through the air until it skittered across the floor, eventually cking against a wall and stopping beside a nearby jail cell.

    I thrust my dagger toward Vincent''s chest, forcing him backward to gain a degree of breathing room.

    His eyes lit up with intrigue upon his retreat, and his lips curved to form an impressed smile. "Very well done! To think you managed to avoid my strike so adeptly! You''ve impressed me, Sir Sato!"

    I took hold of the second dagger, fulfilling the first condition of my n. Casting him a nce and a smirk, I replied with a tone of sarcasm, "Thanks; I try to make a habit of not getting hit."

    "Indeed!" heughed in slight amusement at my words before readying for another lunge.

    I tightened my grip on both knives, ready for the next phase of my n. ''It''s all or nothing,'' I gritted my teeth. ''This is where the fun starts.''

 Chapter 107 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Three

    ?The tinge of metal was palpable as I stuffed yet another gulp of stale air down my gullet.

    My heart beat against my ribcage with the force of a stampeding herd, and anticipation soaked my body in a sheet of sweat as I awaited Vincent''s next move. The slightest twitch of his finger or step forward would signal the beginning of my n''s phase two.

    ''C''mon,'' I glowered at Vincent. ''Take a step. Make a move.''

    Vincent stared at me with an expression of curious intrigue, his eyes alight with an intense fascination. "Your eyes... They''re filled with desperation, Sir Sato. The desperation of one who clings to hope as he struggles against the inevitable, all to achieve his goals."

    "In a way," he continued, his voiceced with a hint of nostalgia, "your eyes remind me of a hero from centuries past. A man of great infamy in your world. Apparently, he even sought to unify an entire country. Truly an intriguing one."

    I brandished my knives, a mocking smile twisting my lips. "You n to tell me a story now? It seems out of ce for a duel, don''t you think?"

    Vincent chuckled at my provocation, his smile restrained. "Perhaps you''re right," he said. "I suppose I can''t help myself from mentioning him; he was quite a fascinating fellow, after all."

    "His ambitions were like mes, consuming all in their path. His aspirations were a web of lightning against a sky darkened by opposition. They chaotically stretched across the world, intending to envelop it in their deadly luminance. He was a man desperate to conjoin a world torn apart by division."

    Vincent''s eyes lost focus momentarily as if gazing backward through the abyss of time. "His brutality. His mercilessness. His unforgiving fury for those that opposed him..."

    He sighed, then returned his sights to mine. "I must confess, that man opened my eyes to the true nature of your kind. Because of him, I realized there are wolves amongst you sheep. Threats to the world beyond anything I could ever imagine. He was truly a man that harbored my deepest respects."

    Vincent''s genuine fascination was infectious, and even I felt the tug of curiosity pulling at my consciousness, wanting to lift the veil surrounding the identity of the hero he spoke of with such an ominous tone.

    However, time was short, and I had an order toplete. Chuckling in dismissal, I said, "Well, I hope to live up to those standards."

    Vincent returned to the present with a renewed grin. "Sir, you won''t be living at all. But I''ll praise you for the effort." With that, he darted forward, his hand raised for another bone-shattering blow.

    My adrenaline-fueled reactions kicked in, and I raced toward the open cell furthest from Joseph as Vincent took his first step.

    Our footfalls echoed through the dungeon, mine heavy from exhaustion while Vincent''s were light as a prowling hound. His looming, predatory aura hung over me like a shroud, sending chills down my spine with every step he took closer.

    We arrived at the space quickly, but the instinctive fear I felt from his presence extended what was a brief moment to a short eternity of dread.

    My heels scraped against the floor, feeling the shift from smooth wood nks to hardened stone as I entered the cell. Then, upon shifting my body with a pivot, I confronted Vincent, whose hand was already horizontally shing through the air with the precision of a honed de.

    I leaped backward to dodge. Thanks to my quick efforts, I dampened the blow to my ribs. However, Vincent''s palm still struck my side, sending a shockwave throughout my insides.

    ''Ah, fuck,'' my face twisted from the pain as I struggled to maintain my posture. Yet, though I was injured, the distinct reassuring presence of confidence filled my core.

    "You''re quite a crafty one, Sir!" Vincent thrust his fist forward to punch following his deration. Upon my evasion, he stepped back and said, "I suppose you believe a tight space would obstruct me, correct?"

    Vincent was spot on. A tight space, like this cell, would limit his movements. The same area used to lock prisoners from the world would lock Vincent and me in close-quartersbat.

    "Well, I guess you found me out," is what I said, but his assertion was only half right. While offsetting his agility was a goal, my true intentionsy elsewhere.

    Now, I had one job.

    Yet, despite its simplicity, this next portion of the n would prove the most challenging. A single word summed it up. A word that is so easily uttered but nearly impossible to practice: survive.

    There was no point in nervousness, so I shrugged and masked my pained expression with a smile. My gut still reeled from the blunt, burning sensation at my side as it swelled purple.

    "At least you attempted your best..." Vincent smiled, then charged forward, unleashing a volley of blows directed toward my vital areas.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I brushed closely with death during the skirmish. Despite my best efforts to evade and redirect his attacks with my knives and evasive maneuvering, some inevitablynded.

    Plus, if the erged swelling from his first strike was anything to consider, it seemed like the effects of the red potion had long worn off. With the healing gone, I knew there would be no more second chances.

    Any wound I received from hereon would be here to stay.

    In addition, his missed strikes pounded the stone-brick walls and wooden supports within the cell, releasing clouds of finely particrized dust that thickly caked the air.

    "How unfortunate!" Vincent eximed while swinging a leg toward me for a powerful kick. "My suit was dirtied, after all!"

    "I know, what a travesty!" I scoffed and escaped his strike.

    Heughed, then attacked again. I replied with a duck and sidestepped from his thrusting fist,cerating his flesh with my knives as I went. Then, I impaled a de into his arm and pulled him forward, tearing it out as I did so.

    With his back exposed and assuming his muscleposition was the same as a human''s, I sliced both of his Achilles heels. A ckened ooze poured forth from his ankles.

    My gambit paid off as Vincent''s legs involuntarily buckled to the floor.

    "You''ve immobilized me?" Vincent said, his tone obvious with intrigue. "A fair tactic. However," he swiveled around, waving his cane in a speedy, lethal arc, "you''re mistaken if you believe that sufficient for a victory!"

    He swung around, cutting clean through anything in his cane''s path. Shockingly to Vincent, that path was only empty space. I was already out of the cell, seeing my n to its fruition.

    "Sir?" he quizzically tilted his head. "Did you flee?"

    I answered his question by stepping back into view and holding a lone, litntern. It was the one that had flown off from the busted pir. I grasped the cold metal of the curved handle as it swung like a pendulum, dangling from my right arm.

    "Antern? Might I inquire what you''re doing?" Vincent nonchntly asked while standing in a room flooded with dust, his legs and arm fully healed.

    "Finishing this," I replied with narrowed eyes, then smashed thentern against the prison cell bars. The ss and thin iron banding shattered in half, catapulting the me-bearing bottom end into the dust-filled room.

    My heels promptly twisted as I dove behind a wall and ducked my head. Thentern''s metal bottom ttered against the stone floor several times, echoing throughout the cell.

    "Well yed," were Vincent''s final words as the air caught fire.

    The stone enclosure of the prison cell became a gas oven, overflowing with heat as it consumed his red-cloth-d body in a roaring ze.

    The congration burst forth from between the prison bars, exploding outward and searing everything in its wake. The very foundations of the homestead rumbled from the st.

    The intense heat bombarded my skin, scorching the surface and leaving behind a slight burning sensation as the fiery torrent swept past me.

    When the swelter of fire dissipated, Iy motionless on the hardwood floor, shocked, pained, and ecstatic.

    For the first time in all my years of battle, I felt a sensation I never thought I''d have.

    I straightened up, feeling a warm sense of satisfaction flow through me. The weight that had been pressing down on my shoulders lifted, and I took a deep breath to savor the feeling of victory. Finally, I thought to myself, ''I won... I fucking won!''

    However, that pride was short-lived as I heard the faint rustling of movement from amongst the ashes.

    ''Is he...it can''t be!''

 Chapter 108 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Four

    ?A sense of dreaded foreboding crippled my nerves as I approached the charred room with bated breaths. "No... No... It can''t be..."

    Just around the corner, I heard the tone of a disturbingly familiar and measured voice. "Huhhhh, this suit is a goner... What a pity."

    ''No... It can''t be!''

    Every inch of bone, every thread of flesh, and every cell in my body howled for a full retreat.

    ''I should probably run...right?'' The smallest fibers of my being tugged on my consciousness. They begged me to cut Joseph loose and run from the room. Yet, a maddening curiosity overpowered my senses.

    I tossed my logic away, discarding it into the winds of intrigue.

    A grotesque, pungent stench of grilled flesh permeated the air. The odor assailed my senses with increasing strength as I turned the corner.

    What I beheld next... It was a sight beyond the understanding of sanity.

    "What the... What the hell?" I murmured, staring at a manifestation of creation''s madness, an abomination of nature. It was the visage of a true fiend of hell.

    The dust''s grand explosion had ked and annihted its flesh, leaving the creature charred beyond recognition.

    Chunks of stripped skin hung low from its abdomen, adorning its waist like ragged cloth ribbons. The raw, pulsating tissue beneath glistened with the few strands of light that pierced into the cell.

    The strong odor of decay and guts intensified as I observed a revolting affront to existence itself. The repugnant smell seemed to transcend the physical realm, saturating my being with its nauseating presence.

    I staggered backward a pace, holding a clutched hand to my lips, twisted with squeamish nausea. An inner war was waged within my flesh as a rising sensation of burning acidity rose in my throat.

    The column of curved bones on the left side was exposed, its jagged edges dripping with the ckened ooze of the creature''s blood. Despite the damage, the organs writhing beneath the ribcage still sputtered with life. They twitched and squirmed in a grotesque dance of purpose.

    Amongst those organs was a pulsating violet heart. Its veins were translucent and webbed across the creature''s body. They were pumping a disturbing disy of radiant energy.

    Its breath came in ragged gasps, the sound of air rushing through shattered ribs with a sound akin to a macabre whistle. The skin around its mouth was ckened and blistered as if seared by a branding iron.

    "That''s...Vincent? A fullkin is capable of this?" I mumbled in horror, unable toprehend the twisted abomination before me. It was as if my nightmares manifested themselves into a single, monstrous mass of flesh and bone.

    The living corpse looked at me, its eyes as yellow as the burning Sun. They seemed to bore into my very soul, filling me with a primal terror.

    "Oh, you''re still here; I assumed you would''ve fled." The creature smiled, strands of the skin left in its cheek tearing and stretching to expose a pearly white jawline.

    "I must say, I''m a tad disappointed with what you''ve done to my attire. Yet, I suppose we should be grateful enough of it survived that my modesty is covered!" it chuckled, rattling the organs inside.

    "How?" I paused to take a hard swallow, my mind dizzy with the truth of Vincent''s apparent immortality. Yet, Ipleted my question. "How are you still alive? How is that possible?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You really thought I was dead?" Vincent asked, raising an eyebrow. "It takes much more than that to kill one of my kind."

    I gaped in astonishment as I witnessed his wounds miraculously heal before my very eyes. The flesh contorted and squirmed as it knit itself back together, seamlessly fusing the once-dangling skin ps to his body and erasing any trace of injury.

    In due time, he stood as the epitome of vitality and rejuvenation. His fleshy vessel was impably chiseled, as if untouched by any prior injury or w.

    ''Their regeneration, it can heal beyond critical wounding?!''

    Vincent swaggered and reached for his cane as the process finished. He wrapped his fingers around one end and lifted. Despite the scorch marks, it remained mostly unscathed.

    I took a deep breath, regaining enoughposure to make my usual quips. "Well, I guess I can''t me myself for hoping," I joked, attempting to suppress the panic that had overtaken me.

    However, I couldn''t shake off the surge of angst that swept through me, leaving me uncertain of my next move. My gaze flickered back and forth between the monster standing before me and the knives I had left behind by thentern.

    ''Should I make a run for them? Attack him now, hand-to-hand? Give up and ept my fate? How can I even win?!'' My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and for the first time in a long time, I had no n.

    "I''m in over my head," I muttered to myself as my confidence crumbled under the weight of doubt and fear.

    "Indeed you are," Vincent replied with a sigh. His fingers coiled tightly around the cane''s curved silver end, and he tugged on it, ripping free a thin, rapier-like de.

    The deep sound of metal grinding on metal as the weapon left the hilt filled the cell.

    ''The cane is a sword... Of course it is,'' I scowled, my fear briefly reced by annoyance.

    Vincent flourished the weapon with elegance, its blue-silver luminance glinting from the torchlight. Then, in a shocking twist of events, he turned the sword onto himself and swiped it down, shing his opposite hand''s wrist and repeating the action with the other.

    "Oh, shit!" I dove behind cover, expecting a blood spear akin to what the woman had done in the manor.

    However, there was none.

    ''What?'' Confused and rmed, I peeked around the corner to see Vincent standing alone within a pool of ck liquid.

    ''What is he doing?'' is what I thought, but a momentter, I had my answer.

    Vincent, after a brief dy of gathering a stockpile of onyx energy, his wounds bled not a thickened ooze but a swirling ck mist.

    The shadows fell to the floor, shifting and steadily advancing up and outward until darkness enveloped the room, fully blotting out and extinguishing anyntern light.

    In those final moments before Vincent''s visage was entirely consumed by the veil of midnight-hued blood mist, his piercing yellow eyes bore into mine. "Prepare yourself," he warned. "I won''t be holding back anymore."

 Chapter 109 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Five

    ?I took one step back, then another, then another. My gut sank low with apprehension at Vincent''s warning. He advanced slowly toward me, a rapier in one hand and a hollow cane in the other, with swirling shadows trailing behind.

    ''Idiot! Don''t just stand there!'' I griped to myself, then dashed toward my two knives.

    The cadence of my heart still pounded with an unwavering determination, a fierce resolve that refused to back down. Yet, its rhythm was met with the piercing stabs of disappointment, slowly chipping away at any glimmer of hope that remained.

    I was willing to fight tooth and nail, but any expectation of living was nonexistent.

    If I had topare what I felt at Vincent''s survival, it was like desperately searching for the salvation of safety through a dense forest, only to find the sheer drop of a cliff at the end.

    My heels ground across the floor as I halted and quickly snatched the knives. Then, I turned around to confront the elephant in the room.

    An onyx fog crept out of the cell first. It consumed all the light in its path, devouring every inch of space into its void-like depths.

    Vincent appeared a momentter, pacing out of the enclosure with a swagger in his step and his neck straightened confidently. He turned toward me, his eyes falling upon my clutched weapons.

    "You''ll never cease to impress me," Vincent chuckled as the smoke filled the room. "Do as you will," he grinned before disappearing into the maw of darkness. "Fight until yourst breath. Struggle till the very bitter end. Just like ''he'' did."

    Vincent''s molten gaze vanished into the fog, leaving me with the lingering fear his words instilled. I caged my unease, stuffing it deep down into the depths of my subconscious.

    When I came to, Vincent''s magic had already enshrouded the entirety of the room. ''Can''t see a damn thing,'' I squinted in futility.

    My sight was rendered worthless, and the stench of grime-coated pennies filled the room. Between the littered bodies and blood mist, smelling anything else was an impossible task.

    Bumbling through the dark was a surefire way to meet the reaper, so I had one sense left at my disposal: my hearing.

    I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, listening for even the slightest disturbance in the silence.

    The tap of a footstep, the shuffling of a corpse, the clinking of a sword on hardwood; I scrutinized the room in apprehension for Vincent''s first strike.

    A minute passed; nothing.

    Another sped by; still nothing.

    However, by the third, the faint creak of wood sounded at my back. I tried to evade with a sidestep, but my reactions weren''t sufficient. A searing pinch in my side halted my effort.

    ''Ah...shit!'' I inwardly griped. Angling my gaze down, I saw a slick crimson sheen dripping down from a rapier''s de as it jutted outward from my flesh.

    In one fluid movement, my assant ripped the sword out, grinding it against my ribcage and squelching flesh as it left.

    My body trembled, begging me to scream in frustration, but I inhaled my profanities and spun around, ready for a counterattack. Yet there was nothing; just a wall of swirling shadows met my challenge.

    ''So that''s the game we''re ying?'' I scowled and pressured my wound. Vincent appeared to be nning to weaken me through repeated pokes and prods until he could deliver a decisive blow for victory.

    "So much for the ''swift death,'' huh?" I snarked into the void.

    The void answered back.

    "I apologize, Sir Sato," Vincent said from within the mist, "but you''ve proven yourself as quite a capable adversary. Reckless maneuvers against you would only waste energy and time."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Oh yeah? Thanks for thepliment," my lips curved to smirk in sarcasm.

    ''What the hell do I do, though?'' I internally questioned.

    Thanks to the blinding veil, running for cover was futile. Vincent would catch and convert my body into a pin cushion long before I made any progress.

    ''C''mon. Come at me,'' I angled my knives and assumed a wide stance. Ready to react on a moment''s notice.

    That moment came soon, rather several of them, as Vincentunched a string of vicious strikes.

    First, Vincent plunged his sword toward my neck, which I narrowly blocked with my des. I crossed them in an ''X,'' catching his sword. As our weapons made contact, the sh of metal echoed through the room. A high-pitched screech filled my ears as the des slid against each other with a grinding noise.

    Then, I pulled both knives inward, closing their edges in on each other and reflecting Vincent''s de outward in a resounding parry.

    "Well done," he calmly praised and retreated into the fog.

    ''The bastard is ying with me...'' I scowled through gritted teeth.

    Vincent held a condescending demeanor that only fueled my frustration, sending waves of anger coursing through my body. His seemingly aloof and detached aura made our bout seem as if he were calming an unruly hound, not fighting a trained killer.

    Next, he swiped for my opposite side, seemingly teleporting behind me within the mist. Reacting was impossible, leaving me argeceration wound on my upper back tomentter.

    Finally, he shed his rapier upward toward my right side, attempting to disarm me of a dagger...and my hand. Luckily, I managed a backstep and a retaliatory lunge, sticking the dagger''s de into his arm before ripping it out.

    Vincent leaped backward, disappearing again from view. Though I wounded him, I knew it wouldn''t be long before it regenerated.

    ''Me, on the other hand...'' I took a moment to focus on the heated swelling scattered across my body, ''I''m stuck with my wounds.''

    A growing dread filled my body, fueled by the sting of my cuts and injuries. So I took a slow inhale, then a slow exhale. ''Don''t panic; clear yourself. Cast out the unnecessary,'' I thought, trying to maintain a sense of calm within the turmoil.

    Once again, I closed my eyes, releasing everything that wouldn''t increase my chances of survival.

    I swept aside my frustrations like dust.

    I buried my physical pain deep within myself.

    I drowned out my emotions and thoughts, snuffing them out like a me in a downpour of rain.

    By the end, my flesh was an empty husk. I had extracted my consciousness from my body, focusing and projecting it outward in a small radius.

    The room was loud with silence once more as I awaited Vincent''s second strike. The only noise within was the thrum of my quickened heartbeat against my chest and my hushed breaths.

    Then, the tter of a sword to my left as Vincent nudged it along the floor.

    ''NOW!'' I roused my body into action.

 Chapter 110 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Six

    ?My eyes snapped in the direction of the noise, and I hoisted my knives forward for an attack. Only there was none, just more darkness.

    A creeping angst filled my mind, freeing the thoughts I tried so hard to shackle away. ''Shit, is he waiting? Is he attacking? Where is he? Goddamn, this smoke! SHOW YOURSELF!'' My eyes rapidly darted in every direction, and my breath quickened.

    When my thoughts were at their loudest, a powerful stimulus halted them. A new heat was pinpointed at a single section in my body, the side of my right leg.

    Vincent''s rapier deeply prated the skin and sinew of my ankles. Then, a sudden jolt of electric agony shot up my nerves as he tore it out.

    ''You son of a-'' I turned as my wounded leg buckled to its knee, swiping my knife in Vincent''s direction. Again, my attack missed its mark; its edge only splitting the fog ahead.

    ''Fuck! I''m getting tired of this!'' I clenched my teeth in anger, jerking my gaze in every direction. Though I tried to maintain a calm demeanor, paranoia and fury thwarted me.

    "C''mon, Sato. Get a grip!" I mumbled in a growl. My expression periodically twitched from the frustration rumbling inside. It was reaching a boiling point, threatening to assume control.

    ''Stay focused, stay calm,'' I repeated, willing the unruly beast within back to its cage.

    My exertion to maintain a rxed demeanor seeded but was ultimately pointless. ''Unless I can clear this fog, I might as well slice my wrists myself,'' I sighed with a tinge of hopelessness.

    From what I could tell, the mist was some mixture of his blood and magic. If that were the case, an intense heat would no doubt disperse the molecules and/or incinerate them...hopefully.

    That''s when an insane idea gued my mind. Not one I actively concocted but an afterthought of my subconscious. ''What if I used my affinity?''

    My heart tightened, and my mind dizzied. The fear of the notion spread weakness within my body like a foul disease. The sensation cascaded throughout my muscles in a series of apprehensive shivers.

    ''No way... There''s no way you can control it, you fool. No damn way!'' I snapped at myself, bringing one wrist to wipe the foolishness from my brow - it took the form of cold sweat.

    "I need another way," I gritted my teeth and shook my head, reconstructing my shaken resolve.

    Then, Vincent''s voice yanked me from my thoughts. "I truly do admire you, Sir Sato," he echoed from within the shroud.

    I threw up my knives in a panic to see the fog''s unaltered positioning. ''He''s not attacking?'' I skeptically twisted my head, scanning every direction.

    Vincent''s calm and suave demeanor sharply contrasted with my trembling as he spoke, "You''re terrified, I can tell. Your heart is racing, your breathing is erratic, and sweat soaks your skin to its entirety."

    I pivoted, analyzing the smoke surrounding me for Vincent. It was a fruitless endeavor since his voice seemed to bounce across the fog and obscure its origin.

    "Yet, even as death looms close... Even as your wounds drain your life away, drop by drop. Even as fear engulfs you like this fog, you remain unbroken. You are steadfast in your defiance. That is why you impress me."

    ''Might as well keep him talking...'' I thought, figuring it''d grant me time to search for my next move. I was steadily losing blood, so a battle of motionless attrition was a losing one.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Isn''t that obvious?" I retorted, moving from my spot and searching through the darkness for anything I could use. "I told you from the beginning that, no matter the chances, I''ll fight with all my might."

    "That you did. It''s just a tad difficult to believe."

    "Oh yeah? Why''s that?" I feigned interest while feeling my way across a wall. I hadn''t forgotten about the oddly silent three injured guards, so I ced my back on it and traveled opposite their direction. I simultaneously watched the smoke for any traces of movement.

    "It''s just..." Vincent continued. "There were many I''ve struck down, all of whom once shared your sentiment. However, when they faced the prospect of certain death, all faltered at that final moment."

    "Some begged for their lives, using their children''s and family''s wellbeing as a sort of ''moral shield.''"

    "Some panicked in rage, cursing me for my abilities and promising swift vengeance in the afterlife.

    "Some cried,menting their fate as one too soon, believing their youth granted them some form of invulnerability to life''s inevitability."

    "Is there a meaning to this?" I impatiently intoned, then found the room''s corner.

    "Of course," Vincent replied. "The point is: all were different, yet each bore the same failure - the failure to maintain that promise of unbreakable opposition. Only one other, that hero I spoke of, has defied that pattern. That''s why believing you would be any different is difficult."

    "Well, I do pride myself on going against the flow," I said sarcastically.

    "It would appear so," Vincent reservedlyughed. "It would appear so..."

    His voice faded. Then, he appeared from the shroud, lining up his rapier straight for my right eye.

    Luckily, I angled my knives upward, parrying his blow, followed by a volley of sparks and a resounding ng. His sword''s momentum carried it upward, eventually piercing something with a hollow thud.

    "Wonderfully executed," Vincent praised, then tore his rapier away, receding back to obscurity. "But you''ve backed yourself into a corner, Sir. And I can smell death on you. Your blood loss is palpable; I can taste it on my fangs. I imagine you must be feeling quite exhausted by now."

    "Exhausted? I''ve never felt better!" is what I said, but he was right. My body ached and stuttered from the wounding. Just the act of standing was taxing due to the leg wound I received in my ankle.

    Unless some streak of hope shined through this ckened void, this would truly be my final stand - the closing chapter to my second life.

    That''s when, by some miracle, hope literally shined through to banish the darkness. From Vincent''s small incision with his rapier, a bit of sunlight leaked through a window''s wooden boarding.

    That sole, lonely bright strand cut through the darkness with absolute precision, creating a small path through which I could see.

    Upon witnessing the phenomenon, I realized an important fact. I didn''t know why, I didn''t know how, but the sunlight... ''it clears the fog!''

 Chapter 111 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Seven

    ?That was it! That small streak of luminosity was my chance, my key to unseal my fate and change it! Sunlight affected Vincent!

    ''I''m living this,'' I squeezed my knives tight. I was fueled by a new vigor and an adrenaline rush, fading my pain away like a bad dream. ''Nothing will stop me now...''

    Though I made this resolution, Vincent was hellbent to see it end in mes. He, again, dashed forward, thrusting his rapier toward my chest.

    To his surprise, I matched his aggression with my own. Done was my limitation of pure defense.

    My muscles tensed as our des shed, a symphony of sparks lighting up the darkness like fireworks. Our weapons trembled and ttered from the friction as I threw my weight into Vincent with every ounce of strength I had left.

    My best efforts still weren''t enough; Vincent remained unfazed and carefree.

    The distance between our faces shortened. Mine was primed with a fervent determination to win, while his was calm with a royal''s elegance.

    "An aggressive lunge? You seem a tad more confident than before..." Vincent hummed with intrigue.

    "I was always confident," I curled my lips in a smile, revealing my clenched teeth.

    Though my tone was steadied and my eyes unwavering, I felt a bead of angst-filled sweat trickling down my cheek. I knew I had to focus every fiber of my being to match Vincent''s superior strength and skill.

    He was my better in terms of raw power. However, his weapon of choice was hardly the right call for a clench match. Rapiers weren''t meant for direct shes. I exploited that, and shed him backward with my daggers.

    Then, I bolted backward with that moment of respite, impaling one knife into the boarded window. I tore the board from its rusty nail rooting. The wood crackled as I exposed the room to a thick pir of sunlight.

    My theory was proven correct when the light instantly vindicated any molecule of fog in its wake. It created a perfect but small tunnel that cut diagonally downward through the darkness.

    Like the fog, my goal became clear: destroy all obstructions blocking the windows and expose the room to the light outside.

    Vincent''s presence was revealed after the veil dispersed. He stood in the sunlight with a look caught between surprise and inconvenience. "I told them..." he sighed with a hint of irritation. "I told them to remove those windows..."

    "I suppose this is my blunder for relying on a few farmhands and backwater guardsman," Vincent brought a hand to his brow and shook it in disappointment.

    "No use worrying about it now. In fact, you should worry about yourself," I smirked, then inverted one dagger in my hand. "Here Ie, don''t expect me to hold back."

    "I wouldn''t dream of it," Vincent bowed slightly, then angled his rapier for another series of fast jabs.

    A moment of serenity passed between us; it was the calm before the storm. A droplet of blood dripped from my side wound, its patter against the hardwood heralding the beginning - the beginning of our fight''s climax.

    With knives raised and confidence surging, I charged forward, determined to find and clear the fog impairing my vision. Despite the darkness making it impossible to find the windows, I refused to let that deter me. I''d drive Vincent back and tirelessly search for each until sunlight illuminated the room to its entirety.

    Our sh began a brief momentter. Thanks to the sunlight, I was able to detect Vincent''s movements and hold my own.

    Flying sparks, deep resonant ngs, and the screeching of friction illuminated our bout.

    Vincent thrust his de for my wounded side. I responded with a sidestep and a high swipe of my leg for his upper body.

    In a disy of elegance, Vincent pivoted, facing the opposite direction of my attack, and ducked. Upon my leg''s passing, he spun around, using the momentum to sh the razor''s edge of his rapier for my neck.

    I backpedaled, narrowly evading the rapier''s tip as it nced the Adam''s apple of my throat. Though the injury was slight, a thin stream of blood trickled out, diluting with the sweat coating my skin as it trailed down my neck.

    "I think I''m starting to get a grasp of how you fight," I smirked, taunting Vincent between my strained breaths.

    "It wouldn''t surprise me," Vincent shrugged. "Your proficiency with the dagger far exceeds what I expected!"

    We circled each other. During that time, I carefully studied Vincent''s movements, looking for any openings. ''He may be a vamp- fullkin, but even he has to make mistakes,'' I thought, before we closed in for another heated engagement.

    Vincent was a nimble opponent, his rapier shed through the air with deadly precision. Still, I blocked it with a single knife, scattering his momentum with a sh.

    ''Maybe this''ll work,'' I jabbed my knife for his sword wielding side.

    Vincent, like an immovable wall, promptly assumed an unbreakable guarding stance against my attack.

    ''It did,'' I smirked, revealing my attack to be a clever feint. I stopped my thrust mid-strike and swiped it horizontally, aiming for his opened nk.

    Vincent was ready for me. Despite my best effort, he caught my knives with his rapier, swirling it in small circles to disperse my momentum. He knocked me backward, using his weapon''s superior reach to deflect my oing blows.

    I growled to myself in frustration, feeling a passionate anger filling my insides. ''I need to break through!'' The sound of my teeth grinding apanied my irritation as I searched for a strategy to gain the upper hand.

    So I powered through. Using my daggers, I captured his jabs, swipes, and thrusts before shing them away. With each sessful parry, I closed the distance between the two of us, bit by bit. Then, for just a moment, an opening was revealed. Vincent became tunnel visioned on defending his left side.

    ''NOW!'' I inwardly shouted and roused myself into action. Vincent''s momentary distraction was all I needed as I spun on my heel. I brought my dagger down in a powerful arc towards his head.

    The opportunity was quickly sealed.

    Using his lightning-fast reflexes, Vincent deflected my blow and lunged toward me with his rapier, aiming for my wounded side. I poured forth all of my strength into my legs to leap away from his strike. The sharp burn from the tip of his de grazed my skin.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Though hended a ncing blow, I was given another chance. A shot to even the scores.

    Vincent was recovering from his thrust, so I knew I had to act quickly. Iunched a series of swift shes and stabs, forcing him to give ground. With a burst of energy, I mmed the hilt of my dagger into his gut.

    My blow forced its way into his gut, squelching his organs and cracking a rib along the way. Vincent stumbled backward as the full force was transferred into him.

    For a few priceless seconds, Vincent was stunned. I quickly took advantage of the opportunity for a mad dash. My goal: back to the wall to open another portal for the daylight to seep through.

    Vincent recovered quickly though, and he was hot on my heels.

    I turned to face him in sudden retaliation. He pulled his weapon-wielding arm back and jabbed for me. Evading with a hastened duck, his rapier''s tip passed just overhead. Then, while crouching, I sliced my daggers upward in an "X." A gush of ck blood sprayed forth.

    I leaped backward, then hoisted my leg up for another high kick. The soles of my shoe pressed into Vincent''s chest, forcing him backward and putting some distance between us.

    ''Gotta keep looking!'' I growled and continued my search for more windows.

    A few moments of bumbling through the darkness and I soon found the next one.

    With the same action as before, I freed the obstruction blocking the ss. The light shined through, obliterating more of the darkened fog and lighting up another section of the room.

    ''One down,'' I tiredly smirked, then returned my attention to Vincent.

    Startling me from my confidence, the ground rumbled and vibrated with a tectonic fury. Because of it, several other windows had broken, freeing the dungeon of more fog.

    When the shaking ceased, I was left with one thought. ''What the hell was that?''

    Vincentughed, then shrugged with a smile. "Yourpatriots and my sister seem to be getting rowdy..."

    "That was them?" I mumbled with surprise. The magnitude of the trembling could''ve easily been attributed to an earthquake. Yet... "They did that?"

    "Indeed! I can only hope my sister has found some enjoyment in them."

    "Well," I shed my knife, "I''ll be sure to check after I''ve defeated you."

    "Such confidence," Vincent raised his rapier, ready for another bout.

    That said, I raced toward him, empowered by the confidence of my first victory. My reactions, movements, and attack strategy; everything seemed oddly sharper.

    At first, my assault went well. I held my own against Vincent''s onught of parrying, jabbing, and thrusts. Just barely, anyway.

    However, that all changed when the wound in my leg worsened. The adrenaline masked the pain, but I was still bleeding profusely. With the amount of blood loss I suffered from, the consequence was obvious.

    ''Not now!'' I clenched my teeth, trying to fight through it.

    Unfortunately, I failed, and my leg buckled under weakness, exposing my chest to Vincent''s thrust. His rapier forced its way through my flesh, splitting my skin by like butter to a hot knife and missing my heart by the width of a coin.

    The air in my gut rushed outward, leaving my body through my gaping mouth. Vincent ripped his de out, and I staggered backward, clutching my wound with shortened breaths.

    I stumbled backward, only to copse onto the hard floor with a sickening thud.

    Blood seeped from my wounds, making the world swim before my eyes. My limbs felt like lead, impossible to twitch, let alone move. Each breath came in ragged gasps, as if my lungs were failing me.

    Everything spun out of control while my vision blurred and my consciousness wavered.

    Yet, my thoughts remained unbroken. ''I... I won''t die...''

    "I''ll admit you were a fantastic fighter, Sir," Vincent praised while flourishing his de.

    ''...I won''t die...''

    "It''s almost a shame... No... It IS a shame I can''t recruit you into my fold. You''re a wasted warrior, one who would''ve served the House of Graves well."

    ''I won''t die!''

    Vincent exhaled in dejection, then began a steady approach. "I suppose I''ll have to make do with your corpse once I convert it into a thrall." He held a victor''s poise. His shoulders were rxed, his spine straightened, and his eyes narrowed on mine.

    ''I WON''T DIE!''

    Vincent towered over me, rapier raised and pointed downward for an executioner''s blow.

    There was no other choice now. I had to confront the demons that slept within the depths of my soul. My body knew this, too. That was why it instinctively drew in dozens of fast-swirling red orbs, despite the gut-wrenching fear from my phobia

    "I. WON''T. DIE!!!" I shouted, my body exploding in a deadly, bright inferno.

 Chapter 112 Sato Vs Vincent, Part Eight

    ?My affinity burst forth from my body in a small explosion, knocking Vincent backward and giving my form a sweltering red aura. Now that my body was a gateway to the pyres of Hell, a grand congration poured forth. It incinerated every bit of fog in its wake.

    The destruction created a rain of ck kes. Each fell and swirled around the roaring ze before settling onto the scorched hardwood floor.

    I managed to preserve the clothing covering my lower half, but the portion attached to my upper body was reduced to ashes. In this situation, I couldn''t care.

    Even my phobia, though it coursed through my veins with a nauseating pressure, became negligible. My fears, my cynicism, my pessimism, all of the unnecessary; it burned away to nothingness.

    The only thing left, the only thing that mattered, was my will to live, my unbreakable desire toplete my mission.

    I cast my gaze on Joseph''s unmoving body and made a promise. ''Dead or alive, I''m bringing you home.''

    "What''s this?" Vincent paced forward with calm interest; his sheath-wielding hand brought to his chin in contemtion. "If I''m not mistaken, you only arrived a few weeks ago. Three, I believe? So, when did you get an opportunity to learn pyromancy?"

    Answering him was difficult. A dozen sensations had filled my flesh and mind, threatening my sanity with total sensory overload.

    I managed a quick, snappy response through clenched teeth. "I didn''t..." I stopped and hunched over, wrapping my arms around my throbbing stomach as if to hold myself together.

    A welling of overwhelming energy grew within my body. The power detonated, transforming me into a living bomb. The release of energy was grand; it took the form of a dozen ming strands akin to miniature sr res.

    "Woah, I suppose I should keep my distance!" Vincentughed and took a few paces back. "It''s odd, normally a fire mage of such capacity can control themselves. Did you skip training your aether control?"

    Through clenched teeth, I strained a chuckle. "Training? I had none of that. It''s my talent, I guess." The irony of a soldier with pyrophobia gaining a unique affinity to me forced yet anotherugh from my burning lungs.

    "Is... Is that true? A talent? For fire?" Vincent stood motionless and expression agape at my assertion. For the first time since our meeting, his demeanor of condescending superiority had vanished. Instead, there was only shock.

    "I-I can''t believe it..." Vincent stumbled backward,ing to terms with the information. "You''re saying you have an affinity for fire?"

    "That''s right," I affirmed and raised a hand toward him, swirling yellow mes enveloping it like a second skin. "But you''ll find out all about it soon." I whipped my arm toward him. The motion stripped a wide scythe of fire from my skin, hurling it toward Vincent.

    Vincent twisted his waist and leaned diagonally, causing my me to pass just overhead. I expected him to dodge, but my gesture was more meant as a method of intimidation than an actual attack, anyway.

    I''m not sure if it was the ze enveloping me, but my blood boiled as a seething desire to rush Vincent, to end the pointless banter and, hopefully, his life, tugged at my mind. However, it took all I had to temper the me.

    I had to stifle its growth and keep my growing inferno from consuming the room. Beyond toppling the entire house over my head, I also wanted to avoid charring Joseph''s corpse, who was a mere few feet away. There was a civilian in the mix, too, in regards to the woman in the cell.

    If I were to act impulsively and attack, there was no telling the consequences.

    Vincent continued, but his reaction wasn''t what I expected. Rather than a face contorted by despair or fear, his was one of boisterous amusement. "That''s... That''s amazing!" he eximed, his voice filled with wonder and excitement. "Oh, how intriguing fate''s machinations are!"

    "Wha-What are you talking about?!" I growled, clenching my muscles tight to keep my affinity''s turbulence from spiraling out of control.

    "I''m talking about this! About you!" Vincent outstretched his arms, gesturing to me. "In a grand rey of tragedy andedy, history is repeating itself!"

    "Yet again, Ms. d has chosen a pawn too unruly to control. One with the same desperate determination to survive. One with the same fire affinity, no less! Her ambitions of peace will end the exact same way...in cinders!"

    "It''s just too funny!" Vincent dropped his sheath and brought the newly free hand to his forehead, angling it toward the ceiling with a fit of unreservedughter. "I... I can''t wait to see how this all ys out!"

    The floor and ceiling suddenly caught fire from the heat in the midst of Vincent''s cackling. The me''s hunger spewed out gusts of ckened smoke, recing the fog with a throat-burning carbon monoxide.

    ''Shit, I can''t control it forever!'' my eyes faltered, and my head throbbed sharply. The blood loss and wounding alone were enough to cripple me. Add in the chaotic, ming helix that I struggled so hard to hold back; it was a miracle I hadn''t faded from consciousness.

    ''I need to end it now!'' is what I thought as my eyes locked onto Vincent. He had the same oue in mind, albeit with a different means of arriving at it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well, that''s enough for now, don''t you agree?" Vincent nonchntly asserted while hoisting his hollowed cane and returning his rapier to its sheath.

    "W..." I stopped, lost in confusion at his words. "What? What do you mean?"

    "Why exactly, as it sounds," Vincent smiled. "I''ve developed quite an interest in you, so ending your life no longer seems prudent. Besides," he shifted his gaze to the huddled woman in the only locked cell''s corner, "she''s of no significance. We have plenty more." Vincent shrugged before turning toward the stairs.

    "So you''re running? After all the threats to end my life, you just...flee?" I inquired with a strained voice. It crackled from the smoke inhtion and exhaustion.

    Without moving his body, Vincent swiveled his face toward me. He replied, "I suppose I am. You see, I''ve be invested in your story, Sir Sato. How you develop from here will be quite the intrigue."

    "Will you rock the world at its foundations? Change it for the better? For the worse? Or will you die in pitiful obscurity?" his eyes shed with a bright flicker of excitement. "Oh, how I long to find out!"

    Another fit of satisfied and giddyughter emanated from him before he turned away. However, for a brief moment, his voice returned to its ominous calmness. "Don''t disappoint me, Sir Sato... It isn''t often I allow an opponent to live."

    "Allow me to live?" I scoffed. "I think you''re giving yourself too much credit. I think this is the point where the tables turned," I finished by gesturing with my mes.

    "Is that so? I''d encourage you to keep a more vignt eye on your wounds, then, Sir Sato." Though I couldn''t see his face, Vincent''s tone gave away the smirk he must''ve held.

    ''Wounds?'' I averted my gaze downward to see a flood of ck mist pouring from my body''s injuries. Though the fire had burned it away the moment of its exit, there was no mistaking it.

    During the fight, Vincent''s blood mist had crept into my flesh, filling my insides to the brim. ''What the hell did he have nned?!'' I thought, rmed.

    "Care to tell me what you were nning, Graves the Coward?" I mocked as he motioned up the staircase.

    He stopped, nearly out of view, and chuckled. "Graves the Coward...huh?" he paused, his voice bing forlorn. "Quite a nostalgic way you''ve addressed me, if I must say... It''s been many years since anyone used that title. Four hundred or so, if I had to guess."

    ''Four...hundred years?'' I froze. ''But, the way Barik spoke... He made it seem like he was in the same war as Graves. Does that mean Barik''s...''

    Once again, the question popped into my mind. "Who the hell are you, Barik?" I mumbled to myself with growing suspicion.

    "I bid you farewell, Sir." Vincent interrupted. Within a moment, he was gone. He dashed up the stairs and promptly retreated.

    Now, my onlypany was reduced to the dead, the huddling woman in the cell, my massive slew of questions, and my mes. I fell to my burning hands and knees, unable to process everything. ''Vincent? ns? Mist? Barik? What the HELL is going on?!''

    The crackle of embers snapped behind me and my paranoia activated.

    I shot skeptical res in every direction, fully expecting a new surprise to dash out and confront me. However, there was nothing.

    The only potential issue left, the three wounded guards, was negligible. All three were slumped over, unconscious or dead.

    Yet, my victory provided nofort. That''s because, without the threat of death to distract me, all my woes and personalplexities came flooding back, including my pyrophobia.

    I stared at my immted arms with eyes widened in horror. Then, averting my gaze upward, I saw the ceiling had been consumed by a luminous ze. Charred debris, smoke, and cinders dropped down, pelting my body.

    Feeling the heat wrapping my skin, my breathing became uneven and uncontrolled.

    ''Get it off...'' I shook my arms fervently.

    ''Get it off!'' I panicked, thrashing my arms and even rolling into pools of blood, hoping the liquid would douse the mes.

    When my efforts failed, full-blown terror took control. "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

 Chapter 113 Sato Vs Vincent, Conclusion

    ?The world around me seemed to be crumbling as I stood in the room. The ceiling, illuminated by a cascade of mes, was copsing, and the wooden beams and load-bearing pirs were disintegrating into dust.

    I became light-headed, but not as a consequence of smoke inhtion. No, my dizzy, nauseous frenzy was solely due to the mes glued to my skin. "Get it off me! For fuck''s sake, GET IT OFF!"

    A gout of cold water heeded my call, soaking me to the bone and snuffing out the me sticking to me. The forceful gush pushed me back, staggering my straight posture with overwhelming strength.

    When the flood ceased, I felt the cooling embrace of tranquility; I was free. ''Thank god,'' I brought a shaking hand to view and sighed a loud relief. "I''m oka-"

    "GET A MOVE ON!" a feminine voice echoed from behind me.

    I pivoted quickly, brandishing a knife toward whoever it was. Staring back at me was a sight for sore eyes. Her flowing purple-hued hair and azure eyes directly opposed the yellow-red growing inferno. A damp bandana obscured half of her face.

    "M-Mizuno?!" I stammered, confused. "You''re here?! Does that mea-"

    "There''s no time for questions!" she snapped, then threw a wet cloth in my face. "Put that on; there''s too much smoke in here."

    I followed her direction and tied the cloth around my face, covering my nose. My eyes and lungs burned from carbon monoxide exposure. I must''ve tuned out the sear from the smoke during my panic attack.

    "Where''s Joseph?" she inquired, then answered her own question when her eyes fell upon the still corpse strapped to a chair.

    "I-" I stopped and bit my bottom lip in frustration. "I couldn''t save him. I tried. I promise I tried."

    Mizuno, amongst the chaotic mes, stepped up to Joseph''s corpse with a pained expression. "You deserved better," she gave a mncholic smile and ced a palm on his cheek.

    She lifted a longsword in a sh and shed the bindings holding Joseph in ce. Mizuno then pointed out the woman cowering in the cell.

    She''d pulled a nket over herself, facing the furthest corner from us.

    "Free her. We''re taking her with us," Mizunomanded, hoisting Joseph onto her back.

    I had no reason to argue. We were here, and Joseph had given his life for her. The least I could do to honor his memory was save her from a gruesome death by cell and me.

    "Understood," I replied, then raced through the room to find the dead captain. ''If anyone has a key, it''d be him.''

    A few momentster, I found him. His skin was sick with pallor, and his overcoat ran red, soaked in a dark crimson.

    I turned the corpse over, my fingers shaking as I fumbled through his pockets, searching for a key. First, I checked his overcoat pockets but found only the smooth linen of the inside.

    "Damn...nothing," I griped, then quickly moved to rifle through the only other possible location; his waist-bound satchel.

    I took a deep breath in apprehension and reached for the small leather bag. ''You have to have a key. You have to,'' I hoped as I dug through the container. That''s when my fingers brushed past a familiar sensation.

    It was cold and metallic, smooth yet firm. Excitement coursed through me as I pulled out a polished, medieval key made from weathered iron. It was bound to arge metal ring, clinking and jingling as I fished it out.

    ''This is it!'' I thought, then sped toward the cell with a gnawing unease. The fire within the room was growing, and so was Mizuno''s impatience.

    "Hurry up! Barik can''t hold them off forever!" she griped while standing at the foot of the staircase.

    I stuck the key into the lock and twisted, hearing a deep clunk in response to my efforts. I applied some pressure, and the cell squealed open.

    "No... NO... STAY AWAY!" the woman turned with an expression twisted by distrust and horror. "I WON''T GO BACK THERE! I WON''T! JUST LEAVE ME BE!"

    Her widened, fearful eyes were akin to shimmering stars, golden as an untainted meadow.

    I had no time to calm her nerves or give exnations, so I slipped behind the woman, my training taking over as I executed a precise hold.

    A fine line existed between a lethal choke and a knockout, but my experience would carry me through, ensuring her safety during the maneuver.

    I wrapped my left arm around her neck, my forearm applying pressure to the sides of her throat to cut off the blood flow to her brain. With my right, I gently but firmly pressed against the back of her head, ensuring that she wouldn''t be able to escape or dangerously thrash.

    "L...et...g-" she rasped.

    "It''s okay. It''ll be okay. I''m sorry, there''s no other choice..." I assured while tightening my hold.

    She struggled and wed at my arm with her fingertips. Thin streaks of blood poured from my forearm as her fingernails dug in. I barely felt the sting, the rest of my body was already in agony. I held her steady, keeping her in the hold until her movements began to slow.

    "...et...o..." After a few seconds, her eyes lost focus, and her body went limp.

    ''I always hate doing that,'' I sighed, then released the hold to lower her to the ground gently. I used two of my fingertips and pressed them deep into the skin just below her jaw. ''Good, a pulse,'' I smiled in relief, then promptly hoisted the woman onto my back for an escape.

    I turned my head toward the three guards when I exited the cell. However, it was the growth of the consuming mes that I saw first. ''It''s not there... Just...think of something else!'' I closed my eyes as I approached the guards, envisioning everything that had once made me happy, or trying to.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Oddly enough, the sight I saw weren''t "puppies" or an endless rolling in. No, what greeted me as my innermost desire was the silence of darkness. I saw the void I had spent a few, blissful moments of existence in.

    Within the darkness, I was detached from worry... There was no more death, no more trauma, no more loss... I longed for that bliss. I longed to feel the tranquility and safety of nothingness once again. Yet, I no longer desired death, as I did back in my old world. This was a fresh start and I refused to pay my dream''s toll. I wanted both. I wanted life AND peace.

    With a falling bit of ashen wood, I came back to reality with a strange sensation of calm.

    I, again, fell my sights onto the guards. Before, I would''ve passed them by. Despite the gnawing self-loathing my subconscious would''ve subjected me to; I would''ve left them to their fates.

    "It''s for the best! They''re enemybatants, I have no responsibility for them," is what I would''ve told myself to ease my guilt.

    Yet, that wasn''t the case this time. No... Instead, I had a moment of inner reflection, a nagging shift in my thoughts that reduced my steps toward the staircase to the smallest paces.

    The moral conflict within me paralyzed my body, and I stood motionless, with a thousand thoughts swimming through my mind.

    "What are you doing? Let''s go!" Mizuno shouted, waving me forward.

    ''She''s right. What the hell are you doing, Sato?'' I asked myself. ''The steps are right there. Just go. Just a few more steps, and you could leave. Just a few more...''

    But then I saw Joseph''s lifeless body cradled on Mizuno''s back. He fought so hard to be a savior, so hard to uphold his naively stupid ideals.

    In some small way, though I still regarded him as a foolish liability, the distinct feeling of admiration for the kid gued my thoughts.

    ''It''s time to be better,'' I resolved.

    "Mizuno, go ahead without me. I''ll be right there."

    "WHAT?!" she widened her expression in surprise. "No, we need to go now! That''s an ord-" She stopped, seeing the fire filling my eyes. My resolve burned even brighter than the cinders filling the room.

    "What is it?" she hurriedly inquired.

    "Those three guards, they might still be alive."

    Mizuno cast an anxious nce to the three, then visibly relented. "Fine. But hurry the hell up!" Upon a sigh, she proceeded up the staircase.

    With that, I rushed to the three soldiers. I already had the woman at my back, so saving even one would be a struggle. All three were stationary and inactive, their heads and shoulders slumped over in death or unconsciousness.

    I pressed my fingers into each of their throats, searching for the thrumming of life.

    I checked the first; no pulse.

    The second; already growing cold amidst the mes.

    Then I moved to the third. It was the only one of the three who had remained silent during my fight with their captain - the only one who genuinely seemed to care for the fallen.

    "C''mon, be alive," I growled. "Be alive."

    A moment passed with no response to my prodding. However, I pressed deeper and felt a faint but distinct beat against my callused fingertip. ''Thank god,'' I sighed, the apprehension within me defusing to relief.

    Time was short, so I threw the guard''s arm over my neck and shuffled up the stairs from the burning basement.

    "This...is nothing," I clenched my teeth, stumbling over my steps as I carried the weight of two grown adults.

    Several momentster, I''d made little progress up the stairs to freedom. My body cried out in exhaustion as I hauled myself upward.

    "Just one more," I tiredly repeated to myself as I ascended. "Just one more."

    Several unsteady stepster, the light from the surface shone brightly, only inhibited by the plumes of smoke pouring upward past me.

    The moring of metal nging, shouts, ominous titanic roars, and rumbling earth met my desperate efforts to escape as I closed in on the dungeon''s exit.

    I was out of breath and running on empty in terms of strength. ''I need to rest,'' I thought, nearly giving into my fatigue. However, my captain roused me from my weakness.

    "HURRY UP, SATO!" Mizuno screamed in desperation. "WE HAVE TO GO!"

    ''You try carrying two people with a slew injuries,'' I chuckled, then smashed my teeth together.

    I groaned loudly, finally ascending thest step to the outdoors.

    "JUST... ONE... MORE!"

 Chapter 114 The Fight Outside, Part One

    ?***Barik POV***

    Upon evading another of my attacks, Lilia grinned with spine-chilling malice. "It makes no difference he got away, you know! He''ll die to my brother anyway!"

    She lunged toward me, cackling and training the tips of her small but sturdy, natural ws toward my body.

    In response, I mmed my fist into the ground with all my might. The gravel around the impactunched into the air and pelted my face. After a quick charge, I caused a seismic shift in the stone below.

    Arge granite wall heeded my call, shooting upward through crackling soil to bar the path between Lilia and me.

    Assuming my blockade would buy a few moments of respite, I turned to Mizuno to form a n of action; we still had to draw this girl away from the carriage.

    "Captain! We nee-" I was interrupted by a distinct orange-hot glow forming like searing paint in the center of the brown-gray stone canvas.

    The heated area exploded inward in a cascade of molten fragments, leaving a massive hole from which Lilia could burst through.

    ''Not another one,'' I sighed when I noticed her method of breaking through. Once a perfect illusion depicting a girl enshrouded by a calm me, her red clothing was now literally cloaked in a roaring fire. ''Another me user...''

    "You didn''t think you''d keep me out with that, did you?!" she excitedly giggled in mid-air, her passion matching her inmed appearance.

    "No, but a smith can hope," I chuckled, then gathered stone around my arm, forming a thick te of stone to wield, a tower shield made from Gaia''s crust.

    My reaction was timely. When I finished my creation, Lilia lunged at me, assaulting my protective guard with inmed ws.

    Liliaughed with a passionate battle frenzy, striking against my guard over and over and leaving long streaks of ck against my shield. Plumes of smoke rose after every collision.

    The smell of charred dirt filled my nostrils, forcing my eyes to tear up from the smoke. However, that was my slightest concern. Lilia''s repeated attacks were heating the stone around my arm from cold to hot to searing hot.

    ''Ah, fuck!'' I winced while my arm was lightly cooked.

    Still, I kept my guard through the pain. "This... This is nothing. This is nothing," I repeated through gritted teeth, pretending my arm wasn''t being seared inside a block of heated stone.

    Lilia pushed me backward with her power, steadily forcing me to lose ground as my heels scraped bit by bit against the gravel below. Still, I remained unbroken.

    "You''ll have to try harder than that!" I chuckled, despite my precarious situation.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Mizuno''s approach. She was moving with the speed and grace of a predator, her swords crackling with electric power. Trailing quickly behind her were several floating orbs of crystal water.

    ''This is it! Time to earn your keep, old man!''

    I dropped my il and ducked beneath my shield. Then, to aid Mizuno, I nted my free hand firmly into the ground below and started gathering a stockpile of brown energy for a synergized attack.

    Meanwhile, I diverted some to my shield, causing spikes to eject outward and distract Lilia from my true motives.

    "That won''t work, you know!" she giggled from the other side of my barrier.

    Though I couldn''t see her from behind the shield, I could FEEL Mizuno''s presence. Her every step closer made my skin, flesh, and very bones tingle to their core. The smallest follicle of hair on my body stood on end, almost in anticipation of her arrival.

    I was experiencing the static before the strike, and Mizuno was the lightning.

    After a second dy, a massive, curved stone cage sprung up from the ground, falling rock apanying its arrival. The tips at the top mmed together at a midpoint, capturing Lilia like a rabbit in a snare and cloaking her in its shadow.

    "What''s this?" Lilia''s grin vanished as she stared at her imprisonment. She turned upon hearing the light thuds of hastened footsteps behind her.

    "Your end," Mizuno coolly asserted with a killer''s re. At that moment, her water orbsunched into the cage. The liquid projectiles exploded and sshed against the cage''s interior. Everything, including Lilia, was doused until it waspletely soaked.

    Lilia''s clothing hung low and heavy from the absorbed water, and her mes were extinguished to smokey remnants. She looked on in intrigue and fear while witnessing Mizuno leap in to deliver the final blow.

    Mizuno''s eyes, as cold as a winter storm, remained fixed on Lilia as she plunged her longswords into the ground. With a swift movement, Mizuno unleashed the full power of a localized storm through the embedded des of her swords, causing the air to crackle with energy.

    Blue strands of power chaotically danced and buzzed as they bounced and shot across several water trails. The energy followed the liquid pathid out for it until it filled the cage with dozens of crackling arcs.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "AGHHHHHHH," Lilia''s shrill scream echoed across the homestead as fractal burns assailed her body. Each of her muscles twitched and jerked, and her once wless but pale skin became singed ck.

    "I''LL KILL YOU!" Lilia shrieked as she became an unwilling electrical conduit.

    I quickly regrouped with Mizuno on the other side of the cage, breathing heavily but relieved our victory might''ve been in sight.

    Standing next to Mizuno, we both cast forlorn stares at Lilia while witnessing her suffering.

    Though our attack worked, it was a harrowing sight to see it in action. To behold a woman burning alive from the inside out wasn''t something that inspired a feeling of pride.

    "It''s horrible, isn''t it?" I turned to Mizuno and spoke, my voice nearly drowned out by the screams. "The things war forces us to do, it''s...horrible."

    Mizuno, without turning her head, exchanged brief eye contact with me. "It is..." she replied. Her words, though few, were filled with boundless regret.

    However, something unexpected happened, pulling the both of us from our woes.

    Lilia''s screams of agony soon subsided. Recing them was a furious, malicious fit ofughter. Apanying herugh, her body appeared to be rapidly regenerating as quickly as it burned. The skin that bubbled off and stripped from the searing was rapidly revitalizing and repairing.

    "She''s...healing?!" I eximed with shock. Mizuno and I, both, took several wary steps backward.

    In all my years fighting war after war, never had I witnessed regenerative powers so potent, barring the Sun Elves of the Aureus ins. Hers were even greater than the health tonic in my possession.

    Lilia''s rage boiling over, she locked her gaze on Mizuno and me. Her fangs bared as she spat out a deadly threat. ''...kill you... I''ll kill you... I''LL KILL YOU BOTH!''

    In a furious burst of power, the cage exploded into a mix of steam and fire. Both spewed out with the force of an overheated forge, scorching everything in every direction.

    "GET BEHIND ME!" I shouted to Mizuno and raised my shield.

    She followed mymand just as a torrent of fire surged forth, pluming around us with the force of a tidal wave.

    "Agh, SHIT!" I growled and winced, feeling my arm move from first-degree to second-degree burns.

    Thanks to the omnidirectional assault of Lilia''s mes, the homestead''s porch ignited.

    "OH GODDDDD!" an unknown voice cried out.

    I averted my gaze to the homestead to see the porch had be a burning cage that entrapped several soldiers, not including dozens of workers, who, at this point, were rushing out to confront us or flee.

    The crier was amongst the first on the stairs, this was obvious by the gnawing me consuming his body. "HELP ME! SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP ME!"

    But none of his allies did, they left him alone to deal with the inferno as it reduced his life to ashes. His fate was all but certain. Or it was, before a gout of water sshed around him, extinguishing the mes to smoke.

    I turned to see a focused Mizuno. Her eyes were narrowed at the once ignited man.

    "Saving an enemy in battle?! I didn''t know you were a softie, Captain!'' I chuckled, shouting through the roar of passing mes.

    "It''s not important. Eyes front!" shemanded.

    "Aye, Ma''am!" I promptly returned my attention forward, holding back the tide of fire and winces, trying to ignore the searing pain centered in my shield-bearing arm.

    A few moments passed, and the rush of inferno around Mizuno and me dissipated.

    We both looked beyond the shield to see Lilia standing amongst the carnage. Her eyes glowed as hot as the embers below but soon fell to their original hue as the cage crumbled and exposed her to sunlight.

    Once charred ck and seemingly damaged beyond repair, Lilia''s skin was again wlessly pale. However, that miraculous healing did little to calm her anger.

    "I hope you''re both ready; I''m going to tear you both to shreds now..." She red with a furious grin as devouring mes encased her body like a suit of writhing armor.

 Chapter 115 The Fight Outside, Part Two

    Behind Lilia, the homestead zed with growing mes, consuming the first and second floors in a dancing disy of immtion and smoke.

    A dozen guards flooded out from the incinerating structure, scrambling to safety as scorched debris rained down from above.

    After being hit, the soldiers looked confused as they dusted themselves off. Then, within a moment, they grabbed their weapons and moved to confront Mizuno and me.

    Meanwhile, Lilia''s face twisted into a fierce smile. "I hope you''re ready... Because I am!" She lunged forward with astonishing speed, gliding across the floor toward me.

    "I''ll kill you first!" She outstretched her dagger-like ws, poised to strike.

    "We''ll see about that," I gruffly retorted. My knees buckled as I raised my guard, ready for a sh.

    In a snap decision, I opted for an attack I knew was effective against agile opponents. ''If this can kill a skydrake,'' I gritted my jaw and unleashed a defensive offense, ''it''s gotta do something to you!''

    The surface of my magic stone-made shield began to shift and transform, hundreds of small stone fragments molding into shape and exploding outward in a deadly volley. The projectiles created a symphony of distorted whistling through the air as they streaked toward my opponent.

    But I didn''t stop there.

    cing my il-wielding hand firmly on the ground in a fist, I focused a portion of my energy on replenishing the shield''s mass. A surge of power pumped rippled through the gravel surrounding my palm.

    A fresh supply of stone began coiling into my shield, making it stronger than ever before.

    "Ha! Pointless!" Lilia cackled.

    Pointless it was.

    The rock, upon contact with her armor of me, melted and cracked under the heat''s pressure. What used to be deadly sharp projectiles scattered away as molten dust.

    Lilia was undeterred by my assault and upon me in seconds. "It''s my turn!"

    Sheunched a relentless attack that boasted the power of a firestorm. Though I had my shield lifted, her strikes each detonated with the force of a small explosion.

    "Do you n to block all day?!" she giggled while whittling away at my shield''s surface. "I won''t let you!"

    The intensity of her attack pressed further as a series of cracks began to snake through my shield.

    ''Agh...dammit. It''s not...going to hold!'' I gritted my teeth, trying to stand my ground. However, a few more hits from her barrage were all it took to send me spiraling backward.

    My heels scraped against the pebbles beneath me as I struggled to remain upright.

    As soon as I came to a stop, my shield crumbled away, leaving my arm exposed to the elements. My tender skin amplified any stimulus, causing me to flinch at even the slightest touch.

    The sun''s rays bore down on me, adding to the difort of the cool breeze that blew past. I felt a simultaneous burning and shivering sensation shoot up my arm as if my nerves were being electrocuted.

    Thankfully, my experience as a cksmith had given me plenty of exposure to burns, and I could tell that this was a rtively minor one. After all, nothingpares to the feeling of hot coals identally sshing onto your skin!

    ''I wonder if she''s doing any better?'' I nced toward Mizuno. She had problems of her own.

    Arge troop of guards from the inmed homestead had her entirely surrounded, all rushing her with simultaneous attacks. ''Guess she''s a little busy.''

    "We''re not finished!" Lilia shouted, drawing my attention with a maniacal grin. "Not even close!" She leaped in and swiped her ws straight for the throat.

    My warrior''s instincts took over, and I hopped backward. Her ws singed the tips of my beard''s gray hair, scorching it ck and frayed. A fire ignited in it, to which I hastily pped my hand to stifle it.

    ''That was close,'' I sighed.

    There was no time for rest. Lilia thrust her arm forward, but I was already a step ahead, ducking and charging past her. I pivoted on my heel to face her, mming my hands t on the ground as I moved.

    Lilia growled in frustration and swiveled around toward me. "You can''t evade fore-" she began, but her arrogance made her blind to my next move.

    I''d already formed a massive stone pir by the time shepleted her turn.

    It shot forward like a piston, hammering into Lilia''s gut with instantaneous force. It hurled her backward over a dozen meters through the air. A momentter, she finally crashed through the front door of a nearby structure.

    As I watched her go, I couldn''t help but sigh. "I better be careful," I muttered. She had smashed into the warehouse adjacent to the one my golems were stashed in. ''That would''ve ended the n real quick.''

    The impact kicked up a cloud of smokey debris, obscuring my vision. ''Now, let''s see if my attack did anything,'' I stepped forward and squinted.

    From the cloud of darkened dust and shadow, I gleaned her movements. They were staggered and clearly injured, but the fullkin wasn''t defeated like I''d hoped.

    "I suppose it wouldn''t be that easy," I grumbled.

    ''How are things on the Captain''s end, I wonder...'' I turned toward Mizuno with the hopes she was making more progress than I was.

    As it turned out, she was.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Several dead soldiers alreadyy scattered across the ground in pools of their own crimson. However, there were plenty more.

    The caste of guards surrounding Mizuno still boasted a considerable numbers advantage. Patches of ash tainted the metal ting of their leather armor. Its once lustrous shine had been corrupted by charred ck streaks.

    "Get ''er, you dolts! It''s just one measly girl!" a guard shouted while raising a studded two-handed mace. nged metal lined the weapon''s head; it added a sharp finish to its already deadly force. "Follow my lead, and we''ll kill the bitch!"

    He raced to Mizuno from behind. Following a mighty wind-up, the soldier cleaved his weapon in a wide horizontal arc for her head. Likewise, two others were rushing for simultaneous blows.

    One crept low with their charge, attempting to pierce her right rib area with a shortsword. The other was training a crossbow shot straight for her chest from the left side.

    Their formation was triangr in nature, surrounding Mizuno for a synergized attack.

    "Oh, that''s not good..." I shook my head and sighed.

    The mace-wielder went first. His mace strode through the air to dome Mizuno''s temple.

    However, his shouting had given him away.

    Mizuno ducked and spun around, her swords outstretched. The edges of her longswords deeplycerated his lower abdomen. A gout of blood spilled out as he howled in guttural pain.

    He dropped his mace and hunched over, desperately trying to hold in his insides.

    ''...They''d need more than that to take out my Captain,'' I smirked while watching the rest of the chaos unfold.

    Meanwhile, the shortsword wielder was closing in at great speed. "You''ll pay for that!" he thrust his de forward.

    Mizuno caught the edge of his de with hers in an expert maneuver. Skidding sparks flew wildly in the air like a swarm of Ignus Flies before she shed him backward.

    "SHIT!" the shortsword guard bellowed in frustration.

    "I''ll cover you!" the crossbowman shouted. He prepared tounch a bolt straight into Mizuno''s chest.

    Her response was swift and efficient. She rolled over the still hunched-over guard''s back with hers, stabbing one of her longswords into the earth.

    She seized the mace-wielder''s neck and pulled him upright as the crossbowman squeezed the trigger. The bolt streaked through the air with incredible speed before burrowing deep into the mace-wielder''s side.

    He cried out in agony as the crossbowman gasped in shock. "No, no, I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to!" he panicked, but Mizuno left them no time to regret.

    Mizuno kicked the mace-wielder forward, crashing him into the crossbowman. Two more soldiers approached from behind as she retrieved her slightly embedded sword.

    Mizuno turned and quickly parried one of their flying des into the other''s weapon. She exploited that moment of vulnerability with a decisive move.

    Crossing her longswords, she swiped her des in a horizontal "X" and opposite directions. They both found their marks and cut deep into each guard''s neck.

    A spray of misty crimson rushed forth, dousing Mizuno''s dark purple hair, fair skin, and ck cloak red.

    Mizuno''s fight raged on, but Lilia had finally begun making her move. The fullkin''s eyes were dead on my position, zing with an untamed wildfire of anger.

    "Mizuno! I''m going ahead with the n!" I beckoned toward her, then toward the fields.

    "Wait! Take this!" she shouted from amongst the chaos she was stuck in.

    She evaded yet another flying bolt and burrowed one of her des into the lunging shortsword guard. She then used her free hand to fish out a deep blue potion and hurled it toward me in a perfect arc. "I''ll defend here! Don''t die on me!"

    "Understood, Captain!" I outstretched my arm to grab the vial. It quickly spiraled through the air. However, Lilia had already begun her rapid charge to interrupt me.

    "I''m going to kill you!" she snarled through clenched teeth. "You filthy Gebbran!!!"

    ''Gebbran?! How the hell does she know about that?!'' I stood with shock. Mizuno, too, shot a quick nce my way before returning to her fight.

    Lilia was nearly in attack range, so I ignored my unease and readied myself.

    "So, you finally made it?" I gruffly chuckled.

    "AGGGHHHHHH," she shrieked in response. "I hate you!"

    That next moment was crucial. I threw open my palm, barely grasping the vial by its bottom. By that time, Lilia was upon me. She shed and thrust her ws in a frenzy.

    ''This is why I wear sabatons,'' I smirked, kicking my toes into the gravel. After the swipe of my foot, a wave of stone followed.

    Lilia''s rage must''ve made her reckless. My attack crashed into her and knocked her backward once again. She did manage to dampen the blow with an attempt at evasion, but it wasn''t enough.

    ''Time to run!'' I thought as I hauled ass toward the front gate. Lilia''s banshee-like cries of rage followed me hot on my heels.

 Chapter 116 The Fight Outside, Part Three

    I sped toward the main gate, step after step, to escape the maw of fiery death behind me. The summer wind brushed past my face, causing my frayed gray hair and beard to billow wildly.

    "Keep running!!!" Lilia snarled. "It makes it more fun when I catch you!"

    ''Better not get caught, then,'' I inwardly chuckled. I couldn''t speak through my heavy huffs.

    Running was never a strong suit of mine. That''s why, even though I was erecting wall upon wall behind me to obstruct her, Lilia still steadily gained on me.

    However, I was almost there! Almost to my goal! Once I passed thepound''s walls to the fields, I could let loose. I could release everything in my arsenal to win.

    ''This girl might be a fullkin, but there''s a reason they called me The Scourge of the Mountain during my years of glory,'' I raspily chuckled.

    Only a few paces separated me from the gate. However, a cacophony of heavy footfalls echoed before me as one final tribtion to ovee. Its origin: a toon of armored soldiers.

    ''Damn, guess they noticed us,'' is what I would''ve thought if we''d been any semnce of the word "subtle." Between the shouting and burning homestead, it was inevitable for the search parties and patrols outside the walls to notice us.

    They wielded polished steel swords, axes, spears, and various-sized wooden shields.

    One was at the forefront, a woman with no helm. Out of the rest, she was the only one with full-ted armor. It glistened with the Sun''s rays, almost as if the sky itself acknowledged her superiority over the rest.

    ''She looks important...''

    The woman drew forth her saber, its de and handle curved to perfection. She erected her weapon toward the Sun. Like a banner, it roused the rest of the troop''s spirits in a storm of zeal and patriotism.

    "Kill the invaders!" she shouted in a voice as bold as her chestnut-brown hair. Her deep blue eyes focused directly on me.

    Each of the men and women following narrowed their sights on me. Their faces burned with the desire to make their leader proud.

    ''That''s not good,'' I sighed.

    My situation was already poor. Yet it just became worse.

    Even so, I didn''t panic. In fact, the sights and smells of it all lost me to a disturbing nostalgia. Though I recoiled with the feeling, I also felt a degree of safety.

    I never relished in war, but somehow, the battlefield seemed to be the only ce I could be myself.

    The familiar sound of metal striking metal...fires roaring...feet stomping...orders shouting... It all rushed into my mind like the rapids of a river, filling my head with thoughts of the past.

    ***

    The next moment, I was in the outskirts of my hometown, atop the frigid peaks of Gelum, deep within the Ymirian Shelf. I was a younger man then, roughly sixty-one years old.

    I was at the perfect age to be newly minted as a soldier of the Gebbrenian military. This was my first campaign.

    An intense flurry of heavy, pure-white snow swirled around within the biting chill of the air. My grey-furred wolfskin coat pped erratically over my insted steel-forged armor with every gust''s passing.

    The opposition came in droves, torches and weapons in hand. It was an army dispatched by King Solomon, who had ruled the lost continent of Anonoma.

    Thend was never spoken of after the war. The mere mention of it invoked images of burning viges, crying families, and crows as they picked at the rotten strands of flesh from the fallen.

    It was and whose skin was forever scarred by the conflict it suffered.

    "READY YOURSELVES! HERE THEY COME!" a brother-in-arms hoarsely shouted, pointing down the mountain''s icy path.

    Unlike the rest of us, he sported a literal mantle of responsibility as our leader: a flowing white cloak dangling from his carved titansteel cuirass.

    "HOOOOOAHHH!" a line of fellow Gebbranians chanted in unison, stacking shield upon shield with pikes poking through the cracks. We became the wall that barred our loved ones from the marching chaos ahead.

    "DON''T LET THE BASTARDS THROUGH!" mymander continued, raising his greataxe high to the heavens. "KILL ''EM WHERE THEY STAND! WE MUST DEFEND OUR WIVES! DEFEND OUR CHILDREN. PROTECT EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE VERY LAST MAN! TO THE VERY LAST BREATH!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "HOOOOOAHHH! the men shouted again. Their boisterous voices sang like a forlorn bad across the mountainous bluffs.

    This was our elegy, our final stand to protect those we loved.

    While my brethren steeled themselves for a sh to protect our homnd, Solomon''s armies marched forward in retaliation for our betrayal.

    "BREAK THROUGH THEIR DEFENSE!" an enemy general shouted amidst the rhythmic stomping and nging of armor. "SHOW YOUR STRENGTH AGAINST TREACHERY! SHOW YOUR LOYALTY TO YOUR LAND AND KING!"

    "HUUUUGGHHH!" their troop responded, morale soaring higher than the mountains themselves.

    The enemy general''s voice challenged mymander''s. Both were simultaneously attempting to instill a fiery vigor in the hearts of their allies while sowing a creeping terror within that of their enemies.

    Several moments passed while our enemies approached, eventually passing the point of no return.

    A firm hand was nted on my shoulder, staying my raised axe as I curiously but nervously averted my gaze backward.

    "Are you ready, Barik? Ready to prove your worth as one of the Runebreather n?" asked mymander in a smooth stoic voice.

    "I am, Sir," I nodded with resolve. "I''m ready."

    The passing winds roared, drowning out every other sound to nothingness.

    The cheering of my fellows as they chanted rousing war cries dulled.

    The crunching of ice and snow as the enemy encroached upon the vige faded.

    The frantic cries of the families we left behind while they abandoned their livelihoods to save themselves quieted.

    At that moment, it was just me and my leader...my father.

    "Good," he gave an easing smile, a bead of moisture leaking from one eye before freezing to his burned-scarred cheek. "I''m so proud of you; your mother would be too. Don''t ever forget that. No matter what happens, don''t you dare forget."

    My father''s steadied gaze wavered to tears as he locked me in what would be our final embrace. His voice, usually so calm and easing, trembled in uncontrolled fear.

    My lips twitched as my own dread broke free. "I-I won''t, Sir. I promise."

    "Good¡­ Good," he backed away, swiping at the frozen streaks across his cheeks and regaining hisposure.

    He looked at me onest time with focused eyes and uttered the words that would linger inside me for the rest of my days.

    "Give ''em hell, son...and live. Live through this."

    As our moment ended, so, too, did the momentary peace between the two armies.

    The present blended with the past as the opposingmander bellowed their nextmand. It was themand that left many of those I regarded as friends to death. They''d be frozen over husks of flesh, spilling out their crimson insides across the purity of the snow.

    A mixed tone voice rang out, it was aposition of themander of days passed and the female captain before me. "CHAAAAAARGE!"

    The order was given, so began the approach of a storm of footsteps. The troops thundered toward me with a foreboding rhythm, ready slice my body to ribbons.

    ''Five hundred yearster and I can still hear your voice, old man...'' I smirked. Raising my il with one hand, I gathered another shield of granite around my opposite.

    With each step of my dash, ayer of granite crept an inch further up my legs. It grew and grew, the rock piling thicker and thicker as the armor concealed my chest beneath its jagged surface.

    ''Oh, guess I''m the old man, now¡­'' I chuckled, then clenched my teeth for a war cry against the stampede of soldiers ahead. My voice became distorted and muffled as the stone formed a heavy mask and helm around my head.

    "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

 Chapter 117 The Fight Outside, Part Four

    ?

    Upon my shout, I crashed into the enemy ranks with a quillbeast''s momentum. My whirling il smashed several dozen helmets and heads as I pushed forward.

    "GODDAMMIT! Kill h-!" a guard began to bellow. His words ceased when a crunch followed my il as it burrowed into his skull. My force carried it forward, tearing it and a portion of his face free.

    All that remained of the man''s nose was a pit of blood and torn cartge.

    "AGHHHHH!" he flew before falling to the ground in front of me. "OH GOD IT HURTS!"

    I maintained my rush forward, tramping over him with no hesitation. The weight of my armor made my stomps lethal, and the crack of his bones beneath my heels sounded as I readied to confront whoever else crossed my path.

    Likewise, the rest of those opposing my advance failed in their attempts.

    They threw dozens of sword shes which grated off my armor. They charged with multiple bashes, their efforts being fruitless as I smashed through them. Theyunched a series of tackles to halt me, only to find themselves being dragged with the tides as I dashed ever onward.

    "What the hell?! Is he a monster?! What is that armor?!" one yelled in confusion as his sword reflected back.

    I wouldn''t be stopped. Stopping meant a premature confrontation with Lilia; stopping meant death. So I powered through, pushing through the horde, line by line, until I was just one away from breaking through.

    Finally, one stepter, I reached my goal. The cobblestone wall and outer gate was in view. Two thick golden fields of wheat spread as far as the eye could see outside thepound. A paved wide dirt road acted as the only barrier between them.

    "What are you fools doing?! Stop him!" the guard leadermanded just beyond my vision.

    "Yes, Lieutenant!" the guards shouted back with renewed fervor.

    Meanwhile, Lilia was cackling in enraged excitement. "Out of my way! He''s mine!" she snarled as she hopped over and sped through the mosh pit of confusion.

    ''Shit, she''s catching up!'' I picked up the pace as Lilia''s words grew in volume, heralding her encroaching approach. I couldn''t be caught here.

    Yet, I still had one left to confront. There was one left preventing my advance.

    The captain assumed an experienced stance and held her saber forward. One foot was slid across the ground behind her, a technique that would allow for an effortless pivot if needed.

    "You won''t get passed me, you scum!" is what she shouted as she further distinguished her prowess from the rest. Though small, she gathered a stream of distinct green orbs to bolster her body''s movements.

    ''Augmenturgy, eh?'' I smirked without worry. Though it would speed up her movements and strengthen them, the amount of aether the womanmanded was negligiblepared to the foes of my past. ''The curse of being human...''

    "Ready yourself for death!" the captain roared, then charged forth to meet me. "I''ll break your shell to pieces!"

    My response wasn''t verbal. Instead, I bolstered my protections with a series of protruding spikes.

    That preparation was for naught. At the final moment before our confrontation, Lilia''s voice rang again behind me. It must''ve been addressing the lieutenant because she stopped in her tracks. "YOU, GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

    Though begrudgingly, the lieutenant followed the order and raced to the side, removing herself from battle. She stared daggers at me as I passed by but remained docile.

    ''I suppose that fullkin''s anger has its perks,'' I inwardly chuckled. She inadvertently aided me by telling the woman to stand down.

    Again Lilia''s voice sounded. "All of you lot, go for the girl! The gebbren is mine!"

    "Understood...Lady Graves," the captain answered through clenched teeth. She promptly echoed the order as the group made their running march toward Mizuno.

    ''Stay strong, Captain,'' I prayed for Mizuno''s safety with a concerned expression. Yet, I didn''t look back. I had full faith in her, as my leader and one I''ve known for the past five months. She was a force to be reckoned with.

    So, I kept running. I eventually broke away from the dirt road and opted for a dash through the wheat. Stalks of amber bent and cracked beneath my feet with every step.

    I nced behind me to see Lilia only several paces away, much closer than she had been before. She was barreling down the path of crushed crops I had left in my wake.

    ''She''s catching up...''

    Meanwhile, a scattered hailstorm of me filled the air as she lobbed projectiles.

    I couldn''t avoid them all; some inevitably collided with me - the fiery orbs scattered upon impact. Each enveloped my armor with a turbulent ze before dissipating.

    ''Good thing I trained with the kid,'' I chuckled. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Before, this level of heat would''ve cracked my defense, exposing my insides to the char of her mes.

    Things were different now.

    Because of my brief practice with Sato, I studied and shifted theposition of my stone. I found just the right percentages of each material to increase its me resistance. That''s not to say it was immune, however. Like my walls, if exposed for longer than a brief period, the stone would shatter to pieces at the hands of an expert firemage.

    Sadly, picking out just the right portions was like splitting grains of sand, so I only managed it now.

    ncing around, I realized I had reached the midpoint of the wheat field. The ming homestead was now far enough in the distance to resemble a ck pir of smoke against the once pristine sky.

    ''This is far enough,'' I spun around, weapons raised for a confrontation.

    Upon my turn, Lilia gained enough ground for a melee. "I''VE FINALLY CAUGHT YOU!" she giddily shouted, her mes growing to match her excitement.

    "Don''t think that armor will spare you from your fate!" She raised her arms and shed downward for my stone-enclosed neck.

    Unbeknownst to her, the armor did make a difference. Thanks to the stone dding my body, I no longer needed specific skin-to-ground contact to use my lithomancy, at least for close range.

    So, I hoisted my shield in defense and began generating as much mana as possible. Lilia''s strikes plumed upward in gusts of fire as theynded against my guard''s stance.

    "Pitiful! You n to hide again?!" she taunted. Her attacks smashed into my guard, pressing my feet deeply into the mulch below as I skidded backward.

    ''Gotta...hold...'' I gritted my teeth and pushed against her with all my might.

    For my n, I needed a stockpile of power, onerge enough to manipte this entire field at will. Such a feat demanded the entirety of my focus, so all I could do in the face of Lilia''s attacks was dig my heels in and guard.

    "You''re a fool!" she mocked and dashed to my nks. She must''ve learned from her previous arrogance.

    Rather than sticking to a brute force tactic of annihting my guard, Lilia exploited my immovable defense with her superior mobility, avoiding it and attacking my armor''s various joints.

    Her onught hit with such pressure that snaking cracks formed across my gear. Her mes seeped inside them, torching my exposed flesh with an agonizing sharpness.

    Yet, the pain wouldn''t break me. "Hold," I grumbled and clenched my teeth. "Just...hold. The armor willst... It will..."

    "Ha! Such groundless optimism!" Lilia taunted as she stripped away more of my defense.

    Meanwhile, atmospheric aether gathered within me, converting to mana before I poured it into the ground surrounding me and my shield.

    The mental toll of spreading my power in such an expansive area was high. It was like scattering your consciousness into the wind, tearing it by the seams before it was absorbed.

    However, the fruit of my efforts started taking form. The ground began to quake and hundreds of nubs grew on my shield''s outer surface. Two distinct glowing runes appeared on the opposite side. Each depicted a single order. One for the absorption of stone, the other to expel it.

    ''A few more seconds!''

    Pieces of my armor snapped off, weaknesses that Lilia pinpointed her efforts on. "HA! I told you your armor was meaningless! Will you remain so docile, even as I roast your flesh?" she snickered while charring the revealed skin ck.

    Her inferno scattered widely, igniting the field around us in a grand disy of yellow-orange mes. They devoured the crops like locusts. The only difference: these locusts spewed out ck clouds of ash.

    Still, I continued my efforts. ''Just...a bit...MORE!''

    "Fine, forfeit yourself. It makes no difference to me!" Lilia thrust her ws for my open leg. But, just as they pierced the skin, my power peaked.

    I spun around, confronting Lilia with an explosion of stone shards from what remained of my armor. It acted as an omnidirectional bomb, forcing her into a hastened retreat.

    "Ohhh?" Lilia hummed with a curious tone. She then staggered momentarily as the shaking ground forced her to lose bnce. "What''s this?" she asked, gesturing downward to address the tremors.

    My flesh was burned and bleeding. My mind was weary from overexertion. My armor was stripped away and scattered. Yet, despite it all, I smirked while holding up my shield.

    "It''s my turn."

 Chapter 118 The Fight Outside, Part Five

    <h4>Chapter 118 The Fight Outside, Part Five</h4>

    A dozen rock spears shot diagonally outward. They surrounded Lilia with her as the acting midpoint. Each spike traveled with whirlwind-high speed and pinpoint precision.

    "You''re pitiful!" Lilia scoffed while she made a vast leap backward.

    The impaling spikes shattered into one another as she zipped through the air. They crumbled intorge chunks of stone and dust.

    "You think such a thing would defea-" Lilia started with confidence, but her inexperience would be her downfall. Though she was undoubtedly a formidable opponent, her naive arrogance and failure to n ahead left her vulnerable to consecutive strikes.

    When shended, I''d already hoisted my shield upward on a rock pedestal, and its runes activated.

    A flurry of stone shards ejected from the shield while it drew recement stone in from the earth. What looked like a gray mist of razor-sharp rock filled the space between Lilia and me.

    Many projectiles cracked and faded to dust upon impact with Lilia''s mes, but some broke through. They collided with Lilia''s body with the sound of fleshy thuds and burrowed deep into her skin like splinters.

    Meanwhile, I had buried both hands into the ground. I expended some of my stockpiled mana and raised a fortified cage to obstruct Lilia''s movements. The side facing me had a dozen slits, allowing my shield''s stone bullets to pierce the interior.

    The sizzling and snapping of stone on Lilia''s fiery aura apanied her taunts. "Your tricks won''t work!" she scoffed as she attempted to leap out. However, the ceiling''s maw closed with a loud crash.

    Lilia''s escape was foiled as she mmed into the shut roof.

    The confines of the fortified hollowed cube''s interior entrapped Lilia like a rat in a trap. The motion also kicked up a thick mud spray from the ground, stifling her mes to darkness.

    Lilia''s tauntingughs silenced, following the dying out of her mes.

    Though I could no longer see her, I could feel Lilia''s position using the vibrations of seismic energy. Every step, every breath, every pained grunt; I could tell where she was just by how the earth reacted to her actions.

    My cage wasplete, so Lilia was at the mercy of my shield''s infinite stone volley. Yet, even in spite of her me aura being momentarily stopped, my efforts still weren''t enough.

    ''More!'' I generated hundreds of stone spears from the structure''s interior walls and ejected them. They crashed into each other with force; the crumbling of stone resounded within the cage.

    ''MORE!'' My mana output increased, and a bed of spikes formed within the cage. Theyunched upward to skewer anything inside.

    ''MORE!!!'' Finally, I willed the very walls to move, forcing them into one another as if the very tectonic tes below had shifted. They crushed into each other, causing the jagged edges lining each wall to mp down like a massive earthly jaw of death.

    After that, the air became deathly still with silence. Other than the roaring and swirling of mes in the background, there was nothing.

    Noughter, no taunts, no screams, nothing; Lilia had gone utterly silent.

    Chunks of stone stripped off the walls as they cracked from the impact. The ttering of my shield''s projectiles drowned out my exhausted hyperventtions.

    ''Did... Did I get her? Is it over?'' I pushed myself upward, then deactivated the shield''s runes beside me - the inscribed symbols dulled from brightness like an extinguishedmp.

    I picked up my shield and mumbled, "That had to have done something..." while fishing through my pockets. The smooth sensation of ss brushed past my skin as I retrieved the red potion.

    I flicked the cap off with my thumb, then consumed the vial''s contents.

    "Ugh..." I tossed the emptied container away and retrieved my il. "Now, let''s see about her."

    I approached the cage with caution, taking each step carefully.

    Normally, I would have been celebrating my victory by now, but instead, I felt a growing sense of uncertainty. I had unleashed a devastating attack that should have left nothing alive inside.

    But that wasn''t the case.

    As I drew closer to the cage, the stone walls began to rumble and glow with intense heat. The very ground beneath me shook with fear and apprehension.

    "Damn...it wasn''t enough," I thought to myself as a massive explosion erupted from the cage, shattering it into dozens of glowing red pieces. The force of the st was like that of thergest volcanoes in all of Primordia, and the reverb sailed far across the sky.

    Lilia stood amongst the rain of carnage, glowering back at me with an expression mixed with fury and haughty satisfaction. "Did you think you had bested me? Your ignorance is only humorous for so long, you know. It''s bing an eyesore."

    "There''s no way an attack so wretched could end me," Lilia bared her fangs in a sneer.

    Despite her haughty superiority, Lilia''s clothes now had numerous pierce marks and ckened stains from where my spikes had stabbed her. Her flesh was renewed to perfection, but my attack had definitely wounded her multiple times.

    "Yeah... I''m starting to see that," I sighed in reply, then inwardly thanked my decision to consume my health tonic. My wounds were already, for the most part, healed over and ready for round two.

    I hoisted my shield and started swinging my il in small, circr rotations to build momentum. Which I quickly lost when Lilia threw up her arms in a pout.

    "You know... It''s not really fair," she groaned. "You have unfettered ess to your strength while I''m limited."

    "That''s war; nothing is ever fair," I retorted with a grin but had a nervous nagging feeling tug at the back of my mind. ''She''s limited? She''s yet to harness her true power?!''

    A small, uneasy chuckle left my lips as a creeping shadow covered me from overhead. I briefly averted my gaze upward to see the smoke from the burning wheat fields blotted out the blue sky''s vibrancy and Sun to darkness.

    The shade, slowly crawling across the ground, eventually enveloped Lilia too. She grinned widely as her eyes regained their ominous cindery hue.

    "I suppose you''re right..." A dozen coils of ck blood burst free from Lilia''s back. They towered around her like a swarm of midnight-colored serpents.

    mes grew and spiraled around each tendril, creating the image of gargantuan, burning blood whips.

    "I won''t feel any sympathy for you, then..."

 Chapter 119 The Fight Outside, Part Six

    <h4>Chapter 119 The Fight Outside, Part Six</h4>

    Lilia''s massive blood whips hovered over her back, their edged tips trained directly for my chest.

    "So... You''ve got another trick up your sleeve. I''m somehow unsurprised," I said with a light chuckle.

    "You shouldn''t be surprised. Something like this is to be expected from fullkin royalty," Lilia arrogantly gestured to her blood whips. "Consider yourself lucky you got to see it before you perished."

    "Oh, I do. It isn''t often one gets to see a member of your kind in a fight; you fullkin prefer manipting others into fighting your battles, so it''s quite an honor!"

    Lilia crossed her arms and proudly asserted, "Of course! Why waste time frolicking with oafs? It''s just...so tiresome."

    While Lilia shrugged in exaggerated fatigue, I averted my sights downward toward my hands, more specifically, my shield and il.

    ''Yeah...these aren''t going to cut it anymore,'' I sighed and tossed them to the floor. The shield created a deep dent in the earth with itsnding.

    Lilia tilted her head in obvious confusion. "You''re throwing your weapons away? Have you gone mad, or have you just given into hopelessness?"

    I smiled back at her. "Neither. I think it''s time I let loose, too." I dug my hands into the ground and performed the motions to reapply my armor.

    I thought to myself, ''Hopefully the captain is ready, because I can''t wait anymore,'' as I simultaneously gave an order to my golems using a subtle seismic vibration to begin their work.

    "Oh, really?" Lilia''s curious expression formed a wry smile as she crossed her arms. "And you think I''d just let you prepare? That I wouldn''t...say...CHOOSE TO KILL YOU BEFORE YOU COULD?!"

    Lilia leaped forward; all her inmed whips grew in length and roared through the air as they swiped for me.

    "Of course not," I mumbled with a smirk. I wasn''t worried. After all, I had a hidden hand left, literally.

    A huge stone arm that was crafted from dirt and stone sprung up from the ground in response to Lilia''s presence. The hand''s rigid fingers wrapped tightly around Lilia''s body and flung her backward with great force.

    "When will you learn? Your tricks only serve as irritants! They mean nothing to me!" Lilia scoffed and swiped half of her inmed whips for the stone arm, shattering it to pieces.

    The other appendages acted as extra legs and impaled the ground to recover Lilia''s bnce.

    "I-" Lilia began to speak when a dozen spears formed at her feet. They ejected out from the ground as a storm of skewers.

    As expected, the fullkin used her whips to twist and maneuver in evasion, but there were too many topletely escape unscathed. Some spears met their marks and obliterated several of her blood whips.

    However, it was a victory that wouldn''tst long. They instantly re-congealed and reignited from the puddles of ck blood below.

    Luckily, though my traps didn''tst long, there were many of them; I''dyered many runes beneath the surface during my buildup of power earlier - a precautionary measure in case my attack failed. All of which were set to detonate when under the lightest pressure.

    "Gah! These tricks of yours are getting..." Lilia sliced clean through a stone wall. It crackled from the mes and smashed to the ground with repeated thuds. "...really annoying!"

    Meanwhile, a thickyer of granite traveled up my limbs as I simultaneously gathered green orbs of energy - buffing magic to improve my body''s natural capabilities.

    In this case, my goal was to enhance my muscles'' capacity to carry heavy loads and vastly improve my speed.

    Despite her obvious inexperience and youthful impulsiveness when fighting, her raw power and regeneration left Lilia on a level rivaling many of the deadly opponents I''d fought in the war.

    I needed, at least, this much to fight this woman on even terms.

    The various joints and crevices of rock covering my body crackled as they fixed into ce. However, I still wasn''t finished; I needed to secure my safety against Lilia''s mes.

    ''Thank the maker I was born a gebbran," I smirked.

    Due to my blood, my birth gifted me a magic no other race could emte. A magic that allowed me to manipte and modify the properties present within any mineral.

    Sadly, like all racial abilities, mine had a drawback. If a gebbran used this ability too much, they''d risk suffering dire consequences.

    Still, I made full use of my race''s magic, of Transmutation, in this moment.

    An explosion of bright light shined from me as I channeled power into my stone armor. Then, in a stunning transformation, the dull gray surface gradually shifted to a pure, cloud-colored white.

    Once a standard granite, my armor was now modified with higher percentages of quartz and rutile. They''d bolster my defense''s hardness and heat resistance, respectively.

    By the time Lilia smashed through the final trap, I was ready. Ready for a deadly confrontation against mes and sharpened whips.

    "Die! Your kind''s magic won''t save you!" Lilia shouted. She thrust dozens of her blood appendages for me. They closed in with a roar, giving the guise that I was being swallowed whole by a fiery maw of death.

    One, two, three...seven whips closed in on me; all aiming to drill through my chest.

    ''I won''t die just yet,'' I squeezed my hardened fists tight and raised them in front of my face for a pugilist''s stance. Then, right as the whips entered range, I ducked to the right and threw a flurry of forceful punches.

    My first strikended on the closest whip. It exploded into a rain of inmed ck blood. Likewise, I intercepted three more in the same way. Each scattered and plumed around me in sshes of liquid me.

    Two more of her whips nced off my defense as I leaned to the side. They screeched and scraped over my left shoulder before being reflected, leaving darkened ck streaks across the quartz-white surface.

    I shot several impaling spikes from my armor in retaliation. The sharpened stone stabbed the attacking appendages and blew them apart in sts of blood and dust.

    Thest whip was a direct hit.

    ''No evading this one!'' I leaped backward, knowing a collision was imminent. The blood whip''s tip crashed into my gut and sent me skidding across the ground.

    "Agh...shit," I said through wheezed breaths. My knees buckled slightly as I recovered from the dull throbbing within my insides. "I can''t take too many of those."

    I averted my sights downward to see that my chest armor, though fortified, was noticeably caved in from where Lilia''s whip attempted to piece, and a webbing of shallow cracks surrounded the small crater.

    ''Sure am d I made the jump...'' I sighed. If I hadn''t, her whip would''ve hit at full force and likely pierced straight through. ''So even this isn''t enough to resist her strength.''

    I brushed my gauntlet-encased fingertips across the damage; it quickly repaired and fused over.

    Unfortunately, the damage Lilia had suffered disappeared too. The whips I worked so hard to destroy had already regenerated.

    Seeing Lilia''s healing capabilities, I sighed to myself. ''So this is the strength of a fullkin... How the hell is she restoring so much? If fullkin have this level of strength and endurance, what separates them from gods and goddesses? What is their weakness? They have to have one..."

    Meanwhile, Lilia snarked as always. She taunted me with curved lips that formed a condescending smile. "That was quite a hit you took; I wonder how many more till your flesh fails you."

    I beat a fist to my chest. A loud thud and grind of stone against stone echoed through the air. "You''ve got to hit my flesh first for that to happen, don''t underestimate proud gebbranian craftsmanship!" Though I feigned confidence, a sheet of nervous sweat appeared beneath my helmet.

    ''I need to find her weakness...soon. I can''t keep this up forever.''

    Liliaughed in response with arrogance as she crouched low. "Heh, such a foolish man. Your confidence is misguided!" Her whips fully grew back to full length. So she began an offensive rush with speedy malice.

    "And your arrogance will be your undoing!" I replied back and matched her approach with equal aggression. Using the buffing magic that I''d charged up from before, I leaped several meters into the air. Deep imprints of my greaves were left in the soil as I left it.

    "Prepare yourself, girl. I won''t go easy on you!" I pulled my fist back and wound up a tremor-inducing strike. Dozens of fortifying spikes grew across my fist, arm, and shoulder.

    "I could say the same to you, fool!" Lilia replied as her dozens of deadly appendages swiped and stabbed and thrashed for me. They filled the space between us like a cage made of ck skewers.

    The air stood still as the two fighters braced themselves for a lethal exchange of blows.

    Above them, a suffocating shroud of smoke, as dark as midnight. Surrounding them, an envelopment of mes from a fiery ring that had formed from the zing fields.

    This was their arena... An arena that could very well be one of their graves.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!