One-shot-Summary: A mysterious happening occurs in the deserted village where nobody dares to reside, even though there were few who tried to explore but failed. Haunted by the disappearance of its people they could do nothing but request a wandering adventurer with no blessing. The adventurer sets his foot to solve the mystery and free's the people of their worries.
"Do you think it is a good idea? Even after knowing that people go missing while even exploring this place."
"There is no going back now, we promised the villagers that we will help them out."
"But… don't you think just the two of us are enough for this work?"
"Shush… no more complaints."
Two male adventurers were hired for this special work. Rumors have it that there is mysterious happening of disappearance of children and people whenever one decided to set foot in the barren land, only few kilometers away from the village where people live now.
Having its history of being abandoned from what once it was called as a great source of resource point.
Nobody knew when and what had occurred to cause that mysterious happening. But from within, superstitious belief kicked in the thoughts of the people of some monster or ghost making the victims disappear.
To take a look into the matter, the village chief had sent many men, but none return. Afraid of the fact and idea of existence of ghost, it was a taboo to set foot in that land.
Currently two brave… or called to be brave adventurers took the mission and made their way towards the deserted village, their strong body still but legs trembling in fear. The two cautiously explored around the areas and houses.
Finally after exterior exploration, they entered a huge mansion look alike, there it had a basement passage.
Slowly taking the steps in the unknown place, the two held onto each other tightly.
Screeches and screwing sounds were heard and the two froze as if the time itself had stopped on them.
"D-Did you hear that?"
"I did…"
Soon some ghostly sound were coming to their ears, them still in frozen state couldn't move a bit.
A shadow hung over them, the two looked at it and only one thing came out of their mouth…
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH—"
"So… them too…"
The village chief sighed as he dropped on his chair. The two adventurers sent out on a mission still hadn't returned yet… or possibly they too have disappeared.
"How many is it now?" asked one of the wise among the leaders.
"I have lost count at this point." Said the person next to him.
"Keep your heads high up…"
"Sir with the situation we are in… it does not seem like we will keep up the morale," said the young leader who didn't dare to make an eye contact with their head.
"Gerald… I think it would be better if we move out from this place… far away from the barren lands of Grizal." Spoke the head's friend as he comforted by placing his palm on his shoulder.
Gerald could do nothing but just hold on to the hope of staying here and solving the mystery, but as time passes and more and more adventurers started to disappear, it was almost good to nothingness.
They weren't progressing at all.
"Sir… I think it would be better if we just…"
"No I won't." Gerald slammed his palm on the desk with frustration, "This is our homeland… I am not willing to abandon it."
All the leaders just looked at him with pity.
"Gerald… what are we even supposed to do now? We have already hired countless adventurers to explore and solve the mystery whilst a higher reward. But all of them seem to fail… they didn't make it back alive."
"I still won't give in… I will try again and again."
"No matter how many tries you do, we had always ended up with the same result."
A silent pause for the moment, after that Gerald spoke his words…
"I believe in miracle… I can feel it. Someone will show up who will really be able to solve this mystery and free us from the worries.
…
The bumpy ride spun my head around as if I was just constantly going up and down. Never in my life I expected this kind of ride.
"Sorry kiddo… can't help but the path was bumpy…"
"You don't need to apologies… though I feel a bit sick."
"Ah… oh I can see a village over there... you can take rest for some time ya know."
I poked out my head out of the carriage and looked at the spot he pointed to. Ah well good, might as well rest there for days. Honestly, I have nothing to do around the clock anyway.
I quickly took my items which was mostly my cloak and some key weapons that I started using, throwing knives, and tiny pointy pins that could be used to numb or put-up cracks, and other of similar sort.
Tucking everything up and putting the sheathed longsword around the waist. I was ready to hop off the carriage.
"Thanks for the service old man."
"Ah well same to you Bell."
I waved a hand as he leaves, after he vanishes from my sight a voice reached out to me as I slowly proceeded to the village.
"Something feels strange about this village here."
"You think so? I don't know…" I narrowed my eye for a good view from far, "But it sure seems like not many live there.
After I finally reached the village… it was quite all around, as if it was deserted. I knocked on the door but no one seem to respond, though I could sense people inside their homes, it felt as if they were hiding from something.
I proceeded with the knocking but no one seem to answer my knocks. I heard a bham behind the house so I quickly went to check.
A kid was on the ground as his mother picks him up. The two ran inside as I followed with a 'Uhm' to ask what is going on here.
"People seem to be afraid of something."
"That I can tell but is it us?"
"I don't think so. Something really feels off… as if."
"Something dangerous is happening here… is that…"
My blood red eyes which had become even more fiercer could clearly look at the ground, even a teeny-tiny bit of anything can be clearly seen. Just at that moment I saw little droplets of blood on the ground.
It was not only there but as I followed the drops, it kept on increasing, ultimately leading me to a deserted land.
I could feel a different pressure around it, the sweat slid past my face to the tip of the chin.
"The heck is this uneasiness…"
"It's almost giving the aura of darkness…"
"How come people are living so close to a place such as this?"
"If I remembered, this land was once famous for acting as a resource point for various ores and magic stones. But as the time passed something happened which was unexplained."
"Any idea of what it might have been?"
"I am afraid I don't know."
"Wow… Cosmos… after you said all that, you can't leave me hanging… you bone bag."
"Again… how many times I had told you that I am not a bone bag!" Cosmos got ticked and showed up beside me. The being had a white cloak and its arms were protected by a beautiful silver gear. He looked exactly like Fels but he is completely different from them.
"Hah… the great sage of all times has no answer for me this time does he?"
"…"
Ignoring Cosmos for the moment I starred at the strange mansion lookalike structure.
"HEY DON'T GO IN THERE KID!"
"Huh? Cosmos hide!"
The sage quickly hid himself in my shadows, the man who called me out stopped in front of me and panted heavily.
"L…Leave this land… its dangerous here!"
"S-Sir hold on a moment… catch some breath… may I know what is going on?"
"Firstly… please I beg you… leave this place. I am sorry to ignore you but I don't want the same thing that had happened to my child."
"What?"
"I will explain everything to you, kid let's just leave for now."
"F-Fine, don't push yourself sir."
I didn't know what this all was about, but now it is time to find out what is bothering these people.
Finally entering the village, I got eyes of the terrorized people who had already lost hope to live here anymore. I simply rolled my eyes around as I simply stood there, waiting for them for a good explanation to do for ignoring me all this time.
Few figures made their appearance as I turned towards them.
"Greetings Traveler, our apologies for ignoring you," said the old man who seemed to be the chief of this village.
"Forget the apologies… what is wrong with the environment here? Why is everyone afraid to contact strangers?"
"I again humbly apologies for our behavior, it is just because of the situation we can't let our guard down."
"Excuses… I am afraid I can't comprehend your saying."
"Well the thing is—"
"Sir, he is simply a traveler, is it necessary to drag him in our problem."
The chief agreed to the young one who spoke out, I was still confused and have no clue of what is going on, either way like I really care.
"Fine… I will hear it out so spit it out already." I sighed heavily.
The chief seemed humble enough and told his part of story about this village, more like the story about the strange incidents that had been happening.
It all started two years ago, people from the village were suddenly abducted. No one had the idea of how it happened but as the days passed the abduction continued. Starting from the adult to even children.
One night, a lady screamed out for help, when the villagers showed up for the aid the lady just pointed at the wall with a message written in blood.
"Leave this place if you care for your dear lives."
At first everyone took it a little light and assumed it to be some sort of minor threat, but they were so wrong to think that. The day after abductions became common during days and nights.
As it kept on happening more and more villagers started to fear the unknown. Some even had to leave this place that they call home.
Now, those who live here are the only ones who stick to their homeland and its ideals. And for this the chief had set up multiple adventurers for aiming them with big rewards, but no one came back alive.
After few weeks… another message was written in blood with the head of the adventurers as a mark to show that everything happening is real. Message stating that "This is your last chance… leave this place…"
The crowd paled, not even the strongest adventurers in their eyes could make it out alive. They thought they had prepared for the worst but it wasn't true at all. They still feared to live there and doubted the chief's attempt.
In the end the population kept on decreasing and now this is the current situation of the village.
"I don't get it."
"What is it you don't get."
"Despite knowing that the adventurers you sent were killed, I am surprised that there are still those who are foolish enough to go ahead and solve the mystery."
The group sweat dropped on his comment, the albino caught on it quickly.
"You… didn't tell them?"
"We were afraid if we tell them the thing about the adventurer, they would have refused to even try."
I slammed my fist breaking the whole table in half, stiffing up the head in front of me.
"So… just for your own… good selfish desire, you went ahead and let them die? You are one sick bastard you know that."
"H-Hold it traveler! The chief himself is—"
"No need to defend me… he is right… I should've told them about this."
"Who are you?"
I asked the man who just tried to defend the chief.
"I am Alee."
If I had to express how he looks, he is skinny and seem to barely able to stand properly, his face had lines of old age and small sneaky eyes. I could've sworn I have seen that man from somewhere… but where exactly I don't remember well.
That matter aside, the man really seemed out of the ordinary. I have to keep an eye on him.
Once again, falling on his knees the chief begged for his forgiveness.
"I am no one to forgive you, yet… but if I am putting my life on the line here… I need something that is equivalent to what I value my life. Can you give me that?"
"Pardon… What did you say?"
"I have nothing particular to do for a while… might as well keep myself busy earning prize money such as this. So... question is will you give me the amount I ask for after completing this quest of yours?"
"O-Of course… as long as you solve the mystery."
"Fine then… I will take 1 billion valis."
The price amount struck the village leader as hard as lightning.
"1… 1 b-b-billion valis."
"Take it or I am leaving."
"THIS IS ABSURD!"
"I am putting my life on line for this stupid place."
"Understood."
The chief stopped the others from even continuing, the old man completed the statement.
"We will give you 1 billion valis… even though it will take us our whole life to give you the amount."
The old man seemed troubled even though he gave his word. I have got nothing left to speak so I simply stood.
"Doesn't matter… as long as I get my money."
I made my way towards the gate and took my leave. Amidst being outside I could hear them clearly even with the door's closed on me. The argument had already been erupted because of the demand I made. But as I heard correctly, most of them wish I would just go ahead and die out there so that they could judge how cocky I was, some were concerned about my well being.
It's not the time to even care about what others think.
"Cosmos… lets get this over with."
"Understood."
Taking my steps, without wasting any time I marched towards the abandoned manor.
The doors were creaky as it could get, almost like we are welcomed in a horror house. I scanned the area around the main entrance hall which was too big for its own good. The wooden floors completely scarred and broken.
Each step was to be taken carefully otherwise it would breakdown on me. I carefully made my way towards the staircase which was directly in front of the entrance… by the opposite sides of the handles were two stone pillars that held out the stairs and the ceiling of the place with the ground.
Even through it was scratched, it was still holding on pretty strong. As I proceeded ascending towards the first floor, I heard some minor voices from the back.
Immediately looking back to spot someone trying to tail us but I could see nothing present there.
"Strange…" I murmured.
The place seems like a normal abandoned house, probably a good site to just scare off people by presenting them with fake ghost. I took my time and slowly explored every nook and corner of the first floor but found nothing, except some flaming orbs that suddenly flew past me stiffing me for few seconds.
"Ghosts?"
I sweat dropped for a simple second, cosmos stated his point as we saw another flaming orb thing floating from one room to another at the end of the corridor.
"I highly doubt it… I sense no existence of souls here."
"Hm…" after that comment I tried hard to stare it… eventually I could feel no life in it, it was just… empty from insides. Letting out a sigh of relief, the being made fun of me for believing that ghosts exist.
"Alright just shut it cosmos."
"I can't help but feel you are dumb enough to believe ghosts exists even for a second."
"Yeah, my bad… they don't exist. Now cut it out with your laugh."
"Okay okay… now then… who would even try to do this kind of thing. Its like a childish thing to do. On top of that, do people really think monsters show up from this place?"
"What do you mean?"
"While you were having the chat with the leaders, I snuck out and gathered intel on the situation. It has been witnessed that there are some kind of ice monsters that are showing up from the manor."
"Oh well that explains why everyone was afraid to get out."
The ghostly orbs now circled around us, but we had already known of its cover. Wasting no time, I just blew it out with bare hands wiping the air.
"Not only that… seems like the adventurers who were here were scarred off and then are probably killed."
"We can't be sure about that."
"Yes indeed… why not go check the base—"
Not so soon as I turned around just to see a white cloth hung over my head, the thing raised and made a sound…
"BOOOOOOO"
I just narrowed my eyes. It again did the same as it felt being failed to do its job. Yet again I already checked out, there was nothing inside that cloth, not even a life essence.
"Ah… these childish tricks."
I simply took away the cloth and the movements stopped.
"I better go check the basement."
"Preposterous! How could you agree to that Gerald!? That man is crazy insane."
"Exactly… what does he thinks of himself!?"
The village members gathered after the rabbit left for solving the mystery. Most of the people could not even bear his presence.
Bell had done a very good job to make people hate him in one go, not only that, he also forcefully demanded something that it would take the village and its generation to pay off the debt. But alas, he was their only hope. Even if meant to be indebted life long, they would want this mess just be over once and for all.
"Was that necessary to agree to that ridiculous agreement sir?"
"What else do you think we could've done? And on top of that, it is even a surprise he is willing to solve this problem just for us."
"Yeah, great just wait to see him fail miserably."
"Quiet you idiot, right now he is our hope. He might be able to solve and put an end to this mystery once and for all."
The argument grew even more heated. Some tried to have faith in that traveler, while some just want him dead and realize his cockiness. But out from the group a certain maiden wondered and thought about the man they just sent for investigation.
Noticing the woman in trouble thought, the chief directed the attention to the lady.
"Is something wrong Nanami?"
"Oh chief… well."
All eyes turned to her, the lady hesitantly continued.
"Don't you think that… we have already heard about that traveler before?"
A big 'hmm' echoes around the room, the man named Ralph broke by adding his question.
"What are you saying? First off why do you think we have already heard about that traveler?"
"I mean not directly but… by his appearance."
"Appearance?"
"Can you clear the fog here Nanami," Elder asked calmly.
"We have heard about a certain adventurer… does anybody remember?"
"By certain… do you mean that rumored one who…" on male says as he crossed his arms upfront.
"Oh that one who is said to serve no god?"
"Why are you bringing in that 'Blessingless Child' Nanami?"
"Do you remember how they were described?"
The villagers looked eye to eye with each other, the lady calmly continued.
"It was said that the adventurer was arrogant asshole, who seem to just care about what he gets out from the work he does. A fierce man who seems to have cheated death itself multiple number of times. On top of that he mocks and defies the will of the divine itself. Properly describing… rumors had stated he had pure white hair… crimson bloodred eyes that can scare his enemies… completely covered in black with little equipment…" her facials developed sweat as she said the next line, "Do you think… that traveler is none other than the Blessingless Child?"
Hearing that the surrounding had a prolonged pause, the Blessingless child who was supposed to be just a false rumor. But the girl had the point, the description given in the rumors and the nature he displayed were exact spot on.
"Y-You cannot possibly think it is even real right? I mean let's be real. This is the age of Mortals living with the Gods or Gods living among the Mortals. They are here to give us Blessings so that we could deal with the unknown disaster by getting ourselves strong."
"And to think there is an arrogant idiot who thinks we don't need our gods to help us out. His very existence is question in itself. I mean I am not being rude here but the fact of him defying the will of the supreme is totally nuts."
"Let us suppose what Nanami says is true for a second, would you really think that man would be able to save us from this hell?"
"I…" the chief starred at the floor with nothing to back him up.
"Gerald there is no definitive proof that he will make it back alive, on top of that he does not even have the blessings of the gods."
"But in rumors, it is said that he had already been through gruesome adventures and made it back in one piece."
"And where the hell did you even heard this from Ralph?"
"Well… it's all over the world now… or if I can say everywhere he went, he only had brought miracles."
"Let us pray he will be the one to bring an end to this menace."
The crowd decided to end the meet but then they could hear some stomps coming towards them. Everyone in the room froze up.
"W-What was that?"
"D-Don't t-tell me…"
"A-A-Again!?"
Panic rose up when they feared for the worst, the chief still kept his cool to process and find a way out for the safety of his people.
"All of you keep your patience, we leaders will take care of them and buy you time to leave the place, Alee we have to hurry!"
"Got you Gerald, young ones you all know where that is, let us hurry out!"
As Alee called out, the young men roared and quickly left the place, Gerald and Alee meanwhile helped out the villagers to escape.
As they had feared, once the men took out flame torches, they could see it. A horde of giant Ice monsters, it had cold blue block glowing eyes and a sharp triangle shaped mouth like a reptile's jaw, its body also seemed to be crystallized blocks with sharpened edges giving itself a shape of its own. Fear took over the men as their legs started to shiver.
"That's nine of them! H-How are we supposed to buy time."
"Fret not men, we have to just move them away with the flames!" a brave man stood up in front of them and encouraged them. "Let us go and block its path."
"YEAAAHH!"
The villagers tried their best to keep the monsters away with flamed torches for an hour, though it was scary and dreadful for them, as they saw everyone was safe, they decided to retreat but this time the monsters didn't let them slip away easily.
The ice monsters raised their giant crystal arms to bash on the villagers, just in time needle like things struck them, all the villagers who were fending off the monster looked at the direction from where the needles were thrown and were surprised to see the white-haired boy.
"Move away!"
The boy commands and so the villagers lose no time and backed away. In an instance the boy closed his gaps with the ice monster, drawing off his blood red knife from its sheath he slashed the monster which gave a push to it, the monster after earning a slash backed away.
Bell was not stopping there, he again pushed on slashing the monsters till they decided to retreat. In the midst of slashing those monsters, he had an uncomfortable feeling as if he was cutting off a living human.
There was still mystery lurking about those ice monsters who seemed to be intelligent like the Xenos.
Just an hour ago, Bell discovered an underground cave system in the basement. As he and his partner explored the cave, they discovered rare kind of crystal ore. The ore was shining brightly and seemed to be bearing portion of living inside of it.
Cosmos that time pointed out these were the ores that were used as energy materials for complex machinery to function. After the discovery things made some sense.
The albino came to a conclusion that someone is trying to scare off the people so that they could make a profit out of it for themselves. Just as he was drawing out the lines of possible leads a horde of ice monsters suddenly spawned out from the walls of the crystal cave, each one emitting a life source that of a human.
Back then with those monsters and the monsters he had dealt with now had the same source whatsoever which made him puzzled. As the situation calmed down, he went to check up on the villagers.
Questions bombarded him making it hard for him to even answer the question, all he did was to ask them to give him some time to figure out this mystery. As of now Bell just kept quiet about the cave and the ores.
The night falls in silence, the moon reflects its light through the cloudy sky, Bell sat on the branch of the tree as he tried to pull his analysis together. Standing under the branch was his companion who just blandly starred at their surroundings to keep check on any eavesdroppers. Taking everything in count from starting to time till now, the boy was able to draw out some conclusion.
"You got a keen eye for a place far from village. Your decisions sometimes confuse me."
"You've been with me for like a whole year and you are still like this?"
"Reluctantly denying the hospitality of the villagers will only lead to two conclusions; first one is that you don't want to associate and mingle with them, and second… you got a lead about this unusual case."
"Both of them actually. I got it cleared out of the story of what might've happened."
"Oh… is it so. Then care to make me aware of it?"
"Remember when we entered the cave, and suddenly all the mobs rained in on us."
"Yes… I assume its not coincidence but someone's doing, a trap perhaps?"
"Exactly… things were going way too cliché like a trap alarm attracting the monsters, it definitely means someone is maintaining the place. And its probably one of them."
"Any names that might give a lead."
"No… I am not confident but… I feel this air around a certain old geezer."
"Alee?"
"I don't know why I feel like… we have already crossed paths but… where?"
"Undeniably, I have to agree on that, the man does have a suspicious air around him. What should we do for now?"
"Well… for now, I will take a look at this," Bell pulls out a crystal part that belonged to the ice monster, "meanwhile you keep an eye on the village."
"Again, with a stakeout called on me… it sometimes irritates me that you make me do these out of my own free will."
"No complains, 'he' sent you to be my support and help me with the tasks I ASSIGN YOU."
"Damn that bastard… 'he' will soon have the worst of me."
"Not to mention 'he' is your current god."
"Whatever… tied up with the blessingless child just for some fun of 'experiment' in his eyes is just—"
"If you take time our suspect might leave."
"Alright fine! I will take my leave then."
The cloaked figure dissipated in darkness, Bell descended from the branch and sat straight on the ground.
"Time to see what lies inside this crystal…"
I had the feeling of life source present within it but I am not certain of whose it was. Human? Xenos? Everything will be clear once I find out. I held the crystal gently and covered it whole and closed my eyes, concentrating my mana and letting it flow through the crystal. The crystal enclosed in my palm glows as I could feel a warm light falling on me. With that my whole body now suddenly feels to be submerged in an unknown space…
While Bell was identifying the origin of the power of those crystal monsters, Cosmos on the other hand had seen Alee escaping the village suspiciously, the being hid itself as the old man's shadow. They had reached the destination that was the cave that Bell and him had explored before the monster raid fell upon them.
"So… they did come here." Alee said with an annoying tone, cosmos stayed low silently hiding his presence as the man's shadow.
"Curses… that damned blessingless child… he had already stopped my tracks on every possible achievement I could've had accomplished… now I won't let that happen." The man's tone grows menacing making Cosmos have an idea of this 'Alee's' true nature and real name.
"I am so close… once I complete it… I SHALL BE THE ONE… THE FIRST OF ALL TO MAKE THIS IMPOSSIBLE FEAT POSSIBLE."
"What feat is he talking about…"
…
I slowly drifted down in a dream of someone else, as my eyes opened, I saw a pair of hands open and pointing towards a man who seemed happy carrying a ball.
"Over here dad!"
"Slow down little one, here."
The man throws the ball as the boy I am seeing the vision through catches it, he seems to be smiling with a wide grin.
I have learned this art through cosmos, Memory infusion… is what he calls it. This is an ability that I have created thanks to him and his god's guidance. Normally it would be impossible to caste such a thing or make such a thing existence if it were under a god's supervision, in simpler words… the blessings of the gods restricts to produce abilities such as these, but for me it was different. The skill had been developed on my own 'hidden status', even I was surprised to know that I already had this 'hidden status' in me from the very beginning. But still there is much more to learn about and for that time awaits me as I grow stronger.
The boy and the man seem to be father and son, also the man in the vision was the person whom I had met at the beginning. I remembered him saying 'I don't want the same thing that had happened to my child,' ever since I wondered what had actually happened to this little family.
The image now shifts to the boy and the man sitting nearby fireplace.
"Dad… why are we not allowed to go there?"
"You mustn't there are dangerous monsters lurking around."
"But are we even sure that they are real?"
"Of course, son… many had witnessed and only few were able to escape."
The father's expression changes to 'ah' as he seemed to have taken the boy didn't understand the situation.
"Just promise me you won't go there."
"O-Okay dad… I promise…"
Now… it shifts to the boy with three more kids of his age.
"Come now scaredy cat!"
"I am not a scaredy cat!"
"Then come on and join us!"
"But my dad said there are monsters around that place."
"Keh… you afraid of those rumors."
"B-But!"
"Come now let's go… we will just look around and come back, no one will know."
"…"
"Well leave him be… he is a scaredy—"
"LIKE I SAID I AM NOT! I AM A STRONG BOY!"
"Oh… the prove it."
"FINE… I WILL JOIN TOO!"
In the next instant, my vision was blinded by light and was welcomed by the darkness. The boy seemed to have closed his eyes.
Slowly waking up, he finds himself in the dark cave with crystals embedded on walls. The place was familiar… it was the same place where I had tried to explore. The boy was shaking and looked himself chained on the wall.
"Guys… where are you!"
"Oh dear… you poor soul."
A shadow emerges from the dark, with three big crystals, the boy got scared as he saw his friends inside those crystal. The voice was somewhat familiar to me, where have I heard it?
"W-Who… are you, what did you do to them!?"
"Shush… didn't your parents teach you. Kids should not wander around this place."
The strange figure grins widely as it takes out the needle with the serum stored inside, he injects it on the kid's hand.
"Three are in verge for success but might fail… you are my fourth guinie pig…"
"W-Wha— AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
A sudden pain surges through the boy's body, I could equally feel it. He was driven by in pain and agony while the strange man had menacing laugh, there I saw, the slow transformation for the limbs into crystal. The boy panicked as he was still experiencing pain as if his whole body is being torn apart.
"hehehe… hahaha. GYAHAHAHAHA! FINALLLY A SUCCESS!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!—"
…
"GRAAAAH—!"
I wake to my consciousness, the pain I felt through the boy was bearable but I didn't expect such a thing. I panted heavily.
"How… absurd."
My iris shook in disbelief, and that sound and the way of treating people as subjects… anger rises as I remembered who that bastard was. I could do nothing but punch the ground hard breaking the crystal in my palm.
"So… that's what had happened… That bastard is here…"
"You good there?"
Shaking me off Cosmos finally showed up.
"Geee… you scared me."
"I didn't mean to but… you just screamed. Was it from the crystal?"
"Yeah… not just any crystal… this crystal that I took from the monster was once a human… a young child on that too."
"So… it seems like we are in the same page."
The comment took my attention.
"He did a good job dropping his plans out without any concern. It is really him."
I grite my teeth in frustration but at the same time I felt excitement as I let out a grin of my own.
"That bastard escaped last time… this time I will finish him off. But it has to be done in the right way."
"How so…"
"We have to unmask that bastard's identity. And to do that we have to bring the main figure heads of village to the cave. It is impossible to do so though."
"A-hem… if I may… there is another way and a safe one from where we can let them enter the cave."
"What?"
"Alee has two ways, the entrance was done normally but the second way was closed on to his home."
"That makes me question why he wouldn't use that in first place but… good for us whatsoever."
"Alright then boss… what's the plan."
The dawn brings out the light but the village was sealed off close. As usual some figureheads started discussing about the matter with their adventurer who seem to bear the hope of solving this mystery.
Bell just had normal conversation and noticed Alee's movements. Whatever he is planning to do must be done carefully. It went dry for a whole week while Bell simply tried to sabotage the cave's defense system to make Alee trigger and make him move.
It was time consuming but it finally happened, the leaders had a meet but Alee was missing, at the same time Bell was also missing, the leaders assumed that he again went to cave which was normal, but then cosmos showed up and explained everything to them. Of course they had time trusting some stranger who showed up out of nowhere claiming to be Bell's companion but they trusted their gut to accept the fact.
Then again as the being explained, no one would believe what he said to them but they had no other choice but to cooperate and find the truth for themselves. Steeling their resolve they decided to go where the being took them.
It was nothing but rampage between the white haired man and the ice monsters, Bell had already penetrated deep inside the cave leaving undecomposed corpses of ice monsters while the man named Alee ran for his dear life.
He did not expect that brat to be that strong, assuming only few ice monsters would be good enough to take him down was a mistake on his end.
"Where do ya think all of this will take you Alee… or should I call you Zout Hilmer of Evilus."
"So… you knew eh… I should've expected that from you brat."
"Last time you escaped with your life this time… I will kill you."
The man sweated as he felt murderous range from his enemy. He quickly waved his hands making new ice monsters and this time they had a shield. Not any normal shield but shields with people frozen inside.
The mobs directed their attack towards him with human shield.
"I bet he won't dare kill those baggage—"
Zout expected the albino to hesitate but no, complete opposite had happened, Bell slit his knives through the crystals killing both ice monsters and the trapped humans.
Chill's spread throught the old man's body.
"If that's the case then…"
He snapped his fingers and the crystals held by the ice monsters in the rear broke free, Bell was left stunned as the person crawled his way out and grabbed his torso.
"P-Please… save us…"
A sight of hesitation was hinted on his face as he squinted, looking sorry for the person crawling and begging to be saved but his eyes quickly give a shot at the man with uncomfortable grin.
"Crap… another trap."
Now clearing his hesitations, he slashed the person and killed him on spot, followed by those who were crawling towards him.
"I guess… I still haven't gotten myself hold of my emotions…" he whispered to himself.
The old man was now shaking in his boots, there is no stopping this monster. He killed ice monsters okay, but now he shows no sign of hesitation to kill human.
"W-Wow… you didn't even hesitate to cut those poor souls. You really are fit for Evilus."
The boy pointed his knife at him and replied…
"Don't indulge me with the likes of you… these people were dead the moment they were crystallized."
"!?"
"Your plan got me in the first half but I won't hesitate to cut whatever stops me."
The man now started laughing like an insane person, Bell just stared daggers at him.
"Again…"
He started.
"Again… and again… and again… and again… and again again again again AGAIN AND AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN!"
The man lost it.
"HOW… HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES ARE YOU GOING TO FOIL MY PLANS BELL CRANELLL!"
Zout broke down mentally, for the longest he had been holding on his sanity till it had reached its breakpoint, this albino had already stopped him multiple times on achieving his goals, none the less he now had even triggered him to the point that made him lose his sanity.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG! CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL… CRANEL…"
He started scratching his face until it bled out. The albino had no effect on him whatsoever, he simply stared at the evilus member with dead eyes. Seeing this kind of treatment he again lost it…
"DAMN YOU… AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, YOU! SHOWING ME THAT FACE! AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN… I AM GONNA KILL YOU! I HAD IT ENOUGH!"
"Is this what they call insanity," he said simply by tilting his head a little.
The old man kept on scratching and yelling as he faced the ground, struggling to stand still but tighten his grip on his body.
"ALL THE TIME… WHENEVER I WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETE IT. YOU! YOU ALWAYS COME AND RUIN IT! IT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS AND I HAD FINALY ACHIEVED IT, IF IT WERE ONLY NOT FOR YOU I COULD'VE MADE THE WHOLE ARMY!"
"A whole army of monsters… you still hadn't given up on insane 'project' of yours didn't you. Transfugiration of humans into monsters."
"THIS WAS THE PERFECT MODEL… NO IT WAS ABOUT TO ATTAIN PERFECTION… IF ONLY A LITTLE BIT MORE… I could've completed it… I COULD'VE COMPLETED IT!"
"…"
"It took me fucking 5 years to find out about this place… a perfect place to harvest my fletching's… a perfect place to give rise to my endless researches… a PERFECT PLACE TO GIFT MY GOD WITH THESE NEW MINIONS! but no… I couldn't"
He now clutches his head with both of his hands pressing it inwards.
"I had to go out, act like a fucking goodie-goodie person, win the trust of those test subjects and now here I am… IN COMPLETE RUINS! To say the least that I also smuggle and made proit out of selling the crystals that had pure energy. My life was like a paradise… UNTILL YOU SHOWED UP!" his eyes shot up red.
"hehehe… HAHAHA…. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah… that's it… I JuST hAvE To KiLl yOu HerE, nO oNe wIlL dOuBt ThAt I KiLLed YoU hErE… Yes…"
Hi now raises his hands sideways, bell narrowed his site.
"ThE HiGHliGht… CocKY adventurer MeEtS hIs DoOm wHiLe eXplORing aS hE gEtS killed bY IcE MonSters… YeS… YeS… YeS… YEEESSSS!"
He forms a fist, almost ready to command but then a voice stopped him.
"ALEE!"
The voice was familiar to both Bell and Zout, the two looked towards the direction, it was none other than the chief with some of the village leaders, jaws totally dropped in disbelief. With their own ears they listened to the whole conversation.
"Alee… was that true?"
"Tell you that you were just joking right now."
"He isn't," Bell called out, "Also… his real name is Zout Hilmer, a member of an evil organization which calls themselves as evilus. This guy is a mad man who had made his researches on how to transform humans into monsters."
"No… it can't be…"
"Well it unfortunately is… look around here."
The crowd then noticed all the corpses that were none other than their own village people, they passed out, some even held on to stop themselves from throwing up. Gerald was in utter shock.
The man tsked and yelled out…
"Don't get me wrong ya livestock."
"Live… stock?"
"Exactly… ya think I cared about your dumb and stupid village and its ideals? No… I only cared about this cave which had boundless resources. Your puny little village had no idea how treasures place this was. You and all the damned livestock are just my Guinee pig."
Gerald didn't want to believe this truth, his moments with Alee had flashed, all the joyful moment and times they had spent, talking, sharing things and guiding the village. All of it was nothing but an illusion.
Bell punched out and beated him good until he was crumbling in fear, pulling his hair and placing the knife on his throat, he just simply said one thing.
"Mr. Gerald… its your call… if you say now, I will kill him in front of your eyes… but if you decide to spare him off, let me make you aware, I will kill him anyway behind your back. This monster had given pain not only to your people but all others who had been trapped by him."
Gerald was shaking, this was the hardest choice, but what even more Zout pleaded putting up a teary face that would melt the old man's heart despite knowing he is going to die.
"Y-You wouldn't would you… after all this time… we have—"
"Kill him…"
"!—"
That line was the last thing the man heard, as his eyes widen, in mere seconds his head separated off from his body and rolled away to the side, the still body now falls low on ground.
This wasn't the first time for Bell getting his hands bloodied but still he hated to take life of people. But it had to be done by someone, the scenario was 'when push comes to shove' he will do anything if it can keep others safe… even if it means to take someone's life.
He stands up on his feet and look towards the frozen people inside crystal, in an instant, he charged his knife with a special attack and destroyed all of them killing the people inside it.
The village leaders were shocked and cried with roar.
"WHY… WHY DID YOU KILL THEM!"
"Why you ask… because I felt like it."
He gave a mocking smile which made others range out at him, forgetting the albino for the moment they rushed to mourn for the dead.
Bell slowly left the place as the chief starred the boy's back. The ranged people sure were mad but later realized the smile on those dead people, they were suffering and he was the one who ended their misery. From within they gratefully thanked the man.
The new day arrives as the albino packs his stuff to move out, none of the villagers showed up except the chief. They had a final exchange of words.
"You are leaving."
"Yes… I have done what I was told too… I will be back for the payment later on."
"Thank you… for killing them."
"hm? What? Are you crazy?"
"I am not… I genuinely thank you for killing them. All of them seemed to be in pain and you just freed them."
"Hah… what a strange geezer you are… thanking a killer."
"…"
"None of my concern… but what are you planning to do now?"
"WE will use this cave and rebuild this land, like that man Zout said, these ores are special. We may earn by selling them at high price or even use them to develop our village."
"I see…"
"Then after… we will pay your debt…"
"meh… no need."
"Huh…"
"Just use that resource on making this place beautiful enough to live upto its expectation again… like it was years ago."
"Mr. Bell… where are you heading next."
"who knows…" just at that moment a gentle wind passes through showing him a direction, "probably where the wind takes me…"
"I see… I have one more thing to ask if you don't mind me."
"What is it now… hurry it up."
"You are actually a kind man aren't you… why do you make people hate you. Why would you want to be isolated."
"That is none of your business. Now go back and do yer work old man."
Rude enough said but the chief didn't mind it. There has to be a reason the boy was like that, all he did was just stand and smiled as he saw the boy vanishing on reaching certain distance towards the rising sun.
"I pray for your well being… Bell Cranel. The blessingless child turned out to be the one who blessed us with this land."
Soon after his leave all the villagers gathered round, embarrassing as it seem to face him they looked hesitantly at the chief.
"Why are your heads low… a miracle has happened. Didn't I tell you there will be a day when we will be free from fears. This is our starting point… let the village prosper in new light."
The cheers erupted as the statement of their leader boosted their morale.
…
…
"At the end of the day… no matter how you look at it… you haven't changed yourself at all."
"What do you mean cosmos."
"I watched your fight, and you hesitated cutting that person down before you learned they were already dead."
"Shut it…"
"haha… the fact you act so arrogantly and be an asshole… but deep inside your kindness has no bounds. A perfect fit for loner wannabe type."
"Ya wan't me to put holes on you."
"I am already a bunch of bones here… you think you can put up holes in me."
"Whatever…"
The albino sighed…
"That reminds me… this is just like the same day when we started to adventure together."
"Yeah… can't believe it's already been a whole year…"
...
Yes…
It had all happened a year ago…
When I learned about the true nature of gods…
The gods whom I loved to be with…
The gods who were good to me…
All of that was nothing but a mask… a façade…
Their true nature is unknown to the world….
Yes… exatly…
A year ago…
It had happened…
That day…
When the gods took her away form me…
When Orario… took Hestia away from me…
…
…
END
A/N: Long awaited one-shot is out here, I hope you liked it. The main story of the blessingless child will start from here on out. Also a quick note. The environment is outside dungeon and totally a new concept of Bell making a world where the gods are to be forced back to heavens and watch over the lower world like they used to.
The fiction will mostly use more characters other than Main caste of SO and Main danmachi, new ones will be interesting. I am hyped to write this story and hope so that all of you will enjoy.
P.S. Updates will happen when possible, and there is no limit set to chapters so limit is varied. As long as I can give a proper story for readers to understand.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading