Thank you, Bruhman, for the suggestions and support. Unfortunately, I had already chosen a name for her long before I thought of using Elemental Equine in comparison to just plain old normal ones.

x-x-TheBurnedMan-x-x, the story will only feature 19th- to early-20th-century firearms. There might be some World War I weapons appearing in the story, but they would be far different and far removed from the basic firearms that we know and most likely will not take place in this Kingdom. As for fantasy guns, there will be several types. Concept ideas I will borrow from Final Fantasy, but I won't say which ones. I'll let those who have played the franchise giggle in the background while the others who are unaware ponder what type of weapon it is and what version of Final Fantasy it came from, along with a few other fantasy games that have interesting weapons.

For everyone else, yes, the four months of preparation time were intentional. I thought it would be best for Arthur and his merry band of outlaws to have time to develop as characters, rather than just being add-ons, which is what I feel happened when the original story was rushed within those four weeks. This will also give us a chance to explore the world in depth, something I think the original creator glossed over. For example, other organizations exist outside the purview and control of the monarchy and the Three Heroes Church, and we will explore these in-depth together. Arthur Morgan will also be exploring other kingdoms, making a few illustrated entries in his new journal.

Another thing is that everyone has given me suggestions of what or who should be Arthur's partner. Many of the suggestions seem to be mostly appropriate and fit Arthur quite well. But deciding which one of the main cast members to use seems to be a little more difficult. I might decide to go the easy route and simply create a harem for him, but I don't know if that would fit or not. But I know this: I can't please everyone with what they would like to see. I can only do what I can with the will of the story taking the lead. I'm just the hand that puts it on here; I'm not the captain of this ship that runs into the storm.

To answer a previous question, yes, special ammunition types will cause various effects, such as silver being good against cursed creatures or the undead, just like in The Witcher, along with special poisons and other tinctures that would be added into the story.

One last thing, I'll be starting up a Discord server so anyone who wants to have discussions of the story amongst themselves can do so without responding to each other's reviews or the forums. It would help to answer some questions that don't involve spoilers. This would also allow me to see everyone's reactions when I give them a few story ideas I have cooked in the background and just want everyone's opinions on. So if you are interested, leave your Discord name and number in a review, and I will add you to the invite list.

Arthur's Creature entry

The Celestial Horse is a majestic creature, its black fur shimmering with specks of light that resemble a star constellation. Its mane, glowing with the soft luminescence of moonlight, adds to its ethereal beauty. The size of these horses can vary, ranging from large to average, but their grandeur remains constant.

The Celestial Horse possesses a unique set of abilities. It can absorb light, creating an artificial darkness around it. This absorbed light can then be released in a terrifying shower of starlight, which explodes upon contact with the ground or any unfortunate being caught underneath. Another ability is the Cosmic Wave, where the horse can unleash stored cosmic energy in a destructive wave of intense heat and radiation, capable of melting and disintegrating everything in its path, leaving the ground glass in its wake.

The Celestial Horse also can manipulate its body to a certain extent. It can manifest bone-like blades with the tensile strength of steel, making it a formidable opponent in battle. Its teleportation ability allows it to travel anywhere without restriction, making it an ideal mount for those who can tame it. Furthermore, these horses possess telepathy, enabling them to communicate with their riders or those attempting to claim them.

The appearance of a Celestial Horse is considered a sign of a significant cosmic event on the horizon. Whether this event is for good or ill, only fate can tell. Despite their mysterious nature, these horses have a range of temperaments. Some are calm and relaxed, while others are territorial and easily angered, slow to calm once roused.

The personality of each Celestial Horse varies, but most share a common trait - pride. They are aware of their status as the pinnacle of elemental equine and carry themselves with dignity befitting their stature. These celestial creatures are not just horses; they are a symbol of cosmic power and majesty, a testament to the wonders of the universe.

Chapter 4

The old outlaw fought the fatigue he was feeling after his little bout with his new mount, a majestic equine who was constantly complaining in her head about her circumstances of being owned by someone as lowly as him. Especially after it was revealed that he had come from humble beginnings and was no different than a simple common thug or thief, at least in the eyes of this so-called noble princess of the elements.

'Those who have come before me are probably weeping in shame to lose all my power and impressive size to be a simple mount for a lowly outlaw,' she telepathically thought pompously. Her rider started jabbing the spurs into her side to her displeasure, causing her to let out a whimper.

Unable to help it, Arthur smirked at the silence he could hear for once in the short brief amount of time he had before she would start up again. "As much as you dislike it, I need a horse and you had the unfortunate bad luck to be chosen by me. I hardly think you should complain about being chosen. I take care of all my mounts and you are one that I'm going to keep so long as I breathe in this world," he informed her of his plans on keeping her forever if need be. Thinking about his old mounts, he couldn't help but feel no connection to any of them. He had bought legitimate horses from breeders and raised them until they were strong enough to be resold again at a higher price than he had bought them for. He didn't so much as settle on a name for them other than calling them Roach whenever he got a mare as his mount, but if it was a boy, he would name them Ed.

Sensing the thoughts of her rider, she couldn't help but snort at the few names that were already popping into his head. 'Are you serious? Those few first female names I could sense coming from your surface thoughts are downright degrading and disgusting, unfit for true majestic royalty like me,' she raised her horse head high as she continued walking in the direction she was tasked by her rider to go.

"What's wrong with Elizabeth?" he asked his already starting to become annoying mount. He was fighting the urge to just simply kick his spurs into her side again just to test the limits of what binding magic would keep her from doing.

Letting out another horse snort to emphasize what she thought of such a name, she responded, 'Though the name would be considered the name of a queen of royalty, your world's variation of queens or what you have read up on are nothing in comparison to a celestial being such as I. Our names must mean something and I refuse to be granted a name that is so connected to a world so beneath me.'She telepathically conveyed her opinion of the world that the outlaw had come from.

Despite her opinions and disrespect, he was not deterred in his decision to make her his mount. It's not every day that you can get a horse with unusual abilities such as hers. "All right, you don't like Elizabeth. What about Astraea? Is this name not suitable for you, the name of a goddess?" He stated and questioned his mount as he looked around, starting to see familiar territory around him.

Now, that name was marginally better. The name of a goddess suited her near divine-like being, yet it still didn't fit for her. Without being too intrusive, she used the telepathy link that she had with her rider and peered deep into his mind, mostly memories concerning where he first picked up the name Astraea and found a much more suitable name. 'Nyx is a more suitable name for me,' she had stated through the telepathic communication that she had with her rider.

To be honest, he didn't find the name to be bad, though where she had gotten it from, he had no idea. Only when he was thinking about it did a brief image flash of memory into his mind.

Flashback

A 15-year-old Arthur Morgan was struggling to make heads or tails of the written word as he tried to read some passages from Greek Fables. "Forget this!" he yelled at the inanimate object, tossing it aside. It slammed into an individual who was slowly approaching the young Arthur's section of the camp. Startled, Arthur turned his head and was immediately shocked to see Hosea, who reached down and grabbed the discarded book.

Unaware of Arthur's shock and fearful expression, the older man opened the book and found the passage Arthur had been struggling with, marked by a feather gifted by Dutch. "Nyx, the primordial entity of night, mistress of darkness, a power unto herself unlike that of Chaos, another primordial entity that ruled the universe. Such power as these two entities, if they ever joined the war of the universe and sided with their lesser kin, the Titans, then it would be the Gods shackled and contained in Tartarus, then those treacherous vile Titan beings," Hosea read aloud. Looking up from the book, he noticed that the young man he had taken under his wing about a year ago had his head hanging down, staring at the grass-covered ground while sitting on his cot.

"I just don't see the point of this. We're outlaws, aren't we? So why the hell do I need to read or write when I could just use a gun?" the young Arthur said, frustrated, while staring at the ground.

Hosea pondered over Arthur's words, then walked over and smacked the boy upside the head with the book. "Any fool can pull out a gun and shoot people to get what they want, but a wise man can achieve the same without pulling the trigger. And I intend to live a long life with wise men, rather than a short one with idiots. If you don't learn how to read, starting from this passage and going through the entire book, I'll make sure Dutch gives you a task fitting for the camp fool, like mucking up horseshit," he said sternly. It was the only way to get through to the stubborn boy, and Hosea believed in tough love, especially during Arthur's transition from boyhood to manhood.

Arthur rubbed the back of his head after being smacked, causing him to sniffle and tear up. It wasn't the pain or the harsh words that affected him, but rather the disappointment he could hear in his new father figure, a man who had taken him in and provided him with a real home and family. "I'm sorry, it was just hard to focus," he apologized, raising his head and looking at the book still held in Hosea's hand.

Hosea reached out and returned the book to Arthur. "Don't be sorry, boy, be better. That's all we can do, be better than we were in the past so that the future can be a little brighter for us, even as scum in society," he said, adding a touch of mocking sarcasm that made the younger boy chuckle.

Arthur opened the book to the page where he had been struggling the most and resumed reading, taking Hosea's words to heart. "Be better for a brighter future," he repeated silently in his head, focusing on the words that had given him trouble.

"Once you finish that page, dinner will be ready for all of us, including you. We can't have our youngest member starving while he's sharpening his reading skills," the older outlaw stated as he walked out of Arthur's tent and headed towards the main camp.

flashback end

After that brief vision, Arthur couldn't help but feel moisture leaking down his cheeks. He reached his hands up to touch the fluid that was causing his skin to sting, only to realize they were tears. As he recalled, he hadn't properly mourned for one of his father figures, a man who was both hard yet firm, everything he had needed while growing up into the man he was today. The moment of melancholy sadness was quickly pushed aside as he used his sleeve to wipe away his tears and sniffed deeply, needing to clear out the mucus that had built up from this small bout of sorrow. "Do not siphon through my mind like that again, or you won't like what I do to you next, bitch!" he growled. For a brief moment, he could feel Nyx underneath him shiver in fear, and she didn't need to use her connection to him to imagine what he would do to her.

The two rode on in silence toward the last known location they were at before their battle. Despite their fight, the ground didn't even look like it had been damaged, as if it had been healed by an outside force. The outlaw couldn't see where his shield companion was as he looked around, only to hear laughter. His gaze turned towards the direction where he heard the laughter coming from, and he was shocked to find Naofumi lying on his back with his head resting on a cloud-like equine. The rest of the elemental equines circled the young man, with one in particular looking like it was covered in blades, its head resting on his stomach.

moments ago

Seeing how Arthur had disappeared with the star-touched horse, Naofumi was left alone with other Elemental horses that were emerging from the bushes and between the trees. The battle was taking place elsewhere, leaving the low-level shielder alone with potentially high-level creatures that could kill him with a single thought.

He raised his shield in defense and waited for an attack that would never come, or at least not the one he was expecting. A single nudge sent a sensation through his shield, and as he looked over it, he saw the horse he had seen earlier, the one that had shattered a rock with its Golden Horn. He gulped and reached out with his left hand, the one without the shield, and gently touched the muzzle of the lightning horse.

The lightning horse snorted as it took another step forward, forcing Naofumi's hand to rub up the side of its muzzle and then its head. It was trying to convey that it was not like the Celestial Horse.

Feeling the static of this exotic horse, Naofumi felt tickling sensations of electricity kiss the soft skin of his hands, causing him to smile as he pulled his hand away and shook it, feeling the electric surge that made his hand itch. "I guess the rest of you are the nice horses?" he half asked and stated, watching as a few of them bobbed their heads in a horse-like gesture of agreement.

After that, he spent time petting and observing the different exotic horses, from lightning to Earth to water and air, each with unique features such as fins, wings, or blades. There was even a bladed horse that approached him cautiously and shyly, maintaining a certain distance between itself and Naofumi, as if afraid that it would harm the lone human if it got too close. The bladed horse had intricate blades and hidden needles scattered throughout its body and fur. Fortunately, Naofumi, the shield wielder, had checked his defensive stats and realized they were high. He approached the bladed horse, surprising it, and gave it a gentle pet on the side of its head.

*Ping* was the sound that constantly rang in Naofumi's ear as he continued to give gentle affection to the very metal-looking horses with their dagger-like fangs protruding from their mouths. They also had massive saw-like blade manes running from the top of their heads to their upper backs, and their gunmetal hides sparkled with a few visible needles.

The fact that these horse had never received any physical affection from their kind brought tears to Bladed Mare's eyes, and a few of those tears landed on the green gem that was on The Shield.

New Shield unlocked

Blade Shield:

- Nullifies slashing, piercing, and cutting damage of all kinds when equipped.

- Provides a high attack bonus to the user.

- The defense stat is unrelated to the current active abilities and effects that are not nullified.

Stats:

- Attack: +30%

- Defense: -20%

- Special Ability: Nullify slashing, piercing, and cutting damage

With the Blade Shield equipped, the user will experience a significant boost in attack power while being impervious to slashing, piercing, and cutting damage. However, it's important to note that the defense stat is slightly reduced to balance out the increased offensive capabilities.

After unlocking his new Shield, Naofumi's high defenses now resisted attacks, and the constant *ping* sound in his ear ceased. Instead, a simple null icon appeared in the corner of his vision. "Looks like I'm immune to your passive defenses," he said, becoming more vigorous with his petting, much to the delight of the bladed horse. The horse clamp and stamped, clearly enjoying the physical affection. Naofumi then had an idea to make the horse even happier. "If it's not too much to ask, I wouldn't mind riding on your back just around this little forested area until my friend gets back."

Without hesitation, the bladed horse lowered its body, making it easier for Naofumi to mount. He climbed onto its back, shocking and amazing the onlookers. Though he found it difficult to maintain his balance and felt slightly uncomfortable riding bareback, he refused to back down, especially now that he had a new Shield equipped. It was a payment for being granted something incredibly useful on his journey to combat the waves.

After riding around the forested clearing area for a while, Naofumi had to call it quits for the sake of his comfort. Riding a horse without a saddle was taking a toll on his... well, sensitive areas. Soon enough, he found himself lying on his back with his head resting on a cloud-like substance, surrounded by every elemental horse. They either wanted attention from him or simply wanted to be in his presence. Unable to help himself, he laughed at the situation and realized that if he truly wanted to, he could ask one of them to become his mount. However, he didn't feel that a horse would be suitable, even as exotic as these horses were. It was only later that he noticed Arthur's return.

Present

Arthur couldn't believe his ears as Naofumi relayed that his interaction with the elemental horses had been friendly, unlike Nyx. He also learned from his mount that they were all siblings, sisters to be exact, born from the same primordial elemental equines. It was discovered that their tears could unlock new weapons, much like Naofumi's. The outlaw approached the bladed mare with both gems of his bow and gun pointed at the horse, kindly asking her to give him some tears.

new weapons unlocked

Blade Gun:

- Sacrifices long-range attacks for increased close to mid-range damage.

- The length of the blade increases as the weapon's level rises.

- At level one, it is approximately the size of a long knife with a gun handle and revolving ammunition chamber.

Stats:

- Close to mid-range damage: +40%

- Long-range damage: N/A

- Special Ability: "Double Shot" - Exchanging a single round doubles the attack power and speed of the gun blade wielder for a short period. It also adds a bonus to both slashing and piercing damage.

With the Blade Gun, you'll excel in close to mid-range combat, delivering powerful strikes with the blade. While long-range attacks are not available, the weapon compensates with increased damage potential in its effective range. As the weapon levels up, the blade's length will grow, enhancing its reach and effectiveness.

The special ability, "Double Shot," allows you to exchange a single round to temporarily double your attack power and speed. This ability also grants a bonus to both slashing and piercing damage, making you a formidable force in battle.

Blade Bow:

- A powerful bow that combines ranged precision with bladed arrows.

- Special ability allows it to generate and launch bladed tip arrows.

- Bladed arrows can cause bleeding damage and cut through objects and limbs without issue.

Stats:

- Attack: +25%

- Range: Long-range

- Special Ability: "Bladed Arrows" - The Blade Bow can generate and launch bladed tip arrows. These arrows can cause bleed damage to targets, inflicting additional damage over time. Additionally, they can cut through objects and limbs without issue, allowing for precise and effective shots.

The Blade Bow is a formidable weapon that excels in long-range combat. Its special ability, "Bladed Arrows," provides a unique advantage. The bladed tip arrows not only deal immediate damage but also cause bleed damage, increasing the overall effectiveness of each shot. Furthermore, these arrows possess the ability to cut through objects and limbs effortlessly, ensuring that they can penetrate defenses and obstacles with ease.

His gun was the first thing Arthur tried, and immediately he had a long knife in exchange for a barrel. Wanting to test out his weapon's new ability, he walked over to a nearby rock and activated the double shot. With one swift movement, he was able to take the top portion of the rock without scuffing the blade. Even afterward, he could see the blade almost shining with energy caused by the expenditure of one round of his limited ammunition. "Well, this is going to be damn useful," Arthur stated as he changed his gun back to its original form. He also tested out his bow, just as the item description had explained. It sent out bladed tip arrows and sliced nearby tree limbs without any problems.

Just like Arthur, Naofumi brought out his blade shield and experimented with it on a few rocks and tree trunks. As he watched himself create large gashes in the objects, he couldn't help but think about what would happen if he combined the blade shield and the rope shield. The possibilities intrigued him, and he made a mental note to try it out later.

New weapon unlocked

Flying Guillotine:

- Combines aspects of both the Blade Shield and the Rope Shield to create the Flying Guillotine Shield.

- Can be used for long to mid-range combat and also functions as a shield when needed.

Stats:

- Attack: +20%

- Defense: +15%

- Range: Long to mid-range

- Special Ability: "Head Collector" - Automatically activated when the Flying Guillotine decapitates a target. Grants the wielder double the amount of XP they would normally gain by simply killing the target.

The Flying Guillotine is a versatile weapon that excels in both offense and defense. It combines the offensive capabilities of the Blade Shield and the defensive properties of the Rope Shield. This allows you to engage in long to mid-range combat, striking your enemies with precision while also providing protection when necessary.

The special ability, "Head Collector," is triggered when the Flying Guillotine decapitates a target. This ability grants the wielder double the number of experience points (XP) they would typically gain from simply killing the target. This provides a significant boost to your character's progression and growth.

Naofumi immediately gasped at the new weapon he had just unlocked, and the shield wielder quickly changed his weapon to his Flying Guillotine Shield. Just like the blade shield, it was stuck to his arm, but as soon as he slung his arm, the bladed shield began spinning and flew off with a high-pitched whistle sound, slicing through a few nearby rocks without too much difficulty. When he jerked his arm back, the shield returned to his left arm, all without harming him. Besides the existing stats he had just read about his new shield, he cross-referenced and checked to make sure he still had the benefits of the blade shield, which he did to the extent that he couldn't be harmed by normal bladed weapons, but he was still vulnerable to blunt weapons and magic.

On the side, Arthur witnessed his companion unlocking another weapon, and when he questioned him about it, he did a similar thing, thinking about the rope and his bladed gun, and immediately unlocking a new weapon. This made the outlaw grin, as he could see this weapon being quite useful in the future.

The two humans spent some more time among the elemental equines, and despite all the trouble they had gone through to get here, Naofumi didn't find any unique connections with any of the lovely mares that wouldn't mind being his mount. Arthur couldn't fault him for that; sometimes the best fit could be found elsewhere. He thought to himself. the two were making tracks back towards Castle Town.

It took them at least the same amount of time it took to reach the location of the elemental equines, with the only difference being that Arthur was comfortable sitting on the back of Nyx while Naofumi traveled on foot. If only his mount was back to its original large size, he would have offered the boy a not-too-comfortable seat all the way back to Castle Town. Unfortunately, due to the reduced levels matching those of his levels, Nyx was unsuitable for anyone other than one rider at a time.

As they approached Castle Town, Arthur couldn't help but notice the change in Naofumi's demeanor. The shield wielder's expression became hardened, his eyes cold. Before Arthur could even ask about it, Naofumi went towards a large rock with signs pointing in random directions and quickly dug up a dirt-covered sack.

"I hope Erhard doesn't mind that some of the stuff has dirt on it; the rest is in perfect condition," Naofumi said, his voice devoid of emotion as he stared at the items. The memories of being accused in the throne room and Arthur's defense replayed in his mind. The words "Don't let the demons take you" echoed in his thoughts, keeping him from surrendering to despair and hatred. He threw the sack over his shoulder and looked at his shield.

"I don't think the blacksmith would care if there was a little dirt on your stuff, though he might try to reduce the return value of your items. I think I could strong-arm him into giving you the full price back," Arthur commented, placing a hand on Naofumi's shoulder.

"I don't think I can wander into Castle Town with the shield out without being instantly noticed, and it's not like I can switch over to the new weapons I obtain from our little travel into the forest," Naofumi said, expressing his concern. He had the ability to change the nature of his shield, unlocking new weapons like the flying guillotine, but he still had a way to go before unlocking the blast shield.

Arthur couldn't help but agree with Naofumi. He walked into town with his change appearance, and Nyx would surely attract attention. He doubted there would be any accurate descriptions of himself on wanted posters, other than his previous appearance and possessions.

"Excuse me, I am not a simple possession. I am your mount, yes, but I am not an object of yours!" Nyx telepathically rebuked Arthur, reminding him that she was more than just a possession.

Ignoring her telepathic communication, Arthur started to come up with an idea, albeit a foolish one. He reached into his shoulder bag and pulled out a silver canteen he had from before being summoned into this world. The fluid inside intrigued him.

"Why don't I feed this to your shield and see what the outcome is?" Arthur suggested, diverting Naofumi's attention away from his dark thoughts and shield.

Curious about what Arthur was going to feed his shield, Naofumi extended his left arm and prepared the gem to receive whatever materials were going to be put into his shield. He watched as the outlaw brought over his silver flask and began pouring a brown liquid onto the shield. The shield took a few moments, accompanied by flashes of emerald light from the gem that brightened and dimmed a few times, before Naofumi received another new weapon notification.

new weapon unlocked

Alcohol Barrel Shield:

- A utility item that doubles as a shield.

- Special ability grants alcohol immunity and bonuses to poison and intoxication resistances.

- Special ability "Alcohol Refinement" allows the refinement of alcohol poured into the barrel, enhancing its taste and aging it to a higher quality.

- Special ability "Self Brewery" enables the production of alcohol within the shield, utilizing MP as a resource to produce alcohol.

Stats:

- Defense: +20%

- Special Ability:

- "Alcohol Immunity" - Provides immunity to the negative effects of alcohol consumption and grants bonuses to poison and intoxication resistances.

- "Alcohol Refinement" - By pouring alcohol into the barrel, it can refine the taste and age of the alcohol to a higher quality.

- "Self Brewery" - Utilizes MP as a resource to produce alcohol within the shield. Previously poured alcohol can be swapped out by adding a new form of alcohol, though the previous alcoholic liquor is lost in the process.

The Alcohol Barrel Shield is a unique utility item that offers both defensive capabilities and special abilities related to alcohol. It provides a solid defense with its shield properties. The special ability of "Alcohol Immunity" grants immunity to the negative effects of alcohol while also enhancing resistance against poison and intoxication.

The "Alcohol Refinement" ability allows you to pour alcohol into the barrel and refine its taste and age, resulting in a higher-quality beverage.

The "Self Brewery" ability enables the production of alcohol within the shield itself, utilizing MP as a resource. This ability allows for versatility and customization in the types of alcohol you can produce. Please note that the production of alcohol through the Self Brewery ability requires the expenditure of MP.

Just like that, Naofumi's shield was replaced by a small barrel hanging off his arm. He couldn't see how this would help him, especially considering his distaste for alcohol. " So alcohol is going to help me get in the city?" He voiced his skepticism to the outlaw.

"Well, these weapons of ours don't like to leave our presence, and they'll stick to our bodies if we choose to place them on a certain portion of ourselves. Say, what would happen if you put that barrel on your back, and we just simply grabbed a few bits of rope and made it seem like you were carrying it? No one will question you for carrying country-brewed whiskey or whatever type of liquor. If anything, they would ask for a taste," Arthur explained his plan to sneak past any guards who might be on the lookout for them.

Naofumi thought it was a

stupid idea, but stupid enough that it might just work. Reluctantly, he said, "To be honest, I hate alcohol, but it looks like I'll have to use this thing." He began maneuvering the shield so that it wasn't on his arm but on his back, just as Arthur had suggested.

"You're not the first to have a strong distaste for liquor," Arthur remarked as he pulled out a fresh pair of clothes to replace Naofumi's raggedy attire. "With your shield, you also have to blend in your bright green jacket and your other modern-day clothing, despite how ruined they are, among other things." He handed over the clothing, which consisted of a tan long-sleeve wool t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

Naofumi quickly changed into the new clothes, looking more like a native of this world with a touch of old Western style. "I like that zip-up long-sleeve sweatshirt," he commented, watching as his torn clothes were stuffed into Arthur's bag.

"Don't worry, at some point, we'll get it repaired. As for your shoes, they're beyond repair. You need to get yourself some fine-quality boots," Arthur said, observing Naofumi's shoes, which were on the brink of falling apart. Some parts were barely holding together, which puzzled Arthur and made him wonder if there was a new method of making clothing in Naofumi's world.

With Naofumi properly disguised, the two began making their way to the gates of Castle Town. It was early evening by the time they arrived, and the City Guards were checking the last-minute arrivals of merchants and traveling vagabonds. One of the guards spotted a man riding what looked like a star-touched horse, accompanied by a young man carrying a barrel on his back, indicated by the few ropes visible on the barrel past the boy's shoulder. Upon reaching the gates, the guards held up their hands, halting them from going any further.

"State your business for this late-hour visit to Castle Town," one of the guards roughly said as they eyed the ethereal-looking horse up and down.

Ignoring the few comments coming from Nyx, who didn't appreciate being eyed like a piece of meat, Arthur put on his best charming smile as he prepared to navigate through this checkpoint. "Oh, nothing, sir. Just wanted to rest at the local tavern and get a new saddle for my beautiful mare. She ain't nothing without a proper saddle on her," he answered, giving Nyx a light pat on the side of her neck.

The main guard raised an eyebrow at the answer he was given, then shifted his gaze to the boy with Eastern Reiki features. "Your companion here, is he of Reiki? We don't get too many of his kind around here, other than the supposed summons that have similar features," the guard half-asked and stated while staring at Naofumi, who managed to keep himself composed and not show any outward reaction.

"Oh yeah, he's my son, and he only half Reiki . He lost his horse just outside of town, bandits and all that horseshit," Arthur continued with his fabricated tale, and the guards didn't seem to question him further.

Again, the main guard switched his focus from the boy to the barrel that was visible past the shoulders. He then pointed his finger at the barrel. "And I take it the bandits were trying to make off with whatever your son was carrying?" the guard asked, wondering why the bandits didn't try to take the barrel if they managed to steal a horse.

"Well, you could say I managed to run them off with this weapon," Arthur said as he pulled out his bladed revolver for the guards to see. Before anyone could question the odd-looking weapon, Arthur pulled the trigger and activated its special ability, slicing through a nearby stone column that was already crumbling.

The sight of the stone column being cut in half in a perfect vertical slice caused many of the guards to look at the bladed weapon with wariness, except for the guard who still had a raised eyebrow expression. "Do not mind if we sample some of whatever you have cooked up in the countryside. After all, there is an entry fee at this hour," the guard stated, turning his gaze back to the rider.

Giving a nod of consent, Arthur waved his hand towards the barrel. "I gotta warn you, it ain't like your fancy wines, that's for damn sure." This time, the outlaw was telling the truth, especially since he had actually tasted the alcohol produced in the barrel, and it was truly something unique.

The guard let out a scoffing sound, hardly believing that anything not produced by the Royal Vineyards of the kingdom would taste equivalent to horse piss. He pulled out a goat horn cup and waited for the young man to fill his horn. Naofumi repositioned his shield in a way that looked like he was holding it under his arm, even making sure that the ropes moved in the right way as if he had pulled it from his back. He then proceeded to pull the cork and poured the amber liquid into the horn cup until it was completely filled to the top.

The guard scrutinized the near crystal-clear amber fluid, brought it towards his nose, and gave it a cautious sniff. Surprisingly, he enjoyed the aroma coming off the alcohol. It was only when he truly tasted it that he felt as if the Traveler's star-touched horse kicked him in the chest. The guard began beating his chest, coughing, and choking from just one sip of this peasant brew. "Damn, never had alcohol that had such a kick," he said between coughs. He then tried sipping again, only to repeat his coughing.

The other guards noticed this and tried swiping the horn to get their own taste, only for the main guard to draw his sword and point it at the others in a threatening gesture, daring one of them to try to steal the finest alcohol he had ever tasted.

Arthur couldn't help but roll his eyes at how lightweight these men were. The enhanced whiskey was definitely worth paying a few bucks for, but it was hardly as strong as Alaskan vodka, especially the ones produced by the descendants of the original settlers from Russia. Now, that was alcohol. "So, can we pass?" Arthur asked rather impatiently, as the main guard was still trying to drink down his horn and had only successfully consumed a quarter of the alcohol given.

Struggling to swallow, the main guard nodded his head. "If you're going to sell that liquor, go to the Silver Filolial Tavern. They'll pay that barrel's weight in gold just to have this quality of alcohol. I will definitely pay this month, and next, just to get another horn of this stuff," the guard managed to say between fits of clearing his throat and coughing.

"Mighty obliging, partner," Arthur couldn't help but internally cringe at using his cowboy draw, but the guards didn't seem to notice as they were too busy staring at the main guard and fighting the urge to simply rush their superior officer and steal a sip.

Just like that, the outlaw and the Shield Hero walked into Castle Town unnoticed and unchallenged by anyone, heading straight for the one place they could consider a safe location for themselves.

Erhard had taken a break and was polishing his latest creation. Thanks to Arthur, he had managed to design and completely replicate the Outlaw's weapon, minus the magical gem. Not only did he replicate the weapon, but he also created ammunition through trial and error. He had several rounds that he had tested himself, ensuring that he could discharge them without drawing undue attention from those who would inquire about his business, especially his previous and current affiliation with the two undesired Heroes.

"Damn, you look beautiful, and I can definitely see myself moving up in the smithing industry," he said to himself musingly as he started flipping and twirling the gun in his hand, just as he had seen the Outlaw do. After the little trick, he placed the firearm into a specially made dark oak wooden case, closed the box, and locked it.

*chime*

The doorbell rang as two individuals, who were quite familiar with the blacksmith, walked into the shop. The man smiled as he walked around his counter and extended a hand to Arthur. The two men, who were of the same age, embraced each other. "So how was teaching? The little brat didn't complain too much, did he?" Erhard grinned and chuckled.

Arthur chuckled and briefly glanced at the annoyed Naofumi. He didn't appreciate the comments coming from the blacksmith. "He was a bit squeamish with the skinning and gutting of rabbits, but he eventually toughened up. I can't say he's earned his stripes yet, but he's getting there," he stated, to the chuckling amusement of the blacksmith.

Breaking from their warrior handshake, the blacksmith looked over at the shield welder and noticed that his clothes had changed, except for the shoes that were on their last legs and seemed to be talking. "You definitely need some new clothes, and since I just completed a commission, you're going to get 75% off since I'm in a good mood," he said joyfully to the annoyed Naofumi.

"I have to ask, did you know about the princess?" Naofumi asked, his annoyed expression turning into something the blacksmith couldn't decipher, whether it was curiosity or caution.

His jovial attitude changed into a neutral expression as he looked into the green eyes of the shield welder. "I did, and I wanted..." He couldn't complete the sentence as he felt something kick him in the crotch, causing the former Adventurer blacksmith to drop to the ground and curl up into a ball, both hands going to his groin.

Naofumi looked down at the blacksmith with indifference as he walked into the shop, then he hopped onto the shop counter and waited for the blacksmith to recover. "Consider that penance, and I figured that bitch forcing everyone to be silent doesn't excuse the fact that you should have warned me," he said calmly, maintaining an indifferent expression.

The only one who wasn't fazed by the sudden nut-busting that the shield had done was Arthur, who extended a hand to the side and groaned at Erhard. "I told you that boys were going to bust your balls, or at least try to, once you told him the truth," the Outlaw said in an 'I told you so' way as he helped the still-in-pain blacksmith to his feet.

"Fuck you, Arthur, fuck you into the waves," the blacksmith said between grunts of pain as he limped towards his counter, avoiding the shield wielder's gaze. He accepted the punishment dealt to him, grabbed the locked wooden box, and turned to face the outlaw, who was still smirking at Erhard's discomfort.

The curses thrown at the outlaw only caused him to smile as he walked over to the blacksmith, who was now holding a wooden lock box. "I take it that this is your completed work from my commission, yes?" he asked, to which the blacksmith grunted in reply. He opened the box, amazing the outlaw with the shiny new gun.

"You'll notice a distinct difference between your weapon and this one, besides not having any magical abilities other than what you could probably do if you brought it over to the witch in Castle Town to enchant it or put in special material ammunition once I get a chance to craft it, of course," Erhard answered the outlaw's question as he showed off the almost silver finish of the gun.

Grabbing the gun and feeling none of the weapon restrictions penalizing him, he twisted, twirled, and cocked back the hammer of the gun, immediately pulling the trigger and making that familiar clicking sound. "It's a bit lighter than what I'm used to, and this is not steel, is it? It's definitely not iron, and you can't get it polished to the point that you may mistake it for silver," the outlaw commented as he looked down the barrel and saw that the rifling was done to perfection as far as he could see.

"I thought to use a more lightweight material like mithril because not only is it strong, but it is incredibly lightweight and doesn't weigh down the individual," the blacksmith explained, leaning against one of the walls of his shop and crossing his arms. He finally overcame the lingering pain between his legs.

Arthur, placing the gun back in it's case, pondered the idea of a lightweight gun and considered the pros and cons. "From my point of view, if lighter weight usually means weaker material, then you have a possible risk of turning your gun into a bomb that will blow up and take not just your hand but also your life. Then again, I have no idea what the material strength of mithril is," the outlaw commented as he pulled out his own legendary revolver. As soon as he had it in his hand, the weapon became lighter, shocking the blacksmith.

"You can duplicate weapons, damn it, Arthur. If it weren't for the fact that you are a decent bastard, I would have charged you double for duplicating my hard work with that piece of crap magic you have," Erhard complained before explaining the properties of mithril. "Well, mithril metal is a lightweight alloy crafted by dwarves, mostly for their chainmail armor. It is worn underneath their enchanted steel in case the first layer of defense is ever broken. They could still rely on that magical metal to withstand even dragon's fire if needed. But what we have here is low-quality mithril. It will keep the gun from becoming a bomb, but it does not encumber the wielder even with all six rounds properly chambered," the blacksmith explained.

Flipping and twirling the mithril revolver, the outlaw holstered his weapon and nodded in agreement. "Just remember, when you start selling them, I take a small percentage of your profits, and I'll give you a new design to work on," Arthur stated, pulling out his journal and sketching a detailed design of a short double-barrel shotgun and Winchester repeater. He handed the sketches to the blacksmith, who took them and examined the more complex designs.

"These designs are far more complex than the revolver I had to replicate. It will take me a lot more time through trial and error to see the unique ammunition designs that correspond to these guns," Erhard said, looking at the sketches. "Half of your existing percentage of overall sales while I am working on these two new designs that you just handed me until they are fully completed," he added firmly.

"We agreed until the weapons are completed; after that, I expect full fulfillment of the percentage that we agreed upon," Arthur said with a smirk, noticing the excitement in Erhard's eyes as he looked over the advanced weapons. He then placed the closed wooden box into his shoulder bag and turned to Naofumi, who still maintained a neutral expression on his face. " well I guess this is where we part ways again until we meet again partner." the outlaw stated as he tipped his hat at Naofumi then he headed out the door with his new gun.

Wandering through the outskirts of Castle Town, Arthur found himself in the shadier side of the city. He couldn't help but notice the familiar sights he often encountered when visiting the darker aspects of civilization. Thugs loitered around, looking for potential victims to rob, kill, or worse. Prostitutes stood on the side, their skimpy outfits leaving little to the imagination. Shady merchants sold illicit goods that could land someone in jail if caught in possession. And the constant stench of urine and feces filled the streets. Surprisingly, the outlaw felt more comfortable in this setting than in the clean and proper noble streets and marketplaces.

He stopped in the middle of the street, his gaze falling upon a beggar dressed in rags, their identity obscured except for the long beard protruding from the few rags. The beggar sat on the corner near an alleyway, holding a wooden bowl with a few coins in it. Arthur approached the beggar and dropped a few coins into the bowl.

"Thank you kindly, stranger. But I doubt you're giving me those few silver coins just to be kind," the beggar said from beneath the layers of clothes, grinning as he placed the coins into a hidden coin purse.

Arthur reached into his own coin purse, located in his shoulder bag, and pulled out a few more coins. "Yes, I'm looking for Beloukas. I was told he would be somewhere in a place like this, possibly in a tent. If you point me in the right direction, I promise to double these coins," he said, showing the beggar twenty silver pieces.

Seeing the amount of coin, the beggar nodded and stood up, extending his hand. "A deal's a deal, especially for us scum of the city," he stated, assuming that the man before him was some sort of criminal interested in dealing with Beloukas. The slaver had sent inquiries to the various crime lords in this part of the city, warning them not to interfere in his business, lest they face dire consequences.

Arthur looked at the beggar's hand but did not extend his own for a shake. Instead, he turned his back. "You take the lead, but be mindful. Cross me, and the maggots will have you by tomorrow. I'll make sure your end lasts long enough for others to learn not to double-cross me," he warned, his voice filled with a cold determination.

The beggar chuckled lightly in response. "You will certainly survive in the shadow of Castle Town, that's for damn sure," he commented, looking towards his fellow criminals and beggars and giving them a signal to stand down.

The beggar took the lead as requested by The Stranger and walked straight through the various alleyways and streets until stopping in front of an almost circus-like tent, where he extended a hand, waiting for the silvers to be dropped into his hand. As promised, he had received his 40 silvers. "It's a pleasure doing business with you; I hope you find what you're looking for," the man in rags stated as he slinked off into the shadows with his well-earned payment.

Staring at the circus-like tent, Arthur could feel an ominous nature coming from it; this place was far from joyful like most circuses tend to be, as he had seen through his travels Taking a deep breath, he pressed forward, walking past the entrance of the tent to see an almost penguin-like man with a flamboyant suit and an oversized top hat. By the looks of it, his glasses almost seemed to shine as if they were made of silver.

"ho ho a new customer, one that looks quite fitting for these neighborhoods," Beloukas commented at the sight of his newest customer, immediately knowing who had entered his little den of flesh thanks to the Shadows describing in great detail who the gun and bow hero was.

The outlaw only grunted as he looked around and saw a number of items on display, from exotic-looking blades to what looked like pickled organs of some sort of creature. "I was informed that you would be able to assist me in getting a party member," Arthur stated, and for some reason, he felt the urge to place his right hand over the handle of his gun.

"Ho Ho... Those informants of yours informed you well, for I can give you whatever you desire; just follow me and mind the smell; it's far worse back here than it is on the streets," the penguin-like merchant said as he walked into the back.

Following behind the merchant into the back, Arthur was hit by the most putrid and vile smell he had ever had the unfortunate pleasure of smelling, causing him to almost feel nauseous as he coughed a bit. When he started to look around in this stinky place, he only realized where the stench was coming from: people in cages. Immediately, he drew his gun and aimed it at the back of what he now knew was a slaver's head and pulled the hammer back with an audible click as his eyes burned with absolute fury at the sight of the various people that were here.

"Pull that trigger, and you will find yourself hunted to the ends of the earth. I may have a few enemies that would dance and merry jig at my sudden demise, but they will take it unkindly that you had the unfortunate pleasure of taking my life. It's hard to collect a debt off of my carcass in comparison to them leaving me alive, plus I still have a few friends who are willing to kill for my death," Beloukas said, turning his head after hearing that click sound of the hero's weapon and staring at the barrel with no hint of fear thanks to the various protections and fail-safes he had in place.

Grinding his teeth to the point that he could almost draw blood in his mouth, he lowered his gun, unprimed the hammer, and stared at the slaver. "At some point, I'm going to put a noose around your neck and hang you by a tree and watch as you kick and flail your legs as I watch the very life leave your eyes until the crows start picking them out. I promise you that," Arthur promised the merchant as he holstered his gun.

Beloukas had not given any indication that he was affected by the threat; if anything, he found the threat to be uncreative in his mind as he continued leading down the various cages from demi-human to beastmen third and second-born Noble family members that were sold into slavery to pay off debts. "I can guess that your type of partner is going to be one that needs to fight for the most part of their contracted occupation within your party," he stated joyfully as he tapped his cane onto a nearby cage that had a wolf beastman at level 90 who immediately threw themselves at the bars trying to reach for the slaver, in t attempted to rip them from limb to limb if only they could get a little closer, only for the slave crest on their chest to immediately react to their intent, throwing them back in absolute agony.

Seeing the beastman almost curling up into a ball in absolute agony from the sudden jolt from the slave crest that was glowing for Arthur's eyes to see, he had briefly considered buying the beastman only to set him free, but no doubt he would make such an attempt and he would spend all of his coins just on the high-level beastman. "And lose all my coin. I think you do not have anything cheaper and could become stronger over time," he asked the slaver, and as the slaver turned and thought about it, Arthur snuck his hand into the bag and pulled out a piece of bread that he was going to eat later, tore a piece, and tossed it into the bars of the beastman's cage. With his sharp senses, primarily hearing, he could hear a muttered thank you. A small bit of kindness he could at least give to that one slave, but he would have to leave behind in favor of another.

After an hour of perusing and looking at different variations of slaves, the outlaw stopped in front of one cage that had a scrawny-looking boy with dog-like ears and a tail, a mix of hair colors white and black, the same for their ears and tail. The main thing that got Arthur's attention was the look in their blue eyes, which were filled with hate, stubbornness, resolve, and other emotions he could see within their eyes. He could hear a slight growl coming from them, and by the way, they were sitting almost like a dog that was ready to attack at a moment's notice either to gain freedom or at least to inflict damage on those who might get too close.

"How much for this one here?" asked Arthur as he kept his eyes trained on the demi-human dog, who was still staring at him and growling.

Coming back around, Beloukas looked into the cage and immediately recognized the slave that was in it. He couldn't help but have an internal dance on the hero's choice. "Oh yes, this one here is a bit of a handful, but I have some folks that are willing to buy this one off my hands and send them to the mines to endure a short life of hard manual labor. Dogs are hard to train after all, and once they're fully trained, they're usually loyal to the ones that hold the leash, if you understand my meaning." The slaver couldn't help but grin as the hero before him didn't break his gaze from the cage that contained the chosen demi-human.

Turning his head away and giving the slaver a stern glare, he said, "I didn't ask for what's going to happen to the slave; I asked how much." He had placed his hand into his shoulder bag and pulled out his coin purse, or at least what was left of all the coins he had after all the expenses he had to make in order to complete his new disguise and would have to spend on his new saddle and new partner.

"80 Silvers, despite being a little malnourished and being a little scrawnier than the usual laborer slaves I normally get, are still healthy, unlike compared to the few other demi-human children I have, and many of them are going to be sold to a similar place to this one here, while others are most likely going to end up in the local brothels." Beloukas stated with a wide grin, seeing how his words were irritating the hero. He may be under contract by her Majesty, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to undercut and take as much coin as he could from the individual heroes that would approach him.

Arthur was immediately thrown into a loop at the idea of spending 80 silvers just to acquire a slave, something that he could feel Lenny from the grave cursing and spitting on him for even entertaining the idea of purchasing rather than liberating slaves. The same went for Charles. "For 40, I'm going to have to spend some coin to give them new clothes and gear. If I spend a whole 80, I won't have much of anything to equip them with, and as you stated, I need this one for fighting," he countered the original price.

"Ho ho ho, I love this little banter, so I will entertain negotiations with you, and I say 75," Beloukas countered, placing his hands together and rubbing them together in a greedy fashion.

This time, it was Arthur's turn to growl, mostly at the slaver. "50, and I'm not here for your amusement, nor am I amused," he countered the counteroffer.

The greedy glint in Beloukas's glasses shone even brighter, and his grin became even wider. "That almost sounds agreeable, but no, 69 should be more than sufficient unless you can do better," he countered, enjoying the frustrated, angry look from a potential future customer.

"59 and not a coin more," Arthur almost roared as the idea of forcibly stealing the slave away from the slaver became more and more tempting, though he didn't want to have bounty hunters coming after him especially if they're professional bounty hunters. That's one thing he didn't want to deal with, at least not at present.

Beloukas put on a thinking posture as he pulled out and leaned onto his cane, then glanced towards the demi-human that was staring between himself and his customer, almost wondering what was going on. "Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of this lovely specimen, a demi-human husky," he said almost musically as he stopped leaning on his cane and immediately tapped the Magic Lock on the cage. The cage door burst open, and the demi-human ran out, only for the slave crest on their chest to immediately activate, keeping them from truly escaping as they only made it a few feet past the two humans before dropping to the ground.

"I always enjoy watching them try to escape as soon as I open up the cage, yet they can never get too far," Beloukas laughed at the sight of the demi-human writhing in painful agony from the slave crest, which was enacting its various functions.

From witnessing the horrors on the streets as a young juvenile pickpocket to the various atrocities that were put on display as a twisted form of justice, and hearing the various tales of how slaves were treated, Arthur was sickened by the idea. But now, being a firsthand witness to the cruelty was more nauseating to him than the smell he was forced to endure. "I want the thing that's causing this demi-human so much pain to be removed now," he said rather coldly, watching as whatever penalty the demi-human was under finally eased off.

The demi-human dog continued clutching their hand over their chest, where the pain originated. Despite the intense pain, their sharp ears picked up the words 'removal.' They wondered if the slave crest was going to be removed, and from the moment they would be free from this cruel magic, they planned to run away, find their friends, seek revenge against the Noble Knights, and even kill that Lord if it was the last thing they did in this world before death claimed them.

"Not an unreasonable request; normally I would charge for the release of the slave crest, but since it's the first time you are buying from me, this one comes free of charge," Beloukas stated as he twirled his cane and headed in the direction outside the slave portion of his circus tent.

Reluctantly, the dog demi-human followed behind Beloukas, compelled by the slave crest to do so. They didn't feel comfortable with the other human, Arthur, falling behind them, as they still bared their teeth and emitted small growls.

As Arthur followed the two, he couldn't help but hear small whimpers coming from the various cages, begging for help, along with mewling sounds coming from nearby cages. Knowing he would regret seeing it, he couldn't help but look, and his heart sank. He saw an emaciated demi-human rabbit desperately trying to feed her baby with a milk-depleted breast. He had to force himself to look away and silently vow to come back and free them all. Clutching tightly to his gun, the bow hidden in its yellow gem briefly turned red, reflecting the anger he felt at the sight.

The three entered what was considered the lobby portion of the slaver's tent, where the exchange of coins took place and preparations for the slave crest removal were made.

"Thank you for your patronage. I leave the slave crest removal to you; simply apply the greater grade of holywater onto the slave crest, and it shall go away," Beloukas said jovially as he counted the coins he had just earned, then headed back into his tent.

Watching as the slaver left, Arthur grabbed the greater-grade holy water. He carefully applied a single drop onto the gem of his gun, and immediately, it transformed into a new weapon.

Gun Name: Holy Gun

- Special Ability: Holy Round Blessing

- All rounds used are blessed and deal double the amount of damage to Unholy and Undead enemies.

- Does normal damage to non-Unholy enemies.

- Does zero damage to priests and clerics.

- Damage Bonus: Silver

- Bonus damage gained by using silver ammunition.

This was interesting, though Arthur would be surprised if the gun in his hand started burning him due to the rather unholy lifestyle he had lived. He thought somewhat amusingly. But as his attention shifted back to the demi-human dog, he noticed that they were just standing there, staring at him and at the potion bottle that held the fluid that would grant them freedom.

Arthur approached the dog slave and pulled down their shirt slightly, revealing the slave crest. He immediately applied the holy water, and within seconds, with a light sizzling sound and effect, the slave crest was gone. "There you go, no more pain for you, I..." He couldn't complete the sentence as a tiny fist smacked into his face, forcing him back.

The demi-human dog tried to run towards the tent exit but found themselves immediately hoisted upside down and promptly dropped onto their back. When they looked up, they could see Arthur, the human who had purchased them, removing the slave crest from their body, his nose bleeding and looking rather cross at their sudden action.

"If you want to run out there, go ahead. I won't stop you, but I'll tell you this: in your current state, I doubt you can defend yourself against any of the thugs that are going to either kill you because you are not human or do something far more unpleasant. I've encountered my fair share of unpleasant," Arthur said gruffly, taking several steps back to create some distance between himself and the demi-human boy.

Keel, the demi-human dog, looked at the tent exit before looking back at the bleeding human. "Why?" was the only thing they said, their voice sounding a little deep, confirming Arthur's assumption that they were a boy.

"Where I'm from, slavery has been abolished for some time. If it weren't for the fact that the fat fuck had so many contingencies and protections, I would have killed him, freed you all, and been on my merry way. Arthur explained his reasoning for removing the slave crest, emphasizing the importance of freedom and justice.

Keel was shocked to hear of a place where slavery was banned. All the major kingdoms, as far as they knew, had slavery in some form or another, whether through debt or through barbaric means. "Is there more to it than just simply freeing me?" they asked again.

"Yes, there is, and here is my offer: join my party, and I'll teach you how to truly survive in this messed up world. Perhaps in time, you could become strong enough to take justice into your own hands, avenge all those who have been treated as you have, and maybe even free your fellow demi-humans. I will surely do that myself, whether you join me or not. No one deserves to be in bondage. I swear to you, I'll find every last slaver if I have to comb across this world and kill them all," Arthur said with determination, fully committing himself to the near-impossible task of freeing the world from slavery.

Keel blinked a few times, taking in the determined, rough words coming from the human who seemed to dislike slavery despite purchasing a slave. "And what if I choose not to go with you, get strong on my own, and learn how to survive by myself?" they asked, curious about the human's response.

"Then more power to you. You're the only one I could save; the rest I will have to try to save next time I'm here, if I'm able," Arthur said with a hint of regret, thinking of the mother he had witnessed trying to feed her child and the other demi-humans he could still somewhat hear despite the tent muffling their sounds.

Keel looked at the entrance to the slave portion of the tent and then back at the human in front of them. They got up onto their feet, took a few steps forward, and then, with lightning-fast speed, grabbed hold of Arthur's knife and brought it to his neck, almost cutting his throat. "What if I just simply cut your throat here and now? Free my fellow demi-humans and try to live on without your assistance," they said, pressing the knife closely to Arthur's neck.

Arthur smirked, taking a step forward, allowing the knife to press a little harder against his neck. "Go ahead, it would free me from the burdens I will force myself to bear. It's not like death truly frightens me. But can you live with yourself, knowing you murdered a man who went out of his way to try to save you, despite the others who are more deserving of saving?" he said calmly, raising his chin, waiting for Keel to make a choice.

Silence passed between them before Keel withdrew the knife from Arthur's throat. "My name is Keel, and I guess we're partners until I'm strong enough to be on my own," Keel said, offering the handle of the knife to Arthur.

"Arthur Morgan, just call me Arthur," he introduced himself, grabbing the handle of the knife. Immediately, he saw a notification in the corner of his vision, notifying him that Keel had joined his party. For a brief moment, he wondered if this was the first person who could be part of a new gang under his control. He just hoped he wouldn't lose himself like Dutch.

BTC

I hope all of you like my new chapter, and please send me reviews of your thoughts on this particular chapter.