Sorry for taking so long to post another chapter. I have been distracted with IRL stuff plus holidays and other whatnot and getting new games, trying to figure out what would be best suited for the various scenes that you're going to read in those chapters, which I think some of you will enjoy, others will find it surprising, and others are no doubt pretty excited to see. I'm also going to be updating my other stories, such as The Wizard King, sometime soon. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Ch8

In the depths of the blacksmith's workshop Erhard was deep in his work, not in the main portion of his workshop with the billowing flames and the smashing of his forge hammer, but rather in his office space. Here, he made new or current designs of weapons with slight improvements. Currently, he is taking designs he was given by his business partner or tenant. What he was working on was the designs for the double-barrel shotgun that were labeled in the designs that were given to him, as he had changed the overall design but maintained the same weapons theme, but implemented the design of the repeating rifle with a shorter barrel and stock so it could be held in one hand when necessary, along with having a second barrel that would house a lot of the shells. Not only was he coming up with new designs on his own, but he was also implementing ideas to apply enchantments that the local witch could add to the materials that would accept magic in their designs. He had already made the necessary modifications for the double-barreled shotgun, adding the Thunder Runic design that he had planned on introducing to the magic shopkeeper to see if the old witch could help him just as she had helped him acquire the mithril metal from her various sources.

He had the final flare by adding a similar unique runic design. Instead of thunder in the lever-action shotgun, he put a wind set of runes that would add a further boost for any projectiles that would be fired out of the barrel, adding to both penetrating and force. With his current design done, he put it on the side of others that he began to make with just in the month that Arthur came into his life and changed the blacksmith's views on how to create weapons, and he had taken a moment to look at the various new designs that he had come up with. a sword that can fold out into a large, long-barreled revolver rifle a war hammer with explosive shotgun shell knives that could shoot its blades just from the hilts and penetrate its target from a great distance away, and much more. Erhard couldn't believe he was now a part of the Adventurers Weapon Revolution. He could only imagine how the various Smiths in Faubrey would be frothing at the mouths about what he was doing, basically stealing many of their customers that would visit that Kingdom to receive a factory-made firearm that was possibly the cheapest of the bunch and not of great quality. where his gun designs would be custom-made and tailored made of the best of materials, requiring an equal or greater amount of a price tag to obtain such weapons, then again, not a single gun from the kingdom of Faubrey had an ounce of magic to it. The current ruler forbade any tinkering with such things as magic elements or enchantments if the rumor is correct.

Stealing his eyes away from admiring his various designs of weapons, he looked out his window and realized that morning was already here, with the sounds of a few people beginning to shuffle around outside. Grimacing at the fact that he had spent all night playing with the designs, he got up from his chair, popped a few bones in his back, and headed out of his office, surprised to run into Arthur and what looked like a Demi-human dog who was trying on some leather armor.

"Could you at least see that to notify me that you decided to rest in my guest room again?" The blacksmith stated this with a neutral expression, his arms crossed, and slightly smirked at the boy, who seemed to be fidgeting with the leather armor that didn't seem to fit him right.

Arthur had turned his head and smirked. "Well, friend, you said that I could come here anytime, and you also told me where you hid your emergency extra key, so I helped myself lay down and took my little apprentice here to rest up as well," he said as he lightly began patting and rubbing the head of Keel to their continuous growling frustration at the sensation of having their heads petted.

Now that was surprising to hear for the blacksmith, "an apprentice? Wow, you work fast to obtain a party member. I take it that they're part of the guild as well, yes," he half asked and stated as he walked over to look down at the Husky Demi-human. He noticed something quite peculiar about this boy.

Keel looked at the blacksmith, who was looking down at her as if he were examining her. She paid no mind as she returned her focus to Arthur. "This stuff is too heavy; I won't be able to move quickly with this stuff on," she complained as she quickly pulled the leather chest armor off of her body.

"Well, I'm not allowing you to go on any more adventures with me if you at least have something to protect your vital bits," Arthur stated as he picked up the discarded leather piece.

Taking the blacksmith to think about what would be the best fit for a demi-human, it would be the second demi-human he would have assisted. "I have some leftover mithril that I can weave into a shirt; it will be just as strong as plate mail and lightweight. As for the arms and legs, I have some light hardened leather that will be best fit for your apprentice here, and all of it is modular so we can be adjusted as they grow, as I don't need to explain to you what happens to Jimmy humans when they gain XP." He turned his examining eyes away from the demi-human boy to Arthur.

"The more they gain, the faster they grow upon leveling up, and I noticed that he has definitely grown an extra inch and looks a lot more like a boy of 13 now than a 10-year-old." Arthur recited by memory that he found it quite weird that killing and leveling up would make someone like a demi-human, or those who didn't fit in the human category would mature faster, or humans, on the other hand, did not, according to the few sources that he was able to obtain information from when he had decided to stay at Erhard's shop just until he could get an appropriate disguise so he could walk freely without being harassed by the local guards or, worse yet, amateurish bounty hunters.

"Good, you have a good memory. As for his little armor, it would take me a day to weave up the mithril chainmail shirt, and as for the leather padding, I can give them to him now." He had gone over to the side of his shop and pulled open a drawer that contained multiple other paddings for arms and legs, bringing them over to Keel for them to try.

With the new padding in hand, she quickly put them on without too much difficulty; it was much lighter in comparison to the leather chest piece that she was forced to wear at Arthur's request. "I don't think me and Arthur can wait a day before we're going into the old capital and going after the one who sponsored the Viper gang leader."She revealed the destination of they were going to the blacksmiths surprised At The Mention Of The Old Capitol.

"Are you sure you want to bring your companion here to that place? Even black iron adventurers have trouble traversing the land," Erhard stated as he went through some lightweight armor pieces that would be better suited for Arthur's companion.

The Outlaw simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "Not much of a choice. Despite us getting some money, we don't have enough to last us for more than a couple of weeks. And if this fellow we're going after is truly the big fish, we could probably use the coin we gain from them to last the rest of this month and the next before the wave hits." Sure, there were other options for Arthur to choose from besides continuing to go after thugs and other outlaws, but this was the quickest and most straightforward task one could take to get a coin, whether it be a silver dollar or a silver coin from a medieval world. It was all the same to him.

The blacksmith only grunted in reply as he found a leather scale mail that seemed to be the appropriate size for the demi. He brought it over and headed to them to try it on to see if it would fit. "The difficulty mostly lies in the areas of the Old Capitol. There are the accursed people who have survived the cataclysm that destroyed the old capital and now live as undying folk who have lost their minds and memories. Then there are the various creatures that seem to be drawn to the place: Savage Orcs, wave monsters, hill tribesgoatmen, rogue mages, slavers, etc." He prattled on about the dangers, many of which he had witnessed during his time as an adventurer. One of which reminded him when he had been given the task to purge a colony of goblins that were harassing various villages in the countryside, and he took with him his apprentice, someone who had survived a Goblin Raid and now earned his moniker in the northern kingdoms as Goblin Slayer.

Hearing about the possible dangers one could face heading to the old capital did not dissuade Arthur's decision, and by the looks of Keel, they weren't the least bit troubled by the possible dangers encountered in wandering in the old capital area.

Keel slipped her head through the scale mail of leather armor and found it much lighter than it looked. She felt more comfortable in comparison to the other bit of inflexible armor that she had worn at Arthur's request. "It fits, and I don't think any arrows are going to pierce this," she stated as she moved around with her new armor.

"Technically, what you got hit by was a bolt. And by the looks of that type of armor, you are correct that it probably won't stop a bolt or an arrow, but it will slow it down so it won't penetrate your flesh." Arthur could still feel a small bit of guilt about putting Keel in that situation where they had to act as bait. He squashed it down and reminded himself that what was done was done, and there was nothing else he could do other than make sure that Keel would be equipped with enough skill and experience so they wouldn't have to put themselves in that situation for his benefit.

"Well, if you like the armor, that will be 100 silvers. But since you are a business partner and have provided designs for me to work on, 25 silvers is all that is required for this little armor piece." Erhard gave Arthur a cocky smirk as he extended a hand, waiting for the silvers to be dropped into his gloved palm.

Arthur rolled his eyes and then placed the appropriate number of coins in the blacksmith's hand. "So the thing you told me about demi-humans is true; they mature more as they gain levels." His words seemed to catch Keel's attention as the outlaw looked at the demi-human canine for a brief moment, trying to remember the 10-year-old that he had purchased some time ago, who now looked like someone close to their teens but not quite there yet.

"Yep, I'd say they are at least 13 years of age. It's one of the unique perks of being a demi-human, the faster maturity rate of growth both physically and mentally. But their personality may cause some problems with their maturing body, especially if they are extremely young, like five. They would still have the mindset of a 5-year-old, at least in terms of personality," Erhard relayed the information he knew about demi-humans and their growth cycle to gaining experience points through killing monsters. "There's one thing you should be aware of if you ever have a demi-human girl in your party and she's just entering puberty. Thanks to her levels going up, she might have, you know, the time of the month, which might become problematic if you are in the wilderness. Monsters love the scent of fresh blood." The outlaw almost cringed at the mention of a woman's basic biological cycle.

The Outlaw couldn't help but remember a few times when camp followers had gone through such cycles, recalling the dangers it brought about in the middle of the wilderness when one of the ladies was experiencing those moments. Coyotes, wolves, and bears—anything with a strong sense of smell—would come running, forcing the camp to always be on guard during those rare moments. "I understand, and I've gone through that a few times back when I used to ride with other men like myself who had women camp followers."

Arthur watched as the blacksmith eagerly accepted the gas-repellent crossbow and listened to Jake's request for his custom sidearms. He couldn't help but be impressed by the level of detail and craftsmanship that Jake desired for his guns. It was clear that he had a specific vision in mind.

As the blacksmith disappeared into the back of the shop, Arthur turned his attention back to Keel. "So, Keel, what do you think about all this? Are you excited to venture into the old capital and face the dangers that await us?" he asked, curious to hear her thoughts.

Keel's tail wagged excitedly as she responded, "Of course, Arthur! I'm always up for an adventure, especially if it means helping you and earning some coin along the way. I'm not afraid of a few dangers."

Arthur smiled at her enthusiasm. "That's the spirit, Keel. Just remember to stay close to me and be cautious. We don't want any unnecessary risks."

Just then, the blacksmith returned from the back of the shop, his hands covered in grease and a satisfied smile on his face. "Alright, Jake, your custom sidearms will be ready in a week. I'll send you a message when they're done."

Jake nodded in appreciation and turned to leave the shop. Before he left, he glanced at Arthur and Keel. "Good luck in the old capital, you two. Stay safe."

With that, Jake exited the shop, leaving Arthur and Keel alone with the blacksmith. Arthur turned to the blacksmith and thanked him for his help before heading towards the door. Keel followed closely behind, her new armor fitting comfortably on her frame.

As they stepped out into the bustling streets, Arthur couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation. The old capital awaited them, filled with dangers and potential rewards. But with Keel by his side, he felt a newfound confidence. Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"Are you waiting just outside the shop for it to open up, or have you just arrived?" Arthur crossed his arms with a smirk at the serpentine adventurer.

Letting out a hissing scoff, Jake only shook his head. "I was trying to track you down and figured I'd use my sense of smell to locate you. Fortunately, you were in this blacksmith shop. I was planning on coming here to trade in that crossbow for any available firearms or to arrange for them to be picked up next time I come back after we finish collecting the bandit's head." He explained his sudden appearance and was fortunate that he was able to quickly get his affairs in order before setting out with his new partner and apprentice.

For some reason, he felt that Jake was holding something back, causing him to scratch underneath the stubble that was already beginning to grow back. "Is that all?" He asked, and surprisingly, he saw him reach into his black leather bag and pull out two new dog tags, one matching the same color as Jake's and the other made of porcelain.

"Yeah, the guild knew my location, so they sent a runner to give this to me since we are partners on this quest. They thought it would be better to hand it to me so I can hand it to you, though I am not fond of the idea of being someone's delivery boy." He couldn't help but flick his serpentine tongue at the thought, and then again, there was an amused thought in his mind dressed up in his black garment. Maybe borrow someone's garden scythe and appear on someone's doorstep, delivering whatever crap he was supposed to deliver and scaring the person who would open the door to death. Pushing those fantasies aside, he handed Arthur his well-deserved tag and Keel as well.

Keel looked at the porcelain tag and immediately scowled; it was just one rank above the one she had previously had. "Why am I ranked so low? I thought I did well in that hideout too!" she stated and complained as she stared at the dog tag in the palm of her hand, wanting it to be made of the same material and color as Arthur and Jake's.

"Yeah, I think that's a little premature for you, little runt," he lightly chuckled at the burning glare that the serpentine snake had received from the tomboy. They reminded him of the many scornful women who were least comfortable with his presence and his policy of paying first before the job was done in full. Besides her short glare, the girl hadn't yet truly blossomed into a young lady, so it would be some time before the human realized that his demi-human boy apprentice was a girl, and he might get some amusement from it.

Despite how intimidating the snake demi was, Keel couldn't help but let out a low growl directed at Jake for his insult of being called a runt. But soon enough, she turned her focus back to the dog tag and quickly switched it out with her old one for the new one. Her old one simply disintegrated with a small bout of flame.

Arthur watched this in confusion as the wooden dog tags burned to ash, leaving very little left. "I guess the guild had some problems with stolen tags and implemented some safety measures on them?" he asked, as he and Keel watched the smoldering bits of ash fall to the ground.

"Yep, about 40 years ago, a bunch of outlaws got a hold of dead adventurer dog tags from those killed by a mob of monsters. And if monsters can't eat it, they usually discard it, mostly of the dumb variety. So, to make a long story short, they took on quests and demanded payment. At first, they took the gold and didn't complete the quests. Worse of all, they made other requests for payment, such as livestock deeds, and on occasion, the maidenhead of a few young daughters, or even spent a night or two with the ladies of the household. It set a bad example for the Adventurers Guild, and the guild does not take kindly to those using dog tags that had the names of respected adventurers who gave their lives to keep the countryside safe from monsters, only to be tainted by opportunist scammers," Jake relayed the story he had heard when he came across this little feature, though the form of self-destruction for metal-based dog tags was different but equally revealing.

As the two absorbed the new information, Erhard returned from the fish shop. "It'll take some time to break down that new toy you gave me to fiddle with. As for your guns, you'll have to wait a while, possibly a week or two, to have them fully constructed. I will also be doing something a little different from the model I created for the little demi lad, something that won't require someone to pull back the hammer before firing, plus something else that I've yet to finish in the designs." That last part he said somewhat cryptically, but the entrance look he received from the snake adventurer was all that was required to know that the serpentine adventurer would not complain about waiting for their order.

"That would be quite convenient. I don't like slowing down my firing rate if it's going to take some time. I understand that by the time I come back, it'll be almost a month, hopefully less than that since the bandits are holed up in one of the old fortresses in the old capital area. Plus, there are always those Remnant Wave monsters that linger in that area; it could take us longer if we have to face them," Jake said to Blake Smith as he turned and started marching toward the shop exit.

A moment later, Arthur and Keel joined Jake as the three began making their way to the low-end marketplace and grabbed a few cheap provisions, then headed to the staples next to the entrance of Castle Town. The old Western outlaw headed straight for Nyx, the celestial horse, received unwanted lustful glares from various stallions that thought themselves good enough to capture her attention.

The mystical equine had expressed her displeasure at being placed here to her owner. She went so far as to describe how one of the stable boys had considered stealing her and turning her into a broodmare in an attempt to breed celestial stallions that could later be sold for a profit. She ended those greedy ambitions by covering her body in bone-like spikes, as she shared the mental image of the stable boy's reaction, which caused Arthur to laugh a bit.

Keel couldn't help but stare at the star-covered equine with wide eyes and felt slightly enchanted by the majesticness of the beast that Arthur was now sitting upon. It almost felt blasphemous to even claim such a beautiful creature.

"Thank you for recognizing my majestic nature, little one," Nyx telepathically spoke in his mind. Keel grabbed hold of her head and started to panic when she slightly felt incoming thoughts flood her mind. "So you can speak through my thoughts, or am I just hearing yours?" she verbally asked the equine.

"Telepathy is a little complicated. You could say that I'm sending messages into your head that may be perceived as sound in your mind. Though you do not have the ability, I do have the ability to read your thoughts to a certain extent, mostly what you are thinking at the present moment and what you see before you or what may have popped up in your head now and then. But as for your deeper thoughts, I will not be able to read those. Before I got bound to this human, I would be able to read your thoughts down to your subconscious. But at this present moment in time, your innermost thoughts are denied to me, along with everyone else, except for Arthur. He and I are bound in a way that allows me to see into the deeper parts of his mind only when it's required or when he allows," the celestial equine explained to Keel how her ability to use telepathy works, without going into further details, knowing that it would be too lengthy of a conversation. Even if she simply downloaded the knowledge into the demi-dog's brain, it would still take a lot more energy on her part than simply breaking it down to a simple explanation.

With nothing but a thought, Arthur commanded his mount to move forward, then he reached down for Keel and grabbed them by the scruff of their armor, hoisting them up and placing them in front of the saddle. "Have you ridden a horse before?" he asked, seeing how Keel was slightly freaked out as he grabbed them and put them on the shared saddle.

She shook her head and said, "No, I've seen them but never ridden on one." She said it nervously, not knowing what to do. It was strange enough to see a mythical-like horse, but now to be riding on one, that was something else, something that she wasn't expecting, especially on the second day of her new lease on life.

Reaching over and lightly patting Keel's head for not freaking out too much, Arthur's attention was switched over to Jake, who was standing before an empty stall. "Horse got stolen?" he questioned the serpentine adventurer, who didn't seem to react to his words but rather stared at a single point in the shadows.

"No, I doubt anyone in this world could steal my mount," Jake confidently stated as he pulled out a purplish stone with a blood-red glowing rune on it and stuck his hand into the slightly darker corner submerged in shadows. A few moments later, a large midnight black mare emerged from that small shadow with blood-red glowing eyes and sharp protruding fangs from the beast's lips, with what looked like a bloody handprint on the saddle. Not wasting a second, Jake hopped onto his mare, reached over, and began affectionately stroking the side of her neck. "Aren't you the most beautifully deadly mare in the world? Aren't you!" He said this very affectionately to his mount as she bobbed her head up and down in agreement with his words and let out a whinny that sounded more like a blood-curdling scream, causing those closest to it to cringe. The sound and the death aura made many of the other horses and mounts more than slightly uncomfortable.

The only one who wasn't affected by the sound or the deadly aura emanating from the Shadowmare was Nyx, who telepathically scoffed at its presence as she relayed her displeasure to Arthur. "I figured a snake that tries to embody the look of death would have something that comes from the very dark pits of the underworld."

"Just what the hell is that beast?" Arthur asked roughly, feeling a bitter cold sensation in his lungs, similar to what he felt when he had succumbed to tuberculosis, yet it was nothing more than a slightly uncomfortable phantom pain.

Keel also wanted to know, as she briefly felt cold yet sharp shackles on her wrist and a tight collar around her neck. The sensation alone caused her to let out a whining sound.

Stopping the compliments he was showering onto his Shadowmare, Jake turned his attention to Arthur. "Well, she's a mare like yours, but where she's from, there's a lot of death and undead. Surprisingly enough, I won her in a game between myself and an assassin who was part of some Brotherhood or something, or maybe it was a Creed. Who cares about anyone? She was my prize, and I've been treating her like the proper queen she deserves to be, or perhaps she prefers being a princess. She's never indicated, which also means she can't be stolen; she can only be either passed down or exchanged for ownership through games." He explained before giving her one final affectionate pet on the side of her neck, causing her to bob her head in appreciation and stomp her razor-sharp hooves in excitement to be traveling again.

"Can you make her stop doing that and make me feel like I'm dying?" the outlaw roughly stated, expressing his temptation to just pull out his revolver and kill the beast to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation in his lungs.

Jake stared in confusion for a moment before realizing what was going on and that his mount was emitting a despairing aura. Leaning over, he whispered into her ear, and immediately the aura surrounding her ceased, bringing relief to both Arthur and the other mounts in the stables. "She likes to make a big entrance that makes everyone cower in fear, but after a while, you sort of get used to it and develop a resistance to it. The first time I felt it, it brought up some unpleasant feelings of me getting stabbed in the gut. It's just one of her abilities that can be resisted. Others can develop immunity if they have constant exposure, but for those who are unprepared or have weaker fortitude, it could incapacitate or even kill them. Fortunately, she always keeps her ability at the lowest power, so she doesn't cause any accidents that force me to be grumpy with her," he explained further before pulling the reins of his beloved mare and pointing her towards the exit of the stables. With a quick crack, she was off like the wind.

Surprised at how fast the death-personified beast had moved, Arthur couldn't help but feel a competitive flair spark within him. Without really telling his passenger, he cracked the reins on his mare to catch up. Surprisingly, he got several thoughts coming from his mouth, stating that she was far faster than that shadow skank and other insulting remarks towards Jake's mount. This caused a few chuckles to escape Arthur as he speedily caught up to Jake. Before long, they were riding at the same speed and pace out of Castletown and towards the Old Capitol, where their target awaited.

Carrying a torch, Naofumi explored the nearly abandoned mine, accompanied by the raccoon dog girl he had bought from the slaver. He tried to maintain an indifferent and cold demeanor, but every time he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel worried and genuinely cared for the girl he was forced to kill for him to gain XP on his journey to combat the waves. Despite his desire to let the kingdom rot and seek out other kingdoms to offer his assistance, he lacked the knowledge and funds for such a journey, especially with a little girl he vowed to make strong enough to prevent her from falling into the same situation she had been in before. He briefly wondered how Arthur was doing and if the old cowboy had found a party member, imagining them as a rattlesnake or a jackrabbit, something reminiscent of the Western animals that kept flashing through his mind.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rocks being tripped over as Raphtalia stumbled, but managed to regain her balance. Since being purchased, she had gained a small amount of experience, but not enough to undergo the significant growth that demi-humans often experienced. For now, she still looked like her 10-year-old self, only slightly taller.

"Sorry, Master..." Her little ears drooped, and she lowered her head, afraid she had done something wrong.

Hearing her little weak voice played havoc on his heartstrings. Going over towards her, he played with his hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. It wouldn't surprise me if you tripped and stumbled a few times, this torch doesn't give off too much light, but deeper in the mind, we should come across some crystals that should give off their glow." He had added a small bit of emotion in his somewhat land words, but they seemed to make her perk up a little, and if he wasn't mistaken, he could hear the brief sounds of her tail wagging underneath the skirt of the leather tunic he had bought for her along with her long dagger.

She was about to say thanks, only to see that her master had turned his back and started moving forward, she diligently followed behind but was more mindful to watch what she was walking over. She was mindful of what she was walking over; her sharp sense of hearing was on the alert for anything that could pop out, though she wasn't as skilled as her friend Keel was with her senses, but Raphtalia felt confident enough that she could at least hear something or smell something that would approach with ill intent.

The two continued on the path forward through the dark tunnel before a small glimmer of light could be seen at the end of it, and the light was not the sun with its blue earring glow. Reaching the end, they found themselves in a large cave filled with crystals, some of them partially mined out while others were still buried deep in the rock, with only the sharp jacket tips slightly poking out of the cave walls or various rocks.

"Jackpot," Naofumi said in a whisper to himself before he even considered grabbing hold of one of the nearby pickaxes. He looked around to see where the so-called monster had driven most of everyone out and presumably killed a few of their number. As he looked around, he didn't see any sign of any monsters—no claw marks, no blood, not even any shit that would be left behind if the thing ate someone. ' I guess it had moved on or it had moved deeper in this cave; that would be the case. I'll have to inform the chief of the beast that it may have moved deeper or left the mine.' Any answer he would give would not be a pleasant answer for the village chief to receive, but at least he could mine without a permit. With his thoughts settled on what he was planning on saying to the chief, he grabbed hold of a pickaxe, picked out the largest of the crystals, and began the slow chipping process of mining out the crystal. All the while, Raphtalia was on guard as her head looked back and forth and her ears twitched along with her nose for any possible danger.

Deep within the mine, the chipping sound caught the attention of a lurking beast. Its burning red eyes opened, and the idea of devouring fresh flesh and adding to its horde made its jaws salivate. Stretching its limbs and cracking bones, the beast began skulking through the shadows, drawn towards the source of the chipping sound.

After half an hour, Naofumi had made significant progress on the large crystal. With the money he had, he couldn't resist picking up a few new materials and ores. He immediately fed them into his shield, unlocking the mining shield that resembled a flattened drill. He wondered if his shield could extend into a large drill to make his job easier. Checking the stats of his newly acquired shield, he discovered that it did have that ability, but it was locked behind a level cap. To unlock it, he would need to feed more freshly mined materials. For now, he was stuck with the slow chipping process.

All the while, Raphtalia remained at the ready. The sudden sound of a few rocks tumbling down off to the side quickly made the little girl jerk her head in that general direction, with her blade drawn and pointed. Yet, there was nothing but the rocks. She tried looking around to see if there were any other signs of what could cause the rocks to start rolling, but the dim blue light made it difficult for her to see properly where her eyes had failed her. She tried using her sense of smell and caught the whiff of something she didn't recognize as she deeply inhaled through her nostrils a few times. At the last second, she smelled something that awakened a primordial fear, causing her to have brief flashes in her mind of horror that she would remember until the day she died. A creature with gnashing teeth and claws that resembled a hound but was far more monstrous than any nightmare she could ever have. Without hesitating for a second, she turned and started to yell out, "We're about to be attacked!" Her young voice echoed in the cave.

Hearing her warning and looking towards her direction, Naofumi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and on his right hand, he quickly raised and transformed his shield into the bladed shield within a few seconds, just as a large mouth was about to bite off his head.

The Demonic Hound bit into the bladed shield, its long, sharp fangs penetrating the arm that the shield was attached to. Its demonic eye quickly looked over to the girl who had alerted its first target for the day, and it looked upon her with absolute malice and contempt, having a few ideas of how to make her suffer slowly while feasting on her guts.

"Is this the monster that the villagers were afraid of?" Naofumi questioned in his mind as he desperately held back this demonic-looking hound with large curved horns circling its head, along with what looked like an exposed spinal column and ribs on its side, holding together what appeared to be exposed bits, mostly flesh. What made matters worse was the black Patriot's blood that almost made him feel like he wanted to vomit. Just the smell alone was starting to cover his shield, which was cutting into the beast's mouth and onto his fresh wounds, causing him a great deal of pain, far more than the bite alone. "Ra… Raphtalia! Strike it at the side; do it now," he yelled out in between the pain he could feel as he tried pushing the beast, leaving a small opening for his party member to strike.

Her body and brain could hear the command, but her mind and soul were going back to the moment when her parents stood between her and a monstrous beast with three heads, no skin, bone, white exposed skull heads, and exposed flesh with writhing and twisting tendrils. Even at the moment when she was pushed off the cliff, she could see the brief moment as her parents were impaled by the barb tendrils and watched as her parents were ripped apart, with her father bisected from the waist and her mother's limbs ripped off, all before her parents were out of view. But even before then, she could see the pain and agonizing expression on her mother's face as her limbs were just ripped right from her body. As her mind reflected while she held onto the blade and her legs twitched, it was at this moment that she lost control of her bladder and started wetting herself on the spot.

"I COMMAND YOU TO WAKE UP."

The mark just above her chest shot out a powerful surge of agony throughout her little body, almost enough to throw her onto her knees, but she remained standing despite the lingering stinging sensation that was running up and down the various nerve endings throughout her body as she looked towards her master with a look of desperation in his eyes, a lot like her own in this situation.

"Stab it, kill it, or it's going to kill me and you," he yelled at her to do what must be done for them to survive this encounter with this monster.

Tears were beginning to build and pour down the side of her face as the stinging reminder of the event that had happened to her before enslavement did not impede the orders that were given. She wanted to live; she wanted to go back to her village; she wanted everything to go back to the way it was or what it could have been, and she couldn't just stand here and die like those before her. Gripping the long knife even more tightly than she had before, she barely even registered a bit of broken skin that she had caused by the intense gripping of the weapon, as well as the droplets of blood that were seeping between her fingers, as she let out a primal yell and ran straight for the beast's side.

Seeing this girl charging from its flank, the monster couldn't help but mentally grin and deeply concentrate on the number of beings it had consumed, quickly selecting something that would stop the girl in her tracks.

At the moment that she was about to stab her blade, she stopped midstep as she saw a face that she never thought she would see again, causing her eyes to widen and her grip to loosen to the point that the blade dropped out of her hands, to Naofumi's shock and horror.

On the side of the beast's body, a perfect replica of Raphtalia's mother's face appeared. Everything from the chin to the coloring of her mother's hair matched perfectly. "... Mommy?" she questioned with every ounce of hope, desperation, and desire that began boiling over in her mind and soul.

"Yes, my little princess, it's me," spoke the face of her mother, giving a warm smile, the same one that had always cheered up a young, upset Raphtalia.

Her eyes were glued to the smiling face of her mother, and soon the face of her father appeared along with a few others, all smiling. Those were the faces of everyone she had ever known who had died, right there greeting her. She could hear their voices, voices that were like milk and honey to her ears, reminding her of a simpler, kinder time before her hardships.

"My sweet little princess, I know it's been a difficult time for you, but can you do mommy a favor?" asked the face of her mother.

Her eyes still wide and her mouth hanging agape, she nodded her head, willing to listen and do whatever her mother would ask, as long as she was able to look upon all those she missed and loved.

"Pick up that knife and stab this human. After all, we need to eat, and once we're done, you can join us and never again have to worry about suffering alone. We all know how it feels to be alone. Here, we're together forever. Don't you want that? It doesn't even hurt," her mother's face said kindly and gently, in the same tone one would use to soothe a child who had a bad nightmare.

* berserk 2016 blood and guts*

Over to the side, Naofumi's strength was starting to fail him as his arm grew tired. He could already feel it going numb from the pain as the beast tried to bear down on him. What made matters worse were the various voices he could hear coming from the side, including one urging Raphtalia to kill him. "Don't listen to it! It's lying! This thing is going to kill me and you," he yelled out, hoping his voice would break through the sickening illusion the beast had woven for Raphtalia.

She could hear his words, yet her body moved on its own as she picked up the knife and started moving towards Naofumi with glassy eyes. It was as if her soul had already left, and she was merely an automaton, obeying the whims of the creature that promised her an end to all this. Gripping the knife tightly, she stared at the one she had called master, trying to remember who he was. Was he a friend? A hero? Her brain struggled to remember, but her mind was clouded with the fantasy the creature had woven, that encouraged her desire.

"Raphtalia! Your parents are dead, along with all those the beast is showing you. Do not listen to them. Remember, I promised you that I would find all those you had lost, the knights who took your friends, your fellow villagers, even your flag," Naofumi cried out, dropping to one knee but still managing to hold the beast in place as it tried to crush him with its weight.

His words cut through the fog in her mind, triggering a brief flashback to a week prior when they were training together, fighting low-level balloon monsters. He had asked her about her story, about how she had lost everything and those who had taken everything else. She remembered his vow, his promise to help her reclaim all that she had lost, to rebuild and make her home, her people, and her friends stronger so they would never have to endure what she had endured again.

"Sweetheart, go ahead and stab him in the heart. It'll be quick and painless for him. Unless you want him to feel pain, then stab wherever you want," Raphtalia's mother's face said encouragingly.

Taking a few steps back from the beast and tilting her head down to hide her face, Raphtalia's mind, body, and soul waged war within her. She wrestled with her desires, torn between the past and the future. Reversing her grip on the knife, she raised her head, her eyes blazing with power and fury.

Her mother's face, along with several others, smiled, and some even grinned madly, thinking they had won over her. But their smiles turned to screams as Raphtalia plunged the blade into one of their faces.

Gritting her teeth and tears streaming down her face, she stabbed the fisherman who had been kind to her when she had a hook stuck in her finger while learning to fish. Next, she stabbed the baker who always made her sweets. Again and again, she stabbed all those who had been kind or nice to her. Each time she stabbed, black blood splashed against her face and coated her hands, but she desperately tried to tune out the screams, curses, and swears that filled the air.

"How could you, you little wretch?" her mother's face said scornfully. Even in her wild and angry state, Raphtalia refused to stab her mother's face. But soon enough, she gripped the knife with both hands and looked at her mother's enraged expression.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Raphtalia said softly. She stabbed into her mother's forehead, then pulled the knife back out and stabbed into her mother's head again and again. She continued this desperate act, hoping to kill the beast. Exhaustion eventually overcame her, and she dropped to her knees, her hands and face covered in blood. She simply stayed there, staring into an endless void.

* song ended*

Letting out a roar of pain, the demon Hound shook its head, throwing the human and his bladed shield to the side. It stared at the girl, who was covered in its blood. "Disgusting little bitch, you die now," the beast said. It opened its jaws, about to devour her whole, only for new pain to come across the side of its head along with the loss of a horn.

Not wasting the opportunity with his new freedom from the beast's jaws, Naofumi equipped his flying guillotine shield and aimed for the beast's neck to decapitate it. However, his aim was off due to most of his arm being numb. He only managed to cut off its horn on the side of whatever flesh it had still on its skull, which wasn't much, revealing a bony white canine skull covered in black blood. "Fuck!" he cursed as he pulled the chain that was attached to his shield back.

"I'm going to enjoy sucking the marrow from both of your bones," the beast said, letting out a bellowing primal roar. It charged at the human with the shield, but Naofumi managed to dodge and slice the side of its body that wasn't damaged by the little girl, causing it to bleed out more.

Naofumi was surprised that the beast was still standing despite all the blood it had lost. What creatures resided in this world that would allow something to lose this amount of blood? Then again, the thing didn't look like it was ever alive; if anything, this could be a zombie for all he knew. Yet the thing could say something typical for a demonic hound, "What's it going to take to kill you fucker?!" he yelled at the creature, but it didn't answer back. It simply stared at him with those red demonic eyes and its half-exposed skull.

It slung its head down, and an amber-colored glow began to appear on its chest and travel up its neck. It raised its head, then opened its jaws, showing small bouts of flame, and let out a primal roar as it began shooting out a large stream of Hellfire.

Seeing the medium-sized jet of flames, Naofumi rushed over toward where Raphtalia was, within the range of the hellhound's fire. He threw her body like a rag doll behind him as he used his shield to defend against the hateful flames. He let out a pained yell as he could feel the heat of the fire beginning to cook his shield, and the flesh that was behind it, as well as the parts that weren't under the protection of the shield, were being burned and singed. While he cowered behind his shield, the gem was absorbing some of the flames and unlocking a new shield: the Hellfire Shield.

After quickly reading up on the stats, he switched over to the Hellfire Shield, which only reduced half of the existing damage from the flames. However, he could still feel his arm cooking, and the unmistakable scent of pork roasting filled his nostrils, almost making him feel sick knowing where the source of that smell was coming from.

The hellhound ended its jet of flames and looked down at the badly injured and burned human with sadistic glee in its crimson eyes. "You're the second human that has truly hurt me, and for that, I'm going to reward you by keeping you alive long enough to make both you and that girl suffer a slow, agonizing death. Then I'm going to enjoy torturing and twisting your souls once you've been absorbed into my body." The creature's lips curled up into a wicked grin, displaying its serrated teeth that still had a faint glow from the flames.

Despite the beast's words, Naofumi switched his Hellfire Shield back to his flying guillotine shield and tried throwing it, only for it to not even reach the distance of the Beast In the effort, he felt new waves of pain coursing up his badly burned and heavily injured right arm, then dropped his arm and himself to the ground on his knees. He then looked towards the still-grinning hellhound that was leisurely getting closer and closer.

Seeing how the human pathetically threw his little frisbee disc, the hellhound simply kicked the shield into a nearby column of stone and embedded it into the stone wall, just in case the human mustered the strength to use it, its victory was now assured, and its feast was properly beaten into submission for its enjoyment.

All he could do was stare up at the monster that was about to end him, staring up at its hateful red eyes. Yet, he couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the little bit of a skull that he could see, which he had cut with his flying guillotine shield. If he was going to die, he would go to death without giving the beast any satisfaction that he was afraid of it.

Suddenly, Naofumi could feel the weight of Raphtalia's body climbing up his back and then leaping from his shoulders, only after the hellhound was just a foot away from him. He wanted to scream out at her, wanting her not to throw her life away and to run, only for him to see a burning fire in her eyes as she held the long knife in her hands and aimed it straight towards the exposed section of the hellhound's skull, aiming directly into its eye.

As soon as the beast felt the knife pierce its eye, the child climbing onto its head and holding on for dear life as she twisted the blade caused it to let out a howl of pain as it thrashed around trying to get the run off of its head, yet she continued causing it new waves of pain as the knife twisted and drove deeper and deeper into its skull. So it started to charge around, bashing against stone columns to shake the girl off of its head. "Get off me, you bitch; pitiful attacks won't kill me; nothing can; only a hero can kill me!" it bellowed with pain and frustration all the while it was crashing through whatever it could use to shake off its unwanted passenger.

Naofumi was surprised to learn that fact; it made him briefly wonder what type of monster this was. He did not linger on those thoughts as he focused on the fact that it was bashing through stone column after stone column and exposing crystals and other jagged, sharp material that was hidden underneath stone. That's when it hit him—an idea that formed in his mind. Gathering up all the strength he could to stand up, he grabbed his shield with his left arm, had it transferred, and switched over to his rope shield as he watched the beast begin to gallop against a nearby stone column before shouting out, "Airstrike." He said it multiple times and created several projections of the shield. One in front of the beast as it was charging towards the column, forcing it into a different direction, and another and another doing a quick imitation of a pinball as the beast continued charging before another air shield at an angle appeared over its feet, sending it flying into a nearby large bed of crystal spikes.

All this pinballing and being battered around finally made Raphtalia become airborne, only to be quickly caught by another projection of an airstrike shield. She looked down in mild confusion at the sudden appearance of an almost ghost-like shield underneath her. She slid off and moved towards her master, yet she couldn't help but wince as she limped a little, her legs bruised from the hellhound's efforts to get her off its head. "Master, is it over?" she weakly asked, looking onwards at the hellhound that didn't look dead but rather irritated as it tried to free itself from its pinned state.

Hearing her voice and seeing how she was limping, he shook his head and said, "Not yet. I have to kill it, or it's not going to be dead properly." He tried to put up a warm smile that only turned into more of a grimace due to the pain he could feel in different parts of his body, with the exception of his arm that had already gone numb from the puncture wounds when the hellhound bit into it and the burning from the flames. A small part of him was afraid that he was going to lose his arm, but maybe magic could help it heal. After all, this was a fantasy world.

Lying on its side with sharp crystals piercing through its body, the hellhound was in complete agony. It was just as bad as when it was divided into three lesser versions of itself by those human knights who were semi-successful in repelling it, and the underlings that brought it during the first wave. It turned its head towards the slowly approaching human as it surveyed through its one good eye. "Stupid human, all you do is create more of me, but eventually I will return in time. All it requires is the mountain of bodies I would have to consume along with their souls." The hellhound began laughing, knowing of its own immortality and near invincibility.

Naofumi slowly approached the hellhound but maintained a good distance when it finally stopped after hearing its words. It was now his turn to have a sadistic grin. "Oh, I'm going to kill you, and you won't be regenerating or coming back, no matter what type of ability keeps you from dying, for I am the Shield Hero, and you have breathed your last." He raised his shield in the air and switched over to the Flying Guillotine Shield, preparing himself to take its head.

After hearing the identity of this human, the hellhound's one good eye widened, and its jaw hung loosely before letting out one final snarl of disgust at its defeat. "There is an army of us, an army from the void." These were its final words before its head was separated from its body courtesy of the Flying Guillotine Shield. Within seconds of the head falling to the ground, its body bubbled and melted before bursting into a small explosion of putrid-smelling tar that began sliding off its bones, along with mounds of maggots that formed on top of the black sludge before disappearing.

"It's over," Raphtalia stated more than she thought she was asking, and she managed to move closer right next to her master and look up at him as he turned to face her. He then lowered himself to her level, kneeling down and placing a hand on her shoulder.

He gave a slow nod as he looked into her beautiful brown eyes, which were filled with a spark of determination and hope that he could see even through the fading light. "Yes, it is over, and you have done well," Naofumi said to her, lifting his hand to ruffle her hair. But before he could, she rushed in and gave him the strongest hug she could muster, crying into his chest with the overwhelming emotions that had built up over the entire ordeal. All he could do was hold her tightly, letting her cry her heart out as he placed a hand on the back of her head and softly stroked her filth-covered hair.

While she was crying, he couldn't help but think about the hellhound's last words. There was an army of them. Whether it meant there was an army where they came from, waiting to emerge, or there was an army of unkillable monsters wandering the countryside, multiplying as a result of non-heroes slaying them, it posed a bigger problem. He would have to ask those who had survived the first wave what type of monsters had escaped into the countryside and how many had been slain but not killed, wandering around and preying on the weak.

The sword hero party

A large group of individuals who had joined the Heroes group under orders from the Three Heroes Church and the King had just received a message delivered by a black raven, which was seen as a bad omen. The message revealed the actions of the Sword Hero and how the members of the party should respond.

"Dammit, that Devil's Shield has somehow wormed his way into the Sword Hero, corrupting him just as he corrupted the Bow Hero," one of the party members spoke out in disgust after reading the message.

Another party member shook his head with equal disgust and disappointment. "The boy was so young. It's too easy for him to fall under the influence of the outlaw hero and the devil hero. Instead of sending us away, we should have encouraged him to visit the church, to learn the history, and to see what the Sword Hero should truly embody."

More and more people began commenting on how they had failed to keep the Sword Hero on the right path. Three late additions to the Sword Hero's party couldn't help but be slightly curious about his actions.

A woman dressed in black robes, her outfit covered in a cloak of black feathers and wearing a raven-like mask, approached her two companions. "It seems we can inform the queen that the Sword Hero is on the right path, and we don't need to suggest any further actions," she said to them.

"Indeed, the queen will be most pleased. Although I would have tried to convince him of the dangers lurking in Castle Town, as well as the Heroes' Church, which moves in the shadows to manipulate or eliminate him," a man with his head, hands, and feet covered in bandages replied. His nose and mouth were the only parts left uncovered, and he wore a regular short-sleeved brown shirt and matching shorts.

A third member of the group, wearing a wolf's head that he had torn off and hollowed out into a proper mask-like helmet, along with leathers and chainmail, stood silently, observing the argument between the Church Fanatics and Crown Traders. After a brief moment, he cleared his throat to get their attention. "we should get started and get rid of these fools and tracking down the boy to offer our assistance," he stated, his sword at the ready on his shoulders, with a blue energy already beginning to ignite on the blade's edge.

The woman dressed in raven-like attire nodded in agreement with the wolf-stylized swordsman. "Let's make this quick and efficient. We don't have to worry about hiding the bodies here; it would not be a mess if a group of adventurers would be set by some Bandits." she said, her two companions nodding in agreement.

Taking the lead, she approached the party member assigned to the Sword Hero. "Excuse me, do you have any insights on when we will meet the Sword Hero next?" she asked through her bird-like mask, which seemed to unsettle the man she was speaking to.

The man looked at the masked woman and involuntarily shivered upon hearing her voice, as if death itself had approached. He couldn't discern the gender under the mask and robes. "We were supposed to meet a few towns away from the Dragon's Lair, but the Sword Hero turned against a noble race, so his task was to slay until then," he relayed the information, unaware of why the woman had asked for this seemingly useless detail. They were all supposed to travel together to the meetup location and follow orders to kill the corrupted sword and make way for a new summon once the shield and bow were slain.

"Thank you for your cooperation," she simply said, walking past them a few steps. In a quick and blinding movement, she extended her beautifully silver exotic blade, swiftly decapitating the man. Shocked, everyone watched as she effortlessly dispatched the lead party member. She then grabbed the other end of her blade, immediately turning it into two, and used one to catch the next sword while stabbing an ornate blade into the stomach of the next opponent.

The man in bandages sprinted towards the nearest spellcaster, grabbing hold of his head and locking eyes with him. His bandaged eyes began bleeding through with sickly yellow fiery energy, which poured into the mage's eyes, melting his brain from the inside. He then released the man, who dropped dead.

Meanwhile, the wolf swordsman wasted no time in dispatching multiple opponents with the swing of his moon-touched blade. He didn't bother with fancy dances or magic, relying on his natural strength and the unique cutting ability of his enchanted blade. Witnessing the effectiveness of his sword and strength, the remaining party members who weren't killed by the bandaged man or the blood Raven of death fled or attempted to flee. However, the wolf swordsman charged up the magic within his blade and sent an arcing wave of blue energy to slice through the remaining members of the church.

"Well, they're dead, and soon the maggots, rats, and wolves will feast like never before," he stated, kicking the boots of the dead men to ensure there were no survivors. "Are we heading to the location where these fools were planning to kill the boy?" he asked, continuing his search for any survivors.

Licking the blood off her blade through her Raven mask, the woman responded, drawing strength from the slain men. "Yes, we'll try to see if he arrives there. If not, we'll search the area he was previously in and possibly ask the old dragon if he knows where the boy is headed so we can find him and offer our aid."

The Mad Monk gathered the supplies of the dead and threw them over his back in a large sack. "We shouldn't linger among the dead for too long. Let's make our way there, perhaps killing a few bandits along the way. We wouldn't want our lady friend here to get too hungry, eh?" he snickered, receiving a disapproving look from the masked woman.

"My hunger is satisfied for now, though I wouldn't mind a good hunt for worthy prey. But let us fulfill our obligations to the queen and the realms," she reminded The Mad Monk, leading the way towards the town they were supposed to go to, with her two companions following closely behind.

The wolf swordsman chuckled at the huntress's remark about going on a good hunt. "Just like you always say, a good hunt for a good huntress. Just don't expect me to bleed out for you when you get twitchy," he replied humorously, sharing a lighthearted moment.

If anyone could see the mad monk's eyes, they would have noticed him rolling them at the banter between the swordsman and the huntress. "As if it bothers you. I recall you blessing her a few times whenever she needed a drink, and you blushed like a maiden on her wedding day," the monk retorted, teasing the swordsman about a past embarrassing moment involving their leader's dietary needs.

The two continued their playful banter, reminiscing about other embarrassing incidents from their misadventures, while the huntress maintained her focus and continued moving forward, with her companions following closely behind.

Rishia couldn't help but feel disgusted by the situation she was witnessing. She stood by, listening to the sounds of Idol venting his frustrations and anger on the ferret woman who was bound against the wall. If only beatings were the worst that this man would do to the demi-human women and the few children here. When he wasn't hurting them, he would subject them to brutalization that only a man could inflict upon a woman. All she could do was watch helplessly. Even now, she stood on the side as a guardsman, her hand tightly clutching the sword on her hip, her knuckles popping from the pressure. She felt the desperate urge to use her magic to put an end to the nobleman's reign of terror over these women.

"That will teach you, Beast. I spent a lot of money getting you well again and those XP potions, so you should at least welcome me with a smile," Idol sneered at the ferret woman, who flinched and cowered before him. He spat on her before turning and throwing a bundle of whips over his shoulder. He headed out of the holding cell, with the green-haired girl, Rishia, following behind as his guardswoman. Idol couldn't help but enjoy the fact that he had one of the more proactive noble's daughters as his guardswoman. As they opposed slavery in the Kingdom and had spent a great deal of their own money buying and freeing slaves. Now, her family was in significant debt, and they had to smuggle their own daughter out of the Kingdom to avoid her having to return and pay off the debt. It was ironic, that she returned to try to help her family.

As Idol toured through his dungeon of horrors, filled with broken demi-human women, he admired each one he passed. They cowered in the corners, showing absolute fear in his presence. Some even urinated themselves when he was near, knowing the pain and abuse that awaited them. He stopped at one cell and stared at the occupant with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment. This particular plaything, although not a demi-human, was someone he would still enjoy breaking.

Sitting in a comfortable seat provided by her jailer, dressed in nothing more than rags, the woman twirled her strawberry-colored hair, ignoring the lustful glare of her jailer. "When the queen returns, I will relish your execution. That's if she doesn't allow me the pleasure of personally tearing bits of your flesh for all the atrocities you have committed here against these women," Eclair calmly stated. She imagined the suffering the pig would endure, how she would make him suffer a thousandfold before granting him the sweet mercy of death.

Idol's sadistic mind was tickled by Eclair's threatening words, causing him to burst into a big belly laugh. "Oh, one day you might have that chance. But that's only if the first princess doesn't ascend to the throne and reward me for my efforts in putting these filthy creatures in their place. Perhaps she'll even grant me the honor of marrying you, extending the great bloodline that is meant to safeguard against monster by the four heroes millennia ago," he chuckled, his laughter filled with twisted delight. After a few hiccups of laughter, he moved on.

As the fat pig left the cell, Rishia's gaze lingered on the holding cell. "I'm sorry, Lady Eclair. I wish I could help you now, free all these women, and take down that monster. But I am bound by my oath," she expressed, regret evident in her voice. The desire for justice clawed at the back of her mind, urging her to unleash its fury.

"I understand the weight of duty and oaths. Soon, you will be free from your obligations and able to fulfill your desire for justice as a proper woman of Melromarc should," Eclair responded sagely to the young guardswoman.

Rishia nodded, regaining her composure, and caught up with the noble she was supposed to escort out of the dungeons. She allowed Lady Eclair's words to echo in her mind, strengthening her resolve to navigate this situation without breaking her oath.

BTC

I decided to change how the monsters operate in ROSH (Rising of the Shield Hero). You're not facing an invasion but rather an infection that has different variants. You may kill the lesser monsters that will die, but the bosses cannot be killed unless the heroes kill them, or they're just going to regenerate in one form or another. It's all a matter of how many corpses it manages to eat or how powerful individuals it absorbs into its body. I think the hellhound was the longest I have taken on trying to figure out how to best figure it out. I had already determined not to give it two heads as I was going in between either making it look like the worm demon from Princess Mononoke or making something equivalent to Gotou's monstrous form. then I went on to fear and hunger to see if I couldn't draw some inspirations along with going through Berserk and its monstrous creatures along with several Silent Hill-type monsters, but I didn't want to go to alien or bizarre in descriptions too much, so I decided to go ahead and create a hodgepodge of Berserk and fear and hunger.

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, and please leave me reviews. They provide fuel for my engine, and if I don't have enough fuel, my engine will stall and die.

Also special thank you for Bruhman the abbreviate ROSH.