God's Blessing on a Cruel World

by strongestkorean

Kazuma and Aqua are tossed in a much more brutal, unforgiving world where there is no resurrection or second chances. This place functions much less like a game, the character's personalities are more grounded, and our hero meets and brings the original party together in a very different, but much more intimate way, with a lot blood and tears in between. (contains smut)

7. Blade Demon

Nobody could describe the exact feeling; the absence of all senses, colours and thought. The idea of what happens when one ceases to exist brings an unpleaseant chill and a sinking of the stomach to most. We distract ourselves with the dailygoings of life and business, but during the quiet times, someone will stop amidst the havoc during their lifetime and remember the impending moment- the moment where they will have to enter that place, or the absence of any place to be more accurate:

The Void.

Lacking of any stimuli; a bottomless ocean of lost memories, emotions and time. Once a soul enters, they sink and fizzle into the rest, merging into the collective nothingness. That result is inevitable; no single being can escape it. Is the final chapter for all sentient life… Until-

"Kyouya, Mitsurugi-san."

"Huh…?"

"Welcome to the afterlife. Unfortunately, you passed away. You have moved on from your world; you are now dead..."

It would be impossible to illustrate the feeling of falling into the Void. It takes everything from you- spreading the paint of your soul across a black canvas until there's nothing left. On the other side of that, being pulled from the abyss and back into the plain of existence was an enthralling experience, like being born once again.

"I… I'm dead?"

A beautiful woman, perfectly elegant in her gait and appearance sat across from the lost boy. She looked at him with no contempt or judgement, and smiled with a maternal warmness that eased most fears and anxieties away.

"Don't fear, child. Your time was cut short, but I can give you another chance. You will choose the path to live out the rest of your life."

"Choose…?"

"I can bring you to a heavenly realm, where you can live freely, meet others, and bask in the sun's warmth forever," the Goddess lifted her arms with graceful finesse, "Then there is the second choice: you can be reincarnated and live another life on Earth."

A multitude of thoughts ran through the boy's mind. Before he could make any conclusion, the woman beyond him spoke again.

"There is also a third option," the deity's eyes sparked with avidity, "I can bring you to a completely different world; a world unlike anything you have experienced. Once peaceful and prosperous, it is now rife with fear, corruption and war."

The young man sat uncomfortably, "Corruption and war...? Why would I go there?"

The blue-haired maiden looked toward the unsettled man's appearance, "Some see the struggle of life as the beauty of it. Many have gone to this world of hardship and peril to find a more sincere form of camaraderie, friendship and love."

Mitsurugi's eyes widened.

"-Others went for a new challenge other than Earth; they retain their memories and experiences to help them in the second world, and we Goddesses provide our blessings to them."

"Blessings?"

"Should you choose this world, I will give you a unique strength that will help you with whatever you seek to achieve."

"…"

The boy's eyes narrowed as he assessed his life so far, 'All my life I've been given what I wanted without having to work for it. But at the same time, have I really ever been satisfied?' A mass of indistinct memories flooded back to him.'Here, in this place, I'll be able to truly understand what it means to fight and earn something.'

A wave of exhilaration and resolution surged within the young man for the first time in his entire two lives.

"That's right… That's what I always wanted!"

A gleaming smile shone on the Goddess's face, "Then, are you prepared to take a conquest in the world threatened by the Devil King's pillage and slaughter?"

"Yeah… Yes! whatever the challenge, I'll overcome it!"

...

A plethora of options for blessings soon appeared. A wide selection of incredible powers and tools were shown, but the one that caught Mitsurugi's eye was presented before him.

The blue-haired woman solemnly handed a shining blade to the light-haired man, "This is the cursed sword, Gram," she said politely. "It was created by the deities themselves and strikes with the might of their power."

"Amazing…" the resurrected soul gandered at the perfectly crafted weapon.

"You are now ready, Mitsurugi," The deity raised her arm and a magical circle appeared beneath his feet, lifting him into the air.

'Oh, I forgot!-'

"What is your name, Goddess?" the boy asked hastily as the woman grew more distant.

"I am Aqua, Goddess of Water."

"Aqua-sama, will I ever see you again!?"

"Defeat the Devil King, and anything you wish for can be yours adventurer."

The youthful man heard her last few words just as a brilliant light took over from above. Once the whiteness faded, Mitsurugi found himself in the streets of a new world. He took a breath of the fresh air, and grew an energetic smile.

'I have to make the most out of this new life. No matter how hard it gets, fight through it!'

…

"I'd like to become an adventurer please," a spirited newcomer announced before a blonde receptionist.

"Of course," The lady smiled, "In that case, you'll first have to pay the registration fee of one thousand eris."

The boy froze. He took a step back, frantically searching his body for any sign of starter cash. After a brief moment of realization, he looked up at the busty woman with an expressionless face. She tried to laugh off the awkwardness of the situation.

"M-My apologies..." he bowed in respect to the surprise of the manageress.

"Oh, it's fine; it's strangely a common occurrence here," she said to the unusual character.

"Once I return, I'll make sure to buy a large meal as compensation," he looked up to her with a certain sincerity.

The lady appeared astounded for a short while, before scoffing lightly, "My, if you'll excuse me- I can't quite remember the last time I conversed with such a considerate person."

"O-Oh, really?" the young man's face flushed slightly as he watched the secretary shift her expression from her routine exterior to one of flattery. His voice was gentle as he offered, "If you tell me your name, I'll be sure to leave you a tip."

"Oh, really?" the woman placed her hands against her hips, "Quite forward, aren't you?"

'Eh...?'

"N-No! That wasn't- I wasn't-"

"Pfff!" The receptionist giggled quietly, "I can clearly see that. Unfortunately, I don't work as a waitress, but the least I could provide you for your efforts is my name," she cleared her throat, "I am-"

Thump!

A hand landed heavily on the newcomer's shoulder, and a strange voice asked him, "Hey- You boy; what're doin' here?"

Within a brief moment, the homely, warm nature of the guild abruptly changed to one of into fear and unease. The youthful adult turned his head to meet a lanky, spiky-haired man, no more than five years older than him. He had a rough appearance- multiple scars across his bare arms and one particularly deep cut under his eye. His manner appeared confident and charismatic, but could easily be described as pretentious and invasive.

"Sorry...?" Mitsurugi responded stiffly.

"What's a newbie like you- with a sword like that- doin' here?" the man repeated with a hoarse grunt, pointing to the sheathed blade clutched in between his arms.

Only once the outsider glanced past the curious man did the presence of many gazes become apparent. A threatening ambience of greed and voracity surrounded him. He clenched his teeth.

"I'm here to become an adventurer," he stated proudly, shoving the palm off his shoulder and facing the thuggish individual with similar grit. The triumphant display didn't do much to reduce the ill-intent that faced him but left a pleased impression on the harsh fellow.

The tall fighter gave Mitsurugi a mischievous grin, clapping him on the arm, "Heh, is that right? It's good to see some real guts for a change," he returned approvingly, "So you ain't like one of those spoiled little brats that come over just to shit themselves and run off home. What's your name, kid?"

"Mitsurugi Kyouya," the young man responded cautiously.

"Hmm... Hey, I'll do ya a favour, Kyouya. Help out my party with a lil' errand, and we'll give ya enough money to register, fill your tummy and live comfy for a handful of weeks."

A couple faces stepped up from behind the pair. A paunchy man, also rugged in appearance who wielded a spear, and a boyish woman with a bow slung across her torso together with tattoos on her face and exposed midriff.

"The big fella is Bors, our spearman, and the gal with the bow is Freya," he presented his hand to his party, then pointed a thumb to himself, "You can call me Kain. So... You wanna stand here all day, or earn your keep?"

'These people give off a terrible vibe... But moments like this will happen all the time here; nothing is going to be reliable in a place like this,' Mitsurugi furrowed his brow, 'I just have take the risk!'

"Alright, I'll do it."

...

The group of four swiftly left the guild and the city, reaching the wilderness by late-afternoon. The forest was peaceful, hilly and lush with the sounds of bird song and the chirping of insects. Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, creating patches of dappled light on the forest floor. Three experienced adventurers walked ahead, with the first-timer following a few paces later.

'My sword feels heavier compared to when I first held it,' Mitsurugi uncomfortably fumbled with the hip strap that was lent to him by the small party. All of the weapon's weight fell on his left side, forcing him to hoist the sheath up with an arm just to maintain balance.

"So, what's is the job?" the boy asked.

"Job...? Yeah... Yeah, it's just up here," the leader spoke in monotone, unlike the vigorous way he acted prior. He and his companions crouched before a dense lining of trees and bushes.

The youngest reached the others and ducked into cover. In a darker patch of the foliage, he spotted a brown wolf patrolling around a large boulder.

"See that? That one's for you, newbie," Kain spoke plainly.

"We... Won't fight it together?" the light-haired kid replied with apprehension.

"Hey..." The boss turned with frustration clear on his face, "Who's the new guy? You or me? If you wanna get stronger, you gotta stop whining and face the goddamn threat!"

PUSH

Suddenly, the young boy was exposed and unexpectedly confronted with the beast. Without little time to gander, it quickly locked its strong gaze on him, baring its sharp teeth menacingly. Mitsurugi instinctively grabbed his heavy cursed blade from its hilt- almost stumbling from its sheer weight.

"W-Wait! I can't fight yet!" he shouted, briefly glancing in between breaths to the group of nonchalant expressions behind him, "I need help!"

Broken chuckles sounded to Mitsurugi's rear. His heart subsequently sunk into a pit of dismay as the harsh truth gradually came clear to his conscience.

'Those guys...! They never had any intention of helping me from the beginning?'

The youthful man was aware of the shady nature surrounding the group that he had temporality joined, but hoped they at least had enough tact to respect someone who showed some resolve where most would flee.

'Whatever!- What matters is that I take this monster right here, right now!' the inexperienced fighter grounded his pose, and heaved his sword above his right shoulder with as much strength as he could muster.

"Are you stupid, greenie? As if you could beat that wolf at your level," a cocky female voice cackled with little remorse.

Fear and rage boiled throughout Mitsurugi's blood. The burning desire of his heart didn't waver by any words of discouragement, nor the challenge that stood before him. The unquestioned determination surged from his soul and spoke directly to his sword, as for the first time the blade began to glow with fantastic colours. He felt the essence of his body flowing into the weapon, and wouldn't let the moment go to waste.

The wolf squared up to the swordsman, bending its sturdy legs in anticipation.

"COME AT ME!" The boy screamed, sensing the heat of the living blade bouncing against his nape.

GROWL!

The brown beast snarled in reply to the aggressive invitation, leaping from the earth with tremendous power and speed- its sharp teeth pointed straight for the boy's neck. Mitsurugi hardened himself, bracing every muscle in his form, and swung the hulking blade towards the savage creature.

"RAAAAGH!"

SLASH

A burst of energy blasted amidst the centre of the darkened section of forest, flinging a wave of air that clashed against the forestry startling the onlookers.

A panting young man cautiously glanced up from crouched pose, remarking at the remains laid in front of him. A perfect split cut across the midsection of the wolf, leaving its insides staining the nearby grass.

"I really did it..." Mitsurugi gazed at the blood splattered on his weapon as he turned to face the other adventurers, "I really did- Gaghk!"

SHUNK

A strong surge of numbness spread across the fighter's body, forcing him to one knee. He attempted to prop himself up by clinging onto his grounded blade.

'My... My body! Did I use all my strength with just one swing!?'

The sudden exhaustion was a horrible sensation. The weakened boy was barely able to hold himself up, let alone maintain his consciousness. In a hazy state, Mitsurugi could narrowly make out a blurry figure approaching him from the cover of the brush.

"Well, I will say that I'm impressed," the voice of Kain resonated in the swordsman's head, "But it looks like your body couldn't handle it."

A sinister smile played on the lips of the leader as he stood proudly above the novice fighter. He promptly threw away the subpar short sword he had equipped until then, with his eyes set on a much more prized item.

"You want to know how to really use a sword, newbie?" the spiky-haired man expressed with a twisted face.

"D-Don... Don't...!" The frail kid spoke with great difficulty, gasping for air as he struggled to resist the grip of an unknown hand that had taken hold of the cursed blade's hilt. He fought against the stronger grip for as long as he could manage before his captor grew impatient.

"Bastard!- Let go already!"

KICK

"Pagh!" Mitsurugi spat out blood from his battered mouth as his divine gift was ripped from his hands. Without support of the sword, the boy's body slumped lifelessly to the ground, only with enough strength to look up at the smug face above him.

The weapon was pulled out of the dirt, then held high, angled to slash the paralysed fighter's neck.

'Is- Is this it already...? What about all those things I wanted to do? I can't let it be over! Fight, Kyouya! Fight...! FIGHT!'

the young man's thoughts screamed, but his paralysed muscles simply trembled in response; his empty lungs likewise could do nothing but let out a muffled cry.

"Don't worry kid, I'll make it quick-"

FSHHHHHH!-

"GAAAGGHH!"

Screams of torment jostled Mitsurugi back to life, opening his fearful eyes in bewilderment. The once smug and arrogant warrior bellowed at the top of his lungs, staring at the stolen sword as it barbarically consumed him. Dark, vicious appendages of strange consistency sprung from the weapon itself, latching and eating into the arm of the hysterical fighter. His hand thrashed wildly, desperate to escape the fury of the sword, but the thin, razor-sharp streaks had already slid into his body.

"Kain!? KAIN!" A male voice called out to their comrade, followed by rushed movement.

"WAAAARGGH!"

CLICK, CRUNCH

Another shriek of torturous pain. The cursed extremities had completely taken over the man's arm. They dug under the skin, sucking the strength out of the muscle and bone marrow, then twisted the joint backwards against its natural motions. The tint of the damaged tissue discoloured to a rotten grey as the infection continued to spread to the rest of the swordsman's midsection.

"K-Kain...?" the hurried approach of a large spearman lessened into a slow, frightened creep.

Choking, and weak inhalations were all that was heard from the blabbering individual. The bulging black veins underneath the victim's neck crawled higher, boiling the facial skin from underneath. The tips of the leech-like tendrils were visible, exposed out of the nostrils and mouth. Before the moaning mess of anguish could vocalise further, a black appendage burst itself from behind an eye, causing the gory orb to shoot out of its socket. With that, a moment later, the putrefied body collapsed to the ground with a meaty splatter.

...

'The sword...?' Mitsurugi stared at the blade as it sat upright, stuck back into the earth.

"You... You fucking bastard..." The female archer shook with rage, "You lured him into that?"

The young fighter looked upon both adventurers, one several paces away with a spear in hand, and the woman further back at range. the nearer one huffed with a red face- swollen with wrath as he marched to the boy.

'He's... He's going to kill me. Even if I told them that wasn't me, they wouldn't listen. I don't think I can even stand...' the novice contemplated with fear.

"Defeat the Devil King, and anything you wish for will become a reality, adventurer."

Mitsurugi's eyes shot open, 'What am I talking about...? If I want to fix this world, I have to defeat the Devil King. I can't die here; not in such a cheap way!'

The injured fighter managed to clutch his hand against the hilt of his weapon once again- though just barely.

"You still have some gall, huh?" The large spearman quipped with resentment while holding his lance ready, "I'll skewer you 'till you die!"

CLASH

"What!?-"

With revived vigour, Mitsurugi stood toe-to-toe against the astonished warrior. The power of the divine blade once again glowed, marking a resurgence in strength.

'What happened!? As soon as I touched Gram, my body came back to life! Unless-' The young man's eyes briefly peered at the corpse of the party leader, 'It took his vitality!?'

"Where are ya looking, you bastard!?" Bors screamed with rage, thrusting his spear again, this time deflected by the newfound reflexes of the rookie swordsman.

Fwip!- Wooosh!

The teenager narrowly escaped a stray arrow, gashing his left arm.

"How did!?-" the short-haired archer exclaimed, "How the hell can he move like that!?"

Mitsurugi distanced himself from the larger fighter, taking a deep breath.

'I can't hesitate... I want to do so many things in this new world; I can't let it end so soon. I have to do whatever it takes to survive and change everything for the better,' The cursed blade began to glow brighter in the young man's hands, reflecting his determined spirit and strong will.

'If my hands become bloody, so be it.'

...

A blur of combat ensued. Opponents toughened by experience witnessed the bond between a divine sword and its user. With deep trust in the weapon, its power burned brighter with each exchange, and every amount of confidence that built in the swordsman's amateur abilities. It wasn't long before the fight favoured him, and very quickly lead to bloodshed.

SLICE

"AGGGGHH!" The echoing scream of a female adventurer rang out in the forested wilderness. A severed leg laid on the ground, trailing with blood towards a petrified soul, scrambling backwards while pleading for her life.

"W-Wait- Wait! P-Please!" she held a red-soaked palm to the assailant, trembling in terror and excruciation, "I'll do anything- Anything! Please spare me!" she wept hysterically.

The boy in front of her stood silently in contemplation. His head rose again, completing his thought process.

"It's too late... You're bleeding too much." he looked down at the archer without any empathy, "I'm sorry."

SLASH

A perfect decapitation; the head rolled a few feet to one side before gradually coming to a stop. Mitsurugi watched the empty expression that stared back at him for a while before turning to his left. Another body laid on the ground; a bloated corpse- dead already for a minute or so. He slowly approached it, gandering at the gaping cavity in the centre of its torso. A singular thrust was all it took; the armour gave away like butter, as did the rest of the fatty flesh, bone and internals. The work of the magical sword was chillingly efficient, to the point where the boy could not see its usage for nothing less than a lethal result. The light-haired kid moved to the deceased's dominant side, eyeing up his spear. He crouched, then grasped the handle-

"Uh!?-"

SSHHHHH

The startled swordsman instantly dropped the lance as it now glowed red with heat. The wooden mast burst into a violent flame while its metal tip bubbled into the grass with frightening speed. After the initial scare, Mitsurugi stared at the steaming remnants as if it were a spoken omen.

'From now on, there is no return.'

---

"I'd like to become an adventurer, please." an impassive young man requested to the receptionist, placing a few coins on the desk.

"Oh, of... course..." the blonde lady's words became distanced as her eyes glanced at the crimson-tinted money, then back at the straight-faced fighter. A clear look of affliction was visible on his face, but above that a strong will to keep on. She cautiously took the fee, "Th-Then, if you'll give me a moment."

...

"Amazing... Your stats are well above average!" the lady exclaimed at the impressive numbers on the newbie's card, "You would do fine at a range of classes, though I assume you will want to become a-"

"Warrior."

An unsurprised smile befell the sculpted women, "Of course," she added the final touches to the adventurer's card then offered it back to him. As he took it in his hand, the blonde receptionist tugged back lightly, capturing his attention. A shadowed look appeared on what was previously a bright and spirited woman.

"I know I don't have any right to say this, but..." she squinted in grievance as she glimpsed into Mitsurugi's eyes, "Please... Don't become so accustomed to killing people."

She let go after a few moments; the boy glanced at the card.

'Kills: 3'

"I may not have a choice…" the young adult returned sincerely, "Not because they'll come after me, but because I'm going to make things change. Watch me."

He motioned to leave, but before his back fully turned, the lady abruptly reached a hand out, grabbing his arm with urgency.

"Luna!" she spoke breathlessly, "I'm... My name is Luna."

Mitsurugi turned to meet a pair of distressed yellow eyes. They gleamed at him in a heartfelt manner, unlike the deceitful looks of many around him.

"Thank you, Luna," he faintly smiled, taking her hand in both of his own for a moment, then releasing it and walking away.

'There are good people in this world,' The Warrior reflected as he headed to the quest board, 'They are the ones that need to be protected-'

Thump!

"Hey, Hey! Surprised to see you back, greenie! Did Kain let you off or somethin'?" an arm roughly slumped across the boy's shoulder once again.

'-Protected from the scum.'

Mitsurugi didn't flinch, nor react in any extravagant way. Instead, the young man slowly turned his head, glaring coldly towards the unknown instigator.

The sharp stare of intent appeared to startle the random guild member, but a conceited grin quickly grew back on his face, "So you actually have have some spunk, huh? Don't get a big head greenie; Kain and his group were a bunch of amateur dumbasses. Come and go on a quest with my squad; we'll show you a proper fight with some real rewards," The crooked voice snickered, smacking the sheathed weapon at the boy's side.

The young man took no effort to even acknowledge the appearance of the random instigator; they looked no different compared to the distorted, greed-ridden faces that sat across the entire guild, eyeing up what seemed an easy target.

'So this is how it is here? Under the guise of 'quests', these crooks take new adventurers into the lawless wilderness, then rob or kill them for money and gear... There's no point to run away here- If it's not these guys, it'll be the next ones; if not them, the ones after.'

"When do we start?"

---

One month.

'Kills: 27'

Mitsurugi was no longer approached in the guild. It took a half dozen 'quests' before the regulars understood the unsettling symbolism of the novice adventurer departing town surrounded by geared parties, then returning by himself each and every time. Every time.

Two months.

'Kills: 76'

The eyes of every thug or miscreant would turn away from Mitsurugi's presence, but only to hide their intent. Once an opportune moment for violence came, the atrocities continued. Spiteful allies and hateful relatives came to avenge the victims of the warrior. Outside or inside the city's walls, In broad daylight, or even in the darkest nights where he slept, someone would be watching; from a singular assassin, to a small group of barbarous killers.

Three months.

'Kills: 153'

Mitsurugi Kyouya had become a Sword Master, a rare high-class job within record time. It was only then that the stiff-necked, ravenous criminals that scoured the small city couldn't compete with the young man's vicious strength, and avoided his wrath for good. It wasn't just the ruffians; almost every man, woman and child knew about the prodigal fighter, but for all the wrong reasons.

"Blade Demon."

It was the title that most people knew the warrior by. The bad rumours made by the hateful punks spread with no resistance. Mitsurugi never tried to fight against the bogus claims- as insurmountably hard as that would've been- because it simply didn't matter to him. The illusions of fame, friendship and camaraderie quickly disappeared from his thoughts; he chose to simply follow the core values from which he held onto since the beginning of his adventure.

See, out of all of the lives that the Sword Master claimed, none were of malice. The circumstances of a killing is reflected on any adventurer's card. Whether it was a nefarious motive or rather an act of self-defence, protection or mercy is displayed by a colour as a ratio of the total count. Green depicts a sinless adventurer, and red represents the black-hearted scum; the despicable evildoers who murder for mere profit and sport. For the people in mixed circumstances, a gradient is shown, displaying the scale of one's virtues to their misdeeds. Mitsurugi's counter had always shown the greatest hue of green, and therefore was exempt from persecution, to the dismay of many detesters.

Furthermore, his mere presence with the reputation that he had became a pungent deterrent for almost all the criminals within the guild and nearby streets. The outlaws that hadn't fallen to his blade exiled en masse to different cities, leaving the town's atmosphere more hospitable than it had been in decades. A small handful of individuals appreciated the young man's positive impact, but the majority only knew the fabricated truths and stayed far away from the adventurer. It remained that way for the seasons that passed. Come spring, nothing significant had changed since the aforementioned events. Mitsurugi was no longer plagued with human threat, and was able to seamlessly shift into traditional quests as a source of income and XP. He naturally preferred to do such tasks by himself; a quite obvious reason being his troubled history 'working' with parties and a poisoned reputation.

The fighter would spend his days within the lively and considerably more good-natured guild, eating his meals in isolation from the rest. Other members would drink and laugh together, but refrained from even peeking in the Sword Master's direction. Well, all except one.

Clunk

"Here's your drink, sir." a mature female voice spoke kindly.

A light-haired man looked up to see a familiar smiling expression.

"Luna... You again."

"You again? Geez, I swear you've lost your manners," the well-endowed lady sighed, "And after I brought you free ale."

"Luna, I told you-"

"Yeah, yeah- I'm not supposed to talk to you out here," she waved her hand towards the boy with little concern, "Instead of worrying about that, you should be thankful that I do this for you every day."

Mitsurugi sighed, "Aren't you busy enough as a receptionist?"

"It hardly takes a minute. Besides-"

Flick!

"Mgh!"

"-Why haven't you tried to improve your credibility? If you stay in this mopey state, you're never going to join a party or make any friends."

The adventurer rubbed the red spot on his forehead with slight annoyance.

"I'm happy enough with you as my friend."

Luna's face softened. She looked away to disguise a mild blush, but shook her head in disagreement, "It's not good for your health or career to try and handle everything by yourself, Kyouya. I know what you went through, and I can't imagine how difficult it is, but-" she placed a hand onto the young man's chest, "You need to open your heart up again."

The Sword Master grew apprehensive. It wasn't the first time he had contemplated the idea. He felt a sickness in his stomach at the mere thought. It seemed impossible to trust and care like he used to; the mountain of lives ended by his hand flashed through his conscience, exposing the strong fear of betrayal that was etched onto his being.

"I... I don't know if I can..." the adventurer looked at Luna's hand with visible anxiety.

"Please try, Kyouya. This is a request from your only friend, okay?" The receptionist's eyes glinted with hopefulness.

Mitsurugi sat silently for some time then exhaled, "Okay."

The lady tilted her head and beamed with gratitude, "Thank you."

---

Things are more easily said than done. Even if the youthful swordsman attempted to be more open to others, it didn't mean they would be to him. The few people he was able to even speak to acted in a complete different manner compared to their usual attitudes; his standing lead many to become fearful, over-polite or callous towards him. He continued his normal routines but kept the promise he made with Luna to mind. After choosing a kill quest at random, the adventurer trekked to the location where a rogue mutated Ogre was last spotted. The large monster was found quickly outside an entrance to a cave. Once confronted, the blade master exchanged briefly with the huge enemy, but it wasn't long before the hulking creature was cleaved into a messy pile with relative ease. The boy plucked its eyes from the gored grass as proof, but just as he did, a twisted cry of murder echoed from further beyond.

Mitsurugi's eyes moved to a gaping hole within the dark-brown cliff face, noticing himself hesitate; he shook the cynical thoughts away, reminding his conscience of the deal he made with a close friend. The young man composed himself, then swiftly entered. The tunnel became virtually pitch-black before even a minute of walking. After countless attempts at his life from the shadiest alleyways and corners of Axel, the experienced combatant was more than accustomed to darkness. His trained senses could examine the cracked walls with ease, also picking up a rotten stench from ahead. Shortly after the odor was detected, another round of prolonged, distorted noise moaned past the adventurer. A certain dampness also grew within the humid environment, complimenting the worsening smell with each stride. It wasn't long before the fighter's quiet footsteps turned into wet squelches against the cave floor. Sticky, viscous sensations were felt under his boots. The ground grew thicker with the buildup of unknown excess, spreading to the walls- and soon after plastering the ceiling. The nose-twisting scent festered further; Mitsurugi's face scrunched in reaction.

After a bend late into the cave, a certain yellow light glowed deeper in. The clamours of agony and struggle echoed louder, with foreign monstrous elements mixed within. As the pained vocalisations sounded with more clarity, the adventurer found himself move with more pace. Approaching an opening for a room, a wave of humid lukewarm air enveloped around him.

"Uh...Ugh!" Mitsurugi quietly retched in reply to the horrific aroma of organic effluence, almost physically hampering his motion. Whimpers of a tortured soul babbled quietly amongst the resonance of throaty grunts. The young man reached the entrance to the chamber, squinting to adjust for the orange torchlight. Once vision returned, the Sword Master examined the enclosure with aghast eyes; no amount of first-hand experience could ever prepare one for such a sight:

Splashes of crimson and yellow drooled from fleshy walls, colouring the small space a reddish-brown. The boundaries of the cave were strewn with layers upon layers of disgusting excess such that most of the stone was hidden from sight, replaced- or rather- smeared with every form of waste imaginable, including-

"People..."

The light-haired boy turned to every crevice and corner, spotting more bodies plastered into the walls and flooring like gruesome artwork. Some victims were long deceased by appearance, though a batch amidst the far edge were as fresh as a day, or even a half-day since the adventurer's discovery. By then, the creatures had found enough time to grease their unruly mix of substances all over them, face to toe.

Despite garnering the largest presence as the monstrous inhabitants of the vile chamber, Mitsurugi's eyes happened upon them last. His stuttered breaths of blood-curdling rage took their occupied attention. There was three of them; the brutes appeared babyish in comparison to the one from earlier.

SLASH, SHLACK, SPLATTER

The small brutes collapsed in seconds; their bulging bellies had been slashed through, steaming with the heat of their fresh insides. The panting fighter grimaced, swiftly covering his mouth- having briefly tasted the toxic air. He looked past the bodies to the furthest end to where the monsters obstructed.

Pushed into the grubby mesh was the source of the loud, agonised calls. A naive, innocent look of suffering placed on a juvenile sharp-eared boy. His body was not only covered with the muck, but chewed on, with limbs visibly twisted and his open wounds exposed to the maggot-infested walls. The will of life had long since faded from the trembling, mangled kid. Small sounds escaped his lips, though no words were made. For the swordsman, none were needed.

The adventurer drew his cursed blade once again, glaring strongly into the other's eyes. Within moments, the expression of grief faded into a calm acceptance. Their eyes closed.

...

SLASH

...

Whether by the pungent air, the grisly sights or the disgusting waste of life the young man witnessed, his eyes soon felt full and later tears rolled down his cheeks.

"mmgh..."

A pitiful whine sounded from the boy's left side- so feeble that it hardly disturbed the dead silence. The young man turned in bewilderment toward the noise. Another body blended into the background with eyes that appeared dead inside, but in the case of this sufferer, their physical state- as filthied as it was- was unharmed.

As if he couldn't trust his eyes, Mitsurugi palmed the stranger's face, exclaiming after he felt life against it. With a glimmer of hope surging in his chest, he scouted the room once again, only to reaffirm that all of the bodies had long since passed, except for the one.

The adventurer wouldn't delay. He reached to grab the sunken figure by the torso, gently pulling the slim body from the fleshly mess against the wall. As he tugged, the voice of a girl began to groan weakly in reaction. With horrid stretching a ripping sensations, the sticky waste steadily gave way- part by part- as her strained voice called out with more fervour. With an abrupt end, the wall finally released the victim in an instant, flopping into the adventurer with a wet squelch.

"B-Burgh!" the Sword Master recoiled as large sections of the gunk remained latched onto the slender woman, splattering against the fighter's face and frontal body.

Mitsurugi composed himself as much as he could, shifted the girl to be held bridal-style then swiftly turned to leave the hellish heart of the cave.

---

Daylight, fresh air and a cool breeze. A sensation long missed within the span of only an hour. As much as it was delightful, it contrasted heavily with the revolting grime that stuck to both Mitsurugi and the woman within his arms. The morning light was jarring for the adventurer, but he quickly adjusted and headed for a known place; one that he had passed prior to reaching the cave.

While pacing the grassy plains, Mitsurugi looked down at the dirtied girl in his arms. Moving the foul-smelling substances aside, he could confirm her condition was fine. Despite that, her eyes were shut tight and she remained totally silent and still; one could've easily mistook her as dead if it wasn't for her body warmth and the quiet movements of her chest.

It was a few minutes before the swordsman came across the edge of a large lake. The water glimmered pleasantly, reflecting a fresh bluish hue from the early sunshine. The young man glimpsed at his clothes; his shirt was in a horrendous state from merely being in contact with the poor girl, let alone whatever she wore. It would be a fruitless effort to even attempt to clean their garments with mere freshwater- likely not even with soap.

Mitsurugi removed his shoes and sword, then began to walk into the lake. He felt the cool water surround his ankles, knees, and thighs. Once deep enough, he slowly lowered the narrow-eared woman until she sat limply on her knees, with the lake surface reaching her torso. She remained motionless within the water for a short while, only once raising her arm to glance at the horrid grime spread across it. A look of disgust creased her once empty expression. The presented hand clenched tightly as the woman's look of resentment faded into lip-trembling grief. Not long after her show of emotion, another pair of hands appeared within her view- clean and more masculine. They steadily floated to her outstretched arm, picking and wiping the vile, viscid pieces away with a gentle touch. She stiffly froze in reaction, but as minutes rolled by, her body cautiously relaxed, allowing it to be properly tended to.

The light-haired boy worked on the girl methodically, positioned at her rear to avoid eye contact and further anxiety. Once the arm was complete, he moved to the other, first removing the larger pieces, then rubbing the pasty grease from the skin until it was spotless to the eye. From there, he cupped portions of water and draped it over her head. His fingers combed through the cluttered hair, pulling out pieces of residue within its tresses. The orangey mess was washed away, revealing her spotless blonde hair that stuck to her shoulders. The woman looked down at the water, gazing at the reflection with a less dismal, albeit displeased manner. She splashed her face, rubbing it vigorously with frustration. Her gaze rose, then with hesitation, she turned herself to face the young man behind her.

Mitsurugi's laid his eyes upon the clear visage of the stranger. He wouldn't forget it. He couldn't forget it. The image of such purity and allure; only rivalled by what he had seen in the divine realm. He became transfixed by the warm foresty-green eyes that watched him curiously, but as they began to shift in discomforted way, the Sword Master quickly broke the stare, instead bringing his sightline to the water, or more accurately what was in the water. The lady followed his eyes, trailing the source to her knelt legs. She gazed back to him, being met with open palms gestured as an offering.

A certain pride became apparent about the pointy-eared victim; the crude glare she returned to the young man brought a sense of distrust and lingering fearfulness, leaving the two souls stuck in a bind for a short while. With enough ample consideration and thought the girl eventually relented, laying back and slowly extending a leg to the adventurer. Her knee-high boots were nearly hidden under the layers of muck and waste. The boy would get back to work, cleaning the shoes, pulling them off with a squelch, just to reveal more nasty remains on her bare calves and feet. The swordsman spotted the woman cringe at the sight of it. The high-toned attitude, unique beauty, and specific ear shape fit the description of the Elvish kind- from what the boy had heard about, anyway. He resumed work on the woman's legs, trailing further down until he reached her feet. As the young man caressed her sole a certain way, he would find out that despite belonging to another race, some tropes remained the same:

"Hnngh!"

A strange squeal-like sound broke the long standing silence. Mitsurugi's busy eyes moved from the blonde's foot to find her side-turned face. Despite the agitated expression, the red shading across her ear tips spoke volumes. The adventurer couldn't help but feel a pang of humor in his stomach, surfacing as a weak smirk. After some more ticklish reactions and annoyed pouting, he quickly finished both of the Elf's legs, leaving her shiny and clean with the exception of her soiled clothes. The Ogre's grime proved so vitriolic that it penetrated through the woman's plant-like breastplate and fibrous sleeveless blouse; it could have easily been described as having eaten into the fabrics. The blue-eyed fighter looked at the irreparable clothes, then back to the wearer.

Once understanding the boy's motivation, the Elven girl jumped back, covering her chest with a sharp glare. Despite her protests, even she could sense the instilled sour odour that bent her nose and tensed her spine. After some moments of secondary thought, she twisted her body away from the swordsman, placing her hands on the side straps of her armour. Before she did any more, her head turned to glower at the spectator with indignation.

Mitsurugi quickly became aware of his intrusiveness and span around. With the view of the greater lake in front of him, the swordsman noticed a strangely unique feeling of loss. He hadn't indulged much at all with women at all since coming to the new world. Truth be told, his desires were heavily dulled by the repeated attempts at his life, some of which involved sexual lures. It was perhaps the difference in race that made her exempt from the two-faced scum that tried to deceive him in the past. Out of those reasons, it could simply the close contact both souls shared that created a prickling thrill in his chest from the mere sound of undressing to his rear.

...

It was already a couple minutes, and the adventurer had only sensed the removal of the female's outside vest.

...

Another minute, and frustrated groans were added to the mix

...

After some more time, there was an annoyed grunt followed by a subsequent impact against the lake water.

...

Splash... Splash... Splash...

Footsteps slowly approached from behind the swordsman. He could sense the Elf's presence a few feet away at best, waiting for him. He turned around and froze in place. The same blonde-haired woman stood behind him but with her bare tapered back and thin waist exposed. Her body faced away, although he quickly noticed that she was also naked from stomach upwards, though her crossed arms prevented anything from being seen.

The straps of her top were loose, but the horrible stuff he had been cleaning off of her appeared there like a virus; visible from her lower back, acting as glue between the girl and her ruined clothes. A face scrunched in shame and indignity was apparent from a single glance of her side-turned head. The Sword Master exhaled, removing the leading thoughts from his mind as he approached her.

...

Afternoon.

Thump

A pair of wet leather boots were thrown onto the grassy outskirts of the freshwater lake. Mitsurugi stood a few steps into the water with drained look across his face. Multiple hours had passed just to clean the repugnant gunk off both himself and the Elven girl. Speaking of which, she was now stood much further in the water, concealing her lower half under the surface and covering her top half with a pair of crossed arms- as usual. The shirtless adventurer would look behind to see her focused his way, then immediately turn a different direction at his glance. As for his top, it was ruined from the mere contact with the Ogre waste, although not as nearly as much as compared to the recent victim; almost all of her clothes- except for undergarments- were unusable. The young man fetched his travel bag and secondary bag which held the eyes of the late Ogre from the cave entrance and took from the former a t-shirt; the same plain white top he wore on the day of his transportation. Once he returned, the swordsman found the blonde girl at the lake edge as if she were about to leave the water.

As soon as the slim woman spotted the fighter she slid back into the depths to hide her bare form, glaring at him as usual. Mitsurugi presented the clean shirt to the girl who perked up upon seeing it, although watched it strangely. He threw it to her then turned to allow the woman her privacy. Not a minute later, she climbed out of the water, and faced the man opposite with some amount of modesty.

The adventurer, for the first time, had a clear view of the female's entire form in the midday sunlight. Her face was as awe-inspiring as the first time; perfectly sculpted features and pale, beautifully unblemished skin across her entire body. Her legs were long, toned and curved into a thin waist. The white shirt stuck to her wet torso and displayed a modest bust considering her lithe build. Her damp hair reached her collarbone from the front, but flowed from the rear as far as her mid-back, with braided cuticles starting from her temples, running to back of her head before fading into her loose style.

The young man stopped himself from gawking, then attempted to communicate:

"Do you understand me?" he asked.

With a conflicted look, the elf responded, "I... I understand. Little..."

A clean adult voice spoke back to the Sword Master. A unique accent was noticeable in her words, but nonetheless pleasant to the ear.

"Your name?"

"Name... Graclyntherra."

"Uh... Grace?"

The sharp-eared girl returned an unimpressed expression, but seemed to accept the shorthand translation. Her eyes fell to the unusual loosely fitted shirt that reached down to her thighs.

"Strange..." she commented on the apparel.

"Yeah," The light-haired fighter agreed, "I'm from far away. You?"

"Far, far away," A reminiscent look appeared on the girl's face, although a greater sorrow overwhelmed whatever jovial emotion she had. Her head twisted to the direction of the cave, "Name?"

"Mitsurugi Kyouya."

"Mit..Surgi?"

"Mitsurugi"

"Mitsu..Guhi?-"

"Kyouya. Just call me Kyouya," The light haired man relented with a sigh. It wasn't his place to judge pronunciation considering his own recent shortcomings.

"How did you end up here?"

The blonde's eyes rolled to the ground in thought, "We run."

"Run...?"

"Danger. Death. Demons."

"…The Devil King?"

The mere mention of the word appeared to alarm the elven girl; her eyebrows trembled with what looked like a deeply engraved fear.

'Of course. It's not just us humans who are attacked by demons, all races are affected. I can't imagine the amount damage that must've been done to her homeland for her to travel this far into ours.'

"I know a place," the adventurer called out to the pitiable girl, "No monsters. The safest place around here."

"Safe..." The light drained from the woman's eyes as she spoke, "Nowhere."

Grab!

The empty expression of the elf sparked into shock, watching the young man suddenly take her hand.

"Join my party."

...

"Huh?-"

"I can protect you for as long as you're with me."

"I..."

The girl seemed stuck in a bind. A certain hesitancy was obvious and rooted from a deep and unique source; the troubles were simply relatable for the young man- It didn't discourage his assertion.

"You're scared, aren't you?", Mitsurugi observed the woman as if he were looking into a mirror, "Losing more friends, more family... You don't want to experience it any more, right?"

The blonde's eyes wained with sorrow, staining her beautiful appearance.

"There's things I don't want to experience, too. I'm sick of the lies, the betrayal, everything. I want to change things for the better. I want to fight with people who I can trust," The adventurer extended a hand out to the Elf with a powerful, but genuine look, "That's all I need."

...

"Then... Promise."

The swordsman's eyes opened. The feeling of warmth at his fingertips created a ray of hope that ate away at the cavity in his soul. He looked at the woman- her eyes stared back with the fortitude that he had been looking for since the beginning of his reincarnation.

"I promise."

---

Summer.

The hot, sunny days came with a positive change for a certain adventurer and his party. Grace's appearance within the Adventurer Guild and the town came as a surprise to all residents, less for the girl's race but rather for whom she was associated with. Luna was especially caught off guard at the speed at which the young man profited from her advice, but was nonetheless happy for his sake, although she silently would've preferred someone who wasn't as stunning by appearance. The elf's beauty attracted gazes from the moment she stepped foot into Axel, and was fortunately exempt from any trouble because of her ally's presence. Word of the duo's partnership spread across the town like wildfire; as did their feats.

Soon after the party reached Axel, the elven woman was appraised by Luna and revealed to be a talented and experienced fighter, skilled with hand-to-hand combat and small blades, but was quickly revealed to be most proficient with the bow. Grace naturally chose the path of archer to suit the expertise she already had. In short time both fighters were revered for their chemistry in both battle and character; an agile, strong-willed sharpshooter and a cool-headed, heavy hitting blademaster. The pair synergised well in battle to create a potent offence. With the success of both adventurers and the goodwill provided by Luna, phrases such as 'Blade Demon' were uttered less often, residents' attitude became homely to the young man and his comrades. As more months rolled past, Mitsurugi was approached and respected just the same his fellow guild members— or rather even more so compared to the average warrior.

Fame and popularity comes hand in hand with opportunity. The dynamic duo were effective, but needed support via recovery and magic. Gunther was the first to join; he was a short energetic priest that appeared normal in terms of healing ability, but held a uniqueness in his charming and approachable demeanour, a definite lacking skill between the quiet swordsman and the second language Elf, although Mitsurugi did eventually became more open socially over time, and Grace learned the local dialect with incredible speed. Following the healer, a wizard also joined the group. Similar to Gunther, Isabella's spellcasting abilities weren't to any 'Arch' level, but her prowess in navigation, cooking abilities and historical knowledge as well as her warm personality pleased the other members. The truth was that the Sword Master alone wielded enough raw power to match an entire party's damage output and therefore he and his partner valued support and suitability over strength for their teammates.

Autumn, night-time.

A seated couple quietly waited within the guild together, surrounded by the usual noises of song and laughter. One of the two glanced beside them, acknowledging their neighbour with a long and thoughtful gaze.

"I know I'm beautiful, but it's uncomfortable if you stare," the girl turned to face her partner with a sharp stare before easing into a lighthearted smile.

"Sorry," Mitsurugi smirked, facing forward again.

Grace looked at the young man, "Something wrong?"

"No, just… Just thinking about the past a little bit."

The blonde's expression shifted to that of contemplation, "Oh, you mean…"

"Yeah. I can't believe it's only been half a year since then… Feels like years ago."

As the Elf silently placed her mind into old memories, a noticeable frown formed on her face.

"Oh, Sorry- I didn't-"

"It's fine," she waved him off, "It's been a while since I thought about it, too."

…

Grace lightly scoffed, "You know, I can still remember that look you made when you saw my face clearly for the first time."

"Huh? No, I uh- I don't remember that."

"Sure... You looked like-" she stifled a giggle, "You looked like you'd never seen a woman before."

The male fighter turned away in agitation, "Don't get ahead of yourself-"

"Am I?" She inquired slyly, "Hey, Kyouya… I saw it."

A wave of uncertainty entered the boy's stomach, "Saw… What…?"

The adventurer watched the girl as she leaned more deeply onto the table, holding her head up with an arm as she stared at him with a rosy-cheeked grin.

"While you were cleaning me… And when I was undressing…" She lifted a finger with her free hand, then leisurely lowered it until it was pointed between his legs, "I saw it."

"Wha!-" Mitsurugi stuttered, clasping his legs shut and covering his crotch with both hands, "Come on, Grace!"

The swordsman's partner tried her best to stop her laughter, "Sorry Kyouya, it's just— every time I remember it— it's so funny!"

"Yeah, whatever..." The boy regretted bringing up the subject, "Let's end this here-"

"I was okay with it, though."

…

The young man turned back to the blonde, "Eh…?"

"You heard me," the Elf's eyes became soft and sincere while her cheeks darkened, "When… When you took me from that horrible place and washed me, I thought at some point you were going to do something. I pretended to be strong, but my life, my pride, everything was shattered by that moment… So, if you wanted me then, I was okay with it."

…

"Y-You're joking, right?"

The the half-lidded eyes of the girl observed him without any change.

'Is she…'

Mitsurugi shifted closer, "I-"

"Hey, Hey! Sorry for the delay!" A loud and lively voice declared, pulling both adventurers out of their quiet bubble, "Did you start without us?"

"Just a couple drinks," Grace lifted a metal mug, giving a warm look to her frazzled friend.

A stocky blue-eyed man strolled to the table. He looked to be in his mid twenties and had a relatively stout build for his size, although no to any amount that could be considered fat. Past him— or technically— slightly above him followed a woman with rich, blackish red hair which existed as two braids that reached her shoulders. She wore a classic wizard robe and hat, as well a pair of circular specs that magnified her brown eyes. Her physical form was more curvaceous as compared to Grace despite her youthful age.

"Thanks for waiting, guys," the Mage sighed, sitting with Gunther across from the other two.

"Did something happen?" The archer questioned, watching Isabella remove her glasses with an air of vexation.

"No, not really. There were a couple guys out there who didn't wanna take 'No' for an answer," the young girl wiped her lenses with her robe as the man beside her gestured to a waiter.

"Is it a problem?" Mitsurugi gazed at her with an implied look.

"They've been dealt with," the girl spoke coldly while fixing her glasses back on.

"Bella's a sweetheart 'till she ain't, then she becomes something scary," Gunther covered his mouth as if to imply whispering to both party members opposite himself.

"Rude," Isabella pouted, "I'm not even the scariest one here."

All eyes seemed to converge on one person, apart from those of the Elf.

"What, Him?" Grace pointed at her partner nonchalantly, "What's so scary about Kyouya?"

Gunther and Isabella watched uncomfortably as the blonde woman plucked the young man's cheek with a thumb and finger and began jostling him around.

"Look- Look- Look-" Grace repeated, playing with the skin of a dead-eyed swordsman, "Nothing to be afraid of."

"Cut it out," he gently took her hand away from his face, giving her a deadpan leer.

"I don't think anyone else could get away with doin' that except you," the dark-haired healer nervously laughed alongside the party's Mage.

"Am I that frightening to you guys?" the fighter turned to the newer members with a shade of glumness on his face.

"No- Sorry, Mitsurugi. We didn't mean it in that way," the young sorcerer looked at him with a comforting smile, "Frightening wouldn't be the right way to say it… but there is sometimes an ominous presence around you… Anyway, I-I think it's pretty cool."

'Ah… She's a sweet girl.'

"Thanks," he smiled warmly, earning a bashful nod in return, although Grace's sudden glare towards the wizard seemed to end the moment.

"Yeah, Bella said it the best. You know, I heard four different stories about you before I even reached town for the first time," Gunther conveyed in his iconic and expressive conversationalist manner, "All different stuff; Good stuff, bad stuff; it's clear to me nobody's got a clue about you."

"I've got a clue."

The table of four turned their attention to a well known receptionist carrying a few drinks.

"Luna!" Grace greeted brightly, "Come to serve us again?"

"Course. Nobody's attending the guild's best party except me," the lady proudly proclaimed while sliding the fresh mugs of ale onto the table, "None of you should to be afraid of this muscle brain; a bit stubborn is all he is."

The young man sighed as his hair was casually ruffled by the busty woman.

"Ah, of course we couldn't forget the only other person who could toy with Mitsurugi like that," Isabella quipped to her shorter comrade.

"You wouldn't recognise him with how much he's changed since he came here for the first time," Luna sulked, "Such a polite and lively soul…"

"Can't imagine that…" Grace remarked.

"Yes, yes, sorry for becoming such a bore— and can you stop petting my head already!? " the Sword Master flailed against the woman's never-ending attack.

"I'm joking," the blonde lady giggled, "In truth I'm really glad you were able to prosper and create this party. You guys, too. Thank you."

The joyful receptionist looked toward the new members with genuine appreciation, before bowing and turning to leave.

…

Gunther stared at the curvaceous clerk as she paced away, "Ahh, What an angel. Do you think I-"

"Not a chance."

…

Food came and went. The small group's talk was lead by their healer who had more than a few things to say, but the subject that grabbed the most attention out of all of his rambling left the others in silence.

"Hey… Are you serious?" Isabella looked to her ally with an expression of disbelief.

"I'm being totally serious," the black-haired priest's usual easygoing appearance altered to fit the subject of great magnitude, "We should enter Demon territory."

"Demon territory…?" Grace questioned with surprise, "Where's this coming from?"

"This ain't something that I'm presenting on a whim. I've debated this idea for a long time since joining our party, and after Bella teamed up with us, I'm sure it's the way forward."

"Why Demon territory? Most of the strongest parties go to countries with powerful monsters and always fight in their own grounds or in the untainted wilderness, rarely ever in the Devil King's land," the leader mentioned with curiosity.

"They don't do it 'cause they don't understand it. I've been researching these places; the demons that live in them are super powerful, but only on the mainland where the Devil King's castle lies. There are small pockets of infested land that are much safer, and give a lot more reward per kill."

"So, it's not near the castle?" Isabella questioned.

"Not even close. The nearest wasteland is only a few day's travel. If we wanna make it to the biggest leagues, this is the fastest way there."

The small group were left in lingering silence.

"Hmrph, Why don't we do it?" the blonde archer's face displayed a strong grudge.

"This feels a lot more risky compared to our normal quests," the concerned Mage voiced the obvious sentiment around such an idea.

"It'd be risky to most parties, but we ain't most parties," Gunther gestured to both the group's leader and the Elven girl, "We have a gifted strength— more potent than anyone around for miles. If we want to challenge the Devil King's generals, we need to act like adventurers of that caliber; we need to fight at the next level!"

"What do you think, Mr leader?" Grace faced her partner to hear for the final say.

…

"Our progress so far has been good, but nowhere near where it can be," The swordsman looked to his comrades with inspiring determination, "It's about time we show what we're really made of."

---

Wastelands.

A wide and hilly expanse of dry shrubbery and dead trees. The ground was parched, the dusty overcast skies glowed with an orange hue- hiding the in the midday sun, and the only significant discovery a wanderer could find within the rocky lands was that of vicious, bloodthirsty demons. The corrupted terrain housed all manor of creatures inside of its rough cracks and crevices, waiting like starved predators for whomever came close. These explorers, however, weren't anything like most, and would seek out such enemies as if they were prey. They travelled the uneven dirt with the bodies of many beasts left behind them.

At the forefront of the moving company was the armoured swordsman, Mitsurugi. Trailing closely behind him was Gunther and then Isabella. At the rear of the group was Grace, scanning the flanks with her razor-sharp vision. The formation had the party's leader involved with the majority of battles, seconded by the Elven hunter. The both of them were more than enough to dispatch most enemies in no time at all, with only some outliers that warranted the help of a few spells. The priest among them had access to purification spells, but as they took more time and weren't strong enough for certain enemies, it was decided to leave him on standby for recovery.

Encounters were frequent and fast— the creatures involved seemed more erratic and deadly from the ones the party had fought outside of the corruption, but brought greater benefits once dispatched. Everyone noticed their levels improve at previously unseen speeds and efficiency with more rare drops and items added as bonus. They continued their trek until meeting the central region of the chaotic land. The random stone structures appeared most frequently in this place, creating large obstacles all around.

"Well? Was I right or was I right?" The party's healer glanced to his friends with a pleased grin, "At the rate we're at we are headed for world renowned status!"

"Easy there, partner. We're a long shot from anything like that. Also keep your voice down so the others can focus," Isabella tempered the rowdy Priest, leaving him muttering quietly to himself.

'What's going on here…?' A disconcerting thought played through Mitsurugi's mind. He glanced around at the numerous rock formations that twisted and narrowed the path ahead of him, 'We were getting them from all sides every few minutes, now we're at the core of this place, and I can't sense a single thing.'

"Grace?" He quietly called out.

"Nothing from anywhere… Strange, isn't it?"

…

'Something's off.'

"Is there a problem?" A concerned voice of the party's Mage asked the swordsman.

A momentary lapse of time passed as the young man continued to stare forward, "We're okay. Let's move."

What the loyal band of fighters couldn't see was the perturbed expression that their leader wore as they continued into the quiet pocket within the land of chaos. Each and every sense Mitsurugi owned was turned up to its most sensitive and vigilant.

'We can't turn back just because of one bad hunch. We're exploring these dangerous lands- a place that most don't even dare to go near. We're exceptional past that of the majority, so we should-'

Scrrrrh…!

A distant noise echoed ahead, undeterminable from such a range. While moving, the Sword Master glanced behind him, receiving a quick gesture from his partner. He continued.

Scrrrrrrh…

And continued…

Schrrrchhh…!

The sounds of scraping and grinding repeated constantly. It showed no pattern, but repeated with some form of strange consistency. As the group progressed closer, the discomforting noise became more apparent and distinguished to even the less aware adventurers.

Scchrrrrchhh!

The long, ear-bending notes could be described as if running a blade against one of the large stone pillars that surrounded the moving party. The nearer the troop approached the eerie sound, the more they could illustrate the uneven, haphazard motions in their minds.

SCCCCCRRRCHH

It was close. The party's confident march was replaced with a steady, careful advancement with all weapons drawn and ready. They walked a wide passage with tall rocky walls on both sides. These structures were seen with plenty of sizeable gaps, large enough for all types of enemies to prowl inside. Even at such a close proximity, no pinpoint direction to the horrible screeching vibrations was noticeable…

…

Nothing. For what seemed the longest time, the repetitions of the anomalous noise had finally stopped. Instead of create comfort, the silent area of wasteland left the adventurers frozen stiff, waiting with heavy chests and light heads. Each member stayed close to one another, scanning across the dusty reddish sand and stones.

…

Growl!- THWAK

Mitsurugi watched as large gremlin sped out of a small crevice, showing its sharpened teeth before immediately facing a lightning-fast arrow through its cranium. It squealed, collapsed and was dead not a moment later.

...

"Huh… That was it?" Gunther uttered in disbelief as he walked over to the demon's body, "This bastard makin' all of that noise, huh?"

The rest of the party approached and circled the dead remains, glancing at one another in an almost amused way.

"Geez, what a racket!" Grace exclaimed humorously, leading the party started to dissolve into laughter.

"You shoulda seen Pfft!- You shoulda seen the look on this guy's face! Gahahaha!" The hearty priest dropped a hand on his ally's shoulder.

"You guys were so intense! I was freaking out!" Isabella held her chest in relief, giggling with the rest.

Mitsurugi couldn't help the smile growing on his face. He shook his head at the stupidity of the situation, then met eyes with his Elven partner. They eased each other with a confident nod.

"Alright, alright. We've done enough here, let's get back before-"

SCCCRRRAAATCH

"Formation!"

The mood of the jovial group twisted into immediate confusion and fear. The swordsman was the first to jump forward, holding Gram toward the source of the deafeningly loud impact, as the rest all took arms and positioned behind him.

SCRRRAAAAATCH

It was closer, faster and played with more intensity than before. It emanated from a clear direction. The leader watched a byway branch from the main passage further down; the rocks bent to form a corner from which appeared to house the actual source. The tight-knit formation crept to the bend, hugging the walls as they approached the corner.

SCRRRRAAAAATCH

The young man took a breath, peered to his comrades for affirmation, then jumped from cover with his sword firmly held out.

…

'What in God's name…?'

Mitsurugi stood near frozen, watching a display of living horror. Ahead of the adventurer was a small opening with a large pillar at its centre, but what shook the youthful combatant to his core was what he witnessed sat at its base. A litter of small bipedal demons— red skinned, infant humanoid monstrosities writhed and wriggled among themselves, grunting nonsensically and reaching out with their clawed fingers at random intervals. The creatures appeared in a constant state of flux, grabbing one another and rolling around within the small divot of ground that held them together. At times, their faces would appear among the shifting mess and peer towards the adventurer, displaying a malnourished petrified expression, pitch-black pupils, broken teeth and a singular horn jutting from one side of their foreheads. The little serpent-skinned beasts didn't appear fazed with the appearance of the swordsman or his comrades once they came to his side, whether they were aware of his presence or not.

"What... What the hell is that…?" A quiet gasp came from a young girl. She held her staff close to her chest in morbid reaction.

Grab!

"Kyouya- Kyouya!" A trembling hand took his shoulder plate with great intensity, "It's... It's Tirithach Galadrim!"

"Huh?-"

"It's!-" the normally composed blonde woman took a moment to glance back to the pit of moving flesh before she returned to the boy with even greater fear, "Red Devils! We need to go!"

The Sword Master wasn't allowed much time before his arm was pulled away by Grace.

"Red Devils?" Gunther looked unconvinced, "I heard of them, but these tiny things?-"

"Tch! Babies! Just come!" The Archer shouted with frustration, yanking her partner a good distance with desperate strength.

"Alright- Alright!" The Sword Master understood the gravity of the situation with the unusual terror written on his comrade's face. He turned to the others stood closer to the monsters, "We're getting-"

…

Mitsurugi's eyes found his two allies in a kind of trance. In the brief period of time he was distracted with his close friend, something had happened. Across the midsection of the tall pillar there existed deep grooves far out of reach of the smaller critters below. From behind the obstacle, a long gangly appendage emerged itself, easily reaching across and over the huge monument. The hand was red, veiny and skeletal in appearance. Huge black claws extended to half the length of the slender fingers, locking into the etched crevices. The hand clenched-

SCCRRRRRAAAAAATTTCH!

A horrid bone-chilling shriek of thunderous noise ruptured in front of the four onlookers. The infant offspring appeared soothed by the calling, pausing their crazed movements simultaneously. The arm remained stuck in place only a few seconds more, before retreating— or more accurately— as the entire body of a huge demon circled around towards the party.

Mitsurugi's eyes widened. Be it experience or gifted instincts, he already knew the scale of strength that existed in the being- in the incarnation of dread itself. There was no running. There was no hiding. He placed a hand on the hilt of his blade, but that seemed the most he could do. The fighter found himself physically petrified.

A tall, stringy entity came into view. Its skin was feeble and blood red just as its kin; its body a skinny, near skeletal form. Thin pulsating muscles stretched across its bony legs, torso and the most defining feature: the arms. Their length grew much further than what should be normal, hanging all the way down the fiend's knees. It's palms were huge, and each finger reached a grotesque length of a full-grown human's forearm. Following upwards from it's exposed ribcage was a wrinkled neck and a similar profile to that if its babies, with the largest exception of two horns atop of its head. The lanky humanoid turned to its children, then soon back to the party, then began to approach.

'Come on, Move!'

The young man's hand clenched against the handle of the cursed sword, but his body refused to go further. He and Grace stood a few paces from their Mage and Priest— both remained stuck where they stood, staring up at the twisted demon with numbing fright. The Devil's jet-black eyes fixated on a singular individual, the female Mage trapped by its sinister glare. The being stood thrice her height, bending its neck down at an impossible angle just to face her. Tears fell from the girl's face as she began to mutter incoherent incantations to herself.

'Move…!'

The fiend raised an arm, focusing its fingers together to create a multi-pronged bayonet.

'MOVE!'

The digits were held at such an angle to skewer through the Wizard's body from head to toe. The demon held the position for a couple moments, then thrusted forward-

SHOOOM- CLANG

The claws were deflected back with immense force; the creature stared at the steaming impact against its razor-sharp black nails, then at the panting adventurer stood in front of it.

'What happened to me!?' The boy shook his head, 'I felt like I was in chains!'

"EVERYONE, GET BACK!" He screamed, jolting his companions from their trance. Isabella and Gunther hastily retreated to Grace's position while in a state of delirium.

Mitsurugi took a deep breath, "Grace!?"

"I-I'm here!" his partner replied, taken out of her trapped state.

"Support me from there! Nobody comes close!"

"Roger!"

THWAK

An arrow shot past the swordsman, flying directly to the demon's opaque eyes.

CLING

The entity shifted its head, ricocheting the projectile with its hardened horns. Its head rose, then it growled dryly.

'Be ready… As soon as it makes a move-'

WOOOSH- SWAT

"OUGH!-"

BOOM

"KYOUYA!?"

With immense speed, the devilish being struck the fighter with its open palm, sending him reeling into a wall of pure rock. The force of the attack and following impact shook the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and forming a sizeable crater where the young man collided. No response came to Grace's worried call, other than the monster's newfound attention.

The Elven Archer loaded another arrow, drawing the bow with as much strength as she could muster.

"Snipe!" She shouted through her clenched teeth, shooting a lightning fast bolt toward the enemy's head.

THUM

The arrow impacted with great velocity, although only into the open palm of the red-skinned abomination. It looked at the broad head— trapped only within its first few layers of skin— and flicked it off effortlessly.

"Nothing…?" The blonde woman stared at the minuscule wound in a state of shock.

A frustrated grunt came from the tall demon. It took quick gaping steps, covering huge amounts of ground towards the adrenaline-filled adventurers.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Gunther shook his head.

"Are… Are we gonna die?" Isabella asked quietly, looking to her allies in torment.

"Nobody's dying!" Grace shoved the two disheartened people to either side of herself- spacing them out, "Isabella! Cast a Fireball! Gunther, use Turn Undead to weaken it!"

"It-It won't- It won't work!" The short man stuttered, watching the spindly devil turn towards him, "No…! No!- STAY AWAY!"

"GUNTHER!-"

SLASH

The huge creature bellowed in pain, stumbling back whilst holding its wounded torso. From the lingering dust cloud, a battle-worn man in armor emerged, brandishing his weapon.

"Mitsurugi!-"

"It's not over!" The Sword Master wiped the blood from his split brow as threw his sheath on the ground, "If you want to get out of here alive then fight! Give it everything you have!"

The allies of the leader composed themselves and stood up behind him, facing the tyrannical demon with vigour.

…

A long, dreary battle began. With Mitsurugi as the frontal force, the rest of the party fought with everything they had against the horrifying creature. The party leader exchanged huge blows with the beast, struggling to cut through its steel-like bones with even his divine blade. The monster was also barraged with spells and exposed to holy magic that burned its skin and seared its eyes. It didn't stop. Arrows riddled its entire body, but they did little to slow its advance. Once out of ammo, Grace resorted to joining the melee battle with her partner, swooping in with speed to cut the devil at opportune moments. The battle continued, it strained, and then it began to slow. Exhaustion sedated the Swordsman and Archer's movement; mana fatigue reduced the amount of spells that Isabella and Gunther could cast. It was solely the flawless coordination of the contingent that allowed them to somehow stave off the creature despite the lack of ardour left between them. All it would take is a moment— a single blunder to create a fatal opening-

PLUNGE

…

Wet chunks of flesh splattered against the ground as eyes of everyone turned to one figure. A female Mage dropped her staff, looked to the black spikes jutting out of her stomach, and as they ripped out with force, she collapsed onto the ground with a cough of blood.

"ISABELLA!"

"B….Bella…?" A dark-haired priest stared at the body of his ally, twitching and sputtering in a growing pool of crimson.

"Fuck!" Mitsurugi's eyes bulged with seething hatred, "You bastard!-"

SHLICK

"Gah!"

The boy was slashed by the demon's claws, his armor just barely able to take the brunt of the damage, leaving him with skin-deep cuts and a nasty bruise as he hit the ground. The creature looked poised to finish the fight for good, yet was quickly halted by a fierce cut across its cheek.

Grace landed and turned to her ally, "Gunther!"

"Yes, Yes! I'm on it! Heal!- Heal!- Heal!" The short man desperately cast to his injured comrade.

The devilish monster shrieked with rage, pursuing the Elven girl with a barrage of crazed claw attacks, narrowly dodged by her superior evasion and heightened instincts.

"HEY!"

The attention of the huge enemy was drawn back to the Sword Master.

"I'm ready for you any time!" He taunted the beast, waving his cursed sword toward it.

The slender creature seethed through its yellow teeth, but refrained from stampeding to the fighter; instead, it swiped a large rock from the ground and raised it high.

'Don't tell me-'

"WATCH OUT-"

SMASH

"PAGH!"

The adventurer wasn't given a moment of respite from the demon, as a large stone collided into the his chest, knocking him back to the ground with tremendous force. He reflexively vomited onto the ground, holding his fractured ribs in agony.

The demon's eyes quickly moved to a distracted adventurer, presently occupied with restoring the mortally injured Wizard. The huge beast stumbled into a sprint, darting to its victim at breakneck pace.

"GUNTHER!" A female voice rang out, startling the short-haired man, bringing his attention to the devil as it was mere moments from reaching him.

"M-Mitsurugi…? Grace…?!" He whimpered in fear, as he watched the being charge to him with blood in its eyes. He covered his face, waiting for the inevitable.

SLICE

…

The healer looked up from his hands in disbelief. A spread of warm liquid splattered across his body, but he was left unharmed.

"Ugh… G… Gunth…" the struggling voice of a close friend spoke brokenly, gasping for air at every breath.

Gunther turned to his right, witnessing Grace laid on her back in deathly condition. Multiple strokes penetrated her light armour, leaving massive gashes across her whole abdomen, hideously squirting blood.

"G-Grace!?"

A deep grunt brought the man's attention back to in front of him. The red, scrawny being lavished the blood splotched over its foot long claws, revealing a coarse, leathery tongue that wrapped around each pointed appendage, lapping up its beverage with visible glee. It soon returned its gaze to the man laid limply on the ground.

"Forgive me, Eris..." He quietly let under his breath, closing his eyes.

…

STAB

An earsplitting howl of torment quaked the ground, echoing throughout the wasteland. As the priest looked up, a light of hope shone through the physical body of living evil. The tip of Gram, the legendary sword, pierced the lower torso of the beast, burning the very flesh that constricted and clenched against the blade.

"GRAAAAAAGH!"

The devil was thrown from its place and tossed a distant way by the pure strength of a singular warrior. The boy was beyond injury, beyond sense and beyond determination. His eyes glowed with the radiance of his divine weapon, placing his body and soul into overdrive. He glared at the broken healer with fiery will.

"It's not over!" he coughed out a ball of blood, then faced the direction of his adversary, "The Devil… It's tough, but it bleeds!"

...

'Is... Is that-'

The young man eyes widened upon seeing the critical state of his elven partner. He closed his eyes tightly, then turned to face the demon, "Stabilise the girls and I'll hold it off for as long as it takes, got it?!"

…

"Hey!" The swordsman twisted back to his ally in frustration, "Are you-"

…

'Huh…?'

The inferno of fervour inside the boy's soul fizzled away in an instant.

'Wh… What…?'

Mitsurugi blankly watched as his close comrade fled from the battle. The figure appeared so distant— so small— he had escaped from the boy's sight at the earliest chance. The shining Gram fell dark, as did the adventurer. A long, thin shadow was cast over his body. The disheartened warrior twisted his neck to face the source-

THOOOM

The man's cracked ribs had now shattered. A colossal force striked the lost man, slinging him an ungodly distance. With his body numbed by overwhelming fatigue and adrenaline, no change in the Sword Master's expression was apparent, no matter how far he flew in the confusing flurry of motion. When the messy blur came to an end and the world stopped spinning, a black veil consumed his every sense.

---

...

'I'm not dead...?'

Weak, squinted eyes looked upon a dark sky. It was cold. Any inch of movement followed with a torrent of agony. The fighter pressed on, twisting himself out of the crevice that he lay inside. The surroundings were familiar, but different. Many hours must have passed; the dry sun had gone, and the chilly moon had come. The young man examined himself with disbelief, he should have been dead long ago- He should be dead now. The blood loss and injuries were too much.

The adventurer glanced to his right side.

"Gram…"

Firmly gripped in his hand was his cursed sword. The weapon appeared to pulse, sending tremors across his body at a timely pace; like a second heart. The blade would always mimic the fighter's will… It seemed even when he himself had given it all up, some part of his soul still pressed on. Despite cheating death, there was only one thing that ran through the young man's head.

…

GNASH! CRUNCH! SNARF!

The litter of demons brutishly consumed their meals. A few paces from them stood a dead-eyed man, glimpsing at the pieces of flesh, muscle and marrow they slobbered over. Amongst the pile of severed parts to one side, the light-haired swordsman could spot faces… Or parts of the faces, and clothing. It was them. It was definitely them. It felt as if a dagger had split his stomach. Memories played through his mind at rapid succession; he shook them off.

A low growl emitted itself, and soon the presence of a twisted fiend revealed itself. It stood tall, looking down on the adventurer just as before. He didn't flinch. The Sword Master closed his eyes and listened to the strums of his divine weapon. The blade pulsed with life, giving everything it had to maintain the condition and livelihood of its user. He called to it and asked for strength; the strength to slay the unjust; the strength to slay the evil; the strength to slay the ones that deserve to be purged from existence. Eldritch whispers echoed through the warrior's head- among them, a singular phrase proved legible. Mitsurugi clenched his hold on Gram as it casted an ethereal glow, bright— brighter than it ever shone before. He placed the sword in both hands, and raised it above his shoulder.

The ground vibrated; the wind howled violently. The eyes of Mitsurugi gleamed with the essence of mana as he prepared his ultimate move:

"Rune of Saber!"

A swirling mass of energy orbited the armoured individual. He felt the product of his rage, his sorrow, and his will coalesce into a singular point, merging his mind and soul with his divine sword.

"Begone."

THOOOOOOOM!

…

The boy sighed, approaching the bowl of helpless creatures. The small devils were once active with life, but now lay motionless and smouldering. Their rancid skin boiled from the heat of the blast. Mitsurugi spun around, peering at the charred skeleton of their guardian with a sense of fleeting satisfaction.

…

With his allies buried and his mind at peace, the lone adventurer began to depart the horrible wasteland. Once he neared the entrance to the inner region, he caught a sound that paused his motions.

Whimpering.

The Sword Master approached the quiet groans, finding a short chubby man hidden against a formation. His body shivered audibly against the cold, alongside the incoherent mumbles that escaped in between his trembling breaths.

"Hey."

"Ah!- Huh!?" The frightened man jumped, glancing up to his comrade stood a few feet away, "M-Mitsurugi… Is that you!?"

"…"

"You survived… Oh, thank god you survived! Did... Did you kill that monster?"

"…"

Gunther's relieved smile faded. Once glancing upon his friend's injuries he perked up once again.

"Oh, you're hurt! Sorry, I'll fix you right away. Heal-"

SNATCH

"Gagk!- Hey!"

A deathly tight grip held the wrist of the Priest, leaving the arm immobilised under the bone-crushing pressure.

"Agh!- Mitsurugi!- Ow! What are you-"

"Why...?"

"Huh?" The fearful adventurer looked at his ally with bewilderment. It took a few more moments of pain before the shower man came to understanding, "M-Mitsurugi, I was scared-"

"Scared!?" The young man's eyes bulged with fury.

SQUEEZE

"AAAGGH! WAIT- WAIT- YOU'RE GONNA BREAK-"

"You think Isabella wasn't scared? Huh? Did you see her abandon us?" The seething expression of the fighter wained for a short moment, "Grace died to save you. How could you?"

"I…"

Gunther's mouth shakily opened, but no words were said. The man's eyes looked on in frantic thought.

"I-I'm Sorry! Are- Are you really going to kill me, Mitsurugi? Anyone would have done what I did!"

"…"

A sudden shift of anger befell the short-haired man. He grabbed the hand holding his forearm, "Agh- You fucker! Don't act like you weren't innocent! I saw you— I saw the look on your face before we came here; you knew! You knew-"

CRUNCH

"AAGGGGGH!"

The agonised screams of the priest filled the valley. He was released from the crushing hold, left to wail and weep at his broken wrist.

"You… You can kill me… It won't bring them back!" Gunther yelled in between his heavy breaths, "If you murder me in cold blood they'll know! They'll see it on your card! Someone like you— cough!— Comin' back to town with your whole party dead, you'll end up exactly as they'd always seen you: A cold-blooded- GLARK!"

SLAM

Mitsurugi held the small man against the rock face by his throat alone. The victim's legs danced hysterically as his eyes bulged and filled with blood. Muffled sounds came from his mangled throat; colour began to fade from above his neck and foam built at the sides of his mouth.

"They were worth ten of you, and ten of me. If I lose everything, so be it, but you… You I won't ever forgive."

CRACK

…

The young man dropped the twitching body. He turned and took a few steps forward before plummeting to his knees, gaping at the glowing moon in the pitch black sky.

'Do the Gods really watch us…?'

...

'It was naive of me to think that I was a special exception from the thousands of lost souls… I knew this journey would be tough, but isn't this too cruel?' Mitsurugi's vision blurred with tears, 'What am I doing wrong? What am I missing? What was I looking for this whole time?'

The boy retrieved a small dagger, one that belonged to his dear partner.

'That's right… I wanted— no— I want to change this world, end the corruption and fight away evil. Here, in this world, the only thing that drives change is power. Power decides everything.'

The fighter glanced around the cold, empty landscapes around him. He stood up.

'This place… There's no law, no money, no connections between one another. These wild demons compete and slaughter each other not in mindless insanity, but to survive; to become the strongest. Only the most powerful amongst them dictate and rule their provinces, while we humans cater only to our selfish desires. Money… Kindness… Friendship… Fame… It's all weakness. I won't lose to these distractions again. If demons are the strongest, then I'll become like one of them; I'll fight like them; I'll join their ranks and rise to the top under their banner, but I won't ever lose my humanity. I'll slaughter the the Devil King and rewrite the world. I don't care what they believe to be right; for the greater good, I won't hesitate to sacrifice any man or monster that tries to stop me. If it takes a hundred, a thousand or a million lives then so be it! I am a Mitsurugi Kyouya! Watch me!'

---

"Now… It's my turn." The steaming Sword Master pointed his cursed sword to his green-eyed rival as the flames of conflict burnt brightly within his eyes, "Watch me."

'This guy is a monster…' Kazuma thought to himself, clenching his blade in frustration, 'I may have predicted this, but that doesn't make it any easier to handle.'

The brown-haired adventurer glanced to the swordswoman by his side, then to his party behind him. They nodded back with determination. While the party galvanised themselves, a fearful mob of spectators watched as they stood against the tyrant of a warrior.

"Aqua, I'll say this to you out of respect. You and your friends don't have to die here. Kazuma is the only one I need," the armoured swordsman declared.

"I don't need your respect," The blue-eyed woman glared at the youthful adventurer with spite, "And I don't trade lives; certainly not for scum like you."

...

"Then," Mitsurugi posed, placed his divine blade under his left armpit as it glowed with power, "I'll hold you in my memories for as long as I live."

"Light of Saber!"

A series of shimmering circles expanded over the head of a certain spellcaster, illuminating the dark town with her newest incantation. The essence of her mana pulsed through her veins to the tips of her fingers, then burst out in as a jet of pure light energy.

"Take this!"

VWOOOSH!

Vibrant breams of illuminant magic rushed toward the intended target; the demonic associate abandoned his initial move, and gripped his blade with both hands.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The enchanted bolts approached from differing angles, but the keen blade master deflected each and every one with perfect finesse, guiding them to impact across the destroyed ale house.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Tch! Annoying!" Mitsurugi timed an attack, charging his sword within a small gap of opportunity, then returned a potent wave of destructive force towards the twin tailed girl.

FWOOOOSH!

"No you don't!" Darkness jumped into the path of approaching disaster.

BWAF

The deadly exertion was squashed immediately— absorbed by the Crusader's tough body.

"Hmph… I must say you're quite spoiled by your friends, Kaz…"

"Huh?"

'Where did he go?' The light-haired man glanced across the town space with dumbstruck eyes, 'Surely he didn't flee? No… He would never leave his party in danger. In that case-'

CLASH

"Don't lose focus, Blade Demon!" Darkness pounced toward the distracted fighter, locking swords with him. The brave woman cringed to the sound of her inferior weapon creak against its legendary counterpart.

"To have such speed and power at your level— it must be borrowed," The young man glanced over his opponent's shoulder, gazing towards Aqua.

"I said focus on me!" The furious girl pressured against the bind further, gradually sliding the warrior across the stone brick road.

"Don't let emotions get to you in a fight."

SHOVE

Mitsurugi effortlessly pushed the Crusader back, then began to exchange attacks in a fast manner.

CLANG, CLASH, SHING

"Ghk!" Darkness gritted her teeth, 'Even with the improved strength and speed, I can barely keep up with him; he's not even breaking a sweat!'

During the violent battle of swords, a sneaky presence snaked toward the Blade Demon's rear.

'Even if this bastard was able to track my lurk effortlessly before, it's totally different in the middle of a fight. He probably knows what I'm doing but it doesn't matter; if I attack at the right time he can't react!'

Kazuma reached within a few feet of his target at amazing speed. His approach slowed— moving to a crawl as he examined his opponent's form like a hawk.

'Wait for it…'

CLASH

'Wait for it…'

CRASH- CLATTER

'Now!' Kazuma lunged toward his adversary with his short sword held firmly in both hands. His aim was true as thrusted the blade directly towards the back of his target's neck.

"RAAGGH!-"

GRAB

"Aghhk!" The boy yelled in pain, dropping his weapon.

"Kazuma!-"

"Take a step, woman, and I'll crush his windpipe."

The Sword Master's arm had lurched straight for quiet attacker, snatching his throat before the weapon could reach him. The dead-faced man glanced distastefully to his brown haired opponent clutched within his fingers.

"Hey… Did you really think that would work against me?"

Kazuma struggled painfully against the tightening grip, attempting to bend Mitsurugi's hand away from his neck in desperation, 'H…How!? He moved too fast!'

Gasping from afar, Aqua hastily turned to her Mage, "Hurry, Do something!"

Yunyun shook her head with a pained expression, "I… I can't! I'll hit both of them!"

The Archpriest glanced back to the hopeless situation, "Then, I'll go!-"

Grab!

"You can't Aqua! It's too dangerous!" The twin-tailed girl held onto her friend's arm desperately.

"Your allies fight bravely, yet you scramble in the rubble," Mitsurugi pointed his large blade to the young man's chest, "You disappoint me."

"Gugkh…! E-Eashy for you t-to say…!" The struggling fighter lowered his dominant hand to his belt.

Darkness' eyes expanded in trepidation; her feet dug into the ground as she watched the demon associate prepare to thrust his sword forward.

"This is the end-"

'Checkmate.'

Clink!

Mitsurugi's eyes widened, 'A second!?-'

SLASH

"Mgh!"

In a fraction of a moment, the disadvantaged adventurer drew a hidden edge— a thin dagger from a concealed hold in his waist belt, swiping across the face of his captor. His trained rival released him with similar speed, turning his head to avoid the sudden assault and narrowly escaping with a grazed cheek.

"Keh…!" The swordsman stumbled back, touching his face and glancing at the driblet of blood on his hand, "These cheap tricks… You won't beat me like this, Kazuma."

"You- cough! You expect me to just give up my life?" The green-eyed fighter returned while holding his sore throat.

"There's honour in accepting defeat when you know the result is inevitable," The light-haired man spoke calmly, picking his adversary's sword from the ground.

"I don't wanna hear that from you," the boy returned to Darkness' side, "'Cause I know that if our roles were reversed, you wouldn't back down 'till the end."

"Hrmph," Mitsurugi squinted in disinterest, squeezing his opponents sword in his free hand.

SHHHHAAA!

'Wha- My sword… It's melting!?'

Kazuma watched as his weapon glowed red hot within mere seconds. The sharpened steel began to sag and bubble, becoming more liquid with each passing second.

"Don't blame me if you suffer," the Sword Master declared, widening his stance and raising the molten blade above his head.

WOOSH

"Shit!- Move!" The adventurer shoved the Crusader away with one hand, and with the other cast-

"Freeze!"

SSSSSSHHHHH!

A billowing column of steam engulfed the two parties. Kazuma frantically swatted away the cooler, albeit still glowing hot chunks of metal that flew his way, but nonetheless surged forward, attempting to use the blockage of vision to his advantage.

The armoured warrior stepped forth, swiping horizontally across the cloud, clearing it instantly. From the bottom partition, however, a swift young man shot towards him, swinging his dagger upwards to his opponent's chin. Mitsurugi leaned back dramatically, scarcely avoiding contact with the edge. The substantial manoeuvre left him off balance, allowing Kazuma a free opportunity against him. He initially pursued closely, but read the glint of death in the Sword Master's eye. He quickly chanced stances, holding an arm forward-

"Steal!"

A flash of white sparked in his palm, but by the end of the move, nothing had come of it.

…

"All of that… You did all of that for a steal?" The irritated combatant glowered at his rival, "Are you seriously trying to gamble against me, Kazuma!?"

The addressed man stood unfazed, "Everything we do is a gamble, the only difference with each being the stakes. Even if it's the slimmest chance, I'll do it as many times as it takes."

"Tch! I've had enough-"

Twing!

"Huh…?"

A rogue arrow deflected off Mitsurugi's chest plate. His gaze moved to meet the new surroundings of the demolished alehouse. The cone of onlookers made from fearful civilians was replaced by a huge contingent of Warriors, Mages and Archers: The Adventurers of Axel were called upon to defeat the associate of the Devil King.

"Is this your doing?" The eyes of the larger man moved to Kazuma.

"No, this is your doing," the adventurer retorted as he and Darkness began to separate themselves from their adversary.

"FIRE!"

An onslaught of arrows and magical projectiles careened towards the lone warrior. He stood completely stationary.

BOOOOOM!

Weak tremors vibrated the ground from the relentless assault of iron and sorcery. A sheet of smoke and dirt expanded around the site, shrouding the ex-adventurer. After a prolonged and intense barrage, the call the cease fire was issued, leaving every soul to watch the destroyed tavern intently as the dust began to settle.

Vvvvvvvrrrrrrr…

A low hum of rising pitch could be heard over the sounds of falling rubble and dirt.

'That noise…' Kazuma looked on with concern, 'Where have I heard it before?'

The strange sound continued to build in volume and tone; a glimmer of blue light shone through the smog, soon followed by the visible shape of an unharmed blademaster, readying himself.

"GET BACK!" Darkness urgently jumped in front of her male companion.

"Feel and fear true strength," The stone-faced warrior declared, winding his sword as far back as he could, before-

THOOOOOOOM!

An earth-shattering arc of destruction burst forth, thundering to the half circle of ranged supporters and cascading directly towards a Crusader and her party. Shockwaves laden with magic tore up the ground, sending obstacles flying like shrapnel to those unfortunate enough to be standing in its way.

"Bring it!" Darkness grounded her pose; she stuck her sword into the ground and tightly clasped her grip.

SHOOOOM- BLAST!

"GAH!" The Crusader staggered back from the impact, desperately trying to stay upright. Her whole body shuddered with the power of the attack; her eyes reddened in rage.

"YOU… WON'T… GET… PAST!"

SHOOOOF!

The powerful arc was sliced through its centre, splitting its ravaging power around the blonde adventurer and her comrades. The remaining energy continued to spread outwards, however, devastating dozens of adventurers in a single simultaneous go.

…

"Darkness, Darkness! Are you okay?" Kazuma approached the Crusader who fell to one knee, panting in exertion.

"Yes… Yes, I'm… Fine," she spoke in a daze.

The young man sighed in relief, "Get back to Aqua, she'll patch you up… That was amazing, Darkness."

The blonde girl smiled weakly, "Of course."

'What a destructive move…' the green-eyed boy glanced around at the level of carnage that surrounded him. Countless structures had suffered great damage for hundreds of feet. More disturbing was the legion of fighters that had lost at least half of their ranged force with deadly or near-fatal injuries.

The fighter felt his stomach sink, 'Is this all… Because of me?'

"What are you spacing out for?" The voice of Mitsurugi grabbed the attention of the adventurer, "Do you now see what your stubbornness leads to?"

Kazuma's hands trembled with fury, "Don't try to pin your murders on me!"

"They wouldn't have died if you had given yourself up. That's a simple fact."

The brown-haired boy took a step, "You fucker-"

Grab

"Whoa, there partner," A man up to his neck in plate mail restrained the young man, "You— my friend— have done enough. Don't let this asshole provoke you."

The kid observed a horde of warriors made up of knights, spearmen and other specialised men and women flocking to his side, surrounding the Sword Master in a tight ring.

"No, I-"

"You aren't a frontline fighter soldier, leave this duty to us," the veteran clapped his junior on the back, "If he attacks one of us, he attacks all of us, you understand?"

Kazuma tried to utter a word, but the man stepped forward before he had a chance.

"Mitsurugi Kyouya. You have been designated a murderer and a fugitive. Quietly accept your fate."

The named swordsman didn't speak, nor react in any way. His eyes remained focused on the green-eyed man stood far behind the rabble of soldiers.

"Get him!"

A multitude of adventurers converged to the singular man-

SLASH

…

All who drew near to the blademaster were immediately cleaved apart in a single instant. A burst of crimson sprayed across the ground, as did the severed and split bodies of dead men.

"If you knew me as Blade Demon, then surely you'd be aware of how I got that title," the Sword Master flicked his blade, "Let's begin."

SLICE

SPLATTER

RIP

Kazuma stood idly, watching with strained eyes as he observed the men in front him become mutilated like mere livestock; Limbs, heads and entrails flew from the centre of battle. The murderous warrior ruthlessly butchered man after woman with little effort, creating an air of red mist that loomed around a large mound of corpses.

"S-Stop…" he murmured.

CHOP

HACK

CLEAVE

"Stop… Stop it…!"

"Don't be afraid! Protect our town!"

Waves of fighters continued to pour in, yet few managed to survive after landing even a singular blow. The weapons of most deflected from the superior armour of the cursed sword user, leaving them as defenceless prey to be cut down.

"You see this, Kazuma!?" Mitsurugi yelled whilst battling on a plain of bodies, "All this bloodshed!? Fight me one-on-one and I'll spare the rest!"

The young man's body subconsciously moved forward-

"Don't do it, Kazuma!" Aqua yelled as she cast recovery on her injured friend, "He's trying to lure you!"

"I know, but-"

STAB

"Agh!" The light-haired combatant groaned in pain as a blade drove through a gap in his armour. He glared to his new opponent.

Kazuma's eyes widened, 'It's-'

"Cremea…"

The green-haired warrior locked eyes with the man whom she once called a friend, "You… You took everything from me..." she said, her voice shaking with rage.

Mitsurugi huffed, "None of this was personal."

"This is," the girl grounded herself, before shooting forward at her opponent.

SWISH, CLINK, CLANG

The high level fighter faired much better against her old companion as compared to the rest, deftly dodging and prodding the armoured man in his weaker areas.

"Kgh! Don't forget I know how you fight as well!"

STOMP

The fighter pounded the earth with inhuman strength, throwing the girl off balance.

GRAB

"AGH- GET OFF ME!" Cremea screamed as her blade was wrenched from her hands and she was forced onto the muddy, blood-soaked ground.

Mitsurugi placed his large sword above her neck; no man dared to approach while he held the life of an adventurer hostage.

"Are you going to save her again, Kazuma!?" The Sword Master spoke loudly, "This is your last chance before I massacre the rest of these weaklings!"

'God dammit… God dammit!' The boy's nails dug into his skin, drawling blood, 'What can I do? There must be something! Come on Kazuma, think! Think!'

"Just kill me, you fucker!" The girl spat.

"No response?" The armoured man lifted his blade, "Then!-"

"WAIT!"

…

"Wait… I'll do it! Just… Just don't hurt any more people..." The young man held out both of his hands in defeat.

"Kazuma, no! Don't you dare!" Aqua ran over to the boy after slipping from Yunyun's grasp.

The blue-haired Goddess cupped her partner's face, "Hey… Hey! We can figure something out; we don't need to do this. There's a plan, right?"

...

"Kazuma...?"

"I'm… I'm sorry." A dismal, downhearted expression was clear for the Archpriest to see.

The woman looked at her partner is disbelief, "What- Why are you making that face…? Kazuma, we've come so far by doing the impossible; you've always found a way. We can't give up! You... You can't give up!"

Tears began to run down the face of the blue-eyed girl. She grasped one of his hands, "I won't let you go...!"

The gentle hand of a recovered Crusader fell on Aqua's shoulder, "It's my fault, Kazuma... I'm sorry."

The lips of the strong-willed knight quivered with grief. She turned her head away to hide the silent sobs under her trembling breath.

"Hey… Kazuma?" Yunyun looked at him with a look of desperation, "Please… Please tell me you have a plan… I… I can't- I-"

Hug!

The young man tightly embraced the Goddess and Arch Wizard.

"There's always a plan. Always," he smiled with as much charm as he could muster.

Both Yunyun and Darkness had to hold their distraught companion back as Kazuma stood up and began walking to his rival. The injured and demoralised adventurers retreated back from the circle of death, sharing broken words of respect to the green-eyed fighter.

'For the first time, I'm lost for ideas.' The gloomy boy pondered as he picked up a random sword from the damp ground, wiping the gore from it, 'I've been in the worst of situations, but even in those cases there was always something— one little thing that I could latch onto.'

"So you finally decided to fight like a man?" Mitsurugi released the girl underneath him, having to be taken away by force from her fellow soldiers.

"'Fight like a man' huh?," Kazuma scoffed, "I'm sure that's easy to say with that big magic sword."

"I would prefer more of fair duel as well," The adventuerer's opponent sincerely stated, "But I have a mission that I need to complete."

'The chances of me making out of this is almost zero.'

Both fighters prepared themselves.

'Almost…' The young man's faced hardened, 'Even if there's a tiny fraction of a chance… For them, I have to take it.'

"Here I come," The Sword Master announced, trudging through the pile of bodies towards his rival.

'That one in a million gamble,' The green-eyed adventurer lifted his arm.

'A spell? Or-' Mitsurugi's eyes opened as it dawned upon him, 'Fine… If that's what you want, so be it.'

'Only one chance,' Kazuma took a deep breath, puffed his chest and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"STEEAAALL!"

…

THUMP!

"Huh…!?"

The party of the surprised boy drew a collective breath of disbelief, as did all the spectators watching the miracle unfold.

"I got it… I actually got it!" The young man shouted in surprise, cradling the cursed sword Gram in his arms.

The crowd around both men erupted in amazed chatter, many of whom prepared their weapons, eager to take advantage of the new situation.

'Was luck finally on my side…?' A relieved smile appeared on the brown-haired adventurer. He peered up to his armoured opponent, 'Wait… Something's off.'

The Devil King's associate appeared unfazed, staring patiently at Kazuma as if in wait.

'Don't tell me he…'

"What?- This smell…!" Aqua's nose picked up a pungent scent of a curse. A certain dark aura surrounded the blade, invisible to most other than the Archpriest.

"KAZUMA- THE SWORD!"

Kazuma glanced to the Archpriest and then back to the cursed blade with dread. He placed the the weapon onto the ground, then removed his…

"Shit! It's stuck!"

"We need to go!" Aqua grabbed Darkness as she hastily made her way to her partner's aid.

The Sword Master began to approach from his idle stance.

"I'll have to get involved if you try to interfere-"

BOOM!

Mitsurugi rose his head from the cover of his guard, scowling towards a certain Arch Wizard.

"I won't let you get get close!" Yunyun proclaimed, locking the man's position with her potent beams of light.

As the armoured swordsman was suppressed by Yunyun's magic, a sinister sensation began to crawl up Kazuma's right hand.

"What the hell is-"

FSHHHHHH!-

"GAAAARRGGH!" The boy screamed in agony as strange black tendrils spawned from Gram's blade, piercing through the back of his hand. The searing agony of the sharp, disgusting appendages digging underneath his skin and travelling up his wrist brought the adventurer to the edge of consciousness.

"Kazuma!" The boy's Goddess and Crusader raced to his side. Aqua quickly took hold of his arm, while Darkness attempted to move the sword-

WOOSH

"Shit!" The blonde exclaimed while avoiding the violent tentacles, "These things attack us, too!"

"IT'S MOVING INSIDE- AAGGHH!" The tormented boy shrieked as his entire forearm began to turn grey. Worm-like entities squirmed their way through his body, ripping and shredding through tissue and muscle fibres as they went.

"My heal and purification don't work!" Aqua exclaimed in panic.

"Guys!" The red-eyed Mage cried out from behind, "My mana is… I can't keep him at bay much longer!"

"Aqua…" Darkness held her blade with both hands, "Straighten his arm."

The healer looked to her ally in terror, "No, No! We can't!-"

"DO IT— OR WE LOSE HIM!"

"I'm... I'm sorry, Kazuma!" The Archpriest extended her partner's arm, feeling her fingers sink into his softening bones.

"Forgive us," the swordswoman raised her blade above her head.

SLICE

"GAAAAAAH!" The young man shrieked, clutching the leaking stub just after his elbow.

Aqua immediately stopped the bleeding with her recovery, then took Kazuma's small dagger and plucked his severed hand from the cursed weapon's handle, leaving a layer of skin fused to the Sword.

"Haah...! Haah...! I can't, guys!" Yunyun collapsed to her knees after sending a persistent entourage of spells towards the Sword Master, "I'm… I'm out!"

"Both of you get out of here!" Darkness shouted to Aqua and her half-conscious comrade.

Mitsurugi dropped his steaming gauntlets, grunting with pain, 'To think he could escape the curse of my sword… This game has gone on for far too long.'

The Crusader stood above her opponent's sword, "I won't let you get any closer."

"No…" The Sword Master's eyes flashed with fiery resolve, "I won't show you any more mercy."

"Huh?-"

SMASH!

"Ough!"

The blonde fighter wasn't allowed a moment to react; her opponent dealt a vicious frontal kick that struck her guard directly. The force was more than anything she had ever experienced— her sword and breastplate immediately shattered on impact as her body was propelled with incredible speed, crashing into the ground mere feet from where Aqua had retreated to.

"D-Darkness!?"

The Crusader gasped and sputtered feebly, holding onto her compressed torso in pain. Aqua pulled the female knight to where she sat with Kazuma, healing her as best she could, but the blonde woman had already passed out.

"Anyone else foolish enough to challenge me!?" The armoured fighter shouted to the audience in exasperation as he retrieved his weapon, wiping the excess of Kazuma's skin off.

The town square had been transformed into a haunting battlefield. A dreary atmosphere dampened the morale of the neighbouring adventurers after they had witnessed the morbid spectacle of bloodshed from the demonic associate. No single man or woman dared approach.

Mitsurugi had left none to hinder his advancement towards the crippled party. Aqua laid with her delirious partner clutched to her chest, and a healing hand towards the female warrior to her side. Only a few paces behind sat the exhausted Yunyun, watching with trembling fear as the Sword Master drew nearer.

The light-haired fighter stopped a stride's length away from the Archpriest. The despairing woman looked up to the armoured swordsman, strengthening a look of hatred.

"Goddess-"

"Never," She scowled toward the man with disdain.

Mitsurugi closed his eyes in understanding, "Very well."

A brilliant blue light flared in the centre of the town once again. In the moment of ending, Aqua could only regard the bright colour as quite beautiful. She looked to her rear, Yunyun stared back with tear-filled eyes. The Goddess smiled to her sincerely, attempting to ease her friend. She then glanced upon Darkness, placing a hand on her shoulder. Finally, she moved to the young man placed against her bosom.

"Kazuma…" she whispered to his ear as she silently wept, "I-"

"What do you think you're doing to my city?"

The powerful warrior, having nearly reached the pinnacle of his devastating attack, glanced toward a figure that- for the first time that night- brought genuine distress into his soul.

"Lich…!"

"Was it you who caused all this?" A purple-robed Mage gazed to the boy with irises that burned with purple hue, "Unforgivable."

The boy in full plate mail raised his sword to unleash another calamitous attack-

"Bottomless Swamp."

A great pool of dark, murky liquid spawned under the the swordsman's feet. He was immediately sucked into the viscous liquid, trapping him in place.

'Tch! I can't finish this attack without grounding!' He looked at his new opponent with animosity.

"Light of Saber."

"That weak spell again…?"

A complex branch of magic circles expanded above the undead woman. She generated a blinding light that burned furiously; engulfing not just the town centre in light, but creating what appeared like a second sun, casting luminosity bright enough to be seen for miles around.

"No… This is…" Yunyun watched with awe.

The giant streak of light coiled and bent at the Lich's will, before shooting forth with tremendous speed to her ensnared victim.

The boy gaped with dread at the glowing missile headed his way.

BOOOOOOOOM!

"Mmgh!" Aqua was pushed back by the sheer force of the magic's detonation.

For the few bystanders who hadn't fled, they observed with amazement at the sheer might of the singular spell.

An expansive dust cloud rose and settled once again, although this time what emerged from the mist was a motionless husk of a warrior. Blood trickled down from multiple locations in Mitsurugi's shattered armour. His face— already covered with the remains of his victims— trickled with fresh streams of his own. He stood slumped like he had been defeated, yet his sword still remained tightly held in his grasp. A silhouette formed in the darkness ahead of him, revealing herself as the Mage who quickly bested him.

"What terrible things must have happened for a mortal human to align himself with the Devil King?" A soft voice approached the wounded man.

"S-Someone like you h-has no right to say that," he wheezed.

"I did what I had to do. My values have never changed," the shop owner's brow furrowed.

"So... What are you waiting for?" The injured boy coughed another stream of blood, "If you don't end me here, I may kill more people in the future."

The undead woman appeared almost upset at herself, "I would strive to save lost souls like you, but you're too dangerous to let go... I'm sorry."

"'I'm sorry?'" He laughed painfully, "How virtuous are you?"

The woman raised her hand once again, "Light of-"

VWOOOOM!

The tall Mage watched as a foreign presence suddenly slammed the ground from above, shaking the very earth. As dust began to settle, the figure of a hooded individual was revealed. The new opponent faced the woman with their back, displaying a pair of outstretched bat wings that slowly folded back into their cloak. They briskly picked up the half-dead body of Mitsurugi with one arm, tucking him under their armpit.

The Lich's gritted her teeth, immediately beginning another incantation-

"Cursed Lightning...!" The figure pivoted, stretching an arm toward the robed woman.

RUMBLE-CRRRACK!

A strong discharge of black energy bolted from the tips of the Demon's fingers, surging toward the Lich.

"Crystal Prison!"

A glacial barrier materialised around the magic caster, cracking against the immense pressure of the cursed magic. As the lightning subsided, the Lich removed the protective spell, evaporating the dome in a flash. The haze cleared; both the figure and the body of the Sword Master were gone.

The undead individual huffed with resentment, "Those Demons...!"

…

Aqua was sat amongst her party in the town square, mentally worn out from the intense sequence of deadly events. Her only other conscious ally crawled over to her, exchanging a smile of relief.

"Thank god, Aqua," Yunyun cried while in her arms, "I thought… I thought-"

"It's okay, I've got you," the Goddess hugged her tightly, "You did so well."

A long period of silence passed as both girls enjoyed each other's presence in the peace and quiet.

…

"What do you thing you're doing, you perv!?" A high-pitched voice of a familiar girl suddenly sounded nearby the Archpriest and Mage, "There's no way Kazuma knows a creepy old guy like you!"

"Who the hell are you callin' a perv, ya little shit!" A raspy voice returned, "Kazuma saved my life before, so I'm doin' him a favour and bringing ya to safety!"

Yunyun left the embrace of her friend and turned to see an older bearded man carrying, or at least trying to carry an annoyed Megumin.

"I don't believe you- Get off me!"

"Whoever raised you didn't give you enough of a whooping, girl!"

"Megumin!" The red-eyed Arch Wizard waved to her close friend.

"Oh- Yunyun! Hey... Is that- Is Kazuma okay!?" The small girl face became distressed as she saw the condition of her leader.

"Shit… The boy's lost his hand, huh?" The eldest cringed at the sight of his good friend.

After the old man placed Megumin on the ground, the girl scrambled to see the condition of both her unconscious allies.

"What… What happened here?" She held the young man's severed wrist with a look of terror.

"Too much to talk about now," Aqua stated quietly, "It's good to see you, Megumin."

"The girl nodded, but her expression suggested otherwise, "What… What are we gonna do about this?"

"I don't know," the Archpriest glanced at the discoloured hand, "I've reattached limbs of others before, but this has been corrupted with something… His body keeps rejecting it."

"Corrupted…? You can't purify?-"

"I've tried," the blue-haired girl shook her head.

"Would that be Kazuma-san?"

"Huh?" Aqua turned to see the robed woman who saved her life. The jovial appreciative manner of the girl was thwarted by a suspicious scent that disturbed her nose.

"You…" she looked at the pale woman with concern, "Who are you?"

"Someone who can help," the brown-haired lady glanced upon the unconscious boy and his injuries, "It looks like this man was quite a large piece in all of this… There are things I want to know. I need you to come with me."

"What?" The Archpriest pulled Kazuma's body away from the stranger, "Look, you saved all of us and I won't forget that, but you also need to explain some things-"

"I can save his hand."

…

"Let's go."

.

.

.

an: I can only apologise for the long time this chapter took... For those of you who have been patient, I can't thank you enough. If you have any ideas, thoughts or concerns, feel free to leave a review (positive, negative, do whatever you want), I read them all. Putting that aside, I simply want to thank you all for reading my story! :^)