His usual playful tone, but the eyes looking down were as cold as ice. Well, it's understandable.
The 'betrayal' of a comrade was a trigger button for this guy.
"Leighton Briat."
He was even the second-oldest member on Ibaekho's team after the destroyer elder.
"Damn, but I treated you well, didn't I?"
Ibaekho muttered that and sighed deeply.
"Well, that aside… just say it. Why are you alive when you were supposed to be dead? What is this mask you're wearing? And what the hell are you scheming behind the scenes?"
"..."
"Just so you know, every time you stop explaining, I'll pull something out of your body. Keep that in mind."
"..."
"Start."
Ibaekho's commanding voice marked the beginning. Of course, he wouldn't suddenly spill everything after keeping silent for so long.
"..."
Rather, Briat looked up at Ibaekho with hostile eyes. Ibaekho showed no reaction. After about three seconds of silence,
Slowly extending his hand forward—
"Ah! Ah, aaaaah—!!"
He plunged a finger deep into Briat's left eye and pulled out whatever was inside. Crunch, crunch, crunch… The sound of something breaking was distinctly audible.
Very slowly.
"Aaaaah! Ah!!"
Watching Briat collapse to the floor writhing in pain, Ibaekho said expressionlessly only one word:
"Start."
There was nothing else. No threats, no coaxing, no separate interrogation. Just saying start and waiting a few seconds.
If the story didn't begin, he repeated the process.
"Aaaaah—!!"
Pulling out eyes, tearing off ears, yanking organs. When it got serious, he used potions to heal. Sssshhh—!
Ibaekho's unemotional continuation of this was striking, but Briat was also impressive. He didn't seem to be numb to pain or anything.
'He screams but doesn't say a single word.'
Perhaps knowing it was useless, he gave no excuses, no curses or pleas.
A truly formidable mental strength, but continuing like this would yield no results.
'Maybe it's time to change tactics…'
I thought about stopping it but seeing Ibaekho's expression, I decided against it.
He could change methods after calming down a bit. It's not like I'm the one being hurt.
"Aaaaah!!"
Watching Briat get healed by potions, the rest of the party arrived.
"Oh, you're here. Why so late?"
"…We got a bit lost. No one here knows the way."
"So what's the situation here?"
"Wait a minute! Briat? Isn't that Briat over there?"
"Calm down, I'll explain everything."
Ignoring Ibaekho, who seemed uninterested, I gave a rough explanation to the arriving party.
"So… there was a suspicious person wearing a wolf mask, Ibaekho caught him, removed the mask, and it turned out to be Briat…"
"Lord Ruinjenes! What's going on? Didn't you say you saw Briat's corpse yourself?"
"I was sure when I saw it. But seeing him alive and well… He must have used some power to fake death or special tools."
"Likely. He was pretending to be dead as soon as he was caught."
"Hmm… I can think of a few powers like that."
Power or item, it doesn't matter. The point is Briat pretended to be dead before the destroyer elder and secretly sneaked into this ruin.
"That makes things more suspicious. Why would Briat do all this…?"
"We'll hear that soon enough."
As the conversation went on, Ibaekho shouted at us.
"Old man! What are you doing? If you're here, come quickly and cast that spell!"
Responding, the destroyer elder approached Briat and cast some magic.
"Do you know what kind of magic it is?"
I asked GM quietly and got a quick answer.
"Judging by the molecular structure of mana, it's assumed to be a nerve stimulation and arousal type—."
"Simply put, it helps with torture?"
"Yes… It will make pain feel several times sharper and clearer in that state."
Unexpectedly useful knowledge. If I have to interrogate later, I'll have to ask the mage for help.
"...!!"
Anyway, the magic's effect was immediate. The screams grew several times louder, and tears and snot flowed freely. Soon the throat seemed to tear completely, and the screams turned into metallic sounds…
"..."
Watching Briat endure silently until passing out, Ibaekho finally muttered one word.
"Damn, this guy's really tough."
Honestly, while saying that, I thought the potion-giving Ibaekho was even tougher.
Sssssshhh—! After the anger subsided somewhat, Ibaekho paused the interrogation and approached us.
His usual gentle smile appeared, so I thought it was okay to talk now. Therefore…
"What happened?"
"How would I know if you put it like that?"
"Isn't it strange? How did you find this guy who we all couldn't find even while searching?"
I wondered if Ibaekho had been hiding a way to find him all this time.
But…
"Oh, that?"
Ibaekho shrugged nonchalantly and revealed an even more shocking truth.
"I deliberately drew a lot of aggro. Pretended to lose my mind all of a sudden."
"That was… all an act?"
"Yes. If I acted strangely, I felt like someone would watch me closely. So I split off alone, muttered to myself, hit my head against the wall, drew even more aggro, and when the moment came… boom!"
Ibaekho spread his hands as if expressing an explosion ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ and continued.
"I used area attacks recklessly nearby. But someone really got hit. After that, it was just as the baron saw."
"Uh… I see…?"
"How about it? My plan? Genius, wasn't it?"
Well, I don't know about genius. One thing's clear: his mental state is not normal.
'This guy's truly crazy…'
I was speechless, and Ibaekho smirked and turned away.
"Anyway, I'm calm now… time to test the center."
Then he walked over to the unconscious Briat and started searching his clothes.
"Damn, seems all the important stuff is in the subspace."
"No bow in sight. Isn't that a Numbers item? A pretty high number too."
"Ha, if he doesn't cooperate, we can't even loot properly… Hey, old man! Any ideas?"
"I'll take a look."
The destroyer elder approached, bent over, looked closely, and shook his head.
"The ritual is complex; it seems impossible to open the subspace fully or transfer the seal intact."
"Then no way?"
"You can forcibly open the subspace by destroying the ritual itself, but that will cause loss."
"What kind of loss?"
"About thirty percent of items inside the subspace will vanish into multiple dimensions."
"Oh, simply put, there's a 30% chance the bow will disappear?"
"What will you do?"
"Do it. This guy won't open it willingly anyway."
"Then we need to move to a bigger space."
Following the destroyer elder's advice, we took Briat to the main hall and laid him down neatly. Then…
"Let's begin."
We immediately started dismantling the subspace ritual. Whooosh!
At first, the red seal on the back of the hand heated up, then at some point, white light started flowing out.
How much time passed after that?
Flash! A small portal opened on the back of the hand.
Then—boom! With an explosion, items presumably inside the subspace scattered wildly in all directions.
"Wow…"
Like treasure goblins, really.***
How big was Briat's subspace?
"This is the 30% loss amount…?"
Everyone was dumbfounded by the amount of items pouring out.
Roughly, more than half the main hall seemed covered with dropped items…
"W-wait!"
As the items came out chaotically, the hall quickly turned into a mess. Clang! Broken potions, ceramics… Boom!
Some explosive consumables apparently exploded as soon as they came out.
Swooooosh! A cloud of poison powder scattered, and everyone had to sweat it out casting antidote spells. Still, the rewards were definite.
"Yeah, we trusted you!!!"
The intact drop of No. 696 Reindris's Imperial Palace.
Also, expensive equipment could be seen scattered everywhere.
As a long-time 'raider' in the top ranks, he had amassed a lot of gear…
'Seems he didn't get to dispose of much after being outside the walls for so long.'
Besides, storing expensive equipment is a habit of Noark raiders. Noark frequently trades goods.
They prefer swapping goods of equal value rather than selling cheap.
"Everyone, don't stuff things in your back pockets, gather everything properly! Distribution will be fair."
Afterwards, everyone worked together to gather and sort items, finding many suspicious objects.
"What the hell is this wolf mask?"
"Why did Briat carry so many of the same masks?"
"They're not the same mask. This and that one. Can't you tell the sizes differ?"
There were an oddly large number of wolf masks, and also strange medals as sister items.
"This medal has a wolf engraved too."
"It's too coincidental to be loot picked up randomly."
"Let me see for a moment."
The destroyer elder took the medal abruptly, inspected it carefully, and made a strange expression.
"Do you know this item?"
"I vaguely remember hearing about this medal a long time ago."
"What kind of item? Doesn't seem to be a magical tool with special function."
"This isn't a magic tool, but a symbol indicating membership in a group."
"A group?"
"This is the first I've heard of such a group using this emblem."
"It probably is. It's an ancient group from when Rafdonia was founded."
"An ancient group? What's the name?"
GM's eyes sparkled with curiosity as the destroyer elder looked at the medal and replied.
"Hirkmuta."
"Translated, it means 'White Wolf' in an ancient language."
"It's named after the epithet of the figure they followed."
"An epithet?"
"The White-robed Mage."
GM's eyes widened. It was inevitable—there was only one person called the White-robed Mage in Rafdonia's history.
"The White-robed Mage was the last great sage, Diphlun Groundel Gavrilius. Hirkmuta was a group formed by those who followed him."
Hirkmuta. An ancient group formed by followers of Diphlun Groundel Gavrilius, known as the White-robed Mage and last great sage.
"But isn't it strange? They say the masks are white wolves, so why are all the masks black?"
"Hmm… I don't know either. Briat, I don't think you'll tell us either. What do you think?"
When asked, Ibaekho muttered vaguely.
"Hmm… I even boosted his pain perception, so if he's going to speak, maybe we just have to beat him. No other way."
Seeing Ibaekho shake his head at how tough Briat was, the destroyer elder casually said.
"…Maybe a 'gag' is placed on him, and even if he wants to speak, he can't."
"A gag? What do you mean, old man?"
"When I researched Hirkmuta, I read that members take a vow of secrecy."
"A vow and a gag are a bit different, no?"
"That's why it's speculation. But there was an ancient magic that forced vows to be binding, so it's not entirely impossible."
"Hmm… I see."
When the conversation reached that point, Jaina suddenly called us urgently.
"Hey! Everyone come quick! Briat is dead!"
"…Huh? Oh, that? Don't mind it, he's probably just flipped over and pretending to be dead again—"
"No, I think he's really dead!"
Jaina's serious reaction made Ibaekho approach Briat with a doubtful expression.
Tap, tap. He shook Briat's shoulder with his toe, but there was no reaction.
-x-X-x-
Still, until then, Ibaekho didn't look particularly worried.
"Wow, this bastard again. Really thinks we're suckers."
He laughed incredulously at the limp Briat, then kicked him hard.
"Look, one good hit like this and he'll get right up—"
Thud!
"…Huh? Why the hell isn't he getting up?"
Briat didn't move at all despite the kick. It didn't take long for Ibaekho's expression to harden.
"What the hell?" Ibaekho bent down hurriedly with a fake shocked face to check Briat's condition. Or rather, he slapped his cheek repeatedly.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Get up! Stop messing around and get up! Hey! Get up!"
"Stop it. He's already dead."
"No, that's weird! I gave him potions, so why is he suddenly dead? Hey! Old man! Didn't you screw up? Did you kill him trying to open the subspace?"
Suddenly assigned responsibility, the destroyer elder slowly approached and pricked Briat's neck with a needle. Then…
"…Poison."
"Poison? Oh! Could it be from the poison powder earlier?"
"That poison is nothing compared to this deadly venom. Though the outside looks fine, all his organs have melted."
"So he's really dead, then?"
"Yes. No doubt about this one—"
Just as the destroyer elder was about to confirm this, Ibaekho acted first.
Crack! Without warning, he kicked Briat's head and sent him flying like a soccer ball.
Thunk, tumble. Silence fell briefly. Then Ibaekho muttered shortly,
"Ugh, why does nothing work out?"
Stretching as if nothing happened, Ibaekho trudged back toward us.
"Old man! Tell me, why did this bastard suddenly die?"
"As I said before, the venom—"
"That's why it's weird. We all got hit by the poison powder, so why did this bastard die from poison?"
"I don't know everything in this world."
The destroyer elder frowned as if telling Ibaekho to stop pestering him, and Ibaekho sighed.
"…Hmm, maybe he took poison in advance?"
"Oh, I've heard of that. People on secret missions always hide poison in their mouths…"
"When everyone was distracted by the subspace, he must have chewed the poison. That would explain it."
It made sense but still felt suspicious. Bringing it up here would only make things stranger.
"Hah…"
Ibaekho also seemed to have some other thoughts but didn't say more.
Probably awkward to openly suspect again after the interrogation with even 'Misplaced Trust'.
"Enough. Let's get back to testing the center. Let me know immediately if anything suspicious comes up."
"…Understood."
"If you get caught picking pockets back here, I swear I'll lose it too. Be careful."
Ibaekho didn't forget to warn the others.
If I were them, I'd feel pissed off, but they just shook their heads as if used to Ibaekho.
"Okay, that's almost done."
After that, while we sorted the dropped items, most classifications were nearly finished—equipment, consumables, currency.
As humans, it was hard not to glance over, but this time everyone focused on the suspicious items.
"Let's appraise these one by one. Wolf masks, wolf medals, those are done… What about this? What do you think this image is?"
"Hmm… looks like artwork to me…"
"No writing invisible to mana reagents or anything like that."
"Okay, next. What's this?"
"Isn't this… women's underwear…?"
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that…"
"Ugh! What the hell is this?"
Using collective intelligence, we appraised the suspicious items one by one but got no useful results—until a piece of parchment appeared.
"Why is this classified here?"
"Isn't it just a magic scroll?"
Even laypeople who don't know magic can use spells if they just tear the scroll.
But why was this among the suspicious items?
"Who put this here?"
"I did…"
GM quietly raised a hand to answer Ibaekho's question.
"Why did you put it there?"
The destroyer elder glanced at the scroll, stepped forward, and answered for GM.
"Because it's not an ordinary magic scroll."
"…?"
"This scroll contains ancient magic."
"What kind of ancient magic?"
"Seems related to spatial movement, but I couldn't identify more. Do you know?"
The destroyer elder nodded at GM's question.
"Of course. It might even be our lifeline."
"A lifeline…? What do you mean? Tell me quickly."
Ibaekho's interest was piqued, so the destroyer elder named the scroll.
"Return Scroll."
"…?"
"That's the name of this item."
A new item to me.***
Return Scroll. I'd never seen or heard of it playing Dungeon & Stone.
But the intuitive name made me immediately understand the 'lifeline' comment.
"…So using this, can we return to the city?"
"No one knows. The scroll only has the effect of 'returning' to a designated location."
"That's really amazing if true. No fixed coordinate magic circle, no mana converter, just one scroll enabling spatial movement."
"So it must be ancient magic. It's said ancient times had even more incredible magics."
Though not an immediate return scroll, the party's eyes were filled with hope.
Because things couldn't get worse than this.
"If we use this scroll, at least we can escape the ruin?"
"Yes. But we must consider the worst case. If the place it returns to is the 'Ashen World,' it'd be a disaster."
"We have to decide carefully."
As usual, the destroyer elder only shared information, leaving the decision to us.
So all eyes turned to me and Ibaekho.
They seemed worried we'd disagree again and cause trouble.
But…
"I'm for trying it first. Baron, what about you?"
"I agree."
This time our opinions matched without dispute.
We didn't think the Return Scroll guaranteed safety, but if any crisis arose, we could try breaking through with it.
We were sick of being trapped here for days.
"But we should prepare fully before tearing the scroll."
"I agree too."
"…"
"Haha, that means we agree."
After the consensus, we inspected remaining unappraised items.
Nothing special like the Return Scroll appeared.
So…
"There are eight Return Scrolls total…"
"With six people, even if everyone uses one, two remain."
Since there were six members, Ibaekho and I took the remaining two.
We distributed the equipment and consumables from Briat properly.
Afterwards, we took ample personal maintenance time to be in top condition.
"Everyone ready? Then let's tear them."
Ibaekho raised a scroll, others nodded and raised theirs too.
And all at once—creeeak! The scrolls were torn.***
「Character used [Return Scroll].」
「Character moves to designated location.」***
Drip, drip, tick! The sound of water droplets somewhere.
I opened my eyes, quickly checked around.
"Where is this… Crystal Cave?"
"No, it's a bit different."
The cave resembled the first floor of Crystal Cave.
"But luckily, no one was left behind."
At least everyone had successfully transferred to the same place, and no monsters or enemies were visible.
But…
"Quiet."
From the opposite passage flickered the red light of a campfire.
Crackle—!
Seeing this, Ibaekho nodded at me, and I naturally took the lead.
We walked quietly, trying not to make noise.
Thud, thud.
No matter how carefully this giant armored body walked, noise was inevitable.
Anyway.
"..."
Turning the corner, an unknown figure sitting by the campfire came into view.
It was strange no sign of awareness was shown, yet the figure stared at the fire without moving.
"If you've come here… that means Lieutenant Briat is already dead?"
The figure slowly spoke without even looking at us.
"He was a faithful friend…"
"Enough, who are you?"
Ibaekho asked warily, his tone hostile.
"Something about that voice sounds familiar…"
Just as a sense of danger rang in my head—
Slowly, the mysterious man pulled down his hood and faced us.
"Still a long time no see, everyone."
Wrinkled, with snow-white hair and beard,
A gentle impression but fierce eyes.
"...!"
The creator of Dungeon & Stone, Auril Gavis.
Auril Gavis—the bastard who made this cursed game and a suspicious old man whose true intentions no one understands.
Except for the dream when I returned to the modern world, the last time I met this old man was at the Round Table.
Suddenly appearing to say he'd shut down the whole 'Ghost Busters' community…
And leaving a cryptic warning at the end.
"Ibaekho, don't get too close to that guy."
Quite ironic.
The very person who gave me that advice is now on this journey briefly with Ibaekho, and on that journey, I met this old man again.
"..."
"..."
Besides the strange feelings, I quickly analyzed the old man's words.
"Just now, he said 'everyone'…"
Still a long time no see, everyone.
He even glanced around us as if all old acquaintances.
'Could it be that Leg Auress and Jaina also have ties to this old man?'
As I glanced around thinking that—
"You've all gotten a lot quieter since I last saw you."
Breaking the silence, the old man spoke again.
Ibaekho growled and opened his mouth.
"Long time no see, old man. You disappeared when we needed you."
His hostile gaze was ready to pounce, but Auril Gavis only laughed broadly and brushed it off.
"What reason would an old man like me have to show up before the ones leading this era?"
"…Old man my ass. Hey, old man. Do you know what all old people have in common?"
"Hmm, what's that?"
Ibaekho muttered shortly while looking at Auril Gavis, who looked clueless.
"They're all dead."
Maybe he means that alive people aren't old. The exact meaning was unclear, but one thing was certain.
"So if you want to be an old man, say so."
Ibaekho's hostility toward Auril Gavis.
"I'll always roll up my sleeves and help."
That was real, not an act.
Crunch.
Well, Ibaekho and Auril Gavis were like oil and water. Auril Gavis was the reason we were dragged into this shitty world.
All the hatred accumulated living in this world naturally focused on that old man.
"Sir."
Then suddenly GM, who had been quiet, joined the conversation.
Like Ibaekho, GM had been trapped in this world for over ten years, but his voice was completely different—full of kindness and respect.
"Finally, we meet again, sir."
GM's eyes and voice oozed goodwill and respect.
Clearly, he wasn't just being submissive out of weakness.
"I never properly greeted you last time. Thank you very much for everything then."
"Haha, it wasn't anything to thank me for."
"What are you two talking about?"
Ibaekho interrupted irritably, but neither GM nor the old man answered.
Guessing…
'Are they talking about the community?'
From the flow ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) of conversation, that seemed the only thing.
After all, when GM was a newbie, Auril Gavis had handed over the operation rights of Ghost Busters.
"Actually, you'd be the one with more grievances toward me than anyone. I appreciate your words."
"I was a bit surprised you gave me a heads-up… but if you had any shame, you wouldn't be upset. I just got back what I lent."
"Haha, I knew you'd become someone great."
"…Thanks. But how do you know the Baron?"
-x-X-x-
"Well, somehow we ended up connected, one way or another."
"Oh… is that so?"
GM and the Elder chuckled warmly, exchanging kind words in the cozy atmosphere.
Ibaekho, watching them with a deeply displeased glare, began grumbling under his breath.
"Hah, does that treacherous bastard even have a backbone?"
Honestly, I felt much the same way. How can they laugh so foolishly? If it weren't for that old bastard, none of this would have happened—.
"Hmm, I'd rather call him a smart friend."
"…Huh?"
"Isn't a rational and young friend also polite?"
At that moment, Parmel Harbae seemed to defend GM.
Is GM some kind of figure who holds weight among the old-timers? I don't know for sure, but even Parmel Harbae was no different from Auril Gavis when facing him.
"Long time no see, Master."
"Ah, Ruin Genesis… Good to see you. How have you been all this time?"
"How could one say they've been well or not?"
"I'll take that as having been well."
"By the way, Master, you haven't changed at all from before. Somehow, it feels like I'm the only one aging."
"Heh heh, you still seem young."
It seemed ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) they were about to share light small talk after a long time, but that moment didn't last long.
"Since we're meeting after a while, may I ask you just one thing?"
"Go ahead."
Hardly had permission been given when Parmel Harbae delivered a heavy statement.
"Master, have you already attained immortality?"
"Heh heh, that's quite a difficult question to answer right from the start."
"If it's hard to answer, you don't have to—."
"Still, if I had to answer just one thing—."
Auril Gavis interrupted Parmel Harbae and opened his mouth, as if advising a child.
"Eternity doesn't exist in any world, Ruin Genesis."
"..."
"Everything inevitably changes eventually. Even that which we thought would never change."
"...That's quite a philosophical answer."
Parmel Harbae quietly nodded as if genuinely impressed, but Ibaekho just snorted.
"Philosophical my ass. To put it simply, if you keep hitting, they eventually die, right?"
"You seem especially irritable today."
"How could I not be? It's obvious you were the one who locked us in there."
Not wanting to continue small talk, Ibaekho hid nothing of his anger and moved straight to the point.
"You should be thankful I haven't attacked you yet."
As usual, he used strong words and started a power struggle, but unfortunately, this time the opponent was no pushover.
"Haha… the one who should be thankful is you."
"Hah! Thankful?"
Seeing Ibaekho exhale disdainfully, Auril Gavis scattered an intense glare.
"Then you should be thankful."
"..."
"For the reason I still haven't 'disposed' of you."
As soon as the words ended, the atmosphere shifted palpably.
"..."
It felt like soft air had sprouted steel thorns. Auril Gavis stepped forward, dominating everyone with just the atmosphere, and continued.
"Baekho, do you still not understand? The reason I interfered was to avoid 'disposing' of you."
His words were far more direct and threatening than Ibaekho's talk of whether to attack or not.
"But if you keep straying like this, I will have no choice but to 'reconsider.'"
Ibaekho looked somewhat intimidated. Well, no matter who he was, even he had to concede to this old man.
"...So what exactly do you want? And Briat? He seems to have been planted next to me for quite some time."
"Briat was your guide."
"What? Guide…?"
"You're a person of interest. You need at least one person to show you the right path, so you don't stray."
I couldn't believe how brazen that line was, even listening from the side. But that's how this world is.
"..."
A savage world where the weak can't even raise their voice. Especially for Ibaekho, who had enjoyed the privileges of strength for so long, there was nothing more to say to such an attitude.
"Just say it."
After a long silence, Ibaekho spoke in a somewhat resigned voice.
"What do you want from me… just say it…"
The emotion felt from that short question wasn't bitterness. It was simply strong. Ibaekho, this guy, had been worn down by all this time.
"Hmm… I don't particularly want anything from you."
"...What?"
"By now, you must know you're defective."
Auril Gavis looked at Ibaekho and spoke clearly and precisely.
"I never once wanted you. Never wished for you to come here. So, I don't really understand why you hate me. Isn't your direction wrong?"
"..."
"Well, if I had to wish for something, it would be just one thing. Know your place and stay quiet."
"..."
"As a supporting role, act like one. Don't try to change the story."
Faced with Auril Gavis's sharp words, Ibaekho remained silent. But his bloodshot eyes spoke volumes.
How deeply humiliated he was. Of course, Parmel Harbae, with zero empathy, seemed not to care.
"If Ibaekho is a supporting role… then we must be supporting roles too?"
Parmel Harbae's eyes lit up, only interested in that part.
"Are you upset about that?"
Auril Gavis asked, but Parmel Harbae shook his head.
"Not really. I'm long past the age to think I'm the main character…"
"Past the age?"
"What good is being the protagonist of someone else's story?"
"...That sounds very meaningful."
Auril Gavis glanced at Parmel Harbae with suspicion, but the old man showed no reaction and moved on.
"By the way, are you acquainted with Flyer and Aures?"
"Hmm..."
"I don't think there's any particular connection with those two."
Auril Gavis looked between Jaina and Leg Auress with a troubled expression. Then…
"I've met her once before."
Jaina honestly admitted the connection first.
"She told me that by offering a sacrifice to Karui, I could recover my lost memories. It was from that person."
"...So that's how it was? And what about Aures?"
"Uh… I… I've seen him a few times beside the lord starting from when the royal forces invaded Noark city?"
His tone sounded like a lie to anyone. Parmel Harbae and even Ibaekho narrowed their eyes, and Auril Gavis shook his head and spoke a somewhat shocking truth.
"Aures is from the same world as Ruin Genesis."
"...What?"
"Is that true? That person was a demon spirit too…?"
Apparently no one in the party knew this information…
"All six of us are demon spirits…" This is not just a demon spirit dream team.
It's more than coincidence. I remembered being amazed before that more than half were demon spirits, but not just half — all of them.
"Um… what about Briat?"
At that moment, Jaina looked at Auril Gavis, trailing off. Seems like she was thinking the same.
"Briat is a pure-blooded resident born and raised in this world."
Hmm, so out of seven, six are demon spirits. Somehow, that feels strange. Because demon spirits have always been a tiny minority in any group.
Ghost Busters were special among demon spirits for exactly that reason.
"What kind of bullshit is 'pure-blooded resident'?"
Ibaekho grumbled, displeased with the term, but Auril Gavis didn't even respond.
"Oh, I never expected Aures's hometown to be the same as mine. Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Ah ha… haha… I didn't mean to deceive… I only just realized we have the same hometown now."
"Well, that's not something to bring up first… Looks like we'll have plenty to talk about. I'm curious about your world."
"Ah ha ha… Ask anything. Honestly, my memories are hazy, but I'll tell you everything I can recall."
I could imagine Auress and Parmel Harbae sitting side by side during breaks, chatting about all sorts of things…
"I can't really picture that…" I was secretly surprised to learn Auress was a demon spirit and organizing my thoughts.
"Excuse me, sir?"
GM cautiously addressed Auril Gavis.
"Do you know where we are now…?"
"Are we outside the walls or inside? Or somewhere else?"
"Yes… Well, since the Baron and I happened to be outside, we got caught up in this…"
"Well… from your perspective, that could be."
"...Yes?"
GM tilted his head at the cryptic answer, but Auril Gavis didn't elaborate and returned to answer the previous question.
"This place is somewhere outside the walls. It is very meaningful to me."
"Oh… is that so…?"
"So please understand that I cannot tell you the exact location."
"Yes…? Then—."
"Don't worry. It doesn't mean I intend to keep you here."
"Ah ha ha… Is that so? That's really a relief. We didn't plan such a long journey…"
GM laughed, farting politely at the culprit who really had no backbone. Still, thanks to someone playing that role, things were progressing.
"If you don't intend to keep us, then you're letting us go as is?"
Ibaekho asked bluntly with a sour expression, and Auril Gavis nodded slowly.
"Of course. But only if you promise one thing."
"…Speak."
"I didn't intend to be so straightforward, but now that it's come to this, I'll be frank."
"No, come on, just say it already—."
"Don't seek answers elsewhere."
Ibaekho flinched slightly at Auril Gavis's words, then smiled awkwardly.
"What kind of nonsense is that? If you want a promise, shouldn't you be more clear?"
"Then I'll be more direct."
"..."
"Baekho, I know well why you aim for the palace."
"But…?"
"But don't even think of going near it. There's no answer you seek there anyway."
Auril Gavis said nothing about penalties if the promise was broken.
He had said it many times already. If Ibaekho disobeyed, he would be 'disposed of.' And Ibaekho knew that too.
"Then where exactly is the answer?"
Ibaekho asked just one thing more, and Auril Gavis smiled kindly.
"Aren't you explorers?"
He patted Ibaekho on the shoulder.
"Find your answers in the labyrinth."
As if there was no evil at all.
"All the answers you seek are there."
Looking at Auril Gavis speaking in his gentle voice, I thought of Karui. Now that I think about it, this old man resembles Karui in that he always toys with people.***
With his words gone, Auril Gavis waited calmly without pressing for any more from Ibaekho.
"..."
"..."
The pressure was heavy yet comfortable. It didn't take long before Ibaekho raised the white flag.
"Ah, okay. Okay. Got it. What you mean is, don't touch the palace? Fine, I won't. That's that."
If he's surrendering, he could tone down that cocky attitude.
'What… does he want?'
While thinking that, Ibaekho continued with a cheeky tone.
"But you're not perfect either, huh? Running around and cleaning up messes like this."
"...?"
"You know, right? It seems you don't like the labyrinth being closed. Actually, this all happened because you saved Noark from annihilation, right?"
"So what exactly do you want to say?"
"Nothing in particular… just saying. Since you appeared in front of us like this, I thought maybe you're having trouble too."
In other words, he was fishing to see if his guess was right.
"But judging by your reaction, I guess I was right?"
-x-X-x-
"Haha… You're still the same. Thanks for your concern, but there's no need. What can change just because an ant worries about a person?"
Auril Gavis smiled kindly, but his words struck like a bone. Seeing Ibaekho unable to keep his expression and forcing an awkward smile, it was clear Ibaekho had lost this exchange completely.
"Well then, I think it's best to end today's meeting here."
"Um… Elder? I have one question I'd like to ask…"
"It's late today. If there's a chance someday, I'll answer the questions you meant to ask now then."
"…Does that mean we can meet again?"
"Of course. You're a model student. I'm always watching closely."
"Is that so…?"
GM seemed less disappointed hearing that there'd be another chance, and Auril Gavis, smiling warmly at GM, led us deeper into the cave. Step by step.
After about a minute, we reached a spacious cavern.
"Wow…"
"How many are these?"
Everyone gasped the moment we arrived. It was no wonder — the cavern walls were lined neatly with dimensional monuments, hundreds at least, large enough to play soccer in here.
"Well… this should do."
Auril Gavis pointed with his finger to the dimensional monument we would use.
"Um… do you know where that leads?"
"Hmm, I'd prefer to leave it as a later surprise, but since you seem uneasy, I'll tell you. Riding it will bring you back to that first place."
"The 'first place'… you mean the spot where the magic circle was destroyed?"
"Exactly."
GM's face relaxed at knowing the destination. But is this one of those 'can't spit on a smiling face' moments? I thought GM might have aimed for that. Though they laughed and joked earlier, this grim old man would definitely spit behind their back with that smile.
Whoosh! As the portal opened, Auril Gavis gave us a look to hurry, and Ibaekho spat on the ground. Then…
"You unlucky damn old man."
Like he didn't want to stay in one space any longer, he was first through the portal.
"I'll go next. In case Baekho causes trouble again."
Second was Parmel Harbae, third Aures… then Jaina and GM followed through the portal, leaving just Auril Gavis and me.
"No need to pretend anymore."
Stopping by the portal, Auril Gavis looked at me steadily.
"What, you want me to go quickly?"
I said grumbling, and Auril Gavis smiled kindly again.
"Heh heh, of course not. When have I ever looked at you like I'm signaling something? I just thought you had something to say."
"…"
"That's unlike you. If you have something to say, just say it."
Yeah, but he definitely wouldn't tell the things he didn't want to say. I glanced around, took GM as a reference, and politely opened my mouth.
"Elder, I have just one question."
"You always seem to have questions whenever you see me."
"Because you have so many secrets."
"Heh heh… Tell me. What do you want to ask?"
"What kind of place is this?"
Auril Gavis looked somewhat surprised at my question.
"Why that, of all things? There are more important questions."
"I've already asked those several times, but never got a proper answer."
I complained, deciding not to waste time anymore, and Auril Gavis suddenly burst out laughing.
"…What? Ha ha! Ha ha ha! Ahahaha!"
Is this old man crazy? What's so funny here? I couldn't understand at all, but at least his mood had improved.
"Hahaha… Sorry. An old memory just came to mind."
"An old memory…?"
"Well, recently there have been many things I'm sorry about to you, so I'll answer what you asked."
"Oh, thank you so much."
"Don't be sarcastic."
"Yes…"
Since he finally seemed willing to answer, I decided not to provoke him further and waited quietly. This question seemed important.
[This place is somewhere outside the castle walls.] Somewhere outside the castle walls.
[It's a place very meaningful to me.] Auril Gavis's meaningful place.
This place even has a structure very similar to the first-floor Crystal Cave. What exactly is this place?
"Shall we walk for a bit?"
As my questions grew, Auril Gavis suggested as if to take a stroll, and I nodded readily.
Following Auril Gavis who went ahead, he suddenly spoke something like a Zen koan.
"A lie you want to believe, or a truth you want to disbelieve."
"Huh…?"
"If you had to choose one, which would you pick?"
I wondered why he asked this suddenly, but this old man surely had a reason beyond nonsense. I thought carefully.
I recalled a similar balance game on the internet once: curry that tastes like feces, or feces that tastes like curry.
Of course, that was different from this Zen koan, but strangely made choosing easier.
"I choose the latter."
"You prefer the truth you want to disbelieve?"
"Because it's still the truth."
"Hmm, I see…"
Auril Gavis showed an ambiguous reaction but said no more. I had answered sincerely after all.
"We have arrived."
Auril Gavis stopped before a stone door blocking the cave passage. When he placed his hand on it, it opened automatically as if enchanted.
And then…
"…?"
An unexpected space opened before my eyes. It reminded me of the universe. A straight staircase stretched upward.
"Be careful not to fall as you go up."
As always, Auril Gavis strode ahead without explanation, and I silently followed, observing around.
How long had passed? Steadily climbing the stairs, I realized why I was brought here.
"To show me that thing on the altar at the top of the stairs…"
"What is that…?"
"You'll recognize it once you go see."
Though I wondered what he meant, at the stair's end, I finally understood: hundreds of fragments floated above the altar, surrounded by a thin veil.
"Fragments of Records…"
Not just one, but hundreds drifted in midair.
"Did you collect all of these yourself?"
Auril Gavis nodded without expression. When he reached out his hand, one fragment slowly drifted toward us like a slowly orbiting star.
"Want to read it?"
I nodded silently and read the ancient language inscribed on it. But there was a problem…
"A demon spirit from another world… how do I read this?"
Some parts were undecipherable.
"This isn't just ancient language, it's just a pattern…"
"No need to interpret it. Think of it as a name for a person."
Hmm, for now, I let it pass. Reading the rest of the fragments didn't take long—they were quite short.
"A demon spirit from another world '———' lost three companions, and only then realized the path he must take…"
…Wait a moment.
"Is this '———' me…?"
I asked hastily, glancing sideways, but Auril Gavis only smiled gently and didn't answer.
"..."
Damn it.
The Fragments of Records. Pieces of the 'Record Stone' that chronicle all time from past to present and future.
I know the power of this 'Record' better than anyone, because I experienced it once. My heart thumped recalling the past I went to through the Fragments of Records.
Back then, I caused chaos trying to change the future where someone died, but failed. The stories written in the Record Stone always come true.
Of course, some like Amelia used tricks of 'deception'…
'This time, such tricks won't work.'
How could I even try? I'm no naive ten-year-old. Faking death to fool my comrades was impossible. Besides, I don't even know when it happened. My heart thumped again… three people… 'three…'
In Dungeon & Stone, comrades dying is common. But why does this small number feel so huge and despairing? Heart thumping.
While my heart tightened, my head cooled, thinking. Who were those three? Or rather, who should they be?
As the leader of a group, even the unthinkable thoughts swiftly passed.
"Knowing the ending is truly a painful thing."
Auril Gavis, who gave me the greatest worry of my life, nodded as if understanding me. Seeing that made blood surge to my head.
"…What?"
I wanted to punch that old face right then and there. But…
"..."
I had to hold back. Throwing a punch here would only be to my own loss.
"So… when…"
Clenching my teeth until my body trembled, I asked him.
"Do you know when… the events written here will happen?"
"I don't know. If the Record Stone was intact, maybe. But with just these fragments, it's hard to estimate."
'So, there's nothing here that can help me?'
At that moment, something like a thread snapped in my mind, and Auril Gavis continued.
"But judging how records are written, this must also be one event."
In other words, it's not that one person dies after another over time, but that three die during one 'incident.'
I gritted my teeth and asked.
"…Do you know who those three are?"
This was a question I debated hundreds or thousands of times whether to ask. But as if he knew my thoughts, the old man answered easily.
"I don't know."
No excuses, no explanations. Just "I don't know." Somehow, that made me both angry and relieved. If those names were known, I would have gone mad.
"You seem conflicted. Are your comrades that important to you?"
"…Don't poke me. I'm really at my limit."
"Then so be it."
Showing superhuman patience, Auril Gavis said no more, and silence stretched out.
My heart still pounded even after some time passed, and the strength in my toes wouldn't release. But…
'Information.'
Somewhat my reason returned.
"Elder."
"Looks like you're coming to your senses."
After all, what is recorded is something I can't immediately change.
"Why did you show me this?"
I judged this was the first thing to find out. This old man, who specializes in toying with people, wouldn't have shown it without reason.
"Reason… Honestly, it's close to whimsy. If you had left as you were and not asked where this place was, I wouldn't have shown it."
"..."
"But you look like you don't believe me?"
Of course I wouldn't. Even if I hadn't left, I'd suspect some dark scheme behind this. But…
"You're clearly the former."
"…?"
"You said you preferred the latter earlier, but that was only because you wanted to be that person. You are actually the former."
At first, I didn't understand, but soon it clicked. ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ It was a continuation of the Zen koan: a lie you want to believe and a truth you want to disbelieve.
"I hope my word about whimsy is a lie, but it's certainly true."
Though it sounded like a forced logic to confuse the point, I had no sharp rebuttal. Yet I still looked for distance.
"Still, I don't disappoint you. If you ask a hundred people, all will choose 'truth,' but in reality, when faced with the situation, it reverses…"
"..."
"Isn't that right, Bjorn Yandel… or rather, Lee Hansoo?"
Damn, no words. I gave up trying to win this old man with words.
"…Alright. I only started this talk for no reason. I wasn't aiming for anything."
Saying it resignedly, Auril Gavis gazed sadly at the Record Fragments scattered like a galaxy in midair.
"I don't know how you see me, but I'm no monster. And as Baekho said, I'm not omnipotent…"
"..."
"I'm just an ordinary human, struggling and suffering hard for one thing. Just like you."
Well, sorry to be blunt, but no matter how much he says that, he just looks like a crazy old man to me. No need to ruin the mood.
"…Since I'm here, can I see something else too?"
"Your comrades must be waiting outside. Is that alright?"
"…Comrades?"
They're just 'companions' enough.
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
-x-X-x-
"Hmm, in that case, I'll show you just one more. But what to show… Ah, this time, why don't you pick one yourself?"
Auril Gavis's suggestion wasn't bad. Unlike before, he didn't pick one for me but let me choose, which meant I could avoid any trickery.
"..."
I hesitated for a long time, and seeing my frustration, he added beside me:
"What's there to worry about? No matter what you choose, it'll be your fate anyway."
"If that's so, then why breathe or think at all?"
Though I snapped back, after hearing him, I felt it pointless to agonize over such things. So…
"That one there. Give me that solid, inverted-triangle-shaped one."
I picked the biggest fragment I could see, thinking the larger it was, the more it would contain.
I wondered if he memorized all the fragments' records.
"Hmm… of all things, you chose that one."
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"No, not a problem exactly… but, well, if this is your fate, it's fate."
Auril Gavis asked again if I really wanted to see it, and after a moment of thought, I said yes. Whoosh!
The fragment slowly descended toward his outstretched hand. Soon it was close enough to see the text.
But had I made a wrong choice? 'Why are there so many empty spots?' Though it looked biggest, many parts were broken or worn, so only a few letters were legible.
Still, reading the intact parts gave:
"[…On the day Noni burned, this… demon spirit '———' was betrayed by trusted comrades…]"
The symbol that represented the name matched what I'd seen earlier.
So '———' meant me…
"On the day Hwangdo Karnon burned… betrayed by trusted comrades…?"
Filling the unreadable parts by context, that was the gist.
"Did I interpret that correctly?"
"Interpretation is always up to the reader at any moment."
"Ha, tsk…"
Had I been foolish to say I'd look? My already complicated head grew more so. Some accident caused three comrades to die.
Whether after or before, one comrade betrayed me. Knowing an unchangeable future is a curse, not a blessing.
"Interesting."
"…Are you enjoying my suffering?"
"More than that, it's strange that among so many fragments, you chose the one with you in it. That's the power of fate, I suppose."
Auril Gavis's "interesting" wasn't empty praise; he even asked if I wanted to see one more fragment.
But…
"No, I'm good. I don't want my head to hurt more."
"Hmm, if you say so, so be it. I won't /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ offer more."
Thus the Record Stone tour ended, and we descended the stairs back to the cave quietly.
"So, shall we leave now?"
"Yes, even leaving late like this, Ibaekho will make a fuss."
"That guy's like you, wanting to know everything."
"Weren't you the one telling me not to be close to him?"
"That advice still stands. Being close to Ibaekho brings no good."
"Is that from your perspective, or the elder's?"
"Both."
Talking with this old man for a long time felt pointless again. I never knew if what he said was true or false, making it worse.
Though many words were exchanged, nothing felt trustworthy.
"Since we're on the topic, one more thing."
"Go ahead."
"Be careful with Ibaekho."
"…Didn't you say that before?"
I tilted my head, and Auril Gavis continued as if to make sure I heard it.
"I said he's a supporting role, but Ibaekho is a very unusual existence. See those?"
He pointed at the hundreds of fragments slowly orbiting the air.
"I've seen many records here, but none mention Ibaekho."
"…?"
"That's very strange. Someone with so much influence and closely connected to you not appearing in any record."
If that's true, it's definitely odd. Could Ibaekho be hiding a secret we don't know?
I don't know, but Auril Gavis said again:
"So be cautious of Ibaekho. Not appearing in the 'records' means he is freer from them. He's not without influence, but at least less than us."
"Don't worry too much; he's already on alert."
"That's good."
"We'll meet again someday, won't we?"
"That's fate."
"Well then, I'll be going. Let's hope it's not too late next time."
"I hope so too."
With that, Auril Gavis watched me silently. I didn't say anything either, just glanced him up and down once more, nodded, and stepped into the portal.
And then…
"Oh! You're back!"
"Thank goodness! I was worried!"
"What? Why so late? Baron! You talked to that old man, didn't you? Huh?"
Opening my eyes after the portal, I heard many voices all around. Ibaekho, Leg Auress, Jaina Flyer, Belvev Ruin Genesis, Yulben Havelion.
The fact that all but me were demon spirits was one thing. Including me, the group totaled six.
"What's with that look? I just felt a chill."
Ignoring Ibaekho's fuss, I recalled the record I'd read.
Suddenly, a thought struck me like lightning.
[A demon spirit from another world '———' lost three comrades and only then realized the path he must take.]
The three unnamed comrades.
"You all, become my comrades."
It might just be a wild idea, but since the record said "three comrades,"
'If I make them my comrades and travel together every day… maybe those three will die and it will pass.'
It sounds crazy at first, but logically there's nothing wrong.
Still, whether that will really happen remains a question. But what else can I do? I have to try as far as I can.
"Comrades… huh?"
My suggestion probably sounded confusing. Everyone froze without blinking at my sudden idea. Ibaekho's expression was priceless.
"Wow, now I'm even more curious. What did you hear from that old man to suddenly say that?"
His stunned look faded, replaced by sharp eyes glaring at me. I realized I'd rushed.
Even with comrades' lives at stake, I should have proceeded carefully step by step.
"Baron, what did you talk about with that old man?"
"…Not much."
"Come on, who'd believe that? Nothing happened but you changed like that?"
"We just kept traveling together, and I thought it'd be reassuring if you joined us in the labyrinth."
Of course, it was a lie. The labyrinth was the one place where you must watch your back the most. How could I go in with these guys?
They hid knives even when facing each other alone. If I joined, it'd be chaos.
"Hmm… but what about your clan if you travel with us?"
Ibaekho probed, clearly not believing my claim of no hidden agenda, but willing to listen for now.
"Well, that's something to think about later. Besides, you haven't agreed yet."
I dodged naturally as if I hadn't given it much thought. But…
"Oh! Baron Yandel the Giant wants to be our comrade? We really have to think seriously now?"
Ibaekho muttered in a tone like reading a textbook. Obviously mocking me, except for one person.
"Uh… Baekho…? If the Baron joins the team, I might get edged out…"
That's the tank of Ibaekho's team, Leg Auress. He still had the instinct to protect his role. If only he had a bit more tact, it'd be better.
"Aures… please just stay quiet…"
"W-why should I? My position's being threatened—!"
Jaina's quiet attempt to calm him failed, and Ibaekho snapped irritably.
"No, that's not it! Just be quiet! You wanna get kicked out for real?"
"...."
"Ah, seriously annoying."
Ibaekho sighed deeply, deflated by Aures's inability to read the mood. The textbook tone was long gone.
"Hey, Baron."
"I'm listening."
"Do you know what explorers are best at?"
He gave me a look asking what that was. Ibaekho stared and opened his mouth.
"Figuring things out."
"...?"
"Whether I'm at an advantage or disadvantage, if they're strong or I'm stronger."
My heart thumped! Without hearing more, a bad feeling started. As expected, bad feelings never miss.
"You have to know that to do it right."
"…Know what?"
"Know what you already know."
After saying that, Ibaekho gestured, and Parmel Harbae, Leg Auress, and Jaina gathered by his side.
And then…
"Hey, are you just gonna stand there?"
He said bluntly to GM.
"If you do, you'll catch stray fire and die."
The threat was so intense it sent chills down my spine. GM froze and glanced between Ibaekho and me, tension deepening.
Of course, as 'human,' GM didn't take long to choose. Facing those four with just a tank and a mage was almost impossible.
"S-sorry…"
Still feeling some guilt, GM apologized to me and hurried toward Ibaekho. I didn't feel betrayed.
After all, that guy and I weren't really comrades. I silently raised my shield, ready for combat at any moment.
Watching me, Ibaekho said:
"Don't be too upset. Honestly, I'm more upset."
"Why's that?"
"Because it's obvious you talked to that old man. I don't know what about, but I have to hear."
"..."
"Even if I have to use explorer's methods."
What does he think explorers are? While thinking that, I realized I agreed with him.
If you're weak, you'll end up feeling wronged. That's just how this world works, like paying money to buy something.
Step by step, Ibaekho approached ready to strike. But he didn't back down even a step. That's right.
'Running away is impossible.'
If I ran, where would I go? With this clumsy body, I'd be caught soon enough.
Maybe my resolve surprised him.
"Wow, you're not backing down here either?"
Ibaekho muttered, a bit surprised, but I saw no reason to be.
After all, a shield is made to block attacks from the front, not the back.
"Do you think I can't kill you?"
Well, I hadn't exactly ruled that out. Ibaekho wants me to open the Abyss Gate. He can never kill me. But…
"What to do? Even if I can't kill him, I already have dozens of ways to make him miserable."
That doesn't mean I'd ignore him. Like he said, there are countless ways to torment me without killing me.
No need to go as far as Briat's 'interrogation.'
"For example, take all his gear. Or neuter him so he won't be distracted by women anymore."
Ah, um… neutering wasn't expected.
"..."
Damn, should I just say it all honestly?
"Or threaten to kill all your comrades when we get back—"
"No way."
"Behe—laaaaaaah!!!"
I shouted to steady my weakening heart.
"What are you barking about?"
Ibaekho is a wild dog. A wild dog that tears apart the weak without leaving a scrap. So…
"Shut up and fight."
This is no place to back down.***
Maybe he thought talking more here would only make him look like a noisy dog. Ibaekho closed his mouth, and silence fell.
"..."
"..."
-x-X-x-
Silence stretched as the standoff continued. Had Ibaekho finished sorting out his thoughts during that time?
"I thought maybe you had some backup to act this aggressively… Well, either way's fine. We'll see once it starts."
"..."
"Let's start by taking off our Baron's clothes."
"...?"
"That way we can neuter him or whatever else."
With that, Ibaekho's figure vanished before my eyes.
"...!"
His movement was too fast for my agility to chase. Yet the warrior's instinct born from countless hardships caught his attack, raising my shield. But…
"PVP? Think that'll work?"
No impact was felt on the shield where I anticipated the punch's path.
"Damage blocking only works—"
Unexpectedly, the real impact came from behind.
"Only when you block with your shield, huh?"
KA-BOOM! The shock was like being hit by siege weaponry. Without a chance to cry out, even using [Giant Form], my body was pushed backward.
Then… '…Huh?' As I regained senses, a heavy blow struck my jaw, and my body tilted back again.
What was that? An uppercut? I couldn't tell how it happened from that angle, but one thing was certain — this time, damage landed properly.
Enough to make me want to vomit everything inside.
"Ugh…"
"Cool, huh? When I hit like this, it feels like damage doubles. Oh, by the way, this is an extra effect not in the game… Hup!"
Trying to regain posture, I swung the Demon Crusher, but Ibaekho jumped with frustrating agility to evade.
"Oh, looks like you're ready."
Suddenly, as Ibaekho stepped back to create distance—
"No hard feelings."
When I looked up dazed, the surroundings glowed red. Slowly raising my head, a huge sphere reminiscent of the sun was falling.
Whooosh! A sphere covered in ominously deep red magic. Unfortunately, it was even bigger than my shield in [Giant Form].
At least ten times larger. 'Perfect guard is impossible.' As soon as I made this quick judgment, I raised my shield to block the sky and activated Dragon Mode.
「Character used [Scales of Greed].」
「Character's magic resistance is over 500.」
「All magic damage taken is reduced by 50%.」
Bellarios's active skill on the invincible barbarian (final form) that handles 'magic resistance.'
No sooner had I used the skill, a brilliant light engulfed my entire body, swallowing even the noise. And then… shiiiiiish!
Smoke rose like opening the lid on a boiling pot, from the scales covering my skin. Hot, stinging, burning. But…
"Wow, even after that hit, not a scratch."
No critical injury was sustained — after all, my shield blocked all vital areas.
"Our Baron really became a monster."
After briefly marveling at my intact stance, Ibaekho closed the gap again, buzzing attacks like a fly.
Bam! Bam! Heavy jabs fired continuously. KA-BOOM! Interspersed with powerful strikes.
Swoosh! Parmel Harbae's curse magic and Jaina's debuffs covered me. Whooosh!
Harbae's magic, which my shield couldn't block, struck intermittently. But… bam! Ibaekho, who usually beat me like a dog, tilted his head in confusion.
"What? Your neck won't even turn now?"
That's because Shield Barbarian gets tougher the more he's hit.
「Physical resistance rises proportionally to absorbed magic damage.」
How many magic hits have I taken so far?
「Character's physical resistance exceeds 750.」
「All physical damage is reduced by half.」
Not only is [Evolved Shell] Stage 3 active…
「Character cast [Iron Fortress].」
「[Evolved Shell] effect increased by 1.5 times.」
I'm about to use that too.
Thunk! Compared to before, the normal attacks felt like mere tickles. This was why I could stay confident even 4:1.
'They can't use ultimates here anyway.' Like [Star's Demise] or that 'thing' used on Briat in the Golden Ruins.
As long as allies are nearby, using those is risky. Conversely, if no allies were around, I could use them without hesitation…
"This should ease your worries. Baron, you ready to go all out? Hey! Everyone, back off!"
In some ways, this resembled how Ibaekho smartly fought by knowing my shield's traits earlier. 'Do they think I'm a dumb monster?'
I'd never wait, knowing everything, for him to create distance.
"Behe—laaaaaaaah!!"
With a battle cry, I charged at the rear line. After being pummeled all day, it was time.
"Aures!!"
It's time to catch at least one. As I rushed in, Leg Auress raised his shield to block.
Tank vs. tank. Normally, they couldn't deal critical damage to each other, making it a stalemate…
"Don't worry! I'll protect Lord Ruin Genesis—."
What's he saying? Does he think I'm a pure tank? No. 87 Crowl's Demon Crusher. No. 687 Siege Slayer. And Ogre's [Swing].
These are now basically normal attacks since I recently got ultimates. 「Character used [Aegis Dragon Armor].」
After being hit by Ibaekho's attacks and Harbae's magic, the damage I'd accumulated: 「Reflecting accumulated damage.」 That's enough.
No. ???? Aegis Dragon Armor. The active effect is quite flashy. Actually…
'It always makes my chest swell with pride.' It has a more 'overwhelming' effect than any ability or equipment I have.
Like this: swoooooosh! Behind me, the summoned soul warrior swings a massive greatsword that looks like it could tear down castle walls.
The target: Parmel Harbae, Ruin Genesis. If only the priest Jaina were out of the way, the fight would be much more manageable.
But the problem is the gatekeeper Leg Auress in front. 'Hmm, not really a problem?'
Indeed, what happened next matched my expectations.
Leg Auress stood with a gigantic shield before Harbae, a thick magical barrier layered dozens deep forming over him.
'A tank protecting a mage, and a mage casting spells to protect that tank…'
It sounds romantic, but…
'They're a pain in the ass.' Nothing changes no matter what.
No matter how they combined power, how could they stop me? They couldn't even stop me properly during the experiment. Crackle crackle crackle!
The magical barrier of the top-tier mage tore like paper. One layer, two, three, four… No matter how many layers, it was meaningless.
That ruthless warrior's greatsword didn't discriminate at all. Crackle crackle crackle!
Swinging wildly, the greatsword finally shattered the last magical barrier and sent flying even Leg Auress, the final wall.
"Gahk!"
Okay, tank down. Bam! Ibaekho hammered normal attacks from behind, but I could just ignore them.
'GM is watching…'
Since sacrifices can't be made outside the walls, even the priest has no real way to stop me.
Now my job is to finish off Parmel Harbae, who has used all his defensive spells…
"…Huh?"
Then an unexpected variable burst out, surprisingly positive for me at first though I didn't realize it right away.
"Why… won't it disappear?"
The soul warrior summoned by Aegis Dragon Armor didn't vanish after striking once. No, it even retracted its greatsword and prepared to strike again. Strangely, those brief moments felt like slow motion.
"Uh…?"
Ibaekho's stunned face forgot to guard me.
"…!"
Jaina looked worried. GM wide-eyed watching. And…
"This is troubling."
Parmel Harbae urgently began casting. As my senses flooded with real-time info, I instinctively understood what happened.
[Stacks build as you take hits, and physical damage scales with stacks.]
Due to experimental limits, we'd only seen up to Stage 4 of Aegis Dragon Armor's effect. So we didn't know how many stages there really were.
But…
「Accumulated damage exceeded a threshold.」
「Effect triggered again.」
A double activation.
'Is there another added effect at a higher stage?' It was a reasonable guess, but I didn't want to get my hopes up.
This alone was enough. 'Aegis Dragon Armor' deserves single-number ranking.
KRAAAASH! Time accelerated and the soul warrior's greatsword charged at Harbae. And then—
"…La Abiestuka Bieran."
Just as the chant finished, a dark crimson veil enveloped Harbae in a sphere.
The veil rippled ominously, far too sinister to be a protective shield.
'I've never seen this before.' It looked like one of Harbae's hidden trump cards. I'd soon find out its power—
"…Huh?"
Watching carefully, my eyes went wide. I hadn't expected this at all.
If the shield broke or the greatsword bounced off, that wouldn't be surprising. But… whoooosh!
The greatsword disappeared as soon as it touched the veil. More precisely, it felt swallowed whole.
Like that sphere was a portal to another world. 'Isn't that basically invincibility…?'
Given the very short casting time, it seemed absurdly powerful.
Still, I decided not to feel unfair. Just like I scammed with Aegis Dragon Armor, this old man likely had a trump card too.
'Besides, it probably isn't no-cost.' In our world, strong power always comes with a price. Like Harbae panting now.
"Hoo… hoo…"
Harbae breathed heavily as if using up all his future strength. His white hair was soaked with sweat, clinging to his skin. It looked like he could pass out any moment.
'Have I ever seen him pushed this far before?' I thought. It felt strangely out of place, but this was no time to just watch.
The veil had just disappeared. Thud! I quickened my steps and closed the distance to Harbae.
As I swung the hammer, another unexpected event happened. Whoosh! My hammer cut through empty air.
So absurd, I needed time to process it. '…He dodged?'
Harbae dodged my strike. No matter how low my agility, a mage shouldn't be able to evade like that.
It wasn't luck either. Whoosh! His movements dodging the follow-up attacks were as smooth as a martial arts form, enough to fluster me.
"You didn't know, huh?"
"..."
"Magic developed in warfare. So ancient mages all trained in close combat. To protect themselves in melee."
Damn it. If mages do martial arts too, what are we supposed to do for a living? Thinking that, I tried closing the gap more.
Step step. Instead of creating distance, Harbae approached me, reaching out. Then… thud. His hand lightly touched my stomach. Boom!
An explosive shock surged inside. No incantation or large magic flow was felt.
"Gahk!"
What the hell was that? Penetrating my magic resistance in Dragon Mode? '…That easily?' I was stunned but quickly grasped the situation.
I had known this 'technique' but forgotten it over time.
[You might know this. You were temporarily untouchable. I connected the circuit, completing the spell through your body.]
[Ah, so that's why your magic resistance didn't work.] Though I don't understand the exact principle.
The important part: Harbae ignored my magic resistance and dealt damage in close combat with Ibaekho.
"Okay, a mage in melee isn't so easy after all." Blood trickled down my throat, but it wasn't a serious injury.
I judged I needed some time to regroup and created distance.
'A bit disappointing not to have finished one on the first turn…' But there was no rush. I'd at least incapacitated Leg Auress.
"Aures…!"
He seemed alive and likely to be healed soon.
'I should have taken down at least one at the start.' The situation wasn't good. Ibaekho paused his attacks and spoke to me.
"You saw, right? No matter how much you struggle, it's useless."
He was cocky but it wasn't over yet.
"So just stop here, yeah? Just say it. What did you talk about with that old man? You don't have to tell anyone else, just me. Then we'll end this, okay?"
I smiled at Ibaekho's arrogance.
"Getting long-winded…"
"...?"
"Getting tired, huh?"
I wasn't tired yet.
「Character cast [N O V E L I G H T] [Soul Dive].」
「Soul power regenerates proportional to soul consumed.」
Whether street fight, ring battle, jungle, ocean, or other worlds, one truth never changes.
"Behe—laaaaaaaah!!"
In the end, the one who stands till the last wins.*** One minute, two, three… The battle continued. Ten, twenty, thirty minutes… Rolling on the ground, coughing blood. One, two, three hours…
Fainting, waking in burning agony. Four hours. Maybe even longer.
Time passed slow like a teenager but also too fast.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
Hot breaths came from everywhere, not just me.
"Baron… maybe it's enough now…?"
Leg Auress, who'd left and returned several times, guarded Harbae and pleaded earnestly.
"Even you have limits…"
Usually, the one who says that first is closest to their limit. Jaina added from afar.
"…Monster."
A short murmur, as if thoroughly fed up.
"Ah ha… huh…"
Ibaekho, still sweating beads, wiped his brow and spoke.
"You definitely had some backup to believe in. Didn't expect it to be yourself, though."
He kept grinning like it was fun.
"Looks like it wasn't that far off."
Apparently, he liked how strong I'd become.
-x-X-x-
"It's unfortunate that control has become harder… but our Baron has such clear weaknesses."
Maybe I'm used to hearing this now. Even hearing that doesn't really make me angry. Besides, it's not like I hear it clearly. Thump thump thump thump—!
The pounding of my heart fills my eardrums. My vision blurred, soaked with blood and sweat. Skin burning as if roasted by fire.
"Krhhhhh…"
I laughed foolishly, focusing only on these sensations. It wasn't laughter from amusement—it was just laughter that came out.
"That's what Pebrosk wrote in his book. They say warriors laugh when they're in pain…"
Parmel Harbae's words made Ibaekho tilt his head.
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
"How would I know?" Ibaekho sneered, spitting blood-tinged saliva.
"Anyway, that means our Baron is dying from exhaustion, right?"
The resolve in Ibaekho's eyes said he'd never back down. That was bad news for me.
Damn, I feel like I won't even have the strength to stand soon…
"Krhhhhh…"
Well, what can I do? I'll try as long as I can. Sometimes you need guts to charge forward, even knowing the outcome.
"Hey, old man. Ready?"
"Aah, it's over."
"Then let's start wrapping this up."
I didn't know what preparation he meant, but it seemed he'd come up with some secret trump card without me knowing. Swish—!
A huge magic circle formed around Parmel Harbae where he stood. It was obviously serious.
For the first time in a long while, a faint weak feeling arose. 'If I can't block it, I better dodge immediately…' I forced my eyes open and looked ahead.
Crack! Like a watermelon bursting, the magic circle on the ground lost its glow. What the hell was going on?
I quickly shifted my gaze and saw two things.
"…!"
Parmel Harbae flying through the air as if struck by something. And…
「Amelia Rainwails cast [Asura's Fang].」
What? How is she here? Was I hallucinating from exhaustion? Just then Amelia spoke, looking at Ibaekho, not me.
"Leader, should we just kill all of these guys?"
I blankly nodded.
"Yeah."
I nodded without realizing it, but it would be a lie to say I wasn't surprised.
Amelia Rainwails. My real ally who should have been inside the walls. I was worried sick since she hadn't returned and barely spoke for months…
While glad, I wondered how she got here. 'Maybe she came looking for me because I didn't come back…'
Yeah, if it was Amelia, she probably did. I trusted her more than anyone in that regard.
"Kill them? You alone against all of us?"
Ibaekho, pretending to be surprised by Amelia's appearance, quickly regained composure and sneered.
"Aures! You protect the old man! I'll handle this one!"
"Got it!"
Leg Auress ran toward Parmel Harbae on Ibaekho's order. Amelia just smirked watching them.
"I don't think I ever said that."
"..."
"Alone."
At that moment, everyone's eyes turned toward the cave entrance hidden by the teleportation magic circle. Suddenly—! A flash of light shot from the dark cave.
It wasn't a normal iron arrow, but light—specifically 'Spirit Arrows' fired with elemental power. Whoosh! No need to check who it was.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia cast [Burst].」
The arrow flew too fast to follow with the eyes, aimed at the groggy Parmel Harbae. Thud.
Aures rushed to shield the arrow desperately. Then—KA-BOOM!
The arrow exploded, tearing into the flesh of his left arm. Bits of flesh and blood scattered as if exploding from inside.
"So the elf's here too?"
It was like time paused. Everyone stopped moving. Step by step, my allies slowly appeared from the cave entrance.
"Velbev Ruin Genesis…"
Erwen's eyes burned with malice.
"Byorooooon!! Should we just wipe all these bastards out?"
Ainar was totally hyped up.
"Calm down. They're not easy opponents."
Bersil wore a tense expression… and Misha gave a worried look at the wounded Auyan. 'Auyan's here too.' And the members didn't stop there.
"That one's nowhere to be seen. I heard there's a skilled archer."
"This is outside the walls…"
"But thank goodness. We found our missing leader as soon as we came out."
"Yes. It seemed like an urgent situation too."
Not just the founding members of Anabada Clan, but elite recent recruits like James Carra, Sven Parav, Meland Kaislan, and Lilis Marone who joined through the Ice Rock expedition.
'Looking at it this way, our clan really has grown a lot…'
Enough in numbers to completely turn the tide. While a sense of relief bloomed deep inside, irritation filled Ibaekho's eyes.
"…They came in a whole mob?"
I recognized it immediately. Experienced explorers do this naturally as breathing. Just as Ibaekho said before.
"Yulben Havelion."
To confirm 'that thing' more clearly, I called out the opportunist's name who stayed in the bystander position.
"…Yes?"
Maybe because he's a mage, why does he look so dazed? The situation had changed 180 degrees.
"You're just gonna stay there?"
"..."
"You might get hit and die."
"Ah… yes…!"
Hearing Ibaekho's exact words again, GM snapped to attention and rushed over. 'This guy is really funny.'
He acted all innocent with Auril Gavis and clingy to Ibaekho before. Completely a sly fox. 'Well, it's natural for him.'
Actually, neither I nor Ibaekho are really GM's allies.
To put it simply, GM clinging here and there doesn't make me feel betrayed…
"…I'm sorry."
"Enough, get lost already."
"Yes…"
Ibaekho didn't stop GM. Or rather, he didn't dare to.
"Wow, with this lineup… we could probably go toe-to-toe with Orculus."
He tried to sound casual, but I could ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) clearly see that Ibaekho was deeply unsettled by this unexpected turn.
'Well, no wonder.' Parmel Harbae, who was knocked away by Amelia's kick, couldn't even keep his balance.
"..."
Leg Auress had lost an arm. The healer Jaina barely had MP left…
"We need to heal them soon…"
"I'm fine. Don't provoke them."
"..."
Cornered like this, no one dared even think about healing.
"Hahaha… this is getting difficult…"
"..."
"Baron, shall we call it a draw…?"
What the hell is this crazy guy saying? I chuckled dumbfounded and lowered my gaze toward one of Ibaekho's limbs.
"Neutering, right?"
"Um… Baron?"
"Well, with this hammer, we'll manage somehow."
"How about trying to resolve it by talking first…?"
Ignoring whatever she said, I stepped forward. Ibaekho clicked his tongue and sighed as if the earth might collapse.
"Hah… why does nothing ever go my way? How do they show up at this timing?"
Honestly, I'd be annoyed too. This was outside the walls, after all. I admit I was lucky. But…
'Looking at him, it doesn't seem like just luck.' Watching Ibaekho's team's internal state, I thought—
If Ibaekho were in my situation, would any allies have come to look for him outside the walls? 'Probably none.'
Thinking that, this moment no longer felt like mere luck. I couldn't stress this enough.
"Byoooooorn!! When the hell is the fight starting!?"
Zero and one are different.*** Ibaekho's team, now cornered. I don't think I can take down Ibaekho here either.
'If he decided to run, I'd never catch him.' But still, this is a chance.
Leg Auress, Jaina Flyer, and the others Ibaekho raised and trained. Putting them aside for now.
"My sister's enemy…"
I took another step, and Ibaekho grinned low and spoke.
"Haha, Baron? Stop coming closer, let's talk for a bit."
Step.
"No, I'm not listening. I'm not even curious anymore about what you did with that old man."
Step.
"Oh, really… okay! Settlement money! Normally you settle with money at times like this, right? How much do you want? I'll meet you halfway!"
Step.
"…Do we really have to see blood between us? Huh?"
Step. Ignoring him, I kept walking, and Ibaekho's expression stiffened. Step. He no longer spoke with each step I took.
Step. Only when I stood before him, he muttered quietly, as if his previous posture was all a lie.
"Baron."
"..."
"Are you really planning to go all the way with me?"
In his most familiar threatening tone, Ibaekho spoke.
"Whether you want to or not, the rest will die."
No detailed explanation was given, but it was clear what he meant. [Star's Demise], Ibaekho's strongest ultimate.
He planned to use it like a modern nuclear weapon. A kind of chicken game?
If he took everyone down, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I'm not alone here.
"..."
At a loss for words, Ibaekho curled his lips into a vicious smile.
"I knew it. What a weak heart you have. Doesn't suit your looks."
Ibaekho repeated this several times but my weak spot and trigger couldn't be fixed. Step. He took a step toward me as he said it.
"Baron, I'll give you just one piece of advice."
I don't know why everyone's so eager to advise me.
"A man with something to lose can never beat me."
Ibaekho looked me in the eyes honestly.
"I can give up everything."
"..."
"For the one thing I desperately want."
If it were someone else, I might have said something. But since it was Ibaekho, I couldn't say a word. He would really do it.
Parmel Harbae, Jaina, Leg Auress — none of them would flinch if others died for their goals. So…
"...!"
Fearlessly stepping right in front of the powerhouse, I reached out and grabbed his collar. Squeezing tight—! Despite being grabbed, Ibaekho looked calm.
He seemed to truly believe I couldn't hurt him here…
"Try."
"...?"
"Try anything."
Ibaekho frowned, not understanding my words. What's there not to understand about what I just said? This guy clearly misunderstands me.
Losing something precious is naturally scary and painful. Just thinking about it squeezes your chest and drives you mad. But that's why—CRACK!
I pulled his collar closer and headbutted him.
The chilling sound echoed far, but Ibaekho didn't even groan, instead asking back.
"…What do you mean?"
Huh, does he really not get it? How dumb must he think I am? CRACK! Getting a little annoyed, I headbutted him again.
"…Are you seriously saying 'try me'?"
No, I already said that before. CRACK!!! A much more chilling sound, blood dripping from Ibaekho's forehead.
"Even if all your precious comrades die, you don't care at all?"