Unlike the cozy wardrobe, the street was soaked with death flags, heavy with an ominous chill.
Through that, he ran. And ran again.
Riris Marone.
The woman whose name he still didn't know.
And even the child, quietly enduring without crying in the midst of all this.
Three people in total, carried on his back.
Tatadadat—
As he ran, his head didn't empty—just filled with all sorts of thoughts.
Surprisingly petty, trivial ones.
Running was awkward with both hands tied up.
His back felt stiff from crouching in the wardrobe for so long.
He craved strawberries—ones straight out of the fridge, cold and sweet.
Why didn't the Goddess ever grant movement-related abilities to her paladins?
'…If only I had [Giant Form].'
Then he could've seated all three on his shoulders and dashed with ease.
There were definitely a lot of strange abilities among Essences, weren't there?
The envy flared up again—but what could he do?
Religious users of 'Divine Power' couldn't carve Essences into their souls like mages.
'…How does that even work?'
The church said it was because their souls belonged to the Goddess and thus couldn't bear other imprints.
But who could possibly believe such—
"…Everyone quiet."
Sven Parab whispered, coming to a halt.
Then he swiftly tucked himself into the gap between buildings.
The situation was simple.
They were now less than five minutes from the eastern fire zone.
"It looks like the Royal Army and Noark forces are fighting."
"How about finding another path? Maybe if we take a detour, it'll be safer?"
"To reach the eastern branch the lady mentioned, cutting through there is the fastest route."
A detour would take at least three times longer—and with fire all around, there was no guarantee they'd even find a proper path.
"Neither side seems to have the upper hand yet. Why don't we use this gap to break through quickly?"
After hearing Riris Marone's words, Sven Parab hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes. It's a bit dangerous, but all things considered, it's probably the safest option."
And that's how the decision was made after their quick discussion.
Fwoo…
Sven Parab took a deep breath, then stepped out of the alley and charged toward the battlefield in full swing.
Both of his hands were still occupied with the people he carried.
"Please take care of it…!"
Thus, all defense was left to Riris Marone. It was nerve-wracking to entrust their fate to someone else, but there was no other way.
He considered just shutting his eyes and charging ahead…
'But really, would that be okay?'
In the end, Sven Parab kept his eyes wide open as he plunged into the battlefield where hot wind and blood surged.
"…Who are they?"
"Are they enemies?"
At first, both sides were too confused by the sudden appearance to attack, unable to tell if they were friend or foe.
But that confusion didn't last long.
"Riris Marone!"
"Sven Parab!"
"They're with Yandel!"
"Kill them!"
Noark forces recognized them and opened fire, while the Royal Army rushed in to support them.
With fervor.
"They're Yandel's allies! The royal family must be up to something! Kill them here and now!"
"…If they're coming at us that obsessively, there must be a good reason! All forces, protect them with everything you've got!"
They had planned to slip through the chaos—but this wasn't the scenario they expected at all.
Still…
'Guess it balances out either way.'
So there was no need to worry too deeply.
He just focused on carving a path forward.
Kwaaaang—!
"Aaargh!"
Pook—!
A Royal Mage intercepted incoming spells.
A soldier deflected a blade that had been aiming for his gut.
Other attacks that couldn't be stopped were barely blocked by Riris Marone's mana barrier.
It all happened in a blur of near-death moments.
But—
Fwooooosh—!
In the end, they broke through the battle and reached the burning eastern zone.
Even then, people behind them were still fighting—some to kill, others to protect.
But oh well. They probably wouldn't chase them into the fire.
[Sven Parab has cast Prayer of Protection.]
Sven Parab executed the plan and cast a divine spell.
All four people, linked by Marone's magic, immediately saw a thick veil of energy coat their skin.
Then, they entered the flames.
"…Huh?"
"Why are they going in there…?"
Both enemies and allies mumbled, dazed.
Fwoooosh—!
Within moments, Sven was sprinting through the fire.
It was hard to see through the smoke and flames, but the path was a straight line—no problem.
How much time passed like that?
"There! Over there!"
Off in the distance, the eastern branch of the Church of Reatlas came into view.
To Sven Parab, the small shrine was unmistakable, a familiar statue of the Goddess standing at the entrance.
Perhaps the woman's husband really had been an explorer—because the shrine, unlike the burning ruins around it, was perfectly intact.
Shhhhhaaaaa—!
The flames couldn't touch it, blocked by a dimly glowing, translucent barrier.
Sven stepped into the barrier and pushed the front door.
It wasn't locked—it opened smoothly.
But to his surprise…
"…Wh-Who are you?"
There were people inside the shrine.
Quite a lot, in fact.
"How did you get through those flames…?"
"They don't look like Noark people…"
"…Stay close behind me."
As he entered, wary refugees pulled back and eyed him with suspicion.
'One, two, three, four, five, six…'
Thirty-seven people in total.
Of course, it wasn't too strange that some had managed to flee here from the war and fire.
They themselves had come because it was supposedly safe.
But the problem was…
"Mom…"
"It's… it's okay… we'll be fine…"
Sven Parab felt it instantly.
Thump—
This place wasn't safe either.
***
"Hmm? Ah! If you're looking for the Chief, I saw him over there, by the forest! He was smashing in the heads of corpses—said some might be playing dead!"
"Is that so? But… isn't this whole area technically forest…?"
"What, were you not listening? Over there! That part of the forest!"
"Um, I'm kind of busy right now, so… would you mind going there and telling Mr. Yandel for me? That we've finished clearing out the enemies inside the Sanctuary, so if he could head this way…"
"Got it!!"
With that, the warrior—probably in his late twenties—bolted back the way he came at full speed.
'How does someone with a face that rough look so genuinely innocent and kind…'
Smiling faintly at the man's retreating figure, Versil Gowland quickly resumed clearing the battlefield.
They had only just finished a single round of fighting, yet there was still far too much left to do.
First, there was the chance that the enemy might try to retake the area—so someone needed to stay posted atop the wall to keep watch.
And then, of course, the mountain of corpses had to be dealt with.
Leave it much longer, and the stench would be unbearable—not to mention the hygiene risk.
"He's one of the Noark scum, right? Just toss him anywhere!"
"I'm telling you, it's hard to tell just by looking!"
"Sigh… fine. Then we'll sort out the Noark ones. You lot just gather up the barbarians."
"Oh, that works!"
Even though no one gave detailed instructions, the work steadily became more efficient as time went on.
The treatment of the bodies, however, was starkly divided.
The remains of allies were respectfully arranged and laid to rest.
The enemy's corpses were flung aside like trash and piled up like a mountain.
"Gowland—no, Deputy Commander. What should we do with the Noark corpses? We've separated out the loot as ordered, and stacked the bodies… but…"
At the subordinate's question, Versil gave a curt answer.
"Burn them all. We're not about to build graves for people whose names we don't even know."
"What about the keepsakes found on the soldiers and explorers? What should we do with those?"
"Set them neatly by the bodies. Once we're mostly done, I'll cast a preservation spell. After identification, we'll return them to the families. Make sure no one touches them."
"…No one here would ever dare, but I'll tell them to be extra careful."
Standing atop the wall, looking down at the scene below, Versil let out a bitter smile.
From up here, the contrast between the corpses was even starker.
And because of that, she was reminded again why they had to win this war—no matter what.
If Noark had won, it would've been the exact opposite—
"Behell—raaaaaaaaah!!"
"Behell—raaaaaaaaah!!"
Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden uproar broke out below.
It was obvious who it was.
"The mightiest warrior on the continent!!!"
"The Guardian of the Sanctuary has returned!!"
There was only one person those warriors would shout about with such reverence.
"The Chief!! It's the Chief!!!"
Leaving the wall's watch duties to the sharp-eyed James Carla, Versil descended.
"Are you really not hurt anywhere, sir? I was seriously worried…"
"I'm fine. I was worried about you too."
"…Really?"
"Hm? Of course."
"Hehe… O-Of course you were… right?"
Elwen, clinging to him like a cicada, chatted away, clearly overjoyed to see him again.
And Yandel, standing there with a tired look in his eyes.
"You've been through a lot."
"Ah, you too. I'm sure it's been a hard position in many ways."
It was a short word of encouragement—but for some reason, she couldn't respond right away.
Because she felt the full weight of the words "a hard position."
It wasn't her first time acting as the clan's deputy commander, but this time had been entirely different.
There was no war back then. The bonds between members hadn't been nearly this tight.
'So this man… he's been doing this kind of thing every day.'
For the first time in a while, she truly felt just how much hardship this seemingly simple-minded barbarian must've endured.
"I want a full report on what's happened."
"Ah, yes."
Versil calmly began recounting everything that had taken place.
But strangely, her explanation kept slipping into emotion.
At times, she found herself grumbling.
At others, her voice trembled with frustration—like a child telling their parents about something bad that happened at school.
"I see."
Once she was done, the barbarian paused to gather his thoughts, then gave orders as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Versil. Gather all the clan members. I have something to say."
Strangely, those words filled her with a deep sense of relief.
An unusual feeling, given her proactive nature.
To follow someone else's orders, to leave the responsibility behind—was it always this comforting?
"I'll gather them right away."
She obeyed without a word.
The question came afterward.
"But… what are you planning to say to them?"
"I'm just going to ask if they want to come fight with me. I heard they're pretty skilled?"
"Their skills… yes… But I think they'd rather stay here where it's safe."
Versil spoke carefully, but the barbarian smiled, as if saying there was no need to worry.
"Oh, that? Don't worry about that."
Then, as if encouraging her, he patted her shoulder and stepped out in front of the others.
"Nice to meet you all. I heard you've been staying in the Sanctuary with our deputy commander while I ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) was away?"
"Y-Yes… thank you, Baron Yandel."
"Yes, you should be thankful. That's what people do."
He made no mention of having risked his life defending the Sanctuary.
Only the grace they'd received.
And then he continued.
"The reason I called you all here is simple."
"What is it?"
"Oh, it's nothing big. I'm heading out to fight now, and I was hoping you'd help."
"…You mean us?"
A noble title. The fame of a giant.
Crushed by both, they didn't dare voice it—but their eyes clearly asked: Why should we?
But he was experienced.
"Yes. Or would you prefer to be thrown out of the Sanctuary?"
The kind of threat only a barbarian, free from pretension, could make.
"…Saying we'll be expelled if we don't listen—isn't that a bit much?"
"Rebels have risen up and started a war, and you're thinking only of your own safety? Is that how a proud citizen of Lafdonia should behave?"
"..."
The moment he invoked the royal name, the explorers fell silent—unable to say a word.
But what came next was truly shocking.
"Don't worry too much. This is a chance to earn merit."
"Merit… as in…?"
As soon as the topic turned to gain, their eyes lit up.
"You've been holed up here, so you probably didn't hear—but thanks to my request, the army in District 5 has entered District 7. They're pushing from the north."
"..."
"And I lit fires on the way here, so the eastern front is in chaos. If we hit them now from the south—"
"That would form a pincer attack!"
"Exactly. Why do you think they retreated with so many forces still intact? You really think they backed down just because you knocked down a wall? No—they're panicking from attacks in the rear!"
"Ah…! So that's what was happening…!"
"I was wondering, but now it makes sense!"
He started with the whip—and now came the carrot.
Enthralled, the explorers hung onto his every word.
It didn't take long for them to cave.
"So, I'm about to lead every available fighter out to District 7…"
Versil Gowland's jaw dropped.
The sight before her was simply too hard to believe.
'…Are these even the same people?'
When she was deputy commander, they scrambled for excuses—anything to avoid risking their lives.
Now their eyes sparkled with resolve.
"Anyone still thinking of sitting this out?"
As if the thought of failure had never once crossed his mind.
-x-X-x-
The eastern branch where thirty-seven refugees were gathered. Sven Parab decided to first erase the wariness visible in the eyes of the refugees. It wasn't a particularly difficult task.
"Greetings! My name is Sven Parab. I may not be one now, but I was once an official Holy Knight of the Church of Reatlas, and now I'm active as a member of the Anabada Clan!"
A former Holy Knight of the Church of Reatlas. And a member of the recently most well-known "Anabada" Clan, at least among the general populace.
"…Anabada? That's Baron Yandel's clan!"
"I don't know about that, but if he's a Holy Knight…! Oh god…! What a relief!"
"But how can we be sure he's telling the truth…"
"Hey, quiet…! See that woman beside him? I don't know her name, but I saw her with my own eyes at the victory parade. She was definitely with Baron Yandel!"
"W-We're saved…!"
It didn't take long for the wariness in the refugees' eyes to fade and for relief to rise in its place. But people, once their wariness disappears, tend to become talkative by nature.
"Sir Holy Knight? What's going on outside!"
"Did you happen to see a boy about this tall on your way here?"
"What's going to happen to us now?"
"Did the royal family send you here to rescue us?"
Dozens of refugees opened their mouths all at once, bombarding him with countless questions. The atmosphere turned noisy and chaotic in an instant, but Sven Parab didn't even so much as frown and answered as best he could.
"The outside is still at war. The Royal Army has advanced to District 7, so we'll have to keep watching the situation."
"I'm sorry. I haven't seen a boy like that."
"For now, it seems best to stay here and observe how things develop."
"…Unfortunately, we weren't sent by the royal family to rescue you. We only ended up here while looking for shelter from the war. Just like all of you."
Because of how bluntly honest his answer was, the glimmer of hope in the refugees' eyes dimmed a little. But to him, this was better. There's nothing more cruel than instilling false hope.
"Not sent by the royal family…?"
"Goddamn it!"
"Well, it did seem strange. How would the royal family even know we were here?"
"Even if they did, they wouldn't send anyone. Didn't you see? They dropped firebombs right where we were! The royal family doesn't care whether we live or die!"
Anger quickly filled the space left by diminished hope. But not everyone was like that.
"I'm actually relieved it has nothing to do with the royal family."
"Yeah. If he's Baron Yandel's comrade… we can trust him."
"Yes! I'm really glad the Holy Knight and the mage are with us! We were so anxious being on our own…"
Compared to the furious refugees, these people were overwhelmingly positive. Though it did raise the question—if they were so anxious, why didn't they even lock the front door…?
"H-Haha…"
Sven Parab laughed awkwardly and held back his words. That kind of trivial thing wasn't what mattered right now.
"First, I'd like to assess the situation here—are there any explorers among you?"
Having revealed his identity and naturally taken control of the situation, Sven Parab moved on to assessing their combat strength. But the result he got was less than ideal.
"…"
"…"
When asked if there were any explorers, the refugees only rolled their eyes around. But then, their gazes slowly began to drift toward one direction. As if they had something to say, but were wary of someone watching. When he followed their eyes, a middle-aged man who had been receiving the glances awkwardly turned away and cleared his throat.
"I-I've only entered the Labyrinth a few times in my younger days! I've been retired for ages!"
"I see."
One retired explorer… Was he keeping quiet because he was afraid we'd make him do something dangerous?
"Sir, what do you mean a few times! You told us before you were a big shot back in the day!"
"Ahem, come on now! How could I compare myself to Baron Yandel's comrades?"
"May I ask what your rank was when you retired?"
"That would be… I was rank 7."
"I understand."
Sven Parab slowly nodded. Then, he placed the retired rank-7 explorer in charge of managing the refugees. It seemed more reasonable than using him as combat personnel.
"Just in case, I'd like to build a barricade—can I ask for some help?"
"Tell us what to do, Sir Holy Knight!"
"Then please gather anything that can block the door. Chairs, desks, wardrobes, that sort of thing…"
After that, Sven Parab locked the main door and built a barricade in front of it, completing the minimum preparations.
"Mr. Parab, it's good we built a defense line, but wouldn't this block our escape route if something happens?"
"Then we can escape through the windows, can't we?"
"But all the windows are on the second floor. Maybe we could, but the others wouldn't be able to get out safely. There are elderly people and young children."
"That's…"
At Marone's words, Parab trailed off. He couldn't refute her, but he couldn't agree either—because he had no alternatives. Besides, in the back of his mind, he was already thinking.
If that situation arises, the entire temple area will already be surrounded by enemies. Can I really escape with thirty-seven completely defenseless refugees?
His answer to that assumption was simple.
Inside the temple, where the statue of the Goddess of Reatlas stood. He may not be a Holy Knight anymore, and had no intention of playing that role again. But even so, it was impossible.
I'm not a monster like Bjorn Yandel. I can't do it. Yeah, so…
"There's no need to start thinking about escape already. It's unlikely enemies would make it all the way here in the first place… and it's a problem that can be solved just by blocking this area."
"Yes… that's true. If we can properly fortify this place, we wouldn't need to escape in the first place…"
Marone also didn't seem to have any better answer. Instead of arguing, she began to inscribe a protective magic circle in front of the door that could help with defense.
"Phew…"
Watching her, Parab slowly turned and wandered off aimlessly.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to take a look around and get a feel for the layout."
"Ah, I see…!"
That was just an excuse. He didn't need to study the building's layout. Temples were usually built to a standard design.
The first-floor sanctuary, the location of the staircase leading to the second floor—everything was already familiar to his eyes. Even the administrative rooms and priests' quarters on the second floor matched the layout of other small branches.
Step, step.
After making a round of the building, he returned to the first-floor sanctuary and sat on the floor, where the chairs had been removed to use for barricades. He just felt like resting a bit.
But maybe others saw it differently?
"…"
"…"
Normally, the refugees would strike up a conversation wherever he went, but this time they quietly kept their distance. That odd sense of something being different lasted only a moment.
When he opened his eyes and looked forward, the statue of Reatlas was directly in front of him.
'…Did they think I was praying?'
If so, how ridiculous.
He had carried the title of Holy Knight for a long time, but the truth was, he'd never been very devout.
'The Goddess of the Stars, huh…'
Looking at the statue of the goddess who presides over fate and encounters, he asked,
'What is it that you want from me?'
Of course, there was no answer. Only silence followed.
"…"
"…"
Fearing they might interrupt his prayer, the refugees all held their breath, creating a heavy silence. Peeking through his squinted eyes, he saw them all with their eyes closed, and some even making the sign of the goddess over and over with their hands.
Slowly, Sven Parab closed his eyes too. And like one making a wish upon a comet, he murmured to himself.
'Please let us live. Yeah?'
He was no different from the other refugees.
***
Fifteen clans including Anabada.
Incidentally, aside from a single explorer in a special support role with rank 7, all members of these clans were rank 6 or higher explorers, totaling exactly 207.
Apparently, there used to be more, but a large number of explorers had died on the way here due to being downgraded.
Anyway.
Add to that the 800 elite barbarian warriors that Ainard and I handpicked together, and we had a force of over a thousand. Not that that number was particularly big given the situation…
'…Well, it can't be helped.'
Even if we just added more numbers, it would only increase casualties.
That's why we had to refuse the warriors who begged to come along, saying they wanted to be part of this great battle—we made them stay behind to protect the Sanctuary, and pared down our force to only the best—
"We're ready to deploy."
"Yeah? Good work."
Hearing Versil's report that all preparations were complete, I found myself standing in front of the gates, now cleared of debris.
And then…
'…It's getting old, but I can't exactly skip this part.'
Looking out at the thousand soldiers waiting for me to say something, I spoke.
"From here, we move to District 7."
I didn't shout, but with everyone listening closely, the message got through.
I continued speaking calmly.
"In the fight ahead, some of us will die, and some will survive."
Not exactly the most inspiring thing for a commander to say before a battle. But I knew that, and I still couldn't do otherwise.
"Some of you will lose a husband. Some of you will lose a father."
At some point, I'd grown unable to deceive people with sweet words or false hopes.
"That's why you need to know!"
"If you kill the enemy, know what you killed them for!"
"If you die to the enemy, know what you laid your life down for!"
Somehow growing emotional, I shouted.
"I go to District 7 to protect those I love! Why do you go to District 7?"
Everyone would have a different answer.
"Because I can't let the Chief go alone!"
Some would follow me out of admiration.
"Because I want to become a great warrior!"
Some would chase glory.
"Haha! Didn't you say this was a chance to rack up military merit!"
Some would be driven by base desires.
"Those bastards need to die soon so my family can sleep in peace!"
And some, like me, would fight to protect what matters.
"Our reasons may differ, but our goal is the same. That's why we walk the same road, and fight shoulder to shoulder."
I made them a promise.
"I will march at the front, ahead of everyone."
"I will remember what you fought and died for."
So—
"Follow me. Entrust me with your hopes."
No more words were needed. This world won't let you survive °• N 𝑜 v l i g h t •° unless you fight.
"Behell—raaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!"
I simply took the first step forward.
***
At last, we entered District 7.
Despite the war-torn chaos, every corner of the street felt familiar as I sprinted through it.
Clench.
With a weapon gripped tight in my hand, ready to fight.
"Behell—raaaaaaaaaaagh!!"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
"Protect me, please!"
"Nia Lafdonia…!!!"
Each of them let out their battle cries in their own way.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
As we charged through the empty streets, a group of soldiers, presumably Noark troops, appeared in the distance.
Fewer than ten in number. They seemed to be a surveillance unit positioned to monitor the Sanctuary…
"E-Emergency! Emergency! About a thousand troops have left the Sanctuary! Bjorn Yandel is at the front!"
Panicked, they started yelling into their comms and fled without even thinking about trying to stop us. Not that it would do them any good.
You know what they say—if you spot a bear in the wild, it's already too late.
「Elwen Fornaci di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
「James Carla has cast [Piercing Light].」
「Versil Gowland is casting 4th-tier attack magic…」
The sharpshooters riding on my shoulders used the terrain advantage to snipe the fleeing soldiers from afar. We call it Barbarian Bunker Mode.
Oh, by the way, Rotmiller was in the bunker team too.
Thwack—!
Oh? A headshot with a crossbow from this distance?
Doesn't even look like it was boosted by a skill.
"…You've gotten even better?"
"Shooting practice is the easiest thing to do in the city, after all."
True. Can't exactly practice swordplay without a sparring partner.
"But… am I really allowed to be here?"
Rotmiller still didn't seem to believe he was part of Barbarian Bunker Mode. Or more precisely, he looked worried.
"I'll try my best, but what if I just get in the way?"
"Enough. I made the call."
I was the one who assigned Rotmiller here. I had no choice.
He begged to come, saying he'd prove himself—what was I supposed to do, say no? In the end, I couldn't relax, so I stuck him in my own bunker team.
Yeah, it's technically the most dangerous frontline position… But at least he was within my line of sight.
If something went wrong, I could jump in.
And besides, Rotmiller wasn't just decoration—he was actually helpful.
"That way! I've got a 'gut feeling' that side's dangerous!"
Oh, right. I forgot—after absorbing that mimic essence, Rotmiller's intuition stat had gotten pretty high.
So my very first guide's navigation skills were still very much intact.
Which meant I didn't have to worry about where to go.
"Then that's the way we'll go."
"…Huh? What do you mean? I just said that way's dangerous?"
Uh…
"Yeah, that's why we're going that way."
"...?"
"We came here to fight, remember?"
If we want to find the enemy, we have to go where the danger is.
-x-X-x-
Perched by the second-floor window, he stared out at the burning city.
Fwoosh! Fwoooosh—!
Flames roared and twisted as if they would consume everything in their path. But those flames slammed against something—like invisible glass—and couldn't reach the building.
As if protected by divine grace.
Though, that was the kind of thought only someone with a modern sensibility might have.
This was a world where countless mystic forces were real.
The locals, seeing such a scene, would think first of protection-type magic circles, artifacts, or divine spells.
'Well… I guess if it's a divine spell, then maybe calling it divine protection isn't wrong?'
The thought crossed his mind for a moment, but Sven Parab shook his head. As a paladin who used divine power, he knew better than anyone.
Divine power was just another resource.
Of course, within the Church, they preached that divine power was a blessing of the gods, and that if one lost their worthiness, the gods would strip it away…
'Bullshit.'
Sven Parab had seen too much.
Priests who didn't act like priests.
Archbishops who didn't act like archbishops.
Cardinals who didn't act like cardinals.
And…
Paladins who didn't act like paladins.
They shouted about virtue with their mouths, spoke of mercy and sharing—but their hearts were never clean.
Just like him.
"..."
Sven Parab had always thought the same thing.
If divine power were truly something that could not be granted to the unworthy, then it should've been taken from him long ago.
And in fact, his life was proof.
From the very beginning, he was an evil spirit who had taken over a kind soul's body. And he hadn't lived anything close to a paladin's life since then.
But even after leaving the Church, this so-called holy power still hadn't vanished.
So the claim that divine power was only given to the worthy? All of it was bullshit.
Well, that's not to say gods don't exist.
[You received a divine revelation…?]
Surprisingly, he had once heard the voice of the goddess directly.
It happened in a dream. In that dream, the goddess showed him visions of the future—thanks to which, he avoided a disastrous fate.
And that only deepened his doubts.
'What the hell do they actually want…?'
If gods were real—and it seemed they were, along with all the overwhelming power described in sacred texts—
Then why was the world such a mess?
With those thoughts, he continued sitting by the window, watching the burning city.
Time passed.
Fwoosh—!
Something about the flames shifted. It was subtle, but different from before. He straightened his posture and looked outside with focus.
"Damn it."
The fire was dying out.
***
The fire going out wasn't necessarily a good sign.
Right now, people were a bigger threat than the flames.
In fact, those flames had been protecting them.
And it wasn't that the fire had simply burned out naturally. It looked like someone was actively suppressing it—intentionally.
Thump—!
A feeling, like something just took one step closer to him. Sven Parab ignored it and quickly did what needed to be done.
"Everyone, this way! Move to the back!"
First, he gathered the refugees into a single area.
"Miss Marone!"
He called for Marone to activate the magic circle they'd prepared earlier, then ran back up to the second floor and looked outside again.
Fwoosh—!
The flames were dying at an alarming rate.
Soon, as the fire died down, a military formation emerged through the gaps.
Clank, clank.
Heavily armed soldiers marched in disciplined formation, advancing as they cleared the fire.
In his heart, he prayed they were Royal Army—but, as always, that prayer went unanswered.
Clank, clank.
Over a hundred troops, at a glance, were quickly approaching.
Sven Parab pressed himself against the wall to stay out of sight and carefully observed.
Clank, clank.
They were now right in front of the building.
He sat under the window, focusing solely on the sound.
'Please, please, please, please, please…'
Please, just pass by.
He prayed again—but of course, the prayer went unanswered.
How could it be otherwise?
Even he would check out the one untouched building in a burning city if he were a Noark soldier.
Just like this—
Clunk, clunk—!
A rattling noise from the first floor. A man's rough voice followed.
"Captain, it's locked."
And after that, silence.
Sven Parab crawled across the floor toward the stairs.
The refugees gathered in the chapel were covering their mouths, barely breathing, trembling in fear—
Boom—!
A heavy impact slammed into the door, and one of the refugees let out a tiny gasp.
"…Hhp!"
A minuscule sound.
But were they already focused on this building from outside?
"Oh, looks like someone's in there after all."
"Don't lower your guard. Might be one of Yandel's allies."
Sven Parab suddenly found it hard to breathe.
'Yandel's allies…'
Could they have come all this way because of us?
If that were the case—
"Break down the door!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Noark soldiers pounded harder than before.
Fear flooded the eyes of the refugees.
"Captain! It won't break!"
"Doesn't seem like it's just sturdy materials… probably some kind of magic at work."
"Yeah… I mean, the whole city's on fire and this temple's the only thing untouched?"
"Second floor! Go in through the window!"
So they were determined to get in.
There was no point in whispering anymore.
"What do we do?"
"Miss Marone, cover the first floor. I'll handle the second!"
With that, Sven Parab rose from his crouch, no longer hiding.
And—
"Oh! Someone's—"
He drove {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} his sword into the face of the soldier who had poked his head through the window.
Clatter! Thunk—!
"Sven Parab! Sven Parab's on the second floor!"
"Get him!!"
As he revealed himself, the Noark soldiers' eyes gleamed with greed.
"That bastard's head is mine!!"
If this were a normal medieval battle, they'd need ladders to storm the second floor. But this was Lafdonia, overflowing with mystic forces.
Essence-infused soldiers stormed through the windows with no ladders necessary.
Clatter—!
Like ninjas, they burst through every window, flooding into the second floor. Their eyes glowed with murderous intent as they swung their weapons.
"Die…!"
A dozen or so invaded in an instant, and the fight began.
There was no strategy.
Slash—!
He swung his white greatsword.
Sometimes he stabbed.
When they struck back, he blocked with his shield—
Thunk—!
And when he couldn't, he took the hit, doing his best to avoid fatal wounds.
Then—
Shwoooosh—!
He quickly healed himself with divine spells.
But even in this chaotic melee, he had no positional advantage.
'Why the hell is the staircase in the middle…'
He had to hold the one passage to the first floor, facing a flood of incoming enemies.
But he wasn't Bjorn Yandel.
Thunk—!
A blunt weapon, powered by supernatural force, struck his head. The world spun.
The healing magic was keeping him alive, but he staggered backward.
Tap.
One step down. Fighting got harder.
Standing on even ground versus unstable footing made a huge difference.
Thunk—!
A thrown dagger pierced deep between his collarbone and muscle.
Tap.
Another step back.
Boom—!
Some kind of magic spell?
He twisted his shield to absorb the blow, but it still forced him back.
Tap.
Moving forward was hard.
But retreating was far too easy.
'How can I possibly stop this many enemies…'
His will faltered.
As if to prove it, he stepped back again—more easily this time.
Tap.
When he came to, he was already halfway down the stairs. Just by turning his head, he could see the refugees.
"...!"
"...!"
They were praying, eyes tightly shut, hoping he'd defeat the enemies.
But reality wasn't a comic.
Instead of feeling a surge of strength, he—
Tap.
Stepped back again. Not from injury, but to dodge an attack.
Tap.
Another step.
Pressed by the onslaught, he retreated, and finally—
「Riris Marone has cast Tier-5 defensive spell [Iron Wall].」
A huge wall surged between Sven Parab and the enemies, sealing off the stairs for now.
It gave him a moment to breathe—
Boom—!
"It won't last long!"
Even without Marone saying it, the explosions from beyond the wall made that clear.
"There's way more of them than we thought! What do we do?"
Sven Parab didn't answer.
'What do we do? I don't know either.'
'What else can I do to survive this?'
Thump—!
His heart pounded with grim finality, as if saying: there is no way.
And yet—was there always a hole in the sky, even when it collapsed?
He glanced around—and spotted the statue of the goddess.
'…What's this?'
He couldn't take his eyes off it.
Some strange instinct began to stir.
He couldn't explain it—but that statue felt like hope. Like it might offer a way out.
Tatatat—
While the wall held, he dashed to the statue.
Looking around it—
'Hm?'
He found a hidden recess in a barely visible spot.
He pressed into it, touched the statue—and it slid backward, smoothly.
'Is this… an emergency passage…?'
There was no guarantee.
But if there was any chance of survival—it was here.
He turned to alert the refugees—
Thump—!
His heart pounded violently, and he hesitated.
That damned instinct was speaking again.
'Don't tell them.'
Don't say a word.
'If you want to live.'
No reason, no logic—just that voice, screaming inside him.
He couldn't take it anymore.
'Goddamn it, what the hell do you want from me?'
Was this some kind of game?
Was it fun, pushing people around like this?
Instead of relief, he felt disgust.
And just then—
Tap.
Something touched his limp right arm.
"...?"
He looked down.
A small child was looking up at him, on the verge of tears.
"Mister Paladin… are you hurting a lot…?"
"..."
Sven Parab didn't answer.
He didn't even ask himself the question.
He simply shoved the statue fully open—
So everyone could see the secret stairway hidden beneath.
"Everyone! Get down here, now!"
Even as he shouted, he thought:
'Ah. I did it…'
No matter what, he would never be a great man.
If he was going to do the right thing, he wished he could do it with more flair.
'Well… maybe this suits me better.'
The refugees began descending.
Aside from the child who asked if he was okay, no one thanked him.
'As if it were only natural.'
Still, he didn't feel betrayed or disappointed.
'Yeah… people are all the same. They put themselves first.'
Of course, there was hypocrisy in that.
If he thought that way, why hadn't he looked out for himself?
Why did he act for strangers he'd only just met?
It wouldn't even make him a righteous paladin in the end.
"Mr. Parab…?"
Why?
Why did he do it, when no one would reward him?
"Why are you just standing there? Come on! The wall's going to collapse!"
Sven Parab looked back at the statue.
The goddess of stars—she who guided fate and led explorers on their journey.
But, as always, she told him nothing.
Unlike this instinct, which never asked for permission.
Thump—!
Come to think of it… what was this instinct?
He had never thought about it before—but now, it felt strange.
He'd always believed he had good luck, good intuition.
But this… this was different.
Thump—!
Whatever it was, this instinct had saved him countless times.
It was a blessing.
And yet… now he couldn't help but wonder.
Thump—!
Was it always right?
Thump—!
What had he lost by following it?
Thump—!
If he hadn't had it—
Thump—!
Would he have been less of a coward—someone more noble?
Thump—!
Maybe… it was a shackle.
A shackle that kept him from walking the right path.
BOOOOM—!
The wall collapsed—and Marone's voice echoed from below.
"Mr. Parab…!!"
And the instinct shouted as well.
Thump—!
It's not too late.
Go. Go down there.
And—
Thump—!
Leave them. Survive alone.
It was stronger, clearer than anything he'd ever felt.
And perhaps because of that, the decision had never been easier.
"…Forgive me."
Sven Parab shoved Marone through the opening and pushed the statue back into place.
[…GO!]
The pounding of his heart now turned into full-blown hallucinations.
[…Follow her! Live! Survive!]
That was why he didn't go.
If he followed her, he might be tempted again by that voice.
So—
[Go down now—!]
He punched his chest and said:
"Shut up."
Thump…?
"I decide where I go."
He drew his sword and shield.
And charged down the stairs toward the flooding enemies.
Thump—!
His heart raced.
Thump—!
More alive than ever.
.
.
.
.
.
[...Tch.]
.
.
.
.
.
「The ancient evil god clicks its tongue in regret.」
-x-X-x-
Rotmiller's navigation ability was excellent. That's because 'sixth sense' tends to be more sensitive to misfortune than to luck. In fact, not long after we dashed in the direction Rotmiller had sensed as dangerous, enemies appeared. 'About 70…' The enemy force numbered around 70. Their numbers were overwhelmingly smaller than ours. And the one to be especially wary of…
"Red Axe Jack! A notorious criminal known to have joined Orkulis over ten years ago—be caref—"
Unfortunately, he wasn't there.
「Elwen Fornaci di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
KWAANG—!
Judging from what Rotmiller said, he must've had some notoriety, but his head was blown off by a single arrow from Elwen.
"Did I do good?"
"Yeah, you did well."
"Wh-Why was it so easy…"
Rotmiller muttered in a hollow voice. Well, it's not something I can't understand. After all, the very battle that made Rotmiller retire was the Dragon Slayer War. We fought to the death there and barely survived by stepping over sacrifices. But…
'That was already years ago.'
There's no reason to cower at the name 'Orkulis' now. Especially when you consider that the Corpse Collector and the Dragon Slayer are among the upper ranks even within Orkulis. So some nobody called Red Axe, whose name I've barely even heard, isn't even worth mentioning.
"I've only heard about it before… but you've really gotten strong."
Well, we've been fighting for our lives ever since. Screaming the name of our ancestor god.
"Behell—RAAAAAAAA!!!"
As I charged like a tank, the enemy, having lost their commander, couldn't even put up proper resistance.
"…Jack! Jack's down!"
"…Run!"
As I smashed in the skulls of anyone I saw head-on, the enemy broke down and fled in panic to save their own skins. Chasing them down and killing every last one of them would probably be difficult anyway…
"Hey."
So I decided to capture a few of the ones who looked like they had rank and interrogate them.
"What were you guys doing here? With such a vague-sized force."
"Th-That is…"
"You refusing to talk?!"
Crunch—!
After splitting one guy's head as an example and turning to look at the one next to him, information started pouring out before I could even ask again.
"W-We're a reconnaissance unit!"
"Reconnaissance?"
"Yes! Our mission was to move around the battlefield in small numbers and gather information to report to command!"
Put simply, these guys were human radar. Spread out in the surroundings, and if anything hostile or dangerous approached, they'd quickly report it to the main force.
"Oh, so you must know the current battle situation well, then?"
"…Yes! Of course!"
The guy answered briskly and, true to his confidence, knew a lot. Thanks to that, I could understand at a glance what was going on right now.
The Royal Army that had been in District 5 had entered District 7, and the main force in District 7 was engaged in a full-on battle with them. Of course, this info wasn't surprising. I was the one who asked them to mobilize the army in the morning in the first place.
The most important piece of information was this:
"The commander is still in District ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don't copy, read here) 7?"
"Yes! I don't know exactly what he's doing—someone like me wouldn't—but the fact that he's in District 7 is certain!"
"Then have you ever heard anything about Arua Raven?"
"Arua Raven… you mean the Golden Mage?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry. I don't know…"
Tch, so that's how it is… Where the hell did Raven and Astarotta disappear to? Afterward, I asked the same question to other interrogation candidates, but only got similar responses.
So the interrogation was over. Time to deal with them and move on—
"Um…"
Just then, the guy cautiously opened his mouth.
"If it's not too rude to ask… could you possibly spare me?"
What the hell is he saying? For a second, I thought he was sharp, but it's kind of funny too.
"If you just let me go, I'll stay holed up in the sewers breathing quietly until everything's over. I really will. Please believe me."
Should I say this is a new type? I've had plenty of guys beg for their lives, but no one's ever said it this politely before.
Still…
"No."
What's not allowed is not allowed.
When I drew a firm line, the guy smiled awkwardly even as his eyes filled with fear.
"…Ahaha, I-I see? Just kill me without pain, please!"
Well, he told us a lot, so I can at least…
'…Wait a second. Something's off.'
Feeling a vague sense of discomfort, I lowered the hammer I'd been holding. Sssht. It wasn't so much instinct as it was experience. The kind of experience gained from being backstabbed countless times—was telling me something was wrong, even if I couldn't put it into words.
"Versil, use verification magic."
"At this level, it probably won't work, you know?"
"Just try it anyway."
Soon Versil silently followed the order and cast the spell.
And…
"Yeah, it didn't work."
The magic didn't work, but that didn't matter. I'd already expected it to fail.
Tap, tap…
I quietly tapped my thigh with my index finger. Because I'd been watching him the whole time. What kind of expression he made when we brought up verification magic, and what face he showed when the spell was actually cast.
"…You're an interesting one."
"W-What do you mean? I swear, I haven't told a single lie!"
Well. We'll find out soon.
I took out [Broken Trust] from my subspace. There was only one use left, but the unease was too strong to just let it go.
'Yeah, I can always find another later…'
Right. No need to save it—might as well use it.
The moment I decided that and went to activate it—
"Kuhuhuhuhuh…"
Suddenly the guy doubled over laughing, like everything up to now had been an act.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Khehehe, Bjorn Yandel…"
"I said, what the hell are you doing?"
"This is going to be your grave!"
He spat out those cursed words with eerie gleaming eyes.
Then his body suddenly collapsed forward.
Thud.
Misha, startled, rushed over and checked his pulse.
"Bjorn…? This guy's dead…"
Damn it, what the hell is this now. Making people feel all anxious like that.
***
A wide stone chamber bathed in bright light. Beneath it lay a mountain of corpses.
One, two, three, four...
Too many to count.
Just by looking, the number clearly exceeded several thousand. And all of the corpses shared one thing in common. They were shriveled like vegetables completely drained of moisture...
Clunk—!
Just then, the ceiling opened, and dozens more corpses tumbled down.
Bang!
The ceiling that had dumped them promptly closed again, and a strange stillness settled over the chamber.
And then...
"...."
The man standing at the entrance did not avert his eyes from the scene. Though his expression twisted as if in pain, he stared firmly, with resolve in his eyes.
And after who knows how long—
"Ah, there you are! Another charge has just been completed, Lord Terserion."
"So it has... Let us go up."
Lord Terserion left the underground stone chamber and ascended to the surface.
A walled courtyard. At its center stood a colossal magic weapon, connected to dozens of pipes. Its official name: Urae—one of the three ancient magic weapons owned by the royal family. Well, technically just a part of Urae—but still.
"It's truly an incredible thing, isn't it? Just by grinding up a few useless humans, it can generate enough power to blow up an entire palace."
Lord Terserion turned his head to the man standing beside him.
"It's all thanks to you, Lord. If this had remained in the royal family's hands, this war wouldn't have even started."
Despite his age, the man had a sturdy build and eyes more passionate than any young man's. He was the Lord of Noark.
"It's a bit late to ask this now, but… why did you decide to rebel against the royal family, Lord?"
"...."
"Since we're in the same boat now, let's speak plainly. Out of nowhere, you contacted us, said you'd help us seize Urae first, said you'd join our side when war broke out. But then you say you don't even want the throne. Of course we were worried—about your true intentions."
"Hatred..."
"...What?"
"Let's just call it hatred."
When Lord Terserion ended his short answer, the Lord of Noark looked awkward for a moment but forced a laugh.
"…Ahaha! Did the Dawn King really do something to earn your deep grudge?"
Lord Terserion responded with nothing but a bitter smile.
And then…
"...."
"...."
A strange silence formed. Uncomfortable with the stillness, the Lord of Noark opened his mouth again and posed a new question.
"Then why do you keep charging it? Urae's authority is in your hands, and I assumed you had your reasons, so I never asked… but if you'd fired this thing earlier, we could've already taken more than half of Lafdonia."
At that question, Lord Terserion let out a long breath.
"I'm waiting for the right moment. A moment when it will matter more."
"You're saying there's something more important than conquering half of Lafdonia?"
"At least, that's what I believe."
"Fair enough..."
The Lord of Noark, seemingly bored, lingered by Lord Terserion for a while, making small talk before leaving on other business.
And after who knows how much time passed—
Step, step.
A man in knightly attire entered the building and bowed respectfully to Lord Terserion. Lord Terserion didn't speak at length.
"You found him?"
He simply asked quietly, and the man nodded.
"Yes, Lord. We have finally confirmed Bjorn Yandel's location."
It was time.
***
Every event has a signal. For example, if your hair suddenly starts standing on end, it could mean lightning is about to strike, and if rats, insects, or birds all flee in droves, it probably means an earthquake is coming. Then what about this current situation?
"Their position?"
"They're still following and watching us."
Ever since that guy we interrogated started grinning with madness and killed himself, the stalking had begun. It was a very cunning and extremely nasty kind of stalking.
"Can we catch them?"
"That might be difficult. They're far enough that even Elwen's sniping failed."
Of course, they hadn't actually harmed us yet. They were simply following us from a distance, maintaining space. The real problem was...
Thump.
That's what made me feel even more uneasy. That bastard who said something ominous and died, and these guys who followed us immediately afterward—it all felt like some kind of warning.
"We're increasing speed."
So we quickened our pace as much as possible, but for some reason, no enemies appeared at all.
"Rotmiller."
"…I don't really know where we should go either. I just have a bad feeling that something's going to happen..."
Even Rotmiller's navigation, which had been working relatively well, suddenly went silent.
Ah, and the final blow—
"...Bjorn? They suddenly stopped following us."
The watchers had vanished.
No—more precisely…
"They're not just not following us."
"..."
"They're actively pulling away from us."
The ones who had been following us this whole time were now suddenly turning their backs and widening the distance. What the hell could that mean?
A random phrase came to mind. If you ever see the water rapidly recede from the shore, you need to get away from there as fast as you can...
Pshhhwwwooooo—!
At that moment, a thunderous roar burst from afar like a jet passing overhead, and everyone instinctively crouched low in surprise.
Well, except for me.
'What is it?'
As the one responsible for everyone's safety, I deliberately raised my head and scanned all directions.
And then—
"...?"
For a brief moment, I doubted my own eyes.
From the direction of District 4, reportedly occupied by Noark, something enormous was flying at us in a steep arc.
For an instant, I had no idea what it was supposed to be, but—
"Urae… it's Urae!!"
Unlike me, who had been underground when it first fired, my comrades instantly recognized it.
As soon as I heard the name, I cursed.
"Son of a bitch..."
Missile bombardment?
That's just cheating.
-x-X-x-
I once saw war footage on the news. It was from a country in the middle of a civil war, and the footage was about missile strikes. The clip shown as reference was very short. There was a building that looked solid and well-constructed, the weather was sunny, and laundry hung out on the balcony gave off a peaceful atmosphere.
And then...
It only took one second. Just one second was enough for a missile to come flying in from the distance and blow the building apart. No more, no less—exactly one second, and after seeing that short footage, I felt a sense of powerlessness.
Even a top-tier athlete, a powerful figure guarded by dozens of bodyguards, or a veteran soldier who had fought on countless battlefields—none of them could react to something like that. Because really, how do you deal with something that flies in at that speed and crashes straight into a building?
Do you dodge it? Block it? The people inside that building probably didn't even realize there was a missile until it exploded. Well, maybe they heard an air raid siren or something...
Anyway, that's not what matters now.
"Son of a bitch..."
A missile was flying in from far away right now. It was moving at a speed that seemed to ignore perspective altogether, and its appearance felt so unreal it almost seemed fake.
But...
'Get a grip.'
Unlike when I saw that footage, I didn't feel powerless. This world was full of explorers who far surpassed the physical limits of ordinary humans—not just high-level athletes. Though at the same time, that thing—'Urae'—was definitely no joke either.
"Everyone, get over here to me!"
I called the nearby comrades to my side. Of course, with over a thousand people in the force, there was no way I could cover everyone on my own...
But I could just tell.
Whooooom...!
That missile was coming straight for me.
"Hoo..."
There were two choices from here. The first was to use [Transcendence] and [Giant Form] in combination to enlarge my body as much as possible. Thanks to the effect of 'Unity,' Aegis's Barrier would scale with my body, so if I could manage a proper 'guard,' it might be possible to block the strike without taking damage.
But...
'…No good.'
Watching 'Urae' approach in real time, I quickly re-evaluated.
'That's not some regular bomb—that thing's massive.'
Even if I could stack [Giant Form] multiple times, there was no way I could make myself large enough to guard against that.
So...
Only one option remained.
「The character has cast [Transcendence].」
「The next skill used will be enhanced.」
First, I activated [Transcendence]. Then I cast the skill that would benefit from its effect.
「The character has cast [Iron Fortress].」
「The skill's latent ability is being unlocked by the power of the Transcendent.」
Normally, it's just an active skill that boosts the effect of [Evolved Exoskeleton] by 1.5x. But I'd almost never used this skill in actual combat while enhanced by [Transcendence]. No—in truth, I'd only used it a few times out of boredom in situations that couldn't even be called real battles. That was partly because once activated, it had a fatal flaw: it couldn't be deactivated until all your soul power was drained...
「[Evolved Exoskeleton] is temporarily transformed into [Mutated Exoskeleton].」
And even worse, the resulting form is completely left up to chance.
「Physical resistance stat exceeds 750.」
「The character gains three special effects.」
As the skill activated, a storm raged across my entire body.
「Blessing of the Storm.」
「Incoming damage is increased by 70%, but you gain absolute immunity to all wind-type attacks.」
The first one was a dud. There's no way that Urae would be wind-elemental. And not just a dud—this was the worst possible result, a demerit that dramatically increased incoming damage.
Ssshhh—!
Skin spiked up over the calluses on my fists, jutting out sharply.
「Fighter's Blood.」
「Damage dealt with bare fists is multiplied by 15.」
That one brought back good memories. Tossing aside hammer and shield and pounding monsters bare-handed had been surprisingly fun, and my comrades enjoyed watching it too.
But...
'Ha, this is nuts...'
What the hell was I supposed to do with this now?
Still, it was a hundred, no, a thousand times better than the first effect.
Anyway, time to check the last one—
"Yandel…? Y-Your head, there's a horn…!"
The moment I heard Rotmiller's words, I cursed inwardly. No need to check anything else.
「Demonic Devourer.」
「When slaying a demon-type monster, you temporarily absorb its abilities.」
Right. Another dud.
What the hell was I supposed to do with that in a city with no monsters, let alone inside a labyrinth?
'Haa...'
Maybe this was exactly why I hadn't used [Mutated Exoskeleton] until now. Each individual effect was powerful, and if the right combination came up, it could unleash absurd power—but that was only if the situation matched.
And you couldn't count on that.
'I'm screwed.'
It wasn't just disappointment—my mind went blank. Sure, the second and third effects were manageable, but the first was the real problem.
Seventy percent increased incoming damage. I'd still held onto a shred of hope that maybe I could survive even if Urae hit me, but now, I couldn't even say that with confidence.
Still, it had been the only choice. If I wanted to protect everyone around me, [Mutated Exoskeleton] was the only way.
Of course, under normal circumstances, I never would've gambled like this...
'Damn those fate-manipulating bastards.'
A record stating that three comrades would die. If I wanted to interpret it optimistically, maybe it meant only three would die—no more than that.
And if that was the case, then wouldn't 'it' appear, like fate? Considering the destructive power that had leveled the royal palace, there's no way only three people would die when that thing hit.
Crunch—
But what could I do? If I couldn't run, I had no choice but to face it.
Ssshhh.
I looked up at the incoming Urae one last time, then raised my shield like an umbrella to cover us from above. Beneath it were Rotmiller and several other comrades, and some from the rear still hadn't made it to my side in time.
'Please.'
With that final prayer, I braced my body for the impact to come.
'Huh...?'
Suddenly, a pure white light erupted from somewhere.
When I checked, it was coming from the armor I was wearing. At first, I thought maybe one of the nearby comrades had used a spell or special ability...
Ssshhhaaaaa—!
But it didn't take long to realize it wasn't a spell or special ability at all.
'Aegis Dragon Armor.'
The passive power of the armor—still not fully understood since I'd acquired it.
「The Noble Guardian has determined that the wearer's life is in danger.」
I still didn't know the condition.
「For 10 seconds, all resistance stats are multiplied by 10.」
Nor did I know the full scope of the effect.
But...
Shwaaak—!
Black wings sprouted from my back and spread wide. One of the hundreds of possible types within [Mutated Exoskeleton]—
「The character's physical resistance exceeds 1,500.」
「The character gains a new special effect.」
It was the one I'd been hoping for.
「The Hanged Man.」
Its effect was simple.
「Soul power consumption increases 25-fold.」
「The character takes all damage in place of others.」
「The character's HP will not drop below 1%.」
This special effect made it so I couldn't die, no matter the injury.
And then...
「The character may now use [Domain Declaration].」
An active skill that could only be used once while the main skill was active. Obviously, I activated it right away.
'Domain Declaration.'
The moment I gave the command inwardly, black ripples spread outward from me like waves in a lake.
SHWAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!
Where the ripples passed, all color drained away. The world became like a black-and-white film.
「The power of the Great Sacrifice permeates the area.」
「All damage within your line of sight is taken by the character.」
Relieved, I tightened my grip on the shield.
And then—
————————————!
At last, Urae struck the ground.
***
I couldn't see anything. The world had turned into pure light. There wasn't even any sound.
A white void. And within it, I didn't exist.
There was no pain, no thought, no grief. I couldn't feel the passage of time—so time didn't exist at all.
「The soul of the Noble Guardian is losing strength.」
The white void, which seemed endless yet brief, gradually began to fade. The pure-white space slowly blurred into darkness, and faint sounds started to reach me.
"...! ...!"
"...!"
Someone was shouting. I couldn't make out the words, but I could clearly feel the emotion in the voice.
Blink.
I opened my eyes. Or maybe I didn't. I wasn't even sure.
Anyway—
"...."
"...!"
Sensation began to return, just barely. The feeling of someone shaking me. The feeling of being carried, moving quickly. And then—
「The character has taken damage.」
「Damage is accumulating.」
「The character has taken damage.」
「Damage accumul—」
It didn't feel like pain. It was just the 'sensation' of my heart bursting, my lungs ripping, my bones shattering, my muscles twisting.
You know that feeling? Like when a dentist pulls a tooth—you don't feel pain, but the weird discomfort is unmistakable. It was exactly like that.
「The character has taken damage.」
「Damage is accumulating.」
「Damage accumul—」
But it wasn't all destruction.
「Due to the (Highest Grade) Recovery effect, the body is regenerating extremely rapidly.」
「Due to the (Highest Grade) Recovery effect, the body is regenerating extremely rapidly.」
「Due to the (Highest Grade) Recovery effect, the body is regenerati—」
As fast as my body was being shattered inside and out, it was also being restored. Broken bones rejoined, the torn flesh of my heart reattached, and the blood that had spilled was being regenerated.
「The character has taken damage.」
「Due to the (Highest Grade) Recovery effect, the body is regenerating extremely rapidly.」
It felt like being dunked in boiling water and ice water thousands of times per second.
「The character's soul power is below 10%.」
Still, as time passed, my consciousness gradually returned. Who I was, what I had done, what state I was in now—
All of it became clear without needing to concentrate desperately anymore. And that also included awareness of the outside world.
"…Over here!!"
I heard a desperate voice. But… whose voice was that?
I didn't know.
KWAANG—!
I heard an explosion. Felt the sensation of being launched into the air. And then—
Thud-thud.
I tumbled across the ground.
I could feel all that, but just like someone who's dead drunk, I couldn't control my body at all—
"…Shit!!"
"Th-There's no wound!"
"Pour more potion on him! Even if it's not high-grade!"
They were really trying. Actually, no—this wasn't just "trying." This was all happening because of me.
'Amelia...'
How would she react if she found out what I did?
Mm, yeah, no way she'd praise me.
'…Better not tell her.'
Yeah, that'd be best. Even if I told her I had a good chance of surviving, even if I explained there was no other way to save everyone—it wouldn't matter. She wouldn't understand.
"…Yandel! Yandel! Yandel! Are you awake?!"
…Huh?
'What the—why can I move?'
I opened my eyes. I didn't know how much time had passed, but the only thing in my field of vision was one person.
"Th-Thank goodness…"
Brown Rotmiller. Scout of Team Half-Penny, my very first party, and a former comrade who had shared a precious time in my life.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Can you stand? We need to get out of here, fast!"
He looked at me and spoke urgently, and I slowly got up. I didn't know what was happening, but things ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) clearly looked urgent. And my body had recovered well enough that I didn't think I'd have trouble moving.
Yeah, so—
"Don't worry. I can still mo—"
I was just about to say, "I can still move," when—
「The character's soul power is insufficient.」
「[Mutated Exoskeleton] has ended.」
All the changes that had appeared on my body vanished at once.
The swirling wind.
The horn that had sprouted from my forehead.
The warped, enlarged knuckles.
The black wings on my back.
The appearance didn't matter at all. What mattered now was only one thing—
「The effect of The Hanged Man has ended.」
「Accumulated damage is now being processed.」
The "debt" I had been deferring was now being collected all at once.
"Ah..."
I'm screwed.
Pshhhhhhh—!
A violent sensation burst from every hole in my body.
Thud.
Still half-standing, I collapsed back to the ground.
-x-X-x-
A greatsword swings.
A shield blocks an enemy's strike.
Sometimes, he even ends up pathetically rolling across the ground trying to dodge a flying blade.
"Aaagh!"
And when a blade full of murderous intent pierces his skin, he inevitably screams in a pitiful voice.
Thus, Sven Parab thought:
There's no way this story will ever be passed down to future generations.
Because the protagonists in stories are always heroic, cool, and strong.
They're not weak like him.
And above all—
"Kehaha! Hey, Holy Knight! That face says you're ready to die, huh?"
"Why'd you bother staying behind alone then?"
—They always win.
They survive to return and tell the tale.
Yeah, and so…
"Come on now, just fall down and take a nap already!"
His story would never be passed down.
And because of that—
"…Aaaaaagh!"
He could afford to be pathetic.
Ptoo!
He spat blood-tinged phlegm in an enemy's face.
Clatterclatterclatter!
He stumbled backward on weakening legs and flung furniture he'd used as a barricade toward the enemy.
At the same time—
"Ah! Over there!"
"…Huh? Aaack!!"
Using a childish feint in the middle of it all, he jammed a blade into the enemy's throat.
"You cowardly bastard!"
"Look who's talking, swarming like bugs."
Surprisingly, the trick worked well.
Maybe because it was that stupid?
Well, after one or two tries, they all stopped falling for it.
Heh.
Being alone had unexpected advantages.
Of all of them, there was one he liked best.
Thump—
Even if it wasn't courage but fear that surged—
"Ha, I really don't wanna die like this…"
He could voice that fear out loud without worrying what anyone thought.
It wasn't something a hero in a story would ever say, but—so what?
He wasn't that kind of hero.
"Die clean, you bastard!"
Death terrified him more than anyone.
"But what can you do? If I'm dying anyway—"
"What're you muttering about—?!"
"I'll take you bastards with me."
He was the kind of small-minded man who hated dying alone even more.
"Aaagh!!"
It was kind of funny.
More than when he fought to protect others, he felt stronger when driven by the thought, I don't wanna die alone.
He didn't know why—and it didn't matter.
"From now on, I'm your damn guide, bastards!"
He simply swung his sword.
「Sven Parab has cast [Twilight Compass].」
「All damage dealt is increased, but damage taken from behind is also increased.」
Not caring how much divine power he had left, he hurled divine spells without restraint.
「Sven Parab has cast [Unquenchable Flame].」
He even lit fires inside the temple without hesitation.
The divine enchantments on the temple only blocked external flames. They were vulnerable to fire from within.
Ah, of course, a Holy Knight shouldn't be doing this.
But—
'I'm not a Holy Knight anymore anyway.'
Even less to hold him back.
Therefore—
"Aaagh! Th-this bastard…!"
He used every dirty move banned in combat sports to his heart's content.
"…Bite his ear off!"
That thought suddenly came to him.
When he first entered the labyrinth, a goblin had bitten him on the neck like that.
"Shit, that's so dirty."
How the hell did they do that so naturally?
Ah, to survive.
Just like him.
Ptoo!
As his thoughts drifted like a stream of consciousness, he began to wonder—what was the difference between himself and a goblin?
Goblin.
The humanoid monster most often killed by beginner explorers—and that killed them just as often. Grade 9.
Goblins walk on two legs.
Goblins use tools.
Goblins fight to survive.
Goblins act on instinct.
And…
'Ah, this part's different now.'
Goblins abandon their comrades and run when things go south.
Fwoooosh—!
The temple interior was engulfed in white flame before he knew it.
Thunk!
A blunt weapon struck Sven Parab on the head—one he couldn't avoid—and he collapsed.
Then—
Crunch—!
A second blow landed on his defenseless body.
"You tough bastard…!"
His mind went blank from the hit.
"Gotta… finish him…"
The sound cut out.
'…It's over.'
The moment he thought it was the end—
Between the enemy soldiers' legs and the dancing flames, he saw it.
A half-shattered statue of the goddess amidst the chaos.
And he suddenly wondered:
'Where will my soul go?'
Earth?
The afterlife they speak of here in Lafdonia?
If it's Earth—would it be hell?
Or reincarnation, like in Buddhism?
What would guide a soul like his, with no faith?
Thump—
His dying heart gave one last ripple.
[...I shall give you power.]
What the hell now?
"..."
"..."
He realized, belatedly.
Everything around him had stopped.
It wasn't like the slowed perception from entering hyperfocus.
The roaring fire no longer flickered.
The floating ashes were frozen midair, and the enemy who had been swinging a weapon at him wasn't moving at all.
[...I shall give you the power to slaughter those who torment you, and survive to achieve anything.]
He instinctively knew.
Whoever this voice belonged to—if he accepted, it would truly happen.
But—
'I'd become a monster.'
Whoever was saying this was a wicked being.
A good entity wouldn't tell him to abandon comrades and live alone.
And in fact, the voice didn't deny it.
It simply replied:
[How amusing. What is a monster?]
Hmm…
[If killing others makes you a monster, then surely this world is full of them.]
That… sort of made sense.
[Listen well. You are too weak to be called a monster, and too wicked to be called a man.]
There was power in that voice.
And thus—
[Listen well. You wish to move forward, yet want someone to guide you.]
Sven Parab gave a faint laugh at the words that followed.
[I shall be your guide.]
No matter how powerful the voice was—it no longer held any allure.
For a very simple reason.
[I shall show you the path you were meant to walk.]
Because he had realized.
Who this voice belonged to.
Karuie.
The ancient evil god did not deny it.
[...Take my hand.]
It simply spoke again, with a deeper resonance.
And Sven Parab answered in his heart:
'Nope.'
Shorter than any other rejection—therefore, even more forceful.
[...There is no path to survival but to become my servant.]
Yeah, probably.
Realistically, that's most likely true.
[Then why?]
Again, the reason was simple.
'Because I've got a damn strong hunch right now.'
That even if he refused, he wasn't going to die here.
Thump—
A powerful intuition pulsed from his chest.
This time, however, it wasn't some "divine" instinct bestowed by another.
Just like how normal people's gut feelings come from accumulated experience and memory—so too did this one.
If you listen closely to what your enemies say and do the opposite, at least half the time it works out—
That was something his clan leader once said at a drinking party.
And—
'An ancient evil god who's never helped anyone without screwing them over, versus a hero of this city writing living myths and always putting his comrades first.'
Whose words should he trust?
The answer was obvious.
Yeah, so—
'Get lost. Out of my life.'
Sven Parab said.
The ancient evil god fell silent.
Everything was still frozen in time, so he couldn't tell how long the silence lasted—but it wasn't long.
Crack!
Across the frozen world—
Like a pane of glass shattering, cracks spread through the fabric of space.
Shhhhhhhhhhhh—
Through those cracks, a warm silver light began to shine.
「The deep twilight dawn shines upon you.」
A starlight wrapped his entire body in gentle warmth.
Sven Parab instinctively knew.
「The mark of the evil god engraved upon your soul is completely erased.」
That presence was no longer here.
And the moment he realized it, a voice of grace—opposite to Karuie's—echoed in his head.
[May it help the path my knight wishes to walk.]
The same voice he had once heard in a dream.
As it resonated in his mind, vitality surged into a body that hadn't even been able to twitch a finger.
「Due to Recovery (EX-grade), your body is completely healed.」
「The character has acquired a new divine authority.」
「You can now use 0-grade divine spell [Agent of the Stars].」
「The divine power of a god has temporarily infused your physical body.」
「Divine Power permanently increases by +500.」
「The character permanently acquires the 'Saintblood' bonus.」
Uh…
He didn't really get it, but—
'Feels like I got insanely strong all of a sudden—'
'Ah, but first I gotta dodge this.'
Time suddenly began moving again.
Whoosh—!
Sven Parab rolled to the side, dodging a blunt weapon coming for his head.
And then—
"What the—?!"
"How did he…?"
"What was that light just now…?!"
The prey they thought they'd finished stood up just fine, leaving the enemies in shock.
Sven Parab smiled leisurely.
'…See? It really pays to live «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» a decent life.'
Holy Knights and clerics receive divine spells based on their accumulated "merit."
So unlike mages, where anyone can learn any spell, there are often situations where one person can use a spell while another can't.
Anyway, that wasn't the point.
'A new divine spell…'
When a Holy Knight or cleric is granted a spell, they instinctively understand it.
Even its name.
'…[Agent of the Stars], huh.'
What kind of spell is that?
He'd never heard of it before.
But it came directly from a god, voice and all—so it had to be the real deal.
Which is why Sven Parab could smile even with countless enemies before him.
"Puhuhuhu…"
"…?"
Most of the enemies looked at him like he'd lost it, while a few sharp ones started getting wary.
'Smarter than the rest, but…'
Heh.
"You must atone."
Then Sven Parab activated the divine spell.
Since it was his first time using it, he even recited the incantation aloud.
"The star of twilight shall guide us…"
"…"
"[Agent of the Stars]."
The moment he spoke with firm intent, a torrent of silver light burst from his body.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—
Brilliant, divine light.
The Noark troops all recoiled in fear at its splendor.
And then—
'…Huh?'
That was it.
Whooooooooom—
The blinding light faded quickly, and the enemies were still standing there.
His body didn't feel particularly stronger either.
So… what happened?
「Usage conditions not met.」
「Casting of 0-grade divine spell [Agent of the Stars] has been canceled.」
Sven Parab had no idea.
He only knew one thing.
'…Yeah I'm screwed.'
Fortunately, the enemies looked just as confused.
"…?"
"…?"
Sweating quietly, Sven snapped to attention.
Then awkwardly stretched his sword forward with a grin.
"Hahaha… foul beings, listen well."
"…?"
"I shall show you mercy and spare you this once. Now, b-begone from my sight immediately!"
He tried to sound dignified, but the enemies just looked confused—not afraid.
…Maybe because he stuttered at the end?
He regretted it, but it was too late.
The enemies had figured it out.
"…Guess it didn't work out for him?"
"Hah… had me scared there for a sec. Thought something big was coming."
"No idea how he recovered, but it's just one guy, right?"
"Kill him again!!"
Having reached a swift conclusion, they all rushed him at once.
'…Now what?'
Could he run?
Technically possible, but unlikely.
If he tried the exit on the first floor, it was swarming with enemies. Reaching a second-floor window meant breaking through all of them.
'No fucking way…'
You get chosen by a god, only to die here?
Then why not let me die dramatically earlier!
Those complaints were swirling in his head when—
KABOOOOOM—!
An explosion shattered the goddess statue and revealed an underground passage.
And then—
[GRAAAAAAAAAAH—!!]
A massive something shot out from below, roared, and landed beside him.
THUD—!
Uh…
What… is this?
It seemed to be here to help, at least?
'A bear (beastkin)… riding a giant bear…?'
His mind blanked from the confusion, and the bear-riding beastman perked up his ears and said:
"My wife owed a debt. I've come to repay it."
"…Ah."
"Ah, don't be modest. Even if it weren't for my wife, anyone who's Yandel's comrade is mine as well."
He still didn't understand what that meant.
But one thing was certain.
"Come, let's go. I'll clear the path."
…He was saved.
***
「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Overcharge].」
「The effects of the next active skill will greatly increase based on Soul Power.」
「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Pierce].」
「The penetration of the next attack is increased tenfold.」
「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Giant Arrow].」
「The size of the next ranged projectile greatly increases.」
「Chulwoong Iradoon has cast [Firebear Stance].」
「All attacks now apply Knockback (Advanced).」
「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Lord of the Jungle].」
「Chulwoong Iradoon's stats are greatly enhanced, and…」
「…」
***
He didn't speak to himself.
Most self-talk tends to dwell on depressing topics—and voicing them doesn't change reality.
No, it only makes you darker and more miserable.
So he never talked to himself.
At least, until now.
"This is insane."
But just this once, he muttered aloud.
Before him was a man coughing up blood, yet still clinging to life.
"I'd love for you to wake up now… but realistically, that's not likely."
"Even knowing that, I can't help but feel a little bitter."
"I thought…"
"I thought I'd been granted more storytime than you…"
"But it turns out that wasn't the case. Fate's a cruel thing, isn't it?"
"Heh… whenever I stand in front of you, I feel like such a lousy man."
He apologized to the man lying there.
"Sorry. I'm not like you after all. You'd never hesitate like I am now, and I know that. Still, I can't make up my mind."
"But…"
The man quietly blinked once.
And then—
"Still, I guess I have no choice."
He knew the man couldn't hear him.
But he said it anyway.
"Let's go."
So that he wouldn't back out halfway.
So that his resolve wouldn't waver in the final moment.
And also so that he could be sure of it himself.
"This'll be the first time I'm making the path instead of walking it, huh… well, what choice do I have."
"..."
"I'm your guide, after all."
When the right path is clear, you can't take another.
"Twilight stars shall guide us…"
With that, Brown Rotmiller made his decision.
-x-X-x-