Chapter 57: Lizardman

Chapter 57

Chapter 57 : Lizardman

◆ Dark Knight Kuroki

「Incarnation of the Great Thunder Dragon . Hear our pleas . We, your loyal followers, will faithfully abide by your request . . 」

The Lizardmen chanted in unison while displaying their bellies in a show of submission and vulnerability . Their position, with their arms and their legs splayed out like starfish, seemed to resemble the [大] kanji . That was the sight that greeted me as I entered the labyrinth, just after dawn . I was anxious to convince the lizardmen, it would most definitely be a difficult task and I would not be even a tad bit surprised if it took all day . There were eight lizardmen, all victims of the arena . Their scaly skin had scars that spanned the length of their body, proof of the trauma they had undergone at the hands of the humans . Such callousness and cruelty, all for what? Simply for entertainment? It disgusted me .

Naturally, I didn't mean descending into the depths of the labyrinth but rather I visited the portion that was situated above ground . That former would just be foolhardy! I had to tread with caution until a direct line of communication was established and the lizardmen and I were having a peaceful conversation . Even then, it was better to prepare for the worst situation that could arise, despite being the Dark Knight and not an ally of the humans .

I surveyed my surroundings curiously, swiveling my head around slowly, like an alert snake . Once upon a time, very long ago, this place used to be the capital and home of the Minotaurs . However, after Modes had single handedly obliterated and utterly destroyed their capital, all of the Minotaurs had no choice but to escape underground, into the very depths of the labyrinth . Thus, what little of the capital was left above ground became abandoned ruins . Even today, aside from my presence and that of the eight lizardmen, the part of the labyrinth that lay above ground was deserted . To be quite honest, it was a bit of a shame that it had been destroyed since even from the ruins it was clearly apparent that it must have been quite beautiful .

The splendour of the demolished capital was still visible in small details . It had been constructed by the God Heibos and as such stood through the test of time . Though this capital had been abandoned for thousands and thousands of years, the majority of the ruin still displayed its outline and resplendent architecture . In the middle of the capital, on top of a hill, lay a weathered but glorious temple . The stone building's decoration was beautiful- intricate engraved etched with precision and fluidity into the unforgiving medium of stone . The etchings and beautiful inlay work on the temple really conveyed the skill of the craftsmanship employed to create it . Even on the high ceilings of the domes, it was colorfully painted with depictions of the Gods . Despite the decrease of its vivacity with age, it was a testament to the prosperity present in the era of the Minotaurs' rule over this place . Alas, that time had passed long ago, now it was nothing more than a relic, an unappreciated piece of history .

Taking in my last glimpse of the expanse of ruins from above, I deactivated my flight magic . Slowly descending down through the air, like a lone flower petal drifting on a breeze, I went down by myself, to the very center of the ruined capital . I had shaken off Shirone and her company, who now thankfully, were not coming with me . Though she had continuously insisted to accompany me, I was able to put our situation in perspective . It would be bad if our united front was revealed to Labrys by doing something so careless as entering the labyrinth together . It might be better if we used this to our advantage, the less people that knew about me, a Dark Knight working together with Shirone . That too to save Reiji, of all people . No, it would definitely be a better course of action to keep the reality of the situation discreet . Moreover, Shirone was an ally of humanity, one of its protectors . There was absolutely no way I could ask Shirone, the Hero of Light's comrade, to help me especially when my goal was to save these Lizardmen .

This was something that I had to do by myself . .

Thus, I came to this place in my Dark Knight form .

Regena had also wanted to come along but fortunately, she was stopped by Shirone . There had been a huge commotion last night, their raised voices travelling down until the end of the hall, punctuated by a fierce slam of a door . She had initiated a huge quarrel with Shirone when Regena had attempted to spend the night in my room along with me . They had exchanged sharp barbs that were meant to hurt, like weapons the hurtful remarks were flung at each other in the moment of anger . It was a battle of wills after all, and whoever backed down first was admitting defeat . It seemed as if Shirone got her way in the end since I hadn't seen Regena for the remainder of the night or today morning . I heard that as a result of their argument, Regena ended up rooming with Kaya . Kaya was also sharing a room with her master, Kyouka . Although the rooms weren't small by any means, it must have been crowded sharing with two other people, the lack of privacy frustrating . Nevertheless, I was glad to have had my own, which let me plan my approach to this meeting in peace and focus .

. I arrived in this place in my Dark Knight form . There was a logic behind my actions of course, not only was I stronger in this form, it was a precaution against any unexpected situations that might arise . It would also show my allegiance to Demon King Modes and hopefully, help the Lizardmen trust me .

When I actually encountered them though, I quickly realized that all my worries were baseless and futile . The Lizardmen were extremely pliant and open to my suggestions- they readily agreed to do what I said . It seemed as if they could sense the Dragon's Power present within my body . Thus, the negotiations went smoothly, without any trace of a hitch because, like the Lizardmen present in Nargol, they too revered the Dragons .

After one of the lizardmen pledged his allegiance, he went and gathered the other lizardmans in the vicinity .

Thus, all of those lizardmen were showing their belly to me .

「My apologies, I know it's an inconvenience but...I have to ask all of you to move from this place for a little while, just until I finish fighting the evil God residing within the depths of this labyrinth . 」

I uttered these words to them as they slowly arose from their "belly up" positions .

「The Great Dragon Incarnate is GoinG to ChallENGE The OWNer of THis labyRINTH?」

. One of the lizardmen asked me incredulously, voice gradually raising due to his astonishment .

「That's right . That is why I need all of you to leave this place during that period of time . 」

Lizardmans exchanged glances between themselves when I told them so .

「In That CAse, I thiNK We Might Be ABle to HElp yOU . 」

Of all the ways this meeting could have turned out, I was not at all anticipating this reaction . I was pleasantly surprised, my curiosity piqued .

「What exactly do you mean?」

「It SEEMS, tHE LABYrinth is CONNECted to the RIVEr . WE can GO INSIDE frOM the RIver . Is THAT INFORmation USeful ENouGH FOr YOur MAJEsty?」

My mind drifted away on that train of thought after I heard the information that the Lizardman revealed to me . All of a sudden, I recalled the blueprint that I had received from the God Heibos . Labrys had used a lake to imprison Reiji and his company . If my memory serves right, that lake should be located on the fifth floor . Could it be that the water that supplied the lake came from the river? The blueprint had no depiction of the structure constructed outside of the labyrinth itself . Heibos also told me that the blueprint might not be completely accurate as some changes might have been made after it was drawn and complete due to the change in terrain .

There was a very plausible likelihood that the God Heibos might draw water from the river to tend to the luscious inner garden .

As expected, there was nothing strange around this region of the labyrinth, since it had been hundreds of years ever since the labyrinth had created . During all that time, it was odd that there was no change in the terrain in this area at all . After quizzically observing this fact, I felt the need to check the blueprint again . I looked up from my in depth study of the blueprint to serve the Lizardmen with yet another query .

「By the way, is there any method we can use to enter the labyrinth from the river?」

The Lizardman shook his head when I asked that question .

「ThEre's An InVisiBLe baRRiER WHIch onLY ALLowS THE WAter to ENTer but NOT US . 」

I accepted the scenario presented to me by the lizardmen and concluded that there must be some sort of a barrier that was placed on that area . It controlled what could go in and what could leave . The idea slowly emerged in my mind like a figure descending from the depths of a white, dense fog . Perhaps the fifth floor of the labyrinth was actually a prison? As I continued to ponder over that possibility, the idea seemed to take root, seeming more likely every passing second . But if it wasn't originally a prison, I was almost sure that there was a path we could use to sneak in .

Perhaps it was a matter that I should discuss with Shirone and the rest of the party upon my return . Just as I was in the midst of pondering this matter in detail, I suddenly felt a slight vibration in the air .

「What was...that feeling just now?」

「O Great Dragon Incarnate, that's the siGN oF INTRUders . 」

One of the lizardmen piped up from the group helpfully . Apparently, the surface of the labyrinth was shielded by a powerful barrier that upon being breached acted almost like an alarm for the Lizardmen, intruders were incoming . When the outsiders entered the labyrinth, the air from the outside world would also enter alongside them . Thus, small vibrations were caused whenever a small group of intruders came into the labyrinth .

Lizardmen were blessed with an especially keen sense of perception . It was leagues more sensitive than the senses that humans possessed so they could perceive the slight variations and vibrations in the air . On top of that, they were also extremely gifted at camouflage- they could use mimicry to change the color of their scales to match their surroundings . They would lie in wait silently and patiently, blending into the background flawlessly . These were the skills that allowed the lizardmen to so easily ambush the unsuspecting invaders who entered the labyrinth .

「I see...」

After saying so, I looked toward the intruder's location . I could see them with clairvoyance magic as long as they were already inside of the barrier . It was then I saw them .

The intruders were none other than the freedom fighters from yesterday, including Novis .

Upon a closer observation, it seemed as if the number of people in the party had increased in the gap between yesterday and now .

「What are even they doing in this place?」

The only possibility emerging in mind was that they came to accomplish their goal of exterminating the Lizardmen .

「O Great Dragon Incarnate . SHall We REpel THose INtruders and THEN LEAVE THis PLace?」

The Lizardman's voice betrayed the fury bubbling under the calm exterior he desperately tried to maintain .

They were captured by the humans and made into slaves . Worst of all, they were forced to kill each other for entertainment .

According to my investigation, sometimes humans even forced them to fight their own kin .

Thus, I could sympathize with these lizardmen .

Yes . I understood where their anger came from...

However, I didn't feel the same overwhelming fury that they experienced . There was no way I could help them if they wanted to get their revenge on the humans . I felt torn between the two sides, unable to make a decision with the sparse, limited choices that were available to me . It felt like my hands were tied either way, ultimately, I'd have to go against one side and wouldn't end up satisfied .

There was no doubt in my mind, some would be enraged upon observing the indecisiveness that loomed over me like a thundercloud, going as far as to say that I had no sense of justice or raison d'etre . Their criticism would extend to scathing comments from either side . I would be branded as 'a selfish human' or 'the Dark Knight who obeyed the Demon King only for my own gain', or that my act of saving these lizardmen was just one of my 'whims', a 'simple passing fancy' .

「No, I'll go to greet them . I'll kick them out of this labyrinth...」

I shook my head as if that would clear the tempest of thoughts that was swirling through my mind and replied to the Lizardman's question .

「OOO!! Great Dragon Incarnate will go himself!!!」

The Lizardmen bowed their heads in gratitude after hearing my decision and proclaiming their approval . It was a sight that stirred up feelings of conflict within me . I mean, I came here with the intention of apologizing to them . So naturally, seeing that would make me feel discomfited

I walked in the direction of Novis and the rest of his company to greet them . Looking at that annoying pest again, a brilliant idea dawned upon me . . why don't' I try the magic that I had learned just recently? At least that blight on human intelligence called Novis would serve some purpose, inwardly I smirked gleefully at the thought of using him as a guinea pig for the experimental test of that technique . Unconsciously, I couldn't help but stalker towards the group faster, skin itching in anticipation . To be quite frank though, I had no idea why I was planning to do this or who I was trying to protect .

Honestly, I had no idea what would be the outcome of a fight between these two sides . On one hand, the men who came along with Novis seemed to be quite powerful individuals . Meanwhile, we also had the tenacious Lizardmen who had survived the hellish infernal place known to the general populace as the Arena . They would fight to the death, having nothing to lose .

Fortunately, harassing the heroes was one aspect of the Dark Knight's job . In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it was actually a perk . For that very reason, saving the band of heroes went going against the Dark Knight's work ethic . So I was firmly on the side of the Lizardmen for now . A smug smile settled on my face as I got ready to do my job .

◆Freedom Fighter Girl, Shizufae

Time ticked past slowly, the wait for everyone to gather together was excruciatingly long, like waiting for a canyon to form from the erosion caused by a river . It really felt like an eternity . It was especially difficult to wake Novis up from deep slumber caused due to his actions of drinking until late last night to celebrate the coming together of the four heroes, the new joint front that they would present against their enemies, annihilating everything in their path . As usual, he had ignored my prudent advice to slow the drinking down and sleep early to prepare for the skirmish today . I scoffed, these fools wouldn't be annihilating anything . Our party, led by the four heroes, went towards the mouth of the labyrinth which was shadowed in a menacing manner .

Aside from those four idiot heroes, it was just our usual party consisting of me, big sis Keyna, Nora-san, and Leylia-san .

A new addition to the group however, was Justy who had also tagged along with us .

Although she wasn't a freedom fighter, Justy was a competent fighter nonetheless .

She armed herself with a big morning star which was prepared especially for her by Godan, her elder brother .

That morning star was so heavy that none among our group with the exception of me could lift it . Even big sis Keyna, the strongest amongst us faced too much difficulty picking it up . It's weight resembled a discus more than a morning star .

Justy, who could easily lift such a heavy duty weapon might actually be more suited to become a freedom fighter than me .

No matter from which angle one observed Justy, it wasn't at all apparent that she used to serve as a priestess in one of Ishtar's temples . Unless they knew beforehand, no one could believe their eyes . The combat priests who served under Ishtar-sama typically were masters of a skill called battle-dance . Their weapon of choice was known to usually be either a scimitar, a battle fan or a sash made from fibres of soft iron, adopting the same nature in a magnet's presence . None of them had ever been seen using a morning star as their weapon of choice .

It made sense if you thought about it though . After all, there was no beauty or grace in seeing the priestesses dance while swinging a bulky morning star around in the air, to be very honest, the image actually seemed terrifying instead . It fit Justy completely- she was the polar opposite of Ishtar's priestesses who seeked graceful movements and practiced deadly elegance . Naturally I wouldn't tell her about this, she was a devout believer of Ishtar after all .

Upon breaking out of my reverie, I noticed that we had arrived in front of the entrance gate that led to the area of the labyrinth that was above ground .

「Don't let your guard down guys . 」

The Hero of Wind, Zefa looked at all of us gravely as he uttered his statement . On the basis of majority vote, we had elected him to become the leader of our party . We nodded at him, acknowledging his word and silently passed through the gates . Like the time we had entered the labyrinth before, the atmosphere changed in the blink of an eye as soon as we entered the labyrinth .

If I had to point the difference compared to before, this place became too quiet .

We were ambushed by goblins and cockatrice as soon as we entered the labyrinth before .

But now, I couldn't even felt their sign from any building .

「How's the situation, hero of wind? found any lizardman yet? this place is quite big after all . 」

Godan was right, the surface area of the labyrinth was really spacious .

It was even bigger than Teseshia .

The number of escaped lizardman were eight . Searching for them was quite a chore .

「No, not yet . It seems we've to wait for them to appear . Everyone prepare your weapon . 」

After he said so, Zefa was nocking his arrow on his bow, ready to fire his arrow at anytime .

Hero of water, Nephim was also preparing his spear .

「Oi, what's that mean!!」

Novis asked Zefa .

「Don't get impatient, hero of fire . According to my investigation, thpse lizardmans usualy ambushed the freedom fighter who came to exterminate them . Some of them even ambushed as soon as they entered the labyrinth . I've had no idea how they knew the incoming of the intruder . 」

Zefa said so while looking at the surrounding .

「I see, so that's why you told us to preapre our weapon . Everyone, prepare for battle . 」

We prepared our weapon as soon as big sis Keyna told us so .

I drew my sword .

Thus, we were advancing even further into the labyrinth .

Our formation was ; Godan as our vanguard, Madi, Nora-san, and Zefa as our mid-range, following by me and Justy, Novis and Nephim to guard our sides, and lastly big sis Keyna and Leylia-san as our rear guard .

「I wonder from where will they came to attack...」

Madi said so with slightly anxious voice .

「You relied too much on your eyes . Those guys could change their skin color according to their surrounding . That's why we've to find them with my perception first and let that elf miss over there to do the rest . 」

Zefa said so while looking at Nora-san .

「Such heavy responsibility...」

Nora-san said so while preparing her bow and arrow, ready to fire at any moment .

Nora-san's long ears were moving up and down as if to not letting even the slightest sound escape her detection .

As an elf, Nora-san was gifted with keener perception than any normal human .

I've heard that hero of wind, Zefa's perception were cut above the rest of normal ranger .

「Oi Zefa!! Canwe really win this fight!? It won't be the re-enactment of your embarassing defeat against the centaurs right?」

Zefa ended up groaned when big sis Keyna poked his sore spot again .

「Let me to tell you, Keyna... I was unprepared when they defeated me last time . In the first place, those centaurs were different from the normal centaurs . They're veteran warrior of the arena . Don't group them together with your average centaurs . But it's different now . I've investigated them thoroughly and prepared counter-measure for any situation . Moreover—」

And then Zefa was looking at Novis, Godan and Nephim .

「I don't think we're going to lost with this kind of line up . 」

Zefa was grinning from ear to ear as he said so .

The other heroes were also grinning along with him .

Sure enough, the four of them were that amazing .

Hero was a title granted to the strongest warrior . And currently, there's four strongest warrior working together .

Maybe, there's no one could defeat this party save for Reiji-sama and co .

Hero of earth, Godan who gifted with defense magic and strongest in term of physical power was acting as our tank .

Hero of fire, Novis who gifted with high mastery of fire magic will shoot down our enemy with his destructive fire magic .

Hero of water, Nephim who gifted with healing magic and water magic will act as our healer .

Hero of wind, Zefa who gifted with keen perception rivaling that of an elf will find our enemy and give a covering fire with his prided archery .

Although each of them were powerful in their own right, there was no doubt in my mind that we stood a better chance facing such powerful demons together, as a team . If we watched each other's backs and proceed with caution we would be able to emerge victorious in this battle against the Lizardmen . I did not want to see a comrade fall in battle, my goal for the mission was to get us in the labyrinth, exterminate the lizardmen and get all of us back out safely .

「It really would be a good thing if that was actually the case but...」

Heaving a tired sigh, Big sis Keyna uttered her statement under her breath, barely audible . Her comment was depressing and despair inducing, as if pouring cold water onto Zefa's remark . It challenged his leadership and preparation for the mission, slightly shaking the remaining members' confidence in him although none of us let our doubts reflect on our faces . Keyna was the only one with such audacity, it was as if her every action was scornful- meant to thoroughly chastise Zefa and not give any approval to him . In first place, Big sis Keyna and I shared the same opinion regarding this mission . Her stand was the same as mine in the manner that neither of us really wanted to participate in the extermination of the Lizardmen . The orchestrators of the whole idea were Zefa and Nephim anyway, and of course they had no problem roping Novis and Godan into their hare brained scheme . We were just here for the ride, and to balance out their stupidity of course .

Apparently, it seems like there was information about a handsome reward posted regarding solving the situation with the Lizardmen . It was prepared and ready to be claimed by anyone who could completely exterminate those lizardmen which were perpetually acting as a thorn in the side of the villagers . I guess they were desperate enough to get rid of them that they posted such a large reward . However, I didn't give two licks about the reward, however much enticing it might seem to other people . I wouldn't be swayed by greed, my life was far more valuable to me than any reward no matter how big . After all, what was the point of having money and no life to spend it during? Yeah, most definitely not my cup of tea- there was no way I'm going to risk my life for a measly reward .

Though I reluctantly participated since I'm forced to because of Novis, somewhere, in the corner of my heart, I still held out hope .

Losing such an amazing person would be devastating . He was a treasure among the drivel and the ordinary chattel of this world, a diamond that shone radiantly in the sunlight . Indeed, when I met him, the world seemed to become even brighter . Like a weight was lifted off of my tired shoulders and life suddenly became less cumbersome, like a blockage in the tributary of a river that had been cleared, everything seemed less rigid, more flowing instead . Naturally, I'm not that shameless that I would try to woo him . I didn't have any foolish expectations in mind . But, at least I could treat him like eye candy, couldn't I? That much could remain under the radar, I would just admire him surreptitiously . He would never notice, right? After all, he had legions of fan girls swarming around him at any given moment, there was no way I would catch his attention .

「May I ask you to stop right there and go back to your home now?」

A mysterious voice suddenly asked that question, his voice echoing in the vast expanse of the labyrinth . Upon hearing that question which was really more of a command as the tone it was spoken in left no room for any argument or semblance of refusal, we all abruptly turned on our heels to look ahead where the voice seemed to originate from .

Over there, partially hidden amongst the shadows, we saw someone wearing obsidian balck armor similar to that of a knight's . He seemed to almost blend into the shadows, wearing them as comfortably as a warm cloak donned during the worst of the weather in the winter . The armored individual stood regal and straight below the stairs that led to the topmost level of the temple .

Such an aura seemed to suit him, as his body was totally covered, from head to toe with a menacing and sinister looking jet black armor . The armor seemed to be enchanted with some sort of amazing magic, so powerful that I could feel it even from far away . It was clearly an unknown variant of magic that I had never encountered before, so powerful that it emanated power that could be felt leagues away . His armor in addition to the Stygian black mantle that he had donned, reminded me of the starless night sky visible in the city . In fact, he seemed like the epitome of the same, forbidding and ominous, as if all the light and good had been winked out of existence .

I couldn't help it as an involuntary shiver racked my spine . My hands were clammy as I frantically wiped them on the rough fabric of my dark pants . I could feel my shirt plastered to my back due to the cold sweat that slowly formed, like a frightened child hiding behind their mother . Sweat kept flooding from my pores despite the cool air . At this moment, I most definitely felt like prey and my mind was screaming at me to follow his order and run, run far away, as fast as possible . Would I even make it out of this alive? Oh why did I have to be a part of these guys' misadventures?! I knew this was not a good idea . Damn .

Every single one of us was surprised, varying degrees of shock evident on our faces . This encounter was surprising in too many ways to count .

「No way... . Since when did you... And why I can't feel anything . 」

Zefa emitted a guttural groan of frustration .

Amongst all of the current members of the party, Zefa had the highest skill level in terms of detecting and ranging . He should have been able to detect a sign as ominous as this man earlier than any of us! Despite the distraction of the ongoing conversation, such a blatant foreboding presence should have alerted him immediately .

When I looked over the rest of the party, I observed that Nora-san was also shocked, the same astonishment that colored Zefa's face was painted across hers as well .

「What the hell even is that? Even though I couldn't detect the slightest sign of his presence at all, the air trembled as soon as he appeared in front of us . 」

Nora-san shook her head frantically, color draining from her face with every passing moment until she was ghostly pale . She looked ready to keel over at any moment .

I couldn't criticize her at all, I felt exactly the same . I was positive that her appearance was an accurate estimation to what mine must be looking like as well . I couldn't take my eyes off from that man as soon as he appeared in front of us . The unrelenting and merciless pressure emitted from that dark knight was crushing us like a giant boulder . I could feel my heart beat pick up, my blood roaring in my ears- we were trapped .

「What is... . this feeling... . . 」

It was an unpleasant feeling to say the least . It was what I imagined in my darkest nightmares, as if my entire world was wrapped tightly in darkness, so that not even one sliver of light could needle its way in . It was suffocating . Throat tight with fear, I had no choice but to continue looking at the knight in front of us, who seemed to be the exact opposite of Reiji-sama . He was an existence that would turn a cheerful sunny day into a cold, starless night as soon as you spotted him . Death seemed to trail after him like a faithful dog .

「Who are you? There's no way someone like you is a lizardman . 」

Big sis Keyna had made a really good point . It turned out to be just as big sis Keyna said . Lizardmen don't wear armor . Their biggest advantage was their ability to take their enemy by surprise, granted to them due to their mimicry skill . Using armor would only hinder that . I could tell that the question ringing through my mind was one shared by everyone present in our company .

This man isn't a lizardman so who in the world is this knight?!

「Oi hero of wind! take a closer look at the crest engraved on that man helmet!!」

Raising a quivering finger, Nora-san pointed at the knight clad in coal colored armor . I couldn't get a clear look since he was so far away, The etching was a bit hard to discern on the black metal background of his helmet .

「Oi ain't that... The Demon King's Crest?」

Zefa groaned yet again .

I squinted my eyes, straining to make out the symbol etched on the helmet . A star octagram, the Demon King's crest? Wait, wouldn't that make him one of the Demon King Modes's followers?

「Speaking of the knight wit Demon King's Crest... He remind me of Nargol's Legendary Dark Knight—-」

Madi uttered anxiously, her voice low and trembling with barely suppressed terror . It was slightly muffled as she bit at her nails uneasily, agitated by the knight's unexpected presence and overwhelming aura .

Nargol's Dark Knight was an existence that was often sung of in the legends . Disaster followed him like

「DARK KNIGHT OR WHATEVER, I'M SO GONNA KICK YER ASS!!!」

Novis leaped towards the Dark knight after arrogantly proclaiming his intentions .

「YOU IDIOT!! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!!」

Novis blatantly ignored Zefa's warnings as he bulldozed his way past him and made a beeline towards the Dark Knight .

「TAKE THIS!! EXPLOSION!!!」 [TL : Megumiiiin!!!]

Explosion magic was one of Novis's greatest strengths . Even an ogre wouldn't be able to withstand the extreme power behind various attacks using that kind of magic . Especially if Novis attacked head on, there was simply no chance for survival, attempting to defend against such an attack was ultimately futile .

「Did that attack beat him?」

As soon as Big sis Keyna uttered that query, the smoke from the explosion began to clear up, the dark tendrils disappearing as they slowly winded across the area, revealing the figure of the Dark Knight . He was not injured, he withstood the attack with nary a scratch . Like water brushing off of a duck's back, he seemed completely unbothered and unaffected by an attack which, in theory, should have ended him . And then, I noticed that there wasn't even a scorch mark or any other trace of an explosion around where he stood . He was completely unscathed .

「HEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! FLAME BLADEEEEE!!!」

Despite seeing his strongest magic turned useless, not working one bit on the Dark Knight, Novis kept recklessly charging towards the Dark Knight with his flaming sword in hand . That fool didn't even take a moment to consider the various approaches he could have taken- no, as usual, he had to charge head on every single time .

That flaming sword was a lethal weapon, there was no doubt in my mind about that . On various occasions, I had seen it slice through orcs and other monsters like how a hot knife slices through butter . They were decimated .

The Dark Knight was on a whole other level though, he easily parried Novis's attack with simply his index finger . It was almost unfathomable that he had power in such a small appendage than Novis possessed overall . In any other situation, it would have been laughable even if I wasn't so scared out of my skin .

「GODDAMN IIIIT!!」

Novis never gave up, he relentlessly kept swinging his sword, making one arc after another in the air . I couldn't decide whether his determination was adirmable or just plain idiotic . Of course, just like the first one, all of his attacks were easily parried by the Dark Knight . The only actual effect of Novis's continuous slashes seemed to be the heat waves that were generated every time his flaming sword arced through the air only to be brought to a stop by the Dark Knight . No matter how hard Novis tried, sweat dripping into his eyes as he gazed at the visage of the Dark Knight with an unquenchable fury, none of his attacks could reach the dark knight . In fact, he seemed to barely move, needing little to no strength to fend off Novis's attacks . It was as if he was shooing away a fly, Novis registered as little more than a pest in his eyes . The Dark Knight seemed almost...bored .

「WHAT THE!!」

Novis was thoroughly exasperated and frustrated at the moment . His face contorted in an ugly fashion pulled in different directions by his anger, his grimace akin to the gargoyles perched on gothic churches, frozen in malice . Although, I could only see their fight from behind, I saw the scene when the Dark Knight simply pinched the tip of Novis's flaming blade between the index finger from his right hand and his thumb . The Dark Knight did so very nonchalantly, as if it was all a matter of fact .

「GODDAMN IIIIT!!」

Novis seemed to be trying to pull the sword from his grasp but it wouldn't budge at all . The scene was reminiscent of the legend of the Sword in the Stone- many people tried desperately to extract Excalibur from the stone to no avail until King Arthur came along .

「The way you swing your sword is a mess...this might sound like me simply being cocky but, I would sincerely suggest you start training from the basics once again . 」

After he said this statement, the Dark Knight struck novis across the face with his available left hand . Despite it not being his dominant hand, the strength behind the blow was no joke . It looked like it hurt...a lot . Unbeknownst to Novis, he had got the sword teaching he so desperately desired, just from a different teacher...one with a remarkably unique approach .

「GAH!!!」

Novis was blown back while screaming in an indescribable pitch which caused us all to flinch . Novis was tossed through the air like a ragdoll- blown back, rolling over twice as he landed on the ground before stopping . He seemed like a lifeless mannequin lying on the ground after the ordeal, he didn't even twitch . Honestly, I wasn't sure if he was still alive .

「NOVIS!!!」

Justy, who had been standing by my side this entire time, immediately rushed towards Novis . Tears streaked down her pretty heart shaped face as she was overcome with tears . It wasn't an unexpected reaction, after all, it was plain to see that Justy was in love with Novis . Well, and dozens of other fangirls .

「Leylia-san!! Please, heal Novis!!!」

Leylia-san calmly nodded as she slowly made her way over to where Novis was lying down, sneaking a glance at the Dark Knight in the meantime . The black figure remained stationary so she took it as a cue that she had permission to begin treating him . While Leylia-san was dealing with the whole Novis situation, the Dark Knight took over .

「So... what are you going to do? You have two options : stay or leave this place immediately . If you leave, I won't chase after you and you'll leave here with your lives . If you stay...I can't promise you'll get such a clear cut chance again . So, you better choose wisely . What will it be?」

The Dark Knight clearly issued an ultimatum to us while throwing Novis's sword at our feet like it was trash that we neglected to pick up . Though his voice was rather soft and subdued, I could hear it clearly .

「DAMN IT, WHAT THE HELL WITH THIS GUY APPEARING IN THIS KIND OF PLACE!? IS HE REALLY THAT LEGENDARY NARGOL'S DARK KNIGHT!!? 」

Bouncing off of the seemingly endless walls that made up the expanse of the cavern, Zefa's voice resounded in the ruins . It quickly ran from one end of the cave to the other, like a desperate victim, seeking a way out of the damning situation they found themselves in . Despite the strength in Zefa's voice, the furrow of his brows and the cold sweat that lined his forehead betrayed his inner anxiety and fear borne upon the thought of the figure in black actually being the Dark Knight of Nargol . Like the leader of our company, I couldn't help but try to convince myself that the situation would resolve itself and end well, ignoring the apprehensive tug originating at the base of my stomach .

Novis was strong . Though he had a low compatibility against the cockatrice, as they were able to attack all of his weaknesses, he could defeat other demons of the same level with ease . I had witnessed it with my own eyes . He had subjugated a plethora of those demons as if it was a piece of cake, he hadn't even broken a sweat back then for god's sake! Panic took root in my mind, planting its seed and growing uncontrollably until it overshadowed every other thought that passed through my brain . Wiping my now clammy hands on the legs of my trousers discreetly, I ignored how they trembled relentlessly . Novis was treated like a child by that Dark Knight . Which only begged to raise the question...just how powerful was he? Just how terrible of a situation had we found ourselves in?!

Could it be...was this Dark Knight figure as powerful as Reiji-sama? My knees almost gave out at the very inkling of that thought and the possibility that slowly dawned upon me afterwards- could the Dark Knight be more powerful than Reiji-sama?

「What are you going to do then, hero of wind? Shall we escape from this place?」

「As if I'm going to run with tail between my legs, hero of earth!! Nephim!!」

「I understand!!(Water Splash)!!」

Face creased in determination, Nephim extended his left hand out in front of him and cast his magic .

「HERE I GO!! O WIND, DANCE!!!」

He drew arrows from his well stocked quiver and notched them in place . Zefa's fingers tightened around the tense bowstring as he drew it back, preparing to attack . Eyes locked on his target, aim steady, he fired five arrows at once . The volley of arrows flew through the air in a deadly arc . As they drew closer towards the Dark Knight, the arrows soared through the air in a random orbit along with the water bubble shot by Nephim . Upon entering in close quarters with the Dark Knight, the arrows were incinerated . A wall of black flames arose and danced wildly, a menacing sort of madness to their movements . The arrows crumbled to ash before his feet . And the bubble suddenly turned around, headed straight towards Nephim .

「!!!?」

Madi exclaimed, voice increasingly inching higher in pitch due to her incredulity and fear .

「WATCH OUT!!」

Godan swept in front of Nephim and raised his shield in order to protect his comrade from the force of his own attack returned unto him . The bubble dissipated into tiny droplets that splashed off the surface of Godan's gleaming, wet shield once it made contact with the protective surface .

「Thank you so much, Godan, Hero of Earth」

Throat bobbing nervously, Nephim thanked his compatriot, a gratefulness infused in every word of his sentence .

「Don't mind it . 」

Godan replied sullenly, voice somber as ever .

「Oi Zefa, what shall we do?? He's far too strong for us!!!」

Big sis Keyna screamed loudly .

「No, not yet, Keyna!! We're not... . Lo-GUH——-」

Zefa clutched at his head before he managed to finish his sentence . And then, he slowly rose into the air as lifted by an invisible crane .

「Impossible!!!!! Using that technique from that distance!?!」

Madi screamed once again .

was a technique that created a transparent hand born into reality with the help of mana .

An individual who was highly skilled with magic and had mastered great control over their abilities could use it to pick up an object which rested many yards away . It was a hugely helpful skill which extended one's range and allowed them to grasp objects from afar . The most seasoned and experienced users who had attained complete control over the method could use it as if it was an extension of themselves, the movements would be as fluid and flawless as if it was just another limb . In fact, it was quite reminiscent of how a swordsman adapts total control of the sword, using it so naturally, as a supplementary part of their body . A veteran user could even use this technique to directly crush their opponent's heart, so that the enemy would crumple to floor like a puppet whose strings had abruptly, all of a sudden, been cut . They would bleed from the inside, looking perfectly untouched on the surface excluding the glimmer of tears in their eyes which betrayed the pain they were actually experiencing .

Although Madi could also use the same technique, the radius in which it proved effective was very small and thus her range was severely limited to those within her immediate proximity, leading to her only being able to utilize it when enemies had entered into close quarters with her . Also, she wasn't skilled enough to use the skill to pick up objects that weighed more than her actual strength . Heavy objects were most definitely out of the question . Naturally, humans were included in the former category- even a baby weighed a considerable amount and fully grown adults were almost untouchable with her level of inexperience .

However, it seemed as if that Dark Knight could have easily pulled that measly object out .

It appeared as if the menacing Dark Knight had an unshakeable command over his magic and expertise regarding the technique, using the versatile and adaptable approach as an unavoidable, lethal course of attack . The strategy sowed plentiful seeds of fear deep into the pliant soil of our hearts . We could only watch as he, with his undeniable prowess, threw Zefa who was still struggling against his invisible restraints uselessly, back into the hard ground .

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!」

「RETREAT!!! EVERYONE, SAVE YOURSELVES!!! HIYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!」

Godan's booming voice shook the air as his words resonated, breaking the eerie silence that had settled over us like a leaden blanket . His hammer, grasped within his right hand, struck the ground with a ferocity that rivaled the Thor, the Norse god of Thunder . His strength was as expected of his large and powerful frame, the ground where his hammer had pummeled the earth broke apart with a pained groan, raising dark, writhing clouds of dust that obscured everything I could see .

It was possible that just as our vision was obscured, so would the Dark Knight's . Under the shroud of dust, using it's cover as a protective veil, Godan meant for us to escape away from this situation . We followed the instructions that he had barked out and hastily retreated from that awful place . I didn't want to stay and linger there for even a second more than I had to . I didn't know if the feeling that arose within me was cowardice or self-preservation...it was the least of my worries in such a dangerous and chaotic moment .

Godan followed close on our heels, his muscular physique serving its purpose as he easily carried Zefa while running, hefting the leader of our now ruined mission over one of his broad shoulders like a sack of potatoes . Meanwhile, Novis was carried by Justy, her lithe frame deceiving her immense strength . The pair lagged near the tail of the group as we made a straight beeline to escape these cursed ruins .

「Big sis Keyna!! Please carry Madi!!」

「I understand . 」

The slowest amongst us, Madi was being carried by big sis Keyna . Bringing up the rear of the group, Madi was the slowest among us . Her delicate figure was quickly scooped up by Big sis Keyna upon the exclamation of my observations . The pair slowly picked up their pace .

I was nearly there, I could see the tantalizing sight of the exit, the way out of this damn situation in which I should have never been involved in the first place . But, a finger's stretch away from freedom, my escape was halted...

THUNK .

Suddenly, something struck the back of my head .

「WHAT THE... . 」

The object that had struck my head fell to the ground limply . It was a large, dull rock . It seems like I got hit by the one of the many stones that was scattered around when Godan assaulted the ground . My vision turned fuzzy, slowly fading to ink dark black, as despite my best efforts, I slipped to the unrelenting grasp of oblivion .

◆ Dark Knight Kuroki

「Phew they finally left this place...」

The freedom fighters had finally been vanquished from this place . Getting rid of their presence was akin to exterminating a couple of troublesome cockroaches, it wasn't really a difficult task but it was annoying either way .

In the first place, I have no intention to kill them and just repelling them . The goal that had fuelled all my actions until this point was never to kill them, it was simply to repel them away from this place . In the first place, my only intention was to get rid of them so that the lizardmen could continue on in peace .

The dust swirled through the air like a skilled dancer until as if getting ready for the next act of the performance, it dissipated and my range of vision cleared up .

「...EH!?」

A certain thing caught my eyes . I was struck speechless by the sight that greeted me after the veil of dust finally lifted . I was arrested in place, the scene of a girl falling to the firm, unrelenting ground limply, unconscious caught my eyes .

I rushed over to the place where the limp figure of the wounded girl lay . I hovered over the girl's side, bending onto one knee and took a long look at that girl's face .

She was a beautiful girl . To be honest, she didn't look like a freedom fighter at all . The girl was beautiful in an elegant manner, her features were fine and delicate- the slope of her cheekbones was a gentle curve and her hair flowed around her head like a halo, shiny as the high quality silk of one of the finest kimonos . To be completely honest, she didn't seem like a freedom fighter from any angle . I suppose, her slight and waif-like figure belied the strength she undoubtedly possessed .

If my memory served me correctly, Novis had called this girl by the name of Shizufae .

. After that bulky figure of the Hero of Earth, known as Godan destroyed the ground, it seemed as if she accidentally got struck by one of the many spare rocks that was flung into the air as a result of his actions .

I was completely clueless about how I should proceed . After all, I was severely lacking the required knowledge, having little to no experience with administering medical treatment . I gazed at the severe wound that spanned the length of her forehead, there was severe bleeding...this girl might actually be dead soon if I left her here, with that degree of injury left untreated, it was only a matter of time .

「This is bad...」

To make the matter worse, I couldn't use healing magic . Perhaps, things might have been different if Kuna had been here with me, unfortunately, she wasn't- I couldn't rely on her advice and guidance this time . I looked over at the girl's face which was steadily growing paler as time passed by . I couldn't just leave her here . I had to do something, anything at all .

Though Shirone seemed to be able to use a bit of healing magic, I had no idea what exactly the extent of her capabilities was, if her healing magic would even work or how much it would serve as help to heal this girl's wound . I racked through all my options in my brain, aware that with every passing moment, her condition increasingly became worse and worse .

「What should I do now...」

Turning her into my familiar as I had done with Regena was the one case I absolutely wanted to avoid under any circumstances . I speedily filed it away in my mind as my very last resort . If possible, I would do as much as I could to ensure it wouldn't come to that .

「I guess I have no choice...I'll have to ask her, won't I? Good grief! She is the absolute last person in both worlds that I wanted to owe a debt of gratitude to...urgh . 」

By my reference to her, I was of course referring to the person from whom Kuna had originated . If she was the original version of Kuna, there was a possibility that she might be able to use healing magic more skillfully than even Kuna herself, at the very least, she would be as good or adequate . That would have to work for now . With this conviction in my head, mind made up, I carried Shizufae as I left that place .

◆ Sword's Maiden Shirone

「Shirone-sama!! Please save Shizufae!!」

Novis who suddenly barged, broke the peaceful silence that had covered the expanse of the room like he had jumped on thin ice, the sheet collapsing beneath his chaotic and loud actions . He pleaded and begged me desperately while he looked at me in despair . His eyes glimmered with unshed tears and expectation as he looked upon me like I was his only hope . I suppose that I actually was . He wasn't the only one . He was accompanied by the member's who were a part of Shizufae's party . In unison, they all bowed their heads to me in supplication .

According to their explanation, it seems they went to exterminate the lizardmen around noon . According to the stumbled explanation which I had to coax out of Novis, it seemed as if they went on a mission to exterminate the lizardmen around noon today . I guess they were unfortunate to interrupt Kuroki's meeting with the lizardmen and happen upon him .

Well, to be exact, they seemed so very unlucky that they felt cursed .

「Shizufae is one of our comrades...an important member of the party . However, our powers, even combined, aren't enough strength to save...please...save her . P-please, I beg you Shirone-sama!」

Novis uttered his statement with clenched teeth, trying and failing to cover up the anger and frustration etched into his heart .

「Fine then . I'm gonna go pick her up now alright? I trust you know what to do after that, isn't that right? You handle her afterwards, alright?」

I spat out the sentence while shooting Novis a searing glare that had him ducking his head to avoid my piercing gaze .

「Ah, I understand . I'll go and begin apologizing to her properly after she's recovered... . 」

It was interesting to see that stubborn, insensitive, bullheaded Hero of Fire called Novis I had initially encountered become this meek, pitiful creature . It appeared as if Shizufae was an important person in his life, maybe someone close to his heart?

If my assumptions were correct, this would cause his perception of the world to make a complete revolution on his axis . That's why I wanted him to think carefully and reflect on both his actions and their inevitable consequences . Alright, I guess I still held a bit of a grudge .

It seems like you really care about Shizufae, that she's truly an important person in your life and close to your heart, it's similar to how I care about Kuroki . He means a lot to me . That was the entire reason why I was so enraged when Novis had suddenly attacked Kuroki for such a silly and inconsequential reason . I could still remember the manner of his behavior during that time- he was like a wild, rabid animal at that moment, lacking any of the clarity and perception you would expect out of a person .

I wanted him to reflect on that rude and reckless behaviour .

「Good . You may return now . We're going to start making preparations for her retrieval . 」

「Uhm...take...me...too, please . 」

「Rejected . You will just end up being a hindrance . 」

A dark gloom settled over Novis, visibly dejected when I curtly rejected his participation .

「Alright, I understand...」

The rest of the party dragged their feet, reluctant to leave, dejection etched deeply on their faces . The lehargy echoed in each of the member's movements- it was clear that they were currently subject to a deep sense of guilt that weighed them down . Of course, realizing that they had left Shizufae behind, even accidentally, that they had failed to protect one of their own...well, that must certainly not be an easy burden to carry upon their conscience .

「Aren't they rather pitiful?」

Surveying the sight before my eyes, I couldn't help but agree . They were indeed pathetic . However, this was Novis's punishment for punching Kuroki . They deserved at least this much .

「No, I think they deserved at least this degree of punishment . 」

Kaya-san, from her place at my side, voiced out my thoughts perfectly .

「So you think so, Kaya-san . Moreover, Kuroki brought someone back with him a while ago, right . 」

In actuality, the girl named Shizufae had already been saved . The wounded Freedom Fighter had been brought back by Kuroki hours ago, before Novis and the rest of his company could even make their request towards me . She was peacefully resting in a room hidden deep inside an obscure wing of this temple . Rena's healing magic had truly worked wonders, the girl was almost completely healed . Thank goodness . I had no doubt in my mind that if her fate had been even slightly different, that Kuroki left her there...she would have died . We would have never made it in time to save her . Just look how much time they had wasted by delaying their request and dawdling .

Anyway, Shizufae was safe and sound . That was why I was just pretending to make an effort to rescue Shizufae and prepare for such an excursion- it was hard not to betray my utter lack of surprise at their request, since I became informed of their foolish mission and its disastrous outcome beforehand . I wonder how they would react once it was revealed to them that the girl they wanted to save so badly had been rescued ages ago? That it was all a charade and she had been safe during this entire debacle?

. In addition to the encounter with this foolish, motley group of heroes, it seemed that Kuroki had gained some useful information during his trip to the labyrinth . A clue regarding the best way to capture the labyrinth had been revealed, thanks to the cooperation of the colony of lizardmen who resided there . As expected of Kuroki . Excellent as usual .

「Well then, time to take a stroll . We have to stay in character and keep with our act . Don't we, Kaya-san?」

Upon proclaiming my thoughts to Kaya, I then promptly left the room .

◆ Valkyrie[War Maiden], Shizufae

「Oh my...I see that you've finally woken up . 」

When I opened my eyes blearily, the world was unfocused and fuzzy, as if I was viewing it through fog ridden glasses . Shaking my head back and forth gently, my vision slowly cleared up . In my line of sight was an extremely gorgeous and beautiful woman . She seemed ethereal, almost reminiscent of the moon with her platinum blond hair and unblemished porcelain skin . She was most definitely one of the most stunning women I had ever seen, a transcendent beauty . Her radiance was almost unbelievable, the shock I felt seeing this goddess like woman far surpassed my shock during the instance when I had glimpsed the Black Haired Sage for the very first time .

Who exactly was this beauty?

「Uhm... . who are you?」

A gentle smile bloomed delicately like a fresh flower across the beauty's face when I asked for her name .

Despite also being a woman, I wasn't immune to her charms- a hot red blush spread across my face uncontrollably . No doubt I looked very flushed, but it was a side effect of bearing witness to such a beautiful and bright smile .

「Good job, human child . Allow me to adequately show my gratitude towards you . 」

「Gratitude?」

「Yes, seeing him bowing his head to me make me feels so good . 」

The beauty was giggling merrily as she chirped on, oblivious or apathetic to my confusion .

I had no idea what exactly her words meant though . No matter how much I tried to puzzle out their significance, they remained as cryptic as ever .

「So, here's a little grace for you . 」

The beauty extended her hand towards my forehead, the gentle weight of her fingertips was strangely reassuring and pleasant . As soon as she pressed all three fingers onto my forehead, I suddenly felt a rush of power surging into my body .

「Hehehe . Well then, please take care of the resulting aftermath for me, apostle Leylia . 」

After throwing a glance behind her and stating her comment, the beauty gracefully rose from where she had been perched and tugged onto her hood until it hid her face completely . Her beauty was obscured in a mix of darkly cast shadows and pitch black wool . Upon her completing her action, I promptly recalled where I had seen her . She was the person who had come along with Shirone-san back when she had arrived here at the temple .

「Shizufae-san!!!」

After that hooded beauty left the room, Leylia-san quickly scurried to my side . It seemed that she had been in the room since the beginning, when I had woken up . I guess I was too occupied staring at that heavenly and alluring woman . Leylia came and sat on one side of the bed where I was lying down . Her behavior at the moment could certainly be described as abnormal and strange .

「Leylia...-san?」

「Shizufae-san! How envious!!! To think that you had the honor to be healed personally by that revered person!!!」

Leylia-san gently took one of my hands within hers, a stark contrast to the frenzied fanaticism evident from the tone of her voice . It was unsettling to see the typically calm and composed Leylia-san lose her unflappable attitude .

「What exactly happened to me,Leylia-san? How did I end up here? The last thing I remember...it was almost escaping with the rest of my company and a sharp pain flaring up on the back of my head . 」

「Shizufae-san...you were saved from the labyrinth and that Dark Knight just in the nick of time by Shirone-sama . 」

「Oh, is that so? Alright, I understand what happened now...」

I made a mental note to thank Shirone-sama later . A wave of gratitude arose from within my chest . Although Shirone-sama undoubtedly had a bit of a temper, she was ultimately a good person . No hero could be a bad person after all . I chalked my first impression of Shirone-sama off to an anomalous blip in her behavior .

「Even so, I'm so glad that you're safe and sound . I was very worried about you . 」

Leylia-san lightly chuckled .

「Come to think of it, who was that extremely beautiful person just now?」

My curiosity bubbled up to the surface uncontrollably, like the effervescence in a freshly opened can of soda that had been shaken well . I was really quite curious about that person's identity . Her beautiful and mysterious words, coupled with the reverential manner in which Leylia-san referred to her had all piqued my interest .

「That perso— nay, that esteemed persona was the Goddess Rena-sama . She was the one who healed your wound...that's why I'm really envious of you . It is an immense honor- you should be very grateful, Shizufae-san . 」

Leylia-san replied so while softly shaking her head back and forth . Her eyes were focused on the floor as she bit her lip, trying to conceal the envy that was painted across her face as clear as day .

My eyes grew wide, no doubt I looked like I felt- a deer caught in the headlights . I felt like my world had stopped for a moment, as I tried desperately to comprehend and assimilate that ground-shaking piece of information .

「No way... . that person...is the Goddess-sama?」

To say I was shocked by this sudden revelation was most definitely an understatement, if not the understatement of the year . No doubt, I was stupidly gaping, my mouth opening and closing wordlessly like a fish out of water .

◆ Dark Knight Kuroki

「How did this happen to me?」

Why the hell did I have to bow down before Rena, prostrating myself at her feet just to save the life of one freedom fighter girl?! Wasn't that her job in the first place? Wasn't it her duty as the Protector of Humans to care for them and heal one of the wounded humans she came across without manipulation, coercion or complaint?! And yet that scheming woman called Rena refused to do so . Selflessness and generosity, my ass! If the people who worshipped her so devotedly and faithfully knew of her true colors, they would pick up their pitchforks and begin a riot .

Huh...God being the savior of humanity is simply just a pipe dream created by the human imagination to cope with the harsh realities of life . The Gods won't save humans . In the first place, Gods are apathetic beings . I, who knew the events that had led to the creations of humans, was very aware of the fundamental fact that Gods didn't exist for humans- humans exist for the Gods . That's why, deep down, I wasn't surprised with Rena's arrogance and apathy- there was nothing strange regarding Rena not saving a human even when they were on the verge of death .

The face Rena made clearly screamed her disinterest . It was almost as if her expression clearly read 'If you really want to save Shizufae, why don't you save her yourself?' .

Thus, I was left with no choice . The only way forward which involved saving Shizufae's life was bowing my head before Rena . The triumph that had spread across Rena's beautiful face when she saw me bowing before her was etched into my mind...I couldn't, I wouldn't forget it under any circumstances . It was a sight that haunted and danced tauntingly across the dark of my eyes everytime I closed them .

In the first place, why did I, a Dark Knight have to bow before a Goddess just to save one mere freedom fighter's life?!

. I could almost taste my rebellion on my tongue . I want so badly to retort that it was supposed to be the opposite, right? However, I had no choice but to swallow my retort unvoiced like bitter, disgusting medicine .

「Good grief, just why in hell did I do that...」

I couldn't do anything but heave a sigh . What was done was done . Now Rena had another card to play against me . Shit .