Published at 25th of March 2019 11:06 pm

Volume 1: Chapter 5: Escape

1

Serara was hiding in a composite room made of insulation materials. The 2LDK (2 Bedroom, Living room, Dining room and Kitchen) was situated inside an abandoned building.

The civilization of the old world had been lost after the world fell apart, and you could only see the architectural relics of its culture scattered around the world. Serara, as a player, knew this world was recreated in the image of modern Japan with Susukino based on one of the cities of Sapporo. You could see hints of the real world city everywhere.

Susukino was an urbanized place in the world that had many big buildings. They have all been reinforced with cold steel as part of the Elder Tales setting, making them look more like fortresses.

The angular design gave it a retro machine empire feel; this was the design motif of Hokkaido… or Ezzo Empire's settings in game.

The buildings strengthened by screws, braces, nuts and bolts were able to withstand the wind and snow, but not the cold. That's why the people of Susukino would construct additional insulation houses within the buildings, places that were warm and suitable to live in.

This was highly inefficient if you took into account the population and the area available. It wouldn't work in Japan, but was possible in the world of Elder Tales.

One of these insulation houses was the hiding place of Serara, a rental from the person who helped her.

She had been cleaning this home separated into rooms by screen doors all day.

She didn't do it because she liked to clean or because the place was dirty. She just had nothing else to do. In this place with no TV or internet, it was hard to kill time.

Serara's subclass was Housekeeper. This subclass had the ability to clean zones, arrange items, and manage consumables and storage items. These skills helped in keeping a place clean and tidy.

(… Why did I pick such a minor, useless subclass?)

Serara sighed for the countless time but did not stop cleaning.

In Elder Tales, the main class was chosen when creating your character and could not be changed. However, if you were fine with giving up all your subclass EXP, you could change subclasses easily.

Serara's main class was Druid, a type of healer.

Serara wanted to experience the feeling of doing business in this complicated game, that's why she started playing.

There were many players just like her. Interacting with other players and earning cash by doing business offered a unique sense of fun, it was one of the ways to enjoy Elder Tales.

But most players who wanted to focus on business would choose Merchant or Accountant as a subclass. These subclasses would provide additional benefits when trading, allowing you to get discounts when dealing with NPCs.

Another choice would be a production subclass. Crafting all sorts of items to sell was also a proper way to play.

But according to the beginners' guide Serara had read online, you needed to have certain levels of stats and some quests cleared before you could choose Accountant or Merchant as a subclass. You would need to have some capital on hand to get raw materials if you chose to go the production subclass route.

So Serara was saving up money while raising the level of her Druid main class, and would re-pick her subclass after saving some money. Raising her main class would only help in buying or farming for items after all, so Serara decided to choose the simplest subclass to use in the meantime with this thought in mind.

Simply put, Serara became a Housekeeper through an elimination process.

(Boohoo… If I knew it would be like this, I should have chosen a crafting subclass, such as Artisan or Tailor…)

Serara's mind wandered as she cleaned the table.

The composite room made from insulation parts had a country-style interior.

It wasn't really a style, it was just that things were simply made from wood. The floor was laid with wood that had beautiful grain patterns, and the walls were built with logs while planks covered the ceiling.

According to the game setting, Ezzo Empire was a treasure trove of natural resources, leading the Japanese server with its forestry and mining industries.

The wooden floors and reddish tables were all unique products of Ezzo Empire. They would shine if you cleaned them thoroughly.

In the wood cabin style composite house, the plain girl with her long hair tied in a bunch… Serara was working hard. Her flannel shirt and denim pants, along with her long hair and face without make up, gave the impression of cleanliness and tidiness. She was not utterly beautiful, but looked like a newlywed wife from afar.

(Eh, I'm so bored, I just keep leveling up…)

Serara sighed as she opened the window. Her housekeeper EXP was increasing today too. The EXP for main class and subclass were independent. Subclasses were much simpler in design than main classes, you would level up if you accumulated 10 EXP, and the limit would either be level 90 or 100.

Serara's Housekeeper level was 42 yesterday, but it was 44 now. Recently her subclass had been rising 3 levels every day, an incredible speed. She might max out her subclass while hiding in Susukino.

(I don't want to be a NEET, grinding levels. That would be so sad…)

She had been doing laundry and house chores the whole day, of course her level would increase. But maybe she was not a maid, but a housewife? This thought rose in Serara's mind. This might be a fine title to have for a girl her age, but the feeling of embarrassment was more prominent.

(No way! No way! Maybe I am a maiden waiting for my kitty-husband to come home!)

Serara started polishing the tableware to hide her embarrassment.

This way of killing time wouldn't trouble others and looked very peaceful from the side.

"Serara-san, I'm home nya."

The door opened and an amazing man returned.

This zone was an independent space with monthly rental fees, so only players authorized by the owner could enter. The man entering the house was a werecat.

His slender figure and green corduroy jacket made him look like a middle age rifleman from drawing books. His long limbs accentuated his skinny figure. His round head had a pair of triangular ears on top like a mischievous cat from fairy tales. The whiskers on either side of his face made him look majestic and cute.

He was Nyanta.

A demihuman with cat features from the 8 races available for the players to choose, werecats.

"Welcome back Nyanta-san."

Serara bowed.

"How was the town?"

Nyanta tilted his head slightly and gave a vague smile. His slit-like eyes made her feel at ease, but Serara was unable to see other minute changes in his expression.

"Same as always. It wasn't good, it wasn't bad."

Serara's expression sank at his words. Nyanta said it wasn't bad, but since it hadn't improved, it meant the situation was still atrocious.

Susukino's security continued to deteriorate. With the small population, they could not maintain order spontaneously and it was becoming a dog-eat-dog world.

The main reason for this development was the guild Brigandia. A congregation of notorious people expelled from Akiba and Nakasu, it had a nasty reputation since the Elder Tales days.

Prioritizing profits, their aggressive style turned them into a real group of bandits after the Apocalypse.

PK was normal for them, and they might not be satisfied with half the items they got from their victims. They would use intimidation and harassment to extort more money from other players.

They were nasty to both players and NPCs.

For many reasons, there was no point for players to mistreat NPCs. Take the city guards for instance, their battle prowess and levels were high and they could fend off normal players with ease.

The NPCs in the field zones like merchant caravans, farmers, and citizens which provided information for the players had low fighting strength but no wealth to speak of.

These NPCs would also provide crucial hints for quests, so normal players wouldn't attack them.

But this group had no qualms bullying the NPCs and ignored the fact that the NPCs had nothing valuable on them… They treated the NPCs as merchandise and started trading them as slaves.

Players were able to employ NPCs in the world of Elder Tales. They were hired for various reasons, but the most common would be to take care of player residences. In Elder Tales where you could purchase a home, talents that managed and cleaned your place had a fixed demand in the market.

Be it renting or buying a zone, the monthly maintenance fee would go up if you didn't clean your place periodically.

Some NPCs with special abilities might not be able to fight on the battlefield, but could serve well in activities such as guild events. It was common to employ NPCs.

One of the reasons Serara's Housekeeper subclass was unpopular was due the job being outsourced to NPCs.

If you hired a NPC maid, you could keep a small mansion clean by only paying 800 gold a month. It was understandable for the Housekeeper subclass to lose popularity.

Elder Tales was just a well-made online RPG. Only a select few NPCs like maids, harvesters, and assistants had unique skills to help the players. You could not employ other normal NPCs.

Their appearances used the same base models as players, but their communication ability was limited to simple computer artificial intelligence. They could say predetermined lines or converse with you through a few select options. They were simply not worth the effort to attack.

But all sorts of common sense was overturned after the Apocalypse.

The game became reality, daily life became a nightmare.

There were many obvious changes after the Apocalypse, with the biggest being the changes of the NPCs. They had an actual soul and body in this world.

Their conversational skills and actions were no different from players.

Unless they had special settings, their battle prowess were miles behind players. But if you didn't confirm through the status screen, it was hard to tell players and NPCs apart.

Another major difference was the number of NPCs.

NPCs were more human-like, with an increase in population. The evil guild Brigandia treated these two facts as ripe fruits to be harvested. The act of selling people as a tool of entertainment started in this world.

This was not a profitable business model in Susukino with only 2000 people. It was just an action that mocked the economy instead of making money.

Even the low-class act of capturing NPCs for sale was just a way to kill time.

Just like the evolution of other foolish ideas, these actions gradually got out of hand. They shifted their focus from tormenting and oppressing people from NPCs to female players like Serara.

Serara turned pale as she thought about this. Her vision dimmed as though a veil was covering her head and her temperature dropped.

If the man in front of her had not come to her rescue, she would definitely be in deep trouble.

"Now, now, don't think so hard about it Serara-san. If you let it bother you, you'll turn old easily nya."

Nyanta waved his hand in front of Serara as he spoke.

"Don't think too much about it, eat some fruits nya… Here eat this."

Serara nodded as Nyanta offered her an apple.

The fragrance from the red fruit made Serara relax.

"This house is so clean. I'm sure Serara-san will make a great wife someday nya."

"That isn't true. Really."

Nyanta sat on a chair by the dining table and commented casually. His words made Serara's temperature rise.

Nyanta referred to himself as an old man.

From the feeling of his voice, Nyanta was much older than Serara. Serara, who was in her 2nd year of high school, would not have been surprised if Nyanta was twice her age.

But even so, Serara didn't think Nyanta was as old as he said. Serara shared this thought with him once and Nyanta replied that the credit should be given to the well-designed characters in the game. But Serara didn't think so.

(Nyanta-san must surely be… a handsome middle aged gentleman. Cool, wise, mature and cheerful.)

Even if this was a game with amazing character designs, Serara felt that appearance didn't really matter when they were playing together. And after the Apocalypse, Serara was very certain of Nyanta's character, since they were living under the same roof (due to emergency situations).

Nyanta gave off the feeling of a dependable and mature man. He wasn't intimidating and Serara felt a sense of security when she was with him. His silver triangular ears were charming like a noble cat, his slender figure was so cool.

(Nyanta-san is so in shape, I look kind of fat being next to him… I am a little overweight…)

Objectively speaking, Serara had a normal build for a woman. But such stunted thoughts formed when she looked at Nyanta.

Nyanta has muscles all over his body, but it felt like he was made from pencils.

"How are those people who are coming for you doing nya?"

Nyanta arranged the items he purchased on the dining table and asked. Crescent Moon Alliance, the guild Serara belonged to, had already sent a 3 man team from Akiba to Susukino for her. Serara and Nyanta both knew about this and it was their common topic of conversation.

Nyanta was impressed by the movement speed of this team. Although they couldn't contact the team directly, Crescent Moon Alliance's guild master Maryele would contact Serara several times daily, so Serara knew their approximate position.

"Yes, they are doing fine, they'll probably arrive before noon tomorrow."

Serara reported.

She wouldn't be able to stay here anymore when help arrived, and would have to go back to Akiba.

What plans did Nyanta have? Serara was afraid to ask.

Nyanta only aided her out of kindness, so Serara wasn't sure how much she could ask of him. She was unable to repay him for all that he had done. But whenever Serara brought this up, he would dismiss it with a laugh, saying 'Helping the young ones is the obligation and joy of the elderly'.

(Even though I am happy he said that… he only treats me like a child after all…)

"Please bear with this a little while longer nya. Serara-san must feel uncomfortable being confined in such a small house, so just endure it a bit more. Relax, help is definitely coming."

Nyanta's smile made Serara miss her chance to ask again.

2

Another day passed.

Shiroe's group had set up their base dozens of minutes away from Susukino for surveillance as scheduled.

Susukino was a city zone located in Ezzo Empire. Ezzo Empire was equivalent to Sapporo in the old world and was set as a field zone.

It was a fortress city with farming zones, and many NPCs resided here.

To be safe, Shiroe found an inconspicuous collapsed house in the suburbs to use as their base, with a view observing the entrance into Susukino.

"There is no need to be on guard right now, my lord."

"But there is a fishy atmosphere, this place is lifeless."

Shiroe nodded in agreement with both their assessments and took out a piece of paper from his pocket. It was a rough sketch of Susukino.

"Susukino has one major road, something like this. The uptown area is in the east, the central square is to the east of this place. As for us," Shiroe drew an arrow. "We are going in from the west."

"Can't we meet up outside the city?"

"That's a bad idea shrimp."

"Is that so, pervert Naotsugu?"

They each refused to back down, calling each other shrimp and pervert. Shiroe only soothed them this one time as he explained.

"Our respawn point is in Akiba since that is the last city we visited. If we met up outside and were wiped out in a fight, we would respawn in the Akiba cathedral after some time… but Serara-san would respawn at the Susukino cathedral. So if we meet up outside and get wiped out, we will return to Akiba while Serara-san would stay at Susukino. We will need to start all over, which I want to avoid."

"I understand."

Akatsuki nodded while Naotsugu had a smug 'I told you so' look on his face.

"Next up is our formation. Akatsuki… I would like you to hide yourself with Sneak and Silent Move, please."

"No 'please' my lord."

"Eh, I understand… Naotsugu and I, with Akatsuki who is hiding her presence, will enter the city normally and head to the meeting point, an abandoned building. Akatsuki will find a hiding place with a vantage point covering the whole building. Contact me if you see anything."

The serious girl with black hair nodded with a serious expression.

"Naotsugu will guard the entrance. Try to find a spot that overlooks both the road and the interior of the building. Wait there and be prepared for any emergencies inside. I will go straight into the building, meet up with Serara-san, and escort her out to Naotsugu as fast as possible."

"Okay. Eh, what about the third party who helped?"

"I have not ascertained his identity yet, but I hope he will leave Susukino with us. We will leave his decision to go to Akiba until later."

Shiroe thought for a moment before continuing.

"It is highly possible Serara-san is on the friend list of a Brigandia guild member."

Unlike what its name suggested, you did not need approval before adding someone to your friend list. You could determine whether a person on your friend list was online, and you could also check to see if they were in the same zone as you.

"If that is the case, they'll locate her and send pursuit the minute she leaves her hiding spot. The best case will be to leave Susukino before that happens. They probably won't find us if we are two or three zones away."

Serara was currently hiding in an independent zone of a building. Put simply, Serara wouldn't be detected by people who added her to their friend list if she was hidden there.

But if she left and went into the Susukino city zone, they would notice her presence. The group would need to go through the Susukino city zone in order to return to Akiba.

Shiroe had already planned for this on his journey here and explained it in detail to the others. His meticulous formation was playing it safe, but Shiroe didn't think anything would actually go wrong.

But everything depended on how unscrupulous the problem guilds really were. Unlike handling monsters, you couldn't simply attempt the quest again after getting wiped out.

(There are tons of bad scenarios. This is the reason people say I think too much and I am an introvert.)

It wouldn't be a problem if his worries turned out to be for nothing. Shiroe nodded at Naotsugu and Akatsuki as he thought about this.

"If we are fast, we can say goodbye to Susukino in an hour."

"I support my lord's battle plans."

After tying down the hand signals for actions and the meeting points in case of emergencies, the trio headed for Susukino.

The entrance was designed to look like a reinforced castle gate. Angular braces were bolted to the gate at all angles, giving it an intimidating look.

The young Ezzo Empire was built by the human emperor Al Radiru. In the settings of the Japanese server, it was a strong and warlike nation. Weapons were hung all over the cities and the colorful standards gave off a military atmosphere.

(This is different from Akiba. I visited when it was a game, but seeing it like this is totally different from what I remember…)

The decor, atmosphere, and details of the city that were only the background in the game was a new experience for Shiroe right now. Naotsugu felt the same as he looked around with interest while wrapped in his thick woolen cloak.

The long road led into the city zone.

The NPCs walking in the streets were lifeless and the occasional players they saw had gloomy expressions.

"The atmosphere is terrible, I wouldn't want to live here."

"Yeah."

Naotsugu whispered and Shiroe replied in the same low volume. He sympathized with them, but the feeling of frustration in his heart burned stronger.

He had felt this sensation during his journey here, but he was losing control of it right now. He felt irritated and his temperature rose with his unhappy feelings.

Although he wanted to do something to improve the situation, he didn't have any practical means or the ability.

The wary Shiroe looked behind himself every now and then, but he couldn't feel Akatsuki's presence or location. She must have been nearby, but for her to have erased her presence so completely made Shiroe feel uneasy.

After traveling a distance, he saw an abandoned building with a broken sign saying '-raoke BO-', the landmark building Maryele had mentioned. Shiroe signaled with his hand and entered the building with Naotsugu.

There were steel braces reinforcing the cracks in the concrete walls everywhere. The buildings here looked more structurally sound than Akiba's.

Naotsugu turned right just after entering the lobby and found a security guard post. Shiroe listened intently for any sound as he moved deeper into the building, up the stairs to the 2nd floor.

After contacting Maryele by telepathy, Shiroe was told 'Our guild member will be reaching you soon'. Things had been going as planned so far, which put Shiroe at ease. It had been 6 minutes since he entered Susukino.

Shiroe turned around casually when he heard 2 sets of footsteps approaching. A young girl wearing leather armor with the rounded silhouette unique to healers greeted him. She had long hair tied back in a low ponytail and looked up at Shiroe with guilty eyes. This, along with her panicky demeanor, reminded Shiroe of a small animal poking its head out of the forest."Umm, hello!"

Shiroe smiled.

"I am Serara from Crescent Moon Alliance, thank you for coming."

"Nya."

"Wait, is that you Chief?"

Even though it was rude to Serara who was bowing her head in thanks, Shiroe couldn't help retorting loudly.

"Hey, I was thinking who it might be, isn't this Shiroe-chi nya? That explains how you arrived so quickly nya."

This was the man known as 'Chief' or 'Cat Sage' in the Debauchery Tea Party, the Swashbuckler with cat ears… Nyanta.

3

Nyanta was a player that gave off a unique air during his days in the Debauchery Tea Party. He was steady, cool, and had a kind nature.

He could also be described as a sunbathing cat. Anyway, he was the one rare sensible person restraining the playful group that tended to go out of control.

Nyanta referred to himself as an old man and behaved like one with his steadfast maturity.

With voice chat being the main way of communicating in Elder Tales, it was possible to guess someone's age through their voice.

The self-proclaimed old man Nyanta sounded younger than 50, should be a bit older than 40, and was 30 plus years of age at best.

Online gaming was a culture of the young.

There was no surprise in finding players older than 30, but you would be hard pressed to see any over 40. Nyanta probably called himself an old man because of this relative difference in age, which differed from how Shiroe saw it.

In this case, an adult had nothing to do with biological age.

Others thought of Nyanta as an adult because of his character and experience.

'Adult' in this case didn't mean someone who couldn't read the atmosphere and disrupted everybody's playing time. It referred to a person who always had your back and gave you advice when you consulted them.

Nyanta would help any comrade that came to him for advice, but he would not overdo it with his aid. They would pull themselves together after hearing his warm voice and work hard on their problem. This was the reason Nyanta was loved and respected by the younger players.

His nicknames of 'Chief' and 'Cat Sage' were expressions of good will by the other players.

The Debauchery Tea Party was not a guild, it was just a group of players.

Many players there were not in any guild, but some belonged to one. However, big guilds with strict rules frowned on their members being on such close terms with outsiders.

This was not because of discrimination (although it could be), it was just concern about manpower flowing out. For instance, rather than letting the high-level members mentor beginners without guilds or from other guilds, it would be better to teach the beginners in your own guild. Guilds were meant for mutual support after all.

Taking this into perspective, Debauchery Tea Party regulars were either from small guilds or not in one.

Nyanta belonged to the guild 'Cat Food'.

But Shiroe had never seen any other players from Cat Food, so it must have been an obscure mini guild.

Whenever Shiroe asked Nyanta how his guild was doing, Nyanta replied 'I love sitting on the porch, but the house was getting old. Something like that nya' with a smile.

Although Nyanta was the adviser for the Debauchery Tea Party, he was not a man with high authority or status. Shiroe could sense that Nyanta was concerned about how the trend of the Tea Party would affect him.

Nyanta maintained a calm and playful demeanor, but he definitely liked the festive events of the Debauchery Tea Party, right? He probably wanted to enjoy himself among the 'young ones'… That's how Shiroe felt.

"Ah, sorry about that Serara-san, please call me Shiroe. I actually know this sage."

"That's right Serara-san, this is Shiroe-chi, a smart and competent young man nya. The plan is sure to work with him here nya."

"I see you still meow all the time, Chief."

Shiroe gave a teasing smile.

Making fun of Nyanta's meowing had been a joy of Shiroe since the Tea Party days.

"What are you talking about Shiroe-chi nya? This is the correct way for cat people to speak, a wonderful way to end a sentence nya."

"Is it 'wan' or 'nya', just stick to one okay?"

The light-hearted chat between Shiroe and Nyanta surprised Serara. She calmed herself and asked.

"You know each other?"

"We were very close nya. Shiroe-chi used to check me for fleas."

"I did not."

Serara could only nod with a stunned expression.

"Since Shiroe-chi is here… who are the other 2 nya?"

"Naotsugu is here, the other is a girl named Akatsuki, a level 90 Assassin. We have gone through 10 days and 160 training sessions, she is good."

"Then Naotsugu-cchi is here too nya, and a new friend? This is excellent nya. Shiroe-chi is finally at this phase nya."

Nyanta, who always squinted his eyes into a slit while smiling, looked at Shiroe with a deep smile.

"Chief Nyanta… What happened to Cat Food?"

"The house couldn't handle the bad weather and half the house caved in nya. Perhaps it is is a sign from above, telling me to relocate to Akiba nya."

"That… Ah, wait a minute."

Nyanta's answer sounded more grandiose than sad. Just when Shiroe was about to ask further, a soothing ringtone sounded in his ears.

"A menacing group led by a Monk is approaching the building. They have 3 weapon-based classes and 2 healers, probably in the same party. They are planning to surround you. They will reach you in about 2 minutes."

The concise words brought up the sketch of Susukino in Shiroe's mind.

"Our allies detected a party of 6 led by a Monk approaching, any idea who they are?"

"That's - !"

"That should be the guild master of Brigandia, Demiqas nya. He is a level 90 Monk, so are his teammates nya… He is the mastermind behind all this, the enemy nya."

Nyanta used the term enemy clearly.

He had never addressed any player this way in the game before, which cleared up any doubts Shiroe had,

"Is there a back door here? We will fight our way through if there is a need."

4

"This way nya."

"You doing okay Serara-san?"

"Of course!"

Serara chased after Nyanta, who was leading the way, with the rescue team member Shiroe behind her.

(So he is Nyanta-san's friend… He looks hard to get along with, but seems very smart.)

Serara judged based on Shiroe's sharp eyes.

Peeking behind, she could see Shiroe watching the vicinity while talking through telepathy. His feet were steady and fast, definitely experienced in this.

Brigandia members had started combing through the areas they found suspicious.

They'd probably found her whereabouts through the friend list.

That's what Serara concluded.

It would only be a matter of time before they were found. The layout of Susukino was very simple; all the roads were laid out in a grid like a chess board. No matter what route they took, they would be surrounded if the enemy had sufficient numbers.

Shiroe and Nyanta decided to force their way through even though they knew this.

They said this was a necessary gamble to return to Akiba.

Shiroe was contacting Naotsugu and Akatsuki, who were not here. The three of them moved fast but steadily towards the main road that led west.

The city gate was full of Brigandia members, as expected.

"Fighting is prohibited in the streets of Susukino nya… What are they thinking?"

"They will let us through the first time."

Shiroe mentioned the enemies would give way, but that was just this one time. They would wait until Shiroe's group was outside and then attack. That was Brigandia's plan. Serara was sure Shiroe and Nyanta understood this too.

"That's how it is nya."

Nyanta didn't ask Shiroe further about his bad premonition out of concern for Serara.

But the kind attitude of Nyanta differed from his time with Serara. She didn't know what was different, but it gave her the chills.

"What… Should I do… ?"

Serara's voice was trembling. Demiqas had grabbed her wrist once, and Serara lost her courage just recalling his muscular arms and disgusting smile.

"About that…"

Shiroe looked far ahead, and you could see his expression fading from his profile. Shiroe, who looked more unapproachable with his temperature seemingly dropping, scared Serara.

"If they're letting us leave, then we just go. That makes things easier."

"… Eh?"

Serara stared in surprise at Shiroe's words.

Battle was allowed after leaving the city zone.

There would be a fight if they were caught. Brigandia had enough members to guard all the roads out of the city.

Nyanta, Shiroe, and she would be murdered, Serara predicted.

No matter how experienced Shiroe and Nyanta were, or high level their allies might be, there were still only 5 of them. And that included Serara, who was below level 30.

Serara felt there was no way they could win against their foes in PK. The difference in numbers was too large.

"To escape cleanly, we need to create an opening."

"They will pursue us indefinitely if we are in close range. They definitely know someone is assisting Serara-san, or she wouldn't be able to get food all this time. They also know we are few in numbers… Brigandia probably plans to surround and PK us a short distance outside the non-combat city zone. Their priority probably will be the people helping you. That will destroy your will and put you under their control. I am almost certain of that."

Shiroe's pure analysis sounded like a bystander's viewpoint.

"They might kill us? How can you say that?"

"Now, now, don't get so upset, Serara-san. There's no need to be so worried nya. If that's what Shiroe-chi says, that's how it is nya. Just leave this to Shiroe-chi and you will be fine."

Nyanta said calmly ignoring Serara's panic and unease. Nyanta had already informed Shiroe about the details of Brigandia's members and their strengths, but Serara still didn't get why the two of them were so nonchalant in the face of imminent danger.

"Chief?"

"What is it nya?"

"If you went 1-on-1 with their leader…"

"A foolish question nya."

Nyanta nodded at Shiroe's query, scaring Serara with his spirit. She had heard from experienced players that PK was different from fighting monsters, and this was the same in the alternate world.

Unlike the limited variety of attacks monsters used based on their instincts, there was no way to tell what other players might do. The tension of battle was several times stronger, and even the most battle-hardened players could make mistakes… That was what Henrietta told Serara.

"Let's do it this way. We will leave the city, and Brigandia will try to PK us at a place where we can't flee into the city. We will defeat their leader and make our escape."

(What an absurd plan!)

Serara turned pale.

That's not a plan, it was just going with Brigandia's flow right? This was a suicidal move in a sense. Serara couldn't put her thoughts into words even though she wanted to.

"No problems nya. You are still the same Shiroe-chi I knew nya."

More incredibly, Nyanta actually agreed with Shiroe. Serara turned around in surprise as Nyanta opened his right eye while replying.

"It's been a while since my last hearty meal, watch closely, Serara-san, nya. Don't worry, I won't let those ruffians touch you nya."

Seeing Nyanta like this, Serara swore in her heart to endure whatever fear she might face.

5

That was how things had progressed to this stage.

It was going just as Shiroe predicted.

Serara's group walked through the gates under the disdainful look of Brigandia's members. About ten of their people had cut off their retreat route, shadowing them from behind.

They would be attacked a short distance from the city. Even Serara who usually had nothing to do with murderous intents could feel the twisted air, unable to differentiate between malice and kindness. Her trembling shoulders were the best evidence.

(It must be hard for her to trust me.)

Shiroe, who was aware of Serara's worries, thought. She was right in a sense.

Brigandia was a powerful force, so it was understandable for her doubt the possibility of victory.

The tension in the air got stronger with each step they took.

As they got further away from the safety of the city, Brigandia's men started to close in and encircle Shiroe's group.

"Here should be fine."

Shiroe said softly before he raised his voice and asked:

"Which of you is Brigandia's Demiqas~?"

This statement caused a stir among the surrounding players. They had not expected such an open challenge.

"Now, Shiroe-chi, asking something so loudly is rude nya. I know which one he is, he is the excessively huge guy standing over yonder nya. Hey, Demiqas~!"

The man who appeared as if on cue from Nyanta was the guild master of Brigandia, Demiqas.

His light armor that looked like a chest plate covered his muscular body. He was equipped with weapons on his hands akin to tiger claws.

Since he was based off the 3D in-game model, this man should be quite handsome. But his expression rightly reflected the evil in his heart.

"So you two are the flies that have been bothering Serara?"

"That would just be me nya. And it's not a fly, but a cat nya." Nyanta teased without a care in the world.

Unlike the content of his speech, Nyanta used a mature and charming tone, so it was not too intimidating.

But he followed up with some spunk.

"… Recklessness is the way of the young, and tolerance is the beauty of adulthood. But there is such a thing as going too far nya."

"What are you saying, mongrel?"

"What I'm going to say is the main point, listen carefully nya. Demiqas, you have crossed the line. Since you planned to PK, this will save some time. Reigning in children who stray too far beyond the line is also the obligation of elders. Come on, I will fight you 1-on-1 nya."

(Although it is rare for the Chief to taunt someone, it can't be helped since Brigandia is acting like criminals.)

Shiroe checked the numbers of enemies using the menu in his head as he thought.

"Hah! Ridiculous, why should I fight you on your terms? Don't you see my 10 buddies over here?"

"Sorry to interrupt Demiqas-san, but it doesn't have to be you. Instead… I'd prefer you in the gray robes. Isn't that an artifact drop from the Fire Lizard's cave? You seem stronger, so we would be okay with you instead of the Monk. It would be more satisfying for both of us if the strongest fighters settle things. Let's challenge this mage, Chief Nyanta."

"You heard of me, Londark of Gray Steel, and still dare to say this?"

"You are right nya… Let us finish this nya."

Deviating from the plan surprised Serara, Shiroe had already switched his target to the male mage besides Demiqas. Nyanta seemed to support this, which made the Brigandia members confused.

Some of them looked at the mage Londark, others watched Demiqas for his reaction. Even Shiroe's party could see the divide between the 2 groups.

(They are not united. That is expected since they are a coalition formed on the spur of the moment. The mage Londark is the number 2 man in the guild and Demiqas' tactician. Demiqas, I understand how much control you have over your members.)

Shiroe felt a flame flickering under his calm emotions.

Shiroe was not adept at dealing with others. You could say he hated mingling with idiots, but it didn't mean he 'couldn't' do it.

He was a pacifist towards other players and did not wish to fight them.

But that doesn't mean he 'wouldn't. '

It was the opposite.

Shiroe knew what was coming next.

His emotions were like the sea in a dark night, an urge to destroy fueled by his frustration.

'Eat a hearty meal'.

That's how Nyanta described it. Keeping him warm and sunny, and then replacing it with a cold grin that revealed his cat fangs.

Shiroe had a similar fang in his heart.

If you had the guts to wield a sword, you had to bear the resolve to die by a sword. Shiroe agreed to this concept subconsciously. There was no need for mercy.

"Londark-san of Gray Steel, right? You are strong enough to have a nickname, so we would prefer to fight you instead of Demiqas-san… The Swashbuckler Chief Nyanta here will be your opponent. Let's duke this out, we won't run away."

"Let's begin. Judging from your equipment you are a top-class mage nya? Deciding things with a match should be your style nya? We can ignore the cowardly meatball Demiqas here who is too scared to fight himself."

Nyanta's insult was the last straw. Demiqas, infuriated by this, walked towards Nyanta with anger, tension, and a sneer.

"Very well, I will fight you. A reckless bastard like you, I will use my fist and send you to… Heaven!"

Demiqas pretended to walk up and take up the challenge casually when he lunged at Nyanta. Nyanta waited until the last moment before dodging the fist coming at his face, leaping several meters backwards. He drew his twin rapiers with a stance and laughed mockingly at Demiqas.

"Wow, what a strong punch nya."

"But the hit didn't land, so there is no damage, right? That aside, are you fine without your member's support? Demi-something-san."

Shiroe shouted mockingly as Demiqas punched twice more. Demiqas seemed more infuriated and yelled: "You're next, after I slaughter this old cat!"

"Now, now, you need to get past me first nya… I don't want to show the lady unnecessary gory scenes. If you want me to go easy tell me quickly nya."

"Outrageous!"

Demiqas' next move ignored the distance Nyanta agilely put between them.

His stance akin to throwing shotputs, he threw out consecutive left jabs. Nyanta parried most of them with his rapiers, but several punches still landed with a thud.

In terms of HP, Demiqas had 50% more than Nyanta.

Even if Nyanta dodged most of Demiqas' attacks, the minority that connected were enough to drain his HP.

"How's that?"

Demiqas approached with a joyous grin.

Demiqas belonged to the Monk class.

Monks were 1 of the 3 warrior classes, in the same vein as Guardians and Samurai. Warriors specialized in tanking on the front line with emphasis on their defense.

From this perspective, Monks, who

Monks, who could only wear light armor, were in a league of their own.

In Elder Tales, sword techniques and magic spells were known collectively as skills, each with a unique name and effect. They also had a set mana cost, casting time and cool-down time.

Casting time was the period between selecting the skill and the skill being used, also known as 'gathering mana'. Cool-down time was the time you needed to wait before recasting the same skill again. You could take other actions during this cool-down period, except the spell you just cast. Most powerful spells could not be used in rapid succession.

Take Samurai for instance - all of their skills had long cool-down times, reflecting their battle style of dealing heavy hits.

In comparison, Monks had low cool-down times. Lightning Straight and Wyvern Kick were good examples. Monks were proficient in using basic efficient skills consecutively, chaining their attacks and leaving no time for rest.

In terms of defense, Monks were the weakest with their light armor, but it also gave them the highest evasion. Just like Guardians with their defensive shield techniques, Monks possessed skills which boosted their evasion rate. Examples were Phantom Step that left after-images and Dragonscale Stance that increased defense against fire and ice attacks. The defense of Monks did not come from their equipment, but the evasion abilities of their bodies. Being powerful enough to fight on the front lines without having rare or strong equipment gave Monks a reputation of being an easy-to-master class.

"How's this? Can't even fight back, hah?"

Nyanta finally fended off Demiqas' attack, taking 2 steps back.

But the dark green light of Demiqas covered this distance with his flying kick. He followed up with a multitude of attacks even though Nyanta avoided the kick.

That was Demiqas' Wyvern Kick - a skill that damaged all enemies in a straight line. Demiqas used it as a means to move. He utilized this suppressive and high speed movement to stick close to Nyanta, disrupting Nyanta's ideal striking distance.

(He's good… Not allowing Chief Nyanta to create any distance.)

Shiroe was secretly impressed.

The Brigandia that was full of internal strife was now standing united. From the looks of things these ruffians were expecting their guild master to win flawlessly.

After dodging a left hook, Nyanta kneed Demiqas' flank gently, jumping into the air with the limited space he created and went on the offensive.

"Nyan nyan!"

The strike that seemed to rip the air apart tore through Demiqas' thigh guard, leaving a wound akin to an ice pick.

Nyanta assumed a new defensive stance as he looked at Demiqas coldly, the tips of his rapiers dancing like a sparrow.

Nyanta was a Swashbuckler, a rare type of melee fighter that dual wields. Their special feature was their fast consecutive attacks using weapons in both hands as well as wide-area spin attacks. In the classes that focused on physical attack power, their strike could not match those of Assassins, but they made up for it with multiple hits. They specialized in hitting fast.

Swashbucklers with different weapons had different fighting styles. Nyanta's style was Twin Rapiers, which was second in attack speed only to Twin Daggers, which were the king of speed.

Another feature of Swashbucklers were the bad statuses they could inflict on others. Lowering attack speed, evasion rate or defense were examples of how Swashbucklers could negate your strength and worsen your weakness with precision.

"I can see your hairy legs nya."

Nyanta's mocking words made Demiqas face turn black and red, but Nyanta didn't give up the initiative. Nyanta's rapiers pierced through Demiqas' limbs accurately, making a crisp sound like a typewriter.

The 4 wounds on Demiqas' arms were Viper Strach, lowering his accuracy for dozens of seconds by slashing his arms.

The 3 hits on Demiqas' legs were Bloody Piercing, hurting the agility of the legs and lowering evasion.

Nyanta used his surgeon-like observation skill and his iron will to carry out his plan of stripping Demiqas' fighting strength. This Nyanta was not the warm and steadfast sage that offered consultation for those in need.

"Wah! Stop jumping around you bastard and fight me fair and square!"

"Coming from you, 'fair and square' sounds like a bastardization of our fair language."

Judging from HP, Demiqas had the advantage with Nyanta down to 30% of his hit points. Demiqas as the tanking warrior class still had twice Nyanta's HP.

But in the eyes of all those present, the tall and slender Swashbuckler was the one in control of the fight.

Piercing strike, parrying and feints, the blade that was thinner than a finger drew silver lines in the air, forming a wall that blocked Demiqas out.

Demiqas no longer had the attack power and speed he had at the start of the fight. His HP and MP drained away with the blood bleeding from his limbs.

The Brigandia members who had felt at ease with Demiqas winning were starting to get rowdy. They were filled with the fear of their leader losing, as well as curiosity and a secret happiness at Demiqas failing.

Demiqas must have adopted the same strong-arm method in ruling his guild. Some of the members bore the hope that Demiqas would be defeated in front of the crowd.

Shiroe, who sensed this atmosphere, gave Serara a signal.

Serara, who was clenching her fist so tight the nails were biting into her palms, watched Nyanta's battle carefully. She regained awareness of her surroundings when Shiroe tapped her shoulder. Serara heard the instructions 'When I give the signal, cast a Healing Pulse on everyone'.

As the healer of the party, restoring Nyanta's HP with spells was only natural. Why was there a need to wait for a command? And why was it party-wide healing spells, not just for Nyanta? Serara stared with her eyes wide open as she asked herself.

As she was about to ask Shiroe, Serara heard these unbelievable words.

"Fuck this! Who wants to play this one on one game with you? Healers, restore the wounds on my limbs! Assassin team, surround and butcher this cat bastard!"

Demiqas, unable to take the attacks of the swordsman facing him anymore, commanded Brigandia to attack.

6

This angry roar stopped everyone's movement for a moment.

Even though Brigandia engaged in NPC slave trades, intimidated other players, PK'd people, and took other nasty actions, this order still made them hesitate for a moment.

Brigandia was a lawless organization.

But truly lawless individuals wouldn't have been able to gather in a group. Forming a group without any guiding principles would have been meaningless. Lawless people still obeyed the reign of the powerful and violent.

The band of outlaws, Brigandia, was managed through the use of strength. As the head of the group, Demiqas had been wounded all over by the rapier he'd laughed off as a girl's weapon in this one-on-one fight. The attack power he was so proud of had been sealed away as he stood on the verge of defeat.

And when faced with the fact of being wounded, he had barked angrily for aid to destroy the enemy.

'Is it really fine to listen to this order? We will be losers in life if we continue to follow this kind of leader'… Even though they were a lawless bunch, Brigandia's members still harbored such thoughts and hesitated.

(It would be lucky if we could make them uneasy, hesitate, and doubt each other with this.)

But they only hesitated for a moment.

Even though their leader was in a pitiful state, they still needed to keep up their reputation as a violent organization. No, their brand name was doubly important because they were a lawless group. They were able to oppress other players because of Brigandia's reputation of being a powerful and violent group.

They had to keep up the reign of terror, or else they would be the ones who were hunted.

Their feelings were more about the fear of losing their status as the ones inflicting terror rather than their desire to save their leader. All the members decided to seal the mouths of these 3 people. It took them 3 seconds to come to a consensus.

After making this decision, the lawless bunch roared as they swarmed towards Nyanta.

But no one in Shiroe's group wasted these 3 seconds.

Naotsugu appeared like the wind, intercepting the 8 members rushing Nyanta. The Brigandia group's morale did not falter with the appearance of the new enemy as they rushed in with renewed maliciousness.

"Anchor Howl!"

Naotsugu howled. This was a skill that forced the enemies in the surrounding area to focus solely on him. This was the ability of Guardians, the fortresses of the front line. The 8 Brigandia members stopped in front of Naotsugu as though their feet were nailed to the ground.

"Nyanta-san, if that is the case…"

"Heal everyone now!!"

"Eh, right, Heartbeat Healing!"

Serara used the best skill available to her upon hearing Shiroe's command.

Heartbeat Healing was a skill unique to Druids.

Similar to the Kannagi with 'Damage Intercept' and Clerics with 'auto heal', Druids also had their own special skills.

Spells in the same vein as Heartbeat Healing were persistent restorative magics which remained in effect for a short time. A set amount of HP would be healed over a 10-30 second period. Although the amount healed each pulse was less than that of a normal healing spell, the total HP restored was much higher, which made it an MP-efficient magic.

Furthermore, it also allowed the caster to do other things such as attacking or defending while the healing over time was in effect.

But…

"I can't keep this up, my level isn't high enough!"

Serara cried in pain.

In Elder Tales, the strength of the healers would drastically affect the outcome of battles.

A well-trained healer partnered with a tank could withstand the attacks of 4 other players around the same level.

Serara was level 19. Even with the excellent defense of the level 90 Naotsugu, it was impossible from the start to fend off the attacks of 8 high level Brigandia members.

"Don't worry about our Guardian, focus on healing Nyanta. Calm down and watch our allies' HP. If you can't do something then don't. Focus on doing what you can."

Shiroe said calmly to Serara who was losing her nerve.

His strong words whipped up the strength within Serara. Shiroe told her that what healers could do was heal.

In the battlefield not far from Naotsugu, Nyanta and Demiqas' battle was reaching its climax. The wounds on Demiqas' arms had recovered with the aid of his healers, restoring his original attack strength.

The wounds on his leg remained, but Demiqas was focusing on attacking and had given up on dodging, regaining his composure.

In the end, the warrior class Demiqas was tougher than melee Swashbucklers. With the support of healers, it would become a battle of attrition and he could gain victory through brute force. That was Demiqas' wishful plan.

Although the little girl Druid was healing the swordsman before him, her restorative power would not exceed his damage output.

Demiqas, who was sure of victory, assumed an arrogant attitude.

"What's this?! What can you do with your toy swords? How can a weak fellow like you protect your allies?"

"How rude, rapiers are the weapons of gentlemen nya."

"I'll shut your cocky mouth up! Look, your warrior friend is about to go down!"

"That might not be so nya."

As they traded sword strikes and fist blows, the flashing silver shadows and the sound of body blows increased as their fight intensified.

In the other dusty battlefield, Naotsugu was in a pinch.

Under the simultaneous attacks of 8 foes, Naotsugu only had 2400 HP left. But he remained calm, parrying Brigandia's blows with his shield as he maintained his party's formation.

Remaining composed in chaotic situations was a mark of an excellent vanguard. Naotsugu's experienced movements looked doubly impressive in Serara's eyes.

"Ready the spell!"

She heard Shiroe's soft words. Serara answered a few pitches higher than normal as she listened to her racing pulse. "Right!"

"It's almost time Shiroe! 'Castle of Stone'!"

Naotsugu held the shield close with a shout, taking a wide steady stance. His shield, armor, and sword shone like ancient granite marble, giving off magic and fighting aura.

"What, what is this?" "Just a bit more, finish him off!" "Take this! Assassinate!"

One of these 8 members who seemed to be an Assassin used a hard-hitting skill on Naotsugu. The Assassin's sword swung towards Naotsugu's armor with a sound that seemed to burn through the air; this strike was definitely a fatal blow.

But the attack ended with a loud clank, blocked by Naotsugu's shield.

Castle of Stone.

This was one of the strong defense skills available exclusively to Guardians. In its short 10 second span, this emergency skill could negate all damage. Naotsugu, who turned into a fortress of marble, used his invincible shield to protect the defense line.

"Told you so nya, Naotsugu-cchi won't fall so easily."

"Now Serara, cast all your healing spells on Naotsugu!"

Serara sprang up and took a step forward, raising her hand to the sky.

She chanted Healing Wind, a single target healing pulse spell. She was already using the party-wide spell Heartbeat Healing, and she was now stacking Healing Wind on top of that.

But Serara didn't stop with this.

After casting 2 heal over time spells, she continued to chant instant healing magic, wielding her level 19 ability to the limit and sending all the healing she had to the front line.

This was the only thing she could do as a healer.

While her allies protected her in the front, she would protect them with her healing spells from the back.

Serara remembered the voice of her guild master, the memorable sound of that Cleric.

The real advantage of healing over time spells was that as they were spells that remained in effect, you could use the spare time to cast multiple healing magics. A Druid who put everything into her everything into her healing had unimaginable potential, the instant healing ability overwhelming the other 2 healing class.

It was powerful even at level 19. Naotsugu's HP, which was now less than 20%, was recovering gradually under Serara's multiple healing spells.

"Buying time won't save you!"

On the other hand, Demiqas had gotten more furious as he attacked Nyanta.

Castle of Stone was indeed a powerful defense skill, making a Monk like Demiqas from the warrior class green with envy. But it still had a weak point.

The con to using it was the long cool down time. This invincible ultimate skill could only be used once every 10 minutes.

10 minutes was more than enough to kill these critters 20 times. If he was using a skill he couldn't use again for another 10 minutes, it meant he was out of options to handle the attacks of the 8 members.

In the 600 seconds of the 10-minute cool down, he could only negate all physical damage for 10 seconds. From this perspective, Castle of Stone was not an ultimate skill, but a desperate move.

The time when Castle of Stone wore off meant the end of these guys. This victorious moment in the future had already flashed across Demiqas' mind.

Demiqas' fierce attacks were pushing Nyanta to the brink. Serara, who was watching her allies' conditions using the status screen, was regretting her lack of power.

The Guardian who was fighting the 8 members of Brigandia in the front and Nyanta who had been caring for her kindly all this time were both covered in wounds.

She couldn't save them even after giving her all, the MP that was supporting her healing was gradually decreasing.

"Think it's about time, Shiroe-chi nya."

"Here we go Chief Nyanta."

But ignoring Serara's desperation, Shiroe and Nyanta chatted in high spirits.

Nyanta moved like a leaf dancing in the wind to Demiqas. Although he was surprised, Demiqas still kicked upwards in a wide arc, attempting to sweep the slender man in front of him away.

But Nyanta used his raised knee as a platform to leap into the air.

Silver flashed brightly.

The rapiers in Nyanta's hand shredded the air, striking like lightning. 3, 4, 5 hits… Serara could only count so many. Nyanta's rapier split into countless copies, piercing the azure vines that had bound Demiqas without her noticing.

Swashbucklers had the fastest attacking speed out of the 12 classes, and not only was Nyanta's attack power improved through Shiroe's enhancement magic, but Nyanta also triggered the trap spell Thorn Bind Hostage on his opponent.

Nyanta's slashes.

Shiroe's Thorn Bind Hostage.

The combination attack of the two repeated 10 times in 2 seconds. Every time Nyanta struck, the spell would activate like an exploding lightning ball, giving out flashes and shock waves.

Just like a bullet imploding in the confined space of a cartridge, compression increased damage power. Demiqas looked like he was swarmed by attacks from invisible men around him, staggering from the impact and dying before he could even scream.

"No way!" "The guild master is…!"

Everyone present received a psychological blow.

A level 90 warrior supported fully by healers had died in an instant. The more experience you had in Elder Tales, the more you would fall into doubt and despair from this scene.

"Nyanta-san…"

Serara's gentle voice was also expressing this point. She couldn't catch up with the battle that had happened in front of her.

"Put away your swords!"

Naotsugu shouted, making the Brigandia members look at each other. The scream from behind them made them turn pale.

Looking towards the source, they saw their healers on the ground. The number 2 man of the guild… Londark in gray robes, was kneeling on the ground with one arm missing.

The black haired young girl who used the vacant 3 seconds to the limit, who looked like a lovely flower, was pressing her blade to Londark's neck.

7

Akatsuki, who saw the same scene play out as Serara, had a rough idea what had happened.

Adventurers had great physical attributes; not only muscle strength and agility, but their dynamic vision was also better than in the real world.

Although Akatsuki had practiced Kendo since she was a child, she felt that it would be impossible to see that kind of sword speed in real life. Even now, she only caught about half of what had happened.

In fact, she was struggling to comprehend what she saw and was trying to deduce what had happened.

Akatsuki belonged to the Assassin class which had the highest attack power among the weapon-based classes. Even her strongest skill, however, was not strong enough to kill a level 90 warrior class.

Akatsuki had wiped out the healers who were supporting Demiqas, so he wasn't able to regain any of his HP.

Even taking that into account, it was still unthinkable for a player to defeat a warrior-class character that quickly.

In Elder Tales, battles were long drawn-out affairs, especially those between players. Sure-kill attacks were just a figure of speech in this world as these instances were very rare.

No matter how strong a player was, if their opponents were about the same level, it would inevitably take dozens of rounds to settle a fight. If both of them were supported by healers, the fight could drag on indefinitely without a clear victor.

The more experience you had with Elder Tales, the deeper your understanding of this fact. It became common sense.

However, Nyanta had dished out an unbelievable amount of damage.

The secret lay within the glowing azure vines. Shiroe's Thorn Bind Hostage was a trap spell unique to Enchanters; it bound an opponent with 5 vines and caused 1000 points of additional damage per vine when destroyed by an ally.

The damage was only 5000 if all the thorns were activated, which was only a third of Demiqas' HP. Even adding in the damage from Nyanta's attack, it would not have been enough to defeat Demiqas.

The many training sessions had made Akatsuki familiar with the spells Shiroe commonly used.

Since Thorn Bind Hostage was one of Shiroe's best spells, Akatsuki could identify its use by looking at the visual effects.

The cool down time for Thorn Bind Hostage was 15 seconds.

Although it was just a deduction, Nyanta had stopped his attack for fourteen seconds after Shiroe set this trap spell.

After luring Demiqas into taking the offensive and enduring his attacks for those fourteen seconds, Nyanta made sure he had a good position to strike as he calculated the time to attack.

When the time was right, Nyanta had leaped into the air and struck 5 times with the rapier in his left hand. These five hits had pierced the vines, triggering the additional damage.

At that exact moment, Shiroe, whose cool down time ended, had recast Thorn Bind Hostage on Demiqas. Nyanta, who was still in mid-air, then turned around and slashed another five times with the rapier in his right hand.

The result: a chain attack with a total of 10 hits.

Understanding the cool down time on Shiroe's spell and chaining the two Thorn Bind Hostage spells; 10 hits activated all 10 vines.

This was the truth behind the battle that Akatsuki saw.

Akatsuki could only tell this, however, because she knew the features of this spell through her repeated practices with Shiroe.

The attack skill of the Swashbuckler in mid-air had no gaps; hitting ten times in two seconds is an unique ability to this class.

Ten strikes in two seconds; meaning one strike every 0. 2 seconds. They had used the small "gap" between the fifth and sixth strike to cast the second set of Thorn Bind Hostage vines… it was almost humanly impossible.

It could be classified as an ultimate tag-team move.

If they could dish out this kind of attack, it could be possible to deplete the HP of a warrior class in an instant.

But could something like this be done so easily?

If anyone asked that question, the answer would definitely be "no".

Akatsuki, who was biting her lip unconsciously, hurriedly resumed her normal, serious expression. The battle was not over yet.

She felt the truth that was unfolding before her was in conflict with the common sense in her heart.

Even she, who had trained dozens of days with Shiroe, could not achieve this feat. Such an impressive attack came from two players who hadn't met for ages without coordinating in advance.

The mental blow to the members of Brigandia was several times more severe than it was to Akatsuki.

"… Just who are these people?"

"… Where did the power that defeated Demiqas come from?"

"… Are they over level 90?"

"… Could they be an elite team from another zone?"

The attack that had taken Akatsuki some time to grasp was almost impossible for others to understand at a glance. They couldn't even begin to comprehend it.

"When… how…"

Demiqas, who ruled the guild with an iron fist. The tactician, Londark, who had stayed in Brigandia despite his personality clashing with Demiqas…

The bandits, who lost their two leaders, still had much of their fighting strength left, but the psychological impact was strong enough to stop them from attacking.

"We came through Deep in Palm." Shiroe stated, as he walked towards Londark.

"Akiba and this city are no longer so far apart as to prevent travel between them. We have obtained the maps and the means and have reported back… You are finished causing this kind of trouble."

The truth, however, was not so optimistic.

Akatsuki's group came here with the aid of the griffons. Not all players could travel with the same speed.

If you wanted to visit the Ezzo Empire, it would still be a long and tedious journey.

However, in order to plant the feeling of defeat deeply in the bandits, Shiroe announced this as if it were fact. Akatsuki dug her blade gently into Londark's throat to emphasize Shiroe's words.

"We've won this battle. For the remaining head, let's call it a draw."

Shiroe drew a daggar from within his cloak and cut off Demiqas' head. The sword made a wet sound as it cut through bones and sinew. Akatsuki saw Shiroe's expression dim.

This was expected. Even if death was not permanent in Elder Tales, Shiroe did not want to decapitate anyone. However, he maintained his cruel tone.

There was no telling how great a deterrent decapitation was in this world without death, but Akatsuki felt this was the price that Brigandia must pay for their crimes. Since the members of Brigandia were using their lives as chips in this bet, it was only normal to forfeit that which they bet if they lost.

Shiroe's cruel demeanor and his wicked gaze made the Brigandia members back away slowly.

The scream of a griffon tore through the icy silence.

The three griffons that came from the western skies assumed a triangle formation, landing violently before Shiroe's team.

"Serara-san, come here~nya!"

Nyanta, who already sheathed his rapiers, extended his hand to Serara and guided her over to his griffon. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms and jumped onto the griffon.

Naotsugu motioned for the others to mount their griffons as he took a step forward to protect Akatsuki.

Akatsuki swung her blade to clear away the blood while Shiroe stood in front of her. As usual, Shiroe looked at her with unapproachable but caring eyes.

"Let's go Akatsuki!"

That's why Akatsuki nodded in response.

Like always, her response conferred gratitude and respect that she didn't need to express in words.

"Time to take off! We are getting out of here, escape festival!"

Naotsugu yelled the phrase used by cavalry strike forces as he took to the sky. The light-brown griffon Nyanta mounted took off soon after with a mighty leap.

Akatsuki brushed aside Shiroe's hand lightly and jumped onto the griffon. She could leap onto the griffon with the strengthened body of an Adventurer without needing Shiroe's help.

This was Shiroe's mount, however, so it would be rude to jump on without saying anything; but it would be too formal to seek permission, so Akatsuki used Shiroe's fingertips as a guide and leapt up behind him.

Shiroe stared down the Brigandia members till the very end. He gave up on them with a sigh and turned to Akatsuki and said:

"Let's go."

Akatsuki acknowledged this with a nod. Shiroe signaled the griffon with his heels and the griffon climbed up an invisible staircase in the wind under the gaze of the Brigandia members and Adventurers outside Susukino.

And thus, the 3 majestic creatures left whirlwinds behind and took to the sky.

The pain Akatsuki felt in witnessing Shiroe and Nyanta's combo attack as well as the frustration she sensed in the city-zone of Susukino were shred to pieces by the wind that blew over the griffon.

The quest to save the Crescent Moon Alliance member, the young girl Serara, had been completed perfectly.

Although it would be another week before they reached Akiba, this was still an amazing result.

The howling wind was unable to disrupt Akatsuki's peaceful state of mind. She was quiet and satisfied at the completion of a mission and grabbed at Shiroe's back gently.

"My lord."

"What is it Akatsuki?"

"Nothing."

"I see… let's go home, to Akiba."

"Yeah."

Leaving the words that would be carried off by the wind once they were uttered, the blue skies tore the scenery surrounding Akatsuki to pieces.

The 3 griffons were like larks that had escaped from the cage binding them, spreading their wings and flying to the southern skies.

Share