You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

Fighting Spirit has risen by 23 points (+23 FS)

*Huff* *Huff*, Max panted whilst looking up at the cavern's ceiling, the continuous sound of his levels increasing ringing in his ears, wishing he was anywhere but here. Although he was happy to be gaining insane amounts of experience… he was also exposed to INSANE amounts of danger. More like, it was one level short of a nuclear strike into his abdomen, being hunted by everything that crawls, walks, flys, clings, slithers…. there were even things that just phased right through the walls like… well, like 'ghosts'. Max shivered at THAT word, really hating the thought of anything related to the supernatural even though he knows intelligently that such things do not exist in reality and that the ones in Royal Road were just monsters that could be 'killed', technically again.

Max closed his green eyes, only to feel a finger prodding him repeatedly in the cheek, followed by a girlish voice that said, "Oiiiiiii, ikiteru? ".

With his eyes still closed, Max declared threateningly, "Mayumi, stop that or I WILL show you a naked R18+ version of me while you are trying to eat!".

"Eeeeeh, Mayumi doesn't mind, I like a man who is daring and wild", she blew the words into his ears teasingly.

Max practically leapt into the air and was on his feet in an instant, finally pointing his finger shakily in accusation at the squatting girl, "Y..YOU, YOU, YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING! INDECENT GIRL! FIGHTING MANIAC! GIRL WHO WOULD LOOK GREAT IN A KIMONO!", he blustered randomly.

Masumi just stood to the side and commented, "Ano… it's time to move on. I finally figured out the route that we need to go through to travel eastward".

"Eh, you did?"

"Of course! Because Masumi is a genius!", Mayumi said proudly as she hugged her twin and rubbed their cheeks together affectionately.

""N..nee-san, yamete yo. Hazukashi"

"Eeeee, nande?"

"…He is kinda looking at us..at ME.. like he is jealous.."

"Daijyoubu, Daijyoubu. Ano hito tada pashiri desu kara"

"….Somehow, I felt like I was just incredibly insulted…", Max gazed at Mayumi steadily.

She batted her eyelids innocently at him, "Ehh? Must be your imagination…gopher"

"WAIT! I DON'T THINK I MISHEARD THAT! YOU JUST CALLED ME A GOPHER DIDN’T YOU?!!"

Mayumi just tilted her head to the side, like a giant question mark appearing over her head, before Masumi interjected into the conversation, "Guuuuys, can we just go? We still haven't started our journey yet".

"……Eh?", Max replied stunned, "I…I was hoping we were already halfway..", he stuttered.

"Eeeeee… we are not yet even 0.01% into our journey, if we compare this with a normal RPG dungeon, this is more like just reaching the start of the entrance", Mayumi smiled angelically at him.

…That smile… he is starting to truly recognise what it means as he slowly backed away, only to be yanked violently forward as Mayumi lassoed him around the neck with a piece of silk rope.

"Yosh!", she declared triumphantly, turning around and began dragging the choking Max along the floor, "What's this? You want to challenge this level 150 tunnel together with us? While carrying our luggage? Why, you are sooooo brave and gallant, Max", with one hand on her cheek and looking like she was impressed by his supposed actions.

Coughing, he managed to cry out, "WAIT! NO! NO I DID NOT SAY THAT!", as he struggled with both hands on the rope that was constricting his neck.

"UWAAAAH! YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! LET ME GO BACK HOME ALREADY! MASUMI SAVE MEEEEeeee", Max yelled out futilely as he was relentlessly dragged deeper into the tunnel Masumi was standing in front of, who looked away to the side and ignored that a kidnapping was just occurring.

None of them were aware that a pair of eyes was watching them from above the surface of the stream that flowed alongside the footpath, before disappearing into the current, a dark shadow racing underwater to follow the trio on their journey.

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INTRO SONG: Kono Sekai e Moeru

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Gerhard peer out over the rocky overhang he was precariously perched on, looking down to see a massive fortified encampment about the size of four football fields spreading out in all directions. Judging by the cooking fires, and the amount of poorly stitched fur tents, there were perhaps several thousand Orcs and humans in the camp below, which was almost in a constant state of flux as warbands of varying sizes, ranging from several dozen to a few hundred were either returning from distant raids or setting forth to begin their task anew.

Looking at the scene below brought back horrible memories he often tried to suppress, when seeing so many people gathered together, of hundreds of brave Russian soldiers protected by nothing but the brown uniforms on their backs, charging heroically but suicidally into German machinegun fire… and sometimes getting through the thin grey lines, which would then erupt into nightmarish brutal hand to hand combat. Gerhard felt fingers pulling at his sleeves and he finally noticed that, without him knowing, his hands were trembling ever so slightly until he grasped them both together till the motions eventually stopped. He then turned to look behind at Lydia, the blood stink and knife stabbing terror from those distant days slowly fading from his mind as his eyes refocused into the present reality.

"What is it?", Gerhard whispered.

"…."

"Well?", he asked exasperated.

"…Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"…It's nothing, must be my imagination. Anyway, have you decided on how not to get us all killed pointlessly?"

"Currently, my plan consisted of requesting for an air strike followed by an artillery barrage for over an hour. Does that help answer your question?"

"Brilliant! Where is the artillery?", she asked sarcastically.

"You ARE the artillery", he grinned at her before sliding back from the overhang to much more solid ground.

The men were gathered together in a rough circle, sentries hidden to keep a watchful eye out for any stray mobs wandering through, while Eric stood outside of this, standing and watching silently inwards from the perimeter. All the NPCs ignored his existence, his player killer status still prominently displayed for all to see over his head in the form of his name, 'Eric', in blood red, but with orders not to harm him they could only still their urge for righteous vengeance, whilst for Eric's part he pretended that no one else existed… except his eyes tracking Gerhard, who finally strode into the centre of the assembly which made all rise and stood to attention as one.

Turning a full circle to gain everyone's attention, Gerhard started speaking, " I will be brief on what I must say. We have found the location of the enemy's encampment, however", he paused for a moment to state the seriousness of their dilemma, "the enemies numbers in the thousands. We are hopelessly outnumbered and it is more than likely that most, if not all, of us will die", he concluded with that gloomy prediction.

A long silence stretched out, interspersed occasionally by the chattering of the birds in the canopy’s overhead or the rustling of the wind through the branches before Gerhard in due course roused himself unwillingly, like shaking off a remembered dream. His eyes were no longer looking at the men of the 'now' before him, but at the men from that 'time', his back becoming ramrod straight, his voice ringing out with strength and pride, "Männer , I have asked much of you since I was first assigned command of this mission and without fail, all of you have done me proud. There is nothing more we can logically do… however, we are bound to do so by the uniforms we wear, by the oaths we swore. I will not find fault with any man who would decide to leave now, I have even written the necessary orders to see that none are punished for desertion."

At those words, Lydia almost squawked in complaint at the idea of even sending some of the NPCs home and thus weakening their fighting strength even further, yet somehow Eric the Red managed to catch her eye with a glare that seemed to tell her to remain silent, or suffer death by axe blade to the head. Gulping back a response, all she can do was hide behind the backs of one of the soldiers and peer around to see if he was still looking in her direction…. which he was.

'Uwaaaah…S..scary', she thought silently to herself as Gerhard continued speaking.

"All of you deserve long and happy lives… and it cannot be found on this battlefield, in this brief moment in history where it is highly likely no one in the future will even remember us", Gerhard turned his gaze towards his feet for a instant before whipping his head back up to state almost vehemently, "but I WILL remember ALL of you. Your faces, your names, the name of your childhood sweethearts and the children you have borne… I will remember it all. It is not only my duty as your commander…", the corners of his eyes glistening with unshed tears, "but also as your friend".

"Kameraden! The operation begins in the early hours of darkness. Those that wish to leave in the intervening time may do so after", pulling out a sheaf of papers and laying them on the ground by his feet, "collecting these orders to avoid execution for desertion. Those that choose to remain will be briefed 5 minutes before operation start". Gerhard then turned to Eric as though fully expecting him to call out the next set of commands like it was perfectly natural.

Caught by the flow of the moment…Eric without thinking, reflexively stood to attention and as though he was once again in uniform, shouted out the necessary orders.

"Kompanie! Rührt euch! ", the sound of feets shifting into the relaxed position could be heard, the NPCs obediently doing as told.

"Wegtreten! "

And as the soldiers gathered into smaller groups to discuss their commander's proposal, Eric strode up to Gerhard and demanded angrily, "What made you think I would have acted as your sergeant?!"

"…because in your heart you still are", Gerhard left him those cryptic words as he went to try and calm an angry Lydia, Eric with his tall form standing stock still, like an unmoving mountain in a sea of military camaraderie. It felt so disconcertingly like home.

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Max grumbled as he followed the twins along the footpath, staying as close to them as possible as he didn't want to randomly aggro any mobs. Already today he had somehow managed to avoid death 7 times, not because he was any good at dealing with them, but by bringing a train of them into the blades of the Samurai twins, whilst screaming in blind terror. Although he may be complaining now… this place was actually heaven for an aspiring blacksmith. There were ores of several kinds embedded in the walls with some he was unable to identify to which he would greedily chip away with a shovel or pick to get to.

So, technically it wasn't the twins fault… they just left him while he was happily doing this and Max was so oblivious to his surroundings that he didn't even notice that he was alone. However, after the 7th time this happened, and being chased by everything in the tunnel to catch up with them, he resigned himself to the idea that he can only grab those ores that were in easy reach and quick to dig out. He was literally crying inside at all the easy money and exp he was walking pass.

"Maaaax, stop looking so depressing", Mayumi said, grabbing his arm and leaning into him, "You know, it was just carelessness that we left without you"

"…I kinda find that hard to believe after the 7th time…"

"It's your fault you know. Your existence is so meaningless that we forgot you were even in our party"

"WAIT WHAT?! SO NOW IT’S MY FAULT FOR BEING BORN?!"

"Hahaaa~ Just kidding~ After all you are the best gofer we ever had…that’s still sane"

"Uuuuuu, why do I feel that’s not really a compliment?"

"Maa maa, I will reward you later, if you continue to be a goooooood boy"

"…I….I can ask for anything?"

"Suuure", she whispered, looking at him with seductive eyes, "I will make Masumi do anything for you~"

"HOW THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE ME HAPPY?!"

"NEE-SAN!", Masumi flushed red in reply.

"OOOOOOOOOOIII!!!! WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING?!! DON'T TELL ME YOU SWING THAT WAY!!"

"Eeeee, you are about to make Masumi cry", Mayumi pouted, "Bad boy", and promptly picking him up easily with one arm and threw Max screaming into the shallows.

"GUHAAAA!", Max surfaced from the water, "HOW COME ITS MY FAULT?!!"

"Yea nee-san, the words of an amoeba meant nothing to me", Masumi looked at Mayumi in surprise.

"…..Masumi even you too now…uuuuuuuuu", Max complained however out of the corner of his eye, he saw something sparkling in the water.

Curious he approached it, until the water was leveled to his thighs… when he saw the big piece of ore that obviously screamed 'valuable' to him. Greedily and ignoring the twins calling to him from the shore, he began digging until after several hard attempts, managed to free it and place several chunks of varying sizes inside his pouches and sack. The voices of the twins became insistent and finally he turned around and yelled out, "What!?"

"Oh nothing", Mayumi said as she twirled a strand of her pink hair playfully with a finger, "just thought you should know me and Masumi sensed that there is something in the water"

"Eh?", Max responded before he felt something wrapped around his leg and pulled him under the surface. With water streaming down his throat and air exhaled, Max was dragged deeper into the cold depths.

'Oh shit', he thought to himself, 'I am drowning'.

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The Orc sentry instantly became alert as a large group of humans came towards his position, growling as he warned, "You have to use the other gates for YOUR kind!", he complained until he saw the state they were in, their clothes completely bloodied and ragged, the men looking tired and slouching.

One of the figures just wearily moved forward to call out to the sentry, "We were ambushed by a large army from Rosenheim heading this way!", he waved dramatically back over his shoulders, "We managed to escape, but we don’t know how long before they get here. We managed to capture one of them", and pointed at the tied figure of Eric the Red.

"So, ignore this for once and let us together bring warning to our chiefs. Hopefully we will get rewarded for bringing such important news", the man tried appealing to the sentry's greed.

It was barely an instant before the Orc made up his mind and replied back gruffly, "… come with me. The rest can go get some food"

"Thank you! Thank you!", Gerhard replied subserviently, having passed the bluff due to his high charisma, turned to his men so he was out of view from the Orcs and gave them a sly wink. As the 'bandits' filed through the gate, Eric was dragged roughly from the group by two massively tall Orcs standing at least 2 heads taller than him, Gerhard holding his breath as he wondered if the armoured giant was going to snap in irritation.

Luckily, it didn't occur and Gerhard heaved a sigh of relief as he was led through the Orc portion of the camp and towards the centre to which he had surmised was the hub of the alliance. This was due to the fact that a giant silk tent, probably pilfered from a local lord, was erected in that location…. And such luxury items were usually reserved for leaders.

As he waved his men goodbye, Gerhard was incredibly proud and yet sad that none had taken his offer to leave, the conflicting emotions warring within him. Nevertheless, he had accepted it in his stride and saluted the men in gratitude before laying out his plan. They were to ambush several bands of human bandits and dress themselves in their attire to gain access to the Orc side of the compound, since they might be called into question due to their unfamiliar faces in the human quarter of the fortified camp. Now that they were in, he knew they were going to be separated and had chosen Eric, to the surprise of Lydia and the soldiers, to accompany him to the heart of the alliance. Gerhard pointed out that Eric… was too unique to hide within the group and secondly… he was a close combat monster. If they could strike the head from the shoulders of this alliance quickly, there is a slim possibility that they could escape annihilation whilst the Orcs and humans were leaderless.

From the corner of his eye, Gerhard watched Eric stone facedly staring straight ahead, the red diamond of a player killer visible on his forehead, since he removed his helm to reveal a startlingly handsome face. Lydia explained that a person only receives a diamond on the forehead from killing another player… and that Eric was so infamous not because of his red armour, but due to the fact that his name was always seen marked in red over his head.

As they drew closer to the silk tent, Gerhard hoped that the others were ready for their portion of the plan, slowly loosening the sword on his scabbard. He hadn't told Lydia but.. it was becoming increasingly harder to kill his targets. He had no idea what was going on, but it felt like he had reached a plateau, a barrier that seemed to be incredibly difficult to surmount. And that was the silent third reason he decided to bring Eric… because he knew that Eric would get the job done.

Finally entering the tent, Gerhard gaze about in relief at the sight of obviously leader like figures seated along a long narrow table, having gathered quickly as the news of an army quite possibly approaching, spread through the camp like wildfire. Gerhard smiled as he pulled the hood back from his head, "Greetings, gentlemen. By the orders of Sir Ernst Rommer, I am charged to protect the sanctity of the Kingdom of Rosenheim. Therefore, I will be requiring your deaths", whirling to the side as he finished speaking, he lashed out with a dagger and stabbed the tall Orc guarding Eric in the eye, who reeled back in surprise before falling dead. In that brief moment, Gerhard instantly cut Eric loose and promptly threw him his battleaxe, then spun to deal with the other guard, who was slowly recovering from the shock of the changing situation. And thus the tent erupted into chaos as Gerhard began to sing. Let death and slaughter commence.

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Ending Song: Promise You