Meilfour

27th Mazem, 1092.

The entire populace of Meilflour stared, slack-jawed at the barely visible tower many miles away .

"Ha.. ha.. ha." Shadow's short laughter was riddled with disbelief. He shared a look with his sister. "...You don't think?"

Lunette sighed and shook her head. "I can almost bet it is him."

"Heeh?" Syel interrupted. "Who're we talking about?"

Lunette warily eyed the sneering halben . She did not trust this man, but there was no time to waste i f Kashi indeed was responsible for the tower rising . "Never mind that. You said you were interested in joining our quest?"

Syèl’s eyes widened with interest. "Yeah... So? You offering?"

Lunette held out her hand. "My name is Lunette Falsetto. This is my brother Shadow, and our merchant, Miote."

Syel firmly grabbed the outstretched hand. "Name's Syel. ” He then jerked a rude thumb at his Shokō and introduced, “ The broad's Prince."

Pa!

Shoko smacked him upside the head and then sent Lunette an apologetic glance. "My apologies for his rudeness. Yes, we would be overjoyed if you added us to your party."

Lunette chuckled. "It is fine. I understand. Here, I just sent the invitation."

Syel and Shoko accepted the quest and were subsequently pleased to see it was a high-level one .

Miote brought the horses around. "Well then, I suppose we better get a move on."

The party mounted their horses and rode off toward the designated location.

Couple Hours Earlier,

Suvron's Pass

Huff…

Kashi let out a silent breath as he opened his eyes. Not that it made a difference. Darkness remained constant, whether he was asleep or awake. Luckily, even without his sight, he could sense Kira’s breathing a few feet from him.

"You're finally awake," Kira called.

Kashi sat up and then stretched. "How long was I asleep?"

"Three hours give or take."

It had been three or so days since their fall. After the first battle, they found that enemies kept attacking them from the same direction at regular intervals. Following this discovery, Kashi and Kira planned their sleep cycles around ambushes, each taking turns to watch guard as the other heals.

Kashi estimated that if he had gotten three hours of sleep, then the next ambush should occur very soon. He appreciated the battles. With each one, he acquired real battle experience for [Mind's Eye] . He was now comfortable enough to fight with it, and his next object was to level the skill to improve its range and accuracy.

Despite this success, something bothered Kashi .

Kira suddenly tensed. Hear ears fell back as she fixed a low growl towards their back.

Kashi equipped his bow and trained it in the direction she growled at. Unlike her sense of smell, he relied on sound to work in the darkness."What's coming?"

"Behind us. I smell a single being. But this bloodlust... I cannot discern its original smell."

Kashi shut his eyes and focused his all on the sound ahead of him.

Clack-clack... clack-clack.

Kira had taught him how to discern build and make from sound alone. The frequency suggested a bi-pedal being. It was of considerable size judging by the force its feet hit the earth. Either that or it carried something. He felt Kira rein in her bloodlust and discerned it was not a foe. Tch. He still had ways to go. She had already gathered enough information, and he was still struggling with sound.

Kashi unequipped his bow, and then put his ear to the ground to more clearly sense the vibrations of the earth. There was an irregularity in the being's footsteps. One of its feet seemed to hit the ground with greater force than the other.

Kashi quickly came to the conclusion that the target was limping. The daeben, even without seeing the final result, was confident in his answer. The lessons learned in this dark hell borne from his decision not to use [Dark Eyes] were finally paying off.

Still, Kashi lacked Kira's raw ability enhanced by her continuous power-ups. Some might say it was greedy to want a direwolf’s level of awareness, but he wanted it nonetheless. It was only fair. She was gaining abilities humanoids only possessed because she was his partner. He deserved some of the beastkin' s skills too.

Only now did Kashi understand why beastmen boasted about their superior senses. It was not an exaggeration to say that their superior senses could vastly change the outcome of an otherwise even battle .

Kashi, finished with the investigation, rose to his feet and awaited the being.

Krrg! Krrg!

The jingles of broken armor drew close, accompanied by an irritating grating noise.

Surprisingly, Kira suddenly charged at the being.

"Hey!" Kashi shouted, but the direwolf ignored him.

Bam!

Kira tackled whatever it was, and it slumped over her back. She then carried the mass back to Kashi and dropped it next to him. "It's Hektor."

Upon seeing Hektor’s state, Kashi had to force himself to remain calm. He ran his hands over the warrior's mangled body. Sure enough, there were several broken bones and open injuries. It was a miracle Hektor had survived as long as he had. Must be his stubborn will .

It was a good thing Kashi did not use 'General Vision' which allowed Summoned to see the HP of allies and enemies. If he did, he might have panicked and lost a member of his guild.

Kashi opened his inventory and took out two 'portable magelights.' They were spherical glowsticks that followed their users everywhere.

“You had those this entire time!?”

Kashi ignored Kira's outburst, and instead focused his attention on Hektor as he took out splinters and bandages from his bag. Luckily, this was not Suzuki's world. Here, a bit of disinfectant and first aid could cure almost anything. . . almost.

Kashi had to work quickly. Hektor's body shook and burned with a terrible fever. The teenager s eemed to have passed out hours ago . Only his stubborn will had moved his body several miles until he caught up to the duo.

Realizing this gave Kashi new-found respect for the lad. "Hey, don't you dare die on me."

Kashi smashed the rest of the armor off Hektor's body and then inspected the damage . He cursed even louder.

Frankly put, Hektor should be dead. Simple as that. The guild's insignia tattooed onto his back was mangled beyond reason. Claw marks ran deep into his flesh with pus bursting out from the gashes. Poison had turned the wounds black, and some of them had begun to give off a foul odor like he was rotting from the inside out. It was as a result of fighting against so many monsters with no one to watch his back.

Kashi glanced at Hektor's ax.

It was caked in so much blood he could not tell its original color. The blade was chipped to the point of nigh-worthlessness, and the warrior’s desperate grip had chaffed the hilt. It was not the beautiful weapon found in the hands of most players. This was a true warrior's weapon. One that told stories without the need for words.

Kashi gritted his teeth in anger. He cursed the heavens, himself, Hektor, everything as he set to work. He forced all the antidotes he had down Hektor's throat, then forced him to drink a health potion.

From Hektor’s injuries, his Max HP should be close to that of a Lv.1 character of around 100. The rate of blood loss and his unconscious state meant it was near depleted. One potion was enough to put it back at 100. It was like an emergency blood transfusion for someone who had lost too much blood.

Kashi waited, and then fist-pumped when he noticed color start to return to the wounds. Good, the antidotes worked.

“Kashi.”

Kashi felt Kira tense and knew enemies were coming.

The thought of these mongrels being responsible for Hektor's state filled him with blinding rage. This rage and bloodlust were unlike any he had ever experienced. There were no curses or roars of defiance. He simply looked to the direction of the enemies, and then dared them to approach with his eyes.

The beasts of Suvron's P ass shrieked in terror. It felt like they were being stabbed by a thousand needles. Somehow, they could not take a single step forward. The oddest part was that they were still a considerable distance from their target. After all, Kira, with her exceptional sense of smell, had just noticed them.

Kashi spared them only a moment's notice before he returned his full attention to Hektor.

Kashi cut open the affected areas and allowed him to nearly bleed out again. This was to remove as much of the poison from his system. When Hektor was close to death, he would force a potion down his throat, then drain him again. Only when he was sure there was nothing left, did he stop the process.

Color returned to Hektor's face as his labored breathing slowly evened out. He had also begun sweating: a good sign.

Kashi took out a needle and thread from his inventory and sewed shuts the parts he opened up. When done, he wiped Hektor's body clean and wrapped most of it in bandages.

He placed Hektor's left hand, and right leg in a splint made from some raw wood he had kept to craft more arrows should the need arise. He also made a walking stick and placed it next to the sleeping warrior.

Hektor's breath was even and slow. He was now in deep sleep as the healing effects began to take place.

First Aid (Master 100%)

Your Mastery of the field of medicine has unlocked new possibilities

Minor Injuries instantly cured.

Major injuries take much less time to cure.

By curing so many poisons, you now have an increased tolerance for them.

+ 20% Poison Immunity

You just learned a new Skill ! : Resuscitation (Beginner, Lv.1, 0%)

You brought a friend from the brink of death.

You can now save an ally from returning to the C ircle after death.

Condition: Must reach ally within 20s of death.

Ally revives with only 20HP

New Job options: Medic, Support.

Medic :

The job of a medic is to heal allies while in battle. You no longer have to wait till the battle is over to apply first aid.

Grants [Heal Self] [Heal Other] and [Blossom]

Support:

Supporters help from behind the scenes. They repair armors, prepare meals and heal injuries. Though they may not shine, they are an important cog of any party.

Grants a 5% Increase to craft speed and quality.

Grants a 5% increase to stat bonuses from potions, food and other consumable items.

Kashi looked at the options. Usually, he would be overjoyed, but instead, he felt kind of dirty.

Wait. Dirty? Why? Why should he be ashamed?

Kashi stared at his bloody hands and, for the first time, felt repulsed by the sight of blood. He grimaced.

So it was like that, huh? At some point, Kashi had gotten used to having a party. Some people he could rely on. Even though he never admitted it, it felt nice having people who relied on and looked up to him. Now that one of those people was in grave danger, he could not hold back the anger and fear boiling up inside him.

Kashi let out a self-deprecating chuckle and then shook his head. Ah... what a cliche he was. The loner who opens up when surrounded by trusting companions.

"Ha... Ha-ahahahahahahha!" The daeben’s mad laughter carried down the desolate canyon. He noticed Kira's worried gaze and then grinned as he patted her head. "It's so easy," he muttered as he rose to his feet. "Now that I know my current condition, I simply have to change my mindset, don't I?"

The daeben, Kashi, would never be a social butterfly, but he now knew that deep down, his guildmates had gained his trust. So much so that he worried over their well-being. By Aethir, how Razznik would scoff at him in his current state.

However, Kashi could not say this development was entirely negative. In fact, he was more than pleased with it. This was further proof that he was different from Razznik and Suzuki, two beings without an iota of trust. You could say it was proof of his individuality.

This realization fueled Kashi’s desire. He chose the support job as it suited the path he had decided to walk . He was not one to heal during battle. A task like that would be far too annoying for someone as battle-crazed as he. He, however, was more than happy to prepare the necessary tools of war beforehand.

Kashi looked down at Hektor's sleeping face. His eyes narrowed as he tapped the young man’s back, "Sleep tight. I'll be right back."

Kashi looked at Kira , and then without so much as a word, the duo went off to face the surrounding monsters. They were faint, but one could make out the widest of grins on both their faces, their eyes crazed with excited frenzy. As they got further away from Hektor, they walked further into darkness until they had returned to the pitch darkness.

"Ah, be careful," Kashi warned. "I might go a little wild right now."

"Same to you," Kira returned. Her voice, tinged with unbridled rage, warned, "For some reason, I'm really itching for a real fight."

Moments later, cries erupted from the surrounding monsters as they were ripped limb from limb with no chance of mercy or respite.

Hektor groaned as he weakly opened his eyes. His body refused to listen to him, and so he lay staring at the darkness above. Was he still alive? Was this hell?

Maybe it really was reckless to chase after Kashi like that.

It felt like forever since the night Kashi fell into the canyon. After securing an escape route for Miote and the siblings, he jumped onto a hellbat and forced it to crash into the abyss. His left hand broke during the landing. After the fall, he was immediately attacked , and h e was barely able to throw up a magelight before they killed him.

Despite the magelight ’ s poor range, Hektor had not panicked.

In hindsight, maybe Hektor should have attempted to run away. But unfortunately, he was the type of person who was far too attracted to battle to do that. And so he fought. How long, he did not know. May have lasted a minute, an hour, or a day. All he knew was that he did not sleep until the last one was dead.

By then, he could barely stand, let alone walk. He would have fallen there and then had a wave of bloodlust not slammed into him. It had brought a cold joy to his bones as h e recognized the bloodlust.

Kashi was alive.

Not only alive but growing stronger by the strength of his bloodlust.

That alone was enough to give Hektor strength. Dragging his warax behind him, Hektor trudged in the direction of the bloodlust, each step more painful than the last.

Crash!

An explosion in the distance snapped H ektor out of his reverie. The pain was gone, and his fingers were beginning to respond. Slowly, but surely, new life was breathed into the young man's bones.

Hektor felt strength return to his limbs, and sure enough, soon, he could move his arms and legs. As feeling returned to the rest of his body, the young man sat up and rested against the wall.

Hektor looked at his bandaged body and almost burst out laughing. He felt and looked like a mummy. His question as to who rescued him was answered by the arrows next to his body: Kashi's way of identifying himself.

Hektor grimaced as he unwrapped his arms, expecting the worst. He , however, was shocked by what he saw. There were no scars. In fact, his skin looked better than before the attack. How was this possible?

Stunned by the revelation, Hektor quickly removed the bandages from the rest of his body.

Just like his arms, there were no injuries to be found. Well, except his abdomen and back, which still had stitches in them. Those would definitely leave scars. To the best of his knowledge, Kashi was not a white mage. That meant the daeben must have fully mastered the First Aid profession.

Hektor rocked his head back in laughter. Was there anything that man was not capable of?

Amid his amusement, Hektor noticed his damaged ax, and cringed. He was still too weak.

Kashi had survived down here on his own while he could barely handle a mob. The difference in their abilities was still too far. Gritting his teeth, he smashed his fist into the earth. He wanted to get stronger. He needed to get stronger. Tears poured down his cheeks as he cried out to the gods. "I Need Strength!"

Crackle! Boom!

Hektor quickly grabbed his ax as the earth erupted in front of him in an explosion of sand and smoke. The young man coughed, brushing the dust out of his eyes as he warily examined the dust cloud . "Who da fuck is there!?"

"Ho... Is this the attitude with which mortals greet their gods in this age?" A woman's voice called. It was a deep but authoritative voic e .

"Da fu-!"

A modified mallet slammed into the rockface beside Hektor's head. Cracks ran up the face for as far as he could see. This lady meant business.

Hektor was about to make another snide remark when the smoke cleared. His voice caught in his throat.

Clad in a tight, sleeveless, red, one-piece, with sashes only blocking her privates, stood the most terrifying woman he had ever met. Her face was hidden behind a red cloth, but her eyes. The woman’s eyes were sharper than any he had ever seen and wilder than any beast he had ever faced. Her long dark hair was tied into a high ponytail secured by a red sash. She wore greaves made from the skulls of her foes and a guard for her abdomen.

"Wh-who are you?" Hektor asked.

"Hmph. Children these days ; y ou do not even recognize your god of war." She swung the mallet and then rested it on her shoulders. "Oi Kid!" She called as she grabbed a handful of Hektor’s hair and dragged him close. She bent low and looked into his eyes. Whatever she saw pleased her, as she then nodded and remarked, "Yosh, this will do. You barely pass."

Hektor attempted to swat her hand away. “Fuck!” Unfortunately, h is hand nearly broke against the strength of hers. "Lemme Go!"

"Feisty, aren't we." The woman slammed his head to the ground. "You still gonna protest against a god?"

Hektor growled. "I Said Let ME GO!" He punched the earth as he shot to his feet knocking her hand away in the process.

The woman stared at her hand. A shadow spread across her face. "Oi, brat. Did you just swat away my hand?" Her tone suddenly turned dark and threatening., and the earth beneath her feet trembled as she rose to full height.

Hektor was tall for his age. Really tall. But he felt like a dwarf before her. She stood head and shoulders above him. Her eyes looked down at him, filled with rage.

"My name is Sram, goddess of war, the lone survivor of the gods. You dare defy me!?"

Hektor's eyes betrayed nothing. He stretched to full height himself and matched her glare with one of his own. "God or not. All I have to do is defeat you."

Sram stared at the impudent youth in shock, taken aback by his confidence. "Pfft.. Hahahahahahaha!" Her laugh was unlike any he had heard. How could a joyous sound be simultaneously so terrifying? "Yosh. I’ve decided . You're the one!"

"Huh!?"

Sram closed the distance between them before Hektor could react. She raised his chin a satisfied grin on her face. "You; Give yourself to me."

Hektor turned beet-red. "W-w-what da hell're ya talking 'bout. I ain't givin' myself to nobody." He looked away as he murmured, "You're supposed to do that with someone you love."

"No problem then. I LOVE YOU!"

Hektor's brain did a flip-flop, nuclear meltdown explosion. What the hell did the goddess of war just say to him? Was this a confession? How do you tell the goddess of war, no? Besides, if they got together, how would that work? Would he become immortal too? Would their babies be demi-gods? Was she even the child-rearing type. How would they plan the wedding? Of course, he would have to invite Kashi. Maybe not Ian. That guy's a pain.

Pow!

A sharp blow to the head snapped the hormonal teenager out of his mental breakdown.

"What the hell were you thinking of, you brat! Kids these days ; t heir minds are all in the gutter." Sram snorted, but then muttered after a pause, “Then again, I’ve been saying that line for thousands of years, so maybe kids are just nasty.”

Confused, Hektor could only blink and ask, "Then what do you want?"

"You, your pure-hearted desire for strength, called out to me. I want you to be my champion."

"Champion? What's that?"

Sram shook her head in disbelief. "You don't even know what a Champion is? My, how the gods have fallen." She took a breath and squeezed his arm. "A champion is a god's proxy on the physical plane. Long ago, we were forbidden from interfering too much in the physical realm, so we channeled our powers through whomever we deemed worthy. And I deem you worthy. So accept already."

Hektor looked at her skeptically. "Why should I?"

"You said you wanted to be strong, right? This will grant you the strength you desire."

"But-"

Sram interrupted with an irritated voic e, "Look, I don't have time to play twenty questions. You either accept or not. I cannot stay on this plane much longer."

"Fine I accept. How do we— mmm!" H ektor froze in place as she pressed her lips against his.

Sram pulled away shortly after with a satisfied smile . "Contract forged. You belong to me now, human. Don't disappoint me."

"H-hey! Wait!" Hektor called, but she disappeared in a puff of smoke just as fast as she had appeared. "You forgot to teach me how this works..." His voice trailed off as he realized he was speaking to the wall.

Kashi chose that precise moment to return. The daeben was stunned to see Hektor’s condition . Sure he had mastered [ First Aid ] , but the effects were even better than he had expected.

Hektor noticed his broken leg and arm were completely healed. Perhaps from Sram's kiss. The warrior and d aeben stared at each other, both at a loss for words.

Kashi pulled out a set of armor and a sword from his inventory and handed them to Hektor.

Hektor dressed quickly, eager to move his tired limbs.

Kashi, still at a loss for words, turned his back and beckoned for Hektor to follow.

"Where are we going?"

"Saw a door at the end of this path. Just might be our way out of here."

Kashi, Kira, and Hektor walked in silence. None felt comfortable enough to talk about the big elephant in the canyon. The presence of the God of War.