Death is still a long way for you, so wake up.

The cold and enticing voice pulled me out of my untimely slumber. It’s the same voice I heard just before I fell. My opened eyes is greeted by darkness with a small faint light the size of coin in the distance.

That must be the hole I fell from.

I inspect my surroundings by only moving my gaze. I can’t move my head or any part of my body apart from my eyes. I can barely even feel my body. My fingers manage to twitch a little if I concentrate.

Is this how it’s like to be numb all over?

It took a while but my grasp of my current situation is slowly settling in.

I survived a fall of more than five meters.

Can I call it a miracle?

While our situation isn’t ideal, we survive the fall.

I can tell it was quite a drop base on how small the hole is in my view.

Looking at the clock in the top right corner of my view, not much time passed since the fall. It has been only ten minutes.

The numbness is still ruling my body but it isn’t permanent as I can feel my senses returning slowly. Perhaps my mind has yet to truly settle down, my perception abilities aren’t taking effect. I still remember my first using Abaddon. It was simply straining but after some practices, I can activate it constantly.

Although my surrounding is quiet and looks peaceful, I can’t rule out the possibility of creatures which blend well into silence and shadows lurking around.

My dagger fell a little bit away from me. My sword however, is thankfully within an arm’s reach. My vials of potion are mostly shattered. The two vials that managed to brace against the fall are only a lesser health potion and an all-purpose antidote.

I probably should avoid mentioning about the shattered glass splinters that found its way into my flesh for my own mental wellbeing.

Now, I should check on my companions which I kinda forgotten.

I was in shock, okay?

To my right is Ren, the cleric-in-training. He is in a better shape but only overall. His right arm is bent in a way it isn’t supposed to. His arm had acted as the cushion.

On my left is Lucy. She looks fine. Beast-kin has naturally strong physique.

None of us are in a life-threatening condition but I seem to be the only one conscious.

As I begin planning our next course of action, I shuddered when I stumbled on my memories moments ago.

The death of Roy and Liam is still fresh in my mind.

It was one thing to be getting used to seeing dead bodies and such but it was another matter to witness the process of it.

There wasn’t even any sound or noise. It was clean. They died a quick, clean, and unknowing death. At least, I could try to find some comfort in that line of thought.

I wondered how Sylvia was doing. She was the closest one to the ruins. Did she make it? Even if she did, would she be safe from the Demons?

I had no way of knowing. My mind still isn’t in any condition to use Abaddon.

“Aa….”

A small groan is coming from my right. Ren is regaining consciousness. It should be considered a good thing but…..

“Aaaaa….aaaAAA!”

His voice’s volume rises proportionally to his awareness of his bent out of shape arm.

I reach out and cup his mouth.

Ah. I can move now.

His voice muffles against my hand, seemingly asking of my intent. I merely put my finger to my lips and point around us.

I release his mouth when he nodded but he’s still whimpering albeit at a low voice.

At the same time, Lucy also wakes up.

She literally springs up like a jack-in-a-box. Her eyes darting around before landing on me.

Before she can scream out my name, I give her a silent gesture.

She understands immediately but she nevertheless throws her entire weight at me.

I braced for an impact but contrary to my expectations, she’s light. Looks like she adjusted her strength. Didn’t expect her to be considerate but she is capable of it.

“Are you alright, Luce?” I asked despite knowing full well of her condition from her status.

She nods adorably. “You, Shizu?”

“I’ll be fine. I just need some time. Go help Ren. He has broken his arm.”

“This is more than just a broken arm, Lady Hirano.”

I’m surprise he manages to retort amidst his groans of pain.

There’s something admirable about seeing a person with a juvenile face enduring pain.

Regaining my control to my body, I go through our inventory or what’s remain of it. Lucy and Ren’s gears are all in good shape. I don’t need to check mine as I stored all my weapons in a subspace except for the dummies. I have a ring enchanted with Arms Inventory which is a secret to everyone else. I received this ring from a retired old adventurer from a village I saved during my time with my original companions. He is also a follower of Abaddon and so far, the only follower of Abaddon that I know of beside myself.

The Gray Spores are safe in Arm Inventory. Since Arms Inventory can only store weapons, I tied the sacks of Gray Spores to the hilt of of a dummy sword. And it worked. The sacks are treated as merely an extension of the sword.

Ren still has two Mana Potions of lesser tier but it’s a shame the intermediate tiers didn’t.

It’s lucky of him to not have any splinters getting into his flesh.

Lucy isn’t carrying any potions as she moved around too much but she does have some Cavo Berries.

Ren is faring better after ingesting a health potion and some Cavo Berries. The berries are unneeded in his recovery since the health potion dampens the pain along with healing the injuries but—

--health potion alone don’t bent bones back to shape.

I signal Lucy to hold him down to minimize his flailing as I snap his arm back to its original shape. I use Wind Magic to drown out his agony cries.

Afterwards, he is now cowering a few feet away from us. His eyes dare not to leave its sights of us. He is a volunteer to my party and I happily accepted that someone volunteered. He trusted me unconditionally but now— that trust seemed to have been broken to some extent.

“Was it really that bad?” I asked.

Still trembling, he nods.

After him, it is my turn. I have to pick those glass splinters out of my skin. I have Lucy to assist me but it turns out the other way around.

Without any consideration for me, she pulls out those splinters with no hesitation. Maybe it’s because I swallowed some Cavo Berries beforehand, I’m able to resist from screaming.

After a few minutes, the splinters have all been removed.

“You okay now, Shizu?” Lucy asked with a gentle smile.

Feeling mildly crept out, I respond with a wry smile.

Lucy even used her clothes as bandages without any second thoughts.

She looks innocent but I bet she has seen a lot, probably more than me and more than enough to last a life time. After all, she was a slave.

Lucy was a slave that I saved from a smuggler on an off chance. The smuggler was using a hidden route and that time, I was exploring the unfamiliar fantasy world I was summoned into. I acted on instincts and intercepted the smuggler. I saved about six people from the smuggler and one of them was Lucinda, a little wolf-kin girl. Since then, Lucy became very attached to me and would sometimes even joined me on excursions.

I never did ask about her past or during her time as a slave. I’m afraid that it would trigger something. Till this day, her past still shrouds in mystery.

“What do we do now?” asked Ren. He seems to have calmed down.

To his question, I point at a small tunnel that’s leading upwards.

“We regroup with our companions.”

“But didn’t Roy and Liam--”

“”We will regroup first and then mourn later, okay?” It’s unlike me to be stern and loud but now isn’t the time to be reserved.

Ren who looks a little intimidated but he nevertheless assents to my lead. His status isn’t show any ailment or affliction so I didn’t think much of his slightly odd behavior.

The corridor we proceed into is dark, so I cast a Light Drop to light the way.

Now that my mind has recovered from the disarray, I scan the area with Abaddon.

I sense a few presences but they are too far to affirm their identities. One of those presences might be Sylvia.

The identity of the presences that I can confirm, are two Demons. I’m not in range to appraise their tier but it is best to avoid them regardless.

While making our way through the seemingly endless corridor, I feel like I’m being pierced by a gaze tracking each of my movements.

It didn’t take long for me to find the culprit. It’s Ren.

He’s still holding grudge from the medical treatment. His lukewarm gaze had convert into a full-blown caution one.

I know it was a little bit too harsh but please overlook it as it was necessary.

Lucy is frolic as always around me but in a more docile sense this time. I’m kinda surprise she can be tactful. Come to think of it, she was a slave. They probably wouldn’t have lived long if they aren’t tactful.

“Be careful. Up ahead. Something’s coming.”

Ren jumped at Lucy’s sudden warning.

Of course, I already know but I kept quiet as I know Lucy will notice it long before it comes into proximity.

We take cover behind a large chunk of boulder laying by the side of the corridor. It’s barely enough to hide the three of us from view.

The closer it got, the clearer the picture I have of the Demon. Going by the size, it is only a lesser but with our current line-up, it’s more than too much for us. What’s more, the second one isn’t far away. Engaging combat with this one might attract the other.

This is a straight path. There aren’t any other routes or splits. If I’m by myself, I might be able to hide in the shadows with Abaddon, or hang on to the ceiling with Wind Magic. But with these two, I’m not sure I can ferry them.

The Demon growls with a rasp. I instinctively cup Ren’s mouth jsut as he let out a shriek.

His nerves are plain terrible.

The Demon isn’t moving. It sends its gaze here and there but never moving from that spot.

There is no other choice. I have to confront it. Otherwise, who knows how long we would have to wait until it moves. Even if it did, moving towards us will just be a kick in the sack.

“You two, stay here.” I ordered with my unusual firm voice.

Ren’s protest caught on his throat but Lucy quickly grabs onto my leg.

“No. It’s too dangerous.” She said while shaking her head. “Let me go instead, Shizu.”

Lucy may have the ferocity and speed but she lacks any impact. Moreover, she tends to drag out a fight even with lesser enemies.

Even after being with me for two weeks, she still retains the mindset of a slave. Her options in dire situations are to always offer herself up as the sacrifice. She never thinks for herself. Until I mend her mindset, I’m not going to let her have a straight on fight.

Since I’m about to reveal some of my secrets anyway, I sternly told Lucy to stand down while applying a suppressive aura with Abaddon.

It’s something I discovered back in a sparring match with Greg. I’m able to unleash a very intimidating and coercive aura and if I don’t deactivate it, people would actually suffocate in my presence. This is the natural authoritative and dominating presence of a God, and I possess a fraction of it.

My MP has recovered to eighty percent of the maximum value all the while. With this much MP, it will be enough for an advance-level spell.

Unable to defy an authority of God, Lucy obediently stays put with her tail between her legs.

Forgive me but I can’t risk letting you get hurt.

I show myself from the cover and the Demon takes notice of me almost immediately. It might have been onto us from the get-go but it just didn’t know of our exact location. At least that’s the impression I have.

It gives an inhumane and grating screech.

I remember my first time hearing a Demon’s screech. It felt like a saw grinding on my ear drums. Over the course, I just somehow gotten used to it and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. It kinda terrifies me that I’m getting acclimatized to gore and violence.

I felt a nudge in my mind. It appears the other Demon is currently approaching us.

That screech was a call to its kin.

The Demon in front of me is waiting, probably for the second one to show up before beginning to engage me.

Unlike the ones from above, these two seem to have coordination and a degree of intelligence like how a Demon usually is.

I wonder why these two are normal.

I suspected they might be special but their status didn’t show any indications as these two being some sort of variant though.

Nevertheless, I need to face off two Demons. I didn’t account for this but I will have to make do.

The second Demon makes its appearance from a hole on the ceiling.

There’s a hole on the ceiling?

Together, the Demons charge at me. They even both pounce at the same time.

“Arise as my shield against all harms, Vacuum Wall.”

To hold the Demon’s advance, I cast a single Vacuum Wall which is stronger than the one I cast back in the forest. The more Mana you pour into a magic spell upon casting, the more powerful it becomes but the cost-performance becomes less efficient that way. This allows a beginner spell caster to cast advance spells but at a cost of MP consumption efficiency.

I don’t believe Demons have bones but I could have sworn that I heard the bones cracking when they slammed into the wall.

“H-how did you m-managed to stop them with mere intermediate magic?” exclaimed Ren.

The cat’s out of the bag now but no time to retort.

Now, to finish the two Demons with Wind Slash. As I begin to chant, my heightened perception picks up an incoming wave of energy. The same wave of Void Energy just like before that alerted made the Demons frantic.

Just as I finished the chant, the wave swoops over us, causing a slant in the trajectory of Wind Slash. It tears through the first Demon but only rending the top feelers of the second Demon.

Skill Point(s) gained +2

Ability Point(s) gained +4

At the same moment as this notification, the text, Encroachment Resisted, pops up in my view. I quickly glance back at the two behind me. Lucy’s status is normal but not Ren’s. Encroached: Weak, is now displayed his condition.

The second Demon lunges at the absentminded me.

I draw my steel sword just in time to defend against the stingers that came out from its body. The force of the clash transmits to my hands.

Dang, it hurts!

It protrudes more tendril-like stingers at me. They aren’t fast but they aren’t slow either. After a few clashes, I begin to see cracks appearing on the blade of my sword.

Damn it, if only I know Spell Edge but even if I did know, steel is a terrible metal for conducting Mana.

“S-Shizu!”

Lucy’s voice reaches me but I can’t afford to glance back now. But from what I can tell with my perception abilities, she’s just calling out to me as words of caution. And there isn’t any change to Ren, appearance wise.

The moment my sword broke, I cast the novice-tier Wind Magic spell, Air Burst to create some distance.

For novice or beginner level spells, I only need to say its name to invoke the spell. Half a chant is needed for intermediate and a full chant is needed for advance.

The air between me and the Demon exploded, sending each of us away from one another—

--or that’s what’s supposed to happen. One of its feeler caught my leg.

It pulls me along with him and our momentum cancels out each other’s.

Six stingers dart towards me in chorus.

The new sword I instantly draw out from Arms Inventory block two stingers but shattered just from the two attacks.

I quick cast another Air Burst and deviate two of the stingers trajectory.

The remaining two however, manage to find their way into my flesh— my right arm to be precise. My natural reaction is to scream, of course.

“Shizu!!”

That must have been the boost she needed to break free of my coercion.

I’m too busy screaming at the top of my lungs to stop her.

This kind of pain isn’t a stranger but it isn’t something I’m attuned to either.

The three throwing knives tossed by Lucy are of next to no effect on the Demon. It didn’t even act like it felt the knives going into its flesh, if you can call those flesh.

Before Lucy can reach me, I’m hearing a chant coming from behind her.

“Element that illuminates the path in darkness, fend my enemies with brilliance, Shining Shot”

A projectile made of light with the size of a softball came flying at my way.

It is solid. It hits the Demon square in the face and is able to make it flinched. At the same time, the ball of light explodes into a short burst of blinding light that dyed my vision.

Thanks to Abaddon, I adjust to the change of brightness quickly.

I take out the last weapon I have in Arms Inventory, another normal steel sword albeit of military grade. I wield the sword with my left hand which isn’t my dominant hand. My right is no longer in any condition to function.

I use Magic Melee Arts: Tri-Cleave on the Demon which seems enamored by the light the sword produced. My blade which is shining blue left a triangular trail of cerulean light.

A single Tri-Cleave isn’t enough, so I use it twice more until the Mana Core is revealed. I then strike the core into pieces.

Without its pseudo heart, the Demon crumbles into dust while my sword shatters while spilling blue light.

Skill Point(s) gained +2

Ability Point(s) gained +4

I toss aside the naked handle of a sword which is still gushing out bluish hue essence. I might have infused too much Mana into a normal sword.

“Shizu!” Lucy hastened to my side. Her eyes are set on my right arm which is just dangling off of my shoulder. I just know my arm isn’t any condition for action but I didn’t realize my injuries is this bad.

The feeling of disgust is triumphing over the feeling of pain. It’s really grotesque to look at it.

“By the grace of Avalon!” cried Ren. Avalon must be the God or Goddess he worships. “E-element that illuminates the p-paths in darkness, g-grant t-this--”

“Save it,” I stopped him.

“B-but you’re hurt!”

“I don’t want to rain on your parade but your level of skills won’t be able to heal much of this.”

His twists his face and turns sour. No retorts came from him as he knows the truth in my words. He would be wasting his Mana and efforts with his level.

“But I’ll need that heal later.”

“Later?” he asked.

I can’t just left my arm dangling and none of us here has the ability to cast a healing spell strong enough to mend my whole arm. Thus, there is only one other option.

Shizu is staring at me keenly. Evidently, she knows what the only option left is. She further tears a part of her clothes, crumples it up and hands it to me.

I thanked her but I also advised her not to nonchalantly sacrifice herself or any of her possession without so much as a second thought. She nodded but somehow, I don’t think she has taken it to heart.

I shrug at myself and stuff the crumpled cloth into my mouth. I nod at Lucy after that.

Ren is just staring at us with a dumbfounded expression.

The edge of Lucy’s short sword gleams a profound blue as she activate Magic Melee Arts: Primed Edge, an ability that strengthens a single strike or slash. The continuous version is the infamous Spell Edge. She did so without a chant, which is something I still can’t get my head around why is such the case.

Arcane Arts like Magic Melee Arts, Body Strengthening, Herculean Strength, and the likes are exempted from chants as they are not considered magic spells but magic skills or abilities. At least that’s the explanation given from a book I found in the Zerogian Empire’s National Archives. It is kinda ironic Spell Edge is considered a magic skill instead of a magic spell despite its name.

I throw some Cavo Berries into my mouth. Without savoring the bitter sweet flavor, I swallow it.

“W-what….”

Before Ren’s obvious question can escape his lips, Lucy splits my right arm from my shoulder.

Not just my arm, my brain felt the split too. I bit down on the cloth with every ounce of muscle I have in my jaws. My muffled agony cries bounce between the narrow walls of the long corridor we are in.

Looks like the berries aren’t enough to quell this amount of pain.

Ren casts a novice healing spell just enough to ease the pain further and fully stops the bleeding. The spell has also acted as a disinfectant. At first I thought disinfectant just simply hasn’t been discovered yet but turns out, all healing spells have disinfectant properties.

Lucy is about to tear her clothes some more but I let out a little bit of Abaddon’s aura to serve as a reminder to what I have told her. She quickly apologizes for doing it out of habit.

And turns out, Ren has bandages. The bandaging is left to Lucy although Ren has the experience. I trust Lucy’s inexperience more than his trembling hands.

While I’m being bandaged by Lucy who is in turn instructed by Ren, I kick my fell arm into the shadows to avoid looking at it.

“Is this okay?” asked Lucy.

It could be better but the bandaging should do for now.

“Ah!”

I let out a groan when Ren abruptly grabs my stump.

“I’m sorry…. I was too slow to help….” He murmured deliriously.

I’m a little crept out but I guess his nerves must be acting out again.

“It’s alright. I’ll be fine.” I assured him but he isn’t letting go. Lucy was about to step in but I halted her.

“Because of me…. You suffered….”

“Zian Hao Ren, I said I’m fine. Can you please let go now?”

When I put on my stern voice, he snaps out of it. He then apologizes while taking steps back.

Not wanting to blow things out of proportion, I told him not to mind it.

I said that but I’m quite worried as his status is now, Encroached: Mild but outwardly, he looks fine except for his odd behavior just now.

While keeping a close eye on him, we continue on through the narrow corridor.

No more Demons in the proximity but I can tell the Demons are still lurking on the surface. I scan the area again with Abaddon but no Demons nor any other presence in proximity. Seems like we are still far away from Sylvia. I really hope she’s okay. If we lost her too, our last front liner, it wouldn’t be possible to escape this place which is crawling with Demons. To make matter worse, I lost an arm, my dominant arm. The pain has completely subsided but the empty feeling is unsettling to say the least.

If we manage to brave through this ordeal, I can get healed up back in the Empire. Recovering a lost limb isn’t impossible but it isn’t cheap either but my position as a hero, might just bypass that price. If they truly recognize me as a hero, that is.

I give occasional glances to my back just in case Ren finally snaps. I would like to think he is merely nervous but his status denies me of that wishful thinking. Even Lucy is wary of him.

The corridor eventually widens into a hall. Even the ceiling is taller.

The torches light up as if to welcome our presence.

Lucy and Ren spring away from the torches but I remain clam. Not because the pop-ups in my view spoiled the surprise but there are similar tools in the Imperial Palace too. These torches are magic tools which light up upon detecting moving presences. The name isn’t anything special. It’s just Magic Torch.

I told them what the torches are and they take my word without question. Lucy has always been trusting of me but Ren, as far as I’m concern, we are acquaintances at best.

And there is something else that has been bothering me. The miasma in this place. It’s incredibly thick but the traces are faint. It practically feels suffocating to me but Lucy and Ren look unbothered. Perhaps it’s something like sounds only animals can hear and I’m the only one who is able to sense it due to my exceptional perception abilities.

With those thought circulating in my mind, we arrive at a crossroad. Correction, a former crossroad. The straight and left path is block by fallen debris.

The only way to advance is right but….

“Shizu, something’s wrong?” Lucy points at the right path as she told me.

“Yeah.” I affirmed her. The right path is basically spilling ominous all over. The miasma only gets thicker further down right.

While I’m thinking on our next course of action, strange groans are coming from Ren.

Before I can ask of his reasons, my tongue stops dead in its track when my eyes feast on the dark purple lines crawling all over Ren.

His status is now, Encroached: Moderate.

Encroached by what or whom exactly?

As I asked that question in my mind, the pop-up expanded and reveal more information. The additional information are, Source: Valuma and Source in Proximity.

Who’s Valuma? And this Valuma is near?

“Ren? You doing good, man?”

I reverted back to my Earthling-way of speaking there but it’s too late to correct myself.

I stop Lucy who begins to approach the curled up Ren who is also wincing and muttering some incorrigible sounds.

No, he is definitely not okay.

“I’m sorry…. Lady Hirano…. I’m sorry….” Ren raise his head to look at me. His hand reaches out as if with the sole intent to feel my skin.

I edge back from the extent of his hand. “Whatever is it that you did, I forgive you. So snap out of it.” I position myself in front of Lucy.

“I couldn’t become the man of your dreams…. I am not a man worthy of you…. I regret this pious life…. I-I want you….” His voice was unsteady.

This feels like I’m sinking into a plot of some psychological horror.

“Ren, get a hold of yourself. You are not making sense.”

“But don’t worry…. She said she could make me the man you desire….”

“She? Who’s she?”

He has a face like he got caught in the act. “N-no one!” He denied. “There w-was no o-one….. Yes, no one. I-I wasn’t t-talking to anyone….”

Because I feel a small hint of animosity projected towards me, I conjure up a sword made entirely of shadows around a knife I use for emergencies without a chant.

And the latest ability I discovered in Abaddon, is an upgraded version of Spell Edge, which I dub as Shadow Blade. Instead of blue, the blade is coated with what could only be describe as shadows. With Shadow Blade, I can even increase the reach of a weapon in addition to its damage, and I can also create an ethereal weapon so long as I have something as a base. Even cutleries would do. I once created a full-length long sword with just a butter knife as the base.

As far as I can tell, Shadow Blade is the only skill from Abaddon that drained something from me as fuel.

I know not of what it takes as compensation but I definitely feel drained after each use and the compensation is certainly not Mana. I just hope it isn’t my life span. Due to this reasoning, I refrain myself from using it too frequently.

“You’re hiding something, aren’t cha…. Ya more than ya let on…. H-Hirano-o….”

Now his accent is turning weird.

For good measures, I decide to assign my skill and ability points I have on hand. I have ten each currently.

I level both Wind Magic and Magic Melee Arts to level five, which is just the right amount I have on hand.

Magic Melee Arts: Spell Edge - Acquired

Oh good, better late than never.

I didn’t get any new spells for Wind Magic but I certainly feel the increase in Wind Magic’s performance and efficiency.

I allocate half of the ability points to attack and the other half to defense. I had planned to allocate some to speed but looking at my missing right arm, I can really use some defense right now.

I further infuse Shadow Blade with the newly-learned Spell Edge. The edge of the shadowy sword glows a light blue that goes well with the black colors

“You are d-different…. S-stronger than you look….” He gulps down the two Mana Potions he has. It’s a waste potion. “But no worries…. I won’t tell anyone….”

In combat, you can predict your opponent’s movements and actions from their line of sights, breathing, and the subtle gestures of their body movements. Ren’s eyes are swaying, his breathing is erratic, and his body gestures aren’t even the least bit subtle. With these exaggerations and his unstable mentality, it’s near impossible to predict his actions.

He smashes the empty vials against the floor. “I will show you…. I am deserving…. of y-you…. She will show me….”

He said and proceeds down the path to the right.

His gait is unsteady, it can’t even be called walking. He’s simply dragging himself towards further down right where the torches are weaker and less in amount.

If my inference is right, something is controlling Ren by talking to him in his mind. I’m the incentive for him in doing “her” bidding, whoever the hell this “her” is.

I’m not sure if he wants us to follow him as he isn’t making sure we are behind him. He’s just resolute in just dragging himself forward.

“Lucy, stick close to me.”

I didn’t look at her but I feel her nodding.

Although Ren has already gone on ahead until he left our sight, my perception ability is keeping trace of him. He then turns left about a hundred meters ahead, into a room with shambled doors.

Just as we begin to pick up our pace to catch up, the grounds are assaulted by a tremor. It’s only a slight tremor but it’s a huge omen. Nothing good comes out of a quake.

Lucy’s ears and tail droop down. I pat her head to ease her disquiet.

Even though it’s out of the boundaries of Abaddon’s perception ability, I have a hunch the quake has something to do with the Greater Demon.

A rasping screech reaches our ears.

I’m right. That is definitely the sound of the Greater Demon.

Is it chasing after us?

My skin crawls with shivers but I comfort myself with the fact that it’s still far away. My concern right now should be Ren.

Following after him, we reach the shambled doors. It’s larger than I thought. The doors lead us into a huge cathedral hall. Rows of broken benches all lined up before the altar at the end. Windows with stained glasses that painted a picture. A lonely chandelier hanging on the ceiling with rusted chains. The Magic Torches are barely functioning, they look desperate to stay alive with their flickering lights.

There are even weapons of various kinds scattered around along with corpses of humanoid or monsters. A battle happened here, on this holy ground.

However--

--what exactly is this place?

The grand surprise isn’t the cathedral itself but what’s laying upon the altar.

It’s a corpse, to be put in the simplest form.

To elaborate, it’s a skeletal remains of a dragon. It’s the size of a double-story house. A sword of two meter length is plunged deeply into the frontal lobe of the dragon’s skull.

The sword is a saber. The design of this peculiar saber is intricate and gives out a sense of being eloquent. The saber bound by chains that are linked to four pillars that stood surrounding the dragon’s skeletal remains.

The chains and pillars are products of the Arcane Art, Sealing Magic.

“I-I have come….”

The cathedral and the dragon corpse are too impressive that it robbed me of my attention on Ren.

“What did you need me to do? I wish to be of worth to my beloved one.”

And his accent is normal again unlike when he spoke to me just minutes ago.

And I sure hoped he didn’t mean me by “beloved one.”

“Tell me…. I want to know…. Valuma”

As he seems to be talking to either the corpse or the sword, I set my sights on all of them to appraise them for answers.

Dozens of information appear in my view.

The saber is something call a Mondra, a living weapon with sentience. It even has a name, it’s Talia Lox.

As for the unfortunate dragon, it’s an Ancient Dragon. Its name was Torment, the Storm Emperor. Beyond these bunch, no more information came out from the corpse.

And finally, I got to the name that had been hooking my nerves.

Valuma, Berserker of the Void.

Finally, here you are.

It spoke to me. Its voice sends shivers down my spine, almost in a quite literally sense.

And that’s when my Divine Art, Night Empress Abaddon, begins to scream at every fiber of my body to retreat.

Hirano Shizuka's Status Information

Name

Hirano Shizuka

Status

Fatigue: Mild / Exhaustion: Light

HP

500

MP

200

Age

17

Class / Job

Scout Hero

Gender & Race

Female / Human

Standing

Hero of Zerogian

Arcane Arts

Magic Melee Arts – Lv. 5

Body Strengthening – Lv. 4

Wind Magic – Lv. 5

Spirit Magic – Lv. 2

Title & Deeds

Abaddon’s Apostle

Scout Hero

The Elusive One

Demon Slayer

The Audacious One

Overall Power Ranking

S

Effective Combat Strength

1600

Attack - 400

Defense - 250

Magic - 250

Resistance - 200

Speed - 600

Remaining Skill Points: 0

Remaining Ability Points: 0