I followed the footprints of the leader goblin, to a large village. And I saw… a horrible scene… women, tortured and then killed, covered in… various… fluids and men. Their bones broken and organs ripped out, left to die a painful death.

“Oh… oh god, I-I’m gonna be ssssick”

I gagged, as I looked for any survivors.

“Hissss”

Ouroboros hissed, as it pointed its head at several men moving slightly.

“Sssshit, thosse four are ssstill alive! Gobuk, Pochi. Help them up and get them back to camp, I and Ouroborosss will keep watch”

I ordered, as I looked directly at the gate to the village. Which was made of mostly wood and dirt, which the wall was also made of.

“Yes, Master”

Gobuk said, as he grabbed two of the men and Pochi grabbed another, with its small body.

‘How is something so small… so strong?’

I thought, as I looked away from the gate.

Which was a huge mistake.

“Hm?”

A goblin saw us… which wasn’t the worst thing to happen… what happened next, was.

“INTRUDERS!!!”

The goblin shouted, as it rung a bell that was right next to the gate.

“Sssshit!”

I shouted, as I picked up a rock and threw it as hard as I could, piercing the goblins skull, causing it to fall to the ground, dead.

‘Holy shit, when did I get this strong!?’

I thought, as I pulled out my sword. Prepared to fight off another horde of goblins.

But, none came out.

“Weird… but, not unwanted”

I said, as I grabbed the last person and ran back to the camp.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Two of them died on the way, but we got back to the camp. Two men still alive… well, they were at the very least, still breathing.

I placed the two of them down as I realized something.

‘Shit, I need more beds for these two, and Gobuk!’

I thought, as I got busy making several “beds” made of grass, leaves and spare rags

“Good enough”

I said, as I placed the two men in separate beds.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

I tried to take care of them for several hours… but, one of them bled out.

Luckily, the other one’s still breathing, and I’m not going to let him die!

“I didn't risssk getting killed by another fucking horde of goblins, just to let everyone I tried to ssssave die!”

I shouted, as I bit into his neck, using my “Healing Venom”... it’s not actually called that, but I just call it that, since the original name is… pretty bad.

I was so invested in trying to save this man, that I didn't even notice something odd…

“Who are you?”

I asked, as I finally took notice of a man. Wearing a completely blank mask and striped suit and tie, with a suitcase in his hand.

“Oh, hello there kind sir. Would you like to buy some of my wares?~”

The man said in a joking tone, as he bowed.

“Tell me… who are you!?”

I shouted, as I pulled out my shortsword.

“Ohohohohoho, you think that’s going to even hurt me? You must be kidding yourself, Damien Kruel. “The Gambling Demon King” ranked 665th out of 666. If you must know, I am Alfonso Swallowsword, “The Demon King of Insanity” ranked 122nd out of 666, so that means… I’m your senior”

He said, as he walked up to me.

“Okay, but that doesssn’t explain ssssomething… why are you here!?”

I shouted at Alfonso as loud as I could.

“To recruit you~”

Alfonso said, as his mask and suit started to shift, turning green, then blue, red then… finally, after what seemed like several hundred colors, black.

“W-what’sss happening!?”

I shouted in confusion. As I began to fall unconscious.

“Don’t worry, young Damien. All will be explained in due time, but first… I should probably heal this friend of yours, shouldn’t I? [Heal]... there, done… now, let us go~”

Alfonso said, as he vanished. Carrying Damien’s unconscious body.

0-0-0-0-0-0

I woke up in a dimly lit room, chained to a metal chair that was built into the floor.

“W-where am I?”

I asked nobody in particular. But I still got an answer.

“You. My friend are in our super secret base! Surprise!!!~”

A man’s chilling voice shouted in my ear.

“Huh!? Who!?”

I questioned, as I looked around. To find nobody around me.

‘What the fuck’s happening!? Am I going insane!? Calm down… calm… calm… good, now… how do I get out of here?’

I thought, as I tried to find a way out of my chains.

‘Okay, maybe… I could use one of my abilities… but, which should I use? It hasn’t been a day, so I can’t rely on lottery… even with my shit luck. Swordsmanship is useless in this scenario, so’s Tame… Iron Fist and Smash could work… but, they’d be better if they were…’

“Combined!”

I shouted, as I grabbed onto the chain using my left hand.

“[Iron Fist] [Smash]”

I shouted, combining my skills. And destroying the chains.

“Good, now… how do I leave thissss room?”

I asked myself, as I looked around for a door, to only find… nothing. No door, window, hole or… anything, it was as if I was just stuck in a cube… forever.

“Let me the fuck out of here you crazy bassstard!”

I shouted, as I punched the wall, with Iron Fist still on. Causing it to dent.

“Oh… oh, I sssee… recruitment, you want to sssee how sssstrong I am, do you? Well then, I’ll fucking sssshow you! You goddamn insssane basssstard! [Smash]!”

I shouted, as I started to punch through the cube-like room.

0-0-0-0-0-0

After what felt like… days, of punching that wall… I actually got several notifications.

STR +2

STR +2

END +2

STR +2

STR +2

END +2

STR +2

You have completed training in “The Cube”

+10000 EXP

Preparing to return to the mortal plane in. 3. 2. 1.

“W-what!?”

I shouted in confusion, as I fell unconscious again.

0-0-0-0-0-0

“W-where am I?”

I asked, as I looked around… only to see my camp… and that Alfonso bastard!

“What did you do to me!?”

I shouted, as I picked him up, easily. Which seems to have shocked him, causing him to drop his suitcase… which opened, revealing several hundred cards which resembled the card I got Gobuk from, a giant hammer… so big that it was almost comical… magical girl figurines… let’s gloss over that, business cards? Okay… and, a… weird crystal?

‘Wait, I got more EXP, and… some more stats, shit… what’s my Status at now?’

I thought, as I threw Alfonso to the ground.

“Ow… what was that for, friend?~”

He said, obnoxiously.

‘Oh god, he gets on the nerves… so much!’

I thought as I walked away, to look at my last “patient” and… he was completely healed, not even a fever.

“What did you do?”

I asked, as I glared at Alfonso.

“I simply healed your friend, what? Was it a bad thing? Oh no~ I shouldn’t have done it, should I?~ Hehehehehe!”

Alfonso started laughing.

“No, that’s not the casse… thankssss for healing him… but, don’t get thissss wrong! You put me in ssssome weird fucking cube! For a week!... which ssshould mean… ssshit! Is he ssstable!?”

I asked, as I checked his body… to see that it wasn’t even slightly malnourished.

“Ssspill the fucking beans. How long wasss I in that place!?”

I asked, as I pulled out my shortsword, again.

“Ohohohohoho, if you ask. You shall be answered… it has been… exactly, seven hours. And, just so you know, friend. You’ve passed! Ha ha! Welcome to the alliance!”

Alfonso said happily.

“W-what?”

I asked, confused.

“You passed the test, which is impressive for someone of your mental qualifications… we even had a small bet on whether or not you’d survive the week of loneliness, boredom, and restraint”

He said as he walked around, stretching.

“We? And what do you mean ressstraint? I got out of those chainssss practically instantly”

I said, as I kept pointing the shortsword at him.

“Oh, those weren’t the restraints… didn't you notice the gravity? More precisely, the gravity getting stronger every single day? And, to answer your question. Guys, come on out”

Alfonso said, as three people appeared out of nowhere.

One was a pink haired woman, with a large chest and a purple dress on. She looked, beautiful… quite possibly, beautiful enough to start wars. But, that wasn’t the most attracting part about her… it was her aura. It felt… warm. I felt like I could completely trust her…

The other two were standing side by side, in completely opposite clothes.

The man was wearing complete purple… not like the woman previously, this type of purple… looked… corrupted. And so did he, it felt like he corrupted everything around him... I could literally see the grass at his feet withering to nothing...

But, the woman next to him, looked almost completely different, she was wearing a pure white dress. Covering everything completely, and she looked… pure. And, it actually felt like she was purifying the area around the man. Recreating the withered grass... she looked so pure, that it almost cancelled out his corruption.

“Who… are you?”

I asked, as I kept my sword readied.

“I, am Valsathur, The Demon King of Corruption, and this is my wife. Belerina, The Demon Queen of Purification… the other one’s Valeria, The Demon Queen of Love. Would you like to introduce yourself?”

Valsathur asked, in a completely emotionless tone, as he stared me directly in the eyes.

“Ah, right… uh… I’m Damien Kruel… I’m… The Demon King of Gambling, according to Alfonssso… that prick”

I said, full of disdain.

“Hey, that’s quite rude! I’m right here!”

Alfonso said, feigning sadness.

“I know, that’s why I sssaid it… now, if you four could lea-”

I said bluntly, as our conversation was interrupted by the patient.

“Lynn… where are you… Lynn?”

The man mumbled, as he tossed and turned… as if he was afraid of something.

“Ssshit, I’ll be back… man, are you okay? Can you wake up? Who are you?”

I asked three important questions in succession.

“LYNN!!!”

The man shouted, as he shot up out of bed and looked around, confused.

“W-where am I?”

He asked.

“You’re in my camp… and let me guess, you’re looking for someone named… Lynn?”

I asked.

“Y-yes, how did you know!?”

He asked, surprised.

“Because, idiot. You were saying her name multiple times in your sleep!”

Alfonso butted in on our conversation.

“Alfonssso, please… take your friendsss and leave, we’ll deal with thisss… alliance, later!”

I shouted.

“Alright… come on guys! Let us go! To another adventure!”

Alfonso shouted, as they all disappeared.

‘Seriously? It was THAT easy!? Fucking hell, that was annoying…’

I thought, as I got back on track and spoke to the man again.

“Sssso… who are you?”

I asked.

“I-I’m Jofre Whitesnake, please save my sister!”

‘Eh?’

[---THE END---]