Boram felt something strange.
His master was watching the sunset without his helmet on, letting the sea breeze touch his face through the bandages. His master didn't need to hide his disfigured face anymore but he still usually kept his face covered when he went outside. The sight of his back gave off a different impression than usual.
“Master Avel, is there something wrong? You seem awfully… tense,” he asked as delicately as possible.
“...How’s your wound from yesterday? Any discomfort? How's today’s battle strength?” Arsène said without turning. The sunset beyond the sea was very picturesque.
“Oh, I’m well. Geotheraphy Arte worked like a charm.”
In the Book World, Boram had learned an earth-based healing Arte. It was a must since injury was inevitable. It worked best for himself, but could also be used on others with reduced effect.
“Good. I’m just feeling down because even after ten days, we haven't seen a single mermaid.”
“...Forgive me Master, but I don't believe you.”
Arsène was surprised at Boram’s denial of his answer and chuckled. “Hehehe, how perceptive of you. But that was not a lie, a half-truth. Works better than an outright lie.”
“...Eugene told me that knights and men of character should always speak the truth.”
“Do as you wish, but remember you’re always responsible for your actions. My advice is to not speak the truth if it gets you killed.”
Arsène’s words wouldn't make it into the picture books that parents gave to their children.
Before the conversation progressed further, a group of people passed them by. Arsène recognized them by looks but not names. They were adventurers stationed on the east side of the fort.
“That kid there, isn't he Boram of the Nine Stars?”
“Yep. Don't underestimate how small he looks though. He cracked the shell of a Barastol Turtle with one hit.”
“Daaang… Who’s the other guy?”
“Based on the helmet, he should be Avel the Slayer.”
“Ooh, cool name. Is he good?”
“So-so I heard. He got strong momentum from the start but he’s not making any noteworthy deeds afterward. And some say his achievements are mainly because of Boram, who is his slave.”
“Hmph! Lucky bastard. If only my slave is that great…” The man kicked the butt of an older man wearing poorer clothes along with a metal collar. “Useless trash. Even a child is better than you!”
“Y-yes master… Apologies for this mutt’s stupid,” the man frantically apologized.
“Stupidity! Sheesh, what a hopeless guy.”
The adventurer and his fellows walked away. The slave trailed behind them with hollow eyes. He gave one last look to Boram, a look with a thousand meanings, before walking with all the world’s hopelessness.
Boram felt as if his soul was grated.
Arsène felt worms were slithering into his ears.
“That’s the common treatment of slaves,” Arsène said after a while.
“...I know, Master. I am forever grateful for your kindne-”
“You misunderstand, that is not what I meant to say. My question is this: Now that you have seen it, what are you going to do about it?”
Arsène listened to the sound of the waves while Boram took his time to answer. That was what Arsène and Viers taught him, to give a slow but weighty answer rather than fast but thoughtless.
“...I am too weak to do anything about it. I don't even know the correct actions. But…”
“Go on.”
“I think… I wish to change it.”
A seagull squawked as it flew overhead. The sun was submerging more and more past in the skyline. Arsène was satisfied with the answer and patted the kid on the back.
“Grow to become a man who can change it.”
Boram took a sharp breath before answering with gusto. “Yes, Master!”
“Good. Now concentrate on the battle ahead. Don’t die because of stupid carelessness. Today, I’ll be counting on you more than usual.”
The two walked back to their post, Boram walked ahead. As the last light of the sun was extinguished, Arsène felt the change. He looked at his hand as the power began to leave his body.
So it begins… A day later than I thought. It seems the other me has become a level 3 then.
He sighed with a grim determination.
I just have to last until sunrise…
***
Whether it was fate, providence, bad luck, or coincidence, the tenth day was super intense. It was as if the merfolk were making an all-out assault.
The opening salvo was a tsunami with enough height to drown both the island and the fort. If the defensive arrays of the fort did not activate in time, there would be no more land beneath the feet of Arsène and the defenders.
A downpour that rocked the sea and clouds came next. The Sea Witches had called upon a ritual that changed the weather itself. The rain and wind heavily favored the underwater attackers.
Then massive sea creatures besieged the fort by throwing boulders and water artillery. Level 2s like Boram and the others were powerless before such a force and had to take refuge inside the fort.
Which had its main wall breached by an absolutely massive blast. An attack from the opposition's Level 4s. Commander Goudy and other Level 4s had done all they could or all that would be left of Fort Mercator would be a heap of smoking ruins.
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Then an army of merfolk and sea monsters stormed the fort directly. There were battles everywhere, mainly at major choke points against superior numbers. With this chaotic situation, group allocation didn't really matter. Arsène and Boram had been separated from the Rising Fortune group.
So far, Arsène had not pulled his sword or used a single Arte. He depended on Boram to defend him from harm.
Far on the ocean, there was a giant hurricane crackling with blue lightning. It was like a finger of God; utterly massive and powerful. The power it emitted was far above Level 4.
Level 5… has to be.
Arsène looked on in awe. That was the site where a couple or several Level 5s vied for supremacy. Even Viers, with all of his strength, wouldn't be able to get close.
Suddenly, Commander Goudy, who looked like he had just been through a life-and-death battle, appeared where Arsène, Boram, and the twenty or so people that were busy defending the corridor were. The Level 4 cleared the immediate threat with a wave of his hand, turning the attacking crocodile merfolks into charcoal.
“Listen up. The merfolk’s goal is to destroy the main array located at the fort’s basement. If it is lost, they will have a straight route to Regidana. Countless lives are at stake. We have reinforcements ready but the blasted water-breathers are preventing them from teleporting in. I have pinpointed where the interference comes from. You people are the closest. You must sally to that place and stop the merfolk’s ritual. I’ll make a way for you guys. Dorus, you have command. Move out!”
After pointing out where they must go and appointing a senior Level 3, Goudy left as fast as he arrived. The place Goudy meant was outside of the fort, which meant they would have to go through a shitload of enemies. Thankfully, Commander Goudy made a tunnel of fire for them to go through. The man himself defended the protective tunnel from all manners of creatures and attacks.
“Alright, it's do or die, people. Follow me!” Dorus moved first, brimming with patriotic spirit. “Hey you, why aren't you going?”
Arsène didn't move a muscle.
“I shall stay here.”
“You bastard! Did you hear what the man said? Give me one reason to not execute you where you stand for disobeying a direct order!”
Dorus’ threat did not sway him.
“I have no obligation to tell you and I’m not your subordinate. I am a contracted adventurer with a contribution requirement, which my battle slave will fulfill. Boram will go in my stead.”
“You cowardly, lazy-” Dorus was fuming.
“Sir, there’s no time. We have to go now!” Someone reminded Dorus. It was clear that Goudy wouldn't last forever.
“Aaaah fuck! Stay here and rot then!”
Many gave Arsène the stink eye which Arsène ignored. He gave Boram one last reminder.
“Whatever happens, survive.”
“Yes, Master!”
The group ran through the path of fire and Arsène found himself alone. He sighed with relief and regret.
…Shit. This just isn't my day.
Alone and vulnerable, Arsène ran to the inner part of the fort to seek safety. On the way, he saw two dozen or so defenders getting overwhelmed at the main entrance of the fort. It was where the fighting was the thickest. Based on the corpses, there used to be more and it was getting worse. The merfolk attacked like they were possessed. Because of a partially destroyed fort, Arsène caught sight from one floor above.
The Rising Fortune was among them. Bruce, Norman, and Sandra were still fine but Will was unconscious and Irene's left arm had a nasty laceration. Despite their brave resistance, it was only a matter of time before they were swallowed.
Damn it!
Arsène made his way there as fast as he could but without Victa, he felt himself moving at a snail’s pace.
When he arrived right above them, there were significantly fewer people. Sandra’s scream as Bruce was getting struck by a crab-claw mace was piercing even in the noisy battlefield.
Arsène jumped down from above, right in the middle of the Rising Fortune. Superhero landing. He held a DVD-sized stone disk with engravings of four faces in his hand and broke it in half.
A membrane of protective energy protected Arsène and the others. It was in the form of a sphere and transparent so those inside could still see the outside and the other way around. But the range wasn't far, just two meters around Arsène.
Arsène positioned his landing so all five of the Rising Fortune adventurer group were included but not others.
The merfolk and monsters tried to break the shield but it stood firm. Realizing they were safe for the moment allowed them to identify the one who just saved them.
“A-Avel!? How-” Sandra was surprised.
“Snap to! Their conditions are critical,” Arsène dumped a bottle of potion into Will’s mouth. Good thing he swallowed it because no way Arsène would give him mouth-to-mouth.
“R-right!”
Sandra attended to Bruce. The head wound was nasty but it wasn't an instant kill. He might have a chance.
“LET US IIIN!!”
The other adventurers cried while banging the shelter because they thought it was their only chance of salvation. But they couldn’t get in, just like the merfolk.
“Avel-” Norman called out.
“It doesn't work that way, I’m afraid,” Arsène said without even facing the people with desperate faces. “The item is fixed after deployment. I can't do anything.”
The three members of the Rising Fortune who were still conscious were glad they were saved but also felt some self-loathing.
The cries of help soon turned into curses. Norman looked on while saddened and filled with regret, Sandra closed her eyes and ears to protect her heart, while Irene looked straight at them as if to burn their faces into her memory.
It didn't take long until only the merfolk remained and the group was attacked from all sides. But the sphere was like a diamond egg battered by a school of sardines, no matter how numerous the sardines were, the egg wouldn't break.
After Will’s condition was stable, Arsène applied healing salves on Irene’s arm.
“How- shhhh!” Irene winced from the pain but held herself back from screaming. “How strong is it?”
“The shield? Should hold for some time against a Level 4. But I don't want to test it.”
“Then this must be a priceless treasure. We are in your debt. Truly,” Norman was tired but he wasn't injured. “It is a shame about the others but no one can place the blame on you.”
“Yeah… Thank you, Avel. If you weren't here, we would definitely be finished,” Sandra cradled Bruce’s head after she stopped the bleeding. Her gratitude was not false.
“We’ll recoup you for the treasure… It might take a few years,” Norman added.
“It’s fine. Don't mention it.”
The stone disk was a life-saving item previously belonging to Airmaster. Viers just had a lot of these after the trial and shared some with Arsène in preparation for this eventuality. He planned to use them anyway if things got really bad but since he could save some people with a little extra effort, Arsène did so.
Aletro disabled items that were too strong in the Book World so the well-privileged elites, who had many things like this, ended up donating their treasures to their killer, Viers.
If Aravin and Anne could make use of all their godlike life-saving treasures, it wasn't certain if they would fall to Viers’ evil machinations.
The invaders soon got tired of trying and went further into the fort, passing Arsène’s sphere.
“What do we do now?” Irene asked.
“We wait for reinforcements. Boram is-”
Before Arsène finished speaking, there was a sound of battle coming from further inside. The sound was getting more intense until the group could see what was making the noise.
It was wolves. Tens, then hundreds of wolves. All were Level 3 monsters. The wolves came from inside the fort and matched the numbers of the merfolk forces.
Even Arsène didn't expect such massive reinforcements. The wolves decimated the sea monsters and merfolk everywhere they went with their claws and fangs.
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
But the sight of hundreds of three-eyed wolves made Irene descend into hysteria.
“Kill them! I must kill them all! My family's revenge!!” Irene screamed and pulled out a knife with the still working hand and struck the shield crazily.
“Oi oi stop that!” Arsène panicked. “This thing is easily broken from the inside! We’re still in danger!”
Irene was so consumed by hate she’d lost all reason. Norman and Sandra had to make her faint.
Arsène sighed in relief. He didn't know what was the deal with the three-eyed wolves but it seemed they were on their side and the tide had turned. Boram and the others must have succeeded and allowed the beasts to teleport here.
Pheeew… It seems I can go through the night without dying. Now I hope Boram is okay.