There was silence as the three watched him. Then the one, muscular and radiant, spoke, his voice booming like a roar. “We heard of how you saved Monica…”

“Yes,” Karl said simply.

Faus frowned but remained silent. Cautious. He was likely still assessing Karl's strength. Good. I suppose. As strong as he may be, Karl harbored not much illusion that he could take on a Sanguine, a swordsman, and whatever it was the Grand-Helper represented.

Maybe not impossible.

About the Grand-Helper: Karl felt something off about him. Perhaps it was his general paranoia, but whatever it was, he was keen on staying vigilant.

“How about you tell us exactly how you killed that monster,” said Faus.

I see. From what Karl had gathered from whispers and scraps of conversation, none of the people here had ever killed an Astra Kin. Of course, the reason for this could be that the monsters they fought were vastly stronger than his. Maybe not. That one said it was protecting me from the monsters outside, so it must've had the power to back up its words.

Karl deliberated for a moment, then began telling the long tale of his days in the hall. Safe as it was. Many parts of the story were carefully edited. He made sure not to mention how Monica had helped awaken him. Doing so would likely turn her into something akin to bait.

The scavengers might think she had some unique ability to combat Astra Kins. Karl wouldn't want that, right? I promised to protect her, so...

When he finished his tale, which ended with him "by luck burying" the monster, the three leaders remained silent. Finally, Faus spoke, his voice powerful. “Hmm, so you bested it one on one?”

Karl did not respond.

Faus's gaze lingered for a bit. “From what you said, I don’t see the possibility of you besting such a creature. A powerful one. Your Sanguine powers seem only strength-related... Did you perhaps evolve after you killed the creature?”

You mean whether I gained my ice power from that. Karl mused. Monica hadn't blabbed about his secrets and powers. Due to her lack of knowledge, she didn't understand that the ice powers weren't his but a product of his World Item. Judging by these people, they likely didn't know about it either. And as far as he could recall, she hadn't seen him use it.

So... “Yes,” he lied. “After I killed the monster, there seemed to be a vial of grace, perhaps one left by a previous victim of the creature. Regardless, I needed strength, and the monster didn't seem to have any quarrels with me using its blood.” He paused, a smile curling up on his lips. “I suppose, in a way, my greed was greater than the monster's.”

There was silence. Then, out of nowhere, the man at the end of the table snorted happily.

The Grand-Helper burst into laughter. “You heard what he said?” He pointed at Karl, grinning at the solemn swordsman. “He said his greed was greater than the monster's!” He then turned his gaze back to Karl. “You are good, quite good. In fact, you are among us now... A leader.”

Faus stood up abruptly, the table quaking beneath his hands. His face contorted into intense fury. “What in the shattered heavens is this?! You believe him?!”

Now that Faus was standing, Karl noticed several rings on his fingers. Is he a citizen of a Knight City?

“We have been fighting this battle for years,” Faus said, his hands clenched tightly.

Well, considering the rate of time passage, you likely haven’t been here for more than a week or two.

“And this?” Faus glanced furiously at Karl. “Just because he’s capable of killing a monster? Who knows, maybe the one he killed was just weak. The bottom of the barrel. And you tell me that you wish to make him a leader? The same rank as us?”

Lock remained silent, his eyes staring into the distance as though everything happening was unnecessary to him. An attitude only the strong have? Karl wondered.

The Grand-Helper’s face quickly turned cold, stoic. “Where were you when I alone ventured into the darkness to bring these people to safety?”

Faus went silent, veins bulging across his forehead.

The Grand-Helper slowly stood, an authoritative aura radiating from him. “You were a puppet, Faus.”

Karl's eyes widened. What? He nearly blurted it aloud. Faus was a puppet? Then how did he escape? Was he like Monica? Or was his will strong enough? Karl didn’t like the notion of another person being a survived puppet. There was always a chance it was a trick—that Faus was still a puppet but one playing real.

Of course, given how vacant puppets' gazes usually were, Karl wasn't very inclined to believe that possibility.

At some point, Faus had sat back down, though his eyes still gleamed with murderous intensity. If not for the Helper's presence, he would have challenged Karl outright. The Warrior God Ministry seemed to have such an aesthetic.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Alright.” The Grand-Helper sat down again, then glanced at Karl. “I suppose you have no problem being a new leader?”

Karl shook his head.

“Then that's that,” the Helper said. “You can choose your own team, but they have to willingly join you.”

The Helper proceeded to list off the perks of being a leader. For one, Karl could organize expeditions to search for supplies. He could also leave the encampment anytime he liked.

After some brief discussion, Karl finally asked what he truly wanted to know. “I will soon go on an expedition. But before I leave, I would like to know how exactly your ability works in bringing back those who have left the camp.”

It was a roundabout way of asking, but the question had been posed. As he expected, it triggered a number of sharp glares. Even the solemn swordsman gave him a passive glance.

Interesting.

The Grand-Helper lingered in silence for a moment before speaking. “I suppose being curious about that is warranted.” He leaned back in his chair. “After all, if I weren't, then I would likely be controlled.”

“Controlled?”

“Ah.” Karl realized. “I call them puppets.”

The Helper rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Puppets. That’s better than our term. Alright, that's what we'll call them from now on.”

Karl shrugged.

“Alright then,” the Grand-Helper continued, “as you might have expected, my power operates in relation to luck.”

Hmm.

“I can grant a certain degree of luck towards a specific outcome. However, it must be logically possible. For example, the chance of this place being discovered by accident exists, so it can occur. But because luck is chaotic and unpredictable, it sometimes takes longer to manifest. I simply hope it happens before the entire group perishes.” He smiled oddly.

“Makes sense,” Karl said with a nod. Then, glancing around the dimly lit stone room, he added, “I suppose you found this place using that method?”

Am I missing something? Karl frowned slightly.

The Grand-Helper nodded and leaned back. “You’re strong,” he said, his voice dropping slightly. “Perhaps you can...”

And now the extortion begins. Karl remained solemn, head tilted slightly. He stayed silent, refusing to speak first.

The Helper glanced briefly between Faus and Lock before continuing. “There’s a monster.”

Karl acted surprised, his eyes widening slightly.

“There are very few paths connecting the encampment to the rest of the castle,” the Helper explained. “One such path is dominated by a particularly ferocious beast. It resembles an ash hound but far larger.” He smiled faintly.

Does he have a thing for hounds or something?

“Normally, we would have avoided it entirely, but it sits atop numerous crates of supplies—food, to be specific. Supplies we believe were originally brought here by the castle’s owner.”

Olmer? Karl recalled the crates he had found in the hall. Could this be the same situation, or was this another anomaly? Questions upon questions.

“Of course,” the Helper added, “we’ve tried multiple times to kill it. But we couldn’t.”

“So you need me,” Karl said with a faint smirk. “Since I’m the only one who’s killed one.”

Faus scowled audibly, but Karl ignored him.

The Grand-Helper was silent for a moment before nodding. “Yes, we need you.” He adjusted his cracked glasses. “So, will you aid your fellow humans and show these creatures the might of man... for the First Order?”

First Order... Karl’s grin widened slightly. The Grand-Helper was clever. With just a few exchanges, he had tied Karl down with responsibility. Now Karl would have to play the hero or face the scorn of the scavengers.

But... I still have a choice. Help them or not. Either way, I lose nothing. At most, I could force them all into submission. He liked that thought.

However, I need knowledge—about the Astra Kin, their nature, and their weaknesses. If I dominate them now, they might lie to me. And one wrong piece of information could get me killed.

Though every lie had some kernel of truth.

Karl let the silence stretch before speaking. “I suppose I can help. However, I want something in return.”

“As you should,” said the Grand-Helper.

Karl’s gaze sharpened. “I want knowledge about these monsters. Everything you know.” He chose not to refer to them as Astra Kin. The leaders didn’t seem to know the term, and enriching their understanding served no purpose. I’m the one who needs to learn, not them.

The Grand-Helper nodded. “Alright. Where do you want to start?”

“Not only that,” Karl interrupted. “I want to know everything about this castle. Its origins, its anomalies, and… the difference between the monsters in here and the creatures one can normally evolve into.”

Faus scowled. “What, do you want to evolve into one? Like you did with that monster you killed?”

The Grand-Helper raised his hand to silence Faus. “Very reasonable.” He chuckled softly. “Honestly, I thought you might ask about my evolution.”

“I wouldn’t need to,” Karl said simply.

Faus groaned again, but Karl paid him no mind.

The Grand-Helper clasped his hands together. “Evolvable creatures differ in one fundamental way. They exist in reality. They are, in essence, animals—albeit powerful ones. They have instincts; mental components but a human mind can normally suppress them. For example, a sanguine who evolves into a Shadow Wisp might feel an irresistible urge to loiter around light sources. But their human will overrides it.”

Karl listened intently.

“But these monsters... their mental components are far stronger. If someone attempted to evolve into them, the monster’s mind would likely awaken inside them. A resurrection, in a sense. Through the bond formed by consuming their blood or essence, their mind would overpower the host.”

Faus and Lock exchanged glances.

“That’s why I remain skeptical about your supposed evolution from that monster,” the Helper said.

“My mind simply overpowered it,” Karl replied.

“Possible,” the Grand-Helper allowed. “Though here’s another key difference—these monsters don’t naturally have a physical form.”

Karl frowned slightly. But I saw blood.

“You could say this castle is an anomaly. It forced them into physicality. Or perhaps their entry into our world gave them form. Regardless, they’re not entirely bound by normal rules.”

Astra Kin exists in the Astra. Karl knew this. They are illusory by nature, but when exposed to physical traits, they gain substance. Maybe if they remain disconnected from the real world, they stay ephemeral.

“Another thing,” the Helper added, “these creatures’ powers seem... inconsistent. A sanguine creature usually has powers tied to its nature—fog and illusion, lightning and wind. But these monsters can have entirely unrelated abilities.”

Karl leaned back, processing the information.

“Perhaps their strange state is the reason they remain so unstable,” the Helper concluded. “Either way, they share one thing with evolvable creatures—they lack the cooldowns or mana pain typical of sanguines.”

Karl’s eyes narrowed slightly. Interesting.

They seem similar but are also different. If anything, an astra kin is stronger than a sanguine creature, Karl realized, then nodded.