“Still too soft, {Fate Threader}.”

After hearing such a voice, Zephyr breathes in deeply, chuckling to himself afterwards.

“Haha, I'm hearing voices inside my head again. Is this the backlash of using the cheat orb, I wonder…” He massages the back of his head.

“Say what you want, but I know you are not that dumb. Look at me.”

Zephyr slowly turns his glance towards the crystal orb that seems to be shining still even after the match has been concluded.

“H-hey…can you also read my mind?”

This was not the first time that they have conversed. Whenever Zephyr uses the crystal orb, which is not that much, he would hear a certain voice of a mysterious woman calling out to him that seems to be originating from the orb itself. Hence, he's being quite calm despite not knowing the true form of this voice.

“I wish I could. Fortunately for you, I can't. Rather, you're not letting me to.”

“What…? I mean, I'm quite relieved I'm not being mind read but, I'm confused about me not letting you part.”

As soon as Zephyr focused his sight on the crystal orb, he saw his reflection. His pupils are diamond shaped, adapting the same hue of the diamond inside the crystal orb.

“Whoa, I look like this whenever I use this relic?”

“Fufu, to identify me as low as just a relic, you don't fully know what I am capable of. Hmm, that or…you're just pretending.”

Zephyr tilts his head whilst raising his brow. One can tell that he's extremely confused, however, for someone who has already built such a distinction, no one can tell from the outside if he's just pretending.

‘Does all sacred treasures possess personalities like this? Man, the Goddess of Equilibrium really does make things a bit loony.’

Zephyr clears his throat and forces a smile.

“Uhh, I should probably have asked this a long time ago but, do you mind introducing yourself? Haha…”

“I would like to, but I have to decline. That would disrupt the–” bzzzzt…

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

A strange sound emanates from the crystal orb as the voice almost reveals something.

“Huh? What just happened?” ← Zephyr

“See, I really can't tell you anything. But know that you're the only one that I can communicate with, well, as of now. Unless there is someone out there who is much more compatible with me than you do. But I doubt it.”

“Huh…okay, so be it.” His mindset to just conclude the day tops his curiosity about the current events.

‘Let me just take this as the Goddess playing a silly prank on me for being such a loser relying on cheats, haha…’

“Alright, I guess it's time for me to sleep again. Wake me up again when you actually need help– my dear Master, {Fate Threader}”

The Sovereign Crystal Orb finally shuts down, its glow slowly disappearing right after.

‘But I actually needed help at that time, what do you mean? Ah, forget it…I finally can get out! Wait–’

Zephyr then looks around to ensure that the dungeon is already cleared since the dungeon boss has been presumingly defeated.

“It's cleared right? That means I can loot!”

The greedy Zephyr has taken over. He tiptoed towards the deep end of the dungeon to take his deserved loot. Going back a few minutes ago–

|Hollow Cavern|

“Lo and behold the supreme might of my own Prism ranked monster, ”

As if something got summoned, a streak of light strikes the ground in front of Alice, leaving a crater in its wake. Anastasia then quickly organized herself to prepare for what's to be a difficult battle.

“.....”

“.....”

However, both Anastasia and Alice were speechless after witnessing what had been summoned. Expecting a vicious, man-eating Chimera, the creature in front of the two is a scared cat who is all curled up, as if trying to hide from something.

“W-what!? What happened to you!?”

Alice panicked. She cannot fathom the fact that a monster of this class could fall from such a state.

“It can't be…that man–”

“Was that the monster inside the cave?”

Anastasia interjects with a question.

“If so, then I won't be surprised that it was already thoroughly defeated. After all–”

Anastasia proudly exclaimed “-Master Zep was its enemy.”

“Mas…ter? You mean, that hunter I have led to the Cave is none other than…{Fate Threader} HIMSELF!?”

It can be seen in the eyes of Alice that all her hope of coming out victorious has vanished after realizing the fact that [Grim Fate]’s leader was already in this case. Her knees fell to the ground, her youth slowly vanishing, returning to her older form.

“So you concede.”

Anastasia's obsidian hands had turned normal in just a blink of an eye. But then, as Alice continues losing her power, the formed dungeon starts to crumble.

Anastasia remains calm as usual as if she's not in a dangerous spot, even though huge rubbles is falling left and right.

“I have no issues getting out of this alive. But, I don't know if you could.” Her piercing gaze does not leave Alice. Seeing her not doing anything anymore whilst hugging the cat, Anastasia realizes that Alice already accepted her demise. Though deep in her heart, she has to do something…for her Master, Zephyr, would probably save a lost soul. Just like how Zephyr reformed her back then.

“Master Zep…what should I do…”

“Master!”

“Is that you {Witch of Frost and Dark}!?”

King Crow and the others have arrived at the scene as the dungeon falls apart.

The conclusion of their first quest will soon be revealed.