For some reason, Ryner was in the middle of an argument.
“Is there any chance that your mask also serves to hide your lack of a brain?” [Woman]
“Huh? Who are you? Are you hitting on me? I’m not interested in women that walk around with an oversized hat on their head.” [Ryner]
The duo that approached him was sitting next to him with the woman in the middle. She was in her early mid-twenties, had pale skin, long flaming red hair and grey eyes. A black mantle hung over her shoulders and covered the dark green robe she was wearing. Her outfit had high slits on each side of her waist for mobility, showing off her legs that were clad in tight black pants. A black, pointy hat with a wide brim covered her head and casted a shadow over her sharp eyes. Since she was expressionless, she looked like a cool beauty to those present.
“To call it an oversized hat shows how utterly clueless and uncultured you are in the matters of the world. This traditional outfit represents my standing as an individual who has taken the path of a magician and as a member of the magician guild. If I may say so, you are a brainless brute.” [Woman]
Although her tongue was needlessly sharp.
“I don’t want to hear that from someone that insults a stranger they met for the first time within three seconds.” [Ryner]
“I simply couldn’t turn a blind eye to the fool that was throwing gold coins around for a meaningless game of arm-wrestling.” [Woman]
“Yeah, well, game’s over. You can leave now. Right now. And never talk to me again. I’ll do my best to ignore you and your traditional hat too.” [Ryner]
The man next to her had the same age and his short hair and eyes were red as well. His well-trained physique was clad in dark brown pants, a blue shirt and a grey vest. He had a wild appearance and was quite attractive, much like his companion. Two short swords hung on his belt behind him, a breastplate protected his heart and a small, round buckler was strapped to his left forearm. With his elbow propped on the counter and his hand supporting his head, he watched the two argue while smiling.
“To ask for me to leave is to wish to abscond yourself. Is it not rather pitiful?” [Woman]
“If it means never seeing a brat like you again, then no.” [Ryner]
For a while, their back and forth continued as they barraged each other with insults. Matching his opponent’s pace, Ryner calmly warded off her jabs and countered with his own. The bartender made himself small in a corner and the rest of the adventurers avoided them. Only the woman’s companion stayed and happily watched them.
“A brat? So you use your age as an excuse to establish your superiority. Your voice does not even sound that old and I do not believe someone as careless as you deserves my respect as a senior.” [Woman]
“I’m actually eight hundred thousand years old which would make me the greatest senior citizen you’ll ever meet. Now, listen to your elders and move along. You’re ruining my drink.” [Ryner]
“For a being that has supposedly lived for so long to be drinking milk in the adventurer’s guild would be a sad joke. Please come up with more plausible lies the next time you wish to deceive me.” [Woman]
“Like there’d be a next time. And I’m already deceiving you.” [Ryner]
“Hoh? What a prosperous claim. How so?” [Woman]
“I’m actually younger than you.” [Ryner]
“Tricking others over such petty-.” [Woman]
“Don’t tell me you believed everything I just said?” [Ryner]
“…!” [Woman]
“So you did, huh? Make sure you don’t get tricked by a strange man in the future, brat.” [Ryner]
The flaming red-haired woman’s face slightly turned red and she unhappily looked away. Although she couldn’t see what expression the masked man was making, she was sure he was irritatingly grinning at her.
“Hahaha, someone managed to make you blush, Elsa. How cute~.” [Man]
“Ellis, please be quiet.” [Elsa]
The woman, Elsa, calmly and coldly snapped back at her companion, Ellis, who was laughing and talking effeminately. Despite his build, his voice was soft and light, though he was intentionally talking in that manner.
“Oh? Elsa got angry at me~.” [Ellis]
He said teasingly, ignoring her cold reply from earlier. Instead, he set his eyes on Ryner and smiled at him.
“It’s the first time that someone’s talked with you for so long without getting angry. I’m glad you made a friend.” [Ellis]
““Who’s a friend?”” [Ryner and Elsa]
Both Ryner and Elsa retorted at the same time, their voices overlapping. They stared at each for a few seconds and then looked away in a huff. Seeing them like that only made Ellis chuckle. He crossed one leg over the other and supported his chin with the back of his hand.
“Now, now~. Elsa, why don’t you honestly tell him that you were worried about him?” [Ellis]
“Worried? Why would this brat be worried about me?” [Ryner]
“Please do not believe his words so carelessly. I was never worried about you and I would like you to retract your statement about my age.” [Elsa]
“Well, you see~, we saw you take out five gold coins out of the blue and bet them so readily. She just couldn’t ignore you, so she-.” [Ellis]
“That is enough. Anymore and I’m afraid I will have to render you unconscious to prevent you from speaking.” [Elsa]
“Oh my~, she got angry again~.” [Ellis]
The effeminate, yet burly man ceased talking because of her threat, but still looked amused.
“What? Why are you being shy?” [Ryner]
“How did you jump to such an astounding conclusion?” [Elsa]
Elsa leveled a glare at Ryner, but she didn’t know if it had any effect. The weird, smooth mask completely hid his facial expressions. In fact, his entire black outfit completely hid his body. It made her wonder if he wasn’t feeling hot.
“I asked you before, but are you stupid? If you show that much money in a public place like this, you’ll only be targeted. Adventurers may be required to watch their conduct or run the risk of losing their badge, but not all of them are decent. So long as no one finds out, it is not rare for many to break the law for extra profit. Revealing the gold you carry on your person has-.” [Elsa]
“Has attracted some unwanted attention, like the four guys staring at us from the table in the left corner. I’m not dumb. I know when people want to mug me, brat.” [Ryner]
Hearing his words, Elsa and Ellis’s eyes widened slightly out of surprise. Just like he said, a certain group of adventurers were eyeing him maliciously ever since they saw the five gold coins he took out.
“… If you already knew, then you should act more carefully. There’s a chance that they’ll follow you back to wherever you stay at to find an opportunity to rob you.” [Elsa]
Said Elsa after a sigh before adding “Also, do not call me a brat.” in an irked tone.
“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the heads up, but I’ll be fine.” [Ryner]
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“Fufu, how confident. But, you know, we heard of you. You just joined the guild today, right?” [Ellis]
While Elsa looked displeased with Ryner’s attitude, Ellis chuckled lightly and moved over to sit next to him.
“If you want, I can show you around~. I’ll lend you a hand with your jobs and steadily raise your class.” [Ellis]
“Yeeaaah, no. I’m fine.” [Ryner]
“Really~? You’ll definitely learn a lot if you stick with me.” [Ellis]
He leaned close to Ryner’s ear and said softly.
“Not interested. No way. Nope. And stop sticking so close to me, would ya?” [Ryner]
“Oh my, what a shame~. I feel hurt.” [Ellis]
After Ryner refused in his laidback manner, Ellis happily backed off and went back to sit next to Elsa. His cheery appearance didn’t match his words. In the end, after a bit more of arguing between Ryner and Elsa, she and her companion went to take care of the job they took on. Since the masked man kept saying that he could take care of himself, they left it up to him to handle the four adventurers that were suspiciously eyeing him.
“He’s quite an interesting man.” [Ellis]
Ellis said as the two walked through the lively streets. The town they were staying at, Edon, was large and prosperous. Many requests came in for the adventurer guild, so there was no shortage of work for them, not to mention that the more dangerous ones paid quite well.
“I see him as nothing more than a simpleton. Who would normally offer five gold coins in a game of arm-wrestling?” [Elsa]
“Really~? But, you were worried about him and that’s why you went to warn him. Besides, weren’t you having fun talking to him? People usually get mad when they talk to you because of your unfriendly tongue.” [Ellis]
“It would appear that your eyes need urgent medical treatment. I was not getting along with him at all nor do I have any wish to.” [Elsa]
Elsa flatly denied in a cold voice which made her red-haired, effeminate companion chuckle softly.
“Oh my~, are you angry again?” [Ellis]
“I am not.” [Elsa]
Another soft laugh spilled from his lips at her claim.
“Mostly, men either get disgusted or angry if I approach them like I did with him, but he just bluntly rejected me without getting rough. It was quite refreshing~.” [Ellis]
“It’s your own fault for exaggerating your behavior. I’ve said it before, but you do not need to keep acting like that for my sake.” [Elsa]
“Oh? I never said I was doing it for you. I’m like this because I want to. If it keeps pesky little insects away from you, then it’s killing two birds with one stone~.” [Ellis]
“… You are a foolish little brother.” [Elsa]
She muttered and lowered the brim of her hat to hide her eyes.
“Well, I’m quite happy, you know~. For my shy twin sister to grow up into such a bountiful lady fills me with pride. But, since men always stare at you lewdly, pushing you to hide your body with that mantle, it also makes me feel sad and conflicted~.” [Ellis]
“Wait a minute, Ellis, did you just call me ‘bountiful’ instead of ‘beautiful’?” [Elsa]
The two siblings who became adventurers for their own goals harmoniously talked to each other while bickering at times. In the middle of their conversation, Ellis brought up something that had been bothering him.
“I wonder if he’ll really be fine.” [Ellis]
“… I don’t care.” [Elsa]
“Hmm~? And in the end, we never learned what his name was.” [Ellis]
“…” [Elsa]
His big sister didn’t say anything and only increased her speed to walk ahead of him. He smiled wryly upon seeing her retreating figure that was getting farther away and quicken his pace.
After the two left, Ryner, who stayed behind, raised his glass of milk in the air.
“Bartender! Waitresses! Give everyone here a drink! As celebration for my debut as an adventurer, it’s on me!” [Ryner]
He loudly declared, causing the customers to cheer in joy.
“He’s got money, alright! Cheers!” [Adventurer]
“Anyone that gives free drinks can’t be a bad guy! Hey, Anter! Make sure you apologize later!” [Adventurer]
“He’s already in debt though, so let’s have him pay off his sin by working!” [Adventurer]
“““YEEAAAAHHH!!!””” [Adventurer crowd]
“DON’T REMIND ME!!!” [Anter]
“Five gold coins for arm-wrestling… Gold for arm wrestling… Gold arm… The Golden Arm Adventurer…?!” [Adventurer]
Amidst the rambunctious crowd, Ryner was going around the tables, telling them to drink up as the waitresses served the free liquor.
“Drink up! Be merry! It’s on me!” [Ryner]
“Yeah, thanks!” [Adventurer]
He grabbed the four mugs of freshly foaming beer from the nearby waitress that was carrying them on a tray and set them in front of four adventurers. They were the ones that Elsa and Ellis warned him about. He amicably interacted with them for a bit and took out a gold coin to show off, flipping it in the air and between his fingers. Through his mask, he carefully observed the look in their eyes, the way they reacted and the subtle expressions they tried to hide.
Envy, greed and hostility were lurking behind those friendly smiles.
After confirming it once more, Ryner stealthily added a certain powder in their drinks. Then, he left to go mess around with the other adventurers to wait for the drug to take effect. Later on, he returned to the inn he stayed at and sat on his bed with his legs crossed. In his hand was the golden globe of the world that Motyx gave him. One shining white point was reflected in his eyes. Its movement would be unnoticeable if he watched it from afar. So, he touched it with the tip of his finger.
The engravings that represented the seas and continents changed as ripples rearranged the surface like water, allowing him to zoom in on the white point. He could see that it was definitely moving towards the black point: him. The Heaven’s Blade was heading towards the town he was staying at. If it didn’t change its course, the sixth of the seven weapons would come to him on its own.
Although it would take a while, he could travel by plane to get it. Yet, he chose not to.
“… Let’s take it easy for a bit.” [Ryner]
To no one in particular, he tiredly muttered out that excuse in a faint voice.
“Idiots…” [Ryner]
Ryner meditated to calm his mind until there were four hours before dawn and went to sleep. On that night, nothing happened since all four adventurers that were interested in robbing him couldn’t even follow him to his inn. The poor men simultaneously got severe cases of stomachache and had to leave the guild before their target.
For the next five hours or so, they fought a horrendous battle inside the bathroom and were too exhausted to do anything else.
----------------------------------------
Seas of flames and rivers of blood in a ruined world.
It was a familiar scene that he was seeing, but it didn’t last long. The dream he had after receiving updates from his fragments was interrupted once again. Darkness took over and Ryner was standing in the void.
“See? I told you. I always told you.” [Alice]
Alice materialized in front of him. She was floating about like a mirage, like a ghost.
“Over and over again. Over and over again. For so long I kept repeating myself and again and again, this is the result.” [Alice]
She smiled at him as if she had triumphed over him.
“That vampire that you brought up for centuries and that beastman you saved proved it to you. Again. You can’t trust these creatures. You can’t trust any of them… So kill them all.” [Alice]
She stretched out her hand to him.
“Just join me, Ryner. This is what we were meant to do. It’s why we’re still alive.” [Alice]
Ryner coldly and silently stared at her hand for a while. Then, he looked up at the woman that was floating a few feet above him.
“That’s not what I promised.” [Ryner]
“… Ohh?” [Alice]
Her smile faded and she narrowed her eyes as her piercing gaze fell on him.
“You’ll still choose them? Them over your own kind?” [Alice]
“I choose what I promised to do. Just like you.” [Ryner]
“Your promise won’t lead to anything. How could you still believe it has any worth after what that vampire and beastman did? Nothing has changed. Ingrates turning against you. Or do you really believe your own words? Because she did it out of love, it’s different? How is it any different?!” [Alice]
Alice waved her hand to the side and a large screen appeared behind her, illuminating the darkness. Like a television, it showed pictures and sounds, replaying Ryner’s memories.
“Is she any different from the first woman you loved?” [Alice]
Ryner was tied to a stake with a crowd of villagers surrounding him. A woman came forward, carrying a torch in hand. She set him aflame and they watched as he was engulfed by the fire.
“Or is she different from the second one!?” [Alice]
The memory changed and Ryner was now on the roof of a building, tired and bleeding. The lights of the city shined under the night sky. He had a clear view of the beautiful sight as he sat with his back leaning against the fence that surrounded the roof. Standing before him was a woman that was followed by soldiers from her influential family’s private army. She aimed her gun at his head and pulled the trigger.
“OR HER?!” [Alice]
Once more, another piece of his past was shown. In a large room made of stone tiles, a large magic circle was drawn on the floor, giving off red sparks and an eerie glow. Ryner was kneeling in the middle as arcs of red lighting ran through his body, inflicting intense pain and preventing him from standing. A woman with goat horns and four bat-like wings watched him from outside the magic circle. Her beautiful face was twisted into a cruel smile as she gently stroked her belly.
“Are you waiting for them to kill you!? Well?!” [Alice]
With a wave of her hand, the screen disappeared and complete darkness returned. The only thing that Ryner could see was Alice’s figure and her angry expression.
“It’s a repeat of before!” [Alice]
“… I know.” [Ryner]
“Nothing’s changed!” [Alice]
“I know!” [Ryner]
“YOU’VE BEEN BETRAYED!!!” [Alice]
“I KNOW!!!” [Ryner]
The two roared in fury and glared at each other. As usual, their goals, their beliefs and their promises conflicted against each other.
“… Nothing’s changed.” [Alice]
The ghost-like woman said in almost a whisper.
“This is just the first step. They’ll betray you again and at that time… They’ll kill you. Again and again and again. It’ll be the same.” [Alice]
Her calm expression finally returned as she coldly stared at Ryner.
“Just like the three women that you fell in love with.” [Alice]
“… We can’t see the future. It might happen, or it might not.” [Ryner]
“You don’t believ-.” [Alice]
“Like with the friends that I made.” [Ryner]
His words caused her to shut her mouth unhappily. It sickened her how he still didn’t budge an inch for the past eight hundred thousand years. The main reason was definitely because of those so-called “friends”.
“If you were correct, then I never would have met them. An idiotic bunch that accepts me despite knowing the truth and that would willingly risk their life for me. I never would have met any of them, but I did.” [Ryner]
A gentle smile floated on his face, one that rarely ever appeared, if ever.
“That’s why…” [Ryner]
However, it faded away the next moment and was replaced by a cold glare that held great intensity.
“I stand against you.” [Ryner]
“…… Fool.” [Alice]
A dozen seconds later, Alice muttered out that insult in a low voice.
“You are truly… Foolish… And mad…” [Alice]
Her figure began to disappear as it dissolved into smoke.
“A broken monster…” [Alice]