“The skies will miss him,” a man whispered, resting on a bed of hay, a blue-striped mask lying beside him. His gaze was fixed on the drifting clouds as he enjoyed the little warmth the barn brought.

“Friend of yours, yet you didn’t even shed a tear.”

He lazily turned his head toward the voice, too drained to sit up. “Oh, it’s you. Masking your presence is... well, I don’t care. Seems unnecessary, considering we’re in friendly territory.”

In the dim light of the barn, an elf stepped out, her shimmering golden hair cascading down her front. She was dressed in green and white embellished with winding vines that moved around her body, with a mind of their own. A bow was slung across her back, and her mask was strapped to her waist.

“Dain, you’re oddly relaxed,” she said, crossing her arms as she stopped beside him. “His death was unexpected, yet here you are—calm as a cucumber. You did say he was waiting for someone.”

Dain smiled. “I’m just relieved she finally came to him. Rest in peace, my friend. And please, Astria,” he whispered, “Do tell, when haven’t I been level-headed? Ever since we set foot in this kingdom, it’s been one mess after another. Feels like we walked straight into hell.”

Astria sighed, rubbing her arms to keep warm. “Yeah, hell,” she said with a touch of sarcasm. “Speaking of waiting for someone, where are the others? And your little favourite?”

“They’re out there somewhere, probably causing more trouble than they can handle. As for her... well, you know how she is. Always where she’s least expected.”

“She’s always been like that, unpredictable and careless”

“You say, she’s my favourite. But I don’t feel that way about her,” Dain whispered. “She’s talented, yes. But not my favourite. Her kind is rare... ears sensitive to even the slightest high-pitched sound. Without it, their time in this world grows short. She’s a fighter too, a good one. Not every day you see someone like that on the battlefield”

Astria clicked her tongue. Of course, he would say that. Where was Tori, anyway? Leaving her squad behind... she should be reprimanded, not pitied.

Dain got up, grabbing his mask. “We won’t need to wait much longer. Let’s head to the city,” he said, wearing his it.

Astria followed suit, donning her own mask, its texture dark and gnarled like old wood, branches etched into its surface. The air around them felt heavy, like a storm brewing just beyond the horizon.

“First things first,” Dain whispered. A faint shimmer appeared beside him, materializing into a clear blue crystal cube.

He vanished.

And reappeared behind a man, the same cube flying from his hand and embedding itself into the man’s head. The stranger’s body convulsed as his feet left the snowy ground, and his breath caught like he was drowning in invisible water.

“I’ll only say this once, so listen carefully,” Dain’s said. “Tell your boss, Jinni. We’re not here for him. Give us Darius, and we’ll leave his realm untouched.”

He took a slow step closer; the snow crunching beneath his boots as he leaned in. “We are not your everyday hunters, but I think you already knew that.”

With a flick of his wrist, the cube ripped the man across the snowy hills, sending him hurtling back toward Jinni’s domain.

Dain called another cube to his side, lifting Astria from where she stood. The time to regroup with the rest of the crew was drawing near. So was the moment he’d been waiting for—to face Darius.

The strongest man in the world. And the man Dain intended to kill.

*

The dungeon quaked violently, the ceiling groaning as rocks rained down from above. Dust filled the air, making it hard to breathe, as debris crashed all around them.

Jiji, perched on Mr Swordsman’s shoulders, looking through her scope. “It’s collapsing faster than I thought! Move, move!”

Mr. Swordsman sprinted forward, dodging the falling rubble. “Hold on tight, Jiji!”

“I don’t want to die!!!” Shot screamed from behind, barely managing to stay on his feet. A massive boulder rolled toward him. He ran as fast as he could, screaming for his life.

Kabal was next to him, unable to run any faster. His stomach was on the verge of destroying itself and taking him along with it.

Emilia, though not the fastest among them, had managed to outpace the boulder. She tried making sense of how everything had spiralled into this situation. How had they ended up here?

*

“Where’s Spaghetti?” Jiji asked. “He was right behind us a moment ago”

Kabal, still visibly shaken from the wild ride they’d endured earlier, leaned against a wall. “He probably went off to vomit or something”

But something was off. Pasta’s energy had vanished, leaving not a single trace behind.

“We have to go back and find him,” Emilia said, sounding worried.

Before she could turn, Jiji stretched down from Mr Swordsman’s shoulders, gripping Emilia’s collar. “No way, there’s no time to waste. We haven’t found a single ore yet, and the monsters here are weak. He’ll be fine, right everyone?”

“But—” Emilia pushed forward, trying to break free, but Jiji’s grip was too strong for someone so small.

“Jiji,” Mr Swordsman said, “you mentioned there being a dragon here, right?”

Jiji blinked, glancing down at him. “Yeah, why?”

Mr Swordsman stared at Emilia, his lips twitching as if he was trying to stifle laughter.

“No... He wouldn’t…” Emilia said.

Mr Swordsman couldn’t hold back anymore, a broad grin spreading across his face. “Oh, he would. He’s definitely off trying to fight that dragon.”

Adjusting Jiji’s position, so she wouldn’t fall. Mr Swordsman nodded forward. “Well, let’s go save him before he actually kicks the bucket.”

Emilia didn’t know how to feel. He was really fighting a dragon without telling her. She was furious but also worried and confused. Was he dead? How did he even get past them without her noticing?

They pressed forward, venturing deeper into the dungeon. Symbols lined the walls, now more visible than before.

“I’ve read about dragons before. Prestigious creatures with immense strength,” Emilia said, observing the walls. “They usually stay outside the kingdom, so how did this one end up here?”

Jiji continued working on her map. A complete map might come in handy. “Have you ever heard of Valdorith?”

Ahead of them, Lily turned, her gaze piercing through Jiji.

“Who’s that?” Mr. Swordsman asked, intrigued.

“I don’t know the details but he’s a very famous dragon. A true dragon they call him, so he isn’t an offspring. That true dragon rests deep within this dungeon.”

Emilia shivered. “And how strong are they?”

“Some people consider them gods,” Jiji said. “So, very strong. The resurrection of the monsters here and the reset in the dungeon? It’s likely caused by his divine life force. His domain is ahead, two levels below us. We didn’t see Pasta heading that way, so he may have been teleported by the dragon.”

Emilia was now more confused. If Pasta didn’t go there on his own. Why would he, out of all of them be teleported? There is even a chance he wasn’t with the dragon. Pasta, where are you?

“I’ve heard of true dragons,” Mr. Swordsman said. “The Emperor of Dragons is one of them. To think there’s another of his kind... A dragon who’s not his offspring.”

Emilia picked up the pace, “We need to hurry before Pasta gets killed”

Suddenly, the dungeon shook violently, and a loud, bone-chilling scream echoed. Rocks tumbled from the ceiling, and in a heartbeat, the world shifted to monochrome.

Mr Swordsman fell to his knees. “This energy…” he whispered, feeling the weight of it pressing down on him. It was faint as if a larger portion of it was sealed away, but even so, it nearly knocked him out.

Lily stepped closer, extending her hand to help him stand. “He’s in pain,” she said, “That boy, Pasta, was it? How strong is he?”

Mr. Swordsman remained silent, glancing at Jiji. She was moving slowly, caught in the grip of the time distortion but unharmed.

“He’s a weakling,” Mr Swordsman finally answered.

“Same old Hades. Still looking down on everyone, huh?”

Mr Swordsman shot her a look. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing.”

Time went slow around them. He couldn’t hold the space for long. But it was better to keep it up. Anything could happen and the last thing he wanted was to get caught off-guard.

“I’m glad you brought up the space,” Lily whispered getting closer to him. “We haven’t had a chance to talk since our reunion”

Mr Swordsman faced away. “I don’t want to talk”

“He’s dead”

Mr Swordsman stayed quiet.

“I know you’re aware. I know why you came on this journey. I know a lot of things, Hades.” She leaned towards his ear. “Even the so-called puppet at Pyrovile”

Mr Swordsman swung his sword at her but held himself back. Instantly regretting it.

Lily stood unfazed. “You broke your promise, Hades, and don’t think I’ll forgive you so easily. I just wanted to tell you that,” she whispered, turning away from him. “But let’s not drag the others into this and save Pasta before he becomes ends up as the dragon’s snack”

She leaned against the wall, pressing her hand into the stone. “Uh, Hades?”

“What now?” he said, eyes still fixed on the floor.

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

Mr. Swordsman’s space dissipated. “A bad feeling about what?”

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Kabal, still resting against a wall, turned just in time to see it—a giant boulder, rolling with terrifying speed down the narrow passage.

His eyes widened, and he shot past them. “Run for your lives!”

They looked back and saw the boulder, then ran for their lives, forgetting the earlier loud cry. The rock was after their lives.

*

“How in the world did we trigger a trap? It’s not like we touched anything!” Jiji yelled, clutching to her scope as she watched ahead.

Lily, racing ahead of the group, was drenched in sweat.

“Are those statues.... moving?” Jiji squinted through her scope.

In the distance, two colossal knight statues stood guard before a massive door. Each one clutched an enormous spear, their stone faces expressionless. One of them spoke, its voice a thunderous rumble that echoed across the dungeon.

“You shall not pass until you answer this riddle.”

“We have no time for this,” Emilia said, already getting tired.

Jiji kicked Mr Swordsman’s side. “Just answer quickly, then! I’m not planning to get flattened by some stupid rock!”

“I don’t want to die!” Shot yelled with snot and tears dripping down his face.

Kabal, lagging in the back, was doubled over, his hand clutching his stomach. “I’m gonna hurl…”

The statues’ eyes glowed as they slowly raised their spears, speaking their riddle.

“I am wicked”

“Yet, pure-hearted”

“Greedy”

“And sometimes. Selfless”

“Huh?” they all said.

“We’re dead!” Jiji screamed again, gripping Mr Swordsman’s shoulders tighter as they all bolted forward, the sound of the boulder crashing behind them.

Emilia couldn’t think straight. How could she? Her brother was probably fighting a true dragon, a boulder rolling behind them and now a riddle that makes no sense.

“Hey, genius!” Shot shouted, lagging behind. “Why don’t you just cut the damn boulder, swordsman?”

Mr. Swordsman had already considered it. But there was a problem. He had sensed the energy coating the boulder. It was similar to the dragon’s energy, something he couldn’t slice through. The statues guarding the door had the same kind of protective coating. Even though they lacked life force, their energy shielding was stronger than his own.

But then he recalled something. The first floor… the pillars. What Kabal did back there. Not everything in the dungeon had the dragon’s protective coating.

Mr. Swordsman quickened his pace, catching up to Lily. He leaned in close, whispering something in her ear.

Jiji, still perched atop his shoulders, bent over, listening in. Her eyes widened.

“You might be breaking the rules, but I don’t care! Let’s do it!” Jiji punched the air.

“That’s easy enough for me,” Lily said.

The statues started speaking once more.

“Answer the riddle”

“Or die”

Lily drew her sword, a sly grin crossing her face as she hung her hat on her back. Things were about to get messy, and she loved a good fight.

She dashed forward, toward the first statue.

The first statue swung its massive spear at her, shattering the stone floor beneath her. Lily, with a chuckle, jumped into the air, dodging the strike just in time. “Hehehe, tough guy needs some love.” she teased, her feet gliding over the guard’s arm.

Before she could recover, the second statue’s fist came barreling toward her, far too fast to dodge in midair. Without hesitation, she activated parallel space, her body stepping into another dimension, allowing her to tread on the giant’s fist before it could hit her. Suddenly, the statue broke into her space, matching her speed. She barely escaped, landing on the statue’s other arm.

“Ok, ok, ok, oooooook. That almost killed me,” Lily muttered under her breath, her heart pounding. “What’s with you guys? I thought the bigger, the slower?”

The statue tried to swat her off its arm, shaking it violently as Lily sprinted along the length of it, dodging every strike. But she knew she couldn’t keep this up much longer. She was getting tired, and each dodge was closer than the last.

Mr Swordsman noticed she was struggling. The energy surrounding the statues was unmistakable. It wasn’t just any aura—it was the same as that of a true dragon. There was no cutting through it, no matter how sharp their blades were. The risk of shattering their weapons was too great. And they are also capable of breaking through parallel space.

He gritted his teeth. Times like this made him wish he was stronger.

Meanwhile, Lily danced between the statues’ attacks, jumping from one to the other, her bells jingling in a rhythm. Every dodge was draining her. “How long is he going to take you to reach that door?” she said under her breath.

Emilia ran past the statues, observing the slash marks and broken parts of the statues’ bodies. Someone else had fought them before. Her eyes flicked to Mr. Swordsman, wondering why he wasn’t fighting them like whoever had left those marks.

“Hold on tight Jiji,” Mr Swordsman said, gripping his sword.

Arriving at the door.

Back then, the energy did not protect the pillars. Neither were the doors. There may be huge but there’s nothing special to them.

Mr Swordsman slashed through the door. He looked forward in shock. He hadn’t made a dent in it.

“How?”

The door was ordinary, yes. But the material used to make it was too strong.

The boulder got closer, Kabal carrying Shot—both screaming.

Emilia pressed her hands against the door. There was a symbol etched into the surface—something resembling a wolf, one of the symbols they had seen at the dungeon’s entrance. “It can’t be broken down?” she asked.

Mr. Swordsman, desperate, grabbed her by the shoulder. “You know the riddle, don’t you? The answer?”

What is wrong with me, he thought, letting go of Emilia’s shoulder. I have faced more dire situations than this. Why was this affecting me so much?

He looked at the others—Kabal, Shot, Emilia, and Jiji. They were with him. For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn’t alone. “Was this the reason?” he asked himself.

Now everyone was in danger, yet he could not do anything. His hand moved to his sword hilt, the brim of his hat casting shadows over his eyes.

There was something he could do.

Right here.

He planned not to do it. Yet, he was excited, even when he knew the consequences better than anyone else.

Mr Swordsman walked forward. The riddle… there’s no time. Emilia, in her current state, wouldn’t be able to answer. She was too shaken, her mind clouded by fear for her brother. She isn’t brave enough, her brother is weak after all. The others are no better—useless, panicked, and feeble.

It was his duty to protect them. All of them. Even if it meant—

“I know what I need to do,” Mr. Swordsman whispered.

He placed Jiji down.

“Where are you going?” Jiji asked.

Emilia stared at him. His energy was growing stronger.

Up on the statue’s shoulder, Lily gritted her teeth, watching.

The boulder thundered toward them, unstoppable and filled with the raw energy of the dragon. Mr. Swordsman’s fingers tightened around his sword. It may have the power of a true dragon, he thought, but there’s something that can counter it.

As he drew his sword, the ground trembled beneath him. Kabal and Shot ran past, shouting hurried words of luck. Mr Swordsman’s shadow shifted, morphing into a beast with long horns.

Jiji gasped, stumbling back. “W-what is that?”

The air grew heavy and dense as if the entire dungeon was pressing down on them. This wasn’t the Mr. Swordsman she knew. But if this isn’t him… then what is it?

Shot and Kabal eyed the figure. The fear gripped them even when they were so far from it.

Mr Swordsman whispered. “I’m sorry, Lily”

The surrounding walls seemed to dry, cracking as if ageing a thousand years in mere seconds. The boulder sped closer. His sword became enveloped in the beast’s power. He slashed through the massive boulder, cutting it clean in half.

Mr. Swordsman sighed, turning his gaze toward the statues.

Emilia stared at him. The energy she was picking up from him was completely different - something inhuman, evil. Was this a gift? Is this how gifts are?

She couldn’t put her finger on it. But something about his power made her furious.

The statues, ignoring Lily completely, advanced on Mr Swordsman. He waited for them, sword raised.

Frustrated, Emilia turned back to the doors, pondering the riddle. She recalled the symbols of the three entrances and how they chose the third one, which meant “do whatever.”

The first symbolized peace, which could be linked to the positive qualities the statues mentioned. The second symbolized evil and hatred, representing negative aspects, and the last one meant “do whatever,” signifying free will.

Emilia’s eyes widened. The answer was right there.

Her eyes widened. The answer was so simple.

Just as the statues lunged for Mr. Swordsman, she screamed, “The answer is human!”

Instantly, the statues halted, dropping to their knees.

“Correct,” they said as the doors opened.

Mr Swordsman frowned. “How pathetic,” he whispered, cutting both their heads off. “I wasn’t done with both of you yet”

Emilia’s fists clenched. What is he doing?!

Before she could react, Lily leapt down, kicking Mr Swordsman hard enough to send him crashing into the wall.

“Don’t you have any shame?” she said. “You call yourself a swordsman, yet you can’t control your bloodlust. You have no dignity, Hades. Finishing off a surrendered enemy…”

Mr. Swordsman didn’t respond. He stayed silent, his head lowered.

Jiji looked into the open room through her scope. It was dark, some of the torches had been blown out. Her gaze settled on something grotesque—tentacles writhing from a mass of flesh, dragging blood behind it.

“It won’t let me die…” the creature hissed. “It won’t let me die!”

Jiji remained calm; monsters like this were nothing new. The force deep within the room felt strange, and she couldn’t pinpoint it. Her father wouldn’t let her read books on how to. As for what she just saw. Mr Swordsman had a gift just like her. For now, it’ll be better to stay quiet about it.

“We may have a bigger situation,” she said.

But no one answered. Their eyes were fixed on Mr. Swordsman, still slumped against the wall. It had always been this way, he thought. I have always been a fool. Every single time.

“I’m sor- “

“Keep it to yourself, Hades,” Lily said, walking away. “Let’s go save Pasta”

She drew her sword, feeling the energy vibrating through the air. Something’s wrong, she thought. Another guard?

A scream echoed, making her and the others tense up.

They all gathered at the door, but Mr. Swordsman remained seated. The sound came from the room. The torches in it were not lit.

“You go first, Kabal,” Shot said.

Kabal held his stomach. Feeling defeated by natural causes.

Lily sheathed her sword. “Don’t worry, it’s safe.”

Jiji looked through her scope again. The monster was gone.

“I don’t need your help,” Pasta said, appearing behind them.

Shot fell to the floor.

“What the?”

Lily stared at him. So that’s how he was taken, she thought.

“Pasta?” Emilia whispered.

Pasta’s body was drenched in blood. He looked at his hand. It was trembling. “Teleported again,” he whispered, dropping a sack of fistal ores. “Found this deep below. Grabbed a ton … We should leave”

Jiji hurried to the sack, and opened it. “Good job, Spaghetti”

Pasta, with dark circles under his eyes, staggered toward Emilia, hugging her.

“Is something wrong, Pasta?” Emilia asked. “Did you fight the dragon?”

“Yes... and no. Nothing is wrong. I don’t know why, but I feel sad.”

Lily eyed him, noting the stains on his clothes. “That doesn’t look like dragon’s blood,” she said.

Pasta loosened his grip on Emilia, stepping back. “Yes, it’s not,” he said. “I had to find a way to relieve all my stress,” he whispered.

Lily took Jiji’s scope and glanced through it. Far ahead, a faint torch flickered. A heap of slain monsters, their twisted bodies drenched in poison. She returned the scope and sighed. These men can be so heartless sometimes.

“The walls are collapsing guys,” Shot said, still on the floor.

The ground shaking caused Kabal to release his breakfast on the floor, too sick to react to anything that wasn’t his stomach.

“So you defeated the boss?” Jiji asked, glaring at Pasta.

He returned her stare. “Yes, it looked like it. But I can’t remember. We should leave ”

Emilia was stunned. Did he defeat the dragon? She longed to hear the full story, to understand how her brother had pulled off such a feat but now was not the time.

Jiji explained that the dungeon would collapse twelve hours after the dragon’s defeat, so they began to leave.

Pasta walked to Mr Swordsman. “What’s wrong with you now?” he asked but received no response.

He continued forward. He had forgotten all that had happened back in the dungeon. The only words he heard were.

“Find your purpose, then fight for mine... I beg of you.”

Pasta knew his memories had been erased; it was evident. The dragon had shown him something. He could feel it. What was it and why did he hear those words? He gripped his chest. Anger and pain. He still felt all of it. If he wanted to uncover this so-called purpose, he needed to be stronger.

Jiji’s eyes flicked toward the ores they had gathered. This is the last time anyone will ever find these ores. Their value would skyrocket, but something else caught her attention—Pasta himself.

He had committed a crime, defeating the dungeon boss—a true dragon.

She had seen countless strong men walk into the final floor. All of them with sad expressions of not defeating the monster while bones of others who didn’t manage to escape from it.

Her eyes glowed golden.

If what he said was true, he must be the strongest swordsman she had ever seen.

Mr. Swordsman walked from behind, his eyes still on the floor. He had promised not to use it down here. He wanted to enjoy this with the others at least. Every fibre of his being was in pain, yet he could hear the whisper in his ears, telling him he was strong, the strongest swordsman in the world.

It is true, after all. I am the strongest.

*

The wind howled in the middle of a desolate, snow-covered wasteland, carrying the bitter cold that bit into everything—everything but Jinni. His breath was steady. He stood still as his dark cloak fluttered in the freezing breeze. The heat of his hatred was more than enough to keep him warm.

“Give up, Jinni. The council has noted your treachery. You are at this moment sentenced to death.” Hox said. A general wearing complete armour and a sword strapped to his back. His battalion stood behind him, every man armed to the teeth.

“Hox, I am not in a mood for all this. Turn back and tell your superiors to stay quiet. That’s all they do anyway. Stay silent while my men suffer. The realm is mine.”

The soldiers laughed.

“So he’s a lord now?”

“A pathetic hunter, a lord”

“Where’s your mask, hunter? Come on, put it on”

“Put on your little mask and fight dammit”

Jinni frowned. This wasn’t the right time, but it didn’t matter anymore.

“We’ll kill you right here, Jinni. No more jokes.” Hox gestured to his men. “Advance!”

“Why do we need all of us? Just five of us could finish him off.”

Jinni’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Come at once.”

“What was that?” the knight yelled. “Speak up!”

Jinni sighed, his patience fraying. “There are over a hundred of you. Did none of you think to ask why they sent so many? Or are your brains as small as your life force?”

Hox, losing his temper, screamed, “Enough of this! Attack! Don’t make me repeat myself!

The soldiers rushed forward, though many were half-hearted, expecting an easy fight. Hox watched from the rear, closing his eyes. It was his others, but even he who was once a friend of Jinni knew what was coming.

Jinni remained perfectly still. The surrounding air shifted. Without even drawing his blade, ice shot forward, slicing through the ranks. Swords shattered and flew around, tearing the knights apart, their screams swallowed by the snowstorm and some not even given the chance to voice out their pain.

Hox coughed up blood. He had made sure to keep a far distance from Jinni. Yet, he wasn’t perplexed about the situation.

Jinni appeared behind him, his sword gently pressed against Dain’s stomach. “I’ll let you live,” Jinni whispered. “Go back to your superiors and tell them there’s a new lord of the fourth realm.”

Dain collapsed to his knees, clutching his wound before scrambling to retreat with what little strength he had left.

Jinni sighed, looking up. “They won’t be sending anyone else anytime soon,” he frowned. “When this is all over. I won’t let you scot-free. I’ll kill you myself... Darius”

Jinni looked up at the sky, his expression dark and brooding. “They won’t be sending anyone else anytime soon.” His frown deepened. “But when this is over, Darius... I’ll kill you myself.”