Dialogue, you see, is something done between equals. The attack I unleashed the instant I saw Kazunuma did not cut him in half. But it seems I was able to force him down crawling on the floor with a single strike. “Don’t resist, shut your mouth. You are a terrorist from another country, and normally there would be no problem with killing you here. The reason I came out myself was to at least give you the chance to explain yourself and speak…because I promised the nation that I, as one of your fellow countrymen, would personally capture you.” (Shizuma) I make him feel false gratitude. Having been shown the overwhelming difference in power, knowing that the right over life and death lies in my hands, he likely has no will to resist left. “Commander Kres, one secured. This one was said to be the sturdiest among their group. I think restraining him, and roughing him up a little if he resists, should be no problem.” (Shizuma) Then, one more time. The rıghtful source is 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵 “Kazunuma’s already been turned into rags! If anyone’s left, come on out! I’ll let you live!!!! The knight order’s going to start searching now, you hear? If you’re found there, no mercy!! We’ll expose you, violate you, ravish you! Make it so you’ll never laugh again!!!!” (Shizuma) That’s way too much!!!! Crimson Howl is just way too fired up!! But perhaps these words worked, as Hishida-san and Samie-san appeared from deeper inside the mansion. “…Is it really you, Shizuma-kun?” “Best if you don’t speak. You’re terrorists.” (Shizuma) “What!? Don’t get cocky, you backstabbing introve—!” I thought the idea that gals are dumb was just a prejudice, but at least in this one’s case, it seems true. Before I even moved, Samie, who took a defiant attitude, was restrained by the knights. Hishida-san, perhaps still calm, quietly offered her hands and allowed shackles to be placed on her. “Restrain all of them. The man collapsed over there as well. Hishida-san, I permit you to speak. Isaka and Inami escaped, didn’t they? To the underground.” (Shizuma) “…Yes. You knew that it was connected to the underground?” (Hishida) “Of course. I’ll say this ahead of time, I’m not going to petition for any reduced sentence. This was the choice you made.” (Shizuma) “Don’t get full of yourself, seriously! Traitor! Selling out your classmates!” “Sir knight, that loudmouth supposedly has quick feet, so…” (Shizuma) I slice shallowly and precisely through Samie’s right Achilles tendon while she is pinned on the ground. “Here, potion. Give it to her once she’s in a cell.” (Shizuma) “AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! It hurts it hurts it hurts!! What the hell are you doing you bastard!!” “You…that brain of yours won’t heal unless you die? You’re already, in Earth terms, like a death-row inmate. No lawyer, no trial. Killed outright with no complaint, nobody trying to save you…that’s the position you’re in.” (Shizuma) I thrust my sword at the screaming Samie again. Perhaps only now, as mortal danger and physical pain fall upon her, does she begin to grasp the seriousness. She desperately nods while crying tears. “Commander Kres, I’ll head underground. The remaining two…those ones are probably stronger than these three.” (Shizuma) “…Understood. It seems there’s no one more suitable than you. I’m grateful…that you’ve kept our casualties low…” (Kres) “This is my repayment for granting my selfish request. Then, I’ll go.” (Shizuma) The two who fled underground must be Isaka and Inami. Strategically, letting the two strongest slip away is not the worst move. …Who’s been going in and out of the underground until now? The suspicious person Melt sighted…it was probably one of the classmates. “Who knows the route from underground to the Underside? Lead me.” (Shizuma) “…I was the one going in and out.” (Hishida) “Then guide me. Try to escape and I’ll cut your head off instantly.” (Shizuma) “…Understood.” (Hishida) Trusting Hishida-san’s words, I have her guide me through the mansion. Descending several flights of stairs leading underground, there we find a simple underground jail. Hishida-san leads me to the back room, a storage room. “What!? How could it…!” (Hishida) “…Completely destroyed. Never imagined they’d think of their comrades following behind. Was it Isaka’s idea, or Inami’s? Which, I wonder.” (Shizuma) “…Hey, Shizuma-kun. Can I ask something?” (Hishida) “I’d normally say don’t open your mouth needlessly, but fine. What do you want to ask?” (Shizuma) “…That provocation to draw us out. About the content…” (Hishida) “I won’t apologize. I was planning to kill you all anyway. Doesn’t matter what I say to people who are going to die, right?” (Shizuma) My heart felt nothing anymore. Not even the faintest special feeling arose, at least regarding my former classmates. Probably not even real killing intent. The only thing there was is the feeling: “I must eliminate dangerous elements.” “…Not that. About Inami-san.” (Hishida) “Hm? Ah, the story of me being tricked?” (Shizuma) “Yes, that… We, in that mansion in the forest, were suddenly pleaded with by Inami-san, and partway through, she made a wish: ‘I want to get out right now,’ ‘I don’t want to be in such a terrifying place anymore.’ But we were told you alone stubbornly refused to go outside.” (Hishida) “Heh, so that’s what you heard. I was told the opposite…that we should ‘think it over until the very last moment.’ She even came to my room to say it.” (Shizuma) “Doesn’t matter what happened back then anymore. Those two are dangerous elements. Even if we can’t chase them, there should already be surveillance in the Underside. Once found, they’ll be executed. Those two.” (Shizuma) “Who knows. Try and beg the people of this country. If you’re useful, there’s value. If you’re useless, or show signs of defiance, I’ll recommend execution.” (Shizuma) Yes…this is for the sake of the country… No, for the sake of Melt and me, living in this country. Those two, and the summoned ones, all have potential to grow strong, even if not as much as me. Then it’s best to kill them now, and be done with it. “…Let’s go back. Have the knights take you away.” (Shizuma) “All right.” (Hishida) It would be best to avoid forcing my way through here since the underground passage was fully destroyed. And honestly, I doubt those two could remain safe after running into Killcrawler. …Still, they most likely do have some collaborator. At least, if the collaborator after coming to this country was Marquis Alheus, then there must also be another who helped them enter this country… At the same time Shizuma confirmed the underground hidden passage and discovered it had been destroyed. The very person who destroyed that hidden passage was being questioned by two students. “Why did you destroy that place!? Our allies might have been able to regroup there!” “Did you think that if someone pursued us…our allies would lose?” “Yes, that’s right. It seemed the enemy also had a hero from another world like you on their side.” It was the mysterious gentleman collaborator, who had appeared before the students several times before. The one Marquis Alheus could not oppose. Likely someone close to being the ringleader of this incident. Because of that, the two could not press him further. “That said…he was a terrifyingly strong young man. If you two had been at least that strong, there would have been nothing to worry about.” “Wha… Shizuma-kun is that strong…?” (Isaka) “No way… Why…” (Inami) At those words, Isaka ground his teeth, and Inami’s face showed growing anxiety. “Perhaps I too drew the short straw. Ah, but don’t worry. I’ll make sure you both escape. And not only that… I also found another purpose for bringing you here… A fragment of the Dungeon Core. What will you do? Prioritize escaping? Or head to recover the fragment?” It was half a manipulation. The man who had implied they were useless, failures, now dangled bait before them. It was nothing more than flashing a chance for “redeeming themselves.” All because he wanted the fact: they chose of their own will to recover it. “You said it was somewhere underground, right? If you’ve found it, then we’ll go recover it.” (Isaka) “That is welcome news. However, the Underside is now also on alert. We should handle this as swiftly as possible.” “Inami-san, what do you want to do? If you want to escape first on your own, that’s fine too.” (Isaka) “No! I’ll go too! …Everyone sacrificed themselves… I want to do whatever I can here!” (Inami) Hearing Inami’s answer, the gentleman twisted his lips into a smile. But it wasn’t because things had gone as planned. It was because he had found someone with a terribly vile mindset. “Fufufu… well now, this is something. Yes, indeed. Everyone ‘sacrificed’ themselves. That sacrifice must be repaid.” Why was Inami so eager? Why, despite the crisis, could she remain calm? The answer was simple. “Let’s go, Isaka-kun! The two of us… I’m sure we can do it!” (Inami) “Yeah, that’s right. Could you guide us? Uh…” (Isaka) “Ah, I have yet to introduce myself. I am Fus Fan. An old acquaintance, something of a friend of King Golda.” “I see… Fan-san, please guide us to the Dungeon Core fragment.” (Isaka) “Of course. Just follow my instructions. The Underside is very dangerous right now.” (Fan) From the moment she came to this world until this very instant, Inami had believed that everything was part of a grand story, and she was its protagonist, or at least its heroine. In the scenario she pictured, unremarkable classmates who weren’t her friends were unnecessary. Even in a crisis, minor characters sacrificing themselves for the heroine was only natural. From beginning to end, she cast away any unnecessary existence to her convenient story, acting always as though she were moving dramatically within the tale. Thus, she could feign sadness. She could act the part of the kind classmate. She could play the heroine beside whoever seemed strongest. And so, the gentleman laughed. This inscrutable collaborator, Fus Fan, laughed. Thinking, “Perhaps I’ve stumbled on an unexpected prize.” The Underside was a hidden sector, existing since the early construction of Lindblum. Because of that, many things were hidden in the shadows of history, many things consigned to darkness, layered one atop the other. The more the surface city developed, the more things accumulated. The harder it became to find what was hidden. For example, it could be treasures prepared for the next great crisis in a distant future. “This is my second time in the Underside, but I didn’t know it went this deep underground.” “Yes. This sector was discovered only recently. We made a few ‘adjustments’ to the artificial dungeon so that the Dungeon Core fragment would be easier to locate.” “Um, there were guards stationed above earlier… Once we get the fragment, we’ll have to break through their encirclement to escape, won’t we…?” “Do not worry. The fragment, at the same time, grants tremendous power to its bearer. Against the ones above, such power will easily sweep them aside.” “Really!? Inami-san, if only one of us can obtain the fragment’s power…may I have it? I must become stronger… for the King, and for everyone else. I cannot lose to that disgrace who spouts such vile words.” “Yeah! It’s awful… Shizuma-kun. Provoking everyone with those ridiculous claims.” (Inami) “That’s right. One day… We’ll settle this.” (Isaka) Step by step, they advanced. Toward the destination, toward the fragment, toward ruin. Whether or not he already saw the ending, Fan’s smile deepened with delight as he led the way. Toward the place where the fragment was enshrined, in the land where the shadows of history had piled up. While imagining the weakening of the Holy Principality of Lendia, once deprived of the fragment and unable to maintain the artificial dungeon. While expecting to gain useful pawns for their ultimate goal. They simply descended deeper underground. Eventually, the conclusion drew near. Deep underground, Fan entered into a strange construction different from the city’s foundation. At first glance, it resembled a stone temple. Yet in this place, it felt ill-suited. It exuded sanctity and at the same time a forbidding sense of taboo. “This is the place where the kings of old enshrined the Dungeon Core fragment, bringing a portion of the earth’s power under their control. This was apparently not made by human hands. It must be a legacy left by some higher existence, beyond our comprehension.” (Fan) Fan spoke with a faint mix of awe and reverence. A different civilization…one could call it the ruins of an ancient one. Isaka and Inami followed Fan into the ruins. “I can’t believe there’s ruins this deep underground… I am impressed you found it.” (Isaka) “As I said, we tampered a bit with the artificial dungeon generated by the fragment’s power. The two are closely connected, so an anomaly in one links to the other. That’s how we found it. You were searching as well, but inefficiently. I won’t deny the effort, you were getting close.” (Fan) “I see… Hishida-san and the Marquis were investigating…” (Isaka) “Um, with the fragment deeper inside… Can Isaka-kun really become stronger?” (Inami) “Oh yes, he can. You will harbor within you a great vessel, absorb countless powers, and grow into one who surpasses all.” (Fan) Fan’s words seeped into Isaka’s ears like a sweet melody, flushing his face. Isaka always desired it…the title of strongest. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have uttered such a wish, wouldn’t have dared ask for it. Because of that, he bore deep anger toward Shizuma, who had provoked him by showing dissatisfaction with the present and belittling him. Dark emotions and joy twisted Isaka’s face. “…This time, I’ll become the strongest. I’ll gain the power to fulfill my mission, without anyone interfering.” (Isaka) “Yeah! I’ll work hard too, so I won’t lose! I’ll practice lots of magic!” (Inami) “Right! If we do become strong, maybe we can return to save everyone. What do you think, Fan-san?” (Isaka) “You should avoid that. All you will gain is the great vessel. To fill it…takes time. Though, there is a way to fill it immediately. For now, just follow my instructions. Eventually you will reach the strongest, and then you will certainly be able to save your friends, and defeat those who stand in your way.” (Fan) They arrived at the depths of the ruins as they spoke. There, it was truly enshrined. It rested on a pedestal of mingled stone and machine. The natural Dungeon Core fragment, endlessly glowing with a beautiful, bewitching crimson light. It might be more fitting to call it a half-body than a fragment. Fan reached out toward the fragment, which was half the size of a clenched fist. “Tch! So it really won’t work for me?” (Fan) His hand was repelled by red lightning. Smoke rose from his palm as though scorched, yet Fan gazed at the fragment almost joyfully. “Are you okay!?” (Isaka) “Yes, no problem… I see. As expected, it won’t allow one such as me to touch it. Well then…it seems we’ll have to proceed as planned!” (Fan) Seizing Isaka’s arm as he ran up, Fan hurled him with overwhelming strength. Toward the pedestal where the fragment was enshrined. Isaka was thrown farther than expected, traced an arc, and fell atop the pedestal. “Uwaah! Aaaghhh! AAAAAHHHH!!! GYAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” The core, which burned hands just from a touch of lightning…was now pressed directly against Isaka’s chest as he collapsed upon it. He screamed as though in his death throes, convulsing all over. Hearing her classmate’s terrifying screams right before her, and seeing the man who caused it smiling with glee, Inami collapsed in fear. “W-What are you doing!!!!” (Inami) “Just watch. Do you think a hero from another world would die from something ? Come now, look.” (Fan) Isaka’s screams echoed on the pedestal. It looked like an altar of sacrifice, with the sacrifice writhing in agony upon it. But…his voice stopped. Not because his life had ended. But as if he had “surpassed the threshold and adapted.” “See now… How do you feel, Isaka-kun?” (Fan) “Originally, the one with the highest compatibility was Muraki-kun, but you had the next highest numbers. Now…rise, Isaka Iori-kun.” (Fan) Slowly, Isaka pushed himself up from where he lay face-down. Watching, Inami thought…he looked like a zombie. Fear. She feared her classmate. Just moments ago they were interacting normally, but now he moved like some unknown creature, some monster, and even Inami lost her composure. “T-This is…?” (Isaka) “The core now dwells within you! You have become a vessel! The earth’s power, and the strength of those who have lost their lives…all flow into you! You will arrive, beyond the strongest, beyond humanity’s very limits!” (Fan) Isaka, arisen, stroked the crimson jewel embedded into his chest, fused to him as if parasitic. A grotesque, abnormal transformation. One that should evoke repulsion. “Yes…! I have surpassed humanity! Fan-san…! Thank you!” (Isaka) “You are welcome. Now then… let us withdraw. To our king. Rest assured, Isaka-kun. Soon, an event will occur where you can absorb the power of many humans.” (Fan) “That… I look forward to it!” (Isaka) What those words meant… Regardless, on this day, a single inhuman threat was born. The final result of one who abandoned thinking for himself, was consumed by delusion, and continued to seek only power. It was a path to ruin, one Shizuma too might have walked had he taken a wrong step. The paths of the two…no, the three…drew close, but once again diverged. The three disappeared…while devouring many souls through the overwhelming power of the vessel…