Apparently, Disillusioned Adventurers Will Save the World Labyrinth City was undergoing yet another transformation. While repairs continued to fix the destruction caused by the appearance of the Colosseum of Carnage, construction was going on throughout the city to turn it into a stronghold for the Demon God War. Magical barriers were cast on the outer walls to defend against long-range attacks and spells. The major streets were commandeered by the army and government and turned into high-speed roads, forcing the street vendors who hawked their wares near guilds to move. Many buildings that had been destroyed by the Colosseum of Carnage were demolished and replaced by large magic research facilities, ammunition factories, military training facilities, hospitals, and shelters. The Garbage Heap went under the knife as well. Conflict flared as the residents resisted the Teran Lord’s desire to buy the land as quickly as possible, but Zem, having returned to Labyrinth City before the other Survivors, negotiated between both parties and helped resolve the issue without incident. Such difficulties were frequent. Labyrinth City’s rich culture disappeared piece by piece as the government forcefully requisitioned land for the war effort. This naturally led to much criticism of the Teran Lord. Diamond invested as much money as she could to preserve that culture. She demonstrated her experience during wartime by helping commercial and recreational facilities relocate, building a reserve of near-luxury food products, and improved evacuation shelters and living conditions. She received criticism as well from people who pointed out that defeating the demon god was her mission and that she shouldn’t waste time and money on such frivolities, but she continued her projects nevertheless. Diamond and the people of Labyrinth City had pinned their hopes on a certain group of adventurers. A group who had braved the depths of labyrinths and the pits of the city and done what they were now famous for: being survivors. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?!” Tiana yelled after hearing that Nick and Karan were engaged. “It’s not the easiest thing to just bring up. There’s a time and place for that kind of announcement,” Nick said. “Aww, man. It never bodes well for a five-person party when two of its members get married. A breakup is usually inevitable,” complained Tiana. “We’re not even married yet, just engaged,” Nick retorted. “Why not?!” “Oh, come on, you can’t get mad at us for that!” Bond watched with amusement as Nick and Tiana argued. The Survivors were in a large reception room beneath Starmine Hall, having rented it along with some nearby guest rooms. They had all intended to return to the inns they’d been living in, but the city was being reorganized in preparation for the Demon God War and the Stampede. Nick’s inn had been purchased by the government and was set to be demolished in less than a month, so he and Karan had been forced to hurriedly move here after they’d returned to Labyrinth City. “Man, I didn’t expect the inn to be demolished, though,” Nick grumbled. “The donut café is gone, too,” Karan said. “That’s reopening in Underground Teran,” Tiana chimed in, and Nick and Karan gave her confused looks. “Oh, have you not heard? A new giant shelter is being built even deeper underground than this.” “They’re building it underground…?” Nick asked. “What about the Colosseum of Carnage? Wouldn’t building a shelter down there be dangerous?” “The Colosseum of Carnage isn’t underneath Labyrinth City anymore.” “What do you…? There’s no way a giant structure like that could just disappear.” “Well, it did. It wasn’t always here; it invaded the city in the first place by burrowing underground.” “Huh, no kidding.” “The labyrinth went off somewhere underground, taking the demon god’s egg with it,” Tiana explained. “The hole’s still there, though, so the city’s had to dig it up and put up barriers and walls to block it.” “…That’s kinda ominous. It feels like there’s someone calling the shots, like the Sword of Tasuki was,” Nick said, looking troubled. “This is just a theory, but the demon god might be dreaming,” said Tiana. “Huh? Dreaming?” Nick asked. “Yeah. It seems like some kind of animal instinct. Apparently, the demon god produces miasma, labyrinths, and monsters unconsciously while it’s asleep. The dreams become clearer and more concrete as the demon god emerges from its long slumber.” “So while we’re busting our asses against monsters and barely surviving, the demon god’s just dreaming…? If the world’s gonna end when the demon god wakes up, then maybe we’re the dream.” “Hmm-hmm, that was poetic, Nick,” commented Zem. “Unfortunately for us, this is not a poem or a song but a very real and dangerous threat.” Nick leaned back in his chair resignedly. “Gimme a break, man. The town hall and public parks are gonna be demolished, and even Starmine Hall—which is a concert venue—is being used as a fortress. What happened to Diamond being an idol first?” “Hey, you’ve got it good compared to me! There are still charity concerts being held! No one has any idea when dragon races are gonna resume! And the casino is closed, too!” Tiana complained. “Most hostess clubs have closed as well. It wasn’t long ago that they were still bustling, but now they have gone as quiet as a snuffed flame,” Zem said. “A lot of restaurants have closed, too. Chefs are being recruited to serve as volunteers. Which makes sense, I guess,” Karan said. The three of them sighed. Nick awkwardly averted his eyes; unlike the others, he still had some opportunities to enjoy his hobby. “…By the way, will you two have children?” Bond asked. Nick and Karan spat out the water they were drinking. “Don’t ask that with a straight face,” Nick said. “What is the problem? It is an important question for your family.” “Oh, for the love of…” But Nick stopped before he finished his sentence. He realized Bond was being completely serious. “I am not joking around. You should consider this carefully. Having a more concrete vision of the future will increase our chance of success. Or perhaps I should say your chance of being able to control the repercussions after our success,” Bond said. “That’s what you’re talking about…?” Bond—or rather, the Sword of Bonds—was in the process of becoming complete. He had been enhanced based on information from Diamond, the Sword of Might, and what Diamond had learned of the Sword of Tasuki during combat, and he was now capable of achieving what had been envisioned upon his forging. It was now theoretically possible for him to perform a four-person Union. There was still one major unknown, however: what kind of repercussions a four-person Union would have on the wielders. “We have no way of knowing if you will survive the battle, or what you might lose if you do,” Bond said. “It sounds like we’ll be lucky to lose just an arm or a leg,” Tiana said, looking worried. “That is right. You must decide what to give up when you perform the four-person Union. Do not even think of sacrificing yourself. I want you all to imagine a future for yourselves and wish strongly for your survival. Am I understood?” “…Sure, but you’re being way too serious. This would be easier to talk about if you’d eased into the topic more naturally and asked the question sort of like a joke,” Nick said. “Stop being so irresponsible!” Bond yelled angrily. Nick smiled awkwardly and apologized. “I’m just kidding. You need to think of the future, too, you know.” “Hmm?” “You said you don’t care about your mission and that you want to become an author, remember? Don’t forget that,” Nick said. “Ah, Nick was just trying to change the subject,” Tiana teased. “Shut up,” Nick snapped. Zem smiled, and Karan blushed. “Anyway…I’m happy for you two,” Tiana said. “You’re getting married. I want to celebrate now.” “As do I. My sincerest congratulations,” Zem said. There were hints of loneliness and kindness in their voices as they teased Nick and Karan. Their location, their situation, and even their mindsets were all different from normal. They shared a moment of affection, knowing that things between them might never be the same again. “Ladies and gentlemen! The greatest idol in all the world, Agate, has arrived to grace you with her presence!” But that all ended when the door slammed open. “Whoa! What’re you doing here?!” Nick yelled. “I knew you all would be standing around doing nothing!” Agate said. “We’re not doing nothing. We’re having an important meeting,” Nick said, shooing her away with his hands. Agate just ignored him. “I’m here to rescue you from your boredom and give you a job. I have a charity concert coming up, and I’d like you to handle setting up the venue and security.” “We’re busy. We were just discussing important war and strategy stuff,” Nick said. “Yeah, right. I heard you all laughing from outside. I got permission from Sergeant Demon to give you this job. She said since you all weren’t doing anything, I could put you to work.” “I swear… It’s one headache after another with her…,” Nick grumbled. “The Hundredth Anniversary Concert was a total disaster. Could you please try to do a proper job this time?” “She’s got a point,” Karan said. She and the others looked willing, which surprised Nick. “You guys actually wanna do this?” he asked. “I’m surprised you don’t,” Tiana said. “Yeah. That’s unlike you,” Bond said. “Well, think about it… You know what her signature song is.” “Oh,” Tiana said, realizing the reason for Nick’s reluctance. He was talking about Agate’s solo song, “The Lovely Paladin.” “Do you really think it’s a good idea to perform ‘The Lovely Paladin’ while we’re on your staff at the venue, now that everyone knows the song’s about us?” Nick asked. “That’s just asking for trouble.” Agate sighed loudly. “Oh, Nick. That kind of pessimism is exactly why we’re performing this concert. There are way too many people in this city who are down in the dumps like you, and we need to cheer them up. Please help us do that!” “This is crazy talk!” Nick protested. “I want your help, too, Karan. Actually, maybe it would be better to have you onstage singing and dancing. The Hundredth Anniversary Concert left a bad taste in my mouth.” “Not happening. Singing is your job,” Karan said, shaking her head. Agate smiled, looking disappointed. “I just want you all to have some fun; you need that at a time like this. Pretty soon, I won’t have as many opportunities to perform for you.” “That guilt trip’s not gonna work,” said Nick. “Do you really think I don’t know your schedule? You’re doing a charity concert today. In two weeks, you’re performing at the grand opening of a new underground shelter and public hall. You visited some knights to lift their spirits, too.” Agate looked taken aback. “Yeah, but security at my other concerts is super strict. It’s really hard to invite people backstage!” “You just wanna make us help! I wanna be in the front row waving my magic glow stick! But I’ve felt too awkward being around other idol fans since they found out about my connection to you!” “What’s the big deal? You should forget about that and enjoy yourself,” Tiana said. “Yeah. Do the job properly this time when no one will bother you,” Karan said. “We should do as she asks. We are renting rooms in Starmine Hall, after all,” Zem said. “Quite right. It is an honor to be depended on by others,” Bond said. After being pressured into it by his party members, Nick reluctantly left the reception room, deciding to comply with Agate’s request. Bond spoke to him as they began to follow the idol down the hall. “Nick, I wanted to talk to you about something, but I missed my chance.” “Where’s this coming from?” Nick asked. “…There is something important I must tell you later. Oh, it is nothing bad, so don’t worry too much about it,” Bond said. “Huh? Uh, okay.” He was unsettled by Bond’s ominous words but decided to trust that it was nothing to worry about. Nick didn’t know it, but he would be less than pleased when he heard what Bond had to say. The Sword of Bonds was fully conscious from the moment he was forged. Normally, magic items gradually awakened to consciousness and then sharpened their minds by learning from their environment. The speed of that process varied, but it wasn’t too different from how human minds developed. However, magic items that were developed to have consciousnesses from the beginning were different. They were created with wisdom, knowledge, and free will; all they lacked was experience. They were designed for use in combat but lacked fighting experience. They were born with a mind of their own yet had no friends. “Father. When will I be able to go outside?” “Soon.” The man the Sword of Bonds called “Father” was his lead developer—a mage and magic item inventor brilliant enough to earn the title of sage. He had discovered the principle behind the ritual spell known as “Union” and developed a holy sword that would allow people of ordinary magical ability to use it. When the Sword of Bonds was unveiled, his specifications were the very best among the holy swords in development at the time, and it was rumored that he would be the primary weapon used to fight the demon god. There was one problem, however: There were too few people capable of using him. Some succeeded at achieving a two-person Union, but one involving three people proved significantly more difficult. The lead developer blamed this on the mental states of the wielders, and the Sword of Bonds believed him. It was easy for two people to align themselves, but much harder for three or four people to do so. Even a child could understand the logic, so everyone accepted it as the truth. However, it was a lie. While it was true that part of the problem lay with the aptitude of the wielders, in his heart, the lead developer knew that putting the entirety of the blame on that wouldn’t lead to any progress. If he had simply humbled himself and coordinated with the other holy sword projects, he might have completed the Sword of Bonds, and the demon god might have truly been defeated. Instead, the Sword of Bonds’ development stalled, and he was sealed away without ever being used in combat. The lead developer told one more lie. He said the demon god would eventually resurrect, and that someone was guaranteed to seek the Sword of Bonds when that time came. Once again, the holy sword believed him. He had no other choice. The magic item arsenal closed down after having its resources drained by the Demon God War, and although the demon god had been defeated, social order collapsed. There was no one left to guide a magic item like him that surpassed human understanding. Before long, he was seized by the Adventurers Guild and left to slumber at the bottom of the Labyrinth of Bonds. “Now that I think about it, they really had no idea what they were doing,” Bond said with a sigh. He was currently in a room underneath Starmine Hall. It was on a special floor with much tighter security than where he and his party members were staying, but it was shockingly messy. Valuable orbs containing mana were strewn about the floor like common marbles, magic swords had been carelessly disassembled and tossed aside, and documents and parts of magic items were scattered everywhere. It looked like either the room of a researcher in the middle of an experiment or a child struggling with their summer homework. The room had one purpose: completing the Sword of Bonds. This was where the holy swords had come together to achieve that goal. “Well, they were certainly careless. The research facility was so compartmentalized that none of them could see the whole picture, even if they thought they could,” Diamond said. The project had reached a good stopping point, so Bond and the other holy swords were taking a moment to chat. “You could actually say the same of us. We’ve never had a chance to speak openly just between us like this,” Bond said. “Huh, is that true?” Diamond asked, acting innocent. “Do not play dumb!” said Bond. “You were terribly cruel back when you were the Sword of Distortion!” “He’s right. There was no one who didn’t tremble upon hearing your name,” the Sword of Evolution said. “Come on, I had no choice!” responded Diamond. “If I hadn’t acted with an iron fist, we would’ve been treated like objects by the laboratories and arsenals that developed us, and thrown away once we’d served our purpose! It’s thanks to me that we were only sealed away and are still alive today!” During the Demon God War, Diamond had wielded influence equal to that of any human ruler. There were even ancient documents that accused her of unsavory things such as collecting girls she liked and making them serve her, and using the demon god’s voice to torture people. It was true that she had forged a reign of terror of sorts running the Distortion Agency, the organization she’d created to oppose the demon god. However, she’d also used her bad reputation to protect the girls who were offered to her and to prevent political interference. “Grk… That may be true, but I detested being sealed. Do you have any idea how long I slumbered?” the Sword of Evolution asked. “Sorry about that. But your behavior was considered problematic in more ways than one, Sword of Evolution,” Diamond said. “Hmph. You’re the last person I want to hear that from. There must be a few things you want to say, too, Sword of Bonds.” Bond thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No… Considering what may have happened if I were found by anyone else, I think lying in the Labyrinth of Bonds for so long was for the best.” “…Yeah. You found a good wielder,” Diamond said, smiling softly. “Hello! He’s my wielder, too, you know!” the Sword of Might complained. “I know, I know,” Bond said. “What about you, Sword of Evolution? What do you think of the team that made you?” Diamond asked. “Hmm… I think they were vain and competitive, as is typical of sages. I cannot say they were incredibly virtuous, and if I had to guess, I do not think their approach would have led to an Awakening. But what is so wrong with that?” the Sword of Evolution said. “Huh? Does that not bother you?” Diamond asked. “If nothing else, they searched earnestly for a plan that would lead to victory. They didn’t let their theme for how to improve humanity overly influence their work. I see now that if the sages had all come together and shared ideas, they may have created one perfect holy sword instead of the five they did and finished off the demon god for good. But if that had happened, we would not have been created. We would lack our present diversity.” “I guess that’s true. In the end, our parents were human, and we’re not so different from humans ourselves. That goes for the Sword of Tasuki, too,” Diamond added softly. The Sword of Might spoke up after some thought. “Hmm, my place wasn’t really like that. The atmosphere was way less brutal.” “Wait, you remember it? You’re different from Olivia, right?” Bond asked. “Oh yes. I have communication records from when the Sword of Might was developed. I would lose my fighting ability and skills if those vanished,” replied the Sword of Might. “I see. That means you essentially warped from the time of the ancient civilization to modern day,” said Bond. “Yeah! Life has been really hard for me since I woke up! And Olivia is disappearing, too…,” the Sword of Might said. Bond felt a pang of sadness at the mention of Olivia. She was the first holy sword he had befriended in Labyrinth City. She had been a free spirit but never ceased her lonely battle. “We must fight even harder to make up for her absence,” he said. “That’s right,” Diamond agreed earnestly. “…Anyway, Bond. You’re about to become the complete holy sword that our parents, the sages, strove for. We’ve run enough simulations for a lifetime, but you’re aware we’ll be doing this in reality without any practice, right?” “Yes,” replied Bond. “Multiple labyrinths have already begun to Stampede, but we’ve left it to the adventurers and knights to handle that. We’ve hired backup, too,” Diamond said. “Forget about me. Are you all okay with this?” Bond asked. “You will be dormant until the battle is over, and if we lose, you may never wake again. You will be temporarily entrusting your power to me.” To achieve completion, Bond needed the power of each of the remaining holy swords: the Sword of Resonance’s ability to speak to souls and help them achieve harmony, the Sword of Evolution’s ability to manifest life’s potential and produce an inexhaustible supply of tough flesh, and the Sword of Might’s ability to control a powerful body. He was also being enhanced with data obtained from analyzing the Sword of Tasuki and magic items he’d left behind, as well as magic items and mana resources supplied by Marde, but the powers of the three other holy swords were the key. Diamond, the Sword of Evolution, and the Sword of Might were going to temporarily give their powers to Bond, placing themselves in a deep sleep until the battle with the demon god concluded. In the worst case, this could mean their deaths. They could also lose their powers for good if Bond lost to the demon god, and there was a chance they could suffer irreversible damage during the battle. This room was a shelter to protect the three swords in their defenseless state. Diamond had been acting as the leader of Starmine Hall, which meant her absence would be felt. She had entrusted as much work as she could to Joseph and the rest of her staff, but they would still be shorthanded. “Labyrinth City is my backyard. I don’t mind lending my power to save it from destruction. Besides, I recognized Karan as my wielder. I know she’ll be mad at me if I chicken out now,” Diamond said. “I would never abandon my wielder, either!” the Sword of Might added as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “What about you, Sword of Evolution?” Bond asked. “I have objections, of course,” the Sword of Evolution said indignantly. “I would have been surprised if you didn’t,” said Bond. “But I have received my payment,” continued the Sword of Evolution. “I’ll do as I wish with him after the war.” “I am honestly a bit surprised you care about your wielder so much,” remarked Bond. “Don’t get me wrong. Mortal wielders are little more than consumable goods with an expiration date. But it would harm my reputation if someone died as a result of using me.” Of all the people who’d survived the Colosseum of Carnage, Leon had suffered the most serious injuries. He was slowly regaining his strength thanks to a rehabilitation program led by Labyrinth City priests and the Sword of Might, but it would be a while before he recovered fully. Participating in the battle against the demon god was out of the question. The Sword of Evolution had agreed to cooperate with Bond on the conditions that Leon’s treatment would continue and that his and Leon’s crimes would be cleared after the war. “You may be free to do as you like, but if you cause trouble like the Sword of Tasuki’s done, I’ll break you in half,” Diamond said. “I’d like to see you try. And I resent being lumped together with that fastidious freak,” complained the Sword of Evolution. “As if you don’t have a fastidious side as well,” retorted Bond. “You’ve always hated people who gamble at casinos and engage in other such immoral activities.” “I dislike those who indulge overly in their desires, but I do not deny the desires themselves. In that sense, this city is not so bad. I would like to build a city that fosters evolution and growth by encouraging competition between those who hold such desires.” “You want to build a city? Hmph. If that’s a challenge, I accept,” Diamond said with a bold smile. “I can’t wait to wipe that smug look off your face,” the Sword of Evolution said, laughing arrogantly. “All right, that’s enough. I know none of us want to go, but…it’s almost time for him to leave,” the Sword of Might said, sensing a fight. “We’re counting on you,” said Diamond. “I expect nothing less than victory,” said the Sword of Evolution. “Good luck!” said the Sword of Might. Bond accepted their encouragement and calmly closed his eyes. Diamond transformed into the Sword of Resonance, leaving everyone other than Bond in their sword form. Multicolored light shone from the gems embedded in their hilts and gathered around him. The power of each holy sword now resided within Bond. Bond recalled the moment he had decided to leave the Labyrinth of Bonds. He’d made the decision out of duty after sensing omens of the demon god’s revival. He could have ignored the signs and gone back to sleep. The people who had developed him were long gone, and civilization had regressed to the point that there might not even be anything worth saving. He’d gone back to sleep several times like a child who needed to go to school but couldn’t get out of bed, dozing for years each time, but eventually the desire to figure out why he had been created and the sense of duty to fulfill the mission bestowed upon him had driven him to act. Still half-asleep, he’d worked to seize control of the Labyrinth of Bonds. He figured out how the living parts of the labyrinth functioned, and he falsified the knowledge orbs belonging to the Adventurers Guild above it to hint at his presence. He’d had to avoid being too obvious, lest the guild come out in force to seize him. Bond realized as he perused the knowledge orbs that the modern Adventurers Guild didn’t have much interest in ancient relics like the Sword of Bonds and the other holy swords. Far from it; the guild was likely to treat him as dangerous and seal him away again. He had to carefully consider the depth and accuracy of the information he planted. He wanted adventurers who were ambitious enough to search for a holy sword, yet also upstanding enough to abide by the guild’s request. In short, it had been a gamble. The first party to venture into the Labyrinth of Bonds was the Iron Tiger Troop, but they didn’t suit his purposes. They were certainly strong enough, but the vulgar conversations he overheard suggested they were deceivers by nature. Bond continued to wait for adventurers worthy of wielding a holy sword. He half expected them never to arrive. Eventually, a party entered the labyrinth and caught his eye. Their teamwork wasn’t bad, and they seemed considerate and respectful of each other as they fought in the closed environment of the labyrinth. He guessed that they had formed under difficult circumstances, but they seemed like a good party. Bond made up his mind and manipulated the labyrinth’s security to lure them to him. He was in for a nasty surprise when they found him. ““““We’re going to sell you.”””” He thought he had made a terrible blunder. He’d forgotten there would be adventurers who wouldn’t want to keep a famous holy sword for themselves. That was actually something that earnest adventurers who abided seriously by their contracts were more likely to do. But it had all worked out. Bond responded to their claim to sell him by putting on a little performance. Although the sob story he gave them was partially genuine, Nick and the others had had no idea that Bond had been the one to sic the amalgam golem on them. The amalgam golem was meant for training purposes rather than security. It was capable of injuring people, but it couldn’t kill. As a safety measure, it was designed to immediately cast healing or reviving magic if it happened to inflict a potentially lethal wound. The trial had gone according to Bond’s expectations, and he made Nick and the others his wielders. He had chosen the name Bond and assumed a body imitating his chief wielder. The adventures that followed could hardly be called glorious. The Survivors had achieved their current level of popularity only after their victory in the Colosseum of Carnage. At the start, they’d only been a party of somewhat eccentric adventurers who no one in their wildest dreams would ever have expected to save the world. Their first enemy was a wicked adventurer who’d cheated people out of money. Then they’d fought a holy sword who was using said adventurer. Next was a former priest who’d pretended to be a philanthropist as he kidnapped children. It turned out that he was being used by a demon-god worshipper, who was also being used by someone higher up the chain. Bond wasn’t particularly shocked by such encounters. He hadn’t met many people back in the time of the ancient civilization, but he’d still watched them closely in an attempt to understand them. Even while locked in the labyrinth, he had continued to observe humanity by reading literature and the Adventurers Guild’s information. Still, the trials he’d gone through with his party had turned out to be invaluable experiences. He’d laughed, he’d cried, and he’d indulged himself in a hobby, spending time not as a holy sword, but as an ordinary adventurer. Before he knew it, Bond had stopped being so fixated on his mission. It was still important to him; he didn’t undergo an identity crisis great enough to abandon the reason he’d been created. That didn’t change even after the battle with the Sword of Tasuki. He just no longer considered it something he needed to risk his life to achieve. He would simply do what he could as an adventurer and a member of the Survivors. And he would survive. Bond climbed Starmine Hall’s spiral staircase step by step toward the roof. “You…look ready,” Nick said. He found his party members admiring the scenery from the roof. They’d been expecting his arrival, and they turned around to look at Bond. Their smiles nearly moved him to tears. “This is a nice spot,” Bond said. This corner of the roof had been turned into a kind of park. When Diamond had designed the building, she’d meant for this spot to be used as a small venue for weddings and other ceremonies. It offered a wonderful view of the entirety of Labyrinth City, as well as the Five-Ringed Mountains, which towered in the distance. Unfortunately, Starmine Hall had been transformed into a stronghold, meaning that this spot wouldn’t be used for such happy occasions anytime soon. Instead, the Survivors were using it to depart for battle. “There are already groups of adventurers and knights fighting forces of monsters,” Bond told them. “It is likely that some of them are already struggling. But we are going directly to the demon god. Its body fled from beneath Labyrinth City to within a volcanic crater in the Five-Ringed Mountains. We’re going to fly right there and strike.” “Yeah,” Nick said. “Before we fight the demon god, however, we must first fight the fallen angel, the most powerful monster that defends the Five-Ringed Mountains. Its physical strength is said to rival the demon god’s, but it has a weakness. We must defeat it yet also save enough energy for the demon god.” “Yes. We understand,” Zem said. “The demon god emits Mantras that strengthen monsters and contaminate the minds of people. Labyrinth City and the surrounding villages will be protected by Diamond’s barriers; however, the adventurers and knights fighting in the field will not. Keep the battle as contained as possible to minimize the demon god’s influence.” “We’ve got it,” Karan said. “The demon god doesn’t have one specific body. It adopts a new body with unique abilities in reaction to the fears of the people it is fighting. Don’t let fear overwhelm you.” “You’ve told us this a million times already,” Tiana said. “Once you use Union, there is no going back,” Bond warned them. “Yep. We’re ready,” Nick said. Karan, Tiana, and Zem nodded. Bond strengthened his resolve and nodded back. “I can see you are.” “Was there anything else you wanted to say, Bond?” Nick asked. Bond hesitated before answering. “…Do you remember your trip into the Labyrinth of Bonds?” “Huh? Yeah, of course,” Nick said, confused. “I thought I was gonna die,” Karan said. “That was a really difficult labyrinth. There were so many monsters, and they were aggressive, too,” Tiana said. Their voices were all filled with nostalgia as they recalled the experience. “You fought an amalgam golem on the bottom floor,” Bond said. “We sure did,” Nick said. “It was so strong,” Karan said. “God, I hated that thing. Just thinking about it pisses me off,” Tiana said. “I saw my life flash before my eyes,” Zem said. “That golem was my fault,” Bond said. The others stared at him blankly. After a short silence, comprehension dawned on Nick’s face. “Oh yeah, you said you didn’t have full control over the security, right?” “That’s understandable,” Karan said. “You can’t expect everything to go perfectly,” Tiana said. “I believe we all deserve some blame for that incident,” Zem said. “N-no, that’s not what I meant!” Bond quickly protested. Nick cocked his head. “What’d you mean, then?” “It was not a mistake. I played dumb and set the amalgam golem on you myself,” Bond told them. “…” “…” “…” “…” They were all speechless. “I am a holy sword, you know? It is well within my rights to give a trial to any who would try to draw me… And you would have handed me to the Adventurers Guild if I didn’t do anything. I assure you I feel bad about it,” Bond said, not sounding the least bit guilty. He even sounded amused as he made his excuses. Bond had overcome many life-threatening situations as a member of the Survivors. The amalgam golem was far from the most powerful opponent the party had faced. In fact, it was quite weak in comparison to what they had fought since. That fact did little to curb his party members’ anger. “You can’t be serious! I thought we were all gonna die!” Nick shouted. “We survived, but we easily could’ve broken up after that!” Karan yelled. “Why didn’t you tell us this sooner, you idiotic piece of junk! You worthless beta version! I can’t believe you!” Tiana cried. “I’m sorry, Bond, but I can’t defend you for this,” Zem said. “How dare you call me a piece of junk?! I’m now a completed holy sword! Not to mention the fact I’ve saved your lives many times over! Surely you can overlook this!” Bond yelled. “You’ve helped us through a lot of tight spots, but still! We had no chance of a counterattack or receiving reinforcements down there!” Nick complained. “I—I went easy on you. I could have stopped the golem as soon as I sensed one of your life signs fading,” Bond said. “I broke multiple bones fighting that thing! I nearly died!” Nick yelled. “The amalgam golem was capable of using healing magic! You were in no real danger, I swear!” Bond insisted. “Knowing that now doesn’t make the experience any less terrifying!” Nick shouted. They continued to argue, getting absolutely nowhere as they did. Eventually, Bond broke down crying and apologized in earnest, saying “I’m sorry” over and over again. “Geez, you should’ve apologized from the beginning instead of trying to laugh it off,” Nick said. “I-I’m so sorry…,” Bond cried. Bond’s party members finally relented when they saw him wiping away tears.
Chapter 103
31 min read