“I don’t want you to become that kind of person, Nick. I don’t want you to be like Leon and Nargava. The only reason I didn’t turn out like them is because of you,” Karan said. Her fiery eyes welled up, and the tears finally spilled down her face. “Don’t cry, you dummy. It’s not worth that,” Nick said. “Don’t call me a dummy. You’re always getting mad at me for calling myself stupid,” Karan complained. Nick hugged Karan. It was a little too rough to be a lover’s embrace, yet too gentle for simply consoling a friend. That was how things often felt between them. “I only call you a dummy when you do something reckless or when you cry. But I would never call you that for not knowing something. Everyone grows smarter over time as they become aware of the things they don’t know,” Nick said. “So you’re making fun of me. You must think I’m a fool who knows nothing of the world,” Karan responded. “I wouldn’t expect you to stick by someone who makes fun of you without realizing their own stupidity,” Nick said. “You’re right about that,” Karan agreed. “Okay. I was acting like an idiot,” Nick admitted. Karan wiped her damp eyes, and Nick quietly comforted her until she was done crying. “Listen up, Nick. Make sure to sharpen your knife yourself. Don’t just perform the minimum upkeep and leave the rest to a craftsman. Customize your grip, too. Keep it in perfect condition and sleep with it at your bedside.” “Be just as cautious of people as you are of monsters. Some people pose as adventurers and attack others in labyrinths. It’s real easy to kill and erase all evidence that way. Take much better care than you would on the highway to remove all traces of any bonfires you make.” “Lend me some money.” “When you enter a bar, be wary of anyone stationed in a spot where they can see every seat. That goes double if they’re alone and not drinking.” “If you’re alone in a street fight, knock them over and get on top of them. If multiple people attack you at once, do your best to fight them off and try to get away. Wait as long as you can to draw your blade. You wanna make them think they can’t beat you even when you’re barehanded.” “Never push yourself too far in a fight. Avoid fightin’ at all if there’s no one to mediate. If you’ve got no choice, make sure you give ’em a drubbin’ they won’t forget. You should consider killin’ ’em, too. Wanna know how to hide a corpse? …That was a joke, dummy. Of course I don’t know how to do that.” “Hell yeah, I caught a camel bird! The fat in the hump is delicious.” “I’m gonna return your money, bud. I know everyone says that, though. I’ll figure it out once we get our next reward. Don’t sweat it.” “Come on, Nick! I need money! Please? Think of all I’ve taught you.” Nick and Karan found a bench in a nearby park, finished eating their now-cold grilled octolegs, and started to talk once they had calmed down. Nick was telling Karan about Garos. There were a lot of good memories and even more bad ones. Karan listened calmly at first, but she was slowly losing patience as he spoke. “…Anyway, he was the first one to look after me after Argus brought me into Combat Masters. Once I gained some skills and made myself useful, though, he started to ask me for money and force me to accompany him to bars. I had to take care of him, more than the other way around… And in the end, he framed me and got me kicked out,” Nick said. “That’s terrible,” Karan responded. “You’ve got that right… But he brought me money and apologized. Hector warned me about Garos suddenly finding money or coming to see me, and he’s already done both,” Nick said. Karan’s anger turned to surprise. “…Yeah, he did say that.” “His visit scared me. I didn’t know what he was doing there. His money could’ve come from anywhere, so I’m hesitant to use it,” Nick said, looking tired. He didn’t actually feel as much fear as he said he did, though. “Nick… Do you respect him?” Karan asked. “He’s a scumbag who spends too much on booze and women, but in terms of pure skill, he’s one of the best. He can cut through steel and avoid detection by monsters. I can’t think of a better bodyguard.” Nick wasn’t really answering the question. “It’s hard to believe a drunk could be good at working as a bodyguard,” Karan said. “One of Garos’s special skills is being able to vomit on command. If he was ever wasted when we received an emergency job, he could just throw up and be good to go. He could use that trick to save himself if he ingested monster poison, too. He’s strong without having to rely on weird magic items or drugs. His instincts are better than beastmen’s, too, so he can’t be caught off guard,” Nick continued. Karan gulped. She could feel the praise and fear in his voice. “Do you think he’s the demon-god worshipper selling counterfeit tickets?” “I dunno. But he’s definitely up to something.” Garos had visited Nick from out of nowhere with a large bag of money in hand. Combat Masters took a break at almost the exact same time the Survivors defeated White Mask. Alice, Leon, and Hector all warned him about Garos in different ways. It was all too much to be a coincidence. Garos was clearly involved in this case. “I think I know why he’s so good at bodyguard jobs. It’s because he knows how killers think,” Nick continued. “You don’t have to fight Garos if we encounter him,” Karan said. “Don’t even try that. Garos wields his sword to kill people, not monsters. He’ll kill you.” At least, he would if she didn’t have the resolve to kill him. Nick didn’t want to force the weight of taking a life onto Karan. But Karan smiled his warning away. “But you’re not alone, Nick. We accepted this job as a party. We can team up and kick his butt together.” “I suddenly feel bad for the guy,” Nick said, bursting out laughing. She was so nonchalant about it. Karan didn’t join the laughter. Instead, her expression hardened. “Don’t. There’s no way he’ll play fair when he attacks. Besides, don’t get the wrong idea, Nick.” “Huh?” “Fighting Garos is not what this is all about. We were hired to protect the idols and catch the counterfeit-ticket seller. No good will come of you getting worked up over this.” Nick winced. He was embarrassed; Karan’s words made him realize he had become entirely focused on Garos. “I feel like I understand what Tiana was saying. You can be a real airhead sometimes.” Karan sighed with open exasperation. “Excuse me?!” Nick exclaimed. He was shocked to hear that from Karan. “There’s no guarantee that everything you’re afraid of will come true. Even if it does, you don’t have to fight alone. The enemy is a demon-god worshipper who’s stealing magic items and selling fake tickets. There’s no way they’ll fight fair. Do you disagree?” Karan asked. “No… You’re probably right,” Nick relented. “It’s fine if you really want to resolve this yourself. But you’d better not leave us out because you don’t want to get us involved. We’re all doing the job we signed up for. You already abused your authority when you begged Vilma to give us this job,” Karan said. “S-sorry about that…” “And don’t make me keep telling you to confide in us.” This was the first time Karan had ever scolded Nick like this. He was embarrassed by it, but a part of him felt happy, too. “I’ll back you up if it comes to a fight. Ask Tiana and Bond if you need their knowledge, and rely on Zem if you need to win someone over. You formed the Survivors because you knew there were things you couldn’t do on your own,” Karan finished. Nick couldn’t argue with anything Karan said. But rather than frustration, he felt pride. Karan had become an outstanding adventurer. “Well, damn. I’ve been in the wrong. I’ll tell you everything,” he said, resigning himself. He had no choice but to face the true feelings he had been keeping even from himself. That he was afraid. “I…think I’m scared of fighting Garos,” Nick admitted. “Okay,” Karan said. “I don’t want to have to try to kill a former party member. I think I’d have a seventy-to-eighty-percent chance of dying.” He clasped his hands together. The ridiculous speed of Garos’s blade was still seared into his memory. He stood little chance of defeating Garos; it was much more likely his own head would be separated from his shoulders. If he did happen to win, he’d be rewarded with the dead body of a former party member. The only outcomes awaiting him were painful ones, and the idea filled him with fear and dread. “I think anyone would feel the same way… There’s no way to fight a former comrade to the death without forgetting about all the good times you had. I don’t want you to become so broken that you can do that,” Karan said quietly. Nick had actually felt that he wouldn’t be able to survive and protect his friends without sacrificing, like Leon or Nargava had. But Karan was showing him that wasn’t the case. As an adventurer who had been through one of the darkest experiences imaginable without letting it corrupt her, she was living proof of that. He could see that true strength was the ability to recover when the world threatened to break you or send you into despair. Nick suddenly felt his shoulders relax. “…I’m gonna start going after the counterfeit-ticket seller tomorrow,” Nick said. “Will you be okay?” Karan asked with concern. Nick let himself be more vulnerable than he otherwise would have. “I’m planning on asking my idol friends about the counterfeit tickets, but there’s a chance one of them could be involved with the seller. I’ll try to act casual so they don’t know I’m performing an investigation. If a fight breaks out and things get dangerous, come help me out.” “You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you, Nick?” Karan teased. “Hey, I’m being serious. I’ll help you if you find yourself in a crisis, too,” Nick said. “…Okay. I’ll hold you to that.” Karan gave a shrug and a laugh. “I know I have you to watch my back. Whether we’re together or working apart, that doesn’t change,” Nick said, looking Karan right in the eye. The darkness of night only emphasized the bright and honest beauty of her eyes, and he didn’t look away. The identity of the counterfeit-ticket seller was a mystery. Jewelry Production had given up searching, and the Order of the Sun Knights had yet to discover anything. With Hector’s advice in mind, Nick was beginning to grasp the reason for that: It was because the buyers were all keeping their mouths shut. They weren’t just staying quiet because they felt guilty but also because they felt a camaraderie with the seller and wanted to keep their secrets. He also figured the seller was being very careful to only sell to idol fans. The only people who could do that had to know how idol fans thought and how to pick them out of a crowd. Nick had that ability, too. He also had friends who were just as capable and might be able to find the counterfeit-ticket seller. “You can’t tell anyone that I’m giving you this information. As a lover of idols, this seller offends me to my core, but I’m scared of them targeting me. I’m helping you because I owe you more than one favor. Please be careful. I mean that in all seriousness.” “I know, I know. Don’t tell anyone the agency hired me, either.” But there was one problem—Nick was a traitor. He had taken a job that involved speaking to idols directly and seeing them backstage. From an idol fan’s perspective, that was a traitorous action. Nick had initially planned to gather information while not revealing that secret to anyone, but his conversation with Karan made him realize there was only so much he could do alone. Actually, once he sat down and thought about it, he realized that finding the seller without giving himself away would’ve been impossible. The other idol fans definitely would have grown suspicious of his questioning. They were always quick to realize when one idol of their number was trying to get a leg up on the other in terms of information. “I understand. I’m so ridiculously jealous, though. You have no idea!” “I’m truly sorry.” After that realization, Nick turned to his friend Jonathan and shared many details about the case to get him on their side. He told him that they were hired by Jewelry Production to manage security, that idol fans were being brainwashed by strange counterfeit tickets, that the Sun Knights were watching him for some reason, and more. He kept his friendly relationship with Agate a secret, however. Jonathan’s expression was mixed when Nick finished. Actually, he was straight up angry. But Nick had saved him in the past when Claudine very nearly swindled him out of a significant amount of money. After much consternation, he decided to assist with the search for the counterfeit-ticket seller in exchange for the promise that Nick would get him a signed card from an idol. “So you think they’ll show up at the west ticket agency,” Nick said. “Yeah, I’m sure of it. That’s where he’s targeting idol fans who failed to buy a ticket,” Jonathan answered. Jonathan hadn’t agreed to help on an empty promise. He was from a merchant’s family and was on the wealthy end of the idol fan spectrum. The seller had contacted him before, and he had a good idea of when and where they would appear. He led Nick to the ticket agency in western Labyrinth City to lure them out. “If you complain at this agency about not being able to get a ticket and leave without anyone with you, the seller will approach you,” Jonathan said. “Even if he doesn’t show up today, I’m sure he will after a few days.” “Do we have to wear these clothes, though?” Nick asked. They were both wearing the uniform of a magic school in Labyrinth City. The loose, brand-new robes didn’t have a single crease, and anyone who saw them would think they were apprentice mages. “You’re too muscular, Nick. He’d know you’re an adventurer right away,” Jonathan replied. “Ah, they’ll realize I’m a professional.” “That’s not the problem. He’ll assume you don’t have any money.” Geez, he doesn’t hold back, Nick thought, but he followed behind Jonathan without argument. “Like we agreed, I’ll be a magic school underclassman, and you’ll be my supportive upperclassman. We don’t want any idol fans to see us, so put up your collar and wear your hat,” Jonathan insisted. Nick ignored his tone and performed a final check on his appearance. “Got it. Let’s do it, my underclassman.” Nick and Jonathan entered the ticket agency. This wasn’t the branch that Nick visited regularly; instead, it was primarily used by nobles, merchants, and other members of high society. It also sold tickets for cultural events such as operas and theater productions. While Nick looked around with interest, Jonathan lashed out at the employee behind the register. “What?! You’re out of tickets?!” he cried. “As I said, the purchase period is over,” the employee said. “Are there really no available seats at Pazzy’s concert?! What about canceled tickets?!” “I am sorry, but—” “That’s impossible! You must have leftover tickets from people who canceled!” “Once again, we don’t have any! Reserved tickets that are canceled are put into a lottery! We won’t know anything about that until we hear from management!” Jonathan continued to harangue the employee as persistently as he could. It was an excellent performance of a fan who couldn’t accept his tickets being sold out. “H-hey… Calm down, Jonathan,” Nick said, half acting and half serious. “It’s not my fault! I wanted to sneak out at night and line up for a ticket, but the superintendent at my dorm was keeping watch, and I can’t afford to fail any classes,” Jonathan complained. “Forget about it, man. You don’t wanna have to repeat a year ’cause you got too obsessed with idols. That would just be embarrassing,” Nick said, soothing Jonathan and apologizing to the employee with a look and a quick bow of his head. The employee responded with an exasperated glance but seemed mostly used to this. They left the ticket agency, Nick pushing Jonathan from behind. Jonathan played the part of being frustrated, but once they moved far enough away, his expression turned serious. “A scalper has infiltrated the ticket booth. That employee is probably an accomplice,” he said. “Are they selling the tickets illegally?” Nick asked. “I doubt they’re putting unsold tickets on the black market, but they’re probably leaking information on canceled tickets and customers. The scalper appears when customers plead at the ticket window like I just did.” “Do you think he’ll bite?” “Probably. But he won’t approach me if we’re together, so we need to split up.” “Yell if you need help,” Nick said quietly before raising his voice for another performance. “Give up already, man. Let’s hang out somewhere, then get back to campus. Oh, how about that café? The waitresses are really hot.” “Go back without me! I’m not going to go around flirting; I’ve devoted my life to idols!” Jonathan yelled back. “Tch, fine then, weirdo. Make sure you get back before curfew,” Nick said with an exaggerated shrug. He split up with Jonathan and walked to the café. He pretended to relax as he scanned the crowd for anyone following his friend. “I’ll have a coffee,” Nick called to a staff member.” I’d like it to go.” “Are you free, young man? Sounds like you had an ugly split with your friend,” an amorous waitress asked Nick. She was a houndian, and her sharp ears must have picked up on the performance. “I’m so bored. I’ve been getting no customers today. Do you want to have some fun?” “Ah-ha-ha! You’re beautiful and a flatterer! You shouldn’t tease kids like me, ma’am,” Nick said, trying to laugh her off, but that only seemed to make the waitress like him more. She stepped toward him and smiled suggestively. “I like kids. Do you hate adults?” she asked. The woman softly traced an index finger from Nick’s chest to his chin. His eyes darted around for some way to escape, and from the corner of his vision, he noticed Jonathan being led into a back alley by a suspicious man. “S-sorry, miss. I’m worried about my friend,” he stammered. “Ah… I see that man around here sometimes. He really is suspicious. I wonder if he’s some kind of gangster. If he starts trouble, get your friend and bring him here. I’ll give him shelter,” the waitress said. “Thanks! I might take you up on that!” Nick called back. He slapped money on the table to pay for the coffee and dashed after Jonathan. Fortunately, he didn’t lose sight of them and was able to catch up. The man was wearing what looked like a black mage’s robe with the hood up, and it was difficult to see his face. “Would you be willing to take less for this seat? And this is a legitimate ticket, right?” Jonathan asked. “I won’t force you to buy it. I have other customers,” the man responded. “Huh? W-w-wait, I never said I wouldn’t buy it…” He’s a natural actor, Nick thought, impressed by Jonathan. He was skillfully extending the conversation while acting like a stingy idol fan. “O-okay, fine. I’ll buy it… This investment is more than worth it for Pazzy!” Jonathan declared. “Hmm? Are you a Topaz stan? I thought Amber was your fave,” the man commented. “W-well, there are a lot of people who support Amby, Aggie, and Pazzy as a group. Some people even throw in Diamond.” “…I guess that’s true. Whatever. Agate’s new song was sensational. I want the three of them to sing it together.” “I would die for that.” Nick was surprised by how talkative the man was. He seemed like someone whose hobby had grown until he found a way to make money off it. His customers became accomplices to his wrongdoing, and they didn’t want to betray him, because they thought of him as one of them. Nick couldn’t tell if that was by design or if his love for idols was genuine. “By the way, I have a tip for you. Have you heard the rumor about counterfeit tickets?” the man asked. “I have, but… These aren’t fake, are they?” Jonathan asked. The ticket seller grinned, his mouth barely visible under his hood. “If you doubt me, hold the ticket tight and pray. If your love for idols is true, you will receive the strength of the paladin. That is proof that it is legitimate.” “The paladin? Do you mean the one that saved Agate?” “Ha-ha-ha… You’ll have to find out for yourself.” The man gave Jonathan his ticket without incident. Nick breathed a sigh of relief as he watched from the shadows. Jonathan intentionally avoided Nick as he left the alley and grabbed a carriage to go home. The rest was up to Nick. He took off his robe and hat so that the rustling of his clothes wouldn’t give him away, then entered the back alley to follow the seller. Nick didn’t have much experience with tailing people. He did, however, know how to avoid detection in labyrinths by beasts and monsters with stronger senses than humans. He was currently light as a feather, using Light Body to mute the sound of his footsteps. Not only did the counterfeit-ticket seller he was following not notice him, neither did the people who habitually gathered in the back alleys. He was like a ghost floating by without a physical presence in this world. Back alleys were places of ambiguity. They lacked the light of the main streets, but they didn’t have the decadence of the Garbage Heap, either. They were a zone where beasts maintained the reason to continue wearing their human skin. That final flicker of light before a person fell into total darkness either warped them or returned them to sanity. The back alleys were a crossroads where people were either tempted into deeper darkness or returned to the light of the city. Nick continued to quietly follow the man. He wondered if he was Garos. He knew darkness awaited him, and he tried to keep the animosity down. Eventually, the man dropped a strange piece of paper, and that was when Nick started having trouble keeping track of him. The more Nick tried to concentrate on him, the more difficult it became. Crap, is he using a phantom king orb? Or is it another kind of illusion spell? One way to break an illusion was to say the person’s name. The technique strengthened your conviction about their identity, but it only worked if you got it right. Nick asked himself if the man was Garos. Karan’s words answered him—that there was no guarantee that everything he was afraid of would come true. If he’s not Garos, who is he? Nick considered that as he carefully picked up the piece of paper the man had dropped. He was afraid the man might get away as he picked it up, or that the piece of paper was a trap and the man would attack him, but he pushed that fear aside. It was likely a talisman, but the design was atypical. It somewhat resembled the design that was barely visible on the darkened counterfeit ticket. The paper was a useful clue, but it wouldn’t help him figure out whether the man was Garos. Or maybe it would. The counterfeit-ticket seller might have been a person who couldn’t cover their tracks without relying on this kind of trick. Garos would have noticed he was being tailed with his own senses and shaken off his pursuer without leaving a trace. After some thought, Nick decided to take a chance. “Your name is Eishu,” he muttered. That was the name of one of the blacklisted idol fans and one of Garos’s old companions. Eishu had been drawing and selling moving portraits of idols without permission and sending cursed fan letters that spoke when touched. He used to make talismans in the army but had become a wanted criminal in Labyrinth City. He was definitely capable of making the strange counterfeit tickets, he was obsessed with idols, and he was connected to Garos. Nick said the name with confidence that there wasn’t a better suspect, and the man’s fading shape solidified. Nick’s suspicions about the paper were correct—it was a talisman that cast an illusion spell. It seemed to have a similar effect as a phantom king orb, though not as strong. He was both excited and nervous from successfully dispelling the illusion. He was growing steadily closer to the truth and to danger. He continued to follow the black-robed man, who kept walking for about ten more minutes before suddenly stopping. Nick was afraid the man had noticed him, but fortunately, he hadn’t. “Yo. How’s business?” “…What do you want, Garos?” An insouciant and familiar man emerged from within an alley. Nick was simultaneously shocked to see him and not surprised at all. The man in the robes relaxed and lowered his hood, revealing a face that looked identical to the sketch on the blacklist. He had a writing brush and ink bottle at his hip instead of a sword. Sure enough, the man was Eishu. “What has your panties in a twist? Didn’t make the sale?” Garos asked. “No. You and I had no plans to meet up,” Eishu responded. “Aww. Is that any way to treat a coworker?” “I have to be careful. My face is compromised.” “I swear, you’re way too careless to be a shadowy demon-god worshipper,” Garos said with a snicker. Eishu shrank back, as if something was making his skin crawl. Nick thought the same thing as Garos as he watched the two of them. Eishu was much more careless than he had expected. Why would a person who had been fleeing from the Sun Knights for an extended period of time allow himself to become a wanted criminal with a large bounty on his head? Why was Nick able to trail him? He quickly received the answer to those questions. “That’s only because you took away my phantom king orb! I’m doing the best I can with my makeshift talismans!” Eishu responded angrily. “I never felt this way, but he always hated you. Said you were too hooked on those girls’ songs to even pretend to have a chivalrous bone in your body, or something like that. Well, that aside, it was our employer’s decision. I was powerless to oppose,” Garos said. “But wasn’t it broken in the end? You’re as good as naked,” Eishu responded. It was all starting to make sense. Nick knew why Eishu had ended up on the idol blacklist and become a wanted criminal, even though the demon-god worshippers had shown no trace of themselves until now. It was because they had been using the phantom king orb to hide. The Survivors had robbed them of that tool when they defeated White Mask—or more specifically, destroyed his holy armor. Eishu never would have let himself be discovered if not for the showdown with Nargava. “Back in the day, you never woulda been stupid enough to leave evidence and get a bounty on your head, Eishu, even without a toy like that. This hobby has robbed you of all sense.” Garos sighed. Eishu answered with an unsettling smile. “You wouldn’t understand. Idols give light to those who must remain in the dark.” “Then why the hell’re you harassing them, you dumbass? You were tasked with testin’ the talismans and seein’ if our client’s hypothesis is correct, not makin’ money and messin’ with concerts. Your ancestors would weep if they saw how you’re usin’ the skills they passed down for talismans and woodcutting. Have you forgotten that you’re a wanted criminal now?” “I won’t let bounty hunters or knights get the best of me. The idols will prove equally as strong. They will not let my obstruction break them. They will overcome this trial I am giving them and ascend to greater heights. There is nothing I want to see more.” “Oh, for the love of… You’re being followed right now, you dimwit,” Garos said. There was a malicious aura around him now. Nick didn’t know if Garos had discovered him or if he was about to kill Eishu, but it was time to get out of there. Just as he started to run, however, someone appeared behind him. The person jumped over Nick with incredible speed and landed right in the middle of the argument. “This is over, Eishu and Garos!” the person yelled. “Alice?!” Nick exclaimed. Alice swung her sword forcefully to split up Eishu and Garos. Not willing to let her upstage him, Nick drew his dagger and slashed at Garos. “A Sun Knight…and Nick?!” Garos shouted with astonishment as he blocked Nick’s dagger. “When did you team up with the Sun Knights?!” “This is a coincidence!” Nick yelled back, drawing close to Garos. Facing this man with his blade drawn was terrifying, but he was ready. He was neither trapped by fear of killing him nor hardened completely with deadly resolve. The desire to learn the truth was all the motivation he needed to face him. “You take care of him, Nick,” Alice said. “I’m not working for you,” Nick responded, but a melee suited him. He stood a better chance in a chaotic fight in which flukes could happen than in a contest of proper swordsmanship. “Who’s your employer, Garos? Are they a demon-god worshipper?” Nick asked. “Heh, I ain’t tellin’ you about my client,” Garos answered. “That’s basically a yes! That makes you and Eishu demon-god worshippers, too!” Nick yelled, holding his dagger with a backhand grip and performing a compact strike. Garos avoided it with incredible swordsmanship, smiling wickedly. “You’ve improved, but you’re still not good enough.” “What’s that technique you’re using? You’re either physically teleporting your katana or using illusion magic. When you visited my apartment, you made it look like I knocked your katana into the hallway when it was actually by your side the whole time.” “…Good eye. I’m surprised you’re not rushing to finish me right away. You always had a short fuse.” “I’ve got no reason to stick around and die here. It’s more important that I return with my eyewitness account that you’re a demon-god worshipper. Time is on my side.” That was a lie. Nick actually had to catch Garos before Alice. He was pretending to be at ease, though, which he couldn’t have done without a certain level of preexisting calm. “Too bad for me… You’ve grown, Nick,” Garos praised as he swung his katana up at Nick’s chin. Nick kicked off the ground and wall and barely avoided it. “Eishu’s not White Mask. You are. Was the holy armor completely destroyed?” Nick asked. “See if you can figure it out. Study the feel of my hands, my breathing, and my mana waves. That’ll give you the truth even if I don’t answer,” Garos said. Nick threw a punch, and Garos sneered and countered. Neither attack landed. Even so, they were steadily pushing their fight toward its conclusion, as if advancing pieces on a game board or solving a formula. “You can tell if a person’s lying by their breathing,” Nick said. “That’s right. You know more than I thought,” Garos replied. “Once you know a person’s breathing, you know their rhythm. And grasping their rhythm will let you feel their emotions. There’s no doubt about it. You’re White Mask. Your back and stomach are still injured.” “You should never hesitate to target a wound or a weakness. But if you focus on it too much, you’ll get predictable.” “Why is Eishu selling counterfeit tickets?” “’Cause he’s obsessed with idols. Seems he’s tryin’ to support them by givin’ them some trial to overcome. Are all idol weirdos that way?” “Some do get carried away, but you can’t manifest that by using deceptive talismans to attack them. That’s just nuts. Why is he sending fans into a frenzy and giving them power anyway? Does he think he’s some kind of ancient shaman? Those went out of style centuries ago.” “Oh, you know that part, too… Guess there’s no reason to keep my mouth shut. Well deduced. A shaman can produce a boatload of mana by putting themselves or their followers into a trancelike state. What about you, eh? What’s your game?” “What are you talking about?” “Huh? …Whoops, I said too much.” “What?” Just then, Garos’s breathing and rhythm shifted. He regained his focus slightly faster than Nick and slashed his katana at his neck. Nick forced himself back and dodged it by a millimeter, but Garos kicked his shins with such weight, it felt like an iron club. “Ngh…!” Nick grunted as the blow knocked him off his feet and sent him flying backward. Garos’s attack was even swifter and more brutal than when Olivia had knocked him out of the office building. He twisted his body as hard as he could to avoid crashing back-first into the brick corner of an abandoned house and landed gracefully. “Crap… You can use Stepping,” Nick cursed. “You’ve gotten much better at tailing people, but you don’t stand a chance against me in close combat.” Garos smirked. He didn’t just use Stepping for movement. He could switch between Light Body and Heavy Body in a tenth of a second to control the subtleties of a fight and increase the speed of his attacks, or even apply the two spells to individual body parts including his arms, shoulders, back, and legs to produce a flow of strength and an abnormal speed that wasn’t possible with muscle alone. Nick knew just how complete Garos’s skill was as he scrambled for distance. “Tch!” Nick normally fought by threatening his opponent with his dagger and pressing them with his martial arts skill and joint locks. That strategy worked against Nargava. Unfortunately, Garos knew Nick’s signature moves. Nick had learned many of them from Garos, and his former comrade’s skill at each surpassed his own. He had planned to make up for that by using Stepping, but it turned out Garos was proficient at that as well. “Here’s a tip for you, Nick. Don’t leap around like a grasshopper against a superior opponent. If they catch you while you’re in the air, you’re finished. I’m bad at jumping but good at crossing blades,” Garos said. “You think you know everything, do you?!” Nick yelled back. “All right, playtime is over… Try and dodge this.” Garos stepped back and sheathed his katana. He was about to perform his signature move—a draw slash. Nick had seen him sever steel-like monster shells using the deadly force with which he could whip his katana out of its sheath. But he was more than familiar with the extremely fast attack, and given that Garos wasn’t disguising it at all, he knew he could dodge it. He had even figured out how Garos was able to manage such speed. Despite Nick’s confidence, however, a chill ran down his back. He heard an eerie ringing that seemed to be coming from vibrating air. Garos’s katana was likely the source or, more specifically, a strange metal ball attached to its sheath. There was a straight gash cut into the ball, and it rattled with a hollow sound as it swayed back and forth. When magical light began to spill out of it, Nick could sense it about to explode in a torrent of power. “Shit! He’s about to do something! Run!” Nick shouted. He glanced behind him and saw Alice cornering Eishu, who was trying to hold her off by throwing out fire and ice spells with reckless abandon. Talismans were single-use items that could be used to quickly cast spells by skipping the need for chanting or gathering mana. You could continue to use them as long as you had the stamina. Talismans had drawbacks, however. They contained a limited amount of mana and drew from the user when they didn’t have enough for a spell. They were also very expensive, and given their disposable nature, they cost significantly more to use as a primary weapon than magic items. Anyone who could overcome those disadvantages and make good use of them made for a formidable opponent. At least, that should have been the case, but Alice was blocking each of the spells with ease. As far as Nick could tell, she was going to have no trouble arresting Eishu. He would be an extremely valuable lead. Then the tremendous explosion of light that erupted from Garos’s katana upended everything. “Grk…” Nick’s mind went fuzzy for a moment, and it took a few seconds for his vision to return. He looked around and saw surprisingly little damage. Trash and rubble had been strewn across the alley, but there was no significant damage to the surrounding buildings and walls. Unsurprisingly, Garos was gone. He had used the explosion to escape. “He only intended to blind us with that explosion. It was bright and loud but did no damage. He got us good,” Nick said. “What do you mean?” Alice asked. She’d regained her vision, too, and looked around while rubbing her eyes. “Garos killed Eishu. I should’ve realized that’s why he was here,” Nick answered, pointing at something. Alice looked in that direction and gasped. Eishu’s body stood there, headless and bleeding from the neck. His talisman pouch and head were nowhere to be seen. The corpse collapsed to the ground with a thump, signaling the end of the battle—and the start of a new case.
Chapter 71
33 min read