A Scene of Slaughter “There are monsters up ahead. I can smell ’em.” The speaker was tall and slender, with forearms covered in yellow-and-black fur. He had sharp claws and a feline tail, the traits of a tigerian, who were known for their strength. However, it was his rough haircut—something between a human hairstyle and a desperate attempt to tame a beast’s overgrown mane—and his bored, arrogant expression that truly conveyed his personality. He did not seem like the type to fight for peace. He was currently hunched down on the smooth floor like an animal following the scent of its prey. “…Walk straight down this corridor, and we’ll get ambushed by monsters on both sides,” he said. They were on the fifth floor belowground of the Colosseum of Carnage. The difficulty of the labyrinth was unknown, as no one had ever reached the bottom. There was a barrier inside that obstructed all magical attacks cast without physical contact, requiring all who braved its dark depths to stake their lives on their martial might. Knowing that, the man and the Survivors proceeded with caution. “How d’you know?” Nick asked. The man answered without turning around. “There’s a sensor for counting people, but there’s no sign of a physical trap.” “Does the labyrinth really need to count people?” Nick asked. “It does. No point in flooding the corridor with monsters if there’s only one or two people in it. A bunch of ’em would end up killin’ each other by accident. If there’s a larger crowd of people, the monsters will know to fight defensively and win by attrition. Even labyrinths have limited resources.” “…I didn’t know labyrinths considered things like that.” “This knowledge isn’t free, Nick. Add that to my reward.” “Tell that to the knight who hired us if we make it out of here alive, Leon.” This was Leon, the former leader of the Iron Tiger Troop and current criminal suspect. He had swapped his shabby prisoners’ uniform for light armor, yet somehow his physique was just as impressive as it had been before he was imprisoned in the Law Preservation Center. He had regained his muscular adventurer’s figure. “Remember, you wouldn’t be back to your old self without the Sword of Might,” Nick said. “And for that I’m eternally grateful,” Leon replied. “Almost enough to forget the fact you’re the reason I got thrown in prison and lost all that weight in the first place.” “I’m so glad to see you committed to your training program! I’m here to support you as you continue your fitness journey!” the Sword of Might cheered, oblivious to the sarcasm. “Th-thanks,” Leon responded half-heartedly. “…Nick, what is it about you that attracts all these weird swords?” “You’re one to talk,” Nick said, observing the tigerian’s blade. One thing about Leon’s appearance stood out even more than his signature tigerian fur or his burly physique, and that was the ominous greatsword sheathed on his back. The jewel embedded in its guard shone like the eye of a large carnivore. It was the Sword of Evolution, the holy sword Leon had found and the Survivors had sealed away. “…If anyone here is weird, it is you all. And stop calling me the Sword of Evolution. I am the Sword of Ruin.” “So dramatic. That title was given to you by others after an adventure. You do not have to use it yourself,” Bond said with a sneer. He and the other holy sword did not see eye to eye. “Wh-what was that?! How about I call you the Sword of Immorality?! Or even better, the Sword of Idol Stans!” the Sword of Evolution yelled. “Excuse me?! How dare you insult me like that after I took the time to give you videos and books to help you stave off boredom! So ungrateful!” “You have terrible taste! How was I supposed to enjoy those immoral works?!” “Don’t blame me! I got them from my party members! Anyway, you two are temporary Survivors, so you need to follow our way of doing things! And that means not criticizing our hobbies!” The team making its way through the Colosseum of Carnage consisted of Nick, Zem, and Bond of the Survivors; the Sword of Might, who had gradually come to see Nick as her wielder; and finally, Leon and the Sword of Evolution. This final member of the party was essential to Nick’s plan for defeating Argus and the Sword of Tasuki. The Sword of Evolution had once fought Nick and Tiana while manipulating Leon, but he had lost that fight. Afterward, the Survivors locked him away on the bottom floor of the Labyrinth of Bonds, where Bond had been sealed away for centuries. Bond had control of the labyrinth’s security, which made it the perfect hiding place. He had lost some control over the labyrinth, as evidenced by the rogue amalgam golem, but he had been sneaking down into its halls ever since to repair the security system. The Adventurers Guild had no more use for the labyrinth—which didn’t even exist on paper—so getting inside undetected was easy. The elevator leading directly to the depths worked, too. Bond then had the idea to create an isolated room on the bottom floor of the labyrinth for the Sword of Evolution. No one would steal him, and the Adventurers Guild and the Order of the Sun Knights wouldn’t find him there, either. Despite the destruction the Sword of Evolution had caused in the city, however, Bond had felt some sympathy for his fellow weapon. He had been imprisoned in the same way, after all. So he had occasionally snuck into the labyrinth with gifts—orbs with voice recordings of idols, dragon-racing magazines and almanacs from Tiana, and gourmet magazines from Karan. Zem had recommended some books as well, but Bond’s code of ethics had prevented him from sharing those. When Bond chose to call in a favor for the current crisis, he had trusted that these kindnesses, in addition to the safe hiding place from the Adventurers Guild and the Sun Knights, would be enough. However, unsurprisingly, the Sword of Evolution was complaining every step of the way. He was still upset that they’d locked him away without considering his wishes. And now Bond and the Sword of Evolution were arguing over every little thing. “What kind of name is the Survivors anyway?! Was that the first thing that came to mind? You simpletons have no naming sense whatsoever!” the Sword of Evolution said. “At least we’re not trying to be all edgy like you!” Bond fired back. Leon sighed as they argued. “I’m just glad that I’m outta prison, and you should be, too. I don’t give a damn about anything else.” However, the odds of the Sword of Evolution being acquitted were extremely slim. Once he was charged with the crimes of inciting Leon to assault a Sun Knight and destroy a casino, his situation would undoubtedly get much worse. He could even be sentenced to destruction. Fortunately, the Sword of Evolution was far more upset about the Sword of Tasuki’s plot than anything else. The Sword of Evolution saw humans as inferior, and Nick and the others worried that he might side with the Sword of Tasuki. Surprisingly, however, the Sword of Evolution had been furious to hear about the current situation. “You cannot mean that, Leon. The Sword of Tasuki is dangerous,” the Sword of Evolution said. “…Didn’t expect to hear that from you. You see people as little better than animals,” replied Leon. “Don’t misunderstand me. I do not wish for human society to be destroyed. I may see no value in protecting the countries of people who have forgotten the virtue of ancient times; however, I find any comparisons to the Sword of Tasuki and his destructive ideals offensive.” While it was true the Sword of Evolution sneered at modern humanity, he had a certain respect for the people of the ancient civilization—who forged the holy swords—and the Originators. It was precisely because he held the past civilizations in such high esteem that he could not forgive the depravity of humans today. His holy sword ability was revolutionary, but his ideology was as conservative as could be. The Sword of Evolution would never admit this, but once he realized that the idol culture Bond had shared with him was rooted in ancient times, he could not bring himself to deny it completely. As he watched, he even found himself having opinions: This is surprisingly artistic, and She’s getting by on looks alone and Her voice is awful, and she has no rhythm and She’ll never make it as an idol. In the end, the Sword of Evolution reluctantly agreed to cooperate on one condition: that Leon be brought along. “You sure didn’t seem to care for humanity when you turned me into that monster,” Leon said bitterly. The Sword of Evolution scoffed. “That was nothing. If humans can use swords as tools, why is it wrong for an intelligent sword such as myself to use a human? Especially one driven solely but greed and fear… You made a living manipulating such good-for-nothing fools, did you not?” “I won’t deny it.” “Leon. If you want to be more than my plaything, you need to act with purpose. Inferior beings react on instinct alone; you must fight for more than avoiding pain or fear, and use your wits for more than staving off starvation. Otherwise, you’re no better.” “I could say the same to you. You wanna know why you lost to that pipsqueak? It’s because you think you’re so much better than everybody else. You misjudged the situation and failed to update your knowledge. And yet you call me inferior.” The Sword of Evolution groaned. “…You have me there. I was right to choose you as my wielder.” “We’re just stuck with each other. That’s all.” Strangely, the Sword of Evolution still acknowledged Leon as his wielder. And despite the sword’s manipulation of him, Leon didn’t refuse when he received the summons. He simply grimaced in annoyance and went along with it. “Then give this your all. This is your chance to achieve something far greater than getting back in shape,” Nick said. “Think I don’t know that?” Leon retorted. Once Leon was on board, Nick had asked Alice to request a conditional release from the Law Enforcement Center. She bargained for him to be enlisted in the Volunteer Protection Program, which was offered to those who loyally served the Sun Knights. The program offered participants rewards and reductions in their sentence in exchange for taking on dangerous missions such as offering information on criminal organizations they were a part of or infiltrating a group as a spy. Leon’s crimes were not light, however. He never would have been granted this opportunity if not for the disorder in the Sun Knights’ chain of command. “That’s enough talk. They’re coming,” Leon said, raising his hand to stop the others. They all quietly drew their weapons and assumed ready positions. The shutter-style door before them rose slowly, revealing strange monsters standing in perfect order. “Are those ogres wielding swords? There’s other types of monsters, too. What are they?” Nick asked. There were ogre swordfighters among the monsters, but that wasn’t all. There was also a wolf-headed monster equipped with armor and a sword, an octopus with unnatural legs, a dark vapor monster that assumed a human shape and wore armor, and more—twenty in total. They were all close in height and wore similar equipment, but a variety of species were represented. “…Those are berserkers—monsters that sharpened their skills over countless battles until the demon god recognized them as warriors and evolved them. They rank far higher than ordinary monsters,” Bond said. “…Be careful. Only monsters that have survived a great many battles get chosen to become berserkers,” the Sword of Might warned. The berserkers certainly carried themselves differently than ordinary monsters. Despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, they only watched the Survivors, and they appeared calm and collected in their determination to kill. “Are you going to use me, Nick?” Bond asked. “It’s not your time yet. You should save your strength,” he replied. “Come on, surely using me a little wouldn’t hurt?” “No. I don’t need you. I’m gonna rush in and confuse them. I want you to pick them off from the outside. The corridor’s cramped, so be careful.” “You don’t need to use my power! I just want you to wield me!” “It is obvious you just want to outshine me. Nick, do not let this diminutive show-off push you around,” the Sword of Evolution said. “Urgh, I am so sick of you! You’re the one who wants to show off!” Bond fumed. He truly did appear to have a sense of rivalry with the other holy sword. “Focus, you two. Get your sword under control, Nick,” Leon warned. “…You’re the last person I want to hear that from, but yeah, sorry. Come on, Bond,” Nick said. “I know, I know. I’ll get serious. I’m surprised by how calm you two are,” replied Bond. “You were joking? You should’ve made that clear,” exclaimed Nick. “I was half serious!” said Bond. He had been trying to lighten the mood to relieve tension, but Nick and Leon were surprisingly calm. “Are you okay, Mr. Zem?” the Sword of Might asked. Zem smiled at her concern. “These monsters look quite fearsome. However, do you really believe they have been through a harsher training regimen than yours?” “Don’t make me laugh. These monsters should be a cakewalk for you all after completing my program. If you struggle with them, you might as well go home and pack your bags… At least, I think Olivia would have said something like that.” The berserkers brandished their weapons as if provoked by her words. They moved with perfect coordination that would normally be impossible for monsters. Even an order of knights would have been impressed by their discipline and fighting spirit. “Let’s do this. I’ll run ahead and disturb their formation,” Nick said. He stretched, showing no fear in the face of the approaching monsters. Their first battle in the Colosseum of Carnage was about to begin. The monsters couldn’t believe what happened next. One moment Nick was standing before them, and the next, he was behind the whole pack, and blood was spurting from the necks of multiple berserkers. “Graaaaah!” Nick had slipped through the monsters, his movement as untraceable as a ghost’s, slashing their necks as he passed. He was all the way on the other side of them before the monsters even processed what had happened. “Take that!” “Parallel!” Leon swung his broad-bladed sword, and Bond split into five copies of himself, each wielding a one-handed sword and using it to toy with the monsters. The berserkers’ front line was already crumbling. They couldn’t restrain Nick behind them, and they couldn’t withstand Leon and Bond’s furious frontal assault, either. A monster moved to attack Leon, and Nick immediately beheaded it. Five more moved to stand in Nick’s way, acting as shields in the cramped corridor to let the rest of the beserkers regroup. “Warden’s Chains, bind these sinners.” Chains slithered across the floor like snakes and wrapped around the monsters. They were a magic item called Warden’s Chains—the very same weapon that Nargava used. They could be moved freely with mana to tie up enemies or wrap around the user’s body and serve as armor, making them incredibly convenient. Alice had given the chains to the party almost as an afterthought when she released Leon. Neither Nick nor Leon had the ability to make good use of them, however. A lot of practice was required to learn how to wrap them around pillars and protrusions and swing around like Nargava did. That wasn’t actually their intended use—according to Alice, Warden’s Chains were typically provided to knights for capturing criminals and bandits. Nargava himself had been a knight before becoming a priest, so he may have acquired them through a past connection before coming to Labyrinth City. Given the chains’ intended use of capturing enemies, Zem was the fittest to wield them. All that was needed was the ability to send mana into the chains and direct them toward the intended target. “Woo-hoo, you just earned a passing grade! Your training in my Supreme Strength Program is clearly paying off!” the Sword of Might praised them all excitedly. Nick, Zem, and Leon had all gotten stronger thanks to the Sword of Might’s abilities. “Yeah. I can tell the difference after training in that imaginary world,” Nick said. “I can also perform spells I learned in there without any difficulty,” agreed Zem. “…I don’t ever wanna go through that again, though,” Leon spat with a thousand-yard stare. Nick and Zem nodded in full agreement. The Supreme Strength Program was an ancient training method and ritual spell. The Sword of Might used it to invite trainees into a mental world of her creation and put their bodies and souls through an intensive workout. She appeared in the world with a mental body to offer training exercises, which included fighting off a relentless horde of Swords of Might, re-challenging strong foes from the participant’s past, and more harsh trials. Time held little meaning in that world. A person could train for a night, a week, or a month with little time passing in the real world; however, training for a year or more wasn’t recommended because of the imbalance it could create between the person’s soul and body. Despite that danger, Nick, Zem, and Leon had all trained for about one year. To put it in other terms, they had each spent a year repeatedly fighting and dying brutally at the hands of Argus and White Mask. “You all were so amazing. Most people would have given up before they finished the program,” the Sword of Might said. “…Olivia probably would’ve chained our necks to prevent us from running. She was a real dumbass, but she didn’t take it easy on trainees,” Nick said, a hint of nostalgia creeping into his voice despite the insult. “Oh…,” said the Sword of Might, feeling inferior after hearing Nick’s comment. “…Sorry. I’m not complaining about your training. You did great,” he assured her. “But…if I had been able to help you all grow even stronger…” “If you couldn’t do it, no one could.” In truth, Nick and the rest of the party hadn’t defeated the imaginary Argus once during their training—something the Sword of Might still regretted. “We gotta face the facts, though. Do you think this plan will work?” Leon asked. “You worry too much. Do you doubt my abilities?” the Sword of Evolution responded. “I wasn’t asking you,” Leon replied. “Your power all depends on whether the person using you can draw it out.” “What a timid mindset,” the Sword of Evolution sniffed, but he seemed to have no further comment. “What do you think, Nick?” Leon asked. “…We can’t beat them in a fair fight. But we’ll find a way to win,” Nick answered resolutely. It was impossible to imagine a worse situation or a stronger foe, but Nick and the others still believed they had a chance of success. The party pressed on, and each room brought new monsters and challenges. One floor required them to fight a horde like the one from earlier, while the next required them to watch their step and deactivate traps. On another floor, they had to defeat monsters while arrows and stones shot at them out of the walls—they got through it by having Zem and Bond block the projectiles while Nick and Leon fought back the monsters. They also worked their way down a pitch-black floor; Nick used Magic Sense to guide them as they fought there, too. But all that was nothing compared to the scare they experienced next. “Hey… D-do something, now!” Leon wheezed. “Don’t talk… You’ll pass out… Crap!” Nick cursed. “Ngh… Celestial Resistance!” chanted Zem. They had encountered a vicious trap that deprived them of oxygen, and Zem cast a newly learned spell to save them. “This spell will last five minutes! Hurry!” he yelled. “Okay… There should be an orb around here that produces air! Look for it!” Nick shouted. “Mr. Nick, cast Magic Sense as soon as you catch your breath!” said the Sword of Might. “Already did! Bond, it’s below the floor! Hold off the monsters until I rip it out!” “Must you be so hard on me…?! Arrrgghh!” Bond screamed, charging at the monsters. Once they’d completed the tenth floor, the party took a short breather. They were yet to face any truly close calls, but their fatigue was starting to show. “You’re not the scrawny pushover I thought you were, priest,” Leon said, sitting on the floor after they had deactivated all the traps. “My role may be to support you all from the rear, but I cannot be a weak link. Especially in a place as brutal as this,” Zem said. “Don’t call yourself that… Is what that old man said still bothering you?” Nick asked, concerned. Zem smiled self-deprecatingly. Nick was talking about Nargava, who had gotten the upper hand against the Survivors by relentlessly targeting Zem and calling him the party’s weak link. “…Yes. Those words were painful for me to hear. I cannot allow myself to fall. I fully trust you to defend me, but that does not mean I can leave myself defenseless,” he said. “Got it. Just be careful,” replied Nick. “I will. That said, I am more worried about you all than myself. You’re pushing yourselves incredibly hard. You try to act normal, but I feel it when we fight,” Zem said. “I don’t—” Nick began to argue, but he stopped when he saw the serious look on Zem’s face. “This may be an irresponsible thing to say, but do not think of this as a battle we cannot afford to lose. We should consider returning to the surface to regroup and try again in the event of something unexpected. Pressing on when we are struggling could invite disaster.” “That might work for you guys, but my freedom is ridin’ on this. I might get a reduction on my indemnities, too. I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that we don’t have a time limit, either. There’s a Stampede up there, and you’re soft in the head if you think we’re gettin’ any extra support,” Leon argued angrily. Zem continued, unoffended by the tigerian’s rudeness. “…Are you really only fighting for yourself and for money?” “What was that?” responded Leon. “You’re working very hard. It’s reassuring,” said Zem. “You wouldn’t know it from how much he’s complaining,” Nick argued. Zem chuckled. “Most adventurers are prone to a little foul language. But I don’t know if you will be able to maintain your motivation for the long haul, Leon. I won’t say anything about risking your life in the heat of battle, but we are still far from the bottom floor. We are not even certain of how many days this will take.” “Worried I’ll burn myself out? Hah, don’t compare me to an amateur like yourself, priest.” “I wouldn’t dream of it,” said Zem, unbothered by his insult. “But I want to hear your reason for fighting before we move on.” “I don’t gotta tell you anything,” the tigerian grunted, stone-faced. “Perhaps not, but we are all in the same boat here. I want us to eliminate all doubts about each other sooner rather than later. You shouldn’t hesitate to ask us any questions, either. It is dangerous to be ignorant of your comrades on a life-or-death mission such as this.” “‘All in the same boat,’ my ass. Did you forget about this collar, priest?” Leon jabbed his thumb at his thick neck in annoyance. There was a silver ring and lock around it. It symbolized his wish to join the Volunteer Protection Program, but it looked and functioned entirely like a collar. It was meant to show that he stood below the rest of the party. People assigned to supervise a prisoner in Leon’s position were given an orb by the Sun Knights. The orb could be used to tighten the collar around the prisoner’s neck when they disobeyed orders or acted rebelliously. The collar was configured so it wouldn’t choke the prisoner to death, but it did immediately immobilize them. It was a tool to stamp out all thoughts of freedom or resistance. “How about we destroy it?” Zem suggested. “It makes me terribly uncomfortable as well.” “…Huh? Did I hear that right?” Leon responded, astonished. He instinctively covered the keyhole with his hand when he realized Zem was serious. “Your hand is in the way,” Zem said bluntly. “Th-the hell’re you doing? What idiot would free a criminal?!” “That collar is doing nothing anyway. Only magic tools as powerful as holy swords or ancient relics function down here. I suspect we would have to be close enough to feel your breath for the orb’s signal to reach the collar.” Zem approached Leon, leaning in close enough to indeed feel the other man’s breath. “You guys’re gonna be punished for this, too!” Leon protested. “All we have to do is put it back on when we’re done. There is also no small chance that there won’t even be an Order of the Sun Knights by then. We ourselves might not make it back alive. If the collar will be a distraction in the deadly battles to come, it would be best to remove it.” Nick and Bond watched, knowing not to interfere when Zem got like this. “He’s serious, Leon,” Nick assured him. “That’s right. Zem does not mess around,” Bond said. “Then don’t just stand there!” Leon shouted, stepping back. “To be honest, I did not like you,” Zem told the tigerian. “I hated you, even. Deceiving a gambling addict is a wicked thing to do. You saw weakness in his heart and used it for your own gain. If you had made a living off of your eloquence and acting skills, you would still be a free man.” He was referring to Leon’s past, before he was arrested and before he made a mess of the casino. Leon had convinced the owner of a bar called Sparrow Port to accompany him to a gambling parlor, where he had cheated and bled the man dry. “Heh, I made a lotta money off him… Donny, I mean. He spoke of all these grand dreams, but he had no work ethic at all. He thought he was workin’ hard and that he would be rewarded for it one day, but he didn’t know his incompetence was the cause of all his problems. He was the perfect mark. All he needed was a little push to go tumblin’ down the slope,” said Leon. “Just like what happened to you?” Zem asked. “…Yeah. That’s right.” “Did you want to prove that all people are the same beneath the surface?” “Are you tryin’ to say you guys’re different from me? That’s what that Tiana girl said.” Zem shook his head. “I find myself overcome with kindness whenever I find someone just as depraved as I am. I sympathize with people who struggle to stay afloat after getting swept away by the polluted waters of society, and my heart hurts for those who give up and let themselves sink. The people I can’t stand are the ones who never get their feet wet and go through life entirely clean. I prefer ordinary people who have to make the best of unstable situations.” A bead of sweat ran down Leon’s face. “You remember the name of the man you deceived. You feel a little different than the last time I saw you,” Zem told him. “Prison changes a man.” “Yes, I know just what you mean. You emerge as an entirely different person.” “Hah, what could you possibly know? Do you understand what it feels like to be locked in a cramped, dirty room? This loser’s the only visitor I ever get. Otherwise it’s me and the shitty guards.” “I understand it well. There is very little to see in a cell. Your sensitivity to sound grows over time.” “Yeah…” “The guards’ constant mockery and threats are torture, but it is almost preferable to the times when they ignore you for weeks on end and occasionally forget to deliver your two daily meals.” “…Th-that’s true.” “Your voice reverberates off the walls of your tiny cell when you speak. You know it’s just an echo, but you feel comforted by that fleeting reminder you’re still alive. Do that for long enough, and you start hearing voices that are not your own, which fills you with a fleeting ecstasy at finally having someone to talk to. That is not possible, of course. The guards have forgotten about you and gone to bed. Either that, or they’re playing cards far enough away that they can’t hear you.” “…I haven’t gone that far off the deep end,” Leon said. He looked to Nick for help, but the other man didn’t have any idea, either, how to stop Zem when he got going like this. “That is why I feel a strange sympathy toward you. What is your goal here?” Zem asked. He had a knack for finding the keyhole to other people’s hearts. He was especially sensitive to others like him. Many such people lived in disorderly worlds such as the red-light district and the Garbage Heap. Something about Leon’s aura reminded him of himself. “…I was once in a party called the Silver Tiger Troop,” said Leon. “I told you a little about that, Nick.” “I did some investigating afterward. It was your first party,” Nick said. “Yeah. We made a bit of a name for ourselves, but it all came crashing down when my party members killed each other over some treasure. It was an embarrassing end.” The Silver Tiger Troop had been an adventurers’ party led by Leon’s now deceased older brother. He was an expert on ruins and deciphering ancient texts, and the party was well known for conquering many difficult trap-filled labyrinths. But as Leon had said, a rift formed between the party members over how to allocate valuable magic items they found in a difficult B-rank labyrinth called Mechanical Moon Facility, and they all killed each other. In a strange coincidence, Leon had met a certain man just before the Silver Tiger Troop self-destructed. “You all were tricked by Callios…er, the Sword of Tasuki.” “Yep. He called himself a magic item merchant, but that was bullshit. He lied about his background to appear like an honest merchant and gave us a fake offer for the magic items. The deal sounded way too good to be true, but I think he might’ve said some things to inspire distrust among my party members, or he deceived them with a bewitching spell.” “…So he lied about his background. That checks out with what I’ve heard,” Nick said. “I couldn’t tell you exactly how he operates. But he vanishes like smoke once a job is done, leaving only his name,” Leon told him. Nick nodded, thinking back to Karan’s story. “I’ve had my doubts about that. Why would he operate under the name Callios? Magic item brokers need name recognition to be successful, but he could’ve easily used a fake one,” Leon continued. “He could be bound by his name like Olivia and Diamond. He’s a holy sword, after all,” reasoned Nick. “Probably. That’s why I’m not really after Callios’s head. It’s not revenge I want,” Leon told them. “Huh?” Nick responded. “Really?” Zem asked. They both looked surprised. “The truth is my old party members were all idiots for letting that scumbag deceive them. I can’t deny that, and I can’t hide what I’ve done, either. We made mistakes, and I’ve sure made a mess of things since,” Leon said. “…Then what do you want?” Nick asked. “There’s a good chance the Colosseum of Carnage is tougher than an A-rank labyrinth. The monsters we’ve fought so far were just the beginning. The monsters and traps are only gonna get worse from here on out.” “For sure.” “If we get through this place and reach the truth, I can prove my strength as the sole survivor of the Silver Tiger Troop. I don’t care about clearing our name. We may live in infamy forever. But this accomplishment would connect my party to something that matters. Then my old comrades might be able to rest in peace.” Adventurers were vain people. They could make a hundred mistakes, but at the end of the day, all they cared about was how strong they were. No matter how foolish, or how much of an outcast they were, it was their one small source of pride. Neither Nick nor Zem could deny that. “Anyway…there’s somethin’ I’m dyin’ to see,” Leon added with a grin. “What’s that?” asked Nick. “The fact that Callios is operatin’ openly and on such a large scale means the demon-god worshippers are in the final stage of their plans. We’re in a tight spot, but this is also our chance to corner them. It’s not too late for all his carefully laid plans to come tumblin’ down. Don’t you wanna see that smug-faced bastard cry?” “Hell yeah,” Nick said. “I do indeed,” Zem agreed. “I think that is in poor taste, but I won’t deny it,” commented Bond. “I have the same wish,” said the Sword of Evolution. “H-huh…” The Sword of Might was the only one not to emphatically agree. The others laughed maliciously, their voices echoing off the walls of the labyrinth. “Priest. Take off the collar,” Leon said. “Are you sure?” asked Zem. “I’m not just asking ’cause I want to be free. We’re gonna need full use of my senses from here on, and this’ll only get in the way.” “…Understood.” Zem nodded to Nick, who swung the Sword of Might lightly at the metal ring. The lock clanged to the floor, cut neatly in half. “Phew… Didn’t expect that to feel so good,” Leon said. “We’re all accomplices now. Don’t screw this up,” Nick warned him. “Watch who you’re talkin’ to, amateur.” Nick and Leon clashed, but their attitudes weren’t nearly as hostile as their words, and the tigerian even accepted the suggestion that they consider temporarily withdrawing. The party spent the next two weeks working their way through the labyrinth, taking regular breaks on the way down. They developed a sense for the labyrinth’s idiosyncrasies and structure over time, and they guessed they were about halfway to the bottom. Nothing, however, could have prepared them for the shocking sight they found on the next floor. The monsters had already been slaughtered, and even more disturbingly, the room was strewn with the corpses of adventurers and knights. “What the hell…? I thought this guy was supposed to be on the bottom floor,” Leon said, breaking out in a cold sweat. “I see you’ve added a new face. Not that it’ll do much good once it’s severed from his shoulders,” a large man said. He rushed at Leon with a speed that was astounding for his size and swung his sword with perfect grace. Leon hurriedly blocked the blow with his own sword, visibly surprising the man. “So this is the real deal… I hope the Sword of Might didn’t go easy on us.” The man standing before them was Argus.
Chapter 88
30 min read