CHAPTER 5

The Simian Lord’s Malice

Part I: Vice Captain of the White Night Brigade

Nayuta led the way to a Healer clinic; an update on the status of the stampede response mission reached us while my friends received treatment there. Adeline came to deliver the news in person and met us in the lobby. She told us she’d provided backup support in defeating the remaining Death Stalkers.

“Commander Seraphina, I’ve come to provide the latest report! The stampede emanating from five-star labyrinth The Dead Sea Sands has been successfully quelled! As you may have guessed, the greatest contribution to the mission was provided by Mr. Ato—”

“A-Adeline, would you please keep your voice down a bit…? We all worked together to suppress the stampede.”

“…M-my apologies. I was just too excited to share the good news…”

“Adeline, where are Third-Class Dragon Captain Kozelka and Dragon Sergeant Khosrow now?”

“They are currently conducting a sweep of the area with the main District Five Guild Saviors platoon. They instructed me to direct our guests to their lodgings as they will not return for some time yet. We have stand-alone accommodations reserved for Advanced Seekers; would these be all right with you, Mr. Atobe?”

“Yes, that would be a great help, thank you. Some of my friends aren’t done with their treatment yet. Could you take us there after that?”

Theresia and Elitia both needed their wounds treated, but fortunately none was severe enough to leave a scar. The Healers had also helped restore Suzuna’s magic, and she was already feeling much better.

“After you and your party defeated the Named Monster, Mr. Atobe, the rest of the Death Stalkers’ attacks significantly weakened, and many Seekers residing in District Five turned out to help eliminate them,” explained Adeline. “All told, about five hundred Seekers contributed their efforts to the cause. However, I imagine the promise of maintaining their contribution points without having to step foot in a labyrinth inspired at least some of them into action; getting just one attack in would suffice for that.”

“I see… Those were some vicious monsters to contend with. I don’t blame anyone for sitting out that fight, even Seekers who’ve worked their way to District Five.”

“The Dead Sea Sands is a notoriously dangerous labyrinth. Death Stalkers are known to burrow into the sand and attack unsuspecting Seekers. I expect plenty of people who live here had never seen one before today. They’re hard to avoid if you stay long enough, though, given those yearly stampedes.”

Living in the Labyrinth Country meant accepting a certain level of risk that a stampede could break out at any moment. You weren’t required to join in the fight once it did, but it was always a good idea to prepare measures to protect yourself for when the time came. That was obviously a higher hurdle for support staff and artisans since they had fewer opportunities to maintain their levels or hone their battle skills. It’s one reason I believed every Seeker who was able should pitch in, though I knew you couldn’t force people. Everyone, ourselves included, ought to contribute however they could without pushing themselves too far outside their comfort zones.

“If I may be blunt… I can’t tell you how unprecedented it is for a party of Advanced Seekers to come out on top in terms of contributions during a stampede. I’ll bet the District Five Guild Saviors headquarters is going crazy over this.”

“Y-you don’t say…”

“Oh… Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean they’re going to come to you with tons of extremely dangerous missions out of the blue or anything. In any event, a Seeker’s duty is to explore the labyrinths however they see fit.”

“Thank you, Adeline,” I said.

“Please, we should be thanking you… Now then, I’ll start on those arrangements with the apartment while we wait for the rest of your party. You are nine people in total, correct?”

We were nine strong for the moment since Seraphina had received special orders to join our group, ten if you counted Louisa. I was about to explain this to Adeline when I saw Madoka walking in with Ceres and Steiner.

“Arihito, what a relief you’re okay… Although I am worried about that Theresia girl. That must have been a mighty attack to have completely ruined her bodysuit.”

“I wish I could share my armor with her.”

“What sort of nonsense are you spouting? Your Living Armor is there to protect your— Oh, never mind. We came to do our part as professionals. Is there a rental workshop we could use?”

“Yes, there is an opening at a workshop near the apartment building. So, Mr. Atobe, what do you plan to do while you’re in the district?” Adeline asked.

“Actually, there’s a labyrinth we’d like to check out, time permitting. To be honest, that’s part of the reason we decided to accept the request to join this mission.”

“You certainly waste no time… B-but I do apologize, I’m not familiar enough with the relevant regulations to know if that kind of permission is something you could get so quickly after skipping a district to come here…”

I probably needed to ask Louisa to look into that for us. We had only so much time to wait, given the circumstances, and ideally I wanted to raid the labyrinth with the Simian Lord as quickly as we could get ourselves back in fighting form. But what if we weren’t allowed to access it unless we met some other conditions first? I didn’t think we should let our haste push us into blatantly defying orders. That said, I completely understood Elitia’s desire to get to her friend at the earliest possible moment; a real dilemma, to be sure, but now was not the time to lose our heads. Not now that we’d finally gotten all the way where we needed to be.

As our conversation went on, Theresia, Elitia, and Suzuna finished with their treatment and came out along with Igarashi, Misaki, and Melissa.

“Theresia, how are your injuries?” I asked.

“……”

“I see… Glad to hear it. Don’t worry, Ceres and Steiner are gonna fix your suit up for us, okay?”

Theresia nodded and gently touched my jacket, which she had over her shoulders. Maybe she was trying to give it back—or at least that’s what I thought.

“……”

“Hm? Theresia…?”

Theresia fixed her gaze on me. If that was her way of telling me she wanted to borrow it a little longer, that would be fine by me. It might be a little chilly in District Five for my taste, although I figured that was all the more reason to lend it to her. I wondered if she’d be fine with my jacket or if I should pick something else up for her in town.

“…Atobe, how about you let Theresia hold on to that for a little while?” suggested Igarashi.

“Ooh, is this what I think it is? Is our Arihito having trouble understanding the inner workings of Theresia’s heart again?”

“M-Misaki, watch yourself… You’ll embarrass her…,” said Suzuna.

“…I get Theresia a little better now. She doesn’t talk, but her body language says everything,” added Melissa.

“……!”

Theresia’s lizard mask was definitely turning a bright shade of red—and that’s when it hit me. She knew she should give me back my jacket but also still wanted to keep it. The chill in the air must be part of that, but maybe in this case it also meant… No, better stop there or I’ll be the next one to blush.

“Theresia, don’t worry about the jacket…”

“……!”

“I-it’s fine, calm down… You can give it back when we get to the apartment.”

“……”

Theresia nodded. Maybe Misaki was right; I still had a lot to learn about reading people.

Just then, a band of Seekers walked out from the treatment area and toward the lobby. A woman whose flaxen hair was woven into three braids appeared to be leading the group; every person in it wore matching white outer garments.

“……!”

“Ellie, what’s wrong?” asked Suzuna. “Do—do you know them?”

Elitia’s eyes flew wide open when she caught sight of the white-clothed troupe. It wasn’t too hard to guess why; they must’ve belonged to the White Night Brigade. There were about fourteen of them, just enough for two parties. I couldn’t tell from appearances alone if any others had cursed weapons like the one Elitia was bound to.

“Elitia…are they from the White Night Brigade?” I asked her.

“…Yes. Those are the second and third parties… I’d bet anything they helped quell the stampede.”

“Honestly, that’s a little surprising…,” started Igarashi. “I didn’t expect them to do something like that. I guess I shouldn’t make assumptions.”

“Agnes, the leader of the second party… She doesn’t agree with everything the captain says. She has her own way of doing things.”

The leader of the White Night Brigade was none other than Elitia’s older brother. Seeing these members here meant he was also most likely somewhere in District Five, and yet, the Brigade’s first party had stayed out of the stampede entirely. Maybe they didn’t think the situation called for their assistance, or maybe they preferred not to get involved in the town’s defenses as a rule. Whatever the case may be, it was certainly surprising, as Igarashi had said, to learn a division of the Brigade had joined in the fight.

“…Let’s get out of here,” Elitia pleaded before I could ask her how we should respond to the Brigade. No surprise that her harried voice couldn’t hide all the worries at the forefront of her mind.

“O-okay…got it. Are you guys ready to go?”

“Oh, Arihito… Suzu’s still a bit pooped…”

“I’ll be fine, Misaki. Don’t worry about me, I’m… Ah—!”

The powerful combined effect of Pan’s Flute and the stagnation stone came at an extremely heavy cost in terms of magic. It seemed you’d need to really get some quality rest to recover once you bottomed out on magic, even if your license said you were all topped up. I held on to Suzuna to support her. She appeared to lose consciousness for a moment but immediately came to once more and smiled up at me a little sheepishly.

“I-I’m sorry… I always cause you nothing but trouble, Arihito…”

“No, I’m the one who should apologize. I wouldn’t have pushed you to use those skills if I’d known they’d drain you this badly. Let’s hold off until you’ve leveled up a bit more before we try using Pan’s Flute and the stagnation stone together again.”

“Okay… But please do let me use them if we really need to.”

Suzuna had played her flute and then activated Auto-Hit without much time to recover in between. I had no doubt she meant what she said and wouldn’t hesitate to put herself through such an exhaustive experience again for us if the need arose. In that case, I needed to find out how to increase her maximum magic capacity or come up with a way to reduce the toll this combo took on her.

“Bow!”

“Cion… I’m sorry, you must be exhausted after fighting so hard for us, and yet…”

Cion had been waiting patiently in a corner of the lobby but now walked over to us and scooped Suzuna up onto her back. She took great care not to sway as she walked out of concern for her charge, a gentle giant in every sense of the word.

Elitia broke into a tiny smile at the sight. She was worried about Suzuna, but I was pretty sure her mind was occupied with concern for her imprisoned friend. I wanted to believe our victory over The Calamity made picking a fight with the Simian Lord less of a reckless venture, but one look at Elitia was enough to tell me our next foe would prove even stronger than the last.

These thoughts ran through my head as I passed the Brigade. A few of the members turned to look at Elitia in bewilderment.

“Hold up, she made it back here already? Found some useful muscle? She better not kid herself and think any old ragtag team of idiots’ll be enough to save her ass out there.”

“Souga, they’re here because they earned the right to be. You’re in no position to assume we’re superior.”

“R-right… Sorry, Agnes. But should we tell the captain that Elitia’s back…?”

“I’ll handle it. Elitia…”

The woman her companion had addressed as Agnes called out to Elitia, who stopped for a brief moment, bowed her head slightly, and kept on walking. Our friends went after her to make sure she wasn’t alone and followed Adeline out of the Healer clinic. Soon enough, I was the only one left. I felt all the Brigade members’ eyes turn to me.

“I understand Elitia used to belong to your group. I’ve also heard the reasons for her departure,” I said.

“…I see. So Ellie’s still trying to save Rury, isn’t she?”

The way Agnes called Elitia by her nickname made it clear how much seeing her had tugged at her heartstrings. I no longer believed everybody in the Brigade had written Elitia off completely. This Agnes very clearly cared about her—and I didn’t want to stoop to the kind of cynicism I’d need to believe it was all for show.

“I have no right to say anything; I’m one of those guilty for abandoning Rury in her time of need. I’ll bet you despise us, too.”

There was only so much I could say without properly explaining my position to Agnes. And I knew I shouldn’t stay to talk with the Brigade for long without Elitia present. Nevertheless, there was one thing I had to tell them; they needed to know why we had come.

“Elitia told us about her friend, and I… No, we decided to help rescue her. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“…Is that…the only reason you’d risk your life in that labyrinth? The Guild Saviors themselves say the Simian Lord is best left alone. If even they don’t recommend trying to take it on, why would you?”

“You also had your own reasons for risking your lives in that same labyrinth, with that same Simian Lord, didn’t you? It’s not for me to say if whatever you gained there was worth losing one of your own. But we’re making a different call… If Elitia believes Rury’s still alive, then we believe her. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed.”

“…I don’t know how the hell someone with that kinda devil-may-care, glass-half-full, rosy-posy take on life made it here, but I’m telling you now: Every single Seeker in District Five does whatever it takes to stay far, far away from the Simian Lord. Only those with a death wish would even think about trying anythin’,” said the man called Souga. He glared at me, the whites of his eyes giving him a menacing look. He bore a battle-ax on his broad, muscular back and had probably never skipped a day of strength training, but even he was urging us to reconsider.

“…What’s so dangerous about the Simian Lord? Would you mind telling me?”

Souga opened his mouth to respond, but Agnes cut him off.

“The Shining Simian Lord…sometimes also called the Satanic Simian, is believed to be the strongest, longest-living Named Monster in District Five. He and his underlings have built up a series of fortresses in a labyrinth called the Blazing Red Mansion that start on the second floor and extend as far down as it goes. He rules over this domain…an extraordinary trait among monsters. The devil incarnate.”

Now that wasn’t a title bestowed lightly. She was trying to tell me he was on an entirely different level than anything we’d seen thus far.

“…Y’all don’t stand a chance against him. You’re just gonna end up losin’ more people you care about. Not that I’m about to try and stop you if you’re so hell-bent on it,” said Souga, the concern in his words belying the aggressive image his short, spiky, black-and-gold-dyed hair and earrings lent him. I knew his warning was well intentioned, but I wouldn’t stand for the way he’d already decided our fates. We’d come here because we had faith; we believed that Rury was alive and that we would save her.

“I’m glad I got the chance to talk with you. I’d thought most people in the Brigade stood ready to abandon their friends at any moment, but I’m relieved to hear you don’t all feel that way. I was worried we might at some point have to face off against any group who’d go that far to get their hands on what they wanted… We’ve run into similar situations in the past.”

“Don’t get all touchy-feely on me just yet. We’re workin’ toward our own goals, and I’m willing to risk it all for that, even if that means one day they’d need to leave me behind. I hadn’t forgotten about that girl. I prolly would’ve pretty soon if I hadn’t run into Elitia, but it is what it is.”

“Souga, you’re getting too worked up. I apologize for his behavior. I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner, but your name is…?”

“Arihito. Arihito Atobe.”

“Arihito Atobe… I’m Agnes Fille, vice captain of the White Night Brigade. We’ll be moving up to the next district soon, but if possible, I’d like to see Elitia and…” She started to say talk to her but stopped when she saw the looks on her companions’ faces.

“We’ll take care of her,” I said. “To be fair, she’s been the one taking care of us so far. But being in a party is all about give-and-take.”

“Arihito, you’re gonna get lost if you don’t keep uppp!” yelled Misaki as she doubled back to get me. I raised a hand to let her know I was on my way and turned to leave.

“…If you insist on raiding the Blazing Red Mansion, you’d best get all the intel you can. This map covers all the land we explored when we went there… Will you take it?”

“H-hey, Agnes, why’d you do that much for—?”

“Because I want to. I’m not asking your permission… I just…”

You never could tell what kind of people you’d find, even in the Brigade. Agnes pulled out her license and sent me a map, which cut off at some point in the middle of the second floor.

“Thank you very much. There’s one more thing I wanted to tell you… We ran into Shirone. She committed crimes with heavy karmic penalties and is now in a District Seven prison.”

“—! Shirone… What did she do to Elitia…?”

“I still don’t know what she had in mind, but she tried to lure me away from my party… If the Brigade drove her to do all that, then I think one day I’ll have to talk to your captain, face-to-face.”

I was expecting they’d sneer at me for daring to talk so big when I was still such a small fry, but no one so much as batted an eye. Souga, however, did look a little lost for words.

“…Looks like I jumped the gun a bit. Shouldn’t have called y’all a ragtag team of idiots. My bad. But talk is cheap. If you’re gonna do something, you better be damn sure you’ve got what it takes. And you need power.”

“I couldn’t agree more. We do need power, something that Elitia’s sword has provided us time and time again. I’m always thinking of how we can get even stronger.”

“Shit… Tch. Looks like Elitia won the friggin’ lottery.”

I could’ve sworn he also muttered, “At least the guy’s got a spine,” after which a woman in the group slapped him hard on the back.

“Ow…! What the hell?!”

“Quit your dopey mumbling. I kept quiet while Vice Captain Agnes was around, but stop acting like you speak for the rest of us.”

“Shut up. The captain’s been in a crappy mood lately. Just let me have this.”

A few of the other second party members bowed to me in parting and walked away. Each and every one of them was probably decked out in the highest-quality gear, but in the end they were still Seekers, just like us. And now I knew they weren’t outlaws bent on following nobody’s rules but their own. I wondered what could have stopped such a formidable group from going back for Rury. Maybe the Simian Lord’s reputation as the “devil incarnate” had something to do with it.

They had the numbers and the strength, but even they chose not to take down the Simian Lord and raid the labyrinth he reigned over. Would we have what it took? Or should we focus only on rescuing Rury and getting out of there? I needed to consider the possibility.

And if Rury was already— No, I wasn’t gonna go there. She was alive. I had to plan everything around that.

What we needed more than anything was to stand up, look that menace straight in the eye, and strike back.

Part II: The Chef

District Five also had Upper, Middle, and Lower Guild divisions; it was the Middle Guild building we’d visited when we’d transported here from District Seven, and it was here we returned to meet up with Louisa once we’d left the Healer clinic. She’d obtained special permission as our personal caseworker to follow us to District Five and was waiting for us there.

The Middle Guild building—or the Forest Diner, as it was also called—doubled as a large dining hall. Restauranteurs had come from all over the district to serve hot meals to the people gathered beneath its roof, perhaps because they’d seen the damage the building had sustained in the stampede. But since we’d been officially designated Most Distinguished Seekers for our efforts in quelling the stampede, our guide took us past the bustling hall and showed us into a private room also reserved for meetings.

The Forest Diner seemed to be constructed from much sturdier materials than its counterpart in District Seven, but the interior design looked almost exactly the same. A table cut from a black, marble-like stone stood in the middle of the room; we all took our seats around it and presently a woman wearing what appeared to be chef’s attire came out to greet us.

“My name is Maria Millers, and I am the Chef who will be taking care of you this evening. Thank you for all your efforts assisting with the stampede today,” she said somewhat matter-of-factly, then bowed deeply before bringing in a wagon she’d left waiting in the hall. A rather large, dome-like metal lid concealed whatever dish lay beneath. I couldn’t help but wonder exactly what she had in store for us.

“D-don’t tell me… This isn’t that scorpion thing we just defeated, is it…?” Misaki asked nervously. The thought sent a chill up Igarashi’s spine, too. I liked to think I’d eat anything as long as it tasted all right, but even I might have trouble adding scorpion to my diet.

Maria said nothing and removed the metal lid to reveal: another dome, this one made of something like clay.

“Might this be…a steamed rock salt brûlée?”

“Precisely. It’s a steamed dish liberally filled with District Five specialties, all locally sourced.”

Louisa had been spot on. The dome I thought was clay turned out to be rock salt. Maria cracked this open with a utensil and unveiled several bundles further wrapped in some sort of seaweed. She left the bundles intact and transferred one to each of our plates then bowed. It seemed we were free to dig in.

“A-are you sure it’s okay for us to have these…?” Igarashi asked. “This all looks so expensive…”

“……”

“Ah! T-Theresia, try to be a bit more delicate…!”

Theresia could wait no longer and stabbed her knife into the seaweed wrapping to cut it open. The inside was stuffed with an abalone-type shellfish, meat, and vegetables. Theresia piled vegetables and the shellfish onto her fork and brought it to her mouth. The instant she gulped it down her pale throat, Theresia’s eyes flew open in surprise and locked on to the plate before her. At least I imagined they did, since I couldn’t see her eyes behind her mask.

“……!”

Theresia turned toward me. I’d never seen her react this way before. She clearly had her own tastes when it came to food, but I couldn’t imagine how good the dish must be for her to rate it so highly.

“I-is it that good? All right, let’s dig in… Thank you for the meal.”

“Mm…! Mmmmm…?!”

“Wait, wait, this meat is outta control… It’s steamed in salt but it’s not toooo salty at all and toootally melts in your mouth…!”

“This is delicious… I can feel it warming up my whole body.”

Suzuna’s comment got me thinking. I looked at my license on a hunch and saw that her magic was recovering faster than it had been. Drinking the mana potion came with side effects, but evidently, nutritious meals didn’t have that problem. The cook must have taken Suzuna’s condition into consideration when planning out this meal.

“I prepared this dish for its medicinal benefits after speaking with the Healers at the clinic. I hope you’ll enjoy your time here this evening. Please call me whenever you’re ready, and I’ll bring in your next entrée.”

“Thank you very much. This is incredibly good. I can’t wait to try your other dishes, too.”

“I’m pleased to hear it. I’ve brought some alcohol for the table, but do let me know if I can offer you any other beverages as well.”

She had anticipated our every need and pampered us with first-rate service. I could’ve sworn there was a fine dining gem hidden somewhere in the Guild. Actually, this must’ve been it.

“S-sure pays to be a Most Distinguished Seeker… We didn’t get any of this back in District Eight,” noted Misaki.

“Apparently there’s a limited number of cooks in each district… Maria’s dishes are seriously incredible,” added Igarashi.

“…Hope she can teach me.”

Misaki and Igarashi marveled over the meal. The food seemed to have piqued even Melissa’s interest and gotten her thinking about how she could use her cooking skills to learn the recipe. Homemade dinners brought great comfort, but every once in a while it was also nice to treat ourselves to such luxurious fare. Honestly, your body is your moneymaker in the Labyrinth Country, so we basically ate whatever ours craved.

Elitia had looked glum since we first sat down to eat. She realized Suzuna, who was sitting next to her, had begun to worry, so she took a few bites.

“…This is amazing. I guess there’s still lots of cuisine I don’t know about in this country.”

“Ellie…”

“I’m fine… I just got lost in my thoughts a bit. But I know I can’t get too far ahead of myself.”

Elitia forced a smile, one all too clearly meant to alleviate our concerns. She’d seemed forlorn during the entire battle with The Calamity, but I couldn’t bring myself to encourage her with empty platitudes.

“Louisa, does it look like we’ll be allowed to enter the labyrinths here in District Five?”

“You’ll receive special contribution points for your work today as well as extra points for the impact that had on the stampede… However, even these two together will not suffice to grant you immediate access to a five-star labyrinth. You do, of course, have the right to submit a request for that permission, but I cannot guarantee it will be approved…”

The Guild’s laws had served us thus far, but they also restricted our options. I could certainly understand the Guild’s motives behind putting these prerequisites in place for the more challenging labyrinths as they probably served to reduce the number of Seekers who went missing.

“I understand it might be difficult to get access to a five-star labyrinth when we don’t even have clearance for four-star ones yet… Still, would it be possible to try and ask?”

“Yes, of course, and I intend to. Elitia has—that is, all of you have worked so hard to come here. No one can attest to that more than myself. However, I confess I do have one concern.”

“A concern…?”

Louisa’s eyes fell and landed on her cup filled with alcohol. That alone told me whatever it was she had to say did not come easily to her.

“The fact that you, your party, and Ms. Kozelka and Mr. Khosrow—both members of the District Seven Guild Saviors platoon—earned the most contribution points in this mission has gravely alarmed the District Five Guild Saviors platoon.”

“Huh? …Wh-what the heck’s up with that? They called us here, and we worked our butts off for them…!”

“Have they by any chance…taken offense to a lower-ranked district’s unit garnering higher commendation?” I guessed, and Louisa nodded in affirmation. Seraphina said nothing on this, but her expression hardened and took on a new severity.

“As we speak, the Guild is considering whether to award you and your party another honorary title even more distinguished than Advanced Seeker,” she began. “The District Five Guild Saviors headquarters would most likely process the change if it does go through… I expect Third-Class Captain Kozelka to inform us as soon as the matter is settled.”

“I see. We’ll be happy with any contribution points we can get.”

Everyone had their own sense of honor and pride, but I wanted to keep my nose out of those kinds of adversarial confrontations as much as possible—though maybe that sentiment was a bit out of place since we were, in fact, competing for contribution points.

“It’ll take a little time, but I will make sure to submit a request for at least temporary access to a five-star labyrinth.”

“I’d appreciate that. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll do our best to fulfill all the necessary requirements.”

“Glad we have that settled… We can pick this up again back at the apartment. Let’s try to enjoy this lovely meal they’ve prepared specially for us,” said Igarashi, and everyone nodded in agreement. Even Elitia smiled a little; everything looks a bit better when you’ve got some food in you.

After we ate the steamed salt rock dish, Maria brought out plates of grilled white-meat fish wrapped in a piecrust, along with soup, salad, and fruit, every single course more delectable than the last. I helped Theresia make her way through the dishes since she was still nursing her injured arm. Hopefully it would heal quickly.

All that remained after the main courses was dessert. We had three choices; one called “Mighty White Peach Mille-Feuille” caught my eye.

“Maria, is this one made with fruit that boosts your stats?”

“Yes. I made it specifically with your party in mind.”

“Then we’ve just got to go with that one, right? The menu says the other desserts are supposed to help with ‘calming sleep’ and, um…‘passion’?”

“P-passion might be a little too, um… I mean, I’ll bet it gives you a boost, but I have enough trouble staying asleep as it is…”

“…! Kyouka, we’re not supposed to mention that in front of Arihito…,” Suzuna cut in quickly.

“You’re having trouble sleeping, Igarashi? Maybe you should try this Calming Bavarian Custard.”

“N-no, I’m fine. I’ll take the added strength wherever I can get it… Honestly, Atobe, you don’t have to go butting into every little thing.”

I didn’t know how, but I’d upset her. I guess women do love their desserts, though. It wasn’t my place to choose for her.

“Louisa, you could probably use a little bump in your defenses, too, huh? I bet all those men leering at your lady lumps can get creeeepy.”

“Wha—?! L-look, Misaki, I can’t exactly say I’m shocked, but you really shouldn’t talk like that…,” I chided her.

“I-it’s fine… I’ve learned to live with it. I’m the only one who suffers if I worry too much, so I simply wear whatever strikes my fancy.”

“…Yeah, I get it. I wish my armor’s design reflected the defense it provides me.”

Louisa and Igarashi sighed in unison. Someone chuckled at the sight—it was the chef, Maria, surprisingly enough.

“If I may, I’d recommend you ladies try the Passion Strudel. It’s infused with a lovely white wine.”

“Y-you don’t say… Then maybe it would help lull me to sleep…,” said Igarashi.

“All right, then I’ll have that, please.”

Louisa was sold with the promise of white wine and made her choice on the spot. The option tempted Igarashi as well, but she and Louisa agreed to split their desserts, so she went with the Mighty White Peach Mille-Feuille instead. I didn’t particularly dislike wine, but I wasn’t exactly drawn to it, either. There probably wouldn’t be too much alcohol in the strudel, whatever that might be, so the thought of Louisa having it didn’t really worry me.

“Madoka, wanna take a walk on the adult side of dessert with me?” Misaki offered.

“Oh! …U-um, no, I don’t think I should have any alcohol yet, so I’ll just order the Mille-Feuille.”

“…I’m curious about this ‘passionate’ fruit, but I’ll have the Mille-Feuille, too,” said Melissa. “I want better defense.”

“Bow!”

It looked like most of our battle-oriented members chose to go with the Mighty White Peach Mille-Feuille. It worked in mysterious ways, but we all saw the value in gaining even the tiniest bit of strength from something as simple as a meal.

“I’ve gotta remember to brush your teeth later so you don’t get any cavities, Cion,” I told her.

“We have what’s called a mastic stick made for guard dogs. It should help if she chews it like gum,” Maria suggested. She’d really thought of everything. Once she confirmed our orders, Maria briefly retired from the room.

Ceres and Steiner had been with us the entire dinner but seemed to feel a little out of place. After all, they were artisans, not Seekers. They’d kept relatively quiet—that is, until the alcohol started flowing and loosened their lips.

“Arihito, why don’t you have that fine young lady make something out of the fruits you picked up? It’ll save you time looking for an Herbalist, and she might have the know-how to enhance their effects.”

“Yes, I’d like to ask if that might be possible later. I’d probably come back another day to work out the details.”

“I’m basically swimming in defense as it is, so I went out on a limb and ordered the wine dessert.”

“Steiner can’t really hold their liquor, but they do try to act like it when we come to places like these. What a sorry excuse for an apprentice.”

“It’s not like you’re some expert, either, Master. I mean, should you even be drinking at all?”

“Gr! …Why, you little… Don’t you dare run your mouth and let slip anything Arihito doesn’t need to hear…”

I decided to take this little back-and-forth as friendly banter showing how close they were. But what could those things I “didn’t need to hear” be? Did Ceres have some kind of secret she wanted to keep hidden from me?

“Arihito, you must never pry regarding a lady’s age or pedigree. Do you hear me, young man?”

“Y-yes…”

There was no way I could press her for more details after a warning like that. I could feel Igarashi’s and Louisa’s eyes bearing down hard on me, too, and decided I’d better hold my tongue, even though I knew Igarashi was younger than me, and I had a feeling Louisa, the picture of a lovely lady, was as well.

Part III: The District Five Commander

We met up just outside the Guild headquarters with Adeline, who’d eaten with her troop, and she took us to the apartment where we’d be staying. Along the way she filled us in on the latest news she’d heard from her troop mates about the stampede.

“That Named Monster draws its strength from the souls of other Death Stalkers. It’s much like a queen bee. We may not have been able to stop it at all if it had sucked up any more souls. So in a way, the fact that the stampede broke out all over District Five at such an early stage and that so few Death Stalkers were destroyed before the main battle against The Calamity worked in our favor. Or at least that’s what the guys in the analysis unit told me.”

“Wow… I can’t imagine this was the first time a monster like that instigated a stampede. What was the battle like last time?”

Adeline quickly pulled out a leather-bound notebook, almost as if she’d been expecting the question to come up. She’d apparently borrowed a report log from one of the District Five Guild Saviors.

“Let’s see… The last stampede occurred one year ago; the District Five commander at the time was gravely injured in battle, and it took three days for reinforcements to come from upper districts and suppress the outbreak. Someone had to take over for the District Five commander back then…so even though the stampede was quelled in one day this time around, I believe he feels some guilt for once again failing to lead his troops to victory.”

“Three whole days…?” said Igarashi, astonished. “Did they try to fight the Named Monster without catching it in one of those traps? Maybe it scurried off like the other scorpions.”

“But we took that sucker down in just a few hours… I totally get why these Guild Saviors are so stunned,” added Misaki.

Hearing all this gave me the first real sense of how deeply our actions must have shaken the people around us, even if we had done only what needed to be done. What did the Guild Saviors here think of us? I had a feeling that our standing with them might be key in gaining access to the Blazing Red Mansion, and that meant one thing: I’d better go formally introduce myself as soon as possible.

Just as the thought occurred to me, I noticed two Guild Saviors walking toward us from the other end of the street steeped in the last rays of sunlight. One was Nayuta and the other a man with a somewhat dark and mysterious air to him.

“…! Third-Class Dragon Major Dylan… To what do we owe the honor…?” asked Seraphina.

“Th-this is a little unexpected, I mean… Have you come with a directive for us…?”

Seraphina and Adeline straightened to attention. The man in the military uniform walked right up to me; we were about the same height and maybe the same age, too.

“Huh… So you’re the famous Atobe. I’d heard rumors of that one runaway rookie we’re supposed to get every few decades, but turns out it was all spot-on. You got me good, I’ll tell you that.”

“N-nice to meet you… I take it you’re familiar with us?”

“No need to be so stiff. Although I’m officially a Guild Savior, I started as a Seeker, too. Seriously, what a show. I had a feeling we were in for something good when Kozelka and Josh came up, but man.”

He spoke frankly and didn’t sound like a real military officer, rude as that might be to think. It was like nothing ever fazed him, for better or worse.

“Excuse me? Josh…?”

“Ohhh, you probably know him as Dragon Sergeant Khosrow. He’s got it so his last name’s what shows up on his license.”

I’d heard Khosrow’s name before and was actually trying to ask about their relationship, but the explanation I got felt a bit evasive. Was this man called Dylan old friends with Kozelka and Khosrow? He seemed to know exactly what to expect from them and not in the way a commanding officer might understand his subordinates’ abilities; it felt like they must have experience fighting together, side by side.

“Commander Dylan, I witnessed myself how Mr. Atobe and his party lured The Calamity into the trap corridor and assisted in its destruction… No. It would be truer to fact to say they led us to victory against the monster,” Nayuta advised Dylan, who nodded in response. He then pulled out something from a pocket in his uniform and presented it to me.

“I owe you all an apology… There are some among my troops who’re claiming you were out of line and racked up those contribution points by ignoring orders and taking matters into your own hands. Defeating a Named Monster constitutes a great service to our country; by all rights they should be honoring your accomplishments and thanking you for what you did, regardless of how you got there, and yet… I’m very sorry.”

“I-it’s fine. Nobody has said anything about it to us directly.”

“Rightly so. Anyone who dared would be hearing from me. As the party responsible for the victory against The Calamity, you have all been designated the Most Distinguished Seekers…and now it’s been decided you are to be awarded an honor even greater than your current Advanced Seekers: the title of All-Star Seekers. Will you accept it?”

♦Magistite Medallion♦

“This…”

“It’s an award medal. Its effects kick in when you just carry it around with you. Would you hold on to that for me? You can think of it as a good luck charm.”

The medal was forged out of a metallic material I’d never seen before and had the Guild’s crest engraved on its face. I decided to keep it in my pocket since it was small enough to carry without issue.

“As I’m sure you’ve already heard, you’ve been granted exceptional leave to stay in District Five for the next seven days. I hope you understand this is a very special case. While you’ve clearly met the requirements to advance to District Six, you’re only here because of the request for your assistance. I know this is no way to talk to our Most Distinguished Seekers after you played such a big part in quelling the stampede, but rules are rules.”

We had seven days—one week to save Rury.

“We need access to a five-star labyrinth. I’ve already addressed the issue with our Guild caseworker, but is there any way you might have the authority to grant us that permission, Commander Dylan…?”

Dylan shook his head. Rules were rules: That had to be his position as a Guild Savior.

“You’ll be awarded special contribution points for your work in the stampede. If you add those to the other contribution points you’ve earned here, you should be able to get that clearance in a few days. You’ve already checked off the ‘defeat a Named Monster in District Five’ box, after all.”

“A few days…”

We didn’t have that kind of time. I wanted to gear up and go as soon as we were all rested, or now if we could. Commander Dylan had recognized what we were capable of. If only I could get him to approve our request, then—

“Arihito.”

I felt a tug on my sleeve and turned around to see Elitia shaking her head; she was warning me.

“You guys have what it takes. Your party’s got exceptionally rare strengths… Build on those and you’ll go as far as you could ever want. One day you’ll come to District Five through the proper channels and then keep on climbing at a speed no other party could dream to replicate.”

“…Right.”

“Mr. Atobe, Captain Kozelka and Sergeant Khosrow have also decided to remain in the district for a few days. They have requested you contact them should you require their services at any point during that period.”

“I understand. Thank you for telling me.”

Commander Dylan and Nayuta walked off. Elitia released her hold on my sleeve and smiled. For once, it didn’t feel like she was putting on a brave face.

“I really appreciate what you tried to do, Arihito… But we can’t rush headlong into this. I say this because I’ve seen the Simian Lord with my own two eyes. If we go before we’re ready, I’ll lose someone again…so…”

“……”

Theresia walked closer to Elitia as if to say, Don’t worry. But Elitia shook her head.

“There’s no point if we don’t all get out of this safely…so please. I think if we just go back through District Six and work on ourselves first, then…”

“No…we held our own, here in District Five, and even took down Death Stalkers, which leads me to believe we won’t be completely outmatched in these labyrinths. Maybe there are some three-star ones we can explore. We can always work on building up our levels there.”

“I agree; we’ll need contribution points earned in District Five anyway,” added Igarashi. “We’re so close. I’m sure we’d regret wasting these precious seven days in another district.”

Elitia hesitated for a while still, but eventually dropped her protests and nodded quietly. The turmoil she felt continued to rage within her, pitting her desire to rescue Rury against her fear of bringing harm to her friends. But she wasn’t the only one bearing those burdens.

“We should be able to get some good experience here. I’ll bet we’re probably the lowest-level party in the whole district… If we focus only on gaining one level, it’ll definitely be much more efficient to fight monsters here than in District Six.”

“…All right. I’ll try to see what intel I can scrounge up about good training labyrinths,” Elitia said, then turned to walk not toward our lodgings but back in the direction of the bustling town.

“Elitia, you should really get some rest. You took a big hit in that last battle…,” I called out to try and stop her. Elitia looked back but did not stop. She held out her hand to discourage her friends from following after her and, with a smile on her face, said:

“Even if I go back now, I’ll be too worked up to get any sleep. Don’t worry about me… I’ll be back before it gets too late.”

We had only so much time in the district, which meant we had only so much time to gather information. I knew I should respect her decision; still, I couldn’t help but worry as I watched her walk away.

“…Elitia has experience living in District Five before, I understand. She may know more about it than I do,” offered Adeline.

“That’s…true. Let’s head to the apartment and wait up for her.”

Elitia had already rounded the corner and disappeared from our sights. She felt the time crunch deeply—I understood that all too well. But it’s moments like these when you need to really keep your head on straight. I could only trust Elitia knew that, too.

Part IV: The Monster and Its Minions

I first came to District Five as part of the White Night Brigade’s third party and raided a labyrinth called the Mystical Lakeshore with them. It was by no means the easiest labyrinth in the district, but at level 7, I was still able to join the fight and in doing so grew to level 8. Rury had been with me back then and used her healing skills to nurse my wounds.

“Ellie, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault you got hurt so bad. If only I’d healed you quicker…”

“That’s not true. It’s my job to do whatever I can so one day people will count on my blade.”

“I’ve always counted on you, ever since the day I met you. And I still do.”

Rury activated a skill called Heal Wound and cured my injuries. It was truly magical: It sent a gentle wind whirling around my body, healing every hurt. Many reincarnates elect this kind of job when they arrive out of a desire to wield such magical powers. However, only a rare few are cut out for the position, and fewer still ever manage to become a Healer with the ability to conjure up these sorcerous effects, even among those whose jobs allow them to acquire recovery skills.

And yet, my brother, the captain, never once asked Rury to help him. I couldn’t understand why. He openly proclaimed a Healer was a bounty for the Brigade but always turned to potions or other remedies whenever he found himself in need of the exact assistance Rury could provide.

I lost the ability to read my brother after he changed. We hadn’t exactly been very close in our past lives, but he’d never been the kind of person to completely disregard whatever anyone else said.

“So you went with Swordswoman, huh? Wish you’d chosen a position in the rearguard to round out our group better.”

Maybe the red flags had been there from the start. My brother started manipulating every aspect of the people around him to coordinate labyrinth raids just the way he wanted; in the beginning, our father, who led the group as our first captain, would reproach my brother for his behavior. But then my father suffered a serious injury and gradually stopped voicing his concerns.

Keeping up with the others was the most I could manage. Always at a lower level than our group average, I did nothing but hold everyone else back. My brother gave me the Scarlet Emperor to try and change all that.

“This sword could be your key to pulling your own weight despite your level. Even if you fail to master it, I’ll give you one more chance to prove yourself.

“What a relief it would be if my good-for-nothing sister could contribute something to the group.”

“……”

I could tell my brother saw no value in keeping me in the party, but his eyes sparkled with boyish excitement the moment I succeeded in equipping the Scarlet Emperor. It was degrading, groveling before him to secure a place where I could belong. And yet, at the same time, I felt truly happy I got to stay in the Brigade and would never have to part with Rury.

…Shirone and I are no different. I have no right to criticize her for anything.

I’d just gotten lucky. The Scarlet Emperor punished me with its powers, which I knew carried great risks, yet I drew from them over and over and became a force to be reckoned with. That force could have turned against my friends if Suzuna hadn’t been there for me. But she showed up and stayed my hand; it was nothing short of a miracle we had all made it to District Five.

I didn’t want to lose them. I didn’t want any of them to get hurt. But I knew that’s exactly what lay in store for them if they set out to rescue Rury. I’d known it all along, but those fears finally hit home during our fierce battles against the monsters in this district.

This party could surely go the distance. But this mission I’d embarked on would send them to a labyrinth even the Guild Saviors dared not touch, a place other Seekers spared no thought in avoiding. My selfish desires might very well kill all their dreams.

I wanted to return Theresia to her human form. I knew Arihito hoped for nothing more earnestly than that, and I wanted to fulfill his wish with every fiber of my being.

The truth was, I already had the right to enter a five-star labyrinth so long as I went in alone, but I’d kept that from Arihito and the others. I’d earned it back when I belonged to the Brigade. I’d break no rules and incur no karma if I went as an individual separate from any party.

…I have to find Rury. But…what if she’s already…?

No; she had to be alive. All the others had put their faith in that—I had to believe it, too. But the labyrinth had no mercy to spare for us. That’s why I had to go before everyone else and face it on my own. I was the one who had failed to save Rury; I had to do this alone.

Visions of my friends’ faces filled my mind’s eye. I knew I would cause them worry, that I was clinging to my childish ways, and couldn’t even convincingly leave them with a reassuring smile.

“…I’ll be back soon. I just need a few minutes…”

My legs trembled as they carried me down the all-too-familiar path to the mouth of the labyrinth. Streetlamps illuminated the road even after the sun had abandoned it for the day. It was almost completely deserted. The Guild Saviors didn’t need to warn anyone to stay away; that wisdom had long ago taken root deep in the hearts of the local Seekers.

There stood the round, red pillars of metal. I had only to descend the stone steps beneath their arches to finally enter: the Blazing Red Mansion. I stood petrified beneath the fiery, flickering glow of the streetlights. It felt as though nothing existed in that moment but my heart beating so hard, it hurt.

“Shit, that sure is nasty.”

I overheard a man close by and snapped back to my senses. Two Seekers were talking about the Blazing Red Mansion.

“They say Seekers get put in the same category as monsters if they’re forced to serve one for long enough. I get that it’s a Guild rule and all, but damn…”

That was the one thing I had been dreading most.

If a Seeker-turned-demi-human attacks another Seeker, they qualify as targets you can legally hunt. In other words, they get written off as monsters. But the Guild had one other special rule. If an enslaved Seeker becomes hostile toward other Seekers…they show up on your license as allies of their captor and are officially designated monsters themselves.

“Kinda hard to argue with that logic when they come at ya lookin’ for a kill, no mercy, no nothin’. Still, I can’t believe there are jerks who would go after these poor souls for their equipment. It’s just not right…”

“And then go on to talk about how there are bound to be fewer prying eyes at night. They gotta know they’re no better than thieves in the dark…”

“Is that true…what you just said?” I cut in. “Did you overhear someone going into this labyrinth talk about doing such a thing?”

“—! …H-how long have you been standing there?”

They hadn’t noticed I was there and jumped when I spoke. But I didn’t have the time to care about that and pressed one of them for answers.

“Did they mention anything about one of those enslaved Seekers being a Healer? Please, you must tell me!”

“N-no…you don’t hear anything that detailed going around, but there’s hardly a soul in these parts who doesn’t know the Simian Lord gets all the Seekers it catches to do its dirty work.”

“…H-hey. That sword—she’s not the girl from the White Night Brigade, is she…?”

“Ahhh, right… I get it. There was a rumor a while ago that even the mighty White Night Brigade gave up and turned tail in that labyrinth. If you’re sayin’ one of y’all got caught back then, they’re probably showing up as monsters by now. They might’ve already been done in, for all we know…”

“…That can’t be…! I won’t allow it!”

I broke out into a run—I heard the two men calling out from behind to stop me before I ran beneath the red pillars, but I didn’t care. My body registered the familiar sensation of teleporting. Moments later, I saw rows and rows of trees laden with burning red leaves. I’d find the Simian Lord’s fortress on the second floor just past this forest.

One of this labyrinth’s defining features was that no other monsters aside from the Simian Lord’s minions lived here. The Guild didn’t classify it as dangerous because there was little risk of a stampede breaking out. Anyone with the proper qualifications was free to explore it, with the caveat that they should expect no assistance regardless of what happened inside.

I could see a high-level party successfully raiding this labyrinth without much difficulty. Nevertheless, the Simian Lord, a Named Monster hoarding the type of loot Seekers would normally jump at the chance to acquire in spite of the considerable risk, lived on. One major aspect of his battle forces checked most ambitions: the human Seekers he’d enslaved and forced to join forces with his loyal underlings.

At my current level, I know I can keep up with the Simian Lord’s movements if I activate my Red Eye. If my party was here…he’d go after them, and they might get hurt again like when we fought The Calamity. But since it’s just me…

I’d find Rury and lead her out of this cursed labyrinth—if only I could manage to do that, there had to be some other way to undo the curse that bound her to the monster’s will. I’d come this far; I wasn’t leaving without her.

I’ll bet other Seekers would go straight for Rury if they found her… She always wore valuable rearguard equipment given her vital role as a Healer. It would all fetch a high price on the market if whoever plundered it from her failed to wield it themselves.

“……!”

♦Current Status♦

I was done with regrets. Someone I cared for had been stolen right before my eyes. I’d abandoned Rury in her time of need, but I would never allow either of those things to happen again—never, ever.

Part V: The Flaming Forest

I ran through the next set of red metal pillars and teleported to the second floor. Time shifted; the sky was pitch black, but it was light around me.

…This…wasn’t here last time…!

The Simian Lord’s fortress commanded vast swaths of the second floor, but it still should have taken me a while to find it. Instead, I caught sight of its outer walls after walking for only a few minutes. It stood bathed in bright orange light amid the flaming red forest.

That party… Thank goodness, I caught up to them…

“Look! …I see a human, just like they said…!”

“Looks like they’ve still got whatever they had on them when they got captured and maybe even a little extra… What kinda shit deal is that where you get better service working for the Simian Lord than bustin’ your butt like a normal Seeker?”

“I can tell this is gonna be way more fun than takin’ on a run-of-the-mill monster… And no one can say shit about it. That monster’s got a hold on ’em. It’s self-defense, pure and simple.”

They laughed at their despicable banter I could barely stand to hear. What if these lowlifes found Rury…? No, I didn’t want to even entertain the possibility.

I trailed the four-person party, hiding in the shadows of the trees so they wouldn’t notice me. A river ran through the labyrinth, but the Simian Lord’s fortress extended over and past the bridge that crossed it. It appeared there were two separate strongholds, one each in the west and the east.

The Simian Lord was incredibly cunning, something we found out the hard way when he sprung that surprise attack on us. So cunning, in fact, that he’d spread out his growing forces among the two towers to make it that much more difficult to pin down his own location.

“Doesn’t this fortress look bigger than what we heard?” said one of the four Seekers.

“Looks like he’s tryin’ to set up his own little country down here…,” said another.

“Maybe, but he still ain’t more than a dumb monkey,” said a third derisively. “Look, there’s a lever over there to open the gate. I’ll bet he thought he hid that well and good, but you can’t get nothin’ past me.”

“I swear I saw that girl go in through there. Whaddaya say we go save that little lady from the big bad monkey?”

Is that actually…hidden…?

One of the men pulled the lever, and they all made their way into the fortress. I imagined they probably had some kind of surveillance skill active to keep an eye on their surroundings, but I couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right. They’d found a way in so easily for a reason. I wasn’t sure if the figure they’d seen was Rury or someone entirely different, but I had to risk it and find out.

“Hey, we know you’re in there! Stop hiding and show yourself!”

“Dumbass! Stop screaming. Every damn monster in this place is gonna know we’re here.”

The gate began closing once more. I had to try and slip through while the men had their attentions turned to whatever lay behind it. I crouched low to the ground and just barely squeaked past the gate made of wooden stakes.

The four men had walked into a large hall the gate opened up to. I hid in the shadow of one of the several statues standing there before they could realize I’d followed them in.

That’s when I heard a scream rise up to the rafters.

“…H-hold up, somethin’s off!”

“There’s some weird pattern on the floor behind us…! Aaaaaah!”

♦Current Status♦

And then I saw it: that deep, blazing blood red.

It was a hue I could never forget. It had invaded countless nightmares and to me represented evil itself.

♦Monsters Encountered♦

Three Seekers appeared wearing black cloaks and eerie monkey masks—and behind them…

“O-oh shit! Not that one!”

“Dammit! Did he send that dancer out to lure us in…?!”

“The Return Scroll won’t work! You gotta be friggin’ kidding me! How did this—?!”

“It’s getting so damn hot… He’s gonna boil us alive!”

“Hey, eyes ahead! They’re coming!”

“Wha—?!”

♦Current Status♦

“Whoaaaaaa!!”

The man wielding a curved blade who I assumed was the group’s leader took a direct hit to the gut and went flying—I couldn’t reach him in time but felt his blood land on me as he shot past. All four men had been taken out in a split second. The men called Garf and Kazan no longer had any desire to fight left in them and approached their fallen comrades; the Simian Lord meant to initiate them all into his army.

It was all too clear why so few Seekers ever tried to challenge the Simian Lord. They knew the monsters were not the only foes to fear here; battling fellow Seekers meant risking incalculable danger.

“…This ends here and now. It has to.”

♦Current Status♦

“I’ve been waiting for this moment…ever since the day you stole everything from me!”

How many people had this monster tortured? What must the people who cared for these enslaved minions be feeling—myself included?

“HOO-EEE HOO-EEE HOO-EEE!!”

The huge monkey was easily several times bigger than an average person. It looked down at me like a pebble in its path then decided I was no match for it and sent its minions out ahead to form a human shield.

But I had no intention of fighting them. I had one target: the Simian Lord.

If only I could pull this off, I’d never ask for anything again. I didn’t care if I lost everything else—as long as I had Rury.

“HOO-EE HOO-EE!”

“…Don’t you dare laugh.”

I knew the depths of my own stupidity better than anybody. And yet, dumb as I was, my friends had all come with me this far on my quest. And they’d never once laughed at me.

I had to bring Rury back, no matter what. For them.

If I could have just one more wish, I’d pray they would forgive me my stupidity.

“Raaaaaaah!!”

♦Current Status♦

*   *   *

I dodged the volley of attacks coming toward me at terrifying speeds with nothing but sheer instinct. Every single one pierced through the shadowy figures I left in my wake; not even the quagmire that suddenly appeared beneath my feet could stop me. I activated Air Raid and jumped to reach my maximum speed.

And then I was above him. The Simian Lord looked up at me in astonishment, his eyes wide and fangs bared as I spun through the air and slashed my blade down upon him.

“…Haaaaah!”

♦Current Status♦

“HOO-HEE…EE!!”

“It’s not over yet… I’ll put everything I have on the line and bring you to your knees!”

If only Arihito had been here to support me, these attacks would have packed a greater punch. But if what they lacked was power, then…I’d just keep attacking until I took the Simian Lord down. I’d dodge every other attack, reserve my aim for the one foe I had to defeat, and shower the beast with all the razor-sharp petals I could muster.

“Fall to your death!”

The dancer kicked out her foot and sent a dagger hidden in her shoe flying toward me, but even that couldn’t reach me now.

♦Current Status♦

“AAAAAAAAAH!!!”

♦Current Status♦

“HOO…EEE…!”

The Simian Lord lost his balance and fell to his knees.

The next blow would take him down. One last push—but my vision darkened the moment I went to activate Blossom Blade. I couldn’t use that attack again. I had to try something else. But I could still win.

I just needed to land one more hit.

At least that’s what I thought.

♦Current Status♦

The monster before me began transforming; its blazing red fur blackened over and it shrank a full size smaller. I had no idea what had just happened. I had definitely been fighting the Simian Lord—and yet. The monster I’d showered with three rounds of Blossom Blade smiled with self-satisfaction as blood bubbled up from its mouth. That’s when I finally caught on and realized just how late that epiphany had come.

A wall of flames licked the edges of the great hall. Yet another monster stepped out in front of the fire, with one more masked figure at its side.

♦Monster Encountered♦

“…Rury…”

♦Current Status♦

“Ah… Aaaah!!”

Not a single attack had hit me. And yet, the wounds The Calamity had inflicted on my body began to burn—then burst open. I knew this skill. It was the one attack available to Healers, the one Rury was too kindhearted ever to use.

♦Current Status♦

I knew I wouldn’t survive another minion attack and jumped back. As I did, the black monkey’s wounds began to heal.

This brought back so many memories. Right then, though, I felt nothing but a terrible sadness. This must be the real Simian Lord. I knew without a shadow of a doubt Rury had been kept captive with these monsters this whole time and forced to use her magical skills to heal what should have been our greatest enemies: the Simian Lord and his minions.

I had no idea what kind of expression Rury was making. The black leather cloak and monkey mask shrouded her features entirely. But I could still see one familiar item, the Healer’s weapon Rury always carried: her wand.

“How dare you hide and send a sorry knockoff to fight me…and make Rury dance like a puppet!”

Rury pointed her wand toward me. If she sends another Open Wounds my way, I’ll—!

I cowered in terror before my dear friend, afraid of how she’d hurt me next. The Simian Lord looked down on me with a twisted sort of pity. He pulled his lips into an evil smile and then, laughing all the while, stayed Rury’s hand. I knew he’d done it for no other reason than to demonstrate exactly how much control he had over her.

“I’ll never…never forgive you, never… You’re not getting away!!”

Even the Simian Lord’s body double had proved too tough a foe for me to handle alone. It rose to its feet, wounds healed just enough so it could move again, and walked toward me with the three other minions.

♦Current Status♦

The red staining everything I saw faded and my vision returned to normal. The explosive, violent force surging through my body drained away, and even the overwhelming, equally powerful sense of great loss was gone. All that remained was the leaden heaviness of my body I could no longer move and the Scarlet Emperor’s oppressive weight.

I began to drift out of consciousness. The wounds Rury had reopened grew ever more painful. One last emotion took over my entire being. I had to let my friends know. Let Rury, whom I’d failed to save, know.

“…I’m so sorry. I…couldn’t do…anything…”

The Simian Lord might try to enslave me as well. In that case, I had but one task left. I gripped the hilt of my sword with all the strength left in me. I had wandered in confusion ever since the day it chose me, but at least in my final moments, I could make sure this blade would never turn against Arihito and the others—and end it myself.

And yet, my hand would not budge.

The Simian Lord’s hulking ape henchman and the three minions stopped in their tracks.

A loud bang broke out behind me. All the feeling I’d lost returned to my body. And then, the first thing I heard was that voice that always had my back: his voice.

“It’s not over yet… I’ll be damned if I let that happen!”

Arihito had come for me. The others, too, even though I’d done something so foolish.

I heard the sound of Alphecca’s wheels spinning. Someone jumped off the chariot, ran toward me, and came around to support me from behind—Kyouka.

“Ellie! …You’re so hurt… I swear, you’re just too reckless!”

“…I’m sorry. You have to…run… That monster will…”

My vision was fading. Kyouka’s warmth enveloped my body; from a distance, Arihito’s recovery powers began healing my wounds. There was nothing I could do now but pray—pray that everyone would be safe, that they could all escape this evil fortress.

Part VI: The Escape

I had suspected all along Elitia might head to the Blazing Red Mansion. We went through Kozelka and Khosrow and obtained temporary clearance to follow after her into the five-star labyrinth. Seekers with an honorary title could apparently request permission to enter labyrinths they wouldn’t otherwise be qualified to access if there were some sort of extenuating circumstances. Elitia venturing into such a dangerous labyrinth fell into that category.

I had Adeline determine Elitia’s precise location with her Arrow Familiar once we made it to the second floor and drew from Alphecca’s magnificent speed to race toward that point. We busted down the outer gate to the fortress by applying the set damage from Attack Support 1 but soon realized we would also need to break through the Purgatorial Prison walls.

“Master, no mere flame can stymie the great Arianrhod. I shall pierce through this barrier.”

Silver Traces, one of Alphecca’s skills, had an extra-special effect: It gave her the power to smash through any obstacle created by an area effect in her path. We flew through the flames and found Elitia standing all alone against the Simian Lord and his minions.

Four of us had plunged into the fortress aboard Alphecca: Igarashi, Theresia, Seraphina, and me. We’d have to rely on her Silver Traces to make our escape as well. But that would only be possible after we shook the enemy off our tail. Igarashi had almost managed to get Elitia onto Alphecca’s chariot when one of the Simian Lord’s minions, a Seeker whose face was hidden behind an ape mask, went after her.

“Haaaah!!”

“Ariadne, I request your support!”

“I, Ariadne, grant the guardian of the mighty shield my protection!”

♦Current Status♦

“Urghhh!”

“Seraphina!”

“Mr. Atobe, cover me…! Haaaaah!”

“I can do that, too! …Yaaaaah!”

♦Current Status♦

Seraphina rammed the Martial Artist with her shield and sent him flying back while Igarashi, still holding on to Elitia, raised the spear in her right hand and sent a lightning bolt down upon the Dancer to check her advance. But the last minion, the Terraformer, was preparing some sort of attack. My instincts immediately told me whatever it was would mean trouble.

“Oh no you don’t!”

♦Current Status♦

The impending attack’s name alone told me it would somehow alter the ground—I know it might sound strange coming from me, but this felt pretty darn close to magic.

“Almost there… Atobe!”

I jumped off Alphecca, took Elitia from Igarashi’s arms, and quickly carried her onto the chariot. Theresia bought us time by distracting the Martial Artist, who had regained his footing, and dodging his every attack. She managed to evade his blows, but perhaps owing to the gap in their levels, the Martial Artist was still gaining on her.

“Theresia, fall back! We can’t use the Return Scroll here; we’ll have to leave through the gate!”

“……!”

“Atobe, that Demon Monkey’s aiming at us! Oh no, my Thunderbolt won’t make it!”

The Simian Lord took one of the iron clubs he carried on his back and handed it to his underling, the Demon Monkey, who wound it up high above and aimed it straight at us.

“GRAAAAH!!”

“Master, that monster’s true target is—!”

If the Silver Chariot was destroyed, we would be completely stranded. The Demon Monkey saw this and set his sights on Alphecca. We had only one hope of stopping that gigantic club.

“Haaaaah!”

“Seraphina, I’ll support you! Ariadne, please!”

“O armaments of this Stellar Mechanical God, become a shield to block all harm!”

♦Current Status♦

“GAHEEE!!”

The enormous projectile that dwarfed Seraphina’s shield in size made a terrible crash as it collided—but the shield held true and expertly reflected the club right back at the Demon Monkey.

Unfortunately, it was nothing but a distraction. All along, the Simian Lord had only intended the Demon Monkey to serve as a diversion meant to ensure that his own attack would land without fail.

“GROAAAAAH!”

♦Current Status♦

Chains stretched out behind the iron ball the Simian Lord hurled our way; they tangled themselves in Alphecca’s chariot and immobilized her.

“This was what you were after… You wily beast!”

“Hang on, Alphecca, I’ll get you out of those chains!”

“They’re huge! What do we do?!” cried Igarashi. “It’s no use… He’s pulling us in!”

The Simian Lord dragged Alphecca, with Elitia and Igarashi on top, toward him using just one of his mighty arms. Alphecca spun her wheels and strained with all that she had away from the beast, but the Simian Lord dug his heel into the ground and hauled them closer and closer to him.

“…Master…I am unable to release my material form now.”

“Alphecca…don’t give up! I’ll save you, I promise!” I screamed.

Alphecca’s voice trembled with fear as she stared down the Simian Lord’s overwhelming power.

“I request only one blow. O Hidden God, I beseech thee to wield this Stellar Sword with thy holy hands!” I heard Murakumo say. I retrieved her from my back as if under a spell; a brilliant light pulsating like a heartbeat shone from her blade.

“Devotee in confirmed peril. Stellar Sword request approved. Ten seconds to device startup. Severance target: Helltect Steel.”

“We need ten seconds! Igarashi, come attack the Simian Lord with me!”

“?! …Okay… Yaaaaah!”

I wanted to stun him, if only the once. It might not get us to the full ten seconds, but it would at least buy us some time.

♦Current Status♦

“He bounced us right off… That hand’s covered in magic!”

“HOO-HEE HOO-HEE HOO-HEE!”

The Simian Lord sneered at us as if to say, Nothing you do will work on me. This monster made a mockery of all the Seekers it met, taking pleasure in torturing and toying with them. He had left a deep wound on Elitia’s heart ever since the fateful day she met him. He’d also victimized untold numbers of Seekers. We couldn’t allow him to win. And yet, none of our attacks were making a scratch on this monster, this devil incarnate.

“Atobe!”

“Not yet. We’re not done yet!”

I took out my magical gun and loaded it with the frost stone—and then remembered we’d been here so many times before. I had to believe she would be there once again. It’s how we’d always done it.

“Theresia, I’ll support you!”

♦Current Status♦

Theresia had concealed her presence in the heat of the chaotic battle and snuck around behind the Simian Lord.

Suddenly, a blue butterfly took off in flight. Theresia slashed at the Simian Lord from his blind spot, slicing through his thick fur and spraying his blood everywhere. I left the frost stone in my slingshot as it was and loaded the other one I had into the magic gun, creating magical bullets that blasted toward the monster with considerably more force than my Force Shot (Freeze).

“GRO…OO!!”

The Simian Lord howled in pain. The attack had caught him completely off-guard. He was far stronger than us, but these blows hurt. Not to mention, it looked like we’d found his weak spot: attacks with attributes opposite of fire.

“GRAAAH…AAAAAH!”

It seemed like the Simian Lord rarely ever took a real hit, because his Demon Monkey underling and minions were frozen in shock. The Simian Lord waved his enormous hand at them and ordered them to attack.

“Well…too late. Time’s up.”

“Devotee, thank you for the assistance. Stellar Sword activation initiated: unlocked Arms Device Limiter.”

♦Current Status♦

The Mechanical God’s Guard Arms that had protected us for so long appeared once more and went to grasp Murakumo, who had already left my hands. In that instant, Murakumo swelled to a size befitting those gigantic hands. They brandished the enlarged blade exactly as Murakumo always did—and unleashed the Blade of Heaven and Earth on our foe.

♦Current Status♦

“The chains broke! Ariadne, you’re amazing!” exclaimed Igarashi.

“To think Murakumo would change so drastically in the hands of the Hidden God… Ms. Theresia, come this way! We must escape!”

“……!”

Theresia activated her Accel Dash and raced toward us. I reached out my hand to pull her up on the chariot—however.

“GRAAAAAAH!!”

The Simian Lord’s roar shook the ground beneath us. A cryptic symbol rose from the tips of his fingers as he wove his arms through the air, then in the blink of an eye, it shot out and latched on to the back of Theresia’s neck.

“Theresia!”

♦Current Status♦

“……!”

Now aboard the chariot, Theresia writhed in anguish. The Simian Lord had done something to her. Alphecca set off racing toward the exit; I brushed aside the hair covering Theresia’s neck and saw the mark he had left on her.

It’s a Slave Seal… The Simian Lord had something to do with this. He must have the power to control these symbols… That’s how he enslaves all those Seekers!

A large, dark, bruise-like marking appeared on the skin of Theresia’s neck. She would be forced into slavery like all the others the moment the Simian Lord finished his inscription.

“Master…,” Alphecca called out, urging me to halt our escape.

If we leave like this, then Theresia will…

But we had no other option.

“Get us out of here! Full speed ahead, Alphecca!”

“…Understood.”

♦Current Status♦

We tore through the raging flames and made it out of the fortress.

♦Current Status♦

I managed to read these last notifications just before we moved out of the range my license could pick up signals. It was Elitia’s friend, Rury—and she was administering aid to the Simian Lord.

“Arihito… I’m so sorry… I promised we’d do this together, but…”

Elitia came to, safe in Igarashi’s arms. An endless stream of tears spilled down over her cheeks.

“This isn’t your fault. I knew this might happen… I had a feeling you’d rush in here as soon as you could. But we’ve gained valuable intel thanks to that.”

Rury was alive, slave to the Simian Lord or not.

“I promise you—we will come back… We’ve got a huge score to settle with that Simian Lord now. We’re gonna make him pay.”

“……”

We had to bring him down before the Slave Seal inscription on Theresia’s skin took permanent hold. It was a bitter end to our first encounter with the Simian Lord. And yet, I felt a calm determination where there might have been anger. We would be the ones to draw the final curtain on this farcical tragedy the Simian Lord had begun.

Theresia gently laid her hand over the fist I’d unknowingly clenched.

I swore to myself I would undo the hex that had befallen her. We had seven days here. Seven days to take back all that was ours. As we put more distance between us and the fortress burnished with hundreds of blazing flames, the gears in my mind began spinning. I was already planning for our inevitable return.