In the dark depths of Yavan, almost nothing could be seen—unless your path was lit by the occasional glowing insects. Amidst the shadows, a figure moved. Dressed in black leather armor and wearing a mask that concealed his face, he carried a glowing lantern powered by a magic stone. It shone brighter than insects or fire ever could.
Kill, kill, kill. I won't rest until every other guild and their adventurers are wiped from this kingdom. Glory to Alis and its adventurers alone. No one deserves to live unless they're from Alis. No one—not even the king himself, if he's an adventurer. I won't allow anyone from another guild to live in peace. Destruction is coming, and the end will consume you all.
I am the harbinger of death—Ponier Earnard. I won't stop until death herself takes me. And even then, perhaps I'll be reborn... and when I am, I'll return to Yarum and continue the killing. Kill. Kill. Kill. This cursed bunch will never escape me. I heard there's a party heading to kill a Snadra. They sound strong—but not as strong as me.
The darkness was growing thicker. How could they think of killing a Snadra at a time like this? Adventurers from other guilds really are insane. But I'm here to put an end to their madness... with my swords, the Twin Killers. I'll spill the blood of any adventurer not from Alis. All I want is to live long enough to keep doing this.
Ah... how wonderful it is to live for an absolute goal. A goal so hard to reach that you never feel empty from achieving it. I'm truly happy. This work defines who I am. That's why I'll never stop. No one will ever understand this feeling... To have a grand goal guiding your future while you're just a creature without principles, morals, or what others call "mercy." It's an incredible feeling. A feeling of being alive.
I searched for a while but found nothing. Was this a false report? No—impossible. He wouldn't mess up. I'm sure the report was accurate. Okay, think Ponier. If I were the leader of a Gold-ranked party, where would I go? Damn it, I don't think like adventurers do, and I definitely don't belong among them. I should've asked someone perfect... like Laos.
That guy—I'm sure he's a spy from another guild. But I haven't received any orders to kill him. Funny. He has a spirit weapon but claims it's just an enchanted sword. His power keeps growing fast—like he's daring me to watch as he takes me down. I wish I'd get the order to kill him. His attacks wouldn't even scratch me. Still... I don't want to hurt him. Strange.
He's the first person I can't picture slicing into pieces. Life is weird. Or rather, it became weird the moment I met him. Is he really a spy? Everything about him says he is. But sometimes, he acts so clueless it makes sense. And why hasn't he hidden his aura if he's spying? He leaves it so exposed it even scares monsters at times. But if he's from Pascal, why hasn't he gone back? Why does he dream of buying a house in Iveleth??
That bastard's a whole other story—but he's not my concern right now. Not as much as tearing apart other guild adventurers. It's the only thing I'm good at. The only thing that brings me joy. All of this is for you... I'll never forget you, Mom... Dad. My revenge won't end until I do. So be proud—your son is a merciless tyrant!!
"We haven't found it yet... fuck!" shouted a voice from afar. It was them.
"Damn it, this guide sucks... fuck Alis!!"
Adventurers from Clawsin using a guide made by Alis. Oh, the greatness of my guild. There were four of them, and they looked strong. A swordsman, a warrior with an axe, a female mage... and a torchbearer? They were clearly lost, unsure of their next move, since their prey hadn't shown up yet. That meant it was time for me to appear—and send them to the light.
"Well, well, well" I said, stepping out of the bushes—this time without my mask, so they wouldn't be frightened.
"Well?" the swordsman muttered. He had a solid build and silver armor—definitely the leader.
"Looks like you're looking for Snadra... I've been searching for him too. Seems like there's something wrong with the guide."
"So we're not alone."
Suddenly, the sound of rustling grass caught my ears. What? I was sure no one else was here. Impossible. A twinge of tension crept into me—not out of fear, but because I was certain we were alone. Then, a small rabbit appeared. Phew... that fucking thing startled me. It bolted after seeing us and ran off into another area.
At that moment, the swordsman's neck was exposed. I couldn't resist. I dashed at him like lightning—it was such a delicious target, and all I could imagine was the image of it drenched in blood. I grabbed Lyly with my left hand and Lele with my right, aiming to slice his neck. But as I got close, the mage suddenly screamed: "Master!!!"
He ducked fast at his comrade's warning, and I leapt back to avoid any incoming attack. Their reaction speed was no joke. I might not finish this quickly after all. Doesn't matter—as long as I don't get exposed. I kept staring at them, and they returned my gaze. Their eyes never left mine.
"Bolden! It's the Dark Eye! Run and alert the others—it's a Foxen!!!" the axe wielder shouted.
The torchbearer ran off immediately. Hmm... smart move. Yes! Their quick thinking is impressive. They're the first party to call it out like that. Truly admirable. I'm honestly sad they're not from Alis. Fuck you! The torchbearer was getting farther away, but he was too slow. I pointed my hand at him and muttered: "Fioless."
A fiery spear burst forth, fast as lightning, and in a beautiful display, it pierced the torchbearer's back, sending him crashing to the ground—dead. Their reactions may be quick, but their movement speed is way too slow. When their comrade fell, the looks on their faces were priceless to me. Despair... misery... expressions I love seeing on any adventurer from another guild.
"B... Bolden," the swordsman muttered.
"Boldeeeen!!!" the warrior screamed.
"Mizulan!!" the mage cried, pointing her staff at me.
"Failed attack," I said as I easily dodged her water projectile.
At that moment, the swordsman and the axe wielder charged at me. Their faces filled with furious rage. They realized the situation—they knew sorrow wouldn't help and turned it into anger instead. A wise decision. They were elite. As they got close, I leapt high into the air, then rained down a barrage of fire projectiles.
"As I thought—your armor is impressive," I murmured as I landed back on the ground.
"Stonvar!!!"
The mage unleashed a storm of rocky blasts—fast, but still not as fast as me. Their defense was wide open. They had no idea who they were up against. That's always the first mistake adventurers make—underestimating their enemy.
"Laraaaaaaa!!!!!!" the swordsman screamed as he watched his comrade's head hit the ground.
"It's over..." the axe wielder muttered, dropping to his knees.
"Come on, what's with the pessimism? At least fight to your last breath," I replied.
I felt immense relief—killing mages is such a satisfying feeling. They're incredibly annoying, always keeping their distance and firing off damn spells. The swordsman charged at me. For some reason, I didn't want to kill him right away, so I blocked his strike with Lyly. I could've easily stabbed him with Lele and finished him off, but I wanted to give him hope... hope that I'd crush in the end.
Suddenly, the axe wielder stood up and pulled out a golden dragon-shaped wand. That's definitely a magic item. So, you're planning to use support items? Fine, suit yourselves. He held the wand with both hands and pointed it at me, then began chanting. Meanwhile, the swordsman charged at me again, trying to distract me… A good idea—but not against me.
I flipped in the air and kicked the swordsman hard in the jaw. He got back up quickly, but I gave him a terrifying glare—one that made him back off as if he had just seen a demon. By then, the spellcaster had finished his incantation. He gripped the wand with both hands and shouted: "Ryuniss!!"
A lightning projectile shaped like a dragon shot toward me—it was incredibly fast. Bringing a magic item like this to a boss fight is a smart move. But using it against Ponier? That's not so smart. As the attack got close, I could see it in his eyes—he was mesmerized, like he was witnessing something beautiful. Poor guy, he really thought it would hit me.
"Tatios Fatos."
A huge flame swirled around me, and when the attack struck, it vanished like a mere puff of wind. Then the fire protecting me faded away, revealing a magnificent sight—one I'd gladly pay a lot of nova to witness. The two of them were stunned, retreating backward, trying to flee? No, don't say that.
First, I had to kill the axe guy who thought he could defeat me. I walked slowly toward him. Out of pure fear, he grabbed his axe and ran at me with it raised high. Good… That's not bad courage. But this attack is full of openings, you fool. I couldn't resist—his delicious-looking stomach was just too exposed.
"Lio… Lio…" the swordsman mumbled as he watched his friend squirm on the ground, stomach slashed open, guts spilling out.
"Why? Why? Dark Eye…?" the swordsman whispered through his tears as he watched me approach slowly.
"Dark Eye? Sorry, but I don't like that title. I never asked anyone to give it to me. My eyes aren't even dark—they're yellow. Why would they throw such a ridiculous title on me… in the name of their goddess?" I asked as I sat in front of him while he knelt there, crying.
"Please… have mercy on me…"
"First, I want to ask you something."
"Of course! Ask anything!"
"Why didn't you choose Alis?"
"Aaaghh... That's because my father was an adventurer in Clawsin, and it was also the only guild with a branch in our town. So it was the first one I registered with. And switching from one guild to another is difficult… so…"
"Alright, alright. But let's say I did spare you. Do you still have the will to live after seeing your friends die?"
"…"
"Answer me," I repeated, grabbing his head and licking his cheek.
"Please… spare me," he muttered as he bowed to me.
That's when his head left his body. His life ended. Not just his—his entire party's. Another party, wiped out. That's how I knew my day was over. A perfect day… another success. This is amazing. Every time I succeed, I feel an overwhelming desire to keep going. That's why I never stop. I left that lovely scene, along with their corpses, and withdrew to Bloomy. Alright, I should get some rest.
"Kill, kill, kill…"
◆ ◆ ◆
The sun shone down over the trees of Yavan. Below, through the green rays of light streaming between the dense leaves, the village of Bloomy and its residents lived in peace—alongside adventurers. The place had changed a lot, but it seemed the residents had gotten used to it.
What a beautiful morning. Alright, today Ponier and I are heading off to fight a boss. What was its name again? Mushroom… Mushroom Champion. It's a Tier 7 boss—it's going to be really hard, but I'll beat it with my new power. It's incredible how powerful I feel now. I'm not even afraid anymore… what an amazing improvement I've made.
Suddenly, as I was on my way to the tavern, walking among the dryads and adventurers, a short, chubby man approached me carrying a bag full of letters. It was the same man who usually delivered Maris' letters to me. Looks like Maris sent another one. What's this about?
"Mr. Laos, this is a letter from the guild," he said as he handed me the letter.
Then he left quickly. A letter from the guild? What could it be? I'm pretty sure the Yavan license hasn't expired yet, right? I broke the seal and opened it. At that moment, I felt a chill down my spine. It was the first letter I ever received from the guild—addressed to me, not even to Ponier. This doesn't happen often… or at all. Could it be a rank up notice? The real question is: is this good news or bad?
"Laos Martin,
We wish you a good day.
We're contacting you regarding something we've heard.
We've received word that you are selling items that should be turned in to the guild, considering you do not have a merchant license.
We regret to hear this and ask that you come immediately for an investigation into this claim.
You will have three days. If you do not appear, you will be considered expelled from Alis guild."