Chapter 74

"......What's wrong? Aren't you coming anymore?

Setsu... setsu... [frugality]..."

"[Shakka]. [Shakka]. [Shakka]'s sigil."

I stood in front of the six people, who were gradually speaking less, feeling a bit puzzled.

At first, they had shown off such magnificent techniques, but for some reason, their movements had become sluggish.

"......Sorry, but we need to talk a bit. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

They gathered in one spot and started a small strategy meeting, as if it were the third time or so.

"......Hey, what's going on?

Wasn't that guy supposed to be as strong as the [Six Saints]?

Are the [Six Saints] really this strong...?"

"......No matter what, it's abnormal.

Even when we six attack with all our might, he doesn't even break a sweat."

"Yeah, he hasn't even shown his true strength yet...

His Holiness wants us to capture him alive...?"

"No, from what I can tell, he's a being that surpasses the [Six Saints].

To think such a person was still unknown..."

They were having a serious discussion, but even through their masks, I could see a hint of fatigue.

The combination of the two women's magic, the four people's sword and spear attacks, and the complex coordination of these techniques were truly impressive. At first, they attacked without a break, but even they must be tired after such continuous acrobatics.

They kept showing off completely different techniques, and I was really starting to enjoy it... but it seems they're running out of ideas.

I had also overexerted myself, creating quite a few holes in the ground... maybe it's time to stop.

"Sigil, is it okay to end the entertainment here?

......You don't have to push yourselves."

When I spoke to the six people standing shoulder to shoulder, the man with the dual swords, Sigil, turned around and replied.

"Yeah... sorry, but that's as far as we can go."

"No, there's no need to apologize. It was very enjoyable.

I'm grateful that you accompanied me."

When I thanked him, the man in the peculiar armor sighed and sheathed his slightly chipped black swords.

"......Tell me, how strong are you in the kingdom?"

"......Me?

To be honest, I'm probably on the weaker side.

I don't know much, but there must be many people stronger than me.

Why do you ask?"

"See."

With that, Sigil turned his back to me.

"......We're retreating for now."

"Sigil, are you going against His Holiness's orders?"

"Don't misunderstand.

We were only ordered to capture him.

We're just regrouping and will attack again."

"But──"

"Is there any chance of winning like this? ...It's frustrating, but it's clear now."

"Tch... I understand. It's for the mission. I'll ask Raiba for help."

"Are you leaving him here?"

"Yeah. If someone stays behind, who can stop him?

Besides, he can't escape from here on his own.

Leaving him here is the best option.

...There's nothing else we can do."

"......It's really embarrassing. For the 'Twelve Apostles'..."

Sigil and the others consulted again and then spoke to me.

"Hey, [Pile Driver].

We're going to get more people.

Stay here and wait quietly.

...Got it? Don't move at all.

Even though we've mostly finished the investigation, there are still active traps here."

"......Okay, I understand."

They warned me and then returned the way they came.

It seems they're leaving me here... but are they still planning to entertain me?

They're really serious. I told them not to push themselves.

Well, they said they're bringing more people, so I'll just wait here.

"......Hey, why is he so compliant...?"

"......It's a bit creepy. Does he really understand the situation...?"

"Besides, hey Sigil... if he goes down on his own, can you take responsibility?"

"......There are multiple layers of barriers set up by His Holiness himself.

No one can pass through them. Touching them would mean instant death."

"Sure, but..."

"Originally... is he the 'evil' we should slay?

I don't think so.

Despite our intense hostility, he shows no enmity at all."

"......Are you doubting His Holiness's orders?"

"Just checking. I'll ask His Holiness about the true intent of the capture."

And so, I was left alone in the vast space.

"......Stay here, huh?"

Looking around, I saw many interesting things.

There were stone tablets made of materials I had never seen before, and occasionally, strange-shaped coins mixed in with the stones on the floor.

Honestly, I'm curious and want to explore, but I'll follow their warning.

This is an old dungeon, and there are still active traps. It wouldn't be good to touch something carelessly.

"Here will do."

Looking around, I found a conveniently shaped stone nearby.

I wasn't particularly tired, but to calm down after their entertainment, I decided to sit on it and wait.

After all, I once accidentally triggered a trap in a warehouse that was part of an old dungeon, even though it was supposed to be inactive. I thought I was going to die then...

If I accidentally trigger a trap here, it would cause trouble for them and for Leen and the others.

"I really need to be careful not to touch anything strange."

With that, I slung my black sword over my shoulder and sat on the square stone──thud, a sound came from somewhere.

"──Huh?"

Looking around, nothing seemed to have changed.

No, the square stone I sat on had sunk slightly into the ground.

This is...?

"──Hmm...?"

The stone I sat on was sinking more and more.

This──could it be.

Perhaps.

Then, with a violent shock that seemed to shake the entire building──

──BOOM.

The ground began to collapse with a loud noise.

"Shit──!!"

This is bad.

Very bad.

The stone I sat on was apparently part of some mechanism.

I didn't expect it, and I thought this area had been investigated, so I let my guard down.

Or maybe the ground collapsed because I had cracked it earlier.

In any case, my body fell along with the collapsing stone floor.

I was thrown into a dark space, floating in the air.

Then, I hit something, but the momentum from the fall was too great, and I shattered the floor and continued to fall.

The darkness below was endless.

I couldn't see anything.

I didn't know what was where, and I was repeatedly thrown into the air and hit the floor, but the fall didn't stop.

For some reason, I even felt the black sword being pulled deeper into the darkness.

No, it wasn't just my imagination.

The force was getting stronger the more I fell.

──It seems I'm being pulled down.

While falling through several floors, I had many questions, but eventually, I was thrown into a vast space.

"......It's bright...?"

It was very bright.

There was a light illuminating the entire space.

Thanks to it, I could see around me.

The space was filled with a strange bluish-white light.

The same bluish-white light that the six people had used.

It spread throughout the space, and a blindingly bright 'bluish-white wall of light' appeared in front of me as I fell.

I was going to hit it.

......What should I do?

I had touched it before, and it didn't feel good.

──For now.

"Parry"

When I struck the bluish-white wall of light with my black sword, it shattered into dazzling particles of light that scattered everywhere.

The moment the sword hit the wall, I felt a significant impact in my hand.

If I had hit it, it wouldn't have been just a scratch.

It seems my judgment was correct.

I shattered all the layers of bluish-white light walls with my sword as I fell.

As I destroyed the walls, the space was filled with dazzling particles of light, making the surroundings much brighter.

I could see the distant floor clearly, so I managed to land safely.

"Phew, I made it."

When I stood on the floor and looked around, the dazzling light quickly disappeared, and the surroundings were covered in deep darkness.

It seems the light was due to the walls.

I was lucky. But still...

"──Where am I?"

How far did I fall?

I feel like I fell a long way.

I can't remember exactly, but I must have fallen through at least ten or more floors.

The black sword also stopped being pulled down.

Until now, it was being strongly pulled down, which is why I could easily break through the thick stone floors.

In any case, it's too dark to see anything.

When I tried to light a fire with [Punch Fire], I noticed something strange.

In the darkness, the black sword moved slightly.

"......What is it?"

I thought it might be my imagination, but it was definitely moving.

This time, it felt like it was being pulled in a specific direction, as if showing me something.

It was a strange feeling.

Could this sword be trying to tell me something?

I don't think so, but when I focused on the direction the sword was pointing, I saw a cavity in the distance with a faint light coming from it.

"......Is there something there...?"

There might be stairs or a passage leading up.

I followed the light and soon found myself in a vast space with a large, glowing blue crystal floating in the middle.

It was bright and very clear.

However, there were no exits or stairs leading up.

I was a bit disappointed but became interested in the floating blue crystal in the center.

"It's quite large."

When I got closer, I saw that it was a very large stone.

It was much wider than my outstretched arms and about twice my height.

The blue, glowing, transparent stone was indeed floating in the air.

I couldn't see anything supporting it from below, so it really looked like it was just floating.

More strangely, my sword was being clearly pulled towards it.

Even when I tried to point the sword in another direction, it always pointed straight at the center of the stone.

It was a very mysterious stone.

"What is this stone?

Is it a light source? ...But it seems a bit out of place."

As I reached out to touch it to check what it was...

Suddenly, I felt a strong force pulling me towards the stone.

"What──my body...!?"

My body was being pulled towards the blue crystal as if being sucked in, and the moment I touched it, I was swallowed whole, and my consciousness turned white──

When I came to, I was standing in an unfamiliar place.

There was a fallen woman, and behind her, the ominous, giant skeleton I had seen in the painting upstairs was sitting on a golden throne, adorned with sparkling gems.