Act 1-41 - Lost Memories

Chapter 41 : Lost Memories

――Ten Years ago.

Though it’s been five years since Fedor, who was 17 years old at time became an adventurer, he still lives an unstable life as a 3rd rank adventurer, and sometimes porter while chasing an empty dream, yet couldn’t even prepare a magic vessel to fight demon beast.

His childhood girlfriend, Asche who also left the orphanage a while later to become adventurer like him was also living in poverty, barely survived with a little bit of help from him.

『Why!? Why did you do this, director Ra’s!』

Fedor went to question Ra’s, the director of the orphanage who brought him up after he heard the rumor about him illegally selling the childrens raised in the orphanage via a corrupt merchant who has a connection with a brothel in the capital.

『T-The Magus Assistant of this city just changed you know, Fedor-kun… Along with that is the change of policy… Many of this city’s public institutions are heavily relying on the subsidy from the governor of this city… And that includes this orphanage.』

『I know that! I also know that newly appointed magus assistant, Marty is an as5 hol3 who is only interested in strengthening his position! But still, it doesn’t justify your action of selling those childrens!!』

『You’re mistaken… Though I can’t deny the fact that Zutat company are quite infamous one, this has something to do with the army. In fact, the army is the one who is suggesting this plan to aid this orphanage… I have no choice but to obey since refusing them means crushing this orphanage… In addition, you should’ve known the best that I can’t do anything to the children who already left this orphanage. Instead, they should’ve no problem with meals if they’re working in the brothel. That’s why yo–』

『Aid plan? Are you bl1nd!? Why you didn’t realize that the company and the army are only suggesting that “aid” plan to fattening their purse!?』

Fedor interrupted while banging his fist against the office desk in Ra’s’ office before Ra’s managed to finish his sentence.

The two were silently glaring at each other.

『… I can’t disobey the army, Fedor-kun. Doing so is equivalent to going against the greatest power in Ryuzu kingdom.』

Ra’s said those words with a feeble, almost vanished voice.

That even marked the beginning of Fedor’s fervent passion to gain more power.

He thought that it’ll be fine as long as he could secure the operating fund for the orphanage without relying on the army.

As long as he could become a B-rank adventurer, a rank that only ０．１％ adventurers managed to reach, he could secure more than one millions Temis just by diving into the demon labyrinth.

And the best way to raise his level was by defeating a demon beast whose odo level was more powerful than him.

But, that’s an extremely reckless attempt, borderline suicide.

And such a feat was impossible for Fedor who didn’t even own a magic vessel at that time.

That’s why his first focus was learning battle art and controlling his fighting spirit.

He used every possible means, his connection, flattering the famous adventurer to teach him battle art.

He didn’t know when to give up, and sometimes got beaten up due to his persistency.

『Please stop doing such reckless actions, Fedor-niisan. I mean, this is beyond reckl-』

『You go back first! I’m different from you, I’ve to learn battle art at all costs! Let me do this myself!』

That day, Fedor dived into the labyrinth till UG 2nd floor along with Asche.

Fedor’s adventurer acquaintance, Ligges told him that he would sell his spare D-rank magic vessel to him if he could prepare 150k Temis within three days.

In fact, Ligges magic vessel was a good one that could even be sold for 300k temis.

Ligges himself might be a strong adventurer but, he was also known for his nasty personality, his words to Fedor have zero credibility, he only wants to see Fedor struggling in vain in those three days.

But, Fedor still felt grateful to it, even if it was only a game for Ligges.

Even if it’s only a small chance, he would dash forward at full speed as long as he could get a proper magic vessel.

Fedor was sprinting, full speed ahead to his goal.

He was originally not such a reckless person.

That’s just how much his mind was poisoned by money after working as an adventurer for 5 years.

He was truly in a bottleneck and had no way out to solve his current predicament without taking any risk.

Though he has many acquaintances, none of them were willing to lend their money to a 3rd rank adventurer brat who they don’t even know when he will die.

Thus his only way was to dive into a demon labyrinth, gathering battle bones to get more money.

Asche gripped Fedor’s clothes, she tried to stop him from doing such a reckless attempt.

『What are you doing!』

『… I won’t go back. The current Fedor-niisan is scary, you’re different from the old Fedor-niisan. I am afraid that Fedor-niisan will really disappear if I let you go alone.』

Fedor was lowering his head when he noticed that Ache was crying.

『I’m sorry… Asche. Please let me go just this once. I’ve been waiting for this day for the last five years… but, my money is far from enough. I hear that Fang[Fang Wolf] which rarely appears on the 2nd floor of this labyrinth is a weak D-rank demon beast. I should be able to secure the necessary funds as long as I can sell that guy’s battle bone. Everything will be fine as long as I can freely use battle arts. 』

He could make sufficient donations to the orphanage as long as he could buy the D-rank magic sword from Liggess.

That way, Asche wouldn’t need to suffer the harsh living condition again.

Was what he expected.

Few hours later, there’s no Asche’s figure beside Fedor who left the demon labyrinth with Fang’s battle bone, and body that was covered in wounds.

After that, Fedor who made 150k Temis from selling the battle bone and the magic sword he used up till now went to the bar where Ligges frequented.

Fedor called out to Ligges, the big man with an unshaven beard who was currently drinking along with his mates.

『… Ligges-san, I prepared 150 k temis.』

Ligges made a sour face upon seeing Fedor.

『Oioi seriously! hahaha! You lost the bet, Ligges!』

『Haah? what the heck, you should just die already!』

Fedor noticed right away what they’re betting on.

『I LOST BIG TIME BECAUSE OF YOU, SH1TTY BRAT!』

Ligges pushed away Fedor’s body.

The money pouch torn, scattering the coin on the floor.

『L-Ligges-san, the magic sword…』

『The H3ll ya talkin bout? My great magic sword is way more precious than a sh1tty b3gg4r like you!!』

That moment, something was broken inside Fedor.

One week later, Ligges corpse was found in one of the labyrinths around Romburgh city, he was killed by an adventurer killer.

The killer was aiming for the moment when Ligges was exhausted from fighting the demon beast.

But, this case was regarded as trivial matter, no one made a ruckus about this matter since it was extremely difficult to get proof of robbery and murder that happened in demon labyrinth.

No one but Fedor, the killer himself, knew that this seemingly trivial case was the moment when the most feared adventurer killer who terrorized Romburgh’s adventurers for years to come, 《Cerberus Fang》 was born.

◆

「《Dark Arrow》!」

Several purple colored magic arrows appeared from several small magic circles that formed in front of Fedor’s fingers.

Fedor turned the magic harp, 《Invitation to Nightmare; Harwerth》’s magic strings to form a magic arrow.

I don’t know about this magic but, this is definitely radiation type attack magic of dark element.

It used the magic harp’s string to increase its speed and penetration power.

「NOW DIEEEEE!」

Fedor raised such a warcry.

I wouldn’t make it in time to dodge it.

So I kicked the ground, springing forward.

Because I’m almost out of stamina and mana, I ended up falling forward, landing on my elbow.

「Argh!」

Fedor mercilessly fired his arrow at me who couldn’t move.

『D-DEAAAAN!』

Just when I thought that this was the end of me, I felt a shock run through my back and my body was floating for a moment.

When I looked forward, I discovered that Edda was the one who kicked me.

「Save your complaint! I’m also barely hanging in there!」

I landed on the ground with my knees.

Though My mind was jolted back due to the pain that was running through my knees, I knew that I’ve no time to whine from this level of pain.

「UGh!! U-Uuh,,,」

But, before I raised my body, the purplish light arrows had already covered my vision along with fluttering blood in mid air.

I pointed 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 toward Fedor.

「《Trick Dove》!」

A Toulpa Dove came out from the deployed magic circle and headed toward Fedor.

This is 《Mineral’s Demon; Solus》’s Toulpa.

「《Gravidoor》！」

Fedor was surrounded again by a black light’s pillar.

Though it’s scale isn’t as big as before, his body was protected from all sides.

The orbit of Trick Dove’s flight that entered the pillar of light was lowered down due to the 《Gravidoor》’s amplified gravity, it fell in front of Fedor and then wrapped in fire.

… Even though Fedor was also close to his limit, I still couldn’t find a way to break through the current situation.

As long as we couldn’t do something about 《Gravidoor》, all of our means of attack, ranged or close combat were sealed while Fedor could kill us for sure with 《Invitation to Nightmare; Harwerth》’s 《Dark Arrow》.

That gravity field was waiting for us if we tried to approach him and that arrow was sealing our retreat path.

At first, I thought that we just needed to wait till Fedor ran out of mana but that bastard has yet to run out of mana in that kind of situation.

At this rate, It was only a matter of time until we fell under his 《Dark Arrow》.