My muscles bulge, my arms contract, and my killing intent rages.
The ogre mustâve felt it because it stopped cursing the heavens to look at me.
It opens its massive mouth, it bellows out a roar, and I feel my legs freeze under me. So, I bellow back in response.\nâGURUuuRUuAaa!â
âââTo hell with skills!
We kick ourselves off the ground. I raise my fists, and the ogre opens its mouth. The distance between us shrinks, and that wide-opened mouth of it is hellbent on chewing every bit of me. The ogre lowered its head, and our paths crossed.
âââI wonât be defeated!!
As our paths crossed, I brought down my fist, slamming it right into its head. The crunching sound of bones impacting and flesh tearing filled my ears. My bulging muscles threw up blood, and I grit my teeth in pain.
But I didnât falter. I slammed my fists down the ogreâs head, and I crushed that ugly thing like a watermelon.
And with that, life left the ogre, and it was no more.
An arm for a life. I suppose this right arm wonât be moving anytime soon.
Thatâs pretty bad, actually. Since thereâs still the ogre lord after this.
ââŚBut then, so what?â
Even if the only thing pushing me is this blazing fire in my chest.
For their sake too ââ for those who are desperately fighting yet.
Regret fills me whenever I think about it. Did I really make the right choice? Was there really no other way?
No, thereâs no point thinking about that anymore.
It might be because we somehow managed to defeat an ogre while following Kuzan that we let our guard up.
Yes, it was probably because of that that we fell into a trap.
When we exited the corridors, we found ourselves in a spacious room, and rocks fell on us from above. Most likely, a trap set by the ogres.
Kuzan was sure there wasnât anything like that before, so I ordered my men to search the area. A decision that would cause us to split up.
For one of the stone pillars that reached up to a second story would fall down.
Everyone jumped at my warning, but then the whole place caved-in.
Dodging comes first, I figured. And I called out to my men.
âAre you safe!? Gi Za!? Gi Go!?â
That mountain of rubble blocked my vision.
âGi Gi! Gilmi! Rashka!â
I called their names one after another, buut the wall of rubble before me, that wall of despair, made sure I couldnât cross.
âKuzan! Aluhaliha! Narsa! Gi Ji!?â
I hit it again and again as I called out their names, but no one responded.
Gradually, resignation paint edmy heart, but at the sound of a lordâs voice, that feeling was blown away.
âKing, go without us!â
It was Gi Za. The howls of an ogre could be heard as soon as he said those words.
My men are fighting on the other side of this wall.
In a war I canât reach⌠Theyâre fighting⌠for me.
âââIf only I could turn my fury into power! I wouldnât spare a second thought to crush to this wall!
I will defeat the Ogre Lord. The ogres are gathering even though theyâre not the sort to form hordes.
If I defeat the Ogre Lord, then they might just turn against each other.
As I stifled the impatience and anger within me, I ran.
Statues of demons lined up in a dark room. Some were shaped like men and some like snakes. They stood around a lone woman who was sat upon a throne like a king. A snow-white toga was wrapped around her, and in front of her was a magic mirror upon which the detested and beloved world of the living reflected. And in that world was a certain goblin.
âAh, heâs going, heâs going. My beloved child.â
Her beautiful lips spoke those words almost in a sigh. A hint of love could be felt from them. Yes, that was most likely the love of a mother.
âBut you should hurry.â
Her pair of golden eyes grew sharper at those words, and with a thought the image on the magic mirror changed to several search teams, no, hunting teams led by three peculiar humans. Each one of them possessed some strange power. They were none other than the vanguards of the gods, the Byunei.
A smile floated up her lips as she pushed her sky-blue hair back.
ââŚI can never get tired of you, Boy. Chaos and destruction follow you wherever you go. Even though the third daughter of destinyRyuu has yet to interfere.â\nThe snakes by her feet could feel her joy, and they looked up to her and tilted their heads.
âYour power has been sealed, your weapon taken. your people are on the other side of the wall with no way out; your body is covered in wounds, and up ahead is an ogre lord. But you know⌠I bet on you.â
Thereâs no way he couldâve heard those words, but when the magic mirror showed his figureâŚ
It seemed to reach him. He who possesses the same noble and strong soul that she herself once possessed.
âShould you come here half-heartedly, your anguish, your agony, your sorrow⌠your everything shall become mine. Would the tears of your sorrow be sweet? Would its taste harmonize with your throes of despair? And what of your face twisted by the humiliation of failing to protect those you wished to protect?
A faint smile drew her lips as she caressed her flushed cheeks.
âFu fu fu, Iâm looking forward to it, Boy. Do become stronger. The stronger you become, to more amusing itâll be.â
ââŚThat Iâd rather watch you forever like this.â
The fallen goddess loved teasing him. She hoped heâd be able to overcome the trials set before him with that strong and noble soul of his. Though either way would suit her.
In the realm of the dead were no man was, only the statues and the snakes watched over her.
A pity, she thought. That they could only meet at the border life and death.
And the Goddess of the Underworld peeked through the magic mirror once again.