It has been approximately 5 months.
Time flows differently within this domain.
The domain in which Artifact War is held.
Lush green forests. Grasslands. High Rocky Mountains. Sandy beaches.
At least those are the biomes I have seen so far.
In this Artifact War, there are rules imposed.
1. Each team consists of a 'Master' and a 'Student', given the authority over a system.
2. The Master mustn't be a 1st year student. So the 'game' system automatically chooses which is the Master and which is the Student.
3. The Master in the first round (Battle Elimination) will be stripped of 50% of their capabilities (This includes what kind of spells are used, mana reserves, and other techniques). However, they are given a once-a-week chance to do an 'overlimit'. The ability to bypass this rule for approximately 99 seconds.
4. The Student must play the bigger role in combat. Unlike the Master, the student's capabilities are increased by 50% based on the stripped power of their Master (this includes spells the Master can use, mana reserves, and other techniques). The Students are given a once-a-month chance to do a 'limit break'. The ability to inherit knowledge and capabilities of their master up to 100% for 5 minutes.
5. The use of 'overlimit' and 'limit break' can't be at the same time. The last to be activated will overwrite the others.
6. Each Master possesses an artifact fragment. By killing both a Master and a Student, you can gather one artifact fragment. Gathering as many artifact fragments as possible will increase your chances of surviving the final round. Information on this will be disclosed at the time of the final round.
7. The leaderboard of how many fragments held can be seen in the leaderboard option.
8. The round will stop after only 128 Masters and Students are remaining.
I saw the leaderboard now and then.
A single name rose above the others.
[Leaderboard]
1. Isval Il Opache 150 fragments
2. Andreas 120 Fragments
... The list goes on.
I was sitting in a part of the forest, resting, hiding from the others. An uncomfortable sensation filled my chest with agony. The feeling of helplessness had consumed me over the past months.
The people here are all twisted.
Everyone who had entered this place had become more aggressive and prone to killing one another.
It was as if the fragment of this Artifact would consume those who don't possess enough mental strength. People who were just innocents joining a seemingly normal tournament suddenly became cold-blooded psychopathic killers. Who would risk their morality and strength just for the artifact fragments?
I feel a sharp pain in my head.
My eardrums suddenly rang as I began to remember what I did.
-~
SPURST!!!!!!!!!!!
A kunai punctured Mika's head.
Blood spilled like a river.
I move my dagger and slit the throat of the attacker.
Their blood splattered onto my face.
-~
It wasn't just Mika.
I killed off a bunch of people already.
The Demi-human twins whom Lulu brought to meet me back when I was searching for students. Both were killed by my hand in combat. I crushed their skulls before finishing them, thrusting my dagger into their hearts.
The burly transfer student whom Dwargo had introduced to me back when I was searching for students. Killed by me as I severed his entire body, retaliating in anger because he ambushed Momoka after pretending to be sane.
The nervous elf girl whom Killiar had introduced to me. I killed her as I blew her away into the air, and she crashed into her neck with my punch after trying to poison both Momoka and me.
My breathing became heavy.
Even...
The stoic-looking boy that Illias had introduced. I killed him in cold blood. He was trying to kill me and Momoka by administering paralyzing poison in our sleep. I used my overlimit and killed him with full intent.
Why did I continuously act like I wished things had gone differently?
Because I hope I shouldn't have to kill people I deem innocent.
They are but victims, but I...
I had killed them for it.
My body begins to shake as I feel nauseous.
Those are those that I know.
There are many more people that Momoka and I have eliminated.
To be exact, 99 Master and Student have been killed by us.
I had murdered 198 Innocent people.
"Master."
Momoka's voice snapped me to reality.
I was sweating and shivering.
Momoka's face seemed solemn, but in no way did it seem to be bothered by my clear guilt. "I am sorry that I can't seem to do anything to relieve your mental stress."
It's true. For the past 5 months, Momoka has been trying endlessly to relax my brain into sleep. But, I always wake up a few hours later again haunted by the night terrors of what I have done to those 198 people.
I didn't notice that our scenery inside this forest had turned into night. The night sky shines brightly as we overlook the stars. "To be honest..." Momoka said.
"Killing innocents wasn't something that I am bothered to do," Momoka said, looking towards me. "Of course, I didn't mean that I never feel guilt."
She said gently towards me as she looked away, as if remembering her past.
"After my fiancé's death, I escaped to Australia. On the way there, I met a family who helped me. But, when push came to shove, they almost ratted me out for being an illegal immigrant in Australia. At the time, I killed them all. Even the kids."
I saw no cold look on Momoka's face.
Rather, she was experiencing genuine sadness.
"But even so, it's the reality of the world we live in right now. Where violence is usually the norm, even innocents can be affected. I am not trying to justify my killings, Master. I am trying to say that it is okay for you to want to keep yourself alive. It is a natural thing for any creature, even for a demi-human like me. The nature to cling to life can't be blamed for defending itself." Momoka said as she began to nudge. Her warm hands gently touched my arms as I looked towards her.
"Master for the past 5 months. The people have been targeting you non-stop. Somehow your presence wasn't concealed, and people are constantly chasing you, tricking you, trying their very best to kill you." Her eyes twitched, and she began to shiver. "You never killed any of those 128 people of your own accord. you were just doing your best to protect yourself and me. That's nothing to feel guilty for."
Stop.
Stop.
Momoka...
"You shouldn't burden everything by yourself. I am always here for you. Please. You have done enough worrying about me worrying about everyone else. Please don't worry about what is right or wrong in these extreme situations." Momoka began to let out tears. A sad tone slowly creeps into her voice.
That's when I finally understand, Momoka herself is also feeling extreme guilt.
She feels guilty about killing those innocents just as I do.
But also felt guilty because she 'made' me do it for her to protect her.
I moved my body instinctively as I hugged Momoka.
"I am sorry, Momoka. I am sorry I brought you here with me to feel all this pain." I said as I began to shiver.
"It was never your fault, Thalamik. It was never your fault." Momoka hugged me tighter as we shared an embrace under the moonlight, reflecting our 'sins' together.
After a while, we both released each other from our embrace. "I am sorry if I evaded your privacy..." Momoka said. "I know you still loved your beloved wife dearly."
"I am sorry too. I could say the same thing about your fiancé."
We both smiled and stared at the sky.
"I am sure, Amus will be glad that I have a student like you," Thalamik said proudly, smiling towards Momoka.
"I am also sure that Konoe will be glad to meet you as well. You have been very kind to me, unlike most people that I have met." Momoka said to Thalamik with a sincere face. Her smile slowly stopped as she looked down once more.
Thalamik also realized that this was the first time Momoka had mentioned her fiancé's name. Instinctively, this made him feel happier as Momoka was more open towards him.
"I will definitely help you find the culprit. I haven't forgotten about it. We will find justice for you, Momoka. I swear it." Thalamik declared.
***
Zuatha Il Zikmel sits in her office at Vanguard Academy, currently in a state of outrage. While sipping her coffee, she thought about what everyone was discussing. It was about what had happened at the Colosseum of Vanguard. In which everyone who participated suddenly just disappeared. Leaving only Blastar, The Sword of Darkness, at the center of the colosseum.
Celathis was also there in Zuatha's office. Unlike her, she seemed more stressed than usual. "Zuatha, are you really sure this is what should've happened?"
"Yes. Of course, I have never been more sure. That Artifact asked to find the perfect host through combat. After discussing it with him, he told me his conditions, and this is the best way for him to do things." Zuatha said firmly in a know-it-all tone.
"What of the sudden appearance of the Demon Lord Envoys? Is it perhaps..."
Zuatha stared at Celathis with a gleeful smile. "Of course, it is my comrade. It's precisely because I made a signal enhancer mimicking that of an Artifact and Demonic Core that I was able to lure the standing by Demon Lord Envoys out to the open. Siberian Forest land of the humans, Canada land of the spirits, Madagascar land of the Demi-Humans, and Japan land where 'she' was born."
Celathis looked at Zuatha and realized just how scary all of that sounds. "Why do you mean by that?"
"It's a matter-of-fact plan. Spirits, Humans, and Demi-Humans have become too strong for their own good. We, Fey, are the intelligent ones. We ought to do this for them." Zuatha said proudly without even a hint of remorse.
"More importantly," She smiled once more, looking at the screen.
On that screen was footage of Raymed easily defeating Demon Lord Amy in the Siberian Forest.
"There's now a hero that can clean up our mess without loose ends." Zuatha smiled, biting her lips.
"But, Zuatha isn't all this wrong? Aren't we supposed to coexist?"
Zuatha turns to look at Celathis and said, "Do you seriously believe all that bullshit Veuz said?" Standing up from her seat, "Do you even know how ridiculous it is to live side by side with that of a lesser being. I can't even begin to comprehend sharing the same air as them."
She nudged close to Celathis' face, eyes crazed. "All you need to do is follow my lead, okay?"
"Y-Yes... Zuatha..." Celathis said, shivering in horror.