"Here we are."
He said as they went out of the hole they got into. By the help of Missile, they found the exit by retracing their steps.
A few hours later, they found themselves out of the mountain, but still, inside the vicinity of the dungeon.
"You! Are you letting us out to let this monsters eat us?"
PAK!
A hand slapped Anjelo as he tried to aim his sword towards Zypher again.
The one who slapped him is Cirei, who is now also beaten black and blue.
Their body was swollen, and a few of their weapons are now broken, but not shattered; they were completely cut off.
"He could kill us anytime, what makes you think he needs the monsters to deal with us?"
Cirei said as they walked.
"B-But.."
"No buts and ifs. Just follow."
Cirei said, walking behind Zypher like a subordinate.
Zypher saw this, but only laughed.
He knew them all, but Cirei, he is not someone he has good impression of.
He is a like a leech, who sucks one dry, and goes to another.
"You still don't trust me, huh?"
Zypher said, arriving at the plateau he always trained in.
There, a small tent is built, and there is a small cooking stove, and other survival items.
Inside the tent, is like an apartment.
Zypher used the Spacial Ores to build the said tent, and inside are rooms and other things he has.
The stove outside is just a curveball, so others won't be curious what's inside the tent.
"WITCH!"
Anjelo jumped towards Zypher, but he just smiled.
"One Man Army, Strength."
He delivered a roundhouse kick which sent Anjelo tumbling down a cliff.
Luckily, Cirei jumped forwards and caught him.
The others also pulled him up, and Zypher just stood there, smirking.
'Still the same cautious man.'
He laughed inwardly, which made him look smug.
"Oh, I forgot."
Zypher them entered the tent, and took out a bag.
"That!"
Anjelo ran and grabbed his weapon, but then, Zypher stepped on his hand before he can do so.
He looked up to Zypher, who then flicked his forehead, enough to make him flinch.
"You! What did you do to Issa?!"
Zypher then took out the contents of the bag, for all to see.
"It's her gift for you."
Anjelo, who was burning with anger, grew pale as he saw what it was.
Underwears.
In the battlefield, there will always be war, but nothing beats you than the weakness you feel after wearing the same underwear for one week, enough for it to smell like piss and fart.
And, the underwear Anjelo is using now is already in his third week, as he gave the others his extra.
To be honest, he feels so icky himself, but he can't just wash it and dry it.
What if Marcuz kills him, and his team wins? They will see that he has no underwear.
What if not wearing one makes him uncomfortable? What if he farted and some small bits came out?
What if...
"Hey bro, your face says it all."
Zypher said, shocking him, making his pale face become beet red in embarrassment.
He then scowled at Zypher.
"..de."
"What?"
"..made?"
"Huh?"
"I SAID ARE THEY HANDMADE?"
"I see, you're still a closet pervert."
Zypher said as he took out a paper and pen, writing it as his group started to roar in laughter.
"Hey, what's funny?!"
"Bro, you're missing your woman's touch!" Rika said as she rolled on the floor.
Roken and Alyana are almost on the floor, clutching their stomachs as they laughed. The others also chimed in, which made the atmosphere a bit good.
"I wish my wife also makes me handmade underwears." Cirei said as he looked sad.
"Bro, you don't have a wife." Anjelo said.
"Oh, I forgot." Cirei replied with a straight face and two middle fingers.
Which made the whole group burst out.
As they laughed, Zypher remembered how fun these people are, until Cirei betrayed them.
But he will stop Cirei in this life. He is also the reason that..
Zypher stopped.
"Hey, I think you're not complete."
"Why do you think so, boy?"
"Is someone missing?"
"Some of us died inside that Court. So yes, we are missing some people."
"No, why is Allen not here?"
And the next thing he knew is Anjelo above him, and their weapons are on his neck, arms, feet and other body parts.
"Woah....?"
He has delayed his reaction. He slipped out.
"How?" Anjelo looked at him with anger.
"How what?"
"How did you know Allen?"
Zypher stopped, and he looked at them.
Their faces are filled with regret and anger.
Zypher sighed and breathed out.
"I am..."
His brain began to spin. His mind began to pull out every possible scenario on how he can have info on Allen, but still won't invite suspicion.
And then, he got it.
"Appraisal! Weak Point!"
Appraisal, is a skill that makes his eye glow platinum, while Weak Point adds a circle on the outside of his eyes, like a lens.
"I am an Imperial Knight."
Anjelo then breathed out.
Everybody took their weapons away as he stood up and backed away.
Then, he saw them all kneeling down.
"Glory to the Sun of Acias."
They all greeted.
"And glory to the Knights."
He answered.
Anjelo and the others stood up as he breathed a sigh of relief.
This was something he only knew because he lived two lives.
The Imperial Knights didn't went out until Acias was in turmoil, but one thing is known about them.
They all have skills that makes their eyes change in color.
"Let's go in, shall we?" He said, and all of them obliged.
The atmosphere was tense when they entered, but Zypher let them.
When he went into his room, his heart started to ache.
"Da*n. Lying is not my thing."
He took some time to calm down before changing his clothes to something special, because Anjelo and the other may think he is fraud.
When he went out, he saw them sucking on jerkies, which made him smack his face.
"Hey, Neri, Ellen and Jack."
Three figures sprang up and saluted.
"No need for extra salutations. Can you hunt some meat outside?"
He asked as he dusted himself.
"Yes, Sir!"
The three rushed out, but Anjelo stopped them.
"Anjelo? What are you--"
"We will all go."
"What?"
"We will all go hunt for food."
Zypher was speechless, but he saw everyone with fiery eyes.
"Do as you wish."
He said and sent them away.
"I'll stay here." Cirei said as Anjelo nodded at him.
Then, all of then went outside as Zypher took out some pots and things out of the kitchen and he started heating water.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Cirei started clapping.
"Even Anjelo was fooled with that."
Zypher then spun around. Inwardly, he was smiling, but his face contorted to confusion.
"Fooled who?"
He asked.
To be honest, this was goal all along.
"Greven Dominates the World."
Hearing this, Zypher's mind finally found the final piece he was looking for. Now, he has to make it official.
"And the soul of the continent." He answered.
This made Cirei shocked, and he did what he must. He knelt down, for the second time.
Zypher smiled as he unexpectedly caught a big fish.
Greven, is a kingdom near the Scorching Desert, which makes them also subjects to the Sealed Dungeon.
But, they were a bit aggressive this time around, which made Zypher take the initiative to ask.
"So, tell me what you know."
He said as he took out Charity, which he hid behind his body, away from the eyes of the now bowing Cirei.
"The Greven Kingdom, spearheaded by the Folum Dukedom, found an Esper who can control monsters, and so, they wanted to clear the Sealed Dungeon."
"And the encampment?" Zypher asked.
"It was the power of that Esper."
"How much power does the encampment have?"
Cirei shook his head, meaning, it is beyond him.
"I see."
Zypher sighed.
In his past life, the encampment has seven Goblin Shamans, and a Goblin Prince.
That's why Anjelo almost lost his life, if not for Zypher, but now, he is relieved to see that his friend still has his two hands, and not fighting with one.
"Sire, if I may ask."
Looking at the bowing Cirei, Zypher wanted to just stab the dagger he has to his nape and be over with it, but he needs a definite evidence, which may also shake their knowledge of him.
"Go ahead."
He breathed, to calm himself down, and to also suppress the rage he is feeling.
This is just a game, but why is he feeling so much rage.
"What's your objective of coming here?"
Right, objective.
If he was here, there was nothing Cirei could do, so he has some kind of purpose in here.
And then, he remembered something in his past life.
"The King of Acias found out that there was a war in between his subjects, so he needed the knights so he can reassure himself."
"Isn't that a bit too far from the plan of the Greven Kingdom?"
Zypher sighed and looked at Cirei.
He then stabbed the dagger on the floor, enough to shock Cirei.
"Aren't you a bit too nosy?"
Cirei, in fear, put his head on the floor and apologized.
He then pulled out the dagger and took went to the kitchen again.
"Stand up, and do what you have to do."
"Yes, Sir!"
Cirei then went out as Zypher sighed.
He remembered the war in the past, and it was so brutal that it is like a fresh memory to him.
Slumping down, he took out the buckle the judge gave him.
To be honest, he knows what this buckle is.
It is like a badge of honor to anyone who became a prosecutor in the Soul Trial Court, and it means that the person who has it is someone with power to give out punishments from the Trial Court.
But it has lost it's value because the Soul Trial Court is just a legend to many in this world.
It's been a thousand years for them since they heard about the Soul Trial Court, making them forget about it.
Zypher then took out the buckle, and gently poured his mana to it.
[Insufficient Mana.]
10/100
He cursed.
He can only give out 10 Mana, because of his stats.
And he needs 100.
But still, there are still things he can try.
And so, he called Cirei.
"Hey, Cirei."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Come here."
Cirei entered, and saw the buckle. He tossed it, which he caught in response. Seeing the buckle, he flinched.
"Pour mana onto that thing."
"But, Sir, what if it kills me?"
Zypher then took out the dagger and appeared before Cirei.
"I can kill you. But that thing can't."
He then pressed it further, and slowly iterated.
"So. Pour."
"Y-Y-Yes Sir."
And so, Cirei poured his mana to the buckle, which made it glow bright, but it stopped once it reached the maximum light.
Zypher grabbed it and kicked him.
"Go out."
"But.."
"Now!"
He shouted, which made Cirei run out.
'Da*n you. Just you wait.'
Cirei thought as he looked at the face of Zypher one more time, etching his rage in his heart and the face of the demon he met.
Zypher, oblivious to this, went inside his room while seeing the message in the buckle.
It was written in three different languages, but Zypher translated it to the language of Acias to make sense.
The message goes like this:
When the water rises, all will flow
And the fire near, it will swallow
Yet the fire he wants is not shallow
And destruction is what follow.
Zypher deciphered the code, but not the riddle it gives.
Water? Fire?
And he? What does that mean?
As he was thinking, the door opened, and the sound of footsteps were heard.
Zypher walked out, and saw the people with meat in their hands, laughing and celebrating.
"Well, I'll leave it at that."
He left the buckle inside the room, which then become dust, and faded away.