Neta Chara Tensei Toka Anmari da!

Inside the forest, on a cave by a steep cliff.

鈥淗ahaha, thanks to you, Duran, we could successfully catch our prey. There were some casualties on our side, but thanks to you we could catch the A rank adventurer Ice Empress. 鈥揑 don鈥檛 really mind if the price dropped, if you want, you could give her a taste, she is quite pretty although a bit cold.鈥?br>
The one who flattered Duran was none other than the head of the biggest bandit group in the free trade city outskirt, the Fang of Black Wolf, his name was Aizen.

To be accepted as the head of those ruffians of course he had the power to back him up.

Aizen was an ex-knight who served a now ruined noble. After he left his house he becomes a mercenary, and using the connection at that time, he now lives as a bandit. In the first place, mercenary and bandit are not that different, that was Aizen鈥檚 opinion. Although they fight in different places, what they did are the same鈥搆ill and plunder.

None among his underling could match him. Even if ten versus one, against his slight-better-than-amateur goons, he would still easily wipe them out.

Considering his long combat experience, it would not be exaggerated that he was a battle expert.

However, even he was nothing but small fry in front of Duran.

The one he hired as a paid swordsman, the Legendary Mercenary Duran.

鈥淣o need! That person was pretty strong鈥撯€?br>
鈥揈ven make him jealous.

That was what Duran did not say.

Aizen nodded at Duran鈥檚 words.

Of course, although they were young, A-rank adventurer who also has title was in no way weak. Although rank was designated by people and there might some discrepancy between people at the same rank, once passed B and reached A, there was no way they are like common people. Because that was the submit only those who talented allowed to step into.

For Aizen, he might only last two minutes if he was fighting against them.

If they were serious, he might defeat in the first minute, that was what Aizen noticed when he saw their battle against Duran. If Duran not here, he would have no choice other than to retreat.

But Aizen could not understand Duran鈥檚 words.

That鈥檚 right, she was pretty strong. It makes his blood boil, give him exhalation. However, it did not satisfy him.

Inside his heart, the divine protection of berserker murmured.

More, more.

Thousand Dismemberer Duran, Fresh Blood Duran, Legendary Mercenary Duran, Battle Demon Duran.

That was not the title he asked for.

But something people gave him during his battles.

It was fame earned from running away from everyday life toward the battle.

One time he was with antigovernment rebellion member slaying knights, one time he fought with disaster level monster alone and win, one time he entered the war as a mercenary and returned without a single wound on his body, he was called a demon that roams in the battlefield. He fights following the divine protection he got, that鈥檚 all, but he got an exaggerated title as another reward.

Since when he wondered,

Since when he wondered,

The battlefield becomes his everyday life.

""

Since when he wondered,

He could no longer control his power and lost his heart.

鈥淗aha鈥撯€?br>
Unknowingly self-derision laugh escaped from his mouth.

Following orders, roaming inside the battlefield, he believed the void in his heart was buried somewhere there, but apparently, it still eats his heart, slowly.

Killing someone, rumored, and the feared. That was what eating his heart out, but he did not notice it. No, to be more precise, he pretends to not notice.

The beginning what when he was a child.

When he was just a pure little kid.

And now to be called a demon who roam on the battlefield is kind of ironic, Duran laughed.

鈥淲here I should go?鈥?br>
The empty void in his heart sucked the light from his eyes.

None could ever understand Duran鈥檚 grief.

鈥淏oss! Boss! T鈥檚 bad!鈥?br>
Across the thin cloth wall, someone screamed.

The messenger hurriedly tells the urgent business he rushed with.

Aizen was always a realistic leader, he would not bother with pleasantries if there is something urgent.

However, that was only if Aizen was alone, now that Duran who he should prioritize and please, he couldn鈥檛 help but become slightly irritated.

鈥淲hat is it? You are too loud!.鈥?br>
While checking Duran鈥檚 expression, Aizen glared at his underling.

鈥淭h-that鈥檚, one of the patrol team did not come back!鈥?br>
鈥淗MM? Whose team?鈥?br>
鈥淕il鈥檚 team.鈥?br>
Aizen always makes three people patrol together. First, it would easy to overwhelm with the number if facing a lone enemy, and the other was if the battle unfavorable, while two of them fighting, one could run away and report.

Information is vital on the battlefield, that鈥檚 why he usually has a lot of scouts active.

鈥淣o one returned?鈥?br>
鈥淵es, no one鈥︹€︹€?br>
The first possibility was they met monsters and annihilated. However, no high-rank monster existed in this area.

Betrayal was also unlikely. It might be different if they were tricked, but usually, for people who have nowhere to go like them, they would return to the bandit group in the end. So even if they met an opportunity, it鈥檚 unlikely they would try to hog it by themselves.

Then maybe they were captured by knights or adventurers.

That was possible but unlikely. Since even if they were baited with something, they would not risk themselves to get it, since they would be able to get it more securely with more people. Aizen always warns them to never get ahead of themselves after all.

Additionally, from the informant he has in the free trade city, other than the Ice Empress adventurers team which they just dealt with, there should be no massive bandit sweep-up team created.

鈥淭hat was鈥搘eird鈥揳lright, I will send some of my men. You can go back.鈥?br>
鈥淵es!鈥?br>
Information was the most important thing to survive.

Even if it鈥檚 just a small out-of-place feeling, Aizen would not dismiss it.

鈥淗ebrew, Gladd, check the south area!鈥?br>
The two of them were his comrades since the mercenary era.

Both of them were skilled scouts, and have obtained Art sense presence.

Different from other riff raffs, they were Aizen trusted aide.

鈥淣n, sure, sure.鈥?br>
鈥淭roublesome! I was just about to embrace those bitches!鈥?br>
鈥淥i oi, Gladd, if she is not a virgin the price will go down! Also, never release the magic lock on Ice Empress! She could kill you even barehanded. I understand your feeling but be patient. Once the money rolled in, you could just buy any harlot or slaves you wanted.鈥?br>
鈥淵es, understood. Alright, I鈥檓 not feeling it but let鈥檚 go.鈥?br>
Aizen was calm.

He did not miss a small crack, using the surest hand he has he erased the uncertainties.

That was the recipe to live long.

However鈥揾is best effort was wasted.

Why is that? Of course, Aizen did not know, the reason is simple鈥?br>
鈥揟he enemy was bad.

鈥淏lood, please don鈥檛 boil鈥撯€?br>
None responded to Duran鈥檚 muttering.

鈥淣a~, Aisha, please cheer up鈥︹€?br>
鈥淭suun!鈥?br>
""

What鈥檚 with that?

No matter how Nacht saw it, the one at fault was not her but Alhazard.

More importantly, Aisha is still a child.

Anyone would be terrified if glared at by a dragon with animosity, and won鈥檛 be able to hold it down there.

None would blame them.

鈥淟ook, I give you this celestial fruit, how about it?鈥?br>
Nacht took a fruit like a green apple from storage.

It was a drop in Celestia, an area with an average monster level of 100~120. It could recover FP (food point) for a certain amount of time, that鈥檚 why it was an essential item for players.

FP, just like its name represents hunger value. If dropped to certain power some stats will go down, dropped even more player will be affected by bad status like accuracy down or dizziness, and in the end, they would die due to hunger. It was a very important thing.

She did not know the taste since she never eats it for real, but it should be delicious.

Food type items taste was affected by its rarity, and the celestial fruit was a six-star out of max ten stars rarity, so it should be pretty good.

It looks so fresh and juicy, with a sweet and springy gleam.

鈥?droll*鈥?Ah! No-you won鈥檛 tempt me with food鈥揹elicious food鈥揑 won鈥檛 be fooled鈥︹€?br>
鈥淗aha, although your mouth denies, your body is honest you know鈥揾ere, you want this right?鈥?br>
鈥淗a, hau鈥揟here鈥檚 no, way鈥︹€?br>
鈥淭hen you don鈥檛 need it? That鈥檚 too bad鈥︹€?br>
Nacht pretends to return the fruit to the storage.

And then鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€t鈥?br>
Of course with Nacht鈥檚 hearing ability she did not miss it.

However looking at the embarrassed Aisha, Nacht鈥檚 sadistic urge welled up.

鈥淗mm? What did you say?鈥?br>
鈥淎isha鈥mm鈥ant鈥t. Please grant it to Aisha, Nacht-sama!鈥?br>
鈥淗aha, well said. Then, as a gift, here, savor it.鈥?br>
鈥淭hank you very much! Hamu, mogu mogu, ah鈥揥hat is, this! Amazing, a, hamu, fua鈥斺€?br>
Aisha鈥檚 expression melt into bliss. Nacht also took the same fruit from storage and then took a bite.

The juice exploded in her mouth. An elegant sweetness spread in her taste bud.

Its crunchy texture gave chewing satisfaction and easy on the tongue.

As it crumbled, it changes to another sweetness and left a refreshing after taste.

鈥淗mm, this is鈥損retty good鈥撯€?br>
鈥淗afuu, this is the best fruit I have ever eat鈥︹€?br>
鈥淗aha, you are exaggerating.鈥?br>
After all, although it took time, it鈥檚 easy to gather a lot of them when they reached a high level.

It was usually sold cheaply at the market to the low-level players as a means to get some pocket change. It鈥檚 practical but nothing sort of luxurious.

鈥淥f course not! This is the first time I have ever eat something this delicious!鈥?br>
Nacht slightly overwhelmed by Aisha鈥檚 blossoming smile.

But well, as long she is happy.

鈥溾€揑 see, then I should give you something even more delicious in the future.鈥?br>
鈥淣o, that鈥檚鈥ould be a waste on someone like me鈥︹€?鈥?br>
Aisha murmured.

Nacht who heard it shook her head slowly.

鈥淥f course not. Aisha is already my follower, friend, and someone important for me.鈥?br>
Overwhelmed with emotion, Aisha put both hands on her cheeks.

As if trying to hold her smirking expression back.

Too bad it did not really effective.

鈥淵e-yes! Aisha is already Nacht-sama property!鈥?br>
(Geh, just why it turned like that鈥?Haah, please forgive me, Aisha鈥檚 father, I think your daughter has grown in the slightly wrong direction)

Nacht enjoyed Aisha鈥檚 ceaseless talk.

From an outside perspective, they were nothing but fools that have let their guard down.

That鈥檚 why two people approached them.

Recklessly, thoughtlessly, fooled by a trap laid by Nacht.

(Wel-co-me)

Nacht鈥檚 lips slowly turned into a smile.