“Fuck— [Shield of the Misty Lord]!”

Edithe cursed as she raised her staff. The [Savage Agarat] crashed into the ice. It was stopped for a single moment as a huge spider web crack formed on the barrier’s surface. It snarled a second time and swiped a claw, shattering it into a million pieces as Edithe winced.

“Daniel!”

She called out. The [Hero] stepped forward, body already glowing with an aura of armor. His blade extended with an ethereal light as he whispered.

“[Rage of the Hero]. And—”

He raised his sword, swinging for the Demon as it leapt through the shards of ice.

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

There was a flash. Edithe covered her eyes. Daniel’s blade sunk into the [Savage Agarat]’s chest. It tore through the tough hide— cutting deep and drawing the black blood. But the attack didn’t kill the Demon. Not even close.

The [Savage Agarat] growled and leapt back as Salvos covered her ears in pain. Edithe glanced back at the silver-haired girl, then towards the pouncing Demon. It knocked Daniel back as Edithe raised her staff.

“[Frostflame Vortex].”

A blast of ice and ember struck the Demon. Normally, the Skill would form a layer of sleet over the target before chipping it away with the fire. This would significantly slow down enemies— especially large hordes. But Edithe concentrated it into a cone that spread out just before her. She aimed past Daniel, focused only on the [Savage Agarat].

But the Demon didn’t slow.

It bounded straight for the redhead [Mage]. She braced herself, casting a quick [Aura of Greater Protection]. It chomped on her, grabbing her by her legs. It ragdolled her around as one of the people in the caravan— a woman who dressed like a princess— shouted something in the background. Arrows bounced off its thick hide before it tossed Edithe at Daniel as he tried to get back up.

She crashed into the [Hero], her protective aura breaking. They both lay there as the [Savage Agarat] turned its attention to the caravan. The same fancily dressed woman raised a pendant as a Diamond Ranked [Warrior] stood before her. A fireball shoutout from the pendant, but it simply splashed over the [Savage Agarat] like water.

Edithe scrambled to her feet as Daniel rushed forward. She shouted, trying to cast a spell in time to stop the Demon from massacring the woman and her bodyguards. But what would even work on it?

Someone else moved as Edithe hesitated for a single moment. Salvos pushed herself up, flinching in pain as she spoke aloud.

“T-that’s enough.”

The silver-haired girl stood on her feet. The [Savage Agarat] halted. The Diamond Ranked [Warrior] took the chance to slash at it, but it leapt back. It faced Salvos as Daniel and Edithe rushed to her side.

“Salvos, what are you—”

Edithe started, but Salvos covered the redhead’s mouth while grimacing in pain.

“You.”

Salvos met the Demon’s gaze. The [Savage Agarat] tilted its head, eyeing Salvos warily. She continued.

“You don’t have to do this. We’ll stop attacking you, but you have to promise you’ll stop attacking us too. We’re not your enemy.”

The [Savage Agarat] didn’t let down its guard. One of the fancily-dressed woman’s bodyguards spoke up as Salvos winced again.

“Queen Faith, is she trying to negotiate with a De—”

“Shut up, Willow.”

Salvos glared at the bodyguard and turned back to the [Savage Agarat]. Steeling herself, the silver-haired girl spoke tensely.

“You’re.. not wild, are you? You can think for yourself. You can even speak. I heard you. Don’t pretend you can’t.”

The [Savage Agarat] paused. Slowly, it cocked its head.

“I can.”

Edithe blinked as she heard its voice— as she understood the words. But it only made sense. After all, Edithe could hear Salvos just fine. But it was almost as jarring as hearing Salvos speak for the first time.

The woman called Faith gasped. A susurration ran through the bodyguards gathered. Salvos’ eyes slammed shut as she pulled at her ears. The [Savage Agarat] eyed her curiously. Edithe spun around and met Faith’s gaze.

Somehow, Faith understood immediately what Edithe was trying to say without any words. She turned to her escort.

“Silence! We can’t—”

She looked at Salvos. The silver-haired girl was in so much pain. The chatter died down slowly as they listened to Faith. Everyone exchanged a glance— then looked at Salvos.They all nodded, understanding.

Salvos offered them a grateful weak smile. She raised her head once again, walking forward— ahead of Edithe and Daniel. The pair looked at each other, uncertain whether to intervene. But Salvos knew what she was doing.. right?

“Listen, we can be companions, alright? Just calm down. We won’t hurt you. Just promise me you won’t hurt us back.”

The silver-haired girl proffered a hand. A very Human-like gesture. But Salvos had lived here in the Mortal Realm— amongst Humans— for a majority of her life now. Edithe knew she couldn’t help but pick up their mannerisms.

The [Savage Agarat] looked at Salvos. Its eyes darted between Salvos’ gaze and the hand. Faith watched tremulously as Edithe tightly gripped her staff. Then the Demon lowered its wings— like its guard was finally let down.

Edithe almost felt a sense of relief when it opened its mouth in a smile.

“NO!”

The [Savage Agarat] shouted. Salvos physically recoiled from the sudden sound. And that was when the Demon took its chance. It pounced on her. It closed its mouth on her head as she dropped to the ground.

Edithe moved, wide-eyed. Daniel started forward. But they’d be too slow. No one would reach them in time. The first fang sank into Salvos’ neck. And the world moved— backwards.

Everyone watched as time moved in reverse. As, in an instant, both Salvos and the [Savage Agarat] returned to their original positions, then further back. Salvos lay on the ground next to Edithe again as the [Savage Agarat] looked ready to pounce.

The Demon blinked in confusion as Salvos clutched her bleeding neck.

“Salvos—”

Edithe caught herself. She rushed to Salvos’ side, trying to stay silent as Daniel charged the [Savage Agarat]. It took the Demon only a second to realize what had happened before it lashed out at the [Hero] again. This time, Faith’s escorts rushed into battle to support him. And he stood more of a chance as Faith herself unleashed a bunch of magical spells from her artifact to restrict its movements.

The redhead checked Salvos. The wound didn’t dig too deep. That was good. Nodding, Edithe got back up and was about to join the fighting when Salvos grabbed her by the hand.

“Edithe, I..”

“I’m sorry, Salvos.”

Edithe shook her head, trying to brush Salvos off.

“We tried to reason with it. I know it’s one of your kind, but—”

Salvos bit her lower lip. Perhaps it was the loud noises. Or maybe it was something else. Finally, Salvos sighed.

“I know.”

She replied, much to Edithe’s surprise. The redhead expected to argue about it. But..

“I understand.”

Salvos already knew it was pointless. She raised her hand as magic poured forth.

“So, please, take my hand.”

She met Edithe’s gaze. The [Mage] blinked. Then nodded.

“I see.”

They linked hands as the fighting continued.

So foolish. All so weak.

This world was so incredibly weak.

The [Savage Agarat] laughed— although it came out more like a hissing growl. He spun around, knocking back two of the things as they charged him with swords. A net shot out at him— a magical one that slowed him for only a moment, but he ripped it off.

This world had been so odd. So strange. But especially so weak.

He remembered the Netherworld— where he came from. There was never any hesitation in battle. There was only bloodshed and death. Only the strongest survived. Those that banded together did so out of necessity. But once that necessity was gone, they would slaughter each other without a worry.

That was his life. That was all he ever knew, and that was all he ever would know. So he would kill these things. Gain experience and grow stronger. That was all there was to it. There was nothing else to live for.

He snarled as he tore through the thing with glowing armor, smashing the armor apart. The thing screamed, only for a blast of magic to bounce of the [Savage Agarat]’s back. It was a beam. One that actually hurt.

He recoiled in pain as his hide was burnt off. He spun around and faced the thing with red hair.

“Hey, asshole! How’d my [Ray of Retribution] taste?”

The [Savage Agarat] tilted his head. How did something so weak have such powerful magic? It annoyed him. And its words annoyed him even more.

“Come and try some!”

The thing with red hair threw a ball of electricity his way. He simply bit through it, laughing at how pathetic that attempt was.

“Then die, weak thing!”

He beat his wings once, flying through the air. Flying straight for the thing with red hair. It braced itself as he closed in. Then the world seemed to flicker. All around it, the air grew visible. Outlined. It somehow caught him before he could crash and rip apart the thing with red hair.

The [Savage Agarat] crashed into a hard surface, still midair. He was.. caught in something. The space around him seemed to carry him. He struck out with his claw once, only to hit a fractal window.

The thing with red hair grinned.

“[Recall Skill: Borrow Skill]. [Borrow Skill: Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. And, lastly, combination casting so you can’t break through.”

He growled. Did it think it could hold him? He lashed out, cracking the glass-like surface. The thing with red gritted its teeth as he continued to smash this [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. It began to break down. The thing with red hair clearly began to back away in fear, but something else moved past it.

The thing with silver hair strode forward, holding hands with the thing with red hair. It brought the thing with red hair with it, coming to a stop before the [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. The [Savage Agarat] bared his teeth and yelled.

“Free me!”

And he realized— there was no sound. Nothing came out from his mouth. The space he was trapped in didn’t let him speak. The thing with silver hair sighed.

“It’s very lonely, isn’t it? Being alone all the time. Having no one hear your voice, even though you’re speaking. As though your words mean nothing. I thought we’d be able to understand each other.”

The [Savage Agarat] continued to claw the space around him. It was working. He was tearing apart through sheer force alone. But the thing with silver hair just continued.

“I thought I could have a new companion. I thought you weren’t wild. But it seems.. more than anything, I just forgot what life there is truly like.”

He struck the fractal surface once again, and a huge crack formed. The thing with silver hair closed its eyes and placed a hand on the other side of the barrier.

“Goodbye. [Full Phase]. [Greater Teleportation].”

The [Savage Agarat] didn’t understand what that meant. He was so confused, but he was so close. He grinned as he swung again. But before his claw could come into contact with anything, the world around him changed.

He was caught in the middle of the void. Where everything was nothing and nothing was everything. The things were gone. He was all on his own. He was puzzled by it, but he didn’t let it stop him from breaking himself free.

“Let me out—”

He smashed the space apart, laughing in victory. Now he just had to find them once again. Track them down. He looked around savagely, his lust for battle still clear in his head. But.. slowly, his thoughts began to vanish. An eerie calm washed over him.

His laughing stopped. The wounds he’d sustained stopped hurting. The [Savage Agarat] looked around blankly. He wondered— no, he didn’t wonder. He didn’t think. He didn’t speak. He just floated there.

And he perished as nothingness took hold of him.