I was being pummeled. A huge gorilla was hitting me while I tried to cover up. My guard was broken easily because his fists hurt a lot. Seriously, they hurt. Damn it, it hurts like hell. My chin was hit by his fist, and my head snapped back. That's when my consciousness faded, and I had that dream again.
◇
I was on my way to see my cousin at her high school. The reason was that I wanted to go out with her to hang out.
It might seem very strange, but the reason is that, for a while, she hasn't responded to the messages I sent her, and it made me think school had her very stressed.
That's why I want to see her and take her to have fun at the arcade and eat ice cream.
As a good relative and almost like a brother to her, it's my job to make her a little happy.
After walking for a while, I stopped near a bridge. I could hear voices—boys' voices.
As a responsible adult, I wouldn't like to see them wasting their youth on vice.
I approached stealthily to catch them in the act. That's when I heard their conversation.
"Hey, did you make sure that girl's parents aren't home?"
"Yeah, those old folks go out to work daily. Seems they have money problems."
"Hahaha, it must be pathetic that in these times of great economic income, there are still poor people."
"Yeah, more importantly. When are we doing it?"
"Hmm... I think tomorrow."
"Alright, tomorrow we'll make a lot of money selling her videos. Hahaha."
"It's good that pathetic girls like her exist. That way, future investors like us can make money off them."
What the hell are these boys talking about?
I got closer to see what they were talking about so much.
As I brought my face closer without them noticing, that's when I saw something horrifying.
One of the boys had his smartphone with a gallery of naked young girls, all tied up or asleep.
And on another phone, he had a photo of my cousin taken secretly from the girls' bathroom.
If what I heard is correct, these boys—these animals—were planning to do horrible things to my cousin, like they did to those girls.
So, this is personal...
◇
When I opened my eyes, it had already gotten dark.
I don't remember what happened. I just know my mouth hurts a lot.
I feel an itch in many parts of my body, plus a colossal burning sensation.
My legs hurt a lot, my arms are tired, and my mouth tastes like iron.
Looking around, I notice I'm still under the bridge. What am I doing here?
After taking a few wobbly steps, my foot bumped into something. It was very large and also made a sound.
I took my phone out of my pants. The screen was cracked, but I didn't care.
With horror, I observed how one of the boys who planned to do something to my cousin was on the ground with his face disfigured and covered in blood.
His teeth were scattered around. Stepping back, the light focused on another student. He had a board stuck in his butt. Turning further back, I found one near the wall with several bruises on his almost disfigured face.
I ran from there.
I was scared because there was no one else there but me and them. There's only one answer: I did it. Such a thing is terrifying for a person who follows society's norms.
For days, I feared the police would come to my apartment to take me to the station or worse.
But it seems there were no cameras, and since that area was very dark, nothing happened to me by miracle.
Once, Ixion asked me why I didn't dare to kill the pirates, even though it was the most normal thing.
That's it—that same word is it.
Why didn't I do it?
The answer is simple: I'm someone who gets carried away by my rage to a very terrifying level. I remember the sensation of what I felt when I suddenly lunged at the boys and hit them while they also hit me. It wasn't a sensation of pain; it was something else, one that only made me want to hit them more to the point of killing them.
Normal people in society don't beat others half to death. Responsible adults don't do that.
But I am a horrible person.
I don't care if they die or not. I care more about whether I'll become some kind of monster if I ever kill someone.
I liked the sensation of violence. I'm afraid that desire will possess me one day.
I told Ixion, and he said, "Nonsense," while flying away.
I know death better than anyone. I don't want to go through that until I'm old. I don't want to feel the cold embrace of its bony body again.
That's why I don't want to take lives... but who is in front of me is something else.
I see my cousin crying.
"Why are you crying?" I said, and behind her...
He was there. That man. That bloodthirsty bastard, laughing.
His strange laugh sounded louder and higher as he raised his great sword.
"Stop!" and "Don't do it!" I shouted while he looked at me and laughed like a madman.
"Don't you dare!!!" With all my heart, I screamed for him to stop.
The great sword came down on my cousin. My mind disconnected after that.
I heard a voice.
"Master!"
"Who are you? What do you want?" I said to the voice speaking to me.
At that moment, I could see him—that man, the one who took what I loved most in my past life.
His fist approached. I used my left arm to deflect it, and my right fist flew toward his cheek.
He fell back. A strange shadow approached me.
The shadow was a mobile knight. My breathing accelerated while my heart pumped blood like crazy, making my breathing very intense.
I hit him in the head, making him crash to the ground.
Raising my head, I stared at him—that man, the bloodthirsty bastard. And I told him the following words.
"EVERYTHING WAS YOUR FAULT!!!"
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"
◇◇◇
Mandricardo's fist was aimed at Rudel, but he used his right to block it.
Then, he raised his left and delivered a hook to the liver.
Yellow liquid came from the ape's mouth.
Rudel's breathing was similar to a beast's. His eyes were bloodshot, and his panting was like an asthmatic's.
"I'll kill you!!"
Rudel charged, raising his arms to make a guard. Mandricardo saw it, and both arms were raised to throw a punch.
Seeing them approach, Rudel only turned his body a few centimeters, and the fists hit the air.
He threw left and right nonstop while Rudel stepped back or moved left and right.
In a moment where the ape's fist was delayed, Rudel took advantage and hit him in the pancreas. Then, both kidneys.
He wasn't using magical power, so it was only his physical strength.
The ape stepped back while yellow liquid mixed with his saliva.
The ape roared.
"Ukikiiiii!!" (Don't think you're so great, you piece of shit!)
He raised his fists, and they headed toward Rudel, but...
"You're so slow!"
Shouting, Rudel feinted, stepping back while being forward.
The fist didn't hit him, and the process repeated.
Every time the fists approached, Rudel stepped back, dodging them.
Ixion and Erselica watched. They couldn't believe the precision of what they saw.
But the reason was simple: he was using magical power.
Due to the cruise ship incident, Rudel learned to distribute magical power and concentrate it in one place.
This was an unimaginable feat since no one had used it that way. For a person with minuscule magical power like him, this was a miraculous discovery.
"Take this!"
Rudel shouted as he crouched to avoid a cross punch from the ape's two arms.
Rising, he used his right fist, smashing it into the ape's jaw.
Everyone could observe how teeth along with yellow liquid flew out from the strong blow.
Without stopping, Rudel launched a nonstop rain of punches.
The ape's face was covered in bruises.
Everything seemed to be over now.
The ape slowly stepped back. His jaw hung, and both saliva and yellow liquid fell.
Erselica felt fear—not for the monster, but for Rudel's silhouette.
"Why do I feel like I've seen this before?"
After murmuring something, she didn't notice the remaining monsters heading toward her.
Noticing it, everything seemed to be her end.
Or not, since Ixion interposed himself in their path and, with a great laser beam, eliminated them all.
When cutting them, yellow liquid gushed intensely.
Ixion resumed his position and watched Rudel fight.
Erselica looked at him from the ground and also felt fear toward the floating sphere.
"These guys are really dangerous!"
"It's over! Die!"
Her gaze now focused on Rudel, who was running to finish off the ape staggering.
He was only two meters away, one meter now. His fist headed at great speed to end all this.
That's when the surrounding eyes of Mandricardo positioned themselves normally, and he leaned his back backward.
He managed to dodge the blow. Rudel's left fist missed.
Slowly, as if in slow motion, the ape's head rose to look at him.
His eyes were red, and his large, hairy right fist rose to hit Rudel's face.
It happened. The fist impacted Rudel's left cheek, sinking little by little.
Mandricardo's mind screamed with happiness.
(Ukiki! Eat this, trash! No one is stronger than me. No one—)
Suddenly, Rudel turned his head to the side.
Blood dripped from his teeth. The ape's face was one of unexpected fright.
That's when the right fist glowed—it was the magical power gathered earlier.
It shone so much it seemed like a balloon.
The fist, in the same way, advanced slowly, impacting the hairy nose.
"It's over for you!"
Rudel shouted while his fist buried itself deeper into the monster's face.
As if it were a repetition of different points types A, B, C.
Mandricardo flew, crashing against the wall.
That's when he took a last look at this world before starting to turn to ashes as he fell to the ground.
As if in sync, all the other monsters also disappeared.
Ixion saw Rudel still excited and shot a dart to sedate him.
He inserted a healing potion into his bloodstream since he had discovered what they were made of and fabricated his own potions.
◇◇◇
In a large cloud that seemed like mist, shadows assimilated. These shadows grew with each passing second.
The cloud was deformed because it was pierced—it was a large number of pirate ships, at least 80 ships as large as a galleon, and on the deck, about 200 mobile knights were visible.
On the flagship, which was the largest and in the center of everything, was a man who could be called the vice-captain.
He had a letter in his hands. The recipient was Marquis Balzac. The content was to kill everyone except the Priestess. Treasures, among other things, will be delivered to you.
The pirate shouted, and his companions rejoiced.
The fleet headed to where Rudel and company were.
◇◇◇
Rudel and Erselica had been in that seemingly dangerous area for a while.
Alisa and Airi were worried since Rudel hadn't given signs of returning. They feared the worst.
Their worry changed to discomfort when they heard Frey and Chlust's conversation.
"Hey, is it okay that we're doing nothing?!"
"I know, but only a few minutes have passed!"
They thought that with those words, the worst had happened. Then it changed to anger because of what the boys said.
"We don't know if Bradford can do it!"
"...I understand you, but that man wouldn't be capable of that in these situations."
"What do you mean, 'not capable'? That man could use any opportunity to try to lay his hands on Erselica!"
Alisa came to Rudel's defense, followed by Airi.
"Hey, what do you mean by that?"
"Right, what are you talking about regarding Rudel-san?"
Frey turned and responded.
"What you heard. I don't trust that Bradford won't try to do something improper to Erselica-chan, especially now being the head knight of her bodyguards."
Alisa was annoyed to hear that.
"Why are you talking as if Rudel were capable of doing that to her?!"
"It's true!" Airi shouted, and then Alisa added.
"He's the kind of shameless man who looks at a woman's chest while talking! Besides, he's not like you, chasing after someone who could almost be the prince's future partner."
Chlust was the one who responded.
"And? The prince knows, but he doesn't tell us anything since he sees us as rivals. For the love of a woman, a man is capable of anything. Besides, Bradford is also a man. You three can be together, but that doesn't mean you know what woman interests him. After all, you're just his friends and not his lovers to speak for him."
Alisa and Airi didn't know how to respond since Chlust spoke the truth. They are only Rudel's friends. Their opinion about the type of woman that interests him is something that doesn't concern them.
Alisa wanted to say something when, at that moment, they heard gunshot sounds.
Immediately, the four sensed something was wrong. They left the others behind and ran, hoping nothing bad had happened.
◇◇◇
After running a few meters, they found a large, deep hole. The idiots shouted Erselica's name while the girls called Rudel and Ixion to confirm they were at least safe.
Since there was no response, Chlust went back to look for a rope along with Frey.
The girls stayed shouting Rudel and Ixion's names, but Erselica's name never passed their lips.
◇
I was walking with Ixion, asking him what happened to me after waking up on the floor.
He told me it was a rage attack. I felt nervous since that had never happened to me in this world. Upon waking, I observed the little pest away from us.
For a second, I seemed to remember something similar from my past life.
It didn't matter anyway. The main thing is to escape from here. Ixion says there's a hidden part of the dungeon he couldn't scan. He also said he could get us up, but we should check it first.
We walked through a long, dark corridor illuminated by a light coming from the floating spherical body next to me.
I don't know how much time passed, but my feet hurt. Just before complaining, we found it.
A large steel door covered in roots. I turned to tell the little pest following us that we had reached our objective.
She only hid in a distant place.
Ixion told me to look at something interesting. It was a retinal scanner to enter.
How do I know? From watching many movies and games, obviously. There's no way I'd know what the hell this is if it weren't for them.
Ixion used a cable that came out of his body and inserted it, making it glow after a few seconds.
He told me that inside there was an "ally."
I don't understand what he meant. He also gave me a gas mask that was compacted in his spherical body.
How the hell do you defy logic with something scientific?
He said it was a precaution.
He opened the door, and a large cloud of smoke came out.
I entered to see what this place was since, now that I think about it...
Isn't this place what they call the dungeon's heart?
A place super difficult to reach, and there were only rumors since no one ever did it.
That means I did another thing I shouldn't have again!
I don't want more weird old men to harass me.
"Master."
Ixion called me since I was dazed after taking a step.
I told him I was fine, and we entered.
◇
The place was dusty—well, there was a lot of that floating in the air.
I mean, this place is destroyed. Ixion lit my way so I wouldn't fall.
He notified me that there's an adjacent room that was opened by a collapse.
The dust from this room didn't pass through there since it was sealed.
Ixion told me to stop since he found a huge monitor the size of a movie screen.
He took out a weird USB-style cable and inserted it into a slot.
The screen didn't turn on since it was broken.
But Ixion said,
"It may be broken, but the information is stored on the hard drives."
He began collecting information while I curiously explored the place with a lamp he handed me—also came from his body.
This place is explicitly a research center. There's everything: computers, microscopes, glass containers with mysterious contents inside.
It has everything, even something resembling giant cylinders grouped together.
That was the most curious. I approached them. They were covered in dust, obviously.
I cleaned them with my hand while Ixion said,
"Master, the lights will turn on so you can see better."
They turned on. When they did, I got scared and screamed.
Ixion was surprised while I fell to the ground; something touched my butt, making it hurt more.
After all, what I'm seeing is something unimaginable for me.
They are rows of cylinders grouped in several columns.
There are cables coming from the floor and ceiling. They are connected to the upper and lower base of the cylinder.
Inside, there is a glowing green liquid. The scariest part is that inside the cylinder I cleaned, there's a creature.
I cleaned it more and saw a strange mix between something that seems human and a goat fused together.
I cleaned the one next to it, and it was similar—something like a man but with boar parts.
Ixion called me as he approached.
"According to reports, what they were doing here was creating reinforcements."
"...Reinforcements?" I said.
"Yes. It seems they were fighting against something and needed help, so they decided to use clones to protect their research centers."
"...Research centers?"
"As you heard, there are several similar places hidden beneath the islands. They used these creatures called 'tereomorphs' to defend them, but it seems many went out of control and fled."
"I see... wait, Ixion. Are you saying what I think you're saying..."
"It seems so. The monsters—the magical beasts everyone calls—are actually failed experiments that escaped and managed to reproduce. And possibly, the dungeons are secret research centers."
This is very terrifying. Why would they do all this? What were they fighting against to create these and end up like this?
Ixion added more things. He seems super interested.
"According to their DNA samples, they seem to have a mix between humans, animals, and some strange liquid found underground—"
Suddenly, the chatty Ixion fell. It seemed weird to me. Before asking him what happened...
He went back to the monitor.
I stayed puzzled. I turned to look at those things again. And once more, I fell.
"What the hell?" I approached the object that looked like a rusty bell.
In fact, when lifted, it made the sound of one. But the tone was familiar to a rhythm from a certain holiday in my past life.
People said nice things to each other, being hypocrites before that date.
I turned it over and noticed it had something like a large eye.
I shook it.
"Please, don't shake me!"
A mysterious electronic voice with a girl's tone was heard.
I got scared.
"Down here!"
I directed my gaze to the mysterious bell. It greeted me. I was scared since it reminded me of a horror movie.
Ixion approached me.
"Master, I've finished gathering everything. I suggest blowing this place up with dynamite as soon as possible!"
I wanted to ask him the reason, but the curiosity about this thing mattered more.
"Hey, what is this?" I said, and he proceeded to tell me.
"It's the ally I told you about. Like me, it's an AI assigned to this place. That said, it's only a janitor. I am its superior."
Hey, that was unnecessary.
"What do we do with it?"
"It?" Ixion said, puzzled.
Instead, the AI itself responded.
"I don't possess a gender. My voice is like this because the section chief liked having girls around and hated my programmed voice, so he programmed me with a young girl's voice."
I looked at Ixion to ask if it was possible. He looked at me and said,
"What? Did you expect me to change my voice to a girl's just to satisfy you? I'm sorry. I don't possess a gender for you to see me sexually. Even if I did, why would you assume I'd like to be your partner? Please, I've matured and requested a female companion if your male urges are so great."
I was inches away from hitting him when I heard voices.
"Rudel-san! Where are you?"
"Rudel! Are you okay?"
They were the girls' voices. How did they get here? There were also idiot voices with them.
Ixion asked me again if I could blow up this place since it was dangerous. I said yes, and he proceeded to place dynamite that came out of his body.
I looked at the AI and said,
"Hey, would you like to come with me? This place will be destroyed."
The AI was surprised and said,
"Really? That means... will you be my new master?"
I responded with a smile, "Why not?" And the bell rejoiced, shouting wonderful things about me.
This reminds me a bit of when I met Ixion. This girl must have a long name too. So let's give her a short one.
At that instant, it occurred to me.
Ixion... a bell sound...
This guy is correctly named Ix-ion.
And the sound is similar to a song... bell...
Bell... Ix-ion.
Bell... ion.
"...Bellion!"
I shouted that name, and the AI said, "What's wrong with you?"
With a smile, I responded.
"Your new name will be [Bellion]. Nice to meet you, Bell. I'm Rudel van Bradford, your new master."
The AI—Bell—rejoiced and seemed to want to jump.
She was a very cheerful AI... completely opposite to that serious and bitter one over there.
She said it was ready, but there was a problem when igniting it.
When I asked what it was, I was left dumbfounded by what I heard.
◇◇◇
The girls and the idiots found Erselica. They were going to ask if Rudel hadn't touched her while they wanted to find out where he was.
Before saying anything, they all heard a voice.
"Run, damn it! Ruuuuun!"
Rudel ran like a maniac with two spheres in his hands.
The girls were happy to see him, but everyone's faces made a strange grimace at what he said next.
"What do you mean you overdid it with the dynamite?!"
"...I'm sorry. I admit this time it's my fault."
Everyone heard it, and when Rudel passed by them, an explosion was heard.
It was so strong that debris fell while flames shot through.
Everyone ran like crazy in the direction they came from.
The boys who had the rope with which the four descended were no longer there.
Ixion came out of Rudel's hand, grabbing everyone with cables that came out of his body.
Rudel was the last, just to annoy him.
The girls were grabbed by the same cable, making their chests unintentionally meet and press against each other, creating a breast sandwich.
Rudel saw it. Blood came out of his nose as he seemed to lose consciousness.
The girls were worried seeing him, not noticing that Erselica was trapped between them. Their chests crushed her head, and all she could do was...
"Damn cows!!!"
Curse what was envy and happiness for Rudel as they escaped to the outside.
◇
After returning and getting out safely, I received a report from the annoying James—was that his name?
"Th-there's a pirate fleet coming toward us!"
Everyone was scared, but Ixion said,
"Leave it to me. And following the master's orders, no one will die."
He said that, but his tone was very macabre.
◇◇◇
The enemy fleet approached the island more and more. The Brynhild was anchored on the coast.
The pirates shouted to fire the cannons, but at that moment, something similar to a swarm of wasps appeared from the ship.
But they weren't. They were drones that looked like plates with spinning disks on their four ends to fly.
There was also a turret with machine guns on the bottom.
The pirates only saw strange things flying.
At that moment, a rain of bullets fell on them.
It destroyed the sails, hot air balloons, dirigibles.
Everything, without killing anyone since they were blanks fired at high speed that only hurt the body.
The captain shouted while seeing the ships being torn apart by very hard rubber balls.
He cried while trying to flee in his mobile knight, which was destroyed by non-lethal bullets.
From the coast, everyone could see the spectacle.
The village chief approached Rudel to thank him and told him he was a seer. He would read his future in gratitude.
A very rare magic in this world that only existed in the game's lore.
He was going to refuse, but the girls grabbed him and took him to the tent where the village chief indicated it was the place where prana was densest.
They proceeded to read everyone's fortune. Chlust and Frey were told they would go bald in their adulthood.
◇
The boys and girls who entered were attended to.
I escaped, so the girls had to wait until the end for me.
I don't believe in divination, but they told me if I didn't do it, they wouldn't talk to me again.
So I listened to them even though it was just a bad joke.
When I went back in, only the little pest remained, listening to a strange divination.
"If you decide to continue on that path you chose, you will lose everything. Even the one you wish to find. You were given a second chance to find him, but if you wish to continue with what you don't truly desire, a path of pain and regret you will find."
I'd also be very weirded out by that. It doesn't even seem like divination—just talking weird things.
She stood up and left angrily upon seeing me. Ungrateful bitch, I saved your butt.
I still have to ask her things, but I want to hear what he says about the girls.
Not before getting this discomfort out of my nose.
"Hmm... how strange," said the village chief.
"Does something occur?" Alisa asked, uneasy since Airi sat before her.
The chief spoke with his eyes closed.
"I'm not seeing only hers but also yours."
"Huh?" said Alisa, who also sat.
"...It seems your original paths and destinies were different. Now they have crossed into a line that grows stronger with time."
"It's like that!" Airi exclaimed with great interest. They looked at each other, seeming to see that their bonds were stronger.
"You, the girl with red eyes."
"Me? Does something occur with me?" Alisa sounded intrigued.
"Your destiny was a short line that ended before it began, but thanks to a unique existence, the horizons of hundreds of possibilities opened for you."
Then he turned to Airi.
"And you." She swallowed saliva upon hearing it was her turn now.
"Your destiny was to be with someone else, but the same existence that touched your friend saved you, entering a new line of possibilities."
What the hell is that about lines?
"Besides, that existence is one that takes a special form."
"Special?" Airi asked, intrigued.
"Yes. That existence didn't have a solid appearance, but it seems you have molded it into an ideal of what your hearts yearn for."
"And that is?" Alisa asked, approaching the sphere where the chief made his divinations.
"...A hero. A knight of a pure black color also is. That figure is behind you at all times, protecting you."
Hearing that, I wanted to tell him such a thing wasn't possible since there was no one like that.
But raising my gaze, I noticed they were looking at me with moist eyes. I was still picking my nose, so I slowly took my finger out.
Alisa made a face that said, "...It can't be." While Airi only laughed strangely.
The chief finished by saying, "Your paths continue to change, but that existence and you will make an important decision one day. That decision will mark your lives forever."
They stood up while looking at each other. I told them it was time to go as they grabbed my shoulders and forced me to sit.
Alisa said, "It would be unfair if only you didn't know your destiny." While Airi said, "That's right! It's not like we want to know things about you!"
I stayed still and told the old man to start.
Come on, tell me what I'll win. Money? Women? More normal things?
"Uwaaahhh!"
The old man suddenly screamed, opening his eyes. I was scared; they were too.
"Lord Demon!!"
"Black body!!"
"Red eyes!!"
"Your destiny is plagued with darkness, pain, and death!"
"The Lord Demon will walk upon this earth the day you leave!"
What are you saying, old man? Don't scare me!
"Total darkness exists in your life!"
You already scared me; please shut up already!
"The devil is stalking you without you knowing!"
"Its claws are aimed at your neck at every moment!"
When he said that, I looked at his sphere.
For a moment, I observed a strange eye looking at me. From the eye came a black aura covering the sphere. It began to form an inhuman body with wings, claws, horns, and fangs.
It was smiling at me, seeming to want to stretch its hand toward my neck just as the old man said.
Then, the crystal ball cracked, and I ran for my life.
The girls were behind me, calling me.
Thanks, now I'm afraid of a hallucination.
◇◇◇
When Rudel ran out...
The village chief kept saying weird things as he fell to the ground.
"Enormous pillars of light will rise, destroying the islands!"
"The sky will split into fragments, and the moon will fall upon us!"
"Round black body and a great red eye!"
"The Lord Demon and his vassals already walk among us!"
Above the tent where he was, among the leaves of the palm trees, was a strange creature with yellow eyes watching everything.