Yes! For our future!"
"No," Elise said firmly. "You did it for your ego. You saw a shiny item and you wanted it. You didn't think about me. If you loved me, you wouldn't have risked my life against an unknown enemy just to get rich quick"
She took a step back.
"And as for your feelings..." Elise looked him in the eye. "I never looked at you that way. You were my Leader. You were my friend. I respected you"
She gestured to his missing arm.
"But the man I saw today? The man who tried to rob a stranger just because he could? That wasn't a hero. That was a thug. I can't love a thug, Vargas"
"Elise, please..." Vargas sobbed.
"Goodbye, Vargas," Elise said, turning her back on him. "I hope you find a way to heal. But you have to do it without me"
Elise walked over to join Mara. The two women didn't look back.
Torr looked at his crippled friends, then at the retreating women. He sighed heavily, dropping his spear. He couldn't leave them. He was too loyal, perhaps to a fault.
"I'll... I'll stay with them until the rescue team comes," Torr shouted to the women.
Mara waved a hand without turning around.
"Suit yourself, Torr. Good luck"
As the women disappeared into the forest, leaving the shattered remnants of the Iron Vipers behind, the weight of their choices settled in.
Vargas lay there, staring at the canopy. He had started the day as the leader of a promising C-Rank party.
Now, he was one-armed, broke, and heartbroken.
And somewhere, deep in the dark cave nearby, the man in the iron mask was still watching. Vargas shivered. He realized, with a sinking dread, that he was lucky.
Lysander had taken his arm.
But he could have easily taken his soul.
The bushes rustled violently, and two figures emerged from the darkness of the Goblin Hollow.
They were covered in green blood, dust, and grime, but they wasn't injured. In fact, they looked exhilarated. Their mana was flaring—Golden and Violet auras clashing against each other.
Elara walked in front, holding a gruesome trophy by its long, greasy ears: the severed head of the Hobgoblin Chieftain.
"I told you," Elara smirked, her tail swishing arrogantly. "Speed wins. My claws took his head off before he even realized he was dead. That makes me the Winner"
"Give me that!"
Seraphina snatched the head from Elara's hand using a burst of gravity magic.
"Hey!" Elara hissed, baring her fangs.
"You only got the final hit because I exhausted him!" Seraphina argued, her violet eyes flashing. "I crushed his guards. I bound his legs with a Gravity Well. You just swooped in at the last second and stole the kill! It's called 'Kill Stealing,' you thief!"
"It's called 'being efficient,' you slow-casting princess!" Elara snapped back, reaching for her dagger. "I did the work. The trophy is mine to present to Lord Zero!"
"I did 90% of the damage!" Seraphina yelled, hugging the ugly goblin head like a prize. "It's mine!"
They stood before Lysander, looking like two children fighting over a toy, covered in monster guts.
"Silence"
Lysander's voice cut through their bickering like a blade. He pushed himself off the tree, his red mask glowing in the dim light.
Both women froze, sensing the change in his mood. They immediately straightened up, looking down at their feet.
"You are arguing over who struck the final blow?" Lysander asked, walking toward them. "Pointless"
He took the Goblin head from Seraphina's hands and inspected it. It was a clean cut. But the skull was fractured—evidence of Seraphina's gravity magic weakening it before the slice.
"Elara, you used your speed to exploit the opening. Good"
"Seraphina, you controlled the battlefield to create that opening. Good"
He looked at them both.
"You didn't win because one of you is better. You won because you unintentionally worked together"
He stepped closer, placing a heavy hand on each of their shoulders.
"Listen to me. I don't need lone wolves. I need a Pack"
His voice dropped to a serious, intimate tone.
"You two are the first to receive my blood. You are the strongest. That makes you the 'Vice-Heads' of this village. You are my Pillars. When I am not here, you are the law. When I am fighting, you are my shield"
He squeezed their shoulders.
"I need you to trust each other as much as you trust me. Can you do that?"
The effect of his words was instant and terrifying.
'Vice-Head?' Elara thought. 'Pillar?'
Her golden eyes dilated until they were almost entirely black. A flush of heat rushed to her cheeks. To a beast-kin, "Vice-Head" meant "Mate of the Alpha"
'He acknowledged me. He said I am his shield. He said I am his law.'
A twisted, dreamy smile spread across her face.
'Yes... I will be a Pillar. I will kill anyone who looks at him wrong. I will work with this human girl... for now. Because Lord Zero wants us to be a family'
Seraphina was no better. She trembled under his touch.
'My Pillar...' Seraphina repeated internally, her violet eyes glazing over with obsession.
'He relies on me. I am essential to him'
She looked at Elara. The hatred was gone, replaced by a dark, possessive understanding.
'If protecting Zero means working with this cat... then fine. We will be the two swords that guard his throne. No one else is allowed to be a Pillar. Just us'
"We understand, Lord Zero," Seraphina whispered, her voice trembling with intense devotion. "We will be your Pillars. Forever"
"Yes," Elara purred, leaning into his hand.
"We won't let you down. We belong to you"
Lysander removed his hands, feeling a slight chill. Their smiles were beautiful, but there was a darkness behind them that suggested they would burn the world down if he asked.
"Good," Lysander said, deciding to ignore the creepy vibes for now.
Lysander held up the Hobgoblin head.
"Now, regarding the loot"
He looked at the gruesome object.
"System," Lysander asked internally. "There are no Mana Cores in this world. So, where is the value in these monsters?"
Ding!
[Since this world lacks Crystallized Mana Cores, the magical energy is distributed throughout the monster's biology]
[Sell to Shop]
[You can sell raw parts]
[Current Value of Hobgoblin Head: 5 SP]
[Material Harvesting]
[Blood: High mana concentration. Used for Alchemy and Potions]
[Bones & Teeth: Hardened by mana. Used for Smithing weapons]
[Skin/Fur: Used for Light Armor and Enchanting scrolls]
[Weapon Upgrade/Crafting]
[You can use these materials to Upgrade existing weapons or Craft new ones via the [Workshop] tab]
Lysander's eyes narrowed.
"So, instead of a simple Core, I have to harvest the body parts"
He looked at Elara's claws and Seraphina's robes. They were wearing beginner gear. If he wanted to fight stronger enemies, he would need better equipment made from monster bones and treated leather.
"System, can I craft items right now?"
Lysander held up the Hobgoblin head.
"Now, regarding the loot"
He looked at the gruesome object.
"System," Lysander asked internally. "There are no Mana Cores in this world. So, where is the value in these monsters?"
Ding!
[Since this world lacks Crystallized Mana Cores, the magical energy is distributed throughout the monster's biology (Blood, Bones, Skin)]
[These materials are essential for Crafting and Upgrading equipment via the Workshop
Lysander nodded. He looked at Elara's claws and Seraphina's robes. They were strong, but their gear was trash. He needed to turn these bones and fangs into weapons]
"System, I want to craft"
Ding!
[ACCESS DENIED]
[NO BLACKSMITH FOUND]
Lysander frowned. "I need a Blacksmith? Can't I just learn the skill myself?"
[Master You possess the SSS-Rank Talent: Demon King A King does not hammer iron. A King commands others to do it]
"Your Talent allows you to Bestow Production Skills onto your subordinates. You do not need to find a Master Blacksmith. You can take a regular person and force the 'Blacksmith' talent into their soul, instantly turning them into a Master"
Lysander's eyes lit up. This was broken. He didn't need to hunt for talent; he could create it.
"So I can turn anyone into a Legendary Smith?" Lysander asked. "What is the price?"
Ding!
[Skill: Master Blacksmithing]
[Cost: 10,000 SP]
[Rank-S]
Lysander choked on the air.
"Ten thousand?!"
He looked at his current balance. He barely had enough for potions.
"That is robbery," Lysander muttered. "But... it makes sense. A Master Blacksmith can equip an entire army. 10,000 SP is the price of an army's foundation"
He tossed the Goblin head into his inventory.
"Fine. We keep the materials for now. I need to save up SP"
He turned to the girls.
"Collect everything—fangs, blood vials, bones. We don't have a Blacksmith yet, but once I gather enough points, I will create one"
He looked toward the village.
"Let's go home. We have a lot of work to do"