Side Story 43: The Aftermath of the Enemies.

Side Story 43: The Aftermath of the Enemies.

So, Qaltil is dead and we failed the job.

Right, bossUrgh

Well, at least youre alive. Although missing an eye, a leg, and having your stomach nearly separated into three sections will surely take you out of the dance Considering what they managed to destroy and obtain, it seemed this new Champion just won the high stake bet.

Streiga mused at the sound of high stake bet, imagining what his conversation partner was speaking about. He thought back to the results of this siege, ruminating over the benefits his side had lost and what the other side had gained.

First was most definitely the feast of experience in the form of the 10000 grimgarian strong army, composed of a total of 20 rank Bs. The majority of the forces were killed during the fight, while the remaining were now being hunted down by Artorian reinforcements. All rank Bs were exterminated, donating their hard-earned levels to Hestia and her allies.

Second would be the death of Qaltil as well as the elimination of the two demonkins leading this operation. The complete defeat of a Warbringer, even. From what Streiga heard, the fact a teenage girl like VifiYok was chosen as the next one just after the previous Warbringer died wasnt a good sign. To him, it meant there werent any more capable, more experienced candidates. He believed it would be hard to replace her if she had died.

Lastly, there was the death of Karhalantheel at the hands of Melloxtressa. He had heard she was an SS rank dragon, but he hadnt fully believed it. However, this new age SS rank not only slayed an ancient one, but she also managed to acquire his corpse. In addition, Streiga knew Melloxtressa escaped the dimension trap the demonkins set up, meaning the dragon empress had become a void-touched. If she used her newly aquired [Storage Magic], then the enemy had just acquired the body of an SS rank leviathan.

So many benefits were lost, and not a single win for Streigas employer. If they had managed to end the birth of a Champion of Yeostar, he probably would have called it a worthy price, but this mission was a complete disaster.

Kuek hahaha Streiga shook his head, waving his lion mane around before he groaned and leaned against a caverns wall, somewhere east of Elyonda. He was elated; he and Qaltil had the foresight to establish a small hideout, in case they had needed somewhere to flee to.

He looked down at his right leg, massaging it as he thought of the person who cut itLarent. The vengeful swordmaster had failed in getting his revenge, but managed to still cripple the leonid. He then moved his trembling hand up to his stomach, pulling up his tattered chainmail to reveal three puncture wounds.

He smirked, bumping his head against the wall three times in shame, before shivering a bit at the dangers of facing a well-trained Champion of the gods. Tehmrayn, although only ten levels lower than Streiga, had completely overwhelmed him. Sure, he had his allies, but the leonid wasnt sure if he could have beaten the Plesia Champion even in a duel. He felt inadequate; exposed.

However, while he expected his two former opponents to prove a challenge, what angered the leonid even more was the wound on his left eye. Silver scales had lodged themselves into his skull and eye socket, while freezing ice had frozen off his fur and skin. He couldnt feel anything.

Hahaha, dammit

Yorshka and Shayatierus, two opponents far below his level, had managed to deal such a terrible wound on him. He would have beaten both if they were alone, but with the aid of Larent and Tehmrayn, those two managed to cripple him like this. Levels were important, but so were skills and equipment. There was a reason why the combination of Jobs, equipment, and technology could allow a human to surpass their limits and slay a monster far above their weight class.

They probably wouldnt have killed him, but he still felt like he had severely underestimated his opponents. Was it the arrogance of age? Or was his Ghorush side showing itself after all these years? If that was the case, then he could only lament his stupidity. His past and history as a leonid warrior of Carmaniate had been sealed in the depths of his mind. He was now Streiga, the third boss of the Yanderu Eluseuss.

Streiga.

Yes, Boss? The leonid stopped his daydreaming and returned to look through the small dimensional rift, created by a space-time tool the Boss of the Yanderu had created. A manatech only a void-touched could have made.

How did you survive? I had not expected them to show you mercy. The person on the other side asked him in an aloof manner, although there was a hint of compassion hidden somewhere between those words.

Haha you know the effects of my Territory, right? [Lament of the Lion] recreates the steppe I used to live in with my wife, in which I stored the best golems I ever made. All the golems she created to defend her tribe, or, at least the ones she planned to use to defend them, were also in there as a memento. Well it seemed even I didnt know the extent of her creations. Streiga brushed up his pelt, noticing his purple-colored skin. Twice. She saved me twice. She left her masterpiece behind just to save me.

What kind of golem was it?

My past self. She recreated my past self. A golem with its own intelligence. Not like the barely aware golem monsters in the wild, but an artificial creation able to think and reason with others. I had thought it was just like all the other golems, but who knew she managed to create something like that in the wasteland of the steppe?

Own intelligence? That is new. I heard the alchemists and golemancers of Aleistunum have been trying to create self-thinking gargoyles and golems for a while now, but who would have thought some random beastwoman from a random tribe in the middle of Carmaniate would have been the one to create the first of its kind. However, if she managed to create your past self, then it probably wouldnt last long. Nothing personal, friend.

None taken. And, yes, youre right. The thing didnt last for too long, but the way it acted and moved felt real. I thought I was looking at my past self. Well, if it made me feel nostalgic, then it also could fool my enemies. I made my escape after sacrificing it.

Shame. What a waste.

The two conversationalists fell silent. While Streiga reminisced on his past from before he joined the Yanderu, the person on the other side was wondering what all of this would lead into. He tapped his finger in a perfect rhythm over and over again as he began to predict the consequences of the events at Elyonda would have. What it would change in the stagnating Empire of Humans and the Kingdom of the Demonkins.

A never ending war between two races born of a religious conflict, going on and off just long enough to allow both sides to recover enough wealth and population to begin again. Of course, fatigue would build up over the hundreds of years of conflict, but it didnt show any semblance of ending soon. Then again, a war such as this could only end when a weightsudden enough and heavy enough tipped the balance of the war's scales in an instant.

Streiga, return back home. Ill call in this job a failure and take the penalty from the demonkins. Ill have Eithalr get ready to recruit two more bosses to replace the missing ones. Ill get somebody to see after your wou

What is with this letter?!

And just then, the words of the Yanderu boss was interrupted by the sound of an opening door ramming against the war. The hidden face of the boss turned around from his desk, looking at his unwelcome intruder with a small smile.

Welcome.

Franz Akabane, also known as Light to the majority of people in the Empire, entered the office of the boss of the Yanderu Eleuseuss with a scowl, glaring at the smirking man with two sharp eyes. With every step he took into the room, the more his grey hair waved around, contrasting the veiled figure of the person in front of him.

The young boy from Earth pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment from his pockets and slammed it on the desk. Two two stared at each other in silence, each waiting for other to break the awkwardness.

You I knew you were planning to use me when you sent your people to approach us, but from the look of it, it seemed you even lied about your goals. I looked into it. You didnt tell me the timing and location of those demonkin assassins just to gain my trust. This was all part of their plans, right?

I never lied to you.

Bullshit! Light clenched his fists, trying his hardest to stay composed before this man. You told me your aim was to change the Empire. All the crimes you performed and all the lives you ended. They were all a means to a goal. I tolerated them because I needed an ally against the church and the emperor, but all of you Peolyncians are just here to use us like pawns. Was all that about the demonkins even true?

All of it. Aurena didnt summon you into this world, the demonkins did with the help of the Edjurl gods, The Yanderu boss answered, unperturbed by Lights outrage. Also, my goals have always remained the same. How I achieve them doesnt matter. All that matters to history are the results. In this world, the results are all that matters.

You ! Light scowled, biting his lips until they began to bleed. His rage filled his mind to the point he couldnt control himself any further, but even if he punched the person right now, it would only hurt himself.

You also seem to agree with me to an extent.

Tsk!

The church is controlled by the demonkins while the Folschreck Empire is being driven forward like a machine helmed by decrepit nobles only interested in their own advancement at the cost of everyone else. No justice can be found here, when commoners have to fear the prejudice and harsh judgement of the Lycerepth every day. When faith turns into zealousness, the bottom will rot. The Boss then took the piece of parchment from the young mans hand and began smoothing out the wrinkles. You joined my faction because you couldnt trust either side. You have no allies when you are stuck between two massive forces. You are no hero. You havent been the protagonist since the moment you were transported to this world. You and your classmates are doomed to be another means to win this war for the demonkins.

Kuek! Light trembled, fully acknowledging the truth of the matter. No matter what he or his classmates had tried since they came to this world, it all failed.

Their attempts to escape Aureoliss grand cathedral were thwarted multiple times by the clergy and holy knights. The cathedral's followers interrupted them the moment the summoned classmates tried to do anything, stopping them before any progress was made. Each time, a warning was given to scare them off.

Even now, after they came to the Folschreck Empire, they had thought they could gain some advantage, but with the church looming over every single step, they couldnt move anywhere. Strength was a major factor in an adventurers and warriors survival, but none of the students had reached the level where they could contend against the monsters of this world.

They were simply weak.

The boss stood up from his seat and pointed at the young man, eyeing him intently. Light flinched back, just seconds before the boss continued his lecture. That is why the results are important. Not the path towards it. What good is a creed when you cannot achieve victory? Would you howl and whine when your classmates are killed after you decided to play nice? What justice can you bring to this world if you break like fragile glass, Light?

Light looked down, clutching his head in pain as these words reminded him of his father. It felt like his nefarious father was whispering scoldings into his ears, demeaning his sense of self and ego. Light felt like his own personality was being pushed back in favor of the objectives of the person before him.

You cant do anything, Light. But with me on your side? You can do whatever you wish in this world, Light! You can change this world just like Goddess Chihiro!

Light was an idealistic young man raised by Japans most ruthless prosecutor. He wanted to join the judiciary system in a different manner than his father, to bring proper justice despite the swamp his father had created. A corruption he had despised since childhood ever since he learned of his fathers abuse of his mother.

To his father, Franz was just a product to show-off to his friends and allies. A hfu, a half Japanese. To Franzs father, his son was nothing more than a novelty. A trend to seem international and trendy. What an achievement it would be if he could raise a halfling to the top of the judicial system, in a society with outdated values on foreigners.

The young man had hoped he could perform some good in this new world. His idealism clashed with what the majority of the class felt about killing other humans for survival. He wanted to judge bandits and thieves like a normal prosecutor, but this wasnt something he could do in this world. Just like on Earth, however, he had no power against those more influential.

HeeRlak is alive. I need you to get him back to BoleTaria and tell everybody I died.

Pardon? Say that again? You want me to tell them what?

That I died today.

KuhahaHAHAHAHA! Arent you a Warbringer, lass? Are you seriously deserting the army the moment you get a chance to do so? Kuhahaha, you have some guts!

VifiYok grimaced at his unexpected reaction, feeling even guiltier at what she was about to do. She had thought through the idea when Streiga saved her, fleeing from her deal with the two dragon princesses. Her conscience was telling her no, but her heart, the one she gained after her trip over to the Twin-Elemental Lake, told her to be free.

VifiYok held pride for her country, even wanting to better the life of her fellow Wrath demonkins. Although she joined the army purely for survival, she still thought fondly of the people she had befriended there. In fact, to her, it was heaven compared to the wet streets she used to live in, scavenging for soggy bread and dirty meat, trying to sleep through ale-reeking drunks shouting like goblins through the night.

However, at the end of the day, VifiYok wished for more. She was not picky; in fact, she liked eating hard, dry rations and sleeping on the ground, as long as she was dry and didnt have to smell vomit. There was more to life than complaining. As long as she was full and alive, she wouldnt make a big deal out of it.

But, she couldnt keep it all bottled in any further. She wanted to know more about the world. She wanted to continue eating good food. She wanted her life to be filled with more than just battle and carnage, even if she had to betray everything she knew and everyone she befriended.

Am I being greedy? I didnt know my parents, you know.

Understanding the demonkin idiom, Streiga shook his head. You think one of your parents was a Gluttony or Greed demonkin? Ha, I dunno, kid. Seems more like youre just acting your age, or like anybody else, really. Even adults can be like this.

Youre not gonna judge me? VifiYok raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear the leonid was playing along with a joke.

Want me to? Because I used to be a soldier, too, before I took years off service after I was hurt in enemy territory. I didnt report it to anybody, until I returned a few years later. I can sympathize. But I can act like a soldier and scold youUurgh! Kuragh! Suddenly jerking from the pain caused by Tehmrayns attacks, Streiga coughed uncontrollably. Once he was done, he slammed his head lightly against the wall behind him. You arent a kid, so dont try to have me treat you like one, kid. Deserter, or not, I have no right to question somebody elses choices. I am not a role model.

I see

Both stayed silent, simply taking in the situation they were currently in, until Streiga ended up speaking first. He tried to find some charcoal, but realized everything was wet. He couldnt find any parchment or writing material, so instead, he used his catalyst to morph the ground into a golem.

Whyd you want to leave? he asked while he did so.

Donuts, she answered, causing the leonid to flinch in surprise, before letting out a burst of laughter. I want some better bread, too. Soft, you know. Like the ones those noble humans eat. Some nice butter. Slices of meat and fresh, green orslagges as salad. Oh, a warm soup, too, would be nice. Something more creative than vegetable soup, though.

Pay?

This. Vifiyok then reached at her chest and mumbled a quiet chant, before her chest began to glow red. After a few seconds of wait, she pierced herself with her claws, pulling out a red crystal around the size of a finger.

Well, arent you generous. However, isnt this considered treason? Streiga smiled with interest.

The girl brushed some of the blood off her shirt before twirling the crystal in her hand. The moment I decided to desert, I had already committed treason. If I dont remove this, then Lord Wrath will surely find me. Im going away. Far, far away, so I cant allow him or the other Warbringers to track me. A small price to pay for freedom.

That is still a huge one to pay, though. Without it, you cant use [Original Sin: Satanael], again. From the looks of it, it probably saved your life, right?

A Prince of Sin differed from their prince candidates through the fact that they could use original sin abilities without severe burdens placed on their body. This was because only seven demonkins could become a prince of sin at once, each representing one of them.

However, BoleTaria didnt want the original sin powers to be reserved for them alone. In addition, to prepare the candidates, it was also necessary for them to get used to these powers so they would be ready to be deployed if necessary. As such, the demonkins invented these blood crystals of sin.

Each crystal granted the demonkin host an original sin ability, allowing them to use them, albeit, at a weaker efficiency than the original. In addition, each would place heavy strain upon the person if they overused them. Right now, VifiYok was abandoning hers using the removal chant she learned after sneaking into the library of her adopted father.

It sure did. Without Satanael, I would have 100% died to that crimson dragon. Her last attack was beyond belief, honestly. VifiYok grimaced as she felt the sheer terror of death as Hestias smashed her into the ground like a comet. To prevent my death, Satanael sealed my ability to go M.E.P. In fact, I cant go above 15% in any of my emotions. Essentially, I cant conjure up anything more than my horns and tail. No elemental weapons.

Damn. So, youre practically like a human now, huh? Hahaha, no even worse, since youre missing an arm!

A human with more stats than a rank A human but, yes, she sighed, slightly annoyed as she clutched the stump where her left arm used to be. Besides, even if I went back, I would be discharged since Satanael sealed my powers. In the worst case, theyll harvest my organs for my red lightning. In the best case, Ill be chained to House Yok as its heir. Im not letting them treat me like that; I didnt join the army to be used like a dirty rag.

Pessimistic, little street urchin? Streiga raised an eyebrow, finding his information on the demonkins a bit outdated from the way VifiYok explained her situation. At the very least, three of the current Princes of Sins wouldnt agree to the extremist idea. Why do you think so? I had a different impression.

As I said, in the best case, I would only be chained as an heir. Lord Wrath Im sure I will keep my life with him helping me. The new Lady Lust wont let me die either. The thing is, it wont get any better from there. VifiYok reminisced of her time in the home of her adoptive father, grimacing and sighing deeply. I am not used to opulence, you can say. I dont want to be some heir who cant help out my fellow wrathies. I dont care who my Lord Father is; the life of a noble isnt for me. I didnt fight, survive, and scavenge to end up like that.

Poor little street rat. Not the best choice, but, well, you are still a kid. Wherever itll lead you, I hope you know the consequences will come to greet you one day. Streiga wanted to scare her off, but, once again, he was reminded why youth was so frightening to him.

The conviction in VifiYoks eyes told him she knew exactly what she was getting herself into. It did make him remember the last moment before he came for her rescuehow she had almost accepted the hand of that Aurena Champion, Hestia. He wondered if that had anything to do with all of this but he would keep this information to himself for now. If it was blackmail, then it hadnt ripened yet.

Heh, then youll need to get used to human society then, lass. Here. Streiga picked up the golem he had made and nonchalantly threw it over to the girl, presenting to her a slate with his instructions. He grinned for a moment, before coughing up some blood. Urk Okay, there is a small town past the closest imperial port from hereSaltzwieder. I have a former subordinate there who retired from the organization and opened up an orphanage. Give him the slate, hell give you what you need to survive. Some coins, clothes, a weapon, and also some education.

What?

What do you mean, what? BoleTaria is completely different from Folschreck or the rest of Altrust. The damn propaganda education you got in the military wont help. I listened to them! Streiga shouted, reminding her he was the one responsible for most of the intel for this operation. Anyways, you need to know things. How the guilds work. Get yourself a proper ID with a false identity so you dont get exposed. How to handle things without breaking a law. Things work differently here. I learned myself how cultures can differ.

So youre telling me to learn with those snot-nose brats hes teaching at that place?

What? Youre parentless yourself, kid.

Tehe. Guess youre right. I do wonder whats so special about providing urchins a place to live, though. Keep them off the streets, I guess. VifiYok then stood up and flicked the crystal into Streigas palms.

Why not rest?

Nah I wanna see it. Human society. Without the burdens of being a Warbringer. Whats it like?

I see then, good luck. Keep yourself safe. You saw that giant thunder spell shock the leviathan, right? Pretty sure thats the archerudite of Aleistunum and his floating home.

With that, VifiYok left the cavern and HeeRlak in Streigas care. She had her destination and also a chance for a new life. With [Original Sin: Satanael] sealing her demon powers and elemental weapons, all the girl had left was her red lightning and the skills she had developed over the years.

However, for the sake of her disguise, she had to seal off her Voltaic Red abilities to keep herself hidden. She had to adapt to her new life. In a way where she would never ever meet another demonkin or a member or ally of Aurora. The demonkin VifiYok would stop existing from today onwards.

I wonder where I should go afterwards? Should get out of the Empire if I want to stay hidden. Maybe I should try Carmaniate? The dwarves?

She clutched her left shoulder, feeling the phantom pain of clutching her left hand. She felt like she was back at the bottom after all these years. Like a little rat, trying to escape the eyes of all the enemies surrounding her.

A part of her yearned to return to her home, to the people she likedthe safe haven she had worked for, but another side, the one that kept her alive all this time, made it clear her return wont be easy. She had failed twice already, and this operation was important. Was becoming a traitor and deserter the correct choice, here?

She wasnt sure, but she knew well enough how valuable her red lightning was for the military. Her survival instincts told her going back would only be a detriment to her. In that case, living on the streets sounded safer.

She then turned her head around, looking in the distance where she had fought her enemies. Her left shoulder ached once again. She couldnt get the image of the four women who defeated her out of her mind. Not to mention, the naive idea of their crimson dragon

Stupid girl She couldnt help but call Hestia, although not in a hostile manner. A part of her wished for her home, no, her former home to find peace. It was just impossible. She felt ashamed she was almost swayed by the girls words.

I am an idol, and I have a responsibility not to make you cry, but to make you laugh. Make you smile! Make you dream of hope and a better life. That is my passion, that is what I want to do! Call me naive if you want, but that is how I want this war to end! No more death VifiYok recalled those words clearly.

Whatever. Just get outta here. I have a new future to worry about, so, goodbye, dragon. You wont see me again.