Point-of-View: Shiro Blanc

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​​

"That was great, wouldn't you say?" Grinned Belia, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"It did not quite go according to your plan though, they managed to break out of the barrier and killed several of the bandits, they could possibly have killed the one whom you had a Demon possess too," Pointed out Hacte with a frown.

"Exactly why it was great! I love it when things don't go perfectly according to plan! Because that's when things get really chaotic...chaos is unpredictable by nature, so why in the world would I ever want something to go perfectly according to plan?" She responded in a tone that made it sound like she was saying something that should be common sense.

"Wow, you're always in character, huh?" I remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"I told you, I will always act on impulse and my whims, because such a chaotic approach to life is my ideal!" She replied with a grin.

...I'm definitely going to avoid letting her put me in any of her 'plans', especially in a role that'd put me at risk, the fact that she actually wants her plans not to go perfectly isn't very encouraging for those involved...she's literally the type who would laugh and watch the world burn while eating a bowl of popcorn.

"So, now what? We spend more than two weeks setting this up, so there better be more than this," I remarked with a sigh.

She linked our minds to hers so that she could share her Observation Magic with us if we closed our eyes. And having experienced it, I can see why it's Divine Magic, you can literally view what you're viewing from any angle...above, below, diagonally, you name it, and those being viewed have no idea at all.

"Well, this group is gonna be unconscious for a while, especially those that were hit by the sleeping gas...we'll come to them after they wake up, and in the meantime...why don't we see how the other group is doing?" She suggested with a glint in her eyes.

Fine, I guess I'll admit it...I was kinda into this...

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Point-of-View: Siert Huet

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"Man, I'm pretty bored...it's been like a week since we set off already," Sighed Rex despondently.

"It's been a little over four days," Responded Zubu with a shake of her head.

"I-I'm sorry," I blurted out in reply.

"Huh? What're you apologizing for?" Asked Rex with a confused look.

"That's just the way he is," Chimed in Yuur, as he kept an eye out for any enemies.

I can't help it, it's an impulse...

"We should stay on alert, we don't have anyone with a sensory technique, after all," Pointed out Zubu objectively.

I'm the only one here with Elemental Magic that has a sensory technique...

"I'm sorry, I-I can't use Water Mapping," I apologized with a sigh.

"Chill out, bro, it's no biggie, I can't use it either, you know," Replied Rex, patting my shoulder with a grin.

Oh, I forgot, he has Water Magic too...he usually just fights using his physical abilities, he almost never uses his Elemental Magic...but now that I think about it, I do recall him using Ice Magic to extend his claws in the past.

"Hey, I think I hear something up ahead," Suddenly remarked Zubu, as she cupped her ears forward and furrowed her brows.

"Yes, I do as well...it's sounds like metal clinking," Nodded Yuur with a frown.

They were right, I could hear something as well...it was a familiar sound, a sound that sent chills down my spine...the sound of chains. I shook my head to compose myself as some old memories resurfaced. No, I can't let my mind wander there...I must remain calm.

"U-um...it s-sounds like chains...w-we should proceed c-cautiously," I said to the others.

"Good call. Everyone, tighten your position in the formation," Instructed Yuur, raising a pair of floating earth spikes on either side of him.

"If it's just a bunch of bandits, you guys can leave this to me, I'll blast them with m'guns!" Declared Rex, patting the weapons on his back.

"Oh, Arts told me about this...what did he call it again...oh, I remember, a death flag! Like, the one who's overconfident before a battle is the first to die, or something like that, right?" Remarked Ida with a teasing grin.

"Huh, did you say death flag, but that's from-...," Rex began to reply, before his face suddenly went blank, "Woah, that's weird...my mind suddenly went all foggy. Well, whatever."

That was...strange, to say the least. Anyway, it soon came into sight, the source of the sound...several people chained to trees. They looked like they had been abused and starved...

"This is awful," Frowned Yuur, as we halted ahead of where they were.

Some of them noticed us and turned towards us with desperate pleading in their eyes...

"H-help us, please..."

"I-I don't want to suffer anymore..."

"Y-you have to s-save us!"

Th-this is...

"Hey, you doing alright, Siert?" Inquired Rex, tapping my shoulder, "Your face is kinda pale."

"Y-yes, I'm f-fine. I-it's nothing," I replied, breathing slowly to keep myself calm.

"Let's free them, I will use my Earth Magic to break the chains," Remarked Yuur, aiming his floating earth spikes at the chains.

"O-okay, I'll grab th-them with my w-water tails," I suggested, forming several long water appendages from my lower back.

"Please do. The rest of you, keep an eye out for any enemies," Instructed Yuur, as he fired his earth spikes at the chains, breaking them and freeing the captives, "Now, Siert!"

"R-right!" I responded, my water tails shooting towards them...when suddenly, they hit something and stopped, right as several men appeared all around us.

An invisible defensive wall? They must have activated it immediately after Yuur broke the chains. Or maybe they had cast a spell on the chains that would activate when they broke.

"Wha-...woah, where'd they all come from!?" Exclaimed Rex in alarm.

"It must be Stealth barriers...quickly, we must-...!" Began Yuur, before trailing off as some of the bandits tossed some small spheres towards us, while a barrier simultaneously formed around us, trapping us inside it.

"Oh, no...," Said Prato, a worried look on his face.

The spheres began to plummet down...those look like bombs...are they explosives or smoke bombs? Either way, I can't let them hit the ground. My water tails shot towards them, there were five in total...if I can envelop them with water, then hopefully, they won't explode...!

One...two...three...four...got them, and just as I hoped, they didn't explode...okay, just one more...no, I won't reach it in time-...before it could hit the ground, Prato swiftly fired a beam of heat at it, erasing it completely. Whatever kind of explosives those were, it no longer matters...we had managed to prevent any of them from exploding.

"Damn, nice work, guys!" Remarked Rex, before firing his weapon at one of the walls of the barrier...his rapid projectile barrage inflicting several cracks, but the barrier quickly repaired itself.

"What do we do, even if we can break through this barrier, they'll blast us as soon as we do," Observed Ida, as the bandits pointed their weapons at us and charged up Elemental Magic attacks.

"Well, we cannot just stay captured in-," Began Yuur, before suddenly being interrupted by a loud, booming voice.

Chills ran down my spine as I heard that voice, a familiar voice that made my blood turn cold, my knees wobbling as fear and trauma seized my mind...

"Not bad, Adventurers of the Rustlands, you managed to keep the sleeping gas from exploding, very impressive!" Exclaimed a man among the bandits, stepping forward with a smirk.

He had long, slightly-curly graying hair that went down to his shoulders, a short, pointed chin beard and a horizontal scar on his neck...I know him...but he's different from how I remember him...he had a third eye on his forehead, a pair of horns, black claws and curved spikes from his elbows. Could it be...a Demon? But that would mean that...the Demon Forbidden Zone is no more.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Inquired Yuur, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, I'm just a humble merchant from Platinberg, or at least I used to be...before the Vampires took over my nation. And the Rustlands is the reason for that. Therefore, what I want is simple...I want you people to feel despair, just as my trapped countrymen currently are. I am Ickho Sshol, and I will become your worst nightmare!" He declared menacingly, a bloodthirsty look in his eyes.

That name...no doubt about it, it's him...

"This guy's totally creepy...let's kill the shit out of him," Suggested Rex, pointing one of his weapons at him.

"I can agree with that," Remarked Ida, swinging her staff around a couple of times.

"Fools, you honestly believe that you can defeat me!? Hah! Even the strongest of you all would not stand a chance, I succeeded in resisting a Demon and claiming its powers for my own!" He claimed with a laugh, "But I suppose I shall humor you...try to kill me if you can."

He then stepped forward and fired a purple blast at the barrier, forming a hole in the wall and stepped in, smirking with a bloodthirsty expression, as the barrier swiftly repaired itself.

"According to Fuo Wesroh's reports...he just used Obliteration Magic. Be careful, everyone...if that strikes you, you will die," Warned Yuur cautiously, as he floated up a couple of earth spikes.

"He might be able to use another type of Demonic Magic too," Pointed out Zubu warily.

"There's no time left to talk...he's about to attack," Remarked Rex, taking aim.

Sshol then drew out a large axe that was on his back with a wide smirk, as he prepared to charge at us.

"I'll crush you all!"

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