(Author's rant: I'm~back~! The common enemy know as REAL LIFE had me in its grasp for the past few days so I couldn't write or post anything. So to catch up, I've got Ch 18 here and Ch 19 will follow right after. Enjoy!)

“Guahah!...hah...hah…” (Kris)

When Kris reopened his eyes, he saw the familiar sight of the ceiling belonging to the Abyss King’s tomb.

Recalling the events in the black room,

I guess that was just an illusion, huh...

After a few seconds, Kris sat up off the floor and looked around.

The sudden shouts of a sentient sword brought Kris back to reality.

“Hero-san! Hero-san! Are you okay!?” (Stryfe)

“Yeah, I’m fine Stryfe...though I don’t know how.” (Kris)

Kris gave a vague reply to the talking sword while rubbing his forehead, but the talking sword became even more agitated.

“What do you mean you don’t know?! You’re soul was on the verge of being lost, but then it was suddenly purified. What did you do!?” (Stryfe)

“You mean...you didn’t see..?” (Kris)

“Eh? What? Was there something I missed?” (Stryfe)

“...No, nevermind.” (Kris)

How can I possibly explain seeing Yuki when even I don’t know what I saw?

Shaking his head, Kris tried getting off the floor--until he realized his right hand was empty.

He looked at the hand that had been holding the sword moments prior, but instead found three gold rings, one on each of his fingers.

When he inspected his hand, a strange symbol that looked like 王 had been etched onto his palm. (Author: supposed to read ‘king’ in english)

“Um, Stryfe, what is this? Where are you?” (Kris)

“Eh? Oh, that’s right. It’s been so long since someone succeeded in forming a Link that I had forgotten what my new form looked like.” (Stryfe)

“These three rings are you?” (Kris)

“No. I now reside within your right hand.” (Stryfe)

“Inside my hand? But then what are these rings for?” (Kris)

“To put it simply, those rings represent limiters that restrict how much power can be discharged at any given time.” (Stryfe)

“Limiters, huh. So your power is too strong for me to handle?” (Kris)

“As you are now, yes. With time, you will be able to wield me at full strength so be patient.” (Stryfe)

“I see. So how do I summon you?” (Kris)

“Once you remove the first ring, I will appear. Additionally, you can use a certain number of magic spells that are unique to me alone. One ring is about all the power you can manage right now without succumbing to its malice.” (Stryfe)

“Is it enough to get me to my friends’ location?” (Kris)

“Yes.” (Stryfe)

“Then I guess one ring will have to do for now.” (Kris)

As he said that, Kris removed the ring on his index finger.

Once separated, the ring disappeared and his body immediately felt an increase in its mana quantity, but Kris could sense it did not have the same intensity as last time.

It had been significantly toned down to an amount that did not overwhelm his psyche.

Kris realized something else as his body felt rejuvenated.

This feels like my own power, not someone else’s.

Red haze began collecting in his hand, eventually forming the familiar shape of a crimson sword.

“Well, before we begin...” (Stryfe)

Stryfe then changed to a more formal tone when he spoke again.

“Though it may be a moot point as we have already joined together, I am grateful to you for taking the trial and becoming my new master. I look forward to working under you, Hero-sama.” (Stryfe)

“Thanks...and you can call me Kris.” (Kris)

“Very well, Kris-sama.” (Stryfe)

“By the way, what does ‘sama’ mean?” (Kris)

“In this case, it means ‘lord’ or ‘master’.” (Stryfe)

“Then please don’t call me that. Just Kris is fine.” (Kris)

“Ufufu. Very well, Kris. Shall we get going?” (Stryfe)

“Yes, let’s go save my friends!” (Kris)

****

Just after seeing a sword sticking out of her chest, Sylvia lost consciousness.

However, even in limbo, her soul continued to be tormented.

Ugh, it hurts so much...I just want it to end...please just let the pain go away...

After what felt like an entire lifetime had passed, she heard a voice whisper something strange.

Following directly after the whisper, a new pain raced throughout her body and Sylvia thought that her life must be ending.

Just as she was thinking she was about to die, all of her pain suddenly vanished.

As her clouded mind began to clear, a familiar voice cried out.

“NOOOOOO!” (-)

Isn’t that...Eliza?...Eliza!

After realizing who the voice belonged to, Sylvia opened her eyes in a panic and found an unbelievable sight.

She was lying on the ground with most of the clothing and armor on her chest undone.

When she looked to the side, the figure of the Elf mage sitting next to her put her mind at ease for a moment, but then when she saw an attacker aiming for her friend, Sylvia immediately reacted.

Before she was aware of it, she had already transformed her arm into a dragon’s and sunk her claws into the abdomen of the unknown assailant.

The reptilian woman seemed surprised that she had been attacked and looked down at the hand that was embedded in her before staring at Sylvia with disbelief.

{H-how...are you--} (-)

“Though I don’t know who you are, I won’t forgive anyone who harms my friends.” (Sylvia)

Sylvia then tried to increase the pressure in her hand to deepen the wound, but the thickness of her enemy’s skin made it difficult.

{Tch! How dare you injure this body!} (--)

The woman tried slashing at Sylvia, but she ducked at the last moment and the clawed hand passed by her head.

Using her free arm to push away the woman, Sylvia’s hand separated from the woman’s body and she then started channeling mana into her clenched fist.

The woman sensed imminent danger, and retreated before Sylvia could finish preparing her attack.

Cancelling the mana flow before it could be lost, Sylvia analysed this new opponent.

Her skin is as tough as a Drake’s, if not even more so...no wonder my companions had a hard time.

Sylvia thought that as she scanned the room with her peripheral vision.

Including Lily who was behind her, all of the other Saviors were in disarray.

“Sylvia! Are you alright!?” (Eliza)

Eliza, who was a few meters away from her location, yelled excitedly at seeing her comrade in good health.

Sylvia nodded in response as she assessed the White Wolf girl’s condition.

Most of her armor is shredded, and I can also smell the distinct aroma of a recently-used health potion coming from her person. That explains why Eliza isn’t covered in injuries.

When she looked for Gale, he was only now getting back to his feet unsteadily a good distance away.

He must have been thrown into that pillar before rolling across the ground. That’s no easy feat when you consider how much Gale weighs with that mithril armor on...this woman is becoming more dangerous by the minute.

Once he regained his balance, he ran as hard as he could to rejoin the rest of the group.

“Sylvia! You’re okay!” (Gale)

When he saw Sylvia in good condition, he also shouted in joy.

Upon judging the situation to be less than favorable, the woman sneered and retreated a few paces away, clutching the wound Sylvia had inflicted in order to stop the bleeding.

Eliza and Sylvia used that opportunity to regroup with Sylvia and the exhausted Lily.

Sylvia also began refastening her chest armor as she directed a question to Lily.

“...I’m not sure what has happened while I was asleep, but I’m guessing that woman is the one who injured me?” (Sylvia)

“Yes. She emerged from the corpse of the Basilisk and threw Eliza’s sword at you after poisoning it with venom.” (Lily)

“Venom? You mean she’s related to…” Sylvia

Sylvia directed her gaze to the carcass of the giant snake she believed she had defeated earlier.

“We don’t know for sure, but calls herself the Basilisk Queen. I also suspect she’s a Demon because she can use Shadow magic. However, she does not need to chant for high-level spells so be careful.” (Lily)

‘The Basilisk Queen’? So that’s why her skin too strong for my dragon arm to fully puncture...and being able to use high-level Shadow magic makes her even deadlier.

Sylvia’s inner conjecture caused her face to harden in vigilance.

While analysing the self-proclaimed Basilisk Queen, she noticed a black haze had collected in the hand that was blocking the wound.

Is that mana?...she couldn’t possibly be--!?

As if confirming her fears, the Queen removed her hand, revealing what was underneath.

However, instead of a deep gash oozing emerald blood, the skin on her abdomen was as pristine as when she first appeared.

“Instant regeneration…” (Lily)

Sylvia turned her head to her friend who inferred the name of that magic.

“You know that spell Lily?” (Sylvia)

“Vaguely. It’s a Shadow magic spell that heals any serious injury it is applied to. Other than that, I don’t know since very few Shadow mages could even use it.” (Lily)

Seeing her friend’s face pale after giving her answer, Sylvia looked back at the Queen with a grim expression.

Can we really defeat this woman..?

Just as she thought that, a flustered voice came from her opponent.

{To think I would underestimate so many of my opponents...I can’t let this disaster of a fight be known to master...he might throw me out...I can’t let that happen...I can’t...I can’t!...I can’t!…} (Queen)

Sylvia noticed the air became tense, and she was about to warn her comrades when the Basilisk Queen roared in a voice that shook the entire room.

{I CAN’T BE ALONE AGAINNN!!!} (Basilisk)

She stretched both of her arms forward, and a large mass of black mana began forming in front of her hands.

Within moments, a ball of black mana roughly the size of large boulder had formed.

{Obliteration!} (Queen)

The Queen shouted the spell’s activation word, and the black mass shot forward in a straight line towards the hero party.

“Scatter!” (Sylvia)

Though she did not witness the first time this attack had been used, Sylvia’s instincts alerted her that this spell would be fatal if she were hit.

She also warned her comrades as she picked up the immobile Elf and jumped away.

Her companions, who had seen the attack before, did not have to be reminded of its power and followed Sylvia’s command just as the black mass impacted their previous location.

A gaping hole about three meters wide in all directions had been made where the Saviors had been moments before.

The attack itself caused a shockwave that rattled the infrastructure of the room with pillars crumbling to the floor as well as large cracks appearing in the ceiling.

What power!

Sylvia was astonished at the destructive force of that single attack, but in her excitement she had lost track of her enemy and could not react when the Queen appeared right in front of her.

Her hands were carrying Lily who was still under the after effects of using the high-level Purification spell.

If Sylvia dropped Lily to defend herself, the Queen would surely aim for the powerless Elf instead.

Damn..I’ll have to-!

Sylvia turned her body around with her back facing the Queen so that she would be the one to take the brunt of the attack.

{I’LL KILL ALL OF YOU!!!} (Queen)

The Queen raised her hand to end the lives of both of the heroes, but someone impacted her from the side.

“Sylvia! Take Lily and go! Eliza and I can hold her off!” (Gale)

The person in question bellowed to Sylvia as he tried to restrain the Queen.

Sylvia reluctantly followed Gale’s instruction and retreated far enough from the Queen’s reach.

Furious that her prey had escaped, the Queen directed her hostility towards the Dwarf warrior, wrapping her tail around him in order to pull him away from her.

Though his mithril armor prevented him from being crushed, he became immobilized from the extreme pressure of the tail as it coiled around his whole body.

“Let him go you bitch!” (Eliza)

The frenzied White Wolf girl jumped towards the Queen and tried slashing at the woman’s head.

Before contact, the woman moved her head backwards and the sword passed by in front of her.

Once the attack missed, the Queen grabbed hold of the Savior’s neck and brought her face close to hers.

{You’re really getting on my nerves!} (Queen)

The Queen then angrily threw the Demi-human into a pillar.

“Gahack!” (Eliza)

Colliding with the structure, Eliza released a pained gasp as the impact forcibly removed all of the air from her lungs.

She slumped to the ground with a thud and remained motionless.

The Queen then tossed the Dwarf aside and turned her full attention to the unconscious girl.

{Now your tribe dies with you, White Wolf!} (Queen)

With those words, the Queen pointed her hand at her mortal enemy and another mass of black mana began to form.

“Eliza, move!” (Sylvia)

“Run!” (Gale)

In spite of her friend’s cries, Eliza remained where she was.

{Obliteration!} (Queen)

The Queen activated her spell, and the black mass was fired at Eliza, where it exploded upon impact.