The End of the Commotion

The ant's mandibles snapped shut, severing the demon's arm in a single clean bite. The one-armed demon let out a piercing scream and smashed its remaining fist into the ant's head. As if determined to repay the injury several times over, it began kicking the fallen ant viciously, only for another ant to materialize behind it and slice clean through its waist.

Anton watched with a deathly pale face as ants swarmed the demon's corpse, compressing flesh and bone into something unrecognizable. So this is what a monster from the North looks like. It defied all common sense. A single monster had spawned a legion of hundreds in the span of one night, and now it was snowballing, multiplying at a terrifying rate. Without realizing it, Anton muttered under his breath.

"Is this what the North fights every day?"

Of course monsters like this weren't scattered everywhere, but even so, the danger was on an entirely different scale. As he watched Adela casually increasing the ants' numbers, a flicker of concern crossed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Anton's eyes.

He knew Argo controlled her, but honestly, he found it hard to believe. Controlling a monster that could destroy an entire nation if the conditions were met? It went against all his common sense, and part of him wondered if he should act before she went berserk.

But Anton didn't move. Or rather, he couldn't.

Because perched on Adela's shoulder, Rata was crackling with sparks of electricity.

The squirrel who had accepted the Mystery stared at Anton with unreadable eyes. The clear message that any funny business would be met with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠regret kept him frozen in place.

While he was still debating what to do, Adela's gaze suddenly turned toward him. Cold sweat broke out across his skin.

"Me. Kill you?"

"......!"

"If you kill me, prepare ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to die too."

"...I won't kill you. There's no chance I could beat you anyway, and right now you're helping us."

At Adela's blunt words, Anton forced the corners of his mouth upward in a show of surrender. The Special Affairs Department placed the Empire's safety above all else, which was precisely why he couldn't lay a hand on her. Failure could trigger a rampage that would unleash who knew what kind of catastrophe, and above all, Adela was currently aiding the Academy.

Since the outcome he feared would only occur if she went berserk, he chose a careful path that avoided offending her as much as possible.

"I'll repay my rudeness later. Thank you for helping the Academy."

"What will you give as payment?"

"Magic stones."

"Good."

Adela's lips curved upward, clearly pleased. She continued producing ants while watching the battle, and Anton quietly took a seat beside her to observe the clash between the two warriors.

He couldn't help letting out a hollow laugh at the sight of them treating the vast plaza like their personal training ground. Watching a fight like this made one thing clear: no matter how exceptional the agents of Special Affairs might be, the world was ultimately sustained by a handful of true geniuses.

"They're both operating on a completely different level. It's impossible to predict the outcome."

"Rhinoceros. Strong. But Argo stronger."

The pair quietly rooted for Argo as they watched the battle unfold. Feeling their gazes boring into his back, I let out a hollow chuckle of my own.

"Those guys are openly spectating just because it's not their turn."

I'm over here fighting for my life and they're just watching like it's entertainment. It kills the momentum. I spat out the blood that had risen in my throat and grinned.

"Don't you think?"

"Shut up, you damn bastard."

Rhinoceros answered sharply, breathing hard. Ever since Adela started spawning ants, the battle had grown fierce. Fragments of his armor shattered, and the number of wounds on his body multiplied. Rhinoceros had taken considerable damage himself.

He stared at me with trembling eyes.

"How did you see through my scheme?"

"I've seen plenty of people consumed by hatred."

I had witnessed an entire world drowning in it. I knew how hatred toward monsters operated, and I'd seen what happened when those consumed by it threw away all restraint. The desperate ploy to kill Adela while sacrificing his own flesh was easy to read.

"It's not my concern anymore, but those memories have helped me more than you know."

Come to think of it, my past-life memories had given me so much. The most effective ways to use the Argo Saga system. Methods to fight monsters with minimal losses. Countless combat experiences. All of it had become the foundation that shaped who I am now.

"That's why you can't beat me."

As long as hatred remains your driving force, I can predict every move you make.

Rhinoceros fell silent. I couldn't tell whether he was shocked that his plan had been seen through or simply burning with rage.

"Then I'll kill you first."

"Are you going to fight with your mouth?"

My provocation hit home. Rhinoceros kicked off the ground and leaped forward. The corner of my mouth curled up.

Impatience is poison in battle. The moment his plan fell apart, his concentration fractured, his movements slowed, and his momentum crumbled. If I couldn't capitalize on that, I had no right to call myself a warrior.

As Rhinoceros closed in and swung his greatsword diagonally, I tilted my sword-spear to deflect the blow while Umbra burst from the shadows, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thrusting at his abdomen. Rhinoceros spun his blade to guard, then crushed Umbra's head with a stomp.

I retrieved my weapon smoothly and spun it vertically. The rotating spear came down to split his skull, but he raised his greatsword to block. Sparks flew as we locked weapons in a contest of strength. The recovered Umbra immediately charged into his chest.

It was an attack he would have brushed off easily under normal circumstances, but his reaction was a beat too slow. He parried the spear and twisted away, yet Umbra's weapon still sank into his flank.

"Urgh!"

"Your momentum's broken. With your mind somewhere else, do you really think you can face me?"

"Shut up!"

Rhinoceros roared in a voice thick with malice, sliced Umbra apart, and retreated. He seemed to think the added distance would buy him time to regroup. I could clearly feel that his concentration had dropped sharply.

"Too bad. If you'd been at full strength, this could have been a fun fight."

"......!"

Noticing the strange atmosphere at last, Rhinoceros jerked his head upward. Beyond the massive summoning circle, he spotted a pair of vertically slit pupils. The moment he recognized the Lesser Dragon observing this world, he tried to break position, but it was already too late.

"Damn it, you fucking...!"

Realizing he couldn't escape in time, Rhinoceros ground his teeth and pulled together every last scrap of aura he had left. Since dodging was impossible, he seemed determined to at least block the coming attack.

The Lesser Dragon watching him narrowed its eyes in amusement. Having observed the insignificant creature's desperate struggle to survive, it opened its maw wide. Sharp teeth parted to reveal a blood-red throat where searing flames roiled.

The Lesser Dragon that lived within the burning world prepared its breath at leisure. Flames from the surroundings rushed into its mouth, condensing into a heat so intense it could be felt even from here. Once the charge finished, every sound in the area stopped for a single heartbeat.

Then—

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa——!!

The breath shot forward like a laser, slamming into the plaza. Flames surged outward in waves from the point of impact. The ground grew so hot it melted into lava. The seemingly endless breath gradually weakened after ten seconds and finally fell silent a few moments later.

I smiled.

"The effect is solid."

Thanks to the steady investment of experience points, the breath's power had grown several times stronger than before. The dragon gave me a quick glance filled with its desire for growth, then closed the rift as if its work was finished.

"Yeah. I'll evolve you exactly the way you want."

Knowing what it craved, I let out a hearty laugh and walked toward the spot where the breath had struck. The floor was still molten lava, but the center had somehow kept its shape. On top of it, the Rhinoceros lay charred black like coal, breathing with great difficulty.

He had survived, probably because he had poured out every ounce of his aura. But his insides must have been cooked through; even drawing breath seemed painful.

"Khaaack...! Huff...!"

I leaped lightly and landed in front of him. The moment heat rose through my shoes, Elride's water droplets cooled the surrounding air. Steam billowed upward as the temperature dropped, and I looked down at the Rhinoceros.

Even burned black, he was still writhing, trying to crawl away.

"Stubborn to the end. You still won't give up?"

"You... don't know...! The Empire's... ugly truth!! They... must be erased... from this world...!"

The hatred and madness in his voice made me sigh. I wondered what the Empire had done to turn him into such a vengeful monster, but I held my tongue. Instinct told me that once I learned the truth, there would be no turning back.

If I were as strong as Owen, maybe I could afford to ask. But I was still only Bronze-class, so I swallowed the question.

Instead, I placed my hand on his charred body.

Sssssss!

Some of Elride's water droplets gathered above my palm and absorbed the heat. The Rhinoceros stopped struggling and looked up at me. Meeting his eyes, I chose my next words carefully.

"I don't know what kind of pain you've suffered, or how rotten the Empire truly is."

"......"

"But your methods will only create new hatred. And that hatred won't disappear even if the Empire falls."

"......Heh."

"I promise you won't have any regrets on your final path. If I discover the Empire's ugliness, I won't turn away. Whatever stands in front of me, I'll destroy it all."

"......Heh, hehehe."

The Rhinoceros gave a faint laugh and closed his eyes. I couldn't tell whether he was satisfied by my vow or simply mocking me, but with his eyes closed, he looked strangely at peace.

Having defeated a worthy opponent after so long, I looked up at the sky. Countless purple chains were flying toward the gate connected to the demon realm. Loud explosions kept thundering from the west; it seemed Owen and Grid had arrived.

This commotion would finally be over soon.

"Adela. Our part is done, so let's rest."

"Yeah."

I walked over to Adela and sat down on the ground. Anton must have realized the situation had concluded; he gave a polite bow and vanished. I quietly watched him disappear while sipping a potion.