Proposal (1)

When time seemed to rewind, Alan was busily lying to Canisia.

"Hah... haah..."

"Ugh... you monster..."

Vikendi Salmus leaned on his sword like a staff, breathing heavily as he glared at Plasma with disgust.

Scattered around were the bodies of the subordinates Salmus had once commanded. These were all formidable warriors who could claim to rule over distant cities, yet none had survived the 7-star monster's swinging blade.

The survivors were only Salmus himself, his fairy Sitri, and the assassin fairy sent from above.

But could any of them truly be called survivors?

Salmus had lost his left arm, Sitri had lost both legs, and the assassin fairy Plasma most feared had been scorched by fire and struck by lightning. Still, she was better off than Salmus and Sitri.

Of course, Plasma himself was in no better shape.

His body was riddled with wounds, and a curse that smelled of burning smoke gnawed at them. His blood had turned pitch black from the curse's influence, and his stats had plummeted dramatically. Waves of nausea rolled through him endlessly, leaving him dizzy. It felt as if worms were eating away at his flesh from the inside, making his entire body itch.

Using his special swimmer trait to switch combat styles and deploying all three attributes he could control, he had fought fiercely—but he had failed to kill the assassin fairy or even inflict a serious wound.

'Not even a finger... I have no strength left to move.'

He had slaughtered countless enemies, yet failing to deal with the assassin fairy meant he had failed in his mission. He could barely stand. The sea-like mana he once possessed had run dry.

'The others...'

Plasma barely managed to turn his head. He checked if any ally had remained to grab the assassin fairy's ankle for even a second or half-second to save him.

"... Hah."

And he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠laughed. It was not a joyful laugh, but one born of emptiness.

While Plasma fought the enemies, the extermination squad had been wiped out. Judging by the corpses scattered far away, some had probably died fleeing.

'I hope Master isn't too upset.'

In the face of death, Plasma recalled his master. He worried that the Witch Queen might become furious at his death and abandon the plans she had prepared for so long.

Whoosh—

"....."

Plasma stood motionless as the assassin fairy moved first.

But she did not rush in immediately. The weak appearance she showed might be a deceptive tactic to lure him, so he approached with utmost caution.

'Hah...'

Seeing her like that, Plasma let out an internal chuckle. Even in this situation, she was approaching with such care. She really was a tough one.

'If you're going to kill me, hurry up and do it.'

This was no bluff. He poured every ounce of his remaining strength into the fight, and he failed. Now, all he could do was wait for the assassin fairy's dagger to pierce his heart.

The assassin fairy slowly approaching.

Plasma waiting for death.

The distance between them gradually closed.

And then—

"....."

'Huh?'

The assassin fairy suddenly stepped back. Soon, as if losing interest, she turned and began walking away. Plasma stared at her retreating back.

"W-what are you doing? Aren't you going to kill that guy?"

"....."

Salmus urgently called out to the assassin fairy who was trying to flee the battlefield. He couldn't grab her because he feared she would swing that ominous dagger.

But the assassin fairy ignored Salmus's call and continued on her way. She simply went where she pleased.

"... Hahaha. Good. I can kill him with my own hands."

Staring blankly at the retreating assassin fairy, Salmus soon burst into laughter and raised his still-functional right hand with the sword.

One could gain experience and level up by killing a person. The difference from monsters was that monsters dropped growth stones with a certain probability, but humans did not. Instead, at the same level, they provided more experience than monsters.

Salmus laughed, thinking of the experience he would gain from killing the strong Plasma. Even though he had lost an arm, it was fine. He would suffer for a while, but with his right arm intact...

Moreover, the benefits of killing Plasma were not just experience.

A 7-star superhuman, the Witch Queen's fairy.

Killing such a being would elevate his standing within Palos's Bird and skyrocket his fame. Perhaps a love call would even come from powerful figures on par with Montblanc, the Southern Administrator known as the Crow.

At the moment he killed Plasma, a path of flowers would open before him. So, even though he had lost an arm, Salmus could laugh.

"You really are nothing special, Plasma."

Salmus mocked Plasma as if he had achieved it all himself, thanks to the opportunity created by the fleeing assassin fairy.

"....."

Plasma said nothing in response to Salmus's mockery. He simply humbly waited for his death.

Slash—!

"Kuk!"

Salmus swung his sword. The deeply wounded Plasma could no longer hold on and passed out, collapsing.

"... What?"

Salmus, who had dealt the fatal blow to Plasma, alternately stared at the fallen fairy and his own sword. He had clearly intended to cut off the neck, but he had sliced the chest. He had meant to kill instantly, yet he had only managed to inflict a fatal wound.

No matter how difficult it was to grip the sword with one arm and maintain balance, he had wielded a sword for decades. How could he have made such a nonsensical mistake?

"How unfortunate. He was quite a useful card."

"Between me and Salmus, who is the more useful card to Master?"

"Of course, the disciple."

"....!"

Salmus snapped back to reality at the voices of a couple strolling together. He looked in the direction the voices came from and was shocked.

[Kuuuoooooo—]

When had this monster arrived here?

The monster called the desert's nightmare, Kutlanka, looked down at him. Above Kutlanka's head stood a beautiful woman and a handsome man side by side. Behind the two, three beautiful women stood. They were the man's fairies.

It was none other than Montblanc Kirios and Chae Gillard.

Salmus immediately dropped to his knees right in front of them. His bowed head was twisted in agony.

At the sight of Montblanc's presence, he realized why he had made such a foolish mistake.

Montblanc's skill [Illusion] had clearly blocked the illusion she cast on him, preventing her from cutting off Plasma's neck.

'No way... She intended to kill Plasma herself?'

Montblanc's intention to kill Plasma was clear. Yet she had interfered, which meant she definitely wanted Plasma for herself.

'You damn woman!'

Salmus cursed Montblanc inwardly.

"As a master, I cannot refuse a disciple's request. Plasma belongs to the disciple."

"Thank you, Master."

"Ah, and this is a gift for the disciple."

Montblanc touched the protruding part of Kutlanka's head—the weakness during the raid that Alan had relentlessly targeted—with her cane.

Then, something astonishing happened.

Crack—crack—crack—!

Just like glass shattering, cracks began to spread across ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kutlanka's bones. Starting from the head, the cracks spread along the spine and covered the entire body.

And then, with a lifeless thud, Kutlanka collapsed.

A hollow ending unlike a raid monster.

"....."

Chae stared blankly at the guide window flooding his vision. His level had skyrocketed, and his skill level had increased.

Chae's eyes shifted from the guide window to Montblanc. Fear mingled in his gaze.

They had poured everything into attacking Kutlanka, yet she had been defeated so easily... Chae felt a chill at her unfathomable limit.

"You've worked hard, Salmus."

"... Thank you, Crow-nim."

"It won't hurt."

"Huh? What do you mean... uh?"

A purple light shot from Montblanc's cane like an arrow and struck Salmus's body. Salmus's vision blurred from the impact. He staggered and collapsed to the ground.

'T-this damn woman...'

Just like a hunter eating the dog after the rabbit hunt, Montblanc had dealt with him after the job was done.

Salmus cursed Montblanc inwardly. And soon, his breath cut off.

"Aaaah! Master, Master, Master!!!!"

"Huh? There's still one alive? How is it, disciple?"

"... What do you mean?"

"You still have some experience left, right?"

"....."

Montblanc was telling Sitri, the fairy despairing at her master's death, to kill her for Chae's level-up.

"... Unfortunately, it's level 80."

"Really? That's a shame. Then I'll take care of her. It was perfect timing since I wanted to experiment."

When Chae shook his head, Montblanc swung her cane toward the screaming Sitri. With a scream, Sitri fell into a deep sleep.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Then I'll go fetch the Master you mentioned, Alan. See you later, disciple."

"... Yes, Master. I'll see you again next time."

"Aah~ Our disciple is so cold. Master gave such a wonderful gift, and you're just sending her away?"

"....."

'Damn woman.'

Watching Montblanc's pretentious act, Chae cursed her inwardly. But he smiled and pulled her into a kiss. A deep, passionate kiss followed.

And in the next moment, Montblanc's figure vanished like a mirage.

"Ptoo!"

As soon as Montblanc disappeared, Chae spat on the ground.

"... You worked hard, Master."

"Master..."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Ugh!"

Chae's fairies, including Entris, comforted their master. Their lovely faces were twisted with grief, anger, and self-reproach.

"... Take care of Plasma. We're returning to Baidu."

"Yes. Oh, what will you do about Thor-nim?"

"Thor will return to Baidu on his own."

"Yes, Master."

Chae and his fairies, who had taken the severely injured and unconscious Plasma, left the battlefield. No one remained on the battlefield they had abandoned. The bandit who had survived until then had been killed by Montblanc in the blink of an eye.

***** [RAID BOSS, [KUTLANKA (Lv.100)] RAID SUCCESSFUL!]

"....."

I stared blankly at the endless guide window flooding my vision. What the hell was going on?

'... The Kutlanka raid was successful?'

The meaning of the Kutlanka raid success was clear.

Kutlanka's death.

No matter how much my temporary party had dealt damage, Kutlanka was still alive. Who exactly had killed Kutlanka?

'Plasma?'

The first thing that came to mind was Plasma. With his strength, he could have hunted Kutlanka alone.

But even Plasma couldn't kill Kutlanka that quickly.

Then who? Who had killed Kutlanka?

For a moment, the joy of growth vanished, and my mind became complicated.

"... Aquaril."

"....."

"Aquaril!"

"Huh? Ah, yes, Master."

Aquaril, who had been staring blankly into space, snapped back to reality at my shout. She was also staring blankly at the guide window that had appeared before her eyes.

"Plan change. Immediately take Canisia and flee from here."

"Huh? Flee?"

Canisia was startled by the word flee. There was no time for detailed explanation.

'What's going on here?'

Something inexplicable was happening on this land. A profound unease filled the air. All I could do now was flee as far and as fast as possible.

Creak~ creak~ creak~

"Damn it. Why the hell is the Crow crying? Hurry up and follow, Aquaril."

"Ah, yes, Master."

The Crow's cry made me even more uneasy. I grabbed Aquaril's wrist and hurried my steps.