Command

"Your killing intent... it's twisting through me, poking and prodding like this? As if... you know me very well."

Priscilla's cold fingers pressed against my abdomen with a deliberate poke. Exactly where she had slashed me with her dagger in the previous round.

"......!"

A spine-chilling shudder tore through me and pierced straight into my brain. Phantom pain flared back to life—the icy sensation of my stomach being split open, guts spilling out. I slammed my back against the tiled wall hard enough to crack it, staring at her with wide, terrified eyes.

Stay calm. Panic now and it's over.

I instinctively activated the Observer's Eye.

50%...?

The average person's mental strength sat between 80 and 100 percent. If Adelia occupied the domain of 'madness' and 'obsession' at -65%, this woman was simply twisted. A state completely devoid of human morality.

"......"

When I simply glared at her in silence, Priscilla let out a bright, tinkling laugh.

"It was a joke, just a joke. Why so tense? Is your stomach hurting?"

She poked my belly again, playful as could be. Her fingers moved with the confidence of someone who knew exactly where it would hurt most.

"I won't kill you. Not yet, anyway."

Her gaze flicked toward the bathroom door. Beyond it, Adelia's presence lingered like a shadow.

"There's a terrifying hero waiting outside... and besides."

She tilted my chin up with a finger, forcing our eyes to meet.

"You somehow look... delicious. I've grown curious. I want to watch you a little longer."

She ran her tongue slowly across her lips. A sticky, viscous desire—whether appetite, lust, or bloodlust, I couldn't tell.

With a creak, she opened the small bathroom window. It was far too narrow for a woman to slip through, yet her body bent like a mollusk, folding impossibly as she climbed onto the sill.

"Ah, and one more thing, Roy."

Just before vanishing beyond the window, she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠glanced back and pressed a finger to her lips.

"Hide your killing intent better. It's far too obvious."

Whoosh.

With those final words she disappeared like a gust of wind. In the narrow bathroom, only the sweet yet metallic scent she left behind remained, curling in the air.

"Haa... haa... Fuck, that was terrifying..."

Only then did the breath I'd been holding explode out of me. My legs nearly buckled; I caught myself on the sink just in time.

Monster of a woman.

Still, it was fortunate. She saw me as nothing more than an 'interesting toy.' That arrogance would eventually become the rope around her own neck.

Creak.

I opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Adelia, waiting in the cafe's secluded hallway, spun around in surprise.

"Hey, Extra! What the hell were you doing in there? Constipated?"

Her tone was grumpy, but her eyes trembled with unease. The longer I'd taken, the more she'd clearly worried something had gone wrong.

"You... why do you look like that? You're pale."

Adelia pressed her hand to my cheek. It was genuinely warm. A heat that belonged only to her—nothing like Priscilla's icy touch from moments before.

"Are you really... okay? Maybe you should just rest today..."

"No."

I shook my head and took her hand in mine.

"My condition is perfect right now. Finally... I feel like I can see the light."

"Light?"

"Yeah."

It wasn't a lie. Having survived a brush with death and come back, I felt only relief.

Thank god. Thank god it's different this time.

The truth was I'd been terrified. Terrified that when I opened my eyes I'd be back at that wretched entrance ceremony again. That every relationship would reset and I'd once more have to endure Adelia looking at me like an insect.

But this time was different. She remembered me. She worried about me. She held my hand. Just that single fact felt like it had opened up my lungs again.

Then, without ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠warning, a sharp ache throbbed in the corner of my chest.

Even I feel this horrible after just one or two resets...

The woman standing before me had endured it 999 times.

Losing her beloved comrades, struggling desperately to save the world, only to fail and return to the entrance ceremony. A world where no one remembered her when she opened her eyes. She had repeated that absolute solitude and crushing sense of loss 999 times.

How the hell... did she endure it?

The unimaginable weight of that time. The fact that she could stand before me now—her mind once at -99%, currently at -65% (still completely insane, mind you)—felt like a miracle in itself.

"Adelia."

"What is it, Extra?"

I pulled her into my arms before I could stop myself. The thought of the 999 layers of pain she carried made my body move on instinct.

"Hey?! What are you doing again! This is a cafe!"

Adelia squirmed in embarrassment, but I only tightened my grip, crushing her against me.

"Just... let me hold you like this for a moment."

"......"

Maybe it was the tremor in my voice. Adelia stopped resisting and quietly rested her head against my chest.

She wriggled closer, burrowing deeper into my embrace. It wasn't a simple hug. She rubbed her face against my chest, pressing her whole body flush against mine, marking me with her scent.

"Haa, you... if you keep doing this, it'll be a problem."

Her whisper brushed my ear. Her crimson eyes glowed with dangerous heat.

"You know I'm not exactly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sane... my self-control is weak. If you keep provoking me..."

Her breath grew scorching.

"I'll want to devour you right here."

Her thigh slid suggestively between my legs. Pure animal possessiveness—an instinctive act to cover me in her scent so no other woman could come near.

"Ugh..."

The blatant stimulation drew an honest reaction from my body. The relief of surviving mixed with her provocation sent blood rushing south.

"......!"

Adelia's body twitched. Any normal woman would have pulled away in shock, but she was different. Instead of retreating, the corner of her mouth curled up in delight.

"Hmm... so you don't dislike it either? You pervert."

She lingered in my arms for a long time, savoring the sensation.

The students inside the cafe gradually spilled into the hallway. When they saw us, the whispers began.

The pouring gazes and murmurs surrounded us, but we were too busy confirming each other's body heat and desire to care about anything else.

It was 2 p.m. at the academy's main gate.

Right before the expedition set out, I gathered the members of Team 5 beneath a secluded tree. We needed one final check before Professor Cain arrived.

"Everyone here? I'll warn you one more time."

I spoke with a grave expression. Adelia, Iris, and Scarlet turned their full attention to me.

"Priscilla. Be careful around that woman."

"Why? You've been on edge about the transfer student since earlier," Iris said, arms crossed.

"She's a spy. A very dangerous one."

I lowered my voice.

"She's not a simple exchange student. She's a hyena waiting to stab us in the back the moment we're injured or weakened."

"What's a hyena?" Iris asked, looking puzzled.

Right. Those don't exist here.

"Never mind. Anyway, remember the assassin who attacked me last time? She's likely from the same organization—or possibly the same person."

The moment those words left my mouth—

—a ferocious red aura exploded from Adelia's entire body. The surrounding leaves were shredded by the sheer intensity. Her eyes burned blood-red.

"I'll kill her."

Adelia ground her teeth.

"She dares target my Extra right in front of me? I'll tear her to pieces right now."

She looked ready to charge toward Priscilla at any second. Her reason had flown away, leaving only the slaughter instinct that sought to eliminate any threat.

"Calm down!"

I urgently grabbed her hand.

"Not now! If we kill her here, we become the murderers! We have no proof!"

"......"

The moment my warm hand touched hers, the rampaging aura vanished like a lie. Adelia stared at me, breathing hard.

"O-okay... if you say so."

She wrapped both hands around mine, trying to steady herself.

"Hmph. How annoying."

Beside us, Iris frowned. Clearly displeased that Adelia had monopolized one of my hands, she snatched my free hand.

"See? I'm holding one too."

"Iris?"

"Don't misunderstand. I'm only doing this because I can't forgive that assassin either. If what you said is true... I won't let her get away with it."

Iris squeezed my hand tightly, acting all tsundere. Both my hands were now occupied by living time bombs.

I gripped their hands firmly and declared with resolve.

"We'll make it look like an accident inside the dungeon."

"An accident?"

"We'll use the tentacles to take care of her. But if she somehow survives..."

My eyes gleamed coldly.

"Then we'll handle her ourselves. We'll teach her exactly what it feels like to have your guts spilling out."

At my chilling declaration, all three women nodded. I explained the monsters we'd face next, and we steeled our resolve.

"Team 5! Board up!"

Professor Cain's shout echoed from afar.

Inside the rattling carriage, an odd mix of silence and noise coexisted.

"Wow! Look at that! The cloud looks like a bunny!"

Scarlet chattered nonstop while Priscilla rested her chin on her hand, observing me with mysterious eyes. Adelia remained glued to my side, arm linked with mine, steadying herself by breathing in my scent.

It's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠almost time.

I closed my eyes and ran simulations through my mind.

"We've arrived."

At Professor Cain's voice, the carriage stopped. A massive gate shimmered with blue light.

"Disembark."

Cain casually pulled out a mana measuring device and pressed it against the gate.

"D-rank confirmed. No issues."

The professor nodded. Just like last time. A perfect disguise that even fooled the system.

"From now on, this is real combat. We move not as professor and students, but as leader and members."

Professor Cain drew a heavy greatsword from behind his back. The massive steel blade was as tall as he was. The overwhelming presence of an A-class adventurer radiated from him.

"Entering!"

We stepped into the light. The familiar sensation of floating. Then the damp air of a cave.

Step. Step.

The cave interior was deathly quiet. One minute. Two. Three...

"This is strange... Why aren't there any monsters?"

Just as Scarlet voiced her confusion, Adelia stepped forward.

"Captain."

"Miss Adelia? Is something wrong?"

"The air... feels wrong."

Shing.

Adelia drew the dagger at her waist. When she poured mana into it, the blade glowed and extended into a long sword. In an instant, it transformed into the Holy Sword radiating sacred energy.

"My 'instinct' is warning me of danger. Something... is very wrong."

Had a normal student said that, it would have been ignored. But the speaker was the empire's one and only SS-class hero. Even Professor Cain, a veteran of countless battles, could not disregard the 'Hero's Instinct.'

"......The Hero's Instinct, you say."

Professor Cain's expression grew serious.

"Understood. I'll trust your senses. Formation change! Adelia takes point, I'll take rear guard!"

"Iris, Scarlet! Prepare for battle!"

At my command, Iris immediately nocked an arrow while Scarlet raised her staff. Just as we'd planned back at the cafe, their movements were perfectly coordinated.

Only Priscilla, standing at the back, wore a strange smile as if she found the situation amusing.

Enjoying this, are you?

You're about to see hell.

That was when it happened.

The entire cave began to shake with a massive vibration.

The blue light at the entrance instantly turned a dark, bloody crimson.

"W-what?!"

Professor Cain's face went deathly pale. The measuring device screamed a piercing alarm.

"This can't be... It changed from D-rank to S-rank?!"

Professor Cain stumbled backward. The instincts of an A-class adventurer were screaming at him—this was not an opponent they could fight. They had to run.

"Everyone retreat!!! Run for the gate now!!!"

Cain screamed as he spun toward the entrance.

"Kyaa! What is happening?!"

At the same time, Priscilla let out a short scream. This time it wasn't acting. The instincts of an A-class assassin had sensed 'absolute death.' The composure vanished from her face, replaced by pale terror.

This wasn't in the information. An S-rank Abyss?!

She instinctively turned toward the exit.

But—

"Stop!!! It's already too late!"

My shout made everyone freeze. The entrance in the distance had already sealed shut.

"Damn it... We're all going to die..."

Even the veteran Professor Cain looked ready to collapse when Adelia stepped forward.

"Get a hold of yourself, Professor Cain."

Golden aura illuminated the dark cave.

"I am SS-class Hero Adelia. And aren't you the 'teacher' who must protect his students?"

"......!"

Professor Cain's body stiffened. Teacher. Students. His duty, which fear had made him forget.

He slapped his own cheek with a trembling hand.

Slap!

"...You're right. What shameful behavior..."

His eyes regained their sharpness.

"I'm sorry. I'll take command again. Adelia, I leave the vanguard to you!"

"Understood."

Adelia smiled. An A-class tank and damage dealer had joined the front line.

Our forces had been reinforced.

Rumble—!

With a roar that seemed to collapse the ceiling, a massive shadow descended.

"It's coming!!!"

A house-sized black body. Dozens of tentacles. A single glistening eye. The Dark Tentacle revealed its full majesty.

"Krrrrr..."

An overwhelming abyssal terror that crushed the entire cave.

"...Ugh."

Priscilla's legs trembled uncontrollably. Cold sweat poured down her back like rain. She was A-class, but the being before her existed on another dimension entirely. It triggered every survival instinct she possessed.

I have to move... I have to run...!

But fear had paralyzed her feet. That was when—

"Priscilla! Hide in the right blind spot! Wait for my signal!"

A thunderous shout rang through the cave. Far from trembling, the command was resolute and filled with absolute certainty.

Priscilla looked up in a daze. An unbelievable sight filled her eyes.

This can't be...

In this terror that made even an A-class like her struggle to breathe, the mere F-class Roy was calmly commanding the battlefield as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.

Just who... are you?

Her eyes shook with confusion and awe.

I gripped the Dagger of Protection and curled my lips into a smile.

"Now, it's round two."

The instant I spoke, the tentacle's massive appendage came crashing down toward us.

"I'll smash you to pieces."

Adelia swung her golden aura and collided head-on with the jet-black tentacle.