055. Eccentric Dwarf, Noni
A dubious voice reached Bin's ears.
"Master Nine, wait a moment!"
Thud. Thud.
Small footsteps echoed. As soon as the owner appeared, Ria's eyes flashed from behind the iron bars.
No... Noni...
The eccentric dwarf Noni—with his rooster-crest forelock standing straight up and a monocle over one eye—stood before Bin and Ront. In one hand, he clutched a small glass vial.
He served as both warden and researcher in this place.
Noni glanced at Bin, then fixed his gaze on the cloaked figure of Ront.
A dwarf?
Noni's eyes were sharp. Even if someone wrapped themselves head to toe in a cloak, the garment's cut alone revealed whether they were a child or a dwarf. And a dwarf had no business being here.
This suspicion extended to the white-uniformed Bin at his side.
Noni turned to Bin and spoke.
"Master Nine, who is this person beside you? If I may be so bold, could I see their face?"
"This person is..."
Bin was about to reply when Ront threw back his cloak, revealing his face.
"It's been a long time, eccentric dwarf Noni."
"...You're not—Ron... Ront?!"
Noni's eyes widened in shock. Of course, he'd anticipated Ront might come here. But facing him with both eyes made it all too real.
Noni shot another suspicious glance at the white-uniformed Bin.
As I thought, if Ront's here, he's no Gana man. Then... could it be...
A chill ran down his spine.
"...!"
He'd just realized these men might have harmed the Gana folk.
Ront frowned at Noni's expression and spoke again.
"You've changed much, Noni."
As Ront finished, Noni's face darkened. Then, unlike moments before, it flushed red.
Noni glared at Ront, eyes bulging.
"...Changed much? Me? You're the one who's changed."
"...My regrets to our kind. But I must restore our race's honor..."
"Honor? Hahaha!"
Noni burst into loud laughter, cutting Ront off mid-sentence.
"You abandoned us. For some pathetic human woman. How could you, who once represented all dwarves, stoop to such a level..."
"...Noni."
"Speak! Try it!"
"......"
Ront couldn't bring himself to respond. It was as if he acknowledged his past sins to some degree.
"If you've nothing to say, then admit your guilt. And let me lock you in this prison once more."
"Must it come to this?"
"If capturing you elevates the dwarves' honor once again."
"Hah..."
A sigh escaped Ront's lips. He wondered if this was truly the Noni he once knew. He'd expected some resentment, of course. But that it burned as fiercely as ever was the problem.
Ront clicked his tongue and spoke.
"You've changed beyond recognition."
"You're the one who made me this way!"
......
Their emotions boiled over until silence fell.
In that quiet, Noni turned to Bin.
"You've got guts, impersonating a Gana man. You'll pay for that too."
Bin replied nonchalantly to Noni's words.
"Don't make a fuss over a simple change of clothes."
"Hahaha. Think about what that uniform signifies."
"Signifies? Then what does it mean for a wretch like you to do what you've done?"
Bin alluded to the women victimized here.
Noni's words caught in his throat.
"......"
His eyes began to waver—from guilt over aiding such wrongs.
But Noni shook his head and spat.
"Shut your mouth! What do you know?!"
Excited, Noni clapped twice, as if signaling someone.
Clap! Clap!!
Then, from the dark depths, the sound of iron bars creaking open echoed.
Groooan.
The bars rattled, and countless monsters began emerging one by one.
Ront's eyes bulged as he scanned the surroundings.
"What in the world is all this...!"
Monsters of various breeds slowly approached, encircling Bin and Ront.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Bin turned his head side to side, roughly counting their numbers.
Over fifty, at a glance.
He scrutinized the monsters that had appeared. As expected, they differed from ordinary ones.
Snakes with bird wings. Rabbits with massive shells on their backs. Pigs with human faces.
Just looking at their grotesque forms sent shivers down the spine.
"Grrrrrooo!"
"Rrrraaagh."
The monsters from the cells roared and rampaged, driven mad by bloodlust, unable to control themselves.
As the horde thrashed about, the lid on the vial in Noni's right hand popped open.
Pop.
With that sound, purple powder rose from the vial's mouth into the air. It quickly turned to smoke, spreading everywhere.
Soon, the monsters' eyes turned purple, and they calmed.
Noni smirked at the sight. The powder was laced with his own blood—allowing him to control them.
Noni gazed fondly at his monsters, then turned to Bin and Ront.
"Can you handle this many?"
"......"
Noni raised his hand, pointing at Bin and Ront.
"Attack the intruders who invaded your territory!"
At his command, the monsters stepped forward toward Bin and Ront.
"Shraaaaa!"
"Gwaaaargh!"
The horde's cries filled the air. They drooled at the sight of Bin and Ront.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Pure instinct, devoid of reason.
Bin frowned as the monsters closed in.
It's not just numbers...
He tensed, scanning around. The monsters' levels were no joke.
Fusions of multiple beasts. Each component seemed 5th class or higher. Combined, their power doubled.
This won't be easy.
Moreover, Codic the skull was scouting the underground's first floor.
Ront, beside him, muttered while looking around.
"This is a headache."
His chest tightened. They'd found Ria, only to face this swarm of chimeras. Flee now, and who knew if they'd see her again—or if she'd survive.
Noni grinned at Ront's plight.
"I'll make you regret walking into this prison on your own two feet."
As Noni spoke, one monster lunged at Bin.
"Shraaaaa!"
A snake with bird wings. As it flicked its tongue, Bin drew his greatsword from his back.
Shing!
In an instant, he cleaved the snake's head in two.
But it was too soon for relief. More winged snakes attacked from both flanks, jaws wide, fangs bared.
"Shraaaaa!"
Their hook-shaped teeth would shred flesh on contact.
I won't take this lying down.
Bin swung his greatsword swiftly left and right.
Shwick—shwick—severed snake heads hit the floor like tofu.
"Hoo..."
As Bin caught his breath, another roar shook his eardrums.
"Gwaaaaaargh!"
A pig with a human face charged at his side.
Bin spun quickly. Rip! His uniform tore as he raised his greatsword.
Clang!
The monster's maw met his blade. No bodily harm, thankfully. Without the Bascon agility, he'd have been done for.
"......"
Bin's brows furrowed tighter, senses sharpening.
He eyed the horde warily.
One hit... and I might die...
He was right. Surrounded like this, any lapse meant being trampled.
Bin pondered how to handle dozens of chimeras.
"......"
Meanwhile, Ront focused entirely on his staff. It began glowing silver in his grip.
He planned to unleash Opening on the horde.
Just a bit more.
The moment his staff fully silvered, a rabbit with a shell on its back pounced.
Thud! Ront tumbled, staff rolling away.
From the cell, Ria cried out.
"Ron—Master Ront!!"
Sprawled on the ground, Ront gritted his teeth at her.
"Ri—Ria..."
He tried to rise on one leg, but it was no easy feat. He felt pathetic—not just for his peg leg, but for failing to save the woman he loved.
How did I make it this far, only to falter here...?
His mind reeling, Ront's eyes reddened as he shouted.
"Noni! Will you truly obstruct your master?!"
A desperate plea, laced with their shared history.
But Noni smirked at the fallen Ront.
"This is exactly the picture I wanted."
Ront ground his teeth at the heartless words.
"Noni... you bastard."
He couldn't believe his former disciple had changed so much.
Ront could only face the reality before him.
Chimeras blending snakes, rabbits, pigs, rats, and more... grotesque hordes baring fangs at Bin and Ront.
"Gwaaaaaargh!"
"Shraaaaa!"
The deafening roars clouded judgment. Completely surrounded, no escape. No sudden ideas would save them. They were trapped on all sides.
Ront's face filled with anxiety.
Bin, teeth clenched, raised his greatsword and focused.
I'll survive, no matter what.
As Bin scanned cautiously, the pattern on his left hand began to glow.
Shiiiine.
A brilliant blue seal. The surrounding monsters recoiled a step.
Noni stared, puzzled.
"That glow...! What the hell is it...?"
Even Bin's eyes widened at the light from his hand.
Then, a mysterious voice reached his ears—alien amid the horde.
"Taia family aura!? You've picked the wrong foes..."
"This is troublesome..."
"All right, switch tactics."
At the horde's center, massive bird-like monsters took to the air.
They positioned themselves around Bin—front, sides—flapping enormous wings at the chimeras.
A fierce gust swept the underground prison, pushing back the chimeras one by one.
Groooan.
Soon, avian monster voices reached Bin's ears.
"We'll lend you our strength."