Trapped in the Demon Cave
"...What do I do?"
They say it's mountains beyond mountains. There's no expression that captures my current situation more perfectly.
Well, actually, I haven't even crossed one mountain yet—another one just popped up. So maybe it's not that accurate.
I have no idea how the duel turned out, but here I am, stranded in the heart of the Ashen Forest—a demon cave that shouldn't appear until the mid-to-late scenario—with Irina, just the two of us.
500pt
(Third-rate Villain's Combat)
"Ugh..."
As those thoughts raced through my mind and I swatted away the floating Villainy Points notification, Irina began to groan.
She'd probably regain consciousness soon.
"........."
My brain froze for a moment. But if I did nothing, things would spiral out of control. So I smacked my fist against my head, forcing my mind into gear.
...Should I disguise myself?
A disguise was the most effective option right now. I always carried my Deception Mask and black robe for emergencies.
The mask's stealth cooldown hadn't reset, but it would at least hide my face. The robe would conceal my build and hair.
Wear them both, protect her, and escape the forest—I could fool Irina and slip out of this demon cave for now.
But...
...No, too risky. She'd figure it out.
Irina and I had both been caught in spatial transfer magic. Plenty of people witnessed it.
Once we escaped safely and she learned the truth, she'd suspect the masked man who went on a rampage was me.
...Then maybe go all out with my power?
Using my full strength would be easy. I'd be half-dead by the time we escaped the forest...
But we'd make it out safely.
Problem was, Irina would suspect me. She already mistook me for a minion empowered by the Demon King, so I could explain the power source.
But escaping meant protecting her every step. Even if she hated me, shielding her like that would plant seeds of doubt.
"Damn it... Give me an invincibility item or something, you shitty System."
Invincibility would be perfect, but this demon cave crawled with upper-to-master-class monsters rivaling the Demon King's combat executives.
Their individual strength was bad enough, but their overwhelming numbers made it a headache... And to top it off, my condition was abysmal.
If my life force and stamina hadn't been slashed, I might hold out. But penalties had gutted my stamina and combat power, and I'd eaten six consecutive fireballs from Irina.
My weapons are just a training sword and the Villain's Whip, which does less than 1 damage... What now?
A desperate state, armed with a practice blade and a joke whip? Invincibility? Laughable.
So how the hell was I supposed to handle this?
"........."
After agonizing, I pulled the whip from my pocket and approached Irina.
"...No choice."
From now on, I was her kidnapper.
"Irina..."
"A-Ari... Ariane...?"
A familiar scene unfolded. One I'd experienced in the previous loop—a moment I desperately wanted to forget but could never afford to.
"R-Run... I'll... hold them off somehow..."
Ariane, cradled in my arms, murmured with fading eyes.
"...Enough with the tearjerker act. Come at me already. I'm tired of playing with you rabble."
Meanwhile, the Demon King yawned from afar, taunting me in a bored drawl.
"I'll kill you... I'll kill you!!"
"...Oh?"
Watching her, I channeled every ounce of magical knowledge, mana, and rage into preparing the ultimate spell.
Even the invincible Demon King couldn't shrug this off.
"N-No, Irina... You have to live... You must..."
Ariane realized what spell I was casting. With her last strength, she grabbed my arm, trying to stop me.
"Live on... so..."
But she slumped lifelessly before finishing.
- Zzzt zzzt zzzt!!
At that instant, a grand magic unseen for a thousand years manifested in my hand.
"...Intriguing. That might actually wound me."
But the Demon King merely analyzed the magic circle with amused curiosity.
Was even the ultimate spell from the legend—cast by the grand mage beside the hero a millennium ago—mere entertainment to her?
"...Shut up."
Entertainment or not... Even if it only scratched her...
I resolved to unleash it upon her.
"........."
Because my cold childhood friend's family, the imperial citizens, and our last hope still stood behind me.
"Hraaaaaah!!!"
"But you see..."
As I activated the circle, the Demon King smirked, gathering demonic energy on her fingertip.
"...You don't think I'd just take it, do you?"
- Ziiing!!
The next moment, a pitch-black beam lanced toward me.
Countless knights and heroes had crumbled futilely against it.
And I would be no different.
- Crack...!
"...Hm?"
But the attack failed.
My childhood friend had poured her life into a flawless barrier just before dying, shielding me.
"...Oh dear."
As my magic circle glowed, the Demon King looked troubled.
Even the grand magic that nearly felled her a thousand years ago was just an inconvenience?
"Eat this!!!"
Still, I didn't hold back.
I hoped it would slow her advance, save even one more citizen... and preserve the empire's hope.
- Kaboom!!
The grand magic erupted seconds after activation, devastating the area. As the blast swallowed me and the Demon King, I whispered softly.
"If I'd known..."
Thinking of him—the one I'd thought different from the rotten nobles, yet who ruined the empire worse than they.
"...I never should've helped that bastard back then."
With that hollow murmur, darkness claimed me.
Standing blankly in the void, I realized it was a dream replaying the previous loop's final moments.
"...Fuck."
My childhood scar from saving him throbbed inexplicably. Grimacing, I snapped my eyes open.
I wanted out of this shitty dream.
"...Huh?"
Something was wrong.
The dream wouldn't end.
Normally, I'd wake up like this...
What the hell?
"...!?"
And my body wouldn't move. No matter how I struggled, nothing.
"Mmph! Mmmph...!"
Then I noticed my mouth wouldn't make sound. Only then did I grasp my situation.
N-No way... Kidnapped?
I'd been abducted.
"Mmmph...! Mmph...!"
"...You're awake, I see."
Irina twitched and groaned. She'd come to.
"Mmmph!! Mmmph!!"
Bound head to toe in whip, gagged, eyes blindfolded with strips from my torn clothes... Seeing her like that twisted my gut. I felt like the worst scum.
"Grrr..."
But now wasn't the time for guilt.
"...Damn."
A pack of Ashen Fenrils circled us, licking their chops. Top-tier monsters even in this demon cave.
"Mmph...!?"
Hearing their chilling howls, Irina froze, struggling less.
"Awoooo...!"
The Fenrils watching her charged as one.
"Hya!!"
I drew my training sword and swung wide.
"...Kyak!"
The pack, inches from her nose, screeched pathetically and flew back.
"Ngh..."
But my body rebelled. Penalties and those fireballs had wrecked me.
"Ah!"
Panting on the ground, a Fenril burst from the bushes behind Irina and lunged.
"Kyaaang!"
"Ugh...!"
I scooped her up in time, averting disaster—but my shoulder got savagely bitten.
"Hrah!!"
I gathered Star Mana in my fist for an uppercut, then executed a familiar previous-loop tactic before it worsened.
"Kraaaang...!"
"Grrr..."
...They've tasted human blood? They're chasing like mad.
Full retreat.
"Hah... hah..."
After fleeing the Fenril pack through the woods, I found a cave perfect for hiding.
I dashed in, sealed the entrance thoroughly, and held my breath. The pack prowled briefly, then vanished.
Irina was safe, but dodging strong monsters while pursued left me covered in new wounds.
Oh, and I ran into the monsters that would soon raid the academy. Thought about killing them early to prevent it, but worried it'd derail the scenario—and I was running anyway—so I let it slide.
"Mmph...! Mmmph...!!!"
Ignoring the shoulder pain, catching my breath—suddenly Irina thrashed in my arms.
Makes sense. Bound and held by a stranger.
"Mmph... mmmph..."
"...Quiet."
"Puhah...! Hah... hah..."
I gently set her down and removed the gag.
"Wh-Who are you...? Where is this...!?"
"........."
She fired questions in a trembling voice.
"Who am I...?"
I'd blindfolded her eyes, but donned the mask and robe anyway—in case she flailed it off. Modulating my voice with Star Mana, I replied.
"...Guess."
Irina pondered, then asked flatly.
"...You're the one who kidnapped me. That's clear."
"Yes."
"Demon King's orders...? No, she wouldn't know about me..."
She trailed off, muttering, then scowled fiercely.
"...So it was Frey."
"........."
I stared, thinking.
I don't know details, but Ariane probably caused this. Unintentionally.
Before blacking out, Ariane muttered about a "recovery scroll." The torn scroll she used must've been the culprit—replaced with spatial transfer.
Why? No idea.
But I could turn it around.
From now on, I was behind the spatial transfer incident.
It hid my identity and earned Villainy Points.
"Don't speak that gentleman's name lightly."
"Bullshit."
She spat curses, writhing.
"Frey... that fucking bastard... kgh...!"
"...I said, don't speak his name."
I gripped her throat, whispering in her ear.
"I'm overdue on introductions. I'm the Shadow Servant, handling the Starlight family's dark affairs."
"Shadow... Servant...?"
"Yes. My role: bring you—now the young master's property—to this secret lair and train you. Oh, this remote spot teems with monsters, so don't dream of escape."
"What... does that...?"
"To offer body and soul to the young master... you need training, right? You'll receive expert instruction here."
I caressed her cheek softly. She shuddered violently, screaming.
"F-Fine! I'll quit the academy...! Our oath..."
"...Quit, and I can't guarantee your cute friend's or sister's safety. Still want that?"
"You... whoever you are... I'll kill you. I swear..."
"As the young master said—a fierce one."
I stroked her tearfully muttering head, whispering again.
"The young master and I... we love breaking women like you."
Hearing my chilling modulated voice, Irina slumped defeatedly. I watched her a moment, then turned.
"Hic... h-heuk..."
Groans echoed from the cave depths.
Frozen by the sudden noise, it turned to screams.
"Wh-What...? That scream...?"
Irina panicked too. Leaving her, I crept inward cautiously.
The cave's interior was...
"...Fuck."
A hellscape.
"Krok?"
"Kieek?"
The vast chamber overflowed with human skulls. Goblins, spider beasts, black slimes—monsters devoured bones and flesh scraps.
"H-Help..."
"...!"
A voice at my feet. I recoiled in shock.
"Pl-Please..."
"...Oh no."
It was a dying woman. I gasped.
"Krok?"
"Kieek?"
Insects and goblins clung to her, eating her alive.
I battered them off, reaching to transfer life force—but stopped.
"Kill me... please..."
"........."
She begged desperately.
"If I give emergency aid..."
"My village burned... friends... husband, children... neighbors... all dead..."
"........."
"Just... kill me... adventurer... I don't want to live..."
I gazed down quietly, persuading softly.
"But if you survive, you could start anew elsewhere..."
I trailed off.
The empire was like this everywhere now. Capitals and fortified areas held, but remote villages faced daily raids and annihilation.
Nobles prioritized themselves. Until the Demon King fell, this horror wouldn't end.
Telling her to rebuild elsewhere was cruel.
But... after I defeated the Demon King... when I reformed the empire...
Maybe then...
"You look hurt too... no need to help... just give me a peaceful death..."
"...Ugh."
She refused again, noting my battered state. I realized I lacked life force even to escape—let alone save her.
Quietly, I steadied my sword.
"Th-Thank... you..."
Seeing my resolve, she wept gratefully and closed her eyes.
"...One question."
"...Yes?"
I didn't strike, asking coldly.
"...Did those monsters kill your husband, children, neighbors... and drag you here?"
"........."
She nodded weakly.
"...Hup."
I smiled sadly, raising my sword.
- Vzzzt!!
I swung hard. She sensed death, squeezing her eyes shut.
"...?"
No death came. Trembling, she peeked—then stared, speechless.
"Kruuuh..."
"Kruk... kuh..."
The cave's monsters writhed dying on the floor.
"........."
She teared up after staring. I spoke softly.
"...Unlike them, I'll send you gently."
"Thank you... truly..."
She offered her neck with relieved smile. Seconds later, her body crumpled.
"...Sigh."
I gazed silently, then sighed deeply and trudged on, wiping blood from my mouth.
"...Cough."
"Th-That voice just now..."
"...Ah, that?"
Returning to Irina, she bombarded me.
"It was a woman's scream... What happened...!?"
"You're not alone here. Plenty of women training to please the young master."
"You psycho... fucking psycho..."
She sneered in contempt, then stiffened.
"Wait... that's blood..."
"...Sharp nose."
"You didn't...?"
"Escaping means betraying the young master. I handled it myself."
"Die!! Die, you trash!!!"
"Haa..."
I sighed at her frantic struggles, speaking coldly.
"...Relax. The young master said train you—don't kill."
"Shut up! Frey or you... I'll kill you!!"
"Training starts tomorrow."
Approaching the raging girl, I whispered chillingly in her ear.
"...Let's see how long that fire lasts."
I gagged her again, retreating to a corner for meditation.
Time to escape with her.
I'll kill him... I swear... I will...
No clue how much time passed. If I could see outside, I'd gauge day or night—but blindfolded, impossible.
"...Mmph!"
Desperate to escape, I'd tried gathering mana repeatedly. But overexertion in the arena left me tapped.
"Kraaaang!!"
"Awoooo...!"
"Kiruk... kiruk..."
...Damn.
Even if I gathered mana and broke free, I'd face that scum servant—and probably hordes of monsters outside.
Still... I can't give up...
Despite the hopelessness, I gathered mana again and again.
Even if I had to fight the servant, get torn by monsters...
I had to escape and kill Frey.
To save the empire, its people... and Ariane.
"...Puhah?"
As pain wracked me, forcing mana—suddenly my gag came off.
"Wh-What...?"
"Shh...!"
Someone clamped my mouth amid the shock.
"No time to explain...! We have to get out!"
A slender voice urgently led me away.
Dragged along unexpectedly, I murmured inwardly.
...Right. I regressed—I can't die here.
Seems the Sun God was helping me.