The Legion Commander's Bargain

Cold sweat soaked my back.

A tree as large as a small mountain. A woman's face was embedded in its center.

Legion Commander Daphne.

An enemy I couldn't handle at my current level.

"Coni."

"What is it?"

"When I start fighting, run the other way."

"What about you, my lord?"

"I'll tie that thing's feet down."

It wasn't some noble sacrifice. Dying in the Tower's basement only meant expulsion. If I got another Key of the Netherworld, I could use Coni as a guide again. He was a bit noisy, but his abilities were decent.

"My lord!"

—Heh heh, that's my contractor for you.

These two. They seemed to have misunderstood something.

『Chattering right in front of me. You must have plenty of leisure, mortal?』

Daphne stood with her arms crossed, glaring at us. Intense killing intent.

My head spun. My heart pounded like a drum. It was the same as facing Baal during the tutorial.

I bit down hard on my lip. A sharp pain. Soon, the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Now I could breathe again.

I stroked the necklace.

The Cold Blood skill wasn't omnipotent. As a 3-star skill, its resistance had clear limits. The Mark of Bravery dispelled mental debuffs. I hadn't needed it much thanks to Cold Blood, but its effect was certain when I finally used it after so long.

『Come to think of it, you're not a being of the Tower's basement.』

"That's right. I came from outside the Tower."

I secretly circulated internal energy throughout my body using the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method, ready to strike at any moment.

Gulp— saliva slid down my throat.

『Are you also here on an errand from that damned snake bastard?』

Hold on. Damned snake. I dug through my pre-regression knowledge. There was only one legion commander who didn't get along with Daphne and could be called a "snake."

This situation. I might be able to use it.

"Apophis seems to be bothering you."

『What? Are you trying to deny any connection to the snake bastard?』

"That's right. I swear on the River Styx."

An oath sworn on the River Styx. It was an absolute geas for those of Olympian origin or descent.

The system's warning. Outside the Tower, it might not matter. But the River Styx flowed in the Tower's basement, so I wasn't free from the constraint either. That's why I made the oath immediately.

『You know of the River Styx despite being a mere mortal.』

"Your myths have been passed down in our world as well."

『Myths, my ass. Do you know how many things were sacrificed for that brilliant starlight?』

Daphne spat with contempt. She too was a victim of myth. That said, it didn't absolve her of the sin of destroying multiple worlds. Remembering the wave of Ents that trampled Western Europe before my regression…… Several dimensions had already fallen to them. Daphne was no different from the Olympian gods.

Hoo— I took a short breath and calmed my emotions.

"Do you believe me now?"

『That doesn't erase the fact that you harmed my children.』

"Even if you kill me, I'll just get expelled outside the Tower, right?"

『Hoho, there are pains worse than death in this world, mortal.』

Daphne spoke of something terrifying with a benevolent expression. Yeah, I didn't want to be drained of nutrients for ten days either.

"Apophis seems to be bothering you quite a bit."

『What about that damned snake bastard?』

"If you want, I'll cause chaos in Apophis's domain."

A drop of sweat rolled down my spine. The 5th Legion Commander, Apophis. He was a god who ruled over darkness, but after being slain by the sun god Ra, he lost all his status as an Old God. According to my pre-regression memories, Apophis and Daphne didn't get along. It seemed the same now. If my guess was right, Apophis had given missions to players who obtained the Key of the Netherworld. To shake up the Plains of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Despair. That explained why Daphne was fuming about the snake. It was the first I'd heard of missions from the Old Gods, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but since humanity wasn't the only race entering and exiting the Tower, it was entirely possible.

『I could punish you myself. Why go through the trouble?』

Good. She was halfway convinced. The fact that she was leaving room for "dialogue" was proof her mind was wavering.

"Apophis has his reasons for moving the players."

I spoke as if I knew all about the Old Gods' circumstances.

『Hohoho, mortal. Are you saying you'll become my sword?』

"I committed a discourtesy on this side."

『Fine. You look weaker than the other mortals, but there's nothing to lose.』

A single leaf flew toward my chest.

『That is proof you are my proxy. Go cause some trouble.』

Daphne wore a seductive smile.

"Where is the 5th Legion's domain?"

The map I received from the Kenaz Dvergr didn't show Apophis's territory. It was on the 3rd floor or higher.

『Hmph. That leaf will guide you.』

"You won't be disappointed."

I twisted the corner of my mouth into a deep smile.

* * *

Daphne returned to the depths of the Plains of Despair. Thud—a heavy sound made me turn, and Coni was lying on the ground.

"Why didn't you run?"

"How could I abandon the Falling Star Seat?"

"Why the sudden honorifics?"

"You risked danger to save me. It's only natural."

"You're a funny guy."

He was misunderstanding on his own. No need to correct him. I closed my mouth.

—Daphne ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠has become a Falling Star Seat as well.

"Well, in her case, she gave up the starlight herself."

Daphne, who became a tree to escape Apollo. Her story was still told in the present age. Daphne's fall was likely due to her desire for revenge against Apollo.

"Whew. I thought I was dead."

I sat down on the spot, panting. My legs trembled. Even using both the Mark of Bravery and Cold Blood, I couldn't shake off Daphne's pressure.

—You've gotten involved in something troublesome.

"No. It's actually good."

—Was this also part of your plan?

"Not entirely."

—Your contractor's foresight is truly terrifying. How far ahead do you see?

No, it wasn't that impressive. Obtaining the mission from Daphne was the result of several coincidences overlapping with my pre-regression knowledge. The discord between the 3rd and 5th Legion Commanders. Apophis hated the lingering scent of Apollo on Daphne. I picked up a few hints from that information and Daphne's words, and it worked out.

"My lord. Shall we head to the 3rd floor right away?"

"Let's take it slow. We have time."

"Aren't you being too calm? She's the 3rd Legion Commander."

"Just guide me."

"Understood."

The second destination was the Tomb of the Great. The domain of Death Lord Xenon, the legion commander who swept through North Africa.

A chill seeped into my body. A different cold from the Niflheim I experienced on the 26th floor. It was the icy sensation felt as the spiritual chill born from the grudges of the dead eroded my soul. This was why the Old Gods were so desperate to get outside the Tower.

—What a filthy place.

Displeasure colored Nyx's voice.

"Sigh, we don't even come here, so how did this happen?"

"If you don't like it, go back to your village."

"That's not it, my lord."

"You're speaking casually again?"

"Aigoo, using honorifics that don't suit my personality feels weird."

Doing whatever he wanted. Unlike Ping Lei, he didn't come off as unpleasant, so I let it slide. But he needed to pick one—casual or formal—and stick with it.

Kyaaa—! A wailing cry echoed loudly. A desolate voice reminiscent of the Pit of Ghosts and Goblins. But the spiritual energy in the voice was on a completely different level from mere vengeful spirits.

"It's starting."

"Be careful, my lord. If you die here, even your soul can't escape."

I'm a player, so it's fine. I smiled bitterly and turned my gaze forward. As the word "tomb" suggested, coffins were scattered everywhere. Starting from the ghosts' screams, the coffin lids slid aside. Skeletal remains emerged from within. The emaciated skeletons formed armor from death energy and immediately armed themselves.

Beyond the blue glow flickering in their eye sockets, my reflection appeared.

"These aren't the ones I was after."

—You had something else in mind?

"Yeah. Looks like I need to go deeper."

—It seems avoiding battle is out of the question.

"I got bitten by a troublesome enemy."

Death Knights weren't enemies I'd call "troublesome." Knights who wielded dark fighting spirit, the same concept as sword aura. They also used dark magic and necromancy, and even if injured, they recovered quickly with mana. Monsters that combined close-range dealer, mage, and healer! From the very first encounter, I faced five such powerful foes.

『Law of the Dead.』

『The living may not enter this place.』

『Die, or leave.』

They didn't attack recklessly, as if trying to act like proper knights. Thanks to that, I bought enough time. I chanted a spell with Ars Goetia open in my right hand.

The spell borrowing the power of the 72 Demons fell upon the heads of the Death Knight group. The coffins in the cursed land were swept up in the shockwave and turned to dust.

—Did you get rid of……

"Goddess?"

—Hmph, I understand.

Before I could even stop Nyx, all five Death Knights burned with fighting spirit and charged.

"This difficulty is really nasty."

Monsters that appeared as "named" even in Platinum-rank missions or gates. To run into five Death Knights. But a crisis was also an opportunity. I had something else I wanted to obtain in this land, but the Death Knights' essences wouldn't be bad either. The essence of the undead that I couldn't obtain before my regression. After changing classes to Predator, I had to devour their essences as well.

"It looks like you'll have to join in too."

"Be careful. Their dark fighting spirit is as sharp as my sword aura."

Though I dealt heavy damage with Barbatos's Mace, the Death Knights repaired the damaged areas with mana. This meant I'd have to fight a battle of attrition in a different sense from the Ents. Unless I mixed in the Dragon's Wrath with the Responding Dragon Emperor Fist or used the Dark Shadow Soul-Chasing Sword, I wouldn't be able to pierce the Death Knights' fighting spirit. In that case……

I boldly played my trump card. I manifested the power of Polar Night, pouring down like a waterfall, into multiple swords. I infused each sword with internal energy and swung them at the Death Knight group.

Clang-clang-clang!

Dark fighting spirit and sword aura clashed in the air. My internal energy was depleting rapidly. I channeled mana into the True Yeouiju. I could still hold on. But the moment I clashed swords with them, a system notification echoed in my ears.

Wait a second. I forgot I was in the middle of a life-and-death struggle with the Death Knights and gaped at the message that followed.