Promise (2)
A day. Long if long, short if short.
Shadow Mercenary vice-leader Wolf sat at his workbench. In the old days, he'd have been rolling around drunk in bed at this hour. But now—
Clack—
Wolf polished his crossbow. Let's see, how long had it been since he'd last maintained his gear? It made him acutely aware of just how dull his senses had grown.
"To think I carried out requests in this state. What kind of man am I?"
Disqualified as vice-leader.
Thanks to his innate talent, not even his enemies—or his comrades—had noticed his decline. But he knew. His current strength was probably a pathetic shadow of his prime.
"Lucky for me my comrades are so forgiving."
He was grateful they hadn't eyed his position. And on top of that, someone had awakened his dulled self.
Yes, none other than Hoyeol.
Who'd have thought the day would come when he'd owe a favor to an employer?
"And help of this kind, no less."
If asked whether he'd received direct aid? No. Materially speaking, he'd even taken a loss. He'd given Hoyeol the crossbow he'd cherished in the past.
What Wolf had gained from Hoyeol was a visceral emotion.
"...To put it precisely, a sense of crisis—like being hunted."
If he slacked off now, even his one pride—his marksmanship—would have its nape seized by Hoyeol.
Hoyeol's talent was unbelievable, even in retrospect. Swordsmanship. Magic. And archery too. He had the gifts to reach the pinnacle in every field. The only difference was the time it took to bloom.
Wolf could vouch for it.
"You'll surpass me someday."
Surpass him. Perhaps even be recorded as the greatest marksman in Arcana Continent history.
Thinking of that future... just having given him a small lesson might be enough satisfaction.
"Even so..."
No matter how many talents Hoyeol possessed, he couldn't surpass her in that area.
The current leader of the Shadow Mercenaries. In other words, Kichi was the strongest leader in the group's history.
"Of course, there's no reason—and shouldn't be—for you two to clash."
Wolf blew away the dust. Foo—
"In any case, may both of you return safely."
But as expected, the day felt short.
They said a day here equaled four days on the Arcana Continent? Wolf folded his fingers, then sighed.
"Which means at least three days of chaos from our leader."
But predictions were just predictions, after all.
"...?"
Whoosh—!
In an instant, a scorching heat enveloped his body.
"!"
Wolf sharpened his senses. His keen eyes scanned the door crack, window frame, outside. Mana or deadly poison might have seeped through.
No.
Nothing suspicious.
Then what was this pain, like a branding iron searing his flesh?
Wolf stripped off his upper garment without hesitation. And realized.
Sizzle—!
It wasn't an illusion.
His skin was truly burning away.
A massive burn wrapping his torso.
"...!"
Wolf's perpetually languid pupils shook violently.
No doubt about it. This was the Shadow God's Brand.
The symbol of the Shadow Mercenaries' leader.
That symbol had been passed to him.
What it meant was simple.
...Something had happened to Kichi.
* * *
To cut to the chase, Kichi had broken her promise.
Flap flap—
A lone crow appeared in her stead.
In the past, he'd have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker, wondering what the hell a random crow was doing there.
Experience teaches a man.
Thanks to witnessing Akshan's Guardian, Tempest the Akshan wolf, he'd figured it out.
Just as Akshan had its Akshan wolf, the Shadow Mercenaries had a similar crow guardian.
Zing—
Meeting the crow's red eyes triggered telepathy. Kichi's voice echoed in his mind.
It wasn't a long story needing summary.
Take responsibility, huh. No point arguing.
He couldn't, anyway.
She's prickly, alright.
Wasn't Grandfell the type who never met without prior arrangement?
Conversely, if someone unilaterally canceled a promised meeting... how vicious would Grandfell's grudge be...!
Even I'd apologize first thing.
But there was an incomprehensible addition.
'Responsibility for past matters.'
Racking his brain back to his first meeting with Kichi... no matter how he thought, neither she nor the Shadow Mercenaries had done anything warranting responsibility to him.
Of course, there must be reason for her to say it.
I'm not some lost kid by the riverside...
Charging off rashly would be overkill. Especially since Kichi wasn't ordinary. Leader of the Shadow Mercenaries, no less.
'Maybe she just couldn't find the ledger.'
Now that he'd found the Claudy Territory, he'd be entering the Arcana Continent more frequently.
If he ran into Kichi, he could demand that responsibility then—and return to reality together if needed.
Dismissing it lightly, he manifested a portal and returned to reality.
And now this.
Uninvited guests at the Mage Tower. And they were the Shadow Mercenaries.
Seemed like they were definitely here for him.
He shouted without warning, excusing himself to Yugweed.
"Long time no see."
For starters, he and the uninvited guest were acquainted. Beyond that—perhaps mentor and disciple?
Vice-leader Wolf. He'd received archery lessons and a crossbow as a gift.
But familiarity or not, could Grandfell skip procedure?
Mage Tower underground, Mu-gan.
Be it Arcana Continent or reality...
...I end up underground a lot, don't I?
No helping it. Regardless of reason, Wolf was an intruder. He couldn't leave Mu-gan until hearing him out.
Still, better end it quickly. He had a rough idea why.
"I understand your situation."
"...Thank you for saying so."
"However, this is procedure. Bear with it."
"Of course. I'm grateful just to be alive."
By the way...
Typical Shadow Mercenaries.
Breaching a master mage's encirclement to approach the Crystal Hall? How many in reality—or Arcana—could pull that off?
They live up to their name.
From the game days to the decade-plus gap until recently, he lacked info on them.
But he had the AAU. He'd checked their lore.
'Influences the story until the very end.'
If Arcana Continent had run normally as a game, the Shadow Mercenaries would affect the continent until the final arc.
'Arcana's shadowy puppetmasters.'
The problem: no one knew how.
Maybe this chance to find out.
Swipe—
Wolf looked up laboriously.
Grandfell's unwavering poise held in Mu-gan, but others...
The sounds from the corner said it all.
"Ughhh..."
Even former elder mages, devil worshippers hailed as demigods, had lost their minds.
Wolf understood Mu-gan's nature. He wasted no time, confessing honestly.
"...Truth be told, I needed to act as vice-leader. As you know... the members noticed a threat to Leader Kichi."
See? He read people well.
Wolf wasn't rash. No emotional acts without reason, no matter the urgency.
"So I ended up 'attacking' the Mage Tower. But if I hadn't... those fools would've done something stupid."
In short, he'd shouldered the burden.
As one who'd shouldered many, he understood.
One thing didn't add up, though.
A threat to Kichi...?
Time to compare notes.
"Kichi sent word via crow."
"The crow..."
Wolf continued strainedly.
"Seems the leader reached the hideout safely."
The crow was summonable only from the hideout, apparently.
Swipe—
Wolf slowly lifted his shirt. A burn covered his torso.
"Then... the mystery deepens. Why was the Shadow Mercenaries' leader symbol, the Shadow God's Brand, passed to me?"
So that's a thing.
No wonder he'd sensed Kichi's anomaly first, even from afar on the same continent.
But confirmation needed.
Just in case...
Could one voluntarily leave the Shadow Mercenaries?
Wolf paused, then answered.
"No rules on resignation or execution."
Reason obvious. Even if allowed, would they let it slide?
Wolf added, "But it won't happen. Shadows are safest buried in shadows. I've never heard of anyone leaving on their own two feet, even if exiled."
Moreover, Kichi was leader. If something displeased her, she'd fix it herself.
Which made her words all the more profound.
Right on cue, Wolf asked.
"May I know what message the leader left?"
He answered plainly.
"She'll take responsibility for today—and the past."
No matter his grudges.
Skipping one appointment wouldn't force her to step down.
So naturally...
'Responsibility for a past I don't know.'
To atone for the past, she'd stepped down and vanished.
He needed to know what that past was.
Wolf might know, as vice-leader.
"Responsibility for the past..."
Even Wolf was clueless.
If vice-leader didn't know, no expecting others to.
"Regrettably, procedure flawed."
Whatever it was, vowing responsibility? Noble.
But vanishing without explaining? Come on!
He could take it, but vanishing on comrades without a word? Too much.
Wolf forced a smile.
"Indeed. This... we'll have to ask the leader directly. That's our Shadow Mercenaries' rule."
Let's see...
Even without login gear, one more could enter via his portal.
Grandfell's talent. Mana unchanged, but proficiency soared.
"If you need help with that, seek me."
Anytime welcome. No prior appointment needed—a huge concession for Grandfell.
But Wolf shook his head.
"No. I trust the leader's judgment."
His voice dead serious. Eyes firm.
"She had reason. Something I lack... perhaps 'something' between the Shadow Mercenaries and you, Commander. So I can't accept help."
...Alright?
Whatever 'something' in the past, probably just black history...
But with Wolf so firm, no pushing.
Procedure complete: release Wolf.
* * *
The community was ablaze.
Unlike before, the Mage Tower had many eyes. Wolf's sudden action spread via relays in real-time.
Speculation poured in.
But it didn't last.
Timing was everything.
AAU. Another Space Ho. Massive energy reaction detected after one day.
"I-it's the Mage Tower again!"
Yes. The moment Hoyeol returned to reality.
A rift in the sky above the Mage Tower.
Players witnessing it recalled.
"...The return of the Black Dark Dragon?"
"So that thing over the Mage Tower is the Black Dark Dragon...?"
"W-wait. Does that mean the Black Dark Dragon is...?!"
The message sparking speculation about the Black Dark Dragon's identity.