First, I must thank Avic for his brave stand. His courageous and decisive stance was truly moving.
Thanks to his efforts in stalling the enemy, Shaorne and I managed to reach the deepest part of the canyon more swiftly, entering a cave that loomed before us like a terrifying throat.
Unsurprisingly, the cave was crawling with skeleton monsters.
"Focus! The enemy is approaching," Shaorne shouted sharply.
"Stop spacing out—where's that divine sword Lord Kriz gifted you?"
Heeding Shaorne's reminder, I unsheathed the mysterious blade for the second time. It hadn't been used before, but now it was ready for action.
A surge of excitement swept through me, and my body urged me to start fighting. It wasn't a desire to show off, merely a need to test my current strength.
I didn't hesitate, striking at the necks of each skeleton that charged toward me.
"Like this, perhaps?"
Imbuing the sword with what seemed like an ability to "negate," I struck their weak points, and the air filled with their piercing wails.
Yes, as unbelievable as it may seem, I could do this.
"That makes 114 skeletons now," Shaorne murmured as she calculated softly, wiping her blade on her sleeve as she flicked a skull off the stuck sword edge.
She's killing them at an incredible pace, I thought. From her movements and posture, it was clear she was highly skilled.
"You've only taken down eight. Step it up," she said.
"Understood."
I counted the skulls scattered on the ground—indeed, there were only eight.
"We've cleared out all the enemies here. Let's keep moving... although, this gear is a bit heavy," she added, propping her weapon against the rough stone wall to begin removing her armor.
She exhaled a sigh of relief as she took off the heavy armor. Underneath, her smooth, fair skin gleamed in the reflected light.
By the standards of my past life, she didn't look like a seasoned warrior at all.
Someone with her level of strength ought to have signs of experience, yet her body bore no marks of battle.
Her skin was flawless, her gaze innocent, and beneath that harmless exterior lay undeniable power. This contradiction affected me slightly...
Maybe that's just how people are in this world?
Even with countless battles, their bodies remain untouched—
Reflecting on this, we moved through the narrowing cave tunnel, not speaking at all as we walked.
After some time, we finally reached the cave's end, where a massive stone door loomed.
"Is this it?" I asked.
"What else could it be? Now, let's open it," Shaorne replied.
Before she could act, I stepped forward, approaching the door.
In my former state, I wouldn't have been able to budge something this large.
But now it was different. With my newfound strength, I should be able to push open this grand and imposing door.
"Think you can manage? Need help? After all, it has a weight-enhancing spell on it," Shaorne remarked.
"A weight spell?"
"A spell that increases an object's weight. There are traces of it on the door."
"I… I'm not sure," I admitted.
I hadn't anticipated this situation.
Maybe I should let Shaorne handle it. I didn't want to embarrass myself.
Then, as if responding to Shaorne's words, the heavy stone door began to open, grinding against itself as it slowly swung inward.
Neither Shaorne nor I touched it, yet it opened.
"An automatic sensor? Like the automatic doors in my past life?" I mused aloud.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, confused.
With the door open before us, there was no reason not to proceed.
However, as I peered inside, I saw only pitch blackness.
"Might as well…" I said, stepping into the darkness.
As I ventured deeper, all sounds faded into silence, save for the echoing of footsteps… only my own footsteps?
"A rare guest indeed—since you're here, you might as well stay," came an unfamiliar voice.
"...!"
Just before the voice echoed, a magical energy stirred, setting off my senses.
If my guess was right—
"From this moment on, this place will be your exclusive grave, yours alone," the voice intoned.
Heart pounding, I turned sharply, but there was nothing there.
"As for the woman, once your body lies in pieces before her, it will be her turn to die—"
Was she separated from me?
"It's not my concern," I said, feigning nonchalance.
"But if something happens to Shaorne, I'll have a hard time explaining it to him…"
Saying this, I unsheathed my sword for the third time.
"Oh? You intend to resist me?"
No matter the opponent, even the strongest monster imaginable, I will prevail.
"Of course."