The Man Behind the Black Mask
Ruko make Althea feeding him stew that Varo just made at the crackling campfire. "Hmhm, wow it's soo good! Wait Varo, how could you catch me when I was high up at the sky and I almost fall to my death since no one knows how to fly." "Hmm... sighed, well I can't keep any promise. Well for starters! I kinda use your creativity by using wind breath." Ruko spat out the stew that Althea put in his mouth. "Cough!! W-wha the hell?! How can you use it since I create it and haven't told anybody about it, wait—" Ruko stare at Varo, who look the other way and whistle, then turn to Althea which she's whistle while look away.
He's veins pumping at his forehead. "...Oi, did you guys follow me?" "Uh you see, well um, eh ah, yes we have." Ruko enrage. " ...Oh really? Since when did you guys start to follow, Althea." Althea gulp. "Um... When you reach 'Arcanletia'—" "It was at the beginning when you left. "Varo you idiot!!" Althea punch him. Varo spun in the air and ended up faceplanted. "Hehehe, hm, hmm...? Um guys" They pay attention to him. "....WHY I'M I BUTT BOODY NAKED IN BANDAGES!" Althea face is red as a tomato. "...Ah you see, you were umm—"
"You were completely naked when I grab you and when I was about to reach here, your birdy been shining so much that it start to blind the monsters, even almost pop her eyes out." Althea give Varo another sucker punch. Ruko feel scared of not getting to her bad side. The crackling of the campfire slowly faded into memory. Far away from the destroyed battlefield, Ruko sat quietly beneath the night sky, replaying everything that had happened.
The Devil King was dead. The castle was gone. The war had ended. Yet instead of relief, an uncomfortable feeling settled inside his chest. Ruko stared into the flames. "What happens now to the demons..." Althea folded her arms. "Hmm. I think the demons will have to build a new home." She looked toward the distant horizon. "The place you destroyed is unrecoverable as it is." Varo nodded. "I take her side on this one."
Althea stirred the stew casually for Ruko to chew. "Their morale is shattered. Their leader is gone. Their castle is gone." "The Axis Cult, Royal Guards, Crimson Demons, and Adventurers already left after hearing the Devil King fell." Ruko nodded slowly. (Wait... Royal Guards?) (How the hell did I not notice them?) (Am I blind?) The thought almost made him laugh. Almost. Instead, he remembered the giant crater. The demons. The castle. Everything he had erased.
For the first time, Ruko felt a strange uneasiness. Not guilt. Not regret. Just... Silence. Then suddenly—His memory clicked. (How about your daughter? She makes a perfect deal.) Ruko froze. "...Wait." He looked up. "What about the Devil King's daughter?" Varo blinked. Althea blinked. Then both looked at each other. Confused. Seeing that expression, Ruko instantly understood they knew nothing. "Never mind..."
Althea suddenly snapped her fingers. "Oh right." "I forgot." Ruko tilted his head. "And what is it you forgot in the criteria moment?" "There's a mask on your crouch." "...Huh?" Ruko looked down. "...Ah." He immediately jumped. The mask dropped onto the ground. Althea laughed. But... His crouch ended landing on her face that she almost suffocated. Varo laugh at Ruko who's surprising when it came to woman. She mumbled him to get off.
She gasp for air. "...It appeared while you were sleeping like a girl. Which is cute!" "Hey! That's is serial gender offense." "Yeah, so what? Like itseems your in any circumstances of your own will being." He felt a pause from her counter. Ruko picked it up carefully. The mask was completely black. Smooth. Cold. Almost alive. Ruko frowned. "What kind of item is this?" Althea's expression give a spec grin and eyes is shining. "I think it contains one of the three materials."
"The three?" Althea nodded. "Eternal Thread." "Core Alloy." "Soul Vein Ore." Ruko froze. His eyes widened. "Wait." "What did you just say?" Althea looked confused. "I said Core Alloy, Eternal Thread, and Soul Vein Ore." Ruko swallowed. "Uh..." "You see... I have two of those." Silence. Varo nearly dropped his spoon. Althea leaned forward. "You what?" Ruko scratched his cheek. "Well..." "Core Alloy and Eternal Thread are connected to me somehow."
Silence. More silence. Then Althea grabbed his face. "Ruko." "Are you sick?" "What?" "Those materials appeared nineteen or twenty years ago!" Ruko blinked. "Come again?" Varo sighed. "The official story is that a strange object fell from the sky by a blist portal." "It landed somewhere across the continent." "The impact destroyed everything nearby." "Afterward, people discovered three impossible materials." "Soul Vein Ore." "Eternal Thread." "Core Alloy."
Althea continued. "They couldn't be forged." "They couldn't be replicated." "They couldn't be controlled." "They were worth more than any Divine Cheat Item given by the gods." Ruko stared blankly. "...What the actual hell." Althea nodded. "Exactly. What the actual hell" "Hey stop copying." "No one knows where they came from." "The kingdoms scattered them across the continent to prevent anyone from collecting all three."
Ruko slowly looked toward Core Alloy. Then toward the black mask. Then his body were the eternal thread laid inside. A terrible thought entered his mind. (Lumy...) (Kyouka...) (Why did she want Lumy?) (Why did she tell me I had no idea what I was involved in?) His thoughts spiraled. Until— "RUKO!" He jumped. Both Varo and Althea were staring at him. "Are you okay, Ruki/lad?" "Yeah..." Ruko rubbed his forehead. "Just thinking."
Then another thought surfaced. A name. A forbidden name. Ruko opened his mouth. "Do either of you know something called Sha—" Instantly—Both hands covered his mouth. Ruko nearly fell backward. "HMPH?!" Althea looked terrified. Varo looked angry. Neither reaction was normal. Althea whispered. "How do you know that name?" Ruko blinked. "Did I say something wrong?"
Varo stood. His expression was darker than Ruko had ever seen. "Never say that name again." Ruko frowned. "Why?" Varo's fists tightened. "Because everyone who chases that name ended up in a taboo." Althea nodded immediately. "The gods don't even speak about it." "The kingdoms don't speak about it." "The demons don't speak about it." Ruko's heartbeat increased. "...It's that dangerous?"
Varo slowly sat down. "Worse, it'll bring nothing but an evil twist—" "Hmm... Damn it! I don't want to say it or I'll be next." Silence fell over the camp. For the first time that night, nobody spoke. Eventually, Ruko simply nodded. "Fine." "I won't ask." The conversation ended there. Hours later, everyone fell asleep. Or at least—Most people did. Ruko opened his eyes. Darkness. Endless darkness. "...What?"
He immediately stood. "Why am I here?" The familiar space stretched infinitely around him. His Simulation Space. A white screen appeared. [Yew: Third Material discovered.] Ruko blinked. "What?" More text appeared. [Mask acquired.] [Properties: Stealth.] [Properties: Undetectable Identity.] [All three materials located.] Ruko froze. "What the actual fuck." The text continued. [Conditions met.] [Fusion requirements unlocked.] [Power Limit: 5%]
Ruko stared at the floating words. "What the actual fuck am I reading?" [Yew: Eternal Thread.] [Core Alloy.] [Soul Vein Ore.] [Three materials now linked.] Ruko felt a chill. Something bigger was happening. Something he couldn't understand. Then one final message appeared. [System Note: User emotional synchronization unstable.] Ruko blinked. "What does that—" Darkness swallowed him. [Yew: Entering Sleep Mode.]
Everything vanished. Morning arrived. Birds chirped. The campfire had burned out. Varo stretched. Althea yawned. Then both noticed something. Ruko was gone. Only a letter remained. Althea picked it up. It read: "Got something important to do." "Head back to Axel." "I'll be there later." "Lazy bums." Silence. Varo laughed. "He ran away from you." Althea sighed. "That idiot..." Far away.
At the ruins of the Devil King's Castle. Demons worked tirelessly. Broken stones were stacked. Temporary shelters were built. Morale was low. Very low. At the center stood the Devil King's daughter. Exhausted. Dirty. Barely standing. Yet she continued helping everyone. Every demon nearby looked worried. She looked ready to collapse. Then—A shadow appeared. The wind blow a black coat through the air.
A black mask concealed the figure's face. The demons immediately tensed. Weapons rose. The Devil King's daughter narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?" The masked figure stopped walking. Silence filled the ruined battlefield. Then the stranger slowly lifted one hand. And spoke. "...A guy who's here to talk." The wind continued to blow. The black mask hid his expression completely. And for the first time since the war ended—The Devil King's daughter felt something was about to change again.