I died many times.
Each time I died, time would loop.
With each loop, time within me continued to pass.
As a result, the past when Namia was killed and I was exiled to the depths of the dungeon seems like a distant memory.
At first, I was driven to seek revenge against the villagers who had scorned me.
After successfully conquering the dungeon, I had achieved satisfactory vengeance against the villagers.
But it was unsatisfying that the puppeteer couldn't become human, and that's why I took my own life.
This wasn't the future I had sought.
So, I decided to start over.
I sought a way to turn the puppeteer into a human and made contact with Agetha.
However, Agetha had lost her memory.
So, in order to restore her memory, we acted together.
After a lot of effort, the moment we defeated the dungeon's boss, another Agetha, Black Agetha, attacked us.
After screaming, she used 'Reset' to destroy the world.
Following that, due to the mysterious entity known as the Observer, I was sent back one hundred years before the world's destruction.
Yet, no matter where I searched in the world of a hundred years ago, I couldn't find Agetha.
Furthermore, the world would still be destroyed by the manipulation of the 'Chaosism' by the resurrected Demon Lord.
Therefore, it falls on me to prevent the world's destruction by my own hands, but…
"I've come to quite a distant place…"
Suddenly, I find myself thinking that I've drifted far from my initial goal.
To be honest, when the Observer told me to save the world, I didn't expect it to be this challenging.
I believed that if I could meet Agetha, she could save the world with her powers. However, once I arrived 100 years in the past, I had no idea where Agetha was, and I had to confront Warrior Gorgano and Holy Knight Canaria to prevent the Demon Lord's resurrection. The situation changed rapidly, and various motives became intertwined, making it difficult to unravel.
I haven't forgotten about the puppeteer. I'm concerned about Agetha and even the vampire Judite. Perhaps Judite can manage without me, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried. What about the desire for revenge? I was able to exact revenge once, but that timeline disappeared due to my return from death. If someone were to ask whether I still have a desire for revenge, it's hard to say. I may not have the same burning desire for revenge as before. There are things I want to accomplish beyond revenge.
There are many things I want to achieve. However, I need to stop the Demon Lord Zoga before anything else.
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"Shall I try to trust Hero Eligion more?"
Having realized that I couldn't defeat Warrior Gorgano, I was forced to search for an alternative approach.
Hero Eligion possesses the power to defeat Demon Lord Zoga. If I could guide him to avoid being killed by Holy Knight Canaria, even if the Demon Lord were to resurrect, Hero Eligion could once again subdue him.
It's worth a try.
With that decision in mind, I rushed through the dungeon to achieve my goal. I acquired the skill "Agility Enhancement" and synthesized skills to obtain "Thief's Skills."
Then, I made contact with Hero Eligion and guided him to the location where Demon Lord Zoga was. If I could witness Hero Eligion defeating Demon Lord Zoga, I would talk to him to execute a new strategy.
"Hero, there's something I'd like to discuss."
"Kiska, what's with the solemn face?"
I had to talk to Hero Eligion before Holy Knight Canaria arrived. So, if I had advice to offer, it had to be now.
"Well, there's a traitor among your companions."
"Huh?"
Hero Eligion tilted his head at my words.
"Um, who is this traitor?"
"It's Holy Knight Canaria and Warrior Gorgano. They're conspiring to assassinate you, Hero."
I had delivered the message. Now Hero Eligion would be wary of them. If that were the case, he shouldn't easily kill me.
I heard the sound of the wind being cut. Unbeknownst to me, Hero Eligion had his sword at my neck.
"Hey, what do you mean by insulting my comrades…?"
His voice wasn't the usual cheerful tone but a deep, menacing one.
"Listen, Kiska. I won't stand for anyone insulting my comrades. Saying that Holy Knight Canaria is going to betray me? Quit making a fool of yourself. Holy Knight Canaria is a knight who served in the royal palace since my childhood. So, she's the person I trust the most. Unlike Holy Knight Canaria, I met Warrior Gorgano after I was chosen as the Hero, but he has fought alongside me all this time. As evidence, he achieved great deeds in the recent war against the Demon Lord's army. Those two, as traitors? I won't accept it, even as a joke."
Hero Eligion's eyes were filled with anger as he spoke.
Calm down.
It was clear to me that the Hero would get angry in this manner.
From Hero Eligion's perspective, I was just someone he had met a short while ago, with an unknown background.
He wouldn't easily trust my words.
However, that didn't mean I intended to back down here.
"Hero, I have the power to see the future."
"Huh?"
"That's why I know. I can see the two of them betraying you. I can stake my life on these words. So, if the innocence of the two is proven, you can execute me without any hesitation."
Hero Eligion squinted his eyes slightly in response to my words.
I hoped he would consider that my words had some merit.
"So, I have a request, Hero. Please always be cautious of those two. We don't know when they might turn their blades against you."
After that, there was a moment of silence.
It seemed like Hero Eligion was struggling to figure out how to interpret my words.
"You mentioned having the power to see the future. Can you prove it right here, right now?"
I had increased my persuasiveness, even though I had lied about having the ability to see the future, but it wasn't entirely untrue. After all, I had seen the future many times ahead.
"Well, Hero, you've already witnessed my power with your own eyes."
"What do you mean?"
"You see, I guided you to this very place. I knew the location of Demon Lord Zoga, so I could lead you here."
As soon as I said that, I didn't miss the moment when Hero Eligion's eyes widened.
"Why would they betray me? The two of them, I mean."
"It seems like they are part of a cult called the 'Chaosism.' I believe it's the organization's intent to try to kill you, Hero."
Upon hearing this, he muttered quietly, "Come to think of it, Canaria brought Gorgano here."
"Do you happen to know anything else about this 'Chaosism or their goals?"
"The organization's goal is to resurrect the Demon Lord and lead the world to destruction. Holy Knight Canaria is in possession of a ring that can resurrect the Demon Lord."
After delivering this information, there was another period of silence. He was probably contemplating whether to trust my words.
"Is there any falsehood in the words you staked your life on?"
"No."
"I see."
Hero Eligion nodded and sheathed the sword he had pointed at me, saying, "I won't place full trust in you, but I will respect your words when you said you would stake your life on them."
Well done.
Internally, I couldn't help but smile at Hero Eligion's words.
This time, I might be able to avoid tragedy.
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