...
...
...
???: "Who's there?" said a rough, muffled voice from beyond the thick door.
Xeno: "I'm a potential buyer. I heard you got quite the item to sell today."
There was a momentary silence before the door was opened.
And the one opening the door was the towering old man who Xeno saw dead.
Looking at the old man, Xeno used Gluttony on him.
[ Name: Valga Cromwell (Nickname: Rom)
Race: Giant
Age: around 120–130
Relation: Suspicious of you
Title: Former leader of the demi-human alliance
Damn! He's jacked.]
Rom looked down at him, and the first thing he noticed were Xeno's strange heterochromic eyes.
Rom: 'What strange eyes… And those clothes—they look high quality.'
Rom: "You're here to buy something, huh? Come inside."
Xeno stepped in, noting that the place looked a lot better than before. At least it wasn't a mess this time.
Xeno kept his guard up and took a seat next to the counter, resting his groceries beside him. With everything that happened today, he honestly forgot he was even carrying them.
Rom: "So, what ya here to buy?" the giant questioned as he moved behind the counter and began cleaning a glass cup with a moderately clean rag.
Xeno rested his arm on the counter.
Xeno: "A little birdie told me a valuable item was about to be sold here today. I'm here to buy it."
Xeno: "But unfortunately, I was on a time crunch, so I don't have money on me. Instead, I'd like to trade this."
From his pocket, Xeno pulled out his phone and rested it on the counter.
Rom narrowed his eyes and picked up the phone carefully. It looked tiny in his hands.
Rom: "I've never seen anything like it. What is it?"
Xeno: 'Oh boy, explaining what a phone is to a medieval person. It's time to glaze.'
Xeno: "Glad you asked. This magical little thing can do a lot of things—and I do mean LOTS of things. We'd be here for hours if I mentioned every single one."
Rom was surprised by Xeno's claim, but still suspicious. He set the phone back down.
Rom: "Is that so? Why don't you demonstrate some?"
Xeno: "With pleasure."
Xeno launched into a convincing, enthusiastic rant about its features—taking pictures, videos, recording sounds, telling the time, and a few more. He also demonstrated them to prove his claims.
This time, Rom's eyes widened in surprise as he saw this little device do such marvelous things.
Rom: "Is this one of them metias I've been hearing about? I gotta say, I'm impressed. This thing is easily worth at least 30 holy coins."
Xeno: 'Metia? Holy coins? Damn, I don't know what a metia is… and 30 holy coins—is that a lot? Looks like it, judging by his expression. If only I could confirm it…'
His thoughts were interrupted when Soul Feast automatically activated on Rom again.
But instead of providing information on the man himself, it searched his memory to tell Xeno about the currency of this world.
It was the standard fantasy currency he knew—copper, silver, gold—with the highest being holy dragon coins. Gluttony also provided the current conversion rates.
Xeno was shocked by this influx of knowledge being poured directly into his brain. Though he had to say—
Xeno: '...Convenience sure is convenient. I guess.'
Though on a serious note, he had to admit his ability wasn't lying—it could provide any information he wanted just by looking at someone, granted they had it in the first place.
Xeno: 'What a horrifying ability. In the wrong hands, it could be disastrous.'
He chuckled.
Xeno: 'Hehe… I guess the world's lucky it's in the hands of a lazy ass like me.'
Xeno: "Yes, it is a metia. So how about it, sir?"
Rom: "Drop the 'sir'. Just call me Old Man Rom."
The giant rubbed his chin.
Rom: "As for the trade itself, you'll need to wait for Felt. She'll decide if she wants to trade or not. She should be here soon."
Xeno: "...Alright."
Rom went back to cleaning his glassware, while Xeno just sat there.
Thus, an awkward atmosphere entered the loot house.
Xeno: "..."
Rom: "..."
Xeno scratched his chin, then rhythmically began tapping on the counter while Rom continued his cleaning.
Rom: "..."
Xeno: "..."
Xeno looked at his watch, only to realize he wasn't wearing one.
...
This awkward silence lasted for an entire minute. Fortunately, it ended when Rom placed a glass of milk on the counter.
Rom: "Here, have a drink."
Letting out a sigh of relief, Xeno gladly took the milk.
Xeno: "Thank you." He took a large sip, hoping it would make things less awkward.
Only to immediately spit the milk back into the cup.
Xeno: "Cough, cough—what the—cough—is in that milk—cough?" he said, trying to stop his coughing.
The milk didn't taste bad per se. It just tasted off to Xeno. He didn't like it.
Rom narrowed his eyes, annoyed that Xeno had basically insulted his kindness with his actions.
Rom: "Hey! Watch it, brat. That's the best milk you'll find in the slums."
Xeno: 'Oh!.. that makes sense.'
Xeno pushed the glass to the side.
Xeno: "Can I have another glass? I'm going to drink my own milk."
Rom just stared at Xeno weirdly, ultimately deciding to ignore his bad wording and handed him another glass.
Xeno: "Thanks."
Pulling out the carton of milk from his bag, Xeno poured himself a nice glass. Then he set the carton on the counter.
Taking a sip, he sighed contently.
Xeno: "That's much better. A shame it's warm."
Meanwhile, Rom stared at the carton carefully. It wasn't any design he had ever seen in Lugunica. The carton itself looked well made, so it must belong to a successful business.
Rom: 'Is this kid from another kingdom?'
Xeno noticed Rom looking.
Xeno: "Want some? I don't mind sharing." He offered.
Rom: "Really?"
His question was answered with a nod.
Rom helped himself and drank the milk in another glass. He had to admit—it was good.
While Xeno was at it, he pulled out two bags of chips as well, offering one to Rom.
The giant curiously held the chips in his hands. Seeing how Xeno opened them, he mimicked his actions with surprising precision for someone of his size.
He ate some, and his eyes lit up.
Rom: "What are these? They're tasty."
Xeno: "Just a little snack. It's super famous from where I live."
Enjoying his snack—
Rom: 'Well, that just confirms it. He is from another kingdom. If these are as famous as he claims, I would have heard about them.'
Munch, munch.
Rom: "Kid, I don't think I ever got your name."
Xeno blinked, surprised by the sudden question.
Xeno: "Oh, umm, right—call me Xenophanes."
From that, his clothes and accent, Rom tried to determine which kingdom Xeno could be from.
Thinking for a while, he couldn't figure it out. But one thing was clear—
Rom: 'Just how valuable is the item Felt stole that a foreigner came rushing here without money just to buy it?'
This really spiked his curiosity but also his caution.
Rom's musing was interrupted by knocking on the door.
Rom: "That must be Felt. Wait here."
The giant said as he went toward the door.
Rom: "For a rat..."
Felt: "Poison."
Rom: "For the White Whale..."
Felt: "A harpoon."
Rom: "To the noble dragon, we are..."
Felt: "Shitbags."
Rom nodded to himself and opened the door, revealing the blonde-haired thief, Felt.
Felt: "Sorry it took so long, Old Man Rom. My target was pretty stubborn," the girl apologized.
Xeno: 'She's finally here. I need to buy the insignia, then warn them, then run.'
Felt walked inside and saw Xeno sitting.
Felt: "Who's this guy, Old Man Rom?" she asked curiously, sitting beside Xeno and noting his eyes.
Felt: 'What, weird eyes.'
Rom: "He's here to buy what you stole today."
Her eyes lit up.
Felt: "So that's it, huh? Alright, how much are you paying?"
Felt noticed a glass of milk in front of her—the one Xeno had pushed to the side. Glancing around, she saw both Rom and Xeno had one as well. She figured Rom must have placed it there for her.
She grabbed the glass to drink it and replenish her thirst.
Rom and Xeno, seeing this, immediately tried to stop her.
Xeno/Rom: "Felt, wait—!"
But it was too late. She had already drunk most of the milk.
Both men cringed.
Putting the glass down, Felt noticed their expressions.
Felt: "What's wrong?"
Before Xeno could say anything, Rom put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Then he smoothly diverted the situation.
Rom pushed his bag of chips toward Felt.
Rom: "I wanted you to try these first, but… oh well."
Xeno quickly brought the conversation back on track.
Xeno: "Show me the insignia first. Then we'll discuss the pay."
Felt: "Of course, here."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the insignia. It had an intricate design of a dragon, with a red gem in the middle. Said gem was lightly glowing.
Felt placed it on the counter, and the gem stopped glowing.
Xeno: 'So, this is it, huh? The damn reason I and everyone else here died.' He was extremely bitter just thinking about it.
Xeno: 'Ugh... let's just buy it. Though let me use Gluttony on it first. Satella never really told me what it looked like, so this could be a completely different item.'
He thought as Rom picked up the insignia to inspect.
Felt: "So, how much are you—"
Xeno: "Shush! I'm seeing if it's the real deal or not."
He silenced Felt, accidentally letting his bitterness slip through.
Xeno's red pupil glowed as he used Gluttony.
[Emilia's Dragon Insignia]
Gluttony confirmed it. But it also revealed another interesting detail.
Xeno: 'Emilia?... Is that Satella's real name?'
Felt: "H-hey, what was that for? Are you doubting me?" she said angrily, annoyed at being shushed like a child.
Xeno: "Nah, I'm just cautious. Now that I've confirmed it's real, we can begin."
Her annoyance quickly transformed into greed.
Xeno: "I'm willing to trade this for the insignia—" he slid the phone closer to Felt.
Xeno: "It's a metia. As for what it does, Old Man Rom here will explain it to you."
Felt nodded, then turned to Rom, who had just finished his inspection of the insignia. Rom proceeded to explain what the phone could do.
Felt, just like Rom earlier, was surprised by its functionality.
Rom: "I'd estimate it'll sell for at bare minimum 30 holy coins."
Felt: "30 holy coins?!"
Xeno: "See? Quite the item. How about it—deal?"
Xeno was glad things were going smoothly. At this rate, he and everyone else would be out of here in no time.
But—
Felt: "Nope. Not yet," she stated firmly.
Xeno froze in shock, his pupils vanishing—something the other two noticed.
Felt/Rom: 'What the?'
Xeno: "B-but why not? My phone is a high-value item, right, Rom?"
Rom nodded.
Rom: "It's worth way more than that insignia."
Felt: "It's not that. You're not the only client willing to buy this insignia. It would be unfair to them if I didn't hear their offer too."
Xeno: 'Oh suuure, why don't you be fair to the person who fucking killed you.'
Rom noticed Xeno's frustrated reaction.
Rom: 'Something's wrong.'
Xeno took a deep breath.
Xeno: "That's... not necessary. I know how much money they have, and I can confidently say it's nowhere near enough to match mine."
He displayed his talent for bullshitting once again.
Felt narrowed her eyes, suspicious.
Felt: "How would you know? What are you, from a rival business or something?"
Xeno nodded.
Xeno: "Yep."
Rom: 'He's lying. I can tell. But why?'
Xeno: "Look, that psycho lady doesn't have the money. Okay? Let's wrap this up."
The words slipped out.
Rom: "You know Felt's client?"
Xeno flinched.
Xeno: "Unfortunately…"
He shivered slightly at the memory of having his arm cut off.
Xeno: "I have to say, Felt, you're completely insane for even helping that woman."
Rom: 'He's afraid of Felt's client. I observed him for a while—he's an honest person, not someone who would randomly call someone a psychopath unless he genuinely believed it.'
He glanced at Felt.
Rom: 'I knew this entire job was suspicious. A mysterious client willing to pay holy coins just to buy an insignia… I don't believe it. Felt, just what have you gotten yourself into?'
Felt: "The hell is that supposed to mean, huh?"
Before Xeno could go on a rant, he was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door.
All of them turned toward it.
Felt: "That must be the client." She said as she went to open the door.
Rom: "Be careful, Felt. Keep your guard up."
He advised seriously as he reached for his club.
Surprised by Old Man Rom's tone, she did as he told and cautiously opened the door.
Meanwhile, Xeno was shaking, fingers crossed.
Xeno: 'Please, don't be Elsa, don't be Elsa, don't be Elsa, don't be Elsa.'
Felt: "It's you again!" she yelped, creating distance.
The person behind the door was none other than Satella—no... Emilia herself.
Xeno was glad it wasn't Elsa, but also shocked at how she got here so fast. His pupils turned red as he used Gluttony on her.
[Name: Emilia
Age: 114 (mentally 13, if being generous)
Race: Half-elf
Relation: Suspicious of you
She pretty much embodies the naive character stereotype]
Emilia: "I finally found you."
Felt: "You don't quit, do you? Just give it up."
Emilia: "This is something I can't give up on—"
Ice shards materialized around Emilia as she glared with determination.
Emilia: "I only have one demand. Return my insignia at once."
Felt took a step back, glancing at Rom, who only shook his head.
Rom: "I wouldn't have backed down if she were just another magic user… but this girl is trouble." He looked at Emilia's ears.
Rom: "Young lady… you're an elf, aren't you?"
Emilia: "Not quite… you see, I'm actually a half-elf."
Felt's eyes widened in realization.
Felt: "An elf with silver hair… can't be your—"
Emilia: "I swear it's an accidental resemblance. I find it quite troublesome."
Emilia scanned the two, then her eyes landed on Xeno, who was staring at her with his red eyes.
Emilia: 'What strange eyes.'
Xeno, in this moment, had no idea what to do. His plan had gone down the drain. He honestly wished that Reinhard had dealt with Elsa—that everyone was safe.
Xeno: 'I wish I could just say, "Hey, Elsa's going to kill everyone here," and they would believe me. Sigh, I'm tired. Time to change plans... again.'
Xeno: "Hey, Emilia, was it?"
Everyone turned their attention toward him.
Emilia narrowed her eyes, pointing a few ice shards toward him.
Emilia: "Yes, that would be me. How do you know my name?"
Xeno: "You're infamous, but that's not the point. You want your insignia, right? How about this—"
He pointed his thumb toward Felt.
Xeno: "I'll buy it off the kid. In exchange, you owe me a massive favor. How about that? This way, you both get what you want, and nobody has to get hurt."
Everyone was shocked by the suggestion.
Emilia: "Why would you do that?"
Xeno: "I'm a pacifist. I dislike violence."
Which would be true if you ignored what he did to the three thugs.
Xeno: "Just accept it. There's literally no harm in this. And Felt, just agree. That psycho woman you call a client is a complete bitch and will just gut everyone here—"
And yet again, before he could continue his awesome argument, his moment of greatness was cut off.
Xeno: "EMILIA! Watch out!" he yelled as his pupils burned a bright purple.
Dark purple chains burst out of the ground, blocking the knife strike that would have killed Emilia.
Seeing what just happened, Emilia went on guard. At the same time, Puck came out of Emilia's hair, relieved.
Puck: "Right in the nick of time. Thanks for the assist."
He gave Xeno a thumbs up.
???: "Oh my! You actually blocked that," said a seductive voice.
Walking into the loot house was none other than Elsa Granhiert, the Bowel Hunter.
She glanced at everyone in the room, noticing two interesting individuals among them—Puck and… Xeno. But for now, she turned her attention to Puck.
Elsa: "Oh! A spirit—is that a spirit? How wonderful. I've never killed a spirit before."
The psycho lady was filled with ecstasy.
Felt: "Hey, what's the big idea here?" she demanded, recognizing Elsa as her client.
Elsa: "We can hardly negotiate if the item's original owner is here. So there's been a slight change of plan. I will slaughter everyone here. You failed to see your job through to the end. You talk a good game, but you do terrible work. You really are just another slum dweller—"
Her words were cut short as she dodged to the side, avoiding a chain that would have pierced her eye.
Xeno: "Shut it, hoe. God, your voice is so annoying to hear. It's like listening to the screeching of a dying rabid dog. I'd rather hear nails on a chalkboard than the abomination that is your voice."
Elsa's face darkened for a bit before she smiled, not bothered by the insult.
Elsa: "Do you really believe such a tactic would work on me?"
She pulled out her kukri blade… from somewhere.
Xeno just smirked and slid behind the counter.
Xeno: "Distracted you, didn't it?"
Emilia: "Puck! Now!"
Puck: "We haven't had a chance to properly introduce ourselves, young lady. My name is Puck. Remember that name when you pass on to the afterlife."
Multiple ice shards surrounded Elsa. The psycho was bombarded with icicles, filling the room with a white mist.
Rom: "Is she finished?"
Xeno: "Come on, Rom. You just jinxed us."
He used Envy to strike Elsa's position with chains, just in case.
Unfortunately for everyone, Elsa was alive and well, effortlessly dodging Xeno's attack. Though her cloak was gone—making her revealing clothes… even more revealing.
She gracefully landed on a table.
Elsa: "One must always come prepared."
She smiled, then leaped forward to strike Emilia.
Emilia: "Don't underestimate a spirit arts user."
She raised her hand an ice wall manifested blocking the attack. Elsa backflipped away before Puck threw more ice shards.
Emilia and Puck worked in tandem—Puck attacked while Emilia defended, keeping constant pressure on Elsa. Though it didn't do much, the psycho kept dodging, blocking, and countering, using the surroundings to her advantage.
She ran along the wall, twisting her body like her bones were made of rubber. Not get hit even once, Puck continued to spam attacks, filling the room with icicles of various sizes.
While those three fought, the others hid behind the counter to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Xeno: "Told you. She's crazy."
He focused on the battle. His pupils shifted to red, activating Gluttony on Elsa and Puck.
[Name: Puck
Race: Spirit (Artificial)
Age: 420
Relation: Trusts you
Title: Beast of the End
Only has a few minutes before he has to rest.]
[Name: Elsa Granhiert
Race: Human (Curse Doll)
Age: 23
Relation: Fascinated by you
Title: Bowel Hunter
Smash, next question]
Xeno almost banged his head against the counter hearing that.
Xeno: 'Bruh, now is NOT the time.'
Xeno: 'Dude, I knew it—Puck doesn't have much time left. Darn it.'
The battle raged on. Elsa once again demonstrated her supernatural reflexes, sidestepping another icicle.
Puck: "You handle yourself well for a girl."
He sounded impressed by Elsa's skills.
Elsa smiled broadly.
Elsa: "Oh my. It's been quite a while since I was last regarded as a simple girl."
Puck: "Most of my opponents might as well be babies from my perspective. But even so, you're so strong it's pitiful."
Elsa: "It's quite the honor receiving praise from a spirit."
She countered a particularly tricky attack, clearly delighted by the praise.
Back with the spectators, they noticed Puck's form turning transparent by the second. Xeno used Gluttony to check again how much time Puck had left.
[20 seconds.]
Xeno: 'Well... that's not good.'
He gulped, not wanting to fight Elsa himself. He hoped the cat had a trump card up its fur.
Elsa crouched, preparing to lunge—only to suddenly stumble, nearly falling.
The reason for this was her foot being rooted to the ground by ice.
Puck: "I wasn't firing randomly, you know."
Elsa: "It appears I've been outplayed."
She didn't sound concerned by her predicament.
Puck: "Just think of it as a difference in experience. I believe this is worthy of some praise. Good night."
He thrust his hands out and gathered the surrounding mana for a devastating attack. Its power could be felt by everyone.
Puck launched the attack at full force, and everyone watched in awe as it completely engulfed Elsa. It even went straight past her, destroying the entrance of the loot house and covering the entire place in a layer of ice.
Anyone hit by such a blast would have been obliterated.
…but much to everyone's disappointment, Elsa was even more tenacious than a cockroach, having evaded the attack.
Though not without cost—she had almost severed her own foot. While it was still functional, it disrupted her balance, and she could barely stand upright.
Emilia: "Puck, can you continue?"
Puck: "Sorry, I underestimated her. I used up too much mana. I'm going to disappear."
Emilia: "I'll handle this somehow. So go take some rest for now. Thank you."
Puck: "Should anything happen to you, I'll act in accordance with the contract. If it comes down to it, wring your Od to draw me out," he urged, as Puck's body scattered and vanished.
Elsa: "Ahh, he's gone. How terribly unfortunate."
She once again raised her blade and moved toward Emilia.
In response, Emilia conjured icicles, though not as many as Puck.
While the psycho woman's mobility may have been reduced, the odds weren't in Emilia's favor—at best, it was a 50/50.
Realizing those odds, Rom raised his club, readying himself.
Rom: "Alright, kid, we can't just stand back and watch. We gotta help that half-elf. If we just sit around, we'll miss our chance... you understand, right, Felt?"
Felt, who hadn't spoken a word since Elsa's threat, nodded.
Felt: "I know, I know. If we choose to run, then this is our best chance."
Xeno: "That's a great idea, Old Man Rom. Listen closely, Felt—we'll make an opening for you to escape. There's a powerful knight patrolling the area, so find him quickly."
Felt: "Really?!"
Xeno: "Yes."
Rom: "Alright, get ready. The half-elf's getting overwhelmed."
True to the giant's word, they saw Emilia struggling. Any attack she threw was smashed aside by the psycho's blade.
Elsa bounced off a wall, launching straight toward the half-elf's side. Her attack struck an ice wall, conjured just in time.
Emilia created distance by freezing the ground and sliding away.
Seeing this, Rom took the opportunity to strike, swinging his club with such force the wind whooshed past.
feeling the shift in the air, Elsa rolled to the side.
Elsa: "Oh dear, it's rather boorish to cut in on a dance."
Rom: "If you wanna dance that bad, I'll make you dance the finest dance of all! Here—round and round!"
The giant swung his club violently. However, displaying her acrobatics once again, the woman gracefully landed on the tip of his club.
Rom: "What the hell?"
Elsa: "Because you're so strong, I can even do this."
She swung her blade down, aiming for his neck. If it connected, it would have been the end for the giant.
Fortunately, that fate wouldn't come to pass—
Xeno: "Like hell I'll let you!"
Using Envy he constructed a thin, durable glass-like wall.
The blade struck the dark purple barrier, screeching across its surface. Numerous cracks spread along it—but it held firm.
Leaping away from the club, Elsa stood in the center of the room. She was outnumbered, but instead of worry, there was only ecstasy on her face—showcasing her battle-loving personality.
Xeno: "Felt, now!" he signaled for her to run.
She didn't hesitate, using her divine protection to dash away.
Elsa: "Do you believe I—"
Xeno: "OOPS."
A wall of dark purple bones blocked any chance she had of stopping Felt from successfully escaping. She could only watch as one of her prey got away.
Xeno: "Aww, did that piss you off? Good."
Seeing through his tactics once again, the Bowel Hunter simply chuckled.
Elsa: "Oh my! You—"
Xeno: "Don't care, didn't ask."
Snapping his fingers, Xeno summoned sharp bones, intending to impale her.
Xeno: "Chew on this, ya freak."
The bones launched toward her.
While Elsa deflected Xeno's attack, the man himself turned his attention to Emilia.
Xeno: "Are you alright, Emilia?" His voice carried concern and anxiety.
Surprised by his tone, Emilia's eyes widened. Moments later, she smiled.
Emilia: "I'm okay. Don't worry about me."
Xeno: "...If you say so. Also, don't fully exert yourself—help is on the way. Just stall that psycho as much as you can."
Receiving the reassuring news, she nodded.
The battle resumed. Now in much better condition, the three worked together as best they could. Rom attacked with devastating swings, forcing Elsa to dodge. At the same time, she had to watch out for Emilia's icicles while evading Rom.
But they weren't the biggest problem.
Xeno was.
Standing in the back, he blocked any offense Elsa attempted, all the while launching sneak attack on her, even covering the walls in spikes to ensure she couldn't use them to her advantage.
Despite it all, Elsa was having the time of her life trying to get out of this situation. Xeno had completely captured her interest from the start.
Using her unnatural sense of smell, she sensed just how chaotic his emotions were.
Fear, annoyance, anger, paranoia, guilt, doubt, happiness, and concern.
The emotions themselves weren't the problem it was how he felt them.
They would randomly appear, then switch abruptly to another. Sometimes even cutting midway through.
Xeno: 'It's truly my lucky day. I bet everyone think i can do this forever. Well I can, only because we're in the slums. If we were literally anywhere else i would have run out of Envy or unable to make them durable enough.'
He made another glass shield for Rom. He attempted to trap Elsa in a cage. Somehow sensing what he was about to attempt swiftly rolled to the side. Escaping the bird cage that spawned in her former position.
Having no time to rest she broke the ice shards Emilia launched then evaded another strike from Rom.
This stalemate lasted for a while. Neither side having the advantage. Emilia and Rom were notable tired, Xeno mean while was only out of breath.
Elsa looked she could do this all day.
Preparing another batch of icicles, Emilia almost went on to attack again, only to be stopped by Xeno.
Xeno: "Alright that enough." Wipping the sweat off his brow, he signaled the two to stop.
Rom: "What the?"
Rom: 'What's he planning now.'
Emilia: "Um, Mr, are you sure about this?"
Xeno: "I know what im going."
Pupils burning red Xeno stared eye to eye with the source of their problem.
Elsa: 'His pupils changed colors ?'
Xeno: "Look, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. But can't you see how pointless this battle is? Aren't you tired of this charade? We can't defeat you, but neither can you. Why don't we end this while we can? I'm sure you'll agree. You still have the choice to just... walk away. Nobody's going to stop you. So just once in your life, choose the right option."
Taking a deep breath, he continued.
Xeno: "We're all tired. We all just want to go home. Except for Rom—after this, he's probably going to be homeless with how much we trashed the place. But that aside... Elsa, just stop and think for one moment. Is this truly what you want in life? Gutting people? Isn't there more you want to do? To go enjoy the beauty of the world? Smelling the sweet scent of flowers, or stuff like that..."
He paused, then shrugged.
Xeno: "You know, I'm honestly surprised—and super grateful—you haven't tried to interrupt me, even though my intentions of stalling are super clear. You may be a psychopathic, sadistic, depraved woman, but at least you have manners... yeah, that's it. I can't think of anything else."
...
...
...
His teammates had no idea how to react to... this. Meanwhile, Elsa was amused.
Rom: "Kid, what the heck was that? I understand the intent, but couldn't you have thought of something better?"
Xeno: "Yeah... but hey, I brought you guys five minutes of rest, didn't I? That should count. And rambling is harder than it looks."
Elsa: "Fuhuhu, you truly are amusing. I wonder how beautiful your bowels will look."
She took a stance, ready to continue fighting once more.
Though in that moment, a calm and commanding voice shot through from somewhere.
???: "Alright, that's enough."
Crashing through the ceiling, a majestic angel burst forth, letting the moonlight enhance his otherworldly features—bringing hope to all those in need.
The man descending was a legend among legends.
The Sword Saint himself, Reinhard Van Astrea, had arrived.
It's truly no exaggeration to say that, in that moment, if Xeno were a woman, he would have fallen in love instantly at the sight.
The dust moved away from his pristine form, revealing him in all his glory.
Xeno: "R-Reinhard? Is that you?"
Reinhard: "Looks like I made it in time. I'm sorry for the delay, Xeno." He smiled faintly, looking apologetic.
Xeno: "Yeah... but hey, you know the saying 'better late than never,' right?"
Reinhard: "I can't say I've heard of that saying, but I suppose you are correct."
Elsa: "You're..."
Turning his attention toward Elsa.
Reinhard: "Black hair and black clothes. And a curved blade characteristic of the north. ― With those characteristics, there's no mistaking it. You're the 'Bowel Hunter.' Yes?"
Reinhard: 'Xeno was right about her presence. But that begs the question—how?'
Thinking this, he glanced at the various dark purple objects embedded in the surroundings.
Reinhard: 'Is he responsible for those? They emit such an unnerving energy.'
Elsa: "Reinhard― yes, the knight among knights. From the line of Sword Saints. Incredible, to think I'd encounter such interesting opponents. I suppose I'll have to thank my employer."
Reinhard: "There are a number of things I'd like to ask you. I recommend you surrender."
Elsa: "You expect a striving predator like myself could resist a splendid steak dripping with blood?"
She licked her lips seductively, looking at Reinhard with ecstasy.
Reinhard scratched his cheek.
Reinhard: "I suppose not."
He turned to the three.
Reinhard: "Xeno, and you two—try to back away a bit to a safer distance, okay?"
Rom: "You don't have to tell me twice." The giant moved away, settling at a safe distance.
Meanwhile, both Xeno and Emilia nodded, trusting him, and backed away as well.
Reinhard: "I would rather not be too violent against a female opponent, but—"
The moment he said that, Elsa jumped to strike Reinhard, aiming for his neck.
Reinhard: "Excuse me."
With a simple kick, he generated a shockwave that knocked Elsa away. The force of the blow launched her into a wall, collapsing it.
Xeno: 'What the hell.'
Seeing such a casual display of power, our protagonist used Gluttony.
[Name: Reinhard van Astrea
Age: 19
Relation: Trusts you
Title: Sword Saint
Imagine being so awesome that even Teppei (God) glazes you.]
Xeno: '!!!'
Getting back on her feet, Elsa wiped the blood from her lips.
Elsa: "You're just as the rumors say... no, you're even better."
Reinhard: "I'm not sure if I'll meet your expectations."
Elsa: "Will you not use the sword at your hip? I would love to experience its legendary sharpness."
In response, Reinhard shook his head.
Reinhard: "This sword can only be drawn when necessary. The fact that it has not left its sheath means this is not one of those times."
Elsa: "It seems I'm being looked down upon."
Reinhard: "I find that judgment rather troubling as well. Therefore—"
Glancing around, his gaze landed on a decent-quality sword. He flipped the handle with his foot, catching it by the hilt as it spun midair.
Reinhard: "I shall face you with this instead. Are you dissatisfied?"
Elsa: "No, not at all."
Taking the initiative, she attacked once again.
The dull blade glew as he perfectly parried her strike, cutting through her kukri blade, leaving only the handle.
Reinhard: "Now that you've lost your weapon, I recommend you surrender."
Elsa backed away and proceeded to pull out another blade... from somewhere. She rushed him again, yet he simply dodged her attack.
His blade glew brighter. Taking a stance, he intended to finish this battle. The space within the loot house warped as an aura surrounded Reinhard.
Elsa: "What do you intend to show me?"
Reinhard: "The swordplay of the Astrea family."
Elsa held her blade in front of her, ready for what came next.
Elsa: "The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert."
Reinhard: "From the line of Sword Saints, Reinhard van Astrea."
His blade glowed even brighter as Reinhard swung it.
Then—
Everyone shielded their eyes as everything faded to white.
When they opened them, all that remained was devastation. Rom's loot house was in shambles, and Elsa was nowhere to be seen—as if she had just... vanished.
Reinhard, meanwhile, looked at the blade as it crumbled in his hands.
Reinhard: "I pushed you too far. Rest easy."
The sword completely crumbled away.
The Sword Saint turned to the rest.
Reinhard: "Are you all alright?"
Xeno: "All thanks to you, dude."
Emilia: "Is it over?"
Xeno: "Normally, you should have jinxed us. But I don't think that hoe could survive being vaporized." He was confident in his assessment.
But the universe gave him the middle finger as Elsa brust out from some debris, heavily wounded, darting straight toward Emilia.
She still had a job to finish and intended to see it through.
Reinhard's eyes widened in surprise as he moved to intercept her, but he was too far to do so. Luckily for him, someone else beat him to the punch.
Xeno: "Oh, fuck off already."
Xeno's pupil flashed purple with annoyance as he blockedoncemore, bones rising from the ground.
Her attack was stopped, she leapt away as Reinhard stood infront of Emilia.
Reinhard: "That enough, Elsa."
She threw her blade at Reinhard but stood still. The blade would undoubtedly have hit its marks. But due to Reinhard Divine Protection of Arrow Evasion. It curved around him missing him completely.
Unable to finish her tasking, she backflipped toward a high place to stand and made her final declaration—
Elsa: "Soon enough, I'll disembowel everyone here. So keep them healthy until then."
Before leaping away and disappearing into the darkness.
...
...
...
Xeno: "Good riddance. Bitch."
He turned to Emilia.
Xeno: "Are you alright?"
Emilia: "Why yes, Thank you for helping me."
Xeno: "Now that that situation has been fully dealt with—"
His pupils turned into literal stars as he grabbed Reinhard's shoulder.
Xeno: "How did you do that? It was awesome. Can you teach me how to do that?"
This was the last reaction Reinhard had expected from the man. With his divine protection of Empathy he could tell Xeno was being genuine.
Rasing his arms infront of himself. Reinhard chuckled awkwardly.
Reinhard: "It's not as amazing as you claim. As for whether I could teach you? I'm sorry to disappoint you."
Xeno backed away, seeing he was invading his savior's personal space. Believing only a disrespectful person would do such a thing, he was genuinely oblivious to the fact he had done the greatest act of violation at least five times today.
Xeno: "Heh, sorry for that. Though as awesome as you were, there's still a problem... you still have to apologize."
Reinhard: "Apologize?"
Shaking his head, Xeno continued.
Xeno: "Buddy, you just destroyed someone's workplace/house. You not only have to pay for property damage, but also apologize to its owner."
All three heads turned towards Rom, who hadn't spoken since the loot house was left in ruins.
The old giant stared at what used to be his home.
Reinhard immediately felt guilty.
He bowed gracefully to Rom.
Reinhard: "I'm truly sorry for my carelessness. Allow me to compensate you properly."
Rom waved it off.
Rom: "Don't stress about it. You saved our skins—that's enough for now."
Rom: "That said, where's Felt?"
Felt: "Here, Old Man Rom," she said, peeking out from what used to be the entrance.
Felt came inside and started chatting with everyone except Xeno, who distanced himself, wanting to take a breather.
Everything finally going well, Xeno let out a sigh of relief.
Xeno: 'This nightmare is done and dusted. Now I have to think about what to do next... great.'
Xeno: 'Man, I can't believe I have to find a job in another world. Ugh... though I guess I shouldn't complain too much. I'm alive this time and have two awesome sin powers…'
Envy and Gluttony—such specific sins. He wondered why these in particular. That thought sparked an idea. His eyes brightened.
Xeno: "Wait, I know! I'll be a detective with Gluttony. Finding criminals will be easy—like stealing candy from a baby."
His brilliant thoughts were interrupted by the sound of yelling. Glancing back, he saw Reinhard van Astrea had knocked both Rom and Felt out, while Emilia pleaded with him to forgive them.
Xeno: 'I look away for one minute and this happens?'
Reinhard carried Felt's unconscious body in his arms, having already calmed Emilia down from her misunderstanding.
Xeno: "What the heck is happening?"
Reinhard: "I know it is rather unknightly of me to perform such an act, but please understand—I must take this girl for further questioning."
Xeno stared at Reinhard. Then at Felt. Then back at him, deadpan.
Xeno: "You're a sweet guy, buddy, but without any context, this literally looks like you kidnapping a child. You kinda have to explain something."
Reinhard nodded seriously.
Reinhard: "Of course. I swear by the honor of the Knights, I intend no harm, nor will I force her once I'm finished."
Xeno looked at him for a moment, then shrugged.
Xeno: "Eh, good enough. Take the old man with you too, bro. They looked close."
Reinhard blinked in surprise, then smiled, taking Rom along as he left their view.
Now only Xeno and Emilia remained.
Xeno: "That just happened. So what now? Did you get your insignia?"
Emilia presented it, the red gem glowing softly in her hand.
Emilia: "Yes, I did, mister."
Xeno: "Xenophanes—or just Xeno."
A brief silence settled.
Emilia turned to face him fully, cheeks flushed, and smiled—soft and angelic.
Emilia: "I just want to say once again... thank you... for saving me."
His pupils disappeared as he looked at her. A single thought crossed his mind.
Xeno: 'Beautiful.'
Seeing his pupils vanish, Emilia panicked—not only did it look unsettling, but she was worried he didn't like her.
Emilia: "I-I'm sorry if—"
Xeno: "Nah, don't sweat it. I was just... lost in thought." His eyes returned.
Emilia pouted.
Emilia: "In any case, I wish to reward you for your kindness. If there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask."
Xeno scratched his white hair awkwardly.
Xeno: "Now that you mention it... I do have one request."