Even with the guard's helmet covering half his face, the sweat trailing on his face was obvious as it dropped from his chin and to the ground. Every person… no. Every prisoner that was minding their own business and ignoring them were now looking at him.

Why didn't it dawn on him sooner? He was now in the Pit. The very place that he guarded and occasionally sent people to.

The last place that he should ever find himself in. But the Portal to the outside was still here, within a few steps away from. Maybe he could make a run for it?

No. He would surely be stabbed to death as soon as the tip of his nose comes out of the Portal. But… seeing the number of prisoners that were slowly approaching him, he was probably as good as dead anyway.

His death here will not be merciful, at least if he passed through the Portal, he would die instantly and without pain.

Numerous thoughts raced inside his mind as the hand that held his sword started to tremble.

Van, who was on the ground behind him, could not help but feel complicated. The city guards were just chasing him like an animal earlier, and now one of them was protecting him?

What exactly was going on here?

...No. This was not the time to be thinking about others. He needed to get out of this place. The Portal is right there. With his speed, he was sure that he could make it out, he just needed to be free of the chains that shackled him.

'No,' Van quickly shook his head of the thought as soon as he remembered the bearded old man with a huge scar on his face. What if he was outside? He wouldn't be able to move, much less run if that man was on the other side.

Wait, what about Andrea? Is she alright? If she is with Sarah, then she isn't safe.

This is not good, he thought. He couldn't really think clearly because of the pain that was overwhelming his entire body. Was he going to die here? Were his feet bleeding? Maybe he was already bleeding to dea--

"Look at this, a guard has basked us with his presence!"

Van's panicked thoughts were suddenly disrupted by a loud burst of laughter as the prisoners slowly circled him and the guard.

"Do not take a step further or I will be forced to take you down!"

"P… Pfft!"

Once again, hearing the guard's words, the laughter that already filled the air grew even louder.

"I am serious. All of you-- Gah!"

Before the guard could finish his words, he felt a wrenching pain in his stomach. Blood spewed from his mouth and he could feel a warmth trailing on his face as some of it bounced from the helmet he was wearing.

"W… what?"

The guard quickly turned his head towards his front, only to see the naked muscular man giggling as he licked his own knuckles.

"Maybe I will play with you instead," the muscular man continued to giggle.

The guard, on the other hand, grit his teeth through the pain as he used his skills.

[Flame Augment]

The sword on his hand started to vibrate as it glowed an orange tint.

"Oh, A Mage-type using a sword!?" The naked muscular man burst out in laughter once more, "What are you even going to do with-- Gah!"

However, before he could even finish talking, he felt a searing pain between his legs. The smell of cooked meat also seeped into his nose as a warm feeling started to trail down his legs.

"!!!"

The naked man quickly looked towards his little brother, only to see it gone and replaced by tears of blood… dripping profusely.

"Y… you!? What have you done!?" The naked muscular man quickly covered jewels, or what was left of it as he started crying out in pain.

The prisoners that circled them, however, burst out in laughter as they pointed towards him. "I… it's not funny! Why are you laughing at me!? Get him! Someone get him!"

"No one approach any further!"

Some of the prisoners started to close the circle, but before they could take another step, a tall wall of flames suddenly erupted, completely surrounding the guard and Van.

"W… woah!"

The prisoners could not help but slightly back away as the heat of the fire reached their noses.

With the wall of flames momentarily shielding him from the prisoners, the guard quickly pointed his sword towards Van.

Van's eyes widened in shock as he looked at the sword that was threatening to cut him down.

"!?"

But contrary to his expectations, the sword did not go through him, but across the chains that wrapped his entire body.

"I will heal you now!" The guard then said as his hands lit up, pointing it towards Van's feet. And as he did so, the wall of flames protecting them seemed to flicker.

"Why… are you helping me?" Van could not help but be confused.

"Because I don't like the people that put you here. Also, we don't have the time so I am going to be quick with my words. My name is Gil and I don't even know what crimes you've committed, and right now, I don't care. What I need right now… is a friend. You're my only hope to survive this situation, and I am sure that I am your only hope to--"

Gil could not finish his sentence before he suddenly looked at Van's leg, his eyes blinking a couple of times in disbelief. "Your leg… is already healed? I… I guess panic makes one stronger."

Gil let out a nervous chuckle as he stood up, "The Explorers had a hard time catching you, I heard. So you must be strong? Sorry, I talk a lot when I am nervous. I guess this is also why I am in here in this situation right now because I couldn't keep my mouth shut."

"..."

"I can't keep up the flames much longer. Once it goes down, all of them will surely be rushing at us."

"..."

"So, do we have any plans to--"

"!!!"

Before Gil could finish his words, he felt a warm feeling on his neck.

"W… what?"

He could not help but take a huge gulp as a familiar blade was now threatening to cut his neck. Van was now holding his sword, its sharp and fiery blade resting on his shoulders. Maybe he should not have left it on the ground?

And perhaps due to the shock of being betrayed by someone he just healed, the wall of fire that he summoned instantly dispersed.

"It's disappearing!"

"Get the-- what the!?"

The prisoners were about to rush and mob Gil, but as soon as they saw his neck being held by a sword, they all stopped in their tracks.

"Bahahaha! Good job, boy!" Seeing the previously tied up boy holding a sword on the guard's neck, the naked muscular man could not help but laugh maniacally. His cackles piercing Gil's ears as he slowly approached him, with his hands still gripping his lost marbles.

"W… you traitor!" Gil was careful not to move his head. He was about to summon another wall of flames, but before he could do so, he heard a whisper.

"How hot can you make this blade?"

"!!!" As soon as he realized what the boy meant by his words, he once again used his [Flame Augment] skill.

And as soon as the blade glowed even brighter, he felt a slight breeze brush past him, the weight on his back disappearing at the same time. And then, the next thing he felt was warmth. A warm feeling flowing from his hair.

No, showering. The warm feeling was showering all over his body.

"T… that…" Gil stuttered as soon as he saw the naked muscular man kneel in front of him. His head, no longer attached to his body.

"W… what!?"

"What the fuck happened!?"

The sounds of the people clamoring and screaming filled the air. And as soon as the naked muscular man's body completely dropped to the ground, Gil finally realized what happened. With the muscular man's body out of the way, the boy he just freed came into view.

He was holding his sword in his left hand, while in his right, was the muscular man's head.

"..."

Silence filled the air as everyone present stared at the little boy.

"Y--"

And before anyone could break the silence, the boy once again moved.

"!!!"

He stabbed his sword towards the muscular man's body.

"W… what? He… he's already dead!"

And then, another stab. Even with Gil's words, Van continued to stab, slash, and smash his sword towards the man's already mangled body. The blood spewing out like a fountain, showering over the both of them as Van's whispers started to reach the people's ears.

"Die. Die. Die." He whispered repeatedly.

Gil slowly got up as he slightly backed away from Van, only a single thought in his mind. 'Did… Did I just make a mistake cutting him loose?'

The prisoners that wanted to approach the two of them also slightly backed away. Only a handful of them did not budge, watching as Van continued to mutilate a dead body in front of them.

"Ho…" A man with red hair raised an eyebrow as he licked his lips, "This should be interesting."

"Is… Isn't that?" A woman wearing a bandana on her head slightly moved closer towards Van.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here." A man with abnormally long hair… or perhaps a woman who was watching from afar crossed his arms, a wide smile slowly creeping into his face.

"...Welcome to the Pit, I suppose."

***

In pitch-black darkness, a man covered in vines slowly opened his eyes, a loud cracking sound echoed throughout as he did so.

It was too dark to discern any features, only the whites of his eyes could be seen as he started moving, his flesh creaking as if they were stones.

"..."

"Finally…

...the Messenger is here."

***

Volume 1: Friends - END

Volume 2 - START

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