A dimensional journey starting from the Dragon Clan

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Through the magic of vision, Tini saw Gilgamesh's expression at that moment.

"Huh……?"

She instantly doubted her eyes. Because the expression of Gilgamesh reflected in the field of vision was something Tini had never seen before.

At first glance, it looks very much like the surprised expression he showed when he noticed Enkidu's presence.

However, in his eyes - "there was a hint of emotion that the King of Heroes was not allowed to show". That kind of emotion should be shown to him by people who are usually hostile to the King of Heroes.

What reflected in his eyes was surprise, anxiety, confusion - and a hint of "fear".

Even if it was just for a moment, anyone who saw that scene would come to the same conclusion.

The moment the King of Heroes heard the roar, he was indeed "scared".

--impossible.

——Liar, I must have read it wrong.

Tini didn't even have time to convince herself in this way, and the tragedy was reflected in the far-sighted spell.

The moment one of the approaching poison arrows pierced the Hero King's shoulder.

············

"Well……!"

Gilgamesh reluctantly avoided the point.

But in front of the poisonous arrow, it doesn't matter whether it is a vital point or not.

The remaining poisonous arrows moved towards Gilgamesh again after changing their trajectory.

Unable to open treasury.

The posture lost balance after being hit by an arrow.

Also, there was a swarm of arrows approaching with such force that it was impossible to knock them down with a sword.

In this situation where there was nothing he could do, the Hero King's hands and feet were hit by the second and third arrows and were pierced.

The fourth and subsequent arrows will all penetrate the vital points accurately. In everyone's eyes, the unexpected situation - the fall of the King of Heroes - seemed to be about to happen at the moment - the "earth gun" flying from nowhere, passing by Gilgamesh, While sweeping away the remaining poisonous arrows.

Along with the sound of fierce conflict, the magic wrapped around the arrow was bounced off, shaking the glass windows of the surrounding buildings.

"...Is anyone stirring up trouble?"

"Asshole!" I don't know if he heard the enemy's words. The King of Heroes looked at the night sky angrily, "I didn't expect such a lingering ghost...you...you will never be so corrupted no matter what!"

Those words were not directed at Alcides.

Gilgamesh, who was looking into the void, had already caught that aura.

It is a subtle way to eliminate the smell of the past. It was the aura that emerged when Gilgamesh was pierced by a poisonous arrow, thinking that there was no need to hide it anymore.

Soon - a third person's voice echoed over the main road, answering the King of Heroes' question.

"Degenerate? That's too much to say."

It was a beautiful, clear, yet chilling, cold voice.

"The height I am at has not changed from the beginning. It is you who regard yourself as a higher-level existence than us without authorization. Am I right?"

A figure emerged from the shadow of a tall building. She is a woman who is too beautiful to be human, with fair skin and red eyes.

Gilgamesh did not recognize the woman with that appearance.

However, he may be aware of the existence "in it" to the point of disgust.

It’s okay to say that you know too much.

"Speaking of which, you finally showed your flaw... By the way, the severe pain of the poison has almost spread throughout your body. Why don't you fall to the ground and roll around? I will laugh at you. Hurry up and wail a few times for me. Listen."

The beauty with a slight smile on her lips told Gilgamesh who was suffering from the poison of the Hydra.

However, Gilgamesh, who was supposed to bear the shock of indescribable pain that was running through his body as if strong acid was flowing through his veins, looked at the woman above him with contempt and said, although there was sweat on his forehead. You're quite good at barking. I didn't expect that even after a thousand years, the arrogance clinging to your soul still hasn't disappeared. It's like a mold that has taken root deeply."

The woman who was judged to be "arrogant" by the King of Heroes walking in "arrogant" armor continued with a calm smile on her face: "You can say whatever you want. Having said that, I found you well." How hard it is... you actually asked me to go to that dark and humid cave, this behavior is enough for you to die ten thousand times."

Cave——Hearing this word, Gilgamesh and Tini, who heard it through the vision spell, thought of a place at the same time.

That external magician who originally summoned Gilgamesh's canyon cave.

"However, I forgive you. Fortunately, I went to that cave and found something meaningful that could kill you."

The woman who stared at Gilgamesh from above took out an exaggerated-looking key.

What she held in her hand was the catalyst used by the magician to summon the King of Heroes.

It is the key to the treasure house.

It is not a key sword used to open the deepest door that houses the Sword of Oblivion.

Just like the literal description, it is a treasure key that opens the surface door of the treasure house.

"If a mere human possesses this key, it will naturally be a meaningless key..."

"you……"

Despite sweating and moaning, Gilgamesh stood upright.

In response, the woman tilted her head slightly and made a cute gesture - along with a cold smile, she said: "But, if it were me... I could at least be able to 'lock the door again'."

That's right, the woman who suddenly appeared was the one who sealed the King of Heroes' treasure house.

This is a fatal injury to Tiny's camp.

However, even in the face of such a situation, the King of Heroes could still raise the corners of his mouth and say sarcastic words: "You can actually close the door and not be obsessed by my treasure. Although I just said that you have fallen, I will correct it. Speak."

"..."

"You have become very admirable...the goddess of fertility [Ishtar]."

Ishtar.

Everyone knows that this goddess especially likes things like 'treasures', and she can even be bribed by giving her enough treasures.

In response to the name spoken by the King of Heroes, the woman smiled coldly in acquiescence.

Regarding her reaction, Gilgamesh relied on his self-esteem that was divorced from common sense, and while suppressing the pain of being poisoned throughout his body, he responded with a sarcastic smile: "Or is it the influence of that container?"

"That's not the case. The original personality has been completely hidden in my shadow... This child was just a puppet created to become a vessel."

The next moment——

Seven colors of light spread out from her feet like a rainbow. Then a huge "something" appeared directly below.

That figure was probably the one who made the "scream" that was enough to scare Gilgamesh just now.

"Just like this kid."

"...!"

Gilgamesh didn't know what it was before, but as soon as he saw the huge object that appeared - the "True Berserker" summoned by the master named Harley, several emotions ran through his body. .

Then, he finally looked at the berserker with angry eyes and slowly shook his head.

"Really, I actually misjudged...it turned out to be not me, but the reverberation of the degenerating curse."

"..."

Ishtar, who still responded with a faint smile, looked around and joked happily: "Actually, I really want to play with you for a while longer... But if this continues, the situation seems to be getting a little troublesome. "

"What……?"

"It's rare that you avoided the vital points, so you can live in pain for a little longer...I really want to say that."

Ishtar stopped and looked back at Gilgamesh with a more ruthless smile.

"Even if I could show mercy, this child doesn't seem to want to spare you."

The next moment, the giant steel body emitted a seven-color halo and twisted like the tip of the front end of a rock drill—piercing Gilgamesh's abdomen.

"Lord Gilgamesh! No, no—!"

Although the young Master's scream echoed high in the sky, it could not reach the ears of the goddess named Ishtar and Alcides who were closer to the ground.

As for whether this cry reached the ears of Gilgamesh as a heroic spirit, it is impossible to speculate.

Only one thing is very clear.

Until the moment Gilgamesh lost consciousness, he stood majestic and unwavering in front of his enemies.

Three places on his body were eroded by poison, and his abdomen was even pierced by a giant steel beast - Gilgamesh still stood in front of the enemy as a king.

Hero King Gilgamesh.

In this battle, he showed no trace of arrogance or underestimation of the enemy.

Even so, he was penetrated by reality and succumbed to God's plan and the violence of the beast.

Finally, as the roof of the church he was standing on collapsed and his figure disappeared into the rubble, the magical path connecting Tini also began to weaken——

At this moment, the king's spirit base completely disappeared.

Then, tens of seconds later.

An overwhelming group of "blacks" appeared, different from the mud of Alcides.

The dark wind that surged out from a certain room in the hospital enveloped everything around it - the originally noisy road area, and all life disappeared.

The figure of Gilgamesh, the figure of Alcides, the police team, Ferat, and even the figure of the church supervisor, the priest, Ayaka and the swordsman, all disappeared without a trace.

In the end, not even a single insect corpse was left—

There, only the city streets dominated by silence remain.

As the police chief behind the scenes, Faldius didn't know exactly what happened - everything had already happened even when Francesca couldn't grasp the full picture.

Only in loneliness, I continued to stride on the road in the city.

············

past.

Not long after Sigma started working as a mercenary using magic, he was betrayed by the mercenaries he fought with.

Moreover, the other party was a compatriot who grew up in the same "facility" with him since childhood.

The other party is called Lambda in the "facility". He is a man whose magic ability is several levels higher than that of Sigma.

When they worked together to suppress a criminal organization composed of people who used magic, he lured Sigma into a position where the enemy was ambushing him, and Sigma was hit from behind and cursed [Gandr].

Later, this matter went through several twists and turns - in terms of consequentialism, the person who survived was Sigma.

Although Lambda's magic was superior to Sigma's, he was too inclined to rely on magic, so Sigma, who used modern weapons and tactics, took advantage of him and tasted defeat.

"...Why...is it me? Why...do I have to die here?"

Attacked by an out-of-control fatal curse, the magic user was poisoned in his own home and gradually expired.

Although his whole body could no longer move and his heart was gradually losing its beat, moans of complaint still continued to escape from his mouth.

"Because you betrayed me to the enemy."

If you want to kill me, I will do it.

Hearing Sigma's simple answer, the magic user panted and shook his head and said:

"It's not that. I'm not talking about that kind of thing. It's too weird, it's unreasonable. The strong survive, that's our law. Turn the murderous intention into a curse and leave it in the world. The target will retaliate with a curse in return. It's all natural behavior. But, it's not what I want to say...it's not those things. It's not..."

While vomiting dark black blood mixed with gastric juice, the man just kept shouting out complaints.

"I still have...I still have a reason to live! I have guys who I must protect to the end! There are many things I want! Our hometown is also. After the destruction of that "facility", everything Nothing has changed! So I have to change myself! In order to prevent people like us from being born in this world again! For this goal, I can't let that organization be destroyed now...! So I dedicated everything! Pay it forward Time, life, and you who grew up together in the same facility! For important things, I will even sacrifice you, my best friend!"

Seeing his ferocious look, Sigma shouted as if he would jump up and strangle himself now, but his fire of life was extinguished accurately and bit by bit.

To Sigma, who had been listening to his shouts expressionlessly, Lambda still spat out curse words at him.

"Obviously so! Why did it become like this! Answer me, Sigma! There is no grand goal in your heart, no will, "you don't even intend to have it", why do you want to kill me! Why... why did you surpass me? Yes What belief led to your power! What are you living for! Even at the expense of killing me! What...are you living for..."

Just when the man's lungs were about to stop rising and falling, Sigma thought for a moment and simply threw the answer back to those cursed words.

"For what...do you need a reason?"

"What……?"

"...There's no reason, I just don't want to die. And I don't like being in pain, so I'll fight back and kill you. That's all."

"I just...don't want to die...?"

The man's face quickly lost color.

His own sighs and curses that he wanted to burn into Sigma's heart were not conveyed at all - perhaps because he realized this fact, the man's expression was filled with anger and despair that were different from just now.

However, Sigma faced that face and still spoke expressionlessly: "I feel that even if you say to me, "Please die," after you finish talking about the big things in your heart, I will reject you. So, no one will do it. It's the wrong thing. You are right to want to get rid of me behind my back. You can face your betrayal with your head upright... That's what I think."

Sigma remained expressionless and spoke words that seemed to lack confidence. The man using magic squeezed out the last drop of life and tried to shout something.

"Kai Shi... that kind of..."

However, nothing was achieved.

The blood vessels in the skull were broken everywhere, and blood began to flow from the eyeballs, indicating that the man's life was completely over.

Sigma looked down at the man indifferently while thinking.

"For important things, I would even sacrifice you, my best friend."

The words this man said at the last moment kept echoing in Sigma's mind.

Sigma looked up at the night sky quietly.

"Is that so? So you...have always regarded me as your best friend..."

When Sigma understood how painful it was for the man named Lambda to frame him at the last moment, he realized that he had never regarded him as a friend, let alone had any thoughts.

"...It's such an ugly joke."

After Sigma ended everything and accepted the reward from his employer, he continued to replay the borrowed comedy show DVD over and over again.

Although from the perspective of others, it may not be obvious that he enjoyed it.

But in fact, his reaction was very light, and he did enjoy happiness from those programs in his heart.

There is just one thing and one distracting thought that is always intertwined in my heart.

He thought of the face of the magic user who looked like a cursed statue - dying with an expression of anger and despair - and thought, "Even if it is an enemy, it would be terrible to see the other person die with that expression." It’s quite uncomfortable.”

If he could at least tell a joke that made him feel good at the end, it would make it easier for him to leave - Sigma thought so.

However, Sigma had no idea what to say - he just kept staring at the comedians wearing red costumes on the TV screen, and murmured the truth from the bottom of his heart:

"... Comedians are so amazing... they can even turn something like the Inquisition into a comedy."

············

Now, behind Slowfield Hospital.

Sigma is thinking.

Why do I think of the faces of my "former" compatriots at that time in this situation? The situation in front of me is paradoxical to that of that time.

A thick mist wrapped around the stalker girl's body. I don’t know how it works, but she makes the mist turn into various forms such as huge beasts, big snakes, beautiful women, male giants, etc., and with the physical power, it attacks vampires. It is a suspected monster, pronounced as "Death Apostle" men attack.

The Death Apostles who suffered attacks kept dodging the thick fog, and their limbs were torn off from time to time and regenerated instantly, dancing happily on the battlefield.

"Hahaha! Is that Jinn? I didn't expect you to be able to control that kind of thing! Really, I don't get tired of it all the time! As long as you accept me, you can control it even more The ghost spirit. Don’t you want to try to be that King Solomon [Sulaiman]?”

"...This is not domination. Are you insulting our great ancestors and their teachings...!"

The stalker murmured words of hatred, and then he jumped, jumping towards his opponent together with the giant beasts and giants transformed from the thick fog.

However, when the stalker saw the monster that could still laugh and regenerate its body even if its body was attacked, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes.

"You monster..."

"Monster - monster! In a way, you are right, but please don't call me that kind of thing in general. It will make me jealous of other monsters, and I can't help but want to annihilate them all! Although it is impossible, but for the sake of You, I will also make the impossible possible for you to see! But, my dear, can you please call my name first? My name is Jesta. Jesta! No matter how many times I say it, I want to tell you this name! Ah, I want you to know it!"

Jesta continued to laugh in a daze while shouting out words that were unbelievable during the battle.

Regarding that monster, Sigma only had the thought of "Well, whether it's a magician or a monster, there are many abnormal guys like that", but——

On the contrary, he could not take his eyes away from the stalker who was fighting a monster whose death was unimaginable.

Her face was filled with anger.

It was an expression filled with hatred for the enemy and one's own powerlessness.

——Ah, that’s it.

Sigma understood.

Why am I thinking of that compatriot’s face at this time? Because they are exactly the same.

That monster, like his past self, is tarnishing the other person's belief in life. Exactly the same as when he accidentally tainted his determination when he had no reason to live. That monster is tainting the heroic spirit who has risked everything to overcome the difficulties.

Stalkers are completely different beings from their compatriots.

Even in the sense of good and evil, it can be said to be completely opposite.

But - whether it is a good person or an evil person, the expression of hatred and the expression of despair are exactly the same.

Although his compatriots betrayed him, maybe he, like the stalker, wanted to protect something that he couldn't give in to.

——That guy... Lambda must be trying to protect something.

Sigma never wanted to understand the other person. Even at this moment, even when I think of that past event, I don't have this thought.

There's only one thing that's certain. Although Lambda's curse failed to reach Sigma's soul - it still remained in a corner of Sigma's memory.

Not to inflict pain. It's closer to a hint than a curse.

That is——

Let him have the thought of "must help the stalker" in this situation.

It’s a tiny inducement of consciousness.

Although that hint was not intended by the compatriots who just wanted to convey their complaints to Sigma. but--

That hint turned into comic irony and touched Sigma's heart.

As a result, Sigma quickly pulled out his gun and immediately shot Jesta.

Although there was a long distance, Sigma's enhanced senses and body adjusted as if he were a gun mount, and accurately penetrated Jesta's eyebrows.

Of course, even though it can't kill him at this level, the magic-treated bullets are different from ordinary weapons and can definitely cause damage.

"Tsk... You're just a human, please don't interfere without knowing what's good."

Jesta, whose wounds immediately regenerated, rolled her eyes and glared at Sigma.

In that miniscule short period of time, what Sigma did was to use words to ask questions.

Ask the "Watchers"—the shadows who are your own heroic spirits—for the information you currently know about the monster in front of you.

Then - he put the answer he got into words directly.

"...How many 'bullets' are left in your body?" Jesta was shaken by these words that were clearly looking for trouble.

It's obvious that this sentence means something.

Although the true identity of the heroic spirit "Watcher" is not yet known, its characteristic is that "when summoned, it can grasp everything that happens in the town." This ability is divorced from reality and is like a surveillance system.

According to the information obtained from that ability, a vampire named Jesta possesses several "cores" called "bullets". He can reorganize his body, including his soul, by switching the cores.

Although the magician's spiritual base seemed to have been destroyed by the stalker, the watcher had not been summoned at that time, so the details were not known.

"……What?"

"I know everything about you."

The effect of this provocation is both simple and immediate.

Jesta's expression disappeared like a mask without a smile, and she faced Sigma, who was originally expressionless.

"...?"

The stalker was wary of Jesta who suddenly stopped moving, and looked at Sigma.

Jesta looked at Sigma and asked, "Are you the Master?"

"...I don't need to answer you."

"How did you know my information? The abilities of heroic spirits?"

"I don't want to reveal the source of the information. The only information I have learned is that you escaped the agent's hunt by turning into a child, and then you have been lurking in the hospital, thinking about something under the girl's bed. "

After hearing the facts described by Sigma indifferently, Jesta, who originally thought that she was fully prepared for covert operations, furrowed her brows and shouted angrily: "Uncomfortable boy... Although I won't change my decision to kill you." , but I’ll stop you from talking nonsense first.”

The moment when Jesta was about to change the target of attack to Sigma——

A flying giant snake appeared in the sky above Slowfield.

"!"

Even Jesta was wary of the giant snake's magic flow. While keeping a distance from the stalker and Sigma, he also paid attention to the giant snake.

"I didn't expect... that archer to have such power... I see, that's how it is. The Holy Grail War that has been launched with so much preparation is almost like the age of myth——"

Just as he was mid-sentence, a stronger torrent hit them.

"————"

As if to curse everything in the world, like a mournful cry, it sounded from a distance.

Hearing a scream that sounded like the earth itself was screaming, Jesta's eyes widened. Stalker and Sigma also had the illusion that their souls were shattered, as if they were left behind by time in an instant.

"What's going on...? Can the Holy Grail even summon such an exaggerated thing...?"

Jesta, who sensed the presence of a spiritual power from the screams, muttered to himself in confusion:

"Oh no, if things continue like this, not only will it not become the comedy or tragedy I like, but it will even burn out the audience and the stage, right?"

Jesta looked up to the sky and sighed, and the next moment she looked at the stalker with an evil smile.

"Forget it, forget it. In that case, let's move to a new stage."

"……?what are you saying……?"

At the moment when Jesta's hostility continued and she used her magic power to turn the entangled fog into a larger beast - a burst of "something" like black smoke overflowed from the hospital.

"!"

"This is……"

In front of the surprised Rogue and Sigma, Jesta opened her arms and accepted the black smoke.

"Okay, the second act is about to begin! Don't worry, the stage you are about to stand on is not a place full of killings! It is an utopia filled with gentle breezes and full of peace!"

Jesta just let her body melt into the black smoke - leaving only the sound echoing around her.

"I will look forward to seeing that beautiful scenery... being completely soiled by your own hands."

The next moment a sound that seemed to lick the whole body echoed from all directions, the "black" group approached like a big wave and enveloped the Diver and Sigma. Then the scene turned dark and the stage changed.

············

in dream

The wind blew.

The wind picked up.

Whisking, whirring, everything melted and mixed.

So do the stars, so do the tall buildings, and so do the sleeping city people.

Even in the dream, the girl was still asleep.

It's dark, so sleep. I was sleepy, so I slept.

That was the little hope the girl had.

So, because of that.

To fulfill the girl's wish, the thing that protects her takes action.

Let the dazzling light that disturbs the girl's sleep be dimmed.

Let the annoying storm that threatens the girl's salvation stop blowing.

············

there's noise.

In the ears of the sleeping "observers", a voice came.

"Describe my grudges? By someone like you?"

Whose voice does it belong to?

Just saying it made the atmosphere condense, and it would not be surprising even if a tragedy happened in the next moment. That voice sounded so sharp, like the fire of resentment swaying.

The "observers" had an impression of what they heard next.

"Yes, that's right. Here's the deal. I'm going to turn your 'Revenge' into a book. Tell everyone in Paris and the world about you."

It is the heroic spirit that gives our side fighting strength—Alexandre Dumas.

After hearing the sound, my vision also dimmed.

The scene that caught the eyes of the "observers" was a man in black holding a sharp fork and holding it against Alexandre Dumas' throat.

That might be considered a kind of struggle.

Although he has taken a completely different path from his famously brave father, at this moment, Alexandre Dumas is shouting words that can be described as risking his life to this "good rival" in front of him:

"Everyone has grudges and grudges to some extent, and even a kid can talk about them. However, who can describe the grudges and grudges of you, Edmond Dantès, the King of the Grotto well? ...It’s me. It’s just me, Avenger. What’s the difference between the hatred of a kid whose candy was taken away by his younger brother, and the hatred of having his entire life taken away? Of course it’s different! But, being able to say those things in a dramatic way , you are not the one who speaks more brilliantly than anyone else. Can you convey your words into the hearts of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people? I can! I have the pen that can do it ! No, let’s put it the other way around. You have already told millions or tens of millions of people! Although it is indeed narrated by my notes, it was not someone else who made me discover that kind of belief in survival. It’s you!”

Alexandre Dumas, who was sitting on a chair with a fork still pressed against his throat, stood up in the middle of the speech, like a rude commander who asked the army to stand in front of him and began to speak, and said loudly.

"..." There was a moment of silence.

Although the man in black stared at Dumas without expression, he finally put down his fork and said in surprise:

"...Although I won't ask for compensation, in terms of transactions, it really doesn't make sense."

"As for the reward, yes."

Alexandre Dumas shrugged and said with a raised corner of his mouth:

"I'll make you a star."

Then, with open arms, Alexandre Dumas talked about his prospects to the man in black, like a child explaining his dreams for the future.

"The road that the protagonist of my novel will take will be a road of revenge that is obviously full of bright red blood foam and pitch-black resentment, but everyone cheers and says, "This is what makes it beautiful." I will let people all over France follow this path in the future. For a hundred years, whenever I hear the word ‘Avenger’, I will think of you.”

The "observers" finally noticed.

It seems that this is Alexandre Dumas's negotiation method.

The man in black in front of me is probably the prototype of a certain character that has appeared in numerous "works" of Alexandre Dumas.

Among the "observers", although there are several people who know this story and already know who the man in black is, even so, the question "Could that man actually exist?" still arises in their minds.

"Your revenge will be completed then. Forgotten by the people, oppressed and wronged by society, and abandoned by the world, your revenge will be fairly recognized for the first time at that time."

"Justice...? Do you think that's what I'm always after?"

"Regardless of whether it's what you're pursuing...but maybe you can save those people related to you."

After hearing this, the man in black fell silent again and slowly shook his head.

"As you please."

"May I?"

"The person Edmond Dantès no longer exists. What is here now is just a group of resentment that keeps falling into the abyss of hatred and hatred." The man said, with emotions like dim flames still burning in his tone.

Alexandre Dumas picked up the wine glass again and sipped the contents, and said a little lonely:

"It means you are giving up your identity as Edmond Dantès, right?"

"...Anyway, this name originally belonged to the man who supposedly disappeared from the Chateau d'If."

"The coat that wraps you up looks like a pitch-black flame. Are you trying to find time to set yourself on fire? ... No, or... have you already done it? Even if it's black, if it's a black tulip, it can It has become a performance that stirs up people's hearts, but before it becomes a mere charcoal, turning back is a way, isn't it?"

The "observers" were confused.

Alexandre Dumas clearly said words that were definitely vengeful, so why did he say something as if he wanted to stop the other party now?

"Yes, that's right. There is only hell ahead of you. It is a darkness deeper than the darkness that surrounds you, and there is no salvation. Having seen a lot of "human beings", I can tell you that there is a 90% chance that you will not be able to Come back here. Because you will crush "ordinary people's happiness" with your own hands. However, if you choose to turn back here, maybe the ending you will receive will be the same as the novel I am planning to write. "

Hearing Alexandre Dumas' words that seemed to say "Don't make me write a novel!" - the avenger in black seemed to smile happily and smiled fiercely towards the void.

"Really...is that why you, known as the King of Paris, will guarantee that there will be hell ahead of me?"

"Why are you laughing?"

"I'm relieved. In this case, it's worth taking that road."

The avenger continued to speak while oozing anger that seemed to burn him out:

"There is no need for redemption or mercy! My anger will involve all the innocent people. If I don't personally bear the retribution, why can I say I want 'revenge'!"

——Why are we here?

——Why do you see this scene?

"Observers" think so.

But at the same time, they gradually became unable to look away and stop looking at that scene.

Even if they don’t know who the real identity of the man Dumas is talking to is, the dim flame that dwells in the man’s soul has been painfully conveyed to them.

It was as if his group of people arrived in this space only because they were attracted by the flames.

The "observers" who still knew nothing about that man and Alexandre Dumas only felt that their hearts were inexplicably influenced by the man in black.

The man in black stopped talking, looked at Alexandre Dumas again, and then spoke again:

"But...there is no need to care about the ending of those who walk in hell."

The man chuckled and said happily: "I thought you were a slave to money just like my enemies... I didn't expect you to be very sincere, novelist."

"...It doesn't matter what happens, right? I'm just rich enough."

Suddenly being told this, Alexandre Dumas scratched his head in confusion.

Facing such Dumas, the man in black turned around and walked toward the back door of the box. "They are all discarded names anyway. Since you said you can save them with a pen, then give it a try."

"I will... Although I have been prepared... Well, next time I hear the name "Mount Cristo" from someone in a place that has nothing to do with you, I will take it as a code of fate. I’ll start writing from then on. The article will be serialized in newspapers and other media, so you can wait and see.”

"Don't forget, if I'm not satisfied with the ending, I will definitely go to your bedside and bite your manuscript and throat into pieces."

The man uttered threatening words with sharp eyes and a smile, and Dumas responded directly with sarcasm.

"I understand. When I make a fortune, I will use the money to build a 'Castle of the Count of Monte Cristo' on the banks of the Seine River, so that you won't get lost when you come to find me."

At this time, Alexandre Dumas did not know that this sarcastic remark would later come true.

"Anyway, if you really like the ending, come and praise me then! If possible, I would also like to know what ending you, the prototype of the protagonist, actually received."

"There is only one thing I can tell you."

The man in black with his back to Dumas showed a wry smile and said a word without looking back.

"Wait, but hope...that's all."

The "observers" who heard the conversation between the two were not able to see what happened next.

As soon as the man in black spoke, their consciousness was separated from this space.

These people only have a hunch - we have been woven into the life of Alexandre Dumas, a part of his "story".

Then, a burst of light enveloped the consciousness of the "observers"——

·············

Under the morning sun.

"...just now, that was...?"

Bella, who was in charge of the police team, realized that she was lying on a bench within the hospital grounds and slowly stood up.

"This is...how could it be?"

Then, Bella found that other members of the police team had also fallen nearby, and as if they had agreed, they woke up one after another.

Everyone looked confused, looking around and saying in unison:

"here it is……?"

"Huh? Did Mr. Warlock just now..."

"I saw the warlock...and the man in black..."

Judging from what everyone murmured, Bella judged that everyone saw the same scene.

"Is this a dream...? Even if it's a dream, it's too..."

The scene was really vivid and full of reality.

In that place where I could clearly recall the content of the conversation, it was as if I was still awake and only my consciousness jumped to other times and spaces.

"Oh, Miss Bella, have you seen it too?"

"...John?"

The figure who heard the voice from behind Bella was John who was already awake.

His prosthetic limb was half-destroyed, and he also lost the blade that contained the hydra venom.

However, it would be very dangerous if the blade was exposed while the prosthetic limb was damaged. In a sense, it would be luckier to lose it.

"The man in black you're talking about... so he probably saw the scene where Mr. Warlock was talking to the Avengers in the restaurant... Well, that's the scene I saw at the beginning..."

"In the beginning...? John, what happened to you? How did you get that power?"

To Bella who asked calmly, John replied with some confusion: "Uh...I'm not sure...after that paragraph, I watched various "Heroes"...for about ten hours Well...I saw super-powerful musketeers like the Three Musketeers, and the revolutionary hero Garibaldi. What was weird among them was that I also saw the gatherings held by those powerful writers who met in Paris...ah, those Writers may indeed be considered heroes..."

John described it in confusion, and Bella reacted to a certain part of his words, tilted her head and asked: "Ten hours...?"

"Yes. Strangely enough, when I woke up, dust was still falling from the ceiling of the hospital above my head. So it should have been within a few minutes... The only thing I was sure of at that time was that it was Mr. Warlock who gave me strength. It's...just this."

"The Warlock...? Could he have come out of the underground? Is he here too?"

"It's not so much that he is here... Speaking of which, where is this place..."

John said hesitantly while looking towards the main entrance of the hospital connected to the main road.

"I woke up in front of the church... Anyway, please see for yourself. It's hard for me to explain..."

"?"

At John's urging, Bella left the hospital with several conscious police officers, but——

In front of them, there were several birds flying gracefully - right on the intact road with no trace of damage.

The church, whose roof was supposed to be half-destroyed, has now been completely restored, but let alone "restored", there are no traces of the damage it once suffered.

It was as if the process of destruction caused by the battle between heroic spirits yesterday was itself an illusion.

Bella and others looked confused. Behind them, John, with a haggard look in his eyes, asked Bella and others, half talking to himself:

"If the battle before losing consciousness was not fake...then where is this place...?"

············

"Throfield Kurtzman Special Correction Center is gone - that's all."

Ostensibly, the facility adopted the appearance of private prisons commonly seen in the United States at the time.

Faldius, who was staying in the special surveillance equipment inside the facility, sighed softly.

After browsing the report, he was studying the matter of "many people related to the scene have all disappeared without a trace."

The report stated that people from the police station were surrounding the hospital.

And as far as he knew, people from the police station had taken the initiative to contact the hospital beforehand, and there had been contact between the two parties.

Faldius shook his head when he saw the name of the patient in charge of the attending doctor who received the contact.

"Ji Qiu Chun... Damn Mi Qiu, I didn't expect that I would make my hospitalized daughter my master."

Although Caoqiu and his wife were magicians who assisted in this false Holy Grail War, Faldius had always been suspicious of them because of their unnatural behavior. Through the commotion last night, he grasped the general situation.

"Although I don't know whether the Command Seal appeared by coincidence or was accomplished intentionally... I understand. They want their daughter to provide magic power, and the couple hide in a safe place to command the heroic spirits... Although it is cunning, it can be regarded as a tactic. I listen It is said that during Fuyuki’s Holy Grail War, the famous monarch also used his fiancée as a source of magic power.”

"Excuse me, did Qiu Chun's heroic spirit do something?" the female adjutant on the side asked doubtfully.

Faldius nodded slightly.

"There are no traces of magic used to hinder recognition, and Miss Francesca has also proven that there are no signs of manipulation such as illusions. However, she seems to be quite happy with this situation."

"This confirms that more than thirty people have disappeared from the road in a short period of time. If the heroic spirits are not lurking in spirit form, they are also included in the disappearance list." The female adjutant counted.

Faldius looked at the reported list again.

"In addition to the police team, the missing people include Flatt, Hansa, who stayed in the church and called himself the supervisor, and four nuns who are presumed to be his subordinates... They are ordinary priests on the surface, but according to Director Oland Judging from the reports submitted and the battle records reflected by my surveillance network here, he should be the agent. He is still very capable. "

Then, Faldius frowned and named the remaining members on the disappeared list.

"Others include... Sigma, and the master of the swordsman who accompanied him..."

After taking a look at the blond woman wearing glasses reflected in the video record, Faldius began to ponder.

"I'm quite concerned about who she is...but she doesn't look like a magician. Although I can't say it's impossible, it's better to assume that the heroic spirit of Qiu Chun has done something."

It is virtually impossible to contact Sigma, the person who belongs here, and it is speculated that the stalkers and swordsmen traveling with him have also been unable to confirm their whereabouts since early this morning.

Leaving aside the stalker summoned as an "inducement", if the swordsman is eliminated, his spiritual energy and magic power should be injected into the Holy Grail.

The fact that this situation did not occur means that at least the possibility that the swordsman is still alive is quite high.

If so, where did they disappear to?

Although Faldius wanted to think carefully, he still told the female adjutant that he had to sort out the case first for statistics.

"The destruction of the road is a chain reaction caused by the previous desert pipeline accident, which caused the underground natural gas pipe to burst... Let's deal with it in this direction. The natural gas company is a bit pitiful... But anyway, it is to make full use of it. A company that has just been established. Although I sympathize with the low-level employees who know nothing, let’s leave this to the social security conceived and organized by ‘ordinary’ politicians.”

——While narrating words that seemed to have nothing to do with him, Faldius started thinking about other cases.

——Okay.

——It’s time to figure out what my heroic spirit is doing.

——In the worst case scenario, you may have to use the Command Seal to call him back...

While thinking about it, the moment I was about to return to my homework——

The magic power circulating in the body wavered slightly.

"..."

It's as if the inside of oneself is "dark", which is a wonderful feeling that is different from the ordinary five senses.

Faldius, who intuitively understood that it was a "signal", handed over the aftermath to the female adjutant and left the observation room.

Then, Faldius walked into his own "workshop" located in the same facility. He closed the door, confirmed that all radio waves and magic power from the outside had been blocked, and then said:

"...Can you ask me what's going on?"

"Contractor, what do you want to ask?"

There was no emotion like joy, anger, sorrow or joy, but a voice that was even more chilling to the bone sounded from behind Faldius.

There were various dolls inherited from generations of ancestors in this workshop, and Faldius had the illusion that the sounds came from these dolls.

However, he quickly calmed down and said in a master's solemn tone:

"I'm asking about the status of what I've ordered you to do, Stalker... no, Hassan Sawalha."

He said that name deliberately.

Unlike the fanatic girl who was used as an "inducement", what Faldius summoned was an existence that could be called a "true stalker".

He said to his heroic spirit:

"I remember that the task I ordered you to do was to assassinate Gavarosa Squatio, the leader of the Squatio family. However, the situation seems to have become a little strange?"

After this directive was issued, parts of the United States fell into chaos within a day.

On this day, thirty-five important figures from the financial world to the media world, as well as the political world and promotion of diplomacy, either died accidentally or died of a sudden illness. Moreover, more than half of those who died from the disease did not die from years of failure to fight the disease, but from sudden death caused by sudden cerebral hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, etc.

"I haven't received the death report of Gavarosa yet... However, from the places where he was presumed to be, the deceased appeared in sequence. I don't doubt that the two things are related, but it really doesn't make sense."

Faldius endured the discomfort of his palms being covered with sweat and his body covered with sweat, and he spoke these words to the heroic spirit firmly.

If these situations are really killings based on the true Diver's own judgment, even if he has to use the command spell, he must definitely control his actions.

However, if the opponent has a personality that does not care about his own destruction, then the possibility that the opponent will kill him before the command spell is activated is quite high.

Faldius, who was ready to awaken, prepared the consciousness and magic power required to activate the command spell, and wanted to say something again.

but--

The "Shadow [Hashan]" on the other side answered the question calmly: "Let the lifeline whose determination is contrary to your belief return to a deep sleep - there is no mistake in the decision I made."

The shadow without a will spoke in a voice that merely stated facts and had no emotion.

"I swear as a person who walks in the shadow of the sublime mountain, its people...Gavarosa Squatio's lifeline is indeed cut off."

"...these people...'them'?"

After Faldius frowned suspiciously, he showed an expression as if he had suddenly realized something.

"Could it be...!"

"Of course."

Faldius's doubts were solved as the "darkness" behind him spoke quietly.

"Gavarosa Squatio has corrupted those 'people,' that's all."

············

One day ago, the Scuradio mansion somewhere in the United States

scuradio family

It has a great impact not only on the underground society, but also on the economic world.

It is one of the few violent organizations in the United States.

In the face of a tough crackdown on criminal gangs, there's a reason why they continue to hold on to their turf.

They recruited magicians expelled from the Clock Tower and the Oriental Magic Organization, as well as unorganized wild magicians, and provided them with ample funds to safeguard their activities.

In return, magicians and magicians provide magical support to the family. But this is by no means compulsory. In order not to lose their "best sponsor" or "protector from hostile organizations", they have always worked for the protection of the Scladio family. .

Although there are solid channels with drug cartels in South America, [drugs] have not yet entered the market. Special drugs that have been improved in various forms, special catalysts used by family magicians, or ingredients for secret recipes are used.

The attitude towards the clock tower is "If there is a chance to destroy the clock tower, destroy it." But the current situation is that after the destruction, it will become the enemy of the United States, and the magicians in the family will also be liberated. Its negative impact is too great. ] Therefore, the clock tower is currently in a semi-displaced state.

And this leader of a powerful organization that has reached out to both the superficial and inner layers of society and the world of magic is now──lying in the innermost part of a spacious room, lying on a huge bed, with a respirator and countless tubes inserted into his body. To anyone who looked at him, he looked like he was about to die, with no more years to live, but he smiled under the respirator and handed a huge stuffed fox to the little girl standing by the bed.

"Thank you! Grandpa Zengzeng, I will cherish it throughout my life!"

"Ah...Olivia, there is no need to cherish it all your life. When you have something more important, just forget about me."

Facing a girl who is only 5 or 6 years old, although the old man's voice is a little hoarse, he has not lost his ability to speak. The old man's name is Calvaroso Scuradio.

Although it is a pseudonym, this name engraved in the world can be said to be everything he has.

Although his official age is 109, he is actually older than that. He is the leader of the Scuradio family who uses various means to extend their lifespan.

Most of these so-called "various means" are magic means that are difficult to disclose. But even so, he himself is not a magician, and there is a limit to how long he can preserve his body and spirit.

If you are a magician who has truly reached a high level, it is possible to turn yourself into a vampire or other [non-human being]. However, relying on others—the magician who allows an ordinary person like Galvaroso to ascend without risk—does not exist in the family.

"Olivia."

"What, great-great-grandpa?"

To the youngest girl among the forty-three great-great-grandchildren, Calvaroso smiled and said:

"You look so much like my wife who died 80 years ago... At least, let me take a good look at your face again."

"Grandpa Zengzeng, what you said is so strange, as if you will never see him again."

The girl's innocent words made the guards who brought her look away slightly. Probably because he knew that Calvaroso didn't have long to live.

However, the old man himself did not care and smiled after listening to his great-grandson's words.

After a few words of conversation, the girl and the guards walked out of the room. The only thing left inside was Calvaroso and the faint sound of the ventilator. ()