After leaving the forest, Simon's group found their way to a small mountain village. It was a logging community, making its living by felling trees and selling the timber to the city. The rich, sharp scent of pine sap hung heavy in the air, punctuated by the distant crash of falling trees. Fortunately, the villagers welcomed them warmly. The chief, hearing their story, even offered them an empty house to use.
"Hahaha! Jackpot!" Dick announced, returning from his "information gathering" with a handful of clinking money pouches.
Meirin, who was snacking on the sofa, shot him a suspicious glare. "Hey! Did you cause trouble again?"
Simon chimed in, "You didn't steal that, did you?"
"...Why do I always get treated like this?" Dick lamented playfully before breaking into a grin. "This is a logging village, right? Everyone was struggling with dull axes, so I showed them some of my advanced tools. A few people tried them out, and they sold like hotcakes! It's not a scam, it's a win-win!"
Meirin's eyebrow twitched. "These people were kind enough to let us use their house. Don't tell me you ripped them off."
"I was planning on leaving a generous rent payment when we go."
"You swindler!"
While the two of them bickered, Simon glanced around the room. Seiwyr was still in bed, suffering from the aftereffects of the encounter, and Kamibarez was sitting alone on the sofa, hugging her knees.
She was clearly worried about Sasha, but also consumed by guilt for failing to protect her. Meirin and Dick were trying to keep the mood light, but the truth was, all of them were crushed by a sense of defeat.
"Don't worry too much, Kami," Simon said, forcing a smile. "I'll make sure to rescue Sasha."
"You will?" Dick asked abruptly.
Simon quickly corrected himself. "I mean, Vengeance is on the move. They should be able to rescue her soon."
"Haha! For a second there, it sounded like you were going to do it yourself."
Just then, the communication crystal on the table began to hum. All four of them instantly converged on it.
"Yes, this is Simon," he said, picking up the crystal. A now-familiar male voice came through.
—"Ah, Simon! This is Agent Block. I'm sending a clerk and a carriage your way. They should arrive by tomorrow!"
"Thank you. More importantly, have you found out anything about the 'Godfather' who kidnapped Sasha?"
—"Yes. As a matter of fact, Vengeance's entire combat division is currently deployed on an operation to arrest him."
Simon shot to his feet. "The entire combat division? Why?"
—"Th-this is highly classified information. I can't really share it with an outsider..."
"What the hell are you talking about! Give that to me!" Meirin flared up, snatching the crystal from Simon. "Agent! Why are you drawing a line now? We're dispatched students on a Vengeance mission, and this was our job from the start! We have a right to know this much!"
—"Um, ah, y-you're right. I apologize if you felt slighted! I was careless." A faint mumble could be heard on the other end. "...Kids these days really are scary."
—"The man calling himself Sasha's godfather is named 'Figaro.' He's a Priest working for the Holy Federation in the Neutral Zone. Currently, Figaro and Sasha are in a place called Kelso Village."
"Kelso Village!" Kamibarez gasped.
"That's Sasha's hometown! The second village we visited," Meirin confirmed with a nod. "But why did Figaro take Sasha to Kelso?"
—"We don't know the specifics, either. A powerful divine barrier has been cast over the entire town, making it impossible to approach. It seems Figaro is plotting something inside, using Sasha."
The agent's words sent a jolt through Simon. He shot to his feet and strode from the room without a word.
"Hey, Simon! Where are you going?" Dick called after him.
—"As for the rest of you, please wait for the carriage to arrive, then return directly to Vengeance headquarters and remain on standby."
Meirin's brow furrowed. "What? Aren't we going to fight, too?"
—"Vengeance cannot approve your participation. This was never your mission to begin with, and the situation has become far too dangerous. We promised Kizen we would ensure your safety, so please wait until the situation is under control."
With that, the communication crystal went silent. Kamibarez, her anxiety mounting, buried her face in her hands. Meirin let out a long, frustrated sigh.
"What do we do? We can't just walk to Kelso."
Dick rested his chin on his hand, humming thoughtfully. "Well, we could try to sweet-talk the driver when the carriage gets here. Whatever happens, we can't just sit around while Sasha is trapped inside that barrier."
Kamibarez gazed at the ceiling, her eyes filled with a desperate plea. "Please be safe, Sasha."
Just then, Simon re-entered the room.
"Hey! Where'd you disappear to?" Dick asked.
"You don't need to know," Simon retorted sharply. He flopped onto the sofa and crossed his legs.
Dick stared at him. "Agent Block just told us. We're supposed to wait here and then head back to headquarters."
"I know." Simon waved a hand dismissively and rolled over, turning his back to them.
Dick and Meirin exchanged a look.
'His whole mood just shifted,' Dick thought.
'Is he angry?' Meirin wondered.
Simon galloped across the landscape on the back of Akallion, the divine beast he had recently acquired. He gripped its sides firmly with his legs to keep from falling as he unfolded a map.
"Kelso... The fastest way to Kelso is..." he muttered.
As Simon focused on the map, Pier's laughter echoed in his mind.
[Bwahaha! I never thought you'd leave Erzebet behind! She'll be sulking for days.]
"I feel bad for her, but I had no choice," Simon murmured. He couldn't find a plausible excuse to leave his team. More importantly, facing the adult Priest who had so easily subdued Kamibarez and Dick would require him to use his full power as a Legion Commander—a secret he couldn't risk them discovering.
He had ordered Erzebet to assume his likeness, stay by their side, and protect them. In the meantime, he planned to slip away to Kelso and quietly rescue Sasha himself.
[But tell me, boy!] Pier spoke again. [That girl, Sasha. You haven't known her for long. Why do you care so much?]
Simon bit his lip. "I'm not sure. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel responsible."
He had captured the Saintess of Purification at Kizen, which had caused trouble for his mother. Now, Sasha was suffering after being caught up in the aftermath of that incident. It wasn't intentional, but it all felt like a butterfly effect stemming from his own actions.
[Or is it because of that girl, Kamibarez? You can't bear to see her and the rest of your teammates feel so defeated?]
"Yes, that's a big part of it, too. But also..." Simon's eyes grew serious. "That man, Figaro, Sasha's supposed godfather... something about him is deeply unsettling."
[Hehehehe!] Pier laughed, amused. [If a fool like you has three reasons to act, I suppose that's more than enough!]
"Glad you understand." Simon stroked Akallion's head as it ran. "Faster, Akallion!"
'Woooong!'
He had accepted this mission, and he had no intention of letting it end with such a bitter aftertaste.
[By the way, boy.]
"Yes?"
[Look ahead.]
Simon's eyes shot wide. A girl was standing in the middle of the path, completely blocking their way.
"Stop, Akallion."
The divine beast skidded to a halt. Simon looked at the girl and spoke. "You don't look like you're in any condition to fight. Do you really intend to see this through?"
The girl in the pure white Efnel uniform was none other than Lirinet, the priestess he had fought earlier. She raised her hands in a placating gesture.
"I have no intention of fighting you," she said, her tone surprisingly nonchalant. "I came because I have something to say."
Simon tilted his head. "And what's that?"
"It's a message from Sister Lethe."
Simon's eyes widened. He never expected to hear her name here.
"The situation is much bigger than you think," Lirinet recited, her voice flat. "The Paladins of the Holy Federation are on the move. If you're going to Kelso, give up and go back. That's what she said."
Simon remained silent, studying her.
Judging by the incredibly displeased look on Lirinet's face, it didn't seem like a lie.
"That's all I had to tell you. Got it?"
"In that case, could you pass on a message to Lethe for me?" Simon asked, a bright smile spreading across his face. "You know that saying something like that won't stop me."
With only those words, he spurred Akallion forward. Lirinet, now an unwilling messenger, pouted.
"Ah."
Simon looked back over his shoulder and waved. "And tell your comrades I apologize for taking their divine beast!"
"What?"
She finally noticed the creature Simon was riding, and her eyes went wide with disbelief. 'What in the world is that guy?'
After several more hours of hard riding, Simon finally arrived at Sasha's hometown, Kelso. His jaw dropped. A hemispherical divine barrier covered the entire town, and it was being strangled by thick, endlessly growing vines. The whole scene looked like a cursed, monstrous plant had consumed the village.
'What in the world happened here?'
He had to get inside, and fast. After returning the exhausted Akallion to its Subspace badge, Simon summoned Pier.
[Bwahaha! Finally, I get to come out!] the tall, cloaked skeleton boomed, stretching its bony limbs.
Simon extended an arm. "Bone Armor, if you please."
[You got it!]
As Pier grabbed Simon's hand, his skeletal form seemed to flow over, disassembling into hundreds of pieces that clicked and locked onto Simon's body. Pier's cloak unfurled from his back, and the Greatsword of Ruin materialized in his right hand. A moment later, Pier's helmet settled over his head.
'Okay.'
Simon pulled the helmet down to cover his face like a mask, then retrieved the white robe he'd bought in the Holy Federation and threw it over his armor, pulling the hood low. He slung the greatsword over his shoulder and strode toward the barrier.
"Damn it! What kind of barrier is this?" a man shouted in frustration.
"I told you it's no use," another voice replied.
The commotion drew Simon's attention to a group of people trying to break through the barrier. He recognized them at a glance. They wore the same gray uniforms and green-patterned neckties as Seiwyr. Necromancers from Vengeance.
"My son! My son is in there!" a woman cried.
"Mommy!" a child wailed.
Villagers surrounded the agents, their voices a chorus of anguish. It seemed they had either been outside the village or lived on the outskirts when the barrier went up.
"Please, do something!" one of them begged.
"It won't do any good to rush us, ma'am," an agent replied coolly.
Amid the cacophony of grief, Simon walked forward, the greatsword resting on his shoulder. The Vengeance agents were in a heated discussion.
"What about support from other teams?"
"They say it'll take two days!"
"This is insane. Contact the Alliance and the Kalos Kingdom, too."
"Yes, sir!"
With a deliberate motion, Simon placed a hand on the barrier, which was now completely entwined with monstrous vines.
"Hey, you there! What are you doing? It's dangerous to touch that!" a necromancer in a Vengeance uniform shouted.
Simon turned to face him. [Who's in charge?] An eerie, modulated voice emanated from Pier's helmet, making the necromancer flinch.
"I am." A man with a bear-like build and broad shoulders strode over. "Block. 3rd-Circle Necromancer, officially recognized by the Alliance and affiliated with Vengeance. And you are?"
Simon's eyes, hidden behind the skull-faced helmet, sparkled. 'So this was the man who was supposed to be my mentor.'
He answered simply. [A wanderer.]
"A wanderer..."
Block didn't look convinced. There were countless wandering necromancers in the world, but could a monster cloaked in such intense Jet-Black and killing intent truly be a simple wanderer? He was a powerhouse so strong it was strange he wasn't famous.
"Oh, my lord!" an old woman with a face full of wrinkles cried, grabbing Simon's leg. "My grandson is in there! That little child! Please, save my grandson!"
"My wife!"
"I miss my daddy!"
The appearance of someone so powerful sparked another round of desperate pleas. Simon gave a slight nod and approached the barrier again.
"You'd best not waste your strength," Block advised. "We've tried everything we can, but it won't budge. This is the barrier of at least an Archbishop, or perhaps even a Saintess."
Silently, Simon raised the Greatsword of Ruin above his head and took a deep, slow breath. The solemnity of the gesture silenced the crowd.
'The space itself.'
Simon's greatsword fell, leaving a trail of white light in its wake.
'The sensation of cutting.'
The vines and the barrier were sliced clean through, and a gap tore open.
"Ooooh!" the crowd gasped.
"H-How did he do that?"
Simon immediately kicked off the ground and surged through the opening. Block and the other necromancers scrambled to follow, but the barrier was only open for a fleeting moment before it sealed shut, the vines instantly covering the tear.
"Ugh!" Block grunted, thrown back from the barrier as a cold sweat broke out on his brow. "That man... what is he?"
As Simon stepped inside the barrier, a horrifying scene unfolded before him. The entire village lay in ruins. Collapsed buildings, a sea of blood staining the ground, and human corpses were everywhere. Ash-like particles drifted down from the sky. There was no sign of life, not even a whisper of it. The once-large village had become a domain of death.
[Boy,] Pier's voice echoed in his mind. [Not a single living soul can be felt in this village. They're all dead.]
Simon swallowed a groan and began to walk. In the dead silence, only the heavy thud of his armored boots could be heard. He was moving cautiously, his greatsword held at the ready, when he heard a gnawing sound.
He whipped his head around to see a flower with snapping jaws chewing on a human corpse. And that wasn't all. Gnarled tree trunks were wrapped around the dead, pulsing as they sucked out their bodily fluids.
'What in the world...'
He swung his greatsword, slicing through the carnivorous flower and the parasitic trunks. He lightly wiped his forehead and looked up.
Soaring into the sky from the center of the village was an indescribably colossal tree.

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