1.
A chilling sound echoed from within my body, followed by an excruciating pain.
Crack!!
But I had to endure it.
For Laktea,
For the Emperor,
For Eclipse, who were watching me.
“…Black Wolf, why is it you?”
The Emperor was rambling, but I could barely hear it through the pain.
The sword that had aimed for Reina struck my back instead, cleaving it entirely.
My skin, muscles, bones, and blood vessels were severed, letting in a chilling breeze.
How much time had passed?
【Transcendent Artifact – <Iaso's Ring(SS+)> has been activated.】
【<"Remember, no pain can kill you.">】
I felt the wounds healing instantly together with a familiar warm voice.
Swish, swish.
As the pain faded away, my hazy mind slowly returned.
‘I would’ve been dead if it weren’t for Iaso’s Ring.’
I was this close to being shredded.
‘…Phew.’
And just like that, I managed to suppress the pain as if nothing happened, gathering my senses.
“Captain!!”
Before I could panic, Laktea, her face pale white and her mask discarded, rushed toward me.
Instinctively, I flinched but quickly stopped her with a gesture.
“That’s enough. I’ll handle it. Just give me the notebook and pen, then step back.”
“But the wound!!”
Yeah, it’s your doing.
Though I wanted to argue, I just responded firmly because I wanted to rest.
“Laktea. Do I have to say it twice?”
“…No, Captain. I apologize.”
Despite her visible distress, Laktea obeyed and bowed her head.
Thanks to that, I finally let the Emperor go and withdrew.
The Emperor of Babylonia,
Reina Babylonia.
By analyzing the <Original Work>, <Settings Collection>, and <Black Wolf's Memories>,
The empire is completely corrupt.
– Eclipse’s doing.
The hero party went to fight the Demon King but betrayed them and returned.
– The <Hero Party> fell victim to Eclipse’s manipulation.
Someone tried to assassinate the feasting emperor, but some foolish idiots (suspected to be the Black Curtain) interfered.
– Black Wolf, noticing this, tried to protect the nation alongside the Black Wolves.
They killed everyone, including the emperor, and it ended as they all just died.
– Ultimately, the <Hero Party> and Eclipse led to their defeat and Bad Ending.
The result was derived.
In other words, Reina became:
‘A puppet manipulated by the hidden mastermind, Eclipse.’
Hence.
‘…If I must save her, I must.’
I wrote her a note with a few pieces of information and slipped it into her pocket.
That was the end of it.
“I’m leaving.”
“…Yes, Captain.”
With Laktea visibly dejected, I smoothly escaped the grisly scene.
‘Once I return to the hideout, I’ll need a couple of days to rest in peace.’
And while resting, I’ll organize everything I’ve gained so far and plan ahead systematically.
One step at a time, nothing is impossible.
.
.
.
[Congratulations!]
[By your choice, the Bad Ending – <5. Tyrant's Omen(A)> has been averted!]
[Number of averted Bad Endings: [5/15]]
[1/3 of total Bad Endings achieved!]
[Reward received!]
[Some information unlocked!]
[You’ve been granted a 7-day grace period until the setup of the next Bad Ending <6.???>]
2.
Reina was confused.
Why did my sister kill those knights?
Why did she try to kill me?
And,
“…Black Wolf, why me?”
Clutched in Black Wolf’s arms, Reina lifted her head, unable to comprehend.
The black mask engraved with a wolf symbol,
The abyss-like eyes seen through its holes.
The blood scent growing heavier.
[The target is experiencing overwhelming fear.]
[The effect of <Black Curtain (Ex)> is enhanced.]
It was then that Reina realized.
This person did not save her—he wanted to kill her with his own hands.
“A….”
From afar, it was bearable, but up close, he was death incarnate.
“S, spare me…”
Though she wanted to scream and run, her frozen body held her in place, gripping her ankles with fear.
‘I should’ve come with <Yellow Dragon>…’
No,
Even Yellow Dragon, one of the ten strongest on the continent, wouldn’t be able to stand against him.
‘…Am I dying?’
Just as I started seeing the truth, when I began to uncover <Eclipse>’s tail, when I began to resolve my misunderstanding with the <Hero Party>.
‘…Like this? So meaningless?’
What could be done?
“Captain!!”
“That’s enough. I’ll handle it. Just give me the notebook and pen, then step back.”
“But the wound!!”
“…Laktea. Do I have to repeat myself?”
“…No. I apologize, Captain.”
Like facing a typhoon swallowing everything around it,
A flood overtaking the continent,
Or lava raining down,
‘What can a mere human possibly do?’
As Reina was overwhelmed by the towering black figure, she unwittingly closed her eyes.
Swish.
The shadow that had loomed over her was lifted as the Black Wolf stepped back.
‘…That’s it?’
Was he like a wolf toying with his frightened prey, enjoying a brief moment?
However, the next moment,
“Open your eyes.”
The Black Wolf whispered, wrote something in his notebook, and slipped it into Reina’s pocket.
That was the end of it.
“I’m leaving.”
“…Yes, Captain.”
The Black Wolf turned his back as if nothing had happened and disappeared with Laktea.
Thus, his exposed back.
‘Certainly for me…!’
Hastily turning her head to confirm the shredded portion, there was no trace. The wound that once exposed the bone had healed long ago.
Thud, thud, thud…
Only after the two monsters vanished into the darkness did Reina stagger and lean against the wall.
‘Monsters…’
Not even among the continent’s top ten, they were far stronger than even the <Hero Party>.
How long did she tremble alone?
-Open your eyes.
Crackling.
Reina, finally calming down, retrieved the note left by the Black Wolf.
‘Never trust anyone easily.’
A neatly written,
Blatantly obvious piece of advice.
“Hah!”
So I must be this foolish that even the infamous Most Wanted feels the need to advise me?
A self-depreciating smile crossed Reina’s face as she crumpled the note to throw it away.
“…No.”
Realizing something, she picked up the skewer lodged in Hanlyang’s leg to write something on the back of the note.
‘Yellow Dragon will surely…’
Completing her writing, Reina, the Emperor, added her autograph just as the guards and royal squad arrived at the scene.
“Over there!! Hurry, all…!! Ugh!!”
“Get your shit together, idiot!”
“They can’t have gone far!! Some of you, track the intruder’s trail!!”
“The bodyguards, gather here!! The Emperor’s safety is the priority!!”
Thirteen decapitated knights,
Fleshman dolls behind them,
The lone surviving Emperor.
As everyone froze at the horrifying scene, the stoic Emperor called out to her royal guard captain.
“Convey this to <Yellow Dragon>.”
The note written in Hanlyang’s blood.
The guard captain, unable to even dare open it, whispered nervously:
“What method should I use for the request?”
Reina added with a confident smile.
“Direct request.”
Inform Yellow Dragon he can name his price.
3.
Today, as usual, the <Black Wolf> hideout was peaceful.
Not even two hours had passed since the commotion of dawn.
“Captain!!”
Creak!
The old wooden door violently swung open, revealing Ruby Red with a cheerful face.
Laktea was training,
Luna was training too,
Hanlyang was unconscious.
“Good timing. This way I can deliver the message to the Captain without hesitation.”
Ruby, detecting this with just a glance, muttered softly before breaking into an even brighter smile.
“Captain!! A gift, a gift!!”
This voice woke up Nahan, who was barely suppressing his anxiety.
“…Just tell me the matter briefly.”
“Yes! Here it is!”
Nahan, descending the steps groggily, found a golden letter placed in his hands.
It was the request from yesterday,
<The Gaffelt Assassination>.
‘…What is this?’
After carefully taking care of the Gaffelt (it seemed), could I have forgotten something already?
Pushing aside the nagging doubt like sleep, I glanced questioningly at Ruby.
“…?”
“…?”
“……?”
“……?”
What are you doing?
Seeing that this could go on forever, I bluntly asked,
“Is there anything remaining?”
“Me?”
“I asked if there’s any unfinished part from yesterday.”
“Eh…? …Oh!”
Smack!
After a moment of contemplation, Ruby slapped her palms together and added cheerfully.
“Of course, it’s a new request!”
“A new request?”
“Yes! A named request from the Emperor for the strongest of the 10, <Yellow Dragon>!”
Yellow Dragon.
The sudden star of the mercenary world, who appeared out of nowhere and claimed the top rank among the ten strongest in the world.
‘…Information is surfacing faster.’
As time passed, the details of the <Original Work> and <Settings Collection> surfaced vividly. Meanwhile, <Black Wolf's> memories were still piecing together slowly.
Regardless, having accessed the information on Yellow Dragon, I furrowed my brows and questioned back.
“So, why bring this to me?”
“…Huh?”
I’m not Yellow Dragon, but Black Wolf.
My consciousness returned just as drowsiness struck, and I quietly turned around.
“I’m tired. Go back. Make sure this letter reaches this Yellow Dragon guy.”
“Huh?! Bu, but Captain isn’t Yellow…!!”
At the moment Ruby blurted something out,
-The sun can be guarded by <Yellow Dragon>, and the moon by <Black Wolf>.
Recalling the memories of Black Wolf, I hastily turned back and extended my hand toward Ruby.
“Thank you for delivering it.”
“Eh?”
“I’m Yellow Dragon.”
…Shit.
“E, excuse me? What, oh, right…”
This morning drama feels too real.
