Sharlov’s steps also silently killed their pace as the echoes of ship horns faded in the distance.

When the buzzing echoes became distant, Sharlov stopped walking.

“I have something to tell you.”

This time, Sharlov spoke.

“The sinner is suspected of being a worshiper of the ancient tribe.”

“Does that mean a tribe dealing with monsters?”

Again, the horns echoed.

“You, too, have always been strange somewhere. After experiencing the monster’s tomb, you are close to dark magic. Dark magic, spells, monsters, monster tombs, death—you are likely connected to them.”

“My life seems complicated.”

“……There’s a place we’ll visit together.”

Sharlov muttered quietly.

“Where is it?”

The outer periphery Suppression Front.

Benjamin stepped on a withered and twisted branch.

“This is where the basilisk nest was.”

“Ah…”

“A small mercenary group was wiped out here, and there were only twenty dead warriors. The monsters were rougher than usual. This place wasn’t a Suppression Front that could produce enough casualties, and in the past, the mercenaries who had exterminated the basilisk here were wiped out.”

These people who didn’t need to die died.
“Something is wrong.”

“The monsters are getting rougher, and the toxicity has intensified. It’s true that their toxicity becomes stronger as they enter the active season, but this is different from before.”

The aggressive monsters increased the damage.

The land contaminated with toxicity also recovered more slowly.

The outer periphery Suppression Front had a path along the cliff.

Everything became strange. The trees twisted as if all the moisture had drained out. The bark looked burnt with a pitch-black ash.

All the leaves had fallen, and the soil under the trees had decayed to a dark black. Even in the damp humidity, the soil seemed dry. The dry leaves crackled as they crumbled.

“It’s bizarre.”

“It’s contaminated due to monster toxicity.”

“…Is it here?”

“From here, I saw through the eyes of a lower-grade monster.”

“Was it a crow monster?”

I remembered the scene of crows tearing at the body of a dying crow.

“Crows are close to death.”

Benjamin recalled a phrase written in ancient records.

“If you’ve conquered the crow monster, you’ll know. It left the realm of humans.”

“…Dark magic, it must be dark magic. It embraces monsters, intervenes in death, and deals with monsters.”

Sharlov narrowed his eyes.

“You’ve become even more distant from humans.”

Next time, the next time we meet again.

“Has it changed a lot since the last time I saw it?”

“It might be far from the remembered appearance.”

Sharlov sighed softly.

“Oh.”

It’s unfortunate.

The dry leaves crumbled and scattered into powder.

“Did you give up on remaining human?”

“If dark magic is involved, it’s hard to remain human.”

Benjamin stomped the ground with his military boots. As the military boots hit the ground heavily, shoe prints were deeply imprinted on the soil.

“As you get closer to dark magic, your body will become less human. Even if the form of ‘that thing’ resembles a human, that thing cannot be human. If you think the soul involved in life and death is intact, that would be an aspiration.”

Sharlov cast his gaze far into the Suppression Front.

“How many died here?”

“There were twenty casualties.”

All the members of the mercenary group died.

“Too many sacrifices followed.”

Too many people have died.

“That thing is different. Abandon the notion that it will be the same as before.”

Benjamin warned as he spoke.

“The Suppression Front will become even more harsh.”

“If it becomes harsher, those who wield the blades must become stronger. Excessive fear may stiffen people, but if used appropriately, it will sharpen the blades even more.”

Hesitation in the Suppression Front leads directly to death. Those who cannot adapt will leave the Suppression Front.

“So, blades are like that.”

In the end, you fight and endure death.

Even if it’s scary, you have to endure it, and you wield the blades fiercely.

“The sky is dark.”

“The moon is bright.”

“Isn’t it getting shadowy?”

“I’ve walked this kind of path frequently.”

If you discuss your past life, there has never been a time when you lived comfortably.

So, death was more comfortable.

‘Even if it was unfair, it was comfortable.’
Having a body that had experienced death once, most things became indifferent.

“Is there anything else to see?”

“Let’s go down, that’s enough.”

Sharlov gently lowered his head.

“I’ll escort you down.”

The royal guards protected his side. The path down the cliff was slippery. “It’s slippery,” the royal guard said, holding Sharlov’s arm. Even with low-heeled shoes, it was challenging to walk.

Dash, pahsak.

Dash, pahsak.

The dirt behind the cliff crumbled and poured down.

“It’s annoying.”

Benjamin tousled his short hair. He grabbed Sharlov’s forearm and pulled him close.

“I’m not here to be misunderstood as a monster and killed. Come out.”

Soon, something rolled down.

An old woman crawled with her bag.

“Eugh, could you put the knife away, please? The path, the path to leave is just…”

“What should we do?”

As the royal guard drew his sword, the old woman extended her arm in terror.

“Oh, my child died here, trying to appease the ghost… I wanted to burn incense, perform a memorial service… My son died here… I just want to leave this place peacefully.”

“Was your son a mercenary?”

“He left to hunt monsters.”

Pedelin pulled the old woman’s forearm by Sharlov.

“He’s consumed by fear. Instead of yelling, it’s better to quietly escort him down.”

The old woman dropped her baggage. Incense, matches, and dried fish spilled out. The old woman fumbled on the ground.

“Where, where is it…”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m, I’m fine.”

The sky darkened.

Now, it was more important to go down.

“For now, let’s go down.”

The old woman felt around and put incense and matches in her bag. Among the dried fish, there was a rock that she had put in.

“…”

Sharlov picked up the fallen dried fish and put it in the old woman’s bag.

“Eugh.”

The old woman continued to roll down the steep path.

“Sorry, sorry.”

Sharlov followed the old woman.

Pedelin realized.

“He’s blind.”

The old woman was blind.