A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

He actually felt that Marek came out at that time just to buy time.

The fake ordination master, the tower, and finally, what Marek calls growth.

No matter how you think about it, nothing good will happen.

Marek kept saying that the five people were saviors.

But weren't these five "saviors" just something Marek, a member of the "Alliance of the Gods," came up with?

“Let’s continue upstairs,” Bray said, looking up at Naruko and Levy beside him.

“But if we go up again, it will be evening when we come down,” Naruko reminded Bree.

“It doesn’t matter.” Bray shook his head.

"Aren't you afraid Levy will go hungry?"

“…” Bray was stunned.

"Then let's hurry up," Bray said helplessly.

"?" Levy tilted her head, not understanding why she was suddenly mentioned.

---

Bray quickened his pace as he climbed the stairs, no longer as leisurely as before.

"Make way," Bray said, cleaving the strange creature that lunged at him with a single stroke of his sword.

The creature had a human face, but its entire body looked like a wheel, burning with pale flames.

If you look closely, you'll find that there are murals depicting this monster on the wall.

Not only this wheel-shaped monster, but most of the monsters Bray encountered before were also painted on the wall.

For example, there is a dragon with three heads and a plaster face in the center of its body, or an angel mummy wrapped in bandages.

“There’s more ahead,” Naruko said.

“I saw it,” Bray said, and then swung his sword again.

There was no blood; the monster inside the stone tower emitted only golden specks.

After the starlight flows out, it will drift away lightly, like smoke, or to put it more beautifully—like a galaxy.

"There are so many corpses here, did you chop them up?" Naruko looked around, all of them were monster corpses.

“No,” Bray said.

“What about this?” Naruko pointed to the huge corpse in front of her.

"This isn't it either."

The floor where Bray is now located is quite spacious.

The monster's corpse occupied one-fifth of the floor's volume.

Thinking about it this way, you can tell how big this monster is.

However, this monster has already been defeated.

As for who defeated him, Bray didn't need to think about it carefully to know.

"Brai, look, there's a teleportation stone here too." Naruko, fearless as ever, had already slipped behind the monster and was waving her hand vigorously at Brai.

"..." Bray thought she was pretty brave. Wasn't she afraid that the monster wasn't actually dead and might suddenly attack?

"I'm about to press it down!" Naruko continued to shout.

"This time, I'm telling you in advance!"

“…” Bray’s heart skipped a beat.

Was he going to be teleported away again like before? Although nothing would happen in the end, the process was a bit terrifying, and Bray was extremely reluctant to try it again.

Who wants to see themselves disappear little by little?

"Naruko, I want to press it!" Levy said excitedly.

"Does Levy want to press it?"

"Mmm!" Levy saw Naruko press it before, and now she wants to try it too.

"Then I'll have Levy press it!" Naruko shouted from a distance.

“No need to shout, I can hear you.” Bray’s lips twitched.

If Levy tries to force it... Bray won't stop her; she'll just have to accept her fate.

"Come on, press it." Naruko lifted Rei high so that she could reach it.

Rebecca wagged her tail rapidly like a puppy, then stretched out her little hand expectantly (o▽)o

Press it, and everyone will be surrounded by a blue light, which will then gradually disappear.

Levy's idea is so exciting!

But to be honest, Levy's interests are getting weirder and weirder these days.

Perhaps because she's been with Bray for too long, even the adorable Levy's thought process has started to become strange.

"Boom!!! Boom!!!!" Unfortunately, just as Levy was about to press down, a huge sound came from above.

It wasn't just one or two noises, but a continuous stream of noise.

This sound gives you the illusion that the ceiling is about to collapse at any moment.

"Um..." Levy's cute smile froze, her little hands hanging in the air, unsure of what to do.

Now...should I press it down myself?

"Levy, stop pressing!" Naruko suddenly snapped to attention and quickly grabbed Levy, running to the other side.

"Crack—" The ceiling cracked and then collapsed in an instant.

The rubble fell right where Naruko and Levy had been a second ago.

"Phew." Naruko wiped away her cold sweat.

"As expected of me, a beautiful girl with incredible intuition," Naruko muttered to herself.

The rubble buried the giant monster's corpse, raising clouds of dust.

The presence of this dust seemed to have disrupted the sacred atmosphere of the white stone tower.

The sounds of clashing blades, along with various strange sound effects, echoed overhead.

Bray looked in the direction of the sound and spotted the five mysterious figures.

And—something else. "Splash—" A shower of stones began to fall from above.

A wave of energy spread through the smoke and dust, and Bray was pushed a considerable distance away.

As for Naruko, she was grabbed by the collar by Levy and jumped aside.

"What did those five guys summon?" Bray, who was shielding himself from the wind with his arm, couldn't help but purse his lips.

Five mysterious figures, who had originally been wearing long robes, now had their robes torn.

It seems that the quality of that robe wasn't much better.

As for what destroyed the robes of those five mysterious people, it was probably the "beast" that is now clinging to the broken ceiling with its limbs.

However, if their robes were destroyed, these five guys couldn't really be considered mysterious figures.

After all, the robe is gone, and the mystery is gone.

Two imperial men, an Eastern woman, a minotaur, and a barbarian.

This is the configuration of those five people.

Bessie, who came before, was one of the Imperials, and of course, Nalan was also an Imperial.

Of course, as mentioned a long time ago, "Imperial" does not actually refer to people from the Empire.

The term "imperial" simply refers to a race, just as "barbarian" doesn't necessarily mean barbaric.

---

"Roar!!!" The beast gripping the broken walls let out a huge roar, declaring its dominance over the place.

The roar materialized into a tangible impact, shattering everything around it.

That "beast" was not a living creature, but a creation of a mage.

Its body is made of minerals, but the golden tiger-shaped head on its head makes it look wild.

It doesn't walk on four legs, but moves like a human, as agile as an ape.

"Nalan, take down this guy," the minotaur said in a deep voice.

"Barbarian Horn, take the lead." Nalan nodded after understanding.

The minotaur, known as the Barbarian Horned One, stood silently at the very front.

Bessie was injured by Bray's kick earlier and doesn't seem to be able to fight now.

So they could only rely on the remaining four people.

However, why they fought alongside wild beasts remains unknown.

At least Bray doesn't know for sure right now.

Therefore, as he watched the battle, he could only frown and had no way of deciding which side to strike with his sword.

"You're still here?" Nalan seemed to have noticed Bray's presence and subconsciously looked over.

"..." Bray did not reply.

"Just stay quiet and watch from the sidelines. Don't do anything unnecessary." Seeing that Bray didn't respond, Nalan casually warned him.

Then he pulled a long knife out of thin air, looking as if he were facing a formidable enemy.

"What are they doing?" Naruko asked.

“You’re asking me? How would I know?” Bray said irritably.

Bray had initially thought these five men were up to no good.

But when I got there, I found out they were fighting with something I didn't know.

Just as the two were talking, one of the five "monastics" that Marek mentioned took a few steps forward.

His white hair, brown skin, and red eyes all pointed to him as a barbarian.

However, he did not possess the strength that people traditionally associate with barbarians.

Of course, he's not nameless, but if I mention too many characters' names now, you'll probably be like Bray and won't be able to remember them.

The barbarian stretched out his hand, and countless white lines appeared around him.

The white lines connect to form a polygonal frame, locking the beast inside.

"Roar—" The golden tiger-headed beast let out a long roar, and then its figure disappeared from the spot.

Because it moves so fast, it is impossible for the naked eye to catch it, giving people the illusion that it is disappearing.

Those with slightly lower strength could only barely perceive the afterimages left behind.

Furthermore, it does not move in a straight line, but constantly leaps using the surrounding obstacles, making its movements completely unpredictable.

Despite the white frame constantly deforming and extending, it seemed unable to keep up with the monster's speed.

In the blink of an eye, the beast escaped from its cage and pounced directly on Nalan, who seemed to pose the greatest threat.

After all, from any perspective, Nalan gives the impression of being the leader.

Eliminating him first is the right choice.

“Good timing…” Nalan said solemnly, gripping his knife with both hands, his face showing no fear.

"You're quite serious, aren't you?" The woman from the East teased Nalan, who was assuming a fighting stance.

However, there was no hint of mockery in her eyes.

Originally, she and Nalan were adventurers who went to fight the Demon King of the Mathematical Principles.

Until... they were shocked by the truth Marek revealed, and they saw the evidence Marek presented with their own eyes.