A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

Just as he turned to leave

“Mr. Bray, I always thought you were the kind of person who would never run away, just like you were back in the Abyss,” Marek interjected at that moment.

“No need today,” Bray replied casually.

"Is that so? How about we take a look at this scene?" Marek then clapped his hands, and a screen of light appeared in mid-air.

Bray, who was about to retreat, suddenly stopped.

"..." Bray gripped the broadsword behind him without the slightest hesitation.

The scene shows Naruko and Levy running continuously.

Strictly speaking, it was Levy, who was carrying Naruko, who was running wildly on one side.

The two were located right inside this base.

"What's going on?" Bray asked expressionlessly.

From Bray's eyes, it was clear that Marek needed to provide an answer.

“I arrested both of them,” Marek said calmly.

"Then, they ran away, just like you're seeing now."

"However, after I tried to catch them, I realized why you've never been threatened with those two before."

Even though these two people were always by Bray's side, they were never used to threaten him.

Why is that? Would someone who opposes Bray be so kind as not to use hostages as a threat?

of course not.

"That girl with long pink hair is really lucky."

"No, luck can no longer explain everything."

"It's truly a miracle."

“I don’t even know how she managed to escape with the other child,” Marek said, clapping his hands in frustration.

This is not sarcasm, but a genuine expression of emotion.

That pink-haired Eastern girl possessed neither the strength to transcend her race nor sufficient wisdom.

But she somehow managed to stay by Bray's side.

And who is Bray? He is a man of discipline.

Leaving aside the silver and iron hybrid, how did this completely ordinary girl manage to stay safe and sound all this time?

If it were anyone else, they would probably have been "killed" by the curse that Bray carried.

Those who uphold the precepts are forced to face not a beautiful world, but a cruel tragedy from which there is no joy.

Gurid's understanding of the ring was actually not wrong.

In a way, a ring can indeed be seen as a curse, and a very malicious one at that.

"Of course, judging from your reaction, taking them hostage is indeed quite a significant move."

“But catching him like that is a real headache,” Marek continued, then coughed.

"What are you thinking?" Bray couldn't understand Marek, nor did he want to.

Because when you don't understand something, you can just ask.

"I'll make you face Nalan, so you can't avoid the battle," Marek said loudly.

The next moment, everything around them collapsed, and an arena paved with gold was completed.

All of this happened like magic; it can only be described as incredible.

"Although it would be difficult to catch or kill those two girls."

“But if I were to disregard everything, I might still be able to do it,” Marek said with a light laugh, tugging at his white glove.

Although Naruko's "luck" is almost miraculous, there's always a way if you use your knowledge.

"..." Bray didn't speak this time, but just took a deep breath.

“But I won’t do it.” Marek changed the subject, saying something that puzzled Bray.

"The person in front of you will probably be the one who goes after those two girls."

"Why?" Bray asked, addressing both Marek and Nalan.

“Because I want to fight you, to fight you to the death,” Nalan said emotionlessly, his eyes seemingly filled with a firm conviction.

That is a distorted belief belonging to utopianists.

“If you don’t kill me, I will do everything I can to kill them. You only have one option left: fight me.”

"Is this a threat?" Bray raised an eyebrow, his dead fish eyes showing a hint of negativity.

“Yes, it is a threat,” Nalan answered without hesitation.

“Mr. Bray, since you may not be very familiar with the situation, let me explain it to you.” Marek smiled on his pale face.

He could tell from Bray's eyes that Bray was ready to fight, and he wasn't going to back down.

He made the right choice—the right lines, the right actors.

Then this un-monastic man made up his mind to fight.

“Nalan said you were a positive ring wearer before because your ring was the original.”

“You are the positive side, then Nalan is the negative side.”

"But there is no difference between the positive and the negative; both are now equally sharing the 'fate' bestowed upon them by the world's will through the craftsman."

"Neither you nor Nalan carry the rule of 'difficult to die' with them anymore."

"However, once either the one who wears the ring dies, the ring becomes ownerless, and the other ring will completely take over that 'fate'."

In other words, the world will protect them throughout their lives and guide them throughout their lives—

"The remaining person is the true savior."

"He is the true Savior of the world."

“Even a Silver-ranked person could be cut down, someone who transcends their own limits,” Marek said vividly.

In this golden arena, he stood at the highest point and delivered his speech, like a narrator faithfully fulfilling his duty.

"Cough cough... Damn it." But halfway through his sentence, he coughed up some blood and had to stop talking.

In the empty arena, Bray and Nalan listened to everything Marek had to say.

“You heard it all, right? You understand it now?” Nalan looked at Bray with a solemn expression.

He craved power; he longed to defeat enemies he could not possibly defeat... He yearned to save the world.

Without Marek, he would have remained a so-called S-class adventurer forever.

If it weren't for Marek, the suppressed desire in his heart would never have erupted.

There are always some people who, from childhood, harbor a suppressed dream.

That dream was to become a hero, a savior, to be embraced, revered, and worshipped...

When he is saved by a "hero," he will not feel grateful, but resentful.

Why not act as a "hero" to save others and earn their gratitude?

Why am I the one being grateful to others?

Why?! Why is that?!

It's because we're not strong enough.

“I understand, so what?” Bray said calmly, his right eye lifeless. If Nalan were still in his original state, Bray could probably defeat him with just the hilt of his sword.

Marek was well aware of this, and in order to enable Nalan to seize the "destiny" on the ring, and to allow him to forever touch the supreme glory there, Marek prepared a "hell" for Nalan.

The spell "Battle of Life and Death" can only be used if both parties agree.

However, in a "life-or-death battle," both sides are in a very strange state, especially when the two sides with vastly different strengths use this spell, the feeling becomes even more strange.

The strong will feel like they've fallen into an abyss, while the weak will feel like they've touched something they couldn't understand before.

Marek prepared countless life-or-death battles for Nalan, and his enemies were all monsters.

For various reasons, those monsters had no choice but to accept the requirement of a life-or-death battle.

Fighting these monsters is Nalan's trial.

However, Nalan's strength is, at best, barely passable.

Even though the life-or-death battle leveled out a large portion of the numerical values, there are still subtle differences in their abilities.

A life-or-death battle can only come very close to fairness, but it can never achieve absolute fairness.

How can Nalan, who is at a disadvantage due to unfair circumstances, win battle after battle?

do not know.

Just like no one knows how Bray initially defeated that dark swordsman.

Marek was merely trying to guide Nalan down that path.

Of course, if Nalan really does get through this difficult path, then it's only natural that he becomes stronger.

In a state of absolute equality, in order to defeat the opponent, one must constantly understand all of the opponent's actions and thoughts.

Otherwise, they would be defeated and become the ones who die in the life-or-death battle.

Resilience, decisiveness, and continuous reflection are sometimes more important than mastering skills.

This process is already a path to becoming powerful.

Marek was looking forward to seeing what potential this person he had deceived could unleash.

And so, the adventurer he had chosen succeeded.

Beneath the adventurer's righteous and unassuming exterior lies the original sin deeply ingrained in human instinct.

The doctrine of the "Children of Light" includes the seven deadly sins.

However, in the philosophical history of the Iron race, there is another theory about the evil of the Iron race—the Eight Deadly Sins.

Greed, vanity, jealousy, hatred, curses, betrayal, disloyalty, and rebellion.

Marek saw most of the original sin in Nalan; at least the first five original sins were fully manifested in him.

At the same time, these original sins gave him a twisted willpower.

Although the purpose of his persistence had long been distorted beyond recognition, it did make him more resilient than anyone could imagine.

“A battle can only begin if both sides are willing,” Nalan said in a low voice.

"If either side lacks the will to fight, the battle cannot begin."

“Now, both of us have the desire to fight, right?” Nalan gripped his straight sword with both hands and assumed a fighting stance.

His upright posture made it seem as if his entire body had transformed into a knife.

“…” Bray stood still, holding his twin swords, staring at the other person’s serious expression.

Nalan's expression was dignified and righteous, not like that of a twisted madman.

Because no matter how you look at it, Nalan's character, in everything he says and does, is just like a madman.

However, when you face him directly, you may have a misconception.

He is doing what he believes is right, and he has no doubt about its correctness.

It seems that his actions are absolutely justified, and that what he does is right.

It seems there's nothing wrong with his desire to kill Bray and his act of threatening Bray with the two girls.

Those eyes, filled with murderous intent, revealed unwavering determination.

Nalan genuinely wanted to change Kapras's tragic future and to stop the gods from descending.

However, the one who can change the tragedy of Capra, the one who can stop the gods, must be him.

He is indispensable as a savior, and he is indispensable as a hero.