Two weeks had passed since the Rabbit battle, and I had fully recovered… except for the crushing defeat we suffered against it.
I was standing in a green field beside a river—more precisely, the five of us were there.
I punched Noah in the face and knocked him to the ground with a kick to his ankle. "Don't lower your arms from your face," I said as I reached out my hand to help him up.
"Yes sir, but… what's the point of training without using abilities or mana?"
"You can't rely solely on your ability. You need to balance it with martial arts."
"So, you're teaching me boxing? Then what will you teach them?" he asked, pointing to Mary and Khaled, who were sitting together.
Mary responded, "I've already learned swordsmanship back in the kingdom, and Khaled was a mercenary, so he must've learned a form of combat already." She turned back to Khaled and continued talking about a nearby Wish.
"What about Nier?" asked Noah, eyeing Nier, who was running in circles before suddenly stopping and approaching me, panting.
"Will you train me now?"
"No. Your role is support. You're not supposed to be in direct combat. You'll stay behind us, and we'll protect you—while you protect us in return."
"What? You won't even teach me how to use a sword?"
I pulled a dagger from my pocket. "Take this for now."
"Are you kidding me?!"
"Do you want it or not?"
"Fine, fine, I'll take it," he grumbled, stuffing it into his pocket.
"If there's any danger, run. Don't think about fighting," I said as I patted his head.
"Don't treat me like a kid! I'm sixteen. You can rely on me," he said, pushing my hand away.
"I do rely on you. But not everyone helps by holding a sword. You've saved my life multiple times when we fought the Rabbit—that's the role I'm asking you to play."
I pointed toward the nearby city visible in the distance.
"How do you think a society forms? Are they all knights? All fighters? No. Cooking, trade, even support—these things come together to build a community, no matter how 'trivial' you think they are."
"I get it. So I'll support you from the back."
"Exactly."
Suddenly, Khaled threw me my sword. "Here. I want to fight you."
"Why all of a sudden?"
"No reason. Just want to stretch my muscles."
Khaled led me away from the others, then turned to me.
"I've seen people use their friends as shields… but you—"
I cut him off with a smirk. "What, getting sentimental now?"
He grabbed my collar. "Why did you stand in front of that attack to protect me? You barely know me. I wasn't even nice to you. Why would you…?!"
I brushed his hand away. "First of all, let go. Second… as long as you're walking with me, and you've accepted me as the leader—then that means you're under my protection. Your survival is my mission."
Khaled sighed. "You'll die if you keep doing that."
"…Better me than you," I said, drawing my sword. "And trust me—I won't die."
Khaled stared silently at Nir, whose chest was still heaving from his earlier run. Then, almost in a whisper, he said,
"Maybe you won't die… but someone out there sees you as a role model."
I turned to Nier. He wasn't looking at me, but he clutched the dagger to his chest like it was a treasure.
"Me?... No. I shouldn't be anyone's role model."
Khaled raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Then hurry up and become one… before you lose the person who thinks you already are."
I let out a broken chuckle and wiped my brow.
"Thanks… that's the harshest support I've ever received."
Khaled drew his sword, and the clash began with a fast attack—unpowered by mana. I understood right away—he was testing my martial skills.
Too bad… he picked the wrong guy to test.
I parried, slid under his legs, and as he turned, I tossed a handful of dirt into his eyes.
He backed away, wiping his eyes. I went for a quick stab at his shoulder, but he kicked the sword out of my hand.
"You're unarmed now. This fight's over," he said, eyes tearing from the dust as he readied his sword.
"You know something, Khaled? I'm better with my fists than any blade."
Khaled tried a surprise strike at my neck, but I dropped to the ground and punched him square in the nose.
He tried to regain control, but I flipped onto my hands and kicked his face, slamming him to the ground. My sword, which he had knocked away earlier, fell from above and nearly hit his head—but I caught it just in time.
The sun was behind me, casting my shadow over Khaled.
"If you had used your ability, I might've been in trouble," I said as I sheathed my sword.
"How? How did I lose so fast?"
"Looks like someone's ego just got shattered," said Mary, walking up with her usual smile.
Noah added, "Are you two done, or are we heading to the city?"
Khaled stood, climbed into the cart, and was followed by Mary and me. Noah took off.
Two hours later, we arrived at the gates of Scarvain, the mercenary capital. As expected, the locals stared at us with suspicion—they weren't fond of strangers.
"Hello, travelers," said a group of rough-looking men approaching us. One in the middle stepped forward. "Let me be direct. You know this city's dangerous, so we're offering protection."
"No thanks. We can handle ourselves," Mary replied quickly. But I added, "Can you guard our cart while we're gone?"
"Sure. That'll cost one silver coin."
"Deal."
As we walked away, Mary scolded me.
"Why'd you agree to that?"
"And why shouldn't I?"
"They're a gang!"
"Exactly. Which means people listen to them."
Khaled added, "Mary, we can't always rely on honorable methods. Influence matters. We can't afford to anger the ruling gang here."
"I get that but…"
Suddenly, a thick red gas filled the area—it was poison. I immediately activated the Hurricane Calamity, dispersing the gas. But behind me, a girl appeared, using the smoke as cover and tried to stab me.
She froze in place—literally—encased in ice.
"What?!" she gasped, shocked.
I patted Nier's head. "Good job."
"Thanks," he said, trying to hide his smile as we all turned to the assassin.
"Who are you?" Khaled asked first.
"Do you think I'd tell you?" she replied.
I could feel the terrified gazes of the people around us—the kind that only dangerous people attract.
"Should I torture her to get answers?" Khaled asked coldly.
"No. Leave her to me," I said.
"You won't get anything out of me, so don't bother," she sneered.
I placed my hand on her head and read her entire past in a moment.
"Your name's Lucy, isn't it?"
Her eyes widened. "How… How do you know my name?"
"That doesn't matter."
Khaled interrupted, "No, it does matter. I want to know."
Mary nodded, "Me too."
I sighed. "I have an ability called Past Reading. I can live through the life of anyone I touch."
"Wait—did you read my past that day when you asked me to give you my hand?"
Embarrassment hit me like a truck. "It was necessary for your training."
"Don't you understand privacy?" Mary snapped, moving away from me—so did the others.
"Can we focus on what matters?"
Mary responded, "Our privacy is what matters. I swear, if you read my past again, I'll gut you."
"I won't. I promise. I only read Noah's past," I said, pointing toward a man in the crowd—masked, cloaked in black. Once he realized I'd spotted him, he fled.
"Catch him!"
Nier immediately launched five stakes from the ground, impaling the man and killing him on the spot.
"Nier, what did you do?! I told you to catch him, not kill him!" Mary screamed in horror.
I stepped in, "It's fine. I can extract information from corpses… Noah, bring him here."
"This isn't about information! We can't turn the kid into a killer."
She was right. For most races, a person can live and die without ever shedding a drop of blood.
Unfortunately, that's not the case for End Writers.
"S-sorry… I didn't mean to…"
Mary said, "Don't apologize. What you did wasn't wrong… it's just… someone else should've done it."
"No… he should've done it. What we're about to face is dangerous. If we're not prepared to shed blood, we'll die," I replied as Noah placed the corpse on the ground. I touched it and read its past.
"So? What did you see?" Khaled asked.
"He's from Arcanthia. Looks like they're trying to assassinate me in preparation for war."
"What will you do with me?" asked Lucy, still frozen in ice.
I raised the Hero's Sword toward her—it began to tremble.
"I know you know the details. I want you to join our team."
"I refuse."
"I've read your past. You're working under the Mercenary Queen by force. Why not turn this into a mutual gain?"
"There's no difference between you and her. You both want to throw my life away."
"That's not how I work. As long as you're on my team, I'll do my best to keep you alive."
Lucy looked at us with suspicion, calculating probabilities. Then, after a long silence,
"…Fine. I'll join."
*******
Lucy guided us to the Mercenary Queen's location, and as we reached the entrance:
"Wait, everyone. There's something I need to do. Khaled, you're in charge while I'm gone."
"Where are you going, hero?"
"There's something I have to take care of—and besides, you're better at persuasion than I am. Lead the conversation."
"But… what am I supposed to do?"
"Do what you think is right. I trust your decisions."
Khaled sighed. "Alright…"
And with that, the hero handed over the spotlight to Khaled.
The hero trusts me... so I need to live up to that responsibility.
We made our way to the office of the Mercenary Queen, Liana. The halls were bathed in a deep blue hue, and chandeliers lit without fire added to the luxury of the place.
It didn't take long before we reached the office door, and Lucy opened it for us.
"Welcome back, Lucy… and who are these people?" Liana asked, examining each of us carefully.
She was massive—around three meters tall, with horns sprouting from her head and black wings matching her size. She clearly wasn't human. She was a dragon, and beside her stood her two assistants.
"Greetings, Lady Liana. My name is Khaled, and I'm a member of the hero's team," I said politely.
She replied, "Yes, we've heard about you. Tell me what you want, and make it quick."
"We're only here for Lucy. It turns out she's the fifth chosen one, so perhaps we can make a deal."
"I'm afraid I'll have to refuse. We already have a contract—and she's my best assassin."
Lucy erupted in anger. "You didn't sign a contract with me! You signed it with the orphanage! I was just a commodity in that deal!"
"A contract is a contract. Whether you were the commodity or a party in it—it can't be broken."
I tried to calm Lucy down. "Wait… there must be a way."
Suddenly, a voice called from behind us.
"Then there's no deal." The hero's voice echoed through the room, drawing the spotlight back to him.
I stepped forward toward Liana, continuing, "If you won't let us take her peacefully, then we'll take her by force."
"Do you realize what you're saying? You're challenging the ruling power of Scarvain," Liana growled. She studied me—surprised by my arrogance, barely hiding her rage. She clearly wasn't used to being challenged… or perhaps she was simply sick of it.
I smirked mockingly. "This is just a corrupt city, ruled by a bunch of failures… led by a dragon who couldn't earn respect from her people, so she took it by oppressing weak humans."
Liana's fury peaked. "You've crossed the line," said the man beside her—moments before Khaled used Aether to decapitate him from a distance.
Immediately, Khaled started barking orders. "Nier! Freeze Lucy!"
"On it!"
Ice formed around her, encasing her completely. Unbreakable contracts? A wicked grin crept across my face. I think I'll take a few after this chaos ends.
Liana charged at me, sending shards flying—but Noah stepped in and protected us.
"Mary, take Lucy to a safe place and protect her."
"But I can help—"
"You're the best defender after Noah. Go—now."
She glanced at Lucy with a hint of sadness. "Understood."
She lifted the ice block and leapt through the glass window to somewhere far away.
I turned my attention back to Liana, who was now engaged in direct combat with Noah and Khaled. And she had the upper hand.
"Everyone, up—now!" I shouted.
They all jumped and clung to the ceiling. Without delay, I activated the Earthquake Calamity, demolishing the entire floor. We all fell to the ground level, but I used the Hurricane Calamity to soften our landing—and the others landed safely with me.
The hall we landed in appeared to be a massive training room, with broken equipment scattered from the collapse. Her army began to gather around us.
"Everyone, hold off the army. I'll deal with this pathetic dragon."
Noah replied, "Wait, don't underestimate her—she's strong."
"It'll get worse if all of them join in." I pulled gloves from my bag—equipped with circular retractable blades that served as both shield and weapon. "Here—I bought this for you."
Noah's face showed gratitude, but there was no time for thanks.
The Mercenary Queen rose, furious, her body beginning to transform into a full dragon. Her horns grew to nearly two meters, and her wings expanded, replacing her arms entirely.
Khaled pulled Noah back while Nir froze every exit except the main gate.
She took a deep breath and exhaled scorching fire… or, at least, it would've been scorching—had she been a real dragon.
With the Flood Calamity, I extinguished her flames and pushed forward, overwhelming her attack. The water reached her throat and forced her to cough violently.
I didn't waste the opportunity. In Lightning Form, I dashed behind her and stabbed her neck—but the sword got stuck. I couldn't pull it out.
Still, that wasn't the strangest thing.
Liana's body began to change again—yellow skin grew over her scales, her size shrinking but remaining massive. Before I could react, she grabbed my arms and slammed me into the ground.
Her new form… was something even Lucy had never seen before. A monstrous yellow creature.
"For 60 years, no one has dared defy me. What makes you think you're better than them?"
I didn't answer. I stood again, ready to continue the fight.
I returned to Lightning Form, grabbed a fallen sword, and began climbing her arm as she tried to punch me, aiming for her head.
"Stop, you little bug!" she shouted, trying to swat me. She almost did—but I switched arms and slashed across her entire arm.
But the cuts healed. Every wound vanished instantly.
I tried to retreat and think of another plan—but she slammed me into the wall.
My ribs cracked, poking through my skin. But there was no time for pain. I moved, dodging her next attack.
I dropped to my knees, panting in agony—but the fight wasn't over. I used the Flood Calamity again, focusing all the water on her face—shattering her jaw.
Her scream echoed through the hall. Her jaw nearly fell on my head, but I flipped forward and dodged it.
I tried to catch my breath, but I couldn't stand. My legs betrayed me.
Suddenly, without warning, everyone stopped fighting. Even Khaled and the others. A path cleared—out of respect or fear—for something approaching.
A man in a white coat, like a doctor's, with pale skin and empty eyes, walked toward us, carrying a medical bag in his right hand.
This man… was a Wish. Someone who dedicated their life to a noble goal and died while pursuing it—but their body didn't stop. It kept going.
Even starving beasts show respect to people like him and pause their fights when they pass—so how could we not?
He approached me. I tried to stand and show respect—but he stopped me, set down his bag, and began treating me.
He reset my ribs with one hand and stitched my wounds with the other—like a professional who's done this for centuries. And strangely, I didn't feel any pain.
Before I could process it, he was done—in under a minute.
He turned to Liana next, but her jaw had already healed, so he packed his tools and left as silently as he came.
We watched him go.
Someone shouted, "Alright, he's gone."
Immediately, I activated Lightning Form again and dodged Liana's foot as she tried to stomp me.
I began climbing the walls despite the pain from my injuries, even though they had healed.
I kept climbing until I reached the first floor, but Liana's eyes locked onto my comrades.
"Hey! Useless dragon! Never turn your back on your opponent!"
She spun around in a panic—just as I planned.
I drove my blade into her eye, tearing through everything I could see.
There was barely any oxygen, and darkness spread as far as I could see—but I kept cutting until I reached the skull.
I gathered all the water from her blood and used it to create an exit. I emerged, soaked in blood. I couldn't stop—her regeneration increased the more she got injured.
This was my chance. Liana was down, brain-damaged and unable to move.
"Hey, you," she said in a harsh voice. "Don't think you've won. I know you can't use two calamities at once—and I know how to exploit that weakness."
"Oh really? And what else do you know?"
"I know that your Lightning Calamity consumes the least mana… then Hurricane, then Flood, and Earthquake last."
'What we use on this land'?
Does that mean other lands have power sources different from mana?
I began sarcastic clapping. "Wow, you really know a lot."
Liana stood again, parts of her brain having regenerated, and started laughing.
"I was afraid the distraction would fail, but you fell for it so easily."
I smirked. "Oh no, how unexpected. Such genius. Guess I'll add shapeshifting dragons to my fear list."
"What are you planning?"
"Betrayal."
"Hero!" shouted Liana's right-hand man, Scott, throwing her a high-tier mana gem.
I blasted it with a lightning bolt, through the window Mary had broken earlier.
The explosion rang through the hall. Khaled, Nier, Scott, and I all ducked behind Noah, who took the brunt of it with his body while Nier covered it with ice to shield us from the heat.
When the smoke cleared, the battlefield was empty. Everyone who had been fighting moments ago had fled to save themselves.
"Scott, you damn traitor! I'll kill you!" shouted Liana before the smoke fully cleared.
We saw her twisted form—half her skin charred, the other half gone. Her skull and ribcage were exposed—her intestines visible.
I climbed onto her forehead and whispered so no one else could hear:
"In all my 300 years, no one has ever stood their ground against me… You, little girl—you're no different."
With one final strike, Khaled cut out her heart—killing her.
*******
Three days later, forces from the kingdom of Iltexa reclaimed control over the city and began enforcing the law. That was when we decided to leave.
"I won't join you because I owe you. I'm an assassin—breaking promises is a problem for me."
"Then why are you joining us?" Mary asked Lucy as she tried to justify herself.
"I want to see the world. I was stuck in this filthy city for so long… but now I'm free."
Mary smiled. "Then it's mutual interests."
"You could say that."
Suddenly Khaled asked, "Hey, hero—you still have the seed, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Well… the Knight's desire for it was troubling. I thought maybe you could use your past-reading thing and find out what it really is."
"I've thought about that… a lot, actually. But I don't know. There's something ominous about it—something I'm not supposed to know yet."
"You… afraid?" Nier asked in his usual innocent tone.
"Yes. I am. Everyone gets scared…"
Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Scott standing alone.
"Excuse me—I have something to do. I'll catch up later." I approached him, smiling, unaware that Lucy was following me.
When he saw me, he grabbed my collar. "Where are the bombs? You said you planted them in my house and that my family would die if your heart stopped!"
I let go of his hand. "Oh, the bombs? Yeah, I lied."
"What?!"
"I said that nonsense to make you help us. Hurting someone else's family… that's a monstrous act. I'd never do that."
Tears welled in Scott's eyes—not of sorrow, but of relief.
"Listen, Scott—this is your chance. Start a new life. But this time, a legal one."
"I don't need advice from a blackmailer," he muttered as he walked away.
"I can't believe you blackmailed him… I'm starting to like you," came Lucy's voice, surprising me from behind.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to say goodbye to Scott… but I got something better."
"Please don't tell anyone. Especially Mary."
"Of course. Your secret's safe with me."
I sighed. "Thanks."
As we walked back, she began talking.
"I thought heroes were supposed to be boring."
"I'm not a hero."
"You're not?"
"I just… do what feels right. Or… well, I think it's right. I don't really know. I just do it."