"Ma, wait! Don't go too fast!"

"Yeah, this kid was just being used."

Into the ground, sheltering a pully, tiny, shivering blonde girl, me and Arthur call out desperately to a bunch of women staring at this one with their mouths in the form of laughs but not laughs at Katana. All of them are grasping their weapons and pointing their killer at us in a clear way. Seeing that, my anxiety about if I'm really doing the right thing passes my chest and I look at the girl shivering behind me and shake it off. I can't think of killing such a pretty girl.

Me and Arthur snorted at each other before they snorted up with Jiriziri. Arthur steps out in front of us, and I lift the girl up and start running.

"Wait, hey, oh!

I run, throbbing at the horrible voice I hear from behind. Who is right and who is wrong. There's nothing to prove that I'm right. There's just a girl trembling in her arms.

Why did this happen?

It all started with that email yesterday.

――――――――――――

"Hidden area?

Around a few days after the St. Yard offense, a message came from Ruggett. The content was "I found a quest in the city of St. Yard that seems to indicate a hidden area." To sum it up briefly: 'It is said that in the centre of the holy realm there is a connection that leads to an evil castle. They have a lying witch and a captive girl in the castle. I want you to see if it's true'. They need an item called "The Mirror of Truth" to get from the junction to the castle, but they already have it.

When you ask me why you gave me that information, it seems like you have a limited number of people to put into the castle at once, and your guild alone may not be able to attack the castle enough. Then it seems that we should invite someone close to us.

Indeed, the main protagonists of Rugged Sword were Rugged Torah and the Sword Dog. Other guild members seem to be working quite well as a strategy group, but they are inferior to each other. There are no more sworddogs that were one of the main forces, and if it becomes the latest hidden area, there will be powerful enemies. However, other players may discover hidden areas while building up their strength. Then why don't we ask the other players to help us?

Hidden area? Maybe you'll get some rare items, and maybe you can join us. He seems to be inviting other powerful people, and he won't have any partisan problems.

I sent an e-mail that I would join.

And the next day, we headed to the designated location in the city of St. Yard.

There are church and stone statues in various places in the city, and NPC also wears black and white Sister clothes... targeted guys. The sky is always clear, and this city is kind of restless.

"Excuse me, you know"

Suddenly walking down the road, NPC, a blonde woman in Sister clothes, talked to me. I heard rumors, but certain NPCs in this city are going to talk about players coming through the vicinity. When they hang out to the end, they buy a "holy cow". The price is as expensive as a fool, I bought it and then I looked at the description and it just said something about it. Fraudsters using religion...... It seems that some NPCs look somewhere in time and pray out, and I guess not all of them are such bad guys......

"Fine."

I couldn't turn it down when they gave me tissues and flyers in real life. Hey, or whatever, but I'll block NPC's words and turn it down.

"Chip."

Hey...... I just got that NPC tongue pounding. It's a hell of a bastard......

It's my first time...... NPC who made me so cocky.

As we walked that way, we arrived at the coffee shop 'Cross' at the rendezvous point. They're already waiting inside. He noticed me through the glass and waved at me. I wave lightly too and go inside the coffee shop. There are a lot of coffee shops to meet these days.

There is a quiet atmosphere in the coffee shop. Is it also one of the reasons why this atmosphere is decorated with crosses and statues? That's a good place in there.

When I went to the seat where the Ra's and the others were sitting, they were all already there. Besides, they're all faces I've seen.

"Hey, Akatsuki!

Katana smiling and waving, and Arthur sat next to her. I've seen him face to face many times since that duel, but every time I see him, he fights from the front and loses and his memory is remembered. No revenge yet. I'm going to fight again when I get the chance.

Me, Rugged, Ra, Katana, Arthur, and the new Rugged Sword player, Sound Fox (Koneko), who has become an executive. These six of us are going to try a hidden area.

The Sound Fox seems to be second only to Ra amongst the guild members and has become an executive as a sworddog's cauldron. She's a brunette, short-haired girl with dark edged glasses. It is equipped with a one-handed sword and also uses a shield. It looks like Arthur and the Sound Fox will be serving as tanks today. Are you nervous about all the members, or are you gazing at me? That's what Ra-san says to calm him down. Surprisingly, Mr. Torah is a good person to take care of.

"Well, let's have a conversation somewhere we're all here."

When I sat next to Katana, Ruki started talking.

From the description of the quest, we can predict that there are many traps in the hidden areas that we will be going to. We must remain alert and proceed with caution. We've got all the items for Bad Status and Metastatic items in advance, so if it doesn't go as far as it goes, we'll be fine.

――――――――――――

The center of St. Yard.

I've come this far to make sure the parties work together against the monsters that come out on the way. Arthur and the Sound Fox prevent the enemy from attacking, while we attack behind them. Monsters are defeating well, and there won't be any problems with collaboration.

"Then I'll use it."

Rugi takes the 'Mirror of Truth' out of the item box. A little nervousness ran to the party. If nothing happens now, it will be a terrible shame.

"The Mirror of Truth" is a square shaped mirror. Snake writing crawls on the edges. Rugged took it in his hand, and when he glanced at it, the part of the light glowed purple. The light goes toward heaven.

Then I thought the blue sky with no clouds had suddenly become cloudy, and the purple thunder fell. Hit the ground and make a fierce noise. The sound fox screamed small.

The sky soon returned to the original blue sky, but a purple junction was formed in the area where the thunder fell. It emits a suspicious light. Is this the junction connected to the castle that there is what Quest calls a 'lying witch'?

Rugged silently stepped into that magic formation. At the same time, her figure can disappear in an instant. Then Mr. Ra enters the magic formation. The leftover sound fox was wobbly, but eventually Mr. Ra followed into the magic formation.

Then we should go too.

"Right."

"Oh."

The remaining troika of men also jumped into the magic formation following them. We were moving somewhere else, wondering if the purple light had stained our eyes for a moment.

A creepy sky filled with black, and a giant castle soaring in front of you. Apparently, we've successfully infiltrated a hidden area.

This is how our concealed area, Decave Castle, began its attack.