Chapter 22: The Name She Never Knew

The underground chamber shook violently.

Golden light collided with dark death energy.

BOOOOOOM!

Yuuiki opened his eyes.

Aurelion and Mortivar were still fighting.

Neither God seemed interested in the destruction surrounding them.

Another collision sent a wave of energy across the chamber.

Yuuiki immediately realized something.

I can't stay here.

His left leg was injured, but remaining underground would only put him closer to the battle between two Gods.

Yuuiki pushed himself up.

“...I need to get out.”

He released mist from his body.

The mist wrapped around his legs, helping him move despite the pain.

He limped toward the underground passage.

Behind him—

BOOM!

Aurelion and Mortivar collided again.

Yuuiki didn't look back.

He kept moving.

Escaping the Underground

Yuuiki finally reached the surface.

The moment he emerged, he froze.

Eryndor had changed completely.

Citizens were running through the streets.

Families were helping each other.

Children were being carried by adults.

Adventurers were guiding people away from damaged areas.

“Everyone, keep moving!”

“Head toward the eastern district!”

“Don't stop!”

Yuuiki watched the evacuation.

So it has already started...

The God of Death's awakening had affected the entire city.

Yuuiki tried to walk forward.

His injured leg nearly gave out.

“Gah...”

He caught himself against a wall.

A nearby healer noticed him.

“Hey!”

The healer adventurer rushed over.

“You're injured!”

“I'll be fine.”

“You're clearly not fine.”

The healer knelt beside him.

A soft healing light appeared around Yuuiki's leg.

FWOOSH...

The pain slowly faded.

Yuuiki looked down.

“You're an adventurer?”

The healer smiled.

“Of course. We can't just leave injured people behind.”

Yuuiki looked toward the underground entrance.

“Thank you.”

He stood.

The healer looked concerned.

“Where are you going?”

Yuuiki looked toward the distant disturbance.

“Back toward the fighting.”

The healer stared.

“Are you crazy?”

Yuuiki gave a small smile.

“Probably.”

Then he began moving.

“I need to know what's happening down there.”

Nyxhen and Zerav

Elsewhere, the battle against the Gravemaw Behemoth had finally ended.

Pieces of its stone armor were scattered throughout the street.

The creature had been defeated.

Nyxhen stood quietly with Noctesgrave in his hand.

Zerav stretched his arms.

“I can finally move again.”

Nyxhen glanced at him.

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“You were out for a while.”

“You try standing after getting hit by that roar.”

Nyxhen smirked.

“I didn't.”

Zerav sighed.

Then he looked toward the enormous disturbance coming from underground.

“Whatever is happening down there...”

He became serious.

“We should check it out.”

Nyxhen nodded.

The two began running.

After a few steps, Zerav spoke.

“Hey.”

Nyxhen looked over.

“I owe you.”

“For what?”

“For dealing with that Behemoth.”

Nyxhen smiled.

“Don't mind it.”

Zerav frowned.

“You're really not going to accept anything?”

“Nope.”

“Not even a thank you?”

“You already said it.”

Zerav sighed.

“You're annoying.”

Nyxhen laughed.

“Keep running.”

They continued toward the disturbance.

Neither of them knew exactly what waited underground.

But they could feel it.

Something enormous was moving beneath Eryndor.

Mina and Iris

Meanwhile, Mina and Iris were still fighting.

Their weapons collided again.

CLANG!

Mina stepped backward.

Iris followed.

“You've improved.”

Mina gritted her teeth.

“I'm not finished yet!”

She rushed forward.

Iris raised her blood dagger.

Mina twisted around the attack.

Her Crimson Blood Blade swung forward.

SLASH!

The blade struck Iris.

Iris staggered backward.

She dropped her blood dagger.

Her eyes widened.

For a moment, everything became quiet.

Iris fell to the ground.

Mina stood frozen.

“Iris...?”

She immediately lowered her weapon.

Iris was still conscious, but she was badly hurt and unable to continue fighting.

Mina slowly walked toward her.

Then she sat beside her.

“You were really strong.”

Iris looked at Mina.

Mina smiled faintly.

“I guess we both did pretty well.”

Iris stared at her.

Then she laughed.

“...You really have grown.”

Mina blinked.

“What?”

Iris's smile became softer.

“You've grown up now...”

She paused.

“...my little sister.”

Mina froze.

“...What?”

Iris looked directly at her.

“Or should I say...”

Her voice became quieter.

“Mina Gwisper.”

Mina's heart suddenly skipped.

A strange feeling passed through her.

The moment she heard that name—

Something inside her mind reacted.

A distant sensation.

A familiar warmth.

A memory she couldn't understand.

Mina touched her chest.

“...Gwisper?”

Her thoughts became confused.

Why does that name feel familiar?

She looked at Iris.

“What do you mean?”

Iris didn't answer.

Mina leaned closer.

“How do you know that name?”

She began asking questions faster.

“Who are you?”

“Why did you call me your little sister?”

“What is the Gwisper family?”

“Why do I feel like I've seen you before?”

“Why do you know my name?”

Iris's eyes slowly closed.

Mina stopped.

“...Iris?”

No answer.

“Iris!”

Mina gently shook her shoulder.

Nothing.

Iris had lost consciousness.

Mina stared at her.

Her mind was overflowing with questions.

My little sister...?

Gwisper...?

Why didn't I know?

An adventurer suddenly rushed toward them.

“Are you alright?”

Mina looked up.

The adventurer stared at Iris.

“Wait... isn't that the receptionist from the guild?”

Mina nodded slowly.

“Yeah.”

The adventurer crouched beside Iris.

“We need to get her somewhere safe.”

Another adventurer arrived with a healer.

They carefully carried Iris away.

Mina remained sitting for a moment.

She couldn't stop staring at Iris.

The words continued repeating inside her head.

My little sister.

Should I say... Mina Gwisper.

“...Who am I?”

Mina whispered.

The Tremor

Suddenly—

BOOOOOOM!

The ground shook.

Mina looked up.

“What was that?”

Another tremor followed.

RUMBLE...

Mina immediately stood.

The disturbance was coming from the direction of the underground battle.

She looked toward it.

Nyxhen...

Zerav...

What's happening down there?

Mina ran.

Yumiko

As Mina ran through the streets, she noticed a group of adventurers surrounding someone.

She slowed down.

Then her eyes widened.

“Yumiko!”

Yumiko was lying down while a healer treated her injured arm.

Mina rushed toward her.

“What happened to her?!”

The healer looked up.

“She exhausted herself protecting civilians. She'll be okay.”

Mina knelt beside Yumiko.

“Yumiko...”

Yumiko's eyes slowly opened.

Everything was blurry.

Then she saw Mina.

“...Mina?”

Mina smiled.

“Yeah.”

Yumiko slowly smiled back.

Mina gently held her hand.

“Don't worry.”

“Everything's going to be okay.”

Yumiko blinked.

Then she gave a small laugh.

“It was just a scratch.”

Mina stared at her.

“That's not what a scratch looks like.”

Yumiko laughed weakly.

“You worry too much.”

Mina smiled.

“Of course I do.”

Nemi's Final Thread

Elsewhere, Nemi was still facing the ice mage.

The ice mage raised his hand.

Another icicle formed.

Nemi's threads immediately shot forward.

“Thread Charge!”

The thread wrapped around the icicle.

Nemi pulled.

The projectile changed direction and smashed into the wall.

The ice mage disappeared.

Nemi looked around.

“Where did he go?”

A blade of ice suddenly appeared behind her.

Nemi spun.

Her threads blocked it.

CLANG!

She jumped backward.

The ice mage attacked again.

Nemi's threads wrapped around his arm.

“Got you!”

She pulled him forward.

He stumbled.

Nemi quickly surrounded his body with threads.

The ice mage tried freezing them.

The threads began turning white.

Nemi's eyes widened.

“Oh no you don't!”

She pulled harder.

The ice mage was dragged toward a building.

Nemi wrapped several threads around a nearby street lamp.

Then another around a building.

Then another around the ice mage.

“Thread!”

She pulled all of them at once.

The combined force threw the ice mage into the street.

BOOM!

His ice armor shattered.

Nemi rushed forward.

Her threads wrapped around his arms.

He struggled.

“Stop moving!”

He froze.

Nemi tilted her head.

“...Did you surrender?”

The ice mage remained silent.

Nemi smiled.

“Hehe. I win.”

The ice mage finally dropped his weapon.

The battle was over.

Nemi looked at her ruined threads.

“...That took a lot of thread.”

She sighed.

“Still worth it.”

Two Intruders

Deep beneath Eryndor, Aurelion and Mortivar continued their battle.

Their attacks shook the underground chamber.

Then—

Mortivar suddenly stopped.

He looked toward the passage.

Two unfamiliar presences were approaching.

Aurelion noticed them too.

“Visitors?”

Mortivar looked toward the tunnel.

Footsteps echoed.

Nyxhen and Zerav were approaching.

They had finally reached the underground passage.

Nyxhen tightened his grip on Noctesgrave.

“What happened down here?”

Zerav looked ahead.

Then his expression changed.

“...That's him.”

Mortivar stared at the two newcomers.

Aurelion raised his hand.

Golden energy gathered around him.

“Two intruders.”

Golden light filled the chamber.

Dozens of glowing projectiles appeared in the air.

Aurelion's eyes narrowed.

“Golden Shine: Celestial Barrage.”

SHOOOOOM!

A storm of golden projectiles launched toward Nyxhen and Zerav.

Nyxhen immediately pulled Noctesgrave forward.

Zerav jumped aside.

The golden barrage tore through the underground passage.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Nyxhen dodged between the attacks.

Zerav rolled across the ground.

But Mortivar suddenly moved.

The God of Death vanished from the barrage.

Aurelion's golden projectiles continued past him.

Mortivar reappeared several meters away.

Nyxhen stared.

“So that's the God of Death...”

Zerav's expression became serious.

“Yeah.”

Mortivar slowly turned toward them.

His aura intensified.

Nyxhen raised Noctesgrave.

Zerav prepared himself.

Neither of them knew what they had just walked into.

The Pendant

Above the underground battle, Mina was still beside Yumiko.

She didn't notice the black pendant around her neck.

The pendant was still glowing.

But now...

A tiny crack had appeared across its surface.

Crack.

The black light pulsed again.

Pulse.

Mina continued talking to Yumiko.

She didn't feel it.

She didn't see it.

Another tiny crack formed.

Crack...

The pendant's glow became slightly brighter.

Something was trying to break through it.

Something that had been sealed inside.

And Mina had absolutely no idea.

Far below...

The Gods continued fighting.

Nyxhen and Zerav had entered the battlefield.

Yuuiki was making his way toward the underground chamber.

Iris had revealed a secret Mina had never known.

And the mysterious pendant around Mina's neck...

Was slowly breaking.