After that, the labyrinth exploration progressed without any major threats. As if that trap had been the only one.

“Seriously, there’s nothing else?”

Naiad looked around cautiously, still on alert.

“If another one of those pops out, we might die. Wouldn’t it be better to just head back up?”

Her expression was still clouded with unease as she pestered Clay.

“Naiad, you should know what I used back there.”

Even though he hadn’t used divine power, Naiad was one of the Spirit Kings who governed nature. She had the insight and knowledge to understand such a Water Binding.

“Exactly. That’s why I’m worried.”

Naiad sighed.

“You used something incredible. This labyrinth definitely isn’t just any ordinary maze.”

“Which is exactly why it won’t ask for anything else.”

“You’re being way too optimistic.”

“I’m not being optimistic,” Clay replied, recalling the voice that had flowed into his mind.

“Then what is it?”

But he couldn’t answer Naiad’s question.

‘I don’t know what it is yet.’

He was certain it surpassed his level of existence. It was definitely not Elhaen. But whether it was friend or foe, he couldn’t say.

‘Just speaking of it might pull me in.’

Beings of a higher order could bring danger simply through contact. It was a similar reason that Elhaen’s Mark had to be erased.

And now, if he got involved with something beyond Elhaen, it could trigger a disaster he didn’t intend.

‘I don’t know.’

And yet, that made him question himself—why wasn’t he doing what Naiad said?

This labyrinth was clearly not a normal one. If he truly wanted to avoid risk, then leaving right now would be the wisest choice.

‘But I can’t leave having sacrificed that much and walk away empty-handed.’

He had used a one-time-only Water Binding—something that could only be invoked once in a lifetime. If he had chosen to remain here, then he needed to come away with something.

And in a labyrinth like this, something extraordinary had to be hidden. If he had truly eliminated the only threat here, then someone else could come in later and take everything without paying a price.

There was no way he could allow that.

“Huh?”

Naiad suddenly let out a startled voice.

“Over there.”

Following the direction of her outstretched finger, Clay spotted a door at the end of the corridor.

It was an unremarkable wooden door.

As they approached, they could make out the inscription written on it.

“Stella.”

A word meaning “tombstone.”

“Tombstone?”

Naiad looked at Clay with a frightened expression.

“There aren’t, like, bodies in there or something, right?”

“You’ve seen corpses before, haven’t you?”

“No, this place has a seriously ominous vibe.”

Naiad clarified—it wouldn't be a normal corpse.

“Let’s just not open it and leave, okay?”

“……”

Click.

Clay pushed open the door without a word, and Naiad grabbed her head in frustration.

“Ah, come on~!”

The water was already spilled. The group slowly walked through the open door.

Inside was, indeed, a tombstone. And nothing else.

No inscriptions. No markings.

『This place...』

Syltanaro spoke with a quiet, sigh-like tone.

『It seems to be an empty chamber.』

That’s how it looked, but Clay didn’t turn back immediately. Instead, he stepped closer to the tombstone.

『Demon King?』

Clay ran his hand across the tombstone. It was blank, but he could feel a strange magical energy emanating from it.

“Huh, that...”

Naiad reacted too, as if she sensed something.

Thud!

The tombstone suddenly tipped backward.

“Hm.”

Clay raised his hand. He hadn’t exerted any force—it had moved on its own.

His gaze shifted, and beneath the fallen tombstone he spotted a flat plate engraved with a star-shaped pattern.

“Unidentifiable.”

Naiad flew in slow circles above it.

“I can feel something, but it doesn’t look like an artifact you can take with you.”

“In cases like this, there’s only one thing to do.”

Clay knelt down and placed his hand on the floor—specifically, on top of the star-shaped plate.

Ssshhh...

The star marking began to move.

“W-Wait, it’s shifting!”

Just as Naiad said, the star mark moved like a shadow following the sun’s path—and transferred onto the back of Clay’s hand.

“……”

And that was it. Nothing else happened.

Naiad frowned as she watched Clay quietly staring at the new mark on his skin.

“Ugh, it just stuck itself there. Doesn’t look like it can be removed either.”

“We had to take something with us the moment we entered this place.”

Clay spoke softly.

“And this didn’t just stick on its own.”

The moment he touched the tombstone, he realized—the ripple from it had scanned his entire body. And only after that did it fall back.

‘It identified its owner.’

A technique used when something is meant to go to a designated recipient.

‘I don’t know how it was set to choose me as that owner, but...’

At the very least, it wasn’t a cursed trap.

Even after using the most powerful level of detection through direct contact, Clay had sensed no threatening presence.

‘If this was something preordained for me, I can’t just leave it behind.’

Whatever it was, he would figure it out after claiming it.

If this item had been intended to be delivered in such a way, then perhaps it was something that had to reach him no matter what.

Even during his time as a Hero, such moments of inevitability had occurred—separate from Elhaen.

And thanks to those, he had overcome death more than once.

Maybe this too was one of those moments…

“Clay?”

Naiad’s voice called out. Clay stood from where he had been frozen.

“Sorry. I was just lost in thought.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that his decision had been made on a whim. It was more like an instinct born of his past as a Hero.

“Let’s go.”

Clay spoke quietly and began walking away.

Unaware that what he had just unearthed beneath the tombstone… had begun to watch him.

♧

The Sanctuary of the Guardian Knights – Madarict.

Kadis, the Second Seat, was rushing toward the sacred site.

‘Armament, huh…’

In this era where there were no Heroes.

The First Seat, Valuel, had relayed Lutan’s order.

To initiate “Armament.”

‘So he intends to go all out.’

Lutan’s will to eliminate every enemy. Not just the Demon King—anything that posed a threat would now be considered an enemy.

‘A storm is coming.’

Ssshhhh—

Before he knew it, rain had begun to fall. Though his body grew damp, Kadis’s mouth remained parched as he swallowed dryly.

His most recent mission had been to resurrect the ancient god Athanasia and send her to the Demon King.

The process hadn’t gone smoothly, but in the end, Athanasia had made contact with the Demon King.

‘Even though she failed to eliminate him.’

Despite unsealing an ancient god and sending her into battle, the Demon King had survived.

Perhaps he was far stronger than Lutan had anticipated. Still, Kadis couldn’t imagine a world where Lutan would kneel before the Demon King.

‘His Majesty is a monster as well, after all.’

If it ever came to a clash between two monsters, who knew what would happen?

But for now, he had to worry about himself. Lutan intended to strip all Guardian Knights of their honor, reducing them to nothing but merciless weapons.

CRACK!

A bolt of lightning lit up the distant sanctuary.

Kadis had arrived at Madarict.

Cautiously, he surveyed the surroundings.

No one was in sight.

He slowly stepped down into the underground chambers of Madarict. Even in the torch-lined hallway, not even the sound of rats scuttling could be heard.

Eventually, he reached a single door. Kadis sighed lightly, then pushed it open.

Weapons.

Greatswords, daggers, axes, shields, armor, bows, arrows, spears, staffs, maces, gauntlets, flails, helmets, belts, and countless other equipment were all stored within.

And standing in the middle of the vast space was a single man—who turned toward Kadis.

“You’ve come.”

Valuel, First Seat.

Upon seeing him, Kadis slowly spoke.

“It’s been a while, Valuel.”

“Yes, it has.” Valuel answered in a disinterested tone, “There’s been no word from you for so long, I thought you were dead.”

“…I just took some time to rest.”

After witnessing the overwhelming massacre wrought by the ancient god—who had only existed in legend until then—Kadis had questioned it all.

Should beings like that really return to the world?

But personal doubts didn’t matter. The world was growing more violent and unstable by the day.

And now, Lutan had given the order.

To begin Armament.

“You already know the details.”

Valuel picked up a sword among the many sacred weapons around him.

“His Majesty has ordered us to undergo Armament.”

“Valuel.” Kadis furrowed his brow, “Are we certain the Demon King is His Majesty’s only enemy?”

“What do you mean?”

“We summoned an ancient god in Yaphenon, resulting in uncountable deaths. That doesn’t sound like something done for peace.”

“And you, who carried out the first summoning under His Majesty’s orders, are in any position to talk?”

At that, Kadis fell silent. Valuel gripped the sword he held and gave it a casual swing.

“I have my doubts as well. But that doesn’t mean we should overstep our bounds. Our duty is to follow His Majesty’s commands. That is Elhaen’s will.”

“……”

“This is not a path to becoming monsters, Kadis.”

The sword in Valuel’s hand began to melt—no, it was absorbed into his body as golden liquid.

“We are fulfilling the obligation granted to us by Elhaen.”

Drip.

All the weapons in the chamber turned to golden liquid. Part of it was also drawn into Valuel’s body.

“I trust I’m not the only one who hasn’t forgotten that duty.”

Valuel extended his hand. After taking a moment to steady his breath, Kadis raised his head.

Golden liquid began to flow into him too.

Relics.

All the weapons stored here were myth-grade armaments from the age when Elhaen still walked the earth. Each possessed immense power—and now, that power was being absorbed into their bodies.

To utterly annihilate their enemies—with overwhelming might.

BOOM!

It was then.

Someone entered the chamber.

“Ravi?”

The Third Seat, Ravi.

She had been dispatched to observe the ancient god in Yaphenon—and now, she appeared in the sanctuary.

Covered in blood.

“Hkk—!”

Arrows pierced her entire body, and she staggered, barely breathing, as she looked at Kadis and Valuel.

“What the...?”

Kadis instinctively moved, but Valuel extended a hand.

“Stop.”

Someone was just outside the door. Only then did Kadis sense the presence—and scowled.

“Show yourself.”

To his command, the presence replied:

“People think of us as assassins who strike from the shadows.”

The figure emerged.

“But we’re not.”

Pointed ears. Flowing white hair. Dazed green eyes—an elf.

Yelena spoke.

“We’re pilgrims.”

Her eyes suddenly sharpened.

“When we aim for something—we don’t stop until the arrow meets its mark.”

A wave of killing intent surged into the room.

And in the same breath—Yelena moved.

(End of Chapter)

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