Variables are bound to arise in any situation. No matter how perfect a strategy you devise, if you lack the capacity to execute it, the whole world knows you’re bound to fail miserably. If you fail to account for the unexpected, you’re just asking for a world of hurt.

Rattle—Thud!

“So, you get it now, Elaina?”

“Living life means things like this are bound to happen…!!”

“Yes…! I get it! I get it, so please look at what’s in front of you and drive, Master…!!”

The carriage was on fire. A wraith brandished a scythe toward Elaina and Keyaru. Keyaru bit his lip, a look of sheer exasperation on his face. A situation he had failed to consider had come crashing down on them.

On the rugged path toward the Dragon’s Lair, there exists a highly suspicious area marked with a skull symbol. A Spiritual Spot—a place where soulless phantoms congregate. It is an “instanced zone” where spirits gather in a single mass to bewitch humans and seize their bodies. These undead, existing in a state that is neither self-aware nor unconscious but merely obedient to orders, have only one goal:

Steal the body.

Crave the soul.

They repeat this instinctively. And…

Whoosh!

“Master…! Watch out…!”

Among them, the most prominent was—

Slicccck!

A massive blade tracing a semicircle grazed over his head. In an instant, it sliced through the air, producing a giant shockwave that carved through the trees with a dry crunch. The forest was overturned, and birds fluttered their wings in a panicked “save me!” dash to escape.

“What a brute…!”

With a single strike, the lush forest had been turned into a barren wasteland. The boss ruling this place was undoubtedly that bastard.

Owner of the Spiritual Spot, Alias: The Death God Samurai.

Commanding phantoms whose very souls were faint, it snatches humans to absorb their life force. Keyaru had overlooked it. Having been away from the game for so long, he had neglected the fact that special zones like “Lairs” always have spawn monsters. It was a mandatory detail he should have recalled the moment they entered that eerie alleyway.

Spirits are ethereal entities. They can interfere with visible things, but they cannot be interfered with by those who cannot see them. Was Elaina weaker than the Death God Samurai? No.

However, the matchup was terrible.

Spirit Arts grant power to the caster, but they are useless if the target designated as the “caster” is a spirit body. Usually, demonic energy (Magi) can overcome spiritual entities, but a half-demon’s energy isn’t dense enough to make it possible.

What if he used his Trait…? Have you forgotten the Berserk conditions? A boss mob requires at least eight hits. He might lose his mind mid-swing or, in the worst case, end up dying for nothing.

‘Agggh, damn it, nothing’s going right…!’

Keyaru groaned, his head throbbing. Even so, he poured his heart into finding a way to clear this. He had to stay sharp. As the old saying goes: Even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.

I am the only one who can break this situation. There is no Gold Light Dragon to use Dragon Tongue. The vampire who uses Blood Magic is no longer by my side. I have to break through with only Elaina’s strength and my own.

“This is why people usually keep ghost-repelling sprays or artifacts that hide you from spiritual eyes on hand.”

Keyaru muttered a short complaint. He looked down with a look of self-deprecation at his thick, heavy pouch. It was a pouch stuffed to the brim with silver coins.

“But… I don’t have any m—money…”

Artifacts are worth their weight in gold.

“Huu… I-I’m sorry… Master…”

Elaina cowered, looking like she might crumble into a puddle. But she likely knew it too—that as the Queen of the Elves, she had neither the means nor the capacity to obtain such artifacts.

First off, since Elves live secluded in the woods, it is nearly impossible for them to obtain food or goods other than materials processable within the forest. Even as the Queen, the story was the same. There were no subjects who acted obediently toward her, she who had snatched her father’s crown to ascend the throne. Even if there were, one couldn’t exactly tell Elves who had lived in the woods their whole lives to go out and fetch a high-tier artifact. Furthermore… there was no guarantee they would bring back the exact artifact the Master wanted.

Keyaru vaguely sensed this as well. Being thrust into such a chaotic situation made his mind wander. But there was no room for hesitation. Keyaru came to a halt.

He arched his back, twisted his torso, and immediately bent his knees. Power drained from his upper body and surged into his lower half. Dodging the scythe of the creature that desperately tried to snatch him, he shot up into the sky with lightning speed. Keyaru’s body ascended toward the high, dark clouds.

“Master…!!”

Having risen about “four cheeks” above her, Keyaru pierced through the clouds and took his position in the upper atmosphere.

Elaina’s voice, calling out for him desperately as her vocal cords vibrated, did not reach him. One blurred grain of light stretched out its hand. It was definitely Elaina, glowing with a blue light. In front of the Death God Samurai, she was blankly staring up at Keyaru, who was slowly descending while trailing a thick mist.

Keyaru pressed his palms together as if in prayer. Slowly, he began to mold the Magi contained within into the shape of a sphere. Leveling his arms toward the tip of his nose, he swirled them, tangling and solidifying the demonic energy within the sphere, infusing it with even denser, stronger energy to compress it once more.

Once was not enough. As the Magi left afterimages and became more refined, he molded and shaped it with his hands again. The round sphere spun in the air like a top. Soon, it began to rotate at high speed, and the sphere… no, its tip took the shape of a sharp awl. It was somewhat crooked, yet every edge was gnashing its teeth to pierce something.

It was an awl weapon imbued with several times the usual amount of Magi. While killing it in one hit might be difficult, it could at least inflict significant damage. All that mattered was escaping; once they left the Spiritual Spot, the deceased could no longer follow.

Words that the elders used to say came to mind: ‘If you try, it can be done.’

Yes, if you try, it can be done. If I can’t kill it in one blow, making it roll on the ground is enough.

“I should at least leave a scratch. And as for the rest…”

It’s entirely up to Elaina.

Once his thoughts reached that point, Keyaru’s hands stopped moving. The strength to compress Magi and the mental spirit to overcome the ordeal had vanished. With the sole intention of making that thing go flying, he half-closed his eyes and let everything go.

His body tilted, and soon Keyaru flipped over. His gaze, which had been looking up at the sky, met the ground, and the Magi-compressed awl was fired, making the heavens roar.

It surpassed the speed of sound and was faster than a bullet. Moving at a velocity the eye couldn’t follow, the demonic energy immediately wedged itself into the creature’s skull and pierced through.

“Mast— Ugh!”

It caused a terrifying ripple on the surface. The black-dyed Magi devastated the area, burning the neck and gouging a hole, creating a momentary, magical spectacle. It blew Elaina toward a spacious clearing and covered the separated forms of Keyaru and the Death God Samurai in dust.

Of course, given the Samurai’s nature as a spirit, it would soon gather spiritual power to heal its body. But this was enough.

‘…This is enough.’

His consciousness blurred. His eyelids draped over his vision, pulling Keyaru into darkness. His limp, falling body plummeted toward the ground once more. He had no strength left to regain his balance. His spirit had long since broken. Keyaru lost consciousness.

“……”

[!]

Sudden Quest You have defeated the Commander of Spirits, ‘Death God Samurai.’ { Sudden Quest Success: Rewards are being issued. } [Skill Ranks have improved.] [Stats have increased.] [Special Skills have been added.]

Short Story The fallen monarch and demon who once plunged this land into terror has finally met his end at the hands of a righteous half-demon.

Status Window Name: Keyaru Klein Race: Half-Demon Age: 24 Title: Commander Adventurer Grade: Grade 1

Skills

• Regression: Rank C+ > A-

• Arrogant Fallout: Rank F- > C-

• Command: Rank S- [Maintained]

• System Correction: Rank A+ [Maintained]

• Demon Army: A+ [Maintained]

• Demon Trait: B- > A-

• Magi: C+ > B-

• Skill Ranks have been improved.

• Evil Eye F- NEW!!

• Chains of Restriction F- NEW!!

• New skills have been added.

  ======

  Stats

• Strength: 20 > 21

• Endurance: 17 > 19

• Agility: 19 > 20

• Regeneration: 20 +2 [Maintained]

• Mana: 9 > 10

• Grip Strength: 20 +10 [Maintained]

• Stats have increased significantly.

  ======

  Party Member Status

  [ ‘The Queen of Elves’ is clutching your unconscious body and bursting into tears. ]