Chapter 07

"What's on your mind, hotshot Priestess?"

All eyes turned to Naya.

"I mean... you've all underestimated the Obsidian Armor's power. I've faced it myself. It's far beyond a mere A+ threat."

"You've fought the Obsidian Armor?"

"She's the sole survivor of a one-star adventurer team," the clerk interjected.

The greatsword wielder snorted. "Trying to inflate its strength to cover for your teammates' incompetence?"

"How dare you say that?" Naya shot back, voice trembling.

"Or is it the other way around? Was it *your* incompetence that got them killed? Hey, aren't you a Priestess? Keeping your team alive is literally your job!"

The words pierced Naya like a blade. She stood frozen, unable to utter a word.

"Or maybe girls like you are just team mascots? This 'divine art of Aio'? Total nonsense. Probably just glowing tricks. Your Healing Art—bet it's just placebo therapy—"

Leon vaulted over the table in one leap. The next second, the Light Roar Sword was already at the man's nose. "Apologize," he said, ice-cold, the killing intent from moments before carefully masked.

"Leon, not here—"

"Who the hell are you? Not even a follower of Aio. What's it to you?" The man shoved the blade aside. "All this 'miracle of Aio' crap is pure bull—"

"Oh? I'm Aio's Holy Knight." Aile crossed her arms, her gaze freezing him in place. "You dare slander Aio to my face? Do you know the consequences?"

"Consequences? Let's fight then!" He hefted his massive greatsword—nearly as tall as himself. "If Aio's divine arts are real, prove it right now!"

*How can we use Healing Art with no one injured? And the Shield of Light would just be called another light trick...*

Aile chuckled. Her temper cared little for guild rules. The ceiling shattered instantly! A gleaming silver hand crashed down, slamming the man—and his sword—into the wall!

Smaller than last time, yet still ending the fight in a heartbeat.

Silence fell. Every onlooker stood dumbfounded.

"Now you can show him your Healing Art," Aile said to Naya.

"You bitch!!" The dark knight from the opposing team lunged first. "I've had enough of you Aio fanatics!" He drew his blade—the legendary weapon of Laphis's followers, said to devour the souls of slain foes.

Weapons flashed across the room. Leon hefted the Light Roar Sword. Tension snapped taut, ready to explode.

"I've had enough of *you* too." This time, Aile drew her sword and stepped forward.

Just as blades were about to clash—a figure blocked them both. Marcko, the shield warrior of "Huntblade," intercepted Aile's strike with his left vambrace and the dark knight's with his right. His full armor featured symmetrical bracers—each half a shield, together forming one solid barrier.

*How can he move so fast in that heavy armor?* Aile thought, surprised. *No wonder he leads "Huntblade."*

"My apologies, ladies," Marcko rumbled, shooting the dark knight a look. "Go carry Okar out. Now."

"Isn't there a theory that all gods are just facets of the same divine being? Why fight over it?" the clerk added hastily, trying to smooth things over.

"That's Unificationist heresy. We don't acknowledge it," Aile scoffed.

To her, Aio was the one true god.

Thanks to Marcko's intervention, tempers cooled.

"If you're scared, stay cowering in town. Leave the Obsidian Armor to us," the opposing team threw back as they left.

Leon smiled, that enigmatic confidence flashing in his eyes. "We'll not only go—we'll defeat it before you even get close. Save you from getting slaughtered."

"Leon...?"

"Fine. We'll see." The four carried their unconscious greatsword wielder away without looking back.

"Stay away from that clerk. He's a Unificationist heretic," Aile whispered to Naya.

...

Night deepened. Tomorrow was the day to hunt the Obsidian Armor. In his room, Leon polished the Light Roar Sword. Since it tasted cockatrice blood, a faint crimson glow clung to the blade—no amount of wiping would remove it.

A knock sounded. "Leon? Are you awake?" Naya's voice.

Surprised, he opened the door. Naya stood there in a nightgown. His gaze drifted downward—bare legs. He'd never seen her without those signature white stockings.

"Polishing your sword?" She drifted into the room, a faint sweet scent lingering where she'd passed.

"Hmm. This bloodstain... it won't come off."

"Quality metal absorbs what strengthens it," she murmured. "The Light Roar Sword absorbed the cockatrice's blood. It's grown stronger."

"Oh? It works like that?" The door clicked shut. They stood a step apart, the air thick. "You've been crying," Leon noticed, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Leon... this time, will you listen to me?"

"What is it?"

"Don't challenge the Obsidian Armor. Please. Even you... it's too dangerous!"

"Don't you trust me?"

Naya shook her head. "It's not that..." Images of Jiel, pierced like a sieve by tentacles, flashed in her mind. "You saved my life. I can't bear the thought of you in danger! I... I only have you left. You wouldn't understand, would you..." Her voice broke.

"Don't say that. I didn't boast about defeating the Armor just to spite those five. I want you to walk out of its shadow. So I *will* destroy it. For your friends."

A sob escaped Naya. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms lightly around Leon's waist.

"Remember," he said softly, "during the fight—never stray more than twenty steps from me."

"I won't leave your side. Not even one step. Relax. I'm the man who'll become the Hero someday! I won't die in the starting village, right? Besides..." He grinned. "We've got Aile with us now."

After witnessing Aile's miracle, her presence did bring comfort.

"Your 'starting village' is definitely on hell difficulty..."

To be continued.