The thugs were stronger than I had expected.
Thinking about it, that was only natural.
If the kingdom was in such a state, the world had more or less ended. Most people who survived in a ruined world were strong.
Or perhaps they had become strong because they survived.
Even so—
“AAAAARGH!”
—they were not strong enough to threaten me now.
The thug who had dared to rush at me and had his joints twisted backward screamed.
“You fucking bastard!”
Taking that opportunity, another one thrust his sword at my back.
“N-Nooo!”
Iris cried out in warning, but it did not do much good.
I had noticed such an obvious ambush before he even raised his sword.
WHOOSH!
I ducked the sword aimed at my neck, stepped half a pace forward, and drove my knee into his abdomen.
“Ghk!”
Then I grabbed his arm and shoulder and twisted the bone.
CRACK!
With a sickening sound, I rearranged his arm so that his palm faced outward.
He would not be able to recklessly swing a sword around anywhere in that state.
“Live with some decency, bastard. Don't go around being so filthy.”
Lastly, I lightly struck the jaw of the thug sprawled on the ground.
His eyes rolled back, foam formed at his mouth, and he passed out.
“Phew, that's done.”
I dusted my palms together as though I had finished cleaning a room and let out a long breath.
Considering I had taken out the trash and made the world a little cleaner, it was not all that different from cleaning a room.
-That isn't the skill of someone who's only beaten up one or two people.
-Starting today, I will stop acting cocky.
-Haha, as expected, Jaeha hyung is the best.
-Please spare me....
After casually sweeping my gaze over the men lying on the ground, I approached Iris, who remained frozen blankly where she had been.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah....”
The princess still looked at me as though she could scarcely believe what she had seen.
Perhaps she had not washed in a long time, because she was rather grimy. Even so, her beauty was enough to draw admiration.
-Wow....
-She is the prettiest NPC I've seen in Story Mode.
-I can't take it. I am entering Story Mode to roll for that scenario too.
-Siiiiis!
-Sisterrrr!
In contrast, I was slightly troubled.
‘...What role do I have in this scenario?’
Stories basically followed the plot of an RPG (Role Playing Game).
Every Player who entered a scenario was given a role that suited its setting.
In “Goblin Hut Subjugation,” it was a low-ranking mercenary.
In “Wagon Escort,” it was an escort knight commissioned to protect the wagon.
Roles directly tied to the mission were automatically assigned, and the people around them naturally recognized them as such.
That meant I must have a role in this “Princess of Ruin” scenario too.
The princess before me probably knew what it was.
“You are...!”
Iris's small lips opened, and the truth came spilling out.
My role here was—
“...Who are you?”
Who are you?!
....
Huh?
“Excuse me?”
“Judging by your clothing and the weapon you use, you do not seem to belong to this kingdom...! Ah, my introduction is late. Thank you so much for helping me!”
“Uh, well....”
“May I ask your name? I know the situation is as it is, but if I do not repay my benefactor, it would stain my honor.”
If you do not know, then I do not know either.
‘What is going on?’
I had vaguely expected it already.
The scenario I had entered seemed to be an entirely different kind from the existing ones.
“Would that be... difficult...?”
The girl looked at me sadly, like a cat soaked by rain.
I let out a quiet sigh inwardly before answering.
“Jaeha. Shin Jaeha.”
As Iris barraged me with questions, I used the otherworlder's trademark cheat code.
The setting known as “amnesia.”
“Oh, that must have been terrible...!”
This innocent girl astonishingly believed every word I said without question.
-Boo, fraud.
-Don't lie~.
-Amnesia (not).
It would be better to turn off the chat.
How did streamers play with this thing constantly beside them? It was irritating enough to drive me mad.
“Here. Perhaps eating something warm will make you feel better.”
She handed me a bowl of warm soup she had cooked in a pot.
“Are you sure you can give this to me? Food seems scarce....”
“...It does not matter anymore.”
What did she mean, it did not matter?
When I looked at her with an expression demanding an explanation, Iris seemed to realize something and cleared her throat.
“I am sorry. You must already be confused enough because of your amnesia....”
“It is all right. More importantly, may I hear an explanation? How did this kingdom end up like this, and what do you mean when you say it does not matter anymore?”
“If I can be of even a little help to my benefactor.”
Iris immediately began to explain.
To summarize, this was what had happened.
This place had once been the capital of a prospering kingdom.
It had been the most powerful and greatest kingdom in history, on the verge of unifying the continent.
The last remaining rival kingdom had practically lost all function. Nothing remained but conquest by force.
Those who feared that committed something terrible.
“An ancient sorcery passed down since antiquity... They conducted a ritual that offered the souls of 666 children, 666 sinners, and 666 noble souls as sacrifices.”
Despite requiring so many sacrifices, its chance of success had not even been 0.1%.
It had been a gamble that effectively sacrificed every remaining person in the kingdom.
But unfortunately—
the sorcery had succeeded.
“As a result, it was summoned onto the continent.”
“What do you mean, it?”
“....”
Iris spoke cautiously.
However, at the next moment—
“■■.”
—I could not hear that part, as though it had been filtered out.
No matter how many times I asked her again, it was the same.
It was as though I had not been permitted to know at this stage.
‘What the hell is it?’
It was a little frustrating, but since I could not learn it right now, I let it go.
“According to the records, the summoned ■■ can descend a total of three times in one year.”
From the sound of it, this was closer to an oral tradition than a record.
『The giant that appears in January kills everything young.
The giant that appears in June erases all traces of civilization.
The giant that appears in December burns the world.』
Three times in a year.
The “giant” had already completed two Descents.
During its first Descent, everyone under twenty had died.
Its second Descent had turned the once-magnificent kingdom into the plain it was now.
‘And the final Descent....’
Even someone as lacking in the humanities as I am could figure this much out.
‘“Burns the world” does not mean it is going to turn on a boiler for us.’
There was a high chance it meant the end of the world.
And that final Descent was scheduled for three days from now.
“I... have not given up.”
Iris clenched her fists tightly.
“It makes no sense to lose the homeland where I was born and raised like this.”
“So I kept searching for people who are still alive. If we gather our strength and organize an army, perhaps we can stop the third Descent!”
“So, did you find any?”
“Well....”
Of course she had not.
If she had, she would not have been cornered by those three thugs earlier.
Anyone still alive had endured the previous two calamities.
I doubted such people would easily think of opposing it.
“I... I cannot give up so easily.”
Iris's small shoulders trembled.
“Do not let go of hope until the end. If you give up, everyone will give up with you.”
“It is something my father told me. Whenever things become difficult, I always think of those words.”
“That is quite a grand resolve. Someone might think you were royalty.”
“Cough...!”
Iris hurriedly coughed and turned her gaze away.
Somehow, it felt as though she did not want people to know she was royalty.
“...Still, I truly do not know anymore.”
After drinking a glass of water and calming down, she spoke in a bleak voice.
“Since the second Descent, I have kept searching for people willing to share my cause, but... no one wanted to fight back. What should I....”
“How can you say you found no one? There is one right in front of you.”
“Pardon...?”
Iris's eyes widened.
“I will follow your cause.”
“R-Really...?”
“That thing descends, and we all die anyway. If we are going to die, we should at least put up a fight.”
The objective of this Story was to keep Iris alive.
If I simply watched the third Descent happen, she would naturally die, and I would fail the clear.
“There are still two days left, so let us look for more people in the meantime. If we cannot find anyone, I will fight as much as I can alone. I may not look like much, but I am fairly strong.”
“...Sniff!”
Iris's large eyes grew wet.
“Thank you... Thank you so much... Truly....”
“Crying will drain your strength. Come on, eat your soup and no more tears!”
“Hehe... Thank you, Jaeha.”
It was not as though I had cooked it.
‘Still, I have a rough idea of how this is going to go.’
If I defeated the bastard responsible for this destruction, I would clear the scenario.
Once I had a direction, a smile naturally formed on my lips.
All that remained was to gather more information on that thing....
BZZZZT!
At that moment, a golden message I had never seen before appeared in front of me.
[Information on ■■■ has been collected.]
[The activation requirements for a Special System have been fulfilled.]
[Return to Challenger]
▶Gather all the keys and unlock your potential.
●First Key: Subjugate the Giant of Calamity, ‘■■’
●Second Key: (???)
●Third Key: (???)
●Fourth Key: (???)
The instant I saw its contents, I sprang to my feet in shock.
‘Challenger?!’
What was this system?
How did it know that I had once attained Challenger?
“J-Jaeha? Are you all right?”
-Why is he suddenly standing up?
-Stand up! You too!
-Princess Iris really is that beautiful. Mm-hm.
Iris was one thing, but the chat's response was quiet as well.
By default, aside from my personal Status Window, quests and rewards were automatically shared unless I changed the settings myself.
That made streaming easier since I did not have to explain every single thing.
‘And yet no one can see it....’
It seemed this golden quest could only be seen by me.
“...It is nothing. In any case, we should hurry. Even if we move right away, three days will be tight.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Who had sent me this quest?
The owner of the voice I had heard when I died?
The being that had caused my Regression?
Or someone else entirely?
‘I do not know who it is, but.’
At least I thought I knew what the sender wanted from me.
Become Challenger once more.
Become the strongest Player, a Player of the highest caliber.
“If that is what you want... then fine. I will do it.”
It was not something I could not do again.
No, it would be easier.
[Return to Challenger]
That quest seemed to be asking me a question.
‘Can you pull it off?’
“I will achieve it faster and more perfectly. Just wait and watch.”
At least in this life, I would make damn sure to create an ending different from before my Regression.
-...Why is he talking to himself?
-Leave him alone. Even if you talk to him in that state, he will not hear you.
-Poor Iris, nervously spooning down soup while watching his mood. T_T
.
.
.
[You searched the ruined kingdom with Iris for people, but found no one.]
[The first day comes to an end.]