["Rook!"]
The Turncoat, Rook.
Of all the people I didn't want to encounter at this moment, he was right at the top of that list.
"...That's a pretty rough way to ask a question."
["Yeah! What if we'd fallen and died? You're just all brawn and no brain!"]
Esther chimed in energetically from the side.
Good job. Keep going.
"I heard you've been staying at Noah's place. It'd be a hassle to go in there to find you... And you, Esther, keep quiet. This is all your fault anyway."
["You think I got caught because I wanted to?"]
"Shut up... No, never mind."
Rook shook his head in annoyance.
Apparently, dealing with Esther was exhausting even for him, not just me.
'Still as strong as ever, huh.'
Even though Horus was worn out, he was still a Grade-1 monster.
For Rook to rip through his wing so effortlessly...
Forget the titles of "Traitor," "Skull Turncoat," or "Outlaw Monster"—just the fact that he was one of the few combatants from the Shadow Order proved his strength.
In fact, most people agreed that capturing Rook without using every possible means would require at least mid-stage power.
'The problem is that those means inevitably involve using Ark's full force.'
Still, given my current strength—alongside Horus, Janus, and Esther—I could probably take him on.
As much as I hate to admit it, I had grown far beyond normal expectations.
'I've got Level 3 Ether Sensitivity with a ton of traits, reinforced body capabilities, Janus's power, and even Alpha, Sigma, and Omega-type enhancement serums.'
With Horus and Esther by my side, I might just stand a chance against Rook.
After all, I knew every single one of his attack patterns by heart.
That is—if I were in perfect condition.
"Have you prepared your answer?"
A wicked grin spread across Rook's face.
As if he'd kill me on the spot if I didn't respond immediately.
But I wasn't about to flinch at his intimidation.
"I'm in a bad mood today, so not happening. Come back another time."
["...Master, are you out of your mind? What kind of nonsense are you spouting in front of Rook—"]
"Haha."
Rook's hand briefly disappeared from sight.
Fwoosh!
A bone spear sliced through the air, grazing my cheek.
I could have reacted and blocked it, but since I knew it wouldn't hit, I didn't bother wasting my energy.
"Don't get cocky. If you want that silver tongue to stay on your neck, watch it."
"Did it not occur to you that threatening me like this would just make me even less inclined to cooperate?"
"Don't test my patience. I'm letting it slide because of Esther. That's all."
"Do as you please."
["Please stop! You're really going to get killed!"]
Esther screamed in panic.
Even though this was probably the worst situation imaginable, I was still confident for one simple reason.
Rook couldn't kill me.
Besides, I had a stack of [Nine Lives] and it would trigger if things went south.
'More importantly... if I show any sign of weakness here, it's over.'
Back when he was with the Commander, Rook rarely revealed his true nature.
But I knew better than anyone that Rook was a beast of a man.
If I showed even a hint of fear or weakness, he wouldn't hesitate to devour me.
"I'd rip you apart right now if I could... but the Commander's words are holding me back. Fine, I'll let it go this once. Have you considered my proposal?"
Perhaps because of the Commander's orders, Rook was showing an unusual amount of patience.
Even though I half-expected this, it was still a rare sight.
"I have thought about it."
"And?"
"I need more time."
["Ah... I give up."]
Esther sounded utterly resigned.
Meanwhile, Rook's expression twisted into a savage grin.
"Are you trying to mess with me?"
"Does it look that way? I was being sincere."
"Then decide right now. One last warning... Don't test my patience, human."
The pressure emanating from Rook felt like it was about to explode.
[S-Stop...!]
[Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't.]
[Aaaaargh───!!!]
The Ether around us responded violently.
Rook was almost devoid of Ether sensitivity.
That's why he couldn't see Esther in the first place.
But the fact that he could create such an intense reaction proved just how powerful he was.
'So, it's come to this.'
In a typical situation, Rook's proposal wouldn't be a difficult decision.
Even if I planned to refuse, I could just pretend to cooperate and then betray the Shadow Order later.
But the Shadow Order wasn't stupid.
They would make absolutely sure to create an environment where betrayal was impossible.
'Even if I get out of this immediate crisis, they'll definitely trap me later.'
I knew that better than anyone, but I couldn't just outright refuse Rook's proposal right now.
If my body were in better shape, it might be different, but as things stood, I couldn't risk it.
"I'll cooperate."
I added a condition.
"But for now, just leave."
"Alright."
Surprisingly, Rook seemed willing to back off.
But of course, it wasn't that simple.
"On one condition."
Figures.
"Hand that one over."
He pointed at Horus.
[Kiiiii...]
Horus, whose wing had been pierced earlier, was focused on recovering from his wounds.
Rook was demanding Horus as proof of my cooperation with the Shadow Order.
What an outrageous demand.
"Why should I do that?"
"Who knows? You might try to run away on that thing. Relax, I'm not planning to kill it. As long as you don't pull any tricks, I don't have a reason to hurt your cute little pet."
"Funny coming from the guy who put a hole in his wing."
"Did I? Think of it as... a precaution. If you truly intend to cooperate, it shouldn't be a problem, right?"
["He's right! It's not like he's going to kill Bone Buddy, so it should be fine, right?"]
She wasn't entirely wrong.
I had even considered that possibility if things took a turn for the worse.
'Of course, I couldn't go too far since I still need to protect Ark.'
In the end, things were unfolding just as I expected.
The Shadow Order—and Rook—had no intention of letting me go.
["Rook!"]
The Turncoat Rook.
If I truly intended to join the Shadow Order, his demand wouldn't have been a big deal. But since I had no such intention, it was a serious problem.
'If I hand over Horus like he wants, I'll have no choice but to follow the Shadow Order's demands.'
Giving up on Horus was never an option.
Even if we hadn't been together for long, I had raised him to the level of a Grade-1 monster.
I wasn't about to abandon him over something as absurd as this.
'Sure, I could raise another one from scratch, but when I think about all the time and effort I invested into Horus, it's just not worth it.'
It was time for me to make a decision.
"In that case, I refuse."
"...Did you understand what I said? I'm not asking you to hand over the monster permanently. I'm telling you to leave it with us while the Commander fulfills his ambition."
Rook looked slightly taken aback.
He probably assumed I hadn't understood the offer correctly, since he couldn't imagine I'd outright refuse the Shadow Order's proposal.
But he was wrong to think I had misunderstood.
"I said I refuse."
Rook's eyebrows twitched.
Now he understood exactly what I meant.
"Is that your answer, human?"
"I thought I made myself clear."
["A-Are you insane... Rook! Don't do this! You're not seriously going to kill him, right? If you do, I'm dead too!"]
Esther, who had almost given up, screamed out in desperation.
That's how tense the atmosphere had become.
"Haha..."
A low chuckle escaped Rook's lips.
Under normal circumstances, I should have launched a preemptive attack by now.
But sadly, I didn't have many options left.
'The time I can maintain Ankelenth's Spear is almost up. I have to conserve it.'
Since Janus had grown stronger, the duration I could hold the spear had increased significantly.
But today's fierce battles had almost completely exhausted that time limit.
'From the moment the Shadow Order demanded Horus, the die was cast.'
If I genuinely intended to cooperate with them, it wouldn't have been a problem.
With gradual cooperation, I could have naturally earned their trust.
But the problem was that if I did that, Ark's situation could spiral into complete chaos.
The Shadow Order's missions always had that kind of devastating impact.
'I can't let Ark be torn apart again.'
Surviving in this wretched world while aligning with the Shadow Order was impossible.
I had learned that painful lesson the hard way.
But unfortunately, that knowledge didn't help me right now.
"Should have done this from the start..."
Rook muttered under his breath as a menacing aura erupted from his body.
["...What are you planning to do?"]
I knew it all too well.
In my current state, I couldn't possibly defeat Rook.
It wasn't just me—Janus, Horus, and Esther were all in critical condition.
"It's fine."
I quietly looked out toward the horizon.
Amidst the countless corpses of beasts and monsters strewn about, I felt something approaching.
Finally, the moment had arrived.
"I've stalled long enough."
["What do you mean—"]
Before Esther could finish her question, Rook's bone spear lunged toward me.
["No!"]
Esther desperately tried to block it with Ether, but she was already too drained from all the fighting.
"Stop it!"
The bone spear shot forward.
Could I block it?
Could I dodge it?
The answer was grim.
If I were in better condition—or if Janus were—maybe it would've been possible.
But right now, neither of us was in any shape to react.
Still, it didn't necessarily mean I had to block or dodge it myself.
Sometimes, miracles happened when you least expected them.
Of course, the miracle that was about to occur was one that I had orchestrated myself.
Shwoooosh────!!
From an unmeasurable distance, something streaked through the air, striking Rook's bone spear mid-flight.
Boom-boom-boom-boom—!!
Rook reacted instantly, withdrawing as a familiar silhouette approached at high speed.
["That... That's..."]
As the figure emerged from the dust, its identity became unmistakably clear.
["Kin... came... I... am... here."]
The Turncoat Knight.
It had answered my call.