--What the hell was Cry trying to recover?

I've fought many strange demons and phantoms in my life.
There are plants that run on their own and eat people, giant spiders that are over ten meters tall. Small dragons that attacked from the sky in swarms of hundreds, and full-body armor that attacked with expert movements even though it was empty.

However, even the experienced Ark had never fought a mask that could take over a person.
Eclair's appearance was unchanged. If it was just a silhouette, it wouldn't be much different from before. But that's why the mask of flesh that covered her well-formed appearance was so fearsome.



Eclair wobbled heavily and put her small hands on the wall.
Then he put so much strength into his hands that they turned white.

With a creaking sound, a small crack appeared on the wall. It was an inhuman amount of physical strength. Ark could have done the same, but the girl in front of him was not even a hunter.
Although she hadn't neglected her training due to her family's circumstances, she hadn't inhaled the Mana Material so she must not have been that strong.

No... to begin with.

The guard's dented armor lying on the floor. If he could have done it with a fist or a kick, then at the very least, the current Eclair has the strength of a mid-level hunter.
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There were no noticeable scars on Eclair's limbs or body. The only thing that had changed was her face, and there was no sign that the mask of flesh was invading her body.

He grasped the lightning in his left hand and made it dissipate. I'm not one to go easy on people, but I certainly couldn't hit the daughter of a nobleman I know with lightning that can completely subdue hunters, demons, and even illusions.
There was no way he could burn her out with ten thousand lightning bolts, as he always did in his explorations.

'I called you a name ......, are you conscious ......?

I don't want to be too rough with it. From what I've observed, it doesn't look like it's been completely taken over.
I needed to assess the situation carefully.

Would it be possible to separate the masks? If so, how?

Eclair had a sword on her hip, but she hadn't drawn it. That's why the guards are still alive.
The situation is not yet irreversible.

Already Eclair had not seen the guards he had sent down.

'Aku ...... which ...... ah, well, you've come to ............ me. ----'

'Master Eclair ...... do you hear me?'

A muffled voice called Ark's name. The small body staggered a few steps closer to Ark.
His companions were spreading out in a natural movement. They kept their breaths low so as not to provoke him and observed the girl who was possessed by the strange mask.

'Ark.

'I know.'

Ark gave a small nod to Benetta's voice.

The most important thing to avoid now is for the mask to change its host.
If the mask had strengthened the inexperienced Eclair to the level of a mid-level hunter, how much more powerful would it be when it parasitized Ark and his companions?
It would be better if it was Isabella or Benetta who were possessed, but if it possessed Ark himself, it would be the end. There won't be many people in the Imperial Capital who can stop it.

It is out of the ordinary for a treasure tool to possess a person, but the current situation is already out of the ordinary.

Eclair did not answer Ark's call. He just continued to mumble as if he was mumbling.

'I've become ...... stronger ...... stronger. I will not be defeated by anyone anymore. No matter if it's a hunter, a madman, or an old man--never again--'

I could feel the dark passion of delusion in her words.

Eclair Gladys had always had a strong ambition, but she did not seem to be seeking power that strongly. At the very least, he was not trying to become stronger by wearing a mask.
For better or worse, Eclair was straightforward.

'Miss! That... figure...''

A guard who had heard the commotion rushed over from behind a corner and was shocked to see her.
Eclair shouted in a trembling voice.

'Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! Don't look at me like that!

It was a dark roar mixed with anger and sadness.

Eclair's posture tilted and flipped her body, and with one step her body accelerated.

Power. Speed. From blinding speed to sensation. All of them were far beyond Eclair's recently confirmed power. The way he leans forward and dives into the pocket is the specialty of a swordsman who focuses on offense, but he does not have a sword in his hand.

The guards stiffen at the unexpected appearance of the young lady they are supposed to protect. In a flash, he slips into her bosom, and a small fist is thrust into her pigeon tail.
A painful blow. With the sound of metal cracking, the guard is blown away in a figure.

The sword Eclair holds is a practical item, not unlike a nobleman. It is meant for self-defense and has no drawn edge.
If his fist was strong enough to dent the armor, he would certainly have cut the armor in half if he had pulled out his sword.

''Hupnos Cage''.

A wide blue beam of light was quickly shot at Eclair, who showed her back.
Isabella's magic. It's a spell that acts on a person's mind, forcing them to sleep. It is one of the most powerful spells among the abnormal state spells that can incapacitate the target with a single blow, although its effect is limited to a limited number of people.

At the very least, it is not something that can be endured by ordinary people who have not absorbed enough Mana Material.

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a few things you can do.

--It was bearable.

Isabella, who had been sure of the success of the spell, was blindsided. Eclair turned around without incident.
Her bloodshot eyes looked not at Isabella, but at Ark.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

The probability of a mind-acting spell increasing rapidly by exploiting a blind spot in the consciousness.
The fact that Eclair, who should have no resistance to it, survived it was proof that the mask had a strong effect on her psyche and had become an antibody.

One after another, guards gathered from behind Eclair and from Ark's side.
Under the countless stares, Eclair stepped forward and shouted.

His face was covered by a mask of flesh, so it was impossible to judge, but the emotion in his voice indicated Eclair's mental state.

'Oh no,...... why,...... why,...... don't look at me,...... ugh! I'm going to ...... kill you,...... I'm going to kill you,...... I'm going to kill you,...... I'm going to kill you!

Her high-pitched, but unusual, words sent the guards around her into a tizzy.

The people guarding the house were genuine soldiers that Gladys had adopted and trained. They were highly skilled in combat, but above all, they knew Eclair well. Some of them have been forced to train with him on a daily basis.
Although he was still inexperienced, Eclair never stopped training every day, and he was respected for never looking down on a soldier.

'The one who mocked me, the one who insulted me--'



Eclair scratches his head, which is covered with a mask of flesh. However, no blood flows from the pulsating mask, and there is no sign of the mask coming off.

This is a bad trend. Eclair was clearly more agitated than before.
And the guards who had rushed to the scene were also reluctant to face the monstrous girl whose entire face was covered in a mask of flesh.
Confusion and fear can be easily spread.

Ark took a step forward without saying a word.

'Everyone, get back! I'll negotiate.'

'............ Ok. Do you hear me? Everyone get back!

Armel, who was standing next to him ready to pounce at any moment, sensed Ark's intention and raised his voice.

It was a good thing that he had visited the mansion many times. The guards who had been surrounding the house became slightly relieved at Ark's words and moved away.

Eclair's hand that had been scratching slowly stopped. When he confirmed this, Arc slowly closed the distance further.

I don't know the detailed effects of the treasure tool, but it is most likely a psychological effect. However, it does not mean that Eclair has completely lost consciousness.

Judging from her movements up until now, and the reactions she's shown to changes in the situation, I'd guess that the treasure tool is boosting certain emotions at the cost of increasing her power.
Her mind seems to be quite unstable, but if she still has reason, she should be able to negotiate. As long as you can control your excitement, you can find a new path.

If the increasingly powerful Eclair and the guards collide, people will die. We have to avoid that.

Opening his hands wide to show that he meant no harm, Ark spoke to Eclair.

'Mr. Eclair, please calm down. ......'

'Phew, phew...... arc--which--'

He took a deep breath and smiled to reassure her.

As a magic swordsman, Arc's reflexes and physical abilities are high. The speed of Eclair was quite fast, but even so, there was enough of a difference to allow him to avoid a close jump.

Eclair took a step forward, and then another.
There was no sign of harm in his movements. To Ark, his steps looked like a lost child wandering around.

'I've got it, I've got it.

'Ah.'

'With this, if only I have this, ...... Akudo can be the best. That's what it's all about. It is for this reason that I fought so hard, but why--'

'......Thank you, Eclair-sama.'

The words were calling out Ark's name, but they sounded as if he was saying them to himself.

He carefully mulled over the words with a hint of regret and sorrow.

From Ark's point of view, Eclair's choice was a mistake.
Power and victory are not given to us by others, but we must overcome them ourselves. Lord Gladys probably agrees, and Eclair would have understood this under normal circumstances.

He had been led astray by his reputation and acted on his emotions. But Eclair's voice certainly regretted it.
Eclair does not want the power of the mask. The reason why she did not draw her sword when fighting off the guards was probably because she subconsciously avoided it.

Then there must be a way to take off the mask.

The only thing covering Eclair's face is the treasure tool. It must be powered by magic. Even if we can't forcibly separate them, there is a high possibility that we can unmask them with the passage of time.

Alternatively, the most reliable way would be to check with the "Thousand Transformations" that sent Ark here.

Even if we want to punish him, it is too much. If it was against a clan member who is also a hunter, it is not the right thing to do to a noblewoman.
If he couldn't disarm her by any means by himself, he should force her to listen to him.

Ark slowly lowered his raised right hand and presented it to the short Eclair.

'Can I have ............, please?

'........................'

There was a long silence. Eclair's eyes stared up at Ark from behind the eye sockets in his flesh mask.

His hands, two sizes smaller than Ark's, trembled and lifted quietly.

'A......A......'

From afar, his companions gasped and observed.

Their fingertips approach Eclair's cheek. From a distance, they seem to be one and the same, but up close, the border between the mask of flesh and Eclair's face is clear.

Could it be that if time had passed - if he hadn't arrived in time - the mask and his face would have become completely one?
Considering the common sense of treasure tools, such a thing is impossible. It should be impossible, but remembering the words from the clan house, Ark shuddered a little.

No, in the first place, if Ark hadn't believed those words and hadn't visited this place, there would have been several deaths.
It wouldn't be surprising if Van Gladys had decided to kill his daughter Eclair.

How much did the man really expect? As far as Ark knows, Cry is not a bad person. Rather than a bad person, he looks like an ordinary person, but considering the current situation, he might not have been aware of it.

And just before Eclair's fingertips touched the mask, it stopped.

'...... What can I do for you, Miss Eclair?

'............'

The air turned tense in an instant. Eclair's eyes were not looking at Arc.

His pupils, which had been opened to the limit, were looking at Ark's waist.

What Eclair's gaze was directed towards was a sword in a white sheath.
The sword that symbolizes Rodin - the Historia, the holy sword of destruction.

This is the strongest sword that Eclair has been begging me to show her every time we meet. A single swing of the sword can slice through mountains and cut through oceans, making it one of the most powerful sword-shaped treasures in the world.
He did not intend to pull it out against Eclair, and until now he had not even been aware that he had it on his waist.

Suddenly, the words "thousand changes" came back to Arc's mind.

--What ......? Yeah, I don't need it. I think it's better if you don't take it with you.


'...... ah...... ah...... ah...... ah...... ah, why? --'

Eclair shouted in despair. The white blade flashed.
I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've. Eclair stepped back with a quick movement.

In his hand, he held the sword that had never been drawn against the guards. Tears of blood streamed down from her flesh eye sockets, and screams rang out from around her.

'Why? Aku-do! Why did you give me the sword?

'..............................'

Arc's smile turned into a scowl as he faced Eclair in a battle ready stance.





§ § § §



'Well, you're off to a good start, Arnold-san.



I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

A high-class inn in the imperial capital. In a tavern attached to the inn, Arnold and his friends were making a big fuss over a leather bag containing 200 million guild that they had exchanged for money.

Two hundred million guilders is not cheap money even for a level 7 Arnold. If he wanted to earn money by searching the treasure halls, he would have to search the rarely visited high-level treasure halls, or focus on hunting the demons that could earn money. Even that costs money. A net profit of 200 million is hard to come by.

With 200 million guilders, you can buy good weapons and armor. You can buy useful treasures that you can use to get out of a tight spot. You can buy good wine and sumptuous food that will energize you, or you can buy a house as a base.

It was a bolt from the blue for the Foreign Mist, who had just finished a long journey and was running out of money, to be able to sell the Flesh Mask for a high price.

'I was wondering what would happen when [Thousand Transformations] came along, but it's a hell of a lucky charm.

'I knew you had it in you, Arnold-san.

'...... Don't get carried away. We don't know much about this Imperial City yet.''

He gave a small admonition to his subordinate's praise. But it was inevitable that he would get carried away.

It was just a joke that he had put the unclaimed masks up for auction in Nebulanubes. From that point on, everything has been going smoothly.
I was surprised when 《Senhenhenbanka》 offered to buy it, but from that point forward, it seemed like I was just dreaming.

At any rate, the treasure that he had planned to sell for ten million guilders was sold for twenty million, twenty times that.

Aei's expression clouded slightly, and he sighed.

'However, if the reputation of the product was so widespread, I was expecting it to be a bit higher. ...... It seems that it was not good for the nobles to get their hands on it.

'I wanted to pay to take back the treasure, and getting 200 million is enough.

'Well, that's true. ......'

Certainly, I was a little disappointed when the price hike stopped at 200 million, but it's not something to hope for too much.
Arnold chuckles and says in a joking tone.

'Ssshhhhh ......, if you make too much money, you'll feel like buying a drink for the Thousand Transformations, won't you?

'Hahaha, you're wrong!

Only a few merchants and high-level hunters are staying at the high-class inn.
There is no one who will come at the "Misty Thunder Dragon" as if it were a hunter.

Even though we ate and drank a lot, the white coins we had just exchanged were hardly reduced. The inn we are staying at costs about 300,000 guild per night for eight people, so we can live for a while without earning money.

But Arnold did not come to the Imperial City for sightseeing. He came to make a name for himself.

'You guys, these 200 million guilders are a tailwind. Let's get ready to attack the next treasure house.

'What? Are you serious?

The leader's words were met with boos from his companions.
Two hundred million guilders is a lot of money, but it can be quickly wiped out if a high level hunter tries to equip himself.
A lot of gold is too fragile for a treasure hunter, though it is not worth his life.

Arnold's cheeks twisted into a beastly grin when he saw the reproachful expressions of his companions.

'Of course, after you've had some time to regain your strength.

His companions gave an explosive cheer. If you are not enthusiastic, your search will not progress.
Arnold nodded in satisfaction, looking forward to the future activities in the Imperial Capital.

§§


As night fell, he returned to his room in a good mood.
Arnold had rented a large room for a party. It was a high-class inn, and its size was not inferior to that of a house.
It's a bit of a waste to rent it for a long time, but it's worth the price.

A group of drunken men came to the front of the room with me.

'You didn't forget the money, did you?

'Oh no, it's right here at ......!

A stingray lifts up a large sack full of white coins.

Arnold and the others are still getting used to this Zebrudia. They should get to know the city a little better, and then discuss how to use it together.
While thinking about this, I unlocked the door and opened it, when suddenly something large came flying from inside the room.

'What?

You reflexively raise your hand, clench your fist and brush it away. It felt hard. The ceramic vase you hit smashes against the wall.

The other drunken members of the group looked blankly at each other. Arnold changed his mind in an instant, and took the weapon on his back and led the way inside.

He was wary because of the large amount of money he had earned. A little research would have revealed that Arnold was the owner of the mask.
But I knew my fears were unfounded. There were few robbers or criminal parties that could defeat a level 7 hunter.

The room was lighted. Spacious foyer and living room. Meeting space. Hanging paintings and plants.

There it was, at the table they used for their pre-exploration discussions. It sat deep in the chair where Arnold always sat, legs crossed in a pompous manner.
The vase that had been thrown was the one that had been displayed in the living room.

Pink-blonde hair tied up in a familiar bun. A strange skeletal mask, its expression completely hidden, faces Arnold and the others.
Their thoughts froze at the unexpected sight.

The intruder, showing no signs of hiding, shouted arrogantly.

'Shut the f*ck up, you scum! Since when did you guys become the kind of people who make Liz wait for you? Hmm? Unlike you, Liz doesn't have time for you! I'll kill you!

'...... What ...... do you think you're doing?

That voice brought back an ugly memory. I suppressed my rage and pointed the greatsword in my right hand.

I thought I had locked the door tightly. The security of a high-class inn is reasonably high.

The other members of the group, understanding the situation, each took up a weapon.
They had broken into the room where they were staying. They could have been killed.

Seeing Arnold and the others, the skeletal mask sitting next to Liz with his hands clasped together said in a chiding manner.

'Calm down, Mr. Arnold. I mean you no harm. Don't get me wrong, we're here to talk about the rightful 'our share'.