The horrifying scene was engraved in my mind. The soldiers and the squad captain corpses were piled up, it was a scene I never wanted to see.

"This can't be happening..." I frustratingly said to myself.

"That's right, where is the World Breaker that was supposed to be with them?" I asked the thin air.

Mustering up the courage I have left, I walked closer to the corpses until footsteps from the inside of the cave silenced the narrow pathway.

I didn't want to take another step that's when...

"I thought we already disposed of the soldiers in here, Cruceus?" A woman's voice pierced the eerie silence.

I stepped up and saw two figures, drawing closer with each step, my instincts were telling me to run away. However, I couldn't.

I was afraid...

"Yeah, we already did. If a rat found its way in then we just have to dispose of it." A man walked away from the shadow. "Bind..." he chanted, the man was wearing a distinguishable outfit, it made me realize, he was the 5th Crownless Hero, "Cruceus".

I quickly snapped out of fear and used, "Swift Step," to dodge it. I then used my remaining kunai chanted with an intermediate explosive spell to turn back and run away.

I didn't look back and enhanced my feet with, "swift step," to widen the distance. I was near the entrance when the chains shackled me.

"Gaaah...!" I tripped and bumped my head on the rough cold floor.

"You reacted well, are you perhaps an adventurer?" Cruceus walked out of the explosion and tightened the shackled chains.

I tried to stand up and he shoved my head to the floor. I almost lost consciousness.

"I dodged the chains why did it follow me?" I asked unknowingly.

"You didn't dodge it, you simply created a few more seconds to escape, didn't you?" Cruceus was unaware that I didn't know that kind of spell.

"Wait, you seriously don't know how to do that? Hahaha... that's hilarious. I guess let's just say I'm more knowledgeable about magic spells than you, kid." Cruceus stated with a smirk on his face.

"That's..." I couldn't help but be ridiculed by his statement.

"Hahaha... I guess you just use a magic spell as it is written in a handbook. What an idiot! Do you really think that is the only way to execute a magic spell? You're so funny!" Cruceus couldn't help but laughed.

He looked at me while laughing.

"Oh, wait... I know you... you're the boy who survived the war 5 years ago aren't you?" Cruceus remarked.

One thing after another. I was agitated...

I quickly used my strength to break free. "The Great Crownless War," Cruceus uttered while grinning.

Hearing the "Crownless War," I couldn't help but remember that day...

It was the first time when the Crownless Heroes emerged from the world. They were the ones who dominated the war on the outskirts of the Lost Continent. I was found near an impact crater. No one knows where I came from. My appearance being humanlike, I was regarded as a human and called, "The Boy who survived the Great Crownless War."

"If you plan on killing me just do it already!" I shouted whilst clenching my teeth. No matter how hard I struggle I couldn't break Cruceus's bind spell.

"Hahaha... what's wrong boy, you don't want to remember the Great War?" Cruceus asked mockingly.

"Cruceus, the Maiden has ordered for us to return. If you don't plan on killing him let's go." The cold woman's voice shattered the tension. I tried to look back and was baffled seeing her.

The 6th Crownless Hero 'Maschenny'.

The rumors were true, just by looking at her, you can feel your body shivering. She was wearing the same outfit as Cruceus however, the color was different, it was royal blue. Her eyes were like ruby and her hair was an alabaster length up to her waist.

"I suppose we could go. He'll die anyway now that there's another monster raid coming. Hmph... do your best to survive kid and remember my name, Cruceus the 5th Crownless Hero." Cruceus remarked.

"Let's go." Maschenny's elegant cold voice added.

As soon as that moment, they vanish out of thin air.

"Aaarghh...!" I enveloped my body with mana and destroy the bind chain spell Cruceus used.

"I thought they were gonna kill me. Their presence alone was suffocating enough, especially the 6th Crownless Hero, Maschenny. By the way, they said something before leaving. What was it again?" I said to myself.

"Grrr...." Sounds of footsteps of monsters were drawing closer to me. "I now remembered, so they send me a parting gift. How thoughtful." I chuckled.

I lost more than half of my mana trying to break free from the chains. I readied my sword and drank the remaining potions to replenish some mana.

I was ready until I saw a horde of monsters.

"Are you kidding me... I thought there were only dire wolves but there is a squad of orcs too." I muttered in frustration. After using my keen sight, I could see more monsters from behind.

"I have to go and report this to the Knights," I said while preparing a magic spell.

"Pulverize."

This spell breaks down the floor and creates a hole with a diameter of 6 meters and "Earth Spikes" I chanted, it created spikes from the bottom of the pit. That caused the monsters to halt their charging and it gave me a few seconds to open the scroll given to me earlier by Rudeus-san, from what I heard it is used to send reports, information, and emergency requests.

After pouring the required mana to the scroll it activated and spawned a crow to deliver the message.

"Today's not my lucky day it seems. I should have followed my earlier plan and gather the remaining Linterfillis in the morning." I regrettably said to myself. "I just have to fend off the monsters for now until reinforcements come. Good thing, I have a large mana pool than average adventurers. I need to get stronger so I can beat that Cruceus's ass. Though that goal is somewhat farfetched. He only used one spell and I am already unable to fight back. The 7 Crownless Heroes, they're true monsters." I said to myself.

I readied any equipment I had left and started fending off the monsters.

                                                                                       —————————————

On the outskirts of the Baullheart Kingdom...

"That kid was hilarious hahaha...! By the way, why did you stop me earlier, Maschenny?"

Cruceus asked Maschenny after stopping at a nearby plain grassland.

"I didn't stop you. The Maiden has ordered us to return." Maschenny coldly answered.

"Tsk... you're no fun. Well, whatever we accomplished our goal anyway. Open a portal." Cruceus replied irritatingly.

"Are you ordering me?" Maschenny's cold voice pierced the gushing wind.

"Tsk, I'll open it myself. Why am I even paired with you on this mission?" Cruceus exasperatingly mutter. Cruceus projected a portal and went through it.

After Cruceus went in, Maschenny remained for a few seconds.

"I'm glad you're alive. Be careful, Astralish..." Maschenny uttered to the cold breeze wind that gushes back and forth. She looked back where the Thermite Cave was.

After Maschenny entered the portal it vanished. Leaving the plain grassland as it is...