"Chieko, teach him the ropes."

Toru watched Naka and the other members of [Aznu] disperse.

He wasn't really their captive. In fact, while Naka, Chieko, and two others waited for his aether form potion to run out, he'd told them his sole reason for coming through the portal was to join them. This was a lie, of course, but they were surprisingly open to recruit members of [Raincloud].

Though Toru wasn't great at conversing, this wasn't his first time dealing with dangerous people. They'd associate his blinks and stutters to the disembodied corpses littering this part of [Grand Void].

Toru never really had a problem with blood or death. His issue was human communication.

He came from a long line of [Ubo]'s, sometimes referred to as 'the mute assassins'. He was the first baby in generations that was born crying, so they kicked him out of their village when he was old enough to fight. For the [Ubo]'s, this was at 65 full moons, or the age of five.

After surviving as a hunter-gatherer for many years with his natural gifts as a killer, Toru awakened his potential for spirit patronage after 130 moons of life, or at the age of ten. Far younger than most who could host a spirit.

Toru only met others who could speak when he stumbled upon the [Silver Empire]. However, feral and illiterate adolescents were no better than swamp rats, so Toru remained alone, even among a sea of people. His unique spirit, Fen, began teaching him human language during this period.

The first person who gave Toru a chance was an {Oranthocite} adventurer named Sato Isobe. Sato pitied Toru, hired him to carry loot, and helped him practice human tongue on their downtime. He was a solo-delver, taking on wild spawn portals or dungeons that appeared in the wilderness.

Toru regarded Isobe as his only proper family, so when the man disappeared from the [Silver Empire], Toru waited for him. And waited...

Only after his savings dried up did Toru realize he was on his own once again. He didn't hold it against Isobe. In fact, he blamed himself for not being strong enough to help the man.

'There must've been something important to do, something only the highest-rank of adventurer could handle...' Toru thought

"You just going to keep staring at my tits, creep?"

Toru realized he'd been daydreaming, eyes going blank against the cardboard-thin surface of Chieko's chest. How long had she been letting Toru stare at her like that?

"We've got work to do. The gate'll close in a few hours."

"S-sorry.." Toru mumbled, cheeks flushing with shame.

"Follow me."

Chieko puffed out her chest as they ran, as if daring Toru to take another peak. He really wasn't all that interested in flat girls, but maybe she wanted him to?

'Weird girl...' He ruminated.

Chieko led him to a clearing in the woods with a mess of weeds, herbs and flowers. Everything in this area was translucent, and held some kind of glowing fluid which illuminated the vesicles, veins, and roots in the ground.

"Pick these, these, and these," Chieko ordered, pointing to various foliage, "They sell well. We'll give you a cut after."

Chieko had a hard face, but there was subtle beauty in the strength of her cheekbones and the rosy hue on her cheeks. She had natural emerald hair, something Toru only heard about in Isobe's stories.

'She must be an Ect, like Neto.' Toru thought as he started working.

Ects looked almost identical to humans, with only a couple defining features. For one: All Ects had golden eyes. Even the albino ones, which Toru hadn't seen personally.

Most Ects had a dark almond complexion and brown, black, or emerald hair. The latter of which was especially rare.

He knew there were rippling muscles under her leather armor. Ubo blood granted Toru such sense.

"W-what happened to those people by the portal? " Toru asked, peeling a strange carrot-like vegetable out of the ground. He observed the pulsating vesicles with a grimace.

"You wanted to join [Aznu] and haven't heard the news? Are you an idiot or something?" Cheiko laughed. "I can hear your heart beating..."

"M-more or l-less..." Toru stuttered. 'Is my heart really that loud?'

Toru found it troubling to talk to this person.

The more charismatic someone was, the harder it was for Toru to face them. He liked Neto because of his quiet demeanor, even if the boy teased him sometimes.

"Well, some people just hear about the money and come without looking into it.." Chieko sighed."In short, we used to control territory for [Raincloud] peacefully. Keeping other guilds and random people out of that territory is still the name of the game, but its become rather... gruesome."

"I-I see, and o-other guilds try to come here?"

"They do. However, most people we run into are no-guild solos from Nornenheim. They used to get away with claiming a few resources here and there by using the dungeon's gift, but we have that bastard on our side now."

"Mr. Rune-eye?"

"Yeah, that creep..."

Toru would've inquired about him more, but Chieko's face sent chills down his spine. She definitely hated that guy.

"He's started turning us into a group of killers. We used to just threaten people and send them on their way, but now..."

"How often does this kind of thing happen?" Toru gestured in the massacre's direction.

"Once every few months. Most people aren't stupid enough to fight over well-controlled territory, so its usually upstart groups or underground organizations like [COE] and [HYDRA]."

"I've heard of them. Large criminal organizations in Nornenheim, right?"

"Right. a bunch of them came through the portal earlier, used the dungeon's gift, and tried to ambush us. We just played dumb wile sending stealthy folks to get reinforcements. It was a slaughter."

"I can see that."

Blood drained from Chieko's face as she remembered the incident.

"Yeah, and that bastard did most of the work. Naka's been paying him in blood. I can already see the greed in her eyes. She definitely wants to reach his level of cultivation, but... Its impossible for a Demi-human. For any human..."

"Any idea what he is?"

"... everyone's been so fucking secretive lately. Its been hard to get info... All I know's that he's from some organization called the 'Cult of Purity'. Everyone calls him 'Bishop'."

Toru knew something was wrong. He didn't believe Chieko was out to get him, but there was no way she'd be telling Toru this unless she wanted something in return.

Chieko paused for a second, then turned to face Toru, puffing her chest out once again.

"I'm good at finding out secrets." She smiled, drilling her stare into the back of Toru's brain.

"R-really.." he chuckled, sweat forming in his brow.

Both of them stopped working, frozen in space.

"Yeah, like your friend who 'escaped.' I know they're still here."

Toru's blood ran cold. His muscles moved on their own, preparing for combat. He was confident he could take her down before she could scream-

"Whoa, there. I'm not coming in between you and your friend or anything. I'm just interested in their ability. You Joined us because you were trying to save them, right? I can help."

Toru was wondering how she was able to detect Neto. Most likely it wasn't the same OP skill: [{Refined} Sense] Isobe used. Otherwise she would've known Neto was a man.

"I want to kill that bastard." Chieko's voice strained, "Everyone wants to be like that freak now. It's a mental illness, a kind of brainwashing..."

"...I see." Toru thought about his. She was asking for his help. For Neto's help. What would they get in return? If this guy was such a monster, what could they even do?

"You two are dead as it stands, but I have a plan. The'll find him eventually, we've got enough people to -"

Without a hint of warning, the red-robed man- the bishop, stepped into their clearing only a few meters away.

"I knew listening to this conversation would be illuminating."

His eyes were rubies, lighting a soft face unbefitting of his nature. His smile was warm, filled with genuine kindness.

Chieko's mouth dropped. "When did you-"

BOOM!

Toru grabbed Chieko in the nick of time, using [Bound lv. 2] to dart out of the clearing. A sound like thunder came from the sport they'd been working.

Chieko was short, and even though her muscles were heavy, Toru had experience carrying loot for one of the best adventurers in this world. He maneuvered her so that her hands met below his shoulders and her feet wrapped around his waist.

Behind them, another explosion rocked the entire cavern. Toru couldn't gauge the power of that magic. It was out of his league. His only option was to run.

[Bound]

BOOM!

[Bound]

BOOM!

Using his signature skill, Toru remembered the days he trained until his feet bled. For this skill, his efficiency was so high that it barely cost him any mana anymore. He even avoided leveling it up so that it would remain spam-able.

All that training so he could keep up with Isobe, and now it was saving his life and Chieko's.

"I'll get you out of here." Toru declared with resolve. He had too much blood in his brain to stutter during a battle.

Chieko fell silent, blood leaking from her ears into the folds of Toru's armor That's when he realized:

Chieko's discovery of Neto must've had something to do with her hearing! Toru had heard of such an ability, but only in passing. He couldn't recall its name in that moment.

"You're rather annoying, little bunny." A familiar voice laughed.

The bishop appeared in front of Toru, wiggling his delicate fingers. With every motion in his hand, the earth below trembled.

"How!?"

'Was he not using explosive magic?'

Toru tried to use [Bound].

Unfortunately, a rectangular tendril of earth nearly missed the back of his head, sending Toru and Chieko tumbling across the forest floor.

BOOM!

Now blood was leaking from Toru's ears as well. Using the last of his strength, he unsheathed his sword and turned to face a smiling Bishop. His head was ringing, and throbs of red pulsed in his eyes.

The look in the Bishop's face morphed ever so slightly, displaying a hint of a cruelty which ran as deep as his soul.

"~~~~~"

The bishop spoke, but Toru couldn't hear. For now, that creepy guy was heading for him. He would have to buy time somehow, for even the smallest chance at survival.

In that moment, time became molasses. Toru's brain used every neuron, every synapse. His eyes saw a million ways to proceed, and all of them led to death.

'There must be something-'

That's when Toru noticed a shadowy figure creeping behind the bishop.

A Demon, with jet-black fur, two short horns, and a large, incomprehensible scythe. Placing one finger between its lips, the demon warned Toru to remain silent.

With that gesture, a hind of familiarity revealed itself...

'...N-neto?'