I summoned the tentacles from my back, snapping the iron bars of the cages that trapped the elves.

"I haven't given you a name yet, have I, slime?" I communicated with the slime through thoughts.

[...Not yet...] I heard him reply in my head.

"Do you want one?"

The slime hesitated for a moment, then replied, [...If it pleases you, master...]

"How about...Yamato?" I suggested.

[...Yamato...I like it. Thank you, master...] the slime, now named Yamato, responded.

"Let's take these sleeping elves back to the surface."

I lifted the unconscious elves with my tentacles, careful not to harm them.

As I was about to return to the surface, I felt a presence to the far left of the room.

I walked towards it, curious about what or who it could be. As I got closer, I realized that it was a young elf, no older than three. She was huddled in the corner, her eyes wide with fear as she stared at me.

"Don't be afraid," I said in my head. "I won't hurt you."

She didn't respond, but I could feel her fear slowly dissipating.

"Where are your parents?"

She shook her head.

I probably killed them. Eh, doesn't matter. It's just another roadkill on the highway of life.

"Do you want to come with me?"

The little girl looked up at me with big, hopeful eyes and nodded again.

I carefully wrapped my tentacles around her small, fragile body, being cautious not to hurt her. As I lifted her up, she let out a small gasp of surprise.

"Shh, it's okay."

I placed her on my neck.

As soon as our skin made contact, a notification appeared in my sight.

[All Seeing Eye of Despair's ability has activated.]

I slowly lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was in the woods, running away from something.

I can't move. Is this a nightmare?

As I tried to make sense of my surroundings, I noticed a group of people in the distance.

Their faces were contorted with rage as they chased after me.

My body felt like it was on autopilot as it raced through the forest, leaving me struggling to keep up. As I pushed myself ever faster, a sharp pain shot through my leg, and I suddenly lost my footing, collapsing onto the ground.

The pain felt like a hot knife slicing through my leg, each excruciating sensation demanding my attention and making me wince in agony.

There was an arrow on my leg.

Fuck. What the hell is this?! This is too vivid for a nightmare. The sensation of pain, the exhaustion, the fear. It all feels too real.

As I tried to crawl away, I saw a figure approaching me. It was a woman, but her features were distorted, almost monstrous.

"Please, don't kill me," I pleaded, hoping that she would take pity on me.

You idiot. Why are you begging for mercy? Use the arrow on your leg and kill her. Aim for the eye.

"You really inconvenienced us this time, kid." The woman spoke with a masculine tone.

"Elves are valuable merchandise. But this is the third time you have escaped. There will be no mercy this time." She said, taking out a sword from its scabbard and cutting off my leg in one swift slash.

"Gyaaaghh~!!" I screamed as I felt the pain vividly. I tried to crawl away, but it was no use.

"She's still trying to escape. Seems like she needs another lesson." Another woman with a distorted appearance said as she approached me with a dagger in hand.

"Should I take your eye or your arm?" She asked.

The pain in my leg was hurting so much. I couldn't speak, let alone process what she had just said.

Shit, these fucking psychos...!

I felt myself crying.

"Well, well, well, I guess you don't want your arm and eye. I'll be taking both of them then." She answered with a grin that revealed her teeth.

"Aaaaaaggggghhh~!!!" I screamed as she made two quick slashes and gouged out my left eye and my right arm.

"Hahahahaha!!! How do you like that?!" The woman laughed as she left.

[The memory of despair has ended. Resuming normal brain operations.]

"Ugh." I groaned, clutching my eye from the pain.

I looked around to see I was back in the room where the elves were caged.

Shit, so that was the final ability of the All-Seeing Eye of Despair. The system didn't explain the last effect, only its name, the "Memory of Despair."

The All-Seeing Eye of Despair had four directions, each corresponding to an ability.

The left was an unobstructed 360-degree vision. The right was a "bullet-time" that slowed down my perception of time.

The top was analysis ability that seems to correspond with the system, showing vital information from the target. And finally, the bottom, which was only labeled as "Memory of Despair."

Was that scene I just saw and experienced a memory of this kid? These goddamn nutjobs. If I ever see them again… I'll tear them to pieces without even blinking.

[You have acquired an Avenger Quest.]
[Elysia's Memory of Despair]
[Grade: Avenger (Road of Despair - Unique Quest)]
[Slaughter the responsible for taking the arm, leg, and eye of Elysia. (0/8)]
[Rewards:
• Elysia - Fallen Elf Transformation.
• 30,000 Gold.
• 10 Avenger Points.
• Supreme Swordsmanship: Blade of Vengeance]

An Avenger quest, huh... That's interesting. Hahahahaha. This is going to be fun ✦

...

...

I'm glad I was reborn.

***

I arrived at the surface. The coldness of winter hit me in the face.

"Mas...ter...?" I heard Eura's voice ask from a distance.

I smiled and replied, "Yeah, it's me."

Eura's eyes suddenly widened.

"Who the hell are you!?" She asked a question with an appalled expression.

"You look the same, but... your smile, your body language, even your articulation is different."

"Hahahahahaha ✦. That's the most stupid question I've heard all these years."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"You always had so many talents in your hands, Eura, but even I didn't expect that one of them was being a detective."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it. I have a question. What do you think this is?" I said as I took my Sig Sauer P226 and a single gold coin.

Without warning, I aimed the gun at the sky and shot until the gun ran out of ammo. The shots rang out through the cold winter air, and the smoke from the barrel drifted away until the gun was empty.

I threw the gun and the gold coin at her.

She picked up the coin and gun with both hands and examined it.

She looked at me with questioning eyes.

"What is this supposed to be?" She asked.

"That's the answer you're looking for."

I walked away, leaving her to her puzzlement.

"Kiiiiieeeeeeekkk~!"

A giant spider was falling from the sky, directly on top of me.

I moved to the left, and the spider fell just short of my feet.

"Kiiieeeeekk~! Kiiiiieeeeeeekkkkk~! Kiiiiiiieeeeeeeeekkkkkk~!" The spider, Haruna, screeched at me.

I glanced at the spider and asked, "Why didn't you catch me? I would have been squashed if I had!"

"Kiiiiikkk~! Kiiiiieeeeeeeekkkk~! Kiiiiieeeeeekkkk~!"

Haruna's leg began to look limp. She was obviously exhausted.

"Fine. Fine. I'll carry you too."

One of my tentacles reached out and picked the giant spider up by the section in between its head and abdomen, where its stronger parts are, avoiding the risk of accidentally crushing its organs.

"You too," I said, grabbing Eura with another tentacle.

"Kiiieeekk~! K~ Kiii~ Kiii~!" Haruna played around, waving its legs like a bird.

"I can walk." Eura protested.

"It's faster this way. Where's Aerith?"

"Kiii~ Kiiieeek~!" Haruna continued to play around, turning its head and kicking its legs.

I ignored Haruna and summoned four more tentacles and used them to walk with larger steps.

"She should be at the carriage. I think she's waiting for us."

I sped up, and in no time, we arrived.

The winter wind blew against my face as I walked towards where the carriage was parked.

There was no one outside.

I lowered my body and walked with my two feet towards the entrance.

As I closed the distance, the door swung with Aerith jumping towards me.

She landed a meter or so away, dashing towards me and giving me a deep kiss. I responded by forcing my tongue into her mouth and squeezing both of her ass.

"Mmmm~♡, Master, aren't you too aggressive right now?" She said as she separated from me.

"Do you hate it?"

"N-no, it's just that my body's about to enter overdrive. You're going to pay for that later." She said with a seductive smile.

I laughed, "Control yourself. You damn elves are total sex junkies,"

She blushed and lowered her head, "I'm sorry~. I can't help it… I mean, master, your cock is so big and long~. I can't help but be addicted to it." She said as she nuzzled my chest.

"Watch that mouth of yours. There's a kid here."

"Sorry, it just slipped out~! I'll be more careful from now on~." She said as she kissed my chest.

"By the way, what's up with the tentacles and the elves?" She asked as she looked at the partially nude elves.

"Ask that later!! The wind is too cold up here." Eura shouted with annoyance.

"Right. I got distracted, ahaha ✦," I laughed sheepishly.

I stored the carriage in my inventory and went towards the city's exit.

The moment I arrived, I saw a group of guards aiming a bow and arrow at me.