Depraved Hero's Path

Like a javelin, the Black Knight's Sword traveled through the Black Fog, piercing the air.

"...!" All that the White King could muster was a gasp as the tip of the blade collided with the Barrier protecting him, sending the weapon spinning in the air. "If I hadn't stayed on the Throne…!"

Gin stared at the spinning sword.

It was an opportunity.

Temporarily leaving the Throne was worth stealing away that weapon!

The moment that he started pushing himself off his seat however,

"Geh!"

Something else exited the Black Fog.

"Tsk." Zarath clicked her tongue as she stopped running. She pulled her arm back, causing the chains that she had conjured to bring the Black Knight's Sword back to her. "Too bad-"

With barely enough time to protect herself, Zarath was launched away.

Elijah and Léa had a complete view of the battlefield.

On the left, outside of the Black Fog, Katherine and the White Queen.

Inside the Black Fog remained Marianne, two White Rooks, and one White Pawn.

On the right, also outside of the Black Fog, Zarath who had just been launched away and was being pursued by two White Bishops and one White Pawn.

"Ganging up on a girl?" Zarath dusted herself off. "That's so not cool."

"You killed Aiden and Mark!"

"You're not making it out of here alive."

"We're taking you down, whatever you are!"

"Do you really have to?" Zarath asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Succubus charms aren't allowed!"

"Tsk!" The Succubus clicked her tongue as she turned towards Rifna, who was standing with her back against the wall. "Why is that?!"

"Cause I said so."

"Tsk!"

***

'This…' Katherine's palms kissed the ground, and her legs spun in the air. 'Is a lot of fun!'

Full-out, double pike, full twist into a back handspring, followed by a triple backflip!

'Would be a lot more fun…' She sighed, her gaze moving towards the White Queen. 'If she wasn't following me with a knife in her hands!'

Having not spent much time moving around since obtaining her "New Magus" Class and the substantial increase in Stats that came with it, Katherine felt enthralled with how light and powerful her body felt.

'Let alone shutting my father up, I could win gold medals… All of the gold medals! This is-'

"Are you going to spend all of the time remaining running away?!" The White Queen shouted, which caused Katherine to sigh.

[Time Left: 1min45sec.]

'Our Stats are equal, so I have no reason to let her close the distance.' She thought to herself.

"The quiet type, huh?" Petra spat on the ground and tightened her grip on the knife in her hand.

The White Queen leaned forward. Just when Katherine was about to move back,

"...?!"

An orb of purple flames appeared right in front of Petra, stopping her in her tracks.

A similar orb appeared in front of the two White Bishops facing Zarath, and another in the middle of the Black Fog.

Remembering the destructiveness of the attack, all immediately jumped back.

Wind Blast-

"UGH!"

The gust of wind, unleashed only inches away from her, felt like the heaviest punch had just landed on Petra's side.

'Of course! Just because she uses those explosive purple flames doesn't mean she can't move or use other Magic at the same time!'

[The Black Magician's Staff imbues your Fire Magic with Dark Magic!]

Another purple orb appeared. This time, to Petra's left.

Having to decide between moving away from that orb or taking another powerful blow of Wind Magic, the choice was quickly made.

"Fuck…!" Petra cursed under her breath. 'She doesn't get close enough. The knife is useless right now…?' She frowned, noticing that the two purple orbs were still floating in the air. 'Is she using them like landmines? Unlike earlier, they haven't exploded.'

***

As the purple orb appeared in front of the two White Bishops,

"ARGH!!!" One of them suddenly exclaimed.

"Don't take your eyes off the ball." Zarath winked, having just thrown the Black Knight's Sword again.

It had pierced through the White Bishop's thigh like butter.

"Help him! Quickly!" The second Bishop ordered the Pawn, positioning himself in front of the two, ready to take on the blast of the explosive purple flames.

"Not so fast." Zarath hummed as she swung her chains. They collided with the orb and caused it to immediately explode! The next moment, her chains wrapped around the Black Knight's Sword's hilt and,

"Arghhh!" The injured Bishop clenched his teeth as the weapon was pulled out of his wound!

"Fuck no!" The Pawn cursed. "You're not getting it back!"

"You're goddamn right!" The second Bishop shouted as he swung his axe with all his strength, breaking the chains before they could bring the Black Knight's Sword back to Zarath!

"Oh, nooo!"

The Black Knight's Sword hit the ground, and the Pawn plunged to take hold of its hilt!

"You're fucked without that weapon! That's what allowed you to throw those magic attacks, isn't it?!" The Bishop sneered. "You're about to get a taste of your own…?"

His confidence turned into confusion as Zarath's hand started moving towards the side of her waist.

He glanced at his comrade. The Pawn was just about to take hold of the Black Knight's Sword.

"Wha-"

The White Pawn's words were cut short, as a slash of Dark Magic cut his arm short, cleaving it clean off at the elbow!

"Sto… Stop-" The White Bishop's word didn't make it in time. A second slash was sent, severing the White Pawn's upper body vertically. "L… Léo…" He muttered, watching a pool of blood exit his friend's cleaved body.

"Deserved." Zarath shrugged. "It's what you get for…"

[Knight's Scabbard, D-Rank Item:

The Knight's Scabbard is blessed with a Seal that links the Knight's Scabbard to the Knight's sword of choice.

As long as the Knight's Scabbard and the sword are in good condition, the sword will never be lost by the Knight. The sword will always find its way back to the Knight's Scabbard.

Only one sword can be linked to the Knight's Scabbard.]

"Trying to steal something that isn't yours."

***

'The Black Knight's Sword was Linked to the Knight's Scabbard.' Léa thought to herself with a gulp, watching from afar. 'She baited them by using the chains to bring it to her. The moment that someone who doesn't have the Knight's Scabbard tries to take the Linked Sword, it will disappear and reappear inside the Knight's Scabbard.' She clenched her teeth, watching as the White Bishop fell to his knees, shaking the fallen White Pawn's body. 'How can I think about that when-'

Elijah's hand took hold of her shoulder, pulling her back to reality.

'This is our world now.' She thought, her hand shaking. 'A Game about fighting Fear, one about seeing the Past truthfully and honestly, and one about killing people. Just how the world is turning out… The faster I get used to it, the more…'

Léa felt the need to focus on something else.

Her gaze moved towards Elijah's other hand.

"You're using it the same way that Katherine did."

"I am." He nodded.

In his hand rested the Black Magician's Staff.

[You have used the Sub-Skill "Slave Mark, Skill Share[B]".]

[The Skill "Elemental Control[C]" is now being Shared.]

Léa did not previously know about Elijah's ability to 'Copy' Skills.

However, seeing him use Fire Magic like Katherine had confirmed it. The fact that he could conjure the same chains as Zarath had been the first clue.

"Damage inflicted by the King is nullified." She whispered. "You can only use those flames to disturb them."

"Yes." Elijah smiled. "I can't detonate them. If I do, they'll realize that they do no damage."

"By keeping it this way, they'll assume that it's Katherine's doing…" Léa moved her gaze towards that side of the battlefield. "And the White Queen will assume that Katherine is consuming more Mana than she really is."

"Yep."

Léa stared at the Black Fog for a moment.

"How is Marianne doing?"

"Well." Elijah answered without any further explanation.

***

Marianne had first attempted to pass by the two Rooks and the Pawn, and aim her blades directly at the White King. However, after that the Rooks threatened to take their time with her rather than kill her right away, and the Pawn hinted at what they would do to her, she decided against going to the White King directly.

Within the Black Fog, the three couldn't see a thing. All they had going for them was their arrogance, something so brittle and fragile that it broke as soon as Marianne's daggers cut them right above the knee, severing their tendons.

"What the fuck was-"

"Argh…!" Both Rooks exclaimed as Marianne stepped on their fingers and inserted her blades into their arms.

"What is it…" From her eyes emanated the coldest light. "You were going to do?"

"AAAARGH!" The White Pawn exclaimed as he charged, the rusty knife in his hand aimed at Marianne's neck.

Marianne's gaze immediately moved to the ground below his feet.

She frowned momentarily, and the White Pawn gasped, his foot sinking into the ground as if it had suddenly turned into quicksand.

"I… W… Y…." He stuttered, having fallen flat on his face.

He had fallen so perfectly that Marianne couldn't help but raise her foot, move it three inches forward, and step on the Pawn's head with all her strength until he screamed.

'I'm not mad enough to kill them though.' She thought to herself, watching the three fallen opponents with her Golden Eyes. 'Though I don't feel good about letting them leave after what they said…'

A couple of seconds passed.

'What to do…?'