I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

A pair of dull, lifeless eyes—bereft of emotion and like those of the dead—

Gazed up at the crimson sky.

Rick hugged his knees, sitting vigil at the entrance of the snow cave. Outside, the snow-covered ground was tinged with an eerie blue glow, a surreal scene unique to this scarred world.

The untreated hide cloak he wore let the cold seep through, leaving his fingers numb.

Behind him came the faint rustling of movement and the sound of cautious footsteps. It was far too deliberate to belong to the two elegantly dressed young ladies.

It was Ivan. He crept over and sat quietly beside Rick.

"Rick…" Ivan gave the young settlement leader a complex look. The burden he carried was far too heavy.

"I'll take over the watch for the rest of the night. You should get some rest."

"Ivan." Rick's voice was hoarse, as if dragged across gravel. "We barely made it out alive. You should get some real sleep."

"Surviving death's door… I can't sleep," Ivan replied, looking in the same direction Rick had been staring. "I'll keep you company instead."

"…Alright." Rick smiled apologetically at the older man, someone who hadn't hesitated to offer his life for others.

After a long silence, Rick's dry voice broke the stillness.

"Ivan… Did you know?"

"That pillar of light, as if it connects heaven and earth… This isn't the first time I've seen it."

Over ten years ago, a similar scorching light had fallen from the sky, burning his retinas and destroying everything, tearing Rick's dreams apart.

The entire village was obliterated, leaving Rick the sole survivor.

He had crawled out from beneath his parents' corpses. It was their bodies that had shielded him, granting him the slim chance of survival.

All he saw were corpses… All he heard was the abyssal silence… All he smelled was the charred stench of human flesh…

Through the swirling dust, Rick caught sight of the shadow descending from the heavens, draped in an array of armaments.

…

"A Ex-Machina?" Ivan hesitated upon hearing the story, one Rick had never shared before.

"Yes… It was," Rick said, hugging his knees and exhaling a breath of white mist.

Amid the flames and dust, that delicate, armor-clad figure tore through the black smoke, gradually revealing itself to Rick. The ruby-like eyes overlapped with the memory before him.

Was it an illusion?

Perhaps not.

——

Rick adhered to an absolute philosophy of utilitarianism.

He could not afford personal emotions, acting solely for the sake of the collective.

Through cold calculation, he erased the possibility of smiling happiness.

By trading lives, this small settlement had managed to grow and survive.

For this reason, sacrificing one to save two, or abandoning two to save four, was a reasonable price to pay.

Doesn't that logic feel familiar?

But unlike that cold, calculating mage killer…

If it meant saving the settlement, Rick would offer his life without hesitation.

…

The settlement's central hall was decorated with 47 gemstones. Each bore a name etched into its reverse side—names of those who had died silently, unnoticed.

These 47 names, of those who had been sacrificed by Rick's decisions, were carved into his heart with a knife, bleeding constantly with guilt.

Watching the softly falling snow, Rick fought back tears.

Would there come a day when he would kill 999 people for the sake of 1,001?

…

What should have been a two-day journey was extended by a day to ensure no pursuers followed and to leave no tracks behind.

Within the snow-laden forest, the group trudged silently.

Ivan continued his antics, trying to "pair up" Kurumi and Rick, leaving Rick's scalp tingling in exasperation. He had no idea which of Ivan's wires had short-circuited.

The elegant young lady who always wore a faint smile made Rick feel suffocated, as though she could peer into his soul.

Yet, thanks to Ivan, the group's atmosphere wasn't entirely frozen.

"Miss Tokisaki…" After much hesitation, Rick finally summoned the courage to ask Kurumi. "Your weapon… or rather, the power that let you kill the Demonia—could it be replicated?"

"Oh?" Kurumi turned to the taciturn man. The heavy black-and-red revolver with its dangling chains slid from her sleeve like a tool from a bottomless pocket. Its chamber and cylinder glowed like molten lava, faintly radiating golden light.

"You mean this?"

"Yes." Rick pulled out his spirit gauge. The needle remained inert.

"There's no spirit response at all." Schwi, who had been clinging to Kurumi's arm, nearly pressed her face against the weapon.

"But my analysis system is issuing severe warnings… This is illogical."

Of course, it wasn't logical—this was genuine Heaven technology. (Translator Note: Currently, all abilities other than Astral Dress and Angel are from Dungeon & Fighter, so if you see unfamiliar abilities, weapons, or items, they are likely from that game.)"

"Yare yare~ If you're asking about replicating this gun, I can only say it's impossible," Kurumi denied.

This world didn't have a boss to farm for weapons.

"This thing… probably requires taking down a god-level entity to obtain."

"A god, huh…" Rick's bitter smile deepened.

Humans, who avoided even the creations of gods, could never dream of challenging a deity.

"But…" Kurumi abruptly shifted gears. "If it's just about creating similar firearms, that might be possible."

With Schwi's capability as an analytical model, parsing a few pieces of Heaven Realm technology shouldn't be an issue, right?

"In that case… thank you," Rick said earnestly.

——

After passing through the snow-covered forest, the vast Rocky Spine of the continent loomed ahead.

Once heavily mined by the Dwarves, the mountains now stood barren and desolate.

At the base of a jagged outcrop, a hidden, beast-like cave entrance came into view.

As they ventured deeper into the tunnels, signs of human craftsmanship began to emerge: thick logs embedded into the rock walls.

Bang, bang, bang… Bang, bang…

At the end of the passage, Rick knocked on the heavy wooden door with a rhythmic pattern. Behind him, Ale and Ivan visibly relaxed.

Creak—

A young boy opened the door.

"Welcome back."

His eyes scanned the group, lighting up with joy when he saw all three had returned safely.

"You're finally back! Lady Chlammy has been worried sick about you."

Hearing that name, the grim look on Rick's face softened just a little.

The boy also noticed the two unfamiliar figures standing upright behind the group—Kurumi and Schwi.

"Whoa, whoa… Who are these two?"

"Just benefactors we met on the way," Rick said curtly, stepping inside without elaborating.

But Ale leaned in close to the boy, whispering into his ear.

"Ohhh~~"

"Mhm~~"

The two exchanged knowing smiles, as if they'd stumbled upon some great secret.

"I have to go tell Lady Chlammy right away!" Before Rick could stop him, the boy darted off into the depths of the cave.

"You…" Rick shot a glance at the instigator, Ivan, and sighed.

The settlement's interior was wide and spacious, illuminated by the faint blue light of crystalline minerals embedded in the vaulted ceiling.

This was a relatively safe haven.

…

Walking through the cave's central plaza, the settlers cast various looks their way—trusting, weary, sorrowful…

Not a single gaze carried hatred.

Rick secretly wished someone would hate him, accuse him outright:

"Why are you so cruel? Why wasn't it you who died instead?"

But none did.

The weight of their unspoken trust made every step heavier.

Then, a slender young girl dashed out from the crowd, her bright blue eyes sparkling like gemstones.

"Rick… Rick!"

"It's such a relief… I was so worried," the girl cried, wrapping her arms around Rick's neck, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Chlammy." Rick looked helplessly at the childlike woman. "Did anything happen while I was away?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chlammy pouted. "I keep telling you to call me big sister."

Not only did he refuse to call her "sister," but he insisted on using her nickname. Unforgivable!

Chlammy grabbed Rick's belongings. "Nothing happened in the settlement. Next time, come back sooner. Stop making me worry so much."

"I came back as soon as I could," Rick said helplessly, noticing her gaze shift behind him.

Tap, tap, tap—

Chlammy trotted over to Kurumi, her bright eyes scanning her curiously.

That look made Kurumi feel extremely uncomfortable.

"So, so, you're Miss Tokisaki, right?" Chlammy took Kurumi's hand. "Let me tell you something~ Our Rick here is super reliable."

…

While Chlammy chattered with Kurumi and Ivan reunited with his family, Rick sighed, ready to retreat to his room.

This expedition had yielded maps and geopolitical information from the wreckage of a Dwarven airship—essential data for the settlement's future.

"Rick!" Chlammy's voice snapped him back. "Where do you think you're going? Go take a bath!"

"Chlammy, just wiping off will do. We're running low on fuel…"

"I said—Go! Take! A! Bath!" Chlammy put her hands on her hips, glaring until Rick relented and headed toward the bathhouse.

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she returned to her coy demeanor, nervously glancing at Kurumi.

Thankfully, Kurumi merely covered her mouth and chuckled.

According to Ivan… this was the type of woman Rick liked.

——

The bathhouse was located far from the settlement's main hall, near the southern edge of the mountain range. A bit further south, and it opened onto the sea.

This position made it easy to collect salt and fish, as well as manage waste disposal.

…

Instead of heating water as Chlammy had ordered, Rick poured icy water over himself. The frigid, skin-splitting chill made him shiver violently.

Almost like salvation.

Just a little closer, Rick thought. If things had gone slightly differently, only Ale and I would've returned this time.

The image of Ivan's young daughter—her bright, innocent face—flashed through Rick's mind. What expression would she have made if told her father had died?

Rick couldn't bear to imagine it.

"Huff… Huff…"

His breathing grew ragged. He couldn't tell if it was from the cold or because he was crying.

He ran his hand over his face. His numb fingers felt hot.

Why… does someone like me, a butcher, still have this pathetic, hypocritical part of myself?

In the freezing water, Rick curled into himself, sobbing uncontrollably.

——

Was humanity truly doomed to flee and survive, clinging to life?

Once, Rick had believed so.

He had stood before the settlement's residents, appearing as lifeless as a revenant, declaring:

"This era will end."

"So long as we keep surviving, someone will see the blue snowflakes stop falling."

"Someone will see the sun hidden behind the smoke-filled sky."

But deep down, he knew better than anyone that humanity was only scraping by.

Until… he witnessed Kurumi.

Kurumi, who tore apart the Demonia like it was child's play, a predator crushing mere prey.

"Humanity does not exist to be destroyed."

As he reviewed the newly completed map under flickering candlelight, Rick glanced at Kurumi and saw something he had never dared dream of before.

Hope.

…

Kurumi and Schwi brought Rick more than just overwhelming strength—they brought knowledge.

The truth of this world's war.

The eternal war that had persisted since the dawn of everything, a conflict that had never ended.

——The Old Deus, born from prayers and wishes, imbued with Divine Essence…

They created their own children and joined their creations in a battle to claim the throne of the One True God.

The throne of the One True God—or, as it was called, the Suniaster (Star Grail)—was a conceptual device granting dominion over all divine entities.

…

"If I can kill all other gods and become the last one standing, the Star Grail will descend to me, and I'll become the One True God."

This was the rationale behind the gods' war.

And so, the sky was sealed, the earth shattered, and there was neither day nor night as the world was dyed in blood.

This was the truth of the Star Grail War.

——

So, how could it be broken?

Rick fell into deep thought. The world unfolded before him like a grand chessboard, but he was no player—just a tiny ant on the board, incapable of moving a single piece.

No…

Rick glanced at Kurumi.

Now, he had one.

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