That was close.

Thanks to Yuya buying us some time, we were able to rescue Mary just in time.

I don’t even want to imagine what the robed man was planning to do if we had been any later.

But for now, it’s good that she’s safe. That alone is enough.

“Mary…”

As I sheathed my sword, I turned my gaze toward the familiar maid.

She looked utterly exhausted.

Her eyes were devoid of life, her clothes were in tatters, and traces of tears ran down her cheeks, indicating she had been crying just moments ago.

She must have gone through something terrible.

“Arios-sama… why…?”

“I sensed an ominous presence just a little while ago. So I followed it and ended up here.”

“A… A little while ago…?”

Mary looked at me in disbelief, while Ray stepped forward with a chuckle.

“Fufu. Arios’s greatness is nothing new.”

“…No, no. That only makes things even more confusing. Could it be that you are…?”

Mary wisely cut herself off.

This was not the place to reveal Ray’s true identity.

“Wait a moment. I’ll heal you now.”

Ray said this and activated Holy Magic.

A gentle glow enveloped Mary, melting into her. With each pulse of light absorbed into her body, her wounds slowly began to heal.

“Ray, can I leave Mary to you?”

“Yes, I’ll take care of her.”

“You bastard…!”

A man’s enraged voice cut through my conversation with Ray.

I turned my eyes forward to see a lone man draped in a gray robe. He had been covering his entire face earlier, but due to my attack, his hood had fallen back, revealing his furious expression.

For the record, my Swift First Slash just now was only meant as a warning strike.

I needed information from this guy—I couldn’t let him die too easily.

As I contemplated my next move, the man in the gray robe glared at me with bloodshot eyes and bellowed.

“I heard some pesky little insect had infiltrated… but to think you’d interfere with my enjoyment! Are you prepared to suffer?”

…What a noisy guy.

Honestly, I’d like to deal with him right now, but I had too many questions I wanted answered.

And then—

“Well, well. So this is where the intruder was hiding.”

“You’ve been snooping around quite a bit.”

I sensed two more presences behind me.

Glancing back, I saw two more men wearing the same gray robes as the one who had been tormenting Mary.

…They must be swordsmen.

Each had a sword at their waist, and their sharp gazes left no room for carelessness. Their stances were completely disciplined, revealing no openings.

“Hmph. Foolishness. It seems you came here to rescue the girl… but you’re like a moth drawn to the flame. To throw your life away so readily.”

One of the gray-robed men declared in a solemn tone.

He seemed extremely confident.

No doubt they were formidable opponents.

“A-Arios-sama… Please, don’t worry about me. You must escape…”

Mary, realizing the severity of the situation, whispered in a trembling voice.

I smiled gently at her.

“Don’t worry about it. Tears… don’t suit you.”

I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped away her tears.

“Ah…”

“It’ll be fine. I won’t lose. I’ll definitely get us out of this.”

A mysterious skill—Cheat Code Manipulation.

Because of it, I lost my status and my family.

But in exchange, I gained something far more precious—something irreplaceable.

Black Grizzly, Giant Orcs, and packs of White Wolves… If 《Cheat Code Manipulation》 could defeat them, then perhaps—

“Hey, did you hear that? He said he’s going to ‘get out of this.’”

“Kukuku… How pitiful. He has no idea how powerful we are.”

“A pitiful dog from the surface world… Let us teach you the meaning of true strength!”

Each of the men gripped the hilts of their swords and assumed a battle stance.

Their poise was flawless.

“Run, Arios-sama… Please!”

Beside me, Mary was still crying out.

I took a deep breath.

I shifted into a combat stance, sharpening my focus and attuning my senses to their movements—

Suddenly.

One of the men shuddered.

“W-What is this presence…?”

“Ignore it! We are the esteemed 《Arceus Salvation Party》! There is no way we can lose!”

“Ooooooohhh!!!”

The men lunged at me in unison.

—But they were too slow.

“Uooooohhh!!!”

All three of them charged, but I had already read their every move.

One second later—a strike from behind.

Next—an upward slash from my left.

Then—a downward slash from my right.

I blocked every single attack with precision. Each clash of swords echoed with a piercing metallic ring.

And then—

“Activate…”

Cheat Code Manipulation.

《Attack Power Up (Small)》.

—Clang!

As I swung my sword, the sheer wind pressure sent all three men reeling. At the same time, the ability of my treasured sword, Levatein, activated, freezing their feet in place.

“W-What…?”

“Impossible…!!”

Now, they were nothing more than sitting ducks.

Engen Style.

《Swift First Slash》.

“Uwaaaaaaaahhh!!!”

The storm of slashes rained down mercilessly upon them.