The Mysterious Black Magician

Thump!

A dull sound intertwined to the solemnity of the atmosphere when Yman threw the corpse of Evil Rat to the side.

Plok, plok, plok! Droplets of blood departed from the tips of his fingers. It was dripping onto the ground like sticky excrement.

His back was still facing at her when they heard him saying, "How ironic..." his voice was trailed with regret, dismay, and disappointment. "I remembered someone told me that as weak as I am was nothing to her. Yet..." he stopped and side-glanced at the girl at his back. "Is this the extent of your 'Power'? Or you misunderstand the concept of the word 'Stronger'?"

Maena frowned but she remained quiet because she felt something unusual with him at this moment.

"Someone who has strength but incapable of surviving a little struggle is much weaker than someone with a little strength but capable of advancing through any hurdle." His voice wasn't loud nor low. But the meaning behind it was clear to them.

Ultima was surprised to see this part of the famous Rat Slayer. What they knew about him was a silent and serious person but not to this extent. Whenever he went inside the barracks, there were only two reasons for it: to relax while sipping tea or coffee and to take a mission of killing rats. Even though those around him were mocking him, he only replied with a forced smile. So seeing him killing the rat mercilessly, and casually talking to the beautiful girl like the blonde. He could not help to feel more curious about this person.

Yman noticed she stared at him. Then it grew into a piercing gaze. Yman's brow slightly raised.

"Don't talk like you know me!" She screamed, and her voice echoed inside the channel. "You don't know what I'd been through." 

Yman was taken aback.

He noticed some tears running down from the corner of her eyes. He knitted his brows and glanced at Almina. 

Yman saw her had a solemn face. Perhaps something happened to the blonde in the past which Almina knew.

Yman sighed and lifted his left hand.

A moment later, he threw something on the blonde's head.

"H-How cruel," Ultima muttered but no one heard it or maybe they just pretended not to hear it, especially Yman himself.

The thing he threw landed on her head. Maena stared at him like pointing a dagger on his throat.

Yman exhaled, "Don't misunderstand I'm not forcing you to wear that. Regardless, if you want to talk with something, I'm willing to listen later. But right now is not the right time, and if you still insist not to wear that mask, then it's better for you to return to the surface. I can't let you come with us in that state," he said firmly.

"W-Why are you so adamant in killing rats?"

"Adamant you say? That word is more suited to you, you know. Anyway, look around you," he beckoned her to look at the people around her.

"What do you mean?" Maena asked with doubt.

"If I only came here just to play with the rats, what's the point of bringing you all here?" After saying it, a glint was visible in his eyes; Yman's face turned serious.

Maena and the others widened their eyes. Now that they thought about it.

Ultima thought, 'Why did the Rat Slayer have to hire me with double the price if he was only killing rats? He even squished that rat a while ago.'

In Maena's mind, 'He's right, it's weird that he hired a mercenary if he already had Almina as his companion, to begin with. If killing only these rats, Almina was more than enough by that. He was even capable of killing them with his hand."

Maena's gaze landed on the mercenary.

"Wait, weren't the price of hiring a mercenary mostly cost 500? It was impossible that he could earn that lots in killing these rats. So what's the reason for coming here? Wasn't he here to play? No, this person was so wicked, it was impossible that he wasted his time in coming here just to play."

When her gaze darted to Yman's right hand, "Wait, that Cryst... could it be..." 

She absentmindedly stared at him who was showing a grin.

Almina ran and stopped beside him while saying, "Y-Yman, I don't care what the other may think of you. I am more than happy that you chose your safety than going on a mission that might hurt you," She said with full of concern.

"Eh?" Yman lost in thought after hearing Almina's words. "T-Thank you for your concern Ms. Almina."

She smiled sweetly at him.

He thought, |That smile again.|

But before he could think much of it, <Partner, our guest is here.> He heard Sistela whisper in his ears.

Yman narrowed his eyes to the dark part of the tunnel.

He said his thanks to her through thought communication. Then he glanced at the blonde.

"Are you coming?" He asked her.

Maena stared at him for a couple of seconds.

In her mind, 'This person is a vile person who has no qualms of hurting his comrades as long as his plan succeeded. But why is he showing this kind of concern right now? Is it genuine? Or just fake?' She took the mask off of her head and tightly gripped on it within her hand.

Inside his head, he wanted to bury himself in the ground for saying those embarrassing lines a while ago, but he needed this blonde's strength in order to succeed in this mission. So, he had no choice. Well, he would be leaving here later on, anyway.

He noticed her mouth slowly opened.

"It's fine, Maena," Almina went to hug the blonde.

"W-Will you listen... to-to my story-later?" She said a little bashful.

"Eh?" Yman was surprised. Although he said that he would listen if she wanted to talk with him, it was an out of the blue utterance. Never would he imagine that the blonde took it seriously.

Now he was a little curious if what really was the reason for those tears a while ago.

Wait weren't these two supposed to be rivals? Maybe it was connected to the story she wanted to tell? But why me though? Perhaps she already thought of me as someone that can be trusted after I saved her.

"Sure, when we both had the free time," he answered with a smile.

"Cough!" Maena slowly lifted the mask towards her face. However, "Wait," Yman stopped her. "Why?" She asked. "Drink this first," he handed a vial of potion for poison.

She glanced at his face; he was the shortest than the rest in the group. But right now, she felt he was exuding a demeanor like he was staring down at them. Like he was stepping in the higher podium. Maybe this was just her imagination. However, this is what she feels at the moment. This is the first time she feels like this. She subconsciously took the vial and drank it without opening the cap.

"....."

"Eh, S-Sorry!"

(Facepalm)

Almina and Yman were having blank eyes while watching at Maena.

Ultima had a surprise (Pikachu) face once again while thinking, 'This Rat Slayer was so awesome! Not only he was so merciless in killing that rat. He is also able to tame the blonde tiger!' (Cries)

Flustered Maena quickly opened the cap and drank it out of embarrassment, yet it almost choked her.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Yman giggled. Never did he imagine that this cold blonde had this cute side of her.

<Partner, it's here!> Sistela warned.

"Mhm!"

After Maena wears the mask, 'Well, it's not bad. The smell is nice also. Eh? What I am thinking?' She shook her head.

"Now everyone, I know all of you think that I come here every day just to kill those slightly weaker rats. But that was wrong. From here onward bear it in your mind that we might be facing a real danger where our lives were at stake," Yman said with his eyes gleaming in an instance.

Everyone was puzzled by his words. Even Almina had question marks floating on her heads, wondering what Yman was saying. Wait, didn't he mention to Maena of why he brought them here?

Before everyone could process what Yman's words were meant, they felt a cold sudden pressure ahead of them. It was like compressing the air inside the tunnel, sending chills on their skins.

A suffocating feeling of strong pressure was baring onto them. The others slightly trembled, but they noticed the guy in front of them, the weakest guy they all knew, he was standing unaffected by the strong pressure while twitching his hand casually.

Everyone was puzzled. Why was Yman standing unaffected by it? Whereas, they had difficulty in grasping their breaths.

Yman glanced behind him and frowned immediately.

"Eh? Are you okay?" He asked in puzzlement.

"R-Rat S-Slayer, how can you talk casually in this situation?"

"Eh? Why not? I'm more wondering why you guys are having a hard time with this slight breeze of pressure," Yman replied.

"S-Slight breeze?!" The three cannot believe.

A moment later, they heard a steeping sound coming closer to their direction. The ground vibrates at every step.

They immediately readied their weapons in hand.

"The hunt is going to start," Yman mumbled.