A brilliant turquoise beam pierces through the back of the Grong holding Nia's left arm.
With a thud, the sound of flesh and hide being torn apart echoes as the Grong collapses, gurgling with blood-frothed moans.
The arrow of light, having pierced the Grong's back, doesn't stop. It streaks forward, snapping the trunk of a distant Tolaca tree before finally fading into the forest's darkness.
"What in the world… Urgh!"
As Walrong turns to identify the source of the light, the tip of a gleaming silver blade pierces through their back, emerging at their chest.
"Grrk! What?!"
The blade withdraws, and blood gushes from the wound. Clutching the chest wound with a pain-contorted face, Walrong twists to see the assailant.
A long, straight longsword. A hilt adorned with a unique beast-shaped ornament. A blue cord dangling from it, and a gauntlet embedded with intricately crafted blue gems gripping the hilt. In that moment, Walrong sees only the blade swinging toward their neck, wielded by the assailant whose black hair peeks from beneath a hood.
Swish.
Walrong's head, along with the tattered cloth hat, is severed and rolls toward Nia.
"(Oh, Dirit's piercing magic arrow hit its mark.) Sorry, Nia. I hesitated a bit, wanting to assess the situation, so I was a little late."
Gravel, clad in a black hooded cloak that reaches the ankles, slides the sword's tip into the gap of the metal restraints binding Nia's arms, severing the lock and freeing Nia's arms.
"This… I didn't expect…?"
Weirara, gripping a dagger and assuming a stance, retreats into the shadows between trees and bushes.
"Were we followed?"
"No way, I checked multiple times."
"Rwoook! Walrong! Frolak!!"
Seeing the sudden assailant, Koolt and their companions draw swords from their scabbards, pointing them at Gravel.
The last surviving Grong, seeing their motionless comrades on the ground, pulls a weapon from the sheath at their waist.
"Hmm… No running or surrendering, I take it? It's rare to find opponents I can test my magic and swordplay on without holding back."
Gravel speaks in a soft, gentle voice, a calm smile spreading across their face.
'First, I'll detoxify Nia, who's been poisoned. With all these trees and plants around, fire or lightning spell feels risky… There are still plenty of options, though. Which one should I go with?'
Pondering, Gravel extends their left palm toward Nia, casting a detoxification spell.
"Thank… you, Human."
Feeling the venom of the Aldeed bird draining from the body, Nia offers gratitude to Gravel.
"I'm Gravel. I saw your match in the arena—impressive swordsmanship."
"I'll help too."
Nia rises, reaching for the sword discarded on the ground.
"I've got this. You're detoxified, but you should rest."
After casting a healing spell and confirming Nia's wounds have vanished, Gravel steps toward the lone remaining Grong. As they move, they begin circulating mana through their mana veins.
'This mana vein effect is incredible. Just cycling mana through Lepursa and Pavor fills my legs and body with power… Maybe I'll try maintaining a few more while fighting these kidnappers. Like Iris said, controlling them in real combat is key.'
Stopping, Gravel grips the hilt of the Sword of East End tighter, clenching their left fist, amplifying the surge of power coursing through their body from the mana veins.
A gust of wind seems to blow, causing Gravel's cloak to flutter and the surrounding bushes to sway.
"Gwooh!"
The remaining Grong inflates their throat, letting out a roar, then crouches, pressing their free hand and legs to the ground before leaping toward Gravel.
"Hm…"
Gravel pivots, extending their left arm toward the approaching Grong.
The Grong, startled by Gravel's odd movement, hesitates mid-air but quickly resolves to swing their sword at Gravel's arm.
"Graaah!"
The Grong's sword shatters with a crack as Gravel swiftly retracts their arm, dodging and striking the Grong's torso with the back of their hand.
Koolt and their companions, poised to exploit an opening, freeze, unable to track Gravel's lightning-fast attack, struggling to process the scene.
A broken Grong sword… The dented metal armor on the Grong, who crashes to the ground, head lolling lifelessly… Koolt, closest to Gravel, signals their companions to surround them.
'I tried wrapping my body with the Singing Weapon principle as a test, and it worked well… I'm pretty sure Count Tould's book mentioned something similar. If I master this, I won't even need abjuration magic for protection.'
Ignoring the surrounding enemies, Gravel examines the arm that shattered the Grong's sword.
"It's magic! They're using protective magic!"
"It's not just good armguards?"
"Look at their arm—the part that blocked the sword!"
Koolt shouts in response to a companion's question. If Gravel had worn metal armguards, the cloth covering their arm should have been damaged. But the sleeve of Gravel's black cloak remains pristine, confirming Koolt's suspicion that Gravel is shielding their body with magic.
"Hmm. You seem hesitant to attack… (Maybe I'll try King Ulrich's sword…)"
Gravel muses, glancing at their sword.
"(No, summon magic would be better!) Face my summon, then."
Gravel sheathes their sword and extends a hand toward the ground, conjuring a magic circle. A bright yellow light bursts from the circle, illuminating the forest's darkness.
From the circle, tiny gray particles emerge, colliding and merging chaotically, forming a shape.
The dust-like particles coalesce into a small object, then form hind legs resembling an animal's. A torso follows. On the right flank and left shoulder, grotesque mouths with sharp teeth and purple tongues appear.
A thick, short neck supports a head with a single massive eye. No nose, ears, or mouth—just a giant eye occupying most of the face, scanning its surroundings rapidly as the summon takes form.
"Pfft, haha! Did your summon fail? What use is an armless monster?"
The largest of Koolt's group laughs, twirling their sword and approaching the creature.
"Hey, mage, don't you need to resummon that thing properly?"
The man, now in front of the creature, raises his sword to strike its shoulder.
Swish.
With a chilling sound, a long, snake-like arm sprouts from the creature, snatching a sword from beside the fallen Frolak. Another arm, moving like a lizard's tongue, grabs the sword next to the headless Walrong.
"Gaaaah!"
The man's scream pierces the air.
The creature's writhing arm, wielding a longsword, severs the man's arm, while another sword impales and lifts his body.
"Give… me… weapons…"
Give me weapons!!"
As another arm snatches the sword from the man's severed arm, the creature's two mouths roar, echoing through the forest.
Taut's Arm-Collector, Quillrob, is a summon tied to the Sword of East End, acquired through its quest. According to the game's lore, Gravel knew that until the Sword of East End is obtained, Quillrob's summoning spell only consumes mana without effect.
'Wait, am I the first to summon Quillrob? I never thought I'd use this spell in this world… It's way uglier than the illustrations.'
Standing beside a stunned Nia, Gravel observes Quillrob's grotesque form.
"Ar… arms appeared!"
"Attack! Now's our chance!"
Blood pours onto the ground with a splatter.
"Argh!"
Two more swords pierce the man's body, lifted by Quillrob's blades. Blood streams from the wounds, and the man, on the brink of death, twitches faintly with each impact.
Seeing this, one of Koolt's companions charges at Quillrob, sword raised.
"Monster! I'll cut off your head!"
But as the man meets Quillrob's gaze, he freezes. A menacing aura grips him—an overwhelming malice that feels like teeth sinking into his neck, crushing his heart.
The corners of Quillrob's mouths curl upward, revealing jagged teeth in a sinister grin.