"Let's just keep running."
"..."
A few moments have passed since they each entered a cave. Though most of them find themselves each in different situations, Sieghart and Ronan's remained the same. Up until now, they are still running while being chased by monsters deeper inside the cave.
That's what Sieghart plans supposedly. To just keep moving forward to the north of Kruule. That is until Ronan who is following behind him slowly loses his speed and eventually stopped running.
"This is far enough."
"Huh?" Sieghart stopped in wonder.
He looks at Ronan who suddenly spoke behind him as the man shows off a dead-calm smile.
"Let us not fool ourselves any longer, Mr. Sieghart. No, Demon Slayer."
The moment Ronan said those words, Sieghart knew that the man knows that the veteran adventurer know who he really is. That being said, they've reached the end of the line, running away from monsters while hiding each of their motives.
"You were already suspicious about us ever since the time we met at the guild hall. The same goes for that Demon Blade, right?"
Sieghart couldn't agree more to what Ronan told him. He is right, the veteran adventurer was already being suspicious of them just being new adventurers ever since the time they meet the adventurers guild. But what intrigues him more than anything is Ronan mentioning the sword in Sieghart's possession. The sword he called the "Demon Blade."
"You look rather surprised. Has it been so long since you heard someone calling your weapon by that name." Says Ronan with a carefree tone.
"You... Where did you learn that name?"
...
15 years ago, a demon appeared and threatened peace in the world of Alteria. With the people's lives being in danger, an alliance between countries to hunt down the demon was formed. The individuals that are representing the countries are called adventurers. They were tasked to find and kill the demon before it summons its minions and attempt to take over the world.
Among the three hundred adventurers participating through the hunt, Sieghart was one of them. Back then, he was only a Platinum ranked adventurer and was the only one in the hunt who isn't in any of the parties involved. But despite that, he was one of the few who did not fell victim onto the demon who is already walking around with them.
Like the others, he confronted the demon they were all chasing down within the remote villages and towns near the western borders of Kruule. And just like them, he was also utterly defeated. Or rather, he was left for dead by the demon, thinking that he was already at death's doorstep.
Right when his eyes are fading, a mysterious black sword suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him. A black sword, with a mysterious crystal in the middle of the blade. Sieghart with the last bit of his strength looks at the mysterious crystal that almost looks like an eye of a beast.
The mysterious crystal glow with black light, and before he realized it, Sieghart had his injuries and other fatal wounds healed. It was like a miracle, a sword that came out of nowhere, mysteriously helped Sieghart who can barely stand back to life.
And as if the sword is telling Sieghart directly to pick it up, he grabbed the sword from its handle, and there he continued following the demon. Along the way, he met people who would later become his party members and friends one by one. Eventually, he finally catch up to the demon who killed many adventurers and ended the horror the demon brought to Alteria. Then, he was then titled as the "Demon Slayer."
But contrary to the people who would later praise him for his greatest feat yet, before he was titled as the "Demon Slayer", a horrible tragedy befall Sieghart and everyone around him.
"That's right. After killing the demon, that same sword suddenly exploded with power. And you weren't able to contain it."
Right after he killed the demon, right when everyone thought it was all over, the black sword that came out of nowhere. Healed Sieghart back to life and eliminated the threat along with it, suddenly bursts out with a wild flow of dark energy.
It is so strong that even Sieghart could not control it. The black sword continue to wreak havoc with Sieghart who is forcefully being dragged along with it no matter how many times he try to let go of it. It's like he is being used by sword instead of the opposite. The dark flow of energy bursts into a very powerful explosion, incinerating everything all around Sieghart. Including half of a nearby town.
"The sword's rampage did not stop there. Like a puppet, you were being forced by the sword to attack the remaining half of the town you incinerated. It's like it can sense that there are still a few more people in that town and it wants to eradicate them."
"You... Where did you learn all thi-"
"Do you remember the kid you almost killed right after mercilessly killing his Mother and Father?"
The words that escaped Ronan's lips triggered a bad memory of Sieghart 15 years ago.
Right after defeating the demon with the giant black sword and that sudden explosion of power, the sword forcefully dragged Sieghart towards the remains of the town that got hit by the explosion.
Right as he was approaching the devastated town, and as if it has eyes of its own, the sword pointed itself to the three people right in front of them. A child, along with his Mother and Father.
Like a beast who've located it's prey, it's food. The giant black sword flew along with Sieghart towards the three.
The other adventurers who managed to survive the explosion and those who are fortunate to not be in its range dashes forward to stop Sieghart. With everyone's strength, they managed to halt Sieghart's movements. But not for long.
The sword let out a powerful blast to blow everyone away from Sieghart. After sending them to a distance, Sieghart quickly follows up to the family.
The woman who is shortly following behind her husband who is carrying their son tripped herself from a rock sticking out from the ground. In that instant, Sieghart and the uncontrollable giant black sword is on top of her.
"Right after that moment, the sword you're carrying thrusts itself onto her heart. Killing her without showing mercy."
Sieghart could no longer hide the unsettling feeling in his face as Ronan continue to tell his past.
"After killing her, the man left his son alone and came running and punched you through anger and impulse. But that weak fist of my Father was effortlessly severed by your sword. Then you killed him by swinging your blade left and right endlessly. Then afterwards, you put your attention towards me."
"You're... the k-kid back then?" Sieghart stuttered.
"Yes." Ronan glared at Sieghart angrily. "I am the son of the two who you killed while smiling over their deaths in pleasure!"