"Let me get this straight, you guys found me unconscious in the tunnel, and you brought me here. Am I right to assume this?"
The man with the red eyes nodded. "Pretty much. I gotta say, you're really heavy."
The man with the white hair shook his head. "Ron, you don't say those kinds of things to people."
Ron shrugged. "Shiro, all I'm saying is that he should lay off the food for a bit."
"Don't listen to him. This idiot doesn't know what he's saying. If anything, I believe you could use a bit more weight." Shiro observed William's arms. His face went pale as he realized what he had unconsciously blurted out. "Did I say you needed to gain weight? Sorry, I meant to say you're perfect as you are."
William wryly smiled. "Well, I can't lie—I am scrawny, despite all the weapon-making I do." The blacksmith squeezed his barely existent bicep and frowned at what little muscle he had. "Wait, that's beside the point! We need to stay on track, or we won't get anything straight."
"Well, it was weird. We were following the light inside the tunnel when, all of a sudden, the blacksmith, William Jaeger, appeared before us on the floor. It was like a ghost story come to life."
"Although I don't share the same sentiment as Ron, it was quite a shock. I thought maybe you had collapsed from exhaustion, Master William."
"I thought you were dead."
The blacksmith knew he was lucky to be found alive. He could've died from blood loss if not for them. "I see... I was actually attacked by a serpent."
Ron leaned closer. "A serpent? Really?!"
William nodded. "It was massive and super strong. I was running back outside when the ceiling collapsed, and I got hit by a rock."
The red-eyed man scoffed. "That's hard to believe."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Well, you see, Master Jaeger, there was nothing of the sort."
"When we found you, everything else was intact. The path wasn't blocked."
"That can't be... The tunnel had collapsed. Didn't you feel the earthquake?"
Both men exchanged confused glances. "No, sir. Not really."
Could William have imagined everything in the tunnel? It was a complete mystery. Could it all have been illusions playing tricks on them?
—That wouldn't make sense. If that were the case, I wouldn't have died.
"Still, it would explain how you hit your head. It was pretty banged up. A gross sight to look at, for sure."
"You don't have to say everything that comes to your head."
William touched his head and didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. "Then, how was it fixed? It feels fine to me."
The white-haired man smirked. "You'll need to thank these potions we have here." He took out a vial containing a green liquid. "We got these a while ago from a traveling pixie. She gave them to us after showing her a good time."
"Hm? You guys are some sort of escort?"
Shiro's face turned bright red. "Please, Mister Jaeger! Get your mind out of the gutter. We just showed her around Aoba, that's all!"
William knew potions and elixirs originated from Floris, the island where the pixies resided. He had seen vials before but had never used them. As a merchant, he never gave them much thought. They were still new to the market and hard to find.
A cold sweat dripped down his back. He had felt his head perfectly intact. Now, he regretted not realizing the great potential of this product.
The merchant side of him started creeping into his thoughts, but he pushed it away. "It's amazing what just a little vial of potion can do." He grabbed the vial from Shiro's hand and inspected it.
"Yep. Just a gross-looking green liquid."
"You should be grateful! These things are special, you see."
The blacksmith raised an eyebrow. "They are?"
"Apparently, they have a high dosage of mana infused in the mix. But it could all be a sham. The pixie was a bit roundabout with the specifics."
"A sketchy pixie, really?"
"If you'd seen her, you'd understand."
"She said it was capable of bringing anyone from the brink of death. I didn't believe it until we tested it on that head of yours."
"You used something so valuable on me? Why?"
"Well, it was that or let you die."
The blacksmith bowed. "I can't thank you enough. I'm in your debt."
If he were in their shoes, he would have thought twice before using such a rare potion. For that, he was truly grateful. He could tell these men had good values.
"Wait, you mentioned you were from Aoba. What brings you here?"
Both men looked at each other and grinned.
"We left the village to become mercenaries."
"How's that going?"
Shiro wryly smiled. "This is actually our first day. We left early this morning. We'll be traveling for a while."
"Is there a reason you became mercenaries?"
"We hit a wall with our strength. To grow stronger, we had to leave the village and see what the world had in store for us."
"It was evident after the mess that happened yesterday at the Merchant's Guild."
William recalled a merchant mentioning something important happening. Though he wasn't there, he wondered what had been discussed. "What happened last night?"
"A man snuck into the Merchant's Guild. He was too strong for any of us to take down. He even managed to outmatch the great warrior."
"Still, all that trouble just to steal a carriage. What a crazy guy."
"What?!"
"Something wrong, Master Jaeger?"
The blacksmith cleared his throat. "Nothing. I'm just... very impressed by this particular individual. Haha..."
—That idiot!
"Yeah, he might've gotten the better of me, but next time I'll beat the bastard!"
—Get in line, pal.
"I see. Everyone seems to be trying to find a better version of themselves."
"Well, if it weren't for that drive, we wouldn't have found you collapsed in the tunnel."
"You got that right... But are you sure you didn't see any sign of a collapse?"
"Not at all. The tunnel seemed perfectly intact."
If that were true, could it be that the serpent had cleared the path? Even so, why hadn't his companions returned? Where was—
"Nicolas! Did you see Nicolas?!"
"Who?"
The blacksmith stood and gripped Ron's shoulders. "A young golden-haired boy! Where is he?!"
The red-eyed man pried William's hands off. "Whoa, calm down, dude."
"Mister Jaeger, please stand down! The potion is still closing your wounds. If you move too much, your head injuries could reopen."
William gritted his teeth. "I won't calm down! His life is in danger!"
"We're not ignoring that, but acting crazy won't help."
William's eyes widened. Realizing his actions, he let go. "You're right. I did the same thing to Olivia. I need to control myself. I apologize."
Shiro sighed in relief. "Wow, I'm amazed by you, Ron. This is the first time I've heard you say something intelligent."
Ron crossed his arms. "Hey! I say intelligent stuff all the time."
Shiro snorted. "Yeah, and pigs can fly."
"So, you say you didn't see a young man lying beside me?"
Shiro thought for a second. "No. You were alone when we found you, Mister Jaeger. There wasn't anybody else as far as I can recall."
"He's too reckless. I have to find him before anything happens." William's voice was filled with urgency. "What time is it?"
"It's about to be nighttime."
—This is bad. I slept for too long.
If memory served him right, it was close to nighttime when the beasts showed up. That would be a problem—not just in searching for the young man, but in making it out alive. He was out of time. Without Sebastian and Olivia around, he needed extra hands to handle the danger ahead.
"You mentioned that you guys are mercenaries, right?"
"Heh, that's right!"
William glanced at the two large swords resting in the corner of the tent. "Then, I would like to hire you."
The two men looked at each other before breaking into excited grins. They jumped up, fists raised in the air.
"You hear that, Ron? Our first mercenary request!"
"Helping him was beneficial after all!" Ron smirked.
William wryly smiled. "You two are a very odd duo, you know that?"
Shiro shrugged. "We've been told."
***
The trio stood in front of the Serpent's Path entrance. William was getting tired of looking at it. He wondered if he would ever get to see the other side. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for what lay ahead.
Shiro inspected the entrance. "Hmm... doesn't this look like the entrance to a tomb?"
William had thought the same thing the first time he stepped inside. The eerie atmosphere only reinforced that feeling.
Ron placed his hands on his hips. "We have to be careful with the traps then."
"Ron, is it me, or are you shaking?" Shiro teased, shaking his hands to imitate him.
Ron shoved Shiro's shoulder. "Knock it off with your dumb jokes, pal. It ain't funny."
The white-haired man laughed. "Please, Ron, you're such a chicken."
The red-eyed man scoffed. "I am not!"
William's eyebrow twitched as the two mercenaries bickered. Compared to the usual duo he was around, these two were rather... immature.
"Say, how old are you two?"
"Nineteen," they answered in unison.
"I'm the oldest?!"
William's eyes widened in horror. He fell to his knees, looking utterly defeated.
—Why am I always the oldest?! Even the butler looks younger than me!
Ron crouched down and patted William's back. "Don't worry, Jaeger. Leave the fighting to the young folk." He smirked.
William looked up at the mercenary giving him a reassuring smile. He sighed. "Great. I feel so secure with you young lot."
Shiro leaned toward Ron and whispered, "Hey, next time, be more careful talking about age with the elderly. They'll start feeling old."
William immediately rose to his feet. "I'm only twenty-five!"
Ron whispered back, "There it is. The quarter-life crisis."
"Whispering is useless. I can hear you!"
"Alright, alright. Let's stop joking around. Isn't it about time we went inside? The moon is up." Ron pointed at the sky.
Shiro smirked. "After you, brave fellow."
William noticed Ron had stopped shaking. Maybe the banter was Shiro's way of calming his nerves. If so, it worked. Ron smiled, realizing it himself—thankful he had someone he could count on.
"I suppose I should take the first step, considering I'm the strongest here."
"Yeah, yeah. Go check out the dark and scary tunnel, oh powerful one."
Ron walked cautiously to the entrance. "Dark and scary… yeah right, I'm not afraid—"
A sudden noise made him jump. He turned to see Shiro had stepped on a branch.
"Oops. My bad. Hey, can you hurry up? We don't have all night."
Ron stomped his foot. "I'm getting there, geez."
Shiro and William waited as Ron surveyed the entrance. "Say, how did you guys know about this place?"
The Serpent's Path was supposed to be known only to the Drakon tribe, secluded enough that regular people wouldn't stumble upon it. How had two mercenaries managed to find it?
"Hm? Oh, we just walked into it."
"Walked into it?"
"We were exploring. We thought climbing the mountain would be good exercise. We just happened to find it on the way. We're just lucky that way."
"I wouldn't call that lucky."
"If not for that, we wouldn't have found you. And most likely, you'd be dead."
"I guess you're right. So my safety depends on luck. That's reassuring."
Shiro shook his head. "Don't worry, Mister Jaeger. We'll cover your front and back."
"We need to work on the way you phrase things."
Ron called out, "Alright guys, everything seems—eh?"
William tensed. "Is something wrong?"
"I think you guys should see this."
Shiro and William ran to his side, both catching their breath as they took in the sight before them. What they were witnessing was not just the one usual guiding torch in the darkness.
"All of them…"
All the torches inside the Serpent's Path were lit. Not only that, multiple paths stretched ahead.
"What the hell is this?!"
"I don't remember seeing this the first time we went inside. Has there always been multiple paths?"
"Not only that, all the torches are on. We tried lighting them last time, and they wouldn't turn on at the same time."
William gritted his teeth. "We're being fooled by this place. All this time… it's been tricking us!"
It all made sense now. All those hours running through the tunnel—he had been going in circles. The inconsistencies in time, the way the tunnel seemed endless—it was a maze. The torches were a mechanism designed to lead intruders astray.
The trio walked inside, stepping into an open area where six paths diverged in different directions.
William clenched his fists. "I don't understand… why is it revealing itself now?"
Ron smirked. "Well, let's view this shitty tunnel as a villain. Villains reveal their plans under certain conditions. Do you know when that is?"
William frowned. "When they're faced with certain death?"
Shiro shook his head. "Nope." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red orb.
Both mercenaries turned toward the entrance. Ron unsheathed the massive sword from his back.
"It's when they think they've already won."
William followed their gaze. His stomach dropped.
The entrance was packed with Jawers.
***
The growls of the massive Jawers filled the trio's ears. Trails of poisonous drool dripped from their gaping mouths as they fantasized about sinking their fangs into flesh. They were eager to feast, leaving nothing but bones in their wake.
William clicked his tongue. "Again, so many of them…"
The creatures blocked the entrance. More arrived by the second, their numbers swelling. William recalled the overwhelming horde he had faced before, and it seemed this time was no different.
"What are these ugly things?"
"Isn't it called a Jawer? A pretty strong one by the looks of it."
William's eyes widened. "You know about them?"
Shiro cocked his head. "Them?"
"—Now's not the time. Man, I'm getting excited. Let's hit it!"
The red-eyed mercenary, who had been hesitant about entering the tunnel, was gone. It was as if something inside him had snapped into place. He charged into the horde with his giant sword, leaping high before landing behind the mass of beasts. With a grin revealing his teeth, he swung his weapon, cutting through the poisonous creatures. Their bodies vanished into thin air.
"That's what I'm talking about! Take that, you—!" But his brief moment of triumph was shattered. As soon as he cut one down, another took its place.
Ron gritted his teeth. "There's no end to them. How are you holding up?"
"I'm okay," Shiro called back as he swung his sword. He had followed Ron into battle, but compared to his companion, he lacked the same endurance. His stamina was fading fast. "I may not be as strong as you, but I have a companion that will fill the gap. I think it's time for introductions."
He tossed a glowing red orb into the air. "Come on out!"
The orb flared, engulfed in fire. Spits of flame rained down, forcing the Jawers to step back. As the flames dispersed, a small, furry creature emerged.
It crossed its arms. "Shiro, you should have released me sooner. Look at this mess."
William stared in awe. "Whoa… what is that?"
The creature floated toward him. Despite its mystical presence, it looked like an ordinary squirrel. "Greetings. My name is Ratatoskr."
Shiro approached and patted its head. "My little companion."
The spirit bristled. "Little?!"
William's brow furrowed. "I've heard of these before… It's a spirit, right?"
Ratatoskr nodded. "Right on the mark."
"You won't last long, though. It's getting late. Better hurry up."
"Hmph. Just leave it to me, son. I'll take care of these lowlife pests."
The spirit darted into the fray, launching fireballs at the creatures. It used its mana to create a lava-like floor, melting Jawers instantly. Then, it spun high into the air, unleashing scorching flames from its tiny paws. It moved so fast William could barely keep track.
"You're a nasty one. Go back to that grotesque swamp you came from."
The spirit was no ordinary squirrel. It was a seasoned fighter, reveling in battle. Its eyes gleamed with a burning bloodlust.
"Come on, Ron. I got your back," Shiro called out.
The mercenary duo fought in perfect sync, covering each other without missing a beat.
William clenched his fists. "What the hell am I doing?" he muttered.
He could only watch. Without a weapon, he was dead weight. The feeling of helplessness gnawed at him. This was all too familiar.
Nicolas' face flashed in his mind. "I can't let it happen again."
William knew he wouldn't get a third chance at life. For all he knew, his survival had been a fluke—a divine error by the Dragon. He refused to let anyone else die. Not on his watch.
He needed a plan. Looking down at his hands, an idea formed. "Maybe… should I use it? No, not yet." He shook his head, pushing the thought aside.
His companions were tiring. Even the spirit had a limit before it returned to its orb. If William could find a way to get them out of this situation…
His eyes darted around. Then he noticed it—six paths. If they couldn't defeat the Jawers, perhaps they could lose them.
"I have a plan. This is a maze, right? Let's lose them!"
"You mean tuck our tails and run?" Ron blocked a Jawer's claws with his sword. The force shoved him back as the beast pressed forward. "Are you insane?! We'll get swarmed!" Frustrated, he hurled the creature aside—right into Shiro's path.
The white-haired mercenary dodged just in time. "Hey! Watch it!"
Seeing the tension rising, Shiro knew he had to intervene before the argument spiraled. "Hey, pal, can you cover for us?"
The spirit, still fighting, sighed. "Jeez, what would you kids do without me?"
Shiro chuckled. "We'd be beast food."
Ratatoskr smirked. "You shouldn't say that so lightly… Alright, just leave it to me!"
"Thanks. Just keep them busy while we figure this out."
The spirit turned to the horde and pressed its tiny paws together. "Protect!"
A shimmering barrier surrounded the trio. "It won't last long, but it'll buy you time."
Ron clenched his fists, already gearing up for another argument. William, however, didn't disagree with him. Running in an enclosed space was dangerous, but they had no other choice.
"They keep piling up. If we don't do this, you'll wear yourselves out. That's exactly what they're waiting for."
"If we run inside, they'll surround us!" Ron drove his sword into the ground in frustration.
"That's impossible. It would take them days to reach the other side if they tried to circle around. The only way in is through the entrance. We just need to split them up."
There was a possibility of the Jawers spreading to ambush them from the entrance and the exit, but the likelihood was low. The Serpent's Path was located in the Dragon's Mountain, one of the largest in the country. It would take days for the creatures to climb to the other side, let alone circle around it. The only way they could reach them was through the entrance. Their greatest threat was sheer numbers.
"The only way we can deal with the number of these creatures is by choosing a path for each of us."
"What are you implying?"
William had been in this situation before, and he was sure of it. Splitting the Jawers among them would increase their chances of survival. He had outrun them once before, and if he could do it, the mercenaries certainly could. To them, it should be a walk in the park.
"I'm saying if we split up, it'll be easier to deal with them."
"You can't be serious."
"Mister Jaeger," Shiro interjected, "let's say we split up and go down different paths. Then what? What about the Jawer?"
"Shiro, you keep saying 'the Jawer' as if there's only one."
"Because there is. It's a single creature using its mana to multiply. We need to find the original and take it out. That's what we've been trying to do, but it doesn't seem to be inside the tunnel with us."
William stiffened. He was being played—manipulated by one hidden enemy. Rage bubbled inside him.
"Another thing," Shiro continued, "these things are drawn to mana. If they're here, it means there's something powerful inside this tunnel."
"I see."
With this new information, William formed a theory—one worth testing. It was a gamble, but if he was right, it could change everything.
"If that's the case, I'll be the decoy."
Shiro's eyes widened. "Mister Jaeger, are you crazy?!"
"What if they attack us? What the hell are we supposed to do?"
William shook his head. "They won't. I'm sure of it. I have a plan."
Ron's fists clenched. "You think I'm just going to accept this shitty plan?!"
William locked eyes with him. "Yes."
Neither Ron nor Shiro possessed magic. If the Jawers were drawn to mana, they wouldn't pay attention to them—they'd go after William instead.
—Although having a spirit in the mix could put Shiro in danger… But Ratatoskr is strong. He'll protect him.
Ron gritted his teeth. "It's suicide! No amount of money is worth this!"
"Calm down, Ron. This is all we've got. Money or not, we need to get out of this mess."
"Sorry to interrupt, kids," Ratatoskr called out, "but the barrier's about to drop!"
Ron growled, then slowly stepped toward William, jabbing a finger into his chest. Their faces were inches apart. "Just so you know—your death is on you."
"That's enough, Ron!" Shiro snapped. "We took this job, and we're seeing it through."
Ron scoffed, turning to Shiro. "Can't you see? He's hiding something. He's so desperate to find that kid, he'll drag us to hell for it."
William grabbed Ron by the collar. "What the hell did you say?!"
"You heard me. If you had told us everything from the start, we wouldn't have taken the job. You knew that. You tricked us."
Shiro's expression darkened. "Mister Jaeger… if you had told us, we could've come up with a better plan. Why didn't you trust us?"
William had no defense. They were right. He had manipulated them, taken advantage of their ignorance. He had done the same thing to Nicolas—refused to rely on others, believing only he could carry the burden.
He looked away, unable to meet Shiro's gaze. "I'm sorry."
Shiro clicked his tongue. "I don't believe you… But we don't have another choice. Let's go along with your plan."
Ron exhaled sharply, then turned to his partner and extended his hand. "Come on, pal. Let's find that little bastard."
Shiro nodded and clasped his hand, pulling him into a quick hug. Ron stiffened, then sighed and patted his head. "There, there. We'll make it out of this. We'll be legends for killing that thing."
"But what if you die?"
"Why am I the one who has to die?!" Ron huffed. Then, after a pause, he added, "Let's make a promise. If one of us dies, the other has to live stronger. Deal?"
Shiro smiled. "Deal."
"Alright, kids, the barrier's coming down!" Ratatoskr's body glowed before returning to his orb. "Good luck!"
"Thanks for everything," Shiro murmured.
Ron turned to William. "Well? Get to it."
William felt guilty, but there was no convincing them now. The least he could do was make sure they got out alive.
Even if it meant leaving him behind.
"—What the hell?!"
The moment he moved, every Jawer turned its gaze toward him. The mercenaries didn't know what he had done, but William's words had been proven true—all the creatures were locked onto him.
A grin tugged at William's lips. "Goodbye, fellas."
With that, he bolted toward one of the paths. The Jawer copies surged after him, fighting amongst themselves for the chance to sink their teeth into his flesh.
Shiro watched in shock. "Mister Jaeger… what are you?"
Ron didn't wait for an answer. "No time to think, Shiro. Let's move."
And with that, they all ran their separate ways.